Intraepithelial mast cells drive gasdermin C-mediated type 2 immunity.

A specialized population of mast cells residing within epithelial layers, currently known as intraepithelial mast cells (IEMCs), was originally observed over a century ago, yet their physiological functions have remained enigmatic. In this study, we unveil an unexpected and crucial role of IEMCs in driving gasdermin C-mediated type 2 immunity. During helminth infection, αEß7 integrin-positive IEMCs engaged in extensive intercellular crosstalk with neighboring intestinal epithelial cells (IECs). Through the action of IEMC-derived proteases, gasdermin C proteins intrinsic to the epithelial cells underwent cleavage, leading to the release of a critical type 2 cytokine, interleukin-33 (IL-33). Notably, mast cell deficiency abolished the gasdermin C-mediated immune cascade initiated by epithelium. These findings shed light on the functions of IEMCs, uncover a previously unrecognized phase of type 2 immunity involving mast cell-epithelial cell crosstalk, and advance our understanding of the cellular mechanisms underlying gasdermin C activation.

Entropy-Driven Ostwald Ripening Reversal Promotes the Formation of Low-Platinum Intermetallic Fuel Cell Catalysts.

Strain engineering has been widely used to optimize platinum-based oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts for proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). PtM3 (M is base metals), a well-known high-compressive-strain intermetallic alloy, shows promise as a low platinum ORR catalyst due to high intrinsic activity. However, during the alloying of Pt with a threefold amount of M, a notable phase separation between Pt and M may occur, with M particles rapidly sintering while Pt particles grow slowly, posing a challenge in achieving a well-defined PtM3 intermetallic alloy. Here, an entropy-driven Ostwald ripening reversal phenomenon is discovered that enables the synthesis of small-sized Pt(FeCoNiCu)3 intermetallic ORR catalysts. High entropy promotes the thermodynamic driving force for the alloying Pt with M, which triggers the Ostwald ripening reversal of sintered FeCoNiCu particles and facilitates the formation of uniform Pt(FeCoNiCu)3 intermetallic catalysts. The prepared Pt(FeCoNiCu)3 catalysts exhibit a high specific activity of 3.82 mA cm-2, along with a power density of ≈1.3 W cm-2 at 0.67 V and 94 °C with a cathode Pt loading of 0.1 mg cm-2 in H2-air fuel cell.

Autoimmune diseases exhibit shared alterations in the gut microbiota.

OBJECTIVE: Accumulating evidence from microbial studies have highlighted the modulatory roles of intestinal microbes in numerous human diseases, however, the shared microbial signatures across different diseases remain relatively unclear. METHODS: To consolidate existing knowledge across multiple studies, we performed meta-analyses of 17 disease types, covering 34 case-control datasets of 16S rRNA sequencing data, to identify shared alterations among different diseases. Furthermore, the impact of a microbial species, Lactobacillus salivarius, was established in a dextran sodium sulphate-induced colitis model and a collagen type II-induced arthritis mouse model. RESULTS: Microbial alterations among autoimmune diseases were substantially more consistent compared with that of other diseases (cancer, metabolic disease and nervous system disease), with microbial signatures exhibiting notable discriminative power for disease prediction. Autoimmune diseases were characterized by the enrichment of Enterococcus, Veillonella, Streptococcus and Lactobacillus and the depletion of Ruminococcus, Gemmiger, Oscillibacter, Faecalibacterium, Lachnospiracea incertae sedis, Anaerostipes, Coprococcus, Alistipes, Roseburia, Bilophila, Barnesiella, Dorea, Ruminococcus2, Butyricicoccus, Phascolarctobacterium, Parabacteroides and Odoribacter, among others. Functional investigation of L. salivarius, whose genus was commonly enriched in numerous autoimmune diseases, demonstrated protective roles in two separate inflammatory mouse models. CONCLUSION: Our study highlights a strong link between autoimmune diseases and the gut microbiota, with notably consistent microbial alterations compared with that of other diseases, indicating that therapeutic strategies that target the gut microbiome may be transferable across different autoimmune diseases. Functional validation of L. salivarius highlighted that bacterial genera associated with disease may not always be antagonistic, but may represent protective or adaptive responses to disease.

Effects of whole grains on glycemic control: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies and randomized controlled trials.

PURPOSE: Whole grains have recently been promoted as beneficial to diabetes prevention. However, the evidence for the glycemic benefits of whole grains seems to conflict between the cohort studies and randomized control trials (RCTs). To fill the research gap, we conducted a meta-analysis to determine the effects of whole grains on diabetes prevention and to inform recommendations. METHODS: We searched PubMed, Clarivate Web of Science, and Cochrane Library until March 2024. We used the risk ratio (RR) of type 2 diabetes to represent the clinical outcomes for cohort studies, while the biomarkers, including fasting blood glucose and insulin, HbA1C, and HOMA-IR, were utilized to show outcomes for RCTs. Dose-response relationships between whole grain intakes and outcomes were tested with random effects meta-regression models and restricted cubic splines models. This study is registered with PROSPERO, CRD42021281639. RESULTS: Ten prospective cohort studies and 37 RCTs were included. Cohort studies suggested a 50 g/day whole grain intake reduced the risk of type 2 diabetes (RR = 0.761, 95% CI: 0.700 to 0.828, I2 = 72.39%, P < 0.001) and indicated a monotonic inverse relationship between whole grains and type 2 diabetes rate. In RCTs, whole grains significantly reduced fasting blood glucose (Mean difference (MD) = -0.103 mmol/L, 95% CI: -0.178 to -0.028; I2 = 72.99%, P < 0.01) and had modest effects on HbA1C (MD = -0.662 mmol/mol (-0.06%), 95% CI: -1.335 to 0.010; I2 = 64.55%, P = 0.05) and HOMA-IR (MD = -0.164, 95% CI: -0.342 to 0.013; I2 = 33.38%, P = 0.07). The intake of whole grains and FBG, HbA1C, and HOMA-IR were significantly dose-dependent. The restricted spline curves remained flat up to 150 g/day and decreased afterward. Subgroup analysis showed that interventions with multiple whole-grain types were more effective than those with a single type. CONCLUSION: Our study findings suggest that a daily intake of more than 150 g of whole grain ingredients is recommended as a population approach for diabetes prevention.

Differential impacts of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on lifespan and healthspan in aged Caenorhabditis elegans.

Aging and age-related diseases are intricately associated with oxidative stress and inflammation. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have shown their promise in mitigating age-related conditions and potentially extending lifespan in various model organisms. However, the efficacy of NSAIDs in older individuals may be influenced by age-related changes in drug metabolism and tolerance, which could result in age-dependent toxicities. This study aimed to evaluate the potential risks of toxicities associated with commonly used NSAIDs (aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and indomethacin) on lifespan, healthspan, and oxidative stress levels in both young and old Caenorhabditis elegans. The results revealed that aspirin and ibuprofen were able to extend lifespan in both young and old worms by suppressing ROS generation and enhancing the expression of antioxidant SOD genes. In contrast, acetaminophen and indomeacin accelerated aging process in old worms, leading to oxidative stress damage and reduced resistance to heat stress through the pmk-1/skn-1 pathway. Notably, the harmful effects of acetaminophen and indomeacin were mitigated when pmk-1 was knocked out in the pmk-1(km25) strain. These results underscore the potential lack of benefit from acetaminophen and indomeacin in elderly individuals due to their increased susceptibility to toxicity. Further research is essential to elucidate the underlying mechanisms driving these age-dependent responses and to evaluate the potential risks associated with NSAID use in the elderly population.

Optimizing Short Sprint Interval Training for Young Soccer Players: Unveiling Optimal Rest Distributions to Maximize Physiological Adaptations.

Present study aimed to compare the effects of SSIT intervention with varying rest distributions on hormonal, physiological, and performance adaptations in soccer players. Thirty-six players were randomly divided into three SSIT groups, each performing 4 sets of 6-10 repetitions of 6-second all-out running with rest intervals at ratios of 1:3, 1:6, and 1:9. Prior to and following the 7-week training period, aerobic fitness indices and anaerobic power were evaluated using a graded exercise test with a gas collection system and a lower-body Wingate test, respectively. Also, sport-specific bio-motor abilities were determined by measuring vertical jump, 20-m sprint, and T-test change of direction speed, Yo-Yo IR1 and maximal kicking distance. Hormonal status was also monitored by evaluating testosterone and cortisol levels. Following the 7-week training period, all SSIT interventions resulted in significant enhancements (p < 0.05) in soccer-related performance, physiological parameters, and hormonal adaptations, exhibiting effect sizes that ranged from small to large. Comparative analysis indicated that the 1:9 SSIT results in greater adaptive responses (p < 0.05) in the vertical jump, peak power, testosterone, and cortisol compared to the 1:3 SSIT group. By contrast, the 1:3 SSIT group induced more adaptive responses (p < 0.05) in the mean power output, maximum oxygen consumption (V̇O2max), and Yo-Yo IR1 compared to the 1:9 SSIT group. Hence, for enhancing physical performance, especially vertical jump height, anaerobic peak power, and hormonal adaptations, the 1:9 SSIT ratio is preferable. Conversely, shorter rest intervals (specifically, the 1:3 SSIT ratio) are better suited for eliciting heightened adaptive responses in mean power output, V̇O2max, and Yo-Yo IR1 over the 7-week training period among young male soccer players.

Generation of High-Density High-Polarization Positrons via Single-Shot Strong Laser-Foil Interaction.

We put forward a novel method for producing ultrarelativistic high-density high-polarization positrons through a single-shot interaction of a strong laser with a tilted solid foil. In our method, the driving laser ionizes the target, and the emitted electrons are accelerated and subsequently generate abundant γ photons via the nonlinear Compton scattering, dominated by the laser. These γ photons then generate polarized positrons via the nonlinear Breit-Wheeler process, dominated by a strong self-generated quasistatic magnetic field B^{S}. We find that placing the foil at an appropriate angle can result in a directional orientation of B^{S}, thereby polarizing positrons. Manipulating the laser polarization direction can control the angle between the γ photon polarization and B^{S}, significantly enhancing the positron polarization degree. Our spin-resolved quantum electrodynamics particle-in-cell simulations demonstrate that employing a laser with a peak intensity of about 10^{23} W/cm^{2} can obtain dense (≳10^{18} cm^{-3}) polarized positrons with an average polarization degree of about 70% and a yield of above 0.1 nC per shot. Moreover, our method is feasible using currently available or upcoming laser facilities and robust with respect to the laser and target parameters. Such high-density high-polarization positrons hold great significance in laboratory astrophysics, high-energy physics, and new physics beyond the standard model.

A concentration-descending washing strategy with methanol for the enhancement of protein imaging in biological tissues by MALDI-MS.

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSI) is a powerful approach that has been widely used for in situ detection of various endogenous compounds in tissues. However, there are still challenges with in situ analysis of proteins using MALDI-MSI due to the ion suppression effects of small molecules in tissue sections. Therefore, tissue-washing steps are crucial for protein MALDI tissue imaging to remove these interfering molecules. Here, we successfully developed a new method named the concentration-descending washing strategy (CDWS) with methanol (MeOH), i.e., washing of biological tissue with 100%, 95%, and 70% MeOH solutions, for the enhancement of endogenous in situ protein detection and imaging in tissues using MALDI-MS. The method of MeOH-based CDWS (MeOH-CDWS) led to the successful in situ detection of 272 ± 3, 185 ± 4, and 134 ± 2 protein ion signals from rat liver, rat brain, and germinating Chinese-yew seed tissue sections, respectively. By comparison, 161 ± 2, 121 ± 1, and 114 ± 2 protein ions were detected by three commonly used methods, i.e., Carnoy's wash, ethanol (EtOH)-based CAWS (i.e., concentration-ascending washing strategy, 70% EtOH followed by 90% EtOH/9% AcOH), and isopropanol (iPrOH)-based CAWS (70% iPrOH followed by 95% iPrOH), respectively, in rat liver tissue sections, indicating that 68.9 ± 3.1%, 124.8 ± 3.3%, and 138.6 ± 4.4% more protein ion signals could be detected by the use of MeOH-CDWS than the three abovementioned washing strategies. Our results show that the use of MeOH-CDWS improves the performance of MALDI-MSI for in situ protein detection such as the number and intensity of proteins. The use of MeOH-CDWS improves the fixation of proteins and thus reduces the loss of proteins, which significantly reduces protein delocalization in tissue and enhances the performance of MALDI tissue imaging of protein. Thus, the use of MeOH-CDWS improves the quality of protein images in tissue sections through MALDI-MSI and has the potential to be used as standard practice for MALDI tissue imaging of proteins.

Thiolutin attenuates ischemic stroke injury via inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome: an in vitro and in vivo study.

A recent study confirmed that thiolutin is effective in the treatment of nucleotide-binding domain-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3)-related inflammatory diseases. Nevertheless, whether thiolutin (THL) is involved in the regulation of NLRP3 inflammasome in ischemic stroke is not known. The murine neuronal cell oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) model was first established, and then different concentrations (25 nM and 50 nM) of THL were administered for 48 h incubation, respectively. Subsequently, cell viability and toxicity, and the levels of intracellular inflammatory factors interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), interleukin-18 (IL-18), oxidative stress factors superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT) and malondialdehyde (MDA), and NLRP3 inflammasome activation-related proteins pro-caspase, caspase-1, apoptosis-associated speck like-protein (ASC) and NLRP3 were examined, respectively. We further established the mouse middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model to evaluate the therapeutic effects of THL on cerebral infarction like behaviors in mice and the preventive effects on NLRP3 inflammasome activation in vivo. Cell cytotoxic, and the levels of inflammatory factors and oxidative stress were conspicuously increased, and NLRP3 inflammasome was materially activated in the OGD-induced cell model and MCAO-established mouse model, which were partially countered by THL treatment. Besides, intraperitoneal injection of THL could prominently reduce the cerebral infarct volume and neuromotor deficit scores in MCAO mice. The present study confirmed that THL attenuated neuronal and cerebral inflammatory injury caused by OGD and MCAO models in mice through restraining NLRP3 inflammasome activation in vitro and in vivo.

Vector flow mapping analysis of left ventricular vortex performance in type 2 diabetic patients with early chronic kidney disease.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes is the leading cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and contributes to an elevated incidence of diastolic dysfunction in the early stages of CKD. Intracardiac vortex is a novel hemodynamic index for perceiving cardiac status. Here, we visualized left ventricular (LV) vortex characteristics using vector flow mapping (VFM) in type 2 diabetic patients with early CKD. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 67 controls and 89 type 2 diabetic patients with stages 2-3a CKD. All subjects underwent transthoracic echocardiographic examination. LV anterior vortex during early diastole (E-vortex), atrial contraction (A-vortex) and systole (S-vortex) were assessed using VFM in the apical long-axis view. Its relation to glycemia or LV filling echocardiographic parameters were further analyzed using correlation analysis. RESULTS: Type 2 diabetic patients with early CKD had a small area (439.94 ± 132.37 mm2 vs. 381.66 ± 136.85 mm2, P = 0.008) and weak circulation (0.0226 ± 0.0079 m2/s vs. 0.0195 ± 0.0070 m2/s, P = 0.013) of E-vortex, but a large area (281.52 ± 137.27 mm2 vs. 514.83 ± 160.33 mm2, P ˂ 0.001) and intense circulation (0.0149 ± 0.0069 m2/s vs. 0.0250 ± 0.0067 m2/s, P < 0.001) of A-vortex compared to controls. CKD patients with poorly controlled hyperglycemia had stronger A-vortex (area: 479.06 ± 146.78 mm2 vs. 559.96 ± 159.27 mm2, P = 0.015; circulation: 0.0221 ± 0.0058 m2/s vs. 0.0275 ± 0.0064 m2/s, P < 0.001) and S-vortex (area: 524.21 ± 165.52 mm2 vs. 607.87 ± 185.33 mm2, P = 0.029; circulation: 0.0174 ± 0.0072 m2/s vs. 0.0213 ± 0.0074 m2/s, P = 0.015), and a longer relative duration of S-vortex (0.7436 ± 0.0772 vs. 0.7845 ± 0.0752, P = 0.013) than those who had well-controlled hyperglycemia. Glycemia, and E/A (a LV filling parameter) were respectively found to had close correlation to the features of A-vortex and S-vortex (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Abnormal LV vortices were detected in type 2 diabetic patients with early CKD using VFM, especially in those who neglected hyperglycemic control. LV vortex might be a promising parameter to slow or halt the hyperglycemia-induced diastolic dysfunction in early CKD.

Anxiety prevalence and its association with physical activity in patients with non-communicable diseases during COVID-19 lockdown: a cross-sectional study in Shanghai, China.

BACKGROUND: Quarantine due to the COVID-19 pandemic may have created great psychological stress among vulnerable populations. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of anxiety and explore the association between physical activities (PA) and anxiety risk in people with non-communicable diseases during the period of COVID-19 lockdown. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional telephone survey from February 25 to April 20, 2020, the period of COVID-19 lockdown in Shanghai. Up to 8000 patients with type 2 diabetes and/or hypertension were selected using multi-stage cluster random sampling. PA level was measured based on the International Physical Activity Questionnaire using Metabolic Equivalent for Task scores, while symptoms of anxiety were assessed by the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale. Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate the associations of type and level of PA with the risk of anxiety. RESULTS: Of a total 4877 eligible patients, 2602 (53.4%) reported with anxiety, and 2463 (50.5%), 123 (2.5%) and 16 (0.3%) reported with mild, moderate, and severe anxiety. The prevalence of anxiety was higher in the females, the elders, non-smokers, non-drinkers, and patients with diabetes, and the associations of anxiety with sex, age, smoking, drinking and diagnosis of diabetes were significant. A significant negative association was observed for housework activities (OR 0.53, 95%CI: [0.45, 0.63], p < 0.001) and trip activities (OR 0.55, 95%CI: [0.48, 0.63], p < 0.001) with anxiety, but no significant was found for exercise activities (OR 1.06, 95%CI: [0.94, 1.20], p = 0.321). Compared with patients with a low PA level, those with a moderate (OR 0.53, 95%CI: [0.44, 0.64], p < 0.001) or a high PA level (OR 0.51, 95%CI: [0.43, 0.51], p < 0.001) had a lower prevalence of anxiety. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates a higher prevalence of anxiety in patients with hypertension, diabetes, or both during the COVID-19 lockdown. The negative associations of housework and trip activities with anxiety highlight the potential benefit of PA among patients with non-communicable diseases.

Vertical distribution analysis and total mass estimation of nitrogen and phosphorus in large shallow lakes.

Analysing the vertical distribution of nutrient salts and estimating the total mass of lake nutrients is helpful for the management of lake nutrient status and the formulation of drainage standards in basins. However, studies on nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in lakes have focused on obtaining measures of N and P concentrations, but no understanding exists on the vertical distribution of N and P in the entire water column. The present study proposes algorithms for estimating the total masses of N/P per unit water column (ALGO-TNmass/ALGO-TPmass) for shallow eutrophic lakes. Using Lake Taihu as an example, the total masses of nutrients in Lake Taihu in the historical period were obtained, and the algorithm performance was discussed. The results showed that the vertical distribution of nutrients decreased with increasing depth and exhibited a quadratic distribution. Surface nutrients and chlorophyll-a concentrations play important roles in the vertical distribution of nutrients. Based on conventional surface water quality indicators, algorithms for the vertical nutrient concentration in Lake Taihu were proposed. Both algorithms had good accuracy (ALGO-TNmass R2 > 0.75, RMSE <0.57; ALGO-TPmass R2 > 0.80, RMSE ≤0.50), the ALGO-TPmass had better applicability than the ALGO-TNmass, and had good accuracy in other shallow lakes. Therefore, deducing the TPmass using conventional water quality indicators in surface water, which not only simplifies the sampling process but also provides an opportunity for remote sensing technology to monitor the total masses of nutrients, is feasible. The long-term average total mass of N was 11,727 t, showing a gradual downward trend before 2010, after which it stabilised. The maximum and minimum intra-annual total N masses were observed in May and November, respectively. The long-term average total mass of P was 512 t, showing a gradual downward trend before 2010, and a slow upward trend thereafter. The maximum and minimum intra-annual total masses of P occurred in August and February or May, respectively. The correlation between the total mass of N and meteorological conditions was not obvious, whereas some influence on the total mass of P was evident, particularly water level and wind speed.

Orthodontically induced external apical root resorption considerations of root-filled teeth vs vital pulp teeth: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this systematic review was to research the difference between root-filled teeth (RFT) and vital pulp teeth (VPT) in orthodontically induced external apical root resorption (EARR) and to offer suggestions for clinicians on therapeutic sequence and timing when considering combined treatment of endodontic and orthodontic. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An electronic search of published studies was conducted before November 2022 in PubMed, Web of Science and other databases. Eligibility criteria were based on the Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome, and Study design (PICOS) framework. RevMan 5.3 software was used for statistical analysis. Single-factor meta-regression analysis was used to explore the sources of literature heterogeneity, and a random effects model was used for analysis. RESULTS: This meta-analysis comprised 8 studies with 10 sets of data. As there was significant heterogeneity among the studies, we employed a random effects model. The funnel plot of the random effects model exhibited a symmetrical distribution, indicating no publication bias among the included studies. The EARR rate of RFT was significantly lower than that of VPT. CONCLUSIONS: In the context of concurrent endodontic and orthodontic treatment, priority should be given to endodontic therapy, as it serves as the foundation for subsequent orthodontic procedures. The optimal timing for orthodontic tooth movement post-root canal therapy is contingent upon factors such as the extent of periapical lesion resolution and the degree of dental trauma sustained. A comprehensive clinical assessment is essential in guiding the selection of the most suitable approach for achieving optimal treatment outcomes.

Mogrol suppresses lung cancer cell growth by activating AMPK-dependent autophagic death and inducing p53-dependent cell cycle arrest and apoptosis.

Lung carcinoma is the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Chemotherapy remains the cornerstone of lung cancer treatment. Unfortunately, most types of cancer will develop resistance to chemotherapies over the time. One of the efforts to prevent the chemotherapy resistance is to find alternative chemotherapy drugs. Mogrol has been found to have antitumor activity. However, little is known about the pharmacological mechanisms underlying the suppression of mogrol on lung cancers. In this study, we observed that mogrol exposure significantly reduced the tumor volume and weight in tumor-bearing nude mice without obvious effect on body weight and cardiac function. Mogrol also significantly inhibited the proliferation and migration of lung cancer cells, including non-small-cell lung carcinoma cells, A549, H1299, H1975 and SK-MES-1 cells, with no obvious effect on control human bronchial epithelial cells (HBE). Further studies revealed that mogrol stirred excessive autophagy and autophagic flux, and finally, autophagic cell death, in lung cancer cells, which could be attenuated by autophagy inhibitors, 3-MA and chloroquine. Furthermore, mogrol significantly activated AMPK to induce autophagy and autophagic cell death, which could be abrogated by Compound C, an AMPK inhibitor. In addition, mogrol induced a significant increase in p53 activity in lung cancer cells, accompanied with cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, which could be weakened by p53 silence. Our results indicated that mogrol effectively suppressed lung cancer cells in vivo and in vitro by inducing the excessive autophagy and autophagic cell death via activating AMPK signaling pathway, as well as cell cycle arrest and apoptosis via activating p53 pathway.

Excellent Medium-Temperature Thermoelectric Performance of Monolayer BiOCl.

Recently, a ternary-layered material BiOCl has elicited intense interest in photocatalysis, environmental remediation, and ultraviolet light detection because of its unique band gap of around 3.6 eV, low toxicity, and earth abundance. In particular, Gibson et al. reported a measurement of the in-plane thermal conductivity of BiOCl experimentally using a four-point-probe method [Science, 373, 1017-1022 (2021)], which is only 1.25 W/m K at 300 K. Motivated by the work, we studied the thermoelectric property of monolayer BiOCl using first-principles calculations combined with the Boltzmann transport equation. The calculated phonon thermal conductivity of monolayer BiOCl is 3 W/m K at 300 K, which is far below that of other promising 2D thermoelectric materials like graphyne and MoS2. A comprehensive analysis of phonon modes is conducted to reveal the low thermal conductivity. Moreover, the maximal ZT value is as high as 1.8 at 300 K and 5.7 at 800 K for the p-type doping with the 2 × 1015 cm-2 concentration. More importantly, we found that the thermoelectric efficiency of such 2D materials is significantly enhanced to 8 at 800 K by applying 1.5% tensile strain, which clearly outperforms that of the reported 2D thermoelectric material SnSe. The results shed light on the promising application in medium-temperature (600-900 K) thermoelectric devices.

Injectable Hybrid-Crosslinked Hydrogels as Fatigue-Resistant and Shape-Stable Skin Depots.

Injectable hydrogels have gained considerable attention, but they are typically mechanically weak and subject to repeated physiological stresses in the body. Herein, we prepared polyurethane diacrylate (EPC-DA) hydrogels, which are injectable and can be photocrosslinked into fatigue-resistant implants. The mechanical properties can be tuned by changing photocrosslinking conditions, and the hybrid-crosslinked EPC-DA hydrogels exhibited high stability and sustained release properties. In contrast to common injectable hydrogels, EPC-DA hydrogels exhibited excellent antifatigue properties with >90% recovery during cyclic compression tests and showed shape stability after application of force and immersion in an aqueous buffer for 35 days. The EPC-DA hydrogel formed a shape-stable hydrogel depot in an ex vivo porcine skin model, with establishment of a temporary soft gel before in situ fixing by UV crosslinking. Hybrid crosslinking using injectable polymeric micelles or nanoparticles may be a general strategy for producing hydrogel implants resistant to physiological stresses.

Enhancement of thermoelectric performance in graphenylene nanoribbons by suppressing phonon thermal conductance: the role of phonon local resonance.

Based on the method of non-equilibrium Green's function, we investigate the thermal transport and thermoelectric properties of graphenylene nanoribbons (GRNRs) with different width and chirality. The results show that the thermoelectric (TE) performance of GRNRs significantly increases with decreasing ribbon width, which stems from the reduction of thermal conductance. In addition, by changing the ribbon width and chirality, the figure of merit (ZT) can be controllably manipulated and maximized up to 0.45 at room temperature. Moreover, it is found that theZTvalue of GRNRs with branched structure can reach 1.8 at 300 K and 3.4 at 800 K owing to the phonon local resonance. Our findings here are of great importance for thermoelectric applications of GRNRs.

ß-Substituted Alkenyl Heteroarenes as Dipolarophiles in the Cu(I)-Catalyzed Asymmetric 1,3-Dipolar Cycloaddition of Azomethine Ylides Empowered by a Dual Activation Strategy: Stereoselectivity and Mechanistic Insight.

The catalytic asymmetric 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions of azomethine ylides with various electron-deficient alkenes provide the most straightforward protocol for the preparation of enantioenriched pyrrolidines in organic synthesis. However, the employment of conjugated alkenyl heteroarenes as dipolarophiles in such protocols to afford a class of particularly important molecules in medicinal chemistry is still a great challenge. Herein, we report that various ß-substituted alkenyl heteroarenes, challenging internal alkene substrates without a strong electron-withdrawing substituent, were successfully employed as dipolarophiles for the first time in the Cu(I)-catalyzed asymmetric 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of azomethine ylides. This reaction furnishes a large array of multistereogenic heterocycles incorporating both the biologically important pyrrolidine and heteroarene skeletons in good yields with exclusive diastereoselectivity and excellent enantioselectivity. Our extensive density functional theory (DFT) calculations proposed a working model to explain the origin of the stereochemical outcome and elucidated uncommon dual activation/coordination of both the dipole and dipolarophile substrates by the metal, in which a sterically bulky, rigid, and monodentate phosphoramidite ligand with triple-homoaxial chirality plays a pivotal role in providing an effective chiral pocket around the metal center, resulting in high enantioselectivity. The additional coordination of the heteroatom in the dipolarophile substrate to Cu is also critical for the exclusive diastereoselectivity and enhanced reactivity. Our calculations also predicted the reverse and high enantioinduction for the corresponding substrates with monocyclic heteroarenes as well as regiospecific cycloaddition to the less reactive internal C═C bond of one related dipolarophile diene substrate. Such unique steric effect-directed enantioswitching and coordination-directed regioselectivity were verified experimentally.

Design, synthesis and evaluation of dihydrotriazine derivatives-bearing 5-aryloxypyrazole moieties as antibacterial agents.

In the present investigation, a series of dihydrotriazine derivatives-bearing 5-aryloxypyrazole moieties were synthesized and their structures were confirmed by different spectral tools. The biological evaluation in vitro revealed that some of the target compounds exerted good antibacterial and antifungal activity in comparison with the reference drugs. Among these novel hybrids, compound 10d showed the most potent activity with minimum inhibitory concentration values (MIC) of 0.5 µg/mL against S. aureus 4220, MRSA 3506 and E. coli 1924 strain. The cytotoxic activity of the compounds 6d, 6m, 10d and 10g was assessed in MCF-7 and HeLa cells. Growth kinetics study showed significant inhibition of bacterial growth when treated with different conc. of 10d. In vitro enzyme study implied that compound 10d exerted its antibacterial activity through DHFR inhibition. Moreover, significant inhibition of biofilm formation was observed in bacterial cells treated with MIC conc. of 10d as visualized by SEM micrographs. Twenty-nine target compounds were designed, synthesized and evaluated in terms of their antibacterial and antifungal activities.

Providencia heimbachae Associated with Post-weaning Diarrhea in Piglets: Identification, Phenotype, and Pathogenesis.

Despites Providencia heimbachae has been isolated from human, penguin, and bovine fetus, relatively little information is available regarding the pathogenicity and biologic characteristics of P. heimbachae. Here, we report that investigation of post-weaning diarrhea yielded bacterial isolates identified as P. heimbachae based on the biochemical tests and 16S ribosomal DNA sequence analysis. The two isolates were positive for utilization of Malonate, no gas production from glucose, and non-fermentation of D-mannitol, D-Galactose, and L-Rhamnose that were different from those of the type strain, and both of them have the ability of adhesion and invasion to IPEC-J2 cells, and were resistant to 21 out of the 41 antibiotics tested. In addition, the isolate 99101 was highly pathogenic to mice and piglets. Histopathology studies on nerve tissue of piglets that developed hindlimb paralysis showed microglia cell infiltration and neuron damage in the spinal cord. Notably, the strains could grow under low temperature (4 °C), which raise attention of a new risk factor for food safety. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of P. heimbachae strain caused post-weaning diarrhea in piglets in both natural and experimental conditions. These findings extended the knowledge of P. heimbachae as an important zoonotic agent, which should be given more attention during surveillance and diagnostics.