Chiral whispering gallery modes and chirality-dependent symmetric optical force induced by a spin-polarized surface wave of photonic Dirac semimetal.

Dirac degeneracy is a fourfold band crossing point in a three-dimensional momentum space, which possesses Fermi-arc-like surface states, and has extensive application prospects. In this work, we systematically study the exceptional effects of the robust chiral surface wave supported by photonic Dirac semimetal acts on the dielectric particles. Theoretical results show that orthogonal electromagnetic modes and helical or chiral whispering gallery modes (WGMs) of dielectric particles can be efficiently excited by the unidirectional spin-polarized surface wave. More importantly, optical forces exerted by the spin-polarized surface wave exhibit chirality-dependent symmetric behavior and high chiral Q factor with precise size selectivity. Our findings may provide potential applications in the area of chiral microcavity, spin optical devices, and optical manipulations.

Quantifying mitochondrial heteroplasmy diversity: A computational approach.

Biodiversity plays a pivotal role in sustaining ecosystem processes, encompassing diverse biological species, genetic types and the intricacies of ecosystem composition. However, the precise definition of biodiversity at the individual level remains a challenging endeavour. Hill numbers, derived from Rényi's entropy, have emerged as a popular measure of diversity, with a recent unified framework extending their application across various levels, from genetics to ecosystems. In this study, we employ a computational approach to exploring the diversity of mitochondrial heteroplasmy using real-world data. By adopting Hill numbers with q = 2, we demonstrate the feasibility of quantifying mitochondrial heteroplasmy diversity within and between individuals and populations. Furthermore, we investigate the alpha diversity of mitochondrial heteroplasmy among different species, revealing heterogeneity at multiple levels, including mitogenome components and protein-coding genes (PCGs). Our analysis explores large-scale mitochondrial heteroplasmy data in humans, examining the relationship between alpha diversity at the mitogenome components and PCGs level. Notably, we do not find a significant correlation between these two levels. Additionally, we observe significant correlations in alpha diversity between mothers and children in blood samples, exceeding the reported R2 value for allele frequency correlations. Moreover, our investigation of beta diversity and local overlay similarity demonstrates that heteroplasmy variant distributions in different tissues of children more closely resemble those of their mothers. Through systematic quantification and analysis of mitochondrial heteroplasmy diversity, this study enhances our understanding of heterogeneity at multiple levels, from individuals to populations, providing new insights into this fundamental dimension of biodiversity.

Adsorption mechanism of hexavalent chromium on electron beam-irradiated aged microplastics: Novel aging processes and environmental factors.

Microplastics are widely present in the natural environment and exhibit a strong affinity for heavy metals in water, resulting in the formation of microplastics composite heavy metal pollutants. This study investigated the adsorption of heavy metals by electron beam-aged microplastics. For the first time, electron beam irradiation was employed to degrade polypropylene, demonstrating its ability to rapidly age microplastics and generate a substantial number of oxygen-containing functional groups on aged microplastics surface. Adsorption experiments revealed that the maximum adsorption equilibrium capacity of hexavalent chromium by aged microplastics reached 9.3 mg g-1. The adsorption process followed second-order kinetic model and Freundlich model, indicating that the main processes of heavy metal adsorption by aged microplastics are chemical adsorption and multilayer adsorption. The adsorption of heavy metals on aged microplastics primarily relies on the electrostatic and chelation effects of oxygen-containing functional groups. The study results demonstrate that environmental factors, such as pH, salinity, coexisting metal ions, humic acid, and water matrix, exert inhibitory effects on the adsorption of heavy metals by microplastics. Theoretical calculations confirm that the aging process of microplastics primarily relies on hydroxyl radicals breaking carbon chains and forming oxygen-containing functional groups on the surface. The results indicate that electron beam irradiation can simultaneously oxidize and degrade microplastics while reducing hexavalent chromium levels by approximately 90%, proposing a novel method for treating microplastics composite pollutants. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis reveals that electron beam irradiation can oxidatively degrade microplastics into esters, alcohols, and other small molecules. This study proposes an innovative and efficient approach to treat both microplastics composite heavy metal pollutants while elucidating the impact of environmental factors on the adsorption of heavy metals by electron beam-aged microplastics. The aim is to provide a theoretical basis and guidance for controlling microplastics composite pollution.

Novel insights into the heterogeneity of FOXP3 + Treg cells in drug-induced allergic reactions through single-cell transcriptomics.

This study uncovers the novel heterogeneity of FOXP3 + regulatory T (Treg) cells and their pivotal role in modulating immune responses during drug-induced allergic reactions, employing cutting-edge single-cell transcriptomics. We established a mouse model for drug-induced allergic reactions and utilized single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to analyze the transcriptomic landscapes of FOXP3 + Treg cells isolated from affected tissues. The study involved both in vitro and in vivo approaches to evaluate the impact of FOXP3 expression levels on the immunoregulatory functions of Treg cells during allergic responses. Techniques included flow cytometry, cluster analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), CCK8 and CSFE assays for cell proliferation, LDH release assays for toxicity, ELISA for cytokine profiling, and CRISPR/Cas9 technology for gene editing. Our findings revealed significant transcriptomic heterogeneity among FOXP3 + Treg cells in the context of drug-induced allergic reactions, with distinct subpopulations exhibiting unique gene expression profiles. This heterogeneity suggests specialized roles in immune regulation. We observed a decrease in the proliferative capacity and cytokine secretion of FOXP3 + Treg cells following allergic stimulation, alongside an increase in reaction toxicity. Manipulating FOXP3 expression levels directly influenced these outcomes, where FOXP3 deletion exacerbated allergic responses, whereas its overexpression mitigated them. Notably, in vivo experiments demonstrated that FOXP3 overexpression significantly reduced the severity of allergic skin reactions in mice. Our study presents novel insights into the heterogeneity and crucial immunoregulatory role of FOXP3 + Treg cells during drug-induced allergic reactions. Overexpression of FOXP3 emerges as a potential therapeutic strategy to alleviate such allergic responses. These findings contribute significantly to our understanding of immune regulation and the development of targeted treatments for drug-induced allergies.

So many measures in ERAS protocol: Which matters most?

OBJECTIVES: Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS), which includes multiple measures, has gradually become the standard perioperative management in pediatric surgery. However, it is still unclear which of its many measures affects the outcomes more. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of children with congenital choledochal cysts who underwent surgical treatment in a specialized children's hospital from January 2019 to December 2022. Data including baseline factors, implementation of ERAS interventions, postoperative complications, and postoperative length of stay (PLOS) were collected. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify the association between PLOS and baseline factors or specific ERAS measures. RESULTS: The implementation rate of ERAS measures ranged from 5.02% to 100% in 219 cases who underwent 3 to 14 ERAS measures. Univariate analysis showed that body mass index-for-age z-scores, liver function indicators, and postoperative complications were the significant baseline factors for PLOS. At the same time, the measures with the greatest effect on PLOS were early postoperative feeding and early removal of tubes. Multivariate analysis with different models revealed that postoperative complications, early postoperative feeding, and early catheter removal influenced the PLOS the most. CONCLUSIONS: A prolonged PLOS was associated with poor preoperative nutritional status, elevated liver function indexes, and postoperative complications. Early postoperative feeding and removal of tubes appeared more likely with a reduced PLOS than other measures, requiring more attention when implementing the ERAS protocol.

Role of aryl hydrocarbon receptors in infection and inflammation.

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a transcription factor that is activated by various ligands, including pollutants, microorganisms, and metabolic substances. It is expressed extensively in pulmonary and intestinal epithelial cells, where it contributes to barrier defense. The expression of AhR is pivotal in regulating the inflammatory response to microorganisms. However, dysregulated AhR expression can result in endocrine disorders, leading to immunotoxicity and potentially promoting the development of carcinoma. This review focuses on the crucial role of the AhR in facilitating and limiting the proliferation of pathogens, specifically in relation to the host cell type and the species of etiological agents involved in microbial pathogen infections. The activation of AhR is enhanced through the IDO1-AhR-IDO1 positive feedback loop, which is manipulated by viruses. AhR primarily promotes the infection of SARS-CoV-2 by inducing the expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines. AhR also plays a significant role in regulating various types of T-cells, including CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells, in the context of pulmonary infections. The AhR pathway plays a crucial role in regulating immune responses within the respiratory and intestinal barriers when they are invaded by viruses, bacteria, parasites, and fungi. Additionally, we propose that targeting the agonist and antagonist of AhR signaling pathways could serve as a promising therapeutic approach for combating pathogen infections, especially in light of the growing prevalence of drug resistance to multiple antibiotics.

Developments of electrospinning technology in membrane bioreactor: A review.

The necessity for effective wastewater treatment and purification has grown as a result of the increasing pollution issues brought on by industrial and municipal wastewater. Membrane bioreactor (MBR) technology stands out when compared to other treatment methods because of its high efficiency, environmental friendliness, small footprint, and ease of maintenance. However, the development and application of membrane bioreactors has been severely constrained by the higher cost and shorter service life of these devices brought on by membrane biofouling issues resulting from contaminants and bacteria in the water. The nanoscale size of the electrospinning products provides unique microstructure, and the technology facilitates the production of structurally different membranes, or the modification and functionalization of membranes, which makes it possible to solve the membrane fouling problem. Therefore, many current studies have attempted to use electrospinning in MBRs to address membrane fouling and ultimately improve treatment efficacy. Meanwhile, in addition to solving the problem of membrane fouling, the fabrication technology of electrospinning also shows great advantages in constructing thin porous fiber membrane materials with controllable surface wettability and layered structure, which is helpful for the performance enhancement of MBR and expanding innovation. This paper systematically reviews the application and research progress of electrospinning in MBRs. Firstly, the current status of the application of electrospinning technology in various MBRs is introduced, and the relevant measures to solve the membrane fouling based on electrospinning technology are analyzed. Subsequently, some new types of MBRs and new application areas developed with the help of electrospinning technology are introduced. Finally, the limitations and challenges of merging the two technologies are presented, and pertinent recommendations are provided for future research on the use of electrospinning technology in membrane bioreactors.

The efficacy and safety of stereotactic body radiotherapy combined with systematic therapy for metastatic renal cell carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

There is considerable interest in the potential of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) combined with systemic therapy such as tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) or immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). However, its efficacy and safety remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of conducting SBRT during ICI or TKI treatment in different disease settings for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). A total of 16 studies were ultimately included. Under the random effects model, the pooled 1-year local control rate (1-yr LCR) and objective response rate (ORR) were 90% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 80%-95%, I 2 = 67%) and 52% (95% CI: 37%-67%, I 2 = 90%), respectively. SBRT concomitant with different systemic therapy yield significant different 1-yr LCR (p < 0.01) and ORR (p = 0.02). Regarding survival benefits, the pooled 1-year progression-free survival (1-yr PFS) and 1-year overall survival (1-yr OS) rates were 45% (95% CI: 29%-62%, I 2 = 91%) and 85% (95% CI: 76%-91%, I 2 = 66%), respectively. 1-yr PFS and 1-yr OS in different disease settings demonstrated significant difference (p < 0.01). As for toxicity, the pooled incidence of grade 3-4 adverse events was 14% (95% CI: 5%-26%, I 2 = 90%). This study highlights the feasibility of utilizing these strategies in mRCC patients, especially those with a low metastatic tumor burden.

Bio-inspired, sensitivity-enhanced, bi-directional airflow sensor for turbulence detection.

Detecting airflow turbulence precursors promptly is crucial for ensuring flight safety and control. The initial stages of turbulence involve small reverse flows with random velocities and directions, which are not easily detected by existing airflow sensors. In this study, we designed a bionic, sensitivity-enhanced, bi-directional airflow sensor (BSBA) by incorporating bio-inspired circular tip slits and enlarging the central part of the cruciform beam structure. The BSBA exhibits a rapid response time (24.1 ms), high sensitivity (1.36 mV m-1 s-1), consistent detection of forward and backward airflow (correlation coefficient of 0.9854), and a low airflow detection threshold (1 ml). With these features, the proposed sensor can rapidly and accurately measure slight variations in the oscillating airflow, flow field, and contact force. The BSBA also achieves transparent obstacle detection on a quadrotor, even in visually challenging environments, by capturing minute changes in the flow fields produced by the quadrotor when encountering obstacles. The sensor's high sensitivity, consistent bi-directional detection, and fast response give it significant potential for enhancing safety in aircraft control systems.

Establishment and validation of a tumor-infiltrating γδT cell related prognostic gene signature in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

γδT cells are unconventional T cells only accounting for 1-5 % of circulating T lymphocytes. Their potent anti-tumor capability has been evidenced by accumulating studies. However, the prognostic value of γδT cells remains not well documented in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). In this study, we utilized the TCGA HNSCC database to evaluate the infiltration of γδT cells and the association between γδT cells and clinicopathological factors by related gene signature, which were then validated by a total of 100 collected tumor samples from HNSCC patient cohort. Heterogeneity and functional characteristics of distinct infiltrating γδT cell profiles in HNSCC were then investigated based on the scRNA-seq data from the GEO database. We found higher γδT cell gene signature score was significantly associated with longer survival. Cox regression models showed that γδT cell gene signature could serve as an independent prognostic indicator for HNSCC patients. A high level of γδT cell-related gene signature was positively correlated with the infiltration of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and immune score. Through scRNA-seq analysis, we identified that γδ+ Trm cells and γδ+ CTL cells possessed anti-tumor and immunoregulatory properties. Notably, we found a significant association between the presence of these cells and improved survival outcomes. In our cell-cell communication analyses, we identified that γδT cells have the potential to eliminate tumor cells through the secretion of interferon-gamma and granzyme. Collectively, the infiltration of γδT cells may serve as a promising prognostic tool, prompting the consideration of treatment options for patients with HNSCC.

Single-cell transcriptomics reveals cell atlas and identifies cycling tumor cells responsible for recurrence in ameloblastoma.

Ameloblastoma is a benign tumor characterized by locally invasive phenotypes, leading to facial bone destruction and a high recurrence rate. However, the mechanisms governing tumor initiation and recurrence are poorly understood. Here, we uncovered cellular landscapes and mechanisms that underlie tumor recurrence in ameloblastoma at single-cell resolution. Our results revealed that ameloblastoma exhibits five tumor subpopulations varying with respect to immune response (IR), bone remodeling (BR), tooth development (TD), epithelial development (ED), and cell cycle (CC) signatures. Of note, we found that CC ameloblastoma cells were endowed with stemness and contributed to tumor recurrence, which was dominated by the EZH2-mediated program. Targeting EZH2 effectively eliminated CC ameloblastoma cells and inhibited tumor growth in ameloblastoma patient-derived organoids. These data described the tumor subpopulation and clarified the identity, function, and regulatory mechanism of CC ameloblastoma cells, providing a potential therapeutic target for ameloblastoma.