Chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection with reinfection of SARS-CoV-2: a case report.

We describe the case of a 57-year-old male with jaundice, abdominal distension and fatigue. He was diagnosed as chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection (CAEBV) due to intermittent elevated liver enzymes, hepatosplenomegaly and pancytopenia, with persistent positive of EBV biomarkers in blood and also positive in liver tissue. The patient was reinfected by SARS-CoV-2 within 2 months companied with CAEBV. The patient's second infection with SARS-CoV-2 led to the aggravated liver dysfunction with pneumonia and re-admission. After receiving symptomatic treatment, the patient showed significantly improvement of symptoms with partially restoration of liver function. After discharge, the patient's health status continued to deteriorate and eventually died. The instances of SARS-CoV-2 co-infection with the original chronic virus are not uncommon, but the exact mechanism of EBV and SARS-CoV-2 coinfection and the relationship between them are still unclear. Since co-infection of SARS-CoV-2 with original chronic virus might affect each other and lead disease aggravated and complicated, it is necessary to differentiate in the diagnosis of disease and it is important to be aware of the re-infection signs of SARS-CoV-2 in people with chronic virus infection diseases, as well as the risk of co-infection of SARS-CoV-2 with other viruses.

[Effects of serum containing Shenrong Pill on oxidative stress damage in mouse Leydig cells].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the mechanism of Shenrong pills in improving oligoasthenospermia by inhibiting oxidative stress-induced Leydig cell apoptosis in mouse testis. METHODS: The oxidative stress model of mouse Leydig cells (TM3) was induced by 3% hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) of 600 µmol/L, and then TM3 cells were treated with 7.5%, 10% and 12.5% serum containing Shenrong pills, respectively. TM3 cells were divided into normal control group, model group, and low, medium and high dose groups of Shenrong pills containing serum. The cell viability of TM3 after treatment was detected by CCK-8 method, reactive oxygen species (ROS) were detected by DCFH probe method, and SOD-1, CAT, GSH-px, MDA and LPO in cell lysates were detected by ELISA method. The changes of apoptosis-related proteins Bcl-2, Bax in cell lysates were detected by Western Blot. RESULTS: After H2O2 treatment, compared with normal control group, cell viability was significantly decreased (P< 0.01), MDA and LPO contents were significantly increased (P<0.01), SOD-1, CAT and GSH-px contents were significantly decreased (P<0.01). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) were significantly increased, the relative expression ratio of Bcl-2 protein was significantly decreased (P<0.01, P<0.05), and the relative expression of Bax protein was increased. After the administration of Shenrong pills containing serum, the above indexes were reversed to varying degrees. CONCLUSION: Shenrong pills can resist oxidative stress, inhibit the apoptosis of TM3 cells in mice, maintain high levels of testosterone required for spermatogenic cells, and improve the sperm quality of mice with oligonasthenospermia.

Type 2 Diabetes-Prevention Diet and All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality: A Prospective Study.

We aimed to examine whether type 2 diabetes-prevention diet, a dietary pattern previously developed for reducing type 2 diabetes risk, was associated with mortality in a US population. A population-based cohort of 86,633 subjects was identified from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial (1993-2015). Dietary information was collected with a food frequency questionnaire. A dietary diabetes risk-reduction score was calculated to reflect adherence to this dietary pattern, with higher scores representing better adherence. Hazard ratios (HRs) and absolute risk differences (ARDs) in mortality rates per 10,000 person-years were calculated. After a mean follow-up of 13.6 years, 17,532 all-cause deaths were observed. Participants with the highest versus the lowest quintiles of dietary diabetes risk-reduction score were observed to have decreased risks of death from all causes (HR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.72, 0.80; ARD: -81.94, 95% CI: -93.76, -71.12), cardiovascular disease (HR = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.66, 0.81; ARD: -17.82, 95% CI: -24.81, -11.30), and cancer (HR = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.78, 0.94; ARD: -9.92, 95% CI: -15.86, -3.59), which were modified by sex, smoking status, or alcohol consumption in subgroup analyses (P for interaction < 0.05 for all). In conclusion, a type 2 diabetes-prevention diet confers reduced risks of death from all causes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer in this US population.

Three-photon-induced singlet excited-state absorption for tunable ultrafast optical-limiting in distyrylbenzene: a first-principles study.

The ground and first singlet excited state absorption in distyrylbenzene (DSB) is simulated based on linear-response time dependent density functional theory (LR-TDDFT). It is found that distyrylbenzene shows a strong reverse saturable absorption effect around the near-infrared range. Combining the calculations of cubic response functions to simulate the three-photon absorption in distyrylbenzene, we are able to show that distyrylbenzene is a promising ultrafast optical limiter for the light with wavelengths around 775 nm. The primary mechanism for the optical limiting behavior can be well understood by the three-photon induced excited state absorption (3PA-ESA). This result in that DSB has high transmittance for low-intensity ambient light levels and the ultrafast response of optical-limiting. In addition, the limited optical window can be tuned by changing the length of the π-electron conjugated structure. It was also discovered that the molecular aggregation has an inhibitory effect on the optical limiting efficiency of distyrylbenzene. The present results may serve as a theoretical guideline for the design of distyrylbenzene-based optical limiting materials.

IL-36α contributes to enhanced T helper 17 type responses in allergic rhinitis.

BACKGROUND: T helper 17 (Th17) cell subsets, belongs to CD4+ T cell lineage, are proved to be closely related to pathophysiology of AR recently. The interleukin-36 (IL-36) had been reported to promote the up-regulation of Th17 cytokines in psoriasis. We investigated the regulation of Th17 inflammation by IL-36 family cytokines in allergic rhinitis (AR). METHODS: Twenty-one patients with AR and 20 healthy controls were enrolled. The expression of serum protein and mRNA of IL-36 family cytokines between AR and control group were detected and compared. Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells were purified and stimulated by IL-36 cytokines. The transcription factor and production of Th17 cytokines by Th17 cells were evaluated. Mouse model with AR was established to confirm the in vitro results. RESULTS: The serum expression of IL-36 cytokines and Th17 cytokines (IL-17 and IL-23) of AR patients were up-regulated significantly compared with controls. The IL-36α promoted the differentiation and function of Th17 cells. The anti-IL-36α treatment could alleviate the Th17 response in AR mice, presented with alleviated symptoms, decreased infiltration of Th17 cells and down-regulated Th17 cytokines expression. CONCLUSIONS: IL-36α was involved in the regulation of Th17 responses in allergic rhinitis.

The role of IL-36γ and its regulation in eosinophilic inflammation in allergic rhinitis.

BACKGROUND: Allergic rhinitis (AR) is characterized by eosinophilic inflammation. However, the function and regulation of eosinophils in AR are largely unknown. This study aimed to explore the expression and role of interleukin-36 (IL-36) cytokines in AR. METHODS: Sixty AR patients and 20 control subjects were recruited in this study. The mRNA and protein expression of serum IL-36 family cytokines and IL-36R in AR were detected by quantitative RT-PCR and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay ELISA, respectively. IL-36R expression and regulation by eosinophils and the role of IL-36γ in the survival, adhesion, migration and activation of eosinophils were performed in purified eosinophils. Human nasal epithelial cell line was cultured and treated with different stimulators and IL-36γ was measured. RESULTS: The mRNA and protein expression of serum IL-36 cytokines and IL-36R were significantly higher in AR compared with control, especially in asthmatic patients. Among the IL-36 cytokines, the expression of IL-36γ was the highest. The expression of IL-36R by eosinophils were significantly increased compared with normal controls and was up-regulated by recombinant IL-17, IL-25, IL-33 and Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus group 1. The IL-36γ promote the survival, adhesion, migration and activation of eosinophils. Human nasal epithelial cells can secrete IL-36γ after treated with recombinant IL-17, IL-25, IL-33. CONCLUSIONS: High expression of IL-36γ exaggerates eosinophilic inflammation in AR by promoting the survival, adhesion, and activation of eosinophils.

NiFeP nanoflakes composite with CoP on carbon cloth as flexible and durable electrocatalyst for efficient overall water splitting.

High-performance and earth-abundant NiFeP is an excellent bifunctional catalyst for water splitting in acidic and alkaline environments, and NiFeP nanoflakes on CoP layer composite with a conductive carbon cloth (CC) substrate as the trunk-leaf flexible structure (NiFeP/CoP/CC) is prepared by direct high-temperature phosphorization. Overpotentials of only 96.38 and 78.80 mV are required in hydrogen evolution reaction in 1 M KOH and 0.5 M H2SO4, respectively, to generate an electrocatalytic current density of 10 mA cm-2. A small Tafel slope of 70.67 and 63.21 mV per decade are also observed from NiFeP/CoP/CC revealing a Volmer-Heyrovsky mechanism in both media. The electrocatalyst also delivers excellent oxygen evolution reaction performance in the alkaline environment and long-term electrochemical durability for at least 24 h in electrolytes over a wide pH range. A device is assembled with two identical flexible ultrathin NiFeP/CoP/CC as both the anode and cathode in 1 M KOH driven by a set of 1.6 V solar cells. During 32 h of electrolysis, the results show that the current of our electrodes maintains 80% performance at a constant voltage of 1.7 V for 32 h, and the NiFeP/CoP/CC anodes and cathodes have large potential in industrial alkaline water splitting.

The Novel of n-p-n Type Transition in the ZnSe/Ge Heterojunction Nanowire: First Principles Study.

The structure and electronic properties of the bare and hydrogen-passivated ZnSe/Ge bi-axial nanowires have been calculated by means of the first principle calculation based on density functional theory. Five different types of nanowires with different concentrations all grown along [1 1 1] direction are considered. Band gaps of bare ZnSe/Ge bi-axial nanowires are smaller than those of hydrogen-passivated ZnSe/Ge nanowires at the same doping concentrations. Both the bare and hydrogen-passivated nanowires have lower band gap at a higher Ge components. It is shown detailedly that with increasing of Ge doping concentrations, the main sources of conduction band minimum and valence band maximum of nanowires varied from the p-state of Se and Ge to the p-state of Ge. It is found clearly that there is a transition from the n-type to the p-type characteristics at the doping concentration 0.4211. Whereas, when the Ge composition is increased to 0.8421, the nanowires also have a transition from the p-type to the n-type characteristics. In addition, the structural stability and the cohesive energies of ZnSe/Ge bi-coaxial nanowires are changed obviously with different Ge components. The results offer efficiently guidance to explore their potential applications in photoelectronics.

The predictive value of the product of contrast medium volume and urinary albumin/creatinine ratio in contrast-induced acute kidney injury.

Preexisting renal impairment and the amount of contrast media are the most important risk factors for contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI). We aimed to investigate whether the product of contrast medium volume and urinary albumin/creatinine ratio (CMV × UACR) would be a better predictor of CI-AKI in patients undergoing nonemergency coronary interventions. This was a prospective single-center observational study, and 912 consecutive patients who were exposed to contrast media during coronary interventions were investigated prospectively. CI-AKI is defined as a 44.2 µmol/L rise in serum creatinine or a 25% increase, assessed within 48 h after administration of contrast media in the absence of other causes. Fifty patients (5.48%) developed CI-AKI. The urinary albumin/creatinine ratio (UACR) (OR = 1.002, 95% CI = 1.000-1.003, p = .012) and contrast medium volume (CMV) (OR = 1.008, 95% CI = 1.001-1.014, p = .017) were independent risk factors for the development of CI-AKI. The area under the ROC curve of CMV, UACR and CMV × UACR were 0.662 (95% CI = 0.584-0.741, p < .001), 0.761 (95% CI = 0.674-0.847, p < .001) and 0.808 (95% CI = 0.747-0.896, p < .001), respectively. The cutoff value of CMV × UACR to predict CI-AKI was 1186.2, with 80.0% sensitivity and 62.2% specificity. The product of CMV and UACR (CMV × UACR) might be a predictor of CI-AKI in patients undergoing nonemergency coronary interventions, which was superior to CMV or UACR alone.

Experimental investigation on a diode-pumped cesium-vapor laser stably operated at continuous-wave and pulse regime.

Employing a fiber-coupled diode-laser with a center wavelength of 852.25 nm and a line width of 0.17 nm, experimental investigation on diode-end-pumped cesium (Cs) vapor laser stably operated at continuous-wave (CW) and pulse regime is carried out. A 5 mm long cesium vapor cell filled with 60 kPa helium and 20 kPa ethane is used as laser medium. Using an output coupler with reflectivity of 48.79%, 1.26 W 894.57 nm CW laser is obtained at an incident pump power of 4.76 W, corresponding an optical-optical efficiency of 26.8% and a slope-efficiency of 28.8%, respectively. The threshold temperature is 67.5 °C. Stable pulsed cesium laser with a maximum average output power of 2.6 W is obtained at a repetition rate of 76 Hz, and the pulse repetition rate can be extend to 1 kHz with a pulse width of 18 µs.

Reduced Glutathione for Prevention of Renal Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Selective Coronary Angiography or Intervention.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of reduced glutathione on renal outcomes following the selective coronary angiography and/or intervention. BACKGROUND: Contrast agents can cause an acute reduction in renal function that may be due to the generation of reactive oxygen species. The role of antioxidants in prevention of this renal impairment is controversial. METHODS AND RESULTS: We conducted a randomized, placebo-controlled trial of reduced glutathione in 825 patients who underwent selective coronary angiography and/or intervention. Patients were assigned to reduced glutathione 1800 mg (n = 416) or placebo (n = 411) intravenously. Contrast-induced acute kidney injury was defined by an absolute increase of serum creatinine ≥0.5 mg/dl (44.2 µmol/L) or a relative increase of ≥25% measured 48 hours after the procedure. The incidence of contrast-induced acute kidney injury was 5.07% in the glutathione group and 4.97% in the control group (relative risk, 1.04; 95% confidence interval, 0.59-1.83; P = 0.886). Change in serum malondialdehyde was (-) 1.01 ± 1.69 nmol/ml in the glutathione group and (-) 0.67 ± 1.55 nmol/ml in the control group (P = 0.054), and change in serum total antioxidant capacity level was also similar in both groups (0.91 ± 2.06 nmol/ml and 0.79 ± 2.18 nmol/ml, respectively; P = 0.936). CONCLUSIONS: A single dose of reduced glutathione does not reduce the risk of contrast-induced acute kidney injury in patients undergoing coronary angiography and/or intervention.

Orbital change manipulation metal-insulator transition temperature in W-doped VO2.

A series of epitaxial V1-xWxO2 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.76%) nanocrystalline films on c-plane sapphire substrates have been successfully synthesized. Orbital structures of V1-xWxO2 films with monoclinic and rutile states have been investigated by ultraviolet-infrared spectroscopy combined with first principles calculations. Experimental and calculated results show that the overlap of π* and d∥ orbitals increases with increasing W doping content for the rutile state. Meanwhile, in the monoclinic state, the optical band gap decreases from 0.65 to 0.54 eV with increasing W doping concentration. Clear evidence is found that the V1-xWxO2 thin film phase transition temperature change comes from orbital structure variations. This shows that, with increasing W doping concentration, the decrease of rutile d∥ orbital occupancy can reduce the strength of V-V interactions, which finally results in phase transition temperature decrease. The experimental results reveal that the d∥ orbital is very important for the VO2 phase transition process. Our findings open a possibility to tune VO2 phase transition temperature through orbital engineering.

Research progress of the inferior colliculus: from Neuron, neural circuit to auditory disease.

The auditory midbrain, also known as the inferior colliculus (IC), serves as a crucial hub in the auditory pathway. Comprising diverse cell types, the IC plays a pivotal role in various auditory functions, including sound localization, auditory plasticity, sound detection, and sound-induced behaviors. Notably, the IC is implicated in several auditory central disorders, such as tinnitus, age-related hearing loss, autism and Fragile X syndrome. Accurate classification of IC neurons is vital for comprehending both normal and dysfunctional aspects of IC function. Various parameters, including dendritic morphology, neurotransmitter synthesis, potassium currents, biomarkers, and axonal targets, have been employed to identify distinct neuron types within the IC. However, the challenge persists in effectively classifying IC neurons into functional categories due to the limited clustering capabilities of most parameters. Recent studies utilizing advanced neuroscience technologies have begun to shed light on biomarker-based approaches in the IC, providing insights into specific cellular properties and offering a potential avenue for understanding IC functions. This review focuses on recent advancements in IC research, spanning from neurons and neural circuits to aspects related to auditory diseases.

Van der Waals Schottky Junction Photodetector with Ultrahigh Rectifying Ratio and Switchable Photocurrent Generation.

Metal-semiconductor junctions play an important role in the development of electronic and optoelectronic devices. A Schottky junction photodetector based on two-dimensional (2D) materials is promising for self-powered photodetection with fast response speed and large signal-to-noise ratio. However, it usually suffers from an uncontrolled Schottky barrier due to the Fermi level pinning effect arising from the interface states. In this work, all-2D Schottky junctions with near-ideal Fermi level depinning are realized, attributed to the high-quality interface between 2D semimetals and semiconductors. We further demonstrate asymmetric diodes based on multilayer graphene/MoS2/PtSe2 with a current rectification ratio exceeding 105 and an ideality factor of 1.2. Scanning photocurrent mapping shows that the photocurrent generation mechanism in the heterostructure switches from photovoltaic effect to photogating effect at varying drain biases, indicating both energy conversion and optical sensing are realized in a single device. In the photovoltaic mode, the photodetector is self-powered with a response time smaller than 100 µs under the illumination of a 405 nm laser. In the photogating mode, the photodetector exhibits a high responsivity up to 460 A/W originating from a high photogain. Finally, the photodetector is employed for single-pixel imaging, demonstrating its high-contrast photodetection ability. This work provides insight into the development of high-performance self-powered photodetectors based on 2D Schottky junctions.

Profiles of HBcrAg and pgRNA in Pregnant Women With Chronic HBV Under Different Disease Phases and Antiviral Prophylaxis.

Background: Pregnant women with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) exhibit unique clinical features in terms of postpartum immune system reconstitution and recovery from pregnancy-related changes. However, current studies focus primarily on the outcomes of maternal-infant transmission and postpartum hepatitis flares. We aimed to evaluate the profiles of hepatitis B core-related antigen (HBcrAg) and pregenomic RNA (pgRNA) in pregnant women with CHB. Methods: This retrospective analysis included treatment-naïve pregnant women with CHB who were followed up regularly in an outpatient clinic from 2014 to 2021. Baseline HBcrAg and pgRNA levels were compared in patients with different disease phases. Changes in these parameters were examined in a subset of patients receiving antiviral prophylaxis. HBcrAg and pgRNA levels were measured before treatment, at 32 weeks of gestation, and postpartum. Results: The final analysis included a total of 121 patients, 100 of whom were hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive (96 and 4 in the immune-tolerant and -indeterminate phases, respectively) and 21 of whom were HBeAg-negative (6 and 15 in the immune-active and -inactive carrier phases, respectively). The HBeAg-negative group vs the HBeAg-positive group had lower levels of baseline HBcrAg (median [interquartile range {IQR}], 3.7 [3.0-5.9] vs 8.6 [8.4-8.7] log10 U/mL; P < .01) and pgRNA (median [IQR], 0.0 [0.0-2.5] vs 7.8 [7.6-8.1] log10 copies/mL; P < .01). The serum levels of HBcrAg and pgRNA were highest in immune-tolerant carriers and lowest in immune-inactive carriers. In HBeAg-positive patients, the correlation coefficients of HBcrAg and pgRNA with hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA were 0.40 and 0.43, respectively; in HBeAg-negative patients, they were 0.53 and 0.51, respectively (all P < .05). The correlation coefficients with hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) were 0.55 and 0.52 (P < .05) in HBeAg-positive patients, respectively, while in HBeAg-negative patients they were 0.42 and 0.37, respectively (P > .05). Among 96 patients receiving antiviral prophylaxis, we detected a rapid decrease in HBV DNA to an undetectable level during treatment but relatively stable levels of pgRNA and HBcrAg. Conclusions: HBcrAg and pgRNA levels are lower in HBeAg-negative patients than in HBeAg-positive patients. These 2 markers are significantly associated with HBV DNA irrespective of HBeAg status, while they are significantly associated with HBsAg only in HBeAg-positive patients.

m6A demethylation of FOSL1 mRNA protects hepatoma cells against necrosis under glucose deprivation.

Stress-adaptive mechanisms enabling cancer cells to survive under glucose deprivation remain elusive. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification plays important roles in determining cancer cell fate and cellular stress response to nutrient deficiency. However, whether m6A modification functions in the regulation of cancer cell survival under glucose deprivation is unknown. Here, we found that glucose deprivation reduced m6A modification levels. Increasing m6A modification resulted in increased hepatoma cell necrosis under glucose deprivation, whereas decreasing m6A modification had an opposite effect. Integrated m6A-seq and RNA-seq revealed potential targets of m6A modification under glucose deprivation, including the transcription factor FOSL1; further, glucose deprivation upregulated FOSL1 by inhibiting FOSL1 mRNA decay in an m6A-YTHDF2-dependent manner through reducing m6A modification in its exon1 and 5'-UTR regions. Functionally, FOSL1 protected hepatoma cells against glucose deprivation-induced necrosis in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, FOSL1 transcriptionally repressed ATF3 by binding to its promoter. Meanwhile, ATF3 and MAFF interacted via their leucine zipper domains to form a heterodimer, which competed with NRF2 for binding to antioxidant response elements in the promoters of NRF2 target genes, thereby inhibiting their transcription. Consequently, FOSL1 reduced the formation of the ATF3-MAFF heterodimer, thereby enhancing NRF2 transcriptional activity and the antioxidant capacity of glucose-deprived-hepatoma cells. Thus, FOSL1 alleviated the necrosis-inducing effect of glucose deprivation-induced reactive oxygen species accumulation. Collectively, our study uncovers the protective role of m6A-FOSL1-ATF3 axis in hepatoma cell necrosis under glucose deprivation, and may provide new targets for cancer therapy.

Multifunctional TiO2 Nanotube-Matrix Composites with Enhanced Photocatalysis and Lithium-Ion Storage Performances.

As a multifunctional material, TiO2 shows excellent performance in catalytic degradation and lithium-ion storage. However, high electron-hole pair recombination, poor conductivity, and low theoretical capacity severely limit the practical application of TiO2. Herein, TiO2 nanotube (TiO2 NT) with a novel double-layer honeycomb structure were prepared by two-step electrochemical anodization. Honeycombed TiO2 NT arrays possess clean top surfaces and a long-range ordering, which greatly facilitates the preparation of high-performance binary and ternary materials. A binary TiO2 nanotube@Au nanoparticle (TiO2 NT@Au NP) composite accompanied by appropriately concentrated and uniformly distributed gold particles was prepared in this work. Interestingly, the TiO2 nanotube@Au nanoparticle (TiO2 NT@Au NP) composites not only showed the excellent catalytic degradation effect of methylene blue, but also demonstrated large lithium-ion storage capacity (310.6 µAh cm-2, 1.6 times of pristine TiO2 NT). Based on the realization of the controllable fabrication of binary TiO2 nanotube@MoS2 nanosheet (TiO2 NT@MoS2 NS) composite, ternary TiO2 nanotube@MoS2 nanosheet@Au nanoparticle (TiO2 NT@MoS2 NS@Au NP) composite with abundant defects and highly ordered structure was also innovatively designed and fabricated. As expected, the TiO2 NT@MoS2 NS@Au NP anode exhibits extremely high initial discharge specific capacity (487.4 µAh cm-2, 2.6 times of pristine TiO2 NT) and excellent capacity retention (81.0%).

Silencing SOX11 Alleviates Allergic Rhinitis by Inhibiting Epithelial-Derived Cytokines

Background: Allergic rhinitis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the nasal mucosa affecting the quality of life of patients. SRY-box transcription factor 11 (SOX11) was reported to play important roles in inflammatory responses, but its role in AR is poorly understood. Aims: To explore the role of SOX11 in the development of allergic rhinitis. Study Design: Cell culture and animal study. Methods: An in vivo murine allergic rhinitis model was established using ovalbumin treatment in female mice. Interleukin-13-stimulated human nasal mucosa epithelial cells were used for in vitro studies. Expression levels of SOX11, epithelial-derived cytokines, and mucin were determined in both modesls. Results: SOX11 was highly expressed in allergic rhinitis mice. Allergy symptoms, serum ovalbumin-specific IgE, histamine, eosinophils, goblet cells, and type 2 cytokine secretion were increased in ovalbumin-treated mice. Furthermore, allergic rhinitis mice exhibited overproduction of epithelial-derived cytokines (thymic stromal lymphopoietin, interleukin-25, interleukin-33), C-C motif chemokine ligand 26 (CCL26), and mucin 5 AC (MUC5AC). Silencing SOX11 alleviated the behavioral symptoms and upregulation of epithelial-derived cytokines, CCL26, and MUC5AC. In human nasal mucosa epithelial cells, interleukin-13 enhanced SOX11 expression in a time-dependent manner, and signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6) was involved in the interleukin-13-mediated expression of SOX11 by regulating transcription. Knockdown of SOX11 reduced epithelial-derived cytokine expression and MUC5AC levels in interleukin-13-treated human nasal mucosa epithelial cells. Conclusion: SOX11 plays a critical role in allergic rhinitis development by regulating epithelial-derived cytokines and might be a new therapeutic target for allergic rhinitis.

Synergistic Effect of Hybrid CdSe Nanobelt/PbI2 Flake Heterojunction Toward Drastic Performance Flexible Photodetectors.

Despite numerous studies on broadband photodetectors, the problematic query that remains unaddressed is the limited photoresponsivity while broadening the spectral regime. Here, for the first time, a rational design of a hybrid 1D CdSe nanobelt/2D PbI2 flake heterojunction device is constructed, which substantially boosts the photocurrent while significantly attenuating the dark current, resulting in improved photodetector figures-of-merit. Thanks to the excellent quality of the nanobelt/flake and built-in electric field at the CdSe/PbI2 interface heterojunction, photogenerated carriers are promptly segregated and more photoexcitons are accumulated by the respective electrodes, enabling a high responsivity of ∼106 A/W, making this one of the highest values among similar reported hybrid heterojunction photodetectors, together with a large linear dynamic range, superior sensitivity, excellent detectivity and external quantum efficiency, an ultrafast response, and a broadband spectral response range. The similar 1D/2D hybrid heterojunction device architecture assembled on the flexible polyimide tape substrate exhibits excellent folding endurance and mechanical, flexural, and long-term environmental stability. The present device architecture and robust operational stability in an ambient environment reveals that the combination of the present 1D/2D hybrid heterojunction has incredible potential for future flexible photoelectronic devices.

Plant-based diets and the risk of pancreatic cancer: a large prospective multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: Plant-based diets have been recommended for improving health outcomes, including cancer. However, previous studies on plant-based diets and the risk of pancreatic cancer are scarce and fail to consider plant food quality. OBJECTIVES: We sought to examine the potential associations of 3 plant-based diet indices (PDIs) with the risk of pancreatic cancer in a US population. METHODS: A population-based cohort of 101,748 US adults was identified from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial. The overall PDI, healthful PDI (hPDI), and unhealthful PDI (uPDI) were constructed to qualify adherence to overall, healthy, and less healthy plant-based diets, respectively, with higher scores indicating better adherence. Multivariable Cox regression was used to compute hazard ratios (HRs) for pancreatic cancer incidence. Subgroup analysis was conducted to identify the potential effect modifiers. RESULTS: Over a mean follow-up of 8.86 years, 421 pancreatic cancer cases occurred. Participants in the highest compared with the lowest quartiles of overall PDI had a lower risk of pancreatic cancer [HRquartile 4 versus 1: 0.74; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.57, 0.96; Ptrend = 0.023]. A stronger inverse association was observed for hPDI (HRquartile 4 versus 1: 0.56; 95% CI: 0.42, 0.75; Ptrend < 0.001). Conversely, uPDI was positively associated with the risk of pancreatic cancer (HRquartile 4 versus 1: 1.38; 95% CI: 1.02, 1.85; Ptrend = 0.012). Subgroup analyses revealed a stronger positive association for uPDI in participants with BMI <25 (HRquartile 4 versus 1: 3.22; 95% CI: 1.56, 6.65) than in those with BMI ≥25 (HRquartile 4 versus 1: 1.08; 95% CI: 0.78, 1.51) (Pinteraction = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In this US population, adherence to a healthy plant-based diet confers a lower risk of pancreatic cancer, whereas adherence to a less healthy plant-based diet confers a higher risk. These findings highlight the importance of considering plant food quality in preventing pancreatic cancer.