Adsorption, Aggregation, and Application Properties of Green Pluronic Aliphatic Alcohol Ether Carboxylic Acids and Nonionic/Amphoteric Surfactants in Water.

In the realm of colloid and interface science, new types of green surfactants, including anionic Pluronic alcohol ether carboxylate (AEC), branched alkyl glucoside (IG), and zwitterionic coconut oil amide propyl betaine (CAB), have been identified and merit further exploration. AEC, characterized by its inclusion of 5 EO and 3.5 PO units, was synthesized, and its behavior in aqueous solutions with IG and CAB was meticulously examined. Their performance in applications such as foam generation, wetting, and the dispersion and stabilization of graphene was also evaluated. At αAE5P3C = 0.5, AE5P3C/CAB exhibited superior surface and interfacial properties compared to AE5P3C/IG. In these hybrid systems, the self-assembly of micelles is predominantly influenced by hydrogen bonding, electrostatic interactions, and hydrophobic forces. Kinetic analysis further confirmed that the driving force for micelle formation in these hybrid systems is enthalpy, with the adsorption process involving a mixed diffusion-kinetic adsorption mechanism. AE5P3C/CAB demonstrated enhanced foaming ability, foam stability, and wetting properties compared to AE5P3C/IG. Intriguingly, the optimal dispersion and stabilization of graphene were achieved with AE5P3C/IG at αAE5P3C = 0.2, providing a foundational basis for its potential application in graphene-based systems. A thorough examination of the synergistic mechanisms and application potential of these three distinct surfactants in aqueous solutions was presented, taking into account various charged ions and the specific hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups of EO and PO. This study not only provides fundamental insights into their intrinsic properties but also offers a fresh perspective for the ongoing exploration of green surfactants.

In situ formation of biomolecular condensates as intracellular drug reservoirs for augmenting chemotherapy.

Biomolecular condensates, which arise from liquid-liquid phase separation within cells, may provide a means of enriching and prolonging the retention of small-molecule drugs within cells. Here we report a method for the controlled in situ formation of biomolecular condensates as reservoirs for the enrichment and retention of chemotherapeutics in cancer cells, and show that the approach can be leveraged to enhance antitumour efficacies in mice with drug-resistant tumours. The method involves histones as positively charged proteins and doxorubicin-intercalated DNA strands bioorthogonally linked via a click-to-release reaction between trans-cyclooctene and tetrazine groups. The reaction temporarily impaired the phase separation of histones in vitro, favoured the initiation of liquid-liquid phase separation within cells and led to the formation of biomolecular condensates that were sufficiently large to be retained within tumour cells. The controlled formation of biomolecular condensates as drug reservoirs within cells may offer new options for boosting the efficacies of cancer therapies.

Antimicrobial Resistance and Genomic Characterization of Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli Isolated from Retail Chickens in Beijing, China.

Objective Campylobacter species are the main causes of foodborne illness worldwide, posing significant threats to public health. This study aimed to investigate the antibiotic resistance and genomic characterization of C. jejuni/C.coli from retail chickens in Beijing. Methods Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was conducted on 126 C. jejuni/C. coli isolated from retail chickens in Beijing, following CLSI protocols. Whole genomes of all isolates were sequenced using the Illumina platform. Results More C. coli (83.82%) showed multi-drug resistance than C. jejuni (8.62%). Genomic analysis demonstrated 42 sequence types (STs) and 12 clonal complexes (CCs), from which CC828 and CC52 were dominant. cdtA, cdtB and cdtC encoding cytotoxic protein were present spontaneously in most C. jejuni but not found in any C. coli isolates. The abundances of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and virulence genes (VGs) in C. jejuni and C. coli were significantly different, with ARGs numbered in C. coli and VGs in C. jejuni. Conclusions High prevalence of multi-drug resistance C. coli and C. jejuni isolated from Beijing chickens were challenging clinical antibiotic usages in the treatment of Campylobacter infection. The surveillance of particular C. jejuni and C. coli STs correlated with higher resistance and virulence needs to be strengthened in the future.

Electro-Osmotic Flow and Mass Transfer through a Rough Microchannel with a Modulated Charged Surface.

In this paper, we investigate the electro-osmotic flow (EOF) and mass transfer of a Newtonian fluid propelled by a pressure gradient and alternating current (AC) electric field in a parallel microchannel with sinusoidal roughness and modulated charged surfaces. The two-wall roughness is described by in-phase or out-of-phase sine functions with a small amplitude δ. By employing the method of perturbation expansion, the semi-analytical solutions of the Poisson-Boltzmann (P-B) equation based on the Debye-Hückel approximation and the modified Navier-Stokes (N-S) equation are obtained. The numerical solution of the concentration equation is obtained by the finite difference method. The effects of sinusoidal roughness, modulated charged surface, and the AC electric field on the potential field, velocity field, and concentration field are discussed. Under the influence of the modulated charged surface and sinusoidal roughness, vortices are generated. The velocity oscillates due to the effect of the AC electric field. The results indicate that solute diffusion becomes enhanced when the oscillation Reynolds number is below a specific critical value, and it slows down when the oscillation Reynolds number exceeds this critical value.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus infects the reproductive system of male piglets and impairs development of the blood-testis barrier.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) causes a highly contagious disease that threatens the global swine industry. Recent studies have focused on the damage that PRRSV causes to the reproductive system of male pigs, although pathological research is lacking. Therefore, we examined the pathogenic mechanisms in male piglets infected with PRRSV. Gross and histopathological changes indicated that PRRSV affected the entire reproductive system, as confirmed via immunohistochemical analysis. PRRSV infected Sertoli cells and spermatogonia. To test the new hypothesis that PRRSV infection in piglets impairs blood - testis barrier (BTB) development, we investigated the pathology of PRRSV damage in the BTB. PRRSV infection significantly decreased the quantity and proliferative capacity of Sertoli cells constituting the BTB. Zonula occludens-1 and ß-catenin were downregulated in cell - cell junctions. Transcriptome analysis revealed that several crucial genes and signalling pathways involved in the growth and development of Leydig cells, Sertoli cells, and tight junctions in the testes were downregulated. Apoptosis, necroptosis, inflammatory, and oxidative stress-related pathways were activated, whereas hormone secretion-related pathways were inhibited. Many Sertoli cells and spermatogonia underwent apoptosis during early differentiation. Infected piglets exhibited disrupted androgen secretion, leading to significantly reduced testosterone and anti-Müllerian hormone levels. A cytokine storm occurred, notably upregulating cytokines such as tumour necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6. Markers of oxidative-stress damage (i.e. H2O2, malondialdehyde, and glutathione) were upregulated, whereas antioxidant-enzyme activities (i.e. superoxide dismutase, total antioxidant capacity, and catalase) were downregulated. Our results demonstrated that PRRSV infected multiple organs in the male reproductive system, which impaired growth in the BTB.

Infectivity and pathogenesis characterization of getah virus (GETV) strain via different inoculation routes in mice.

In recent years, the epidemiological profile of Getah virus (GETV) has become increasingly serious, posing a huge threat to animal and public health in China. GETV can cause multi-species infection, including horses, pigs, rats, cattle, kangaroos, reptiles and birds. However, there were few reports on the efficiency of the virus entering the host via routes of different systems. In the present study, a GETV strain (SC201807) was obtained from a piglet's blood in 2018 in Sichuan, China. First, we established a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) SYBR assay specific to GETV. Then, we evaluated the infection efficiency of different routes using mouse animal model. 108 male mice were randomly divided into four groups as follows: intramuscular, intraoral and intranasal infection routes, and negative control. All mice in the experimental group were inoculated with 4 × 102.85 TCID50 GETV virus. Tissue tropism experiments show that GETV has a wide range of tissue distribution, and intramuscular infection is the first to infect all tissues of the body, and suggest that oral infection may be a new GETV transmission route. Histopathological examination results showed that intramuscular injection of GETV mainly caused different degrees of pathological damage to the tissues, and could rapidly induce a large amount of inflammatory regulatory factors such as IL-6 and TNF-α. Our data may help us to evaluate the risk of transmission of Porcine Getah virus and provide an experimental basis for the prevention and control of Porcine Getah virus.

Prevalence, antibiotic susceptibility, and genomic analysis of Vibrio alginolyticus isolated from seafood and freshwater products in China.

Introduction: This study characterized Vibrio alginolyticus isolated from seafood and freshwater products in China (2020). Methods and Results: In total, 122 (95.31%) V. alginolyticus isolates were resistant to at least 1 antibiotic category, and 2 (1.56%) isolates were resistant to at least 3 antibiotic categories and belong to multi-drug resistance (MDR) isolates. A high prevalence rate was observed to be blaCARB (98.04%) encoding beta-lactam resistance, followed by tet (97.06%) encoding tetracycline resistance and fos (4.90%) encoding resistance to fosfomycin. Among the 57 V. alginolyticus isolates, the commonest virulence genes were type III secretion system translocated gene vopD, vopB, and vcrH (54.4%, 31/57), type III secretion system regulated gene tyeA (54.39%), followed by vscI and vscF (50.88%) encoded type III secretion system inner rod protein and needle protein, respectively. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) showed considerable genetic diversity, with 34 distinct sequence types (STs) identified among 55 isolates. ST421 (n = 5), ST166 (n = 4), ST523 (n = 3), ST516 (n = 3), and ST507 (n = 3) were dominant STs among 55 V. alginolyticus isolates. Discussion: These findings highlight the widespread occurrence of V. alginolyticus in both freshwater and seafood products, underscoring the critical need for vigilant monitoring of these bacteria. Such measures are essential for ensuring effective food safety management and safeguarding public health.

Metabolomic and transcriptomic analysis of the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway in Epimedium sagittatum (Sieb. et Zucc.) Maxim. from distinct locations.

Epimedium sagittatum (Sieb. et Zucc.) Maxim. (ESM) which accumulates several principal flavonoid compounds including epimedin A, B, C and icariin, is extensively utilized in traditional herbs for sexual dysfunction, osteoporosis etc. In China, ESM has a wealth of wild plant resources and characterized by significant variability in medicinal compounds accumulation. Understanding the diversity of ESMs can lead to better utilization of these plant resources. In this study, we integrated the metabolomic and transcriptomic analysis of three ESMs that originated in Anhui, Hubei and Jiangxi in China. Results showed that the flavonoid biosynthesis as well as the related gene expression in these ESMs revealed substantial differences. For example, the epimedin A, B, C and icariin as well as some related gene expression in ESMs from Anhui are significantly lower than those of in others. These results suggested that the ESMs from wild population without quality checkout may not be suitable for directly use as the materials for preparation of Chinese medicine and ESMs with different accumulation of metabolites could be used for distinct applications.

Influence of eye-related behavior on myopia among junior middle school students under the background of double reduction during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the changes in the unhealthy eye-related behaviors of junior middle school students during the COVID-19 pandemic and the double reduction policy and its relationship with myopia. METHODS: Data were obtained from the 2019-2022 Tianjin Children and Youth Myopia, Common Diseases and Health Influencing Factors Survey. Latent profile analysis (LPA) and a generalized linear model (GLM) were applied to analyze the effect of eye-related behavior classes on myopia. RESULTS: A total of 2508 junior middle school students were included. The types of eye-related behavior were categorized into the medium-healthy behavior group, heavy academic burden and near-eye behavior group, insufficient lighting group and high-healthy behavior group. Students with heavy academic burdens and near-eye behavior were more likely to develop myopia than were those in the high-healthy group (OR = 1.466, 95% CI = 1.203-1.787; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The dual reduction policy has a positive effect on improving unhealthy eye-related behaviors, and the prevention and control of myopia through the use of different combinations of eye-related behaviors are heterogeneous among junior middle school students. In the post-COVID-19 period, we should continue to implement a double reduction policy and formulate targeted eye-related behavior strategies to provide an important reference for the prevention and control of myopia among children and adolescents during public health emergencies in the future.

Prevalence and characterization of foodborne pathogens isolated from fresh-cut fruits and vegetables in Beijing, China.

Pre-cut fresh fruits and vegetables are highly appealing to consumers for their convenience, however, as they are highly susceptible to microbial contamination in processing, the potential risks of foodborne illnesses to public health are not negligible. This study aimed to assess the prevalence, antibiotic susceptibility and molecular characteristics of major foodborne pathogens (Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella) isolated from fresh-cut fruits and vegetables in Beijing, China. 86 stains were isolated from 326 samples, with S. aureus being the highest prevalence (15.38 %), followed by E. coli (9.23 %) and L. monocytogenes (1.85 %), while no Salmonella was detected. The prevalence by type of food indicated that fruit trays and mixed vegetables were more susceptible to contamination by pathogens. 98 % of S. aureus were resistant to at least of one antibiotic, and showed a high resistance rate to benzylpenicillin (90 %) and oxacillin (48 %). Among 25 E. coli isolates, 57.67 % of which exhibited multi-drug resistance, with common resist to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (66.67 %) and ampicillin (63.33 %). A total of 9 sequence types (STs) and 8 spa types were identified in 35 S. aureus isolates, with ST398-t34 being the predominant type (42.86 %). Additionally, analysis of 25 E. coli isolates demonstrated significant heterogeneity, characterized by 22 serotypes and 18 STs. Genomic analysis revealed that 5 and 44 distinct antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in S. aureus and E. coli, respectively. Seven quinolone resistance-determining regions (QRDRs) mutations were identified in E. coli isolates, of which GyrA (S83L) was the most frequently detected. All the S. aureus and E. coli isolates harbored virulence genes. ARGs in S. aureus and E. coli showed a significant positive correlation with plasmids. Furthermore, one L. monocytogenes isolate, which was ST101 and serogroupIIc from watermelon sample, harbored virulence genes (inlA and inlB) and LIPI-1 pathogenic islands (prfA, plcA, hly and actA), which posed potential risks for consumer's health. This study focused on the potential microbial risk of fresh-cut fruits and vegetables associated with foodborne diseases, improving the scientific understanding towards risk assessment related to ready-to-eat foods.

Study on the photo/electrochemical bi-functional properties of a coupling interface of Ru[dcbpy]32+-AMT/Au by SECM imaging-based joint analytical method.

A photo/electrochemical coupling interface of Ru[dcbpy]32+-AMT/Au (AMT; 5-Amino-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-thiol) was fabricated using a dehydration condensation sulfhydrating method. For the interface functional properties, a combined dual-signal recording (CDSR) method was applied to characterize the response characteristics, and a scanning electrochemical microscopy-electrochemiluminescence (SECM-ECL) imaging was developed to assess the interface distribution uniformity. The interface biosensing compatibility was validated by constructing a simple DNA sensor. The research results show that the interaction between the two functional parameters follows a synergistic effect mechanism in the coupling conditions and an interference effect mechanism in the detection condition. Under optimized conditions, the saturation dual-signal response values are 156.0 and 86.8 µA, respectively. The statistics and imaging comparison analysis validate good interface distribution uniformity and stability performance. The DNA sensor's dual-signal detection limits to the signal probe (SP) are ∼30 fM and 0.3 pM with linear ranges of 100.0 fM âˆ¼ 1.0 nM and 1.0 pM âˆ¼ 10.0 nM, respectively. The fabricated interface exhibits an effective bi-functional response performance compatible with biosensing. The proposed imaging method has a high technical fit for studying photo/electrochemical coupling interfaces and can also provide a reference for other similar coupling interface analyses.

Antimicrobial susceptibility and genomic characterization of Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolated from aquatic foods in 15 provinces, China, 2020.

Prevalent in marine, estuarine and coastal environments, Vibrio parahaemolyticus is one of the major foodborne pathogens which can cause acute gastroenteritis through consumption of contaminated food. This study encompassed antimicrobial resistance, molecular characteristics and phylogenetic relationships of 163 V. parahaemolyticus isolated from aquatic foods across 15 provinces in China. The isolates showed high resistance rates against ampicillin (90.80 %, 148/163) and cefazolin (72.39 %, 118/163). Only 5 isolates demonstrated multi-drug resistance (MDR) phenotypes. A total of 37 different antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in correlation with seven antimicrobial categories were identified. tet(34) and tet(35) were present in all 163 isolates. Other most prevalent ARGs were those conferring resistance to ß-lactams, with prevalence rate around 18.40 % (30/163). The virulence genes tdh and trh were found in 17 (10.43 %) and 9 (5.52 %) isolates, respectively. Totally 121 sequence types (STs) were identified through whole genome analysis, among which 60 were novel. The most prevalent sequence type was ST3 (9.20 %, 15/163), which shared the same genotype profile of trh_, tdh+ and blaCARB-22+. Most of the tdh+V. parahaemolyticus isolates was clustered into a distinctive clade by the phylogenetic analysis. Our study showed that the antimicrobial resistance of V. parahaemolyticus in aquatic foods in China was moderate. However, the emerging of MDR isolates implicate strengthened monitoring is needed for the better treatment of human V. parahaemolyticus infections. High genetic diversity and virulence potential of the isolates analyzed in this study help better understanding and evaluating the risk of V. parahaemolyticus posed to public health.

School physical activity modes on BMI among adolescents with overweight or obesity: The mediation role of participation willingness.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the mode of school physical activity, the relationship with obesity, and participation willingness and behavior in the relationship between modes of school physical activity and BMI in students with overweight or obesity. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SAMPLE: Data from the 2014 Physical Fitness and Health Surveillance of Chinese School Students was used, wherein physical measurements and questionnaires of 3476 middle school students were collected. MEASUREMENTS: Physical measurements and questionnaires were completed. Latent profile analysis and mediated effects analysis were conducted using Mplus 8.3 and IBM SPSS 26.0 for data description and statistical analysis. RESULT: After latent profile analysis divided into poor (9.35%), medium (65.16%), and good (25.49%) groups of school physical activity, among junior middle school students, medium (OR = 0.428, 95% CI = 0.259-0.707, p = .001) and good (OR = 0.448, 95% CI = 0.255-0.718, p = .002) groups were positive for controlling overweight. Among students with overweight or obesity, participation willingness mediated the relationship between the mode of school physical activity and BMI, with effect coefficients of -0.120 (95% CI = -0.264 to -0.016) and -0.240 (95% CI = -0.426 to -0.099). CONCLUSIONS: School physical activity modes have a positive effect only on preventing and controlling overweight in junior middle school students. For middle school students with obesity, weight-specific measures should be considered for their prevention and control.

Hierarchical Structure with Microcrater Covered with Nanograss Enhancing Condensation and Its Antifrosting/Anti-Icing Performance Inspired by Euphorbia helioscopia L.

Over an extended period of evolution and natural selection, a multitude of species developed a diverse array of biological interface features with specific functions. These biological structures provide a rich source of inspiration for the design of bionic structures on superhydrophobic surfaces. Understanding the functional mechanism of plant leaves is of paramount importance for the advancement of new engineering materials and the further promotion of engineering applications of bionic research. The hierarchical structure of microcrater-covered nanograss (MCNG) on the surface of E. helioscopia L. leaf provided the inspiration for the bionic MCNG surface, which was successfully prepared on a copper substrate by hybrid laser micromachining technology and chemical etching. The combined action of texture structure and surface chemistry resulted in a contact angle of 169° ± 1° for MCNG surface droplets and a rolling angle of less than 1°. Notably, the condensation-induced adhesion force does not augment with the increase of the temperature difference, which facilitated the shedding of hot droplets from the surface. The microscope observation revealed a high density of condensed droplets on the MCNG surface and the tangible jumping behavior of the droplets. The fabricated MCNG also demonstrated excellent antifrost/anti-icing abilities in low-temperature and high-humidity environments. Finally, the study confirmed the exceptional mechanical durability and reusability of the MCNG surface through various tests, including scratch damage, sandpaper wear, water flow impact and flushing, and condensation-drying cycle tests. The nanograss can be effectively protected within the microcrater structure. This research presents a promising approach for preventing and/or removing unwanted droplets in numerous engineering applications.

Emergence and genomic characteristics of multi-drug-resistant Salmonella in pet turtles and children with diarrhoea.

Pet turtles are a well-recognized source of human salmonellosis, posing a threat to human health, particularly children who commonly keep pet turtles. To date, the genomic characteristics of Salmonella among pet turtles and children has not been well described. We investigated the prevalence, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and genomic characteristics of Salmonella from pet turtles in Beijing, China. In total, 9.6 % (46/480) of pet turtles were positive for Salmonella with S. Thompson being the dominant serovar (19/46) in 2019. Moreover, 80.4 % of Salmonella were multi-drug resistant (MDR) and 60.7 % were resistant to ampicillin, streptomycin, sulfonamides and tetracycline (ASSuT). We further compared the genomes of S. Thompson isolates from pet turtles (n=19) with those from children with diarrhoea (n=28) in the same region and year, most of which were sequence type (ST)26, with one novel ST7937 identified from a child-associated isolate. S. Thompson isolates from children with diarrhoea exhibited less resistance than isolates from pet turtles. Most MDR isolates possessed multiple AMR genes, including the AmpC ß-lactamase-encoding genes bla DHA-15 and bla DHA-1 which co-occurred with the IncA/C and IncHI plasmid replicon types. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that the bla DHA-15 gene has been detected from Salmonella. Several pet turtle-associated S. Thompson isolates comprised phylogenetically close clusters with those from children with diarrhoea (<20 SNP differences). Bayesian analysis demonstrated that the Chinese ST26 S. Thompson strains had a recent evolutionary history and evolved into two major clades, with one clade acquiring various resistant plasmids. Our findings revealed the emergence of MDR Salmonella among pet turtles in China and provided evidence for the interspecies transmission of S. Thompson.

Convergence of resistance and evolutionary responses in Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica co-inhabiting chicken farms in China.

Sharing of genetic elements among different pathogens and commensals inhabiting same hosts and environments has significant implications for antimicrobial resistance (AMR), especially in settings with high antimicrobial exposure. We analysed 661 Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica isolates collected within and across hosts and environments, in 10 Chinese chicken farms over 2.5 years using data-mining methods. Most isolates within same hosts possessed the same clinically relevant AMR-carrying mobile genetic elements (plasmids: 70.6%, transposons: 78%), which also showed recent common evolution. Supervised machine learning classifiers revealed known and novel AMR-associated mutations and genes underlying resistance to 28 antimicrobials, primarily associated with resistance in E. coli and susceptibility in S. enterica. Many were essential and affected same metabolic processes in both species, albeit with varying degrees of phylogenetic penetration. Multi-modal strategies are crucial to investigate the interplay of mobilome, resistance and metabolism in cohabiting bacteria, especially in ecological settings where community-driven resistance selection occurs.

Progress of nanopreparation technology applied to volatile oil drug delivery systems.

Traditional Chinese medicine volatile oil has a long history and possesses extensive pharmacological activity. However, volatile oils have characteristics such as strong volatility, poor water solubility, low bioavailability, and poor targeting, which limit their application. The use of volatile oil nano drug delivery systems can effectively improve the drawbacks of volatile oils, enhance their bioavailability and chemical stability, and reduce their volatility and toxicity. This article first introduces the limitations of the components of traditional Chinese medicine volatile oils, discusses the main classifications and latest developments of volatile oil nano formulations, and briefly describes the preparation methods of traditional Chinese medicine volatile oil nano formulations. Secondly, the limitations of nano formulation technology are discussed, along with future challenges and prospects. A deeper understanding of the role of nanotechnology in traditional Chinese medicine volatile oils will contribute to the modernization of volatile oils and broaden their application value.

A DNA/Upconversion Nanoparticle Complex Enables Controlled Co-Delivery of CRISPR-Cas9 and Photodynamic Agents for Synergistic Cancer Therapy.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) depends on the light-irradiated exciting of photosensitizer (PS) to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), which faces challenges and limitations in hypoxia and antioxidant response of cancer cells, and limited tissue-penetration of light. Herein, a multifunctional DNA/upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) complex is developed which enables controlled co-delivery of CRISPR-Cas9, hemin, and protoporphyrin (PP) for synergistic PDT. An ultralong single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) is prepared via rolling circle amplification (RCA), which contains recognition sequences of single guide RNA (sgRNA) for loading Cas9 ribonucleoprotein (RNP), G-quadruplex sequences for loading hemin and PP, and linker sequences for combining UCNP. Cas9 RNP cleaves the antioxidant regulator nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), improving the sensitivity of cancer cells to ROS, and enhancing the synergistic PDT effect. The G-quadruplex/hemin DNAzyme mimicks horseradish peroxidase (HRP) to catalyze the endogenous H2O2 to O2, overcoming hypoxia condition in tumors. The introduced UCNP converts NIR irradiation with deep tissue penetration to light with shorter wavelength, exciting PP to transform the abundant O2 to 1O2. The integration of gene editing and PDT allows substantial accumulation of 1O2 in cancer cells for enhanced cell apoptosis, and this synergistic PDT has shown remarkable therapeutic efficacy in a breast cancer mouse model.

Association of Lung Ultrasound B-Lines with Left Ventricular Diastolic Function in Clinically Euvolemic Haemodialysis Patients.

INTRODUCTION: Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) frequently occurs in haemodialysis patients and is associated with adverse outcomes. Lung ultrasound (LUS) has been recently proposed for the quantification of extravascular lung water through assessment of B-lines. LUS findings and their relationship with LVDD in clinically euvolemic haemodialysis patients were investigated in this study. METHODS: Echocardiography and LUS examinations were performed on each patient. Multivariate linear regression and forward stepwise logistic regression were performed to determine the relationship between B-lines and LVDD. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve with area under the curve (AUC) was calculated to determine the accuracy of B-lines for evaluating LVDD. RESULTS: A total of 119 patients were enrolled. The number of B-lines was statistically related to echocardiographic parameters (LAVI, LVEDVI, E/A, and E/e') of diastolic function, while the relationship between B-lines and LVEF disappeared after adjusting for potential confounding factors. Additionally, compared with the mild B-line group (B-lines: <14), the moderate (B-lines: 14-30) and severe B-line groups (B-lines: >30) were associated with an increased risk of LVDD (OR 24.344, 95% CI 4.854-122.084, p < 0.001, and OR 94.552, 95% CI 9.617-929.022, p < 0.001, respectively). Furthermore, the AUC of the ROC curve for B-lines predicting LVDD was 0.845, and the cut-off of B-lines was 14.5 (sensitivity 64.91%, specificity 93.55%). CONCLUSION: LUS B-lines were closely associated with left ventricular diastolic function in clinically euvolemic haemodialysis patients. Moreover, our findings suggested a B-line ≥14.5 as a reliable cut-off value for identifying patients with LVDD. LUS B-lines may be used as a novel indicator for evaluating LVDD.