A supramolecular naphthalenediimide radical anion through host-guest interactions for photooxidation of alkylarenes to carbonyls.

A supramolecular naphthalenediimide radical anion was developed through host-guest interactions between NDI and cucurbit[7]uril (CB[7]), which can be greatly promoted in the presence of chloride ions to obtain Cl˙ and NDI-2CB[7]˙-. Under the synergistic action of Cl˙ as a hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) agent and NDI-2CB[7]˙- transferring electrons to O2 to produce O2˙-, the photocatalytic oxidation reactions of alkylarenes to carbonyls can be realized with universal applicability.

"Hepatic hilum area priority, liver posterior first": An optimized strategy in laparoscopic resection for type III-IV hilar cholangiocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, pure laparoscopic radical surgery for Bismuth-Corlette type III and IV hilar cholangiocarcinoma (HCCA) has been preliminarily explored and applied, but the surgical strategy and safety are still worthy of further improvement and attention. AIM: To summarize and share the application experience of the emerging strategy of "hepatic hilum area dissection priority, liver posterior separation first" in pure laparoscopic radical resection for patients with HCCA of Bismuth-Corlette types III and IV. METHODS: The clinical data and surgical videos of 6 patients with HCCA of Bismuth-Corlette types III and IV who underwent pure laparoscopic radical resection in our department from December 2021 to December 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: Among the 6 patients, 4 were males and 2 were females. The average age was 62.2 ± 11.0 years, and the median body mass index was 20.7 (19.2-24.1) kg/m2. The preoperative median total bilirubin was 57.7 (16.0-155.7) µmol/L. One patient had Bismuth-Corlette type IIIa, 4 patients had Bismuth-Corlette type IIIb, and 1 patient had Bismuth-Corlette type IV. All patients successfully underwent pure laparoscopic radical resection following the strategy of "hepatic hilum area dissection priority, liver posterior separation first". The operation time was 358.3 ± 85.0 minutes, and the intraoperative blood loss volume was 195.0 ± 108.4 mL. None of the patients received blood transfusions during the perioperative period. The median length of stay was 8.3 (7.0-10.0) days. Mild bile leakage occurred in 2 patients, and all patients were discharged without serious surgery-related complications. CONCLUSION: The emerging strategy of "hepatic hilum area dissection priority, liver posterior separation first" is safe and feasible in pure laparoscopic radical surgery for patients with HCCA of Bismuth-Corlette types III and IV. This strategy is helpful for promoting the modularization and process of pure laparoscopic radical surgery for complicated HCCA, shortens the learning curve, and is worthy of further clinical application.

Sesquiterpenoids from Carpesium abrotanoides and their anti-inflammatory activity both in vitro and in vivo.

Twenty-nine sesquiterpenoids, including pseudoguaiane-type (1-11), eudesmane-type (12-23), and carabrane-type (24-29), have been identified from the plant Carpesium abrotanoides. Of them, compounds 1-4, 12-15, and 24-27, namely carpabrotins A-L, are twelve previously undescribed ones. Compound 3 possessed a pseudoguaiane backbone with a rearrangement modification at C-11, C-12 and C-13, while compound 4 suffered a carbon bond break between the C-4 and C-5 to form a rare 4,5-seco-pseudoguaiane lactone. Compounds 1-3, 5, 13-16 and 25-27 exhibited anti-inflammatory activity by inhibiting NO production in LPS-induced RAW264.7 macrophages with IC50 values less than 40 µM, while compounds 1, 2, 5, 13, 14, 16, and 25-27 showed significant inhibitory activity comparable to that of dexamethasone. The anti-atopic dermatitis (AD) effects of compounds 5 and 16 were tested according to 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB)-induced AD-like skin lesions in KM mice, and the results revealed that the major products 5 and 16 improved the histological features of AD-like skin lesions and mast cell infiltration in mice. This study suggested that sesquiterpenoids in C. abrotanoides should play a key role in its anti-inflammatory use.

Myocardial hypertrophy: the differentiation of uremic, hypertensive, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathies by cardiac MRI.

OBJECTIVES: To apply cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) for detailed myocardial characterization in uremic cardiomyopathy (UC), hypertensive cardiomyopathy (HTN), and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) aiming to enrich the understanding of UC's etiology and further support the development of therapeutic strategies. METHODS: A total of 152 patients (age: 49.2 ± 9.9 years; 65.8% male) underwent routine CMR from June 2016 to March 2023. Retrospectively, 53 patients with UC, 39 patients with HTN, 30 patients with HCM, and 30 healthy controls were included. Functional analysis, feature tracking of the left ventricle and left atrium, and myocardial T1, T2, and T2* mapping were performed. Statistical analysis included Pearson correlation and ROC analysis to define correlations and discriminators between groups. RESULTS: UC patients demonstrated significantly higher native T1 (p < 0.001 for all) and T2 (p < 0.002 for all) values compared with the other three groups. UC patients revealed higher left atrial reservoir strain rate (p < 0.001 for all) and left atrial conduit strain rate (p < 0.001 for all) absolute values as compared with HTN and HCM patients. A significant correlation between T1 and T2 values in UC patients (r = 0.511, p < 0.001) was found. The combination of T1 values and strain parameters was the best discriminator between UC and HTN patients (AUC = 0.872, 95% CI: 0.801-0.943) and between UC and HCM patients (AUC = 0.840, 95% CI: 0.746-0.934). CONCLUSION: UC reveals distinguishing tissue characteristics as evidenced by T1 and T2 mapping, as well as distinguishing functional strain parameters as compared with other hypertrophic phenotypes such as HTN and HCM. CRITICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: The use of CMR imaging in UC patients offers incremental information to elucidate its complex etiology, contributing to ongoing discourse on effective treatment pathways. KEY POINTS: This study investigated uremic, hypertensive, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathies using cardiac MRI. UC patients have higher T1 and T2 values and better preserved cardiac function. Combined strain and T1 values distinguish UC from other cardiomyopathies.

[Application of ion chromatographic fingerprint analysis for quality evaluation of tobacco flavors].

Tobacco flavor, an important tobacco additive, is an essential raw material in cigarette production that can effectively improve the quality of tobacco products, add aroma and taste, and increase the suction flavor. The quality consistency of tobacco flavors affects the quality stability of branded cigarettes. Therefore, the quality control of tobacco flavors is a major concern for cigarette and flavor manufacturers. Physical and chemical indices, odor similarity, and sensory efficacy are employed to evaluate the quality of tobacco flavors, and the analysis of chemical components in tobacco flavors is usually conducted using gas chromatography (GC) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). However, because the composition of tobacco flavors is complex, their quality cannot be fully reflected using a single component or combination of components. Therefore, establishing an objective analytical method for the quality control of tobacco flavors is of extreme importance. Chromatographic fingerprint analysis is routinely used for the discriminative analysis of tobacco flavors. Chromatographic fingerprints refer to the general characteristics of the concentration profiles of different chemical compounds. In the daily procurement process, fingerprints established by GC and HPLC are effective for the evaluation and identification of tobacco flavors. However, given continuous improvements in aroma-imitation technology, some flavors with high similarity cannot be directly distinguished using existing methods. In this study, a method for the determination of organic acids and inorganic anions in tobacco flavors based on ion chromatography (IC) was developed to ensure the quality consistency of tobacco flavors. A 1.0 g sample of tobacco flavors and 10 mL of deionized water were mixed and vibrated for 30 min. The aqueous sample solution was passed through a 0.45 µm membrane filter and RP pretreatment column in succession to eliminate interferences and then subjected to IC. Standard solutions containing nine organic acids and seven inorganic anions were used to identify the anions in the tobacco flavors, and satisfactory reproducibility was obtained. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) for retention times and peak areas were <0.71% and <6.02%, respectively. The chromatographic fingerprints of four types of tobacco flavors (samples A-D) from five different batches were obtained. Nine tobacco flavor samples from different manufacturers (samples AY1-AY3, BY1-BY2, CY1-CY2, DY1-DY2) were also analyzed to obtain their chromatographic fingerprints. Hierarchical cluster and similarity analyses were used to evaluate the quality of tobacco flavors from different manufacturers. Hierarchical clustering refers to the process of subdividing a group of samples into clusters that exhibit a high degree of intracluster similarity and intercluster dissimilarity. The dendrograms obtained using SPSS 12.0 indicated good quality consistency among the samples in different batches. Samples AY3, BY2, CY2, and DY1 clustered with the batches of standard tobacco flavors. Therefore, hierarchical cluster analysis can effectively distinguish the quality of products from different manufacturers. The Similarity Evaluation System for Chromatographic Fingerprint of Traditional Chinese Medicine (version 2.0) was used to evaluate the similarity between the standard tobacco flavors and products from different manufacturers. Among the samples analyzed, samples AY3, BY2, CY2, and DY1 showed the highest similarity values (>97.7%), which was consistent with the results of the hierarchical cluster analysis. This finding indicates that IC combined with chromatographic fingerprint analysis could accurately determine the quality of tobacco flavors. GC combined with ultrasonic-assisted liquid-liquid extraction was also used to analyze the tobacco flavors and verify the accuracy of the proposed method. Compared with GC coupled with ultrasonic-assisted liquid-liquid extraction, IC demonstrated more significant quality differences among certain tobacco flavors.

Amentoflavone regulates the miR-124-3p/CAPN2 axis to promote mitochondrial autophagy in HCC cells.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a disease with poor prognosis and high mortality. Amentoflavone (AF) possesses the characteristics of marginal toxicity, stable curative effect, and good anti-HCC activity. This study aimed to evaluate the molecular mechanism of AF inhibiting HCC and provide a new idea for HCC treatment. METHODS: Clinical tissue of HCC was collected. AF was given with HCC cells, and transfected with corresponding vectors. MiR-124-3p expression in HCC clinical samples and cells was ascertained by qRT-PCR assay. HCC cells viability was identified by CCK-8 assay. LC3 protein expression was ascertained by immunofluorescence assay. The expressions of CAPN2, ß-catenin and mitochondrial autophagy-related proteins were detected by western blot. Dual-luciferase reporter gene assay confirmed the targeting relationship of miR-124-3p and CAPN2. RESULTS: MiR-124-3p expression was inhibited and CAPN2 expression was increased in HCC tissues and cells. AF decreased HCC cell viability, up-regulated miR-124-3p expression, and inhibited CAPN2 expression and ß-catenin nuclear transcription. Moreover, AF could activate the mitochondrial autophagy of HCC cells. MiR-124-3p specifically regulated CAPN2 expression. This study found that CAPN2 could promote ß-catenin nuclear translocation, thus activating wnt/ß-catenin pathway to inhibit mitochondrial autophagy in HCC cells. MiR-124-3p mimics enhanced AF function in promoting mitochondrial autophagy in HCC cells. However, CAPN2 overexpression, miR-124-3p inhibitor and SKL2001 attenuated the effectiveness of AF. CONCLUSION: This study confirmed that AF regulated miR-124-3p/CAPN2 axis to restraint ß-catenin nuclear translocation and then inhibit the wnt/ß-catenin pathway, thereby promoting mitochondrial autophagy in HCC.

Preparation of Dendrobium officinale Polysaccharide by Lactic Acid Bacterium Fermentation and Its Protective Mechanism against Alcoholic Liver Damage in Mice.

Dendrobium officinale polysaccharide (DP) was prepared with lactic acid bacterium fermentation to overcome the large molecular weight and complex structure of traditional DP for improving its functional activity and application range in this work. The structure was analyzed, and then the functional activity was evaluated using a mouse model of alcoholic liver damage. The monosaccharide compositions were composed of four monosaccharides: arabinose (0.13%), galactose (0.50%), glucose (24.38%), and mannose (74.98%) with a molecular weight of 2.13 kDa. The connection types of glycosidic bonds in fermented D. officinale (KFDP) were →4)-ß-D-Manp(1→, →4)-ß-Glcp(1→, ß-D-Manp(1→, and ß-D-Glcp(1→. KFDP exhibited an excellent protective effect on alcoholic-induced liver damage at a dose of 80 mg/kg compared with polysaccharide separated and purified from D. officinale without fermentation (KDP), which increased the activity of GSH, GSH-Px, and GR and decreased the content of MDA, AST, T-AOC, and ALT, as well as regulated the level of IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1ß to maintain the normal functional structure of hepatocytes and retard the apoptosis rate of hepatocytes. The results proved that fermentation degradation is beneficial to improving the biological activity of polysaccharides. The potential mechanism of KFDP in protecting alcoholic liver damage was inhibiting the expression of miRNA-150-5p and targeting to promote the expression of Pik3r1. This study provides an important basis for the development of functional foods.

Retinoic acid generates a beneficial microenvironment for liver progenitor cell activation in acute liver failure.

BACKGROUND: When massive necrosis occurs in acute liver failure (ALF), rapid expansion of HSCs called liver progenitor cells (LPCs) in a process called ductular reaction is required for survival. The underlying mechanisms governing this process are not entirely known to date. In ALF, high levels of retinoic acid (RA), a molecule known for its pleiotropic roles in embryonic development, are secreted by activated HSCs. We hypothesized that RA plays a key role in ductular reaction during ALF. METHODS: RNAseq was performed to identify molecular signaling pathways affected by all-trans retinoid acid (atRA) treatment in HepaRG LPCs. Functional assays were performed in HepaRG cells treated with atRA or cocultured with LX-2 cells and in the liver tissue of patients suffering from ALF. RESULTS: Under ALF conditions, activated HSCs secreted RA, inducing RARα nuclear translocation in LPCs. RNAseq data and investigations in HepaRG cells revealed that atRA treatment activated the WNT-ß-Catenin pathway, enhanced stemness genes (SOX9, AFP, and others), increased energy storage, and elevated the expression of ATP-binding cassette transporters in a RARα nuclear translocation-dependent manner. Further, atRA treatment-induced pathways were confirmed in a coculture system of HepaRG with LX-2 cells. Patients suffering from ALF who displayed RARα nuclear translocation in the LPCs had significantly better MELD scores than those without. CONCLUSIONS: During ALF, RA secreted by activated HSCs promotes LPC activation, a prerequisite for subsequent LPC-mediated liver regeneration.

Burnout among care workers in long-term care institutions: a systematic review and meta-analysis protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Care workers play a fundamental role in delivering care services in long-term care institutions. Burnout has been found to have a negative impact on care recipients and organisations providing care. Little is known about the key factors associated with care workers' burnout. This systematic review aims to explore the prevalence, severity and correlates of burnout among care workers before and during COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A five-stage framework outlined by Whittemore and Knafl will be used. The following databases will be used to identify relevant literature, including Medline (PubMed), EMBASE, Cochrane library, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Scopus and Web of Science. RevMan will be used to assist the meta-analysis. Heterogeneity of the included studies will be tested using the I 2 test. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: No ethics approval is required as this study only involves secondary data analysis. The findings will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at relevant conferences. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42024499178.

FGF21-dependent alleviation of cholestasis-induced liver fibrosis by sodium butyrate.

Background: The beneficial effects of fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) and sodium butyrate (NaB) on protection against cholestasis-induced liver fibrosis are not well known. This study aimed to explore the effects of FGF21 and NaB on bile duct ligation (BDL)-induced liver fibrosis. Methods: Wild-type (WT) and FGF21 knockout (KO) mice received BDL surgery for 14 days. Liver fibrosis was assessed by Masson's staining for fibrosis marker expressions at the mRNA or protein levels. Adenovirus-mediated FGF21 overexpression in the WT mice was assessed against BDL damage. BDL surgeries were performed in WT and FGF21 KO mice that were administered either phosphate-buffered saline or NaB. The effects of NaB on the energy metabolism and gut microbiota were assessed using stable metabolism detection and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Results: BDL-induced liver fibrosis in the WT mice was accompanied by high induction of FGF21. Compared to the WT mice, the FGF21 KO mice showed more severe liver fibrosis induced by BDL. FGF21 overexpression protected against BDL-induced liver fibrosis, as proved by the decreasing α-SMA at both the mRNA and protein levels. NaB administration enhanced the glucose and energy metabolisms as well as remodeled the gut microbiota. NaB alleviated BDL-induced liver fibrosis in the WT mice but aggravated the same in FGF21 KO mice. Conclusion: FGF21 plays a key role in alleviating cholestasis-induced liver damage and fibrosis. NaB has beneficial effects on cholestasis in an FGF21-dependent manner. NaB administration can thus be a novel nutritional therapy for treating cholestasis via boosting FGF21 signaling and regulating the gut microbiota.

A quadrivalent norovirus vaccine based on a chimpanzee adenovirus vector induces potent immunity in mice.

Norovirus (NoV) infection is a major cause of gastroenteritis worldwide. The virus poses great challenges in developing vaccines with broad immune protection due to its genetic and antigenic diversity. To date, there are no approved NoV vaccines for clinical use. Here, we aimed to develop a broad-acting quadrivalent NoV vaccine based on a chimpanzee adenovirus vector, AdC68, carrying the major capsid protein (VP1) of noroviral GI and GII genotypes. Compared to intramuscular (i.m.), intranasal (i.n.), or other prime-boost immunization regimens (i.m. â€‹+ â€‹i.m., i.m. â€‹+ â€‹i.n., i.n. â€‹+ â€‹i.m.), AdC68-GI.1-GII.3 (E1)-GII.4-GII.17 (E3), administered via i.n. â€‹+ â€‹i.n. induced higher titers of serum IgG antibodies and higher IgA antibodies in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and saliva against the four homologous VP1s in mice. It also significantly stimulated the production of blocking antibodies against the four genotypes. In response to re-stimulation with virus-like particles (VLP)-GI.1, VLP-GII.3, VLP-GII.4, and VLP-GII.17, the quadrivalent vaccine administered according to the i.n. â€‹+ â€‹i.n. regimen effectively triggered specific cell-mediated immune responses, primarily characterized by IFN-γ secretion. Furthermore, the preparation of this novel quadrivalent NoV vaccine requires only a single recombinant adenovirus to provide broad preventive immunity against the major GI/GII epidemic strains, making it a promising vaccine candidate for further development.

Structural and sensory characteristics of ultrasonic assisted wet-heating Maillard reaction products of Giant salamander protein hydrolysates.

BACKGROUND: Chinese giant salamander protein hydrolysates (CGSPH) are beneficial to human health as a result of their high content of amino acids and peptides. However, the formation of bitter peptides in protein hydrolysates (PHs) would hinder their application in food industry. The ultrasound assisted wet-heating Maillard reaction (MR) is an effective way to improve the flavor of PHs. Thus, the effect of ultrasonic assisted wet-heating MR on the structure and flavor of CGSPH was investigated in the present study. RESULTS: The results indicated that the ultrasound assisted wet-heating MR products (MRPs) exhibited a higher degree of graft and more significant changes in the secondary and tertiary structures of CGSPH compared to traditional wet-heating MRPs. Moreover, ultrasound assisted wet-heating MR could significantly increase the content of small molecule peptides and reduce the content of free amino acids of CGSPH, which resulted in more significant changes in flavor characteristics. The changed in flavor properties after MR (especially ultrasound assisted wet-heating MRPs) were mainly manifested by a significant reduction in bitterness, as well as a significant increase in the content of aromatic aldehyde ester compounds such as furan-2-carbaldehyde, butanal, benzaldehyde, furfural, etc. CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasound assisted wet-heating MR between CGSPH and xylose could be a promising way to improve the sensory characteristics of CGSPH. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Using structural equation modeling to investigate students' satisfaction with an undergraduate tutorial system.

BACKGROUND: The undergraduate tutorial system (UTS) is a crucial measure in China for adhering to the principle of prioritizing foundational education, innovating the undergraduate talent training mode, and building a powerful country of higher education. This study investigated undergraduate students' satisfaction with UTS and the influencing factors, aiming to promote the healthy and sustainable development of UTS and provide practical implications and suggestions for universities. METHODS: Based on relevant theories, we conducted a survey study and leveraged structural equation modeling to assess students' satisfaction with UTS and explore the influencing factors. RESULTS: Our Pearson correlation analysis showed that students' satisfaction with mentors was positively correlated with dimensions such as humanistic care (r = 0.844, P < 0.05), mentor assistance (r = 0.906, P < 0.05), and mentor-student communication (r = 0.908, P < 0.05). Path analysis showed that mentor-student communication (ß = 0.486, P < 0.01), mentor assistance (ß = 0.228, P < 0.05), humanistic care (ß = 0.105, P < 0.05) were positive factors affecting students' satisfaction with mentors, while satisfaction with mentors (ß = 0.923, P < 0.01) had a positive impact on students' satisfaction with UTS. Students' satisfaction with mentors explained 73.4% of the variation in students' satisfaction with UTS, indicating that satisfaction with mentors was an important intermediary variable of UTS students. CONCLUSION: The sustainable implementation of UTS requires the effort to improve student satisfaction, and the breakthrough of strengthening the targeted mentorship in "transmitting wisdom, imparting knowledge, and resolving doubts" for students. Efforts should also be devoted to fostering students' comprehensive skills and better serving the cultivation of talents in the new era.

Pirtobrutinib, a highly selective, non-covalent (reversible) BTK inhibitor in patients with B-cell malignancies: analysis of the Richter transformation subgroup from the multicentre, open-label, phase 1/2 BRUIN study.

BACKGROUND: Richter transformation usually presents as an aggressive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, occurs in up to 10% of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, has no approved therapies, and is associated with a poor prognosis. Pirtobrutinib has shown promising efficacy and tolerability in patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell malignancies, including those who progress on covalent Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitors. This study aims to report the safety and activity of pirtobrutinib monotherapy in a subgroup of patients with Richter transformation from the multicentre, open-label, phase 1/2 BRUIN study. METHODS: This analysis included adult patients (aged ≥18 years) with histologically confirmed Richter transformation, an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status score of 0-2, and no limit of previous therapies, with patients receiving first-line treatment added in a protocol amendment (version 9.0, Dec 15, 2021). Pirtobrutinib 200 mg was administered orally once a day in 28-day cycles. The primary endpoint of phase 1 of the BRUIN trial as a whole, which has been previously reported, was to establish the recommended phase 2 dose for pirtobrutinib monotherapy and the phase 2 primary endpoint was overall response rate. Safety and activity were measured in all patients who received at least one dose of pirtobrutinib monotherapy. This BRUIN phase 1/2 trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov and is closed to enrolment (NCT03740529). FINDINGS: Between Dec 26, 2019, and July 22, 2022, 82 patients were enrolled, of whom five were enrolled during phase 1 and 77 during phase 2. All but one patient received a starting dose of 200 mg pirtobrutinib once a day as the recommended phase 2 dose. The remaining patient received 150 mg pirtobrutinib once a day, which was not escalated to 200 mg. The median age of patients was 67 years (IQR 59-72). 55 (67%) of 82 patients were male and 27 (33%) were female. Most patients were White (65 [79%] of 82). 74 (90%) of 82 patients received at least one previous Richter transformation-directed therapy. Most patients (61 [74%] of 82) had received previous covalent BTK inhibitor therapy for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia or Richter transformation. The overall response rate was 50·0% (95% CI 38·7-61·3). 11 (13%) of 82 patients had a complete response and 30 (37%) of 82 patients had a partial response. Eight patients with ongoing response electively discontinued pirtobrutinib to undergo stem-cell transplantation. The most common grade 3 or worse adverse event was neutropenia (n=19). There were no treatment-related deaths. INTERPRETATION: Pirtobrutinib shows promising safety and activity among patients with Richter transformation, most of whom received previous Richter transformation-directed therapy, including covalent BTK inhibitors. These data suggest that further investigation is warranted of pirtobrutinib as a treatment option for patients with relapsed or refractory Richter transformation after treatment with a covalent BTK inhibitor. FUNDING: Loxo Oncology.

Microstructure and digestive behaviors of inner, middle, and outer layers of pork during heating.

To investigate the effects of heat treatment on the microstructure and digestive behaviors of pork, meat samples were subjected to a 100 °C water bath for 26 min. The inner, medium, and outer layers were assigned and analyzed according to the temperature gradient. Compared to the raw samples, significant changes were observed in the microscopic structure of pork. As the temperature increased, the myofibrillar structure of pork underwent increasingly severe damage and the moisture content decreased significantly (P < 0.05). Moreover, differential peptides were identified in digested products of the inner, middle, and outer layers of cooked pork, which are mainly derived from the structural proteins of pork. The outcomes of molecular docking indicated that a greater number of hydrogen bonds were formed between myosin and the digestive enzyme in the inner layer, rather than other parts, contributing to the transformation of digestive behaviors.

Simultaneous detection of multiple microRNAs based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer under a single excitation wavelength.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a key role in physiological processes, and their dysregulation is closely related to various human diseases. Simultaneous detection of multiple miRNAs is pivotal to cancer diagnosis at an early stage. However, most multicomponent analyses generally involve multiple excitation wavelengths, which are complicated and often challenging to simultaneously acquire multiple detection signals. In this study, a convenient and sensitive sensor was developed to simultaneously detection of multiple miRNAs under a single excitation wavelength through the fluorescence resonance energy transfer between the carbon dots (CDs)/quantum dots (QDs) and graphene oxide (GO). A hybridization chain reaction (HCR) was triggered by miRNA-141 and miRNA-21, resulting in the high sensitivity with a limit of detection (LOD) of 50 pM (3σ/k) for miRNA-141 and 60 pM (3σ/k) for miRNA-21. This simultaneous assay also showed excellent specificity discrimination against the mismatch. Furthermore, our proposed method successfully detected miRNA-21 and miRNA-141 in human serum samples at a same time, indicating its diagnostic potential in a clinical setting.

Addressing healthy aging in China: Practices and prospects.

One important challenge for global development is aging. China is one of the world's countries with the highest elderly population and the most rapid aging; in 2022, the percentage of the population over 65 was 14.9%; by 2050, it is expected to rise to 26.1%. China's health security, elderly care, and healthcare services are facing serious challenges as a result of this aging trend. With 80% of provinces including medical and elderly care in national basic public health care programs, China has adopted a proactive national plan to combat population aging. Moreover, geriatric departments have been established at 69.3% of public general hospitals at secondary and higher tiers, 48% of provinces have devises preventive interventions for disability and dementia in the elderly, 48 percent of provinces are serving as test regions for medical care related to rehabilitation, and 49 cities are involved in long-term care insurance (LTCI) trials that encompass 170 million people. There are 4,259 medical and health care facilities that provide hospice care services, 152 hospice care pilot regions, and 87,000 pairs of contracts between medical and health care facilities and elderly care providers. These developments provide a strong basis, but there are still major obstacles to overcome. The Chinese Government is urged to adopt early preventive measures, offer more ongoing, practical, and cost-effective diagnostic and treatment services, allocate resources equitably, and use intelligent technologies to enhance elderly care. The ultimate goals are to lessen the financial burden, enhance the health of the elderly, and offer a vital global resource.

Research Progress of Vagal Nerve Regulation Mechanism in Acupuncture Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia in clinical practice. It has a high prevalence and poor prognosis. The application of antiarrhythmic drugs and even surgery cannot completely treat the disease, and there are many sequelae. AF can be classified into the category of "palpitation" in Chinese medicine according to its symptoms. Acupuncture has a significant effect on AF. The authors find that an important mechanism of acupuncture in AF treatment is to regulate the cardiac vagus nerve. Therefore, this article intends to review the distribution and function of vagus nerve in the heart, the application and the regulatroy effect for the treatment of AF.

Electric Field Generated at the Millisecond Pulse-Polarized Interface Facilitates the Electrolytic Conversion of SO2 into H2S.

Interfacial electric field holds significant importance in determining both the polar molecular configuration and surface coverage during electrocatalysis. This study introduces a methodology leveraging the varying electric dipole moment of SO2 under distinct interfacial electric field strengths to enhance the selectivity of the SO2 electroreduction process. This approach presented the first attempt to utilize pulsed voltage application to the Au/PTFE membrane electrode for the control of the molecular configuration and coverage of SO2 on the electrode surface. Remarkably, the modulation of pulse duration resulted in a substantial inhibition of the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) (FEH2 < 3%) under millisecond pulse conditions (ta = 10 ms, tc = 300 ms, Ea = -0.8 V (vs Hg/Hg2SO4), Ec = -1.8 V (vs Hg/Hg2SO4)), concomitant with a noteworthy enhancement in H2S selectivity (FEH2S > 97%). A comprehensive analysis, incorporating in situ Raman spectroscopy, electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance, COMSOL simulations, and DFT calculations, corroborated the increased selectivity of H2S products was primarily associated with the inherently large dipole moment of the SO2 molecule. The enhancement of the interfacial electric field induced by millisecond pulses was instrumental in amplifying SO2 coverage, activating SO2, facilitating the formation of the pivotal intermediate product *SOH, and effectively reducing the reaction energy barrier in the SO2 reduction process. These findings provide novel insights into the influences of ion and molecular transport dynamics, as well as the temporal intricacies of competitive pathways during the SO2 electroreduction process. Moreover, it underscores the intrinsic correlation between the electric dipole moment and surface-molecule interaction of the catalyst.