MicroRNA397 promotes rice flowering by regulating the photorespiration pathway.

The precise timing of flowering plays a pivotal role in ensuring successful plant reproduction and seed production. This process is intricately governed by complex genetic networks that integrate internal and external signals. This study delved into the regulatory function of microRNA397 (miR397) and its target gene LACCASE-15 (OsLAC15) in modulating flowering traits in rice (Oryza sativa). Overexpression of miR397 led to earlier heading dates, decreased number of leaves on the main stem, and accelerated differentiation of the spikelet meristem. Conversely, overexpression of OsLAC15 resulted in delayed flowering and prolonged vegetative growth. Through biochemical and physiological assays, we uncovered that miR397-OsLAC15 had a profound impact on carbohydrate accumulation and photosynthetic assimilation, consequently enhancing the photosynthetic intensity in miR397-overexpressing rice plants. Notably, we identified that OsLAC15 is at least partially localized within the peroxisome organelle, where it regulates the photorespiration pathway. Moreover, we observed that a high CO2 concentration could rescue the late flowering phenotype in OsLAC15-overexpressing plants. These findings shed valuable insights into the regulatory mechanisms of miR397-OsLAC15 in rice flowering and provided potential strategies for developing crop varieties with early flowering and high-yield traits through genetic breeding.

PGD: Shared gene linking polycystic ovary syndrome and endometrial cancer, influencing proliferation and migration through glycometabolism.

The relationship among polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), endometrial cancer (EC), and glycometabolism remains unclear. We explored shared genes between PCOS and EC, using bioinformatics to unveil their pathogenic connection and influence on EC prognosis. Gene Expression Omnibus datasets GSE226146 (PCOS) and GSE196033 (EC) were used. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed to identify the central genes. Candidate markers were screened using dataset GSE54250. Differences in marker expression were confirmed in mouse PCOS and human EC tissues using RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. The effect of PGD on EC proliferation and migration was explored using Ki-67 and Transwell assays. PGD's impact on the glycometabolic pathway within carbon metabolism was assessed by quantifying glucose content and lactic acid production. R software identified 31 common genes in GSE226146 and GSE196033. Gene Ontology functional classification revealed enrichment in the "purine nucleoside triphosphate metabolism process," with key Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways related to "carbon metabolism." The PPI network identified 15 hub genes. HK2, NDUFS8, PHGDH, PGD, and SMAD3 were confirmed as candidate markers. The RT-PCR analysis validated distinct HK2 and PGD expression patterns in mouse PCOS ovarian tissue and human EC tissue, as well as in normal and EC cells. Transfection experiments with Ishikawa cells further confirmed PGD's influence on cell proliferation and migration. Suppression of PGD expression impeded glycometabolism within the carbon metabolism of EC cells, suggesting PGD as a significant PCOS risk factor impacting EC proliferation and migration through modulation of single carbon metabolism. These findings highlight PGD's pivotal role in EC onset and prognosis.

Sustained Release-Driven Interface Engineering Enables Fast Charging Lithium Metal Batteries.

LiNO3 has attracted intensive attention as a promising electrolyte additive to regulate Li deposition behavior as it can form favorable Li3N, LiNxOy species to improve the interfacial stability. However, the inferior solubility in carbonate-based electrolyte restricts its application in high-voltage Li metal batteries. Herein, an artificial composite layer (referred to as PML) composed of LiNO3 and PMMA is rationally designed on Li surface. The PML layer serves as a reservoir for LiNO3 release gradually to the electrolyte during cycling, guaranteeing the stability of SEI layer for uniform Li deposition. The PMMA matrix not only links the nitrogen-containing species for uniform ionic conductivity but also can be coordinated with Li for rapid Li ions migration, resulting in homogenous Li-ion flux and dendrite-free morphology. As a result, stable and dendrite-free plating/stripping behaviors of Li metal anodes are achieved even at an ultrahigh current density of 20 mA cm-2 (>570 h) and large areal capacity of 10 mAh cm-2 (>1200 h). Moreover, the Li||LiFePO4 full cell using PML-Li anode undergoes stable cycling for 2000 cycles with high-capacity retention of 94.8%. This facile strategy will widen the potential application of LiNO3 in carbonate-based electrolyte for practical LMBs.

Boosting the Cycle Performance of Iron Trifluoride Based Solid State Batteries at Elevated Temperatures by Engineering the Cathode Solid Electrolyte Interface.

Iron trifluoride (FeF3) is attracting tremendous interest due to its lower cost and the possibility to enable higher energy density in lithium-ion batteries. However, its cycle performance deteriorates rapidly in less than 50 cycles at elevated temperatures due to cracking of the unstable cathode solid electrolyte interface (CEI) followed by active materials dissolution in liquid electrolyte. Herein, by engineering the salt composition, the Fe3O4-type CEI with the doping of boron (B) atoms in a polymer electrolyte at 60 °C is successfully stabilized. The cycle life of the well-designed FeF3-based composite cathode exceeds an unprecedented 1000 cycles and utilizes up to 70% of its theoretical capacities. Advanced electron microscopy combined with density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the B in lithium salt migrates into the cathode and promotes the formation of an elastic and mechanic robust boron-contained CEI (BOR-CEI) during cycling, by which the durability of the CEI to frequent cyclic large volume changes is significantly enhanced. To this end, the notorious active materials dissolution is largely prohibited, resulting in a superior cycle life. The results suggest that engineering the CEI such as tuning its composition is a viable approach to achieving FeF3 cathode-based batteries with enhanced performance.

Discovery of α-Ketoamide inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 main protease derived from quaternized P1 groups.

Although the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has ended, multiple sporadic cases still exist, posing a request for more antivirals. The main protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2, a key enzyme for viral replication, is an attractive target for drug development. Here, we report the discovery of a new potent α-ketoamide-containing Mpro inhibitor, N-((R)-1-cyclohexyl-2-(((R)-3-methoxy-1-oxo-1-((1-(2-oxo-2-((thiazol-2-ylmethyl)amino)acetyl)cyclobutyl)amino)propan-2-yl)amino)-2-oxoethyl)-4,4-difluorocyclohexane-1-carboxamide (20j). This compound presented promising enzymatic inhibitory activity against SARS-CoV-2 Mpro with an IC50 value of 19.0 nM, and an excellent antiviral activity in cell-based assay with an EC50 value of 138.1 nM. This novel covalent inhibitor may be used as a lead compound for subsequent drug discovery against SARS-CoV-2.

Changes in disease burden and global inequalities in bladder, kidney and prostate cancers from 1990 to 2019: a comparative analysis based on the global burden of disease study 2019.

BACKGROUND: Bladder, kidney and prostate cancers make significant contributors to cancer burdens. Exploring their cross-country inequalities may inform equitable strategies to meet the 17 sustainable development goals before 2030. METHODS: We analyzed age-standardized disability-adjusted life-years (ASDALY) rates for the three cancers based on Global Burden of Diseases Study 2019. We quantified the inequalities using slope index of inequality (SII, absolute measure) and concentration index (relative measure) associated with national sociodemographic index. RESULTS: Varied ASDALY rates were observed in the three cancers across 204 regions. The SII decreased from 35.15 (95% confidence interval, CI: 29.34 to 39.17) in 1990 to 15.81 (95% CI: 7.99 to 21.79) in 2019 for bladder cancers, from 78.94 (95% CI: 75.97 to 81.31) in 1990 to 59.79 (95% CI: 55.32 to 63.83) in 2019 for kidney cancer, and from 192.27 (95% CI: 137.00 to 241.05) in 1990 to - 103.99 (95% CI: - 183.82 to 51.75) in 2019 for prostate cancer. Moreover, the concentration index changed from 12.44 (95% CI, 11.86 to 12.74) in 1990 to 15.72 (95% CI, 15.14 to 16.01) in 2019 for bladder cancer, from 33.88 (95% CI: 33.35 to 34.17) in 1990 to 31.13 (95% CI: 30.36 to 31.43) in 2019 for kidney cancer, and from 14.61 (95% CI: 13.89 to 14.84) in 1990 to 5.89 (95% CI: 5.16 to 6.26) in 2019 for prostate cancer. Notably, the males presented higher inequality than females in both bladder and kidney cancer from 1990 to 2019. CONCLUSIONS: Different patterns of inequality were observed in the three cancers, necessitating tailored national cancer control strategies to mitigate disparities. Priority interventions for bladder and kidney cancer should target higher socioeconomic regions, whereas interventions for prostate cancer should prioritize the lowest socioeconomic regions. Additionally, addressing higher inequality in males requires more intensive interventions among males from higher socioeconomic regions.

Effectiveness of simulation-based clinical research curriculum for undergraduate medical students - a pre-post intervention study with external control.

BACKGROUND: Simulation is widely utilized in medical education. Exploring the effectiveness of high-fidelity simulation of clinical research within medical education may inform its integration into clinical research training curricula, finally cultivating physician-scientist development. METHODS: Standard teaching scripts for both clinical trial and cross-sectional study simulation were designed. We recruited undergraduates majoring in clinical medicine at 3th grade into a pre-post intervention study. Additionally, a cross-sectional survey randomly selected medical undergraduates at 4th or 5th grade, medical students in master and doctor degree as external controls. Self-assessment scores of knowledge and practice were collected using a 5-point Likert scale. Changes in scores were tested by Wilcoxon signed-rank test and group comparisons were conducted by Dunn's tests with multiple corrections. Multivariable quantile regressions were used to explore factors influencing the changes from baseline. RESULTS: Seventy-eight undergraduates involved the clinical trial simulation and reported improvement of 1.60 (95% CI, 1.48, 1.80, P < 0.001) in knowledge and 1.82 (95% CI, 1.64, 2.00, P < 0.001) in practice score. 83 undergraduates involved in the observational study simulation and reported improvement of 0.96 (95% CI, 0.79, 1.18, P < 0.001) in knowledge and 1.00 (95% CI, 0.79, 1.21, P < 0.001) in practice. All post-intervention scores were significantly higher than those of the three external control groups, P < 0.001. Higher agreement on the importance of clinical research were correlated with greater improvements in scores. Undergraduates in pre-post study showed high confidence in doing a future clinical research. CONCLUSION: Our study provides evidence supporting the integration of simulation into clinical research curriculum for medical students. The importance of clinical research can be emphasized during training to enhance learning effect.

Recent Progress of Ion-Modified TiO2 for Enhanced Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production.

Harnessing solar energy to produce hydrogen through semiconductor-mediated photocatalytic water splitting is a promising avenue to address the challenges of energy scarcity and environmental degradation. Ever since Fujishima and Honda's groundbreaking work in photocatalytic water splitting, titanium dioxide (TiO2) has garnered significant interest as a semiconductor photocatalyst, prized for its non-toxicity, affordability, superior photocatalytic activity, and robust chemical stability. Nonetheless, the efficacy of solar energy conversion is hampered by TiO2's wide bandgap and the swift recombination of photogenerated carriers. In pursuit of enhancing TiO2's photocatalytic prowess, a panoply of modification techniques has been explored over recent years. This work provides an extensive review of the strategies employed to augment TiO2's performance in photocatalytic hydrogen production, with a special emphasis on foreign dopant incorporation. Firstly, we delve into metal doping as a key tactic to boost TiO2's capacity for efficient hydrogen generation via water splitting. We elaborate on the premise that metal doping introduces discrete energy states within TiO2's bandgap, thereby elevating its visible light photocatalytic activity. Following that, we evaluate the role of metal nanoparticles in modifying TiO2, hailed as one of the most effective strategies. Metal nanoparticles, serving as both photosensitizers and co-catalysts, display a pronounced affinity for visible light absorption and enhance the segregation and conveyance of photogenerated charge carriers, leading to remarkable photocatalytic outcomes. Furthermore, we consolidate perspectives on the nonmetal doping of TiO2, which tailors the material to harness visible light more efficiently and bolsters the separation and transfer of photogenerated carriers. The incorporation of various anions is summarized for their potential to propel TiO2's photocatalytic capabilities. This review aspires to compile contemporary insights on ion-doped TiO2, propelling the efficacy of photocatalytic hydrogen evolution and anticipating forthcoming advancements. Our work aims to furnish an informative scaffold for crafting advanced TiO2-based photocatalysts tailored for water-splitting applications.

Near Ultraviolet-Excitable Cyan-Emissive Hybrid Copper(I) Halides Nonlinear Optical Crystals with Near-Unity Photoluminescence Quantum Yield and High-Efficiency X-ray Scintillation.

Designing and synthesizing multifunctional hybrid copper halides with near ultraviolet (NUV) light-excited high-energy emission (< 500 nm) remains challenging. Here, a pair of broadband-excited high-energy emitting isomers, namely, α-/ß-(MePh3P)2CuI3 (MePh3P = methyltriphenylphosphonium), were synthesized. α-(MePh3P)2CuI3 with blue emission peaking at 475 nm is firstly discovered wherein its structure contains regular [CuI3]2‒ triangles and crystallizes in centrosymmetric space group P21/c. While ß-(MePh3P)2CuI3 featuring distorted [CuI3]2‒ planar triangles shows inversion symmetry breaking and crystallizes in the noncentrosymmetric space group P21, which exhibits cyan emission peaking at 495 nm with prominent near-unity photoluminescence quantum yield and the excitation band ranging from 200 to 450 nm. Intriguingly, ß-(MePh3P)2CuI3 exhibits phase-matchable second-harmonic generation response of 0.54 × KDP and a suitable birefringence of 0.06@1064 nm. Furthermore, ß-(MePh3P)2CuI3 also can be excited by X-ray radioluminescence with a high scintillation light yield of 16193 photon/MeV and an ultra-low detection limit of 47.97 nGy/s, which is only 0.87% of the standard medical diagnosis (5.5 µGy/s). This work not only promotes the development of solid-state lighting, laser frequency conversion and X-ray imaging, but also provides a reference for constructing multifunctional hybrid metal halides.

A robust immune-related gene pairs signature for predicting the overall survival of esophageal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Identifying reliable biomarkers could effectively predict esophagus carcinoma (EC) patients with poor prognosis. In this work, we constructed an immune-related gene pairs (IRGP) signature to evaluate the prognosis of EC. RESULTS: The IRGP signature was trained by the TCGA cohort and validated by three GEO datasets, respectively. Cox regression model together with LASSO was applied to construct the overall survival (OS) associated IRGP. 21 IRGPs consisting of 38 immune-related genes were included in our signature, according to which patients were stratified into high- and low-risk groups. The results of Kaplan-Meier survival analyses indicated that high-risk EC patients had worse OS than low-risk group in the training set, meta-validation set and all independent validation datasets. After adjustment in multivariate Cox analyses, our signature continued to be an independent prognostic factor of EC and the signature-based nomogram could effectively predict the prognosis of EC sufferers. Besides, Gene Ontology analysis revealed this signature is related to immunity. 'CIBERSORT' analysis revealed the infiltration levels of plasma cells and activated CD4 memory T cells in two risk groups were significantly different. Ultimately, we validated the expression levels of six selected genes from IRGP index in KYSE-150 and KYSE-450. CONCLUSIONS: This IRGP signature could be applied to select EC patients with high mortality risk, thereby improving prospects for the treatment of EC.

Enzymatic Catalysis in Size and Volume Dual-Confined Space of Integrated Nanochannel-Electrodes Chip for Enhanced Impedance Detection of Salmonella.

Nanochannel-based confinement effect is a fascinating signal transduction strategy for high-performance sensing, but only size confinement is focused on while other confinement effects are unexplored. Here, a highly integrated nanochannel-electrodes chip (INEC) is created and a size/volume-dual-confinement enzyme catalysis model for rapid and sensitive bacteria detection is developed. The INEC, by directly sandwiching a nanochannel chip (60 µm in thickness) in nanoporous gold layers, creates a micro-droplet-based confinement electrochemical cell (CEC). The size confinement of nanochannel promotes the urease catalysis efficiency to generate more ions, while the volume confinement of CEC significantly enriches ions by restricting diffusion. As a result, the INEC-based dual-confinement effects benefit a synergetic enhancement of the catalytic signal. A 11-times ion-strength-based impedance response is obtained within just 1 min when compared to the relevant open system. Combining this novel nanoconfinement effects with nanofiltration of INEC, a separation/signal amplification-integrated sensing strategy is further developed for Salmonella typhimurium detection. The biosensor realizes facile, rapid (<20 min), and specific signal readout with a detection limit of 9 CFU mL-1 in culturing solution, superior to most reports. This work may create a new paradigm for studying nanoconfined processes and contribute a new signal transduction technique for trace analysis application.

Short- and long-term outcomes of Roux-en-Y and Billroth II with Braun reconstruction in total laparoscopic distal gastrectomy: a retrospective analysis.

BACKGROUND: The controversy surrounding Roux-en-Y (R-Y) and Billroth II with Braun (BII + B) reconstruction as an anti-bile reflux procedure after distal gastrectomy has persisted. Recent studies have demonstrated their efficacy, but the long-term outcomes and postoperative quality of life (QoL) among patients have yet to be evaluated. Therefore, we compared the short-term and long-term outcomes of the two procedures as well as QoL. METHODS: The clinical data of 151 patients who underwent total laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (TLDG) at the Gastrointestinal Surgery Department of the Second Hospital of Fujian Medical University from January 2016 to December 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Of these, 57 cases with Roux-en-Y procedure (R-Y group) and 94 cases with Billroth II with Braun procedure were included (BII + B group). Operative and postoperative conditions, early and late complications, endoscopic outcomes at year 1 and year 3 after surgery, nutritional indicators, and quality of life scores at year 3 postoperatively were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The R-Y group recorded a significantly longer operative time (194.65 ± 21.52 vs. 183.88 ± 18.02 min) and anastomotic time (36.96 ± 2.43 vs. 27.97 ± 3.74 min) compared to the BII + B group (p < 0.05). However, no other significant differences were observed in terms of perioperative variables, including blood loss (p > 0.05). Both groups showed comparable rates of early and late complications. Endoscopic findings indicated similar food residuals at years 1 and 3 post-surgery for both groups. The R-Y group had a lower occurrence of residual gastritis and bile reflux at year 1 and year 3 after surgery, with a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001). Reflux esophagitis was not significantly different between the R-Y and BII + B groups in year 1 after surgery (p = 0.820), but the R-Y group had a lower incidence than the BII + B group in year 3 after surgery (p = 0.023). Nutritional outcomes at 3 years after surgery did not differ significantly between the two groups (p > 0.05). Quality of life scores measured by the QLQ-C30 scale were not significantly different between the two groups. However, on the QLQ-STO22 scale, the reflux score was significantly lower in the R-Y group than in the BII + B group (0 [0, 0] vs. 5.56 [0, 11.11]) (p = 0.003). The rest of the scores were not significantly different (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Both R-Y and B II + B reconstructions are equally safe and efficient for TLDG. Nevertheless, the R-Y reconstruction reduces the incidence of residual gastritis, bile reflux, and reflux esophagitis, as well as postoperative reflux symptoms, and provides a better quality of life for patients. R-Y reconstruction is superior to BII + B reconstruction for TLDG.

Comparison of short-term and long-term clinical effects of modified overlap anastomosis and conventional incision-assisted anastomosis in laparoscopic total gastrectomy.

BACKGROUND: To compare short-term and long-term clinical effects of modified overlap anastomosis and conventional incision-assisted anastomosis for laparoscopic total gastrectomy. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included patients with gastric cancer admitted to the Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University from January 2016 to March 2020. Quality of life, intraoperative and postoperative conditions were analyzed. RESULTS: Compared with the conventional assisted group, the modified overlap group showed a shorter auxiliary incision, milder postoperative pain, shorter time to the first postoperative anal exhaust, shorter time to the first postoperative liquid food intake, and shorter postoperative stay. There were no differences between the two groups regarding operation time, esophagus-jejunum anastomosis time, intraoperative blood loss, number of lymph nodes dissected, and length of the upper incision margin. There were no differences between the two groups regarding postoperative early and late complications. There were no differences between the two groups regarding the QLQ-C30 scale three years after the operation. The scores of the QLQ-STO22 scale 3 years after the operation showed significantly lower scores for dysphagia and feeding limit in the modified overlap group than those in the conventional assisted anastomosis group. There was no recurrence in the modified overlap group but one patient in the conventional assisted group. CONCLUSIONS: Patients undergoing totally laparoscopic total gastrectomy with modified overlap anastomosis have better minimal invasiveness and faster post-operative recovery than conventional incision-assisted anastomosis.

The Application of Computer Technology to Clinical Practice Guideline Implementation: A Scoping Review.

Implementation of clinical practice guidelines (CPG) is a complex and challenging task. Computer technology, including artificial intelligence (AI), has been explored to promote the CPG implementation. This study has reviewed the main domains where computer technology and AI has been applied to CPG implementation. PubMed, Embase, Web of science, the Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure database, WanFang DATA, VIP database, and China Biology Medicine disc database were searched from inception to December 2021. Studies involving the utilization of computer technology and AI to promote the implementation of CPGs were eligible for review. A total of 10429 published articles were identified, 117 met the inclusion criteria. 21 (17.9%) focused on the utilization of AI techniques to classify or extract the relative content of CPGs, such as recommendation sentence, condition-action sentences. 47 (40.2%) focused on the utilization of computer technology to represent guideline knowledge to make it understandable by computer. 15 (12.8%) focused on the utilization of AI techniques to verify the relative content of CPGs, such as conciliation of multiple single-disease guidelines for comorbid patients. 34 (29.1%) focused on the utilization of AI techniques to integrate guideline knowledge into different resources, such as clinical decision support systems. We conclude that the application of computer technology and AI to CPG implementation mainly concentrated on the guideline content classification and extraction, guideline knowledge representation, guideline knowledge verification, and guideline knowledge integration. The AI methods used for guideline content classification and extraction were pattern-based algorithm and machine learning. In guideline knowledge representation, guideline knowledge verification, and guideline knowledge integration, computer techniques of knowledge representation were the most used.

An All-Solid-State Battery Based on Sulfide and PEO Composite Electrolyte.

Replacing liquid electrolytes with solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) is considered as a vital approach to developing sulfur (S)-based cathodes. However, the polysulfides shuttle and the growth of lithium (Li) dendrites are still the major challenges in polyethylene oxide (PEO)-based electrolyte. Here, an all-solid-state Li metal battery with flexible PEO-Li10 Si0.3 PS6.7 Cl1.8 (LSPSCl)-C-lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) composite cathode (FCC) and PEO-LSPSCl-LiTFSI composite electrolyte (S-CPE) is designed. The initial capacity of the Li|S-CPE|FCC battery is 414 mAh g-1 with 97.8% capacity retention after 100 cycles at 0.1 A g-1 . Moreover, the battery displays remarkable capacity retention of 80% after 500 cycles at 0.4 A g-1 . Cryo-transmission electron microscopy (Cryo-TEM) reveals rich large-sized Li2 CO3 particles at the Li/PEO interface blocking the Li+ transport, but the layer with rich Li2 O nanocrystals, amorphous LiF and Li2 S at the Li/S-CPE interface suppresses the growth of lithium dendrite and stabilizes the interface. In situ optical microscopy demonstrates that the excellent cyclic stability of FCC is ascribed to the reversible shuttle of P-S-P species, resulting from the movement of ether backbone in PEO. This study provides strategies to mitigate the polysulfide shuttle effect and Li dendrite formation in designing high energy density solid-state Li-S-based batteries.

Exploiting the Iron Difluoride Electrochemistry by Constructing Hierarchical Electron Pathways and Cathode Electrolyte Interface.

Conversion-type cathodes such as metal fluorides, especially FeF2 and FeF3 , are potential candidates to replace intercalation cathodes for the next generation of lithium ion batteries. However, the application of iron fluorides is impeded by their poor electronic conductivity, iron/fluorine dissolution, and unstable cathode electrolyte interfaces (CEIs). A facile route to fabricate a mechanical strong electrode with hierarchical electron pathways for FeF2 nanoparticles is reported here. The FeF2 /Li cell demonstrates remarkable cycle performances with a capacity of 300 mAh g-1 after a record long 4500 cycles at 1C. Meanwhile, a record stable high area capacity of over 6 mAh cm-2 is achieved. Furthermore, ultra-high rate capabilities at 20C and 6C for electrodes with low and high mass loading, respectively, are attained. Advanced electron microscopy reveals the formation of stable CEIs. The results demonstrate that the construction of viable electronic connections and favorable CEIs are the key to boost the electrochemical performances of FeF2 cathode.

Therapeutic options for premature ovarian insufficiency: an updated review.

Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) is a rare gynecological condition. This disease causes menstrual disturbances, infertility, and various health problems. Historically, hormone replacement therapy is the first-line treatment for this disorder. Women diagnosed with POI are left with limited therapeutic options. In order to remedy this situation, a new generation of therapeutic approaches, such as in vitro activation, mitochondrial activation technique, stem cell and exosomes therapy, biomaterials strategies, and platelet-rich plasma intra-ovarian infusion, is being developed. However, these emerging therapies are yet in the experimental stage and require precise design components to accelerate their conversion into clinical treatments. Thus, each medical practitioner bears responsibility for selecting suitable therapies for individual patients. In this article, we provide a timely analysis of the therapeutic strategies that are available for POI patients and discuss the prospects of POI therapy.

Secular trends of morbidity and mortality of prostate, bladder, and kidney cancers in China, 1990 to 2019 and their predictions to 2030.

BACKGROUND: Prostate, bladder and kidney cancers are common age-related genitourinary cancers. China's population is aging at an increasing rate, so predicting the morbidity and mortality of prostate, bladder, and kidney cancer in China is of great significance to provide epidemiological evidence for forward planning and implementation of national health policies. METHODS: Numbers of incidences and deaths by cancer (prostate, bladder and kidney), sex (male and female) and age groups from 1990 to 2019 were extracted from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study. We applied Bayesian age-period-cohort models to predict incidences and deaths to 2030. We also calculated Age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) and mortality rate (ASMR), their trends were quantified by estimated average percentage change (EAPC) and 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS: Predictions suggest that by 2030, there will be 315,310 prostate cancer cases, 192,390 bladder cancer cases and 126,980 kidney cancer cases. The ASIRs will increase to 25.54/100,000 for prostate cancer (EAPC: 2.88, 95% CI, 2.84, 2.93), 7.54/100,000 for bladder cancer (EAPC: 2.58, 95% CI, 2.54, 2.61) and 5.63/100,000 for kidney cancer (EAPC: 4.78, 95% CI, 4.54, 5.02). Number of deaths in 2030 will be 81,540, 61,220, and 41,940, respectively. Different ASMR changes are observed, the ASMR for prostate cancer will drop to 7.69/100,000 (EAPC: -0.29, 95% CI, -0.31, -0.27), the ASMR for bladder cancer will stabilize at 2.49/100,000 (EAPC: 0.00, 95% CI, -0.02, 0.03), the ASMR of kidney cancer will increase to 1.84/100,000 (EAPC: 3.45, 95% CI, 3.22, 3.67). From 1990 to 2030, higher numbers of cases and rates are reported among males and in the 60 plus age group, both ASIR and ASMR of bladder and kidney cancers presents progressively widening differences between both males and females and between the < 60 and the ≥ 60 age groups. CONCLUSION: Morbidity and mortality of the three genitourinary cancers are predicted to increase further over the next decade. It highlights the need for timely development and implementation of optimal health policies to curb the epidemic trends.

Brainstem Biomarkers of Clinical Variant and Pathology in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy.

BACKGROUND: Magnetic resonance brainstem measurements are useful structural biomarkers in the Richardson's syndrome variant of progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP). However, it is unclear how these biomarkers differ across the phenotypic spectrum of PSP and how they relate to underlying pathology. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare brainstem imaging measures across clinical variants of PSP and determine sensitivity and specificity based on pathologically diagnosed cases. METHODS: A total of 153 patients with PSP who represented eight clinical variants were recruited at Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN, USA) and underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Midbrain and pons area and superior and middle cerebellar peduncle width measurements were performed, and midbrain/pons ratio and Magnetic Resonance Parkinsonism Index (MRPI) were calculated. Among the 43 patients who later died, PSP pathology was confirmed in 29, whereas 14 had other pathology. RESULTS: Brainstem measurements varied across PSP clinical variants and were most abnormal in PSP-Richardson's syndrome and frontal variants, followed by PSP-corticobasal, PSP-speech/language, and PSP-parkinsonism variants. All these variants showed abnormalities compared with controls. The PSP-gait freezing variant and patients with prominent corticospinal tract signs showed normal brainstem measures. Among cases with confirmed PSP pathology, the midbrain area, midbrain/pons ratio, and MRPI were all more abnormal compared to those with other pathologies, with best differentiation obtained with the MRPI (sensitivity = 83%; specificity = 85%). CONCLUSIONS: MRI brainstem measures show utility as diagnostic biomarkers across PSP clinical variants and have the potential to be useful in predicting underlying pathology. © 2021 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Research Progress on Exosomes and MicroRNAs in the Microenvironment of Postoperative Neurocognitive Disorders.

Postoperative neurocognitive disorder (PND) is a disease that frequently develops in older patients during the perioperative period. It seriously affects the quality of life of the affected patients. Despite advancements in understanding PND, this disorder's mechanisms remain unclear, including pathophysiological processes such as central synaptic plasticity and function, neuroinflammation, excitotoxicity, and neurotrophic support. Growing evidence suggests that microenvironmental changes are major factors for PND induction in older individuals. Exosomes are carriers for transporting different bioactive molecules between nerve cells in the microenvironment and maintaining intercellular communication and tissue homeostasis. Studies have shown that exosomes and microRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in various physiological and pathological processes, including neural processes related to PND, such as neurogenesis and cell death, neuroprotection, and neurotrophy. This article reviews the effects of exosomes and miRNAs on the brain microenvironment in PND and has important implications to improve PND diagnosis, as well as to develop targeted therapy of this disorder.