Miniature three-photon microscopy maximized for scattered fluorescence collection.

In deep-tissue multiphoton microscopy, diffusion and scattering of fluorescent photons, rather than ballistic emanation from the focal point, have been a confounding factor. Here we report on a 2.17-g miniature three-photon microscope (m3PM) with a configuration that maximizes fluorescence collection when imaging in highly scattering regimes. We demonstrate its capability by imaging calcium activity throughout the entire cortex and dorsal hippocampal CA1, up to 1.2 mm depth, at a safe laser power. It also enables the detection of sensorimotor behavior-correlated activities of layer 6 neurons in the posterior parietal cortex in freely moving mice during single-pellet reaching tasks. Thus, m3PM-empowered imaging allows the study of neural mechanisms in deep cortex and subcortical structures, like the dorsal hippocampus and dorsal striatum, in freely behaving animals.

Dampening of ISGylation of RIG-I by ADAP regulates type I interferon response of macrophages to RNA virus infection.

While macrophage is one of the major type I interferon (IFN-I) producers in multiple tissues during viral infections, it also serves as an important target cell for many RNA viruses. However, the regulatory mechanism for the IFN-I response of macrophages to respond to a viral challenge is not fully understood. Here we report ADAP, an immune adaptor protein, is indispensable for the induction of the IFN-I response of macrophages to RNA virus infections via an inhibition of the conjugation of ubiquitin-like ISG15 (ISGylation) to RIG-I. Loss of ADAP increases RNA virus replication in macrophages, accompanied with a decrease in LPS-induced IFN-ß and ISG15 mRNA expression and an impairment in the RNA virus-induced phosphorylation of IRF3 and TBK1. Moreover, using Adap-/- mice, we show ADAP deficiency strongly increases the susceptibility of macrophages to RNA-virus infection in vivo. Mechanically, ADAP selectively interacts and functionally cooperates with RIG-I but not MDA5 in the activation of IFN-ß transcription. Loss of ADAP results in an enhancement of ISGylation of RIG-I, whereas overexpression of ADAP exhibits the opposite effect in vitro, indicating ADAP is detrimental to the RNA virus-induced ISGylation of RIG-I. Together, our data demonstrate a novel antagonistic activity of ADAP in the cell-intrinsic control of RIG-I ISGylation, which is indispensable for initiating and sustaining the IFN-I response of macrophages to RNA virus infections and replication.

Mechanistic study of NUPR1 in bladder cancer development through transcriptional regulation of CCR2.

Nuclear protein-1 (NUPR1) (also known as p8) is one of the genes associated with transcription factors that participate in various aspects of cancer initiation and development. However, the molecular mechanisms of NUPR1 in bladder cancer (BLCA) remain unclear. We conducted an analysis of the correlation between NUPR1 expression and related genes using the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) online database. We employed lentivirus-mediated small interfering RNA (siRNA) to knockdown the expression of NUPR1 in two human BLCA cell lines. In vitro experiments were conducted to validate the impact of NUPR1 interference on BLCA and the influence of NUPR1 on the transcription of chemokine receptor-2 (CCR2). Furthermore, transcription factors for CCR2 were predicted using the PROMO database. Co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) and immunofluorescence double staining were used to detect the binding between NUPR1 and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein γ (CEBPG). In vivo and in vitro experiments were conducted to validate that NUPR1 regulates CCR2 transcription through CEBPG. In vitro experiments indicate that the suppression of NUPR1 inhibited BLCA growth. Analysis of the GEO database revealed a positive correlation between the expression of NUPR1 and CCR2. Luciferase experiments confirmed that NUPR1 influences the transcription of CCR2. Online data indicates that CEBPG is a transcription factor for CCR2. Co-IP and immunofluorescence double staining confirmed binding between NUPR1 and CEBPG. Luciferase assays and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) demonstrate that CEBPG regulates the transcription of CCR2. Additionally, rescue experiments at the cellular level and animal experiments validated the aforementioned mechanism. NUPR1 promotes a promotional role in BLCA, and interference with NUPR1 can inhibit the proliferation and invasive abilities of BLCA. There was a correlation between the expressions of NUPR1 and CCR2, and NUPR1 binds with CEBPG in the cell nucleus. Transcriptional regulation of CCR2 by NUPR1 may be achieved through the involvement of CEBPG.

Characterization of the pyruvate kinase gene family in soybean and identification of a putative salt responsive gene GmPK21.

BACKGROUND: As a key regulatory enzyme in the glycolysis pathway, pyruvate kinase (PK) plays crucial roles in multiple physiological processes during plant growth and is also involved in the abiotic stress response. However, little information is known about PKs in soybean. RESULTS: In this study, we identified 27 PK family genes against the genome of soybean cultivar Zhonghuang13. They were classified into 2 subfamilies including PKc and PKp. 22 segmental duplicated gene pairs and 1 tandem duplicated gene pair were identified and all of them experienced a strong purifying selective pressure during evolution. Furthermore, the abiotic stresses (especially salt stress) and hormone responsive cis-elements were present in the promoters of GmPK genes, suggesting their potential roles in abiotic stress tolerance. By performing the qRT-PCR, 6 GmPK genes that continuously respond to both NaCl and ABA were identified. Subsequently, GmPK21, which represented the most significant change under NaCl treatment was chosen for further study. Its encoded protein GmPK21 was localized in the cytoplasm and plasma membrane. The transgenic Arabidopsis overexpressing GmPK21 exhibited weakened salinity tolerance. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides genomic information of soybean PK genes and a molecular basis for mining salt tolerance function of PKs in the future.

Revealing the Dynamic Lithiation Process of Copper Disulfide by in Situ TEM.

Transition metal oxides, fluorides, and sulfides are extensively studied as candidate electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries driven by the urgency of developing next-generation higher energy density lithium batteries. These conversion-type electrode materials often require nanosized active materials to enable a "smooth" lithiation and de-lithiation process during charge/discharge cycles, determined by their size, structure, and phase. Herein, the structural and chemical changes of Copper Disulfide (CuS2) hollow nanoparticles during the lithiation process through an in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) method are investigated. The study finds the hollow structure of CuS2 facilitates the quick formation of fluidic Li2S "drops," accompanied by a de-sulfurization to the Cu7S4 phase. Meanwhile, the metallic Cu phase emerges as fine nanoparticles and grows into nano-strips, which are embedded in the Li2S/Cu7S4 matrix. These complex nanostructured phases and their spatial distribution can lead to a low de-lithiation barrier, enabling fast reaction kinetics.

Outer Membrane Vesicles Released from Garlic Exosome-like Nanoparticles (GaELNs) Train Gut Bacteria that Reverses Type 2 Diabetes via the Gut-Brain Axis.

Gut microbiota function has numerous effects on humans and the diet humans consume has emerged as a pivotal determinant of gut microbiota function. Here, a new concept that gut microbiota can be trained by diet-derived exosome-like nanoparticles (ELNs) to release healthy outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) is introduced. Specifically, OMVs released from garlic ELN (GaELNs) trained human gut Akkermansia muciniphila (A. muciniphila) can reverse high-fat diet-induced type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in mice. Oral administration of OMVs released from GaELNs trained A. muciniphila can traffick to the brain where they are taken up by microglial cells, resulting in inhibition of high-fat diet-induced brain inflammation. GaELNs treatment increases the levels of OMV Amuc-1100, P9, and phosphatidylcholines. Increasing the levels of Amuc-1100 and P9 leads to increasing the GLP-1 plasma level. Increasing the levels of phosphatidylcholines is required for inhibition of cGas and STING-mediated inflammation and GLP-1R crosstalk with the insulin pathway that leads to increasing expression of Insulin Receptor Substrate (IRS1 and IRS2) on OMV targeted cells. These findings reveal a molecular mechanism whereby OMVs from plant nanoparticle-trained gut bacteria regulate genes expressed in the brain, and have implications for the treatment of brain dysfunction caused by a metabolic syndrome.

Addressing Short-Chain PFAS Contamination in Water with Nanofibrous Adsorbent/Filter Material from Electrospinning.

ConspectusPer- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) stand for thousands of fully/highly fluorinated aliphatic chemicals, which have been widely manufactured and used in consumer products. Due to easy deprotonation of headgroups and high strength of C-F bonds in their molecules, PFAS are water-soluble and extremely stable in our environment. Significant accumulation of PFAS in water bodies started as early as the beginning of their production in the late 1940s. Recent studies confirmed the occurrence and accumulation of PFAS in all human tissues as well as their harmful health effects. Upon environmental regulations and health advisories, the PFAS industry quickly shifted to short-chain PFAS, e.g., hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid and its ammonium salt (GenX), to replace traditional long-chain PFAS. According to the recent fact sheet by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in October 2021, however, GenX turned out to be more toxic than people originally thought and has shown health effects on liver, kidney, immune system, and so forth upon animal tests. On June 15, 2022, the EPA released the final health advisory for GenX, which is just 10 ppt. Thus, there is an urgent need of novel adsorbents for highly effective GenX remediation from water.Until now, there have been just a few reports on the remediation of GenX from water despite its popular use. In this Account, we reviewed current technology on PFAS remediation and illustrated our research on how to use polyacrylonitrile (PAN), a common and economic polymer for water filtration, in the form of nanofibrous membrane with handy chemical surface modification to develop innovative adsorbent/filter material for effective and scalable GenX remediation from water at the largest HBCU in the nation together with opportunities and challenges that are associated with this research. For the first time, we compared the GenX removal capability of electrospun PAN (ESPAN) nanofibrous membrane and amidoxime surface-functionalized ESPAN (ASFPAN) nanofibrous membrane. By modifying the surface of ESPAN nanofibrous membrane and introducing amidoxime functional group, the maximum GenX removal capacity (weight-normalized GenX removal) was almost doubled and reached ∼0.6 mmol/g at pH 4, which is higher than or comparable to that of most reported adsorbents for GenX removal. Hydrophobic interaction and dipole-dipole interaction could be the GenX adsorption mechanism on the ESPAN nanofibrous membrane while surface hydrophilicity and electrostatic interaction play major roles in GenX adsorption on the ASFPAN nanofibrous membrane. Our research shed light on understanding the GenX adsorption mechanism and developing new adsorbent/filter materials for practical short-chain PFAS remediation from water.

The Role of Acetylation and Methylation of Rat Hippocampal Histone H3 in the Mechanism of Aluminum-Induced Neurotoxicity.

Aluminum is a known neurotoxin and a major environmental contributor to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). We uesd a subchronic aluminum chloride exposure model in offspring rats by continuously treating them with AlCl3 solution from the date of birth until day 90 in this research. Then evaluated the neurobehavioral changes in rats, observed the ultrastructural changes of hippocampal synapses and neurons, and examined the level of hippocampal acetylated histone H3 (H3ac), the activity and protein expression of hippocampal HAT1 and G9a, and the protein expression level of H3K9 dimethylation (H3K9me2). The findings demonstrated that aluminum-treated offspring rats had impaired learning and memory abilities as well as ultrastructural alterations in hippocampal synapses and neurons. The level of histone H3ac was decreased along with decreased protein expression and activity of HAT1, while level of H3K9me2 was increased along with increased protein expression and activity of G9a.

Amperometric Highly Sensitive Phosphate Ion Sensor Based on the Electrochemically Modified Ni Electrode.

We present a study of high-performance electrochemical phosphate sensors, which are exquisitely designed and easy to operate. We innovatively utilized the insolubility of nickel phosphate and developed a new type of sensor through electrochemical methods. The experiment first used cyclic voltammetry to determine -0.4 V as the optimal electrochemical modification potential and used constant potential electrodeposition technology to form a nickel oxide layer on the surface of the nickel electrode, which serves as the active layer in response to phosphate ions. The changes in the surface structure and chemical composition of the electrode before and after modification were thoroughly characterized by scanning electron microscopy and energy scattering spectroscopy analysis. The performance evaluation of the sensor shows that the modified nickel electrode has excellent responsiveness to phosphate ions in the concentration range of 10-7 to 10-10 mol/L, with a detection lower limit of 10-10 mol/L. As the concentration decreases, a shoulder peak appears at ∼0.63 V and the current change shows a regular increase. Compared with traditional detection methods, this sensor exhibits higher stability and practicality and is suitable for the rapid identification of phosphates in real samples. In summary, this study successfully developed a fast, sensitive, and wide response range current type electrochemical phosphate sensor, which has broad application prospects in environmental monitoring, water quality analysis, and biomedical fields.

Exosome-like nanoparticles from Mulberry bark prevent DSS-induced colitis via the AhR/COPS8 pathway.

Bark protects the tree against environmental insults. Here, we analyzed whether this defensive strategy could be utilized to broadly enhance protection against colitis. As a proof of concept, we show that exosome-like nanoparticles (MBELNs) derived from edible mulberry bark confer protection against colitis in a mouse model by promoting heat shock protein family A (Hsp70) member 8 (HSPA8)-mediated activation of the AhR signaling pathway. Activation of this pathway in intestinal epithelial cells leads to the induction of COP9 Constitutive Photomorphogenic Homolog Subunit 8 (COPS8). Utilizing a gut epithelium-specific knockout of COPS8, we demonstrate that COPS8 acts downstream of the AhR pathway and is required for the protective effect of MBELNs by inducing an array of anti-microbial peptides. Our results indicate that MBELNs represent an undescribed mode of inter-kingdom communication in the mammalian intestine through an AhR-COPS8-mediated anti-inflammatory pathway. These data suggest that inflammatory pathways in a microbiota-enriched intestinal environment are regulated by COPS8 and that edible plant-derived ELNs may hold the potential as new agents for the prevention and treatment of gut-related inflammatory disease.

Covered stent combined with embolization treatment for complex congenital lower limb arteriovenous malformations: case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Currently, the treatment outcomes for complex congenital arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) remain unsatisfactory. This article reports on the utilization of an abdominal aortic stent graft, in conjunction with embolization techniques, for managing acute heart failure triggered by complex congenital arteriovenous malformations in the lower limb. CASE PRESENTATION: We present a case involving a patient with congenital AVMs in the lower limb, who had suffered from prolonged swelling in the left lower limb and recently developed symptoms of heart failure. At the age of 67, the patient was definitively diagnosed with a complex congenital AVMs in the lower limb. This article delves into the practical experiences and limitations encountered in employing an abdominal aortic stent graft, coupled with embolization, to address acute heart failure caused by complex congenital AVMs in the lower limb. CONCLUSIONS: Our article presents the initial report on the challenges and limitations encountered in treating acute heart failure triggered by complex congenital AVMs in the lower limb, utilizing a combination of abdominal aortic stent graft placement and embolization techniques.

"Catheter Kissing" Technique to Recanalize Chronic Total Occlusions in Iliac Artery with Wire-Catheter Approach.

BACKGROUND: To describe a technique in which 2 5-F curved catheters were used to facilitate the wire-catheter approach for recanalizing chronic total occlusions (CTOs) in the iliac arteries concurrently affecting the common iliac artery and external iliac artery. METHODS: This was a single-center retrospective analysis involving endovascular recanalization of 17 iliac artery CTOs in 15 patients (mean age: 73.66 years; all men) between January 2019 and October 2022 using the subintimal arterial flossing with antegrade-retrograde intervention technique. With antegrade and retrograde guidewires in the subintimal spaces of CTOs, the location where the 2 guidewires seemed to overlap was identified as the rendezvous point. Although the 2 guidewires appeared to be in close proximity, there was no evidence that the bidirectional subintimal channels were connected. If several initial attempts failed, 2 5-F multipurpose catheters were introduced to the rendezvous point, followed by twisting, pulling, and pushing maneuvers until the tips of the catheters touched, indicating that the bidirectional subintimal channels were joined. A second wire rendezvous attempt was then employed to create a flossing-type guidewire. Outcome measurements included technical success, rendezvous points, complications, and procedure duration. RESULTS: Among this cohort, 80.0% smoked and 66.7% had hypertension. In 11 limbs (64.7%), when initial wire rendezvous attempts failed, the "catheter kissing" technique was employed to successfully recanalize iliac artery CTOs, taking an average of 3.80 ± 1.64 min to complete the secondary wire rendezvous. The average length of CTOs was 111.06 ± 9.99 mm, with 7 (41.2%) and 8 (47.1%) cases exhibiting severe calcification and flush occlusion, respectively. The wire rendezvous point for all cases was in external iliac artery and the average time for successful secondary wire rendezvous was 3.80 ± 1.64 min. All patients were treated with iliac artery stents. No statistically significant difference was observed between the puncture sites of the common femoral artery and superficial femoral artery in relation to failure of the primary wire rendezvous (P = 0.644). No in-hospital deaths or complications were associated with the procedure, including iliac artery rupture, distal embolization, or access site complications. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with extensive iliac artery CTOs, the "catheter kissing" technique may offer an effective and time-efficient recanalization approach, without requiring additional specialized devices. Importantly, the risk of complications remains unchanged even when employing a wire rendezvous in a challenging subintimal space.

Safety and efficacy of endovenous microwave ablation for treatment of varicose veins of the lower limbs in China: A prospective registered clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the safety and efficacy of a new Chinese device using microwave ablation for treating symptomatic great saphenous vein (GSV) varicose veins (VVs). METHODS: This prospective, single-arm, single-center, cohort study investigated the safety and efficacy of endovenous microwave ablation for the treatment of symptomatic VVs. A total of 50 patients with lower limb varicose veins were enrolled from the Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The clinical outcomes and complications were assessed at 1, 6, and 12 months after the procedure. The primary outcome was the occlusion rate of GSV immediately and at 1, 6, and 12 months after the treatment. The secondary outcomes included the venous clinical severity score (VCSS), the chronic venous insufficiency questionnaire 14 items (CIVIQ-14) score, the Aberdeen varicose vein questionnaire (AVVQ) score, and the pain visual analog scale (VAS) score. This study protocol was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (ID: NCT04645771). RESULTS: In total, 50 limbs from 50 patients (26 female; mean age: 53.45 ± 9.78 years) were treated. A technical success rate of 100% was achieved and no serious adverse events were recorded. During the follow-up period, the occlusion rate of the major/minor saphenous vein trunk remained 100% at 1, 6, and 12 months after surgery except one patient fell off. The median 24-h VAS value was 2 (2,3). The VCSS score, CIVIQ-14 score, and AVVQ score (p < .05) at 1, 6, and 12 months improved significantly compared with the value preoperative (p < .05). CONCLUSION: EMA was safe and effective for treating varicose veins in the lower limbs, with a high rate of venous trunk occlusion and few complications, thus improving patients' postoperative quality of life.

Comprehensive Proteome and Acetylome Analysis of Needle Senescence in Larix gmelinii.

Leaf senescence is essential for the growth and development of deciduous trees in the next season. Larix gmelinii, a deciduous coniferous tree, exhibits its most distinctive feature by turning yellow in the autumn and eventually shedding its leaves, resulting in significant changes in its appearance during the fall. Lysine acetylation plays an important role in diverse cellular processes; however, limited knowledge is available regarding acetylations in the needle senescence of L. gmelinii. In this study, the proteomics and acetylated modification omics of two phenotypic leaves, yellow and green (senescent and non-senescent) needles, were analyzed before autumn defoliation. In total, 5022 proteins and 4469 unique acetylation sites in 2414 lysine acylated proteins were identified, and this resulted in the discovery of 1335 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) and 605 differentially expressed acetylated proteins (DAPs) in yellow versus green needles. There are significant differences between the proteome and acetylome; only 269 proteins were found to be DEP and DAP, of which 136 proteins were consistently expressed in both the DEP and DAP, 91 proteins were upregulated, and 45 proteins were down-regulated. The DEPs participate in the metabolism of starch and sucrose, while the DAPs are involved in glycolysis and the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Among them, DEPs underwent significant changes in glycolysis and citric acid cycling. Most of the enzymes involved in glycolysis and the citrate cycle were acetylated. DAPs were down-regulated in glycolysis and up-regulated in the citrate cycle. In all, the results of this study reveal the important role of lysine acetylation in the senescence of L. gmelinii needles and provide a new perspective for understanding the molecular mechanism of leaf senescence and tree seasonal growth.

Injecting Sustainability into Epoxy-Based Composite Materials by Using Bio-Binder from Hydrothermal Liquefaction Processing of Microalgae.

We report a transformative epoxy system with a microalgae-derived bio-binder from hydrothermal liquefaction processing (HTL). The obtained bio-binder not only served as a curing agent for conventional epoxy resin (e.g., EPON 862), but also acted as a modifying agent to enhance the thermal and mechanical properties of the conventional epoxy resin. This game-changing epoxy/bio-binder system outperformed the conventional epoxy/hardener system in thermal stability and mechanical properties. Compared to the commercial EPON 862/EPIKURE W epoxy product, our epoxy/bio-binder system (35 wt.% bio-binder addition with respect to the epoxy) increased the temperature of 60% weight loss from 394 °C to 428 °C and the temperature of maximum decomposition rate from 382 °C to 413 °C, while the tensile, flexural, and impact performance of the cured epoxy improved in all cases by up to 64%. Our research could significantly impact the USD 38.2 billion global market of the epoxy-related industry by not only providing better thermal and mechanical performance of epoxy-based composite materials, but also simultaneously reducing the carbon footprint from the epoxy industry and relieving waste epoxy pollution.

Relationship between affiliate stigma and family quality of life among parents of children with autism spectrum disorders: The mediating role of parenting self-efficacy.

BACKGROUND: The parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are under great pressure and experience discrimination in their daily lives, which affects their family quality of life (FQOL). OBJECTIVE: METHODS: A total of 237 parents of children with ASD were recruited in a university-affiliated hospital in Guangzhou, China, from October 2020 to April 2021 by convenience sampling. The Affiliate Stigma Scale, Parenting Sense of Competence Scale and Beach Center Family Quality of Life Scale were employed for data collection. RESULTS: The results showed that affiliate stigma negatively predicts total FQOL and the dimensions of FQOL through both a direct effect and an indirect effect through parenting self-efficacy. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that affiliate stigma is an important predictor of FQOL, and interventions to reduce affiliate stigma and strengthen parenting self-efficacy might be effective in improving FQOL in the parents of children with ASD.

Incidence and factors associated with dysphagia in intensive care unit patients 24 h after extubation.

BACKGROUND: Post-extubation dysphagia deserves attention because it places patients at risk following extubation, especially critically ill patients in intensive care unit. However, there are limited studies of post-extubation dysphagia in the early stages after extubation. AIMS: To investigate the incidence and factors associated with post-extubation dysphagia among patients in intensive care unit within 24 h of extubation. STUDY DESIGN: A prospective descriptive study was carried out with 173 adult patients in intensive care unit with tracheal extubation at a tertiary hospital in Guangzhou, China. The Gugging Swallowing Screen was used to evaluate the swallowing function of patients 1, 4 and 24 h after extubation. Demographic and clinical data were retrieved from medical records. RESULTS: The incidence of post-extubation dysphagia in patients within 1, 4 and 24 h after extubation was 86.71% (n = 150), 63.01% (n = 109) and 43.35% (n = 75), respectively. The risk factors included older age (OR = 1.057, 95%CI [1.039, 1.072], p < .001), cardiovascular disease (OR = 0.098, 95%CI [0.082, 0.127], p = .012), thyroid dysfunction (OR = 5.042, 95%CI [1.527, 13.684], p < .001), non-post-operative admission (OR = 3.186, 95%CI [1.142, 14.422], p = .036), mechanical ventilation duration >48 h (OR = 3.558, 95%CI [1.217, 10.385], p = .020), intubation duration >24 h (OR = 0.533, 95%CI [0.278, 0.898], p = .048) and intubation model size ≤7 (OR = 0.327, 95%CI [0.158, 0.788], p < .01). CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed a high incidence of post-extubation dysphagia in critical patients in the 24 h after extubation, with the incidence decreasing over time. Screening of early post-extubation dysphagia after extubation is needed, but the specific evaluation time point requires further investigation. Patients with older age, cerebrovascular disease, thyroid dysfunction, post-operative admission, longer mechanical ventilation time, thicker intubation models and longer intubation time have a higher risk of the occurrence of post-extubation dysphagia. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The incidence of post-extubation dysphagia is very high in the early stage. Within 24 h after extubation, the patient's swallowing function should be actively evaluated, and the occurrence of aspiration should be vigilant. Patients with older age, cerebrovascular disease, thyroid dysfunction, post-operative admission, longer mechanical ventilation time, thicker intubation models and longer intubation time should receive more attention.

A Zeolitic Octahedral Metal Oxide with Ultrahigh Porosity for High-temperature and High-humidity Alkyne/Alkene Separation.

Zeolitic octahedral metal oxide is a newly synthesized all-inorganic zeolitic material and has been used for adsorption, separation, and catalysis. Herein, a new zeolitic octahedral metal oxide was synthesized and characterized. The porous framework was established through the assembly of [P2Mo13O50] clusters with PO4 linkers. Guest molecules occupied the framework, which could be removed through heat treatment, thereby opening the micropores. The pore characteristics were controlled by the cations within the micropore, enabling the adjustment of the interactions with alkynes and alkenes. This resulted in good separation performance of ethylene/acetylene and propylene/propyne even under high temperature and humidity conditions. The high stability of the material enabled the efficient recovery and reuse without discernible loss in the separation performance. Due to the relatively weak interaction between the adsorbed alkyne and the framework, the adsorbent facilitated the recovery of a highly pure alkyne. This feature enhances the practical applicability of the material in various industrial processes.

Identification of hub genes in bladder transitional cell carcinoma through ceRNA network construction integrated with gene network analysis.

Bladder transitional cell carcinoma (BTCC) forms more than 90% of bladder cancer cases. It brings challenges to the early diagnosis and therapy of BTCC, due to lack of efficient screening biomarkers. We used weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) combined competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network construction depending on TCGA datasets to investigate potential hub genes and regulatory pathways associated with occurrence and progression of BTCC. We further used real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to validate the relative expression genes correlated with BTCC. By WGCNA, the gene co-expression module with 11 genes was found corelated with BTCC tumour stage and prognosis after survival analyses. Ultimately, we put 100 highly stage-related genes into the above constructed ceRNA network and then constructed another new network. Among them, all elements in AC112721.1/LINC00473/AC128709.1-hsa-mir-195-RECK and LINC00460-hsa-mir-429-ZFPM2 axes were simultaneously corelated with overall survival. RT-PCR showed that AKAP12 was downregulated in tumour tissues. The hub genes screened out in the present study may provide ideals for further treatment on BTCC.

Organophosphate Level Evaluation for the Poisoning Treatment by Enzyme Activation Regeneration Strategy with Oxime-Functionalized ZIF-8 Nanoparticles.

In this work, two nanometal-organic frameworks (NMOFs) of ZIF-8-1 and ZIF-8-2 were designed and synthesized with a "missing linker" defects strategy by using Oxime-1 and Oxime-2 as coligands, respectively. ZIF-8-2 exhibited an excellent performance in comparison to that of ZIF-8-1 in activating and regenerating the activity of BChE suppressed by demeton-S-methyl (DSM) and could rapidly detoxify DSM in poisoned serum samples within 24 min. Additionally, the synthesized fluorescence probe of IND-BChE with high quantum yields, large Stokes shifts, and superior water solubility could be used for the detection of both butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and DSM in a lower LOD of 0.63 mU/mL (BChE) and 0.086 µg/mL (DSM). By the difference in fluorescent intensity of IND-BChE with and without ZIF-8-2, a highly linear relationship of IND-BChE with DSM concentration was found (R2 = 0.9889), and the LOD was 0.073 µg/mL. In addition, an intelligent detection platform of ZIF-8-2@IND-BChE@agarose hydrogel combined with a smartphone formed a point-of-care test for DSM -poisoned serum samples and also realized satisfactory results. Unlike other detection methods of nerve agents, this assay first combined an NMOF reactivator for detoxification and detection of BChE enzyme activity and then quantification of OP nerve agents, which was of great significance in treatment of organophosphate poisoning.