A Novel High-Throughput Detection Method for Plastic Debris in Organic-Rich Matrices Based on Image Fusion.

Plastic pollution pervades natural environments and wildlife. Consequently, high-throughput detection methods for plastic debris are urgently needed. A novel method was developed to detect plastic debris larger than 0.5 mm, which integrated an extraction method with low organic loss and plastic damage alongside a classification method for fused images. This extraction method broadened the size range of the remaining plastic debris, while the fusion solved the low spatial resolution of hyperspectral images and the absence of spectral information in red-green-blue (RGB) images. This method was validated for plastic debris in digestate, compost, and sludge, with extraction demonstrating 100% recovery rates for all samples. After fusion, the spatial resolution of hyperspectral images was improved about five times. Classification recall for the fused hyperspectral images achieved 97 ± 8%, surpassing 83 ± 29% of the raw images. Application of this method to solid digestate detected 1030 ± 212 items/kg of plastic debris, comparable with the conventional Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic result of 1100 ± 436 items/kg. This developed method can investigate plastic debris in complex matrices, simultaneously addressing a wide range of sizes and types. This capability helps acquire reliable data to predict secondary microplastic generation and conduct a risk assessment.

Unveiling the Structural Origins of Dynamic Diversity in Pd-Based Metallic Glasses.

The ß-relaxation is one of the major dynamic behaviors in metallic glasses (MGs) and exhibits diverse features. Despite decades of efforts, the understanding of its structural origin and contribution to the overall dynamics of MG systems is still unclear. Here two palladium-based Pd─Cu─P and Pd─Ni─P MGs are reported with distinct different ß-relaxation behaviors and reveal the structural origins for the difference using the advanced X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy and absorption fine structure techniques together with the first-principles calculations. The pronounced ß-relaxation and fast atomic dynamics in the Pd─Cu─P MG mainly come from the strong mobility of Cu atoms and their locally favored structures. In contrast, the motion of Ni atoms is constrained by P atoms in the Pd─Ni─P MG, leading to the weakened ß-relaxation peak and sluggish dynamics. The correlation of atomic dynamics with microscopic structures provides a way to understand the structural origins of different dynamic behaviors as well as the nature of aging in disordered materials.

Silver Metal-Organic Framework Derived N-Doped Carbon Nanofibers for CO2 Conversion into ß-Oxopropylcarbamates.

Developing efficient heterogeneous catalysts for chemical fixation of CO2 to produce high-value-added chemicals under mild conditions is highly desired but still challenging. Herein, we first reported an approach to prepare a novel catalyst (Ag@NCNFs), featuring Ag nanoparticles (NPs) embedded within porous nitrogen-doped carbon nanofibers (NCNFs), via growing a Ag metal-organic framework on one-dimensional electrospun nanofibers followed by pyrolysis. Benefiting from the abundant nitrogen species and porous structure, Ag NPs is well dispersed in the obtained Ag@NCNFs. Catalytic studies indicated that Ag@NCNFs exhibited excellent catalytic activity for the three-component coupling reaction of CO2, secondary amines, and propargylic alcohols to generate ß-oxopropylcarbamates under mild conditions with a turnover number (TON) of 16.2, and it can be recycled and reused at least 5 times without an obvious decline in catalytic activity. The reaction mechanism was clearly clarified by FTIR, NMR, 13C isotope labeling, control experiments, and density functional theory calculations. The results suggest that Ag@NCNFs and 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene can synergistically activate propargylic alcohol to react with CO2, and then the generated α-alkylidene cyclic carbonate was invaded by secondary amine to produce ß-oxopropylcarbamate. Importantly, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first experimental and theoretical investigation on this reaction.

Arenarialins A-F, Anti-inflammatory Meroterpenoids with Rearranged Skeletons from the Marine Sponge Dysidea arenaria.

Six new sesquiterpene quinone/hydroquinone meroterpenoids, arenarialins A-F (1-6), were isolated from the marine sponge Dysidea arenaria collected from the South China Sea. Their chemical structures and absolute configurations were determined by HRMS and NMR data analyses coupled with DP4+ and ECD calculations. Arenarialin A (1) features an unprecedented tetracyclic 6/6/5/6 carbon skeleton, whereas arenarialins B-D (2-4) possess two rare secomeroterpene scaffolds. Arenarialins A-F showed inhibitory activity on the production of inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6 in LPS-induced RAW264.7 macrophages with arenarialin D regulating the NF-κB/MAPK signaling pathway.

Associations between social support and proactive health behaviours among Chinese adolescents: the mediating role of self-efficacy and peer relationships.

BACKGROUND: Proactive health behaviours are crucial for enhancing adolescent health. However, there is limited evidence on the potential pathways through which social support influences adolescents' proactive health behaviours. This cross-sectional study aimed to examine the relationships between social support, self-efficacy, peer relationships and proactive health behaviours in Chinese adolescents. METHODS: From October to December 2023, we recruited 6075 adolescents from Shandong Province, China. They completed self-report questionnaires on social support, self-efficacy, peer relationships and proactive health behaviours. RESULTS: Linear regression analysis indicated that social support was positively associated with proactive health behaviours among adolescents (ß = 0.571, 95% CI = 0.542, 0.600). Further mediation analyses revealed that self-efficacy (ß = 0.085, 95% CI = 0.069,0.101) and peer relationships (ß = 0.156, 95% CI = 0.136,0.177) mediated this relationship. CONCLUSIONS: Increased social support was associated with better proactive health behaviours in Chinese adolescents. Additionally, higher self-efficacy and positive peer relationships enhanced this association. Our findings emphasised the significance of providing supportive environments at home and at school to promote proactive health behaviours in adolescents.

Safety and effcacy of remimazolam tosilate for sedation during combined spinal-epidural anesthesia for orthopedic procedures: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of Remimazolam in the context of combined spinal-epidural anesthesia for sedation during orthopedic surgery. METHODS: This randomized controlled trial enrolled patients scheduled for orthopedic surgery under combined spinal-epidural anesthesia (N = 80), who were randomly allocated to receive either dexmedetomidine (Group-D) or remimazolam (Group-R). The target sedation range aimed for a Ramsay score of 2-5 or a BIS value of 60-80 to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of remimazolam during sedation. RESULTS: The time taken to achieve the desired level of sedation was significantly shorter in the remimazolam group compared to the dexmedetomidine group (3.69 ± 0.75 vs. 9.59 ± 1.03; P < 0.0001). Patients in the remimazolam group exhibited quicker recovery, fewer intraoperative adverse events, more consistent vital signs, and greater satisfaction at various time points throughout the surgery. CONCLUSION: This preliminary study demonstrates that remimazolam tosilate serves as a safe and effective sedative for orthopedic surgery performed under combined spinal-epidural anesthesia, in comparison with dexmedetomidine.

Comparing the Efficacy of 2 WeChat Mini Programs in Reducing Nonmarital Heterosexual Contact by Male Factory Workers: Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Male factory workers in China are vulnerable to HIV transmission. Commercial and nonmarital noncommercial contacts are the driving forces of heterosexual HIV transmission among male factory workers in China. There is a lack of effective HIV interventions for male factory workers in China. OBJECTIVE: The primary objective of this randomized controlled trial was to compare the efficacy of an enhanced versus the standard version of a WeChat mini program in reducing sexual intercourse with nonregular female sex partners and female sex workers among male factory workers in Shenzhen, China. METHODS: A nonblinded 2-arm parallel randomized controlled trial was conducted between December 2021 and April 2023. Participants were adult male factory workers in Shenzhen who had access to a smartphone and WeChat. Those who had oral or anal sex with a man or self-reported as HIV positive were excluded. A total of 247 participants were randomly assigned to the intervention group (n=125, 50.6%) or the control group (n=122, 49.4%); 221 (89.5%) and 220 (89.1%) completed follow-up surveys at T1 (6 months after completion of the interventions) and T2 (6 months after T1). Participants in the control group had access to the standard WeChat mini program that provided basic HIV-related knowledge and information about local free HIV testing services. Participants in the intervention group had access to the enhanced WeChat mini program. The enhanced mini program covered all the information in the standard mini program. In addition, the enhanced mini program assessed users' behaviors and invited users to watch different web-based videos on reducing nonmarital sexual contacts and promoting HIV testing based on their behavioral characteristics at months 0 and 1. The videos were developed based on in-depth interviews with male factory workers. Intention-to-treat analysis was used for outcome analyses. Multiple imputation was used to replace missing outcome values at T1 and T2. RESULTS: At T1, fewer participants in the intervention group reported sexual intercourse with a nonregular female sex partner in the past 6 months compared with the control group (1/125, 0.8% vs 8/122, 6.6%; relative risk=0.12, 95% CI 0.02-0.96; P=.02). However, there were no between-group differences in sexual intercourse with a nonregular female sex partner at T2 (10/125, 8% vs 14/122, 11.5%; P=.36) or sexual intercourse with a female sex worker at T1 (2/125, 1.6% vs 2/122, 1.6%; P=.98) or T2 (8/125, 6.4% vs 8/122, 6.6%; P=.96). CONCLUSIONS: The enhanced WeChat mini program was more effective than the standard WeChat mini program in reducing sexual intercourse with nonregular female sex partners among male factory workers in the short term but not in the longer term. Improvements should be made to the WeChat mini program before implementation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05811611; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05811611.

Endoplasmic reticulum stress is upregulated in inflammatory bowel disease and contributed TLR2 pathway-mediated inflammatory response.

OBJECTIVE: Endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) and Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) signaling play an important role in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD); however, the link between TLR2 and ERS in IBD is unclear. This study investigated whether Thapsigargin (TG) -induced ER protein expression levels contributed to TLR2-mediated inflammatory response. METHODS: The THP-1 cells were treated with TLR2 agonist (Pam3CSK4), ERS inducer Thapsigargin (TG) or inhibitor (TUDCA). The mRNA expressions of TLR1-TLR10 were detected by qPCR. The production and secretion of inflammatory factors were detected by PCR and ELISA. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expressions of GRP78 and TLR2 in the intestinal mucosa of patients with Crohn's disease (CD). The IBD mouse model was established by TNBS in the modeling group. ERS inhibitor (TUDCA) was used in the treatment group. RESULTS: The expression of TLRs was detected via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in THP-1 cells treated by ERS agonist Thapsigargin (TG). According to the findings, TG could promote TLR2 and TLR5 expression. Subsequently, in TLR2 agonist Pam3CSK4 induced THP-1 cells, TG could lead to increased expression of the inflammatory factors such as TNF-α, IL-1ß and IL-8, and ERS inhibitor (TUDCA) could block this effect. However, Pam3CSK4 did not significantly impact the GRP78 and CHOP expression. Based upon the immunohistochemical results, TLR2 and GRP78 expression were significantly increased in the intestinal mucosa of patients with Crohn's disease (CD). For in vivo experiments, TUDCA displayed the ability to inhibit intestinal mucosal inflammation and reduce GRP78 and TLR2 proteins. CONCLUSIONS: ERS and TLR2 is upregulated in inflammatory bowel disease, ERS may promote TLR2 pathway-mediated inflammatory response. Moreover, ERS and TLR2 signaling could be novel therapeutic targets for IBD.

Shaping the general resilience of green infrastructure through integrating structures, functions, and connections.

Global climate change has necessitated the implementation of green infrastructure that is resilient in a manner of sustainable development. The current understanding of green infrastructure resilience is hindered by the divergence of generic properties and performance in adapting to uncertain disturbances. This study develops an operational methodology that integrates structural and functional properties of green infrastructure, and their connections to shape the general resilience. A further empirical study is conducted in the context of Shenzhen City, where the effectiveness of resilient connections is correlated with the distribution of waterlogging. We demonstrate that green infrastructure present different levels of resilience in terms of its structural composition and functional performance. The Shenzhen city shows a high capacity to maintain soil retention stability, but a feeble capacity regarding water yield and gross primary productivity. The resilient connections of green infrastructure are highly centralized, with a few pivotal nodes performing a high degree of connectivity. It shows that a total of 52.2% of resilient lines are identified as belonging to the fourth level but linking the majority of the nodes. Enhancing the general resilience of green infrastructure could facilitate its adaptation to specific disturbances such as waterlogging. When correlated the resilient connections of green infrastructure with the distribution of waterlogging, a distance of 1.6 km from the waterlogging points is significantly identified where the residuals of the entropy index display the lowest variance. As the distance increases, the composite entropy index initially decreases and then increases. We suggest that the alignment of generic properties and specified performance of green infrastructure is essential in the pursuit of sustainable development.

[Evaluation of efficacy of Dihuang Baoyuan Granules for diabetes mellitus and composition and in vivo distribution analysis based on UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap MS].

Dihuang Baoyuan Granules is a prescription endorsed by HU Tianbao, a renowned and elderly Chinese medicine practitioner from Beijing, and has demonstrated definite clinical efficacy. The composition of this prescription is intricate as it includes 7 distinct herbal medicines. This study aims to analyze the chemical composition of Dihuang Baoyuan Granules, evaluate its efficacy in the treatment of diabetes and analyze the distribution of the drug components in the plasma, liver, and kidney after administration. The findings will serve as a reference for future research on pharmacodynamic substances of this prescription. UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap MS was employed to analyze the main chemical components of Dihuang Baoyuan Granules. A Waters ACQUITY Premier HSS T3 column(2.1 mm×100 mm, 1.8 µm) was used for chromatographic separation with 0.1% formic acid(A)-acetonitrile(B) as the mobile phases in a gradient elution at a flow rate of 0.3 mL·min~(-1). Electrospray ionization(ESI) source was used to acquire data in positive and negative ion modes. Furthermore, a rat model of diabetes mellitus was established by feeding with a high-sugar high-fat diet, and injection with streptozocin at a dose of 35 mg·kg~(-1), and the modeled rats were then administrated with Dihuang Baoyuan Granules. The fasting blood glucose, hemoglobin A1c, and other relevant indicators were measured, and the substances present in the plasma, liver, and kidney were identified. By reference to quasi-molecular ions, MS/MS fragment ions, MS spectra of reference substances, and compound information in available reports, 191 components were identified in Dihuang Baoyuan Granules, including 29 alkaloids, 24 flavonoids, 22 organic acids, 16 amino acids, 12 terpenes, 11 steroid saponins, 9 sugars, 8 phenylethanoid glycosides, 8 nucleosides, 2 phenylpropanoids, and 49 others compounds. Eighty-three chemical components were identified in rat plasma, 109 in the liver, and 98 in the kidney. Component identification and characterization of Dihuang Baoyuan Granules in vitro and in vivo provide efficacy information and guidance for the basic research on the pharmacodynamic substances and further clinical application of this prescription.

Poaceae-specific ß-1,3;1,4-d-glucans link jasmonate signalling to OsLecRK1-mediated defence response during rice-brown planthopper interactions.

Brown planthopper (BPH, Nilaparvata lugens), a highly destructive insect pest, poses a serious threat to rice (Oryza sativa) production worldwide. Jasmonates are key phytohormones that regulate plant defences against BPH; however, the molecular link between jasmonates and BPH responses in rice remains largely unknown. Here, we discovered a Poaceae-specific metabolite, mixed-linkage ß-1,3;1,4-d-glucan (MLG), which contributes to jasmonate-mediated BPH resistance. MLG levels in rice significantly increased upon BPH attack. Overexpressing OsCslF6, which encodes a glucan synthase that catalyses MLG biosynthesis, significantly enhanced BPH resistance and cell wall thickness in vascular bundles, whereas knockout of OsCslF6 reduced BPH resistance and vascular wall thickness. OsMYC2, a master transcription factor of jasmonate signalling, directly controlled the upregulation of OsCslF6 in response to BPH feeding. The AT-rich domain of the OsCslF6 promoter varies in rice varieties from different locations and natural variants in this domain were associated with BPH resistance. MLG-derived oligosaccharides bound to the plasma membrane-anchored LECTIN RECEPTOR KINASE1 OsLecRK1 and modulated its activity. Thus, our findings suggest that the OsMYC2-OsCslF6 module regulates pest resistance by modulating MLG production to enhance vascular wall thickness and OsLecRK1-mediated defence signalling during rice-BPH interactions.

Trends and projections of inflammatory bowel disease at the global, regional and national levels, 1990-2050: a bayesian age-period-cohort modeling study.

BACKGROUND: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a global health concern with varying levels and trends across countries and regions. Understanding these differences is crucial for effective prevention and treatment strategies. METHODS: Using data from the 2019 Global Burden of Disease study, we examine IBD incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) rates in 198 countries from 1990 to 2019. To assess changes in the burden of IBD, estimated annual percentage changes (EAPC) were calculated, and a Bayesian age-period-cohort model was used to predict the future 30-year trends of IBD. RESULTS: In 2019, there were 405,000 new IBD cases globally (95% uncertainty interval (UI) 361,000 to 457,000), with 41,000 deaths (95% UI 35,000 to 45,000) and 1.62million DALYs (95% UI 1.36-1.92million). The global age-standardized incidence rate in 2019 was 4.97 per 100,000 person-years (95% UI 4.43 to 5.59), with a mortality rate of 0.54 (95% UI 0.46 to 0.59) and DALYs rate of 20.15 (95% UI 16.86 to 23.71). From 1990 to 2019, EAPC values for incidence, mortality, and DALYs rates were - 0.60 (95% UI - 0.73 to - 0.48), - 0.69 (95% UI - 0.81 to - 0.57), and - 1.04 (95% UI - 1.06 to - 1.01), respectively. Overall, the burden of IBD has shown a slow decline in recent years. In SDI stratification, regions with higher initial SDI (high-income North America and Central Europe) witnessed decreasing incidence and mortality rates with increasing SDI, while regions with lower initial SDI (South Asia, Oceania, and Latin America) experienced a rapid rise in incidence but a decrease in mortality with increasing SDI. Predictions using a Bayesian model showed lower new cases and deaths from 2020 to 2050 than reference values, while the slope of the predicted incidence-time curve closely paralleled that of the 2019 data. CONCLUSION: Increasing cases, deaths, and DALYs highlight the sustained burden of IBD on public health. Developed countries have stabilized or declining incidence rates but face high prevalence and societal burden. Emerging and developing countries experience rising incidence. Understanding these changes aids policymakers in effectively addressing IBD challenges in different regions and economic contexts.

Association between short-term systemic use of glucocorticoids and prognosis of cardiogenic shock: a retrospective analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prescription rate of short-term systemic use of glucocorticoids during hospitalization in patients with cardiogenic shock (CS), and outcomes related with glucocorticoid use. METHODS: We extracted patients' information from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care IV version 2.0 (MIMIC-IV v2.0) database. The primary endpoint was 90-day all-cause mortality. Secondary safety endpoints were infection identified by bacterial culture and at least one episode of hyperglycemia after ICU admission. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to balance baseline characteristics. The difference in cumulative mortality rate between these treated with and without glucocorticoids was assessed by Kaplan-Meier curve with log-rank test. Independent risk factors for endpoints were identified by Cox or Logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: A total of 1528 patients were enrolled, and one-sixth of these patients received short-term systemic therapy of glucocorticoids during hospitalization. These conditions, including rapid heart rate, the presence of rheumatic disease, chronic pulmonary disease and septic shock, high lactate level, the requirements of mechanical ventilation and continuous renal replacement therapy, were associated with an increase in glucocorticoid administration (all P ≤ 0.024). During a follow-up of 90 days, the cumulative mortality rate in patients treated with glucocorticoids was significantly higher than that in these untreated with glucocorticoids (log-rank test, P < 0.001). Multivariable Cox regression analysis showed that glucocorticoid use (hazard ratio 1.48, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.22-1.81; P < 0.001) was independently associated with an increased risk for 90-day all-cause mortality. This result was consistent irrespective of age, gender, the presence of myocardial infarction, acute decompensated heart failure and septic shock, and inotrope therapy, but was more evident in low-risk patients as assessed by ICU scoring systems. Additionally, multivariable Logistic regression analysis showed that glucocorticoid exposure was an independent predictor of hyperglycemia (odds ratio 2.14, 95% CI 1.48-3.10; P < 0.001), but not infection (odds ratio 1.23, 95% CI 0.88-1.73; P = 0.221). After PSM, glucocorticoid therapy was also significantly related with increased risks of 90-day mortality and hyperglycemia. CONCLUSIONS: Real-world data showed that short-term systemic use of glucocorticoids was common in CS patients. Importantly, these prescriptions were associated with increased risks of adverse events.

Visual Acuity and Visual Field Changes in Patients with End-Stage PACG with Tubular Visual Field after Cataract Surgery.

INTRODUCTION: To investigate the impact of cataract surgery on visual acuity and visual field (VF) in patients with end-stage glaucoma with tubular VF, and assess the risk of severe visual impairment. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of the case data of patients with end-stage glaucoma with tubular VF who underwent cataract surgery in our hospital in the past 7 years. RESULTS: A total of 59 patients with 63 eyes were enrolled, 62 eyes were primary angle-closure glaucoma (PACG) and 1 eye was primary open-angle glaucoma. The last follow-up time was an average of 9 months, and no cases of severe vision loss occurred. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) improved significantly after surgery (0.57 ± 0.46 vs. 0.45 ± 0.43 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution, p < 0.01), and there was a significant drop in intraocular pressure (IOP; 22.85 ± 9.7 vs. 16.07 ± 3.38, p < 0.01), a reduced number of glaucoma medications (2 ± 1.32 vs. 0.5 ± 1, p < 0.01), statistical improvement in VF index (VFI) and mean defect (MD) (12.3% ± 7.65% vs. 16.1% ± 9.84%, p < 0.01; -29.09 ± 2.16 vs. -28.31 ± 3.01, p < 0.01) after surgery. The higher the preoperative VFI and MD were, the better the postoperative BCVA (r = -0.387, r = -0.347, respectively). The degree of postoperative VFI improvement was significantly correlated with preoperative MD (r = 0.372, p < 0.01). During the follow-up period, 5 eyes (8%) underwent anti-glaucoma surgery due to elevated IOP. CONCLUSION: Cataract surgery can significantly improve visual acuity and VF in patients with end-stage PACG with tubular VF, and no patients have severe visual impairment. The less preoperative VF damage there is, the greater the postoperative visual acuity and VF improvement. Poor IOP control is the main cause of further damage to postoperative visual acuity and VF.

Potential predictors for the efficacy of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in patients with migraine.

Objectives: To explore potential predictors of the efficacy of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in patients with migraine. Methods: Consecutive migraine patients were recruited and divided into responders and non-responders to NSAIDs according to follow-up for at least three months. Demographic data, migraine-related disabilities and characteristics, and psychiatric comorbidities were evaluated and used to build multivariable logistic regression models. Subsequently, we generated receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves to explore the performance of these traits in predicting NSAIDs efficacy. Results: A total of 567 patients with migraine who completed at least three months of follow-up were enrolled. In the multivariate regression analysis, five factors were identified as potential predictors for NSAIDs efficacy in treating migraine. Namely, attack duration (odds ratio (OR) = 0.959; p < 0.001), headache impact (OR = 0.966; p = 0.015), depression (OR = 0.889; p < 0.001), anxiety (OR = 0.748; p < 0.001), and education level (OR = 1.362; p < 0.001) were associated with response to NSAIDs treatment. The area under the curve, sensitivity, and specificity combining these five factors for predicting the efficacy of NSAIDs were 0.834, 0.909 and 0.676. Conclusions: These findings suggest that migraine-related and psychiatric factors are associated with the response to NSAIDs in migraine management. Identifying such key factors may help to optimize individualized migraine management strategy.

Dust-mite-derived protein disulfide isomerase suppresses airway allergy by inducing tolerogenic dendritic cells.

House dust mites (HDMs) are a potent allergen source that are commonly found in human living environments. While HDMs are known to induce allergic diseases in humans, such as asthma, its other biological activities related to human health are less understood. Our laboratory recently purified the HDM protein PDI (protein disulfide isomerase). In this study, we assess the role of PDI in contributing to immune regulation. Using mass spectrometry, we analyzed the complexes of DEC205 and HDM extracts, and the role of PDI in the induction of tolerogenic dendritic cells (DCs) was assessed in human cell culture experiments and verified in a murine model. We found that more than 20 HDM-derived proteins, including PDI, bound to DCs by forming complexes with DEC205. Additionally, DEC205-mediated the endocytosis of PDI. HDM-derived PDI (HDM-PDI) promoted Foxp3 expression in DCs. HDM-PDI-primed DCs also showed tolerogenic properties that induced regulatory T cell development, indicating that the primed DCs were tolerogenic DCs. Our results suggested that the PDI/DEC205/TIEG1/Foxp3 signal pathway activation was involved in the HDM-PDI-induced Foxp3 expression in DCs. Finally, we found that HDM-PDI competitively counteracted the Th2 cytokines to restore DC's tolerogenicity, and administration of HDM-PDI could suppress experimental asthma. In conclusion, our data suggest that HDM-PDI contributes to immune regulation by inducing tolerogenic DC development. Administration of HDM-PDI can alleviate experimental asthma. These findings demonstrate that HDM-PDI has translational potential to be used in the treatment of immune disorders such as asthma.

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

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

Ultrahigh Temperature Lead-Free Film Capacitors via Strain and Dielectric Constant Double Gradient Design.

With the development of miniaturization, lightweight and integration of electronic devices, the demand for high-temperature dielectric capacitors is becoming urgent. Nevertheless, the breakdown strength and polarization are deteriorated at high temperatures due to the thermal energy assisting the electron transport and impeding the dipole alignment. Here, a structure of capacitor with double gradients of dielectric constant gradient and strain gradient is designed to achieve high breakdown strength, high working temperature, and high energy storage density simultaneously. It is found that the designed structure of BaHf0.17 Ti0.83 O3 /1mol% SiO2 doped BaZr0.35 Ti0.65 O3 /0.85BaTiO3 -0.15Bi(Mg0.5 Zr0.5 )O3 exhibits excellent energy storage performance. The energy storage density of 127.3 J cm-3 with an energy storage efficiency of 79.6% is realized in the up-sequence multilayer with period N = 2 at room temperature. Moreover, when the working temperature varies from -100 to 200 °C, the energy storage density of the N = 4 capacitor keeps stably at 84.62 J cm-3 with an energy storage efficiency 78.42% at 6.86 MV cm-1 . All these properties promise great potential applications of the designed multilayer capacitors with the double gradients in harsh environments, and the design principle can be applicable to other systems to boost working temperature.

A model to predict adherence to antiretroviral therapy among people living with HIV.

OBJECTIVES: Suboptimal adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) dramatically hampers the achievement of the UNAIDS HIV treatment targets. This study aimed to develop a theory-informed predictive model for ART adherence based on data from Chinese. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Shenzhen, China, in December 2020. Participants were recruited through snowball sampling, completing a survey that included sociodemographic characteristics, HIV clinical information, Information-Motivation-Behavioural Skills (IMB) constructs and adherence to ART. CD4 counts and HIV viral load were extracted from medical records. A model to predict ART adherence was developed from a multivariable logistic regression with significant predictors selected by Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression. To evaluate the performance of the model, we tested the discriminatory capacity using the concordance index (C-index) and calibration accuracy using the Hosmer and Lemeshow test. RESULTS: The average age of the 651 people living with HIV (PLHIV) in the training group was 34.1±8.4 years, with 20.1% reporting suboptimal adherence. The mean age of the 276 PLHIV in the validation group was 33.9±8.2 years, and the prevalence of poor adherence was 22.1%. The suboptimal adherence model incorporates five predictors: education level, alcohol use, side effects, objective abilities and self-efficacy. Constructed by those predictors, the model showed a C-index of 0.739 (95% CI 0.703 to 0.772) in internal validation, which was confirmed be 0.717 via bootstrapping validation and remained modest in temporal validation (C-index 0.676). The calibration capacity was acceptable both in the training and in the validation groups (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our model accurately estimates ART adherence behaviours. The prediction tool can help identify individuals at greater risk for poor adherence and guide tailored interventions to optimise adherence.

The association between entrapment and depression among migrant workers in China: a social rank theory based study.

BACKGROUND: Migrant workers are a group susceptible for depression evolution due to occupational maladaptive triggers. The social rank theory illustrates the pathology process from defensive adaptation to depression, pointing out the early prevention of depression by discovering entrapment. This study aims to reveal the relationship between migrant workers' entrapment and depressive symptoms. METHODS: A total of 1805 migrant workers in Shenzhen were recruited by stratified multi-stage sampling. Sample's demographic, behavioral and psychosocial characteristics were described and analyzed to reveal the relationship between entrapment and depressive symptoms. The Receiver Operator Characteristic was performed to find the optimal cut-off point of Entrapment Scale for predicting depressive symptoms. RESULTS: In the binary logistic regression of sociodemographic variables, migrant workers who were married (univariate odds ratio (ORu) = 0.69, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 0.56-0.84), owned 1 or 2 children (ORu = 0.71, 95% CI = 0.58-0.86), had been working over 10 years (ORu = 0.71, 95% CI = 0.54-0.95), earned > 4999 yuan per month (ORu = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.47-0.99; multivariate odds ratio (ORm) = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.38-0.87) or with low risks of alcohol use disorders (ORu = 0.51, 95% CI = 0.34-0.75) had lower risks of depressive symptoms. After adjusted the aforementioned significant sociodemographic variables, migrant workers with severer entrapment were more likely to have depressive symptoms (adjusted odds ratio (ORa) = 1.13, 95% CI = 1.12-1.15). Besides, the study proved the reliability and validity of the Chinese version Entrapment Scale, preferring a two-dimensional structure, and 11 was the optimal cut-off value of this scale for predicting depressive symptoms among migrant workers. CONCLUSIONS: This result indicates the potential value of entrapment according to the social rank theory on facilitating early prevention of migrant works' depression and the application value of Entrapment Scale for effectively measuring mental status among migrant workers.