X-Paste improves wound healing in diabetes via NF-E2-related factor/HO-1 signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Diabetic foot ulcers (DFU), as severe complications of diabetes mellitus (DM), significantly compromise patient health and carry risks of amputation and mortality. AIM: To offer new insights into the occurrence and development of DFU, focusing on the therapeutic mechanisms of X-Paste (XP) of wound healing in diabetic mice. METHODS: Employing traditional Chinese medicine ointment preparation methods, XP combines various medicinal ingredients. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) identified XP's main components. Using streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic, we aimed to investigate whether XP participated in the process of diabetic wound healing. RNA-sequencing analyzed gene expression differences between XP-treated and control groups. Molecular docking clarified XP's treatment mechanisms for diabetic wound healing. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were used to investigate the effects of Andrographolide (Andro) on cell viability, reactive oxygen species generation, apoptosis, proliferation, and metastasis in vitro following exposure to high glucose (HG), while NF-E2-related factor-2 (Nrf2) knockdown elucidated Andro's molecular mechanisms. RESULTS: XP notably enhanced wound healing in mice, expediting the healing process. RNA-sequencing revealed Nrf2 upregulation in DM tissues following XP treatment. HPLC identified 21 primary XP components, with Andro exhibiting strong Nrf2 binding. Andro mitigated HG-induced HUVECs proliferation, metastasis, angiogenic injury, and inflammation inhibition. Andro alleviates HG-induced HUVECs damage through Nrf2/HO-1 pathway activation, with Nrf2 knockdown reducing Andro's proliferative and endothelial protective effects. CONCLUSION: XP significantly promotes wound healing in STZ-induced diabetic models. As XP's key component, Andro activates the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway, enhancing cell proliferation, tubule formation, and inflammation reduction.

Prevalence of anxiety, depression, sleeping problems, cognitive impairment, and suicidal ideation in people with autoimmune skin diseases.

BACKGROUND: Autoimmune skin diseases (ASDs) such as psoriasis and vitiligo, in addition to causing visible skin symptoms, are closely associated with psychological health issues. However, a comprehensive understanding of the prevalence of these psychological comorbidities in affected individuals is lacking. This study aims to identify the prevalence of anxiety, depression, sleeping problems, cognitive impairment, and suicidal ideation in people with ASDs. METHOD: PubMed, MEDLINE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library searches were conducted from 1993 to May 2024. Observational studies reporting prevalence data for anxiety, depression, sleeping problems, cognitive impairment, and suicidal ideation among people with ASDs were included in the analysis. The Newcastle-Ottawa scale was used to evaluate the quality of studies. RESULTS: The study included 114 studies from 37 countries including 823,975 participants. The estimated pooled prevalence of anxiety in patients with ASDs was 33.3% (95% CI: 27.3-29.3%). The estimated pooled prevalence of depression was 33.7% (95% CI: 29.2-38.1%). The estimated pooled prevalence of sleeping problems was 45.0% (95% CI:31.6-58.4%). The estimated pooled prevalence of cognitive impairment and suicidal ideation was 30.8% (95% CI:15.0-46.7%) and 21.6% (95% CI:13.4-29.8%), respectively. The most common mental disorder in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and psoriasis was sleeping problems at 55.9% (95% CI: 35.6-76.1%, I2 = 97%) and 39.0% (95% CI: 21.1-56.9%, I2 = 99%). CONCLUSION: Among patients with ASDs, anxiety, depression, sleeping problems, cognitive impairment, and suicidal ideation were common. The most prevalent mental disorder among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and psoriasis was sleeping problems. Those with ASDs may experience considerable psychological burdens, and integrated mental health support is necessary for their treatment.

Ceftazidime/avibactam versus polymyxin B in carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae infections: a propensity score-matched multicenter real-world study.

OBJECTIVES: In this retrospective observational multicenter study, we aimed to assess efficacy and mortality between ceftazidime/avibactam (CAZ/AVI) or polymyxin B (PMB)-based regimens for the treatment of Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) infections, as well as identify potential risk factors. METHODS: A total of 276 CRKP-infected patients were enrolled in our study. Binary logistic and Cox regression analysis with a propensity score-matched (PSM) model were performed to identify risk factors for efficacy and mortality. RESULTS: The patient cohort was divided into PMB-based regimen group (n = 98, 35.5%) and CAZ/AVI-based regimen group (n = 178, 64.5%). Compared to the PMB group, the CAZ/AVI group exhibited significantly higher rates of clinical efficacy (71.3% vs. 56.1%; p = 0.011), microbiological clearance (74.7% vs. 41.4%; p < 0.001), and a lower incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) (13.5% vs. 33.7%; p < 0.001). Binary logistic regression revealed that the treatment duration independently influenced both clinical efficacy and microbiological clearance. Vasoactive drugs, sepsis/septic shock, APACHE II score, and treatment duration were identified as risk factors associated with 30-day all-cause mortality. The CAZ/AVI-based regimen was an independent factor for good clinical efficacy, microbiological clearance, and lower AKI incidence. CONCLUSIONS: For patients with CRKP infection, the CAZ/AVI-based regimen was superior to the PMB-based regimen.

Body mass index and pressure injuries risk in hospitalized adult patients: A dose-response analysis.

BACKGROUND: The association between underweight and pressure injuries (PIs) has been established in several studies. However, there is a lack of well-designed research investigating the connection between overweight and obesity with these injuries. OBJECTIVE: This meta-analysis aims to investigate the dose-response relationship between body mass index (BMI) and the risk of PIs in adult hospitalized patients. METHODS: PubMed, Web of Science, and MEDLINE Databases were searched from inception to May 2024. Observational articles with at least three BMI categories were included in the study. BMI was defined as underweight, normal weight, overweight, and morbid obesity for the meta-analysis. The non-linear relationship between BMI and the risk of PIs in hospitalized adults was investigated using restricted cubic spline models. Fractional polynomial modeling was used. RESULTS: Eleven articles reporting at least 3 categories of BMI met the inclusion criteria, including 31,389 participants. Compared to patients with normal weight, those with underweight, obesity, and morbid obesity exhibited an increased risk of PIs, with odds ratios of 1.70 (95%CI:1.50-1.91), 1.12 (95%CI:1.02-1.24), 1.70 (95%CI:1.13-2.55), respectively. A J-shaped dose-response model was established for the relationship between PI risk and BMI (Pnon-linearity < 0.001, Plinearity = 0.745). CONCLUSION: The J-shaped dose-response pattern revealed that underweight, obesity and morbid obesity heightened the risk of PIs in hospitalized adults. Lower and higher BMI values may signify an increased risk for PIs, particularly among the elderly with lower BMI, providing valuable guidance for medical staff.

A scalable and modular computational pipeline for axonal connectomics: automated tracing and assembly of axons across serial sections.

Progress in histological methods and in microscope technology has enabled dense staining and imaging of axons over large brain volumes, but tracing axons over such volumes requires new computational tools for 3D reconstruction of data acquired from serial sections. We have developed a computational pipeline for automated tracing and volume assembly of densely stained axons imaged over serial sections, which leverages machine learning-based segmentation to enable stitching and alignment with the axon traces themselves. We validated this segmentation-driven approach to volume assembly and alignment of individual axons over centimeter-scale serial sections and show the application of the output traces for analysis of local orientation and for proofreading over aligned volumes. The pipeline is scalable, and combined with recent advances in experimental approaches, should enable new studies of mesoscale connectivity and function over the whole human brain.

Factor XII and prekallikrein promote microvascular inflammation and psoriasis in mice.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Psoriasis is an autoimmune inflammatory skin disease, featuring microvascular abnormalities and elevated levels of bradykinin. Contact activation of Factor XII can initiate the plasma kallikrein-kinin cascade, producing inflammation and angioedema. The role of Factor XII in psoriasis is unknown. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: The effects of deficiency of Factor XII or its enzymatic substrate, prekallikrein, were examined in the imiquimod-induced mouse model of psoriasis. Skin microcirculation was assessed using intravital confocal microscopy and laser Doppler flowmeter. A novel antibody blocking Factor XII activation was evaluated for psoriasis prevention. KEY RESULTS: Expression of Factor XII was markedly up-regulated in human and mouse psoriatic skin. Genetic deletion of Factor XII or prekallikrein, attenuated imiquimod-induced psoriatic lesions in mice. Psoriatic induction increased skin microvascular blood perfusion, causing vasodilation, hyperpermeability and angiogenesis. It also promoted neutrophil-vascular interaction, inflammatory cytokine release and enhanced Factor XII / prekallikrein enzymatic activity with elevated bradykinin. Factor XII or prekallikrein deficiency ameliorated these microvascular abnormalities and abolished bradykinin increase. Antagonism of bradykinin B2 receptors reproduced the microvascular protection of Factor XII / prekallikrein deficiency, attenuated psoriatic lesions, and prevented protection by Factor XII / prekallikrein deficiency against psoriasis. Furthermore, treatment of mice with Factor XII antibody alleviated experimentally induced psoriasis and suppressed microvascular inflammation. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Activation of Factor XII promoted psoriasis via prekallikrein-dependent formation of bradykinin, which critically mediated psoriatic microvascular inflammation. Inhibition of contact activation represents a novel therapeutic strategy for psoriasis.

Regulatory effect of Yinchenhao decoction on bile acid metabolism to improve the inflammatory microenvironment of hepatocellular carcinoma in mice.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignant tumor with extremely high mortality. The tumor microenvironment is the "soil" of its occurrence and development, and the inflammatory microenvironment is an important part of the "soil". Bile acid is closely related to the occurrence of HCC. Bile acid metabolism disorder is not only directly involved in the occurrence and development of HCC but also affects the inflammatory microenvironment of HCC. Yinchenhao decoction, a traditional Chinese medicine formula, can regulate bile acid metabolism and may affect the inflammatory microenvironment of HCC. To determine the effect of Yinchenhao decoction on bile acid metabolism in mice with HCC and to explore the possible mechanism by which Yinchenhao decoction improves the inflammatory microenvironment of HCC by regulating bile acid metabolism, we established mice model of orthotopic transplantation of hepatocellular carcinoma. These mice were treated with three doses of Yinchenhao decoction, then liver samples were collected and tested. Yinchenhao decoction can regulate the disorder of bile acid metabolism in liver cancer mice. Besides, it can improve inflammatory reactions, reduce hepatocyte degeneration and necrosis, and even reduce liver weight and the liver index. Taurochenodeoxycholic acid, hyodeoxycholic acid, and taurohyodeoxycholic acid are important molecules in the regulation of the liver inflammatory microenvironment, laying a foundation for the regulation of the liver tumor inflammatory microenvironment based on bile acids. Yinchenhao decoction may improve the inflammatory microenvironment of mice with HCC by ameliorating hepatic bile acid metabolism.

Effect of Chinese quince proanthocyanidins on the inhibition of heterocyclic amines and quality of fried chicken meatballs and tofu.

Heterocyclic amines (HCAs) have potential carcinogenic and mutagenic activity and are generated in cooked protein-rich foods. Adding proanthocyanidins (PAs) to these foods before frying is an effective way to reduce HCAs. In this study, polymeric PAs (PPA) and ultrasound-assisted acid-catalyzed/catechin nucleophilic depolymerized PAs (UAPA, a type of oligomeric PA) were prepared from Chinese quince fruits (CQF). Different levels of PPA and UAPA (0.05%, 0.1%, and 0.15%) were added to chicken meatballs and tofu; then these foods were fried, and the content of HCAs in them after frying was investigated. The results showed that PPA and, particularly, UAPA significantly inhibited the formation of HCAs in fried meatballs and tofu, and this inhibition was dose-dependent. The inhibition of HCAs by both PPA and UAPA was stronger in the chicken meatballs than in fried tofu. The level of total HCAs was significantly reduced by 57.84% (from 11.93 to 5.03 ng/g) after treatment of meatballs with 0.15% UAPA, with inhibition rates of 78.94%, 50.37%, and 17.81% for norharman, harman, and 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP), respectively. Of note, there was a negative correlation between water, lipid, protein, creatine, and glucose content and HCA content in the crust, interior, and whole (crust-plus-interior) measurements of all fried samples. Interestingly, PPA and UAPA were found more effective in inhibiting HCAs in the exterior crust than in the interior of the fried chicken meatballs. These results provide evidence that further studies on the reduction of the formation of harmful HCAs in fried foods by adding CQF PAs could be valuable to the fried food industry. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Chinese quince proanthocyanidins treatments significantly inhibited the generation of heterocyclic amines (HCAs) in chicken meatballs and tofu when deep-fried. These results suggest that Chinese quince proanthocyanidins can be used as natural food additive for reducing HCAs in fried foods, laying the foundation for using Chinese quince fruit proanthocyanidins for HCA inhibition in the food industry.

Oxide Ionic Neuro-Transistors for Bio-inspired Computing.

Current computing systems rely on Boolean logic and von Neumann architecture, where computing cells are based on high-speed electron-conducting complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) transistors. In contrast, ions play an essential role in biological neural computing. Compared with CMOS units, the synapse/neuron computing speed is much lower, but the human brain performs much better in many tasks such as pattern recognition and decision-making. Recently, ionic dynamics in oxide electrolyte-gated transistors have attracted increasing attention in the field of neuromorphic computing, which is more similar to the computing modality in the biological brain. In this review article, we start with the introduction of some ionic processes in biological brain computing. Then, electrolyte-gated ionic transistors, especially oxide ionic transistors, are briefly introduced. Later, we review the state-of-the-art progress in oxide electrolyte-gated transistors for ionic neuromorphic computing including dynamic synaptic plasticity emulation, spatiotemporal information processing, and artificial sensory neuron function implementation. Finally, we will address the current challenges and offer recommendations along with potential research directions.

Molecular engineering to design a bright near-infrared red photosensitizer: cellular bioimaging and phototherapy.

Near-infrared red (NIR) fluorescence imaging guide phototherapeutic therapy (PDT) has the advantages of deep tissue penetration, real-time monitoring of drug treatment and disease, little damage to normal tissue, low cytotoxicity and almost no side effects, and thus, it is attracting increasing research attention and is expected to show promising potential for clinical tumor treatment. The photosensitizer (PS), light source and oxygen are the three basic and important factors to construct PDT technology, and highly efficient PSs are still being passionately pursued because they determine the PDT efficiency. Ideal PSs should have properties such as good biocompatibility, deep tissue penetration, and highly efficient reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation despite the hypoxic environment. Therefore, pure organic type I PSs with NIR fluorescence have been receiving increasing attention due to their deep penetration and hypoxia resistance. However, reported NIR-active type I PSs usually require complex synthetic procedures, which presents a challenge for mass production. In this research work, based on the molecular design ideas of introducing the heavy atom effect and intramolecular charge transfer, we prepared three NIR-active type I PSs (TNZ, TNZBr, and TNZCHO) using a very simple method with one or two synthetic steps. Clear characterizations of photophysical properties, ROS performance tests, and fluorescent imaging of human umbilical vein endothelial (HUVE) cells and PDT treatment of HepG2 cells were carried out. The results revealed that the heavy atom and intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) effects could obviously enhance the ROS efficiency, and both PSs produce only type I ROS without any type II ROS (1O2) generation. The good NIR fluorescence brightness and type I ROS efficiency ensure satisfactory bioimaging and PDT outcomes. This research provides the possibility of preparing NIR-active type I PSs via mass production.

Efficacy of recombinant human epidermal growth factor in pressure injury healing: evidence from Chinese randomized controlled trials.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of recombinant human epidermal growth factor (rhEGF) in healing pressure injuries (PIs). METHODS: A meta-analysis was conducted of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving rhEGF in the treatment of PIs that were identified in PubMed, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI). The population, intervention, comparison, outcomes, study design (PICOS) strategy was applied to determine analysis eligibility. The Cochrane risk of bias tool was used, and statistical analysis, including sensitivity analysis, was performed of 3 outcomes indicators: the primary outcome was total efficacy of rhEGF in treating PIs, and the secondary outcomes were the proportion of complete healing and the time to complete healing. Total efficacy refers to the proportion of cases that have been cured, obviously effective, or effective. Complete healing refers to cases where the wound has healed, scabbed, and the scab has sloughed off. RESULTS: Sixteen RCTs were included, comprising a total of 1,206 patients. Study and control group size varied by outcomes. The total effective healing rate in rhEGF group was 97.18%, which was significantly higher than 83.38% in control group (OR: 5.69, [95% CI: 3.61, 8.97], z=7.49, P < .001). The proportion of complete healing in the rhEGF group was 73.30%, which was higher than 39.52% in control group (OR: 3.88, [95% CI: 3.01, 5.01], z=10.39, P < .001). Furthermore, the healing time using rhEGF was shorter (SMD: -2.14 days, [95% CI: -2.60, -1.67], z=9.07, P < .001). Sensitivity analyses indicated that the results were robust. CONCLUSIONS: The meta-analysis indicated that rhEGF was effective in healing PIs with few negative effects. Further research beyond Chinese populations involving larger studies and studies that distinguish between results found in using rhEGF alone or in combination are recommended.

Exploration of Novel Meso-C═N-BODIPY-Based AIE Fluorescent Rotors with Large Stokes Shifts for Organelle-Viscosity Imaging.

The research on fluorescent rotors for viscosity has attracted extensive interest to better comprehend the close relationships of microviscosity variations with related diseases. Although scientists have made great efforts, fluorescent probes for cellular viscosity with both aggregation-induced emissions (AIEs) and large Stokes shifts to improve sensing properties have rarely been reported. Herein, we first report four new meso-C═N-substituted BODIPY-based rotors with large Stokes shifts, investigate their viscosity/AIE characteristics, and perform cellular imaging of the viscosity in subcellular organelles. Interestingly, the meso-C═N-phenyl group-substituted probe 6 showed an obvious 594 nm fluorescence enhancement in glycerol and a moderate 650 nm red AIE emission in water. Further, on attaching CF3 to the phenyl group, a similar phenomenon was observed for 7 with red-shifted emissions, attributed to the introduction of a phenyl group, which plays a key role in the red AIE emissions and large Stokes shifts. Comparatively, for phenyl-group-free probes, both the meso-C═N-trifluoroethyl group and thiazole-substituted probes (8 and 9) exhibited good viscosity-responsive properties, while no AIE was observed due to the absence of phenyl groups. For cellular experiments, 6 and 9 showed good lysosomal and mitochondrial targeting properties, respectively, and were further successfully used for imaging viscosity through the preincubation of monensin and lipopolysaccharide (LPS), indicating that C═N polar groups potentially work as rotatable moieties and organelle-targeting groups, and the targeting difference might be ascribed to increased charges of thiazole. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the structural relationships of four meso-C═N BODIPY-based rotors with respect to their viscosity/AIE characteristics, subcellular-targeting ability, and cellular imaging for viscosity, potentially serving as AIE fluorescent probes with large Stokes shifts for subcellular viscosity imaging.

Mortality of children and adolescents co-infected with tuberculosis and HIV: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Children and adolescents with HIV infection are well known to face a heightened risk of tuberculosis. However, the exact mortality rates and temporal trends of those with HIV-tuberculosis (TB) co-infection remain unclear. We aimed to identify the overall mortality and temporal trends within this population. METHODS: PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase were employed to search for publications reporting on the mortality rates of children and adolescents with HIV-TB co-infection from inception to March 2, 2024. The outcome is the mortality rate for children and adolescents with HIV-TB co-infection during the follow-up period. In addition, we evaluate the temporal trends of mortality. RESULTS: During the follow-up period, the pooled mortality was 16% [95% confidence interval (CI) 13-20]. Single infection of either HIV or TB exhibit lower mortality rates (6% and 4%, respectively). We observed elevated mortality risks among individuals aged less than 12 months, those with extrapulmonary TB, poor adherence to ART, and severe immunosuppression. In addition, we observed a decreasing trend in mortality before 2008 and an increasing trend after 2008, although the trends were not statistically significant ( P  = 0.08 and 0.2 respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Children and adolescents with HIV-TB co-infection bear a significant burden of mortality. Timely screening, effective treatment, and a comprehensive follow-up system contribute to reducing the mortality burden in this population.

The in vitro intestinal cell model: different co-cultured cells create different applications.

As a vitro absorption model, the Caco-2 cells originate from a human colon adenocarcinomas and can differentiate into a cell layer with enterocyte-like features. The Caco-2 cell model is popularly applied to explore drug transport mechanisms, to evaluate the permeability of drug and to predict the absorption of drugs or bioactive substances in the gut. However, there are limitations to the application of Caco-2 cell model due to lack of a mucus layer, the long culture period and the inability to accurately simulate the intestinal environment. The most frequent way to expand the Caco-2 cell model and address its limitations is by co-culturing it with other cells or substances. This article reviews the culture methods and applications of 3D and 2D co-culture cell models established around Caco-2 cells. It also concludes with a summary of model strengths and weaknesses.

Hub Genes, Possible Pathways and Predicted Drugs in Hereditary Gingival Fibromatosis by Bioinformatics Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To explore potential pathogenic processes and possible treatments using unbiased and reliable bioinformatic tools. METHODS: Gene expression profiles of control and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) samples were downloaded from CNP0000995. Analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) was conducted using R software (version 4.2.1, R Foundation, Vienna, Austria). Functional enrichment analyses were performed using the Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) databases, then the proteinprotein interaction (PPI) network was constructed to screen the top 10 hub genes. Finally, five genes related to cell junctions were selected to build gene-miRNA interactions and predict small-molecule drugs. RESULTS: A total of 342 downregulated genes and 188 upregulated genes were detected. Candidate pathways include the extracellular matrix (ECM) receptor interaction pathway, the TGF-ß signalling pathway and the cell adhesion molecule (CAM) pathway, which were discovered through KEGG and GSEA enrichment studies. GO analyses revealed that these DEGs were significantly enriched in cell adhesion, the adherens junction and focal adhesion. Five hub genes (CDH1, SNAP25, RAC2, APOE and ITGB4) associated with cell adhesion were identified through PPI analysis. Finally, the gene-miRNA regulatory network identified three target miRNAs: hsa-miR-7110-5p, hsa-miR-149-3p and hsa-miR-1207-5p. Based on the gene expression profile, the small-molecule drugs zebularine, ecuronium and prostratin were selected for their demonstrated binding activity when docked with the mentioned molecules. CONCLUSION: This study offered some novel insights into molecular pathways and identified five hub genes associated with cell adhesion. Based on these hub genes, three potential therapeutic miRNAs and small-molecule drugs were predicted, which are expected to provide guidance for the treatment of patients with HGF.

Optimizing electrochemical performance of Na0.67Ni0.17Co0.17Mn0.66O2 with P2 structure via preparing concentration-gradient particles for sodium-ion batteries.

P2-type layered oxides for rechargeable sodium-ion batteries have drawn a lot of attention because of their excellent electrochemical performance. However, these types of cathodes usually suffer from poor cyclic stability. To overcome this disadvantage, in this work, novel ball-shaped concentration-gradient oxide Na0.67Ni0.17Co0.17Mn0.66O2 with P2 structure modified by Mn-rich surface is successfully prepared using co-precipitation method. The concentration of Mn increased from the inner core to the surface, endowing the material with an excellent cyclic stability. The cathode exhibits enhanced electrochemical properties than that of the sample synthesized by solid-state method and concentration-constant material. It shows 143.2 mAh/g initial discharge capacity and retains 131 mAh/g between 2 V and 4.5 V after 100 rounds. The significant improvement in the electrochemical properties of the sample benefits from the unique concentration-gradient structure, and the Mn-rich surface that effectively stabilizes the basic P2 structure. The relatively higher Ni content in the core leads to a slight improvement in the discharge capacity of the sample. This strategy may provide new insights for preparing layered cathodes for sodium-ion batteries with high electrochemical performance.

Modified Chinese quince oligomeric proanthocyanidin protects deep-frying oil quality by inhibiting oxidation.

Chinese quince (Chaenomeles sinensis) fruit is an underutilized resource, rich in proanthocyanidins with antioxidant ability but poor lipid solubility. In this study, a novel modified oligomeric proanthocyanidin (MOPA) was prepared, which exhibited favorable lipid solubility (354.52 mg/100 g). It showed higher radical scavenging abilities than commercial antioxidant-BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole), both at 0.4-0.5 mg/mL. The addition of MOPA (0.04 %wt.) significantly increased the oxidative stability index of the soybean oil from 5.52 to 8.03 h, which was slightly lower than that of BHA (8.35 h). Analysis of the physicochemical properties and composition of oil during deep-frying showed that MOPA demonstrated significant antioxidant effects and effectively restricted the oil oxidation. This inhibition also delays the formation of heterocyclic amines (HAs) in fried food, thereby reducing the migration of HAs from food to deep-frying oil. Therefore, MOPA is a promising novel liposoluble antioxidant for protecting the quality of deep-frying oil.

A convenient and reproducible protocol for acquisition of the hepatocyte phase for liver function-impaired patients in gadoxetic acid disodium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging.

Background: The hepatocyte phase (HCP) in gadoxetic acid disodium (Gd-EOB-DTPA)-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) plays an important role in the detection and characterization of liver lesions, treatment planning, and liver function evaluation. However, the imaging protocol is complicated and time-consuming. This cross-sectional study aimed to develop a convenient and reproducible protocol for the HCP acquisition in Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI. Methods: A total of 107 patients were prospectively included and assigned to three groups based on Child-Pugh (CP) classification, with 37, 40, and 30 in the non-cirrhosis, CP A, and CP B groups, respectively. Dynamic HCPs were acquired every 5 min after the Gd-EOB-DTPA administration and ended in 25 min in non-cirrhosis patients and 40 min in cirrhotic patients. The HCP acquired 5 min after the initial visualization of the intrahepatic bile duct (IBD) was selected from the dynamic HCPs as the adequate HCP (HCPproposed) and the corresponding acquisition time was recorded as Timeproposed. In addition, according to the 2016 Expert Consensus (EC) on the definition of the adequate HCP from the European Society of Gastrointestinal and Abdominal Radiology (ESGAR), the adequate HCPEC and the corresponding TimeEC were also determined from the dynamic HCPs. The hepatic relative enhancement ratio (RER), the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of hepatic focal lesions in the HCPEC and HCPproposed images, as well as the TimeEC and Timeproposed were compared by the paired t-test for the three groups, respectively. Inter-observer agreement of the determination of the HCPEC and HCPproposed was compared by the χ2 test. Results: The RER, CNR, and SNR showed no significant difference between the HCPEC and HCPproposed in all three groups (all P>0.05). The paired differences between TimeEC and Timeproposed were 1.08±3.56 min (P=0.07), 2.88±4.22 min (P<0.001), and 5.83±5.27 min (P<0.001) in the three groups, respectively. Inter-observer agreement of the determination of the HCPEC and HCPproposed were 0.804 (86/107) and 0.962 (103/107), respectively (χ²=13.09, P=0.001). Conclusions: The adequate HCP could be acquired 5 min after the initial visualization of the IBD, which could serve as a convenient and reproducible protocol for the HCP imaging.

Single-Component Photochemical Afterglow Near-Infrared Luminescent Nano-Photosensitizers: Bioimaging and Photodynamic Therapy.

Long afterglow luminescence-guided photodynamic therapy (PDT) performs advantages of noninvasiveness, spatiotemporal controllability, and higher signal to noise ratio. Photochemical afterglow (PCA) system emitting afterglow in an aqueous environment is highly suitable for biomedical applications, but still faces the challenges of poor tissue penetration depth and responsive sensitivity. In this work, two novel compounds, Iso-TPA and ABEI-TPA, are designed and synthesized to integrate the PCA system as a single component by coupling near-infrared (NIR) photosensitizers with singlet oxygen cache units, respectively. Both compounds emit NIR afterglow based on photochemical reaction. ABEI-TPA exhibits higher photoluminescence quantum efficiency with nonconjugated linkage, while Iso-TPA with conjugated linkage possesses better reactive oxygen species generation efficiency to achieve stronger PCA and effective PDT, which is ascribed to stronger intramolecular charge transfer effect of Iso-TPA. Iso-TPA nanoparticles can achieve effective long-lasting NIR afterglow in vivo bioimaging up to 120 s with higher imaging resolution and outstanding PDT efficacy of tumor, exhibiting promising potential on bioimaging and therapy.

Toward a Brain-Neuromorphics Interface.

Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) that enable human-machine interaction have immense potential in restoring or augmenting human capabilities. Traditional BCIs are realized based on complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technologies with complex, bulky, and low biocompatible circuits, and suffer with the low energy efficiency of the von Neumann architecture. The brain-neuromorphics interface (BNI) would offer a promising solution to advance the BCI technologies and shape the interactions with machineries. Neuromorphic devices and systems are able to provide substantial computation power with extremely high energy-efficiency by implementing in-materia computing such as in situ vector-matrix multiplication (VMM) and physical reservoir computing. Recent progresses on integrating neuromorphic components with sensing and/or actuating modules, give birth to the neuromorphic afferent nerve, efferent nerve, sensorimotor loop, and so on, which has advanced the technologies for future neurorobotics by achieving sophisticated sensorimotor capabilities as the biological system. With the development on the compact artificial spiking neuron and bioelectronic interfaces, the seamless communication between a BNI and a bioentity is reasonably expectable. In this review, the upcoming BNIs are profiled by introducing the brief history of neuromorphics, reviewing the recent progresses on related areas, and discussing the future advances and challenges that lie ahead.