YTHDF1 facilitates esophageal cancer progression via augmenting m6A-dependent TINAGL1 translation.

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most abundant internal RNA modification and plays a critical role in carcinogenesis and tumor progression. As a powerful m6A reader, YTHDF1 is implicated in multiple malignancies. However, the functions and underlying mechanisms of YTHDF1 in esophageal cancer (ESCA) are elusive. Here, we revealed that YTHDF1 expression was remarkably up-regulated in ESCA and linked with poor prognosis. Functionally, YTHDF1 promoted ESCA cell proliferation, migration, and metastasis in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that TINAGL1 might be a potential target of YTHDF1. We revealed that YTHDF1 recognized and bound to m6A-modified sites of TINAGL1 mRNA, resulting in enhanced translation of TINAGL1. Furthermore, TINAGL1 knockdown partially rescued tumor-promoting effects of YTHDF1 overexpression. Therefore, we unveil that YTHDF1 facilitates ESCA progression by promoting TINAGL1 translation in an m6A-dependent manner, which offers an attractive therapeutic target for ESCA.

Immunometabolic profiling related with gestational diabetes mellitus: a nested case-control study of CD4+ T cell phenotypes and glycemic traits.

AIMS: To investigate immunometabolic associations of CD4+ T cell phenotypes with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). METHODS: A nested case-control study was conducted comprising 53 pairs of GDM patients and matched controls within a prospective cohort. Metabolomic signatures related to both CD4+ T cell phenotypes and glycemic traits among pregnant women were investigated by weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). Multivariable-adjusted generalized linear models were used to explore the associations of CD4+ T cell phenotypes and selected metabolites with GDM. Mediation analysis was conducted to evaluate the mediating effect of selected metabolites on the relationship between CD4+ T cell phenotypes and glycemic traits. RESULTS: Higher levels of Treg cells (OR per SD increment (95%CI): 0.57 (0.34, 0.95), p = 0.031) and increased expression of Foxp3 (OR per SD increment (95%CI): 0.59 (0.35, 0.97), p = 0.039) and GATA3 (OR per SD increment (95%CI): 0.42 (0.25, 0.72), p = 0.002) were correlated with a decreased risk of GDM. Plasma pyruvaldehyde, S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH), bergapten, and 9-fluorenone mediated the association between Tregs and fasting plasma glucose (FPG), with mediation proportions of 46.9%, 39.6%, 52.4%, and 56.9%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Treg cells and Foxp3 expressions were inversely associated with GDM risk, with potential metabolic mechanisms involving metabolites such as pyruvaldehyde and SAH.

Effect of bispectral index on intra-operative awareness: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled studies.

Background: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the efficacy of bispectral index (BIS) to reduce intra-operative awareness (IOA) have reported conflicting results. The purpose of this meta-analysis is to consolidate results from RCTs to assess the efficacy of BIS in reducing IOA when compared to controls. Secondary outcomes included time to extubation, time to spontaneous and/or verbal eye opening, PACU discharge time, and utilization of inhaled anesthetics. Methods: RCTs which reported on one of the primary and/or secondary outcomes were included. Literature search utilized keywords "randomized control trial" and "intraoperative awareness." Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5. Results: Twenty-seven RCTs were included in the study with a total of 35,585 patients, with 18,146 patients in the BIS and 17,439 in the control group. Eighteen of 14,062 patients (0.12%) and 42 of 16,765 (0.25%) reported definite IOA in the BIS and control group, respectively, with no statistically significant difference. BIS was effective in reducing the time to spontaneous eye opening by an average of 1.3 minutes and the time to extubation by an average of 1.97 minutes. There was no difference in PACU discharge times among the groups. There was a significant decrease in consumption of sevoflurane but no difference in desflurane and propofol compared to the control group. Conclusion: While BIS monitoring results in decreased incidence of intra-operative awareness by half, it was not statistically significant. BIS provides modest benefits with regard to reducing the time to extubation, the time to spontaneous eye opening, and consumption of sevoflurane.Level of evidence: I.

Associations of serum arginine acid with sarcopenia in Chinese eldely women.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of sarcopenia is increasing in worldwide with accelerated aging process. The high dietary protein intakes are associated with improved muscle mass and strength especially in Asian countries. However, there are few researches on amino acid levels or mechanism exploration. We conducted a case-control study to explore the amino acid metabolic characteristics and potential mechanism of elderly women with sarcopenia using targeted amino acid metabolomics approach combined with an analysis of dietary intake. METHODS: For our case-control study, we recruited women (65-75 y) from a Shanghai community with 50 patients with sarcopenia and 50 healthy controls. The consensus updated by the Asian Working Group on Sarcopenia in 2019 was used to screening for sarcopenia and control groups. We collected fasting blood samples and evaluated dietary intake. We used the amino acid-targeted metabolomics by ultra performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry to identify metabolic differentials between the case and control groups and significantly enriched metabolic pathways. RESULTS: The case (sarcopenia) group had a lower intake of energy, protein, and high-quality protein (P < 0.05) compared to the control (healthy) group. We identified four differential amino acids: arginine (P < 0.001) and cystine (P = 0.003) were lower, and taurine (P = 0.001) were higher in the case group. CONCLUSION: Low levels of arginine in elderly women are associated with a higher risk of sarcopenia.

Association of Beverage Consumption during Pregnancy with Adverse Maternal and Offspring Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: As the global consumption of sugary and non-sugar sweetened beverages continues to rise, there is growing concern about their health impacts, particularly among pregnant women and their offspring. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the consumption patterns of various beverages among pregnant women in Shanghai and their potential health impacts on both mothers and offspring. METHOD: We applied a multi-stage random sampling method to select participants from 16 districts in Shanghai. Each district was categorised into five zones. Two towns were randomly selected from each zone, and from each town, 30 pregnant women were randomly selected. Data were collected through face-to-face questionnaires. Follow-up data on births within a year after the survey were also obtained. RESULT: The consumption rates of total beverages (TB), sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB), and non-sugar sweetened beverages (NSS) were 73.2%, 72.8%, and 13.5%, respectively. Logistic regression analysis showed that compared to non-consumers, pregnant women consuming TB three times or less per week had a 38.4% increased risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) (OR = 1.384; 95% CI: 1.129-1.696) and a 64.2% increased risk of gestational hypertension (GH) (OR = 1.642; 95% CI: 1.129-2.389). Those consuming TB four or more times per week faced a 154.3% higher risk of GDM (OR = 2.543; 95% CI: 2.064-3.314) and a 169.3% increased risk of GH (OR = 2.693; 95% CI: 1.773-4.091). Similar results were observed in the analysis of SSB. Regarding offspring health, compared to non-consumers, TB consumption four or more times per week was associated with a substantial increase in the risk of macrosomia (OR = 2.143; 95% CI: 1.304-3.522) and large for gestational age (LGA) (OR = 1.695; 95% CI: 1.219-2.356). In the analysis of NSS, with a significantly increased risk of macrosomia (OR = 6.581; 95% CI:2.796-13.824) and LGA (OR = 7.554; 95% CI: 3.372-16.921). CONCLUSION: The high level of beverage consumption among pregnant women in Shanghai needs attention. Excessive consumption of beverages increases the risk of GDM and GH, while excessive consumption of NSS possibly has a greater impact on offspring macrosomia and LGA.

The association between team behaviors and competitive anxiety among team-handball players: the mediating role of achievement goals.

Team sports athletes may encounter significant stress, leading to competitive anxiety. The anxiety levels can be influenced by team behaviors and achievement goals. This study aims to investigate the relationship between team behaviors (i.e., perceptions of controlling coaching behavior and team cohesion) and competitive anxiety, and to examine the mediation effects of achievement goals (i.e., task-oriented and ego-oriented) on the relationship. A total of 298 team-handball players were involved in the study, ages ranging from 16 to 24 years old (M = 18.44, SD = 3.09). A cross-sectional research design was adopted, and structural equation modeling was utilized to analyze path coefficients and mediating effects. Findings indicated that perceptions of controlling coaching behaviors had significant positive predictions for state and somatic anxiety (ß = 0.22, 0.29) and negative predictions for self-confidence (ß = -0.19). Team cohesion had significant negative predictions for state anxiety (ß = -0.31) and positive predictions for self-confidence (ß = 0.58). In addition, ego-oriented goals play a positive mediating role in the relationship between team behaviors and competitive anxiety (ß = 0.03-0.35), while task-oriented goals play a negative mediating role in the relationship between team behaviors and competitive anxiety (ß = -0.18 - -0.03). In conclusion, team behaviors have a significant relationship with competitive anxiety, with achievement goals playing a mediating role among them. Therefore, to alleviate team sports athletes' competitive anxiety, it is recommended to reduce coach control behaviors, enhance team cohesion, and employ psychological training methods (e.g., mindfulness or meditation) to strengthen athletes' task-oriented goals.

Artificial intelligence system for outcome evaluations of human in vitro fertilization-derived embryos.

BACKGROUND: In vitro fertilization (IVF) has emerged as a transformative solution for infertility. However, achieving favorable live-birth outcomes remains challenging. Current clinical IVF practices in IVF involve the collection of heterogeneous embryo data through diverse methods, including static images and temporal videos. However, traditional embryo selection methods, primarily reliant on visual inspection of morphology, exhibit variability and are contingent on the experience of practitioners. Therefore, an automated system that can evaluate heterogeneous embryo data to predict the final outcomes of live births is highly desirable. METHODS: We employed artificial intelligence (AI) for embryo morphological grading, blastocyst embryo selection, aneuploidy prediction, and final live-birth outcome prediction. We developed and validated the AI models using multitask learning for embryo morphological assessment, including pronucleus type on day 1 and the number of blastomeres, asymmetry, and fragmentation of blastomeres on day 3, using 19,201 embryo photographs from 8271 patients. A neural network was trained on embryo and clinical metadata to identify good-quality embryos for implantation on days or day 5, and predict live-birth outcomes. Additionally, a 3D convolutional neural network was trained on 418 time-lapse videos of preimplantation genetic testing (PGT)-based ploidy outcomes for aneuploidy prediction and consequent live-birth outcomes. RESULTS: These two approaches enabled us to automatically assess the implantation potential. By combining embryo and maternal metrics in an ensemble AI model, we evaluated live-birth outcomes in a prospective cohort that achieved higher accuracy than experienced embryologists (46.1% vs. 30.7% on day 3, 55.0% vs. 40.7% on day 5). Our results demonstrate the potential for AI-based selection of embryos based on characteristics beyond the observational abilities of human clinicians (area under the curve: 0.769, 95% confidence interval: 0.709-0.820). These findings could potentially provide a noninvasive, high-throughput, and low-cost screening tool to facilitate embryo selection and achieve better outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Our study underscores the AI model's ability to provide interpretable evidence for clinicians in assisted reproduction, highlighting its potential as a noninvasive, efficient, and cost-effective tool for improved embryo selection and enhanced IVF outcomes. The convergence of cutting-edge technology and reproductive medicine has opened new avenues for addressing infertility challenges and optimizing IVF success rates.

Association between prescription opioid use and heart failure: Cohort studies and Mendelian randomization analysis.

BACKGROUND: Prescription opioid use (POU) has been shown to lead to cardiovascular disease (CVD), but its association with heart failure has not been well studied. We investigated the potential causal association between POU and HF using cohort studies and Mendelian Randomization (MR) analysis. METHODS: Initially, we examined the longitudinal association between POU and HF using the data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and the UK biobank. Next, we employed a two-sample MR analysis using summary statistics from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to assess the potential causal associations between POU and HF. RESULTS: During a median of 3.8 and 13.8 years of follow-up, there were 441(8.04 per 1000 person-year) and 16,170 (3.96 per 1000 person-year) HF cases in the HRS and the UK biobank, respectively. After adjusting for covariates, participants who used prescription opioids had a 32% increased risk of developing HF, compared with non-users (HR = 1.32, 95%CI: 1.26-1.38, P < 0.001). In the MR analysis, summary statistics for POU were obtained from 78,808 UK Biobank study participants, and summary data for HF were obtained from 218,792 participants of a European population. A causal effect of genetic liability for POU on an increased risk of HF (OR = 1.16, 95% CI = 1.06, 1.27, P = 0.001) was suggested. The results were generally consistent in the sensitivity analysis, and no pleiotropy or heterogeneity were observed. CONCLUSIONS: POU is associated with a high risk of HF. Our findings provide new insight into prescription opioid use among populations at risk of heart failure. More studies are needed to validate our results and further investigate the underlying mechanisms.

3D printable elastomers with exceptional strength and toughness.

Three-dimensional (3D) printing has emerged as an attractive manufacturing technique because of its exceptional freedom in accessing geometrically complex customizable products. Its potential for mass manufacturing, however, is hampered by its low manufacturing efficiency (print speed) and insufficient product quality (mechanical properties). Recent progresses in ultra-fast 3D printing of photo-polymers1-5 have alleviated the issue of manufacturing efficiency, but the mechanical performance of typical printed polymers still falls far behind what is achievable with conventional processing techniques. This is because of the printing requirements that restrict the molecular design towards achieving high mechanical performance. Here we report a 3D photo-printable resin chemistry that yields an elastomer with tensile strength of 94.6 MPa and toughness of 310.4 MJ m-3, both of which far exceed that of any 3D printed elastomer6-10. Mechanistically, this is achieved by the dynamic covalent bonds in the printed polymer that allow network topological reconfiguration. This facilitates the formation of hierarchical hydrogen bonds (in particular, amide hydrogen bonds), micro-phase separation and interpenetration architecture, which contribute synergistically to superior mechanical performance. Our work suggests a brighter future for mass manufacturing using 3D printing.

Optimized Photothermal Conversion Ability through Interband Transitions in FeCoNiCrMn High-Entropy-Alloy Nanoparticles.

High-entropy-alloy nanoparticles (HEA-NPs) composed of 3d transition metallic elements have attracted intensive attention in photothermal conversion regions due to their d-d interband transitions (IBTs). However, the effect arising from the unbalanced elemental ratio still needs more focus. In this work, FeCoNiCrMn HEA-NPs with different elemental ratios among Cr and Mn have been employed to clarify the impact of different composed elements on the optical absorption and photothermal conversion performance. It can be recognized that the unbalanced elemental ratio of HEA-NPs can reduce the photothermal performance. Density functional theory calculation demonstrated that d-d IBTs can be changed by the different composed element ratios, resulting in a number of insufficient filling regions around the Fermi level (±4 eV). As a result, the HEA-NPs (FeCoNiCr0.75Mn0.25) with a balanced elemental ratio exhibit the highest surface temperature of 97.6 °C under 1 sun irradiation, and the evaporation rate and energy conversion efficiency could reach 2.13 kg·m-2·h-1 and 93%, respectively, demonstrating effective solar steam generation behavior.

Spatiotemporal analysis of equine infectious anemia and prediction of risk areas in Europe.

Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) is a vector-borne persistent viral infection in equine animals. The EIA is characterized by recurrent fever, thrombocytopenia, depression, anemia, rapid weight loss, and lower body edema. Control of EIA is achieved through the elimination or isolation of infected animals, resulting in significant economic losses. In recent years, many countries in Europe have experienced outbreaks of EIA, which could potentially develop into a new wave of epidemic and pose a significant threat to the healthy development of the equine industry. This study utilized spatiotemporal analysis techniques and ecological niche modeling to investigate the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics of historical EIA outbreaks and predict risk areas for EIA occurrence in Europe. Spatiotemporal analysis results indicate that from 2005 to 2023, the EIA outbreaks in Europe exhibit five significant spatiotemporal clusters, with hotspots concentrated in southeastern France and northwestern Italy. Ecological niche modeling reveals that western, central, and southern Europe are high-risk areas for EIA outbreaks. Annual mean temperature, annual precipitation, and horse density are important variables that influence the occurrence of EIA. The results of this study can provide decision-makers with valuable insights, helping with EIA monitoring and resource allocation.

Generation for high-dimensional caustics and artificially tailored structured caustic beams.

We theoretically propose and demonstrate topological parabolic umbilic beams (PUBs) with high-dimensional caustic by mapping catastrophe theory into optics. The PUBs are first experimentally observed via dimensionality reduction. Due to the high-dimensionality, such light beams exhibit rich caustic structures characterized by optical singularities where the high-intensity gradient appears. Further, we propose an improved caustic approach to artificially tailored structured beams which exhibit significant intensity gradient and phase gradient. The properties can trap and drive particles to move along the predesigned trajectory, respectively. The advantages for structured caustic beams likely enable new applications in flexible particle manipulation, light-sheet microscopy, and micromachining.

Accurate prediction of myopic progression and high myopia by machine learning.

Background: Myopia is a leading cause of visual impairment in Asia and worldwide. However, accurately predicting the progression of myopia and the high risk of myopia remains a challenge. This study aims to develop a predictive model for the development of myopia. Methods: We first retrospectively gathered 612 530 medical records from five independent cohorts, encompassing 227 543 patients ranging from infants to young adults. Subsequently, we developed a multivariate linear regression algorithm model to predict the progression of myopia and the risk of high myopia. Result: The model to predict the progression of myopia achieved an R2 value of 0.964 vs a mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.119D [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.119, 1.146] in the internal validation set. It demonstrated strong generalizability, maintaining consistent performance across external validation sets: R2 = 0.950 vs MAE = 0.119D (95% CI: 0.119, 1.136) in validation study 1, R2 = 0.950 vs MAE = 0.121D (95% CI: 0.121, 1.144) in validation study 2, and R2 = 0.806 vs MAE = -0.066D (95% CI: -0.066, 0.569) in the Shanghai Children Myopia Study. In the Beijing Children Eye Study, the model achieved an R2 of 0.749 vs a MAE of 0.178D (95% CI: 0.178, 1.557). The model to predict the risk of high myopia achieved an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.99 in the internal validation set and consistently high area under the curve values of 0.99, 0.99, 0.96 and 0.99 in the respective external validation sets. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates accurate prediction of myopia progression and risk of high myopia providing valuable insights for tailoring strategies to personalize and optimize the clinical management of myopia in children.

[Incidence and risk factors of deep vein thrombosis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the incidence and risk factors of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: The clinical data of RA patients who were hospi-talized in the Department of Rheumatology and Immunology of Aerospace Center Hospital from May 2015 to September 2021 was retrospectively analyzed, including demographic characteristics, concomitant diseases, laboratory examinations (blood routine, biochemistry, coagulation, inflammatory markers, rheumatoid factor, antiphospholipid antibodies and lupus anticoagulant, etc.) and treatment regimens. The patients were compared according to the presence or absence of DVT, and the t test, Mann-Whitney U test or Chi-square test were applied to screen for relevant factors for DVT, followed by Logistic regression analysis to determine risk factors for DVT in patients with RA. RESULTS: The incidence of DVT in the RA patients was 9.6% (31/322); the median age of RA in DVT group was significantly older than that in non-DVT group [64 (54, 71) years vs. 50 (25, 75) years, P < 0.001]; the level of disease activity score using 28 joints (DAS28)-erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) in DVT group was higher than that in non-DVT group [5.2 (4.5, 6.7) vs. 4.5(4.5, 5.0), P < 0.001]; the incidence of hypertension, chronic kidney disease, fracture or surgery history within 3 months, and varicose veins of the lower extremities in DVT group was higher than that in non-DVT group (P < 0.001). The levels of hemoglobin and albumin in DVT group were significantly lower than that in non-DVT group (P=0.009, P=0.004), while the D-dimer level and rheumatoid factor positive rate in DVT group were significantly higher than that in non-DVT group (P < 0.001). The use rate of glucocorticoid in DVT group was higher than that in non-DVT group (P=0.009). Logistic regression analysis showed that the age (OR=1.093, P < 0.001), chronic kidney disease (OR=7.955, P=0.005), fracture or surgery history within 3 months (OR=34.658, P=0.002), DAS28-ESR (OR=1.475, P=0.009), and the use of glucocorticoid (OR=5.916, P=0.003) were independent risk factors for DVT in RA patients. CONCLUSION: The incidence of DVT in hospitalized RA patients was significantly increased, in addition to traditional factors, such as age and chronic kidney disease, increased DAS28-ESR level and the use of glucocorticoid were also independent risk factors for DVT.

Epidemiological characterization and risk assessment of rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus 2 (RHDV2/b/GI.2) in the world.

A novel variant of rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus, designated RHDV2/b/GI.2, was first discovered in France in 2010. Subsequently, RHDV2 rapidly spread to Africa, North America, Australia, and Asia. RHDV2 outbreaks have resulted in significant economic losses in the global rabbit industry and disrupted the balance of natural ecosystems. Our study investigated the seasonal characteristics of RHDV2 outbreaks using seasonal indices. RHDV2 is prone to causing significant outbreaks within domestic and wild rabbit populations during the spring season and is more likely to induce outbreaks within wild rabbit populations during late autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. Furthermore, based on outbreak data for domestic and wild rabbits and environmental variables, our study established two MaxEnt models to explore the relationship between RHDV2 outbreaks and the environmental factors and conducted outbreak risk predictions for RHDV2 in global domestic and wild rabbit populations. Both models demonstrated good predictive performance, with AUC values of 0.960 and 0.974, respectively. Road density, isothermality, and population density were identified as important variables in the outbreak of RHDV2 in domestic rabbits, while road density, normalized difference vegetation index, and mean annual solar radiation were considered key variables in the outbreak of RHDV2 in wild rabbits. The environmental factors associated with RHDV2 outbreaks identified in our study and the outbreak risk prediction maps generated in our study will aid in the formulation of appropriate RHDV2 control measures to reduce the risk of morbidity in domestic and wild rabbits.

Multifaceted analysis of temporal and spatial distribution and risk factors of global poultry HPAI-H5N1, 2005-2023.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the characteristics of occurrence and spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 (HPAI-H5N1) globally, understand its spatiotemporal characteristics, investigate the risk factors influencing outbreaks, and identify high-risk areas for disease occurrence. We collected the data on global poultry HPAI-H5N1 outbreaks from January 2005 to April 2023, and conducted a thorough analysis of the spatial and temporal characteristics of the disease through time series decomposition and directional distribution analysis. Additionally, an ecological niche model was established to explore the major factors influencing the occurrence of HPAI-H5N1 and to pinpoint high-risk areas. Our findings revealed that HPAI-H5N1 outbreaks were cyclical, and seasonal, exhibiting a rising trend, with a predominant northwest-southeast transmission direction. The ecological niche model highlighted that species factors and economic trade factors are critical in influencing the outbreak of HPAI-H5N1. Variables such as chicken and duck density, population density, isothermality, and road density, contributed to importantly risk of outbreaks. High-risk areas for HPAI-H5N1 occurrence were primarily identified in Europe, West Africa, Southeast Asia, and Southeast China. This study provided valuable insights into the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics and risk factors of global poultry HPAI-H5N1 outbreaks. The identification of high-risk areas provides essential information that can be used to develop more effective prevention and control policies.

PHPB ameliorates memory deficits and reduces oxidative injury in Alzheimer's disease mouse model by activating Nrf2 signaling pathway.

Alzheimer's disease (AD), a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, is the most common cause of dementia in elderly people and substantially affects patient quality of life. Oxidative stress is considered a key factor in the development of AD. Nrf2 plays a vital role in maintaining redox homeostasis and regulating neuroinflammatory responses in AD. Previous studies show that potassium 2-(1-hydroxypentyl)-benzoate (PHPB) exerts neuroprotective effects against cognitive impairment in a variety of dementia animal models such as APP/PS1 transgenic mice. In this study we investigated whether PHPB ameriorated the progression of AD by reducing oxidative stress (OS) damage. Both 5- and 13-month-old APP/PS1 mice were administered PHPB (100 mg·kg-1·d-1, i.g.) for 10 weeks. After the cognition assessment, the mice were euthanized, and the left hemisphere of the brain was harvested for analyses. We showed that 5-month-old APP/PS1 mice already exhibited impaired performance in the step-down test, and knockdown of Nrf2 gene only slightly increased the impairment, while knockdown of Nrf2 gene in 13-month-old APP/PS1 mice resulted in greatly worse performance. PHPB administration significantly ameliorated the cognition impairments and enhanced antioxidative capacity in APP/PS1 mice. In addition, PHPB administration significantly increased the p-AKT/AKT and p-GSK3ß/GSK3ß ratios and the expression levels of Nrf2, HO-1 and NQO-1 in APP/PS1 mice, but these changes were abolished by knockdown of Nrf2 gene. In SK-N-SH APPwt cells and primary mouse neurons, PHPB (10 µM) significantly increased the p-AKT/AKT and p-GSK3ß/GSK3ß ratios and the level of Nrf2, which were blocked by knockdown of Nrf2 gene. In summary, this study demonstrates that PHPB exerts a protective effect via the Akt/GSK3ß/Nrf2 pathway and it might be a promising neuroprotective agent for the treatment of AD.

Highly anisotropic Fe3C microflakes constructed by solid-state phase transformation for efficient microwave absorption.

Soft magnetic materials with flake geometry can provide shape anisotropy for breaking the Snoek limit, which is promising for achieving high-frequency ferromagnetic resonances and microwave absorption properties. Here, two-dimensional (2D) Fe3C microflakes with crystal orientation are obtained by solid-state phase transformation assisted by electrochemical dealloying. The shape anisotropy can be further regulated by manipulating the thickness of 2D Fe3C microflakes under different isothermally quenching temperatures. Thus, the resonant frequency is adjusted effectively from 9.47 and 11.56 GHz under isothermal quenching from 700 °C to 550 °C. The imaginary part of the complex permeability can reach 0.9 at 11.56 GHz, and the minimum reflection loss (RLmin) is -52.09 dB (15.85 GHz, 2.90 mm) with an effective absorption bandwidth (EAB≤-10 dB) of 2.55 GHz. This study provides insight into the preparation of high-frequency magnetic loss materials for obtaining high-performance microwave absorbers and achieves the preparation of functional materials from traditional structural materials.

Seasonal prediction of the distribution of three major malaria vectors in China: Based on an ecological niche model.

Against the backdrop of a global malaria epidemic that remains severe, China has eradicated indigenous malaria but still has to be alert to the risk of external importation. Understanding the distribution of vectors can provide an adequate and reliable basis for the development and implementation of vector control strategies. However, with the decline of malaria prevalence in recent years, the capacity of vector monitoring and identification has been greatly weakened. Here we have used new sampling records, climatic data, and topographic data to establish ecological niche models of the three main malaria vectors in China. The model results accurately identified the current habitat suitability areas for the three species of Anopheles and revealed that in addition to precipitation and temperature as important variables affecting the distribution of Anopheles mosquitoes, topographic variables also influenced the distribution of Anopheles mosquitoes. Anopheles sinensis is the most widespread malaria vector in China, with a wide region from the northeast (Heilongjiang Province) to the southwest (Yunnan Province) suitable for its survival. Suitable habitat areas for Anopheles lesteri are concentrated in the central, eastern, and southern regions of China. The suitable habitat areas of Anopheles minimus are the smallest and are only distributed in the border provinces of southern China. On this basis, we further assessed the seasonal variation in habitat suitability areas for these three major malaria vectors in China. The results of this study provide new and more detailed evidence for vector monitoring. In this new era of imported malaria prevention in China, regular reassessment of the risk of vector transmission is recommended.