An investigation of a strengthening polysaccharide interfacial membrane strategy utilizing an anionic polysaccharide-alkaline ligand interfacial assembly for all-liquid printing.

The applications of polysaccharides as emulsifiers are limited due to the lack of hydrophobicity. However, traditional hydrophobic modification methods used for polysaccharides are complicated and involve significant mechanical and thermal losses. In this study, soy hull polysaccharide (SHP) and terminally aminopropylated polydimethylsiloxane (NPN) were selected to investigate the feasibility of a simple and green interfacial membrane strengthening strategy based on the interfacial polymerization of anionic polysaccharides and fat-soluble alkaline ligands. Our results show that deprotonated SHP and protonated NPN can be complexed at the water/oil (W/O) interface, reduce interfacial tension, and form a strong membrane structure. Moreover, they can quickly form a membrane at the W/O interface upon the moment of contact to produce stable all-liquid printing products with complex patterns. However, the molecular weight of NPN affects the complexation reaction. Consequently, this study has long-term implications to expanding the areas of application for anionic polysaccharides.

Nrf2 mediated signaling axis in heart failure: Potential pharmacological receptor.

Heart failure (HF) has emerged as the most pressing health concerns globally, and extant clinical therapies are accompanied by side effects and patients have a high burden of financial. The protein products of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) target genes have a variety of cardioprotective effects, including antioxidant, metabolic functions and anti-inflammatory. By evaluating established preclinical and clinical research in HF to date, we explored the potential of Nrf2 to exert unique cardioprotective functions as a novel therapeutic receptor for HF. In this review, we generalize the progression, structure, and function of Nrf2 research in the cardiovascular system. The mechanism of action of Nrf2 involved in HF as well as agonists of Nrf2 in natural compounds are summarized. Additionally, we discuss the challenges and implications for future clinical translation and application of pharmacology targeting Nrf2. It's critical to developing new drugs for HF.

In2O3/ZnO heterojunction thin film transistor for high recognition accuracy neuromorphic computing and optoelectronic artificial synapses.

Solid electrolyte-gated transistors exhibit improved chemical stability and can fulfill the requirements of microelectronic packaging. Typically, metal oxide semiconductors are employed as channel materials. However, the extrinsic electron transport properties of these oxides, which are often prone to defects, pose limitations on the overall electrical performance. Achieving excellent repeatability and stability of transistors through the solution process remains a challenging task. In this study, we propose the utilization of a solution-based method to fabricate an In2O3/ZnO heterojunction structure, enabling the development of efficient multifunctional optoelectronic devices. The heterojunction's upper and lower interfaces induce energy band bending, resulting in the accumulation of a large number of electrons and a significant enhancement in transistor mobility. To mimic synaptic plasticity responses to electrical and optical stimuli, we utilize Li+-doped high-k ZrOxthin films as a solid electrolyte in the device. Notably, the heterojunction transistor-based convolutional neural network achieves a high accuracy rate of 93% in recognizing handwritten digits. Moreover, our research involves the simulation of a typical sensory neuron, specifically a nociceptor, within our synaptic transistor. This research offers a novel avenue for the advancement of cost-effective three-terminal thin-film transistors tailored for neuromorphic applications.

Enhancing frozen dough quality: Investigating the impact of soy hull polysaccharide (SHP) on rheological properties and microstructure.

The effects of SHP on the texture, rheological properties, starch crystallinity and microstructure of frozen dough were investigated. The efficacy of SHP in enhancing dough quality is concentration-dependent, with frozen dough containing 1.5% SHP exhibiting hardness comparable to fresh dough without SHP (221.31 vs. 221.42 g). Even at 0.5% SHP, there is a noticeable improvement in frozen dough quality. The rheological results showed that the viscoelasticity of dough increased with higher SHP concentration. What's more, XRD and SEM results indicated that the SHP's hydrophilicity reduces the degree of starch hydrolysis, slows down the damage of starch particles during freezing, and consequently lowers the crystallinity of starch. Additionally, CLSM observations revealed that SHP enhances the gluten network structure, diminishing the appearance of holes. Therefore, the physical, chemical properties, and microstructure of frozen dough with SHP demonstrate significant enhancement, suggesting SHP's promising antifreeze properties and potential as a food antifreeze agent.

Impact of heavy metals exposure on herpes simplex virus type I infection: A population-based cross-sectional study.

This study aims to investigate the significant relationship between serum heavy metals (lead [Pb], cadmium [Cd], mercury [Hg]) and the risk of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection. Data were derived from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) conducted in the United States from 2007 to 2016. This nationally representative survey, conducted by the National Center for Health Statistics, assessed the health status of participants through interviews, physical examinations, and laboratory tests. After excluding participants lacking serum Pb, Cd, and Hg data, as well as those missing HSV-1 testing data and pregnant women, the analysis included 13 772 participants, among whom 3363 were adolescents. A survey-weighted multivariate logistic regression model was used to evaluate the association between heavy metal exposure and the risk of HSV-1 infection, and to explore the dose-response relationship between them. In adults and adolescents, serum concentrations of Pb and Cd were higher in those infected with HSV-1 than in those not infected. However, an increase in serum Hg concentration was observed only in infected adolescents. After adjusting for potential confounders, elevated serum Pb and Cd concentrations in adults were associated with an increased risk of HSV-1 infection. Higher serum Pb and Cd concentrations were associated with an increased risk of HSV-2 infection, irrespective of HSV-1 infection status. In adults, serum concentrations of Pb and Hg showed an approximately linear relationship with HSV-1 infection risk (p for nonlinearity > 0.05), whereas the dose-response relationship between serum Cd concentration and HSV-1 infection was nonlinear (p for nonlinearity = 0.004). In adolescents, serum concentrations of heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Hg) showed an approximately linear relationship with HSV-1 infection (p for nonlinearity > 0.05). Furthermore, the study examined the relationship between serum heavy metal levels and the risk of HSV-1 infection across different genders, races, income levels, weight statuses, and immune statuses. In conclusion, there is a significant association between serum heavy metal concentrations and HSV-1 infection, which warrants further investigation into the causal relationship between them.

Genome-Wide Identification and Evolutionary and Expression Analyses of the Cyclin B Gene Family in Brassica napus.

Cyclin B (CYCB) is a regulatory subunit of cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK), the concentration of which fluctuates to regulate cell cycle progression. Extensive studies have been performed on cyclins in numerous species, yet the evolutionary relationships and biological functions of the CYCB family genes in Brassica napus remain unclear. In this study, we identified 299 CYCB genes in 11 B. napus accessions. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that CYCB genes could be divided into three subfamilies in angiosperms and that the CYCB3 subfamily members may be a newer group that evolved in eudicots. The expansion of BnaCYCB genes underwent segmental duplication and purifying selection in genomes, and a number of drought-responsive and light-responsive cis-elements were found in their promoter regions. Additionally, expression analysis revealed that BnaCYCBs were strongly expressed in the developing seed and silique pericarp, as confirmed by the obviously reduced seed size of the mutant cycb3;1 in Arabidopsis thaliana compared with Col-0. This study provides a comprehensive evolutionary analysis of CYCB genes as well as insight into the biological function of CYCB genes in B. napus.

Preservation of Topological Surface States in Millimeter-Scale Transferred Membranes.

Ultrathin topological insulator membranes are building blocks of exotic quantum matter. However, traditional epitaxy of these materials does not facilitate stacking in arbitrary orders, while mechanical exfoliation from bulk crystals is also challenging due to the non-negligible interlayer coupling therein. Here we liberate millimeter-scale films of the topological insulator Bi2Se3, grown by molecular beam epitaxy, down to 3 quintuple layers. We characterize the preservation of the topological surface states and quantum well states in transferred Bi2Se3 films using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. Leveraging the photon-energy-dependent surface sensitivity, the photoemission spectra taken with 6 and 21.2 eV photons reveal a transfer-induced migration of the topological surface states from the top to the inner layers. By establishing clear electronic structures of the transferred films and unveiling the wave function relocation of the topological surface states, our work lays the physics foundation crucial for the future fabrication of artificially stacked topological materials with single-layer precision.

Stabilizing Zn/electrolyte Interphasial Chemistry by a Sustained-Release Drug Inspired Indium-Chelated Resin Protective Layer for High-Areal-Capacity Zn//V2O5 Batteries.

For zinc-metal batteries, the instable chemistry at Zn/electrolyte interphasial region results in severe hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and dendrite growth, significantly impairing Zn anode reversibility. Moreover, an often-overlooked aspect is this instability can be further exacerbated by the interaction with dissolved cathode species in full batteries. Here, inspired by sustained-release drug technology, an indium-chelated resin protective layer (Chelex-In), incorporating a sustained-release mechanism for indium, is developed on Zn surface, stabilizing the anode/electrolyte interphase to ensure reversible Zn plating/stripping performance throughout the entire lifespan of Zn//V2O5 batteries. The sustained-release indium onto Zn electrode promotes a persistent anticatalytic effect against HER and fosters uniform heterogeneous Zn nucleation. Meanwhile, on the electrolyte side, the residual resin matrix with immobilized iminodiacetates anions can also repel detrimental anions (SO4 2- and polyoxovanadate ions dissolved from V2O5 cathode) outside the electric double layer. This dual synergetic regulation on both electrode and electrolyte sides culminates a more stable interphasial environment, effectively enhancing Zn anode reversibility in practical high-areal-capacity full battery systems. Consequently, the bio-inspired Chelex-In protective layer enables an ultralong lifespan of Zn anode over 2800 h, which is also successfully demonstrated in ultrahigh areal capacity Zn//V2O5 full batteries (4.79 mAh cm-2).

Multiple primary tumors in patients with surgically treated pancreatic cancer: a SEER population-based study.

Background: With improving survival after pancreatic cancer (PC) resection, questions emerge concerning risk and patterns of metachronous tumors. We aimed to determine the incidence of multiple primary cancers among postoperative PC survivors. Methods: Patients undergoing PC surgery from 1975 to 2020 were identified in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registry. Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) compared observed-to-expected cancers based on U.S. population rates. Cumulative incidence of secondary tumors was analyzed with Cox regression and cancer-specific survival with Kaplan-Meier curves. Results: Of 6,100 resected PC patients, 267 (4.38%) developed multiple cancers over 6.2 years median follow-up period. Subsequent malignancies showed a rising cumulative incidence extending beyond 5 years. Lung cancer was the predominant second primary in both males (n=36, SIR 1.87) and females (n=32, SIR 2.17). Prostate (n=33) and breast (n=25) cancers were also common. Risk varied by latency period and gender. Conclusions: Postoperative PC patients face a measurable risk for secondary cancers. Enhanced long-term surveillance has the potential to improve early detection and outcomes in this survivor population. Our data provides real-world evidence which could help inform surveillance guidelines in the future.

Development and characterization of adhesives constructed by soy protein isolate and tea polyphenols for enhanced tensile strength in plant-protein meat applications.

The study aimed to evaluate a food adhesive developed using tea polyphenols (TPs) with soybean protein isolate (SPI) to create a cohesive bond between soy protein gel and simulated fat. Upon the addition of 5.0 % TPs, significant increases in viscosity, thermal stability, and crystallinity were noted in adhesives, suggesting the formation of a cohesive network. Furthermore, TPs effectively enhanced adhesion strength, with the optimal addition being 5.0 %. This enhancement can be attributed to hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions between TPs and SPI molecules. TPs induced a greater expansion of the protein structure, exposing numerous buried hydrophobic groups to a more hydrophilic and polar environment. However, excessive TPs were found to diminish adhesion strength. This can be attributed to enhanced reactions between TPs and SPI, where high molecular weight SPI-TPs cooperatively aggregate to form agglomerates that eventually precipitated, rendering the adhesive network inhomogeneous, less stable, and more prone to disruption.

Basilic vein variation encountered during surgery for arm vein port: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Venous variations are uncommon and usually hard to identify, and basilic vein variation is particularly rare. Basilic vein variation usually presents without any clinical symptoms and is often regarded as a benign alteration. This case was a patient with congenital basilic vein variation encountered during surgery for an infusion port. CASE SUMMARY: We documented and analyzed an uncommon anatomical variation in the basilic vein encountered during arm port insertion. This peculiarity has hitherto remained undescribed in the literature. We offer remedial strategies for addressing this anomaly in the future and precautionary measures to circumvent its occurrence. We conducted a comprehensive review of analogous cases in the literature, offering pertinent therapeutic recommendations and solutions, with the aim of enhancing the efficacy and safety of future arm port implantations. CONCLUSION: Venous variation is rare and requires detailed intraoperative and postoperative examination to ensure accuracy, so as not to affect subsequent treatment.

pH-regulated Tannic acid and soybean protein isolate adhesive for enhanced performance in plant-based meat analogues.

A food adhesive comprising tannic acid (TA) and soybean protein isolate (SPI) was developed to establish a cohesive bond between soy protein gel and simulated fat. The impact of varying TA concentrations and pH levels on the adhesive's rheology, thermal stability, chemical structure, and tensile strength were investigated. Rheological results revealed a gradual decrease in adhesive viscosity with increasing TA content. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermal gravimetric (TG) results indicated that the stability of the adhesive improved with higher TA concentrations, reaching its peak at 0.50% TA addition. The incorporation of TA resulted in the cross-linking of amino group in unfolded SPI molecules, forming a mesh structure. However, under alkaline conditions (pH 9), adhesive viscosity and stability increased compared to the original pH. This shift was due to the disruption of the SPI colloidal charge structure, an increase in the stretching of functional groups, further unfolding of the structure, and an enhanced binding of SPI to TA. Under the initial pH conditions, SPI reacted with TA's active site to form covalent crosslinked networks and hydrogen bonds. In alkaline condition, beyond hydrogen and ionic bonding, the catechol structure was oxidized, forming an ortho-quinone that crosslinked SPI and created a denser structure. Tensile strength measurements and freeze-thaw experiments revealed that the adhesive exhibited maximum tensile strength and optimal adhesion with 0.75% TA at pH 9, providing the best overall performance. This study provides a new formulation and approach for developing plant-based meat analogues adhesives.

Hybrid Density Functional Theory Comparison of Oxygen Release and Solvent Decomposition Kinetics on LixNiO2 Surfaces.

High-nickel-content layered oxides are among the most promising electric vehicle battery cathode materials. However, their interfacial reactivity with electrolytes and tendency toward oxygen release (possibly yielding reactive 1O2) remain degradation concerns. Elucidating the most relevant (i.e., fastest) interfacial degradation mechanism will facilitate future mitigation strategies. We apply screened hybrid density functional (HSE06) calculations to compare the reaction kinetics of LixNiO2 surfaces with ethylene carbonate (EC) with those of O2 release. On both the (001) and (104) facets, EC oxidative decomposition exhibits lower activation energies than O2 release. Our calculations, coupled with previously computed liquid-phase reaction rates of 1O2 with EC, strongly question the role of "reactive 1O2" species in electrolyte oxidative degradation. The possible role of other oxygen species is discussed. To deal with the challenges of modeling LixNiO2 surface reactivity, we emphasize a "local structure" approach instead of pursuing the global energy minimum.

Exosomal miR-1202 mediates Brodmann Area 44 functional connectivity changes in medication-free patients with major depressive disorder: An fMRI study.

Previous large-sample postmortem study revealed that the expression of miR-1202 in brain tissues from Brodmann area 44 (BA44) was dysregulated in patients with major depressive disorder (MDDs). However, the specific in vivo neuropathological mechanism of miR-1202 as well as its interplay with BA44 circuits in the depressed brain are still unclear. Here, we performed a case-control study with imaging-genetic approach based on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data and miR-1202 quantification from 110 medication-free MDDs and 102 healthy controls. Serum-derived circulating exosomes that readily cross the blood-brain barrier were isolated to quantify miR-1202. For validation, repeated MR scans were performed after a six-week follow-up of antidepressant treatment on a cohort of MDDs. Voxelwise factorial analysis revealed two brain areas (including the striatal-thalamic region) in which the effect of depression on the functional connectivity with BA44 was significantly dependent on the expression level of exosomal miR-1202. Moreover, longitudinal change of the BA44 connectivity with the striatal-thalamic region in MDDs after antidepressant treatment was found to be significantly related to the level of miR-1202 expression. These findings revealed that the in vivo neuropathological effect of miR-1202 dysregulation in depression is possibly exerted by mediating neural functional abnormalities in BA44-striatal-thalamic circuits.

Inferior Alveolar Nerve Canal Segmentation on CBCT Using U-Net with Frequency Attentions.

Accurate inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) canal segmentation has been considered a crucial task in dentistry. Failing to accurately identify the position of the IAN canal may lead to nerve injury during dental procedures. While IAN canals can be detected from dental cone beam computed tomography, they are usually difficult for dentists to precisely identify as the canals are thin, small, and span across many slices. This paper focuses on improving accuracy in segmenting the IAN canals. By integrating our proposed frequency-domain attention mechanism in UNet, the proposed frequency attention UNet (FAUNet) is able to achieve 75.55% and 81.35% in the Dice and surface Dice coefficients, respectively, which are much higher than other competitive methods, by adding only 224 parameters to the classical UNet. Compared to the classical UNet, our proposed FAUNet achieves a 2.39% and 2.82% gain in the Dice coefficient and the surface Dice coefficient, respectively. The potential advantage of developing attention in the frequency domain is also discussed, which revealed that the frequency-domain attention mechanisms can achieve better performance than their spatial-domain counterparts.

Dynamic parallel transmit diffusion MRI at 7T.

Diffusion MRI (dMRI) is inherently limited by SNR. Scanning at 7 T increases intrinsic SNR but 7 T MRI scans suffer from regions of signal dropout, especially in the temporal lobes and cerebellum. We applied dynamic parallel transmit (pTx) to allow whole-brain 7 T dMRI and compared with circularly polarized (CP) pulses in 6 subjects. Subject-specific 2-spoke dynamic pTx pulses were designed offline for 8 slabs covering the brain. We used vendor-provided B0 and B1+ mapping. Spokes positions were set using the Fourier difference approach, and RF coefficients optimized with a Jacobi-matrix high-flip-angle optimizer. Diffusion data were analyzed with FSL. Comparing whole-brain averages for pTx against CP scans: mean flip angle error improved by 15% for excitation (2-spoke-VERSE 15.7° vs CP 18.4°, P = 0.012) and improved by 14% for refocusing (2-spoke-VERSE 39.7° vs CP 46.2°, P = 0.008). Computed spin-echo signal standard deviation improved by 14% (2-spoke-VERSE 0.185 vs 0.214 CP, P = 0.025). Temporal SNR increased by 5.4% (2-spoke-VERSE 8.47 vs CP 8.04, P = 0.004) especially in the inferior temporal lobes. Diffusion fitting uncertainty decreased by 6.2% for first fibers (2-spoke VERSE 0.0655 vs CP 0.0703, P < 0.001) and 1.3% for second fibers (2-spoke VERSE 0.139 vs CP 0.141, P = 0.01). In conclusion, dynamic parallel transmit improves the uniformity of 7 T diffusion-weighted imaging. In future, less restrictive SAR limits for parallel transmit scans are expected to allow further improvements.

The impact of air pollution on regional innovation: empirical evidence based on 267 cities in China.

Based on the spatially correlated effects of air pollution on regional innovation, theoretical hypotheses are proposed, and this paper employs a spatial Durbin model to conduct empirical tests using panel data from 267 Chinese cities from 2003 to 2019, and investigates the mediating effect of human capital. Research has shown that (1) air pollution significantly reduces regional innovation output and has a negative spatial spillover effect significantly in the short term; (2) in the process of regional innovation impacted by air pollution, human capital acts as a mediator role; and (3) analysis of heterogeneity reveals that, from the regional perspective, air pollution has significantly damaged regional innovation in eastern and middle cities, but not significantly influences western cities, and in terms of innovation types, there is a stronger detrimental effect on invention patents exerted by air pollution compared to non-innovation patents. The study's findings provide theoretical and empirical evidence to strengthen environmental governance, enhance regional innovation and promote the coordinated development of regional innovation.

Lycium barbarum polysaccharide's protective effects against PM2.5-induced cellular senescence in HUVECs.

Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure is strongly associated with vascular endothelial senescence, a process implicated in cardiovascular diseases. While there is existing knowledge on the impact of Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) on vascular endothelial damage, the protective mechanism of LBP against PM2.5-induced vascular endothelial senescence remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the impact of PM2.5 exposure on vascular endothelial senescence and explored the intervention effects of LBP in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). We found that PM2.5 exposure dose-dependently reduced cell viability and proliferation in HUVECs while increasing the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Additionally, PM2.5 exposure inhibited the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD). Notably, PM2.5 exposure induced autophagy impairments and cellular senescence. However, LBP mitigated PM2.5-induced cell damage. Further studies demonstrated that correcting autophagy impairment in HUVECs reduced the expression of the senescence markers P16 and P21 induced by PM2.5. This suggests the regulatory role of autophagy in cellular senescence and the potential of LBP in improving HUVECs senescence. These findings provide novel insights into the mechanisms underlying PM2.5-induced cardiovascular toxicity and highlight the potential of LBP as a therapeutic agent for improving vascular endothelial health.

Effects of PM2.5 exposure on clock gene BMAL1 and cell cycle in human umbilical vein endothelial cells.

Background: Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure has been closely associated with cardiovascular diseases, which are relevant to cell cycle arrest. Brain and muscle aryl-hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator-like protein 1 (BMAL1) not only participates in regulating the circadian clock but also plays a role in modulating cell cycle. However, the precise contribution of the circadian clock gene BMAL1 to PM2.5-induced cell cycle change remains unclear. This study aims to explore the impact of PM2.5 exposure on BMAL1 expression and the cell cycle in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Methods: HUVECs was exposed to PM2.5 for 24 hours at different concentrations ((0, 12.5, 25, 75 and 100 µg.mL-1) to elucidate the potential toxic mechanism. Following exposure to PM2.5, cell viability, ROS, cell cycle, and the expression of key genes and proteins were detected. Results: A remarkable decrease in cell viability is observed in the PM2.5-exposed HUVECs, as well as a significant increase in ROS production. In addition, PM2.5-exposed HUVECs have cycle arrest in G0/G1 phase, and the gene expression of p27 is also markedly increased. The protein expression of BMAL1 and the gene expression of BMAL1 are increased significantly. Moreover, the protein expressions of p-p38 MAPK and p-ERK1/2 exhibit a marked increase in the PM2.5-exposed HUVECs. Furthermore, following the transfection of HUVECs with siBMAL1 to suppress BMAL1 expression, we observed a reduction in both the protein and gene expression of the MAPK/ERK pathway in HUVECs exposed to PM2.5. Conclusions: Overall, our results indicate that PM2.5 exposure significantly upregulates the circadian clock gene expression of BMAL1 and regulates G0/G1 cell cycle arrest in HUVECs through the MAPK/ERK pathway, which may provide new insights into the potential molecular mechanism regarding BMAL1 on PM2.5-induced cardiovascular diseases.

Exploring silique number in Brassica napus L.: Genetic and molecular advances for improving yield.

Silique number is a crucial yield-related trait for the genetic enhancement of rapeseed (Brassica napus L.). The intricate molecular process governing the regulation of silique number involves various factors. Despite advancements in understanding the mechanisms regulating silique number in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) and rice (Oryza sativa), the molecular processes involved in controlling silique number in rapeseed remain largely unexplored. In this review, we identify candidate genes and review the roles of genes and environmental factors in regulating rapeseed silique number. We use genetic regulatory networks for silique number in Arabidopsis and grain number in rice to uncover possible regulatory pathways and molecular mechanisms involved in regulating genes associated with rapeseed silique number. A better understanding of the genetic network regulating silique number in rapeseed will provide a theoretical basis for the genetic improvement of this trait and genetic resources for the molecular breeding of high-yielding rapeseed.