Pseudostellaria heterophylla polysaccharide mitigates Alzheimer's-like pathology via regulating the microbiota-gut-brain axis in 5 × FAD mice.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterised by neuroinflammation, for which gut dysbiosis may be implicated. Our previous study showed that treatment with Pseudostellaria heterophylla aqueous extract and one of its cyclopeptides, heterophyllin B, attenuate memory deficits via immunomodulation and neurite regeneration. However, whether Pseudostellaria heterophylla polysaccharide (PH-PS) exerts neuroprotective effects against AD and its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. The infrared spectrum, molecular weight, and carbohydrate composition of the PH-PS were determined. The results showed that PH-PS (Mw 8.771 kDa) was composed of glucose (57.78 %), galactose (41.52 %), and arabinose (0.70 %). PH-PS treatment ameliorated learning and spatial memory deficits, reduced amyloid ß build-up, and suppressed reactive glia and astrocytes in 5 × FAD mice. 16S rRNA sequencing further showed that PH-PS remodelled the intestinal flora composition by promoting probiotic microbiota, such as Lactobacillus, Muribaculum, Monoglobus, and [Eubacterium]_siraeum_group, and suppressing inflammation-related UCG-009 and Blautia. Additionally, PH-PS restored intestinal barrier function; ameliorated peripheral inflammation by reducing the secretion of inflammatory cytokines, thereby converting M1 microglia and A1 astrocyte toward beneficial M2 and A2 phenotypes; and contributed to Aß plaques clearance by upregulation of insulin degradation enzyme and neprilysin. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that PH-PS may prevent the progression of AD via modulation of the gut microbiota and regulation of glial polarisation, which could provide evidence to design a potential diet therapy for preventing or curing AD.

Neuroprotective azaphilones from a deep-sea derived fungus Penicillium sp. SCSIO41030.

Ten azaphilones including one pair of new epimers and three new ones, penineulones A-E (1-5) with the same structural core of angular deflectin, were obtained from a deep-sea derived Penicillium sp. SCSIO41030 fermented on a liquid medium. Their structures including absolute configurations were elucidated using chiral-phase HPLC analysis, extensive NMR spectroscopic and HRESIMS data, ECD and NMR calculations, and by comparing NMR data with literature data. Biological assays showed that the azaphilones possessed no antitumor and anti-viral (HSV-1/2) activities at concentrations of 5.0 µM and 20 µM, respectively. In addition, azaphilones 8 and 9 showed neuroprotective effects against Aß25-35-induced neurotoxicity in primary cultured cortical neurons at a concentration of 10 µM. Azaphilones 8 and 9 dramatically promoted axonal regrowth against Aß25-35-induced axonal atrophy. Our study indicated that azaphilones could be promising lead compounds for neuroprotection.

Diagnostic Value of Clear Cell Likelihood Score v1.0 and v2.0 for Common Subtypes of Small Renal Masses: A Multicenter Comparative Study.

BACKGROUND: Clear cell likelihood score (ccLS) is reliable for diagnosing small renal masses (SRMs). However, the diagnostic value of Clear cell likelihood score version 1.0 (ccLS v1.0) and v2.0 for common subtypes of SRMs might be a potential score extension. PURPOSE: To compare the diagnostic performance and interobserver agreement of ccLS v1.0 and v2.0 for characterizing five common subtypes of SRMs. STUDY TYPE: Retrospective. POPULATION: 797 patients (563 males, 234 females; mean age, 53 ± 12 years) with 867 histologically proven renal masses. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCES: 3.0 and 1.5 T/T2 weighted imaging, T1 weighted imaging, diffusion-weighted imaging, a dual-echo chemical shift (in- and opposed-phase) T1 weighted imaging, multiphase dynamic contrast-enhanced imaging. ASSESSMENT: Six abdominal radiologists were trained in the ccLS algorithm and independently scored each SRM using ccLS v1.0 and v2.0, respectively. All SRMs had definite pathological results. The pooled area under curve (AUC), accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were calculated to evaluate the diagnostic performance of ccLS v1.0 and v2.0 for characterizing common subtypes of SRMs. The average κ values were calculated to evaluate the interobserver agreement of the two scoring versions. STATISTICAL TESTS: Random-effects logistic regression; Receiver operating characteristic analysis; DeLong test; Weighted Kappa test; Z test. The statistical significance level was P < 0.05. RESULTS: The pooled AUCs of clear cell likelihood score version 2.0 (ccLS v2.0) were statistically superior to those of ccLS v1.0 for diagnosing clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) (0.907 vs. 0.851), papillary renal cell carcinoma (pRCC) (0.926 vs. 0.888), renal oncocytoma (RO) (0.745 vs. 0.679), and angiomyolipoma without visible fat (AMLwvf) (0.826 vs. 0.766). Interobserver agreement for SRMs between ccLS v1.0 and v2.0 is comparable and was not statistically significant (P = 0.993). CONCLUSION: The diagnostic performance of ccLS v2.0 surpasses that of ccLS v1.0 for characterizing ccRCC, pRCC, RO, and AMLwvf. Especially, the standardized algorithm has optimal performance for ccRCC and pRCC. ccLS has potential as a supportive clinical tool. EVIDENCE LEVEL: 4. TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 2.

Interface Enables Faster Surface Reconstruction in a Heterostructured CuSey/NiSex Electrocatalyst for Realizing Urea Oxidation.

Creating affordable electrocatalysts and understanding the real-time catalytic process of the urea oxidation reaction (UOR) are crucial for advancing urea-based technologies. Herein, a Cu-Ni based selenide electrocatalyst (CuSey/NiSex/NF) was created using a hydrothermal technique and selenization treatment, featuring a heterogeneous interface rich in Cu2-xSe, Cu3Se2, Ni3Se4, and NiSe2. This catalyst demonstrated outstanding urea electrooxidation performance, achieving 10 mA cm-2 with just 1.31 V and sustaining stability for 96 h. Through in-situ Raman spectroscopy and ex-situ characterizations, it is discovered that NiOOH is formed through surface reconstruction in the UOR process, with high-valence Ni serving as the key site for effective urea oxidation. Moreover, the electrochemical analysis revealed that CuSey had dual effects. An analysis of XPS and electrochemical tests revealed that electron transfer from CuSey to NiSex within the CuSey/NiSex/NF heterostructure enhanced the UOR kinetics of the catalyst. Additionally, according to the in-situ Raman spectroscopy findings, the existence of CuSey facilitates a easier and faster surface reconstruction of NiSex, leading to the creation of additional active sites for urea oxidation. More significantly, this work provides an excellent "precatalyst" for highly efficient UOR, along with an in-depth understanding of the mechanism behind the structural changes in electrocatalysts and the discovery of their true active sites.

Electron regulation of CeO2 on CoP multi-shell hetero-junction micro-sphere towards highly efficient water oxidation.

CeO2 has been identified as a significant cocatalyst to enhance the electrocatalytic activity of transition metal phosphides (TMPs). However, the electrocatalytic mechanism by which CeO2 enhances the catalytic activity of TMP remains unclear. In this study, we have successfully developed a unique CeO2-CoP-1-4 multishell microsphere heterostructure catalyst through a simple hydrothermal and calcination process. CeO2-CoP-1-4 exhibits great potential for electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction (OER), requiring only an overpotential of 254 mV to achieve a current density of 10 mA cm-2. Moreover, CeO2-CoP-1-4 demonstrates excellent operating durability lasting for 55 h. The presence of CeO2 as a cocatalyst can regulate the microsphere structure of CoP, the resulting multishell microsphere structure can shorten the mass transfer distance, and improve the utilization rate of the active site. Furthermore, in situ Raman and ex situ characterizations, and DFT theoretical calculation results reveal that CeO2 can effectively regulates the electronic structure of Co species, reduces the reaction free energy of rate-limiting step, thus increase the reaction kinetic. Overall, this study provides experimental and theoretical evidence to better comprehend the mechanism and structure evolution of CeO2 in enhancing the OER performance of CoP, offering a unique design inspiration for the development of efficient hollow heterojunction electrocatalysts.

Design, synthesis, and in vitro gene transfer efficacy of novel ionizable cholesterol derivatives.

ABSTACTThe medicinal properties of genetic drugs are highly dependent on the design of delivery systems. Ionizable cationic lipids are considered core materials in delivery systems. However, there has not yet been a widespread consensus on the relationship between the wide diversity of lipid structure design and gene delivery efficiency. The aims of the research work were to synthesize ionizable cholesterol derivatives (iChol-lipids) and to evaluate their potential applications as gene delivery vector. A series of iChol-lipids with different head groups were synthesized with carbamate bond spacer. The chemical structures were characterized by 1H NMR, MS, melting range, and pKa. The interactions between iChol-lipids and MALAT1-siRNA were studied by molecular dynamics simulations and compared with market available DC-Chol, which revealed that hydrogen bonds, salt-bridge, and electrostatic interaction were probably involved. The self-assemble behaviors of these lipids were intensively investigated and evaluated by dynamic laser scattering in the presence of different helper lipids and PEGylated lipids. Their plasmid binding ability, transfection efficiency, hemolytic toxicity, and cytotoxicity were fully studied. IZ-Chol-LNPs was proved to be highly potential to effectively complex with DNA, and endosome escape mechanisms mediated by proton sponge effect was verified by pH-sensitive fluorescence probe BCFL.

Anti-inflammatory and Neuroprotective α-Pyrones from a Marine-Derived Strain of the Fungus Arthrinium arundinis and Their Heterologous Expression.

Fungal linear polyketides, such as α-pyrones with a 6-alkenyl chain, have been a rich source of biologically active compounds. Two new (1 and 2) and four known (3-6) 6-alkenylpyrone polyketides were isolated from a marine-derived strain of the fungus Arthrinium arundinis. Their structures were determined based on extensive spectroscopic analysis. The biosynthetic gene cluster (alt) for alternapyrones was identified from A. arundinis ZSDS-F3 and validated by heterologous expression in Aspergillus nidulans A1145 ΔSTΔEM, which revealed that the cytochrome P450 monooxygenase Alt2' could convert the methyl group 26-CH3 to a carboxyl group to produce 4 from 3. Another cytochrome P450 monooxygenase, Alt3', catalyzed successive hydroxylation, epoxidation, and oxidation steps to produce 1, 2, 5, and 6 from 4. Alternapyrone G (1) not only suppressed M1 polarization in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV2 microglia but also stimulated dendrite regeneration and neuronal survival after Aß treatment, suggesting alternapyrone G may be utilized as a privileged scaffold for Alzheimer's disease drug discovery.

Elucidating the therapeutic mechanism of Hengqing II decoction in Alzheimer's disease using network pharmacology and molecular docking techniques.

PURPOSE: The aim of our research was to investigate the mechanism of the Hengqing II decoction in treating Alzheimer's disease (AD) through network pharmacology and experimental validation methods. METHODS: Firstly, the major chemical compounds of Hengqing II decoction were characterized by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS), and the gene sets related to AD treatment by Hengqing II decoction were collected through the database of PubChem, Swiss TargetPrediction, and DisGeNET. Secondly, a multi-level molecular network of "Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)-compound-target-disease" was constructed and visualized using the STRING platform and Cytoscape 3.9.1 software, and the enrichment analysis based on the Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway databases was performed to predict the potential active compounds and targets of Hengqing II decoction for treating AD. Finally, molecular docking simulation was applied to investigate the binding interactions between potential active compounds and key targets, and the western blotting technique was employed to examine the expression levels of AKT1, TNF-α, and NOS2 proteins affected by active compounds. RESULTS: Totally 120 compounds in Hengqing II decoction were characterized by UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS. Network pharmacology results showed that potential active compounds in Hengqing II decoction in treating AD included catalpol, gastrodin, and rehmannioside D, etc., and the main target proteins were TNF-α, NOS2, and AKT1. Further functional enrichment analysis revealed that Hengqing II decoction mainly exerted its therapeutic effects on AD by regulating lipid and atherosclerosis signaling pathways, AD signaling pathways, AKT1 signaling pathways, and PTGS2 signaling pathways. CONCLUSION: Hengqing II decoction exerted therapeutic effects on AD through multi-component, multi-target, and multi-pathway regulation, and its action mechanisms were related to oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, autophagy, and other pathways. Our research laid the data foundation for further exploration of action mechanism and clarification of clinical positioning and provided new ideas and clues in TCM formula research.

Computed tomography-based body composition parameters can predict short-term prognosis in ulcerative colitis patients.

OBJECTIVES: Emerging evidence suggests a potential relationship between body composition and short-term prognosis of ulcerative colitis (UC). Early and accurate assessment of rapid remission based on conventional therapy via abdominal computed tomography (CT) images has rarely been investigated. This study aimed to build a prediction model using CT-based body composition parameters for UC risk stratification. METHODS: In total, 138 patients with abdominal CT images were enrolled. Eleven quantitative parameters related to body composition involving skeletal muscle mass, visceral adipose tissue (VAT), and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) were measured and calculated using a semi-automated segmentation method. A prediction model was established with significant parameters using a multivariable logistic regression. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted to evaluate prediction performance. Subgroup analyses were implemented to evaluate the diagnostic efficiency of the prediction model between different disease locations, centers, and CT scanners. The Delong test was used for statistical comparison of ROC curves. RESULTS: VAT density, SAT density, gender, and visceral obesity were significantly statistically different between remission and invalidation groups (all p < 0.05). The accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and area under the ROC curve (AUC) of the prediction model were 82.61%, 95.45%, 69.89%, and 0.855 (0.792-0.917), respectively. The positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 70.79% and 93.88%, respectively. No significant differences in the AUC of the prediction model were found in different subgroups (all p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The predicting model constructed with CT-based body composition parameters is a potential non-invasive approach for short-term prognosis identification and risk stratification. Additionally, VAT density was an independent predictor for escalating therapeutic regimens in UC cohorts. CRITICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: The CT images were used for evaluating body composition and risk stratification of ulcerative colitis patients, and a potential non-invasive prediction model was constructed to identify non-responders with conventional therapy for making therapeutic regimens timely and accurately. KEY POINTS: • CT-based prediction models help divide patients into invalidation and remission groups in UC. • Results of the subgroup analysis confirmed the stability of the prediction model with a high AUC (all > 0.820). • The visceral adipose tissue density was an independent predictor of bad short-term prognosis in UC.

The timing phase affected the inconsistency of APHE subtypes of liver observations in patients at risk for HCC on the multi-hepatic arterial phase imaging.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether liver observations in patients at risk for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) display inconsistent arterial phase hyperenhancement (APHE) subtypes on the multi-hepatic arterial phase imaging (mHAP) and to further investigate factors affecting inconsistent APHE subtype of observations on mHAP imaging. METHODS: From April 2018 to June 2021, a total of 141 patients at high risk of HCC with 238 liver observations who underwent mHAP MRI acquisitions were consecutively included in this retrospective study. Two experienced radiologists reviewed individual arterial phase imaging independently and assessed the enhancement pattern of each liver observation according to LI-RADS. Another two experienced radiologists identified and recorded the genuine timing phase of each phase independently. When a disagreement appeared between the two radiologists, another expert participated in the discussion to get a final decision. A separate descriptive analysis was used for all observations scored APHE by the radiologists. The Kappa coefficient was used to determine the agreement between the two radiologists. Univariate analysis was performed to investigate the factors affecting inconsistent APHE subtype of liver observations on mHAP imaging. RESULTS: The interobserver agreement was substantial to almost perfect agreement on the assessment of timing phase (κ = 0.712-0.887) and evaluation of APHE subtype (κ = 0.795-0.901). A total of 87.8% (209/238) of the observations showed consistent nonrim APHE and 10.2% (24/238) of the observations showed consistent rim APHE on mHAP imaging. A total of 2.1% (5/238) of the liver observations were considered inconsistent APHE subtypes, and all progressed nonrim to rim on mHAP imaging. 87.9% (124/141) of the mHAP acquisitions were all arterial phases and 12.1% (17/141) of the mHAP acquisitions obtained both the arterial phase and portal venous phase. Univariate analysis was performed and found that the timing phase of mHAP imaging affected the consistency of APHE subtype of liver observations. When considering the timing phase and excluding the portal venous phase acquired by mHAP imaging, none of the liver observations showed inconsistent APHE subtypes on mHAP imaging. CONCLUSION: The timing phase which mHAP acquisition contained portal venous phase affected the inconsistency of APHE subtype of liver observations on mHAP imaging. When evaluating the APHE subtype of liver observations, it's necessary to assess the timing of each phase acquired by the mHAP technique at first.

Multiparametric MRI-Based Machine Learning Models for the Characterization of Cystic Renal Masses Compared to the Bosniak Classification, Version 2019: A Multicenter Study.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVE: Accurate differentiation between benign and malignant cystic renal masses (CRMs) is challenging in clinical practice. This study aimed to develop MRI-based machine learning models for differentiating between benign and malignant CRMs and compare the best-performing model with the Bosniak classification, version 2019 (BC, version 2019). METHODS: Between 2009 and 2021, consecutive surgery-proven CRM patients with renal MRI were enrolled in this multicenter study. Models were constructed to differentiate between benign and malignant CRMs using logistic regression (LR), random forest (RF), and support vector machine (SVM) algorithms, respectively. Meanwhile, two radiologists classified CRMs into I-IV categories according to the BC, version 2019 in consensus in the test set. A subgroup analysis was conducted to investigate the performance of the best-performing model in complicated CRMs (II-IV lesions in the test set). The performances of models and BC, version 2019 were evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Performance was statistically compared between the best-performing model and the BC, version 2019. RESULTS: 278 and 48 patients were assigned to the training and test sets, respectively. In the test set, the AUC and accuracy of the LR model, the RF model, the SVM model, and the BC, version 2019 were 0.884 and 75.0%, 0.907 and 83.3%, 0.814 and 72.9%, and 0.893 and 81.2%, respectively. Neither the AUC nor the accuracy of the RF model that performed best were significantly different from the BC, version 2019 (P = 0.780, P = 0.065). The RF model achieved an AUC and accuracy of 0.880 and 81.0% in complicated CRMs. CONCLUSIONS: The MRI-based RF model can accurately differentiate between benign and malignant CRMs with comparable performance to the BC, version 2019, and has good performance in complicated CRMs, which may facilitate treatment decision-making and is less affected by interobserver disagreements.

Pollution characteristics and potential health effects of airborne microplastics and culturable microorganisms during urban haze in Harbin, China.

In this study, active sampling technology was used to collect microplastics (MPs) and microorganisms simultaneously on haze days in Harbin, China. Airborne MPs concentrations in Junior high school (162.4 ± 44.6 particles/m3) with high vehicular and pedestrian traffic was higher than those in University (63.2 ± 21.8 particles/m3) and Park (12.8 ± 5.5 particles/m3). More airborne MPs were detected in the night samples than in the morning and noon samples. The majority (69.06 %) of airborne MPs measured less than 100 µm, with fibers (69.4 %) being the predominant form. Polyesters and polyethylene were the dominant polymers. In addition, airborne MPs concentrations were positively correlated with microorganisms and PM10 concentrations, and the health hazards associated with microorganisms and MPs exposure via inhalation far exceeded those associated with skin contact, which can serve as a theoretical foundation for considering MPs as indicators of air quality in the future.

Efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy for reducing pain susceptibility and increasing social engagement in patients with chronic low back pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy in improving social engagement and pain susceptibility in patients with chronic low back pain (≥6 months duration). METHODS: From the initial to January 2023, 5 databases were searched for randomized controlled trials, literature screening, quality evaluation, and data extraction were performed by 2 independent researchers throughout, Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4 software, standardized mean difference (SMD) was calculated for different indicators, and the combined experimental and control groups were calculated using random-effects models or fixed-effects models effect sizes, and forest plots were drawn to present the results. RESULTS: A total of 16 studies containing 2527 patients with chronic nonspecific low back pain, all of whom had pain lasting longer than 6 months, were included, and after treatment, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) was superior to other treatments in improving social participation [SMD = -0.30, 95%CI (-0.60, -0.01), Z = 2.02, P = .04]. There was no significant difference from other treatments in improving patient depression [SMD = -0.07, 95%CI (-0.19, 0.05), Z = 1.11, P = .27] and anxiety [SMD = -0.07, 95%CI (-0.30, 0.16), Z = 0.52, P = .57]. Three papers describe the superiority of CBT over other treatments in improving sleep quality, but the metrics could not be combined due to too little literature. CONCLUSION: CBT can improve patients' social participation and pain susceptibility to some extent, but it does not show advantages for managing negative emotions (depression, anxiety). Due to the limited number and low quality of included literature, the above findings still need to be validated by conducting a large sample of high-quality RCTs.

Substrate self-derived porous rod-like NiS/Ni9S8/NF heterostructures as efficient bifunctional electrocatalysts for overall water splitting.

A self-derivation strategy using conductive substrates is used to prepare one-piece highly efficient bifunctional electrodes, where the chosen substrate acts as both an active catalyst precursor and a conductive carrier. Here, a bifunctional catalyst, porous NiS/Ni9S8/NF-2 nanorods, was synthesized by low-temperature vulcanization after an oxalic acid etching process. To reach a current density of 10 mA cm-2, NiS/Ni9S8/NF-2 requires only a tiny overpotential of 115 mV for the HER and 176 mV for the OER, and demonstrates sustained activity for 100 hours with almost any degradation. The substrate self-derived NiS/Ni9S8/NF-2 catalyst for overall water splitting requires only a small voltage of 1.52 V to deliver 10 mA cm-2 with excellent stability. Experimental results show that the heterostructured electrocatalysts impart good catalytic properties of NiS/Ni9S8/NF-2 by modulating the electronic structure and promoting the reconstruction process from sulfides to hydroxides. This work demonstrates the success of the substrate self-derivation strategy to achieve high catalytic activity and provide a new autogenous growth technique for electrode fabrication.

Effects of a single bout of mobile action video game play on attentional networks.

Background: Video game play has been linked to a range of cognitive advantages, and investigations in this domain have predominantly utilized cross-sectional designs or long-term training paradigms. Nevertheless, the specific effects of engaging in a single bout of video game play remain poorly understood. Consequently, the objective of this study is to examine the influence of a single session of mobile action video game (MAVG) play on attentional networks among college students. Methods: Seventy-two nonvideo game players were assigned randomly into an MAVG and a control game group. Participants in the MAVG group engaged in a 60-minute session of an action video game played on mobile phones, while the control group played a mobile card game for the same duration. All participants completed the attentional network test (ANT), which assesses alerting, orienting, and executive control network efficiencies, before and after the intervention. Results: The MAVG group had significantly improved alerting network efficiency following the intervention, compared to before (p < 0.05); the control game group did not. Neither executive control network efficiency nor orienting network efficiency were found to be improved by the intervention. Conclusion: The present data demonstrated that a single bout of MAVG play can improve alerting network efficiency selectively in young-adult college students. MAVGs may be useful for promoting attentional function with the advantages of being accessible virtually any time and anywhere.

N,S co-doped porous carbon with Co9S8 prepared with a Co-FF-derived Co3O4 template: a bi-functional electrocatalyst for rechargeable zinc-air batteries.

To achieve broad commercialization of rechargeable metal-air batteries, the development of non-precious metal-based bi-functional oxygen electrocatalysts is critical. In this study, we prepared N,S co-doped porous carbon materials containing Co9S8 nanoparticles (Co9S8/NSC) through a one-step pyrolysis process. The process involved the pyrolysis of a polydopamine (PDA) coated Co-formic acid framework (Co-FF) derived Co3O4 and thiourea. The improved catalyst Co9S8/NSC-1 exhibited satisfactory long-term durability and superior oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity, the half-wave potential (E1/2) of the ORR reached 0.83 V, and the OER overpotential at 10 mA cm-2 (η10) was 300 mV. The zinc-air battery (ZAB) based on Co9S8/NSC-1 assembly had a maximum power density of 102.0 mW cm-2 and the cycle life reached 500 cycles. The material preparation method was simple, environmentally friendly and inexpensive, providing a feasible strategy for the development of non-precious metal-based electrocatalysts.

Deep Reconstruction of the NiFeSP Nanosheet Catalyst for Large Current-Density Water Oxidation.

Evidence shows that the crucial factor in achieving efficient water electrolysis for hydrogen production is the design and synthesis of electrocatalysts that exhibit both high performance and cost-effectiveness for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Herein, the NiFeSP nanosheets were facilely prepared on a Ni foam (NF) substrate through a cost-effective electrodeposition method. The electrode structure composed of nanosheets offers a high density of active sites and superior electrical conductivity, thereby enhancing the efficiency of the OER. In addition, the NiFeSP/NF-600 nanosheets exhibit superhydrophilic and superaerophobic characteristics, which effectively enhance the mass-transfer process by facilitating the penetration of electrolytes and enabling rapid release of gas bubbles. Consequently, NiFeSP/NF-600 demonstrates superior electrocatalytic efficacy for OER, exhibiting an overpotential of 292 mV at a high current density of 500 mA cm-2 as well as an exceptional long-term durability of 100 h. More importantly, the rapid reconstruction of FeOOH and NiOOH species from NiFeSP/NF-600 may be the true active species for OER, which is revealed utilizing in situ Raman spectroscopy in conjunction with ex situ characterization. This study not only offers an ideal "pre-catalyst" for an extremely effective OER but also offers a thorough understanding of the mechanism underlying the structural evolution of electrocatalysts and the identification of their actual active sites.

UTILITY OF STREM-1 BIOMARKER AND HCP GENE FOR IDENTIFICATION OF ACINETOBACTER BAUMANNII COLONIZATION AND INFECTION IN LUNG.

ABSTRACT: Objective: Respiratory infections or colonization of Acinetobacter baumannii (Ab) are common in clinical practice but are treated differently. Early identification of Ab infection and colonization reduces the risk of antibiotic mismatch but objective laboratory indicators to distinguish between bacterial infections and colonization are lacking. To distinguish infection and colonization of Ab, we tested the role of two biomarkers, triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (TREM-1) and hemolysin coregulated protein. Methods: A total of 96 inpatients with Ab were divided into infection and colonization groups. Blood samples were collected on days 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, and 10 and daily maximum body temperature was recorded. Polymerase Chain Reaction and Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction were used to detect the presence and expression levels of the hcp gene in Ab clinical isolates. Results : sTREM-1 and procalcitonin (PCT) levels on days 1 to 10 and neutrophil classification (N%) on days 1 to 3 were different ( P < 0.05) in the infection group and colonization group. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves showed significant differences in N% and sTREM-1 on days 2 and 3 ( P < 0.01). sTREM-1 had the highest AUC ROC on days 1, 2, and 3 of all the markers. On day 1, the ROC curve of "WBC&N%&PCT&sTREM-1" was statistically different from individual indices (white blood cell count, N%, and PCT; P < 0.05) and was equal to the ROC curve of sTREM-1 ( P > 0.05). Thirty five of 96 patients were classified as infection group and 61 as colonization group with hcp gene detection rates of 71.43% (25/35) and 31.15% (19/61), respectively. No differences in hcp gene presence and transcript levels were found between two groups ( P > 0.05). Conclusions: Dynamic monitoring of sTREM-1 and PCT is valuable in identifying Ab infection and colonization. sTREM-1 can be improved by combination with multiple biomarkers in the early stage for identification of infection and colonization. The hcp gene was more likely to be present in the infection cohort.

The Ethnopharmacological, Phytochemical, and Pharmacological Review of Euryale ferox Salisb.: A Chinese Medicine Food Homology.

Euryale ferox Salisb. (prickly water lily) is the only extent of the genus Euryale that has been widely distributed in China, India, Korea, and Japan. The seeds of E. ferox (EFS) have been categorized as superior food for 2000 years in China, based on their abundant nutrients including polysaccharides, polyphenols, sesquineolignans, tocopherols, cyclic dipeptides, glucosylsterols, cerebrosides, and triterpenoids. These constituents exert multiple pharmacological effects, such as antioxidant, hypoglycemic, cardioprotective, antibacterial, anticancer, antidepression, and hepatoprotective properties. There are very few summarized reports on E. ferox, albeit with its high nutritional value and beneficial activities. Therefore, we collected the reported literature (since 1980), medical classics, database, and pharmacopeia of E. ferox, and summarized the botanical classification, traditional uses, phytochemicals, and pharmacological effects of E. ferox, which will provide new insights for further research and development of EFS-derived functional products.

Evaluation of liver function using Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI with T1 mapping.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the value of MRI T1 mapping with Gd-EOB-DTPA for assessing liver function. METHODS: Seventy-two patients who underwent Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI for focal liver lesions at Beijing Friendship Hospital from August 2020 to March 2022 were prospectively enrolled, and variable-flip-angle T1 mapping was performed before and 20 min after enhancement. The Child-Pugh (C-P) score and albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) grade of liver function were assessed using the clinical data of the patients. Correlation analysis was used to evaluate the correlation between T1 mapping parameters and liver function grading and laboratory tests. Nonparametric tests were used to compare the differences among different liver function groups. The liver function classification efficiency of each image index was evaluated with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. RESULTS: T1post was positively correlated with the C-P grade and the ALBI grade (r = 0.717 and r = 0.652). ΔT1 was negatively correlated with the C-P grade and the ALBI grade (r = -0.790 and r = -0.658). T1post and ΔT1 significantly differed among different liver function grades (p < 0.05). For the C-P grade, T1post and ΔT1 were significantly different between each pair of groups (p < 0.05), and ΔT1 had a better diagnostic efficiency than T1post. For the ALBI grade, ΔT1 and T1post were significantly different between the NLF and ALBI1 groups (p < 0.05), and ΔT1 had a better diagnostic efficacy than T1post. T1post significantly differed between the ALBI1 and ALBI2 + 3 groups (p < 0.05), while ΔT1 had a weak ability to differentiate between these two groups. CONCLUSION: T1post and ΔT1 were strongly correlated with the two liver function grades and can be noninvasive imaging indexes for evaluating liver function.