Disruption of the interaction between caveolae and Piezo1 promotes pressure overload-induced cardiac remodeling.

Piezo1 channels are activated by mechanical stress and play a significant role in cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying Piezo1 activation on the cell membrane following pressure overload remain unclear. Caveolae are known to mitigate mechanical forces and regulate Piezo1 function. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the interaction between caveolae and Piezo1 in the development of pressure overload-induced cardiac remodeling. We observed reduced colocalization between Piezo1 and Caveolin-3 in hypertrophic cardiomyocytes following abdominal aortic constriction and Angiotensin-II treatment, accompanied by increased Piezo1 function and expression. Furthermore, enhanced Piezo1 function was also noted upon caveolae disruption using methyl-beta-cyclodextrin (mßCD). Thus, our findings suggested that pressure overload led to Piezo1 translocation from caveolae, thereby augmenting its function and expression, which may contribute to cardiac remodeling.

CT and MRI features of sarcomatoid urothelial carcinoma of the bladder and its differential diagnosis with conventional urothelial carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Sarcomatoid urothelial carcinoma (SUC) is a rare and highly malignant form of bladder cancer with a poor prognosis. Currently, there is limited information on the imaging features of bladder SUC and reliable indicators for distinguishing it from conventional urothelial carcinoma (CUC). The objective of our study was to identify the unique imaging characteristics of bladder SUC and determine factors that aid in its differential diagnosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study enrolled 22 participants with bladder SUC and 61 participants with CUC. The clinical, pathologic, and CT/MRI data from both groups were recorded, and a comparison was conducted using univariate analysis and multinomial logistic regression for distinguishing SUC from CUC. RESULTS: The majority of SUCs were located in the trigone of the bladder and exhibited large tumor size, irregular shape, low ADC values, Vesical Imaging-Reporting and Data System (VI-RADS) score ≥ 4, the presence of necrosis, and an invasive nature. Univariate analysis revealed significant differences in terms of tumor location, shape, the maximum long-axis diameter (LAD), the short-axis diameter (SAD), ADC-value, VI-RADS scores, necrosis, extravesical extension (EVE), pelvic peritoneal spread (PPS), and hydronephrosis/ureteral effusion (p < .001 ~ p = .037) between SUCs and CUCs. Multinomial logistic regression found that only SAD (p = .014) and necrosis (p = .003) emerged as independent predictors for differentiating between SUC and CUC. The model based on these two factors achieved an area under curve (AUC) of 0.849 in ROC curve analysis. CONCLUSION: Bladder SUC demonstrates several distinct imaging features, including a high incidence of trigone involvement, large tumor size, and obvious invasiveness accompanied by necrosis. A bladder tumor with a large SAD and evidence of necrosis is more likely to be SUC rather than CUC.

Plant traits mediate foliar uptake of deposited nitrogen by mature woody plants.

Increased atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition significantly disturbs ecosystem N cycle. Although foliar interception and uptake of N deposition can provide an important alternative N supply to forest ecosystems, the mechanisms regulating foliar N uptake from wet deposition are not fully understood. Here, we selected 19 woody species with a wide range of plant traits from different functional groups and conducted a 15N isotope labelling experiment through brushing 15NH4 + and 15NO3 - solution on canopy leaves. Our findings demonstrate that leaves can directly absorb N from wet deposition within a few hours. The average leaf 15N recoveries were 10% and 28% under 15NH4 + and 15NO3 - treatments across species, respectively, while twig N recoveries were only 1%-7% of leaf N recoveries. Differences in foliar N uptake efficiency among species were closely associated with leaf traits but were little influenced by meteorological conditions or soil nutrient status. Specifically, plants with higher leaf N concentration, larger specific leaf area and lower wax concentration exhibited higher leaf N recovery. Our results indicated that tree canopies could directly absorb N from atmospheric deposition. We highlight the critical role of leaf traits in determining canopy foliar N uptake, which may consequently influence plant competition under elevated N deposition.

Structural, blood flow and functional changes in the macular area and the expression of aqueous humor factors in myopia.

Objective: To compare the macular area parameters and aqueous humor factors between myopia and emmetropia. Methods: Convenience sampling was used to select patients who visited the Changzhi Aier Eye Hospital's department of ophthalmology from December 2018 to December 2022 as the study participants. They were divided into three groups according to whether they were diagnosed as mild myopia myopic, highly myopic or not as follows: the mild myopia group (60 cases, 108 eyes), the high myopia group (46 cases, 78 eyes) and the healthy emmetropia group (40 cases, 65 eyes). The differences in the macular integrity (MI) assessment, optical coherence tomography and optical coherence tomography angiography parameters and aqueous humor factors were compared between the three groups. Results: AL in high myopia group was the highest, and that in emmetropia group was the lowest. The BCVA of mild myopia group was the highest. The RS in the high myopia group were significantly lowest in the three groups (26.42 ± 1.04 vs. 28.34 ± 0.76 vs. 31.92 ± 0.77) (F = 5.374, p = 0.013). The 63% BCEA, 95% BCEA and MI in the high myopia group were significantly highest (p < 0.05). The mean RPE thickness, mean CT and mean RT in the high myopia group were lowest (p < 0.05). The blood flow density were lowest in the superficial fovea, paracentral fovea and different subdivisions of the paracentral fovea in the high myopia group (p < 0.05). The VEGF concentration in the aqueous humor of the high myopia group was lowest (25.62 ± 17.43 vs. 32.45 ± 24.67 vs. 64.37 ± 21.14) (F = 9.237, p < 0.001). The MMP-2 concentration was highest (483 ± 201.48 vs. 410 ± 142.37 vs. 386 ± 154.34) (F = 5.542, p = 0.018). The VEGF concentration in the aqueous humor factor was negatively correlated with the AL in the myopia group (r = -0.438, p = 0.002), the MMP-2 concentration was positively correlated with the AL (r = 0.484, p = 0.010). Conclusion: Patients with high myopia showed decreased retinal light sensitivity, fixation stability, superficial blood flow density and retinal thickness compared with people with emmetropia. A decreased VEGF concentration and increased MMP-2 concentration in the aqueous humor factor have potential associations with the development of high myopia.

Potential therapeutic targets for pelvic organ prolapse: insights from key genes related to blood vessel development.

Objective: Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a disease in which pelvic floor support structures are dysfunctional due to disruption of the extracellular matrix (ECM). The vascular system is essential for maintaining ECM homeostasis. Therefore, this study explored the potential mechanism of blood vessel development-related genes (BVDRGs) in POP. Methods: POP-related datasets and BVDRGs were included in this study. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the POP and control groups were first identified in the GSE12852 and GSE208271 datasets, and DE-BVDRGs were identified by determining the intersection of these DEGs and BVDRGs. Subsequently, the feature genes were evaluated by machine learning. Feature genes with consistent expression trends in the GSE12852 and GSE208271 datasets were considered key genes. Afterward, the overall diagnostic efficacy of key genes in POP was evaluated through receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Based on the key genes, enrichment analysis, immune infiltration analysis and regulatory network construction were performed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the functions of the key genes in POP. Results: A total of 888 DEGs1 and 643 DEGs2 were identified in the GSE12852 and GSE208271 datasets, and 26 candidate genes and 4 DE-BVDRGs were identified. Furthermore, Hyaluronan synthase 2 (HAS2), Matrix metalloproteinase 19 (MMP19) and Plexin Domain Containing 1 (PLXDC1) were identified as key genes in POP and had promising value for diagnosing POP (AUC > 0.8). Additional research revealed that the key genes were predominantly implicated in immune cell activation, chemotaxis, and cytokine release via the chemokine signaling pathway, the Nod-like receptor signaling pathway, and the Toll-like receptor signaling pathway. Analysis of immune cell infiltration confirmed a decrease in the proportion of plasma cells in POP, and MMP19 expression showed a significant negative correlation with plasma cell numbers. In addition, regulatory network analysis revealed that MALAT1 (a lncRNA) targeted hsa-miR-503-5p, hsa-miR-23a-3p and hsa-miR-129-5p to simultaneously regulate three key genes. Conclusion: We identified three key BVDRGs (HAS2, MMP19 and PLXDC1) related to the ECM in POP, providing markers for diagnostic studies and investigations of the molecular mechanism of POP.

Multifunctional long afterglow nanoparticles with enhanced photothermal effects for in vivo imaging and tumor-targeting therapy.

Considering the excellent properties such as deep tissue penetration, high signal-to-noise ratio, and in-situ recharge and reactivation, near-infrared luminescence long afterglow nanoparticles show considerable promise for biological application, especially in multifunctional imaging, targeting, and synergistic therapeutic. In this paper, Zn3Ga4GeO11: 0.1 % Cr3+, 1 % Yb3+, 0.1 % Tm3+@Ag-FA (ZGGO@Ag-FA, ZGA-FA) nanoparticles were synthesized by in-situ growth of Ag nanoparticles on the surface of long afterglow nanoparticles, and further modified with folic acid. Through precise adjustments, the luminescent properties of ZnGa2O4 were enhanced and notably boosted the photothermal effect of Ag by leveraging the upconversion emission of ZGGO, with a photothermal conversion efficiency reaching about 59.9 %. The ZGA-FA nanoparticles are ultra-small, measuring less than 50 nm. The modification with folic acid provides the ZGA-FA nanoparticles with excellent tumor-targeting capabilities, demonstrating effective enrichment and retention in tumor tissues, thus enabling long-term imaging and therapy through in vivo re-excitation. Due to its stable photothermal effect, outstanding near-infrared (NIR) afterglow imaging, and red-light charged characteristics, combined with effective tumor-targeting abilities, the therapeutic strategy proposed by this study has significant potential for clinical applications.

A case of high-grade non-intestinal paranasal sinus adenocarcinoma primary in the maxillary sinus: targeted therapy after postoperative immunocombination with chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: High-grade non-intestinal-type sinonasal adenocarcinoma (non-ITAC) is a rare and aggressive form of adenocarcinoma with poor prognosis. The current standard treatment approach involves surgery combined with radiation therapy. However, there is a need for exploring additional treatment modalities to improve patient outcomes. CASE PRESENTATION: We present a case of a 65-year-old male patient who presented with pain in the right maxillary sinus and was diagnosed with high-grade non-ITAC following surgery. Postoperative pathology revealed tumor invasion into bone tissue and vascular invasion, necessitating further treatment. The patient underwent radiation therapy, followed by immunotherapy with carilizumab combined with chemotherapy. During the maintenance immunotherapy period, tumor progression was observed, and genetic testing identified EGFR and TP53 mutations. Consequently, the patient was treated with gefitinib, a targeted therapy drug. Notably, the patient's lung metastases showed a gradual reduction in size, indicating a favorable treatment response. The patient is currently undergoing oral treatment with gefitinib. CONCLUSIONS: This case report highlights the potential benefit of combining immunotherapy and targeted therapy in the treatment of high-grade non-ITAC. Despite the rarity of this cancer type, this approach may offer an alternative treatment strategy for patients with this aggressive disease. We hope that this case can contribute to a deeper understanding of high-grade non-ITAC and promote the application of immunotherapy and targeted therapy in improving survival rates for patients with this condition.

Efficacy, safety, and tolerability of adjunctive Lacosamide therapy for focal seizures in young children aged ≥1 month to ≤4 years: A real-world study.

AIMS: To evaluate the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of adjunctive lacosamide therapy against focal seizures in young children (1 month - 4 years). METHODS: This non-randomized, open-label, and self-controlled real-world study included 105 children (1 month-4 years) with focal seizures treated with adjunctive lacosamide therapy at Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University. RESULTS: (1) The 50% response rates at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months of follow-up were 58.1%, 61.0%, 57.1%, and 56.2%, while the seizure-free rates were 27.6%, 34.3%, 32.4%, and 37.1%, respectively. The 50% response rate of the first addition of lacosamide for focal seizures was much higher than the second and later added treatment at 3 months (p = 0.038). After 1 year of follow-up, these children showed an improvement in neurodevelopmental levels (p < 0.05). (2) Lacosamide retention rate was 72.7% (64/88) after 1 year of follow-up. Lack of efficacy and serious adverse events were independent risk factors for the lacosamide retention rate. (3) During adjunctive lacosamide therapy, 13 (12.4%) patients reported adverse events and five (4.7%) patients withdrew due to adverse events, including vomiting drowsiness, ataxia (0.94%), neck itching with eczema (0.94%), irritability (1.88%), and gastrointestinal discomfort (0.94%). CONCLUSION: Adjunctive lacosamide therapy was effective, safe, and well-tolerated in young Chinese children with focal seizures in this study.

A visualized and bibliometric analysis of nursing research during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: The global spread of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been increasing since December 2019. A total of 8460 publications were obtained from the Web of Science Core Collection from 2019 to 2023, providing insights into the progress of nursing research throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Bibliometric analysis was conducted on these articles using CiteSpace. The analysis focused on examining the distribution of these publications in terms of space and time, distribution of authors, subject categories, distribution of topics, and cited references. RESULTS: These results may be explained from 3 perspectives. Initially, the number of yearly publications on nursing research consistently increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, a co-occurrence analysis of the countries and the authors revealed that certain countries, including the United States, China, and England, have successfully implemented organized and standardized nursing models. These countries also have well-developed and established nursing research systems. Notably, academic communities in specific regions, such as the team led by MD Stefan Gravenstein, Mor Vincent, and White Elizabeth at Brown University in the United States, have emerged as leaders in this field. Furthermore, examining the papers' subject categories and topic distribution indicate that nursing during the COVID-19 pandemic has been predominantly interdisciplinary, encompassing various disciplines such as clinical medicine, essential medicine, psychology, public health management, and even telematics science. CONCLUSION SUBSECTIONGS: Our study provided valuable insights into acquiring knowledge on nursing research during the COVID-19 pandemic, pinpointed possible partners for researchers interested in nursing, and uncovered prevalent research patterns and popular subjects.

Prognostic factors for lacrimal gland adenoid cystic carcinoma: a retrospective study in Chinese patients.

AIM: To explore the prognostic factors for lacrimal gland adenoid cystic carcinoma (LGACC) in Chinese patients. METHODS: Clinical and histopathological data were reviewed in patients with pathologically confirmed LGACC. Local recurrence, metastasis, and disease-specific death were the main outcome measures. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed by the Kaplan-Meier method and a Cox proportional hazard model. RESULTS: This retrospective cohort study included 45 patients with pathologically confirmed LGACC between January 2008 and June 2022. Tumor (T) classification (P=0.005), nodal metastasis (N) classification (P=0.018) and positive margin (P=0.008) were independent risk factors of recurrence; T (P=0.013) and N (P=0.003) classification and the basaloid tumor type (P=0.032) were independent risk factors for metastasis; T classification (P<0.001) was an independent factor of death of disease. In the further analysis, the durations from first surgery to radiotherapy is correlated with metastatic risk in LGACC patients with basaloid component (P=0.022). CONCLUSION: Histological subtype should be emphasized when evaluating prognosis and guiding treatment. Timely radiotherapy may reduce the risk of metastasis in patients with basaloid component.

Primate-specific BTN3A2 protects against SARS-CoV-2 infection by interacting with and reducing ACE2.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an immune-related disorder caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The complete pathogenesis of the virus remains to be determined. Unraveling the molecular mechanisms governing SARS-CoV-2 interactions with host cells is crucial for the formulation of effective prophylactic measures and the advancement of COVID-19 therapeutics. METHODS: We analyzed human lung single-cell RNA sequencing dataset to discern the association of butyrophilin subfamily 3 member A2 (BTN3A2) expression with COVID-19. The BTN3A2 gene edited cell lines and transgenic mice were infected by live SARS-CoV-2 in a biosafety level 3 (BSL-3) laboratory. Immunoprecipitation, flow cytometry, biolayer interferometry and competition ELISA assays were performed in BTN3A2 gene edited cells. We performed quantitative real-time PCR, histological and/or immunohistochemical analyses for tissue samples from mice with or without SARS-CoV-2 infection. FINDINGS: The BTN3A2 mRNA level was correlated with COVID-19 severity. BTN3A2 expression was predominantly identified in epithelial cells, elevated in pathological epithelial cells from COVID-19 patients and co-occurred with ACE2 expression in the same lung cell subtypes. BTN3A2 targeted the early stage of the viral life cycle by inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 attachment through interactions with the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the Spike protein and ACE2. BTN3A2 inhibited ACE2-mediated SARS-CoV-2 infection by reducing ACE2 in vitro and in vivo. INTERPRETATION: These results reveal a key role of BTN3A2 in the fight against COVID-19. Identifying potential monoclonal antibodies which mimic BTN3A2 may facilitate disruption of SARS-CoV-2 infection, providing a therapeutic avenue for COVID-19. FUNDING: This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32070569, U1902215, and 32371017), the CAS "Light of West China" Program, and Yunnan Province (202305AH340006).

Transcriptional signatures of cortical structural changes in chronic insomnia disorder.

Chronic insomnia disorder (CID) is a multidimensional disease that may influence various levels of brain organization, spanning the macroscopic structural connectome to microscopic gene expression. However, the connection between genomic variations and morphological alterations in CID remains unclear. Here, we investigated brain structural changes in CID patients at the whole-brain level and whether these link to transcriptional characteristics. Brain structural data from 104 CID patients and 102 matched healthy controls (HC) were acquired to examine cortical structural alterations using morphometric similarity (MS) analysis. Partial least squares (PLS) regression and transcriptome data from the Allen Human Brain Atlas were used to extract genomes related to MS changes. Gene-category enrichment analysis (GCEA) was used to identify potential molecular mechanisms behind the observed structural changes. We found that CID patients exhibited MS reductions in the parietal and limbic regions, along with enhancements in the temporal and frontal regions compared to HCs (pFDR < .05). Subsequently, PLS and GCEA revealed that these MS alterations were spatially correlated with a set of genes, especially those significantly correlated with excitatory and inhibitory neurons and chronic neuroinflammation. This neuroimaging-transcriptomic study bridges the gap between cortical structural changes and the molecular mechanisms in CID patients, providing novel insight into the pathophysiology of insomnia and targeted treatments.

The correlation between quality of recovery and parturient outcomes after Cesarean delivery: a cohort study.

PURPOSE: Recent studies have reported the use of the obstetric-specific quality of recovery tool (ObsQoR-10) to assess the quality of recovery in parturients after childbirth; however, the correlation between ObsQoR-10 scores and important postpartum outcomes are unclear. The primary aim of the present study was to investigate the correlations between ObsQoR-10 scores at 24 hr after Cesarean delivery and breastfeeding, depressive symptomatology, overall health, and pain at seven days postpartum. METHODS: We recruited parturients who underwent elective Cesarean delivery at KK Hospital in Singapore. Parturients provided responses to post-Cesarean questionnaires at 1) 24 hr (ObsQoR-10, EuroQol EQ-Visual Analogue Scale, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale), 2) 48 hr (ObsQoR-10, EQ-Visual Analogue Scale), and 3) seven days after Cesarean delivery (ObsQoR-10, Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short form, EQ-Visual Analogue Scale, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, pain survey). RESULTS: We enrolled 222 participants, 200 (90%) of whom completed the seven-day follow-up between September 2022 and April 2023. There was limited correlation between ObsQoR-10 at 24 hr with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (r = 0.135), EQ-Visual Analogue Scale (r = 0.158), Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short form (r = 0.225), and averaged pain scores (r = -0.107) at seven days postpartum. ObsQoR-10 breastfeeding sub-score at 24 hr was weakly correlated with Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short form at seven days postpartum (r = 0.307). CONCLUSION: ObsQoR-10 at 24 hr postpartum had limited correlation with breastfeeding, depressive symptomatology, overall health, and pain at seven days. STUDY REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov ( NCT04989894 ); first submitted 4 July 2021.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIF: Des études récentes ont rapporté l'utilisation de l'outil de qualité de récupération spécifique à l'obstétrique (ObsQoR-10) pour évaluer la qualité de la récupération chez les personnes parturientes après l'accouchement; cependant, la corrélation entre les scores sur l'outil ObsQoR-10 et les devenirs post-partum importants n'est pas claire. L'objectif principal de la présente étude était d'examiner les corrélations entre les scores ObsQoR-10 obtenus 24 heures après l'accouchement par césarienne et l'allaitement, la symptomatologie dépressive, l'état de santé général et la douleur sept jours après l'accouchement. MéTHODE: Nous avons recruté des personnes parturientes qui ont bénéficié d'un accouchement par césarienne programmée à l'Hôpital KK de Singapour. Les personnes parturientes ont répondu aux questionnaires post-césarienne à 1) 24 heures (ObsQoR-10, échelle visuelle analogique EuroQol EQ-Visual Analogue Scale, Échelle de dépression postnatale d'Édimbourg), 2) 48 heures (ObsQoR-10, EQ-Visual Analogue Scale), et 3) sept jours après la césarienne (ObsQoR-10, Échelle abrégée d'auto-efficacité de l'allaitement [Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short form], EQ-Visual Analogue Scale, Échelle de dépression postnatale d'Edimbourg, enquête sur la douleur). RéSULTATS: Nous avons recruté 222 participant·es, dont 200 (90 %) ont terminé le suivi de sept jours entre septembre 2022 et avril 2023. Il y avait une corrélation limitée entre l'ObsQoR-10 à 24 heures et l'Échelle de dépression postnatale d'Édimbourg (r = 0,135), l'échelle EQ-Visual Analogue Scale (r = 0,158), l'échelle d'auto-efficacité de l'allaitement maternel forme courte (r = 0,225) et les scores moyens de douleur (r = -0,107) sept jours après l'accouchement. Le sous-score d'allaitement ObsQoR-10 à 24 heures était faiblement corrélé à l'échelle d'auto-efficacité de l'allaitement maternel à sept jours après l'accouchement (r = 0,307). CONCLUSION: L'ObsQoR-10 à 24 heures après l'accouchement avait une corrélation limitée avec l'allaitement, la symptomatologie dépressive, l'état de santé général et la douleur à sept jours. ENREGISTREMENT DE L'éTUDE: ClinicalTrials.gov ( NCT04989894 ); première soumission le 4 juillet 2021.

Trends in symptom prevalence and sequential onset of SARS-CoV-2 infection from 2020 to 2022 in East and Southeast Asia: a trajectory pattern exploration based on summary data.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic's diverse symptomatology, driven by variants, underscores the critical need for a comprehensive understanding. Employing stochastic models, our study evaluates symptom sequences across SARS-CoV-2 variants on aggregated data, yielding essential insights for targeted interventions. METHODS: We conducted a meta-analysis based on research literature published before December 9, 2022, from PubMed, LitCovid, Google Scholar, and CNKI databases, to investigate the prevalence of COVID-19 symptoms during the acute phase. Registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023402568), we performed random-effects meta-analyses using the R software to estimate pooled prevalence and 95% CI. Based on our findings, we introduced the Stochastic Progression Model and Sequential Pattern Discovery using Equivalence classes (SPADE) algorithm to analyze patterns of symptom progression across different variants. RESULTS: Encompassing a total of 430,100 patients from east and southeast Asia, our results reveal the highest pooled estimate for cough/dry cough across wild-type, Delta, and Omicron variants, with fever (78.18%; 95% CI: 67-89%) being the most prominent symptom for the Alpha variant. Symptoms associated with the Omicron variant primarily manifested in upper respiratory tracts, cardiovascular, and neuropsychiatric systems. Stochastic models indicate early symptoms including dry cough and fever, followed by subsequent development of sleep disorders, fatigue, and more. CONCLUSION: Our study underscores the evolving symptomatology across SARS-CoV-2 variants, emphasizing similarities in fever, cough, and fatigue. The Omicron variant presents a distinct profile characterized by milder symptoms yet heightened neuropsychological challenges. Advanced analytical models validate the observed sequential progression of symptoms, reinforcing the consistency of disease trajectory.

To nap or not? Evidence from a meta-analysis of cohort studies of habitual daytime napping and health outcomes.

Habitual daytime napping is a common behavioral and lifestyle practice in particular countries and is often considered part of a normal daily routine. However, recent evidence suggests that the health effects of habitual daytime napping are controversial. We systematically searched PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases from inception to March 9, 2024, to synthesize cohort studies of napping and health outcome risk. A total of 44 cohort studies with 1,864,274 subjects aged 20-86 years (mean age 56.4 years) were included. Overall, habitual napping increased the risk of several adverse health outcomes, including all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, metabolic disease, and cancer, and decreased the risk of cognitive impairment and sarcopenia. Individuals with a napping duration of 30 min or longer exhibited a higher risk of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic disease, whereas those with napping durations less than 30 min had no significant risks. No significant differences in napping and health risks were observed for napping frequency, percentage of nappers, sample size, sex, age, body mass index, follow-up years, or comorbidity status. These findings indicate that individuals with a long napping duration should consider shortening their daily nap duration to 30 min or less.

Stiff gel-protected fiber-shaped supercapacitors based on CNFA/silk composite fiber with superhigh interference-resistant ability as self-powered temperature sensor.

The development of self-powered sensors with interference-resistant detection is a priority area of research for the next generation of wearable electronic devices. Nevertheless, the presence of multiple stimuli in the actual environment will result in crosstalk with the sensor, thereby hindering the ability to obtain an accurate response to a singular stimulus. Here, we present a self-powered sensor composed of silk-based conductive composite fibers (CNFA@ESF), which is capable of energy storage and sensing. The fabricated CNFA@ESF exhibits excellent mechanical performance, as well as flexibility that can withstand various deformations. The CNFA@ESF provides a good areal capacitance (44.44 mF cm-2), high-rate capability, and excellent cycle stability (91 % for 5000 cycles). In addition, CNFA@ESF also shows good sensing performance for multiple signals including strain, temperature, and humidity. It was observed that the assembly of the symmetrical device with a stiff hydrogel surface layer for protection enabled the real-time, interference-free monitoring of temperature signals. Also, the CNFA@ESF can be woven into fabrics and integrated with a solar cell to form a self-powered sensor system, which has been proven to convert and store solar energy to power electronic watches, indicating its huge potential for future wearable electronics.

Al Impurity Upcycled High-Voltage Cathodes from Spent LiCoO2 Batteries.

Al impurity is among the most likely components to enter the spent lithium-ion battery (LIB) cathode powder due to the strong adhesion between the cathode material and the Al current collector. However, high-value metal elements tend to be lost during the deep removal of Al impurities to obtain high-purity metal salt products in the conventional hydrometallurgical process. In this work, the harmful Al impurity is designed as a beneficial ingredient to upcycle high-voltage LiCoO2 by incorporating robust Al-O covalent bonds into the bulk of the cathode assisted with Ti modification. Benefiting from the strong Al-O and Ti-O bonds in the bulk, the irreversible phase transitions of the upcycled R-LCO-AT have been significantly suppressed at high voltages, as revealed by in situ XRD. Moreover, a Li+-conductive Li2TiO3 protective layer is constructed on the surface of R-LCO-AT by pinning slow-diffusion Ti on the grain boundaries, resulting in improved Li+ diffusion kinetics and restrained interface side reactions. Consequently, the cycle stability and rate performance of R-LCO-AT were significantly enhanced at a high cutoff voltage of 4.6 V, with a discharge capacity of 189.5 mAhg-1 at 1 C and capacity retention of 92.9% over 100 cycles at 4.6 V. This study utilizes the detrimental impurity element to upcycle high-voltage LCO cathodes through an elaborate bulk/surface structural design, offering a strategy for the high-value utilization of spent LIBs.

Reproductive resilience of growth and nitrogen uptake underpins yield improvement in winter wheat with forced delay of sowing.

Winter wheat production is influenced by climate extremes worldwide. Heavy precipitation induced delay of sowing generates limited photothermal resources for wheat early growth. However, how wheat build resilience from stunted seedling growth has not been fully explored. Here, a twelve-year farmers' survey of wheat yield was recorded and four-year field experiments of wheat grown in normal and late-sowing were performed under zero nitrogen (N0) and optimum nitrogen (Opt.N) supply. Wheat growth and N uptake were measured at both vegetative and reproductive stages alongside photothermal resource-use efficiency. Farmers' survey showed 10.4 % yield losses due to delayed sowing compared to the normal. However, four-year field trials revealed that the combination of increasing seeding rates and Opt.N application recovered grain yield of sowing-delayed wheat and even increased by 13.2 % compared to plants in the normal seasons. Although delayed sowing substantially suppressed seedling growth and tillering before winter dormancy, the Opt.N application increased spring tillers by 2.4-fold which were productive at maturity. Further, plant growth and N uptake from jointing to anthesis of sowing-delayed wheat were accelerated by Opt.N, but not by N0 treatment. Delayed sowing significantly shortened the duration of lag phase of grain filling by 3.5 days and by 183 growing degree days compared with the normal, which initiated the linear and fast filling earlier. Increased leaf photosynthesis by 27.4 % during grain filling further supported the fast recovery of grain filling in the sowing-delayed wheat. Concomitantly, the physiological N-use efficiency increased by 46.7 % during grain filling and by 41.5 % at maturity by enhancing N availability and seeding rates, and photothermal resource-use efficiency increased by 1.3- to 1.7-fold for wheat with delayed vs. normal sowing. Overall, these findings highlight the integrated management of nutrient and cultivation to mitigate the impacts of climate extremes on crop productivity through building plant reproductive resilience.

Central nervous system disturbances by thiamethoxam in Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica): In vivo, ex vivo, and in silico study.

The neurotoxic effects of neonicotinoids (NEOs) have been widely reported in relation to the poisoning of wild birds, yet the underlying molecular mechanism has remained elusive. This study employed Japanese quails (Coturnix japonica) and primary quail embryonic neurons as in vivo and ex vivo models, respectively, to investigate the neurotoxic effects and mechanism of thiamethoxam (TMX), a representative neonicotinoid insecticide, at environmentally relevant concentrations. Following a 28-day exposure to TMX, metabolomic analysis of quail brain revealed TMX-induced changes in glutamatergic, GABA-ergic, and dopaminergic function. Subsequent ex vivo and in silico experimentation revealed that the activation of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and calcium signaling, induced by clothianidin (CLO), the primary metabolite of TMX, served as upstream events for the alterations in neurotransmitter synthesis, metabolism, release, and uptake. Our findings propose that the disruption of the central nervous system, caused by environmentally significant concentrations of NEOs, may account for the avian poisoning events induced by NEOs.

Research on a harmless treatment method for oily sludge in coal chemical wastewater and the pollutant transformation mechanism of oily sludge during the treatment process.

This study developed an ultrasound synergistic subcritical hydrothermal treatment method (U-SHT) to address the challenges posed by the high oil and water content, complex composition, and hazardous nature of oily sludge (OS) generated during the pretreatment of coal chemical wastewater. The study investigated the efficiency of this method for the harmless disposal and resource recovery of OS, and the migration-transformation mechanism of hazardous organic pollutants in OS. The findings revealed that U-SHT achieved a removal efficiency of chemical oxygen demand in OS of 91.16 %, an oil resource recovery efficiency of 96.60 %, and a residual oil rate of 0.28 %, meeting API emission standards. Further research indicated that the solubilizing effect of the surfactant on the oil enhanced the demulsifying effect of ultrasonic cavitation on the emulsified structure of OS, enabling ultrasound to efficiently release and disperse pollutants within OS. This promoted the decomposition and transformation of pollutants under subcritical hydrothermal conditions, with synergistic removal efficiencies for typical pollutants such as long-chain alkanes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and phenols reaching 96.61 %, 97.63 %, and 97.76 %, respectively. Economic evaluation indicated that the cost of OS treatment was $29.66/m3, significantly lower than existing methods, demonstrating promising practical application prospects.