Artesunate induces ferroptosis by regulating MT1G and has an additive effect with doxorubicin in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma cells.

Diffuse Large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a highly aggressive disease with heterogeneous outcomes and marked variability in the response to chemotherapy. DLBCL comprises two major subtypes: germinal centre B-cell-like (GCB) and activated B-cell-like (ABC). Our study highlights the extensive antitumour activity of artesunate (ART) against both major DLBCL subtypes. Transcriptome analysis suggests the potential involvement of ferroptosis in artesunate-induced cell death. Because of low glutathione (GSH) and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) levels, along with the accumulation of free iron (Fe2+), artesunate induces the excessive production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), ultimately leading to ferroptosis, a form of cell death driven by phospholipid peroxidation. A putative target of artesunate, metallothionein 1G (MT1G), was selected for further analysis. Subsequent studies revealed that inhibiting MT1G expression in vitro significantly impedes the ferroptosis-promoting activity of artesunate by reducing lipid peroxidation and iron accumulation. We also showed that the combination of artesunate and doxorubicin had a marked additive inhibitory effect on GCB and ABC DLBCL cells. In conclusion, artesunate induces ferroptotic death in GCB and ABC DLBCL cells by attenuating the GPX4/GSH antioxidant defence system and increasing intracellular iron levels, indicating its therapeutic potential for relapsed or refractory DLBCL.

Harnessing antimicrobial peptide-coupled photosensitizer to combat drug-resistant biofilm infections through enhanced photodynamic therapy.

Bacterial biofilm-associated infection was one of the most serious threats to human health. However, effective drugs for drug-resistance bacteria or biofilms remain rarely reported. Here, we propose an innovative strategy to develop a multifunctional antimicrobial agent with broad-spectrum antibacterial activity by coupling photosensitizers (PSs) with antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). This strategy capitalizes on the ability of PSs to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the membrane-targeting property of AMPs (KRWWKWIRW, a peptide screened by an artificial neural network), synergistically enhancing the antimicrobial activity. In addition, unlike conventional aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ) photosensitizers, aggregation-induced emission (AIE) PSs show stronger fluorescence emission in the aggregated state to help visualize the antibacterial mechanism. In vitro antibacterial experiments demonstrated the excellent killing effects of the developed agent against both Gram-positive (G+) and Gram-negative (G-) bacteria. The bacterial-aggregations induced ability enhanced the photoactivatable antibacterial activity against G- bacteria. Notably, it exhibited a significant effect on destroying MRSA biofilms. Moreover, it also showed remarkable efficacy in treating wound infections in mice in vivo. This multifunctional antimicrobial agent holds significant potential in addressing the challenges posed by bacterial biofilm-associated infections and drug-resistant bacteria.

Autophagy flux in bladder cancer: Cell death crosstalk, drug and nanotherapetuics.

Autophagy, a self-digestion mechanism, has emerged as a promising target in the realm of cancer therapy, particularly in bladder cancer (BCa), a urological malignancy characterized by dysregulated biological processes contributing to its progression. This highly conserved catabolic mechanism exhibits aberrant activation in pathological events, prominently featured in human cancers. The nuanced role of autophagy in cancer has been unveiled as a double-edged sword, capable of functioning as both a pro-survival and pro-death mechanism in a context-dependent manner. In BCa, dysregulation of autophagy intertwines with cell death mechanisms, wherein pro-survival autophagy impedes apoptosis and ferroptosis, while pro-death autophagy diminishes tumor cell survival. The impact of autophagy on BCa progression is multifaceted, influencing metastasis rates and engaging with the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) mechanism. Pharmacological modulation of autophagy emerges as a viable strategy to impede BCa progression and augment cell death. Notably, the introduction of nanoparticles for targeted autophagy regulation holds promise as an innovative approach in BCa suppression. This review underscores the intricate interplay of autophagy with cell death pathways and its therapeutic implications in the nuanced landscape of bladder cancer.

In-situ investigation of supercooling behaviour during high-pressure shift freezing of pure water and sucrose solution.

Supercooling is a main controllable factor for the fundamental understanding the high-pressure shift freezing (HPSF). In the study, a self-developed device based on the diamond anvil cell (DAC) and confocal Raman microscopy was utilized to realize an in-situ investigation of supercooling behaviour during HPSF of the pure water and sucrose solution. The spectra were used to determine the freezing point which is shown as a spectral phase marker (SD). The hydrogen bond strengths of water and sucrose solution under supercooling states were estimated by peak position and peak area ratio of sub-peaks. The results showed that the OH stretching bands had redshift under supercooling states. Moreover, the addition of sucrose molecules could strengthen the hydrogen bonding strength of water molecules under supercooling states. Thus, the DAC combined with Raman spectroscopy could be considered a novel strategy for a deep understanding of the supercooling behaviour during HPSF.

The proliferation of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and microbial communities in industrial wastewater treatment plant treating N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) by AAO process.

The excessive use of antibiotics has resulted in the contamination of the environment with antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), posing a significant threat to public health. Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are known to be reservoirs of ARGs and considered to be hotspots for horizontal gene transfer (HGT) between bacterial communities. However, most studies focused on the distribution and dissemination of ARGs in hospital and urban WWTPs, and little is known about their fate in industrial WWTPs. In this study, collected the 15 wastewater samples containing N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) from five stages of the anaerobic anoxic aerobic (AAO) process in an industrial WWTPs. The findings revealed a stepwise decrease in DMF and chemical oxygen demand (COD) content with the progression of treatment. However, the number and abundances of ARGs increase in the effluents of biological treatments. Furthermore, the residues of DMF and the treatment process altered the structure of the bacterial community. The correlation analysis indicated that the shift in bacterial community structures might be the main driver for the dynamics change of ARGs. Interestingly, observed that the AAO process may acted as a microbial source and increased the total abundance of ARGs instead of attenuating it. Additionally, found that non-pathogenic bacteria had higher ARGs abundance than pathogenic bacteria in effluents. The study provides insights into the microbial community structure and the mechanisms that drive the variation in ARGs abundance in industrial WWTPs.

Reductive Sn2+ Compensator for Efficient and Stable Sn-Pb Mixed Perovskite Solar Cells.

Tin-lead (Sn-Pb) mixed perovskite with a narrow bandgap is an ideal candidate for single-junction solar cells approaching the Shockley-Queisser limit. However, due to the easy oxidation of Sn2+, the efficiency and stability of Sn-Pb mixed perovskite solar cells (PSCs) still lag far behind that of Pb-based solar cells. Herein, highly efficient and stable FA0.5MA0.5Pb0.5Sn0.5I0.47Br0.03 compositional PSCs are achieved by introducing an appropriate amount of multifunctional Tin (II) oxalate (SnC2O4). SnC2O4 with compensative Sn2+ and reductive oxalate group C2O4 2- effectively passivates the cation and anion defects simultaneously, thereby leading to more n-type perovskite films. Benefitting from the energy level alignment and the suppression of bulk nonradiative recombination, the Sn-Pb mixed perovskite solar cell treated with SnC2O4 achieves a power conversion efficiency of 21.43%. More importantly, chemically reductive C2O4 2- effectively suppresses the notorious oxidation of Sn2+, leading to significant enhancement in stability. Particularly, it dramatically improves light stability.

Fruit but not vegetable consumption is beneficial for low prevalence of colorectal polyps in a high-risk population: findings from a Chinese Lanxi Pre-colorectal Cancer Cohort study.

PURPOSE: The available evidence regarding the role of fruit and vegetable consumption in the development of colorectal polyps remains inconclusive, and there is a lack of data on different histopathologic features of polyps. We aimed to evaluate the associations of fruit and vegetable consumption with the prevalence of colorectal polyps and its subtypes in a high-risk population in China. METHODS: We included 6783 Chinese participants aged 40-80 years who were at high risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) in the Lanxi Pre-colorectal Cancer Cohort (LP3C). Dietary information was obtained through a validated food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ), and colonoscopy screening was used to detect colorectal polyps. Dose-response associations of fruit and vegetable intake with the prevalence of polyps were calculated using multivariate-adjusted regression models, which was reported as odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: 2064 cases of colorectal polyps were ascertained in the LP3C during 2018-2019. Upon multivariable adjustments, including the diet quality, fruit consumption was inversely associated with the prevalence of polyps (P trend = 0.02). Participants in the highest tertile of fruit intake had a 25% lower risk (OR: 0.75; 95% CI 0.62‒0.92) compared to non-consumers, while vegetable consumption had no significant association with polyp prevalence (P trend = 0.86). In terms of colorectal histopathology and multiplicity, higher fruit intake was correlated with 24, 23, and 33% lower prevalence of small polyps (OR: 0.76; 95% CI 0.62‒0.94; P trend = 0.05), single polyp (OR: 0.77; 95% CI 0.62‒0.96; P trend = 0.04), and distal colon polyps (OR: 0.67; 95% CI 0.51‒0.87; P trend = 0.003), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Fresh fruit is suggested as a protective factor to prevent colorectal polyps in individuals at high risk of CRC, and should be underscored in dietary recommendations, particularly for high-risk populations.

Methylomonas defluvii sp. nov., a type I methane-oxidizing bacterium from a secondary sedimentation tank of a wastewater treatment plant.

An aerobic methanotroph was isolated from a secondary sedimentation tank of a wastewater treatment plant and designated strain OY6T. Cells of OY6T were Gram-stain-negative, pink-pigmented, motile rods and contained an intracytoplasmic membrane structure typical of type I methanotrophs. OY6T could grow at a pH range of 4.5-7.5 (optimum pH 6.5) and at temperatures ranging from 20 °C to 37 °C (optimum 30 °C). The major cellular fatty acids were C14 : 0, C16 : 1ω7c/C16 : 1ω6c and C16 : 1ω5c; the predominant respiratory quinone was MQ-8. The genome size was 5.41 Mbp with a DNA G+C content of 51.7 mol%. OY6T represents a member of the family Methylococcaceae of the class Gammaproteobacteria and displayed 95.74-99.64 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to the type strains of species of the genus Methylomonas. Whole-genome comparisons based on average nucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA-DNA hybridisation (dDDH) confirmed that OY6T should be classified as representing a novel species. The most closely related type strain was Methylomonas fluvii EbBT, with 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, ANI by blast (ANIb), ANI by MUMmer (ANIm) and dDDH values of 99.64, 90.46, 91.92 and 44.5 %, respectively. OY6T possessed genes encoding both the particulate methane monooxygenase enzyme and the soluble methane monooxygenase enzyme. It grew only on methane or methanol as carbon sources. On the basis of phenotypic, genetic and phylogenetic data, strain OY6T represents a novel species within the genus Methylomonas for which the name Methylomonas defluvii sp. nov. is proposed, with strain OY6T (=GDMCC 1.4114T=KCTC 8159T=LMG 33371T) as the type strain.

Simulation and calibration of radiation monitoring of nuclear power plant containment sump waste liquid.

Waste liquid stored in the containment sumps of nuclear power plants may contain a variety of radionuclides. Real-time monitoring of containment sump waste liquid can ensure that accidents, such as leakage of cooling water, can be avoided. This paper presents the design of a radioactive monitoring system for waste liquid in a containment sump. The detector and the lead-shield in the measurement unit are optimized through Monte Carlo simulations. Experimental verification showed that the background count rate of the measurement chamber in the system was 418.3 cps, and the detection limit of the detection system was 3.01 Bq/L. Distinct gamma-ray characteristic peaks were also observable, demonstrating the system's ability to identify radioactive nuclides in the waste.

Efficacy and Safety of Computed Tomography-Guided Percutaneous Balloon Compression under Local Anesthesia for Recurrent Trigeminal Neuralgia: A Prospective Study.

Purpose: There are several ways to treat trigeminal neuralgia (TN); however, TN may recur after treatment. This study investigated the efficacy and safety of computed tomography (CT)-guided percutaneous balloon compression (PBC) under local anesthesia for treatment of recurrent trigeminal neuralgia. Patients and Methods. This is a prospective and nonrandomized controlled clinical study. Forty-eight patients with classical TN were scheduled to undergo PBC surgery at the pain department of our institution between January 2021 and June 2021. The patients were prospectively divided into an initial onset group, A (21 cases), and a recurrence group, B (27 cases). All surgeries were performed with CT guidance and under local anesthesia. Postoperative complications were also observed. Pain was assessed using the visual analog scale (VAS) and Barrow Neurological Institute (BNI) scale. Efficacy indices were evaluated at 3, 6, 12, and 18 months after surgery. Results: All participants reported complete pain relief at discharge. After 18 months of follow-up, the total effective rate of pain control was 89.5% (group A, 90.5%; group B, 88.8%). There was no significant difference in the BNI scores between the two groups before and after treatment. All patients had hypoesthesia on the affected side, and no severe complications such as diplopia, blindness, intracranial hemorrhage, or intracranial infection occurred. Conclusions: CT-guided PBC under local anesthesia is safe and effective for the treatment of recurrent TN and thus acts as an effective alternative for geriatric patients and those with high-risk factors.

18ß-Glycyrrhetinic acid protects against deoxynivalenol-induced liver injury via modulating ferritinophagy and mitochondrial quality control.

Deoxynivalenol (DON), a widespread mycotoxin, represents a substantial public health hazard due to its propensity to contaminate agricultural produce, leading to both acute and chronic health issues in humans and animals upon consumption. The role of ferroptosis in DON-induced hepatic damage remains largely unexplored. This study investigates the impact of 18ß-glycyrrhetinic acid (GA), a prominent constituent of glycyrrhiza, on DON hepatotoxicity and elucidates the underlying mechanisms. Our results indicate that GA effectively attenuates liver injury inflicted by DON. This was achieved by inhibiting nuclear receptor coactivator 4 (NCOA4)-mediated ferritinophagy and ferroptosis, as well as by adjusting mitochondrial quality control (MQC). Specifically, GA curtails ferritinophagy by diminishing NCOA4 expression without affecting the autophagic flux. At a molecular level, GA binds to and stabilizes programmed cell death protein 4 (PDCD4), thereby inhibiting its ubiquitination and subsequent degradation. This stabilization of PDCD4 leads to the downregulation of NCOA4 via the JNK-Jun-NCOA4 axis. Knockdown of PDCD4 weakened GA's protective action against DON exposure. Furthermore, GA improved mitochondrial function and limited excessive mitophagy and mitochondrial division induced by DON. Disrupting GA's modulation of MQC nullified its anti-ferroptosis effects. Overall, GA offers protection against DON-induced ferroptosis by blocking ferritinophagy and managing MQC. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATION: Food contamination from mycotoxins, is a problem for agricultural and food industries worldwide. Deoxynivalenol (DON), the most common mycotoxins in cereal commodities. A survey in 2023 showed that the positivity rate for DON contamination in food reached more than 70% globally. DON can damage the health of humans whether exposed to high doses for short periods of time or low doses for long periods of time. We have discovered 18ß-Glycyrrhetinic acid (GA), a prominent constituent of glycyrrhiza. Liver damage caused by low-dose DON can be successfully treated with GA. This study will support the means of DON control, including antidotes.

Near-infrared responsive gold nanorods for highly sensitive colorimetric and photothermal lateral flow immuno-detection of SARS-CoV-2.

The highly infectious characteristics of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), highlight the necessity of sensitive and rapid nucleocapsid (N) protein-based antigen testing for early triage and epidemic management. In this study, a colorimetric and photothermal dual-mode lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) platform for the rapid and sensitive detection of the SARS-CoV-2 N protein was developed based on gold nanorods (GNRs), which possessed tunable local surface plasma resonance (LSPR) absorption peaks from UV-visible to near-infrared (NIR). The LSPR peak was adjusted to match the NIR emission laser 808 nm by controlling the length-to-diameter ratio, which could maximize the photothermal conversion efficiency and achieve photothermal detection signal amplification. Qualitative detection of SARS-CoV-2 N protein was achieved by observing the strip color, and the limit of detection was 2 ng mL-1, while that for photothermal detection was 0.096 ng mL-1. Artificial saliva samples spiked with the N protein were analyzed with the recoveries ranging from 84.38% to 107.72%. The intra-assay and inter-assay coefficients of variation were 6.76% and 10.39%, respectively. We further evaluated the reliability of this platform by detecting 40 clinical samples collected from nasal swabs, and the results matched well with that of nucleic acid detection (87.5%). This method shows great promise in early disease diagnosis and screening.

Brandt's vole hole detection and counting method based on deep learning and unmanned aircraft system.

Rodents are essential to the balance of the grassland ecosystem, but their population outbreak can cause major economic and ecological damage. Rodent monitoring is crucial for its scientific management, but traditional methods heavily depend on manual labor and are difficult to be carried out on a large scale. In this study, we used UAS to collect high-resolution RGB images of steppes in Inner Mongolia, China in the spring, and used various object detection algorithms to identify the holes of Brandt's vole (Lasiopodomys brandtii). Optimizing the model by adjusting evaluation metrics, specifically, replacing classification strategy metrics such as precision, recall, and F1 score with regression strategy-related metrics FPPI, MR, and MAPE to determine the optimal threshold parameters for IOU and confidence. Then, we mapped the distribution of vole holes in the study area using position data derived from the optimized model. Results showed that the best resolution of UAS acquisition was 0.4 cm pixel-1, and the improved labeling method improved the detection accuracy of the model. The FCOS model had the highest comprehensive evaluation, and an R2 of 0.9106, RMSE of 5.5909, and MAPE of 8.27%. The final accuracy of vole hole counting in the stitched orthophoto was 90.20%. Our work has demonstrated that UAS was able to accurately estimate the population of grassland rodents at an appropriate resolution. Given that the population distribution we focus on is important for a wide variety of species, our work illustrates a general remote sensing approach for mapping and monitoring rodent damage across broad landscapes for studies of grassland ecological balance, vegetation conservation, and land management.

Ferritinophagy Is Critical for Deoxynivalenol-Induced Liver Injury in Mice.

Background: Deoxynivalenol (DON) contamination, pervasive throughout all stages of food production and processing, presents a significant threat to human health. The degradation of ferritin mediated by nuclear receptor coactivator 4 (NCOA4), termed ferritinophagy, plays a crucial role in maintaining iron homeostasis and regulating ferroptosis. Aim: This study aims to elucidate the role of ferritinophagy and ferroptosis in DON-induced liver injury. Methods: Male mice and AML12 cells were subjected to varying doses of DON, serving as in vivo and in vitro models, respectively. Protein expression was assessed by using immunofluorescence and western blot techniques. Co-immunoprecipitation was employed to investigate the protein-protein interactions. Results: Our findings demonstrate that DON triggers hepatocyte ferroptosis in a ferritinophagy-dependent manner. Specifically, DON impedes the activation of the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) by inhibiting RAC1's binding to mTOR, thereby ultimately inducing autophagy. Concurrently, DON amplifies NCOA4's affinity for ferritin by facilitating NCOA4 phosphorylation through the ataxia-telangiectasia mutated kinase (ATM), thus promoting the autophagy-dependent degradation of ferritin. Both autophagy inhibition and NCOA4 expression suppression ameliorate DON-induced ferroptosis. Conclusion: Our study concludes that DON facilitates NCOA4-mediated ferritinophagy via the ATM-NCOA4 pathway, subsequently inducing ferroptosis in the liver.

First-principles study of oxygen vacancies in LiNbO3-type ferroelectrics.

LiNbO3-type ferroelectric oxides, as an important class of non-centrosymmetric compounds, have received great attention due to their important and rich properties. Although oxygen vacancies are widely present, studies of them in LiNbO3-type ferroelectric oxides are rare. In this article, we consider three representative LiNbO3-type ferroelectric oxide materials LiNbO3, ZnTiO3 and ZnSnO3 to study the impact of oxygen vacancy doping using first principles calculations. LiNbO3 and ZnTiO3 have ferroelectrically active cations Nb5+ and Ti4+, while ZnSnO3 does not have ferroelectrically active cations. The distribution of the oxygen vacancy induced electrons are quite different in the three materials even though they have similar structures. In oxygen deficient LiNbO3-δ (δ = 0.083/f.u.), electrons are itinerant, while in ZnTiO3-δ and ZnSnO3-δ (δ = 0.083/f.u.) the electrons are localized. These results provide guidance for the application of oxygen vacancies in LiNbO3-type ferroelectric material devices.

Visualization of PFOA accumulation and its effects on phospholipid in zebrafish liver by MALDI Imaging.

Exposure to poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) can result in bioaccumulation. Initial findings suggested that PFASs could accumulate in tissues rich in both phospholipids and proteins. However, our current understanding is limited to the average concentration of PFASs or phospholipid content across entire tissue matrices, leaving unresolved the spatial variations of lipid metabolism associated with PFOA in zebrafish tissue. To address gap, we developed a novel methodology for concurrent spatial profiling of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and individual phospholipids within zebrafish hepatic tissue sections, utilizing matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight imaging mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MSI). 5-diaminonapthalene (DAN) matrix and laser sensitivity of 50.0 were optimized for PFOA detection in MALDI-TOF-MSI analysis with high spatial resolution (25 µm). PFOA was observed to accumulate within zebrafish liver tissue. H&E staining results corroborating the damage inflicted by PFOA accumulation, consistent with MALDI MSI results. Significant up-regulation of 15 phospholipid species was observed in zebrafish groups exposed to PFOA, with these phospholipid demonstrating varied spatial distribution within the same tissue. Furthermore, co-localized imaging of distinct phospholipids and PFOA within identical tissue sections suggested there could be two distinct potential interactions between PFOA and phospholipids, which required further investigation. The MALDI-TOF-IMS provides a new tool to explore in situ spatial distributions and variations of the endogenous metabolites for the health risk assessment and ecotoxicology of emerging environmental pollutants.

Alpha-lipoic acid improves cryopreservation of rooster semen by reducing oxidative stress.

Inhibiting oxidative stress is key for ensuring sperm motility during semen cryopreservation. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of adding alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) as an extender in rooster semen cryopreservation. Different concentrations of ALA were added to the frozen diluent of rooster semen; subsequently, computer-aided semen analysis was used to determine membrane functional integrity, acrosome integrity, antioxidant capacity (based on T-AOC, GSH-Px, SOD, CAT, and MDA contents), and mitochondrial integrity. The frozen sperm ultrastructure was observed using transmission electron microscopy. The results showed that the addition of different concentrations of ALA partially to greatly improved the quality of frozen sperm; in particular, 8 µg/mL ALA significantly improved multiple parameters of sperm quality, including sperm motility and antioxidant enzyme activity, after freeze-thaw. The results of this study provide empirical and theoretical support for effective rooster semen cryopreservation and can inform the development of new protective agents in the field of livestock reproduction.

Circum-Antarctic bottom water formation mediated by tides and topographic waves.

The downslope plumes of dense shelf water (DSW) are critical for the formation of Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW), and thus to the exchange of heat and carbon between surface and abyssal ocean. Previous studies have shown that tides and overflow-forced topographic Rossby waves (TRWs) may have strong impact on the downslope transport of DSW, but it remains unclear how the combined action of these two processes influence the descent processes of DSW, and of the resulting AABW properties. Here, with a synthesis of historical in situ observations and a set of numerical model experiments, we show that tides and TRWs play comparable roles in AABW formation: they both act to accelerate DSW descent to the abyss, leading to the formation of colder and denser AABW. Yet, tides have little impact on AABW formation unless the continental slope is steep enough to suppress TRW generation. We further characterize the dynamical regimes of dense overflows around the entire Antarctic continent based on the relative importance of TRWs versus tides. These findings highlight the pervasive role of high-frequency processes, which are not well represented in the present climate models, in the formation of AABW, and thus in the global overturning circulation.

Ultralow Loading Copper-Intercalated MoO3 Nanobelts with High Activity against Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria.

In recent years, the infection rate of antibiotic resistance has been increasing year by year, and the prevalence of super bacteria has posed a great threat to human health. Therefore, there is an urgent need to find new antibiotic alternatives with long-term inhibitory activity against a broad spectrum of bacteria and microorganisms in order to avoid the proliferation of more multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria. The presence of natural van der Waals (vdW) gaps in layered materials allows them to be easily inserted by different guest species, providing an attractive strategy for optimizing their physicochemical properties and applications. Here, we have successfully constructed a copper-intercalated α-MoO3 nanobelt based on nanoenzymes, which is antibacterial through the synergistic effect of multiple enzymes. Compared with α-MoO3, MoO3-x/Cu nanobelts with a copper loading capacity of 2.11% possess enhanced peroxidase (POD) catalytic activity and glutathione (GSH) depletion, indicating that copper intercalation significantly improves the catalytic performance of the nanoenzymes. The MoO3-x/Cu nanobelts are effective in inducing POD and oxidase (OXD) and catalase (CAT) activities in the presence of H2O2 and O2, which resulted in the generation of large amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which were effective in bacterial killing. Interestingly, MoO3-x/Cu nanobelts can serve as glutathione oxidase (GSHOx)-like nanoenzymes, which can deplete GSH in bacteria and thus significantly improve the bactericidal effect. The multienzyme-catalyzed synergistic antimicrobial strategy shows excellent antimicrobial efficiency against ß-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli (ESBL-E. coli) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). MoO3-x/Cu exhibits excellent spectral bactericidal properties at very low concentrations (20 µg mL-1). Our work highlights the wide range of antibacterial and anti-infective biological applications of copper-intercalated MoO3-x/Cu nanobelt catalysts.

Knowledge, attitudes, practices, and self-efficacy of the Chinese public regarding cardiopulmonary resuscitation: an online cross-sectional survey.

Objective: To evaluate the current status of Chinese public's knowledge, attitudes, practices (KAP) and self-efficacy regarding cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and to analyze the factors that influence KAP and self-efficacy. Methods: An online cross-sectional survey was conducted from February to June 2022 in Mainland China via a self-designed self-filled questionnaire. Potential participants were recruited through WeChat by convenience sampling and snowball sampling methods. Descriptive and quantitative analyses were used for statistical analysis. Results: The survey included 4,450 participants from 31 provinces, autonomous regions, or municipalities across Mainland China, aged 18 or above. The public's average understanding (clear and very clear) of the knowledge regarding CPR was 67.4% (3,000/4,450), with an average proportion of positive attitudes at 96.8% (4,308/4,450). In practice, the average proportion of good practices was 92.8% (4,130/4,450), while the percentage of good self-efficacy averaged at 58.9% (2,621/4,450), only 42.4% (1,885/4,450) of the participants had confidence in the correct use of automated external defibrillator (AED). Pearson correlation analysis showed a significantly positive correlation among knowledge, attitude, practice, and self-efficacy (p < 0.01). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that several factors have a significant influence on the public's CPR KAP and self-efficacy, including ever having received CPR training (p < 0.001), hearing about AED (p < 0.001), performing CPR on others (p < 0.001), hearing about CPR (p < 0.001), occupation (p < 0.001), personal health status (p < 0.001), education level (p < 0.001), gender (p < 0.001), and encountering someone in need of CPR (p = 0.021). Conclusion: The Chinese public demonstrates good knowledge of CPR, positive attitude, and high willingness to perform CPR. However, there is still room for improvement in the mastery of some professional knowledge points related to CPR and AED. It should be noted that knowledge, attitude, practice, and self-efficacy are interrelated and influence each other. Factors such as prior CPR training, hearing about AED, having performed CPR before, hearing about CPR, occupation, personal health status, education level, gender, and having encountered someone in need of CPR have a significant impact on the public's KAP and self-efficacy.