Ultrafast Quasi-Solid-State Microwave Construction of Spongy Cobalt-Molybdenum Phosphide for Hydrogen Production Over Wide pH Range.

The developed strategies for synthesizing metal phosphides are usually cumbersome and pollute the environment. In this work, an ultrafast (30 s) quasi-solid-state microwave approach is developed to construct cobalt-molybdenum phosphide decorated with Ru (Ru/CoxP-MoP) featured porous morphology with interconnected channels. The specific nanostructure favors mass transport, such as electrolyte bubbles transfer and exposing rich active sites. Moreover, the coupling effects between metallic elements, especially the decorated Ru, also act as a pivotal role on enhancing the electrocatalytic performance. Benefiting from the effects of composition and specific nanostructure, the prepared Ru/CoxP-MoP exhibits efficient HER performance with a current density of 10 mA cm-2 achieved in 1 m KOH, 0.5 m H2SO4, seawater containing 1 m KOH and 1 m PBS, with overpotentials of 52, 59, 55, 90 mV, and coupling with good stability. This work opens a novel and fast avenue to design metal-phosphide-based nanomaterials in energy-conversion and storage fields.

Disparities in hepatitis B virus healthcare service access among marginalised poor populations: a mixed-method systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Marginalised poor populations, characterised by poverty and social exclusion, suffer disproportionately from hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections and encounter substantial disparities in access to healthcare. This has further exacerbated the global HBV burden and precluded progress towards HBV elimination. This mixed-method systematic review aimed to synthesise their utilisation and influencing factors in HBV healthcare services, including screening, vaccination, treatment, and linkage-to-care. METHODS: Eleven databases were searched from their inception to May 4, 2023. Quantitative and qualitative studies examining the factors influencing HBV healthcare access among marginalised poor populations were included. A meta-analysis was conducted to synthesise the pooled rates of HBV healthcare utilisation. The factors influencing utilisation were integrated and visualised using a health disparity research framework. RESULTS: Twenty-one studies were included involving 13,171 marginalised poor individuals: sex workers, rural migrant workers, irregular immigrants, homeless adults, and underprivileged individuals. Their utilisation of HBV healthcare ranged from 1.5% to 27.5%. Meta-analysis showed that the pooled rate of at least one dose of the HBV vaccine barely reached 37% (95% confidence interval: 0.26‒0.49). Fifty-one influencing factors were identified, with sociocultural factors (n = 19) being the most frequently reported, followed by behavioural (n = 14) and healthcare system factors (n = 11). Socio-cultural barriers included immigration status, prison history, illegal work, and HBV discrimination. Behavioural domain factors, including previous testing for sexually transmitted diseases, residential drug treatment, and problem-solving coping, facilitated HBV healthcare access, whereas hostility coping exerted negative influences. Healthcare system facilitators comprised HBV health literacy, beliefs, and physician recommendations, whereas barriers included service inaccessibility and insurance inadequacies. The biological and physical/built environments were the least studied domains, highlighting that geographical mobility, shelter capacity, and access to humanitarian health centres affect HBV healthcare for marginalised poor populations. CONCLUSIONS: Marginalised poor populations encounter substantial disparities in accessing HBV healthcare, highlighting the need for a synergistic management approach, including deploying health education initiatives to debunk HBV misperceptions, developing integrated HBV management systems for continuous tracking, conducting tailored community outreach programmes, and establishing a human rights-based policy framework to guarantee the unfettered access of marginalised poor populations to essential HBV services.

Assessment of emerging and persistent contaminants in an anthropogenic-impacted watershed: application using targeted, non-targeted, and in vitro bioassay techniques.

Emerging and persistent contaminants (EPC) pose a significant challenge to water quality monitoring efforts. Effect-based monitoring (EBM) techniques provide an efficient and systematic approach in water quality monitoring, but they tend to be resource intensive. In this study, we investigated the EPC distribution for various land uses using target analysis (TA) and non-target screening (NTS) and in vitro bioassays, both individually and integrated, in the upper Ping River Catchment, northern Thailand. Our findings of NTS showed that urban areas were the most contaminated of all land use types, although agriculture sites had high unexpected pollution levels. We evaluated the reliability of NTS data by comparing it to TA and observed varying inconsistencies likely due to matrix interferences and isobaric compound interferences. Integrating NTS with in vitro bioassays for a thorough analysis posed challenges, primary due to a scarcity of concentration data for key compounds, and potentially additive or non-additive effects of mixture samples that could not be accounted for. While EBM approaches place emphasis on toxic sites, this study demonstrated the importance of considering non-bioactive sites that contain toxic compounds with antagonistic effects that may go undetected by traditional monitoring approaches. The present work emphasizes the importance of improving NTS workflows and ensuring high-quality EBM analyses in future water quality monitoring programs.

Identification, validation and candidate gene analysis of major QTL for Supernumerary spikelets in wheat.

BACKGROUND: The number of spikelets per spike is a key trait that affects the yield of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Identification of the QTL for spikelets per spike and its genetic effects that could be used in molecular assistant breeding in the future. RESULTS: In this study, four recombinant inbred line (RIL) populations were generated and used, having YuPi branching wheat (YP), with Supernumerary Spikelets (SS) phenotype, as a common parent. QTL (QSS.sicau-2 A and QSS.sicau-2D) related to SS trait were mapped on chromosomes 2 A and 2D through bulked segregant exome sequencing (BSE-Seq). Fourteen molecular markers were further developed within the localization interval, and QSS.sicau-2 A was narrowed to 3.0 cM covering 7.6 Mb physical region of the reference genome, explaining 13.7 - 15.9% the phenotypic variance. Similarly, the QSS.sicau-2D was narrowed to 1.8 cM covering 2.4 Mb physical region of the reference genome, and it explained 27.4 - 32.9% the phenotypic variance. These two QTL were validated in three different genetic backgrounds using the linked markers. QSS.sicau-2 A was identified as WFZP-A, and QSS.sicau-2D was identified a novel locus, different to the previously identified WFZP-D. Based on the gene expression patterns, gene annotation and sequence analysis, TraesCS2D03G0260700 was predicted to be a potential candidate gene for QSS.sicau-2D. CONCLUSION: Two significant QTL for SS, namely QSS.sicau-2 A and QSS.sicau-2D were identified in multiple environments were identified and their effect in diverse genetic populations was assessed. QSS.sicau-2D is a novel QTL associated with the SS trait, with TraesCS2D03G0260700 predicted as its candidate gene.

From Attitude to Behavior: The Effect of Residents' Food Waste Attitudes on Their Food Waste Behaviors in Shanghai.

Preventing food waste is important. Analyzing the effects of food waste attitudes on urban residents' waste production behaviors is necessary to reduce food waste. As Shanghai is a mega-city with a population of 24 million people, once food is adequately supplied, more attention is paid to the safety of food in terms of quantity, quality, and nutrition. COVID-19 gave a shock to the food supply in Shanghai, which in turn resulted in food waste behavior. The moderating effect of pandemic during the COVID-19 is one that has rarely been mentioned in previous studies. An investigation of urban residents was conducted in Shanghai. A total of 1030 valid questionnaires were collected in October 2020. This study examined the influence of food waste attitudes on food waste behavior under the moderating effects of pandemic expectations, quantity safety, quality safety, and price stability using a multivariate ordered probit model. The results show that food waste attitudes had a significant negative effect on food waste behavior at a p < 0.01 level of significance, which means that the more people feel shame about food waste, the less food waste they will have. The interaction coefficient between food waste attitudes and pandemic expectations was positive at a p < 0.1 level of significance. This paper concludes with strategies for dealing with food waste in the future.

A multi-classifier system integrated by clinico-histology-genomic analysis for predicting recurrence of papillary renal cell carcinoma.

Integrating genomics and histology for cancer prognosis demonstrates promise. Here, we develop a multi-classifier system integrating a lncRNA-based classifier, a deep learning whole-slide-image-based classifier, and a clinicopathological classifier to accurately predict post-surgery localized (stage I-III) papillary renal cell carcinoma (pRCC) recurrence. The multi-classifier system demonstrates significantly higher predictive accuracy for recurrence-free survival (RFS) compared to the three single classifiers alone in the training set and in both validation sets (C-index 0.831-0.858 vs. 0.642-0.777, p < 0.05). The RFS in our multi-classifier-defined high-risk stage I/II and grade 1/2 groups is significantly worse than in the low-risk stage III and grade 3/4 groups (p < 0.05). Our multi-classifier system is a practical and reliable predictor for recurrence of localized pRCC after surgery that can be used with the current staging system to more accurately predict disease course and inform strategies for individualized adjuvant therapy.

Determination of nitrobenzene potential genotoxic impurities in nifedipine with GC-MS.

There is an increasing scientific interest in the detection of genotoxic impurities (GTIs), with nitrobenzene compounds being considered potential genotoxic impurities due to their structural alerts, which demonstrates a threat to drug safety for patient. While current reports on the detection of nifedipine impurity primarily focus on general impurities in nifedipine. In this study, an effective and simple gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) method was established and verified for the separation and quantification of 2-nitrotoluene, 2-nitrobenzyl alcohol, 2-nitrobenzaldehyde, 3-nitrobenzaldehyde, 4-nitrobenzaldehyde, and 2-nitrobenzyl bromide in nifedipine, which have not been previously reported. The validation of this GC-MS method was conducted following the International Conference of Harmonization (ICH) guidelines, exhibiting good linearity within the range of 2-40 µg/g and accuracy between 84.6 % and 107.8 %, the RSD% of intra-day and inter-day precision was in the range of 1.77-4.55 %, stability and robustness also met acceptance criteria. This method filled the gap in detection method for nitrobenzene compounds in nifedipine, offering a novel method and technical support for nifedipine quality control.

Construction of ultrathin solid electrolyte interface on Zn anode within 1 min for high current operating condition.

Organic acid treatment can facilitate the in-situ formation of a solid electrolyte interface (SEI) on Zn foil protecting the anode from corrosion. However, the generation of hydrogen (H2) during this process is inevitable, which is often considered detrimental to getting compact SEI. Herein, a H2 film-assisted method is proposed under concentrated Amino-Trimethylene-Phosphonic-Acid to construct ultrathin and dense SEI within 1 min. Specifically, the (002) crystal planes survive from the etching process of 1 min due to the adhered H2, inducing uniform deposition and enhanced corrosion-resistance. Moreover, the H2 can effectively regulate the reaction rate, leading to ultrathin SEI and initiating a morphology preservation behavior, which has been neglected by the previous reports. The quick-formed SEI has excellent compatibility, low resistance and effective isolation of electrolyte/anode, whose advantages work together with exposed (002) planes to get accustomed to high-current surge, leading to the ZAC1@Zn//ZAC1@Zn consistently cycling over 800 h at 15 mA cm-2 and 15 mAh cm-2, the ZAC1@Zn//Cu preserves high reversibility (CE 99.7 %), and the ZAC1@Zn//MVO exhibits notable capacity retention at 191.7 mAh/g after 1000 cycles.

The influence of traceability label trust on consumers' traceability pork purchasing behavior: Based on the moderating effect of food safety identification.

Based on 908 consumer questionnaire data from 15 urban areas in Shanghai, we use the binary logit model to empirically analyze the impact of traceability label trust on consumers' traceable pork purchase behavior and the moderating effect of food safety identification. After constructing the theoretical analysis framework, this paper verifies it from the two aspects of statistical analysis and econometric analysis and tests the robustness of the final results. The results show that: first, traceability label trust has a significant positive impact on consumers' traceability pork behavior. Second, food safety identification can significantly strengthen and promote this process. Third, consumers' purchasing behavior is significantly positively affected by traceable pork consumption scenarios and price labels, but the permanent elderly in the composition of family members significantly negative impact on it. Therefore, we put forward relevant policy suggestions, such as strengthening the knowledge popularization and publicity based on the advantageous commodity attributes of traceable pork, carrying out food safety knowledge popularization education, and enhancing consumers' risk perception and food safety identification ability.

Effect of simulation-based zoom learning on clinical decision-making among undergraduate nursing students and experiences of students and instructors: A mixed methods study.

Aim: To determine the effect of simulation-based Zoom learning (SBZL) on perceived capabilities and clinical decision-making skills among undergraduate nursing students and to explore experiences of the instructors and students participating in SBZL. Background: Nursing is a practice profession and students acquire clinical decision-making skills in clinical settings. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted conventional clinical learning activities. In this study, the outcomes of implementing SBZL in an undergraduate programme to support students' clinical learning were examined. Design: A mixed methods design was employed. Methods: This study recruited 195 final-year students to participate in the SBZL programme, which was developed based on the NLN Jeffries Simulation Theory to guide its design, implementation and evaluation. Case scenarios were developed and simulated through Zoom. Students' perceived capabilities, perceptions of the learning environment and clinical decision-making skills were assessed before and after SBZL. A historical control group of 226 previous final year students who had received a clinical practicum was included for comparison. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 instructors and 19 students to explore their experiences of participating in SBZL. Results: A total of 102 students completed the post-SBZL questionnaire. An increase in perceived creative thinking (mean difference = 0.24, p < 0.001) was observed post-SBZL. After SBZL, the perceptions of the learning environment were significantly improved. However, the SBZL group demonstrated lower perceived problem-solving capability than the control group (mean difference = 0.14, p = 0.007). Clinical decision-making was significantly improved in the SBZL group than in the control group (p < 0.001). Both the instructors and students reported positive experiences with SBZL, and highlighted challenges and factors for improving its implementation. Conclusions: SBZL showed improvement in perceived creative thinking, perceptions of the learning environment and clinical decision-making. This innovative teaching and learning method can be valuable for nursing education in various regions to prepare students for real-life roles. Tweetable abstract: Simulation-based Zoom learning is better than traditional teaching in improving clinical decision-making skills among undergraduate nursing students.

Effect of banana intake on serum potassium level in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis: A randomized controlled trial.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the effect of banana intake during hemodialysis on serum potassium levels in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients. Methods: This study was a single-center, randomized controlled clinical trial conducted from September 15 to December 15, 2021, at a tertiary hospital in southern China. A total of 126 MHD patients were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (n = 64) or the control group (n = 62). Patients in the intervention group consumed approximately 250 g of bananas during hemodialysis, while those in the control group did not consume any food during hemodialysis. Demographic information and hemodialysis-related parameters were collected through case information collection before hemodialysis. Laboratory indicators (such as complete blood count, biochemical indicators, inflammation markers, liver function, kidney function, etc.) were evaluated by collecting pre-hemodialysis blood samples from patients. Serum potassium and blood glucose levels were measured at 2 h and 4 h of hemodialysis, as well as before the next hemodialysis session, and hemodialysis-related complications were recorded. The blood potassium and blood glucose indicators during hemodialysis were compared using repeated measures analysis. Results: A total of 122 MHD patients completed the study (61 in each group). The results showed that there was no significant interaction between group and time on serum potassium levels. However, serum potassium levels in the intervention group were higher than those in the control group at 2 h (3.9 ± 0.5 mmol/L vs. 3.6 ± 0.3 mmol/L, P < 0.01) and 4 h (3.5 ± 0.4 mmol/L vs. 3.3 ± 0.3 mmol/L, P < 0.01) of hemodialysis. There was no interaction between group and time on blood glucose levels. The incidence of arrhythmias (8.2% vs. 29.5%, P = 0.003) and hypokalemia (52.5% vs. 80.3%, P = 0.002) during hemodialysis was significantly lower in the intervention group compared to the control group. Conclusion: Consuming approximately 250 g of bananas at the start of hemodialysis does not lead to hyperkalemia. It can effectively reduce the incidence of hypokalemia and arrhythmias, and prevent a rapid decline in serum potassium levels during hemodialysis.

Charge Redistribution of Lattice-Mismatched Co─Cu3P Boosting pH-Universal Water/Seawater Hydrogen Evolution.

Practical applications of the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) rely on the development of highly efficient, stable, and low-cost catalysts. Tuning the electronic structure, morphology, and architecture of catalysts is an important way to realize efficient and stable HER electrocatalysts. Herein, Co-doped Cu3P-based sugar-gourd structures (Co─Cu3P/CF) are prepared on copper foam as active electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution. This hierarchical structure facilitates fast mass transport during electrocatalysis. Notably, the introduction of Co not only induces a charge redistribution but also leads to lattice-mismatch on the atomic scale, which creates defects and performs as additional active sites. Therefore, Co─Cu3P/CF requires an overpotential of only 81, 111, 185, and 230 mV to reach currents of 50, 100, 500, and 1000 mA cm-2 in alkaline media and remains stable after 10 000 CV cycles in a row and up to 110 h i-t stability tests. In addition, it also shows excellent HER performance in water/seawater electrolytes of different pH values. Experimental and DFT show that the introduction of Co modulates the electronic and energy level structures of the catalyst, optimizes the adsorption and desorption behavior of the intermediate, reduces the water dissociation energy barrier during the reaction, accelerates the Volmer step reaction, and thus improves the HER performance.

RATA: A novel class A carbapenemase with broad geographic distribution and potential for global spread.

Carbapenem resistance's global proliferation poses a significant public health challenge. The primary resistance mechanism is carbapenemase production. In this study, we discovered a novel carbapenemase, RATA, located on the chromosome of Riemerella anatipestifer isolates. This enzyme shares ≤52 % amino acid sequence identity with other known ß-lactamases. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests and kinetic assays demonstrated that RATA could hydrolyze not only penicillins and extended-spectrum cephalosporins but also monobactams, cephamycins, and carbapenems. Furthermore, its activity was readily inhibited by ß-lactamase inhibitors. Bioinformatic analysis revealed 46 blaRATA-like genes encoding 27 variants in the NCBI database, involving 21 different species, including pathogens, host-associated bacteria, and environmental isolates. Notably, blaRATA-positive strains were globally distributed and primarily collected from marine environments. Concurrently, taxonomic analysis and GC content analysis indicated that blaRATA orthologue genes were predominantly located on the chromosomes of Flavobacteriaceae and shared a similar GC content as Flavobacteriaceae. Although no explicit mobile genetic elements were identified by genetic environment analysis, blaRATA-2 possessed the ability of horizontal transfer in R. anatipestifer via natural transformation. This work's data suggest that RATA is a new chromosome-encoded class A carbapenemase, and Flavobacteriaceae from marine environments could be the primary reservoir of the blaRATA gene.

IL-2-free tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte therapy with PD-1 blockade demonstrates potent efficacy in advanced gynecologic cancer.

BACKGROUND: Tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy has been restricted by intensive lymphodepletion and high-dose intravenous interleukin-2 (IL-2) administration. To address these limitations, we conducted preclinical and clinical studies to evaluate the safety, antitumor activity, and pharmacokinetics of an innovative modified regimen in patients with advanced gynecologic cancer. METHODS: Patient-derived xenografts (PDX) were established from a local recurrent cervical cancer patient. TILs were expanded ex vivo from minced tumors without feeder cells in the modified TIL therapy regimen. Patients underwent low-dose cyclophosphamide lymphodepletion followed by TIL infusion without intravenous IL-2. The primary endpoint was safety; the secondary endpoints included objective response rate, duration of response, and T cell persistence. RESULTS: In matched patient-derived xenografts (PDX) models, homologous TILs efficiently reduced tumor size (p < 0.0001) and underwent IL-2 absence in vivo. In the clinical section, all enrolled patients received TIL infusion using a modified TIL therapy regimen successfully with a manageable safety profile. Five (36%, 95% CI 16.3-61.2) out of 14 evaluable patients experienced objective responses, and three complete responses were ongoing at 19.5, 15.4, and 5.2 months, respectively. Responders had longer overall survival (OS) than non-responders (p = 0.036). Infused TILs showed continuous proliferation and long-term persistence in all patients and showed greater proliferation in responders which was indicated by the Morisita overlap index (MOI) of TCR clonotypes between infused TILs and peripheral T cells on day 14 (p = 0.004) and day 30 (p = 0.004). Higher alteration of the CD8+/CD4+ ratio on day 14 indicated a longer OS (p = 0.010). CONCLUSIONS: Our modified TIL therapy regimen demonstrated manageable safety, and TILs could survive and proliferate without IL-2 intravenous administration, showing potent efficacy in patients with advanced gynecologic cancer. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT04766320, Jan 04, 2021.

Building Flame-Retardant Polymer Electrolytes via Microcapsule Technology for Stable Lithium Batteries.

Flame retardants could improve the safety properties of lithium batteries (LBs) with the sacrifice of electrochemical performance due to parasitic reactions. To concur with this, we designed thermal-response clothes for hexachlorophosphazene (HCP) additives by the microcapsule technique with urea-formaldehyde (UF) resin as the shell. HCP@UF combines with polyacrylonitrile (PAN) by hydrogen bonds successfully to form PAN-HCP@UF as the flame-retardant solid polymer electrolyte. The hydrogen bonds ensure excellent mechanical properties of the polymer electrolyte. The multiscale free radical-annihilating agent HCP effectively eliminates hydrogen free radicals of electrolytes under high temperature, showing excellent flame retardation. During the operation of the battery, functional groups on the UF resin act as active sites to promote the migration of lithium ions, while the internal HCP is protected from electrochemical reaction. With 25% HCP@UF addition, the limiting oxygen index of the PAN-HCP@UF increases to 28% and the Li+ transfer number up to 0.80. By UF protection, the initial capacity retention rate of the Li||LFP battery that assembles with PAN-HCP@UF is 88.8% after 500 cycles at 0.5 C. Thus, the microcapsule-encapsulated approach is deemed to provide an innovative strategy to prepare high-safety solid-state LB with a stable long cycle life.

The Influence of Drug-Eluting Beads Transarterial Chemoembolization on Serum Levels of Soluble Programmed Cell Death Protein-1 in Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients.

Aim: This study aims to explore the role of soluble programmed cell death protein 1 (sPD-1) in individuals with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) undergoing treatment with drug-eluting beads transarterial chemoembolization (D-TACE). Additionally, we aim to assess the potential utility of sPD-1 for determining the optimal timing for combining D-TACE with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Materials and Methods: A total of 44 HCC patients eligible for D-TACE and 55 healthy volunteers were enrolled in this study. Three milliliters of peripheral venous blood from the patients were collected on the day before D-TACE and 3, 7, and 30 days after D-TACE, respectively, for the assay of sPD-1. The relationships between sPD-1 levels, clinical features, outcomes, and the fluctuation of sPD-1 during treatment were analyzed. Results: The initial sPD-1 levels in patients were found to be significantly higher than those in the control group. Although the initial sPD-1 levels displayed a decreasing trend with an increase in BCLC stage, no significant differences were observed among patients at different BCLC stages. The sPD-1 level on day 3 after D-TACE was similar to that on day 7 after D-TACE and significantly lower than the initial level. The sPD-1 level on day 30 after D-TACE was significantly higher than that on day 3 and day 7 after D-TACE and nearly returned to the initial level before D-TACE. Conclusion: The level of sPD-1 was found to be significantly elevated in patients with HCC. However, further research is deemed necessary to fully understand the role of sPD-1 as a potential biomarker in the initiation, progression, and prognosis of HCC. The decrease in sPD-1 following D-TACE suggests that immune effector cells might potentially be reduced, as well as immune function weakened, highlighting the need to avoid the prompt administration of ICIs after D-TACE.

Production of Promising Heat-Labile Enterotoxin (LT) B Subunit-Based Self-Assembled Bioconjugate Nanovaccines against Infectious Diseases.

Nanoparticles (NPs) have been widely utilized in vaccine design. Although numerous NPs have been explored, NPs with adjuvant effects on their own have rarely been reported. We produce a promising self-assembled NP by integrating the pentameric Escherichia coli heat-labile enterotoxin B subunit (LTB) (studied as a vaccine adjuvant) with a trimer-forming peptide. This fusion protein can self-assemble into the NP during expression, and polysaccharide antigens (OPS) are then loaded in vivo using glycosylation. We initially produced two Salmonella paratyphi A conjugate nanovaccines using two LTB subfamilies (LTIB and LTIIbB). After confirming their biosafety in mice, the data showed that both nanovaccines (NP(LTIB)-OPSSPA and NP(LTIIbB)-OPSSPA) elicited strong polysaccharide-specific antibody responses, and NP(LTIB)-OPS resulted in better protection. Furthermore, polysaccharides derived from Shigella or Klebsiella pneumoniae were loaded onto NP(LTIB) and NP(LTIIbB). The animal experimental results indicated that LTIB, as a pentamer module, exhibited excellent protection against lethal infections. This effect was also consistent with that of the reported cholera toxin B subunit (CTB) modular NP in all three models. For the first time, we prepared a novel promising self-assembled NP based on LTIB. In summary, these results indicated that the LTB-based nanocarriers have the potential for broad applications, further expanding the library of self-assembled nanocarriers.

Development and validation of a scale for the assessment of the knowledge-attitude-practice of parents towards children snoring.

BACKGROUND: Children Snoring is a common childhood disorder that affects the growth and development of children and is detrimental to their health. Increasing awareness of Children Snoring among parents is important. AIM: To develop the Knowledge-Attitude-Practice of Parents towards Children Snoring Scale and test the reliability and validity of the scale. METHODS: The development of the tool was divided into two phases involving 1257 parents from China. In the first phase, an initial project bank was created through a literature review. This was followed by a Delphi expert consultation, group discussion and pre-survey. The second stage screened the items and conducted an exploratory factor analysis, then conducted a confirmatory factor analysis and tested for reliability and validity. RESULTS: Support was found for the 25-item Knowledge-Attitude-Practice toward Children Snoring scale. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses provide support for four subscales: (parental basic cognition toward Children Snoring; parents' perception of complications of Children Snoring; parents' attitude towards Children Snoring; parents' concern and prevention of Children Snoring). Internal consistency for the total scale was high (Cronbach's α = 0.93). The intraclass correlation coefficient of test-retest reliability was 0.92 (95%CI: 0.85 to 0.95), which provided support for the stability of the scale. CONCLUSION: The Knowledge-Attitude-Practice of Parents towards Children Snoring scale shows promise as a measure that may be used by medical workers and community children's health managers.

Investigation of the drug-drug interaction and incompatibility mechanism between Aconitum carmichaelii Debx and Pinellia ternata (Thunb.) Breit.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The combination of Aconitum carmichaelii Debx (Chuanwu, CW) and Pinellia ternata (Thunb.) Breit (Banxia, BX) forms an herbal pair within the eighteen incompatible medicaments (EIM), indicating that BX and CW are incompatible. However, the scientific understanding of this incompatibility mechanism, especially the corresponding drug-drug interaction (DDI), remains complex and unclear. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aims to explain the DDI and potential incompatibility mechanism between CW and BX based on pharmacokinetics and cocktail approach. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ultraperformance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry methods were established for pharmacokinetics and cocktail studies. To explore the DDI between BX and CW, in the pharmacokinetics study, 10 compounds were determined in rat plasma after administering CW and BX-CW herbal pair extracts. In the cocktail assay, the pharmacokinetic parameters of five probe substrates were utilized to assess the influence of BX on cytochrome P450 (CYP) isoenzyme (dapsone for CYP3A4, phenacetin for CYP1A2, dextromethorphan for CYP2D6, tolbutamide for CYP2C9, and omeprazole for CYP2C19). Finally, the DDI and incompatibility mechanism of CW and BX were integrated to explain the rationality of EIM theory. RESULTS: BX not only enhances the absorption of aconitine and benzoylaconine but also accelerates the metabolism of mesaconitine, benzoylmesaconine, songorine, and fuziline. Moreover, BX affects the activity of CYP enzymes, which regulate the metabolism of toxic compounds. CONCLUSIONS: BX altered the activity of CYP enzymes, consequently affecting the metabolism of toxic compounds from CW. This incompatibility mechanism may be related to the increased absorption of these toxic compounds in vivo.

Enhancing Kinetics in Sodium Super Ion Conductor Na3MnTi(PO4)3 through Microbe-Assisted and Structural Optimization.

Sodium (Na) super ion conductor (NASICON) structure Na3MnTi(PO4)3 (NMTP) is considered a promising cathode for sodium-ion batteries due to its reversible three-electron reaction. However, the inferior electronic conductivity and sluggish reaction kinetics limit its practical applications. Herein, we successfully constructed a three-dimensional cross-linked porous architecture NMTP material (AsN@NMTP/C) by a natural microbe of Aspergillus niger (AsN), and the structure of different NMTP cathodes was optimized by adjusting different transition metal Mn/Ti ratios. Both approaches effectively altered the three-dimensional NMTP structure, not only improving electronic conductivity and controlling Na+ diffusion pathways but also enhancing the electrochemical kinetics of the material. The resultant AsN@NMTP/C-650, sintered at 650 °C, exhibits better electrochemical performance with higher reversible three-electron reactions corresponding to the voltage platforms of Ti4+/3+, Mn3+/2+, and Mn4+/3+ around 2.1, 3.6, and 4.1 V (vs Na+/Na), respectively. The capacity retention rate is up to 89.3% after 1000 cycles at a 2C rate. Moreover, a series of results confirms that the Na3.4Mn1.2Ti0.8(PO4)3 cathode has the most excellent electrochemical performance when the Mn/Ti ratio is 1.2/0.8, with a high capacity of 96.59 mAh g-1 and 97.1% capacity retention after 500 cycles.