Outcomes of combined mitochondria and mesenchymal stem cells-derived exosome therapy in rat acute respiratory distress syndrome and sepsis.

BACKGROUND: The treatment of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) complicated by sepsis syndrome (SS) remains challenging. AIM: To investigate whether combined adipose-derived mesenchymal-stem-cells (ADMSCs)-derived exosome (EXAD) and exogenous mitochondria (mitoEx) protect the lung from ARDS complicated by SS. METHODS: In vitro study, including L2 cells treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and in vivo study including male-adult-SD rats categorized into groups 1 (sham-operated-control), 2 (ARDS-SS), 3 (ARDS-SS + EXAD), 4 (ARDS-SS + mitoEx), and 5 (ARDS-SS + EXAD + mitoEx), were included in the present study. RESULTS: In vitro study showed an abundance of mitoEx found in recipient-L2 cells, resulting in significantly higher mitochondrial-cytochrome-C, adenosine triphosphate and relative mitochondrial DNA levels (P < 0.001). The protein levels of inflammation [interleukin (IL)-1ß/tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α/nuclear factor-κB/toll-like receptor (TLR)-4/matrix-metalloproteinase (MMP)-9/oxidative-stress (NOX-1/NOX-2)/apoptosis (cleaved-caspase3/cleaved-poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase)] were significantly attenuated in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated L2 cells with EXAD treatment than without EXAD treatment, whereas the protein expressions of cellular junctions [occluding/ß-catenin/zonula occludens (ZO)-1/E-cadherin] exhibited an opposite pattern of inflammation (all P < 0.001). Animals were euthanized by 72 h post-48 h-ARDS induction, and lung tissues were harvested. By 72 h, flow cytometric analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid demonstrated that the levels of inflammatory cells (Ly6G+/CD14+/CD68+/CD11b/c+/myeloperoxidase+) and albumin were lowest in group 1, highest in group 2, and significantly higher in groups 3 and 4 than in group 5 (all P < 0.0001), whereas arterial oxygen-saturation (SaO2%) displayed an opposite pattern of albumin among the groups. Histopathological findings of lung injury/fibrosis area and inflammatory/DNA-damaged markers (CD68+/γ-H2AX) displayed an identical pattern of SaO2% among the groups (all P < 0.0001). The protein expressions of inflammatory (TLR-4/MMP-9/IL-1ß/TNF-α)/oxidative stress (NOX-1/NOX-2/p22phox/oxidized protein)/mitochondrial-damaged (cytosolic-cytochrome-C/dynamin-related protein 1)/autophagic (beclin-1/Atg-5/ratio of LC3B-II/LC3B-I) biomarkers exhibited a similar manner, whereas antioxidants [nuclear respiratory factor (Nrf)-1/Nrf-2]/cellular junctions (ZO-1/E-cadherin)/mitochondrial electron transport chain (complex I-V) exhibited an opposite manner of albumin among the groups (all P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Combined EXAD-mitoEx therapy was better than merely one for protecting the lung against ARDS-SS induced injury.

An Adjuvanted Vaccine-Induced Pathogenesis Following Influenza Virus Infection.

An incomplete Freund's adjuvant elicited an overt pathogenesis in vaccinated mice following the intranasal challenge of A/California/07/2009 (H1N1) virus despite the induction of a higher specific antibody titer than other adjuvanted formulations. Aluminum hydroxide adjuvants have not induced any pathogenic signs in a variety of formulations with glycolipids. A glycolipid, α-galactosyl ceramide, improved a stimulatory effect of distinct adjuvanted formulations on an anti-influenza A antibody response. In contrast to α-galactosyl ceramide, its synthetic analogue C34 was antagonistic toward a stimulatory effect of an aluminum hydroxide adjuvant on a specific antibody response. The aluminum hydroxide adjuvant alone could confer complete vaccine-induced protection against mortality as well as morbidity caused by a lethal challenge of the same strain of an influenza A virus. The research results indicated that adjuvants could reshape immune responses either to improve vaccine-induced immunity or to provoke an unexpected pathogenic consequence. On the basis of these observations, this research connotes the prominence to develop a precision adjuvant for innocuous vaccination aimed at generating a protective immunity without aberrant responses.

Clinical Significance of the Plasma Biomarker Panels in Amyloid-Negative and Tau PET-Positive Amnestic Patients: Comparisons with Alzheimer's Disease and Unimpaired Cognitive Controls.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether plasma biomarkers can help to diagnose, differentiate from Alzheimer disease (AD), and stage cognitive performance in patients with positron emission tomography (PET)-confirmed primary age-related tauopathy, termed tau-first cognitive proteinopathy (TCP) in this study. In this multi-center study, we enrolled 285 subjects with young-onset AD (YOAD; n = 55), late-onset AD (LOAD; n = 96), TCP (n = 44), and cognitively unimpaired controls (CTL; n = 90) and analyzed plasma Aß42/Aß40, pTau181, neurofilament light (NFL), and total-tau using single-molecule assays. Amyloid and tau centiloids reflected pathological burden, and hippocampal volume reflected structural integrity. Receiver operating characteristic curves and areas under the curves (AUCs) were used to determine the diagnostic accuracy of plasma biomarkers compared to hippocampal volume and amyloid and tau centiloids. The Mini-Mental State Examination score (MMSE) served as the major cognitive outcome. Logistic stepwise regression was used to assess the overall diagnostic accuracy, combining fluid and structural biomarkers and a stepwise linear regression model for the significant variables for MMSE. For TCP, tau centiloid reached the highest AUC for diagnosis (0.79), while pTau181 could differentiate TCP from YOAD (accuracy 0.775) and LOAD (accuracy 0.806). NFL reflected the clinical dementia rating in TCP, while pTau181 (rho = 0.3487, p = 0.03) and Aß42/Aß40 (rho = -0.36, p = 0.02) were significantly correlated with tau centiloid. Hippocampal volume (unstandardized ß = 4.99, p = 0.01) outperformed all of the fluid biomarkers in predicting MMSE scores in the TCP group. Our results support the superiority of tau PET to diagnose TCP, pTau181 to differentiate TCP from YOAD or LOAD, and NFL for functional staging.

Biomarkers in pursuit of precision medicine for acute kidney injury: hard to get rid of customs.

Traditional acute kidney injury (AKI) classifications, which are centered around semi-anatomical lines, can no longer capture the complexity of AKI. By employing strategies to identify predictive and prognostic enrichment targets, experts could gain a deeper comprehension of AKI's pathophysiology, allowing for the development of treatment-specific targets and enhancing individualized care. Subphenotyping, which is enriched with AKI biomarkers, holds insights into distinct risk profiles and tailored treatment strategies that redefine AKI and contribute to improved clinical management. The utilization of biomarkers such as N-acetyl-ß-D-glucosaminidase, tissue inhibitor of metalloprotease-2•insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7, kidney injury molecule-1, and liver fatty acid-binding protein garnered significant attention as a means to predict subclinical AKI. Novel biomarkers offer promise in predicting persistent AKI, with urinary motif chemokine ligand 14 displaying significant sensitivity and specificity. Furthermore, they serve as predictive markers for weaning patients from acute dialysis and offer valuable insights into distinct AKI subgroups. The proposed management of AKI, which is encapsulated in a structured flowchart, bridges the gap between research and clinical practice. It streamlines the utilization of biomarkers and subphenotyping, promising a future in which AKI is swiftly identified and managed with unprecedented precision. Incorporating kidney biomarkers into strategies for early AKI detection and the initiation of AKI care bundles has proven to be more effective than using care bundles without these novel biomarkers. This comprehensive approach represents a significant stride toward precision medicine, enabling the identification of high-risk subphenotypes in patients with AKI.

[Finite element analysis of the impact of bone mass and volume of low-density area under tibial plateau on lower limb alignment].

Objective: To investigate the impact of the bone mass and volume of the low-density area under the tibial plateau on the lower limb force line by finite element analysis, offering mechanical evidence for preventing internal displacement of the lower limb force line in conjunction with knee varus in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) and reducing bone mass under the tibial plateau. Methods: A healthy adult was selected as the study subject, and X-ray film and CT imaging data were acquired. Mimics 21.0 software was utilized to reconstruct the complete knee joint model and three models representing low-density areas under the tibial plateau with equal volume but varying shapes. These models were then imported into Solidworks 2023 software for assembly and verification. Five KOA finite element models with 22%, 33%, 44%, 55%, and 66% bone mass reduction in the low-density area under tibial plateau and 5 KOA finite element models with 81%, 90%, 100%, 110%, and 121% times of the low-density area model with 66% bone mass loss were constructed, respectively. Under physiological loading conditions of the human lower limb, the distal ends of the tibia and fibula were fully immobilized. An axial compressive load of 1 860 N, following the lower limb force line, was applied to the primary load-bearing area on the femoral head surface. The maximum stress within the tibial plateau, as well as the maximum displacements of the tibial cortical bone and tibial subchondral bone, were calculated and analyzed using the finite element analysis software Abaqus 2022. Subsequently, predictions regarding the alteration of the lower limb force line were made based on the analysis results. Results: The constructed KOA model accorded with the normal anatomical structure of lower limbs. Under the same boundary conditions and the same load, the maximum stress of the medial tibial plateau, the maximum displacement of the tibial cortical bone and the maximum displacement of the cancellous bone increased along with the gradual decrease of bone mass in the low-density area under the tibial plateau and the gradual increase in the volume of the low-density area under tibial plateau, with significant differences ( P<0.05). Conclusion: The existence of a low-density area under tibial plateau suggests a heightened likelihood of knee varus and inward movement of the lower limb force line. Both the volume and reduction in bone mass of the low-density area serve as critical initiating factors. This information can provide valuable guidance to clinicians in proactively preventing knee varus and averting its occurrence.

Can weekend catch-up sleep decrease the risk of cognitive dysfunction in older adults?

PURPOSE: This study investigated whether weekend catch-up sleep was related to a decreased risk of cognitive dysfunction in older Taiwanese adults by using self-reported diaries and objective accelerometer measurements. METHODS: This cross-sectional study enrolled participants who were aged ≥ 65 years and had the capability to walk independently from a medical center in Taipei City, Taiwan, between September 2020 and December 2022. Self-reported sleep diaries and tri-axial accelerometers were used to record and measure sleep-related data for 7 consecutive nights. Weekend catch-up sleep was defined as the mean of weekend sleep time minus the mean of weekdays sleep time. Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) was evaluated the risk of cognitive dysfunction. The association between weekend catch-up sleep and the MMSE score was examined using a binary logistic regression model. RESULTS: A total of 215 older adults (53.0% female; 80.5 ± 7.1 years old; 11.6% at risk of cognitive dysfunction) were included. In the adjusted model (adjusted for sex, education level, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and total accelerometer wear time), both the self-reported sleep diaries (odds ratio [OR] = 0.26, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.09-0.69, P = 0.007) and the accelerometer data (OR = 0.27, 95% CI = 0.10-0.70, P = 0.007) indicated that weekend catch-up sleep could decrease the risk of cognitive dysfunction by 73-74%. CONCLUSION: The study findings suggest that there is an association between weekend catch-up sleep and lower risk for cognitive decline. The causal relationship between weekend catch-up sleep and cognitive function in older adults should be further investigated in a study with longitudinal design.

Engineered AAV13 variants with enhanced transduction and confined spread.

Precise targeting of specific regions within the central nervous system (CNS) is crucial for both scientific research and gene therapy in the context of brain diseases. Adeno-associated virus 13 (AAV13) is known for its restricted diffusion range within the CNS, making it an ideal choice for precise labeling and administration within small brain regions. However, AAV13 mediates relatively low expression of target genes. Here, we introduced specifically engineered modifications to the AAV13 capsid protein to enhance its transduction efficiency. We first constructed AAV13-YF by mutating tyrosine to phenylalanine on the surface of the AAV13 capsid. We then inserted the 7m8 peptide, known to enhance cell transduction, into positions 587/588 and 585/586 of the AAV13 capsid, resulting in two distinct variants named AAV13-587-7m8 and AAV13-585-7m8, respectively. We found that AAV13-YF exhibited superior in vitro infectivity in HEK293T cells compared to AAV13, while AAV13-587-7m8 and AAV13-585-7m8 showed enhanced CNS infection capabilities in C57BL/6 mice, with AAV13-587-7m8 infection retaining a limited spread range. These modified AAV13 variants hold promising potential for applications in gene therapy and neuroscience research.

Regulating the thermal expansion of a [FePt(CN)4] layer by axial coordination and dimensional reduction.

Thermal expansion regulation by chemical decoration at a molecular level is of great technological value for materials science. Herein, we show that the spin crossover active compound Fe(pyz)Pt(CN)4 (pyz = pyrazine) shows a rare 2D negative thermal expansion (NTE) in the ab-plane. By introducing axial coordination iodine ions or reducing the framework dimension from 3D to 2D, the NTE behavior can be effectively switched to positive thermal expansion (PTE) or even zero thermal expansion (ZTE). Moreover, it is found that different spin states of Fe2+ also influence the magnitude of NTE. Compared with the low-spin (LS) sate, the high-spin (HS) state tends to enhance the magnitude of NTE. Combined in situ structural and Raman spectral analyses revealed that the NTE mainly originates from the transverse vibration of a bridging cyano group and the tailorable thermal expansion is closely related to the state of the Fe-CN-Pt linkage. The present study shows how the rational regulation of the building unit and framework dimensions can effectively control thermal expansion behaviors. This insight can serve as guidance for designing and synthesizing novel NTE materials.

Intrinsic-strain-induced ferroelectric order and ultrafine nanodomains in SrTiO3.

Nano ferroelectrics holds the potential application promise in information storage, electro-mechanical transformation, and novel catalysts but encounters a huge challenge of size limitation and manufacture complexity on the creation of long-range ferroelectric ordering. Herein, as an incipient ferroelectric, nanosized SrTiO3 was indued with polarized ordering at room temperature from the nonpolar cubic structure, driven by the intrinsic three-dimensional (3D) tensile strain. The ferroelectric behavior can be confirmed by piezoelectric force microscopy and the ferroelectric TO1 soft mode was verified with the temperature stability to 500 K. Its structural origin comes from the off-center shift of Ti atom to oxygen octahedron and forms the ultrafine head-to-tail connected 90° nanodomains about 2 to 3 nm, resulting in an overall spontaneous polarization toward the short edges of nanoparticles. According to the density functional theory calculations and phase-field simulations, the 3D strain-related dipole displacement transformed from [001] to [111] and segmentation effect on the ferroelectric domain were further proved. The topological ferroelectric order induced by intrinsic 3D tensile strain shows a unique approach to get over the nanosized limitation in nanodevices and construct the strong strain-polarization coupling, paving the way for the design of high-performance and free-assembled ferroelectric devices.

Distinct biological property of tau in tau-first cognitive proteinopathy: Evidence by longitudinal clinical neuroimaging profiles and compared with late-onset Alzheimer disease.

BACKGROUND: Tau-first cognitive proteinopathy (TCP) denotes a clinical phenotype of Alzheimer disease (AD) showing Florzolotau(18F) positron emission tomography (PET) positivity but a negative amyloid status. AIM: We explored the biological property of tau using longitudinal cognitive and neuroimaging data in TCP and compared with late-onset AD (LOAD). METHOD: We enrolled 56 patients with LOAD, 34 patients with TCP, and 26 cognitive unimpaired controls. All of the participants had historical data of 2 to 4 three-dimensional T1 images and 2 to 6 annual cognitive evaluations over a follow-up period of 7 years. Tau topography was measured using Florzolotau(18F) PET. In the LOAD and TCP groups, we constructed tau or gray matter clusters covarying with the cognitive measurements. We used mediator analysis to explore the regional tau load as predictor, gray matter partitions as mediators, and significant cognitive test scores as outcomes. Longitudinal cognitive decline and cortical thickness degeneration pattern were analyzed using a linear mixed-effects model. RESULTS: The TCP group had longitudinal declines in nonexecutive domains. The deterministic factor predicting the short-term memory score in TCP was the hippocampal volume and not directly via the medial and lateral temporal tau load. These features formed the conceptual differences with LOAD. DISCUSSION: The biological properties of tau and the longitudinal cognitive-imaging trajectory support the conceptual distinction between TCP and LOAD. TCP represents one specific entity featuring salient short-term memory impairment, declines in nonexecutive domains, a slower gray matter degenerative pattern, and a restricted impact of tau.

Astrocytes control quiescent NSC reactivation via GPCR signaling-mediated F-actin remodeling.

The transitioning of neural stem cells (NSCs) between quiescent and proliferative states is fundamental for brain development and homeostasis. Defects in NSC reactivation are associated with neurodevelopmental disorders. Drosophila quiescent NSCs extend an actin-rich primary protrusion toward the neuropil. However, the function of the actin cytoskeleton during NSC reactivation is unknown. Here, we reveal the fine F-actin structures in the protrusions of quiescent NSCs by expansion and super-resolution microscopy. We show that F-actin polymerization promotes the nuclear translocation of Mrtf, a microcephaly-associated transcription factor, for NSC reactivation and brain development. F-actin polymerization is regulated by a signaling cascade composed of G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) Smog, G-protein αq subunit, Rho1 GTPase, and Diaphanous (Dia)/Formin during NSC reactivation. Further, astrocytes secrete a Smog ligand Fog to regulate Gαq-Rho1-Dia-mediated NSC reactivation. Together, we establish that the Smog-Gαq-Rho1 signaling axis derived from astrocytes, a NSC niche, regulates Dia-mediated F-actin dynamics in NSC reactivation.

Taxonomic identification and life cycle comparison of two populations of the monostromatic green algae Monostroma nitidum.

Monostroma nitidum, a monostromatic green algae (MGA) with high economic value, is distributed worldwide. Life cycle often serves as a fundamental criterion for taxonomic classification. Most researchers consider the life cycle of M. nitidum to involve dimorphic alternation of generations, although the possibility of a monomorphic asexual life cycle remains unclear. In this study, tufA and 18S rDNA sequences were employed as molecular markers, complemented by morphological analysis, to classify and identify MGA in two distinct habitats: Hailing Island reefs (YJ) and Naozhou Island reefs (ZJ). The results of tufA and 18S rDNA sequence analysis revealed that all samples from YJ and ZJ clustered to the same branch (M. nitidum clade) with high bootstrap support and genetic distances of less than 0.000 and 0.005, respectively. However, morphological observations indicated significant differences in the external morphology of the YJ and ZJ samples, although both initially exhibited a filament-blade form during early development. The life cycle of the ZJ samples exhibited typical dimorphic alternation of generations, whereas the YJ samples only produced biflagellate asexual gametes with negative phototaxis. Gametes of the YJ samples directly developed into new gametophytes without undergoing the sporophyte stage. Consequently, the YJ and ZJ samples were classified as monomorphic asexual and dimorphic sexual M. nitidum, respectively. These findings provide evidence supporting the monomorphic asexual life cycle of M. nitidum for the classification of MGA.

Construction of oxidative phosphorylation-related prognostic risk score model in uveal melanoma.

BACKGROUND: Uveal melanoma (UVM) is a malignant intraocular tumor in adults. Targeting genes related to oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) may play a role in anti-tumor therapy. However, the clinical significance of oxidative phosphorylation in UVM is unclear. METHOD: The 134 OXPHOS-related genes were obtained from the KEGG pathway, the TCGA UVM dataset contained 80 samples, served as the training set, while GSE22138 and GSE39717 was used as the validation set. LASSO regression was carried out to identify OXPHOS-related prognostic genes. The coefficients obtained from Cox multivariate regression analysis were used to calculate a risk score, which facilitated the construction of a prognostic model. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, logrank test and ROC curve using the time "timeROC" package were conducted. The immune cell frequency in low- and high-risk group was analyzed through Cibersort tool. The specific genomic alterations were analyzed by "maftools" R package. The differential expressed genes between low- or high-risk group were analyzed and performed Gene Ontology (GO) and GSEA. Finally, we verified the function of CYC1 in UVM by gene silencing in vitro. RESULTS: A total of 9 OXPHOS-related prognostic genes were identified, including NDUFB1, NDUFB8, ATP12A, NDUFA3, CYC1, COX6B1, ATP6V1G2, ATP4B and NDUFB4. The UVM prognostic risk model was constructed based on the 9 OXPHOS-related prognostic genes. The prognosis of patients in the high-risk group was poorer than low-risk group. Besides, the ROC curve demonstrated that the area under the curve of the model for predicting the 1 to 5-year survival rate of UVM patients were all more than 0.88. External validation in GSE22138 and GSE39717 dataset revealed that these 9 genes could also be utilized to evaluate and predict the overall survival of patients with UVM. The risk score levels related to immune cell frequency and specific genomic alterations. The DEGs between the low- and high- risk group were enriched in tumor OXPHOS and immune related pathway. In vitro experiments, CYC1 silencing significantly inhibited UVM cell proliferation and invasion, induced cell apoptosis. CONCLUSION: In sum, a prognostic risk score model based on oxidative phosphorylation-related genes in UVM was developed to enhance understanding of the disease. This prognostic risk score model may help to find potential therapeutic targets for UVM patients. CYC1 acts as an oncogene role in UVM.

Optimization of leucomalachite green degradation through electron beam and persulfate oxidation using box-behnken design and life cycle assessment.

This study explored the treatment of Leucomalachite Green (LMG) solutions using an electron beam and sodium persulfate (Na2S2O8), employing Box-Behnken design (BBD) to optimize operational variables such as absorbed dose, initial pH and Na2S2O8 concentration. The findings highlighted an optimal absorbed dose of 4.5 kGy, a Na2S2O8 concentration of 1.0 mM, and an initial pH of 6, leading to a remarkable 97.77% removal of LMG. The adjusted R2 for the model indicated a close match of 1.4% between predicted and actual outcomes under these optimized conditions, affirming the quadratic model's suitability for predicting the LMG removal process using combined EB and Na2S2O8. To assess the environmental impact of the LMG treatment, the study applied SimaPro 9.4 with the TRACI tool, examining ten distinct environmental impact categories. The results unveiled that deionized water and Na2S2O8 exhibited a notable impact on global warming (GW) and ecotoxicity (ET) in controlled laboratory settings. Furthermore, a comparative analysis of four scenarios shed light on the environmental implications of different energy sources. Notably, electricity generated from waste incineration demonstrated a substantial influence on all environmental indicators. In contrast, natural gas emerged as the cleanest source for electricity generation, offering a promising avenue for reducing environmental impacts. This study presents a practical method for addressing dye contaminants through the employment of EB in conjunction with Na2S2O8, with potential implications for broader applications.

Decoding Active Sites for Highly Efficient Semihydrogenation of Acetylene in Palladium-Copper Nanoalloys.

Accurately decoding the three-dimensional atomic structure of surface active sites is essential yet challenging for a rational catalyst design. Here, we used comprehensive techniques combining the pair distribution function and reverse Monte Carlo simulation to reveal the surficial distribution of Pd active sites and adjacent coordination environment in palladium-copper nanoalloys. After the fine-tuning of the atomic arrangement, excellent catalytic performance with 98% ethylene selectivity at complete acetylene conversion was obtained in the Pd34Cu66 nanocatalysts, outperforming most of the reported advanced catalysts. The quantitative deciphering shows a large number of active sites with a Pd-Pd coordination number of 3 distributed on the surface of Pd34Cu66 nanoalloys, which play a decisive role in highly efficient semihydrogenation. This finding not only opens the way for guiding the precise design of bimetal nanocatalysts from atomic-level insight but also provides a method to resolve the spatial structure of active sites.

Enhancing catalytic activity of CuCoFe-layered double oxide towards peroxymonosulfate activation by coupling with biochar derived from durian peel for antibiotic degradation: The role of C=O in biochar and underlying mechanism of built-in electric field.

CuCoFe-LDO/BCD was successfully synthesized from CuCoFe-LDH and biochar derived from durian shell (BCD). Ciprofloxacin (CFX) degraded more than 95% mainly by O2•- and 1O2 in CuCoFe-LDO/BCD(2/1)/PMS system within 10 min with a rate constant of 0.255 min-1, which was 14.35 and 2.66 times higher than those in BCD/PMS and CuCoFe-LDO/PMS systems, respectively. The catalytic system exhibited good performance over a wide pH range (3-9) and high degradation efficiency of other antibiotics. Built-in electric field (BIEF) driven by large difference in the work function/Fermi level ratio between CuCoFe-LDO and BCD accelerated continuous electron transfer from CuCoFe-LDO to BCD to result in two different microenvironments with opposite charges at the interface, which enhanced PMS adsorption and activation via different directions. As a non-radical, 1O2 was mainly generated via PMS activation by C=O in BCD. The presence of C=O in BCD resulted in an increase in atomic charge of C in C=O and redistributed the charge density of other C atoms. As a result, strong adsorption of PMS at C atom in C=O and other C with a high positive charge was favorable for 1O2 generation, whereas an enhanced adsorption of PMS at negatively charged C accounted for the generation of •OH and SO4•-. After adsorption, electrons in C of BCD became deficient and were fulfilled with those transferred from CuCoFe-LDO driven by BIEF, which ensured the high catalytic activity of CuCoFe-LDO/BCD. O2•-, on the other hand, was generated via several pathways that involved in the transformation of •OH and SO4•- originated from PMS activation by the transition of metal species in CuCoFe-LDO and negatively charged C in BCD. This study proposed a new idea of fabricating a low-cost metal-LDH and biomass-derived catalyst with a strong synergistic effect induced by BIEF for enhancing PMS activation and antibiotic degradation.

Symmetry-breaking of Dibenzo[b,d]thiophene Sulfone Enhancing Polaron Generation for Boosted Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution.

The current bottleneck in the development of efficient photocatalysts for hydrogen evolution is the limited availability of high-performance acceptor units. Over the past nine years, dibenzo[b,d]thiophene sulfone (DBS) has been the preferred choice for the acceptor unit. Despite extensive exploration of alternative structures as potential replacements for DBS, a superior substitute remains elusive. In this study, a symmetry-breaking strategy was employed on DBS to develop a novel acceptor unit, BBTT-1SO. The asymmetric structure of BBTT-1SO proved beneficial for increasing multiple moment and polarizability. BBTT-1SO-containing polymers showed higher efficiencies for hydrogen evolution than their DBS-containing counterparts by up to 166 %. PBBTT-1SO exhibited an excellent hydrogen evolution rate (HER) of 222.03 mmol g-1 h-1 and an apparent quantum yield of 27.5 % at 500 nm. Transient spectroscopic studies indicated that the BBTT-1SO-based polymers facilitated electron polaron formation, which explains their superior HERs. PBBTT-1SO also showed 14 % higher HER in natural seawater splitting than that in deionized water splitting. Molecular dynamics simulations highlighted the enhanced water-PBBTT-1SO polymer interactions in salt-containing solutions. This study presents a pioneering example of a substitute acceptor unit for DBS in the construction of high-performance photocatalysts for hydrogen evolution.

Refractory ventricular fibrillation secondary to hyperkalemia resuscitated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: A case report.

The routine use of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) is not recommended for patients with cardiac arrest. However, ECPR is considered for selected patients with cardiac arrest of reversible cause. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) provides temporary cardiopulmonary support and adequate perfusion to the end organs, thereby shortening ischemic organ time and minimizing complications. One indication for ECPR therapy is prolonged ventricular fibrillation despite optimal conventional CPR. Here, we report a successful recovery case from ECPR, in which the patient suffered from refractory ventricular fibrillation and was predisposed to severe hyperkalemia. Ventricular fibrillation failed to respond despite prolonged conventional CPR and defibrillation management for 32 min. After successfully initiating ECPR 54 min after cardiac arrest, spontaneous circulation returned sooner. He demonstrated clear consciousness after treatment and was discharged without any neurological disability on day 11.

Complexin has a dual synaptic function as checkpoint protein in vesicle priming and as a promoter of vesicle fusion.

The presynaptic SNARE-complex regulator complexin (Cplx) enhances the fusogenicity of primed synaptic vesicles (SVs). Consequently, Cplx deletion impairs action potential-evoked transmitter release. Conversely, though, Cplx loss enhances spontaneous and delayed asynchronous release at certain synapse types. Using electrophysiology and kinetic modeling, we show that such seemingly contradictory transmitter release phenotypes seen upon Cplx deletion can be explained by an additional of Cplx in the control of SV priming, where its ablation facilitates the generation of a "faulty" SV fusion apparatus. Supporting this notion, a sequential two-step priming scheme, featuring reduced vesicle fusogenicity and increased transition rates into the faulty primed state, reproduces all aberrations of transmitter release modes and short-term synaptic plasticity seen upon Cplx loss. Accordingly, we propose a dual presynaptic function for the SNARE-complex interactor Cplx, one as a "checkpoint" protein that guarantees the proper assembly of the fusion machinery during vesicle priming, and one in boosting vesicle fusogenicity.

Recent advances in catalyst design, performance, and challenges of metal-heteroatom-co-doped biochar as peroxymonosulfate activator for environmental remediation.

The escalation of global water pollution due to emerging pollutants has gained significant attention. To address this issue, catalytic peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation technology has emerged as a promising treatment approach for effectively decontaminating a wide range of pollutants. Recently, modified biochar has become an increasingly attractive as PMS activator. Metal-heteroatom-co-doped biochar (MH-BC) has emerged as a promising catalyst that can provide enhanced performance over heteroatom-doped and metal-doped biochar due to the synergism between metal and heteroatom in promoting PMS activation. Therefore, this review aims to discuss the fabrication pathways (i.e., internal vs external doping and pre-vs post-modification) and key parameters (i.e., source of precursors, synthesis methods, and synthesis conditions) affecting the performance of MH-BC as PMS activator. Subsequently, an overview of all the possible PMS activation pathways by MH-BC is provided. Subsequently, Also, the detection, identification, and quantification of several reactive species (such as, •OH, SO4•-, O2•-, 1O2, and high valent oxo species) generated in the catalytic PMS system by MH-BC are also evaluated. Lastly, the underlying challenges associated with poor stability, the lack of understanding regarding the interaction between metal and heteroatom during PMS activation and quantification of radicals in multi-ROS system are also deliberated.