A Rare Case of Sigmoid Colon Perforation in a Patient With Severe Acute Pancreatitis.

Severe acute pancreatitis can cause systemic inflammation and multiorgan failure. We present the case of a 60-year-old woman who presented with necrotizing pancreatitis and subsequently developed a sigmoid colon perforation. The perforation presumably occurred because of extravasation of pancreatic enzymes into the abdominal cavity, resulting in colonic wall injury. Our case highlights the rare colonic complications of severe acute pancreatitis.

Bioinspired super-hydrophilic zwitterionic polymer armor combats thrombosis and infection of vascular catheters.

Thrombosis and infection are two major complications associated with central venous catheters (CVCs), which significantly contribute to morbidity and mortality. Antifouling coating strategies currently represent an efficient approach for addressing such complications. However, existing antifouling coatings have limitations in terms of both duration and effectiveness. Herein, we propose a durable zwitterionic polymer armor for catheters. This armor is realized by pre-coating with a robust phenol-polyamine film inspired by insect sclerotization, followed by grafting of poly-2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (pMPC) via in-situ radical polymerization. The resulting pMPC coating armor exhibits super-hydrophilicity, thereby forming a highly hydrated shell that effectively prevents bacterial adhesion and inhibits the adsorption and activation of fibrinogen and platelets in vitro. In practical applications, the armored catheters significantly reduced inflammation and prevented biofilm formation in a rat subcutaneous infection model, as well as inhibited thrombus formation in a rabbit jugular vein model. Overall, our robust zwitterionic polymer coating presents a promising solution for reducing infections and thrombosis associated with vascular catheters.

Cost of Hospitalization Associated with Inpatient Goals-of-Care Program Implementation at a Comprehensive Cancer Center: A Propensity Score Analysis.

The impact of goals-of-care programs on acute hospitalization costs is unclear. We compared the hospitalization cost in an 8-month period before implementation of a multimodal interdisciplinary goals-of-care program (1 May 2019 to 31 December 2019) to an 8-month period after program implementation (1 May 2020 to 31 December 2020). Propensity score weighting was used to adjust for differences in potential covariates. The primary outcome was total direct cost during the hospital stay for each index hospitalization. This analysis included 6977 patients in 2019 and 5964 patients in 2020. The total direct cost decreased by 3% in 2020 but was not statistically significant (ratio 0.97, 95% CI 0.92, 1.03). Under individual categories, there was a significant decrease in medical oncology (ratio 0.58, 95% CI 0.50, 0.68) and pharmacy costs (ratio 0.86, 95% CI 0.79, 0.96), and an increase in room and board (ratio 1.06, 95% CI 1.01, 1.10). In subgroup analysis, ICU patients had a significant reduction in total direct cost after program implementation (ratio 0.83, 95% CI 0.72, 0.94). After accounting for the length of ICU admission, we found that the total direct cost per hospital day was no longer different between 2019 and 2020 (ratio 0.986, 95% CI 0.92, 1.05), suggesting that shorter ICU admissions likely explained much of the observed cost savings. This study provides real-world data on how "in-the-moment" GOC conversations may contribute to reduced hospitalization costs among ICU patients.

Detection of clinical Serratia marcescens isolates carrying blaKPC-2 in a hospital in China.

Serratia marcescens is an opportunistic and nosocomial pathogen found in the intensive care unit (ICU), but its antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is rarely addressed. Here, we reported two blaKPC-2-positive S. marcescens strains, SMBC31 and SMBC50, recovered from the ICU of a hospital in Zhengzhou, China. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined using the broth microdilution method, while S1-PFGE was employed to demonstrate plasmid size approximation. Complete genome sequences were obtained through Illumina NovaSeq 6000 and Oxford Nanopore Technologies. Both strains exhibit resistance to meropenem and harbor the blaKPC-2 and blaSRT-1 resistance genes. The plasmid pSMBC31-39K in strain SMBC31 and pSMBC50-107K in strain SMBC50 were identified as carrying the blaKPC-2 gene. Notably, both of these plasmids were successfully transferred to Escherichia coli strain J53. Phylogenetic analysis based on plasmid sequences revealed that pSMBC31-39K exhibited high homology with plasmids found in Aeromonas caviae, Citrobacter sp., and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, while pSMBC50-107K showed significant similarity to those of E. coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Notably, the coexistence of blaKPC-2 and blaSRT-1 was observed in all 94 KPC-2-producing S. marcescens strains by mining all genomes available under the GenBank database, which were mainly isolated from hospitalized patients. The emergence of multidrug-resistant S. marcescens poses significant challenges in treating clinical infections, highlighting the need for increased surveillance of this pathogen.

Global Epidemiology and Geographic Variations of Pediatric-Onset Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Comprehensive Analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 1990 to 2019.

BACKGROUND: An increasing incidence of pediatric-onset inflammatory bowel disease (PIBD) has been reported in many countries. However, the global burden and distribution of this disease remain less understood. We aimed to examine the global epidemiology and trends of PIBD from 1990 to 2019. METHODS: Data from the 2019 Global Burden of Disease Study, covering 204 countries, were analyzed. We assessed key measures like incidence, prevalence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) using linear regression to calculate annual percentage changes and assess trends. RESULTS: Between 1990 and 2019, the PIBD incidence rate increased and the DALY rate and mortality rate declined. The incidence rate was notably elevated in the high Socio-demographic Index (SDI) quintile, reaching 6.3 per 100 000 person-years, corresponding to 13 914 new cases in 2019. Incidence and prevalence of PIBD positively correlated with the SDI, while higher death and DALY burdens were observed in lower-SDI countries. In 2019, the top 5 countries with the highest PIBD incidence rates were Canada (19.9 per 100 000 population), Denmark (12.4 per 100 000 population), Hungary (8.5 per 100 000 population), Austria (8.1 per 100 000 population), and the United States (7.4 per 100 000 population). Several countries experienced significant increases in incidence rates from 1990 to 2019, led by Taiwan (annual percent change 4.2%), followed by China (2.8%), Japan (2.1%), Australia (1.8%), and Hungary (1.6%). DISCUSSION: PIBD incidence has significantly increased since 1990. High-SDI countries face higher incidence, while lower-SDI countries experience higher mortality and DALY burdens. The study underscores the need for ongoing monitoring and research to address this emerging public health issue.

This study analyzed global pediatric-onset inflammatory bowel disease trends from 1990 to 2019. Findings show an increased incidence, especially in high Socio-demographic Index countries, highlighting a growing public health concern and the need for continued monitoring and investigation.

Validation of GPT-4 for clinical event classification: A comparative analysis with ICD codes and human reviewers.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Effective clinical event classification is essential for clinical research and quality improvement. The validation of artificial intelligence (AI) models like Generative Pre-trained Transformer 4 (GPT-4) for this task and comparison with conventional methods remains unexplored. METHODS: We evaluated the performance of the GPT-4 model for classifying gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding episodes from 200 medical discharge summaries and compared the results with human review and an International Classification of Diseases (ICD) code-based system. The analysis included accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity evaluation, using ground truth determined by physician reviewers. RESULTS: GPT-4 exhibited an accuracy of 94.4% in identifying GI bleeding occurrences, outperforming ICD codes (accuracy 63.5%, P < 0.001). GPT-4's accuracy was either slightly lower or statistically similar to individual human reviewers (Reviewer 1: 98.5%, P < 0.001; Reviewer 2: 90.8%, P = 0.170). For location classification, GPT-4 achieved accuracies of 81.7% and 83.5% for confirmed and probable GI bleeding locations, respectively, with figures that were either slightly lower or comparable with those of human reviewers. GPT-4 was highly efficient, analyzing the dataset in 12.7 min at a cost of 21.2 USD, whereas human reviewers required 8-9 h each. CONCLUSION: Our study indicates GPT-4 offers a reliable, cost-efficient, and faster alternative to current clinical event classification methods, outperforming the conventional ICD coding system and performing comparably to individual expert human reviewers. Its implementation could facilitate more accurate and granular clinical research and quality audits. Future research should explore scalability, prompt and model tuning, and ethical implications of high-performance AI models in clinical data processing.

Risk factors and genetic characteristics of the carriage of hypervirulent and carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii among pregnant women.

Background: Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) and its emerging evolutionary branch toward hypervirulence have been neglected in pregnancy. Methods: From September 2020 to August 2021, an active surveillance culture program encompassed 138 randomly selected pregnant women, with five subjected to sample collection at two different time points. The clinical characterization was explored through statistical analysis. Whole-genome sequencing, a Galleria mellonella infection model, and a global database were used to investigate the genetic characterization, pathogenicity, evolutionary history, and phylogenetic relationships of the isolates. Results: Of the 41 CRAB isolates obtained, they were divided into four ClustersRS and an orphan pattern. ClusterRS 1 (n = 31), with eight complex types in pregnancy, was also the dominant ClusterRS globally, followed by ClusterRS 13 (n = 5), identified as hypervirulent KL49 CRAB, exhibiting phylogeographical specificity to Guangdong. A maternal carriage CRAB rate of 26.09% (36/138) was revealed, with half of the isolates representing novel complex types, prominently including CT3071, as the first KL7 isolates identified in Shenzhen. Both KL49 and KL7 isolates were most commonly found in the same participant, suggesting potential intraspecific competition as a possible reason for CRAB infection without carriers during pregnancy. The independent risk factors for carriers were revealed for the first time, including advanced maternal age, gestational diabetes mellitus, and Group B Streptococcus infection. Conclusion: The significant carriage rate and enhanced virulence of CRAB during pregnancy emphasize the imperative for routine surveillance to forestall dissemination within this high-risk group, especially in Guangdong for ClusterRS 13 isolates.

Design, synthesis and systemic acquired resistance of 2-benzothiadiazolylquinoline-4-carboxamides by COI1 based virtual screening.

Coronatine-insensitive 1 (COI1) has been identified as a target receptor of plant elicitor coronatine (COR). To discover novel plant elicitor leads, most of the potential molecules among 129 compounds discovered from the ZINC database by docking based virtual screening targeting COI1 were quinoline amides. On this lead basis, 2-benzothiadiazolylquinoline-4-carboxamides were rationally designed and synthesized for bioassay. All target compounds did not show significantly in vitro antifungal activity, compounds 4d, 4e and 4o displayed good in vivo systemic acquired resistance activity for Arabidopsis thaliana against Hyaloperonospora arabidopsidis isolate Noco2 with over 80% of inhibitory rate at the concentration of 50 µM. These results indicate that 2-benzothiadiazolylquinoline-4-carboxamides are promising plant elicitor leads for further study.

The Effect of Lipid Composition on the Liposomal Delivery of Camptothecin Developed by Active Click Loading.

In the present study, we investigated the role of lipid composition of camptothecin (CPT)-loaded liposomes (CPT-Lips) to adjust their residence time, drug distribution, and therefore the toxicities and antitumor activity. The CPT was loaded into liposomes using a click drug loading method, which utilized liposomes preloaded with GSH and then exposed to CPT-maleimide. The method produced CPT-Lips with a high encapsulation efficiency (>95%) and sustained drug release. It is shown that the residence times of CPT-Lips in the body were highly dependent on lipid compositions with an order of non-PEGylated liposomes of unsaturated lipids < non-PEGylated liposomes of saturated lipids < PEGylated liposomes of saturated lipids. Interestingly, the fast clearance of CPT-Lips resulted in significantly decreased toxicities but did not cause a significant decrease in their in vivo antitumor activity. These results suggested that the lipid composition could effectively adjust the residence time of CPT-Lips in the body and further optimize their therapeutic index, which would guide the development of a liposomal formulation of CPT.

Perceived professional preparedness and identity among senior nursing students: a latent profile Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Senior nursing students' perceptions of their professional preparedness help them for expectations of their future nursing role with more confidence, and professional identity may contribute to cultivating nursing students' perceptions of professional preparedness. In this study we applied latent profile analysis to identify the latent profiles of perceived professional preparedness among senior nursing students and to examine their identity and predictors. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study. A total of 319 senior nursing students from five universities in China were enrolled. Data were collected using the Perceived Professional Preparedness of Senior Nursing Students' Questionnaire and the Professional Identity Scale for Nursing Students. RESULTS: Three latent profiles were identified and labeled as "low perceived professional preparedness" (n = 90, 28.2%), "low clinical competency-low EBP (Evidence-Based Practice)" (n = 190, 59.5%), and "high perceived professional preparedness" (n = 39, 12.2%). Place of residence, average clinical practicum hours per day, part-time experience, good relationships with classmates, and feeling nobility toward nursing due to COVID-19 significantly predicted profile membership. The average professional identity score was also statistically different across the three profiles (F = 54.69, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Senior nursing students' perceptions of their professional preparedness were divided into three profiles, and out results show that promoting professional identity may effectively foster their perceived professional preparedness. This study therefore highlights the importance of targeted interventions by considering their distinct perceptions of professional preparedness patterns.

Cationic Ir(III) Complexes with 4-Fluoro-4'-pyrazolyl-(1,1'-biphenyl)-2-carbonitrile as the Cyclometalating Ligand: Synthesis, Characterizations, and Application to Ultrahigh-Efficiency Light-Emitting Electrochemical Cells.

Light-emitting electrochemical cells (LECs) promise low-cost, large-area luminescence applications with air-stabilized electrodes and a versatile fabrication that enables the use of solution processes. Nevertheless, the commercialization of LECs is still encountering many obstacles, such as low electroluminescence (EL) efficiencies of the ionic materials. In this paper, we propose five blue to yellow ionic Ir complexes possessing 4-fluoro-4'-pyrazolyl-(1,1'-biphenyl)-2-carbonitrile (ppfn) as a novel cyclometalating ligand and use them in LECs. In particular, the device within di[4-fluoro-4'-pyrazolyl-(1,1'-biphenyl)-2-carbonitrile]-4,4'-di-tert-butyl-2,2'-bipyridyl iridium(III) hexafluorophosphate (DTBP) shows a remarkable photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of 70%, and by adjusting the emissive-layer thickness, the maximal external quantum efficiency (EQE) reaches 22.15% at 532 nm under the thickness of 0.51 µm, showing the state-of-the-art value for the reported blue-green LECs.

A prognostic model for Schistosoma japonicum infection-associated liver hepatocellular carcinoma: strengthening the connection through initial biological experiments.

BACKGROUND: Numerous studies have shown that Schistosoma japonicum infection correlates with an increased risk of liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC). However, data regarding the role of this infection in LIHC oncogenesis are scarce. This study aimed to investigate the potential mechanisms of hepatocarcinogenesis associated with Schistosoma japonicum infection. METHODS: By examining chronic liver disease as a mediator, we identified the genes contributing to Schistosoma japonicum infection and LIHC. We selected 15 key differentially expressed genes (DEGs) using weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and random survival forest models. Consensus clustering revealed two subgroups with distinct prognoses. Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) and Cox regression identified six prognostic DEGs, forming an Schistosoma japonicum infection-associated signature for strong prognosis prediction. This signature, which is an independent LIHC risk factor, was significantly correlated with clinical variables. Four DEGs, including BMI1, were selected based on their protein expression levels in cancerous and normal tissues. We confirmed BMI1's role in LIHC using Schistosoma japonicum-infected mouse models and molecular experiments. RESULTS: We identified a series of DEGs that mediate schistosomiasis, the parasitic disease caused by Schistosoma japonicum infection, and hepatocarcinogenesis, and constructed a suitable prognostic model. We analyzed the mechanisms by which these DEGs regulate disease and present the differences in prognosis between the different genotypes. Finally, we verified our findings using molecular biology experiments. CONCLUSION: Bioinformatics and molecular biology analyses confirmed a relationship between schistosomiasis and liver hepatocellular cancer. Furthermore, we validated the role of a potential oncoprotein factor that may be associated with infection and carcinogenesis. These findings enhance our understanding of Schistosoma japonicum infection's role in LIHC carcinogenesis.

Enzyme Core Spherical Nucleic Acid That Enables Enhanced Cuproptosis and Antitumor Immune Response through Alleviating Tumor Hypoxia.

Cuproptosis, a copper-dependent cell death process, has been confirmed to further activate the immune response and mediate the immune resistance. However, hypoxic tumor microenvironment hampers cuproptosis sensitivity and suppresses the body's antitumor immune response. Herein, we have successfully immobilized and functionalized catalase (CAT) with long single-stranded DNA containing polyvalent CpG sequences through rolling circle amplification (RCA) techniques, obtaining an enzyme-cored spherical nucleic acid nanoplatform (CAT-ecSNA-Cu) to deliver copper ions for cuproptosis. The presence of long-stranded DNA-protected CAT enhances mitochondrial respiration by catalyzing the conversion of H2O2 to O2, thereby sensitizing cuproptosis. Meanwhile, increased tumor oxygenation suppresses the expression of the hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) protein, resulting in the alleviation of the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Of note, cuproptosis induces immunogenic cell death (ICD), which facilitates dendritic cell (DC) maturation and enhances antigen presentation through polyCpG-supported Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) activation. Furthermore, cuproptosis-induced PD-L1 upregulation in tumor cells complements checkpoint blockers (αPD-L1), enhancing antitumor immunity. The strategy of enhancing cuproptosis-mediated antitumor immune responses by alleviating hypoxia effectively promotes the activation and proliferation of effector T cells, ultimately leading to long-term immunity against cancer.

Functional bio-inspired hybrid fliers with separated ring and leading edge vortices.

Recent advances in passive flying systems inspired by wind-dispersed seeds contribute to increasing interest in their use for remote sensing applications across large spatial domains in the Lagrangian frame of reference. These concepts create possibilities for developing and studying structures with performance characteristics and operating mechanisms that lie beyond those found in nature. Here, we demonstrate a hybrid flier system, fabricated through a process of controlled buckling, to yield unusual geometries optimized for flight. Specifically, these constructs simultaneously exploit distinct fluid phenomena, including separated vortex rings from features that resemble those of dandelion seeds and the leading-edge vortices derived from behaviors of maple seeds. Advanced experimental measurements and computational simulations of the aerodynamics and induced flow physics of these hybrid fliers establish a concise, scalable analytical framework for understanding their flight mechanisms. Demonstrations with functional payloads in various forms, including bioresorbable, colorimetric, gas-sensing, and light-emitting platforms, illustrate examples with diverse capabilities in sensing and tracking.

Correlation analysis of disulfidptosis-related gene signatures with clinical prognosis and immunotherapy response in sarcoma.

Disulfidptosis, a newly discovered type of programmed cell death, could be a mechanism of cell death controlled by SLC7A11. This could be closely associated with tumor development and advancement. Nevertheless, the biological mechanism behind disulfidptosis-related genes (DRGs) in sarcoma (SARC) is uncertain. This study identified three valuable genes (SLC7A11, RPN1, GYS1) associated with disulfidptosis in sarcoma (SARC) and developed a prognostic model. The multiple databases and RT-qPCR data confirmed the upregulated expression of prognostic DRGs in SARC. The TCGA internal and ICGC external validation cohorts were utilized to validate the predictive model capacity. Our analysis of DRG riskscores revealed that the low-risk group exhibited a more favorable prognosis than the high-risk group. Furthermore, we observed a significant association between DRG riskscores and different clinical features, immune cell infiltration, immune therapeutic sensitivity, drug sensitivity, and RNA modification regulators. In addition, two external independent immunetherapy datasets and clinical tissue samples were collected, validating the value of the DRGs risk model in predicting immunotherapy response. Finally, the SLC7A11/hsa-miR-29c-3p/LINC00511, and RPN1/hsa-miR-143-3p/LINC00511 regulatory axes were constructed. This study provided DRG riskscore signatures to predict prognosis and response to immunotherapy in SARC, guiding personalized treatment decisions.

Effect of chitosan and CMCS on dentin after Er:YAG laser irradiation: shear bond strength and surface morphology analysis.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of chitosan and carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS) on dentin surface morphology and bonding strength after irradiation of Er:YAG laser. METHODS: Eighty-four laser-irradiated dentin samples were randomly distributed into three groups (n = 28/group) according to different surface conditioning process: deionized water for 60s; 1wt% chitosan for 60s; or 1wt% CMCS for 60s. Two specimens from each group were subjected to TEM analysis to confirm the presence of extrafibrillar demineralization on dentin fibrils. Two specimens from each group were subjected to morphological analysis by SEM. Seventy-two specimens (n = 24/group) were prepared, with a composite resin cone adhered to the dentin surface, and were then randomly assigned to one of two aging processes: storage in deionized water for 24 h or a thermocycling stimulation. The shear bond strength of laser-irradiated dentin to the resin composite was determined by a universal testing machine. Data acquired in the shear bond strength test was analyzed by one-way ANOVA with the Tukey honestly significant difference post hoc test and Independent Samples t-test (α = 0.05). RESULTS: CMCS group presented demineralized zone and a relatively smooth dentin surface morphology. CMCS group had significantly higher SBS value (6.08 ± 2.12) without aging (p < 0.05). After thermal cycling, both chitosan (5.26 ± 2.30) and CMCS group (5.82 ± 1.90) presented higher bonding strength compared to control group (3.19 ± 1.32) (p < 0.05). Chitosan and CMCS group preserved the bonding strength after aging process (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: CMCS has the potential to be applied in conjunction with Er:YAG laser in cavity preparation and resin restoration.

Tailoring Charge Separation in ZnIn2S4@CdS Hollow Nanocages for Simultaneous Alcohol Oxidation and CO2 Reduction under Visible Light.

Artificial photosynthesis provides a sustainable strategy for producing usable fuels and fine chemicals and attracts broad research interest. However, conventional approaches suffer from low reactivity or low selectivity. Herein, we demonstrate that photocatalytic reduction of CO2 coupled with selective oxidation of aromatic alcohol into corresponding syngas and aromatic aldehydes can be processed efficiently and fantastically over the designed S-scheme ZnIn2S4@CdS core-shell hollow nanocage under visible light. In the ZnIn2S4@CdS heterostructure, the photoexcited electrons and holes with weak redox capacities are eliminated, while the photoexcited electrons and holes with powder redox capacities are separated spatially and preserved on the desired active sites. Therefore, even if there are no cocatalysts and no vacancies, ZnIn2S4@CdS exhibits high reactivity. For instance, the CO production of ZnIn2S4@CdS is about 3.2 and 3.4 times higher than that of pure CdS and ZnIn2S4, respectively. More importantly, ZnIn2S4@CdS exhibits general applicability and high photocatalytic stability. Trapping agent experiments, 13CO2 isotopic tracing, in situ characterizations, and theoretical calculations reveal the photocatalytic mechanism. This study provides a new strategy to design efficient and selective photocatalysts for dual-function redox reactions by tailoring the active sites and regulating vector separation of photoexcited charge carriers.

Heterogeneous Nucleating Agent for High-Boiling-Point Nonhalogenated Solvent-Processed Organic Solar Cells and Modules.

High-boiling-point nonhalogenated solvents are superior solvents to produce large-area organic solar cells (OSCs) in industry because of their wide processing window and low toxicity; while, these solvents with slow evaporation kinetics will lead excessive aggregation of state-of-the-art small molecule acceptors (e.g. L8-BO), delivering serious efficiency losses. Here, a heterogeneous nucleating agent strategy is developed by grafting oligo (ethylene glycol) side-chains on L8-BO (BTO-BO). The formation energy of the obtained BTO-BO; while, changing from liquid in a solvent to a crystalline phase, is lower than that of L8-BO irrespective of the solvent type. When BTO-BO is added as the third component into the active layer (e.g. PM6:L8-BO), it easily assembles to form numerous seed crystals, which serve as nucleation sites to trigger heterogeneous nucleation and increase nucleation density of L8-BO through strong hydrogen bonding interactions even in high-boiling-point nonhalogenated solvents. Therefore, it can effectively suppress excessive aggregation during growth, achieving ideal phase-separation active layer with small domain sizes and high crystallinity. The resultant toluene-processed OSCs exhibit a record power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 19.42% (certificated 19.12%) with excellent operational stability. The strategy also has superior advantages in large-scale devices, showing a 15.03-cm2 module with a record PCE of 16.35% (certificated 15.97%).

Screening for Active Compounds of Acorus calamus against SARS-CoV-2 Viral Protease and Mechanism Prediction.

COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2, has emerged as the most destructive emerging infectious disease of the 21st century. Vaccination is an effective method to combat viral diseases. However, due to the constant mutation of the virus, new variants may weaken the efficacy of vaccines. In the current field of new coronavirus research, viral protease inhibitors have emerged as a highly regarded therapeutic strategy. Nevertheless, existing viral protease inhibitors do not fully meet the therapeutic needs. Therefore, this paper turned to traditional Chinese medicine to explore new active compounds. This study focused on 24 isolated compounds from Acorus calamus L. and identified 8 active components that exhibited significant inhibitory effects on SARS-CoV-2 PLpro. Among these, the compound 1R,5R,7S-guaiane-4R,10R-diol-6-one demonstrated the best inhibitory activity with IC50 values of 0.386 ± 0.118 µM. Additionally, menecubebane B and neo-acorane A exhibited inhibitory activity against both Mpro and PLpro proteases, indicating their potential as dual-target inhibitors. The molecular docking results confirmed the stable conformations of these compounds with the key targets and their good activity. ADMET and Lipinski's rule analyses revealed that all the small molecule ligands possessed excellent oral absorption properties. This study provides an experimental foundation for the discovery of promising antiviral lead compounds.

Comparation of the effectiveness of conventional needle irrigation and photon-induced photoacoustic streaming with sodium hypochorite in the treatment of teeth with apical periodontitis: a randomized clinical trial.

Photon-initiated photoacoustic streaming (PIPS) with an Er: YAG laser has been introduced in root canal treatment to improve irrigation and facilitate the removal of bacteria in the root canal system. This study aimed to compare the antibacterial effectiveness of two different root canal irrigation techniques, conventional needle irrigation (CNI) and PIPS, using 1% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), in the treatment of teeth with apical periodontitis. Sixty patients with a total of sixty teeth affected by apical periodontitis were included in this study. The teeth underwent root canal therapy, and after mechanical instrumentation, they were randomly assigned to two groups (n = 30) based on the final irrigation protocol: CNI or PIPS with 1% NaOCl. Bacterial suspensions in the root canals were evaluated using Adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) assay kit after mechanical instrumentation and after final irrigation. Then, a follow-up was conducted after 7 days. The results revealed that final irrigation significantly reduced ATP values in both the CNI and PIPS groups (P < 0.001). The ATP values after final irrigation was greater in the CNI group compared to the PIPS group (P < 0.001). After a 7-day follow-up, percussion tenderness and fistula were significantly resolved in both groups (P < 0.05). A multivariate linear regression model was used to identify the factors that influence post irrigation ATP values. The analysis demonstrated that pre-operative percussion tenderness (P = 0.006), the presence of a fistula (P < 0.001) and the method used in the final irrigation (P < 0.001) had a significant impact on the ATP value after final irrigation. These results indicate that employing PIPS with 1% NaOCl as the final irrigation protocol exhibited superior antibacterial effectiveness and has the potential to enhance clinical outcomes in the treatment of teeth afflicted with apical periodontitis.