The real-world treatment characteristic and efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors in non-small cell lung cancer: Data from a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy and prognosis of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) remain unresolved issues. Here, we assessed the treatment characteristics and efficacy of ICIs in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) using real-world data and evaluated the predictive value of factors, including programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression, for the clinical outcome of ICIs in NSCLC. METHODS: Analyzed data was collected from hospitalized patients in the West China Hospital of Sichuan University between January 2017 and March 2023. The Kaplan-Meier method was utilized for analyzing real-world progression-free survival (rwPFS), while Cox regression models was employed to access the correlation between the efficacy of immunotherapy and sociodemographic characteristics, disease information, and characteristics of ICI treatment. RESULTS: A total of 545 patients were included in the retrospective study and characteristics of immunotherapy varied significantly among PD-L1 expression groups. The median rwPFS for the entire population was 9.76 months. Subgroup analyses revealed that patients with high PD-L1 expression, early TNM stage, first-line immunotherapy, EGFR wild-type and those who have not received radiotherapy and targeted therapy previously were more likely to have better rwPFS. Furthermore, multivariate Cox regression analyses identified PD-L1 expression, EGFR mutation status and previous radiotherapy as the most influential predictors of the response to ICI treatment. CONCLUSIONS: This study presents the real-world experience of Chinese NSCLC patients undergoing ICI treatment, offering guidance for clinical decision-making based on various patient conditions, preferences, and indications for ICIs, through the evaluation of immunotherapy efficacy and predictors in NSCLC patients.

Utilising intraoperative respiratory dynamic features for developing and validating an explainable machine learning model for postoperative pulmonary complications.

BACKGROUND: Timely detection of modifiable risk factors for postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) could inform ventilation strategies that attenuate lung injury. We sought to develop, validate, and internally test machine learning models that use intraoperative respiratory features to predict PPCs. METHODS: We analysed perioperative data from a cohort comprising patients aged 65 yr and older at an academic medical centre from 2019 to 2023. Two linear and four nonlinear learning models were developed and compared with the current gold-standard risk assessment tool ARISCAT (Assess Respiratory Risk in Surgical Patients in Catalonia Tool). The Shapley additive explanation of artificial intelligence was utilised to interpret feature importance and interactions. RESULTS: Perioperative data were obtained from 10 284 patients who underwent 10 484 operations (mean age [range] 71 [65-98] yr; 42% female). An optimised XGBoost model that used preoperative variables and intraoperative respiratory variables had area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUROCs) of 0.878 (0.866-0.891) and 0.881 (0.879-0.883) in the validation and prospective cohorts, respectively. These models outperformed ARISCAT (AUROC: 0.496-0.533). The intraoperative dynamic features of respiratory dynamic system compliance, mechanical power, and driving pressure were identified as key modifiable contributors to PPCs. A simplified model based on XGBoost including 20 variables generated an AUROC of 0.864 (0.852-0.875) in an internal testing cohort. This has been developed into a web-based tool for further external validation (https://aorm.wchscu.cn/). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that real-time identification of surgical patients' risk of postoperative pulmonary complications could help personalise intraoperative ventilatory strategies and reduce postoperative pulmonary complications.

Super flexible, self-healing, and self-adhesive double network hydrogel reinforced by okara cellulose nanofibrils.

Inspired by the mussel, tannic acid (TA) was modified onto the surface of self-made cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) to prepare TA@CNFs, which was introduced into borax crosslinked polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) to prepare PTC double-network hydrogel with self-healing properties. Through the comparative observation of TEM images and infrared spectra before and after tannic acid modification, the formation of TA@CNFs was proved. The introduction of TA@CNFs greatly increases the fracture stress of PTC hydrogel, which is more than 10 times higher than that of PVA hydrogel without TA@CNFs, and has high fracture strain (1723 %). Moreover, PTC hydrogel has the ability of rapid self-healing, which can heal to the original form within two minutes. In addition, the temperature response ability of PTC hydrogel makes it capable of reshaping. The self-adhesion ability of PTC hydrogel enables it to adhere to the human epidermis to detect motion signals, as sensitive and as stable as a flexible sensor.

MICROVASCULATURE ALTERATIONS OF PERIPAPILLARY RETINA AND MACULA IN SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS PATIENTS WITHOUT OCULAR INVOLVEMENT BY OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY ANGIOGRAPHY.

PURPOSE: To evaluate microvasculature alterations of the peripapillary retina and macula and to assess whether the changes can detect preclinical retinopathy in systemic lupus erythematosus patients. METHODS: Cross-sectional study of 32 systemic lupus erythematosus patients without retinopathy and 22 normal controls. Optical coherence tomography angiography was used to measure the microvasculature of the peripapillary retina and macula. Vessel densities (VD, %) and fractal dimensions of superficial capillary plexus (SCP) and deep capillary plexus were calculated. RESULTS: Compared with controls, macular vessel densities of the whole image SCP (macular vessel density of SCP-wi) and macular vessel density of inferior SCP (macular vessel density of SCP-i) were significantly reduced in systemic lupus erythematosus patients ( P < 0.05). The peripapillary vessel densities (peripapillary vessel density [pVD]) of a 2.5-mm circle of SCP (pVD of SCP Φ2.5 ), pVD of SCP Φ3.5 , and pVD of inferior region of the inner circle of SCP (pVD of SCP-ii) were significantly reduced in patients treated with hydroxychloroquine >5 years. Macular vessel density of SCP-wi declined with age (ß = -0.12; P < 0.01) and pVD of SCP-ii declined with hydroxychloroquine cumulative dose (ß = -0.01; P < 0.01). Macular vessel density of SCP-i had the best discrimination power of 0.77 ( P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Systemic lupus erythematosus patients without ocular involvement had microvasculature alterations that were particularly evident in the SCP. Peripapillary retina microvasculature may be reduced in patients with longer hydroxychloroquine treatment.

Protective Effect of Compound Tongluo Decoction on Brain Vascular Endothelial Cells after Ischemia-Reperfusion by Inhibition of Ferroptosis Through Regulating Nrf2/ARE/SLC7A11 Signaling Pathway.

Cerebral infarction is one of the most common diseases for aged people. Compound Tongluo Decoction (CTLD), a classic traditional Chinese Medicine prescription, has been widely used in the treatment of ischemic cerebral infarction. Transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) rat model is established for the animal experiment and oxygen-glucose deprivation and reperfusion (OGD/R) human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) model are established for the cell experiment. This also use Nrf2-/- rats to detect the role of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). Longa score, Evans blue staining, brain water content measurement, and histological observation are done. The levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and other ferroptosis-related components are detected respectively. In the vivo experiment, CTLD relieved ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury symptoms and attenuated IR injury in brain tissues of tMCAO rats by relieving peroxidation injury in brain tissues and inhibiting ferroptosis in tMCAO rats. Moreover, CTLD reversed OGD/R-induced oxidative damage of endothelial cells via suppressing ferroptosis. After knocking out the Nrf2 gene, the protective effect of CTLD is sharply reduced. This study put forward that CTLD can inhibit ferroptosis in I/R-injured vascular endothelium by regulating Nrf2/ARE/SLC7A11 signaling to improve the relative symptoms of rats after cerebral I/R injury, thus providing a viable treatment option for cerebrovascular disease.

Circulating tumor DNA as liquid biopsy in lung cancer: Biological characteristics and clinical integration.

Lung cancer maintains high morbidity and mortality rate globally despite significant advancements in diagnosis and treatment in the era of precision medicine. Pathological analysis of tumor tissue, the current gold standard for lung cancer diagnosis, is intrusive and intrinsically confined to evaluating the limited amount of tissues that could be physically extracted. However, tissue biopsy has several limitations, including the invasiveness of the procedure and difficulty in obtaining samples for patients at advanced stages., there Additionally,has been no major breakthrough in tumor biomarkers with high specificity and sensitivity, particularly for early-stage lung cancer. Liquid biopsy has been considered a feasible auxiliary tool for tearly dianosis, evaluating treatment responses and monitoring prognosis of lung cancer. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), an ideal biomarker of liquid biopsy, has emerged as one of the most reliable tools for monitoring tumor processes at molecular levels. Herein, this review focuses on tumor heterogeneity to elucidate the superiority of liquid biopsy and retrospectively discussdeciphersolution. We systematically elaborate ctDNA biological characteristics, introduce methods for ctDNA detection, and discuss the current role of plasma ctDNA in lung cancer management. Finally, we summarize the drawbacks of ctDNA analysis and highlight its potential clinical application in lung cancer.

IL-33/ST2 signaling in pain and itch: Cellular and molecular mechanisms and therapeutic potentials.

Pain is a cardinal feature of many diseases. Chronic pain poses heavy burdens to the suffering patients, both physically and mentally. However, current mainstream medications for chronic pain, including opioids, antidepressants and non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs are sometimes inefficient for chronic pain management and may cause side effects that limit long term usage. IL-33 belongs to IL-1 cytokine family and it exerts biological activities through binding to its specific receptor ST2. IL-33/ST2 signaling is very important in both innate and adaptive immunity. Emerging evidence indicates IL-33/ST2 signaling regulates pain in both immune and somatosensory systems through promoting neuro-immune or neuron-glia crosstalk, neuroinflammation and neuronal hyperexcitability. Some very latest studies indicate a vital part of IL-33/ST2 in mediating chronic itch. This work aims to overview the existing knowledge regarding the mechanisms of IL-33/ST2 involvement in pain and itch conditions, considering their potential similarities. We also summarized some key findings obtained from clinical studies. The targeting of IL-33/ST2 signaling holds promise for the development of novel therapeutic modalities in the management of pain and itch.

Association Between Daily Internet Use and Incidence of Chronic Diseases Among Older Adults: Prospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Chronic disease incidence among the elderly is increasing, which is correlated with the acceleration of population aging. Evolving internet technologies may help prevent and provide interventions for chronic diseases in an accelerating aging process. However, the impact of daily internet use on the incidence of chronic diseases is not well understood. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate whether daily internet use by middle-aged and older adults may inhibit or promote the occurrence of chronic diseases. METHODS: We included participants from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), a longitudinal survey of Chinese residents aged ≥45 years. We assessed 8-year data from wave 1 (June 2011-March 2012) to wave 4 (July-September 2018) in CHARLS. Data from wave 4 were used for a cross-sectional study, and data from all 4 waves were used for a longitudinal study. Self-reported data were used to track variables, including internet use, use frequency, and the incidence of different chronic diseases. Cox proportional hazards modeling was applied in the longitudinal study to examine the relationship between daily internet use and chronic diseases among middle-aged and older adults, while adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and health behaviors. In addition, longitudinal data were used to analyze internet usage trends, and cross-sectional data were used to analyze the factors influencing internet use. RESULTS: Among the 20,113 participants included in the longitudinal analyses, internet use increased significantly, from 2% to 12.3%, between 2011 and 2018. The adjusted model found statistically significant relationships between daily internet use and a lower incidence of the following chronic diseases: hypertension (hazard ratio [HR] 0.78, 95% CI 0.65-0.95, P=.01), chronic lung disease (HR 0.74, 95% CI 0.57-0.97, P=.03), stroke (HR 0.69, 95% CI 0.50-0.94, P=.02), digestive disease (HR 0.73, 95% CI 0.58-0.91, P=.005), memory-related disorders (HR 0.58, 95% CI 0.37-0.91, P=.02), arthritis or rheumatism (HR 0.60, 95% CI 0.48-0.76, P<.001), asthma (HR 0.52, 95% CI 0.33-0.84, P=.007), depression (HR 0.80, 95% CI 0.71-0.89, P<.001), and vision impairment (HR 0.83, 95% CI 0.74-0.93, P=.004). Moreover, our study also showed that with increasing frequency of internet use, the risk of some chronic diseases decreases. CONCLUSIONS: This study found that middle-aged and older adults who use the internet have a reduced risk of developing chronic diseases versus those who do not use the internet. The increasing prevalence of daily internet use among middle-aged and older adults may stimulate contemplation of the potential role of internet platforms in future research on chronic disease prevention.

Encapsulation of Nano-Bortezomib in Apoptotic Stem Cell-Derived Vesicles for the Treatment of Multiple Myeloma.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are lipid bilayer nanovesicles released from living or apoptotic cells that can transport DNA, RNA, protein, and lipid cargo. EVs play critical roles in cell-cell communication and tissue homeostasis, and have numerous therapeutic uses including serving as carriers for nanodrug delivery. There are multiple ways to load EVs with nanodrugs, such as electroporation, extrusion, and ultrasound. However, these approaches may have limited drug-loading rates, poor EV membrane stability, and high cost for large-scale production. Here, it is shown that apoptotic mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can encapsulate exogenously added nanoparticles into apoptotic vesicles (apoVs) with a high loading efficiency. When nano-bortezomib is incorporated into apoVs in culture-expanded apoptotic MSCs, nano-bortezomib-apoVs show a synergistic combination effect of bortezomib and apoVs to ameliorate multiple myeloma (MM) in a mouse model, along with significantly reduced side effects of nano-bortezomib. Moreover, it is shown that Rab7 regulates the nanoparticle encapsulation efficiency in apoptotic MSCs and that activation of Rab7 can increase nanoparticle-apoV production. In this study, a previously unknown mechanism to naturally synthesize nano-bortezomib-apoVs to improve MM therapy is revealed.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer healthcare utilization in southwestern China on March 2021.

BACKGROUND: Oncological care has been disrupted worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed to quantify the long-term impact of the pandemic on cancer care utilization and to examine how this impact varied by sociodemographic and clinical factors in southwestern China, where the Dynamic Zero-COVID Strategy was implemented. This strategy mainly included lockdowns, stringent testing, and travel restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. METHOD: We identified 859,497 episodes of the utilization of cancer care from electronic medical records between January 1, 2019, and March 31, 2021, from the cancer center of a tertiary hospital serving an estimated population of 8.4 million in southwestern China. Changes in weekly utilization were evaluated via segmented Poisson regression across service categories, stratified by cancer type and sociodemographic factors. RESULTS: A sharp reduction in utilization of in-person cancer services occurred during the first week of the pandemic outbreak in January 2020, followed by a quick rebound in February 2020. Although there were few COVID-19 cases from March 2020 until this analysis, the recovery of most in-person services was slow and remained incomplete as of March 31, 2021. The exceptions were outpatient radiation and surgery, which increased and exceeded pre-pandemic levels, particularly among lung cancer patients; meanwhile, telemedicine utilization increased substantially after the onset of the pandemic. Care disruptions were most prominent for women, rural residents, uninsured, and breast cancer patients. CONCLUSIONS: As of March 2021, despite few COVID-19 cases, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a strong and continuing impact on in-person oncology care utilization in southwestern China under the Dynamic Zero-COVID Strategy. Equitable and timely access to cancer care requires adjustment in strict policies for COVID-19 prevention and control, as well as targeted remedies for the most vulnerable populations during and beyond the pandemic. Future studies should monitor the long-term effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and response strategies on cancer care and outcomes.

Development and evaluation of a data-driven integrated management app for perioperative adverse events: protocol for a mixed-design study.

INTRODUCTION: A patient record review study conducted in 2006 in a random sample of 21 Dutch hospitals found that 51%-77% of adverse events are related to perioperative care, while Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data in USA in 2013 estimated that the medical error is the third-leading cause of mortality. To capitalise on the potential of apps to enhance perioperative medical quality, there is a need for interventions developed in consultation with real-world users designed to support integrated management for perioperative adverse events (PAEs). This study aims: (1) to access the knowledge, attitude and practices for PAEs among physicians, nurses and administrators, and to identify the needs of healthcare providers for a mobile-based PAEs tool; (2) to develop a data-driven app for integrated PAE management that meets those needs and (3) to test the usability, clinical efficacy and cost-effectiveness of the developed app. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We will adopt an embedded mixed-methods research technique; qualitative data will be used to assess user needs and app adoption, while quantitative data will provide crucial insights to establish the demand for the app, and measure the app effects. Phase 1 will enrol surgery-related healthcare providers from the West China Hospital and identify their latent demand for mobile-based PAEs management using a self-designed questionnaire underpinned by the knowledge, attitude and practice model, as well as expert interviews. In phase 2, we will develop the app for integrated PAE management and test its effectiveness and sustainability. In phase 3, the effects on the total number and severity of reported PAEs will be evaluated using Poisson regression with interrupted time-series analysis over a 2-year period, while users' engagement, adherence, process evaluation and cost-effectiveness will be evaluated using quarterly surveys and interviews. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The West China Hospital of Sichuan University's Institutional Review Board authorised this study after approving the study protocol, permission forms and questionnaires (number: 2022-1364). Participants will be provided with study information, and informed written consent will be obtained. Study findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations.

Association between serum Chlamydia trachomatis antibody levels and infertility among reproductive-aged women in the U.S.

Introduction: Chlamydia trachomatis infection, the most prevalent sexually transmitted bacterial infection worldwide, is a significant cause of infertility. Many countries have introduced the widespread use of serologic assays for IgG seropositivity to chlamydial plasmid gene product 3 (Pgp3). However, data on the association between the level of Pgp3-IgG in the multiplex bead array assay (Pgp3AbMBA) and female infertility are still scarce. Methods: This cross-sectional analysis included 1,425 women from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2013 to 2016. Results: In the fully adjusted logistic regression model, each standard deviation increments of Pgp3AbMBA (SD = 17,079.63) led to a 28% increase in the risk of infertility. The relationship remained consistent in women who had been pregnant and women who gave birth. Smooth curve fitting revealed that the association was linear across the entire range of Pgp3AbMBA. Subgroup analysis suggested that the association was significantly stronger in women who had ever used marijuana and lived in poverty. Conclusions: This study revealed a linear and independent association between the level of Pgp3AbMBA and self-reported infertility in U.S. women. Furthermore, we found that women who had ever used marijuana and lived in poverty were at the highest risk of infertility upon chlamydial infection.

Incidence and trends of hepatic cancer among children and adolescents in the United States from 2000 to 2017: Evidence from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry data.

OBJECTIVE: Primary liver tumors are rare pediatric malignancies. Knowledge of the epidemiology of pediatric liver tumors is limited. This study aims to present the national incidence trends of pediatric liver tumors over 18 years, according to sociodemographic and histological subtype variation. METHODS: The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry was queried from 2000 to 2017 for 1,099 patients between ages 0 and 19 with liver tumors. Age-standardized incidence rates by age, sex, and race/ethnicity were examined among histological subtypes. Annual percentage change (APC) was calculated via joinpoint regression for various sociodemographic and histotype subgroups. RESULTS: An increase of age-adjusted incidence rate of pediatric hepatic cancers was observed between 2000 and 2017 (APC, 1.7% [95% confidence interval or CI: 0.6%-2.8%], p-value = 0.006), which may likely attribute to the increasing incidence of hepatoblastoma and mesenchymal tumors (APC, 2.5% [95% CI: 1.1%-3.8%], p-value = 0.001). The incidence trend of hepatocellular carcinoma remained stable in the study period. The non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander children and adolescents had a higher risk of hepatic tumors (incidence rate ratio or IRR, 1.42 [95% CI: 1.16-1.72], p-value = 0.0007) when compared with the non-Hispanic white subgroup, while a non-Hispanic black child was associated with a lower incidence rate (IRR, 0.64 [95% CI: 0.50-0.80], p-value < 0.0001). Significantly lower hepatic tumor incidence occurred in females than males, with an incidence rate ratio of 0.69 (95% CI: 0.61-0.78; p-value < 0.0001). Hepatic tumor incidence was also significantly lower in those aged 1-4 years (IRR, 0.47 [95% CI: 0.40-0.54]; p-value < 0.001) and 5-19 years (IRR, 0.09 [95% CI: 0.08-0.10]; p-value < 0.001) when compared with the youngest age group aged less than 1 year. These significant differences were also detected for the subgroup of hepatoblastoma and mesenchymal liver tumors but less among hepatocellular carcinomas (all p-values less than 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Continued increasing incidence of pediatric hepatoblastoma and mesenchymal liver tumors was discovered and warranted further investigation. Additional findings include a lower incidence of hepatic cancer among non-Hispanic black individuals and higher incidence of hepatic cancer in non-Hispanic Asian/Pacific Islander, male, and aged 1-4-year children and adolescents.

Xianglian Pill attenuates ulcerative colitis through TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Xianglian Pill (XLP) is a classical Chinese medicine prescription applied for controlling ulcerative colitis (UC). Whereas, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. AIM OF THE STUDY: The present work was aimed to investigate the mechanism of XLP in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced UC via the Toll Like Receptor 4 (TLR4)/Myeloid Differentiation factor 88 (MyD88)/Nuclear Factor kappa-B (NF-κB) signaling in mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The major components of XLP were detected by high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection (HPLC-DAD). The ulcerative colitis model was induced by DSS in mice. 5-Amino Salicylic Acid (5-ASA) group and XLP group were intragastrically treated. Disease activity index (DAI) and colon length were monitored and hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was conducted. Gasdermin D (GSDMD)-N and TLR4 expressions in colon tissues were visualized by immunofluorescence. TLR4 mRNA was measured by Real Time Quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). The expressions of NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3 (NLRP3), active-caspase-1, GSDMD-N, TLR4, MYD88, NF-κB, p-NF-κB, and the ubiquitination of TLR4 in colon tissues were detected by Western blot. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) enzyme activity was examined and serum inflammatory factors Interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6, Tumor Necrosis Factor-α (TNF-α), and IL-18 were determined by Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). TLR4-/- mice were applied for verifying the mechanism of XLP attenuated DSS symptoms. RESULTS: The XLP treatment extended colon length, reduced DAI, and attenuated histopathological alteration in DSS-induced mice. XLP administration suppressed MPO activity and reduced the content of IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-α and IL-18 in serum. XLP also inhibited the expression levels of GSDMD-N, TLR4, NLRP3, active-caspase-1, MyD88, p-NF-κB/NF-κB in colon tissues of DSS-induced mice. TLR4-/- mice proved that TLR4 was involved in XLP-mediated beneficial effect on DSS-induced ulcerative colitis. CONCLUSIONS: XLP might treat ulcerative colitis by regulating the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Impact of different structures of biochar on decreasing methane emissions from sewage sludge composting.

Methane (CH4) emissions from sewage sludge composting can be reduced by using biochar more effectively. This study investigates the impact of different structure of biochar on CH4 emissions during sewage sludge composting. Corncob biochar (CB, pore size = 35.3990 nm), rice husk biochar (RB, pore size = 3.4242 nm) and wood biochar (WB, pore size = 1.6691 nm) were applied to the composting. The results showed that biochar decreased CH4 emissions, mainly through the indirect effect of improving the pile environment. Compared with the control group (CK), the biochars with smaller pore structures, WB and RB, reduced CH4 emissions by 41.83% and 33.59%, respectively, compared to only 8.20% for CB, which has a larger pore structure. In addition, RB and WB increased the free air space (FAS) by more than 10% and CB improved the microbial diversity. Methanothermobacter was reported in WB and RB, with an abundance of 45.45% in WB. Redundancy analysis (RDA) showed that pore size was positively correlated with the CH4 emission rate. The results of this study can provide a theoretical reference for CH4 reduction from biochar co-composting of sewage sludge.

Magnetic metal-organic frameworks as adsorbents for the detection of azo pigments in food matrices.

Azo pigments with azo functional groups (-NN-) are commonly used in foods. Through rational design, here we report synthesis of a novel magnetic metal-organic framework (MOF-545) and the use of Fe3O4@MOF-545 for the selective separation of azo pigments from beverages. We find that Fe3O4@MOF-545 exhibits excellent adsorption/removal capacities for new coccine (NC, 459 mg g-1) and lemon yellow (LY, 476 mg g-1) individually. The results indicated that the adsorption capacities of Fe3O4@MOF-545 were 5 times higher than reported previously. The large surface area (120.4 m2/g) and the suitable pore size (1.6 nm) of Fe3O4@MOF-545 provided multiple accessible channels for azo pigment adsorption. The adsorption kinetics, stability, recovery, and reusability of Fe3O4@MOF-545 were all reported. The recoveries ranged from 92.9 to 104.5%, reflecting the capacity of MOF-545 to efficiently separate NC and LY. Fe3O4@MOF-545 is suitable for azo pigment determination and separation in food matrices.

Self-reported visual impairment and depression of middle-aged and older adults: The chain-mediating effects of internet use and social participation.

Background: Visual impairment (VI) is a strong predictor of depression in middle-aged and older adults. However, the underlying mechanisms and pathways have not been well characterized. The purpose of this study was to determine whether Internet use and social participation mediate the effects of self-reported VI on depression. Methods: The study used the fourth wave of cross-sectional data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, including 19,766 Chinese adults. Depression was assessed according to the CES-D 10 International Scale. Logistic regression models were used to examine the relationship between self-reported VI and depression. While adjusting for relevant covariates, the PROCESS macro (model nos. 6 and 91) was used to assess the chain-mediating effects of Internet use and social participation. Results: A total of 17,433 respondents were included in this study. The CES-D 10 results showed that 7,327 middle-aged and older adults had depressive symptoms, of whom 39.5% were male and 10.2% were ≥75 years old. 32.1% of respondents self-reported VI. Regression analysis showed a positive association between VI and depression, while Internet use and social participation had a negative predictive effect on depression. In the mediation analysis, the social participation pathway contributed the most to the total effect, accounting for 52.69% of it. The proportion of Internet use is 37.72%. When these two mediators were considered together in the full model, they accounted for 9.58% of the total effect of VI on depression. Conclusion: Internet use and social participation were important mediators that mitigated the effects of VI on depression. Combined with previous evidence, online activities such as e-health and m-health can effectively promote disease monitoring and diagnosis, and various offline social participation activities can also play a role in regulating emotions. Therefore, Internet use and social participation factors may serve as relevant entry points for the development of intervention programs that may further improve the mental health of the visually impaired.