Deciphering cutaneous melanoma prognosis through LDL metabolism: Single-cell transcriptomics analysis via 101 machine learning algorithms.

Cutaneous melanoma poses a formidable challenge within the field of oncology, marked by its aggressive nature and capacity for metastasis. Despite extensive research uncovering numerous genetic and molecular contributors to cutaneous melanoma development, there remains a critical knowledge gap concerning the role of lipids, notably low-density lipoprotein (LDL), in this lethal skin cancer. This article endeavours to bridge this knowledge gap by delving into the intricate interplay between LDL metabolism and cutaneous melanoma, shedding light on how lipids influence tumour progression, immune responses and potential therapeutic avenues. Genes associated with LDL metabolism were extracted from the GSEA database. We acquired and analysed single-cell sequencing data (GSE215120) and bulk-RNA sequencing data, including the TCGA data set, GSE19234, GSE22153 and GSE65904. Our analysis unveiled the heterogeneity of LDL across various cell types at the single-cell sequencing level. Additionally, we constructed an LDL-related signature (LRS) using machine learning algorithms, incorporating differentially expressed genes and highly correlated genes. The LRS serves as a valuable tool for assessing the prognosis, immunity and mutation status of patients with cutaneous melanoma. Furthermore, we conducted experiments on A375 and WM-115 cells to validate the function of PPP2R1A, a pivotal gene within the LRS. Our comprehensive approach, combining advanced bioinformatics analyses with an extensive review of current literature, presents compelling evidence regarding the significance of LDL within the cutaneous melanoma microenvironment.

Collective effects of rising average temperatures and heat events on oviparous embryos.

Survival of the immobile embryo in response to rising temperature is important to determine a species' vulnerability to climate change. However, the collective effects of 2 key thermal characteristics associated with climate change (i.e., rising average temperature and acute heat events) on embryonic survival remain largely unexplored. We used empirical measurements and niche modeling to investigate how chronic and acute heat stress independently and collectively influence the embryonic survival of lizards across latitudes. We collected and bred lizards from 5 latitudes and incubated their eggs across a range of temperatures to quantify population-specific responses to chronic and acute heat stress. Using an embryonic development model parameterized with measured embryonic heat tolerances, we further identified a collective impact of embryonic chronic and acute heat tolerances on embryonic survival. We also incorporated embryonic chronic and acute heat tolerance in hybrid species distribution models to determine species' range shifts under climate change. Embryos' tolerance of chronic heat (T-chronic) remained consistent across latitudes, whereas their tolerance of acute heat (T-acute) was higher at high latitudes than at low latitudes. Tolerance of acute heat exerted a more pronounced influence than tolerance of chronic heat. In species distribution models, climate change led to the most significant habitat loss for each population and species in its low-latitude distribution. Consequently, habitat for populations across all latitudes will shift toward high latitudes. Our study also highlights the importance of considering embryonic survival under chronic and acute heat stresses to predict species' vulnerability to climate change.

Efectos colectivos del aumento de las temperaturas promedio y los eventos de calor en embriones ovíparos Resumen La supervivencia de los embriones inmóviles en respuesta al incremento de temperatura es importante para determinar la vulnerabilidad de las especies al cambio climático. Sin embargo, los efectos colectivos de dos características térmicas claves asociadas con el cambio climático (i. e., aumento de temperatura promedio y eventos de calor agudo) sobre la supervivencia embrionaria permanecen en gran parte inexplorados. Utilizamos mediciones empíricas y modelos de nicho para investigar cómo el estrés térmico crónico y agudo influye de forma independiente y colectiva en la supervivencia embrionaria de los lagartos en todas las latitudes. Recolectamos y criamos lagartos de cinco latitudes e incubamos sus huevos en un rango de temperaturas para cuantificar las respuestas específicas de la población al estrés por calor crónico y agudo. Posteriormente, mediante un modelo de desarrollo embrionario parametrizado con mediciones de tolerancia embrionaria al calor, identificamos un impacto colectivo de las tolerancias embrionarias al calor agudo y crónico en la supervivencia embrionaria. También incorporamos la tolerancia embrionaria crónica y aguda al calor en modelos de distribución de especies híbridas para determinar los cambios de distribución de las especies bajo el cambio climático. La tolerancia embrionaria al calor crónico (T­crónico) permaneció constante, mientras que la tolerancia al calor agudo (T­agudo) fue mayor en latitudes altas que en latitudes bajas. La tolerancia al calor agudo ejerció una influencia más pronunciada que la tolerancia al calor crónico. En los modelos de distribución de especies, el cambio climático provocó la pérdida de hábitat más significativa para cada población y especie en su distribución de latitudes bajas. En consecuencia, el hábitat para poblaciones en todas las latitudes se desplazará a latitudes altas. Nuestro estudio también resalta la importancia de considerar la supervivencia embrionaria bajo estrés térmico crónico y agudo para predecir la vulnerabilidad de las especies al cambio climático.

F127-SE-tLAP thermosensitive hydrogel alleviates bleomycin-induced skin fibrosis via TGF-ß/Smad pathway.

BACKGROUND: Skin fibrosis affects the normal function of the skin. TGF-ß1 is a key cytokine that affects organ fibrosis. The latency-associated peptide (LAP) is essential for TGF-ß1 activation. We previously constructed and prepared truncated LAP (tLAP), and confirmed that tLAP inhibited liver fibrosis by affecting TGF-ß1. SPACE peptide has both transdermal and transmembrane functions. SPACE promotes the delivery of macromolecules through the stratum corneum into the dermis. This study aimed to alleviate skin fibrosis through the delivery of tLAP by SPACE. METHODS: The SPACE-tLAP (SE-tLAP) recombinant plasmid was constructed. SE-tLAP was purified by nickel affinity chromatography. The effects of SE-tLAP on the proliferation, migration, and expression of fibrosis-related and inflammatory factors were evaluated in TGF-ß1-induced NIH-3T3 cells. F127-SE-tLAP hydrogel was constructed by using F127 as a carrier to load SE-tLAP polypeptide. The degradation, drug release, and biocompatibility of F127-SE-tLAP were evaluated. Bleomycin was used to induce skin fibrosis in mice. HE, Masson, and immunohistochemistry were used to observe the skin histological characteristics. RESULTS: SE-tLAP inhibited the proliferation, migration, and expression of fibrosis-related and inflammatory factors in NIH-3T3 cells. F127-SE-tLAP significantly reduced ECM production, collagen deposition, and fibrotic pathological changes, thereby alleviating skin fibrosis. CONCLUSION: F127-SE-tLAP could increase the transdermal delivery of LAP, reduce the production and deposition of ECM, inhibit the formation of dermal collagen fibers, and alleviate the progression of skin fibrosis. It may provide a new idea for the therapy of skin fibrosis.

Human Breast Milk Exosomal miRNAs are Influenced by Premature Delivery and Affect Neurodevelopment.

SCOPE: This study investigates the exosomal microRNA (miRNA) profiles of term and preterm breast milk, including the most abundant and differentially expressed (DE) miRNAs, and their impact on neurodevelopment in infants. METHODS AND RESULTS: Mature milk is collected from the mothers of term and preterm infants. Using high-throughput sequencing and subsequent data analysis, exosomal miRNA profiles of term and preterm human breast milk (HBM) are acquired and it is found that the let-7 and miR-148 families are the most abundant miRNAs. Additionally, 23 upregulated and 15 downregulated miRNAs are identified. MiR-3168 is the most upregulated miRNA in preterm HBM exosome, exhibiting targeting activity toward multiple genes involved in the SMAD and MAPK signaling pathways and playing a crucial role in early neurodevelopment. Additionally, the effects of miR-3168 on neurodevelopment is confirmed and it is determined that it is an essential factor in the differentiation of neural stem cells (NSCs). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that miRNA expression in breast milk exosomes can be influenced by preterm delivery, thereby potentially impacting neurodevelopment in preterm infants.

Correction: Therapeutic effects of a walnut-derived peptide on NLRP3 inflammasome activation, synaptic plasticity, and cognitive dysfunction in T2DM mice.

Correction for 'Therapeutic effects of a walnut-derived peptide on NLRP3 inflammasome activation, synaptic plasticity, and cognitive dysfunction in T2DM mice' by Yanru Li et al., Food Funct., 2024, 15, 2295-2313, https://doi.org/10.1039/D3FO05076A.

Photoinduced Pd-Catalyzed Enantioselective Carboamination of Dienes via Aliphatic C-H Bond Elaboration.

Three-component diene carboaminations offer a potent means to access synthetically valuable allylic amines with rapid molecular complexity escalation. The existing literature primarily discloses racemic examples, necessitating the use of halides/pseudohalides as substrates. This paper introduces a photoinduced Pd-catalyzed enantioselective three-component carboamination of aryl-substituted 1,3-dienes, leveraging aliphatic C-H bonds for rapid synthesis. The reaction employs 10 mol % of chiral palladium catalyst and an excess aryl bromide as the HAT reagent. This approach yields diverse chiral allylamines with moderate to excellent enantioselectivities. Notably, it stands as the first instance of an asymmetric three-component diene carboamination reaction, directly utilizing abundant C(sp3)-H bearing partners, such as toluene-type substrates, ethers, amines, esters, and ketones. The protocol exhibits versatility across amines, encompassing aliphatic, aromatic, primary, and secondary derivatives. This method could serve as a versatile platform for stereoselective incorporation of various nucleophiles, dienes, and C(sp3)-H bearing partners.

Strong aggregation-induced electrochemiluminescence of pyrene-coordination metal-organic frameworks coupled with zero-valent iron as novel accelerator for ultrasensitive immunoassay.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are excellent alternative luminophores for electrochemiluminescence (ECL) immunoassays. However, they are inevitably limited by the aggregation-caused quenching effect. In this study, aimed at eliminating the aggregation quenching of PAHs, luminescent metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with 1,3,6,8-tetra(4-carboxybenzene)pyrene (H4TBAPy) as the ligand were exploited as a novel nano-emitter for the construction of ECL immunoassays. The luminophore exhibits efficient aggregation-induced emission enhancement, good acid-base resistance property and unusual ECL reactivity. In addition, the simultaneous use of potassium persulfate and hydrogen peroxide as dual co-reactants resulted in a synergistic enhancement of the cathodic ECL efficiency. The use of magnetic iron-nickel alloys as the multifunctional sensing platform can further enhance the ECL activity, and its enriched zero-valent iron as a co-reactant accelerator effectively drives ECL analytical performance. Profiting from the excellent characteristics, signal-on ECL immunoassays have been constructed. With carcinoembryonic antigen as the model analysis target, a detection limit of 0.63 pg/mL was obtained within the linear range of 1 pg/mL to 50 ng/mL, accompanied by excellent analytical performance. This report opens a new window for the rational design of efficient ECL illuminators, and the proposed ECL immunoassays may find promising applications in the detection of disease markers.

Sexual attitudes and utilization of sexual and reproductive health services among older women in southern China: a qualitative study.

Objective: Sexual health plays a vital role in healthy aging. However, little is known about the sexual attitudes of and the utilization of sexual and reproductive health services by older women in China. This article is based on a qualitative study of older Chinese women in suburban areas to examine their attitudes toward sexuality and their utilization of sexual and reproductive health services. Methods: Face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted with older women (ages 50 to 74) from suburbs of southern China. Participants were purposively sampled on a convenience basis and recruited when they were visiting community health facilities between June and December 2021. Inclusion criteria were older women aged 50 years and older who had sexual experience. A topic guide was used that focused on sexual activity, sexual attitudes, the utilization of sexual and reproductive health services, and the factors that influence these. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. We coded the data inductively and conducted a thematic analysis. Results: Twenty-six Chinese women participated in the study. These older women had varying attitudes regarding sexual activity and its significance for older adults. The gender norms they held concerning sexual desire deemed that men had higher sexual desire than women. Most asymptomatic women did not actively seek sexual and reproductive health services. In most cases, women only sought professional services when they started to have sexual and reproductive health problems. Factors influencing the uptake of sexual and reproductive health services by older women were cost (affordability), availability, distance (accessibility), and conservative cultural norms towards sexuality. Conclusion: The attitudes of older women towards sexual activity are diverse. While some view sexual activity as common and essential for maintaining a sense of well-being in older age, others may hold different perspectives, considering it less significant. The utilization of sexual and reproductive health services by older Chinese women, except for when they were having a specific health issue, was low. Sexual health messages and services tailored for older women are needed.

Screening for potential warning biomarkers in cows with ketosis based on host-microbiota co-metabolism analysis.

Introduction: The risk of ketosis is assessed by monitoring changes in plasma metabolites and cow behavior during the peripartum period. However, little is known about changes in the fecal bile acid and microbiota of cows before parturition. Therefore, this study clarified the bile acid profile and screened potential warning biomarkers in heifers 7 days before calving. Methods: Ninety healthy cows were tracked in the transition period, and plasma and feces were collected 7 days before calving, on calving day, and 7 days after calving. The cows were divided into ketosis and healthy groups based on the blood ß-hydroxybutyric acid levels from day 7 after calving. The levels of serum biochemical indices were measured at three time points using commercial kits. Ten cows in the ketosis group (KET-7) and 10 healthy cows (HEA-7) were randomly selected 7 days before calving for metabolome and 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. Results: No significant differences in serum energy-related indices were observed 7 days before calving. The major bile acids in the feces of the KET-7 group were non-conjugated secondary bile acids (UnconSBA). Differential bile acids were primarily derived from UnconSBA. The potential ketosis warning metabolite in feces for 7 days before delivery was isodeoxycholic acid. The abundance of Rikenellaaceae-RC9-gut-group in the KET-7 group increased, whereas the abundance of Oscillospiraceae UCG-010 bacteria significantly decreased. Lactobacillus and Prevotella-9 in feces were potential warning biomarkers for ketosis in dairy cows 7 days before calving. The variation in differential bile acids in the plasma, consistent with the feces, was mainly derived from UnconSBA. Lithocholic acid in the plasma was a potential ketosis warning metabolite 7 days before delivery. Conclusion: Ketotic cows experienced bile acid metabolism disorders 7 days before calving, and the gut microbiota was closely related to bile acid metabolism disorders. Future studies should investigate the relationship between secondary bile acids and the development of ketosis.

Effects of tillage and maturity stage on the yield, nutritive composition, and silage fermentation quality of whole-crop wheat.

Whole-crop wheat (Triticum aestivum, WCW) has a high nutritional value and digestibility. No-tillage (NT) can reduces energy and labor inputs in the agricultural production process, thus decreasing production costs. There are many studies on planting techniques of WCW at present, few being on no-tillage planting. This study aimed to compare the effects of different tillage methods and maturity stages on the yield, nutritive value, and silage fermentation quality of WCW. The experiment included two tillage methods (NT; conventional tillage, CT), two maturity stages (flowering stage; milk stage), and three years (2016-2017; 2017-2018; 2018-2019). Years had a strong influence on the yield and nutritional composition of WCW. This was mainly related to the amount of rainfall, as it affects the seedling emergence rate of wheat. Although tillage methods showed no significant effects on the yield, plant height, and stem number per plant of WCW (P > 0.05), compared to CT, the dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) yields of NT decreased by 0.74 t/ha and 0.13 t/ha. Tillage methods showed no significant effects on the nutritive composition of WCW (P > 0.05). The WCW at the milk stage had greater DM (5.25 t/ha) and CP (0.60 t/ha) yields than that at the flowering stage (3.19 t/ha and 0.39 t/ha) (P< 0.05). The acid detergent fiber concentration of WCW decreased by 34.5% from the flowering to the milk stage, whereas water-soluble carbohydrates concentration increased by 50.6%. The CP concentration at the milk stage was lower than that at the flowering stage (P< 0.05). The lactic acid concentration of NT (17.1 g/kg DM) silage was lower than that of CT (26.6 g/kg DM) silage (P< 0.05). The WCW silage at the milk stage had a lower NH3-N concentration (125 g/kg TN) than that at the flowering stage (169 g/kg TN) (P< 0.05). Wheat sown by NT and CT was of similar yield and nutritional value, irrespective of harvest stages. WCW harvested at the milk stage had greater yield and better nutritional composition and silage fermentation quality than that at the flowering stage. Based upon the results of the membership function analysis, no-tillage sowing of wheat was feasible and harvesting at milk stage was recommended.

Controlled-Release Electrochemiluminescence Biosensor with Strong Self-On Effect by a Multiple Signal Amplification Strategy for Trace Detection of Prostate-Specific Antigen.

The enhancement of sensitivity in biological analysis detection can reduce the probability of false positives of the biosensor. In this work, a novel self-on controlled-release electrochemiluminescence (CRE) biosensor was designed by multiple signal amplification and framework-enhanced stability strategies. As a result, the changes of the ECL signal were enhanced before and after the controlled-release process, achieving sensitive detection of prostate-specific antigen (PSA). Specifically, for one thing, Fe3O4@CeO2-NH2 with two paths for enhancing the generation of coreactant radicals was used as the coreaction accelerator to boost ECL performance. For another, due to the framework stability, zeolitic imidazolate framework-8-NH2 (ZIF-8-NH2) was combined with luminol to make the ECL signal more stable. Based on these strategies, the constructed CRE biosensor showed a strong self-on effect in the presence of PSA and high sensitivity in a series of tests. The detection range and limit of detection (LOD) were 5 fg/mL to 10 ng/mL and 2.8 fg/mL (S/N = 3), respectively, providing a feasible approach for clinical detection of PSA.

Effect of early mobilization on the development of pneumonia in patients with traumatic brain injury in the neurosurgical intensive care unit: A historical controls study.

BACKGROUND: Pneumonia has a high incidence in traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients and lacks effective treatments. Early mobilization (EM) may be a potentially effective treatment. AIM: To explore the impact of EM on TBI-related pneumonia in the neurosurgical intensive care unit (NICU). METHOD: This study was a historical control study. 100 TBI patients who received EM intervention were prospectively included as the experimental group (EM cohort), and 250 TBI patients were retrospectively included as the control group. The propensity score matching (PSM) method was employed to balance baseline and minimize potential bias. The relationship between EM and TBI-related pneumonia was investigated by univariate and multivariate logistic regression, then further determined by subgroup analysis. The influence of other variables was excluded by interaction analyses. Finally, the effect of EM on the prognosis of TBI patients was analysed by comparing the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and the hospital stay. RESULTS: After screening, 86 patients were included in the EM cohort and 199 patients were included in the control cohort. There were obvious differences between the two cohorts at baseline, and these differences were eliminated after PSM, when the incidence of pneumonia was significantly lower in the EM cohort than in the control cohort (35.0% vs. 61.9%, p < .001). Multivariate logistic regression showed that EM was an independent risk factor for TBI-related pneumonia and was significantly associated with a decreased incidence of pneumonia. This correlation was present in most subgroups and was not affected by other variables (p for interaction >.05). Patients in the EM cohort had shorter length of ICU stay (6 vs. 7 days, p = .017) and higher GCS at discharge (12 vs. 11, p = .010). CONCLUSION: EM is a safe and effective treatment for TBI patients in NICU, which can reduce the incidence of pneumonia, help to improve prognosis and shorten the length of ICU stay. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Although the utilization rate of EM is low in TBI patients for various reasons, EM is still an effective method to prevent complications. Our study confirms that a scientific and detailed EM strategy can effectively reduce the incidence of pneumonia while ensuring the safety of TBI patients, which is worthy of further research and clinical application.

Sensitive osteoarthritis sensing by salt-induced aggregation and dispersion of gold nanoparticles.

Osteoarthritis occurs in any joints, and identification in its earlier stages helps to treat the disease and increase the recovery rate. The radiography method and imaging techniques are traditionally used to identify osteoarthritis. But these methods are expensive, and with the complicated steps. Researchers are working toward developing a highly sensitive biosensor in identifying the osteoarthritis biomarker. This research was focused on developing a C-terminal telopeptide of type II collagen (CTX-II) colorimetric sensor with gold nanoparticle (AuNP) for diagnosing osteoarthritis. Anti-CTX-II was conjugated with AuNP and then added with CTX-II and sodium chloride for the color change. In the presence of CTX-II, antibody releases from AuNP then binds with CTX-II, and the color of AuNP changed to purple. Without the CTX-II, AuNP remains its red color (dispersed). This easier colorimetric assay detected the CTX-II as low as 2 ng/mL on linear regression [y = 0.0131x - 0.0051; R2 = 0.9205]. Furthermore, control performances with the relevant proteins osteopontin, IL-6, and nonimmune antibody failed to change the color confirming the specific identification of CTX-II.

A Machine Learning Model for Identifying Sexual Health Influencers to Promote the Secondary Distribution of HIV Self-Testing Among Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex With Men in China: Quasi-Experimental Study.

BACKGROUND: Sexual health influencers (SHIs) are individuals actively sharing sexual health information with their peers, and they play an important role in promoting HIV care services, including the secondary distribution of HIV self-testing (SD-HIVST). Previous studies used a 6-item empirical leadership scale to identify SHIs. However, this approach may be biased as it does not consider individuals' social networks. OBJECTIVE: This study used a quasi-experimental study design to evaluate how well a newly developed machine learning (ML) model identifies SHIs in promoting SD-HIVST compared to SHIs identified by a scale whose validity had been tested before. METHODS: We recruited participants from BlueD, the largest social networking app for gay men in China. Based on their responses to the baseline survey, the ML model and scale were used to identify SHIs, respectively. This study consisted of 2 rounds, differing in the upper limit of the number of HIVST kits and peer-referral links that SHIs could order and distribute (first round ≤5 and second round ≤10). Consented SHIs could order multiple HIV self-testing (HIVST) kits and generate personalized peer-referral links through a web-based platform managed by a partnered gay-friendly community-based organization. SHIs were encouraged to share additional kits and peer-referral links with their social contacts (defined as "alters"). SHIs would receive US $3 incentives when their corresponding alters uploaded valid photographic testing results to the same platform. Our primary outcomes included (1) the number of alters who conducted HIVST in each group and (2) the number of newly tested alters who conducted HIVST in each. We used negative binomial regression to examine group differences during the first round (February-June 2021), the second round (June-November 2021), and the combined first and second rounds, respectively. RESULTS: In January 2021, a total of 1828 men who have sex with men (MSM) completed the survey. Overall, 393 SHIs (scale=195 and ML model=198) agreed to participate in SD-HIVST. Among them, 229 SHIs (scale=116 and ML model=113) ordered HIVST on the web. Compared with the scale group, SHIs in the ML model group motivated more alters to conduct HIVST (mean difference [MD] 0.88, 95% CI 0.02-2.22; adjusted incidence risk ratio [aIRR] 1.77, 95% CI 1.07-2.95) when we combined the first and second rounds. Although the mean number of newly tested alters was slightly higher in the ML model group than in the scale group, the group difference was insignificant (MD 0.35, 95% CI -0.17 to -0.99; aIRR 1.49, 95% CI 0.74-3.02). CONCLUSIONS: Among Chinese MSM, SHIs identified by the ML model can motivate more individuals to conduct HIVST than those identified by the scale. Future research can focus on how to adapt the ML model to encourage newly tested individuals to conduct HIVST. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trials Registry ChiCTR2000039632; https://www.chictr.org.cn/showprojEN.html?proj=63068. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): RR2-10.1186/s12889-021-11817-2.

Anomalous Hall effect and magnetic transition in the kagome material YbMn6Sn6.

We investigate the magnetic and transport properties of a kagome magnet YbMn6Sn6. We have grown YbMn6Sn6 single crystals having a HfFe6Ge6 type structure with ordered Yb and Sn atoms, which is different from the distorted structure previously reported. The single crystal undergoes a ferromagnetic phase transition around 300 K and a ferrimagnetic transition at approximately 30 K, and the magnetic transition at low temperature may be correlated to the ordered Yb sublattice. Negative magnetoresistance has been observed at high temperatures, while the positive magnetoresistance appears at 5 K when the current is oriented out of kagome plane. We observe a large anisotropic anomalous Hall effect with the intrinsic Hall contribution .

Interfacial charge transfer in sheet Ni2P-FePx heterojunction to promote the study of electrocatalytic oxygen evolution.

The substantial expense associated with catalysts significantly hampers the progress of electrolytic water-based hydrogen production technology. There is an urgent need to find non-precious metal catalysts that are both cost-effective and highly efficient. Here, the porous Ni2P-FePx nanomaterials were successfully prepared by hydrothermal method, nickel foam as the base, iron nitrate solution as the caustic agent and iron source, and finally phosphating at low temperature. The obtained porous Ni2P-FePx nanosheets showed excellent catalytic activity under alkaline PH = 14, and an overpotential of merely 241 mV was required to achieve a current density of 50 mA cm-2. The morphology of the nanosheet can still be flawlessly presented on the screen after 50 h of working at high current density.

Phenylbutyric acid inhibits hypoxia-induced trophoblast apoptosis and autophagy in preeclampsia via the PERK/ATF-4/CHOP pathway.

Preeclampsia (PE) is a common pregnancy complication with a high mortality rate. Abnormally activated endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) is believed to be responsible for the destruction of key placental cells-trophoblasts. Phenylbutyric acid (4-PBA), an ERS inhibitor, is involved in regulating the development of ERS-related diseases. At present, how 4-PBA affects trophoblasts and its mechanisms is still unclear. In this study, PE cell models were established by stimulating HTR-8/SVneo cells with hypoxia. To verify the underlying mechanisms of 4-PBA on PE, CCT020312, an activator of PERK, was also used. The results showed that 4-PBA restored hypoxia-induced trophoblast viability, inhibited HIF-1α protein expression, inflammation, and PERK/ATF-4/CHOP pathway. Hoechst 33342 staining and flow cytometry results confirmed that 4-PBA decreased hypoxia-induced apoptosis in trophoblasts. The results of the JC-1 analysis and apoptosis initiation enzyme activity assay also demonstrated that 4-PBA inhibited apoptosis related to the mitochondrial pathway. Furthermore, by detecting autophagy in trophoblasts, an increased number of autophagic vesicles, damaged mitochondria, enhanced dansylcadaverine fluorescence, enhanced levels of autophagy proteins Beclin-1, LC3II, and decreased p62 were seen in hypoxia-stimulated cells. These changes were reversed by 4-PBA. Furthermore, it was observed that CCT020312 reversed the effects of 4-PBA on the viability, apoptosis, and autophagosome number of hypoxia-induced trophoblasts. In summary, 4-PBA reduces autophagy and apoptosis via the PERK/ATF-4/CHOP pathway and mitochondrial pathway, thereby restoring the viability of hypoxic trophoblasts. These findings provide a solid evidence base for the use of 4-PBA in PE treatment and guide a new direction for improving the outcomes of patients with PE.

Self-Assembly-Induced Enhancement of Cathodic Electrochemiluminescence of Copper Nanoclusters for a Split-Type Matrix Metalloproteinase 14 Sensing Platform.

The unique optoelectronic and tunable luminescent characteristics of copper nanoclusters (Cu NCs) make them extremely promising as luminophores. However, the limited luminescence intensity and stability of Cu NCs have restricted their application in the field of electrochemiluminescence (ECL). Herein, a self-assembly-induced enhancement strategy was successfully employed to enhance the cathodic ECL performance of flexible ligand-stabilized Cu NCs. Specifically, Cu NCs form ordered sheetlike structures through intermolecular force. The restriction of ligand torsion in this self-assembled structure leads to a significant improvement in the ECL properties of the Cu NCs. Experimental results demonstrate that the assembled nanoscale Cu NC sheets exhibit an approximately three-fold increase in cathodic ECL emission compared to the dispersed state of Cu NCs. Furthermore, assembled nanoscale Cu NCs sheets were utilized as signal probes in conjunction with a specific short peptide derived from the catalytic structural domain of matrix metalloproteinase 14 (MMP 14) as the identification probe, thereby establishing a split-type ECL sensing platform for the quantification of NMP 14. The investigation has revealed the exceptional performance of assembled nanoscale Cu NCs sheets in ECL analysis, thus positioning them as novel and promising signal probes with significant potential in the field of sensing.

Accelerated multi-b-value multi-shot diffusion-weighted imaging based on EPI with keyhole and a low-rank tensor constraint.

PURPOSE: Multi-Shot (MS) Echo-Planar Imaging (EPI) may improve the in-plane resolution of multi-b-value DWI, yet it also considerably increases the scan time. Here we explored the combination of EPI with Keyhole (EPIK) and a calibrationless reconstruction algorithm for acceleration of multi-b-value MS-DWI. METHODS: We firstly analyzed the impact of nonuniform phase accrual in EPIK on the reconstructed image. Based on insights gained from the analysis, we developed a calibrationless reconstruction algorithm based on a Space-Contrast-Coil Locally Low-Rank Tensor (SCC-LLRT) constraint for reconstruction of EPIK-acquired data. We compared the algorithm with a modified SPatial-Angular Locally Low-Rank (SPA-LLR) algorithm through simulations, phantoms, and in vivo study. We then compared EPIK with uniformly undersampled EPI for accelerating multi-b-value DWI in 6 healthy subjects. RESULTS: Through theoretical derivations, we found that the reconstruction of EPIK with a SENSE-encoding-based algorithm, such as SPA-LLR, may cause additional aliasing artifacts due to the frequency-dependent distortion of the coil sensitivity. Results from simulations, phantoms, and in vivo study verified the theoretical finding by showing that the calibrationless SCC-LLRT algorithm reduced aliasing artifacts compared with SPA-LLR. Finally, EPIK with SCC-LLRT substantially reduced the ghosting artifacts compared with uniform undersampled multi-b-value DWI, decreasing the fitting errors in ADC (0.05 ± 0.01 vs 0.10 ± 0.01, P < 0.001) and IVIM mapping (0.026 ± 0.004 vs 0.06 ± 0.006, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The SCC-LLRT algorithm reduced the aliasing artifacts of EPIK by using a calibrationless modeling of the multi-coil data. The dense sampling of k-space center offers EPIK a potential to improve image quality for acceleration of multi-b-value MS-DWI.