Prophylactic and therapeutic inhalation of two essential oils ameliorates scopolamine-induced cognitive impairment in mice.

Clover and lemongrass essential oils of contrasting composition, at three concentration levels (1%, 5%, 10%), were administrated via prophylactic and therapeutic inhalation to scopolamine-treated mice. Chemical analysis showed that clover oil was dominant in eugenol (47.69%) and lemongrass free of eugenol but mainly containing monoterpenoids of comparable proportions. Animal behavioural and brain biochemical tests showed that injection of scopolamine caused memory and learning deficit in mice while prophylactic and therapeutic inhalation of two oils at moderate to high concentrations all obviously reversed the cognitive impairment via inhibiting acetylcholinesterase activities, oxidation and inflammation. Lemongrass essential oil with diverse monoterpenoids can be as effective as or a little bit more potent than eugenol-rich clover essential oil possibly due to the synergistic effect of various monoterpenoids. These findings implied that sniffing of such aroma recipes could be a promising complementary approach for the mitigation of Alzheimer's disease-related cognitive impairment.

Potential pre-industrial-like new particle formation induced by pure biogenic organic vapors in Finnish peatland.

Pure biogenic new particle formation (NPF) induced by highly oxygenated organic molecules (HOMs) could be an important mechanism for pre-industrial aerosol formation. However, it has not been unambiguously confirmed in the ambient due to the scarcity of truly pristine continental locations in the present-day atmosphere or the lack of chemical characterization of NPF precursors. Here, we report ambient observations of pure biogenic HOM-driven NPF over a peatland in southern Finland. Meteorological decoupling processes formed an "air pocket" (i.e., a very shallow surface layer) at night and favored NPF initiated entirely by biogenic HOM from this peatland, whose atmospheric environment closely resembles that of the pre-industrial era. Our study sheds light on pre-industrial aerosol formation, which represents the baseline for estimating the impact of present and future aerosol on climate, as well as on future NPF, the features of which may revert toward pre-industrial-like conditions due to air pollution mitigation.

Correlation Between Anesthesia Methods and Adverse Short-Term Postoperative Outcomes Depending on Frailty: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Purpose: This study aims to investigate how the type of anesthesia used during major orthopedic surgery may impact adverse short-term postoperative outcomes depending on frailty. Methods: To conduct this investigation, we recruited individuals aged 65 years and older who underwent major orthopedic surgery between March 2022 and April 2023 at a single institution. We utilized the FRAIL scale to evaluate frailty. The primary focus was on occurrences of death or the inability to walk 60 days after the surgery. Secondary measures included death within 60 days; inability to walk without human assistance at 60 days; death or the inability to walk without human assistance at 30 days after surgery, the first time out of bed after surgery, postoperative blood transfusion, length of hospital stay, hospital costs, and the occurrence of surgical complications such as dislocation, periprosthetic fracture, infection, reoperation, wound complications/hematoma. Results: In a study of 387 old adult patients who had undergone major orthopedic surgery, 41.3% were found to be in a frail state. Among these patients, 262 had general anesthesia and 125 had neuraxial anesthesia. Multifactorial logistic regression analyses showed that anesthesia type was not linked to complications. Instead, frailty (OR 4.04, 95% CI 1.04 to 8.57, P< 0.001), age (OR 1.05, 95% CI 1.00-1.10, P= 0.017), and aCCI scores, age-adjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index, (OR 1.36, 95% CI 1.12 to 1.66, P= 0.002) were identified as independent risk factors for death or new walking disorders in these patients 60 days after surgery. After adjusting for frailty, anesthesia methods was not associated with the development of death or new walking disorders in these patients (P > 0.05). Conclusion: In different frail populations, neuraxial anesthesia is likely to be comparable to general anesthesia in terms of the incidence of short-term postoperative adverse outcomes.

High-Performance Zinc-Ion Hybrid Supercapacitor from Guilin Sanhua Liquor Lees-Derived Carbon Materials.

Aqueous zinc-ion hybrid supercapacitors (ZHSCs) have attracted considerable attention because they are inexpensive and safe. However, the inadequate energy densities, power densities, and cycling performance of current ZHSC energy-storage devices are impediments that need to be overcome to enable the further development and commercialization of this technology. To address these issues, in this study, we prepared carbon-based ZHSCs using a series of porous carbon materials derived from Sanhua liquor lees (SLPCs). Among them, the best performance was observed for SLPC-A13, which exhibited excellent properties and a high-surface-area structure (2667 m2 g-1) with abundant micropores. The Zn//SLPC-A13 device was assembled by using 2 mol L-1 ZnSO4, SLPC-A13, and Zn foil as the electrolyte, cathode, and anode, respectively. The Zn//SLPC-A13 device delivered an ultrahigh energy density of 137 Wh kg-1 at a power density of 462 W kg-1. Remarkably, Zn//SLPC-A13 retained 100% of its specific capacitance after 120,000 cycles of long-term charge/discharge testing, with 62% retained after 250,000 cycles. This outstanding performance is primarily attributed to the SLPC-A13 carbon material, which promotes the rapid adsorption and desorption of ions, and the charge-discharge process, which roughens the Zn anode in a manner that improves reversible Zn-ion plating/stripping efficiency. This study provides ideas for the preparation of ZHSC cathode materials.

Eukaryotic translation initiation factor EIF4G1 p.Ser637Cys mutation in a family with Parkinson's disease with antecedent essential tremor.

Essential tremor (ET) and Parkinson's disease (PD) are common chronic movement disorders that can cause a substantial degree of disability. However, the etiology underlying these two conditions remains poorly understood. In the present study, Whole-exome sequencing of peripheral blood samples from the proband and Sanger sequencing of the other 18 family members, and pedigree analysis of four generations of 29 individuals with both ET and PD in a nonconsanguineous Chinese family were performed. Specifically, family members who had available medical information, including historical documentation and physical examination records, were included. A novel c.1909A>T (p.Ser637Cys) missense mutation was identified in the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4γ1 (EIF4G1) gene as the candidate likely responsible for both conditions. In total, 9 family members exhibited tremor of the bilateral upper limbs and/or head starting from ages of ≥40 years, 3 of whom began showing evidence of PD in their 70s. Eukaryotic initiation factor 4 (eIF4)G1, a component of the translation initiation complex eIF4F, serves as a scaffold protein that interacts with many initiation factors and then binds to the 40S ribosomal subunit. The EIF4G1 (p.Ser637Cys) might inhibit the recruitment of the mRNA to the ribosome. In conclusion, the results from the present study suggested that EIF4G1 may be responsible for the hereditary PD with 'antecedent ET' reported in the family assessed.

Acupressure bladder meridian alleviates anxiety disorder in rats by regulating MAPK and BDNF signal pathway.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of acupressure bladder meridian (ABM) on anxiety in rats. Chronic stress was induced rats to establish rat anxiety model. Shuttle experiment and open field experiments of were used to measure behaviors. The levels of cytokines in serum and hippocampus of rats were detected. Brain neurotransmitters (dopamine, 5- hydroxy tryptamine, norepinephrine) were detected by Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. Immunohistochemistry and western blotting were used to detect MAPK and BDNF signal pathway in hippocampus of rats. ABM significantly improve behaviors, decreased cytokine levels in serum and hippocampus. ABM restored the changes of neurotransmitters and significantly decreased protein expressions of MAPK signal pathway and increased protein expressions of BDNF signal pathway in hippocampus of rats. The results shown that ABM significantly improved anxiety via inhibition of MAPK signal pathway and increased BDNF signal pathway.

2D Self-Assembly of Large-Sized Inorganic Nanosheets Leading to Enhanced Power Factors in Earth-Abundant Cu3SbSe4-Based Flexible Hybrid Films.

Fabrication of large-sized inorganic nanosheets is an efficient strategy to promote carrier transportation in flexible thermoelectric (TE) films. Herein, we report the self-assembly of large-sized Cu3SbSe4 nanosheets by using a Se nanowire template via wet chemical synthesis and then vacuum-assisted filter these plate-like microcrystals on nylon to prepare Cu3SbSe4 flexible thermoelectric (TE) hybrid films. SEM reveals that the as-synthesized Cu3SbSe4 powders by using Se nanowires as selenium sources presented 2D plate-like micron structures uniformly and tightly self-assembled by acute triangle-like nanoparticles. Furthermore, XPS evidences that extra Sb vacancies are generated in the unit cell of Cu3SbSe4 crystals synthesized by using the Se NW template, resulting in the shrinkage of the unit cell and the narrowing interplanar spacing, which are characterized by XRD and TEM. As a result, both carrier concentration and carrier mobility have been significantly improved. The high carrier concentration is proved to originate from the extra carriers induced by Sb vacancies, and the high carrier mobility of the film is mainly ascribed to its continuous grain boundaries in the plate-like microcrystal morphology. The large-sized nanosheet Cu3SbSe4/nylon hybrid film (CSS MPs) exhibits a high power factor (PF) of 235.45 µW m-1 K-2 at 400 K, which is 4.23 times higher than that of the Cu3SbSe4/nylon hybrid film (CSS NPs) where Cu3SbSe4 crystals are synthesized by using raw Se particles. This work reveals a novel approach to prepare plate-like Se-based semiconductors, which requires both high carrier concentration and high carrier mobility.

Multi-Functional and Flexible Nano-Silver@MXene Heterostructure-Decorated Graphite Felt for Wearable Thermal Therapy.

Wearable heaters with multifunctional performances are urgently required for the future personal health management. However, it is still challengeable to fabricate multifunctional wearable heaters simultaneously with flexibility, air-permeability, Joule heating performance, electromagnetic shielding property, and anti-bacterial ability. Herein, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs)@MXene heterostructure-decorated graphite felts are fabricated by introducing MXene nanosheets onto the graphite felts via a simple dip-coating method and followed by a facile in situ growth approach to grow AgNPs on MXene layers. The obtained AgNPs@MXene heterostructure decorated graphite felts not only maintain the intrinsic flexibility, air-permeability and comfort characteristics of the matrixes, but also present excellent Joule heating performance including wide temperature range (30-128 °C), safe operating conditions (0.9-2.7 V), and rapid thermal response (reaching 128 °C within 100 s at 2.7 V). Besides, the multifunctional graphite felts exhibit excellent electromagnetic shielding effectiveness (53 dB) and outstanding anti-bacterial performances (>95% anti-bacterial rate toward Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli and Staphy-lococcus aureus). This work sheds light on a novel avenue to fabricate multifunctional wearable heaters for personal healthcare and personal thermal management.

Dyslipidemia may impact initial recovery following arthroscopic rotator cuff repair: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: The current literature shows that dyslipidemia can lead to a higher incidence of rotator cuff tears (RCTs) and an increased retear rate after repair. We aimed to evaluate the influence of preoperative dyslipidemia on postoperative pain, patient-reported outcomes (PROs), active range of motion (ROM), and structural integrity. METHODS: A cohort of 111 patients who underwent arthroscopic RCT repair between January 2021 and July 2022, and whose complete preoperative serum lipid data were available within one week prior to surgery was retrospectively reviewed. Dyslipidemia was defined as the presence of an increase or decrease in at least one blood lipid profile (triglycerides, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, or non-high-density lipoprotein). There were 43 patients in the dyslipidemia group and 68 in the ortholiposis group. Patient evaluations, including pain score, PROs, and ROMs, were conducted preoperatively; at 3 and 6 months postoperatively; and at the last follow-up. Structural integrity was assessed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) 6 months after surgery if possible, and Sugaya type 4 or 5 was considered a retear. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to reduce bias. RESULTS: The RCT size, surgical technique, preoperative pain status, PROs, and active ROM were comparable between patients with dyslipidemia and those with ortholiposis. Three months after surgery, patients in the dyslipidemia group had worse average PROs (Constant score: P = 0.001; ASES score: P = 0.012; UCLA score: P = 0.015), forward flexion (P = 0.012), and internal rotation (P = 0.001) than patients in the ortholiposis group did. The difference between the two groups persisted after PSM but disappeared at the sixth month after surgery. No significant differences in pain score, PROs, or active ROMs were detected between the dyslipidemia and ortholiposis groups after a mean follow-up of 24 months. Of the 72 patients who underwent MRI, 4 retears (5.6%) were found, and all were in the ortholiposis group. There was no difference in the rate of retears between the two groups (P = 0.291) or with (P = 0.495) PSM. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, we found that perioperative dyslipidemia may impact initial recovery within the first 3 months following arthroscopic rotator cuff repair but may have no effect on pain, PROs, or active ROMs at a mean 2-year follow-up or rotator cuff integrity at 6 months postoperatively. Trail registration Retrospectively registered.

Applications of land surface model to economic and environmental-friendly optimization of nitrogen fertilization and irrigation.

Land surface models (LSMs) have prominent advantages for exploring the best agricultural practices in terms of both economic and environmental benefits with regard to different climate scenarios. However, their applications to optimizing fertilization and irrigation have not been well discussed because of their relatively underdeveloped crop modules. We used a CLM5-Crop LSM to optimize fertilization and irrigation schedules that follow actual agricultural practices for the cultivation of maize and wheat, as well as to explore the most economic and environmental-friendly inputs of nitrogen fertilizer and irrigation (FI), in the North China Plain (NCP), which is a typical intensive farming area. The model used the indicators of crop yield, farm gross margin (FGM), nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), water use efficiency (WUE), and soil nitrogen leaching. The results showed that the total optimal FI inputs of FGM were the highest (230 ± 75.8 kg N ha-1 and 20 ± 44.7 mm for maize; 137.5 ± 25 kg N ha-1 and 362.5 ± 47.9 mm for wheat), followed by the FIs of yield, NUE, WUE, and soil nitrogen leaching. After multi-objective optimization, the optimal FIs were 230 ± 75.8 kg N ha-1 and 20 ± 44.7 mm for maize, and 137.5 ± 25 kg N ha-1 and 387.5 ± 85.4 mm for wheat. By comparing our model-based diagnostic results with the actual inputs of FIs in the NCP, we found excessive usage of nitrogen fertilizer and irrigation during the current cultivation period of maize and wheat. The scientific collocation of fertilizer and water resources should be seriously considered for economic and environmental benefits. Overall, the optimized inputs of the FIs were in reasonable ranges, as postulated by previous studies. This result hints at the potential applications of LSMs for guiding sustainable agricultural development.

Ecosystem service valuation and multi-scenario simulation in the Ebinur Lake Basin using a coupled GMOP-PLUS model.

The Ebinur Lake Basin is an ecologically sensitive area in an arid region. Investigating its land use and land cover (LULC) change and assessing and predicting its ecosystem service value (ESV) are of great importance for the stability of the basin's socioeconomic development and sustainable development of its ecological environment. Based on LULC data from 1990, 2000, 2010, and 2020, we assessed the ESV of the Ebinur Lake Basin and coupled the grey multi-objective optimization model with the patch generation land use simulation model to predict ESV changes in 2035 under four scenarios: business-as-usual (BAU) development, rapid economic development (RED), ecological protection (ELP), and ecological-economic balance (EEB). The results show that from 1990 to 2020, the basin was dominated by grassland (51.23%) and unused land (27.6%), with a continuous decrease in unused land and an increase in cultivated land. In thirty years, the total ESV of the study area increased from 18.62 billion to 67.28 billion yuan, with regulation and support services being the dominant functions. By 2035, cultivated land increased while unused land decreased in all four scenarios compared with that in 2020. The total ESV in 2035 under the BAU, RED, ELP, and EEB scenarios was 68.83 billion, 64.47 billion, 67.99 billion, and 66.79 billion yuan, respectively. In the RED and EEB scenarios, ESV decreased by 2.81 billion and 0.49 billion yuan, respectively. In the BAU scenario, provisioning and regulation services increased by 6.05% and 2.93%, respectively. The ELP scenario, focusing on ecological and environmental protection, saw an increase in ESV for all services. This paper can assist policymakers in optimizing land use allocation and provide scientific support for the formulation of land use strategies and sustainable ecological and environmental development in the inland river basins of arid regions.

Ferroptosis in cancer: From molecular mechanisms to therapeutic strategies.

Ferroptosis is a non-apoptotic form of regulated cell death characterized by the lethal accumulation of iron-dependent membrane-localized lipid peroxides. It acts as an innate tumor suppressor mechanism and participates in the biological processes of tumors. Intriguingly, mesenchymal and dedifferentiated cancer cells, which are usually resistant to apoptosis and traditional therapies, are exquisitely vulnerable to ferroptosis, further underscoring its potential as a treatment approach for cancers, especially for refractory cancers. However, the impact of ferroptosis on cancer extends beyond its direct cytotoxic effect on tumor cells. Ferroptosis induction not only inhibits cancer but also promotes cancer development due to its potential negative impact on anticancer immunity. Thus, a comprehensive understanding of the role of ferroptosis in cancer is crucial for the successful translation of ferroptosis therapy from the laboratory to clinical applications. In this review, we provide an overview of the recent advancements in understanding ferroptosis in cancer, covering molecular mechanisms, biological functions, regulatory pathways, and interactions with the tumor microenvironment. We also summarize the potential applications of ferroptosis induction in immunotherapy, radiotherapy, and systemic therapy, as well as ferroptosis inhibition for cancer treatment in various conditions. We finally discuss ferroptosis markers, the current challenges and future directions of ferroptosis in the treatment of cancer.

Platelet-Rich Plasma Has Better Results for Long-term Functional Improvement and Pain Relief for Lateral Epicondylitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

BACKGROUND: Corticosteroids (CS) have shown good short-term performance in terms of pain relief and functional improvement. However, the safety and long-term efficacy of this treatment remains controversial. Several studies have reported good results of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in the treatment of tendinopathies. However, whether its use in the treatment of lateral epicondylitis (LE) is superior to that of CS remains controversial. PURPOSE: To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of original studies to determine whether the prognosis of LE patients treated with PRP is better than that of CS. STUDY DESIGN: Meta-analysis; Level of evidence, 2. METHODS: Two independent reviewers searched online databases from January 2000 to July 2022 according to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines to evaluate prospective studies of PRP versus CS injection for LE. A third author addressed any discrepancies. Evidence quality was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Risk ratios for dichotomous variables and mean differences (MDs) for continuous variables were used to compare clinical outcomes. P values <.05 were considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Eleven randomized controlled trials with 730 patients were included in this review. PRP provided a significantly worse short-term (<2 months) improvement in the visual analog scale (VAS) pain score (MD, 0.93 [95% CI, 0.42 to 1.44]; I2 = 85%; P = .0003) and Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) score (MD, 10.23 [95% CI, 9.08 to 11.39]; I2 = 67%; P < .0001) but better long-term (≥6 months) improvement in the VAS score (MD, -2.18 [95% CI, -3.13 to -1.22]; I2 = 89%; P < .0001), DASH score (MD, -8.13 [95% CI, -9.87 to -6.39]; I2 = 25%; P < .0001), and Mayo Elbow Performance Score (MD, 16.53 [95% CI, 1.52 to 31.53]; I2 = 98%; P = .03) than CS. The medium-term (2-6 months) reduction in the VAS score was not significantly different between the 2 groups. After sensitivity analysis, none of the results changed except for the short-term VAS scores (MD, 0.53 [95% CI, -0.13 to 1.19]; I2 = 78%; P = .12). CONCLUSION: Both PRP and CS injections are effective treatments for patients with LE. CS provides better short-term (<2 months) functional improvement and may be more advantageous in terms of short-term pain relief, while PRP provides better long-term (≥6 months) functional improvement and better performance regarding long-term pain relief.

Dynamic simulation of landscape ecological security and analysis of coupling coordination degree: A case study of Bole.

The ecological security of oasis cities in arid and semi-arid regions is highly susceptible to changes in regional landscape patterns and the degree of coordination between human activities and the environment. At the same time, the ecological security of urban landscapes also profoundly affects the success of regional economic and environmental coordination and development. This study is based on land use data from 1990, 2000, 2010, and 2020, as well as land use data from the natural development scenario (NLD), economic development scenario (ECD), ecological development scenario (ELD) and ecological-economic development scenario (EED) simulated by the patch-generating land use simulation (PLUS) model in 2030. From the perspective of production-living-ecological land (PLEL), it analyzes the changes in the past and future landscape ecological security and coupling coordination characteristics of Bole. The results show that from 1990 to 2020, Bole was mainly dominated by grassland ecological land (GEL) and other ecological land (OEL), accounting for a total proportion of 69.51%, with a large increase in production and living land area; the average value of landscape ecological risk is decreasing, and the landscape ecological security of Bole is developing towards benignity; the area of highly coupled coordination zone is decreasing continuously, while that of basic coordination zone and moderate coordination zone is increasing continuously. Under the 2030 EED scenario, the overall changes in various types of land use are not significant, and the average value of landscape ecological risk is the smallest, but it is higher than that in 2020 as a whole; under EED scenario, the area of highly coordinated zone and moderate coordinated zone is the largest among four scenarios, and the best coupling coordination level among the four scenarios. Landscape ecological security and its coupling coordination will be affected by land use patterns. Optimizing regional land use patterns is of great significance for improving urban landscape ecological security and sustainable high-quality development.

Exploring and Engineering 2D Transition Metal Dichalcogenides toward Ultimate SERS Performance.

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is an ultrasensitive surface analysis technique that is widely used in chemical sensing, bioanalysis, and environmental monitoring. The design of the SERS substrates is crucial for obtaining high-quality SERS signals. Recently, 2D transition metal dichalcogenides (2D TMDs) have emerged as high-performance SERS substrates due to their superior stability, ease of fabrication, biocompatibility, controllable doping, and tunable bandgaps and excitons. In this review, a systematic overview of the latest advancements in 2D TMDs SERS substrates is provided. This review comprehensively summarizes the candidate 2D TMDs SERS materials, elucidates their working principles for SERS, explores the strategies to optimize their SERS performance, and highlights their practical applications. Particularly delved into are the material engineering strategies, including defect engineering, alloy engineering, thickness engineering, and heterojunction engineering. Additionally, the challenges and future prospects associated with the development of 2D TMDs SERS substrates are discussed, outlining potential directions that may lead to significant breakthroughs in practical applications.

KIBRA repairs synaptic plasticity and promotes resilience to tauopathy-related memory loss.

Synaptic plasticity is obstructed by pathogenic tau in the brain, representing a key mechanism that underlies memory loss in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related tauopathies. Here, we found that reduced levels of the memory-associated protein KIdney/BRAin (KIBRA) in the brain and increased KIBRA protein levels in cerebrospinal fluid are associated with cognitive impairment and pathological tau levels in disease. We next defined a mechanism for plasticity repair in vulnerable neurons using the C-terminus of the KIBRA protein (CT-KIBRA). We showed that CT-KIBRA restored plasticity and memory in transgenic mice expressing pathogenic human tau; however, CT-KIBRA did not alter tau levels or prevent tau-induced synapse loss. Instead, we found that CT-KIBRA stabilized the protein kinase Mζ (PKMζ) to maintain synaptic plasticity and memory despite tau-mediated pathogenesis. Thus, our results distinguished KIBRA both as a biomarker of synapse dysfunction and as the foundation for a synapse repair mechanism to reverse cognitive impairment in tauopathy.

Surface modification of nanofiltration membrane using polyoxometalates for improved separation and antifouling performance.

In this study, polyoxometalates (POMs) as a core-modifying material was used to fabricate the nanofiltration (NF) membrane on the polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) microfiltration membrane substrate via a novel interfacial polymerization (IP) method. The formation mechanism of the POMs-modified composite membrane was proposed. The separation and antifouling properties were further investigated. After cross-linking with POMs through the new IP reaction, the modified composite membrane showed improved hydrophilicity, water flux, and salt rejection. In the humic acid fouling experiment, the POMs-modified membrane exhibited the best antifouling performance, with a flux recovery rate of up to 91.3%. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was further used to investigate the antifouling performance of the membranes. Nyquist and Bode plots of the POMs-modified membranes showed no significant change before and after fouling compared to the PVDF membrane substrate, indicating reduced fouling attachment on the modified membrane, which was consistent with the fouling index and flux variation observed during the fouling experiment. Our findings provide a simple and valuable route for fabricating POMs-functionalized NF membranes with desirable separation and antifouling performance.

Ferritin-nanocaged aggregation-induced emission nanoaggregates for NIR-II fluorescence-guided noninvasive, controllable male contraception.

Controllable contraception in male animals was demonstrated through the utilization of gold nanorods' photothermal effect to accomplish mild testicular hyperthermia. However, the challenges arising from testicular administration and the non-biodegradability of nanoparticles hinder further clinical implementation. Therefore, a straightforward, non-invasive, and enhanced contraception approach is required. This study explores the utilization of human heavy chain ferritin (HFn) nanocarriers loaded with aggregation-induced emission luminogens (AIEgens) for noninvasive, controllable male contraception guided by Near-Infrared-II (NIR-II) fluorescence imaging. The HFn-caged AIEgens (HFn@BBT) are delivered via intravenous injection and activated by near-infrared irradiation. Lower hyperthermia treatment induces partial damage to the testes and seminiferous tubules, reducing fertility indices by approximately 100% on the 7th day, which gradually recovers to 80% on the 60th day. Conversely, implementation of elevated hyperthermia therapy causes total destruction of both testes and seminiferous tubules, leading to a complete loss of fertility on the 60th day. Additionally, the use of AIEgens in NIR-II imaging offers improved fluorescence efficiency and penetration depth. The findings of this study hold significant promise for the advancement of safe and effective male contraceptive methods, addressing the need for noninvasive and controllable approaches to reproductive health and population control.

So close, yet so far away: the relationship between MAM and cardiac disease.

Mitochondria-associated membrane (MAM) serve as crucial contact sites between mitochondria and the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Recent research has highlighted the significance of MAM, which serve as a platform for various protein molecules, in processes such as calcium signaling, ATP production, mitochondrial structure and function, and autophagy. Cardiac diseases caused by any reason can lead to changes in myocardial structure and function, significantly impacting human health. Notably, MAM exhibits various regulatory effects to maintain cellular balance in several cardiac diseases conditions, such as obesity, diabetes mellitus, and cardiotoxicity. MAM proteins independently or interact with their counterparts, forming essential tethers between the ER and mitochondria in cardiomyocytes. This review provides an overview of key MAM regulators, detailing their structure and functions. Additionally, it explores the connection between MAM and various cardiac injuries, suggesting that precise genetic, pharmacological, and physical regulation of MAM may be a promising strategy for preventing and treating heart failure.

Probing Oxidation Mechanisms in Plasmonic Catalysis: Unraveling the Role of Reactive Oxygen Species.

Plasmon-induced oxidation has conventionally been attributed to the transfer of plasmonic hot holes. However, this theoretical framework encounters challenges in elucidating the latest experimental findings, such as enhanced catalytic efficiency under uncoupled irradiation conditions and superior oxidizability of silver nanoparticles. Herein, we employ liquid surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) as a real-time and in situ tool to explore the oxidation mechanisms in plasmonic catalysis, taking the decarboxylation of p-mercaptobenzoic acid (PMBA) as a case study. Our findings suggest that the plasmon-induced oxidation is driven by reactive oxygen species (ROS) rather than hot holes, holding true for both the Au and Ag nanoparticles. Subsequent investigations suggest that plasmon-induced ROS may arise from hot carriers or energy transfer mechanisms, exhibiting selectivity under different experimental conditions. The observations were substantiated by investigating the cleavage of the carbon-boron bonds. Furthermore, the underlying mechanisms were clarified by energy level theories, advancing our understanding of plasmonic catalysis.