Improving polymerase chain reaction diagnostic rates for herpes simplex keratitis: results of a pilot study.

Background: Laboratory confirmation is crucial for diagnosis and management of herpes simplex virus (HSV) keratitis. However, the sensitivity of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in keratitis is low (25%) compared with that of mucocutaneous disease (75%). We developed an educational intervention aimed at improving the diagnostic yield of PCR. Methods: The medical records of keratitis cases seen at the emergency department of a London tertiary ophthalmic referral hospital over two distinct periods, before and after an educational program on swab technique, were reviewed retrospectively. Results: A total of 252 HSV cases were included. Increases in the laboratory-confirmed diagnosis of HSV-1 were observed, in both first presentations (11.1%-57.7%) and recurrent cases (20%-57.6%). The rate of positive HSV-1 PCR in eyes with an epithelial defect increased from 19% pre-intervention to 62% post intervention. Notably, 3% were positive for varicella zoster virus DNA, and there was a single case of Acanthamoeba keratitis. Conclusion: Our results suggest that, with proper swabbing technique, PCR may be more sensitive than previously reported.

Enhancing Ophthalmic Triage: identification of new clinical features to support healthcare professionals in triage.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate which features from a patient's history are either high or low risk that could support healthcare professionals in ophthalmic emergency triage. METHODS: Prospective, 12,584 visits from 11,733 adult patients attending an Accident and Emergency department at a single tertiary centre were analysed. Data were collected by ophthalmic nurses working in triage, using an online form from August 2021 to April 2022. Multivariate analysis (MVA) was conducted to identify which features from the patients' history would be associated with emergency care. RESULTS: This study found that 45.5% (5731 patient visits (PV)) required a same day eye emergency examination (SDEE), 11.3% (1416 PV) needed urgent care, and 43.2% (5437 PV) were appropriate for elective consultations with a GP or optometrist. The MVA top ten features that were statistically significant (p < 0.05) that would warrant SDEE with odds ratio (95% CI) were: bilateral eye injury 36.5 [15.6-85.5], unilateral eye injury 25.8 [20.9-31.7], vision loss 4.8 [2.9-7.8], post-operative ophthalmic ( < 4 weeks) 4.6 [3.8-5.7], contact lens wearer 3.9 [3.3-4.7], history of uveitis 3.9 [3.3-4.7], photophobia 2.9 [2.4-3.6], unilateral dark shadow/curtain in vision 2.4 [1.8-3.0], unilateral injected red eye 2.0 [1.8-2.2] and rapid change in visual acuity 1.8 [1.5-2.2]. CONCLUSION: This study characterises presenting features covering almost 100 ophthalmic acute presentations that are commonly seen in emergency and elective care. This information could supplement current red flag indicators and support healthcare professionals in ophthalmic triage. Further research is required to evaluate the cost effectivity and safety of our findings for triaging acute presentations.

Effect of antipsychotics and mood stabilisers on metabolism in bipolar disorder: a network meta-analysis of randomised-controlled trials.

Background: Antipsychotics and mood stabilisers are gathering attention for the disturbance of metabolism. This network meta-analysis aims to evaluate and rank the metabolic effects of the commonly used antipsychotics and mood stabilisers in treating bipolar disorder (BD). Methods: Registries including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Ovid, and Google Scholar were searched before February 15th, 2024, for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) applying antipsychotics or mood stabilisers for BD treatment. The observed outcomes were twelve metabolic indicators. The data were extracted by two reviewers independently, and confirmed by another four reviewers and a corresponding author. The above six reviewers all participated in data analyses. Data extraction was based on PRISMA guidelines, and quality assessment was conducted according to the Cochrane Handbook. Use a random effects model for data pooling. The PROSPERO registration number is CRD42023466669. Findings: Together, 5421 records were identified, and 41 publications with 11,678 complete-trial participants were confirmed eligible. After eliminating possible sensitivity, risperidone ranked 1st in elevating fasting serum glucose (SUCRA = 90.7%) and serum insulin (SUCRA = 96.6%). Lurasidone was most likely to elevate HbA1c (SUCRA = 82.1%). Olanzapine ranked 1st in elevating serum TC (SUCRA = 93.3%), TG (SUCRA = 89.6%), and LDL (SUCRA = 94.7%). Lamotrigine ranked 1st in reducing HDL (SUCRA = 82.6%). Amisulpride ranked 1st in elevating body weight (SUCRA = 100.0%). For subgroup analyses, quetiapine is more likely to affect indicators of glucose metabolism among male adult patients with bipolar mania, while long-term lurasidone tended to affect glucose metabolism among female patients with bipolar depression. Among patients under 18, divalproex tended to affect glucose metabolism, with lithium affecting lipid metabolism. In addition, most observed antipsychotics performed higher response and remission rates than placebo, and displayed a similar dropout rate with placebo, while no between-group significance of rate was observed among mood stabilisers. Interpretation: Our findings suggest that overall, antipsychotics are effective in treating BD, while they are also more likely to disturb metabolism than mood stabilisers. Attention should be paid to individual applicability in clinical practice. The results put forward evidence-based information and clinical inspiration for drug compatibility and further research of the BD mechanism. Funding: The National Key Research and Development Program of China (2023YFC2506200), and the Research Project of Jinan Microecological Biomedicine Shandong Laboratory (No. JNL-2023001B).

Predictive effect of triglyceride-glucose index on No-Reflow Phenomenon in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and acute myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

OBJECTIVE: Triglyceride glucose (TyG) index is considered as a new alternative marker of insulin resistance and a clinical predictor of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) combined with coronary artery disease. However, the prognostic value of TyG index on No-Reflow (NR) Phenomenon in T2DM patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) remains unclear. METHODS: In this retrospective study, 1683 patients with T2DM and AMI underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) were consecutively included between January 2014 and December 2019. The study population was divided into two groups as follows: Reflow (n = 1277) and No-reflow (n = 406) group. The TyG index was calculated as the ln [fasting triglycerides (mg/dL)×fasting plasma glucose (mg/dL)/2].Multivariable logistic regression models and receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis were conducted to predict the possible risk of no-reflow. Net Reclassification Improvement (NRI) and Integrated Discrimination Improvement (IDI) were calculated to determine the ability of the TyG index to contribute to the baseline risk model. RESULTS: Multivariable logistic regression models revealed that the TyG index was positively associated with NR[OR,95%CI:5.03,(2.72,9.28),p<0.001] in patients with T2DM and AMI. The area under the curve (AUC) of the TyG index predicting the occurrence of NR was 0.645 (95% CI 0.615-0.673; p < 0.001)], with the cut-off value of 8.98. The addition of TyG index to a baseline risk model had an incremental effect on the predictive value for NR [net reclassification improvement (NRI): 0.077(0.043to 0.111), integrated discrimination improvement (IDI): 0.070 (0.031to 0.108), all p < 0.001]. CONCLUSIONS: High TyG index was associated with an increased risk of no-reflow after PCI in AMI patients with T2DM. The TyG index may be a valid predictor of NR phenomenon of patients with T2DM and AMI. Early recognition of NR is critical to improve outcomes with AMI and T2DM patients.

Risk Factors for Tissue Expander-Related Infections in Pediatric Scar Reconstruction: A 10-Year Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Tissue expansion addresses limited soft tissue availability and provides natural-looking skin for scar reconstruction. However, infection is a common complication in expander surgeries. This 10-year retrospective cohort study aims to investigate the infection risk factors in pediatric scar reconstruction. METHODS: This single-center observational cohort study was conducted at the Central Hospital Affiliated with Shandong First Medical University, China, and analyzed data from pediatric patients undergoing tissue expander surgeries for scar reconstruction from January 2012 to June 2022. Patients were carefully selected, and after grouping into infection and non-infection categories, their demographic and clinical data were analyzed. Propensity score matching (PSM) ensured balanced comparisons, and logistic regression identified infection risk factors. RESULTS: Among the 4,539 patient records, 1,756 eligible pediatric patients were included (142 with infections, 1,614 without). Multivariate analysis revealed that factors increasing infection risk included having three or more expanders (OR: 2.39, P < 0.05), a total expander volume of 300 cc or more (OR: 2.33, P < 0.05), back or gluteal implants (OR: 1.33, P < 0.05), lack of antibiotic prophylaxis (OR: 0.65, P < 0.05), and absence of hematoma evacuation (OR: 3.29, P < 0.05). Microbiological analysis found no significant bacterial differences among antibiotic prophylaxis groups, with Staphylococcus aureus being the predominant bacterium in infections. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with multiple expanders, larger expander volumes, back or gluteal implants, lack of antibiotic prophylaxis, and hematoma evacuation absence have higher infection risks. Short-term (< 24h) use of Staphylococcus aureus-sensitive antibiotics post-surgery may benefit pediatric infection risk reduction.

[Effects of Four Amendments on Fertility and Labile Organic Carbon Fractions of Acid Purple Soil].

The aim of this study was to explore the effects of four amendments on soil fertility and labile carbon fraction characteristics of acid purple soil, so as to provide scientific basis for nutrient management and carbon storage stability in purple soil. Field experiments were carried out, and six treatments were set up:no fertilization (CK), only chemical fertilizer (F), lime + chemical fertilizer (SF), organic fertilizer + chemical fertilizer (OM), biochar + chemical fertilizer (BF), and vinasse biomass ash + chemical fertilizer (JZ). The contents of soil organic matter, pH, available nutrients, soil integrated fertility index (IFI), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), particulate organic carbon (POC), their effective rates, and soil carbon pool management index (CPMI) under different treatments were studied to clarify their relationships. The results showed that:① the application of amendments significantly increased soil pH and the contents of organic matter, alkali-hydrolyzed nitrogen, available phosphorus, and available potassium (P<0.05). The OM and JZ treatments had the most significant increase in soil comprehensive fertility index (P<0.05), with increases of 1.96 and 0.77 and 170.43% and 66.96%, respectively. ② Compared with those in the control treatment, the contents of POC, MBC, and DOC in JZ and OM increased by 110.30% and 84.81%, 61.08% and 46.56%, and 195.87% and 141.67%, respectively. The application of amendments significantly increased the soil carbon pool index (CPI) and CMPI (P<0.05), in which the OM treatment showed the most significant increase, with soil CPI and CMPI values increasing by 107.34% and 90.75% compared with those of the control, respectively. ③ Soil organic carbon and its labile fractions were positively correlated with IFI (P<0.05), and redundancy analysis showed that there were significant differences among different treatments. The interpretation rates of soil IFI, pH, and available potassium to organic carbon and its components reached significant levels, and the order of interpretation rates was IFI(74.6%)>pH (11.7%)>AK(6.5%). The application of vinasse biomass ash and organic fertilizer to acid purple soil had the most significant effect on improving soil fertility and soil quality and was conducive to promoting the accumulation and activation of soil carbon fractions.

Cation/Anion-Dual regulation in Na3MnTi(PO4)3 cathode achieves the enhanced electrochemical properties of Sodium-Ion batteries.

Na3MnTi(PO4)3 (NMTP) emerges as a promising cathode material with high-performance for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). Nevertheless, its development has been limited by several challenges, including poor electronic conductivity, the Mn3+ Jahn-Teller effect, and the presence of a Na+/Mn2+ cation mixture. To address these issues, we have developed a cation/anion-dual regulation strategy to activate the redox reactions involving manganese, thereby significantly enhancing the performance of NMTP. This strategy simultaneously enhances the structural dynamics and facilitates rapid ion transport at high rates by inducing the formation of sodium vacancy. The combined effects of these modifications lead to a substantial improvement in specific capacity (79.1 mAh/g), outstanding high-rate capabilities (35.9 mAh/g at 10C), and an ultralong cycle life (only 0.040 % capacity attenuation per cycle over 250 cycles at 1C for Na3.34Mn1.2Ti0.8(PO3.98F0.02)3) when used as a cathode material in SIBs. Furthermore, its performance in full cell demonstrates impressive rate capability (44.4 mAh/g at 5C) and exceptional cycling stability (with only 0.116 % capacity decay per cycle after 150 cycles at 1C), suggesting its potential for practical applications. This work presents a dual regulation strategy targeting different sites, offering a significant advancement in the development of NASICON phosphate cathodes for SIBs.

Synthesis of bioactive evodiamine and rutaecarpine analogues under ball milling conditions.

Mechanochemical reactions achieved by processes such as milling and grinding are promising alternatives to traditional solution-based chemistry. This approach not only eliminates the need for large amounts of solvents, thereby reducing waste generation, but also finds applications in chemical and materials synthesis. The focus of this study is on the synthesis of quinazolinone derivatives by ball milling, in particular evodiamine and rutaecarpine analogues. These compounds are of interest due to their diverse bioactivities, including potential anticancer properties. The study examines the reactions carried out under ball milling conditions, emphasizing their efficiency in terms of shorter reaction times and reduced environmental impact compared to conventional methods. The ball milling reaction of evodiamine and rutaecarpine analogues resulted in yields of 63-78% and 22-61%, respectively. In addition, these compounds were tested for their cytotoxic activity, and evodiamine exhibited an IC50 of 0.75 ± 0.04 µg mL-1 against the Ca9-22 cell line. At its core, this research represents a new means to synthesise these compounds, providing a more environmentally friendly and sustainable alternative to traditional approaches.

Comparison of transoral vestibular robotic thyroidectomy with traditional low-collar incision thyroidectomy.

Transoral vestibular robotic thyroidectomy can really make the patient's body surface free of scar. This study aimed to compare the surgical and patient-related outcomes between the transoral vestibular robotic thyroidectomy and traditional low-collar incision thyroidectomy. The clinical data of 120 patients underwent transoral vestibular robotic thyroidectomy (TOVRT) or traditional low-collar incision thyroidectomy (TLCIT) were collected from May 2020 to October 2021. Propensity score matching analysis was used to minimize selection bias. All these patients were diagnosed with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) through ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration prior to surgical intervention and surgical plan was tailored for each patient. An intraoperative recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) detection system was used in all patients, whose RLNs were identified and protected. We performed transoral vestibular robotic thyroidectomy with three intraoral incisions. Additional right axillary fold incisions were adopted occasionally to enhance fine reverse traction of tissue for radical tumor dissection. Clinical data including gender, age, tumor size, BMI, operation time, postoperative drainage volume and time, pain score, postoperative length of stay (LOS),number of lymph nodes removed, complications, and medical expense were observed and analyzed. Propensity score matching was used for 1:1 matching between the TOVRT group and the TLCIT group. All these patients accepted total thyroidectomy(or lobectomy) plus central lymph node dissection and all suffered from PTC confirmed by postoperative pathology. No conversion to open surgery happened in TOVRT group. The operative time of TOVRT group was longer than that of TLCIT group (P < 0.05). The postoperative drainage volume of TOVRT group was more than that of TLCIT group (P < 0.05). The drainage tube placement time of TOVRT group were longer than that of TLCIT group (P < 0.05). Significant differences were also found in intraoperative bleeding volume, pain score and medical expense between the two groups (P < 0.05). The incidence of perioperative common complications such as hypoparathyroidism and vocal cord paralysis in the two groups was almost identical (P > 0.05). However, there were some specific complications such as surgical area infection (one case), skin burn (one case), oral tear (two cases), and paresthesia of the lower lip and the chin (two cases) were found in TOVRT group. Obviously, the postoperative cosmetic effect of the TOVRT group was better than TLCIT group (P < 0.05). TOVRT is safe and feasible for low to moderate-risk PTC patients and is a potential alternative for patients who require no scar on their neck. Patients accepted TOVRT can get more satisfaction and have less psychologic injury caused by surgery.

Integrating hydrogen utilization in CO2 electrolysis with reduced energy loss.

Electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction reaction using sustainable energy is a promising approach of synthesizing chemicals and fuels, yet is highly energy intensive. The oxygen evolution reaction is particularly problematic, which is kinetically sluggish and causes anodic carbon loss. In this context, we couple CO2 electrolysis with hydrogen oxidation reaction in a single electrochemical cell. A Ni(OH)2/NiOOH mediator is used to fully suppress the anodic carbon loss and hydrogen oxidation catalyst poisoning by migrated reaction products. This cell is highly flexible in producing either gaseous (CO) or soluble (formate) products with high selectivity (up to 95.3%) and stability (>100 h) at voltages below 0.9 V (50 mA cm-2). Importantly, thanks to the "transferred" oxygen evolution reaction to a water electrolyzer with thermodynamically and kinetically favored reaction conditions, the total polarization loss and energy consumption of our H2-integrated CO2 reduction reaction, including those for hydrogen generation, are reduced up to 22% and 42%, respectively. This work demonstrates the opportunity of combining CO2 electrolysis with the hydrogen economy, paving the way to the possible integration of various emerging energy conversion and storage approaches for improved energy/cost effectiveness.

Controlling Nucleation and Crystallization of CsPbI3 Perovskites for Efficient Inverted Solar Cells.

The unfavorable morphology and high crystallization temperature (Tc ) of inorganic perovskites pose a significant challenge to their widespread application in photovoltaics. In this study, an effective approach is proposed to enhance the morphology of cesium lead triiodide (CsPbI3 ) while lowering its Tc . By introducing dimethylammonium acetate into the perovskite precursor solution, a rapid nucleation stage is facilitated, and significantly enhances the crystal growth of the intermediate phase at low annealing temperatures, followed by a slow crystal growth stage at higher annealing temperatures. This results in a uniform and dense morphology in CsPbI3 perovskite films with enhanced crystallinity, simultaneously reducing the Tc from 200 to 150 °C. Applying this approach in positive-intrinsic-negative (p-i-n) inverted cells yields a high power conversion efficiency of 19.23%. Importantly, these cells exhibit significantly enhanced stability, even under stress at 85 °C.

THSD1 Suppresses Autophagy-Mediated Focal Adhesion Turnover by Modulating the FAK-Beclin 1 Pathway.

Focal adhesions (FAs) play a crucial role in cell spreading and adhesion, and their autophagic degradation is an emerging area of interest. This study investigates the role of Thrombospondin Type 1 Domain-Containing Protein 1 (THSD1) in regulating autophagy and FA stability in brain endothelial cells, shedding light on its potential implications for cerebrovascular diseases. Our research reveals a physical interaction between THSD1 and FAs. Depletion of THSD1 significantly reduces FA numbers, impairing cell spreading and adhesion. The loss of THSD1 also induces autophagy independently of changes in mTOR and AMPK activation, implying that THSD1 primarily governs FA dynamics rather than serving as a global regulator of nutrient and energy status. Mechanistically, THSD1 negatively regulates Beclin 1, a central autophagy regulator, at FAs through interactions with focal adhesion kinase (FAK). THSD1 inactivation diminishes FAK activity and relieves its inhibitory phosphorylation on Beclin 1. This, in turn, promotes the complex formation between Beclin 1 and ATG14, a critical event for the activation of the autophagy cascade. In summary, our findings identify THSD1 as a novel regulator of autophagy that degrades FAs in brain endothelial cells. This underscores the distinctive nature of THSD1-mediated, cargo-directed autophagy and its potential relevance to vascular diseases due to the loss of endothelial FAs. Investigating the underlying mechanisms of THSD1-mediated pathways holds promise for discovering novel therapeutic targets in vascular diseases.

The association between urbanization and adolescent depression in China.

Background: With the rapid urbanization in many countries, more attention is being paid to the relationship between urbanization and mental health, especially depression. However, in countries with rapid urbanization, few empirical studies exist on the relationship between urbanization and adolescent depression. Methods: Nationally representative survey data from the China Family Panel Studies in 2012, 2016 and 2018 were used. Data of 1,588 adolescents were obtained from 25 provinces. Depression was measured using the Center for Epidemiology Studies of Depression 20-item score. The urbanization rate was obtained from the National Bureau of Statistics of China. The generalized estimating equation was used to estimate the statistical relationship. Results: The participants' mean age at baseline was 15 years, and 51.2% (813/1,588) of participants were male. After adjusting for all covariates (gender, age, ethnicity, level of education, marital status, urban/rural areas, body mass index, self-rated health, academic pressure, smoking, drinking and exercise), the rate of urbanization was monotonically and negatively associated with adolescent depression (odds ratio 0.34, 95% CI [0.14-0.79]). Compared with female adolescents, male adolescents had a lower risk of depression (odds ratio 0.80, 95% CI [0.67-0.97]). Conclusion: In the context of China, urbanization has a positive effect on the mental health of adolescents. Female adolescents are more likely to experience depression than male adolescents.

Dietary polyphenols regulate appetite mechanism via gut-brain axis and gut homeostasis.

Nowadays, due to the rise of fast-food consumption, the metabolic diseases are increasing as a result of high-sugar and high-fat diets. Therefore, there is an urgent need for natural, healthy and side-effect-free diets in daily life. Whole grain supplementation can enhance satiety and regulate energy metabolism, effects that have been attributed to polyphenol content. Dietary polyphenols interact with gut microbiota to produce intermediate metabolites that can regulate appetite while also enhancing prebiotic effects. This review considers how interactions between gut metabolites and dietary polyphenols might regulate appetite by acting on the gut-brain axis. In addition, further advances in the study of dietary polyphenols and gut microbial metabolites on energy metabolism and gut homeostasis are summarized. This review contributes to a better understanding of how dietary polyphenols regulate appetite via the gut-brain axis, thereby providing nutritional references for citizens' dietary preferences.

A comparative study of zero-shot inference with large language models and supervised modeling in breast cancer pathology classification.

Although supervised machine learning is popular for information extraction from clinical notes, creating large, annotated datasets requires extensive domain expertise and is time-consuming. Meanwhile, large language models (LLMs) have demonstrated promising transfer learning capability. In this study, we explored whether recent LLMs can reduce the need for large-scale data annotations. We curated a manually labeled dataset of 769 breast cancer pathology reports, labeled with 13 categories, to compare zero-shot classification capability of the GPT-4 model and the GPT-3.5 model with supervised classification performance of three model architectures: random forests classifier, long short-term memory networks with attention (LSTM-Att), and the UCSF-BERT model. Across all 13 tasks, the GPT-4 model performed either significantly better than or as well as the best supervised model, the LSTM-Att model (average macro F1 score of 0.83 vs. 0.75). On tasks with a high imbalance between labels, the differences were more prominent. Frequent sources of GPT-4 errors included inferences from multiple samples and complex task design. On complex tasks where large annotated datasets cannot be easily collected, LLMs can reduce the burden of large-scale data labeling. However, if the use of LLMs is prohibitive, the use of simpler supervised models with large annotated datasets can provide comparable results. LLMs demonstrated the potential to speed up the execution of clinical NLP studies by reducing the need for curating large annotated datasets. This may increase the utilization of NLP-based variables and outcomes in observational clinical studies.

The association between trouble sleeping and obesity among the U.S. elderly from NHANES 2011-2014: A moderated mediation model of depressive symptoms and cognitive function.

BACKGROUND: Studies have shown a close association between trouble sleeping and obesity in older adults. However, no studies have explored the underlying mechanism of this relationship. The present study was designed to evaluate the roles of depressive symptoms and cognitive function in the association between trouble sleeping and obesity in older American adults. METHODS: A cross-sectional study with 2575 participants (≥60 years old) in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011-2014 was used for analysis. Obesity, depressive symptoms, and cognitive function (including Established Consortium for Word Learning in Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD-WL) (immediate learning and recall and delayed recall), Animal Fluency Test (AFT), and Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST)) were objectively measured, and trouble sleeping was assessed using a self-reported questionnaire. The moderated mediation analysis was conducted by Hayes' PROCESS macro. RESULTS: Trouble sleeping was positively associated with obesity among older adults. Depressive symptoms partially and indirectly mediated this association, and DSST moderated the association between trouble sleeping and depressive symptoms. Trouble sleeping had a lower impact on depressive symptoms in older adults with higher cognitive function. LIMITATIONS: The cross-sectional design prevents making causal inferences, and part of self-reported information was not objective enough. CONCLUSION: Cognitive function moderated the mediation of depressive symptoms on the indirect, positive association between trouble sleeping and obesity; hence, incorporating methods to strengthen cognitive function and alleviate depressive symptoms may help weak the link between trouble sleeping and obesity among older adults.

Entropy-Regulated Cathode with Low Strain and Constraint Phase-Change Toward Ultralong-Life Aqueous Al-Ion Batteries.

During multivalent ions insertion processes, intense electrostatic interaction between charge carriers and host makes the high-performance reversible Al3+ storage remains an elusive target. On account of the strong electrostatic repulsion and poor robustness, Prussian Blue analogues (PBAs) suffer severely from the inevitable and large strain and phase change during reversible Al3+ insertion. Herein, we demonstrate an entropy-driven strategy to realize ultralong life aqueous Al-ion batteries (AIBs) based on medium entropy PBAs (ME-PBAs) host. By multiple redox active centers introduction, the intrinsic poor conductivity can be enhanced simultaneously, resulting in outstanding capabilities of electrochemical Al3+ storage. Meanwhile, the co-occupation at metal sites in PBA frameworks can also increase the M-N bond intensity, which is beneficial for constraining the phase change during consecutive Al3+ reversible insertion, to realize an extended lifespan over 10,000 cycles. Based on the calculation at different operation states, the fluctuation of ME-PBA lattice parameters is only 1.2 %. Assembled with MoO3 anodes, the full cells can also deliver outstanding electrochemical properties. The findings highlight that, the entropy regulation strategy could uncover the isochronous constraint on both strain and phase transition for long-term reversible Al3+ storage, providing a promising design for advanced electrode materials for aqueous multivalent ions batteries.

Effects of reductive soil disinfestation combined with different types of organic materials on the microbial community and functions.

Reductive soil disinfestation (RSD) is an effective method to inhibit soilborne pathogens. However, it remains unclear how RSD combined with different types of organic materials affects the soil ecosystems of perennial plants. Pot experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of RSD incorporated with perilla (PF), alfalfa (MS), ethanol, and acetic acid on soil properties, enzyme activities, microbial communities and functions, and seedling growth. Results showed that RSD-related treatments improved soil properties and enzyme activities, changed microbial community composition and structure, enhanced microbial interactions and functions, and facilitated seedling growth. Compared with CK, RSD-related treatments increased soil pH, available nitrogen, and available potassium contents, sucrase and catalase activities, and decreased soil electric conductivity values. Meanwhile, RSD-related treatment also significantly reduced the relative abundance of Fusarium while increasing the relative abundance of Arthrobacter, Terrabacter, and Gemmatimonas. The reduction was more evident in PF and MS treatment, suggesting the potential for RSD combined with solid agricultural wastes to suppress pathogens. Furthermore, the microbial network of RSD-related treatment was more complex and interconnected, and the functions related to carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, and hydrogen cycling were significantly increased, while the functions of bacterial and fungal plant pathogens were decreased. Importantly, RSD-related treatments also significantly promoted seed germination and seedling growth. In summary, RSD combined with solid agricultural wastes is better than liquid easily degradable compounds by regulating the composition and function of microbial communities to improve soil quality and promote plant growth.IMPORTANCEReductive soil disinfestation (RSD) is an effective agricultural practice. We found that RSD combined with solid agricultural wastes is better than that of liquid easily degradable compounds, may improve soil quality and microbial community structure, inhibit the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria, and contribute to the growth of replanted crops. Thus, RSD combined with solid agricultural wastes is more effective than liquid easily degradable compounds.

Nucleoporin Seh1 controls murine neocortical development via transcriptional repression of p21 in neural stem cells.

Mutations or dysregulation of nucleoporins (Nups) are strongly associated with neural developmental diseases, yet the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we show that depletion of Nup Seh1 in radial glial progenitors results in defective neural progenitor proliferation and differentiation that ultimately manifests in impaired neurogenesis and microcephaly. This loss of stem cell proliferation is not associated with defects in the nucleocytoplasmic transport. Rather, transcriptome analysis showed that ablation of Seh1 in neural stem cells derepresses the expression of p21, and knockdown of p21 partially restored self-renewal capacity. Mechanistically, Seh1 cooperates with the NuRD transcription repressor complex at the nuclear periphery to regulate p21 expression. Together, these findings identified that Nups regulate brain development by exerting a chromatin-associated role and affecting neural stem cell proliferation.

Dissecting Maillard reaction production in fried foods: Formation mechanisms, sensory characteristic attribution, control strategy, and gut homeostasis regulation.

Foods rich in carbohydrates or fats undergo the Maillard reaction during frying, which promotes the color, flavor and sensory characteristics formation. In the meanwhile, Maillard reaction intermediates and advanced glycation end products (AGEs) have a negative impact on food sensory quality and gut homeostasis. This negative effect can be influenced by food composition and other processing factors. Whole grain products are rich in polyphenols, which can capture carbonyl compounds in Maillard reaction, and reduce the production of AGEs during frying. This review summarizes the Maillard reaction production intermediates and AGEs formation mechanism in fried food and analyzes the factors affecting the sensory formation of food. In the meanwhile, the effects of Maillard reaction intermediates and AGEs on gut homeostasis were summarized. Overall, the innovative processing methods about the Maillard reaction are summarized to optimize the sensory properties of fried foods while minimizing the formation of AGEs.