Iron, Tungsten Dual-Doped Nickel Sulfide as Efficient Bifunctional Catalyst for Overall Water Splitting.

Developing low-cost and highly efficient bifunctional catalysts for both the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is a challenging problem in electrochemical overall water splitting. Here, iron, tungsten dual-doped nickel sulfide catalyst (Fe/W-Ni3S2) is synthesized on the nickel foam, and it exhibits excellent OER and HER performance. As a result, the water electrolyze based on Fe/W-Ni3S2 bifunctional catalyst illustrates 10 mA cm-2 at 1.69 V (without iR-compensation) and highly durable overall water splitting over 100 h tested under 500 mA cm-2. Experimental results and DFT calculations indicate that the synergistic interaction between Fe doping and Ni vacancy induced by W leaching during the in situ oxidation process can maximize exposed OER active sites on the reconstructed NiOOH species for accelerating OER kinetics, while the Fe/W dual-doping optimizes the electronic structure of Fe/W-Ni3S2 and the binding strength of intermediates for boosting HER. This study unlocks the different promoting mechanisms of incorporating Fe and W for boosting the OER and HER activity of Ni3S2 for water splitting, which provides significant guidance for designing high-performance bifunctional catalysts for overall water splitting.

Liver injury in paraquat poisoning: A retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Liver injury is one of the common complications of paraquat (PQ) poisoning, but whether the degree of liver injury is related to patient prognosis is still controversial. This study aimed to investigate whether liver injury was a risk factor for death in PQ-poisoned patients. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of PQ-poisoned patients from the past 10 years (2011-2020) from a large tertiary academic medical centre in China. PQ-poisoned patients were divided into a normal liver function group (n = 580) and a liver injury group (n = 60). Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was then performed. RESULTS: A total of 640 patients with PQ poisoning were included in this study. To reduce the impact of bias, dose of PQ, urinary PQ concentration and time from poisoning to hospital admission were matched between the two groups. A 3:1 PSM analysis was performed, ultimately including 240 patients. Compared with the normal liver function group, patients in the liver injury group were older, had a higher R value ([ALT/ULN]/[ALP/ULN]) (p < .001) and had a higher mortality rate. Cox regression analysis showed that there was no significant association between alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, total bilirubin levels and hazard of death, but age, PQ dose, creatine kinase isoenzyme, creatine kinase, white blood cell count, neutrophil percentage and lymphocyte percentage were associated with mortality in patients with PQ poisoning. CONCLUSIONS: The occurrence of liver injury within 48 h after PQ poisoning was a risk factor for mortality, and such liver injury was likely of a hepatocellular nature. Age, PQ dose, creatine kinase isoenzyme and white blood cell count were positively correlated with mortality, while creatine kinase, percentage of neutrophils and lymphocytes were inversely correlated.

Structure-Photoreactivity Studies of BODIPY Photocages: Limitations of the Activation Barrier for Optimizing Photoreactions.

BODIPY photocages are photoreactive chromophores that release covalently linked cargo upon absorption of visible light. Here, we used computations of the T1 photoheterolysis barrier to ascertain whether a computational approach could assist in a priori structure design by identifying new structures with higher quantum yields of photorelease. The electronic structure-photoreactivity relationships were elucidated for boron-substituted and core-functionalized 2-substituted BODIPY photocages as well as aryl substitutions at the meso-methyl position. Although there is a clear trend for the 2-substituted derivatives, with donor-substituted derivatives featuring both lower computed barriers and higher experimental quantum yields, no trend in the quantum yield with the computed activation barrier is found for the meso-methyl-substituted or boron-substituted derivatives. The lack of a correlation between the experimental quantum yield with the computed barrier in the latter two substitution cases is attributed to the substituents having larger effects on the rates of competing channels (internal conversion and competitive photoreactions) than on the rate of the photoheterolysis channel. Thus, although in some cases computed photoreaction barriers can aid in identifying structures with higher quantum yields, the ignored impacts of how changing the structure affects the rates of competing photophysical/photochemical channels limit the effectiveness of this single-parameter approach.

Architecting N-doped Carbon Nanotube-Rich Carbon Nanofibers with Biomimetic Vine-Leaf-Whisker Structure as Robust Bifunctional Electrocatalysts for Rechargeable Zn-Air Batteries.

Efficient and durable bifunctional catalysts toward oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) are urgently desirable but challenging for rechargeable Zn-air batteries (ZABs), especially flexible wearable ZABs. Inspired by the vine-leaf-whisker structure in nature, we proposed a three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical bifunctional catalyst (denoted as Co-Fe-Zn@N-CNT/CNF) consisting of N-doped carbon nanotubes embedded with abundant CoFe alloy nanoparticles, leaf-shaped N-doped carbon nanoflakes, and porous carbon fibers for rechargeable ZABs. The special biomimetic structure provides a large specific surface area, allowing for high exposure of the active site and ensuring fast mass transport/charge transfer. The close combination of CoFe bimetallic alloys and N-doped carbon nanotubes delivers high electrocatalytic activity, while the coexistence of various active sites such as metal nanoparticles (NPs), metal-Nx, doped N species, and their synergistic interactions endows the catalysts with more active sites. As such, the Co-Fe-Zn@N-CNT/CNF catalyst achieves superior bifunctional catalytic activities for the ORR (a half-wave potential of 0.84 V) and the OER (an overpotential of 326 mV at 10 mA cm-2) in alkaline media, comparable to commercial Pt/C and RuO2. Remarkably, both aqueous and solid-state ZABs assembled with Co-Fe-Zn@N-CNT/CNF catalysts as air electrodes demonstrate excellent charging/discharging performance, high peak power density, and robust long-term cycling stability. More interestingly, the flexible ZAB performs well even under bending conditions, displaying satisfactory device stability and mechanical flexibility. This study presents a new collective morphological-composition-structural engineering strategy for exploiting the efficient bifunctional oxygen electrocatalysts, which is of great significance for high-performance rechargeable ZABs and wearable energy storage devices.

Repositioning baloxavir marboxil as VISTA agonist that ameliorates experimental asthma.

V-type immunoglobulin domain-containing suppressor of T-cell activation (VISTA), a novel negative checkpoint regulator, plays an essential role in allergic pulmonary inflammation in mice. Treatment with a VISTA agonistic antibody could significantly improve asthma symptoms. Thus, for allergic asthma treatment, VISTA targeting may be a compelling approach. In this study, we examined the functional mechanism of VISTA in allergic pulmonary inflammation and screened the FDA-approved drugs for VISTA agonists. By using mass cytometry (CyTOF), we found that VISTA deficiency primarily increased lung macrophage infiltration in the OVA-induced asthma model, accompanied by an increased proportion of M1 macrophages (CD11b+F4/80+CD86+) and a decreased proportion of M2 macrophages (CD11b+F4/80+CD206+). Further in vitro studies showed that VISTA deficiency promoted M1 polarization and inhibited M2 polarization of bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDMs). Importantly, we discovered baloxavir marboxil (BXM) as a VISTA agonist by virtual screening of FDA-approved drugs. The surface plasmon resonance (SPR) assays revealed that BXM (KD = 1.07 µM) as well as its active form, baloxavir acid (BXA) (KD = 0.21 µM), could directly bind to VISTA with high affinity. Notably, treatment with BXM significantly ameliorated asthma symptoms, including less lung inflammation, mucus secretion, and the generation of Th2 cytokines (IL-5, IL-13, and IL-4), which were dramatically attenuated by anti-VISTA monoclonal antibody treatment. BXM administration also reduced the pulmonary infiltration of M1 macrophages and raised M2 macrophages. Collectively, our study indicates that VISTA regulates pulmonary inflammation in allergic asthma by regulating macrophage polarization and baloxavir marboxil, and an old drug might be a new treatment for allergic asthma through targeting VISTA.

Epidemiological and etiological characteristics of 1266 patients with severe acute respiratory infection in central China, 2018-2020: a retrospective survey.

BACKGROUND: Severe acute respiratory infection (SARI), a significant global health concern, imposes a substantial disease burden. In China, there is inadequate data concerning the monitoring of respiratory pathogens, particularly bacteria, among patients with SARI. Therefore, this study aims to delineate the demographic, epidemiological, and aetiological characteristics of hospitalised SARI patients in Central China between 2018 and 2020. METHODS: Eligible patients with SARI admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University between 1 January 2018 and 31 December 2020 were included in this retrospective study. Within the first 24 h of admission, respiratory (including sputum, nasal/throat swabs, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, thoracocentesis fluid, etc.), urine, and peripheral blood specimens were collected for viral and bacterial testing. A multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) diagnostic approach was used to identify human influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus, parainfluenza virus, adenovirus, human bocavirus, human coronavirus, human metapneumovirus, and rhinovirus. Bacterial cultures of respiratory specimens were performed with a particular focus on pathogenic microorganisms, including S. pneumoniae, S. aureus, K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa, Strep A, H. influenzae, A. baumannii, and E. coli. In cases where bacterial culture results were negative, nucleic acid extraction was performed for PCR to assay for the above-mentioned eight bacteria, as well as L. pneumophila and M. pneumoniae. Additionally, urine specimens were exclusively used to detect Legionella antigens. Furthermore, epidemiological, demographic, and clinical data were obtained from electronic medical records. RESULTS: The study encompassed 1266 patients, with a mean age of 54 years, among whom 61.6% (780/1266) were males, 61.4% (778/1266) were farmers, and 88.8% (1124/1266) sought medical treatment in 2020. Moreover, 80.3% (1017/1266) were housed in general wards. The most common respiratory symptoms included fever (86.8%, 1122/1266) and cough (77.8%, 986/1266). Chest imaging anomalies were detected in 62.6% (792/1266) of cases, and 58.1% (736/1266) exhibited at least one respiratory pathogen, with 28.5% (361/1266) having multiple infections. Additionally, 95.7% (1212/1266) of the patients were from Henan Province, with the highest proportion (38.3%, 486/1266) falling in the 61-80 years age bracket, predominantly (79.8%, 1010/1266) seeking medical aid in summer and autumn. Bacterial detection rate (39.0%, 495/1266) was higher than viral detection rate (36.9%, 468/1266), with the primary pathogens being influenza virus (13.8%, 175/1266), K. pneumoniae (10.0%, 127/1266), S. pneumoniae (10.0%, 127/1266), adenovirus (8.2%, 105/1266), P. aeruginosa (8.2%, 105/1266), M. pneumoniae (7.8%, 100/1266), and respiratory syncytial virus (7.7%, 98/1266). During spring and winter, there was a significant prevalence of influenza virus and human coronavirus, contrasting with the dominance of parainfluenza viruses in summer and autumn. Respiratory syncytial virus and rhinovirus exhibited higher prevalence across spring, summer, and winter. P. aeruginosa, K. pneumoniae, and M. pneumoniae were identified at similar rates throughout all seasons without distinct spikes in prevalence. However, S. pneumoniae showed a distinctive pattern with a prevalence that doubled during summer and winter. Moreover, the positive detection rates of various other viruses and bacteria were lower, displaying a comparatively erratic prevalence trend. Among patients admitted to the intensive care unit, the predominant nosocomial bacteria were K. pneumoniae (17.2%, 43/249), A. baumannii (13.6%, 34/249), and P. aeruginosa (12.4%, 31/249). Conversely, in patients from general wards, predominant pathogens included influenza virus (14.8%, 151/1017), S. pneumoniae (10.4%, 106/1017), and adenovirus (9.3%, 95/1017). Additionally, paediatric patients exhibited significantly higher positive detection rates for influenza virus (23.9%, 11/46) and M. pneumoniae (32.6%, 15/46) compared to adults and the elderly. Furthermore, adenovirus (10.0%, 67/669) and rhinovirus (6.4%, 43/669) were the primary pathogens in adults, while K. pneumoniae (11.8%, 65/551) and A. baumannii (7.1%, 39/551) prevailed among the elderly, indicating significant differences among the three age groups. DISCUSSION: In Central China, among patients with SARI, the prevailing viruses included influenza virus, adenovirus, and respiratory syncytial virus. Among bacteria, K. pneumoniae, S. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa, and M. pneumoniae were frequently identified, with multiple infections being very common. Additionally, there were substantial variations in the pathogen spectrum compositions concerning wards and age groups among patients. Consequently, this study holds promise in offering insights to the government for developing strategies aimed at preventing and managing respiratory infectious diseases effectively.

Magnetoacoustic cutoff effect in numerical simulations of the partially ionized solar atmosphere.

The cutoff effect is a significant determinant of solar magnetohydrodynamic wave propagation and hence pivotal in energy transfer studies, such as solar plasma heating and seismological diagnostics. Despite continuous efforts, no good agreement between observed waveperiods and theory or numerical simulations was found. Our objective is to investigate the magnetoacoustic cutoff effect in the partially ionized solar atmosphere, factoring in the two-fluid effects. We developed a two-fluid MHD numerical model and used it to simulate a quiet region of the Sun from the top of the convective zone to the low corona. Our findings show that the ongoing granulation excites a wide range of waves propagating into the upper atmospheric layers. The cutoff waveperiods strongly depend on the height. Two-fluid waveperiods obtained with numerical simulations reproduce the recent observations at a very good level of compliance. Furthermore, direct comparison with strongly coupled cases that imitate the single-fluid approximation have shown that the waveperiod propagation pattern is only present in fully two-fluid simulations. We conclude that the presence of neutrals and therefore collisional terms change the dynamics of the magnetized plasma, in comparison with the single-fluid approximation. This effect is more prominently seen in the upper photosphere and chromosphere. This article is part of the theme issue 'Partially ionized plasma of the solar atmosphere: recent advances and future pathways'.

Defibrillation strategies for patients with refractory ventricular fibrillation: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

AIM: The aim of this study was to summarize the existing evidence about the effectiveness of double defibrillation (DD) in comparison to standard defibrillation for patients with refractory ventricular fibrillation (RVF). DD encompasses double "sequential" external defibrillation (DSeq-D) and double "simultaneous" defibrillation (DSim-D), with the study also shedding light on the respective effects of DSeq-D and DSim-D. METHODS: Investigators systematically searched PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane Central databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and cohort studies from their inception until June 06, 2024. The rate of survival to hospital discharge was the primary outcome, while the incidence of return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), termination of ventricular fibrillation (VF), survival to hospital admission and good neurologic outcome were secondary outcomes. Relative ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for each outcome. Heterogeneity was assessed using I square value. RESULTS: A total of 6 trials, comprising 1360 patients, were included. One was an RCT, and five were observational cohort studies. The RCT showed that, compared to standard defibrillation, DSeq-D was associated with higher incidences of survival to hospital discharge, termination of VF, ROSC and good neurologic outcome. However, the pooled results of cohort studies found no benefit of DD over standard defibrillation in survival to hospital discharge (RR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.46-1.78), nor in secondary outcomes. Furthermore, subgroup analysis suggested DSim-D was linked with lower ROSC rate compared to standard defibrillation (RR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.49-0.86), while there was no significance between DSeq-D and standard defibrillation (RR, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.70-1.42). CONCLUSIONS: The benefit of DSeq-D in survival to hospital discharge for RVF patients was found in the RCT, but not in cohort studies. Additionally, DSim-D should be applied with greater caution for RVF patients. Further validation is needed through larger-scale and higher-quality trials. TRIAL REGISTRY: INPLASY; Registration number: INPLASY202340015; URL: https://inplasy.com/.

[Research progress on development and utilization of minor ginsenosides].

Minor ginsenosides are a class of processed saponins with minor natural content, high bioavailability, and outstanding bio-logical activity, which are usually obtained by biological or chemical transformation of prototype saponins directly extracted from Panax plants. In recent years, with the clarification of the biosynthetic pathway of saponins and the development of synthetic biology, it has become possible to use synthetic metabolic engineering methods with microorganisms as hosts to produce saponins. Minor ginsenosides have received widespread attention because of their remarkable biological activities in enhancing the immune function of the body and antitumor property. At present, most of the reviews on minor ginsenosides focus on transformation preparation, process optimization, and pharmacological activity, but there are some deficiencies in industrial analysis. This study summarized structural types, pharmacological activities, sources of acquisition, and transformation pathways of minor ginsenosides based on the relevant literature in China and abroad, proposed problems in the preparation of existing minor ginsenosides, and discussed the future research and utilization prospects, to provide a theoretical basis for improving the basic research of minor ginsenosides and promoting their industrialization.

[Establishment and Validation of an Animal Model of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm in Beagles Through Vascular Patch Angioplasty and Elastase Infusion]. / äººå·¥è¡€ç®¡è¡¥ç‰‡æˆå½¢ç»“åˆå¼¹åŠ›è›‹ç™½é ¶çŒæ³¨æ³•æž„å»ºæ¯”æ ¼çŠ¬è ¹ä¸»åŠ¨è„‰ç˜¤åŠ¨ç‰©æ¨¡åž‹åŠå»ºæ¨¡æ•ˆæžœéªŒè¯.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) animal model established in beagles by way of vascular patch angioplasty combined with elastase infusion. Methods: A total of 60 beagle dogs were included in this study. Among them, 10 beagles were assigned to a control group to obtain normal abdominal aortic wall tissue, while the other 50 underwent vascular patch angioplasty combined with elastase infusion in order to establish the AAA disease model. In order to evaluate the outcome of modeling, abdominal vascular ultrasonography was performed 14 days after the modeling surgery was performed and ultrasound and computed tomographic angiography (CTA) were performed 28 days after the modeling surgery. The criterion for evaluating modeling success is that the maximum diameter of the abdominal aortic aneurysm is 50% greater than the diameter of the normal abdominal aorta below the renal artery. A total of 20 beagles of the modelling group and 5 control beagles were sacrificed 35 days after the modeling surgery and infrarenal abdominal aortic wall tissues were harvested. Then, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, Masson's trichrome staining, and elastic van Gieson (EVG) staining were conducted to observe the pathology features of abdominal aortic wall tissues. Results: A total of 50 beagles underwent the AAA modeling procedures, with the average operative and anesthesia time being (119.4±18.9) and (137.4±15.8) minutes, respectively, the average blood loss volume being (43.6±7.7) mL, the average abdominal aorta block time being (39.7±5.3) minutes during the modeling surgery, and the average abdominal aorta diameter measured during the surgery being (6.5±0.4) mm. Intraoperative mortality was 0%. Mortality within 30 days after the surgery was 2% (1 out of the 50 beagles). Postoperative ultrasound and CTA results revealed that the success rate of AAA modeling was 100%. Pathology examination suggested that the animal model rather successfully simulated the pathophysiologic changes associated with human AAA in regard to the morphological and pathological changes. Conclusion: Vascular patch angioplasty combined with elastase infusion can be used to successfully establish AAA model in beagles. The AAA modeling method described in our report demonstrates stability and reliability in aneurysm formation effect and the surgical procedures are easy to replicate. The method integrates the advantages of previous animal modeling methods and can be used to study the pathogenesis of AAA.

Types of Membrane Transporters and the Mechanisms of Interaction between Them and Reactive Oxygen Species in Plants.

Membrane transporters are proteins that mediate the entry and exit of substances through the plasma membrane and organellar membranes and are capable of recognizing and binding to specific substances, thereby facilitating substance transport. Membrane transporters are divided into different types, e.g., ion transporters, sugar transporters, amino acid transporters, and aquaporins, based on the substances they transport. These membrane transporters inhibit reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation through ion regulation, sugar and amino acid transport, hormone induction, and other mechanisms. They can also promote enzymatic and nonenzymatic reactions in plants, activate antioxidant enzyme activity, and promote ROS scavenging. Moreover, membrane transporters can transport plant growth regulators, solute proteins, redox potential regulators, and other substances involved in ROS metabolism through corresponding metabolic pathways, ultimately achieving ROS homeostasis in plants. In turn, ROS, as signaling molecules, can affect the activity of membrane transporters under abiotic stress through collaboration with ions and involvement in hormone metabolic pathways. The research described in this review provides a theoretical basis for improving plant stress resistance, promoting plant growth and development, and breeding high-quality plant varieties.

Systematic review and meta-analysis of endovascular therapy versus open surgical repair for the traumatic lower extremity arterial injury.

OBJECTIVE: For traumatic lower extremity artery injury, it is unclear whether it is better to perform endovascular therapy (ET) or open surgical repair (OSR). This study aimed to compare the clinical outcomes of ET versus OSR for traumatic lower extremity artery injury. METHODS: The Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Databases were searched for studies. Cohort studies and case series reporting outcomes of ET or OSR were eligible for inclusion. Robins-I tool and an 18-item tool were used to assess the risk of bias. The primary outcome was amputation. The secondary outcomes included fasciotomy or compartment syndrome, mortality, length of stay and lower extremity nerve injury. We used the random effects model to calculate pooled estimates. RESULTS: A total of 32 studies with low or moderate risk of bias were included in the meta-analysis. The results showed that patients who underwent ET had a significantly decreased risk of major amputation (OR = 0.42, 95% CI 0.21-0.85; I2=34%) and fasciotomy or compartment syndrome (OR = 0.31, 95% CI 0.20-0.50, I2 = 14%) than patients who underwent OSR. No significant difference was observed between the two groups regarding all-cause mortality (OR = 1.11, 95% CI 0.75-1.64, I2 = 31%). Patients with ET repair had a shorter length of stay than patients with OSR repair (MD=-5.06, 95% CI -6.76 to -3.36, I2 = 65%). Intraoperative nerve injury was just reported in OSR patients with a pooled incidence of 15% (95% CI 6%-27%). CONCLUSION: Endovascular therapy may represent a better choice for patients with traumatic lower extremity arterial injury, because it can provide lower risks of amputation, fasciotomy or compartment syndrome, and nerve injury, as well as shorter length of stay.

Diagnosis and treatment of carotid-left subclavian bypass graft infection complicated with mitral valve aneurysm and perforation following hybrid TEVAR: A case report.

Hybrid thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) has been proved to be an effective and reliable treatment option for aortic arch diseases requiring extension of the proximal landing zone. However, hybrid TEVAR was associated with potential risk of post-operative complications, including cerebral infarction, endoleaks and paraplegia. Here we reported a rare case of bypass graft infection complicated with mitral valve aneurysm and perforation following landing zone 2 hybrid TEVAR procedure, who presented with symptoms of fever, major bleeding and anastomotic pseudoaneurysm and received emergency bypass graft removal and stent implantation with acceptable short and midterm follow-up results.

Upper extremity phlegmasia cerulea dolens complicating supra vena cava embolism in a cervical cancer patient: case report.

Phlegmasia cerulea dolens (PCD) is a rare yet severe complication of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), characterized by a high amputation rate and mortality. Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial in managing this condition. PCD predominantly affects the lower extremities rather than the upper extremities. We herein present a rare upper extremity PCD case accompanied with supra vena cava and pulmonary embolism in a cervical cancer patient, who presented to our institution with severe pain, edema and irreversible venous gangrene of right upper limb with no response to anticoagulation therapy. Emergency fasciotomy and amputation were performed due to the progressed venous gangrene, however, the patient developed severe infection and coagulation disorders, gastrointestinal bleeding and disseminated intravascular coagulation after the surgery. Despite medical interventions, her family chose to withdraw treatment and the patient died in ICU at the fourth day following emergency surgery.

Renewable lignin-derived heteroatom-doped porous carbon nanosheets as an efficient oxygen reduction catalyst for rechargeable zinc-air batteries.

Lignin upgrading to various functional products is promising to realize high-value utilization of low-cost and renewable biomass waste, but is still in its infancy. Herein, using industry waste lignosulfonate as the biomass-based carbon source and urea as the dopant, we constructed a heteroatom-doped porous carbon nanosheet structure by a simple NaCl template-assisted pyrolytic strategy. Through the synergistic effect of the NaCl template and urea, the optimized lignin-derived porous carbon catalyst with high content of active nitrogen species and large specific surface area can be obtained. As a result, the fabricated catalysts exhibited excellent electrocatalytic oxygen reduction activity, as well as good methanol tolerance and stability, comparable to that of commercial Pt/C. Moreover, rechargeable Zn-air batteries assembled with this electrocatalyst have a peak power density of up to 150 mW cm-2 and prominent long-term cycling stability. This study offers an inexpensive and efficient way for the massive production of highly active metal-free catalysts from the plentiful, inexpensive and environmentally friendly lignin, offering a good direction for biomass waste recycling and utilization.

Molecular Mechanisms and Roles of MiR-136-5p in Human Cancer and Other Disorders.

BACKGROUND: MiR-136-5p plays a vital function in regulating developmental processes as well as in the pathophysiology of diseases, with a notable record in tumor suppression. METHODS: This article summarizes the latest findings on the physiological and pathophysiological processes of miR-136-5p in diseases. We searched for relevant studies and selected research articles from the last five years on PubMed with miR-136-5p as the keyword. RESULTS: MiR-136-5p represents a class of microRNAs (miRNAs) that are involved in various human maladies, encompassing cancers, cardio-cerebrovascular disease, diabetes, inflammatory disease, tuberous sclerosis, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, and polycystic ovary syndrome. Altered expression of miR-136-5p in specific ailments results in downstream gene expression imbalance, influencing cellular behaviors, such as migration, proliferation, and invasion. Furthermore, miR-136-5p is implicated in five signaling pathways, where it is critical in the onset and advancement of a number of illnesses. Additionally, it has the potential to promote drug resistance to a variety of medications. CONCLUSION: The current review aims to elucidate the role of miR-136-5p in both cancer progression and non-cancerous disorders, emphasizing dysregulated signaling pathways. It also sheds light on the potential of this miRNA as a prognostic biomarker in cancer, offering valuable insights and directions for future research.

miR-155-5p promotes hepatic steatosis via PICALM-mediated autophagy in aging hepatocytes.

BACKGROUND: Hepatic steatosis, a lipid disorder characterized by the accumulation of intrahepatic fat, is more prevalent in the elderly population. This study investigates the role of miR-155-5p in the autophagy dysregulation of aging hepatic steatosis. METHODS: We established an aging mouse model in vivo and a hepatocellular senescence model induced by low serum and palmitic acid in vitro. The fluctuations of microRNAs were derived from RNA-seq data and confirmed by qPCR in 4- and 18-month-old mouse liver tissues. Hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining observed pathological changes. Markers of senescence, autophagy, and lipolysis genes were analyzed using Western blot and qPCR. Bioinformatics analysis predicted miR-155-5p's target gene PICALM, confirmed by dual luciferase reporter assay and transfection of miR-155-5p mimic/inhibitor into senescent hepatocytes. RESULTS: Senescent markers (p21, p16, and p-P53) and miR-155-5p were up-regulated in aging liver tissues and senescent hepatocytes. Bioinformatics analysis identified PICALM as a target gene of miR-155-5p, a finding further supported by dual luciferase reporter assays. Inhibition of miR-155-5p reduced expression of senescent marker genes (p16, p21, p-P53), improved autophagy (evidenced by increased LC3B-II and ATG5, and decreased P62), and enhanced lipolysis (indicated by increased ATGL and p-HSL) in senescent hepatocytes. Oil red O staining confirmed that miR-155-5p inhibition significantly reduced lipid accumulation in these cells. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests a potential new therapeutic approach for age-related hepatic steatosis through the inhibition of miR-155-5p to enhance autophagy.

Building synergistic multiple active sites in branch-leaf nanostructured carbon nanofiber derived from MOF/COF hybrid for flexible wearable Zn-air battery.

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have attracted growing attention in electrochemical energy storage and conversion systems (e.g., Zn-air batteries, ZABs) owing to their structural tunability, ordered porosity and high specific surface area. In this work, for the first time, the three-dimensional (3D) highly open catalyst (CNFs/CoZn-MOF@COF) possessing hierarchical porous structure and high-density active sites of uniform cobalt (Co) nanoparticles and metal-Nx (M-Nx, M = Co and Zn) is demonstrated, which is fabricated using electrospinning technique in combination with MOF/COF hybridization strategy and direct pyrolysis. Benefiting from the well-designed branch-leaf nanostructures, plentiful and uniform active sites on the MOF/COF-derived carbon frameworks, as well as the synergistic effect of multiple active sites, CNFs/CoZn-MOF@COF catalyst achieves superior electrocatalytic activity and stability towards both oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) with a small potential gap (ΔE = 0.75 V). In situ Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results indicate that the CoOOH intermediates are the main active species during OER/ORR. Significantly, both aqueous and all-solid-state rechargeable ZABs assembled with CNFs/CoZn-MOF@COF as the air cathode show high open-circuit potential, outstanding peak power density, large capacity and long cycle life. More impressively, the obtained all-solid-state ZAB also displays superb mechanical flexibility and device stability under different, showcasing great application deformations potential in portable and wearable electronics. This work provides a new insight into the design and exploitation of bifunctional catalysts from MOF/COF hybrid materials for energy storage and conversion devices.

Atomic-Level Tailoring of the Electronic Metal-Support Interaction Between Pt-Co3O4 Interfaces for High Hydrogen Evolution Performance.

Atomic-level modulation of the metal-oxide interface is considered an effective approach to optimize the electronic structure and catalytic activity of metal catalysts but remains highly challenging. Here, we employ the atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique together with a heteroatom doping strategy to effectively tailor the electronic metal-support interaction (EMSI) at the metal-oxide interface on the atomic level, thereby achieving high hydrogen evolution performance and Pt utilization. Theoretical calculations reveal that the doping of N atoms in Co3O4 significantly adjusts the EMSI between Pt-Co3O4 interfaces and, consequently, alters the d-band center of Pt and optimizes the adsorption/desorption of reaction intermediates. This work sheds light on the atomic-level regulation and mechanistic understanding of the EMSI in metal-oxide, while providing guidance for the development of advanced EMSI electrocatalysts for various future energy applications.