Defects of Metal Halide Perovskites in Photocatalytic Energy Conversion: Friend or Foe?

Photocatalytic solar-to-fuel conversion over metal halide perovskites (MHPs) has recently attracted much attention, while the roles of defects in MHPs are still under debate. Specifically, the mainstream viewpoint is that the defects are detrimental to photocatalytic performance, while some recent studies show that certain types of defects contribute to photoactivity enhancement. However, a systematic summary of why it is contradictory and how the defects in MHPs affect photocatalytic performance is still lacking. In this review, the innovative roles of defects in MHP photocatalysts are highlighted. First, the origins of defects in MHPs are elaborated, followed by clarifying certain benefits of defects in photocatalysts including optical absorption, charge dynamics, and surface reaction. Afterward, the recent progress on defect-related MHP photocatalysis, i.e., CO2 reduction, H2 generation, pollutant degradation, and organic synthesis is systematically discussed and critically appraised, putting emphasis on their beneficial effects. With defects offering peculiar sets of merits and demerits, the personal opinion on the ongoing challenges is concluded and outlining potentially promising opportunities for engineering defects on MHP photocatalysts. This critical review is anticipated to offer a better understanding of the MHP defects and spur some inspiration for designing efficient MHP photocatalysts.

Real-time position and pose prediction for a self-propelled undulatory swimmer in 3D space with artificial lateral line system.

This study aims to investigate the feasibility of using an Artificial Lateral Line system for predicting the real-time position and pose of an undulating swimmer with Carangiform swimming patterns. We established a 3D Computational Fluid Dynamics simulation to replicate the swimming dynamics of a freely swimming mackerel under various motion parameters, calculating the corresponding pressure fields. Using the simulated lateral line data, we trained an artificial neural network to predict the centroid coordinates and orientation of the swimmer. A comprehensive analysis was further conducted to explore the impact of sensor quantity, distribution, noise amplitude and sampling intervals of the Artificial Lateral Line array on predicting performance. Additionally, to quantitatively assess the reliability of the localization network, we trained another neural network to evaluate error magnitudes for different input signals. These findings provide valuable insights for guiding future research on mutual sensing and schooling in underwater robotic fish.

Establishment of an Efficient Protoplast Isolation and Transfection Method for Eucommia ulmoides Oliver.

BACKGROUND: Eucommia ulmoides Oliver is a unique high-quality natural rubber tree species and rare medicinal tree species in China. The rapid characterization of E. ulmoides gene function has been severely hampered by the limitations of genetic transformation methods and breeding cycles. The polyethylene glycol (PEG)-mediated protoplast transformation system is a multifunctional and rapid tool for the analysis of functional genes in vivo, but it has not been established in E. ulmoides. METHODS: In this study, a large number of highly active protoplasts were isolated from the stems of E. ulmoides seedlings by enzymatic digestion, and green fluorescent protein expression was facilitated using a PEG-mediated method. RESULTS: Optimal enzymatic digestion occurred when the enzyme was digested for 10 h in an enzymatic solution containing 2.5% Cellulase R-10 (w/v), 0.6% Macerozyme R-10 (w/v), 2.5% pectinase (w/v), 0.5% hemicellulase (w/v), and 0.6 mol/L mannitol. The active protoplast yield under this condition was 1.13 × 106 protoplasts/g fresh weight, and the protoplast activity was as high as 94.84%. CONCLUSIONS: This study established the first protoplasm isolation and transient transformation system in hard rubber wood, which lays the foundation for subsequent functional studies of E. ulmoides genes to achieve high-throughput analysis, and provides a reference for future gene function studies of medicinal and woody plants.

Stimuli-sensitive biomimetic nanoparticles for the inhibition of breast cancer recurrence and pulmonary metastasis.

Biomimetic nanoparticles represent a promising avenue for mitigating rapid clearance by the reticuloendothelial system (RES); however, current challenges include insufficient tumour targeting, suboptimal adhesion, and inadequate localized drug release within tumour regions. These shortcomings contribute to persistent contests, such as recurrence and pulmonary metastasis, even with advanced breast cancer therapies. Stimuli-sensitive drug release can furbish the membrane coated nanoparticles for their efficiency against the stated problems. To enhance the efficacy of biomimetic nanoparticles in addressing these issues, we proposed a versatile, stimuli-responsive drug delivery system by encapsulating doxorubicin (Dox) and perfluorohexane (PFH) within poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles, subsequently coated with macrophage-derived cell membranes. Within this framework, PFH serves as the mediator for ultrasonic (US)-irradiation-triggered drug release specifically within tumour microenvironment, while the macrophage-derived cell membrane coating enhances cell adhesion, enables immune evasion, and natural tumour-homing ability. The characterization assays and in vitro evaluations yielded encouraging results, indicating enhanced targeting and release efficiencies. In vivo studies demonstrated marked inhibitory effects on both breast cancer recurrence and pulmonary metastasis. The resulting data indicate that these engineered nanoparticles have notable potential for targeted delivery and controlled release upon US irradiation, thereby offering significant therapeutic efficacy against primary breast cancer, pulmonary metastasis, and recurrent malignancies. Our findings lay the groundwork for a novel clinical approach, representing an intriguing direction for ongoing investigation by oncologists.

Heavy metals in a typical industrial area-groundwater system: Spatial distribution, microbial response and ecological risk.

The environmental burden due to industrial activities has been quite observable in the last few years, with heavy metals (HMs) like lead, cadmium, and arsenic inducing serious perturbations to the microbial ecosystem of groundwater. Studies carried out in North China, a region known for interconnection of industrial and groundwater systems, sought to explore the natural mechanisms of adaptation of microbes to groundwater contamination. The results showed that heavy metals permeate from surface increased the diversity and abundance of microbial communities in groundwater, producing an average decrease of 40.84% and 34.62% in the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria in groundwater, respectively. Meanwhile, the key environmental factors driving the evolution of microbial communities shift from groundwater nutrients to heavy metals, which explained 50.80% of the change in the microbial community composition. Microbial indicators are more sensitive to HMs pollution and could accurately identify industrial area where HMs permeation occurred and other extraneous pollutants. The phylum Bacteroidetes could act as appropriate indicators for the identification. Significant genera that were identified, being Mesorhizobium, Clostridium, Bacillus and Mucilaginibacter, were found to play important roles in the microbial network in terms of the potential to assist in groundwater clean-up. Notably, pollution from heavy metals has diminished the effectiveness and resilience of microbial communities in groundwater, thereby heightening the susceptibility of these normally stable microbial ecosystems. These findings offer new perspectives on how to monitor and detect groundwater pollution, and provide scientific guidance for developing suitable remediation methods for groundwater contaminated with heavy metals. Future research is essential explore the application of metal-tolerant or resistant bacteria in bioremediation strategies to rehabilitate groundwater systems contaminated by HMs.

Analysis of critical states based on acoustic emission signals during progressive failure of wood.

The analysis of critical states during fracture of wood materials is crucial for wood building safety monitoring, wood processing, etc. In this paper, beech and camphor pine are selected as the research objects, and the acoustic emission signals during the fracture process of the specimens are analyzed by three-point bending load experiments. On the one hand, the critical state interval of a complex acoustic emission signal system is determined by selecting characteristic parameters in the natural time domain. On the other hand, an improved method of b_value analysis in the natural time domain is proposed based on the characteristics of the acoustic emission signal. The K-value, which represents the beginning of the critical state of a complex acoustic emission signal system, is further defined by the improved method of b_value in the natural time domain. For beech, the analysis of critical state time based on characteristic parameters can predict the "collapse" time 8.01 s in advance, while for camphor pines, 3.74 s in advance. K-value can be analyzed at least 3 s in advance of the system "crash" time for beech and 4 s in advance of the system "crash" time for camphor pine. The results show that compared with traditional time-domain acoustic emission signal analysis, natural time-domain acoustic emission signal analysis can discover more available feature information to characterize the state of the signal. Both the characteristic parameters and Natural_Time_b_value analysis in the natural time domain can effectively characterize the time when the complex acoustic emission signal system enters the critical state. Critical state analysis can provide new ideas for wood health monitoring and complex signal processing, etc.

High-Safety Lithium-Ion Battery Separator with Adjustable Temperature Function Inspired by the Sugar Gourd Structure.

As the power core of an electric vehicle, the performance of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is directly related to the vehicle quality and driving range. However, the charge-discharge performance and cycling performance are affected by the temperature. Excessive temperature can cause internal short circuits and even lead to safety issues, such as thermal runaway. The separator plays a crucial role in protecting the battery from regular operation, preventing direct touch between the cathode and the anode while allowing the transport of lithium ions. In this study, we have designed a thermoregulating separator in the shape of calabash, which uses melamine-encapsulated paraffin phase change material (PCM) with a wide enthalpy (0-168.52 J g-1) to dissipate the heat generated inside the battery promptly. Under extra-long-use conditions, the heat emitted by the battery is absorbed by the PCM without causing a significant temperature rise that triggers thermal runaway. The PCM separator can effectively suppress the temperature increase caused by battery penetration. Due to the unique structure of the PCM, the battery is short-circuited; it can significantly delay the internal temperature rise of the battery and quickly dissipate the heat, which is consistent with the characteristics of natural calabash in nutrient absorption and water diffusion, improving the melting and heat storage efficiency of the PCM. The design of the phase change separator provides an effective reference for overheat protection and improved safety in lithium-ion batteries.

Thalassotalea psychrophila sp. nov., Thalassotalea nanhaiensis sp. nov. and Thalassotalea fonticola sp. nov., three psychrophilic bacteria isolated from deep-sea sediment.

Three psychrophilic bacteria, designated as strains SQ149T, SQ345T, and S1-1T, were isolated from deep-sea sediment from the South China Sea. All three strains were the most closely related to Thalassotalea atypica RZG4-3-1T based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis (similarity ranged from 96.45 to 96.67 %). Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene and core-genome sequences showed that three strains formed a cluster within the genus Thalassotalea. The average amino acid identity, average nucleotide identity, and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values among the three strains and closest Thalassotalea species were far below the cut-off value recommended for delineating species, indicating they each represented a novel species. All three strains were Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped, and contained summed feature 3 (C16 : 1 ω7c and/or C16 : 1 ω6c) as the predominant fatty acid, Q-8 as the major respiratory quinone, and phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylglycerol as predominant polar lipids. Based on the genomic, phylogenetic, and phenotypic characterizations, each strain is considered to represent a novel species within the genus Thalassotalea, for which the names Thalassotalea psychrophila sp. nov. (type strain SQ149T=MCCC 1K04231T=JCM 33807T), Thalassotalea nanhaiensis sp. nov. (type strain SQ345T=MCCC 1K04232T=JCM 33808T), and Thalassotalea fonticola sp. nov. (type strain S1-1T=MCCC 1K06879T=JCM 34824T) are proposed.

Enhanced Oxygen Evolution and Zinc-Air Battery Performance via Electronic Spin Modulation in Heterostructured Catalysts.

Beyond optimizing electronic energy levels, the modulation of the electronic spin configuration is an effective strategy, often overlooked, to boost activity and selectivity in a range of catalytic reactions, including the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). This electronic spin modulation is frequently accomplished using external magnetic fields, which makes it impractical for real applications. Herein, spin modulation is achieved by engineering Ni/MnFe2O4 heterojunctions, whose surface is reconstructed into NiOOH/MnFeOOH during the OER. NiOOH/MnFeOOH shows a high spin state of Ni, which regulates the OH- and O2 adsorption energy and enables spin alignment of oxygen intermediates. As a result, NiOOH/MnFeOOH electrocatalysts provide excellent OER performance with an overpotential of 261 mV at 10 mA cm-2. Besides, rechargeable zinc-air batteries based on Ni/MnFe2O4 show a high open circuit potential of 1.56 V and excellent stability for more than 1000 cycles. This outstanding performance is rationalized using density functional theory calculations, which show that the optimal spin state of both Ni active sites and oxygen intermediates facilitates spin-selected charge transport, optimizes the reaction kinetics, and decreases the energy barrier to the evolution of oxygen. This study provides valuable insight into spin polarization modulation by heterojunctions enabling the design of next-generation OER catalysts with boosted performance.

Aseptic Skin Repair Dressing May Be a Vital Clinical Effect in Treatment of Facial Dermatitis.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the clinical application of aseptic skin repair dressing in facial dermatitis. Patients and Methods: A total of 80 patients with facial dermatitis admitted to Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital from February 2020 to May 2021 were enrolled. And randomly assigned to the control group and study group, with 40 cases in each group. The control group received nicotinamide and narrow-band red light, while the study group received nicotinamide, narrow-band red light, and sterile skin repair dressing. The clinical efficacy, symptom score, erythema, transepidermal water loss (TEWL), and adverse reactions were compared after treatment. Results: After treatment, the study group exhibited significantly lower symptom scores, erythema amount, and TEWL value compared to the control group (P < .05). The clinical efficacy rate in the study group (97.5%) was significantly higher than that in the control group (82.5%) (P < .05). There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups (2.5% vs. 5%) (P > .05). Conclusion: Aseptic skin repair dressing, employed as an adjunctive therapy for facial dermatitis, demonstrates a noteworthy capacity to effectively mitigate parameters such as patient symptom scores, facial erythema quantity, and TEWL values. Notably, the application of this dressing does not pose an elevated risk of adverse reactions. These merits substantiate the superior therapeutic efficacy of aseptic skin repair dressing in facilitating the treatment of facial dermatitis.

Dietary inflammatory impact on NAFLD development in obese vs. lean individuals: an analysis based on NHANES 2003-2018.

BACKGROUND: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), often linked with obesity, can also affect individuals with normal weight, a condition known as "lean NAFLD", imposing comparable burdens and adverse effects. However, the impact of diet on lean NAFLD remains underexplored. The objective of this study is to investigate the correlation between the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) and NAFLD among Americans, stratified by waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) and body mass index (BMI). METHODS: Five thousand one hundred fifty-two participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-2018 were comprised in the final analysis. NAFLD and advanced liver fibrosis were diagnosed by serological markers. Lean and abdominal lean individuals were identified using BMI and WHtR, separately. DII was determined by assigning scores to 28 distinct food parameters based on their inflammatory potential, obtained from the NAHNES website. Differences across DII quartiles were evaluated using the Kruskal-Wallis H Test, Chi-Square Test along with One-Way ANOVA. The correlation between DII and NAFLD was determined by multiple regression models and subgroup analyses. RESULTS: Among the 5152 subjects, 2503 were diagnosed with NAFLD, including 86 cases of lean NAFLD and 8 cases of abdominal lean NAFLD. DII was positively linked with NAFLD (Odds Ratio (OR) = 1.81 [1.48-2.21], P < 0.001) and advanced liver fibrosis (OR = 1.46 [1.02-2.07], P = 0.037). Further analysis revealed that this association was primarily observed in obese or abdominal obese participants (In BMI ≥ 25.00 kg/m^2, OR = 1.56 [1.23-1.98], P < 0.001. In WHtR> 0.50, OR = 1.48 [1.23-1.79], P < 0.001.), rather than their lean counterparts. Subgroup analyses indicated that female individuals, without a diagnosis of hypertension or diabetes appeared to be more sensitive to the rise in DII. CONCLUSIONS: Our data demonstrated a significant positive correlation between DII and NAFLD in the general population. However, the impact of a pro-inflammatory diet was less prominent in lean individuals compared to obese ones.

Early administration of Wumei Wan inhibit myeloid-derived suppressor cells via PI3K/Akt pathway and amino acids metabolism to prevent Colitis-associated Colorectal Cancer.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Wumei Wan (WMW), a traditional Chinese medicine prescription, has been proved to be effective in treating Colitis-associated colorectal cancer (CAC), but it has not been proven to be effective in different stages of CAC. AIM OF THE STUDY: The purpose of our study is to investigate the therapeutic effect and mechanism of WMW on the progression of CAC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Azioximethane (AOM) and dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) were used to treat mice for the purpose of establishing CAC models. WMW was administered in different stages of CAC. The presentative chemical components in WMW were confirmed by UHPLCQTOF/MS under the optimized conditions. The detection of inflammatory cytokines in the serum and colon of mice were estimated by qRT-PCR and ELISA. The changes of T cells and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in each group were detected by flow cytometry. The metabolic components in serum of mice were detected by UPLC-MS/MS. Expression of genes and proteins were detected by eukaryotic transcriptomics and western blot to explore the key pathway of WMW in preventing CAC. RESULTS: WMW had significant effect on inhibiting inflammatory responses and tumors during the early development stage of CAC when compared to other times. WMW increased the length of mice's colons, reduced the level of IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-α in colon tissues, and effectively alleviated colonic inflammation, and improved the pathological damage of colon tissues. WMW could significantly reduce the infiltration of MDSCs in the spleen, increase CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells in the spleen of CAC mice, and effectively reform the immune microenvironment in CAC mice. Transcriptomics analysis revealed that 2204 genes had different patterns of overlap in the colon tissues of mice between control group, AOM+DSS group, and early administration of WMW group. And KEGG enrichment analysis showed that PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, ECM-receptor interaction, IL-17 signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, pancreatic secretion, thermogenesis, and Rap1 signaling pathway were all involved. The serum metabolomics results of WMW showed that the metabolic compositions of the control group, AOM+DSS group and the early stage of WMW were different, and 42 differential metabolites with the opposite trends of changes were screened. The metabolic pathways mainly included pyrimidine metabolism, glycine, serine and threonine metabolism, tryptophan metabolism, and purine metabolism. And amino acids and related metabolites may play an important role in WMW prevention of CAC. CONCLUSION: WMW can effectively prevent the occurrence and development of CAC, especially in the initial stage. WMW can reduce the immune infiltration of MDSCs in the early stage. Early intervention of WMW can improve the metabolic disorder caused by AOM+DSS, especially correct the amino acid metabolism. PI3K/Akt signaling pathway was inhabited in early administration of WMW, which can regulate the amplification and function of MDSCs.

Exciton engineering of 2D Ruddlesden-Popper perovskites by synergistically tuning the intra and interlayer structures.

Designing two-dimensional halide perovskites for high-performance optoelectronic applications requires deep understanding of the structure-property relationship that governs their excitonic behaviors. However, a design framework that considers both intra and interlayer structures modified by the A-site and spacer cations, respectively, has not been developed. Here, we use pressure to synergistically tune the intra and interlayer structures and uncover the structural modulations that result in improved optoelectronic performance. Under applied pressure, (BA)2(GA)Pb2I7 exhibits a 72-fold boost of photoluminescence and 10-fold increase of photoconductivity. Based on the observed structural change, we introduce a structural descriptor χ that describes both the intra and interlayer characteristics and establish a general quantitative relationship between χ and photoluminescence quantum yield: smaller χ correlates with minimized trapped excitons and more efficient emission from free excitons. Building on this principle, we design a perovskite (CMA)2(FA)Pb2I7 that exhibits a small χ and an impressive photoluminescence quantum yield of 59.3%.

Elucidation of Spatial Cooperativity in Chemo-Immunotherapy by a Sequential Dual-pH-Responsive Drug Delivery System.

Combining immune checkpoint blockade with chemotherapy through nanotechnology is promising in terms of safety and efficacy. However, the distinct subcellular distribution of each ingredient's action site makes it challenging to acquire an optimal synergism. Herein, a dual-pH responsive hybrid polymeric micelle system, HNP(αPDL16.9, Dox5.3), is constructed as a proof-of-concept for the spatial cooperativity in chemo-immunotherapy. HNP retains the inherent pH-transition of each polymer, with stepwise disassembly under discrete pH thresholds. Within weakly acidic extracellular tumor environment, αPDL1 is first released to block the checkpoint on cell membranes. The remaining intact Doxorubicin-loaded micelle NP(Dox)5.3 displays significant tropism toward tumor cells and releases Dox upon lysosomal pH for efficient tumor immunogenic cell death without immune toxicity. This sequential-released pattern boosts DC activation and primes CD8+ T cells, leading to enhanced therapeutic performance than single agent or an inverse-ordered combination in multiple murine tumor models. Using HNP, the indispensable role of conventional type 1 DC (cDC1) is identified in chemo-immunotherapy. A co-signature of cDC1 and CD8 correlates with cancer patient survival after neoadjuvant Pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy in clinic. This study highlights spatial cooperativity of chemo- and immuno-agents in immunoregulation and provides insights into the rational design of drug combination for future nanotherapeutics development.

Establishment of an Experimental Mouse Model of Endometrioma to Study its Related Infertility.

Endometrioma (OMA), a subtype of endometriosis characterized by the formation of endometriotic cysts in the ovaries, affects 17-44% of individuals diagnosed with endometriosis. Women with OMA often experience compromised fertility, yet the exact mechanisms underlying OMA-associated infertility remain unclear. Notably, existing animal models simulate superficial peritoneal endometriosis (SUP) and deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE), leaving a notable gap in research focused on OMA. In response to the gap of knowledge, this paper introduces a pioneering OMA-simulating mouse model and provides a comprehensive description of the techniques and procedures employed in the model. With a high success rate of 83% and ovarian lesion specificity, this model holds significant promise for advancing our understanding of OMA, particularly in the context of infertility. It offers a valuable platform for conducting targeted research into OMA-associated fertility challenges, potentially paving the way for improved diagnostic and therapeutic strategies in the field of reproductive medicine.

Low-voltage stimulated denitrification performance of high-salinity wastewater using halotolerant microorganisms.

Nitrate is a common contaminant in high-salinity wastewater, which has adverse effects on both the environment and human health. However, conventional biological treatment exhibits poor denitrification performance due to the high-salinity shock. In this study, an innovative approach using an electrostimulating microbial reactor (EMR) was explored to address this challenge. With a low-voltage input of 1.2 V, the EMR reached nitrate removal kinetic parameter (kNO3-N) of 0.0166-0.0808 h-1 under high-salinities (1.5 %-6.5 %), which was higher than that of the microbial reactor (MR) (0.0125-0.0478 h-1). The mechanisms analysis revealed that low-voltage significantly enhanced microbial salt-in strategy and promoted the secretion of extracellular polymeric substances. Halotolerant denitrification microorganisms (Pseudomonas and Nitratireductor) were also enriched in EMR. Moreover, the EMR achieved a NO3-N removal efficiency of 73.64 % in treating high-salinity wastewater (salinity 4.69 %) over 18-cycles, whereas the MR only reached 54.67 %. In summary, this study offers an innovative solution for denitrification of high-salinity wastewater.

Interplay of soil characteristics and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi diversity in alpine wetland restoration and carbon stabilization.

Alpine wetlands are critical ecosystems for global carbon (C) cycling and climate change mitigation. Ecological restoration projects for alpine grazing wetlands are urgently needed, especially due to their critical role as carbon (C) sinks. However, the fate of the C pool in alpine wetlands after restoration from grazing remains unclear. In this study, soil samples from both grazed and restored wetlands in Zoige (near Hongyuan County, Sichuan Province, China) were collected to analyze soil organic carbon (SOC) fractions, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), soil properties, and plant biomass. Moreover, the Tea Bag Index (TBI) was applied to assess the initial decomposition rate (k) and stabilization factor (S), providing a novel perspective on SOC dynamics. The results of this research revealed that the mineral-associated organic carbon (MAOC) was 1.40 times higher in restored sites compared to grazed sites, although no significant difference in particulate organic carbon (POC) was detected between the two site types. Furthermore, the increased MAOC after restoration exhibited a significant positive correlation with various parameters including S, C and N content, aboveground biomass, WSOC, AMF diversity, and NH4+. This indicates that restoration significantly increases plant primary production, litter turnover, soil characteristics, and AMF diversity, thereby enhancing the C stabilization capacity of alpine wetland soils.

Cardiac Resolvin D2 ameliorates sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy via inhibiting Caspase-11/GSDMD dependent pyroptosis.

BACKGROUND: Sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy (SICM) is common complication in septic patients with a high mortality and is characterized by an abnormal inflammation response, which was precisely regulated by endogenous specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs). However, the metabolic changes of cardiac SPMs during SICM and the roles of SPMs subset in the development of SICM remain unknown. METHODS: In this work, the SPMs concentration was assessed using ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) of SICM mice and SICM patients. The cardiac function was measured by echocardiography after the treatment of a SPMs subset, termed Resolvin D2 (RvD2). Caspase-11-/-, GSDMD-/- and double deficient (Caspase-11-/-GSDMD-/-) mice were used to clarify the mechanisms of RvD2 in SICM. RESULTS: We found that endogenous cardiac SPMs were disorders and RvD2 was decreased significantly and correlated with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and ß-BNP, cTnT in Lipopolysaccharide/Cecum ligation and puncture (CLP) induced SICM models. Treatment with RvD2 attenuated lethality, cardiac dysfunction and cardiomyocytes death during SICM. Mechanistically, RvD2 alleviated SICM via inhibiting Caspase-11/GSDMD-mediated cardiomyocytes pyroptosis. Finally, the plasma levels of RvD2 were also decreased and significantly correlated with IL-1ß, ß-BNP, cTnT and LVEF in patients with SICM. Of note, plasma RvD2 level is indicator of SICM patients from healthy controls or sepsis patients. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that decreased cardiac RvD2 may involve in the pathogenesis of SICM. In addition, treatment with RvD2 represents a novel therapeutic strategy for SICM by inhibiting cardiomyocytes pyroptosis.

Healthy Lifestyle and the Risk of Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Fatty Liver Disease: A Large Prospective Cohort Study.

Background: The incidence density of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) and the effect of a healthy lifestyle on the risk of MAFLD remain unknown. We evaluated the prevalence and incidence density of MAFLD and investigated the association between healthy lifestyle and the risk of MAFLD. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted on 37,422 participants to explore the prevalence of MAFLD. A cohort analysis of 18,964 individuals was conducted to identify the incidence of MAFLD, as well as the association between healthy lifestyle and MAFLD. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to calculate the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) with adjustments for confounding factors. Results: The prevalence of MAFLD, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and their comorbidities were 30.38%, 28.09%, and 26.13%, respectively. After approximately 70 thousand person-years of follow-up, the incidence densities of the three conditions were 61.03, 55.49, and 51.64 per 1,000 person-years, respectively. Adherence to an overall healthy lifestyle was associated with a 19% decreased risk of MAFLD (HR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.72 to 0.92), and the effects were modified by baseline age, sex, and body mass index (BMI). Subgroup analyses revealed that younger participants, men, and those with a lower BMI experienced more significant beneficial effects from healthy lifestyle. Conclusion: Our results highlight the beneficial effect of adherence to a healthy lifestyle on the prevention of MAFLD. Health management for improving dietary intake, physical activity, and smoking and drinking habits are critical to improving MAFLD.