Constructing hierarchical MoS2/WS2 heterostructures in dual carbon layer for enhanced sodium ions batteries performance.

The escalating global demand for clean energy has spurred substantial interest in sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) as a promising solution for large-scale energy storage systems. However, the insufficient reaction kinetics and considerable volume changes inherent to anode materials present significant hurdles to enhancing the electrochemical performance of SIBs. In this study, hierarchical MoS2/WS2 heterostructures were constructed into dual carbon layers (HC@MoS2/WS2@NC) and assessed their suitability as anodes for SIBs. The internal hard carbon core (HC) and outer nitrogen-doped carbon shell (NC) effectively anchor MoS2/WS2, thereby significantly improving its structural stability. Moreover, the conductive carbon components expedite electron transport during charge-discharge processes. Critically, the intelligently engineered interface between MoS2 and WS2 modulates the interfacial energy barrier and electric field distribution, promoting faster ion transport rates. Capitalizing on these advantageous features, the HC@MoS2/WS2@NC nanocomposite exhibits outstanding electrochemical performance when utilized as an anode in SIBs. Specifically, it delivers a high capacity of 415 mAh/g at a current density of 0.2 A/g after 100 cycles. At a larger current density of 2 A/g, it maintains a commendable capacity of 333 mAh/g even after 1000 cycles. Additionally, when integrated into a full battery configuration with a Na3V2(PO4)3 cathode, the Na3V2(PO4)3//HC@MoS2/WS2@NC full cell delivers a high capacity of 120 mAh/g after 300 cycles at 1 A/g. This work emphasizes the substantial improvement in battery performance that can be attained through the implementation of dual carbon confinement, offering a constructive approach to guide the design and development of next-generation anode materials for SIBs.

Constructing hierarchical CuS hollow spheres as efficient anode for aqueous zinc-ion batteries.

In recent years, aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) have emerged as a prominent research topic due to their inherent safety attributes, relatively low cost, and comparatively higher energy density. However, the challenges associated with the zinc metal anode in the form of dendrite formation, hydrogen evolution, and severe side reactions have proven to be particularly vexing. Thus, it is imperative to investigate novel intercalation-type anode materials for ZIBs that exhibit exceptional structural properties and appropriate redox potentials based on conversion mechanisms. In this work, through adding polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) surfactant to precursors and tailoring reaction time, hierarchical CuS hollow spheres are successfully constructed by a facile one-step hydrothermal process. When applied as an anode in ZIBs, the hollow hierarchical CuS with large surface area can effectively reduce the transport distance of electrons and Zn2+ and alleviate volume expansion during the insertion/extraction of Zn2+. The hierarchical CuS hollow spheres prepared over 8 h (CuS-8) exhibit a specific capacity of 126 mAh/g and long-term cycle life (1500 cycles) at a current density of 3 A/g. In addition, CuS-8//MnO2@CNTs full-cell shows a capacity retention of 117 mAh/g after 300 cycles at 1 A/g current density, which proves the advantage of hierarchical CuS hollow spheres in serving as an efficient and durable anode material for ZIBs.

3D bioprinting approaches for spinal cord injury repair.

Regenerative healing of spinal cord injury (SCI) poses an ongoing medical challenge by causing persistent neurological impairment and a significant socioeconomic burden. The complexity of spinal cord tissue presents hurdles to successful regeneration following injury, due to the difficulty of forming a biomimetic structure that faithfully replicates native tissue using conventional tissue engineering scaffolds. 3D bioprinting is a rapidly evolving technology with unmatched potential to create 3D biological tissues with complicated and hierarchical structure and composition. With the addition of biological additives such as cells and biomolecules, 3D bioprinting can fabricate preclinical implants, tissue or organ-like constructs, andin vitromodels through precise control over the deposition of biomaterials and other building blocks. This review highlights the characteristics and advantages of 3D bioprinting for scaffold fabrication to enable SCI repair, including bottom-up manufacturing, mechanical customization, and spatial heterogeneity. This review also critically discusses the impact of various fabrication parameters on the efficacy of spinal cord repair using 3D bioprinted scaffolds, including the choice of printing method, scaffold shape, biomaterials, and biological supplements such as cells and growth factors. High-quality preclinical studies are required to accelerate the translation of 3D bioprinting into clinical practice for spinal cord repair. Meanwhile, other technological advances will continue to improve the regenerative capability of bioprinted scaffolds, such as the incorporation of nanoscale biological particles and the development of 4D printing.

Genome-wide association research on the reproductive traits of Qianhua Mutton Merino sheep.

Objective: Qianhua Mutton Merino sheep is a new breed of meat wool sheep cultivated independently in China. In 2018, it was approved by the state and brought into the national list of livestock and poultry genetic resources. Qianhua Mutton Merino sheep has the common characteristics of typical meat livestock varieties with rapid growth and development in the early stage and high meat production performance.The objective of this research is to investigate the Genome-wide association of the reproductive traits of Qianhua Mutton Merino sheep. Methods: Qianhua Mutton Merino sheep from the breeding core group were selected as the research object, GWAS was conducted on genes associated with the reproductive traits (singleton or twins, birth weight, age [in days] for sexual maturity, weaning weight, and daily gain from birth to weaning) of Qianhua mutton merino. Results: Our study findings showed that 151 loci of SNPs were detected, among which 3 SNPs related to birth weight and weaning weight occupied a significant portion of the wide genome. The candidate genes preliminarily obtained were SYNE1, SLC12A4, BMP2K, CAMK2D, IMMP2L, DMD, and BCL2. Conclusion: 151 SNP loci were detected for five traits related to reproduction (including singleton or twins, birth weight, age [in days] at sexual maturity, weaning weight, and daily weight gain from birth to weaning). The functions of these candidate genes were mainly enriched in nucleotide metabolism, metal ion binding, oxytocin signaling pathway, and neurotrophin signaling pathway.

ALKBH5-mediated m6A demethylation of pri-miR-199a-5p exacerbates myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury by regulating TRAF3-mediated pyroptosis.

Myocardial ischemia‒reperfusion injury (MI/RI) is closely related to pyroptosis. alkB homolog 5 (ALKBH5) is abnormally expressed in the MI/RI models. However, the detailed molecular mechanism of ALKBH5 in MI/RI has not been elucidated. In this study, rats and H9C2 cells served as experimental subjects and received MI/R induction and H/R induction, respectively. The abundance of the targeted molecules was evaluated using RT-qPCR, Western blotting, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The heart functions of the rats were evaluated using echocardiography, and heart injury was evaluated. Cell viability and pyroptosis were determined using cell counting Kit-8 and flow cytometry, respectively. Total m6A modification was measured using a commercial kit, and pri-miR-199a-5p m6A modification was detected by Me-RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay. The interactions among the molecules were validated using RIP and luciferase experiments. ALKBH5 was abnormally highly expressed in H/R-induced H9C2 cells and MI/RI rats. ALKBH5 silencing improved injury and inhibited pyroptosis. ALKBH5 reduced pri-miR-199a-5p m6A methylation to block miR-199a-5p maturation and inhibit its expression. TNF receptor-associated Factor 3 (TRAF3) is a downstream gene of miR-199a-5p. Furthermore, in H/R-induced H9C2 cells, the miR-199a-5p inhibitor-mediated promotion of pyroptosis was reversed by ALKBH5 silencing, and the TRAF3 overexpression-mediated promotion of pyroptosis was offset by miR-199a-5p upregulation. ALKBH5 silencing inhibited pri-miR-199a-5p expression and enhanced pri-miR-199a-5p m6A modification to promote miR-199a-5p maturation and enhance its expression, thereby suppressing pyroptosis to alleviate MI/RI through decreasing TRAF3 expression.

Facet-Dependent Fe2O3/BiVO4(110)/BiVO4(010)/Fe2O3 Dual S-Scheme Photocatalyst as an Efficient Visible-Light-Driven Peroxymonosulfate Activator for Norfloxacin Degradation.

A lack of eco-friendly, highly active photocatalyst for peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation and unclear environmental risks are significant challenges. Herein, we developed a double S-scheme Fe2O3/BiVO4(110)/BiVO4(010)/Fe2O3 photocatalyst to activate PMS and investigated its impact on wheat seed germination. We observed an improvement in charge separation by depositing Fe2O3 on the (010) and (110) surfaces of BiVO4. This enhancement is attributed to the formation of a dual S-scheme charge transfer mechanism at the interfaces of Fe2O3/BiVO4(110) and BiVO4(010)/Fe2O3. By introducing PMS into the system, photogenerated electrons effectively activate PMS, generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as hydroxyl radicals (·OH) and sulfate radicals (SO4·-). Among the tested systems, the 20% Fe2O3/BiVO4/Vis/PMS system exhibits the highest catalytic efficiency for norfloxacin (NOR) removal, reaching 95% in 40 min. This is twice the catalytic efficiency of the Fe2O3/BiVO4/PMS system, 1.8 times that of the Fe2O3/BiVO4 system, and 5 times that of the BiVO4 system. Seed germination experiments revealed that Fe2O3/BiVO4 heterojunction was beneficial for wheat seed germination, while PMS had a significant negative effect. This study provides valuable insights into the development of efficient and sustainable photocatalytic systems for the removal of organic pollutants from wastewater.

An Intraperitoneal Injection Technique in Adult Zebrafish that Minimizes Body Damage and Associated Mortality.

The adult zebrafish (Danio rerio), which is genetically accessible, is being employed as a valuable vertebrate model to study human disorders such as cardiomyopathy. Intraperitoneal (IP) injection is an important method that delivers compounds to the body for either testing therapeutic effects or generating disease models such as doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy (DIC). Currently, there are two methods of IP injection. Both methods have limitations when handling toxic compounds such as doxorubicin, which result in side effects manifesting as severe damage to the body shape and fish death. While these shortcomings could be overcome by extensive investigator training, a new IP injection method that has minimal side effects is desirable. Here, a unique IP injection method that is able to handle toxic compounds is reported. Consistently reduced cardiac function can result without incurring significant fish death. The technique can be easily mastered by researchers who have minimal experience with adult zebrafish.

Multi-modular metabolic engineering and efflux engineering for enhanced lycopene production in recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Lycopene has been widely used in the food industry and medical field due to its antioxidant, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory properties. However, achieving efficient manufacture of lycopene using chassis cells on an industrial scale remains a major challenge. Herein, we attempted to integrate multiple metabolic engineering strategies to establish an efficient and balanced lycopene biosynthetic system in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. First, the lycopene synthesis pathway was modularized to sequentially enhance the metabolic flux of the mevalonate pathway, the acetyl-CoA supply module, and lycopene exogenous enzymatic module. The modular operation enabled the efficient conversion of acetyl-CoA to downstream pathway of lycopene synthesis, resulting in a 3.1-fold increase of lycopene yield. Second, we introduced acetate as an exogenous carbon source and utilized an acetate-repressible promoter to replace the natural ERG9 promoter. This approach not only enhanced the supply of acetyl-CoA but also concurrently diminished the flux toward the competitive ergosterol pathway. As a result, a further 42.3% increase in lycopene production was observed. Third, we optimized NADPH supply and mitigated cytotoxicity by overexpressing ABC transporters to promote lycopene efflux. The obtained strain YLY-PDR11 showed a 12.7-fold increase in extracellular lycopene level compared to the control strain. Finally, the total lycopene yield reached 343.7 mg/L, which was 4.3 times higher than that of the initial strain YLY-04. Our results demonstrate that combining multi-modular metabolic engineering with efflux engineering is an effective approach to improve the production of lycopene. This strategy can also be applied to the overproduction of other desirable isoprenoid compounds with similar synthesis and storage patterns in S. cerevisiae. ONE-SENTENCE SUMMARY: In this research, lycopene production in yeast was markedly enhanced by integrating a multi-modular approach, acetate signaling-based down-regulation of competitive pathways, and an efflux optimization strategy.

Mated-Atom Nanozymes with Efficient Assisted NAD+ Replenishment for Skin Regeneration.

Excessive accumulation of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) within biological organisms is closely associated with many diseases. It remains a challenge to efficiently convert superfluous and detrimental NADH to NAD+. NADH oxidase (NOX) is a crucial oxidoreductase that catalyzes the oxidation of NADH to NAD+. Herein, M1M2 (Mi=V/Mn/Fe/Co/Cu/Mo/Rh/Ru/Pd, i = 1 or 2) mated-atom nanozymes (MANs) are designed by mimicking natural enzymes with polymetallic active centers. Excitingly, RhCo MAN possesses excellent and sustainable NOX-like activity, with Km-NADH (16.11 µM) being lower than that of NOX-mimics reported so far. Thus, RhCo MAN can significantly promote the regeneration of NAD+ and regulate macrophage polarization toward the M2 phenotype through down-regulation of TLR4 expression, which may help to recover skin regeneration. However, RhRu MAN with peroxidase-like activity and RhMn MAN with superoxide dismutase-like activity exhibit little modulating effects on eczema. This work provides a new strategy to inhibit skin inflammation and promote skin regeneration.

Fixed-Time Aperiodic Intermittent Control for Quasi-Bipartite Synchronization of Competitive Neural Networks.

This paper concerns a class of coupled competitive neural networks, subject to disturbance and discontinuous activation functions. To realize the fixed-time quasi-bipartite synchronization, an aperiodic intermittent controller is initially designed. Subsequently, by combining the fixed-time stability theory and nonsmooth analysis, several criteria are established to ensure the bipartite synchronization in fixed time. Moreover, synchronization error bounds and settling time estimates are provided. Finally, numerical simulations are presented to verify the main results.

Fitting of Growth Curves and Estimation of Genetic Relationship between Growth Parameters of Qianhua Mutton Merino.

Qianhua Mutton Merino is a dual-purpose (meat and wool) breed of sheep that has been newly developed in China. In this study, we assessed the growth and development of the Qianhua Mutton Merino sheep breed under house feeding conditions by measuring the body weight and chest circumference of 2300 rams and ewes of this breed aged 0-24 months. Based on the fitting results of three nonlinear growth models, namely Logistic, Gompertz, and von Bertalanffy, in Qianhua Mutton Merino, we selected the von Bertalanffy model because of its highest fitting degree among all models (R2 > 0.977). The significant analysis of the combined fixation of each sheep body's weight and bust took place (A: mature body weight, B: adjustment parameter, K: instant relative growth rate). The results revealed that parameters A, B, and K of body weight and chest circumference have high heritability and thus could be used as target traits for genetic improvement. Moreover, the correlation strength among A, B, and K suggested that these parameters can be used as a reference to adjust the genetic parameters in the growth model to genetically improve the body size of Qianhua Mutton Merino during breeding.

Examining the impact of Co-residence with a daughter-in-law on older adult health in China: Evidence from a frailty index-based study.

Background: The increasing geriatric population and variation in the disease spectrum among older adults in China contribute to a growing demand for more aged adult care in Chinese society. Relevant studies have shown that living arrangements with various family members have variable impacts on the older adult's health. This study employs the Frailty Index as a unified measurement standard to assess the overall health levels, integrating the specific "in-law relationships" into the research on living arrangements and the health of older adults. Methods: This study used data from the China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey 2016-2018. OLS and Quantile Regression were used to investigate the in-law relationship on older adult health and whether this impact is homogeneous across older individuals with varying infirmity levels. The study used a lag model and propensity score matching to compensate for potential endogeneity concerns. Results: The study found that residing with a daughter-in-law (20.22%) had a significant positive correlation with the frailty index (ß=0.0088, P＜0.001), indicating that the relationship between parents-in-law and daughters-in-law can influence the health of the older adult. This impact is nonlinear and non-homogeneous for older adult people with various levels of frailty, exhibiting an approximately decreasing and then increasing U-shaped distribution, which denotes that older adult people with different health conditions have distinct demands for intergenerational care. In addition, this impact varies among older adult groups of disparate genders, urban and rural areas, and age groups. Conclusion: This study investigates the impact of "in-law relationships" within living arrangements on the health of older adults. It shows that co-residing with a daughter-in-law has adverse effects on the health of older adults. Therefore, the study suggests that when the health and economic conditions of the elderly permit, a "live-near-but-not-with" living arrangement with their children can be considered.

Is Contemporary Open Pancreatic Necrosectomy Still Useful In The Minimally Invasive Era?

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that open pancreatic necrosectomy for infected pancreatic necrosis was associated with high morbidity and mortality. However, these results were mostly concluded from historical cohorts with traditional early necrosectomy in the absence of a minimally invasive step-up approach. OBJECTIVE: To explore the value of contemporary open pancreatic necrosectomy for infected pancreatic necrosis in the minimally invasive era. METHODS: A post hoc analysis was performed in a prospective maintained database of 320 patients with infected pancreatic necrosis from January 2011 to December 2022 at a large Chinese tertiary hospital. RESULTS: A total of 320 patients with infected pancreatic necrosis received either a minimally invasive step-up approach (245, 76.6%) or open pancreatic necrosectomy (75, 23.4%), which included upfront open pancreatic necrosectomy (32, 10.0%) and salvage open pancreatic necrosectomy (43, 13.4%). Upfront open pancreatic necrosectomy was associated with similar morbidity and mortality rates but fewer surgical interventions compared with a minimally invasive step-up approach. However, salvage open pancreatic necrosectomy was associated with significantly higher mortality (48.8% vs 18.8%, P = .007), gastrointestinal fistula (44.2% vs 18.8%, P = .021), hemorrhage (48.8% vs 15.6%, P = .003), and intensive care unit stay (25 vs 7 days, P = .040) compared with upfront open pancreatic necrosectomy. Multivariate analysis suggested that multiple organ failure (hazard ratio = 5.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.4-18.2, P = .013) and synchronous critical acute pancreatitis (hazard ratio = 3.0; 95% confidence interval, 1.1-8.6, P = .040) were 2 independent risk factors of death for patients who received open pancreatic necrosectomy. CONCLUSION: Patients undergoing upfront open pancreatic necrosectomy received fewer surgical interventions with comparable efficacy compared to the minimally invasive step-up approach. Salvage open pancreatic necrosectomy was potentially lifesaving, though it carried high morbidity and mortality. Multiple organ failure and synchronous critical acute pancreatitis were 2 independent risk factors of death for patients who received open pancreatic necrosectomy.

Polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, M-protein, skin changes syndrome with dilated cardiomyopathy: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, M-protein, skin changes (POEMS) syndrome is a rare paraneoplastic syndrome that encompass multiple systems. The most common clinical symptoms of POEMS syndrome are progressive sensorimotor polyneuropathy, organ enlargement, endocrine disorders, darkening skin, a monoclonal plasma cell proliferative disorder, and lymph node hyperplasia. The organomegaly consists of hepatosplenomegaly and/or lymphadenopathy; cases of cardiomyopathy are rare. Diagnoses are often delayed because of the atypical nature of the syndrome, exposing patients to possibly severe disability. Therefore, identifying atypical symptoms can improve the prognosis and quality of life among POEMS syndrome patients. CASE SUMMARY: Herein, we report the case of a 59-year-old woman with POEMS syndrome that involved dilated cardiomyopathy. The patient presented to the hospital with complaints of shortness of breath and discomfort in the chest. The patient reported previous experiences of limb numbness. During hospitalization, the brain natriuretic peptide levels were 3504.0 pg/mL. Color doppler echocardiography showed an enlarged left side of the heart, along with ventricular wall hypokinesis and compromised functioning of the same side of the heart. Abdominal color ultrasonography revealed that the patient's spleen was enlarged. Observations from cardiac magnetic resonance imaging showed that the left side of the heart was enlarged. Slight myocardical fibrosis was also observed. Electromyography was described as a symmetric sensorimotor demyelinating polyneuropathy. Further immunoelectrophoresis of the serum showed the presence of a monoclonal IGA λ M protein. The vascular endothelial growth factor levels were 622.56 pg/mL. Flow cytometric and immunohistochemical staining of the bone marrow detected no monoclonal plasma cells. Finally, the patient was diagnosed with POEMS syndrome associated with dilated cardiomyopathy. The chest-related discomfort and the shortness of breath resolved after the administration of lenalidomide and dexamethasone. CONCLUSION: When patients with cardiomyopathy have systemic manifestations such as numb limbs and darkening skin, the POEMS syndrome is the most possible diagnosis.

Metagenomic next-generation sequencing, instead of procalcitonin, could guide antibiotic usage in patients with febrile acute necrotizing pancreatitis: a multicenter, prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUNDS: The effectiveness of procalcitonin-based algorithms in guiding antibiotic usage for febrile acute necrotizing pancreatitis (ANP) remains controversial. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) has been applied to diagnose infectious diseases. The authors aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of blood mNGS in guiding antibiotic stewardship for febrile ANP. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The prospective multicenter clinical trial was conducted at seven hospitals in China. Blood samples were collected during fever (T ≥38.5°C) from ANP patients. The effectiveness of blood mNGS, procalcitonin, and blood culture in diagnosing pancreatic infection was evaluated and compared. Additionally, the real-world utilization of antibiotics and the potential mNGS-guided antimicrobial strategy in febrile ANP were also analyzed. RESULTS: From May 2023 to October 2023, a total of 78 patients with febrile ANP were enrolled and 30 patients (38.5%) were confirmed infected pancreatic necrosis (IPN). Compared with procalcitonin and blood culture, mNGS showed a significantly higher sensitivity rate (86.7% vs. 56.7% vs. 26.7%, P <0.001). Moreover, mNGS outperformed procalcitonin (89.5 vs. 61.4%, P <0.01) and blood culture (89.5 vs. 69.0%, P <0.01) in terms of negative predictive value. Blood mNGS exhibited the highest accuracy (85.7%) in diagnosing IPN and sterile pancreatic necrosis, significantly superior to both procalcitonin (65.7%) and blood culture (61.4%). In the multivariate analysis, positive blood mNGS (OR=60.2, P <0.001) and lower fibrinogen level (OR=2.0, P <0.05) were identified as independent predictors associated with IPN, whereas procalcitonin was not associated with IPN, but with increased mortality (Odds ratio=11.7, P =0.006). Overall, the rate of correct use of antibiotics in the cohort was only 18.6% (13/70) and would be improved to 81.4% (57/70) if adjusted according to the mNGS results. CONCLUSION: Blood mNGS represents important progress in the early diagnosis of IPN, with particular importance in guiding antibiotic usage for patients with febrile ANP.

Allelic heterogeneity of TTNtv dilated cardiomyopathy can be modeled in adult zebrafish.

Allelic heterogeneity (AH) has been noted in truncational TTN-associated (TTNtv-associated) dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM); i.e., mutations affecting A-band-encoding exons are pathogenic, but those affecting Z-disc-encoding exons are likely benign. The lack of an in vivo animal model that recapitulates AH hinders the deciphering of the underlying mechanism. Here, we explored zebrafish as a candidate vertebrate model by phenotyping a collection of zebrafish ttntv alleles. We noted that cardiac function and sarcomere structure were more severely disrupted in ttntv-A than in ttntv-Z homozygous embryos. Consistently, cardiomyopathy-like phenotypes were present in ttntv-A but not ttntv-Z adult heterozygous mutants. The phenotypes observed in ttntv-A alleles were recapitulated in null mutants with the full titin-encoding sequences removed. Defective autophagic flux, largely due to impaired autophagosome-lysosome fusion, was also noted only in ttntv-A but not in ttntv-Z models. Moreover, we found that genetic manipulation of ulk1a restored autophagy flux and rescued cardiac dysfunction in ttntv-A animals. Together, our findings presented adult zebrafish as an in vivo animal model for studying AH in TTNtv DCM, demonstrated TTN loss of function is sufficient to trigger ttntv DCM in zebrafish, and uncovered ulk1a as a potential therapeutic target gene for TTNtv DCM.

Chiral nanomaterials in tissue engineering.

Addressing significant medical challenges arising from tissue damage and organ failure, the field of tissue engineering has evolved to provide revolutionary approaches for regenerating functional tissues and organs. This involves employing various techniques, including the development and application of novel nanomaterials. Among them, chiral nanomaterials comprising non-superimposable nanostructures with their mirror images have recently emerged as innovative biomaterial candidates to guide tissue regeneration due to their unique characteristics. Chiral nanomaterials including chiral fibre supramolecular hydrogels, polymer-based chiral materials, self-assembling peptides, chiral-patterned surfaces, and the recently developed intrinsically chiroptical nanoparticles have demonstrated remarkable ability to regulate biological processes through routes such as enantioselective catalysis and enhanced antibacterial activity. Despite several recent reviews on chiral nanomaterials, limited attention has been given to the specific potential of these materials in facilitating tissue regeneration processes. Thus, this timely review aims to fill this gap by exploring the fundamental characteristics of chiral nanomaterials, including their chiroptical activities and analytical techniques. Also, the recent advancements in incorporating these materials in tissue engineering applications are highlighted. The review concludes by critically discussing the outlook of utilizing chiral nanomaterials in guiding future strategies for tissue engineering design.

Prognostic potential of nutritional risk screening and assessment tools in predicting survival of patients with pancreatic neoplasms: a systematic review.

BACKGROUNDS & AIMS: The nutritional evaluation of pancreatic cancer (PC) patients lacks a gold standard or scientific consensus, we aimed to summarize and systematically evaluate the prognostic value of nutritional screening and assessment tools used for PC patients. METHODS: Relevant studies were retrieved from major databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library) and searched from January 2010 to December 2023. We performed meta-analyses with STATA 14.0 when three or more studies used the same tool. RESULTS: This analysis included 27 articles involving 6,060 PC patients. According to a meta-analysis of these studies, poor nutritional status evaluated using five nutritional screening tools Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI), Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI), Controlling Nutritional Status Score (CONUT), Nutrition Risk Screening (NRS2002) and Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS) was associated with all-cause mortality in PC patients. But Modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS) did not. Of all tools analyzed, CONUT had the maximum HR for mortality (HR = 1.978, 95%CI 1.345-2.907, P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: All-cause mortality in PC patients was predicted by poor nutritional status. CONUT may be the best nutritional assessment tool for PC patients. The clinical application value of Short Form Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA-SF), Generated Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) and Patient-generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA) in PC patients need to be confirmed. In order to improve patients' nutritional status and promote their recovery, nutritional screening tools can be used. REGISTRATION: This systematic review was registered at the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) (number CRD42022376715).

A rare inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor appearing both inside and outside the heart.

BACKGROUND: Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) is an uncommon cardiac tumor that primarily affects infants, children, and young adults. While complete surgical resection generally leads to a favorable prognosis, accurate diagnostic tests remain limited. CASE PRESENTATION: We describe the case of a 26-year-old female who had a dual tumor inside and outside the heart and was misdiagnosed by echocardiography and MRI. We also review 71 cases of cardiac IMTs from the literature regarding their epidemiology, clinical presentation, and outcome. CONCLUSION: Early detection of this rare disorder is essential for optimal surgical management.