Collagen denaturation in post-run Achilles tendons and Achilles tendinopathy: In vivo mechanophysiology and magnetic resonance imaging.

Achilles tendinopathy is often attributed to overuse, but its pathophysiology remains poorly understood. Disruption to the molecular structure of collagen is fundamental for the onset and progression of tendinopathy but has mostly been investigated in vitro. Here, we interrogated the in vivo molecular structure changes of collagen in rat Achilles tendons following treadmill running. Unexpectedly, the tendons' collagen molecules were not mechanically unfolded by running but denatured through proteolysis during physiological post-run remodeling. We further revealed that running induces inflammatory gene expressions in Achilles tendons and that long-term running causes prolonged, elevated collagen degradation, leading to the accumulation of denatured collagen and tendinopathy development. For applications, we demonstrated magnetic resonance imaging of collagenase-induced Achilles tendon injury in vivo using a denatured collagen targeting contrast agent. Our findings may help close the knowledge gaps in the mechanobiology and pathogenesis of Achilles tendinopathy and initiate new strategies for its imaging-based diagnosis.

SARS-CoV-2 spike protein induces the cytokine release syndrome by stimulating T cells to produce more IL-2.

Introduction: Cytokine release syndrome (CRS) is one of the leading causes of mortality in patients with COVID-19 caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. However, the mechanism of CRS induced by SARS-CoV-2 is vague. Methods: Using spike protein combined with IL-2, IFN-γ, and TNF-α to stimulate human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) to secrete CRS-related cytokines, the content of cytokines in the supernatant was detected, and the effects of NK, T, and monocytes were analyzed. Results: This study shows that dendritic cells loaded with spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 stimulate T cells to release much more interleukin-2 (IL-2,) which subsequently cooperates with spike protein to facilitate PBMCs to release IL-1ß, IL-6, and IL-8. These effects are achieved via IL-2 stimulation of NK cells to release tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ), as well as T cells to release IFN-γ Mechanistically, IFN-γ and TNF-α enhance the transcription of CD40, and the interaction of CD40 and its ligand stabilizes the membrane expression of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) that serves as a receptor of spike protein on the surface of monocytes. As a result, there is a constant interaction between spike protein and TLR4, leading to continuous activation of nuclear factor-κ-gene binding (NF-κB). Furthermore, TNF-α also activates NF-κB signaling in monocytes, which further cooperates with IFN-γ and spike protein to modulate NF-κB-dependent transcription of CRS-related inflammatory cytokines. Discussion: Targeting TNF-α/IFN-γ in combination with TLR4 may represent a promising therapeutic approach for alleviating CRS in individuals with COVID-19.

Interfacial and Defective Construction from Diverse CuxSy Quantum Dots toward Broadband Carbon-Based Microwave Absorber.

In this study, highly monodisperse copper sulfide (CuxSy) quantum dots (QDs) have been successfully obtained using a ligand-chemistry strategy, and then a variety of S-deficient CuxSy/nitrogen-doped carbon (NC) heterointerfaces are constructed by compositional fine-tuning (Cu9S5 → Cu1.96S → Cu). First-principles calculations show that the S-deficient domains of CuxSy QDs and N-doped domains of carbon synergistically enhance the electron transfer from CuxSy to NC. In addition, the finite element simulations demonstrate that the diverse CuxSy QDs exhibit their intrinsic size and dielectric confinement effects to precisely manipulate the electric field distortion and improve the relaxation polarization. Consequently, CuxSy@NC achieves excellent impedance matching and a strong loss mode dominated by dielectric polarization. Among them, CuxSy@NC-650 has a maximum effective absorption bandwidth of 7.7 GHz at 2.5 mm, while CuxSy@NC-700 features a minimum reflection loss of -66.7 dB at 13.7 GHz, respectively. Furthermore, the simulations of radar cross-sections have confirmed that the CuxSy@NC series is promising in the field of radar stealth.

Safety of the Seasonal Influenza Vaccine in 2 Successive Pregnancies.

Importance: Although influenza vaccination has been found to be safe in pregnancy, few studies have assessed repeated influenza vaccination over successive pregnancies, including 2 vaccinations in a year, in terms of adverse perinatal outcomes. Objective: To examine the association of seasonal influenza vaccination across successive pregnancies with adverse perinatal outcomes and whether the association varies by interpregnancy interval (IPI) and vaccine type (quadrivalent or trivalent). Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective cohort study included individuals with at least 2 successive singleton live-birth pregnancies between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2018. Data were collected from the Vaccine Safety Datalink, a collaboration between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and integrated health care organizations. Data analysis was performed between January 8, 2021, and July 17, 2024. Exposures: Influenza vaccination was identified using vaccine administration codes. The vaccinated cohort consisted of people who received influenza vaccines during the influenza season (August 1 through April 30) in 2 successive pregnancies. The comparator cohort consisted of people identified as unvaccinated during both pregnancies. Main Outcomes and Measures: Main outcomes were risk of preeclampsia or eclampsia, placental abruption, fever, preterm birth, preterm premature rupture of membranes, chorioamnionitis, and small for gestational age among individuals with and without vaccination in both pregnancies. Adjusted relative risks (RRs) from Poisson regression were used to assess the magnitude of associations. The associations with adverse outcomes by IPI and vaccine type were evaluated. Results: Of 82 055 people with 2 singleton pregnancies between 2004 and 2018, 44 879 (54.7%) had influenza vaccination in successive pregnancies. Mean (SD) age at the start of the second pregnancy was 32.2 (4.6) years for vaccinated individuals and 31.2 (5.0) years for unvaccinated individuals. Compared with individuals not vaccinated in both pregnancies, vaccination in successive pregnancies was not associated with increased risk of preeclampsia or eclampsia (adjusted RR, 1.10; 95% CI, 0.99-1.21), placental abruption (adjusted RR, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.84-1.21), fever (adjusted RR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.47-1.59), preterm birth (adjusted RR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.78-0.89), preterm premature rupture of membranes (RR, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.94-1.06), chorioamnionitis (adjusted RR, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.90-1.18), or small for gestational age birth (adjusted RR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.93-1.05). IPI and vaccine type did not modify the observed associations. Conclusions and Relevance: In this large cohort study of successive pregnancies, influenza vaccination was not associated with increased risk of adverse perinatal outcomes, irrespective of IPI and vaccine type. Findings support recommendations to vaccinate pregnant people or those who might be pregnant during the influenza season.

Genomic profiling and immune phenotyping of neuroendocrine bladder cancer.

PURPOSE: Neuroendocrine bladder cancer (NEBC) poses a formidable clinical challenge and attracts keen interests to explore immunotherapy as a viable treatment option. However, a comprehensive immunogenomic landscape has yet to be thoroughly investigated. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Leveraging a long-term cohort of natural NEBC cases, we employed a multimodal approach integrating genomic (n = 19), transcriptomic (n = 3), single-cell RNA sequencing (n = 1), and immunohistochemical analyses (n = 34) to meticulously characterize the immunogenicity and immunotypes of primary NEBC tumors. Clinical, pathological, medical imaging, and treatment information was retrospectively retrieved and analyzed. RESULTS: Our study unveiled that despite a considerable mutational burden, NEBC was typically immunologically inactive, as manifested by 'immune-excluded' or 'immune-desert' microenvironment. Interestingly, a subset of mixed NEBC with concurrent urothelial bladder cancer (UBC) histology displayed an 'immune-infiltrated' phenotype with prognostic relevance. When compared to UBC, NEBC lesions were distinguished by a denser cellular composition and augmented peritumoral extracellular matrix, which might collectively impede lymphatic infiltration. As a result, single-agent immune checkpoint inhibitors demonstrated limited efficacy against NEBC, while pharmacologic immunostimulation with combination chemotherapy conferred a more favorable response. CONCLUSIONS: These new insights derived from genomic profiling and immune phenotyping pave the way for rational immunotherapeutic interventions in NEBC patients, with the potential to ultimately reduce mortality from this otherwise fatal disease.

Post-marketing safety study to evaluate pregnancy outcomes among recipients of hepatitis B vaccines.

HepB-CpG is a licensed adjuvanted two-dose hepatitis B vaccine for adults, with limited data on exposure during pregnancy. We assessed the risk of pregnancy outcomes among individuals who received HepB-CpG or the 3-dose HepB-alum vaccine ≤28 d prior to conception or during pregnancy at Kaiser Permanente Southern California (KPSC). The pregnancy cohort included KPSC members aged ≥18 y who received ≥1 dose of hepatitis B vaccine (HepB-CpG or HepB-alum) at KPSC outpatient family or internal medicine departments from August 2018 to November 2020. We followed these individuals through electronic health records from the vaccination date until the end of pregnancy, KPSC health plan disenrollment, or death, whichever came first. Among 81 and 125 eligible individuals who received HepB-CpG and HepB-alum, respectively, live births occurred in 84% and 74%, spontaneous abortion occurred in 7% and 17% (adjusted relative risk [aRR] 0.40, 95% CI: 0.16-1.00), and preterm birth occurred in 15% and 14% of liveborn infants (aRR 0.97, 95% CI 0.47-1.99). No major birth defects were identified through 6 months of age. The study found no evidence of adverse pregnancy outcomes for recipients of HepB-CpG in comparison to HepB-alum.

Natural Language Processing Versus Diagnosis Code-Based Methods for Postherpetic Neuralgia Identification: Algorithm Development and Validation.

Background: Diagnosis codes and prescription data are used in algorithms to identify postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), a debilitating complication of herpes zoster (HZ). Because of the questionable accuracy of codes and prescription data, manual chart review is sometimes used to identify PHN in electronic health records (EHRs), which can be costly and time-consuming. Objective: This study aims to develop and validate a natural language processing (NLP) algorithm for automatically identifying PHN from unstructured EHR data and to compare its performance with that of code-based methods. Methods: This retrospective study used EHR data from Kaiser Permanente Southern California, a large integrated health care system that serves over 4.8 million members. The source population included members aged ≥50 years who received an incident HZ diagnosis and accompanying antiviral prescription between 2018 and 2020 and had ≥1 encounter within 90-180 days of the incident HZ diagnosis. The study team manually reviewed the EHR and identified PHN cases. For NLP development and validation, 500 and 800 random samples from the source population were selected, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), F-score, and Matthews correlation coefficient (MCC) of NLP and the code-based methods were evaluated using chart-reviewed results as the reference standard. Results: The NLP algorithm identified PHN cases with a 90.9% sensitivity, 98.5% specificity, 82% PPV, and 99.3% NPV. The composite scores of the NLP algorithm were 0.89 (F-score) and 0.85 (MCC). The prevalences of PHN in the validation data were 6.9% (reference standard), 7.6% (NLP), and 5.4%-13.1% (code-based). The code-based methods achieved a 52.7%-61.8% sensitivity, 89.8%-98.4% specificity, 27.6%-72.1% PPV, and 96.3%-97.1% NPV. The F-scores and MCCs ranged between 0.45 and 0.59 and between 0.32 and 0.61, respectively. Conclusions: The automated NLP-based approach identified PHN cases from the EHR with good accuracy. This method could be useful in population-based PHN research.

SMP30 alleviates cerebral ischemia/reperfusion-induced neuronal injury by inhibiting HDAC4/PSD-95 to preserve mitochondrial function.

Ischemic stroke is a major cause of global death and permanent disability. Major consequences of ischemic stroke include neuronal mitochondrial dysfunction. We investigated the effects of senescence marker protein 30 (SMP30) on mitochondria-mediated apoptosis and histone deacetylase 4 (HDAC4)/postsynaptic density-95 (PSD-95) signaling in stroke models in vivo and in vitro. Rats with middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion (MCAO/R) were used to simulate cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. SMP30 was downregulated in the brain tissues of rats after I/R induction. SMP30 overexpression decreased MCAO/R-induced infarct volumes and improved neurologic function and histopathological changes. Increasing SMP30 expression suppressed neuronal apoptosis and reduced mitochondrial dysfunction. SMP30 overexpression in SH-SY5Y and PC12 cells treated with oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) decreased HDAC4 and PSD-95 expression; PSD-95 could bind to HDAC4. Furthermore, HDAC4 upregulation abolished the effects of SMP30 overexpression on OGD/R-induced apoptosis and mitochondrial dysfunction in SH-SY5Y cells. Together, these findings indicate that SMP30 alleviates cerebral I/R-induced neuronal injury by inhibiting HDAC4/PSD-95 to preserve mitochondrial function. These interactions might provide new treatment methods for patients with ischemic stroke.

A 1024-Channel Simultaneous Electrophysiological and Electrochemical Neural Recording System with In-Pixel Digitization and Crosstalk Compensation.

Simultaneous electrophysiological and chemical recording allows for multi-modal neural instrumentation and provides insights into chemical synapses and ion channels across the cell membrane. However, intermodal interference can hinder highly synchronized recording in large-scale systems with high temporal and spatial resolution. In this work, we propose a 1024-channel lab-on-CMOS system for dual-modal neural recording with in-pixel digitization and interference suppression. A foreground calibration scheme with tunable capacitance is implemented in-pixel to compensate for the crosstalk between electrical and chemical recording. Active pixels for both electrical and chemical modalities are designed based on a pulse width modulation (PWM) analog-to-digital conversion scheme. CMOS-compatible post-processing is implemented to realize in-pixel electrodes and chemical sensing membranes. The prototype, implemented in a 180nm CMOS technology, occupies a total area of 33mm2 with 1024 pixels, and each unit pixel includes one electrical recording site and two chemical recording sites, with dimensions of 150µm×130 µm. The total system power consumption is 19.68mW at a frame rate of 9k and 3k for electrical and chemical imaging respectively. The in-vitro experiment demonstrated the concurrent high density electrophysilogical and electrochemical recording with sub millisecond temporal resolution.

Efficacy and safety of efdamrofusp alfa versus aflibercept in participants with neovascular age-related macular degeneration: a randomized, double-masked, active-controlled, non-inferiority, phase 2 trial.

PURPOSE: To evaluate efficacy and safety of efdamrofusp alfa compared with aflibercept in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). DESIGN: Randomized, double-masked, multicenter, active-controlled, non-inferiority phase 2 study PARTICIPANTS: A total of 231 treatment-naïve and previously treated participants with active choroidal neovascularization secondary to nAMD were enrolled. METHODS: Eligible participants were randomized (1:1:1) to 2 mg efdamrofusp alfa, 4 mg efdamrofusp alfa or 2 mg aflibercept groups. Participants in all groups received three initial monthly loading doses, followed by treatment every 8 weeks with assessment every 4 weeks up to week 52. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary endpoint was the mean BCVA change from baseline to week 36. The pre-specified noninferiority margin was set as -5 letters (80% CI). RESULTS: Each treatment group included 77 participants. The mean BCVA changes from baseline to week 36 for 2 mg efdamrofusp alfa, 4 mg efdamrofusp alfa and aflibercept groups were +10.6, +11.4, +12.0 letters, respectively; Least Squares (LS) mean difference were -1.4 (80% CI: -3.5 to 0.7) between 2 mg efdamrofusp alfa and aflibercept, and -0.6 (80% CI: -2.7 to 1.6) between 4 mg efdamrofusp alfa and aflibercept. Mean central retinal thickness changes were consistent across groups. Adverse event rate was comparable among the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Efdamrofusp alfa demonstrated noninferiority to aflibercept in BCVA improvement, accompanied by a similar safety profile.

The Effect of Short-Term Kinesiology Taping on Neuromuscular Controls in Hallux Valgus During Gait: A Study of Muscle and Kinematic Synergy.

To investigate the biomechanical mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis and explore the effects of kinesiology taping (KT) on neuromuscular control in HV patients. The study population consisted of 16 young controls (YC group) and 15 patients with hallux valgus (HV group). All subjects underwent a natural velocity gait assessment. Additionally, 11 patients from the HV group received KT intervention over a period of one month, consisting of 15 sessions administered every other day. After the one-month intervention, these patients underwent a gait assessment and were included in the HV-KT group. The electromyography (EMG) and joint motion were evaluated using non-negative matrix factorization (NNMF) to compare the difference in muscle and kinematic synergy among the three groups. The center of plantar pressure (COP) and ground reaction force (GRF) were measured by the force platform. The number of synergies did not differ within the three groups, but the structure of muscle synergies and kinematic synergies differed in the HV group. The KT intervention (HV-KT group) altered the structure of synergies. The correlation between kinematic synergies and muscular synergies was lower in the HV group than in the YC group, whereas the correlation between the two increased after the KT intervention in the HV group. During gait, the HV group tended to activate more muscles around foot joints to maintain body stability. The visual analogue scale (VAS) scores, hallux valgus angle (HVA), and COP were significantly decreased after the intervention ( [Formula: see text]). HV patients exhibited altered kinematic and muscular synergies structures as well as muscle activation. Also, it weakened the balance and athletic ability of HV patients. KT intervention improved neuromuscular control to provide a better gait performance.

Phase stabilization via A-site ion anchoring for ultra-stable perovskite light emitting diodes.

A novel ion anchoring strategy stabilizes the perovskite phase, yielding ambient stable perovskite films and ultra-stable perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) with an unprecedented operational half-lifetime over 37.2 years at 100 cd m-2 and exceeding 27% efficiency, marking a new stability benchmark for next-generation display and lighting applications.

Coadministration of Quercetin and Indocyanine Green via PEGylated Phospholipid Micelles for Augmented Chem-Photothermal Combination Tumor Therapy.

A significant impediment persists in developing multicomponent nanomedicines designed to dismantle the heat shock protein (HSP)-based protective mechanism of malignant tumors during photothermal therapy. Herein, well-defined PEGylated phospholipid micelles were utilized to coencapsulate quercetin (QUE, a natural anticancer agent and potent HSP inhibitor) and indocyanine green (ICG, a photothermal agent) with the aim of achieving synchronized and synergistic drug effects. The subsequent investigations validated that the tailored micellar system effectively enhanced QUE's water solubility and augmented its cellular internalization efficiency. Intriguingly, the compositional PEGylated phospholipids induced extraordinary endoplasmic reticulum stress, thereby sensitizing the tumor cells to QUE. Furthermore, QUE played a crucial role in inhibiting the stress-induced overexpression of HSP70, thereby augmenting the photothermal efficacy of ICG. In systemic applications, the proposed nanotherapeutics exhibited preferential accumulation within tumors and exerted notable tumoricidal effects against 4T1 xenograft tumors under 808 nm near-infrared irradiation, facilitated by prominent near-infrared fluorescence imaging-guided chemo-photothermal therapy. Therefore, our strategy for fabricating multicomponent nanomedicines emerges as a coordinated platform for optimizing antitumor therapeutic efficacy and offers valuable insights for diverse therapeutic modalities.

Morphological changes in flatfoot: a 3D analysis using weight-bearing CT scans.

BACKGROUND: Flatfoot is a condition resulting from complex three-dimensional (3D) morphological changes. Most Previous studies have been constrained by using two-dimensional radiographs and non-weight-bearing conditions. The deformity in flatfoot is associated with the 3D morphology of the bone. These morphological changes affect the force line conduction of the hindfoot/midfoot/forefoot, leading to further morphological alterations. Given that a two-dimensional plane axis overlooks the 3D structural information, it is essential to measure the 3D model of the entire foot in conjunction with the definition under the standing position. This study aims to analyze the morphological changes in flatfoot using 3D measurements from weight-bearing CT (WBCT). METHOD: In this retrospective comparative our CT database was searched between 4-2021 and 3-2022. Following inclusion criteria were used: Patients were required to exhibit clinical symptoms suggestive of flatfoot, including painful swelling of the medial plantar area or abnormal gait, corroborated by clinical examination and confirmatory radiological findings on CT or MRI. Healthy participants were required to be free of any foot diseases or conditions affecting lower limb movement. After applying the exclusion criteria (Flatfoot with other foot diseases), CT scans (mean age = 20.9375, SD = 16.1) confirmed eligible for further analysis. The distance, angle in sagittal/transverse/coronal planes, and volume of the two groups were compared on reconstructed 3D models using the t-test. Logistic regression was used to identify flatfoot risk factors, which were then analyzed using receiver operating characteristic curves and nomogram. RESULT: The flatfoot group exhibited significantly lower values for calcaneofibular distance (p = 0.001), sagittal and transverse calcaneal inclination angle (p < 0.001), medial column height (p < 0.001), sagittal talonavicular coverage angle (p < 0.001), and sagittal (p < 0.001) and transverse (p = 0.015) Hibb angle. In contrast, the sagittal lateral talocalcaneal angle (p = 0.013), sagittal (p < 0.001) and transverse (p = 0.004) talocalcaneal angle, transverse talonavicular coverage angle (p < 0.001), coronal Hibb angle (p < 0.001), and sagittal (p < 0.001) and transverse (p = 0.001) Meary's angle were significantly higher in the flatfoot group. The sagittal Hibb angle (B = - 0.379, OR = 0.684) and medial column height (B = - 0.990, OR = 0.372) were identified as significant risk factors for acquiring a flatfoot. CONCLUSION: The findings validate the 3D spatial position alterations in flatfoot. These include the abduction of the forefoot and prolapse of the first metatarsal proximal, the arch collapsed, subluxation of the talonavicular joint in the midfoot, adduction and valgus of the calcaneus, adduction and plantar ward movement of the talus in the hindfoot, along with the first metatarsal's abduction and dorsiflexion in the forefoot.

Comparative Effectiveness of Licensed Influenza Vaccines in Preventing Influenza-related Medical Encounters and Hospitalizations in the 2022-2023 Influenza Season Among Adults ≥65 Years of Age.

BACKGROUND: Influenza causes substantial morbidity, particularly among older individuals. Updated data on the effectiveness of currently licensed vaccines in this population are needed. METHODS: At Kaiser Permanente Southern California, we conducted a retrospective cohort study to evaluate comparative vaccine effectiveness (cVE) of high-dose (HD), adjuvanted, and standard-dose (SD) cell-based influenza vaccines, relative to the SD egg-based vaccine. We included adults aged ≥65 years who received an influenza vaccine between 1 August 2022 and 31 December 2022, with follow-up up to 20 May 2023. Primary outcomes were: (1) influenza-related medical encounters and (2) polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-confirmed influenza-related hospitalization. Adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) were estimated by Cox proportional hazards regression, adjusting for confounders using inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW). cVE (%) was calculated as (1-aHR) × 100 when aHR ≤1, and ([1/aHR]-1) × 100 when aHR >1. RESULTS: Our study population (n = 495 119) was 54.9% female, 46.3% non-Hispanic White, with a median age of 73 years (interquartile range [IQR] 69-79). Characteristics of all groups were well balanced after IPTW. Adjusted cVEs against influenza-related medical encounters in the HD, adjuvanted, and SD cell-based vaccine groups were 9.1% (95% confidence interval [CI]: .9, 16.7), 16.9% (95% CI: 1.7, 29.8), and -6.3 (95% CI: -18.3, 6.9), respectively. Adjusted cVEs against PCR-confirmed hospitalization in the HD, adjuvanted, and SD cell-based groups were 25.1% (95% CI: .2, 43.8), 61.6% (95% CI: 18.1, 82.0), and 26.4% (95% CI: -18.3, 55.7), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to the SD egg-based vaccine, HD and adjuvanted vaccines conferred additional protection against influenza-related outcomes in the 2022-2023 season in adults ≥65 years. Our results provide real-world evidence of the comparative effectiveness of currently licensed vaccines.

Revealing the Effect of Anion Regulation in NiCo2X4 (X = O, S, Se, Te) on Photoassisted Methanol Electrocatalytic Oxidation.

Designing nonprecious metal anode catalysts for photoassisted direct methanol fuel cells (PDMFCs) remains a challenge. As a semiconductor catalyst with a spinel structure, NiCo2O4 has good methanol catalytic oxidation activity and photocatalytic activity, making it a highly promising anode non-noble metal catalyst for PDMFCs. However, compared with the noble metal catalyst, the photoelectrocatalytic activity remained to be improved. In this report, an anion regulation strategy was adopted to improve the photoassisted methanol electrocatalytic activity. Using a CoNi-Aspartic (CoNi-Asp) nanorod as the precursor, the anion-regulated NiCo2X4 (X = O, S, Se, Te) was prepared by oxidation, sulfuration, selenization, and telluridation reactions. The regulation of anions and their effects on the electronic structure, intermediate product, and photoelectric catalytic performance of NiCo2X4 (X= O, S, Se, Te) was systematically discussed. Photoelectrochemical characterization and adsorption energy of •OH revealing the volcano-like correlation between the anion in NiCo2X4 (X = O, S, Se, Te) and their photoelectrocatalytic performance. The narrowest band gap (2.239 eV), the highest •OH adsorption energy (-3.32 eV), and the highest ratio of Co3+/Co2+ (2.19) ensure the best photoelectric catalytic performance of NiCo2S4, under the visible light irradiation, the photoresponse current density was 1.9 A g-1, the current density at 0.6 V was up to 21.9 A g-1. After 9 h of stability testing, the current retention rate was 80%. This report sheds an idea for the rational design of non-noble anode catalysts for PDMFCs.

High-n Phase Suppression for Efficient and Stable Blue Perovskite Light-Emitting Diodes.

Quasi-2D perovskites light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) have achieved significant progress due to their superior optical and electronic properties. However, the blue PeLEDs still exist inefficient energy transfer and electroluminescence performance caused by mixed multidimensional phase distribution. In this work, transition metal salt (zinc bromide, ZnBr2) is introduced to modulate phase distributions by suppressing the nucleation of high n phase perovskites, which effectively shortens the energy transfer path for blue emission. Moreover, ZnBr2 also facilitates energy level matching and reduces non-radiative recombination, thus improving electroluminescence (EL) efficiency. Benefiting from these combined improvements, an efficient blue PeLEDs is obtained with a maximum external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 16.2% peaking located at 486 nm. This work provides a promising approach to tune phase distribution of quasi-2D perovskites and achieving highly efficient blue PeLEDs.

Cucurbitacins mitigate vascular neointimal hyperplasia by suppressing cyclin A2 expression and inhibiting VSMC proliferation.

BACKGROUND: Restenosis frequently occurs after percutaneous angioplasty in patients with vascular occlusion and seriously threatens their health. Substantial evidence has revealed that preventing vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation using a drug-eluting stent is an effective approach to improve restenosis. Cucurbitacins have been demonstrated to exert an anti-proliferation effect in various tumors and a hypotensive effect. This study aims to investigate the role of cucurbitacins extracted from Cucumis melo L. (CuECs) and cucurbitacin B (CuB) on restenosis. METHODS: C57BL/6 mice were subjected to left carotid artery ligation and subcutaneously injected with CuECs or CuB for 4 weeks. Hematoxylin-Eosin, immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry staining were used to evaluate the effect of CuECs and CuB on neointimal hyperplasia. Western blot, real-time PCR, flow cytometry analysis, EdU staining and cellular immunofluorescence assay were employed to measure the effects of CuECs and CuB on cell proliferation and the cell cycle in vitro. The potential interactions of CuECs with cyclin A2 were performed by molecular docking. RESULTS: The results demonstrated that both CuECs and CuB exhibited significant inhibitory effects on neointimal hyperplasia and proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells. Furthermore, CuECs and CuB mediated cell cycle arrest at the S phase. Autodocking analysis demonstrated that CuB, CuD, CuE and CuI had high binding energy for cyclin A2. Our study also showed that CuECs and CuB dramatically inhibited FBS-induced cyclin A2 expression. Moreover, the expression of cyclin A2 in CuEC- and CuB-treated neointima was downregulated. CONCLUSIONS: CuECs, especially CuB, exert an anti-proliferation effect in VSMCs and may be potential drugs to prevent restenosis.

Stable and efficient CsPbI3 quantum-dot light-emitting diodes with strong quantum confinement.

Even though lead halide perovskite has been demonstrated as a promising optoelectronic material for next-generation display applications, achieving high-efficiency and stable pure-red (620~635 nm) emission to cover the full visible wavelength is still challenging. Here, we report perovskite light-emitting diodes emitting pure-red light at 628 nm achieving high external quantum efficiencies of 26.04%. The performance is attributed to successful synthesizing strongly confined CsPbI3 quantum dots with good stability. The strong binding 2-naphthalene sulfonic acid ligands are introduced after nucleation to suppress Ostwald ripening, meanwhile, ammonium hexafluorophosphate exchanges long chain ligands and avoids regrowth by strong binding during the purification process. Both ligands enhance the charge transport ability of CsPbI3 quantum dots. The state-of-the-art synthesis of pure red CsPbI3 quantum dots achieves 94% high quantum efficiency, which can maintain over 80% after 50 days, providing a method for synthesizing stable strong confined perovskite quantum dots.

Research Progress and Production Status of Edible Insects as Food in China.

Based on the background of the exacerbating food shortage in the world, it is particularly important to diversify food resources in every possible direction. Among the choices available, edible insects have become an important alternative source of animal food with their high nutritional and functional (pharmacological) values, partially replacing normally consumed animal and livestock protein food sources. The utilization of edible insects has been an ancient custom since the dawn of civilization, attributed to their rich nutrition, alternate protein source, medicinal values, and presence of diverse secondary metabolites and alkaloids. This review provides an introduction to three key aspects of edible insects as food: freshness, long-term preservation, and medicinal value. It also provides details on the food source and products of edible insect species, their detailed nutritional composition and medicinal values, and their potential in producing alternative protein sources. Additionally, the review also encompasses rearing and producing technologies, resource utilization, and industrial development in China. Simultaneously, the problems and challenges faced in the artificial rearing and production development of edible insects, the production advantages over traditional livestock, and the farming evaluation and prospects of edible insects, as well as the lack of specific legislation on edible insects in China, are discussed. This review will be helpful in scientific knowledge propagation regarding edible insects for the public, guiding consumers to establish a diverse perception of sustainable agriculture and food sources in the world that has, as yet, been thwarted by food insecurity. Moreover, though edible insects could potentially serve as part of a commercial and industrial agri-enterprise that could generate a huge income, artificial rearing technology and edible insect product manufacturing and processing have not received sufficient attention from the government on a policy level, thereby leaving an open space for extensive research on edible insects as an alternate food source as well as an examination of the industrial prospects of edible insect products.