LIM homeobox 1 (LHX1) induces endoplasmic reticulum stress and promotes preterm birth.

Background: Premature birth (PTB) is a major cause of neonatal mortality and has enduring consequences. LIM Homeobox 1 (LHX1) is vital in embryonic organogenesis, while Inositol-Requiring Enzyme 1 (IRE-1) regulates endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS). This study explores whether IRE-1 impacts PTB via LHX1 modulation. Methods: We analyzed LHX1 expression in placental samples from PTB patients and examined its impact on the viability, migration, invasion, and apoptosis of the human placental trophoblast cell line HTR8/Svneo, particularly when treated with the ERS inducer tunicamycin (TM). We also assessed the levels of ERS-related genes and autophagy activation in response to LHX1 deficiency. To gain mechanistic insights, we evaluated the ERS-mediated activation of the IRE-1/XBP1/CHOP signaling pathway in LHX1-silenced HTR8/Svneo cells. Additionally, we examined the transcriptional activation of IRE-1 and the binding of LHX1 to the IRE-1 promoter in HTR8/Svneo cells. We overexpressed IRE-1 in LHX1-silenced HTR8/Svneo cells to assess its effects on cell viability, migration, invasion, apoptosis, and autophagy. Finally, we induced LHX1 knockdown in mice through intraperitoneal injections of tunicamycin (TM) and Sh-LHX1 over a 24-h period to evaluate PTB symptoms. Results: We observed LHX1 overexpression in placental tissue from PTB cases and TM-induced HTR8/Svneo cells. LHX1 depletion enhanced cell viability, migration, and invasion while reducing autophagy and apoptosis. This reduction in LHX1 led to decreased levels of IRE-1, XBP1, CHOP, and other ERS-related genes, indicating LHX1's role in ERS induction and the activation of the IRE-1/XBP1/CHOP pathway. Mechanistically, LHX1 was found to bind to the IRE-1 promoter, inducing its transcriptional activation. Notably, overexpressing IRE-1 counteracted the impact of LHX1 depletion on trophoblast cell behavior, suggesting that LHX1 modulates IRE-1. In line with our in vitro studies, LHX1 knockdown ameliorated PTB symptoms in TM-treated mice. Conclusion: LHX1 contributes to the progression of PTB by regulating the IRE-1-XBP1-CHOP pathway.

A comprehensive review on preparation and functional application of the wood aerogel with natural cellulose framework.

As the traditional aerogel has defects such as poor mechanical properties, complicated preparation process, high energy consumption and non-renewable, wood aerogel as a new generation of aerogel shows unique advantages. With a natural cellulose framework, wood aerogel is a novel nano-porous material exhibiting exceptional properties such as light weight, high porosity, large specific surface area, and low thermal conductivity. Furthermore, its adaptability to further functionalization enables versatile applications across diverse fields. Driven by the imperative for sustainable development, wood aerogel as a renewable and eco-friendly material, has garnered significant attention from researchers. This review introduces preparation methods of wood aerogel based on the top-down strategy and analyzes the factors influencing their key properties intending to obtain wood aerogels with desirable properties. Avenues for realizing its functionality are also explored, and research progress across various domains are surveyed, including oil-water separation, conductivity and energy storage, as well as photothermal conversion. Finally, potential challenges associated with wood aerogel exploitation and utilization are addressed, alongside discussions on future prospects and research directions. The results emphasize the broad research value and future prospects of wood aerogels, which are poised to drive high-value utilization of wood and foster the development of green multifunctional aerogels.

The cuticular protein gene ApCP7 and ApCP62 are essential for reproduction in Acyrthosiphon pisum, affecting ecdysis and survival.

Cuticular proteins, in conjunction with chitin, compose the insect exoskeleton, and play a key role in the growth, development, and molting of insects. However, the specific functions of most cuticular protein genes in the growth, development, and reproductive processes of the pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum) remain unclear. In this study, we have identified six cuticular protein genes in the pea aphid, namely ApCP7, ApCP10, ApCP19, ApCP19.8-like, ApCP35 and ApCP62. We found that the expression levels of six genes were highly expressed during the adult stage, and except for ApCP10, which is highly expressed in the pea aphid cuticle, other genes were highly expressed in the ovaries. Subsequently, we observed that the survival rate and fecundity of pea aphid were significantly lower than those of the control group after silencing ApCP7 and ApCP62 through RNA interference. Furthermore, when ApCP7 transcript levels were reduced, aphid encountered difficulties in molting, were smaller in body size, and exhibited a darker body color. These results indicate that ApCP7 and ApCP62 are involved in the development and reproduction of pea aphid, and could be used as RNAi targets for controlling pea aphid.

Effect of Crystallinity on the Field Emission Characteristics of Carbon Nanotube Grown on W-Co Bimetallic Catalyst.

Carbon nanotube (CNT) is an excellent field emission material. However, uniformity and stability are the key issues hampering its device application. In this work, a bimetallic W-Co alloy was adopted as the catalyst of CNT in chemical vapor deposition process. The high melting point and stable crystal structure of W-Co helps to increase the grown CNT diameter uniformity and homogeneous crystal structure. High-crystallinity CNTs were grown on the W-Co bimetallic catalyst. Its field emission characteristics demonstrated a low turn-on field, high current density, stable current stability, and uniform emission distribution. The Fowler-Nordheim (FN) and Seppen-Katamuki (SK) analyses revealed that the CNT grown on the W-Co catalyst has a relatively low work function and high field enhancement factor. The high crystallinity and homogeneous crystal structure of CNT also reduce the body resistance and increase the emission current stability and maximum current. The result provides a way to synthesis a high-quality CNT field emitter, which will accelerate the development of cold cathode vacuum electronic device application.

Field-Emission Energy Distribution of Carbon Nanotube Film and Single Tube under High Current.

A narrow energy distribution is a prominent characteristic of field-emission cold cathodes. When applied in a vacuum electronic device, the cold cathode is fabricated over a large area and works under a high current and current density. It is interesting to see the energy distribution of the field emitter under such a working situation. In this work, the energy distribution spectra of a single carbon nanotube (CNT) and a CNT film were investigated across a range of currents, spanning from low to high. A consistent result indicated that, at low current emission, the CNT film (area: 0.585 mm2) exhibited a narrow electron energy distribution as small as 0.5 eV, similar to that of a single CNT, while the energy distribution broadened with increased current and voltage, accompanied by a peak position shift. The influencing factors related to the electric field, Joule heating, Coulomb interaction, and emission site over a large area were discussed to elucidate the underlying mechanism. The results provide guidance for the electron source application of nano-materials in cold cathode devices.

Application progress of nanocellulose in food packaging: A review.

With the increasing environmental and ecological problems caused by petroleum-based packaging materials, the focus has gradually shifted to natural resources for the preparation of functional food packaging materials. In addition to biodegradable properties, nanocellulose (NC) mechanical properties, and rich surface chemistry are also fascinating and desired to be one of the most probable green packaging materials. In this review, we firstly introduce the recent progress of novel applications of NC in food packaging, including intelligent packaging, nano(bio)sensors, and nano-paper; secondly, we focus on the modification techniques of NC to summarize the properties (antimicrobial, mechanical, hydrophobic, antioxidant, and so on) that are required for food packaging, to expand the new synthetic methods and application areas. After presenting all the latest advances related to material design and sustainable applications, an overview summarizing the safety of NC is presented to promote a continuous and healthy movement of NC toward the field of truly sustainable packaging.

Monochorionic-triamniotic triplet pregnancy following artificial reproductive technology: Report of a rare case in Taiwan.

OBJECTIVE: Monochorionic-triamniotic (MCTA) triplet pregnancies following artificial reproductive technologies are uncommon. We report a case in which one of two transferred embryos differentiated into an MCTA triplet. This study aimed to investigate the potential factors contributing to MCTA triplet pregnancy. CASE REPORT: A 39-year-old woman underwent her second frozen embryo transfer with hatching blastocysts, which resulted in the detection of an MCTA triplet on ultrasonography. She delivered by cesarean section at 32 weeks of gestation, resulting in the birth of three live male infants. Her medical history and in vitro fertilization treatment were reviewed to identify potential causes. CONCLUSION: The etiology of MCTA triplet pregnancy remains multifactorial. In the presented case, prolonged in vitro culture to the blastocyst stage and inner cell mass splitting were potential contributing factors. Further research is needed to fully understand the complexity of MCTA triplet pregnancy.

Circadian rhythm and variability of large and small airway spirometric variables in healthy individuals.

Objective: To assess the diurnal rhythm and variability of lung function in healthy individuals, encompassing both large and small airways. Methods: A prospective study enrolled 35 healthy adults without a history of smoking. Initial spirometry and a bronchodilation test were performed using the Jaeger spirometer, followed by a seven-day continuous home monitoring using the GOSPT2000. We evaluated repeatability using the intraclass correlation coefficient and agreement through linear regression and Bland-Altman analyses. Circadian rhythm and variability in spirometric measurements were analyzed using the coefficient of variation (CV) and daily variation rate. Results: The GOSPT2000 demonstrated strong repeatability and high agreement with the Jaeger spirometer. Notable findings included a decrease in nocturnal forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), and FEV3 by 44, 59, and 53 mL, respectively. In contrast, peak expiratory flow at noon showed an increase of 0.143L/min. Small-airway variables, including forced expiratory flow at 50% and 75% of the FVC and maximum midexpiratory flow, showed no significant diurnal variation. The nocturnal CV for large-airway variables was ≤ 4%, while for small-airway variables, it was ≤ 11.89%. Conclusion: This study has established a spectrum of variability for both large and small airways in healthy populations. The variability of small-airway variables is higher than that of large-airway variables. The investigation into the diurnal rhythms and variability characteristics of both large and small airway variables in the healthy population can serve as a foundation for diagnosing asthma or assessing the efficacy of asthma treatments.

Inhibition of ACSS2-mediated histone crotonylation alleviates kidney fibrosis via IL-1ß-dependent macrophage activation and tubular cell senescence.

Histone lysine crotonylation (Kcr), as a posttranslational modification, is widespread as acetylation (Kac); however, its roles are largely unknown in kidney fibrosis. In this study, we report that histone Kcr of tubular epithelial cells is abnormally elevated in fibrotic kidneys. By screening these crotonylated/acetylated factors, a crotonyl-CoA-producing enzyme ACSS2 (acyl-CoA synthetase short chain family member 2) is found to remarkably increase histone 3 lysine 9 crotonylation (H3K9cr) level without influencing H3K9ac in kidneys and tubular epithelial cells. The integrated analysis of ChIP-seq and RNA-seq of fibrotic kidneys reveal that the hub proinflammatory cytokine IL-1ß, which is regulated by H3K9cr, play crucial roles in fibrogenesis. Furthermore, genetic and pharmacologic inhibition of ACSS2 both suppress H3K9cr-mediated IL-1ß expression, which thereby alleviate IL-1ß-dependent macrophage activation and tubular cell senescence to delay renal fibrosis. Collectively, our findings uncover that H3K9cr exerts a critical, previously unrecognized role in kidney fibrosis, where ACSS2 represents an attractive drug target to slow fibrotic kidney disease progression.

PEGylated chitosan-coated nanophotosensitizers for effective cancer treatment by photothermal-photodynamic therapy combined with glutathione depletion.

The combination of photothermal therapy (PTT) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) has emerged as a promising strategy for cancer treatment. However, the poor photostability and photothermal conversion efficiency (PCE) of organic small-molecule photosensitizers, and the intracellular glutathione (GSH)-mediated singlet oxygen scavenging largely decline the antitumor efficacy of PTT and PDT. Herein, a versatile nanophotosensitizer (NPS) system is developed by ingenious incorporation of indocyanine green (ICG) into the PEGylated chitosan (PEG-CS)-coated polydopamine (PDA) nanoparticles via multiple π-π stacking, hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions. The PEG-CS-covered NPS showed prominent colloidal and photothermal stability as well as high PCE (ca 62.8 %). Meanwhile, the Michael addition between NPS and GSH can consume GSH, thus reducing the GSH-induced singlet oxygen scavenging. After being internalized by CT26 cells, the NPS under near-infrared laser irradiation produced massive singlet oxygen with the aid of thermo-enhanced intracellular GSH depletion to elicit mitochondrial damage and lipid peroxide formation, thus leading to ferroptosis and apoptosis. Importantly, the combined PTT and PDT delivered by NPS effectively inhibited CT26 tumor growth in vivo by light-activated intense hyperthermia and redox homeostasis disturbance. Overall, this work presents a new tactic of boosting antitumor potency of ICG-mediated phototherapy by PEG-CS-covered NPS.

Association of scrub typhus with the risk of venous thromboembolism and long-term mortality: a population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The existing literature lacks studies examining the epidemiological link between scrub typhus and deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE), and the long-term outcomes. The objective of this study is to explore the potential association between scrub typhus and the subsequent risk of venous thromboembolism, and long-term mortality. METHOD: This nationwide cohort study identified 10,121 patients who were newly diagnosed with scrub typhus. Patients with a prior DVT or PE diagnosis before the scrub typhus infection were excluded. A comparison cohort of 101,210 patients was established from the general population using a propensity score matching technique. The cumulative survival HRs for the two cohorts were calculated by the Cox proportional hazards model. RESULT: After adjusting for sex, age, and comorbidities, the scrub typhus group had an adjusted HR (95% CI) of 1.02 (0.80-1.30) for DVT, 1.11 (0.63-1.93) for PE, and 1.16 (1.08-1.25) for mortality compared to the control group. The post hoc subgroup analysis revealed that individuals younger than 55 years with a prior scrub typhus infection had a significantly higher risk of DVT (HR: 1.59; 95% CI: 1.12-2.25) and long-term mortality (HR: 1.75; 95% CI, 1.54-1.99). CONCLUSION: The scrub typhus patients showed a 16% higher risk of long-term mortality. For those in scrub typhus cohort below 55 years of age, the risk of developing DVT was 1.59 times higher, and the risk of mortality was 1.75 times higher. Age acted as an effect modifier influencing the relationship between scrub typhus and risk of new-onset DVT and death.

Trichothecenes with cytotoxic activity and benzene derivatives with hypolipidemic activity from trichothecium sp.

Five trichothecenes including a new one, together with two previously undescribed benzene derivatives were isolated from the solid culture of Trichothecium sp. Their structures were established by 1D and 2D NMR data in conjunction with HR-ESI-MS analysis. Compounds 1-5 exhibited cytotoxicity against MCF-7 cell lines at various levels ranging from IC50 of 7.23 to 16.95 µM. Compound 6 decreased the concentration of blood lipids in zebra fish at the concentration of 20 µM.

Inhibition of the endoplasmic reticulum stress-associated IRE-1 pathway alleviates preterm birth.

BACKGROUND: Premature birth (PTB) remains a major global health concern due to its association with neonatal morbidity and mortality. The unfolded protein response (UPR) within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is tightly regulated by Inositol-requiring enzyme type 1 (IRE-1), a pivotal cellular modulator. This study seeks to elucidate the role of the ER stress (ERS)-related IRE-1 pathway in PTB. METHODS: Human placental trophoblast cells HTR8/Svneo were exposed to the ER-stress inducer tunicamycin (TM). The expression of IRE-1 and ERS-associated proteins ATF6, GRP78, and XBP-1 was assessed in placental tissues and TM-treated cells. Cellular viability, migration, invasion, and apoptosis were evaluated through a series of experimental assays. Additionally, various methods were employed to assess and verify the activation of autophagy, using the autophagy marker, microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain 3 (LC3). Additionally, TUDCA (an ERS inhibitor) was used to assess its potential to counteract the TM-induced cell effects. RESULTS: Elevated levels of ATF6, GRP78, and XBP-1 were observed in PTB tissues and cells. TM treatment substantially reduced cell viability, migration, and invasion while promoting apoptosis. Treatment with TUDCA (an ERS inhibitor) counteracted the effects of TM on the cells. Furthermore, we identified an overexpression of IRE-1 in PTB tissues and cells and its knockdown enhanced cell viability, migration, and invasion while suppressed apoptosis and autophagy under TM stimulation. Notably, IRE-1 was found to modulate the activity of the IRE-1/XBP1/CHOP signaling pathway in TM-treated cells. CONCLUSION: The upregulation of IRE-1 in PTB placental tissues is implicated in the pathogenesis of PTB. Importantly, inhibiting the ERS-associated IRE-1/XBP1/CHOP pathway may be a good strategy in mitigating PTB.

Seeing in crowds: Averaging first, then max.

Crowding, a fundamental limit in object recognition, is believed to result from excessive integration of nearby items in peripheral vision. To understand its pooling mechanisms, we measured subjects' internal response distributions in an orientation crowding task. Contrary to the prediction of an averaging model, we observed a pattern suggesting that the perceptual judgement is made based on choosing the largest response across the noise-perturbed items. A model featuring first-stage averaging and second-stage signed-max operation predicts the diverse errors made by human observers under various signal strength levels. These findings suggest that different rules operate to resolve the bottleneck at early and high-level stages of visual processing, implementing a combination of linear and nonlinear pooling strategies.

LncRNA PSMA3-AS1 promotes preterm delivery by inducing ferroptosis via miR-224-3p/Nrf2 axis.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have a vital potential in premature delivery. This research was intended to explore PSMA3-AS1's role in premature delivery as well as its possible molecular mechanism. We enrolled 100 premature delivery patients and 100 term patients. Fetal membranes were collected. RT-qPCR was adopted for evaluating PSMA3-AS1, miRNA-224-3p, along with Nrf2 expression. Cell function experiments were implemented to clarify PSMA3-AS1 functions in human trophoblast HTR-8/SVneo cells. Rescue together with mechanistic experiments were implemented for assessing the regulatory function and interaction between miR-224-3p and PSMA3-AS1 or Nrf2 axis in human trophoblast cells. The results uncovered that PSMA3-AS1 level presented downregulation in the fetal membrane tissues and human trophoblast cells. Overexpressed PSMA3-AS1 enhanced cell proliferation but suppressed ferroptosis in human trophoblast cells. Besides, PSMA3-AS1 elevation also attenuated the LPS-induced inflammatory response and restored the LPS-induced upregulation of 20α-HSD and downregulation of progesterone (P4). Mechanistically, miR-224-3p could bind to PSMA3-AS1 and present upregulation in fetal membranes and human trophoblast cells. Notably, overexpressed miR-224-3p offset the influences of PSMA3-AS1 on human trophoblast cell proliferation and ferroptosis. Furthermore, Nrf2 was targeted by miR-224-3p. Downregulated Nrf2 offset the influences of the miR-224-3p inhibitor and induced HTR-8/SVneo dysfunction. Additionally, Nrf2 transcriptionally activated PSMA3-AS1 and GPX4. In conclusion, PSMA3-AS1 expression is low during premature delivery and overexpressing PSMA3-AS1 promotes proliferation and suppresses ferroptosis of human trophoblast cells by interacting with miR-224-3p to downregulate Nrf2. Therefore, enhancing PSMA3-AS1 expression may be a promising therapeutic strategy to prevent premature delivery.

Sustainable strategies for green supply chain within the platform economy consider subsidies and marketing efforts.

As consumers' green awareness continues to grow, the level of a product's eco-friendliness and the quality of its marketing have become significant factors in shaping consumers' purchasing decisions. The power structures within the supply chain, as well as corresponding government subsidy policies, are also key elements influencing sustainable strategies for the green supply chain. In a green supply chain comprising one manufacturer and one e-commerce platform, two sales models exist within the online e-commerce platforms: reselling and agency selling. This paper establishes and analyzes three distinct Stackelberg game models, namely: manufacturer-led model without subsidy (bm), manufacturer-led model with subsidy (sm), and platform-led model with subsidy (sp). The results are shown as follows, with the rise of consumers' environmental awareness, more consumers opt for green products, inspiring the manufacturer to increase its optimal greenness and platform to enhance its optimal marketing efforts level. Notably, government subsidies provide a significant stimulus. An increase in the green technology cost coefficient leads to a decline in the manufacturer's profits across all three modes. Intriguingly, the manufacturer's profits are always highest in the sp mode. As the marketing efforts cost coefficient increases, the platform's profits decrease in the bm and sm modes. In contrast, in the sp mode, the platform's profits increase rather than a decrease. The choice of mode primarily depends on the platform's marketing efforts cost coefficient. When this coefficient exceeds a threshold, the platform chooses the sp mode. However, due to the relatively low marketing efficiency in this scenario, the manufacturer prefers the sm mode. For the government, the sp mode involves agency selling, serves as an effective mechanism to redistribute subsidies, thereby yielding the maximum social welfare benefits. Management insights are provided for the manufacturer and platform managers to make decisions about the degree of greenness and marketing efforts level, along with insights for governments to optimize subsidy policies.

Touch, press and stroke: a soft capacitive sensor skin.

Soft sensors that can discriminate shear and normal force could help provide machines the fine control desirable for safe and effective physical interactions with people. A capacitive sensor is made for this purpose, composed of patterned elastomer and containing both fixed and sliding pillars that allow the sensor to deform and buckle, much like skin itself. The sensor differentiates between simultaneously applied normal force and shear using summation and differences of signals from four deformable capacitors. Cross talk from shear to normal force is less than 2.5%, and between shear axes is less than 10%. Normal and shear stress sensitivity is 0.49 kPa and 0.31 kPa respectively, with a minimum displacement resolution of 40 µm. In addition, finger proximity is detectable at a range of up to 15 mm. The operation is demonstrated on a simple gripper holding a cup. The combination of features and the straightforward fabrication method make this sensor a candidate for implementation as a sensing skin for humanoid robotics applications.

miR-603 promotes cell proliferation and differentiation by targeting TrkB in acute promyelocytic leukemia.

Arsenic trioxide (ATO) treatment effectively prolongs the overall survival of patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). Mutations in the oncogene PML::RARA were found in patients with ATO-resistant and relapsed APL. However, some relapsed patients do not have such mutations. Here, we performed microarray analysis of samples from newly diagnosed and relapsed APL, and found different microRNA (miRNA) expression patterns between these two groups. Among the differentially expressed miRNAs, miR-603 was expressed at the lowest level in relapsed patients. The expression of miR-603 and its predicted target tropomyosin-related kinase B (TrkB) were determined by PCR and Western blot. Proliferation was measured using an MTT assay, while apoptosis, cell cycle and CD11b expression were analyzed using flow cytometry. In APL patients, the expression of miR-603 was negatively correlated with that of TrkB. miR-603 directly targeted TrkB and downregulated TrkB expression in the APL cell line NB4. miR-603 increased cell proliferation by promoting the differentiation and inhibiting the apoptosis of NB4 cells. This study shows that the miR-603/ TrkB axis may be a potent therapeutic target for relapsed APL.

Is use of a long-term proton pump inhibitor or histamine-2 receptor antagonist a risk factor for iron-deficiency anaemia in Taiwan? A neglected clinical drug-drug interaction.

BACKGROUND: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and histamine-2 receptor (H2) antagonists change the gastric pH and reduce the intestinal absorption of nonheme iron. Case reports and case-control studies have demonstrated that absorption of iron is affected by gastric acidity, but the clinical importance of these drug-drug interactions has remained uncertain. OBJECTIVES: The present case-control study employed 2 million longitudinal claims in 2011-2018 in the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database to investigate the impact of PPIs/H2 antagonists on the occurrence of iron-deficiency anaemia (IDA). METHODS: The present study retrospectively compared exposure to PPIs/H2 antagonists for 1 year among 5,326 cases with IDA and 21,304 matched controls. The postdiagnosis prescribing pattern was also calculated to understand current practice. RESULTS: Long-term (≥2 month) use of PPIs/H2 antagonists resulted in a higher risk of developing IDA than noncontinuous use/nonuse of those drugs (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.36, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.94-2.86, P < 0.001). There were significant changes in the postdiagnosis prescribing patterns of PPIs/H2 antagonists. The risk of developing IDA remained significant in the female subgroup (aOR = 2.16, 95% CI = 1.73-2.70, P < 0.001) and was even more prominent in those aged ≥ 50 years (aOR = 2.68, 95% CI = 1.94-3.70, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study found that long-term use of PPIs/H2 antagonists increased the risk of developing IDA, and there was strong evidence of prescription pattern adjustments postdiagnosis. Physicians and pharmacists should be aware of this risk when patients are expected to take or have been taking PPIs/H2 antagonists for the long term.

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and histamine-2 receptor (H2) antagonists, 2 kinds of gastric suppressants commonly used for gastroesophageal reflux disease, decrease iron absorption in the gut and thus increase the risk of developing iron-deficiency anaemia (IDA). We constructed a retrospective matched case-control study within the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. The longer period of PPIs/H2 antagonists used, the higher risk of IDA was, with the highest risk in female elderly groups (adjusted odds ratio = 2.68 in females aged ≥ 50). PPI users had a higher risk than H2 antagonist users during the 1-year follow-up. The prescription patterns postdiagnosis of IDA witnessed considerable drops for both groups, with less than a 10th of original users remaining the usages (1.72% and 9.85% taking PPIs and H2 antagonists within 90 days after receiving a diagnosis, respectively). Physicians and pharmacists should be aware of the risk of developing IDA in patients currently undergoing or expected to take long-term gastric acid suppressants.

Self-Enhancement of Water Electrolysis by Electrolyte-Poled Ferroelectric Catalyst.

Efficient and durable electrocatalysts with superior activity are needed for the production of green hydrogen with a high yield and low energy consumption. Electrocatalysts based on transition metal oxides hold dominance due to their abundant natural resources, regulable physical properties, and good adaptation to a solution. In numerous oxide catalyst materials, ferroelectrics, possessing semiconducting characteristics and switchable spontaneous polarization, have been considered promising photoelectrodes for solar water splitting. However, few investigations noted their potential as electrocatalysts. In this study, we report an efficient electrocatalytic electrode made of a BiFeO3/nickel foam heterostructure, which displays a smaller overpotential and higher current density than the blank nickel foam electrode. Moreover, when in contact with an alkaline solution, the bond between hydroxyls and the BiFeO3 surface induces a large area of upward self-polarization, lowering the adsorption energy of subsequent adsorbates and facilitating oxygen and hydrogen evolution reaction. Our work demonstrates an infrequent pathway of using functional semiconducting materials for exploiting highly efficient electrocatalytic electrodes.