The promotion mechanism of different nitrogen doping types on the catalytic activity of activated carbon electro-Fenton cathode: Simultaneous promotion of H2O2 generation and phenol degradation ability.

Doping with nitrogen atoms can improve the catalytic activity of activated carbon cathodes in electro-Fenton systems, but currently there is a lack of understanding of the catalytic mechanism, which limits the further development of high-performance activated carbon cathodes. Here, a multi-scale exploration was conducted using density functional theory and experimental methods to investigate the mechanism of different nitrogen doping types promoting the redox performance of activated carbon cathodes and the degradation of phenol. The density functional theory results indicate that the introduction of nitrogen atoms enhances the binding ability between carbon substrates and oxygen-containing substances, promotes the localization of surrounding electrons, and makes it easier for O2 to bind with protons and catalyze the hydrogenation reaction of *OOH. Due to its weak binding ability with oxygen-containing substances, AC is difficult to form H2O2, resulting in a tendency towards the 4e-ORR pathway. The binding energy between graphite-N carbon substrate and pyridine-N carbon substrate with *OOH is closer to the volcano top, so graphite n and pyridine n can better promote the selectivity of activated carbon for 2e-ORR. In addition, the calculation results also indicate that pyrrole-N and graphite-N are more capable of catalyzing the reaction energy barrier between ·OH and phenol. Finally, the simulation results were used to guide the modification of nitrogen doped activated carbon and experimental verification was carried out. The degradation results of phenol confirmed the efficient synergistic effect between different types of nitrogen doping, and the NAC-800 electrode exhibited efficient and stable characteristics. This work provides a guiding strategy for further developing stable and highly selective activated carbon cathode materials.

An axonemal intron splicing program sustains Plasmodium male development.

Differentiation of male gametocytes into flagellated fertile male gametes relies on the assembly of axoneme, a major component of male development for mosquito transmission of the malaria parasite. RNA-binding protein (RBP)-mediated post-transcriptional regulation of mRNA plays important roles in eukaryotic sexual development, including the development of female Plasmodium. However, the role of RBP in defining the Plasmodium male transcriptome and its function in male gametogenesis remains incompletely understood. Here, we performed genome-wide screening for gender-specific RBPs and identified an undescribed male-specific RBP gene Rbpm1 in the Plasmodium. RBPm1 is localized in the nucleus of male gametocytes. RBPm1-deficient parasites fail to assemble the axoneme for male gametogenesis and thus mosquito transmission. RBPm1 interacts with the spliceosome E complex and regulates the splicing initiation of certain introns in a group of 26 axonemal genes. RBPm1 deficiency results in intron retention and protein loss of these axonemal genes. Intron deletion restores axonemal protein expression and partially rectifies axonemal defects in RBPm1-null gametocytes. Further splicing assays in both reporter and endogenous genes exhibit stringent recognition of the axonemal introns by RBPm1. The splicing activator RBPm1 and its target introns constitute an axonemal intron splicing program in the post-transcriptional regulation essential for Plasmodium male development.

Analysis of the seasonal water quality variation at the hydraulic junction of a dual-source water distribution system.

The implementation of a dual-source water supply system offers an increased level of reliability in water provision; however, intricate hydraulic dynamics introduce apprehensions regarding water safety at the hydraulic junction. In this study, we gathered data of the water quality at the hydraulic junction of a dual-source water supply system (plant A and plant B, sampling site A10 was near plant A, and sampling site A12 was near plant B) for one year in Suzhou Industrial Park. Our findings indicated that seasonal variations and water temperature exerted significant influence on the composition and formation of disinfection byproducts (DBPs). Notably, during the warmer months spanning from June to September, the concentration of trihalomethanes was the highest at the hydraulic junction, whereas the concentration of residual chloride was the lowest. The analysis on DBPs revealed that more Br-containing precursors in water in plant A resulted in the accumulation of more Br-containing DBPs at A10, whereas the highest concentration of Cl-containing DBPs accumulated at A12. The analysis of the dissolved organic matter (DOM) composition indicated an increase in concentration at A10 and A12 compared with that in plant A and plant B. The highest concentration of humic acids was observed at A10, whereas A12 accumulated the highest concentration of aromatic proteins and microbial metabolites. Owing to the fluctuations in water consumption patterns at the hydraulic junction, the water quality was susceptible to variability, thereby posing an elevated risk. Consequently, extensive efforts are warranted to ensure the maintenance of water safety and quality at this critical interface.

Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Methoxypolyethylene-Glycol-Substituted Abiraterone Derivatives as Potential Antiprostate Cancer Agents.

Globally, prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed tumor and a cause of death in older men. Abiraterone, an orally administered irreversible CYP17 inhibitor, is employed to treat prostate cancer. However, abiraterone has several clinical limitations, such as poor water solubility, low dissolution rate, low bioavailability, and toxic side effects in the liver and kidney. Therefore, there is a need to identify high-efficiency and low-toxicity water-soluble abiraterone derivatives. In this work, we aimed to design and synthesize a series of abiraterone derivatives by methoxypoly(ethylene glycol) (mPEG) modification. Their antitumor activities and toxicology were analyzed in vitro and in vivo. The most potent compound, 2e, retained the principle of action on the CYP17 enzyme target and significantly improved the abiraterone water solubility, cell permeability, and blood safety. No significant abnormalities were observed in toxicology. mPEG-modification significantly improved abiraterone's antitumor activity and efficiency while reducing the associated toxic effects. The finding will provide a theoretical basis for future clinical application of mPEG-modified abiraterone.

Unraveling Stoichiometry Effect in Nickel-Tungsten Alloys for Efficient Hydrogen Oxidation Catalysis in Alkaline Electrolytes.

Anion-exchange membrane fuel cells provide the possibility to use platinum group metal-free catalysts, but the anodic hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) suffers from sluggish kinetics and its source is still debated. Here, over nickel-tungsten (Ni-W) alloy catalysts, we show that the Ni:W ratio greatly governs the HOR performance in alkaline electrolyte. Experimental and theoretical studies unravel that alloying with W can tune the unpaired electrons in Ni, tailoring the potential of zero charge and the catalytic surface to favor hydroxyl adsorption (OHad). The OHad species coordinately interact with potassium (K+) ions, which break the K+ solvation sheath to leave free water molecules, yielding an improved connectivity of hydrogen-bond networks. Consequently, the optimal Ni17W3 alloy exhibits alkaline HOR activity superior to the state-of-the-art platinum on carbon (Pt/C) catalyst and operates steadily with negligible decay after 10,000 cycles. Our findings offer new understandings of alloyed HOR catalysts and will guide rational design of next-generation catalysts for fuel cells.

CRISPR/Cas12b assisted loop-mediated isothermal amplification for easy, rapid and sensitive quantification of chronic HBV DNA in one-pot.

BACKGROUND: Currently, millions of people suffer from undiagnosed chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection each year, which leads to high mortality rates attributed to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Previously reported assays, such as PCR-based assays, have limitations in terms of convenient for CHB screening in high-burden regions and resource-limited settings. Recently, diagnosis based on CRISPR/Cas, which has been considered as a potential method of point-of-care test (POCT) in resource-limited settings, offers a significant advantage in terms of high sensitivity and specificity. Therefore, there is an urgent need for the hepatitis B virus (HBV) detection utilizing CRISPR/Cas system. RESULTS: We have proposed a one-pot of one-step method for CRISPR/Cas12b assisted loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) to facilitate the quick, sensitive, and precise quantification of HBV DNA. This method is designed for point-of-care testing following genomic extraction or sample heat treatment. We have optimized several critical factors, such as the reaction buffer, AapCas12b-gRNA concentration, reporter and its concentration, reaction temperature, and chemical additives, to significantly enhance the performance of the one-pot assay for HBV. Importantly, it exhibited no cross-reactivity between HBV and blood-borne pathogens. Moreover, the assay is capable of quantifying HBV DNA within 1 h with a limit of detection (LOD) of 25 copies per milliliter. Additionally, when tested on 236 clinical samples, the assay demonstrated a sensitivity of 99.00 % (198/200) and a specificity of 100.00 % (36/36) at the 99 % confidence level compared to real-time quantitative PCR. SIGNIFICANCE: The utilization of convenient and reliable point-of-care diagnostic methods is crucial for reducing the burden of CHB globally. The assay we developed was helpful to improve the ability of HBV diagnosis for practical clinical translation, especially in high-burden regions and resource-limited settings. It has great advantages for rapid screening of CHB as well as evaluation of therapeutic efficacy as a companion diagnostic method.

Borneol regulates meningeal lymphatic valve plasticity to clear Aß aggregates in the prevention of AD-like symptoms.

BACKGROUND: Meningeal lymphatic vessels (mLVs) have great potential to be the therapeutic target for ß Amyloid protein (Aß) clearing in Alzheimer's disease (AD), but the regulatory methods of the mLVs are limited. The lymphatic valve, marked by FOXC2, is the fundamental structure for maintaining stable lymphatic drainage function. Preliminary evidence suggested that borneol (BO) as the classical phytochemicals could enhance the expression of FOXC2 in the mLVs of healthy mice. PURPOSE: This study aims to explore the regulatory ability of BO on lymphatic valves of mLVs in the AD model mice. STUDY DESIGN: We used the intracerebroventricular injection of Aß42 oligomers to construct the AD-like symptoms model induced by toxic protein deposition. We administered BO nano micelles(BO-Ms) orally before and after to simulate the AD prevention and treatment strategy. METHODS: Herein, this study characterized the efficacy and pathways of BO-Ms for regulating mLVs in AD model by Rt-PCR, WB and confocal microscopy, and determined the effects of BO-Ms on Aß clearance, behavior and safety of AD mice. RESULTS: The AD modeling process severely impaired the expression of lymphatic valves. However, after oral administering BO-Ms for prevention and treatment, an increase in the lymphatic valves of the transverse sinus was observed, which derived from the up-regulation of the transcription factor (FOXC2 and Akt) and the down-regulation of the transcription inhibitors (FOXO1 and PRDM1). Furthermore, the effects of BO-Ms on the lymphatic valves could enhance the lymphatic drainage of the mLVs in AD-like mice, promoting the clearance of toxicity aggregates, protecting neurons, and alleviating AD-like symptoms. Simultaneously, continuous oral BO-Ms for 30 days didn't show any significant organ toxicity. The most important thing was that the preventive effect of BO administration was superior to therapeutic administration in all data. CONCLUSION: In summary, our research indicated that BO is a promoter of lymphatic valve formation in the mLVs, and could prevent or repair damage caused by toxic Aß42. BO was the only bioactive natural product with the ability to regulate mLVs valves. Thus, BO has the potential to become phytochemicals for alleviating AD symptoms by enhancing the drainage function of mLVs.

Discovery of 4-benzylpiperazinequinoline BChE inhibitor that suppresses neuroinflammation for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

Butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) has attracted wide interest as a promising target in Alzheimer's disease (AD) investigation. BChE is considered to play a compensable role of hydrolyzing acetylcholine (ACh), and its positive correlation with ß-amyloid (Aß) deposition also promotes disease progression. Herein, we uncovered a selective potent BChE inhibitor S21-1011 (eqBChE IC50 = 0.059 ± 0.006 µM, hBChE IC50 = 0.162 ± 0.069 µM), which presented satisfactory druggability and therapeutic efficacy in AD models. In pharmacokinetics (PK) studies, S21-1011 showed excellent blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability, metabolism stability and high oral-bioavailability. In pharmacodynamic (PD) studies, it protected neural cells from toxicity and inflammation stimulation in vitro. Besides, it also exerted anti-inflammatory effect and alleviated cognitive impairment in mice models induced by lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and Aß. Generally, this compound has been confirmed to function as a neuroprotector and cognition improver in various AD pathology-like models. Therefore, S21-1011, a novel potent BChE inhibitor, could be considered as a potential anti-AD candidate worthy of more profound investigation.

Acceptability and experience of a smartphone symptom monitoring app for people with psychosis in China (YouXin): a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Access to high-quality mental healthcare remains challenging for people with psychosis globally, including China. Smartphone-based symptom monitoring has the potential to support scalable mental healthcare. However, no such tool, until now, has been developed and evaluated for people with psychosis in China. This study investigated the acceptability and the experience of using a symptom self-monitoring smartphone app (YouXin) specifically developed for people with psychosis in China. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 participants with psychosis to explore the acceptability of YouXin. Participants were recruited from the non-randomised feasibility study that tested the validity, feasibility, acceptability and safety of the YouXin app. Data analysis was guided by the theoretical framework of acceptability. RESULTS: Most participants felt the app was acceptable and easy to use, and no unbearable burdens or opportunity costs were reported. Participants found completing the self-monitoring app rewarding and experienced a sense of achievement. Privacy and data security were not major concerns for participants, largely due to trust in their treating hospital around data protection. Participants found the app easy to use and attributed this to the training provided at the beginning of the study. A few participants said they had built some form of relationship with the app and would miss the app when the study finished. CONCLUSIONS: The YouXin app is acceptable for symptom self-monitoring in people with experience of psychosis in China. Participants gained greater insights about their symptoms by using the YouXin app. As we only collected retrospective acceptability in this study, future studies are warranted to assess hypothetical acceptability before the commencement of study to provide a more comprehensive understanding of implementation.

A new strategy for improving the energy efficiency of electro-Fenton: Using N-doped activated carbon cathode with strong Fe(III) adsorption capacity to promote Fe(II) regeneration.

Fe(II) regeneration plays a crucial role in the electro-Fenton process, significantly influencing the rate of ·OH formation. In this study, a method is proposed to improve Fe(II) regeneration through N-doping aimed at enhancing the adsorption capacity of the activated carbon cathode for Fe(III). N-doping not only enriched the pore structure on the surface of activated carbon, providing numerous adsorption sites, but also significantly increased the adsorption energy for Fe(III). Among the types of nitrogen introduced, pyridine-N exhibited the most substantial enhancement effect, followed by pyrrole-N, while graphite-N showed a certain degree of inhibition. Furthermore, N-doping facilitated the adsorption of all forms of Fe(III) by activated carbon. The adsorption and electrosorption rates of the NAC-900 electrode for Fe(III) were 30.33% and 42.36%, respectively. Such modification markedly enhanced the Fe3+/Fe2+ cycle within the electro-Fenton system. The NAC-900 system demonstrated an impressive phenol degradation efficiency of 93.67%, alongside the lowest electricity consumption attributed to the effective "adsorption-reduction" synergy for Fe(III) on the NAC-900 electrode. Compared to the AC cathode electro-Fenton system, the degradation efficiency of the NAC-900 cathode electro-Fenton system at pH = levels ranging from 3 to 5 exceeded 90%; thus, extending the pH applicability of the electro-Fenton process. The degradation efficiency of phenol using the NAC-900 cathode electro-Fenton system in various water matrices approached 90%, indicating robust performance in real wastewater treatment scenarios. This research elucidates the impact of cathodic Fe(III) adsorption on Fe(II) regeneration within the electro-Fenton system, and clarifies the influence of different N- doping types on the cathodic adsorption of Fe(III).

Rapid room-temperature phosphorescence chiral recognition of natural amino acids.

Chiral recognition of amino acids is very important in both chemical and life sciences. Although chiral recognition with luminescence has many advantages such as being inexpensive, it is usually slow and lacks generality as the recognition module relies on structural complementarity. Here, we show that one single molecular-solid sensor, L-phenylalanine derived benzamide, can manifest the structural difference between the natural, left-handed amino acid and its right-handed counterpart via the difference of room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) irrespective of the specific chemical structure. To realize rapid and reliable sensing, the doped samples are obtained as nanocrystals from evaporation of the tetrahydrofuran solutions, which allows for efficient triplet-triplet energy transfer to the chiral analytes generated in situ from chiral amino acids. The results show that L-analytes induce strong RTP, whereas the unnatural D-analytes produce barely any afterglow. The method expands the scope of luminescence chiral sensing by lessening the requirement for specific molecular structures.

MicroRNA-298 determines the radio-resistance of colorectal cancer cells by directly targeting human dual-specificity tyrosine(Y)-regulated kinase 1A.

BACKGROUND: Radiotherapy stands as a promising therapeutic modality for colorectal cancer (CRC); yet, the formidable challenge posed by radio-resistance significantly undermines its efficacy in achieving CRC remission. AIM: To elucidate the role played by microRNA-298 (miR-298) in CRC radio-resistance. METHODS: To establish a radio-resistant CRC cell line, HT-29 cells underwent exposure to 5 gray ionizing radiation that was followed by a 7-d recovery period. The quantification of miR-298 levels within CRC cells was conducted through quantitative RT-PCR, and protein expression determination was realized through Western blotting. Cell viability was assessed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay and proliferation by clonogenic assay. Radio-induced apoptosis was discerned through flow cytometry analysis. RESULTS: We observed a marked upregulation of miR-298 in radio-resistant CRC cells. MiR-298 emerged as a key determinant of cell survival following radiation exposure, as its overexpression led to a notable reduction in radiation-induced apoptosis. Intriguingly, miR-298 expression exhibited a strong correlation with CRC cell viability. Further investigation unveiled human dual-specificity tyrosine(Y)-regulated kinase 1A (DYRK1A) as miR-298's direct target. CONCLUSION: Taken together, our findings underline the role played by miR-298 in bolstering radio-resistance in CRC cells by means of DYRK1A downregulation, thereby positioning miR-298 as a promising candidate for mitigating radio-resistance in CRC.

Prediction of cross-border spread of the COVID-19 pandemic: A predictive model for imported cases outside China.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been present globally for more than three years, and cross-border transmission has played an important role in its spread. Currently, most predictions of COVID-19 spread are limited to a country (or a region), and models for cross-border transmission risk assessment remain lacking. Information on imported COVID-19 cases reported from March 2020 to June 2022 was collected from the National Health Commission of China, and COVID-19 epidemic data of the countries of origin of the imported cases were collected on data websites such as WHO and Our World in Data. It is proposed to establish a prediction model suitable for the prevention and control of overseas importation of COVID-19. Firstly, the SIR model was used to fit the epidemic infection status of the countries where the cases were exported, and most of the r2 values of the fitted curves obtained were above 0.75, which indicated that the SIR model could well fit different countries and the infection status of the region. After fitting the epidemic infection status data of overseas exporting countries, on this basis, a SIR-multiple linear regression overseas import risk prediction combination model was established, which can predict the risk of overseas case importation, and the established overseas import risk model overall P <0.05, the adjusted R2 = 0.7, indicating that the SIR-multivariate linear regression overseas import risk prediction combination model can obtain better prediction results. Our model effectively estimates the risk of imported cases of COVID-19 from abroad.

Bioinspired Touch-Responsive Hydrogels for On-Demand Adhesion on Rough Surfaces.

Reversible adhesives are widely needed in our daily lives and industrial applications. However, robust and switchable adhesion on rough surfaces with on-demand attachment and detachment remains highly challenging. Here, we report a snail-mucus-inspired touch-responsive hydrogel (TRH), whose universal and robust adhesion is triggered by simple contact with the attaching surface. TRH is composed of a polymeric hydrogel and saturated sodium acetate (NaAc) and is prepared by one-pot synthesis. At room temperature, TRH remains in an amorphous and soft state, which allows it to conformally adapt to rough surfaces. The contact with the target surface triggers the crystallization of NaAc, which increases the modulus of TRH by an order of magnitude and interlocks with the target surfaces, achieving an adhesion of up to 204.84 ± 53.98 kPa. Upon heating, TRH returns to a soft state, facilitating easy detachment with adhesion of 5.12 ± 1.34 kPa. Meanwhile, the detached TRH is ready for the next adhesion without the need to be maintained at high temperature. TRH finds applications as a smart material for light-triggered adhesion switching, information encryption, and temperature sensors.

Measurement of sinus wall thickness and wall enhancement index in dural arteriovenous fistulae by magnetic resonance vessel wall imaging.

BACKGROUND: Dural sinus wall thickness and wall enhancement index (WEI) of dural arteriovenous fistulae (DAVFs) have not been well characterized. This study aimed to measure the sinus wall thickness and WEI by using magnetic resonance vessel wall imaging (MR-VWI). METHODS: A total 27 DAVF patients and 30 normal healthy individuals were enrolled in this study. All participants were scanned by a 3 T MR scanner with the black blood sequence. The wall thickness and the WEI of the great cerebral vein, the intracranial main dural sinuses with DAVFs, and the contralateral sinuses were measured by two independent neuroradiologists. RESULTS: The DAVF-affected sinuses had significantly thicker walls (2.277 ±â€¯0.311 mm vs. 1.446 ±â€¯0.188 mm, P < 0.001) and significantly higher WEI (2.253 ±â€¯0.462 vs. 1.173 ±â€¯0.418, P < 0.001) compared to the contralateral ones. They also had significantly thicker walls (2.277 ±â€¯0.311 mm vs. 1.643 ±â€¯0.173 mm, P < 0.001) and significantly higher WEI (2.253 ±â€¯0.462 vs. 1.124 ±â€¯0.254, P < 0.001) compared to the normal controls. Neither the sinus wall thickness (r = -0.317, P = 0.107) nor the WEI (r = 0.019, P = 0.923) was significantly correlated with the Cognard types in DAVF patients. The WEI of the DAVF draining vein was significantly higher compared to the static venous wall (1.972 ±â€¯0.629 vs. 0.532 ±â€¯0.243, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: T1-CUBE MRI is useful in measuring sinus all thickness and WEI of DAVFs, providing a new method for diagnosing this disease.

Adverse Events Reporting in Digital Interventions Evaluations for Psychosis: A Systematic Literature Search and Individual Level Content Analysis of Adverse Event Reports.

BACKGROUND: Digital health interventions (DHIs) have significant potential to upscale treatment access to people experiencing psychosis but raise questions around patient safety. Adverse event (AE) monitoring is used to identify, record, and manage safety issues in clinical trials, but little is known about the specific content and context contained within extant AE reports. This study aimed to assess current AE reporting in DHIs. STUDY DESIGN: A systematic literature search was conducted by the iCharts network (representing academic, clinical, and experts by experience) to identify trials of DHIs in psychosis. Authors were invited to share AE reports recorded in their trials. A content analysis was conducted on the shared reports. STUDY RESULTS: We identified 593 AE reports from 18 DHI evaluations, yielding 19 codes. Only 29 AEs (4.9% of total) were preidentified by those who shared AEs as being related to the intervention or trial procedures. While overall results support the safety of DHIs, DHIs were linked to mood problems and psychosis exacerbation in a few cases. Additionally, 27% of studies did not report information on relatedness for all or at least some AEs; 9.6% of AE reports were coded as unclear because it could not be determined what had happened to participants. CONCLUSIONS: The results support the safety of DHIs, but AEs must be routinely monitored and evaluated according to best practice. Individual-level analyses of AEs have merit to understand safety in this emerging field. Recommendations for best practice reporting in future studies are provided.

Comparison of left- and right-sided colorectal cancer to explore prognostic signatures related to pyroptosis.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignancies, and pyroptosis exerts an immunoregulatory role in CRC. Although the location of the primary tumor is a prognostic factor for patients with CRC, the mechanisms of pyroptosis in left- and right-sided CRC remain unclear. Methods: Expression and clinical data were collected from The Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Expression Omnibus databases. Differences in clinical characteristics, immune cell infiltration, and somatic mutations between left- and right-sided CRC were then compared. After screening for differentially expressed genes, Pearson correlation analysis was performed to select pyroptosis-related genes, followed by a gene set enrichment analysis. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to construct and validate the prognostic model and nomogram for predicting prognosis. Collected left- and right-sided CRC samples were subjected to reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) to validate the expression of key pyroptosis-related genes. Results: Left- and right-sided CRC exhibited significant differences in clinical features and immune cell infiltration. Five prognostic signatures were identified from among 134 pyroptosis-related differentially expressed genes to construct a risk score-based prognostic model, and adverse outcomes for high-risk patients were further verified using an external cohort. A nomogram was also generated based on three independent prognostic factors to predict survival probabilities, while calibration curves confirmed the consistency between the predicted and actual survival. Experiment data confirmed the significant differential expression of five genes between left- and right-sided CRC. Conclusion: The five identified pyroptosis-related gene signatures may be potential biomarkers for predicting prognosis in left- and right-sided CRC and may help improve the clinical outcomes of patients with CRC.

Pivotal Impact Factors in Photocatalytic Reduction of CO2 to Value-Added C1 and C2 Products.

Over the past decades, CO2 greenhouse emission has been considerably increased, causing global warming and climate change. Indeed, converting CO2 into valuable chemicals and fuels is a desired option to resolve issues caused by its continuous emission into the atmosphere. Nevertheless, CO2 conversion has been hampered by the ultrahigh dissociation energy of C=O bonds, which makes it thermodynamically and kinetically challenging. From this prospect, photocatalytic approaches appear promising for CO2 reduction in terms of their efficiency compared to other traditional technologies. Thus, many efforts have been made in the designing of photocatalysts with asymmetric sites and oxygen vacancies, which can break the charge distribution balance of CO2 molecule, reduce hydrogenation energy barrier and accelerate CO2 conversion into chemicals and fuels. Here, we review the recent advances in CO2 hydrogenation to C1 and C2 products utilizing photocatalysis processes. We also pin down the key factors or parameters influencing the generation of C2 products during CO2 hydrogenation. In addition, the current status of CO2 reduction is summarized, projecting the future direction for CO2 conversion by photocatalysis processes.

Clinical and epidemiological characteristics of 96 pediatric human metapneumovirus infections in Henan, China after COVID-19 pandemic: a retrospective analysis.

BACKGROUND: In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a surge in human metapneumovirus (HMPV) transmission, surpassing pre-epidemic levels. We aim to elucidate the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of HMPV infections in the post-COVID-19 pandemic era. METHODS: In this retrospective single-center study, participants diagnosed with laboratory confirmed HMPV infection through Targeted Next Generation Sequencing were included. The study encompassed individuals admitted to Henan Children's Hospital between April 29 and June 5, 2023. Demographic information, clinical records, and laboratory indicators were analyzed. RESULTS: Between April 29 and June 5, 2023, 96 pediatric patients were identified as infected with HMPV with a median age of 33.5 months (interquartile range, 12 ~ 48 months). The majority (87.5%) of infected children were under 5 years old. Notably, severe cases were statistically younger. Predominant symptoms included fever (81.3%) and cough (92.7%), with wheezing more prevalent in the severe group (56% vs 21.1%). Coinfection with other viruses was observed in 43 patients, with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) (15.6%) or human rhinovirus A (HRV type A) (12.5%) being the most common. Human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) coinfection rate was significantly higher in the severe group (20% vs 1.4%). Bacterial coinfection occurred in 74 patients, with Haemophilus influenzae (Hin) and Streptococcus pneumoniae (SNP) being the most prevalent (52.1% and 41.7%, respectively). Severe patients demonstrated evidence of multi-organ damage. Noteworthy alterations included lower concentration of IL-12p70, decreased lymphocytes percentages, and elevated B lymphocyte percentages in severe cases, with statistical significance. Moreover, most laboratory indicators exhibited significant changes approximately 4 to 5 days after onset. CONCLUSIONS: Our data systemically elucidated the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of pediatric patients with HMPV infection, which might be instructive to policy development for the prevention and control of HMPV infection and might provide important clues for future HMPV research endeavors.

Identification and utility exploration of a highly potent and long-acting bullfrog GLP-1 analogue in GLP-1 and amylin combination therapy.

This study assesses the efficacy of an innovative therapeutic approach that combines GLP-1 and amylin analogues for weight reduction. Focusing on GLP-1 analogues from bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana), we designed ten bGLP-1 analogues with various modifications. Among them, bGLP-10 showed high potency in binding and activating GLP-1 receptors, with superior albumin affinity. In diet-induced obesity (DIO) mice fed a high-fat diet, bGLP-10 demonstrated significant superiority over semaglutide in reducing blood sugar and food intake at a dose of 10 nmol/kg (P < 0.001). Notably, in a chronic study involving DIO mice, the combination of bGLP-10 with the amylin analogue cagrilintide led to a more substantial weight loss (-38.4%, P < 0.001) compared to either the semaglutide-cagrilintide combination (-23.0%) or cagrilintide (-5.7%), bGLP-10 (-16.1%), and semaglutide (-10.9%) alone. Furthermore, the bGLP-10 and cagrilintide combination exhibited superior glucose control and liver lipid management compared to the semaglutide-cagrilintide combination (P < 0.001). These results highlight bGLP-10's potential in GLP-1 and amylin-based therapies and suggest exploring more GLP-1 analogues from natural sources for anti-obesity and anti-diabetic treatments.