Multi-omics analysis and experimental validation of the value of monocyte-associated features in prostate cancer prognosis and immunotherapy.

Background: Monocytes play a critical role in tumor initiation and progression, with their impact on prostate adenocarcinoma (PRAD) not yet fully understood. This study aimed to identify key monocyte-related genes and elucidate their mechanisms in PRAD. Method: Utilizing the TCGA-PRAD dataset, immune cell infiltration levels were assessed using CIBERSORT, and their correlation with patient prognosis was analyzed. The WGCNA method pinpointed 14 crucial monocyte-related genes. A diagnostic model focused on monocytes was developed using a combination of machine learning algorithms, while a prognostic model was created using the LASSO algorithm, both of which were validated. Random forest and gradient boosting machine singled out CCNA2 as the most significant gene related to prognosis in monocytes, with its function further investigated through gene enrichment analysis. Mendelian randomization analysis of the association of HLA-DR high-expressing monocytes with PRAD. Molecular docking was employed to assess the binding affinity of CCNA2 with targeted drugs for PRAD, and experimental validation confirmed the expression and prognostic value of CCNA2 in PRAD. Result: Based on the identification of 14 monocyte-related genes by WGCNA, we developed a diagnostic model for PRAD using a combination of multiple machine learning algorithms. Additionally, we constructed a prognostic model using the LASSO algorithm, both of which demonstrated excellent predictive capabilities. Analysis with random forest and gradient boosting machine algorithms further supported the potential prognostic value of CCNA2 in PRAD. Gene enrichment analysis revealed the association of CCNA2 with the regulation of cell cycle and cellular senescence in PRAD. Mendelian randomization analysis confirmed that monocytes expressing high levels of HLA-DR may promote PRAD. Molecular docking results suggested a strong affinity of CCNA2 for drugs targeting PRAD. Furthermore, immunohistochemistry experiments validated the upregulation of CCNA2 expression in PRAD and its correlation with patient prognosis. Conclusion: Our findings offer new insights into monocyte heterogeneity and its role in PRAD. Furthermore, CCNA2 holds potential as a novel targeted drug for PRAD.

circSORBS1 inhibits lung cancer progression by sponging miR-6779-5p and directly binding RUFY3 mRNA.

Lung cancer is the primary cause of cancer-related death worldwide, and its global incidence and mortality rates remain high. The differential expression of circular RNAs (circRNAs) can affect the development of cancer, but the mechanisms by which circRNAs regulate lung cancer progression remain unclear. In this study, we identified circSORBS1, a circRNA that has not been previously described in lung cancer and is significantly underexpressed in lung cancer tissues, blood and cell lines, and the low expression of circSORBS1 correlated with tumour grade and prognosis. In vitro and in vivo functional experiments revealed that circSORBS1 overexpression inhibited cell proliferation and migration while enhancing apoptosis. Mechanistically, circSORBS1 acts as a sponge for miR-6779-5p, indirectly inhibiting RUFY3 mRNA degradation. Simultaneously, it binds to RUFY3 mRNA to enhance its stability. This dual regulatory mechanism leads to an increase in RUFY3 protein levels, which ultimately activates the YWHAE/BAD/BCL2 apoptotic signalling pathway and suppresses lung cancer progression. Our findings not only increase the knowledge about the regulatory pattern of circRNA expression but also provide new insights into the mechanisms by which circRNAs regulate lung cancer development.

Annual Accumulation of CymMV May Lead to Loss in Production of Asymptomatic Vanilla Propagated by Cuttings.

Vanilla (Vanilla planifolia Andrews) is a valuable orchid spice cultivated for its highly priced beans. Vanilla has been planted in Hainan province of China via cutting propagation for about 40 years. The yield has been decreasing annually for the past ten years due to pod numbers declining significantly even though it seems to grow normally without disease symptoms, while the reason is still unknown. In this study, we found that Cymbidium mosaic virus (CymMV), one of the most devastating viruses causing losses in the vanilla industry, massively presented within the pods and leaves of vanilla plants, so the virus infecting the vanilla seems to be a highly probable hypothesis of the main contributions to low yield via decreasing the number of pods. This represents the first speculation of CymMV possibly affecting the yield of vanilla in China, indicating the important role of virus elimination in restoring high yield in vanilla. This research can also serve as a warning to important economic crops that rely on cuttings for propagation, demonstrating that regular virus elimination is very important for these economically propagated crops through cuttings.

Evaluating the predictive value of angiogenesis-related genes for prognosis and immunotherapy response in prostate adenocarcinoma using machine learning and experimental approaches.

Background: Angiogenesis, the process of forming new blood vessels from pre-existing ones, plays a crucial role in the development and advancement of cancer. Although blocking angiogenesis has shown success in treating different types of solid tumors, its relevance in prostate adenocarcinoma (PRAD) has not been thoroughly investigated. Method: This study utilized the WGCNA method to identify angiogenesis-related genes and assessed their diagnostic and prognostic value in patients with PRAD through cluster analysis. A diagnostic model was constructed using multiple machine learning techniques, while a prognostic model was developed employing the LASSO algorithm, underscoring the relevance of angiogenesis-related genes in PRAD. Further analysis identified MAP7D3 as the most significant prognostic gene among angiogenesis-related genes using multivariate Cox regression analysis and various machine learning algorithms. The study also investigated the correlation between MAP7D3 and immune infiltration as well as drug sensitivity in PRAD. Molecular docking analysis was conducted to assess the binding affinity of MAP7D3 to angiogenic drugs. Immunohistochemistry analysis of 60 PRAD tissue samples confirmed the expression and prognostic value of MAP7D3. Result: Overall, the study identified 10 key angiogenesis-related genes through WGCNA and demonstrated their potential prognostic and immune-related implications in PRAD patients. MAP7D3 is found to be closely associated with the prognosis of PRAD and its response to immunotherapy. Through molecular docking studies, it was revealed that MAP7D3 exhibits a high binding affinity to angiogenic drugs. Furthermore, experimental data confirmed the upregulation of MAP7D3 in PRAD, correlating with a poorer prognosis. Conclusion: Our study confirmed the important role of angiogenesis-related genes in PRAD and identified a new angiogenesis-related target MAP7D3.

A transcribed ultraconserved noncoding RNA, uc.285+, promotes colorectal cancer proliferation through dual targeting of CDC42 by directly binding mRNA and protein.

The transcribed ultraconserved region (T-UCR) belongs to a new type of lncRNAs that are conserved in homologous regions of the rat, mouse and human genomes. A lot of research has reported that differential expression of T-UCRs can influence the development of various cancers, revealing the ability of T-UCRs as new therapeutic targets or potential cancer biomarkers. Most studies on the molecular mechanisms of T-UCRs in cancer have focused on ceRNA regulatory networks and interactions with target proteins, but the present study reveals an innovative dual-targeted regulatory approach in which T-UCRs bind directly to mRNAs and directly to proteins. We screened T-UCRs that may be related to colorectal cancer (CRC) by performing a whole-genome T-UCR gene microarray and further studied the functional mechanism of T-UCR uc.285+ in the development of CRC. Modulation of uc.285+ affected the proliferation of CRC cell lines and influenced the expression of the CDC42 gene. We also found that uc.285+ promoted the proliferation of CRC cells by directly binding to CDC42 mRNA and enhancing its stability while directly binding to CDC42 protein and affecting its stability. In short, our research on the characteristics of cell proliferation found that uc.285+ has a biological function in promoting CRC proliferation. uc.285+ may have considerable potential as a new diagnostic biomarker for CRC.

Microbiome-Metabolomic Analysis Revealed the Immunoprotective Effects of the Extract of Vanilla planifolia Andrew (EVPA) on Immunosuppressed Mice.

This study investigated the immunoprotective effects of the extract of Vanilla planifolia Andrew (EVPA) on cyclophosphamide (Cy)-induced immunosuppression in mice. The results show that EVPA administration significantly alleviated the immune damage induced by Cy, as evidenced by an improved body weight, organ index, and colonic injury. A further analysis of microbial diversity revealed that the EVPA primarily increased the abundance of the beneficial bacteria Verrucomicrobiota, Lactobacillaceae, and Lactobacillus while decreasing Akkermansiaceae, Akkermansia, Romboutsia, and Lactococcus, thereby ameliorating the microbial dysbiosis caused by Cy. A metabolomic analysis revealed significant alterations in the microbial metabolite levels after EVPA treatment, including urobilinogen, formamidopyrimidine nucleoside triphosphate, Cer (d18:1/18:0), pantetheine, and LysoPC (15:0/0:0). These altered metabolites are associated with pathways related to sphingolipid metabolism, carbapenem biosynthesis, pantothenate and CoA biosynthesis, glycerophospholipid metabolism, and porphyrin metabolism. Furthermore, significant correlations were observed between certain microbial groups and the differential metabolites. These findings provide new insights into the immunomodulatory effects of EVPA on the intestinal microbiota and metabolism, laying the foundation for more extensive utilization.

The impact of main Areca Catechu root exudates on soil microbial community structure and function in coffee plantation soils.

Coffee is an important cash crop worldwide, but it has been plagued by serious continuous planting obstacles. Intercropping with Areca catechu could alleviate the continuous planting obstacle of coffee due to the diverse root secretions of Areca catechu. However, the mechanism of Areca catechu root secretion in alleviating coffee continuous planting obstacle is still unclear. The changes of coffee rhizosphere soil microbial compositions and functions were explored by adding simulated root secretions of Areca catechu, the primary intercropping plant species (i.e., amino acids, plant hormone, organic acids, phenolic acids, flavonoids and sugars) in current study. The results showed that the addition of coffee root exudates altered soil physicochemical properties, with significantly increasing the availability of potassium and organic matter contents as well as promoting soil enzyme activity. However, the addition of plant hormone, organic acids, or phenolic acids led to a decrease in the Shannon index of bacterial communities in continuously planted coffee rhizosphere soil (RS-CP). The inclusion of phenolic acids specifically caused the decrease of fungal Shannon index. Plant hormone, flavonoids, phenolic acids, and sugars increased the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria with reduced bacterial pathogens. Flavonoids and organic acids increased the relative abundance of potential fungal pathogen Fusarium. The polyphenol oxidase, dehydrogenase, urease, catalase, and pH were highly linked with bacterial community structure. Moreover, catalase, pH, and soil-available potassium were the main determinants of fungal communities. In conclusion, this study highlight that the addition of plant hormone, phenolic acids, and sugars could enhance enzyme activity, and promote synergistic interactions among microorganisms by enhancing the physicochemical properties of RS-CP, maintaining the soil functions in coffee continuous planting soil, which contribute to alleviate the obstacles associated with continuous coffee cultivation.

Association between occupational stress and mental health of nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional research.

AIM: This study is aimed to explore the association between the occupational stress and mental health among Chinese nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. METHODS: There were 2913 nurse participants enrolled in the study. Demographic characteristics and other data were measured by a self-reported questionnaire. Occupational stress was measured by using the effort-reward imbalance (ERI) questionnaire. Mental health was measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and the General Anxiety Disorder-7. RESULTS: Among the participants, 14.32% (417) experienced ERI; 8.1% (237) and 7.2% (210) reported depressive and anxiety symptoms, respectively. Compared with a reference group at the lowest quartile of the ERI, participants in the highest quartile had an adjusted odds ratio (OR) (95% CI) of 11.17 (4.42, 28.25) for incident depressive symptoms. For anxiety symptoms, the OR and 95% CI was 2.28 (1.21, 4.29). The ERI was shown to have a detrimental effect on mental health, especially depressive symptoms.

Oceanic repeaters boost the global climatic impact of the Tibetan Plateau.

The topography of the Tibetan Plateau (TP) has shaped the paleoclimatic evolution of the Asian monsoon. However, the influence of the TP on the global climate, beyond the domain of the Asian monsoon, remains unclear. Here we show that the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans act as efficient repeaters that boost the global climatic impact of the TP. The simulations demonstrate that oceanic repeaters enable TP heating to induce a wide-ranging climate response across the globe. A 1 °C TP warming can result in a 0.73 °C temperature increase over North America. Oceanic repeaters exert their influence by enhancing the air-sea interaction-mediated horizontal heat and moisture transport, as well as relevant atmospheric circulation pathways including westerlies, stationary waves, and zonal-vertical cells. Air-sea interactions were further tied to local feedbacks, mainly the decreased air-sea latent heat flux from the weakening air-sea humidity difference and the increased shortwave radiation from sinking motion-induced cloud reduction over the North Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Our findings highlight the crucial influence of TP heating variation on the current climate under a quasi-fixed topography, in contrast to topography change previously studied in paleoclimate evolution. Therefore, TP heating should be considered in research on global climate change.

Association between long working hours and mental health among nurses in China under COVID-19 pandemic: based on a large cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: Nurses were more likely to experience mental disorders due to long working hours and irregular schedules. However, studies addressing this issue are scarce; therefore, we aimed to investigate the association between long working hours and mental health in Chinese nurses during the coronavirus disease pandemic. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 2,811 nurses at a tertiary hospital in China from March to April 2022. We collected data on demographic, psychological characteristics, dietary habits, life, and work-related factors using a self-reported questionnaire and measured mental health using Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and General Anxiety Disorder-7. Binary logistic regression to determine adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: The effective response rates were 81.48%, 7.80% (219), and 6.70% (189) of the respondents who reported depression and anxiety, respectively. We categorized the weekly working hours by quartiles. Compared with the lowest quartile, the odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals across the quartiles for depression after adjustment were 0.98 (0.69, 1.40), 10.58 (2.78, 40.32), and 1.79 (0.81, 3.97) respectively, the P for trend was 0.002. The odds ratios across the quartiles for anxiety after adjustment were 0.87 (0.59, 1.30), 8.69 (2.13, 35.46), and 2.67 (1.26, 5.62), respectively, and the P for trend was 0.008. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that extended working hours increased the risk of mental disorders among nurses during the coronavirus disease pandemic, particularly in those who worked more than 60 h per week. These findings enrich the literature on mental disorders and demonstrate a critical need for additional studies investigating intervention strategies.

Effects of coffee pericarp and litter mulsching on soil microbiomes diversity and functions in a tropical coffee plantation, South China.

In recent decades, ecological cyclic cultivation models have attracted increasing attention, primarily because the decomposition of crop residues and litter enhances soil organic matter content, thereby altering the soil microenvironment and regulating the diversity and functions of soil microbial communities. However, the effects of different coffee waste mulching on the diversity of soil microbial communities and their functions are still unclear. Therefore, this study set up four kinds of covering treatments: uncovered coffee waste (C), covered coffee litter (L), covered coffee pericarp (P), and both covered coffee litter and pericarp (PL). The results showed that compared to the control, coffee pericarp mulching significantly increased the soil available potassium (SAK) content by 18.45% and alkali hydrolyzed N (SAN) content by 17.29%. Furthermore, coffee pericarp mulching significantly increased bacterial richness and diversity by 7.75 and 2.79%, respectively, while litter mulching had little effect on bacterial abundance and diversity was smaller. The pericarp mulching significantly increased the abundance of Proteus by 22.35% and the abundance of Chlamydomonas by 80.04%, but significantly decreased the abundance of Cyanobacteria by 68.38%, while the coffee litter mulching significantly increased the abundance of Chlamydomonas by 48.28%, but significantly decreased the abundance of Cyanobacteria by 73.98%. The increase in soil SAK promoted bacterial Anoxygenic_photoautotrophy, Nitrogen_respiration, Nitrate_respiration, Nitrite_respiration, and Denitrification functions. The above results indicate that the increase in available soil potassium and alkali hydrolyzed N content under coffee pericarp cover is the main reason for promoting the diversity and richness of bacterial community and promoting the changes in bacterial community structure and function. The use of coffee pericarps in coffee plantations for ecological recycling helps to improve the diversity of the soil microbial community and maintain the relative stability of the microbial community structure and function, promoting soil health conservation and the sustainable development of related industries.

Characteristics of soil microbiota and organic carbon distribution in jackfruit plantation under different fertilization regimes.

Manure amendment to improve soil organic carbon (SOC) content is an important strategy to sustain ecosystem health and crop production. Here, we utilize an 8-year field experiment to evaluate the impacts of organic and chemical fertilizers on SOC and its labile fractions as well as soil microbial and nematode communities in different soil depths of jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.). Three treatments were designed in this study, including control with no amendment (CK), organic manure (OM), and chemical fertilizer (CF). Results showed that OM significantly increased the abundance of total nematodes, bacterivores, bacteria, and fungi as well as the value of nematode channel ratio (NCR) and maturity index (MI), but decreased plant-parasites and Shannon diversity (H'). Soil microbial and nematode communities in three soil depths were significantly altered by fertilizer application. Acidobacteria and Chloroflexi dominated the bacterial communities of OM soil, while Nitrospira was more prevalent in CF treatment. Organic manure application stimulated some functional groups of the bacterial community related to the C cycle and saprotroph-symbiotroph fungi, while some groups related to the nitrogen cycle, pathotroph-saprotroph-symbiotroph and pathotroph-saprotroph fungi were predominated in CF treatment. Furthermore, OM enhanced the soil pH, contents of total soil N, P, K, and SOC components, as well as jackfruit yield. Chemical fertilizers significantly affected available N, P, and K contents. The results of network analyses show that more significant co-occurrence relationships between SOC components and nematode feeding groups were found in CK and CF treatments. In contrast, SOC components were more related to microbial communities than to nematode in OM soils. Partial least-squares-path modeling (PLS-PM) revealed that fertilization had significant effects on jackfruit yield, which was composed of positive direct (73.6%) and indirect effects (fertilization → fungal community → yield). It was found that the long-term manure application strategy improves soil quality by increasing SOM, pH, and nutrient contents, and the increased microbivorous nematodes abundance enhanced the grazing pressure on microorganisms and concurrently promoted microbial-derived SOC turnover.

Associations between Lifestyle Changes, Risk Perception and Anxiety during COVID-19 Lockdowns: A Case Study in Xi'an.

The outbreak of COVID-19 dramatically changed individuals' lifestyles, which in turn triggered psychological stress and anxiety. Many previous studies have discussed the relationships between lifestyle changes and anxiety and risk perception and anxiety independently. However, few papers have discussed these factors in a comprehensive and systematic manner. We established a six-dimensional system to assess changes in individuals' lifestyles, which include dietary habits, physical activity (PA), sleep, screen time, smoking and alcohol consumption, and interaction with neighbors. Then, we collected information relating to socio-demographics, lifestyle changes, risk perception, and anxiety, and discussed their associations using multilinear and stepwise logistic regressions. The results show that not all lifestyle changes had an influence on anxiety. Changes in PA and interaction with neighbors were not significantly associated with anxiety. Risk perception was found to be inversely related to anxiety. Changes in dietary habits, family harmony, and net income were negatively related to anxiety among the group with higher risk perception. As individuals perceived a higher severity of COVID-19, the impact of their financial status on anxiety increased. These findings provide a valuable resource for local governments seeking to refine their pandemic strategies by including approaches such as advocating healthy lifestyles and stabilizing the job market to improve individuals' mental health during lockdowns.

Regulation of Chloroplast ATP Synthase Modulates Photoprotection in the CAM Plant Vanilla planifolia.

Generally, regulation of cyclic electron flow (CEF) and chloroplast ATP synthase play key roles in photoprotection for photosystems I and II (PSI and PSII) in C3 and C4 plants, especially when CO2 assimilation is restricted. However, how CAM plants protect PSI and PSII when CO2 assimilation is restricted is largely known. In the present study, we measured PSI, PSII, and electrochromic shift signals in the CAM plant Vanilla planifolia. The quantum yields of PSI and PSII photochemistry largely decreased in the afternoon compared to in the morning, indicating that CO2 assimilation was strongly restricted in the afternoon. Meanwhile, non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) in PSII and the donor side limitation of PSI (Y(ND)) significantly increased to protect PSI and PSII. Under such conditions, proton gradient (∆pH) across the thylakoid membranes largely increased and CEF was slightly stimulated, indicating that the increased ∆pH was not caused by the regulation of CEF. In contrast, the activity of chloroplast ATP synthase (gH+) largely decreased in the afternoon. At a given proton flux, the decreasing gH+ increased ∆pH and thus contributed to the enhancement of NPQ and Y(ND). Therefore, in the CAM plant V. planifolia, the ∆pH-dependent photoprotective mechanism is mainly regulated by the regulation of gH+ rather than CEF when CO2 assimilation is restricted.

Life Cycle Assessment of Construction and Demolition Waste from Railway Engineering Projects.

Railway engineering generates large amounts of construction and demolition waste (CDW). To quantify the amount of CDW generated from railway engineering projects throughout the whole life cycle, a process-based life cycle assessment model is proposed in this paper. The life-cycle CDW is divided into four parts: CDW from off-site transportation of construction materials (OSTCM), CDW from site operation wastage of construction materials (SOWCM), discard ballast from roadbeds, stationyard, bridges and tunnels (DB), and CDW from reparation and renewal of aging components (RRAC). Yun-Gui Railway is selected as a case study to validate the developed model, and an uncertainty analysis is conducted with Oracle Crystal Ball software. The results show that between 175 and 311 million tons of CDW is generated throughout the whole life cycle of Yun-Gui Railway. DB is the largest component of the life-cycle CDW from railway engineering projects. This indicates the negative environmental impacts of railway construction can be significantly mitigated by optimizing the location of ballast disposal sites and developing suitable landfill proposals. Also, the CDW generated by wastage of construction materials during off-site construction and site operation is important in waste management in railway engineering projects, in which rubble, sand, and cement have the high potential for waste reduction. Findings from this study can contribute to the knowledge body as well as the engineering practice in green railways.

A heme-regulatable chemodynamic nanodrug harnessing transcription factor Bach1 against lung cancer metastasis.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a type of cancer dominated by metastasis-induced death. The transcription factor BTB and CNC homology 1 (Bach1) regulates almost all metastasis steps by activating the transcription of critical metastatic genes. It is urgent to engineer a nanodrug enabling regulation of Bach1 against tumor metastasis. Herein, a minimalist nanodrug integrating chemodynamic therapy (CDT) and Bach1 degradation was reported to prevent metastasis of NSCLC. The nanodrug was achieved by self-assembly of ferrocene (Fc) and Tin protoporphyrin IX (TinPPIX). In our nanodrug, Fc not only triggers the production of highly cytotoxic ∙OH for tumor ablation via Fenton reaction, but also induces heme release from heme-containing proteins to stimulate Bach 1 degradation. Moreover, TinPPIX further augments the free heme level along with amplifies the CDT efficacy by disabling heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1)-mediated heme conversion into antioxidative bilirubin. The results showed that, compared with control group, TinPPIX/Fc nanodrug caused a four-fold increase in heme level, which triggered remarkable Bach1 degradation in Fbxo22-mediated manner and successfully inhibited Bach1-dominated metastasis. Therefore, this nanodrug could powerfully impeded NSCLC progression and metastasis, offering an innovative heme-regulatable chemodynamic therapeutic approach for lung cancer with strong metastasis capability.

5f Covalency Synergistically Boosting Oxygen Evolution of UCoO4 Catalyst.

Electronic structure modulation among multiple metal sites is key to the design of efficient catalysts. Most studies have focused on regulating 3d transition-metal active ions through other d-block metals, while few have utilized f-block metals. Herein, we report a new class of catalyst, namely, UCoO4 with alternative CoO6 and 5f-related UO6 octahedra, as a unique example of a 5f-covalent compound that exhibits enhanced electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity because of the presence of the U 5f-O 2p-Co 3d network. UCoO4 exhibits a low overpotential of 250 mV at 10 mA cm-2, surpassing other unitary cobalt-based catalysts ever reported. X-ray absorption spectroscopy revealed that the Co2+ ion in pristine UCoO4 was converted to high-valence Co3+/4+, while U6+ remained unchanged during the OER, indicating that only Co was the active site. Density functional theory calculations demonstrated that the OER activity of Co3+/4+ was synergistically enhanced by the covalent bonding of U6+-5f in the U 5f-O 2p-Co 3d network. This study opens new avenues for the realization of electronic structure manipulation via unique 5f involvement.

Awn Stem-Derived High-Activity Free-Metal Porous Carbon for Oxidation Reduction.

Designing oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts with excellent performance has far-reaching significance. In this work, a high-activity biomass free-metal carbon catalyst with N and S co-doped was successfully prepared by using the KOH activated awn stem powder as the precursor with organic matter pore-forming doping technology, which is named TAAS. The content of pyridine nitrogen groups accounts for up to 36% of the total nitrogen content, and a rich pore structure is formed on the surface and inside, which are considered as the potential active centers of ORR. The results show that the specific surface area of TAAS reaches 191.04 m2/g, which effectively increases the active sites of the catalyst, and the initial potential and half slope potential are as high as 0.90 and 0.76 V vs. RHE, respectively. This study provides a low-cost, environmentally friendly and feasible strategy for the conversion of low-value agricultural and forestry wastes into high value-added products to promote sustainable development of energy and the environment.

The prevalence and risk factors for anxiety in frontline nurses under COVID-19 pandemic based on a large cross-sectional study using the propensity score-matched method

ABSTRACT Introduction: We determined the prevalence of anxiety and the associated risk factors in frontline nurses under COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from February 20, 2020, to March 20, 2020, and involved 562 frontline nurses. The effective response rate was 87.68%. After propensity score matched, there were 532 participants left. Extensive characteristics, including demographics, dietary habits, life-related factors, work-related factors, and psychological factors were collected based on a self-reported questionnaire. Specific scales measured the levels of sleep quality, physical activity, anxiety, perceived organization support and psychological capital. Adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were determined by binary paired logistic regression. Results: Of the nurses enrolled in the study, 33.60% had anxiety. Five independent risk factors were identified for anxiety: poor sleep quality (OR=1.235), experienced major events (OR=1.653), lower resilience and optimism of psychological capital (OR=0.906, and OR=0.909) and no visiting friend constantly (OR=0.629). Conclusions: This study revealed a considerable high prevalence of anxiety in frontline nurses during the COVID-19 outbreak, and identified five risk factors, which were poor sleep quality, experienced major events, lower resilience and optimism of psychological capital, and no visiting friend constantly. Protecting mental health of nurses is important for COVID-19 pandemic control and their wellbeing. These findings enrich the existing theoretical model of anxiety and demonstrated a critical need for additional strategies that could address the mental health in frontline nurses for policymakers.

Novel WS2 /Fe0.95 S1.05 Hierarchical Nanosphere as a Highly Efficient Electrocatalyst for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction.

Fe0.95 S1.05 with high reactivity and stability was incorporated into WS2 nanosheets via a one-step solvothermal method for the first time. The resulted hybrid catalyst has much higher catalytic activity than WS2 and Fe0.95 S1.05 alone, and the optimal WS2 /Fe0.95 S1.05 hybrid catalyst was found by adjusting the feed ratio. The addition of Fe0.95 S1.05 was proven to be able to enhance the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity of WS2 , and vice versa. At the same time, it was found that the catalytic effect of the hybrid catalyst was the best when the feed ratio was W : Fe=2 : 1. In other words, we confirmed that there is a synergistic effect between W- and Fe-based sulfide hybrid catalysts, and validated that the reason for the improved HER performance is the strong interaction between the two in the middle sulfur. WS2 /Fe0.95 S1.05 -2 hybrid catalyst leads to enhanced HER activity, which shows a low overpotential of ∼0.172 V at 10 mA cm-2 , low Tafel slope of ∼53.47 mV/decade. This study supplies innovative synthesis of a highly active WS2 /Fe0.95 S1.05 hybrid catalyst for HER.