Investigation molecular structure of anticancer drug with topological indices.

A crucial consideration in examining the physicochemical characteristics of chemical compound structures is topological indices. In addition, topological indices will serve as a description of a molecule under test by translating each molecule's structure into a real number. In this paper, we calculate topological indices [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] for anticancer drugs, where da is the degree of vertex a in graph G and 0≠α,ß∈R. By choosing of parameters α and ß, some of new/old results for topological indices are obtained. The results of this study may assist to chemists in identifying the chemical, physical and biological activity associated with them.

AutoCancer as an automated multimodal framework for early cancer detection.

Current studies in early cancer detection based on liquid biopsy data often rely on off-the-shelf models and face challenges with heterogeneous data, as well as manually designed data preprocessing pipelines with different parameter settings. To address those challenges, we present AutoCancer, an automated, multimodal, and interpretable transformer-based framework. This framework integrates feature selection, neural architecture search, and hyperparameter optimization into a unified optimization problem with Bayesian optimization. Comprehensive experiments demonstrate that AutoCancer achieves accurate performance in specific cancer types and pan-cancer analysis, outperforming existing methods across three cohorts. We further demonstrated the interpretability of AutoCancer by identifying key gene mutations associated with non-small cell lung cancer to pinpoint crucial factors at different stages and subtypes. The robustness of AutoCancer, coupled with its strong interpretability, underscores its potential for clinical applications in early cancer detection.

Therapeutic effect of Nepenthes kampotiana Lecomte ethanol extract (Nk-EE) on androgenic alopecia through the inhibition of apoptosis and 5α-reductase activity.

There is increasing interest in hair loss treatment because a growing number of people affected. Nepenthes kampotiana Lecomte is known for its anticancer effects, but its potential for preventing hair loss has not been researched. Therefore, this study focused on the hair loss prevention effects of N. kampotiana Lecomte ethanol extract (Nk-EE). The results showed that Nk-EE had a proliferative effect on human follicle dermal papilla cells and inhibited cell death. In vivo experiments using androgenic areata models showed that Nk-EE had a positive effect on a variety of biomarkers such as hair-to-skin ratio, hair type frequency, and hair thickness. The results of this study suggest that Nk-EE has potential as an effective treatment for androgenic alopecia.

Transcriptome analysis of Pennisetum americanum × Pennisetum purpureum and Pennisetum americanum leaves in response to high-phosphorus stress.

Excessive phosphorus (P) levels can disrupt nutrient balance in plants, adversely affecting growth. The molecular responses of Pennisetum species to high phosphorus stress remain poorly understood. This study examined two Pennisetum species, Pennisetum americanum × Pennisetum purpureum and Pennisetum americanum, under varying P concentrations (200, 600 and 1000 µmol·L- 1 KH2PO4) to elucidate transcriptomic alterations under high-P conditions. Our findings revealed that P. americanum exhibited stronger adaption to high-P stress compared to P. americanum× P. purpureum. Both species showed an increase in plant height and leaf P content under elevated P levels, with P. americanum demonstrating greater height and higher P content than P. americanum× P. purpureum. Transcriptomic analysis identified significant up- and down-regulation of key genes (e.g. SAUR, GH3, AHP, PIF4, PYL, GST, GPX, GSR, CAT, SOD1, CHS, ANR, P5CS and PsbO) involved in plant hormone signal transduction, glutathione metabolism, peroxisomes, flavonoid biosynthesis, amino acid biosynthesis and photosynthesis pathways. Compared with P. americanum× P. purpureum, P. americanum has more key genes in the KEGG pathway, and some genes have higher expression levels. These results contribute valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms governing high-P stress in Pennisetum species and offer implications for broader plant stress research.

Transportation engineering for enhanced production of plant natural products in microbial cell factories.

Plant natural products (PNPs) exhibit a wide range of biological activities and have essential applications in various fields such as medicine, agriculture, and flavors. Given their natural limitations, the production of high-value PNPs using microbial cell factories has become an effective alternative in recent years. However, host metabolic burden caused by its massive accumulation has become one of the main challenges for efficient PNP production. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen the transmembrane transport process of PNPs. This review introduces the discovery and mining of PNP transporters to directly mediate PNP transmembrane transportation both intracellularly and extracellularly. In addition to transporter engineering, this review also summarizes several auxiliary strategies (such as small molecules, environmental changes, and vesicles assisted transport) for strengthening PNP transportation. Finally, this review is concluded with the applications and future perspectives of transportation engineering in the construction and optimization of PNP microbial cell factories.

Novel L-(CaP-ZnP)/SA Nanocomposite Hydrogel with Dual Anti-Inflammatory and Mineralization Effects for Efficient Vital Pulp Therapy.

Background: Vital pulp therapy (VPT) is considered a conservative treatment for preserving pulp viability in caries and trauma-induced pulpitis. However, Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) as the most frequently used repair material, exhibits limited efficacy under inflammatory conditions. This study introduces an innovative nanocomposite hydrogel, tailored to simultaneously target anti-inflammation and dentin mineralization, aiming to efficiently preserve vital pulp tissue. Methods: The L-(CaP-ZnP)/SA nanocomposite hydrogel was designed by combining L-Arginine modified calcium phosphate/zinc phosphate nanoparticles (L-(CaP-ZnP) NPs) with sodium alginate (SA), and was characterized with TEM, SEM, FTIR, EDX, ICP-AES, and Zeta potential. In vitro, we evaluated the cytotoxicity and anti-inflammatory properties. Human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) were cultured with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to induce an inflammatory response, and the cell odontogenic differentiation was measured and possible signaling pathways were explored by alkaline phosphatase (ALP)/alizarin red S (ARS) staining, qRT-PCR, immunofluorescence staining, and Western blotting, respectively. In vivo, a pulpitis model was utilized to explore the potential of the L-(CaP-ZnP)/SA nanocomposite hydrogel in controlling pulp inflammation and enhancing dentin mineralization by Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining and immunohistochemistry staining. Results: In vitro experiments revealed that the nanocomposite hydrogel was synthesized successfully and presented desirable biocompatibility. Under inflammatory conditions, compared to MTA, the L-(CaP-ZnP)/SA nanocomposite hydrogel demonstrated superior anti-inflammatory and pro-odontogenesis effects. Furthermore, the nanocomposite hydrogel significantly augmented p38 phosphorylation, implicating the involvement of the p38 signaling pathway in pulp repair. Significantly, in a rat pulpitis model, the L-(CaP-ZnP)/SA nanocomposite hydrogel downregulated inflammatory markers while upregulating mineralization-related markers, thereby stimulating the formation of robust reparative dentin. Conclusion: The L-(CaP-ZnP)/SA nanocomposite hydrogel with good biocompatibility efficiently promoted inflammation resolution and enhanced dentin mineralization by activating p38 signal pathway, as a pulp-capping material, offering a promising and advanced solution for treatment of pulpitis.

Pantothenate-encapsulated liposomes combined with exercise for effective inhibition of CRM1-mediated PKM2 translocation in Alzheimer's therapy.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a complex neurodegenerative condition characterized by metabolic imbalances and neuroinflammation, posing a formidable challenge in medicine due to the lack of effective treatments. Despite considerable research efforts, a cure for AD remains elusive, with current therapies primarily focused on symptom management rather than addressing the disease's underlying causes. This study initially discerned, through Mendelian randomization analysis that elevating pantothenate levels significantly contributes to the prophylaxis of Alzheimer's disease. We explore the therapeutic potential of pantothenate encapsulated in liposomes (Pan@TRF@Liposome NPs), targeting the modulation of CRM1-mediated PKM2 nuclear translocation, a critical mechanism in AD pathology. Additionally, we investigate the synergistic effects of exercise, proposing a combined approach to AD treatment. Exercise-induced metabolic alterations share significant similarities with those associated with dementia, suggesting a potential complementary effect. The Pan@TRF@Liposome NPs exhibit notable biocompatibility, showing no liver or kidney toxicity in vivo, while demonstrating stability and effectiveness in modulating CRM1-mediated PKM2 nuclear translocation, thereby reducing neuroinflammation and neuronal apoptosis. The combined treatment of exercise and Pan@TRF@Liposome NP administration in an AD animal model leads to improved neurofunctional outcomes and cognitive performance. These findings highlight the nanoparticles' role as effective modulators of CRM1-mediated PKM2 nuclear translocation, with significant implications for mitigating neuroinflammation and neuronal apoptosis. Together with exercise, this dual-modality approach could offer new avenues for enhancing cognitive performance and neurofunctional outcomes in AD, marking a promising step forward in developing treatment strategies for this challenging disorder.

Synthesis and antiproliferative activity of CBD aromatic ester derivatives.

This study involved the synthesis of a series of novel cannabidiol (CBD) aromatic ester derivatives, including CBD-8,12-diaromaticester derivatives (compounds 2a-2t) and CBD-8,12-diacetyl-21-aromaticester derivatives (compound 5a-5c). The antiproliferative activities of these compounds against human liver cancer cell lines HePG2 and HeP3B as well as human pancreatic cancer cell lines ASPC-1 and BXPC-3 were evaluated in vitro using the CCK-8 assay. The results indicated that compound 2f exhibited an IC50 value of 2.75 µM against HePG2, which is 5.32-fold higher than that of CBD. Additionally, compounds 2b and 5b demonstrated varying degrees of improved anticancer activity (IC50 5.95-9.21 µM) against HePG2.

A Nanoreactor Based on Metal-Organic Frameworks With Triple Synergistic Therapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

The transformation of monotherapy into multimodal combined targeted therapy to fully exploit synergistic efficacy is of increasing interest in tumor treatment. In this work, a novel nanodrug-carrying platform based on iron-based MOFs, which is loaded with doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX), dihydroartemisinin (DHA), and glucose oxidase (GOx), and concurrently covalently linked to the photosensitizer 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin (TCPP) in polydopamine (PDA)-encapsulated MIL-101(Fe) (denoted as MIL-101(Fe)-DOX-DHA@TCPP/GOx@PDA, MDDTG@P), is successfully developed. Upon entering the tumor microenvironment, MDDTG@P catalyzes the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) into hydroxyl radicals (·OH) and depletes glutathione (GSH); thus, exerting the role of chemodynamic therapy (CDT). The reduced Fe2+ can also activate DHA, further expanding CDT and promoting tumor cell apoptosis. The introduced GOx will rapidly consume glucose and oxygen (O2) in the tumor; while, replenishing H2O2 for Fenton reaction, starving the cancer cells; and thus, realizing starvation and chemodynamic therapy. In addition, the covalent linkage of TCPP endows MDDTG@P with good photodynamic therapeutic (PDT) properties. Therefore, this study develops a nanocarrier platform for triple synergistic chemodynamic/photodynamic/starvation therapy, which has promising applications in the efficient treatment of tumors.

Unequal Health Burden from Air Pollution among Minors in Education.

Air pollution exposure has been linked to a variety of adverse health outcomes among minors; yet little is known about the associated health inequity across regions and schools. Here, we assessed the unequal health burden linked to particulate matter exposure among minors of 10,358 schools in China through 12,439,232 individual health records. Our findings highlight the persistent health risks with superlinear concentration-response patterns and following inverted U-shaped risk trends, that each 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 exposure resulted in 4.1% (3.9-4.2%) additional school absenteeism risk. Compared to urban well-built schools, minors in rural poor-built schools experienced significantly higher exposure and slower rate of risk reduction and had over 80.0% less medical resources while bearing 145.2% of the health burden. Disparities in pollution exposure, built environment, and resource allocation are intertwined to shape the health inequity pattern, especially between rural and urban schools. These findings underscore the urgency for persistent efforts aimed at disadvantaged schools to reduce pollution exposure and equitably distribute social resources, ultimately securing an impartial health-centered education for minors.

PEDF-34 attenuates neurological deficit and suppresses astrocyte-dependent neuroinflammation by modulating astrocyte polarization via 67LR/JNK/STAT1 signaling pathway after subarachnoid hemorrhage in rats.

BACKGROUND: Reactive astrocytes participate in various pathophysiology after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), including neuroinflammation, glymphatic-lymphatic system dysfunction, brain edema, BBB disruption, and cell death. Astrocytes transform into two new reactive phenotypes with changed morphology, altered gene expression, and secretion profiles, termed detrimental A1 and beneficial A2. This study investigates the effect of 67LR activation by PEDF-34, a PEDF peptide, on neuroinflammation and astrocyte polarization after the experimental SAH. METHODS: A total of 318 male adult Sprague-Dawley rats were used in experiments in vivo, of which 272 rats were subjected to the endovascular perforation model of SAH and 46 rats underwent sham surgery. 67LR agonist (PEDF-34) was administrated intranasally 1 h after SAH. 67LR-specific inhibitor (NSC-47924) and STAT1 transcriptional activator (2-NP) were injected intracerebroventricularly 48 h before SAH. Short- and long-term neurological tests, brain water content, immunostaining, Nissl staining, western blot, and ELISA assay were performed. In experiments in vitro, primary astrocyte culture with hemoglobin (Hb) stimulation was used to mimic SAH. The expression of the PEDF-34/67LR signaling pathway and neuro-inflammatory cytokines were assessed using Western blot, ELISA, and immunohistochemistry assays both in vivo and in vitro. RESULTS: Endogenous PEDF and 67LR expressions were significantly reduced at 6 h after SAH. 67LR was expressed in astrocytes and neurons. Intranasal administration of PEDF-34 significantly reduced brain water content, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and short-term and long-term neurological deficits after SAH. The ratio of p-JNK/JNK and p-STAT1/STAT1 and the expression of CFB and C3 (A1 astrocytes marker), significantly decreased after PEDF-34 treatment, along with fewer expression of TNF-α and IL-1ß at 24 h after SAH. However, 2-NP (STAT1 transcriptional activator) and NSC-47924 (67LR inhibitor) reversed the protective effects of PEDF-34 in vivo and in vitro by promoting A1 astrocyte polarization with increased inflammatory cytokines. CONCLUSION: PEDF-34 activated 67LR, attenuating neuroinflammation and inhibiting astrocyte A1 polarization partly via the JNK/STAT1 pathway, suggesting that PEDF-34 might be a potential treatment for SAH patients.

High thermodynamical sensitivity of CO2 emissions from a large oligotrophic-hardwater lake (Nam Co) on the Tibetan Plateau.

The Tibetan Plateau (TP) has the world's largest distribution of high-alpine and saline (generally hardwater) lakes, which are expected to affect regional carbon cycling profoundly. However, the variability, and especially underlying factors controlling CO2 dynamics, across widespread hardwater lakes is poorly understood on the TP. Here, we present year-round records of surface water pCO2 from a representative hardwater lake (Nam Co) on the TP, and analyze relationships between ambient variables and pCO2 during open water (i.e., ice-free) and ice-covered months. Surface pCO2 (233.3 µatm on average) was a little oversaturated to atmosphere (219 µatm on average) during the open water season. As a CO2 source, Nam Co emitted 8.73 ± 1.06 Gg C annually, but this flux only accounted for 0.53 ± 0.06 ‰ of its total dissolved inorganic carbon pool (1.64 × 1013 g C). Regression results indicate that, during open water months, both seasonal and diurnal varying patterns of surface pCO2 were influenced predominantly by water temperature, in a quasi-marine mode, by controlling gas solubility and dissolved carbonate equilibria. Therefore, CO2 evasion was elevated during summer months, despite the lake being autotrophic (i.e., CO2 consumption via photosynthesis). By contrast, during ice-covered months the surface pCO2 was strongly related to under-ice thermodynamics, and declined nonlinear with increased inversed stratification. In the hypolimnion, as a result of extremely weak metabolism (as indicated by low dissolved oxygen depletion rates) and a combined high carbonate buffering effect, accumulation of CO2 was negligible, leading to an absence of peak effluxes of CO2 during turnover periods, compared to eutrophic freshwater lakes. We argue that, under future global warming scenarios, consideration of the impact of gradually warming lake water on thermodynamics and dissolved carbonate equilibria are vital in order to understand the future CO2 dynamics of these widespread high-altitude oligotrophic-hardwater lakes situated across the TP.

Experimental and DFT calculation study on the efficient removal of high fluoride wastewater from metallurgical wastewater by kaolinite.

Fluoride pollution and water scarcity are urgent issues. Reducing fluoride concentration in water is crucial. Kaolinite has been used to study adsorption and fluoride removal in water and to characterize material properties. The experimental results showed that the adsorption capacity of kaolinite decreased with increasing pH. The highest adsorption of fluoride occurred at pH 2, with a capacity of 11.1 mg/g. The fluoride removal efficiency remained high after four regeneration cycles. The fitting results with the Freundlich isotherm model and the external diffusion model showed that the non-homogeneous adsorption of kaolinite fit the adsorption behavior better. Finally, the adsorption mechanism was analyzed by FT-IR and XPS. The binding energies of various adsorption sites and the chemical adsorption properties of atomic states were discussed in relation to DFT calculations. The results showed that Al and H sites were the main binding sites, and the bonding stability for different forms of fluoride varies, with the size of Al-F (-7.498 eV) > H-F (-6.04 eV) > H-HF (-3.439 eV) > Al-HF (-3.283 eV). Furthermore, the density of states and Mulliken charge distribution revealed that the 2p orbital of F was found to be active in the adsorption process and was the main orbital for charge transfer.

Glutamine maintains the stability of alveolar structure and function after lung transplantation by inhibiting autophagy.

Excessive autophagy may lead to degradation and damage of alveolar epithelial cells after lung transplantation, eventually leading to alveolar epithelial cell loss, affecting the structural integrity and function of alveoli. Glutamine (Gln), a nutritional supplement, regulates autophagy through multiple signaling pathways. In this study, we explored the protective role of Gln on alveolar epithelial cells by inhibiting autophagy. In vivo, a rat orthotopic lung transplant model was carried out to evaluate the therapeutic effect of glutamine. Ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) induced alveolar collapse, edema, epithelial cell apoptosis, and inflammation, which led to a reduction of alveolar physiological function, such as an increase in peak airway pressure, and a decrease in lung compliance and oxygenation index. In comparison, Gln preserved alveolar structure and function by reducing alveolar apoptosis, inflammation, and edema. In vitro, a hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) cell model was performed to simulate IR injury on mouse lung epithelial (MLE) cells and human lung bronchus epithelial (Beas-2B) cells. H/R impaired the proliferation of epithelial cells and triggered cell apoptosis. In contrast, Gln normalized cell proliferation and suppressed I/R-induced cell apoptosis. The activation of mTOR and the downregulation of autophagy-related proteins (LC3, Atg5, Beclin1) were observed in Gln-treated lung tissues and alveolar epithelial cells. Both in vivo and in vitro, rapamycin, a classical mTOR inhibitor, reversed the beneficial effects of Gln on alveolar structure and function. Taken together, Glnpreserved alveolar structure and function after lung transplantation by inhibiting autophagy.

Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate Receptors Regulate Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Proliferation and Neointima Formation in Mice.

BACKGROUND: Vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation is involved in many types of arterial diseases, including neointima hyperplasia, in which Ca2+ has been recognized as a key player. However, the physiological role of Ca2+ release via inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors (IP3Rs) from endoplasmic reticulum in regulating VSMC proliferation has not been well determined. METHODS AND RESULTS: Both in vitro cell culture models and in vivo mouse models were generated to investigate the role of IP3Rs in regulating VSMC proliferation. Expression of all 3 IP3R subtypes was increased in cultured VSMCs upon platelet-derived growth factor-BB and FBS stimulation as well as in the left carotid artery undergoing intimal thickening after vascular occlusion. Genetic ablation of all 3 IP3R subtypes abolished endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ release in cultured VSMCs, significantly reduced cell proliferation induced by platelet-derived growth factor-BB and FBS stimulation, and also decreased cell migration of VSMCs. Furthermore, smooth muscle-specific deletion of all IP3R subtypes in adult mice dramatically attenuated neointima formation induced by left carotid artery ligation, accompanied by significant decreases in cell proliferation and matrix metalloproteinase-9 expression in injured vessels. Mechanistically, IP3R-mediated Ca2+ release may activate cAMP response element-binding protein, a key player in controlling VSMC proliferation, via Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II and Akt. Loss of IP3Rs suppressed cAMP response element-binding protein phosphorylation at Ser133 in both cultured VSMCs and injured vessels, whereas application of Ca2+ permeable ionophore, ionomycin, can reverse cAMP response element-binding protein phosphorylation in IP3R triple knockout VSMCs. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrated an essential role of IP3R-mediated Ca2+ release from endoplasmic reticulum in regulating cAMP response element-binding protein activation, VSMC proliferation, and neointima formation in mouse arteries.

Fulfilling moral duty or prioritizing moral image? The moral self-regulatory consequences of ethical voice.

Previous research on the consequences of ethical voice has largely focused on the performance or social relational consequences of ethical voice on multiple organizational stakeholders. The present research provides an important extension to the ethical voice literature by investigating the distinct intrapersonal and interpersonal moral self-regulatory processes that shape ethical voicers' own psychological experiences and their subsequent purposeful efforts to maintain a positive sense of moral self. On one hand, we argue that ethical voice heightens voicers' sense of responsibility over ethical matters at work (i.e., moral ownership), which motivates them to refrain from violating moral norms (i.e., disengaging from unethical behaviors). On the contrary, we argue that ethical voice generates psychological pressure for voicers as they become anxious about preserving their moral social image (i.e., moral reputation maintenance concerns), which motivates them to signal their moral character to others through symbolic acts (i.e., engaging in moral symbolization behaviors). Further, we expect gender differences in the moral consequences of ethical voice. Across two studies that varied in temporal focus (a multisource, time-lagged field study and a within-person weekly experience sampling study), we found support for most of our predictions. The results suggest that while potentially psychologically uplifting (for both men and women), ethical voice also generates psychological pressure for the voicer to preserve their favorable moral social image and thus motivates them (more so in the case of women voicers at the between-person level) to explicitly symbolize their moral character in the workplace. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Rational Design of Liquid-Liquid Microdispersion Droplet Microreactors for the Controllable Synthesis of Highly Uniform and Monodispersed Dextran Microspheres.

Hydrogel microspheres are biocompatible materials widely used in biological and medical fields. Emulsification and stirring are the commonly used methods to prepare hydrogels. However, the size distribution is considerably wide, the monodispersity and the mechanical intensity are poor, and the stable operation conditions are comparatively narrow to meet some sophisticated applications. In this paper, a T-shaped stepwise microchannel combined with a simple side microchannel structure is developed to explore the liquid-liquid dispersion mechanism, interfacial evolution behavior, satellite droplet formation mechanism and separation, and the eventual successful synthesis of dextran hydrogel microspheres. The effect of the operation parameters on droplet and microsphere size is comprehensively studied. The flow pattern and the stable operation condition range are given, and mathematical prediction models are developed under three different flow regimes for droplet size prediction. Based on the stable operating conditions, a microdroplet-based method combined with UV light curing is developed to synthesize the dextran hydrogel microsphere. The highly uniform and monodispersed dextran microspheres with good mechanical intensity are synthesized in the developed microfluidic platform. The size of the microsphere could be tuned from 50 to 300 µm with a capillary number in the range of 0.006-0.742. This work not only provides a facile method for functional polymeric microsphere preparation but also offers important design guidelines for the development of a robust microreactor.

The association between systemic inflammation markers and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: Systemic inflammation markers have recently been identified as being associated with cardiac disorders. However, limited research has been conducted to estimate the pre-diagnostic associations between these markers and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF). Our aim is to identify potential biomarkers for early detection of PAF. METHODS: 91 participants in the PAF group and 97 participants in the non-PAF group were included in this study. We investigated the correlations between three systemic inflammation markers, namely the systemic immune inflammation index (SII), system inflammation response index (SIRI), and aggregate index of systemic inflammation (AISI), and PAF. RESULTS: The proportion of patients with PAF gradually increased with increasing logSII, logSIRI, and logAISI tertiles. Compared to those in the lowest tertiles, the PAF risks in the highest logSII and logSIRI tertiles were 3.2-fold and 2.9-fold, respectively. Conversely, there was no significant correlation observed between logAISI and PAF risk within the highest tertile of logAISI. The restricted cubic splines (RCS) analysis revealed a non-linear relationship between the elevation of systemic inflammation markers and PAF risk. Specifically, the incidence of PAF is respectively increased by 56%, 95%, and 150% for each standard deviation increase in these variables. The ROC curve analysis of logSII, logSIRI and logAISI showed that they had AUC of 0.6, 0.7 and 0.6, respectively. It also demonstrated favorable sensitivity and specificity of these systemic inflammation markers in detecting the presence of PAF. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, our study reveals significant positive correlations between SII, SIRI, and AISI with the incidence of PAF.

AI-Powered Microfluidics: Shaping the Future of Phenotypic Drug Discovery.

Phenotypic drug discovery (PDD), which involves harnessing biological systems directly to uncover effective drugs, has undergone a resurgence in recent years. The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) over the past few years presents numerous opportunities for augmenting phenotypic drug screening on microfluidic platforms, leveraging its predictive capabilities, data analysis, efficient data processing, etc. Microfluidics coupled with AI is poised to revolutionize the landscape of phenotypic drug discovery. By integrating advanced microfluidic platforms with AI algorithms, researchers can rapidly screen large libraries of compounds, identify novel drug candidates, and elucidate complex biological pathways with unprecedented speed and efficiency. This review provides an overview of recent advances and challenges in AI-based microfluidics and their applications in drug discovery. We discuss the synergistic combination of microfluidic systems for high-throughput screening and AI-driven analysis for phenotype characterization, drug-target interactions, and predictive modeling. In addition, we highlight the potential of AI-powered microfluidics to achieve an automated drug screening system. Overall, AI-powered microfluidics represents a promising approach to shaping the future of phenotypic drug discovery by enabling rapid, cost-effective, and accurate identification of therapeutically relevant compounds.

One-Step Hydrothermal Deposition of AgSbS2-xSex Thin Films for Solar Cell Applications.

AgSbS2-xSex is a promising light-harvesting material for thin film solar cells, characterized by nontoxicity, high chemical stability, and excellent optoelectronic properties. However, the complex chemical composition of AgSbS2-xSex poses significant challenges to thin film preparation, giving rise to an intensive dependence on multi-step preparation methods. Herein, a hydrothermal method is developed for depositing AgSbS2-xSex films and achieves one-step preparation of this kind of thin film materials for the first time. This method can provide sufficient energy for atomic nucleation and adsorption on the substrate surface to promote nuclei aggregation and grow into films. Meanwhile, it achieves control of the chemical kinetics of the deposition solution by introducing EDTA-2Na as an additive and suppressing the enrichment of Ag2Se impurities at the substrate interface. As a result, a high-purity AgSbS2-xSex film with compact and flat morphology is prepared and assembled into solar cells. The device delivers a power conversion efficiency of 3.04% under standard illumination, which is currently the highest efficiency for AgSbS2-xSex solar cells fabricated by the one-step method. This study provides a facile and promising method for the controllable preparation of high-quality AgSbS2-xSex thin films and promoting their application in solar cells.