[Characterizations of soil enzyme activities and stoichiometry in three subtropical forest stands]. / äºšçƒ­å¸¦ä¸‰ç§æž—åˆ†åœŸå£¤é ¶æ´»æ€§å’Œé ¶åŒ–å­¦è®¡é‡æ¯”ç‰¹å¾.

We conducted in a common garden experiment to explore the differences in soil enzyme activity, stoichiometry, and their influencing factors among a secondary Castanopsis carlesii forest, 10-year-old C. carlesii plantation, and Cunninghamia lanceolata plantation. The results showed that compared to the secondary forest, the soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, and dissolved organic carbon significantly decreased by 42.6%, 47.4%, and 60.9% in C. carlesii plantation, and by 42.9%, 36.7%, and 61.1% in C. lanceolata plantation. Soil microbial biomass C, microbial biomass N (MBN), and microbial biomass phosphorus decreased significantly by 40.6%, 35.5%, and 45.9% in C. carlesii plantation, and by 53.7%、56.4%, and 61.7% in C. lanceolata plantation. Compared to the secondary forest, soil enzymes activities in C. carlesii plantation did not change significantly, but in C. lanceolata plantation, the activities of ß-1,4-glucosidase and cellobiohydrolase significantly decreased by 51.2% and 59.8%, ß-N-acetyl glucosaminidase and acid phosphatase decreased significantly by 41.0% and 29.8%, and enzymatic C:N acquisition ratio and enzymatic C:P acquisition ratio significantly decreased by 11.3% and 7.7%, respectively. Results of redundancy analysis indicated that MBN and NO3--N were the primary factors influencing soil enzyme activity and enzymic stoichiometry. Collectively, there were significant differences in soil enzyme activity and microbial nutrient demands among different forest stands. Compared to secondary forests, the establishment of C. lanceolata plantations would intensify nutrient competition between plants and microbes, and exacerbate the N and P limitations for microbes.

6-D Object Pose Estimation Based on Point Pair Matching for Robotic Grasp Detection.

The 6-D pose estimation is a critical work essential to achieve reliable robotic grasping. Currently, the prevalent method is reliant on keypoint correspondence. However, this approach hinges on the determination of object keypoint locations, alongside their detection and localization in real scenes. It also employs the random sample consensus (RANSAC)-based perspective-n-point (PnP) algorithm to solve the pose. Yet, it is nondifferentiable and incapable of backpropagation with loss during the training phase. Alternatively, the direct regression method, while speedy and differentiable, falls short in terms of pose estimation performance, and thus needs enhancement. In view of these gaps, we investigate PPM6D, a new method for 6-D object pose estimation based on regression and point pair matching. Our methodology begins with a proposed cross-fusion module, designed to achieve the fusion and complementation of RGB features and point cloud features. Subsequently, an attention module adjusts the features of the object's 3-D model. Finally, we design a point pair matching module for effective matching of points and characteristics, resulting in an integral matching and fusion. PPM6D is extensively trained and tested utilizing benchmark datasets like LINEMOD, occlusion LINEMOD (LINEMOD-occ), YCB-Video, and T-LESS dataset. Experimental results prove that PPM6D can outperform many keypoint-based pose estimation methods, given its relatively rapid speed, thereby offering novel regression-based pose estimation ideas. When applied to real-world scenarios of object pose estimation tasks and grasp tasks of an actual Baxter robot, PPM6D demonstrates superior performance as compared to most alternatives.

Development and evaluation of a second victim training course for nursing managers.

BACKGROUND: Most nursing managers are not fully aware of second victims and may not be able to provide support. Moreover, there are relatively few training courses for nursing managers about second victims. AIM: To describe the construction and evaluation of a second victim course for nursing managers. DESIGN: A single-group pretest-posttest study design was used. SETTING: A large comprehensive tertiary hospital with over 3000 beds in China. PARTICIPANTS: Forty-nine nursing managers who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria participated in this training. Sixteen clinical frontline nurses who experienced adverse events within three months following the training were also invited. METHODS: The course "Second Victim & Empathy Communication" was developed through a literature review and expert consultation and consisted of 4 unit modules: (1) adverse events & second victims, (2) the recovery trajectory of second victims, (3) second victim supportive resources, and (4) key strategies of empathy communication. A course evaluation questionnaire, an empathy communication questionnaire for nursing managers, a second victim evaluation questionnaire, and an open-ended question were used to measure the feasibility, acceptability and effectiveness of the course. RESULTS: >97.96 % of the nursing managers were satisfied with the course, >97.96 % had learned new knowledge, and >95.92 % had changed their behavior and attitudes toward second victims. Their levels of empathetic communication differed significantly before and after training (t = -2.170, P = 0.035). Among these nursing managers, twenty-six participants provided positive and meaningful feedback and suggestions to the course by answering an open-ended question. A total of 66.6 % to 100 % of second victims were satisfied with the empathetic communication behavior exhibited by nursing managers. CONCLUSION: The second victim training course is feasible and can be used for clinical training to enhance nursing managers' understanding of second victims and enhance their empathetic communication.

Pyrocurzerenone suppresses human oral cancer cell metastasis by inhibiting the expression of ERK1/2 and cathepsin S proteins.

Pyrocurzerenone is a natural compound found in Curcuma zedoaria and Chloranthus serratus. However, the anticancer effect of pyrocurzerenone in oral cancer remains unclear. Using the MTT assay, wound healing assay, transwell assay and western blot analysis, we investigated the impact of pyrocurzerenone on antimetastatic activity, as well as the critical signalling pathways that underlie the processes of oral cancer cell lines SCC-9, SCC-1 and SAS in this work. Our findings suggested that pyrocurzerenone inhibits cell migration and invasion ability in oral cancer cell lines. Furthermore, phosphorylation of ERK1/2 had significant inhibitory effects in SCC-9 and SCC-1 cell lines. Combining ERK1/2 inhibitors with pyrocurzerenone decreased the migration and invasion activity of SCC-9 and SCC-1 cell lines. We also found that the expressed level of cathepsin S decreased under pyrocurzerenone treatment. This study showed that pyrocurzerenone reduced ERK1/2 expression of the proteins and cathepsin S, suggesting that it could be a valuable treatment to inhibit human oral cancer cell metastasis.

Raddeanin A augments the cytotoxicity of natural killer cells against chronic myeloid leukaemia cells by modulating MAPK and Ras/Raf signalling pathways.

Natural killer (NK) cell therapy, a developing approach in cancer immunotherapy, involves isolating NK cells from peripheral blood. However, due to their limited number and activity, it is essential to significantly expand these primary NK cells and enhance their cytotoxicity. In this study, we investigated how Raddeanin A potentiate NK activity using KHYG-1 cells. The results indicated that Raddeanin A increased the expression levels of cytolytic molecules such as perforin, granzymes A and granzymes B, granulysin and FasL in KHYG-1 cells. Raddeanin A treatment increased CREB phosphorylation, p65 phosphorylation, NFAT1 and acetyl-histone H3 expression. Raddeanin A elevated caspase 3 and PARP cleavage, increased t-Bid expression, promoting apoptosis in K562 cells. Furthermore, it reduced the expression of HMGB2, SET and Ape1, impairing the DNA repair process and causing K562 cells to die caspase-independently. Additionally, Raddeanin A increased ERK, p38 and JNK phosphorylation at the molecular level, which increased granzyme B production in KHYG-1 cells. Raddeanin A treatment increased Ras, Raf phosphorylation, MEK phosphorylation, NKG2D, NKp44 and NKp30 expression in KHYG-1 cells. Collectively, our data indicate that Raddeanin A enhances the cytotoxic activity of NK cells against different cancer cells.

Self-stacked small molecules for ultrasensitive, substrate-free Raman imaging in vivo.

Raman spectroscopy using surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) nanoprobes represents an ultrasensitive and high-precision technique for in vivo imaging. Clinical translation of SERS nanoprobes has been hampered by biosafety concerns about the metal substrates used to enhance Raman signals. We report a set of small molecules with bis-thienyl-substituted benzobisthiadiazole structures that enhance Raman signal through self-stacking rather than external substrates. In our technique, called stacking-induced charge transfer-enhanced Raman scattering (SICTERS), the self-stacked small molecules form an ordered spatial arrangement that enables three-dimensional charge transfer between neighboring molecules. The Raman scattering cross-section of SICTERS nanoprobes is 1350 times higher than that of conventional SERS gold nanoprobes of similar particle size. SICTERS outperforms SERS in terms of in vivo imaging sensitivity, resolution and depth. SICTERS is capable of noninvasive Raman imaging of blood and lymphatic vasculatures, which has not been achieved by SERS. SICTERS represents an alternative technique to enhance Raman scattering for guiding the design of ultrasensitive substrate-free Raman imaging probes.

A comparative analysis of MMR immunohistochemistry panels: Evaluating the utility of four-protein versus two-protein panels in endometrial cancer patients.

AIMS: This study aimed to assess the accuracy of a two-protein panel for mismatch repair (MMR) immunohistochemistry (IHC) compared to a four-protein panel in a cohort of endometrial cancer patients. METHODS: The study included patients diagnosed with endometrial cancer between January 2018 and December 2023 with patients underwent MMR IHC staining for the four-protein panel (MSH2, MSH6, MLH1, and PMS2) serving as the reference standard. Various combinations of two proteins were examined and evaluated for their accuracy against the four-protein panel. Sensitivity, negative predictive value (NPV), and negative likelihood ratio were calculated for each combination. McNemar's test was performed to assess discordance, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated to evaluate diagnostic accuracy. RESULTS: Of 593 patients, MMR deficiency defined as at least one protein loss was observed in 146 patients (24.62%). When compared with four-protein panel, the highest sensitivity was observed with the MSH6/PMS2 combination (99.32%), followed sequentially by MSH6/MLH1 (97.26%), MSH2/PMS2 (93.15%), MSH2/MLH1 (91.10%), MLH1/PMS2 (79.45%), and MSH2/MSH6 (21.92%). The MSH6/PMS2 combination also demonstrated the best NPV of 99.78% and negative likelihood ratio of 0.01, while MSH6/MLH1 showed satisfactory NPV of 99.11% and negative likelihood ratio of 0.03. McNemar's test revealed no statistical difference between the four-protein panel and the MSH6/PMS2 panel (p = 1.000), and the MSH6/MLH1 panel (p = 0.125). CONCLUSIONS: The two-protein panel, particularly MSH6/PMS2, offers high sensitivity and negative predictive value, suggesting its potential as a cost-effective alternative to the four-protein panel in MMR testing for endometrial cancer patients.

Microelectromechanical System-Based Reconfigurable Terahertz Metamaterial for Polarization Filter, Switch, and Logic Modulator Applications.

The terahertz (THz) metamaterials integrated with microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) have led to the realization of dynamic control in amplitude, phase, polarization, and spin angular momentum of the THz wave. In this study, we demonstrate an MEMS-based reconfigurable THz metamaterial (RTM) composed of a split ring resonator (SRR) for real-time modulation of THz wave. By gradually increasing the polarization angle of the incident THz wave, the resonant frequency of SRR switches from 0.74 to 1.16 THz, and the maximum modulation depth is more than 70%. When the MEMS-based RTM is actuated by different DC bias voltages, the polarization-dependent transmission intensity and resonant frequency of the device can be actively tuned. MEMS-based RTM shows logical function characteristics that can be used for logic modulators by performing the driving voltages and polarization states as 2-bit input signals and quantizing the transmission response as "on" and "off" states. The logic gates of "NAND" are at 0.439 THz and "AND" is at 0.732 THz. These results offer potential applications for the proposed MEMS-based RTM in tunable and reconfigurable polarization filters, optical switches, programmable logic modulators, and so on.

High-Performance Semiconducting Carbon Nanotube Transistors Using Naphthalene Diimide-Based Polymers with Biaxially Extended Conjugated Side Chains.

Polymer-wrapped single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) are a potential method for obtaining high-purity semiconducting (sc) SWNT solutions. Conjugated polymers (CPs) can selectively sort sc-SWNTs with different chiralities, and the structure of the polymer side chains influences this sorting capability. While extensive research has been conducted on modifying the physical, optical, and electrical properties of CPs through side-chain modifications, the impact of these modifications on the sorting efficiency of sc-SWNTs remains underexplored. This study investigates the introduction of various conjugated side chains into naphthalene diimide-based CPs to create a biaxially extended conjugation pattern. The CP with a branched conjugated side chain (P3) exhibits reduced aggregation, resulting in improved wrapping ability and the formation of larger bundles of high-purity sc-SWNTs. Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction analysis confirms that the potential interaction between sc-SWNTs and CPs occurs through π-π stacking. The field-effect transistor device fabricated with P3/sc-SWNTs demonstrates exceptional performance, with a significantly enhanced hole mobility of 4.72 cm2 V-1 s-1 and high endurance/bias stability. These findings suggest that biaxially extended side-chain modification is a promising strategy for improving the sorting efficiency and performance of sc-SWNTs by using CPs. This achievement can facilitate the development of more efficient and stable electronic devices.

Au@CuS Nanoshells for Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Image-Guided Tumor Photothermal Therapy with Accelerated Hepatobiliary Excretion.

Gold-based nanoparticles for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) imaging show great potential for precise tumor detection and photothermal therapy (PTT). However, the metabolizability of gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) raises big concerns. Herein, we designed a core-shelled nanostructure of copper sulfide (CuS)-coated Au NPs with surface pegylation (PEG-Au@CuS NSs). The excreted Au in the gallbladders at 1 h and 4 h in mice injected with PEG-Au@CuS NSs was 8.2- and 19.1-fold of that with the pegylated Au NPs (PEG-AuNPs) of the same Au particle size, respectively. By loading the Raman reporter 3,3'-Diethylthiatricarbocyanine iodide (DTTC) in the core-shell junction of PEG-Au@CuS NSs, the PEG-Au-DTTC@CuS NSs exhibited the Raman signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio of 4.01 after 24 h of intravenous (IV) injection in the mice bearing an orthotopic CT26-Luc colon tumor. By contrast, the DTTC-coated PEG-AuNPs (PEG-Au-DTTC NPs) achieved an S/N ratio of 2.71. Moreover, PEG-Au-DTTC@CuS NSs exhibited an increased photothermal conversion effect compared with PEG-Au-DTTC NPs excited with an 808-nm laser. PEG-Au-DTTC@CuS NSs enabled intraoperative SERS image-guided photothermal therapy for a complete cure of the colon tumor-bearing mice. Our data demonstrated that the PEG-Au-DTTC@CuS NSs are promising intraoperative Raman image-guided theranostic nanoplatform with enhanced hepatobiliary excretion.

Advances in the synthesis of functionalized tetrahydropyridazines from hydrazones.

The tetrahydropyridazine motif is widely present in plenty of natural products and biologically active molecules. Easily prepared from the condensation of carbonyls with hydrazines, hydrazones are versatile synthetic building blocks that are frequently used in organic synthesis. Hydrazones are also utilized in the synthesis of nitrogen-containing molecules, especially nitrogen-containing heterocycles. The presence of the CN-N unit in the product makes hydrazones ideal substrates for the synthesis of tetrahydropyridazine derivatives. Here, in this review, we summarize the recent progress in the construction of variously substituted tetrahydropyridazines from different hydrazone derivatives together with mechanism discussions.

Risk Factors for Depression in Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a widespread chronic condition. Depression frequently occurs among patients with KOA. The objective of this meta-analysis was to identify risk factors associated with comorbid depression in patients with KOA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A comprehensive search of the PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases was conducted for studies related to comorbid depression in patients with KOA. We conducted statistical analyses to obtain relevant results, followed by heterogeneity tests and assessment for publication bias. RESULTS: The prevalence of comorbid depression among patients with KOA was 34% (95% CI, 28%-41%). Notable risk factors linked to comorbid depression in patients with KOA included female sex (relative risk [RR], 1.17; 95% CI, 1.11-1.23), obesity (mean difference [MD], 1.30; 95% CI, 0.88-1.71), use of analgesics (RR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.38-1.63), comorbidities (MD, 0.20; 95% CI, 0.10-0.31), unmarried or widowed status (RR, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.56-1.91), bilateral knee pain (RR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.11-1.71), high total Western Ontario and Mc-Master Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) score (MD, 14.92; 95% CI, 10.02-19.82), high WOMAC pain score (MD, 5.76; 95% CI, 2.86-8.67), low gait velocity (MD, -0.12; 95% CI, -0.16 to -0.09), and extended duration in the Timed Up and Go Test (MD, 1.56; 95% CI, 0.87-2.25). CONCLUSION: Based on the current evidence, female sex, obesity, use of analgesics, comorbidities, unmarried or widowed status, bilateral knee pain, high total WOMAC score, high WOMAC pain score, low gait velocity, and prolonged time on the Timed Up and Go Test were identified as risk factors for depression in patients with KOA. Focus should be given to these aspects when preventing depression among these patients. [Orthopedics. 202x.].

Un-methylation of NUDT21 represses docosahexaenoic acid biosynthesis contributing to enzalutamide resistance in prostate cancer.

AIMS: The recent approval of enzalutamide for metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer underscores its growing clinical significance, raising concerns about emerging resistance and limited treatment options. While the reactivation of the androgen receptor (AR) and other genes plays a role in enzalutamide resistance, identifications of novel underlying mechanism with therapeutic potential in enzalutamide-resistant (EnzaR) cells remain largely elusive. METHODS: Drug-resistant prostate cancer cell lines, animal models, and organoids were utilized to examine NUDT21 function by transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses through loss-of-function and gain-of-function assays. Notably, a mono-methylation monoclonal antibody and conditional-knockin transgenic mouse model of NUDT21 were generated for evaluating its function. RESULTS: NUDT21 overexpression acts as a crucial alternative polyadenylation (APA) mediator, supported by its oncogenic role in prostate cancer. PRMT7-mediated mono-methylation of NUDT21 induces a shift in 3'UTR usage, reducing oncogenicity. In contrast, its un-methylation promotes cancer growth and cuproptosis insensitivity in EnzaR cells by exporting toxic copper and suppressing docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) biosynthesis. Crucially, NUDT21 inhibition or DHA supplementation with copper ionophore holds therapeutic promise for EnzaR cells. CONCLUSIONS: The un-methylation of NUDT21-mediated 3'UTR shortening unveils a novel mechanism for enzalutamide resistance, and our findings offer innovative strategies for advancing the treatment of prostate cancer patients experiencing enzalutamide resistance.

Picrasidine I Regulates Apoptosis in Melanoma Cell Lines by Activating ERK and JNK Pathways and Suppressing AKT Signaling.

World Health Organization data indicate a continuous increase in melanoma incidence, with metastatic melanoma characterized by poor prognosis and drug resistance. The exploration of therapeutics derived from natural products remains an active area of in vitro research. The aim of this study was to determine the antitumor effects of picrasidine I, a natural compound extracted from Picrasma quassioides, against two melanoma cell lines. We selected two metastatic melanoma cell lines, HMY-1 and A2058, for molecular studies, including Western blotting, 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole staining, and flow cytometry. Picrasidine I demonstrated cytotoxic effects against the HMY-1 and A2058 melanoma cell lines. It induced cell cycle arrest in the sub-G1 phase and downregulated cell cycle-related proteins (e.g., cyclin A2, D1, cyclin-dependent kinases 4, and 6). In the intrinsic apoptosis pathway, picrasidine I activated proapoptotic proteins (e.g., Bax, Bak, t-Bid, BimL/S) and suppressed the expression of antiapoptotic proteins (e.g., Bcl-2, Bcl-xL), with an observed increase in the quantity of depolarized cells. In addition, the apoptotic effects of picrasidine I were linked to the activation of the c-Jun N-terminal kinase and extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathways and the inhibition of the protein kinase B signaling pathway. A human apoptosis array indicated claspin inhibition upon picrasidine I treatment, suggesting the potential involvement of picrasidine I in apoptosis and cell cycle regulation. Our findings suggest that picrasidine I has potential as a candidate for treating advanced melanoma, and thus these findings warrant further investigation. The modulation of claspin expression by picrasidine I could be investigated further as a potential biomarker to predict its efficacy in related to advanced stages of melanoma.

Cu site differentiation in tetracopper(i) sulfide clusters enables biomimetic N2O reduction.

Copper clusters feature prominently in both metalloenzymes and synthetic nanoclusters that mediate catalytic redox transformations of gaseous small molecules. Such reactions are critical to biological energy conversion and are expected to be crucial parts of renewable energy economies. However, the precise roles of individual metal atoms within clusters are difficult to elucidate, particularly for cluster systems that are dynamic under operating conditions. Here, we present a metal site-specific analysis of synthetic Cu4(µ4-S) clusters that mimic the Cu Z active site of the nitrous oxide reductase enzyme. Leveraging the ability to obtain structural snapshots of both inactive and active forms of the synthetic model system, we analyzed both states using resonant X-ray diffraction anomalous fine structure (DAFS), a technique that enables X-ray absorption profiles of individual metal sites within a cluster to be extracted independently. Using DAFS, we found that a change in cluster geometry between the inactive and active states is correlated to Cu site differentiation that is presumably required for efficient activation of N2O gas. More precisely, we hypothesize that the Cu δ+⋯Cu δ- pairs produced upon site differentiation are poised for N2O activation, as supported by computational modeling. These results provide an unprecedented level of detail on the roles of individual metal sites within the synthetic cluster system and how those roles interplay with cluster geometry to impact the reactivity function. We expect this fundamental knowledge to inform understanding of metal clusters in settings ranging from (bio)molecular to nanocluster to extended solid systems involved in energy conversion.

Trajectory Analysis for Identifying Classes of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in Children of the United States.

Background: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a mental health disorder that affects attention and behavior. People with ADHD frequently encounter challenges in social interactions, facing issues, like social rejection and difficulties in interpersonal relationships, due to their inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. Methods: A National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY) database was employed to identify patterns of ADHD symptoms. The children who were born to women in the NLSY study between 1986 and 2014 were included. A total of 1,847 children in the NLSY 1979 cohort whose hyperactivity/inattention score was calculated when they were four years old were eligible for this study. A trajectory modeling method was used to evaluate the trajectory classes. Sex, baseline antisocial score, baseline anxiety score, and baseline depression score were adjusted to build the trajectory model. We used stepwise multivariate logistic regression models to select the risk factors for the identified trajectories. Results: The trajectory analysis identified six classes for ADHD, including (1) no sign class, (2) few signs since preschool being persistent class, (3) few signs in preschool but no signs later class, (4) few signs in preschool that magnified in elementary school class, (5) few signs in preschool that diminished later class, and (6) many signs since preschool being persistent class. The sensitivity analysis resulted in a similar trajectory pattern, except for the few signs since preschool that magnified later class. Children's race, breastfeeding status, headstrong score, immature dependent score, peer conflict score, educational level of the mother, baseline antisocial score, baseline anxious/depressed score, and smoking status 12 months prior to the birth of the child were found to be risk factors in the ADHD trajectory classes. Conclusion: The trajectory classes findings obtained in the current study can (a) assist a researcher in evaluating an intervention (or combination of interventions) that best decreases the long-term impact of ADHD symptoms and (b) allow clinicians to better assess as to which class a child with ADHD belongs so that appropriate intervention can be employed.

MEMS-based meta-emitter with actively tunable radiation power characteristic.

We propose a meta-emitter based on micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) technology. The main structure of the meta-emitter unit cell is composed of four symmetrically split crosses of Au and SiO2 bilayer cantilevers. By changing the size of the cantilevers, this MEMS-based meta-emitter can realize the tunable perfect absorption, and the absorption spectrum is within the longwave infrared (LWIR) wavelength from 8.90 to 11.90 µm. When the surface temperature of the meta-emitter rises, the electrothermal actuation mechanism is performed through the different thermal expansion coefficient (TEC) of the bilayer cantilevers. Therefore, the cantilevers will be bent downward and the bending height of the cantilevers decreases linearly. In such case, the peak value of thermal radiation power can be tuned from the wavelength of 9.52 µm to 10.48 µm when the temperature of meta-emitter is increased from 293 to 1290 K. This proposed MEMS-based meta-emitter is an excellent LWIR light source and has potential application prospects in gas sensing, infrared spectroscopy analysis, medical care and so on.

Alzheimer's Disease Knowledge Graph Enhances Knowledge Discovery and Disease Prediction.

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD), a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, continues to increase in prevalence without any effective treatments to date. In this context, knowledge graphs (KGs) have emerged as a pivotal tool in biomedical research, offering new perspectives on drug repurposing and biomarker discovery by analyzing intricate network structures. Our study seeks to build an AD-specific knowledge graph, highlighting interactions among AD, genes, variants, chemicals, drugs, and other diseases. The goal is to shed light on existing treatments, potential targets, and diagnostic methods for AD, thereby aiding in drug repurposing and the identification of biomarkers. Results: We annotated 800 PubMed abstracts and leveraged GPT-4 for text augmentation to enrich our training data for named entity recognition (NER) and relation classification. A comprehensive data mining model, integrating NER and relationship classification, was trained on the annotated corpus. This model was subsequently applied to extract relation triplets from unannotated abstracts. To enhance entity linking, we utilized a suite of reference biomedical databases and refine the linking accuracy through abbreviation resolution. As a result, we successfully identified 3,199,276 entity mentions and 633,733 triplets, elucidating connections between 5,000 unique entities. These connections were pivotal in constructing a comprehensive Alzheimer's Disease Knowledge Graph (ADKG). We also integrated the ADKG constructed after entity linking with other biomedical databases. The ADKG served as a training ground for Knowledge Graph Embedding models with the high-ranking predicted triplets supported by evidence, underscoring the utility of ADKG in generating testable scientific hypotheses. Further application of ADKG in predictive modeling using the UK Biobank data revealed models based on ADKG outperforming others, as evidenced by higher values in the areas under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Conclusion: The ADKG is a valuable resource for generating hypotheses and enhancing predictive models, highlighting its potential to advance AD's disease research and treatment strategies.

Carbon Dots in Photodynamic Therapy: The Role of Dopant and Solvent on Optical and Photo-Responsive Properties.

Carbon dots (CDs) are novel carbon-based luminescent materials with wide-ranging applications in biosensing, bioimaging, drug transportation, optical devices, and beyond. Their advantageous attributes, including biocompatibility, biodegradability, antioxidant activity, photostability, small particle size (< 10 nm), and strong light absorption and excitation across a broad range of wavelengths, making them promising candidates in the field of photodynamic therapy (PDT) as photosensitizers (PSs). Further enhancements in functionality are imperative to enhance the effectiveness of CDs in PDT applications, notwithstanding their inherent benefits. Recently, doping agents and solvents have been demonstrated to improve CDs' optical properties, solubility, cytotoxicity, and organelle targeting efficiency. These improvements result from modifications to the CDs' carbon skeleton matrices, functional groups on the surface state, and chemical structures. This review discusses the modification of CDs with heteroatom dopants, dye dopants, and solvents to improve their physicochemical and optical properties for PDT applications. The correlations between the surface chemistry, functional groups, structure of the CDs and their optical characteristics toward quantum yield, redshift feature and reactive oxygen species generation, have also been discussed. Finally, the progressive trends for the use of CDs in PDT applications are also addressed in this review.

Epidemiological trends of subarachnoid hemorrhage at global, regional, and national level: a trend analysis study from 1990 to 2021.

BACKGROUND: Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a subtype of hemorrhagic stroke characterized by high mortality and low rates of full recovery. This study aimed to investigate the epidemiological characteristics of SAH between 1990 and 2021. METHODS: Data on SAH incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) from 1990 to 2021 were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) 2021. Estimated annual percentage changes (EAPCs) were calculated to evaluate changes in the age-standardized rate (ASR) of incidence and mortality, as well as trends in SAH burden. The relationship between disease burden and sociodemographic index (SDI) was also analyzed. RESULTS: In 2021, the incidence of SAH was found to be 37.09% higher than that in 1990; however, the age-standardized incidence rates (ASIRs) showed a decreased [EAPC: -1.52; 95% uncertainty interval (UI) -1.66 to -1.37]. Furthermore, both the number and rates of deaths and DALYs decreased over time. It was observed that females had lower rates compared to males. Among all regions, the high-income Asia Pacific region exhibited the highest ASIR (14.09/100,000; 95% UI 12.30/100,000 - 16.39/100,000) in 2021, with an EPAC for ASIR < 0 indicating decreasing trend over time for SAH ASIR. Oceania recorded the highest age-standardized mortality rates (ASMRs) and age-standardized DALYs rates among all regions in 2021 at values of respectively 8.61 (95% UI 6.03 - 11.95) and 285.62 (95% UI 209.42 - 379.65). The burden associated with SAH primarily affected individuals aged between 50 - 69 years old. Metabolic risks particularly elevated systolic blood pressure were identified as the main risk factors contributing towards increased disease burden associated with SAH when compared against environmental or occupational behavioral risks evaluated within the GBD framework. CONCLUSIONS: The burden of SAH varies by gender, age group, and geographical region. Although the ASRs have shown a decline over time, the burden of SAH remains significant, especially in regions with middle and low-middle SDI levels. High systolic blood pressure stands out as a key risk factor for SAH. More specific supportive measures are necessary to alleviate the global burden of SAH.