Efficient electron transfer between Cr(VI) and organic acids mediated by wide bridges of Fe/CN.

Various organic acids commonly coexist with Cr(VI) in wastewater. However, direct electron transfer between Cr(VI) and electron-rich organic acids is typically slow. Current Fe-based mediators primarily operate through the aqueous Fe(III)/Fe(II) cycle, which faces challenges in achieving efficient Fe recycling.

Selective Transport Energy Barriers in Chitin-Assisted Polyamide Membranes for Efficient Cl/SO Sieving.

Nanofiltration (NF) technology is crucial in alleviating global water scarcity through desalination. Overcoming the permselectivity trade-off to improve both the permeance and rejection of polyamide (PA) nanofiltration (NF) membranes beyond the log-log upper bound remains a significant scientific challenge. Herein, we explored advanced ion-transport barriers by constructing a chitin-assisted PA NF membrane, incorporating a biomass-derived carboxylated chitin nanofiber (CO-ChNF) interlayer that simultaneously modulates the pore architecture and surface charge of the PA layer.

Paired Pulse Electrocatalytic Conversion of Phenol for Co-Production of Cyclohexanol and Para-Benzoquinone.

Electrochemical upcycling of organic pollutants in wastewater into value-added chemicals presents a dual solution for water treatment and sustainable synthesis, yet achieving high Faradaic and energy efficiencies remains challenging. Here we, for the first time, report the paired electrolysis strategy to produce valuable cyclohexanol and para-benzoquinone (p-BQ) simultaneously from phenol in wastewater. More importantly, to address the dilemma of mismatched operation conditions between cathodic hydrogenation and anodic oxidation, we propose a pulse current strategy with alternating high-/low-current periods, which ensures the reduction kinetics of phenol at the cathode while effectively preventing the over-oxidation of generated p-BQ at the anode.

Multi-head deep Q-learning for continuous beamforming with selective MC-CDMA operation in V2X highway communications.

This study investigates a large-scale dynamic Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) communication network, in which multiple Roadside Units (RSUs) are deployed along highways to enable high-speed vehicular links. To ensure robust and adaptive performance under fast-varying conditions, we propose an integrated framework that combines resource block-based MC-CDMA modulation with dynamic beamforming optimized for complex propagation environments. A custom code mapper and resource element (RE) allocator are introduced to support interference-aware transmission and enhance signal robustness in dense deployment scenarios.

Design of active backstepping control of actuator faults and prescribed performances.

This study designs a fault-tolerant control (FTC) system for unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) with actuator faults, estimation errors, disturbances, prescribed boundaries, and input saturations. The developed FTC system can estimate the total fault effects in UUVs using a robust and simplified fault observer, which considers an auxiliary state variable and a linear matrix inequality. After completing the fault estimation to a certain extent, a robust active FTC method is proposed and developed using a barrier Lyapunov function and auxiliary systems combined with adaptive laws and a backstepping design.

U-shaped relationship between the non-HDL to HDL cholesterol ratio and mortality in hypertensive individuals in the study from NHANES database.

The ratio of non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (NHHR) is an emerging lipid parameter. An association has been demonstrated with cardiovascular mortality. This study aimed to investigate the link between NHHR and mortality among hypertensive patients.

Effects of flavor ingredient ethyl vanillin on nicotine pharmacokinetics and neurotransmitters release.

Background: Ethyl vanillin, a key flavoring agent in tobacco, but its impact on nicotine pharmacokinetics and neurotransmitters relearse remains poorly understood.

Results: Nicotine-administeted Sprague-Dawley rats were injected with vehicle or 1.0 mg/kg ethyl vanillin.

BRD4 Signaling Maintains the Differentiated State of β Cells.

In diabetes, pancreatic β cells degenerate from their mature differentiated state to a dedifferentiated state. BRD4 plays a pivotal role during embryogenesis and cancer development, but its function in modulating β-cell differentiation remains unknown. In this study, multiple models including calorie restriction db/db mouse, long-term and acute conditional knockout mouse, and human islet organoids are adopted to assess BRD4 function in β cells.

The impact of multipollutant exposure on hepatic steatosis: a machine learning-based investigation into multipollutant synergistic effects.

Introduction: This study examines the synergistic effects of multi-pollutant exposure on hepatic lipid accumulation in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) through the application of an explainable machine learning framework. This approach addresses the limitations of traditional models in managing complex environmental interactions.

Methods: Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2015-2016 (n = 494), we developed a stacked ensemble model that integrates LASSO, support vector machines (SVM), neural networks, and XGBoost to analyze urinary biomarkers of heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Enhancing H11 Protein-Induced Immune Protection Against in Goats: A Nano-Adjuvant Formulation Strategy.

The only vaccine against is limited by short-lived antibody persistence and the need for frequent booster immunizations. This study leveraged the advantages of nano-adjuvants in enhancing antigen presentation and immune regulation to evaluate the efficacy of novel adjuvants (IMX, AddaS03) and the conventional QuilA combined with H11 protein. Goats were divided into four groups (IMX + H11, AddaS03 + H11, QuilA + H11, and infected control).

Downregulation of HTRA1 Promotes EMT and Anoikis Resistance in Colorectal Cancer via Activation of Hippo/YAP1 Pathway by Facilitating LATS2 Degradation.

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and anoikis resistance are crucial characteristics for tumor cell metastasis. High-temperature requirement A1 (HTRA1) has been identified as a serine protease with chaperone functions, but its role in the regulation of EMT, anoikis resistance, and metastasis in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains poorly understood. In this study, we identified that HTRA1 was downregulated in CRC tissues, and its low expression was significantly associated with advanced TNM stage and poor prognosis.

Combining Network Pharmacological Analysis and Animal Experiments to Explore the Pharmacological Mechanism of Zhangyanming Tablets in Diabetic Retinopathy.

Background: Zhangyanming Tablets (ZYMT) is a proprietary Chinese medicine containing a variety of traditional Chinese medicines, which can be used to treat a wide range of eye diseases, but its exact effect on diabetic retinopathy (DR) and the specific mechanism are still unclear. This study aims to investigate the ameliorative effects and specific mechanisms of ZYMT on DR.

Methods: Key regulatory genes and potential therapeutic targets of ZYMT for DR were evaluated using network pharmacological analysis.

Association between triglyceride glucose index and all-cause mortality in patients with critical atrial fibrillation in the MIMIC-IV database.

Although several studies have demonstrated the relationship between the triglyceride glucose (TyG) index and the prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AF), more attention needs to be paid to patients with AF in intensive care units because the prevalence of AF is as high as one-third of the population. This study investigated the relationship between the TyG index and short-term prognosis in patients with critical care AF. We selected critically ill patients with AF from the MIMIC-IV database and categorized them into quartiles based on their TyG index levels.

Single-Cell Atlas Reveals Tumorigenic Profiles and Immune Dynamics of Adrenal Incidentalomas.

Adrenal incidentalomas (AIs) are commonly detected endocrine lesions, identified during imaging for unrelated conditions. These lesions exhibit considerable heterogeneity and diverse clinical outcomes. This study employed single-cell RNA sequencing to investigate tumorigenic characteristics of AIs, including non-functional adrenocortical adenomas, Conn's syndrome, and pheochromocytomas.

Automated program using convolutional neural networks for objective and reproducible selection of corneal confocal microscopy images.

Objective: Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is a common complication of diabetes, posing a significant risk for foot ulcers and amputation. Corneal confocal microscopy (CCM) is a rapid, noninvasive method to assess DPN by analysing corneal nerve fibre morphology. However, selecting high-quality representative images remains a critical challenge.

Distribution and Pharmacokinetic Characteristics of Cordycepin in Rat: Investigated by UHPLC-HRMS/MS and Blood-Brain Synchronous Microdialysis.

Cordycepin, a natural adenosine derivative, exhibits multiple pharmacological effects on organisms. However, its distribution and metabolic characteristics have not been fully elucidated in vivo. In this study, ultra-high liquid chromatography tandem high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS/MS) was used to investigate the pharmacokinetic characteristics and effects of cordycepin on endogenous adenosine and inosine.

Genetic insights into circulating osteocalcin for cardiovascular diseases and the role of vascular calcification.

Background And Aims: Studies have suggested that osteocalcin (OCN) is implicated in vascular calcification and linked to cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), but it is unclear whether the relationships are causal. The aim of this study is to evaluate the causal relationship of circulating OCN with CVDs and the role of vascular calcification.

Methods And Results: Bi-directional, mediation, and multivariable Mendelian randomization (MVMR) were performed using summary-level data for circulating OCN levels, coronary artery calcification (CAC), and CVDs, including coronary artery disease (CAD), myocardial infarction (MI), heart failure, atrial fibrillation, stroke and its subtypes.

The role of the sucrose synthase gene in promoting thorn occurrence and vegetative growth in Lycium ruthenicum.

Lycium ruthenicum is a highly valued ecological and economic shrub, but its abundant thorns disrupt production processes. Previous studies suggested that the sucrose synthase gene (LrSUS) in L. ruthenicum may influence thorn occurrence, presenting potential for breeding thornless varieties suited for cultivation.

Relationship between the dietary inflammation index and hypertension in American children and adolescents: findings from the national health and nutrition examination survey 1999-2018.

This study aimed to examine the relationship between the dietary inflammatory index (DII) and hypertension in children and adolescents using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) conducted between 1999 and 2018. The analysis included 18,460 participants aged 8 to 17 years, with 2,070 diagnosed with youth hypertension, defined as blood pressure above the 95th percentile for their age and gender. Dietary information was collected to calculate the DII, which was initially treated as a continuous variable and later categorized into tertiles.

Identification of cuproptosis and ferroptosis-related subtypes and development of a prognostic signature in colon cancer.

Colon cancer, as a highly prevalent malignant tumor globally, poses a significant threat to human health. In recent years, ferroptosis and cuproptosis, as two novel forms of cell death, have attracted widespread attention for their potential roles in the development and treatment of colon cancer. However, the investigation into the subtypes and their impact on the survival of colon cancer patients remains understudied.

Aptamer-Conjugated Exosomes Ameliorate Diabetes-Induced Muscle Atrophy by Enhancing SIRT1/FoxO1/3a-Mediated Mitochondrial Function.

Background: Muscle atrophy is associated with Type 2 diabetes mellitus, which reduces the quality of life and lacks effective treatment strategies. Previously, it was determined that human umbilical cord mesenchymal stromal cell (hucMSC)-derived exosomes (EXOs) ameliorate diabetes-induced muscle atrophy. However, the systemic application of EXOs is less selective for diseased tissues, which reduces their efficacy and safety associated with their nonspecific biological distribution in vivo.

In vitro culture of the parasitic stage larvae of hematophagous parasitic nematode Haemonchus contortus.

Current research on common parasitic nematodes is limited because their infective stages cannot be propagated in vitro. Here, we report a culture system for developing L4s of Haemonchus contortus, a blood-feeding nematode of ruminants. Our results demonstrated that a proportionate mixture of NCTC-109 to Luria-Bertini (1:2) media promoted the formation of early L4s and then into late L4s upon inclusion of 12.

Multipath joint ablation strategy for focal atrial tachycardia originating from patent foramen ovale: a case report.

Introduction: Focal atrial tachycardia (FAT) is predominant in the pediatric population. Recent research has identified cases of sustained FAT originating from the interatrial septum (IAS); a subset of cases presents a unique challenge, with foci originating from the peri-patent foramen ovale (peri-PFO), requiring specialized management during catheter ablation. Here, we present a rare case of peri-PFO-associated FAT that resulted in tachycardia-related cardiomyopathy and propose a comprehensive multipath joint strategy for the successful treatment of PFO-associated FAT.

High Salt Exacerbates Myocardial Dysfunction In Vitro and In Vivo by Promoting SIRT1/Nrf2-Mediated Ferroptosis.

Myocardial dysfunction is a crucial determinant of the development of heart failure in salt-sensitive hypertension. Ferroptosis, a programmed iron-dependent cell death, has been increasingly recognised as an important contributor to the pathophysiology of various cardiovascular diseases. This study aims to investigate the role and underlying mechanism of ferroptosis in high-salt (HS)-induced myocardial damage.