Global Circulation Dynamics and Its Determinants of Dengue Virus: A Network Evolution and Model Study from 1990 to 2019.

As dengue is an increasing global health threat, a better understanding of the global circulation dynamics and its determinants would be helpful for precise prevention and control of dengue. The dynamics of global circulation of the four dengue virus serotypes were explored utilizing genetic sequences through a network-based method. Four new circulation indicators, including local intensity, betweenness centrality, tip frequency, and persistence time, were defined.

Regulating Electronic Structure and Coordination Environment of Transition Metal Selenides through the High-Entropy Strategy for Expedited Lithium-Sulfur Chemistry.

Transition metal diselenides (TMSe) have proven as promising catalysts able to promote the conversion kinetics of lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) in lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs). However, the limited number of catalytically active edge sites in TMSe severely hinders the realization of their full potential for boosting LSB's performance. Herein, we report the synthesis of high-entropy NiCoMnCrVSe nanoflakes anchored on graphene supports (NiCoMnCrVSe/G) through a microwave-assisted solvothermal method.

Trends and factors influencing over-the-counter cold and cough medication sales in Guangzhou, China: 2011-2017.

Background: People are inclined to resort to Over-the-counter cold and cough medications (OTCCM) for self-treatment when experiencing upper respiratory tract infections, with consumption habits varying significantly among residents across different regions. Fluctuations in pharmacy OTCCM sales stem from numerous and intricate factors. However, most current studies predominantly examine the impact of singular factors on OTCCM volume.

[Analysis on the Trade-off Relationship between Carbon Storage and Non-point Source Pollution Load and Its Influencing Factors in the Dongjiang River Source Basin].

Revealing the relationship between carbon storage and pollution load is conducive to understanding the mechanism of regional ecosystem service. The carbon storage and pollution load of Dongjiang River Source Basin were analyzed using the ecosystem service assessment and pollution load assessment model. Land use was obtained using a supervised classification method based on a Landsat 8 image in 2018.

Quantifying regional transport contributions to PM-bound trace elements in a southeast coastal island of China: Insights from a machine learning approach.

Identifying and quantifying pollution sources and their associated health risks are essential for formulating effective pollution control policies. This study analyzed PM-bound trace elements based on one year of sampling data collected from a low-PM island in southeastern coastal China. A de-weathered model based on the eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) algorithm was applied to remove meteorological influences and estimate local baseline pollutant concentrations.

High Genetic Variability of Hepatitis B Virus in Blood Donors With Surface Antigen Positive But DNA Negative in Southern China.

In our previous studies, 45.2% of donations with HBV HBsAg reactive (+) by ELISA but negative (-) by NAT were confirmed to have HBV infections in Shenzhen Blood Center, China. However, the serological and molecular characteristics of this type of HBV infection remain unclear, and several donations with indeterminate results require further investigation.

Outermost Cationic Surface Charge of Layer-by-Layer Films Prevents Endothelial Cells Migration for Cell Compartmentalization in Three-Dimensional Tissues.

Tissues and organs possess an organized cellular arrangement that enables their unique functions. However, conventional three-dimensional (3D) encapsulation techniques fail to recapitulate this complexity due to the cell migration during cell culture. In biological tissues, basement membranes (BMs) are essential to mechanically support cellular organization.

High stable electrochemical response of atmosphere-modulated jujube cake-like Co@CoO complexes to the tumor marker CD44.

CD44 is a complex transmembrane glycoprotein that exists in multiple molecular forms and aberrant expression of CD44 is associated with tumorigenesis and progression. CD44 is involved in the regulation of several important signaling pathways, including tumor proliferation, invasion, metastasis, and therapy resistance, and it is also regulated by a variety of cells, which is a common biomarker for cancer stem cells. Detection and quantification of CD44 can provide essential information useful for clinical cancer diagnosis.

An Amorphous Donor-Acceptor Conjugated Polymer with Both High Charge Carrier Mobility and Luminescence Quantum Efficiency.

Organic semiconducting polymers play a pivotal role in the development of field-effect transistors (OFETs) and organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), owing to their cost-effectiveness, structural versatility, and solution processability. However, achieving polymers with both high charge carrier mobility (μ) and photoluminescence (PL) quantum yield (Φ) remains a challenge. In this work, we present the design and synthesis of a novel donor-acceptor π-conjugated polymer, TTIF-BT, featuring a di-Thioeno[3,2-b] ThioenoIndeno[1,2-b] Fluorene (TTIF) backbone as the donor component.

Related Factors of Syphilis Positive Rate in Blood Donors During the COVID-19 Epidemic.

Background: In Shenzhen of China, the continuous increase of syphilis infections threatens the safety of blood transfusion. In 2020, COVID-19 was discovered and spread rapidly around the world, and affected the prevalence of syphilis among blood donors.

Methods: From 2013 to 2020, there were 839,161 blood samples collected in the Shenzhen Blood Center.

Cost-benefit analysis of serological and nucleic acid testing for hepatitis B virus in blood donors in southern China.

Background: Most Chinese blood centers have implemented mini pool (MP) HBV nucleic acid testing (NAT) together with HBsAg ELISA in routine blood donor screening for HBV infection since 2015, and a few centers upgraded MP to individual donation (ID) NAT screening recently, raising urgent need for cost-benefit analysis of different screening strategies. In an effort to prevent transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs) for HBV, cost-benefit analyses of three different screening strategies: HBsAg alone, HBsAg plus MP NAT and HBsAg plus ID NAT were performed in blood donors from southern China where HBV infection was endemic.

Methods: MP-6 HBV NAT and ID NAT were adopted in parallel to screen blood donors for further comparative analysis.

Efficacy of NKG2D CAR-T cells with IL-15/IL-15Rα signaling for treating Epstein-Barr virus-associated lymphoproliferative disorder.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) related post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (EBV-PTLD) is a life-threatening complication after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) or solid organ transplantation (SOT), for which no standard therapeutic means have been developed. Significant increase expression of natural killer group 2 member D ligands (NKG2DLs) was observed on B-lymphoblastoid cells of EBV-PTLD, indicating NKG2DLs as potential therapeutic targets for treatment of EBV-PTLD. In this study, the recombinant constructs of NKG2D CAR and IL-15/IL-15Rα-NKG2D CAR were generated with a retroviral vector and then transduced to human T cells to produce NKG2D CAR-T and IL-15/IL-15Rα-NKG2D CAR-T cells, respectively.

Recombination and selection trajectory of the monkeypox virus during its adaptation in the human population.

Monkeypox, caused by the monkeypox virus (MPXV), was historically confined to West and Central Africa but has now spread globally. Recombination and selection play crucial roles in the evolutionary adaptation of MPXV; however, the evolution of MPXV and its relationship with the recent, ground-breaking monkeypox epidemic remains poorly understood. To gain insights into the evolutionary dynamics of MPXV, comprehensive in silico recombination and selection analyses were conducted based on MPXV whole genome sequence data.

Fabrication of Fully Positively Charged Layer-by-Layer Polyelectrolyte Nanofilms with pH-Dependent Swelling Properties.

Nanofilms fabricated by layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly from polyelectrolytes (PEs) are important materials for various applications. However, PE films cannot retain the charges along the polymer chains during fabrication, resulting in a low charge density. In this study, the preparation of LbL nanofilms with preserved positive charges via a controllable and efficient approach was achieved.

fabrication of fully negatively-charged layer-by-layer nanofilms on a living cell surface.

Fully negatively-charged (FNC) layer-by-layer nanofilms were successfully assembled on a living cell surface for the first time using only poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) by introducing strain-promoted click chemistry to crosslink PAA layers. The resulting nanofilms retained their negative charges and showed higher adsorption of positively-charged molecules without affecting the cell viability.

Oxygen Vacancy-Enriched CoFeO for Electrochemically Sensitive Detection of the Breast Cancer CD44 Biomarker.

Enhancing the selectivity of detection methods is essential to distinguish breast cancer biomarker cluster of differentiation 44 (CD44) from other species and reduce false-positive or false-negative results. Here, oxygen vacancy-enriched CoFeO (CoFeO) was crafted, and its implementation as an electrochemical electrode for the detection of CD44 biomarkers has been scrutinized. This unique electrode material offers significant benefits and novel features that enhance the sensitivity and selectivity of the detection process.

Global antigenic landscape and vaccine recommendation strategy for low pathogenic avian influenza A (H9N2) viruses.

The sustained circulation of H9N2 avian influenza viruses (AIVs) poses a significant threat for contributing to a new pandemic. Given the temporal and spatial uncertainty in the antigenicity of H9N2 AIVs, the immune protection efficiency of vaccines remains challenging. By developing an antigenicity prediction method for H9N2 AIVs, named PREDAC-H9, the global antigenic landscape of H9N2 AIVs was mapped.

Network-based approach for drug repurposing against mpox.

The current outbreak of mpox presents a significant threat to the global community. However, the lack of mpox-specific drugs necessitates the identification of additional candidates for clinical trials. In this study, a network medicine framework was used to investigate poxviruses-human interactions to identify potential drugs effective against the mpox virus (MPXV).

Global pattern and determinant for interaction of seasonal influenza viruses.

Background: The prevalence of different types/subtypes varies across seasons and countries for seasonal influenza viruses, indicating underlying interactions between types/subtypes. The global interaction patterns and determinants for seasonal influenza types/subtypes need to be explored.

Methods: Influenza epidemiological surveillance data, as well as multidimensional data that include population-related, environment-related, and virus-related factors from 55 countries worldwide were used to explore type/subtype interactions based on Spearman correlation coefficient.

Biofabrication of engineered blood vessels for biomedical applications.

To successfully engineer large-sized tissues, establishing vascular structures is essential for providing oxygen, nutrients, growth factors and cells to prevent necrosis at the core of the tissue. The diameter scale of the biofabricated vasculatures should range from 100 to 1,000 µm to support the mm-size tissue while being controllably aligned and spaced within the diffusion limit of oxygen. In this review, insights regarding biofabrication considerations and techniques for engineered blood vessels will be presented.

Quenching residual HO from UV/HO with granular activated carbon: A significant impact of bicarbonate.

UV/HO has been used as an advanced oxidation process to remove organic micropollutants from drinking water. It is essential to quench residual HO to prevent increased chlorine demand during chlorination/chloramination and within distribution systems. Granular activated carbon (GAC) filter can quench the residual oxidant and eliminate some of the dissolved organic matter.

Technology for the formation of engineered microvascular network models and their biomedical applications.

Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine have made great progress in recent decades, as the fields of bioengineering, materials science, and stem cell biology have converged, allowing tissue engineers to replicate the structure and function of various levels of the vascular tree. Nonetheless, the lack of a fully functional vascular system to efficiently supply oxygen and nutrients has hindered the clinical application of bioengineered tissues for transplantation. To investigate vascular biology, drug transport, disease progression, and vascularization of engineered tissues for regenerative medicine, we have analyzed different approaches for designing microvascular networks to create models.