Additive-Free TiCT MXene Actuator with Large Deformation, Programmability, and High-Humidity Stability via Precise Interlayer Spacing Control Engineering.

Introducing external substances to intercalate MXene (TiCT) or combining MXene with other inert materials to construct bilayer/multilayer structures is the current mainstream solution for improving actuation performance of MXene-based actuators. Possible issues include the degradation in mechanical and electrical properties of MXene, or the decrease in actuation performance or even structural damage of the actuator under frequent actuation. Besides, the structural and actuation performance stability of MXene-based actuators under high humidity environment also remain challenges.

Refinement of Crystalline Domains: A Strategy To Toughen Conductive Hydrogels.

The characteristic of possessing both high strength and flexibility is a requisite for the extensive application of conductive hydrogels in the domains of flexible wearable electronic devices and implantable biomedical fields. Nevertheless, the existing strategies for optimizing mechanical properties invariably enhance the strength at the expense of stretchability, thereby causing the hydrogels to still possess relatively low toughness. Herein, we propose a crystalline refinement-driven toughening strategy that overcomes this paradigm, achieving strength of 13.

Artificial-intelligence-assisted design principle for developing high-performance single-atom catalysts.

Artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted approaches are powerful means for advancing catalyst design, as they can significantly accelerate the development of novel catalysts. However, the underlying mechanisms of these approaches often remain elusive, which may lead to unreliable results due to a lack of clear understanding of the involved processes. Herein, we present an AI strategy that combines machine learning (ML) and data mining (DM) to identify high-performance catalysts while elucidating the key factors that govern catalytic performance in complex reactions.

MXene/Carboxymethyl Chitosan Moisture Responsive Soft Actuator with Diode-Like Actuation for Versatile Applications Driven by Human Metabolism.

Moisture responsive soft actuators are receiving increasing attention due to their unique potential in reducing external energy dependence and carbon footprint. For the conventional moisture responsive soft actuators, their bending deformation under moisture stimulation is usually bidirectional, and the orientation of the bending axis is random. Achieving a moisture responsive monolithic actuator with controllable unidirectional deformation remains a challenge.

Histone demethylase KDM5C is critical for cartilage development and protects against osteoarthritis by increasing HIF-1α to maintain mitochondrial function.

Objective: With age-related incidence and prevalence, osteoarthritis (OA) is becoming a major source of disability with an increased medical burden worldwide. Lysine Demethylase 5 C (KDM5C) mutation causes abnormalities of epilepsy and short stature. Our previous study has demonstrated KDM5C is indispensable for osteogenesis and bone formation.

Progressive Learning-Guided Discovery of Single-Atom Metal Oxide Catalysts for Acidic Oxygen Evolution Reaction.

The oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is a key bottleneck in clean energy conversion due to sluggish kinetics and high overpotentials. Transition metal single-atom catalysts offer great promise for OER optimization thanks to their high atomic efficiency and tunable electronic structures. However, intrinsic scaling relationships between adsorbed intermediates limit catalytic performance and complicate discovery through conventional machine learning (ML).

Tiara Ni Clusters for Electrocatalytic Nitrate Reduction to Ammonia with 97% Faradaic Efficiency.

The electroreduction of nitrate (NO) for sustainable ammonia (NH) production has recently emerged as a green process to solve water contamination and produce valuable chemicals. In this study, we developed Ni@CuFe-LDH composites comprising tiara Ni(SCHCOOH) (Ni) clusters anchored on the edges of 2D CuFe-LDH (LDH: layered double hydroxides) nanosheets via electrostatic interactions. The Ni@CuFe-LDH catalyst exhibits high electrochemical performance in nitrate reduction reaction (NORR).

Magnetic Moment Descriptor-Guided Multifunctional Co Single-Atom Catalysts Enable Wide-Temperature Uninterrupted Seawater Splitting.

Developing chloride ion-resistant trifunctional catalysts is imperative and of great significance for application in renewable energy-driven seawater splitting systems (S-WSS). However, there is currently a lack of unified descriptors for the rational design of catalysts that possess both high corrosion resistance and excellent catalytic activity. Herein, the magnetic moment is proposed as the descriptor through second-coordination-shell anion engineering of CoN₄ moieties (named as CoN-X, X = B/O/F/P/S/Cl).

Transcriptome and proteome analyses reveal the virulence of the effector gene vopR.

is an opportunistic infectious pathogen, and its pathogenicity is related to various virulence factors, with the type III secretion system (T3SS) being one of the important systems for secreting virulence factors. is one of the effector genes of T3SS1. To investigate its pathogenicity, this study constructed an overexpression vector to express in host cells, using the empty plasmid as a control, and analyzed its impact on the mRNA and protein expression levels of host cells.

Efficacy and safety of ultrasound-guided percutaneous microwave ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma at specific anatomic sites of the liver: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: This meta-analysis aims to assess the efficacy and safety of ultrasound-guided percutaneous microwave ablation (MWA) in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) located at specific anatomic sites of the liver with those of non-specific sites.

Methods: A systematic search was conducted across five databases, covering the period from the establishment of each database to September 30, 2024. Prospective and retrospective studies involving ultrasound-guided percutaneous MWA for the treatment of HCC were included.

Stimuli-Responsive MXene/PNIPAM Hydrogel WITH High-Performance and Tunable Electromagnetic Interference Shielding Performance.

Smart electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials capable of reversible EMI response hold great promise for application in flexible electromagnetic devices. Here, PPM hydrogels composed of poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) and MXene/PEDOT: PSS hybrid fillers are fabricated via ice-templated freeze-in-situ polymerization. The anisotropic structural design of the hydrogel enhances its mechanical properties, conductivity, and EMI shielding properties in a specific direction.

From Coils to Crawls: A Snake-Inspired Soft Robot for Multimodal Locomotion and Grasping.

Currently, numerous biomimetic robots inspired by natural biological systems have been developed. However, creating soft robots with versatile locomotion modes remains a significant challenge. Snakes, as invertebrate reptiles, exhibit diverse and powerful locomotion abilities, including prey constriction, sidewinding, accordion locomotion, and winding climbing, making them a focus of robotics research.

Tauroursodeoxycholic acid regulates macrophage/monocyte distribution and improves spinal microenvironment to promote nerve regeneration through inhibiting NF-κB signaling pathway in spinal cord injury.

Introduction: Following spinal cord injury (SCI), blood-borne monocytes infiltrate the spinal cord, differentiate into macrophages, and dominate the lesion site. Inflammatory responses mediated by macrophages determine nerve regeneration and functional recovery after SCI. Tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) shows a neuroprotective effect in different SCI animal models.

circCEP70 encoded protein inhibits the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Cirrhosis is closely related to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), however, the regulation of circular RNA (circRNA) in HCC with cirrhotic background has not yet been well illustrated. In this study, high throughput circRNA sequencing was applied to identified candidate circRNAs in HCC samples with cirrhotic background. The biological function of candidate circRNA was validated in both in vitro and in vivo settings.

Unveiling the Entropic Effect of Electrolytes on Kinetics and Cyclability for Practical Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries under low-temperature and lean electrolyte conditions for practical application are hindered by a sluggish conversion reaction, low sulfur utilization, and cycling stability. Herein, we designed a high-entropy (HE) electrolyte by mixing three Li salts. The HE electrolyte simultaneously improves lithium sulfide (LiS) conversion reaction kinetics, sulfur utilization, and cyclability due to the anticlustering effect on lithium polysulfides, three-dimensional LiS growth, and robust anion-derived solid electrolyte interphase layer formation, respectively.

Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1-mediated immune suppressive status is positively associated with brain metastasis in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO1) activity, measured by kynurenine/tryptophan (K:T) ratio, is known for its association with distant metastasis and overall survival (OS) in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Here, we aimed to examine whether IDO1 activity is correlated with OS in NSCLC patients with brain metastasis (Bramet) and has negative effect on modulating the anti-tumor functions of immune cells.

Methods: This study was a part of a prospective clinical trial in circulating biomarkers.

Randomized Trial of Pharmacist Integration in Haemodialysis Teams: Effects on Phosphorus Control and Patient Outcomes.

Introduction: Despite the limited historical engagement of hospital pharmacists in managing blood phosphorus levels, their involvement in this aspect of care for haemodialysis patients remains an underexplored yet potentially promising and effective approach that warrants further investigation.

Methods: A prospective, randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted to compare a control group receiving standard care from doctors and nurses with a test group that, in addition to standard care, received medication education and health promotion interventions from pharmacists. This trial is registered at chictr.

Use of Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Targeting 3WJ Nanoparticles and Reported Specific Delivery of Anti-miRNA 138 to Treat Osteoporosis.

Purpose: Locked nucleic acid (LNA)-modified anti-microRNAs have been demonstrated to target mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to treat bone diseases. However, the "off-target" effect limits its clinical application.

Methods: We selected specific aptamer M4 of MSCs and employed the three-way junction (3WJ) as the core scaffold to construct nanoparticles (3WJ-M4-LNA) for specific delivery of anti-miRNA 138.

Association between the coexistence of chronic kidney disease and sarcopenia with cardiovascular disease and mortality.

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) and sarcopenia are independently associated with adverse cardiovascular and mortality outcomes. However, the combined impact of CKD and sarcopenia remains poorly understood. To evaluate the combined effects of CKD and sarcopenia on cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality risks in a large population-based cohort.

Atractylenolide I Attenuates Glucocorticoid-Induced Osteoporosis via Inhibiting NF-κB Signaling Pathway.

Long-term treatment with glucocorticoids significantly impacts bone health, with glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIOP) being the most prevalent consequence. Previous studies have established that Atractylenolide I (Atr I) possesses anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-tumor properties, however, its specific effects on osteoclastogenesis and GIOP are still unclear. In this study, our in vitro results revealed that Atr I inhibited RANKL-stimulated osteoclast differentiation in a dose-dependent manner, disrupted the structure of the F-actin belt in mature osteoclasts, blocked RANKL-induced ROS production, and suppressed the expression of osteoclast-associated genes.

Molecular gene signature of circulating stromal/stem cells.

The human skeleton is renewed and regenerated throughout life, by a cellular process known as bone remodeling. Stem cells are clono-genic cells that are capable of differentiation into multiple mature cell types (multipotency), and simultaneously replenishing stem cell pool (self-renewal), which allows them to sustain tissue development and maintenance. Circulating mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs), are mobile adult stem cells with specific gene expression profiling, as well as enhanced mitochondrial remodeling as a promising source for personalized cell and gene therapy.

Efficacy and prognostic impact of preoperative risk factors for salvage liver transplantation and repeat hepatectomy in patients with early-stage recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma: a propensity score-matched analysis.

Background: The optimal treatment strategy for recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (rHCC) remains unclear. This study is based on cases of rHCC after liver resection, aiming to evaluate the influence of preoperative risk factors on the long-term prognosis of patients with rHCC by comparing patients who underwent salvage liver transplantation (SLT) with those who underwent repeat hepatectomy (RH).

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 401 consecutive patients with rHCC who underwent SLT or RH between March 2015 and December 2022.

Comprehensive Bioinformatics Analyses and Experimental Validation of the Cell Cycle Related Protein SAPCD2 as a New Biomarker and Potential Therapeutic Target in Pancreatic Cancer.

Purpose: Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) is a highly aggressive cancer with a poor prognosis, reliable markers are urgently needed for early detection and prognosis evaluation. , a cell cycle related gene, has been implicated in tumorigenesis and proposed as a potential therapeutic target in cancer. However, no comprehensive study has explored its expression and regulation, discussed its role in tumor prognosis and immune modulation, along with therapy response in pan-cancer until now.

Zuogui Pills alleviate iron overload-induced osteoporosis by attenuating ROS-mediated osteoblast apoptosis via the PI3K-AKT pathway and mitigating mitochondrial damage.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Zuogui Pill (ZGP) is a classic herbal formula in Traditional Chinese Medicine, primarily used to tonify the kidney and replenish essence, and is widely applied in treating various kidney deficiency-related conditions. Over time, ZGP has demonstrated significant efficacy in addressing symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, and soreness of the lower back and knees, which are often caused by kidney deficiency. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine theory, the kidneys govern the bones, meaning that sufficient kidney essence is closely related to bone strength.

Qi-Gui-Jian-Gu Decoction Accelerates Osteogenesis and Fracture Healing by Activating the Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway.

Background: Qi-Gui-Jian-Gu decoction (QGJG), as a clinical empirical formula, has clinical benefits in promoting bone formation, but the underlying mechanism for its application in treating fractures has not been investigated.

Methods: The potential therapeutic target and signaling pathway of QGJG for treating fractures were analyzed by network pharmacology. In vitro, we used bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to evaluate osteogenic differentiation and mineralization by alizarin red staining, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), western blot (WB), and immunofluorescence staining.