Degradable Polyketone Thermoplastic Elastomers with Biomass Sourced Composition.

Polyolefin elastomers (POEs) serve as versatile materials bridging rubber and plastic properties across a variety of industrial processes, but their environmental persistence stemming from inert hydrocarbon composition raises ecological concerns. Here, we present a sustainable synthesis of degradable thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) through the carbonylative polymerization of ethylene and biomass-derived polar monomers (PMs). A cost-effective and scalable nickel catalyst has overcome the dual poison to metal center resulted from polar acid or ester motif and CO, enabling the synthesis of high-molecular-weight polyketone materials with moderate strain recovery (SR) values ranging from 27% to 61%.

Inhibition of FAK promotes pancreatic cancer immunotherapy by mediating CXCL10 secretion to enhance CD8 T cell infiltration.

Immunotherapy has demonstrated potential in treating various malignant tumors, but its efficacy in pancreatic cancer (PC) remains limited, possibly due to the dense stromal components and immunosuppressive microenvironment of PC. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK), a non-receptor tyrosine kinase, plays a crucial role in the tumor microenvironment and intracellular signaling pathways. However, the specific role of FAK in the development and progression of PC, as well as its regulatory mechanisms on the tumor immune microenvironment (TIM), are still not fully understood.

On-Demand Nonalternating Copolymerization Enables Upcycling of Mixed Polyethylene and Nylon Plastics.

The increasing accumulation of plastic waste in the environment brings about a potential danger for ecosystems and human society; mechanical recycling remains one of the most economical strategies to deal with the growing crisis of plastic pollution; however, it suffers from substantial performance deterioration when processing immiscible blends of polyethylene and nylon plastics. Here, we report on-demand nonalternating copolymerization of ethylene with carbon monoxide (CO) via a facile tandem gas compensation strategy, which achieves a precision control over carbonyl incorporation with uniform distribution across a broad range (0-50%). Such a synthetic advance offers a unique multiblock structure having short polar segments ((CH-CH)-CO-) ( < 4) and extended nonpolar methylene sequences ( > 4).

Unexpected strong and long-lasting hydroxyl radical production by pyridine disulfides with HO and remarkable enhancement by physiological reducing agents.

2,2'-Dithiodipyridine (PySSPy) is a typical pyridine disulfide, which has been widely used in industry and biomedical research, and frequently identified as the photo-degradation product of ubiquitous metal pyrithiones. Although many disulfides can moderately react with physiological oxidants such as HO, it was rarely reported that the highly-reactive hydroxyl radicals (OH) could be produced from the reaction of disulfides with HO. Here we unexpectedly found that PySSPy can readily react with HO over a wide pH range to continuously produce OH and lead to appreciable DNA damage.

Recent applications and advancement of conductive hydrogels in biosensing, bioelectronics and bioengineering.

Conductive hydrogels (CHs) are characterized by their distinctive three-dimensional (3D) network architecture enhanced by physically entangled or chemically cross-linked polymer chains. In recent years, these materials have garnered significant scientific interest owing to their unique combination of inherent electrical conductivity and remarkable capability to transduce external stimuli into measurable electronic signals. The immense potentials of those CHs in a number of applications catalyzed this review to summarize their specific properties and applications in biosensing, bioelectronics and bioengineering.

Molecular Mechanism of Unexpected Metal-Independent Hydroxyl Radical Production by Mercaptotriazole and HO.

It is well known that hydroxyl radical (OH) can be largely produced either through the classic iron-mediated inorganic-Fenton system or our recently discovered haloquinones/HO organic-Fenton-like system, but rarely produced via thiol compounds. Here, unexpectedly, we found that OH can be unequivocally generated by incubation of HO and mercaptotriazole (MTZ), a typical heterocyclic thiol which has been used as an environmentally friendly corrosion inhibitor for mild steel. By the complementary applications of HPLC-MS and oxygen-18 isotope-labeling method, MTZ-derived sulfenic (MTZ-SOH) and sulfinic acids were detected and identified as transient intermediates, and sulfonic acid as final products.

Scalable Nickel Catalysts for Carbonylative Terpolymerization of Ethylene/α-Olefin with High Efficiency.

The carbonylative polymerization of olefin yields aliphatic polyketones, which are used as engineering plastics in the market due to their excellent mechanical strength, chemical resistance, and surface and barrier properties. However, the usage of precious palladium catalysts has restricted their extensive application as commodity materials. Herein, we present a series of phosphine-sulfonate Ni catalysts with a wide spectrum of electronic and steric substituents on the phosphorus moiety for the carbonylative polymerization of ethylene.

Dietary patterns and risk of multiple cancers: umbrella review of meta-analyses of prospective cohort studies.

Background: Numerous prospective cohort studies have investigated the influence of dietary patterns on the risks of various cancers, although the findings differed.

Objectives: To evaluate the associations of dietary patterns with risks of various cancers and assess the strength and validity of the evidence.

Methods: Relevant articles were retrieved from the PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane library databases from inception to February 22, 2024.

Effects of on alcohol-induced liver injury through storing Nrf2/HO-1 pathway and gut microbiota.

Background: L. Sch. Bip.

[The role of peritumoral electroacupuncture in regulating cuproptosis for sensitization of chemotherapy efficacy in mice with triple-negative breast cancer].

Objectives: To explore the enhanced sensitization effect of peritumoral electroacupuncture (PEA) on doxorubicin (DOX) chemotherapy in mice with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).

Methods: Eighteen female Balb/c mice were randomly divided into the model, DOX, and EA+DOX groups, with 6 mice in each group. TNBC cells were injected into the mammary fat pad of mice to establish the breast cancer-bearing mice model.

Leopard predation on wild Sichuan snub-nosed monkeys.

Predation is widely recognized as a powerful selective pressure on primate behavior and ecology, although knowledge of predator-prey relationships remains limited partly due to the rarity of directly observed attacks on primates. Here, we describe four confirmed or suspected instances of leopard (Panthera pardus) predation on free-ranging Sichuan (golden) snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus roxellana), a highly endangered colobine species endemic to China. We recorded predation events and the reactions of monkey group members.

[Value of High-Frequency Ultrasound in the Diagnosis of Pronator Teres Syndrome].

Objective To investigate the clinical value of high-frequency ultrasound in the diagnosis of pronator teres syndrome (PTS). Methods The high-frequency ultrasound was employed to examine and measure the median nerve of the pronator teres muscle in 30 patients with PTS and 30 healthy volunteers (control group).The long-axis diameter (LA),short-axis diameter (SA) and cross-sectional area (CSA) of the median nerve were measured.

Character Strengths Use in Diabetes Self-management Scale: Development and psychometric testing.

Aims: To develop and psychometrically test Character Strengths Use in Diabetes Self-management Scale in people with type 2 diabetes.

Design: Cross-sectional design.

Methods: Based on literature reviews and examination by experts, a 20-item scale was developed and administered to 350 participants with type 2 diabetes who were enrolled from two endocrine clinics by convenience sampling in Taiwan.

A novel bacteriocin against multiple foodborne pathogens from isolated from juice ferments: ATF perfusion-based preparation of viable cells, characterization, antibacterial and antibiofilm activity.

Foodborne pathogens and their biofilms pose a risk to human health through food chain. However, the bacteriocin resources combating this threat are still limited. Here, one of the most used probiotics in food industry, was prepared on a large scale using alternating tangential flow (ATF) perfusion-based technology.

Impact of Type D Personality, Role Strain, and Diabetes Distress on Depression in Women With Type 2 Diabetes: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Women with diabetes face a significantly elevated risk of developing depression. Clarifying the factors associated with depression is critical to designing more timely interventions for this vulnerable population.

Purpose: This study was developed to examine the impact of Type D personality, diabetes-care-related role strain, and diabetes-related distress on depression in women with Type 2 diabetes.

Favorable Propylene-Incorporated Terpolymerization of Ethylene with CO Mediated by Cationic [P,O]-Pd and Ni Complexes.

Commercial polyketone materials are generally produced by palladium-catalyzed terpolymerization of ethylene and α-olefin with carbon monoxide (CO), and rare examples were reported regarding the incorporation of propylene into an ethylene/CO copolymer chain using a cost-effective nickel catalyst. In this study, we have developed a series of [P,O]-type cationic Pd and Ni complexes supported by a diphosphazane monoxide (PNPO) platform, and the electronic and steric effect on phosphine, amine, and phosphine oxide moieties is systematically investigated for terpolymerization in terms of activity, propylene/CO (C3) incorporation, and molecular weight control. It is observed that the melting temperature () is proportional to the number of C3 incorporations present in the polymer chain, and the incorporated propylene does not affect the degradation temperature substantially, thus broadening the processing temperature window of the resultant polyketones.

MiR-144-5p/CCL12 Signaling Axis Modulates Ischemic Preconditioning-Mediated Cardio-protection by Reducing Cell Viability, Enhancing Cell Apoptosis, Fibrosis, and Pyroptosis.

Ischemic postconditioning (IPost) represents short periods of nonlethal ischemia-reperfusion performed at the onset of reperfusion. Studies have shown that IPost involves various biological processes such as cell proliferation, apoptosis, and pyroptosis and can activate complex signaling pathways. CCL12 is a critical mediator in the inflammatory process after tissue injury.

Resilience, self-efficacy and diabetes distress on self-management behaviours in patients newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes: A moderated mediation analysis.

Aim: To examine (1) the mediating role of self-efficacy between resilience and self-management behaviours and (2) the moderating role of diabetes distress on the relationship between self-efficacy and self-management behaviours in patients newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

Design: Cross-sectional design.

Methods: Totally, 195 patients newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes for more than 5 months but less than 18 months were recruited from three endocrine clinics in Taiwan through convenience sampling.

[Fibroblast growth factor 21 plays a protective role in cardiovascular diseases by inducing autophagy].

Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is a growth factor with endocrine function in the fibroblast growth factor family. Previous reports have shown that FGF21 is involved in the regulation of energy metabolism and plays a protective role in cardiovascular diseases such as coronary heart disease, diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and so on. Recent studies have found that FGF21 can induce autophagy in a variety of tissues and organs, and autophagy is involved in many pathological processes of cardiovascular diseases, including vascular calcification, atherosclerosis, and myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Determinants of fear of falling in older adults with diabetes.

Objectives: To identify the important determinants of FoF among older adults with diabetes in endocrine clinics based on demographic and illness characteristics, physical function and capability, psychosocial and cognitive factors.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 240 older adults with Type 2 diabetes who were recruited by convenience sampling. Self-reported questionnaires, medical records as well as physical function and capability tests were used to collect the data.

Cationic P,O-Coordinated Nickel(II) Catalysts for Carbonylative Polymerization of Ethylene: Unexpected Productivity via Subtle Electronic Variation.

Transition-metal-catalyzed copolymerization of ethylene with carbon monoxide affords polyketones materials with excellent mechanical strength, photodegradability, surface and barrier properties. Unlike the widely used and rather expensive Pd catalysts, Ni-catalyzed carbonylative polymerization is very difficult since the strong binding affinity of CO to Ni deactivates the highly electrophilic metal center easily. In this study, various cationic P,O-coordinated Ni complexes were synthesized using the electronic modulation strategy, and the catalyst with strong electron-donating substituents exhibits an excellent productivity of 10  g polymer (g Ni) , which represents a rare discovery that a Ni complex could operate with such exceptional efficiency in comparison with Pd catalysts.

Pivotal regulatory roles of traditional Chinese medicine in ischemic stroke via inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Many studies have demonstrated the powerful neuroprotection abilities of multiple traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) against NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated ischemic cerebral injury. These TCMs may be in the form of TCM prescriptions, Chinese herbal medicines and their extracts, and TCM monomers.

Aim Of The Study: This review aimed to analyze and summarize the existing knowledge on the assembly and activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and its role in the pathogenesis of ischemic stroke (IS).

Effects of different injection methods of propofol anesthesia on the behavior and electroencephalography recording in mice.

Propofol is commonly used in mice studies on the mechanism of general anesthesia. The administration routes of propofol include intraperitoneal injection, single tail vein injection, and continuous tail vein pumping. The aim of this study is to compare the effects of the three injection methods on the behavior and electroencephalography (EEG) recording in mice.