Toxic Risk Assessment of Multi-Endpoint Toxicity and Toxicity Transformation Mechanisms during UV-Combined Advanced Treatments in Wastewater Treatment Plants: Development of Effect-Based Trigger Values, In Vitro Bioassays, and FT-ICR MS Analysis.

The ultraviolet (UV) process is recognized as an environmentally friendly treatment, typically producing fewer byproducts compared to conventional chemical oxidation methods. However, research on the mechanisms underlying the removal of toxic effects by UV and UV-based combined processes during wastewater treatment remains insufficient. In this study, effect-based trigger values (EBTs) for acute toxicity, genotoxicity, and estrogen receptor (ER) agonist activity were derived and subsequently applied to assess three categories of toxicity variations in both full-scale wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and pilot-scale systems.

Characterization of peptide-enriched walnut meal paste via microbial diversity and metabolite profiling.

Walnut meal (WM), a protein-rich byproduct of oil extraction, holds great potential for conversion into value-added food products but remains underutilized. In this study, a two-stage fermentation process involving Aspergillus oryzae inoculation for koji preparation followed by natural brine fermentation was developed to produce a peptide-enriched walnut meal paste (WMP). Physicochemical analysis showed significant increases in total acidity (0.

Development and performance optimization of a portable Gas Chromatography - Photoionization Detection system for trace electrolyte leakage detection in lithium batteries.

With the widespread application of lithium batteries in energy storage systems, their safety concerns have attracted increasing attention. Electrolyte leakage, as one of the primary safety hazards, necessitates highly sensitive and rapid detection technologies for early warning. Addressing the limitations of conventional methods (e.

Venous Architecture Predicts Hemorrhage Risk in Sporadic CCM With DVA.

Background: To prospectively validate an imaging-based classification system for cerebral cavernous malformation (CCM) associated with developmental venous anomaly (DVA) in a multicenter cohort, and to evaluate the association between DVA subtypes and hemorrhage risk.

Methods: This prospective multicenter cohort study was conducted as part of the Quantitative Susceptibility Biomarker and Brain Structural Property for Cerebral Cavernous Malformation Related Epilepsy (CRESS) study at 2 tertiary neurosurgical centers in China. Patients with sporadic CCM and coexisting DVA were consecutively enrolled and prospectively followed for data collection between September 2019 and March 2024.

Defect-Engineered LaFeO Stabilizing Oxidized Pt Single-Atom Sites for Low-Temperature CO Oxidation.

The inherent trade-off between activity and stability in platinum single-atom catalysts (SACs) poses a significant challenge for catalytic oxidation reactions. High-coordination Pt sites have good stability, but their overoxidation often passivates activity. In contrast, metastable low-coordination Pt structures typically display high activity but are prone to oxidation and aggregation under harsh conditions.

Risk factors and prediction model for massive transfusion during cesarean section in singleton pregnancies with anterior placenta previa, prior caesarean and prenatal suspicion of placenta accreta spectrum: a retrospective case-control study.

Background: Severe postpartum hemorrhage is frequently encountered during cesarean sections (CSs) in individuals with placenta accreta spectrum (PAS). The prompt and adequate administration of blood transfusions has emerged as a critical intervention in managing severe postpartum hemorrhage. Considering that anterior placenta previa (APP) and a prior CS constitute key risk factors for PAS, this investigation aims to investigate these risk factors and develop a prediction model for massive transfusion (MT) during CS in cases of singleton pregnancies with APP, a prior CS, and prenatal suspicion of PAS, utilizing the placenta accreta spectrum ultrasound scoring system (PASUSS).

The accuracy and real resolution of karyotyping technique in detecting chromosomal aberrations identified by molecular genetic methods.

Although karyotyping technology has been implemented in genetic diagnosis for a long time, the comprehensive understanding of this technology is still limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the accuracy and resolution of karyotyping method in detecting chromosomal abnormalities by molecular genetic method. In this study, we conducted a retrospective analysis of embryonic molecular karyotypes and peripheral blood cytogenetic karyotypes from patients with balanced chromosomal rearrangements undergoing preimplantation genetic testing at our reproductive center.

tDCS-induced enhancement of cognitive flexibility in autism: role of frontal lobe and associated neural circuits.

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impaired social interaction and restricted, repetitive behaviors (RRBs). These symptoms may stem from cognitive flexibility deficits, with dysfunction in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and related neural circuits proposed as underlying mechanisms.

Objectives: This study examined whether transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) could enhance PFC activity and functional connectivity, thereby improving cognitive flexibility in a valproic acid (VPA)-induced ASD rat model.

A Bio-Inspired Adaptive Probability IVYPSO Algorithm with Adaptive Strategy for Backpropagation Neural Network Optimization in Predicting High-Performance Concrete Strength.

Accurately predicting the compressive strength of high-performance concrete (HPC) is critical for ensuring structural integrity and promoting sustainable construction practices. However, HPC exhibits highly complex, nonlinear, and multi-factorial interactions among its constituents (such as cement, aggregates, admixtures, and curing conditions), which pose significant challenges to conventional predictive models. Traditional approaches often fail to adequately capture these intricate relationships, resulting in limited prediction accuracy and poor generalization.

Prognostic value of the co-stimulatory molecule OX40 expression in Extranodal Natural Killer/T-cell Lymphoma.

Objective: To explore the clinicopathological features and the prognostic values of the co-stimulatory molecules OX40 and the inducible T-cell co-stimulator (ICOS) in Extranodal Natural Killer/T-cell Lymphoma (ENKTL).

Methods: 82 participants (median age 51 years, 26.8% female) were included in this study.

BOLA3 as a key protein for the treatment of diabetic skeletal muscle atrophy.

Objective: Skeletal muscle is crucial for glucose metabolism, but diabetes impairs this function, leading to muscle atrophy. Although the mutation of BOLA Family Member 3 (BOLA3) resulted in disease Multiple Mitochondrial Dysfunctions Syndrome, the role of which in diabetic muscle atrophy is unclear.

Methods: Firstly, datasets were downloaded and assessed from skeletal muscle tissue with diabetic individuals in GEO database and key genes were screened using weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and machine learning algorithms.

An Open-Label, Single-Dose Study to Evaluate the Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics, Safety, and Tolerability of Olpasiran in Chinese Participants With Elevated Serum Lipoprotein(a).

Introduction: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a major cause of premature mortality and disability worldwide, with China ranking among the highest in CVD deaths. Lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) is a circulating lipoprotein particle that, when elevated, may increase CVD risk. Reduced Lp(a) levels with existing cardiovascular treatments are modest, and evidence confirming whether lowering Lp(a) leads to cardiovascular benefit is lacking.

Blood-brain barrier-penetrating Angiopep-2/Sirtuin 1 nanoparticles rescue sevoflurane neurotoxicity through multi-omics identified necroptosis pathways.

Developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) induced by sevoflurane exposure poses significant risks to pediatric anesthesia, yet effective protective strategies remain limited. Here, we developed self-assembling Angiopep-2/SIRT1 nanoparticles (Ang/SIRT1-NPs) with favorable biocompatibility and brain-targeting properties. Through in vitro and in vivo studies, we demonstrate that Ang/SIRT1-NPs effectively alleviate sevoflurane-induced neuronal apoptosis, neuroinflammation, and dendritic spine loss.

Gender profiling based on amino acids in fingermark residues: a study on stability.

Chemical residues in fingermarks have been proven to assist in suspect tracing and population profiling. However, the composition and levels of these chemicals are derived from complex metabolic systems and are easily influenced by biological activities, which has hindered judicial institutions worldwide from establishing standardized analytical procedures. To develop a rapid, accurate, and straightforward analytical method, this study employed UPLC-QqQ-MS/MS to quantify amino acid levels in fingermark residues, integrating machine learning techniques and intelligent optimization algorithms for gender prediction.

Prenatal microplastic exposure and umbilical cord blood androgenic and glucocorticoid hormones.

Placental microplastic exposure has emerged as a potential environmental risk factor affecting fetal development. This study investigates the association between placental microplastic burden and umbilical cord hormone levels in a cohort of pregnant women from Shenyang, China. A total of 1324 pregnant women during 2022-2023 were enrolled.

Cut-Enabled Mechanical Metamaterials for Multimodal and Reprogrammable Static Nonreciprocity.

Static nonreciprocity offers distinct outputs when switching the positions of action and reaction, which is of great interest for designing mechanical logic elements or soft robots. Existing mechanical metamaterials can present specific static nonreciprocal responses, but it remains challenging to obtain multiple and reprogrammable static nonreciprocal modes in a single microstructural topology. Here, a design method of cellular metamaterials is demonstrated via leaving cuts inside metacells, whose contact nonlinearity in the single metacell can offer orthogonal, uniaxial, shear (displacement and Poynting effect) static nonreciprocal modes.

Mechanistic and Epigenetic Partitioning of Lamina-Associated Chromatin Revealed by a Genome-Wide Imaging Screen.

The nuclear periphery is a key site for heterochromatin organization in eukaryotic cells, where lamina-associated domains (LADs) promote transcriptional repression and genome stability. Despite their importance, the mechanisms governing LAD positioning in human cells remain poorly understood. To this end, we performed a genome-wide imaging-based siRNA screen and identified over 100 genes critical for perinuclear LAD localization, with a striking enrichment for RNA-binding proteins.

Elucidation of the zinc binding site in KCNQ channels.

Background And Purpose: KCNQ1-5 (Kv7.1-7.5) are members of a family of voltage-gated potassium channels with prominent function in the nervous and cardiovascular systems and in epithelia.

Impact of cell disruption technologies on the structure, functionality, and digestibility of Cordyceps militaris protein isolates.

Cell disruption is essential for extracting intracellular proteins from fungal biomass. However, its effects on the structural and functional properties of proteins remain insufficiently understood. This study used Cordyceps militaris as a model to evaluate three cell disruption techniques-high-pressure homogenization (HPH), ultrasonication (US), and cellulase hydrolysis-for extracting C.

Atom Probe Tomography of Hydrated Biomacromolecules: Preliminary Results.

The folding and structure of biomacromolecules depend on the three-dimensional distributions of their constituents, and this ultimately controls their functionalities and interactions with other biomacromolecules. Atom probe tomography (APT) with its unparalleled compositional sensitivity at nanoscale spatial resolution, could provide complementary information to cryo-electron microscopy, yet routine APT analysis of biomacromolecules in their native state remains challenging. Here, we used a solution containing ferritin as a model biomacromolecule, and following plunge freezing in liquid nitrogen (LN2), performed cryogenic specimen preparation via lift-out, and APT analysis.

Lattice O-O ligands in Fe-incorporated hydroxides enhance water oxidation electrocatalysis.

Understanding the structural dynamics of ligands and their interaction with catalytic centres under reaction conditions remains a fundamental challenge, yet it is essential for catalyst design. Here we reveal an in situ transformation of Ni-Fe hydroxide into a stable superoxo-hydroxide phase, which is accompanied by the formation of lattice O-O (O-O) ligands, as demonstrated using operando O-labelling spectroelectrochemistry and machine-learning-assisted global optimization. By correlating the intrinsic activity of Fe with the O-O concentration across a series of Fe-incorporated transition-metal hydroxides and oxides, we demonstrate that O-O triggers Fe activation for oxygen evolution electrocatalysis-a finding further supported by first-principles calculations.

Sulfamoylbenzoic Acid Derivatives as Molecular Additives through Fine Dipole Moment Regulation for Highly Reproducible Perovskite Solar Cells.

An excellent reproducibility of high-quality perovskite thin films is imperative for the commercialization of perovskite solar cells. Multifunctional additive engineering is a promising strategy to tackle this challenge as it facilitates simultaneous control over crystallization processes and defect passivation. Here, an innovative strategy is proposed, leveraging -OH, -NH, and -Cl to precisely tune the dipole moment and electronic configuration of multifunctional modified 4-chloro-3-sulfonamide benzoic acid (CSBA) through substituent inductive and conjugation effects.

Physicochemical characteristics of cost-effective and high-quality plant-based meat analogues prepared from soybean meal and soybean powder.

The limited market adoption of plant-based meat analogues (PBMA) stems from high costs and suboptimal texture. Low-moisture extrusion, the dominant industrial-scale production method for PBMA, offers advantages in cost-efficiency and versatility but remains constrained by material-dependent texture limitations. We innovatively employed low-cost soybean meal (SM) and soybean powder (SP) for PBMA production.

β-Alanine decreases plasma taurine but improves nitrogen utilization efficiency in beef steers.

Recent research has demonstrated that rumen-protected taurine supplementation improves body protein turnover, apparent nitrogen retention (ANR) and nitrogen (N) utilization efficiency (NUE) in beef steers. To further elucidate taurine's role in N metabolism, it is essential to examine whether taurine depletion adversely affects ANR and NUE. Six beef steers (bodyweight 391 ± 10 kg) were allocated in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square design.