Exploring the Effects of Fluorination at the Central Unit of Y6-Type Nonfullerene Acceptors on Photovoltaic Properties: A Computational Investigation.

The strategy of modification of central units of Y6-type nonfullerene acceptors (NFAs) with halogenation has become popular for designing new photovoltaic materials and has shown dramatic effects in improving photovoltaic properties. However, the underlying mechanism of how halogenation of central units of these NFAs influences photoelectric properties remains rather elusive. In this paper, focusing on two reported promising NFAs and with varying degrees of ring fusion at central units, we designed 4 new NFAs and modeled 10 NFAs systematically through fluorination at the central units.

Physiological and metabolic fluctuations of the diatom under water scarcity.

Water scarcity is an escalating environmental concern. The model diatom, , holds promise as a potential cell factory for the production of high-value natural compounds. However, its dependence on saline water cultivation restricts its use in areas facing water shortages.

Laparoscopic versus open secondary hepatectomy treating postoperative regional recurrent hepatolithiasis: a multicenter real-world study.

Background: Hepatectomy is the primary treatment for regional hepatolithiasis, but recurrence rates range from 10 to 20%, often necessitating repeat surgery. Although laparoscopic hepatectomy has been widely adopted for recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma, its use in recurrent hepatolithiasis remains limited due to technical challenges, including severe adhesions, anatomical distortions, and increased risks of complications. No large-scale study has compared laparoscopic and open repeat hepatectomy for recurrent regional hepatolithiasis.

Theoretical Exploration of the Effects of Conjugated Side Chains on the Photoelectric Properties of Y6-Based Nonfullerene Acceptors.

With the application of nonfullerene acceptors (NFAs) Y6 and its derivatives, the power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of single-junction organic solar cells (OSCs) have exceeded 20%. Side-chain engineering has proven to be an important strategy for optimizing Y6-based NFAs. However, studies on the incorporation of conjugated side chains into Y6-based NFAs are still rare, and the corresponding underlying mechanisms are still not well understood.

Nicotinic acid protects germinal vesicle oocyte meiosis against toxicity of benzo(a)pyrene in mice and humans.

In Brief: Low concentrations of benzo(a)pyrene in the follicular fluid of smokers disrupt oocyte maturation, leading to meiotic defects. Nicotinic acid (NA) partially rescues these defects, offering insights into potential strategies for protecting fertility.

Abstract: Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), a carcinogen present in cigarette smoke, was detected in human follicular fluid at concentrations of approximately 5 nM in smokers and 7 nM in cases of assisted reproductive failure.

Essential Role of the Anterior Piriform Cortex in Mediating Social Novelty Output via a Top-Down Circuit.

Social novelty is indispensable for a wide range of social behaviors. The medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), along with other social information hubs, composes the foundational circuitry of social novelty. However, the precise circuit mechanisms that govern social novelty processing remain elusive.

Clinical significance of serum FGF21 levels in diagnosing nonalcoholic fatty liver disease early.

The endogenous FGF21 level is a potential target for diagnosing NAFLD. This study aimed to assess the clinical utility of FGF21 in diagnosing NAFLD and provide new ideas for predicting and preventing NAFLD. A total of 193 patients diagnosed with NAFLD based on diagnostic criteria and 64 healthy individuals were included in the NAFLD and non-NAFLD groups, respectively.

One New Quinazoline-Containing Diketopiperazine Isolated from the Marine-Sponge-Derived Fungus Penicillium sp. SCSIO41043.

One new quinazoline-containing diketopiperazine (1), along with 24 known compounds including nine alkaloids (2-9, and 25), thirteen lactones (10-22), aspterric acid (23), and catechol (24), were isolated from the marine sponge-derived Penicillium sp. SCSIO41043. Their planar structures were unequivocally elucidated by spectroscopic analysis.

Association of blood isobutyronitrile with infertility among reproductive-aged women: Results from the NHANES cohort.

Isobutyronitrile finds extensive application in organic synthesis for the production of the insecticide diazinon. Apart from occupational exposure, cigarette smoking may also expose the general population to isobutyronitrile. However, to date, the association between isobutyronitrile and female infertility has not been explored in a population-based study.

Release of exosomes from injectable silk fibroin and alginate composite hydrogel for treatment of myocardial infarction.

Myocardial infarction (MI) is considered as a significant cause of death globally. Exosomes (EXOs) are essential for intercellular communication and pathophysiology of several cardiovascular diseases. Nevertheless, the short half-life and rapid clearance of EXOs leads to a lack of therapeutic doses delivered to the lesioned area.

Dual routes of chunking social interaction: Insights from grouping two agent actions in working memory.

Humans have evolved the sophisticated ability to extract social relations embedded in interactive entities. One typical demonstration is a social chunking phenomenon wherein the cognitive system chunks individual actions into a unified episode basing on perceived interactive actions. However, the mechanisms underlying social chunking remain to be elucidated.

Association between waist circumference and female infertility in the United States.

Background: Obesity has significant implications for fertility and reproductive health. However, evidences linking abdominal obesity to female infertility were limited and inconclusive. Our objective was to figure out the potential relationship between waist circumference (WC) and infertility among women of childbearing age in the United States using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

Mood congruency affects physiological synchrony but not empathic accuracy in a naturalistic empathy task.

Empathy is a crucial aspect of our daily lives, as it enhances our wellbeing and is a proxy for prosocial behavior. It encompasses two related but partially distinct components: cognitive and affective empathy. Both are susceptible to context, biases and an individual's physiological state.

Energetic, bio-oil, biochar, and ash performances of co-pyrolysis-gasification of textile dyeing sludge and Chinese medicine residues in response to KCO, atmosphere type, blend ratio, and temperature.

Hazardous waste stream needs to be managed so as not to exceed stock- and rate-limited properties of its recipient ecosystems. The co-pyrolysis of Chinese medicine residue (CMR) and textile dyeing sludge (TDS) and its bio-oil, biochar, and ash quality and quantity were characterized as a function of the immersion of KCO, atmosphere type, blend ratio, and temperature. Compared to the mono-pyrolysis of TDS, its co-pyrolysis performance with CMR (the comprehensive performance index (CPI)) significantly improved by 33.

Anti-PD-1 treatment protects against seizure by suppressing sodium channel function.

Aims: Although programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) typically serves as a target for immunotherapies, a few recent studies have found that PD-1 is expressed in the nervous system and that neuronal PD-1 might play a crucial role in regulating neuronal excitability. However, whether brain-localized PD-1 is involved in seizures and epileptogenesis is still unknown and worthy of in-depth exploration.

Methods: The existence of PD-1 in human neurons was confirmed by immunohistochemistry, and PD-1 expression levels were measured by real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and western blotting.

Bisabolane-type sesquiterpenoids and bacillibactin from the marine-derived fungus SCSIO 41041 and their enzyme inhibiting activity.

Twelve compounds, including eleven bisabolane-type sesquiterpenoids (-), and one bacillibactin () were identified from marine-derived fungus SCSIO 41041 isolated from . The chemical structures were elucidated by the basis of spectroscopic evidences, including HRESIMS, NMR and optical rotation. Biologically, all compounds were evaluated for their acetyl cholin-esterase (AChE) enzyme, pancreatic lipase (PL) enzyme, neuraminidase (NA) and phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) inhibitory activities.

Pure total flavonoids from citrus alleviate oxidative stress and inflammation in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease by regulating the miR-137-3p/NOXA2/NOX2 pathway.

Background: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become a global health issue owing to its large disease population and high morbidity. We previously reported that the improvement in oxidative stress (OS) using pure total flavonoids from citrus (PTFC), flavonoids isolated from the peel of Citrus changshan-huyou Y.B.

Network pharmacology-based approach to explore the underlying mechanism of sinomenine on sepsis-induced myocardial injury in rats.

Sepsis, a systemic disease, usually induces myocardial injury (MI), and sepsis-induced MI has become a significant contributor to sepsis-related deaths in the intensive care unit. The objective of this study is to investigate the role of sinomenine (SIN) on sepsis-induced MI and clarify the underlying mechanism based on the techniques of network pharmacology. Cecum ligation and puncture (CLP) was adopted to induce sepsis in male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats.

Construction of the machine learning-based live birth prediction models for the first in vitro fertilization pregnant women.

Background: This study was to conduct prediction models based on parameters before and after the first cycle, respectively, to predict live births in women who received fresh or frozen in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) for the first time.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study population consisted of 1,857 women undergoing the IVF cycle from 2019 to 2021 at Huizhou Municipal Central Hospital. The data between 2019 and 2020 were completely randomly divided into a training set and a validation set (8:2).

Isoflurane impairs olfaction by increasing neuronal activity in the olfactory bulb.

Aim: General anesthesia can induce cognitive deficits in both humans and rodents, correlating with pathological alterations in the hippocampus. However, whether general anesthesia affects olfactory behaviors remains controversial as clinical studies have produced inconsistent results. Therefore, we aimed to investigate how olfactory behaviors and neuronal activity are affected by isoflurane exposure in adult mice.

Evaluation of serum anti-pertussis toxin IgA antibodies for the diagnosis of Bordetella pertussis infection in young children.

Background: The determination of serum anti-pertussis toxin (PT) IgG antibodies is recommended for the diagnosis and surveillance of pertussis. However, the diagnostic power of anti-PT IgG can be hampered by possible interference from previous vaccinations. We aim to assess if anti-PT IgA antibodies can be well induced by Bordetella pertussis (B.

Analysis of the prevalence and related factors of primary hypertension among adolescents and children in the Taicang area.

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of hypertension in adolescents and children in the Taicang area and analyse related factors to provide a theoretical basis for the prevention and control of hypertension in this region.

Methods: A total of 1,000 students who were visited and surveyed in primary schools in the Taicang area in 2021 were selected for statistical testing using a cluster random sampling method, and a survey was conducted on their dietary habits. dietary habits, such as the consumption of meals that included protein-rich animal products, beans and dairy products, vegetables and fruits, salty foods and fried food, was taken into consideration, along with physical fitness indices, waist-to-height ratio and waist circumference.

Association between serum antibody levels and infertility among reproductive-aged women in the U.S.

Introduction: infection, the most prevalent sexually transmitted bacterial infection worldwide, is a significant cause of infertility. Many countries have introduced the widespread use of serologic assays for IgG seropositivity to chlamydial plasmid gene product 3 (Pgp3). However, data on the association between the level of Pgp3-IgG in the multiplex bead array assay (Pgp3AbMBA) and female infertility are still scarce.

Integrated analysis reveals important differences in the gut and oropharyngeal microbiota between children with mild and severe hand, foot, and mouth disease.

Little is known about alternation and difference in gut microbiota between patients with mild and severe hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD). We investigated the differences in gut and oropharynx microbiota between mild and severe HFMD in young children and changes in bacterial profiles as the disease progresses from acute to convalescent phase. Forty-two patients with confirmed HFMD were studied, among which 32 had severe HFMD and 10 had mild HFMD.