Ascertaining the Environmental Advantages of Pavement Designs Incorporating Recycled Content through a Parametric and Probabilistic Approach.

Reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) is a widely used end-of-life (EoL) material in asphalt pavements to increase the material circularity. However, the performance loss due to using RAP in the asphalt binder layer often requires a thicker layer, leading to additional material usage, energy consumption, and transportation effort. In this study, we developed a parametric and probabilistic life cycle assessment (LCA) framework to robustly compare various pavement designs incorporating recycled materials.

Environmental judicature and firm productivity: Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment.

The impact of environmental governance on firm productivity has been widely discussed, but few studies have examined the function of environmental judicature. Using the establishment of environmental courts as a quasi-natural experiment, this paper examines the relationship between environmental judicature and firm productivity. Our findings show that environmental courts will reduce firm productivity in the short term, chiefly owing to the increased environmental violation costs, environmental reputation costs and environmental compliance costs.

Exosomes Derived from Apelin-Pretreated Mesenchymal Stem Cells Ameliorate Sepsis-Induced Myocardial Dysfunction by Alleviating Cardiomyocyte Pyroptosis via Delivery of miR-34a-5p.

Background: Exosomes sourced from mesenchymal stem cells (MSC-EXOs) have become a promising therapeutic tool for sepsis-induced myocardial dysfunction (SMD). Our previous study demonstrated that Apelin pretreatment enhanced the therapeutic benefit of MSCs in myocardial infarction by improving their paracrine effects. This study aimed to determine whether EXOs sourced from Apelin-pretreated MSCs (Apelin-MSC-EXOs) would have potent cardioprotective effects against SMD and elucidate the underlying mechanisms.

Multiplex one-step RT‒qPCR assays for simultaneous detection of AMDV, MEV and CDV.

Background: Aleutian mink disease, mink viral enteritis and canine distemper are known as the three most serious diseases that cause great economic loss in the mink industry. In clinical practice, aleutian mink disease virus (AMDV), mink enteritis virus (MEV) and canine distemper virus (CDV) are common mixed infections, and they have similar clinical clinical signs, such as diarrhoea. Therefore, a rapid and accurate differential diagnosis method for use on mink ranches is essential for the control of these three pathogens.

Exploration of Optical Fiber and Laser Cutting Head Applications in High-Radiation Environments for Fast Reactor Spent Fuel Reprocessing.

Fast-neutron reactors are an important representative of Generation IV nuclear reactors, and due to the unique structure and material properties of fast reactor fuel, traditional mechanical cutting methods are not applicable. In contrast, laser cutting has emerged as an ideal alternative. However, ensuring the stability of optical fibers and laser cutting heads under high radiation doses, as well as maintaining cutting quality after irradiation, remains a significant technical challenge.

Apelin deficiency exacerbates cardiac injury following infarction by accelerating cardiomyocyte ferroptosis.

Apelin is an endogenous ligand for the Apelin receptor and is a critical protective effector in myocardial infarction (MI). Nevertheless, these protective mechanisms are not fully understood. Ferroptosis is the major driving factor of MI.

Graphene Quantum Dot Sensitized Heterojunctions Induce Tumor-Specific Cuproptosis to Boost Sonodynamic and Chemodynamic Enhanced Cancer Immunotherapy.

Cuproptosis that utilizes copper ionophore to induce programmed cell death holds promise for enhancing the effectiveness of conventional anticancer therapies and triggering efficient adaptive immune responses. However, the non-tumor-specific release of Cu ions can induce cuproptosis and cause irreversible damage to normal tissues. To maximize the therapeutic effects of tumor-specific cuproptosis, this work reports for the first time the regulation of degradation behaviors of Cu-based nanomaterials using graphene quantum dots (GQDs) as a protection layer.

An internally validated prognostic nomogram model predicts the stone-free rate following endoscopic combined intrarenal surgery for renal stones.

Background: Here, we aim to develop and validate a viable prognostic nomogram model for predicting a stone-free rate of kidney stones patients based on retrospective cohort analysis.

Methods: This is a retrospective study that obtained a continuous cohort from the databases of two hospitals (General Hospital of Southern Theater Command, and Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital), including 522 patients with kidney stones who underwent Endoscopic Combined Intrarenal Surgery (ECIRS) from January 2015 to December 2022.The characteristics of the primary cohort between the SF (stone-free) and SR (stone residue) groups were identified using single factor and multivariate logistic regression analyses.

The involvement of amyloid-β in the central nervous system regulation underlying sleep deprivation-induced rapid ejaculation in rats.

Background: Although some studies suggest that sleep deprivation may affect ejaculation regulation, related research is limited, and the mechanisms remain unclear.

Aim: This study aimed to explore whether sleep deprivation influences ejaculation regulation through amyloid-beta and to investigate its potential mechanisms.

Materials And Methods: Normal ejaculating rats were randomly distributed into three separate groups for the study, and treated with sleep deprivation combined with saline gavage, sleep deprivation combined with sodium butyrate gavage, and control with saline gavage.

Luminescent Tactile Sensor System for Robots: Enhancing Human-Computer Interaction in Complex Dark Environments.

In order to achieve interaction and collaboration with humans, robots need to have the ability for tactile perception of simulating human. Traditional methods use electrically connected sensors with complex arrays, leading to intricate wiring, high manufacturing costs, and demanding current environments. A flexible sensor with simple structure, easy preparation process, and low cost based on triboluminescence effect is proposed in this paper, which avoids the complex array and wiring of traditional sensors.

Reactive Intermediate Confinement in Beta Zeolites for the Efficient Aerobic Epoxidation of α-Olefins.

The efficient conversion of long-chain linear α-olefins (LAOs) into industrially useful epoxides is of pivotal importance. Mukaiyama epoxidation based on the use of molecular oxygen as the sole oxidant and aldehyde as the cosubstrate offers a promising route for LAOs epoxidation. However, challenges associated with epoxide forming selectivity and aldehyde coupling efficiency have long impeded the adoption of Mukaiyama epoxidation in large-scale applications.

Accelerometer-derived movement behaviours and risk of mortality among individuals with pre-existing depression: prospective cohort study.

Background: Evidence is largely limited regarding the extent to which abnormal behavioural profiles, including physical inactivity, sedentary behaviour and inadequate sleep duration, impact long-term health conditions in individuals with pre-existing depression.

Aims: To investigate the associations between accelerometer-derived daily movement behaviours and mortality in individuals with pre-existing depression.

Method: Between 2013 and 2015, a total of 10 914 individuals with pre-existing depression were identified from the UK Biobank through multiple sources including self-reported symptoms, records of antidepressant usage and diagnostic recording based on the 10th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) codes F32-F33.

Experimental study on laser cutting process of simulated fast Reactor fuel rods.

The cladding of fast reactor fuel rods, made of stainless steel, presents significant challenges in cutting due to its ductility, which leads to increased tool wear and poor cut quality with traditional mechanical methods. Laser cutting has emerged as a superior alternative, offering non-contact precision, high efficiency, and suitability for radioactive environments. This study systematically investigates the effects of laser cutting parameters-cutting speed, focal position, power, and gas pressure-on the cutting quality of simulated fast reactor fuel rods.

Characterizing the gut microbiome of diarrheal mink under farmed conditions: A metagenomic analysis.

This study aimed to comprehensively characterize the gut microbiota in diarrheal mink. We conducted Shotgun metagenomic sequencing on samples from five groups of diarrheal mink and five groups of healthy mink. The microbiota α-diversity and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) orthology did not show significant differences between the groups.

Electrospinning Recombinant Spider Silk Fibroin-Reinforced PLGA Membranes: A Biocompatible Scaffold for Wound Healing Applications.

Polylactide-polyglycolide (PLGA) is one of the most attractive polymeric biomaterials used to fabricate medical devices for drug delivery and tissue engineering applications. Nevertheless, the utilization of PLGA in load-bearing applications is restricted due to its inadequate mechanical properties. This study examines the potential of recombinant silk fibroin (eADF4), a readily producible biomaterial, as a reinforcing agent for PLGA.

Tumor Microenvironment Activated Cu Crosslinked Near-Infrared Sonosensitizers for Visualized Cuproptosis-Enhanced Sonodynamic Cancer Immunotherapy.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated sonodynamic therapy (SDT) holds increasing potential in treating deep-seated tumor owing to the high tissue-penetration depth. However, the inevitable accumulation of sonosensitizers in normal tissues not only make it difficult to realize the in situ SDT, but also induces sonodynamic effects in normal tissues. Herein, this work reports the passivation and selective activation strategies for the sonodynamic and near-infrared (NIR) imaging performances of an intelligent antitumor theranostic platform termed Cu-IR783 nanoparticles (NPs).

Letrozole-Based Near-Infrared Dynamic Imaging Targeting Ductal-Vascular RhoJ From Pancreatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia to Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) relies heavily on neoangiogenesis for its progression, making early detection crucial. Here, LTZi-MHI148 (Letrozole inhibitor bonding with MHI-148 dye), a near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent agent is developed, to target RhoJ (Ras Homolog Family Member J), a protein expressed in neonatal vasculature, for both imaging and therapy of early PDAC. This agent is synthesized by conjugating Letrozole with MHI-148, exhibiting excellent NIR characteristics and photostability.

Ultra-small platinum nano-enzymatic spray with ROS scavenging and anti-inflammatory properties for photoaging treatment.

Photoaging induced by ultraviolet (UV) results in oxidative stress and inflammation. Noble metal nanozymes have strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capacity, which are expected to eliminate the excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inflammatory factors in the photoaged skin. Hence, we have synthesized ultrasmall platinum nanoparticles coated with polyvinylpyrrolidone (Pt NPs) with a diameter of nearly 5 nm for photoaging treatment.

Submicroscopic magnetite may be ubiquitous in the lunar regolith of the high-Ti region.

Magnetite is rare on the Moon. The ubiquitous presence of magnetite in lunar soil has been hypothesized in previous Apollo Mössbauer spectroscopy and electron spin resonance studies, but there is currently no mineralogical evidence to prove it. Here, we report a large number of submicroscopic magnetite particles embedded within iron-sulfide on the surface of Chang'e-5 glass, with a close positive correlation between magnetite content and the TiO content of the surrounding glass.

Investigating the Promising P28 Peptide-Loaded Chitosan/Ceramic Bone Scaffolds for Bone Regeneration.

Bone has the ability to heal itself; however, bone defects fail to heal once the damage exceeds a critical size. Bone regeneration remains a significant clinical challenge, with autograft considered the ideal bone graft material due to its sufficient porosity, osteogenic cells, and biological growth factors. However, limitations to bone grafting, such as limited bone stock and high resorption rates, have led to a great deal of research into developing bone graft substitutes.