Mendelian randomization analysis reveals causal factors behind diabetic nephropathy: evidence, opportunities, and challenges.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN), as the most serious minor vascular complication of diabetes, imposes a significant socioeconomic and medical cost around the world, and its prevention and treatment are a major challenge in the current medical community. Observational studies and randomized controlled trials have revealed protective and risk factors for some DN. However, the conclusions of these researches may be influenced by several types of confounding.

Boosting Photovoltaic Efficiency: The Role of Functional Group Distribution in Perovskite Film Passivation.

The utilization of small organic molecules with appropriate functional groups and geometric configurations for surface passivation is essential for achieving efficient and stable perovskite solar cells (PSCs). In this study, two isomers, 4-sulfonamidobenzoic acid (4-SA) and 3-sulfamobenzoic acid (3-SA), both featuring sulfanilamide and carboxyl functional groups arranged in different positions, are evaluated for their effectiveness in passivating defects of the perovskite layer. The calculation and characterization results reveal that 3-SA, with its meta-substitution, offered superior passivation compared to the para-substituted 4-SA, leading to enhanced charge carrier dynamics and extraction efficiency.

Hypertension may lead to cognitive dysfunction in older adults via methylmalonic acid: evidence from NHANES 2011-2014 population.

Background: An enriched understanding is necessary concerning the association between hypertension and cognitive impairment in older adults, particularly regarding the potential underlying mechanisms at a biological level. This study aimed to explore the mediating role of methylmalonic acid (MMA) in the hypertension-cognition link in the older population.

Methods: A total of 2762 adults (age > = 60 years) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011-2014 participated.

Synergic action of bamboo-cellulose-supported hydrogen-bonded nano-AgBr for robust photocatalysis.

A novel semiconductor photocatalyst was developed using bamboo cellulose fibers (BCFs) embedded with nano-AgBr (AgBr@BCFs) via a simple and rapid method. BCFs prevented the agglomeration of AgBr and provided numerous active reaction sites as a dispersant and structural support. The photocatalytic activity of AgBr@BCFs in removing organic pollutants was investigated and the endogenous factors leading to the high activity were analyzed through a combination of a series of experiments, characterizations and theoretical calculations.

[Progress in the Study of Occurrence, Distribution, Material Flows, and Environmental Release of Substances of Very High Concern （SVHCs） in Plastics].

Plastic additives provide plastics with excellent functions such as plasticizing, flame retardant, and antioxidant properties and are widely used in various plastics. Of these, 189 plastic additives have been included in the European Union's Candidate List of substances of very high concern （SVHCs） due to their potential environmental and health risks. These SVHCs are mainly used in PVC, PUR, and PE plastics and in the packaging, automotive, construction, electronic and electrical equipment, and textile sectors.

Rapid Synthesis of Covalent Organic Framework at Room Temperature Incorporated Electrospun Nanofiber for Thin Film Microextraction of Quinolone Antibiotics in Honey and Chicken Samples.

In this work, the covalent organic frameworks-incorporated electrospun nanofiber membranes were used as a highly efficient adsorbent to enrich quinolone antibiotics in food samples. Covalent organic frameworks composed of 1,3,5-tris(4-aminophenyl) benzene and 2,5-dihydroxyterephthalaldehyde were rapid prepared only 20 min at room temperature, then were further synthesized into electrospun polyacrylonitrile nanofiber membranes by electrospinning the binary precursors solution directly. Coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detector, the method exhibited good linearity in the range of 1-100 ng·mL for four quinolone antibiotics, with low limits of detection 0.

Solution-mediated phase transformation of cocrystals at the solid-liquid interface: Relationships between the supersaturation generation rate and transformation pathway.

Cocrystals easily undergo solution-mediated phase transformation at the surface of dissolving cocrystals during dissolution, which significantly deteriorates the solubility advantage of cocrystals. Here, a new scenario for the phase transformation of liquiritigenin (LQ) cocrystals in which the boundary of phase transformation diffuses along the surface to the bulk of the cocrystal was identified. Additionally, depending on the rate of supersaturation generation, phase transformation processes to the anhydrate and hydrate of LQ compete during cocrystal dissolution.

A metabolic roadmap of waxy corn flavor.

As well as being a popular vegetable crop worldwide, waxy corn represents an important amylopectin source, but little is known about its breeding history and flavor characteristics. In this study, through comparative-omic analyses between 318 diverse waxy corn and 507 representative field corn inbred lines we revealed that many metabolic pathways and genes exhibited selection characteristics during the breeding history of waxy corn, contributing to the divergence between waxy and field corn. We showed that waxy corn is not only altered in its glutinous property but also its sweetness, aroma, and palatability are all significantly affected.

4-Octyl itaconate inhibits vascular calcification partially via modulation of HMOX-1 signaling.

Vascular calcification frequently occurs in patients with chronic conditions such as chronic kidney disease (CKD), diabetes, and hypertension and represents a significant cause of cardiovascular events. Thus, identifying effective therapeutic targets to inhibit the progression of vascular calcification is essential. 4-Octyl itaconate (4-OI), a derivative of itaconate, exhibits anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity, both of which play an essential role in the progression of vascular calcification.

Reverse magnetic resonance tuning nanoplatform with heightened sensitivity for non-invasively multiscale visualizing ferroptosis-based tumor sensitization therapy.

Ferroptosis-based therapy has garnered considerable attention for its ability to kill drug-resistant cancer cells. Consequently, it holds great significance to assess the therapeutic outcomes by monitoring ferroptosis-related biomarkers, which enables the provision of real-time pathological insights into disease progression. Nevertheless, conventional imaging technology suffers from limitations including reduced sensitivity and difficulty in achieving real-time precise monitoring.

Interpretable Surrogate Learning for Electronic Material Generation.

Despite many accessible AI models that have been developed, it is an open challenge to fully exploit interpretable insights to enable effective materials design and develop materials with desired properties for target applications. Here, we introduce an interpretable surrogate learning framework that can actively design and generate electronic materials (EMGen), akin to producing updated materials with requirements by screening all possible elements and fractions. Taking the materials system with required band gaps as a case study, EMGen exhibits a benchmarking predictive error and a running time of 1.

Single-cell RNA-seq analysis revealed the stemness of a specific cluster of B cells in acute lymphoblastic leukemia progression.

Background: Childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a common pediatric cancer. The heterogeneous characterization of B cells in ALL progression poses new challenges to researchers. We used single-cell sequencing to explore the critical role of B cells in regulating the ALL immune microenvironment.

Key Factors Influencing Public Attitudes Toward Charities' Involvement in Emergency Management: A Study Based on Online Public Opinion in China.

Charities play a pivotal role in engaging the public in emergency management efforts. They serve to complement governmental restrictions by leveraging social resources to aid in emergency management. The involvement of charities in emergency management is likely to shape public attitudes, thereby influencing their effectiveness in this sphere.

Roles of different organizations in implementing patient-reported measures in routine maternity care in Finland.

Background: The integration of patient-centered care (PCC) and value-based healthcare (VBHC) principles, emphasizing personalized, responsive care and cost efficiency, is crucial in modern healthcare. Despite advocation from the International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement (ICHOM) for the global adoption of these principles through patient-reported measures (PRMs), their implementation, especially the pregnancy and childbirth (PCB) set, remains limited in maternity care. This study focuses on understanding the optimal organizational entity for integrating standard ICHOM-PCB-PRMs into routine maternity care in Finland.

Determining nine fasciolicides and three metabolite residues in milk and infant formula using solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

A new sensitive method of liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis for nine fasciolicides (closantel, rafoxanide, oxyclozanide, niclosamide, nitroxinil, ioxynil, 4-nitro-3-(trifluoromethyl)phenol, salicylanilide, and triclabendazole) and three metabolite residues (ketotriclabnedazole, triclabendazole sulfone, and triclabendazole sulfoxide) in milk and infant formula was established. The samples were extracted and purified through solid-phase extraction and analyzed using LC-MS/MS. The proposed method demonstrated high accuracy (the average recoveries ranged from 70.

Microfluidic Synthesis of Multifunctional Micro-/Nanomaterials from Process Intensification: Structural Engineering to High Electrochemical Energy Storage.

Multifunctional micro-/nanomaterials featuring functional superiority and high value-added physicochemical nature have received immense attention in electrochemical energy storage. Microfluidic synthesis has become an emergent technology for massively producing multifunctional micro-/nanomaterials with tunable microstructure and morphology due to its rapid mass/heat transfer and precise fluid controllability. In this review, the latest progresses and achievements in microfluidic-synthesized multifunctional micro-/nanomaterials are summarized reaction process intensification, multifunctional micro-/nanostructural engineering and electrochemical energy storage applications.

Inhibition of KIAA1429/HK1 axis enhances the sensitivity of liver cancer cells to sorafenib by regulating the Warburg effect.

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) serves as the most abundant posttranscription modification. However, the role of m6A in tumorigenesis and chemotherapeutic drugs sensitivity remains largely unclear. Present research focuses on the potential function of the m6A writer KIAA1429 in tumor development and sorafenib sensitivity in liver cancer.

Evaluation of Monomer-containing Isocyanate Groups on Stabilizing Demineralized Dentin Matrix Against Bond Interface Degradation.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of urethane methacrylate precursor (UMP) on the enzymatic resistance of demineralized dentin (DD) matrices.

Materials And Methods: Experimental treatments containing 0 (control), 1, and 5 mmol/L UMP dissolved in an acetone (Ace) solution were formulated. Dentin matrix specimens were demineralized in vitro and immersed in the experimental treatments for 1 h.

Brusatol induces ferroptosis to inhibit hepatocellular carcinoma progression by targeting ATF3.

Ferroptosis is a novel form of programmed cell death that is triggered by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation. Brusatol (BRU), a natural nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 inhibitor, exhibits potent anticancer effects in various types of cancer. However, the exact mechanism of BRU in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unknown.

Current spectral norm and phase variation based fault region identification for active distribution network.

The paper presents a fault region identification method for the active distribution network (ADN) with limited PMU. First, PMU configuration and region division strategies are proposed based on the network topology. Next, the difference in three-phase current variations between the normal and fault regions of the ADN is analyzed.