A Structurally Simple Polymer Donor Enables High-Efficiency Organic Solar Cells with Minimal Energy Losses.

Energy loss (Eloss) between optical energy gap (Eg) and open-circuit voltage (eVoc) sets efficiency upper limits for organic solar cells (OSCs). Nevertheless, further breaking the limit of Eloss in OSCs is challenging, especially via structurally simple materials in binary OSCs. Herein, a structurally simple non-halogenated polymer donor, namely PBDCT, is developed for realizing high-efficiency OSCs with record-breaking Eloss.

Ability and utility of the Physician Well-Being Index to identify distress among Chinese physicians.

Background: Despite the high prevalence of mental stress among physicians, reliable screening tools are scarce. This study aimed to evaluate the capability of the Physician Well-Being Index (PWBI) in identifying distress and adverse consequences among Chinese physicians.

Methods: This cross-sectional online survey recruited 2803 physicians from Southern Mainland China snowball sampling between October and December 2020.

OMEGA-guided DNA polymerases enable random mutagenesis in a tunable window.

Targeted random mutagenesis is crucial for breeding, directed evolution, and gene function studies, yet efficient tools remain scarce. Here, we present obligate mobile element guided activity (OMEGA)-R, an innovative targeted random mutagenesis system that integrates SpyCatcher-enIscB and PolI3M-TBD-SpyTag, outperforming existing state-of-the-art technologies in key metrics, such as protein size, mutagenesis efficiency, window length, and continuity. OMEGA-R achieves a dramatic enhancement of on-target mutagenesis, reaching a rate of 1.

Safety and recovery profile of patients after inhalational anaesthesia versus target-controlled or manual total intravenous anaesthesia: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.

Background: In the UK, total intravenous anaesthesia (TIVA) is used in 25% of general anaesthetics and is gaining traction because of its lower environmental impact and effectiveness in reducing postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). Although meta-analyses have compared TIVA and inhalational anaesthesia (IA), the optimal delivery method-manual infusion or target-controlled infusion (TCI)-remains underexplored. This review addresses this gap, leveraging the rapidly growing body of evidence to guide optimal anaesthetic practice.

The incidence and cause of reoperation for complications after volar locking plate fixation of distal radial fractures.

Background: Distal radial fractures are the most common upper extremity fractures. Volar locking plate fixation has become the standard surgical treatment, providing stable angular fixation, early rehabilitation, and effective support for comminuted and osteopenic bones. This study aimed to analyze the incidence and causes of major complications requiring secondary surgeries following volar plating for distal radial fractures and to investigate the correlation between demographic factors and postoperative outcomes, including major complications and reoperation.

Salvinia-Effect-Inspired Magneto-Responsive Superhydrophobic Surfaces with Cluster-Distributed Microcilia Array.

Inspired by the "Salvinia effect", a novel method for fabricating a magneto-responsive superhydrophobic surface coated with a cluster-distributed cilia array (CC-MRSS) was reported. This surface features a magnetically self-assembled nonuniform microcilia array and demonstrates exceptional microdroplet hydrophobicity, magnetic-responsive wettability, and corrosion resistance. The fabrication process involved mixing polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and carbonyl iron powders (CIPs), followed by dividing the mixture into two parts.

Association of Life's Essential 8 Scores with Carotid Artery Plaque in Chinese Adults: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Aim: The American Heart Association (AHA) proposed Life's Essential 8 score (LE8) in 2022 as a new metric for cardiovascular health (CVH). This study investigated the association between the LE8 score and the development of carotid artery plaque.

Methods: Data were drawn from the Asymptomatic Polyvascular Abnormalities Community (APAC) cohort study.

GPR171 restrains intestinal inflammation by suppressing FABP5-mediated Th17 cell differentiation and lipid metabolism.

Background: GPR171 suppresses T cell immune responses involved in antitumour immunity, while its role in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) pathogenesis remains unclear.

Objective: We aimed to investigate the role of GPR171 in modulating CD4 T cell effector functions in IBD and evaluate its therapeutic potential.

Design: We analysed GPR171 expression in colon biopsies and peripheral blood samples from patients with IBD and assessed the impact of GPR171 on CD4 T cell differentiation through administration of its endogenous ligand (BigLEN).

A new removable connecting device for MARPE expander with non-common path of insertion.

Objectives: Maxillary transverse deficiency is a common malocclusion frequently observed in orthodontic clinics. Miniscrew-assisted rapid palatal expansion (MARPE) not only produces greater skeletal expansion but also offers advantages such as simple miniscrew implantation without flap elevation, enhanced patient comfort, and an expanded age range and indications for palatal expansion. However, the fixed connection between the expander and the miniscrews makes the expander difficult to remove, significantly hindering its clinical application.

Complement C5/C5a in the diagnosis and treatment of Graves ophthalmopathy: A Mendelian randomized study.

Objectives: Graves' ophthalmopathy is a complex organ-specific autoimmune disease with an unclear pathogenesis. Complement component 5/5a (C5/C5a), a key element of the component system, may play a significant role in the disease's pathological process. This study aims to investigate the causal relationship between C5/C5a and Graves' ophthalmopathy using Mendelian randomization (MR) to provide new theoretical insights for its diagnosis and treatment.

Association of occupational noise exposure and shift work with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a cross-sectional study of male workers in the Chinese automobile manufacturing industry.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the relationship between occupational noise, shift work and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in male workers in the automobile manufacturing industry.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: This study was carried out at the Guangzhou Twelfth People's Hospital using data from April to September 2022.

Wearable device-measured physical activity and incident cardiovascular disease in cancer survivors.

Objective: To explore the association of wearable device-measured moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in long-term cancer survivors.

Methods: This retrospective analysis involved a prospective cohort of 6109 cancer survivors without CVD from the UK Biobank accelerometry subsample. The MVPA volume is categorised into four groups based on guideline recommendations (0-75 min/week, 75-150 min/week, 150-300 min/week, ≥300 min/week).

Increasing collagen synthesis in fibroblasts: The roles of PCL microspheres and the SAMD11-PLOD1 axis in skin rejuvenation.

The degradation of extracellular matrix proteins such as collagen and elastin with aging leads to skin sagging. Polycaprolactone (PCL) microspheres are used as facial fillers because of their ability to provide volume, biodegradability, and collagen-stimulating properties. The direct biological effects of PCL microspheres on fibroblasts, particularly in stimulating sustained collagen production, require further investigation.

MicroRNA-regulated flounder CLDN4 Functions in Anti-bacterial Immunity.

CLDN4 belongs to a multi-transmembrane protein family of claudins, which mainly functions in cell-cell adhesion and migration. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important post-transcriptional regulating factors that participate in broad biological process including immunity. Through high-throughput RNA sequencing strategy, a flounder miRNA, miR-29-x, was identified to be responsible to both bacteria and virus.

5-Methoxytryptophan Attenuates Oxidative Stress-Induced Downregulation of PINK1 and Mitigates Mitochondrial Damage and Apoptosis in Cardiac Myocytes.

Mitochondrial dysfunction is a hallmark in the pathogenesis of various cardiovascular diseases. 5-Methoxytryptophan (5-MTP), an intrinsic amino acid metabolite, exerts cardioprotective effects potentially through the preservation of mitochondrial integrity. This study investigates the mechanisms and contexts in which 5-MTP positively impacts mitochondrial function using cultured human ventricular cardiomyocytes (HCMs) and HL-1 cardiac cells subjected to oxidative stress (OS).

Rapidly separable bubble microneedle-patch system present superior transdermal mRNA delivery efficiency.

Traditional mRNA vaccine formulation loaded by lipid nanoparticle (mRNA-LNP) has several shortcomings in clinical application, including the need for cryopreservation, discomfort associated with intramuscular injections, and the risk of liver aggregation. Dissolvable microneedles (DMNs), as a novel transdermal drug delivery platform, can overcome the skin barrier to deliver drugs directly into the skin in a minimally invasive manner. However, mRNA-LNP is unstable and easily degraded during the solidification of DMN.

Mediating effects of gastroesophageal reflux disease and smoking behavior on the relationship between depression and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Trans-ethnic Mendelian randomization study.

Background: This study seeks to elucidate the association between depression and the risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis, motivated by prior observational studies indicating a potential link between these conditions.

Methods: Data from individuals of European (EUR) and East Asian (EAS) ancestries diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD) were selected for analysis. The primary method utilized was inverse variance weighted (IVW) method, supplemented by a series of sensitivity analyses and false discovery rate (FDR) corrections.

Trimethylamine N-oxide induces cardiac diastolic dysfunction by down-regulating Piezo1 in mice with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

Aims: The present study aimed to investigate the direct link between trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) and diastolic dysfunction in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).

Materials And Methods: Diastolic dysfunction is the main manifestation of HFpEF, so the "two-hit" mouse HFpEF model are used. After treated with high-fat diet (HFD) and N-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) for 8 weeks, the cardiac function, myocardial fibrosis, oxidative stress levels, and molecular alterations were assessed.

Lignocellulosic biocomposites for preservation and storage materials based on suberin-enriched cork.

Traditional wood-plastic composites (WPC) face numerous challenges in their applications, such as the lack of flexibility, cushioning performance, water barrier properties, biodegradability and recyclability. To address these issues, in this work, a recyclable lignocellulosic biocomposites with excellent comprehensive performance was developed using cork flour and poly(1,4-dioxan-2-one) (PPDO) as the green raw materials. The prepared cork/PPDO WPC contained up to 70 wt% cork flour, conferring them with enhanced flexibility (elongation at break >10 %) and cushioning performance due to the strong interactions between PPDO and cork flour, as well as the cork unique flexibility from cork cavity structure and suberin.

Facile preparation of lac terpene acid based heat setting adhesive with improved performances.

As a by-product of shellac resin, the high-value utilization of lac terpene acid (LTA) is a major challenge. In this study, a novel adhesive material, designated as A-LTA, was developed through a facile synthesis reaction between LTA and melamine, demonstrating significantly enhanced performance characteristics. The A-LTA adhesive, owing to its diverse functional groups, demonstrates exceptional cross-linking and polymerization capabilities under elevated temperatures, resulting in the formation of multiple chemical bonds and a highly dense network structure.

Enhancing cellulase production in Neurospora crassa through combined deletion of the phospholipase D-encoding gene pla-7 and modulation of transcription factor CLR-2 expression.

Neurospora crassa, a saprophytic fungus, naturally secretes plant cell wall-degrading enzymes, demonstrating strong cellulases production. Despite its century-long use as a model organism, its industrial applications are underexplored. We compared N.