Overcoming optical losses in thin metal-based recombination layers for efficient n-i-p perovskite-organic tandem solar cells.

Perovskite-organic tandem solar cells (P-O-TSCs) hold substantial potential to surpass the theoretical efficiency limits of single-junction solar cells. However, their performance is hampered by non-ideal interconnection layers (ICLs). Especially in n-i-p configurations, the incorporation of metal nanoparticles negatively introduces serious parasitic absorption, which alleviates photon utilization in organic rear cell and decisively constrains the maximum photocurrent matching with front cell.

Spatiotemporal-controllable ROS-responsive camptothecin nano-bomb for chemo/photo/immunotherapy in triple-negative breast cancer.

Chemotherapy is still one of the major approaches in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) treatment. The development of new formulations for classic chemotherapeutic drugs remains interests in studies. Camptothecin (CPT) is powerful antitumor agents in TNBC treatment though its clinic applications are limited by its low water solubility and systemic toxicity.

The Microbial Diversity of Biological Moss Crust: Application in Saline-Alkali Soil Management.

Soil salinization poses a substantial threat to global food security, particularly under the influence of climate change, and is recognized as one of the most urgent challenges in land degradation. This study aims to elucidate the challenges associated with managing arid and semi-arid saline-alkali lands in China's Ningxia province and propose feasible solutions. To assess moss crust colonization, we measured changes in organic matter and chlorophyll levels.

Tissue-specific chromatin accessibility and transcriptional regulation in maize cold stress response.

Maize, a vital crop globally, faces significant yield losses due to its sensitivity to cold stress, especially in temperate regions. Understanding the molecular mechanisms governing maize response to cold stress is crucial for developing strategies to enhance cold tolerance. However, the precise chromatin-level regulatory mechanisms involved remain largely unknown.

Authenticating vintage in white tea: Appearance-taste-aroma-based three-in-one non-invasive anticipation.

To safeguard the legal rights of tea enterprises and promote sustainable development in the tea industry, this study proposes a rapid, non-destructive method for authenticating white tea vintages based on the hypothesis that the appearance, taste and aroma cannot be simultaneously replicated in counterfeit teas. Using visible-near infrared hyperspectral imaging, this three-in-one appearance-taste-aroma method was applied to Bai Mudan white tea, produced from the Jinggu Dabai Tea cultivar harvested in 2020, 2021 and 2022. Hyperspectral imaging captured appearance data from dry samples of different vintages, with preprocessing using multiplicative scatter correction (MSC) and standard normal variate (SNV).

The lingering menace: How legacy organochlorine pesticides still threaten our rivers and food chains.

The bioaccumulation of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in aquatic organisms has been extensively explored in recent years due to associated ecological risks and potential threats to human health through food. This study aims to assess the bioaccumulation of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in 18 freshwater fish species from the Pearl River Delta, China. The observed OCP concentrations ranged from 0.

Morphology engineering of hollow core@shell structured CoO@CuO-NiO for fast hydrogen release from ammonia borane methanolysis.

Catalytic methanolysis of ammonia borane is an integrated hydrogen production/storage technology with bright prospects, while its wide application is impeded by the high-cost of catalysts. In this work, hollow core@shell structured (HCSS) CoO@CuO-NiO with a size of 300-500 nm and a shell thickness of ca. 100 nm has been designed for ammonia borane (NHBH) methanolysis for rapid hydrogen release.

Flower-Shaped PCR Scaffold-Based Lateral Flow Bioassay for Endospores Detection.

, a foodborne pathogen, produces resilient endospores that are challenging to detect with conventional methods. This study presents a novel Flower-Shaped PCR Scaffold-based Lateral Flow Biosensor (FSPCRS-LFB), which employs an aptamer-integrated PCR scaffold as capture probes, replacing the traditional streptavidin-biotin (SA-Bio) approach. The FSPCRS-LFB demonstrates high sensitivity and cost-efficiency in detecting endospores, with a limit of detection (LOD) of 4.

Comparative safety analysis of lacosamide and perampanel in epilepsy management: insights from FAERS database.

Background: Epilepsy is a chronic neurological condition requiring effective management with minimal adverse effects. Lacosamide (LCM) and Perampanel (PER), two promising treatments, have distinct profiles that merit comparative analysis to guide clinical decision-making.

Methods: This study utilizes a pharmacovigilance analysis of adverse events reported in the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System database from Q1 2009 to Q3 2023.

Remission of copper-induced liver injury through the PXR/NF-kB signaling pathway: The effects of dietary curcumin supplementation in largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides).

The pregnane X receptor (PXR)/nuclear factor-kB (NF-kB) signaling pathway plays a critical role in regulating toxin-induced inflammation and apoptosis in mammals. Whether dietary curcumin (CUR) can prevent copper (Cu)-induced liver injury via this signaling pathway remains to be established in aquatic animals. Juvenile largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) were exposed to dietary Cu and CUR treatments for 8 weeks.

Association of periodontitis with cardiovascular and all-cause mortality in hypertensive individuals: insights from a NHANES cohort study.

Background: The objective of this research is to clarify the impact of periodontitis on overall and cardiovascular-related death rates among hypertensive individuals.

Method: A total of 5665 individuals with hypertension were included from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data spanning 2001-2004 and 2009-2014. These individuals were divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of periodontitis and further stratified by the severity of periodontitis.

Effects of two fillers and process conditions on the water treatment efficiency of a continuous packed bed biofilm reactor.

This study evaluated the treatment efficiency of two selected fillers and their combination for improving the water quality of aquaculture wastewater using a packed bed biofilm reactor (PBBR) under various process conditions. The fillers used were nanosheet (NS), activated carbon (AC), and a combination of both. The results indicated that the use of combined fillers and the hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 4 h significantly enhanced water quality in the PBBR.

Non-invasive anticipation of infusion taste in fine-manipulated green teas through hyperspectral appearance analysis guided by ECG content.

The high catechin content in summer-to-autumn tea leaves often results in strong, unpleasant tastes, leading to significant resource waste and economic losses due to lignification of unpicked leaves. This study aims to improve the taste quality of summer-to-autumn green teas by combining fine manipulation techniques with hyperspectral observation. Fine manipulation notably enhanced infusion taste quality, particularly in astringency and its aftertaste (aftertasteA).

Modulation of the gut microbiota by processed food and natural food: evidence from the microbiome.

Habitual dietary changes have the potential to induce alterations in the host's gut microbiota. Mandarin fish (), an aquatic vertebrate species with distinct feeding habits, were fed with natural feeds (NF) and artificial feeds (AF) to simulate the effects of natural and processed food consumption on host gut microbiota assemblages. The results showed that the alpha diversity index was reduced in the AF diet treatment, as lower abundance and diversity of the gut microbiota were observed, which could be attributed to the colonized microorganisms of the diet itself and the incorporation of plant-derived proteins or carbohydrates.

Effects of low protein feed on hepato-intestinal health and muscle quality of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus).

In this study, grass carp (33.28 ± 0.05 g) were fed three diets for 8 weeks: control (crude protein [CP] 30%, crude lipid [CL] 6%), low protein (LP; CP16%, CL6%), and low protein with high-fat (LPHF; CP16%, CL10%).

Serum Uric Acid Combined with Homocysteine as a Predictive Biomarker of Lupus Nephritis.

Serum uric acid (UA) and homocysteine (Hcy) are potential biomarkers of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In this study, the expressions of UA and Hcy in SLE patients and the predictive value of these two parameters for lupus nephritis (LN) were studied. A total of 476 SLE patients were recruited to this case-control study, of which 176 SLE patients diagnosed with LN and 300 without LN.

Circ_0003855 involvement of esophageal cancer progression through miR-622/FLOT1.

To confirm the relationship between Circ_0003855 and EC, we purchased the Human esophageal carcinoma cell line Eca109 and normal human esophageal epithelial cells HEEC, and the expression levels of Circ_0003855, miR-622, and FLOT1 were detected. The results show that Circ_0003855 and FLOT1 were highly expressed in Eca109 cells, while miR-622 was lowly expressed ( < 0.05).

Engineering disease-resistant plants with alternative translation efficiency by switching uORF types through CRISPR.

Engineering disease-resistant plants can be a powerful solution to the issue of food security. However, it requires addressing two fundamental questions: what genes to express and how to control their expressions. To find a solution, we screen CRISPR-edited upstream open reading frame (uORF) variants in rice, aiming to optimize translational control of disease-related genes.

Betaine improves appetite regulation and glucose-lipid metabolism in mandarin fish () fed a high-carbohydrate-diet by regulating the AMPK/mTOR signaling.

Diets with high carbohydrate (HC) was reported to have influence on appetite and intermediary metabolism in fish. To illustrate whether betaine could improve appetite and glucose-lipid metabolism in aquatic animals, mandarin fish () were fed with the HC diets with or without betaine for 8 weeks. The results suggested that betaine enhanced feed intake by regulating the hypothalamic appetite genes.

Integration of Multi-Omics, Histological, and Biochemical Analysis Reveals the Toxic Responses of Nile Tilapia Liver to Chronic Microcystin-LR Exposure.

Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) is a cyanobacterial metabolite produced during cyanobacterial blooms and is toxic to aquatic animals, and the liver is the main targeted organ of MC-LR. To comprehensively understand the toxicity mechanism of chronic exposure to environmental levels of MC-LR on the liver of fish, juvenile Nile tilapia were exposed to 0 μg/L (control), 1 μg/L (M1), 3 μg/L (M3), 10 μg/L (M10), and 30 μg/L (M30) MC-LR for 60 days. Then, the liver hepatotoxicity induced by MC-LR exposure was systematically evaluated via histological and biochemical determinations, and the underlying mechanisms were explored through combining analysis of biochemical parameters, multi-omics (transcriptome and metabolome), and gene expression.