Unraveling the infrared detection properties of BiTe depending on thickness under the semiconductor and metal surface states.

BiTe recently emerges as a promising candidate material for the next generation of mid-wave to long-wave infrared photodetection owing to its exceptionally narrow bandgap (approximately 0.2 eV) and the favorable photoelectronic properties. In particular, its topological insulator structure is safeguarded by time-reversal symmetry, leading to electronic structures with distinct surface and bulk states as well as distinctive optoelectronic properties.

Genome-Wide Association Studies Reveal the Genetic Architecture of Ionomic Variation in Grains of Tartary Buckwheat.

Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum) is esteemed as a medicinal crop due to its high nutritional and health value. However, the genetic basis for the variations in Tartary buckwheat grain ionome remains inadequately understood. Through genome-wide association studies (GWAS) on grain ionome, 52 genetic loci are identified associated with 10 elements undergoing selection.

Treat-And-Extend Versus Pro Re Nata Regimen of Intravitreal Conbercept Injection for Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Results from COCOA, a Prospective, Open-Label, Multicenter, Randomized Phase IV Clinical Trial.

Purpose: To evaluate and contrast the effectiveness and safety of two conbercept treatment protocols-a three-dose treat-and-extend (3+T&E) regimen and a three-dose pro re nata (3+PRN) regimen-in Chinese patients diagnosed with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD).

Methods: Eligible patients, who had not undergone anti-VEGF intraocular injections within 3 months prior to enrollment, were randomly assigned to either the 3+T&E or 3+PRN regimen. The 3+T&E group received at least three monthly injections, with subsequent visit intervals extended based on disease activity assessment.

Comparison of the behaviour of pro-oxidant additive containing plastic degradation in the unmanaged natural environment and in the laboratory.

Pro-oxidant additive containing (PAC) plastics are designed to degrade in the unmanaged natural environment through oxidation and biological processes. In 2020, the British Standard Institution published the PAS 9017:2020 standard designed to ensure that PAC plastic tested under a specific set of protocols would successfully biodegrade in the environment. In this article, we compare the outcomes of laboratory tests carried out according to PAS 9017:2020 with field tests in an open unmanaged environment in the UK over 24 months.

Artificial Intelligence Screening Tool for Obstructive Sleep Apnoea: A Study Based on Outpatients at a Sleep Medical Centre.

Purpose: Due to the lack of clear screening guidelines for different populations, identify strategies for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in the outpatient population are unclear, a large number of potential OSA outpatients have not been identified in time. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the applicability and accuracy of artificial intelligence sleep screening in outpatients and to provide a reference for OSA screening in different populations.

Methods: A type IV wearable artificial intelligence sleep monitoring (AISM) device was used to screen adults in the sleep clinic of the Sleep Medical Center for OSA screening, and the general demographic data of the patients were collected.

Drupacine as a potent SARS-CoV-2 replication inhibitor .

Despite the availability of vaccines and antiviral treatments, the continued emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants and breakthrough infections underscores the need for new, potent antiviral therapies. In a previous study, we established a transcription and replication-competent SARS-CoV-2 virus-like particle (trVLP) system that recapitulates the complete viral life cycle. In this study, we combined high-content screening (HCS) with the SARS-CoV-2 trVLP cell culture system, providing a powerful phenotype-oriented approach to assess the antiviral potential of compounds on a large scale.

A novel method for identifying SARS-CoV-2 infection mutants via an epitope-specific CD8 T cell test.

Since the outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic in 2019, the public health system has faced enormous challenges. Tracking the individuals who test positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a key step for interrupting chains of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and reducing COVID-19-associated mortality. With the increasing of asymptomatic infections, it is difficult to track asymptomatic infections through epidemiological surveys and virus whole-genome sequencing.

A premature termination codon mutation in the onion gene is associated with both glossy leaves and thrip resistance.

Plant epicuticular waxes (EW) play a critical role in defending against biotic and abiotic stresses. Notably, onions () present a distinctive case where the mutant with defect in leaf and stalk EW showed resistance to thrips compared with the wild type with integral EW. We identified a premature stop codon mutation in the gene, an ortholog of gene in that has been proved essential for the biosynthesis of very long-chain fatty acids (VLCFAs), in the onions with glossy leaf and stalks in our experiments.

Automated robot and artificial intelligence-powered wastewater surveillance for proactive mpox outbreak prediction.

In the wake of the largest-ever recorded outbreak of mpox in terms of magnitude and geographical spread in human history since May 2022, we innovatively developed an automated online sewage virus enrichment and concentration robot for disease tracking. Coupled with an artificial intelligence (AI) model, our research aims to estimate mpox cases based on the concentration of the monkeypox virus (MPXV) in wastewater. Our research has revealed a compelling link between the levels of MPXV in wastewater and the number of clinically confirmed mpox infections, a finding that is reinforced by the ability of our AI prediction model to forecast cases with remarkable precision, capturing 87 % of the data's variability.

Dynamics of endophytic fungi composition in seeds during storage and growth, and responses of seedlings to phytohormones.

Introduction: Endophytic fungi exhibit diverse interactions with plants, from pathogenic to mutualistic symbiosis, and the community composition is regulated by phytohormones. Yet, the composition and dynamics of endophytic fungi in (PPC) during fresh seed (FD), sand-stored seed (SSD), and seedling (SS) stages remain unclear. Similarly, the overall impact of phytohormones on the management of endophytic fungal communities is yet to be elucidated.

Analysis of functional connectivity changes from childhood to old age: A study using HCP-D, HCP-YA, and HCP-A datasets.

We present a new clustering-enabled regression approach to investigate how functional connectivity (FC) of the entire brain changes from childhood to old age. By applying this method to resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data aggregated from three Human Connectome Project studies, we cluster brain regions that undergo identical age-related changes in FC and reveal diverse patterns of these changes for different region clusters. While most brain connections between pairs of regions show minimal yet statistically significant FC changes with age, only a tiny proportion of connections exhibit practically significant age-related changes in FC.

Non-linear association of the metabolic score for insulin resistance with obstructive sleep apnea: a cross-sectional study from NHANES 2015-2018.

Background: The relationship between the Metabolic Score for Insulin Resistance (METS-IR), a novel index integrating multiple metabolic parameters, and the risk of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) remains under explored.

Methods: Analyses were conducted on data from 2,348 participants included in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from 2015 to 2018. Logistic regression, stratified analyses, curve-fitting analyses, and threshold effects analyses were employed to evaluate the association between METS-IR and the risk of OSA.

Efficacy of Kegan Liyan oral liquid vs. Lianhuaqingwen capsules for patients with mild COVID-19: a double-blinded, randomized, controlled, non-inferiority trial.

Background: Traditional Chinese medicine has been used for Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as a therapeutic option. Lianhuaqingwen capsules (LHQW) are well-recognized for their efficacy, while Kegan Liyan oral liquid (KGLY), widely used for influenza treatment, has emerged as a promising candidate for COVID-19 therapy. This trial aims to assess whether KGLY is non-inferior to LHQW in treating mild COVID-19.

Advances in sulodexide-based long-term anticoagulation for a myasthenia gravis patient with giant thymoma.

This case report describes a geriatric male patient with myasthenia gravis (MG) secondary to giant thymoma, presenting with progressive muscle weakness and ptosis. The diagnosis of MG was confirmed through pathology, imaging, and laboratory evaluations. Considering the significant surgical risks associated with the giant thymoma, adjuvant chemotherapy was initiated.

Optimisation of cultivation conditions for G7 from mangrove plants and exploration of potential bacteriocins.

Introduction: Bacteriocin P7 was extracted from the cell-free supernatant (CFS) of G7, which is a strain isolated from mangrove plants.

Methods: In this study, the culture conditions of G7 were optimised using an orthogonal test. The (CFS) was subsequently purified by using TA-GF75 gel chromatography, Tiderose Q HP anion chromatography and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC).

Emodin mitigates rheumatoid arthritis through direct binding to TNF-α.

Emodin has shown certain anti-rheumatoid arthritis (RA) activity in preliminary studies. However, the precise mechanisms of emodin's anti-RA effects, particularly its direct targets, remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the anti-RA activity of emodin and elucidate its potential mechanisms, with a specific focus on identifying its molecular targets.

Unleashing the power of peptides in prostate cancer immunotherapy: mechanism, facts and perspectives.

Prostate cancer, the second most common cancer in men, often progresses to castration-resistant prostate cancer despite androgen deprivation therapy. Immunotherapy, revolutionary in cancer treatment, has limited efficacy in prostate cancer due to its "cold tumor" nature. Peptides, with unique advantages, offer new hope.

Fluorescence-guided Surgery for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: From Clinical Practice to Laboratories.

Fluorescence navigation is a novel technique for accurately identifying hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) lesions during hepatectomy, enabling real-time visualization. Indocyanine green-based fluorescence guidance has been commonly used to demarcate HCC lesion boundaries, but it cannot distinguish between benign and malignant liver tumors. This review focused on the clinical applications and limitations of indocyanine green, as well as recent advances in novel fluorescent probes for fluorescence-guided surgery of HCC.

Sulfite-Induced Release and Oxidation of Cr(III) in Reduced Chromite Ore Processing Residue under Visible Light: The Critical Role of Fe(IV) Intermediates.

Reduced chromite ore processing residue (rCOPR) is vulnerable to the surrounding conditions in environments, which can induce the release and oxidation of Cr(III). This work found the synergistic effect of light and sulfite on destroying rCOPR stability, causing the significant release of Cr(VI), which was 4∼7 times higher than that under single factor action. In CrFe(OH)/sulfite/light system, Cr(VI) release rate could reach 11.

Bidirectional Relationships Between Sleep Quality and Cognitive Function in Older Chinese Adults: Observational Analysis of SAWA Trial.

PurposeTo examine the bidirectional relationships between sleep quality and cognitive function in older Chinese, and further examine the sex differences in the relationships using the random intercept cross-lagged panel model.DesignA secondary observational analysis of a physical activity clustered randomized controlled trial (The Stay Active While Aging).SettingEight villages in Sichuan, China.

Oxygen Vacancy-Induced Room-Temperature Ferromagnetism in a Layered Aluminosilicate Material.

Defect engineering has been utilized to induce ferromagnetism in various nonmagnetic van der Waals (vdW) crystals, which are vital for fundamental research and applications. Herein, oxygen vacancies were successfully created in montmorillonite, a layered aluminosilicate, by acetic acid treatment and annealing in an argon atmosphere. This treatment facilitated the transition from paramagnetism to room-temperature ferromagnetism with a Curie temperature of 330 K.

Nutrient Availability Shapes the Resistance of Soil Bacterial Community and Functions to Disturbances in Desert Ecosystem.

Climate change has exposed desert ecosystems to frequent extreme disturbances, including wet-dry cycles and freeze-thaw events, which accelerate desertification on a global scale. The limited nutrient availability characteristic of these ecosystems may constrain microbial survival and growth, making them more vulnerable to environmental perturbations and stressors. However, how nutrient availability modulates the stability of soil ecological communities and functions in desert ecosystems remains poorly understood.

Patterns and Correlates of Bone Mineral Density Parameters Measured Using Calcaneus Quantitative Ultrasound in Chinese Adults.

Monitoring bone mineral density (BMD) in adults is critical for early detection of osteoporosis and prevention of fracture, for which quantitative ultrasound (QUS) is a good non-invasive tool. We examined the associations of QUS measures, including stiffness index (SI) and T-score, with socio-demographic, lifestyle, and anthropometric correlates and risk of subsequent fracture. : Calcaneal QUS was performed using GE's Lunar Achilles EXPII among 24,651 adults (mean age 59.

Associations of Plasma Gut Microbiota-Derived TMAO and Precursors in Early Pregnancy with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Risk: A Nested Case-Control Study.

Gut microbiota-derived metabolites-trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) and its precursors choline, betaine, and carnitine-have been linked to various health outcomes. However, their role in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) remains unclear due to inconsistent findings. This study aims to investigate the associations between maternal plasma concentrations of these metabolites during early pregnancy and the risk of GDM.

Immunomodulation of Polysaccharides In Vivo Based on Microbiome and Metabolomics Approaches.

is a medicinal herb that can be added to food to provide therapeutic effects and reduce the burden of medications. Herein, the immunomodulatory effects of polysaccharides (GPs) were verified and illustrated by intervening immunocompromised rats treated with different doses of GPs, which were reflected for adjusting the composition and structure of the intestinal microbiota and altering the metabolic profile. The immunomodulatory effects of GPs were exerted by regulating the intestinal microenvironment.