Phenotypic landscape of a fungal meningitis pathogen reveals its unique biology.

is the most common cause of fungal meningitis and the top-ranked W.H.O.

Experimental and Modeling Study on Methane Hydrate Equilibrium Conditions in the Presence of Inorganic Salts.

The aim of this study was to determine the influence of four inorganic salts, KCl, NaCl, KBr and NaBr, on the thermodynamic conditions of methane hydrate formation. In order to achieve this, the vapor-liquid water-hydrate (VLH) equilibrium conditions of methane (CH) hydrate were measured in the temperature range of 274.15 K-282.

Design of hepadnavirus core protein-based chimeric virus-like particles carrying epitopes from respiratory syncytial virus.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is one of the most important pathogens causing respiratory tract infection in humans, especially in infants and the elderly. The identification and structural resolution of the potent neutralizing epitopes on RSV fusion (F) protein enable an "epitope-focused" vaccine design. However, the display of RSV F epitope II on the surface of the widely-used human hepatitis B virus core antigen (HBcAg) has failed to induce neutralizing antibody response in mice.

Serum Exosome-Derived microRNA-193a-5p and miR-381-3p Regulate Adenosine 5'-Monophosphate-Activated Protein Kinase/Transforming Growth Factor Beta/Smad2/3 Signaling Pathway and Promote Fibrogenesis.

Introduction: Liver fibrosis results from chronic liver injury and inflammation, often leading to cirrhosis, liver failure, portal hypertension, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Progress has been made in understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying hepatic fibrosis; however, translating this knowledge into effective therapies for disease regression remains a challenge, with considerably few interventions having entered clinical validation. The roles of exosomes during fibrogenesis and their potential as a therapeutic approach for reversing fibrosis have gained significant interest.

Nomogram Based on Body Composition and Prognostic Nutritional Index Predicts Survival After Curative Resection of Gastric Cancer.

Rationale And Objectives: This study aimed to identify independent prognostic factors for gastric cancer (GC) patients after curative resection using quantitative computed tomography (QCT) combined with prognostic nutritional index (PNI), and to develop a nomogram prediction model for individualized prognosis.

Materials And Methods: This study retrospectively analyzed 119 patients with GC who underwent curative resection from January 2016 to March 2018. The patients' preoperative clinical pathological data were recorded, and all patients underwent QCT scans before and after curative resection to obtain QCT parameters: bone mineral density (BMD), skeletal muscle area (SMA), visceral fat area (VFA), subcutaneous fat area (SFA) and CT fat fraction (CTFF), then relative rate of change in each parameter (ΔBMD, ΔSMA, ΔVFA, ΔSFA, ΔCTFF) was calculated after time normalization.

Cesium-doped ammonium vanadium bronze nanosheets as high capacity aqueous zinc-ion battery cathodes with long cycle life and superb rate capability.

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) are emerging as a promising candidate for large grid energy storage due to their abundant availability and high safety. To meet long cycle life requirements, developing a stable cathode with high rate capability is of great importance. Herein, cesium-doped ammonium vanadium bronze CsNHVO·0.

Bempedoic Acid Unveils Therapeutic Potential in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Suppression of the Hepatic PXR-SLC13A5/ACLY Signaling Axis.

The hepatic SLC13A5/SLC25A1-ATP-dependent citrate lyase (ACLY) signaling pathway, responsible for maintaining the citrate homeostasis, plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Bempedoic acid (BA), an ACLY inhibitor commonly used for managing hypercholesterolemia, has shown promising results in addressing hepatic steatosis. This study aimed to elucidate the intricate relationships in processes of hepatic lipogenesis among SLC13A5, SLC25A1, and ACLY and to examine the therapeutic potential of BA in NAFLD, providing insights into its underlying mechanism.

Integration of Cointercalation and Adsorption Enabling Superior Rate Performance of Carbon Anodes for Symmetric Sodium-Ion Capacitors.

Carbon materials have been the most common anodes for sodium-ion storage. However, it is well-known that most carbon materials cannot obtain a satisfactory rate performance because of the sluggish kinetics of large-sized sodium-ion intercalation in ordered carbon layers. Here, we propose an integration of co-intercalation and adsorption instead of conventional simplex-intercalation and adsorption to promote the rate capability of sodium-ion storage in carbon materials.

Authentication of Shenqi Fuzheng Injection via UPLC-Coupled Ion Mobility-Mass Spectrometry and Chemometrics with Kendrick Mass Defect Filter Data Mining.

Nearly 5% of the Shenqi Fuzheng Injection's dry weight comes from the secondary metabolites of and . However, the chemical composition of these metabolites is still vague, which hinders the authentication of Shenqi Fuzheng Injection (SFI). Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography with a charged aerosol detector was used to achieve the profiling of these secondary metabolites in SFI in a single chromatogram.

Safety and immunogenicity of a hybrid-type vaccine booster in BBIBP-CorV recipients in a randomized phase 2 trial.

NVSI-06-08 is a potential broad-spectrum recombinant COVID-19 vaccine that integrates the antigens from multiple SARS-CoV-2 strains into a single immunogen. Here, we evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of NVSI-06-08 as a heterologous booster dose in BBIBP-CorV recipients in a randomized, double-blind, controlled, phase 2 trial conducted in the United Arab Emirates (NCT05069129). Three groups of healthy adults over 18 years of age (600 participants per group) who have administered two doses of BBIBP-CorV 4-6-month, 7-9-month and >9-month earlier, respectively, are randomized 1:1 to receive either a homologous booster of BBIBP-CorV or a heterologous booster of NVSI-06-08.

Tuning 4f-Center Electron Structure by Schottky Defects for Catalyzing Li Diffusion to Achieve Long-Term Dendrite-Free Lithium Metal Battery.

Lithium metal is considered as the most prospective electrode for next-generation energy storage systems due to high capacity and the lowest potential. However, uncontrollable spatial growth of lithium dendrites and the crack of solid electrolyte interphase still hinder its application. Herein, Schottky defects are motivated to tune the 4f-center electronic structures of catalysts to provide active sites to accelerate Li transport kinetics.

Safety, Immunogenicity and Lot-to-Lot Consistency of Sabin-Strain Inactivated Poliovirus Vaccine in 2-Month-Old Infants: A Double-Blind, Randomized Phase III Trial.

Background: The Sabin-strain-based inactivated poliovirus vaccine (sIPV) plays an important role in poliomyelitis eradication in developing countries. As part of the phase III clinical development program, this study aimed to evaluate the safety, immunogenicity and lot-to-lot consistency of the sIPV in 2-month-old infants.

Method: We conducted a phase III, randomized, double-blind, positive-controlled trial in which 1300 healthy infants were randomly assigned to four groups in a 1:1:1:1 ratio to receive one of the three lots of the sIPV or the control IPV at 2, 3 and 4 months of age.

Design of a mutation-integrated trimeric RBD with broad protection against SARS-CoV-2.

The continuous emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants highlights the need of developing vaccines with broad protection. Here, according to the immune-escape capability and evolutionary convergence, the representative SARS-CoV-2 strains carrying the hotspot mutations were selected. Then, guided by structural and computational analyses, we present a mutation-integrated trimeric form of spike receptor-binding domain (mutI-tri-RBD) as a broadly protective vaccine candidate, which combined heterologous RBDs from different representative strains into a hybrid immunogen and integrated immune-escape hotspots into a single antigen.

Zn-doped NiSe2@Ni(OH)2 nanocomposites as binder-free electrodes for asymmetric supercapacitors with impressive performance.

The low stability and poor activities of transition metal selenides (TMSs) in alkaline electrolyte limit their application in supercapacitors. Metal doping and hybridization of various electroactive materials with different properties are utilized to enhance the electrochemical performance of TMSs by optimizing their electronic structure and providing rich electrochemical active sites. Herein, we report a simple two-step hydrothermal method for the growth of Zn-doped NiSe2 and Ni(OH)2 nanocomposites on Ni foam [Zn-NiSe2/Ni(OH)2].

Supramolecular Cation-π Interaction Enhances Molecular Solar Thermal Fuel.

Molecular solar thermal fuels (MOSTs), especially azobenzene-based MOSTs (Azo-MOSTs), have been considered as ideal energy-storage and conversion systems in outer or confined space because of their "closed loop" properties. However, there are two main obstacles existing in practical applications of Azo-MOSTs: the solvent-assistant charging process and the high molar extinction coefficient of chromophores, which are both closely related to the π-π stacking. Here, we report one efficient strategy to improve the energy density by introducing a supramolecular "cation-π" interaction into one phase-changeable Azo-MOST system.

Ultra-High-Capacity and Dendrite-Free Zinc-Sulfur Conversion Batteries Based on a Low-Cost Deep Eutectic Solvent.

Traditional cathodes for aqueous Zn-ion batteries are afflicted by a limited specific capacity and fearful Zn dendrites. Herein, these troubles are disposed of with a conversion-type Zn-S battery and low-cost deep eutectic solvent (DES). By utilizing the optimized electrolyte, the symmetrical Zn battery can stably cycle over 3920 h, which also confers on the Zn-S battery an ultrahigh specific capacity of ∼846 mA h g and energy density of 259 W h kg at 0.

Ultrahigh-energy sodium ion capacitors enabled by the enhanced intercalation pseudocapacitance of self-standing TiNbO/CNF anodes.

In order to increase the capacity and improve the sluggish Na-reaction kinetics of anodes as sodium ion capacitors (SICs), a TiNbO/CNF self-standing film electrode comprised of TiNbO nanosheets and carbon nanofibers has been fabricated electrospinning HTiNbO nanosheets with PAN and subsequent carbonization treatment. The as-prepared TiNbO/CNF film electrode possesses fast Na-ion intercalation kinetics and high conductivity during Na-ion storage, and it displays a high reversible capacity of 324 mA h g at 0.1 A g.

A 2H-MoS/carbon cloth composite for high-performance all-solid-state supercapacitors derived from a molybdenum dithiocarbamate complex.

A molecular complex MoO(μ-S)(Etdtc) (dtc = dithiocarbamate) is prepared and loaded onto carbon cloth (CC) through facile solvothermal treatment, followed by subsequent single-source pyrolysis. This results in a highly porous 2H-MoS/CC composite with a sponge-like stacked lamellar morphology. Due to its high porosity and unique nano/microstructure, the MoS/CC composite exhibits a specific capacitance of 550.

Effectiveness of a Weight Loss Program Using Digital Health in Adolescents and Preadolescents.

To identify an efficacious intervention on treating adolescents with overweight and obesity, this might result in health benefits. Adolescents with overweight or obesity aged 10-17 years with BMI percentile ≥85th were included in this historical observational analysis. Subjects used an entirely remote weight loss program combining mobile applications, frequent self-weighing, and calorie restriction with meal replacement.

Pseudocapacitive Ti-Doped Niobium Pentoxide Nanoflake Structure Design for a Fast Kinetics Anode toward a High-Performance Mg-Ion-Based Dual-Ion Battery.

Magnesium-ion batteries (MIBs) have received increasing attention for next-generation energy storage recently because of the natural abundance, high capacity, and dendrite-free deposition of Mg. However, their applications are hindered by irreversible Mg anode plating in conventional electrolytes and the lack of cathode materials, demonstrating high working voltage, satisfactory Mg diffusivity, and long cycling life. In this work, we first developed a novel magnesium-ion based dual-ion battery (Mg-DIB) by utilizing expanded graphite as the cathode and Ti-doped niobium pentoxide nanoflakes (Ti-NbO NFs) as the anode.

"The Secret Life of Human Donor Hearts": An Examination of Transcriptomic Events During Cold Storage.

Background: Ischemic tolerance of donor hearts has a major impact on the efficiency in utilization and clinical outcomes. Molecular events during storage may influence the severity of ischemic injury.

Methods: RNA sequencing was used to study the transcriptional profile of the human left ventricle (LV, n=4) and right ventricle (RV, n=4) after 0, 4, and 8 hours of cold storage in histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate preservation solution.

Carbon nanotube-encapsulated cobalt for oxygen reduction: integration of space confinement and N-doping.

We report carbon nanotube-encapsulated cobalt as an efficient oxygen reduction electrocatalyst (onset potential of 0.94 V and half-potential of 0.84 V).

NbO Nanoparticles Anchored on an N-Doped Graphene Hybrid Anode for a Sodium-Ion Capacitor with High Energy Density.

Sodium-ion capacitors (SICs) have gained great interest for mid- to large-scale energy storage applications because of their high energy and high power densities as well as long cycle life and low cost. Herein, a T-NbO nanoparticles/N-doped graphene hybrid anode (T-NbO/NG) was prepared by solvothermal treating a mixed ethanol solution of graphene oxide (GO), urea, and NbCl at 180 °C for 12 h, followed by calcining at 700 °C for 2 h, in which T-NbO nanoparticles with average size of 17 nm were uniformly anchored on the surface of the nitrogen-doped reduced GO because their growth and aggregation were hindered, and also, the electronic conductivity and the active sites of T-NbO/NG were improved by doping nitrogen. The T-NbO/NG anode showed superior rate capability (68 mA h g even at 2 A g) and good cycling life (106 mA h g at 0.