Ancient engineers: The role of plateau pika in shaping ecological uniqueness and guiding plant diversity conservation in alpine grasslands.

Small burrowing herbivores play a crucial role in maintaining structure and function of grassland ecosystems. To date, our understanding of whether practicing ecological uniqueness can enhance plant diversity conservation under small herbivore disturbances remains limited. Here, we investigate the ecological uniqueness of plant communities, which include habitats disturbed and undisturbed by plateau pikas.

Adolescents and Children Age Estimation Using Machine Learning Based on Pulp and Tooth Volumes on CBCT Images.

Objectives: To estimate adolescents and children age using stepwise regression and machine learning methods based on the pulp and tooth volumes of the left maxillary central incisor and cuspid on cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images, and to compare and analyze the estimation results.

Methods: A total of 498 Shanghai Han adolescents and children CBCT images of the oral and maxillofacial regions were collected. The pulp and tooth volumes of the left maxillary central incisor and cuspid were measured and calculated.

Dynamic phenotypic reprogramming and chemoresistance induced by lung fibroblasts in small cell lung cancer.

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is heterogenous in phenotype and microenvironment. Dynamic phenotypic reprogramming, leading to heterogeneity, is prevalent in SCLC, while the mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) possess comprehensive roles in cancer progression, while their function in phenotypic reprogramming of SCLC remain elusive.

Poly(2-vinylpyridine)/MCM-41 Composites with Micropores and Switchable Mesopores for the Removal of Cr(VI).

Porous structure design and reversible regulation of pore size during adsorption-desorption are crucial to the removal of pollutants in water such as Cr(VI). In this paper, micropores and switchable mesopores were constructed on MCM-41 to further improve adsorption-desorption performance of Cr(VI) via the confinement effect of micropores and opening and closing of mesopores. 2-Vinylpyridine was introduced and polymerized into the pores and on the pore mouth of MCM41 modified by C═C group (AM41) under the irradiation of ultraviolet light.

Light-Propelled Super-Hydrophobic Sponge Motor and its Application in Oil-Water Separation.

Self-propelled separation materials, that is, motor, are one of the keys to realizing smart oil-water separation. Although three-dimensional sponges such as commercial melamine sponge (MS) exhibit excellent oil-water separation ability, they cannot move by themselves on water. Aiming at solving this problem, a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and molybdenum disulfide (MoS) modified MS motor (PDMS@MS/MoS) with an asymmetric multilayer structure was prepared, in which the photothermal layer MoS provided the propelling force for the motor under infrared light irradiation, and the middle layer PDMS was used as the superhydrophobic modified agent and adhesive agent between commercial MS and MoS powder.

Establishment of a prognostic risk prediction modelfor non-small cell lung cancer patients with brainmetastases: a retrospective study.

Background: Patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who develop brain metastases (BM) have a poor prognosis. This study aimed to construct a clinical prediction model to determine the overall survival (OS) of NSCLC patients with BM.

Methods: A total of 300 NSCLC patients with BM at the Yunnan Cancer Centre were retrospectively analysed.

Risk prediction of second primary malignant tumor in primary differentiated thyroid cancer patients: a population-based study.

Purpose: To investigate the risk factors of second primary malignant tumor (SPMT) in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) and establish a competing risk nomogram to predict the probability of SPMT occurrence.

Methods: We retrieved data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database for patients diagnosed with DTC between 2000 and 2019. The Fine and Gray subdistribution hazard model was employed to identify SPMT risk factors in the training set and develop a competing risk nomogram.

Diagnostic value of cell-free DNA in thyroid cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: An increasing number of studies have shown the potential diagnostic value of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) as a new biomarker in the management of thyroid cancer (TC); however, the accuracy of research results is inconsistent. This meta-analysis is the first to synthesize published results and evaluate the application value of circulating cfDNA in the diagnosis of TC.

Methods: A search strategy was developed according to PICO (P: Patient; I: Intervention; C: Comparison; O: Outcome) principles.

Correction: All-purpose nanostrategy based on dose deposition enhancement, cell cycle arrest, DNA damage, and ROS production as prostate cancer radiosensitizer for potential clinical translation.

Correction for 'All-purpose nanostrategy based on dose deposition enhancement, cell cycle arrest, DNA damage, and ROS production as prostate cancer radiosensitizer for potential clinical translation' by Xiao-xiao Guo , , 2021, , 14525-14537, https://doi.org/10.1039/D1NR03869A.

All-purpose nanostrategy based on dose deposition enhancement, cell cycle arrest, DNA damage, and ROS production as prostate cancer radiosensitizer for potential clinical translation.

Radiotherapy (RT) is one of the main treatments for men with prostate cancer (PCa). To date, numerous sophisticated nano-formulations as radiosensitizers have been synthesized with inspiring therapeutic effects both and ; however, almost all the attention has been paid on the enhanced dose deposition effect by secondary electrons of nanomaterials with high atomic numbers (Z); despite this, cell-cycle arrest, DNA damage, and also reactive oxygen species (ROS) production are critical working mechanisms that account for radiosensitization. Herein, an 'all-purpose' nanostrategy based on dose deposition enhancement, cell cycle arrest, and ROS production as prostate cancer radiosensitizer for potential clinical translation was proposed.

3D bioactive cell-free-scaffolds for in-vitro/in-vivo capture and directed osteoinduction of stem cells for bone tissue regeneration.

Hydrophilic bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) is easily degraded and difficult to load onto hydrophobic carrier materials, which limits the application of polyester materials in bone tissue engineering. Based on soybean-lecithin as an adjuvant biosurfactant, we designed a novel cell-free-scaffold of polymer of poly(ε-caprolactone) and poly(lactide-co-glycolide)-co-polyetherimide with abundant entrapped and continuously released BMP2 for stem cell-capture and osteogenic induction, avoiding the use of exogenous cells. The optimized bioactive osteo-polyester scaffold (BOPSC), i.

Knockdown of lncRNA SNHG4 suppresses gastric cancer cell proliferation and metastasis by targeting miR-204-5p.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been identified as critical regulators in gastric cancer (GC) progression. However, whether lncRNA small nucleolar host gene 4 (SNHG4) functions in GC development remains unknown. In this study, the bio-functional role of SNHG4 and its potential mechanism on GC progression were systematically dissected.

Adaptive immune responses mediated age-related Plasmodium yoelii 17XL and 17XNL infections in 4 and 8-week-old BALB/c mice.

Backgroud: It is important to expound the opposite clinical outcomes between children and adulthood for eradicate malaria. There remains unknown about the correlation between adaptive immune response and age-related in malaria.

Methods: 4 and 8-week-old mice were used to mimic children and adulthood, respectively.

Polypyrrole/polylactic acid nanofibrous scaffold cotransplanted with bone marrow stromal cells promotes the functional recovery of spinal cord injury in rats.

Aims: The objective of this study was to analyze the efficacy of polypyrrole/polylactic acid (PPy/PLA) nanofibrous scaffold cotransplanted with bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) in promoting the functional recovery in a rat spinal cord injury (SCI).

Methods: Female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups (n = 18/group): control group, PPy/PLA group, and PPy/PLA/BMSCs group. The SCI was induced in all rats.

Efficiently capturing tobacco specific nitrosamines with Hβ zeolite in solution.

The high-efficiency capture of Tobacco Specific Nitrosamines by Hβ zeolite in solution is reported for the first time, along with the adsorption of 4-methylnitrosamino-1-3-pyridyl-1-butanone in aqueous solution. Different from other zeolites such as NaZSM-5, the specific pore size of Hβ exerted a crucial function endowing the zeolite a higher removal of TSNA and selectivity of NNK. The adsorption thermodynamics of NNK by Hβ in aqueous adsorption was fitted to Temkin adsorption model with a linearly decreasing isosteric heat of adsorption.

New shape-selectivity discovered on graphene-based materials in catching tobacco specific nitrosamines.

New shape-selectivity of graphene-based materials was discovered on this article. To explore the new selectivity, the structure and surface state of graphene and carbon nanotube were examined firstly, and their specific selectivity was verified and was compared with that of ZSM-5 zeolite in aqueous solutions of tobacco specific nitrosamines (TSNA) along with dyes. These two adsorbents trapped about 55% and 70% of 4-methylnitrosamino-1-3-pyridyl-1-butanone (NNK) but only 3% of N'-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) in solution, having an obvious selectivity for the former, due to its stronger interaction with graphene.

Creating an Optimal Microenvironment within Mesoporous Silica MCM-41 for Capture of Tobacco-Specific Nitrosamines in Solution.

To meet the requirement of capturing tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNA) for environment protection, a unique microenvironment was carefully created inside the channels of mesoporous silica MCM-41. In situ carbonization of template micelles at 923 K, combined with the excess aluminum used in one-pot synthesis of MCM-41, is adopted to tailor the tortuosity of mecsoporous channels, while loaded metal oxides (5 wt %) and the Al component in the framework are employed to exert the necessary electrostatic interaction toward the target carcinogens TSNA in solution. The elaborated microenvironment created in mesoporous sorbents was characterized with XRD, N adsorption-desorption, TEM, XPS, and TG-DSC methods.

Preparation of polypyrrole-embedded electrospun poly(lactic acid) nanofibrous scaffolds for nerve tissue engineering.

Polypyrrole (PPy) is a biocompatible polymer with good conductivity. Studies combining PPy with electrospinning have been reported; however, the associated decrease in PPy conductivity has not yet been resolved. We embedded PPy into poly(lactic acid) (PLA) nanofibers electrospinning and fabricated a PLA/PPy nanofibrous scaffold containing 15% PPy with sustained conductivity and aligned topography.

Comparison of rabbit rib defect regeneration with and without graft.

Rib segment, as one of the most widely used autologous boneresources for bone repair, is commonly isolated with an empty left in the defect. Although defective rib repair is thought to be unnecessary traditionally, it's of vital importance actually to promote rib regeneration for patients with better postoperative recovery and higher life quality. Comparative investigations on rabbit rib bone regeneration with and without graft were reported in this article.

In Situ Loading of Drugs into Mesoporous Silica SBA-15.

In a new strategy for loading drugs into mesoporous silica, a hydrophilic (heparin) or hydrophobic drug (ibuprofen) is encapsulated directly in a one-pot synthesis by evaporation-induced self-assembly. In situ drug loading significantly cuts down the preparation time and dramatically increases the loaded amount and released fraction of the drug, and appropriate drug additives favor a mesoporous structure of the vessels. Drug loading was verified by FTIR spectroscopy and release tests, which revealed much longer release with a larger amount of heparin or ibuprofen compared to postloaded SBA-15.

Facilely Fabricating Multifunctional N-Enriched Carbon.

A new synthetic strategy, named "carbonization in limited space" and based on the specific interaction between eutectic salt and dual-ionic liquids (dual-ILs), is reported in this article. N-Containing dual-ILs (1,4-diethyl-1,4-diazaniabicyclo[2,2,2]octane imidazolide-4,5-dicyanoiazolide, [2C2DABCO](2+)[Im](-)[CN-Im](-)) were synthesized as new carbon-nitrogen precursors, while eutectic salt was chosen as a reuseable template in order to facilely fabricate the N-doped porous carbon with sheetlike morphology. Nitrogen can be directly and efficiently incorporated into the porous carbon, resulting in the materials with suitable N content, tunable pore structure, and controllable thickness of sheet as well as high surface area.

Metabolism and pharmacokinetics of 8-hydroxypiperidinylmethyl-baicalein (BA-j) as a novel selective CDK1 inhibitor in monkey.

Cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1) is the only necessary CDK in the cell proliferation process and a new target in the research and development of anti-cancer drugs. 8-Hydroxypiperidinemethyl-baicalein (BA-j) is a Mannich base derivative of baicalein (BA) isolated from Scutellaria baicalensis, as a novel selective CDK1 inhibitor. 12 metabolites of BA-j in the monkey urine were identified by LC-MS-MS and (1)H NMR.

Facile synthesis of high photocatalytic active porous g-C3N4 with ZnCl2 template.

Zinc chloride was utilized as the multi-functional modifier with dicyandiamide to synthesize porous g-C3N4, it not only played the role of pore-former in the resulting composite, but also acted as the assistant in succeeding adsorption of methyl orange (MO). Adjusting the quantity of ZnCl2 additive combined with the concentration of acidic washing liquid could control the amount and distribution of residual zinc species in the g-C3N4, in order to enhance the activity of the photocatalyst. The resulting composites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV-vis diffuse reflection spectroscopy (UV-vis) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) as well as photoluminescence (PL) to assess the influence of residual zinc species on the physical and optical property of the composite.

Hyaluronic acid hydrogel modified with nogo-66 receptor antibody and poly-L-lysine to promote axon regrowth after spinal cord injury.

The biomaterials used for central nervous system injury require not only interacting with specific cell adhesion but also specific growth factor receptors to promote nerve regeneration. In this study, hyaluronic acid (HA)-based hydrogels modified with poly-L-lysine (PLL) and nogo-66 receptor antibody (antiNgR) (HA-PLL/antiNgR) were administered to rats after lateral hemisection of the spinal cord. Anti-neurofilament positive axons were found to extend into the HA-PLL/antiNgR hydrogel at 8 weeks after implantation, which shows significant difference compared with HA-PLL or blank control group.