Vitamin D can mitigate sepsis-associated neurodegeneration by inhibiting exogenous histone-induced pyroptosis and ferroptosis: Implications for brain protection and cognitive preservation.

Background: Sepsis-induced neurodegeneration and cognitive dysfunction remain critical challenges worldwide. Vitamin D was reported to reduce neuronal injury and neurotoxicity and its deficiency was associated with neurocognitive disorders. This study investigates the mechanisms by which vitamin D exerts neuroprotective potential against damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), specifically extracellular histones, in sepsis-related brain dysfunction.

Discerning the Relevance of Singlet Oxygen in Pollutant Degradation in Peroxymonosulfate Activation Processes.

Significant efforts have recently been exerted toward construction of singlet oxygen (O)-dominated catalytic oxidation systems for selective removal of organic contaminants from wastewater, with peroxides serving as the chemical source. However, the relevance of O in the removal of pollutants remains ambiguous and requires elucidation. In this study, we scrupulously exclude the significant role of O in contaminant degradation in various peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation systems.

Dexmedetomidine attenuates lipopolysaccharide-induced renal cell fibrotic phenotypic changes by inhibiting necroinflammation via activating α-adrenoceptor: A combined randomised animal and in vitro study.

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) was reported to be one of the initiators of chronic kidney disease (CKD) development. Necroinflammation may contribute to the progression from AKI to CKD. Dexmedetomidine (Dex), a highly selective α-adrenoreceptor (AR) agonist, has cytoprotective and "anti-" inflammation effects.

Investigating the evolution of reactive species in the CuO-mediated peroxymonosulfate activation process.

The utilization of copper oxide (CuO) as a catalyst in the peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation process holds great promise for effectively degrading aqueous organic pollutants, while the relevant mechanism remains inadequately understood. In this study, we delve into the evolution pathways of reactive species in the CuO/PMS system through a comprehensive series of experimental analyses. Our findings indicate that various reactive species are generated in the CuO/PMS system with the specific sequence, where the decomposition of surface Cu(II)-OOSO leads to the formation of surface Cu(III) species, which are responsible for the subsequent generation of HO.

Self-carbon-thermal-reduction strategy for boosting the Fenton-like activity of single Fe-N sites by carbon-defect engineering.

Carbon-defect engineering in metal single-atom catalysts by simple and robust strategy, boosting their catalytic activity, and revealing the carbon defect-catalytic activity relationship are meaningful but challenging. Herein, we report a facile self-carbon-thermal-reduction strategy for carbon-defect engineering of single Fe-N sites in ZnO-Carbon nano-reactor, as efficient catalyst in Fenton-like reaction for degradation of phenol. The carbon vacancies are easily constructed adjacent to single Fe-N sites during synthesis, facilitating the formation of C-O bonding and lowering the energy barrier of rate-determining-step during degradation of phenol.

Fun with Frustration? TikTok Influencers' Emotional Expression Predicts User Engagement with COVID-19 Vaccination Messages.

This study examined what kinds of TikTok video and message features are associated with user engagement in the context of COVID-19 vaccination. Content analysis was applied to study a sample of 223 COVID-19 vaccination-related videos from creators with at least 10,000 followers. The content analysis involved coding themes, video formats, the valence of attitude toward vaccination, and emotional expressions from the influencers.

Carbon emission reduction potential assessment in food transportation by urban agriculture: A case study of main urban area of Nanjing, China.

As an emerging urban green infrastructure and continuous productive urban landscape, urban agriculture can increase the resilience of urban food systems and reduce carbon emission in food transportation. However, there are few studies in China on the potential of urban agriculture and its role in carbon emission reduction. With semantic segmentation and spatial analysis method to identify urban agricultural potential spaces on the ground and rooftops based on satellite images and Lidar point cloud data in the main urban area of Nanjing, we estimated their potential in vegetable production and the CO emission reduction effect in food transportation.

Nitrogen Electroreduction on Borophene-Supported Atomic and Diatomic Transition Metals: Stability, Activity and Selectivity Improvements via Defect-Engineering.

The present work investigated the binding of atomically dispersed transition metals to the perfect and single/double vacancy (SV/DV)-containing defective β -borophenes and the catalytic performance of those corresponding single-atom catalysts (SACs) and diatomic catalysts (DACs) for nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) by means of density functional theory calculations. Although previous theoretical studies proposed that the inherent hexagon hole of the defect-free β -borophene is capable of anchoring single metal atom for NRR, calculations suggested that the interaction between borophene and doped metal is not strong enough to avoid metal aggregation. For the defective β -borophene with SV, even though the single metal could be stabilized in an 8-membered ring, it was found that the SAC was still ineffective for NRR because of the competitive hydrogen evolution process.

Dexmedetomidine Activates Akt, STAT6 and IRF4 Modulating Cytoprotection and Macrophage Anti-Inflammatory Phenotype Against Acute Lung Injury in vivo and in vitro.

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the cytoprotective and anti-inflammatory effects of an α-adrenoreceptor (α-AR) agonist, dexmedetomidine (Dex), on lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-induced acute lung injury and underlying mechanisms with focus on alveolar macrophage polarization modulation.

Methods: C57BL/6 mice were intraperitoneally injected LPS (10 mg/kg) with or without Dex (25 µg/kg) and/or α-AR antagonist atipamezole (Atip, 500 µg/kg). Lung tissues were then analysed to determine injuries.

Anchored atomic tungsten on a B cage: a highly active and selective single-atom catalyst for nitrogen reduction.

In comparison with the prevalent 2D material-supported single atom catalysts (SACs), the design and fabrication of SACs with single molecule substrates are still challenging. Here we introduce a new type of SAC in which a recently identified all-boron fullerene B40 is employed as the support and its catalytic performance toward the nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR) process is explored in theory. Taking advantage of the novel heptagonal ring substructure on the sphere and the electron-deficient nature of boron, the atomic metals are facile to reside on B40 to form atomically dispersed η7-B40M exohedral complexes.

Sevoflurane Enhances Proliferation, Metastatic Potential of Cervical Cancer Cells via the Histone Deacetylase 6 Modulation In Vitro.

Background: Sevoflurane is commonly used for cervical cancer surgery, but its effect on cervical cancer cell biology remains unclear. This mechanistic study explores how sevoflurane affects the proliferation and metastatic potential of immortalized cervical cancer cell lines.

Methods: Cultured cervical cancer Caski and HeLa lines were exposed to 1, 2, or 3% sevoflurane for 2 or 4 h.

Dexmedetomidine inhibits astrocyte pyroptosis and subsequently protects the brain in in vitro and in vivo models of sepsis.

Sepsis is life-threatening and often leads to acute brain damage. Dexmedetomidine, an α-adrenoceptor agonist, has been reported to possess neuroprotective effects against various brain injury but underlying mechanisms remain elusive. In this study, in vitro and in vivo models of sepsis were used to explore the effects of dexmedetomidine on the inflammasome activity and its associated glia pyroptosis and neuronal death.