Functional gel materials for next-generation electrochromic devices and applications.

Flexible, wearable, bistable displays, visualized energy storage devices and large-area smart windows based on electrochromic (EC) technology are regarded as promising next-generation sustainable display technologies, with the potential to improve people's lives by enabling low-energy consumption, vision-friendly, smart display, and energy-efficient building solutions. Recently, gel-based EC devices have gained considerable research interest and have emerged as an effective platform for EC applications due to their unique and enhanced properties. Compared to solid-state and liquid-state EC devices, gel-based EC systems offer superior processability and scalability, improved mechanical properties such as flexibility and stretchability, and high ionic conductivity without leakage or volatility issues.

Development of a Feed Conversion Ratio Prediction Model for Yorkshire Boars Using Cumulative Feed Intake.

Feed conversion ratio (FCR) is a key indicator of pig productivity, but its measurement is labor-intensive and time-consuming. This study aimed to construct a predictive model for cumulative feeding intake (CFI), which could help estimate FCR more efficiently and reduce the time and effort needed for measurements. This study included a total of 987 Yorkshire boars raised in specific pathogen-free environments, with feeding and growth data collected using automatic feeders.

Carbon dioxide enhances Akkermansia muciniphila fitness and anti-obesity efficacy in high-fat diet mice.

Numerous studies and clinical applications have underscored the therapeutic potential of the indigenous gut bacterium Akkermansia muciniphila in various diseases. However, our understanding of how A. muciniphila senses and responds to host gastrointestinal signals remains limited.

Efficacy and safety of regorafenib in the treatment of bone sarcomas: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Metastatic or recurrent bone sarcomas are often associated with an unfavorable prognosis, posing a formidable challenge in extending patients' survival. Currently, regorafenib has shown promise in treating metastatic and recurrent bone sarcomas. However, there is a lack of consensus on its efficacy and safety.

Avian Migration-Mediated Transmission and Recombination Driving the Diversity of Gammacoronaviruses and Deltacoronaviruses.

In the wake of pandemics like COVID-19, which have zoonotic origins, the role of wildlife as reservoirs for emerging infectious diseases has garnered heightened attention. Migratory birds, traversing continents, represent a potent but under-researched vector for the spread of infectious diseases, including novel coronaviruses. This study delves into the genetic diversity and transmission dynamics of coronaviruses in migratory birds, presenting pivotal findings.

Rethinking the diagnosis and treatment of renal anastomotic hemangioma after partial nephrectomy.

Renal anastomotic hemangioma (AH) is a rare, benign vascular tumor with unique histopathological features, a disease that is clinically rare, and existing clinical cases offer different treatment options. As reported in the text, this is a very unusual case of renal AH with AH secondary to residual renal tissue after renal clear cell carcinoma, describing a rare renal AH and a history of renal clear cell carcinoma, including ultrasound, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. However, the available imaging data and the literature do not provide an effective basis for the diagnosis of the disease, raising the lack of understanding and misdiagnosis, where the patient eventually underwent nephrectomy, but the author is not the most appropriate surgical treatment.

Glycine betaine treatment: Effects on alleviating chilling injury and related gene expression in 'Youhou' sweet persimmon during cold storage.

Persimmon fruit is highly susceptible to chilling injury (CI) during cold storage. Notably, glycine betaine (GB), a compound that helps regulate cell osmotic balance, can alleviate postharvest CI in various fruits. In this study, the postharvest application of GB increased chilling tolerance, delayed CI, and reduced the CI index in 'Youhou' sweet persimmon fruit during cold storage.

Molecularly Functionalized Biomass Hydrogels for Sustainable Atmospheric Water Harvesting.

Atmospheric water harvesting (AWH) offers a promising pathway to alleviate global water scarcity, highlighting the need for environmentally responsible sorbent materials. In this context, this research introduces a universal strategy for transforming natural polysaccharides into effective hydrogel sorbents, demonstrated with cellulose, starch, and chitosan. The methodology unites alkylation to graft thermoresponsive groups, thereby enhancing water processability and enabling energy-efficient water release at lower temperatures, with the integration of zwitterionic groups to ensure stable and effective water sorption.

Phylogeography Analysis Reveals Rabies Epidemiology, Evolution, and Transmission in the Philippines.

Rabies, caused by rabies virus, is a severe public health problem in the Philippines, where animal rabies epidemiology had been extensively investigated, but little is known about the national epidemiologic situations since 2010. Here, we report a 12-year nationwide animal rabies surveillance with systematic phylogenetic analysis, in which 353 whole genomes of rabies viruses collected from animal rabies cases between 2018 and 2022 were obtained. The phylogenetic and spatial-temporal evolutionary analyses showed that rabies viruses in the Philippines were exclusively classified into the SEA4 subclade within the Asian clade, but forming three major geographically specific lineages.

Effervescence-assisted salting-out liquid-liquid extraction for rapid and convenient analysis of pyrethroid pesticide residues.

A simple and efficient effervescence-assisted salting-out assisted liquid-liquid extraction (EA-SALLE) method was developed for the rapid extraction of pyrethroid insecticides in fruit juices and herbal extracts. By integrating effervescence extraction with SALLE, the extraction and phase separation processes were conducted simultaneously, significantly simplifying the experimental procedure and reducing the extraction time to just 3 min. Key factors influencing the method's efficiency were systematically optimized.

Upregulation of FAM129B protects against glucocorticoid-induced skeletal muscle atrophy via regulating long non-coding RNA NEAT1.

Skeletal muscle atrophy, manifested by a reduction in muscle size and quantity, is primarily attributed to excessive protein catabolism. FAM129B, an antioxidant protein, has been previously implicated in muscle growth and development in cattle. Aim of this study is to elucidate the role of FAM129B in muscle atrophy.

Automated tuning of a ring-assisted MZI-based interleaver for Kerr frequency combs.

We demonstrate a compact ring-assisted Mach-Zehnder interferometer (RAMZI)-based silicon photonic interleaver with a 400 GHz free spectral range (FSR), featuring flat passbands exceeding a spectral range of 50 nm. Additionally, we introduce a novel, to the best of our knowledge, add-on structure and tuning method enabling automated compensation for fabrication imperfections, precise shaping of the RAMZI flat-top passbands, and alignment with Kerr comb lines. Experimental results have shown successful interleaving of eight channels of distributed-feedback (DFB) lasers as well as a 200 GHz Kerr comb, both achieving an extinction ratio of approximately 20 dB.

An organic electrochemical neuron for a neuromorphic perception system.

Human perception systems are highly refined, relying on an adaptive, plastic, and event-driven network of sensory neurons. Drawing inspiration from Nature, neuromorphic perception systems hold tremendous potential for efficient multisensory signal processing in the physical world; however, the development of an efficient artificial neuron with a widely calibratable spiking range and reduced footprint remains challenging. Here, we report an efficient organic electrochemical neuron (OECN) with reduced footprint (<37 mm) based on high-performance vertical OECT (vOECT) complementary circuitry enabled by an advanced n-type polymer for balanced p-/n-type vOECT performance.

Isolation and Antioxidant Mechanism of Polyphenols from .

, as an edible and medicinal macrofungus, represents a high source of polyphenols with considerable antioxidant activities. However, due to the significant differences in polyphenol content and bioactivity caused by different cultivation substrates, its antioxidant mechanism has not been fully determined. In this paper, five groups of fruiting bodies were collected from cultivation substrates from different areas.

The effects of e-health care on health outcomes and psychological distress in patients undergoing assisted reproductive technology: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Background: Many studies have reported that electronic health (e-health) care helps health professionals manage patients undergoing assisted reproductive technology (ART) and improves their reproductive outcomes and psychological distress. However, little is known about the effectiveness of e-health care on the health outcomes of patients undergoing ART.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of e-health care on patient-centered health outcomes, such as live birth rate, pregnancy rate, time to pregnancy, etc.

Barriers and Enablers in the Implementation of Physical Activity Improvement for Pregnant Women With Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Mixed-Methods Study.

Aim: To identify the barriers and enablers in the implementation of evidence-based physical activity (PA) programmes for the improvement of health outcomes among pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), and to develop strategies for implementing this evidence in clinical practice.

Methods: A convergent mixed-methods study was conducted, integrating a descriptive qualitative research design with a cross-sectional survey. In-depth interview was used to collect the views and cognitions about physical activity from medical staff, leaders and pregnant women.

The Burden of Severe Periodontitis in China From 1990 to 2021, With Projections to 2050: A Comprehensive Analysis From The Global Burden of Disease Study 2021.

Background: The study aims to explore the epidemiologic information related to severe periodontitis in China.

Methods: We analyzed data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 study to delineate the incidence, prevalence, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) attributable to severe periodontitis in China, stratified by age and gender. A range of analytical methods, including comparative analysis, trend analysis, decomposition analysis, hierarchical cluster analysis, health inequality analysis, and predictive modeling, were employed to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the disease burden.

Enhancing subsurface imaging in ultrasonic atomic force microscopy with optimized contact force.

Ultrasonic atomic force microscopy (UAFM) is a powerful nondestructive subsurface imaging tool that is widely used to inspect material defects and analyze biological cells. The contrast in UAFM images, which is crucial for subsurface imaging quality, is directly influenced by the contact force between the probe and material. This contact force affects the subsurface contrast by influencing the propagation of the stress field from the vibrating probe into the material.

Recovery from spreading depolarization is slowed by aging and accelerated by antioxidant treatment in locusts.

Spreading depolarization (SD) temporarily shuts down neural processing in mammals and insects. Age is a critical factor for predicting the consequences of SD in humans. We investigated the effect of aging in an insect model of SD and explored the contribution of oxidative stress.

Neutrophil extracellular DNA traps activate the TLR9 signaling pathway of pancreatic ductal epithelial cells in patients with type 2 autoimmune pancreatitis.

The presence of neutrophil infiltration around the pancreatic ducts has been found to be associated with type 2 autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP). However, the functional role and clinical significance of neutrophil migration in the progression of pancreatitis is not fully understood. Here, we found that neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are abundant around the pancreatic duct in patients with type 2 AIP.

Advancements in Microbial Cell Engineering for Benzylisoquinoline Alkaloid Production.

Benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs) are a class of natural compounds found in plants of the family, known for their diverse pharmacological activities. However, the extraction yields of BIAs from plants are limited, and the cost of chemical synthesis is prohibitively high. Recent advancements in systems metabolic engineering and genomics have made it feasible to use microbes as bioreactors for BIAs production.

Enhancement of far-infrared laser damage threshold in Ge-As-Se glass fiber.

The application of As-Se chalcogenide glasses in high-power laser delivery is hindered by their low damage threshold due to their weak chemical bonds. To solve this, we introduced germanium elements into the As-Se glasses and optimized the composition to raise the glass transition temperature (T) and enhance the laser damage threshold (LDT). From the correlation among various parameters including T, LDT, and fiber loss, we concluded an optimized composition of GeAsSe/GeAsSe glass.

All-dielectric ultra-broadband transparent imidazole ionic liquid-based metamaterial absorber with a frustum-shaped structure.

In this study, a frustum-shaped addition was made to a cylindrical absorber unit, utilizing 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium dicyanamide ionic liquid (IL) to create a transparent all-dielectric liquid metamaterial absorber (A-D ILMMA). The A-D ILMMA achieved over 90% absorption efficiency across 4.86-50.

Discovery and structure-activity relationship study of nicotinamide derivatives as DNA demethylase ALKBH2 inhibitors.

AlkB homolog 2 (ALKBH2) is a Fe (II) and 2-oxoglutarate (2OG)-dependent DNA demethylase. It has been reported to be highly expressed in many cancers including glioblastoma (GBM) and affected disease progression by regulating gene expression. Small molecule inhibitors of ALKBH2 might be used as disease intervention reagents or chemical tools for bio-functional studies of ALKBH2, but currently no potent and selective ALKBH2 inhibitors are reported.