Bilateral parasternal and rectus sheath blocks reduce pain post-cardiac surgery: a pilot trial.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effects of ultrasound-guided bilateral parasternal block (PSB) combined with rectus sheath block (RSB) on postoperative recovery quality in patients undergoing median sternotomy for cardiac surgery.

Methods: Eighty patients were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (receiving PSB + RSB,  = 40) or the control group (not receiving PSB + RSB,  = 40). The primary outcome was opioid consumption within the first 24 h postoperatively.

Localized Electrolyte Grain Engineering to Suppress Li Intrusion in All-Solid-State Batteries.

Li intrusion is the primary factor contributing to the undesirable cycling durability and rate capability of all-solid-state lithium metal batteries. However, conventional engineering methodologies for solid electrolytes (SEs) that focus on crystalline scales, such as doping, have limited efficacy in addressing this issue, as they not only involve cumbersome trial-and-error processes but also struggle to simultaneously optimize the multiple macroscopic properties necessary for effectively suppressing Li intrusion. Herein, rather than following the conventional practice of SE engineering, it is concentrated on optimizing SEs at the grain-aggregate level.

Assessing Co-Localization of ITM2B With Alzheimer's Disease and Limbic-Predominant Age-Related TDP-43 Encephalopathy Neuropathologic Changes.

Mutations in the Integral membrane protein 2B (ITM2B) gene are linked to the development of familial British and Danish dementias, two relatively early-onset dementia disorders known also to be associated with Tau neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). However, to date, the involvement of ITM2B in limbic-predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy neuropathologic changes (LATE-NC) remains unclear. To address this question, we used brain samples from the University of Kentucky Alzheimer's Disease Research Center community-based autopsy cohort.

Gold-Catalyzed Difunctionalization of Activated Alkynes with Organohalides: Access to 3-Arylated and Alkenylated Coumarin Derivatives.

Coumarin skeletons are significant structural units frequently used in the fields of synthetic chemistry, medicinal chemistry, and materials science. Herein, we report a hemilabile P,N-ligand-assisted gold-catalyzed difunctionalization of activated alkynes with organohalides. The reaction occurs effectively under mild conditions without requiring an external oxidant, producing a variety of 3-arylated and alkenylated coumarin derivatives in high to excellent yields.

Recruiting high-efficiency denitrifying consortia using Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Synthesizing the microbial community with a high denitrifying capacity is the key for achieving efficient removal of nitrogen species in wastewater treatment plants. Here, we integrated the evolutionary top-down enrichment and bottom-up bioaugmentation to construct a high-efficiency Pseudomonas-recruited denitrifying consortium (PRDC). A PRDC with a high specific denitrification rate of 109.

The physicochemical characteristics and functional properties of steam explosion modified wheat bran in vitro and in vivo.

Wheat bran is the processing byproduct of wheat, which is thought to have great potential applications. To make a full utilization of the resource, this study investigated the effects of steam explosion (SE) modification, with intensity at 1.0 MPa at 20, 60, 100, 140, 180, and 220 s, respectively, on wheat bran soluble dietary fiber (SDF) content, physical-chemical quality, antioxidant capacity, and intestinal microbial spectrum.

Screening and transcriptomic profiling of tobacco growth-promoting arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi.

Tobacco is a significant economic crop cultivated in various regions of China. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can establish a symbiotic relationship with tobacco and regulate its growth. However, the influences of indigenous AMF on the growth and development of tobacco and their symbiotic mechanisms remain unclear.

SIRT3 regulates PFKFB3-mediated glycolysis to attenuate cisplatin-induced ototoxicity both in vivo and in vitro.

Cochlear hair cell death is the primary cause of cisplatin-induced ototoxicity, currently lacking widely applicable clinical methods for effective prevention and treatment. In this study, an in vivo cisplatin-induced ototoxicity model was established by intraperitoneal injection of 12 mg/kg cisplatin. We found that ablation of SIRT3 exacerbates cisplatin-induced hearing loss and cochlear hair cell damage.

Numerical Simulation of Rotational Speed Sinusoidal Pulsation for Enhancing Polymer Processing Based on Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics.

Vibration-assisted methods are playing a more and more important role in processing polymers for twin screw extruders (TSEs) in order to satisfy the increasing requirements for polymetric products in various applications, but existing vibrating technologies are usually restricted in school laboratories and industrial research rooms because of their drawbacks. The purpose of this study is to design a novel vibration method for TSEs. Numerical simulation was performed based on a meshless method, namely smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH).

Anionic-Based Layered Oxide Cathodes with High Electrochemical Performance through Dual-Site Substitutions for Sodium-Ion Batteries.

Mn-rich layered oxide cathodes with anionic redox promise high energy density for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) due to ultra-high capacity derived from both Mn and O redox couples. Nevertheless, instability of the reactions that lead to poor electrochemical stability hinders the cathodes from practical applications. Here, the Al and Zn dual-site substitution strategy is proposed to enhance electrochemical performance.

Frailty risk prediction models for patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis in China: a systematic review.

Objective: To promote the application of high-quality frailty risk prediction models in the field of debilitation among Chinese patients undergoing MHD, and to provide a basis for optimisation and improvement of future studies.

Methods: A literature search was conducted in Chinese and English databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Embase, CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, SinoMed) and the cutoff date for which was April 30, 2024. Literature characteristics, types of studies, predictors, model construction methods and results were analysed and compared.

Plasma-derived extracellular vesicles prime alveolar macrophages for autophagy and ferroptosis in sepsis-induced acute lung injury.

Sepsis-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a severe complication of sepsis and the leading cause of mortality. Although the role of alveolar macrophages (AMs) in stabilizing pulmonary homeostasis is well established, the effects of circulating extracellular vesicles (EVs) on AMs remain largely unknown. In this study, an investigation was conducted to map the miRNA and protein expression profiles of EVs derived from septic plasma.

The graded heat-health risk forecast and early warning with full-season coverage across China: a predicting model development and evaluation study.

Background: Due to global climate change, high temperature and heatwaves have become critical issues that pose a threat to human health. An effective early warning system is essential to mitigate the health risks associated with high temperature and heatwaves. However, most of the current heatwave early warning systems are not adequately developed based on the heat-health risk model, and the health impact of hot weather has not been well managed in most countries.

Secondary Metabolites from the Mangrove Ecosystem-Derived Fungi spp.: Chemical Diversity and Biological Activity.

Mangrove ecosystems have attracted widespread attention because of their high salinity, muddy or sandy soil, and low pH, as well as being partly anoxic and periodically soaked by tides. Mangrove plants, soil, or sediment-derived fungi, especially the species, possess unique metabolic pathways to produce secondary metabolites with novel structures and potent biological activities. This paper reviews the structural diversity and biological activity of secondary metabolites isolated from mangrove ecosystem-derived species over the past 5 years (January 2020-October 2024), and 417 natural products (including 170 new compounds, among which 32 new compounds were separated under the guidance of molecular networking and the OSMAC approach) are described.

The analysis of gene co-expression network and immune infiltration revealed biomarkers between triple-negative and non-triple negative breast cancer.

Background: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a heterogeneous disease with a worse prognosis. Despite ongoing efforts, existing therapeutic approaches show limited success in improving early recurrence and survival outcomes for TNBC patients. Therefore, there is an urgent need to discover novel and targeted therapeutic strategies, particularly those focusing on the immune infiltrate in TNBC, to enhance diagnosis and prognosis for affected individuals.

In situ biosensing for cell viability and drug evaluation in 3D extracellular matrix cultures: Applications in cytoprotection of oxidative stress injury.

The rise of extracellular matrix (ECM)-supported three-dimensional (3D) cell culture systems which bridge the gap between in vitro culture and in vivo living tissue for pharmacological models has increased the need for simple and robust cell viability assays. This study presents the development of an effective biosensing assay for in situ monitoring of the catecholamine neurotransmitter exocytosis levels for cell viability assessment within complicated cell-encapsulated hydrogel milieu. Firstly, the biosensing assay demonstrated the distinction among four pheochromocytoma (PC12) cell lines with varying degrees of differentiation and the discrepancy in cellular neurosecretory capacity between two-dimensional (2D) monolayer and 3D agarose hydrogel culture conditions, accompanied by morphological distinctions.

Biomimetic bone cartilage scaffolds based on trilayer methacrylated hydroxyapatite/GelMA composites for full-thickness osteochondral regeneration.

Since cartilage injury is often accompanied by subchondral bone damage, conventional single-phase materials cannot accurately simulate the osteochondral structure or repair osteochondral injury. In this work, a gradient gelatin-methacryloyl (GelMA) hydrogel scaffold was constructed by a layer-by-layer stacking method to realize full-thickness regeneration of cartilage, calcified cartilage and subchondral bone. Of note, to surmount the inadequate mechanical property of GelMA hydrogel, nanohydroxyapatite (nHA) was incorporated and further functionalized with hydroxyethyl methacrylate (nHA-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, nHAMA) to enhance the interfacial adhesion with the hydrogel, resulting in better mechanical strength akin to human bone.

Associations between oral behaviors, temporomandibular disorder subtypes and psychological distress in adult women: a retrospective case-control study.

Oral behaviors and psychological distress are known to be related to temporomandibular disorders (TMDs). However, the relationship between various oral behaviors and specific TMD subgroups in adult women experiencing psychological distress is still unclear. To investigate the relationship between various oral behaviors and different TMD subgroups with different psychological distress states.

Generative adversarial network integrated with metabolomics identifies potential biomarkers related to quality changes of atemoya (Annona cherimola × Annona squamosa) stored at 10 and 25 °C.

Atemoya fruit deteriorates rapidly during post-harvest storage. A complete understanding of the metabolic mechanisms underlying this process is crucial for developing effective preservation strategies. Metabolomic approaches combined with machine learning offer new opportunities to identify quality-related biomarkers.

Gastrointestinal absorption and its regulation of hawthorn leaves flavonoids.

Hawthorn leave flavonoids (HLF) are widely used as an herb or dietary supplements for cardio-cerebrovascular diseases. However, its gastrointestinal absorption behavior and mechanism have not been disclosed. In this study, gastrointestinal absorption and its regulation of 4''-O-glucosylvitexin (GLV), 2''-O-rhamnosylvitexin (RHV), vitexin (VIT), rutin (RUT) and hyperoside (HP) in HLF were investigated using in vitro, in situ and in vivo models.

Source Material Design for Realizing >50% Indium-Saving Transparent Electrode toward Sustainable Development of Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cells.

Indium (In) reduction is a hot topic in transparent conductive oxide (TCO) research. So far, most strategies have been focused on reducing the layer thickness of In-based TCO films and exploring TCOs. However, no promising industrial solution has been obtained yet.

High-performance 2D electronic devices enabled by strong and tough two-dimensional polymer with ultra-low dielectric constant.

As the feature size of microelectronic circuits is scaling down to nanometer order, the increasing interconnect crosstalk, resistance-capacitance (RC) delay and power consumption can limit the chip performance and reliability. To address these challenges, new low-k dielectric (k < 2) materials need to be developed to replace current silicon dioxide (k = 3.9) or SiCOH, etc.

Recent Advances in Selective Chemical Etching of Nanomaterials for High-Performance Electrodes in Electrocatalysis and Energy Storage.

To move beyond an energy economy dominated by fossil fuel utilization, high-performance electrochemical cells must be designed for energy storage and conversion. Selective etching is a promising, cost-effective solution-processing method for the large-scale top-down production of nanomaterials for high-performance electrodes. This review outlines general methodologies and mechanisms by which selective etching can be applied to create nanomaterials, including various template-assisted, facet-selective, and electrochemical methods, as well as in-depth case studies of state-of-the-art research involving selectively etched nanomaterials for electrocatalytic and energy storage applications.

Multiphase Janus Azobenzene Inverse Opal Membrane toward On-Demand Photocontrolled Motion.

Azobenzene actuators have generated extensive research investment in the field of soft robots, artificial muscles, etc., based on the typical photoresponsive - isomerization. However, it remains challenging to achieve multiphase actuation at the gas-liquid interface and liquid phase.

Achieving simultaneous removal of carbon and nitrogen by an integrated process of anaerobic membrane bioreactor and flow-through biofilm reactor.

In this study, a combined system consisting of an anaerobic membrane bioreactor (AnMBR) and flow-through biofilm reactor/CANON (FTBR/CANON) was developed to simultaneously remove carbon and nitrogen from synthetic livestock wastewater. The average removal efficiencies of total nitrogen (TN) were 64.2 and 76.