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BiVO4-based photoanode is one of the most promising photoanodes for photoelectrocatalytic water splitting. However, the serious problem of interface charge recombination limits its further development. Here, a Mo:BiVO4/NiOx/CPF-TCzB/NiCoBi photoanode is constructed with double hole transport layer and an energy level gradient to achieve an effective photo-generated holes extraction and accumulation at the surface electrocatalyst. The conjugated polycarbazole framework CPF-TCzB is used as hole transport layer to eliminate the charge recombination center between Mo:BiVO4 and NiCoBi electrocatalyst and realize the extraction and storage of photo-generated hole; NiOx nanoparticles are further inserted between Mo:BiVO4 and CPF-TCzB to form a gradient energy level, eliminating the energy level barrier and optimizing band alignment. As a result, Mo:BiVO4/NiOx/CPF-TCzB/NiCoBi achieves a much higher photocurrent densities of 3.14 mA cm-2 than that of Mo:BiVO4 (0.42 mA cm-2) at 0.6 V versus RHE. This work provides an specific way to adjust the band structure of BiVO4-based photoanodes and realize efficient hole extraction and storage for PEC water splitting.

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SCOPE: The microbes in breast milk are critical for the early establishment of infant gut microbiota and have important implications for infant health. Breast milk microbes primarily derive from the migration of maternal intestinal microbiota. This review suggests that the regulation of maternal diet on gut microbiota may be an effective strategy to improve infant health. METHODS AND RESULTS: This article reviews the impact of breast milk microbiota on infant development and intestinal health. The close relationship between the microbiota in the maternal gut and breast through the entero-mammary pathway is discussed. Based on the effect of diet on gut microbiota, it is proposed that changing the maternal dietary structure is a new strategy for regulating breast milk microbiota and infant intestinal microbiota, which would have a positive impact on infant health. CONCLUSION: Breast milk microbes have beneficial effects on infant development and regulation of the immune system. The mother's gut and breast can undergo certain bacterial migration through the entero-mammary pathway. Research has shown that intervening in a mother's diet during breastfeeding can affect the composition of the mother's gut microbiota, thereby regulating the microbiota of breast milk and infant intestines, and is closely related to infant health.

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OBJECTIVE: Idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL), as an otologic emergency, is commonly encountered and its prevalence has been climbing every year recently. To our knowledge, the prognosis of middle-aged and elderly patients is worse than that of young patients. Previous researches mainly focused on the adult population, which was considered as prognostic models who performed hearing recovery in ISSNHL. However, few studies regarding the middle-aged and elderly population who are regarded as prognostic models have been reported. Therefore, we aim to construct and validate a nomogram-based prognostic prediction model, which can provide a reference for the prognostic assessment in the middle-aged and elderly patients with ISSNHL. METHOD: A total of 371 middle-aged and elderly ISSNHL patients who were admitted to the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Yanbian Hospital, Yanbian University, from April 2018 to April 2023 were enrolled in the study. All subjects were randomly divided into two groups including training group (n = 263) and validation group (n = 108). Lasso regression and multi-factor logistic regression were jointly utilized to screen out prognosis-related independent risk factors and establish a nomogram-based risk prediction model. The accuracy and clinical application value of the model were evaluated by combining the Bootstrapping method and k-fold cross-validation, plotting the receiver operating characteristic  (ROC)  curve, calculating the area under the ROC curve (AUC), plotting the decision curve analysis (DCA), and the calibrating curve. RESULT: We used the method of lasso regression combined with multivariate logistic regression and finally screened out eight predictors (including age, number of affected ears, degree of hearing loss, type of hearing curve, duration of disease, presence of vertigo, diabetes, and lacunar cerebral infarction) that were included into the nomogram. The C-index were 0.823 [95% CI (0.725, 0.921)] and 0.851 [95% CI (0.701, 1.000)], and the AUC values were 0.812 and 0.823 for the training and validation groups, respectively. The calibration curve for the validation group was approximately conformed to that for the modeling group, indicating favorable model calibration. The DCA results revealed the modeling group (3%-86%) and the validation group (2%-92%) showed significant net clinical benefit under the majority of thresholds. CONCLUSION: This study developed and validated a nomogram-based prognostic prediction model which based on the eight independent risk factors mentioned above. The predictors are conveniently accessible and may assist clinicians in formulating individualized treatment strategies.

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BACKGROUND: Thyroid cancer (TC) is the most common endocrine malignancy that has rapidly increased in global incidence. Prunella vulgaris (PV) has manifested therapeutic effects in patients with TC. We aimed to investigate its molecular mechanisms against TC and provide potential drug targets by using network pharmacology and molecular docking. METHODS: The ingredients of PV were retrieved from Traditional Chinese Medicine Systematic Pharmacology Database. TC-related gene sets were established using the GeneCard and OMIM databases. The establishment of the TC-PV target gene interaction network was accomplished using the STRING database. Cytoscape constructed networks for visualization. Protein-protein interaction, gene ontology and the biological pathway Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes enrichment analyses were performed to discover the potential mechanism. Molecular docking technology was used to analyze the effective compounds from PV for treating TC. RESULTS: 11 active compounds and 192 target genes were screened from PV. 177 potential targets were obtained by intersecting PV and TC gene sets. Network pharmacological analysis showed that the PV active ingredients including Vulgaxanthin-I, quercetin, Morin, Stigmasterol, poriferasterol monoglucoside, Spinasterol, kaempferol, delphinidin, stigmast-7-enol, beta-sitosterol and luteolin showed better correlation with TC target genes such as JUN, AKT1, mitogen-activated protein kinase 1, IL-6 and RELA. The gene ontology and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes indicated that PV can act by regulating the host defense and response to oxidative stress immune response and several signaling pathways are closely associated with TC, such as the TNF and IL-17. Protein-protein interaction network identified 8 hub genes. The molecular docking was conducted on the most significant gene MYC. Eleven active compounds of PV can enter the active pocket of MYC, namely poriferasterol monoglucoside, stigmasterol, beta-sitosterol, vulgaxanthin-I, spinasterol, stigmast-7-enol, luteolin, delphinidin, morin, quercetin and kaempferol. Further analysis showed that oriferasterol monoglucoside, followed by tigmasterol, were the potential therapeutic compound identified in PV for the treatment of TC. CONCLUSION: The network pharmacological strategy integrates molecular docking to unravel the molecular mechanism of PV. MYC is a promising drug target to reduce oxidative stress damage and potential anti-tumor effect. Oriferasterol monoglucoside and kaempferol were 2 bioactive compounds of PV to treat TC. This provides a basis to understand the mechanism of the anti-TC activity of PV.

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Background: Recently, the prevalence of sensorineural hearing loss (SNL) has been increasing, and several studies have suggested that depression, anxiety, and SNL may be associated with each other, however, individual findings still have discrepancies. To the best of our knowledge, no scholars have systematically elucidated the bidirectional associations between SNL, depression, and anxiety disorders from the perspective of meta-analysis. In this study, we aimed to systematically evaluate the bidirectional associations between SHL and depressive and anxiety symptoms, and to provide evidence-based medical evidence for reducing SNL, depression, and anxiety disorders. Methods: We performed systematic review based on priori protocol that was registered with PROSPERO (No. CRD42022365963). Systematic search of PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases identified articles published as of June 1, 2023, on the relationship between SNL and depression and anxiety. Meta-analysis was performed to calculate the odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the outcome metrics, and the results were combined to assess bivariate associations between the disorders with fixed or random effects. Sensitivity and subgroup analyzes were conducted to analyze sources of heterogeneity, and Egger's and Begg's tests combined with funnel plots were applied to assess publication bias. Results: Summary analysis of the results of 20 studies covering 675,291 individuals showed that the bidirectional association between SNL and depression and anxiety disorders. The incidence (OR = 0.17, 95% CI: 0.09-0.28) and risk (OR = 1.43, 95% CI: 1.32-1.55) of depression and morbidity were higher in SNL patients than the general population. Elevated prevalence (OR = 0.46, 95% CI: 0.28-0.65) and risk (OR = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.11-1.48) of SNL were also observed in depressed patients. The prevalence of anxiety disorders among SNL patients was about 40% (OR = 0.40, 95% CI: 0.24%-0.57), which was associated with higher risk (OR = 1.83, 95% CI: 1.42-2.24) of development than the general population. Incidence of SNL in patients with anxiety disorders was approximately 31% (OR = 0.31, 95% CI: 0.29-0.33). Additionally, subgroup analyzes showed that the bidirectional associations between SNL, depression, and anxiety disorders was influenced by age, region, and mode of diagnosis of the disorders (SNL, depression, anxiety). Conclusion: There are bidirectional associations between SNL and depression and anxiety disorders, which was influenced by age and region and the method the disorders (SNL, depression, anxiety) were diagnosed.

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Cytoplasmic lipid droplets (LDs), which are remarkably dynamic, neutral lipid storage organelles, play fundamental roles in lipid metabolism and energy homeostasis. Both the dynamic remodeling of LDs and LD-mitochondrion interactions in adipocytes are effective mechanisms to ameliorate obesity and related comorbidities. Zeaxanthin (ZEA) is a natural carotenoid and has beneficial effects on anti-obesity. However, the underlying mechanisms of ZEA on LD modulation are still unclear. In the present study, ZEA efficiently inhibited LD accumulation and attenuated adipocyte proliferation by arresting the cell cycle. ZEA drove transcriptional alterations to reprogram a lipid oxidative metabolism phenotype in mature 3T3-L1 adipocytes. ZEA significantly decreased the TAG and FA content and modulated the dynamic alterations of LDs by upregulating the expression of lipases and the LD-mitochondrion contact site protein, perilipin 5 (PLIN5), and downregulating the LD fusion protein, fat-specific protein 27 (FSP27). Mechanistically, ZEA stimulated LD remodeling and ameliorated mitochondrial defects caused by large and unilocular LD accumulation by activating ß3-adrenergic receptor (ß3-AR) signaling. Furthermore, the knockdown of PLIN5 impaired the LD-mitochondrion interactions, thereby disrupting the role of ZEA in promoting mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation and respiratory chain operation. Collectively, the present study demonstrates that ZEA induces LD structural and metabolic remodeling by activating ß3-AR signaling and enhances PLIN5-mediated LD-mitochondrion interactions in hypertrophic white adipocytes, thereby enhancing oxidative capacity, and has the potential as a nutritional intervention for the prevention and treatment of obesity and associated metabolic syndrome.

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INTRODUCTION: At present, the possible relationship between obstructive sleep apnea and periodontitis has been reported. The link remains ambiguous and unclear. The objective of this study is to assess the association between OSA and periodontitis. METHODS: Three databases, including Pubmed, Embase, and the Web of Science, were systematically searched to identify eligible studies that from their establishment to February 2022 for relevant studies. Subsequently, a meta-analysis was conducted to determine the relationship of pooled-effects more accurately. RESULTS: A summary analysis of the 9 results from the studies covering 43,414 individuals showed a statistical association results of the between OSA and the incidence rate of periodontitis(OR = 0.52; 95% CI: 0.49-0.55; I2 = 98.43%; P = 0.000). In addition, OSA patients and the risk of the population were statistically significantly associated with an increased risk of periodontitis.(OR = 1.56; 95% CI: 1.06-2.06; P = 0.00). CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicated that OSA may be associated with an increased risk of periodontitis. Further studies are required to confirm the link and explore the underlying mechanism of the link.

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This study first used adzuki bean seed coat polyphenol (ABSCP) to modify zein and form covalent nanoparticles (ZAP) and used ZAP as an emulsifier to stabilize Pickering emulsion (ZAE). The results showed that the ratio of zein-ABSCP controlled the physicochemical properties of the two compounds. ZAP could be absorbed on the water-oil surface and stabilized ZAE, which presented as a non-Newtonian fluid state with good rheological properties. The addition of ABSCP inhibited lipid oxidation in a dose-dependent manner, as verified through the analysis of accelerated oxidation experiments (50 °C, 20 days). In in vitro gastrointestinal digestion of ZAE showed that free fatty acids (FFA) release gradually decreased with ABSCP concentration increasing. Moreover, ABSCP gave ZAE a strong red-yellow color, which allowed ZAE to be used for specific applications (e.g., natural pigments). Our findings make it feasible to develope functional food and food-grade delivery systems made of protein-plant polyphenols nanoparticles.

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The stimulation of fat thermogenesis and modulation of the gut microbiota are promising therapeutic strategies against obesity. Zeaxanthin (ZEA), a carotenoid plant pigment, has been shown to prevent various diseases; however, the therapeutic mechanism for obesity remains unclear. Herein, whether ZEA improves obesity by activating the ß3-adrenergic receptor (ß3-AR) to stimulate white adipose tissue (WAT) thermogenesis and modulating the gut microbiota was investigated. C57BL6/N mice were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) supplemented with ZEA for 22 weeks. ZEA treatment reduced body weight, fat weight, adipocyte hypertrophy, liver weight, and lipid deposition, and improved dyslipidaemia, serum GPT, GOT, leptin, and irisin levels, glucose intolerance, and insulin resistance in HFD-fed mice. Mechanistically, ZEA treatment induced the expression of ß3-AR and thermogenic factors, such as PRDM16, PGC-1α, and UCP1, in inguinal WAT (iWAT) and brown adipose tissue. ZEA treatment stimulated iWAT thermogenesis through the synergistic cooperation of key organelles, which manifested as an increased expression of lipid droplet degradation factors (ATGL, CGI-58 and pHSL), mitochondrial biogenesis factors (Sirt1, Nrf2, Tfam, Nampt and Cyt-C), peroxisomal biogenesis factors (Pex16, Pex19 and Pmp70), and ß-oxidation factors (Cpt1, Cpt2, Acadm and Acox1). The thermogenic effect of ZEA was abolished by ß3-AR antagonist (SR59230A) treatment. Additionally, dietary supplementation with ZEA reversed gut microbiota dysbiosis by regulating the abundance of Firmicutes, Clostridia, Proteobacteria, and Desulfovibrio, which were associated with the thermogenesis- and obesity-associated indices by Spearman's correlation analysis. Functional analysis of the gut microbiota indicated that ZEA treatment significantly enriched the lipid metabolism pathways. These results demonstrate that ZEA is a promising multi-target functional food for the treatment of obesity by activating ß3-AR to stimulate iWAT thermogenesis, and modulating the gut microbiota.

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