Matching Using Sufficient Dimension Reduction for Causal Inference

To estimate causal treatment effects, we propose a new matching approach based on the reduced covariates obtained from sufficient dimension reduction. Compared with the original covariates and the propensity score, which are commonly used for matching in the literature, the reduced covariates are nonparametrically estimable and are effective in imputing the missing potential outcomes, under a mild assumption on the low-dimensional structure of the data. Under the ignorability assumption, the consistency of the proposed approach requires a weaker common support condition. In addition, researchers are allowed to employ different reduced covariates to find matched subjects for different treatment groups. We develop relevant asymptotic results and conduct simulation studies as well as real data analysis to illustrate the usefulness of the proposed approach.</p

Tissue Morphing Control on Dynamic Gradient Surfaces

In this report, we develop smart surfaces for the spatial and temporal control of mammalian cell behavior. We integrate a bioactive surface strategy with a photo-electroactive surface strategy to generate dynamic ligand surface gradients for controlling cell adhesion, tissue shape morphing, and cell tissue migration

Correlating Alkaline Hydrogen Electrocatalysis and Hydroxide Binding Energies on Mo-Modified Ru Catalysts

Exploring efficient electrocatalysts applied for the hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) and the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) under alkaline electrolytes and fundamentally understanding the corresponding reaction mechanisms are crucial to realizing the reversible conversion of hydrogen energy. Much work has been devoted to boosting alkaline HOR/HER performances by promoting the hydroxide binding energy (OHBE) but little on understanding the correlation between them. Herein, the synthesis of Mo-modified Ru catalysts with an almost identical hydrogen binding energy (HBE) is reported, and the structure–activity correlation during the HOR/HER is studied. By combining experimental data and theoretical calculations, a volcano-type relationship of HOR/HER performance with OHBE values is provided. Density functional theory (DFT) further reveals that the optimal OHBE, together with the decreased reaction energy barrier for water formation/dissociation, contributes to remarkable alkaline HOR/HER performance

Table_1_Association between circulating resistin levels and thyroid dysfunction: A systematic review and meta-analysis.xlsx

BackgroundAs a product of adipose tissue, resistin exceeds other adipokines in its role in regulating appetite, energy expenditure, insulin sensitivity, inflammation, and immunity, similar to thyroid hormones. This study aimed to evaluate the association between resistin levels and thyroid dysfunction and to explore variations in circulating resistin levels before and after treatment for thyroid dysfunction.MethodsThis study was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis statement. A comprehensive search of PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases was conducted until June 15, 2022, with no start date restriction, according to the preregistered protocol (PROSPERO-CRD42022336617). RevMan version 5.4 and R software package version 4.2.0 were used for statistical analyses.ResultsFourteen studies with 1716 participants were included in this study. The findings of the meta-analysis confirmed that the resistin levels of patients with thyroid dysfunction were significantly higher than those of the euthyroid function control group (mean difference [MD] = 2.11, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.11–3.11, P ConclusionsOur meta-analysis demonstrates that resistin levels are significantly higher in patients with thyroid dysfunction, and the resistin levels after treatment in patients with thyroid dysfunction are significantly lower than those before treatment. Correlation analysis shows a positive correlation between resistin levels and FT3 levels in patients with thyroid dysfunction.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier CRD42022336617.</p

Table_1_Rare bacterial biosphere is more environmental controlled and deterministically governed than abundant one in sediment of thermokarst lakes across the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.docx

Thermokarst lakes are widely distributed in cold regions as a result of ice-rich permafrost thaw. Disentangling the biogeography of abundant and rare microbes is essential to understanding the environmental influences, assembly mechanisms, and responses to climate change of bacterial communities in thermokarst lakes. In light of this, we assessed the abundant and rare bacterial subcommunities in sediments from thermokarst lakes across the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP). The operational taxonomic unit (OTU) richness was more strongly associated with location and climate factors for abundant subcommunities, while more strongly associated with physicochemical variables for rare subcommunities. The relative abundance of abundant and rare taxa showed opposite patterns with abundant taxa having greater relative abundance at higher latitude and pH, but at lower mean annual precipitation and nutrients. Both the abundant and rare subcommunities had a clear distribution pattern along the gradient of latitude and mean annual precipitation. Abundant subcommunities were dominantly shaped by dispersal limitation processes (80.9%), while rare subcommunities were shaped almost equally by deterministic (47.3%) and stochastic (52.7%) processes. The balance between stochastic and deterministic processes was strongly environmentally adjusted for rare subcommunities, while not associated with environmental changes for abundant subcommunities. The results shed light on biogeography patterns and structuring mechanisms of bacterial communities in thermokarst lakes, improving our ability to predict the influences of future climate change on these lakes.</p

Carbon Electrodes for K‑Ion Batteries

We for the first time report electrochemical potassium insertion in graphite in a nonaqueous electrolyte, which can exhibit a high reversible capacity of 273 mAh/g. Ex situ XRD studies confirm that KC₃₆, KC₂₄, and KC₈ sequentially form upon potassiation, whereas depotassiation recovers graphite through phase transformations in an opposite sequence. Graphite shows moderate rate capability and relatively fast capacity fading. To improve the performance of carbon K-ion anodes, we synthesized a nongraphitic soft carbon that exhibits cyclability and rate capability much superior to that of graphite. This work may open up a new paradigm toward rechargeable K-ion batteries

Potential energy surfaces and bound state calculations for Ne–CO complex: rovibrational spectra and isotope effects

The intermolecular potential energy surfaces (PESs) of Ne–CO complex have been constructed by using the CCSD(T)-F12a method with the aug-cc-pVQZ basis set. These PESs were subsequently applied to investigate the microwave and infrared spectra via bound state calculations. Firstly, compared to the available microwave data, the pure rotational transitions with K = 0 and J ≤ 4 for this complex can be well reproduced. Furthermore, a set of accurate spectroscopic parameters were deduced for the fundamental (vCO = 1) and overtone (vCO = 2) bands. The vibrational shift for the normal isotopologue (Ne–12C16O) was determined to be –0.0683 cm−1, which is in excellent agreement with the experimental observation of –0.0711 cm−1. Isotope effects were also investigated, and the determined rotational constants and vibrational shifts display a fairly good linear relationship, which is classified into two types according to the 12C and 13C in the CO monomer.</p

DataSheet_1_Association between circulating resistin levels and thyroid dysfunction: A systematic review and meta-analysis.xlsx

BackgroundAs a product of adipose tissue, resistin exceeds other adipokines in its role in regulating appetite, energy expenditure, insulin sensitivity, inflammation, and immunity, similar to thyroid hormones. This study aimed to evaluate the association between resistin levels and thyroid dysfunction and to explore variations in circulating resistin levels before and after treatment for thyroid dysfunction.MethodsThis study was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis statement. A comprehensive search of PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases was conducted until June 15, 2022, with no start date restriction, according to the preregistered protocol (PROSPERO-CRD42022336617). RevMan version 5.4 and R software package version 4.2.0 were used for statistical analyses.ResultsFourteen studies with 1716 participants were included in this study. The findings of the meta-analysis confirmed that the resistin levels of patients with thyroid dysfunction were significantly higher than those of the euthyroid function control group (mean difference [MD] = 2.11, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.11–3.11, P ConclusionsOur meta-analysis demonstrates that resistin levels are significantly higher in patients with thyroid dysfunction, and the resistin levels after treatment in patients with thyroid dysfunction are significantly lower than those before treatment. Correlation analysis shows a positive correlation between resistin levels and FT3 levels in patients with thyroid dysfunction.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier CRD42022336617.</p

Baicalin significantly downregulates <i>P. gingivalis</i> LPS-upregulated IL-6 expression.

<p><b>A</b>. Baicalin (BI) at 40 µM and 80 µM significantly downregulated <i>P. gingivalis</i> (<i>P.g.</i>) LPS-upregulated IL-6 mRNA expression. <b>B</b>. Baicalin at 10 µM, 20 µM, 40 µM, and 80 µM markedly downregulated <i>P.g.</i> LPS-upregulated IL-6 protein expression. Cells treated with culture media alone served as the blank control group, and those treated with <i>P.g.</i> LPS (10 µg/ml) alone represented the positive control group. Cells treated with 0.08% DMSO and <i>P.g.</i> LPS at 10 µg/ml served as the vehicle control group. Data of three independent experiments were depicted as relative fold change as compared with the blank control group (set as 1) (<b>A</b>), or presented as protein concentration (<b>B</b>). *<i>p</i><0.05 and **<i>p</i><0.01 as compared with the positive control group (<i>P.g.</i> LPS).</p

Baicalin inhibits <i>P. gingivalis</i> LPS-induced activation of NF-κB, p38 MAPK and JNK.

<p><b>A</b>. The representative western blot experiment was performed by pooling cytoplasmic protein extracts equally from three independent experiments. 25 µg aliquots were loaded into each lane. The membrane was firstly probed with the rabbit anti<i>-</i>phospho-IκBα mAbs (1∶2000), and sequentially stripped and re-probed with rabbit anti-phospho-p38 MAPK mAbs (1∶2000), rabbit anti-phospho-JNK mAbs (1∶2000), and rabbit anti-IκBα mAbs (1∶2000). For loading control, the membrane was probed with rabbit anti-α-tubulin mAbs (1∶4000). <b>B</b>. The densitometry analysis of the signals. Cells treated with culture media alone served as the blank control group, and those treated with <i>P. gingivalis</i> (<i>P.g.</i>) LPS (10 µg/ml) alone represented the positive control group. Cells treated with <i>P.g.</i> LPS at 10 µg/ml and 0.08% DMSO served as the vehicle control group. Data of three independent experiments were depicted as relative fold change as compared with the blank control group (set as 1). For the p-JNK protein, the positive control group (LPS) was set as 1 since the signals of the blank control group at 15 min and 30 min were undetectable. *<i>p</i><0.05 and **<i>p</i><0.01 as compared with the respective positive control group (LPS) at each time point. BI: baicain.</p