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Macrophage polarization plays a pivotal role in immune homeostasis and disease progression across inflammatory, neoplastic, and metabolic disorders. Saponins, which are natural compounds with steroidal/triterpenoid structures, demonstrate therapeutic potential through immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tumor activities. This study aims to highlight the potential of key saponins—such as ginsenosides, astragaloside IV, dioscin, platycodin D, pulsatilla saponins, and panax notoginseng saponins—in modulating macrophage polarization and enhancing conventional therapies, particularly in oncology. We conducted structured searches in PubMed, Google Scholar, and SciFinder (2013–2024) using controlled vocabulary, including “saponins,” “macrophage polarization,” and “therapeutic effects.” Our findings demonstrate that saponins significantly modulate immune responses and improve treatment efficacy. However, clinical translation is hindered by challenges such as poor bioavailability and safety concerns, which limit systemic exposure and therapeutic utility. To overcome these barriers, innovative delivery strategies, including nanoemulsions and engineered exosomes, are essential for enhancing pharmacokinetics and therapeutic index. Future research should prioritize elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying saponin-mediated macrophage polarization, identifying novel therapeutic targets, and optimizing drug formulations. Addressing these challenges will enable the restoration of immune balance and more effective management of diverse diseases.

Children with High-Functioning Autism (HFA) often show marked deficits in executive functioning, particularly during verbal fluency tasks (VFTs). These behavioral impairments are believed to stem from neurophysiological abnormalities in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) functioning, characterized by atypical activation patterns and disrupted functional connectivity. This study utilized functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to investigate hemodynamic responses and connectivity metrics during VFT performance. By comparing children with HFA to age-matched typically developing (TD) controls, this study aimed to clarify the neural mechanisms underlying the executive control of language production in HFA. The sample included 29 children who met diagnostic criteria for HFA and 26 TD controls. All participants had a Full-Scale Intelligence Quotient of 70 or higher and were matched for age and cognitive ability. During a standardized phonemic VFT, cortical hemodynamics were continuously monitored using a 19-channel fNIRS system, with analyses focusing on changes in oxygenated hemoglobin concentration within PFC regions. Compared with TD controls, children with HFA exhibited reduced cortical activation across multiple prefrontal regions, including channels 1 ( = -2.975, = 0.017), 2 ( = -4.320, = 0.001), 3 ( = -3.381, = 0.012), 9 ( = -3.127, = 0.014), and 19 ( = -3.279, = 0.012). These regions correspond anatomically to the inferior prefrontal gyrus, frontopolar cortex, and dorsolateral PFC. Functional connectivity analyses demonstrated significantly reduced interregional coupling in the HFA group (  < 0.001), with mean connectivity values of 0.512 (SD = 0.076) compared with 0.566 (SD = 0.069) in TD participants. Furthermore, Oxy-Hb changes in prefrontal channels 1 ( = -0.424, = 0.022), 2 ( = -0.432, = 0.019), and 3 ( = -0.394, = 0.034) were negatively correlated with Social Responsiveness Scale total scores, indicating that weaker prefrontal activation was associated with greater social impairment. The results reveal distinct cortical activation and functional connectivity alterations in children with HFA during VFTs. These findings support the hypothesis that disrupted interregional brain coordination underlies executive difficulties in language production in HFA children, who exhibit reduced PFC activation and weaker interregional functional connectivity during the VFT.

Recycling extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs) from excess sludge in wastewater treatment plants has garnered significant research attention. Membrane separation offers a promising approach for EPS concentration; however, membrane fouling remains a critical challenge. Previous studies demonstrate that Ca2+ addition effectively mitigates membrane fouling. This study reveals that Ca2+ mixing modes govern membrane fouling in the dead-end ultrafiltration of both the practical EPS and model EPS [sodium algiante (SA)]. The interaction mechanisms between Ca2+ and the EPS under varied mixing conditions and their impact on filtration performance were systematically investigated. At a low Ca2+ concentration, the addition sequence critically influenced colloidal particle sizes formed via Ca2+-EPS interactions, altering the cake layer structure governing filtration resistance; these effects diminished at higher Ca2+ concentrations. In suspensions prepared by adding EPS to Ca2+ solution (EPS-Ca), a portion of the EPS became encapsulated within an EPS-Ca layer formed through Ca2+ EPS binding, reducing free EPS concentration and enlarging colloidal aggregates. This encapsulation reduced EPS-mediated membrane fouling, thereby lowering filtration resistance. Conversely, in suspensions prepared by adding Ca2+ to EPS solution (Ca-EPS), more complete Ca2+ EPS interactions formed a dense crosslinked structure with smaller colloids on membrane surfaces, intensifying fouling and resistance. Additionally, EPS-Ca exhibited higher compressibility than Ca-EPS, though both exhibited comparable filtration resistance under high-pressure conditions. These results offer critical insights into optimizing EPS ultrafiltration concentration to mitigate membrane fouling through Ca2+ addition strategies.

Background Recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL), characterized by multiple miscarriages, remains a condition with unclear etiology, posing significant challenges for affected women and couples. This study aims to explore the underlying mechanisms of RPL, focusing on the role of decidual Natural Killer (dNK) cells and the TNF receptor-associated factor 3 (TRAF3) gene as a potential diagnostic marker and therapeutic target. Methods We used single-cell transcriptomic analysis and machine learning techniques to analyze decidual tissues from RPL patients and normal pregnancy(NP). Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) was employed to identify key gene clusters. Validation studies included RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry, and molecular docking analyses. Results We observed an increased proportion of specific dNK cell subtypes (dNK2 and dNK3) in the RPL group compared to NP, implicating their role in RPL pathology. dNK cells in RPL primarily interacted with monocytes via the Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor (MIF) signaling pathway. Our diagnostic model, incorporating TRAF3 and nine other genes, demonstrated high diagnostic efficiency. TRAF3 expression was significantly lower in the decidua of RPL patients, and Diethylstilbestrol and Metformin were identified as potential modulators of TRAF3. Conclusions This study highlights TRAF3 as a promising diagnostic marker and therapeutic target for RPL. The diagnostic model we developed has potential for early detection and personalized treatment strategies for RPL.

Resource recovery from excess sludge, specifically the extraction of extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs), has become a frontier issue; yet achieving high-value utilization of this recovered resource remains a key bottleneck. Two-dimensional MXene membranes show great potential for emerging contaminants (ECs) separation owing to their lamellar structure and tunable surface chemistry. In this study, biological macromolecule (BM)-intercalated MXene (BM-M) composite membranes were fabricated using practical EPSs and model EPSs such as sodium alginate (SA), bovine serum albumin (BSA), and silk fibroin (SF) as sustainable intercalators. The interlayer spacing, surface charge, hydrophilicity, mechanical strength, functional group of BM-M membranes and their EC removal behaviors were systematically investigated. The practical EPS performed better than the model EPS, highlighting the importance of molecular complexity in interlayer design. The practical EPS-intercalated MXene (EPS-M) membrane achieved the removal efficiencies of 64.0%, 90.2% and 67.5% for diethyl phthalate (DEP), erythromycin (ERY) and sulfamethoxazole (SMX), respectively. The separation mechanism of ECs mainly included electrostatic, sieving, hydrophobic, and hydrogen bonding. This work highlights the effectiveness of EPS intercalation in tailoring MXene membrane structure for the removal of diverse ECs.

Fused deposition modeling (FDM) is a process of fabricating three-dimensional physical models by layered manufacturing. However, the surface quality of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) built with FDM technologies is not acceptable and is not satisfactory for most general engineering purposes. In this study, a polishing system was demonstrated to enhance surface finish of ABS parts fabricated by FDM. Polishing mechanism for ABS parts was investigated. The features of this system include high polishing efficiency, no waste chemicals, ease of operation, with excellent dimensional accuracy, and low equipment costs. Improving surface roughness of ABS parts by the use of acetone vapor not only has required dimensional accuracy but also has high process stability. A great reduction in average surface roughness for ABS parts about 98% was obtained. The polishing mechanisms for ABS parts fabricated by additive manufacturing were investigated in this study.

A novel auxetic honeycomb (RSSHR) is developed by introducing the arc-shaped structure into the re-entrant star-shaped honeycomb (RSSH). Based on theoretical models and finite element methods, the dynamic crushing responses of RSSH and RSSHR plate (RSSH_P and RSSHR_P) structures are investigated to elucidate the dependence of plateau stress, negative Poisson’s ratio (NPR), deformed shape and specific energy absorption (SEA) on crushing velocity. The stress–strain curves of two types of structures are calculated to analyze configuration–mechanical property relationships. The results exhibit that the plateau stress and SEA of the RSSH_P and RSSHR_P structures increase as the crushing velocity increases. Owing to the stress-mitigating effect of the arc-shaped structure, the RSSHR_P structure exhibits a stronger NPR effect. And the SEA of the RSSHR_P structure is higher than that of the RSSH_P structure. In addition, it is also found that at low crushing velocity, the stress–strain curves of the two structures exhibit three distinct stages: the elastic stage (I), the stress plateau stage (II) and the densification stage (III). During the crushing process, there are three deformed shapes. They are the global deformed shape, the local deformed shape and the layer-by-layer deformed shape.

Cryptosporidium is a significant zoonotic parasite with broad distribution in both humans and rodents. In this study, 510 fecal samples were collected from nine species of wild rodents across Guangxi, Yunnan, and Hunan Provinces in China. Nested PCR analysis targeting the SSU rRNA gene revealed an overall Cryptosporidium infection rate of 1.8% (9/510) among rodents in these provinces. The highest positivity rate was observed in Guangxi Province at 4.9% (5/103), followed by Yunnan Province (2.3%, 2/88), and Hunan Province (0.6%, 2/319). Notably, Rattus losea exhibited the highest prevalence rate at 9.8% (4/41), while Rattus flavipectus and Niviventer lotipes showed rates of 5.1% (2/39) and 4.4% (1/23), respectively. Various genotypes/species were identified, including Cryptosporidium viatorum , Cryptosporidium muris , Cryptosporidium vole genotype VII, and Cryptosporidium ratti , rat genotypes II, and IV. The study also found that wild rodents inhabiting mountainous areas had a higher prevalence rate at 4.9% (5/103) compared to those residing in fields and lake beaches, where prevalence rates were 2.1% (2/95) and 0.6% (2/312), respectively. This study provides new insights into Cryptosporidium infection rates among wild rodents and identifies two zoonotic species, C. viatorum and C. muris . These findings underscore the potential risk posed by Chinese wild rodent populations in transmitting zoonotic Cryptosporidium , which could significantly impact public health. Therefore, effective control strategies are needed to prevent transmission between humans and rodents. Cryptosporidium est un parasite zoonotique important avec une large distribution chez l’homme et les rongeurs. Dans cette étude, 510 échantillons fécaux ont été collectés de neuf espèces de rongeurs sauvages dans les provinces du Guangxi, du Yunnan et du Hunan en Chine. L’analyse par PCR imbriquée ciblant le gène ARNr SSU a révélé un taux global d’infection par Cryptosporidium de 1,8 % (9/510) parmi les rongeurs de ces provinces. Le taux de positivité le plus élevé a été observé dans la province du Guangxi avec 4,9 % (5/103), suivie de la province du Yunnan (2,3 %, 2/88) et de la province du Hunan (0,6 %, 2/319). Notamment, Rattus losea a présenté le taux de prévalence le plus élevé à 9,8 % (4/41), tandis que Rattus flavipectus et Niviventer lotipes ont affiché des taux de 5,1 % (2/39) et 4,4 % (1/23), respectivement. Divers génotypes/espèces ont été identifiés, notamment Cryptosporidium viatorum , Cryptosporidium muris , Cryptosporidium de campagnol génotype VII et Cryptosporidium ratti , génotypes de rats II et IV. L’étude a également révélé que les rongeurs sauvages habitant les zones montagneuses avaient un taux de prévalence plus élevé, de 4,9 % (5/103), par rapport à ceux résidant dans les champs et les bords de lacs, où les taux de prévalence étaient respectivement de 2,1 % (2/95) et de 0,6 % (2/312). Cette étude apporte de nouvelles perspectives sur les taux d’infection à Cryptosporidium chez les rongeurs sauvages et identifie deux espèces zoonotiques, C. viatorum et C. muris . Ces résultats soulignent le risque potentiel posé par les populations de rongeurs sauvages chinois dans la transmission des Cryptosporidium zoonotiques, ce qui pourrait avoir des conséquences importantes sur la santé publique. Par conséquent, des stratégies de contrôle efficaces sont nécessaires pour prévenir la transmission entre les humains et les rongeurs.

Introduction: Fraser syndrome (FS) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder. However, the clinical presentation remains variable. Diagnosis is based on a series of major and minor clinical criteria that can be supported by genetic tests. Prenatal diagnosis remains challenging. Methods: Herein, we reported a case of Fraser syndrome that was missed by ultrasound and diagnosed late at birth. The newborn presented with cryptophthalmos–syndactyly syndrome and absence of the right kidney. Based on a literature review of articles from the past 20 years, the authors found 40 cases, including indexed cases on PUBMED, Scopus, Web of Science, and Scholar using keywords related to “Fraser syndrome”. Through this report, we discuss the polymalformative syndrome, the clinical and paraclinical aspects of this syndrome, its clinical management, and highlight the importance of prenatal diagnosis in the light of research. Results: Our study found that consanguine parents (41.0%) were increasing risk factors for FS and poor socio-economic status delayed the early detection of FS. Among the 40 cases, 27 cases were detected postnatally. More than half of the cases resulted in poor perinatal outcomes. The common findings were cryptophthalmos (87.5%), syndactyly (87.5%), renal abnormalities (55.5%), and genital abnormalities (42.5%). Conclusions: A prenatal diagnosis of Fraser syndrome is still difficult. Thus, a counseled ultrasound scan at a specialized center should be recommended in suspected cases with indirect signs and risk factors of consanguinity.

Keywords: Coronavirus, COVID-19, Pandemics, Coronavirus infections, Remote consultation, Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2