Nanoparticles transfected with plasmid-encoded lncRNA-OIP5-AS1 inhibit renal ischemia-reperfusion injury in mice via the miR-410-3p/Nrf2 axis

Nanostructures composed of liposomes and polydopamine (PDA) have demonstrated efficacy as carriers for delivering plasmids, effectively alleviating renal cell carcinoma. However, their role in acute kidney injury (AKI) remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effects of the plasmid-encoded lncRNA-OIP5-AS1@PDA nanoparticles (POP-NPs) on renal ischemia/reperfusion (RI/R) injury and explore the underlying mechanisms. RI/R or OGD/R models were established in mice and HK-2 cells, respectively. In vivo, vector or POP-NPs were administered (10 nmol, IV) 48 h after RI/R treatment. In the RI/R mouse model, the OIP5-AS1 and Nrf2/HO-1 expressions were down-regulated, while miR-410-3p expression was upregulated. POP-NPs treatment effectively reversed RI/R-induced renal tissue injury, restoring altered levels of blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, malondialdehyde, inflammatory factors (IL-8, IL-6, TNF-α), ROS, apoptosis, miR-410-3p, as well as the suppressed expression of SOD and Nrf2/HO-1 in the model mice. Similar results were obtained in cell models treated with POP-NPs. Additionally, miR-410-3p mimics could reverse the effects of POP-NPs on cellular models, partially counteracted by Nrf2 agonists. The binding relationship between OIP5-AS1 and miR-410-3p, alongside miR-410-3p and Nrf2, has been substantiated by dual-luciferase reporter and RNA pull-down assays. The study revealed that POP-NPs can attenuate RI/R-induced injury through miR-410-3p/Nrf2 axis. These findings lay the groundwork for future targeted therapeutic approaches utilizing nanoparticles for RI/R-induced AKI.

Applications of cerium-based materials in food monitoring

With the rapid development of society, food safety to public health has been a topic that cannot be ignored. In recent years, lanthanide-based materials are studied to be potential candidates in the detection of food samples. Cerium (Ce)-based materials (such as Ce ions, CeO2, Ce-metal organic framework (Ce-MOF), etc.) have also attracted more attention in food detection by virtue of colorimetric, fluorescence, sensing, and other methods. This is because the mixed valence of Ce (Ce3+ and Ce4+), the formation of oxygen vacancies, and their optical and electrochemical properties. In this review, Ce-based materials will be introduced and discussed in the field of food detection, including biogenesis, construction, catalytic mechanisms, combination, and applications. In addition, the current challenges and future development trend of these Ce-based materials in food safety detection are also proposed and discussed. Therefore, it is meaningful to explore the Ce-based materials for detection of biomarkers in food samples.

Pharmacokinetic and tissue distribution analysis of bioactive compounds from Fuke Qianjin capsules in rats by a validated UPLCMS/MS method

Fuke Qianjin capsules (FKQJ) exhibit obvious advantages and characteristics in the treatment of pelvic inflammatory disease. At present, information regarding the in vivo process of FKQJ is lacking, which has become a bottleneck in further determining the therapeutic effect of this traditional Chinese medicine. In the present study, a sensitive, simple and reliable method was developed and validated for the simultaneous quantification of 12 main components (4 flavonoids, 4 alkaloids, 2 phthalides and 2 diterpene lactones) in plasma and seven tissues of rats to study the pharmacokinetic and distribution characteristics of these components in vivo by using ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) for the first time. Plasma and tissue were prepared by protein precipitation with acetonitrile and methanol, followed by its separation on a Waters Acquity UPLC BEH C18 column. The quantification was performed via multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) by a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer under positive electrospray ionization (ESI) mode. The method was validated to demonstrate its selectivity, linearity, accuracy, precision, recovery, matrix effect and stability. For 12 analytes, the low limit of quantification (LLOQs) reached 0.005-2.44 ng/mL, and all calibration curves showed good linearity (r2 ≥ 0.990) in linear ranges. The intra-day and inter-day precision (relative standard deviation) for all analytes was less than 14.96%, and the accuracies were in the range of 85.29%-114.97%. Extraction recoveries and matrix effects of analytes were acceptable. The pharmacokinetic results showed that the main components could be absorbed quickly, had a short residence time, and were eliminated quickly in vivo. At different time points, the 12 components were widely distributed with uneven characteristics in the body, which tended to be distributed in the liver, kidney and lung and to a lesser extent in the uterus, brain and heart. The pharmacokinetic process and tissue distribution characteristics of FKQJ were expounded in this study, which can provide a scientific theory for in-depth development of FKQJ and guide FKQJ use in the clinic.

One-step synthesis of functional slippery lubricated coating with substrate independence, anti-fouling property, fog collection, corrosion resistance, and icephobicity

Ranging from industrial facilities to residential infrastructure, functional surfaces encompassing functionalities such as anti-fouling, fog collection, anti-corrosion, and anti-icing play a critical role in the daily lives of humans, but creating these surfaces is elusive. Bionic dewetting and liquid-infused surfaces have inspired the exploitation of functional surfaces. However, practical applications of these existing surfaces remain challenging because of their inherent shortcomings. In this study, we propose a novel functional slippery lubricated coating (FSLC) based on a simple blend of polysilazane (PSZ), silicone oil, and nano silica. This simple, nonfluorine based, and low-cost protocol promotes not only hierarchical micro-nano structure but also favorable surface chemistry, which facilitates robust silicone oil adhesion and excellent slippery properties (sliding angle: ∼1.6°) on various solid materials without extra processing or redundant treatments. The highly integrated competence of FSLC, characterized by robustness, durability, strong adhesion to substrates, and the ability for large-area preparation, render them ideal for practical production and application. The proposed FSLC holds outstanding application potentials for anti-fouling, self-cleaning, fog collection, anti-corrosion, and anti-icing functionalities.

Neuronal small extracellular vesicles carrying miR-181c-5p contribute to the pathogenesis of epilepsy by regulating the protein kinase C-δ/glutamate transporter-1 axis in astrocytes

Information exchange between neurons and astrocytes mediated by extracellular vesicles (EVs) is known to play a key role in the pathogenesis of central nervous system diseases. A key driver of epilepsy is the dysregulation of intersynaptic excitatory neurotransmitters mediated by astrocytes. Thus, we investigated the potential association between neuronal EV microRNAs (miRNAs) and astrocyte glutamate uptake ability in epilepsy. Here, we showed that astrocytes were able to engulf epileptogenic neuronal EVs, inducing a significant increase in the glutamate concentration in the extracellular fluid of astrocytes, which was linked to a decrease in glutamate transporter-1 (GLT-1) protein expression. Using sequencing and gene ontology (GO) functional analysis, miR-181c-5p was found to be the most significantly upregulated miRNA in epileptogenic neuronal EVs and was linked to glutamate metabolism. Moreover, we found that neuronal EV-derived miR-181c-5p interacted with protein kinase C-delta (PKCδ), downregulated PKCδ and GLT-1 protein expression and increased glutamate concentrations in astrocytes both in vitro and in vivo. Our findings demonstrated that epileptogenic neuronal EVs carrying miR-181c-5p decrease the glutamate uptake ability of astrocytes, thus promoting susceptibility to epilepsy.

Facile fluorescence detection of malachite green in fish using molecularly imprinted polymers doped CdTe quantum dots based system

Malachite green (MG) possesses high toxicity, therefore, the detection of MG in fish tissues is of vital importance. A novel core-shell MIPs doped CdTe quantum dots coated silica nanoparticles (CdTe-MIP/SiO2 NPs) were synthesized via a simple one-pot strategy. The materials were characterized carefully. The resulting CdTe-MIP/SiO2 NPs were coated on the thin layer chromatography plate, and coupled with miniaturized fluorimeter for fluorescence detection of MG in fish samples. The resulting CdTe-MIP/SiO2 NPs based system possessed good linearity (0.01 ∼ 20 μmol/L), high recoveries (98.36 %∼101.45 %) and low detection limit (3.7 nmol/L) for MG. Furthermore, CdTe-MIP/SiO2 NPs based system were employed to measure fish samples spiked with MG, meanwhile, HPLC was utilized to evaluate the accuracy and reliability. And the paired t-test was conducted to evaluate differences between fluorescence method and HPLC, P > 0.05 means no significant difference was observed, the results demonstrated that both fluorescence method and HPLC are suitable for MG analysis.

Mitochondrial targeting sequence of magnetoreceptor MagR: More than just targeting

Iron-sulfur clusters are essential cofactors for proteins involved in various biological processes, such as electron transport, biosynthetic reactions, DNA repair, and gene expression regulation. Iron-sulfur cluster assembly protein IscA1 (or MagR) is found within the mitochondria of most eukaryotes. Magnetoreceptor (MagR) is a highly conserved A-type iron and iron-sulfur cluster-binding protein, characterized by two distinct types of iron-sulfur clusters, [2Fe-2S] and [3Fe-4S], each conferring unique magnetic properties. MagR forms a rod-like polymer structure in complex with photoreceptive cryptochrome (Cry) and serves as a putative magnetoreceptor for retrieving geomagnetic information in animal navigation. Although the N-terminal sequences of MagR vary among species, their specific function remains unknown. In the present study, we found that the N-terminal sequences of pigeon MagR, previously thought to serve as a mitochondrial targeting signal (MTS), were not cleaved following mitochondrial entry but instead modulated the efficiency with which iron-sulfur clusters and irons are bound. Moreover, the N-terminal region of MagR was required for the formation of a stable MagR/Cry complex. Thus, the N-terminal sequences in pigeon MagR fulfil more important functional roles than just mitochondrial targeting. These results further extend our understanding of the function of MagR and provide new insights into the origin of magnetoreception from an evolutionary perspective.

Biochar addition and reduced irrigation modulates leaf morpho-physiology and biological nitrogen fixation in faba bean-ryegrass intercropping

Intercropping legume with grass has potential to increase biomass and protein yield via biological N2-fixation (BNF) benefits, whereas the joint effects of biochar (BC) coupled with deficit irrigation on intercropping systems remain elusive. A 15N isotope-labelled experiment was implemented to investigate morpho-physiological responses of faba bean-ryegrass intercrops on low- (550 °C, LTBC) or high-temperature BC (800 °C, HTBC) amended sandy-loam soil under full (FI), deficit (DI) and partial root-zone drying irrigation (PRD). LTBC and HTBC significantly reduced intrinsic water-use efficiency (WUE) by 12 and 14 %, and instantaneous WUE by 8 and 16 %, respectively, in faba bean leaves, despite improved photosynthetic (An) and transpiration rate (Tr), and stomatal conductance (gs). Compared to FI, DI and PRD lowered faba bean An, gs and Tr, but enhanced leaf-scale and time-integrated WUE as proxied by the diminished shoots Δ13C. PRD enhanced WUE as lower gs, Tr and guard cell length than DI-plants. Despite higher carbon ([C]) and N concentration ([N]) in faba bean shoots amended by BC, the aboveground C- and N-pool of faba bean were reduced, while these pools increased for ryegrass. The N-use efficiency (NUE) in faba bean shoots was reduced by 9 and 14 % for LTBC and HTBC, respectively, but not for ryegrass. Interestingly, ryegrass shoots had 52 % higher NUE than faba bean shoots. The N derived from atmosphere (% Ndfa) was increased by 2 and 9 % under LTBC and HTBC, respectively, while it decreased slightly by reduced irrigation. Quantity of BNF in faba bean aboveground biomass decreased with HTBC coupled with reduced irrigation, mainly towards decreased biomass and soil N uptake by faba bean. Therefore, HTBC might not be a feasible option to improve WUE and BNF in faba bean-ryegrass intercropping, but PRD is permissible as the clear trade-off between BC and PRD.

Dissecting lysosomal viscosity fluctuations in live cells and liver tissues with an ingenious NIR fluorescent probe

Viscosity is a pivotal component in the cell microenvironment, while lysosomal viscosity fluctuation is associated with various human diseases, such as tumors and liver diseases. Herein, a near-infrared fluorescent probe (BIMM) based on merocyanine dyes was designed and synthesized for detecting lysosomal viscosity in live cells and liver tissue. The increase in viscosity restricts the free rotation of single bonds, leading to enhanced fluorescence intensity. BIMM exhibits high sensitivity and good selectivity, and is applicable to a wide pH range. BIMM has near-infrared emission, and the fluorescent intensity shows an excellent linear relationship with viscosity. Furthermore, BIMM possessing excellent lysosomes-targeting ability, and can monitor viscosity changes in live cells stimulated by dexamethasone, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and nigericin, and differentiate between cancer cells and normal cells. Noticeably, BIMM can accurately analyze viscosity changes in various liver disease models with HepG2 cells, and is successfully utilized to visualize variations in viscosity on APAP-induced liver injury. All the results demonstrated that BIMM is a powerful wash-free tool to monitor the viscosity fluctuations in living systems.

Wet events increase tree growth recovery after different drought intensities

Understanding the dynamics of tree recovery after drought is critical for predicting the state of tree growth in the context of future climate change. While there has been a great deal of researches showing that drought events can cause numerous significant negative effects on tree growth, the positive effects of post-drought wetting events on tree growth remain unclear. Therefore, we analyzed the effect of wet and dry events on the radial growth of trees in Central Asia using data on the width of tree rings. The results showed that 1) Drought is the main limiting factor for radial growth of trees in Central Asia, and that as the intensity and sensitivity of drought increases, tree resistance decreases and recovery rises, and more frequent droughts reduce tree resistance. 2) Tree radial growth varied significantly with wet and dry conditions, with wet events before and after drought events significantly enhancing tree radial growth. 3) When drought is followed by a wetting event, the relationship between tree resistance and recovery is closer to the "line of full resilience", with a significant increase in recovery, and compensatory growth is more likely to occur. Thus, wetting events have a significant positive effect on tree radial growth and are a key factor in rapid tree growth recovery after drought.

Effects of typhoon events on coastal hydrology, nutrients, and algal bloom dynamics: Insights from continuous observation and machine learning in semi-enclosed Zhanjiang Bay, China

Typhoons can induce variations in hydrodynamic conditions and biogeochemical processes, potentially escalating the risk of algal bloom occurrences impacting coastal ecosystems. However, the impacts of typhoons on instantaneous changes and the mechanisms behind typhoon-induced algal blooms remain poorly understood. This study utilized high-frequency in situ observation and machine learning model to track the dynamic variations in meteorological, hydrological, physicochemical, and Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) levels through the complete Typhoon Talim landing in Zhanjiang Bay (ZJB) in July 2023. The results showed that a delayed onset of algal bloom occurring 10 days after typhoon's arrival. Subsequently, as temperatures reached a suitable range, with an ample supply of nutrients and water stability, Chl-a peaked at 121.49 μg L-1 in algal bloom period. Additionally, water temperature and air temperature decreased by 1.61 °C and 2.8 °C during the typhoon, respectively. In addition, wind speed and flow speed increased by 1.34 and 0.015 m s-1 h-1 to peak values, respectively. Moreover, the slow decline of 8.2 % in salinity suggested a substantial freshwater input, leading to an increase in nutrients. For instance, the mean DIN and DIP were 2.2 and 8.5 times higher than those of the pre-typhoon period, resulting in a decrease in DIN/DIP (closer to16) and the alleviation of P limitation. Furthermore, pH and dissolved oxygen (DO) were both low during the typhoon period and then peaked at 8.93 and 19.05 mg L-1 during the algal bloom period, respectively, but subsequently decreased, remaining lower than those of the pre-typhoon period. A preliminary learning machine model was established to predict Chl-a and exhibited good accuracy, with R2 of 0.73. This study revealed the mechanisms of eutrophication status formation and algal blooms occurrence in the coastal waters, providing insights into the effects of typhoon events on tropical coastal biogeochemistry and ecology.

Can the concentration of environmentally persistent free radicals describe its toxicity to Caenorhabditis elegans? Evidence provided by neurotoxicity and oxidative stress

Environmentally persistent free radicals (EPFRs) are emerging pollutants stabilized on or inside particles. Although the toxicity of EPFR-containing particles has been confirmed, the conclusions are always ambiguous because of the presence of various compositions. A clear dose-response relationship was always challenged by the fact that the concentrations of these coexisted components simultaneously changed with EPFR concentrations. Without these solid dose-response pieces of evidence, we could not confidently conclude the toxicity of EPFRs and the description of potential EPFR risks. In this study, we established a particle system with a fixed catechol concentration but different reaction times to obtain particles with different EPFR concentrations. Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) in response to different EPFR concentrations was systematically investigated at multiple biological levels, including behavior observations and biochemical and transcriptome analyses. Our results showed that exposure to EPFRs disrupted the development and locomotion of C. elegans. EPFRs cause concentration-dependent neurotoxicity and oxidative damage to C. elegans, which could be attributed to reactive oxygen species (ROS) promoted by EPFRs. Furthermore, the expression of key genes related to neurons was downregulated, whereas antioxidative genes were upregulated. Overall, our results confirmed the toxicity from EPFRs and EPFR concentration as a rational parameter to describe the extent of toxicity.

Effectiveness of metagenomic next-generation sequencing in the diagnosis of infectious diseases: A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

Early diagnosis of infectious diseases remains a challenge. This study assessed the diagnostic value of mNGS in infections and explored the effect of various factors on the accuracy of mNGS.

METHODS

An electronic article search of PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase was performed. A total of 85 papers were eligible for inclusion and analysis. Stata 12.0 was used for statistical calculation to evaluate the efficacy of mNGS for the diagnosis of infectious diseases.

RESULTS

The AUC of 85 studies was 0.88 (95%CI, 0.85-0.90). The AUC of the clinical comprehensive diagnosis and conventional test groups was 0.92 (95%CI, 0.89-0.94) and 0.82 (95%CI, 0.78-0.85), respectively. The results of subgroup analysis indicated that the PLR and NLR were 12.67 (95%CI, 6.01-26.70) and 0.05 (95%CI, 0.03-0.10), respectively, in arthrosis infections. The PLR was 24.41 (95%CI, 5.70-104.58) in central system infections and the NLR of immunocompromised patients was 0.08 (95%CI, 0.01-0.62).

CONCLUSION

mNGS demonstrated satisfactory diagnostic performance for infections, especially for bone and joint infections and central system infections. Moreover, mNGS also has a high value in the exclusion of infection in immunocompromised patients.

Comparative analysis of prognosis and gene expression in prostate cancer patients with site-specific visceral metastases

INTRODUCTION

Prostate cancer patients with visceral metastases often exhibited poor prognoses. Few researches had compared the prognostic impact and gene expression profiles among distinct visceral metastatic sites. Therefore, we conducted a comprehensive study utilizing data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database and the Gene Expression Omnibus database.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We analyzed the prostate cancer-specific mortality (PCSM) risk for 8,170 patients diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer (mPCa) between 2000 and 2019, utilizing data from the SEER 17 registry database. Patients with metastatic disease in nonregional lymph nodes, bones, brains, livers, and lungs were identified. Competing risks regression was employed to evaluate the effect of visceral metastatic disease sites on PCSM. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between visceral metastases were assessed using data from the GSE6752 dataset. A relative protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed based on STRING analysis. Furthermore, we explored the distribution of DEGs in various normal tissues and tumor tissues using the Human Protein Atlas and GEPIA.

RESULTS

Competing risks regression analysis revealed that liver and lung metastases had a substantial impact on PCSM (hazard ratio 2.24, 95% confidence interval 1.70-2.95, P < 0.001; hazard ratio 1.30, 95% confidence interval 1.06-1.59, P = 0.012, respectively). Seven significant DEGs were identified from samples of liver and lung metastases (HERV-FRD, NUDT12, FAM63A, SCGB3A1, CEACAM6, LOC440416, SFTPB) and were associated with respiratory gaseous exchange, pulmonary surfactant metabolism, and fibronectin matrix formation in PPI network analysis. Notably, the expression levels of the three DEGs significantly upregulated in lung metastases were also found to be higher in normal lung tissues compared to normal liver tissues.

CONCLUSION

Patients diagnosed with mPCa and presenting with liver and/or lung metastases exhibit poorer prognoses. SCGB3A1, identified as a tumor suppressor gene, may contribute to the better survival prognosis observed in patients with prostate cancer lung metastases compared to those with liver metastases. The gene expression profiles in these two specific metastatic sites reveal a combination of both heterogeneity and homogeneity.

Anatomic, stage-based repair of secondary mitral valve disease

OBJECTIVE

Intervention for repair of secondary mitral valve disease is frequently associated with recurrent regurgitation. We sought to determine if there was sufficient evidence to support inclusion of anatomic indices of leaflet dysfunction in the management of secondary mitral valve disease.

METHODS

We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of published reports comparing anatomic indices of leaflet dysfunction with the complexity of valve repair and the outcome from intervention. Patients were stratified by the severity of leaflet dysfunction. A secondary analysis was performed comparing outcomes when procedural complexity was optimally matched to severity of leaflet dysfunction and when intervention was not matched to dysfunction.

RESULTS

We identified 6864 publications, of which 65 met inclusion criteria. An association between the severity of leaflet dysfunction and the procedural complexity was highly predictive of satisfactory freedom from recurrent regurgitation. Patients were categorized into 4 groups based on stratification of leaflet dysfunction. Satisfactory results were achieved in 93.7% of patients in whom repair complexity was appropriately matched to severity of leaflet dysfunction and in 68.8% in whom repair was not matched to dysfunction (odds ratio, 0.148; 95% confidence interval, 0.119-0.184; P < .0001).

CONCLUSIONS

For patients with secondary mitral valve disease, satisfactory outcome from valve repair improves when procedural complexity is matched to anatomic indices of leaflet dysfunction. Anatomic indices of leaflet dysfunction should be considered when planning interventions for secondary mitral regurgitation. Routine inclusion of anatomic indices in trial design and reporting should facilitate comparison of results and strengthen guidelines. There are sufficient data to support anatomic staging of secondary mitral valve disease.

Diagnostic value of laboratory parameters for complicated appendicitis: A two‑center study

There are two types of treatment for acute appendicitis (AA): surgery and antibiotic therapy. Some patients with complex appendicitis are treated with surgery; however, for uncomplex appendicitis, most could be treated effectively with antibiotics instead. How to distinguish complex appendicitis from uncomplex appendicitis before surgery is currently unknown. The present study aimed to assess the efficacy of the laboratory parameters to diagnose complicated appendicitis. Data from 1,514 cases with acute appendicitis who were admitted to Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital and Beijing Aerospace General Hospital (both Beijing, China) from January 2016 to September 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. All cases were divided into uncomplicated and complicated appendicitis. Independent variables were analyzed by uni- and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to identify significant parameters in the multivariate logistic regression analysis. Cut-off values, sensitivity, specificity and accuracy with area under the curve (AUC)>0.600 were considered significant parameters. Significant differences were found in age (P<0.001), body temperature (P<0.001), white blood cell (WBC) count (P<0.001), C-reactive protein (CRP; P<0.001), neutrophil count (P<0.001), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR, P=0.019), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR, P<0.001), platelet count (P<0.001), coefficient of variation (CV) and standard deviation (SD) of red blood cell distribution width (RDW); both P<0.001), mean platelet volume (MPV, P<0.001) and total (P<0.001) and direct bilirubin (P<0.001) between the two groups. CRP, neutrophil count, NLR, PLR, platelet count, RDW-CV, RDW-SD, MPV and direct bilirubin levels were found as the independent variables to diagnose complicated appendicitis. In patients with acute appendicitis, CRP >22.95 mg/l, NLR >5.7, serum direct bilirubin >6.1 mmol/l and RDW-SD>17.7 fl were significantly associated with complicated appendicitis.

Cotton-derived three-dimensional carbon fiber aerogel with hollow nanocapsules and ultrahigh adsorption efficiency in dynamic sewage treatment system

An ultralight 3D carbon fiber aerogel with good flexibility is developed via soaking cotton in water and then calcinating at a high temperature. This cotton-derived carbon material is constituted by amorphous carbon and retains slight oxygen-containing groups. Besides, a lot of hollow carbon nanocapsules are yielded on the inside surface, resulting in abundant micropores and mesopores. Systemic investigations explore the molecular transformation from cotton to carbon fiber, and the formation of carbon nanocapsules. In the adsorption process for methyl orange (MO), this carbon fiber aerogel exhibits both a rapid adsorption rate and the ultrahigh adsorbability of 862.9 mg/g, outclassing most of carbon materials reported. Therefore, a dynamic sewage treatment system is built and consecutively removes hydrosoluble pollution for a long-term running time. For the cotton-derived carbon fiber aerogel, the good mechanical flexibility, excellent adsorption property, and high stability jointly provide a vast application prospect in future industrial wastewater remediation.

Improved hourly estimate of aerosol optical thickness over Asian land by fusing geostationary satellites Fengyun-4B and Himawari-9

Asian over-land aerosols are complexities due to a mixture of anthropogenic air pollutants and natural dust. The accuracy of the aerosol optical thickness (AOT) retrieved from the satellite is crucial to their application in the aerosol data assimilation system. Fusion of AOTs with high spatiotemporal resolution from next-generation geostationary satellites such as Fengyun-4B (FY-4B) and Himawari-9, provides a new high-quality dataset capturing the aerosol spatiotemporal variability for data assimilation. This study develops a complete fusion algorithm to estimate the optimal AOT over-land in Asia from September 2022 to August 2023 at 10 km × 10 km resolution with high efficiency. The data fusion involves four steps: (1) investigating the spatiotemporal variability of FY-4B AOT within the past 1 h and 12 km radius calculation domain; (2) utilizing the aerosol spatiotemporal variability characteristics to estimate FY-4B pure and hourly merged AOTs; (3) performing bias corrections for FY-4B and Himwari-9 hourly merged AOT for different observation times and seasons considering pixel-level errors for each satellite; (4) fusing the bias-corrected FY-4B and Himawari-9 hourly merged AOT based on maximum-likelihood estimation (MLE) method. Compared to the original FY-4B AOT, validation with AERONET observation confirms that the root mean square error (RMSE) of hourly merged FY-4B AOT decreases by around 40.6 % and the correlation coefficient (CORR) increases by about 27.8 %. Compared to FY-4B and Himawari-9 merged AOT, the fused AOT significantly decreases (increases) RMSE (CORR) by around 24.7 % (7.3 %) and 20.2 % (5.6 %). In addition, fused AOT is double the number of single-sensor merged AOT. Fusion aerosol map accurately describes the spatial and temporal variations in Asian regions controlled by air pollution and dust storms. Further studies are required for other landscapes with different satellite combinations to promote the application in the data assimilation system.

Clay minerals/sodium alginate/polyethylene hydrogel adsorbents control the selective adsorption and reduction of uranium: Experimental optimization and Monte Carlo simulation study

Clay minerals formations are potential geological barrier (host rocks) for the long-rerm storage of uranium tailing in deep geological repositories. However, there are still obstacles to the efficient retardation of uranium because of the competition between negatively charged regions at the clay minerals end face, surface and between layers, as well as low mineralization capacity. Herein, employing a simple method, we used sodium alginate (SA), an inexpensive natural polymer material, polyethylene (PE), and the natural clay minerals montmorillonite (Mt), nontronite (Nt), and beidellite (Bd) to prepare three hydrogel adsorbents, (denoted as Mt/PE-@SA, Nt/PE-@SA, and Bd/PE-@SA), respectively. The application of obtained hydrogel adsorbents further extends to uranium(VI) removal from aqueous. Due to the synergistic action of SA group and PE group, hydrogel adsorbents showed select adsorption and mineralization effect on uranium(VI), among which the maximum uranium(VI) adsorption capacity of Nt/PE-@SA was 133.3 mg·g-1 and Mt/PE-@SA exhibited strong selectivity for uranium(VI) in the presence of coexisting metal ions. Cyclic voltammetry studies indicated the mitigation and immobilization of uranium species onto adsorbents by both reduction and mineralization. Besides, the synergistic adsorption of SA and PE on clay minerals was hypothesized, and the idea was supported by structure optimizations results from Monte Carlo dynamics simulation (MCD). Three obtained hydrogel adsorbents structural model was constructed based on its physicochemical characterization, the low energy adsorption sites and adsorption energies are investigated using MCD simulation. The simulation results show that obtained hydrogel adsorbents have a strong interaction with uranium(VI), which ensures the high adsorption capacity of those materials. Most importantly, this work demonstrates a new strategy for preparing mineral-based hydrogel adsorbents with enough stability and provides a new perspective for uranium(VI) removal in complex environment.

Co-exposure to tire wear particles and nickel inhibits mung bean yield by reducing nutrient uptake

Soil and terrestrial contamination with microplastics and nanoplastics has been discussed extensively, while tire wear particles (TWPs) have been largely overlooked. We investigated the root-surface interactions and growth response of mung bean (Vigna radiata L.) plants exposed to tire wear particles (TWPs) (0.05, 0.1, and 0.25% w/w) and nickel sulfate (50 and 100 mg kg-1 NiSO4) alone and in co-exposure scenarios for the full life cycle (105 days) under soil conditions. The results show that TWPs adhered to the root surface and reduced the water and nutrient uptake by the plant, particularly at higher concentrations of TWPs (0.25% w/w), without any observed organic contaminant accumulation in the root tissue. TWPs alone at 0.01, 0.1, and 0.25% (w/w) decreased mung bean yield by 11, 28, and 52%, respectively. Co-exposure to TWPs at 0.01, 0.1 and 0.25% w/w with 100 mg kg-1 NiSO4 decreased yield by 73, 79 and 88%, respectively. However, co-exposure to TWPs at 0.01 and 0.1% w/w with 50 mg kg-1 NiSO4 enhanced the yield by 32% and 7%, respectively. These changes in yield and nutritional aspects appear to be linked to Ni's regulatory influence on mineral homeostasis. Moreover, exposure to NiSO4 at 100 mg kg-1 increased Ni uptake in the root, shoot, and grain by 9, 26, and 20-fold, respectively as compared to the unamended control; this corresponded to increased antioxidant enzyme activity (10-127%) as compared to the control. TWPs caused blockages, significantly reducing plant yield and altering nutrient dynamics, highlighting emerging risks to plant health.

Multilevel ecological compensation policy design based on ecosystem service flow: A case study of carbon sequestration services in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Ecological compensation is an effective means to reconcile the imbalance of eco-social development between regions and promote enthusiasm for ecological environmental protection. There is some conformity between the theory of ecosystem service flow and ecological compensation, which provides new technical support for the formulation of ecological compensation policy. This study took the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau as the research area, adopted the breaking point model to obtain the spatial characteristics of carbon sequestration flow, and formulated a multilevel ecological compensation policy with Tibet as the design object. The results showed that most of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau has a carbon sequestration surplus; the central and eastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, western Sichuan are successively carbon sequestration supply areas; the Chengdu Plain and Xinjiang were listed as carbon sequestration benefit areas; and the carbon sequestration tended to flow more closely between supply and benefit areas in proximity to each other. Nyingchi, Chamdo, Naqu and Shannan in Tibet need to receive a total ecological compensation of 393.21 million USD, of which 93.71 % is from the national level, 6.02 % is from carbon sequestration benefit areas in other provinces; furthermore, Lhasa and Shigatse in Tibet need to provide the remaining ecological compensation. This study offers innovations for the formulation of ecological compensation policies and provide a new theory for ecological environment management.

Long-term outcomes of 1-2 cm rectal neuroendocrine tumors after local excision or radical resection: A population-based multicenter study

Objectives

Studies on rectal neuroendocrine tumors (R-NETs) that are 1-2 cm in size are limited, and the optimal treatment for these tumors is not well established.

Methods

Data from patients with primary localized R-NETs 1-2 cm in size were retrospectively collected from 17 large-scale referral medical centers in China. Long-term prognosis, quality of life (QOL), and fecal incontinence were evaluated, and the effects of local excision (LE) or radical resection (RR) were elucidated using propensity score matching (PSM).

Results

A total of 272 patients were included in this study; 233 underwent LE, and the remaining 39 underwent RR. Patients in the LE group showed lower tumor location, fewer postoperative Clavien-Dindo III-V complications, more G1 tumors, and lower tumor stage. There were no significant differences in the relapse-free survival or overall survival (OS) between the LE and RR groups after PSM. Patients in the LE group reported superior physical, role, emotional, social, and cognitive functions, global QOL, and Wexner fecal incontinence scores compared with those in the RR group (all P < 0.050). Eighteen (6.6%) patients had lymph node metastases. Multivariable analysis revealed that tumor location (odds ratio [OR] = 3.19, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.04-10.07, P = 0.010), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) > 1.80 (OR = 4.50, 1.46-15.89, P = 0.012), and T3-T4 (OR = 36.31, 95% CI 7.85-208.62, P < 0.001) were independent risk factor for lymph node metastasis.

Conclusions

R-NETs measuring 1-2 cm generally have a favorable prognosis, and there is no difference in postoperative survival between LE and RR. For patients without lymph node metastasis, LE should be the preferred choice; however, for patients with a higher tumor location, preoperative NLR >1.8 or T3/T4 tumors, RR should be considered.

Development of crizotinib-associated renal cyst in a non-small cell lung cancer patient with ALK fusion: a case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Crizotinib, an oral first-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), is superior to systemic chemotherapy for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with positive rearrangement of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK). However, an increased incidence of renal and hepatic cysts has been reported in the patients on crizotinib treatment.

CASE PRESENTATION

Here, we describe a case of a 71-year-old Chinese women developed multiple cystic lesions in kidney and liver during crizotinib treatment for the primary and metastatic NSCLC. The renal and hepatic cysts were noted by CT scan 3 months after crizotinib treatment, which were spontaneously and significantly regressed after stopping crizotinib.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on literature review and our experience in this case report, we concluded that crizotinib-associated renal cyst (CARCs) has features of malignancy and abscess in radiographic imaging, and thus, pathological confirmation is necessary to avoid inappropriate treatment decision. In addition, to benefit the patients with progress-free survival (PFS), switching from crizotinib to alectinib is recommended for the treatment of NSCLC patients who developed CARCs.

Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Frustrated Lewis Pairs for the Activation and Transformation of CO2

Due to the serious ecological problems caused by the high CO2 content in the atmosphere, reducing atmospheric CO2 has attracted widespread attention from academia and governments. Among the many ways to mitigate CO2 concentration, the capture and comprehensive utilization of CO2 through chemical methods have obvious advantages, whose key is to develop suitable adsorbents and catalysts. Frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs) are known to bind CO2 through the interaction between unquenched Lewis acid sites/Lewis base sites with the O/C of CO2, simultaneously achieving CO2 capture and activation, which render FLP better potential for CO2 utilization. However, how to construct efficient FLP targeted for CO2 utilization and the mechanism of CO2 activation have not been systematically reported. This review firstly provides a comprehensive summary of the recent advances in the field of CO2 capture, activation, and transformation with the help of FLP, including the construction of homogeneous and heterogeneous FLPs, their interaction with CO2, reaction activity, and mechanism study. We also illustrated the challenges and opportunities faced in this field to shed light on the prospective research.

Active Constituents with Tyrosinase Inhibitory Activities from Waste Tobacco leaves

One novel compound, (R)-3, 6-diethoxy-4-hydroxycyclohex-3-en-1-one (1) and thirteen known compounds was isolated from the waste leaves of Nicotiana tabacum. The structures of three compounds (1-3) were confirmed and attributed firstly by the extensive spectroscopic data, including 1D/2D NMR, IR, HR-ESI-MS, CD, and ECD spectra. Notably,  seven compounds (2, 3, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13) exhibited better tyrosinase inhibitory activity than the positive control, kojic acid. The binding modes of these compounds revealed that their structure formed strong hydrogen bonds and van der Waals force with the active sites of tyrosinase. These results indicated that waste tobacco leaves are good resources for developing tyrosinase inhibitors.

Trauma diagnostic-related target proteins and their detection techniques

Trauma is a significant health issue that not only leads to immediate death in many cases but also causes severe complications, such as sepsis, thrombosis, haemorrhage, acute respiratory distress syndrome and traumatic brain injury, among trauma patients. Target protein identification technology is a vital technique in the field of biomedical research, enabling the study of biomolecular interactions, drug discovery and disease treatment. It plays a crucial role in identifying key protein targets associated with specific diseases or biological processes, facilitating further research, drug design and the development of treatment strategies. The application of target protein technology in biomarker detection enables the timely identification of newly emerging infections and complications in trauma patients, facilitating expeditious medical interventions and leading to reduced post-trauma mortality rates and improved patient prognoses. This review provides an overview of the current applications of target protein identification technology in trauma-related complications and provides a brief overview of the current target protein identification technology, with the aim of reducing post-trauma mortality, improving diagnostic efficiency and prognostic outcomes for patients.

USP12 facilitates gastric cancer progression via stabilizing YAP

The dysregulation of Hippo signaling is a crucial factor driving the progression of gastric cancer, making the targeting of the Hippo pathway a promising therapeutic strategy. However, effective drugs targeting the Hippo/YAP axis remain unavailable. Thus, identifying potential therapeutic targets and mechanisms that inhibit the activity of the Hippo/YAP axis in gastric cancer is of paramount importance. The ubiquitination modification of the Hippo/YAP pathway plays a significant role in signaling transduction and cancer progression. In an effort to shed light on effective therapeutic targets, we conducted a screening using a deubiquitinase small interfering RNA library, leading to the identification of USP12 as an important deubiquitinase in the context of Hippo/YAP axis and the progression of gastric cancer. Our bioinformatic analysis further demonstrated a correlation between USP12 and poor survival, as well as a positive association with classical YAP target genes in gastric cancer samples. Notably, USP12 depletion was found to inhibit gastric cancer progression via the Hippo/YAP axis, whereas USP12 overexpression exhibited the opposite effect, promoting gastric cancer growth and enhancing YAP activity. Further studies through immuno-staining and immuno-precipitation assays indicated the nuclear localization of USP12 and its association with YAP to enhance YAP stability. Specifically, our findings revealed that USP12 could inhibit K48-linked poly-ubiquitination of YAP, predominantly at the K315 site. As a result, we have identified a novel regulatory mechanism involving USP12 and Hippo signaling in the progression of gastric cancer, with the potential for blockade of USP12 to materialize as a promising strategy for combating gastric cancer.

Integrated Computational Pipeline for the High-Throughput Discovery of Cell Adhesion Peptides

Cell adhesion peptides (CAPs) often play a critical role in tissue engineering research. However, the discovery of novel CAPs for diverse applications remains a challenging and time-intensive process. This study presents an efficient computational pipeline integrating sequence embeddings, binding predictors, and molecular dynamics simulations to expedite the discovery of new CAPs. A Pro2vec model, trained on vast CAP data sets, was built to identify RGD-similar tripeptide candidates. These candidates were further evaluated for their binding affinity with integrin receptors using the Mutabind2 machine learning model. Additionally, molecular dynamics simulations were applied to model receptor-peptide interactions and calculate their binding free energies, providing a quantitative assessment of the binding strength for further screening. The resulting peptide demonstrated performance comparable to that of RGD in endothelial cell adhesion and spreading experimental assays, validating the efficacy of the integrated computational pipeline.

Nebivolol, an antihypertensive agent, has new application in inhibiting melanoma

Repurposing existing drugs for cancer therapy has become an important strategy because of its advantages, such as cost reduction, effect and safety. The present study was designed to investigate the antimelanoma effect and possible mechanisms of action of nebivolol, which is an approved and widely prescribed antihypertensive agent. In this study, we explored the effect of nebivolol on cell proliferation and cell activity in melanoma in vitro and the potential antimelanoma mechanism of nebivolol through a series of experiments, including the analysis of the effects with regard to cell apoptosis and metastasis. Furthermore, we evaluated the antimelanoma effect on xenograft tumor models and inspected the antimelanoma mechanism of nebivolol in vivo using immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence staining assays. As results in this work, in vitro, nebivolol possessed a strong activity for suppression proliferation and cell cycle arrest on melanoma. Moreover, nebivolol significantly induced cell apoptosis in melanoma through a mitochondrial-mediated endogenous apoptosis pathway. Additionally, nebivolol inhibited melanoma cell metastasis. More importantly, nebivolol exhibited significantly effective melanoma xenograft models in vivo, which related to the mechanism of apoptosis induction, proliferation inhibition, metastasis blocking and angiogenesis arrest. Overall, the data of the present study recommend that nebivolol holds great potential in application as a novel agent for the treatment of melanoma.

Satellite NO2 Retrieval Complicated by Aerosol Composition over Global Urban Agglomerations: Seasonal Variations and Long-Term Trends (2001-2018)

Tropospheric nitrogen dioxide (NO2) poses a serious threat to the environmental quality and public health. Satellite NO2 observations have been continuously used to monitor NO2 variations and improve model performances. However, the accuracy of satellite NO2 retrieval depends on the knowledge of aerosol optical properties, in particular for urban agglomerations accompanied by significant changes in aerosol characteristics. In this study, we investigate the impacts of aerosol composition on tropospheric NO2 retrieval for an 18 year global data set from Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment (GOME)-series satellite sensors. With a focus on cloud-free scenes dominated by the presence of aerosols, individual aerosol composition affects the uncertainties of tropospheric NO2 columns through impacts on the aerosol loading amount, relative vertical distribution of aerosol and NO2, aerosol absorption properties, and surface albedo determination. Among aerosol compositions, secondary inorganic aerosol mostly dominates the NO2 uncertainty by up to 43.5% in urban agglomerations, while organic aerosols contribute significantly to the NO2 uncertainty by -8.9 to 37.3% during biomass burning seasons. The possible contrary influences from different aerosol species highlight the importance and complexity of aerosol correction on tropospheric NO2 retrieval and indicate the need for a full picture of aerosol properties. This is of particular importance for interpreting seasonal variations or long-term trends of tropospheric NO2 columns as well as for mitigating ozone and fine particulate matter pollution.

Can family doctor system improve health service utilization for patients with hypertension and diabetes in China? A difference-in-differences study

BACKGROUND

Family doctors, serving as gatekeepers, are the core of primary health care to meet basic health needs, provide accessible care, and improve attainable health. The study objective was to evaluate the impact of the family doctor system on health service utilization among patients with hypertension and diabetes in China.

METHODS

Difference-in-Differences (DID) models are constructed to estimate the net effect of the family doctor system, based on the official health management records and medical insurance claim data of patients with hypertension and diabetes in an eastern city of China.

RESULTS

The family doctor system significantly increases follow-up visits (hypertension patients coef. = 0.13, diabetes patients coef. = 0.08, both p < 0.001) and outpatient visits (hypertension patients coef. = 0.08, diabetes patients coef. = 0.05, both p < 0.001) among the contracted compared to the non-contracted. The proportion of outpatient visits in community health centers among the contracted significantly rose (hypertension patients coef. = 0.02, diabetes patients coef. = 0.04, both p < 0.001) due to significantly more outpatient visits in community health centers and fewer in secondary and tertiary hospitals. It also significantly mitigates the increase in inpatient admissions among hypertension patients but not among diabetes patients.

CONCLUSIONS

The examined family doctor system strengthens primary care, both by increasing follow-up visits and outpatient visits and promoting a rationalized structure of outpatient utilization in China.

Agomir-122-loaded nanoparticles coated with cell membrane of activated fibroblasts to treat frozen shoulder based on homologous targeting

As a common musculoskeletal disorder, frozen shoulder is characterized by thickened joint capsule and limited range of motion, affecting 2-5% of the general population and more than 20% of patients with diabetes mellitus. Pathologically, joint capsule fibrosis resulting from fibroblast activation is the key event. The activated fibroblasts are proliferative and contractive, producing excessive collagen. Albeit high prevalence, effective anti-fibrosis modalities, especially fibroblast-targeting therapies, are still lacking. In this study, microRNA-122 was first identified from sequencing data as a potential therapeutic agent to antagonize fibroblast activation. Then, Agomir-122, an analog of microRNA-122, was loaded into poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles (Agomir-122@NP), a carrier with excellent biocompatibility for the agent delivery. Moreover, relying on the homologous targeting effect, we coated Agomir-122@NP with the cell membrane derived from activated fibroblasts (Agomir-122@MNP), with an attempt to inhibit the proliferation, contraction, and collagen production of abnormally activated fibroblasts. After confirming the targeting effect of Agomir-122@MNP on activated fibroblasts in vitro, we proved that Agomir-122@MNP effectively curtailed fibroblasts activation, ameliorated joint capsule fibrosis, and restored range of motion in mouse models both prophylactically and therapeutically. Overall, an effective targeted delivery method was developed with promising translational value against frozen shoulder.

Correlation between non-marker inflammatory indices and carotid intima-media thickness in the middle-aged and elderly adults

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to investigate the correlations between carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and systemic immune inflammation index (SII), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte (NLR) ratio.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study enrolling a total of 582 middle-aged and elderly patients. The correlations between SII, PLR, and NLR with IMT were assessed using logistic regression models, which were subsequently incorporated into the underlying models with traditional risk factors and their predictive values for IMT.

RESULTS

NLR exhibited a significant correlation with IMT in the simple regression analysis (β=0.01, 95%CI= 0.00-0.02, p<0.05). After controlling for potential confounding variables in the multivariate analysis, the association between NLR and both Maximum IMT [β=0.04, 95%CI=0.02-0.07, p=0.0006] and Mean IMT [β=0.05, 95%CI=0.02-0.07, p=0.0001] remained statistically significant. Additionally, PLR was found to be a significant independent predictor of Maximum IMT [β=0.04, 95% CI =0.00-0.07, p=0.0242] and Mean IMT [β=0.04, 95% CI=0.01-0.07, p=0.0061]. Similarly, SII was identified as an independent predictor of Maximum IMT [β=1.87, 95% CI =1.24, p=0.0003]. The study found a significant positive correlation between Maximum IMT and the levels NLR, PLR, and SII. Specifically, in the Maximum IMT group, higher quartiles of NLR, PLR, and SII were associated with increased odds ratios (OR) for elevated IMT levels, with statistically significant results for NLR (Q4vsQ1: OR 3.87, 95% CI 1.81-8.29), PLR (Q4vsQ1: OR 2.84, 95% CI 1.36-5.95), and SII (Q4vsQ1: OR 2.64, 95% CI 1.30-5.37). Finally, the inclusion of NLR, PLR, and NLR+PLR+SII in the initial model with traditional risk factors resulted in a marginal improvement in the predictive ability for Maximum IMT, as evidenced by the net reclassification index (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

This study discovered a positive correlation between SII, PLR, NLR, and IMT, which are likely to emerge as new predictors for IMT thickening. These findings lay a theoretical reference for future predictive research and pathophysiological research on carotid intima-media thickening.

The Effect of Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor on Endometrial Receptivity of Implantation Failure Mouse

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of G-CSF on the endometrial receptivity of implantation failure mice. Sixty female mice were treated mifepristone to establish an implant failure model. The treatment groups received different doses of G-CSF. Endometrial tissue and serum were collected on day 5 after mating. The abundance of pinopodes on the endometrium was observed by scanning electron microscopy. The expressions of LPAR3, COX2, and HOXA10 were detected by RT-qPCR and Western blotting. Serum levels of E2, P, VEGF, LIF, TNF-α and IL-10 were measured by ELISA. The expressions of VEGF, CD34, CD57, TNF-α, and IL-10 were assessed by immunohistochemistry. Immunofluorescence analysis was performed to determine the number of CD57, Treg, and Th17 cells. G-CSF increased implantation and pregnancy rates of mifepristone-induced implantation failure mice, with the most significant effect seen at the intermediate dose. G-CSF increased the serum levels of E2 and P, the abundance of endometrial pinopodes, and the level of LIF in the endometrium. It also promoted the expression of VEGF, HOXA10, LPAR3, and COX2. Moreover, G-CSF reduced the level of CD57 cells and the ratio of Th17/Treg cells in endometrium. G-CSF reduced the inflammatory factor TNF-α, but IL-10 did not change significantly. G-CSF can enhance embryo implantation rate and pregnancy rate and improve endometrial receptivity by attenuating degeneration of pinopodes, upregulating estrogen and progesterone, facilitating angiogenesis, maintaining immune cell homeostasis, and reducing the production of inflammatory cytokines in implantation failure mouse.

Immunotherapy of M2 macrophage derived from exosome-based nanoparticles for spinal cord injury

Developing biomimetic nanoparticles without off-target side-effects remains a major challenge in spinal cord injury (SCI) immunotherapy. In this paper, we have conducted a drug carrier which is biocompatible macrophages-exocytosed exosome-biomimetic manganese (Mn)-iron prussian blue analogues (MPBs) for SCI immunotherapy. Exosome-sheathed MPBs (E-MPBs) exhibit promoted microglia accumulation, alleviation from H2O2-induced microenvironment and inhibition of apoptosis and inflammation in vitro. In addition, E-MPBs possessed significant tissue repair and neuroprotection in vivo. These properties endowed E-MPBs with great improvement in vivo in function recovery, resulting in anti-neuroinflammation activity and excellent biocompatibility in mice SCI model. As a promising treatment for efficient SCI immunotherapy, these results demonstrate the use of exosome-sheathed biomimetic nanoparticles exocytosed by anti-inflammation cells is feasible.

Scalable Preparation of Ultraselective and Highly Permeable Fully Aromatic Polyamide Nanofiltration Membranes for Antibiotic Desalination

Membranes are important in the pharmaceutical industry for the separation of antibiotics and salts. However, its widespread adoption has been hindered by limited control of the membrane microstructure (pore architecture and free-volume elements), separation threshold, scalability, and operational stability. In this study, 4,4',4'',4'''-methanetetrayltetrakis(benzene-1,2-diamine) (MTLB) as prepared as a molecular building block for fabricating thin-film composite membranes (TFCMs) via interfacial polymerization. The relatively large molecular size and rigid molecular structure of MTLB, along with its non-coplanar and distorted conformation, produced thin and defect-free selective layers (~27 nm) with ideal microporosities for antibiotic desalination. These structural advantages yielded an unprecedented high performance with a water permeance of 45.2 L m-2 h-1 bar-1 and efficient antibiotic desalination (NaCl/adriamycin selectivity of 422). We demonstrated the feasibility of the industrial scaling of the membrane into a spiral-wound module (with an effective area of 2.0 m2). This module exhibited long-term stability and performance that surpassed those of state-of-the-art membranes used for antibiotic desalination. This study provides a scientific reference for the development of high-performance TFCMs for water purification and desalination in the pharmaceutical industry.

Recent Advances in Grayanane Diterpenes: Isolation, Structural Diversity, and Bioactivities from Ericaceae Family (2018-2024)

Diterpenes represent one of the most diverse and structurally complex families of natural products. Among the myriad of diterpenoids, grayanane diterpenes are particularly notable. These terpenes are characterized by their unique 5/7/6/5 tetracyclic system and are exclusive to the Ericaceae family of plants. Renowned for their complex structures and broad spectrum of bioactivities, grayanane diterpenes have become a primary focus in extensive phytochemical and pharmacological research. Recent studies, spanning from 2018 to January 2024, have reported a series of new grayanane diterpenes with unprecedented carbon skeletons. These compounds exhibit various biological properties, including analgesic, antifeedant, anti-inflammatory, and inhibition of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B). This paper delves into the discovery of 193 newly identified grayanoids, representing 15 distinct carbon skeletons within the Ericaceae family. The study of grayanane diterpenes is not only a deep dive into the complexities of natural product chemistry but also an investigation into potential therapeutic applications. Their unique structures and diverse biological actions make them promising candidates for drug discovery and medicinal applications. The review encompasses their occurrence, distribution, structural features, and biological activities, providing invaluable insights for future pharmacological explorations and research.

High expression of NOTCH2 in gastric adenocarcinoma: A novel early diagnostic target

BACKGROUND AND AIM

NOTCH2 is overexpressed in gastric cancer (GC), and its enhanced activity is significantly correlated with worse tumor characteristics. We aim to analyze the clinicopathologic correlation between NOTCH2 and the molecular typing of GC by immunohistochemistry and by transcriptional sequencing.

METHODS

In this immunohistochemical study, we detected NOTCH2, EBER, P53, HER2, MLH1, MSH2, PMS2, and MSH6 and evaluated the association of NOTCH2 with clinical and histopathological features in a large single-institutional series of gastric adenocarcinomas (n = 488). The correlation was also investigated between immunohistochemical results and survival outcomes.

RESULTS

High NOTCH2 expression (2+/3+) was found in 139/488 (27.5%) samples analyzed. NOTCH2 expression was correlated with early stage T1 (P < 0.0001), GC in the fundus (P = 0.0364), and positive P53 status (P = 0.0019). We did not find an association between NOTCH2 and HER2, microsatellite instability, EBER, and overall survival. Through RNA sequencing, it was revealed that NOTCH2 plays an important biological function in the pathogenesis and development of GC.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggested that NOTCH2 may be a potential diagnostic target for GC due to the fact that its high expression is closely associated with the early stages of cancer.

Palladium-Catalyzed Regioselective Insertion of Carbenes into γ-C(sp3)-H Bonds of Aliphatic Amines

A migratory insertion of carbenes into distal γ-C(sp3)-H bonds of aliphatic amines has been successfully developed. The synergistic interplay among a palladium catalyst, picolinamide directing group, a carefully selected base additive, and an essential ligand proved crucial in achieving high yields. These findings hold significant value for advancing the exploration of regioselective carbene insertions into nonactivated C(sp3)-H bonds.

Sulfatase-Induced In Situ Formulation of Antineoplastic Supra-PROTACs

Proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) technology is an innovative strategy for cancer therapy, which, however, suffers from poor targeting delivery and limited capability for protein of interest (POI) degradation. Here, we report a strategy for the in situ formulation of antineoplastic Supra-PROTACs via intracellular sulfatase-responsive assembly of peptides. Coassembling a sulfated peptide with two ligands binding to ubiquitin VHL and Bcl-xL leads to the formation of a pro-Supra-PROTAC, in which the ratio of the two ligands is rationally optimized based on their protein binding affinity. The resulting pro-Supra-PROTAC precisely undergoes enzyme-responsive assembly into nanofibrous Supra-PROTACs in cancer cells overexpressing sulfatase. Mechanistic studies reveal that the pro-Supra-PROTACs selectively cause apparent cytotoxicity to cancer cells through the degradation of Bcl-xL and the activation of caspase-dependent apoptosis, during which the rationally optimized ligand ratio improves the bioactivity for POI degradation and cell death. In vivo studies show that in situ formulation enhanced the tumor accumulation and retention of the pro-Supra-PROTACs, as well as the capability for inhibiting tumor growth with excellent biosafety when coadministrating with chemodrugs. Our findings provide a new approach for enzyme-regulated assembly of peptides in living cells and the development of PROTACs with high targeting delivering and POI degradation efficiency.

Development of postoperative bronchopleural fistula after neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer: case reports and review of the literature

BACKGROUND

The advent of immune checkpoint inhibitors has dramatically changed the treatment paradigm for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Due to the complexity and diversity of stage III disease, the inclusion of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in neoadjuvant treatment regimens is also required. However, immune-related adverse events (irAEs) limit the application of ICIs to a certain extent. Bronchopleural fistula (BPF) is a serious and fatal complication after pneumonectomy that is rarely reported, especially in patients who accept neoadjuvant immunotherapy or chemoimmunotherapy.

CASE PRESENTATION

Herein, we reported four patients with postoperative BPF who received a neoadjuvant regimen of sintilimab plus chemotherapy. Postoperative BPF occurred in the late stage in three patients; one patient underwent bronchoscopic fistula repair, and the fistula was closed well after surgery, and the other two patients gradually recovered within 1-2 months after symptomatic treatment with antibiotics. One patient with BPF after left pneumonectomy died of respiratory failure due to pulmonary infection. We also reviewed the literature on the development of postoperative BPF in patients receiving immuno-neoadjuvant therapy to discuss the clinical process further, postoperative pathological changes, as well as risk factors of BPF patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Central type lung cancer with stage III may be the risk factors of BPF in cases of neoadjuvant immunochemotherapy for lung cancers patients.

Pathogenic characteristics of an aggregated diarrhea event caused by Plesiomonas shigelloides from stream

This study aimed to investigate the cause of a foodborne disease outbreak in Huzhou on August 14, 2023. Multiple enteropathogens were detected using FilmArray, and the pathogen was subsequently isolated and cultured from anal swabs of the cases and stream water. The isolated strains were identified using VITEK MS, and antimicrobial susceptibility test, pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) molecular typing, and whole genome sequencing (WGS) were performed on the isolates of Plesiomonas shigelloides. Gene annotation and sequence alignment were used to analyze the virulence genes and drug resistance genes of the strains. A phylogenetic tree was constructed based on single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), and homology analysis was conducted to trace the origin of P. shigelloides. A total of 7 strains of P.shigelloides were isolated, with 3 from stream water and 4 from anal swabs. All 7 strains exhibited the same PFGE pattern and showed resistance to amikacin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, chloramphenicol, tetracycline, cefazolin, streptomycin, and florfenicol. The isolated strains carried the same resistance genes and virulence factors. In the sequences of the isolated strains from this outbreak, 11 mutation sites were detected. The phylogenetic tree based on SNP sites showed that these strains were homologous. This foodborne disease outbreak caused by P.shigelloides was the first reported in Huzhou. WGS can be used as a complementary method to PFGE for epidemiological investigations of disease outbreaks.

Synergistic Antimicrobial Glycyrrhizic Acid-based Functional Biosensing composite for Sensitive Glucose Monitoring and Collaborative Wound Healing

High glucose blood and bacterial infection remain major issues for the slow healing of diabetic wounds, so developing functional biosensing composite with excellent antibacterial and remarkable glucose response sensitivity is necessary and prospective. Herein, by in situ synthesis AgNPs on the surface of self-prepared PTIGA elastomers, PTIGA-AgNPs conductive composites were obtained with efficient synergistic antibacterial effect, excellent mechanical, and self-healing properties. The strain of the composites could reach 1800%, and its self-healing efficiency exceeded 90% at 60 °C within 8 hours. Both elastomers and composites represented excellent biocompatibility and the antibacterial rate against E coli and S aureus exceeded 90%. Moreover, the biosensor assembled from the conductive composites exhibited excellent glucose response sensitivity and stability, with a sensitivity coefficient (SC) of 0.518 mA mM-1 in the range of 0.2-3.6 mM glucose concentration, as well as a low detection limit (DL) of 0.08 mM. Furthermore, based on the remarkable antibacterial performance and bioactivity derived from GA, the composites reduced the expression of pro-inflammatory factors and promoted the production of anti-inflammatory factors, and effectively promoted the regeneration of skin and granulation tissue of wounds in a diabetic full-thickness skin defect model, demonstrating the enormous therapeutic potential in diabetic wound healing. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Adaptation of Magnified Analysis of the Proteome for Excitatory Synaptic Proteins in Varied Samples and Evaluation of Cell Type-Specific Distributions

Growing evidence suggests a remarkable diversity and complexity in the molecular composition of synapses, forming the basis for the brain to execute complex behaviors. Hence, there is considerable interest in visualizing the spatial distribution of such molecular diversity at individual synapses within intact brain circuits. Yet this task presents significant technical challenges. Expansion microscopy approaches have revolutionized our view of molecular anatomy. However, their use to study synapse-related questions outside of the labs developing them has been limited. Here we independently adapted a version of Magnified Analysis of the Proteome (MAP) and present a step-by-step protocol for visualizing over 40 synaptic proteins in brain circuits. Surprisingly, our findings show that the advantage of MAP over conventional immunolabeling was primarily due to improved antigen recognition and secondarily physical expansion. Furthermore, we demonstrated the versatile use of MAP in brains perfused with paraformaldehyde or fresh-fixed with formalin and in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue. These tests expand the potential applications of MAP to combinations with slice electrophysiology or clinical pathology specimens. Using male and female mice expressing YFP-ChR2 exclusively in interneurons, we revealed a distinct composition of AMPA and NMDA receptors and Shank family members at synapses on hippocampal interneurons versus on pyramidal neurons. Quantitative single synapse analyses yielded comprehensive cell type distributions of synaptic proteins and their relationships. These findings exemplify the value of the versatile adapted MAP procedure presented here as an accessible tool for the broad neuroscience community to unravel the complexity of the "synaptome" across brain circuits and disease states.

Occurrence and seasonal variations of antibiotic micro-pollutants in the Wei River, China

In this study, a systematic monitoring campaign of 30 antibiotics belonging to tetracyclines (TCs), macrolides (MLs), fluoroquinolones (FQs) and sulfonamides (SAs) was performed in the Xi'an section of the Wei River during three sampling events (December 2021, June 2022, and September 2022). The total concentrations of antibiotics in water ranged from 297 to 461 ng/L with high detection frequencies ranging from 45% to 100% for the various antibiotics. A marked seasonal variation in concentrations was found with total antibiotic concentrations in winter being 1.5 and 2 times higher than those in the summer and autumn seasons, respectively. The main contaminants in both winter and summer seasons were FQs, but in the autumn SAs were more abundant, suggesting different seasonal sources or more effective runoff for certain antibiotics during periods of rainfall. Combined analysis using redundancy and clustering analysis indicated that the distribution of antibiotics in the Wei River was affected by the confluence with dilution of tributaries and outlet of domestic sewage. Ecological risk assessment based on risk quotient (RQ) showed that most antibiotics in water samples posed insignificant risk to fish and green algae, as well as insignificant to low risk to Daphnia. The water-sediment distribution coefficients of SAs were higher than those of other antibiotics, indicating that particle-bound runoff could be a significant source for this class of antibiotics.

Novel Binder with Cross-Linking Reconfiguration Functionality for Silicon Anodes of Lithium-Ion Batteries

Silicon is expected to be used as a high theoretical capacity anode material in lithium-ion batteries with high energy densities. However, the huge volume change incurred when silicon de-embeds lithium ions, leading to destruction of the electrode structure and a rapid reduction in battery capacity. Although binders play a key role in maintaining the stability of the electrode structure, commonly used binders cannot withstand the large volume expansion of the silicon. To alleviate this problem, we propose a PGC cross-linking reconfiguration binder based on poly(acrylic acid) (PAA), gelatin (GN), and β-cyclodextrin (β-CD). Within PGC, PAA supports the main chain and provides a large number of carboxyl groups (-COOH), GN provides rich carboxyl and amide groups that can form a cross-linking network with PAA, and β-CD offers rich hydroxyl groups and a cone-shaped hollow ring structure that can alleviate stress accumulation in the polymer chain by forming a new dynamic cross-linking coordination conformation during stretching. In the half cell, the silicon negative prepared by the PGC binder exhibited a high specific capacity and capacity maintenance ratio, and the specific capacity of the silicon negative electrode prepared by the PGC binder is still 1809 mAh g-1 and the capacity maintenance ratio is 73.76% following 200 cycles at 2 A g-1 current density, indicating that PGC sufficiently maintains the silicon negative structure during the battery cycle. The PGC binder has a simple preparation method and good capacity retention ability, making it a potential reference for the further development of silicon negative electrodes.

Strontium-Doped Hydroxyapatite Coating Improves Osteo/Angiogenesis for Ameliorative Graft-Bone Integration via the Macrophage-Derived Cytokines-Mediated Integrin Signal Pathway

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) artificial ligaments, renowned for their superior mechanical properties, have been extensively adopted in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction surgeries. However, the inherent bio-inertness of PET introduces formidable barriers to graft-bone integration, a critical aspect of rehabilitation. Previous interventions, ranging from surface roughening to chemical modifications, have aimed to address this challenge; however, consistently effective techniques for inducing graft-bone integration remain scarce. Our study employed advanced surface-coating methodologies to introduce strontium-doped hydroxyapatite (SrHA) onto PET ligaments. Detailed scanning electron microscopy (SEM) examinations revealed a uniform and integrative coating of SrHA on PET fibers. Furthermore, spectroscopic analysis confirmed the steady release of strontium ions from the coated surface under physiological conditions. In-depth cellular studies proved that extracellular strontium emanating from SrHA-coated PET (PET@SrHA) ligaments actively steers the M2 macrophage polarization. Additionally, macrophages (Mφs) manifested a heightened secretion of prohealing cytokines when exposed to PET@SrHA. Subsequent investigations showed that these cytokines acted as mediators, activating integrin signaling pathways among macrophages, vascular endothelial cells, and osteoblasts. As a direct consequence, an increased rate of angiogenesis and osteogenic differentiation was observed, vital for graft-bone integration following ACL reconstruction with PET@SrHA ligaments. From a biochemical standpoint, our results pinpoint strontium ions as influential immunomodulators, sculpting the graft-bone interface's immune environment. This insight presents the SrHA-coating technique as a viable therapeutic strategy, holding sound promise for improving angiogenesis and osseointegration outcomes during ACL reconstruction using PET-based grafts.

Novel magneto-electrocatalyst Cr2CO2-MXene for boosting nitrogen reduction to ammonia

Ammonia (NH3) plays important roles in chemistry, the environment, and energy; however, the synthesis of NH3 relies heavily on the Haber-Bosch process, causing serious environmental pollution and energy consumption. A clean and effective strategy for the synthesis of NH3 involves nitrogen (N2) being transformed to ammonia (NH3) using electrocatalysis. Adjusting the magnetism of electrocatalysts may improve their performance, and therefore, four magnetic states, nonmagnetic (NM), ferromagnetic (FM), interlayer antiferromagnetic (Inter-AFM), and intra-layer antiferromagnetic (Intra-AFM) Cr2CO2-MXene were designed to explore magnetoelectrocatalysis performance using well-defined density functional theory (DFT) calculations in this study. Upon comparing the nitrogen reduction limiting potentials of N2 molecules on the surface of the four different magnetic states in Cr2CO2-MXene, and the selectivity calculations of the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and nitrogen reduction reaction (NRR), the Inter-AFM Cr2CO2-MXene is shown to be a better NRR electrocatalyst than the other three cases. This study paves way to unravel the mystery of the spin-catalytic mechanism and will lay a solid foundation for eNRR electrocatalysts with magnetic materials for environmental and energy applications.