Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater by quantitative PCR and digital PCR: a case study in Shijiazhuang city, Hebei province, China

In this study, we reported the first long-term monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater in Mainland China from November 2021 to October 2023. The city of Shijiazhuang was employed for this case study. We developed a triple reverse transcription droplet digital PCR (RT-ddPCR) method using triple primer-probes for simultaneous detection of the N1 gene, E gene, and Pepper mild mottle virus (PMMoV) to achieve accurate quantification of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater. Both the RT-ddPCR method and the commercial multiplex reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) method were implemented for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater in Shijiazhuang City over a 24-month period. Results showed that SARS-CoV-2 was detected for the first time in the wastewater of Shijiazhuang City on 10 November 2022. The peak of COVID-19 cases occurred in the middle of December 2022, when the concentration of SARS-CoV-2 in the wastewater was highest. The trend of virus concentration increases and decreases forming a "long-tailed" shape in the COVID-19  outbreak and recession cycle. The results indicated that both multiplex RT-ddPCR and RT-qPCR are effective in detecting SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater, but RT-ddPCR is capable of detecting low concentrations of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater which is more efficient. The SARS-CoV-2 abundance in wastewater is correlated to clinical data, outlining the public health utility of this work.HighlightsFirst long-term monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater in Mainland ChinaCOVID-19 outbreak was tracked in Shijiazhuang City from outbreak to containmentWastewater was monitored simultaneously using RT-ddPCR and RT-qPCR methodsTriple primer-probe RT-ddPCR detects N1 and E genes of SARS-CoV-2 and PMMoV.

Differential metabolic networks in three energy substances of flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) during germination

Germinated flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) is an essential potential food ingredient, but the major energy substances (proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates) metabolites and metabolic pathways are unknown. Comprehensive metabolomic analyses were performed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and high-performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry on flaxseed from 0 to 7 d. Additionally, the critical metabolites pathways networks of three energy substances metabolites during flaxseed germination were exhibited. The results showed that arginine was the most active metabolite during germination, strongly associated with the arginine biosynthesis and arginine and proline metabolism pathways. Carbohydrates predominantly comprised sucrose on 0-3 d, which participated in galactose metabolism and starch and sucrose metabolism. The main flaxseed phospholipid molecules were phosphatidic acid, phosphatidylethanolamine, lysophosphatidic acid, and lysophosphatidylcholine during germination. This study underscores the paramount metabolic pathways in proteins, lipids and carbohydrates were arginine and proline metabolism, linoleic acid metabolism, arachidonic acid metabolism, and ascorbate and aldarate metabolism during germination.

Artemisia capillaris Thunb. Polysaccharide alleviates cholestatic liver injury through gut microbiota modulation and Nrf2 signaling pathway activation in mice

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

According to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory, cholestasis belongs to category of jaundice. Artemisia capillaris Thunb. has been widely used for the treatment of jaundice in TCM. The polysaccharides are the one of main active components of the herb, but its effects on cholestasis remain unclear.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To investigate the protective effect and mechanism of Artemisia capillaris Thunb. polysaccharide (APS) on cholestasis and liver injury.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The amelioration of APS on cholestasis was evaluated in an alpha-naphthyl isothiocyanate (ANIT)-induced mice model. Then nuclear Nrf2 knockout mice, mass spectrometry, 16s rDNA sequencing, metabolomics, and molecular biotechnology methods were used to elucidate the associated mechanisms of APS against cholestatic liver injury.

RESULTS

Treatment with low and high doses of APS markedly decreased cholestatic liver injury of mice. Mechanistically, APS promoted nuclear translocation of hepatic nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor (Nrf2), upregulated downstream bile acid (BA) efflux transporters and detoxifying enzymes expression, improved BA homeostasis, and attenuated oxidative liver injury; however, these effects were annulled in Nrf2 knock-out mice. Furthermore, APS ameliorated the microbiota dysbiosis of cholestatic mice and selectively increased short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing bacteria growth. Fecal microbiota transplantation of APS also promoted hepatic Nrf2 activation, increased BA efflux transporters and detoxifying enzymes expression, ameliorated intrahepatic BA accumulation and cholestatic liver injury. Non-targeted metabolomics and in vitro microbiota culture confirmed that APS significantly increased the production of a microbiota-derived SCFA (butyric acid), which is also able to upregulate Nrf2 expression.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings indicate that APS can ameliorate cholestasis by modulating gut microbiota and activating the Nrf2 pathway, representing a novel therapeutic approach for cholestatic liver disease.

Enhanced Sb(V) removal of sulfate-rich wastewater by anaerobic granular sludge assisted with Fe/C amendment

Antimony (Sb) and sulfate are two common pollutants in Sb mine drainage and Sb-containing textile wastewater. In this paper, it was found that iron‑carbon (Fe/C) enhanced Sb(V) removal from sulfate-rich wastewater by anaerobic granular sludge (AnGS). Sulfate inhibited Sb(V) removal (S + Sb, k = 0.101), while Fe/C alleviated the inhibition and increased Sb(V) removal rate by 2.3 times (Fe/C + S + Sb, k = 0.236). Fe/C could promote the removal of Sb(III), and Sb(III) content decreased significantly after 8 h. Meanwhile, Fe/C enhanced the removal of sulfate. The 3D-EEM spectrum of supernatant in Fe/C + S + Sb group (at 24 h) showed that Fe/C stimulated the production of soluble microbial products (SMP) in wastewater. SMP alleviated the inhibition of sulfate, promoting AnGS to reduce Sb(V). Sb(V) could be reduced to Sb(III) both by AnGS and sulfides produced from sulfate reduction. Further analysis of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and AnGS showed that Fe/C increased the adsorbed Sb(V) in EPS and the c-type cytochrome content in AnGS, which may be beneficial for Sb(V) removal. Sb(V) reduction in Fe/C + S + Sb group may be related to the genus Acinetobacter, while in Sb group, several bacteria may be involved in Sb(V) reduction, such as Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas and Corynebacterium. This study provided insights into Fe/C-enhanced Sb(V) removal from sulfate-rich wastewater.

Assess different fermentation characteristics of 54 lager yeasts based on group classification

Saccharomyces pastorianus, hybrids of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces eubayanus, were generally regarded as authentic lager beer yeasts. In recent years, with more new findings of other Saccharomyces genus hybrids, yeasts used in lager beer brewing have been proved much more complicated than previous cognition. In this study, we analyzed the different fermentation characteristics of 54 yeast strains used for lager brewing in normal and very high gravity brewing based on group classification. The difference between Group Ⅰ and Group Ⅱ lager yeasts were more striking in very high gravity brewing. However, during our research progress, we realized that some yeasts used in this study were actually hybrids of S. cerevisiae and Saccharomyces kudriavzevii. Features of these hybrids could be beneficial to very high gravity brewing. We further discussed about the mechanism behind their outstanding characteristics and the reason why group classification methods of lager beer yeasts had limitations. Hybridization in yeasts is constantly getting richer. Lager yeasts could have more possibilities based on better understandings of their genetic background and roles of other Saccharomyces genus hybrids. Their heterosis shed light on innovation in brewing and other diverse fermentation industries.

Molecular mechanisms underlying microglial sensing and phagocytosis in synaptic pruning

ABSTRACT

Microglia are the main non-neuronal cells in the central nervous system that have important roles in brain development and functional connectivity of neural circuits. In brain physiology, highly dynamic microglial processes are facilitated to sense the surrounding environment and stimuli. Once the brain switches its functional states, microglia are recruited to specific sites to exert their immune functions, including the release of cytokines and phagocytosis of cellular debris. The crosstalk of microglia between neurons, neural stem cells, endothelial cells, oligodendrocytes, and astrocytes contributes to their functions in synapse pruning, neurogenesis, vascularization, myelination, and blood-brain barrier permeability. In this review, we highlight the neuron-derived "find-me," "eat-me," and "don't eat-me" molecular signals that drive microglia in response to changes in neuronal activity for synapse refinement during brain development. This review reveals the molecular mechanism of neuron-microglia interaction in synaptic pruning and presents novel ideas for the synaptic pruning of microglia in disease, thereby providing important clues for discovery of target drugs and development of nervous system disease treatment methods targeting synaptic dysfunction.

Evaluating multifaceted effects of watershed properties and human activities on drought propagation in the Wei River Basin with an integrated framework

Understanding the factors driving propagation from meteorological to hydrological drought is crucial for drought mitigation. In this study, an integrated framework based on the Soil and Water Assessment Tool model, standardised drought indices and Geographical Detector were used to investigate how and to what extent watershed properties and human activities affect the spatial heterogeneity of drought propagation in the Wei River Basin, a typical arid and semi-arid region in China. Results indicated that (1) spatially, the propagation times increased from southwest to northeast. Seasonally, the propagation was shorter and stronger in summer and autumn. (2) The aridity index significantly affected the spatial distribution of drought propagation time for the entire basin, especially in summer, while human activities primarily drove spatial distribution in the sub-basins. The explanatory power of any two independent factors was non-linearly enhanced after the interaction. (3) Watershed properties potentially impacted the anthropogenic driving factor of drought propagation. Strong anthropogenic effects on drought propagation often occurred in watersheds with moderate drought levels, steep slopes, low elevations, and small areas, and the key factors varied seasonally. These findings help elucidate the multifaceted effects of watershed properties and human activities on drought propagation. The proposed framework and the results of this study provide valuable guidance for formulating precise drought control strategies in the Wei River Basin and worldwide.

Interface engineering and nanoconfinement strategies to synergistically enhance hydrogen evolution in acidic and basic media

As a potential catalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), tungsten nitride (W2N) has attracted extensive attention, due to its Pt-like characteristic. Nevertheless, insufficient active sites, slow electron transfer, and lack of scale-up nano-synthesis methods significantly limit its practical application. Constructing multi-component active centers and interface-rich heterojunctions to increase exposed active sites and modulate interface electrons is a very effective modification strategy. Therefore, a nano-heterostructure formed from tungsten nitride, tungsten phosphide and tungsten encapsulated in N, P co-doped carbon nanofiber (W2N/WP/W@NPC) was synthesized by a flexible and scalable electrospinning technology. Experimental results reveal that abundant heterojunctions are formed, electron transfer occurs between tungsten nitride and tungsten phosphide, and carbon nanofibers play a confinement role. The optimized W2N/WP/W@NPC-3 electrocatalyst demonstrates excellent HER catalytic activity and robust stability in both acidic and base media. Furthermore, the overall water splitting performance is tested using W2N/WP/W@NPC as the cathode through a two-electrode electrolyzer, which also exhibits impressive electrochemical performance.

Soil amendments alter cadmium distribution and bacterial community structure in paddy soils

Soil amendments play a pivotal role in ensuring the safety of food production by inhibiting the transfer of heavy metal ions from soils to crops. Nevertheless, their impact on soil characteristics and the microbial community and their role in reducing cadmium (Cd) accumulation in rice remain unclear. In this study, pot experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of three soil amendments (mineral, organic, and microbial) on the distribution of Cd speciation, organic components, iron oxides, and microbial community structure. The application of soil amendments resulted in significant reductions in the soil available Cd content (16 %-51 %) and brown rice Cd content (16 %-78 %), facilitating the transformation of Cd from unstable forms (decreasing 10 %-20 %) to stable forms (increasing 77 %-150 %) in the soil. The mineral and organic amendments increased the soil cation exchange capacity (CEC) and plant-derived organic carbon (OC), respectively, leading to reduced Cd accumulation in brown rice, while the microbial amendment enhanced OC complexity and the abundances of Firmicutes and Bacteroidota, contributing to the decreased rice Cd uptake. The synchrotron radiation-based Fourier transform infrared (SR-FTIR) spectroscopy indicated that soil amendments regulated soil Cd species by promoting iron oxides and OC coupling. Moreover, both organic and microbial amendments significantly reduced the diversity and richness of the bacterial communities and altered their compositions and structures, by increasing the relative abundances of Bacteroidota and Firmicutes and decreasing those of Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Myxococcota. Soil microbiome analysis revealed that the increase of Firmicutes and Bacteroidota associated with Cd adsorption and sequestration contributed to the suppression of soil Cd reactivity. These findings offer valuable insights into the potential mechanisms by which soil amendments regulate the speciation and bioavailability of Cd, and improve the bacterial communities, thereby providing guidance for agricultural management practices.

Excitation functions for fast neutron induced reactions on iron and lead

Cross sections of the 54Fe(n,p)54Mn, 54Fe(n,α)51Cr, 56Fe(n,p)56Mn and 204Pb (n,2n)203Pb reactions induced by D-T neutrons were obtained with activation method and γ-ray spectrometry technique. Experimental values measured in this work are consistent with most of the previous literature data. These reactions cross sections were theoretically calculated by using the TALYS-1.96 and EMPIRE-3.2.3 codes from threshold up to 20 MeV, and significant discrepancies were found between calculated results and experiment data. In addition, experimental values are compared with evaluated nuclear data of the CENDL-3.2, ENDF/B-VIII.0, JENDL-5, BROND-3.1 and JEFF-3.3 libraries, and significant difference was found for the 54Fe(n,α)51Cr reaction in ENDF/B-VIII.0 library but not for other reactions.

Calcium-based MOFs as scaffolds for shielding immobilized lipase and enhancing its stability

The enzyme immobilization technology has become a key tool in the field of enzyme applications; however, improving the activity recovery and stability of the immobilized enzymes is still challenging. Herein, we employed a magnetic carboxymethyl cellulose (MCMC) nanocomposite modified with ionic liquids (ILs) for covalent immobilization of lipase, and used Ca-based metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as the support skeleton and protective layer for immobilized enzymes. The ILs contained long side chains (eight CH2 units), which not only enhanced the hydrophobicity of the carrier and its hydrophobic interaction with the enzymes, but also provided a certain buffering effect when the enzyme molecules were subjected to compression. Compared to free lipase, the obtained CaBPDC@PPL-IL-MCMC exhibited higher specific activity and enhanced stability. In addition, the biocatalyst could be easily separated using a magnetic field, which is beneficial for its reusability. After 10 cycles, the residual activity of CaBPDC@PPL-IL-MCMC could reach up to 86.9%. These features highlight the good application prospects of the present immobilization method.

Vesical Imaging-Reporting and Data System (VI-RADS) as a grouping imaging biomarker combined with a decision-tree mode to preoperatively predict the pathological grade of bladder cancer

AIM

To investigate whether the Vesical Imaging-Reporting and Data System (VI-RADS) could be used to develop a new non-invasive preoperative grade-prediction system to partially predict high-grade bladder cancer (HG-BC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The present study enrolled 89 primary BC patients prospectively from March 2022 to June 2023. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of VI-RADS for predicting HG-BC and muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) in the entire group. In the low VI-RADS (≤2) group, the decision tree-based method was used to obtain significant predictors and construct the decision-tree model (DT model). The performance of the DT model and low VI-RADS scores for predicting HG-BC was determined using ROC, calibration, and decision curve analyses.

RESULTS

At a cut-off of ≥3, the specificity and positive predictive value of VI-RADS for predicting HG-BC in the entire group was 100%, and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 0.697. Among 65 patients with low VI-RADS scores, the DT model showed an AUC of 0.884 in predicting HG-BC compared to 0.506 for low VI-RADS scores. Calibration and decision curve analyses showed that the DT model performed better than the low VI-RADS scores.

CONCLUSION

Most VI-RADS scores ≥3 correspond to HG-BCs. VI-RADS could be used as a grouping imaging biomarker for a pathological grade-prediction procedure, which in combination with the DT model for low VI-RADS (≤2) populations, would provide a potential preoperative non-invasive method of predicting HG-BC.

Ten-year follow-up of very-high risk hypertensive patients undergoing renal sympathetic denervation

OBJECTIVES

Renal denervation (RDN) has been proven to be effective in lowering blood pressure (BP) in patients, but previous studies have had short follow-ups and have not examined the effects of RDN on major cardiovascular outcomes. This study aimed to demonstrate the effectiveness and safety of RDN in the long-term treatment of hypertension and to determine if it has an effect on cardiovascular outcomes.

METHODS

All patients with resistant hypertension who underwent RDN between 2011 and 2015 at Tianjin First Central Hospital were included in the study. Patients were followed up at 1,5 and 10 years and the longest follow-up was 12 years. Data were collected on office BP, home BP, ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM), renal function, antihypertensive drug regimen, major adverse events (including acute myocardial infarction, stroke, cardiovascular death and all cause death) and safety events.

RESULTS

A total of 60 participants with mean age 50.37 ± 15.19 years (43.33% female individuals) completed long-term follow-up investigations with a mean of 10.02 ± 1.72 years post-RDN. Baseline office SBP and DBP were 179.08 ± 22.05 and 101.17 ± 16.57 mmHg under a mean number of 4.22 ± 1.09 defined daily doses (DDD), with a reduction of -35.93/-14.76 mmHg as compared with baseline estimates ( P  < 0.0001). Compared with baseline, ambulatory SBP and DBP after 10-years follow-up were reduced by 14.31 ± 10.18 ( P  < 0.001) and 9 ± 4.35 ( P  < 0.001) mmHg, respectively. In comparison to baseline, participants were taking fewer antihypertensive medications ( P  < 0.001), and their mean heart rate had decreased ( P  < 0.001). Changes in renal function, as assessed by estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and creatinine, were within the expected rate of age-related decline. No major adverse events related to the RDN procedure were observed in long-term consequences. All-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality rates were 10 and 8.34%, respectively, for the 10-year period.

CONCLUSION

The BP-lowering effect of RDN was safely sustained for at least 10 years post-procedure. More importantly, to the best of my knowledge, this is the first study to explore cardiovascular and all-cause mortality at 10 years after RDN.

Endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced necroptosis promotes cochlear inflammation: Implications for age-related hearing loss

Age-related hearing loss (ARHL) is the most common sensory disorder associated with human aging. Chronic inflammation is supposed to be an important contributor to ARHL. Yet, the underlying mechanisms of developing cochlear inflammation are still not well understood. In this study, we found that the inflammation, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and necroptosis signalings are activated in the cochlea of aged C57BL/6 mice. ER stress activator tunicamycin (TM) induced necroptosis in cochlear HEI-OC1 cells and cochlear explants, while necroptosis inhibitors protected cochlear cells from ER stress-induced cell death. The antioxidants inhibited necroptosis and protected HEI-OC1 cells from TM insults. Necroptotic HEI-OC1 cells promoted the activation of the co-cultured macrophages via Myd88 signaling. Moreover, necroptosis inhibitor protected from TM-induced hearing loss, and inhibited inflammation in C57BL/6 mice. These findings suggest that ER stress-induced necroptosis promotes cochlear inflammation and hearing loss. Targeting necroptosis serves as a potential approach for the treatment of cochlear inflammation and ARHL.

The Mediating Role of Self-efficacy and Coping Mode Between Powerlessness and Quality of Life in Patients with Venous Leg Ulcers

OBJECTIVE

To explore the mediating effect of self-efficacy and coping mode between powerlessness and quality of life in patients with a venous leg ulcer (VLU).

METHODS

The authors used a convenience sampling method to select 208 patients with a VLU in four tertiary grade A hospitals in Qingdao and Tianjin from June 2021 to August 2022. Instruments included the Powerlessness Assessment Tool, Venous Leg Ulcer Self-efficacy Tool, Medical Coping Modes Questionnaire, and Venous Leg Ulcer Quality of Life Questionnaire. The authors used descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and PROCESS macros for data analysis.

RESULTS

The powerlessness score was significantly negatively associated with self-efficacy and confrontation coping mode scores and positively associated with patients' quality-of-life scores. In addition, self-efficacy and confrontation coping modes separately and sequentially mediated the relationship between powerlessness and quality of life.

CONCLUSIONS

Self-efficacy and confrontation coping mode play important mediating roles between powerlessness and quality of life in patients with VLUs. By decreasing patients' sense of powerlessness, boosting their self-efficacy, and encouraging them to adopt confrontation coping mode, health professionals can improve patients' quality of life.

Structures, influences, and formation mechanism of planar defects on (100), (001) and (-201) planes in β-Ga2O3 crystals

The β-Ga2O3 crystal is a significant ultrawide bandgap semiconductor with great potential in ultraviolet optoelectronics and high-power devices. Planar defects in β-Ga2O3 have been observed in experiments, but their structures, influences, formation mechanism, and controlling methods remain to be studied. We conducted a comprehensive study of β-Ga2O3 planar defects using density functional theory. We determined the atomic structures of planar defects (stacking faults and twins) on (100), (001), and (-201) planes in β-Ga2O3 crystals and calculated the formation energy and band structure of each defect. Our results indicate that the formation energy of stacking faults on the (100) plane and twins on the (100) and (-201) planes was extremely low, which explained why these planar defects were observed readily. We also studied the influence of common impurities (Si, Sn, Al, H) and vacancies in β-Ga2O3 crystals on the formation of these planar defects. Our findings revealed that specific impurities and vacancies could facilitate the formation of planar defects or even make them spontaneous. This research provides critical insights into the atomic structures of planar defects in β-Ga2O3, and explains why they form readily from the perspective of formation energy. These insights are important for future research into β-Ga2O3 defects.

Nickel-Catalyzed Chemoselective Carbomagnesiation for Atroposelective Ring-Opening Difunctionalization

There is a pressing need for methods that can connect enantioenriched organic compounds with readily accessible building blocks via asymmetric functionalization of unreactive chemical bonds in organic synthesis and medicinal chemistry. Herein, the asymmetric chemoselective cleavage of two unactivated C(Ar)-O bonds in the same molecule is disclosed for the first time through an unusual nickel-catalyzed carbomagnesiation. This reaction facilitates the evolution of a novel atroposelective ring-opening difunctionalization. Utilizing readily available dibenzo bicyclic substrates, diverse valuable axially chiral biaryls are furnished with high efficiencies. Synthetic elaborations showcase the application potential of this method. The features of this method include good atom-economy, multiple roles of the nucleophile, and a simple catalytic system that enables the precise magnesiation of an α-C(Ar)-O bond and arylation of a β-C(Ar)-O bond.

A group of L-type lectin receptor kinases function redundantly in mediating extracellular NAD(P) signaling in Arabidopsis

An Arabidopsis mutant lacking several L-type lectin receptor kinases shows severely reduced NAD(P)-induced local and systemic immunity and biological induction of systemic acquired resistance.

Longitudinal mediation effect of hassles between neuroticism and dimensions of the tripartite model in college students

This study addresses a gap in the literature by exploring the longitudinal effects of hassles in mediating the relationship between neuroticism and the tripartite model of depression and anxiety. The research investigates these associations in a large sample of university students, utilising baseline and 6-month follow-up data. Initial assessments involved participants completing measures for neuroticism, depression and anxiety symptoms, and the occurrence of stress, followed by monthly assessments of stress, anxiety symptom and mood symptoms over a 6-month period. Our results illuminate the mediating role of daily hassles in the relationship between neuroticism and various dimensions of anxiety and depression, including general distress, specific depression, and anxiety symptoms. These findings underscore the significant impact of neuroticism and hassles on a broad spectrum of mood symptoms, offering valuable insights for both research and clinical practice. Discussions around the implications of these findings are provided in the our paper, where we also outline potential directions for future research and clinical applications.

Selective Ring-Opening Amination of Isochromans and Tetrahydroisoquinolines

The molecular structure-editing through selective C-C bond cleavage allows for the precise modification of molecular structures and opens up new possibilities in chemical synthesis. By strategically cleaving C-C bonds and editing the molecular structure, more efficient and versatile pathways for the synthesis of complex compounds could be designed, which brings significant implications for drug development and materials science. o-Aminophenethyl alcohols and amines are the essential key motifs in bioactive and functional material molecules. The traditional synthesis of these compounds usually requires multiple steps which could generate inseparable isomers and induce low efficiencies. By leveraging a molecular editing strategy, we herein reported a selective ring-opening amination of isochromans and tetrahydroisoquinolines for the efficient synthesis of o-aminophenethyl alcohols and amines. This innovative chemistry allows for the precise cleavage of C-C bonds under mild transition metal-free conditions. Notably, further synthetic application demonstrated that our method could provide an efficient approach to essential components of diverse bioactive molecules.

Transbronchial Lung Cryobiopsies, Transbronchial Forceps Lung Biopsies, and Surgical Lung Biopsies in Mechanically Ventilated Patients with Acute Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure: A Retrospective Cohort Study

IMPORTANCE

Lung biopsies are sometimes performed in mechanically ventilated patients with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure (AHRF) of unknown etiology to guide patient management. While surgical lung biopsies (SLB) offer high diagnostic rates, they may also cause significant complications. Transbronchial forceps lung biopsies (TBLB) are less invasive but often produce non-contributive specimens. Transbronchial lung cryobiopsies (TBLC) yield specimens of potentially better quality than TBLB, but due to their novel implementation in the intensive care unit (ICU), their accuracy and safety are still unclear.

OBJECTIVES

Our main objective was to evaluate the risk of adverse events in patients with AHRF following the three biopsy techniques. Our secondary objectives were to assess the diagnostic yield and associated modifications of patient management of each technique.

DESIGN, SETTINGS AND PARTICIPANTS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study comparing TBLC, TBLB, and SLB in mechanically ventilated patients with AHRF.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

The primary outcome was the proportion of patients with at least one complication, and secondary outcomes included complication rates, diagnostic yields, treatment modifications, and mortality.

RESULTS

Of the 26 patients who underwent lung biopsies from 2018 to 2022, all TBLC and SLB patients and 60% of TBLB patients had at least one complication. TBLC patients had higher unadjusted numbers of total and severe complications, but also worse Sequential Organ Failure Assessment scores and P/F ratios. A total of 25 biopsies (25/26, 96%) provided histopathological diagnoses, 88% (22/25) of which contributed to patient management. ICU mortality was high for all modalities (63% for TBLC, 60% for TBLB and 50% for SLB).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

All biopsy methods had high diagnostic yields and the great majority contributed to patient management; however, complication rates were elevated. Further research is needed to determine which patients may benefit from lung biopsies and to determine the best biopsy modality.

EGCG suppresses PD-1 expression of T cells via inhibiting NF-κB phosphorylation and nuclear translocation

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is an important tea polyphenol with anti-tumor potential. Our previous studies revealed that EGCG was a promising immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) as it could downregulate expression of programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) in tumor cells, thereby resulting tumor killing effect. In particular, EGCG can effectively avoid the inflammatory storm caused by anti-tumor therapy, which is a healthy green capacity absent from many ICIs. However, the relationship between EGCG and programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) of T cells remains unclear. In this work, we explored the effect of EGCG on T cells and found that EGCG suppressed PD-1 via inhibiting NF-κB phosphorylation and nuclear translocation. Furtherly, the capability of EGCG was confirmed in tumor-bearing mice to inhibit PD-1 expression in T cells and enhance apoptosis in tumor cells. These results implied that EGCG could inhibit the expression of PD-1 in T cells, thereby promoting anti-tumor effects of T cells. EGCG will be a promising candidate in anti-tumor therapy.

A novel engineered IL-21 receptor arms T-cell receptor-engineered T cells (TCR-T cells) against hepatocellular carcinoma

Strategies to improve T cell therapy efficacy in solid tumors such as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are urgently needed. The common cytokine receptor γ chain (γc) family cytokines such as IL-2, IL-7, IL-15 and IL-21 play fundamental roles in T cell development, differentiation and effector phases. This study aims to determine the combination effects of IL-21 in T cell therapy against HCC and investigate optimized strategies to utilize the effect of IL-21 signal in T cell therapy. The antitumor function of AFP-specific T cell receptor-engineered T cells (TCR-T) was augmented by exogenous IL-21 in vitro and in vivo. IL-21 enhanced proliferation capacity, promoted memory differentiation, downregulated PD-1 expression and alleviated apoptosis in TCR-T after activation. A novel engineered IL-21 receptor was established, and TCR-T armed with the novel engineered IL-21 receptors (IL-21R-TCR-T) showed upregulated phosphorylated STAT3 expression without exogenous IL-21 ligand. IL-21R-TCR-T showed better proliferation upon activation and superior antitumor function in vitro and in vivo. IL-21R-TCR-T exhibited a less differentiated, exhausted and apoptotic phenotype than conventional TCR-T upon repetitive tumor antigen stimulation. The novel IL-21 receptor in our study programs powerful TCR-T and can avoid side effects induced by IL-21 systemic utilization. The novel IL-21 receptor creates new opportunities for next-generation TCR-T against HCC.

Integrative analysis of single-nucleus RNA-seq and bulk RNA-seq reveals germline cells development dynamics and niches in the Pacific oyster gonad

Gametogenesis drives the maturation of germ cell precursors into functional gametes, facilitated by interactions with the niche environment. However, the molecular mechanisms, especially in invertebrates, remain incompletely understood. In this study, the gonadal microenvironment and gametogenic processes in the Pacific oyster, a model for diffuse gonadal organization and periodic gametogenesis, are investigated. We combine single-nucleus RNA-seq and bulk RNA-seq to analyze gonadal microenvironments in oysters. Twenty-three male and nineteen female gonadal cell clusters are identified, revealing four male and three female germ cell types, alongside follicular cells in females and Sertoli/Leydig cells in males. The NOTCH and BMP (bone morphogenetic protein) signaling pathways play a significant role in the male germline niche, suggesting similarities with mammalian germ cell microenvironment. This study offers valuable insights into germ cell developmental transitions and microenvironmental characteristics.

Tea polyphenol-engineered hybrid cellular nanovesicles for cancer immunotherapy and androgen deprivation therapy

Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is a crucial and effective strategy for prostate cancer, while systemic administration may cause profound side effects on normal tissues. More importantly, the ADT can easily lead to resistance by involving the activation of NF-κB signaling pathway and high infiltration of M2 macrophages in tumor microenvironment (TME). Herein, we developed a biomimetic nanotherapeutic platform by deriving cell membrane nanovesicles from cancer cells and probiotics to yield the hybrid cellular nanovesicles (hNVs), loading flutamide (Flu) into the resulting hNVs, and finally modifying the hNVs@Flu with Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). In this nanotherapeutic platform, the hNVs significantly improved the accumulation of hNVs@Flu-EGCG in tumor sites and reprogramed immunosuppressive M2 macrophages into antitumorigenic M1 macrophages, the Flu acted on androgen receptors and inhibited tumor proliferation, and the EGCG promoted apoptosis of prostate cancer cells by inhibiting the NF-κB pathway, thus synergistically stimulating the antitumor immunity and reducing the side effects and resistance of ADT. In a prostate cancer mouse model, the hNVs@Flu-EGCG significantly extended the lifespan of mice with tumors and led to an 81.78% reduction in tumor growth compared with the untreated group. Overall, the hNVs@Flu-EGCG are safe, modifiable, and effective, thus offering a promising platform for effective therapeutics of prostate cancer.

KLRB1 defines an activated phenotype of CD4+ T cells and shows significant upregulation in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the role of KLRB1 (CD161) in human CD4+ T cells and elucidate its significance in primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS).

METHODS

Peripheral blood samples from 37 healthy controls and 44 pSS patients were collected. The publicly available single-cell RNA-Seq data from pSS patient PBMCs were utilized to analyse KLRB1 expression in T cells. KLRB1-expressing T lymphocyte subset proportions in pSS patients and healthy controls were determined by flow cytometry. CD25, Ki-67, cytokine secretion, and chemokine receptor expression in CD4+ KLRB1+ T cells were detected and compared with those in CD4+ KLRB1- T cells. Correlation analysis was conducted between KLRB1-related T-cell subsets and clinical indicators. ROC curves were generated to explore the diagnostic potential of KLRB1 for pSS.

RESULTS

KLRB1 was significantly upregulated following T-cell activation, and Ki-67 and CD25 expression was significantly greater in CD4+ KLRB1+ T cells than in CD4+ KLRB1- T cells. KLRB1+ CD4+ T cells exhibited greater IL-17A, IL-21, IL-22, and IFN-γ secretion upon stimulation, and there were significantly greater proportions of CCR5+, CCR2+, CX3CR1+, CCR6+, and CXCR3+ cells among CD4+ KLRB1+ T cells than among CD4+ KLRB1- T cells. Compared with that in HCs, KLRB1 expression in CD4+ T cells was markedly elevated in pSS patients and significantly correlated with clinical disease indicators.

CONCLUSION

KLRB1 is a characteristic molecule of the CD4+ T-cell activation phenotype. The increased expression of KLRB1 in the CD4+ T cells of pSS patients suggests its potential involvement in the pathogenesis of pSS and its utility as an auxiliary diagnostic marker for pSS.

Activation of CTU2 expression by LXR promotes the development of hepatocellular carcinoma

Cytosolic thiouridylase 2 (CTU2) is an enzyme modifying transfer RNAs post-transcriptionally, which has been implicated in breast cancer and melanoma development. And we found CTU2 participated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression here. HepG2 cells as well as xenograft nude mice model were employed to investigate the role of CTU2 in HCC development in vitro and in vivo respectively. Further, we defined CTU2 as a Liver X receptor (LXR) targeted gene, with a typical LXR element in the CTU2 promoter. CTU2 expression was activated by LXR agonist and depressed by LXR knockout. Interestingly, we also found CTU2 took part in lipogenesis by directly enhancing the synthesis of lipogenic proteins, which provided a novel mechanism for LXR regulating lipid synthesis. Meanwhile, lipogenesis was active during cell proliferation, particularly in tumor cells. Reduction of CTU2 expression was related to reduced tumor burden and synergized anti-tumor effect of LXR ligands by inducing tumor cell apoptosis and inhibiting cell proliferation. Taken together, our study identified CTU2 as an LXR target gene. Inhibition of CTU2 expression could enhance the anti-tumor effect of LXR ligand in HCC, identifying CTU2 as a promising target for HCC treatment and providing a novel strategy for the application of LXR agonists in anti-tumor effect.

Exploration of cell-cell interactions and the notch signaling pathway in the gonadal niche of Crassostrea gigas

The Notch signaling pathway plays a pivotal role in governing cell fate determinations within the gonadal niche. This study provides an extensive elucidation of the male and female gonadal niches within Crassostrea gigas. Examination via transmission electron microscopy revealed the presence of desmosome-like connection not only between germ cells and niche cells but also among adjacent niche cells within the oyster gonad. Transcriptomic analysis identified several putative Notch pathway components, including CgJAG1, CgNOTCH1, CgSuh, and CgHey1. Phylogenetic analysis indicated a close evolutionary relationship between CgJAG1, CgNOTCH1, and CgHey1 and Notch members present in Drosophila. Expression profiling results indicated a notable abundance of CgHey1 in the gonads, while CgJAG1 and CgNOTCH1 displayed distinct expression patterns associated with sexual dimorphism. In situ hybridization findings corroborated the predominant expression of CgJAG1 in male niche cells, while CgNOTCH1 was expressed in both male and female germ cells, as well as female niche cells. These findings demonstrate the important role of the Notch signaling pathway in the gonadal niche of oysters.

Electron-Rich Ru Supported on N-Doped Coffee Biochar for Selective Reductive Amination of Furfural to Furfurylamine

Highly selective synthesis of primary amines from renewable biomass has attracted increasing attention, but it still faces great challenges in chemical industry applications. In this study, an electron-rich Ru catalyst was constructed by doping N into coffee biochar using a one-pot carbonization method (Ru/NCB-600). Ru/NCB-600 showed high catalytic activity and yield for the reductive amination of furfural with green and cheap NH3 and H2. The excellent catalytic performance of Ru/NCB-600 was closely correlated to the formation of electron-rich Ruδ- species (Ruδ--Nxδ+), which endowed Ru/NCB-600 with an enhanced H2 adsorption and activation ability. Ru/NCB-600 showed a high formation rate of 95.6 gfurfurylamine·gRu-1·h-1 and a high yield of furfurylamine (98.6%) at 50 °C. Ru/NCB-600 can also be used for the reductive amination of various carbonyl compounds in good to excellent yield (95.4-99%). This study thus provides a potential pathway for the highly selective reductive amination of carbonyl compounds by regulating the electron density of Ru.

Inorganic carbon limitation decreases ammonium removal and N2O production in the algae-nitrifying bacteria symbiosis system

Ammonium removal by a symbiosis system of algae (Chlorella vulgaris) and nitrifying bacteria was evaluated in a long-term photo-sequencing batch reactor under varying influent inorganic carbon (IC) concentrations (15, 10, 5 and 2.5 mmol L-1) and different nitrogen loading rate (NLR) conditions (270 and 540 mg-N L-1 d-1). The IC/N ratios provided were 2.33, 1.56, 0.78 and 0.39, respectively, for an influent NH4+-N concentration of 90 mg-N L-1 (6.43 mmol L-1). The results confirmed that both ammonium removal and N2O production were positively related with IC concentration. Satisfactory ammonium removal efficiencies (>98 %) and rates (29-34 mg-N gVSS-1 h-1) were achieved regardless of NLR levels under sufficient IC of 10 and 15 mmol L-1, while insufficient IC at 2.5 mmol L-1 led to the lowest ammonium removal rates of 0 mg-N gVSS-1 h-1. The ammonia oxidation process by ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) played a predominant role over the algae assimilation process in ammonium removal. Long-time IC deficiency also resulted in the decrease in biomass and pigments of algae and nitrifying bacteria. IC limitation led to the decreasing N2O production, probably due to its negative effect on ammonia oxidation by AOB. The optimal IC concentration was determined to be 10 mmol L-1 (i.e., IC/N of 1.56, alkalinity of 500 mg CaCO3 L-1) in the algae-bacteria symbiosis reactor, corresponding to higher ammonia oxidation rate of ∼41 mg-N gVSS-1 h-1 and lower N2O emission factor of 0.13 %. This suggests regulating IC concentrations to achieve high ammonium removal and low carbon emission simultaneously in the algae-bacteria symbiosis wastewater treatment process.

Novel small molecule DMAMCL induces differentiation in rhabdomyosarcoma by downregulating of DLL1

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), a mesenchymal tumor occurring in the soft tissue of children, is associated with a defect in differentiation. This study unveils a novel anti-tumor mechanism of dimethylaminomicheliolide (DMAMCL), which is a water-soluble derivative of Micheliolide. First, we demonstrate that DMAMCL inhibits RMS cell growth without obvious cell death, leading to morphological alterations, enhanced expression of muscle differentiation markers, and a shift from a malignant to a more benign metabolic phenotype. Second, we detected decreased expression of DLL1 in RMS cells after DMAMCL treatment, known as a pivotal ligand in the Notch signaling pathway. Downregulation of DLL1 inhibits RMS cell growth and induces morphological changes similar to the effects of DMAMCL. Furthermore, DMAMCL treatment or loss of DLL1 expression also inhibits RMS xenograft tumor growth and augmented the expression of differentiation markers. Surprisingly, in C2C12 cells DMAMCL treatment or DLL1 downregulation also induces cell growth inhibition and an elevation in muscle differentiation marker expression. These data indicated that DMAMCL induced RMS differentiation and DLL1 is an important factor for RMS differentiation, opening a new window for the clinical use of DMAMCL as an agent for differentiation-inducing therapy for RMS treatment.

Quality evaluation of clinical practice guidelines for placenta accreta spectrum disorders

Introduction

We evaluated the quality of the published clinical practice guidelines on placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) disorders to provide reference for the development of high-quality PAS guidelines.

Methods

China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wan Fang, PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library were systematically searched. Quality assessments were conducted using the appraisal of guidelines for research and evaluation (AGREE) II framework and Reporting Items for practice Guidelines in Healthcare (RIGHT) checklist. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were used to measure the agreement among reviewers.

Results

In total, 13 guidelines from different countries, published between 2015 and 2021 were included. There included 9 official guidelines, 3 consensuses, and 1 standard reference and covered subjects including epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment. The mean standardized scores across 6 domains (scope and purpose, stakeholder involvement, rigor of development, clarity of presentation, applicability, and editorial independence) were 53.63%, 27.35%, 33.57%, 72.01%, 19.39% and 41.02%, respectively. Of the 13 guidelines, 11 were classified as grade B, whereas 2 as grade C. According to the RIGHT checklist, the overall reporting rate of the 13 guidelines ranged from 28.57% to 54.29%.

Conclusion

The current guidelines for PAS demonstrate commendable methodological and reporting qualities. However, the methodological and reporting quality of PAS CPGs still need to be further improved, particularly in stakeholder involvement, the rigor of development, applicability, and editorial independence domains.

Biological effects of perfluoroalkyl substances on running water ecosystems: A case study in Beiluo River, China

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are emerging contaminants that pose a threat to the biodiversity of the Beiluo River, a polluted watercourse on the Loess Plateau impacted by diverse human activities. However, the occurrence, spatial distribution, and substitution characteristics of PFASs in this region remain unclear. This study aimed to unravel PFAS distribution patterns and their impact on the aquatic ecosystems of the Beiluo River Basin. The total PFAS concentration in the area ranged from 16.64-35.70 ng/L, with predominantly perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) and perfluorosulfonic acids (PFSAs), collectively contributing 94%. The Mantel test revealed threats to aquatic communities from both legacy long-chain (perfluorooctanoic acid and sodium perfluorooctane sulfonic acid) and emerging (6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonic acid, 2-Perfluorohexyl ethanoic acid, and hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (Gen-X)) PFSAs. The canonical correspondence analysis ordination indicated that trace quantities of emerging PFASs, specifically 2-Perfluorohexyl ethanoic acid and hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (Gen-X), significantly influenced geographical variations in aquatic communities. In conclusion, this study underscores the importance of comprehensively exploring the ecological implications and potential risks associated with PFASs in the Beiluo River Basin.

cAMP-Mediated CREM-MITF-TYR Axis Regulates Melanin Synthesis in Pacific Oysters

Colorful shells in bivalves are mostly caused by the presence of biological pigments, among which melanin is a key component in the formation of shell colours. Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) is an important messenger in the regulation of pigmentation in some species. However, the role of cAMP in bivalve melanogenesis has not yet been reported. In this study, we performed in vitro and in vivo experiments to determine the role of cAMP in regulating melanogenesis in Pacific oysters. Besides, the function of cAMP-responsive element modulator (CREM) and the interactions between CREM and melanogenic genes were investigated. Our results showed that a high level of cAMP promotes the expression of melanogenic genes in Pacific oysters. CREM controls the expression of the MITF gene under cAMP regulation. In addition, CREM can regulate melanogenic gene expression, tyrosine metabolism, and melanin synthesis. These results indicate that cAMP plays an important role in the regulation of melanogenesis in Pacific oysters. CREM is a key transcription factor in the oyster melanin synthesis pathway, which plays a crucial role in oyster melanin synthesis through a cAMP-mediated CREM-MITF-TYR axis.

Extraordinary Polarization and Thickness Dependences of Photocarrier Dynamics in PdSe2 Ribbons

Pentagonal palladium diselenide (PdSe2) stands out for its exceptional optoelectronic properties, including high carrier mobility, tunable bandgap, and anisotropic electronic and optical responses. Herein, we systematically investigate photocarrier dynamics in PdSe2 ribbons using polarization-resolved optical pump-probe spectroscopy. In thin PdSe2 ribbons with a semiconductor phase, the photocarrier dynamics are found to be dominated by intraband hot-carrier cooling, interband recombination, and the exciton effect, showing weak crystalline orientation dependences. Conversely, in thick semimetal-phase PdSe2 ribbons, the photocarrier relaxations governed by the electron-optical/acoustic phonon scattering strongly depend on the sample orientation, albeit with a degradation in in-plane anisotropy following hot-carrier cooling. Furthermore, we analyze the correlations between photocarrier dynamics and anisotropic energy dispersions of electronic structures across a wide range in k space, as well as the contributions from the anisotropic electron-phonon couplings. Our study provides crucial insights for developing polarization-sensitive photoelectronic devices based on PdSe2.

Tailoring the interfacial microenvironment of magnetic metal-organic frameworks using amino-acid-based ionic liquids for lipase immobilization

Modifying the carrier interface is a promising method to improve the microenvironment of immobilized enzymes and enhance their activity and stability. In this work, using proline as amino acid, magnetic metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) were modified with an amino-acid-based ionic liquid (AAIL) with two hydroxyl groups followed by adsorption of porcine pancreatic lipase (PPL). The activity recovery of the prepared immobilized lipase (MMOF-AAIL/PPL) was up to 162 % higher than that of MMOF-PPL (70.8 %). The Michaelis constant of MMOF-AAIL/PPL was 0.0742 mM lower than that of MMOF-PPL, but the catalytic efficiency was 0.0223 min-1 which was higher than MMOF-PPL. Furthermore, MMOF-AAIL/PPL maintained 85.6 % residual activity after stored for 40 days and its residual activity was 71.9 % while that for MMOF-PPL was 58.8 % after incubated in 6 M urea for 2 h. Particularly, after ten consecutive cycles, the residual activity of MMOF-AAIL/PPL still reached 84.4 %. In addition, the magnetic properties of the support facilitate the separation process which improves the utilization efficiency of immobilized enzymes.

Gold-catalyzed endo-selective Ring-opening of Epoxides and its Application in Construction of Poly-ethers

Tetrahydropyran and tetrahydropyran-fused poly-ethers scaffolds are found in many classes of natural products and medicinally relevant small molecules. Here we describe a catalytic system for 6-endo selective ring-opening of epoxides by Au(I) or Au(III) catalyst that provides rapid access to various tetrahydropyran-derived motifs. It also could efficiently construct the subunits of marine ladder-like poly-ethers through emulating the Nakanishi's hypothesis on the biosynthesis of these toxins. The synthetic utility of this method is also demonstrated in the preparation of the tricyclic core of tetrahydropyran-containing macrolide natural products lituarines A-C.

Single and combined toxic effects of nCu and nSiO2 on Dunaliella salina

There are many studies on the toxic effects of single nanoparticles on microalgae; however, many types of nanoparticles are present in the ocean, and more studies on the combined toxic effects of multiple nanoparticles on microalgae are needed. The single and combined toxic effects of nCu and nSiO2 on Dunaliella salina were investigated through changes in instantaneous fluorescence rate (Ft) and antioxidant parameters during 96-h growth inhibition tests. It was found that the toxic effect of nCu on D. salina was greater than that of nSiO2, and both showed time and were dose-dependent with the greatest growth inhibition at 96 h. A total of 0.5 mg/L nCu somewhat promoted the growth of microalgae, but 4.5 and 5.5 mg/L nCu showed negative growth effects on microalgae. The Ft of D. salina was also inhibited by increasing concentrations of nanoparticles and exposure time. nCu suppressed the synthesis of TP and elevated the MDA content of D. salina, which indicated the lipid peroxidation of algal cells. The activities of SOD and CAT showed a trend of increasing and then decreasing with the increase of nCu concentration, suggesting that the enzyme activity first increased and then decreased. The toxic effect of a high concentration of nCu was reduced after the addition of nSiO2. SEM and EDS images showed that nSiO2 could adsorb nCu in seawater. nSiO2 also adsorbed Cu2+ in the cultures, thus reducing the toxic effect of nCu on D. salina to a certain extent. TEM image was used to observe the morphology of algal cells exposed to nCu.

The classical D1 dopamine receptor antagonist SCH23390 is a functional sigma-1 receptor allosteric modulator

SCH23390 is a widely used D1 dopamine receptor (D1R) antagonist that also elicits some D1R-independent effects. We previously found that the benzazepine, SKF83959, an analog of SCH23390, produces positive allosteric modulation of the Sigma-1 receptor (Sig1R). SCH23390 does not bind to the orthodoxic site of Sig1R but enhances the binding of 3H (+)-pentazocine to Sig1R. In this study, we investigated whether SCH23390 functions as an allosteric modulator of Sig1R. We detected increased Sig1R dissociation from binding immunoglobulin protein (BiP) and translocation of Sig1R to the plasma membrane in response to SCH23390 in transfected HEK293T and SH-SY5Y cells, respectively. Activation of Sig1R by SCH23390 was further confirmed by inhibition of GSK3β activity in a time- and dose-dependent manner; this effect was blocked by pretreatment with the Sig1R antagonist, BD1047, and by knockdown of Sig1R. SCH23390 also inhibited GSK3β in wild-type mice but not in Sig1R knockout mice. Finally, we showed that SCH23390 allosterically modulated the effect of the Sig1R agonist SKF10047 on inhibition of GSK3β. This positive allosteric effect of SCH23390 was further confirmed via promotion of neuronal protection afforded by SKF10047 in primary cortical neurons challenged with MPP+. These results provide the first evidence that SCH23390 elicits functional allosteric modulation of Sig1R. Our findings not only reveal novel pharmacological effects of SCH23390 but also indicate a potential mechanism for SCH23390-mediated D1R-independent effects. Therefore, attention should be paid to these Sig1R-mediated effects when explaining pharmacological responses to SCH23390.

Insights into enhanced immobilization of uranyl carbonate from seawater by Fe-doped MXene

Extracting uranium from seawater not only reduces radioactive contamination in seawater but also provides a source of uranium energy. However, due to the low concentration of uranium in seawater and the high salinity of seawater, extraction of uranium from seawater is challenging. In this work, we demonstrated a simple strategy to synthesize Fe-doped MXene (Fe@Ti3C2Tx) via a hydrothermal method and applied for uranium enrichment in seawater. The Fe@Ti3C2Tx exhibited excellent adsorption performance in high salinity environments. The removal capacity of Fe@Ti3C2Tx was determined to be 526.6 mg/g for UO2(CO3)22- at 328 K with quick reaction equilibrium (∼ 30 min). Kinetic and thermodynamic analyses of UO2(CO3)22- elimination process on Fe@Ti3C2Tx surface revealed it to be a spontaneous and endothermic single-phase elimination process. FT-IR and XPS analyses further indicated that the removal mechanism of UO2(CO3)22- by Fe@Ti3C2Tx was surface complexation. Our study suggests that Fe@Ti3C2Tx can provide a feasible solution for uranium enrichment in seawater.

Quantitative measurement of acute myocardial infarction cardiac biomarkers by "All-in-One" immune microfluidic chip for early diagnosis of myocardial infarction

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a life-threatening condition with a narrow treatment window, necessitating rapid and accurate diagnostic methods. We present an "all-in-one" convenient and rapid immunoassay system that combines microfluidic technology with a colloidal gold immunoassay. A degassing-driven chip replaces a bulky external pump, resulting in a user-friendly and easy-to-operate immunoassay system. The chip comprises four units: an inlet reservoir, an immunoreaction channel, a waste pool, and an immunocomplex collection chamber, allowing single-channel flow for rapid and accurate AMI biomarker detection. In this study, we focused on cardiac troponin I (cTnI). With a minimal sample of just 4 μL and a total detection time of under 3 min, the chip enabled a quantitative visual analysis of cTnI concentration within a range of 0.5 ∼ 60.0 ng mL-1. This all-in-one integrated microfluidic chip with colloidal gold immunoassay offers a promising solution for rapid AMI diagnosis. The system's portability, small sample requirement, and quantitative visual detection capabilities make it a valuable tool for AMI diagnostics.

Molecular characterization of transcription factor CREB3L2 and CREB3L3 and their role in melanogenesis in Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas)

Colorful shells in mollusks are commonly attributable to the presence of biological pigments. In Pacific oysters, the inheritance patterns of several shell colors have been investigated, but little is known about the molecular mechanisms of melanogenesis and pigmentation. cAMP-response element binding proteins (CREB) are important transcription factors in the cAMP-mediated melanogenesis pathway. In this study, we characterized two CREB genes (CREB3L2 and CREB3L3) from Pacific oysters. Both of them contained a conserved DNA-binding and dimerization domain (a basic-leucine zipper domain). CREB3L2 and CREB3L3 were expressed highly in the mantle tissues and exhibited higher expression levels in the black-shell oyster than in the white. Masson-Fontana melanin staining and immunofluorescence analysis showed that the location of CREB3L2 protein was generally consistent with the distribution of melanin in oyster edge mantle. Dual-luciferase reporter assays revealed that CREB3L2 and CREB3L3 could activate the microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) promoter and this process was regulated by the level of cAMP. Additionally, we found that cAMP regulated melanogenic gene expression through the CREB-MITF-TYR axis. These results implied that CREB3L2 and CREB3L3 play important roles in melanin synthesis and pigmentation in Pacific oysters.

Polymerized and Colloidal Ionic Liquids─Syntheses and Applications

The breadth and importance of polymerized ionic liquids (PILs) are steadily expanding, and this review updates advances and trends in syntheses, properties, and applications over the past five to six years. We begin with an historical overview of the genesis and growth of the PIL field as a subset of materials science. The genesis of ionic liquids (ILs) over nano to meso length-scales exhibiting 0D, 1D, 2D, and 3D topologies defines colloidal ionic liquids, CILs, which compose a subclass of PILs and provide a synthetic bridge between IL monomers (ILMs) and micro to macro-scale PIL materials. The second focus of this review addresses design and syntheses of ILMs and their polymerization reactions to yield PILs and PIL-based materials. A burgeoning diversity of ILMs reflects increasing use of nonimidazolium nuclei and an expanding use of step-growth chemistries in synthesizing PIL materials. Radical chain polymerization remains a primary method of making PILs and reflects an increasing use of controlled polymerization methods. Step-growth chemistries used in creating some CILs utilize extensive cross-linking. This cross-linking is enabled by incorporating reactive functionalities in CILs and PILs, and some of these CILs and PILs may be viewed as exotic cross-linking agents. The third part of this update focuses upon some advances in key properties, including molecular weight, thermal properties, rheology, ion transport, self-healing, and stimuli-responsiveness. Glass transitions, critical solution temperatures, and liquidity are key thermal properties that tie to PIL rheology and viscoelasticity. These properties in turn modulate mechanical properties and ion transport, which are foundational in increasing applications of PILs. Cross-linking in gelation and ionogels and reversible step-growth chemistries are essential for self-healing PILs. Stimuli-responsiveness distinguishes PILs from many other classes of polymers, and it emphasizes the importance of segmentally controlling and tuning solvation in CILs and PILs. The fourth part of this review addresses development of applications, and the diverse scope of such applications supports the increasing importance of PILs in materials science. Adhesion applications are supported by ionogel properties, especially cross-linking and solvation tunable interactions with adjacent phases. Antimicrobial and antifouling applications are consequences of the cationic nature of PILs. Similarly, emulsion and dispersion applications rely on tunable solvation of functional groups and on how such groups interact with continuous phases and substrates. Catalysis is another significant application, and this is an historical tie between ILs and PILs. This component also provides a connection to diverse and porous carbon phases templated by PILs that are catalysts or serve as supports for catalysts. Devices, including sensors and actuators, also rely on solvation tuning and stimuli-responsiveness that include photo and electrochemical stimuli. We conclude our view of applications with 3D printing. The largest components of these applications are energy related and include developments for supercapacitors, batteries, fuel cells, and solar cells. We conclude with our vision of how PIL development will evolve over the next decade.

Effect of pre-treatments and frying conditions on the formation of starch-lipid complex in potato starch chips during deep-frying process

This study examined the influence of various pretreatment methods, frying durations, and temperatures, as well as the type of frying oil, on the formation and structure of starch-lipid complexes in fried potato chips. Potato starch was processed into dough, sliced, and subjected to deep frying following various pretreatments. Structural analysis showed that steaming as a pretreatment facilitated the generation of V-type starch-lipid complexes, whereas resistant starch type III (RS3) materialized in the desiccated samples instead of the anticipated complexes. The rate of starch-lipid complex formation initially surged but subsequently declined as treatment time increased. A reduction in treatment temperature from 190 °C to 170 °C was conducive to complex formation. Moreover, the maximum relative crystallinity (19.74 %) and ΔH value (7.76 J/g) were recorded for potato starch slices pretreated by steaming and frying in palm oil. Rapeseed oil, which is rich in unsaturated fatty acids (89.98 %), inhibits complex formation. The study concludes that pretreatment methods exert a substantial effect on the formation of starch-lipid complexes and that extended frying duration and elevated temperature may reduce this formation. Oils with longer-chain fatty acids and a lower degree of unsaturation were favorable for complex formation.

Impact of Flammulina velutipes polysaccharide on properties and structural changes of pork myofibrillar protein during the gel process in the absence or presence of oxidation

The present study aimed to investigate the impact of Flammulina velutipes polysaccharide (FVSP) on the rheological properties and structural alterations of myofibrillar protein (MP) and oxidized MP (OMP), utilizing techniques such as rhehometer, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). In the unoxidized system, the addition of 5.00% FVSP significantly improved (p < 0.05) the storage and loss moduli of the composite gel and promoted the α-helix to β-sheet transformation. These effects enhanced the protein's gel strength and water-holding capacity (WHC). In the oxidation system, 5.00% FVSP had significant effects (p < 0.05) on repair and improvement of the oxidized MP. These effects inhibited the cross-linking aggregation and degradation of the protein. In addition, the addition of FVSP significantly improved the gel properties of MPs after oxidation (p < 0.05), hindered fracture of the protein gel network structure. In summary, polysaccharides have a substantial effect on the functional characteristics of MP, and FVSP could potentially be applied in meat products.

Remote Ischemic Conditioning With Medical Management or Reperfusion Therapy for Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Remote ischemic conditioning (RIC) is a low-cost, accessible, and noninvasive neuroprotective treatment strategy, but its efficacy and safety in acute ischemic stroke are controversial. With the publication of several randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and the recent results of the RESIST trial, it may be possible to identify the patient population that may (or may not) benefit from RIC. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of RIC in patients with ischemic stroke receiving different treatments by pooling data of all randomized controlled studies to date.

METHODS

We searched the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, Elsevier, and Web of Science databases to obtain articles in all languages from inception until May 25, 2023. The primary outcome was the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score at the specified endpoint time in the trial. The secondary outcomes were change in NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and recurrence of stroke events. The safety outcomes were cardiovascular events, cerebral hemorrhage, and mortality. The quality of articles was evaluated through the Cochrane risk assessment tool. This study was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023430073).

RESULTS

There were 7,657 patients from 22 RCTs included. Compared with the control group, patients who received RIC did not have improved mRS functional outcomes, regardless of whether they received medical management, reperfusion therapy with intravenous thrombolysis (IVT), or mechanical thrombectomy (MT). In the medical management group, patients who received RIC had decreased incidence of stroke recurrence (risk ratio 0.63, 95% CI 0.43-0.92, p = 0.02) and lower follow-up NIHSS score by 1.72 points compared with the control group (p < 0.00001). There was no increased risk of adverse events including death or cerebral hemorrhage in the IVT or medical management group.

DISCUSSION

In patients with ischemic stroke who are not eligible for reperfusion therapy, RIC did not affect mRS functional outcomes but significantly improved the NIHSS score at the follow-up endpoint and reduced stroke recurrence, without increasing the risk of cerebral hemorrhage or death. In patients who received IVT or MT, the benefit of RIC was not observed.

Centrosymmetry-Breaking Morphotropic Phase Boundary: A Pathway to Highly Sensitive and Strong Pressure-Responsive Nonlinear Optical Switches

The quest for high-performance piezoelectric materials has been synonymous with the pursuit of the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB), yet the full potential of MPBs remains largely untapped outside of the realm of ferroelectrics. In this study, we reveal a new class of MPB by creating continuous molecular-based solid solutions between centro- and noncentrosymmetric compounds, exemplified by (tert-butylammonium)1-x(tert-amylammonium)xFeCl4 (0 ≤ x ≤ 1), where the MPB is formed due to disorder of molecular cations. Near the MPB, we discovered an exceptionally sensitive nonlinear optical material in the centrosymmetric phase, capable of activation at pressures as low as 0.12-0.27 GPa, and producing tunable second-harmonic generation (SHG) signals from zero to 18.8 times that of KH2PO4 (KDP). Meanwhile, synchrotron diffraction experiments have unveiled a third competing phase (P212121) appearing at low pressure, forming a triple-phase point near the MPB, thereby providing insight into the mechanism underpinning the nonlinear optical (NLO) switch behavior. These findings highlight the opportunity to harness exceptional physical properties in symmetry-breaking solid solution systems by strategically designing novel MPBs.

Simultaneous Rapid Detection of Multiple Physicochemical Properties of Jet Fuel Using Near-Infrared Spectroscopy

Jet fuel is the primary fuel used in the aviation industry, and its quality has a direct impact on the safety and operational efficiency of aircraft. The accurate quantitative detection and analysis of various physicochemical property indicators are important for improving and ensuring the quality of jet fuel in the domestic market. This study used near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy to establish a suitable model for the simultaneous and rapid detection of multiple physicochemical properties in jet fuel. Using more than 40 different sources of jet fuel, a rapid detection model was established by optimizing the spectral processing methods. The measurement models were separately built using the partial least-squares (PLS) and orthogonal PLS algorithms, and the model parameters were optimized. The results show that after the Savitzky-Golay second derivative preprocessing, the PLS model built using the feature spectra selected by the uninformative variable elimination wavelength algorithm achieved the best measurement performance. Compared with the PLS model without preprocessing, the range of the resulting accuracy improvement was at least 15.01%. Under the optimal model parameters, the calibration set regression coefficient (Rc2) of the 11 jet fuel property index models ranged from 0.9102 to 0.9763, with the root-mean-square error of calibration values up to 0.8468 °C (for flash points). The regression coefficient (Rp2) of the validation set ranged from 0.8239 to 0.9557, with the root-mean-square error of prediction values up to 1.1354 °C (for flash points). The ratios of prediction to deviation (RPD) values were all in the range of 1.9-3.0, indicating high accuracy and reliability of the model. The rapid NIR analysis method established in this study enables the simultaneous and rapid detection of multiple physicochemical properties of jet fuel, thereby providing effective technical support for ensuring the quality of jet fuel in the market.

Thiamine-modified metabolic reprogramming of human pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocyte under space microgravity

During spaceflight, the cardiovascular system undergoes remarkable adaptation to microgravity and faces the risk of cardiac remodeling. Therefore, the effects and mechanisms of microgravity on cardiac morphology, physiology, metabolism, and cellular biology need to be further investigated. Since China started constructing the China Space Station (CSS) in 2021, we have taken advantage of the Shenzhou-13 capsule to send human pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hPSC-CMs) to the Tianhe core module of the CSS. In this study, hPSC-CMs subjected to space microgravity showed decreased beating rate and abnormal intracellular calcium cycling. Metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses revealed a battery of metabolic remodeling of hPSC-CMs in spaceflight, especially thiamine metabolism. The microgravity condition blocked the thiamine intake in hPSC-CMs. The decline of thiamine utilization under microgravity or by its antagonistic analog amprolium affected the process of the tricarboxylic acid cycle. It decreased ATP production, which led to cytoskeletal remodeling and calcium homeostasis imbalance in hPSC-CMs. More importantly, in vitro and in vivo studies suggest that thiamine supplementation could reverse the adaptive changes induced by simulated microgravity. This study represents the first astrobiological study on the China Space Station and lays a solid foundation for further aerospace biomedical research. These data indicate that intervention of thiamine-modified metabolic reprogramming in human cardiomyocytes during spaceflight might be a feasible countermeasure against microgravity.

Inhibition of GLUD1 mediated by LASP1 and SYVN1 contributes to hepatitis B virus X protein-induced hepatocarcinogenesis

Glutamate dehydrogenase 1 (GLUD1) is implicated in oncogenesis. However, little is known about the relationship between GLUD1 and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In the present study, we demonstrated that the expression levels of GLUD1 significantly decreased in tumors, which was relevant to the poor prognosis of HCC. Functionally, GLUD1 silencing enhanced the growth and migration of HCC cells. Mechanistically, the upregulation of interleukin-32 through AKT activation contributes to GLUD1 silencing-facilitated hepatocarcinogenesis. The interaction between GLUD1 and AKT, as well as α-ketoglutarate regulated by GLUD1, can suppress AKT activation. In addition, LIM and SH3 protein 1 (LASP1) interacts with GLUD1 and induces GLUD1 degradation via the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway, which relies on the E3 ubiquitin ligase synoviolin (SYVN1), whose interaction with GLUD1 is enhanced by LASP1. In hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related HCC, the HBV X protein (HBX) can suppress GLUD1 with the participation of LASP1 and SYVN1. Collectively, our data suggest that GLUD1 silencing is significantly associated with HCC development, and LASP1 and SYVN1 mediate the inhibition of GLUD1 in HCC, especially in HBV-related tumors.