Efficacy and Safety of Kuoxin Formula in the Treatment of Dilated Cardiomyopathy-Related Heart Failure: Study Protocol of a Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Multi-Center Clinical Trial

Background

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a severe heterogeneous cardiomyopathy characterized by cardiac enlargement and declining heart function, often leading to refractory heart failure and life-threatening outcomes, particularly prevalent in China. The challenge lies in the scarcity of targeted therapies with substantial efficacy for DCM. Additionally, traditional anti-heart failure drugs are constrained due to hypotension propensity or limited symptom improvement. Kuoxin Formula (KXF), internally endorsed at Longhua Hospital, demonstrates clear biological evidence for enhancing cardiac function and myocardial remodeling. Previous clinical studies suggest its potential to enhance patients' quality of life. This trial aims to further evaluate KXF's safety and efficacy in managing DCM-related heart failure.

Methods

This prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial aims to recruit 230 DCM patients from five centers. Participants will be randomly assigned to either KXF or placebo for 12 weeks, with careful monitoring of key indicators and adverse events. The primary outcome measures the proportion of patients with NT-proBNP reduction exceeding 30%. Secondary outcomes include New York Heart Association functional classification, Traditional Chinese Medicine syndrome scores, 6-minute walk test, Lee's heart failure score, and Minnesota Heart Failure Quality of Life Scale score. Ventricular remodeling will be assessed using cardiac ultrasound and ELISA. Safety metrics and adverse events will be meticulously recorded.

Discussion

This study will be the first multicentered research conducted in China that utilizes a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled design to investigate the use of TCM in the treatment of DCM. It seeks to develop new theoretical frameworks and provide solid clinical data to support the integration of TCM and modern medicine in treating heart failure in DCM patients.

Trial Registration

China Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR2300068937. Registered on March 1, 2023. https://www.chictr.org.cn/bin/project/edit?pid=190926.

The role of IFI16 in regulating PANoptosis and implication in heart diseases

Interferon Gamma Inducible Protein 16 (IFI16) belongs to the HIN-200 protein family and is pivotal in immunological responses. Serving as a DNA sensor, IFI16 identifies viral and aberrant DNA, triggering immune and inflammatory responses. It is implicated in diverse cellular death mechanisms, such as pyroptosis, apoptosis, and necroptosis. Notably, these processes are integral to the emergent concept of PANoptosis, which encompasses cellular demise and inflammatory pathways. Current research implies a significant regulatory role for IFI16 in PANoptosis, particularly regarding cardiac pathologies. This review delves into the complex interplay between IFI16 and PANoptosis in heart diseases, including atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, heart failure, and diabetic cardiomyopathy. It synthesizes evidence of IFI16's impact on PANoptosis, with the intention of providing novel insights for therapeutic strategies targeting heart diseases.

[Effect of LAG3 deficiency on natural killer cell function and hepatic fibrosis in mice infected with Echinococcus multilocularis]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of LAG-3 deficiency (LAG3-/-) on natural killer (NK) cell function and hepatic fibrosis in mice infected with Echinococcus multilocularis.

METHODS

C57BL/6 mice, each weighing (20 ± 2) g, were divided into the LAG3-/- and wild type (WT) groups, and each mouse in both groups was inoculated with 3 000 E. multilocularis protoscoleces via the hepatic portal vein. Mouse liver and spleen specimens were collected 12 weeks post-infection, sectioned and stained with sirius red, and the hepatic lesions and fibrosis were observed. Mouse hepatic and splenic lymphocytes were isolated, and flow cytometry was performed to detect the proportions of hepatic and splenic NK cells, the expression of CD44, CD25 and CD69 molecules on NK cell surface, and the secretion of interferon γ (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-4, IL-10 and IL-17A.

RESULTS

Sirius red staining showed widening of inflammatory cell bands and hyperplasia of fibrotic connective tissues around mouse hepatic lesions, as well as increased deposition of collagen fibers in the LAG3-/-group relative to the WT group. Flow cytometry revealed lower proportions of mouse hepatic (6.29% ± 1.06% vs. 11.91% ± 1.85%, P < 0.000 1) and splenic NK cells (4.44% ± 1.22% vs. 5.85% ± 1.10%, P > 0.05) in the LAG3-/- group than in the WT group, and the mean fluorescence intensity of CD44 was higher on the surface of mouse hepatic NK cells in the LAG3-/- group than in the WT group (t = -3.234, P < 0.01), while no significant differences were found in the mean fluorescence intensity of CD25 or CD69 on the surface of mouse hepaticNK cells between the LAG3-/- and WT groups (both P values > 0.05). There were significant differences between the LAG3-/- and WT groups in terms of the percentages of IFN-γ (t = -0.723, P > 0.05), TNF-α (t = -0.659, P > 0.05), IL-4 (t = -0.263, P > 0.05), IL-10 (t = -0.455, P > 0.05) or IL-17A secreted by mouse hepatic NK cells (t = 0.091, P > 0.05), and the percentage of IFN-γ secreted by mouse splenic NK cells was higher in the LAG3-/- group than in the WT group (58.40% ± 1.64% vs. 50.40% ± 4.13%; t = -4.042, P < 0.01); however, there were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of the proportions of TNF-α (t = -1.902, P > 0.05), IL-4 (t = -1.333, P > 0.05), IL-10 (t = -1.356, P > 0.05) or IL-17A secreted by mouse splenic NK cells (t = 0.529, P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

During the course of E. multilocularis infections, LAG3-/- promotes high-level secretion of IFN-γ by splenic NK cells, which may participate in the reversal the immune function of NK cells, resulting in aggravation of hepatic fibrosis.

Kinetically Controlled Synthesis of Metallic Glass Nanoparticles with Expanded Composition Space

Nanoscale metallic glasses offer opportunities for investigating fundamental properties of amorphous solids and technological applications in biomedicine, microengineering, and catalysis. However, their top-down fabrication is limited by bulk counterpart availability, and bottom-up synthesis remains underexplored due to strict formation conditions. Here, a kinetically controlled flash carbothermic reaction is developed, featuring ultrafast heating (>105 K s-1) and cooling rates (>104 K s-1), for synthesizing metallic glass nanoparticles within milliseconds. Nine compositional permutations of noble metals, base metals, and metalloid (M1─M2─P, M1 = Pt/Pd, M2 = Cu/Ni/Fe/Co/Sn) are synthesized with widely tunable particle sizes and substrates. Through combinatorial development, a substantially expanded composition space for nanoscale metallic glass is discovered compared to bulk counterpart, revealing that the nanosize effect enhances glass forming ability. Leveraging this, several nanoscale metallic glasses are synthesized with composition that have never, to the knowledge, been synthesized in bulk. The metallic glass nanoparticles exhibit high activity in heterogeneous catalysis, outperforming crystalline metal alloy nanoparticles.

Impact of pre-operative MRI on surgical management of screening digital breast tomosynthesis-detected invasive lobular carcinoma

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of pre-operative MRI on surgical management of screening digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT)-detected invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC).

METHODS

A retrospective medical record analysis was conducted of women with screening DBT-detected ILC and subsequent surgery from 2017-2021. Clinical, imaging, and pathological features were compared between women who did and did not undergo MRI, and between women with and without additional disease detected on MRI, using the Pearson's chi-squared test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Concordance between imaging and surgical pathology sizes was also evaluated.

RESULTS

Of 125 women (mean age 67 years, range 44-90) with screening-detected ILC, MRI was obtained in 62 women (49.6%) with a mean age of 63 years (range 45-80). Compared to women without MRI, women who had MRI examinations were younger, more likely to have dense breast tissue, and more likely to undergo mastectomy initially rather than lumpectomy (p < 0.001-0.01). Eighteen biopsies were performed based on MRI findings, of which 55.6% (10/18) were malignant. Conventional imaging more frequently underestimated ILC span at the biopsy site than MRI, using a 25% threshold difference (17.5% [7/40] versus 58.5% [24/41], p < 0.001). MRI detected more extensive disease at the biopsy site in six patients (9.7%, 6/62), additional ipsilateral disease in six patients (9.7%, 6/62), and contralateral disease in one patient (1.6%, 1/62). MRI therefore impacted surgical management in 21.0% (13/62) of patients.

CONCLUSION

MRI led to the detection of additional disease, thus impacting surgical management, in one-fifth of patients with ILC.

Rapid Cooling Delays the Occurring of Core Browning in Postharvest 'Yali' Pear at Advanced Maturity by Inhibiting Ethylene Metabolism

During the storage and transportation processes, the occurrence of core browning in 'Yali' pear fruit due to adversity injury can be easily mitigated by implementing different cooling methods, especially in advanced maturity fruits. In this study, 'Yali' pears at an advanced maturity stage were subjected to slow cooling and rapid cooling treatment. The quality-related physiological percentage and severity, and the rate of good fruits were determined, and RNA-seq was used to explore the effects of different cooling methods on pathways related to core browning in advanced-maturity pears at the transcriptional level. The results indicated that, compared with slow cooling treatment, rapid cooling significantly inhibited core browning in advanced-maturity 'Yali' pears. Measurements of quality-related physiological indexes suggested that rapid cooling treatment led to higher SSC content, firmness, L* value, and b* value, indicating better brightness, coloration, and higher soluble solid content, which are desirable for commercial sale. Rapid cooling effectively suppressed the physiological metabolism of 'Yali' pears, delaying fruit senescence compared with slow-cooling treatment. Furthermore, the RNA-Seq sequencing results revealed that pathways related to browning are involved in hormone signal transduction pathways, which are associated with resistance and aging processes of pear fruit. In summary, rapid cooling treatment delayed the core browning of advanced maturity of 'Yali' pears, indicating that the core browning of 'Yali' pears is related to the cooling method, and the mechanism of rapid cooling in reducing the core browning of advanced maturity of 'Yali' pears was by delaying the aging process of the fruit. This provides a new perspective for alleviating the core browning of advanced-maturity 'Yali' pears during storage and transportation, and provides a theoretical reference for studying the mechanism of core browning of 'Yali' pears.

AURKA emerges as a vulnerable target for KEAP1-deficient non-small cell lung cancer by activation of asparagine synthesis

AURKA is an established target for cancer therapy; however, the efficacy of its inhibitors in clinical trials is hindered by differential response rates across different tumor subtypes. In this study, we demonstrate AURKA regulates amino acid synthesis, rendering it a vulnerable target in KEAP1-deficient non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Through CRISPR metabolic screens, we identified that KEAP1-knockdown cells showed the highest sensitivity to the AURKA inhibitor MLN8237. Subsequent investigations confirmed that KEAP1 deficiency heightens the susceptibility of NSCLC cells to AURKA inhibition both in vitro and in vivo, with the response depending on NRF2 activation. Mechanistically, AURKA interacts with the eIF2α kinase GCN2 and maintains its phosphorylation to regulate eIF2α-ATF4-mediated amino acid biosynthesis. AURKA inhibition restrains the expression of asparagine synthetase (ASNS), making KEAP1-deficient NSCLC cells vulnerable to AURKA inhibitors, in which ASNS is highly expressed. Our study unveils the pivotal role of AURKA in amino acid metabolism and identifies a specific metabolic indication for AURKA inhibitors. These findings also provide a novel clinical therapeutic target for KEAP1-mutant/deficient NSCLC, which is characterized by resistance to radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy.

Role of TRPV1 in electroacupuncture-mediated signal to the primary sensory cortex during regulation of the swallowing function

AIMS

Electroacupuncture (EA) at the Lianquan (CV23) could alleviate swallowing dysfunction. However, current knowledge of its neural modulation focused on the brain, with little evidence from the periphery. Transient receptor potential channel vanilloid subfamily 1 (TRPV1) is an ion channel predominantly expressed in sensory neurons, and acupuncture can trigger calcium ion (Ca2+ ) wave propagation through active TRPV1 to deliver signals. The present study aimed to investigate whether TRPV1 mediated the signal of EA to the primary sensory cortex (S1) during regulation of swallowing function.

METHODS

Blood perfusion was evaluated by laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI), and neuronal activity was evaluated by fiber calcium recording and c-Fos staining. The expression of TRPV1 was detected by RNA-seq analysis, immunofluorescence, and ELISA. In addition, the swallowing function was assessed by in vivo EMG recording and water consumption test.

RESULTS

EA treatment potentiated blood perfusion and neuronal activity in the S1, and this potentiation was absent after injecting lidocaine near CV23. TRPV1 near CV23 was upregulated by EA-CV23. The blood perfusion at CV23 was decreased in the TRPV1 hypofunction mice, while the blood perfusion and the neuronal activity of the S1 showed no obvious change. These findings were also present in post-stroke dysphagia (PSD) mice.

CONCLUSION

The TRPV1 at CV23 after EA treatment might play a key role in mediating local blood perfusion but was not involved in transferring EA signals to the central nervous system (CNS). These findings collectively suggested that TRPV1 may be one of the important regulators involved in the mechanism of EA treatment for improving swallowing function in PSD.

Participation of the nucleus tractus solitarius in the therapeutic effect of electroacupuncture on post-stroke dysphagia through the primary motor cortex

BACKGROUND

Post-stroke dysphagia (PSD), a common and serious disease, affects the quality of life of many patients and their families. Electroacupuncture (EA) has been commonly used effectively in the treatment of PSD, but the therapeutic mechanism is still under exploration at present. We aim to investigate the effect of the nucleus tractus solitarus (NTS) on the treatment of PSD by EA at Lianquan (CV23) through the primary motor cortex (M1).

METHODS

C57 male mice were used to construct a PSD mouse model using photothrombotic technique, and the swallowing function was evaluated by electromyography (EMG) recording. C-Fos-positive neurons and types of neurons in the NTS were detected by immunofluorescence. Optogenetics and chemical genetics were used to regulate the NTS, and the firing rate of neurons was recorded via multichannel recording.

RESULTS

The results showed that most of the activated neurons in the NTS were excitatory neurons, and multichannel recording indicated that the activity levels of both pyramidal neurons and interneurons in the NTS were regulated by M1. This process was involved in the EA treatment. Furthermore, while chemogenetic inhibition of the NTS reduced the EMG signal associated with the swallowing response induced by activation of M1 in PSD mice, EA rescued this signal.

CONCLUSION

Overall, the NTS was shown to participate in the regulation of PSD by EA at CV23 through M1.

Case Report: A rare case of intramedullary spinal cord abscess with brain abscess caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae underwent surgical intervention

Background

Intramedullary Spinal Cord Abscess (ISCA) is an uncommon infectious disease of the central nervous system. Since its first report in 1830, there have been very few documented cases associated with it. Here, we present a case of ISCA with cerebral abscess caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Case presentation

A 55-year-old male patient presented with head and neck pain, fever, and left limb weakness for 5 days. The diagnosis of ISCA with brain abscess caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae was confirmed through sputum culture, cerebrospinal fluid gene test, pus culture, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as well as computerized tomography (CT) scan. The patient had a history of pulmonary tuberculosis and old tuberculous foci were observed in the lung. Initially considering tuberculosis as the cause due to unclear etiology at that time, anti-tuberculosis treatment was administered. However, due to rapid deterioration in the patient's condition and severe neurological dysfunction within a short period of time after admission, surgical intervention including incision and drainage for intramedullary abscess along with removal of brain abscess was performed. Subsequent postoperative follow-up showed improvement in both symptoms and imaging findings.

Conclusion

Early diagnosis of central nervous system (CNS) abscess coupled with prompt surgical intervention and administration of appropriate antibiotics are crucial factors in preventing disease progression and reducing mortality rates.

Impacts of Selenium-Chitosan Treatment on Color of "Red Globe" Grapes during Low-Temperature Storage

Maintaining the vibrant color of fruit is a longstanding challenge in fruit and vegetable preservation. Chitosan and selenium, known for their protective and antioxidant properties, have been applied to preserve these produce. This study aimed to investigate the influence of selenium-chitosan treatment (comprising 25 mg L-1 selenium and 1.0% chitosan) on the color of "Red Globe" grapes and to analyze the relative expression of genes associated with anthocyanin synthesis enzymes (VvCHS, VvCHI, VvF3H, VvF3'H, VvF3'5'H, VvDFR, VvLDOX, VvUFGT, VvOMT, Vv5GT, and VvGST) using RT-qPCR. Our goal was to uncover the regulatory mechanisms governing grape color. Comparing various treatments, we observed that selenium-chitosan treatment had a significant effect in reducing decay, maintaining the soluble solids content of grape flesh, and preserving the vivid color of grape. This research indicated that selenium-chitosan treatment slowed down browning and prevented the reduction in total phenolic, flavonoids, and anthocyanin in the grape. Moreover, gene expression analysis revealed that selenium-chitosan treatment increased the expression of VvCHS, VvF3H, VvF'3'H, VvLDOX, and Vv5GT, while also stabilized the expression of VvCHI, VvF3'H, and VvDFR in grape skins. These findings shed light on the potential mechanism by which selenium-chitosan impacts grape color. This study established a theoretical foundation for investigating the molecular mechanisms behind selenium-chitosan's ability to slow down grape browning and provides a novel approach to enhancing fruit and vegetable preservation techniques.

Research Note: Genetic characterization and pathogenicity of an epidemic variant strain of avian reovirus

The past few years have witnessed a rapid increase in cases of viral arthritis caused by avian reovirus (ARV) in chicken farms in China, attributed to the emergence of variant strains that render traditional vaccines ineffective, leading to substantial economic losses. In this study, we successfully isolated a novel ARV strain, designated as 2023ARV-GS-SDAU-1, from chickens in a broiler flock vaccinated with an ARV vaccine in Gansu province. We performed whole-genome sequencing and assessed its pathogenicity through 2 infection routes: oral administration and intraperitoneal injection. Our analysis revealed significant variations in the σA gene, associated with the inhibition of interferon secretion, compared to known ARV strains. The highest nucleotide identity observed was below 80%. Additionally, the σC gene exhibited notable variations compared to its homologous strains within the same group. Multiple alignment of the amino acid sequences classified the 2023ARV-GS-SDAU-1 strain under genotype I. Furthermore, our pathogenicity experiments indicated that the isolated strain exhibited more severe pathogenicity when administered via intraperitoneal injection in SPF chickens. In summary, our data suggest that the 2023ARV-GS-SDAU-1 strain represents a novel variant circulating in broiler flocks in China. These findings enrich currently available genetic information on ARV strains and provide a new complete genome sequence.

New insights on scandium separation from scandium concentrate with titanium dioxide wastewater

In this study, a scandium concentrate with Sc2O3 content of 66.24 g/t was obtained from V-Ti magnetite tailings by physical concentration, and the main Sc-bearing minerals were augite and hornblende. A novel process of roasting and leaching was proposed to extract scandium from scandium concentrate with titanium dioxide wastewater. Scandium concentrate was pretreated by roasting, and titanium dioxide wastewater was used to directly leach scandium from the roasted ore. The effects of roasting and leaching parameters such as roasting temperature, roasting time, roasting agents, leaching temperature, leaching time, liquid-to-solid ratio, and leaching agents on scandium separation were thoroughly researched in the experimental procedure. The results show that a scandium leaching efficiency of 85.89% was obtained, and the scandium content of leaching residue decreased to 9.31 g/t under the optimal conditions: a roasting temperature of 1123 K, a roasting time of 120 min, a leaching temperature of 343 K, a leaching time of 120 min, and a m (titanium dioxide wastewater)∶m (roasted ore)∶m (ammonium fluoride) ratio of 8∶1∶0.09. The main findings of the scandium separation mechanism show that Sc-bearing minerals can effectively decompose and release scandium element after roasting, and created favorable conditions for scandium leaching with titanium dioxide wastewater to achieve the purpose of scandium recovery.

Aurora kinase A-mediated phosphorylation triggers structural alteration of Rab1A to enhance ER complexity during mitosis

Morphological rearrangement of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is critical for metazoan mitosis. Yet, how the ER is remodeled by the mitotic signaling remains unclear. Here, we report that mitotic Aurora kinase A (AURKA) employs a small GTPase, Rab1A, to direct ER remodeling. During mitosis, AURKA phosphorylates Rab1A at Thr75. Structural analysis demonstrates that Thr75 phosphorylation renders Rab1A in a constantly active state by preventing interaction with GDP-dissociation inhibitor (GDI). Activated Rab1A is retained on the ER and induces the oligomerization of ER-shaping protein RTNs and REEPs, eventually triggering an increase of ER complexity. In various models, from Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila to mammals, inhibition of Rab1AThr75 phosphorylation by genetic modifications disrupts ER remodeling. Thus, our study reveals an evolutionarily conserved mechanism explaining how mitotic kinase controls ER remodeling and uncovers a critical function of Rab GTPases in metaphase.

Cathode Interface Construction by Rapid Sintering in Solid-State Batteries

Solid-state batteries (SSBs) are poised to replace traditional organic liquid-electrolyte lithium-ion batteries due to their higher safety and energy density. Oxide-based solid electrolytes (SEs) are particularly attractive for their stability in air and inability to ignite during thermal runaway. However, achieving high-performance in oxide-based SSBs requires the development of an intimate and robust SE-cathode interface to overcome typically large interfacial resistances. The transition interphase should be both physically and chemically active. This study presents a thin, conductive interphase constructed between lithium aluminum titanium phosphate and lithium cobalt oxide using a rapid sintering method that modifies the interphase within 10 s. The rapid heating and cooling rates restrict side reactions and interdiffusion on the interface. SSBs with thick composite cathodes demonstrate a high initial capacity of ≈120 mAh g-1 over 200 cycles at room temperature. Furthermore, the rapid sintering method can be extended to other cathode systems under similar conditions. These findings highlight the importance of constructing an appropriate SE-cathode interface and provide insight into designing practical SSBs.

Global epidemiology of mental disorder in atrial fibrillation between 1998-2021: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

As the burden of mental disorders among patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) increases, researchers are beginning to pay close attention to the risk and prevalence of these comorbidities. Although studies have independently analyzed the risk of comorbidity with depression and anxiety in patients with AF, no study has systematically focused on the global epidemiology of these two mental disorders.

AIM

To explore the prevalence of depression and anxiety in patients with AF.

METHODS

Five databases were searched from their date of establishment until January 2023. Observational studies reporting the comorbidity of AF with depression and anxiety, were included in this study. Basic information, such as the first author/ publication year, study year, study type, and prevalence of depression and anxiety, were extracted. STATA SE 15.1 was used to analyze the data. Subgroup, meta-regression, and sensitivity analyses were performed to estimate study heterogeneity.

RESULTS

After a thorough search, 26 studies were identified and included in this meta-analysis. The prevalence rates of depression and anxiety in adults with AF were 24.3% and 14.5%, respectively. Among adult males with AF, the prevalence was 11.7% and 8.7%, respectively, whereas in females it was 19.8% and 10.1%, respectively. In older adults with AF, the prevalence rates of depression and anxiety were 40.3% and 33.6%, respectively. The highest regional prevalence of depression and anxiety was observed in European (30.2%) and North American (19.8%) patients with AF.

CONCLUSION

In this study, we found that the prevalence of depression and anxiety among patients with AF varies with sex, region, and evaluation scales, suggesting the need for psychological interventions for patients with AF in clinical practice.

Comparative efficacy of acupuncture-related therapy for postmenopausal osteoporosis: protocol for Bayesian network meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

The review aims to conduct the first network meta-analysis to comprehensively evaluate the application of multiple acupuncture techniques in patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis, ranking the best acupuncture treatment and providing a reference for clinical treatment extensively.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

Randomised controlled trials of different acupuncture-related therapies for postmenopausal osteoporosis will be searched in the following databases from 1 January 2002 to 31 December 2022, including PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, VIP Database, Wanfang Database and China Biomedical Literature Database. Overall, clinical efficacy rate, bone mineral density and a Visual Analogue Scale score are used as the primary outcome indicators. In addition, the secondary outcome indicator is adverse reactions. The entire screening process will be conducted by two independent investigators; meanwhile, Stata (V.14.0) and RevMan (V.5.4) will be used to conduct the network meta-analysis. If the data are permissible and feasible, we will also perform meta-regression and subgroup analyses to address the underlying causes of data inconsistency and heterogeneity in the statistical analyses. Besides, to improve the credibility of this network meta-analysis, we will evaluate the quality of evidence in this research according to the GRADE assessment.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Ethics approval is not required for network meta-analyses, which do not involve animals' or people's welfare. The results of this network meta-analysis will be submitted to a recognised journal for publication.

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42023401003.

MAC Family Transcription Factors Enhance the Tolerance of Mycelia to Heat Stress and Promote the Primordial Formation Rate of Pleurotus ostreatus

Pleurotus ostreatus is a typical tetrapolar heterologous edible mushroom, and its growth and development regulatory mechanism has become a research hotspot in recent years. The MAC1 protein is a transcription factor that perceives copper and can regulate the expression of multiple genes, thereby affecting the growth and development of organisms. However, its function in edible mushrooms is still unknown. In this study, two transcription factor genes, PoMCA1a and PoMAC1b, were identified. Afterwards, PoMAC1 overexpression (OE) and RNA interference (RNAi) strains were constructed to further explore gene function. The results showed that the PoMAC1 mutation had no significant effect on the growth rate of mycelia. Further research has shown that OE-PoMAC1a strains and RNAi-PoMAC1b strains exhibit strong tolerance under 32 °C heat stress. However, under 40 °C heat stress, the OE of PoMAC1a and PoMAC1b promoted the recovery of mycelial growth after heat stress. Second, the OE of PoMAC1a can promote the rapid formation of primordia and shorten the cultivation cycle. In summary, this study indicated that there are functional differences between PoMAC1a and PoMAC1b under different heat stresses during the vegetative growth stage, and PoMAC1a has a positive regulatory effect on the formation of primordia during the reproductive growth stage.

Molecular characteristics and pathogenicity of a novel chicken astrovirus variant

It is well-established that the genetic diversity, regional prevalence, and broad host range of astroviruses significantly impact the poultry industry. In July 2022, a small-scale commercial broiler farm in China reported cases of growth retardation and a 3% mortality rate. From chickens displaying proventriculitis and pancreatitis, three chicken astroviruses (CAstV) isolates were obtained and named SDAU2022-1-3. Complete genomic sequencing and analysis revealed the unique characteristics of these isolates from known CAstV strains in ORF1a, ORF1b, and ORF2 genes, characterized by an unusually high variability. Analysis of amino acid mutations in ORF1a, ORF1b, and ORF2 indicated that the accumulation of these mutations played a pivotal role in the emergence of the variant strain. Inoculation experiments demonstrated that affected chickens exhibited liver and kidney enlargement, localized proventricular hemorrhage, and a dark reddish-brown appearance in about two-thirds of the pancreas. Histopathological examination unveiled hepatic lymphocytic infiltration, renal tubular epithelial cell swelling, along with lymphocytic proventriculitis and pancreatitis. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis indicated viremia and viral shedding at 3 days post-infection (dpi). The proventriculus displayed the highest viral loads, followed by the liver, kidney, duodenum, and pancreas. Liver parameters (AST and ALT) and kidney parameters (UA and UN) demonstrated mild damage consistent with earlier findings. While the possibility of new mutations in the ORF2 gene of CAstV causing proventriculitis and pancreatitis warrants further investigation, these findings deepen our comprehension of CAstV's pathogenicity in chickens. Additionally, they serve as valuable references for subsequent research endeavors.

The Role of Perineuronal Nets in the Contralateral Hemisphere in the Electroacupuncture-Mediated Rehabilitation of Poststroke Dysphagia Mice

Acupuncture at Lianquan (CV23) acupoint has been shown to improve swallowing function in poststroke dysphagia (PSD). This improvement is supposed to be associated with the regulation of neuronal activity in the contralateral primary motor cortex (M1), while the underlying mechanism still needs to be elucidated. Perineuronal nets (PNNs) are well-known to be involved in the regulation of neuronal activity. Thus, we here aimed to detect the role of PNNs in the contralateral M1 hemisphere in the electroacupuncture (EA)-mediated effect in male mice. The results were obtained from a combination of methods, including in vitro slice electrophysiological recording, in vivo electrophysiological recording, and immunofluorescent staining in male mice. These results showed a decrease of the excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSCs) and no alteration of the inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSCs) in the GABAergic neurons and the tonic inhibition in the excitatory neurons in the contralateral M1 after stroke induction, and EA recovered the impaired sEPSCs in the GABAergic neurons. We further found that the effect of EA-induced increase of c-Fos expression, enhancement of spike firing, potentiation of sEPSCs in the excitatory neurons, and improvement of swallowing function were all blocked by the removal of PNNs in the contralateral M1. In conclusion, the PNNs in the contralateral M1 was suggested to be participated in stroke pathogenesis and might be associated with the EA-mediated swallowing function rehabilitation of PSD in male mice. Our study provides insight into how PNNs might be involved in the mechanism of EA treatment for stroke rehabilitation.

The Tissue Browning and Concomitant Toughening of Yellow Flammulina filiformis Stipes Is Caused by Oxidative Damage-Mediated Metabolic Disorder and Cell Wall Glycan Remodeling

The browning and associated toughening of fruiting body stipes are the main causes of declines in the commercial production of yellow Flammulina filiformis. The dynamic metabolic changes from the top to bottom stipe sections of yellow F. filiformis fruiting bodies were investigated by integrating physiological, transcriptomic, and metabolomic analyses. The results indicated that oxidative stress levels gradually increased accompanying the degree of tissue browning and toughening from the top to bottom sections of F. filiformis stipes. In-depth analysis showed that there were remarkable changes in the expression of genes, and the content of metabolites correlated with the primary and secondary metabolism of F. filiformis stipes. Interestingly, the expression levels of genes participating in chitosan biosynthesis and the degree of deacetylation of chitosan increased from top to bottom in F. filiformis stipes, implying that cell wall glycan remodeling may contribute to concomitant toughening of the browning of F. filiformis stipes.

Incorporating a D-A-D-Type Benzothiadiazole Photosensitizer into MOFs for Photocatalytic Oxidation of Phenylsulfides and Benzylamines

Oxidation and removal of highly toxic sulfides and amines are particularly important for environmental and human security but remain challenging. Here, incorporating an excellent photosensitizer, donor-acceptor-donor (D-A-D)-type 4,4'-(benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole-4,7-diyl)dibenzoic (H2L), into metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) has been manifested to promote the charge separation, affording four three-dimensional (3D) MOFs (isostructural 1-Co/1-Zn with Co2/Zn2 units, and 2-Gd/2-Tb with Gd/Tb-cluster chains) as photocatalysts in the visible light-driven air-O2-mediated catalytic oxidation and removal of hazardous phenylsulfides and benzylamines. Impressively, structure-property correlation illustrated that the transition metal centers assembled in MOFs play an important role in the photocatalytic activity, and we can conclude that 1-Zn can be a robust heterogeneous catalyst possessing good light adsorption and fast charge separation in oxidation removal reactions of both benzylamines and phenylsulfides under visible light irradiation and room temperature with excellent activity/selectivity, stability, and reusability.

High-temperature electrothermal remediation of multi-pollutants in soil

Soil contamination is an environmental issue due to increasing anthropogenic activities. Existing processes for soil remediation suffer from long treatment time and lack generality because of different sources, occurrences, and properties of pollutants. Here, we report a high-temperature electrothermal process for rapid, water-free remediation of multiple pollutants in soil. The temperature of contaminated soil with carbon additives ramps up to 1000 to 3000 °C as needed within seconds via pulsed direct current input, enabling the vaporization of heavy metals like Cd, Hg, Pb, Co, Ni, and Cu, and graphitization of persistent organic pollutants like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The rapid treatment retains soil mineral constituents while increases infiltration rate and exchangeable nutrient supply, leading to soil fertilization and improved germination rates. We propose strategies for upscaling and field applications. Techno-economic analysis indicates the process holds the potential for being more energy-efficient and cost-effective compared to soil washing or thermal desorption.

Battery metal recycling by flash Joule heating

The staggering accumulation of end-of-life lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) and the growing scarcity of battery metal sources have triggered an urgent call for an effective recycling strategy. However, it is challenging to reclaim these metals with both high efficiency and low environmental footprint. We use here a pulsed dc flash Joule heating (FJH) strategy that heats the black mass, the combined anode and cathode, to >2100 kelvin within seconds, leading to ~1000-fold increase in subsequent leaching kinetics. There are high recovery yields of all the battery metals, regardless of their chemistries, using even diluted acids like 0.01 M HCl, thereby lessening the secondary waste stream. The ultrafast high temperature achieves thermal decomposition of the passivated solid electrolyte interphase and valence state reduction of the hard-to-dissolve metal compounds while mitigating diffusional loss of volatile metals. Life cycle analysis versus present recycling methods shows that FJH significantly reduces the environmental footprint of spent LIB processing while turning it into an economically attractive process.

Acute myocardial infarction due to coronary embolism caused by a metastatic mass from lung cancer

BACKGROUND

Acute arterial embolism due to tumor embolus is a rare complication in cancer patients, even rarer is lung tumor embolization leading to acute myocardial infarction. We report a patient who had a diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction(AMI)which was brought on by a coronary artery embolism by a metastatic lung cancer tumor. Clinicians need to be aware that tumor embolism can result in AMI.

CASE PRESENTATION

An 80-yeal-old male patient presented with persistent chest pain for 2 h and his electrocardiogram(ECG)showed anterior ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. Instead of implanting a stent, thrombus aspiration was performed. Pathological examination of coronary artery thrombosis showed that a few sporadic atypical epithelial cells were scattered in the thrombus-like tissue. Combined with immune phenotype and clinical history, metastatic squamous cell carcinoma is more likely.

CONCLUSIONS

We report a rare case of a patient who was diagnosed of AMI due to a coronary artery embolism by a metastatic mass from lung cancer. Since there is no evidence-based protocol available for the treatment of isolated coronary thrombosis, we used thrombus aspiration to treat thrombosis rather than implanting a stent.

Association of N-acetylcysteine use with contrast-induced nephropathy: an umbrella review of meta-analyses of randomized clinical trials

Background

The effectiveness of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) in treating contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) has been the subject of conflicting meta-analyses, but the strength of the evidence for these correlations between NAC use and CIN has not been measured overall.

Objective

To evaluate the data from randomized clinical studies (RCTs) that examined the relationships between NAC use and CIN in meta-analyses.

Methods

Between the creation of the database and April 2023, searches were made in PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and Web of Science. N-acetylcysteine, contrast-induced nephropathy, or contrast-induced renal disease were among the search keywords used, along with terms including systematic review and meta-analysis. The Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews, version 2, which assigned grades of extremely low, low, moderate, or high quality to each meta-analysis's scientific quality, was used to evaluate each meta-analysis. The confidence of the evidence in meta-analyses of RCTs was evaluated using the Grading of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluations method, with evidence being rated as very low, low, moderate, or high.

Results

In total, 493 records were screened; of those, 46 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility, and 12 articles were selected for evidence synthesis as a result of the screening process. Based on the pooled data, which was graded as moderate-quality evidence, it can be concluded that NAC can decrease CIN (OR 0.72, 95% CI 0.65-0.79, p < 0.00001) and blood levels of serum creatinine (MD -0.09, 95% CI -0.17 to -0.01, p = 0.03). In spite of this, there were no associations between NAC and dialysis requirement or mortality in these studies.

Conclusion

The results of this umbrella review supported that the renal results were enhanced by NAC. The association was supported by moderate-quality evidence.

Systematic review registration

[https://clinicaltrials.gov/], identifier [CRD42022367811].

A dual-function fluorescent probe for the detection of pH values and formaldehyde

A dual-function fluorescent probe (Probe 1) was developed in this work for the separate detection of pH value and formaldehyde (HCHO). Probe 1 could recognize HCHO and the pH value from the amino group. The colour of the probe solution was changed from grey blue to light blue with the increase in the pH value, and luminous intensity became larger with the increase in formaldehyde concentration. The curve function relationship between fluorescence intensity and the pH value was also determined. A smartphone containing a colour detector for imaging was used to record the values of the three primary colours (R value, G value, and B value) for the probe solution in formaldehyde. Importantly, there was a linear functional relationship between the B*R/G value with HCHO concentration. Therefore, the probe could be used as a rapid tool for the detection of formaldehyde. More importantly, Probe 1 was successfully used to detect formaldehyde in an actual distilled liquor sample.

Two tests of peripheral blood by standard methods were negative for Von Hippel-Lindau mutations: A case report

BACKGROUND

Von Hippel-Lindau disease (VHL) is an autosomal dominant, inherited syndrome with variants in the VHL gene causing predisposition to multi-organ benign and malignant neoplasms. Approximately 95-100% of individuals with clinical VHL receive a positive result when they undergo standard genetic testing on DNA extracted from blood. Here, we present the case of an individual with a clinical diagnosis of VHL disease where peripheral blood DNA analysis did not detect a VHL variant.

CASE PRESENTATION

Our patient is a-38-year-old male whose chief complaints are right shoulder and back pain for almost a year. Cranial Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) showed multiple space occupying lesions in cerebellar hemisphere. Spine MRI showed the formation of intraspinal cavities in cervical 5 to thoracic 10 plane, enhanced lesions in the thoracic 8 vertebral plane. Abdominal MRI showed very weakly enhanced nodules on the left kidney and multiple cystic lesions of pancreas. Our case, without a family history, fulfilled clinical criteria for VHL but initially received negative germline VHL results through multigene panel testing on DNA extracted from peripheral blood leukocytes. One year later, the second peripheral blood send for germline molecular genetic testing was also negative.

CONCLUSION

Although the patient tested negative for the classic VHL gene, the possibility of somatic mosaicism could not be ruled out. Instead of repeating classic testing, next-generation sequencing, multi-tissue analysis or/and genetic testing of offspring is an efficient tool to identify VHL mosaic mutation.

Fractional grey unequal-interval time-varying Lotka-Volterra model and its application for microbial communities in compost

Aerobic compost is an effective method for the treatment of livestock manure, which is usually accompanied by complex interspecific competition. Describing these competitive relationships through mathematical models can help understand the interaction of microorganisms and analyze the effect of exogenous additive to regulate the composting process. The common model for analyzing competition problem is the Lotka-Volterra model. However, the fixed parameters of the Lotka-Volterra model are not suitable to reflect the dynamic variations of the competitive relationship when the environmental conditions change during composting process. Therefore, this paper establishes a novel fractional grey unequal-interval time-varying Lotka-Volterra model. Firstly, a fractional grey derivate operator is proposed on the basis of the unequal interval of composting data and historical dependence of microbial growth. Secondly, considering the influence of temperature, a time-varying parameter matrix is defined to reflect the variation of competitive relationship at different composting phases, and it is estimated by forgetting factor recursive least squares. Thirdly, the optimal coefficients are optimized by grey prediction evolution algorithm. Finally, the proposed model is employed to analyze the chicken manure composting experiment. The results show that the proposed model has lower error criteria and more accurate trend of fitting curve than the other five existing models. The parameter matrix describes the dynamical variation of microbial competitive relationship in two taxonomic levels and reveals that effect of the exogenous additive is principally reacted in the thermophilic phase and the competitive advantage is shifted from Bacteroidota to Firmicutes after treatment with the exogenous additive.

Confinement of Organic Dyes in UiO-66-Type Metal-Organic Frameworks for the Enhanced Synthesis of [1,2,5]Thiadiazole[3,4-g]benzoimidazoles

Organic dyes as non-noble metal photosensitizers have attracted increasing attention due to their environmental friendliness and sustainability but suffer from fast deactivation and low stability. Here, we reported a fruitful strategy by the confinement and stabilization of visible light-active signal unit organic dyes within the metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and developed a series of heterogeneous photocatalysts dye@UiO-66s [dye = fluorescein (FL)/rhodamine B (RhB)/eosin Y (EY), UiO-66s = UiO-66, and Bim-UiO-66]. It has been demonstrated that the encapsulated dyes can effectively sensitize MOF hosts and dominate the band structures and photocatalytic activities of dye@UiO-66s regardless of the ligand functionalization of MOFs. Photocatalytic experiments showed that these dye@UiO-66s exhibit enhanced activities relative to free dyes and among them, FL@Bim-UiO-66 displays excellent efficiencies toward the green synthesis of new carbon-bridged annulations, [1,2,5]thiadiazole[3,4-g]benzoimidazoles in the yield of up to 98% at room temperature with outstanding stability and reusability. Furthermore, the intramolecular cyclization intermediate was captured and characterized by the single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis.

Cancer cell employs a microenvironmental neural signal trans-activating nucleus-mitochondria coordination to acquire stemness

Cancer cell receives extracellular signal inputs to obtain a stem-like status, yet how tumor microenvironmental (TME) neural signals steer cancer stemness to establish the hierarchical tumor architectures remains elusive. Here, a pan-cancer transcriptomic screening for 10852 samples of 33 TCGA cancer types reveals that cAMP-responsive element (CRE) transcription factors are convergent activators for cancer stemness. Deconvolution of transcriptomic profiles, specification of neural markers and illustration of norepinephrine dynamics uncover a bond between TME neural signals and cancer-cell CRE activity. Specifically, neural signal norepinephrine potentiates the stemness of proximal cancer cells by activating cAMP-CRE axis, where ATF1 serves as a conserved hub. Upon activation by norepinephrine, ATF1 potentiates cancer stemness by coordinated trans-activation of both nuclear pluripotency factors MYC/NANOG and mitochondrial biogenesis regulators NRF1/TFAM, thereby orchestrating nuclear reprograming and mitochondrial rejuvenating. Accordingly, single-cell transcriptomes confirm the coordinated activation of nuclear pluripotency with mitochondrial biogenesis in cancer stem-like cells. These findings elucidate that cancer cell acquires stemness via a norepinephrine-ATF1 driven nucleus-mitochondria collaborated program, suggesting a spatialized stemness acquisition by hijacking microenvironmental neural signals.

Translation and Validation of a Simplified Chinese Version of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament-Quality of Life Questionnaire

Background

The Anterior Cruciate Ligament-Quality of Life (ACL-QOL) questionnaire is a widely used and effective scale for quality of life in patients with chronic anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.

Purpose

To translate and adapt the ACL-QOL questionnaire for Chinese patients and evaluate its reliability, validity, and responsiveness in this population.

Study Design

Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 2.

Methods

Translation and adaptation were conducted in accordance with the guidelines of the A merican Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Outcome Committee. Included were 121 patients who were diagnosed with a chronic ACL injury and underwent ACL reconstruction between January 2020 and June 2021. Preoperatively, patients completed the simplified Chinese version of the ACL-QOL (ACL-QOL-C), the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, and the 12-Item Short Form Health Survey. The ACL-QOL-C was also completed at 12- and 24-week follow-ups. Psychometric evaluations were then performed and included score distribution, internal consistency, test-retest reliability, construct validity, and responsiveness.

Results

The Cronbach alpha ranged from .905 to .975, indicating excellent internal consistency, and the intraclass correlation coefficient ranged from 0.864 to 0.985, indicating excellent test-retest reliability. The consistency between the above results and our a priori hypotheses was more than 70% (35/42), indicating good construct validity. The standard error of measurement and effect size of the total score and each item of the ACL-QOL-C were >0.8 at the final follow-up, indicating good responsiveness.

Conclusion

The English version of the ACL-QOL has been successfully translated into Chinese, and it has been shown to be applicable for the assessment of the quality of life in Chinese patients with chronic ACL injury.

Upcycling of Waste Plastic into Hybrid Carbon Nanomaterials

Graphitic 1D and hybrid nanomaterials represent a powerful solution in composite and electronic applications due to exceptional properties, but large-scale synthesis of hybrid materials has yet to be realized. Here, a rapid, scalable method to produce graphitic 1D materials from polymers using flash Joule heating (FJH) is reported. This avoids lengthy chemical vapor deposition and uses no solvent or water. The flash 1D materials (F1DM), synthesized using a variety of earth-abundant catalysts, have controllable diameters and morphologies by parameter tuning. Furthermore, the process can be modified to form hybrid materials, with F1DM bonded to turbostratic graphene. In nanocomposites, F1DM outperform commercially available carbon nanotubes. Compared to current 1D material synthetic strategies using life cycle assessment, FJH synthesis represents an 86-92% decrease in cumulative energy demand and 92-94% decrease in global-warming potential. This work suggests that FJH affords a cost-effective and sustainable route to upcycle waste plastic into valuable 1D and hybrid nanomaterials.

Electroacupuncture improves swallowing function in a post-stroke dysphagia mouse model by activating the motor cortex inputs to the nucleus tractus solitarii through the parabrachial nuclei

As a traditional medical therapy, stimulation at the Lianquan (CV23) acupoint, located at the depression superior to the hyoid bone, has been shown to be beneficial in dysphagia. However, little is known about the neurological mechanism by which this peripheral stimulation approach treats for dysphagia. Here, we first identified a cluster of excitatory neurons in layer 5 (L5) of the primary motor cortex (M1) that can regulate swallowing function in male mice by modulating mylohyoid activity. Moreover, we found that focal ischemia in the M1 mimicked the post-stroke dysphagia (PSD) pathology, as indicated by impaired water consumption and electromyographic responses in the mylohyoid. This dysfunction could be rescued by electroacupuncture (EA) stimulation at the CV23 acupoint (EA-CV23) in a manner dependent on the excitatory neurons in the contralateral M1 L5. Furthermore, neuronal activation in both the parabrachial nuclei (PBN) and nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS), which was modulated by the M1, was required for the ability of EA-CV23 treatment to improve swallowing function in male PSD model mice. Together, these results uncover the importance of the M1-PBN-NTS neural circuit in driving the protective effect of EA-CV23 against swallowing dysfunction and thus reveal a potential strategy for dysphagia intervention.

Flash Recycling of Graphite Anodes

The ever-increasing production of commercial lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) will result in a staggering accumulation of waste when they reach their end of life. A closed-loop solution, with effective recycling of spent LIBs, will lessen both the environmental impacts and economic cost of their use. Presently, <5% of spent LIBs are recycled and the regeneration of graphite anodes has, unfortunately, been mostly overlooked despite the considerable cost of battery-grade graphite. Here, an ultrafast flash recycling method to regenerate the graphite anode is developed and valuable battery metal resources are recovered. Selective Joule heating is applied for only seconds to efficiently decompose the resistive impurities. The generated inorganic salts, including lithium, cobalt, nickel, and manganese, can be easily recollected from the flashed anode waste using diluted acid, specifically 0.1 m HCl. The flash-recycled anode preserves the graphite structure and is coated with a solid-electrolyte-interphase-derived carbon shell, contributing to high initial specific capacity, superior rate performance, and cycling stability, when compared to anode materials recycled using a high-temperature-calcination method. Life-cycle-analysis relative to current graphite production and recycling methods indicate that flash recycling can significantly reduce the total energy consumption and greenhouse gas emission while turning anode recycling into an economically advantageous process.

Immune responses to inactivated COVID-19 vaccine were decreased in Chinese patients with chronic respiratory diseases

Purpose: The effectiveness of inactivated vaccines against acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‑CoV‑2), the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has become a global concern. Hence, the aim of this study was to evaluate vaccine safety and to assess immune responses in individuals with chronic respiratory disease (CRD) following a two-dose vaccination. Methods: The study cohort included 191 participants (112 adult CRD patients and 79 healthy controls [HCs]) at least 21 (range, 21-159) days after a second vaccination. Frequencies of memory B cells (MBCs) subsets and titers of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) and anti-receptor binding domain (RBD) IgG antibodies (Abs) were analyzed. Results: As compared to the HCs, CRD patients had lower seropositivity rates and titers of both anti-RBD IgG Abs and NAbs, in addition to lower frequencies of RBD-specific MBCs (all, p < 0.05). At 3 months, CRD patients had lower seropositivity rates and titers of anti-RBD IgG Abs than the HCs (p < 0.05). For CoronaVac, the seropositivity rates of both Abs were lower in patients with old pulmonary tuberculosis than HCs. For BBIBP-CorV, the seropositivity rates of CoV-2 NAbs were lower in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease than HCs (all, p < 0.05). Meanwhile, there was no significant difference in overall adverse events between the CRD patients and HCs. Univariate and multivariate analyses identified the time interval following a second vaccination as a risk factor for the production of anti-RBD IgG Abs and CoV-2 NAbs, while the CoronaVac had a positive effect on the titers of both Abs. Female was identified as a protective factor for CoV-2 NAb levels. Conclusion: Inactivated COVID-19 vaccines were safe and well tolerated by CRD patients but resulted in lower Ab responses and the frequencies of RBD-specific MBCs. Therefore, CRD patients should be prioritized for booster vaccinations.

Changes in sugar, organic acid and free amino acid levels and the expression of genes involved in the primary metabolism of oleocellosis in citrus peels

Oleocellosis is a physiological disorder in citrus fruit and causes extensive economic damage due to the surface blemishes it creates. It was reported that oleocellosis always occurs during preharvest maturation and postharvest storage. In the present study, the oleocellosis incidence of Jincheng orange, Navel orange and Ponkan were found to be different during preharvest maturation, however, no differences were found during postharvest storage. Additionally, it was interesting that the outbreak period of oleocellosis incidence was 0-12 d during postharvest storage. Climate change has been reported as a factor promoting oleocellosis development. However, little information is available regarding how primary metabolites and the expression of genes involved in sugar, organic acid and free amino acid metabolism in citrus change to adjust to new environments. Metabolic profiling obtained by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC‒MS) and amino acid analysis showed that the accumulations of fructose, glucose, sucrose, maltose, mannose, citric acid, α-ketoglutarate, 2-keto-d-gluconic acid, glutamate, valine, glycine and threonine might play major roles in adaptation to changes in oleocellosis peels for three types of citrus fruit. However, decreased contents of malic acid, gluconic acid and proline were observed, possibly due to consumption in energy metabolism or reflecting a unique characteristic in this disorder. Regarding gene expression in primary metabolism pathways obtained by high-throughput mRNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) technology, upregulated genes encoding alpha-glucosidase, beta-glucosidase, beta-fructofuranosidase, alpha-amylase, beta-amylase, malate dehydrogenase, CTP synthase (glutamine hydrolysing), serine-glyoxylate transaminase, serine/glycine hydroxymethyltransferase and proline dehydrogenase were the main changes in this disorder.

Uniform thin ice on ultraflat graphene for high-resolution cryo-EM

Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) visualizes the atomic structure of macromolecules that are embedded in vitrified thin ice at their close-to-native state. However, the homogeneity of ice thickness, a key factor to ensure high image quality, is poorly controlled during specimen preparation and has become one of the main challenges for high-resolution cryo-EM. Here we found that the uniformity of thin ice relies on the surface flatness of the supporting film, and developed a method to use ultraflat graphene (UFG) as the support for cryo-EM specimen preparation to achieve better control of vitreous ice thickness. We show that the uniform thin ice on UFG improves the image quality of vitrified specimens. Using such a method we successfully determined the three-dimensional structures of hemoglobin (64 kDa), α-fetoprotein (67 kDa) with no symmetry, and streptavidin (52 kDa) at a resolution of 3.5 Å, 2.6 Å and 2.2 Å, respectively. Furthermore, our results demonstrate the potential of UFG for the fields of cryo-electron tomography and structure-based drug discovery.

Natural products against inflammation and atherosclerosis: Targeting on gut microbiota

The gut microbiota (GM) has become recognized as a crucial element in preserving human fitness and influencing disease consequences. Commensal and pathogenic gut microorganisms are correlated with pathological progress in atherosclerosis (AS). GM may thus be a promising therapeutic target for AS. Natural products with cardioprotective qualities might improve the inflammation of AS by modulating the GM ecosystem, opening new avenues for researches and therapies. However, it is unclear what components of natural products are useful and what the actual mechanisms are. In this review, we have summarized the natural products relieving inflammation of AS by regulating the GM balance and active metabolites produced by GM.

Transcription factor FfMYB15 regulates the expression of cellulase gene FfCEL6B during mycelial growth of Flammulina filiformis

Background

Cellulose degradation can determine mycelial growth rate and affect yield during the growth of Flammulina filiformis. The degradation of cellulose requires the joint action of a variety of cellulases, and some cellulase-related genes have been detected in mushrooms. However, little is known about the transcriptional regulatory mechanisms of cellulose degradation.

Results

In this study, FfMYB15 that may regulate the expression of cellulase gene FfCEL6B in F. filiformis was identified. RNA interference (RNAi) showed that FfCEL6B positively regulated mycelial growth. Gene expression analyses indicated that the expression patterns of FfCEL6B and FfMYB15 in mycelia cultured on the 0.9% cellulose medium for different times were similar with a correlation coefficient of 0.953. Subcellular localization and transcriptional activity analyses implied that FfMYB15 was located in the nucleus and was a transcriptional activator. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) and dual-luciferase assays demonstrated that FfMYB15 could bind and activate FfCEL6B promoter by recognizing MYB cis-acting element.

Conclusions

This study indicated that FfCEL6B played an active role in mycelial growth of F. filiformis and was regulated by FfMYB15.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12934-022-01932-z.

Gene Expression Analyses Reveal Mechanisms of Inhibited Yellowing by Applying Selenium-Chitosan on Fresh-Cut Broccoli

The yellowing of green broccoli is a phenomenon that indicates a serious deterioration of freshness. The green broccoli has been more popular than the yellow one, with its higher nutritional value. Chitosan coating has been employed in vegetables for green-keeping, owing to its functions of regulating chlorophyll metabolism and antioxidant defense. Furthermore, selenium was commonly utilized in the pre-harvest of fruit and vegetables as an antioxidant and chlorophyll regulator. However, there have not yet been concerns about the effects of selenium-chitosan on vegetable yellowing. This study first investigated the impact of selenium-chitosan on the quality of fresh-cut broccoli yellowing during storage by analyzing the chromatic aberration and phytochromes. Additionally, then, the gene expression related to chlorophyll metabolism (POR, CAO, HO, CHLI, NYC1), carotenoid metabolism (VDE, CCS, LCYE, ZEP, HYD), and transcription factors (NAC92, ZIPPER, bHLH66, APL, PIF4) were analyzed using the RT-qPCR technique. Test results showed that treatment with selenium-chitosan can slow down the reduction in h° (Hue angle values) and reduce ethylene release rate and respiration intensity. Via the molecular approach, it was further identified that this treatment could inhibit chlorophyll degradation and carotenoid biosynthesis, accompanied by lower expression levels of heme oxygenase (HO), chlorophyllide A oxygenase (CAO), violaxanthin de-epoxidase (VDE), β-carotene 3-hydroxylase (HYD), NAC92, basic leucine zipper (ZIPPER), bHLH66, PIF4 and APL, and higher expression levels of magnesium chelatase subunit I (CHLI) and lycopene ε-cyclase (LCYE) genes. This work can be used to explore the molecular mechanism of selenium-chitosan in inhibiting the yellowing of fresh-cut broccoli. This study will be of great economic importance in marketing and export by increasing the shelf life of fruits and vegetables.

Elucidation of physicochemical properties of polysaccharides extracted from Cordyceps militaris fruiting bodies with different drying treatments and their effects on ulcerative colitis in zebrafish

Dry fruiting bodies of Cordyceps militaris (CMF) have been widely used in folk tonic foods and traditional herbal medicine in East Asia. Drying treatment serves as the last step in CMF industrial processes. In this work, the physicochemical properties of polysaccharides from C. militaris fruiting bodies (CMFPs) with hot air drying (HD), far-infrared radiation drying (ID) and vacuum freeze-drying (FD) treatments were analyzed, and their effects on ulcerative colitis (UC) were further investigated in oxazolone-induced zebrafish. The results showed that physicochemical properties of CMFP-H, CMFP-I and CMFP-F were obvious different. CMFPs could repair the intestinal mucosal barrier, inhibit ROS generation and the activities of MDA and MPO, and improve the activities of SOD, CAT, ACP, AKP and LZM. Further detection indicated that CMFPs could better improve UC via activating the MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway in vivo. However, CMFP-H, CMFP-F and CMFP-I exhibited diverse regulation effects on specific immune-related enzymes and cytokines. The data would be helpful for finding practical and rapid drying methods for macro-fungi and further exploring CMFPs as functional food ingredients or complementary medicines for the treatments of UC.

High-surface-area corundum nanoparticles by resistive hotspot-induced phase transformation

High-surface-area α-Al₂O₃ nanoparticles are used in high-strength ceramics and stable catalyst supports. The production of α-Al₂O₃ by phase transformation from γ-Al₂O₃ is hampered by a high activation energy barrier, which usually requires extended high-temperature annealing (~1500 K, > 10 h) and suffers from aggregation. Here, we report the synthesis of dehydrated α-Al₂O₃ nanoparticles (phase purity ~100%, particle size ~23 nm, surface area ~65 m² g^-1) by a pulsed direct current Joule heating of γ-Al₂O₃. The phase transformation is completed at a reduced bulk temperature and duration (~573 K, < 1 s) via an intermediate δ'-Al₂O₃ phase. Numerical simulations reveal the resistive hotspot-induced local heating in the pulsed current process enables the rapid transformation. Theoretical calculations show the topotactic transition (from γ- to δ'- to α-Al₂O₃) is driven by their surface energy differences. The α-Al₂O₃ nanoparticles are sintered to nanograined ceramics with hardness superior to commercial alumina and approaching that of sapphire.

Seasonal variation of heavy metals in suspended sediments downstream the Three Gorges Dam in the Yangtze River

High sediment flux in large rivers provide sufficient dilution to the heavy metals' concentration. However, sediment starvation caused by hydrological engineering in recent decades has been reported worldwide. Thus, a study is necessary on the influences of recent declining sediment flux on heavy metal pollution change in the suspended sediments. In this study, heavy metal concentrations and speciation (Cd, Pb, Zn, Cu, Co, Ni, and Cr) in suspended sediments were investigated downstream the Three Gorges Dam (TGD) during dry and flood seasons. Substantial changes of Pb, Zn, Cd, and Cu along the river channel were found which were constrained by the dilution efficiency of suspended sediment during the dry season. High proportion of labile fraction revealed anthropogenic sources of heavy metal. Moreover, the historical trend of metal content illustrated TGD construction together with anthropogenic influx both contribute to the increasing environmental risk in the Yangtze River basin.

A colourimetric fluorescent probe for the sensitive detection of total iron in wine

As the iron content of wine affects the wine quality, a highly selective and simple detection method is needed to detect the iron content in wine. A colourimetric fluorescent probe (BTBAP probe) for the detection of total iron in wine was developed. The quantitative range of Fe^2+/3+ content detected with the probe was 0 to 200 μM with a limit of detection (LOD) of 1.16 μM. After 10 min of Fe^2+/3+ addition, the luminescence intensity of the BTBAP probe solution gradually decreased with increasing Fe^2+/3+ concentration. Moreover, the B and G values of the luminescence photos were linearly related to the concentration of Fe^2+/3+ (0-200 μM). BTBAP probe was successfully applied for rapid determination of the Fe^2+/3+ concentration of wine. This work demonstrates that BTBAP probe is an excellent tool for rapid determination of the total iron content of wine using only a smartphone and no other professional equipment.

Development of Cationic Benzimidazole-Containing UiO-66 through Step-by-Step Linker Modification to Enhance the Initial Sorption Rate and Sorption Capacities for Heavy Metal Oxo-Anions

Effective and rapid capture of heavy metal oxo-anions from wastewater is a fascinating research topic, but it remains a great challenge. Herein, benzimidazole and -CH₃ groups were integrated into UiO-66 in succession via a step-by-step linker modification strategy that was performed by presynthesis modification (to give Bim-UiO-66) and subsequently by postsynthetic ionization (to give Bim-UiO-66-Me). The UiO-66s (UiO-66, Bim-UiO-66, and Bim-UiO-66-Me) were applied in the removal of heavy metal oxo-anions from water. The two benzimidazole derivatives (Bim-UiO-66 and Bim-UiO-66-Me) showed much better performance than UiO-66, as both the initial sorption rate and sorption capacities decreased in the order Bim-UiO-66-Me > Bim-UiO-66 > UiO-66. The maximum performances of Bim-UiO-66 are 5.1 and 1.7 times those of UiO-66. Remarkably, Bim-UiO-66-Me shows 7.5 and 3.0 times better performance than UiO-66. The higher absorptivity of cationic Bim-UiO-66-Me compared with UiO-66 can be attributed to a strong Coulombic interaction as well as an anion-π interaction and hydrogen bonding between the benzimidazolium functional group and heavy metal oxo-anions. The as-synthesized Bim-UiO-66-Me not only provides a promising candidate for application in removal of heavy metal oxo-anions in wastewater treatment but also opens up a new strategy for the design of high-performance adsorbents.

TM4SF1 promotes esophageal squamous cell carcinoma metastasis by interacting with integrin α6

Transmembrane-4 L-six family member-1 (TM4SF1) is a member of the L6 family and functions as a signal transducer to regulate tumor cell behaviors. However, the function and mechanism of TM4SF1 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) metastasis remains unclear. Here, we find that TM4SF1 expression is increased and positively correlated with clinical TNM stage, N classification, differentiation, tumor size, and poor prognosis in ESCC patients. Interestingly, we demonstrate that TM4SF1 promotes ESCC cell adhesion, spreading, migration, and invasion, but not cell proliferation, in a laminin-dependent manner by interacting with integrin α6. Mechanistically, the TM4SF1/integrin α6/FAK axis signal pathway mediates cell migration under laminin-coating condition. Inhibiting FAK or knocking down TM4SF1 can attenuate TM4SF1-mediated cell migration and lung metastasis. Clinically, the TM4SF1/integrin α6/FAK axis positively correlates with ESCC. Altogether, these findings reveal a new mechanism of TM4SF1 in promoting ESCC metastasis via binding to integrin α6 and suggest that the cross-talk between TM4SF1 and integrin α6 may serve as a therapeutic target for ESCC.