A novel approach has been developed to produce pure plant-based gel soy yogurt by combining soy proteins (7S/11S), high pressure homogenization, and glycation reaction

This research sought to examine how the physicochemical characteristics of soy globulins and different processing techniques influence the gel properties of soy yogurt. The goal was to improve these gel properties and rectify any texture issues in soy yogurt, ultimately aiming to produce premium-quality plant-based soy yogurt. In this research study, the investigation focused on examining the impact of 7S/11S, homogenization pressure, and glycation modified with glucose on the gel properties of soy yogurt. A plant-based soy yogurt with superior gel and texture properties was successfully developed using a 7S/11S globulin-glucose conjugate at a 1:3 ratio and a homogenization pressure of 110 MPa. Compared to soy yogurt supplemented with pectin or gelatin, this yogurt demonstrated enhanced characteristics. These findings provide valuable insights into advancing plant protein gels and serve as a reference for cultivating new soybean varieties by soybean breeding experts.

Role of miRNAs in glucose metabolism of mouse cumulus cells†

It is known that the oocyte has a limited capacity to acquire and metabolize glucose, and it must rely on cumulus cells (CCs) to take up glucose and produce pyruvate for use to produce ATP through oxidative phosphorylation. We therefore propose that miRNAs might regulate glucose metabolism (GM) in CCs and might be used as markers for oocyte quality assessment. Here, mouse CC models with impaired glycolysis or pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) were established, and miRNAs targeting the key enzymes in glycolysis/PPP were predicted using the miRNA target prediction databases. Expression of the predicted miRNAs was compared between CCs with normal and impaired glycolysis/PPP to identify candidate miRNAs. Function of the candidate miRNAs was validated by transfecting CCs or cumulus-oocyte-complexes (COCs) with miRNA inhibitors and observing effects on glucose metabolites of CCs and on competence of oocytes. The results validated that miR-23b-3p, let-7b-5p, 34b-5p and 145a-5p inhibited glycolysis, and miR-24-3p, 3078-3p,183-5p and 7001-5p inhibited PPP of CCs. Our observation using a more physiologically relevant model (intact cultured COCs) further validated the four glycolysis-targeting miRNAs we identified. Furthermore, miR-let-7b-5p, 34b-5p and 145a-5p may also inhibit PPP, as they decreased the production of glucose-6-phosphate. In conclusion, miRNAs play critical roles in GM of CCs and may be used as markers for oocyte quality assessment. Summary sentence:  We identified and validated eight new miRNAs that inhibit glycolysis and/or pentose phosphate pathways in cumulus cells (CCs) suggesting that miRNAs play critical roles in glucose metabolism of CCs and may be used for oocyte quality markers.

Observation of Chiral Channels in Helical Covalent Organic Frameworks

Unraveling the mechanism of chirality transfer across length scales is crucial to the rational development of functional materials with hierarchical chirality. The key obstacle is the lack of structural information, especially at the mesoscopic level. We report herein the structural identification of helical covalent organic frameworks (heliCOFs) with hierarchical chirality, which integrate molecular chirality, channel chirality, and morphology chirality into one crystalline entity. Specifically, benefiting from the highly ordered structure of heliCOFs, the existence of chiral channels at the mesoscopic level has been confirmed by electron crystallography, and the handedness of these chiral channels has been directly determined through the stereopair imaging technique. Accordingly, the chirality transfer in heliCOFs from microscopic to macroscopic levels could be rationalized with a layer-rotating model that has been supported by both crystal structure analysis and theoretical calculations. Observation of chiral channels in heliCOFs not only provides unprecedented data for the understanding of the chirality transfer process but also sheds new light on the rational construction of highly ordered polymeric materials with hierarchical chirality.

NADPH oxidase 2 mediates cardiac sympathetic denervation and myocyte autophagy, resulting in cardiac atrophy and dysfunction in doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy

Doxorubicin has been used extensively as a potent anticancer agent, but its clinical use is limited by its cardiotoxicity. However, the underlying mechanisms remain to be fully elucidated. In this study, we tested whether NADPH oxidase 2 (Nox2) mediates cardiac sympathetic nerve terminal abnormalities and myocyte autophagy, resulting in cardiac atrophy and dysfunction in doxorubicin-induced heart failure. Nox2 knockout (KO) and wild-type (WT) mice were randomly assigned to receive a single injection of doxorubicin (15 mg/kg, i.p.) or saline. WT doxorubicin mice exhibited the decreases in survival rate, left ventricular (LV) wall thickness and LV fractional shortening and the increase in the lung wet-to-dry weight ratio 1 week after the injections. These alterations were attenuated in Nox2 KO doxorubicin mice. In WT doxorubicin mice, myocardial oxidative stress was increased, myocardial noradrenergic nerve fibers were reduced, myocardial expression of PGP9.5, GAP43, tyrosine hydroxylase and norepinephrine transporter was decreased, and these changes were prevented in Nox2 KO doxorubicin mice. Myocyte autophagy was increased and myocyte size was decreased in WT doxorubicin mice, but not in Nox2 KO doxorubicin mice. Nox2 mediates cardiac sympathetic nerve terminal abnormalities and myocyte autophagy-both of which contribute to cardiac atrophy and failure after doxorubicin treatment.

Bottom-Up Construction of Ni(II)-Incorporated Covalent Organic Framework for Metallaphotoredox Catalysis

The construction of an all-in-one catalyst, in which the photosensitizer and the transition metal site are close to each other, is important for improving the efficiency of metallaphotoredox catalysis. However, the development of convenient synthetic strategies for the precise construction of an all-in-one catalyst remains a challenging task due to the requirement of precise installation of the catalytic sites. Herein, we have successfully established a facile bottom-up strategy for the direct synthesis of Ni(II)-incorporated covalent organic framework (COF), named LZU-713@Ni, as a versatile all-in-one metallaphotoredox catalyst. LZU-713@Ni showed excellent activity and recyclability in the photoredox/nickel-catalyzed C-O, C-S, and C-P cross-coupling reactions. Notably, this catalyst displayed a better catalytic activity than its homogeneous analogues, physically mixed dual catalyst system, and, especially, LZU-713/Ni which was prepared through post-synthetic modification. The improved catalytic efficiency of LZU-713@Ni should be attributed to the implementation of bottom-up strategy, which incorporated the fixed, ordered, and abundant catalytic sites into its framework. This work sheds new light on the exploration of concise and effective strategies for the construction of multifunctional COF-based photocatalysts.

Delivery Strategies, Structural Modification, and Pharmacological Mechanisms of Honokiol: A Comprehensive Review

Honokiol (HK) is a traditional Chinese herbal bioactive compound that originates mainly from the Magnolia species, traditionally used to treat anxiety and stroke, as well as alleviation of flu symptoms. This natural product and its derivatives displayed diverse biological activities, including anticancer, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and antimicrobial activities. However, its poor bioavailability and pharmacological activity require primary consideration in the development of HK-based drugs. Recent innovative HK formulations based on the nanotechnology approach allowed for improvement in both bioavailability and therapeutic efficacy. Chemical derivation and drug combination are also effective strategies to ameliorate the drawbacks of HK. In recent years, studies on HK derivatives and compositions have made great progress in the treatment of cancer, inflammation, bacterial infection, cardiovascular, and cerebrovascular diseases, demonstrating better activity than HK. The objective of this review is an examination of the recent developments in the field of pharmacological activity of HK and its drug-related issues, and approaches to improve its physicochemical and biological properties, including solubility, stability, and bioavailability. Recent patents and the ongoing clinical trials in HK are also summarized.

[The prevalence of common complications among pneumoconiosis patients: a systematic review and Meta-analysis]

Objective: To analysis the main types and prevalences of complications among pneumoconiosis patients, and to provide scientific basis for the prevention and treatment of pneumoconiosis. Methods: In January 2023, literatures on pneumoconiosis complications published before December 31, 2022 in China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Database, Chinese Science & Technology Journal Database (VIP), PubMed and Web of Science were systematically searched. Literatures were selected according to inclusion and exclusion criteria, and relevant data were extracted. Quality assessment tool was used to evaluate the quality of the articles for this study. The combined prevalence of complications among pneumoconiosis patients was calculated by R 4.1.1 software. Subgroup analysis was carried out to explore the origin of heterogeneity. Results: Sixty-four eligible articles were selected from 2276 literatures related to pneumoconiosis and its complications. The combined prevalence of complications among pneumoconiosis patients was 21.1% (95% CI: 16.0%-26.3%, I(2)=99.9%). The combined prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was 26.4% (95%CI: 17.3%-35.6%, I(2)=97.1%), which was the highest among different types of complications among pneumoconiosis patients. Subgroup analyses revealed that the combined prevalence of tuberculosis among pneumoconiosis stage Ⅰ, Ⅱand Ⅲ were 13.8% (95%CI: 10.5%-17.2%, I(2)=99.6%), 18.4% (95% CI: 14.9%-22.0%, I(2)=99.3%) and 37.3% (95% CI: 30.7%-44.0%, I(2)=99.1%), respectively, showing a corresponding increasing tendency (P<0.05). The combined prevalence of tuberculosis among coal worker's pneumoconiosis patients was 12.9% (95% CI: 6.4%-19.3%, I(2)=97.9%), while the combined prevalence of tuberculosis among silicosis patients was 13.9% (95%CI: 10.0%-17.8%, I(2)=96.9%) . Conclusion: The prevalence of pneumoconiosis patients combined with different types of complications is high, and its prevalence increases with the severity of pneumoconiosis.

Valorization of the pelagic Sargassum horneri for co-production of erythritol and alginate oligosaccharides

Pelagic Sargassum is invasive macroalgae with huge biomass. To produce bulk chemicals with profit from the biomass, innovative strategies need to be developed. In this study, maximum saccharification yield of Sargassum horneri biomass was obtained with the combined use of 3% alginate lyase and 3% cellulase, releasing 20.83 g/L glucose and 1.73 g/L mannitol at a 1:6 feed ratio. Subsequently, the crude S. horneri hydrolysate (pH 3.0) was proved most suitable for erythritol production of Yarrowia lipolytica strain. After 60 h fermentation in a 10-L fermenter, the erythritol concentration reached 18.42 g/L with a yield of 0.82 g/g; while the concentration of alginate oligosaccharides (AOS) was 37.56 g/L. Finally, AOS with a purity of 93.4% were obtained by ethanol precipitation, and erythritol was harvested via crystallization. This proposed strategy demonstrates the feasibility of transforming invasive Sargassum into two high-value chemicals for the first time.

[Association between muscle mass and quality of life in Shaanxi adults]

Objective: To investigate the association between muscle mass and quality of life in adults in Shaanxi adults. Methods: The data in this analysis were part of the baseline survey of the Regional Ethnic Cohort Study in Northwest China from June 2018 to May 2019 in Shaanxi Province. The participants' quality of life, including physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS), was assessed by the 12-Item Short Form Survey, and the Body Fat Determination System measured muscle mass. A logistic regression model with adjustment for confounding factors was established to analyze the association between muscle mass and quality of life in different genders. Further, sensitivity and subgroup analyses were conducted to explore its stability. Finally, a restricted cubic spline was employed to investigate the dose-response relationship between muscle mass and quality of life in different genders. Results: A total of 20 595 participants were included, with an average age of 55.0, and 33.4% were male. After controlling for potential confounders, compared with the Q₁ group, the risk of low PCS was reduced by 20.6% (OR=0.794, 95%CI: 0.681-0.925) and the risk of low MCS was lower reduced by 20.1% (OR=0.799, 95%CI: 0.689-0.926) in female Q₅ groups. Compared with the Q₁ group, the risk of low PCS was reduced by 24.4% (OR=0.756, 95%CI: 0.644-0.888) in the male Q₂ group. However, no significant association between muscle mass and MCS in males has been found. In females, restricted cubic spline analysis showed a significant linear dose-response relationship between muscle mass and PCS and MCS. Conclusions: There is a positive association between muscle mass and quality of life in Shaanxi adults, especially females. With the increase in muscle mass, the physical and mental functions of the population continue to improve.

[Clinical analysis of fifteen transplant ureteral stricture cases]

This research aims to explore the clinical characteristics and treatment of transplant ureteral strictures. We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data from fifteen patients diagnosed with transplant ureteral stricture. Of the fifteen patients, five underwent regular ureteral stent or nephrostomy tube exchanges, while ten underwent open surgery. There were no significant differences in basic clinical characteristics between the two groups. The median follow-up time for regular ureteral stent or nephrostomy tube exchanges and open surgery group was 36.8 (11.8-56.0) months and 25.0 (4.5-31.2) months, respectively. Among patients who underwent regular exchanges, one required regular dialysis. Nine patients in the open surgery group had successful removal of the ureteral stent. Our findings suggest that regular ureteral stent or nephrostomy tube exchanges, as well as open surgery, are effective treatment options for transplant ureteral strictures.

Regional location of lymph node metastases predicts survival in patients with de novo metastatic prostate cancer

To report the regional locations of metastases and to estimate the prognostic value of the pattern of regional metastases in men with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC), we retrospectively analyzed 870 mHSPC patients between November 28, 2009, and February 4, 2021, from West China Hospital in Chengdu, China. The patients were initially classified into 5 subgroups according to metastatic patterns as follows: simple bone metastases (G1), concomitant bone and regional lymph node (LN) metastases (G2), concomitant bone and nonregional LN (NRLN) metastases (G3), lung metastases (G4), and liver metastases (G5). In addition, patients in the G3 group were subclassified as G3a and G3b based on the LN metastatic plane (below or above the diaphragm, respectively). The associations of different metastatic patterns with castration-resistant prostate cancer-free survival (CFS) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed by univariate and multivariate analyses. The results showed that patients in G1 and G2 had relatively favorable clinical outcomes, patients in G3a and G4 had intermediate prognoses, and patients in G3b and G5 had the worst survival outcomes. We observed that patients in G3b had outcomes comparable to those in G5 but had a significantly worse prognosis than patients in G3a (median CFS: 8.2 months vs 14.3 months, P = 0.015; median OS: 38.1 months vs 45.8 months, P = 0.038). In conclusion, metastatic site can predict the prognosis of patients with mHSPC, and the presence of concomitant bone and NRLN metastases is a valuable prognostic factor. Furthermore, our findings indicate that the farther the NRLNs are located, the more aggressive the disease is.

Use self-gravitation traction to treat lumbar disc herniation: Study protocol for a double-center, single-blind randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Self-gravitation traction is 1 of the most popular treatments for lumbar disc herniation (LDH). This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the self-gravitation traction device in the treatment of LDH and to confirm its positive treatment effect.

METHODOLOGY

This trial is designed as a pragmatic double-center, single-blind, and 3-arm (1:1:1 ratio) randomized controlled trial. The recruited patients with LDH will be randomly allocated to the intervention (traction weight is 40% or 60% of its body weight) or control (traction weight is 20% of its body weight) group. Traction will be completed within 6 consecutive weeks (3 times a week), with 10 minutes of traction for the first 3 weeks, 20 minutes of traction for the next 3 weeks. After the experiment is completed, we will establish an experiment-related database. The software of SPSS, version 21 (SPSS Inc. Chicago, IL) will be used for statistical analysis, and measurement data will be expressed via mean and standard deviation (mean ± SD).

DISCUSSION

Once the trial is completed, we will publish the study in journals in both Chinese and English to promote the dissemination and use of the results. In addition, we also plan to promote the research results at various academic conferences both domestically and internationally.

Production, Biosynthesis, and Commercial Applications of Fatty Acids From Oleaginous Fungi

Oleaginous fungi (including fungus-like protists) are attractive in lipid production due to their short growth cycle, large biomass and high yield of lipids. Some typical oleaginous fungi including Galactomyces geotrichum, Thraustochytrids, Mortierella isabellina, and Mucor circinelloides, have been well studied for the ability to accumulate fatty acids with commercial application. Here, we review recent progress toward fermentation, extraction, of fungal fatty acids. To reduce cost of the fatty acids, fatty acid productions from raw materials were also summarized. Then, the synthesis mechanism of fatty acids was introduced. We also review recent studies of the metabolic engineering strategies have been developed as efficient tools in oleaginous fungi to overcome the biochemical limit and to improve production efficiency of the special fatty acids. It also can be predictable that metabolic engineering can further enhance biosynthesis of fatty acids and change the storage mode of fatty acids.

Optimization of the Natural Product Calothrixin A to Discover Novel Dual Topoisomerase I and II Inhibitors with Improved Anticancer Activity

Calothrixin A (CAA) is a dual Topo I and II inhibitor but exhibits poor antiproliferative activities and water solubility. Herein, a library of novel CAA analogues was synthesized. Among them, compound F16 exhibited superior water solubility (>5 mg/mL) as compared to CAA (<5 μg/mL). The mechanism of action studies confirmed that F16 acted as a dual Topo I and II poison. Furthermore, F16 displayed potent antiproliferative activities against high Topo I and II expression cell lines A375 and HCT116, with IC₅₀ values of 20 and 50 nM, respectively. In xenograft models, F16 reduced the tumor growth at a dose of 10 or 20 mg/kg without apparent effect on the mouse weight, while the clinically used Topo II inhibitor VP-16 dramatically reduced the mouse weight. Collectively, our data demonstrated that F16 could be a promising lead for the development of novel dual Topo I and II antitumor agents.

Fused-Ring-Linked Covalent Organic Frameworks

The development of linkage chemistry in the research area of covalent organic frameworks (COFs) is fundamentally important for creating robust structures with high crystallinity and diversified functionality. We reach herein a new level of complexity and controllability in linkage chemistry by achieving the first synthesis of fused-ring-linked COFs. A series of bicyclic pyrano[4,3-b]pyridine COFs have been constructed via a cascade protocol involving Schiff-base condensation, intramolecular [4 + 2] cycloaddition, and dehydroaromatization. With a broad scope of Brønsted or Lewis acids as the catalyst, the designed monomers, that is, O-propargylic salicylaldehydes and multitopic anilines, were converted into the fused-ring-linked frameworks in a one-pot fashion. The obtained COFs exhibited excellence in terms of purity, stability, and crystallinity, as comprehensively characterized by solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and so on. Specifically, the highly selective formation (>94%) of pyrano[4,3-b]pyridine linkage was verified by quantitative NMR measurements combined with ¹³C-labeling synthesis. Moreover, the fused-ring linkage possesses fully locked conformation, which benefits to the high crystallinity observed for these COFs. Advancing the linkage chemistry from the formation of solo bonds or single rings to that of fused rings, this study has opened up new possibilities for the concise construction of sophisticated COF structures with high controllability.

Similar experimental study on retaining waterproof coal pillar in composite strata mining

Numerous field examples of coal seam mining show that when coal seams under confined water are mined close to faults, water inrush effects on complex mining surfaces occur. Obeying similarity rules, physical similarity models consisting of sand, lime, and plaster were used to investigate the water conducting process, along with stress and displacement measured by a combination of mechanical senor, total station, and video camera-. Comparing the physical model tests with the calculation results of elastoplastic limit equilibrium theory, the rationality of the model has been verified. Besides, a safe width of the waterproof coal pillar has been obtained. It can be demonstrated from the model observations that the coal seam in front of the mining can be divided into three areas with different characteristics of stress and displacement, namely, which are the fault-affected area, the elastic area, and the plastic yield crack area. A closed-loop water inlet and outlet pipeline composed of a water control platform that can provide stable water pressure, and water bags pre-buried in the fault was used to simulate the water conduction in the fracture zone. Integrate the development law of stress, displacement, and water conduction coming from the upper and lower walls of the fault to further determine the reasonable width of the waterproof coal pillar.

[Clinical characteristics of patients with acute pulmonary embolism in high altitude area of Yunnan province in China]

Objective: To analyze the clinical features of patients with acute pulmonary embolism (APE) living in high altitude area of Yunnan province. Methods: This was a cross-sectional retrospective study. APE patients, hospitalized in our hospital between January 2017 and December 2019, were included. The selected patients were divided into low-risk group, medium-risk group and high-risk group according to risk stratification. The clinical data of patients, including demographic data, the main symptoms, risk factors of APE, heart rate and systolic blood pressure and laboratory testing results (D-dimer, cardiac troponin I (cTNI), N terminal B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP)) and echocardiography and electrocardiogram examination results, were obtained through the electronic medical record system. The clinical characteristics of selected patients were analyzed. Results: A total of 392 patients, aged (63.5±15.7) years, 224 males (57.14%), were included in this study and there were 59 low-risk, 304 medium-risk and 29 high-risk patients in this cohort. The main clinical manifestations were chest pain (157(40.05%)), dyspnea (107(27.30%)), hemoptysis (55(14.03%)), syncope as the first symptom (20(5.10%)), and only 6 cases (1.53%) presented with the typical "Virchow's triad". Most of the patients were accompanied by atypical chest tightness (223(56.89%)) and cough (208(53.06%)). The main risk factors were venous thrombosis of lower limbs (179(45.66%)), hypertension (138(35.20%)), surgery (63(16.07%)), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (62(15.82%)). There were 57 cases (14.54%) of coronary heart disease, 57 cases (14.54%) of diabetes, 51 cases (13.01%) of cerebral infarction, 47 cases (12.00%) of advanced age, 15 cases (3.83%) of tumor, 7 cases (1.79%) of activity restriction, 6 cases (1.53%) of pregnancy and 4 cases (1.02%) of hormone use in this cohort. The proportion of lower extremity venous thrombosis was significantly higher in low-risk group than in medium-risk group (P<0.01), COPD was more common in high-risk and medium-risk groups than in low-risk group (P<0.01), hypertension was more common in high-risk group than in medium-and low-risk groups (P<0.01). The proportion of advanced age was significantly higher in medium-risk group than in low-risk group (P<0.01). There were no significant differences in RBC and hemoglobin level between low-, medium-and high-risk groups (P>0.05). The level of D-dimer was significantly higher in high-risk group than in medium-and low-risk groups (P<0.05). Levels of NT-proBNP and cTNI were significantly higher in high-risk group than in medium- and low-risk groups (P<0.05). Increased proportion of cTNI and NT-proBNP was significantly higher in high-risk group than in medium- and low-risk groups (P<0.05). There were 105 (26.79%) patients with pulmonary hypertension (PAH). The incidence of PAH was significantly higher in high-risk group than in low-risk group (P<0.01). There were 104 patients (26.53%) with right ventricular enlargement, and the incidence of right ventricular enlargement was significantly higher in high-risk group than in medium-and low-risk groups (P<0.01). Characteristic changes of electrocardiogram in patient with APE were T-wave inversion of limb leads (98(25.00%)), followed by S_ⅠQ_ⅢT_Ⅲ (83(21.17%)). Conclusions: The main clinical manifestations of APE in Yunnan high altitude area are chest pain and dyspnea, and syncope is the first symptom in some patients, but the typical "Virchow's triad" is rare. The most common risk factors are lower extremity venous thrombosis, hypertension, and COPD. Clinical symptoms, risk factors and laboratory examination results differ among patients with different risk stratification.

A SERS aptasensor based on porous Au-NC nanoballoons for Staphylococcus aureus detection

In this work, we developed a new approach for fabricating hollow and porous nitrogen doped carbon nanoballoons loading AuNPs (Au-NC-NBs) with a large specific surface area, a high N and Au content. The surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) aptasensor based on the resulting Au-NC-NBs possess a wider linear range (10 to 10⁷ cells/mL), a lower detection limit (3 cells/mL), better selectivity for detecting bacteria than previously reported sensors. Importantly, Au-NC-NBs SERS aptasensor also exhibits excellent performance for detecting bacteria in the real food and biological samples. This work provides a facile and versatile designing strategy for controlled construction of SERS biosensor by combination of Au nanoparticles and carbon materials, which has a great applied potential in food safety monitoring and clinical diagnosis.

[Progress in treatment for malignant pleural mesothelioma]

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a kind of invasive malignant tumor originated from pleural tissue. The incidence of MPM is not high in the population, but the prognosis is very poor. The median survival time is only about 12 months. Pemetrexed combined with platinum is the first-line chemotherapy regimen recommended by the current guidelines. The use of bevacizumab will further prolong the survival of chemotherapy. Once resistance happened, no anti-tumor treatment has been confirmed to achieve survival benefits. Therefore, there is no recommended standard second-line MPM regimen in international and domestic guidelines, including National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines. Vinorelbine, gemcitabine and other monotherapy regimens are commonly used in clinical practice, but the median progression free survival (PFS) is only about 3 months. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIS) have been proved to have a significant inhibitory effect on tumor growth in a variety of malignant tumors, and their efficacy is related to the expression of programmed death-ligand 1(PD-L1). In unresectable MPM, programmed death 1 (PD-1)/PD-L1 inhibitors have been used in a series of clinical studies in the first-line, second-line and above treatment. Some of the results have been cited and recommended by international guidelines, but the overall efficacy improvement is still limited. This review summarizes the latest clinical studies and researches in the field of MPM treatment and predicts the directions and prospect of improving the therapeutic effect in the future.

[An epigenetic clock model for assessing the human biological age of healthy aging]

Objective: To construct an epigenetic clock model for assessing and calibrating human biological age. Methods: Convenience sampling was used to select 186 subjects from the longevity cohort of Guangxi Zhuang Antonornous Region from July 1 to November 30, 2019, and 124 subjects from the physical examination population of the Seventh Medical Center of the PLA General Hospital from October 1 to December 31, 2020. Self-designed questionnaire was applied to collect demographic characteristics and family history of disease. Physical examination was applied to determine heart rate and blood pressure. Fasting peripheral venous blood was drawn for determination of fasting plasma glucose, plasma total cholesterol, triglyceride, plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and telomere length. Methylation levels of EDARADD cg09809672, IPO8 cg19722847, NHLRC1 cg22736354, P2RX6 cg05442902 and SCGN cg06493994 were detected by targeted methylation site sequencing. A total of 54 subjects with unqualified quality control of DNA methylation and telomere length were excluded, and 256 subjects' data were finally analyzed. Trend test was used for the change of methylation level among different ages groups, multiple linear regression method was used to build prediction models of biological age. Kendal rank correlation analysis was used to evaluate the correlation of age gap (Gregorian calendar age minus biological age) with telomere length. Independent sample t-test was used to compare the health-related indicators between subjects with different age gap within different age groups. Results: The M(Q₁, Q₃)of age of subjects were 67 (51, 91) years old, including 166 females (64.84%). With increase of age, the methylation levels of gene loci were decreased (EDARADD cg09809672, IPO8 cg19722847 and P2RX6 cg05442902) and increased (NHLRC1 cg22736354 and SCGN cg06493994) (all P values<0.05). The established biological age prediction model was as follows: Y=-53.121×EDARADD cg09809672-137.564×IPO8 cg19722847+141.040×NHLRC1 cg22736354-67.893×P2RX6 cg05442902+149.547×SCGNcg06493994+4.592×sex+64.185 (R²=0.86, P<0.001), where Y was the biological age, and the items in the equation were methylation level, sex (male =1, female =2) and intercept in sequence. The Kendall rank correlation coefficient between age gap and telomere length was 0.731 (P<0.001). Compared with the subjects whose age gaP<0, the subjects with age gaP≥0 had higher systolic blood pressure in adolescence [(88.50±8.89) and (109.83±9.48) mmHg, respectively, 1 mmHg=0.133 kPa]; lower TC [(5.48±0.23) and (3.98±0.54) mmol/L, respectively, ] and TG [(3.51±0.32) and (3.41±0.20) mmol/L] in young adults; lower fasting blood glucose in middle age [(6.17±0.67) and (5.37±0.79) mmol/L, respectively, ] and higher diastolic blood pressure in nonagenarian age [(76.99±6.78) and (83.97±9.36) mmHg, respectively, ] (all P values<0.05). Conclusion: The constructed epigenetic clock model can be used to evaluate and calibrate human biological age.

Laminaria japonica hydrolysate promotes fucoxanthin accumulation in Phaeodactylum tricornutum

Fucoxanthin (Fx) has gained a growing attention due to the remarkable biological activities. The limited biomass of was the restrictive factor for Fx production in Phaeodactylum tricornutum. In this study, Laminaria japonica hydrolysate (LPH) with a low addition proportion of 1.5 ml/L, was proved to promote fucoxanthin accumulation and cell growth simultaneously. Fx topped at 27.9 mg/L after 10-d cultivation in the LPH group, with a biomass of 1.59 g/L and a Fx content of 17.55 mg/g. Three key plant hormones in LPH were screened responsible for promoting fucoxanthin accumulation. Transcriptomic analysis and qRT-PCR results showed that genes related to Fx formation were generally up- regulated. The study demonstrated that LPH addition was a feasible and efficient strategy to enhance production of fucoxanthin, facilitating the scale-up production of Fx in autotrophic culture.

Effect of different attributes of the mimic human lumbar spine biomechanics material structure change by finite element analysis

In this study, we compared stress changes and quantity effect relationships from 3D finite element models of normal and degenerative lumbar segments. We further defined the mechanisms causing alterations in mechanical stability the control of normal and degenerative lumbar segments using traditional Chinese medicine. The characteristics of the stress change and the quantity effect relationships of the three-dimensional finite element model of normal and degenerative lumbar segments were compared. The mechanism(s) leading to changes in mechanical stability and the intervention and balance between normal and degenerative lumbar segments of the traditional Chinese medicine was analyzed. The change trend of stress and strain was compared with the three dimensional finite element model under different motion states of normal lumbar vertebrae. A 3D-FEM of degenerative lumbar segments L4 ~ 5 of the human spine was established to simulate the physiological and pathological changes of the lumbar spine in response to flexion, extension, lateral bending and torsion. The stress changes in the normal and degenerative lumbar vertebrae were assessed through external force interventions and the response to TCM. Stress in the degenerative lumbar vertebrae changed according the external load. Stress and strain were compared in the FEM model under a range of motion states. Components of the human lumbar vertebrae including the cortical vertebrae, cancellous bone, endplates, fibrous rings, and facet articular processes were investigated. The elastic modulus of the nerve roots and the posterior marginal structures of the vertebral body increased with lumbar degeneration. Under stress trends in normal lumbar and different degrees of degenerative lumbar structures including cortical bone, loose bone, terminal plate, fiber ring, nucleus, small articular processes, nerve roots and posterior structures. In normal lumbar spine, 20%, 50%, 70% lumbar degeneration, 106 different lumbar anterior flexion 30 and posterior extension with different external forces showed that ANOVA F was between 3.623 and 11.381 and P changed between 0.001 and 0.05.It is clear that in the lumbar movement segments under different pressure intervention, the changes in the degree of degeneration are significantly different from each constituent structure, among which the trend of expected change between the constituent structures of the lumbar anterior flexion 30 is particularly obvious. The stress distribution in the intervertebral discs were influenced by TCM, and the space in the spinal canal enlarged so that nerve root stress decreased, vertebral body stress increased, and facet processes and pedicle stress in the posterior regions exceeded those of the anterior flexion position. The internal stress of the intervertebral disc increased in the flexion compared to the extension position, gradually increasing from top to bottom. The stress concentration point of the degenerative lumbar disc is significantly greater than the stress in the normal lumbar disc stress distribution area, and increases with the degree of degeneration. Compared with the load capacity of normal lumbar and mild (15% reduction), moderate (40% reduction) lumbar disc protrusion model in bending, extension, axial rotation, lateral bending, the results found that the load transmission of lumbar disc degeneration model to different degrees has also changed, so its compression stiffness, strain distribution and size are also different. TCM can improve and treat lumbar disc disease through its ability to regulate the mechanical environment of degenerative lumbar vertebrae. Compared to the FEM models of the lumbar vertebrae, lumbar degenerative changes could be assessed in response to alterations in the biomechanical environment. These findings provide a scientific basis for the popularization and application of TCM to prevent and treat spinal degenerative disease.

Expression and Characterization of a Novel Cold-Adapted Chitosanase from Marine Renibacterium sp. Suitable for Chitooligosaccharides Preparation

(1) Background: Chitooligosaccharides (COS) have numerous applications due to their excellent properties. Chitosan hydrolysis using chitosanases has been proposed as an advisable method for COS preparation. Although many chitosanases from various sources have been identified, the cold-adapted ones with high stability are still rather rare but required. (2) Methods: A novel chitosanase named CsnY from marine bacterium Renibacterium sp. Y82 was expressed in Escherichia coli, following sequence analysis. Then, the characterizations of recombinant CsnY purified through Ni-NTA affinity chromatography were conducted, including effects of pH and temperature, effects of metal ions and chemicals, and final product analysis. (3) Results: The GH46 family chitosanase CsnY possessed promising thermostability at broad temperature range (0-50 °C), and with optimal activity at 40 °C and pH 6.0, especially showing relatively high activity (over 80% of its maximum activity) at low temperatures (20-30 °C), which demonstrated the cold-adapted property. Common metal ions or chemicals had no obvious effect on CsnY except Mn2+ and Co2+. Finally, CsnY was determined to be an endo-type chitosanase generating chitodisaccharides and -trisaccharides as main products, whose total concentration reached 56.74 mM within 2 h against 2% (w/v) initial chitosan substrate. (4) Conclusions: The results suggest the cold-adapted CsnY with favorable stability has desirable potential for the industrial production of COS.

[Potential pleiotropism of cancer-related single nucleotide polymorphisms among Chinese population]

Objective: To investigate the potential pleiotropism of cancer-related single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) among Chinese population. Methods: Based on the catalogue of GWAS jointly constructed by the National Human Genome Research Institute and the European Institute of Bioinformatics, according to population origin (Chinese population and non-Chinese population) and disease traits (cancer and non-cancer traits). All SNPs found by GWAS before August 2020 were divided into four categories: cancer in Chinese population, non-cancer in Chinese population, cancer in non-Chinese population and non-cancer in non-Chinese population. The number, correlation and linkage of the four categories of SNPs were described. Results: By August 2020, a total of 196 813 SNPs from 4 096 GWAS were included in the GWAS directory. The information that SNPs refer to unknown or were not related to the disease was excluded, and 117 441 independent SNPs were finally included. There were 619 SNPs related to cancer and 9 569 SNPs related to non-cancer disease in Chinese population, respectively. There were 4 624 SNPs related to cancer and 106 448 SNPs related to non-cancer disease (trait) in non-Chinese population, respectively. Three SNPs, rs2736100, rs6983267 and rs401681, were associated with two or more types of cancer in both Chinese and non-Chinese populations. Seven SNPs, rs7705526, rs2736100, rs10993994, rs2735839, rs4430796, rs174537 and rs9271588, were associated with cancer and non-cancer diseases in both Chinese and non-Chinese populations, respectively. Conclusion: There is a potential pleiotropism of cancer-related SNPs in Chinese population.

Whole conversion of agro-industrial wastes rich in galactose-based carbohydrates into lipid using oleaginous yeast Aureobasidium namibiae

BACKGROUND

Raw materials composed of easily assimilated monosaccharides have been employed as carbon source for production of microbial lipids. Nevertheless, agro-industrial wastes rich in galactose-based carbohydrates have not been introduced as feedstocks for oleaginous yeasts.

RESULTS

In this study, Aureobasidium namibiae A12 was found to efficiently accumulate lipid from soy molasses and whey powder containing galactose-based carbohydrates, with lipid productions of 5.30 g/L and 5.23 g/L, respectively. Over 80% of the fatty acids was C_16:0, C_18:0, C_18:1, and C_18:2. All kinds of single sugar components in the two byproducts were readily converted into lipids, with yields ranging between 0.116 g/g and 0.138 g/g. Three α-galactosidases and five β-galactosidases in the strain were cloned and analyzed. Changes of transcriptional levels indicated GalB and GalC were key α-galactosidases, and GalG was key β-galactosidase. In 10 L fermentor, lipid production from SM and WP achieved 6.45 g/L and 6.13 g/L, respectively. β-galactosidase was responsible for lactose hydrolysis; sucrase and α-galactosidase both contributed to the efficient hydrolysis of raffinose and stachyose in a cooperation manner.

CONCLUSIONS

This is a new way to produce lipids from raw materials containing galactose-based carbohydrates. This finding revealed the significance of sucrase in the direct hydrolysis of galactose-based carbohydrates in raw materials for the first time and facilitated the understanding of the efficient utilization of galactose-based carbohydrates to manufacture lipid or other chemicals in bioprocess.

A Comparative Insight on the Newly Emerging Rifamycins: Rifametane, Rifalazil, TNP-2092 and TNP-2198

Rifamycins are considered a milestone for tuberculosis (TB) treatment because of their proficient sterilizing ability. Currently, available TB treatments are complicated and need a long duration, which ultimately leads to failure of patient compliance. Some new rifamycin derivatives, i.e., rifametane, TNP-2092 (rifamycin-quinolizinonehybrid), and TNP-2198 (rifamycin-nitromidazole hybrid) are under clinical trials, which are attempting to overcome the problems associated with TB treatment. The undertaken review is intended to compare the pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and safety profiles of these rifamycins, including rifalazil, another derivative terminated in phase II trials, and already approved rifamycins. The emerging resistance of microbes is an imperative consideration associated with antibiotics. Resistance development potential of microbial strains against rifamycins and an overview of chemistry, as well as structure-activity relationship (SAR) of rifamycins, are briefly described. Moreover, issues associated with rifamycins are discussed as well. We expect that newly emerging rifamycins shall appear as potential tools for TB treatment in the near future.

Intraductal carcinoma of the prostate in prostate biopsy samples: correlation with aggressive pathological features after radical prostatectomy and prognostic value in high-risk prostate cancer

Intraductal carcinoma of the prostate (IDC-P) is an aggressive pathological pattern of prostate cancer (PCa). We investigated the association of IDC-P in prostate biopsy (PBx) with several pathological features after radical prostatectomy (RP) and its prognostic value in high-risk PCa. A total of 418 patients with high-risk PCa after RP were included in this study. IDC-P and its architectural patterns were identified according to the 2016 World Health Organization Classification. Chi-squared test and logistic regression were used to investigate the correlation between IDC-P and post-RP pathological features. Kaplan–Meier curves and Cox regression were applied to explore the prognostic value of IDC-P. IDC-P was identified in PBx in 36/418 (8.6%) patients. Logistic regression indicated that IDC-P in PBx was independently associated with several pathological features of RP, including Gleason score 8–10 (P < 0.001), seminal vesicular invasion (P < 0.001), and pathological T (pT) 3a (P = 0.043). Patients with IDC-P in PBx manifested poorer biochemical-free survival (BFS) than those without IDC-P (37.47 months vs not reached, P < 0.001). The addition of IDC-P in several prognostic nomograms could improve the predictive accuracy of these tools. We conclude that IDC-P in PBx is positively associated with several aggressive pathological features after RP in high-risk PCa. In addition, IDC-P in PBx could effectively predict the BFS of high-risk PCa patients after RP.

Ex Vivo Liver Resection and Autotransplantation as Surgical Option for Zone II-III Leiomyosarcoma of IVC: A Case Report and Literature Review

We report the first documented case of leiomyosarcoma at zone II-III of inferior vena cava with thrombi in three hepatic veins undergoing ex vivo liver resection and autotransplantation (ELRA) and hepatic veins thrombectomy. A 33-year-old female patient presented with abdominal distention and lower extremities edema. Abdominal wall varicosis and shifting dullness were positive on physical examination. Her liver function was classified as Child-Pugh B and a solid tumor at retro-hepatic vena cava extending to right atrium with thrombi in three hepatic veins were confirmed. The diagnosis of leiomyosarcoma with Budd-Chiari syndrome was highly suspected with preoperative ultrasound, echocardiogram, CT scan, and three-dimensional reconstruction. A zone II-III leiomyosarcoma of IVC origin was confirmed at surgery and ex vivo liver resection and autotransplantation, and hepatic vein thrombectomy with atrial reconstruction were performed under cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Operative time, anhepatic time, and CPB time were 12 h, 128 min, and 84 min, respectively. The patients experienced post-operative liver dysfunction and was cured with conservative therapy. Hepatic recurrence two years after surgery was managed with radiofrequency. The patient was alive with liver metastasis three years after surgery. Despite being regarded as an extremely aggressive procedure, ELRA could be considered in the treatment of advanced leiomyosarcoma with Budd-Chiari syndrome and hepatic vein thrombi.

Analysis of selection signatures on the Z chromosome of bidirectional selection broiler lines for the assessment of abdominal fat content

Background

The discovery of selection signatures has enabled the identification of genomics regions under selective pressure, enhancing knowledge of evolutionary genotype-phenotypes. Sex chromosomes play an important role in species formation and evolution. Therefore, the exploration of selection signatures on sex chromosomes has important biological significance.

Results

In this study, we used the Cross Population Extend Haplotype Homozygosity Test (XPEHH), F-statistics (F_ST) and EigenGWAS to assess selection signatures on the Z chromosome in 474 broiler chickens via Illumina chicken 60 K SNP chips. SNP genotype data were downloaded from publicly available resources. We identified 17 selection regions, amongst which 1, 11 and 12 were identified by XPEHH, F_ST, and EigenGWAS, respectively. Each end of the Z chromosome appeared to undergo the highest levels of selection pressure. A total of 215 candidate genes were located in 17 selection regions, some of which mediated lipogenesis, fatty acid production, fat metabolism, and fat decomposition, including FGF10, ELOVL7, and IL6ST. Using abdominal adipose tissue expression data of the chickens, 187 candidate genes were expressed with 15 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in fat vs. lean lines identified. Amongst the DEGs, VCAN was related to fat metabolism. GO pathway enrichment analysis and QTL annotations were performed to fully characterize the selection mechanism(s) of chicken abdominal fat content.

Conclusions

We have found some selection regions and candidate genes involving in fat metabolism on the Z chromosome. These findings enhance our understanding of sex chromosome selection signatures.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12863-021-00971-6.

Nonlinear microfluidics: device physics, functions, and applications

The microfluidic flow is typically laminar due to the dominant viscous effects. At Reynolds numbers far below 1 (Re ≪ 1), the fluid inertia can be neglected. For the steady flow of incompressible Newtonian fluids, it approaches linear Stokes flow. At intermediate Re, there exists a weak-inertia flow regime where secondary flows such as Dean vortices are accessible for microfluidic manipulations. Apart from the fluid inertia, other nonlinear factors such as the non-Newtonian fluid properties, concurrent flow of dissimilar fluids, compliant fluidic structures and stimuli-responsive materials can also cause intriguing flow behaviours. Through proper designs, they can be applied for a variety of microfluidic components including mixers, valves, oscillators, stabilizers and auto-regulators etc., greatly enriching the microfluidic flow control and manipulation strategies. Due to its unique working characteristics and advantages, nonlinear microfluidics has increasingly attracted extensive attention. This review presents a systematic survey on this subject. The designs of typical nonlinear microfluidic devices, their working mechanisms, key applications, and the perspective of their future developments will be discussed. The nonlinear microfluidic techniques are believed to play an essential role in the next generation of highly-integrated, automated, and intelligent microfluidics.

[An analysis of the status quo of ground-level ozone pollution research]

Objective: To analyze the research status of ground-level ozone pollution, explore research trends and hot spots, and provide references for future research on air pollution. Methods: Papers on ground-level ozone pollution research published before December 31, 2019 had been retrieved in SCI-E database of the "Web of Science Core Collection" in January 2020. The retrieval strategies were set as follows: TS= ( ("Tropospheric Ozone" OR "Low Level Ozone" OR "Ground Level Ozone") AND ("Air pollution*" OR "Air quality") ) . The survey included 2084 articles. By using bibliometric research and visual analysis tools, the research status of global ground-level ozone pollution was revealed from the aspects of time, discipline, journal, financing, institution, country and key words. Results: Cumulative publications increased in a cubic function of y=0.05x(3)+0.80x(2)+0.74x+4.55 (R(2)=0.999, P<0.01) . The most studied subject was Environmental sciences ecology (1401 articles, 67.23%) . Atmospheric Environment was the journal with the most articles (332 articles, 15.93%) . The United States was the country with the most publications (44.67%, 931/2084) , while China ranked second (17.13%, 357/2084) . 80.39% (287/357) of Chinese papers had funding information. Among the top 10 research institutions, 7 and 2 were affiliated to the United States and China respectively. Source apportionment and human health were high frequency keywords that had appeared in the last 5 years. Conclusion: The research on ground-level ozone pollution is in a good period of development. The United States has a leading position in this area, and China has a good prospect in this field. Pollution source apportionment and human health effects are new research directions.

[Analysis of distribution characteristics and influencing factors of healthy and long-lived people in Shanglin area of Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region]

Objective: To explore the epidemiologic characteristics of long-lived population and influencing factors in Shanglin county of Guangxi and provide scientific basis for the study of health and longevity in Guangxi. Methods: We collected and analyzed the general demographic cross-sectional data of the long-lived individuals (≥90 years old) in 11 villages and towns by multi-source registration and face-to-face interview. The age group control design was adopted to conduct a comparison among the longevity group (90-100 years old), centenarian group (≥100 years old), the longevity plus centenarian group and control group (local population aged 40-85 years), and identify the factors related to longevity. Results: Among the 496 007 people registered in Shanglin, 1 533 were aged ≥90 years, including 1 453 in the longevity group, with an average age of (92.84±2.46) years, and 80 in the centenarian group, with an average age of (102.67±2.60) years. The spatial distribution of long-lived individuals and centenarians was mainly in the north and central areas, and sparse in southwest area. Analysis on factors related to health and longevity indicated that old people with Zhuang ethnic (OR=1.551,95%CI:1.308-1.838), married (OR=55.507,95%CI:36.087-85.377) and moderately high waist-to-hip ratio (OR=258.056,95%CI:27.775-2 397.569), and SBP (OR=1.019,95%CI:1.013-1.026) tended to live longer. Conclusions: We found that the rate of longevity in Shanglin was higher than the average level in Guangxi and China. Longevity in Shanglin country had unique spatial and population distribution characterics of female longevity more than male longevity, mainly Zhuang ethnic and so on. Being women, married, family history of longevity, appropriate high waist-to-hip ratio, SBP and blood sugar level might be positive factors for longevity in Shanglin, but the impacts of other factors on longevity need further study.

[The study on the distribution characteristics and relevant factors of healthy and long-lived people in multiple regions of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region]

Objective: To investigate the epidemiological characteristics and relevant factors among individuals characterized by their longevity in multiple regions of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and provide a valuable scientific perspective for the research in health and longevity of the elderly in Guangxi. Methods: Registration and face-to-face questionnaire on a door-to-door basis were adopted to collect the demographic characteristics of the long-lived individuals (≥90 years old) in Bama of Hechi city, Yongfu of Guilin city, Dongxing of Fangchenggang city, Guangxi. Then, among the local general population, individuals within the age group between 40 and 85 years old were selected randomly as controls. Correlations were then analyzed between the relative health and longevity of the subjects and their gender, ethnicity, family history, disease history, marital status, the number of family generations, the number of children, smoking, drinking, outdoor activities, sleep and other health-related factors, then the result was subject to further analysis by comparing the long-lived population and the control population respectively. Results: Among 691 500 of the permanent residents of Bama, Yongfu and Dongxing city, 1 005 cases were 90 years old and over with a ratio of 145.34 out of 100 000 persons; within the 1 005 cases, 944 were aged between 90 and 100 (longevity rate: 136.51/100 000) with an average age of (93.28±2.57); 61 cases were aged 100 or over, arriving at a centenarian rate of 8.82/100 000 with an average age of (102.00±3.05) years. Significant differences were found just among three particular factors - regional distribution (P=0.014), history of disease (P=0.002), four generations of family (P=0.008) between nonagenarians and centenarians (P<0.05), while the other 15 indicators did not show anything noteworthy. The result indicated that longevity and centenarians might be the same group and then we combined both groups into one. By cross-comparison between the longevity-plus- centenarians and the control group in the region, factors listed below exhibited significant correlation with health and longevity: marital status (OR=26.469, 95%CI: 13.208-53.045), number of generations within the family (OR=5.419, 95%CI: 3.418-8.592), number of male offspring (OR=2.013, 95%CI: 1.555-2.607), number of female offspring (OR=1.380, 95%CI: 1.122-1.696), and the frequency of outdoor activities (OR=10.226, 95%CI: 3.164-33.045). Conclusions: The longevity rate is higher in the general natural population in Bama, Yongfu and Dongxing of Guangxi. The phenomenon may owe to favorable family structure, atmosphere within or out of the family or other elements related with social surrounding. Among them all, mentality, inclination to physical exercise and regular rhythm of life may all exert tremendous contributory influence here.

Pyrimidazole-Based Covalent Organic Frameworks: Integrating Functionality and Ultrastability via Isocyanide Chemistry

Development of new chemistry to simultaneously meet the demands for topology, connectivity, and functionality is highly desired in the research area of covalent organic frameworks (COFs). We explore herein the isocyanide chemistry so as to establish a facile paradigm to integrate functionality and ultrastability in COFs. Using the representative Groebke-Blackburn-Bienaymé (GBB) reaction based on isocyanide chemistry, we are able to construct a series of pyrimidazole-based COFs in one step from isocyanide, aminopyridine, and aldehyde monomers. Diversified functionalities have been bottom-up integrated by the simple replacement of readily available 2-aminopyridine monomers. Meanwhile, the ubiquitous formation of fused imidazole rings within the frameworks has guaranteed their ultrastability. In view of the rich synthetic possibilities provided by isocyanide chemistry, we expect that this contribution opens up a new avenue toward the divergent construction of robust COFs for practical applications.

Bench-stable imine surrogates for the one-pot and catalytic asymmetric synthesis of α-amino esters/ketones

N,O-Bis(tert-butoxycarbonyl)hydroxylamines are readily accessible as imine surrogates, which are bench stable and could quantitatively generate the corresponding imines for in situ applications. An unpresented catalytic asymmetric method for the synthesis of α-amino esters and ketones from novel imine surrogates, N,O-bis(tert-butoxycarbonyl)hydroxylamines, as well as its preliminary mechanistic studies are reported. A variety of optically enriched products were obtained in excellent yields and enantioselectivities (up to 99% yield and >99% ee).

[Therapeutic efficacy analysis of immunotherapy in small cell lung cancer]

Objective: Recently, increasing number of lung cancer patients benefit from immune-checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). However, the data of Chinese small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients is limited. This study aims to analyze the response and survival data of ICIs treatment in SCLC and to explore the predictive biomarkers. Methods: Forty-seven SCLC patients who received ICIs treatment from Peking University Cancer Hospital from May 2017 to September 2019 was recruited. Clinical characteristics including sex, age, smoking status, ICIs strategy, PD-L1 expression and therapeutic efficacy were collected to explore the clinical predictive biomarkers for SCLC ICIs treatment. Results: Among the 47 patients, 18 (38.3%) cases were partial repose (PR), 11 (23.4%) were stable disease (SD), 18 (38.3%) were progressive disease (PD), and the objective response rate (ORR) was 38.3%, disease control rate (DCR) was 61.7%, the median progression-free survival (PFS) was 5.3 months. ICIs monotherapy accounts for 27.7%, the ORR was 15.4%, DCR was 53.8%, median PFS was 2.7 months. Combined therapy accounts for 72.3%, the ORR was 47.1%, DCR was 64.7%, median PFS was 5.4 months. Fourteen (29.8%) patients received ICIs as the first line treatment, their ORR was 85.7%, DCR was 100%, median PFS was 9.1 month. The ORR was not related to the age, sex, body mass index (BMI), smoking status and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression (P>0.05). The ORRs were higher in patients underwent PD-L1 monotherapy (P=0.001), combined therapy (P=0.002) and received ICIs as the first line treatment (P<0.001). Log-rank analysis indicated that the PFS of female patients were 12.0 months, significantly longer than 4.4 months of male patients in ICIs treatment (P=0.038). Patients who received PD-L1 monotherapy, combined treatment, or ICIs as the first line treatment had longer PFS than their counterparts, though no statistical significant was observed (P>0.05). Cox multivariate analysis showed that, the gender was not an independent predictor for PFS in ICIs treatment (HR=3.777, 95%CI=0.974~30.891, P=0.054). Conclusions: Immunotherapy is an effective treatment strategy for SCLC. Patients who receive combined ICIs treatment, first line ICIs treatment and PD-L1 treatment may get greater benefits. PD-L1 expression cannot predict the response and PFS in SCLC ICIs treatment.

Production of a thermo-tolerant κ-carrageenase via a food-grade host and anti-oxidant activity of its enzymatic hydrolysate

κ-Carrageenase cleaves the β-(1-4) linkages of κ-carrageenan into κ-carrageenan oligosaccharides (κ-COS), which exhibit various biological activities. In this study, a glycoside hydrolase (GH) family 16 κ-carrageenase gene, cgkA, was cloned from the marine bacterium Vibrio sp. SY01 and secretory expressed in a food-grade host, Yarrowia lipolytica. The specific activity of the purified CgkA was 12.5 U/mg. Determination of biochemical properties showed that CgkA was a thermo-tolerant enzyme, and 59.9% of the initial enzyme activity was recovered by immediately placing the sample at 20 °C for 30 min after enzymatic inactivation by boiling for 5 min. The recombinant CgkA was an endo-type enzyme, the main enzymatic product was κ-carradiaose (accounting for 87.6% of total products), and κ-carratetraose was the minimum substrate. Additionally, in vitro and in vivo analyses indicated that enzymatic κ-carradiaose possesses anti-oxidant activity. These features make CgkA as a promising candidate for biotechnological applications in the production of anti-oxidant κ-COS.

Non-Interpenetrated Single-Crystal Covalent Organic Frameworks

Growth of covalent organic frameworks (COFs) as single crystals is extremely challenging. Inaccessibility of open-structured single-crystal COFs prevents the exploration of structure-oriented applications. Herein we report for the first time a non-interpenetrated single-crystal COF, LZU-306, which possesses the open structure constructed exclusively via covalent assembly. With a high void volume of 80 %, LZU-306 was applied to investigate the intrinsic dynamics of reticulated tetraphenylethylene (TPE) as the individual aggregation-induced-emission moiety. Solid-state ² H NMR investigation has determined that the rotation of benzene rings in TPE, being the freest among the reported cases, is as fast as 1.0×10⁴  Hz at 203 K to 1.5×10⁷  Hz at 293 K. This research not only explores a new paradigm for single-crystal growth of open frameworks, but also provides a unique matrix-isolation platform to reticulate functional moieties into a well-defined and isolated state.

Synthesis of Vitamin B12-Antibiotic Conjugates with Greatly Improved Activity against Gram-Negative Bacteria

There is an urgent need to discover new antibiotics and improve the efficacy of known antibiotics against Gram-negative bacteria. "Trojan horse" conjugates are novel and promising antibiotics. Herein we report the design and synthesis of vitamin-B₁₂-ampicillin conjugates, which exhibited more than 500 times improved activity against Escherichia coli compared with ampicillin itself. Our studies demonstrate that the vitamin-B₁₂ uptake pathway could be employed for effective antibiotic delivery and efficacy enhancement.

Characterization of Nuclear and Mitochondrial Genomes of Two Tobacco Endophytic Fungi Leptosphaerulina chartarum and Curvularia trifolii and Their Contributions to Phylogenetic Implications in the Pleosporales

The symbiont endophytic fungi in tobacco are highly diverse and difficult to classify. Here, we sequenced the genomes of Curvularia trifolii and Leptosphaerulina chartarum isolated from tobacco plants. Finally, 41.68 Mb and 37.95 Mb nuclear genomes were sequenced for C. trifolii and L. chartarum with the scaffold N50, accounting for 638.94 Kb and 284.12 Kb, respectively. Meanwhile, we obtained 68,926 bp and 59,100 bp for their mitochondrial genomes. To more accurately classify C. trifolii and L. chartarum, we extracted seven nuclear genes and 12 mitochondrial genes from these two genomes and their closely related species. The genes were then used for calculation of evolutionary rates and for phylogenetic analysis. Results showed that it was difficult to achieve consistent results using a single gene due to their different evolutionary rates, while the phylogenetic trees obtained by combining datasets showed stable topologies. It is, therefore, more accurate to construct phylogenetic relationships for endophytic fungi based on multi-gene datasets. This study provides new insights into the distribution and characteristics of endophytic fungi in tobacco.

Cloning, Secretory Expression and Characterization of a Unique pH-Stable and Cold-Adapted Alginate Lyase

Cold-adapted alginate lyases have unique advantages for alginate oligosaccharide (AOS) preparation and brown seaweed processing. Robust and cold-adapted alginate lyases are urgently needed for industrial applications. In this study, a cold-adapted alginate lyase-producing strain Vibrio sp. W2 was screened. Then, the gene ALYW201 was cloned from Vibrio sp. W2 and expressed in a food-grade host, Yarrowia lipolytica. The secreted Alyw201 showed the activity of 64.2 U/mL, with a molecular weight of approximate 38.0 kDa, and a specific activity of 876.4 U/mg. Alyw201 performed the highest activity at 30 °C, and more than 80% activity at 25-40 °C. Furthermore, more than 70% of the activity was obtained in a broad pH range of 5.0-10.0. Alyw201 was also NaCl-independent and salt-tolerant. The degraded product was that of the oligosaccharides of DP (Degree of polymerization) 2-6. Due to its robustness and its unique pH-stable property, Alyw201 can be an efficient tool for industrial production.

High-solubility aromatic polyesters with fluorene and phthalein groups: Synthesis and property

A series of aromatic polyesters bearing fluorene and phthalein groups were synthesized from commercially available 9,9-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)fluorene (BPF), phenolphthalein, and terephthaloyl chloride through an interfacial polymerization method. The microstructure, molecular weight, morphology, thermal properties, and thermal decomposition mechanism of these aromatic polyesters were investigated. Their mechanical properties were also evaluated. The results suggested that the copolymer compositions were approximately equal to the feed compositions. Moreover, the increase in the BPF unit content increased the glass transition and weight loss temperatures of the aromatic polyesters, owing to the strong rigidity of the bulky fluorene group. All the polymers were amorphous and exhibited good solubility in common organic solvents. Hence, the synthesized polymers could be easily cast into flexible films. The copolymer film samples exhibited better mechanical properties than those of the homopolymers. The tensile strength, Young’s modulus, and elongation at break of the polymers first increased gradually, and then decreased with increasing BPF content. Notably, the copolymers exhibited the best mechanical properties at the BPF content range 30–50%. Owing to their characteristics, these synthesized polymers show great potential for application as high performance membrane materials.

Biglycan as a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in multiple human cancers

Biglycan (BGN), a key member of the small leucine-rich proteoglycan family, is an important component of the extracellular matrix. Clinical studies have demonstrated that upregulation of BGN is associated with poor prognosis in patients with various types of solid cancer. The present study analyzed the mRNA expression levels of BGN in various types of solid cancer when compared with that in normal tissues via the Oncomine database. The UALCAN, OncoLnc and Kaplan-Meier Plotter databases were additionally used to evaluate the prognostic values of BGN in patients with solid cancer and co-expression gene analysis was conducted using the protein-protein interaction networks of BGN. The present study observed that the mRNA expression levels of BGN were increased in bladder, brain and central nervous system, breast, colorectal, esophageal, gastric, head and neck, lung, ovarian and 28 subtypes of cancer compared with normal tissues. The increased expression of BGN was identified to be associated with a poor outcome in ovarian and gastric cancer. Based on the co-expression network, BGN was identified as the key gene in a 43-gene network. The present findings of increased expression of BGN in solid tumors and its positive association with poor outcome on patient survival indicate that BGN may serve as a prognostic marker and as a target for novel therapeutics for multiple types of cancer.