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1.
Eur Radiol ; 2024 May 10.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38724768

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Developing a deep learning radiomics model from longitudinal breast ultrasound and sonographer's axillary ultrasound diagnosis for predicting axillary lymph node (ALN) response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in breast cancer. METHODS: Breast cancer patients undergoing NAC followed by surgery were recruited from three centers between November 2016 and December 2022. We collected ultrasound images for extracting tumor-derived radiomics and deep learning features, selecting quantitative features through various methods. Two machine learning models based on random forest were developed using pre-NAC and post-NAC features. A support vector machine integrated these data into a fusion model, evaluated via the area under the curve (AUC), decision curve analysis, and calibration curves. We compared the fusion model's performance against sonographer's diagnosis from pre-NAC and post-NAC axillary ultrasonography, referencing histological outcomes from sentinel lymph node biopsy or axillary lymph node dissection. RESULTS: In the validation cohort, the fusion model outperformed both pre-NAC (AUC: 0.899 vs. 0.786, p < 0.001) and post-NAC models (AUC: 0.899 vs. 0.853, p = 0.014), as well as the sonographer's diagnosis of ALN status on pre-NAC and post-NAC axillary ultrasonography (AUC: 0.899 vs. 0.719, p < 0.001). Decision curve analysis revealed patient benefits from the fusion model across threshold probabilities from 0.02 to 0.98. The model also enhanced sonographer's diagnostic ability, increasing accuracy from 71.9% to 79.2%. CONCLUSION: The deep learning radiomics model accurately predicted the ALN response to NAC in breast cancer. Furthermore, the model will assist sonographers to improve their diagnostic ability on ALN status before surgery. CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: Our AI model based on pre- and post-neoadjuvant chemotherapy ultrasound can accurately predict axillary lymph node metastasis and assist sonographer's axillary diagnosis. KEY POINTS: Axillary lymph node metastasis status affects the choice of surgical treatment, and currently relies on subjective ultrasound. Our AI model outperformed sonographer's visual diagnosis on axillary ultrasound. Our deep learning radiomics model can improve sonographers' diagnosis and might assist in surgical decision-making.

2.
Small ; : e2307410, 2024 May 22.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38778499

ABSTRACT

The detection of monoamine neurotransmitters is of paramount importance as the neurotransmitters are the chemical messengers regulating the gut-brain axis (GBA). It requires real-time, ultrasensitive, and selective sensing of the neurotransmitters in the gastric/intestinal fluid. However, multi-components present in the gastric/intestinal fluid make sensing challenging to achieve in terms of ultra-high sensitivity and selectivity. Herein, an approach is introduced to utilize vanadium single atom catalytic (SAC) centers in van der Waals MoS2 (V-MoS2) to selectively detect real-time serotonin (5-HT) in artificial gastric/intestinal fluid. The synergetic effect of V-SACs and the surface S-bonds on the MoS2 surface, enables an extremely wide range of 5-HT detection (from 1 pM to 100 µM), with optimum selectivity and interference resistance. By combining density functional theory calculations and scanning transmission electron microscopy, it is concluded that the V-SACs embedded in the MoS2 network create active sites that greatly facilitate the charge exchange between the material and the 5-HT molecules. This result allows the 5-HT detection in GBA studies to be more reliable, and the material tunability provides a general platform to achieve real-time and multi-component detection of other monoamine neurotransmitters in GBA such as dopamine and norepinephrine.

3.
Clin Transplant ; 38(5): e15337, 2024 May.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38762786

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the occurrence and risk factors of postoperative neurocognitive disorder (NCD) in patients who underwent heart transplantation. METHODS: Seventy-six heart transplant patients were analyzed for clinical data including gender, age, height, weight, education level, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), stroke volume (SV), transplantation duration, and pretransplant medical history. Cognitive function was assessed using the mini-mental status examination (MMSE) and Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) scales. Patients were categorized into cognitively normal and impaired groups based on the presence or absence of cognitive dysfunction, and their cognitive function scores were compared. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify independent risk factors for cognitive impairment in postoperative cardiac transplant patients. RESULTS: Cognitive dysfunction was observed in 48 out of 76 heart transplant patients, representing an incidence of 63.2%. Cognitive impairment in heart transplant recipients predominantly affected multiple cognitive domains. Logistic regression analysis identified age (OR = 1.057, 95% CI 1.002-1.115), gender (OR = .200, 95% CI .044-.919), education level (OR = .728, 95% CI .600-.883), LVEF (OR = .891, 95% CI .820-.969), and history of diabetes (OR = 7.674, 95% CI 1.317-44.733) as independent risk factors for postoperative NCD in heart transplant recipients (P < .05). CONCLUSION: The study found a high incidence of postoperative NCD in heart transplant patients, with gender, age, education level, LVEF, and diabetes history being significant risk factors. Early identification and intervention targeting these risk factors may help prevent NCD in postheart transplant patients and improve long-term outcomes.


Subject(s)
Cognitive Dysfunction , Heart Transplantation , Humans , Male , Female , Heart Transplantation/adverse effects , Middle Aged , Risk Factors , Cognitive Dysfunction/etiology , Cognitive Dysfunction/epidemiology , Follow-Up Studies , Prognosis , Adult , Postoperative Complications/etiology , Postoperative Cognitive Complications/etiology , Postoperative Cognitive Complications/epidemiology , Incidence , Retrospective Studies , Neuropsychological Tests
4.
Sci Total Environ ; 932: 173069, 2024 Jul 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38723974

ABSTRACT

The exposure to cooking organic aerosols (COA) is closely related to people's daily lives. Despite extensive investigations into COA's model compounds like oleic acid, the intricacies of heterogeneous ozonolysis of real COA and the effects of ambient conditions like humidity remain elusive. In this work, the ozonolysis of COA proxies from heated peanut oil emissions was investigated using diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform (DRIFTS) spectroscopy, and proton transfer reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometer (PTR-ToF-MS). We found that humidity hinders the reaction between ozone and CC double bonds due to the competitive adsorption of water and ozone on COA. Although visible light has little influence on the ozonolysis of COA in the absence of humidity, the ozonolytic CO production is significantly promoted by visible light in the presence of humidity. It may be attributed to the formation of water-derived reactive oxygen species (ROS, mainly HO•) from the photosensitization of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in COA. We also found that humidity can enhance the depolymerization of carboxylic acid dimers and hydrolysis of intrinsic acetals in the COA. Moreover, humidity promotes the release of VOCs during both the dark and light ozonolysis of COA. This work reveals the important roles of humidity-responsive and photo-responsive components in COA during its ozonolysis, and the change in VOC release may guide the control of human VOC exposure in indoor air.

5.
BMC Surg ; 24(1): 154, 2024 May 14.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38745320

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Hemifacial spasm (HFS) is most effectively treated with microvascular decompression (MVD). However, there are certain challenges in performing MVD for HFS when the vertebral artery (VA) is involved in compressing the facial nerve (VA-involved). This study aimed to introduce a "bridge-layered" decompression technique for treating patients with VA-involved HFS and to evaluate its efficacy and safety to treat patients with HFS. METHODS: A single-center retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 62 patients with VA-involved HFS. The tortuous trunk of VA was lifted by a multi-point "bridge" decompression technique to avoid excessive traction of the cerebellum and reduce the risk of damage to the facial-acoustic nerve complex. To fully decompress all the responsible vessels, the branch vessels of VA were then isolated using the "layered" decompression technique. RESULTS: Among the 62 patients, 59 patients were cured immediately after the surgery, two patients were delayed cured after two months, and one had occasional facial muscle twitching after the surgery. Patients were followed up for an average of 19.5 months. The long-term follow-up results showed that all patients had no recurrence of HFS during the follow-up period, and no patients developed hearing loss, facial paralysis, or other permanent neurological damage complications. Only two patients developed tinnitus after the surgery. CONCLUSION: The "bridge-layered" decompression technique could effectively treat VA-involved HFS with satisfactory safety and a low risk of hearing loss. The technique could be used as a reference for decompression surgery for VA-involved HFS.


Subject(s)
Hemifacial Spasm , Microvascular Decompression Surgery , Vertebral Artery , Humans , Hemifacial Spasm/surgery , Female , Male , Middle Aged , Retrospective Studies , Vertebral Artery/surgery , Adult , Microvascular Decompression Surgery/methods , Treatment Outcome , Aged , Decompression, Surgical/methods , Follow-Up Studies
6.
Anal Chem ; 96(19): 7367-7372, 2024 May 14.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38696818

ABSTRACT

Immunogold, that is, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) conjugated with biomolecules such as antibodies and peptides, have been widely used to construct sandwiched immunosensors for biodetection. Two main challenges in these immunoassays are difficulties in finding and validating a suitable antibody, and the nonspecific interaction between the substrate and immunogold, which lowers the detection sensitivity and even causes false results. To avoid these issues, we took advantage of the nonspecific interaction between AuNPs and capture antibodies and proposed a new sensing mechanism. That is, after the capture of analyte targets by the capture antibodies on the substrate, AuNPs of certain chemical functionality would preferably bind to the free capture antibodies. Consequently, the amount of deposited AuNPs will inversely depend on the concentration of the analytes. As a proof-of-concept, we designed a mass-based sensor where anti-IgG antibodies were coated on a quartz crystal microbalance substrate. After IgG was introduced, tannic acid-capped AuNPs were applied to bind with the free anti-IgG antibody molecules. A frequency change (Δf) of the quartz substrate was induced by the increased mass loading. To further amplify the loading mass, an Ag enhancer solution was added, and Ag growth was catalyzed by the bound AuNPs. The Δf response showed a concentration-dependent decrease when increasing IgG concentration with a detection limit of 2.6 ng/mL. This method relies on the nonspecific interaction between AuNPs and anti-IgG antibodies to realize sensitive detection of IgG and eliminates the use of detection antibodies. The concept is an alternative to many existing immunoassay technologies.


Subject(s)
Biosensing Techniques , Gold , Metal Nanoparticles , Gold/chemistry , Metal Nanoparticles/chemistry , Immunoassay/methods , Biosensing Techniques/methods , Immunoglobulin G/immunology , Immunoglobulin G/analysis , Quartz Crystal Microbalance Techniques
7.
Sci Rep ; 14(1): 10023, 2024 05 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38693343

ABSTRACT

Extreme high temperature has deleterious impact on the yield and quality of tea production, which has aroused the attention of growers and breeders. However, the mechanisms by which tea plant varieties respond to extreme environmental heat is not clear. In this study, we analyzed physiological indices, metabolites and transcriptome differences in three different heat-tolerant tea plant F1 hybrid progenies. Results showed that the antioxidant enzyme activity, proline, and malondialdehyde were significantly decreased in heat-sensitive 'FWS' variety, and the accumulation of reactive oxygen molecules such as H2O2 and O2- was remarkably increased during heat stress. Metabolomic analysis was used to investigate the metabolite accumulation pattern of different varieties in response to heat stress. The result showed that a total of 810 metabolites were identified and more than 300 metabolites were differentially accumulated. Transcriptional profiling of three tea varieties found that such genes encoding proteins with chaperon domains were preferentially expressed in heat-tolerant varieties under heat stress, including universal stress protein (USP32, USP-like), chaperonin-like protein 2 (CLP2), small heat shock protein (HSP18.1), and late embryogenesis abundant protein (LEA5). Combining metabolomic with transcriptomic analyses discovered that the flavonoids biosynthesis pathway was affected by heat stress and most flavonols were up-regulated in heat-tolerant varieties, which owe to the preferential expression of key FLS genes controlling flavonol biosynthesis. Take together, molecular chaperons, or chaperon-like proteins, flavonols accumulation collaboratively contributed to the heat stress adaptation in tea plant. The present study elucidated the differences in metabolite accumulation and gene expression patterns among three different heat-tolerant tea varieties under extreme ambient high temperatures, which helps to reveal the regulatory mechanisms of tea plant adaptation to heat stress, and provides a reference for the breeding of heat-tolerant tea plant varieties.


Subject(s)
Camellia sinensis , Gene Expression Profiling , Gene Expression Regulation, Plant , Heat-Shock Response , Metabolome , Transcriptome , Camellia sinensis/genetics , Camellia sinensis/metabolism , Heat-Shock Response/genetics , Adaptation, Physiological/genetics , Plant Proteins/genetics , Plant Proteins/metabolism , Metabolomics/methods
8.
Micromachines (Basel) ; 15(5)2024 May 16.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38793228

ABSTRACT

Many micro-scraps are generated when a micro-triangular pyramid array (MTPA) is machined by the fly-cutting method. Micro-scraps are generally not removed quickly enough; therefore, these residual micro-scraps participate in the cutting process again, scratching the workpiece surface and accelerating diamond tool wear. To remove micro-scraps rapidly, a fly-cutting method to produce MTPAs on vertically oriented working surfaces was developed during this study. The results show that an MTPA produced by fly cutting on a vertical workpiece had a clearly outlined structure, high dimensional accuracy, and a low surface roughness. There was no micro-scrap residue on the workpiece surface and the diamond tool wear was small. The cutting inlet edges had no burrs, and the cutting outlet edges had only a small number of burrs. This method of fly cutting MTPAs on vertically oriented working surfaces provides a foundation for the development of high-precision micro-triangular pyramid optical elements.

9.
Genes (Basel) ; 15(5)2024 May 11.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38790239

ABSTRACT

Fertilization is an essential aspect of tea plantation management that supports a sustainable tea production and drastically influences soil microbial communities. However, few research studies have focused on the differences of microbial communities and the variation in tea quality in response to different fertilization treatments. In this work, the soil fertility, tea quality, and soil microbial communities were investigated in two domestic tea plantations following the application of chemical and organic fertilizers. We determined the content of mineral elements in the soil, including nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, and found that the supplementation of chemical fertilizer directly increased the content of mineral elements. However, the application of organic fertilizer significantly improved the accumulation of tea polyphenols and reduced the content of caffeine. Furthermore, amplicon sequencing results showed that the different ways of applying fertilizer have limited effect on the alpha diversity of the microbial community in the soil while the beta diversity was remarkably influenced. This work also suggests that the bacterial community structure and abundance were also relatively constant while the fungal community structure and abundance were dramatically influenced; for example, Chaetomiaceae at the family level, Hypocreaceae at the order level, Trichoderma at the genus level, and Fusarium oxysporum at the species level were predominantly enriched in the tea plantation applying organic fertilizer. Moreover, the bacterial and fungal biomarkers were also analyzed and it was found that Proteobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria (bacteria) and Tremellomycetes (fungi) were potentially characterized as biomarkers in the plantation under organic fertilization. These results provide a valuable basis for the application of organic fertilizer to improve the soil of tea plantations in the future.


Subject(s)
Camellia sinensis , Fertilizers , Microbiota , Soil Microbiology , Tea , Fertilizers/analysis , Tea/microbiology , Camellia sinensis/microbiology , Camellia sinensis/genetics , Soil/chemistry , Bacteria/genetics , Bacteria/classification , Nitrogen/metabolism , Nitrogen/analysis , Phosphorus/analysis , Phosphorus/metabolism , Fungi/genetics , Fungi/classification
10.
Environ Sci Ecotechnol ; 21: 100425, 2024 Sep.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38765893

ABSTRACT

Nitrogen oxides (NOx), significant contributors to air pollution and climate change, form aerosols and ozone in the atmosphere. Accurate, timely, and transparent information on NOx emissions is essential for decision-making to mitigate both haze and ozone pollution. However, a comprehensive understanding of the trends and drivers behind anthropogenic NOx emissions from China-the world's largest emitter-has been lacking since 2020 due to delays in emissions reporting. Here we show a consistent decline in China's NOx emissions from 2020 to 2022, despite increased fossil fuel consumption, utilizing satellite observations as constraints for NOx emission estimates through atmospheric inversion. This reduction is corroborated by data from two independent spaceborne instruments: the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) and the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI). Notably, a reduction in transport emissions, largely due to the COVID-19 lockdowns, slightly decreased China's NOx emissions in 2020. In subsequent years, 2021 and 2022, reductions in NOx emissions were driven by the industry and transport sectors, influenced by stringent air pollution controls. The satellite-based inversion system developed in this study represents a significant advancement in the real-time monitoring of regional air pollution emissions from space.

11.
Cell Commun Signal ; 22(1): 246, 2024 Apr 26.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38671436

ABSTRACT

Phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) is a critical tumor suppressor protein that regulates various biological processes such as cell proliferation, apoptosis, and inflammatory responses by controlling the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) signaling pathway. PTEN plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Loss of PTEN may contribute to survival, proliferation, and pro-inflammatory cytokine release of fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS). Also, persistent PI3K signaling increases myeloid cells' osteoclastic potential, enhancing localized bone destruction. Recent studies have shown that the expression of PTEN protein in the synovial lining of RA patients with aggressive FLS is minimal. Experimental upregulation of PTEN protein expression could reduce the damage caused by RA. Nonetheless, a complete comprehension of aberrant PTEN drives RA progression and its interactions with other crucial molecules remains elusive. This review is dedicated to promoting a thorough understanding of the signaling mechanisms of aberrant PTEN in RA and aims to furnish pertinent theoretical support for forthcoming endeavors in both basic and clinical research within this domain.


Subject(s)
Arthritis, Rheumatoid , PTEN Phosphohydrolase , Humans , Arthritis, Rheumatoid/pathology , Arthritis, Rheumatoid/metabolism , Arthritis, Rheumatoid/genetics , PTEN Phosphohydrolase/metabolism , PTEN Phosphohydrolase/genetics , Animals , Signal Transduction
12.
ACS Nano ; 18(15): 10439-10453, 2024 Apr 16.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38567994

ABSTRACT

The cGAS-STING pathway plays a crucial role in innate immune activation against cancer and infections, and STING agonists based on cyclic dinucleotides (CDN) have garnered attention for their potential use in cancer immunotherapy and vaccines. However, the limited drug-like properties of CDN necessitate an efficient delivery system to the immune system. To address these challenges, we developed an immunostimulatory delivery system for STING agonists. Here, we have examined aqueous coordination interactions between CDN and metal ions and report that CDN mixed with Zn2+ and Mn2+ formed distinctive crystal structures. Further pharmaceutical engineering led to the development of a functional coordination nanoparticle, termed the Zinc-Mn-CDN Particle (ZMCP), produced by a simple aqueous one-pot synthesis. Local or systemic administration of ZMCP exerted robust antitumor efficacy in mice. Importantly, recombinant protein antigens from SARS-CoV-2 can be simply loaded during the aqueous one-pot synthesis. The resulting ZMCP antigens elicited strong cellular and humoral immune responses that neutralized SARS-CoV-2, highlighting ZMCP as a self-adjuvant vaccine platform against COVID-19 and other infectious pathogens. Overall, this work establishes a paradigm for developing translational coordination nanomedicine based on drug-metal ion coordination and broadens the applicability of coordination medicine for the delivery of proteins and other biologics.


Subject(s)
Nanoparticles , Neoplasms , Vaccines , Animals , Mice , Neoplasms/therapy , Adjuvants, Immunologic , Immunotherapy/methods , Nanoparticles/chemistry
13.
MedComm (2020) ; 5(4): e540, 2024 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38606360

ABSTRACT

Senile plaque, composed of amyloid ß protein (Aß) aggregates, is a critical pathological feature in Alzheimer's disease (AD), leading to cognitive dysfunction. However, how Aß aggregates exert age-dependent toxicity and temporal cognitive dysfunction in APP/PS1 mice remains incompletely understood. In this study, we investigated AD pathogenesis and dynamic alterations in lysosomal pathways within the hippocampus of age-gradient male mice using transcriptome sequencing, molecular biology assays, and histopathological analyses. We observed high levels of ß-amyloid precursor protein (APP) protein expression in the hippocampus at an early stage and age-dependent Aß deposition. Transcriptome sequencing revealed the enrichment of differential genes related to the lysosome pathway. Furthermore, the protein expression of ATP6V0d2 and CTSD associated with lysosomal functions exhibited dynamic changes with age, increasing in the early stage and decreasing later. Similar age-dependent patterns were observed for the endosome function, autophagy pathway, and SGK1/FOXO3a pathway. Nissl and Golgi staining in the hippocampal region showed age-dependent neuronal loss and synaptic damage, respectively. These findings clearly define the age-gradient changes in the autophagy-lysosome system, the endosome/lysosome system, and the SGK1/FOXO3a pathway in the hippocampus of APP/PS1 mice, providing new perspectives and clues for understanding the possible mechanisms of AD, especially the transition from compensatory to decompensated state.

14.
Sci Rep ; 14(1): 9548, 2024 04 25.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38664508

ABSTRACT

Ferroptosis is closely associated with inflammatory diseases, including acute pancreatitis (AP); however, the involvement of ferroptosis in hypertriglyceridemic pancreatitis (HTGP) remains unclear. In the present study, we aimed to explore the relationship between lipid metabolism and ferroptosis in HTGP and the alleviating effect of liproxstatin-1 (Lip-1) in vivo. This study represents the first exploration of lipid metabolism and endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) in HTGP, targeting ferroptosis as a key factor in HTGP. Hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) was induced under high-fat diet conditions. Cerulein was then injected to establish AP and HTGP models. Lip-1, a specific ferroptosis inhibitor, was administered before the induction of AP and HTGP in rats, respectively. Serum triglyceride, amylase, inflammatory factors, pathological and ultrastructural structures, lipid peroxidation, and iron overload indicators related to ferroptosis were tested. Moreover, the interaction between ferroptosis and ERS was assessed. We found HTG can exacerbate the development of AP, with an increased inflammatory response and intensified ferroptosis process. Lip-1 treatment can attenuate pancreatic injury by inhibiting ferroptosis through lipid metabolism and further resisting activations of ERS-related proteins. Totally, our results proved lipid metabolism can promote ferroptosis in HTGP by regulating ACSL4/LPCAT3 protein levels. Additionally, ERS may participate in ferroptosis via the Bip/p-EIF2α/CHOP pathway, followed by the alleviating effect of Lip-1 in the rat model.


Subject(s)
Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress , Ferroptosis , Hypertriglyceridemia , Lipid Metabolism , Pancreatitis , Quinoxalines , Spiro Compounds , Animals , Ferroptosis/drug effects , Pancreatitis/drug therapy , Pancreatitis/metabolism , Pancreatitis/pathology , Hypertriglyceridemia/drug therapy , Hypertriglyceridemia/metabolism , Rats , Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress/drug effects , Male , Lipid Metabolism/drug effects , Cyclohexylamines/pharmacology , Disease Models, Animal , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , Lipid Peroxidation/drug effects , Diet, High-Fat/adverse effects , Pancreas/drug effects , Pancreas/pathology , Pancreas/metabolism , Triglycerides/blood , Triglycerides/metabolism
15.
Nat Prod Res ; : 1-6, 2024 Apr 09.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38591101

ABSTRACT

A chemical investigation on the marine sponge Dysidea sp. resulted in the isolation of a series of diketopiperazines, including two new compounds, dysidines A (1) and B (2) as well as six known ones (3-8). Their structures with absolute configurations were determined on the basis of UV, IR, HRMS, NMR and calculated ECD method. Additionally, the cytotoxic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antiviral activities of 1-8 were also tested. However, none of them exhibited significant bioactivities.

16.
Inorg Chem ; 63(15): 6988-6997, 2024 Apr 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38569109

ABSTRACT

Rechargeable Zn-MnO2 batteries using mild water electrolytes have garnered significant interest owing to their impressive theoretical energy density and eco-friendly characteristics. However, MnO2 suffers from huge structural changes during the cycles, resulting in very poor stability at high charge-discharge depths. Briefly, the above problems are caused by slow kinetic processes and the dissolution of Mn atoms in the cycles. In this paper, a 2D homojunction electrode material (δ/ε-MnO2) based on δ-MnO2 and ε-MnO2 has been prepared by a two-step electrochemical deposition method. According to the DFT calculations, the charge transfer and bonding between interfaces result in the generation of electronic states near the Fermi surface, giving δ/ε-MnO2 a more continuous distribution of electron states and better conductivity, which is conducive to the rapid insertion/extraction of Zn2+ and H+. Moreover, the strongly coupled Mn-O-Mn interfacial bond can effectively impede dissolution of Mn atoms and thus maintain the structural integrity of δ/ε-MnO2 during the cycles. Accordingly, the δ/ε-MnO2 cathode exhibits high capacity (383 mAh g-1 at 0.1 A g-1), superior rate performance (150 mAh g-1 at 5 A g-1), and excellent cycling stability over 2000 cycles (91.3% at 3 A g-1). Profoundly, this unique homojunction provides a novel paradigm for reasonable selection of different components.

17.
Front Plant Sci ; 15: 1361959, 2024.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38576787

ABSTRACT

Artemisinin biosynthesis, unique to Artemisia annua, is suggested to have evolved from the ancestral costunolide biosynthetic pathway commonly found in the Asteraceae family. However, the evolutionary landscape of this process is not fully understood. The first oxidase in artemisinin biosynthesis, CYP71AV1, also known as amorpha-4,11-diene oxidase (AMO), has specialized from ancestral germacrene A oxidases (GAOs). Unlike GAO, which exhibits catalytic promiscuity toward amorpha-4,11-diene, the natural substrate of AMO, AMO has lost its ancestral activity on germacrene A. Previous studies have suggested that the loss of the GAO copy in A. annua is responsible for the abolishment of the costunolide pathway. In the genome of A. annua, there are two copies of AMO, each of which has been reported to be responsible for the different product profiles of high- and low-artemisinin production chemotypes. Through analysis of their tissue-specific expression and comparison of their sequences with those of other GAOs, it was discovered that one copy of AMO (AMOHAP) exhibits a different transcript compared to the reported artemisinin biosynthetic genes and shows more sequence similarity to other GAOs in the catalytic regions. Furthermore, in a subsequent in vitro enzymatic assay, the recombinant protein of AMOHAP unequivocally demonstrated GAO activity. This result clearly indicates that AMOHAP is a GAO rather than an AMO and that its promiscuous activity on amorpha-4,11-diene has led to its misidentification as an AMO in previous studies. In addition, the divergent expression pattern of AMOHAP compared to that of the upstream germacrene A synthase may have contributed to the abolishment of costunolide biosynthesis in A. annua. Our findings reveal a complex evolutionary landscape in which the emergence of a new metabolic pathway replaces an ancestral one.

19.
Molecules ; 29(7)2024 Mar 29.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38611806

ABSTRACT

The recent global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has enormously promoted the development of diagnostic technology. To control the spread of pandemic diseases and achieve rapid screening of the population, ensuring that patients receive timely treatment, rapid diagnosis has become the top priority in the development of clinical technology. This review article aims to summarize the current rapid nucleic acid diagnostic technologies applied to pandemic disease diagnosis, from rapid extraction and rapid amplification to rapid detection. We also discuss future prospects in the development of rapid nucleic acid diagnostic technologies.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Nucleic Acids , Humans , Pandemics , COVID-19/diagnosis , COVID-19/epidemiology , Technology , COVID-19 Testing
20.
Heliyon ; 10(7): e28486, 2024 Apr 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38560132

ABSTRACT

Enterococcus durans, is a potential functional strain with the capacity to regulate intestinal health and ameliorate colonic inflammation. However, the strain requires further investigation regarding its safety profile and potential mechanisms of colitis improvement. In this study, the safety of E. durans 98D (Ed) as a potential probiotic was studied using in vitro methods. Additionally, a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced murine colitis model was employed to investigate its impact on the intestinal microbiota and colitis. In vitro antimicrobial assays revealed Ed sensitivity to common antibiotics and its inhibitory effect on the growth of Escherichia coli O157, Streptococcus pneumoniae CCUG 37328, and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923. To elucidate the functional properties of Ed, 24 weight-matched 6-week-old female C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into three groups (n = 8): NC group, Con group (DSS), and Ed group (DSS + Ed). Ed administration demonstrated a protective effect on colitis mice, as evidenced by improvements in body weight, colonic length, reduced disease activity index, histological scores, diminished splenomegaly, and decreased goblet cell loss. Furthermore, Ed downregulated the expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokine genes (IL-6, IL-1ß, and TNF-α) and upregulated the expression of the anti-inflammatory cytokine gene IL-10. The 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed significant alterations in microbial α-diversity, with principal coordinate analysis indicating distinct differences in microbial composition among the three groups. At the phylum level, the relative abundance of Actinomycetota significantly increased in the Ed-treated group. At the genus level, Ed treatment markedly elevated the relative abundance of Paraprevotella, Rikenellaceae_RC9, and Odoribacter in DSS-induced colitis mice. In conclusion, Ed exhibits potential as a safe and effective therapeutic agent for DSS-induced colitis by reshaping the colonic microbiota.

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