Polyhydroxy structure orchestrates the intrinsic antibacterial property of acrylamide hydrogel as a versatile wound-healing dressing.

Hydrogel is considered as a promising candidate for wound dressing due to its tissue-like flexibility, good mechanical properties and biocompatibility. However, traditional hydrogel dressings often fail to fulfill satisfied mechanical, antibacterial, and biocompatibility properties simultaneously, due to the insufficient intrinsic bactericidal efficacy and the addition of external antimicrobial agents. In this paper, hydroxyl-contained acrylamide monomers, N-Methylolacrylamide (NMA) and N-[Tris (hydroxymethyl)methyl] acrylamide (THMA), are employed to prepare a series of polyacrylamide hydrogel dressings xNMA-yTHMA, where x and y represent the mass fractions of NMA and THMA in the hydrogels. We have elucidated that the abundance of hydroxyl groups determines the antibacterial effect of the hydrogels. Particularly, hydrogel 35NMA-5THMA exhibits excellent mechanical properties, with high tensile strength of 259 kPa and large tensile strain of 1737%. Furthermore, the hydrogel dressing 35NMA-5THMA demonstrates remarkable inherent antibacterial without exogenous antimicrobial agents owing to the existence of abundant hydroxyl groups. Besides, hydrogel dressing 35NMA-5THMA possesses excellent biocompatibility, in view of marginal cytotoxicity, low hemolysis ratio, and negligible inflammatory response and organ toxicity to mice during treatment. Encouragingly, hydrogel 35NMA-5THMA drastically promote the healing of bacteria-infected wound in mice. This study has revealed the importance of polyhydroxyl in the antibacterial efficiency of hydrogels and provided a simplified strategy to design wound healing dressings with translational potential.

Effects of nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms of the KIAA1217, SNTA1 and LTBP1 genes on the growth traits of Ujumqin sheep.

Sheep body size can directly reflect the growth rates and fattening rates of sheep and is also an important index for measuring the growth performance of meat sheep. In this study, high-resolution resequencing data from four sheep breeds (Dorper sheep, Suffolk sheep, Ouessant sheep, and Shetland sheep) were analyzed. The nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms of three candidate genes (KIAA1217, SNTA1, and LTBP1) were also genotyped in 642 healthy Ujumqin sheep using MALDI-TOFMS and the genotyping results were associated with growth traits. The results showed that different genotypes of the KIAA1217 g.24429511T>C locus had significant effects on the chest circumferences of Ujumqin sheep. The SNTA1 g.62222626C>A locus had different effects on the chest depths, shoulder widths and rump widths of Ujumqin sheep. This study showed that these two sites can be used for marker-assisted selection, which will be beneficial for future precision molecular breeding.

Catalytic Enantioselective Electrophilic Difunctionalization of Unsaturated Sulfones.

An efficient protocol of enantioselective thiolative azidation of sulfone-tethered alkenes via a chiral chalcogenide catalyzed electrophilic reaction is disclosed. A series of enantioenriched sulfones bearing remote stereogenic centers was achieved with good yields and high enantioselectivities with linear unsaturated sulfones and cyclic unsaturated sulfones. Mechanistic studies revealed the importance of the sulfone group in the improvement of the reactivity and enantioselectivity of the reaction.

Unveiling the link between physical activity levels and dementia risk: Insights from the UK Biobank study.

BACKGROUND: There is limited information on the mixture effect and weights of light physical activity (LPA), moderate physical activity (MPA), and vigorous physical activity (VPA) on dementia risk. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted based on the UK Biobank dataset. We included participants aged at least 45 years old without dementia at baseline between 2006-2010. The weighted quantile sum regression was used to explore the mixture effect and weights of three types of physical activity on dementia risk. RESULTS: This study includes 354,123 participants, with a mean baseline age of 58.0-year-old and 52.4 % of female participants. During a median follow-up time of 12.5 years, 5,136 cases of dementia were observed. The mixture effect of LPA, MPA, and VPA on dementia was statistically significant (ß: -0.0924, 95 % Confidence Interval (CI): (-0.1402, -0.0446), P < 0.001), with VPA (weight: 0.7922) contributing most to a lower dementia risk, followed by MPA (0.1939). For Alzheimer's disease, MPA contributed the most (0.8555); for vascular dementia, VPA contributed the most (0.6271). CONCLUSION: For Alzheimer's disease, MPA was identified as the most influential factor, while VPA stood out as the most impactful for vascular dementia.

Kdm6a-CNN1 axis orchestrates epigenetic control of trauma-induced spinal cord microvascular endothelial cell senescence to balance neuroinflammation for improved neurological repair.

Cellular senescence assumes pivotal roles in various diseases through the secretion of proinflammatory factors. Despite extensive investigations into vascular senescence associated with aging and degenerative diseases, the molecular mechanisms governing microvascular endothelial cell senescence induced by traumatic stress, particularly its involvement in senescence-induced inflammation, remain insufficiently elucidated. In this study, we present a comprehensive demonstration and characterization of microvascular endothelial cell senescence induced by spinal cord injury (SCI). Lysine demethylase 6A (Kdm6a), commonly known as UTX, emerges as a crucial regulator of cell senescence in injured spinal cord microvascular endothelial cells (SCMECs). Upregulation of UTX induces senescence in SCMECs, leading to an amplified release of proinflammatory factors, specifically the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) components, thereby modulating the inflammatory microenvironment. Conversely, the deletion of UTX in endothelial cells shields SCMECs against senescence, mitigates the release of proinflammatory SASP factors, and promotes neurological functional recovery after SCI. UTX forms an epigenetic regulatory axis by binding to calponin 1 (CNN1), orchestrating trauma-induced SCMECs senescence and SASP secretion, thereby influencing neuroinflammation and neurological functional repair. Furthermore, local delivery of a senolytic drug reduces senescent SCMECs and suppresses proinflammatory SASP secretion, reinstating a local regenerative microenvironment and enhancing functional repair after SCI. In conclusion, targeting the UTX-CNN1 epigenetic axis to prevent trauma-induced SCMECs senescence holds the potential to inhibit SASP secretion, alleviate neuroinflammation, and provide a novel treatment strategy for SCI repair.

Correlational patterns of neuronal activation and epigenetic marks in the basolateral amygdala and piriform cortex following olfactory threat conditioning and extinction in rats.

Introduction: Cumulative evidence suggests that sensory cortices interact with the basolateral amygdala (BLA) defense circuitry to mediate threat conditioning, memory retrieval, and extinction learning. The olfactory piriform cortex (PC) has been posited as a critical site for olfactory associative memory. Recently, we have shown that N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR)-dependent plasticity in the PC critically underpins olfactory threat extinction. Aging-associated impairment of olfactory threat extinction is related to the hypofunction of NMDARs in the PC. Methods: In this study, we investigated activation of neuronal cFos and epigenetic marks in the BLA and PC using immunohistochemistry, following olfactory threat conditioning and extinction learning in rats. Results: We found highly correlated cFos activation between the posterior PC (pPC) and BLA. cFos was correlated with the degree of behavioral freezing in the pPC in both adult and aged rats, and in the BLA only in adult rats. Markers of DNA methylation 5 mC and histone acetylation H3K9/K14ac, H3K27ac, and H4ac exhibited distinct training-, region-, and age-dependent patterns of activation. Strong correlations of epigenetic marks between the BLA and pPC in adult rats were found to be a general feature. Conversely, aged rats only exhibited correlations of H3 acetylations between the two structures. Histone acetylation varied as a function of aging, revealed by a reduction of H3K9/K14ac and an increase of H4ac in aged brains at basal condition and following threat conditioning. Discussion: These findings underscore the coordinated role of PC and BLA in olfactory associative memory storage and extinction, with implications for understanding aging related cognitive decline.

Relationships between Size-specific Dose Estimate and Signal to Noise Ratio under Chest CT Examinations with Tube Current Modulation.

PURPOSE: Exploring the relationship between the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of organs and size-specific dose estimate (SSDE) in tube current modulation (TCM) chest CT examination. METHODS: Forty patients who received TCM chest CT scanning were retrospectively collected and divided into four groups according to the tube voltage and sexes. We chose to set up the region of interest (ROI) at the tracheal bifurcation and its upper and lower parts in slice images of the heart, aorta, lungs, paracranial muscles, and female breast, and the SNR of each organ was calculated. We also calculated the corresponding axial volume CT dose index (CTDIvolz) and axial size-specific dose estimate (SSDEz). RESULTS: The correlation analysis showed that the correlation between the SNR of the slice images of most organs and SSDEz was more significant than 0.8, and that between the SNR and CTDIvol was more significant than 0.7. The simple linear regression analysis results showed that when the sex is the same, the SNR of the same organ at 100kVp was higher than 120kVp, except for the lung. In multiple regression analysis, the result indicated that the determination coefficients of the SNR and SSDEz of the four groups were 0.934, 0.971, 0.905, and 0.709, respectively. CONCLUSION: In chest CT examinations with TCM, the correlation between the SNR of each organ in slice images and SSDEz was better than that of CTDIvolz. And when the SSDEz was the same, the SNR at 100 kVp was better than that at 120 kVp.

Epidemiological and clinical characteristics of scrub typhus in Guizhou Province, China: An outbreak study of scrub typhus.

The reported cases of scrub typhus (ST) have continued to escalate, with outbreaks occurring regionally in China. These pose an increasing public health threat at a time when public health has been overwhelmed. During the period from July to August 2022, in Rongjiang County, Guizhou Province, China, 13 out of 21 fever patients were diagnosed with scrub typhus, based on epidemiological investigation and blood test analysis. The major clinical symptoms of these patients showed fever, chills, headache, eschar, fatigue and pneumonia, which were accompanied by a rise in C-reactive protein, neutrophils, alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). Furthermore, nearly half of them exhibited abnormal electrocardiogram activity. Through semi-nested PCR, Sanger sequencing and phylogenetic tree construction, the Karp strain of Orientia tsutsugamushi (O. tsutsugamushi) was confirmed as the pathogen causing ST in Rongjiang County, which shared the same evolutionary branch with O. tsutsugamushi isolated from wild mouse liver or spleen, indicating that the wild mouse plays an important role in transmitting the disease. In contrast to the sporadic cases in the past, our study is the first to disclose an epidemic and the corresponding clinical characteristics of ST in Guizhou province, which is of great significance for the prevention and treatment of regional illnesses.

Carrier transport engineering in a polarization-interface-free ferroelectric PN junction for photovoltaic effect.

The carrier transport performances play key roles in the photoelectric conversion efficiency for photovoltaic effect. Hence, the low carrier mobility and high photogenerated carrier recombination in ferroelectric materials depress the separation of carriers. This work designs a ferroelectric polarization-interface-free PN junction composed with P-type semiconductor BiFeO3 (BFO) derived from the variable valence of Fe and N-type semiconductor BiFe0.98Ti0.02O3 (BFTO) through Ti donor doping. The integration of the ferroelectricity decides the PN junction without polarization coupling like the traditional heterojunctions but only existing carrier distribution differential at the interface. The carrier recombination in PN junction is significantly reduced due to the driving force of the built-in electric field and the existence of depletion layer, thereby enhancing the switching current 3 times higher than that of the single ferroelectric films. Meanwhile, the carrier separation at the interface is significantly engineered by the polarization, with open circuit voltage and short circuit current of photovoltaic effect increased obviously. This work provides an alternative strategy to regulate bulk ferroelectric photovoltaic effects by carrier transport engineering in the polarization-interface-free ferroelectric PN junction.

Comparison of diagnosis-related groups (DRG)-based hospital payment system design and implementation strategies in different countries: The case of ischemic stroke.

Diagnosis-related groups (DRG) based hospital payment systems are gradually becoming the main mechanism for reimbursement of acute inpatient care. We reviewed the existing literature to ascertain the global use of DRG-based hospital payment systems, compared the similarities and differences of original DRG versions in ten countries, and used ischemic stroke as an example to ascertain the design and implementation strategies for various DRG systems. The current challenges with and direction for the development of DRG-based hospital payment systems are also analyzed. We found that the DRG systems vary greatly in countries in terms of their purpose, grouping, coding, and payment mechanisms although based on the same classification concept and that they have tended to develop differently in countries with different income classifications. In high-income countries, DRG-based hospital payment systems have gradually begun to weaken as a mainstream payment method, while in middle-income countries DRG-based hospital payment systems have attracted increasing attention and increased use. The example of ischemic stroke provides suggestions for mutual promotion of DRG-based hospital payment systems and disease management. How to determine the level of DRG payment incentives and improve system flexibility, balance payment goals and disease management goals, and integrate development with other payment methods are areas for future research on DRG-based hospital payment systems.

Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of bakuchiol derivatives as multi-target agents for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

The concept of multi-target-directed ligands offers fresh perspectives for the creation of brand-new Alzheimer's disease medications. To explore their potential as multi-targeted anti-Alzheimer's drugs, eighteen new bakuchiol derivatives were designed, synthesized, and evaluated. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by IR, NMR, and HRMS. Eighteen compounds were assayed for acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) in vitro using Ellman's method. It was shown that most of the compounds inhibited AChE and BuChE to varying degrees, but the inhibitory effect on AChE was relatively strong, with fourteen compounds showing inhibition of >50% at the concentration of 200 µM. Among them, compound 3g (IC50 = 32.07 ± 2.00 µM) and compound 3n (IC50 = 34.78 ± 0.34 µM) showed potent AChE inhibitory activities. Molecular docking studies and molecular dynamics simulation showed that compound 3g interacts with key amino acids at the catalytically active site (CAS) and peripheral anionic site (PAS) of acetylcholinesterase and binds stably to acetylcholinesterase. On the other hand, compounds 3n and 3q significantly reduced the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6 released from LPS-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages. Compound 3n possessed both anti-acetylcholinesterase activity and anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, an in-depth study of compound 3n is expected to be a multi-targeted anti-AD drug.

Chromosome structure modeling tools and their evaluation in bacteria.

The three-dimensional (3D) structure of bacterial chromosomes is crucial for understanding chromosome function. With the growing availability of high-throughput chromosome conformation capture (3C/Hi-C) data, the 3D structure reconstruction algorithms have become powerful tools to study bacterial chromosome structure and function. It is highly desired to have a recommendation on the chromosome structure reconstruction tools to facilitate the prokaryotic 3D genomics. In this work, we review existing chromosome 3D structure reconstruction algorithms and classify them based on their underlying computational models into two categories: constraint-based modeling and thermodynamics-based modeling. We briefly compare these algorithms utilizing 3C/Hi-C datasets and fluorescence microscopy data obtained from Escherichia coli and Caulobacter crescentus, as well as simulated datasets. We discuss current challenges in the 3D reconstruction algorithms for bacterial chromosomes, primarily focusing on software usability. Finally, we briefly prospect future research directions for bacterial chromosome structure reconstruction algorithms.

Direct binding to sterols accelerates endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation of HMG CoA reductase.

The maintenance of cholesterol homeostasis is crucial for normal function at both the cellular and organismal levels. Two integral membrane proteins, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGCR) and Scap, are key targets of a complex feedback regulatory system that operates to ensure cholesterol homeostasis. HMGCR catalyzes the rate-limiting step in the transformation of the 2-carbon precursor acetate to 27-carbon cholesterol. Scap mediates proteolytic activation of sterol regulatory element-binding protein-2 (SREBP-2), a membrane-bound transcription factor that controls expression of genes involved in the synthesis and uptake of cholesterol. Sterol accumulation triggers binding of HMGCR to endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-localized Insig proteins, leading to the enzyme's ubiquitination and proteasome-mediated ER-associated degradation (ERAD). Sterols also induce binding of Insigs to Scap, which leads to sequestration of Scap and its bound SREBP-2 in the ER, thereby preventing proteolytic activation of SREBP-2 in the Golgi. The oxygenated cholesterol derivative 25-hydroxycholesterol (25HC) and the methylated cholesterol synthesis intermediate 24,25-dihydrolanosterol (DHL) differentially modulate HMGCR and Scap. While both sterols promote binding of HMGCR to Insigs for ubiquitination and subsequent ERAD, only 25HC inhibits the Scap-mediated proteolytic activation of SREBP-2. We showed previously that 1,1-bisphosphonate esters mimic DHL, accelerating ERAD of HMGCR while sparing SREBP-2 activation. Building on these results, our current studies reveal specific, Insig-independent photoaffinity labeling of HMGCR by photoactivatable derivatives of the 1,1-bisphosphonate ester SRP-3042 and 25HC. These findings disclose a direct sterol binding mechanism as the trigger that initiates the HMGCR ERAD pathway, providing valuable insights into the intricate mechanisms that govern cholesterol homeostasis.

Metal-Organic Frameworks Based Sensor Platforms for Rapid Detection of Contaminants in Wastewater.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a type of multifunctional material with organic-inorganic doped metal complexes that have a lot of unsaturated metal sites and a consistent network structure. MOFs work has great performance for enhancing the mass transfer, signal, and sensitivity as well as analyte enrichment. This study highlights the recent advancements of MOFs-based sensors for pollutant detection in a water environment and summarizes the effect of various synthetic materials on the performance of MOFs-based sensors. The related challenges and optimization techniques have been discussed. Then the research results of various MOFs sensors in the detection of wastewater pollutants are analyzed. Finally, the challenges facing MOFs-based water sensor development and the outlook for future research are discussed.

Histone deacetylase OsHDA716 represses rice chilling tolerance by deacetylating OsbZIP46 to reduce its transactivation function and protein stability.

Low temperature is a major environmental factor limiting plant growth and crop production. Epigenetic regulation of gene expression is important for plant adaptation to environmental changes, whereas the epigenetic mechanism of cold signaling in rice (Oryza sativa) remains largely elusive. Here, we report that the histone deacetylase (HDAC) OsHDA716 represses rice cold tolerance by interacting with and deacetylating the transcription factor OsbZIP46. The loss-of-function mutants of OsHDA716 exhibit enhanced chilling tolerance, compared with the wild-type plants, while OsHDA716 overexpression plants show chilling hypersensitivity. On the contrary, OsbZIP46 confers chilling tolerance in rice through transcriptionally activating OsDREB1A and COLD1 to regulate cold-induced calcium influx and cytoplasmic calcium elevation. Mechanistic investigation showed that OsHDA716-mediated OsbZIP46 deacetylation in the DNA-binding domain reduces the DNA-binding ability and transcriptional activity as well as decreasing OsbZIP46 protein stability. Genetic evidence indicated that OsbZIP46 deacetylation mediated by OsHDA716 reduces rice chilling tolerance. Collectively, these findings reveal that the functional interplay between the chromatin regulator and transcription factor fine-tunes the cold response in plant and uncover a mechanism by which HDACs repress gene transcription through deacetylating nonhistone proteins and regulating their biochemical functions.

Exosomes derived from CD271+CD56+ bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell subpopoulation identified by single-cell RNA sequencing promote axon regeneration after spinal cord injury.

Rationale: Spinal cord injury (SCI) results in neural tissue damage. However, the limited regenerative capacity of adult mammals' axons upon SCI leads to persistent neurological dysfunction. Thus, exploring the pathways that can enhance axon regeneration in injured spinal cord is of great significance. Methods: Through the utilization of single-cell RNA sequencing in this research, a distinct subpopulation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) that exhibits the capacity to facilitate axon regeneration has been discovered. Subsequently, the CD271+CD56+ BMSCs subpopulation was isolated using flow cytometry, and the exosomes derived from this subpopulation (CD271+CD56+ BMSC-Exos) were extracted and incorporated into a hydrogel to create a sustained release system. The aim was to investigate the therapeutic effects of CD271+CD56+ BMSC-Exos and elucidate the underlying mechanisms involved in promoting axon regeneration and neural function recovery. Results: The findings indicate that CD271+CD56+ BMSC-Exos share similar physical and chemical properties with conventional exosomes. Importantly, in an SCI model, in situ implantation of CD271+CD56+ BMSC-Exos hydrogel resulted in increased expression of NF and synaptophysin, markers associated with axon regeneration and synapse formation, respectively. This intervention also contributed to improved neural function recovery. In vitro experiments demonstrated that CD271+CD56+ BMSC-Exos treatment significantly enhanced axon extension distance and increased the number of branches in dorsal root ganglion axons. Moreover, further investigation into the molecular mechanisms underlying CD271+CD56+ BMSC-Exos-mediated axon regeneration revealed the crucial involvement of the miR-431-3p/RGMA axis. Conclusion: In summary, the implantation of CD271+CD56+ BMSC-Exos hydrogel presents a promising and effective therapeutic approach for SCI.

Investigation of Ichthyophthirius multifiliis infection in fish from natural water bodies in the Lhasa and Nagqu regions of Tibet.

This study aimed to examine the prevalence of Ichthyophthirius multifiliis in fish inhabiting natural water bodies in the Lhasa and Nagqu regions of Tibet in September 2020 and August 2021. The results showed that Schizopygopsis selincuoensis had the highest prevalence of I. multifiliis at 33.73% (56/166), followed by Triplophysa tibetana at 30.00% (6/20), Triplophysa brevicauda at 27.91% (12/43) and Schizopygopsis thermalis at 23.66% (31/131). No infection with I. multifiliis was observed in exotic fish species. In addition, the prevalence of I. multifiliis in Boqu Zangbo (river), Selincuo Lake and Cuona Lake in the Nagqu region was found to be significantly higher than that in Lalu Wetland and Chabalang Wetland in the Lhasa region (P < 0.05). The study revealed a significantly lower prevalence in Lhasa River than in Cuona Lake (P < 0.05). Notably, our findings revealed instances of I. multifiliis infections even in saline water bodies, thereby emphasizing the potential threat that this parasite poses to the preservation of indigenous fish resources in Tibet. Consequently, immediate and effective countermeasures are imperative. This study represents the first systematic investigation of I. multifiliis infection in natural water bodies in Tibet.

Actively Learned Optimal Sustainable Operation of Plasma-Catalyzed Methane Bireforming on La0.7Ce0.3NiO3 Perovskite Catalyst.

Plasma-catalytic bireforming of methane was studied and actively optimized using a La0.7Ce0.3NiO3 perovskite catalyst via experimentation in tandem with response surface modeling. Plasma power, inlet flow rate, temperature, CO2/CH4 ratio, and steam concentration were tuned to maximize a variety of process- and sustainability-based metrics. Analysis of the optimal conditions (with respect to different metrics) with and without the catalyst reveals that dry reforming is driven largely via noncatalytic reactions, while steam reforming and water gas shift reactions require the catalyst. The experimental outcome demonstrated that under optimum reaction conditions using the La0.7Ce0.3NiO3 catalyst it is possible to minimize global warming potential (GWP), in terms of inferred CO2 footprint normalized to hydrogen throughput, resulting in maximizing hydrogen yield through steam reforming (and water gas shift reactions) at an SEI of ≈12 eV/molecule. Furthermore, the highest CH4 conversion reached was 87% while the catalyst showed good activity stability in DBD plasma experiments.The actively learned iterative optimization procedure developed in this work allows for a direct juxtaposition of thermal (heat needed to make steam and heat the plasma reactor) and electrical (power requirement for plasma generation) carbon footprints in a highly nonlinear multivariate process. Furthermore, the corresponding GWP was calculated using a conventional electricity mix, wind electricity, and solar electricity, allowing a direct sustainability assessment in catalyst-assisted plasma conversion of carbonaceous feedstock to H2 and CO.