A Janus Adhesive Hydrogel with Integrated Attack and Defense for Bacteria Killing and Antifouling.

Objective: Skin wound exposed to complex external environment for a long time is highly susceptible to bacterial infection. Impact Statement: This work designs a Janus adhesive dual-layer hydrogel containing in situ silver nanoparticles (named PSAP/DXP@AgNPs) with integrated attack and defense to simultaneously kill the existing bacteria and prevent foreign bacterial contamination. Introduction: The current gauze dressing fixed by tape fails to well fit at skin wound and lacks intrinsic antibacterial property, making it highly prone to causing secondary infection. Moreover, foreign bacteria may contaminate the wound dressing during use, further increasing the risk of secondary infection. Methods: In this work, a Janus adhesive dual-layer PSAP/DXP@AgNPs hydrogel is prepared by sequentially building the PSAP gel layer containing zwitterionic poly(sulfobetaine methacrylamide) (PSBMA) on the DXP@AgNPs gel layer containing in situ catechol-reduced AgNPs. Results: The flexible PSAP/DXP@AgNPs can adapt shape change of skin and adhere to skin tissue with interfacial toughness of 153.38 J m-2 relying on its DXP@AgNPs layer, which is beneficial to build favorable fit. The in situ reduced AgNPs released from the DXP@AgNPs layer of PSAP/DXP@AgNPs exhibit obvious antibacterial effects against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, with antibacterial rates of 99% and 88%, respectively. Meanwhile, the hydrated PSAP layer of PSAP/DXP@AgNPs containing PSBMA is able to prevent the bacterial contamination, decreasing the risk of secondary infection. Besides, cell experiments demonstrate that PSAP/DXP@AgNPs is biocompatible. Conclusion: The PSAP/DXP@AgNPs hydrogel with integrated attack and defense simultaneously possessing bacteria-killing and bacteria-antifouling properties is a potential alternative in treating infected skin wound.

In Situ Surfaced Mn-Mn Dimeric Sites Dictate CO Hydrogenation Activity and C2 Selectivity over MnRh Binary Catalysts.

Massive ethanol production has long been a dream of human society. Despite extensive research in past decades, only a few systems have the potential of industrialization: specifically, Mn-promoted Rh (MnRh) binary heterogeneous catalysts were shown to achieve up to 60% C2 oxygenates selectivity in converting syngas (CO/H2) to ethanol. However, the active site of the binary system has remained poorly characterized. Here, large-scale machine-learning global optimization is utilized to identify the most stable Mn phases on Rh metal surfaces under reaction conditions by exploring millions of likely structures. We demonstrate that Mn prefers the subsurface sites of Rh metal surfaces and is able to emerge onto the surface forming MnRh surface alloy once the oxidative O/OH adsorbates are present. Our machine-learning-based transition state exploration further helps to resolve automatedly the whole reaction network, including 74 elementary reactions on various MnRh surface sites, and reveals that the Mn-Mn dimeric site at the monatomic step edge is the true active site for C2 oxygenate formation. The turnover frequency of the C2 product on the Mn-Mn dimeric site at MnRh steps is at least 107 higher than that on pure Rh steps from our microkinetic simulations, with the selectivity to the C2 product being 52% at 523 K. Our results demonstrate the key catalytic role of Mn-Mn dimeric sites in allowing C-O bond cleavage and facilitating the hydrogenation of O-terminating C2 intermediates, and rule out Rh metal by itself as the active site for CO hydrogenation to C2 oxygenates.

Expert Consensus on the Application of Stem Cells in Psoriasis Research and Clinical Trials.

Psoriasis is an immune-mediated, chronic, relapsing, inflammatory, systemic disease induced by individual-environmental interactions, and is often lifelong because of the difficulty of treatment. In recent years, a variety of targeted therapies, including biologics, have improved the lesions and quality of life of most psoriasis patients, but they still do not address the problem of relapse and may be associated with decreased efficacy or adverse events such as infections over time. Therefore, there is an urgent need for breakthroughs in psoriasis treatment and in relapse-delaying and non-pharmacologic strategies, and stem cell therapy for psoriasis has emerged. In recent years, research on stem cell therapy for psoriasis has received a lot of attention, however, there is no reference standard as well as consensus in this field of research. Therefore, according to the latest consensus and guidelines, combined with relevant literature reports, clinical practice experience and the results of discussions with experts, this consensus specifies the types of stem cells commonly used in the treatment of psoriasis, the methods, dosages, and routes of stem cell therapy for psoriasis, as well as the clinical evaluations (efficacy and safety) of stem cell therapy for psoriasis. In addition, this consensus also provides normative standards for the processes of collection, preparation, preservation and quality control of stem cells and their related products, as well as recommendations for the management of stem cells during infusion for the treatment of psoriasis. This consensus provides the latest specific reference standards and practice guidelines for the field of stem cell therapy for psoriasis.

Preparation of Al@FTCS/P(VDF-HFP) Composite Energetic Materials and Their Reaction Properties.

Strengthening the interfacial contact between the reactive components effectively boosts the energy release of energetic materials. In this study, we aimed to create a close-knit interfacial contact condition between aluminum nanoparticles (Al NPs) and Polyvinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene (P(VDF-HFP)) through hydrolytic adsorption and assembling 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-Perfluorododecyltrichlorosilane (FTCS) on the surface of Al NPs. Leveraging hydrogen bonding between -CF and -CH and the interaction between C-F⋯F-C groups, the adsorbed FTCS directly leads to the growth of the P(VDF-HFP) coating layer around the treated Al NPs, yielding Al@FTCS/P(VDF-HFP) energetic composites. In comparison with the ultrasonically processed Al/P(VDF-HFP) mixture, thermal analysis reveals that Al@FTCS/P(VDF-HFP) exhibits a 57 °C lower reaction onset temperature and a 1646 J/g increase in heat release. Associated combustion tests demonstrate a 52% shorter ignition delay, 62% shorter combustion time, and a 288% faster pressurization rate. These improvements in energetic characteristics stem from the reactivity activation of FTCS towards Al NPs by the etching effect to the surface Al2O3. Moreover, enhanced interfacial contact facilitated by the FTCS-directed growth of P(VDF-HFP) around Al NPs further accelerates the whole reaction process.

Development of growth selection system and pocket engineering of d-amino acid oxidase to enhance selective deamination activity toward d-phosphinothricin.

D-amino acid oxidase (DAAO)-catalyzed selective oxidative deamination is a very promising process for synthesizing l-amino acids including l-phosphinothricin (l-PPT, a high-efficiency and broad-spectrum herbicide). However, the wild-type DAAO's low activity toward unnatural substrates like d-phosphinothricin (d-PPT) hampers its application. Herein, a DAAO from Caenorhabditis elegans (CeDAAO) was screened and engineered to improve the catalytic potential on d-PPT. First, we designed a novel growth selection system, taking into account the intricate relationship between the growth of Escherichia coli (E. coli) and the catalytic mechanism of DAAO. The developed system was used for high-throughput screening of gene libraries, resulting in the discovery of a variant (M6) with significantly increased catalytic activity against d-PPT. The variant displays different catalytic properties on substrates with varying hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity. Analysis using Alphafold2 modeling and molecular dynamic simulations showed that the reason for the enhanced activity was the substrate-binding pocket with enlarged size and suitable charge distribution. Further QM/MM calculations revealed that the crucial factor for enhancing activity lies in reducing the initial energy barrier of the reductive half reaction. Finally, a comprehensive binding-model index to predict the enhanced activity of DAAO toward d-PPT, and an enzymatic deracemization approach was developed, enabling the efficient synthesis of l-PPT with remarkable efficiency.

[Growth decline characteristics of Picea schrenkiana at different altitudes in Yili River Basin, western Tian-shan Mountains, Xinjiang, China]. / 新疆天山西部伊犁河流域不同海拔雪岭云杉生长衰退特征.

Picea schrenkiana is the dominant tree species in Ili River Basin located in the western Tianshan Mountains of Xinjiang. We investigated the growth decline characteristics of P. schrenkiana at different altitudes (1800, 2300 and 2800 m) based on tree-ring index (TRI) and percentage growth change (GC), aiming to understand the growth response of P. schrenkiana to drought events at different altitudes and the impacts of altitude on tree growth decline in this region. The results showed that P. schrenkiana experienced multiple decline events at low-altitude (1800 m). TRI and GC identified inconsistent occurrence time of the decline events. The variations of TRI indicated that P. schrenkiana at low-altitude experienced two large-scale declines during 1927-1933 and 2017-2014, respectively. The variations of GC identified four decline events, including 1891-1893, 1924-1926, 1973-1975, and 2004-2009. The radial growth of P. schrenkiana across altitudes from low to high was significantly affected by the Palmer drought severity index (PDSI) of the previous growing season. The impact of current PDSI on P. schrenkiana during the growing season initially enhanced but later decreased with increasing altitude. In the extreme drought year 1917, the magnitude of growth decline increased with altitude. At low-altitude (1800 m), the TRI was 0.65, which was 35% lower than the normal level. At mid-altitude (2300 m) and high-altitude (2800 m), it was 0.56 and 0.54, respectively, being 40% lower than the average level. The drought event in 1917 had a 2-year legacy effect on the growth of P. schrenkiana at all the altitudes, with the TRI in 1920 recovered to exceeding 0.9, being close to the normal level. The impact of altitude on drought-induced forest decline was significant. Tree growth in low-altitude areas was more vulnerable to drought events due to the relatively poorer water and temperature conditions at low-altitude, which could lead to multiple large-scale decline events. In mid- and high-altitude areas, where hydrothermal conditions were more favorable, trees could experience even more severe decline during extreme droughts.

A case series on safety and tolerability of human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells on patients in Malaysia.

Umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells for regenerative therapy are a promising treatment option for chronic illnesses. Umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells offer several advantages over other sources, which makes them an attractive option in tissue repair and regeneration. This clinical study describes a 1-year follow-up on the safety and tolerance of umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cell therapy on nine patients in Malaysia. Patients were assessed for adverse effects, and liver function tests were carried out on both pre- and post-treatments. Umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells' effectiveness and safety were assessed by follow-up evaluations. All nine patients responded positively towards umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cell therapy, without any adverse effects. After umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cell therapy, a significant improvement was observed in liver functioning test outcomes, as haematological parameters and tumour markers were stable. The present study concludes that umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cell therapy is well tolerated by Malaysian patients; however, further clinical screening must be done over a large number of patients population.

Enhancing erythromycin production in Saccharopolyspora erythraea through rational engineering and fermentation refinement: A Design-Build-Test-Learn approach.

Industrial production of bioactive compounds from actinobacteria, such as erythromycin and its derivatives, faces challenges in achieving optimal yields. To this end, the Design-Build-Test-Learn (DBTL) framework, a systematic metabolic engineering approach, was employed to enhance erythromycin production in Saccharopolyspora erythraea (S. erythraea) E3 strain. A genetically modified strain, S. erythraea E3-CymRP21-dcas9-sucC (S. erythraea CS), was developed by suppressing the sucC gene using an inducible promoter and dcas9 protein. The strain exhibited improved erythromycin synthesis, attributed to enhanced precursor synthesis and increased NADPH availability. Transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses revealed altered central carbon metabolism, amino acid metabolism, energy metabolism, and co-factor/vitamin metabolism in CS. Augmented amino acid metabolism led to nitrogen depletion, potentially causing cellular autolysis during later fermentation stages. By refining the fermentation process through ammonium sulfate supplementation, erythromycin yield reached 1125.66 mg L-1, a 43.5% increase. The results demonstrate the power of the DBTL methodology in optimizing erythromycin production, shedding light on its potential for revolutionizing antibiotic manufacturing in response to the global challenge of antibiotic resistance.

Isolation and antioxidant activity of peptides from Chinese hairy tofu.

Hairy tofu is a famous Chinese snack that is made from soybeans and rich in various nutrients. In order to further explore the antioxidant peptides of hairy tofu hydrolysates, seven proteases were used to hydrolyze hairy tofu. The results of in vitro radical scavenging activity showed that hairy tofu hydrolysates obtained by pancreatin exhibited the highest antioxidant activity. After Sephadex G-25 gel filtration and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC), 97 peptides were identified in the most antioxidant fraction using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Among them, nine peptides were synthesized and their antioxidant activities were assessed using a H2O2-induced oxidative 293T cell model. Finally, four peptides (QCESHK, LAWNEGR, NLQGENEWDQK, and FTEMWR) at concentrations of < 50 µg/ml significantly decreased the malondialdehyde content compared with the model group, displaying in vivo antioxidant activity and low cytotoxicity. Overall, this research provided the choice of using hairy tofu peptides as antioxidant products in the pharmaceutical and food industries.

An inducible CRISPRi circuit for tunable dynamic regulation of gene expression in Saccharopolyspora erythraea.

Actinomyces are gram-positive bacteria known for their valuable secondary metabolites. Redirecting metabolic flux towards desired products in actinomycetes requires precise and dynamic regulation of gene expression. In this study, we integrated the CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) system with a cumate-inducible promoter to develop an inducible gene downregulation method in Saccharopolyspora erythraea, a prominent erythromycin-producing actinobacterium. The functionality of the cumate-inducible promoter was validated using the gusA gene as a reporter, and the successful inducible expression of the dCas9 gene was confirmed. The developed inducible CRISPRi strategy was then employed to downregulate the expression of target genes rppA in the wild-type strain NRRL2338 and sucC in the high erythromycin-producing strain E3. Through dynamic control of sucC expression, a significant enhancement in erythromycin production was achieved in strain E3. This study demonstrated the effectiveness of an inducible gene downregulation approach using CRISPRi and a cumate-inducible promoter, providing valuable insights for optimizing natural product production in actinomyces.

Natural Underwater Bioadhesive Offering Cohesion Modulation via Hydrogen Bond Disruptor: A Highly Injectable and in Vivo Stable Remedy for Gastric Ulcer Resolution.

Injectable bioadhesives are attractive for managing gastric ulcers through minimally invasive procedures. However, the formidable challenge is to develop bioadhesives that exhibit high injectability, rapidly adhere to lesion tissues with fast gelation, provide reliable protection in the harsh gastric environment, and simultaneously ensure stringent standards of biocompatibility. Here, a natural bioadhesive with tunable cohesion is developed based on the facile and controllable gelation between silk fibroin and tannic acid. By incorporating a hydrogen bond disruptor (urea or guanidine hydrochloride), the inherent network within the bioadhesive is disturbed, inducing a transition to a fluidic state for smooth injection (injection force <5 N). Upon injection, the fluidic bioadhesive thoroughly wets tissues, while the rapid diffusion of the disruptor triggers instantaneous in situ gelation. This orchestrated process fosters the formed bioadhesive with durable wet tissue affinity and mechanical properties that harmonize with gastric tissues, thereby bestowing long-lasting protection for ulcer healing, as evidenced through in vitro and in vivo verification. Moreover, it can be conveniently stored (≥3 m) postdehydration. This work presents a promising strategy for designing highly injectable bioadhesives utilizing natural feedstocks, avoiding any safety risks associated with synthetic materials or nonphysiological gelation conditions, and offering the potential for minimally invasive application.

A facile strategy to fabricate a skin-like hydrogel with adhesive and highly stretchable attributes through small molecule triggering toward flexible electronics.

Polyacrylamide hydrogel is a promising matrix in biomedical applications due to its biocompatibility, transparency and flexibility. However, its implementation in skin-attachable applications is impeded by its inherent deficiency in surface-adaptive adhesion and inadequate mechanical conformity to skin tissues. Herein, tris, a biocompatible small molecule with a triple hydrogen bonding cluster in its molecule structure, is introduced for the first time into a polyacrylamide hydrogel. This incorporation is achieved via a facile one-pot strategy, resulting in a highly stretchable hydrogel with an impressive strain capacity (2574.75 ± 28.19%), a human dermis tissue-compatible Young's modulus (27.89 ± 2.05 kPa) and an intrinsically universal adhesion capacity (16.66 ± 0.32 N). These superior properties are attributed to the elevated hydrogen bonding density and the plasticizing effect induced by tris, without compromising the hydrogel's excellent transparency (>90% transmittance). Moreover, by incorporating calcium ions into the resulting soft adhesive hydrogel, we demonstrate its utility in skin-like sensors, leading to a substantial enhancement in strain sensitivity and electrical conductivity, in conjunction with the plasticizing influence exerted by tris. This work offers a facile and environmentally friendly solution to fabricate ultra-stretchable adhesive polyacrylamide hydrogel matrixes for dynamic surfaces, even under large deformation, which can broaden their potential applications in integrated bioelectronics.

Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2α kinase 2 in pancreatic cancer: An approach towards managing clinical prognosis and molecular immunological characterization.

Most patients with pancreatic cancer are already in the late stages of the disease when they are diagnosed, and pancreatic cancer is a deadly disease with a poor prognosis. With the advancement of research, immunotherapy has become a new focus in the treatment of tumors. To the best of our knowledge, there is currently no reliable diagnostic or prognostic marker for pancreatic cancer; therefore, the present study investigated the potential of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2α kinase 2 (EIF2AK2) as a predictive and diagnostic marker for pancreatic cancer. Immunohistochemical staining of clinical samples independently verified that EIF2AK2 expression was significantly higher in clinically operated pancreatic cancer tissues than in adjacent pancreatic tissues., and EIF2AK2 expression and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified using downloadable RNA sequencing data from The Cancer Genome Atlas and Genomic Tumor Expression Atlas. In addition, Gene Ontology/Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses and immune cell infiltration were used for functional enrichment analysis of EIF2AK2-associated DEGs. The clinical importance of EIF2AK2 was also determined using Kaplan-Meier survival, Cox regression and time-dependent survival receiver operating characteristic curve analyses, and a predictive nomogram model was generated. Finally, the functional role of EIF2AK2 was assessed in PANC-1 cells using a short hairpin RNA-EIF2AK2 knockdown approach, including CCK-8, wound healing assay, cell cycle and apoptosis assays. The findings suggested that EIF2AK2 may have potential as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for patients with pancreatic cancer. Furthermore, EIF2AK2 may provide a new therapeutic target for patients with pancreatic cancer.

Recent advances in deformation-assisted microfluidic cell sorting technologies.

Cell sorting is an essential prerequisite for cell research and has great value in life science and clinical studies. Among the many microfluidic cell sorting technologies, label-free methods based on the size of different cell types have been widely studied. However, the heterogeneity in size for cells of the same type and the inevitable size overlap between different types of cells would result in performance degradation in size-based sorting. To tackle such challenges, deformation-assisted technologies are receiving more attention recently. Cell deformability is an inherent biophysical marker of cells that reflects the changes in their internal structures and physiological states. It provides additional dimensional information for cell sorting besides size. Therefore, in this review, we summarize the recent advances in deformation-assisted microfluidic cell sorting technologies. According to how the deformability is characterized and the form in which the force acts, the technologies can be divided into two categories: (1) the indirect category including transit-time-based and image-based methods, and (2) the direct category including microstructure-based and hydrodynamics-based methods. Finally, the separation performance and the application scenarios of each method, the existing challenges and future outlook are discussed. Deformation-assisted microfluidic cell sorting technologies are expected to realize greater potential in the label-free analysis of cells.

Ammonium sulfate supplementation enhances erythromycin biosynthesis by augmenting intracellular metabolism and precursor supply in Saccharopolyspora erythraea.

In this study, the cellular metabolic mechanisms regarding ammonium sulfate supplementation on erythromycin production were investigated by employing targeted metabolomics and metabolic flux analysis. The results suggested that the addition of ammonium sulfate stimulates erythromycin biosynthesis. Targeted metabolomics analysis uncovered that the addition of ammonium sulfate during the late stage of fermentation resulted in an augmented intracellular amino acid metabolism pool, guaranteeing an ample supply of precursors for organic acids and coenzyme A-related compounds. Therefore, adequate precursors facilitated cellular maintenance and erythromycin biosynthesis. Subsequently, an optimal supplementation rate of 0.02 g/L/h was determined. The results exhibited that erythromycin titer (1311.1 µg/mL) and specific production rate (0.008 mmol/gDCW/h) were 101.3% and 41.0% higher than those of the process without ammonium sulfate supplementation, respectively. Moreover, the erythromycin A component proportion increased from 83.2% to 99.5%. Metabolic flux analysis revealed increased metabolic fluxes with the supplementation of three ammonium sulfate rates.

Core-Shell Spheroid Structure TiO2/CdS Composites with Enhanced Photocathodic Protection Performance.

In order to improve the conversion and transmission efficiency of the photoelectron, core-shell spheroid structure titanium dioxide/cadmium sulfide (TiO2/CdS) composites were synthesized as epoxy-based coating fillers using a simple hydrothermal method. The electrochemical performance of photocathodic protection for the epoxy-based composite coating was analyzed by coating it on the Q235 carbon steel surface. The results show that the epoxy-based composite coating possesses a significant photoelectrochemical property with a photocurrent density of 0.0421 A/cm2 and corrosion potential of -0.724 V. Importantly, the modified composite coating can extend absorption in the visible region and effectively separate photoelectron hole pairs to improve the photoelectrochemical performance synergistically, because CdS can be regarded as a sensitizer to be introduced into TiO2 to form a heterojunction system. The mechanism of photocathodic protection is attributed to the potential energy difference between Fermi energy and excitation level, which leads to the system obtaining higher electric field strength at the heterostructure interface, thus driving electrons directly into the surface of Q235 carbon steel (Q235 CS). Moreover, the photocathodic protection mechanism of the epoxy-based composite coating for Q235 CS is investigated in this paper.

Responses of nitrogen and phosphorus resorption of understory plants to microscale soil nutrient hetero-geneity in Chinese fir plantation.

We compared the interspecific differences in leaf nutrient resorption of two dominant understory species (Lophatherum gracile and Oplimenus unulatifolius), and analyzed the correlations between the intraspecific efficiency of leaf nutrient resorption and nutrient properties of soil and leaves in Chinese fir plantation. The results showed high soil nutrient heterogeneity in Chinese fir plantation. Soil inorganic nitrogen content and available phosphorus content varied from 8.58 to 65.29 mg·kg-1 and from 2.43 to 15.20 mg·kg-1 in the Chinese fir plantation, respectively. The soil inorganic nitrogen content in O. undulatifolius community was 1.4 times higher than that in L. gra-cile community, but there was no significant difference in soil available phosphorus content between the two communities. Both leaf nitrogen and phosphorus resorption efficiency of O. unulatifolius was significantly lower than that of L. gracile under the three measurement bases of leaf dry weight, leaf area, and lignin content. Resorption efficiency in L. gracile community expressed on leaf dry weight was lower than that expressed on leaf area and lignin content, while resorption efficiency expressed on leaf area was the lowest in O. unulatifolius community. The intraspecific resorption efficiency was significantly correlated with leaf nutrient contents, but was less correlated with soil nutrient content, and only the nitrogen resorption efficiency of L. gracile had significant positive correlation with soil inorganic nitrogen content. The results indicated that there was significant difference in the leaf nutrient resorption efficiency between the two understory species. Soil nutrient heterogeneity exerted a weak effect on the intraspecific nutrient resorption, which might be attributed to high soil nutrient availability and potential disturbance from canopy litter in Chinese fir plantation.

A cyclic brush zwitterionic polymer based pH-responsive nanocarrier-mediated dual drug delivery system with lubrication maintenance for osteoarthritis treatment.

Enhanced joint synergistic lubrication combined with anti-inflammatory therapy is an effective strategy to delay the progression of early osteoarthritis (OA) but has been rarely reported. The hydration lubrication of zwitterions and inherent super-lubrication properties of the cyclic brush, as well as the enhancement of the steric stability of the cyclic topology, can effectively improve the drug loading and utilization; herein we report a pH-responsive cyclic brush zwitterionic polymer (CB) with SBMA and DMAEMA as brushes and a cyclic polymer (c-P(HEMA)) as the core template, possessing a low coefficient of friction (0.017). After loading with hydrophobic curcumin and hydrophilic loxoprofen sodium it demonstrates high drug-loading efficiency. In vitro and in vivo experiments confirmed the triple function of the CB on superlubrication, sequence controlled release and anti-inflammatory effects demonstrated by Micro CT, histological analysis and qRT-PCR. Overall, the CB is a promising long-acting lubricating therapeutic agent, with potential for OA treatment or other diseases.

Electrochemical hydrogen evolution on Pt-based catalysts from a theoretical perspective.

Hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) by splitting water is a key technology toward a clean energy society, where Pt-based catalysts were long known to have the highest activity under acidic electrochemical conditions but suffer from high cost and poor stability. Here, we overview the current status of Pt-catalyzed HER from a theoretical perspective, focusing on the methodology development of electrochemistry simulation, catalytic mechanism, and catalyst stability. Recent developments in theoretical methods for studying electrochemistry are introduced, elaborating on how they describe solid-liquid interface reactions under electrochemical potentials. The HER mechanism, the reaction kinetics, and the reaction sites on Pt are then summarized, which provides an atomic-level picture of Pt catalyst surface dynamics under reaction conditions. Finally, state-of-the-art experimental solutions to improve catalyst stability are also introduced, which illustrates the significance of fundamental understandings in the new catalyst design.

Circ_0022920 Maintains the Contractile Phenotype of Human Aortic Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Via Sponging microRNA-650 and Promoting Transforming Growth Factor Beta Receptor 1 Expression in Angiotensin II-Induced Models for Aortic Dissection.

Background Abnormal regulation of vascular smooth muscle cells is regarded as the iconic pathological change of aortic dissection (AD). Herein, we aim to identify circ_0022920 as a crucial regulator in AD. Methods and Results Microarray analysis of circular RNAs, messenger RNAs, and micro RNAs in patients with AD was performed, and we identified that circ_0022920 was significantly downregulated in these patients. The Pearson correlation analysis uncovered the negative correlation between miR-650 and circ_0022920 or TGFßR1 (transforming growth factor beta receptor 1). Angiotensin II was used to treat human aortic vascular smooth muscle cells (HASMCs) and mice as models for AD. Hematoxylin and eosin and Masson's trichrome staining were used to analyze AD histopathology. Cell proliferation was analyzed with Cell Counting Kit-8 assay and EdU incorporation. Cell migration was assessed with transwell and wound healing assays. Enhanced circ_0022920 expression dramatically inhibited HASMC proliferation and migration and maintained contractile marker expression induced by angiotensin II, whereas miR-650 exerted opposite effects. MiR-650 was a target of circ_0022920. MiR-650 targeted IRF1 (interferon regulatory factor 1) and thus negatively regulated TGFßR1 expression to promote HASMC proliferation and migration and inhibit contractile marker expression. Circ_0022920 suppressed the progression of AD in vivo. Conclusions Circ_0022920 modulates the contractile phenotype of HASMCs via regulating the miR-650-IRF1-TGFßR1 axis in angiotensin II-induced models for AD, which provides potential therapeutic targets for AD.