Enhanced Photocatalytic Activities of Sodium Borohydride-Calcined Magnetic Manganese Ferrite Nanoparticles.

The synthesis, enhancement, and maintenance of magnetite-based catalyst nanoparticles (NPs) are important for photocatalytic activity and recovery rates. We used a sodium borohydride (NaBH4) calcination method to modify MnFe2O4 nanoparticles to optimize their performance in the photocatalytic oxidation of 2,5-hydroxymethylfurfural. The results indicated a 94% increase in photocatalytic efficiency, while magnetic assessments performed using a vibrating sample magnetometer showed an 8.9% improvement in magnetic properties without degradation. These findings show the dual benefits of increased photocatalytic performance with strong magnetic properties, which are important for the application and reusability of photocatalysts. The recycling of these photocatalysts reduces secondary pollution and increases the process cost-effectiveness. These results contribute to the solution of problems with the use of photocatalytic materials.

Reduction-Assisted Calcination Enhances the Photocatalytic Activity of ZnO and WO3 Nanoparticles in Biomass Conversion.

Rising energy needs and environmental issues have prompted the creation of effective and affordable photocatalysts for converting biomass. Utilizing abundant biomass, oxidation of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) emerges as a method for generating high-value chemicals from biomass, offering an alternative to fossil fuels. We synthesized defect-engineered metal oxides (ZnO and WO3) by calcination with NaBH4 as a reducing agent. Atomic-level analyses identified oxygen vacancy defects induced by the reduction of metal ions within the metal oxide nanoparticles. Further analysis showed an unchanged band gap but an up to 4-fold increase in current density. This enhancement is attributed to the trapping of electrons in defect sites created during the calcination process. The formation of new electron donor states hindered photogenerated electron-hole recombination, enhancing the photocatalytic efficiency of the metal oxide. The photocatalytic degradation yield of HMF was over 95%, and the selective organic products 2,5-diformylfuran (DFF) and 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) were obtained without byproducts. Kinetic studies demonstrated that the photocatalytic conversion reaction rates were accelerated by up to 3.5-fold. Improved photocatalytic activity for HMF oxidation was achieved by introducing oxygen vacancy defects upon the reduction of metal ions within the metal oxides. Our results provide a promising approach for designing efficient photocatalysts.

A "What Matters Most" approach to investigating intersectional stigma toward HIV and cancer in Hanoi, Vietnam.

BACKGROUND: Vietnam is experiencing a growing burden of cancer, including among people living with HIV. Stigma acts as a sociocultural barrier to the prevention and treatment of both conditions. This study investigates how cultural notions of "respected personhood" (or "what matters most") influence manifestations of HIV-related stigma and cancer stigma in Hanoi, Vietnam. METHODS: Thirty in-depth interviews were conducted with people living with HIV in Hanoi, Vietnam. Transcripts were thematically coded via a directed content analysis using the What Matters Most conceptual framework. Coding was done individually and discussed in pairs, and any discrepancies were reconciled in full-team meetings. RESULTS: Analyses elucidated that having chu tín-a value reflecting social involvement, conscientiousness, and trustworthiness-and being successful (eg, in career, academics, or one's personal life) are characteristics of respected people in this local cultural context. Living with HIV and having cancer were seen as stigmatized and interfering with these values and capabilities. Intersectional stigma toward having both conditions was seen to interplay with these values in some ways that had distinctions compared with stigma toward either condition alone. Participants also articulated how cultural values like chu tín are broadly protective against stigmatization and how getting treatment and maintaining employment can help individuals resist stigmatization's most acute impacts. CONCLUSIONS: HIV-related and cancer stigma each interfere with important cultural values and capabilities in Vietnam. Understanding these cultural manifestations of these stigmas separately and intersectionally can allow for greater ability to measure and respond to these stigmas through culturally tailored intervention.

Antibiotic prescribing practices of medical doctors in a resource-limited setting and the influence of individual perceptions and stewardship support: a survey in three tertiary hospitals in Vietnam.

Objectives: To understand antibiotic prescribing and influencing factors to inform antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) interventions to reduce unwanted consequences of antibiotic use in hospitals in Vietnam, a lower-middle-income country in Asia. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of doctors at three tertiary hospitals using non-probability convenience sampling, through a paper-based (Hospitals 1 and 2) or electronic (Hospital 3) survey. Questions included items on perceptions regarding antibiotic resistance and AMS, prescribing practices, knowledge, demographics and training. We used principal components analysis and mixed-effects models to examine practices and identify influencing factors. Results: Among 314 surveyed participants, 61%, 57% and 59% in Hospitals 1, 2 and 3, respectively, felt certain about the appropriateness of their antibiotic prescriptions. In total, 9% reported sometimes prescribing antibiotics when not needed to meet patients' expectations, and 13% reported doing so to avoid perceived complications. Higher prescribing confidence was found among those with positive perceptions about AMS (P < 0.0001), whereas negative perceptions about colleagues' practices reduced this confidence (P < 0.0001). Individual preference for branded antibiotics was associated with more unnecessary prescribing whereas having higher prescribing confidence decreased the habits of prescribing when not needed. Conclusions: This study provides important implications for design of hospital interventions to address influencing factors on antibiotic prescribing in Vietnam and similar resource-limited settings. Specific interventions should target improving knowledge through education and training for doctors, enhancing the support from the AMS team, and promoting guidelines and policies for appropriate antibiotic use in hospital.

Exploring the nexus between fiscal decentralization and ecological sustainability: a fresh perspective from the moderating role of geopolitical risk and updated international evidence.

Fiscal decentralization has been long employed to enhance the utilization of financial resources for sustainable development. Nevertheless, its effectiveness in limiting ecological degradation is ambiguous, especially when a country faces geopolitical risks. Different from previous works which separately examine the impacts of either fiscal decentralization or geopolitical risks on ecological sustainability, this research examines the moderating role of geopolitical risks on the non-linear relationship between fiscal decentralization and ecological footprints across different levels of environmental condition. An advanced panel quantile regression is applied to a sample of 23 advanced and emerging market economies from 1990 to 2018. The empirical results indicate that the nexus between revenue decentralization and ecological footprint follows an inverted U-shaped pattern at the 20th to 60th quantiles of ecological footprint. Meanwhile, the linkage between expenditure and ecological footprint reflects a U-shaped pattern across all quantiles. Notably, geopolitical risk strongly moderates the connection between fiscal decentralization and ecological footprint with the role being stronger in the case of revenue decentralization. This research provides valuable implementations to tailor policies for transferring revenue and expenditure responsibilities to sub-governmental bodies towards sustainability targets based on their current ecological conditions and contexts of geopolitical instability.

Linking enlarged choroid plexus with plasma analyte and structural phenotypes in clinical high risk for psychosis: A multisite neuroimaging study.

BACKGROUND: Choroid plexus (ChP) enlargement exists in first-episode and chronic psychosis, but whether enlargement occurs before psychosis onset is unknown. This study investigated whether ChP volume is enlarged in individuals with clinical high-risk (CHR) for psychosis and whether these changes are related to clinical, neuroanatomical, and plasma analytes. METHODS: Clinical and neuroimaging data from the North American Prodrome Longitudinal Study 2 (NAPLS2) was used for analysis. 509 participants (169 controls, 340 CHR) were recruited. Conversion status was determined after 2-years of follow-up, with 36 psychosis converters. The lateral ventricle ChP was manually segmented from baseline scans. A subsample of 31 controls and 53 CHR had plasma analyte and neuroimaging data. RESULTS: Compared to controls, CHR (d = 0.23, p = 0.017) and non-converters (d = 0.22, p = 0.03) demonstrated higher ChP volumes, but not in converters. In CHR, greater ChP volume correlated with lower cortical (r = -0.22, p < 0.001), subcortical gray matter (r = -0.21, p < 0.001), and total white matter volume (r = -0.28,p < 0.001), as well as larger lateral ventricle volume (r = 0.63,p < 0.001). Greater ChP volume correlated with makers functionally associated with the lateral ventricle ChP in CHR [CCL1 (r = -0.30, p = 0.035), ICAM1 (r = 0.33, p = 0.02)], converters [IL1ß (r = 0.66, p = 0.004)], and non-converters [BMP6 (r = -0.96, p < 0.001), CALB1 (r = -0.98, p < 0.001), ICAM1 (r = 0.80, p = 0.003), SELE (r = 0.59, p = 0.026), SHBG (r = 0.99, p < 0.001), TNFRSF10C (r = 0.78, p = 0.001)]. CONCLUSIONS: CHR and non-converters demonstrated significantly larger ChP volumes compared to controls. Enlarged ChP was associated with neuroanatomical alterations and analyte markers functionally associated with the ChP. These findings suggest that the ChP may be a key an important biomarker in CHR.

Pain is common in early onset Parkinson's disease and pain severity is associated with age and worsening of motor and non-motor symptoms.

The consequences of pain in early onset Parkinson's disease (EOPD) remain under appreciated even though pain may exert an increasingly negative impact on patient quality of life as motor and non-motor symptoms worsen. In this prospective study, we investigate the prevalence and severity of pain in 135 Vietnamese patients with EOPD from three medical centers using the King's PD Pain Scale (KPPS), the Mini Mental Status Exam (MMSE), the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) and the Non-Motor Symptoms Scale (NMSS). Pain was reported by 79.3%. The most common subtype of pain was musculoskeletal (70.1%), followed by nocturnal (43.9%), radicular (43.0%), chronic (42.1%), fluctuation-related (34.6%) and orofacial pain (16.8%). Most patients (74.8%) experienced more than one pain subtype. Fluctuation-related pain and orofacial pain were significantly more prevalent among patients with higher Hoehn & Yahr (H&Y) stages (3-5) versus lower H&Y stages (1-2). Pain subtype and severity were not significantly related to gender or age of PD onset. Patients with H&Y stages 3-5 had statistically significantly higher KPPS scores for fluctuation-related pain (p = 0.018) and radicular pain (p = 0.026). Independent associations were found between pain severity and age (p = 0.028), depression severity (p = 0.018), perceptual problems/hallucinations (p = 0.033) and sexual function (p = 0.024). Patients with depression and higher H&Y stages (3-5) had statistically significantly higher mean KPPS scores versus patients without depression and at lower H&Y stages (1-2). Pain may be more common and severe in EOPD patients than previously appreciated. Older age, depression, perceptual problems/hallucinations and sexual dysfunction were independently associated with higher pain severity.

A pilot study to investigate the efficacy and tolerability of lesion network guided transcranial electrical stimulation in outpatients with psychosis spectrum illness.

BACKGROUND: Transcranial electrical stimulation (tES) may improve psychosis symptoms, but few investigations have targeted brain regions causally linked to psychosis symptoms. We implemented a novel montage targeting the extrastriate visual cortex (eVC) previously identified by lesion network mapping in the manifestation of visual hallucinations. OBJECTIVE: To determine if lesion network guided High Definition-tES (HD-tES) to the eVC is safe and efficacious in reducing symptoms related to psychosis. METHODS: We conducted a single-blind crossover pilot study (NCT04870710) in patients with psychosis spectrum disorders. Participants first received HD-tDCS (direct current), followed by 4 weeks of wash out, then 2 Hz HD-tACS (alternating current). Participants received 5 days of daily (2×20 min) stimulation bilaterally to the eVC. Primary outcomes included the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), biological motion task, and Event Related Potentials (ERP) from a steady state visual evoked potential (SSVEP) paradigm. Secondary outcomes included the Montgomery-Asperg Depression Rating Scale, Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF), velocity discrimination and visual working memory task, and emotional ERP. RESULTS: HD-tDCS improved PANSS general psychopathology in the short-term (d=0.47; pfdr=0.03), with long-term improvements in general psychopathology (d=0.62; pfdr=0.05) and GAF (d=-0.56; pfdr=0.04) with HD-tACS. HD-tDCS reduced SSVEP P1 (d=0.25; pfdr=0.005), which correlated with general psychopathology (ß = 0.274, t = 3.59, p = 0.04). No significant differences in safety or tolerability measures were identified. CONCLUSION: Lesion network guided HD-tES to the eVC is a safe, efficacious, and promising approach for reducing general psychopathology via changes in neuroplasticity. These results highlight the need for larger clinical trials implementing novel targeting methodologies for the treatments of psychosis.

Enhancement of Sulfur Source-Dependent Zn Vacancies in Different Photocatalytic Performances of ZnIn2S4 Nanoparticles.

This study focuses on the synthesis and investigation of ZnIn2S4 nanoparticle (NP) photocatalysts treated with different sulfur sources, thioacetamide (TAA), or thiourea (TU), to explore their wavelength-dependent photocatalytic activity. The research aims to understand the impact of Zn vacancies present on the surface of ZnIn2S4 NPs. The investigation involves electron spin resonance and in situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to study the photocatalytic activity of ZnIn2S4-TU and ZnIn2S4-TAA NPs, following the characterization of surface morphology and electronic properties using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Additionally, the study delves into the wavelength-dependent photocatalytic degradation (PCD) activity of the ZnIn2S4 NPs using 2,5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) across a wide range. Notably, the selective oxidation of HMF using ZnIn2S4-TU NPs resulted in the formation of 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) via 2,5-diformylfuran, with an efficiency exceeding 40% over the broad wavelength range. The research demonstrates that the irradiation wavelength for PCD is influenced by the number of defect structures introduced into the ZnIn2S4 NPs through the sulfur source.

To stay or re-migrate after the pandemic shock? Labor re-migration intention to the coastal areas of Thua Thiên Hue province in Vietnam.

This study applied the extended theory of planned behavior (ETPB) to explore factors that shape the behavioral intention of migrant laborers returning to the coastal region of Thua Thiên Hue province during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic to remigrate. Data collection included 210 interviews with returned migrants aged 18 and above in 4 coastal communes of Thua Thiên Hue province, in-depth interviews (8 key informants) and a group discussion (5 persons). Exploratory factor analysis and a multivariate linear regression model were applied to analyze the data. Results showed that in addition to individual socio-demographic characteristics (i.e. level of education, age, income level and sex), attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and perceived risk were also determinant factors of migrants' intention to remigrate. This research suggested that in order to build resilience of rural migration workers, related departments should seriously consider the following recommendations: (i) raise awareness and encourage young rural people to complete their education and necessary skills; (ii) organize related psychological training programs for rural laborers; (iii) raise awareness about the necessity to participate in social insurance; (iv) promote rural job creation programs suitable for low education and low-skilled rural laborers; (v) raise awareness for local people, particularly school children, about the value and opportunities of being smart farmers in the context of 4.0 technology and social risks at the destination for low education and low-skilled laborers; (vi) digitalize migration labor management and provide digital information services regarding job opportunities for rural laborers.

Peripheral inflammatory subgroup differences in anterior Default Mode network and multiplex functional network topology are associated with cognition in psychosis.

INTRODUCTION: High-inflammation subgroups of patients with psychosis demonstrate cognitive deficits and neuroanatomical alterations. Systemic inflammation assessed using IL-6 and C-reactive protein may alter functional connectivity within and between resting-state networks, but the cognitive and clinical implications of these alterations remain unknown. We aim to determine the relationships of elevated peripheral inflammation subgroups with resting-state functional networks and cognition in psychosis spectrum disorders. METHODS: Serum and resting-state fMRI were collected from psychosis probands (schizophrenia, schizoaffective, psychotic bipolar disorder) and healthy controls (HC) from the B-SNIP1 (Chicago site) study who were stratified into inflammatory subgroups based on factor and cluster analyses of 13 cytokines (HC Low n = 32, Proband Low n = 65, Proband High n = 29). Nine resting-state networks derived from independent component analysis were used to assess functional and multilayer connectivity. Inter-network connectivity was measured using Fisher z-transformation of correlation coefficients. Network organization was assessed by investigating networks of positive and negative connections separately, as well as investigating multilayer networks using both positive and negative connections. Cognition was assessed using the Brief Assessment of Cognition in Schizophrenia. Linear regressions, Spearman correlations, permutations tests and multiple comparison corrections were used for analyses in R. RESULTS: Anterior default mode network (DMNa) connectivity was significantly reduced in the Proband High compared to Proband Low (Cohen's d = -0.74, p = 0.002) and HC Low (d = -0.85, p = 0.0008) groups. Inter-network connectivity between the DMNa and the right-frontoparietal networks was lower in Proband High compared to Proband Low (d = -0.66, p = 0.004) group. Compared to Proband Low, the Proband High group had lower negative (d = 0.54, p = 0.021) and positive network (d = 0.49, p = 0.042) clustering coefficient, and lower multiplex network participation coefficient (d = -0.57, p = 0.014). Network findings in high inflammation subgroups correlate with worse verbal fluency, verbal memory, symbol coding, and overall cognition. CONCLUSION: These results expand on our understanding of the potential effects of peripheral inflammatory signatures and/or subgroups on network dysfunction in psychosis and how they relate to worse cognitive performance. Additionally, the novel multiplex approach taken in this study demonstrated how inflammation may disrupt the brain's ability to maintain healthy co-activation patterns between the resting-state networks while inhibiting certain connections between them.

Effect of LED Illumination Cycle and Carbon Sources on Biofilms of Haematococcus pluvialis in Pilot-Scale Angled Twin-Layer Porous Substrate Photobioreactors.

Light-emitting diodes are increasingly used as artificial light sources in Haematococcus pluvialis cultivation due to the fact of their energy advantages. The immobilized cultivation of H. pluvialis in pilot-scale angled twin-layer porous substrate photobioreactors (TL-PSBRs) was initially performed with a 14/10 h light/dark cycle and showed relatively low biomass growth and astaxanthin accumulation. In this study, the illumination time with red and blue LEDs at a light intensity of 120 µmol photons m-2 s-1 was increased to 16-24 h per day. With a light/dark cycle of 22/2 h, the biomass productivity of the algae was 7.5 g m-2 day-1, 2.4 times higher than in the 14/10 h cycle. The percentage of astaxanthin in the dry biomass was 2%, and the total amount of astaxanthin was 1.7 g m-2. Along with the increase in light duration, adding 10 or 20 mM NaHCO3 to the BG11-H culture medium over ten days of cultivation in angled TL-PSBRs did not increase the total amount of astaxanthin compared with only CO2 addition at a flow rate of 3.6 mg min-1 to the culture medium. Adding NaHCO3 with a 30-80 mM concentration inhibited algal growth and astaxanthin accumulation. However, adding 10-40 mM NaHCO3 caused algal cells to accumulate astaxanthin at a high percentage in dry weight after the first four days in TL-PSBRs.

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on chronic pain and opioid use in marginalized populations: A scoping review.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a variable effect on vulnerable populations, including patients with chronic pain who rely on opioid treatment or have comorbid opioid use disorder. Limited access to care due to isolation measures may lead to increased pain severity, worse mental health symptoms, and adverse opioid-related outcomes. This scoping review aimed to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the dual epidemics of chronic pain and opioids in marginalized communities worldwide. Methods: Searches of primary databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and PsycINFO were performed in March 2022, restricting the publication date to December 1, 2019. The search yielded 685 articles. After title and abstract screening, 526 records were screened by title and abstract, 87 through full-text review, of which 25 articles were included in the final analysis. Results: Our findings illuminate the differential distribution of pain burden across marginalized groups and how it serves to heighten existing disparities. Service disruptions due to social distancing orders and infrastructural limitations prevented patients from receiving the care they needed, resulting in adverse psychological and physical health outcomes. Efforts to adapt to COVID-19 circumstances included modifications to opioid prescribing regulations and workflows and expanded telemedicine services. Conclusion: Results have implications for the prevention and management of chronic pain and opioid use disorder, such as challenges in adopting telemedicine in low-resource settings and opportunities to strengthen public health and social care systems with a multidisciplinary and multidimensional approach.

Incidence and Spatial distribution of Human and Livestock Anthrax in Cao Bang Province, Vietnam (2004-2020).

Specific knowledge on the distribution of anthrax, a zoonosis caused by Bacillus anthracis, in Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, remains limited. In this study, we describe disease incidence and spatial distribution of human and livestock anthrax using spatially smoothed cumulative incidence from 2004 to 2020 in Cao Bang province, Vietnam. We employed the zonal statistics routine a geographic information system (GIS) using QGIS, and spatial rate smoothing using spatial Bayes smoothing in GeoDa. Results showed higher incidence of livestock anthrax compared with human anthrax. We also identified co-occurrence of anthrax in humans and livestock in northwestern districts and the province center. Livestock anthrax vaccine coverage was <6% and not equally distributed among the districts of Cao Bang province. We provide implications for future studies and recommend improving disease surveillance and response through data sharing between human and animal health sectors.

Factors Associated With Helicobacter Pylori Infection Among School-Aged Children From a High Prevalence Area in Vietnam.

Objectives: The study aimed to identify prevalence of H. pylori infection and associated risk factors among pupils of Ho Chi Minh city (HCMC). Methods: A total of 1,476 pupils aged 6-15 years were enrolled in this cross-sectional study using multiple-stage sampling method. Infection status was assessed using stool antigen-test. A questionnaire was used to obtain socio-demographic, behavioral, and environmental factors. Logistic regression was performed to assess possible factors related to the infection. Results: Of the 1,409 children included in the analysis, 49.2% were male and 95.8% were of Kinh ethnicity. About 43.5% of parents completed college or university. The overall prevalence of H. pylori was 87.7%. Infrequency of handwashing with soap after toilet, the use of only water to clean after toilet, crowded living areas, larger family size, and younger age were independently contributing to an increased prevalence of H. pylori. Conclusion: H. pylori infection is highly prevalent in HCMC, and is associated with poor hygienic practices, crowded living areas, larger family size, and younger age. These findings highlight the importance of fecal-oral route and the attribution of crowded living conditions to the spreading of H. pylori in HCMC. Therefore, preventive programs should be set up with a focus on education of hygiene practices, and oriented to those living in crowded conditions.

HV1 mtDNA Reveals the High Genetic Diversity and the Ancient Origin of Vietnamese Dogs.

In this study, samples from 429 dog individuals across three main regions of Vietnam (Southern Vietnam (SVN), Central Vietnam (CVN), and Northern Vietnam (NVN)) were collected to analyze the 582 bp region mtDNA HVI, so as to study the genetic diversity and to screen the rare haplotype E in the Vietnamese village dog population. Nine new haplotypes A, two new haplotypes B, and three haplotypes C were unique to Vietnam dogs, in which the new haplotypes An3, An7, Cn1, and Cn3 concerned mutations at new polymorphism sites (15,517, 15,505, 15,479, and 15,933, respectively) which have not been previously reported. The detection of haplotypes A9 and A29, and the appearance of haplotype A200 in the two individual dogs sampled support that the Southeast Asian dog is the ancestor of today's Australian dingo and Polynesian dog. The two rare haplotypes E (E1 and E4) were reconfirmed in Vietnamese dogs and discussed. This study also contributes to strengthening the theory of domestication of dogs to the south of the Yangtze River and the Southeast Asian origin of the dingo.

New Angled Twin-layer Porous Substrate Photobioreactors for Cultivation of Nannochloropsis oculata.

An angled twin-layer porous substrate photobioreactor (TL-PSBR) using LED light was designed to cultivate Nannochloropsis oculata. Flocculation and sedimentation by modification of pH to 11 were determined as the optimal method for harvesting the N. oculata inoculum. The following optimised parameters were found: tilt angle 15°, Kraft 220 g m-2 paper as substrate material, initial inoculum density of 12.5 g m-2, 140 µmol photons m-2 s-1 light intensity, and a light/dark cycle of 6:6 (h). Test cultivation for 14 days was performed under optimised conditions. The total dried biomass standing crop was 75.5 g m-2 growth area with an average productivity of 6.3 g m-2 d-1, the productivity per volume of used culture medium was 126.2 mg/L d-1, total lipid content 21.9% (w/w), and the highest productivity of total lipids was 1.33 g m-2 d-1. The dry algal biomass contained 3% eicosapentaenoic acid (w/w), 3.7% palmitoleic acid (w/w), and 513 mg kg-1 vitamin E. The optimisation of N. oculata cultivation on an angled TL-PSBR system yielded promising results, and applications for commercial products need to be further explored.

Distal Hydrophobic Loop Modulates the Copper Active Site and Reaction of AA13 Polysaccharide Monooxygenases.

Polysaccharide monooxygenases (PMOs) use a type-2 copper center to activate O2 for the selective hydroxylation of one of the two C-H bonds of glycosidic linkages. Our electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analysis and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations suggest the unprecedented dynamic roles of the loop containing the residue G89 (G89 loop) on the active site structure and reaction cycle of starch-active PMOs (AA13 PMOs). In the Cu(II) state, the G89 loop could switch between an "open" and "closed" conformation, which is associated with the binding and dissociation of an aqueous ligand in the distal site, respectively. The conformation of the G89 loop influences the positioning of the copper center on the preferred substrate of AA13 PMOs. The dissociation of the distal ligand results in the bending of the T-shaped core of the Cu(II) active site, which could help facilitate its reduction to the active Cu(I) state. In the Cu(I) state, the G89 loop is in the "closed" conformation with a confined copper center, which could allow for efficient O2 binding. In addition, the G89 loop remains in the "closed" conformation in the Cu(II)-superoxo intermediate, which could prevent off-pathway superoxide release via exchange with the distal aqueous ligand. Finally, at the end of the reaction cycle, aqueous ligand binding to the distal site could switch the G89 loop to the "open" conformation and facilitate product release.

Mechanism of Stat1 in the neuronal Ca2+ overload after intracerebral hemorrhage via the H3K27ac/Trpm7 axis.

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is classified as a subtype of stroke and calcium (Ca2+) overload is a catalyst for ICH. This study explored the mechanisms of Stat1 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 1) in the neuronal Ca2+ overload after ICH. ICH mouse models and in vitro cell models were established. Stat1 and transient receptor potential melastatin 7 (Trpm7) were detected upregulated in ICH models. Afterward, the mice were infected with the lentivirus containing sh-Stat1, and HT22 cells were treated with si-Stat1 and the lentivirus containing pcDNA3.1-Trpm7. The neurological functional impairment, histopathological damage, and Nissl bodies in mice were all measured. HT22 cell viability and apoptosis were identified. The levels of Ca2+, Trpm7 mRNA, H3K27 acetylation (H3K27ac), CaMKII-α, and p-Stat1 protein in the tissues and cells were determined. We found that silencing Stat1 alleviated ICH damage and repressed the neuronal Ca2+ overload after ICH. H3K27ac enrichment in the Trpm7 promoter region was examined and we found that p-Stat1 accelerated Trpm7 transcription via promoting H3K27ac in the Trpm7 promoter region. Besides, Trpm7 overexpression increased Ca2+ overload and aggravated ICH. Overall, p-Stat1 promoted Trpm7 transcription and further aggravated the Ca2+ overload after ICH.NEW & NOTEWORTHY We found Stat1 promotes Trpm7 transcription by promoting H3K27 acetylation and thus promotes calcium overload of neurons after intracerebral hemorrhage.

Rectal metastasis originating from breast cancer: A rare case report.

Introduction: Gastrointestinal tract involvement in breast cancer is rarely encountered clinically. Data about this condition is limited and mostly from case reports. Case presentation: We report a case of rectal metastasis originating from breast cancer, which presents after a long-term latency of initial diagnosis. The patient had a history of diagnosis and treatment of stage II triple-negative breast cancer with mastectomy and adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy. She showed no signs of recurrence up to eleven years, then presented with hematochezia and mild constipation. A rectal lesion was found on colonoscopy, which raise the initial suspicion of primary rectal cancer, but surprisingly, immunohistochemistry staining of the rectal specimen confirmed the origin of breast cancer. Clinical discussion: Breast cancer with rectal metastasis is very rare. Immunohistochemistry combined with medical history is essential for definitive diagnosis in this situation. Mammaglobin and GCDFP-15, CDX2, CK20, and CK7 help differentiate the origin from the breast or the rectum. Conclusion: Though breast cancer metastasizing to the rectum is a rare event, physicians should be aware of this differential diagnosis, even in patients with a remote history of breast cancer.