Molecular epidemiology, genetic diversity, antibiotic resistance and pathogenicity of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia complex from bacteremia patients in a tertiary hospital in China for nine years.

Background: The Stenotrophomonas maltophilia complex (Smc) has emerged as a significant nosocomial pathogen contributing to increased mortality rates, particularly in case of bloodstream infections. Methods: This study employed whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to assess the genetic diversity, antimicrobial resistance profiles, molecular epidemiology and frequencies of virulence genes among 55 S. maltophilia isolates obtained from bacteremic cases over a 9-year period. Results: Based on the threshold of 95% average nucleotide identity (ANI) and 70% digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) for genospecies delineation, we classified 37 isolates into 6 known species, all belonging to the Smc. The remaining 18 isolates sequenced in this study were assigned to 6 new genomospecies. Among the 55 isolates, we identified 44 different sequence types (STs), comprising 22 known and 22 novel allele combinations. The resistance rate of Smc against trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX) was found to be 3.6%, with the sul1 and class one integron integrase genes (intI) detected in these isolates. All Smc isolates were susceptible to minocycline. Furthermore, all Smc strains harbored the motA, pilU, smf-1 and Stmpr2 genes. Genomospecies 1 (100%, n = 9), Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (84.21%, n = 19) and Stenotrophomonas sepilia (71.43%, n = 7) demonstrated a higher percentage of the afaD gene, which was also associated with a higher separation rate. In addition to motA, pilU, smf-1, and Stmpr2 genes, all S. maltophilia strains (100%) contained entA, gspD, KatA, and stmPr1 genes, while all genomospecies 1 strains (100%) contained afaD, entA, gspD, and KatA genes. Conclusion: Our study highlights the genetic diversity among Smc isolates from patients with bacteremia, revealing 22 novel ST types, 58 new alleles and 6 new genomospecies. S. maltophilia and S. pavanii were found to carry more virulence factors, emphasizing the importance of accurate strain identification. Minocycline emerged as a promising alternative antibiotic for patients who were resistant to TMP/SMX.

Factors influencing recurrence and model development for recurrence of minimally invasive percutaneous transhepatic lithotripsy: a single-center retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: To identify factors influencing recurrence after percutaneous transhepatic choledochoscopic lithotripsy (PTCSL) and to develop a predictive model. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed clinical data from 354 patients with intrahepatic and extrahepatic bile duct stones treated with PTCSL at Qinzhou First People's Hospital between February 2018 and January 2020. Patients were followed for three years and categorized into non-recurrence and recurrence groups based on postoperative outcome. Univariate analysis identified possible predictors of stone recurrence. Data were split using the gradient boosting machine (GBM) algorithm, assigning 70% as the training set and 30% as the test set. The predictive performance of the GBM model was assessed using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and calibration curve, and compared with a logistic regression model. RESULTS: Six factors were identified as significant predictors of recurrence: age, diabetes, total bilirubin, biliary stricture, number of stones, and stone diameter. The GBM model, developed based on these factors, showed high predictive accuracy. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 0.763 (95% CI: 0.695-0.830) for the training set and 0.709 (95% CI: 0.596-0.822) for the test set. Optimal cutoff values were 0.286 and 0.264, with sensitivities of 62.30% and 66.70%, and specificities of 77.20% and 68.50%, respectively. Calibration curves indicated good agreement between predicted probabilities and observed recurrence rates in both sets. DeLong's test revealed no significant differences between the GBM and logistic regression models in predictive performance (training set: D = 0.003, P = 0.997 > 0.05; test set: D = 0.075, P = 0.940 > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Biliary stricture, stone diameter, diabetes, stone number, age, and total bilirubin significantly influence stone recurrence after PTCSL. The GBM model, based on these factors, demonstrates robust accuracy and discrimination. Both GBM and logistic regression models effectively predicted stone recurrence post-PTCSL.

Heparin-Binding Protein Promotes Acute Lung Injury in Sepsis Mice by Blocking the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Signaling Pathway.

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the therapeutic effect and potential mechanism of heparin-binding protein (HBP) reduction on sepsis-related acute lung injury. Methods: We utilized a murine model of sepsis-induced by intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) in C57BL/6J mice divided into four groups: Control, LPS, Anti-HBP, and ceftriaxone (CEF). Following sepsis induction, Anti-HBP or CEF treatments were administered, and survival rates were monitored for 48 h. We then used reverse-transcription quantitative PCR to analyze the expression levels of HBP in lung tissues, immunohistochemistry for protein localization, and Western blotting for protein quantification. Pulmonary inflammation was assessed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays of proinflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin [IL]-1ß, IL-6, and interferon-γ). The activation state of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) signaling pathway was determined via Western blotting, evaluating both cytoplasmic and nuclear localization of AhR and the expression of cytochrome P450 1A1 protein by its target gene. Results: Anti-HBP specifically reduced HBP levels. The survival rate of mice in the Anti-HBP and CEF groups was much higher than that in the LPS group. The severity of lung injury and pulmonary inflammatory response in the Anti-HBP and CEF groups was significantly lower than that in the LPS group. AhR signaling pathway activation was observed in the Anti-HBP and CEF groups. Additionally, there was no significant difference in the above indices between the Anti-HBP and CEF groups. Conclusion: HBP downregulation in lung tissues significantly improved LPS-induced lung injury and the pulmonary inflammatory response, thereby prolonging the survival of sepsis mice, suggesting activation of the AhR signaling pathway. Moreover, the effect of lowering the HBP level was equivalent to that of the classical antibiotic CEF. Trial Registration: Not applicable.

High-Performance Broadband Image Sensing Photodetector Based on MnTe/WS2 van der Waals Epitaxial Heterostructures.

Two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) heterostructure is receiving considerable attention due to its novel electronic, optoelectronic, and spintronic devices with design-oriented and functional features. However, direct design and synthesis of high-quality TMDC/MnTe heterostructures remain difficult, which severely impede further investigations of semiconductor/magnetic semiconductor devices. Herein, the synthesis of high-quality vertically stacked WS2/MnTe heterostructures is realized via a two-step chemical vapor deposition method. Raman, photoluminescence, and scanning transmission electron microscopy characterizations reveal the high-quality and atomically sharp interfaces of the WS2/MnTe heterostructure. WS2/MnTe-based van der Waals field effect transistors demonstrate high rectification behavior with rectification ratio up to 106, as well as a typical p-n electrical transport characteristic. Notably, the fabricated WS2/MnTe photodetector exhibits sensitive and broadband photoresponse ranging from UV to NIR with a maximum responsivity of 1.2 × 103 A/W, a high external quantum efficiency of 2.7 × 105%, and fast photoresponse time of ∼50 ms. Moreover, WS2/MnTe heterostructure photodetectors possess a broadband image sensing capability at room temperature, suggesting potential applications in next-generation high-performance and broadband image sensing photodetectors.

Acupuncture versus tricyclic antidepressants in the prophylactic treatment of tension-type headaches: an indirect treatment comparison meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Acupuncture showed better improvement than sham acupuncture in reducing attack frequency of tension-type headache (TTH), but its effectiveness relative to first-line drugs for TTH is unknown, which impedes the recommendation of acupuncture for patients who are intolerant to drugs for TTH. We aimed to estimate the relative effectiveness between acupuncture and tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) through indirect treatment comparison (ITC) meta-analysis. METHODS: We searched Ovid Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Library from database inception until April 13, 2023. Randomized controlled trials of TCAs or acupuncture in the prevention of TTH in adults were included. The primary outcome was headache frequency. The secondary outcomes were headache intensity, responder rate, and adverse event rate. Bayesian random-effect models were used to perform ITC meta-analysis, and confidence of evidence was evaluated by using the GRADE approach. RESULTS: A total of 34 trials involving 4426 participants were included. Acupuncture had similar effect with TCAs in decreasing TTH frequency (amitriptyline: mean difference [MD] -1.29, 95% CI -5.28 to 3.02; amitriptylinoxide: MD -0.05, 95% CI -6.86 to 7.06) and reducing TTH intensity (amitriptyline: MD 2.35, 95% CI -1.20 to 5.78; clomipramine: MD 1.83, 95% CI -4.23 to 8.20). Amitriptyline had a higher rate of adverse events than acupuncture (OR 4.73, 95% CI 1.42 to 14.23). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture had similar effect as TCAs in reducing headache frequency of TTH, and acupuncture had a lower adverse events rate than amitriptyline, as shown by very low certainty of evidence.

Genome sequence-based species classification of Enterobacter cloacae complex: a study among clinical isolates.

Accurate species-level identification of Enterobacter cloacae complex (ECC) is crucial for related research. The classification of ECC is based on strain-to-strain phylogenetic congruence, as well as genomic features including average nucleotide identity (ANI) and digitalized DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH). ANI and dDDH derived from whole-genome sequencing have emerged as a reliable metric for assessing genetic relatedness between genomes and are increasingly recognized as a standard for species delimitation. Up to now, there are two different classification methods for ECC. The first one categorizes E. hormaechei, a species within ECC, into five subspecies (E. hormaechei subsp. steigerwaltii, subsp. oharae, subsp. xiangfangensis, subsp. hoffmannii, and subsp. hormaechei). The second classifies E. hormaechei as three species: E. hormaechei, "E. xiangfangensis," "E. hoffmanii." While the former is well-accepted in the academic area, the latter may have a greater ability to distinguish different species of ECC. To assess the suitability of these identification criteria for clinical ECC isolates, we conducted a comprehensive analysis involving phylogenetic analysis, ANI and dDDH value alignment, virulence gene identification, and capsule typing on 256 clinical ECC strains isolated from the bloodstream. Our findings indicated that the method of categorizing E. hormaechei into five subspecies has better correlation and consistency with the molecular characteristics of clinical ECC isolates, as evidenced by phylogenetic analysis, virulence genes, and capsule typing. Therefore, the subspecies-based classification method appears more suitable for taxonomic assignments of clinical ECC isolates. IMPORTANCE: Standardizing taxonomy of the Enterobacter cloacae complex (ECC) is necessary for data integration across diverse studies. The study utilized whole-genome data to accurately identify 256 clinical ECC isolated from bloodstream infections using average nucleotide identity (ANI), digitalized DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH), and phylogenetic analysis. Through comprehensive assessments including phylogenetic analysis, ANI and dDDH comparisons, virulence gene, and capsule typing of the 256 clinical isolates, it was concluded that the classification method based on subspecies exhibited better correlation and consistency with the molecular characteristics of clinical ECC isolates. In summary, this research contributes to the precise identification of clinical ECC at the species level and expands our understanding of ECC.

Coupling effect of key factors on ecosystem services in border areas: a study of the Pu'er region, Southwestern China.

The coupling effects created by transboundary and local factors on ecosystem services are often difficult to determine. This poses great challenges for ecosystem protection and management in border areas. To decrease uncertainty, it is crucial to quantify and spatialize the impact multiple factors have on ecosystem services within different scenarios. In this study, we identified key transboundary and local factors from a set of 15 sorted factors related to four main ecosystem services. We employed a Bayesian Network-Geographic Information System (BN-GIS) model to simulate 90 scenarios with multiple factors combinations, quantifying and spatializing the coupling effects on the main ecosystem services. These simulations were conducted in the Pu'er region, which is situated alongside three countries, and serves as a representative border area in southwest China. The results showed that: (1) The coupling effects of multiple factors yield significant variations when combined in different scenarios. Managers can optimize ecosystem services by strategically regulating factors within specific areas through the acquisition of various probabilistic distributions and combinations of key factors in positive coupling effect scenarios. The outcome is a positive coupling effect. (2) Among the four main ecosystem services in the Pu'er region, food availability and biodiversity were affected by key transboundary and local factors. This suggests that the coupling of transboundary and local factors is more likely to have a significant impact on these two ecosystem services. Of the 45 combination scenarios on food availability, the majority exhibit a negative coupling effect. In contrast, among the 45 combination scenarios on biodiversity, most scenarios have a positive coupling effect. This indicates that food availability is at a higher risk of being influenced by the coupling effects of multiple factors, while biodiversity faces a lower risk. (3) Transboundary pests & diseases, application of pesticides, fertilizer & filming , population density, and land use were the key factors affecting food availability. Bio-invasion, the normalized differential vegetation index, precipitation, and the landscape contagion index were the key factors affecting biodiversity. In this case, focusing on preventing transboundary factors such as transboundary pests & disease and bio-invasion should be the goal. (4) Attention should also be paid to the conditions under which these transboundary factors combine with local factors. In the areas where these negative coupling effects occur, enhanced monitoring of both transboundary and local factors is essential to prevent adverse effects.

Study of a charge transition-driven resistive switching mechanism in TiO2-based random access memory via density functional theory.

The nature of the conducting filament (CF) with a high concentration of oxygen vacancies (VOs) in oxide thin film-based resistive random access memory (RRAM) remains unclear. The VOs in the CF have been assumed to be positively charged (VO2+) to explain the field-driven switching of RRAM, but VO2+ clusters in high concentration encounter Coulomb repulsion, rendering the CF unstable. Therefore, this study examined the oxidation state of VOs in the CF and their effects on the switching behavior via density functional theory calculations using a Pt/TiO2/Ti model system. It was concluded that the VOs in the CF are in a low oxidation state but are transformed to VO2+ immediately after release from the CF. In addition, the short-range interactions between VOs were confirmed to facilitate the rupture and rejuvenation of the CF by reducing the required activation energy. Finally, an improved switching model was proposed by considering the charge transition of VOs, providing a plausible explanation for the reported coexistence of two opposite bipolar switching polarities: the eight-wise and the counter-eight-wise polarities.

Edaravone for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The effectiveness and long-term efficacy of edaravone, a recommended treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), has not been examined in real-world settings. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness and long-term efficacy of edaravone. METHODS: The OVID Medline, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and Web of Science databases were searched for articles published between January 1, 2000, and May 1, 2023. Two investigators independently screened the retrieved articles for randomized controlled trials (RCTs), cohort studies, or single-arm trials that evaluated the effect of edaravone on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The risk of bias was evaluated using the revised Cochrane Risk-of-Bias (RoB 2.0) tool for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and the Risk-of-Bias In Non-randomized Studies of Interventions (ROBINS-I) tool for observational studies. The primary outcome was the ALSFRS-R score assessed at month 6, with secondary outcomes including the ALSFRS-R scores evaluated at months 9, 12, and 18, forced vital capacity (FVC), and adverse events. The certainty of evidence was assessed using the GRADE approach. RESULTS: The analysis included 16 studies with a total of 4828 participants. Among these, four were randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and 12 were observational studies. Of the RCTs, four were rated as having a low risk of bias, while six of the observational studies were rated as having a low risk of bias. Edaravone was associated with slightly slower progression in the reduction of ALSFRS-R score at month 6 compared to placebo (mean difference 1.01, 95%CI -0.87 to 3.09, p = 0.293), as shown by evidence from RCTs. However, observational studies did not show any benefit of adding edaravone to routine practice (mean difference 1.85, 95%CI -2.05 to 5.75, p = 0.352). The change from baseline in ALSFRS-R score was -2.1, -4.04, -7.5, -6.82, and -7.9 at months 3, 6, 9, 12, and 18, respectively. The GRADE assessment indicated moderate certainty for evidence from RCTs, while evidence from observational studies had very low certainty. CONCLUSION: Due to the limited number of studies and confounding issues in observational studies, further examination of the added benefits of edaravone to routine practice is necessary through RCTs, particularly regarding its long-term efficacy.

Nickel-Based Bifunctional Cocatalyst to Enhance CdS Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production.

The design of nanocomposites as a light-capturing system applied in photocatalytic water splitting is an emerging area of research. In our study, a simple in situ photodeposition method was proposed for the synthesis of CdS nanoflowers modified by nickel-based bifunctional, i.e., Ni/Ni(OH)2, cocatalysts. The introduction of cocatalysts has demonstrated a notable enhancement in the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution efficiency of CdS. The quantity of cocatalysts supported on CdS played an important role in governing the light absorption capability and photocatalytic efficacy. Ni-CdS-10 showed the best photocatalytic activity of 30.51 mmol g-1 h-1, which was 1.8 times and 2.6 times higher activity than Pt-CdS-1 wt % and pure CdS, respectively. Mechanism studies with UV-vis DRS, photoluminescence, and Mott-Schottky plots revealed the intrinsic electric field created at the p-n Ni(OH)2/CdS junctions, which can effectively implement the transport and separation of photoinduced carriers. From linear sweep voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and DFT calculation, both Ni(OH)2 and Ni can effectively decrease the Gibbs free energies of hydrogen adsorption and reduce the overpotential of hydrogen evolution. As a result, the efficiency of generating H2 through photocatalysis experienced significant improvement, and the participation of bifunctional cocatalysts further reduced the photocorrosion of CdS, enhanced stability, improved low price, and efficient photocatalyst production.

External application of brassinolide enhances cold resistance of tea plants (Camellia sinensis L.) by integrating calcium signals.

MAIN CONCLUSION: Exogenous brassinolide can activate the expression of key genes in the calcium signalling pathway to enhance cold resistance of tea plants. Brassinolide is an endogenous sterol phytohormone containing multiple hydroxyl groups that has the important function of improving plant cold resistance and alleviating freeze damage. To explore the molecular mechanism of how brassinolide improves the cold resistance of tea plants, "Qiancha 1" was used as the material, and the method of spraying brassinolide on the leaves was adopted to explore its effects on the tea plants under 4 °C low-temperature treatment. The results showed that brassinolide can significantly increase the protective enzyme activity of tea plants under cold stress and reduce cold damage. At the transcriptome level, brassinolide significantly enhanced the expression of key genes involved in calcium signal transduction, Calmodulin (CaM), Calcium-dependent protein kinase (CDPK), calcineurin B-like protein (CBL) and calmodulin-binding transcriptional activators (CAMTA), which then activated the downstream key genes transcriptional regulator CBF1 (CBF1) and transcription factor ICE1 (ICE1) during cold induction. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT‒PCR) results showed that the expression of these genes was significantly induced after treatment with brassinolide, especially CaM and CBF1. When calcium signalling was inhibited, the upregulated expression of CBF1 and ICE1 disappeared, and when CAMTA was knocked down, the expression of other genes under cold stress was also significantly reduced. The above results indicate that brassinolide combined with the calcium signalling pathway can improve the cold resistance of tea plants. This study provides a new theoretical basis for the study of the cold resistance mechanism of brassinolide.

Rapid detection of pathogens of peritoneal dialysis-related peritonitis, especially in patients who have taken antibiotics, using metagenomic next-generation sequencing: a pilot study.

INTRODUCTION: Peritoneal dialysis (PD)-related peritonitis is a serious complication of PD. Improving the diagnostic rate of peritonitis pathogens may substantially benefit peritonitis patients. METHODS: The study was conducted in the People's Liberation Army (PLA) General Hospital from 1 June 2021 to 31 May 2022. Information about peritonitis, culture and metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) results and so on were collected. Patients were divided into antibiotic-use and antibiotic-free groups. The culture and mNGS results were compared using the paired χ2 test. RESULTS: Data from 26 patients with peritonitis were collected. 50% of the patients had used antibiotics before samples were obtained (antibiotic-use group). The positivity rate using culture was 92.3% (12 cases) in the antibiotic-free group and 38.5% (5 cases) in the antibiotic-use group (p = 0.011). However, the positivity rate using mNGS was 92.3% (12 cases) regardless of whether antibiotics were used (p = 1.000). After revising the mNGS results, the positivity rate was 84.6% (11 cases) in both groups (p = 1.000). A significant difference between culture and mNGS results of all groups was observed (p = 0.039). The difference no matter between culture and mNGS (p = 0.016) or between culture and modified mNGS (p = 0.031) of the antibiotic-use group was observed. CONCLUSION: For patients with PD-related peritonitis who previously received antibiotics, mNGS is suggested. For other patients, mNGS testing can be performed, but the results should be interpreted with caution. Much more research should be done to identify a powerful and ideal tool to detect pathogens underlying PD-related peritonitis.

Calcineurin inhibitors or cyclophosphamide in the treatment of membranous nephropathy superimposed with FSGS lesions: a retrospective study from China.

BACKGROUND: Cyclophosphamide (CTX) and calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs) based regimens are recommended as immunosuppressive therapies for patients with idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN). Focal and segmental glomerular sclerosis (FSGS) lesions, which are common in membranous nephropathy (MN), are poor predictors of outcome. This study compared the differences of prognosis between two regimens in patients with IMN combined with FSGS lesions. METHODS: This retrospective study enrolled 108 patients with biopsy-proven IMN, accompanied with FSGS lesions, nephrotic syndrome and an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)≥60 mL/min/1.73 m2 who were treated with CTX or CNIs. We used propensity score matching (PSM) for balancing the confounding variables. RESULTS: During follow-up, 10 patients (10/55 [18.2%]; nine males) in the CNIs group showed a 50% decline in eGFR; eight had a not otherwise specified variant. Patients initially treated with CNIs had a significantly higher risk of progression to the primary outcome and a lower probability of complete or total remission. The relapse rate was higher in patients who initially received CNIs- than in those who received CTX-based treatment. Before PSM, age and 24-h urine protein level differed significantly between the groups. The PSM model included data from 72 patients. Worse outcomes were also noted among patients who initially received CNIs than those who received CTX-based treatments after matching. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with MN combined with FSGS lesions have a higher risk of renal functional decline and a higher rate of relapse after CNIs than after CTX therapy.

Microbiome recognition of virulence-factor-governed interfacial mechanisms in antibiotic resistance and pathogenicity removal by functionalized microbubbles.

The frequent occurrence of epidemics around the world gives rise to increasing concerns of the pollution of pathogens and antibiotic resistant bacteria in water. This study investigated the impacts of virulence factors (VFs) on the removal of antibiotic resistant and pathogenic bacteria from municipal wastewater by ozone-free or ozone-encapsulated Fe(III)-coagulant-modified colloidal microbubbles (O3_free-CCMBs or O3-CCMBs). The highly interface-dependent process was initiated with cell-capture on the microbubble surface where the as-collected cells could be further inactivated with the bubble-released ozone and oxidative species if O3-CCMBs were used. The microbiome sequencing analyses denote that the O3_free-CCMB performance of antibiotic resistant and pathogenic bacteria removal was dependent on the virulence phenotypes related to cell-surface properties or structures. The adhesion-related VFs facilitated the effective attachment between cells and the coagulant-modified bubble-surface, which further enhanced cell inactivation by bubble-released ozone. On the contrary, the motility-related VFs might help cells to escape from the bubble capture by locomotion; however, this could be overcome by O3-CCMB-induced oxidative demolition of the movement structures. Besides, the microbubble performance was also impacted with the cell-membrane structure related to antibiotic resistance (i.e., efflux pumps) and the dissolved organic matter through promoting the surface-capture and decreasing the oxidation efficacy. The ozone-encapsulated microbubbles with surface functionalization are robust and promising tools in hampering antibiotic resistance and pathogenicity dissemination from wastewater to surface water environment; and awareness should be raised for the influence of virulence signatures on its performance.

Neutrophil-Derived IL-6 Potentially Drives Ferroptosis Resistance in B Cells in Lupus Kidney.

Ferroptosis resistance is vital for B cell development, especially in inflammatory diseases, yet the underlying mechanism is still unclear. In this study, based on the scRNA-seq technique and flow cytometry, we discovered a proportion of neutrophils exhibited upregulated expression of the IL-6 and correlated with the expression of IL-6 receptor and SLC7A11 from B cells in lupus kidney. Moreover, we identified that in lupus kidney, neutrophils could provide IL-6 to facilitate ferroptosis resistance in B cells via SLC7A11, and inhibition of SLC7A11 could significantly enhance ferroptosis in B cells and could decrease B cell proliferation. This study helps understand the crosstalk between neutrophils and B cells in the kidney in the development of lupus.

LIPUS-SCs-Exo promotes peripheral nerve regeneration in cavernous nerve crush injury-induced ED rats via PI3K/Akt/FoxO signaling pathway.

OBJECTIVE: Clinical treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED) caused by cavernous nerve (CN) injury during pelvic surgery is difficult. Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) can be a potential strategy for neurogenic ED (NED). However, whether Schwann cells (SCs) can respond to LIPUS stimulation signals is unclear. This study aims to elucidate the signal transmission between SCs paracrine exosome (Exo) and neurons stimulated by LIPUS, as well as to analyze the role and potential mechanisms of exosomes in CN repair after injury. METHODS: The major pelvic ganglion (MPG) neurons and MPG/CN explants were stimulated with LIPUS of different energy intensities to explore the appropriate LIPUS energy intensity. The exosomes were isolated and purified from LIPUS-stimulated SCs (LIPUS-SCs-Exo) and non-stimulated SCs (SCs-Exo). The effects of LIPUS-SCs-Exo on neurite outgrowth, erectile function, and cavernous penis histology were identified in bilateral cavernous nerve crush injury (BCNI)-induced ED rats. RESULTS: LIPUS-SCs-Exo group can enhance the axon elongation of MPG/CN and MPG neurons compared to SCs-Exo group in vitro. Then, the LIPUS-SCs-Exo group showed a stronger ability to promote the injured CN regeneration and SCs proliferation compared to the SCs-Exo group in vivo. Furthermore, the LIPUS-SCs-Exo group increased the Max intracavernous pressure (ICP)/mean arterial pressure (MAP), lumen to parenchyma and smooth muscle to collagen ratios compared to the SCs-Exo group in vivo. Additionally, high-throughput sequencing combined with bioinformatics analysis revealed the differential expression of 1689 miRNAs between the SCs-Exo group and the LIPUS-SCs-Exo group. After LIPUS-SCs-Exo treatment, the phosphorylated levels of Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), protein kinase B (Akt) and forkhead box O (FoxO) in MPG neurons increased significantly compared to negative control (NC) and SCs-Exo groups. CONCLUSION: Our study revealed that LIPUS stimulation could regulate the gene of MPG neurons by changing miRNAs derived from SCs-Exo, then activating the PI3K-Akt-FoxO signal pathway to enhance nerve regeneration and restore erectile function. This study had important theoretical and practical significance for improving the NED treatment.

External Fields Assisted Highly Efficient Oxygen Evolution Reaction of Confined 1T-VSe2 Ferromagnetic Nanoparticles.

As a clean and effective approach, the introduction of external magnetic fields to improve the performance of catalysts has attracted extensive attention. Owing to its room-temperature ferromagnetism, chemical stability, and earth abundance, VSe2 is expected to be a promising and cost-effective ferromagnetic electrocatalyst for the accomplishment of high-efficient spin-related OER kinetics. In this work, a facile pulsed laser deposition (PLD) method combined with rapid thermal annealing (RTA) treatment is used to successfully confine monodispersed 1T-VSe2 nanoparticles in amorphous carbon matrix. As expected, with external magnetic fields of 800 mT stimulation, the confined 1T-VSe2 nanoparticles exhibit highly efficient oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalytic activity with an overpotential of 228 mV for 10 mA cm-2 and remarkable durability without deactivation after >100 h OER operation. The experimental results together with theoretical calculations illustrate that magnetic fields can facilitate the surface charge transfer dynamics of 1T-VSe2 , and modify the adsorption-free energy of *OOH, thus finally improving the intrinsic activity of the catalysts. This work realizes the application of ferromagnetic VSe2 electrocatalyst in highly efficient spin-dependent OER kinetics, which is expected to promote the application of transition metal chalcogenides (TMCs) in external magnetic field-assisted electrocatalysis.

Broadband Polarization-Sensitive Photodetection of Magnetic Semiconducting MnTe Nanoribbons.

2D materials with low symmetry are explored in recent years because of their anisotropic advantage in polarization-sensitive photodetection. Herein the controllably grown hexagonal magnetic semiconducting α-MnTe nanoribbons are reported with a highly anisotropic (100) surface and their high sensitivity to polarization in a broadband photodetection, whereas the hexagonal structure is highly symmetric. The outstanding photoresponse of α-MnTe nanoribbons occurs in a broadband range from ultraviolet (UV, 360 nm) to near infrared (NIR, 914 nm) with short response times of 46 ms (rise) and 37 ms (fall), excellent environmental stability, and repeatability. Furthermore, due to highly anisotropic (100) surface, the α-MnTe nanoribbons as photodetector exhibit attractive sensitivity to polarization and high dichroic ratios of up to 2.8 under light illumination of UV-to-NIR wavelengths. These results demonstrate that 2D magnetic semiconducting α-MnTe nanoribbons provide a promising platform to design the next-generation polarization-sensitive photodetectors in a broadband range.

Molecular analysis of clinical Citrobacter spp. isolates: Acquisition of the Yersinia high-pathogenicity island mediated by ICEkp in C. freundii.

Background: Studies on Citrobacter spp. are limited, hindering our understanding of its species evolution and medical relevance. Methods: A total of 164 clinical Citrobacter spp. isolates were collected from 2017 to 2020 and identified by VITEK MALDI-TOF MS or VITEK-2 Gram-Negative Identification Card. All isolates were further analyzed by whole-genome sequencing using a HiSeq sequencer. All sequences were processed using different modules of the PGCGAP integrated package: Prokka and fastANI were used for annotation and average nucleotide identification (ANI), respectively. Antibiotic resistance and virulence genes were identified by searching CARD, ResFinder, and VFDB databases, respectively. Strains were identified using Ribosomal Multi-locus Sequence Typing (rMLST) classification based on 53 ribosome protein subunits (rps). The evolutionary relationship was analyzed using kSNP3 and visualized by iTOL editor v1_1. Genetic environments were compared by BLAST and visualized by Easyfig 2.2.5. The pathogenicity of some Citrobacter freundii isolates was confirmed by Galleria mellonella larvae infection test. Results: A total of 14 species of Citrobacter spp. were identified from 164 isolates. However, 27 and 11 isolates were incorrectly identified as C. freundii and Citrobacter braakii by MALDI-TOF MS, respectively. In addition, MS also failed to identify Citrobacter portucalensis. The virulence genes mainly encoded proteins related to flagella and iron uptake systems. Citrobacter koseri isolates (n = 28) contained two iron uptake systems, coding yersiniabactin and aerobactin, respectively. C. braakii isolates (n = 32), like Salmonella, carried Vi capsule polysaccharide synthesis genes. The yersiniabactin gene clusters identified in five C. freundii isolates are located on various ICEkp elements and have not been reported previously. Moreover, ICEkp-carrying C. freundii showed diverse pathogenic features. Conclusion: Conventional methods have significant defects in identifying Citrobacter spp. ICEkp-like elements-mediated acquirement of the Yersinia high-pathogenicity island was identified for the first time in C. freundii.

A case of spontaneous isolated superior mesenteric arterial dissection with coeliac axis stenosis.

Spontaneous isolated superior mesenteric arterial dissection with coeliac axis stenosis is rare but serious. We report a case of a 54-year-old male with coeliac axis stenosis who presented with acute superior mesenteric arterial dissection, which caused thrombosis of the branches. This is the first report of the full course of treatment using endovascular repair and laparoscopic surgery to deal with spontaneous isolated superior mesenteric arterial dissection combined with coeliac axis stenosis. This approach has been shown to be safe and effective for yielding short-term results.