Apelin‑13 reduces high glucose‑induced mitochondrial dysfunction in cochlear hair cells by inhibiting endoplasmic reticulum stress

The complex manifestation of diabetic hearing loss and the relative inaccessibility of the inner ear contribute to the lack of research. The present study aimed to reveal the role of Apelin-13, a critical regulator of lipid metabolism, in diabetes-induced hearing loss. Cochlear hair cells treated with high glucose (HG) were adopted as an in vitro research model, and the impacts of Apelin-13 on cellular oxidative stress, apoptosis, mitochondrial dysfunction and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress were determined. In addition, cells were treated with the ER stress agonist tunicamycin to further explore its potential role in the regulatory effects of Apelin-13. Apelin-13 inhibited oxidative stress and apoptosis in the HG-induced cells. Additionally, Apelin-13 elevated mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP production, whereas it reduced mitochondrial reactive oxygen species levels. The levels of ER stress-related proteins exhibited a downward trend in response to Apelin-13. By contrast, tunicamycin reversed the effects of Apelin-13 on the aforementioned aspects, suggesting the role of ER stress in the regulatory effects of Apelin-13. In conclusion, the present study elucidated the protective role of Apelin-13 in ameliorating HG-induced mitochondrial functional impairment in cochlear hair cells by inhibiting ER stress.

Brassica napus BnaA09.MYB52 enhances seed coat mucilage accumulation and tolerance to osmotic stress during seed germination in Arabidopsis thaliana

Seed coat mucilage plays an important role in promoting seed germination under adversity. Previous studies have shown that Arabidopsis thaliana MYB52 (AtMYB52) can positively regulate seed coat mucilage accumulation. However, the role of Brassica napus MYB52 (BnaMYB52) in accumulation of seed coat mucilage and tolerance to osmotic stress during seed germination remains largely unknown. We cloned the BnaA09.MYB52 coding domain sequence from B. napus cv ZS11, identified its conserved protein domains and elucidated its relationship with homologues from a range of plant species. Transgenic plants overexpressing BnaA09.MYB52 in the A. thaliana myb52-1 mutant were generated through Agrobacterium-mediated transformation and used to assess the possible roles of BnaA09.MYB52 in accumulation of seed coat mucilage and tolerance to osmotic stress during seed germination. Subcellular localization and transcriptional activity assays demonstrated that BnaA09.MYB52 functions as a transcription factor. RT-qPCR results indicate that BnaA09.MYB52 is predominantly expressed in roots and developing seeds of B. napus cv ZS11. Introduction of BnaA09.MYB52 into myb52-1 restored thinner seed coat mucilage in this mutant to levels in the wild type. Consistently, expression levels of three key genes participating in mucilage formation in developing seeds of myb52-1 were also restored to wild type levels by overexpressing BnaA09.MYB52. Furthermore, BnaA09.MYB52 was induced by osmotic stress during seed germination in B. napus, and ectopic expression of BnaA09.MYB52 successfully corrected sensitivity of the myb52-1 mutant to osmotic stress during seed germination. These findings enhance our understanding of the functions of BnaA09.MYB52 and provide a novel strategy for future B. napus breeding.

Exhalomics as a noninvasive method for assessing rumen fermentation in dairy cows: Can exhaled-breath metabolomics replace rumen sampling?

Previously, we used secondary electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (SESI-MS) to investigate the diurnal patterns and signal intensities of exhaled (EX) volatile fatty acids (VFA) of dairy cows. The current study aimed to validate the potential of an exhalomics approach for evaluating rumen fermentation. The experiment was conducted in a switchback design, with 3 periods of 9 d each, including 7 d for adaptation and 2 d for sampling. Four rumen-cannulated original Swiss Brown (Braunvieh) cows were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 diet sequences (ABA or BAB): (A) low starch (LS; 6.31% starch on a dry matter basis) and (B) high starch (HS; 16.2% starch on a dry matter basis). Feeding was once per day at 0830 h. Exhalome (with the GreenFeed System), and rumen samples were collected 8 times to represent every 3 h of a day, and EX-VFA and ruminal (RM)-VFA were analyzed using SESI-MS and HPLC, respectively. Furthermore, the VFA concentration in the gas phase (HR-VFA) was predicted based on RM-VFA and Henry's Law (HR) constants. No interactions were identified between the types of diets (HS vs. LS) and the measurement methods on daily average VFA profiles (RM vs. EX or HR vs. EX), suggesting a consistent performance among the methods. Additionally, when the 3-h interval VFA data from HS and LS diets were analyzed separately, no interactions were observed between methods and time of day, indicating that the relative daily pattern of VFA molar proportions was similar regardless of the VFA measurement method used. The results revealed that the levels of acetate sharply increased immediately after feeding, trailed by an increase in the acetate:propionate ratio and a steady increase for propionate (2 h after feeding the HS diet, 4 h for LS), and butyrate. This change was more pronounced for the HS diet than the LS diet. However, there was no overall diet effect on the VFA molar proportions, although the measurement methods affected the molar proportions. Furthermore, we observed a strong positive correlation between the levels of RM and EX acetate for both diets (HS: r = 0.84; LS: r = 0.85), RM and EX propionate (r = 0.74), and RM and EX acetate:propionate ratio (r = 0.80). Both EX-VFA and RM-VFA exhibited similar responses to feeding and dietary treatments, suggesting that EX-VFA could serve as a useful proxy for characterizing RM-VFA molar proportions to evaluate rumen fermentation. Similar relationships were observed between RM-VFA and HR-VFA. In conclusion, this study underscores the potential of exhalomics as a reliable approach for assessing rumen fermentation. Moving forward, research should further explore the depth of exhalomics in ruminant studies to provide a comprehensive insight into rumen fermentation metabolites, especially across diverse dietary conditions.

Light-driven ammonia synthesis under mild conditions using lithium hydride

Photon-driven chemical processes are usually mediated by oxides, nitrides and sulfides whose photo-conversion efficiency is limited by charge carrier recombination. Here we show that lithium hydride undergoes photolysis upon ultraviolet illumination to yield long-lived photon-generated electrons residing in hydrogen vacancies, known as F centres. We demonstrate that photon-driven dehydrogenation and dark rehydrogenation over lithium hydride can be fulfilled reversibly at room temperature, which is about 600 K lower than the corresponding thermal process. As light-driven F centre generation could provide an alternative approach to charge carrier separation to favour chemical transformations that are kinetically or thermodynamically challenging, we show that light-activated lithium hydride cleaves the N≡N triple bond to form a N-H bond under mild conditions. Co-feeding a N2/H2 mixture with low H2 partial pressure leads to photocatalytic ammonia formation at near ambient conditions. This work provides insights into the development of advanced materials and processes for light harvesting and conversion.

Inflammatory dendritic cells restrain CD11b+CD4+ CTLs via CD200R in human NSCLC

CD4+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CD4+ CTLs) are suggested to play a crucial role in inflammatory diseases, including cancer, but their characteristics in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remain unknown. Here, using the cell surface marker CD11b, we identify CD11b+CD4+ CTLs as a cytotoxic subset of CD4+ T cells in multiple tissues of NSCLC patients. In addition, tumor-infiltrating CD11b+CD4+ CTLs show a dysfunctional phenotype with elevated expression of CD200 receptor (CD200R), a negatively immunomodulatory receptor. CD4+ regulatory T (Treg) cells restrain the anti-tumor role of CD11b+CD4+ CTLs via CD200. Mechanistically, inflammatory dendritic cells promote the CD200R expression of CD11b+CD4+ CTLs by secreting interleukin-1β (IL-1β). Finally, we demonstrate that CD200 blockade can revive the tumor-killing role of CD11b+CD4+ CTLs and prolong the survival of tumor-bearing mice. Taken together, our study identifies CD11b+CD4+ CTLs in NSCLC with decreased cytotoxicity that can be reinvigorated by CD200 blockade, suggesting that targeting CD200 is a promising immunotherapy strategy in NSCLC.

Inferior social hierarchy is vulnerable to anxiety-like behavior in chronic pain mice: Potential role of gut microbiota and metabolites

Social dominance is a universal phenomenon among grouped animals that profoundly affects survival, health, and reproductive success by determining access to resources, and exerting a powerful influence on subsequent behavior. However, the understanding of pain and anxiety comorbidities in dominant or subordinate animals suffering from chronic pain is not well-defined. Here, we provide evidence that subordinate mice are more susceptible to pain-induced anxiety compared to dominant mice. We propose that the gut microbiota may play a mediating role in this mechanism. Our findings demonstrate that transplantation of fecal microbiota from subordinate mice with chronic inflammatory pain, but not dominant mice, into antibiotics-treated pseudo-germ-free mice significantly amplifies anxiety-like phenotypes, highlighting the critical involvement of gut microbiota in this behavioral response. Using chronic inflammatory pain model, we carried out 16S rRNA sequencing and untargeted metabolomic analyses to explore the relationship between microbiota and metabolites in a stable social hierarchy of mice. Interestingly, anxiety-like behaviors were directly associated with some microbial genera and metabolites, especially bile acid metabolism. Overall, we have demonstrated a close relationship between social status and anxiety susceptibility, highlighting the contributions of gut microbiota and the associated metabolites in the high-anxiety state of subordinate mice with chronic inflammatory pain.

Vegetation-fire feedbacks increase subtropical wildfire risk in scrubland and reduce it in forests

Climate dictates wildfire activity around the world. But East and Southeast Asia are an apparent exception as fire-activity variation there is unrelated to climatic variables. In subtropical China, fire activity decreased by 80% between 2003 and 2020 amid increased fire risks globally. Here, we assessed the fire regime, vegetation structure, fuel flammability and their interactions across subtropical Hubei, China. We show that tree basal area (TBA) and fuel flammability explained 60% of fire-frequency variance. Fire frequency and fuel flammability, in turn, explained 90% of TBA variance. These results reveal a novel system of scrubland-forest stabilized by vegetation-fire feedbacks. Frequent fires promote the persistence of derelict scrubland through positive vegetation-fire feedbacks; in forest, vegetation-fire feedbacks are negative and suppress fire. Thus, we attribute the decrease in wildfire activity to reforestation programs that concurrently increase forest coverage and foster negative vegetation-fire feedbacks that suppress wildfire.

Genome sequencing and molecular networking analysis of the wild fungus Anthostomella pinea reveal its ability to produce a diverse range of secondary metabolites

BACKGROUND

Filamentous fungi are prolific producers of bioactive molecules and enzymes with important applications in industry. Yet, the vast majority of fungal species remain undiscovered or uncharacterized. Here we focus our attention to a wild fungal isolate that we identified as Anthostomella pinea. The fungus belongs to a complex polyphyletic genus in the family of Xylariaceae, which is known to comprise endophytic and pathogenic fungi that produce a plethora of interesting secondary metabolites. Despite that, Anthostomella is largely understudied and only two species have been fully sequenced and characterized at a genomic level.

RESULTS

In this work, we used long-read sequencing to obtain the complete 53.7 Mb genome sequence including the full mitochondrial DNA. We performed extensive structural and functional annotation of coding sequences, including genes encoding enzymes with potential applications in biotechnology. Among others, we found that the genome of A. pinea encodes 91 biosynthetic gene clusters, more than 600 CAZymes, and 164 P450s. Furthermore, untargeted metabolomics and molecular networking analysis of the cultivation extracts revealed a rich secondary metabolism, and in particular an abundance of sesquiterpenoids and sesquiterpene lactones. We also identified the polyketide antibiotic xanthoepocin, to which we attribute the anti-Gram-positive effect of the extracts that we observed in antibacterial plate assays.

CONCLUSIONS

Taken together, our results provide a first glimpse into the potential of Anthstomella pinea to provide new bioactive molecules and biocatalysts and will facilitate future research into these valuable metabolites.

The role of CD38 in inflammation-induced depression-like behavior and the antidepressant effect of (R)-ketamine

CD38 is involved in immune responses, cell proliferation, and has been identified in the brain, where it is implicated in inflammation processes and psychiatric disorders. We hypothesized that dysfunctional CD38 activity in the brain may contribute to the pathogenesis of depression. To investigate the underlying mechanisms, we used a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced depression-like model and conducted behavioral tests, molecular and morphological methods, along with optogenetic techniques. We microinjected adeno-associated virus into the hippocampal CA3 region with stereotaxic instrumentation. Our results showed a marked increase in CD38 expression in both the hippocampus and cortex of LPS-treated mice. Additionally, pharmacological inhibition and genetic knockout of CD38 effectively alleviated neuroinflammation, microglia activation, synaptic defects, and Sirt1/STAT3 signaling, subsequently improving depression-like behaviors. Moreover, optogenetic activation of glutamatergic neurons of hippocampal CA3 reduced the susceptibility of mice to depression-like behaviors, accompanied by reduced CD38 expression. We also found that (R)-ketamine, which displayed antidepressant effects, was linked to its anti-inflammatory properties by suppressing increased CD38 expression and reversing synaptic defects. In conclusion, hippocampal CD38 is closely linked to depression-like behaviors in an inflammation model, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic target for antidepressant development.

Application of in vivo brain imaging technology in the basic research of acupuncture-moxibustion for encephalopathy

Acupuncture-moxibustion is remarkably effective on encephalopathy, but its mechanism is unclear. With the continuous development of imaging technology, the in vivo brain imaging technology has been used increasingly in life science research and it also becomes a more effective tool for the basic research of acupuncture-moxibustion in treatment of encephalopathy. The paper summarizes the application of its technology in the basic research of acupuncture-moxibustion for encephalopathy and the characteristics of imaging, as well as the advantages and shortcomings. It is anticipated that the references may be provided for the basic research of acupuncture-moxibustion in treatment of encephalopathy and be conductive to the modernization of acupuncture-moxibustion.

Fabrication of Dual pH/Reduction-Responsive P(CL-co-ACL)-Based Cross-Linked Polymeric Micelles for PTX Delivery

To enhance the stability of the polymeric micelles and optimize their drug-controlled release ability, three disulfide-linked polyethylene glycol methyl ether methacrylate-disulfide-poly(ε-caprolactone-co-γ-amine-ε-caprolactone) (PPEGMA-SS-P(CL-co-ACL)) polymers were synthesized and characterized by 1H NMR, GPC, and FT-IR successfully, and their dual pH/reduction-responsive cross-linked polymeric micelles were prepared for paclitaxel (PTX) delivery by using 2,3-dimethylmaleic anhydride (DMMA) as the cross-linking agent. The PTX loading capacity (LC) and encapsulation efficiency (EE) values of the cross-linked micelles formed by PPEGMA8-SS-P(CL47-co-ACL15) achieved were 23.96% and 71.58%, slightly higher than those of un-cross-linked micelles. Both particle sizes of blank micelles and in vitro drug release of PTX-loaded micelles confirmed that compared with those un-cross-linked micelles, the cross-linked micelles were more stable at pH 7.4 + 0 mM DTT, with a PTX cumulative release of 13% at 120 h, while the PTX cumulative release of the cross-linked micelles at pH 5.0 + 10 mM DTT were close to that of un-cross-linked micelles after 60 h, indicating the successful reversible cross-linking and smooth drug release of the cross-linked micelles. The cytotoxicity assay showed that PPEGMA8-SS-P(CL47-co-ACL15) and its cross-linked micelles had low cell cytotoxicity, and both PTX-loaded micelles revealed a certain inhibitory effect on HepG2 cells. These results revealed that the dual pH/reduction-responsive cross-linked polymeric micelles prepared from PPEGMA8-SS-P(CL47-co-DCL15) were a promising candidate for PTX delivery.

Relationship between 1-, 3-, and 6-Month Gingival Bleeding Outcomes

INTRODUCTION

Results from systematic reviews and meta-analyses show generally consistent antigingivitis effects between 3- and 6-mo observation time points with twice-daily use of stannous fluoride (SnF2) dentifrice. However, the relationship between 1-, 3-, and 6-mo gingivitis responses has not been investigated.

METHODS

This pooled analysis was conducted to understand the relationship of 1-, 3-, and 6-mo gingival bleeding outcomes. Number of bleeding sites, derived from Löe-Silness Gingival Index (LSGI) or Gingival Bleeding Index, was identified as the primary end point of the analysis for the biological and clinical relevance. Randomized, double-blinded, controlled clinical studies meeting the following predefined selection criteria were identified: 1) published and unpublished gingivitis clinical trials conducted from 1995 to 2022 comparing efficacy of 0.454% SnF2 dentifrices to negative controls (sodium fluoride or sodium monofluorophosphate dentifrice) and 2) studies with a 3-mo assessment and at least a 1- or 6-mo assessment.

RESULTS

The search resulted in ten 6-mo and fourteen 3-mo studies meeting selection criteria. A mixed-effects model was performed on the pooled data to assess gingival bleeding outcomes across time. The bleeding efficacy significantly increased between months 1 and 3 (P < 0.0001) and plateaued between months 3 and 6 (P = 0.007), supporting the fact that bleeding reduction relative to control established by 1 mo will increase and be maintained through 3 and 6 mo (R2 = 0.857). In addition, gingival bleeding and gingivitis efficacy, as measured by LSGI, were found to be highly correlated (R2 = 0.874).

CONCLUSION

A clear relationship has been demonstrated between 1-, 3-, and 6-mo gingival bleeding outcomes in gingivitis clinical studies comparing SnF2 dentifrice to negative control dentifrice. These findings have important implications to the dental practice and scientific research as antigingivitis efficacy evaluations can be observed as early as 1 mo and are consistent with those seen at 3 or 6 mo.

KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER STATEMENT

Outcomes from this investigation indicate that the clinical evaluation of antigingivitis efficacy at 1 mo is predictive of that at 3 and 6 mo, supporting studies of 1-mo duration as a viable method of knowledge acquisition. This more efficient, expedited research design has positive implications for patient care, clinical practice guidelines, protocols, and policies.

A Bibliometric Analysis of Research on Perioperative Neurocognitive Disorder: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Perioperative neurocognitive disorder (PND) is a general term for cognitive impairment that negatively affects multiple domains, including memory, concentration, and physical functioning. Numerous articles have been published on PND; however, only a few quantitative analyses covering this disorder have been published.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

To clarify PND's developmental history, research foci, and future directions, we conducted a bibliometric analysis using the bibliometric tools VOSviewer and CiteSpace. A total of 4704 publications were obtained from the Web of Science database, including annual publications and trends, keywords, institutions, journals, and collaboration between countries/regions and authors.

RESULTS

In addition, we found that neuroinflammation is a hotspot in recent studies.

CONCLUSIONS

This bibliometric analysis provides a broad overview of studies in the field of PND.

[Research advances on application of pancreatic stone protein in the early diagnosis of sepsis]

Sepsis is a severe life-threatening syndrome characterized by an abnormal host response to infection that can rapidly evolve into septic shock and multiple organ failure. Treatment of sepsis depends on early identification and diagnosis as well as adequate and timely anti-infection and multi-organ functional support. In recent years, pancreatic stone protein has been widely studied as a new biomarker for sepsis. Existing evidence shows that compared with the commonly used inflammatory markers in clinical practice, pancreatic stone protein has higher sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of sepsis. It enables the early diagnosis of sepsis and assessment of the severity of septic patients to a certain extent. This article reviews the characteristics, biological functions, diagnostic features, and clinical application of pancreatic stone protein.

Myelin-associated oligodendrocytic basic protein-dependent myelin repair confers the long-lasting antidepressant effect of ketamine

Ketamine exhibits rapid and sustained antidepressant effects. As decreased myelination has been linked to depression pathology, changes in myelination may be a pivotal mechanism underlying ketamine's long-lasting antidepressant effects. Although ketamine has a long-lasting facilitating effect on myelination, the precise roles of myelination in ketamine's sustained antidepressant effects remain unknown. In this study, we employed spatial transcriptomics (ST) to examine ketamine's lasting effects in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and hippocampus of mice subjected to chronic social defeat stress and identified several differentially expressed myelin-related genes. Ketamine's ability to restore impaired myelination in the brain by promoting the differentiation of oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) into mature oligodendrocytes was demonstrated. Moreover, we showed that inhibiting the expression of myelin-associated oligodendrocytic basic protein (Mobp) blocked ketamine's long-lasting antidepressant effects. We also illustrated that α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (AMPAR) signaling mediated ketamine's facilitation on myelination. In addition, we found that the (R)-stereoisomer of ketamine showed stronger effects on myelination than (S)-ketamine, which may explain its longer-lasting antidepressant effects. These findings reveal novel mechanisms underlying the sustained antidepressant effects of ketamine and the differences in antidepressant effects between (R)-ketamine and (S)-ketamine, providing new insights into the role of myelination in antidepressant mechanisms.

Modulating activity of PVN neurons prevents atrial fibrillation induced circulation dysfunction by electroacupuncture at BL15

BACKGROUND

Circulation dysfunction is a major contributing factor to thrombosis in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) for which effective interventions are lacking. Growing evidence indicates that regulating the paraventricular nucleus (PVN), an autonomic control center, could offer a novel strategy for treating cardiovascular and circulatory diseases. Concurrently, electroacupuncture (EA) at Xinshu (BL15), a form of peripheral nerve stimulation, has shown efficacy in treating several cardiovascular conditions, although its specific mechanism remains unclear. This study aimed to assess the impact of EA at BL15 on circulatory dysfunction in a rat AF model and investigate the pivotal role of PVN neuronal activity.

METHODS

To mimic the onset of AF, male SD rats received tail intravenous injection of ACh-CaCl2 and were then subjected to EA at BL15, sham EA, or EA at Shenshu (BL23). Macro- and micro-circulation function were evaluated using in vivo ultrasound imaging and laser doppler testing, respectively. Vasomotricity was assessed by measuring dimension changes during vascular relaxation and contraction. Vascular endothelial function was measured using myograph, and the activation of the autonomic nerve system was evaluated through nerve activity signals. Additionally, chemogenetic manipulation was used to block PVN neuronal activation to further elucidate the role of PVN activation in the prevention of AF-induced blood circulation dysfunction through EA treatment.

RESULTS

Our data demonstrate that EA at BL15, but not BL23 or sham EA, effectively prevented AF-induced macro- and micro-circulation dysfunction. Furthermore, EA at BL15 restored AF-induced vasomotricity impairment. Additionally, EA treatment prevented abnormal activation of the autonomic nerve system induced by AF, although it did not address vascular endothelial dysfunction. Importantly, excessive activation of PVN neurons negated the protective effects of EA treatment on AF-induced circulation dysfunction in rats.

CONCLUSION

These results indicate that EA treatment at BL15 modulates PVN neuronal activity and provides protection against AF-induced circulatory dysfunction.

Recent Advances in Antibiofouling Materials for Seawater-Uranium Extraction: A Review

Nuclear power has experienced rapid development as a green energy source due to the increasing global demand for energy. Uranium, as the primary fuel for nuclear reactions, plays a crucial role in nuclear energy production, and seawater-uranium extraction has gained significant attention. However, the extraction of uranium is usually susceptible to contamination by microorganisms, such as bacteria, which can negatively affect the adsorption performance of uranium adsorption materials. Therefore, an important challenge lies in the development of new antibacterial and antiadhesion materials to inhibit the attachment of marine microorganisms. These advancements aim to reduce the impact on the adsorption capability of the adsorbent materials. This paper reviews the antibiofouling materials used for extracting seawater uranium, and corresponding mechanisms are discussed.

[Best evidence summary of prevention strategies for pressure injury in adult hospitalized burn patients]

Objective: To summarize the best evidence of prevention strategies for pressure injury in adult hospitalized burn patients. Methods: A bibliometric approach was used. Systematic searches were carried out to retrieve the published evidence of prevention strategies for pressure injury in adult hospitalized burn patients in the official websites of relevant academic organizations such as International Society for Burn injury, American Burn Association, and Japanese Dermatology Association, National Pressure Injury Advisory Panel, European Pressure Injury Advisory Panel, Pan Pacific Pressure Injury Alliance International Guidelines Website, foreign language databases such as UpToDate, BMJ Best Practice, MedSci, Joanna Briggs Institute Evidence-Based Practice Database, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Embase, and PubMed, and Chinese databases such as China Biology Medicine disc, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database, and China Clinical Guidelines Library. The literature types include clinical decision-making, evidence summary, guidelines, systematic review, and expert consensus. The search time was till February 21st, 2023. Two researchers independently screened the literature and evaluated the quality, and other researchers extracted and graded the evidence according to the topic. Results: A total of 10 papers were included, including 6 evidence summaries, 3 guidelines, and 1 expert consensus, all with high literature quality. After extracting evidence and classifying, 27 pieces of best evidences were summarized from three aspects, including prevention training and supervision, risk assessment, and prevention measures of pressure injury. Conclusions: A total of 27 pieces of best evidences of prevention strategies for pressure injury in adult hospitalized burn patients were summarized from 3 aspects. Medical workers can follow the best evidence and give personalized prevention strategies according to the specific condition of adult hospitalized burn patients to reduce the incidence of pressure injury.

[Curative effects of medial plantar free flap in reconstructing electric burn wound and scar contracture in the palm]

Objective: To explore the curative effects of medial plantar free flap in reconstructing electric burn wound and scar contracture in the palm. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted. From January 2020 to January 2023, 6 patients with electric burn wounds or scar contracture in the palm who met the inclusion criteria were admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Medical University, including 5 males and 1 female, aged 35 to 55 years. The wound area was 5.0 cm×3.0 cm-8.0 cm×7.0 cm after the debridement of electric burn wounds or resection of scar in the palm. The medial plantar free flap anastomosed with cutaneous nerve was used for wound reconstruction, with flap area of 5.5 cm×3.5 cm-8.5 cm×7.5 cm. The wound in the donor site was repaired with transplantation of abdominal full-thickness skin graft. After surgery, the survival of flaps and skin grafts were observed, the shape and texture of flap and the recovery of donor site of flap were observed, and the holding function of the affected hand was assessed. At the last follow-up, the two-point discrimination distance of flap was measured, the sensory recovery of flap was evaluated with the trial standard for the evaluation of the functions of the upper limbs of the Hand Surgery Society of the Chinese Medical Association, and the function recovery of flap was evaluated by post-surgery flap function evaluation scale. Results: After surgery, 5 flaps survived well, while the distal part of 1 flap was partially necrotic, which was repaired by medium-thickness skin graft from lateral thigh after debridement. All the skin grafts at the donor sites survived well. During follow-up of 3 to 24 months, the flap was not bloated, the texture and color were good, the match with the surrounding tissue was high, with no obvious scar contracture occurred at the donor site. The affected hand had good holding function. At the last follow-up, the two-point discrimination distance of flap was 6-8 mm, the flap sensation recovery was as follows: 5 flaps recovered to grade S3+, 1 flap recovered to grade S3, and the functional evaluation of flaps was excellent in 5 cases and good in 1 case. The patients basically returned to normal life and work. Conclusions: The medial plantar free flap with cutaneous nerve anastomosis has many advantages, such as high matching degree of appearance, good sensory recovery, and holding function of the affected hand. It is an ideal choice for the reconstruction of the electric burn wound and scar contracture in the palm.

Gegen-Qinlian decoction alleviates anxiety-like behaviors in methamphetamine-withdrawn mice by regulating Akkermansia and metabolism in the colon

BACKGROUND

Anxiety is a prominent withdrawal symptom of methamphetamine (Meth) addiction. Recently, the gut microbiota has been regarded as a promising target for modulating anxiety. Gegen-Qinlian decoction (GQD) is a classical Traditional Chinese Medicine applied in interventions of various gut disorders by balancing the gut microbiome. We aim to investigate whether GQD could alleviate Meth withdrawal anxiety through balancing gut microbiota and gut microenvironment.

METHODS

Meth withdrawal anxiety models were established in mice. GQD were intragastric administrated into Meth-withdrawn mice and controls. Gut permeability and inflammatory status were examined in mice. Germ-free (GF) and antibiotics-treated (Abx) mice were used to evaluate the role of gut bacteria in withdrawal anxiety. Gut microbiota was profiled with 16s rRNA sequencing in feces. Metabolomics in colon tissue and in Akkermansia culture medium were performed.

RESULTS

Meth withdrawal enhanced anxiety-like behaviors in wild-type mice, and altered gut permeability, and inflammatory status, while GQD treatment during the withdrawal period efficiently alleviated anxiety-like behaviors and improved gut microenvironment. Next, we found Germ-free (GF) and antibiotics-treated (Abx) mice did not develop anxiety-like behaviors by Meth withdrawal, indicating the essential role of gut bacteria in Meth withdrawal induced anxiety. Then, it was observed that gut microbiota was greatly affected in Meth-withdrawn mice, especially the reduction in Akkermansia. GQD can rescue the gut microbiota and reverse Akkermansia abundance in Meth-withdrawn mice. Meanwhile, GQD can also restore the Meth-impaired Akkermansia growth in vitro. Further, GQD restored several common metabolite levels both in colon in vivo and in Akkermansia in vitro.

CONCLUSIONS

We revealed a novel effect of GQD on Meth withdrawal anxiety and identified its pharmacological target axis as "Akkermansia-Akkermansia metabolites-gut metabolites-gut microenvironment". Our findings indicated that targeting gut bacteria with TCM, such as GQD, might be a promising therapeutic strategy for addiction and related withdrawal symptoms.

[Clinical experience of free superficial temporal fascia flap/anterolateral femoral fascial flap combined with skin grafting in repairing deep tissue defects of special parts of extremities]

The deep tissue defects of extremities are prone to cause the exposure of tendons, blood vessels, nerves, and bones, which are commonly repaired with free flaps in clinical practice. However, for special parts such as fingers, toes, posterior ankles, anterior tibias, and dorsum of feet, the appearances are usually bulky after being repaired with free flaps and need lipectomy operations, which bring great physiological, psychological, and economic burden to patients. As the fascia flap is soft and thin with reliable blood supply and strong anti-infection ability, the free fascia flap combined with skin grafting offers some advantages in repairing the above-mentioned wounds. However, its clinical application is severely limited due to the complexity of surgical operation and the difficulty in observing blood supply after operation. In recent years, our team has carried out a lot of work and accumulated rich experience in repairing deep tissue defects of special parts of extremities with free superficial temporal fascia flap/anterolateral femoral fascial flap combined with skin grafting. From the clinical perspective, this paper mainly introduces the anatomy and harvesting method of free superficial temporal fascia flap/anterolateral femoral fascial flap, as well as the advantages, difficulties, and precautions of clinical application, for reference of peers.

Sodium Carbazolide and Derivatives as Solid-State Electrolytes for Sodium-Ion Batteries

Replacing widely used organic liquid electrolytes with solid-state electrolytes (SSEs) could effectively solve the safety issues in sodium-ion batteries. Efforts on seeking novel solid-state electrolytes have been continued for decades. However, issues about SSEs still exist, such as low ionic conductivity at ambient temperature, difficulty in manufacturing, low electrochemical stability, poor compatibility with electrodes, etc. Here, sodium carbazolide (Na-CZ) and its THF-coordinated derivatives are rationally fabricated as Na+ conductors, and two of their crystal structures are successfully solved. Among these materials, THF-coordinated complexes exhibit fast Na+ conductivities, i.e., 1.20×10-4 S cm-1 and 1.95×10-3 S cm-1 at 90 °C for Na-CZ-1THF and Na-CZ-2THF, respectively, which are among the top Na+ conductors under the same condition. Furthermore, stable Na plating/stripping is observed even over 400 h cycling, showing outstanding interfacial stability and compatibility against Na electrode. More advantages such as ease of synthesis, low-cost, and cold pressing for molding can be obtained. In situ NMR results revealed that the evaporation of THF may play an essential role in the Na+ migration, where the movement of THF creates defects/vacancies and facilitates the migration of Na+.

Folate modified dual pH/reduction-responsive mixed micelles assembled using FA-PEG-PDEAEMA and PEG-SS-PCL for doxorubicin delivery

Aiming at achieving the concurrent performances of high loading, well controlled release and active targeted delivery, folate (FA) modified dual pH/reduction-responsive mixed polymeric micelles were rationally assembled using FA-PEG-PDEAEMA and PEG-SS-PCL by dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) simulations. The optimized polymers PEG₁₁₂-PDEAEMA₄₀, FA-PEG₁₁₂-PDEAEMA₄₀, and PEG₁₁₂-SS-PCL₇₀ were synthesized and characterized using ¹H NMR, FT-IR and GPC, and their mixed micelles were applied for doxorubicin (DOX) delivery. The drug loading capacity (LC) and encapsulation efficiency (EE) values of the MIX1 (FA-PEG₁₁₂-PDEAEMA₄₀/PEG₁₁₂-SS-PCL₇₀) at a DOX/polymer feeding ratio of 15 mg/30 mg were 20.22% and 50.69%, which were higher than those of single polymer micelles and MIX2 (PEG₁₁₂-PDEAEMA₄₀/PEG₁₁₂-SS-PCL₇₀). Particle size distributions, mesoscopic morphologies, DPD simulations and in vitro drug release profiles all confirmed the well-controlled release performance of the DOX-loaded micelles formed by MIX1: slow DOX release with a cumulative release of 20.46% in the neutral environment and accelerated release with a cumulative release of 74.20% at pH 5.0 + 10 mM DTT within 120 h, which were similar to those of MIX2. Cytotoxicity assay found that both MIX1 and MIX2 blank micelles were biocompatible, and a superior inhibitory effect of the FA-modified DOX-loaded micelles MIX1 on HepG2 cells was found compared to that of free DOX and non-FA-modified DOX-loaded micelles MIX2. All of these confirmed the superiority of MIX1 micelles with high loading capacity, well controlled release, and enhanced inhibitory effects on HepG2 cells, which might be a prospective candidate for anticancer drug delivery.

Deforming lanthanum trihydride for superionic conduction

With strong reducibility and high redox potential, the hydride ion (H-) is a reactive hydrogen species and an energy carrier. Materials that conduct pure H- at ambient conditions will be enablers of advanced clean energy storage and electrochemical conversion technologies1,2. However, rare earth trihydrides, known for fast H migration, also exhibit detrimental electronic conductivity3-5. Here we show that by creating nanosized grains and defects in the lattice, the electronic conductivity of LaHx can be suppressed by more than five orders of magnitude. This transforms LaHx to a superionic conductor at -40 °C with a record high H- conductivity of 1.0 × 10-2 S cm-1 and a low diffusion barrier of 0.12 eV. A room-temperature all-solid-state hydride cell is demonstrated.

Realizing room temperature catalytic hydrogenation of sodium phenoxide by Ru/TiO2 for hydrogen storage

Sodium phenoxide is a potentially promising hydrogen storage material due to its high hydrogen capacity and enhanced thermodynamic properties. Nevertheless, efficient catalysts are still lacking due to the high kinetic barrier for the reversible hydrogen uptake and release of sodium phenoxide. In the current work, a comparative study on the catalytic hydrogenation of sodium phenoxide was conducted. To our delight, a simple yet effective ruthenium-based catalyst was identified to respond aggressively to hydrogen in the solid-state hydrogenation of sodium phenoxide even at room temperature. The activity was enhanced by 6 fold with the as-synthesized 5.0% Ru/TiO₂ catalyst as compared to that with commercial 5.0% Ru/Al₂O₃, respectively, under the same conditions.

Lateral septum-lateral hypothalamus circuit dysfunction in comorbid pain and anxiety

Pain and anxiety comorbidities are a common health problem, but the neural mechanisms underlying comorbidity remain unclear. We propose that comorbidity implies that similar brain regions and neural circuits, with the lateral septum (LS) as a major candidate, process pain and anxiety. From results of behavioral and neurophysiological experiments combined with selective LS manipulation in mice, we find that LS GABAergic neurons were critical for both pain and anxiety. Selective activation of LS GABAergic neurons induced hyperalgesia and anxiety-like behaviors. In contrast, selective inhibition of LS GABAergic neurons reduced nocifensive withdrawal responses and anxiety-like behaviors. This was found in two mouse models, one for chronic inflammatory pain (induced by complete Freund's adjuvant) and one for anxiety (induced by chronic restraint stress). Additionally, using TetTag chemogenetics to functionally mark LS neurons, we found that activation of LS neurons by acute pain stimulation could induce anxiety-like behaviors and vice versa. Furthermore, we show that LS GABAergic projection to the lateral hypothalamus (LH) plays an important role in the regulation of pain and anxiety comorbidities. Our study revealed that LS GABAergic neurons, and especially the LS^GABAergic-LH circuit, are a critical to the modulation of pain and anxiety comorbidities.

Multiomics approach to profiling Sertoli cell maturation during development of the spermatogonial stem cell niche

Spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) are the basis of spermatogenesis, a complex process supported by a specialized microenvironment, called the SSC niche. Postnatal development of SSCs is characterized by distinct metabolic transitions from prepubertal to adult stages. An understanding of the niche factors that regulate these maturational events is critical for the clinical application of SSCs in fertility preservation. To investigate the niche maturation events that take place during SSC maturation, we combined different '-omics' technologies. Serial single cell RNA sequencing analysis revealed changes in the transcriptomes indicative of niche maturation that was initiated at 11 years of age in humans and at 8 weeks of age in pigs, as evident by Monocle analysis of Sertoli cells and peritubular myoid cell (PMC) development in humans and Sertoli cell analysis in pigs. Morphological niche maturation was associated with lipid droplet accumulation, a characteristic that was conserved between species. Lipidomic profiling revealed an increase in triglycerides and a decrease in sphingolipids with Sertoli cell maturation in the pig model. Quantitative (phospho-) proteomics analysis detected the activation of distinct pathways with porcine Sertoli cell maturation. We show here that the main aspects of niche maturation coincide with the morphological maturation of SSCs, which is followed by their metabolic maturation. The main aspects are also conserved between the species and can be predicted by changes in the niche lipidome. Overall, this knowledge is pivotal to establishing cell/tissue-based biomarkers that could gauge stem cell maturation to facilitate laboratory techniques that allow for SSC transplantation for restoration of fertility.

Systematic Design and Study of Star-like Polymeric Prodrug Unimolecular Micelles β-CD-P[CL-co-(ACL-g-DOX)-SS-MPEG]21 by DPD Simulations

Unimolecular micelles composed of a single polymeric molecule have recently attracted significant attention in anti-cancer drug delivery due to their high thermodynamic stability and small particle sizes. Applying the prodrug strategy to unimolecular micelles may provide superior nano-drug carriers with simultaneous high stability, low drug leakage, and well-drug loading capacity. However, the formation mechanism of the unimolecular prodrug micelles, the superiority of the prodrug strategy, as well as the prodrug controlled release mechanism were scantily understood at the mesoscopic scale. In this work, dissipative particle dynamics mesoscopic simulations were employed to investigate the self-assembly behavior, formation conditions, drug distribution regularities, and the prodrug release process of the star-like polymeric prodrug unimolecular micelles formed by β-CD-P[CL-co-(ACL-g-DOX)-SS-MPEG]₂₁. A special bond-breaking script was used to accomplish the bond-breaking simulation of the grafted DOX bonds and the disulfide bonds. Results showed that to form well monodispersed and superior DOX-loaded unimolecular micelles, the polymer concentration should be well controlled at low volume fractions (≤10.59%), and the detailed molecular structure of the polymer was suggested as β-cyclodextrin-P[caprolactone-co-(amino caprolactone-g-doxorubicin)-disulfide-methyl polyethylene glycol]₂₁) (β-CD-P[CL₃₀-co-(ACL-g-DOX)₈-SS-MPEG₄₉]₂₁). By comparison with the DOX physically loaded micelles, it was found that the prodrug unimolecular micelles with DOX grafted on the polymer displayed no drug leakage and superior drug loading capacity. Simulations on the prodrug release process showed that the prodrug unimolecular micelles assembled by β-CD-P[CL₃₀-co-(ACL-g-DOX)₈-SS-MPEG₄₉]₂₁ would provide good dual pH/reduction-responsive DOX release performance.

Sustained intra-cartilage delivery of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist using cationic peptide and protein-based carriers

OBJECTIVE

Blocking the interleukin-1 (IL-1) catabolic cascade following joint trauma can be achieved using its receptor antagonist, IL-1Ra. However, its clinical translation for osteoarthritis therapy has been unsuccessful due to its rapid joint clearance and lack of targeting and penetration into deep cartilage layers at therapeutic concentrations. Here, we target the high negative charge of cartilage aggrecan-glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) by attaching cationic carriers to IL-1Ra. IL-1Ra was conjugated to the cartilage targeting glycoprotein, Avidin, and a short length optimally charged cationic peptide carrier (CPC+14). It is hypothesized that electro-diffusive transport and binding properties of IL-1Ra-Avidin and IL-1Ra-CPC+14 will create intra-cartilage depots of IL-1Ra, resulting in long-term suppression of IL-1 catabolism with only a single administration.

DESIGN

IL-1Ra was conjugated to Avidin or CPC+14 using site specific maleimide linkers, and confirmed using gel electrophoresis, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and mass spectrometry. Intra-cartilage transport and retention of conjugates was compared with native IL-1Ra. Attenuation of IL-1 catabolic signaling with one-time dose of IL-1Ra-CPC+14 and IL-1Ra-Avidin was assessed over 16 days using IL-1α challenged bovine cartilage and compared with unmodified IL-1Ra.

RESULTS

Positively charged IL-1Ra penetrated through the full-thickness of cartilage, creating a drug depot. A single dose of unmodified IL-1Ra was not sufficient to attenuate IL-1-induced cartilage deterioration over 16 days. However, when delivered using Avidin, and to a greater extent CPC+14, IL-1Ra significantly suppressed cytokine induced GAG loss and nitrite release while improving cell metabolism and viability.

CONCLUSION

Charge-based cartilage targeting drug delivery systems hold promise as they can enable long-term therapeutic benefit with only a single dose.

The soluble epoxide hydrolase inhibitor TPPU improves comorbidity of chronic pain and depression via the AHR and TSPO signaling

BACKGROUND

Patients suffering from chronic pain often also exhibit depression symptoms. Soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) inhibitors can decrease blood levels of inflammatory cytokines. However, whether inhibiting sEH signaling is beneficial for the comorbidity of pain and depression is unknown.

METHODS

According to a sucrose preference test (SPT), spared nerve injury (SNI) mice were classified into pain with or without an anhedonia phenotype. Then, sEH protein expression and inflammatory cytokines were assessed in selected tissues. Furthermore, we used sEH inhibitor TPPU to determine the role of sEH in chronic pain and depression. Importantly, agonists and antagonists of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) and translocator protein (TSPO) were used to explore the pathogenesis of sEH signaling.

RESULTS

In anhedonia-susceptible mice, the tissue levels of sEH were significantly increased in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), hippocampus, spinal cord, liver, kidney, and gut. Importantly, serum CYP1A1 and inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin 1β (IL-1β) and the tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), were increased simultaneously. TPPU improved the scores of mechanical withdrawal threshold (MWT) and SPT, and decreased the levels of serum CYP1A1 and inflammatory cytokines. AHR antagonist relieved the anhedonia behaviors but not the algesia behaviors in anhedonia-susceptible mice, whereas an AHR agonist abolished the antidepressant-like effect of TPPU. In addition, a TSPO agonist exerted a similar therapeutic effect to that of TPPU, whereas pretreatment with a TSPO antagonist abolished the antidepressant-like and analgesic effects of TPPU.

CONCLUSIONS

sEH underlies the mechanisms of the comorbidity of chronic pain and depression and that TPPU exerts a beneficial effect on anhedonia behaviors in a pain model via AHR and TSPO signaling.

Intra-articular kinetics of a cartilage targeting cationic PEGylated protein for applications in drug delivery

OBJECTIVES

Cartilage targeting cationic glycoprotein Avidin was PEGylated to synthesize a multi-arm Avidin (mAv) nano-construct with high drug loading content. Here we investigate mAv biodistribution and kinetics over a 7-day period following intra-articular (IA) administration in rat knee joints.

METHODS

Labeled mAv was injected into healthy rat knees, and joint tissues (articular cartilage, menisci, ligaments, tendons, fat pad) were harvested following sacrifice at 6 h, 1, 4 and 7 days. Its IA biodistribution and retention were measured using fluorescence microscopy. Tissue localization was compared in young vs old rats by immunohistochemistry. mAv chondrotoxicity and immune response were evaluated to determine safe carrier dose limits.

RESULTS

mAv penetrated through the full thickness of rat cartilage and other joint tissues within 6 h, remaining detectable within most joint tissues over 7 days. Intra-tissue uptake correlated strongly with tissue GAG concentration, confirming the dominant role of electrostatic interactions between positively charged mAv and the negatively charged aggrecan proteoglycans. mAv was uptaken by chondrocytes and also penetrated the osteocyte lacuno-canalicular system of peri-articular bone in both young and old rats. mAv did not cause cytotoxicity at concentrations up to 300 μM but elicited a dose dependent immunogenic response.

CONCLUSIONS

mAv's ability to target a variety of joint tissues, chondrocytes, and peri-articular osteocytes without sequestration in synovial fluid makes it a versatile carrier for delivering a wide range of drugs for treating a broad class of musculoskeletal diseases. Drugs can be conjugated using simple aqueous based avidin-biotin reaction, supporting its clinical prospects.

Nanosizing Approach-A Case Study on the Thermal Decomposition of Hydrazine Borane

Hydrazine borane (HB) is a chemical hydrogen storage material with high gravimetric hydrogen density of 15.4 wt%, containing both protic and hydridic hydrogen. However, its limitation is the formation of unfavorable gaseous by-products, such as hydrazine (N₂H₄) and ammonia (NH₃), which are poisons to fuel cell catalyst, upon pyrolysis. Previous studies proved that confinement of ammonia borane (AB) greatly improved the dehydrogenation kinetics and thermodynamics. They function by reducing the particle size of AB and establishing bonds between silica functional groups and AB molecules. In current study, we employed the same strategy using MCM-41 and silica aerogel to investigate the effect of nanosizing towards the hydrogen storage properties of HB. Different loading of HB to the porous supports were investigated and optimized. The optimized loading of HB in MCM-41 and silica aerogel was 1:1 and 0.25:1, respectively. Both confined samples demonstrated great suppression of melting induced sample foaming. However, by-products formation was enhanced over dehydrogenation in an open system decomposition owing to the presence of extensive Si-O···BH₃(HB) coordination that further promote the B-N bond cleavage to release N₂H₄. The Si-OH···N(N₂H₄) hydrogen bonding may further promote N-N bond cleavage in the resulting N₂H₄, facilitating the formation of NH₃. As temperature increases, the remaining N-N-B oligomeric chains in the porous silica, which are lacking the long-range structure may further undergo intramolecular B-N or N-N cleavage to release substantial amount of N₂H₄ or NH₃. Besides open system decomposition, we also reported a closed system decomposition where complete utilization of the N-H from the released N₂H₄ and NH₃ in the secondary reaction can be achieved, releasing mainly hydrogen upon being heated up to high temperatures. Nanosizing of HB particles via PMMA encapsulation was also attempted. Despite the ester functional group that may favor multiple coordination with HB molecules, these interactions did not impart significant change towards the decomposition of HB selectively towards dehydrogenation.

Diversification of Sinorhizobium populations associated with Medicago polymorpha and Medicago lupulina in purple soil of China

The double selection of environment adaptation and host specificity forced the diversification of rhizobia in nature. In the tropical region of China, Medicago polymorpha and Medicago lupulina are widely distributed, particularly in purple soil. However, the local distribution and diversity of rhizobia associated with these legumes has not been systematically investigated. To this end, root nodules of M. polymorpha and M. lupulina grown in purple soil at seven locations in Yunnan Province of China were collected for rhizobial isolation. The obtained rhizobia were characterized by RFLP of 16S-23S rRNA intergenic spacer, BOXAIR fingerprinting, and phylogeny of housekeeping and symbiosis genes. As result, a total of 91 rhizobial strains were classified into species Sinorhizobium medicae and S. meliloti, while three nodC gene types were identified among them. S. medicae containing nodC of type I was dominant in farmlands associated with M. polymorpha; while S. meliloti harboring nodC of type III was dominant in wild land nodulated by M. lupulina. For both rhizobial species, greater genetic diversity was detected in the populations isolated from their preferred host plant. A high level of genetic differentiation was observed between the two Sinorhizobium species, and gene flow was evident within the populations of the same species derived from different soil types, indicating that rhizobial evolution is likely associated with the soil features. To examine the effects of environmental features on rhizobial distribution, soil physicochemical traits and rhizobial genotypes were applied for constrained analysis of principle coordinates, which demonstrated that soil features like pH, nitrogen and sodium were the principle factors governing the rhizobial geographical distribution. Altogether, both S. medicae and S. meliloti strains could naturally nodulate with M. polymorpha and M. lupulina, but the rhizobium-legume symbiosis compatibility determined by both the host species and soil factors was also highlighted.

Restoring the Autonomic Balance in an Atrial Fibrillation Rat Model by Electroacupuncture at the Neiguan Point

OBJECTIVES

Autonomic nervous activity imbalance plays an important role in atrial fibrillation (AF). AF can be treated by acupuncture at the Neiguan point (PC6), but the mechanism remains elusive. Here, we investigated autonomic nervous system activity in electroacupuncture (EA) at PC6 in a rat AF model.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

In this study, we established a rat AF model via tail vein injection with ACh-CaCl2 for ten consecutive days with or without EA at PC6. AF inducibility and heart rate variability (HRV) were assessed by electrocardiogram. Next, we completed in vivo recording of the activity of cervical sympathetic and vagal nerves, respectively. Finally, the activities of brain regions related to autonomic nerve regulation were assessed by c-Fos immunofluorescence and multichannel recording.

RESULTS

EA at PC6 decreased AF inducibility and prevented changes in HRV caused by ACh-CaCl2 injection. Meanwhile, EA at PC6 reversed the increased sympathetic and decreased vagal nerve activity in AF rats. Furthermore, EA treatment downregulated increased c-Fos expression in brain regions, including paraventricular nucleus, rostral ventrolateral medulla, and dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus in AF, while c-Fos expression in nucleus ambiguus was upregulated with EA.

CONCLUSION

The protective effect of EA at PC6 on AF is associated with balance between sympathetic and vagal nerve activities.

Tissue-resident CD69+ CXCR6+ Natural Killer cells with exhausted phenotype accumulate in human non-small cell lung cancer

Natural killer (NK) cells with tissue-residency features (trNK cells) are a new subpopulation of NK cells, which plays an important role in tissue homeostasis. However, the characteristics of trNK cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME) of human cancers remain unclear. Using multicolor flow cytometry, we investigated the quantity, phenotype, and function of trNK cells in biospecimens freshly resected from 60 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. We successfully identified a new CD69⁺ CXCR6⁺ trNK subset with an immunomodulatory-like and exhausted phenotype, specifically accumulated in the TME of NSCLC. In vitro experiments showed that CD69⁺ CXCR6⁺ trNK cells more readily secreted IFN-γ and TNF-α spontaneously. Furthermore, the production of IFN-γ and TNF-α by tumor-infiltrating CD69⁺ CXCR6⁺ trNK cells was not induced by their reactivation in vitro, which is analogous to T-cell exhaustion. Finally, we demonstrated that the dysfunction of CD69⁺ CXCR6⁺ trNK cells could be partly ameliorated by PD-1 and CTLA-4 blockade. In summary, we identified a new dysfunctional CD69⁺ CXCR6⁺ trNK cell subset that specifically accumulates in the TME of NSCLC. Our findings suggest that CD69⁺ CXCR6⁺ trNK cells are a promising target for immune checkpoint inhibitors in the treatment of NSCLC.

Engineered disorder in CO2 photocatalysis

Light harvesting, separation of charge carriers, and surface reactions are three fundamental steps that are essential for an efficient photocatalyst. Here we show that these steps in the TiO2 can be boosted simultaneously by disorder engineering. A solid-state reduction reaction between sodium and TiO2 forms a core-shell c-TiO2@a-TiO2-x(OH)y heterostructure, comprised of HO-Ti-[O]-Ti surface frustrated Lewis pairs (SFLPs) embedded in an amorphous shell surrounding a crystalline core, which enables a new genre of chemical reactivity. Specifically, these SFLPs heterolytically dissociate dihydrogen at room temperature to form charge-balancing protonated hydroxyl groups and hydrides at unsaturated titanium surface sites, which display high reactivity towards CO2 reduction. This crystalline-amorphous heterostructure also boosts light absorption, charge carrier separation and transfer to SFLPs, while prolonged carrier lifetimes and photothermal heat generation further enhance reactivity. The collective results of this study motivate a general approach for catalytically generating sustainable chemicals and fuels through engineered disorder in heterogeneous CO2 photocatalysts.

NMI: a potential biomarker for tumor prognosis and immunotherapy

N-Myc and STAT Interactor protein (NMI) is an interferon inducible protein participating in various cellular activities, and is widely involved in the process of tumorigenesis and progression. Studies have shown that the loss of NMI expression in breast cancer can promote its progression by inducing epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). However, the expression level of NMI in other tumors and its impact on immune cell infiltration, patient prognosis, and drug treatment are still unclear. Here, we analyzed the role of NMI in pan-cancer through multiple omics data. We found that NMI was abnormally expressed in a variety of tumor tissues. The expression of NMI was closely related to the unique molecular and immunotyping, diagnosis and prognosis of various tumor tissues. In addition, we identified the main proteins that interact with NMI, and focused on the relationship between the clinical parameters of lower grade glioma (LGG) and NMI expression. Subsequently, we found that the expression of NMI was correlated with the infiltration of multiple immune cells and the expression of immune checkpoints. Finally, we also found that the expression of NMI was correlated with the sensitivity to multiple antitumor drugs. In conclusion, our comprehensive pan-cancer analysis of NMI revealed that it is a potential molecular marker for tumor diagnosis and treatment, plays an important role in tumor immunity, and is a promising molecular target for cancer treatment.

[Research advances on the role of hemoglobin spray in chronic wounds]

Oxygen plays an important role in the process of wound healing. Researches have shown that more than 97% of chronic wounds are in a state of hypoxia, which is one of the key factors resulting in refractory wounds. Local oxygen therapy is a treatment method that can directly provide oxygen to wounds without relying on the damaged vascular system. It can effectively promote chronic wounds healing by transmitting sufficient oxygen to wounds through specific devices or preparations. Hemoglobin spray is a new form of local oxygen therapy, which has the advantages of good effect, simple operation, and low cost. This article reviews the development, component, safety, oxygen supply principle, and application methods of hemoglobin spray and its effects in the treatment of chronic wounds, so as to provide a new direction for the treatment of chronic wounds.

N-myc and STAT interactor is a novel biomarker of severity in community-acquired pneumonia: a prospective study

Objectives

To tested the ability of N-myc and STAT interactor (NMI) levels in patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) to predict the severity of the disease.

Methods

Prospective observational analysis of patients with CAP was performed. The NMI levels in serum of 394 CAP patients on admission were measured by immunoassay. Thirty-day mortality and intensive care unit (ICU) admission were set as clinical outcomes. The predicting value of NMI for clinical outcomes was determined by receiver operating characteristic curve and logistic regression analysis. The internal validity was assessed using cross-validation with bootstrap resampling.

Results

NMI was an independent risk factor for both 30-day mortality and admission to ICU for CAP patients. The area under curve (AUC) of NMI to predict mortality was 0.91 (95% CI: 0.86–0.96), and that to predict ICU admission was 0.92 (95% CI: 0.88–0.97), significantly higher than that of other biomarkers including procalcitonin and C-reactive protein. The proportion of clinical outcomes notably rose as NMI levels elevated (P < 0.001). The AUCs of the new score systems including NMI (N-PSI and N-CURB65 score) to predict outcomes were significantly higher than the original score systems.

Conclusions

NMI is a novel biomarker for predicting CAP severity superior to former biomarkers in 30-day mortality and ICU admission.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12931-022-02139-x.

Fabrication of Lithium Indolide and Derivates for Ion Conduction

The development of ionic conductors as solid-state electrolytes to replace the widely used liquid electrolytes could effectively solve the safety issues as well as enhance the energy density of batteries. Yet no ionic conductors to date could meet all the criteria of solid-state electrolytes for practical applications. Therefore, exploration of new materials is highly demanded. Herein, a new type of metalorganic-based materials, namely, lithium indolide and its tetrahydrofuran (THF)-coordinated derivatives, are developed and employed as fast ionic conductors. Their crystal structures are also determined. Particularly, the lithium indolide ditetrahydrofuran shows ionic conductivities of 6.28 × 10^-6 and 8.27 × 10^-4 S cm^-1 at 110 and 150 °C, respectively. A "neutral ligand-assisted" cation migration mechanism is proposed, where the migration of Li⁺ may be facilitated by the dynamic equilibrium of the neutral ligand and the large sized anions. The present idea of using metalorganic compounds coordinated with neutral ligands for fast ionic conductors provides vast opportunities for discovering new solid-state electrolytes in the future thanks to the rich chemistry of organic anions and ligands.

A novel cholinergic projection from the lateral parabrachial nucleus and its role in methamphetamine-primed conditioned place preference

Drug relapse is a big clinical challenge in the treatment of addiction, but its neural circuit mechanism is far from being fully understood. Here, we identified a novel cholinergic pathway from choline acetyltransferase-positive neurons in the external lateral parabrachial nucleus (eLPB^ChAT) to the GABAergic neurons in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA^GABA) and explored its role in methamphetamine priming-induced reinstatement of conditioned place preference. The anatomical structure and functional innervation of the eLPB^ChAT–CeA^GABA pathway were investigated by various methods such as fluorescent micro-optical sectioning tomography, virus-based neural tracing, fibre photometry, patch-clamp and designer receptor exclusively activated by a designer drug. The role of the eLPB^ChAT–CeA^GABA pathway in methamphetamine relapse was assessed using methamphetamine priming-induced reinstatement of conditioned place preference behaviours in male mice. We found that the eLPB^ChAT neurons mainly projected to the central nucleus of the amygdala. A chemogenetic activation of the eLPB^ChAT neurons in vitro or in vivo triggered the excitabilities of the CeA^GABA neurons, which is at least in part mediated via the cholinergic receptor system. Most importantly, the chemogenetic activation of either the eLPB^ChAT neurons or the eLPB^ChAT neurons that project onto the central nucleus of the amygdala decreased the methamphetamine priming-induced reinstatement of conditioned place preference in mice. Our findings revealed a previously undiscovered cholinergic pathway of the eLPB^ChAT–CeA^GABA and showed that the activation of this pathway decreased the methamphetamine priming-induced reinstatement of conditioned place preference.

Synthesis of pyrimidines from dinitrogen and carbon

The element nitrogen and nitrogenous compounds are vital to life. The synthesis of nitrogen-containing compounds using dinitrogen as the nitrogen source, not through ammonia, is of great interest and great value but remains a grand challenge. Herein, we describe a strategy to realize this transformation by combining the heterogeneous approach with the homogeneous methodology. The N₂ molecule was first fixed with carbon and LiH through a one-pot heterogeneous process, forming Li₂CN₂ as an 'activated' nitrogen source with high efficiency. Then subsequent homogeneous treatments of Li₂CN₂ to construct the organic synthon carbodiimide and the RNA/DNA building block pyrimidines were fulfilled. By using ¹⁵N₂ as the feedstock, their corresponding ¹⁵N-labeled carbodiimide and pyrimidines were readily obtained. This homogeneous-heterogeneous synergy strategy will open a new chapter for N₂ transformation.

[Research progress of microvascular invasion in hepatocellular carcinoma]

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a kind of highly aggressive tumor of the digestive system. Several studies have confirmed that microvascular invasion (MVI) is an independent risk factor for early recurrence and poor prognosis of HCC after surgery. Currently, pathological examination is the gold standard for diagnosing MVI. This paper summarizes concept, prognosis, preoperative prediction and treatment plan based on literature review of MVI in HCC.

Goat Milk Based Infant Formula in Newborns: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial on Growth and Safety

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to determine the growth and safety parameters in newborns fed a goat milk based infant formula (GMF) using a randomized double-blind trial, in which a cow milk formula (CMF) served as a control and a breast fed (BF) group as a reference.

METHODS

Healthy term infants (n = 218) aged up to 14 days were recruited from 25 European study centers and randomized to GMF or CMF. Weight, length, head circumference were measured at baseline, and at 14, 28, 56, 84, and 112 days at the study clinics. Adverse events were recorded and stool characteristics, reflux, fussiness, colic, and flatulence were self-reported by parents in 3-day diaries. Anthropometric measurements were transformed to WHO standardized age- and sex-adjusted z -scores. Analyses of covariance and linear mixed modeling were used to statistically analyze growth, while adjusting for potential confounders when studying the breast-fed group (n = 86).

RESULTS

Comparing the GMF to the CMF group, weight gain [mean difference 227.8 g (95% CI -16.6 to -439.0)] and z-scores for anthropometric measurements were similar after 112 days intervention. Infant formula groups showed greater mean (SD) weight z-scores than the BF group from 84 days onwards (GMF: 0.28 (0.84), CMF: 0.12 (0.88), BF -0.19 (1.02), P < 0.05), whereas length and head circumference z-scores were similar. Incidences of serious adverse events and reflux, fussiness, colic, and flatulence were similar among the three groups.

CONCLUSION

Our data demonstrate that GMF provides adequate growth, has a good tolerability, and is safe to use in infants.