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The environmental impact from the waste disposal has been widely concerned around the world. The conversion of wastes to useful resources is important for the sustainable society. As a typical family of wastes, biomass materials basically composed of collagen, protein and lignin are considered as useful resources for recycle and reuse. In recent years, the development of carbon material derived from biomasses, such as plants, crops, animals and their application in electrochemical energy storage have attracted extensive attention. Through the selection of the appropriate biomass, the optimization of the activation method and the control of the pyrolysis temperatures, carbon materials with desired features, such as high‐specific surface area, variable porous framework, and controllable heteroatom‐doping have been fabricated. Herein, this review summarized the preparation methods, morphologies, heteroatoms doping in the plant/animal‐derived carbonaceous materials, and their application as electrode materials for secondary batteries and supercapacitors, and as electrode support for lithium‐sulfur batteries. The challenges and prospects for the controllable synthesis and large‐scale application of biomass‐derived carbonaceous materials have also been outlooked. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A decision support framework was built to stratify pN2 NSCLC patients. • Patients at high LRR risk and without high-risk histology features benefit from PORT. • The use of PORT cannot improve survival for patients at low risk of LRR. • The benefit of PORT is limited in patients with high-risk histology features. Postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) plays a highly controversial role in pathological N2 (pN2) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) disease. Recent studies reveal that not all patients can benefit from PORT. Further research is needed to identify predictors of PORT. A total of 1044 pathologic stage T1-3N2M0 NSCLC patients were analyzed. Risk factors of distant metastasis were identified by the log-rank tests and the multivariable Cox models. We integrated risk factors of distant metastasis and our previously published loco-regional recurrence (LRR) related prognostic index into a decision support framework (DSF) to predict the outcomes of PORT. An independent cohort was used to validate the DSF. We defined patients with more than two of three identified LRR-related features (heavy cigarette smoking history, clinical N2 status, and more than four positive lymph nodes) as a high LRR risk group. We found the high-intermediate-risk histological type (with micropapillary and/or solid components) was associated with a higher risk of distant metastasis (HR = 1.207, 95 % CI 1.062 to 1.371, P = 0.0038), but not LRR. We built the DSF by combining these two types of features. Patients were stratified into four groups by using the DSF. PORT significantly improved OS only in the subgroup without high-risk histological features (without micropapillary or solid components) and with a high risk for LRR (three-year OS: 66.7 % in the PORT group vs 50.2 % in the non-PORT group; P = 0.023). A particular pN2 subgroup with a high risk of LRR and without micropapillary or solid components could benefit from PORT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Research is needed to identify possible predictive factors for PORT in pN2 NSCLC patients. • The effect of PORT differs in subgroups of pN2 NSCLC patients. • PORT improves OS in patients at a high risk of LRR. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) in patients with resected pathologic N2 (pN2) non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with different locoregional recurrence (LRR) risks. The primary cohort and validation cohort were retrieved from two independent medical centres. Data for all consecutive patients with completely resected pathologic stage T1-3N2M0 NSCLC were analysed. Patients without PORT in the primary cohort were identified as a training set. Significant prognostic factors for LRR were identified by the Fine-Gray model to develop a prognostic index (PI) in the training set. The primary cohort consisted of 357 patients who met the eligibility criteria (training set, 287 patients without PORT). The external validation cohort consisted of 1044 patients who met the eligibility criteria (validation set, 711 patients without PORT). Heavy cigarette smoking history, clinical N2 status (cN2), and the number of positive lymph nodes >4 were identified as independent risk factors. The PI was computed as follows: PI＝0.8*smoking history＋0.5*cN2＋0.7*the number of involved lymph nodes (reference level was assigned the value 1 and risk level the value 2). In the low-risk group (PI score< = 3), PORT showed a trend towards decreased LRR rates but not significantly improved overall survival (OS). In the high-risk group (PI score>3), PORT significantly reduced the risk of LRR and improved OS. We constructed and validated a PI to predict individually the effect of PORT in patients with completely resected pN2 NSCLC. Patients with a higher PI score can benefit from PORT in terms of OS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One unusual stilbene trimer-flavonoid hybrid, paeonilactiflobenoid (1), together with six known stilbenes (2–7) were isolated from the seeds of Paeonia lactiflora. The structure of 1 was elucidated with the aid of HRESIMS, 1D and 2D NMR, [ α ] D spectroscopic data and ECD calculation. Compounds 2 – 7 showed stimulative effects on GLP-1 secretion with promoting rates of 79.8%–880.4% (25 μM) and 217.6%–1089.4% (50 μM), more potent than the positive control, oleoylethanolamide (250.2% at 50 μ M). Moreover, compounds 4 and 6 exhibited agonistic activity on the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) TGR5 with stimulative ratios of 40.2% and 40.5% at 50 μM, and 54.2% and 49.1% at 100 μM, respectively. Docking study manifested that 6 well located in the catalytic pocket of TGR5 by hydrogen-bond and hydrophobic interactions. The GLP-1 promotion of 6 could be attenuated by IP 3 , Ca2+/CaMKII and MEK/ERK pathway inhibitors, suggesting that these pathways played important roles in GLP-1 secretion. Thus, stilbenes in peony seeds maybe regarded as potential GLP-1 secretagogues through TGR5-IP 3 -Ca2+/CaMKII-MEK/ERK pathways. [Display omitted] • One usual stilbene trimer-flavonoid hybrid was isolated from peony seeds. • Six stilbenes showed stimulative effects on GLP-1 secretion. • Compounds 4 and 6 exhibited agonistic activity on TGR5 receptor. • The GLP-1 promotion of 6 was attenuated by IP 3 , Ca2+/CaMKII and MEK/ERK inhibitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three compounds based on naphthalene and pyridine structures with different nitrogen positions (NP-2 , NP-3 , and NP-4) were synthesized. Except for displaying aggregation-induced emission (AIE) properties, the solution and crystals of these compounds show reversible fluorescence changes under alternative acid and base treatments. Experimental results, including X-ray diffraction, optical spectroscopy measurements, and cross-polarized microscope characterization, suggested that compounds might undergo reversible crystal-to-crystal transition upon external acid and base stimuli. It also revealed that the position of the heteroatom nitrogen in the pyridine unit significantly affected the intra- and intermolecular interactions, leading to restricted-intermolecular motions (RIMs) that caused the AIE effect. Besides, computational calculations indicated significant changes in molecular geometries and electronic interactions between the initial states and the protonated states. An information encryption system involving activation and operation codes was established based on the multiple stimuli-responsive properties. Our work not only presents a facile way to develop multiple responsive properties in molecular crystal systems but also explores their potential as highly emissive functional dyes for future applications. • Three compounds exhibit reversible fluorescence-responsive properties upon acid-base and solvent treatments. • Fluorescence emission of solid crystals exhibits redshifts up to near-infrared region after introducing acid, displaying significant changes in Stokes shifts. • A dynamic displaying system with potential information encryption has been developed based on dynamic responsive properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Naringin is a flavanone with various bioactivities including expectorant effect, antitussive effect and inhibitory effects on asthma and acute lung injury. In present study we examined the effects of naringin on enhanced cough, airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) and airway inflammation in chronic cigarette smoke (CS) exposure-induced chronic bronchitis in guinea pigs. To achieve this, guinea pigs were exposed to CS for 8weeks (10cigarettes/day, 6days/week). Oral administration of naringin (9.2, 18.4 and 36.8mg/kg) significantly attenuated the enhanced cough and AHR in smoke-exposed guinea pigs, reduced the concentrations of interleukin-8 (IL-8), leukotriene B4 (LTB4) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and decreased the myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity in both BALF and lung tissue, but did not significantly decrease the leukocytes in BALF. Naringin also improved superoxidase dismutase (SOD) activity in lung tissue and increased the content of lipoxin A4 (LXA4) in BALF in this guinea pig model of chronic bronchitis. These results suggested that naringin exhibited antitussive, anti-AHR and anti-inflammation effects on chronic CS exposure-induced chronic bronchitis in guinea pigs, and may possess novel therapeutic potential in the treatment of chronic bronchitis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

[Display omitted] • A one-pot method to substituted 6-amino-3,4-dihydro-1,3-oxazin-2-ones skeleton. • Wide range of applicable substrates, suitable for benoimides and linear imides. • Efficient method and easy access to substrate. A one-pot approach to access functionalized 1,3-oxazin-2-one skeleton has been developed through successive reduction and subsequent [4 + 2] cyclization process of N -Boc lactams with ynamides by TMSOTf. As a result, a number of five to seven membered ring fused bicyclic [1,2-c] [1,3] oxazin-1-ones 12a-m and tricyclic derivatives 13a-f were obtained in moderate to excellent yields with excellent regioselectivities. Moreover, linear N -Boc amides 9a-e were also amenable to this transformation, and the desired 3,4-dihydro-1,3-oxazin-2-ones 14a-m were readily achieved in moderate yields with excellent regioselectivities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Timely and systematic professional treatment is crucial in schizophrenia prognosis, but the global rate of mental health service, now, use or help-seeking behavior is low. Methods: In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 participants with the diagnosis of schizophrenia between October to December 2021. The participants were purposively sampled from a psychiatric hospital's. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim into NVivo 12.0. Results: The findings were summarized under 3 themes and 12 subthemes: (1) capability (lack of knowledge due to insufficient mental health literacy or lack of insight, inability to access disease information due to a lack of mental health literacy, and symptoms-related barriers); (2) opportunity (lack of disease information sources, inability to balance work and study during prolonged hospitalization, accessibility and convenience of medical resources, and the acquisition and utilization of social support); and (3) motivation (awareness of the disease and professional treatment, negative experiences of disease episodes, past medical experience, confidence in tcuring the disease, and the fulfillment of daily life and self-worth). Conclusion: The medical help-seeking behavior of people with the diagnosis of schizophrenia is the result of the interaction of many barriers and facilitators, and challenges persist today. Interventions can be implemented with the BCW framework and our results to precisely eliminate delays in the diagnosis and treatment of mental problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The fungus Purpureocillium lavendulum (formally Paecilomyces lilacinus) is a natural enemy of insects and plant-parasitic nematodes, and has been used as an important bio-control agent against agricultural pests all over the world. In order to understand the genetic mechanisms governing its biocontrol efficiency and other biological processes, an effective gene disruption system is needed. Here we report the development of an efficient system which integrates selective markers that differ from Purpureocillium lilacinum, a one-step construction method for gene knockout plasmids, and a ku80 knockout strain for efficient homologous recombination. With this system, we effectively disrupted the transcription factors in the central regulation pathway of sporulation and a serine protease which were contributed to nematode infection, demonstrating this system as an efficient gene disrupting system for further characterization of genes involved in the development and pathogenesis of this fungus. Highlights • Conidia of P. lavendulum can infect and kill C. elegans from the intestinal tract. • A high-efficient gene disruption system were developed for P. lavendulum. • Deletion of PlKu80 increased gene disruption efficiency in P. lavendulum. • PlBrlA have relative low recombination rate despite of length of homolog arms. • Deletion of PlPr1D decreased virulence of P. lavendulum when infecting nematodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sexual health is one of the main areas of health and basic human rights which has been paid less attention in schizophrenia. Most studies have focused on sexual dysfunction rather than the sexual needs of people with schizophrenia. This study explores the sexual needs of people with schizophrenia and identify factors hindering sexual activities. Methods: We carried out a qualitative study using a descriptive phenomenological approach. Data were collected at a psychiatric hospital in China. In total, 20 patients with schizophrenia were recruited through purposive sampling. Face to face semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with them. Interview recordings were transcribed by the research team, and transcripts were analyzed by two independent coders with Colaizzi's descriptive analysis framework by using NVivo 11 software. The consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research checklist was used for reporting. Results: The data analysis revealed 10 subthemes categorized into 3 macro themes: (1) multiple barriers hinder sexual activity; (2) significance of sex; and (3) conditions for fulfilling sexual needs. Conclusion: A poor sexual quality of life may be found in patients with schizophrenia. Furthermore, people with schizophrenia did not lose interest in maintaining an active sex life. Mental health services should address this issue in three areas: sexual knowledge, sexual space, and sexual objects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using chestnut shells to prepare chestnut shell carbon and chestnut shell activated carbon, which were used for CO2 adsorption, the kinetic model and thermodynamic model were used to fit the experimental data, and the kinetic and thermodynamic parameters were calculated, the adsorption mechanism of CO2 on chestnut shell based carbon material was studied. The results show that the composite pseudo-first-order kinetic model of CO2 adsorption by chestnut shell carbon and chestnut shell activated carbon and the adsorption free energy (ΔG), adsorption heat (ΔH) and adsorption entropy (ΔS) at 298 K all are less than 0, indicating that the adsorption process is a spontaneous process with reduced exothermic disorder, the adsorption is mainly physical adsorption, and the adsorption process mainly occurs in the outer surface monolayer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To design a novel blocking screws (BSs) geometry and insertion method to treat distal tibia fracture with nailing and comparison of mechanical properties of novel and traditional screws. Methods: Twenty‐one synthetic left tibiae were sectioned to obtain 21 distal segments measuring 55 mm. Intramedullary (IM) 9‐mm tibial nails were advanced to 6 mm from the ankle joint. Two transverse and one anterior–posterior (AP) locking screws were inserted. Both medial–lateral (ML) BSs were placed 10 mm from the topmost interlocking screw. A custom‐made jig assisted in placing the novel and traditional BSs. The time spent in placing each BS was recorded. All the samples were repaired with an IM nail and without BSs, with two traditional BSs, and with two novel BSs. An initial loading from −150 to +150 N was applied to specimens in the ML direction at 185 mm from the nail end, followed by cyclic loading of the same for 10,000 cycles with failure‐to‐test loading of 350 N in the ML direction. The maximum displacement was measured at 80 mm from the nail end and recorded under initial loading. The damage of two kinds of BSs to the nail was recorded. Results: Compared with average 5.21 min of the time of placing a traditional BS, the time spent in positioning a novel BS on the fracture model was 2.53 min. In the distal bone–implant constructs (BICs), the addition of traditional BSs decreased the maximum displacement of the BICs by 26.2%. The addition of the novel BSs decreased the displacement by 28.9%. All constructs survived 10,000 cycles without hardware deformation. The failure rate of the control group was significantly greater than that of the traditional group; however, the novel group was similar to the traditional group. The damage of the traditional BS to the nail was greater than that of the novel one. Conclusions: The novel and traditional BSs are comparably effective for increasing the primary mechanical stability of distal metaphyseal fractures after nailin. However, compared to the placement of a traditional BS, implanting a novel BS took more less time and caused less damage to the nail. Additionally, the most obvious advantage of the novel BS design and insertion technology was that the pressure and distance between it and the IM nail could be controlled by rotating the screw. These advantages of the novel BS will be beneficial for clinical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective was to screen Lactobacillus strains with strong survivability in oro-gastrointestinal tract and adhesion abilities of intestinal mucins and Caco-2 cells, and their effect on absorption of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) by epithelial cells was studied. The survival rate of Lactobacillus strains was studied after exposure to oral stress, gastric stress and intestinal stress successively, and then their adhesion ability was also researched. The model of intestinal epithelial cells absorbing SCFAs was established, which was used to evaluate the effect of Lactobacillus strains on Caco-2 cells absorption of SCFAs. The survival rate of Lactobacillus plantarum L58, L67, L97, L123, and L198 and Lactobacillus fermentum L146 was significantly higher than others in oro-gastrointestinal tract (P < 0.05), which also showed high adhesion to mucins and Caco-2 cells. The model was successfully established with the Caco-2 cell line, which formed a polarized cell monolayer and developed tight junctions with an appropriate permeability coefficient for phenol red lower than 1 × 10–6 cm/s after culturing for 15 days, and the viability of Caco-2 cells was significantly higher than other concentrations when the content of propionic acid or butyric acid was 1 mmol/L in the model. The propionic acid content in Caco-2 cells inoculated with L. plantarum L58, L67, L97, L123, and L198 was significantly higher than that of cells without L. plantarum inoculation (P < 0.05), and the butyric acid content in cells inoculated with L. fermentum L146 was significantly higher than that of cells without inoculation (P < 0.05). Our results highlight that L. plantarum L58, L67, L97, L123, L198 and L. fermentum L146 are more resistant to oro-gastrointestinal conditions and their high adhesion to the intestine can enhance SCFAs uptake in intestinal epithelial cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The effects of four antitussives, including codeine phosphate (CP), moguisteine, levodropropizine (LVDP) and naringin, on airway neurogenic inflammation and enhanced cough were investigated in guinea pig model of chronic cough. Methods: Guinea pigs were exposed to CS for 8 weeks. At the 7th and 8th week, the animals were treated with vehicle, CP (4.8 mg/kg), moguisteine (24 mg/kg), LVDP (14 mg/kg) and naringin (18.4 mg/kg) respectively. Then the cough and the time-enhanced pause area under the curve (Penh-AUC) during capsaicin challenge were recorded. The substance P (SP) content, NK-1 receptor expression and neutral endopeptidase (NEP) activity in lung were determined. Results: Chronic CS exposure induced a bi-phase time course of cough responsiveness to capsaicin. Eight weeks of CS exposure significantly enhanced the airway neurogenic inflammation and cough response in guinea pigs. Two weeks of treatment with CP, moguisteine, LVDP or naringin effectively attenuated the chronic CS-exposure enhanced cough. Only naringin exerted significant effect on inhibiting Penh-AUC, SP content and NK-1 receptor expression, as well as preventing the declining of NEP activity in lung. Conclusions: Chronic CS-exposed guinea pig is suitable for studying chronic pathological cough, in which naringin is effective on inhibiting both airway neurogenic inflammation and enhanced cough. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sex difference that females are more vulnerable to depression than males has been recently replicated in an animal model of early-life stress (ES) called the limited bedding and nesting material (LBN) paradigm. Adopting this animal model, we have previously examined the effects of ES on monoamine transporter (MATs) expression in stress-related regions in adult female mice, and the reversal effects of a novel multimodal antidepressant, vortioxetine. In this study, replacing vortioxetine with a classical antidepressant, fluoxetine, we aimed to replicate the ES effects in adult female mice and to elucidate the commonality and differences between fluoxetine and vortioxetine. We found that systemic 30-day treatment with fluoxetine successfully reversed ES-induced depression-like behaviors (especially sucrose preference) in adult female mice. At the molecular level, we largely replicated the ES effects, such as reduced serotonin transporter (SERT) expression in the amygdala and increased norepinephrine transporter (NET) expression in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and hippocampus. Similar reversal effects of fluoxetine and vortioxetine were observed, including SERT in the amygdala and NET in the mPFC, whereas different reversal effects were observed for NET in the hippocampus and vesicular monoamine transporters expression in the nucleus accumbens. Overall, these results demonstrate the validity of the LBN paradigm to induce depression-like behaviors in female mice, highlight the involvement of region-specific MATs in ES-induced depression-like behaviors, and provide insights for further investigation of neurobiological mechanisms, treatment, and prevention associated with depression in women. • Fluoxetine reversed ES-induced depression-like behaviors in adult female mice. • We confirmed ES-induced widespread alterations of MATs/VMAT2 expression. • Fluoxetine reversed amygdala SERT decreases and mPFC/hippocampal NET increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The value of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) for resected stage IIIA-N2 non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is controversial with few studies focusing on whether PORT always plays a part in clinical practice and generates benefits to patients across different time periods. We investigated this issue using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Database (SEER) and assessed the temporal trends spanning 27 years. Methods: Within SEER, we selected stage IIIA-N2 NSCLC patients who underwent a lobectomy or pneumonectomy and coded as receiving PORT or never receiving radiotherapy over three time periods: 1988 to 1996, 1997 to 2005, 2006 to 2014. For each period, survival analyses were performed and propensity score matching (PSM) was used in the potentially beneficial subgroup. Results: 45.4% of 5568 eligible patients received PORT. The yearly PORT use rates varied largely from 27.8% to 74.4%. Overall survival (OS) was distinctly improved over the period. The application of PORT had a significant impact on survival only in period 1 and 3. In subgroup analysis, the OS benefit of PORT was significant in each period in patients with 50% or more lymph node ratio (LNR) both before (hazard ratios, and P values of 0.647, P =.002; 0.804, P =.008; 0.721, P <.001 for period 1, 2, 3, respectively) and after PSM (0.642, P =.006; 0.785, P =.004; 0.748, P =.003 for period 1, 2, 3, respectively). Conclusions: The benefits of PORT are lasting and stable throughout the years in patients with LNR of 50% or more. This might provide a clue on proper patient selection for PORT application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Major depressive disorder is a major psychiatric disorder and a leading cause of disability around the world. Females have about twice as high an incidence of depression as males. However, preclinical animal models of depression have seldom investigated the molecular alterations associated with higher depression risk in females. In this study, adopting the early-life stress (ELS) paradigm of limited bedding and nesting material, we found that ELS induced depression-like behaviors only in adult female mice, as evaluated by sucrose preference and tail suspension tests. We then examined the ELS effects on monoamine neurotransmission (transporters for monoamine reuptake and release) in depression-related brain regions in female mice. We found that ELS resulted in widespread changes of the expression levels of these transporters in four brain regions. Moreover, systemic 21-day treatment with vortioxetine, a novel multimodal antidepressant, successfully reversed depression-like behaviors and normalized some molecular changes, including that of the norepinephrine transporter in the medial prefrontal cortex, vesicular monoamine transporter 2 in nucleus accumbens core, and serotonin transporter in amygdala. Collectively, these results provide evidence for the validity of using the limited bedding and nesting material paradigm to investigate sex differences in depression and demonstrate that the region-specific alterations of monoamine neurotransmission may be associated with depression-like behaviors in female mice. This article is part of the special issue on 'Stress, Addiction and Plasticity'. • Early-life stress (ELS) induced depression-like behaviors in female, not male, mice. • ELS altered MAT and VMAT2 expression in depression-related brain areas in females. • Vortioxetine reversed ELS-induced depression-like behaviors in female mice. • Vortioxetine reversed ELS effects of mPFC-NET, NAc-VMAT2, and Amy-SERT in females. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: There is a need of in vivo COPD models for mucus hypersecretion study. The current study compared three rat models induced by cigarette smoke (CS) exposure alone or combined with pre- or post-treatment with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Forty rats were randomly divided into the four following groups: control group, LPS + CS group (CS exposure for 4-wk combined with LPS pretreatment), CS group (CS exposure for 6-wk), CS + LPS group (CS exposure for 6-wk combined with LPS post-treatment). The results showed that both CS and CS + LPS groups had more severe pro-inflammatory cytokines secretion, inflammatory cells infiltration, and emphysema as compared to that in LPS + CS group animals. From the PAS staining sections, we found a remarkable hyperplasia of goblet-cell in epitheliums of trachea, bronchi, and bronchiole of all of three modeling groups, especially in CS and CS + LPS groups. From the western-blotting results, there were significant increase in the activities of NF-κB, AP-1, EGFR, TLR4, and MAPKs in all of three modeling groups, while HDAC2 activity was remarkably repressed in CS group only. Moreover, the expression and secretion of MUC5AC were exhibited significant increase in all of three modeling groups, which correlated well with the total transcription activity integration of NF-κB, AP-1, and HDAC2 (r = 0.946, p < 0.01). These results indicated that MUC5AC hypersecretion is consistent with activation of EGFR-AP-1/NF-κB and TLR4-AP-1/NF-κB signaling pathways, as well as repression of HDAC2 activity. Based on these results, we speculated that the 6-wk CS exposure rat model is a reliable COPD rat model, while the 6-wk CS exposure combined with LPS post-treatment rat model is a suitable COPD exacerbation model for mucus hypersecretion study. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Emerging evidence supports an essential role of trace amine-associated receptor 1 (TAAR1) in neuropsychiatric disorders such as depression and schizophrenia. Stressful events are critical contributors to various neuropsychiatric disorders. This study examined the role of TAAR1 in mediating the negative outcomes of stressful events. In mice that experienced chronic social defeat stress but not acute stress, a significant reduction in the TAAR1 mRNA level was found in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), a brain region that is known to be vulnerable to stress experience. Conditional TAAR1 knockout in the mPFC mimicked the cognitive deficits induced by chronic stress. In addition, chronic treatment with the selective TAAR1 partial agonist RO5263397 ameliorated chronic stress-induced changes in cognitive function, dendritic arborization, and the synapse number of pyramidal neurons in the mPFC but did not affect chronic stress-induced anxiety-like behaviors. Biochemically, chronic stress reduced the ratio of vesicular transporters of glutamate-1 (VGluT1) / vesicular GABA transporter (VGAT) in the mPFC，most prominently in the prelimbic cortex, and RO5263397 restored the excitatory-inhibitory (E/I) imbalance. Together, the results of this study reveal an essential role of TAAR1 in mediating chronic stress-induced cognitive impairments and suggest that TAAR1 agonists may be uniquely useful to treat MDD-related cognitive impairments. [Display omitted] • Chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) downregulated the TAAR1 mRNA level in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in mice. • Conditional TAAR1 knockout in the mPFC mimicked the cognitive deficits induced by CSDS. • TAAR1 partial agonist RO5263397 treatment restored most of the negative effects caused by CSDS in the mPFC. • TAAR1 in the mPFC is involved in the regulation of chronic stress vulnerability. • The regulation of E/I balance may be an important contributor underlying the anti-stress effect of TAAR1 agonists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gut dysbiosis has been reported implicated in ankylosing spondylitis (AS), a common chronic inflammatory disease mainly affects sacroiliac joints and spine. Utilizing deep sequencing on the feces of untreated AS patients, our study aimed at providing an in-depth understanding of AS gut microbiota. We analyzed the fecal metagenome of 85 untreated AS patients and 62 healthy controls by metagenomic shotgun sequencing, and 23 post-treatment feces of those AS patients were collected for comparison. Comparative analyses among different cohorts including AS, rheumatoid arthritis and Behcet's disease were performed to uncover some common signatures related to inflammatory arthritis. Molecular mimicry of a microbial peptide was also demonstrated by ELISpot assay. We identified AS-enriched species including Bacteroides coprophilus, Parabacteroides distasonis, Eubacterium siraeum, Acidaminococcus fermentans and Prevotella copri. Pathway analysis revealed increased oxidative phosphorylation, lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis and glycosaminoglycan degradation in AS gut microbiota. Microbial signatures of AS gut selected by random forest model showed high distinguishing accuracy. Some common signatures related to autoimmunity, such as Bacteroides fragilis and type III secretion system (T3SS), were also found. Finally, in vitro experiments demonstrated an increased amount of IFN-γ producing cells triggered by a bacterial peptide of AS-enriched species, mimicking type II collagen. These findings collectively indicate that gut microbiota was perturbed in untreated AS patients with diagnostic potential, and some AS-enriched species might be triggers of autoimmunity by molecular mimicry. Additionally, different inflammatory arthritis shared some common microbial signatures. • Gut microbiota was perturbed in untreated ankylosing spondylitis patients. • Distinctive species and pathways were found and correlated with clinical indices. • A diagnostic classifier was made based on differently expressed gut microbes. • Common gut microbial signatures of inflammatory arthritis were revealed. • A microbial peptide can trigger IFN-γ secretion by mimicking type II collagen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on graph theory, this paper presents a topological heterogeneity and vulnerability analysis of metro networks where transfer constraint is taken into account. The statistical measurements based on minimal transfer times are defined, such as betweenness, the shortest path and the average transfer times. Based on above, on the one hand, heterogeneity of network is analyzed by adopting entropy theory; on the other hand, travel efficiency and connectivity based on effective paths are proposed to measure the topological vulnerability of metro network. The feasibility and rationality of the methods described above are verified through the Beijing metro network. The results show that the topological analysis neglecting transfer constraint would underestimate the heterogeneity and vulnerability of the metro network: the topological heterogeneity and vulnerability of Beijing metro network with considering transfer constraint are smaller than without considering transfer constraint; in the case of considering transfer constraint, with the scale expansion of network, travel efficiency and convenience increase, and topological heterogeneity and vulnerability of network decrease, but the connectivity of metro network is more vulnerable to node-based attack. • Metro network is abstracted as a model transfers constraint is taken into account. • The statistical measurements based on minimal transfer times are defined, such as betweenness and the shortest path. • Travel efficiency and connectivity based on effective paths are proposed to measure the topological vulnerability of metro network. • The feasibility and rationality of the methods are verified through the Beijing metro network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]