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The magnetic heating effect under alternating magnetic fields (AMFs) has recently gained attention in catalysis due to its potential to greatly boost catalytic activities by providing localized heating around magnetic nanoparticles. However, nanoparticles still suffer from low magnetic heating efficiency due to their low magnetic anisotropy and thermal fluctuation, which is a key barrier in the wide application of AMF-assisted catalysis. Herein, by introducing the pinning effect of ferromagnetic/antiferromagnetic (FM/AFM) coupling, NiO/NiOOH (AFM/FM) core-shell nanoparticles exhibit significantly enhanced oxygen evolution reaction activity and resistance to thermal fluctuations under AMF, compared to NiOOH nanoparticles. Notably, magnetized NiO/NiOOH nanoparticles provide an overpotential of 186 mV at 10 mA cm -2 , outperforming unmagnetized ones (218 mV) under the same conditions, further emphasizing the prominent role of the pinning effect in enhanced magnetic heating efficiency. This work provides valuable inspiration to design advanced magnetic catalysts and meet the challenge of the development of AMF-assisted catalysis.

Aims: Endoplasmic reticulum protein 29 (ERP29) is crucial for endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS). M6A plays an important role in the progression of endometrial cancer (EC). The study investigated the role of ERS-related gene (ERP29) and m6A in EC., Materials and Methods: We screened ERS-related genes based on the GEO dataset, GSEA dataset and TCGA-UCEC database using WGCNA and two machine learning algorithms. The m6A-related GEO dataset was employed to identify the ERS-related hub genes with m6A. Expression of hub genes in different cell types were visualize through scRNA-seq data analyzing. Using qPCR, Western blot, and Immunohistochemical assays to detect the expression of ERP29, the effect of ERP29 on cancer cell proliferation was investigated through CCK8, EdU and clone formation experiments. M6A modifications were studied using m6A Dot blot and MeRIP-qPCR. Finally, we conducted rescue experiments., Key Findings: Ten ERS-related hub genes with m6A were identified. ERP29 is highly expressed in EC. ERP29 knockdown inhibits EC cell proliferation. METTL3 overexpression increases the ERP29 mRNA m6A and decreases the expression of ERP29. Cycloleucine (Cyc), a nucleic acid methylation inhibitor, treatment reduces ERP29 mRNA m6A and increases the expression of ERP29. Cyc rescue the low expression of ERP29 caused by overexpression of METTL3 through m6A. ERP29 knockdown rescued the increased proliferation of EC cells caused by low m6A., Significance: ERP29 is highly expressed in EC. m6A regulates ERP29 expression and affects the proliferation of endometrial cancer cells. This represents the premise for applying ERP29 and m6A modifications in diagnosing and treating EC., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Achromobacter marplatensis strain YKS2 isolated from the yak rumen has the feature of producing cellulose. This study aims to analyze the genome and safety of strain YKS2 in vivo, considering its future research and application prospects. The genome of strain YKS2 was sequenced and used for genomic in silico studies. The administration of strain YKS2 in three doses was carried out on mice for 3 days of oral and 7 days of clinical observation tests. The BW, FI, organ indices, gut microbiota, and histological appearances of organs and intestines, along with hematological parameters and serum biochemistry, were measured in mice. The chromosome size of strain YKS2 was 6,588,568 bp, with a GC content of 65.27%. The 6058 coding sequences of strain YKS2 without plasmid were predicted and annotated and have multiple functions. The mice in all groups were alive, with good mental states and functional activities. Compared with the control group, there was no significant difference in the three dose groups on BW, FI, hematological parameters (WBC, LYM, etc.), and serum biochemistry (ALB, ALT, etc.). No abnormalities were observed in the main visceral organs, intestinal tissue, and V/C value in groups. However, the IEL number of duodenum and gut microbiota diversity (Shannon's index) in the high-dose group was significantly higher than in the control group (p < 0.05). Besides, the low dose of strain YKS2 also significantly affected the bacterial abundance of Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, and desulphurizing Bacteroidetes at the phylum level. There was no significant effect at genus levels in groups. In conclusion, the study revealed the genome and potential functional genes of strain YKS2, which is beneficial to understanding the features of the A. marplatensis strain and proved strain YKS2 to be without acute toxicity to mice. However, a long-term feeding toxicity experiment in vivo should be performed to further ensure its potential application value strain in the animal industry., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Cordyceps militaris solid medium polysaccharides (CMMPs) were extracted using an ultrasound-assisted enzyme method, and the process conditions were optimized via response surface methodology (RSM). The CMMPs were separated into four components named CMMP-1, CMMP-2, CMMP-3 and CMMP-4 using ethanol fractional precipitation, and their monosaccharide composition and structural properties were analyzed by molecular weight analysis, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Congo red test, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). RSM could predict the yield of the CMMP (R 2 = 0.9928), and the polysaccharide yield was 15.43% under the selected conditions of 3.1% cellulase enzyme addition, a liquid-solid ratio of 42:1, an extraction temperature of 61 °C, and an extraction time of 60 min. Glucose and galactose were the main constituents of the four fractional precipitated polysaccharides. Furthermore, four components exhibited antioxidant activity, and CMMP-1 demonstrated stronger antioxidant activity in vitro. This study demonstrates the possibility of developing a natural antioxidant food from Cordyceps militaris solid medium.

Topological spin textures are of great significance in magnetic information storage and spintronics due to their high storage density and low drive current. In this work, the transformation of magnetic configuration from chaotic labyrinth domains to uniform stripe domains was observed in MnFe 1- x Co x Ge magnets. This change occurs due to the noncollinear magnetic structure switching to a uniaxial ferromagnetic structure with increasing Co content, as identified by neutron diffraction results and Lorentz transmission electron microscopy (L-TEM). Of utmost importance, a hexagonal lattice of high-density robust type-II magnetic bubble lattice was established for x = 0.8 through out-of-plane magnetic field stimulation and field-cooling. The dimensions of the type-II magnetic bubbles were found to be tuned by the sample thickness. Therefore, the stabilization of complex magnetic spin textures, associated with enhanced uniaxial ferromagnetic interaction and magnetic dipole-dipole interaction in MnFe 1- x Co x Ge through magnetic structure manipulation, as further confirmed by the micromagnetic simulations, will provide a convenient and efficient strategy for designing topological spin textures with potential applications in spintronic devices.

Phillygenin (PHI) is an active ingredient derived from the leaf of Forsythia suspensa that has been found to alleviate inflammation and peroxidation response. Avian infectious bronchitis (IB) is a major threat to poultry industry viral respiratory tract disease that infected with infectious bronchitis virus (IBV). This study investigated the protection of PHI to CEK cell and broiler's tracheal injury triggered by avian infectious bronchitis virus (IBV). The results showed that IBV infection did not cause serious clinical symptoms and slowing-body weight in PHI-treated broilers. The expression of virus loads, pro-inflammation factors (IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β) in CEK cell, and tracheas were decreased compared to the IBV group, exhibiting its potent anti-inflammation. Mechanistically, the study demonstrated that the inhibition of TLR7/MyD88/NF-κB pathway was mainly involved in the protection effect of PHI to inflammation injury. Interestingly, a higher abundance of Firmicutes and Lactobacillus in respiratory tract was observed in PHI-treated broilers than in the IBV group. Significant differences were observed between the IBV group and PHI-treated group in the Ferroptosis, Tryptophan metabolism, and Glutathione metabolism pathways. PHI exhibited potent protection effect on IBV infection and alleviated inflammation injury, mainly through inhibiting TLR7/MyD88/NF-κB pathway. The study encourages further development of PHI, paving the way to its clinical use as a new candidate drug to relieve IBV-induced respiratory symptoms., (© 2024 Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology.)

Flexible tactile sensors play important roles in many areas, like human-machine interface, robotic manipulation, and biomedicine. However, their flexible form factor poses challenges in their integration with wafer-based devices, commercial chips, or circuit boards. Here, we introduce manufacturing approaches, device designs, integration strategies, and biomedical applications of a set of flexible, modular tactile sensors, which overcome the above challenges and achieve cooperation with commercial electronics. The sensors exploit lithographically defined thin wires of metal or alloy as the sensing elements. Arranging these elements across three-dimensional space enables accurate, hysteresis-free, and decoupled measurements of temperature, normal force, and shear force. Assembly of such sensors on flexible printed circuit boards together with commercial electronics forms various flexible electronic systems with capabilities in wireless measurements at the skin interface, continuous monitoring of biomechanical signals, and spatial mapping of tactile information. The flexible, modular tactile sensors expand the portfolio of functional components in both microelectronics and macroelectronics.

Background: Dental caries is a common disease in the oral cavity, and the microorganisms in the cavity are colonized in the form of dental plaque biofilm. Streptococcus mutans is the main pathogen causing dental caries. Using probiotics to inhibit the growth and colonization of pathogenic bacteria, regulate mucosal immunity and improve oral microecological balance is an effective way to prevent or treat dental caries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the caries-prevention of probiotics in vitro and in rat caries models., Methods: The probiotics used in this study are a combination of 4 strains of bacteria. After the fermentation of 4 strains (L. plantarum, L. salivarius, L. rhamnosus, and L. paracasei) was completed, they were mixed in equal volume proportions and used as samples to be tested. The mixture was then assessed the ability to inhibit the growth of S. mutans in vitro and in vivo. SPSS Statistics 22.0 (SPSS, Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) was used for analysis., Results: In vitro the probiotics mixture could inhibit the growth of S. mutans and was able to remove biofilms formed by S. mutans. In a 42-day in vivo experiment, the probiotics group significantly reduced the level of S. mutans on the tooth surface of rats, reducing more than half the bacterial quantities compared with the caries model group (P < 0.05). The amount of S. mutans in the antagonist group was low and highly significant compared with the caries model group. Moreover, the mixture of 4 strains significantly reduced the caries scores (modified Keyes scoring method) in both the probiotic and antagonist groups (p < 0.05)., Conclusions: The study showed that the combination of the four strains can reduce the cavity scores, and the four strains can be used as products in oral care products. At the same time, the study also suggests that probiotic therapy can be an effective way to prevent dental caries., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Gelatin-based bioadhesives, especially methacrylated gelatin (GelMA), have emerged as superior alternatives to sutureless wound closure. Nowadays, their mechanical improvement and therapeutic delivery, particularly for hydrophobic antibiotics, have received ever-increasing interest. Herein, a reinforced gelatin-based hydrogel with a hydrophobic drug delivery property for skin wound treatment was reported. First, photosensitive monomers of N '-(2-nitrobenzyl)- N -acryloyl glycinamide ( NB NAGA) were grafted onto GelMA via Michael addition, namely, GelMA- NB NAGA. Second, gelation of the GelMA- NB NAGA solution was accomplished in a few seconds under one step of ultraviolet (UV) light irradiation. Multiple effects were realized simultaneously, including chemical cross-linking initiated by lithium phenyl-2,4,6-trimethylbenzoylphosphinate (LAP), physical cross-linking of uncaged dual hydrogen bonding, and hydrophobic drug release along with o-NB group disintegration. The mechanical properties of the dual-reinforcement hydrogels were verified to be superior to those only with a chemical or physical single-cross-linked network. The hydrophobic anticancer doxorubicin (DOX) and antibiotic rifampicin (Rif) were successfully charged into the hydrogels, separately. The in vitro antimicrobial tests confirmed the antibacterial activity of the hydrogels against Gram-negative ( Escherichia coli ) and Gram-positive ( Staphylococcus aureus ) bacteria. The in vivo wound-healing assessment in mice further assured their drug release and efficacy. Therefore, this NB NAGA-modified GelMA hydrogel has potential as a material in skin wound dressing with a hydrophobic antibiotic on-demand delivery., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

Photodynamic therapy (PDT), characterized by high treatment efficiency, absence of drug resistance, minimal trauma, and few side effects, has gradually emerged as a novel and alternative clinical approach compared to traditional surgical resection, chemotherapy and radiation. Whereas, considering the limited diffusion distance and short lifespan of reactive oxygen species (ROS), as well as the hypoxic tumor microenvironment, it is crucial to design photosensitizers (PSs) with suborganelle specific targeting ability and low-oxygen dependence for accurate and highly efficient photodynamic therapy. In this study, we have meticulously designed three PSs, namely CIH, CIBr, and CIPh, based on molecular engineering. Theoretical calculation demonstrate that the three compounds possess good molecular planarity with calculated S 1 -T 1 energy gaps (ΔE S1-T1 ) of 1.04 eV for CIH, 0.92 eV for CIBr, and 0.84 eV for CIPh respectively. Notably, CIPh showcases remarkable dual subcellular targeting capability towards lipid droplets (LDs) and mitochondria owing to the synergistic effect of lipophilicity derived from coumarin's inherent properties combined with electropositivity conferred by indole salt cations. Furthermore, CIPh demonstrates exclusive release of singlet oxygen ( 1 O 2 )and highly efficient superoxide anion free radicals(O 2 ⦁- ) upon light irradiation supported by its smallest S1-T1 energy gap (ΔE S1-T1  = 0.84 eV). This leads to compromised integrity of LDs along with mitochondrial membrane potential, resulting in profound apoptosis induction in HepG2 cells. This successful example of molecular engineering guided by density functional theory (DFT) provides valuable experience for the development of more effective PSs with superior dual targeting specificity. It also provides a new idea for the development of advanced PSs with efficient and accurate ROS generation ability towards fluorescence imaging-guided hypoxic tumor therapy., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Vaginitis, a prevalent gynecological condition in women, is mainly caused by an imbalance in the vaginal micro-ecology. The two most common types of vaginitis are vaginal bacteriosis and vulvovaginal candidiasis, triggered by the virulent Gardnerella vaginalis and Candida albicans, respectively. In this study, a strain capable of inhibiting G. vaginalis and C. albicans was screened from vaginal secretions and identified as Lactobacillus gasseri based on 16S rRNA sequences. The strain, named L. gasseri VHProbi E09, could inhibit the growth of G. vaginalis and C. albicans under co-culture conditions by 99.07% ± 0.26% and 99.95% ± 0.01%, respectively. In addition, it could significantly inhibit the adhesion of these pathogens to vaginal epithelial cells. The strain further showed the ability to inhibit the enteropathogenic bacteria Escherichia coli and Salmonella enteritidis, to tolerate artificial gastric and intestinal fluids and to adhere to intestinal Caco-2 cells. These results suggest that L. gasseri VHProbi E09 holds promise for clinical trials and animal studies whether administered orally or directly into the vagina. Whole-genome analysis also revealed a genome consisting of 1752 genes for L. gasseri VHProbi E09, with subsequent analyses identifying seven genes related to adhesion and three genes related to bacteriocins. These adhesion- and bacteriocin-related genes provide a theoretical basis for understanding the mechanism of bacterial inhibition of the strain. The research conducted in this study suggests that L. gasseri VHProbi E09 may be considered as a potential probiotic, and further research can delve deeper into its efficacy as an agent which can restore a healthy vaginal ecosystem., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Calmodulin transduces [Ca 2+ ] information regulating the rhythmic Ca 2+ cycling between the sarcoplasmic reticulum and cytoplasm during contraction and relaxation in cardiac and skeletal muscle. However, the structural dynamics by which calmodulin modulates the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca 2+ release channel, the ryanodine receptor, at physiologically relevant [Ca 2+ ] is unknown. Using fluorescence lifetime FRET, we resolve different structural states of calmodulin and Ca 2+ -driven shifts in the conformation of calmodulin bound to ryanodine receptor. Skeletal and cardiac ryanodine receptor isoforms show different calmodulin-ryanodine receptor conformations, as well as binding and structural kinetics with 0.2-ms resolution, which reflect different functional roles of calmodulin. These FRET methods provide insight into the physiological calmodulin-ryanodine receptor structural states, revealing additional distinct structural states that complement cryo-EM models that are based on less physiological conditions. This technology will drive future studies on pathological calmodulin-ryanodine receptor interactions and dynamics with other important ryanodine receptor bound modulators., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Aim: To explore the relationship between DAZ (Deleted in Azoospermia, DAZ) and DAZLA (Deleted in Azoospermia-like autosomal) gene deletion and male idiopathic azoospermia and oligozoospermia., Methods: 80 patients with azoospermia (azoospermia group) and 80 patients with oligozoospermia (oligozoospermia group) who were treated at our hospital from April 2021 to April 2023, and male volunteers who underwent health examinations at our hospital during the same period were selected as the control group, The incidence of DAZ and DAZLA gene locus deletion in three groups of men was detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and the differences of reproductive hormone levels and main semen parameters among the three groups were compared. The azoospermia were stratified according to whether DAZ and DAZLA gene locus deletion occurred., Results: DAZ gene locus deletion rate in azoospermia and oligospermia groups was considerably higher than in the control group (P < .05). The DAZLA gene locus deletion rate in the azoospermia group was apparently higher than that in the oligospermia and control groups (P < .05). The semen volume was compared between azoospermia and oligospermia patients and controls (P > .05). Sperm concentration, sperm survival rate, the proportion of normal morphological sperm, and the proportion of progressive motility sperm in the oligospermia group were lower than those in the control group (P < .05). The levels of serum T (Testosterone, T) and T/LH in the azoospermiaspermia group were lower than those in the control group (P < .05). Serum LH (Luteinizing Hormone) and FSH (Follicular Stimulating Hormone) in azoospermia group and oligospermia group were higher than those in the control group (P < .05). The Serum LH determination value of the azoospermia group is higher than the oligospermia group (P < .05). Serum T/LH in the azoospermia group was lower than in the oligospermia group (P < .05). The serum T and T/LH values in azoospermia male patients with DAZ and DAZLA gene deletion were lower than those without deletion (P < .05). Sperm concentration and survival rate of oligospermatism male patients with DAZ gene deletion were lower than those without deletion (P < .05). Sperm and serum T and T/LH values of oligospermatism male patients with DAZ gene deletion were lower than those without deletion (P < .05)., Conclusion: The incidence of DAZ and DAZLA gene locus deletion in male patients with idiopathic azoospermia and oligozoospermia was higher than in normal males. The gene locus deletion was related to decreased androgen level, sperm count and motility.

Achieving effective manipulation of perpendicular exchange bias effect remains an intricate endeavor, yet it stands a significance for the evolution of ultra-high capacity and energy-efficient magnetic memory and logic devices. A persistent impediment to its practical applications is the reliance on external magnetic fields during the current-induced switching of exchange bias in perpendicularly magnetized structures. This study elucidates the achievement of a full electrical manipulation of the perpendicular exchange bias in the multilayers with an ultrathin antiferromagnetic layer. Owing to the anisotropic epitaxial strain in the 2-nm-thick IrMn 3 layer, the considerable exchange bias effect is clearly achieved at room temperature. Concomitantly, a specific global uncompensated magnetization manifests in the IrMn 3 layer, facilitating the switching of the irreversible portion of the uncompensated magnetization. Consequently, the perpendicular exchange bias can be manipulated by only applying pulsed current, notably independent of the presence of any external magnetic fields., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

A total of 320 1-day-old broilers were randomly divided into five groups. The control group (CON) received a basal diet, while the FAP4, FAP2, and FAP1 groups were provided with the basal diet supplemented with 4%, 2%, and 1% fermented Astragalus powder, respectively. The unfermented Astragalus powder (UAP2) group was fed the basal diet supplemented with 2% UAP. Each group contained eight replicates of eight chicks each. The results revealed that the final BW and ADG in the FAP 1 and FAP2 were higher than those in the UAP2 and CON groups, while reducing F/G from day 14 to day 42. On day 42, the thymus index in the UAP and FAP groups as well as the bursa index in the FAP4 group showed significant increases compared to those in the CON group. Supplementation with 2% FAP elevated serum IgA levels in broilers on day 28 and day 42, and it also increased serum IgG levels on day 42. Furthermore, supplementation with 2% FAP elevated serum albumin (ALB) levels in broilers, while supplementation with 4% FAP increased serum (glucose) GLU levels in broilers on day 28. The serum biochemical parameters and pathological observation of the liver and kidney in the groups did not show any adverse effects on broilers' health. In addition, the serum total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) level significantly increased in the FAP4 and FAP2 groups on day 28, and the malondialdehyde (MDA) level in both serum and liver tissue decreased in the FAP2 group on day 28 and day 42. Compared to the CON group, 2% FAP and 2% UAP supplementation reduced the relative abundance of Bacteroides and supplementation with 2% FAP increased the relative abundance of Alistipes on day 42. In conclusion, the dietary supplementation of FAP can enhance the growth performance, immune function, and antioxidant capacity and regulate microflora in broilers, of which 2% FAP is more effective. It indicates FAP exhibits significant application potential as a promising feed additive for broilers.

Alloying Pt catalysts with transition metal elements is an effective pathway to enhance the performance of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), but often accompanied with severe metal dissolution issue, resulting in poor stability of alloy catalysts. Here, instead of forming traditional alloy structure, we modify Pt surface with a novel Ni-W dimer structure by the atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique. The obtained NiW@PtC catalyst exhibits superior ORR performance both in liquid half-cell and practical fuel cell compared with initial Pt/C. It is discovered that strong synergistic Ni-W dimer structure arising from short atomic distance induced a stable compressive strain on the Pt surface, thus boosting Pt catalytic performance. This surface modification by synergistic dimer sites offers an effective strategy in tailoring Pt with excellent activity and stability, which provides a significant perspective in boosting the performance of commercial Pt catalyst modified with polymetallic atom sites., (© 2024 The Authors. Angewandte Chemie International Edition published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Background: We aimed to analyze the variability of the permanent trigeminal artery (PTA) and its relationship with cerebrovascular disease., Methods: To analyze the variability of the PTA and its relationship with cerebrovascular disease by using the terms "primitive trigeminal artery", "persistent primitive trigeminal artery", " persistent trigeminal artery variant", "PPTA", "PTAV", "carotid- basilar anastomoses", "carotid-vertebrobasilar anastomoses", "persisting embryonic vessels" were used as keywords, and the English-language literature related to PTA and cerebrovascular diseases published in PubMed, EMBAS, and Web of Science databases from 2000 to 2022 were searched by using "subject terms + free words". A meta-analysis of the collected data was performed using stata14.0 statistical software to assess the relationship between the immortal trigeminal artery and cerebrovascular-related diseases., Results: A total of 1908 relevant articles were initially retrieved for this study. Ten papers were initially screened according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, while the literature was then read one by one to exclude duplicates, reviews, case reports, and conference abstracts, and six papers were finally included for meta-analysis. The six papers included in this paper were all cross-sectional studies with 39,355 subjects, of which 206 subjects had PTA, with a variation rate of approximately 0.52%, including 77 males and 129 females, 117 left-sided variants and 87 right-sided variants. In contrast, of the 206 subjects with a PTA, 52 had cerebrovascular disease, with an overall prevalence of approximately 25.24%., Conclusion: The PTA could influence the development of cerebrovascular disease., (Copyright© 2024 Zhang et al. Published by Tehran University of Medical Sciences.)

Hypoxia and Ferroptosis are associated with the malignant behaviour of cervical cancer. Endothelial PAS domain-containing protein 1 (EPAS1) contributes to the progression of cervical cancer. EPAS1 plays important roles in hypoxia and ferroptosis. Using the GEO dataset, machine-learning algorithms were used to screen for hypoxia- and ferroptosis-related genes (HFRGs) in cervical cancer. EPAS1 was identified as the hub gene. qPCR and WB were used to investigate the expression of EPAS1 in normal and cervical cancer tissues. The proliferation, invasion and migration of EPAS1 cells in HeLa and SiHa cell lines were detected using CCK8, transwell and wound healing assays, respectively. Apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry. A dual-luciferase assay was used to analyse the MALAT1-miR-182-5P-EPAS1 mRNA axis and core promoter elements of the super-enhancer. EPAS1 was significantly overexpressed in cervical cancer tissues. EPAS1 could increase the proliferation, invasion, migration of HeLa and SiHa cells and reduce the apoptosis of HeLa and SiHa cell. According to the double-luciferase assay, EPAS1 expression was regulated by the MALAT1-Mir-182-5p-EPAS1 mRNA axis. EPAS1 is associated with super-enhancers. Double-luciferase assay showed that the core elements of the super-enhancer were E1 and E3. EPAS1, an HFRG, is significantly overexpressed in cervical cancer. EPAS1 promotes malignant behaviour of cervical cancer cells. EPAS1 expression is regulated by super-enhancers and the MALAT1-miR-182-5P- EPAS1 mRNA axis. EPAS1 may be a target for the diagnosis and treatment of cervical cancer., (© 2024 The Authors. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine published by Foundation for Cellular and Molecular Medicine and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Strain-specific probiotics can present antioxidant activity and reduce damage caused by oxidation. Streptococcus alactolyticus strain FGM (S. alactolyticus strain FGM) isolated from the chicken cecum shows potential probiotic properties which have been previously demonstrated. However, the antioxidant properties of S. alactolyticus strain FGM remain unknown. In this view, cell-free supernatant (CFS), intact cells (IC) and intracellular extracts (CFE) of strain FGM and 3 strains of Lactobacillus (LAB) were prepared, and their scavenging capacities against DPPH, hydroxyl radicals and linoleic acid peroxidation inhibitory were compared in this study. The effects of strain FGM cell-free supernatant (FCFS) on NO production, activity of SOD and GSH-Px in RAW264.7 cells and LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells were analyzed. The metabolites in the supernatant were quantitated by N300 Quantitative Metabolome. It was shown that the physicochemical characteristics of CFS to scavenge DPPH, hydroxyl radicals, and linoleic acid peroxidation inhibitory were significantly stronger than that of IC and CFE in the strain FGM (P < 0.05), respectively 87.12% ± 1.62, 45.03% ± 1.27, 15.63% ± 1.34. FCFS had a promotional effect on RAW264.7 cells, and significantly elevated SOD and GSH-Px activities in RAW264.7 cells. 25 μL FCFS significantly promoted the proliferation of RAW264.7 cells induced by LPS, increased the activities of SOD and GSH-PX, and decreased the release of NO. Furthermore, among the differential metabolites of FCFS quantified by N300, 12 metabolites were significantly up-regulated, including lactic acid, indole lactic acid, linoleic acid, pyruvic acid etc., many of which are known with antioxidant properties. In conclusion, FCFS had good antioxidant properties and activity, which can be attributed to metabolites produced from strain FGM fermentation. It was further confirmed that S. alactolyticus strain FGM and its postbiotic have potential probiotic properties and bright application prospects in livestock and poultry breeding., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objectives: Hypoxia is an important cause of chemotherapy resistance in gastric cancer. However, little is known about the growth of gastric cancer under purely hypoxia conditions. This study aims to study the effect of hypoxia on the growth patterns of gastric cancer cells and explore the response of gastric cancer cells to the chemotherapeutic drug 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in a hypoxic environment., Methods: Gastric cancer cells MKN45 were cultured under 1% oxygen hypoxia and conventional air conditions. An intervention group with the addition of the chemotherapeutic drug 5-FU was also established. The proliferation and apoptosis of gastric cancer cells under different oxygen conditions and intervention groups were detected using the cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) method, JC-1 mitochondrial membrane potential assay, and Annexin-V/PI double staining method. Cell cycle changes were detected by flow cytometry, and mitochondrial changes were detected using electron microscopy., Results: In the absence of 5-FU intervention, compared with the normoxia group, the hypoxia group showed higher rates of early and late apoptosis and higher cell death rates as indicated by the JC-1 mitochondrial membrane potential assay, Annexin-V/PI double staining, and CCK-8 results. Flow cytometry results showed that the cell cycle was arrested in the G0/G1 phase without progression. Electron microscopy revealed more severe mitochondrial destruction. However, with 5-FU intervention, the hypoxia group showed lower apoptosis rates, more cell cycle progression, and less mitochondrial destruction compared with the normoxia group., Conclusions: Hypoxic environments promote apoptosis and even death in gastric cancer cells, but hypoxia counteracts the efficacy of the chemotherapeutic drug 5-FU, which may contribute to 5-FU chemotherapy resistance.

Implantable sensors can directly interface with various organs for precise evaluation of health status. However, extracting signals from such sensors mainly requires transcutaneous wires, integrated circuit chips, or cumbersome readout equipment, which increases the risks of infection, reduces biocompatibility, or limits portability. Here, we develop a set of millimeter-scale, chip-less, and battery-less magnetic implants paired with a fully integrated wearable device for measuring biophysical and biochemical signals. The wearable device can induce a large amplitude damped vibration of the magnetic implants and capture their subsequent motions wirelessly. These motions reflect the biophysical conditions surrounding the implants and the concentration of a specific biochemical depending on the surface modification. Experiments in rat models demonstrate the capabilities of measuring cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) viscosity, intracranial pressure, and CSF glucose levels. This miniaturized system opens the possibility for continuous, wireless monitoring of a wide range of biophysical and biochemical conditions within the living organism.

Feline interferon omega (IFN-ω) has been proven to have high antiviral activity; however, its in-depth antiviral effects remain unknown. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been demonstrated to participate in the regulation of the immune response pathway for the body through various active substances, especially through the microRNA (miRNA) carried by them. In this study, we isolated EVs from feline peripheral blood by differential centrifugation, and further found that the content of IFN-ω in EVs increased continuously within 24 h after IFN-ω treatment, and a large number of miRNAs were significantly downregulated in EVs within 12 h after IFN-ω treatment. These significantly differentially expressed miRNAs were important for regulating changes in antiviral cytokines. This study reveals for the first time the correlation between EVs-mediated miRNA in feline peripheral blood and IFN-ω on antiviral immune response, which may provide strong data support for the development of novel antiviral nanomedicine and the research of the antiviral effects of IFN-ω.

Regeneration has been considered as an ideal way for the post-treatment of waste FCC catalyst (ECat). In this work, the degeneration mechanism of ECat was firstly researched and attributed to the increasing of strong acid sites accessibility of ECat in contrast with fresh FCC catalyst by adsorption FTIR. Based on the proposed degeneration mechanism, ECat was successfully regenerated through suitable weakening for strong acid sites by boron modification. Characterization and evaluation results suggested that, the strong acid sites of regenerated ECat (R-ECat) were apparently decreased by boron modification which had significantly improve the heavy oil catalytic cracking performance of R-ECat. Because of the excellent performance, R-ECat in this work could successfully substitute for partial fresh FCC catalyst in FCC unit, which would provide a practicable way for the reutilization of ECat.

An increasing amount of evidence indicates that Baicalin (Bai, a natural glycosyloxyflavone compound) exhibits an antiviral effect against avian viruses. However, it remains unclear if the antiviral effect of Bai against infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) is exerted indirectly by modulating respiratory tract microbiota and/or their metabolites. In this study, we investigated the protection efficacy of Bai in protecting cell cultures and broilers from IBV infection and assessed modulation of respiratory tract microbiota and metabolites during infection. Bai was administered orally to broilers by being mixed in with drinking water for seven days. Ultimately, broilers were challenged with live IBV. The results showed that Bai treatment reduced respiratory tract symptoms, improved weight gain, slowed histopathological damage, reduced virus loads and decreased pro-inflammation cytokines production. Western blot analysis demonstrated that Bai treatment significantly inhibited Toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7), myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) and nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) expression both in cell culture and cells of the trachea. Bai treatment reversed respiratory tract microbiota dysbiosis, as shown by 16S rDNA sequencing in the group of broilers inoculated with IBV. Indeed, we observed a decrease in Proteobacteria abundance and an increase in Firmicutes abundance. Metabolomics results suggest that the pentose phosphate pathway, amino acid and nicotinamide metabolism are linked to the protection conferred by Bai against IBV infection. In conclusion, these results indicated that further assessment of anti-IBV strategies based on Bai would likely result in the development of antiviral molecule(s) which can be administered by being mixed with feed or water.

In precision cancer therapy, addressing intra-tumor heterogeneity poses a significant obstacle. Due to the heterogeneity of each cell subtype and between cells within the tumor, the sensitivity and resistance of different patients to targeted drugs, chemotherapy, etc. , are inconsistent. Concerning a specific tumor type, many feasible treatments or combinations can be used by specifically targeting the tumor microenvironment. To solve this problem, it is necessary to further study the tumor microenvironment. Single-cell sequencing techniques can dissect distinct tumor cell populations by isolating cells and using statistical computational methods. This technology may assist in the selection of targeted combination therapy, and the obtained cell subset information is crucial for the rational application of targeted therapy. In this review, we summarized the research and application advances of single-cell sequencing technology in the tumor microenvironment, including the most commonly used single-cell genomic and transcriptomic sequencing, and their future development direction was proposed. The application of single-cell sequencing technology has been expanded to include epigenomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and microbiome analysis. The integration of these different omics approaches has significantly advanced the development of single-cell multiomics sequencing technology. This innovative approach holds immense potential for various fields, such as biological research and medical investigations. Finally, we discussed the advantages and disadvantages of using single-cell sequencing to explore the tumor microenvironment., Competing Interests: The authors declared no conflict of interests in this study., (© 2024 The Authors. Publishing services by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.)

Aims and Objectives: (i) To estimate the national incidence of unplanned removal of peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) in China. (ii) To explore the associated risk factors to provide evidence for the prevention., Design: A multi-centre prospective cohort study., Methods: A representative sample of 3222 Chinese adult patients with successful PICC insertion was recruited for the PICC Safety Management Research (PATH) using a two-stage cluster sampling method from December 2020 to June 2022. Sixty hospitals from seven Chinese provinces representing all geographical regions were selected. Demographic information and PICC characteristics were collected using a standard online case report form. Risk factors for the unplanned removal of PICCs were assessed using a cause-specific hazard model and verified using a sub-distribution hazard model. STROBE guidelines were followed in reporting this study., Results: Three thousand one hundred and sixty-six patients were included in the final analysis with a mean age of 59 years and a total of 344,247 catheter days. The incidence of unplanned removal was 10.04%. Female, with thrombosis history, PICC insertion due to infusion failure, valved catheter and double-lumen catheter were risk factors, whereas longer insertion and exposure length were protective factors in the cause-specific hazard model. Higher BMI became an independent risk factor in the sub-distribution hazard model., Conclusions: Unplanned removal of PICCs is a serious clinical challenge in China. Our findings call for prevention strategies targeting the identified risk factors., Relevance to Clinical Practice: Our study characterised the epidemiology of unplanned removal of PICCs among Chinese adult inpatients, highlighting the need for prevention among this population and providing a basis for the formulation of relevant prevention strategies., Patient or Public Contribution: Patients contributed through sharing their information required for the case report form. Healthcare professionals who provide direct care to the patient at each medical centre contributed by completing the online case report form., (© 2023 The Authors. Journal of Clinical Nursing published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Phillygenin (PHI) and Baicalin (Bai) are the major chemical ingredients extracted from Forsythia suspensa and Scutellaria baicalensis, respectively. The mixture of Forsythia suspensa and Scutellaria baicalensis according to the theories of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine, compounded formulation can effectively exert heat-clearing and detoxifying effect, but the synergistic anti-IBV activity of PHI combined with Bai was unclear. Here, the protection of PHI combined with Bai on avian infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) M41 infection and the change of respiratory microbiota and metabolomics profiles in broilers that infected with IBV were investigated. According to the experimental findings, the combination of PHI and Bai effectively alleviated broilers' slowing-growth weight and respiratory symptoms. This was accompanied by a reduction in viral copies and histopathological changes, as well as an increase of antiviral protein (G3BP1) level in tracheas and anti-IBV antibody levels in serum. In addition, 16s RNA sequencing revealed that IBV infection significantly changed respiratory microbiota composition at different taxonomic levels and respiratory metabolism composition in broilers. Interestingly, PHI combined with Bai modulated the composition of respiratory microfloras, especially the abundance of Firmicutes and Lactobacillaceae were upregulated, as well as the abundance of Proteobacteria was downregulated. The metabolomics results indicated that PHI combined with Bai involved in glucose, lipids, amino acids and nucleotide metabolism during IBV infection. In summary, PHI combined with Bai exhibited a synergistic effect on preventing infectious bronchitis (IB), with the protection being closely associated with the composition of respiratory microbiota and metabolites. Therefore, adding the mixture of PHI and Bai to the chicken drinking water is recommended to prevent and control IB in clinical., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The main objective of this study was to investigate the potential probiotic properties of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus VHProbi®M15 (M15). This study examined the effects of M15 on sucralfate-induced constipation in a mouse model. The BALB/c mice were randomly divided into four groups: the normal group (NOR) was without any treatment, while the constipation (CON), phenolphthalein (PHE), and probiotic (PRO) treatment groups were fed with sucralfate until the appearance of constipation symptoms. Afterward, the NOR and CON groups were given 1 ml saline orally every day until the end of the experiment; the PHE and PRO groups were given phenolphthalein or M15 suspension in 1 ml orally, respectively. Compared with the CON group, the fecal water content and intestinal peristalsis improved in the PRO group. Here, intake of M15 effectively attenuated sucralfate-induced constipation, recuperated colonic epithelial integrity, and increased serum levels of gastrointestinal excitatory neurotransmitters (motilin, gastrin, substance P). Analysis of the intestinal microbiota of mice by 16S rRNA metagenomic revealed an increase in the relative abundance of Bacteroides and a decrease in Sclerotinia, Verrucosa and Proteus in the PRO group. Compared with the CON group, the constipation-induced intestinal microecological changes were partially recovered in the PHE and PRO groups. These results demonstrate that M15 enhanced gastrointestinal transit and alleviated in mice with sucralfate-induced constipation., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Bottle gourd [Lagenaria siceraria (Mol.) Stand] is a widely cultivated succulent crop species. In December 2022, a serious bottle gourd disease occurred in the protected vegetable planting base of Xingguo County, Ganzhou City, Jiangxi Province, China, with 85% of the 2,100 plants having gray mold disease-like symptoms, including gray spots on the infected fruit. They quickly expanded at suitable temperature and humidity, forming a gray mold layer with inward depressions, which spread to the fruit stem causing watery rot, and the flesh turned black and started to rot. To isolate the pathogen, fruits of the diseased plants were surface-disinfected with 75% ethanol for 30 s, immersed in 0.1% HgCl2 for 1 min, rinsed thrice with sterile water, and cultured on a potato-dextrose agar (PDA) medium at 28°C. Mycelia from the diseased tissue were subcultured on fresh PDA medium to obtain pure cultures. After incubation at 25°C for 7 days, olive-green colonies (~2.5 mm·d-1) developed. Cultures developed numerous elliptical and limoniform conidia measuring 2.69~9.79 μm to 2.10~5.92 μm (average 5.62×3.12 μm) (n=20). The morphological characteristics of the pathogen resembled those of Cladosporium spp. Fungal genomic DNA was extracted, and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), partial translation elongation factor-1 alpha (TEF-1α), and actin (ACT) regions were amplified with primers ITS1/4, TEF-728F/986R, and ACT-512F/783R, respectively, and sequenced (Bensch et al. 2012; Jo et al. 2018). Basic Local Alignment Search Tool analysis (BLAST) revealed that the ITS (accession no. OQ186729), ACT (OQ240962), and TEF-1α (OQ240963) sequences of isolate hjt4 shared the highest similarity (99-100%) with those of Cladosporium tenuissimum (accessions no. OM232068, OM256530, OM256526) (Duccio et al. 2015). A phylogenetic tree of the isolate hjt4 and its close relatives within Cladosporium was constructed using the MEGA X neighbor-joining method. The pathogen was identified as C. tenuissimum based on morphological and molecular characteristics. A specimen (JXAU-H2022982) was deposited at the Herbarium of the College of Agronomy, Jiangxi Agricultural University. To confirm its pathogenicity, seven-day-old healthy bottle gourd fruits were disinfected with 75% ethanol, 1 mm-deep wounds were made with sterilized scalpels, and the plants were inoculated with PDA plugs (0.8 cm in diameter) containing actively growing mycelia of isolate hjt4. Plants inoculated with sterile PDA plugs served as controls. Each group contained three fruits, and the experiment was performed in triplicate. All fruits were incubated in a biochemical incubator at 28°C. After 3 days, the fruit surface shrank, and the flesh turned to a black colour and rotten, which rapidly spread to the branches. Control fruits did not develop any symptoms. Reisolated colonies showed the same morphological traits as those of the inoculation isolates, whereas no target colonies were isolated from the control fruits. The pathogen was previously reported to cause leaf blight disease in Coriandrum sativum (Zhou et al. 2022) and sooty spots on Cape gooseberry (Miyake et al. 2022), among others. To our knowledge, this is the first report of gray mold disease caused by C. tenuissimum on bottle gourd in China. The findings provide an important foundation for monitoring and controlling the spread of this disease.

Background: The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence and molecular characterization of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli (E. coli) isolated from dairy cattle with endometritis in China. The prevalence of ESBL-producing E. coli in sample was detected using ChromID ESBL agar, and genotyping of the ESBL producers was performed by PCR and DNA sequencing., Results: The results revealed that the proportion of positive pathogens tested was 69.76% (180/258) in samples obtained from cows diagnosed with clinical endometritis, with E. coli accounting for 170 out of the 180 positive samples. The infection rate of isolated E. coli was 39.14% (101/258), and co-infections with other pathogens were prevalent. Furthermore, among the 158 E. coli isolates, 50 strains were identified as ESBL producers, with TEM and CTX-M prevalence rates at 78.00% and 32.00%, respectively. Drug sensitivity experiments indicated that 50 isolates of ESBL- producing E. coli were multidrug resistance (MDR), with 48.0% of them exhibiting positive results for both the class 1 integron gene and five gene cassettes associated with resistance to trimethoprim (dfr1 and dfrA17) and aminoglycosides (aadA1, aadA5, and dfrA1), respectively., Conclusion: This investigation demonstrated a substantial prevalence and heightened level of antimicrobial resistance among ESBL-producing E. coli isolates derived from dairy cattle infected with endometritis in China., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Electrically generated spin-orbit torque (SOT) has emerged as a powerful pathway to control magnetization for spintronic applications including memory, logic, and neurocomputing. However, the requirement of external magnetic fields, together with the ultrahigh current density, is the main obstacle for practical SOT devices. In this paper, we report that the field-free SOT-driven magnetization switching can be successfully realized by interfacial ion absorption in perpendicular Ta/CoFeB/MgO multilayers. Besides, the tunable SOT efficiency exhibits a strong dependence on interfacial Ti insertion thicknesses. Polarized neutron reflection measurements demonstrate the existence of canted magnetization with Ti inserted, which leads to deterministic magnetization switching. In addition, interfacial characterization and first-principles calculations reveal that B absorption by the Ti layer is the main cause behind the enhanced interfacial transparency, which determines the tunable SOT efficiency. Our findings highlight an attractive scheme to a purely electric control spin configuration, enabling innovative designs for SOT-based spintronics via interfacial engineering.

The aim of this study was to investigate the inhibitory effects of Cordyceps militaris solid medium extract (CME) and cordycepin (COR) on LTA-induced inflammation in MH-S cells and their mechanisms of action. In this study, the establishment of an LTA-induced MH-S inflammation model was determined, the CCK-8 method was used to determine the safe concentration range for a drug for COR and CME, the optimal concentration of COR and CME to exert anti-inflammatory effects was further selected, and the expression of inflammatory factors of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-18, and IL-6 was detected using ELISA. The relative expression of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-18, IL-6, IL-10, TLR2 and MyD88 mRNA was detected using RT-PCR, and the IL-1β, IL-18, TLR2, MyD88, NF-κB p-p65, NLRP3, pro-caspase-1, Caspase-1 and ASC protein expression in the cells were detected using Western blot; immunofluorescence assay detected the expression of Caspase-1 in MH-S cells. The results revealed that both CME and COR inhibited the levels of IL-1β, IL-18, IL-6, and TNF-α in the supernatants of LTA-induced MH-S cells and the mRNA expression levels of IL-1β, IL-18, IL-6, TNF-α, TLR2 and MyD88, down-regulated the LTA-induced IL-1β, IL-18, TLR2 in MH-S cells, MyD88, NF-κB p-p65/p65, NLRP3, ASC, pro-caspase-1, and caspase-1 protein expression levels, and inhibited LTA-induced caspase-1 activation in MH-S cells. In conclusion, CME can play a therapeutic role in LTA-induced inflammation in MH-S cells via TLR2/NF-κB/NLRP3, and may serve as a potential drug for bacterial pneumonia caused by Gram-positive bacteria.

Single-entity collisional electrochemistry (SECE), a subfield of single-entity electrochemistry, enables directly characterizing entities and particles in the electrolyte solution at the single-entity resolution. Blockade SECE at the traditional solid ultramicroelectrode (UME)/electrolyte interface suffers from a limitation: only redox-inactive particles can be studied. The wide application of the classical Coulter counter is restricted by the rapid translocation of entities through the orifice, which results in a remarkable proportion of undetected signals. In response, the blocking effect of single charged conductive or insulating nanoparticles (NPs) at low concentrations for ion transfer (IT) at a miniaturized polarized liquid/liquid interface was successfully observed. Since the particles are adsorbed at the liquid/liquid interface, our method also solves the problem of the Coulter counter having a too-fast orifice translocation rate. The decreasing quantal staircase/step current transients are from landings (controlled by electromigration) of either conductive or insulating NPs onto the interface. This interfacial NP assembly shields the IT flux. The size of each NP can be calculated by the step height. The particle size measured by dynamic light scattering (DLS) is used for comparison with that calculated from electrochemical blocking events, which is in fairly good agreement. In short, the blocking effect of IT by single entities at micro- or submicro-liquid/liquid interface has been proven experimentally and is of great reference in single-entity detection.

The effects of substituting Bacillus subtilis, Astragalus membranaceus, and enzymes for aureomycin to improve the growth performance of broilers during specific phases were studied to develop alternatives to in-feed antibiotics and decrease drug residues in meat food and antibiotic resistance. Six hundred one-day-old broilers were randomly assigned to 5 groups. Broilers in the control group were supplied with basal diets (CT), and those in the remaining 4 groups were supplied with feed containing aureomycin premix (AU), B. subtilis powder (BS), A. membranaceus root powder (AM), and enzyme compound powder (EN), respectively. Compared to the control group, broilers in the other groups exhibited better growth performance during different phases. Microbial analysis of cecal contents suggested that treatment with BS or EN significantly increased the abundance of Lactobacillus or Bifidobacteria but inhibited Escherichia coli or Clostridium welchii; however, these bacteria were suppressed by AU treatment except C. welchii. The digestibility of the feed in vitro was significantly enhanced by adding BS or EN to the feed, consistent with findings for growth performance. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with 3 additives could improve the growth performance of broilers during specific phases. Future studies should focus on designing suitable schedules to partially replace in-feed antibiotics., Competing Interests: DISCLOSURES The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper. Financial support: This work was financially supported by International Cooperation Program of Gansu Province [grant number 22YF7WA032]; The Agricultural Sciences and Technology Innovation Program [grant numbers CAASZDXT2018008]; National Natural Science Foundation of China (31602101), International Cooperation Program of Gansu Province (22YF7WA032), Technical innovation guidance plan of Gansu Province (22CX8NA013)., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) causes bovine viral diarrhea-mucosal disease, inflicting substantial economic losses upon the global cattle industry. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) are the central hub for immune responses during host-virus infection and have been recognized as crucial targets for BVDV infection. In order to elucidate the dynamics of host-BVDV-1 interaction, this study harnessed RNA-seq and iTRAQ methods to acquire an extensive dataset of transcriptomics and proteomics data from samples of BVDV-1-infected PBMCs at the 12-h post-infection mark. When compared to mock-infected PBMCs, we identified 344 differentially expressed genes (DEGs: a total of 234 genes with downregulated expression and 110 genes with upregulated expression) and 446 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs: a total of 224 proteins with downregulated expression and 222 proteins with upregulated expression). Selected DEGs and DEPs were validated through quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and parallel reaction monitoring. Gene ontology annotation and KEGG enrichment analysis underscored the significant enrichment of DEGs and DEPs in various immunity-related signaling pathways, including antigen processing and presentation, complement and coagulation cascades, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, and the NOD-like receptor signaling pathway, among others. Further analysis unveiled that those DEGs and DEPs with downregulated expression were predominantly associated with pathways such as complement and coagulation cascades, the interleukin-17 signaling pathway, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, the tumor necrosis factor signaling pathway, and the NOD-like receptor signaling pathway. Conversely, upregulated DEGs and DEPs were chiefly linked to metabolic pathways, oxidative phosphorylation, complement and coagulation cascades, and the RIG-I-like receptor signaling pathway. These altered genes and proteins shed light on the intense host-virus conflict within the immune realm. Our transcriptomics and proteomics data constitute a significant foundation for delving further into the interaction mechanism between BVDV and its host.

Extravagant price and lack of high-efficiency recovery technology limited scale-up utilization of ionic liquids. Ionic liquids recovery with electrodialysis-based techniques has caught wide concern due to membrane-based characteristic. Economical assessment for electrodialysis-based ionic liquid recovery and recycling in biomass processing was performed by determining influence of equipment-related and financial-related factors with sensitivity analysis for each factor. Overall recovery cost of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate, choline acetate, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hydrogen sulphate and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium hydrogen sulfate varied within 0.75-1.96 $/Kg, 0.99-3.00 $/Kg, 1.37-2.74 $/Kg and 1.15-2.89 $/Kg when factors changed within investigated range. Fold of membrane cost, factor of membrane stack cost, factor of auxiliary equipment cost, factor of annual maintenance cost and annual interest rate of loan were positively related with recovery cost. While percentage of annual elapsed time and loan period were negatively correlated with recovery cost. Economical assessment confirmed economic efficiency of electrodialysis for ionic liquids recovery and recycling in biomass processing., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

As a clean and effective approach, the introduction of external magnetic fields to improve the performance of catalysts has attracted extensive attention. Owing to its room-temperature ferromagnetism, chemical stability, and earth abundance, VSe 2 is expected to be a promising and cost-effective ferromagnetic electrocatalyst for the accomplishment of high-efficient spin-related OER kinetics. In this work, a facile pulsed laser deposition (PLD) method combined with rapid thermal annealing (RTA) treatment is used to successfully confine monodispersed 1T-VSe 2 nanoparticles in amorphous carbon matrix. As expected, with external magnetic fields of 800 mT stimulation, the confined 1T-VSe 2 nanoparticles exhibit highly efficient oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalytic activity with an overpotential of 228 mV for 10 mA cm -2 and remarkable durability without deactivation after >100 h OER operation. The experimental results together with theoretical calculations illustrate that magnetic fields can facilitate the surface charge transfer dynamics of 1T-VSe 2 , and modify the adsorption-free energy of *OOH, thus finally improving the intrinsic activity of the catalysts. This work realizes the application of ferromagnetic VSe 2 electrocatalyst in highly efficient spin-dependent OER kinetics, which is expected to promote the application of transition metal chalcogenides (TMCs) in external magnetic field-assisted electrocatalysis., (© 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Spin obit torque (SOT) driven magnetization switching has been used widely for encoding consumption-efficient memory and logic. However, symmetry breaking under a magnetic field is required to realize the deterministic switching in synthetic antiferromagnets with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA), which limits their potential applications. Herein, we report all electric-controlled magnetization switching in the antiferromagnetic Co/Ir/Co trilayers with vertical magnetic imbalance. Besides, the switching polarity could be reversed by optimizing the Ir thickness. By using the polarized neutron reflection (PNR) measurements, the canted noncollinear spin configuration was observed in Co/Ir/Co trilayers, which results from the competition of magnetic inhomogeneity. In addition, the asymmetric domain walls demonstrated by micromagnetic simulations result from introducing imbalance magnetism, leading to the deterministic magnetization switching in Co/Ir/Co trilayers. Our findings highlight a promising route to electric-controlled magnetism via tunable spin configuration, improve our understanding of physical mechanisms, and significantly promote industrial applications in spintronic devices.

Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury is a multifactorial process caused by transient tissue hypoxia and the following reoxygenation, commonly occurring in liver transplantation and hepatectomy. Hepatic I/R can induce a systemic inflammatory response, liver dysfunction, or even multiple organ failure. Although we have previously reported that taurine could attenuate acute liver injury after hepatic I/R, only a tiny proportion of the systemically injected taurine could reach the targeted organ and tissues. In this present study, we prepared taurine nanoparticles (Nano-taurine) by coating taurine with neutrophil membranes and investigated the protective effects of Nano-taurine against I/R-induced injury and the underlying mechanisms. Our results showed that Nano-taurine restored liver function by declining AST and ALT levels and reducing histology damage. Nano-taurine decreased inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, NLR pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) and apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing CARD (ASC) and oxidants including superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT) and reactive oxygen species (ROS), exhibiting anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. The expression of solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11) and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) was increased, while prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (Ptgs2) was decreased upon administration of Nano-taurine, suggesting that inhibiting ferroptosis may be involved in the mechanism during hepatic I/R injury. These results suggest that Nano-taurine have a targeted therapeutic effect on hepatic I/R injury by inhibiting inflammation, oxidative stress, and ferroptosis., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that no conflicts of interest exist., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

A strain of lactic acid bacteria from cheese was isolated, that showed strong growth inhibitory effects on Streptococcus mutans. The API 50CH system and 16S rDNA sequencing verified that this was a novel strain, and was named Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus VHProbi M14. The strain inhibited the growth of S. mutans and Fusobacterium nucleatum under mixed culture conditions, coaggregated with S. mutans and F. nucleatum, and reduced the adhesion of S. mutans and F. nucleatum on cultured human primary gingival epithelial (HPGE) cells. The pH, peroxidase and protease sensitivity testing found antibacterial substances of protein- and peptide-like structures in addition to organic acids. The antimicrobial substances were sensitive to hydrolysis with trypsin, papain and pineapple protease and were inactived at temperatures above 100°C. Ammonium sulphate-precipitated proteins from the M14 strain retained the ability to inhibit the growth of S. mutans and F. nucleatum. The M14 strain contained 23 bacteriocin-related genes encoding for metabolites, belonging to class II bacteriocins. The M14 strain also showed inhibitory effects on 8 other pathogenic strains (A. actinomycetemcomitans, C. albicans, E. coli, G. vaginalis, P. acnes, P. gingivalis, S. aureus, S. enteritids), and thus has a broad spectrum of bacterial inhibition. This new isolate has been identified as having potential to be used as a probiotic bacterium in clinical applications., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Zhang et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Molecular adsorption on solids is inevitable and has significant influences on the wettability of materials, while the tuning mechanism of the wettability from molecular adsorption is yet to be understood. Using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, we comprehensively studied the relation between the wettability of the TiO 2 surface and the adsorption of water and carboxylic acid molecules. Our results reveal that the increasing amount of surface hydroxyl groups from the decomposition adsorption of H 2 O increases the hydrophilicity of TiO 2 , providing molecular-level evidence for the previously proposed mechanism of photo-induced hydrophilicity. By contrast, the surface wettability becomes tunable with water contact angles changing from 0 to ∼130° through length adjustment of the adsorbed carboxylic acids. The TiO 2 surface is hydrophilic with the adsorption of short-alkyl-chain carboxylic acids (e.g., HCOOH) and becomes hydrophobic when longer-alkyl-chain carboxylic acids (H(CH 2 ) n COOH, n > 2) are present. Furthermore, long-alkyl-chain acids also increase surface oleophilicity, while the adsorption of HCOOH and CH 3 COOH significantly enhances the oleophobicity of TiO 2 . Water molecules can also more easily penetrate the space between oily contaminants and adsorbed short acid molecules, thereby further increasing its self-cleaning capacity. The present simulations not only reveal the mechanism of wettability caused by molecular adsorption but also provide a promising method to create materials with controllable wettability and high self-cleaning efficiency.

Background: Intracavity electrocardiogram (IC-ECG) guidance is an effective technology for monitoring the tip locations of centrally inserted central catheters (CICCs) and peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs). However, for patients with an indwelling CICC, there has been no study on whether the CICC affects PICC tip positioning with IC-ECG guidance., Methods: Thirty people with a CICC requiring PICC insertion, matched with age to controls without a CICC. The stability of IC-ECG waveforms, the amplitude of P-waves, and the accuracy of PICC tip location were compared., Results: There was no significant difference in the stability of the IC-ECG waveforms (χ 2  = 0.22, p  = 0.64). The amplitudes of baseline P-waves and ideal P-waves also showed no significant difference ( t 1 = 0.06, p 1 = 0.96, t 2 = 0.80, p 2 = 0.43). Neither the accuracy of tip location (χ 2  = 1.40, p  = 0.50) nor the distance of PICC tip ( t  = -0.03, p  = 0.98) were significantly different., Conclusion: For patients with an indwelling CICC, the position of PICC tip can be accurately determined by the dynamic changes in the P-wave amplitude.

Objectives: This study aimed to explore the neuroprotective effects of paeoniflorin on oxidative stress and apoptosis in 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced Parkinson's disease (PD) mice., Methods: The effects of paeoniflorin on motor function in mice were evaluated by behavioral test. Then substantia nigra of mice were collected and neuronal damage was assessed using Nissl staining. Positive expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) was detected by immunohistochemistry. Levels of malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione were measured by biochemical method. terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling assay was used to detect apoptosis of dopaminergic neurons. Western blotting and real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR were used to detect the protein and mRNA expressions of Nrf2, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), B-cell lymphoma-2(Bcl-2), Bax and cleaved caspase-3., Results: Paeoniflorin treatment significantly ameliorated the motor performance impairment in MPTP-induced PD mice. Moreover, it notably increased the positive expression rate of TH and reduced the damage and apoptosis of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. Furthermore, paeoniflorin increased the levels of SOD and glutathione and decreased the malondialdehyde content. It also promoted Nrf2 nuclear translocation, increased the protein and mRNA expressions of HO-1 and Bcl-2 and reduced the protein and mRNA expressions of BCL2-Associated X2 (Bax) and cleaved caspase-3. Treatment with the Nrf2 inhibitor, ML385, notably reduced the effects of paeoniflorin in MPTP-induced PD mice., Conclusions: Neuroprotective effects of paeoniflorin in MPTP-induced PD mice may be mediated via inhibition of oxidative stress and apoptosis of dopaminergic neurons in substantia nigra through activation of the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway., (Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Redispersion behavior recovers the important features of nanomaterials and thus holds great promise for exciting applications of nanomaterials in different fields. In contrast to the redispersion of nanoparticles, which is mainly determined by surface chemistry, the redispersion of 2D nanosheets could be more complicated and is not well understood. In the present study, the redispersion behavior of 2D NMs was investigated by selecting representative nanosheets, MoS 2 , graphene oxide and their derivatives with both experimental methods and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The good agreement between experiments and MD simulations suggested that the redispersion in response to surface chemistry was regulated by the alignment configurations of the nanosheets. More importantly, we revealed that the difference in the hydrophilicity properties is responsible for the distinctive separation distances of the 1T and 2H MoS 2 nanosheets. Appropriately adjusting the alignment configuration of the nanosheets can alter the effect of surface hydrophilicity on the redispersion behavior. Based on these fundamental findings, we identified three distinctive zones for the redispersion tendency of the 2D nanosheets with different surface hydrophilicity, Hamaker constants and intersheet contacts. As one of the implications, the results serve as a prescreening for the stability of the 2D restacking-based membrane. For the first time, the study systematically reported the interplay of intersheet configuration and surface chemistry in the redispersion of nanosheets, which provides a theoretical foundation for the processing and applications of 2D nanomaterials.

Aims: Cervical cancer with different mutations is associated with specific genomic differences. We developed a new mutation prediction model of the ARHGAP4 gene for cervical cancer., Main Methods: We conducted a panoramic analysis of CESC mutations based on The Cancer Genome Atlas-Cervical Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Endocervical Adenocarcinoma (TCGA-CESC) database. We made copy number variation analysis and correlation analysis of somatic mutations and tumor mutation load fraction. Then we established a prediction model of ARHGAP4 mutation, screened related genes based on the risk scores, calculated the correlation between the risk score and immune microenvironment, and analyzed drug sensitivity., Key Findings: The prediction model of ARHGAP4 mutation based on mRNA expression is closely related to the survival rate of cervical cancer patients and to the effect of immunotherapy. The prediction model is also related to the infiltration of immune cells and human leukocyte antigen family expression in the immune microenvironment. After computational analysis, three drugs (cytarabine, docetaxel, imatinib) were identified as potential agents for the ARHGAP4 mutation high-risk group, and two drugs (erlotinib, methotrexate) were shown to have therapeutic significance for patients in the low-risk group. The expression of ARHGAP4 was higher in cervical cancer tissues. The proliferation ability of HeLa and SiHa cells decreased after ARHGAP4 knockdown., Significance: This study provides not only a new approach for the prediction of the response of the cervical cancer patients to targeted drug therapy but also a new strategy for combining risk stratification with precision treatment., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Zero-thermal-expansion (ZTE) alloys, as dimensionally stable materials, are urgently required in many fields, particularly in highly advanced modern industries. In this study, high-performance ZTE with a negligible coefficient of thermal expansion a v as small as 2.4 ppm K -1 in a broad temperature range of 85-245 K is discovered in Hf 0.85 Ta 0.15 Fe 2 C 0.01 magnet. It is demonstrated that the addition of trace interstitial atom C into Ta-substituted Hf 0.85 Ta 0.15 Fe 2 exhibits significant capability to tune the normal positive thermal expansion into high-performance ZTE via enhanced magnetoelastic coupling in stabilized ferromagnetic structure. Moreover, direct observation of the magnetic transition between ferromagnetic and triangular antiferromagnetic states via Lorentz transmission electron microscopy, along with corresponding theoretical calculations, further uncovers the manipulation mechanism of ZTE and negative thermal expansion. A convenient and effective method to optimize thermal expansion and achieve ZTE with interstitial C addition may result in broadened applications based on the strong correlation between the magnetic properties and crystal structure., (© 2022 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Damage caused by Salmonella is not only limited to the gastrointestinal tract, but also occurs in the central nervous system (CNS). The aim of this study was to explore the protective effects of asiatic acid (AA) and andrographolide (AD) on the CNS through simulating common infection in mice by oral administration of Salmonella typhimurium (S. typhimurium). The results showed that the neurons in the hippocampus of mice were damaged after S. typhimurium invaded CNS in mice, and the inflammation was increased, which was manifested by the increased expression of inflammatory factors interleukin (IL)-1β, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, IL-6, interferon (IFN)-γ and IL-12b and the activation of NOD-, LRR- and pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasomes. The damage and inflammatory response of mouse hippocampal neurons were effectively reduced by AA or AD pretreatment. Furthermore, we observed the significant activation of microglia after S. typhimurium infection. AA and AD attenuated S. typhimurium -induced hippocampal injury by reducing the inflammatory response on microglia. The findings suggest that the AA and AD protect CNS from injury caused by S. typhimurium infection through inhibiting over expression of multiple neuroinflammatory mediators and NLRP3 inflammasome in mice., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The interplay between the interfacial crystalline structure and Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI) was investigated by Fe insertion in epitaxial Pt/Co/Ir perpendicular magnetized multilayers. The experimental results with the support of first-principles calculation indicate that the Fe/Ir interface exhibits a positive interfacial DMI (iDMI) originating from the fcc crystalline structure inserted by 2 monolayers (ML) Fe, while a negative one from the structure with a layer shifting of 1-ML Fe insertion. The total iDMI of the multilayers increases (decreases) due to the additive enhancement (competitive counteraction) between the iDMI of Fe/Ir and Pt/Co interfaces. Comparing the iDMI of single-crystalline and textured multilayers, the iDMI of multilayers is found to be particularly sensitive to the crystallinity nearby the heterointerfaces. This work is of vital importance to reveal a deeper insight into the physical mechanism of the iDMI and provides a viable strategy for tailoring the iDMI of the multilayers by crystal engineering.

Several studies have shown that MutS homolog 2 (MSH2) is highly expressed in many cancer tissues. Transcriptome expression data were collected from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. We analyzed the expression of MSH2 in normal and tumor tissues, the relationship between MSH2 expression and various prognostic factors, and the relationship between MSH2 expression and overall survival, disease specific survival, and progression free interval. We also examined MSH2 promoter methylation between endometrial cancer and normal endometrial tissues, and identified the prognostic value of MSH2 methylation in endometrial cancer. MSH2 was highly expressed in endometrial cancer tumor tissues compared with normal tissues. High MSH2 expression might be an independent prognostic factor for OS, DSS, and PFI. Further, high MSH2 expression was correlated with age and histological type, but not with BMI, clinical stage, tumor invasion, or other clinical features. MSH2 promoter methylation in endometrial cancer was significantly lower than in normal tissues. Additionally, MSH2 levels, OS, DSS, and PFI were associated with BMI, age, tumor invasion, and histological type. ssGSEA showed that MSH2 expression was positively correlated with the infiltration of Th2 cells, Tcm cells, T helper cells, and Tgd cells, whereas it was negatively correlated with NK CD56 bright cells, pDC cells, iDC cells, cytotoxic cells, and neutrophils. Increased MSH2 expression and reduced MSH2 methylation in endometrial cancer predicts poor prognosis. MSH2 may be used as a biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of endometrial cancer and as an immunotherapy target., (© 2022 International Federation for Cell Biology.)