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Bioassay-guided fractionation of metabolites from the fungus Cephalosporium sp.AL031 isolated from Sinarundinaria nitida led to the discovery of a new isobenzofuranone derivative, 4,6-dihydroxy-5-methoxy-7-methylphthalide (1), together with three known compounds: 4,5,6-trihydroxy-7-methyl-1,3-dihydroisobenzofuran (2), 4,6-dihydroxy-5-methoxy-7-methyl-1,3-dihydroisobenzofuran (3) and 4,5,6-trihydroxy-7-methylphthalide (4). The structure of the new compound 1 was determined based on MS, 1D and 2D NMR spectral data. Compounds 1–4 showed potent antioxidant activity with EC50 values of 10, 7, 22 and 5 μM by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging assay.

A visible‐light‐induced acylation aromatization of para‐quinone methides to access α,α′‐diarylated ketones was realized with cheap and readily available carboxylic acids as acylating reagents via deoxygenation. The synthetic method avoids the tedious preparation of reactants or catalysts and shows a broad substrate scope (34 examples) under mild conditions. Notably, the late‐stage functionalization of some drug molecules could also be achieved via this protocol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lightweight metal‐polymer composited foam has drawn considerable attention in fields of wearable electronics, acoustic and electromagnetic shielding, automotive and aerospace manufacturing, owing to its unique advantages like electrical conductivity and mechanical properties. Herein, a facile strategy is studied for one‐step fabrication of multifunctional liquid metal (LM) permeated expancel microspheres foam (EMLM foam) with controllable shape and size. Specifically, the formation process and mechanism of bicontinuous structure with polymer and liquid metal are explored by real‐time monitoring and finite element simulation. Both experimental and simulating results confirmed a stable 3D metal interconnected network that can be constructed with lower limit of LM (3 vol.%). In addition, based on the unique features of reversible rigidity control, lightweight, electrical conductivity, and mechanical stability, the EMLM foam can exhibit intelligent performance in tunable acoustic, energy absorption, and thermal driving repair. Combined with EMLM foam's facile preparation process and versatility, it can provide the remarkable opportunity to develop the lightweight intelligent devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: mRNA became a promising therapeutic approach in many diseases. This study aimed to identify the tumor antigens specifically expressed in tumor cells for lower-grade glioma (LGG) and glioblastoma (GBM) patients. Methods: In this work, the mRNA microarray expression profile and clinical data were obtained from 301 samples in the Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA) database, the mRNA sequencing data and clinical data of 701 samples were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Genetic alterations profiles were extracted from CGGA and cBioPortal datasets. R language and GraphPad Prism software were applied for the statistical analysis and graph work. Results: PTBP1 and SLC39A1, which were overexpressed and indicated poor prognosis in LGG patients, were selected as tumor-specific antigens for LGG patients. Meanwhile, MMP9 and SLC16A3, the negative prognostic factors overexpressed in GBM, were identified as tumor-specific antigens for GBM patients. Besides, three immune subtypes (LGG1-LGG3) and eight WGCNA modules were identified in LGG patients. Meanwhile, two immune subtypes (GBM1–GBM2) and 10 WGCNA modules were selected in GBM. The immune characteristics and potential functions between different subtypes were diversity. LGG2 and GBM1 immune subtype were associated with longer overall survival than other subtypes. Conclusion: In this study, PTBP1 and SLC39A1 are promising antigens for mRNA vaccines development in LGG, and MMP9 and SLC16A3 were potential antigens in GBM. Our analyses indicated that mRNA vaccine immunotherapy was more suitable for LGG2 and GBM1 subtypes. This study was helpful for the development of glioma immunotherapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pea (Pisum sativum L.) is an important legume crop. However, the yield of pea is adversely affected by heat stress in China. In this study, heat-tolerant germplasms were screened and evaluated in the field under multi-conditions. The results showed that heat stress could significantly affect pea yield. On the basis of grain weight per plant, 257 heat-tolerant and 175 heat-sensitive accessions were obtained from the first year's screening, and 26 extremely heat-tolerant and 19 extremely heat-sensitive accessions were finally obtained in this study. Based on SNaPshot technology, two sets of SNP markers, including 46 neutral and 20 heat-tolerance-related markers, were used to evaluate the genetic diversity and population genetic structure of the 432 pea accessions obtained from the first year's screening. Genetic diversity analysis showed that the average polymorphic information content was lower using heat-tolerance-related markers than neutral markers because of the selective pressure under heat stress. In addition, population genetic structure analysis showed that neutral markers divided the 432 pea accessions into two subpopulations associated with sowing date type and geographical origin, while the heat-tolerance-related markers divided these germplasms into two subpopulations associated with heat tolerance and sowing date type. Overall, we present a comprehensive resource of heat-tolerant and heat-sensitive pea accessions through heat-tolerance screenings in multi-conditions, which could help genetic improvements of pea in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Butterfly pea flower contains many bioactive substances. To make more use of it, an approach of adding butterfly pea flower extract (BPFE) to Chinese steamed bread (CSB) as a natural colorant and functional ingredient was applied. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of BPFE levels (0–30%) on phytochemical, textural, and sensory properties of CSB. Total anthocyanins, free polyphenols, DPPH radical scavenging capacity, and reducing power of CSB were enhanced by increasing BPFE level. BPFE‐fortified CSB appeared blue in color. However, steaming process caused obvious decrease in anthocyanin content and blueness of CSB. Although addition of 30% BPFE significantly reduced the springiness, cohesiveness and elasticity of CSB, CSB with 0–30% BPFE had similar sensory scores in flavor, texture, and overall preferences. Blue healthy CSB having high phytochemicals and antioxidant activities as well as acceptable sensory attributes can be manufactured by the addition of 20–30% BPFE. Practical applications: Consumption of traditional staple foods fortified with natural functional ingredients having more bioactive components is a great benefit to the health of human beings and fits current clean‐label trend in food market. Since the flowers of butterfly pea are rich in bioactive anthocyanins, phenolic acids, and flavonols, they were extracted by hot water and prepared into BPFE in this study. The study demonstrated that butterfly pea flower or its extract as a natural functional ingredient can be utilized in steamed bread. Blue healthy CSB having good nutritional, antioxidantive, and sensory quality can be produced by using butterfly pea flowers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering that under the framework of the massive gravity theory, the interaction between the mass gravitons and Schwarzschild black hole (BH) could make it carry a scalar charge, the phase transition process caused by this scalar charge is investigated in this analysis. The phase transition grade and microstructure of those BHs are investigated from both macroscopic and microscopic points of view. From the macroscopic point of view, it is found that Ehrenfest equations are satisfied at the phase transition critical point, which implies that the phase transition grade of those BHs is second-order. Based on the BH molecules model and Landau continuous phase transition theory, the phase transition of those BHs from the microcosmic point of view is analyzed. The critical exponents obtained from the two perspectives are consistent. By investigating the Ruppeiner geometry, the microstructure feature of those BHs is revealed. These results suggest that the phase transition of BH in massive gravity is a standard second-order phase transition at the critical point, and the microscopic details of those BHs are different from the Reissnerâ€"Nordström AdS BH in standard Einstein gravity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autologous adipose tissue is an ideal soft tissue filling material in theory, which has the advantages of easy access, comprehensive source, and high biocompatibility and is now widely used in clinical practice. Based on the above benefits of autologous fat, autologous fat grafting is an essential technique in plastic surgery. Conventional macrofat is used to improve structural changes after soft tissue damage or loss caused by various causes such as disease, trauma, or aging. Due to the large diameter of particles and to avoid serious complications such as fat embolism, blunt needles with larger diameters (2 mm) are required, making the macrofat grafting difficult to the deep dermis and subdermis. Nanofat grafting is a relatively new technology that has gained popularity in cosmetic surgery in recent years. Nanofat is produced by mechanical shuffling and filtration of microfat, which is harvested by liposuction. The harvesting and processing of nanofat are cost-effective as it does not require additional equipment or culture time. Unlike microfat, nanofat particles are too small to provide a notable volumizing effect. Studies have shown that nanofat contains abundant stromal vascular fraction cells and adipose-derived stem cells, which help reconstruct dermal support structures, such as collagen, and regenerate healthier, younger-looking skin. Moreover, the fluid consistency of nanofat allows application in tissue regeneration, such as scars, chronic wounds, and facial rejuvenation. This article reviews the current research progress on the preparation, mechanism, and clinical application of nanofat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The non-local symmetries for the generalised Broer–Kaup (BK) system are obtained with the truncated Painlevé expansion method. The non-local symmetries can be localised to the Lie point symmetries for the extended system by introducing auxiliary dependent variables. The finite symmetry transformations related to the non-local symmetries are computed. The consistent Riccati expansion and consistent tanh expansion integrability of the generalised BK system are proved, and the single soliton, two-resonant soliton and soliton–cnoidal wave interaction solutions are derived. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemosensory proteins (CSPs) play important roles in chemical communication by insects, as they recognize and transport environmental chemical signals to receptors within sensilla. In this study, we identified HoblCSP1 and HoblCSP2 from a cDNA library of Holotrichia oblita antennae, successfully expressed them in E. coli and purified them by Ni ion affinity chromatography. We then measured the ligand-binding specificities of HoblCSP1 and HoblCSP2 to 50 selected ligands in a competitive binding assay. These results demonstrated that HoblCSP1 and HoblCSP2 have similar ligand-binding spectra. Both proteins displayed the highest affinity for β-ionone, α-ionone and cinnamaldehyde, indicating that they prefer binding to odorants other than sex pheromones. Additionally, immuno-localization revealed that HoblCSP1 is highly concentrated in sensilla basiconica, while HoblCSP2 is specifically localized to sensilla placodea. In conclusion, HoblCSP1 and HoblCSP2 are responsible for binding to general odorants with slightly different specificities due to their different in vivo environments.

Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite that infects a variety of mammals, including humans. An effective vaccine for this parasite is therefore needed. In this study, RH strain T. gondii rhoptry protein 17 was expressed in bacteria as a fusion with glutathione S-transferase (GST) and the recombinant proteins (rTgROP17) were purified via GST-affinity chromatography. BALB/c mice were nasally immunised with rTgROP17, and induction of immune responses and protection against chronic and lethal T. gondii infections were investigated. The results revealed that mice immunised with rTgROP17 produced high levels of specific anti-rTgROP17 IgGs and a mixed IgG1/IgG2a response of IgG2a predominance. The systemic immune response was associated with increased production of Th1 (IFN-γand IL-2) and Th2 (IL-4) cytokines, and enhanced lymphoproliferation (stimulation index, SI) in the mice immunised with rTgROP17. Strong mucosal immune responses with increased secretion of TgROP17-specific secretory IgA (SIgA) in nasal, vaginal and intestinal washes were also observed in these mice. The vaccinated mice displayed apparent protection against chronic RH strain infection as evidenced by their lower liver and brain parasite burdens (59.17% and 49.08%, respectively) than those of the controls. The vaccinated mice also exhibited significant protection against lethal infection of the virulent RH strain (survival increased by 50%) compared to the controls. Our data demonstrate that rTgROP17 can trigger strong systemic and mucosal immune responses against T. gondii and that ROP17 is a promising candidate vaccine for toxoplasmosis.

Acute lung injury (ALI) is the leading cause of death in intensive care units. Extracellular histones have recently been recognized to be pivotal inflammatory mediators. Heparin and its derivatives can bind histones through electrostatic interaction. The purpose of this study was to investigate 1) the role of extracellular histones in the pathogenesis of ALI caused by acid aspiration and 2) whether N-acetyl-heparin (NAH) provides more protection than heparin against histones at the high dose. ALI was induced in mice via intratracheal instillation of hydrochloric acid (HCl). Lethality rate, blood gas, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, lung edema and pathological changes were used to evaluate the degree of ALI. Heparin/NAH was administered intraperitoneally, twice a day, for 3 days or until death. Acid aspiration caused an obvious increase in extracellular histones. A significant correlation existed between the concentration of HCl aspirated and the circulating histones. Heparin/NAH (10 mg/kg) improved the lethality rate, blood gas, MPO activity, lung edema and pathological score. At a dose of 20 mg/kg, NAH still provided protection, however heparin tended to aggravate the injury due to hemorrhagic complications. The specific interaction between heparin and histones was verified by the binding assay. In summary, high levels of extracellular histones can be pathogenic in ALI caused by acid aspiration. By neutralizing extracellular histones, heparin/NAH can offer similar protection at the moderate doses. At the high dose, NAH provides better protection than heparin.

HIF means hypoxia-inducible factor gene family, and it could regulate various biological processes, including tumor development. In 2021, the FDA approved the new drug Welireg for targeting HIF-2a, and it is mainly used to treat von Hippel-Lindau syndrome, which demonstrated its good prospects in tumor therapy. As the fourth deadliest cancer worldwide, gastric cancer endangers the health of people all across the world. Currently, there are various treatment methods for patients with gastric cancer, but the five-year survival rate of patients with advanced gastric cancer is still not high. Therefore, here we reviewed the regulatory role and target role of HIF in gastric cancer, and provided some references for the treatment of gastric cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the growing demands in flexible electronics, the development of plastic and organic materials has gained increased interest. In this focus review, the design concepts and recent advances of organic liquid crystalline materials in optoelectronic devices were introduced. Thermotropic liquid crystalline materials are categorized into three types: calamitic, discotic, and cholesteric types according to the structures of rod‐like, disk‐like, and chiral rod‐like molecules, respectively. Numerous liquid crystalline materials have been successfully incorporated in organic electronic devices. Notably, smectic liquid crystals hold great promise as semiconducting channel, floating gate electret, and charge transporting interlayer in field‐effect transistors, nonvolatile memory, and photovoltaics, respectively. This review sheds light on the great potential and importance of the organic liquid crystalline material for optoelectronic device applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The association of SARS-CoV-2 messenger ribonucleic acid vaccines with pericarditis in young adults has been reported. However, data regarding other types of vaccines are extremely limited. We presented a 94-year-old man with rapidly progressive dyspnea and fatigue six days after his first ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccination. Impending cardiac tamponade and bilateral pleural effusion were found. Hence, massive yellowish pericardial and pleural effusion were drained. However, the pleural effusion persisted and pigtail catheters were inserted bilaterally. After serial studies including surgical pleural biopsy, acute polyserositis (pericarditis and pleurisy) was diagnosed. Anti-inflammatory treatment with colchicine and prednisolone was administered. All effusions resolved accordingly. This rare case sheds light on the presentation of ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine-related acute polyserositis. In conclusion, awareness of this potential adverse event may facilitate the diagnosis for unexplained pericardial or pleural effusion after vaccination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enterovirus (EV) 71 caused episodes of outbreaks in China and Southeast Asia during the last few decades. We have previously reported that EV71 induces reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, the underlying mechanism remains elusive. Co-immunoprecipitation-proteomic analysis revealed that enteroviral 2B protein interacted with mitochondrial voltage-dependent anion channel 3 (VDAC3). Knockdown (KD) of VDAC3 expression specifically inhibited enteroviral replication. Single-round viral replication was also inhibited in KD cells, suggesting that VDAC3 plays an essential role in replication. Consistent with this, VDAC3 gene KD significantly reduced the EV71-induced mitochondrial ROS generation. Exogenous 2B expression could induce the mitochondrial ROS generation that was significantly reduced in VDAC3-KD cells or in the Mito-TEMPO-treated cells. Moreover, VDAC3 appears to be necessary for regulation of antioxidant metabolism. VDAC3 gene KD led to the enhancement of such pathways as hypotaurine/taurine synthesis in the infected cells. Taken together, these findings suggest that 2B and VDAC3 interact to enhance mitochondrial ROS generation, which promotes viral replication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]