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In recent years, new energy vehicles (NEVs) have taken the world by storm. A large number of NEV batteries have been scrapped, and research on NEV battery recycling is important for promoting the sustainable development of NEVs. Battery recycling is an important aspect of the sustainable development of NEVs. In this study, we conducted an in-depth analysis of the current status of research on NEV battery recycling from a new perspective using bibliometric methods and visualization software. This study shows that research targeting the recycling of NEV batteries is growing rapidly, and collaborative networks exist among researchers from different countries, institutions, and fields. The focus of research has shifted from lead-acid batteries to lithium batteries, and the supply chain and circular economy related to NEV battery recycling is an emerging research hotspot. Based on our analysis, we propose that the government should establish policies to improve the recycling networks at the collection stage and provide subsidies to attract consumers. Enterprises should develop low-cobalt and cobalt-free technologies, utilize green solvents, and develop new battery swap modes. The establishment of an information platform is conducive to the further development of collaborative networks.

User experience is a well-discussed topic in the field of human–computer interaction. To describe the status of research on this topic, a bibliometric analysis of publications concerning user experience from 2011 to 2021 was conducted using the Web of Science database. The main functions of Derwent Data Analyzer software include data cleaning, mining, and visualization. The historical trends of the year, leading countries, leading institutions, major contributors, and leading research fields and journals were investigated, and a keyword analysis of the highly cited literature was performed. The key findings are as follows. The United States, China, and Britain are the three most productive countries. Tsinghua University in China is the most productive organization, and Sungkyunkwan University in South Korea has the highest average citations per publication. User experience has attracted the attention of numerous scholars in 204 research fields, and computer science information systems is the main field. “Usability,” “virtual reality,” “human–computer interaction,” and “augmented reality” are the most used keywords. A recent trend is the focus on molecular biology.

Background: Artificial muscles are an active research area now.Methods: A bibliometric analysis was performed to evaluate the development of artificial muscles based on research papers and patents. A detailed overview of artificial muscles’ scientific and technological innovation was presented from aspects of productive countries/regions, institutions, journals, researchers, highly cited papers, and emerging topics.Results: 1,743 papers and 1,925 patents were identified after retrieval in Science Citation Index-Expanded (SCI-E) and Derwent Innovations Index (DII). The results show that China, the United States, and Japan are leading in the scientific and technological innovation of artificial muscles. The University of Wollongong has the most publications and Spinks is the most productive author in artificial muscle research. Smart Materials and Structures is the journal most productive in this field. Materials science, mechanical and automation, and robotics are the three fields related to artificial muscles most. Types of artificial muscles like pneumatic artificial muscles (PAMs) and dielectric elastomer actuator (DEA) are maturing. Shape memory alloy (SMA), carbon nanotubes (CNTs), graphene, and other novel materials have shown promising applications in this field.Conclusion: Along with the development of new materials and processes, researchers are paying more attention to the performance improvement and cost reduction of artificial muscles.

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) are a serious threat to the health of people and the ecological environment. With this problem becoming more and more serious, more countries made research on the ARB, and the research number has been sharply increased particularly over the past decade. Therefore, it is quite necessary to globally retrace relevant researches on the ARB published from 2010 to 2020. This will help researchers to understand the current research situation, research trends and research hotspots in this field. This paper uses bibliometrics to examine publications in the field of ARB from 2010 to 2020 that were retrieved from the Web of Science (WOS). Our study performed a statistical analysis of the countries, institutions, journals, authors, research areas, author keywords, Essential Science Indicators (ESI) highly cited papers, and ESI hotspots papers to provide an overview of the ARB field as well as research trends, research hotspots, and future research directions in the field. The results showed that the number of related studies is increasing year by year; the USA is most published in the field of ARB; China is the most active in this field in the recent years; the Chinese Acad Sci published the most articles; Sci. Total Environ. published the greatest number of articles; CM Manaia has the most contributions; Environmental Sciences and Ecology is the most popular research area; and “antibiotic resistance,” “antibiotics,” and “antibiotic resistance genes” were the most frequently occurring author keywords. A citation analysis showed that aquatic environment-related antibiotic resistance is a key research area in this field, while antimicrobial nanomaterial-related research is a recent popular topic.

Drug repurposing has become an effective approach to drug discovery, as it offers a new way to explore drugs. Based on the Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-E) and Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI) databases of the Web of Science core collection, this study presents a bibliometric analysis of drug repurposing publications from 2010 to 2020. Data were cleaned, mined, and visualized using Derwent Data Analyzer (DDA) software. An overview of the history and development trend of the number of publications, major journals, major countries, major institutions, author keywords, major contributors, and major research fields is provided. There were 2,978 publications included in the study. The findings show that the United States leads in this area of research, followed by China, the United Kingdom, and India. The Chinese Academy of Science published the most research studies, and NIH ranked first on the h-index. The Icahn School of Medicine at Mt Sinai leads in the average number of citations per study. Sci Rep, Drug Discov. Today, and Brief. Bioinform. are the three most productive journals evaluated from three separate perspectives, and pharmacology and pharmacy are unquestionably the most commonly used subject categories. Cheng, FX; Mucke, HAM; and Butte, AJ are the top 20 most prolific and influential authors. Keyword analysis shows that in recent years, most research has focused on drug discovery/drug development, COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2/coronavirus, molecular docking, virtual screening, cancer, and other research areas. The hotspots have changed in recent years, with COVID-19/SARS-CoV-2/coronavirus being the most popular topic for current drug repurposing research.

Dyslexia is a disorder characterized by an impaired ability to understand written and printed words or phrases. Epidemiological longitudinal data show that dyslexia is highly prevalent, affecting 10–20% of the population regardless of gender. This study aims to provide a detailed overview of research status and development characteristics of dyslexia from types of articles, years, countries, institutions, journals, authors, author keywords, and highly cited papers. A total of 9,166 publications have been retrieved from the Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI) and Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-E) from 2000 to 2021. The United States of America, United Kingdom, and Germany were the top three most productive countries in terms of the number of publications. China, Israel, and Japan led the Asia research on dyslexia. University of Oxford had the most publications and won first place in terms of h-index. Dyslexia was the most productive journal in this field and Psychology was the most used subject category. Keywords analysis indicated that “developmental dyslexia,” “phonological awareness,” children and fMRI were still the main research topics. “Literacy,” “rapid automatized naming (RAN),” “assessment,” “intervention,” “meta-analysis,” “Chinese,” “executive function,” “morphological awareness,” “decoding,” “dyscalculia,” “EEG,” “Eye tracking,” “rhythm,” “bilingualism,” and “functional connectivity” might become the new research hotspots.

Purpose To highlight the scientific progress in immunotherapy of urological cancer by identifying and analyzing the 100 top-cited (T100) articles from the last 15 years. Methods Papers in immunotherapy of urological cancer were identified from Clarivate Web of Science Core Collection database. Data of the T100 articles and papers published in recent 2 years, including citations, topic, year of publication, country of origin, institution and authorship, were extracted and analyzed. Results Of the T100 articles, the citation number ranged from 7387 to 183 with a mean of 590.66. The USA led the field with 80 T100 articles and 53097 citations. Pro Sharma P from MD Anderson Cancer Center was at the top of list with 8 T100 articles (3 as first author and 6 as corresponding author). Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center ranked first with 26 T100 articles and 22573 citations, followed by Johns Hopkins University with 21 T100 articles and 25095 citations. Forty-nine T100 articles were related to the renal cancer, followed by prostate cancer (29), bladder cancer (13) and urothelial cancer (13). According to the type of immunotherapy, most T100 articles were related to ICI (55 articles) and vaccine (19 articles). Conclusions It is the first bibliometric analysis to identify the T100 articles on immunotherapy of urological cancer. The USA made great contribution in the field of immunotherapy related to urological cancer. Renal, bladder and prostate cancers were the major organs treated by immunotherapy especially by ICIs and vaccines. The multiple aspects of ICIs research in renal and bladder cancer and the neoantigen-based vaccine therapy will be hotspots for future research.

Great advances have been made with the lattice Boltzmann (LB) method for complicated fluid phenomena and fundamental thermal processes over the past three decades. This paper presents a systematic overview of the LB method from 1990 to 2018, based on bibliometric analysis and the Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-E) database. The results show that China took the leading position in this field, followed by the USA and UK. The Chinese Academy of Sciences had the most publications, while the Los Alamos National Laboratory was first as far as highest average citation per paper and h-index are concerned. Physical Review E was the most productive journal and “Mechanics” was the most frequently used subject category. Keyword analysis indicated that recent research has focused on the natural convection and heat transfer of nanofluid or multiphase flow in complex porous media. Hydrothermal treatment of nanofluid with shape factor on the conditions, such as variable magnetic fields, thermal radiation and slipping boundary, were the research hotspots. Further research perspectives mainly explore the multiscale models for coupling multiple transport phenomena, morphology optimization of porous parameters, new nanoparticles with shape factor, multicomponent LB method considering Knudsen diffusion effect, LB-based hybrid methods, radiation performance or boiling-heat transfer of nanofluid, and the active control of droplets, may continue to attract more attention. Moreover, some new applications, such as phase change of metal foam, erosion induced by nanaofluid, anode circulating, 3D modeling in thermal systems with vibration, and magnetohydrodynamics microfluid devices, could be of interest going forward.

Research interest in three-dimensional (3D) printing has been greatly aroused since 1990 due to its outstanding merits, such as freedom of design, mass customization, waste minimization and fast prototyping complex structures. To formally elaborate the research status of the 3D printing field, a bibliometric analysis is applied to evaluate the related publications from 1990 to 2020 based on the Science Citation Index Expanded database and Social Science Citation Index database. The overview with detailed discussions is cataloged by keywords, citation, h-index, year, journal, institution, country, author, patent and review. The statistical results show that the United States plays a dominant role in this research field, followed by China and the UK. Singapore is the most productive country with the highest average citations per publication (ACPP), and the second most cooperative country. Among all the institutions, Chinese Academy of Sciences is most productive, and Harvard University has the highest ACPP and h-index. Among all the journals, Materials ranks first in the number of publications in this field. The most attractive research area is “Materials science, Multidisciplinary”, with 4053 publications. Moreover, the major hot topics derived from authors’ keywords are “3D printing”, “additive manufacturing” and “tissue engineering”. Commercial and medical applications appear to be the initial driving force and end goal for the development of the 3D printing technology.

Purpose: To assess the present landscape and future research directions, a bibliometric analysis was performed to identify the characteristics of the 100 most-cited articles (T100 articles) on CRPC research. Methods: A list of the T100 articles investigating CRPC was generated by searching the Web of Science (WoS) Core Collection database. Different characteristics of the T100 articles, including the countries/territories, journals, authors, and research areas, were analyzed. Results: The number of citations of T100 articles published between 1992 and 2017 ranged from 282 to 3594, with an average of 654.9 citations. According to the topic of the article, “Mechanisms related to tumor progression or metastasis” ranked first with 41 T100 articles, while immunotherapy ranked fourth with 7 T100 articles. The T100 articles originated from 31 countries, with more than half originating from the USA (n = 89). Professor Scher HI published the most T100 articles as the first author (4) and as the corresponding author (5), while Pro De Bono JS from the Institute of Cancer Research published 3 articles as the first author and 8 articles as the corresponding author. The journal Cancer Research published 20 T100 articles with a total of 8946 citations. The number of T100 articles (r = 0.485, P = 0.01) and the total number of citations (r = 0.626, P < 0.001) were all positively correlated with the IF of the journal. Conclusions: This analysis offers a historical perspective on the progress and attempts to reveal future trends in CRPC research using bibliometric analysis. This study’s results suggest that immunotherapy and the study of androgen receptors as well as their signaling axes will possibly be hot topics and trends in CRPC research.

Abstract The present study was undertaken to investigate the therapeutic effect and underlying mechanisms of lumbrokinase (LK) on diabetic kidney disease (DKD). Kidney tissue samples from DKD patients and normal controls were collected from hospitals. The type 2 diabetic nephropathy model was induced in db/db mice. The mice were then randomly divided into a model group (DM group) and an LK group. db/m mice were used as the control group (Con group). After 12 weeks of treatment with LK (234 KU/kg/day), biochemical parameters were tested, and pathological changes in the kidney were observed under a light microscope. The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), mRNA m6A methylation proteins, and activated TGF-β1/Smad pathway components were assessed by western blot or immunofluorescence in DKD patients, model mice, and high glucose-stimulated HK-2 cells. We found that the m6A eraser METTL3 was expressed at low levels in DKD patients, model mice, and high glucose-stimulated HK-2 cells. METTL3 overexpression reversed the high glucose-induced activation of the TGF-β1/Smad pathway and EMT through snail in vitro. However, LK can restore the expression of the m6A-modifying enzyme METTL3 in vivo and in vitro, suppressed EMT, and alleviated renal interstitial fibrosis by downregulating snail. Overall, LK ameliorated renal fibrosis through the regulation of Snail via m6A RNA METTL3.

Abstract Cyanidin‐3‐O‐glucoside (C3G), an abundant and widely utilized anthocyanin monomer, has been shown to significantly inhibit cholesterol absorption. Building on our previous research demonstrating the role of Lactobacillus as a specific intestinal microflora associated with C3G‐mediated cholesterol absorption inhibition, the present study aimed to evaluate the inhibitory effects of C3G on high‐fat diet–induced cholesterol absorption. Results indicate that C3G significantly reduced total cholesterol and triglyceride levels while suppressing red grease formation in Caco‐2 cells. In vivo, C3G ameliorated blood lipid levels and mitigated small intestinal damage, as evidenced by restored villus length and basal thickness. Additionally, C3G upregulated intestinal farnesoid X receptor (FXR) mRNA expression and inhibited the expression of key cholesterol absorption proteins, Niemann‐Pick C1‐Like 1 and acetyl‐CoA acetyltransferase 2. Furthermore, C3G increased short‐chain fatty acid content and activated ileal bile acid‐binding protein expression. C3G also inhibited intestinal bile acid (BA) reabsorption, promoted fecal BA excretion, and obstructed cholesterol emulsification. Moreover, C3G modulated gut microbiota abundance and diversity, increasing the abundance of Akkermansia, Bifidobacterium, Coprococcus, Ruminococcus, and Butyricicoccus. In conclusion, our findings suggest that C3G inhibits cholesterol absorption by reshaping intestinal flora composition and regulating the FXR‐BAs axis. This study provides a theoretical foundation for the use of C3G as a raw material for inhibiting cholesterol absorption.

To address the issues of low bioavailability, degradation during processing, and limited use in precision nutrition of anthocyanins (ACNs). ACNs nanoparticles using ACNs as the core, soybean lecithin constructed-Liposome (Lipo), and Gum Arabic (GA) as the carrier were prepared in this study, namely Liposome/Gum Arabic-anthocyanins (Lipo/GA-ACNs) nanoparticles. In this study, nanoparticles of ACNs with ACNs as the core and liposomes (Lipo) constructed using soy lecithin and gum arabic (GA) as carriers, namely liposome/gum arabic-anthocyanins (Lipo/GA-ACNs) nanoparticles, were prepared. Environmental factors and in vitro simulated digestion on the stability of Lipo/GA-ACNs nanoparticles with various formulations were investigated. Additionally, the in vitro lipid-lowering activity of Lipo/GA-ACNs nanoparticles after digestion was examined. Results showed that Lipo/GA-ACNs nanoparticles had good stability under simulated thermal processing and different ion environments. When the ACNs to GA mass ratio was 1:10, the Lipo/GA-ACNs nanoparticles inhibited lipid droplet accumulation and reactive oxygen species accumulation in HepG-2 cells 3.8% and 1.99% more effectively than ACNs after simulated digestion. This study concluded that Lipo/1.0GA was a promising oral delivery system to deliver ACNs and achieve liver lipid-lowering, with the potential to be developed into functional foods with precision nutritional properties.

This study compared the taste and nutrition related metabolites of wild blueberry (WB) and cultivated blueberry (CB) varieties in Northeast China based on widely targeted metabolomics. A total of 858 metabolites were identified, of which 254 showed significant differences. 16 carbohydrates were significantly higher in CBs than in WB, while 11 organic acids were the opposite. Otherwise, 24 flavonoids have significant advantages in WB, while amino acids and their derivatives have specific advantages in WB and CBs, which may determine the differences in fruit aroma and taste between the two. In addition, we found that “alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism” is the most critical differential metabolic pathway among WB and CBs; fumaric acid, succinic acid, L-glutamic acid, and L-argininosuccinate are considered key biomarkers for distinguishing WB from CBs. This study will provide a reference for Chinese blueberries' scientific introduction of seeds, comprehensive development and effective differentiation of related products.

Schwann cells, as crucial regenerative cells, possess the ability to facilitate axon growth following peripheral nerve injury. However, the regeneration efficiency dominated by Schwann cells is impaired by factors such as the severity of peripheral nervous injury, aging, and metabolic disease. Cause the limitations of clinical treatments, it is necessary to urgently search for new substances that could reinforce the functionality of Schwann cells and promote nerve regeneration. We represented the first evidence that isoviolanthin possesses the capability to enhance Schwann cell proliferation and migration. Then, transcriptome sequencing was employed to examine the Differential Expressed Genes (DEGs), resulting in the identification of 193 DEGs. Following this, the expression levels of the top 5 up-regulated genes were confirmed through RT-qPCR, with Fhl3 demonstrating the most significant up-regulation. Schwann cells were transduced with virus particles made in HEK-293T/17 cells by transfection with lentivirus packaging plasmids containing Fhl3. A notable enhancement in Schwann cell proliferation and migration was observed following transduction. Furthermore, the Fhl3-up group exhibited a significant upregulation of Vimentin expression compared to the control group. These results suggested that isoviolanthin plays a positive role in enhancing Schwann cells' activity via increasing Fhl3 expression, and the mechanism may be related to the EMT(epithelial-mesenchymal transition)-like process.

The colonic mucosal barrier is an important component of the intestinal barrier, and its integrity is crucial for maintaining digestive tract homeostasis and normal metabolism in the body. This study aimed to elucidate the mechanisms by which malvidin-3-O-galactoside (M3G) might ameliorate colonic mucosal barrier function, from the perspective of physical barrier function and immune barrier function. Male C57BL/6J mice were given dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) to establish a mice model for colitis and then administrated with or without M3G for one week. The results showed that M3G supplementation significantly improved the disease activity index (DAI) score and colon tissue injury in mice with DSS-induced colitis. M3G improved the colonic physical barrier function by modulating the expression of mucin2 (MUC2), claudin-1, occludin, zona occludens 1 (ZO-1), and intestinal fatty acid binding protein (iFABP) in the colonic mucosa. Additionally, M3G also relieved the colonic immune barrier of mice by increasing the level of secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA) in colon tissue and the percentages of CD4+T (CD3+CD4+) and CD8+T (CD3+CD8+) cells in colon lamina propria monocytes in mice. Furthermore, M3G down-regulated Notch signaling pathway-related proteins such as Notch1, notch intracellular domain (NICD), delta-like ligand 4 (DLL4), delta-like ligand 1 (DLL1), and hairy/enhancer of split 1 (Hes1) of colon tissue. The present results demonstrated that M3G can improve colonic mucosal barrier function by inhibiting the Notch signaling pathway.

The black chokeberry is rich in polyphenols, including flavonoids with anthocyanins, flavanols and f lavonols as the main components and a variety of phenolic acids represented by chlorogenic acid. Because of these polyphenols, black chokeberry has the effect of preventing and adjuvant therapy diseases. This study summarized the current research results on the types and contents of functional components in black chokeberry, and analyzed their digestion, absorption and metabolism in human body. On this basis, the disease control functions that have been proved effective in clinical research were reviewed and analyzed. These studies showed that black chokeberry have good prevention and adjuvant therapy effects on hyperlipidemia,hypertension, diabetes and inflammation. Because there are different functional components in black chokeberry, its prevention and treatment of the same disease can come from multiple pathways, which provides a more reliable effectiveness for the disease control of different populations.

Abstract Background Cetaceans, having experienced prolonged adaptation to aquatic environments, have undergone evolutionary changes in their respiratory systems. This process of evolution has resulted in the emergence of distinctive phenotypic traits, notably the abundance of elastic fibers and thickened alveolar walls in their lungs, which may facilitate alveolar collapse during diving. This structure helps selective exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide, while minimizing nitrogen exchange, thereby reducing the risk of DCS. Nevertheless, the scientific inquiry into the mechanisms through which these unique phenotypic characteristics govern the diving behavior of marine mammals, including cetaceans, remains unresolved. Results This study entails an evolutionary analysis of 42 genes associated with pulmonary fibrosis across 45 mammalian species. Twenty-one genes in cetaceans exhibited accelerated evolution, featuring specific amino acid substitutions in 14 of them. Primarily linked to the development of the respiratory system and lung morphological construction, these genes play a crucial role. Moreover, among marine mammals, we identified eight genes undergoing positive selection, and the evolutionary rates of three genes significantly correlated with diving depth. Specifically, the SFTPC gene exhibited convergent amino acid substitutions. Through in vitro cellular experiments, we illustrated that convergent amino acid site mutations in SFTPC contribute positively to pulmonary fibrosis in marine mammals, and the presence of this phenotype can induce deep alveolar collapse during diving, thereby reducing the risk of DCS during diving. Conclusions The study unveils pivotal genetic signals in cetaceans and other marine mammals, arising through evolution. These genetic signals may influence lung characteristics in marine mammals and have been linked to a reduced risk of developing DCS. Moreover, the research serves as a valuable reference for delving deeper into human diving physiology.

Introduction Patients with clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH) are recommended to be treated with non-selective beta-blockers (ie, carvedilol) to prevent the first hepatic decompensation event by the renewing Baveno VII consensus. CSPH is defined by hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG)≥10 mm Hg; however, the HVPG measurement is not widely adopted due to its invasiveness. Liver stiffness (LS)≥25 kPa can be used as a surrogate of HVPG≥10 mm Hg to rule in CSPH with 90% of the positive predicting value in majority aetiologies of patients. A compelling argument is existing for using LS≥25 kPa to diagnose CSPH and then to initiate carvedilol in patients with compensated cirrhosis, and about 5%–6% of patients under this diagnosis criteria may not be benefited from carvedilol and are at risk of lower heart rate and mean arterial pressure. Randomised controlled trial on the use of carvedilol to prevent liver decompensation in CSPH diagnosed by LS remains to elucidate. Therefore, we aimed to investigate if compensated cirrhosis patients with LS≥25 kPa may benefit from carvedilol therapy.Methods and analysis This study is a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre trial. We will randomly assign 446 adult compensated cirrhosis patients with LS≥25 kPa and without any previous decompensated event and without high-risk gastro-oesophageal varices. Patients are randomly divided into two groups, with 223 subjects in group A and 223 subjects in group B. Group A is a carvedilol intervention group, while group B is a placebo group. All patients in both groups will receive aetiology therapies and are followed up at an interval of 6 months. The 3-year incidences of decompensated events of cirrhosis-related and liver-related death are the primary outcome. The secondary outcomes include development of each complication of portal hypertension individually (ascites, variceal bleeding or overt hepatic encephalopathy), development of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis and other bacterial infections, development of new varices, growth of small varices to large varices, delta changes in LS and spleen stiffness, change in hepatic dysfunction assessed by Child-Pugh and model for end-stage liver disease score, change in platelet count, development of hepatocellular carcinoma, development of portal vein thrombosis and adverse events with a 3-year follow-up. A predefined interim analysis will be performed to ensure that the calculation is reasonable.Ethics and dissemination The study protocol has been approved by the ethics committees of the Sixth People’s Hospital of Shenyang (2023-05-003-01) and independent ethics committee for clinical research of Zhongda Hospital, affiliated to Southeast University (2023ZDSYLL433-P01). The results from this trial will be submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals and will be presented at international conferences.Trial registration number ChiCTR2300073864.

ABSTRACT Plants rely on strigolactones (SLs) to regulate their development and form symbiotic relationships with microbes as part of the adaptive phosphorus (P) efficiency strategies. However, the impact of SLs on root-associated microbial communities in response to P availability remains unknown. Here, root microbiota of SL biosynthesis (max3-11) and perception (d14-1) were compared to wild-type Col-0 plants under different P concentrations. Using high-throughput sequencing, the relationship between SLs, P concentrations, and the root-associated microbiota was investigated to reveal the variation in microbial diversity, composition, and interaction. Plant genotypes and P availability played important but different roles in shaping the root-associated microbial community. Importantly, SLs were found to attract Acinetobacter in low P conditions, which included an isolated CP-2 (Acinetobacter soli) that could promote plant growth in cocultivation experiments. Moreover, SLs could change the topologic structure within co-occurrence networks and increase the number of keystone taxa (e.g., Rhizobiaceae and Acidobacteriaceae) to enhance microbial community stability. This study reveals the key role of SLs in mediating root-associated microbiota interactions.IMPORTANCEStrigolactones (SLs) play a crucial role in plant development and their symbiotic relationships with microbes, particularly in adapting to phosphorus levels. Using high-throughput sequencing, we compared the root microbiota of plants with SL biosynthesis and perception mutants to wild-type plants under different phosphorus concentrations. These results found that SLs can attract beneficial microbes in low phosphorus conditions to enhance plant growth. Additionally, SLs affect microbial network structures, increasing the stability of microbial communities. This study highlights the key role of SLs in shaping root-associated microbial interactions, especially in response to phosphorus availability.

Vaccinium uliginosum L. (VU), rich in polyphenols, is an important wild berry resource primarily distributed in extremely cold regions. However, the detailed composition of Vaccinium uliginosum L. polyphenols (VUPs) has not been reported, which limits the development and utilization of VU. In this study, VU-free polyphenols (VUFPs) and VU-bound polyphenols (VUBPs) were, respectively, extracted using an ultrasonic, complex enzyme and alkali extraction method; the compositions were identified using ultra-performance liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, and lipid-lowering activity in vitro was evaluated. The results showed that 885 polyphenols and 47 anthocyanins were detected in the VUFPs and VUBPs, and 30 anthocyanin monomers were firstly detected in VU. Compared with the model group, the accumulation of lipid droplets and the total cholesterol and triglyceride contents in the high-concentration VUP group reduced by 36.95%, 65.82%, and 62.43%, respectively, and liver damage was also alleviated. It was also found that VUP can regulate the level of Asialoglycoprotein receptor 1, a new target for lipid lowering. In summary, this study provides a detailed report on VUP for the first time, confirming that VUP has lipid-lowering potential in vitro. These findings suggest new strategies and theoretical support for the development and utilization of VU, especially in the field of functional foods.

Abundant polyphenols make chokeberry have beneficial antioxidant and antiproliferative activity. In order to explore the contribution of different polyphenols in chokeberry to these activities, this study was conducted to determine polyphenol composition from 7 chokeberry varieties produced in China. Totally, 11 kinds of main polyphenol monomers were identified and quantified by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS and UPLC-PDA. HepG2 cells were used to evaluate their cellular antioxidant and antiproliferative activities. Partial least squares method was utilized to analyze multivariate correlations between proportion of different composition and monomers in total polyphenols with these activities. The results showed that the highest proportion in chokeberry polyphenols was proanthocyanidins. In comparing the bioactivities of 7 varieties of chokeberry, ‘Viking’ and purple chokeberry had the strongest antioxidant activity, while ‘Fukangyuan 1#’ had the strongest antiproliferative activity. In terms of the contribution sources of these bioactivities, the total antioxidant activity of chokeberry mainly depended on the contribution of free polyphenols. As the main source of cellular antioxidant activity, anthocyanins and neochlorogenic acid can provide more contribution. The antiproliferative activity mainly depended on the proportion of free polyphenols and proanthocyanidins in total polyphenols. The results may provide some new possibilities for the comprehensive utilization of polyphenols from chokeberry.

Abstract Background Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have broad potential as a cell therapy including for the treatment of drug-resistant inflammatory conditions with abnormal T cell proliferation such as graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Clinical success, however, has been complicated by the heterogeneity of culture-expanded MSCs as well as donor variability. Here, we devise culture conditions that promote expansion of MSCs with enhanced immunomodulatory functions both in vitro and in animal models of GVHD. Methods Human bone marrow-derived MSCs were expanded at high-confluency (MSCHC) and low-confluency state (MSCLC). Their immunomodulatory properties were evaluated with in vitro co-culture assays based on suppression of activated T cell proliferation and secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines from activated T cells. Metabolic state of these cells was determined, while RNA sequencing was performed to explore transcriptome of these MSCs. Ex vivo expanded MSCHC or MSCLC was injected into human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC)-induced GVHD mouse model to determine their in vivo therapeutic efficacy based on clinical grade scoring, human CD45+ blood count and histopathological examination. Results As compared to MSCLC, MSCHC significantly reduced both the proliferation of anti-CD3/CD28-activated T cells and secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines upon MSCHC co-culture across several donors even in the absence of cytokine priming. Mechanistically, metabolic analysis of MSCHC prior to co-culture with activated T cells showed increased glycolytic metabolism and lactate secretion compared to MSCLC, consistent with their ability to inhibit T cell proliferation. Transcriptome analysis further revealed differential expression of immunomodulatory genes including TRIM29, BPIFB4, MMP3 and SPP1 in MSCHC as well as enriched pathways including cytokine–cytokine receptor interactions, cell adhesion and PI3K-AKT signalling. Lastly, we demonstrate in a human PBMC-induced GVHD mouse model that delivery of MSCHC showed greater suppression of inflammation and improved outcomes compared to MSCLC and saline controls. Conclusion Our study provides evidence that ex vivo expansion of MSCs at high confluency alters the metabolic and transcriptomic states of these cells. Importantly, this approach maximizes the production of MSCs with enhanced immunomodulatory functions without priming, thus providing a non-invasive and generalizable strategy for improving the use of MSCs for the treatment of inflammatory diseases.

Abstract Background Dendrobium officinale Kimura et Migo (D. officinale) is a well-known traditional Chinese medicine with high content polysaccharides in stems. The SWEET (Sugars Will Eventually be Exported Transporters) family is a novel class of sugar transporters mediating sugar translocation among adjacent cells of plants. The expression patterns of SWEETs and whether they are associated with stress response in D. officinale remains uncovered. Results Here, 25 SWEET genes were screened out from D. officinale genome, most of which typically contained seven transmembrane domains (TMs) and harbored two conserved MtN3/saliva domains. Using multi-omics data and bioinformatic approaches, the evolutionary relationship, conserved motifs, chromosomal location, expression patterns, correlationship and interaction network were further analyzed. DoSWEETs were intensively located in nine chromosomes. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that DoSWEETs were divided into four clades, and conserved motif 3 specifically existed in DoSWEETs from clade II. Different tissue-specific expression patterns of DoSWEETs suggested the division of their roles in sugar transport. In particular, DoSWEET5b, 5c, and 7d displayed relatively high expression levels in stems. DoSWEET2b and 16 were significantly regulated under cold, drought, and MeJA treatment, which were further verified using RT-qPCR. Correlation analysis and interaction network prediction discovered the internal relationship of DoSWEET family. Conclusions Taken together, the identification and analysis of the 25 DoSWEETs in this study provide basic information for further functional verification in D. officinale.