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Individuals with diabetes frequently face serious challenges, including delayed wound healing and increased risk of infection. Notably, the regeneration of hair follicles plays a crucial role in accelerating diabetic skin damage repair, reducing the risk of infection, and enhancing overall skin health. Research has predominantly emphasized the re-epithelialization of diabetic wounds, with a paucity of in-depth studies on hair follicle regeneration. In the current study, we explored the effects of a bioactive amphibian-derived peptide, Cy RL-QN15 , on promoting hair regeneration in a diabetic skin model. In vivo experiments demonstrated that local treatment with Cy RL-QN15 not only accelerated wound healing of scalded skin on the backs of diabetic Kunming (KM) mice but also improved growth of damaged hair follicles. Additionally, back-shaved diabetic C57BL/6 mice showed a significant increase in the growth of newly formed hair after 28 days of continuous Cy RL-QN15 treatment. Further analysis indicated that the hair-regenerating effects of Cy RL-QN15 were closely associated with the proliferation and migration of hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs). Cy RL-QN15 enhanced intracellular β-catenin expression by binding to the Frizzled-7 receptor on the surface of HFSCs. The up-regulation in β-catenin modulated the levels of downstream proteins, such as c-MYC, Cyclin D1, and Lef1, ultimately inducing hair regeneration. This study not only reveals the robust effects of the bioactive peptide Cy RL-QN15 in hair follicle regeneration but also provides novel avenues for the development of more targeted and effective therapeutics for diabetic wound healing in the future.

Morphology is a cardinal feature of a neuron that mediates its functions, but profiling neuronal morphologies at scale remains a formidable challenge. Here we describe a generalizable pipeline for large-scale brainwide study of dendritic morphology of genetically-defined single neurons in the mouse brain. We generated a dataset of 3,762 3D-reconstructed and reference-atlas mapped striatal D1- and D2- medium spiny neurons (MSNs). Integrative morphometric analyses reveal distinct impacts of anatomical locations and D1/D2 genetic types on MSN morphologies. To analyze striatal regional features of MSN dendrites without prior anatomical constraints, we assigned MSNs to a lattice of cubic boxes in the reference brain atlas, and summarized morphometric representation ("eigen-morph") for each box and clustered boxes with shared morphometry. This analysis reveals 6 modules with characteristic dendritic features and spanning contiguous striatal territories, each receiving distinct corticostriatal inputs. Finally, we found aging confers robust dendritic length and branching defects in MSNs, while Huntington's disease (HD) mice exhibit selective length-related defects. Together, our study demonstrates a systems-biology approach to profile dendritic morphology of genetically-defined single-neurons; and defines novel striatal D1/D2-MSN morphological territories and aging- or HD-associated pathologies.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: The use of lavender as sleep aid or hypnotic agent can be traced back as early as ancient Romans and Greeks. Yet, objective experimental data on whether and how lavender enhances sleep duration or/and sleep quality remain lacking., Aim of the Study: We aimed to characterize the sleep-wake regulating effects of lavender in the mouse and to demonstrate the brain targets and neural circuits involved., Materials and Methods: A self-made precise odor delivery system combined with chronic polysomnographic recordings was employed to assess the sleep-wake effects of inhalation with lavender essential oil (LEO, extracted from lavender) and its different constituents during the light and dark phases in free-moving C57BL/6J mice. Neuroviral labeling, in situ hybridization and pharmacogenetics were combined to identify the neural circuits and targets involved. Finally, an insomniac model of DL-4-Chlorophenylalanine (PCPA)-treated mice was established to examine the sleep-inducing potential of LEO., Results: We found that inhalation of LEO with a concentration at 25.0% during the light (inactive) phase significantly shortened the latency to non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, increased the total amount of NREM sleep at the expense of wakefulness (W), and enhanced cortical EEG slow wave activities, notably delta power spectra density. We further identified linalool, d-limonene, 1,8-cineole, linalyl acetate and terpinene-4-ol as the major effective sleep-promoting monomer components. Importantly, we found that LEO no longer produced any of the above sleep-promoting effect following either nasal injection of zinc sulfate which interrupts the olfactory pathway, or pharmacogenetics silencing of central amygdala GABAergic neurons. Finally, LEO reestablished NREM sleep with short latency in PCPA-treated insomniac mice, effects comparable with those induced by a potent sedative diazepam., Conclusions: We have characterized the quantitative and qualitative sleep-promoting effects of LEO and its effective components via the olfactory pathway and central amygdala GABA neuronal targets. The hypnotic property of LEO is reinforced by its ability to restore sleep in insomnia. Our study thus establishes a neurobiological basis for aromatherapy of sleep disorders using lavender., 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 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Nine undescibed abietane diterpenoid alkaloids (DAs), salviamines G‒H (1-2), isosalviamines G‒J (3-6), and miltiorramines A‒C (7-9) were isolated from the roots of Salvia miltiorrhiza. Their chemical structures including absolute configurations were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analysis (including 1D and 2D NMR, and HRESIMS), combined with the calculated ECD method and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Among them, compounds 1-6 are unusual 20-nor- or 19,20-bisnor-abietane DAs with an oxazole ring. Compounds 7-8 are the first examples of DAs with a nitro group isolated from plant sources. Notably, compound 9 possesses a rare hexahydropyrrolo[2,1-b]oxazole unit that is fused in the ring B of the abietane skeleton. Bioactivity assay indicated that compound 3 showed significant anti-inflammatory activity by decreasing the gene expressions of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells in a dose-dependent manner., 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 Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To analyze the clinical characteristics and prognosis of patients with co-mutation of CEBPA gene and GATA2 gene, so as to facilitate clinicians to formulate more accurate individualized treatment plans for patients., Methods: A total of 43 acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients with CEBPA double mutations and CEBPA-bZIP domain mutation admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University from January 2017 to April 2022 were included, and the clinical characteristics and prognosis of patients with GATA2 gene mutation among them were compared and analyzed., Results: The median age of patients with GATA2 gene mutation was 48.0 years, which was significantly lower than 57.0 years of patients without GATA2 gene mutation ( P < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences in sex, white blood cell count, hemoglobin concentration, platelet count, immunophenotype, bone marrow and peripheral blood blast cell ratio and complete remission rate between the two groups ( P >0.05). The median overall survival and event-free survival time of patients with GATA2 gene mutation were not reached, while those of patients without GATA2 gene mutation were 14.8 and 8.1 months, respectively (both P < 0.05)., Conclusion: The median age of patients with GATA2 gene mutation is lower than that of patients without GATA2 gene mutation. GATA2 gene mutation further prolongs the survival time of AML patients with CEBPA double mutations and CEBPA-bZIP domain mutation.

Background: Cavernous transformation of the portal vein (CTPV) due to portal vein obstruction is a rare vascular anomaly defined as the formation of multiple collateral vessels in the hepatic hilum. This study aimed to investigate the imaging features of intrahepatic portal vein in adult patients with CTPV and establish the relationship between the manifestations of intrahepatic portal vein and the progression of CTPV., Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 14 CTPV patients in Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital. All patients underwent both direct portal venography (DPV) and computed tomography angiography (CTA) to reveal the manifestations of the portal venous system. The vessels measured included the left portal vein (LPV), right portal vein (RPV), main portal vein (MPV) and the portal vein bifurcation (PVB)., Results: Nine males and 5 females, with a median age of 40.5 years, were included in the study. No significant difference was found in the diameters of the LPV or RPV measured by DPV and CTA. The visualization in terms of LPV, RPV and PVB measured by DPV was higher than that by CTA. There was a significant association between LPV/RPV and PVB/MPV in term of visibility revealed with DPV (P = 0.01), while this association was not observed with CTA. According to the imaging features of the portal vein measured by DPV, CTPV was classified into three categories to facilitate the diagnosis and treatment., Conclusions: DPV was more accurate than CTA for revealing the course of the intrahepatic portal vein in patients with CTPV. The classification of CTPV, that originated from the imaging features of the portal vein revealed by DPV, may provide a new perspective for the diagnosis and treatment of CTPV., (Copyright © 2023 First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine in China. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a double-lumen biliary-enteric tube (DBET) for enteral nutrition (EN) in individuals with malignant obstructive jaundice (MOJ)., Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using data from a prospectively maintained single-center database, including patients with MOJ. In the intervention group, DBET placement was performed concurrently with percutaneous transhepatic cholangiodrainage and biliary stenting, followed by postoperative EN (DBET-EN). In the control group, deep vein catheterization was undertaken after endoscopic biliary stenting, and parenteral nutrition (PN) was provided. A multivariable generalized linear model was used to assess the association between DBET-EN and 6-month mortality., Results: A total of 74 patients were included in this study, comprising 28 patients in the intervention group (DBET-EN group) and 46 patients in the control group (PN group). Within the 6-month follow-up, 5 patients (17.9%) in the DBET-EN group and 20 (43.5%) in the PN group died. The multivariable generalized linear model demonstrated a significantly reduced 6-month mortality in the DBET-EN group compared to the PN group (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 0.25, 95% CI: 0.08-0.81, P  = 0.020). Secondary outcomes indicated that patients in the DBET-EN group had lower 9-month mortality rates and longer tube retention durations compared to the PN group (all adjusted P  < 0.05). Postoperative liver function improved similarly in both groups. At 3, 6, and 9 months postoperatively, patient-generated subjective global assessment (PG-SGA) scores and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-C30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) scores were significantly higher in the DBET-EN group than in the PN group ( P  < 0.05)., Conclusion: The implementation of DBET for EN in patients in the advanced stage of MOJ proved to be a minimally invasive and safe intervention. It significantly improved patients' nutritional status and quality of life while reducing mortality.

The risk of treatment-related toxicities with programmed cell death 1 and its ligand (PD-1/PD-L1) inhibitors in patients with lung cancer is unclear and inconclusive. PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library databases were systematically searched without language restrictions from inception to May 31, 2024 to identify Phase 3 randomized controlled trials of lung cancer comparing PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors versus placebo/best supportive care (alone or in combination with nontargeted chemotherapy) that had available data regarding treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) or incidence and sample size. Random-effect models were employed to study the pooled relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Finally, 36 trials, involving 19,693 participants, fulfilled the inclusion criteria. PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors significantly augmented the likelihood of developing all-grade (RR, 1.03; 95% CI, 1.01-1.04, p < .01) and grade ≥3 TRAEs (RR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.10 to 1.23, p < .01). PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors substantially augmented the odds of developing treatment-related serious adverse events (SAEs) (RR, 1.48; 95% CI, 1.27-1.71, p < .01) and fatal adverse events (FAEs) (RR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.11-1.82, p < .01). Subgroup analyses indicated that the RR of SAEs and FAEs were generally consistent, regardless of treatment type, tumor type, treatment setting, PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors type and study design. The most common causes of FAEs were respiratory failure/insufficiency (33.3%), cardiac events (16.1%), and hematological disorders (10.1%). We demonstrated that PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors were significantly correlated with higher possibility of developing treatment-related toxicities, especially SAEs and FAEs, compared with placebo/best supportive care controls., (© 2024 UICC.)

Saponins are bioactive components of many medicinal plants, possessing complicated chemical structures and extensive pharmacological activities, but the production of high-value saponins remains challenging. In this study, a 6'-O-glucosyltransferase PpUGT7 (PpUGT91AH7) was functionally characterized from Paris polyphylla Smith var. yunnanensis (Franch.) Hand. -Mazz., which can transfer a glucosyl group to the C-6' position of diosgenin-3-O-rhamnosyl-(1 → 2)-glucoside (1), pennogenin-3-O-rhamnosyl-(1 → 2)-glucoside (2), and diosgenin-3-O-glucoside (5). The K M and K cat values of PpUGT7 towards the substrate 2 were 8.4 μM and 2 × 10 -3 s -1 , respectively. Through molecular docking and site-directed mutagenesis, eight residues were identified to interact with the sugar acceptor 2 and be crucial for enzyme activity. Moreover, four rare ophiopogonins and ginsenosides were obtained by combinatorial biosynthesis, including an undescribed compound ruscogenin-3-O-glucosyl-(1 → 6)-glucoside (10). Firstly, two monoglycosides 9 and 11 were generated using a known sterol 3-O-β-glucosyltransferase PpUGT80A40 with ruscogenin (7) and 20(S)-protopanaxadiol (8) as substrates, which were further glycosylated to the corresponding diglycosides 10 and 12 under the catalysis of PpUGT7. In addition, compounds 7-11 were found to show inhibitory effects on the secretion of TNF-α and IL-6 in macrophages RAW264.7. The findings provide valuable insights into the enzymatic glycosylation processes in the biosynthesis of bioactive saponins in P. polyphylla var. yunnanensis, and also serve as a reference for utilizing UDP-glycosyltransferases to construct high-value or rare saponins for development of new therapeutic agents., 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 Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Climate change and human activities escalate the frequency and intensity of wildfires, threatening amphibian habitats and survival; yet, research on these impacts remains limited. Wildfire ash alters water quality, introduces contaminants, and may disrupt microbial communities, impacting gut and skin microbiota; however, the effects on gut and skin microbiota remain unclear. Rana dybowskii were exposed to five concentrations (0 g L -1 , 1.25 g L -1 , 2.5 g L -1 , 5 g L -1 , and 10 g L -1 ) of aqueous extracts of wildfire ashes (AEAs) for 30 days to assess AEAs' metal content, survival, and microbiota diversity via Illumina sequencing. Our results showed that the major elements in ash were Ca > K > Mg > Al > Fe > Na > Mn, while in AEA they were K > Ca > Na > Mg > As > Al > Cu. A significant decrease in amphibian survival rates with increased AEA concentration was shown. The beta diversity analysis revealed distinct shifts in microbiota composition. Notably, bacterial genera associated with potential health risks showed increased abundance in skin microbiota, emphasising the potential for ash exposure to affect amphibian health. Functional prediction analyses revealed significant shifts in metabolic pathways related to health and disease, indicating that wildfire ash exposure may influence amphibian health through changes in microbial functions. This study highlights the urgent need for strategies to mitigate wildfire ash impacts on amphibians, as it significantly alters microbiota and affects their survival and health., 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.)

Exacerbation of pain by chronic stress and comorbidity of pain with stress-related disorders such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, represent significant clinical challenges. Previously we have documented that chronic forced swim (FS) stress exacerbates neuropathic pain in spared nerve injury (SNI) rats, associated with an up-regulation of GluN2B-containing N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (GluN2B-NMDARs) in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA). However, the molecular mechanisms underlying chronic FS stress (CFSS)-mediated exacerbation of pain sensitivity in SNI rats still remain unclear. In this study, we demonstrated that exposure of CFSS to rats activated the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF)/CRF receptor type 1 (CRFR1) signaling in the CeA, which was shown to be necessary for CFSS-induced depressive-like symptoms in stressed rats, and as well, for CFSS-induced exacerbation of pain hypersensitivity in SNI rats exposed to chronic FS stress. Furthermore, we discovered that activation of CRF/CRFR1 signaling in the CeA upregulated the phosphorylation of GluN2B-NMDARs at tyrosine 1472 (pGluN2B Y1472 ) in the synaptosomal fraction of CeA, which is highly correlated to the enhancement of synaptic GluN2B-NMDARs expression that has been observed in the CeA in CFSS-treated SNI rats. In addition, we revealed that activation of CRF/CRFR1 signaling in the CeA facilitated the CFSS-induced reinforcement of long-term potentiation as well as the enhancement of NMDAR-mediated excitatory postsynaptic currents in the basolateral amygdala (BLA)-CeA pathway in SNI rats. These findings suggest that activation of CRF/CRFR1 signaling in the CeA contributes to chronic stress-induced exacerbation of neuropathic pain by enhancing GluN2B-NMDAR-mediated synaptic plasticity in rats subjected to nerve injury. PERSPECTIVE: Our present study provides a novel mechanism for elucidating stress-induced hyperalgesia and highlights that the CRF/CRFR1 signaling and the GluN2B-NMDAR-mediated synaptic plasticity in the CeA may be important as potential therapeutic targets for chronic stress-induced pain exacerbation in human neuropathic pain. DATA AVAILABILITY: The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request., (Copyright © 2024 United States Association for the Study of Pain, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Nav1.6 is closely related to the pathology of Alzheimer's Disease (AD), and astrocytes have recently been identified as a significant source of β-amyloid (Aβ). However, little is known about the connection between Nav1.6 and astrocyte-derived Aβ., Objective: This study explored the crucial role of Nav1.6 in mediated astrocyte-derived Aβ in AD and knockdown astrocytic Nav1.6 alleviates AD progression by promoting autophagy and lysosome-APP fusion., Methods: A mouse model for astrocytic Nav1.6 knockdown was constructed to study the effects of astrocytic Nav1.6 on amyloidosis. The role of astrocytic Nav1.6 on autophagy and lysosome-APP(amyloid precursor protein) fusion was used by transmission electron microscope, immunostaining, western blot and patch clamp. Glial cell activation was detected using immunostaining. Neuroplasticity and neural network were assessed using patch-clamp, Golgi stain and EEG recording. Behavioral experiments were performed to evaluate cognitive defects., Results: Astrocytic Nav1.6 knockdown reduces amyloidosis, alleviates glial cell activation and morphological complexity, improves neuroplasticity and abnormal neural networks, as well as promotes learning and memory abilities in APP/PS1 mice. Astrocytic Nav1.6 knockdown reduces itself-derived Aβ by promoting lysosome- APP fusion, which is related to attenuating reverse Na + -Ca 2+ exchange current thus reducing intracellular Ca 2+ to facilitate autophagic through AKT/mTOR/ULK pathway., Conclusion: Our findings unveil the crucial role of astrocyte-specific Nav1.6 in reducing astrocyte-derived Aβ, highlighting its potential as a cell-specific target for modulating AD progression., 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. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V.)

Modifiers of Huntington's disease (HD) include mismatch repair (MMR) genes; however, their underlying disease-altering mechanisms remain unresolved. Knockout (KO) alleles for 9 HD GWAS modifiers/MMR genes were crossed to the Q140 Huntingtin (mHtt) knock-in mice to probe such mechanisms. Four KO mice strongly ( Msh3 and Pms1 ) or moderately ( Msh2 and Mlh1 ) rescue a triad of adult-onset, striatal medium-spiny-neuron (MSN)-selective phenotypes: somatic Htt DNA CAG-repeat expansion, transcriptionopathy, and mHtt protein aggregation. Comparatively, Q140 cortex also exhibits an analogous, but later-onset, pathogenic triad that is Msh3 -dependent. Remarkably, Q140/homozygous Msh3-KO lacks visible mHtt aggregates in the brain, even at advanced ages (20-months). Moreover, Msh3 -deficiency prevents striatal synaptic marker loss, astrogliosis, and locomotor impairment in HD mice. Purified Q140 MSN nuclei exhibit highly linear age-dependent mHtt DNA repeat expansion (i.e. repeat migration), with modal-CAG increasing at +8.8 repeats/month (R 2 =0.98). This linear rate is reduced to 2.3 and 0.3 repeats/month in Q140 with Msh3 heterozygous and homozygous alleles, respectively. Our study defines somatic Htt CAG-repeat thresholds below which there are no detectable mHtt nuclear or neuropil aggregates. Mild transcriptionopathy can still occur in Q140 mice with stabilized Htt 140-CAG repeats, but the majority of transcriptomic changes are due to somatic repeat expansion. Our analysis reveals 479 genes with expression levels highly correlated with modal-CAG length in MSNs. Thus, our study mechanistically connects HD GWAS genes to selective neuronal vulnerability in HD, in which Msh3 and Pms1 set the linear rate of neuronal mHtt CAG-repeat migration to drive repeat-length dependent pathogenesis; and provides a preclinical platform for targeting these genes for HD suppression across brain regions., One Sentence Summary: Msh3 and Pms1 are genetic drivers of sequential striatal and cortical pathogenesis in Q140 mice by mediating selective CAG-repeat migration in HD vulnerable neurons.

One rare stephacidin-asperochratide hybrid, stephaochratidin A ( 1 ), was isolated from the deep-sea-derived Aspergillus ochraceus MCCC 3A00521. The relative structure of 1 was determined by comprehensive analyses of its 1D and 2D NMR data as well as HRESIMS data. And the absolute configuration was unambiguously assigned by ECD calculations and the X-ray single-crystal diffraction analysis. Plausible biosynthetic pathway of 1 was proposed. Stephaochratidin A ( 1 ) exhibited significant ferroptosis inhibitory activity with the EC 50 value of 15.4 μM by downregulating HMOX-1 expression and lipid peroxidation.

Neuronal reconstruction-a process that transforms image volumes into 3D geometries and skeletons of cells- bottlenecks the study of brain function, connectomics and pathology. Domain scientists need exact and complete segmentations to study subtle topological differences. Existing methods are diskbound, dense-access, coupled, single-threaded, algorithmically unscalable and require manual cropping of small windows and proofreading of skeletons due to low topological accuracy. Designing a data-intensive parallel solution suited to a neurons' shape, topology and far-ranging connectivity is particularly challenging due to I/O and load-balance, yet by abstracting these vision tasks into strategically ordered specializations of search, we progressively lower memory by 4 orders of magnitude. This enables 1 mouse brain to be fully processed in-memory on a single server, at 67× the scale with 870× less memory while having 78% higher automated yield than APP2, the previous state of the art in performant reconstruction.

Understanding cellular architectures and their connectivity is essential for interrogating system function and dysfunction. However, we lack technologies for mapping the multiscale details of individual cells and their connectivity in the human organ-scale system. We developed a platform that simultaneously extracts spatial, molecular, morphological, and connectivity information of individual cells from the same human brain. The platform includes three core elements: a vibrating microtome for ultraprecision slicing of large-scale tissues without losing cellular connectivity (MEGAtome), a polymer hydrogel-based tissue processing technology for multiplexed multiscale imaging of human organ-scale tissues (mELAST), and a computational pipeline for reconstructing three-dimensional connectivity across multiple brain slabs (UNSLICE). We applied this platform for analyzing human Alzheimer's disease pathology at multiple scales and demonstrating scalable neural connectivity mapping in the human brain.

Objective: To assess the impact of femtosecond laser-assisted phacoemulsification on corneal endothelial characteristics and prognosis among patients with type 2 diabetes and age-related cataracts, considering varying nuclear hardness. Methods: This non-randomized controlled trial involved 161 patients (161 eyes) with type 2 diabetes undergoing cataract extraction at Weifang Eye Hospital between March 2020 and December 2022. The cohort comprised 73 males and 88 females, with an average age of (65.9±5.23) years. Based on patient preference, 101 individuals underwent conventional phacoemulsification (group A), while 60 chose femtosecond laser-assisted phacoemulsification (group B). Patients were further stratified based on Emery-Little grade of lens nuclei into A1/B1 (grade Ⅰ and Ⅱ), A2/B2 (grade Ⅲ), and A3/B3 (grade Ⅳ) subgroups. The study compared effective phacoemulsification time (EPT), cumulative energy release of phacoemulsification (CDE), central corneal thickness (CCT), endothelial cell density (ECD), coefficient of variation (CV), and hexagon cell ratio (HEX) before and after surgery at 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months. Results: The intraoperative EPT of patients in groups A and B were (6.52±4.93) and (5.63±4.31)s, respectively, and the CDE were 11.57%±5.21% and 10.68%±6.02%, respectively. The differences between them were not statistically significant (all P >0.05).There were no significant differences in EPT and CDE between groups A1 and B1 (all P >0.05), and there were statistically significant differences between groups A2 and B2, A3 and B3 (all P <0.05).The postoperative CCT was increased in both groups.There were no statistically significant differences in CCT between A1 and B1 groups at different time after surgery (all P >0.05), and there were statistically significant differences in CCT between A2 and B2, A3 and B3 groups at 1 day and 1 week after surgery (all P< 0.05), and group B was significantly lower than group A.There was no significant difference between 1 month and 3 months after surgery ( P> 0.05).ECD was reduced in both groups.There was no statistically significant difference in ECD at different time of operation between A1 and B1 groups (all P >0.05), while there was statistically significant difference in ECD at 1 day, 1 week, 1 month and 3 months after operation in A2 and B2, A3 and B3 groups (all P <0.05). Group B was significantly better than group A. There was no significant difference in coefficient of variation and HEX between the two groups at different time after surgery ( P >0.05). Conclusion: Femtosecond laser-assisted phacoemulsification demonstrates benefits in preserving corneal endothelial cells, reducing early postoperative corneal edema, and minimizing corneal injury in type 2 diabetes patients with cataracts of high nuclear hardness.

By analyzing 15,000 samples from 348 mammalian species, we derive DNA methylation (DNAm) predictors of maximum life span ( R = 0.89), gestation time ( R = 0.96), and age at sexual maturity ( R = 0.85). Our maximum life-span predictor indicates a potential innate longevity advantage for females over males in 17 mammalian species including humans. The DNAm maximum life-span predictions are not affected by caloric restriction or partial reprogramming. Genetic disruptions in the somatotropic axis such as growth hormone receptors have an impact on DNAm maximum life span only in select tissues. Cancer mortality rates show no correlation with our epigenetic estimates of life-history traits. The DNAm maximum life-span predictor does not detect variation in life span between individuals of the same species, such as between the breeds of dogs. Maximum life span is determined in part by an epigenetic signature that is an intrinsic species property and is distinct from the signatures that relate to individual mortality risk.

Introduction: Steroidal saponins characterised by intricate chemical structures are the main active components of a well-known traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) Rhizoma Paridis. The metabolic profiles of steroidal saponins in vivo remain largely unexplored, despite their renowned antitumor, immunostimulating, and haemostatic activity., Objective: To perform a comprehensive analysis of the chemical constituents of Rhizoma Paridis total saponins (RPTS) and their metabolites in rats after oral administration., Method: The chemical constituents of RPTS and their metabolites were analysed using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS)., Results: A reliable UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS method was established, and a total of 142 compounds were identified in RPTS. Specifically, diosgenin-type saponins showed the diagnostic ions at m/z 415.32, 397.31, 283.25, 271.21, and 253.20, whereas pennogenin-type saponins exhibited the diagnostic ions at m/z 413.31, 395.30, and 251.20. Based on the characteristic fragments and standard substances, 15 specific metabolites were further identified in the faeces, urine, plasma, and bile of rats. The metabolic pathways of RPTS, including phase I reactions (de-glycosylation and oxidation) and phase II reactions (glucuronidation), were explored and summarised, and the enrichment of metabolites was characterised by multivariate statistical analysis., Conclusion: The intricate RPTS could be transformed into relatively simple metabolites in rats through de-glycosylation, which provides a reference for further metabolic studies and screening of active ingredients for TCM., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Three new C 10 and C 12 aliphatic δ-lactones (1-3), three new fatty acid methyl esters (4-6), and eight known compounds (7-14) were isolated from the marine Aureobasidium sp. LUO5. Their structures were established by detailed analyses of the NMR, HRESIMS, optical rotation, and ECD data. All isolates were tested for their inhibitory effects on nitric oxide production in LPS-induced BV-2 cells. Notably, compound 4 displayed the strongest inhibitory effect with the IC 50 value of 120.3 nM., (© 2024 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.)

Rice straw is burned as a result of agricultural practices and technical limitations, generating significant volumes of ash that might have environmental and ecological consequences; however, the effects on organisms have not been researched. Amphibians depend on their gut and skin microbiomes. Ash exposure may cause inflammation and changes in microbial diversity and function in frogs' skin and gut microbiota due to its chemical composition and physical presence, but the implications remain unclear. Rana dybowskii were exposed to five aqueous extracts of ashes (AEA) concentrations for 30 days to study survival, metal concentrations, and microbial diversity, analyzing the microbiota of the cutaneous and gut microbiota using Illumina sequencing. Dominant elements in ash: K > Ca > Mg > Na > Al > Fe. In AEA, K > Na > Ca > Mg > As > Cu. Increased AEA concentrations significantly reduced frog survival. Skin microbiota alpha diversity varied significantly among all treatment groups, but not gut microbiota. Skin microbiota differed significantly across treatments via Bray-Curtis and weighted UniFrac; gut microbiota was only affected by Bray-Curtis. Skin microbiota varied significantly with AEA levels in Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria, and Firmicutes, while the gut microbiota's dominant phyla, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Proteobacteria, remained consistent across all groups. Lastly, the functional prediction showed that the skin microbiota had big differences in how it worked and looked, which were linked to different health and environmental adaptation pathways. The gut microbiota, on the other hand, had smaller differences. In conclusion, AEA exposure affects R. dybowskii survival and skin microbiota diversity, indicating potential health and ecological impacts, with less effect on gut microbiota., 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.)

Two novel meroterpenoids, alliisativins A and B ( 1 , 2 ) were discovered through a genome-based exploration of the biosynthetic gene clusters of the deep-sea-derived fungus Penicillium allii-sativi MCCC entry 3A00580. Extensive spectroscopic analysis, quantum calculations, chemical derivatization, and biogenetic considerations were utilized to establish their structures. Alliisativins A and B ( 1 , 2 ) possess a unique carbon skeleton featuring a drimane sesquiterpene with a highly oxidized polyketide. Noteworthily, alliisativin A ( 1 ) showed dual activity in promoting osteogenesis and inhibiting osteoclast, indicating an antiosteoporosis potential.

Food allergy (FA) poses a growing global food safety concern, yet no effective cure exists in clinics. Previously, we discovered a potent antifood allergy compound, butyrolactone I (BTL-I, 1 ), from the deep sea. Unfortunately, it has a very low exposure and poor pharmacokinetic (PK) profile in rats. Therefore, a series of structural optimizations toward the metabolic pathways of BTL-I were conducted to provide 18 derives ( 2 - 19 ). Among them, BTL-MK ( 19 ) showed superior antiallergic activity and favorable pharmacokinetics compared to BTL-I, being twice as potent with a clearance (CL) rate of only 0.5% that of BTL-I. By oral administration, C max and area under the concentration-time curve (AUC 0-∞ ) were 565 and 204 times higher than those of BTL-I, respectively. These findings suggest that butyrolactone methyl ketone (BTL-BK) could serve as a drug candidate for the treatment of FAs and offer valuable insights into optimizing the druggability of lead compounds.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore the clinical benefits of establishing an enteral nutrition (EN) pathway via percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography drainage (PTCD) catheterization in patients with late-stage malignant obstructive jaundice (MOJ). Methods: We selected 30 patients diagnosed as having late-stage MOJ with malnutrition. A dual-lumen biliary-enteral nutrition tube was placed via PTCD along with a biliary stent implantation. Postoperative EN was provided, and we observed the time taken for tube placement, its success rate, complications, and therapeutic efficacy. Results: Tube placement was successful in all 30 patients with an average procedural time of 5.7 ± 1.4 min with no tube placement complications. Compared to preoperative measures, there was a significant improvement in postoperative jaundice reduction and nutritional indicators one month after the procedure ( p  < 0.05). Post-placement complications included tube perileakage in 5 cases, entero-biliary reflux in 4 cases, tube blockage in 6 cases, tube displacement in 4 cases, accidental tube removal in 3 cases, and tube replacement due to degradation in 8 cases, with tube retention time ranging from 42 to 314 days, averaging 124.7 ± 37.5 days. All patients achieved the parameters for effective home-based enteral nutrition with a noticeable improvement in their quality of life. Conclusion: In this study, we found that the technique of establishing an EN pathway via PTCD catheterization was minimally invasive, safe, and effective; the tube was easy to maintain; and patient compliance was high. It is, thus, suitable for long-term tube retention in patients with late-stage MOJ.

Background: Previous studies have shown that MCM3 plays a key role in initiating DNA replication. However, the mechanism of MCM3 function in most cancers is still unknown. The aim of our study was to explore the expression, prognostic role, and immunological characteristics of MCM3 across cancers. Methods: We explored the expression pattern of MCM3 across cancers. We subsequently explored the prognostic value of MCM3 expression by using univariate Cox regression analysis. Spearman correlation analysis was performed to determine the correlations between MCM3 and immune-related characteristics, mismatching repair (MMR) signatures, RNA modulator genes, cancer stemness, programmed cell death (PCD) gene expression, tumour mutation burden (TMB), microsatellite instability (MSI), and neoantigen levels. The role of MCM3 in predicting the response to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy was further evaluated in four immunotherapy cohorts. Single-cell data from CancerSEA were analysed to assess the biological functions associated with MCM3 in 14 cancers. The clinical correlation and independent prognostic significance of MCM3 were further analysed in the TCGA and CGGA lower-grade glioma (LGG) cohorts, and a prognostic nomogram was constructed. Immunohistochemistry in a clinical cohort was utilized to validate the prognostic utility of MCM3 expression in LGG. Results: MCM3 expression was upregulated in most tumours and strongly associated with patient outcomes in many cancers. Correlation analyses demonstrated that MCM3 expression was closely linked to immune cell infiltration, immune checkpoints, MMR genes, RNA modulator genes, cancer stemness, PCD genes and the TMB in most tumours. There was an obvious difference in outcomes between patients with high MCM3 expression and those with low MCM3 expression in the 4 ICB treatment cohorts. Single-cell analysis indicated that MCM3 was mainly linked to the cell cycle, DNA damage and DNA repair. The expression of MCM3 was associated with the clinical features of LGG patients and was an independent prognostic indicator. Finally, the prognostic significance of MCM3 in LGG was validated in a clinical cohort. Conclusion: Our study suggested that MCM3 can be used as a potential prognostic marker for cancers and may be associated with tumour immunity. In addition, MCM3 is a promising predictor of immunotherapy responses., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Huang, Jiang, Tan, Nong, Yan, Yang, Mo, Ling, Deng and Gong.)

Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder caused by an expanded CAG repeat in the huntingtin ( HTT ) gene. The repeat-expanded HTT encodes a mutated HTT (mHTT), which is known to induce DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), activation of the cGAS-STING pathway, and apoptosis in HD. However, the mechanism by which mHTT triggers these events is unknown. Here, we show that HTT interacts with both exonuclease 1 (Exo1) and MutLα (MLH1-PMS2), a negative regulator of Exo1. While the HTT-Exo1 interaction suppresses the Exo1-catalyzed DNA end resection during DSB repair, the HTT-MutLα interaction functions to stabilize MLH1. However, mHTT displays a significantly reduced interaction with Exo1 or MutLα, thereby losing the ability to regulate Exo1. Thus, cells expressing mHTT exhibit rapid MLH1 degradation and hyperactive DNA excision, which causes severe DNA damage and cytosolic DNA accumulation. This activates the cGAS-STING pathway to mediate apoptosis. Therefore, we have identified unique functions for both HTT and mHTT in modulating DNA repair and the cGAS-STING pathway-mediated apoptosis by interacting with MLH1. Our work elucidates the mechanism by which mHTT causes HD., Competing Interests: Competing interests statement:The authors declare no competing interest.

The prevalence of food allergies has grown dramatically over the past decade. Recently, studies have shown the potential of marine substances to alleviate food allergies. We utilized a rat basophilic leukemia (RBL)-2H3 model to evaluate the antiallergic effects of alternariol monomethyl ether (AME) extracted from marine fungi Alternaria sp . Our results showed that AME attenuated food allergy symptoms in mice and reduced histamine release in serum. The population of mast cells in the spleen and mesenteric lymph nodes was considerably reduced. Moreover, in vitro assays also revealed that AME inhibited the release of β-hexosaminidase and histamine. Transcriptomic analysis uncovered that AME regulated gene expression associated with mast cells. Additionally, Western blotting demonstrated that AME suppressed mast cell activation by modulating MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways. Taken together, these findings provide a theoretical basis for the potential antiallergic use of marine-derived compounds in the development of functional foods.

Eight undescribed (1-8) and 46 known compounds (9-54) were isolated from the deep-sea-derived Aspergillus sp. MCCC 3A00392. Compounds 1-3 were three novel oxoindolo diterpenoids, 4-6 were three bisabolane sesquiterpenoids, while 7 and 8 were two monocyclic cyclopropanes. Their structures were established by exhaustive analyses of the HRESIMS, NMR, and theoretical calculations of the NMR data and ECD spectra. Compounds 10, 33, 38, and 39 were able to inhibit tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-induced necroptosis in murine L929 cell lines. Functional experiments verified that compounds 10 and 39 inhibited necroptosis by downregulating the phosphorylation of RIPK3 and MLKL. Moreover, compound 39 also reduced the phosphorylation of RIPK1. Compounds 10, 33, and 34 displayed potent inhibitory activities against RSL-3 induced ferroptosis with the EC 50 value of 3.0 μM, 0.4 μM, and 0.1 μM, respectively. Compound 10 inhibited ferroptosis by the downregulation of HMOX1, while compounds 33 and 34 inhibited ferroptosis through regulation of NRF2/SLC7A11/GCLM axis. However, these compounds only showed weak effect in either the necroptosis or ferroptosis relative mouse disease models. Further studies of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics might improve their in vivo bioactivities., 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. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Guomin decoction (GMD) is a traditional Chinese medicine commonly used in clinical practice. It has traditionally been used to treat all allergic diseases. Currently, Jiawei Guomin Decoction (JWGMD) is used to treat sensitive skin after initial therapy. Although it has a significant clinical therapeutic effect, the exact role of mast cell degranulation in treating atopic dermatitis (AD) is still unclear., Aim of the Study: GMD and JWGMD can both treat allergic diseases, while JWGMD focuses on skin allergies. This study aims to explore the potential effect of JWGMD on the degranulation of mast cells in an AD mouse model induced by 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB) and investigate the effectiveness of JWGMD in alleviating disease progression to further provide specific therapeutic targets for treating AD., Materials and Methods: The scratching times and skin lesions of model mice induced by DNFB were observed, and skin tissues were collected for subsequent measurement. Histopathological changes in the back skin of mice were observed by haematoxylin eosin (H&E) staining, Toluidine blue staining was used to detect the degranulation of mouse skin mast cells, and the relationship between the expression of histamine (HIS), mast cell tryptase (MCT) and mast cell degranulation was analysed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The expression of protease-activated receptor-2 (PAR-2), histamine 1 receptor (H1R), H2R, H4R and MCT proteins in AD mice was detected by Western blot (WB). Immunofluorescence assay (IFA) further confirmed the localization of PAR-2, H1R, H2R, H4R, and MCT proteins in the skin. Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) was used to determine PAR-2, H1R, H2R and H4R mRNA levels in skin lesions to further clarify the mechanism by which JWGMD amplifies mast cell degranulation in AD. In addition, a reliable ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole electrostatic field orbitrap mass spectrometry (UPLC-QE-MS) nontargeted metabolomics analysis was performed to analyse the differences in metabolite abundance between GMD and JWGMD, and these results were used to identify the active components in JWGMD that may have antipruritic and anti-inflammatory properties and inhibit mast cell degranulation., Results: After intermittent stimulation with DNFB, the skin lesions showed extensive desquamation, dryness, scabbing, skin thickening, and slight bleeding. Both treatments alleviated this phenomenon and reduced the number of scratches, with JWGMD being the most effective. JWGMD can significantly reduce inflammatory cell infiltration, oedema, and some capillary neogenesis in mice and reduce the degranulation of mast cells. The ELISA results showed that JWGMD can increase the levels of MCT and HIS proteins. The WB and IFA results demonstrated that JWGMD reduced the expression levels of PAR-2, H1R, H4R, and MCT proteins in skin lesions, with protein localization mainly in the epidermal layer, while H2R protein levels were increased and mainly localized in the dermis. In addition, JWGMD downregulates the mRNA expression of PAR-2, H1R, H2R, and H4R. Interestingly, through UPLC-QE-MS nontargeted metabolomic analysis, we detected the anti-inflammatory and antiallergy active substances in JWGMD, such as methyl eugenol, dictamnine and sinapine., Conclusions: JWGMD may alleviate itching through methyl syringol, dictamnine, sinapine and other substances, and its mechanism may be related to inhibiting the HIS/PAR-2 pathway in AD model mice and further regulating the self-amplification of mast cell degranulation. JWGMD is a potential drug for treating AD. Therefore, it deserves continuous attention and research., 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. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Berberine is a natural isoquinoline alkaloid with low toxicity, which exists in a wide variety of medicinal plants. Berberine has been demonstrated to exhibit potent prevention of indomethacin-induced gastric injury (GI) but the related mechanism remains unclear. In the present study, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-based metabolomics was applied for the first time to investigate the alteration of serum metabolites in the protection of berberine against indomethacin-induced gastric injury in rats. Subsequently, bioinformatics was utilized to analyze the potential metabolic pathway of the anti-GI effect of berberine. The pharmacodynamic data indicated that berberine could ameliorate gastric pathological damage, inhibit the level of proinflammatory factors in serum, and increase the level of antioxidant factors in serum. The LC-MS-based metabolomics analysis conducted in this study demonstrated the presence of 57 differential metabolites in the serum of rats with induced GI caused by indomethacin, which was associated with 29 metabolic pathways. Moreover, the study revealed that berberine showed a significant impact on the differential metabolites, with 45 differential metabolites being reported between the model group and the group treated with berberine. The differential metabolites were associated with 24 metabolic pathways, and berberine administration regulated 14 of the 57 differential metabolites, affecting 14 of the 29 metabolic pathways. The primary metabolic pathways affected were glutathione metabolism and arachidonic acid metabolism. Based on the results, it can be concluded that berberine has a gastroprotective effect on the GI. This study is particularly significant since it is the first to elucidate the mechanism of berberine's action on GI. The results suggest that berberine's action may be related to energy metabolism, oxidative stress, and inflammation regulation. These findings may pave the way for the development of new therapeutic interventions for the prevention and management of NSAID-induced GI disorders., Competing Interests: The authors have declared no conflicts of interest.

Objective: The function of Bcl-6 in T follicular helper (Tfh) cell maturation is indispensable, and Tfh cells play a pivotal role in asthma. This study investigated the impact of Bcl-6 on asthmatic traits., Methods: The microscopic pathological alterations, airway resistance (AR), and lung compliance (LC) were determined in asthmatic mice and Bcl-6 interference mice. The surface molecular markers of Tfh cells and the Bcl-6 mRNA and protein expression were determined by flow cytometry, RT-qPCR, and Western blotting, respectively. The relationships between the Tfh cell ratio and the IgE and IgG 1 concentrations in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were determined., Results: Asthmatic inflammatory changes were observed in the lung tissue and were attenuated by Bcl-6 siRNA and dexamethasone (DXM). Asthmatic mice exhibited an increased AR and a decreased LC, while Bcl-6 siRNA or DXM mitigated these changes. The percentages of Tfh cells and eosinophils were significantly increased in the asthmatic mice, and they significantly decreased after Bcl-6 inhibition or DXM treatment. RT-qPCR and Western blotting analyses revealed that the Bcl-6 expression level in PBMCs was significantly higher in asthmatic mice, and it decreased following Bcl-6 inhibition or DXM treatment. The IgE expression in the serum and BALF and the B cell expression in PBMCs exhibited a similar trend. In asthmatic mice, the ratio of Tfh cells in the peripheral blood showed a strong positive correlation with the IgE levels in the serum and BALF, but not with the IgG 1 levels., Conclusion: The amelioration of airway inflammation and airway hyper-responsiveness is achieved through Bcl-6 suppression, which effectively hinders Tfh cell differentiation, ultimately resulting in a concurrent reduction in IgE production., (© 2024. Huazhong University of Science and Technology.)