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Purpose: With advances in immunology, increasing evidence suggests that immunity is involved in premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) pathogenesis. This study investigated the roles of immune checkpoint genes and immune cell infiltration in POI pathogenesis and development. Methods: The GSE39501 dataset and immune checkpoint genes were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus database and related literature. The two datasets were intersected to obtain immune checkpoint-related differentially expressed genes (ICRDEGs), which were analyzed using Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Gene and Genomes enrichment analysis, weighted correlation network analysis, protein–protein interaction and related microRNAs, transcription factors, and RNA binding proteins. The immune cell infiltration of ICRDEGs was explored, and receiver operating characteristic curves were used to validate the diagnostic value of ICRDEGs in POI. Results: We performed ICRDEG functional enrichment analysis and found that these genes were closely related to immune processes, such as T cell activation. Specifically, they are enriched in various biological processes and pathways, such as cell adhesion molecule and T cell receptor signaling pathways. Weighted correlation network analysis identified seven hub genes: Cd200, Cd274, Cd28, neurociliary protein-1, Cd276, Cd40lg, and Cd47. Furthermore, we identified 112 microRNAs, 17 RNA-binding proteins, and 101 transcription factors. Finally, immune infiltration analysis showed a clear positive correlation between hub genes and multiple immune cell types. Conclusion: Bioinformatic analysis identified seven potential ICRDEGs associated with POI, among which the immune checkpoint molecules CD200 and neurociliary protein-1 may be involved in the pathogenesis of POI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual difficulties marked by poor sexual functioning is often reported by young adults, where young adulthood is an important period for the formation of intimacy in relationships. There has been increasing research showing the relationship between global self-esteem and sexual functioning, but this association is seldom examined through the bidimensional framework of self-esteem that includes domains of self-liking and self-competence. Thus, the purpose of this systematic review was to examine the empirical evidence on self-esteem domains and sexual functioning among young adults. Six databases (PsycINFO, Ovid MEDLINE, Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and CINAHL Plus) were searched for peer-reviewed journal articles published from inception to June 2022. Articles were included in this review if they measured at least one domain of self-esteem, one domain of sexual functioning, reported the association between self-esteem and sexual functioning, and involved young adults from 18–30 years old. Of the 6020 records retrieved, 17 articles were included in this review. Data were extracted and synthesised, and a quality assessment tool for observational cohort and cross-sectional studies was used to appraise the quality of articles ranging from poor to good. Most studies found positive associations between self-esteem elements and sexual functioning, particularly for global self-esteem and sexual self-esteem. However, these findings cannot be generalised due to the heterogeneity in measures of self-esteem constructs. This review reveals a gap in the literature as self-liking and self-competence have not been studied together in relation to sexual functioning, where most studies have focused on sexual satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), such as acetic acid, propionic acid, lactic acid, β-hydroxybutyric acid, and crotonic acid, play key biological roles and are also strongly associated with the maintenance of health and the development of age-related diseases. However, an accurate method for SCFAs detection in human serum is lacking. Herein, we developed an UHPLC-QE-Orbitrap MS method based on 3-nitrophenylhydrazine derivatization in negative electrospray ionization through parallel reaction monitoring mode for the simultaneous detection of 11 SCFAs in the serum, and the analysis was performed on an Agilent Proshell 120 EC-C18 column (2.1 mm × 100 mm, 2.7 μm). Three pairs of isomers—isobutyric and butyric acid, isovaleric and valeric acid, and isocaproic and caproic acid—were completely separated in 20 min in a single run. Our method exhibited satisfactory linearity (R > 0.99) for all analytes, and both intra-day and inter-day accuracies (73.74% to 127.9%) and precisions (< 21%) were acceptable for most targeted compounds. The extraction recoveries ranged from 90.80% to 111.7%, and the internal standard-normalized matrix effects were 74.43%–116.9%. This method was successfully applied to a cohort of 1021 older Chinese individuals. Our results may further the understanding of the metabolic phenotypes associated with SCFAs in other populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few studies have explored the relationship between antibiotic exposure and sleep in newlyweds. We applied the actor–partner interdependence moderation model to estimate the relationships of antibiotic exposure with nighttime sleep duration (weekday, weekend, and average sleep durations) and daytime sleepiness in newlyweds. We found that 99.0% of the 2698 enrolled individuals were exposed to at least one antibiotic. Among the newlyweds, exposure to florfenicol (β, − 0.077; 95% confidence interval [CI], − 0.143, − 0.011), exposure to chloramphenicols (− 0.086 [− 0.160, − 0.011]), and exposure to veterinary antibiotics (VAs) (− 0.106 [− 0.201, − 0.010]) were negatively associated with weekday sleep duration. Florfenicol, chloramphenicols, and VAs were also inversely related to average sleep duration in the newlyweds. Ciprofloxacin and cyadox exposure was significantly associated with an increase of 0.264 (0.030, 0.497) and (0.375 [0.088, 0.663]) Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) scores in the newlyweds, respectively. Gender moderated the actor–partner effects of erythromycin and tetracyclines on the newlyweds' weekday sleep duration and ESS scores. Overall, exposure to florfenicol, chloramphenicols, and VAs shortened weekday and average sleep durations of newlyweds. Exposure to ciprofloxacin and cyadox promoted daytime sleepiness. Gender moderated the actor–partner effects of specific antibiotics on the weekday sleep duration and ESS scores of the newlyweds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green finance is acknowledged as a critical policy tool in China's sustainable development sector, with the goal of lowering the financial burden associated with ecological transformation for Chinese firms. This research examines the impact of green finance on the green innovation efficiency of the high-tech industry in China, within the context of carbon neutrality. Using a panel dataset covering 30 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities in China from 2013 to 2021, we analyze the effects of green finance on green innovation efficiency. Our findings indicate that green finance significantly improves the green innovation efficiency of the high-tech industry, even after robustness testing. Furthermore, this paper also explores the threshold effect of industrial agglomeration on the relationship between green finance and green innovation efficiency, specifically in terms of specialization, diversity, and competition. We verify that green finance reduces the costs of green transformation for enterprises, leading to a substantial improvement in the green innovation efficiency of the high-tech industry. These results shed light on the factors influencing green innovation efficiency and provide theoretical insights and implications for policymakers, entrepreneurs, and financial institutions to reconcile economic growth and sustainability goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-invasive blood composition analysis based on dynamic spectrum (DS) theory has gained significant attention due to its non-invasive, simple, and fast performance. However, most of the multi-wavelength photoplethysmography (PPG) detection devices used to obtain DS are composed of halogen light sources and spectrometers and cannot detect effective PPG signals in the visible light short band (400–620 nm), which limits the detection accuracy of blood components with significant absorption spectral differences in that band. Therefore, this paper designs a multi-wavelength spectral acquisition system that can measure high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR > 65 dB) PGG signals at wavelengths of 405, 430, 450, 505, 520, and 570 nm and combines this system with a halogen lamp spectrometer acquisition system for non-invasive blood component detection. Furthermore, this paper collects the DS of 272 subjects with the combined system and establishes a predictive model for DS with the content of red blood cell (RBC) and hemoglobin (HGB) components. The results show that, compared with the halogen lamp spectrometer acquisition system, the correlation coefficient (Rp) of RBC and HGB prediction model established by the combined system has increased by 0.0619 and 0.0489, respectively, and the root mean square error (RMSE) has decreased by 0.08 1e12/L and 0.85 g/L, which confirm the feasibility of the designed multi-wavelength spectrum acquisition system to enhance the accuracy of blood component detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of novel artemisinin-isatin hybrids (7a-t) linked via different lengths of esters were designed, synthesized and evaluated for their cytotoxicity against human myeloid leukemia cell lines (K562 and K562/ADR), human acute lymphoblastic leukemia cell line (CCRF-CEM), as well as normal human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) using the MTT assay. The initial results demonstrated that most of the ester-tethered artemisinin-isatin hybrids (IC50: 1.53–51.39 µM) showed activity against CCRF-CEM cells, with six of them (IC50: 3.47–9.52 µM) being >10.5 times more potent than artemisinin (IC50: >100 µM). Notably, hybrid 7i (IC50: 3.82, 1.53, and 22.71 µM) exhibited promising activity against all three tested leukemia cell lines. Hybrid 7i was 3.2 and 2.5 times more active than Adriamycin (IC50: 4.89 µM) and Vorinostat (IC50: 3.83 µM) against K562 cells, respectively, and >4.4 times more effective than Adriamycin (IC50: >100 µM) against K562/ADR cells. Moreover, hybrid 7i (IC50: >100 µM) showed no toxicity towards PBMCs, with an SI value > 26.17, indicating excellent safety and selectivity profiles. Additionally, hybrid 7i displayed acceptable pharmacokinetic properties. In summary, hybrid 7i is a promising lead molecule for the development of novel anti-leukemic agents with low toxicity and high selectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Event extraction is a fundamental task in information extraction. Most previous approaches typically transform event extraction into two subtasks: trigger classification and argument classification, and solve them via classification-based methods, which suffer from some inherent drawbacks. To overcome these issues, in this paper, we propose a novel event extraction model Seq2EG by first formulating event extraction as an event graph parsing problem, and then exploiting a pre-trained sequence-to-sequence (seq2seq) model to transduce an input sentence into an accurate event graph without the need for trigger words. Based on the generative event graph parsing formulation, our model Seq2EG can explicitly model the multiple event correlations and argument sharing and can naturally incorporate some graph-structured features and the rich semantic information conveyed by the labels of event types and argument roles. Extensive experimental results on the public ACE2005 dataset show that our approach outperforms all previous state-of-the-art models for event extraction by a large margin, respectively, obtaining an improvement of 3.4% F1 score for event detection and an improvement of 4.7% F1 score for argument classification over the best baselines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Germline BRCA2 mutation carriers frequently develop luminal-like breast cancers, but it remains unclear how BRCA2 mutations affect mammary epithelial subpopulations. Here, we report that monoallelic Brca2mut/WT mammary organoids subjected to replication stress activate a transcriptional response that selectively expands Brca2mut/WT luminal cells lacking hormone receptor expression (HR-). While CyTOF analyses reveal comparable epithelial compositions among wildtype and Brca2mut/WT mammary glands, Brca2mut/WT HR- luminal cells exhibit greater organoid formation and preferentially survive and expand under replication stress. ScRNA-seq analysis corroborates the expansion of HR- luminal cells which express elevated transcript levels of Tetraspanin-8 (Tspan8) and Thrsp, plus pathways implicated in replication stress survival including Type I interferon responses. Notably, CRISPR/Cas9-mediated deletion of Tspan8 or Thrsp prevents Brca2mut/WT HR- luminal cell expansion. Our findings indicate that Brca2mut/WT cells activate a transcriptional response after replication stress that preferentially favours outgrowth of HR- luminal cells through the expression of interferon-responsive and mammary alveolar genes. Here the authors study how BRCA2 mutations affect mammary epithelial subpopulations. They report that Brca2mut/WT mammary organoids subjected to replication stress activate a transcriptional response that selectively expands Brca2mut/WT HR- luminal cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smilax china L. is an important herb used in traditional Chinese medicine. In this study, the mechanism of Smilax china L. polyphenols (SCP) on insulin resistance and anti-obesity in mice induced by a high-fat diet (HFD) was investigated. Fifty female mice were randomly divided into five groups: control, HFD and low, medium, and high doses of SCP for 70 d. SCP significantly decreased intraperitoneal adipose tissue index, body weight gain, liver lipids, and serum inflammatory factor levels. Blood glucose and insulin concentrations, as well as insulin resistance index in SCP, were significantly lower than those in HFD. In addition, SCP markedly up-regulated the gene expression of glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4), insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1), insulin receptor substrate 2 (IRS2), serine-threonine kinase (AKT), Acyl-CoA oxidase (ACO), and protein kinase A (PKA), and down-regulated the expression of mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1), sterol-responsive element-binding protein-1c (SREBP1c), fatty acid synthase (FAS), 3-hydroxy-3-methyl glutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGCR), and forkhead box protein O1 (FOXO1). SCP significantly increased the protein expression of AKT, GLUT4, AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), phosphorylated-AMPK (p-AMPK), phosphorylated-AKT (p-AKT), and uncoupling protein 1 (UCP-1), and decreased the expression of SREBP1c, FAS, HMGCR, phosphorylation of IKBα (p-IKBα), and nuclear factor kappa B subunit p65 (P65) in the liver. Overall, SCP effectively reduced HFD-induced insulin resistance and obesity in mice, partly through NF-κB and IRS/AKT-AMPK signaling pathways to regulate inflammatory factors. Therefore, SCP may improve lifestyle diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emerging studies have shown that environmental contaminants were related to decreased handgrip strength. Nevertheless, no prior research has investigated the relationship of exposure to environmental antibiotics with grip strength. Thus, we explored the relationship between urinary antibiotic burden and grip strength among the elderly in China. This study consisted of 451 men and 539 women from the baseline survey of a cohort study. Commonly used antibiotics for humans and animals were detected in 990 urine samples through a biomonitoring method. Grip strength was measured by an electronic dynamometer. We examined the associations of antibiotic exposure with low grip strength (LGS), grip strength, and grip strength index, respectively. Results suggested that 34.9% of participants developed LGS, and 93.0% of individuals were exposed to 1–10 antibiotics. Among women, oxytetracycline (Quartile 2: odds ratio: 2.97, 95% confidence interval: 1.36–6.50), florfenicol (Quartile 3: 2.60 [1.28–5.27]), fluoroquinolones (Quartile 4: 1.88 [1.07–3.30]), and chloramphenicols (Quartile 3: 2.73 [1.35–5.51]) could enhance LGS risk. Among men, ofloxacin (Quartile 2: 3.32 [1.45–7.59]) increased LGS risk, whereas tetracycline (Quartile 2: 0.31 [0.11–0.88]) was implicated in reduced LGS risk. In participants < 70 years, ofloxacin (Quartile 2: 3.00 [1.40–6.42]) could increase LGS risk. For participants who were 70 years of age or older, veterinary antibiotics (Quartile 3: 1.73 [1.02–2.94]) were linked to a 73% increased risk of LGS. Our findings suggested that antibiotics mainly pertained to LGS, and there were gender and age disparities in associations between antibiotic exposure and muscle strength indicators in the elderly Chinese population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanotechnology has been widely applied in the development of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Interestingly, we found that nanostructures intrinsically existed in 12 clinically applied TCM mixtures (TCMMs). However, the role of these nanostructures in TCMMs and their potential value in improving the development of TCMMs remain unknown. Taking Qingxuechushi mixture as an example, we demonstrated that nanoparticles could be the most efficient part through the pharmacodynamics study on psoriasis model. By imitating the physical properties and chemical composition of isolated nanoparticles in Qingxuechushi mixture, a novel nanoformulation with definite components and good therapeutic effect was developed, which not only mimicked the prescription composition rules in the original TCMMs but also possessed the advantage of nanotechnology. This novel nanoformulation could notably alleviate the psoriasis-like manifestations and reduce the levels of pro-inflammatory factors in serum in the psoriasis mouse model. This work organically integrates the advantages of TCMMs and nanotechnology, which may provide a new approach and inspiration for the development of TCM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ménière's disease, a multifactorial disorder of the inner ear, is characterized by severe vertigo episodes and hearing loss. Although the role of immune responses in Ménière's disease has been proposed, the precise mechanisms remain undefined. Here, we show that downregulation of serum/glucocorticoid-inducible kinase 1 is associated with activation of NLRP3 inflammasome in vestibular-resident macrophage-like cells from Ménière's disease patients. Serum/glucocorticoid-inducible kinase 1 depletion markedly enhances IL-1β production which leads to the damage of inner ear hair cells and vestibular nerve. Mechanistically, serum/glucocorticoid-inducible kinase 1 binds to the PYD domain of NLRP3 and phosphorylates it at Serine 5, thereby interfering inflammasome assembly. Sgk−/− mice show aggravated audiovestibular symptoms and enhanced inflammasome activation in lipopolysaccharide-induced endolymphatic hydrops model, which is ameliorated by blocking NLRP3. Pharmacological inhibition of serum/glucocorticoid-inducible kinase 1 increases the disease severity in vivo. Our studies demonstrate that serum/glucocorticoid-inducible kinase 1 functions as a physiologic inhibitor of NLRP3 inflammasome activation and maintains inner ear immune homeostasis, reciprocally participating in models of Ménière's disease pathogenesis. The immune response has been suggested to be involved in the pathology of Ménière's disease. Here the authors implicate serum glucocorticoid-inducible kinase 1 as a regulator of the NLRP3 inflammasome and link to macrophage function in a model of Ménière's disease pathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to increasingly complex surface conditions for land seismic acquisition in petroleum exploration, conventional wired acquisition has become environmentally unfeasible, leading to a dramatic increase in exploration costs. Compressed sensing technology is utilized, incorporating curvelet transform, iterative threshold, and sampling matrix, to recover and reconstruct the acquired ocean bottom node (OBN) data. Model tests show satisfactory data restoration when complete data is available on both sides of the missing traces and when missing traces comprise less than 6% of the total. The threshold and curvelet scale will be determined based on the measured data. A field OBN data application involving 1378 shots demonstrates effective restoration and reconstruction of missing data. The improved event continuity and information content validate the use of compressed sensing for data restoration and reconstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to investigate the browning effects mechanism of Smilax china L. polyphenols (SCLP) and its monomer. In this study, polyphenols (SCLP, engeletin, quercetin and caffeic acid) markedly suppressed lipid accumulation. Polyphenols significantly up-graded the expression of protein kinase A (PKA), adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL), peroxisome proliferators-activated receptors alpha (PPARα), carnitine palmitoyl transferase (CPT) and acyl-CoA oxidase (ACO) to promote lipolysis and β-oxidation. Moreover, polyphenols greatly enhanced mitochondrial biogenesis in adipocytes, as demonstrated by the expression of Nrf1 and Tfam were up-regulated. Furthermore, polyphenols treatment greatly up-regulated the browning program in adipocytes by increased brown-specific genes and proteins uncoupling protein 1 (UCP-1), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator-1 alpha (PGC-1α) and PR domain containing 16 (PRDM16), as well as beige-specific genes (Tmem26, Tbx1, CD137, Cited1), especially engeletin. Further research found that the brown-specific markers were decreased by antagonist treatment of AMPK or β3-AR, but polyphenols treatment reversed the effect of antagonists and improved the expression of UCP-1, PRDM16 and PGC-1α. In conclusion, these results indicated that polyphenols stimulate browning in adipocytes via activation of the β3-AR/AMPK signaling pathway, and SCLP and its monomer may be worth investigating to prevent obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies examined the connection between antibiotic exposure in urine and dysglycemia risk (including prediabetes and diabetes) in the elderly were limited. Multiple linear regression, binary logistic regression, restricted cubic splines (RCS), and stratified analysis were applied to analyze the relationship between antibiotic exposure and dysglycemia risk. We observed that sulfaclozine exposure 0.07 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.01–0.23) significantly increased fasting blood glucose (FBG) level. By mechanism, usage, and antimicrobial action, sulfonamides 0.08 (95% CI: 0.06–0.36), veterinary antibiotics (VA) 0.07 (95% CI: 0.01–0.30), or bacteriostatic antibiotics 0.07 (95% CI: 0.02–0.29) significantly increased FBG level. Additionally, sulfaclozine exposure 1.54 (95% CI: 1.02–2.33) resulted in a higher dysglycemia risk, while doxycycline exposure 0.53 (95% CI: 0.30–0.95) resulted in a lower dysglycemia risk. By mechanism, usage, and antimicrobial action, sulfonamides 1.44 (95% CI: 1.02–2.04), VA 1.68 (95% CI: 1.21–2.35), or bacteriostatic antibiotics 1.40 (95% CI: 1.02–1.93) exposure had a higher dysglycemia risk. Taken together, exposure to sulfonamides, VA, especially sulfaclozine, was correlated with a higher dysglycemia risk in the elderly. Exposure to bacteriostatic antibiotics was associated with a higher dysglycemia risk in the female. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To compare safety and effectiveness between standard position and adjusted distance pre- and post-anterior capsule of femtosecond laser capsulotomy in white cataracts surgery. Methods: Selected white cataracts that underwent LenSx femtosecond laser capsulotomy were randomized into groups A (standard position, with 300 µm symmetrically pre- and post-anterior capsule), B (increased distance with 400 µm symmetrically pre- and post-anterior capsule), and C (unsymmetrical distances of 200 µm pre- and 400 µm post-anterior capsule, respectively). All these surgeries were performed by the same experienced surgeon. Complications, including incomplete capsulotomy and capsule tears, were recorded. In addition, femtosecond capsulotomy and phacoemulsification parameters, IOLs centrality and corrected distance visual acuity were assessed. Results: A total of 113 eyes were included in this study. There were 8 (21.6%) incomplete capsulotomy and 1 anterior capsule tear in group A. Meanwhile, only 2 eyes (5.1%) had incomplete capsulotomy with none showing capsule tear in group B. In group C, only 1 eye (2.7%) had incomplete capsulotomy and no capsule tear occurred. Mean femtosecond laser capsulotomy time was longer in group B compared with groups A and C. Average cumulative dispersed energy, IOL centrality and corrected distance visual acuity were similar in all groups. Conclusions: Appropriate adjustment on femtosecond laser capsulotomy distance by reducing pre-anterior capsule and increasing post-anterior distance, may decrease incomplete capsulotomy and be more effective in white cataracts surgery. Trial registration: Clinical trial registration number: ChiCTR2100043863. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

T-2 toxin is a mycotoxin that has harmful effects on the immune system and cognitive function. Betulinic acid (BA) is a plant-derived pentacyclic lupane-type triterpenoid which possesses a wide spectrum of bioactivities. The study was aimed to explore whether BA has a protective effect on cognitive impairment and oxidative stress caused by T-2 toxin. BA was suspended in 1% soluble starch by continuous intragastric administration for 14 days, then the brain damage in mice was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of T-2 toxin (4 mg/kg). It was found that BA alleviated the reduction of discrimination index in T-2 toxin-treated mice, and enhanced dopamine (DA), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), and acetylcholine (ACH) levels of brain neurotransmitter. Meanwhile, BA pretreatment ameliorated oxidative stress through increase of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and glutathione (GSH) levels, and inhibition of the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) in the brain of mice exposed to T-2 toxin. Moreover, BA reduced brain hemorrhage and ecchymosis, improved the mitochondrial morphology, enriched the number of organelles, and inhibited cell apoptosis in brain challenged with T-2 toxin. Furthermore, BA inhibited mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) as well as enhanced mRNA expression of anti-inflammatory cytokine such as IL-10 in the brain of T-2 toxin-triggered mice. Therefore, BA could improve the cognitive function, enhance the antioxidant capacity, and inhibit the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines in brain, thereby playing a preventive and protective role against brain damage caused by T-2 toxin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neurological soft signs (NSS) are a common feature of severe psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia but are also prevalent in organic brain diseases like HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND) or Alzheimer's disease. While distinct associations between NSS, neurocognition, and cerebral regions were demonstrated in schizophrenia, these associations still have to be elucidated in HIV. Therefore, we investigated 36 persons with HIV of whom 16 were neurocognitively healthy and 20 were diagnosed with HAND. NSS were assessed using the Heidelberg scale. NSS scores were correlated with gray matter (GM) using whole brain voxel-based morphometry. Results showed significantly elevated NSS in the HAND group when compared to the neurocognitively healthy with respect to NSS total score and the subscores "orientation" and "complex motor tasks". While the two groups showed only minor, non-significant GM differences, higher NSS scores (subscales "motor coordination", "orientation") were significantly correlated with GM reduction in the right insula and cerebellum (FWE-corrected). Our results corroborate elevated NSS in HIV+ patients with HAND in contrast to cognitively unimpaired patients. In addition, cerebral correlates of NSS with GM reductions in insula and cerebellum were revealed. Taken together, NSS in this patient group could be considered a marker of cerebral damage and neurocognitive deficits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wheat is a major staple food crop worldwide because of the unique properties of wheat flour. High molecular weight glutenin subunits (HMW-GSs), which are among the most critical determinants of wheat flour quality, are responsible for the formation of glutenin polymeric structures via interchain disulfide bonds. We herein describe the identification of a new HMW-GS Dy10 allele (Dy10-m619SN). The amino acid substitution (serine-to-asparagine) encoded in this allele resulted in a partial post-translational cleavage that produced two new peptides. These new peptides disrupted the interactions among gluten proteins because of the associated changes to the number of available cysteine residues for interchain disulfide bonds. Consequently, Dy10-m619SN expression decreased the size of glutenin polymers and weakened glutens, which resulted in wheat dough with improved cookie-making quality, without changes to the glutenin-to-gliadin ratio. In this study, we clarified the post-translational processing of HMW-GSs and revealed a new genetic resource useful for wheat breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drug resistance is a major obstacle to the treatment of most human tumors. In this study, we find that dual-specificity phosphatase 16 (DUSP16) regulates resistance to chemotherapy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma, colorectal cancer, gastric and breast cancer. Cancer cells expressing higher DUSP16 are intrinsically more resistant to chemotherapy-induced cell death than cells with lower DUSP16 expression. Overexpression of DUSP16 in cancer cells leads to increased resistance to cell death upon chemotherapy treatment. In contrast, knockdown of DUSP16 in cancer cells increases their sensitivity to treatment. Mechanistically, DUSP16 inhibits JNK and p38 activation, thereby reducing BAX accumulation in mitochondria to reduce apoptosis. Analysis of patient survival in head & neck cancer and breast cancer patient cohorts supports DUSP16 as a marker for sensitivity to chemotherapy and therapeutic outcome. This study therefore identifies DUSP16 as a prognostic marker for the efficacy of chemotherapy, and as a therapeutic target for overcoming chemoresistance in cancer. Chemoresistance is one of the main challenges for cancer therapy success. Here, the authors show that dual-specificity phosphatase 16 (DUSP16) expression is associated with chemoresistance in several types of cancer through impairing mitochondria-associated apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a serious neurodegenerative disease that is induced by hyperglycaemia. Oxidative stress, inflammation and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress are involved in the development of DR. Sulforaphane (SF) is widely found in cruciferous plants and has a protective effect against retinal neurodegeneration in diabetes, but the mechanism is unclear. In this study, we investigated the mechanism by which SF protects against photoreceptor degeneration in diabetes. In vivo, a mouse model of diabetes was established by streptozotocin (STZ) injection, and the mice were treated with/without SF. Electroretinography (ERG) and H&E staining were used to evaluate retinal function and morphology. In vitro, 661w cells were treated with AGEs with/without SF. Cell viability and apoptosis were analysed by CCK-8 assay and flow cytometry. The expression of proteins and genes was assessed by western blot and qRT-PCR. The amplitude of the a-wave was decreased and the morphology was changed in the diabetic mice, and these changes were delayed by SF treatment. The percentage of apoptotic cells was increased and the cell viability was decreased after the treatment of 661w cells with AGEs. Moreover, the expression of GRP78, Txnip and TNFα was increased, however, this increased expression was reversed by SF treatment via AMPK pathway activation. Taken together, these data show that SF can delay photoreceptor degeneration in diabetes, and the underlying mechanism is related to the inhibition of ER stress, inflammation and Txnip expression through the activation of the AMPK pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface charge plays a fundamental role in determining the fate of a nanoparticle, and any encapsulated contents, in vivo. Herein, we describe, and visualise in real time, light-triggered switching of liposome surface charge, from neutral to cationic, in situ and in vivo (embryonic zebrafish). Prior to light activation, intravenously administered liposomes, composed of just two lipid reagents, freely circulate and successfully evade innate immune cells present in the fish. Upon in situ irradiation and surface charge switching, however, liposomes rapidly adsorb to, and are taken up by, endothelial cells and/or are phagocytosed by blood resident macrophages. Coupling complete external control of nanoparticle targeting together with the intracellular delivery of encapsulated (and membrane impermeable) cargos, these compositionally simple liposomes are proof that advanced nanoparticle function in vivo does not require increased design complexity but rather a thorough understanding of the fundamental nano-bio interactions involved. Surface charge plays an important role in determining nanoparticle fate in vivo. Here the authors report on the development of a light triggered charge switching liposome and demonstrate light triggered liposome targeting, uptake and payload delivery in a zebrafish model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The power generation and thermal stress of a segmented thermoelectric generator (TEG) under a pulsed heat source are analyzed in this paper. The distribution of thermal stress in four-part thermoelectric materials and its development over time are discussed. The influence of duty cycle on the maximum thermal stress is analyzed. The effects of welding layer thickness on thermal stress and output energy are also discussed. The results show that reducing the duty cycle can increase the amount of power generated, accompanied by an increase in thermal stress. Increasing the thickness of the welding layer can effectively reduce the thermal stress in the bismuth telluride layer. Detailed analysis of thermal stress in thermoelectric materials under pulsed heat sources with different duty cycles can provide guidance for the structural design and reliability analysis in the practical application of a TEG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The metabolism of carfentanil was assessed using human, dog, and rat pulmonary microsomes. Mass spectrometry based analysis allowed for metabolite identification and species differentiation. Participation of different metabolic enzymes in carfentanil biotransformation was also assessed. Methods: Metabolite profiling was accomplished by incubating 10 µM carfentanil in human, dog, and rat lung microsomes. The metabolites were separated and analyzed by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography/high-resolution mass spectrometry. Results: In total, 18 metabolites were detected. Nine metabolites were authentically identified through comparison to synthesized reference standards. In human lung microsomes, nine metabolites were identified. In dog lung microsomes, 15 metabolites were identified with three being dog specific. In rat lung microsomes, 15 metabolites were identified and two were rat specific. Proposed metabolic pathways included N-dealkylation, monohydroxylation, dihydroxylation, N-oxidation of piperidine ring nitrogen, and ketone formation. Participation of enzymes CYP2B6, CYP2E1, CYP2J2, and CYP3A4/5 to carfentanil metabolism was suggested by selective enzymatic inhibition. Conclusions: The pulmonary clearance in human lung microsomes was lower than the previously reported hepatic metabolism suggesting organ specific metabolic rates. The contribution of multiple cytochrome P450 enzymes to human, dog, and rat pulmonary microsomal carfentanil biotransformation varied between species. The identified metabolites may provide useful markers for possible forensic and clinical determination of the mode of ingestion but the use of dog and rat animal models was not indicated. To our knowledge, this is the first reported use of chemically synthesized reference standards for the unequivocal identification of lung carfentanil metabolites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gain of function (GOF) DNA binding domain (DBD) mutations of TP53 upregulate chromatin regulatory genes that promote genome-wide histone methylation and acetylation. Here, we therapeutically exploit the oncogenic GOF mechanisms of p53 codon 158 (Arg158) mutation, a DBD mutant found to be prevalent in lung carcinomas. Using high throughput compound screening and combination analyses, we uncover that acetylating mutp53R158G could render cancers susceptible to cisplatin-induced DNA stress. Acetylation of mutp53R158G alters DNA binding motifs and upregulates TRAIP, a RING domain-containing E3 ubiquitin ligase which dephosphorylates IĸB and impedes nuclear translocation of RelA (p65), thus repressing oncogenic nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-ĸB) signaling and inducing apoptosis. Given that this mechanism of cytotoxic vulnerability appears inapt in p53 wild-type (WT) or other hotspot GOF mutp53 cells, our work provides a therapeutic opportunity specific to Arg158-mutp53 tumors utilizing a regimen consisting of DNA-damaging agents and mutp53 acetylators, which is currently being pursued clinically. Codon 158 gain-of-function mutant p53 (158-mutp53) promotes tumourigenesis in lung cancer. Here, the authors show that 158-mutp53 render cancers sensitive to cisplatin and p53 acetylation agents through a mechanism where acetylated mutant p53 upregulates TRAIP and inhibits NF-ĸB signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

c-MET receptors are activated in cancers through genomic events like tyrosine kinase domain mutations, juxtamembrane splicing mutation and amplified copy numbers, which can be inhibited by c-MET small molecule inhibitors. Here, we discover that the most common polymorphism known to affect MET gene (N375S), involving the semaphorin domain, confers exquisite binding affinity for HER2 and enables METN375S to interact with HER2 in a ligand-independent fashion. The resultant METN375S/HER2 dimer transduces potent proliferative, pro-invasive and pro-metastatic cues through the HER2 signaling axis to drive aggressive squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck (HNSCC) and lung (LUSC), and is associated with poor prognosis. Accordingly, HER2 blockers, but not c-MET inhibitors, are paradoxically effective at restraining in vivo and in vitro models expressing METN375S. These results establish METN375S as a biologically distinct and clinically actionable molecular subset of SCCs that are uniquely amenable to HER2 blocking therapies. The MET receptor is frequently activated in cancer. Here, the authors show that in head and neck and lung squamous carcinoma, a polymorphic MET variant enhances binding to HER2, resulting in activation of HER2 signalling and progression of the cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A lytic bacteriophage, designated Vibrio phage vB_VpP_BA6, was isolated from sewage collected in Guangzhou, China. The double-stranded DNA genome of phage BA6 is composed of 50,520 bp with a G+C content of 41.77%. It possesses 64 open reading frames relating to phage structure, packaging, host lysis, DNA metabolism, and additional functions. Three tRNAs genes (encoding Pro, Ile and Trp) were detected. Comparison of its genomic features and phylogenetic analysis revealed that phage BA6 is a novel member of the family Podoviridae. This phage may represent a potential therapeutic agent against multidrug-resistant Vibrio parahaemolyticus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon-based materials have always been a hot issue of research as important electrode materials for supercapacitors. Their capacitance characteristics depend on specific surface area, pore size distribution, and chemical composition etc. In this report, we utilize sodium citrate as a carbon source and melamine and urea as nitrogen sources. We prepared two types of nitrogen-doped hierarchical porous carbons using a simple and environmentally friendly method for supercapacitors in an aqueous solution containing 6 mol/L KOH. The results show, when melamine was used as a nitrogen source, benefit from a larger BET surface area of 819.5463 m2/g, and higher nitrogen content 4.14% show a higher specific capacitance characteristics 383F g−1 at 0.3A g−1 and high capacity retention of 99.6% after 10,000 cycles compared with the product of urea as a nitrogen source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the worldwide population ages, the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) increases. However, the results of promising medications have been unsatisfactory. Chinese acupuncture has a long history of treating dementia, but lack of evidence from well-designed randomized controlled trials that validate its efficacy and safety, as well as its lack of clear underlying mechanisms, contribute to its limited application in clinical practice. In recent years, brain imaging technologies, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography, have been used to assess brain responses to acupuncture in a dynamic, visual, and objective way. These techniques are frequently used to explore neurological mechanisms of responses to acupuncture in AD and provide neuroimaging evidence as well as starting points to elucidate the possible mechanisms. This review summarizes the existing brain imaging evidence that explains the effects of acupuncture for AD and analyzes brain responses to acupuncture at cognitive-related acupoints [Baihui (GV 20), Shenmen (HT 7), Zusanli (ST 36), Neiguan (PC 6), and Taixi (KI 3)] from perspectives of acupoint specificity and acupoint combinations. Key issues and directions to consider in future studies are also put forward. This review should deepen our understanding of how brain imaging studies can be used to explore the underlying mechanisms of acupuncture in AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the hemodynamic effect of Shen-Fu Injection (参附注射液, SFI) in early volume resuscitation treated septic shock patients by monitoring pulse indicator continuous cardiac output (PICCO).Methods: All septic shock patients admitted in the Intensive Care Unit of the Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from January 1st, 2014 to December 31th, 2015, were reviewed, and totally 65 were enrolled in this study. They were assigned to SFI group (33 cases) and control group (32 cases). All 65 patients underwent conventional treatment mainly including volume resuscitation, antibiotics and vasoactive drugs therapy. The patients of the SFI group received additional 100 mL of SFI intravenously every 12 h. In all 65 patients, the PICCO arterial catheter and vein catheter were implanted within 1 h after the diagnosis of septic shock. In the course of early volume resuscitation, hemodynamic data of patients were recorded by PICCO monitor at 0, 12, and 24 h after the catheter implantation.Results: The hemodynamic indices of the two groups showed no significant differences at the beginning of 0 h (P>0.05). At 12 and 24 h, the hemodynamic indices of SFI group were significantly improved in comparison with the control group (P<0.05), including cardiac index (CI), global end diastolic volume index (GEDI), mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR). In addition, there was no significant change of extra-vascular lung water index between the two groups (P>0.05).Conclusion: SFI significantly improved hemodynamic indices such as CI, GEDI, MAP and HR in early volume resuscitation treated septic shock patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) is one of most important risk factors for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Several long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been shown to be involved in the etiology of HBV-related HCC. AX800134 is one recently identified lncRNA associated with HCC. In this study, we validated the upregulated expression of AX800134 in HBV-positive HCC compared with HBV-negative HCC. Furthermore, we found that HBV X protein (HBx) directly triggered AX800134 expression in human hepatoma HepG2 cells. Pro-inflammatory cytokine TNFα also induced AX800134 upregulation in HBx-expressing HepG2 cells, which could be reversed by reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC). Additionally, silencing AX800134 with siRNA interference remarkably inhibited the growth and invasion of HBx-expressing HepG2 cells. AX800134 antagonism also enhanced spontaneous apoptosis of HepG2 cells under serum deprivation condition. Therefore, our results indicate that highly expressed AX800134 acts as an oncogenic factor in HCC, and its upregulation is related with the viral product HBx and chronic inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia. The deposition of β-amyloid (Aβ) plaques in the brain was considered one of the main neuropathological hallmarks of AD. As the loss of synapses always occurs during AD progression, AD has been gradually regarded as a “synaptopathy.” The activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein (Arc) was recently identified as a key factor for AD due to its active roles in synaptic plasticity, learning, memory, and Aβ generation. However, there is little evidence to support the association of the Arc gene with AD. In this study, a two-stage case-control study of 1471 Han Chinese was conducted to investigate the genetic association between the Arc gene and AD. Variant rs10097505 in the 3′UTR region was significantly associated with AD. The whole exons of the Arc gene were also screened in 99 AD patients with a high heritability (familial and/or onset age <55 years old). One missense variant (c.20G>A, p.T7I) was identified in two AD patients but was absent in the controls from the general populations. Both rs10097505 and c.20G>A were predicted to be potentially pathogenic. Further luciferase assay, data mining, and integrative analyses revealed that the AD-risk genotype AA of rs10097505 was associated with an increased Arc mRNA expression and an elevated Aβ level. Our results indicated that the Arc gene would confer susceptibility to AD in Han Chinese, probably through changing the protein structure or affecting the Arc expression in brain tissues, which would finally contribute to the pathogenesis and development of AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to investigate effects and potential mechanisms of sarsasapogenin (Sar), an active component purified from Rhizoma Anemarrhenae, on high glucose-induced amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptide overproduction in HT-22 cells. HT-22 cells were divided into normal glucose; high glucose (HG); HG co-treated with low, middle, and high concentration of Sar (1, 5, 25 μmol/L); and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) agonist (10 μmol/L pioglitazone). After treatment for 24 h, protein expression of Aβ and β-site Aβ precursor protein cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) and activated PPARγ level were determined by Western blot; Aβ42 levels were also measured by using both immunofluorescence and ELISA methods. BACE1 activity and mRNA level were assessed by fluorospectrophotometry and quantitative PCR, respectively. Cell viability was assayed with a CCK-8 kit. Elevated Aβ expression and Aβ42 level were found in HG-treated HT-22 cells, accompanied by increased BACE1 protein and mRNA levels as well as enzymatic activity, which was markedly attenuated by three concentrations of Sar and pioglitazone. Moreover, HG reduced nuclear PPARγ levels, which was reversed by middle and high concentrations of Sar as well as pioglitazone. PPARγ antagonist GW9662 (20 μmol/L) pretreatment reversed the effect of Sar on BACE1 protein expression in HG-cultured HT-22 cells. Additionally, Sar suppressed HG-induced decreases in cell viability of HT-22 cells. High glucose can induce an increase in Aβ levels and a decrease in cell viability in HT-22 cells, while co-treatment with Sar improves these results, which is mediated likely through activation of PPARγ and subsequent downregulation of BACE1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to search for a new method for the anti-browning of food products, a novel hydroxypyridinone (HPO) derivative with a formyl group was evaluated for its anti-tyrosinase property. This compound was found to exhibit potent tyrosinase inhibition on the monophenolase activity of mushroom tyrosinase with an IC value of 1.33 μM, indicating that this HPO derivative was 12-fold stronger than kojic acid (IC 15.89 μM). This molecule can inhibit tyrosinase via two action modes, namely copper reduction and chelation, and the formation of a Schiff's base with the amino group at the active site of the enzyme. A synergistic effect of these two action modes to enhance the inhibitory activity was observed. This compound was also investigated for the inhibitory effect on diphenolase activity of mushroom; the inhibitory mechanism was found to be reversible and of competitive-uncompetitive mixed-type inhibition. This hydroxypyridinone was demonstrated to effectively control the browning of vegetable products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays an important role in promoting the growth, differentiation, survival and synaptic stability of neurons. Presently, the transplantation of neural stem cells (NSCs) is known to induce neural repair to some extent after injury or disease. In this study, to investigate whether NSCs genetically modified to encode the BDNF gene (BDNF/NSCs) would further enhance synaptogenesis, BDNF/NSCs or naive NSCs were directly engrafted into lesions in a rat model of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Immunohistochemistry, western blotting and RT-PCR were performed to detect synaptic proteins, BDNF-TrkB and its downstream signaling pathways, at 1, 2, 3 or 4 weeks after transplantation. Our results showed that BDNF significantly increased the expression levels of the TrkB receptor gene and the phosphorylation of the TrkB protein in the lesions. The expression levels of Ras, phosphorylated Erk1/2 and postsynaptic density protein-95 were elevated in the BDNF/NSCs-transplanted groups compared with those in the NSCs-transplanted groups throughout the experimental period. Moreover, the nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2/Thioredoxin (Nrf2/Trx) axis, which is a specific therapeutic target for the treatment of injury or cell death, was upregulated by BDNF overexpression. Therefore, we determined that the increased synaptic proteins level implicated in synaptogenesis might be associated with the activation of the MAPK/Erk1/2 signaling pathway and the upregulation of the antioxidant agent Trx modified by BDNF-TrkB following the BDNF/NSCs transplantation after TBI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We assessed the prognostic significance of, and the relationship between, the pretreatment lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) and the TILs/tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) ratio, in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) of pathological stage T3N0M0 (pT3N0M0). Methods: A total of 220 newly diagnosed ESCC patients of stage pT3N0M0 who had not undergone neoadjuvant therapy were included. Densities of CD8+ TILs, CD4+ TILs, CD45RO+ TILs, and CD68+ TAMs were assessed by immunohistochemical staining of tissue microarray cores from all 220 pT3N0M0 ESCC patients (who underwent radical resection). Hematological biomarkers including lymphocyte and monocyte counts were obtained from routine preoperative blood test data, and the LMR and TILs/TAMs ratios calculated. Cutoff finder for survival prediction was plotted to find out the optimal cutoff point for each parameter. Results: The LMR and TILs/TAMs ratios were interrelated. On univariate analyses of data from the entire cohort, the LMR, CD45RO/CD68 ratio, and CD8/CD68 ratio were significantly associated with both OS and disease-free survival. Only the CD45RO/CD68 ratio was independently prognostic of survival on multivariate analysis. Conclusions: The prognostic significance of the CD45RO/CD68 ratio was higher than that of the LMR. The CD45RO/CD68 ratio is a useful independent prognostic marker in patients with pT3N0M0 ESCC who have undergone complete resection without neoadjuvant therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preformed amyloid fibrils can act as seeds for accelerating protein fibrillation. In the present study, we examined the effects of preformed seeds on lysozyme amyloid fibrillation in the presence of two distinct inhibitors-epigallocatechin (EGC) and polyethylene glycol 2000 (PEG). The results demonstrated that the effects of fibrillar seeds on the acceleration of lysozyme fibrillation depended on the aggregation pathway directed by an inhibitor. EGC inhibited lysozyme fibrillation and modified the peptide chains with quinone moieties in a concentration-dependent manner. The resulting aggregates showed amorphous off-pathway morphology. Preformed fibril seeds did not promote lysozyme fibrillation in the presence of EGC. PEG also inhibited lysozyme fibrillation, and the resulting aggregates showed on-pathway protofibrillar morphology. In contrast, the addition of fibril seeds into the mixture of lysozyme and PEG significantly stimulated fibril growth. Assays of cell viability showed that both EGC and PEG inhibited the formation of cytotoxic species. In accordance with thioflavine T data, the seeds failed to alter the cell-damaging potency of the EGC-directed off-pathway aggregates, but increased the cytotoxicity of the PEG-directed on-pathway fibrils. We suggest that the pattern of interaction between lysozyme and an inhibitor determines the pathway of aggregation and therefore the effects of seeding on amyloid formation. EGC covalently modified lysozyme chains with quinones, directing the aggregation to proceed through an off-pathway, whereas PEG affected the protein in a noncovalent manner, and fibril growth could be stimulated under seeding through an on-pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the study, three Bacillus cereus-specific phages, named DK1, DK2 and DK3, belonging to the family Podoviridae, were isolated from Pearl River water and sludge in Guangzhou, China. The genomes of DK1, DK2 and DK3 were 27,180 bp, 26,357 bp, and 26,865 bp in length and contained 49, 45 and 46 open reading frames, respectively. Among the three phages, DK2 shared the highest genome sequence similarity (96% identity) with DK3. Genes encoding rRNA, tRNA, virulence factors and antibiotic resistance were absent in these phage genomes. In addition, comparative genomic and phylogenetic analysis revealed that they were novel phages of B. cereus. Each genome encoded a putative endolysin that might be of value for the control of the foodborne pathogen B. cereus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insect gut microbes have been considered as a resource for bioactive metabolites. The aim of this study was to characterize the compounds of a fungus Aspergillus terreus QT122 associated with the gut of dragonfly. Five main phytotoxic, antifungal, and immunosuppressive substances were isolated from the fungus QT122. The structures of such compounds were identified as emodin ( 1), 1-methyl emodin ( 2), terrein ( 3), methyl 6-acetyl-4-methoxy-7,8-dihydroxynaphthalene-2-carboxylate ( 4), and dihydrogeodin ( 5) on the basis of spectroscopic analysis and by comparison of the corresponding data to those reported in the literature previously. The compound 3 exhibited the best phytotoxic activity against the radicle growth of A. retroflexus L. and E. crusgalli L. with their IC values of 11.2 and 3.1 μg/mL, which were comparable to that of the positive control of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) with the IC values of 8.1 and 1.6 μg/mL, respectively. The compounds 2-3 showed potent antifungal activity in the growth of Alternaria solani with the IC value of less than 0.1 μg/mL and the compound 2 also had great inhibitory effect against the growth of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum (IC < 0.1 μg/mL), which was comparable to that of referenced cycloheximide with IC value of below 0.1 μg/mL. The compounds 3-5 exhibited strong immunosuppressive activities against the T cell viability with the inhibition rates of more than 99%, which were comparable to positive cyclosporin A under the concentration of 20 μM. These results suggest that the compounds 2-5 have the potential to be used as bio-control agents in agriculture or immunosuppressive agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]