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Characterized by their pivotal roles in cell-to-cell communication, cell proliferation, and immune regulation during tissue repair, exosomes have emerged as a promising avenue for “cell-free therapy” in clinical applications. Hydrogels, possessing commendable biocompatibility, degradability, adjustability, and physical properties akin to biological tissues, have also found extensive utility in tissue engineering and regenerative repair. The synergistic combination of exosomes and hydrogels holds the potential not only to enhance the efficiency of exosomes but also to collaboratively advance the tissue repair process. This review has summarized the advancements made over the past decade in the research of hydrogel-exosome systems for regenerating various tissues including skin, bone, cartilage, nerves and tendons, with a focus on the methods for encapsulating and releasing exosomes within the hydrogels. It has also critically examined the gaps and limitations in current research, whilst proposed future directions and potential applications of this innovative approach.

Abstract Recently, environmental temperature has been shown to regulate bone homeostasis. However, the mechanisms by which cold exposure affects bone mass remain unclear. In our present study, we observed that exposure to cold temperature (CT) decreased bone mass and quality in mice. Furthermore, a transplant of exosomes derived from the plasma of mice exposed to cold temperature (CT-EXO) can also impair the osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs and decrease bone mass by inhibiting autophagic activity. Rapamycin, a potent inducer of autophagy, can reverse cold exposure or CT-EXO-induced bone loss. Microarray sequencing revealed that cold exposure increases the miR-25-3p level in CT-EXO. Mechanistic studies showed that miR-25-3p can inhibit the osteogenic differentiation and autophagic activity of BMSCs. It is shown that inhibition of exosomes release or downregulation of miR-25-3p level can suppress CT-induced bone loss. This study identifies that CT-EXO mediates CT-induced osteoporotic effects through miR-25-3p by inhibiting autophagy via targeting SATB2, presenting a novel mechanism underlying the effect of cold temperature on bone mass.

Autoantibodies against apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-I) are associated with cardiovascular disease risks. We aimed to examine the 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (HNE) modification of ApoA-I in coronary artery disease (CAD) and evaluate the potential risk of autoantibodies against their unmodified and HNE-modified peptides. We assessed plasma levels of ApoA-I, HNE-protein adducts, and autoantibodies against unmodified and HNE-peptide adducts, and significant correlations and odds ratios (ORs) were examined. Two novel CAD-specific HNE-peptide adducts, ApoA-I251–262 and ApoA-I70–83, were identified. Notably, immunoglobulin G (IgG) anti-ApoA-I251–262 HNE, IgM anti-ApoA-I70–83 HNE, IgG anti-ApoA-I251–262, IgG anti-ApoA-I70–83, and HNE-protein adducts were significantly correlated with triglycerides, creatinine, or high-density lipoprotein in CAD with various degrees of stenosis (70%). The HNE-protein adduct (OR = 2.208-fold, p = 0.020) and IgM anti-ApoA-I251–262 HNE (2.046-fold, p = 0.035) showed an increased risk of progression from >30% stenosis in CAD. HNE-protein adducts and IgM anti-ApoA-I251–262 HNE may increase the severity of CAD at high and low levels, respectively.

The rotting wood in freshwater is a unique eco-environment favoring various fungi. During our investigation of freshwater fungi on decaying wood, three hyphomycetes were collected from Jiangxi and Guangxi Provinces, China. Based on the morphological observations and phylogenetic analysis of a combined DNA data containing ITS, LSU, SSU and tef1-α sequences, two new Trichobotrys species, T. meilingensis and T. yunjushanensis, as well as a new record of T. effusa, were introduced. Additionally, a comprehensive description of the genus with both morphological and molecular data was first provided.

Abstract Background Acupuncture is a method for treating tic disorder. However, there is a lack of sufficient clinical objective basis in regards of its treatment efficacy. Indeed, there are structural abnormalities present in energy metabolism and infrared thermography in children with tic disorder. Therefore, this study proposes a clinical trial scheme to explore the possible mechanism of acupuncture in treating tic disorder. Methods This randomized controlled trial will recruit a total of 90 children, in which they will be divided into non-intervention group and intervention group. The non-intervention group consists of 30 healthy children while the intervention group consists of 60 children with tic disorder. The intervention group will be randomly allocated into either the treatment group or the control group, with 30 children randomly assigned in each group. Children either received acupuncture treatment and behavioral therapy (treatment group) or sham acupuncture treatment and behavioral therapy (control group), 3 treatment sessions per week for a period of 12 weeks, with a total of 36 treatment sessions. Outcome measures include YGTSS, urinary and fecal metabolomics, infrared thermography of body surface including governor vessel. For the intervention group, these outcome measures will be collected at the baseline and 90th day prior to intervention. Whereas for the non-intervention group, outcome measures (excluding YGTSS) will be collected at the baseline. Discussion The main outcome will be to observe the changes of the severity of tic condition, the secondary outcome will be to observe the changes of structural characteristic of infrared thermography of body surface/acupoints along the governor vessel and to evaluate the changes of urinary and fecal metabolomics at the end of the treatment, so as to analyze the relationship between them and to provide further knowledge in understanding the possible mechanism of acupuncture in improving the clinical symptoms via regulating and restoring the body metabolomics network, which in future it can develop as a set of clinical guideline (diagnosis, treatment, assessment, prognosis) in treating tic disorder. ChiCTR2300075188(Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, http://www.chictr.org.cn , registered on 29 August 2023).

Abstract Objective It has been reported that in western countries malignancy risk was higher in patients with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) compared with that in the general population. In the current study, we investigated the incidence, spectrum and risk factors of malignancy in Chinese AAV patients. Methods AAV patients diagnosed from 1995 to 2021 in Peking University First Hospital with a follow-up more than 12 months were recruited. Standardized incidence ratios (SIR) were calculated to describe the risk of malignancy, adjusted for sex, age and follow-up time. Results A total of 552 AAV patients were recruited, among which 23 patients had malignancies either preceding or concurrent with AAV diagnosis, and 43 of the remaining 529 patients developed malignancies within 4.3 ± 4.2 years post AAV diagnosis (SIR: 2.24; 95% CI: 1.68–2.99; p

An automatic chemiluminescence magnetic enzyme immunoassay based on the high specificity of antigen and antibody was developed for rapid and quantitative determination of lead in grain. By optimizing the pre-treatment conditions and the reaction conditions of chemiluminescence magnetic enzyme immunoassay, the automatic determination of lead in rice, wheat and corn samples was realized. The detection range was 0.05~0.71 mg/kg, and the limit of detection was 0.02 mg/kg in rice and corn and 0.01 mg/kg in wheat. The recovery range was 89.2%~113.6%, and the relative standard deviations were all less than 10%. Based on the chemiluminescence immune platform, the developed method can realize eight samples simultaneous auto-detection within 30 min. Meanwhile, the automatic detection method can avoid human errors, and greatly improve the accuracy and efficiency, showing a good application prospect in the rapid quantitative detection of lead in grain.

For seeking the cause of the increase in dough water absorption rate after cold plasma treatment, this study adopted low-pressure, radiofrequency 120 W helium cold plasma (CP) to treat wheat flours from 0 s to 180 s. Results showed that water absorption rate, conductivity, values of water and sucrose solvent retention capacity (SRC), and paste breakdown value in wheat flours increased significantly with increasing CP treatment time. To further explore the change causes in these physiochemical indexes, we developed a seven- parameter polynomial , (M was equilibrium moisture (%), ERH was equilibrium relative humidity (decimal), t was temperature (℃), and A~G were parameters. This polynomial could fit moisture sorption isotherms (20-35 ℃ and ERH 10%-90%) of helium CP treated flours, and the goodness-of-fit indexes were superior to those of modified Chung-Pfost (commonly used) and four-parameter polynomial (without temperature term) equations. The seven-parameter polynomial equation clearly showed the hysteresis loops between moisture adsorption and desorption isotherms of flour samples, which shifted downward with increasing temperature. The hysteresis degree showed a parabolic shape curve with increasing ERH, and the vertex of the parabola was at the range of 40-50% ERH. CP treatment shifted the monolayer adsorption sites to multi-molecular adsorption sites ahead of schedule, from ERH 50% to 40%. Further analysis using Dent model showed that the helium CP treatment was able to reduce the mono-layer moisture content and spreading pressure in wheat flour, and increase the elasticity of a capillary wall. The ability of water molecules was increased to form hydrogen bonds with the chemical components, which promoted the uniform distribution and permeation of water molecules into flour particles. Infrared spectral scanning showed that the degree of short-range order at the surface of starch granules and the interaction between protein and starch tended to increase with increasing CP time. Helium cold plasma technology has potential application in improving flour processing quality.

Using wheat B starch as raw material, optimize the one-step enzymatic hydrolysis process for preparing fermentable sugars and subsequent fermentation of alcohol by brewing yeast to improve its utilization value. Initially, the elemental composition of Wheat B starch was quantified. A composite enzymatic catalyst containing α-amylase and saccharase were then employed to generate fermentable sugars from wheat B starch through enzymatic hydrolysis efficiently. Various parameters, including composite enzyme concentration, solid-liquid ratio, enzyme temperature, enzymatic duration, and pH were thoroughly investigated to assess their effects on reducing sugar yield. An orthogonal optimization approach was conducted to determine the optimal conditions for enzymatic hydrolysis. Results showed that wheat B starch contained 85.61% starch, with approximately 2% protein and mineral content, and pentosan composition nearing 5%. Following the orthogonal optimization, the most effective parameters for enzymatic saccharification were identified: A composite enzyme dosage of 4 mL, a solid-liquid ratio of 1:25 g/mL, an enzymatic digestion temperature of 60 ℃, an enzymatic digestion duration of 10 h, and a pH of 5.0. Under these specific conditions, the yield of reducing sugar reached 94.6%. Subsequently, wheat B starch was converted into alcohol through yeast-mediated fermentation. This process led to a final alcohol concentration 12.76 g/L, accompanied by an alcohol yield of 31.90%. In conclusion, wheat B starch holded remarkable promise for large-scale bioethanol production, providing valuable insights for maximizing the utilization of this resource on a broad scale.

Abstract Background Despite the increasing focus on strengthening One Health capacity building on global level, challenges remain in devising and implementing real-world interventions particularly in the Asia-Pacific region. Recognizing these gaps, the One Health Action Commission (OHAC) was established as an academic community for One Health action with an emphasis on research agenda setting to identify actions for highest impact. Main text This viewpoint describes the agenda of, and motivation for, the recently formed OHAC. Recognizing the urgent need for evidence to support the formulation of necessary action plans, OHAC advocates the adoption of both bottom-up and top-down approaches to identify the current gaps in combating zoonoses, antimicrobial resistance, addressing food safety, and to enhance capacity building for context-sensitive One Health implementation. Conclusions By promoting broader engagement and connection of multidisciplinary stakeholders, OHAC envisions a collaborative global platform for the generation of innovative One Health knowledge, distilled practical experience and actionable policy advice, guided by strong ethical principles of One Health. Graphical Abstract

Introduction: This study aimed to compare the clinical efficacy of sexual stimulation with that of placebo in the treatment of distal ureteral stones. Methods: We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2022 for studies comparing the efficacy of sexual stimulus with that of placebo for the treatment of distal ureteral stones. RevMan 5.3 software was used to pool the data. The study protocol was registered on PROSPERO (Registration Number: CRD42023432408). Results: A total of six randomized controlled trials comprising 535 cases of distal ureteral stones were included in this study. Among these, 273 cases were associated with sexual intercourse or masturbation 3–4 times a week, while 262 cases only received symptomatic treatment. The pooled results showed that the 2-week [risk ratios (RR) = 1.77, 95 % confidence interval (CI): 1.34, 2.33] and 4-week [RR = 1.48, 95 % CI: 1.29, 1.69] ureteral stone expulsion rates of the sexually stimulated group were significantly higher than those of the placebo group (ps

Autophagy is a lysosomal degradative pathway, which regulates the homeostasis of eukaryotic cells. This pathway can degrade misfolded or aggregated proteins, clear damaged organelles, and eliminate intracellular pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, and parasites. But, not all types of viruses are eliminated by autophagy. Flaviviruses (e.g., Yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis, Hepatitis C, Dengue, Zika, and West Nile viruses) are single-stranded and enveloped RNA viruses, and transmitted to humans primarily through the bites of arthropods, leading to severe and widespread illnesses. Like the coronavirus SARS-CoV-II, flaviviruses hijack autophagy for their infection and escape from host immune clearance. Thus, it is possible to control these viral infections by inhibiting autophagy. In this review, we summarize recent research progresses on hijacking of autophagy by flaviviruses and discuss the feasibility of antiviral therapies using autophagy inhibitors.

During an investigation of fungal diversity from freshwater environments in different regions in Jiangxi Province, China, four interesting species were collected. Morphology coupled with combined gene analysis of an ITS, LSU, SSU, and rpb2 DNA sequence data showed that they belong to the family Pleurotheciaceae. Four new species, Pleurotheciella ganzhouensis, Pla. irregularis, Pla. verrucosa, and Pleurothecium jiangxiense are herein described. Pleurotheciella ganzhouensis is characterized by its capsule-shaped conidia and short conidiophores, while Pla. irregularis has amorphous conidiophores and 3-septate conidia. Pleurotheciella verrucosa has cylindrical or verrucolose conidiogenous cells, 1-septate, narrowly fusiform, meniscus or subclavate conidia. Pleurothecium jiangxiense characterized in having conidiogenous cells with dense cylindrical denticles and short conidiophores. Pleurothecium obovoideum was transferred to Neomonodictys based on phylogenetic evidence. All species are compared with other similar species and comprehensive descriptions, micrographs, and phylogenetic data are provided.