Associations of E-proteinoid 3 receptor genetic polymorphisms with salt sensitivity, longitudinal blood pressure changes, and hypertension incidence in Chinese adults.

The E-proteinoid 3 receptor (PTGER3), a member of the prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) subtype receptor, belongs to the G-protein-coupled superfamily of receptors. Animal studies have demonstrated its involvement in salt sensitivity by regulating sodium reabsorption. This study aimed to investigate the association between genetic variants of PTGER3 and salt sensitivity, longitudinal blood pressure (BP) changes, and the incidence of hypertension in Chinese adults. A chronic salt intake intervention was conducted involving 514 adults from 124 families in the 2004 Baoji Salt-Sensitivity Study Cohort in northern China. These participants followed a 3-day regular baseline diet, followed by a 7-day low-salt diet (3.0 g/d) and a 7-day high-salt diet (18 g/d), and were subsequently followed for 14 years. The findings revealed a significant relationship between the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs17482751 of PTGER3 and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) response to high salt intervention. Additionally, SNPs rs11209733, rs3765894, and rs2268062 were significantly associated with longitudinal changes in systolic blood pressure (SBP), DBP, and mean arterial pressure (MAP) during the 14-year follow-up period. SNP rs6424414 was significantly associated with longitudinal changes in DBP over 14 years. Finally, SNP rs17482751 showed a significant correlation with the incidence of hypertension over 14 years. These results emphasize the significant role of PTGER3 gene polymorphism in salt sensitivity, longitudinal BP changes, and the development of hypertension in the Chinese population.

Cross-waveband optical computing imaging.

A novel, to the best of our knowledge, cross-spectral optical computing imaging experiment has been achieved through a single exposure of a charge-coupled device. The experimental setup integrates single-pixel imaging (SPI) with ghost imaging (GI) through a photoelectric conversion circuit and a synchronous modulation system. The experimental process involves modulation in one wavelength band (in SPI) and demodulation using the GI algorithm in another. Significantly, our approach utilizes optical computing demodulation, a departure from the conventional electronic demodulation in GI (SPI), which involves the convolution between the bucket optical signals and the modulated patterns on the digital micromirror device. A proof-of-concept cross-band imaging experiment from near-infrared to visible light has been carried out. The results highlight the system's ability to capture images at up to 20 frames per second using near-infrared illumination, which are then reconstructed in the visible light spectrum. This success not only validates the feasibility of our approach but also expands the potential applications in the SPI or GI fields, particularly in scenarios where two-dimensional detector arrays are either unavailable or prohibitively expensive in certain electromagnetic spectra such as x-ray and terahertz.

Construction and validation of a neovascular glaucoma nomogram in patients with diabetic retinopathy after pars plana vitrectomy.

BACKGROUND: Neovascular glaucoma (NVG) is likely to occur after pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) for diabetic retinopathy (DR) in some patients, thus reducing the expected benefit. Understanding the risk factors for NVG occurrence and building effective risk prediction models are currently required for clinical research. AIM: To develop a visual risk profile model to explore factors influencing DR after surgery. METHODS: We retrospectively selected 151 patients with DR undergoing PPV. The patients were divided into the NVG (NVG occurrence) and No-NVG (No NVG occurrence) groups according to the occurrence of NVG within 6 months after surgery. Independent risk factors for postoperative NVG were screened by logistic regression. A nomogram prediction model was established using R software, and the model's prediction accuracy was verified internally and externally, involving the receiver operator characteristic curve and correction curve. RESULTS: After importing the data into a logistic regression model, we concluded that a posterior capsular defect, preoperative vascular endothelial growth factor ≥ 302.90 pg/mL, glycosylated hemoglobin ≥ 9.05%, aqueous fluid interleukin 6 (IL-6) ≥ 53.27 pg/mL, and aqueous fluid IL-10 ≥ 9.11 pg/mL were independent risk factors for postoperative NVG in patients with DR (P < 0.05). A nomogram model was established based on the aforementioned independent risk factors, and a computer simulation repeated sampling method was used to internally and externally verify the nomogram model. The area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity of the model were 0.962 [95% confidence interval (95%CI): 0.932-0.991], 91.5%, and 82.3%, respectively. The AUC, sensitivity, and specificity of the external validation were 0.878 (95%CI: 0.746-0.982), 66.7%, and 95.7%, respectively. CONCLUSION: A nomogram constructed based on the risk factors for postoperative NVG in patients with DR has a high prediction accuracy. This study can help formulate relevant preventive and treatment measures.

Generation, Maintenance, and Identification of Germ-Free Zebrafish Models from Larvae to Juvenile Stages.

Zebrafish serve as valuable models for research on growth, immunity, and gut microbiota due to their genomic similarities with mammals, transparent embryos developed in a relatively clean chorion environment, and extremely rapid development of larvae compared to rodent models. Germ-free (GF) zebrafish (Danio rerio) are crucial for evaluating pollutant toxicity and establishing human-like disease models related to microbial functions. In comparison to conventionally raised (CR) models (fish in common husbandry), GF zebrafish allow for more accurate manipulation of the host microbiota, aiding in determining the causal relationship between microorganisms and hosts. Consequently, they play a critical role in advancing our understanding of these relationships. However, GF zebrafish models are typically generated and researched during the early life stages (from embryos to larvae) due to limitations in immune function and nutrient absorption. This study optimizes the generation, maintenance, and identification of early GF zebrafish models without feeding and with long-term feeding using GF food (such as Artemia sp., brine shrimp). Throughout the process, daily sampling and culture were performed and identified through multiple detections, including plates and 16S rRNA sequencing. The aseptic rate, survival, and developmental indexes of GF zebrafish were recorded to ensure the quality and quantity of the generated models. Importantly, this study provides details on bacterial isolation and infection techniques for GF fish, enabling the efficient creation of GF fish models from larvae to juvenile stages with GF food support. By applying these procedures in biomedical research, scientists can better understand the relationships between intestinal bacterial functions and host health.

Cpd-A1 alleviates acute kidney injury by inhibiting ferroptosis.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is defined as sudden loss of renal function characterized by increased serum creatinine levels and reduced urinary output with a duration of 7 days. Ferroptosis, an iron-dependent regulated necrotic pathway, has been implicated in the progression of AKI, while ferrostatin-1 (Fer-1), a selective inhibitor of ferroptosis, inhibited renal damage, oxidative stress and tubular cell death in AKI mouse models. However, the clinical translation of Fer-1 is limited due to its lack of efficacy and metabolic instability. In this study we designed and synthesized four Fer-1 analogs (Cpd-A1, Cpd-B1, Cpd-B2, Cpd-B3) with superior plasma stability, and evaluated their therapeutic potential in the treatment of AKI. Compared with Fer-1, all the four analogs displayed a higher distribution in mouse renal tissue in a pharmacokinetic assay and a more effective ferroptosis inhibition in erastin-treated mouse tubular epithelial cells (mTECs) with Cpd-A1 (N-methyl-substituted-tetrazole-Fer-1 analog) being the most efficacious one. In hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)- or LPS-treated mTECs, treatment with Cpd-A1 (0.25 µM) effectively attenuated cell damage, reduced inflammatory responses, and inhibited ferroptosis. In ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)- or cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced AKI mouse models, pre-injection of Cpd-A1 (1.25, 2.5, 5 mg·kg-1·d-1, i.p.) dose-dependently improved kidney function, mitigated renal tubular injury, and abrogated inflammation. We conclude that Cpd-A1 may serve as a promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of AKI.

Enhancing fuel characteristics and combustion performance of cellulose-rich straws through CO2-assisted torrefaction.

Cellulose-rich straws of corn and rice were torrefied under carbon dioxide, and the fuel characteristics and combustion performance of the obtained biochar were investigated. A high severity resulted in surface collapse, greater pore volume, elimination of oxygen, elevated calorific value, and improved hydrophobicity in biochar. Following carbon dioxide torrefaction, the cellulose content in solid biochar experienced a slight decrease when the temperature was raised to 220 °C for longer residence durations. At 300 °C, the cellulose content in the biochar was nearly eliminated, while the relative proportion of non-sugar organic matter in corn stover and rice straw increased to 87.40 % and 77.27 %, respectively. The maximum calorific values for biochar from corn and rice straws were 22.38 ± 0.03 MJ/kg and 18.72 ± 0.05 MJ/kg. The comprehensive combustion indexes of rice and corn straw samples decreased to 1.06 × 10-7 and 1.31 × 10-7 after torrefaction at 300 °C, respectively. In addition, the initial decomposition temperatures increased by 38 °C and 45 °C, while the ultimate combustion temperatures rose by 13 °C and 16 °C for corn and rice straws, respectively. These results imply an extended combustion timeframe for the torrefied samples.

Metabolome evidence of CKDu risks after chronic exposure to simulated Sri Lanka drinking water in zebrafish.

It is still a serious public health issue that chronic kidney disease of uncertain etiology (CKDu) in Sri Lanka poses challenges in identification, prevention, and treatment. What environmental factors in drinking water cause kidney damage remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the risks of various environmental factors that may induce CKDu, including water hardness, fluoride (HF), heavy metals (HM), microcystin-LR (MC-LR), and their combined exposure (HFMM). The research focused on comprehensive metabolome analysis, and correlation with transcriptomic and gut microbiota changes. Results revealed that chronic exposure led to kidney damage and pancreatic toxicity in adult zebrafish. Metabolomics profiling showed significant alterations in biochemical processes, with enriched metabolic pathways of oxidative phosphorylation, folate biosynthesis, arachidonic acid metabolism, FoxO signaling pathway, lysosome, pyruvate metabolism, and purine metabolism. The network analysis revealed significant changes in metabolites associated with renal function and diseases, including 20-Hydroxy-LTE4, PS(18:0/22:2(13Z,16Z)), Neuromedin N, 20-Oxo-Leukotriene E4, and phenol sulfate, which are involved in the fatty acyls and glycerophospholipids class. These metabolites were closely associated with the disrupted gut bacteria of g_ZOR0006, g_Pseudomonas, g_Tsukamurella, g_Cetobacterium, g_Flavobacterium, which belonged to dominant phyla of Firmicutes and Proteobacteria, etc., and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) such as egln3, ca2, jun, slc2a1b, and gls2b in zebrafish. Exploratory omics analyses revealed the shared significantly changed pathways in transcriptome and metabolome like calcium signaling and necroptosis, suggesting potential biomarkers for assessing kidney disease.

Metastasis-associated 1 localizes to the sarcomeric Z-disc and is implicated in skeletal muscle pathology.

Metastasis-associated 1 (MTA1), a subunit of the nucleosome remodeling and histone deacetylation (NuRD) corepressor complex, was reported to be expressed in the cytoplasm of skeletal muscles. However, the exact subcellular localization and the functional implications of MTA1 in skeletal muscles have not been examined. This study aims to demonstrate the subcellular localization of MTA1 in skeletal muscles and reveal its possible roles in skeletal muscle pathogenesis. Striated muscles (skeletal and cardiac) from C57BL/6 mice of 4-5 weeks were collected to examine the expression of MTA1 by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy were performed for MTA1, α-actinin (a Z-disc marker protein), and SMN (survival of motor neuron) proteins. Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) data sets were analyzed using the GEO2R online tool to explore the functional implications of MTA1 in skeletal muscles. MTA1 expression was detected by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry in skeletal and cardiac muscles. Subcellular localization of MTA1 was found in the Z-disc of sarcomeres, where α-actinin and SMN were expressed. Data mining of GEO profiles suggested that MTA1 dysregulation is associated with multiple skeletal muscle defects, such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy, Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy, nemaline myopathy, and dermatomyositis. The GEO analysis also showed that MTA1 expression gradually decreased with age in mouse skeletal muscle precursor cells. The subcellular localization of MTA1 in sarcomeres of skeletal muscles implies its biological roles in sarcomere structures and its possible contribution to skeletal muscle pathology.

Silver Nanowires-Based Flexible Gold Electrode Overcoming Interior Impedance of Nanomaterial Electrodes.

In the development of nanomaterial electrodes for improved electrocatalytic activity, much attention is paid to the compositions, lattice, and surface morphologies. In this study, a new concept to enhance electrocatalytic activity is proposed by reducing impedance inside nanomaterial electrodes. Gold nanodendrites (AuNDs) are grown along silver nanowires (AgNWs) on flexible polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) support. The AuNDs/AgNWs/PDMS electrode affords an oxidative peak current density of 50 mA cm-2 for ethanol electrooxidation, a value ≈20 times higher than those in the literature do. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) demonstrates the significant contribution of the AgNWs to reduce impedance. The peak current densities for ethanol electrooxidation are decreased 7.5-fold when the AgNWs are electrolytically corroded. By in situ surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) and density functional theory (DFT) simulation, it is validated that the ethanol electrooxidation favors the production of acetic acid with undetectable CO, resulting in a more complete oxidation and long-term stability, while the AgNWs corrosion greatly decreases acetic acid production. This novel strategy for fabricating nanomaterial electrodes using AgNWs as a charge transfer conduit may stimulate insights into the design of nanomaterial electrodes.

Exploration of patients' preference for modalities of care among peritoneal dialysis patients in Singapore: a single-center experience.

INTRODUCTION: Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is home-based dialysis therapy and therefore a suitable modality for kidney failure patients, particularly, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The present study examined patients' preferences for different PD-related services. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional survey study. Anonymized data from PD patients followed up at a single center in Singapore were collected using an online platform. The study focused on telehealth services, home visits, and monitoring of quality-of-life (QoL). RESULTS: A total of 78 PD patients responded to the survey. The majority of participants were Chinese (76%), married (73%), and between 45 and 65 years old (45%). The in-person visit was preferred over teleconsultation for consultation with nephrologists (68% versus 32%), counseling for kidney disease and dialysis by renal coordinators (59%), whereas the telehealth service was favored over in-person visit for dietary counseling (60%) and medication counseling (64%). Most participants (81%) preferred medication delivery over self-collection, and the acceptable turnaround time was 1 week. Sixty percent would like to have a regular home visit, but 23% refused such visits. The preferred frequency of home visits was one-to-three visits within the first 6 months (74%) and then 6 monthly for subsequent visits (40%). The majority of participants (87%) agreed with QoL monitoring, and the preferred frequency of monitoring varied between 6 monthly (45%) and yearly (40%). Participants also indicated three key areas in research to improve QoL, such as the development of artificial kidneys, portable PD devices, and simplification of PD procedure. Participants also would like to see improvement in two main areas of PD services, such as delivery service for PD solutions and social (instrumental, informational, and emotional) support. CONCLUSIONS: Most PD patients preferred in-person visits with nephrologists or renal coordinators; however, they favored telehealth services with dieticians and pharmacists. PD patients also welcomed home visit service and QoL monitoring. Future studies should confirm these findings.

Resting-state cortico-limbic functional connectivity pattern in panic disorder: Relationships with emotion regulation strategy use and symptom severity.

Cognitive reappraisal is an effective emotion regulation strategy involving prefrontal cortex (PFC) control of the amygdala. Its aberrant functioning is closely associated with panic disorder (PD). However, the resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) between the PFC, implicated in cognitive reappraisal, and the amygdala in PD has not been studied. Thus, this study aims to investigate the rsFC patterns and their association with cognitive reappraisal and PD. This study involved 51 participants, including 26 untreated patients with PD and 25 healthy controls (HC). We evaluated the habit of cognitive reappraisal assessment and the severity of PD using neuropsychological and clinical measures. Resting-state fMRI was utilized to evaluate the rsFC pattern between the PFC, engaged in cognitive reappraisal, and the amygdala. Mediation analysis was performed to explore the role of this rsFC in the relationship between cognitive reappraisal and PD severity. PD patients showed reduced rsFC between the PFC and the amygdala compared to HC. This weakened rsFC was associated with the severity of PD symptoms. Moreover, cognitive reappraisal was negatively correlated with PD severity, and mediation analysis indicated that the rsFC of the PFC-amygdala played a mediating role in this association. Abnormal PFC-amygdala rsFC may play a pivotal role in PD development and/or manifestation and mediate the association between cognitive reappraisal and PD severity, potentially serving as a clinical indicator for monitoring and intervention.

Association of high-normal albuminuria and vascular aging: Hanzhong adolescent hypertension study.

Normoalbuminuria has recently been associated with increased cardiovascular risk, and vascular aging is proposed as the early manifestation of cardiovascular disease. Here, the authors aimed to examine the association of high-normal albuminuria and vascular aging in a Chinese cohort. From our previously established cohort, 1942 participants with estimated glomerular filtration rate ≥60 mL/min/1.73 m2 or urinary albumin-creatinine ratio (UACR) <30 mg/g were enrolled. Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) ≥1400 cm/s and/or carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) ≥0.9 mm were used as indicators of vascular aging. Multivariate regression and receiving operating characteristic curve analysis were performed to examine the relationship between continuous and categorical UACR with vascular aging. We found an average UACR value of 8.08 (5.45-12.52) mg/g in this study. BaPWV and CIMT demonstrated positive correlations with lg-UACR (p < .05). High-normal albuminuria (10-29 mg/g) was significantly associated with the presence of vascular aging after adjusting for multiple cardiovascular confounders (OR = 1.540, 95% CI = 1.203-1.972, p = .001). In addition, a lg-UACR cutoff point of 0.918 lg(mg/g) (equal to UACR of 8.285 mg/g) was significantly associated with the presence of vascular aging and its components for all participants and those without hypertension or diabetes and without medication (p < .05). Briefly, high-normal albuminuria was significantly associated with vascular aging in this sample of Chinese adults. These findings implied the warning of elevated UACR even within normal range in clinical practice and the importance of UACR screening in normoalbuminuria for early detection and prevention of cardiovascular disease in otherwise healthy participants.

Lattice distortion and re-distortion affecting irradiation tolerance in high entropy alloys.

High entropy alloys (HEAs) are promising nuclear structural materials due to their excellent irradiation resistance. However, the essential mechanisms of irradiation tolerance in HEAs remain largely inferential and imperfectly understood. This study investigates the evolution of irradiation-induced nano-scale microstructures in Ni, FeNiCr, FeNiCrCoCu and FeNiCrCuAl HEA models by molecular dynamics simulations to elucidate the conundrums. As fewer irradiation-induced Frenkel pair (FP) residuals were found in the FeNiCrCuAl HEA model in comparison with other models, a high resistance of the HEAs to the generation of permanent defects was indicated, while also the associated relatively long thermal spike and slow recrystallization stimulated a high efficiency for the recombination/annihilation of FPs to underscore a superior structural recovery of the HEAs. Under the influence of compositional increases of constituent elements, the effect of severe lattice distortion by energetics modifications was found to stimulate decreased atomic mobility accompanied by inhibited dislocation formation. The evolution of the models' lattices in terms of their capacity to restrict interstitials and repair defects revealed that the self-healing/recovery mechanism that confirmed the highest initial lattice distortion value accompanied by the least lattice re-distortion value in the FeNiCrCuAl HEA model is key to the observed superior irradiation tolerance of the HEA models. Thus, by feasibly enhancing lattice distortion in crystalline materials, notably in HEAs, promising and potentially high irradiation-resistant structural materials can be developed.

Associations of lipid accumulation product, visceral adiposity index, and triglyceride-glucose index with subclinical organ damage in healthy Chinese adults.

Background and aims: Obesity is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease development. Here, we aimed to examine and compare the predictive values of three novel obesity indices, lipid accumulation product (LAP), visceral adiposity index (VAI), and triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index, for cardiovascular subclinical organ damage. Methods: A total of 1,773 healthy individuals from the Hanzhong Adolescent Hypertension Study cohort were enrolled. Anthropometric, biochemical, urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (uACR), brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), and Cornell voltage-duration product data were collected. Furthermore, the potential risk factors for subclinical organ damage were investigated, with particular emphasis on examining the predictive value of the LAP, VAI, and TyG index for detecting subclinical organ damage. Results: LAP, VAI, and TyG index exhibited a significant positive association with baPWV and uACR. However, only LAP and VAI were found to have a positive correlation with Cornell product. While the three indices did not show an association with electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy, higher values of LAP and TyG index were significantly associated with an increased risk of arterial stiffness and albuminuria. Furthermore, after dividing the population into quartiles, the fourth quartiles of LAP and TyG index showed a significant association with arterial stiffness and albuminuria when compared with the first quartiles, in both unadjusted and fully adjusted models. Additionally, the concordance index (C-index) values for LAP, VAI, and TyG index were reasonably high for arterial stiffness (0.856, 0.856, and 0.857, respectively) and albuminuria (0.739, 0.737, and 0.746, respectively). Lastly, the analyses of continuous net reclassification improvement (NRI) and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) demonstrated that the TyG index exhibited significantly higher predictive values for arterial stiffness and albuminuria compared with LAP and VAI. Conclusion: LAP, VAI, and, especially, TyG index demonstrated utility in screening cardiovascular subclinical organ damage among Chinese adults in this community-based sample. These indices have the potential to function as markers for early detection of cardiovascular disease in otherwise healthy individuals.

[Therapeutic effect and mechanism of Mailuo Shutong Pills on posterior limb swelling caused by femur fracture in rats based on intestinal flora and intestinal metabolism].

This study aimed to investigate the protective effect and underlying mechanism of Mailuo Shutong Pills(MLST) on posterior limb swelling caused by femur fracture in rats. The rats were randomly divided into a sham operation group, a model group, a low-dose MLST group(1.8 g·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)), a high-dose MLST group(3.6 g·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)), and a positive drug group(60 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1) Maizhiling Tablets). The femur in the sham operation group was exposed and the wound was sutured, while the other four groups underwent mechanical damage to cause femur fracture. The rats were treated with corresponding drugs by gavage 7 days before modeling and 5 days after modeling, while those in the sham operation group and the model group were given an equivalent dose of distilled water by gavage. Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining was used to detect the pathological injury of the posterior limb muscle tissues in rats, and the degree of hind limb swelling was measured. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) kit was used to detect the expression levels of interleukin-6(IL-6), interleukin-1ß(IL-1ß), and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) in the serum of rats in each group. The activity of superoxide dismutase(SOD), malondialdehyde(MDA), catalase(CAT), and glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px) in rat serum was also measured. Western blot was used to detect the protein expression levels of heme oxygenase 1(HO-1), NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1(NQO1), and nuclear transcription factor E2-related factor 2(Nrf2) in rat posterior limb muscle tissues. The changes in the intestinal flora and intestinal metabolites in rats were detected by 16S rDNA sequencing and ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-MS/MS), respectively, to explore the underlying mechanism of MLST in treating posterior limb swelling caused by femur fracture in rats. Compared with the model group, MLST significantly improved the degree of posterior limb swelling in rats, reduced the levels of serum inflammatory factors, and alleviated oxidative stress injury. The HE staining results showed that the inflammatory infiltration in the posterior limb muscle tissues of rats in the MLST groups was significantly improved. Western blot results showed that MLST significantly increased the protein expression of HO-1, NQO1, and Nrf2 in rat posterior limb muscle tissues compared with the model group. The 16S rDNA sequencing results showed that MLST improved the disorder of intestinal flora in rats after femur fracture. The UPLC-MS/MS results showed that MLST significantly affected the bile acid biosynthesis and metabolism pathway in the intestine after femur fracture, and the Spearman analysis confirmed that the metabolite deoxycholic acid involved in bile acid biosynthesis was positively correlated with the abundance of Turicibacter. The metabolite cholic acid was positively correlated with the abundance of Papilibacter, Staphylococcus, and Intestinimonas. The metabolite lithocholic acid was positively correlated with Papilibacter and Intestinimonas. The above results indicated that MLST could protect against the posterior limb swelling caused by femur fracture in rats. This protective effect may be achieved by improving the pathological injury of the posterior limb muscle, reducing the expression levels of inflammatory and oxidative stress-related factors in serum, reducing the oxidative injury of the posterior limb muscle, improving intestinal flora, and balancing the biosynthesis of bile acids in the intestine.

Synthesis of lignin nanoparticle­manganese dioxide complex and its adsorption of methyl orange.

Lignin nanoparticles (LNPs) were synthesized using an anti-solvent method and subsequently loaded with manganese dioxide (MnO2) via potassium permanganate treatment, resulting in the formation of MnO2@LNPs. An extensive investigation was conducted to elucidate the influence of MnO2@LNPs on the decolorization of methyl orange solution. The LNPs were successfully obtained by adjusting the preparation parameters, yielding particles exhibited average sizes ranging from 300 to 600 nm, and the synthesis process exhibited a high yield of up to 87.3% and excellent dispersion characteristics. Notably, LNPs size was reduced by decreasing initial concentration, increasing stirring rate, and adding water. In the acetone-water two-phase system, LNPs self-assembled into spherical particles driven by π-π interactions and hydrogen bond forces. Oxidation modification using potassium permanganate led to the formation of nanoscale MnO2, which effectively combined with LNPs. Remarkably, the resulting MnO2@LNPs demonstrated a two-fold increase in methyl orange adsorption capacity (227 mg/g) compared to unmodified LNPs. The process followed the Langmuir isotherm model and was exothermic.

Administration of A. muciniphila ameliorates pulmonary arterial hypertension by targeting miR-208a-3p/NOVA1 axis.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PH) is a chronic disease induced by a progressive increase in pulmonary vascular resistance and failure of the right heart function. A number of studies show that the development of PH is closely related to the gut microbiota, and lung-gut axis might be a potential therapeutic target in the PH treatment. A. muciniphila has been reported to play a critical role in treating cardiovascular disorders. In this study we evaluated the therapeutic effects of A. muciniphila against hypoxia-induced PH and the underlying mechanisms. Mice were pretreated with A. muciniphila suspension (2 × 108 CFU in 200 µL sterile anaerobic PBS, i.g.) every day for 3 weeks, and then exposed to hypoxia (9% O2) for another 4 weeks to induce PH. We showed that A. muciniphila pretreatment significantly facilitated the restoration of the hemodynamics and structure of the cardiopulmonary system, reversed the pathological progression of hypoxia-induced PH. Moreover, A. muciniphila pretreatment significantly modulated the gut microbiota in hypoxia-induced PH mice. miRNA sequencing analysis reveals that miR-208a-3p, a commensal gut bacteria-regulated miRNA, was markedly downregulated in lung tissues exposed to hypoxia, which was restored by A. muciniphila pretreatment. We showed that transfection with miR-208a-3p mimic reversed hypoxia-induced abnormal proliferation of human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (hPASMCs) via regulating the cell cycle, whereas knockdown of miR-208a-3p abolished the beneficial effects of A. muciniphila pretreatment in hypoxia-induced PH mice. We demonstrated that miR-208a-3p bound to the 3'-untranslated region of NOVA1 mRNA; the expression of NOVA1 was upregulated in lung tissues exposed to hypoxia, which was reversed by A. muciniphila pretreatment. Furthermore, silencing of NOVA1 reversed hypoxia-induced abnormal proliferation of hPASMCs through cell cycle modulation. Our results demonstrate that A. muciniphila could modulate PH through the miR-208a-3p/NOVA1 axis, providing a new theoretical basis for PH treatment.

Freeze-thaw assisted maleic acid pretreatment of eucalyptus to prepare cellulose nanocrystals and degraded lignin.

A green and effective method is proposed for the pretreatment of eucalyptus by freeze-thaw assisted maleic acid tactic, wherein the effects of freeze-thaw, maleic acid concentration, reaction time, and temperature on the fractionation were examined. Results showed that under optimal conditions (60% maleic acid, 120 °C, and 2 h), a remarkable removal of 74.5% lignin and 95.2% hemicellulose was achieved after freeze-thaw treatment. The resulting cellulose-rich solid residues were further processed with maleic acid to prepare cellulose nanocrystals, which displayed uniform sized rod-like structures and high crystallinity (62.51%). Moreover, maleic acid pretreatment resulted in lignin with low molecular weight (2110-2530) and excellent homogeneity (PDI ≤ 1.86), while maintaining a relatively intact structure. The lignin had high ß-O-4 aryl ether bond contents (≥77.5%) and abundant phenolic hydroxyl contents (2.33-3.63 mmol/g). Overall, the process exhibits notable benefits in effectively separating lignocellulose for high valorization.