CO2-responsive switchable hydrophilic solvent as a novel extractant for selective extraction and separation of natural bioactive ingredients: A comprehensive review.

When conventional solvents such as water, methanol, ethanol, hexane, petroleum ether, etc., are used to extract active ingredients from natural resources, an evaporation process is required to remove solvent from active ingredients, which not only consumes huge amounts of energy, but also causes harm to human health and the environment. The CO2-responsive switchable hydrophilic solvent (SHS) based on amines and water is an emerging, green and recyclable solvent, which not only has high extraction efficiency of active ingredients, but also can remove solvent from active ingredients without evaporation process. This paper reviews the research progress of amine-based SHS in the extraction of bioactive ingredients from natural resources. The process flow, extraction mechanism, critical influencing factors, recovery of amines and latest applications have been summarized. On this basis, some shortcomings of amine-based SHS are also pointed out. Finally, the improvement directions of amine-based SHS extraction in the future is prospected.

Learned liquid crystal microlens array for joint optimized deep optical architecture in identifying metameric materials.

Multispectral imaging holds great promise for the detection of metameric materials. However, traditional multispectral imaging systems are characterized by their large volume, complex structure, and high computational requirements, limiting their practical application. We propose a jointly optimized deep optical architecture that combines the liquid crystal (LC) microlens array (MLA) characteristics and a multi-level perceptual spectral reconstruction network (MLP-SRN). The core of the architecture is to integrate the physical properties of the LC-MLA into the MLP-SRN using point spread function (PSF) optical convolution kernels, decoupling the light-field characteristic information collected by the LC-MLA at different voltages. Experimental results demonstrate that the incorporation of the physical properties of the LC-MLA not only reduces the system size and computational complexity but demonstrates excellent performance in identifying a metameric material.

Leaf stomatal configuration and photosynthetic traits jointly affect leaf water use efficiency in forests along climate gradients.

Water use efficiency (WUE) represents the trade-off between carbon assimilation and water loss in plants. It remains unclear how leaf stomatal and photosynthetic traits regulate the spatial variation of leaf WUE in different natural forest ecosystems. We investigated 43 broad-leaf tree species spanning from cold-temperate to tropical forests in China. We quantified leaf WUE using leaf δ13C and measured stomatal traits, photosynthetic traits as well as maximum stomatal conductance ( G w max ) and maximum carboxylation capacity ( V c max ). We found that leaves in cold-temperate forests displayed 'fast' carbon economics, characterized by higher leaf nitrogen, Chl, specific leaf area, and V c max , as an adaptation to the shorter growing season. However, these leaves exhibited 'slow' hydraulic traits, with larger but fewer stomata and similar G w max , resulting in higher leaf WUE. By contrast, leaves in tropical forests had smaller and denser stomata, enabling swift response to heterogeneous light conditions. However, this stomatal configuration increased potential water loss, and coupled with their low photosynthetic capacity, led to lower WUE. Our findings contribute to understanding how plant photosynthetic and stomatal traits regulate carbon-water trade-offs across climatic gradients, advancing our ability to predict the impacts of climate changes on forest carbon and water cycles.

Different levels of physical activity and risk of developing type 2 diabetes among adults with prediabetes: a population-based cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the association between different levels of physical activity and risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D) mellitus among adults with prediabetes in Chinese population. METHODS: This prospective population-based cohort study included 12,424 participants (mean [SD] age, 52.8 [16.8] years; 82.2% men) with prediabetes at 2014 survey of the Kailuan study. Physical activity information was collected through the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form and categorized by metabolic equivalent (MET) of task as low, moderate, and high. Cox regression models were built to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for associations between physical activity levels and incident T2D. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 3.6 years, 2,207 (17.8%) participants developed T2D. The incident rate of T2D were 55.83/1000, 35.14/1000, and 39.61/1000 person-years in the low, moderate, and high physical activity level group, respectively. Both moderate (HR 0.57, 95% CI 0.49 to 0.67) and high (HR 0.76, 95% CI 0.66 to 0.89) physical activity levels were associated with lower risks of developing T2D compared to low physical activity level (P for trend < 0.001). The association between high physical activity level and T2D was primarily observed in participants without metabolic syndrome (P for interaction < 0.001). Moreover, participants with moderate or high levels of physical activity had significantly decreased fasting blood glucose levels during follow-up when compared to those with low level (P group*time < 0.001). CONCLUSION: This study suggested that individuals with prediabetes might benefit from moderate and high levels of physical activity.

Characterization of a CXCR4 antagonist TIQ-15 with dual tropic HIV entry inhibition properties.

The chemokine co-receptors CXCR4 and CCR5 mediate HIV entry and signal transduction necessary for viral infection. However, to date only the CCR5 antagonist maraviroc is approved for treating HIV-1 infection. Given that approximately 50% of late-stage HIV patients also develop CXCR4-tropic virus, clinical anti-HIV CXCR4 antagonists are needed. Here, we describe a novel allosteric CXCR4 antagonist TIQ-15 which inhibits CXCR4-tropic HIV-1 infection of primary and transformed CD4 T cells. TIQ-15 blocks HIV entry with an IC50 of 13 nM. TIQ-15 also inhibits SDF-1α/CXCR4-mediated cAMP production, cofilin activation, and chemotactic signaling. In addition, TIQ-15 induces CXCR4 receptor internalization without affecting the levels of the CD4 receptor, suggesting that TIQ-15 may act through a novel allosteric site on CXCR4 for blocking HIV entry. Furthermore, TIQ-15 did not inhibit VSV-G pseudotyped HIV-1 infection, demonstrating its specificity in blocking CXCR4-tropic virus entry, but not CXCR4-independent endocytosis or post-entry steps. When tested against a panel of clinical isolates, TIQ-15 showed potent inhibition against CXCR4-tropic and dual-tropic viruses, and moderate inhibition against CCR5-tropic isolates. This observation was followed by a co-dosing study with maraviroc, and TIQ-15 demonstrated synergistic activity. In summary, here we describe a novel HIV-1 entry inhibitor, TIQ-15, which potently inhibits CXCR4-tropic viruses while possessing low-level synergistic activities against CCR5-tropic viruses. TIQ-15 could potentially be co-dosed with the CCR5 inhibitor maraviroc to block viruses of mixed tropisms.

Association between transitions in metabolic health and colorectal cancer across categories of body size phenotype: a prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the associations of changes in metabolic health across categories of body size phenotype with the risk of colorectal cancer in a community-based prospective cohort. METHODS: In the current study, a total of 70,987 participants were included. Changes in metabolic health across categories of body size phenotype were assessed between the health examination for the first time in the years 2006 through 2009 and a 2010/2011 health examination. A multivariate Cox proportional hazards model was used to assess the associations of changes in metabolic health across body size phenotype categories with risk of colorectal cancer. RESULTS: During the median follow-up time of 11.04 years, 428 (0.60%) participants developed colorectal cancer. Compared with metabolically healthy normal-weight (MHNW) participants who remained MH, the risk of colorectal cancer was increased by 144% (95% CI: 1.21-4.95) for participants with metabolically healthy obesity (MHO) who converted to a metabolically unhealthy (MU) phenotype. Participants who were MU at baseline were still at increased risk of colorectal cancer, regardless of obesity status. CONCLUSIONS: The MHO phenotype was a dynamic status over time, and converting to MU during follow-up and being initially MU were associated with having an increased risk of colorectal cancer, regardless of degree of obesity and body size phenotype.

Physical Activity Modifies the Risk of Incident Cardiac Conduction Disorders Upon Inflammation: A Population-Based Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Emerging evidence suggests a central role for inflammation in cardiac conduction disorder (CCD). It is unknown whether habitual physical activity could modulate the inflammation-associated risks of incident CCD in the general population. METHODS AND RESULTS: This population-based cohort was derived from the China Kailuan study, including a total of 97 192 participants without prior CCD. The end points included incident CCD and its subcategories (atrioventricular block and bundle-branch block). Systemic inflammation was indicated by the monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR). Over a median 10.91-year follow-up, 3747 cases of CCD occurred, with 1062 cases of atrioventricular block and 2697 cases of bundle-branch block. An overall linear dose-dependent relationship was observed between MLR and each study end point (all P-nonlinearity≥0.05). Both higher MLR and physical inactivity were significantly associated with higher risks of conduction block. The MLR-associated risks of developing study end points were higher in the physically inactive individuals than in those being physically active, with significant interactions between MLR levels and physical activity for developing CCD (P-interaction=0.07) and bundle-branch block (P-interaction<0.05) found. Compared with those in MLR quartile 2 and being physically active, those in the highest MLR quartile and being physically inactive had significantly higher risks for all study end points (1.42 [95% CI, 1.24-1.63], 1.62 [95% CI, 1.25-2.10], and 1.33 [95% CI, 1.13-1.56], respectively, for incident CCD, atrioventricular block, and bundle-branch block). CONCLUSIONS: MLR should be a biomarker for the risk assessment of incident CCD. Adherence to habitual physical activity is favorable for reducing the MLR-associated risks of CCD.

Chinese visceral adipose index is more closely associated with risk of arterial stiffness than traditional obesity indicators: a cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The Chinese visceral adiposity index (CVAI) is a new index to evaluate visceral adipose tissue in the Chinese population. Arterial stiffness (AS) is a kind of degeneration of the large arteries, and obesity is an essential contributing factor to AS. Our study aimed to explore the longitudinal association between CVAI and the risk of AS and to compare the predictive power of CVAI, body mass index (BMI), and waist circumference (WC) for AS. METHODS: Between 2010 and 2020, a total of 14,877 participants participating in at least two brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) measurements from the Kailuan study were included. The Cox proportional hazard regression models were performed to evaluate the longitudinal association between CVAI and the risk of AS. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was calculated to compare the predictive power of CVAI, BMI, and WC for AS. RESULTS: After adjusting for potential confounding factors, CVAI was significantly associated with the risk of AS. Compared with the first CVAI quartile, the hazard ratios (HR) and 95% CI of the second, third, and fourth quartiles were 1.30 (1.09-1.56), 1.37 (1.15-1.63), and 1.49 (1.24-1.78), respectively. The area under ROC curve of CVAI was 0.661, significantly higher than BMI (AUC: 0.582) and WC (AUC: 0.606). CONCLUSION: CVAI may be a reliable indicator to identify high-risk groups of AS in the Chinese general population, and the predictive power of CVAI for AS was better than BMI and WC.

Exciton-harvesting enabled efficient charged particle detection in zero-dimensional halides.

Materials for radiation detection are critically important and urgently demanded in diverse fields, starting from fundamental scientific research to medical diagnostics, homeland security, and environmental monitoring. Low-dimensional halides (LDHs) exhibiting efficient self-trapped exciton (STE) emission with high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) have recently shown a great potential as scintillators. However, an overlooked issue of exciton-exciton interaction in LDHs under ionizing radiation hinders the broadening of its radiation detection applications. Here, we demonstrate an exceptional enhancement of exciton-harvesting efficiency in zero-dimensional (0D) Cs3Cu2I5:Tl halide single crystals by forming strongly localized Tl-bound excitons. Because of the suppression of non-radiative exciton-exciton interaction, an excellent α/ß pulse-shape-discrimination (PSD) figure-of-merit (FoM) factor of 2.64, a superior rejection ratio of 10-9, and a high scintillation yield of 26 000 photons MeV-1 under 5.49 MeV α-ray are achieved in Cs3Cu2I5:Tl single crystals, outperforming the commercial ZnS:Ag/PVT composites for charged particle detection applications. Furthermore, a radiation detector prototype based on Cs3Cu2I5:Tl single crystal demonstrates the capability of identifying radioactive 220Rn gas for environmental radiation monitoring applications. We believe that the exciton-harvesting strategy proposed here can greatly boost the applications of LDHs materials.

Suppression of viral rebound by a Rev-dependent lentiviral particle in SIV-infected rhesus macaques.

Persistence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) reservoirs prevents viral eradication, and consequently HIV-infected patients require lifetime treatment with antiretroviral therapy (ART) [1-5]. Currently, there are no effective therapeutics to prevent HIV rebound upon ART cessation. Here we describe an HIV/SIV Rev-dependent lentiviral particle that can be administered to inhibit viral rebound [6-9]. Using simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)-infected rhesus macaques as a model, we demonstrate that the administration of pre-assembled SIV Rev-dependent lentiviral particles into SIVmac239-infected Indian rhesus macaques can lead to reduction of viral rebound upon ART termination. One of the injected animals, KC50, controlled plasma and CNS viremia to an undetectable level most of the time for over two years after ART termination. Surprisingly, detailed molecular and immunological characterization revealed that viremia control was concomitant with the induction of neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) following the administration of the Rev-dependent vectors. This study emphasizes the importance of neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) for viremia control [10-15], and also provides proof of concept that the Rev-dependent vector can be used to target viral reservoirs, including the CNS reservoirs, in vivo. However, future large-scale in vivo studies are needed to understand the potential mechanisms of viremia control induced by the Rev-dependent vector.

A prospective cohort study on the effect of lipid accumulation product index on the incidence of cardiovascular diseases.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a chronic disease with a serious prognosis, and obesity is a risk factor for CVD. Lipid accumulation product index (LAP) is a new indicator of obesity, waist circumference, and triglycerides were included in the formula, but its association with CVD is inconsistent. Therefore, this study researched the effect of LAP levels on CVD. METHODS: This prospective cohort study was based on the Kailuan cohort. A total of 95,981 participants who completed the first physical examination in 2006 and had no history of CVD or LAP absence were included. The participants were divided into four groups according to the LAP quartile (Q1 - Q4). Up until December 31, 2022, incidence density was calculated for each group. The hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of CVD in each group were calculated by the Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: During a median follow-up period of 15.95 years, 9925 incident CVD events occurred (2123 myocardial infarction and 8096 stroke). There were differences in potential confounders among the four groups (P < 0.001). The incidence density and 95% CI of CVD in Q1-Q4 groups were 4.76(4.54, 5.00), 6 0.50(6.24, 6.77), 8.13(7.84, 8.44) and 9.34(9.02, 9.67), respectively. There were significant differences in the survival curves among the four groups by log-rank test (P < 0.001). After adjusting for potential confounders, Cox proportional hazards model results showed that compared with the Q1 group, the HR and 95% CI of CVD in the Q2, Q3, and Q4 groups were1.15(1.08, 1.23), 1.29(1.21, 1.38) and 1.39(1.30, 1.49), respectively. The HR and 95%CI of myocardial infarction were 1.28(1.10, 1.49), 1.71(1.47, 1.98) and 1.92(1.64, 2.23), respectively. The HR and 95%CI of stroke were 1.11 (1.03, 1.19), 1.20 (1.12, 1.29) and 1.28 (1.19, 1.38), respectively. After subgroup analysis by gender, there was no significant interaction (P = 0.169), and the relationship between LAP and CVD in different genders was consistent with the main results. After subgroup analysis by age, there was a significant interaction (P = 0.007), and the association between LAP and CVD in different age groups was consistent with the main results. After subgroup analysis by BMI, there was no significant interaction (P = 0.506), and the association between LAP and CVD in different BMI groups was consistent with the main results. The results remained robust after sensitivity analyses. For each unit increase in ln(LAP), the HR and 95%CI of CVD were 4.07 (3.92, 4.23). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that the risk of CVD increased with the increase of LAP level. The risk of CVD in group Q2 - Q4 was 1.15, 1.29, and 1.39 times higher than that in group Q1, respectively. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ChiCTR2000029767.

Experimental study on the mechanical properties of desert sand improved by the combination of additives and bio-cement.

Bio-cement is a green and energy-saving building material that has attracted much attention in the field of ecological environment and geotechnical engineering in recent years. The aim of this study is to investigate the use of bio-cement (enzyme-induced calcium carbonate precipitation-EICP) in combination with admixtures for the improvement of desert sands, which can effectively improve the mechanical properties of desert sands and is particularly suitable for sand-rich countries. In addition, the suitability of tap water in bio-cement was elucidated and the optimum ratio of each influencing factor when tap water is used as a solvent was derived. The results showed that peak values of unconfined compressive strength (maximum increase of about 130 times), shear strength (increase of 27.09%), calcium carbonate precipitation value (increase of about 4.39 times), and permeability (decrease of about 93.72 times) were obtained in the specimens modified by EICP combined with admixture as compared to the specimens modified by EICP only. The incorporation of skimmed milk powder, though significantly increasing the strength, is not conducive to cost control. The microscopic tests show that the incorporation of admixtures can provide nucleation sites for EICP, thus improving the properties of desert sand. This work can provide new research ideas for cross-fertilization between the disciplines of bio-engineering, ecology, and civil engineering.

Gray matter volume mediates the association of long-term blood pressure variability with cognitive function in an adult population.

INTRODUCTION: We delineated the associations among long-term blood pressure variability (BPV), brain structure, and cognitive function. METHODS: We included 1254 adult participants from the Kailuan study. BPV was calculated from 2006 to 2020. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) were conducted in 2020. RESULTS: Higher systolic BPV (SBPV) and diastolic BPV (DBPV) were associated with lower total and frontal gray matter (GM) volume, and higher SBPV was associated with lower temporal GM volume. Elevated DBPV was associated with lower volume of total brain and parietal GM, and higher white matter hyperintensity (WMH) volume. Higher SBPV and DBPV were associated with lower MoCA scores. Decreased total and regional GM volume and increased WMH volume were associated with lower MoCA scores. The association between SBPV and cognitive function was mediated by total, frontal, and temporal GM volume. DISCUSSION: GM volume may play key roles in the association between SBPV and cognitive function. HIGHLIGHTS: SBPV and DBPV were negatively associated with total and regional brain volume. SBPV and DBPV were negatively associated with cognitive function. Decreased brain volume was associated with cognitive decline. GM volume mediated the negative association between SBPV and cognitive function.

Organic matter composition and stability in estuarine wetlands depending on soil salinity.

Coastal wetlands are key players in mitigating global climate change by sequestering soil organic matter. Soil organic matter consists of less stable particulate organic matter (POM) and more stable mineral-associated organic matter (MAOM). The distribution and drivers of MAOM and POM in coastal wetlands have received little attention, despite the processes and mechanisms differ from that in the upland soils. We explored the distribution of POM and MAOM, their contributions to SOM, and the controlling factors along a salinity gradient in an estuarine wetland. In the estuarine wetland, POM C and N were influenced by soil depth and vegetation type, whereas MAOM C and N were influenced only by vegetation type. In the estuarine wetland, SOM was predominantly in the form of MAOM (> 70 %) and increased with salinity (70 %-76 %), leading to long-term C sequestration. Both POM and MAOM increased with SOM, and the increase rate of POM was higher than that of MAOM. Aboveground plant biomass decreased with increasing salinity, resulted in a decrease in POM C (46 %-81 %) and N (52 %-82 %) pools. As the mineral amount and activity, and microbial biomass decreased, the MAOM C (2.5 %-64 %) and N pool (8.6 %-59 %) decreased with salinity. When evaluating POM, the most influential factors were microbial biomass carbon (MBC) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Key parameters, including MBC, DOC, soil salinity, soil water content, aboveground plant biomass, mineral content and activity, and bulk density, were identified as influencing factors for both MAOM abundance. Soil water content not only directly controlled MAOM, but together with salinity also indirectly regulated POM and MAOM by controlling microbial biomass and aboveground plant biomass. Our findings have important implications for improving the accumulation and increased stability of soil organic matter in coastal wetlands, considering the global sea level rise and increased frequency of inundation.

Hippocampal volume mediates the association of arterial stiffness with cognitive impairment in adult population.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association of arterial stiffness with brain perfusion, brain tissue volume and cognitive impairment in the general adult population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective study included 1488 adult participants (age range: 22.8-83.9 years) from the Kailuan study. All participants underwent brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (PWV) measurement, brain MRI, and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). The association of PWV with cerebral blood flow (CBF), brain tissue volume and MoCA score was investigated. Mediation analysis was used to determine whether CBF and brain tissue volume changes mediated the associations between PWV and MoCA score. RESULTS: A 1 standard deviation (SD) increase in PWV was associated with lower total brain CBF [ ß (95% CI) -0.67 (-1.2 to -0.14)], total gray matter CBF [ß (95% CI) -0.7 [-1.27 to -0.13)], frontal lobe CBF [ ß (95% CI) -0.59 (-1.17 to -0.01)], parietal lobe CBF [ ß (95% CI) -0.8 (-1.43 to -0.18)], and temporal lobe CBF [ ß (95% CI) -0.68 (-1.24 to -0.12)]. Negative associations were found for PWV and total brain volume [ ß (95% CI) -4.8 (-7.61 to -1.99)] and hippocampus volume [ ß (95% CI) -0.08 (-0.13 to -0.04)]. A 1 SD increase PWV was significantly associated with elevated odds of developing cognitive impairment [odds ratio (95% CI) 1.21 (1.01-1.45)]. Mediation analysis showed that hippocampal volume partially mediated the negative association between PWV and MoCA scores (proportion: 14.173%). CONCLUSION: High arterial stiffness was associated with decreased total and regional CBF, brain tissue volume, and cognitive impairment. Hippocampal volume partially mediated the effects of arterial stiffness on cognitive impairment.

Serum uric acid is associated with midbrain enlarged perivascular spaces: Results from Multi-modality Medical imaging sTudy bAsed on KaiLuan Study (META-KLS).

BACKGROUND: Serum uric acid (SUA) is a major cause of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Whether and to what extent the excess risk of enlarged perivascular spaces (EPVS) conferred by SUA is unknown. The study was conducted to investigate the association between SUA and EPVS in different brain regions. METHODS: Data are from Multi-modality medical imaging study based on Kailuan study (META-KLS) in this cross-sectional study. Participants were divided into five groups based on SUA levels, and EPVS in basal ganglia (BG), centrum semiovale (CSO) and midbrain (MB) was systematically assessed and divided into Low and High group. Odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for high EPVS outcomes were estimated using multivariable logistic regression analysis. Restricted cubic spline (RCS) was used to further investigate dose-response relationship. RESULTS: A total of 1014 participants aged 25-83 years from 11 centers were enrolled in the study. In the multivariable-adjusted model, SUA, as an independent risk factor, correlated positively with high degree of MB-EPVS (OR, 1.002; 95% CI, 1.000 to 1.004; p = 0.023) in general population. In addition, RCS further demonstrated the linear association between SUA and MB-EPVS (p = 0.072). No association was found between SUA and BG-EPVS or CSO-EPVS. CONCLUSION: SUA was an independent risk factor of MB-EPVS. High SUA levels were more predictive of increased risk occurrence of high degree of MB-EPVS, supporting a linear association between SUA and MB-EPVS and further indicating that SUA may play an important role in cerebral small vessel disease. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The KaiLuan Study and META-KLS were registered online (ChiCTR2000029767 on chictr.org.cn and NCT05453877 on Clinicaltrials.gov, respectively).

Exosome microRNA-22 inhibiting proliferation, migration and invasion through regulating Twist1/CADM1 axis in osteosarcoma.

This study aims to the function of miR-22 original mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) on osteosarcoma (OS) proliferation, migration and invasion. Bio-informatics analysis including GEO2R analysis, Gene Ontology analysis, integration analysis were used to confirmed the target genes (miR-22, Twist1, CADM1) in OS. RT-qPCR and western blotting confirmed the different expression of miR-22, Twist1, CADM1 in OS tissues, MG63 and Saos cell lines. MTS assay, CCK8 assay, colony forming assay, EdU assay were performed to detect the proliferation effect of miR-22 on MG63. Transwell migration assay, transwell invasion assay, wound healing assay were used to verify the migration and invasion effect of miR-22 on MG63. Luciferase reporter assay confirm the binding sites between miR-22 and Twist1. RT-qPCR confirmed miR-22 and CADM1 downregulated and Twist1 upregulated in OS tissues, MG63 and Saos. Exosome original MSC labeled with PKH-26 could be uptake by MG63, which upregulated the expression of miR-22 in MG63. High expression of miR-22 in MG63 inhibited proliferation, migration and invasion, which could be rescued by Twist1. Dual luciferase reporter analysis confirmed Twist1 was a target of miR-22. Exosome modified with miR-22 mimic inhibit proliferation, migration and invasion more efficient than exosome original MSC. miR-22 cargo in exo-MSC could uptake by MG63 and supply MG63 with miR-22, which inhibit MG63 proliferation, migration and invasion through targeting Twist1.

Evolutionary and ecological forces shape nutrient strategies of mycorrhizal woody plants.

The associations of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) or ectomycorrhiza (EcM) fungi with plants have sequentially evolved and significantly contributed to enhancing plant nutrition. Nonetheless, how evolutionary and ecological forces drive nutrient acquisition strategies of AM and EcM woody plants remains poorly understood. Our global analysis of woody species revealed that, over divergence time, AM woody plants evolved faster nitrogen mineralization rates without changes in nitrogen resorption. However, EcM woody plants exhibited an increase in nitrogen mineralization but a decrease in nitrogen resorption, indicating a shift towards a more inorganic nutrient economy. Despite this alteration, when evaluating present-day woody species, AM woody plants still display faster nitrogen mineralization and lower nitrogen resorption than EcM woody plants. This inorganic nutrient economy allows AM woody plants to thrive in warm environments with a faster litter decomposition rate. Our findings indicate that the global pattern of nutrient acquisition strategies in mycorrhizal plants is shaped by the interplay between phylogeny and climate.

Silicon fractionations in coastal wetland sediments: Implications for biogeochemical silicon cycling.

Coastal wetland sediment is important reservoir for silicon (Si), and plays an essential role in controlling its biogeochemical cycling. However, little is known about Si fractionations and the associated factors driving their transformations in coastal wetland sediments. In this study, we applied an optimized sequential Si extraction method to separate six sub-fractions of non-crystalline Si (Sinoncry) in sediments from two coastal wetlands, including Si in dissolved silicate (Sidis), Si in the adsorbed silicate (Siad), Si bound to organic matter (Siorg), Si occluded in pedogenic oxides and hydroxides (Siocc), Si in biogenic amorphous silica (Siba), and Si in pedogenic amorphous silica (Sipa). The results showed that the highest proportion of Si in the Sinoncry fraction was Siba (up to 6.6 % of total Si (Sitot)), followed by the Sipa (up to 1.8 % of Sitot). The smallest proportion of Si was found in the Sidis and Siad fractions with the sum of both being <0.1 % of the Sitot. We found a lower Siocc content (188 ± 96.1 mg kg-1) when compared to terrestrial soils. The Sidis was at the center of the inter-transformation among Si fractions, regulating the biogeochemical Si cycling of coastal wetland sediments. Redundancy analysis (RDA) combined with Pearson's correlations further showed that the basic biogenic elements (total organic carbon and total nitrogen), pH, and sediment salinity collectively controlled the Si fractionations in coastal wetland sediments. Our research optimizes sediment Si fractionation procedure and provides insights into the role of sedimentary Si fractions in controlling Si dynamics and knowledge for unraveling the biogeochemical Si cycling in coastal ecosystems.

Association of Cumulative Exposure to Cardiovascular Health Behaviors and Factors with the Onset and Progression of Arterial Stiffness.

AIM: This study aims to explore the association of cumulative exposure to cardiovascular health behaviors and factors with the onset and progression of arterial stiffness. METHODS: In this study, 24,110 participants were examined from the Kailuan cohort, of which 11,527 had undergone at least two brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) measurements. The cumulative exposure to cardiovascular health behaviors and factors (cumCVH) was calculated as the sum of the cumCVH scores between two consecutive physical examinations, multiplied by the time interval between the two. A logistic regression model was constructed to evaluate the association of cumCVH with arterial stiffness. Generalized linear regression models were used to analyze how cumCVH affects baPWV progression. Moreover, a Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to analyze the effect of cumCVH on the risk of arterial stiffness. RESULTS: In this study, participants were divided into four groups, according to quartiles of cumCVH exposure levels, namely, quartile 1 (Q1), quartile 2 (Q2), quartile 3 (Q3), and quartile 4 (Q4). Logistic regression analysis showed that compared with the Q1 group, the incidence of arterial stiffness in terms of cumCVH among Q2, Q3, and Q4 groups decreased by 16%, 30%, and 39%, respectively. The results of generalized linear regression showed that compared with the Q1 group, the incidence of arterial stiffness in the Q3 and Q4 groups increased by -25.54 and -29.83, respectively. The results of Cox proportional hazards regression showed that compared with the Q1 group, the incidence of arterial stiffness in cumCVH among Q2, Q3, and Q4 groups decreased by 11%, 19%, and 22%, respectively. Sensitivity analyses showed consistency with the main results. CONCLUSIONS: High cumCVH can delay the progression of arterial stiffness and reduce the risk of developing arterial stiffness.