[Application of ion chromatographic fingerprint analysis for quality evaluation of tobacco flavors].

Tobacco flavor, an important tobacco additive, is an essential raw material in cigarette production that can effectively improve the quality of tobacco products, add aroma and taste, and increase the suction flavor. The quality consistency of tobacco flavors affects the quality stability of branded cigarettes. Therefore, the quality control of tobacco flavors is a major concern for cigarette and flavor manufacturers. Physical and chemical indices, odor similarity, and sensory efficacy are employed to evaluate the quality of tobacco flavors, and the analysis of chemical components in tobacco flavors is usually conducted using gas chromatography (GC) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). However, because the composition of tobacco flavors is complex, their quality cannot be fully reflected using a single component or combination of components. Therefore, establishing an objective analytical method for the quality control of tobacco flavors is of extreme importance. Chromatographic fingerprint analysis is routinely used for the discriminative analysis of tobacco flavors. Chromatographic fingerprints refer to the general characteristics of the concentration profiles of different chemical compounds. In the daily procurement process, fingerprints established by GC and HPLC are effective for the evaluation and identification of tobacco flavors. However, given continuous improvements in aroma-imitation technology, some flavors with high similarity cannot be directly distinguished using existing methods. In this study, a method for the determination of organic acids and inorganic anions in tobacco flavors based on ion chromatography (IC) was developed to ensure the quality consistency of tobacco flavors. A 1.0 g sample of tobacco flavors and 10 mL of deionized water were mixed and vibrated for 30 min. The aqueous sample solution was passed through a 0.45 µm membrane filter and RP pretreatment column in succession to eliminate interferences and then subjected to IC. Standard solutions containing nine organic acids and seven inorganic anions were used to identify the anions in the tobacco flavors, and satisfactory reproducibility was obtained. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) for retention times and peak areas were <0.71% and <6.02%, respectively. The chromatographic fingerprints of four types of tobacco flavors (samples A-D) from five different batches were obtained. Nine tobacco flavor samples from different manufacturers (samples AY1-AY3, BY1-BY2, CY1-CY2, DY1-DY2) were also analyzed to obtain their chromatographic fingerprints. Hierarchical cluster and similarity analyses were used to evaluate the quality of tobacco flavors from different manufacturers. Hierarchical clustering refers to the process of subdividing a group of samples into clusters that exhibit a high degree of intracluster similarity and intercluster dissimilarity. The dendrograms obtained using SPSS 12.0 indicated good quality consistency among the samples in different batches. Samples AY3, BY2, CY2, and DY1 clustered with the batches of standard tobacco flavors. Therefore, hierarchical cluster analysis can effectively distinguish the quality of products from different manufacturers. The Similarity Evaluation System for Chromatographic Fingerprint of Traditional Chinese Medicine (version 2.0) was used to evaluate the similarity between the standard tobacco flavors and products from different manufacturers. Among the samples analyzed, samples AY3, BY2, CY2, and DY1 showed the highest similarity values (>97.7%), which was consistent with the results of the hierarchical cluster analysis. This finding indicates that IC combined with chromatographic fingerprint analysis could accurately determine the quality of tobacco flavors. GC combined with ultrasonic-assisted liquid-liquid extraction was also used to analyze the tobacco flavors and verify the accuracy of the proposed method. Compared with GC coupled with ultrasonic-assisted liquid-liquid extraction, IC demonstrated more significant quality differences among certain tobacco flavors.

Recent progress in lanthanide-based fluorescent nanomaterials for tetracycline detection and removal.

Tetracycline (TC) has been widely used in clinical medicine and animal growth promotion due to its broad-spectrum antibacterial properties and affordable prices. Unfortunately, the high toxicity and difficult degradation rate of TC molecules make them easy to accumulate in the environment, which breaks the ecological balance and seriously threatens human health. Rapid and accurate detection of TC residue levels is important for ensuring water quality and food safety. Recently, fluorescence detection technology of TC residues has developed rapidly. Lanthanide nanomaterials, based on the high luminescence properties of lanthanide ions and the high matching with TC energy levels, are favored in the real-time trace detection of TC due to their advantages of high sensitivity, rapidity, and high selectivity. Therefore, they are considered potential substitutes for traditional detection methods. This review summarizes the synthesis strategy, TC response mechanism, removal mechanism, and applications in intelligent sensing. Finally, the development of lanthanide nanomaterials for TC fluorescence detection and removal is reasonably summarized and prospected. This review provides a reference for the establishment of a method for the accurate determination of TC content in complex food matrices.

Association between systemic inflammation markers and blood pressure among children and adolescents: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have estimated the associations of systemic inflammation markers and high blood pressure (HBP) in the pediatric population. METHODS: Basing on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 1999 to 2018, we assessed the associations between four inflammation-related factors based on blood cell counts: systemic immune inflammation index (SII), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), and risk for pediatric HBP by estimating odds ratios (ORs) using multivariable logistic regression models. RESULTS: A total of 17,936 children aged 8-19 years were included in the analysis, representing about 36.7 million American children. The prevalence rates of elevated blood pressure (EBP) and hypertension (HTN) were 15.79% and 6.77%, respectively. The results showed that the ORs for EBP per standard deviation (SD) increment in SII and NLR were estimated at 1.11 [95% confidence interval (95%CI): 1.04, 1.17] and 1.08 (95%CI: 1.02, 1.15), respectively; and the OR for EBP per SD increment in LMP were estimated at 0.90 (95%CI: 0.83, 0.96). These associations were stronger in boys and younger children. CONCLUSIONS: The study suggested that inflammation-related factors could serve as easily accessible early biomarkers for HBP risk prediction and prevention in children and adolescents. IMPACT: The study suggested that inflammation-related factors could serve as easily accessible early biomarkers for HBP risk prediction and prevention in children and adolescents. This is the first study that demonstrates the close association between systemic inflammation markers and HBP in children and adolescents using nationally representative population data. The findings have more public health implications and support that systemic inflammation markers based on blood cell counts could serve as easily accessible biomarkers of HBP risk and prevention in earlier identification of the diseases.

B and T cells: (Still) the dominant orchestrators in autoimmune hepatitis.

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a severe hepatopathy characterized by hypergammaglobulinemia, presence of serum autoantibodies and histological appearance of interface hepatitis. Liver damage in AIH is initiated by the presentation of a liver autoantigen to uncommitted Th0 lymphocytes, followed by a cascade of effector immune responses culminating with the production of inflammatory cytokines, activation of cytotoxic cells and subsequent hepatocyte injury. B cells actively participate in AIH liver damage by presenting autoantigens to uncommitted T lymphocytes. B cells also undergo maturation into plasma cells that are responsible for production of immunoglobulin G and autoantibodies, which mediate antibody dependent cell cytotoxicity. Perpetuation of effector immunity with consequent progression of liver damage is permitted by impairment in regulatory T cells (Tregs), a lymphocyte subset central to the maintenance of immune homeostasis. Treg impairment in AIH is multifactorial, deriving from numerical decrease, reduced suppressive function, poor response to IL-2 and less stable phenotype. In this review, we discuss the role of B and T lymphocytes in the pathogenesis of AIH. Immunotherapeutic strategies that could limit inflammation and halt disease progression while reconstituting tolerance to liver autoantigens are also reviewed and discussed.

Role of Microglial Mitophagy in Alleviating Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction: a Mechanistic Study.

Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD), a common complication following anesthesia and surgery, is influenced by hippocampal neuroinflammation and microglial activation. Mitophagy, a process regulating inflammatory responses by limiting the accumulation of damaged mitochondria, plays a significant role. This study aimed to determine whether regulating microglial mitophagy and the cGAS-STING pathway could alleviate cognitive decline after surgery. Exploratory laparotomy was performed to establish a POCD model using mice. Western blotting, immunofluorescence staining, transmission electron microscopy, and mt-Keima assays were used to examine microglial mitophagy and the cGAS-STING pathway. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to detect inflammatory mediators and cytosolic mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) levels in BV2 cells. Exploratory laparotomy triggered mitophagy and enhanced the cGAS-STING pathway in mice hippocampi. Pharmacological treatment reduced microglial activation, neuroinflammation, and cognitive impairment after surgery. Mitophagy suppressed the cGAS-STING pathway in mice hippocampi. In vitro, microglia-induced inflammation was mediated by mitophagy and the cGAS-STING pathway. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) of PINK1 hindered mitophagy activation and facilitated the cytosolic release of mtDNA, resulting in the initiation of the cGAS-STING pathway and innate immune response. Microglial mitophagy inhibited inflammatory responses via the mtDNA-cGAS-STING pathway inducing microglial mitophagy and inhibiting the mtDNA-cGAS-STING pathway may be an effective therapeutic approach for patients with POCD.

Predictive value of preoperative ultrasonographic measurement of gastric morphology for the occurrence of postoperative nausea and vomiting among patients undergoing gynecological laparoscopic surgery.

Background: Pre-operative prediction of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is primarily based on the patient's medical history. The predictive value of gastric morphological parameters observed on ultrasonography has not been comprehensively assessed. Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted to evaluate the pre-operative ultrasonographic measurement of gastric morphology for predicting PONV. The gastric antrum of the participants was assessed using ultrasound before anesthesia, and the occurrence of PONV in the first 6 hours and during the 6-24 hours after surgery was reported. The main indicators included the thickness of the muscularis propria (TMP) and the cross-sectional area of the inner side of the muscularis propria (CSA-ISMP). These were recorded and analyzed. Logistic regression analysis was applied to identify factors for PONV. Results: A total of 72 patients scheduled for elective gynecological laparoscopic surgery were investigated in the study. The pre-operative CSA-ISMP of patients with PONV in the first 6 hours was significantly greater than that of those without PONV (2.765 ± 0.865 cm² vs 2.349 ± 0.881 cm², P=0.0308), with an area under the curve of 0.648 (95% CI, 0.518 to 0.778, P=0.031). Conversely, the pre-operative TMP of patients with PONV during the 6-24 hours was significantly smaller than that of those without PONV (1.530 ± 0.473 mm vs 2.038 ± 0.707 mm, P=0.0021), with an area under the curve of 0.722 (95% CI, 0.602 to 0.842, P=0.003). Logistic regression analysis confirmed that CSA-ISMP was an independent risk factor for PONV in the first 6 hours (OR=2.986, P=0.038), and TMP was an independent protective factor for PONV during the 6-24 hours after surgery (OR=0.115, P=0.006). Conclusion: Patients with a larger pre-operative CSA-ISMP or a thinner TMP are prone to develop PONV in the first 6 hours or during the 6-24 hours after surgery, respectively. China clinical trial registration center: http://www.chictr.org.cn (ChiCTR2100055068).

Effect of corneal diameter on preoperative screening results for corneal refractive surgery.

AIMS: To investigate the impact of different corneal diameters on corneal morphology and biomechanical outcome during preoperative screening for corneal refractive surgery. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 300 patients who underwent corneal refractive surgery at Eye and ENT Hospital, Fudan University between October 2023 and December 2023. All patients had no history of keratoconus or previous corneal surgery. Patients were categorized into two groups based on corneal topography measurements: (1) normal corneal diameter group (n=159), those with corneal diameter ranging from 11.5 mm to 12.0 mm; (2) abnormal corneal diameter group (n=141), those with corneal diameter smaller than 10.0 mm or larger than 12.5 mm. Corneal thickness, morphologic data, and biomechanical data were measured using Pentacam corneal topography. Correlation analysis was conducted to explore the relationship between corneal diameter and various corneal topography and biomechanical data. RESULTS: Significant differences were observed in corneal topography data including BFSf (F=43.21), BFSb (F=30.24), Df (F=15.32), Dp (F=32.36), Da (F=9.66), D (F=58.36), PPIavg (F=32.64), and ARTmax (F=12.06) between the groups (P<0.05). Additionally, BFSf, BFSb, Db, Dp, D, and PPIavg exhibited statistically significant differences between any two groups (P<0.05). Significant differences were also found in Df, Da, and ARTmax between small and large corneas, as well as between normal-sized and large corneas (P<0.05). Correlation analysis indicated negative correlations between corneal diameter and A1V (r=-0.12), HCdArcLength (r=-0.17), CBI (r=-0.27), bIOP (r=-0.13), Df (r=-0.025), PPIavg (r=-0.028), and TBI (r=-0.27). Conversely, BFSf (r=0.009), BFSb (r=0.001), PD (r=0.15), and ARTH (r=0.37) displayed positive correlations with corneal diameter. CONCLUSIONS: Corneal diameter significantly affects preoperative screening for corneal refractive surgery. Smaller corneal diameters exhibit a greater influence on the corneal topography BAD analysis system.

Competitive Adsorptive Mechanism of H2/N2 in LTA/FAU Zeolites by Molecular Simulations and Experiments.

For industrial tail gas to be converted into high-purity hydrogen, the H2-N2 mixture needs to be separated efficiently. This work examined the adsorption characteristics and competitive mechanisms of H2 and N2 on LTA- and FAU-type zeolites, at 77 K, 298 K, and 0.1-10 bar by thoroughly analyzing results of adsorption capacity experiments and molecular simulations. In the Grand Canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) simulations, the force field causing a molecular dipole of H2 and the polarization force field of N2 are first applied. The accuracy of the force field was experimentally verified. The findings indicate that N2 and H2 loading on Ca-FAU (Ca-LTA) are higher than Na-FAU (Na-LTA). On NaX at 77 K, the highest adsorption selectivity (N2/H2) is observed; on NaA at 298 K, it is the opposite. The GCMC data findings demonstrate that H2 and N2 have remarkably similar adsorption sites, with framework oxygen atoms and non-framework cations serving as the main adsorption sites for adsorbate molecules. Furthermore, the rate at which H2 diffuses is higher than that of N2. The study of redistribution charge before and after adsorption demonstrated that N2 has a greater affinity for the framework oxygen atoms than H2. This study provides a molecular theoretical foundation for the adsorption behavior of H2-N2 mixture in zeolites.

Zirconium and cerium dioxide fabricated activated carbon-based nanocomposites for enhanced adsorption and photocatalytic removal of methylene blue and tetracycline hydrochloride.

Activated carbon (AC) is a porous, amorphous form of carbon known for its strong adsorption capacity, making it highly effective for use in wastewater treatment. In this investigation, AC-based nanocomposites (NCs) loaded with zirconium dioxide and cerium dioxide nanoparticles (ZrO2/CeO2 NPs) were successfully synthesized for the effective elimination of methylene blue (MB) and tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH). The AC-ZrO2/CeO2 NCs have a size of 231.83 nm, a zeta potential of -20.07 mV, and a PDI value of 0.160. The adsorption capacities of AC-ZrO2/CeO2 NCs for MB and TCH were proved in agreement with the Langmuir isotherm and pseudo 1st order kinetic model, respectively. The maximum adsorption capacities were determined to be 75.54 mg/g for MB and 26.75 mg/g for TCH. Notably, AC-ZrO2/CeO2 NCs exhibited superior photocatalytic degradation efficiency for MB and TCH under sunlight irradiation with removal efficiencies reaching up to 97.91% and 82.40% within 90 min, respectively. The t1/2 for the photo-degradation process of MB and TCH were 11.55 min and 44.37 min. Analysis of active species trapping confirmed the involvement of hole (h+), superoxide anion (•O2-), and hydroxyl radical (•OH) in the degradation mechanism. Furthermore, the residual solution post-contaminant removal exhibited minimal toxicity towards Artemia salina and NIH3T3 cells. Importantly, the NCs did not exhibit antibacterial activity against tested pathogens post-absorption/degradation of TCH. Thus, AC-ZrO2/CeO2 NCs could be a promising nanomaterial for wastewater treatment applications.

Effects of acupuncture and nicotine patch on smoking: a multicenter, randomized, controlled, double-blind clinical trial.

Aims: To evaluate the effects of acupuncture and/or nicotine patches on smoking cessation. Methods: Eighty-eight participants were randomly allocated into four groups: acupuncture combined with nicotine patch (ACNP), acupuncture combined with sham nicotine patch (ACSNP), sham acupuncture combined with nicotine patch (SACNP), and sham acupuncture combined with sham nicotine patch (SACSNP). The primary outcome was self-reported smoking abstinence verified with expiratory Carbon Monoxide (CO) after 8 weeks of treatment. The modified Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) score, Minnesota Nicotine Withdrawal Scale (MNWS), and the Brief Questionnaire of Smoking Urge (QSU-Brief) score were used as secondary indicators. SPSS 26.0 and Prism 9 software were used for statistical analyses. Results: Seventy-eight participants completed the study. There were no significant differences in patient characteristics at baseline across the four groups. At the end of treatment, there was a statistically significant difference (χ2 = 8.492, p = 0.037) in abstaining rates among the four groups. However, there were no significant differences in the reduction in the number of cigarettes smoked daily (p = 0.111), expiratory CO (p = 0.071), FTND score (p = 0.313), and MNWS score (p = 0.088) among the four groups. There was a statistically significant difference in QUS-Brief score changes among the four groups (p = 0.005). There was no statistically significant interaction between acupuncture and nicotine patch. Conclusion: Acupuncture combined with nicotine replacement patch therapy was more effective for smoking cessation than acupuncture alone or nicotine replacement patch alone. No adverse reactions were found in the acupuncture treatment process. Clinical trial registration: http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=61969, identifier ChiCTR2100042912.

Therapeutic effects of tetrahedral framework nucleic acids and tFNAs-miR22 on retinal ischemia/reperfusion injury.

Retinal ischemia/reperfusion injury (RI/R) is a common pathological process in ophthalmic diseases, which can cause severe visual impairment. The mechanisms underlying RI/R damage and repair are still unclear. Scholars are actively exploring effective intervention strategies to restore impaired visual function. With the development of nucleic acid nanomaterials, tetrahedral framework nucleic acids (tFNAs) have shown promising therapeutic potential in various fields such as stem cells, biosensors, and tumour treatment due to their excellent biological properties. Besides, miRNA-22-3p (miR-22), as an important regulatory factor in neural tissue, has been proven to have positive effects in various neurodegenerative diseases. By stably constructing a complex of tetrahedral framework nucleic acids miR22 (tFNAs-miR22), we observed that tFNAs-miR22 had a positive effect on the repair of RI/R injury in retinal neural tissue. Previous studies have shown that tFNAs can effectively deliver miR-22 into damaged retinal neurons, subsequently exerting neuroprotective effects. Interestingly, we found that there was a certain synergistic effect between tFNAs and miR-22. tFNAs-miR22 can selectively activated the ERK1/2 signalling pathway to reduce neuronal apoptosis, accelerate cell proliferation, and restore synaptic functional activity. In this study, we established a simple yet effective small molecule drug for RI/R treatment which may become a promising neuroprotectant for treating this type of vision impairment disease in the future.

Visualization of Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption in Septic Mice with the New Method Based on in Vivo Imaging Technology.

BACKGROUND: Dynamic monitoring of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) functional status in septic mice can help to explore the pathological mechanisms. Therefore, we proposed a new method for monitoring BBB permeability and applied it to the detection of sepsis models. METHODS: The new method involves the construction of an optical cranial window and in vivo imaging. We performed dynamic monitoring of BBB permeability and cerebral blood flow (CBF) in cecal ligation puncture (CLP) and endotoxemia (lipopolysaccharide [LPS]) mice. RESULTS: The sensitivity and accuracy of this method were higher than those of Evans blue evaluation. The increase of BBB permeability in the group of CLP mice was relatively mild and correlated with overall survival, and the damage was irreversible. Contrarily, BBB damage in the LPS group was more acute and severe, unrelated to overall survival, but recoverable. The CBF decreased significantly in both model mouse groups 24 h after modeling, but only the CBF proportion decrease in the LPS group was significantly correlated with an increase in BBB permeability. Within 24 h after both models were established, the decrease in blood flow in the digestive organs occurred earlier than in the brain and kidneys, and the decrease in small intestine blood flow in the LPS group progressed faster. CONCLUSIONS: We have successfully demonstrated the feasibility of our novel method to detect BBB permeability in mice. Our results revealed a significant difference in the BBB permeability change trend between the CLP and LPS model mice when survival curves were consistent. Notably, the CLP-model mice demonstrated a closer resemblance to clinical patients. Our findings suggest that early-stage brain tissue hypoperfusion has a greater impact on BBB function damage in endotoxemia mice, which is related to the faster progression of blood flow redistribution.

A Patent Analysis on Nano Drug Delivery Systems.

BACKGROUND: A nano drug delivery system is an effective tool for drug delivery and controlled release, which is used for a variety of medical applications. In recent decades, nano drug delivery systems have been significantly developed with the emergence of new nanomaterials and nanotechnologies. OBJECTIVE: This article aimed to provide insight into the technological development of nano drug delivery systems through patent analysis. METHODS: 3708 patent documents were used for patent analysis after retrieval from the Incopat patent database. RESULTS: The number of patents on nano drug delivery systems has shown a rapid growth trend in the past two decades. At present, China and the United States have obvious contributions to the number of patents. According to the patent data, the nanomaterials used in nano drug delivery system are mainly inorganic nanomaterials, lipid-based nanomaterials, and macromolecules. In recent years, the highly cited patents (≥14) for nano drug delivery systems mainly involve lipid-based nanomaterials, indicating that their technology is mature and widely used. The inorganic nanomaterials in drug delivery have received increasing attention, and the number of related patents has increased significantly after 2016. The number of highly cited patents in the United States is 250, which is much higher than in other countries. CONCLUSION: Even after decades of development, nano drug delivery systems remain a hot topic for researchers. The significant increase in patents since 2016 can be attributed to the large number of new patents from China. However, according to the proportion of highly cited patents in total, China's patented technologies in nano drug delivery systems are not advanced enough compared to developed countries, including the United States, Canada, Germany, and France. In the future, research on emerging nanomaterials for nano drug delivery systems, such as inorganic nanomaterials, may focus on developing new materials and optimising their properties. The lipid-based and polymer- based nanomaterials can be continuously improved for the development of new nanomedicines.

Prevalence of very high cardiovascular disease risk in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A population-based cross-sectional screening study.

AIM: The 2019 ESC/EASD guidelines categorize cardiovascular disease risk (CVD) in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). Assessing CVD risk is necessary to identify individuals at very high risk of CVD, enabling tailored and precise intervention for this high-risk population. This study aims to evaluate the severity of a very high risk for CVD stratification among patients with type 2 DM (T2DM) across different regions in China. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional screening study from 1 January 2020 to 30 December 2022. Disease duration, body mass index (BMI), targeted organ damage, such as atherosclerotic heart disease, proteinuria, impaired renal function, left ventricular hypertrophy, retinopathy and known CVD risk factors, were collected from diabetic patients by professionally trained physicians. The risk of CV in patients with DM was categorized into two groups: very high risk and others, according to the 2019 ESC/EASD guidelines. RESULTS: In total, 1 870 720 participants from 1669 hospitals in 30 provinces of China, excluding Tibet, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao, were enrolled from 2020 to 2022, among whom 67.50% of patients with T2DM were at very high risk for CVD. The proportions of very high-risk T2DM were higher in Northeast China (75.82%), Central China (73.65%) and Southwest China (72.66%), while the lowest prevalence of very high-risk T2DM was found in Southern China (60.15%). The multivariate binary logistic regression analyses suggested that the category of very high risk for CVD is associated with age [odds ratio (OR) = 1.04; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.04-1.04; p < .0001], BMI (OR = 1.07; 95% CI: 1.07-1.07; p < .0001), duration of DM (OR = 1.05; 95% CI: 1.05-1.05; p < .0001), hypertension (OR = 3.75; 95% CI: 3.72-3.78; p < .0001), dyslipidaemia (OR = 5.22; 95% CI: 5.18-5.27; p < .0001) and smoking (OR = 2.92; 95% CI: 2.89-2.95; p < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: This study represented the largest observational study of CVD risk assessment in patients with T2DM in China. The CVD risk situation of patients with diabetes in China is critical, and comprehensive control and management of CVD risk factors, such as hypertension, BMI and dyslipidaemia, in patients with DM need to be strengthened in patients with T2DM in China.

Ultrasensitive Paper-Based Photoelectrochemical Biosensor for Acetamiprid Detection Enabled by Spin-State Manipulation and Polarity-Switching.

Efficient carrier separation is vitally crucial to improving the detection sensitivity of photoelectrochemical (PEC) biosensors. Here, we developed a facile strategy to efficiently regulate the carrier separation efficiency of the photoactive matrix BiOI and In2S3 signal label functionalized paper chip by manipulation of electrons spin-state and rational design of electron transport pathways. The spin-dependent electronic structures of BiOI and In2S3 were regulated via enhanced electron-spin parallel alignment induced by an external magnetic field, markedly retarding carrier recombination and extending their lifetime. Simultaneously, with the progress of the target-induced catalytic hairpin assembly process, the transfer path of photogenerated carriers was changed, leading to a switch in photocurrent polarity from cathode to anode. This reversed electron transport pathway not only boosted the separation ability of photogenerated electrons but also eliminated false-positive and false-negative signals, thereby further improving the detection sensitivity. As a proof of concept, the well-designed magnetic field-stimulated paper-based PEC biosensor showed highly selectivity and sensitivity for acetamiprid assay with a wide linear range of 1 fM to 20 nM and an ultralow detection limit of 0.73 fM. This work develops a universal strategy for improving the sensitivity of biosensors and exhibits enormous potential in the fields of bioanalysis and clinical diagnosis.

Enhanced Tissue Regeneration Through Immunomodulatory Extracellular Vesicles Encapsulated in Diversified Silk-Based Injectable Hydrogels.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) immunologically trained using lipopolysaccharide (LPS) display enhanced immunomodulatory capabilities. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from MSCs are widely used in regenerative medicine owing to their bioactive properties without the drawbacks of cell therapy. However, it remains unclear whether EVs derived from LPS-stimulated (trained) MSCs (L-EVs) inherit the enhanced reparative potential from their parent cells. Thus, this study first aims to explore the effect of immunological training on the bioactivity of L-EVs. LPS-trained bone marrow-derived MSCs (BMSCs) secrete more EVs, and these EVs significantly promote M2 macrophage polarization. Subsequently, hydrogel systems based on thixotropic injectable silk fibroin are prepared for in vivo EV delivery. These hydrogels have controllable gelation time and exhibit outstanding reparative effects on rat skin wounds and alveolar bone defects. Finally, it is revealed that L-EVs promote M2 macrophage polarization by inhibiting the nuclear translocation of PKM2. Overall, this study shows that the immunological training of BMSCs effectively improves the therapeutic effects of their EVs and provides a convenient and diversified EV delivery strategy using an injectable silk fibroin hydrogel. This strategy has broad clinical application prospects for tissue regeneration.

Ultrasonic extraction and antioxidant evaluation of oat saponins.

The aim of this study is to optimize the extraction process of oat saponins (Os) and to evaluate their antioxidant potential. Single factor experiment, response surface optimization design, and orthogonal test were employed to optimize the process of ultrasonic-assisted extraction of Os, and the optimal extraction conditions were as followed: ethanol volume fraction of 80 %, material-solvent ratio of 1:14, ultrasonic power of 400 W, ultrasonic time of 25 min, extraction temperature of 60℃, extraction time of 180 min, and the extraction rate of Os was 0.317 %±0.105 %. Using the method, the crude extract of Os was prepared and its abilities of scavenging radicals in vitro and inhibiting protein oxidation in pork were determined, with ascorbic acid (Vc) as the control. Results revealed that the scavenging ability of Os against DPPH radical, hydroxyl radical (·OH) and superoxide anion (O2-) increased with the concentration of Os. Interestingly, the scavenging abilities of Os against DPPH and O2- were far lower than that of Vc, but its scavenging ability against ·OH was very close to that of Vc, reaching 84.59 % and 96.33 %, respectively. Furthermore, the experiments of pork storage and Fenton oxidation system showed that Os with 0.09-0.72 mg/mL could reduce the production of carbonyl (8.49 %-50.05 %) and the oxidation of total sulfhydryl (1.29 %-25.86 %), and effectively inhibit the oxidation of protein in pork by 7.82 %-22.53 %. The results of this study will provide a theoretical basis for the application of oat saponins as a natural anti-protein oxidant in meat processing and storage.

Genome-Wide Identification of the Whirly Gene Family and Its Potential Function in Low Phosphate Stress in Soybean (Glycine max).

The Whirly (WHY) gene family, functioning as transcription factors, plays an essential role in the regulation of plant metabolic responses, which has been demonstrated across multiple species. However, the WHY gene family and its functions in soybean remains unclear. In this paper, we conducted genome-wide screening and identification to characterize the WHY gene family. Seven WHY members were identified and randomly distributed across six chromosomes. The phylogenetic evolutionary tree of WHY genes in soybean and other species was divided into five clades. An in-depth analysis revealed that segmental duplications significantly contributed to the expansion of GmWHYs, and the GmWHY gene members may have experienced evolutionary pressure for purifying selection in soybeans. The analysis of promoter Cis-elements in GmWHYs suggested their potential significance in addressing diverse stress conditions. The expression patterns of GmWHYs exhibited tissue-specific variations throughout the different stages of soybean development. Additionally, six GmWHY genes exhibited different responses to low phosphate stress. These findings will provide a theoretical basis and valuable reference for the future exploration of WHY gene function.