miRNA-21-5p is an important contributor to the promotion of injured peripheral nerve regeneration using hypoxia-pretreated bone marrow-derived neural crest cells.

JOURNAL/nrgr/04.03/01300535-202501000-00035/figure1/v/2024-05-14T021156Z/r/image-tiff Our previous study found that rat bone marrow-derived neural crest cells (acting as Schwann cell progenitors) have the potential to promote long-distance nerve repair. Cell-based therapy can enhance peripheral nerve repair and regeneration through paracrine bioactive factors and intercellular communication. Nevertheless, the complex contributions of various types of soluble cytokines and extracellular vesicle cargos to the secretome remain unclear. To investigate the role of the secretome and extracellular vesicles in repairing damaged peripheral nerves, we collected conditioned culture medium from hypoxia-pretreated neural crest cells, and found that it significantly promoted the repair of sensory neurons damaged by oxygen-glucose deprivation. The mRNA expression of trophic factors was highly expressed in hypoxia-pretreated neural crest cells. We performed RNA sequencing and bioinformatics analysis and found that miR-21-5p was enriched in hypoxia-pretreated extracellular vesicles of neural crest cells. Subsequently, to further clarify the role of hypoxia-pretreated neural crest cell extracellular vesicles rich in miR-21-5p in axonal growth and regeneration of sensory neurons, we used a microfluidic axonal dissociation model of sensory neurons in vitro, and found that hypoxia-pretreated neural crest cell extracellular vesicles promoted axonal growth and regeneration of sensory neurons, which was greatly dependent on loaded miR-21-5p. Finally, we constructed a miR-21-5p-loaded neural conduit to repair the sciatic nerve defect in rats and found that the motor and sensory functions of injured rat hind limb, as well as muscle tissue morphology of the hind limbs, were obviously restored. These findings suggest that hypoxia-pretreated neural crest extracellular vesicles are natural nanoparticles rich in miRNA-21-5p. miRNA-21-5p is one of the main contributors to promoting nerve regeneration by the neural crest cell secretome. This helps to explain the mechanism of action of the secretome and extracellular vesicles of neural crest cells in repairing damaged peripheral nerves, and also promotes the application of miR-21-5p in tissue engineering regeneration medicine.

A drug delivery system of HIF-1α siRNA nanoparticles loaded by mesenchymal stem cells on choroidal neovascularization.

Aim: To assess mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) as carriers for HIF-1α siRNA-loaded nanoparticles (NPs) for targeted therapy of experimental choroidal neovascularization (CNV).Materials & methods: A poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA)-core/lipid-shell hybrid NP was designed. The transfection efficacy of MSCs with the hybrid NPs was assessed. Mice were intravenously injected with MSCs after laser photocoagulation and CNV was assessed at 7 days post-injection.Results & conclusion: The transfection efficiency of hybrid NPs into MSCs was 72.7%. HIF-1α mRNA expression in 661w cells co-cultured with MSC-hybrid-siRNA NPs was significantly lower. Intravenous delivery of MSC-hybrid-siRNA NPs greatly reduced CNV area and length. Intravenous injection of MSC-hybrid-siRNA NPs achieved therapeutic efficacy in reducing CNV area. The MSC-mediated homing enabled targeted inhibition of ocular angiogenesis.

[Box: see text].

Reversible pH-switchable NIR-II nano-photosensitizer for precise imaging and photodynamic therapy of tumors.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has attracted widespread attention from researchers as an emerging cancer treatment method. There have been many reports on various types of NIR-II photosensitizers for imaging and treatment of tumor sites. However, there are few reports on the development of NIR-II organic small molecule photosensitizers that have intelligent response to the tumor microenvironment, precise imaging, real-time treatment, and high biocompatibility. In this work, we developed a series of NIR-II photosensitizers (RBTs) with near-infrared excitation, good photostability, and large Stokes shift. Among them, RBT-Br exhibited higher reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation efficiency due to the introduction of halogen heavy atoms to enhance intersystem crossing (ISC). It is noteworthy that RBT-Br can generate singlet oxygen (1O2) and superoxide anion radicals (•O2-) simultaneously under 730 nm laser. Subsequently, we used molecular engineering technology to construct three pH-responsive NIR-II photosensitizers (RBT-pHs) by utilizing the closure of the lactam ring, among which RBT-pH-1 (pKa = 6.78) is able to be directionally activated under the stimulation of tumor micro-acid environment, with its fluorescence emission window reaching 933 nm. Subsequently, RBT-pH-1 NPs encapsulated in DSPE-mPEG5k were applied for PDT treatment of mouse tumors. The results showed that RBT-pH-1 NPs were activated by the acidic tumor microenvironment and generated ROS under laser excitation, exhibiting precise tumor imaging and significant tumor growth inhibition. We look forward to these multifunctional NIR-II organic small molecule photosensitizers providing a more efficient approach for clinical treatment of tumors. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: : A reversible pH-switchable NIR-II nano-photosensitizer RBT-pH-1 NPs (pKa = 6.76) is developed for precise imaging and PDT therapy of mouse tumors, which can be effectively used for targeted enrichment and activation of tumor micro-acid environments. The results show that this NIR-II photosensitizer generates ROS through tumor micro-acid environment stimulation and laser triggering, showing precise tumor imaging guidance and significant tumor growth inhibition.

Mendelian randomization analysis reveals causal effects of blood lipidome on gestational diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND: Observational studies have revealed associations between maternal lipid metabolites and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). However, whether these associations are causal remain uncertain. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the causal relationship between lipid metabolites and GDM. METHODS: A two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was performed based on summary statistics. Sensitivity analyses, validation analyses and reverse MR analyses were conducted to assess the robustness of the MR results. Additionally, a phenome-wide MR (Phe-MR) analysis was performed to evaluate potential side effects of the targeted lipid metabolites. RESULTS: A total of 295 lipid metabolites were included in this study, 29 of them had three or more instrumental variables (IVs) suitable for sensitivity analyses. The ratio of triglycerides to phosphoglycerides (TG_by_PG) was identified as a potential causal biomarker for GDM (inverse variance weighted (IVW) estimate: odds ratio (OR) = 2.147, 95% confidential interval (95% CI) 1.415-3.257, P = 3.26e-4), which was confirmed by validation and reverse MR results. Two other lipid metabolites, palmitoyl sphingomyelin (d18:1/16:0) (PSM(d18:1/16:0)) (IVW estimate: OR = 0.747, 95% CI 0.583-0.956, P = 0.021) and triglycerides in very small very low-density lipoprotein (XS_VLDL_TG) (IVW estimate: OR = 2.948, 95% CI 1.197-5.215, P = 0.015), were identified as suggestive potential biomarkers for GDM using a conventional cut-off P-value of 0.05. Phe-MR results indicated that lowering TG_by_PG had detrimental effects on two diseases but advantageous effects on the other 13 diseases. CONCLUSION: Genetically predicted elevated TG_by_PG are causally associated with an increased risk of GDM. Side-effect profiles indicate that TG_by_PG might be a target for GDM prevention, though caution is advised due to potential adverse effects on other conditions.

The solute carrier transporters (SLCs) family in nutrient metabolism and ferroptosis.

Ferroptosis is a novel form of programmed cell death caused by damage to lipid membranes due to the accumulation of lipid peroxides in response to various stimuli, such as high levels of iron, oxidative stress, metabolic disturbance, etc. Sugar, lipid, amino acid, and iron metabolism are crucial in regulating ferroptosis. The solute carrier transporters (SLCs) family, known as the "metabolic gating" of cells, is responsible for transporting intracellular nutrients and metabolites. Recent studies have highlighted the significant role of SLCs family members in ferroptosis by controlling the transport of various nutrients. Here, we summarized the function and mechanism of SLCs in ferroptosis regulated by ion, metabolic control of nutrients, and multiple signaling pathways, with a focus on SLC-related transporters that primarily transport five significant components: glucose, amino acid, lipid, trace metal ion, and other ion. Furthermore, the potential clinical applications of targeting SLCs with ferroptosis inducers for various diseases, including tumors, are discussed. Overall, this paper delves into the novel roles of the SLCs family in ferroptosis, aiming to enhance our understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of ferroptosis and identify new therapeutic targets for clinical applications.

A new three-dimensional barium(II) coordination polymer constructed from N,N'-bis(glycinyl)pyromellitic diimide: microwave-assisted synthesis, structure, Hirshfeld surface analysis and properties.

A new three-dimensional (3D) coordination polymer, namely, poly[diaqua[µ5-2,2'-(1,3,5,7-tetraoxo-1,2,3,5,6,7-hexahydropyrrolo[3,4-f]isoindole-2,6-diyl)diacetato]barium(II)], [Ba(C14H6N2O8)(H2O)2]n, (I), has been synthesized by the microwave-irradiated reaction of Ba(NO3)2 with N,N'-bis(glycinyl)pyromellitic diimide {BGPD, namely, 2,2'-(1,3,5,7-tetraoxo-1,2,3,5,6,7-hexahydropyrrolo[3,4-f]isoindole-2,6-diyl)diacetatic acid, H2L}. The title compound was structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis and powder X-ray diffraction analysis, as well as IR spectroscopy. In the crystal structure of (I), the BaII ion is nine-coordinated by six carboxylate O atoms from five symmetry-related L2- dianions and one imide O atom, as well as two water O atoms. The coordination geometry of the central BaII ion can be described as a spherical capped square antiprism. One carboxylate group of the ligand serves as a µ3-bridge linking the BaII cations into a one-dimensional polynuclear secondary building unit (SBU). Another carboxylate group of the ligand acts as a µ2-bridge connecting the 1D SBUs, thereby forming a two-dimensional (2D) SBU. The resulting 2D SBUs are extended into a 3D framework via the pyromellitic diimide moiety of the ligand as a spacer. The 3D Ba framework can be simplified as a 5-connected hexagonal boron nitride net (bnn) topology. The intermolecular interactions in the 3D framework were further investigated by Hirshfeld surface analysis and the results show that the prominent interactions are H...O (45.1%), Ba...O (11.1%) and C...H (11.1%), as well as H...H (11.1%) contacts. The thermal stability, photoluminescence properties and UV-Vis absorption spectra of (I) were also investigated. The coordination polymer exhibits a fluorescence emission with a quantum yield of 0.071 and high thermal stability.

2D coordination polymers of cadmium(II) and zinc(II) derived from N,N'-bis(glycinyl)pyromellitic diimide: microwave-assisted synthesis, structures, spectroscopic properties and influence of metal-ion size.

Two new two-dimensional (2D) coordination polymers (CPs), namely, poly[diaqua[µ4-2,2'-(1,3,5,7-tetraoxo-1,2,3,5,6,7-hexahydropyrrolo[3,4-f]isoindole-2,6-diyl)diacetato-κ4O:O':O'':O''']cadmium(II)], [Cd(C14H6N2O8)(H2O)2]n (1), and poly[[tetraaqua[µ4-2,2'-(1,3,5,7-tetraoxo-1,2,3,5,6,7-hexahydropyrrolo[3,4-f]isoindole-2,6-diyl)diacetato-κ4O:O':O'':O'''][µ2-2,2'-(1,3,5,7-tetraoxo-1,2,3,5,6,7-hexahydropyrrolo[3,4-f]isoindole-2,6-diyl)diacetato-κ2O:O']dizinc(II)] dihydrate], {[Zn(C14H6N2O8(H2O)2]·H2O}n (2), have been synthesized by the microwave-irradiated reaction of Cd(CH3COO)2·2H2O and Zn(CH3COO)2·2H2O, respectively, with N,N'-bis(glycinyl)pyromellitic diimide {BGPD, namely, 2,2'-(1,3,5,7-tetraoxo-1,2,3,5,6,7-hexahydropyrrolo[3,4-f]isoindole-2,6-diyl)diacetic acid, H2L}. In the crystal structure of 1, the CdII ion is six-coordinated by four carboxylate O atoms from four symmetry-related L2- dianions and two coordinated water molecules, furnishing an octahedral coordination geometry. The bridging L2- dianion links four symmetry-related CdII cations into a 2D layer-like structure with a 3,4-connected bex topology. In the crystal structure of 2, the ZnII ion is five-coordinated by three carboxylate O atoms from three different L2- dianions and two coordination water molecules, furnishing a trigonal bipyramidal coordination geometry. Two crystallographically independent ligands serve as µ4- and µ2-bridges, respectively, to connect the ZnII ions, thereby forming a 2D layer with a 3,3-connected hcb topology. Crystal structure analysis reveals the presence of n→π* interactions between two carbonyl groups of the pyromellitic diimide moieties in 1 and 2. CP 1 exhibits an enhanced fluorescence emission compared with free H2L. The framework of 2 decomposes from 720 K, indicating its high thermal stability. A comparative analysis of a series of structures based on the BGPD ligand indicates that the metal-ion size has a great influence on the connection modes of the metal ions due to different steric effects, which, in turn, affects the structures of the SBUs (secondary building units) and frameworks.

Baicalin inhibits PANoptosis by blocking mitochondrial Z-DNA formation and ZBP1-PANoptosome assembly in macrophages.

PANoptosis is an emerging form of regulated cell death (RCD) characterized by simultaneous activation of pyroptotic, apoptotic, and necroptotic signaling that not only participates in pathologies of inflammatory diseases but also has a critical role against pathogenic infections. Targeting PANoptosis represents a promising therapeutic strategy for related inflammatory diseases, but identification of inhibitors for PANoptosis remains an unmet demand. Baicalin () is an active flavonoid isolated from Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi (Huangqin), a traditional Chinese medicinal herb used for heat-clearing and detoxifying. Numerous studies suggest that baicalin possesses inhibitory activities on various forms of RCD including apoptosis/secondary necrosis, pyroptosis, and necroptosis, thereby mitigating inflammatory responses. In this study we investigated the effects of baicalin on PANoptosis in macrophage cellular models. Primary macrophages (BMDMs) or J774A.1 macrophage cells were treated with 5Z-7-oxozeaenol (OXO, an inhibitor for TAK1) in combination with TNF-α or LPS. We showed that OXO plus TNF-α or LPS induced robust lytic cell death, which was dose-dependently inhibited by baicalin (50-200 µM). We demonstrated that PANoptosis induction was accompanied by overt mitochondrial injury, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) release and Z-DNA formation. Z-DNA was formed from cytosolic oxidized mtDNA. Both oxidized mtDNA and mitochondrial Z-DNA puncta were co-localized with the PANoptosome (including ZBP1, RIPK3, ASC, and caspase-8), a platform for mediating PANoptosis. Intriguingly, baicalin not only prevented mitochondrial injury but also blocked mtDNA release, Z-DNA formation and PANoptosome assembly. Knockdown of ZBP1 markedly decreased PANoptotic cell death. In a mouse model of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), administration of baicalin (200 mg/kg, i.g., for 4 times) significantly mitigated lung and liver injury and reduced levels of serum TNF-α and IFN-γ, concomitant with decreased levels of PANoptosis hallmarks in these organs. Baicalin also abrogated the hallmarks of PANoptosis in liver-resident macrophages (Kupffer cells) in HLH mice. Collectively, our results demonstrate that baicalin inhibits PANoptosis in macrophages by blocking mitochondrial Z-DNA formation and ZBP1-PANoptosome assembly, thus conferring protection against inflammatory diseases. PANoptosis is a form of regulated cell death displaying simultaneous activation of pyroptotic, apoptotic, and necroptotic signaling. This study shows that induction of PANoptosis is linked to mitochondrial dysfunction and mitochondrial Z-DNA formation. Baicalin inhibits PANoptosis in macrophages in vitro via blocking mitochondrial dysfunction and the mitochondrial Z-DNA formation and thereby impeding the assembly of ZBP1-associated PANoptosome. In a mouse model of hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH), baicalin inhibits the activation of PANoptotic signaling in liver-resident macrophages (Kupffer cells) in vivo, thus mitigating systemic inflammation and multiple organ injury in mice.

Contributions of individual qSOFA elements to assessment of severity and for prediction of mortality.

BACKGROUND: The quick sequential [sepsis-related] organ failure assessment (qSOFA) acts as a prompt to consider possible sepsis. The contributions of individual qSOFA elements to assessment of severity and for prediction of mortality remain unknown. METHODS: A total of 3974 patients with community-acquired pneumonia were recruited to an observational prospective cohort study. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC), odds ratio, relative risk and Youden's index were employed to assess discrimination. RESULTS: Respiratory rate ≥22/min demonstrated the most superior diagnostic value, indicated by largest odds ratio, relative risk and AUROC, and maximum Youden's index for mortality. However, the indices for altered mentation and systolic blood pressure (SBP) ≤100 mm Hg decreased notably in turn. The predictive validities of respiratory rate ≥22/min, altered mentation and SBP ≤100 mm Hg were good, adequate and poor for mortality, indicated by AUROC (0.837, 0.734 and 0.671, respectively). Respiratory rate ≥22/min showed the strongest associations with SOFA scores, pneumonia severity index, hospital length of stay and costs. However, SBP ≤100 mm Hg was most weakly correlated with the indices. CONCLUSIONS: Respiratory rate ≥22/min made the greatest contribution to parsimonious qSOFA to assess severity and predict mortality. However, the contributions of altered mentation and SBP ≤100 mm Hg decreased strikingly in turn. It is the first known prospective evidence of the contributions of individual qSOFA elements to assessment of severity and for prediction of mortality, which might have implications for more accurate clinical triage decisions.

Respiratory rate ≥22/min demonstrated the most superior diagnostic value.Respiratory rate ≥22/min showed the strongest association with severity.Respiratory rate ≥22/min, altered mentation and SBP ≤100 mm Hg predicted mortality well, adequately and poorly, respectively.

Dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP): From Biochemistry to Global Ecological Significance.

Dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) is one of Earth's most abundant organosulfur compounds with important roles in stress tolerance, chemotaxis, global carbon and sulfur cycling, and climate-active gas production. Diverse marine prokaryotes and eukaryotes produce DMSP via three known pathways (methylation, transamination, and decarboxylation) and metabolize DMSP via three further pathways (demethylation, cleavage, and oxidation). Over 20 key enzymes from these pathways have been identified to inform on the biodiversity and importance of DMSP cycling. The last dozen years have seen significant changes in our understanding of the enzymology and molecular mechanisms of these DMSP cycling enzymes through the application of biochemistry and structural biology. This has yielded more than 10 crystal structures and, in many cases, detailed explanations as to how and why organisms synthesis and metabolize DMSP. In this review, we describe recent progress in biochemical and mechanistic understandings of DMSP synthesis and metabolism, highlighting the important knowledge gleaned and current challenges that warrant further exploration.

Health economic evaluation of an artificial intelligence (AI)-based rapid nutritional diagnostic system for hospitalised patients: A multicentre, randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Malnutrition is prevalent among hospitalised patients, and increases the morbidity, mortality, and medical costs; yet nutritional assessments on admission are not routine. This study assessed the clinical and economic benefits of using an artificial intelligence (AI)-based rapid nutritional diagnostic system for routine nutritional screening of hospitalised patients. METHODS: A nationwide multicentre randomised controlled trial was conducted at 11 centres in 10 provinces. Hospitalised patients were randomised to either receive an assessment using an AI-based rapid nutritional diagnostic system as part of routine care (experimental group), or not (control group). The overall medical resource costs were calculated for each participant and a decision-tree was generated based on an intention-to-treat analysis to analyse the cost-effectiveness of various treatment modalities. Subgroup analyses were performed according to clinical characteristics and a probabilistic sensitivity analysis was performed to evaluate the influence of parameter variations on the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). RESULTS: In total, 5763 patients participated in the study, 2830 in the experimental arm and 2933 in the control arm. The experimental arm had a significantly higher cure rate than the control arm (23.24% versus 20.18%; p = 0.005). The experimental arm incurred an incremental cost of 276.52 CNY, leading to an additional 3.06 cures, yielding an ICER of 90.37 CNY. Sensitivity analysis revealed that the decision-tree model was relatively stable. CONCLUSION: The integration of the AI-based rapid nutritional diagnostic system into routine inpatient care substantially enhanced the cure rate among hospitalised patients and was cost-effective. REGISTRATION: NCT04776070 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04776070).

A new method to immobilize urease in silk fibroin membrane by unidirectional nanopore dehydration.

The immobilization of free enzymes is crucial for enhancing their stability in different environments, enabling reusability, and expanding their applications. However, the development of a straightforward immobilization method that offers stability, high efficiency, biocompatibility, and modifiability remains a significant challenge. Silk fibroin (SF) is a good carrier for immobilized enzymes and drugs. Here, we employed urease as a model enzyme and utilized our developed technology called unidirectional nanopore dehydration (UND) to efficiently dehydrate a regenerated SF solution containing urease in a single step, resulting in the preparation of a highly functionalized SF membrane immobilizing urease (UI-SFM). The preparation process of UI-SFM is based on an all-water system, which is mild, green and able to efficiently and stably immobilize urease in the membranes, maintaining 92.7% and 82.8% relative enzyme activity after 30 days of storage in dry and hydrated states, respectively. Additionally, we performed additional post-treatments, including stretching and cross-linking with polyethylene glycol diglycidyl ether (PEGDE), to obtain two more robust immobilized urease membranes (UI-SFMs and UI-SFMc). The thermal and storage stability of these two membranes were significantly improved, and the recovery ratio of enzyme activity reached more than 90%. After 10 repetitions of the enzymatic reaction, the activity recovery of UI-SFMs and UI-SFMc remained at 92% and 88%, respectively. The results suggest that both UND-based and post-treatment-developed membranes exhibit excellent urease immobilization capabilities. Furthermore, the enzyme immobilization method offers a straightforward and versatile approach for efficient and stable enzyme immobilization, while its flexible modifiability caters to diverse application requirements.

Efficacy and Safety of General Anesthesia Induction with Ciprofol in Hip Fracture Surgery of Elderly Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Ciprofol is a new intravenous sedative / anesthetic drug. In recent years, many clinical studies have also confirmed the sedative effect of ciprofol. However, more clinical research is still needed on its clinical application characteristics in special populations. Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the clinical effects of ciprofol and propofol in general anesthesia induction of elderly patients. Methods: 60 elderly (aged ≥ 75 years) patients underwent hip fracture surgery were randomly into two groups of a 1:1 ratio. Group C (ciprofol group): 0.3mg/kg ciprofol was infused. Group P (propofol group): 1.5mg/kg propofol was infused. The observation period was from the infusion of test drug to 5 min after endotracheal intubation. The primary outcomes included the incidence of severe hypotension and hypotension during the observation period. The secondary outcomes were as follows: the success rate of general anesthesia induction, the number of additional sedation, the time of loss of consciousness (LOC), Δ MAP, Δ HR, adverse events and the frequency of vasoactive drugs used. Results: Finally, 60 subjects completed the study. Compared with Group P, the incidence of severe hypotension in Group C was lower (26.7% vs 53.3%, P = 0.035), the incidence of hypotension was also lower (36.7% vs 63.3%, P = 0.037), Δ MAP in Group C was significantly lower (31.4 ± 11.4 vs 39.6 ± 15.7, P = 0.025), the frequency of ephedrine used and the incidence of injection pain in Group C were also significantly lower. Conclusion: Ciprofol showed similar efficacy to propofol when used for general anesthesia induction in elderly patients underwent hip fracture surgery and could maintain more stable blood pressure.

Taxonomic revision of Geotrichum and Magnusiomyces, with the descriptions of five new Geotrichum species from China.

The arthroconidial yeast-like species currently classified in the asexual genera Geotrichum and Saprochaete and the sexual genera Dipodascus, Galactomyces and Magnusiomyces are frequently associated with dairy and cosmetics production, fruit rot and human infection. However, the taxonomic system of these fungi has not been updated to accommodate the new nomenclature code adopting the "one fungus, one name" principle. Here, we performed phylogenetic analyses of these yeast-like species based on the sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and the D1/D2 domain of the large subunit of the rRNA gene. Two monophyletic groups were recognised from these species. One group contained Dipodascus, Galactomyces, and Geotrichum species and the other Magnusiomyces and Saprochaete species. We thus assigned the species in each group into one genus and selected the genus name Geotrichum for the first group and Magnusiomyces for the second one based on the principle of priority of publication. Five new Geotrichum species were identified from arthroconidial yeast strains recently isolated from various sources in China. The new species are described as Ge. dehoogii sp. nov., Ge. fujianense sp. nov., Ge. maricola sp. nov., Ge. smithiae sp. nov., and Ge. sinensis sp. nov.

Fully recyclable and tough thermoplastic elastomers from simple bio-sourced δ-valerolactones.

While a large number of chemically recyclable thermoplastics have been developed in recent years, technologically important thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) that are not only bio-based and fully recyclable but also exhibit mechanical properties that can rival or even exceed those petroleum-based, non-recyclable polyolefin TPEs are critically lacking. The key challenge in developing chemically circular, bio-based, high-performance TPEs rests on the complexity of TPE's block copolymer (BCP) structure involving block segments of different suitable monomers required to induce self-assembled morphologies responsible for performance as well as the control and monomer compatibility in their synthesis and the selectivity in their depolymerization. Here we demonstrate the utilization of bio-sourced δ-valerolactone (δVL) and its simple α-alkyl-substituted derivatives to produce all δVL-based polyester tri-BCP TPEs, which exhibit not only complete (closed-loop) chemical recyclability but also excellent toughness that is 2.5-3.8 times higher than commercial polyolefin-based TPEs. The visualized cylindrical morphology formed via crystallization-driven self-assembly in the new all δVL tri-BCP is postulated to contribute to the excellent TPE property.

Four novel species of Pleurotheciaceae collected from freshwater habitats in Jiangxi Province, China.

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

The role of m6A-associated membraneless organelles in the RNA metabolism processes and human diseases.

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most abundant post-transcriptional dynamic RNA modification process in eukaryotes, extensively implicated in cellular growth, embryonic development and immune homeostasis. One of the most profound biological functions of m6A is to regulate RNA metabolism, thereby determining the fate of RNA. Notably, the regulation of m6A-mediated organized RNA metabolism critically relies on the assembly of membraneless organelles (MLOs) in both the nucleus and cytoplasm, such as nuclear speckles, stress granules and processing bodies. In addition, m6A-associated MLOs exert a pivotal role in governing diverse RNA metabolic processes encompassing transcription, splicing, transport, decay and translation. However, emerging evidence suggests that dysregulated m6A levels contribute to the formation of pathological condensates in a range of human diseases, including tumorigenesis, reproductive diseases, neurological diseases and respiratory diseases. To date, the molecular mechanism by which m6A regulates the aggregation of biomolecular condensates associated with RNA metabolism is unclear. In this review, we comprehensively summarize the updated biochemical processes of m6A-associated MLOs, particularly focusing on their impact on RNA metabolism and their pivotal role in disease development and related biological mechanisms. Furthermore, we propose that m6A-associated MLOs could serve as predictive markers for disease progression and potential drug targets in the future.

Effect of graphene oxide on carbon and nitrogen metabolism and growth of kidney bean at flowering stage.

Graphene oxide (GO) is a novel nanomaterial being applied in different fields, but was less used as foliar fertilizer in agriculture. We conducted a pot experiment to analyze the effects of foliar spraying GO from 0 (control), 50 (T1), 100 (T2), 150 (T3) and 200 mg·L-1 (T4) on the morphogenesis and carbon and nitrogen metabolism of kidney bean plants during the initiation of flowering to clarify the physiological effects of foliar spraying GO. The results showed that dry matter accumulation, the content of photosynthetic pigments, soluble sugars of T1 to T4 treatments, were significantly increased by 40.7%-43.4%, 10.4%-80.7%, 6.4%-9.1% in kidney bean plants compared with CK treatment, respectively. T3 treatment performed the best. Meanwhile, the activities of sucrose phosphate synthase, acid converting enzyme and neutral converting enzyme of T3 and T4 treatments were increased by 25.7%-45.5%, 17.4%-28.6%, and 14.7%-20.1%, and the activities of nitrate reductase, glutamine synthetase, and glutamate synthetase of T2 and T3 treatments were increased by 8.1%-15.2%, 11.5%-25.0%, and 89.7%-93.1%, respectively. In conclusion, foliar spraying of appropriate GO in early flowering stage of kidney bean could increase the content of photosynthetic pigments, improve the level of photosynthetic carbon and nitrogen metabolism, and increase dry matter accumulation. T3 treatment (150 mg·L-1) was the most effective in this study.

A QuEChERS method based on octadecyl-bonded hectorite for the determination of ten mycotoxins in yak ghee.

To develop a clean-up material suitable for high-fat food matrices for detecting mycotoxins in yak ghee, an octadecyl-bonded hectorite (Hectorite@NHCO(CH2)17CH3) was synthesized through multi-step chemical reactions. A modified QuEChERS-HPLC-MS/MS method for detecting ten mycotoxins in sesame oil in yak ghee was established using Hectorite@NHCO(CH2)17CH3 as clean-up agent. It involved extracting mycotoxin contaminants using acidified acetonitrile and employing the Hectorite@NHCO(CH2)17CH3 to remove interfering substances from the extract. The purified samples were then analyzed using HPLC-MS/MS. Within a linear range of 1.0-500 µg/kg, there was a good linear relationship between the quantification ion peak area of the target analytes and the corresponding concentrations (R2 ≥ 0.9991). The limit of detection (LOD) ranged from 0.10 µg/kg to 18.62 µg/kg and the limit of quantitation (LOQ) ranged 0.32-62.07 µg/kg. The recoveries at low, medium and high concentrations (25, 100 and 500 µg/kg) ranged from 72.2% to 113.9%, with relative standard deviations (RSD) between 3.2% and 17.5%. The intra-day and inter-day precision met experimental requirements. The proposed method was characterized by a high accuracy and precision, and it could cater to the current demand for detecting ten mycotoxins in yak ghee.