Keratinocyte-derived small extracellular vesicles delay diabetic wound healing by triggering fibroblasts autophagy.

Keratinocyte and fibroblast dysfunctions contribute to delayed healing of diabetic wounds. Small extracellular vesicles (sEV) are key mediators of intercellular communication and are involved in the pathogenesis of several diseases. Recent findings suggest that sEV derived from high-glucose-treated keratinocyte (HaCaT-HG-sEV) can transport LINC01435 to inhibit tube formation and migration of HUVECs, thereby delaying wound healing. This study aimed to elucidate sEV-related communication mechanisms between keratinocytes and fibroblasts during diabetic wound healing. HaCaT-HG-sEV treatment and LINC01435 overexpression significantly decreased fibroblast collagen level and migration ability but significantly increased fibroblast autophagy. However, treatment with an autophagy inhibitor suppressed LINC01435 overexpression-induced decrease in collagen levels in fibroblasts. In diabetic mice, HaCaT-HG-sEV treatment decreased collagen levels and increased the expression of the autophagy-related proteins Beclin-1 and LC3 at the wound site, thereby delaying wound healing. Conclusively, LINC01435 in keratinocyte-derived sEV activates fibroblast autophagy and reduces fibroblast collagen synthesis, leading to impaired diabetic wound healing.

Diabetic foot ulcers are a serious complication of diabetes and can lead to amputation and death. Therefore, it is crucial to comprehensively elucidate the mechanisms of delayed diabetic wound healing, with emphasis on the role of keratinocyte-derived small extracellular vesicles. In vivo and in vitro experiments showed that keratinocyte-derived small extracellular vesicles suppressed diabetic wound healing, which is partly attributed to the effects of their content (LINC01435) in fibroblasts. This study suggests that LINC01435 could be targeted to regulate diabetic wound healing.

Sea Anemone-Inspired Slippery Liquid-Infused Porous Surface (SLIPS) with Bionic Cilia for Responsive 4D Antifouling.

The formation process of biofouling is actually a 4D process with both spatial and temporal dimensions. However, most traditional antifouling coatings, including slippery liquid-infused porous surface (SLIPS), are limited to performing antifouling process in the 2D coating plane. Herein, inspired by the defensive behavior of sea anemones' wielding toxic tentacles, a "4D SLIPS" (FSLIPS) is constructed with biomimetic cilia via a magnetic field self-assembly method for antifouling. The bionic cilia move in 3D space driven by an external magnetic field, thereby preventing the attachment of microorganisms. The FSLIPS releases the gaseous antifoulant (nitric oxide) at 1D time in response to light, thereby achieving a controllable biocide effect on microorganisms. The FSLIPS regulates the movement of cilia via the external magnetic field, and controls the release of NO overtime via the light response, so as to adjust the antifouling modes on demand during the day or night. The light/magnetic response mechanism endow the FSLIPS with the ability to adjust the antifouling effect in the 4D dimension of 1D time and 3D space, effectively realizing the intelligence, multi-dimensionality and precision of the antifouling process.

Monolithic Interphase Enables Fast Kinetics for High-Performance Sodium-Ion Batteries at Subzero Temperature.

In spite of the competitive performance at room temperature, the development of sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) is still hindered by sluggish electrochemical reaction kinetics and unstable electrode/electrolyte interphase under subzero environments. Herein, a low-concentration electrolyte, consisting of 0.5M NaPF6 dissolving in diethylene glycol dimethyl ether solvent, is proposed for SIBs working at low temperature. Such an electrolyte generates a thin, amorphous, and homogeneous cathode/electrolyte interphase at low temperature. The interphase is monolithic and rich in organic components, reducing the limitation of Na+ migration through inorganic crystals, thereby facilitating the interfacial Na+ dynamics at low temperature. Furthermore, it effectively blocks the unfavorable side reactions between active materials and electrolytes, improving the structural stability. Consequently, Na0.7Li0.03Mg0.03Ni0.27Mn0.6Ti0.07O2//Na and hard carbon//Na cells deliver a high capacity retention of 90.8 % after 900 cycles at 1C, a capacity over 310 mAh g-1 under -30 °C, respectively, showing long-term cycling stability and great rate capability at low temperature.

Intermittent Fasting-Improved Glucose Homeostasis Is Not Entirely Dependent on Caloric Restriction in db/db Male Mice.

Intermittent fasting (IF), which involves prolonged fasting intervals accompanied by caloric restriction (CR), is an effective dietary treatment for obesity and diabetes. Although IF offers many benefits, it is difficult to determine whether these benefits are the consequences of CR. Every-other-day feeding (EODF) is a commonly used IF research model. This study was designed to identify factors, in addition to CR, responsible for the effects of EODF and the possible underlying mechanisms. Diabetic db/db mice were divided into three groups: ad libitum (AL), meal feeding (MF), and EODF. The MF model was used to attain a level of CR comparable to that of EODF, with food distribution evenly divided between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., thereby minimizing the fasting interval. EODF yielded greater improvements in glucose homeostasis than MF in db/db mice by reducing fasting glucose levels and enhancing glucose tolerance. However, these effects on glucose metabolism were less pronounced in lean mice. Furthermore, ubiquitination of the liver-specific glucocorticoid (GC) receptor (GR) facilitated its degradation and downregulation of Kruppel-like factor 9 (KLF9), which ultimately suppressed liver gluconeogenesis in diabetic EODF mice. Although GR and KLF9 might mediate the metabolic benefits of EODF, the potential benefits of EODF might be limited by elevated serum GC levels in diabetic EODF mice. Overall, this study suggests that the metabolic benefits of EODF in improving glucose homeostasis are independent of CR, possibly because of the downstream effects of liver-specific GR degradation.

Ceramide kinase-mediated C1P metabolism attenuates acute liver injury by inhibiting the interaction between KEAP1 and NRF2.

Acute liver injury is the basis of the pathogenesis of diverse liver diseases. However, the mechanism underlying liver injury is complex and not completely understood. In our study, we revealed that CERK, which phosphorylates ceramide to produce ceramide-1-phosphate (C1P), was the sphingolipid pathway-related protein that had the most significantly upregulated expression during acute liver injury. A functional study confirmed that CERK and C1P attenuate hepatic injury both in vitro and in vivo through antioxidant effects. Mechanistic studies have shown that CERK and C1P positively regulate the protein expression of NRF2, which is a crucial protein that helps maintain redox homeostasis. Furthermore, our results indicated that C1P disrupted the interaction between NRF2 and KEAP1 by competitively binding to KEAP1, which allowed for the nuclear translocation of NRF2. In addition, pull-down assays and molecular docking analyses revealed that C1P binds to the DGR domain of KEAP1, which allows it to maintain its interaction with NRF2. Importantly, these findings were verified in human primary hepatocytes and a mouse model of hepatic ischemia‒reperfusion injury. Taken together, our findings demonstrated that CERK-mediated C1P metabolism attenuates acute liver injury via the binding of C1P to the DGR domain of KEAP1 and subsequently the release and nuclear translocation of NRF2, which activates the transcription of cytoprotective and antioxidant genes. Our study suggested that the upregulation of CERK and C1P expression may serve as a potential antioxidant strategy to alleviate acute liver injury.

Successful treatment of a B/T MPAL patient by chemo-free treatment with venetoclax, azacitidine, and blinatumomab.

B/T mixed phenotype acute leukemia (MPAL), which represents only 2-3% of all MPAL cases, is classified as a high-risk leukemia subtype. Adults diagnosed with B/T MPAL have a notably low 3-year survival rate, estimated at 20-40%. The rarity and undercharacterization of B/T MPAL present substantial challenges in identifying an optimal treatment protocol. This report aims to shed light on this issue by presenting a case in which a patient with a complex karyotype was treated using a combination of venetoclax, azacitidine, and blinatumomab. This novel, chemo-free regimen resulted in the patient achieving both hematologic and molecular complete remission, with no severe organ or hematological toxicity observed. Notably, the patient continued to maintain molecular remission for 1 year following the transplantation. Based on these findings, the combination of venetoclax, azacitidine, and blinatumomab could be considered a potential therapeutic approach for B/T MPAL patients, meriting further investigation.

Efficacy and safety of adamgammadex for reversing rocuronium-induced deep neuromuscular blockade: A multicenter, randomized, phase IIb study.

The rapid reversal of deep neuromuscular blockade (NMB) is important but remains challenging. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of adamgammadex versus sugammadex in reversing deep rocuronium-induced NMB. This multicenter, randomized, phase IIb study included 80 patients aged 18-64 years, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade 1-2, undergoing elective surgery under general anesthesia with rocuronium. Patients were randomized to the adamgammadex 7, 8, and 9 mg/kg group or the sugammadex 4 mg/kg group. The primary efficacy variable was the time to recovery of train-of-four ratio (TOFr) to 0.9. The secondary efficacy variables were the time to recovery of TOFr to 0.7, antagonistic success rate of the recovery of TOFr to 0.9 within 5 min, and incidence rate of recurarization within 30 min after drug administration. The explorative efficacy variable was the time to recovery of the corrected TOFr to 0.9 (actual/baseline TOF ratio). Adamgammadex 7, 8, and 9 mg/kg and sugammadex 4 mg/kg groups did not significantly differ in all efficacy variables. Importantly, adamgammadex 9 mg/kg permitted reversal within a geometric mean of 2.9 min. According to the safety profile, adamgammadex achieved good tolerance and low incidence of drug-related adverse events compared with the 4 mg/kg sugammadex. Adamgammadex 7, 8, and 9 mg/kg facilitated rapid reversal of deep rocuronium-induced NMB and had good tolerance and low incidence of drug-related adverse events. Therefore, adamgammadex is a potential and promising alternative to sugammadex.

Characteristics and ecological risks of microplastic pollution in a tropical drinking water source reservoir in Hainan province, China.

Microplastic (<5 mm) pollution has become a pressing environmental concern in recent years. The present study investigated the occurrence characteristics and assessed the ecological risk of microplastics in the surface water and sediment of the Chitian Reservoir, a drinking water source in Hainan province (China). The results indicated that microplastics were detected in the surface water and sediment of the Chitian Reservoir and its surrounding areas. The overall abundance of microplastics in the water was 3.05 ± 1.16 items per L and in the sediment was 0.15 ± 0.06 items per g dry weight, which is relatively low compared to other reservoirs in China. The dominant components of microplastics detected in the Chitian Reservoir were polypropylene (PP), rayon, and polyester. Physical morphology analysis of microplastics showed that fibers with small particle sizes (<1 mm) and white color were the predominant characteristics in both the surface water and sediment. The domestic sewage from surrounding residents and agricultural wastewater may be the primary sources of microplastics in the reservoir. Ecological risk assessment revealed that the overall pollution load index (PLI) in the surface water (0.65) and sediment (0.51) of the Chitian Reservoir and its surrounding area is at a low level. The potential ecological hazards (RI) of microplastics (0.13 to 336.78 in water; 0.23 to 465.93 in sediment) in most sites fall within the scope of level I, but those in a few sites are at level II due to the presence of polyvinyl chloride (PVC). This study enriches the data on microplastic pollution in inland reservoir systems, providing fundamental reference information for future ecotoxicological studies and the management of microplastic pollution control.

Slippery Porous-Liquid-Infused Porous Surface (SPIPS) with On-Demand Responsive Switching between "Defensive" and "Offensive" Antifouling Modes.

Slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces (SLIPS) have received widespread attention in the antifouling field. However, the reduction in antifouling performance caused by lubricant loss limits their application in marine antifouling. Herein, inspired by the skin of a poison dart frog which contains venom glands and mucus, a porous liquid (PL) based on ZIF-8 is prepared as a lubricant and injected into a silicone polyurethane (SPU) matrix to construct a new type of SLIPS for marine antifouling applications: the slippery porous-liquid-infused porous surface (SPIPS). The SPIPS consists of a responsive antifoulant-releasing switch between "defensive" and "offensive" antifouling modes to intelligently enhance the antifouling effect after lubricant loss. The SPIPS can adjust antifouling performance to meet the antifouling requirements under different light conditions. The wastage of antifoulants is reduced, thereby effectively maintaining the durability and service life of SLIPS materials. The SPIPS exhibits efficient lubricant self-replenishment, self-cleaning, anti-protein, anti-bacterial, anti-algal, and self-healing (97.48%) properties. Furthermore, it shows satisfactory 360-day antifouling performance in actual marine fields during boom seasons, demonstrating the longest antifouling lifespan in the field tests of reported SLIPS coatings. Hence, the SPIPS can effectively promote the development of SLIPS for neritic antifouling.

From Lidar Measurement to Rotor Effective Wind Speed Prediction: Empirical Mode Decomposition and Gated Recurrent Unit Solution.

Conventional wind speed sensors face difficulties in measuring wind speeds at multiple points, and related research on predicting rotor effective wind speed (REWS) is lacking. The utilization of a lidar device allows accurate REWS prediction, enabling advanced control technologies for wind turbines. With the lidar measurements, a data-driven prediction framework based on empirical mode decomposition (EMD) and gated recurrent unit (GRU) is proposed to predict the REWS. Thereby, the time series of lidar measurements are separated by the EMD, and the intrinsic mode functions (IMF) are obtained. The IMF sequences are categorized into high-, medium-, and low-frequency and residual groups, pass through the delay processing, and are respectively used to train four GRU networks. On this basis, the outputs of the four GRU networks are lumped via weighting factors that are optimized by an equilibrium optimizer (EO), obtaining the predicted REWS. Taking advantages of the measurement information and mechanism modeling knowledge, three EMD-GRU prediction schemes with different input combinations are presented. Finally, the proposed prediction schemes are verified and compared by detailed simulations on the BLADED model with four-beam lidar. The experimental results indicate that compared to the mechanism model, the mean absolute error corresponding to the EMD-GRU model is reduced by 49.18%, 53.43%, 52.10%, 65.95%, 48.18%, and 60.33% under six datasets, respectively. The proposed method could provide accurate REWS prediction in advanced prediction control for wind turbines.

RNA base editing therapy cures hearing loss induced by OTOF gene mutation.

Otoferlin (OTOF) gene mutations represent the primary cause of hearing impairment and deafness in auditory neuropathy. The c.2485C>T (p. Q829X) mutation variant is responsible for approximately 3% of recessive prelingual deafness cases within the Spanish population. Previous studies have used two recombinant AAV vectors to overexpress OTOF, albeit with limited efficacy. In this study, we introduce an enhanced mini-dCas13X RNA base editor (emxABE) delivered via an AAV9 variant, achieving nearly 100% transfection efficiency in inner hair cells. This approach is aimed at treating OTOFQ829X, resulting in an approximately 80% adenosine-to-inosine conversion efficiency in humanized OtofQ829X/Q829X mice. Following a single scala media injection of emxABE targeting OTOFQ829X (emxABE-T) administered during the postnatal day 0-3 period in OtofQ829X/Q829X mice, we observed OTOF expression restoration in nearly 100% of inner hair cells. Moreover, auditory function was significantly improved, reaching similar levels as in wild-type mice. This enhancement persisted for at least 7 months. We also investigated P5-P7 and P30 OtofQ829X/Q829X mice, achieving auditory function restoration through round window injection of emxABE-T. These findings not only highlight an effective therapeutic strategy for potentially addressing OTOFQ829X-induced hearing loss but also underscore emxABE as a versatile toolkit for treating other monogenic diseases characterized by premature termination codons.

Emerging trends and hot spots of sleep and genetic research: a bibliometric analysis of publications from 2002 to 2022 in the field.

Background: Sleep is an important biological process and has been linked to many diseases; however, very little is known about which and how genes control and regulate sleep. Although technology has seen significant development, this issue has still not been adequately resolved. Therefore, we conducted a bibliometric analysis to assess the progress in research on sleep quality and associated genes over the past 2 decades. Through our statistical data and discussions, we aimed to provide researchers with better research directions and ideas, thus promoting the advancement of this field. Methods: On December 29, 2022, we utilized bibliometric techniques, such as co-cited and cluster analysis and keyword co-occurrence, using tools such as CiteSpace, VOSviewer, and the Online Analysis Platform of Literature Metrology (http://bibliometric.com/), to conduct a thorough examination of the relevant publications extracted from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC). Our analysis aimed to identify the emerging trends and hot spots in this field while also predicting their potential development in future. Results: Cluster analysis of the co-cited literature revealed the most popular terms relating to sleep quality and associated genes in the manner of cluster labels; these included genome-wide association studies (GWAS), circadian rhythms, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), DNA methylation, and depression. Keyword burst detection suggested that obstructive sleep apnea, circadian clock, circadian genes, and polygenic risk score were newly emergent research hot spots. Conclusion: Based on this bibliometric analysis of the publications in the last 20 years, a comprehensive analysis of the literature clarified the contributions, changes in research hot spots, and evolution of research techniques regarding sleep quality and associated genes. This research can provide medical staff and researchers with revelations into future directions of the study on the pathological mechanisms of sleep-related diseases.

Moderate altitude exposure impacts host fasting blood glucose and serum metabolome by regulation of the intestinal flora.

Moderate altitude exposure has shown beneficial effects on diabetes incidence but the underlying mechanisms are not understood. Our study aimed to investigate how the human gut microbiome impacted the serum metabolome and associated with glucose homeostasis in healthy Chinese individuals upon moderate-altitude exposure. Faecal microbiome composition was assessed using shotgun metagenomic sequencing. Serum metabolome was acquired by untargeted metabolomics technology, and amino acids (AAs) and propionic acid in serum were quantified by targeted metabolomics technology. The results indicated that the moderate-altitude exposed individuals presented lowered fasting blood glucose (FBG) and propionic acid, increased circulating L-Glutamine but decreased L-Glutamate and L-Valine, which correlated with enriched Bacteroidetes and decreased Proteobacteria. Additionally, the silico causality associations among gut microbiota, serum metabolome and host FBG were analyzed by mediation analysis. It showed that increased Bacteroides ovatus (B. ovatus) and decreased Escherichia coli (E. coli) were identified as the main antagonistic species driving the association between L-Glutamate and FBG in silico causality. Furthermore, the high-fat diet (HFD) fed mice subjected to faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) were applied to validate the cause-in-fact effects of gut microbiota on the beneficial glucose response. We found that microbiome in the moderate-altitude exposed donor could predict the extent of the FBG response in recipient mice, which showed lowered FBG, L-Glutamate and Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio. Our findings suggest that moderate-altitude exposure targeting gut microbiota and circulating metabolome, may pave novel avenues to counter dysglycemia.

Gut Microbiome-Generated Phenylacetylglutamine from Dietary Protein is Associated with Crohn's Disease and Exacerbates Colitis in Mouse Model Possibly via Platelet Activation.

OBJECTIVES: Our aims were to better understand the interplay of diet and gut microbiota in Crohn's disease [CD], taking advantage of a new-onset treatment-naïve CD cohort. We focus on phenylacetylglutamine [PAGln], a diet-derived meta-organismal prothrombotic metabolite. DESIGN: We collected faecal and serum samples from a CD cohort [n = 136] and healthy controls [n = 126] prior to treatment, and quantified serum PAGln using LC-MS/MS. Diet was assessed using food-frequency questionnaires. Mice [C57BL/6] were fed high/low-protein diets and administered dextran sodium sulphate [DSS] to examine plasma PAGly, thrombosis potential, and colitis severity. PAGly or saline was administered to DSS-induced colitis mice, and colitis severity and colonic tissue gene expression were examined. P-selectin and CD40L expression were determined in human platelet-rich plasma [n = 5-6] after exposure to platelet agonists following PAGln priming. Bioinformatic analysis and bacterial culturing identified the main contributor of PAGln in CD. RESULTS: PAGln, a meta-organismal prothrombotic metabolite, is associated with CD. Administration of PAGly exacerbated colitis in a mouse model and upregulated coagulation-related biological processes. Antiplatelet medicine, dipyridamole, attenuated PAGly-enhanced colitis susceptibility. PAGln enhanced platelet activation and CD40L expression in platelet-rich plasma ex vivo. Further study revealed that high dietary protein intake and increased abundance of phenylacetic acid [PAA]-producing Proteobacteria mediated by phenylpyruvate decarboxylase act in concert to cause the elevated PAGln levels in CD patients. CONCLUSION: Taken together, ppdc-carrying Proteobacteria-generated PAGln from dietary protein is associated with CD and exacerbates colitis possibly via platelet-induced coagulation and inflammation These results suggest that PAGln is a potential early diagnostic marker and therapeutic target of CD.

Malonylation of Acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 promotes hepatic steatosis and is attenuated by ketogenic diet in NAFLD.

Protein post-translational modifications (PTMs) participate in important bioactive regulatory processes and therefore can help elucidate the pathogenesis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Here, we investigate the involvement of PTMs in ketogenic diet (KD)-improved fatty liver by multi-omics and reveal a core target of lysine malonylation, acetyl-coenzyme A (CoA) carboxylase 1 (ACC1). ACC1 protein levels and Lys1523 malonylation are significantly decreased by KD. A malonylation-mimic mutant of ACC1 increases its enzyme activity and stability to promote hepatic steatosis, whereas the malonylation-null mutant upregulates the ubiquitination degradation of ACC1. A customized Lys1523ACC1 malonylation antibody confirms the increased malonylation of ACC1 in the NAFLD samples. Overall, the lysine malonylation of ACC1 is attenuated by KD in NAFLD and plays an important role in promoting hepatic steatosis. Malonylation is critical for ACC1 activity and stability, highlighting the anti-malonylation effect of ACC1 as a potential strategy for treating NAFLD.

Celastrol directly binds with VAMP7 and RAB7 to inhibit autophagy and induce apoptosis in preadipocytes.

Obesity is one of the most prevalent chronic metabolic diseases, and induction of apoptosis in preadipocytes and adipocytes is a potential strategy to treat obesity. Celastrol represents one of the most robust anti-obesity phytochemicals so far, yet its direct binding target remains elusive. Here, we determined that celastrol could induce apoptosis in preadipocytes via mitochondrial mediated pathway. Further study clarified that celastrol inhibited the fusion of autophagosome and lysosome to prohibit autophagy, leading to cell apoptosis. By conducting virtual screening and genetic manipulation, we verified that overexpression of VAMP7 and RAB7 could block the effects of celastrol on inhibiting autophagy and inducing apoptosis. The Surface Plasmon Resonance study confirmed the direct binding of celastrol with VAMP7 and RAB7. The functional study illustrated the inhibition of RAB7 GTPase activity after celastrol treatment. Moreover, celastrol induced comparable apoptosis in murine epididymal adipose tissue, human preadipocytes and adipocytes, but not in human hepatocytes. An inhibitory effect on differentiation of human primary visceral preadipocytes was also observed. In conclusion, celastrol exhibited inhibitory effect of autophagy via direct binding with VAMP7 and RAB7, leading to an increase in preadipocytes apoptosis. These results advance our understanding in the potential application of celastrol in treating obesity.

Fibroblast-Derived Extracellular Vesicle-Packaged Long Noncoding RNA Upregulated in Diabetic Skin Enhances Keratinocyte MMP-9 Expression and Delays Diabetic Wound Healing.

Accurate communication between fibroblasts and keratinocytes is crucial for diabetic wound healing. Extracellular vesicles are being explored as essential mediators of intercellular communication in the skin. However, the mechanisms underlying wound healing mediated by fibroblast-derived extracellular vesicles (Fib-EVs) remain unclear. The present study evaluated the role of long noncoding RNA upregulated in diabetic skin (lnc-URIDS) packed in Fib-EVs in the wound healing of streptozotocin-induced diabetes and the potential mechanisms of the effects. We demonstrated that high glucose induced the enrichment of lnc-URIDS in Fib-EVs, facilitated the transfer of lnc-URIDS to primary rat epidermal keratinocytes, and increased the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9. Mechanistically, the binding of lnc-URIDS to YTH domain family protein-2 enhanced the degradation of YTH domain family protein-2 in the lysosomes, which increased the translational activity of the messenger RNA of matrix metalloproteinase-9 and ultimately induced the degradation of collagen for wound healing. The results provided an insight into the crosstalk and cooperation between fibroblasts and keratinocytes in collagen homeostasis in diabetic wounds and clarified the mechanism by which lnc-URIDS degrades collagen for diabetic wound healing.

Counter-regulatory renin-angiotensin system in hypertension: Review and update in the era of COVID-19 pandemic.

Cardiovascular disease is the major cause of mortality and disability, with hypertension being the most prevalent risk factor. Excessive activation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) under pathological conditions, leading to vascular remodeling and inflammation, is closely related to cardiovascular dysfunction. The counter-regulatory axis of the RAS consists of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), angiotensin (1-7), angiotensin (1-9), alamandine, proto-oncogene Mas receptor, angiotensin II type-2 receptor and Mas-related G protein-coupled receptor member D. Each of these components has been shown to counteract the effects of the overactivated RAS. In this review, we summarize the latest insights into the complexity and interplay of the counter-regulatory RAS axis in hypertension, highlight the pathophysiological functions of ACE2, a multifunctional molecule linking hypertension and COVID-19, and discuss the function and therapeutic potential of targeting this counter-regulatory RAS axis to prevent and treat hypertension in the context of the current COVID-19 pandemic.

Mapping the current trends and hotspots of vascular cognitive impairment from 2000-2021: A bibliometric analysis.

AIMS: To visualize the trends and hotspots in the scientific research related to vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) quantitatively and qualitatively. METHODS: Cross-sectional bibliometric analysis of publications that related to VCI was conducted. Publications were found by searching in the Web of Science Core Collection database (WoSCC) - Edition: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-Expanded) from January 2000 to December 2021. Publication type was restricted to article and review in the English language. The downloaded data were screened and analyzed in January 2022. RESULTS: In total, 16,264 publications were identified, with a steady increase in annual publications. The United States was the leading country in VCI research regarding publication numbers and national influence. National Institute of Aging had the highest influence among all the institutes in the field of VCI. Philip Scheltens was the most active author. The top five active authors' publications focused on pathobiology, neuroimaging standards, risk factors, prevention, and the standard diagnosis of vascular dementia (VaD). A co-cited publication clustering resulted in 19 main clusters, and the prevention, blood-brain barrier, cholesterol, cerebral amyloid angiopathy, and VaD were the top 5 clusters. Moreover, burst keywords detection revealed that the "small vessel disease" is the current hotspot in the field of VCI. CONCLUSIONS: This bibliometric analysis mapped the overall research structure of VCI and analyzed the current research trends and hotspots for future studies orientation. Neuroimaging, risk factors detection, and pathobiology are the current trends in VCI research. Small vessel disease and its mechanisms are the current hotspots of VCI research.

Van der Waals interactions regulating the hydration of 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine, the constructing monomer of biocompatible polymers.

Van der Waals (VDW) interactions provide fantastic properties for biological systems that function at room temperature. The VDW interaction, which primarily contributes to weak hydrogen bonding, is expected to play a key role in regulating hydrophobic hydration to express the biologically inert biocompatible function of polymerized MPCs (2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine). This report explores at the molecular level the biologically inert function of polymerized MPCs through an array of vibrational spectroscopic and computational characterization of MPC monomers, as temperature-dependent change of intramolecular weak hydrogen bonding. Synchrotron Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy and terahertz time-domain spectroscopy were used to investigate temperature-dependent spectral changes in the low frequency vibrations of the MPC over the temperature range from cryogenic to room temperature, and the results were analysed by highly reliable well-established density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Complicated spectral features in the low frequency energy region and the uncertain conformations of the MPC in the amorphous powder state are clearly resolved under a polarizable continuum model and dispersion correction to pure DFT calculations.