The Antimicrobial Properties of Technical Lignins and Their Derivatives-A Review.

Lignin represents one of the most abundant plant-derived polymers. It is mostly present in the cell wall, and its primary role is to provide mechanical support to the plant. Chemical processes during wood-pulping yield diverse technical lignins with distinct characteristics. Due to their complex and variable nature, technical lignins are often undervalued and are mainly used as burning fuel in mills. However, various technical lignins have been shown to possess antimicrobial properties. Consequently, there is an increasing interest in understanding the properties and conditions that underlie their antimicrobial characteristics and how we can utilize them for practical applications. This review, for the first time, comprehensively summarized the antimicrobial activities of technical lignins and their potential antimicrobial applications.

Neuronal CBP-1 is Required for Enhanced Body Muscle Proteostasis in Response to Reduced Translation Downstream of mTOR.

BACKGROUND: The ability to maintain muscle function decreases with age and loss of proteostatic function. Diet, drugs, and genetic interventions that restrict nutrients or nutrient signaling help preserve long-term muscle function and slow age-related decline. Previously, it was shown that attenuating protein synthesis downstream of the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) gradually increases expression of heat shock response (HSR) genes in a manner that correlates with increased resilience to protein unfolding stress. Here, we investigate the role of specific tissues in mediating the cytoprotective effects of low translation. METHODS: This study uses genetic tools (transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), RNA interference and gene expression analysis) as well as physiological assays (survival and paralysis assays) in order to better understand how specific tissues contribute to adaptive changes involving cellular cross-talk that enhance proteostasis under low translation conditions. RESULTS: We use the C. elegans system to show that lowering translation in neurons or the germline increases heat shock gene expression and survival under conditions of heat stress. In addition, we find that low translation in these tissues protects motility in a body muscle-specific model of proteotoxicity that results in paralysis. Low translation in neurons or germline also results in increased expression of certain muscle regulatory and structural genes, reversing reduced expression normally observed with aging in C. elegans. Enhanced resilience to protein unfolding stress requires neuronal expression of cbp-1. CONCLUSIONS: Low translation in either neurons or the germline orchestrate protective adaptation in other tissues, including body muscle.

Exploring the Interplay of Food Security, Safety, and Psychological Wellness in the COVID-19 Era: Managing Strategies for Resilience and Adaptation.

The global population surge presents a dual challenge and opportunity in the realms of food consumption, safety, and mental well-being. This necessitates a projected 70% increase in food production to meet growing demands. Amid this backdrop, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic exacerbates these issues, underscoring the need for a deeper understanding of the intricate interplay between food consumption patterns and mental health dynamics during this crisis. Mitigating the spread of COVID-19 hinges upon rigorous adherence to personal hygiene practices and heightened disease awareness. Furthermore, maintaining stringent food quality and safety standards across both public and private sectors is imperative for safeguarding public health and containing viral transmission. Drawing upon existing research, this study delves into the pandemic's impact on mental health, food consumption habits, and food safety protocols. Through a comprehensive analysis, it aims to elucidate the nuanced relationship among food, food safety, and mental well-being amid the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting synergistic effects and dynamics that underpin holistic human welfare. Our study offers a novel approach by integrating psychological wellness with food security and safety. In conceiving this review, we aimed to comprehensively explore the intricate interplay among food security, safety, and psychological wellness amid the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our review is structured to encompass a thorough examination of existing research, synthesizing insights into the multifaceted relationships among food consumption patterns, mental health dynamics, and food safety protocols during the crisis. Our findings provide valuable insights and practical recommendations for enhancing food security and psychological well-being, thus supporting both academic research and real-world applications in crisis management and policy development.

Stress-induced Eukaryotic Translational Regulatory Mechanisms.

The eukaryotic protein synthesis process entails intricate stages governed by diverse mechanisms to tightly regulate translation. Translational regulation during stress is pivotal for maintaining cellular homeostasis, ensuring the accurate expression of essential proteins crucial for survival. This selective translational control mechanism is integral to cellular adaptation and resilience under adverse conditions. This review manuscript explores various mechanisms involved in selective translational regulation, focusing on mRNA-specific and global regulatory processes. Key aspects of translational control include translation initiation, which is often a rate-limiting step, and involves the formation of the eIF4F complex and recruitment of mRNA to ribosomes. Regulation of translation initiation factors, such as eIF4E, eIF4E2, and eIF2, through phosphorylation and interactions with binding proteins, modulates translation efficiency under stress conditions. This review also highlights the control of translation initiation through factors like the eIF4F complex and the ternary complex and also underscores the importance of eIF2α phosphorylation in stress granule formation and cellular stress responses. Additionally, the impact of amino acid deprivation, mTOR signaling, and ribosome biogenesis on translation regulation and cellular adaptation to stress is also discussed. Understanding the intricate mechanisms of translational regulation during stress provides insights into cellular adaptation mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets for various diseases, offering valuable avenues for addressing conditions associated with dysregulated protein synthesis.

Physiological Consequences of Nonsense-Mediated Decay and Its Role in Adaptive Responses.

The evolutionarily conserved nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) pathway is a quality control mechanism that degrades aberrant mRNA containing one or more premature termination codons (PTCs). Recent discoveries indicate that NMD also differentially regulates mRNA from wild-type protein-coding genes despite lacking PTCs. Together with studies showing that NMD is involved in development and adaptive responses that influence health and longevity, these findings point to an expanded role of NMD that adds a new layer of complexity in the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. However, the extent of its control, whether different types of NMD play different roles, and the resulting physiological outcomes remain unclear and need further elucidation. Here, we review different branches of NMD and what is known of the physiological outcomes associated with this type of regulation. We identify significant gaps in the understanding of this process and the utility of genetic tools in accelerating progress in this area.

Neuronal CBP-1 is required for enhanced body muscle proteostasis in response to reduced translation downstream of mTOR.

Background: The ability to maintain muscle function decreases with age and loss of proteostatic function. Diet, drugs, and genetic interventions that restrict nutrients or nutrient signaling help preserve long-term muscle function and slow age-related decline. Previously, it was shown that attenuating protein synthesis downstream of the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) gradually increases expression of heat shock response (HSR) genes in a manner that correlates with increased resilience to protein unfolding stress. Here, we investigate the role of specific tissues in mediating the cytoprotective effects of low translation. Methods: This study uses genetic tools (transgenic C. elegans , RNA interference and gene expression analysis) as well as physiological assays (survival and paralysis assays) in order to better understand how specific tissues contribute to adaptive changes involving cellular cross-talk that enhance proteostasis under low translation conditions. Results: We use the C. elegans system to show that lowering translation in neurons or the germline increases heat shock gene expression and survival under conditions of heat stress. In addition, we find that low translation in these tissues protects motility in a body muscle-specific model of proteotoxicity that results in paralysis. Low translation in neurons or germline also results in increased expression of certain muscle regulatory and structural genes, reversing reduced expression normally observed with aging in C. elegans . Enhanced resilience to protein unfolding stress requires neuronal expression of cbp-1 . Conclusion: Low translation in either neurons or the germline orchestrate protective adaptation in other tissues, including body muscle.

Insights into the alleviation of cadmium toxicity in rice by nano-zinc and Serendipita indica: Modulation of stress-responsive gene expression and antioxidant defense system activation.

The adversities of cadmium (Cd) contamination are quite distinguished among other heavy metals (HMs), and so is the efficacy of zinc (Zn) nutrition in mitigating Cd toxicity. Rice (Oryza sativa) crop, known for its ability to absorb HMs, inadvertently facilitates the bioaccumulation of Cd, posing a significant risk to both the plant itself and to humans consuming its edible parts, and damaging the environment as well. The use of nanoparticles, such as nano-zinc oxide (nZnO), to improve the nutritional quality of crops and combat the harmful effects of HMs, have gained substantial attention among scientists and farmers. While previous studies have explored the individual effects of nZnO or Serendipita indica (referred to as S.i) on Cd toxicity, the synergistic action of these two agents has not been thoroughly investigated. Therefore, the gift of nature, i.e., S. indica, was incorporated alongside nZnO (50 mg L-1) against Cd stress (15 µM L-1) and their alliance manifested as phenotypic level modifications in two rice genotypes (Heizhan43; Hz43 and Yinni801; Yi801). Antioxidant activities were enhanced, specifically peroxidase (61.5 and 122.5% in Yi801 and Hz43 roots, respectively), leading to a significant decrease in oxidative burst; moreover, Cd translocation was reduced (85% for Yi801 and 65.5% for Hz43 compared to Cd alone treatment). Microstructural study showed a decrease in number of vacuoles and starch granules with ameliorative treatments. Overall, plants treated with nZnO displayed gene expression pattern (particularly of ZIP genes), different from the ones with alone or combined S.i and Cd. Inferentially, the integration of nZnO and S.i holds great promise as an effective strategy for alleviating Cd toxicity in rice plants. By immobilizing Cd ions in the soil and promoting their detoxification, this novel approach contributes to environmental restoration and ensures food safety worldwide.

Roles of progranulin and FRamides in neural versus non-neural tissues on dietary restriction-related longevity and proteostasis in C. elegans.

Dietary restriction (DR) mitigates loss of proteostasis associated with aging that underlies neurodegenerative conditions including Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. Previously, we observed increased translational efficiency of certain FMRFamide-like neuropeptide ( flp ) genes and the neuroprotective growth factor progranulin gene prgn-1 under dietary restriction in C. elegans . Here, we tested the effects of flp-5 , flp-14 , flp-15 and pgrn-1 on lifespan and proteostasis under both standard and dietary restriction conditions. We also tested and distinguished function based on their expression in either neuronal or non-neuronal tissue. Lowering the expression of pgrn-1 and flp genes selectively in neural tissue showed no difference in survival under normal feeding conditions nor under DR in two out of three experiments performed. Reduced expression of flp-14 in non-neuronal tissue showed decreased lifespan that was not specific to DR. With respect to proteostasis, a genetic model of DR from mutation of the eat-2 gene that showed increased thermotolerance compared to fully fed wild type animals demonstrated no change in thermotolerance in response to knockdown of pgrn-1 or flp genes. Finally, we tested effects on motility in a neural-specific model of proteotoxicity and found that neuronal knockdown of pgrn-1 and flp genes improved motility in early life regardless of diet. However, knocking these genes down in non-neuronal tissue had variable results. RNAi targeting flp-14 increased motility by day seven of adulthood regardless of diet. Interestingly, non-neuronal RNAi of pgrn-1 decreased motility under standard feeding conditions while DR increased motility for this gene knockdown by day seven (early mid-life). Results show that pgrn-1 , flp-5 , flp-14 , and flp-15 do not have major roles in diet-related changes in longevity or whole-body proteostasis. However, reduced expression of these genes in neurons increases motility early in life in a neural-specific model of proteotoxicity, whereas knockdown of non-neuronal expression mostly increases motility in mid-life under the same conditions.

Bioinspired Multiscale Mineralization: From Fundamentals to Potential Applications.

The wondrous and imaginative designs of nature have always been an inexhaustible treasure trove for material scientists. Throughout the long evolutionary process, biominerals with hierarchical structures possess some specific advantages such as outstanding mechanical properties, biological functions, and sensing performances, the formation of which (biomineralization) is delicately regulated by organic component. Provoked by the subtle structures and profound principles of nature, bioinspired functional minerals can be designed with the participation of organic molecules. Because of the designable morphology and functions, multiscale mineralization has attracted more and more attention in the areas of medicine, chemistry, biology, and material science. This review provides a summary of current advancements in this extending topic. The mechanisms underlying mineralization is first concisely elucidated. Next, several types of minerals are categorized according to their structural characteristic, as well as the different potential applications of these materials. At last, a comprehensive overview of future developments for bioinspired multiscale mineralization is given. Concentrating on the mechanism of fabrication and broad application prospects of multiscale mineralization, the hope is to provide inspirations for the design of other functional materials.

Light and Magnetism Orchestrating Aquatic Pollutant-Degradation Robots in Programmable Trajectories.

Interfacial floating robots have promising applications in carriers, environmental monitoring, water treatment, and so on. Even though, engineering smart robots with both precisely efficient navigation and elimination of water pollutants in long term remains a challenge, as the superhydrophobicity greatly lowers resistance for aquatic motion while sacrificing chemical reactivity of the surface. Here, a pollutant-removing superhydrophobic robot integrated with well-assembled iron oxide-bismuth sulfide heterojunction composite minerals, which provide both light and magnetic propulsion, and the ability of catalytic degradation, is reported. The motion velocity of the robot reaches up to 51.9 mm s-1 within only 300 ms of acceleration under the orchestration of light, and brakes rapidly (≈200-300 ms) once turn off the light. And magnetism extends the robot to work in broad range of surface tensions in any programmable trajectory. Besides, purification of polluted water is efficiently achieved in situ and the degradation efficiency exhibits eightfold enhancements under the effect of light-triggered photothermal behavior coupled with magnetic induction, overcoming the dilemma of efficient motion with catalytic superhydrophobicity. This strategy developed here provides guidelines for the explorations of high-performance smart devices.

A hydrogel gripper enabling fine movement based on spatiotemporal mineralization.

Fine tailoring of the subtle movements of a hydrogel actuator through simple methods has widespread application prospects in wearable electronics, bionic robots and biomedical engineering. However, to the best of our knowledge, this challenge is not yet completed. Inspired by the diffusion-reaction process in nature, a hydrogel gripper with the capability of fine movement was successfully prepared based on the spatiotemporal fabrication of the polypyrrole (PPY) pattern in a poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) hydrogel. The hydrogel was given gradient porous structures using a one-step UV irradiation method. Moreover, photothermal PPY patterns on the hydrogel were obtained through spatiotemporal mineralization of ferric hydroxide followed by the polymerization of pyrrole in a controllable manner. Taking advantage of the unique structures, the hydrogel gripper can not only achieve reversible grasping-releasing of substrates with the tuning of temperature (similar to that of hands), but also generate delicate movement under the irradiation of light (resembling that of finger joints). The strategy reported here is easily accessible and there is no need for sophisticated templates, therefore making it superior to other existing methods. We believe this work will provide references for the design and application of more advanced soft actuators.

Supramolecular Self-Healing Antifouling Coating for Dental Materials.

In orthodontic treatment, orthodontic appliances are prone to bacterial infections, which pose a risk to oral health. Surface modification of orthodontic appliances has been explored to improve their antifouling properties and impart antibacterial capabilities, inhibiting initial bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation. However, coatings are susceptible to damage in the complex oral environment, leading to a loss of functionality. Here, we have prepared an antifouling self-healing coating based on supramolecular bonding by employing a simple spin coating method. The presence of the hydrophilic zwitterionic trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) and the hydrophobic antimicrobial moieties triclosan acrylate (TCSA) imparts to the polymers an amphiphilic structure and enhances the interaction with bacteria, resulting in excellent antimicrobial activity and surface antifouling properties. The multiple hydrogen bonds of ureido-pyrimidinone methacrylate (UPyMA) and ionic interactions contained in the polymers not only increased the adhesion of the coating to the material substrate (approximately 3 times) but also endowed the coating with the intrinsic self-healing ability to restore the antibiofouling properties at oral temperature and humidity. Finally, the polymer coating is biologically safe both in vitro and in vivo, showing no cytotoxic effects on cells and tissues. This research offers a promising avenue for improving the performance of orthodontic appliances and contributes to the maintenance and treatment of oral health.

Phosphorus and Serendipita indica synergism augments arsenic stress tolerance in rice by regulating secondary metabolism related enzymatic activity and root metabolic patterns.

The multifarious problems created by arsenic (As), for collective environment and human health, serve a cogent case for searching integrative agricultural approaches to attain food security. Rice (Oryza sativa L.) acts as a sponge for heavy metal(loid)s accretion, specifically As, due to anaerobic flooded growth conditions facilitating its uptake. Acclaimed for their positive impact on plant growth, development and phosphorus (P) nutrition, 'mycorrhizas' are able to promote stress tolerance. Albeit, the metabolic alterations underlying Serendipita indica (S. indica; S.i) symbiosis-mediated amelioration of As stress along with nutritional management of P are still understudied. By using biochemical, RT-qPCR and LC-MS/MS based untargeted metabolomics approach, rice roots of ZZY-1 and GD-6 colonized by S. indica, which were later treated with As (10 µM) and P (50 µM), were compared with non-colonized roots under the same treatments with a set of control plants. The responses of secondary metabolism related enzymes, especially polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activities in the foliage of ZZY-1 and GD-6 were enhanced 8.5 and 12-fold, respectively, compared to their respective control counterparts. The current study identified 360 cationic and 287 anionic metabolites in rice roots, and the commonly enriched pathway annotated by Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis was biosynthesis of phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan, which validated the results of biochemical and gene expression analyses associated with secondary metabolic enzymes. Particularly under As+S.i+P comparison, both genotypes exhibited an upregulation of key detoxification and defense related metabolites, including fumaric acid, L-malic acid, choline, 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, to name a few. The results of this study provided the novel insights into the promising role of exogenous P and S. indica in alleviating As stress.

A Cross-Sectional Study of Companion Animal-Derived Multidrug-Resistant Escherichia coli in Hangzhou, China.

Antimicrobial resistance poses a challenge to global public health, and companion animals could serve as the reservoir for antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. However, the prevalence of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, especially multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria, and the associated risk factors from companion animals are partially understood. Here, we aim to investigate the prevalence of MDR Escherichia coli, as an indicator bacterium, in pet cats and dogs in Hangzhou, China, and evaluate the factors affecting the prevalence of MDR E. coli. The proportion of pets carrying MDR E. coli was 35.77% (49/137), i.e., 40.96% (34/83) for dogs and 27.28% (15/54) for cats. Isolates resistant to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (49.40% and 44.44%), amoxicillin-clavulanic acid (42.17% and 38.89%), and nalidixic acid (40.96% and 35.19%) were the most prevalent in dogs and cats. Interestingly, comparable prevalence of MDR E. coli was observed in pet dogs and cats regardless of the health condition and the history of antibiotic use. Genetic diversity analysis indicates a total of 86 sequencing types (23 clonal complexes), with ST12 being the most dominant. Further genomic investigation of a carbapenem-resistant E. coli ST410 isolate reveals abundant antimicrobial-resistance genes and a plasmid-borne carbapenemase gene (NDM-5) flanked by insertion sequences of IS91 and IS31, suggesting the plasmid and insertion sequences may be involved in carbapenem-resistance dissemination. These data show that companion animal-derived MDR bacteria could threaten public health, and further regulation and supervision of antimicrobial use in pet clinics should be established in China. IMPORTANCE MDR Escherichia coli are considered a global threat because of the decreasing options for antimicrobial therapy. Companion animals could be a reservoir of MDR E. coli, and the numbers of pets and households owning pets in China are booming. However, the prevalence and risk factors of MDR E. coli carriage in Chinese pets were rarely studied. Here, we investigated the prevalence of MDR E. coli in pets in Hangzhou, one of the leading cities with the most established pet market in China, and explored the factors that affected the prevalence. Our findings showed high prevalences of MDR E. coli in pet dogs and cats regardless of their health condition and the history of antibiotic use, suggesting their potential role of public health risk. A call-to-action for improved regulation of antimicrobial use in companion animal is needed in China.

Physiological and TMT-based quantitative proteomic responses of barley to aluminium stress under phosphorus-Piriformospora indica interaction.

Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is one of the most important cereal crop in the world, and is also the one being seriously affected by heavy metals, particularly aluminium (Al). Keeping in view the utility of barley as food, fodder and raw material for traditional beer brewing, the top-notch quality and higher production of this crop must be sustained. Phosphorus (P) has a quintessential role in plant growth with a potential to relieve symptoms caused by Al poisoning. Displaying a phytopromotive and stress alleviatory potential, Piriformospora indica (P. indica) can improve the stress tolerance in crops. Several studies have been conducted to evaluate the mechanism of Al translocation in a variety of crops including barley, however, the bio-remediative studies related to detoxification and/or sequestration of metals are scarce. Therefore, the current study was carried out to elucidate the tolerance mechanism of an Al-sensitive barley cultivar ZU9 following the colonization with P. indica and exogenous P supply by physio-biochemical, elemental, leaf ultrastructural and root proteome analyses. When compared to the Al alone treated counterparts, the Al + P + P.i treated plants exhibited 4.1-, 1.38-, 2.7 and 1.35-fold improved root and shoot fresh and dry weights, respectively. With the provision of additional phosphorus, the content of P in the root and shoot for Al + P + P.i group was reportedly higher (71.6% and 49.5%, respectively) as compared to the control group. Moreover, inoculation of P. indica combined with P improved barley leaves' cell arrangement and also maintained normal cell wall shape. The root protemics experiment was divided into three groups: Al, Al + P.i and Al + P + P.i. In total, 28, 598, and 823 differentially expressed proteins were found in Al + P.i vs. Al and Al + P + P.i vs. Al, and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis was the most prominently enriched pathway, which contributed significantly to the recuperating effects of P-P. indica interaction. Conslusively, it was found that the percentage of protein related to peroxidase was 70/359 (Al + P + P.i vs. Al) and 92/447 (Al + P + P.i vs. Al + P.i), respectively, which indicated that P. indica in combination with P might be involved in the regulation of peroxidases, increasing the adaptability of barley plants by enhanced reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging mechansism.

The integrated stress response protects against ER stress but is not required for altered translation and lifespan from dietary restriction in Caenorhabditis elegans.

The highly conserved integrated stress response (ISR) reduces and redirects mRNA translation in response to certain forms of stress and nutrient limitation. It is activated when kinases phosphorylate a key residue in the alpha subunit of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 (eIF2). General Control Nonderepressible-2 (GCN2) is activated to phosphorylate eIF2α by the presence of uncharged tRNA associated with nutrient scarcity, while protein kinase R-like ER kinase-1 (PERK) is activated during the ER unfolded protein response (UPRER). Here, we investigated the role of the ISR during nutrient limitation and ER stress with respect to changes in protein synthesis, translationally driven mRNA turnover, and survival in Caenorhabditis elegans. We found that, while GCN2 phosphorylates eIF2α when nutrients are restricted, the ability to phosphorylate eIF2α is not required for changes in translation, nonsense-mediated decay, or lifespan associated with dietary restriction (DR). Interestingly, loss of both GCN2 and PERK abolishes increased lifespan associated with dietary restriction, indicating the possibility of other substrates for these kinases. The ISR was not dispensable under ER stress conditions, as demonstrated by the requirement for PERK and eIF2α phosphorylation for decreased translation and wild type-like survival. Taken together, results indicate that the ISR is critical for ER stress and that other translation regulatory mechanisms are sufficient for increased lifespan under dietary restriction.

Study on the inhibition mechanism of eucalyptus tannins against Microcystis aeruginosa.

Microcystis aeruginosa is the competitively dominant algal species in eutrophic waters and poses a serious threat to the aquatic ecological environment. To investigate the effects of eucalyptus tannins (TFL) and black water in eucalyptus plantations on M. aeruginosa, this study exposed M. aeruginosa to different concentrations (0 (control), 20, 50, 80, 110, and 140 mg L-1) of tannic acid (TA; hydrolyzed tannins, HT; reagent tannin), epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG; condensed tannins, CT; reagent tannin), eucalyptus tannins (TFL, complex tannin) and mixed TFL + Fe3+ solution (tannin: Fe3+ molar ratio = 1:10). The cell density, chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) content, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, malondialdehyde (MDA) and soluble protein (SP) contents of algae under tannin stress were determined, and the algal cell density treated with under the combination of TFL and Fe3+ was determined. The results showed a reduction in the Chl-a content of algal cells, which inhibited photosynthesis; leading to membrane lipid peroxidation; and the complexation of soluble proteins resulting in blocked protein synthesis were the main mechanisms by which tannins inhibited the growth of M. aeruginosa. TFL achieved the same inhibition of algal cells as the tannin reagent at the same concentration. At 4 d, TFL at 80 mg L-1 and above could achieve more than 54.87 % algal density inhibition. The inhibition rate of 80 mg L-1 and above TFL + Fe3+ on algal density was more than 75 %, indicating that TFL + Fe3+ had a stronger inhibitory effect on algal density. The results may facilitate the resource utilization of eucalyptus harvesting residues, explorations of the potential application of eucalyptus tannins in the control of M. aeruginosa, and provide new ideas for ecological algal inhibition in eucalyptus plantations.

Phage controlling method against novel freshwater-derived Vibrio parahaemolyticus in ready-to-eat crayfish (Procambarus clarkii).

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a halophilic foodborne pathogen majorly isolated from seafood, threatening public health worldwide. However, our recent study reported the presence of this bacterium in freshwater crayfish, which were rarely identified and investigated. Its pathogenicity and genomic features remain unclear, and the controlling method to inhibit this bacterium in ready-to-eat (RTE) crayfish is not developed. Compared with a clinical strain (ATCC17802), the representative strain (LVP1) from freshwater crayfish showed higher pathogenicity in a zebrafish model, indicating its hypervirulence and foodborne infection risk. Unlike most clinical V. parahaemolyticus isolates that carried tdh and (or) trh, two classic virulence factor genes associated with clinical infections, the hypervirulent LVP1 lacked these two genes, indicating it is a novel strain and other unknown virulence factors play key roles in its pathogenicity. Genomic and phylogenetic analyses demonstrated this strain is V. parahaemolyticus, while it is phylogenetically distant from other global isolates. Therefore, LVP1 is considered a novel V. parahaemolyticus strain from freshwater crayfish, being hypervirulent, and lacking virulence marker genes. The antimicrobial resistant genes drfA6 and qnrV1 were unique in LVP1 and absent in other reference V. parahaemolyticus strains. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing confirms it as multidrug resistance, with resistance to ampicillin, amoxicillin/clavulanate, trimethoprim, and colistin. To control this novel and multidrug-resistant V. parahaemolyticus strain in food production chains, we developed a phage cocktail and applied it to the surface of RTE crayfish meat, resulting in a significant decrease in the bacterial load by 2.36 log10 CFU/mL. These data highlight freshwater food products pose threats to public health through 'farm-to-fork' transmission of hypervirulent V. parahaemolyticus and reveal the phage cocktail as a promising method to attenuate this bacterium in RTE food, emphasizing the necessity to prevent food contamination caused by this bacterium from freshwater products.

Recent advancements in wound management: Tailoring superwettable bio-interfaces.

Skin tissue suffering from severe damages fail in self-regeneration. Proper wound dressings are highly demanded to protect the wound region and accelerate the healing process. Although large efforts have been devoted, there still exist disturbing dilemmas for traditional dressings. The exquisite design of bio-interface upon superwettable materials opens new avenues and addresses the problems perfectly. However, the advancements in this area have rarely been combed. In light of this, this minireview attempts to summarize recent strategies of superwettable bio-interfaces for wound care. Concentrating on the management of biofluids (blood and exudate), we described superwettable hemostatic bio-interfaces first, and then introduced the management of exudates. Finally, the perspective of this area was given. This minireview gives a comprehensive outline for readers and is believed to provide references for the design of superwettable materials in biomedical area.

Cellulose nanocrystal/phytic acid reinforced conductive hydrogels for antifreezing and antibacterial wearable sensors.

Common hydrogels containing abundant water are insulating materials and lose stretchability easily below the freezing point of water, holding limited potential in emerging applications such as wearable soft devices. The introduction of compatible biomass-derived materials into hydrogel systems could be a potential solution that simultaneously enables anti-freezing ability, mechanical enhancement, and antibacterial properties. Based on such a hypothesis, here we report the facile development of biocompatible hydrogels that are capable of maintaining satisfying mechanical properties and electrical conductivity well below zero degrees centigrade. The strategy is to reinforce neat polyacrylamide (PAAm) hydrogels with biomass-derived cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) and phytic acid (PA), transforming the originally weak, insulating hydrogels into tough, highly conductive ones. Anti-freezing and antibacterial properties also emerge in the reinforced hydrogels, enabling them to work as efficient wearable sensors below zero degrees centigrade. Considering that numerous polymer hydrogel systems are compatible with CNC and PA, we believe that this simple biomass-based strategy can work universally to enhance and functionalize various weak and insulating hydrogels that are traditionally susceptible to frost and bacteria.