Self-Assembled Peptide with Morphological Structure for Bioapplication.

Peptide materials, such as self-assembled peptide materials, are very important biomaterials. Driven by multiple interaction forces, peptide molecules can self-assemble into a variety of different macroscopic forms with different properties and functions. In recent years, the research on self-assembled peptides has made great progress from laboratory design to clinical application. This review focuses on the different morphologies, including nanoparticles, nanovesicles, nanotubes, nanofibers, and others, formed by self-assembled peptide. The mechanisms and applications of the morphology transformation are also discussed in this paper, and the future direction of self-assembled nanomaterials is envisioned.

The long rod-shaped Sr2 MgSi2 O7 :Eu2+ ,Dy3+ with ultrahigh afterglow performance.

The afterglow properties of long afterglow luminescent materials are greatly affected by their defects, which are distributed on the grain surface. Increasing the exposed surface area is an important method to improve the afterglow performance. In this research, long rod-shaped long afterglow materials Sr2 MgSi2 O7 :Eu2+ ,Dy3+ were prepared using the hydrothermal-coprecipitation method. When the reaction time reached 96 h, the length of the afterglow materials could grow to 2 mm, and the sintering temperature was just 1150°C. The emission spectra of all obtained samples upon excitation at 397 nm had a maximum of 465 nm, which belonged to the representative transition of Eu2+ . The initial brightness was 1.35 cd/m2 . The afterglow time could reach 19 h, giving a good afterglow performance. The research on this kind of material has essential significance in the exploration of luminescence mechanisms and their applications.

Early autoimmunity and outcome in virus encephalitis: a retrospective study based on tissue-based assay.

To explore the autoimmune response and outcome in the central nervous system (CNS) at the onset of viral infection and correlation between autoantibodies and viruses. METHODS: A retrospective observational study was conducted in 121 patients (2016-2021) with a CNS viral infection confirmed via cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) next-generation sequencing (cohort A). Their clinical information was analysed and CSF samples were screened for autoantibodies against monkey cerebellum by tissue-based assay. In situ hybridisation was used to detect Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in brain tissue of 8 patients with glial fibrillar acidic protein (GFAP)-IgG and nasopharyngeal carcinoma tissue of 2 patients with GFAP-IgG as control (cohort B). RESULTS: Among cohort A (male:female=79:42; median age: 42 (14-78) years old), 61 (50.4%) participants had detectable autoantibodies in CSF. Compared with other viruses, EBV increased the odds of having GFAP-IgG (OR 18.22, 95% CI 6.54 to 50.77, p<0.001). In cohort B, EBV was found in the brain tissue from two of eight (25.0%) patients with GFAP-IgG. Autoantibody-positive patients had a higher CSF protein level (median: 1126.00 (281.00-5352.00) vs 700.00 (76.70-2899.00), p<0.001), lower CSF chloride level (mean: 119.80±6.24 vs 122.84±5.26, p=0.005), lower ratios of CSF-glucose/serum-glucose (median: 0.50[0.13-0.94] vs 0.60[0.26-1.23], p=0.003), more meningitis (26/61 (42.6%) vs 12/60 (20.0%), p=0.007) and higher follow-up modified Rankin Scale scores (1 (0-6) vs 0 (0-3), p=0.037) compared with antibody-negative patients. A Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that autoantibody-positive patients experienced significantly worse outcomes (p=0.031). CONCLUSIONS: Autoimmune responses are found at the onset of viral encephalitis. EBV in the CNS increases the risk for autoimmunity to GFAP.

Seasonal Variation of Hypolithic Microbiomes in the Gobi Desert : Seasonal Variation of Hypolithic Microbiomes in the Gobi Desert.

Understanding how microbial communities adapt to environmental stresses is critical for interpreting ecological patterns and microbial diversity. In the case of the Gobi Desert, little is known on the environmental factors that explain hypolithic colonization under quartz stones. By analyzing nine hypolithic communities across an arid gradient and the effects of the season of the year in the Hexi Corridor of this desert, we found a significant decrease in hypolithic colonization rates (from 47.24 to 15.73%) with the increasing drought gradient and found two distinct communities in Hot and Cold samples, which survived or proliferated after a hot or a cold period. While Cold communities showed a greater species diversity and a predominance of Cyanobacteria, Hot communities showed a predominance of members of the Proteobacteria and the Firmicutes. In comparison, Cold communities also possessed stronger functions in the photosynthesis and carbon metabolism. Based on the findings of this study, we proposed that the hypolithic communities of the Hexi Corridor of the Gobi Desert might follow a seasonal developmental cycle in which temperature play an important role. Thus after a critical thermal threshold is crossed, heterotrophic microorganisms predominate in the hot period, while Cyanobacteria predominate in the cold period.

Dietary ferulic acid supplementation improves antioxidant capacity and lipid metabolism in liver of piglets with intrauterine growth retardation.

Intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) can result in early liver oxidative damage and abnormal lipid metabolism in neonatal piglets. Ferulic acid (FA), a phenolic compound widely found in plants, has many biological functions, such as anti-inflammation and anti-oxidation. Thus, we explored the effects of dietary FA supplementation on antioxidant capacity and lipid metabolism in newborn piglets with IUGR. In the study, 24 7-day-old piglets were divided into three groups: normal birth weight (NBW), IUGR, and IUGR + FA. The NBW and IUGR groups were fed formula milk as a basal diet, while the IUGR + FA group was fed a basal diet supplemented with 100 mg/kg FA. The trial lasted 21 days. The results showed that IUGR decreased absolute liver weight, increased transaminase activity, reduced antioxidant capacity, and disrupted lipid metabolism in piglets. Dietary FA supplementation enhanced absolute liver weight, reduced serum MDA level and ROS concentrations in serum and liver, markedly increased serum and liver GSH-PX and T-SOD activities, decreased serum HDL-C and LDL-C and liver NEFA, and increased TG content and HL activity in the liver. The mRNA expression related to the Nrf2-Keap1 signaling pathway and lipid metabolism in liver were affected by IUGR. Supplementing FA improved the antioxidant capacity of liver by down-regulating Keap1 and up-regulating the mRNA expression of SOD1 and CAT, and regulated lipid metabolism by increasing the mRNA expression level of Fasn, Pparα, LPL, and CD36. In conclusion, the study suggests that FA supplementation can improve antioxidant capacity and alleviate lipid metabolism disorders in IUGR piglets.

Secondary Metabolite Analysis of Phomopsis sp. LGT-5 Based on the Dual Guidance of Whole-Genome Sequencing and HPLC-Q-ToF-MS/MS.

Microorganisms produce a wealth of structurally diverse specialized metabolites with a remarkable range of biological activities. The Phomopsis sp. LGT-5 was obtained through tissue block and repeatedly crossed methods from Tripterygium wilfordii Hook. F. The antibacterial experiments of LGT-5 showed that it has high inhibitory activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and moderate inhibitory activity against Candida albicans. To research the generation of the antibacterial phenomenon of LGT-5 and provide support for further research and application, the whole genome sequencing (WGS) of LGT-5 was obtained by single-molecule real-time DNA sequencing platform Pacific Biosciences (PacBio) sequencing and Illumina paired-end sequencing. The final assembled LGT-5 genome is 54.79 Mb with a contig N50 of 290.07 kb; in addition, its secondary metabolites were detected through HPLC-Q-ToF-MS/MS. By comparing its MS/MS data, the secondary metabolites were analyzed based on visual network maps obtained on the Global Natural Products Social Molecular Networking (GNPS). The analysis results showed that the secondary metabolites of LGT-5 were triterpenes and various cyclic dipeptides.

Three new sesquiterpenes from Ixeris sonchifolia.

Two new guaiacene-type sesquiterpenes 13α-dihydroixerin acid, ixerin acid and one new secoguaiacene-type sesquiterpene secoixerin Z, along with four known compounds, were separated from ethanol extract of Ixeris sonchifolia. The structures were determined based on the detailed spectroscopic and physicochemical methods. The cytotoxic activity of the isolates was tested against A549 cells. Among them, compound 3 exhibited potent cytotoxicity against A549 cells with the IC50 of 5.6 ± 0.9 µM.

Evolution of cranial capacity revisited: A view from the late Middle Pleistocene cranium from Xujiayao, China.

The Late Middle Pleistocene hominin fossils from the Xujiayao site in northern China have been closely studied in light of their morphological variability. However, all previous studies have focused on separated cranial fragments. Here, we report the first reconstruction of a fairly complete posterior cranium, Xujiayao 6 (XJY 6), confidently dated to ∼200-160 ka, which facilitated an assessment of its overall cranial size. XJY 6 was reconstructed from three of the original fragments-the PA1486 (No.7/XJY 6a) occipital bone, PA1490 (No.10/XJY 6b) right parietal bone, and PA1498 (No.17/XJY 15) left temporal bone-which originated from the same young adult individual. The XJY 6 endocranial capacity, estimated by measuring endocranial volume, was estimated using multiple regression formulae derived from ectocranial and endocranial measurements on select samples of Pleistocene hominins and recent modern humans. The results indicate that the larger pooled sample of both Pleistocene and recent modern humans was more robust for the endocranial capacity estimate. Based on the pooled sample using the ectocranial and endocranial measurements, we conservatively estimate the XJY 6 endocranial volume to be ∼1700 cm3 with a 95% confidence interval of 1555-1781 cm3. This is close to Xuchang 1, which dates to 125-105 ka and whose endocranial volume is ∼1800 cm3. Thus, XJY 6 provides the earliest evidence of a brain size that falls in the upper range of Neanderthals and modern Homo sapiens. XJY 6, together with Xuchang 1, Homo floresiensis, Homo luzonensis, and Homo naledi, challenge the general pattern that brain size gradually increases over geological time. This study also finds that hominin brain size expansion occurred at different rates across time and space.

Beneficial effects of endoscopic screening on gastric cancer and optimal screening interval: a population-based study.

BACKGROUND : The effectiveness of endoscopic screening on gastric cancer has not been widely investigated in China and the screening interval of repeated screening has not been determined. METHODS : In a population-based prospective study, we included 375,800 individuals, 14,670 of whom underwent endoscopic screening (2012-2018). We assessed the associations between endoscopic screening and risk of incident gastric cancer and gastric cancer-specific mortality, and examined changes in overall survival and disease-specific survival following screening. The optimal screening interval for repeated endoscopy for early detection of gastric cancer was explored. RESULTS : Ever receiving endoscopic screening significantly decreased the risk of invasive gastric cancer (age- and sex-adjusted relative risk [RR] 0.69, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 0.52-0.92) and gastric cancer-specific mortality (RR 0.33, 95 %CI 0.20-0.56), particularly for noncardia gastric cancer. Repeated screening strengthened the beneficial effect on invasive gastric cancer-specific mortality of one-time screening. Among invasive gastric cancers, screening-detected individuals had significantly better overall survival (RR 0.18, 95 %CI 0.13-0.25) and disease-specific survival (RR 0.18, 95 %CI 0.13-0.25) than unscreened individuals, particularly for those receiving repeated endoscopy. For individuals with intestinal metaplasia or low grade intraepithelial neoplasia, repeated endoscopy at an interval of < 2 years, particularly within 1 year, significantly enhanced the detection of early gastric cancer, compared with repeated screening after 2 years (P-trend = 0.02). CONCLUSION : Endoscopic screening prevented gastric cancer occurrence and death, and improved its prognosis in a population-based study. Repeated endoscopy enhanced the effectiveness. Screening interval should be based on gastric lesion severity.

Homo bodoensis and why it matters.

In our original paper, we proposed a new species, Homo bodoensis, to replace the problematical taxa Homo heidelbergensis and Homo rhodesiensis, with the goal of streamlining communication about human evolution in the Chibanian. We received two independent responses. Given their substantial overlap, we provide one combined reply. In this response: (1) we are encouraged that the primary proposal in our paper, to discontinue the use of H. heidelbergensis (as a junior synonym to Homo neanderthalensis) due to its' nomenclatural problems, is acknowledged. (2) we provide additional clarification about the rules governing taxonomic nomenclature as outlined by the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature and join the growing calls for a revision to these rules. (3) we discuss further why H. rhodesiensis should be abandoned, particularly in light of the current sensitivity to using culturally inappropriate names. We conclude that H. bodoensis is a better solution than the proposed alternatives.

Resolving the "muddle in the middle": The case for Homo bodoensis sp. nov.

Recent developments in the field of palaeoanthropology necessitate the suppression of two hominin taxa and the introduction of a new species of hominins to help resolve the current nebulous state of Middle Pleistocene (Chibanian) hominin taxonomy. In particular, the poorly defined and variably understood hominin taxa Homo heidelbergensis (both sensu stricto and sensu lato) and Homo rhodesiensis need to be abandoned as they fail to reflect the full range of hominin variability in the Middle Pleistocene. Instead, we propose: (1) introduction of a new taxon, Homo bodoensis sp. nov., as an early Middle Pleistocene ancestor of the Homo sapiens lineage, with a pan-African distribution that extends into the eastern Mediterranean (Southeast Europe and the Levant); (2) that many of the fossils from Western Europe (e.g. Sima de los Huesos) currently assigned to H. heidelbergensis s.s. be reassigned to Homo neanderthalensis to reflect the early appearance of Neanderthal derived traits in the Middle Pleistocene in the region; and (3) that the Middle Pleistocene Asian fossils, particularly from China, likely represent a different lineage altogether.

TSAd Plays a Major Role in Myo9b-Mediated Suppression of Malignant Pleural Effusion by Regulating TH1/TH17 Cell Response.

Emerging evidence indicates that Myo9b is a cancer metastasis-related protein and functions in a variety of immune-related diseases. However, it is not clear whether and how Myo9b functions in malignant pleural effusion (MPE). In this study, our data showed that Myo9b expression levels correlated with lung cancer pleural metastasis, and nucleated cells in MPE from either patients or mice expressed a lower level of Myo9b than those in the corresponding blood. Myo9b deficiency in cancer cells suppressed MPE development via inhibition of migration. Myo9b deficiency in mice suppressed MPE development by decreasing TH1 cells and increasing TH17 cells. CD4+ naive T cells isolated from Myo9b-/- mouse spleens exhibited less TH1 cell differentiation and more TH17 cell differentiation in vitro. mRNA sequencing of nucleated cells showed that T cell-specific adaptor protein (TSAd) was downregulated in Myo9b-/- mouse MPE, and enrichment of the H3K27me3 mark in the TSAd promoter region was found in the Myo9b-/- group. Naive T cells purified from wild type mouse spleens transfected with TSAd-specific small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) also showed less TH1 cell differentiation and more TH17 cell differentiation than those from the siRNA control group. Furthermore, downregulation of TSAd in mice using cholesterol-conjugated TSAd-specific siRNA suppressed MPE development, decreased TH1 cells, and increased TH17 cells in MPE in vivo. Taken together, Myo9b deficiency suppresses MPE development not only by suppressing pleural cancer metastasis but also by regulating TH1/TH17 cell response via a TSAd-dependent pathway. This work suggests Myo9b and TSAd as novel candidates for future basic and clinical investigations of cancer.

Classification of diterpenoid alkaloids from Aconitum kusnezoffii Reichb. by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry-based on molecular networking.

Trace amounts of components in traditional Chinese medicine are considered pharmacological active substances used for treating many serious diseases. However, purifying all the trace substances and making clear their structures are not easy. In this context, high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry based molecular networking was applied to investigate the chemical constituents of the roots of Aconitum kusnezoffii Reichb., which led to the identification of 33 nodes in different groups (N1-N33). Based on the excremental fragmentation pathway of known diterpenoid alkaloids (1-9) and comparisons of characteristic ions and characteristic loss of analogs in literature, the structures of unknown ions were deduced. This work lays a foundation for the evaluation of the clinical basis and mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine from the aspects of chemistry. In this paper, the method speculation of unknown natural products by means of molecular network method is expected to be applied in the discovery and change law of relevant active components in clinical pharmacology and the change of complex systems caused by trace active compounds.

Archaic human remains from Hualongdong, China, and Middle Pleistocene human continuity and variation.

Middle to Late Pleistocene human evolution in East Asia has remained controversial regarding the extent of morphological continuity through archaic humans and to modern humans. Newly found ∼300,000-y-old human remains from Hualongdong (HLD), China, including a largely complete skull (HLD 6), share East Asian Middle Pleistocene (MPl) human traits of a low vault with a frontal keel (but no parietal sagittal keel or angular torus), a low and wide nasal aperture, a pronounced supraorbital torus (especially medially), a nonlevel nasal floor, and small or absent third molars. It lacks a malar incisure but has a large superior medial pterygoid tubercle. HLD 6 also exhibits a relatively flat superior face, a more vertical mandibular symphysis, a pronounced mental trigone, and simple occlusal morphology, foreshadowing modern human morphology. The HLD human fossils thus variably resemble other later MPl East Asian remains, but add to the overall variation in the sample. Their configurations, with those of other Middle and early Late Pleistocene East Asian remains, support archaic human regional continuity and provide a background to the subsequent archaic-to-modern human transition in the region.

The effect of emotional uncertainty on attentional bias toward neutral infant faces in adults.

Recent studies have found that adults have stronger attentional bias toward neutral infant faces than emotional (positive or negative) infant faces. This phenomenon may derive from uncertainty over neutral expressions. To test this hypothesis, we recruited 176 participants to examine the relationship between their attentional bias toward neutral infant faces (with neutral adult faces as a comparison baseline) and their level of certainty in their appraisal of emotional valence through eye-tracking indices. The results showed that participants had a longer dwell time and higher fixation counts for infant faces than for adult faces and that a more uncertain appraisal of facial expressions positively predicted attentional bias toward neutral infant faces. Therefore, this study preliminarily demonstrates that emotional uncertainty heightens adults' attentional bias toward infant faces with neutral expressions.

Is Helicobacter pylori colonization associated with chronic tonsillitis? - A meta-analysis and systematic review.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between Helicobacter pylori colonization of tonsillar tissue in chronic tonsillitis and in noninfectious hyperplastic tonsils. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All included studies investigated the presence of Helicobacter pylori in tonsillar tissue removed for infectious or noninfectious factors. Included studies must have used an accepted method of testing for Helicobacter pylori. We pooled six eligible studies to perform a traditional meta-analysis. RESULTS: Six studies were included, including 462 patients. Helicobacter pylori does have a significant role in chronic tonsillitis compared with noninfectious indications for tonsillectomy for children population. Detection methods had effects on results. CONCLUSION: The positive rate of Helicobacter pylori in chronic tonsillitis group was significantly higher than that in simple noninfectious group for the pediatric population, but not for adults. We suspected that chronic tonsillitis is likely to be relevant to Helicobacter pylori.

Piezo-Photocatalytic Synergy in BiFeO3 @COF Z-Scheme Heterostructures for High-Efficiency Overall Water Splitting.

Solar-driven overall water splitting is an ideal way to generate renewable energy while still challenging. For the first time, this work combined covalent organic frameworks (COFs) and piezoelectric material by covalent linkages to form Z-scheme core@shell heterostructure for overall water splitting. Benefiting from the synergistic effect between the polarized electric field and photo-generated charges, as well as the precise adjustment of shell thickness, the carrier separation and utilization efficiency is greatly improved. The optimal BiFeO3 @TpPa-1-COF photocatalyst revealed hydrogen (H2 ) and oxygen (O2 ) production rates of 1416.4 and 708.2 µmol h-1 g-1 under the excitation of ultrasonication coupled with light irradiation, which is the best performance among various piezo- and COF-based photocatalysts. This provides a new sight for the practical application of highly efficient photocatalytic overall water splitting.

In Situ Constructed Nano-Drug Depots through Intracellular Hydrolytic Condensation for Chemotherapy of Bladder Cancer.

Intravesical administration of first-line drugs has shown failure in the treatment of bladder cancer owing to the poor tumor retention time of chemotherapeutics. Herein, we report an intracellular hydrolytic condensation (IHC) system to construct long-term retentive nano-drug depots in situ, wherein sustained drug release results in highly efficient suppression of bladder cancer. Briefly, the designed doxorubicin (Dox)-silane conjugates self-assemble into silane-based prodrug nanoparticles, which condense into silicon particle-based nano-drug depots inside tumor cells. Significantly, we demonstrate that the IHC system possesses highly potent antitumor efficacy, which leads to the regression and eradication of large established tumors and simultaneously extends the overall survival of air pouch bladder cancer mice compared with that of mice treated with Dox. The concept of intracellular hydrolytic condensation can be extended via conjugating other chemotherapeutic drugs, which may facilitate rational design of novel nanomedicines for augmentation of chemotherapy.

IL-10 promotes malignant pleural effusion by regulating TH 1 response via an miR-7116-5p/GPR55/ERK pathway in mice.

IL-10, produced by a wide variety of cells, is a highly pleiotropic cytokine that plays a critical role in the control of immune responses. However, its regulatory activity in tumor immunity remains poorly understood. In this study, we report that IL-10 deficiency robustly suppressed the formation of malignant pleural effusion (MPE) and significantly enhanced miR-7116-5p expression in pleural CD4+ T cells. We demonstrated that miR-7116-5p suppressed IL-10-mediated MPE formation by inhibiting pleural vascular permeability as well as tumor angiogenesis and tumor growth. IL-10 promoted MPE formation by suppressing miR-7116-5p that enhances TH 1 response. We identified G protein-coupled receptor 55 (GPR55) as a potential target of miR-7116-5p, and miR-7116-5p promoted TH 1 cell function by downregulating GPR55. Moreover, GPR55 promoted MPE formation by inhibiting TH 1 cell expansion through the ERK phosphorylation pathway. These results uncover an IL-10-mediated pathway controlling TH 1 cells and demonstrate a central role for miR-7116-5p/GPR55/ERK signaling in the physiological regulation of IL-10-driven pro-malignant responses.

Food emulsifier polysorbate 80 promotes the intestinal absorption of mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate by disturbing intestinal barrier.

Di-2-ethylhexyl phosphate (DEHP) and its main toxic metabolite mono-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (MEHP) are the typical endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and widely affect human health. Our previous research reported that synthetic nonionic dietary emulsifier polysorbate 80 (P80, E433) had the promotional effect on the oral absorption of DEHP in rats. The aim of this study was to explore its mechanism of promoting oral absorption, focusing on the mucus barrier and mucosal barrier of the small intestine. A small molecule fluorescent probe 5-aminofluorescein-MEHP (MEHP-AF) was used as a tracker of MEHP in vivo and in vitro. First of all, we verified that P80 promoted the bioavailability of MEHP-AF in the long-term and low-dose exposure of MEHP-AF with P80 as a result of increasing the intestinal absorption of MEHP-AF. Afterwards, experimental results from Western blot, qPCR, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence showed that P80 decreased the expression of proteins (mucus protein mucin-2, tight junction proteins claudin-1 and occludin) related to mucus barrier and mucosal barrier in the intestine, changed the integrity of intestinal epithelial cell, and increased the permeability of intestinal epithelial mucosa. These results indicated that P80 promoted the oral absorption of MEHP-AF by altering the intestinal mucus barrier and mucosal barrier. These findings are of great importance for assessing the safety risks of some food emulsifiers and clarifying the absorption mechanism of chemical pollutants in food, especially for EDCs.