Mussel-Inspired Polymer-Based Coating Technology for Antifouling and Antibacterial Properties.

Zwitterionic coatings provide a promising antifouling strategy against biofouling adhesion. Quaternary ammonium cationic polymers can effectively kill bacteria on the surface, owing to their positive charges. This strategy can avoid the release of toxic biocides, which is highly desirable for constructing coatings for biomedical devices. The present work aims to develop a facile method by covalently grafting zwitterionic and cationic copolymers containing aldehydes to the remaining amine groups of self-polymerized dopamine. Reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization was used to copolymerize either zwitterionic 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine monomer (MPC) or cationic 2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl trimethylammonium monomer (META) with 4-formyl phenyl methacrylate monomer (FPMA), and the formed copolymers poly(MPC-st-FPMA) and poly(META-st-FPMA) are denoted as MPF and MTF, respectively. MPF and MTF copolymers were then covalently grafted onto the amino groups of polydopamine-coated surfaces. PDA/MPF/MTF-coated surfaces exhibited antibacterial and antifouling properties against S. aureus, E. coli, and bovine serum albumin protein. In addition, they showed excellent viability of normal human lung fibroblast cells MRC-5. We expect the facile surface modification strategy discussed here to be applicable to medical device manufacturing.

Tannic Acid-Based Coatings Containing Zwitterionic Copolymers for Improved Antifouling and Antibacterial Properties.

The prevention of biofilm formation on medical devices has become highly challenging in recent years due to its resistance to bactericidal agents and antibiotics, ultimately resulting in chronic infections to medical devices. Therefore, developing inexpensive, biocompatible, and covalently bonded coatings to combat biofilm formation is in high demand. Herein, we report a coating fabricated from tannic acid (TA) as an adhesive and a reducing agent to graft the zwitterionic polymer covalently in a one-step method. Subsequently, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are generated in situ to develop a coating with antifouling and antibacterial properties. To enhance the antifouling property and biocompatibility of the coating, the bioinspired zwitterionic 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) was copolymerized with 2-aminoethyl methacrylamide hydrochloride (AEMA) using conventional free-radical polymerization. AEMA moieties containing amino groups were used to facilitate the conjugation of the copolymer with quinone groups on TA through the Michael addition reaction. Three copolymers with different ratios of monomers were synthesized to understand their impacts on fouling resistance: PMPC100, p(MPC80-st-AEMA20), and p(MPC90-st-AEMA10). To impart antibacterial properties to the surface, AgNPs were formed in situ, utilizing the unreacted quinone groups on TA, which can reduce the silver ions. The successful coating of TA and copolymer onto the surfaces was confirmed by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, and its excellent wettability was verified by the water contact angle (CA). Furthermore, the functionalized coatings showed antibacterial properties against E. coli and S. aureus and remarkably decreased the adhesion of the BSA protein. The surfaces can also prevent the adhesion of bacteria cells, as confirmed by the inhibition zone test. In addition, they showed negligible cytotoxicity to normal human lung fibroblast cells (MRC-5). The as-prepared coatings are potentially valuable for biomedical applications.

Preoperative parent education and postoperative nurse-led care for boys versus routine hospital care for urethroplasty for hypospadias in Western China: a retrospective study.

Background/aim: Urethroplasty is the preferred treatment for hypospadias but is affected by the severity of anomalies, making it a complex procedure with potential postoperative complications. Following surgery, parents receive instructions and recommendations, whether from nurses or physicians, regardless of complication rates. However, nurses play a crucial role in educating caregivers before surgery and providing postoperative care during follow-up. The study aims to assess parents' knowledge and practices, as well as the frequency of complications in boys who underwent urethroplasty for hypospadias and received postoperative nurse-led care and whose parents received preoperative education against those of boys who underwent urethroplasty under routine hospital care. Materials and methods: In this retrospective study, Han Chinese boys aged 21-41 months in Western China who underwent urethroplasty for hypospadias were divided into two groups: the NI cohort (n = 103), where they received postoperative nurse-led care and their parents received preoperative education, and the RH cohort (n = 142), where boys underwent routine hospital care. Results: After urethroplasty, higher numbers of caregivers with satisfactory knowledge (96 (93%) vs. 80 (56%), p < 0.0001) and practice (102 (99%) vs. 132 (93%), p = 0.0276) were reported in the NI cohort compared to the RH cohort. Additionally, a higher number of boys in the RH cohort experienced adverse effects such as moderate bleeding (13 (9%) vs. 1 (1%), p = 0.0052), wound infection (17 (12%) vs. 4 (4%), p = 0.0356), urinary obstruction (35 (25%) vs. 10 (10%), p = 0.0049), burning sensation (47 (33%) vs. 15 (15%), p = 0.0019), and urinary stent fall (32 (23%) vs. 6 (6%), p = 0.0008) compared to those in the NI cohort. Conclusion: Preoperative instructions enhance caregivers' knowledge and practices following urethroplasty, while postoperative nurse-led care reduces immediate postoperative complications associated with hypospadias in boys.

Relationship between magnetic resonance imaging findings and prognosis of intracranial tuberculosis.

BACKGROUND: Intracranial tuberculosis (TB) is an intracranial infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), in particular enhanced MRI scan, has the ability to detect characteristic lesions of tuberculous meningitis or cerebral parenchymal TB. PURPOSE: To analyze the relationship between MRI findings and prognosis of patients with intracranial TB. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this retrospective study, a total of 60 patients were confirmed with intracranial TB in the hospital from May 2019 to December 2020. All enrolled patients underwent TB-related laboratory examinations, cranial MRI, and contrast-enhanced MRI. Laboratory tests were analyzed and the relationship between clinical prognosis and cranial MRI features was evaluated. RESULTS: Of the 60 patients, 28 (46.67%) had disseminated TB complications, 20 (36.67%) had secondary TB complications, and the remaining 10 (16.66%) had lymphatic TB or spinal TB complications. Of the patients, 25 had good short-term prognosis and 35 had poor short-term prognosis; 44 patients had good long-term prognosis and 16 had poor long-term prognosis. The incidence of cerebral parenchymal tuberculomas on enhanced MRI was significantly higher in the group with good prognosis compared to that in the group with poor prognosis (P < 0.05). Logistic analysis suggested that hydrocephalus (odds ratio [OR] = 0.057, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.003-0.444; P = 0.018) and cistern involvement (OR = 0.100, 95% CI = 0.011-0.581; P = 0.017) were independent risk factors for poor short-term prognosis. CONCLUSION: MRI can display the pathological changes of intracranial TB in detail; hydrocephalus and cistern involvement were independent risk factors for poor short-term prognosis.

Probing Hydrophobic Interactions between Polymer Surfaces and Air Bubbles or Oil Droplets: Effects of Molecular Weight and Surfactants.

Hydrophobic interaction plays an important role in numerous interfacial phenomena and biophysical and industrial processes. In this work, polystyrene (PS) was used as a model hydrophobic polymer for investigating its hydrophobic interaction with highly deformable objects (i.e., air bubbles and oil droplets) in aqueous solutions. The effects of polymer molecular weight, solvent (i.e., addition of ethanol to water), the presence of surface-active species, and hydrodynamic conditions were investigated, via direct surface force measurements using the bubble/drop probe atomic force microscopy (AFM) technique and theoretical calculations based on the Reynolds lubrication theory and augmented Young-Laplace equation by including the effect of disjoining pressure. It was found that the PS of low molecular weight (i.e., PS590 and PS810) showed slightly weaker hydrophobic interactions with air bubbles or oil droplets, as compared to glassy PS of higher molecular weight (i.e., PS1110, PS2330, PS46300, and PS1M). The hydrophobic interaction between PS and air bubbles in a 1 M NaCl aqueous solution with 10 vol % ethanol was weaker than that in the bare aqueous solution. Such effects on the hydrophobic interactions are possibly achieved by influencing the structuring/ordering of water molecules close to the hydrophobic polymer surfaces by tuning the surface chain mobility and surface roughness of polymers. It was found that the addition of three surface-active species, i.e., cetyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC), Pluronic F-127, and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), to the aqueous media could suppress the attachment of the hydrophobic polymer and air bubbles or oil droplets, most likely caused by the additional steric repulsion due to the adsorbed surface-active species at the bubble/polymer/oil interfaces. Our results have improved the fundamental understanding of the interaction mechanisms between hydrophobic polymers and gas bubbles or oil droplets, with useful implications on developing effective methods for modulating the related interfacial interactions in many engineering applications.

Buckling Effect of Sole Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework-8 Nanoparticles Adsorbed at the Water/Oil Interface.

The buckling phenomenon of sole zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) particles adsorbed at the water/oil interface was systematically studied. The droplet of ZIF-8 water dispersion was pended in oil for a certain time period and manually extracted to decrease the volume. With the reduction of interfacial area, the ZIF-8 particles were jammed together to form a wrinkling solid film at the water/oil interface, which could withstand the extraction of the droplet and be regenerated. The size and concentration of the particles affected the assembly kinetics. The rapidest assembly was observed for the medium-sized ZIF-8 particles (m-ZIF-8) among the three sizes tested (1.81 µm, 258 nm, and 51 nm). The droplet of 0.91 wt % m-ZIF-8 reached a nearly full surface coverage in 13 min, faster than those with the lower concentration of 0.46 or 0.28 wt %. The pH of the solution, ranging between 6 and 10.7, affected both the assembly kinetics and film stability. Cryo-scanning electron microscopy images of frozen m-ZIF-8-stabilized Picking emulsions showed a monolayer of ZIF-8 wetted by both oil and water phases. The observed buckling effect could be attributed to the stable adsorption of ZIF-8 at the water/oil interface and the interparticle interactions, related to the unique surface chemistry and polyhedral shape of the ZIF-8 crystals. This work provided some understanding on the interfacial property of ZIF-8 and the mechanism of sole ZIF-8-stabilized Pickering emulsions.

Impact of linolenic acid on oxidative stability of rapeseed oils.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of linolenic acid (LA) on oxidation stability of rapeseed oils. Four kinds of rapeseed were harvested by unified cultivation and management in the same geographical conditions, and then four rapeseed oils with different contents of LA were obtained. The effects of linolenic acid and antioxidants (tocopherols and phytosterols) on oxidation stability of rapeseed oils were evaluated. Results showed that rapeseed oil with 5.9% LA was the most stable among four rapeseed oils, followed by commercial rapeseed oil, rapeseed oil with 8.4% LA and rapeseed oil with 10.8% LA. The oxidation stability was negatively correlated with the contents of LA (r = - 0.931, p < 0.01), the polyunsaturated fatty acids (r = - 0.932, p < 0.01), and unsaturated fatty acids (r = - 0.766, p < 0.05). It had no correlation with tocopherols and phytosterols (p > 0.05). In addition, according to the European Union Standards, shelf-life of four rapeseed oils was longer than 30 days in the shelf-life test. Therefore, increasing the LA content in rapeseed oils can be considered as an efficient approach to solve the problem of insufficient LA intake globally.

OsPRX2 contributes to stomatal closure and improves potassium deficiency tolerance in rice.

Peroxiredoxins (Prxs) which are thiol-based peroxidases have been implicated in the toxic reduction and intracellular concentration regulation of hydrogen peroxide. In Arabidopsis thaliana At2-CysPrxB (At5g06290) has been demonstrated to be essential in maintaining the water-water cycle for proper H2O2 scavenging. Although the mechanisms of 2-Cys Prxs have been extensively studied in Arabidopsis thaliana, the function of 2-Cys Prxs in rice is unclear. In this study, a rice homologue gene of At2-CysPrxB, OsPRX2 was investigated aiming to characterize the effect of 2-Cys Prxs on the K+-deficiency tolerance in rice. We found that OsPRX2 was localized in the chloroplast. Overexpressed OsPRX2 causes the stomatal closing and K+-deficiency tolerance increasing, while knockout of OsPRX2 lead to serious defects in leaves phenotype and the stomatal opening under the K+-deficiency tolerance. Detection of K+ accumulation, antioxidant activity of transgenic plants under the starvation of potassium, further confirmed that OsPRX2 is a potential target for engineering plants with improved potassium deficiency tolerance.

The therapy with ethosomes containing 5-fluorouracil for laryngotracheal stenosis in rabbit models.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of ethosomes encapsulated with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in treatment of laryngotracheal stenosis in rabbit models. The 5-FU ethosome was prepared by the thin film hydration method, and the amorphous, size distribution and the encapsulation efficiency was investigated. The tracheal mucosa were scraped about 0.5 cm with a nylon brush to induce the scar in airway grow, then models were divided into three groups: 5-FU ethosome group, 5-FU group and saline group, drug were injected into scar of every group by paracentesis guided under endoscope, respectively. The stenosis states were observed under laryngo fiberscope immediate, 7, 14 and 21 days after administrated. Airway stenosis of 5-FU ethosome group has no significant difference when compared with 5-FU group at 7 days after administration, but 5-FU ethosome significantly reduced the airway stenosis after 21-day administration when compared with 5-FU group again and has no restenosis during the period under observation. The fact that ethosomes encapsulated with 5-FU were effective for laryngotracheal stenosis suggests that it has potential as a new method for ameliorating airway stenosis originating from granulation tissue.

A Novel Therapy for Laryngotracheal Stenosis: Treatment With Ethosomes Containing 5-Fluorouracil.

PURPOSE: The purpose of our article was to explore the effect of ethosomes containing 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) with different sizes on laryngotracheal stenosis treatment. METHODS: The physical characteristics of ethosomes containing 5-FU were investigated, including size, shape, and entrapment percentage. The effect of ethosomes containing 5-FU was evaluated on the airway stenosis rabbit model. The formation of fibrous/scar tissue was investigated by hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining, and the permeation depth was observed under fluorescence microscope. RESULTS: The mean sizes of 5-FU ethosomes extruded by D=50 nm and D=100 nm pore were 60±10 nm and 110±13 nm, respectively. The 5-FU entrapment percentage of ethosomes was determined to be 15% (D=60±10 nm) and 32% (D=110±13 nm). After being treated by ethosomes containing 5-FU (D=60±10 nm), the fibroblast and collagenous fiber distributed sparsely in the deep scar tissue. The permeation capability of ethosomes containing 5-FU (D=60 nm) was significantly better than ethosomes (D=110 nm). Besides, the 5-FU ethosomes resulted in less stenosis than 5-FU only. CONCLUSIONS: Topical administration of 5-FU ethosomes may be a novel candidate therapy for laryngotracheal stenosis treatment.

Enhanced in vivo delivery of 5-fluorouracil by ethosomal gels in rabbit ear hypertrophic scar model.

Applying Ethosomal Gels (EGs) in transdermal drug delivery systems has evoked considerable interest because of their good water-solubility and biocompatibility. However, there has not been an explicit description of applying EGs as a vehicle for hypertrophic scars treatment. Here, a novel transdermal EGs loaded with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU EGs) was successfully prepared and characterized. The stability assay in vitro revealed that 5-FU EGs stored for a period of 30 days at 4 ± 1 °C had a better size stability than that at 25 ± 1 °C. Furthermore, using confocal laser scanning microscopy, EGs labeled with Rhodamine 6 G penetrated into the deep dermis of the hypertrophic scar within 24 h in the rabbit ear hypertrophic model suggested that the EGs were an optional delivery carrier through scar tissues. In addition, the value of the Scar Elevation Index (SEI) of 5-FU EGs group in the rabbit ear scar model was lower than that of 5-FU Phosphate Buffered Saline gel and Control groups. To conclude, these results suggest that EGs delivery system loaded 5-fluorouracil is a perfect candidate drug for hypertrophic scars therapy in future.

Novel nitrogen-rich hydrogel adsorbent for selective extraction of rare earth elements from wastewater.

Efficient recovery of rare earth elements (REEs) from wastewater is crucial for advancing resource utilization and environmental protection. Herein, a novel nitrogen-rich hydrogel adsorbent (PEI-ALG@KLN) was synthesized by modifying coated kaolinite-alginate composite hydrogels with polyethylenimine through polyelectrolyte interactions and Schiff's base reaction. Various characterizations revealed that the high selective adsorption capacity of Ho (155 mg/g) and Nd (125 mg/g) on PEI-ALG@KLN is due to a combination of REEs (Lewis acids) via coordination interactions with nitrogen-containing functional groups (Lewis bases) and electrostatic interactions; its adsorption capacity remains more than 85 % after five adsorption-desorption cycles. In waste NdFeB magnet hydrometallurgical wastewater, the recovery rate of PEI-ALG@KLN for Nd and Dy can reach more than 93 %, whereas that of Fe is only 5.04 %. Machine learning prediction was used to evaluate adsorbent properties via different predictive models, with the random forest (RF) model showing superior predictive accuracy. The order of significance for adsorption capacity was pH > time > initial concentration > electronegativity > ion radius, as indicated by the RF model feature importance analysis and SHapley Additive exPlanations values. These results confirm that PEI-ALG@KLN has considerable potential in the selective extraction of REEs from wastewater.

Molecular interaction mechanism for humic acids fouling resistance on charged, zwitterion-like and zwitterionic surfaces.

Humic acids (HA) are ubiquitous in surface waters, leading to significant fouling challenges. While zwitterion-like and zwitterionic surfaces have emerged as promising candidates for antifouling, a quantitative understanding of molecular interaction mechanism, particularly at the nanoscale, still remains elusive. In this work, the intermolecular forces between HA and charged, zwitterion-like or zwitterionic monolayers in aqueous environments were quantified using atomic force microscope. Compared to cationic MTAC ([2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl]trimethylammonium chloride), which exhibited an adhesion energy of âˆ¼1.342 mJ/m2 with HA due to the synergistic effect of electrostatic attraction and possible cation-π interaction, anionic SPMA (3-sulfopropyl methacrylate) showed a weaker adhesion energy (∼0.258 mJ/m2) attributed to the electrostatic repulsion. Zwitterion-like MTAC/SPMA mixture, driven by electrostatic attraction between opposite charges, formed a hydration layer that prevented the interaction with HA, thereby considerably reducing adhesion energy to âˆ¼0.123 mJ/m2. In contrast, zwitterionic MPC (2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine) and DMAPS ([2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl]dimethyl-(3-sulfopropyl) ammonium hydroxide) displayed ultralow adhesion energy (0.06-0.07 mJ/m2) with HA, arising from their strong dipole moments which could induce a tight hydration layer that effectively inhibited HA fouling. The pH-mediated electrostatic interaction resulted in the increased adhesion energy for MTAC but decreased adhesion energy for SPMA with elevated pH, while the adhesion energy for zwitterion-like and zwitterionic surfaces was independent of environmental pH. Density functional theory (DFT) simulation confirmed the strong binding capability of MPC and DMAPS with water molecules (∼-12 kcal mol-1). This work provides valuable insights into the molecular interaction mechanisms underlying humic-substance-fouling resistance of charged, zwitterion-like and zwitterionic materials at the nanoscale, shedding light on developing more effective strategy for HA antifouling in water treatment.

Probing the interfacial behaviors of interfacially active and non-active asphaltenes and their impact on emulsion stability.

HYPOTHESIS: Asphaltenes subfractions with distinct interfacial behaviors may play different roles in stabilizing oil-water emulsions. EXPERIMENTS: In this work, whole asphaltenes were separated into interfacially active asphaltenes (IAA) and interfacially non-active asphaltenes (INAA). Employing advanced nanomechanical techniques, we have explored the compositions, morphologies, sizes, adsorption, and interfacial behaviors of IAA and INAA. FINDINGS: IAA exhibits a high and unevenly distributed oxygen content, distinguishing it from INAA. In toluene, the diameters of IAA and INAA are about 60 nm and 6 nm, respectively. When adsorbed irreversibly on mica surfaces, the thickness of the IAA and INAA film was measured at âˆ¼5.5 nm or 1 nm, respectively; while in a toluene solution, the film thickness reached âˆ¼46 nm and 3.1 nm for IAA and INAA, respectively. IAA demonstrates superior interfacial activity, and elastic/viscous moduli compared to INAA at the water-toluene interface. Quantified surface force measurements reveal that IAA stabilizes water droplets in toluene at a concentration of only 10 mg/L, while INAA requires a higher concentration of 100 mg/L. This work provides the first comprehensive investigation into the adsorption and interfacial behaviors of asphaltene subfractions and provides useful insights into the asphaltenes-stabilization mechanism of emulsions.

Novel polymer nanoparticles with core-shell structure for breaking asphaltenes-stabilized W/O and O/W emulsions.

HYPOTHESIS: The removal of stable water-in-oil (W/O) or oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions has been a challenging issue in chemical and oil industry for decades. Traditional demulsifiers were generally designed specifically for treating either W/O or O/W emulsions. A demulsifier that is effective for treating both types of emulsions will be highly desired. EXPERIMENTS: Novel polymer nanoparticles (PBM@PDM) was synthesized as a demulsifier for treating both W/O and O/W emulsions prepared by toluene, water, and asphaltenes. The morphology and chemical composition of synthesized PBM@PDM were characterized. Demulsification performance and interaction mechanisms including interfacial tension, interfacial pressure, surface charge properties and surface forces were systematically studied. FINDINGS: PBM@PDM could immediately prompt the coalescence of water droplets upon addition and effectively release the water in asphaltenes-stabilized W/O emulsion. In addition, PBM@PDM successfully destabilized asphaltenes-stabilized O/W emulsion. Not only could PBM@PDM substitute the asphaltenes adsorbed at the water-toluene interface, but they could also dominate the water-toluene interfacial pressure in competition with asphaltenes. The steric repulsion between interfacial asphaltene films could be suppressed in the presence of PBM@PDM. Surface charges significantly influenced the stability of asphaltenes-stabilized O/W emulsion. This work provides useful insights into the interaction mechanisms of asphaltene-stabilized W/O and O/W emulsions.

Facile separation and regeneration of LiFePO4 from spent lithium-ion batteries via effective pyrolysis and flotation: An economical and eco-friendly approach.

The facile recycling of spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) has attracted much attention because of its great significance to the environmental protection and resource utilization. Hydrometallurgical process is the most common method for recycling spent LIBs, but it is difficult to economically recover spent LiFePO4 batteries, because of the complicated metal separation process and low added value of its products. Herein, a novel and facile approach has been developed to achieve the direct regeneration of LiFePO4 from spent LIBs. By employing a flotation process after effective pyrolysis, it is found that 91.57% of LiFePO4 can be recovered from spent LIBs. Different surface hydrophobicity of cathode and anode active materials could be achieved via the selective adsorption of causticized soluble starch on the surfaces of spent LiFePO4, which effectively enhances the separation performance in flotation process. The recovered LiFePO4 barely contains metal impurities, which can be directly regenerated as new LiFePO4 materials with the first discharge capacity of 161.37 mAh/g, and their capacity retention is as high as 97.53% after 100 cycles at 0.2C. A technology assessment and economic evaluation indicate the developed regeneration approach of LiFePO4 is environmentally and economically feasible, which avoids the complex element separation process and achieves the facile recycling of spent LiFePO4.

Ginsenoside Rg1 Inhibits STAT3 Expression by miR-15b-5p to Attenuate Lung Injury in Mice with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus-Associated Pulmonary Tuberculosis.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has been regarded as a critical risk factor for pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). Ginsenoside Rg1 has been identified as a potential therapeutic agent for T2DM by suppressing the inflammatory response. However, the effect of Rg1 on T2DM-associated PTB has not been reported. In this study, we aimed to explore the function of Rg1 in the regulation of T2DM-associated PTB. We established a T2DM-associated PTB mouse model and found that the fibrosis of lung tissues was inhibited by Rg1 in T2DM-associated PTB mice. The lung injury of T2DM-associated PTB mice was repressed by Rg1. Moreover, the levels of IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1ß in the lung tissues and serum were decreased by Rg1 in T2DM-associated PTB mice. The treatment with Rg1 inhibited the levels of free fatty acid and enhanced the expression of miR-15b-5p in lung tissues of T2DM-associated PTB mice. MiR-15b-5p targeted and inhibited the STAT3 expression. The expression of STAT3 was downregulated by Rg1, while the inhibition of miR-15b-5p reversed the downregulation. The expression of miR-15b-5p was reduced, but the expression of STAT3 was upregulated in the lung tissues of T2DM-associated PTB mice. We validated that miR-15b-5p attenuated inflammation and lung injury in the T2DM-associated PTB mouse model. The overexpression of STAT3 or the suppression of miR-15b-5p restored lung fibrosis and injury inhibited by Rg1 in T2DM-associated PTB mice. Meanwhile, the Rg1-repressed levels of IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1ß were enhanced by the overexpression of STAT3 or the suppression of miR-15b-5p. In addition, the levels of free fatty acid repressed by Rg1 were reversed by STAT3 overexpression and miR-15b-5p inhibition. Thus, we conclude that ginsenoside Rg1 inhibits the STAT3 expression by miR-15b-5p to attenuate lung injury in mice with type 2 diabetes mellitus-associated pulmonary tuberculosis.

Prevalence of Extended-Spectrum ß-Lactamase-Resistant Genes in Escherichia coli Isolates from Central China during 2016-2019.

The emergence and dissemination of Escherichia coli (E. coli) strains that produce extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) represents a major public health threat. The present study was designed to evaluate the prevalence and characteristics of ESBL-producing Escherichia coli isolates from chickens in central China during 2016-2019. A total of 407 E. coli strains isolated from 581 chicken swabs were identified conventionally and analyzed for various cephalosporin susceptibility by disk-diffusion assay. ESBL-producing strains were screened using the double=disk synergy test and ESBL-encoding genes were carried out by PCR/sequencing. A total of 402 E. coli isolates exhibited strong resistance to first- to fourth-generation cephalosporins and monobactam antibiotics, especially cefazolin (60.69%), cefuroxime (54.05%), cefepime (35.14%), ceftriaxone (54.30%), and aztreonam (40.29%). Piperacillin/tazobactam (1.72%) was the most effective drug against the strains, but the resistance rates increased each year. Among the isolates, 262 were identified as ESBL producers and the isolation rates for the ESBL producers increased from 63.37% to 67.35% over the four years. CTX-M (97.33%) was the most prevalent type, followed by TEM (76.72%) and SHV (3.05%). The most common ESBL genotype combination was blaTEM + blaCTX-M (74.46%), in which the frequency of carriers increased steadily, followed by blaCTX-M + blaSHV (3.05%). In addition, the most predominant specific CTX-M subtypes were CTX-M-55 (48.47%) and CTX-M-1 (17.94%), followed by CTX-M-14 (11.01%), CTX-M-15 (8.02%), CTX-M-9 (6.11%), CTX-M-65 (4.58%), and CTX-M-3 (1.15%). Moreover, a novel multiplex qPCR assay was developed to detect blaCTX-M, blaTEM, and blaSHV, with limits of detection of 2.06 × 101 copies/µL, 1.10 × 101 copies/µL, and 1.86 × 101 copies/µL, respectively, and no cross-reactivity with other ESBL genes and avian pathogens. The assays exhibited 100% sensitivity and specificities of 85%, 100%, and 100% for blaCTX-M, blaTEM, and blaSHV, respectively. In conclusion, our findings indicated that ESBL-producing E.coli strains isolated from chickens in central China were highly resistant to cephalosporins and frequently harbored diversity in ESBL-encoding genes. These isolates can pose a significant public health risk. The novel multiplex qPCR method developed in this study may be a useful tool for molecular epidemiology and surveillance studies of ESBL genes.

SDR7-6, a short-chain alcohol dehydrogenase/reductase family protein, regulates light-dependent cell death and defence responses in rice.

Lesion mimic mutants resembling the hypersensitive response without pathogen attack are an ideal material to understand programmed cell death, the defence response, and the cross-talk between defence response and development in plants. In this study, mic, a lesion mimic mutant from cultivar Yunyin treated with ethyl methanesulphonate (EMS), was screened. By map-based cloning, a short-chain alcohol dehydrogenase/reductase with an atypical active site HxxxK was isolated and designated as SDR7-6. It functions as a homomultimer in rice and is localized at the endoplasmic reticulum. The lesion mimic phenotype of the mutant is light-dependent. The mutant displayed an increased resistance response to bacterial blight, but reduced resistance to rice blast disease. The mutant and knockout lines showed increased reactive oxygen species, jasmonic acid content, antioxidant enzyme activity, and expression of pathogenicity-related genes, while chlorophyll content was significantly reduced. The knockout lines showed significant reduction in grain size, seed setting rate, 1000-grain weight, grain weight per plant, panicle length, and plant height. SDR7-6 is a new lesion mimic gene that encodes a short-chain alcohol dehydrogenase with atypical catalytic site. Disruption of SDR7-6 led to cell death and had adverse effects on multiple agricultural characters. SDR7-6 may act at the interface of the two defence pathways of bacterial blight and rice blast disease in rice.

Probing the Interactions between Pickering Emulsion Droplets Stabilized with pH-Responsive Nanoparticles.

The presence and adsorption of particles at the oil/water interface play a critical role in stabilizing Pickering emulsions and affecting their bulk behavior. For water-in-oil (W/O) and oil-in-water (O/W) Pickering emulsions with pH-responsive nanoparticles, their interaction forces and stabilization mechanisms at the nanoscale have not been reported. Herein, the Pickering emulsions formed by oil/water mixtures under different pH values with bilayer oleic acid-coated Fe3O4 nanoparticles (Fe3O4@2OA NPs) were characterized using microscopy imaging and zeta potential and interfacial tension (IFT) measurements. The interaction forces between formed emulsion droplets were quantified using an atomic force microscope (AFM) drop probe technique. A W/O emulsion formed at pH 2 and 4 is mainly stabilized by the steric barrier formation of confined particle layers (with Fe3O4@2OA NPs and aggregates). At pH 9 and 11, an O/W emulsion is formed, and its stabilization mechanism is mainly due to relatively low IFT, strong electrostatic repulsion due to carboxyl groups, and steric repulsion from confined nanoparticles and aggregates, leading to a stable confined thin water film. Increasing the maximum loading force and dwelling time enhances the confinement of Fe3O4@2OA particles and aggregates at the oil/water interface. This work provides useful insights into the interaction and stabilization mechanisms of Pickering emulsions with stimuli-responsive interface-active particles.