Different projection neurons of basolateral amygdala participate in the retrieval of morphine withdrawal memory with diverse molecular pathways.

Context-induced retrieval of drug withdrawal memory is one of the important reasons for drug relapses. Previous studies have shown that different projection neurons in different brain regions or in the same brain region such as the basolateral amygdala (BLA) participate in context-induced retrieval of drug withdrawal memory. However, whether these different projection neurons participate in the retrieval of drug withdrawal memory with same or different molecular pathways remains a topic for research. The present results showed that (1) BLA neurons projecting to the prelimbic cortex (BLA-PrL) and BLA neurons projecting to the nucleus accumbens (BLA-NAc) participated in context-induced retrieval of morphine withdrawal memory; (2) there was an increase in the expression of Arc and pERK in BLA-NAc neurons, but not in BLA-PrL neurons during context-induced retrieval of morphine withdrawal memory; (3) pERK was the upstream molecule of Arc, whereas D1 receptor was the upstream molecule of pERK in BLA-NAc neurons during context-induced retrieval of morphine withdrawal memory; (4) D1 receptors also strengthened AMPA receptors, but not NMDA receptors, -mediated glutamatergic input to BLA-NAc neurons via pERK during context-induced retrieval of morphine withdrawal memory. These results suggest that different projection neurons of the BLA participate in the retrieval of morphine withdrawal memory with diverse molecular pathways.

Formation of chronic morphine withdrawal memories requires C1QL3-mediated regulation of PSD95 in the mouse basolateral amygdala.

Chronic morphine withdrawal memory formation is a complex process influenced by various molecular mechanisms. In this study, we aimed to investigate the contributions of the basolateral amygdala (BLA) and complement component 1, q subcomponent-like 3 (C1QL3), a secreted and presynaptically targeted protein, to the formation of chronic morphine (repeat dosing of morphine) withdrawal memory using conditioned place aversion (CPA) and chemogenetic methods. We conducted experiments involving the inhibition of the BLA during naloxone-induced withdrawal to assess its impact on CPA scores, providing insights into the significance of the BLA in the chronic morphine memory formation process. We also examined changes in C1ql3/C1QL3 expression within the BLA following conditioning. Immunofluorescence analysis revealed the colocalization of C1QL3 and the G protein-coupled receptor, brain-specific angiogenesis inhibitor 3 (BAI3) in the BLA, supporting their involvement in synaptic development. Moreover, we downregulated C1QL3 expression in the BLA to investigate its role in chronic morphine withdrawal memory formation. Our findings revealed that BLA inhibition during naloxone-induced withdrawal led to a significant reduction in CPA scores, confirming the critical role of the BLA in this memory process. Additionally, the upregulation of C1ql3 expression within the BLA postconditioning suggested its participation in withdrawal memory formation. The colocalization of C1QL3 and BAI3 in the BLA further supported their involvement in synaptic development. Furthermore, downregulation of C1QL3 in the BLA effectively hindered chronic morphine withdrawal memory formation, emphasizing its pivotal role in this process. Notably, we identified postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD95) as a potential downstream effector of C1QL3 during chronic morphine withdrawal memory formation. Blocking PSD95 led to a significant reduction in the CPA score, and it appeared that C1QL3 modulated the ubiquitination-mediated degradation of PSD95, resulting in decreased PSD95 protein levels. This study underscores the importance of the BLA, C1QL3 and PSD95 in chronic morphine withdrawal memory formation. It provides valuable insights into the underlying molecular mechanisms, emphasizing their significance in this intricate process.

Novel insights into the effects of 5-hydroxymethfurural on genomic instability and phenotypic evolution using a yeast model.

5-Hydroxymethfurural (5-HMF) is naturally found in a variety of foods and beverages and represents a main inhibitor in the lignocellulosic hydrolysates used for fermentation. This study investigated the impact of 5-HMF on the genomic stability and phenotypic plasticity of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Using next-generation sequencing technology, we examined the genomic alterations of diploid S. cerevisiae isolates that were subcultured on a medium containing 1.2 g/L 5-HMF. We found that in 5-HMF-treated cells, the rates of chromosome aneuploidy, large deletions/duplications, and loss of heterozygosity were elevated compared with that in untreated cells. 5-HMF exposure had a mild impact on the rate of point mutations but altered the mutation spectrum. Contrary to what was observed in untreated cells, more monosomy than trisomy occurred in 5-HMF-treated cells. The aneuploidy mutant with monosomic chromosome IX was more resistant to 5-HMF than the diploid parent strain because of the enhanced activity of alcohol dehydrogenase. Finally, we found that overexpression of ADH6 and ZWF1 effectively stabilized the yeast genome under 5-HMF stress. Our findings not only elucidated the global effect of 5-HMF on the genomic integrity of yeast but also provided novel insights into how chromosomal instability drives the environmental adaptability of eukaryotic cells.IMPORTANCESingle-cell microorganisms are exposed to a range of stressors in both natural and industrial settings. This study investigated the effects of 5-hydroxymethfurural (5-HMF), a major inhibitor found in baked foods and lignocellulosic hydrolysates, on the chromosomal instability of yeast. We examined the mechanisms leading to the distinct patterns of 5-HMF-induced genomic alterations and discovered that chromosomal loss, typically viewed as detrimental to cell growth under most conditions, can contribute to yeast tolerance to 5-HMF. Our results increased the understanding of how specific stressors stimulate genomic plasticity and environmental adaptation in yeast.

Unnatural tetradeoxy echinocandins produced by gene cluster design and heterologous expression.

The hydroxyl groups in the amino acid residues of echinocandin B were related to the biological activity, the instability, and the drug resistance. The modification of hydroxyl groups was expected to obtain the new lead compounds for next generation of echinocandin drug development. In this work one method for heterologous production of the tetradeoxy echinocandin was achieved. A reconstructed biosynthetic gene cluster for tetradeoxy echinocandins composed of ecdA/I/K and htyE was designed and successfully hetero-expressed in Aspergillus nidulans. The target product of echinocandin E (1) together with one unexpected derivative echinocandin F (2), were isolated from the fermentation culture of engineered strain. Both of compounds were unreported echinocandin derivatives and the structures were identified on the basis of mass and NMR spectral data analysis. Compared with echinocandin B, echinocandin E demonstrated superior stability and comparable antifungal activity.

Uncovering Bleomycin-Induced Genomic Alterations and Underlying Mechanisms in the Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Bleomycin (BLM) is a widely used chemotherapeutic drug. BLM-treated cells showed an elevated rate of mutations, but the underlying mechanisms remained unclear. In this study, the global genomic alterations in BLM-treated cells were explored in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Using genetic assay and whole-genome sequencing, we found that the mutation rate could be greatly elevated in S. cerevisiae cells that underwent Zeocin (a BLM member) treatment. One-base deletion and T-to-G substitution at the 5'-GT-3' motif represented the most striking signature of Zeocin-induced mutations. This was mainly the result of translesion DNA synthesis involving Rev1 and polymerase ζ. Zeocin treatment led to the frequent loss of heterozygosity and chromosomal rearrangements in the diploid strains. The breakpoints of recombination events were significantly associated with certain chromosomal elements. Lastly, we identified multiple genomic alterations that contributed to BLM resistance in the Zeocin-treated mutants. Overall, this study provides new insights into the genotoxicity and evolutional effects of BLM. IMPORTANCE Bleomycin is an antitumor antibiotic that can mutate genomic DNA. Using yeast models in combination with genome sequencing, the mutational signatures of Zeocin (a member of the bleomycin family) are disclosed. Translesion-synthesis polymerases are crucial for the viability of Zeocin-treated yeast cells at the sacrifice of a higher mutation rate. We also confirmed that multiple genomic alterations were associated with the improved resistance to Zeocin, providing novel insights into how bleomycin resistance is developed in cells.

Ancylobacter gelatini sp. nov., isolated from beach sediment of Zhairuo Island, China.

A Gram-negative, aerobic, non-motile, oxidase-positive, catalase-positive, methyl red-positive, and lipase-negative bacterium, designated A5.8T, was isolated from beach sediment of Zhairuo Island located in the East China Sea. Growth occurred at 10-40 °C (optimum, 30 °C), pH 5.5-9.5 (optimum, 7.5), and 0-2% NaCl (optimum, 1.5%). Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain A5.8T belongs to the genus Ancylobacter, sharing the highest similarity with Ancylobacter aquaticus JCM 20518T (98.0%). Its polar lipids mainly consist of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidylcholine (PC). The predominant fatty acids are summed feature 8 (C18:1ω7c and/or C18:1ω6c, 91.0%), and the major respiratory quinone is Q-10. The DNA G + C content is 67.2 mol%. Based on above analysis, as well as digital DNA-DNA hybridization (22.5-22.9%) and average nucleotide identity (83.0-83.6%) of strain A5.8T with reference type strains of the genus Ancylobacter, strain A5.8T was suggested to represent a novel species of the genus Ancylobacter, for which the name Ancylobacter gelatini sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is A5.8T (= MCCC 1K07167T = LMG 32566T).

Heteroexpression of Aspergillus nidulans laeA in Marine-Derived Fungi Triggers Upregulation of Secondary Metabolite Biosynthetic Genes.

Fungi are a prospective resource of bioactive compounds, but conventional methods of drug discovery are not effective enough to fully explore their metabolic potential. This study aimed to develop an easily attainable method to elicit the metabolic potential of fungi using Aspergillus nidulans laeA as a transcription regulation tool. In this study, functional analysis of Aspergillus nidulans laeA (AnLaeA) and Aspergillus sp. Z5 laeA (Az5LaeA) was done in the fungus Aspergillus sp. Z5. Heterologous AnLaeA-and native Az5LaeA-overexpression exhibited similar phenotypic effects and caused an increase in production of a bioactive compound diorcinol in Aspergillus sp. Z5, which proved the conserved function of this global regulator. In particular, heteroexpression of AnLaeA showed a significant impact on the expression of velvet complex genes, diorcinol synthesis-related genes, and different transcription factors (TFs). Moreover, heteroexpression of AnLaeA influenced the whole genome gene expression of Aspergillus sp. Z5 and triggered the upregulation of many genes. Overall, these findings suggest that heteroexpression of AnLaeA in fungi serves as a simple and easy method to explore their metabolic potential. In relation to this, AnLaeA was overexpressed in the fungus Penicillium sp. LC1-4, which resulted in increased production of quinolactacin A.

Mapping chromosomal instability induced by small-molecular therapeutics in a yeast model.

The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been widely used as a model system for studying the physiological and pharmacological action of small-molecular drugs. Here, a heterozygous diploid S. cerevisiae strain QSS4 was generated to determine whether drugs could induce chromosomal instability by determining the frequency of mitotic recombination. Using the combination of a custom SNP microarray and yeast screening system, the patterns of chromosomal instability induced by drugs were explored at the whole genome level in QSS4. We found that Zeocin (a member of the bleomycin family) treatment increased the rate of genomic alterations, including aneuploidy, loss of heterozygosity (LOH), and chromosomal rearrangement over a hundred-fold. Most recombination events are likely to be initiated by DNA double-stand breaks directly generated by Zeocin. Another remarkable finding is that G4-motifs and low GC regions were significantly underrepresented within the gene conversion tracts of Zeocin-induced LOH events, indicating that certain DNA regions are less preferred Zeocin-binding sites in vivo. This study provides a novel paradigm for evaluating genetic toxicity of small-molecular drugs using yeast models.

Morphine treatment enhances glutamatergic input onto neurons of the nucleus accumbens via both disinhibitory and stimulating effect.

Drug addiction is a chronic brain disorder characterized by the compulsive repeated use of drugs. The reinforcing effect of repeated use of drugs on reward plays an important role in morphine-induced addictive behaviors. The nucleus accumbens (NAc) is an important site where morphine treatment produces its reinforcing effect on reward. However, how morphine treatment produces its reinforcing effect on reward in the NAc remains to be clarified. In the present study, we studied the influence of morphine treatment on the effects of DA and observed whether morphine treatment could directly change glutamatergic synaptic transmission in the NAc. We also explored the functional significance of morphine-induced potentiation of glutamatergic synaptic transmission in the NAc at behavioral level. Our results show that (1) morphine treatment removes the inhibitory effect of DA on glutamatergic input onto NAc neurons; (2) morphine treatment potentiates glutamatergic input onto NAc neurons, especially the one from the basolateral amygdala (BLA) to the NAc; (3) blockade of glutamatergic synaptic transmission in the NAc or ablation of projection neurons from BLA to NAc significantly decreases morphine treatment-induced increase in locomotor activity. These results suggest that morphine treatment enhances glutamatergic input onto neurons of the NAc via both disinhibitory and stimulating effect and therefore increases locomotor activity.

Efficient hybrid white light-emitting diodes by organic-inorganic materials at different CCT from 3000K to 9000K.

The hybrid white light-emitting didoes (LED) with polyfluoren (PFO) polymer and quantum dot (QD) was investigated using dispensing method at the different correlated color temperature (CCT) for cool and warm color temperature. This result indicates that the hybrid white LED device has the higher luminous efficiency than the convention one, which could be attributed to the increased utilization rate of the UV light. Furthermore, the CIE 1931 coordinate of high quality white hybrid LED with different CCT range from 3000K to 9000K is demonstrated. Consequently, the angular-dependent CCT and the thermal issue of the hybrid white LED device were also analyzed in this study.

Projection neurons from medial entorhinal cortex to basolateral amygdala are critical for the retrieval of morphine withdrawal memory.

The medial entorhinal cortex (MEC) is crucial for contextual memory, yet its role in context-induced retrieval of morphine withdrawal memory remains unclear. This study investigated the role of the MEC and its projection neurons from MEC layer 5 to the basolateral amygdala (BLA) (MEC-BLA neurons) in context-induced retrieval of morphine withdrawal memory. Results show that context activates the MEC in morphine withdrawal mice, and the inactivation of the MEC inhibits context-induced retrieval of morphine withdrawal memory. At neural circuits, context activates MEC-BLA neurons in morphine withdrawal mice, and the inactivation of MEC-BLA neurons inhibits context-induced retrieval of morphine withdrawal memory. But MEC-BLA neurons are not activated by conditioning of context and morphine withdrawal, and the inhibition of MEC-BLA neurons do not influence the coupling of context and morphine withdrawal memory. These results suggest that MEC-BLA neurons are critical for the retrieval, but not for the formation, of morphine withdrawal memory.

Baseline Blood Levels of Mucin-1 Are Associated with Crucial On-Treatment Adverse Outcomes in Patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Receiving Antifibrotic Pirfenidone.

Mucin-1 is a multi-functional glycoprotein expressed by type II alveolocytes and may be detectable in the circulation following pulmonary fibrosis. The prognostic utility of baseline pre-treatment blood levels of mucin-1 in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) receiving antifibrotics has not yet been fully established. We retrospectively studied a cohort of patients (from two hospitals) with IPF who were receiving pirfenidone for >12 weeks. Baseline blood mucin-1 levels were measured via sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. We investigated the performance of mucin-1 levels in longitudinally predicting the risks of acute exacerbation of IPF (AE-IPF) and severe adverse outcomes (SAO), including lung transplantation and death. Seventy patients were included; 20 developed AE-IPF; and 31 had SAO during the follow-up period. Patients with baseline mucin-1 levels ≥2.5 ng/mL had enhanced risks of AE-IPF (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 14.07; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.26-46.49) and SAO within 2 years (aHR, 7.87; 95% CI, 2.86-21.70) and anytime during the follow-up (aHR, 4.68; 95% CI, 2.11-10.39). The risks increased across subgroups with increasing mucin-1 levels. Patients in the "mucin-1 ≥ 2.5" group also exhibited an accelerated decline in DLCO. This study supports baseline blood mucin-1 levels as a biomarker for IPF that predicts adverse outcomes during pirfenidone treatment.

High thermal stability of correlated color temperature using current compensation in hybrid warm white high-voltage LEDs.

This study experimentally and numerically examines the correlated color temperature (CCT) stability issue for hybrid warm white high-voltage light-emitting diodes (HV-LEDs) by using a current compensation method. This method could efficiently maintain the CCT stability factor at approximately 1.0 and yield greater color uniformity with Δu'v' values ranging from 0.017 to 0.003 in CIE 1976 chromaticity coordinates. The simulation results show that the red chip intensity drop is the primary cause of CCT instability in the hybrid warm white system when the temperature increases. Therefore, Furthermore, results indicate that the relative lumen drop improves from 21% to 15% by using a current compensation method.

Pseudolaric acid B triggers ferritinophagy and ferroptosis via upregulating NCOA4 in lung adenocarcinoma cells.

BACKGROUND: Ferroptosis is a novel subtype of programmed cell death caused by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation and excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Small-molecule ferroptotic drugs have the probability of selectively targeting the specific features of aggressive tumor cells. In particular, pseudolaric acid B (PAB) triggered ferroptosisin breast cancer cells. The aim of this study is to explore the antitumor effect of PAB on A549 cells and provide a theoretical basis for the further development and clinical application of PAB. METHODS: First, relevant databases were used to predict of target genes related to PAB, Then, EdU proliferation assay, colony formation and wound-healing assays were applied to calculate A549 cells proliferative abilities. Measurement of ferrous iron, lipid peroxidation, ROS, malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) were utilized to explore the relevant mechanism. RESULTS: We showed that PAB decreased the viability of lung adenocarcinoma cells in vitro, which was accompanied by abnormally elevated levels of intracellular ferrous iron and overproduction of lipid reactive oxidate species (L-ROS). In turn, deferoxamine (DFO) significantly rescued PAB-induced lipid peroxidation. PAB also improved the intracellular labile iron pool by promoting ferritin autophagy via the upregulation of the nuclear receptor coactivator 4 (NCOA4). Moreover, silencing of NCOA4 alleviated PAB-inducedferroptotic death and reduced the levels of intracellular ferrous iron. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, PAB-triggered ferroptosis in lung adenocarcinoma cells by enhancing ferritinophagy. thus, PAB is a potential therapeutic agent for lung adenocarcinoma.

Nucleus accumbens circuit disinhibits lateral hypothalamus glutamatergic neurons contributing to morphine withdrawal memory in male mice.

The lateral hypothalamus (LH) is physiologically critical in brain functions. The LH also plays an important role in drug addiction. However, neural circuits underlying LH involvement of drug addiction remain obscure. In the present study,our results showed that in male mice, during context-induced expression of morphine withdrawal memory, LH glutamatergic neurons played an important role; dopamine D1 receptor-expressing medium spiny neurons (D1-MSNs) projecting from the core of nucleus accumbens (NAcC) to the LH were an important upstream circuit to activate LH glutamatergic neurons; D1-MSNs projecting from the NAcC to the LH activated LH glutamatergic neurons through inhibiting LH local gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurons. These results suggest that disinhibited LH glutamatergic neurons by neural circuits from the NAcC importantly contribute to context-induced the expression of morphine withdrawal memory.

Impact of computed tomographic patterns and extent on clinical management and outcomes of patients with organising pneumonia.

Background: Organising pneumonia (OP) has variable clinical and radiographic presentations and unstandardised treatments. Most patients with OP have favourable outcomes, but some develop respiratory insufficiency, experience recurrence or die. In this study we investigated the impact of computed tomographic (CT) patterns and extent of OP on the diagnostic and therapeutic management that patients received, and that on the therapeutic response and prognosis (particularly the risk of respiratory insufficiency and death). Methods: We retrospectively studied 156 patients with OP followed at our hospital between 2010 and 2021. The diagnosis was confirmed histologically and verified by multidisciplinary specialists. We performed Firth's logistic regression to determine the relationship between CT features and aetiologies, management and outcomes including the risk of severe disease (defined as the need for supplemental oxygen or mechanical ventilation). We conducted Kaplan-Meier analyses to assess survival differences. Results: Patients exhibiting multilobe involvement or mixed patterns, or both, were more likely to have secondary OP and receive immunosuppressants. Higher proportions of these patients experienced recurrence. Compared to patients with single-lobe involvement and single-pattern, they also had an enhanced risk of severe disease (the adjusted odds ratio for patients who simultaneously had multilobe involvement and mixed patterns was 27.64; 95% confidence interval 8.25-127.44). Besides, these patients had decreased survival probabilities. Conclusion: Different CT features of OP impact patients' management and prognosis. When treating patients with OP exhibiting multilobe involvement or mixed patterns, or both, it is important to identify the possible causative aetiology and follow closely for adverse outcomes.

Navigating the challenges of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in lung cancer treatment: a propensity score study.

Background: Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) can negatively impact cancer patients' survival. It remains uncertain whether IPA's impact on patient outcomes varies by treatment approach in advanced lung cancer. Objectives: To explore the association between IPA and outcomes in patients with advanced lung cancer receiving different treatments. Design: A retrospective cohort study. Methods: We enrolled patients with advanced-stage lung cancer between 2013 and 2021 at a college hospital in Taiwan and used the 2021 European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer/Mycoses Study Group Education and Research Consortium consensus for IPA diagnosis. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify the IPA risk factors. We compared overall survival (OS) and postgalactomannan (GM) test survival between the IPA and control groups using multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression and the Kaplan-Meier method with propensity score matching (PSM). Results: Among 2543 patients with advanced-stage lung cancer, 290 underwent a GM test, of which 34 (11.7%) were diagnosed with IPA. Patients undergoing chemotherapy (HR = 4.02, p = 0.027) and immunotherapy [hazard ratio (HR) = 3.41, p = 0.076] tended to have IPA. Compared to the control group, the IPA group had shorter median OS (14.4 versus 9.9 months, p = 0.030) and post-GM test survival (4.5 versus 1.9 months, p = 0.003). IPA was associated with shorter OS (log-rank p = 0.014 and 0.018 before and after PSM, respectively) and shorter 1-year and 2-year survival post-GM test (HR = 1.65 and 1.66, respectively). Patients receiving chemotherapy or immunotherapy had a shorter post-GM test survival if they had IPA. Conclusions: IPA tended to be diagnosed more frequently in patients receiving chemotherapy or immune checkpoint inhibitors. Patients diagnosed with IPA are associated with shorter survival. Larger cohort studies are needed to verify the observations.

Effects of wound dressing based on the combination of silver@curcumin nanoparticles and electrospun chitosan nanofibers on wound healing.

Healing of various skin wounds is a lengthy process and often combined with bacterial infection and scar formation. Biomimetic electrospun nanofibrous wound dressing loaded with materials that possess properties of dual antibacterial and tissue repair would be developed to address this problem. In this study, a composite chitosan electrospun nanofibrous material containing Cur@ß-CD/AgNPs nanoparticles composed of silver and curcumin possessed synergic effects on antibacterial activity and wound healing. The developed functionalized silver nanoparticles showed effective activity against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. In vivo, Cur@ß-CD/AgNPs chitosan dressing displayed enhanced wound closure rates compared to commercial AquacelAg. Moreover, Cur@ß-CD/AgNPs chitosan dressing contributed to the most uniform collagen distribution by Masson's trichrome staining. In brief, Cur@ß-CD/AgNPs chitosan nanofibers work as a potential wound dressing with antibacterial and antiscarring properties.

S-nitrosoglutathione functionalized polydopamine nanoparticles incorporated into chitosan/gelatin hydrogel films with NIR-controlled photothermal/NO-releasing therapy for enhanced wound healing.

Nitric oxide (NO) has aroused wide interest in the treating infected wounds due to its characteristic functionalities. However, its utilization is limited due to its volatile properties, high reactivity, direct potential toxicity, and byproducts of NO donors limited its application. Herein, endogenously NO donor S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) was connected covalently to polydopamine nanoparticles (PDA-GSNO NPs) to minimize the loss of NO in aqueous medium. Meanwhile, near-infrared (NIR)-controlled NO release and photothermal therapy (PTT) was obtained through the photothermal conversion by PDA. Then chitosan (CS)/gelatin (GE) biocomposite hydrogel films with preferable biocompatibility, surface hydrophilicity, hydroabsorptivity, and mechanical adhesive properties were constructed. By embedding PDA-GSNO NPs into the films, a multifunctional wound dressing was fabricated. Under NIR light irradiation, the combination of PTT, NO-releasing, and CS antibacterial agents can strengthen the in vitro antimicrobial efficacy and in vivo wound healing activities. Meanwhile, the obtained wound dressing presented good biocompatibility. This work outlines an approach for combating bacterial infections and demonstrating the possibility for synergistic NO-releasing wound healing.

Chronic bronchiectasis complicated with benign jejuno-ileal pneumatosis intestinalis.

Patients with chronic bronchiectasis are susceptible to various respiratory complications. In this report, however, we describe a 53-year-old male with chronic bronchiectasis who developed extensive but asymptomatic jejuno-ileal pneumatosis intestinalis. The patient did not have preceding pneumothorax or pneumomediastinum, and he did not receive cytotoxic or immunosuppressive therapy. Nor did he exhibit any clinical or radiographic evidence of intestinal ischaemia, obstruction or infection. Mucosal defects, due to his severe diarrhoea relating to the prolonged anti-pseudomonal antibiotic treatment for his lungs, and the intestinal luminal pressure fluctuation, resulting from his exacerbated cough and from his frequent abdominal straining during defecation, were considered to have precipitated the condition. Following conservative treatment, the patient recovered well. In addition to adverse respiratory events, clinicians managing patients with bronchiectasis should also be alert to such an unusual extrapulmonary complication, because either neglecting the condition or unnecessary exploratory surgery may lead to hazardous outcomes.