Indole-3-acetic acid improves periphyton's resistance to ultraviolet-B: From physiological-biochemical properties and bacteria community to livestock-polluted water purification.

Livestock-polluted water is a pressing water environmental issue in plateau pastoral regions, necessitating the adoption of eco-friendly solutions. Despite periphyton being a promising alternative, its efficacy is limited by the prevalence of intense ultraviolet radiation, particularly ultraviolet-B (UVB), in these regions. Therefore, this study employs molecular tools and small-scale trials to explore the crucial role of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) in modulating periphyton characteristics and mediating nutrient removal from livestock-polluted water under UVB exposure. The results revealed that IAA augments periphyton's resilience to UVB stress through several pathways, including increasing periphyton's biomass, producing more extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), and enhancing antioxidant enzyme activities and photosynthetic activity of periphyton. Moreover, IAA addition increased periphyton's bacterial diversity, reshaped bacterial community structure, enhanced community stability, and elevated the R2 value of neutral processes in bacterial assembly from 0.257 to 0.651 under UVB. Practically, an IAA concentration of 50 mg/L was recommended. Small-scale trials confirmed the effectiveness of IAA in assisting UVB-stressed periphyton to remove nitrogen and phosphorus from livestock-polluted water, without the risk of nitrogen accumulation. These findings offer valuable insights into the protection of aquatic ecosystems in plateau pastoral regions based on periphyton property in an eco-friendly manner.

Purification and Structural Analyses of Sulfated Polysaccharides from Low-Value Sea Cucumber Stichopus naso and Anticoagulant Activities of Its Oligosaccharides.

Three polysaccharides (SnNG, SnFS and SnFG) were purified from the body wall of Stichopus naso. The physicochemical properties, including monosaccharide composition, molecular weight, sulfate content, and optical rotation, were analyzed, confirming that SnFS and SnFG are sulfated polysaccharides commonly found in sea cucumbers. The highly regular structure {3)-L-Fuc2S-(α1,}n of SnFS was determined via a detailed NMR analysis of its oxidative degradation product. By employing ß-elimination depolymerization of SnFG, tri-, penta-, octa-, hendeca-, tetradeca-, and heptadeca-saccharides were obtained from the low-molecular-weight product. Their well-defined structures confirmed that SnFG possessed the backbone of {D-GalNAc4S6S-ß(1,4)-D-GlcA}, and each GlcA residue was branched with Fuc2S4S. SnFS and SnFG are both structurally the simplest version of natural fucan sulfate and fucosylated glycosaminoglycan, facilitating the application of low-value sea cucumbers S. naso. Bioactivity assays showed that SnFG and its derived oligosaccharides exhibited potent anticoagulation and intrinsic factor Xase (iXase) inhibition. Moreover, a comparative analysis with the series of oligosaccharides solely branched with Fuc3S4S showed that in oligosaccharides with lower degrees of polymerization, such as octasaccharides, Fuc2S4S led to a greater increase in APTT prolongation and iXase inhibition. As the degree of polymerization increases, the influence from the sulfation pattern diminishes, until it is overshadowed by the effects of molecular weight.

Superimposing digital arch scans onto cone beam computed tomography scans with metallic artifacts by applying a radiopaque occlusal registration material: A chairside dental technique.

Precise alignment between digital arch scans and cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans is a crucial step in computer-aided implant planning and placement. However, clinicians frequently encounter challenges during this process when imaging patients with existing metal restorations or orthodontic devices, as these can introduce metallic artifacts on CBCT scans that lead to alignment deviations. The presented technique describes a straightforward approach using a radiopaque occlusal registration material as a radiographic marker to facilitate the alignment between digital arch scans and CBCT scans with metallic artifacts. This technique simplifies the clinical workflow by eliminating the need for additional radiographic templates or specialized devices, offering a cost-effective option for clinicians.

Digital cross-mounting of intraoral scan casts from a virtual articulator to a mechanical articulator by using a custom transfer plate: A dental technique.

With the development of digital dental technologies, a complete digital workflow without using physical casts has become possible. However, for certain clinical and dental laboratory procedures, especially in complex rehabilitation treatments, physically mounted casts in an ideal location in a mechanical articulator are still necessary for treatment planning and restoration fabrication. This technique report describes a digital approach to fabricating a custom transfer plate to cross mount intraoral scan casts from a virtual articulator to the corresponding mechanical articulator. This technique eliminates the need for conventional physical facebow transfer processes and offers a straightforward approach to integrating virtual procedures with analog workflows.

A digital approach to fabricating a custom holder for the attachment of a mandibular sensor of an optical jaw motion tracking system: A dental technique.

A digital approach to fabricating a custom holder to attach a mandibular sensor of an optical jaw motion tracking system is described. Typically, jaw motion tracking systems come with standard holders. However, additional chairside time is still required to adapt the holder's arm to the individual arch and securely attach the holder to the mandibular teeth. Moreover, the placement of the standard holder is problematic in patients with a deep vertical overlap or with short clinical crowns. This technique offers a digital approach to designing and fabricating a custom holder in situations where standard holders cannot be efficiently attached. The custom holder is designed to accommodate the available space without interfering with the occlusion, thereby minimizing the time needed to attach the holder and optimizing the workflow for clinical jaw motion tracking.

Inhibition of glutamate-carboxypeptidase-II in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex: potential therapeutic target for neuroinflammatory cognitive disorders.

Glutamate carboxypeptidase-II (GCPII) expression in brain is increased by inflammation, e.g. by COVID19 infection, where it reduces NAAG stimulation of metabotropic glutamate receptor type 3 (mGluR3). GCPII-mGluR3 signaling is increasingly linked to higher cognition, as genetic alterations that weaken mGluR3 or increase GCPII signaling are associated with impaired cognition in humans. Recent evidence from macaque dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) shows that mGluR3 are expressed on dendritic spines, where they regulate cAMP-PKA opening of potassium (K+) channels to enhance neuronal firing during working memory. However, little is known about GCPII expression and function in the primate dlPFC, despite its relevance to inflammatory disorders. The present study used multiple label immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy to localize GCPII in aging macaque dlPFC, and examined the effects of GCPII inhibition on dlPFC neuronal physiology and working memory function. GCPII was observed in astrocytes as expected, but also on neurons, including extensive expression in dendritic spines. Recordings in dlPFC from aged monkeys performing a working memory task found that iontophoresis of the GCPII inhibitors 2-MPPA or 2-PMPA markedly increased working memory-related neuronal firing and spatial tuning, enhancing neural representations. These beneficial effects were reversed by an mGluR2/3 antagonist, or by a cAMP-PKA activator, consistent with mGluR3 inhibition of cAMP-PKA-K+ channel signaling. Systemic administration of the brain penetrant inhibitor, 2-MPPA, significantly improved working memory performance without apparent side effects, with largest effects in the oldest monkeys. Taken together, these data endorse GCPII inhibition as a potential strategy for treating cognitive disorders associated with aging and/or neuroinflammation.

A cast-free approach to fabricating an implant-supported interim restoration: A dental technique.

A cast-free approach is described to fabricate an implant-supported interim restoration by using the postoperative cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scan to locate the placed implant. A postoperative intraoral scan was aligned to the postoperative CBCT scan through a dental implant planning software program. An attached interim abutment and implant analog complex was then scanned and superimposed on the placed implant in the postoperative CBCT scan. Once the best alignment was achieved, a virtual cast was generated, and an interim restoration with bilateral positioning wings was fabricated on the interim abutment and inserted during the second-stage surgery. This technique offers a cast-free approach to inserting an implant-supported interim restoration immediately after the second-stage surgery to guide the healing of the soft tissue that can minimize chairside time and optimize the clinical workflow.

Near-Infrared Light Driven ZnIn2S4-Based Photocatalysts for Environmental and Energy Applications: Progress and Perspectives.

Zinc indium sulfide (ZnIn2S4), as a significant visible-light-responsive photocatalyst, has become a research hotspot to tackle energy demand and environmental issues owing to its excellent properties of high stability, easy fabrication, and remarkable catalytic activity. However, its drawbacks, including low utilization of solar light and fast photoinduced charge carriers, limit its applications. Promoting the response for near-infrared (NIR) light (~52% solar light) of ZnIn2S4-based photocatalysts is the primary challenge to overcome. In this review, various modulation strategies of ZnIn2S4 have been described, which include hybrid with narrow optical gap materials, bandgap engineering, up-conversion materials, and surface plasmon materials for enhanced NIR photocatalytic performance in the applications of hydrogen evolution, pollutants purification, and CO2 reduction. In addition, the synthesis methods and mechanisms of NIR light-driven ZnIn2S4-based photocatalysts are summarized. Finally, this review presents perspectives for future development of efficient NIR photon conversion of ZnIn2S4-based photocatalysts.

GSH-Activatable Aggregation-Induced Emission Cationic Lipid for Efficient Gene Delivery.

The key to gene therapy is the design of biocompatible and efficient delivery systems. In this work, a glutathione (GSH)-activated aggregation-induced-emission (AIE) cationic amphiphilic lipid, termed QM-SS-KK, was prepared for nonviral gene delivery. QM-SS-KK was composed of a hydrophilic biocompatible lysine tripeptide headgroup, a GSH-triggered disulfide linkage, and a hydrophobic AIE fluorophore QM-OH (QM: quinoline-malononitrile) tail. The peptide moiety could not only efficiently compact DNA but also well modulate the dispersion properties of QM-SS-KK, leading to the fluorescence-off state before GSH treatment. The cleavage of disulfide in QM-SS-KK by GSH generated AIE signals in situ with a tracking ability. The liposomes consisted of QM-SS-KK, and 1,2-dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE) (QM-SS-KK/DOPE) delivered plasmid DNAs (pDNAs) into cells with high efficiency. In particular, QM-SS-KK/DOPE had an enhanced transfection efficiency (TE) in the presence of 10% serum, which was two times higher than that of the commercial transfection agent PEI25K. These results highlighted the great potential of peptide and QM-based fluorescence AIE lipids for gene delivery applications.

A digital approach to create a virtual implant preliminary cast for the fabrication of a splinted framework and custom open tray for multiple implants impression making: A dental technique.

A digital approach is described for fabricating a splinted framework and custom open tray for the impression of multiple implants based on a virtually created implant cast with the digital prediction of the future impression coping positions. In this technique, impression copings to be used in the definitive impression-making process were digitally scanned and aligned to a preliminary cast using installed protective caps of screw-retained abutments as references, which resulted in a virtual cast that offers information both about the impression coping positions and their surrounding tissues and could allow a splinted framework and custom open tray to be digitally designed and fabricated. Creation of a virtual cast through digital technologies eliminates the traditional manual splinted framework and custom tray fabrication procedures. Additionally, only one set of impression copings and analogs is needed in this technique, thereby reducing treatment time and cost. It also offers a splinted framework and custom open tray with consistent quality.

Alzheimer's-like pathology in aging rhesus macaques: Unique opportunity to study the etiology and treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

Although mouse models of Alzheimer's disease (AD) have provided tremendous breakthroughs, the etiology of later onset AD remains unknown. In particular, tau pathology in the association cortex is poorly replicated in mouse models. Aging rhesus monkeys naturally develop cognitive deficits, amyloid plaques, and the same qualitative pattern and sequence of tau pathology as humans, with tangles in the oldest animals. Thus, aging rhesus monkeys can play a key role in AD research. For example, aging monkeys can help reveal how synapses in the prefrontal association cortex are uniquely regulated compared to the primary sensory cortex in ways that render them vulnerable to calcium dysregulation and tau phosphorylation, resulting in the selective localization of tau pathology observed in AD. The ability to assay early tau phosphorylation states and perform high-quality immunoelectron microscopy in monkeys is a great advantage, as one can capture early-stage degeneration as it naturally occurs in situ. Our immunoelectron microscopy studies show that phosphorylated tau can induce an "endosomal traffic jam" that drives amyloid precursor protein cleavage to amyloid-ß in endosomes. As amyloid-ß increases tau phosphorylation, this creates a vicious cycle where varied precipitating factors all lead to a similar phenotype. These data may help explain why circuits with aggressive tau pathology (e.g., entorhinal cortex) may degenerate prior to producing significant amyloid pathology. Aging monkeys therefore can play an important role in identifying and testing potential therapeutics to protect the association cortex, including preventive therapies that are challenging to test in humans.

The response of bacterial community to UVB was significantly different between immature periphyton and mature periphyton, but not for physiological indicators.

Periphyton has important ecological functions. It can even exist in environments with strong ultraviolet radiation. However, knowledge of periphyton under ultraviolet is limited, which limits the understanding and application of periphyton in environments with high ultraviolet radiation. In this study, immature periphyton (IMP) and mature periphyton (MP) under ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation were investigated and compared in terms of physiological characteristics and bacterial community. Analysis of the physiological characteristics showed that the response patterns of IMP and MP to UVB were similar. IMP and MP could adapt to UVB of 1 W/m2 well. However, high-intensity UVB (2 and 3 W/m2) reduced the periphyton biomass, inhibited photosynthesis and antioxidant enzyme activity and caused severe lipid peroxidation in both IMP and MP. Integrated Biological Response (IBR) analysis and toxicological model fitting showed that the ED50 values of UVB for IMP and MP were 1.25 and 1.50 W/m2, respectively. 16 S rRNA gene analysis showed that in both IMP and MP, bacterial community composition, assembly and function were affected by UVB. In addition, the response of the bacterial community in IMP to UVB was stronger than that in MP. The diversity of the IMP community was inhibited by UVB, but that of the MP community was not. Proteobacteria and Deinococcus-Thermus are key microorganisms responsible for tolerance to UVB stress. Neutral community model fitting showed that both UVB and the development process caused the determinism of bacterial succession. However, UVB may weaken the deterministic process caused by development. Functional prediction showed that many metabolic functions of periphyton were inhibited by UVB in IMP and MP. However, UVB caused different changes (enhancement or inhibition) of some ecological functions in them. This study provides valuable information for understanding periphyton in environments with UVB radiation, which may be used to improve the application of periphyton in these environments.

Particulate toxicity of metal-organic framework UiO-66 to white rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOF) are emerging materials with fantastic properties and wide applications. The release of metal ions from MOF materials is usually regarded as the origin of soluble MOF toxicity. However, whether the stable MOF particulates would induce environmental hazards is not clear. Herein, we aimed to reveal the particulate toxicity of MOF materials using the insoluble UiO-66 as the representative MOF and Phanerochaete chrysosporium as the model microorganism. UiO-66 nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized by solvothermal method and their diameter was 68.4 ± 8.5 nm. UiO-66 NPs were stable in the culture system and the dissolution rate of 500 mg/L group was 0.26% after 14 d incubation. UiO-66 NPs did not affect the fungus growth according to the fresh weight increases and unchanged dry weights. Fungus mycelia kept even at concentrations up to 500 mg/L. Ultrastructural observation showed that UiO-66 NPs did not enter the fungal cells, but slightly destroyed the cell wall. UiO-66 NPs inhibited the laccase activity and promoted the activity of manganese peroxidase. The overall impact on the decomposition activity of P. chrysosporium was low in dye coloration test and sawdust degradation assay. Meaningful oxidative stress was aroused by UiO-66 NPs, as indicated by the decreases of catalase, glutathione, and total superoxide dismutase, and the increases of H2O2. Our results collectively suggested that the MOF particulates could induce mild mechanical damage to fungi and the toxicity was low comparing to other instable MOF materials.

Phytotoxicity of VO2 nanoparticles with different sizes to pea seedlings.

Vanadium dioxide nanoparticles (VO2 NPs) have been massively produced due to their excellent metal-insulator transition characteristics for various applications. Pilot studies indicated the toxicity of VO2 NPs to bacteria and mammalian cells, but the environmental hazards of VO2 NPs to plants have been unrevealed to date. In this study, we reported the inhibitive effects of VO2 NPs to the growth and photosynthesis of pea seedlings. Laboratory synthesized monoclinic VO2 NPs (N-VO2), commercial nanosized VO2 NPs (S-VO2), and commercial microsized VO2 particles (M-VO2) were carefully characterized for environmental toxicity evaluations. VO2 particles were supplemented to culture medium for seed germination and seedling growth. All three VO2 samples did not affect the germination rates of pee seeds, while serious growth inhibition of pea seedlings was observed at 10 mg/L for S-VO2 and N-VO2, and 100 mg/L for M-VO2. VO2 particles had no impact on the chlorophyll contents, but the photosynthesis of leaf was significantly decreased following the consequence of N-VO2 > S-VO2 > M-VO2. The inhibition of photosynthesis was attributed to the damage of acceptor side of photosystem II by VO2 particles at high concentrations. Abundant bioaccumulations of vanadium in roots aroused oxidative damage and changed the root structure. Our results collectively indicated that the phytotoxicity of VO2 NPs was related to the concentration, size and crystalline degree.

An Indirect Digital Technique to Transfer 3D Printed Casts to a Mechanical Articulator With Individual Sagittal Condylar Inclination Settings Using CBCT and Intraoral Scans.

With the widespread application of digital impression techniques in prosthetic dentistry, accurate intraoral scan mounting, and virtual articulator parameters setting as per patients' anatomic structures are essential for treatment planning and restoration fabrication, especially for complex rehabilitation cases; meanwhile, marginal fit checking, occlusal adjustment, and porcelain layering of restorations are also crucial procedures in all cases in which the analog procedure to mount maxillary arches on a mechanical articulator is still required. This technique article presents an indirect digital approach that can first achieve virtual intraoral scan mounting and sagittal condylar inclination value setting of an Artex virtual articulator based on bony structures provided by a single cone beam computed tomography scan. It then facilitates the transfer of virtually mounted intraoral scans from the virtual articulator to the matched Artex mechanical articulator by relating a digitally scanned mounting plate of the Artex mechanical articulator to the virtual articulator, printing the intraoral scan and mounting plate scan assembly, and then mounting the printed casts on the mechanical articulator based on the printed mounting plate. This technique eliminates the conventional facebow transfer and protrusive bite registration procedures and offers a straightforward approach for the seamless integration of virtual environments and analog workflows into clinical practice. It aids in the design of restorations that are harmonious with the mandibular movements and reduces chairside adjustment time.

A Novel Technique to Align the Intraoral Scans to the Virtual Articulator and Set the Patient-Specific Sagittal Condylar Inclination.

Customized cast orientations and parameter settings of the virtual articulator according to the patient's condyles are indispensable parts of today's digital workflows in prosthodontics. This article describes a digital technique to align the intraoral scans to a virtual articulator by using a facial scanner to locate the patient's cutaneous landmarks of the arbitrary hinge axis and the reference plane, and to customize the sagittal condylar inclination of the virtual articulator through a digital protrusive interocclusal record and a dental computer-aided design software program. It enables individual cast orientations and virtual articulator parameter settings without conventional facebow transferring and bite registration procedures and can be easily integrated with most virtual articulator systems on the market to allow clinicians and technicians to work in a complete digital workflow and facilitate customized treatment planning and dental prosthesis fabrication.

[Effects of Three Illuminants on the Color of High Translucent Multilayered Zirconia].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of three common illuminants on the color of four brands of high translucent multilayered zirconia (HTMZ) ceramics so as to provide reference for clinical practice and dental restoration fabrication, and to reduce the risks for illuminant change causing color mismatch between the natural teeth and the restorations made of HTMZ. METHODS: Four brands of commonly used HTMZ were selected and ten cuboid samples ( n=10/group) of 12 mm×10 mm×0.8 mm were prepared for each type of HTMZ. The L*, a*, and b* values of the samples were measured under D65, A and F2, three standard illuminants. Then, the L*, a*, and b* values were statistically analyzed by using factors of the type of the illuminant and the brand of the zirconia. Color difference (ΔE) of samples of the same brand under exposure to changed illuminants was also calculated. RESULTS: When the same samples were exposure to different illuminants, there was no significant difference in the L* value, the a* value for the different iluminants was shown to be illuminant A>illuminant F2>illuminant D65, and the b* value was shown to be illuminant F2>illuminant D65>illuminant A. The L*, a*, and b* values of samples of different brands showed statistically significant difference when they were exposed to the same illuminant ( P<0.0001). Samples of the same brand showed ΔE when they were under the three different illuninants, and all ΔE were clinically acceptable. CONCLUSION: The types of illuminant used, to a certain degree, affected the hue and chroma of HTMZ. There were colorimetric differences between restorations made of different brands of HTMZ ceramics of the same color. The types of illuminants most common to the daily life of patients and the color characteristics of materials of different brands should be taken into consideration to facilitate the selection of restoration materials and dental restoration fabrication, and to reduce the risks for color mismatch between the restorations and the adjacent teeth caused by the change of illuminants.

Single photon counting compressive imaging using a generative model optimized via sampling and transfer learning.

Single photon counting compressive imaging, a combination of single-pixel-imaging and single-photon-counting technology, is provided with low cost and ultra-high sensitivity. However, it requires a long imaging time when applying traditional compressed sensing (CS) reconstruction algorithms. A deep-learning-based compressed reconstruction network refrains iterative computation while achieving efficient reconstruction. This paper proposes a compressed reconstruction network (OGTM) based on a generative model, adding sampling sub-network to achieve joint-optimization of sampling and generation for better reconstruction. To avoid the slow convergence caused by alternating training, initial weights of the sampling and generation sub-network are transferred from an autoencoder. The results indicate that the convergence speed and imaging quality are significantly improved. The OGTM validated on a single-photon compressive imaging system performs imaging experiments on specific and generalized targets. For specific targets, the results demonstrate that OGTM can quickly generate images from few measurements, and its reconstruction is better than the existing compressed sensing recovery algorithms, compensating defects of the generative models in compressed sensing.

The Inhibition Effect of the Seaweed Polyphenol, 7-Phloro-Eckol from Ecklonia Cava on Alcohol-Induced Oxidative Stress in HepG2/CYP2E1 Cells.

The liver is vulnerable to oxidative stress-induced damage, which leads to many diseases, including alcoholic liver disease (ALD). Liver disease endanger people's health, and the incidence of ALD is increasing; therefore, prevention is very important. 7-phloro-eckol (7PE) is a seaweed polyphenol, which was isolated from Ecklonia cava in a previous study. In this study, the antioxidative stress effect of 7PE on HepG2/CYP2E1 cells was evaluated by alcohol-induced cytotoxicity, DNA damage, and expression of related inflammation and apoptosis proteins. The results showed that 7PE caused alcohol-induced cytotoxicity to abate, reduced the amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO), and effectively inhibited DNA damage in HepG2/CYP2E1 cells. Additionally, the expression levels of glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), B cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), and Akt increased, while γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT), Bcl-2 related x (Bax), cleaved caspase-3, cleaved caspase-9, nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), and JNK decreased. Finally, molecular docking proved that 7PE could bind to BCL-2 and GSH protein. These results indicate that 7PE can alleviate the alcohol-induced oxidative stress injury of HepG2 cells and that 7PE may have a potential application prospect in the future development of antioxidants.

Age-related calcium dysregulation linked with tau pathology and impaired cognition in non-human primates.

INTRODUCTION: The etiology of sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD) requires non-genetically modified animal models. METHODS: The relationship of tau phosphorylation to calcium-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-protein kinase A (PKA) dysregulation was analyzed in aging rhesus macaque dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) and rat primary cortical neurons using biochemistry and immuno-electron microscopy. The influence of calcium leak from ryanodine receptors (RyRs) on neuronal firing and cognitive performance was examined in aged macaques. RESULTS: Aged monkeys naturally develop hyperphosphorylated tau, including AD biomarkers (AT8 (pS202/pT205) and pT217) and early tau pathology markers (pS214 and pS356) that correlated with evidence of increased calcium leak (pS2808-RyR2). Calcium also regulated early tau phosphorylation in vitro. Age-related reductions in the calcium-binding protein, calbindin, and in phosphodiesterase PDE4D were seen within dlPFC pyramidal cell dendrites. Blocking RyRs with S107 improved neuronal firing and cognitive performance in aged macaques. DISCUSSION: Dysregulated calcium signaling confers risk for tau pathology and provides a potential therapeutic target.