Status quo of the public's knowledge of probiotics based on video-sharing platforms.

BACKGROUND: Probiotics have been deemed multipotent and unprecedentedly applied in the health field recently. However, there are challenges in promoting credible and reliable resources while avoiding misinformation regarding probiotics for the public. METHODS: This study analysed 400 eligible probiotic-related videos selected from YouTube, and the three most popular video-sharing platforms (Bilibili, Weibo and TikTok) in China. Video retrieval was performed on September 5th, 2022. GQS and tailored DISCERN tool assess each video's quality, usage, and reliability. A comparative analysis of videos from different sources was carried out. RESULTS: The identity distribution of probiotic video-producers was predominantly experts (n = 202, 50.50%), followed by amateurs (n = 161, 40.25%) and health-related institutions (n = 37, 9.25%). The videos' content category mainly discussed the function of probiotics (n = 120, 30%), the way to choose suitable products (n = 81, 20.25%), and the methods for taking probiotics (n = 71, 17.75%).The overall quality of videos was moderate (3/5 point) assessed by GQS, while the usage (1/6 point) and reliability (2/5 point) detailing probiotics assessed by tailored DISCERN tool were poor. The attitude of probiotic video-producers was primarily positive (n = 323, 80.75%), followed by neutral (n = 52, 13.00%) and negative (n = 25, 6.25%) (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The current study showed that videos on social media platforms publicise important information including the concepts, usage, and precautions of probiotics to the public. But the overall quality of uploaded videos about probiotics was unsatisfactory. More efforts are needed to improve the higher-quality content of probiotic-related online videos and better propagate probiotic knowledge to the public in the future.

Isolated middle cerebral artery stenosis caused by syphilitic vasculitis.

BACKGROUND: Syphilitic vasculitis (SV) is rare and difficult to be diagnosed. High-resolution vessel wall magnetic resonance imaging (HR-VWI) might be valuable in the diagnosis by differentiating SV from other vessel wall pathologies. METHODS: We report a rare case with severe isolated middle cerebral artery (MCA) stenosis and cerebral infarction, which was evaluated by serial HR-VWI. RESULTS: A 46-year-old woman presented with an acute infarct in the left basal ganglia and severe isolated stenosis in left middle cerebral artery (MCA). Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis was performed and the findings were consistent with neurosyphilis diagnosis. The MCA stenosis was also suspected to be the result of SV. HR-VWI revealed the evidence of concentric thickening and circular uniform enhancement of the arterial wall. After two cycles of anti-syphilis treatment, subsequent HR-VWI showed that the MCA stenosis was reduced significantly except slight enhancement of the arterial wall, which confirmed that the SV caused the isolated MCA stenosis. CONCLUSIONS: HR-VWI could be an important diagnostic tool for isolated middle cerebral artery stenosis caused by SV, which could serve as a biomarker for assessing the response to anti-syphilis treatment in the future.

Metal Cluster Triggered-Assembling Heterogeneous Au-Ag Nanoclusters with Highly Loading Performance and Biocompatible Capability.

In this work, we firstly report the preparation of heterogeneously assembled structures Au-Ag nanoclusters (NCs) as good drug carriers with high loading performance and biocompatible capability. As glutathione-protected Au and Ag clusters self-assembled into porous Au-Ag NCs, the size value is about 1.358 (±0.05) nm. The morphology characterization revealed that the diameter of Au-Ag NCs is approximately 120 nm, as well as the corresponding potential ability in loading performance of the metal cluster triggered-assembling process. Compared with individual components, the stability and loading performance of heterogeneous Au-Ag NCs were improved and exhibit that the relative biocompatibility was enhanced. The exact information about this is that cell viability was approximately to 98% when cells were incubated with 100 µg mL-1 particle solution for 3 days. The drug release of Adriamycin from Au-Ag NCs was carried out in PBS at pH = 7.4 and 5.8, respectively. By simulating in vivo and tumor microenvironment, the release efficiency could reach over 65% at pH = 5.8 but less than 30% at pH = 7.2. Using an ultrasound field as external environment can accelerate the assembling process while metal clusters triggered assembling Au-Ag NCs. The size and morphology of the assembled Au-Ag NCs can be controlled by using different power parameters (8 W, 13 W, 18 W) under ambient atmosphere. Overall, a novel approach is exhibited, which conveys assembling work for metal clusters triggers into heterogeneous structures with porous characteristic. Its existing properties such as water-solubility, stability, low toxicity and capsulation can be considered as dependable agents in various biomedical applications and drug carriers in immunotherapies.

Bioinspired Pd-Cu Alloy Nanoparticles as Accept Agent for Dye Degradation Performances.

Dye degradation is a key reaction in organic decomposition production through electron donor transferring. Palladium (Pd) is the best-known element for synthesis Pd-based catalyst, the surface status determines the scope of relative applications. Here we first prepare Pd-Cu alloy nanoparticles (NPs) by co-reduction of Cu(acac)2 (acac = acetylacetonate) and Pd(C5HF6O2)2 in the presence of sodium borohydride (NaBH4) and glutathione (GSH). The obtained Pd-Cu is about ~10 nm with super-hydrophilicity in aqueous mediums. The structural analysis clearly demonstrated the uniform distribution of Pd and Cu element. The colloidal solution keeps stability even during 30 days. Bimetallic Pd-Cu NPs shows biocompatibility in form of cell lines (IMEF, HACAT, and 239 T) exposed to colloidal solution (50 µg mL-1) for 2 days. It shows the catalytic multi-performance for dye degradation such as methyl orange (MO), rhodamine B (RhB), and methylene blue (MB), respectively. The as-synthesized nanoparticles showed one of the best multiple catalytic activities in the industrially important (electro)-catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) to corresponding amines with noticeable reduced reaction time and increased rate constant without the use of any large area support. In addition, it exhibits peroxidase-like activity in the 3, 3', 5, 5'-Tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) color test and exhibit obvious difference with previous individual metal materials. By treated with high intensity focused ultrasound filed (HIFU), Pd-Cu NPs might be recrystallized and decreased the diameters than before. The enhancement in catalytic performance is observed obviously. This work expedites rational design and synthesis of the high-hierarchy alloy catalyst for biological and environment-friendly agents.

Enhancement Characteristics of Middle Cerebral Arterial Atherosclerotic Plaques Over Time and Their Correlation With Stroke Recurrence.

BACKGROUND: The progression of atherosclerotic plaque is a dynamic process; however, the natural evolution process of plaque enhancement on MRI remains unclear. PURPOSE: To evaluate changes in enhancement characteristics of middle cerebral arterial (MCA) atherosclerotic plaques over time using MRI and to explore the relationship between the changes in plaque enhancement and stroke recurrence. STUDY TYPE: Prospective. POPULATION: Fifty-four patients with MCA atherosclerotic plaque underwent initial and follow-up examinations with a median interval of 519 days (range 84-1820 days), including 37 males and 16 patients with recurrent stroke. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: Time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiography, diffusion-weighted imaging, T2 -weighted imaging, pre- and postcontrast T1 -weighted imaging at 3 T. ASSESSMENT: Clinical characteristics and differences in the changes in plaque enhancement among acute, subacute and chronic stroke groups and the changes in the degree of stenosis and plaque enhancement between the patients with and without recurrent stroke were compared. Risk factors for patients with recurrent stroke were assessed. Intra- and interobserver agreement in initial and the changes in plaque enhancement and stenosis, and the correlation between changes in plaque enhancement and recurrent stroke, were evaluated. STATISTICAL TESTS: Independent-samples t-test, Mann-Whitney U-test, chi-squared test, Spearman correlation, logistic regression and Cohen's kappa test. RESULTS: There were significant differences in the changes in stenosis and plaque enhancement (P < 0.05) between the patients with and without recurrent stroke. A significant correlation was observed between the changes in plaque enhancement and stroke recurrence (r = 0.415, P < 0.05). Multivariate regression analysis showed that a change in plaque enhancement was an independent factor for stroke recurrence after adjusting for confounding factors (odds ratio [OR] = 5.797, P < 0.05). There was excellent intra- and interobserver agreement in evaluating plaque enhancement and stenosis. DATA CONCLUSION: Stable or increased enhancement of MCA plaque was related to recurrent stroke events at follow-up. Change in plaque enhancement on MRI may be an important indicator for predicting recurrent stroke. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2 TECHNICAL EFFICACY STAGE: 2.

Recent Advances in Metal-Based Magnetic Composites as High-Efficiency Candidates for Ultrasound-Assisted Effects in Cancer Therapy.

Metal-based magnetic materials have been used in different fields due to their particular physical or chemical properties. The original magnetic properties can be influenced by the composition of constituent metals. As utilized in different application fields, such as imaging monitoring, thermal treatment, and combined integration in cancer therapies, fabricated metal-based magnetic materials can be doped with target metal elements in research. Furthermore, there is one possible new trend in human activities and basic cancer treatment. As has appeared in characterizations such as magnetic resonance, catalytic performance, thermal efficiency, etc., structural information about the real morphology, size distribution, and composition play important roles in its further applications. In cancer studies, metal-based magnetic materials are considered one appropriate material because of their ability to penetrate biological tissues, interact with cellular components, and induce noxious effects. The disruptions of cytoskeletons, membranes, and the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) further influence the efficiency of metal-based magnetic materials in related applications. While combining with cancer cells, these magnetic materials are not only applied in imaging monitoring focus areas but also could give the exact area information in the cure process while integrating ultrasound treatment. Here, we provide an overview of metal-based magnetic materials of various types and then their real applications in the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) field and cancer cell treatments. We will demonstrate advancements in using ultrasound fields co-worked with MRI or ROS approaches. Besides iron oxides, there is a super-family of heterogeneous magnetic materials used as magnetic agents, imaging materials, catalytic candidates in cell signaling and tissue imaging, and the expression of cancer cells and their high sensitivity to chemical, thermal, and mechanical stimuli. On the other hand, the interactions between magnetic candidates and cancer tissues may be used in drug delivery systems. The materials' surface structure characteristics are introduced as drug loading substrates as much as possible. We emphasize that further research is required to fully characterize the mechanisms of underlying ultrasounds induced together, and their appropriate relevance for materials toxicology and biomedical applications.

Melatonin promotes adventitious root formation in apple by promoting the function of MdWOX11.

BACKGROUND: Melatonin (MT) is important for plant growth and development; however, it is not known whether MT is involved in apple adventitious root (AR) development. In this study, we treated Malus prunifolia (MP) at four different stages of AR development, and analyzed the level of the endogenous hormones MT, auxin (IAA), zeatin-riboside (ZR), abscisic acid (ABA), and gibberellins (GA1 + 3) in all four treatment groups and the untreated control group. The expression of MT, IAA biosynthesis, transport and signal transduction, the cell cycle, and root development related genes were quantified by RT-qPCR. The function of MdWOX11 was analyzed in transgenic apple plants. RESULTS: The promotion of AR development by MT was dependent on the stage of AR induction between 0 and 2 d in apple rootstocks. MT-treatment increased the level of IAA and crosstalk existed between MT and IAA during AR formation. The expression of MdWOX11 was induced by MT treatment and positively regulated AR formation in apple. Furthermore, transgenic lines that overexpressed MdWOX11 lines produced more ARs than 'GL3'. Phenotypic analysis indicated that MdWOX11 overexpression lines were more sensitive to exogenous MT treatment than 'GL3', suggesting that MdWOX11 regulates AR formation in response to MT in apple rootstock. CONCLUSIONS: MT promotes AR formation mainly during the AR induction stage by inducing IAA levels and upregulating MdWOX11.

A SLC24A2 Gene Variant Uncovered in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma by Whole Exome Sequencing.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) presents as an aggressive malignancy caused by environmental and genetic factors. In order to identify causal genes for PDAC, we performed whole exome sequencing (WES) to detect gene mutations in seven pairs of PDAC tissue and adjacent non-tumor tissue samples. Finally, we found a new nonsynonymous single nucleotide variant (nsSNV) in solute carrier 24 family member 2 (SLC24A2) gene resulting in the substitution of native glutamic acid (E) into aspartic acid (D) at position of 287 amino acid (E287D) in SLC24A2 protein, and confirmed this variant by Sanger gene sequencing. SLC24A2 is a potassium-dependent sodium-calcium exchanger and can transport metal ion across cell membrane. Multiple in silico variants' effects analyses methods including SIFT, PolyPhen, PROVEAN, and PANTHER demonstrated this variant had probably damaging effects, which was consistent with the results obtained from Mutation Taster software analysis with a probability of 0.99999997 to be "disease causing." The three dimension (3D) structure analysis results suggested this variant had little effects on the solubility and hydrophobicity of the protein; but it could decrease the protein stability by increasing the total protein structure energy (-8874.33 kJ/mol for the mutant and -8963.54 kJ/mol for the native) and by causing the mutant protein decreasing three stabilizing residues. Less stability of the mutant 287D protein than the native E287 protein was also supported by I-Mutant and Western-blotting analysis results. Overall, a new mutation in SLC24A2 gene was identified to decrease the stability of SLC24A2, which may have potential clinical usages.

Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) measurements in pancreatic adenocarcinoma: A preliminary study of the effect of region of interest on ADC values and interobserver variability.

PURPOSE: To assess the influence of region of interest (ROI) on tumor apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) measurements and interobserver variability in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-two patients recruited with pathology-proven PDAC underwent diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI, 3.0T) prior to the surgical resection. Two independent readers measured tumor ADCs according to three ROI methods: whole-volume, single-slice, and small solid sample of tumor. Minimum and mean ADCs were obtained. The interobserver variability for each of the three methods was analyzed using interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Bland-Altman analysis. The minimum and mean ADCs among the ROI methods were compared using nonparametric tests. RESULTS: The single-slice ROI method showed the best reproducibility in the minimum ADC measurements (mean difference ± limits of agreement between two readers were 0.025 ± 0.25 × 10(-3) mm2 /s; ICC, 0.92) among the three ROI methods. For the solid tumor sample ROI, both minimum ADC and mean ADC measurements reproducibility were the worst, with limits of agreement up to ±0.50 × 10(-3) mm2 /s and ±0.32 × 10(-3) mm2 /s, respectively (ICCs, 0.41/0.58). Both the minimum and mean ADCs demonstrated significant differences among the three ROI methods (both P < 0.001). The post-hoc analyses results showed no significant difference with regard to the mean ADCs between whole-volume and single-slice ROI methods (P = 0.14). CONCLUSION: The ROI method had a considerable influence on both the minimum and mean ADC values and the interobserver variability in PDAC. The worst interobserver variability was observed for both the minimum and mean ADCs derived from small solid-sample ROI.

An assessment on the incremental value of high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging to identify culprit plaques in atherosclerotic disease of the middle cerebral artery.

OBJECTIVE: Although certain morphological features depicted by high resolution, multi-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (hrMRI) have been shown to be different between culprit and non-culprit middle cerebral artery (MCA) atherosclerotic lesions, the incremental value of hrMRI to define culprit lesions over stenosis has not been assessed. METHODS: Patients suspected with MCA stenosis underwent hrMRI. Lumen and outer wall were segmented to calculate stenosis, plaque burden (PB), volume (PV), length (PL) and minimum luminal area (MLA). RESULTS: Data from 165 lesions (112 culprit and 53 non-culprit) in 139 individuals were included. Culprit lesions were larger and longer with a narrower lumen and increased PB compared with non-culprit lesions. More culprit lesions showed contrast enhancement. Both PB and MLA were better indicators than stenosis in differentiating lesion types (AUC were 0.649, 0.732 and 0.737 for stenosis, PB and MLA, respectively). Combinations of PB, MLA and stenosis could improve positive predictive value (PPV) and specificity significantly. An optimal combination of stenosis ≥ 50 %, PB ≥ 77 % and MLA ≤ 2.0 mm(2) produced a PPV = 85.7 %, negative predictive value = 54.1 %, sensitivity = 69.6 %, specificity = 75.5 %, and accuracy = 71.5 %. CONCLUSIONS: hrMRI plaque imaging provides incremental information to luminal stenosis in identifying culprit lesions. KEY POINTS: • High resolution MRI provides incremental information in defining culprit MCA atherosclerotic lesions. • Both plaque burden and minimum luminal area are better indicators than stenosis. • An optimal combination includes stenosis ≥ 50 %, PB ≥ 77 % and MLA ≤ 2.0 mm (2) .

Metal release/accumulation during the decomposition of Potamogeton crispus in a shallow macrophytic lake.

Changes in metal concentrations in the litter of Potamogeton crispus were monitored during a consecutive 40-day in situ decomposition experiment using the litterbag method. The accumulation index was calculated and used to indicate the changes in the metals in litter. The results showed that the concentrations of Al, Cd, Cr, Fe, Mn, and Pb in litter increased significantly during the decomposition, while Cu and Zn concentrations decreased dramatically. Significant positive correlations were found between the concentrations of Al, Cr, Fe, and Mn and between Cu and Zn. Moreover, Cu and Zn both negatively correlated with Al and Fe. The remaining dry mass was negatively correlated with Al and Fe concentrations but positively correlated with Cu and Zn concentrations. Generally the accumulation index values of metals other than Al were less than one, indicating that the litter of P. crispus acted as a source of metals to the surrounding water body. Al was the only metal that showed continuous net accumulation in litter. The net accumulation of Fe and Mn in litter during the last 10 days of the experiment may indicate the precipitation of Fe- and Mn-oxides. It was estimated that 160 g/m(2) (dry weight) P. crispus was decomposed in 40 days. This was equivalent to releasing the following amounts of metals: 0.01 mg Cd, 0.03 mg Cr, 0.71 mg Cu, 0.55 mg Mn, 0.02 mg Pb and 13.8 mg Zn into surrounding water, and accumulating 149 mg Al and 11 mg Fe, in a 1m(2) area.

Intravoxel incoherent motion MRI of the healthy pancreas: Monoexponential and biexponential apparent diffusion parameters of the normal head, body and tail.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the monoexponential and biexponential apparent diffusion parameters in different anatomical regions of the healthy pancreas using intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) diffusion weighted imaging (DWI). METHODS: Fifty-seven healthy volunteers (age, 45.0 ± 10.8 years) were recruited. DWI of the pancreas was performed with 9 b-values (0, 20, 50, 100, 200, 400, 600, 800, and 1000 s/mm(2) , respectively). The ADC was calculated for all b-values using linear regression yielding ADCtotal . The ADCb value of the monoexponential DWI, slow component of diffusion (ADCslow ), incoherent microcirculation (ADCfast ) and perfusion fraction (f) of the biexponential DWI were calculated for the pancreas head, body and tail. Dependency of the parameters on the anatomical regions was analyzed using Friedman test. RESULTS: All of the mean ADC400 , ADC600 , ADC800 , ADC1000 , ADCtotal and f values differed significantly among the anatomical regions with the lowest values were observed in the tail of pancreas (P < 0.05). The Friedman test results demonstrated a significant decline of the mean ADC values of the monoexponential DWI from b20 to b1000 for the three anatomical regions respectively (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Multi-b-value DWI derived quantitative parameters including ADC400 , ADC600 , ADC800 , ADC1000 , ADCtotal , and f differed significantly among the pancreatic head, body and tail, with the lowest values obtained in the tail.

Rhetorical strategies in Chinese and English talk show humor: a comparative analysis.

Humor is a kind of cognitive psychology activity, and it is diverse among individuals. One of the main characteristics of talk shows is to produce humorous discourse to make the audience laugh; however, rare studies have made a deeper comparative investigation on the rhetorical strategies in different language humorous utterances. Therefore, the current study adopted a mixed method of sequential explanatory design to identify the types of rhetorical strategies in the monolog verbal humor of Chinese and English talk shows, examine their similarities and differences. Two hundred monolog samples from 2016 to 2022, which consisted of 100 monologs of Chinese talk shows (CTS) and 100 monologs of English talk shows (ETS), were downloaded from the internet as language corpus. Berger's theory was adopted to identify the types of rhetorical strategies. Based on the obtained findings, this study found that both language talk show hosts use a variety type of rhetorical strategies to produce humorous discourse. The comparison of similarities and differences revealed that the most frequently used rhetorical strategies in both talk shows were almost similar (e.g., satire, exaggeration, facetiousness, and ridicule), but the percentage of usage of these various rhetorical strategies in both talk shows was slightly different. Interestingly, misunderstanding occurred 20 times in CTS but was not found in ETS. Meanwhile, simile and personification were used more often in ETS. Conclusively, this study contributes valuable insights on the use of different types of rhetorical strategies to create verbal humor in different language contexts.

ZBTB20 suppresses tumor growth in glioblastoma through activating the TET1/FAS/caspase­3 pathway.

Zinc finger and BTB domain containing 20 (ZBTB20) is a key transcription repressor that regulates multiple physiological and pathophysiological processes. Thus far, the role of ZBTB20 in glioblastoma (GBM), a World Health Organization grade IV glioma, remains unclear. In the present study, the expression profile data of ZBTB20 in GBM tissues from public databases was analyzed. It was found that ZBTB20 expression in GBM tissues was significantly lower than that measured in lower grade glioma tissues. Furthermore, patients with GBM with lower ZBTB20 expression were associated with a shorter overall survival time. Gain- and loss-of-function experiments in GBM cells were also performed. The results demonstrated that ZBTB20 overexpression decreased GBM cell proliferation, while ZBTB20 knockdown significantly enhanced it. Cell cycle analysis showed the ZBTB20 overexpression may have inhibited proliferation through cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase, while ZBTB20 knockdown increased the percentages of cells in both the S phase and G2/M phase. Ten-eleven translocation 1 (TET1) is an important tumor suppressor involved in the formation of various types of tumor, and it was upregulated in ZBTB20-overexpressing GBM cells. It was further demonstrated that ZBTB20 activated the TET1/FAS/caspase-3 pathway. The results of the present study therefore indicated the potential role of ZBTB20 as a tumor suppressor and therapeutic target for GBM.

Relationship Between Resilience, Social Support, Existential Well-Being and Negative Emotions in Cervical Cancer Patients: a Mediation Analysis.

Background: The patients of cervical cancer have more negative emotions and lower quality of life. The aim of this study was to explore the relationships between existential well-being (EWB), social support, resilience, negative emotions in patients with cervical cancer, and to examine whether resilience mediates the associations between EWB or social support and negative emotions. Material and methods: This study enrolled patients with cervical cancer who were treated at the Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital in China during 2012-2019. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Resilience Scale of 14 items (RS-14) and the McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire (MQOL) were utilized to assess patient's anxiety, depression, resilience, social support and EWB via telephone. Spearman's correlation analyses were used to assess bivariate correlations, and mediation analyses were applied to examine whether resilience mediated the relationship between social support or EWB and negative emotions. Results: A total of 150 (92.0%) out of 163 eligible patients completed the questionnaires. EWB and social support were negatively correlated with anxiety (r=-0.560 and r=-0.561) and depression (r=-0.508 and r=-0.526), and positively correlated with resilience (r=0.691 and r=0.652). Resilience was negatively associated with anxiety (r=-0.545) and depression (r=-0.505). Negative direct effects of social support on anxiety and EWB on anxiety and depression were statistically significant (P<0.05). Resilience played a partial mediating role in the relationship between EWB and depression (ß=-0.085, 95%CI: -0.150 to -0.020), accounting for 37.12% of the total effect. It also served as a partial mediator in the association between EWB and anxiety (ß=-0.061, 95%CI: -0.107 to -0.015), explaining 34.46% of the overall effect. Additionally, resilience partially mediated the connection between social support and depression (ß=-0.173, 95%CI: -0.312 to -0.053), explicating 57.48% of the total effect. Conclusions: A combination of existential, supportive and resilient interventions may help reduce psychological distress and improve quality of life among cervical cancer patients, thereby promoting both physical and psychological health.

Vitamin D and Its Receptors in Cervical Cancer.

Several studies have investigated the relationship between vitamin D (VD) and its receptors (VDR) and the risk of cervical cancer. However, the underlying mechanisms that underpin these associations remain incompletely comprehended. In this review, we analyzed the impacts of VD and VDR on cervical cancer and related mechanisms, and discussed the effects of VD, calcium, and other vitamins on cervical cancer. Our literature research found that VD, VDR and their related signaling pathways played indispensable roles in the occurrence and progression of cervical cancer. Epidemiological studies have established associations between VD, VDR, and cervical cancer susceptibility. Current studies have shown that the inhibitory effect of VD and VDR on cervical cancer may be attributed to a variety of molecules and pathways, such as the EAG potassium channel, HCCR-1, estrogen and its receptor, p53, pRb, TNF-α, the PI3K/Akt pathway, and the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway. This review also briefly discussed the association between VDR gene polymorphisms and cervical cancer, albeit a comprehensive elucidation of this relationship remains an ongoing research endeavor. Additionally, the potential ramifications of VD, calcium, and other vitamins on cervical cancer has been elucidated, yet further exploration into the precise mechanistic underpinnings of these potential effects is warranted. Therefore, we suggest that further studies should focus on explorations into the intricate interplay among diverse molecular pathways and entities, elucidation of the mechanistic underpinnings of VDR polymorphic loci changes in the context of HPV infection and VD, inquiries into the mechanisms of VD in conjunction with calcium and other vitamins, as well as investigations of the efficacy of VD supplementation or VDR agonists as part of cervical cancer treatment strategies in the clinical trials.

Copper-based biological alloys and nanocomposites for enzymatic catalysis and sensing applications.

Copper (Cu) is an inexpensive transition metal on Earth, exhibiting high catalytic activity due to its rich d-electron configuration and variable oxidation states. Cu-based biological alloys and nanocomposites have emerged as a prominent research area. Under specific synthesis conditions, alloys or nanocomposites formed by Cu with other metals demonstrate excellent enzyme-like and sensing activities. These advanced materials offer significant advantages over artificial enzymes in enzymatic applications, including high stability, simple synthesis, flexible catalytic performance, and ease of preservation. In addition, various types of sensors have been designed based on the unique electrochemical properties exhibited by these alloys and nanocomposites as well as their specific reactions with the target substances. These sensors possess advantages such as stability, high efficiency, a broad detection range, low detection limits, and high sensitivity. In this review, we summarize the current research status of Cu-based biological alloys and nanocomposites in enzyme-like applications and sensing applications. Based on this, we introduce the diverse enzyme-like activities exhibited by Cu-based nanozymes prepared under different synthesis conditions and their applications in areas such as biosensing, cancer treatment, and antibacterial therapy. Furthermore, we provide an overview of the applications of Cu-based alloys and nanocomposites in the field of sensing based on their enzyme-like activity or chemical activities. These sensors have been widely employed in biomedical detection, environmental hazardous substance monitoring, and food safety testing. Challenges and prospects faced by Cu-based alloys and nanocomposites are also highlighted for future works.

Effect of lactic acid bacteria by different concentrations of copper based on non-target metabolomic analysis.

Copper (Cu) is an essential element for mammals, but excess intake can have detrimental health consequences. However, Cu is no longer present in the "Limit of Contaminants in Foods" promulgated in 2022. The potential impact of different Cu (II) concentrations on human health remains unclear. In this study, a strain of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), namely, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum CICC 23121 (L23121), was selected as a prebiotic indicator strain to indirectly assess the effects of food-limited Cu (II) concentrations (issued by Tolerance limit of copper in foods in 1994) on the functions of intestinal microbes. We used non-target metabolomics, automatic growth curve detector, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to investigate the effects of Cu (II) on L23121. The study revealed shows that the 50% minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC50) of Cu (II) for most lactic acid bacteria was 4 mg/L. At low Cu (II) concentrations (≤ 4 mg/L), the pentose phosphate pathway and pyrimidine metabolism of the lactic acid bacteria were affected, resulting in a decrease in the content of beneficial secondary metabolites and a significant decrease in the cell activity. As Cu (II) concentrations increase (≥ 6 mg/L), the key amino acid and lipid metabolisms were affected, leading to the inhibition of growth and primary metabolite production of the bacteria. Under high concentration of Cu (II) (6 mg/L), the surface adhesion of the bacteria was distorted and covered with significantly large particles, and the functional groups of the cells were significantly shifted. As a probiotic, the abundance of lactic acid bacteria in the intestine is significantly reduced, which will inevitably seriously damage intestinal homeostasis. Thus, to protect human intestinal microbes' health, it is recommended to limit the concentration of Cu in food to less than 4 mg/L.

Adsorption abilities and mechanisms of Lactobacillus on various nanoplastics.

As a new type of pollutants, nanoplastics (NPs), which are easily ingested by humans from food wraps, salt, drinking water, have been widely detected in various water environments, and are a threat to human health. It is therefore urgent to develop an efficient method to remove NPs from the diet or relief its harm. In the present study, the possibility of a well-known human probiotic, lactic acid bacteria (LAB), was evaluated to remove NPs from food as an absorbent. The results indicated that LAB from infant feces could efficiently absorb three types NPs, i.e. polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) with the adsorption rates of PP > PE > PVC (PP 78.57%, PE 71.59%, PVC 66.57%) and the Nile red-stained NPs being aggregated on the surfaces of Lactobacillus cells. The smaller the particle size, the stronger the ability of NP adsorption on the cell surface. The hydrophobicity of NPs and bacterial cells affected the adsorption process. The measurement of adsorption rates of different cell components indicated that the overall adsorption effect of cell was better than that of individual cell component. The results of molecular dynamics analysis revealed that adsorption was mainly caused by electrostatic interactions, van der Waals forces, and hydrogen bonds. The hydrophobic interaction was also involved in adsorption process. Overall, this research may provide new information for developing new strategies for NPs removal in intestinal environment.

Epigenetic mechanisms of Müller glial reprogramming mediating retinal regeneration.

Retinal degenerative diseases, characterized by retinal neuronal death and severe vision loss, affect millions of people worldwide. One of the most promising treatment methods for retinal degenerative diseases is to reprogram non-neuronal cells into stem or progenitor cells, which then have the potential to re-differentiate to replace the dead neurons, thereby promoting retinal regeneration. Müller glia are the major glial cell type and play an important regulatory role in retinal metabolism and retinal cell regeneration. Müller glia can serve as a source of neurogenic progenitor cells in organisms with the ability to regenerate the nervous system. Current evidence points toward the reprogramming process of Müller glia, involving changes in the expression of pluripotent factors and other key signaling molecules that may be regulated by epigenetic mechanisms. This review summarizes recent knowledge of epigenetic modifications involved in the reprogramming process of Müller glia and the subsequent changes to gene expression and the outcomes. In living organisms, epigenetic mechanisms mainly include DNA methylation, histone modification, and microRNA-mediated miRNA degradation, all of which play a crucial role in the reprogramming process of Müller glia. The information presented in this review will improve the understanding of the mechanisms underlying the Müller glial reprogramming process and provide a research basis for the development of Müller glial reprogramming therapy for retinal degenerative diseases.