Bulk Photovoltaic Effect Induced by Non-Covalent Interactions in Bilayered Hybrid Perovskite for Efficient Passive X-Ray Detection.

Hydrogen bonding as a multifunctional tool has always influenced the structure of hybrid perovskites. Compared with the research on hydrogen bonding, the study of halogen-halogen interactions on the structure and properties of hybrid perovskites is still in its early stages. Herein, a polar bilayered hybrid perovskite (IEA)2FAPb2I7 (IEA+ is 2-iodoethyl-1-ammonium, FA is formamidinium) with iodine-substituted spacer is successfully constructed by changing the configuration of interlayer cations and regulating non-covalent interactions at the organic-inorganic interface, which shows a shorter interlayer spacing and higher density (ρ = 3.862 g cm-3). The generation of structure polarity in (IEA)2FAPb2I7 is caused by the synergistic effect of hydrogen bonding and halogen-halogen interactions. Especially, as the length of the carbon chain in organic cations decreases, the I---I interaction in the system gradually strengthens, which may be the main reason for the symmetry-breaking. Polarity-induced bulk photovoltaics (Voc = 1.0 V) and higher density endow the device based on (I-EA)2FAPb2I7 exhibit a high sensitivity of 175.6 µC Gy-1 cm-2 and an ultralow detection limit of 60.4 nGy s-1 at 0 V bias under X-ray irradiation. The results present a facile approach for designing polar multifunctional hybrid perovskites, also providing useful assistance for future research on halogen-halogen interactions.

The role of the Notch signaling pathway in bacterial infectious diseases.

The Notch signaling pathway is the most crucial link in the normal operation and maintenance of physiological functions of mammalian life processes. Notch receptors interact with ligands and this leads to three cleavages and goes on to enter the nucleus to initiate the transcription of target genes. The Notch signaling pathway deeply participates in the differentiation and function of various cells, including immune cells. Recent studies indicate that the outcomes of Notch signaling are changeable and highly dependent on different bacterial infection. The Notch signaling pathway plays a different role in promoting and inhibiting bacterial infection. In this review, we focus on the latest research findings of the Notch signaling pathway in bacterial infectious diseases. The Notch signaling pathway is critically involved in a variety of development processes of immunosuppression of different APCs. The Notch signaling pathway leads to functional changes in epithelial cells to aggravate tissue damage. Specifically, we illustrate the regulatory mechanism of the Notch signaling pathway in various bacterial infections, such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium avium paratuberculosis, Mycobacterium leprae, Helicobacter pylori, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Ehrlichia chaffeensis and sepsis. Collectively, this review will not only help beginners intuitively and systematically understand the Notch signaling pathway in bacterial infectious diseases but also help experts to generate fresh insight in this field.

Design a novel of Brucellosis preventive vaccine based on IgV_CTLA-4 and multiple epitopes via immunoinformatics approach.

Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease caused by Brucella, which is difficult to be eliminated by conventional drugs. Therefore, a novel multi-epitope vaccine (MEV) was designed to prevent human Brucella infection. Based on the method of "reverse vaccinology", cytotoxic T lymphocytes epitopes (CTLEs), helper T lymphocytes epitopes (HTLEs), linear B-cell epitopes (LBEs) and conformational B-cell epitopes (CBEs) of four Brucella proteins (VirB9, VirB10, Omp 19 and Omp 25) were obtained. In order to keep the correct protein folding, the multiple epitopes was constructed by connecting epitopes through linkers. In view of the significant connection between human leukocyte antigen CTLA-4 and B7 molecules found on antigen presenting cells (APCs), a new vaccine (V_C4MEV) for preventing brucellosis was created by combining CTLA-4 immunoglobulin variable region (IgV_CTLA-4) with MEV protein. Immunoinformatics analysis showed that V_C4MEV had a good secondary and tertiary structure. Additionally, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation (MD) revealed a robust binding affinity between IgV_ CTLA-4 and the B7 molecule. Notably, the vaccine V_C4MEV was demonstrated favorable immunogenicity and antigenicity in both in vitro and in vivo experiments. V_C4MEV had the potential to activate defensive cells and immune responses, offering a hopeful approach for developing vaccines against Brucella in the upcoming years.

Nutrition-associated markers and outcomes among patients receiving enteral nutrition after ischemic stroke: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Early nutrition after acute ischemic stroke is crucial. We explored early enteral nutrition for stroke patients and evaluated changes in blood indicators as a predictor of stroke prognosis. METHODS: All hospitalized stroke patients receiving enteral nutrition were included in the study. We retrospectively collected the protein, energy, fat, and carbohydrate values for 7 days after admission. Serum albumin, total protein, and hemoglobin values were reviewed at admission and at one week. The main outcome indicators were the Modified Rankin Score, Barthel Index, and Quality of Life at 3 months. RESULTS: A total of 354 patients (mean age, 70.7 years; 59.0% male) were included. The change in serum albumin at day 7 relative to at admission was positively correlated with the Quality of Life score (p = 0.001), the Barthel Index (p = 0.004), and the modified Rankin Score (p = 0.029). The change in total protein at day 7 relative to at admission was positively correlated with the Quality of Life score (p = 0.002), the Barthel Index (p = 0.001), and the modified Rankin score (p = 0.011). The change in hemoglobin values at day 7 relative to at admission was positively correlated with the Barthel Index (p = 0.037 but not with the Quality of Life score (p = 0.237) or the modified Rankin score (p = 0.730). CONCLUSIONS: Improved nutrition-related blood indicators one week after admission were independently associated with good stroke outcomes. Nutritional support for acute ischemic stroke patients during the early hospitalization stage appears to be advisable. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This review was a retrospective cohort study. The study was retrospectively registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (No: ChiCTR2300077228). Registration date: 1/11/2023.

Exploiting the Cationic Size Effect to Improve the Curie Temperature of Hybrid Perovskites Photoferroelectric Semiconductors.

Ferroelectric materials with Curie temperature (Tc) below room temperature severely limit their practical applications. Although research on hybrid perovskite photoferroelectrics is ongoing, effective regulation of Tc still poses significant challenges. Herein, we utilized the cationic size effect to successfully regulate the Tc of hybrid perovskite photoferroelectric semiconductors. As the perovskitizer was replaced by a smaller-sized MA+ (methylammonium) with a larger-sized EA+ (ethylammonium), not only was the ferroelectricity of the hybrid perovskite well maintained but the Tc of (PA)2(MA)2Pb3Br10 (315 K) to (PA)2(EA)2Pb3Br10 (385 K) (PA is n-propylaminium) increased by 70 K, which was mainly due to the significant increase in the energy barriers that the system needed to overcome during the phase transition. Subsequently, we achieved efficient self-powered X-ray detection through the ferroelectric-induced bulk photovoltaic effect (BPVE) in (PA)2(EA)2Pb3Br10. The devices based on (PA)2(EA)2Pb3Br10 single crystals exhibit an outstanding sensitivity of 95 µC Gy-1 cm-2 and a low detection limit of 239 nGy s-1 at 0 V bias under X-ray radiation. This study provides an effective approach for designing and constructing high-temperature multilayer photoferroelectric semiconductors in the future.

Comparison of clinical outcomes between family caregivers and professional caregivers in in-hospital patients with acute ischaemic stroke: A prospective cohort study.

AIM: This study explored the impact of different care modes on the outcome of hospitalized patients with acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) during hospitalization and 3 months after discharge. METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study comparing the outcomes at hospitalization, at discharge, and at 3 months post discharge among AIS patients with different caregiving arrangements from 9, December 2022 to 20, August 2023. The general information questionnaire, Modified Barthel Index, Shortened General Comfort Questionnaire, Perceived Social Support scale, Herth Hope Index, modified Rankin scale and EQ-5D-5L were utilized for the investigation. RESULTS: The psychological evaluation scores during hospitalization, including comfort, perceived social support, and hope, did not significantly differ between the two groups of AIS patients (p > .05). Moreover, there were no significant impacts observed in terms of length of stay (LOS) at the hospital or hospitalization expense (p > .05). The proportion of patients with intact functionality was greater in the family caregiver group 3 months after discharge (16.5%). However, when stratified based on prognosis, the difference in outcomes between the two groups of patients did not reach statistical significance (p > .05). The analysis of ADL, quality of life and stroke recurrence in 276 surviving ischaemic stroke patients 3 months post discharge indicated no differences between the two groups across all three aspects (p > .05). CONCLUSION: Older and divorced or widowed AIS patients tend to prefer professional caregivers. The psychological state during hospitalization, length of hospital stay and hospitalization expenses are not influenced by the caregiving model. Three months post discharge, a greater proportion of patients in the family caregiving group had intact mRS functionality, but this choice did not impact patient prognosis, stroke recurrence, quality of life or independence in ADL.

Entropy-Mediated Stable Structural Evolution of Prussian White Cathodes for Long-Life Na-Ion Batteries.

The high-entropy approach is applied to monoclinic Prussian White (PW) Na-ion cathodes to address the issue of unfavorable multilevel phase transitions upon electrochemical cycling, leading to poor stability and capacity decay. A series of Mn-based samples with up to six metal species sharing the N-coordinated positions was synthesized. The material of composition Na1.65 Mn0.4 Fe0.12 Ni0.12 Cu0.12 Co0.12 Cd0.12 [Fe(CN)6 ]0.92 □0.08 ⋅ 1.09H2 O was found to exhibit superior cyclability over medium/low-entropy and conventional single-metal PWs. We also report, to our knowledge for the first time, that a high-symmetry crystal structure may be advantageous for high-entropy PWs during battery operation. Computational comparisons of the formation enthalpy demonstrate that the compositionally less complex materials are prone to phase transitions, which negatively affect cycling performance. Based on data from complementary characterization techniques, an intrinsic mechanism for the stability improvement of the disordered PW structure upon Na+ insertion/extraction is proposed, namely the dual effect of suppression of phase transitions and mitigation of gas evolution.

Chirality-Dependent Second-Order Nonlinear Optical Effect in 1D Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Perovskite Bulk Single Crystal.

The introduction of chirality into organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites (OIHPs) is expected to achieve excellent photoelectric and nonlinear materials related to circular dichroism. Owing to the existence of asymmetric center and intrinsic chirality in the chiral OIHPs, the different efficiencies of second harmonic generation (SHG) signal occurs when the circularly polarized light (CPL) with different phases passes through the chiral crystal, which is defined as second harmonic generation circular dichroism (SHG-CD). Here, the SHG-CD effect is developed in bulk single crystals of chiral one-dimensional (1D) [(R/S)-3-aminopiperidine]PbI4 . It is the first time that CPL is distinguished using chirality-dependent SHG-CD effect in OIHPs bulk single crystals. Such SHG-CD technology extends the detection range to near infrared region (NIR). In this way, the anisotropy factor (gSHG-CD ) through SHG-CD signal is as high as 0.21.

Status and influential factors of health literacy in patients with ischemic stroke: A cross-sectional study.

AIM: The purpose of this study was to investigate the health literacy level and influencing factors of patients with ischemic stroke. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was conducted. METHODS: We used convenient sampling to recruit potential participants. Patients with ischemic stroke who were hospitalized in the Department of Neurology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University in China from January 2022 to May 2023 were selected as subjects to complete the questionnaire survey. We used the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale to assess the neurological impairment of patients and the Health Literacy Scale for Chronic Patients to assess the health literacy level of patients. RESULTS: The overall health literacy level of ischemic stroke patients was high (99.13 ± 10.15). Age, education level, per capita monthly family income, living situations and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score were independent risk factors affecting the health literacy level of patients with ischemic stroke. Patients with a higher education level (ß = 0.151, P = 0.006) and higher per capita monthly family income (ß = 0.179, P = 0.001) had higher levels of health literacy. Patients who lived with their spouses (ß = -0.117, P = 0.012) had higher health literacy. Patients at an older age (ß = -0.151, P = 0.001) and patients with higher NIHSS scores (ß = -0.450, P = 0.001) had lower health literacy levels. CONCLUSIONS: Age, education level, family per capita monthly income, living situations and National Institute of Health Stroke Scale score were related to the health literacy level of patients with ischemic stroke. According to these associated factors, targeted health education should be developed to improve the health literacy of patients and health outcomes.

Development of a novel multi-epitope vaccine for brucellosis prevention.

Brucellosis, a zoonotic disease caused by Brucella, presents a significant threat to both animal and human health. In animals, the disease can lead to infertility, miscarriage, and high fever, while in humans, symptoms may include recurrent fever, fatigue, sweating, hepatosplenomegaly, and joint and muscle pain following infection. Treatment often involves long-term antibiotic therapy, placing a substantial psychological and financial burden on patients. While vaccination is crucial for prevention, current animal vaccines have drawbacks such as residual virulence, and a safe and effective human vaccine is lacking. Hence, the development of a vaccine for brucellosis is imperative. In this study, we utilized bioinformatics methods to design a multi-epitope vaccine targeting Brucella. Targeting Heme transporter BhuA and polysaccharide export protein, we identified antigenic epitopes, including six cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) dominant epitopes, six helper T lymphocyte (HTL) dominant epitopes, one conformation B cell dominant epitope, and three linear B cell dominant epitopes. By linking these epitopes with appropriate linkers and incorporating a Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonist (human beta-defensin-2) and an auxiliary peptide (Pan HLA-DR epitopes), we constructed the multi-epitope vaccine (MEV). The MEV demonstrated high antigenicity, non-toxicity, non-allergenicity, non-human homology, stability, and solubility. Molecular docking analysis and molecular dynamics simulations confirmed the interaction and stability of the MEV with receptors (MHCI, MHCII, TLR4). Codon optimization and in silico cloning validated the translation efficiency and successful expression of MEV in Escherichia coli. Immunological simulations further demonstrated the efficacy of MEV in inducing robust immune responses. In conclusion, our findings suggest that the engineered MEVs have the potential to stimulate both humoral and cellular immune responses, offering valuable insights for the future development of safe and efficient Brucella vaccines.

The development of a human Brucella mucosal vaccine: What should be considered?

Brucellosis is a chronic infectious disease that is zoonotic in nature. Brucella can infect humans through interactions with livestock, primarily via the digestive tract, respiratory tract, and oral cavity. This bacterium has the potential to be utilized as a biological weapon and is classified as a Category B pathogen by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Currently, there is no approved vaccine for humans against Brucella, highlighting an urgent need for the development of a vaccine to mitigate the risks posed by this pathogen. Brucella primarily infects its host by adhering to and penetrating mucosal surfaces. Mucosal immunity plays a vital role in preventing local infections, clearing microorganisms from mucosal surfaces, and inhibiting the spread of pathogens. As mucosal vaccine strategies continue to evolve, the development of a safe and effective mucosal vaccine against Brucella appears promising.This paper reviews the immune mechanism of mucosal vaccines, the infection mechanism of Brucella, successful Brucella mucosal vaccines in animals, and mucosal adjuvants. Additionally, it elucidates targeting and optimization strategies for mucosal vaccines to facilitate the development of human vaccines against Brucella.

A novel score for early prediction of urinary tract infection risk in patients with acute ischemic stroke: a nomogram-based retrospective cohort study.

This study aimed to construct and externally validate a user-friendly nomogram-based scoring model for predicting the risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs) in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). A retrospective real-world cohort study was conducted on 1748 consecutive hospitalized patients with AIS. Out of these patients, a total of 1132 participants were ultimately included in the final analysis, with 817 used for model construction and 315 utilized for external validation. Multivariate regression analysis was applied to develop the model. The discriminative capacity, calibration ability, and clinical effectiveness of the model were evaluated. The overall incidence of UTIs was 8.13% (92/1132), with Escherichia coli being the most prevalent causative pathogen in patients with AIS. After multivariable analysis, advanced age, female gender, National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score ≥ 5, and use of urinary catheters were identified as independent risk factors for UTIs. A nomogram-based SUNA model was constructed using these four factors (Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) = 0.810), which showed good discrimination (AUC = 0.788), calibration, and clinical utility in the external validation cohort. Based on four simple and readily available factors, we derived and externally validated a novel and user-friendly nomogram-based scoring model (SUNA score) to predict the risk of UTIs in patients with AIS. The model has a good predictive value and provides valuable information for timely intervention in patients with AIS to reduce the occurrence of UTIs.

In silico designed novel multi-epitope mRNA vaccines against Brucella by targeting extracellular protein BtuB and LptD.

Brucella, a gram-negative intracellular bacterium, causing Brucellosis, a zoonotic disease with a range of clinical manifestations, from asymptomatic to fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, joint and muscle pain, and back pain, severe patients have developed serious diseases affecting various organs. The mRNA vaccine is an innovative type of vaccine that is anticipated to supplant traditional vaccines. It is widely utilized for preventing viral infections and for tumor immunotherapy. However, research regarding its effectiveness in preventing bacterial infections is limited. In this study, we analyzed the epitopes of two proteins of brucella, the TonB-dependent outer membrane receptor BtuB and the LPS assembly protein LptD, which is involved in nutrient transport and LPS synthesis in Brucella. In order to effectively stimulate cellular and humoral immunity, we utilize a range of immunoinformatics tools such as VaxiJen, AllergenFPv.1.0 and SignalP 5.0 to design proteins. Finally, five cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) cell epitopes, ten helper T lymphocyte (HTL) cell epitopes, and eight B cell epitopes were selected to construct the vaccine. Computer simulations are also used to verify the immune response of the vaccine. The codon optimization, in silico cloning showed that the vaccine can efficiently transcript and translate in E. coli. The secondary structure of mRNA vaccines and the secondary and tertiary structures of vaccine peptides were predicted and then docked with TLR-4. Finally, the stability of the developed vaccine was confirmed through molecular dynamics simulation. These analyses showed that the design the multi-epitope mRNA vaccine could potentially target extracellular protein of prevalent Brucella, which provided novel strategies for developing the vaccine.

Leveraging Entropy and Crystal Structure Engineering in Prussian Blue Analogue Cathodes for Advancing Sodium-Ion Batteries.

The synergistic engineering of chemical complexity and crystal structures has been applied to Prussian blue analogue (PBA) cathodes in this work. More precisely, the high-entropy concept has been successfully introduced into two structure types of identical composition, namely, cubic and monoclinic. Through the utilization of a variety of complementary characterization techniques, a comprehensive investigation into the electrochemical behavior of the cubic and monoclinic PBAs has been conducted, providing nuanced insights. The implementation of the high-entropy concept exhibits crucial selectivity toward the intrinsic crystal structure. Specifically, while the overall cycling stability of both cathode systems is significantly improved, the synergistic interplay of crystal structure engineering and entropy proves particularly significant. After optimization, the cubic PBA demonstrates structural advantages, showcasing good reversibility, minimal capacity loss, high thermal stability, and unparalleled endurance even under harsh conditions (high specific current and temperature).

Incorporating an Aromatic Diammonium To Assemble Bilayered Dion-Jacobson Perovskite Crystals for Weak Light Detection.

Two-dimensional (2D) Dion-Jacobson (DJ) hybrid perovskites with exceptional stability and enhanced out-of-plane carrier transport are regarded as one of the competive candidates for constructing next-generation photodetectors. However, the studies of DJ hybrid perovskites on weak light detection remain scarce, and the devices based on them usually show relatively poor weak light detection ability, with a detection limit of around µW/cm2. Herein, a new DJ hybrid perovskite (3AMPY)(MA)Pb2Br7 [3AMPY is 3-(aminomethyl)pyridinium, and MA is methylammonium] with short interlayer spacing and more lattice rigidity is obtained. The devices based on (3AMPY)(MA)Pb2Br7 crystals exhibit an ultrahigh sensibility to weak light at 377 and 405 nm, with an extremely low detection limit of ∼70 nW/cm2. Moreover, the on/off ratios and detectivity of the devices can reach ∼103 and ∼1012 Jones at both 377 and 405 nm, respectively. This work highlights great potential of DJ hybrid perovskites toward weak light detection.

Nurse-led rapid rehabilitation following mechanical thrombectomy in patients with acute ischemic stroke: A historical control study.

The care model composed of a multidisciplinary team is the best model to promote stroke rehabilitation. The objective of this study was to explore the effect of nurse-led rapid rehabilitation on mechanical thrombectomy (MT) in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). This study used a non-randomized, historically controlled clinical trial design to compare the efficacy of nurse-led rapid and routine rehabilitation after thrombectomy in patients with ischemic stroke. Treatment outcomes, including hospitalization duration, hospitalization costs, scores on multiple scales at discharge, and clinical outcomes 3 months post-discharge, were assessed and compared between the 2 rehabilitation approaches. Our report is based on the STROBE guidelines. The differences in length of stay in hospital (P = .018), hospitalization expense (P < .001), National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score (NIHSS) score at discharge (P < .001), modified Rankin scale (MRS) score at discharge (P < .001), and ADL (Activities of Daily Living) score at discharge (P = .156) between the intervention group and the control group were statistically significant. There were statistically significant differences in anxiety/depression (P = .013) and overall quality of life (P = .017) 3 months after discharge. Generalized estimating equation (GEE) analysis showed that interaction effects between group and time were statistically significant for MRS (OR = 0.231, 95% confidence interval: 0.128-0.417, P < .001). The hospitalization time of patients in the intervention group was shortened, and the hospitalization cost was reduced. There were differences in psychological status, and the overall quality of life and improvement of disability status was better.

Status of knowledge, attitude and practice of poststroke dysphagia in neurological nurses in China: A cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the status and related factors of knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of poststroke dysphagia among neurological nurses in China. METHODS: Neurological nurses from 40 tertiary hospitals in Southwest China were invited to complete a survey on the knowledge, attitude, and practice of the nursing of poststroke dysphagia. We used a questionnaire to collect the participants' information including the basic characteristics and the KAP Questionnaire on poststroke dysphagia in the neurological ward. A sample of 707 participants completed the survey. RESULTS: The knowledge, attitude, and practice scores for the nursing of poststroke dysphagia were 12.00±4.09, 71.99±11.00, 52.22±9.08, respectively. The total score of knowledge towards the nursing of poststroke dysphagia was significantly different among nurses with different ages, working time of nursing, working time of nursing in neurology, the highest level of education, professional title, position, the method of training, the number of dysphagia-related nursing trainings, the total length of dysphagia nursing training, and the nursing basis of patients with dysphagia. The total score of attitudes towards the nursing of poststroke dysphagia was significantly different among nurses with the way they were trained, and the nursing basis for patients with dysphagia. The total score of practice towards poststroke dysphagia was significantly different among nurses with the number of dysphagia-related nursing trainings, the total length of dysphagia nursing training, the training method, and the basis of nursing patients with dysphagia. CONCLUSION: Neurological nurses' knowledge score in poststroke dysphagia is relatively low, and the knowledge level needs improvement. The attitude and practice score of neurological nurses in dysphagia after stroke was much better than the knowledge score. Managers and nursing researchers should develop and offer effective training for neurological nurses to improve their knowledge, attitude and practice towards poststroke dysphagia, and then improve patients' health outcomes.

Design of multi-epitope vaccine candidate against Brucella type IV secretion system (T4SS).

Brucellosis is a common zoonosis, which is caused by Brucella infection, and Brucella often infects livestock, leading to abortion and infertility. At present, human brucellosis remains one of the major public health problems in China. According to previous research, most areas in northwest China, including Xinjiang, Tibet, and other regions, are severely affected by Brucella. Although there are vaccines against animal Brucellosis, the effect is often poor. In addition, there is no corresponding vaccine for human Brucellosis infection. Therefore, a new strategy for early prevention and treatment of Brucella is needed. A multi-epitope vaccine should be developed. In this study, we identified the antigenic epitopes of the Brucella type IV secretion system VirB8 and Virb10 using an immunoinformatics approach, and screened out 2 cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) epitopes, 9 helper T lymphocyte (HTL) epitopes, 6 linear B cell epitopes, and 6 conformational B cell epitopes. These advantageous epitopes are spliced together through different linkers to construct a multi-epitope vaccine. The silico tests showed that the multi-epitope vaccine was non-allergenic and had a strong interaction with TLR4 molecular docking. In immune simulation results, the vaccine construct may be useful in helping brucellosis patients to initiate cellular and humoral immunity. Overall, our findings indicated that the multi-epitope vaccine construct has a high-quality structure and suitable characteristics, which may provide a theoretical basis for the development of a Brucella vaccine.

Contriving a novel of CHB therapeutic vaccine based on IgV_CTLA-4 and L protein via immunoinformatics approach.

Chronic infection induced by immune tolerance to hepatitis B virus (HBV) is one of the most common causes of hepatic cirrhosis and hepatoma. Fortunately, the application of therapeutic vaccine can not only reverse HBV-tolerance, but also serve a potentially effective therapeutic strategy for treating chronic hepatitis B (CHB). However, the clinical effect of the currently developed CHB therapeutic vaccine is not optimistic due to the weak immunogenicity. Given that the human leukocyte antigen CTLA-4 owns strong binding ability to the surface B7 molecules (CD80 and CD86) of antigen presenting cell (APCs), the immunoglobulin variable region of CTLA-4 (IgV_CTLA-4) was fused with the L protein of HBV to contrive a novel therapeutic vaccine (V_C4HBL) for CHB in this study. We found that the addition of IgV_CTLA-4 did not interfere with the formation of L protein T cell and B cell epitopes after analysis by means of immunoinformatics approaches. Meanwhile, we also found that the IgV_CTLA-4 had strong binding force to B7 molecules through molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. Notably, our vaccine V_C4HBL showed good immunogenicity and antigenicity by in vitro and in vivo experiments. Therefore, the V_C4HBL is promising to again effectively activate the cellular and humoral immunity of CHB patients, and provides a potentially effective therapeutic strategy for the treatment of CHB in the future.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Effects of protein supplementation and exercise on delaying sarcopenia in healthy older individuals in Asian and non-Asian countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

While there is growing research interest in the effects of nutrition and exercise on delaying sarcopenia, the results are inconclusive and there is scarce information on regional patterns. This review evaluated the effects of the combination of protein supplementation and exercise on muscle strength, mass and physical performance, compared to exercise alone or with a placebo, in healthy older adults in Asian and non-Asian countries. Fourteen studies were included in the analysis, involving a total of 888 healthy older adults (>60 years). A significant increase in the lower-extremity strength was observed in the combined intervention group compared to the exercise group in Asian countries (SMD: 0.24, 95% CI [0.00, 0.47], p = 0.048, I2 = 0.0%). No statistical differences were found relating to upper-extremity strength, muscle mass and physical performance. Protein supplementation combined with exercise provides additional benefit on lower-extremity strength in healthy older adults with sarcopenia in Asian countries.