CO2-Responsive Rosin-Based Supramolecular Hydrogels: Diverse Chiral Nanostructures and Their Application in In Situ Synthesis of Chiral Gold Nanoparticles.

Natural small molecules have demonstrated tremendous potential for the construction of supramolecular chiral nanostructures owing to their unique molecular structures and chirality. In this study, novel CO2-responsive supramolecular hydrogels were constructed using a series of rosin-based surfactants (CnMPAN, n = 10, 12, and 14). The macroscopic properties, rheological properties, nanostructures, and intermolecular interactions of the hydrogels were investigated using differential scanning calorimetry, rotational rheometry, cryogenic transmission electron microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Interestingly, diverse nanostructures containing helical nanofibers, interwoven nanofibers, and twisted nanoribbons were formed in the hydrogels, which were rarely observed in reported supramolecular hydrogels, and the strength of the hydrogels was significantly enhanced by increasing the CnMPAN concentration and the alkyl chain length. The obtained hydrogels exhibited excellent CO2-responsiveness, with no obvious variation in the nanostructures and rheological properties after response to CO2/N2 for five cycles. Taking advantage of the chiral nanostructures of hydrogels, gold nanoparticles (GNPs) were further prepared. The average particle sizes of the resulting GNPs were as low as 2.5 nm, and the GNPs also had a chiral structure. It is worth noting that no additional reductants and UV-light irradiation were used during the reduction process of GNPs. This study emphasizes that the unique molecular structure and chirality of rosin are critical for the preparation of hydrogels with chiral nanostructures. In addition, this study enriches the applications of forest resources.

Persistent trigeminal artery in a patient with moyamoya disease:a case report and literature review.

BACKGROUNDS: Persistent trigeminal artery (PTA) is a rare anastomosis between internal carotid artery (ICA) and basilar artery. In rare conditions, the PTA could be combined with others cerebrovascular anomalies, moyamoya disease (MMD) is one of them. CASE PRESENTATION: Here, we reported one rare case of MMD associated with PTA, the patient admitted to our department for severe dizziness and headache, imaging examination suggested MMD combined with right PTA, which arising from the ipsilateral cavernous portion of ICA. The patient received phased bilaterral revascularization with no any complication. In the subsequent follow-up, the patient's symptoms and intracranial vascular condition gradually improved. Moreover, we conducted a literature review of coexistence of PTA and MMD, the results of a web of science regarding such condition, and a deep discussion providing brief insight into the status of co-occurrence of PTA and MMD, including its manifestation, treatment and outcome. CONCLUSIONS: The coexistence of PTA and MMD was rarely reported, the pathogenesis of such condition remains unknown. We found that the features of the coexistence of PTA and MMD were diverse, revascularization might be a feasible for such patient.

ILK inhibition reduces osteophyte formation through suppression of osteogenesis in BMSCs via Akt/GSK-3ß/ß-catenin pathway.

BACKGROUND: Osteophyte development is a common characteristic of inflammatory skeletal diseases. Elevated osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) participates in pathological osteogenesis. Integrin-linked kinase (ILK) positively regulates the osteoblastic differentiation of osteoprogenitors, but whether the ILK blockage prevents osteophytes and its potential mechanism is still unknown. Furthermore, the low-dose tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) promotes osteogenic differentiation, but a lack of study reports on the relationship between this cytokine and ILK. OSU-T315 is a small ILK inhibitor, which was used to determine the effect of ILK inhibition on osteogenesis and osteophyte formation. METHODS AND RESULTS: The osteogenesis of BMSCs was evaluated using Alizarin red S staining, alkaline phosphatase, collagen type I alpha 2 chain, and bone gamma-carboxyglutamate protein. The expression and phosphorylation of protein were assessed through western blot. Immunofluorescence was employed to display the distribution of ß-catenin. microCT, hematoxylin-eosin, and safranin O/fast green staining were utilized to observe the osteophyte formation in collagen antibody-induced arthritis mice. We found that ILK blockage significantly declined calcium deposition and osteoblastic markers in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Furthermore, it lowered osteogenesis in the TNF-α-induced inflammatory microenvironment by diminishing the effect of ILK and inactivating the Akt/ GSK-3ß/ ß-catenin pathway. Nuclear ß-catenin was descended by OSU-T315 as well. Finally, the ILK suppression restrained osteophyte formation but not inflammation in vivo. CONCLUSIONS: ILK inhibition lowered osteogenesis in TNF-α-related inflammatory conditions by deactivating the Akt/ GSK-3ß/ ß-catenin pathway. This may be a potential strategy to alleviate osteophyte development in addition to anti-inflammatory treatment.

Association between oxidative balance score and rheumatoid arthritis in female: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: Although oxidative stress is a recognized factor of inflammation, the correlation between oxidative balance score (OBS), a biomarker indicating the balance of oxidation and antioxidant, and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), an immune system disease that tends to occur in women, remains unexplored. Hence, the aim of this study was to investigate the potential association between OBS and RA in women. METHODS: Observational surveys were performed by employing information extracted from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) for the period 2007-2018. Various statistical techniques were employed to investigate the association between OBS and RA, encompassing multivariable logistic regression analysis, subgroup analyses, smooth curve fitting, and threshold effect analysis. RESULTS: The study included 8219 female participants, including 597 patients with RA. The results showed that higher Total OBS (TOBS) significantly correlated with lower RA prevalence in the entirely modified model [odd ratio (OR) = 0.968; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.952 to 0.984; P = 0.0001]. Dietary OBS (DOBS) and lifestyle OBS (LOBS) also negatively correlated with RA. This association was remarkably consistent across TOBS subgroups by age, race, education level, family poverty-to-income ratio (PIR), hypertension and diabetes. Smooth curve fitting and threshold effect analysis also revealed the linear relationship between OBS and RA. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, OBS was negatively associated with RA in female. This study suggested that an antioxidant diet and lifestyle may be promising measures to prevent RA in female.

The association between remnant cholesterol and rheumatoid arthritis: insights from a large population study.

OBJECTIVES: While lipid metabolism disorder is widely acknowledged as a contributing factor to inflammation, the association between remnant cholesterol (RC), which indicates lipid metabolism, and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has not been investigated. Accordingly, this study evaluated whether RC is associated with RA disease events. METHODS: Data were collected and specifically extracted from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2008 database. The RC value was derived by subtracting the combined amount of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) from the total cholesterol (TC). The association between RC and RA was evaluated using multivariate regression analysis and subgroup analysis. RESULTS: The study analyzed 7777 patients, of which 581 patients (7.47%) were diagnosed with RA. After accounting for different covariates, the multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed a notable correlation between increased RC levels and an increased likelihood of RA (odds ratio OR = 1.54; 95% confidence interval CI: 1.11-2.13; P = 0.0092). The interaction test did not yield statistically significant effects on this association. The linear correlation between RC and RA was observed within restricted cubic spline regression model limitations. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that higher RC levels are associated with increased odds of RA, indicating that RC can serve as a novel and convenient index for forecasting the likelihood of RA in the United States. Additionally, these findings offer insights into early intervention strategies for susceptible populations at risk of developing RA.

Is inflammation a missing link between relative handgrip strength with hyperlipidemia? Evidence from a large population-based study.

BACKGROUND: Relative handgrip strength (RHGS) was positively correlated with healthy levels of cardiovascular markers and negatively correlated with metabolic disease risk. However, its association with hyperlipidemia remains unknown. The present study investigated the link between RHGS and hyperlipidemia, utilizing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and further examined the hypothesis that inflammation may serve a mediating role within this relationship. METHODS: Data were extracted from 4610 participants in the NHANES database spanning 2011-2014 to explore the correlation between RHGS and hyperlipidemia using multivariate logistic regression models. Subgroup analyses were conducted to discern the correlation between RHGS and hyperlipidemia across diverse populations. Additionally, smooth curve fitting and threshold effect analysis were conducted to validate the association between RHGS and hyperlipidemia. Furthermore, the potential mediating effect of inflammation on this association was also explored. RESULTS: According to the fully adjusted model, RHGS was negatively correlated with hyperlipidemia [odds ratio (OR) = 0.575, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.515 to 0.643], which was consistently significant across all populations, notably among women. Smooth curve fitting and threshold effect analysis substantiated the negative association between RHGS and hyperlipidemia. Moreover, the mediating effects analysis indicated the white blood cell (WBC) count, neutrophil (Neu) count, and lymphocyte (Lym) count played roles as the mediators, with mediation ratios of 7.0%, 4.3%, and 5.0%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified a prominent negative correlation between RHGS and hyperlipidemia. Elevated RHGS may serve as a protective factor against hyperlipidemia, potentially through mechanisms underlying the modulation of inflammatory processes.

The Impact of Five-Dimensional Music in Conjunction with Water Delivery on the Labor Process.

Objective: To investigate the interventional efficacy of five-dimensional music combined with water labor analgesia in clinical childbirth. Methods: 180 parturient women who gave birth at Cangzhou MCH Hospital between September 2022 and October 2022 were selected for the study. They were divided into three groups: the traditional group, the water delivery group, and the combined group (five-dimensional music labor analgesia with water delivery analgesia), with 60 participants in each group. The observed outcome indicators were the duration of labor, pain intensity during delivery, postpartum hemorrhage within 2 hours of delivery, and neonatal Apgar scores. Statistical analysis was conducted using one-way ANOVA and the chi-square test. Results: Compared with the other two groups, the combined group exhibited a shorter duration of labor, reduced labor pain and postpartum hemorrhage, and higher maternal satisfaction with the labor process (P < .05). Conclusion: The use of five-dimensional music labor analgesia combined with water labor in clinical delivery can yield satisfactory outcomes, including shortening the duration of labor, alleviating pain, and enhancing maternal satisfaction.

Insecticidal activity of the spider neurotoxin PPTX-04 through modulating insect voltage-gated sodium channel.

Ion channels on cell membrane are molecular targets of more than half peptide neurotoxins from spiders. From Pardosa pseudoannulata, a predatory spider on a range of insect pests, we characterized a peptide neurotoxin PPTX-04 with an insecticidal activity. PPTX-04 showed high toxicity to Nilaparvata lugens, a main prey of P. pseudoannulata, and the toxicity was not affected by the resistance to etofenprox (IUPAC chemical name:1-ethoxy-4-[2-methyl-1-[(3-phenoxyphenyl)methoxy]propan-2-yl]benzene, purity: 99%). On N. lugens voltage-gated sodium channel NlNav1 expressed in Xenopus oocytes, PPTX-04 prolonged the channel opening and induced tail currents, which is similar to pyrethroid insecticides. However, PPTX-04 potency on NlNav1 was not affected by mutations conferring pyrethroid resistance in insects, which revealed that PPTX-04 and pyrethroids should act on different receptors in NlNav1. In contrast, two mutations at the extracellular site 4 significantly reduced PPTX-04 potency, which indicated that PPTX-04 would act on a potential receptor containing the site 4 in NlNav1. The result from the molecular docking supported the conclusion that the binding pocket of PPTX-04 in NlNav1 should contain the site 4. In summary, PPTX-04 had high insecticidal activity through acting on a distinct receptor site in insect Nav, and was a potential resource to control insect pests and manage resistance to pyrethroids.

Diagnostic values and relevant factors of lumbar posterior lesions in axial spondyloarthritis.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the lumbar posterior lesions between axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) and lumbar disc herniation (LDH) patients, then their diagnostic value and related factors were evaluated. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included axSpA patients from January 2020 to September 2023. They were classified as ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and non-radiographic axSpA (nr-axSpA) individuals. Canada-Denmark (CANDEN) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scoring system was used to assess the defects of the lumbar spine. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was utilized to determine the value of distinguishing nr-axSpA. Linear regression analyses were adopted to find the relevant factors for lumbar posterior lesions. RESULTS: Ninety-six AS, 98 nr-axSpA, and 108 LDH patients were included. The CANDEN scores were greater in axSpA patients, AS in particular. Furthermore, lumbar posterior lesions can distinguish AS, nr-axSpA, and LDH. Besides, lumbar posterior lesions were positively related to the similar MRI changes in their adjacent structures, but were inversely associated with the other abnormalities. CONCLUSIONS: Lumbar posterior lesions were more serious in axSpA patients. These alterations had value in distinguishing axSpA. Lumbar posterior defects were related to their adjacent components, and they may not fully follow the MRI changing pattern of vertebral bodies and sacroiliac joints.

The association between triglyceride glucose index and arthritis: a population-based study.

OBJECTIVES: Insulin resistance is a well-established contributor to inflammation; however, the specific association between the triglyceride glucose (TyG) index, a biomarker reflecting insulin resistance, and arthritis remains unexplored. As a result, the main aim of this study was to examine the correlation between the TyG index and arthritis. METHODS: This observational study used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), which was conducted between 2007 and 2018. To investigate the relationship between the TyG index and arthritis, various statistical analyses were employed, including weighted multivariable logistic regression analysis, subgroup analysis, curve fit analysis, and threshold effect analysis. RESULTS: In total, 14,817 patients were enrolled in the trial, with 4,191 individuals (28.29%) diagnosed with arthritis. An increased risk of arthritis was found to be significantly correlated with higher TyG index values (odds ratio OR = 1.15, 95% confidence interval CI: 1.07-1.23), according to the results of multivariable logistic regression analysis after full adjustment. Subgroup analysis and interaction tests further indicated that the TyG index exhibited an additive effect when combined with other established risk factors, including age (OR = 1.29; 95% CI: 1.17-1.41), body mass index (BMI) (OR = 1.43; 95% CI: 1.24-1.69), and diabetes (OR = 1.20; 95% CI: 1.11-1.31). Additionally, curve fit analysis and threshold effect analysis demonstrated a nonlinear relationship with a breakpoint identified at 8.08 µmol/L. CONCLUSION: The TyG index was positively correlated with arthritis in adults under 60 years of age in the United States who had normal weight and no diabetes. Further large-scale prospective studies are warranted for a comprehensive analysis of the role of the TyG index in arthritis.

Qualitative and quantitative diagnosis of intramuscular hemangioma subtypes: Diagnostic performance comparison of ESWAN and conventional MRI.

BACKGROUND: Preoperative identification of intramuscular hemangioma (IMH) subtypes (capillary hemangioma, cavernous hemangioma, and mixed hemangioma) is urgently necessary. Enhanced T2*-weighted angiography (ESWAN) is sensitive to vessels and metabolites and can be used to diagnose IMH subtypes. PURPOSE: To compare the diagnostic performances of ESWAN and conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for qualitative and quantitative diagnosis of IMH subtypes. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In total, 23 patients with IMHs were examined using conventional MRI and ESWAN. The signal intensity ratios (SIRs) of conventional MRI and ESWAN were measured. RESULTS: There was no significant difference for volume among the three subtypes (P = 0.124, P = 0.145). Various shapes and MRI signals were shown in the three subtypes of IMH. There was no significant difference for SIRs of conventional MRI (P = 0.558, P = 0.259, P = 0.385, P = 0.347). However, there was a significant difference for SIRs of ESWAN parameters (P = 0.050, P < 0.001, P = 0.005, P = 0.002). Capillary hemangiomas can be diagnosed when R2* SIR is <0.912 and intratumoral susceptibility signal (ITSS) percentage is <29.085%. Cavernous hemangiomas should be considered when R2* SIR is >0.912, ITSS percentage >35.226%, and phase SIR >2.536. In addition, mixed hemangiomas should be considered when T2* SIR is >0.662 and R2* SIR <1.618. CONCLUSION: Conventional MRI can only display the volume, shape, and signal of IMHs. 3D-MinIP imaging of ESWAN can show the veins and minor hemorrhage. SIRs of ESWAN parameters including T2* value, R2* value, phase value, and percentage of ITSS can be used to quantitatively diagnose capillary hemangiomas, cavernous hemangiomas, and mixed hemangiomas.

Molecular insights into α-glucosidase inhibition and antiglycation properties affected by the galloyl moiety in (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus poses a substantial threat to public health due to rising morbidity and mortality. α-Glucosidase is one of the key enzymes affecting diabetes. Herein, (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) and (-)-epigallocatechin (EGC) were applied to clarify the role of the galloyl moiety of tea polyphenols in the inhibition of glycation and α-glucosidase activity. The structure-activity relationship of the galloyl moiety in EGCG on α-glucosidase was investigated in terms of inhibition kinetics, spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy and molecular docking. A bovine serum protein-fructose model was employed to determine the effect of the galloyl moiety on glycation. RESULTS: The results indicated that the introduction of a galloyl moiety enhanced the capacity of EGCG to inhibit glycation and α-glucosidase activity. The IC50 value of EGC is approximately 2400 times higher than that of EGCG. Furthermore, the galloyl moiety in EGCG altered the microenvironment and secondary structure of α-glucosidase, resulting in a high binding affinity of EGCG to α-glucosidase. The binding constant of EGCG to α-glucosidase at 298 K is approximately 28 times higher than that of EGC. CONCLUSION: Overall, the galloyl moiety of EGCG plays a crucial role in inhibiting glycation and α-glucosidase activity, which helps to enhance the molecular understanding of the structure and function of the polyphenol galloyl moiety in the science of food and agriculture. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Integrated analysis of transcriptome and proteome to explore the genes related to steroid-induced femoral head necrosis.

PURPOSE: Femoral head necrosis (FHN) is a common disease of hip. However, the pathogenesis of FHN is not well understood. This study attempted to explore the potentially important genes and proteins involved in FHN. METHODS: We integrated the transcriptomic and proteomic methods to quantitatively screen the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and proteins (DEPs) between Control and FHN groups. Gene ontology (GO) terms and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis were used to assess the roles of DEGs and DEPs. qRT-PCR and western blot were performed to verify the key genes/proteins in FHN. CCK-8 assay was performed to measure cell viability. The protein expression of Bax and Bcl-2 were used to evaluate cell apoptosis. RESULTS: Transcriptome and proteome studies indicated 758 DEGs and 1097 DEPs between Control and FHN groups, respectively. Cell division, extracellular exosome, and serine-type endopeptidase activity were the most common terms in biological process (BP), cellular component (CC), and molecular function (MF) enrichment, respectively. DEPs were mainly enriched in cellular process, cell, and binding for BP, CC, and MF categories, respectively. DEGs were mainly involved in PI3K-Akt pathway and DEPs were mainly focused in glycolysis/gluconeogenesis pathway. Notably, 14 down-regulated and 22 up-regulated genes/proteins were detected at both the transcript and protein level. LRG1, SERPINE2, STMN1, COL14A1, SLC37A2, and MMP2 were determined as the key genes/proteins in FHN. SERPINE2/STMN1 overexpression increased viability and decreased apoptosis of dexamethasone-treated MC3T3-E1 cells. CONCLUSIONS: Our study investigated some pivotal regulatory genes/proteins in the pathogenesis of FHN, providing novel insight into the genes/proteins involved in FHN.

Prevalence, correlates, and behavioral outcomes of alcohol gifting in China.

INTRODUCTION: Alcohol gifting is a very common practice in China. However, little is known about the potentially adverse consequences of alcohol gifting. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of, and factors associated with, alcohol gifting, and explore whether drinking and tobacco use were associated with alcohol gifting. METHODS: Using a cross-sectional multi-stage survey, a sample of 982 household heads from Guangdong Province and 530 household heads from Shaanxi Province was collected online from 30 April to 30 July 2020 in China. Participants completed questionnaires regarding socio-demographic characteristics, social capital, drinking status, and gifting alcohol behavior. Chi-square analysis and multiple logistic regression analysis were used to identify the factors associated with alcohol gifting, and to identify its relationship with alcohol and cigarette use status. RESULTS: Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that age, gender, household annual income, province, drinking status, and social participation were prominent correlates of both offering and receiving alcohol. Participants who were married, had an education level of junior high school, or had a large social network had higher odds of receiving alcohol. When both alcohol gifting behaviors were included in the models, participants who offered alcohol had 2.15 (95% CI: 1.63-2.85) times higher odds of current drinking than those who didn't offer alcohol and participants who received alcohol had 1.87 (95% CI: 1.45-2.41) times higher odds of current drinking than those who did not receive alcohol. Those who received alcohol had significantly higher odds of current smoking (AOR = 1.64; 95% CI: 1.25-2.14), while those who offered alcohol had significantly lower odds of current smoking (AOR = 0.71;95% CI:0.53-0.95). CONCLUSIONS: Social participation is an important correlate of alcohol gifting. Alcohol receiving behaviors were significantly associated with both current alcohol and tobacco use. These associations can be used to inform alcohol gifting interventions in China.

Study on the thermal washing of oily sludge used by rhamnolipid/sophorolipid binary mixed bio-surfactant systems.

Demulsification and crude oil desorption are usually a necessary step for the treatment of oily sludge in the petroleum industry. In this study a binary mixed bio-surfactant (rhamnolipid / sophorolipid, RL/SL) was used to strengthen the removing oil efficiency for oily sludge by thermal washing method. Surface tension values of the single and the mixed surfactants were carried out to investigate the effect of mixing systems on reducing critical micelle concentrations (CMC) value. The models proposed by Clint, Rubingh and Gibbs et al. had been employed to interpret the formation of mixed micelles and synergism and found out in case of the mass ratios of 4:6 the synergism was the strongest in RL and SL mixed surfactant systems, which was selected as the washing agents to treat the oily sludge produced from Huabei oilfield. Through the optimization of oil washing process parameters, the oil removal rate reached the maximum value (95.66%, residual oil rate 1.98%) at the condition of heating temperature of 45 °C, detergents concentration of 500 mg/L, washing time of 3 h, liquid/solid mass ratio of 1:4, stirring speed of 300 r/min, and washing 4 times. The factors affecting the oil washing effect were analyzed from the composition and performance characteristics of oily sludge samples, washing oil system and washing process parameters. The results showed that low oil content of oily sludge, small specific surface area, strong wetting and solubilization of the oil-washing system all can increase the oil-washing effect and the washing time and temperature had a great influence on the oil-washing effect. Compared with the results of other researchers, the oil washing temperature and the concentration of oil washing agent were significantly lower and high oil removal rate and low residual oil rate were obtained in this study. It was confirmed that thermal oil washing method using RT/SL binary bio-surfactant mixing system was proved to a high-efficiency, low-consumption and wide range of applications technology.

Time-frequency volatility spillovers between major international financial markets during the COVID-19 pandemic.

We examine volatility spillovers and their time-frequency dynamics among major global financial markets from the outbreak of COVID-19 to present. Results show that total spillovers, driven by low frequency components, peaks at the end of March 2020 and then decline, which is not consistent with the upward trend of COVID-19; Stock markets of US and UK are net spillover transmitters, while other markets are net spillover receivers. The findings suggest that markets rally in the short term, but investors need to beware of bubbles and liquidity tightening expectations, and policymakers can gradually start to resume conventional monetary policy.

Structural insights revealed by crystal structures of CYP76AH1 and CYP76AH1 in complex with its natural substrate.

CYP76AH1 is the key enzyme in the biosynthesis pathway of tanshinones in Salvia miltiorrhiza, which are famous natural products with activities against various heart diseases and others. CYP76AH1 is a membrane-associated typical plant class II cytochrome P450 enzyme and its catalytic mechanism has not to be clearly elucidated. Structural determination of eukaryotic P450 enzymes is extremely challenging. Recently, we solved the crystal structures of CYP76AH1 and CYP76AH1 in complex with its natural substrate miltiradiene. The structure of CYP76AH1 complexed with miltiradiene is the first plant cytochrome P450 structure in complex with natural substrate. The studies revealed a unique array pattern of amino acid residues, which may play an important role in orienting and stabilizing the substrate for catalysis. This work would provide structural insights into CYP76AH1 and related P450s and the basis to efficiently improve tanshinone production by synthetic biology techniques.

COVID-19 uncertainty and sleep: the roles of perceived stress and intolerance of uncertainty during the early stage of the COVID-19 outbreak.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic brings unprecedented uncertainty and stress. This study aimed to characterize general sleep status among Chinese residents during the early stage of the outbreak and to explore the network relationship among COVID-19 uncertainty, intolerance of uncertainty, perceived stress, and sleep status. METHODS: A cross-sectional correlational survey was conducted online. A total of 2534 Chinese residents were surveyed from 30 provinces, municipalities, autonomous regions of China and regions abroad during the period from February 7 to 14, 2020, the third week of lockdown. Final valid data from 2215 participants were analyzed. Self-report measures assessed uncertainty about COVID-19, intolerance of uncertainty, perceived stress, and general sleep status. Serial mediation analysis using the bootstrapping method and path analysis were applied to test the mediation role of intolerance of uncertainty and perceived stress in the relationship between uncertainty about COVID-19 and sleep status. RESULTS: The total score of sleep status was 4.82 (SD = 2.72). Age, place of residence, ethnicity, marital status, infection, and quarantine status were all significantly associated with general sleep status. Approximately half of participants (47.1%) reported going to bed after 12:00 am, 23.0% took 30 min or longer to fall asleep, and 30.3% slept a total of 7 h or less. Higher uncertainty about COVID-19 was significantly positively correlated with higher intolerance of uncertainty (r = 0.506, p < 0.001). The mediation analysis found a mediating role of perceived stress in the relationship between COVID-19 uncertainty and general sleep status (ß = 0.015, 95%C.I. = 0.009-0.021). However, IU was not a significant mediator of the relationship between COVID-19 uncertainty and sleep (ß = 0.009, 95%C.I. = - 0.002-0.020). Moreover, results from the path analysis further showed uncertainty about COVID-19 had a weak direct effect on poor sleep (ß = 0.043, p < 0.05); however, there was a robust indirect effect on poor sleep through intolerance of uncertainty and perceived stress. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that intolerance of uncertainty and perceived stress are critical factors in the relationship between COVID-19 uncertainty and sleep outcomes. Results are discussed in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, and practical policy implications are also provided.

Study on the treatment of oily sludge in oil fields with lipopeptide/sophorolipid complex bio-surfactant.

A systematic study had been carried out to get insight into the micellar behavior of anionic lipopeptide (LT) and nonionic sophorolipid (SL) in their different mass ratio mixed state using the technique of tensiometry. The models proposed by Clint, Rubingh and Gibbs et al. had been employed to interpret the formation of mixed micelles and found out synergism. The obtained experimental critical micelle concentrations (CMC) were lower than the ideal CMCs, indicating negative deviation from ideal behavior for all multi-component mixed micelles formation. A suited binary bio-surfactant mixing system was selected as the washing agents to treat the oily sludge produced from Huabei oilfield by the thermal bio-surfactant washing method. The results showed that in case of the mass ratios of 8:2 the CMC was dramatically decreased and synergism was the strongest in LT and SL bi mixed surfactant systems. The studied binary mixed bio-surfactant system showed higher washing efficiency for oily sludge than single surfactant system. In addition, the washing power of binary mixed bio-surfactants towards oily sludge was the best at below washing conditions: (a) the concentration of the mixed system (100 mg/L), (b) temperature (55 â„ƒ), (c) ratio of sludge/liquid (1:3), (d) washing time (3 h), and (e) stirring speed (300 rpm). Certainly, the washing abilities of the selected surfactants not only depend on their mixing ratio and washing conditions but also associate with microstructure and mineral components of oily sludge.

G9α-dependent histone H3K9me3 hypomethylation promotes overexpression of cardiomyogenesis-related genes in foetal mice.

Alcohol consumption during pregnancy can cause foetal alcohol syndrome and congenital heart disease. Nonetheless, the underlying mechanism of alcohol-induced cardiac dysplasia remains unknown. We previously reported that alcohol exposure during pregnancy can cause abnormal expression of cardiomyogenesis-related genes, and histone H3K9me3 hypomethylation was observed in alcohol-treated foetal mouse heart. Hence, an imbalance in histone methylation may be involved in alcohol-induced cardiac dysplasia. In this study, we investigated the involvement of G9α histone methyltransferase in alcohol-induced cardiac dysplasia in vivo and in vitro using heart tissues of foetal mice and primary cardiomyocytes of neonatal mice. Western blotting revealed that alcohol caused histone H3K9me3 hypomethylation by altering G9α histone methyltransferase expression in cardiomyocytes. Moreover, overexpression of cardiomyogenesis-related genes (MEF2C, Cx43, ANP and ß-MHC) was observed in alcohol-exposed foetal mouse heart. Additionally, we demonstrated that G9α histone methyltransferase directly interacted with histone H3K9me3 and altered its methylation. Notably, alcohol did not down-regulate H3K9me3 methylation after G9α suppression by short hairpin RNA in primary mouse cardiomyocytes, preventing MEF2C, Cx43, ANP and ß-MHC overexpression. These findings suggest that G9α histone methyltransferase-mediated imbalance in histone H3K9me3 methylation plays a critical role in alcohol-induced abnormal expression cardiomyogenesis-related genes during pregnancy. Therefore, G9α histone methyltransferase may be an intervention target for congenital heart disease.