Nanoencapsulation enhances the antimicrobial and antioxidant stability of cyclic lipopeptides for controlling Fusarium graminearum.

Fusarium graminearum not only causes Fusarium head blight (FHB) on wheat but also produces fungal toxins that pose a serious threat to food safety. Biological control is one of the safe and most effective alternative methods. In this study, cyclic lipopeptides (CLPs) produced from Bacillus mojavensis B1302 were extracted and identified by LC-MS/MS. After preparing mesoporous silica nanoparticles-NH2 (MSNsN) and encapsulating CLPs, the characterization analysis showed that the interaction between CLPs and MSNsN enhanced the crystal structure of CLPs-MSNsN. The antimicrobial activity and antioxidant capacity of CLPs-MSNsN stored at 20 °C and 45 °C were decreased more slowly than those of free CLPs with increasing storage time, indicating the enhancement of the antimicrobial and antioxidant stability of CLPs. Moreover, the field control efficacy of long-term stored CLPs-MSNsN only decreased from 78.66% to 63.2%, but the efficacy of free CLPs decreased significantly from 84.34% to 26.01%. The deoxynivalenol (DON) content of wheat grains in the CLPs-MSNsN treatment group was lower than that in the free CLPs treatment group, which showed that long-term stored CLPs-MSNsN reduced the DON content in wheat grains. Further analysis of the action mechanism of CLPs-MSNsN on F. graminearum showed that CLPs-MSNsN could disrupt mycelial morphology, cause cell apoptosis, lead to the leakage of proteins and nucleic acids, and destroy the cell permeability of mycelia. This work puts a novel insight into the antimicrobial and antioxidant stability enhancement of CLPs-MSNsN through encapsulation and provides a potential fungicide to control F. graminearum, reduce toxins and ensure food safety.

Changes in Multiparametric Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Plasma Amyloid-Beta Protein in Subjective Cognitive Decline.

The association between plasma amyloid-beta protein (Aß) and subjective cognitive decline (SCD) remains controversial. We aimed to explore the correlation between neuroimaging findings, plasma Aß, and neuropsychological scales using data from 53 SCD patients and 46 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to obtain neuroimaging data for a whole-brain voxel-based morphometry analysis and cortical functional network topological features. The SCD group had slightly lower Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores than the HC group. The Aß42 levels were significantly higher in the SCD group than in the HC group (p < 0.05). The SCD patients demonstrated reduced volumes in the left hippocampus, right rectal gyrus (REC.R), and right precentral gyrus (PreCG.R); an increased percentage fluctuation in the left thalamus (PerAF); and lower average small-world coefficient (aSigma) and average global efficiency (aEg) values. Correlation analyses with Aß and neuropsychological scales revealed significant positive correlations between the volumes of the HIP.L, REC.R, PreCG.R, and MoCA scores. The HIP.L volume and Aß42 were negatively correlated, as were the REC.R volume and Aß42/40. PerAF and aSigma were negatively and positively correlated with the MoCA scores, respectively. The aEg was positively correlated with Aß42/40. SCD patients may exhibit alterations in plasma biomarkers and multi-parameter MRI that resemble those observed in Alzheimer's disease, offering a theoretical foundation for early clinical intervention in SCD.

Posterior tibial artery-based multilobar combined flap free transfer for repair of complex soft tissue defects.

In this report, the posterior tibial artery (PTA) based multilobar combined flap is introduced for the repair of complex soft tissue defects. The flap was designed based on the perforatoring branches of PTA in the anterior soleus muscle septum, which supply the skin over the medial side of the calf and the entire soleus muscle. The saphenous nerve was included in one perforator flap of the combined flap for reinnervation. The tibial artery was repaired with a vein graft after harvest of flap. From October 2005 to February 2007, eight patients (6 males, 2 females) underwent PTA-based multilobar combined flap transfer for coverage of soft tissue defects involving the foot (three cases), hand (two cases), and calf (three cases). Each combined flap composed of two to three perforator flaps, and the size of the perforator flaps ranged from 4 x 2 cm to 10 x 8 cm. With an average follow-up of 6 months, all flaps survived without complications and injured extremities showed a good functional recovery with restoration of the partial protective sensation on the flap with reinnervation. This clinical report has shown that a reliable multilobar combined flap can be designed based on the perforators of the posterior tibial artery and used for coverage of the complex wound.