Extracellular vesicles for cancer therapy: potential, progress, and clinical challenges.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) play an important role in normal life activities and disease treatment. In recent years, there have been abundant relevant studies focusing on EVs for cancer therapy and showing good performance on tumor inhibition. To enhance the effectiveness of EVs, EV analogs have been developed. This review summarizes the classification, origin, production, purification, modification, drug loading and cancer treatment applications of EVs and their analogs. Also, the characteristics of technologies involved are analyzed, which provides the basis for the development and application of biogenic vesicle-based drug delivery platform for cancer therapy. Meanwhile, challenges in translating these vesicles into clinic, such as limited sources, lack of production standards, and insufficient targeting and effectiveness are discussed. With ongoing exploration and clinical studies, EV-based drugs will make great contributions to cancer therapy.

Altered sterol composition mediates multiple tolerance of Kluyveromyces marxianus for xylitol production.

BACKGROUND: Currently, the synthesis of compounds based on microbial cell factories is rapidly advancing, yet it encounters several challenges. During the production process, engineered strains frequently encounter disturbances in the cultivation environment or the impact of their metabolites, such as high temperature, acid-base imbalances, hypertonicity, organic solvents, toxic byproducts, and mechanical damage. These stress factors can constrain the efficiency of microbial fermentation, resulting in slow cell growth, decreased production, significantly increased energy consumption, and other issues that severely limit the application of microbial cell factories. RESULTS: This study demonstrated that sterol engineering in Kluyveromyces marxianus, achieved by overexpressing or deleting the coding genes for the last five steps of ergosterol synthase (Erg2-Erg6), altered the composition and ratio of sterols in its cell membrane, and affected its multiple tolerance. The results suggest that the knockout of the Erg5 can enhance the thermotolerance of K. marxianus, while the overexpression of the Erg4 can improve its acid tolerance. Additionally, engineering strain overexpressed Erg6 improved its tolerance to elevated temperature, hypertonic, and acid. YZB453, obtained by overexpressing Erg6 in an engineering strain with high efficiency in synthesizing xylitol, produced 101.22 g/L xylitol at 45oC and 75.11 g/L xylitol at 46oC. Using corncob hydrolysate for simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) at 46oC that xylose released from corncob hydrolysate by saccharification with hemicellulase, YZB453 can produce 45.98 g/L of xylitol, saving 53.72% of the cost of hemicellulase compared to 42oC. CONCLUSIONS: This study elucidates the mechanism by which K. marxianus acquires resistance to various antifungal drugs, high temperatures, high osmolarity, acidity, and other stressors, through alterations in the composition and ratio of membrane sterols. By employing sterol engineering, the fermentation temperature of this unconventional thermotolerant K. marxianus was further elevated, ultimately providing an efficient platform for synthesizing high-value-added xylitol from biomass via the SSF process at temperatures exceeding 45 °C.

Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of arylpropylamine derivatives as potential multi-target antidepressants.

In this study, a series of novel arylpropylamine derivatives were designed, synthesized and evaluated as potential multi-target antidepressants. Among them, compound (R)-13j displayed unique pharmacological features, exhibiting excellent inhibitory potency against serotonin and noradrenaline transporters (SERT/NET) and high affinity for 5-HT2A/2C receptor, and showing low affinity for histamine H1, adrenergic α1 receptors and hERG channels (to reduce QT interval prolongation). Molecular docking studies provided a rational binding model of (R)-13j in complex with SERT and 5-HT2A/2C receptor. In animal models, compound (R)-13j dose-dependently reduced the immobility time in the tail suspension test (TST) and the forced swimming test (FST) in mice, with higher efficacy when compared to duloxetine, and showed no stimulatory effect on the locomotor activity. Moreover, compound (R)-13j significantly shortened the immobility time in the ACTH-induced rat model of treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Furthermore, compound (R)-13j also exhibited a higher threshold for acute toxicity than duloxetine. In addition, compound (R)-13j possessed a favorable pharmacokinetic profile in mice. Taken together, compound (R)-13j may constitute a novel class of drugs for the treatment of depression.

ß-1,4-Galactosyltransferase 1 protects against cerebral ischemia injury in mice by suppressing ferroptosis via the TAZ/Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Ischemic stroke leads a primary cause of mortality in human diseases, with a high disability rate worldwide. This study aims to investigate the function of ß-1,4-galactosyltransferase 1 (B4galt1) in mouse brain ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. METHODS: Recombinant human B4galt1 (rh-B4galt1) was intranasally administered to the mice model of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO)/reperfusion. In this study, the impact of rh-B4galt1 on cerebral injury assessed using multiple methods, including the neurological disability status scale, 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC), Nissl and TUNEL staining. This study utilized laser speckle Doppler flowmeter to monitor the cerebral blood flow. Western blotting was performed to assess the protein expression levels, and fluorescence-labeled dihydroethidium method was performed to determine the superoxide anion generation. Assay kits were used for the measurement of iron, malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) levels. RESULTS: We demonstrated that rh-B4galt1 markedly improved neurological function, reduced cerebral infarct volume and preserved the completeness of blood-brain barrier (BBB) for preventing damage. These findings further illustrated that rh-B4galt1 alleviated oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation, as well as iron deposition induced by I/R. The vital role of ferroptosis was proved in brain injury. Furthermore, the rh-B4galt1 could increase the levels of TAZ, Nrf2 and HO-1 after I/R. And TAZ-siRNA and ML385 reversed the neuroprotective effects of rh-B4galt1. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicated that rh-B4galt1 implements neuroprotective effects by modulating ferroptosis, primarily via upregulating TAZ/Nrf2/HO-1 pathway. Thus, B4galt1 could be seen as a promising novel objective for ischemic stroke therapy.

Interactions at the Oviposition Scar: Molecular and Metabolic Insights into Elaeagnus angustifolia's Resistance Response to Anoplophora glabripennis.

The Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia), which functions as a "dead-end trap tree" for the Asian long-horned beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis) in mixed plantations, can successfully attract Asian long-horned beetles for oviposition and subsequently kill the eggs by gum. This study aimed to investigate gum secretion differences by comparing molecular and metabolic features across three conditions-an oviposition scar, a mechanical scar, and a healthy branch-using high-performance liquid chromatography and high-throughput RNA sequencing methods. Our findings indicated that the gum mass secreted by an oviposition scar was 1.65 times greater than that secreted by a mechanical scar. Significant differences in gene expression and metabolism were observed among the three comparison groups. A Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes annotation and enrichment analysis showed that an oviposition scar significantly affected starch and sucrose metabolism, leading to the discovery of 52 differentially expressed genes and 7 differentially accumulated metabolites. A network interaction analysis of differentially expressed metabolites and genes showed that EaSUS1, EaYfcE1, and EaPGM1 regulate sucrose, uridine diphosphate glucose, α-D-glucose-1P, and D-glucose-6P. Although the polysaccharide content in the OSs was 2.22 times higher than that in the MSs, the sucrose content was lower. The results indicated that the Asian long-horned beetle causes Russian olive sucrose degradation and D-glucose-6P formation. Therefore, we hypothesized that damage caused by the Asian long-horned beetle could enhance tree gum secretions through hydrolyzed sucrose and stimulate the Russian olive's specific immune response. Our study focused on the first pair of a dead-end trap tree and an invasive borer pest in forestry, potentially offering valuable insights into the ecological self-regulation of Asian long-horned beetle outbreaks.

Impact of corticosteroids on initiation and half-year durability of humoral response in COVID-19 survivors.

Background: The impact of corticosteroids on humoral responses in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) survivors during the acute phase and subsequent 6-month period remains unknown. This study aimed to determine how the use of corticosteroids influences the initiation and duration of humoral responses in COVID-19 survivors 6 months after infection onset. Methods: We used kinetic antibody data from the lopinavir-ritonavir trial conducted at Jin Yin-Tan Hospital in January 2020, which involved adults hospitalized with severe COVID-19 (LOTUS, ChiCTR2000029308). Antibody samples were collected from 192 patients during hospitalization, and kinetic antibodies were monitored at all available time points after recruitment. Additionally, plasma samples were collected from 101 COVID-19 survivors for comprehensive humoral immune measurement at the half-year follow-up visit. The main focus was comparing the humoral responses between patients treated with systemic corticosteroid therapy and the non-corticosteroid group. Results: From illness onset to day 30, the median antibody titre areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUCs) of nucleoprotein (N), spike protein (S), and receptor-binding domain (RBD) immunoglobulin G (IgG) were significantly lower in the corticosteroids group. The AUCs of N-, S-, and RBD-IgM as well as neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) were numerically lower in the corticosteroids group compared with the non-corticosteroid group. However, peak titres of N, S, RBD-IgM and -IgG and NAbs were not influenced by corticosteroids. During 6-month follow-up, we observed a delayed decline for most binding antibodies, except N-IgM (ß -0.05, 95% CI [-0.10, 0.00]) in the corticosteroids group, though not reaching statistical significance. No significant difference was observed for NAbs. However, for the half-year seropositive rate, corticosteroids significantly accelerated the decay of IgA and IgM but made no difference to N-, S-, and RBD-IgG or NAbs. Additionally, corticosteroids group showed a trend towards delayed viral clearance compared with the non-corticosteroid group, but the results were not statistically significant (adjusted hazard ratio 0.71, 95% CI 0.50-1.00; P = 0.0508). Conclusion: Our findings suggested that corticosteroid therapy was associated with impaired initiation of the antibody response but this did not compromise the peak titres of binding and neutralizing antibodies. Throughout the decay phase, from the acute phase to the half-year follow-up visit, short-term and low-dose corticosteroids did not significantly affect humoral responses, except for accelerating the waning of short-lived antibodies.

Chromosomal-level genome assembly of Hylurgus ligniperda: insights into host adaptation and environmental tolerance.

BACKGROUND: Hylurgus ligniperda (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is a worldwide forest quarantine pest. It is widely distributed, has many host tree species, and possesses strong adaptability. To explore its environmental adaptability and the related molecular mechanisms, we conducted chromosome-level genome sequencing and analyzed the transcriptome under different environmental factors, identifying key expressed genes. RESULTS: We employed PacBio, Illumina, and Hi-C sequencing techniques to assemble a 520 Mb chromosomal-level genome of H. ligniperda, obtaining an N50 of 39.97 Mb across 138 scaffolds. A total of 10,765 protein-coding genes were annotated after repeat masking. Fourteen chromosomes were identified, among which Hyli14 was determined to be the sex chromosome. Survival statistics were tested over various growth periods under high temperature and low humidity conditions. The maximum survival period of adults reached 292 days at 25 °C, 65% relative humidity. In comparison, the maximum survival period was 14 days under 35 °C, 65% relative humidity, and 106 days under 25°C, 40% relative humidity. This indicated that environmental stress conditions significantly reduced adults' survival period. We further conducted transcriptome analysis to screen for potentially influential differentially expressed genes, such as CYP450 and Histone. Subsequently, we performed gene family analysis to gain insights into their functions and interactions, such as CYP450 and Histone. CYP450 genes affected the detoxification metabolism of enzymes in the Cytochrome P450 pathway to adapt to different environments. Histone genes are involved in insect hormone biosynthesis and longevity-regulating pathways in H. ligniperda to adapt to environmental stress. CONCLUSIONS: The genome at the chromosome level of H. ligniperda was assembled for the first time. The mortality of H. ligniperda increased significantly at 35 ℃, 65% RH, and 25 ℃, 40% RH. CYP450 and Histone genes played an important role in response to environmental stress. This genome offers a substantial genetic resource for investigating the molecular mechanisms behind beetle invasion and spread.

MASS cohort: Multicenter, longitudinal, and prospective study of the role of microbiome in severe pneumonia and host susceptibility.

The MASS cohort comprises 2000 ICU patients with severe pneumonia, covering community-acquired pneumonia, hospital-acquired pneumonia, and ventilator-associated pneumonia, sourced from 19 hospitals across 10 cities in three provinces. A wide array of samples including bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, sputum, feces, and whole blood are longitudinally collected throughout patients' ICU stays. The cohort study seeks to uncover the dynamics of lung and gut microbiomes and their associations with severe pneumonia and host susceptibility, integrating deep metagenomics and transcriptomics with detailed clinical data.

MiPRIME: an integrated and intelligent platform for mining primer and probe sequences of microbial species.

MOTIVATION: Accurately detecting pathogenic microorganisms requires effective primers and probe designs. Literature-derived primers are a valuable resource as they have been tested and proven effective in previous research. However, manually mining primers from published texts is time-consuming and limited in species scop. RESULTS: To address these challenges, we have developed MiPRIME, a real-time Microbial Primer Mining platform for primer/probe sequences extraction of pathogenic microorganisms with three highlights: (i) comprehensive integration. Covering >40 million articles and 548 942 organisms, the platform enables high-frequency microbial gene discovery from a global perspective, facilitating user-defined primer design and advancing microbial research. (ii) Using a BioBERT-based text mining model with 98.02% accuracy, greatly reducing information processing time. (iii) Using a primer ranking score, PRscore, for intelligent recommendation of species-specific primers. Overall, MiPRIME is a practical tool for primer mining in the pan-microbial field, saving time and cost of trial-and-error experiments. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION: The web is available at {{https://www.ai-bt.com}}.

Unveiling winter survival strategies: physiological and metabolic responses to cold stress of Monochamus saltuarius larvae during overwintering.

BACKGROUND: Monochamus saltuarius is a destructive trunk-borer of pine forest and an effective dispersal vector for pinewood nematode (PWN), a causative agent of pine wilt disease (PWD), which leads to major ecological disasters. Cold winter temperatures determine insect survival and distribution. However, little is known about the cold tolerance and potential physiological mechanisms of M. saltuarius. RESULTS: We demonstrated that dead Pinus koraiensis trunks do not provide larvae with insulation. The M. saltuarius larvae are freeze-tolerant species. Unlike most other freeze-tolerant insects, they can actively freeze extracellular fluid at higher subzero temperatures by increasing their supercooling points. The main energy sources for larvae overwintering are glycogen and the mid-late switch to lipid. The water balance showed a decrease in free and an increase in bound water of small magnitude. Cold stress promoted lipid peroxidation, thus activating the antioxidant system to prevent cold-induced oxidative damage. We found eight main pathways linked to cold stress and 39 important metabolites, ten of which are cryoprotectants, including maltose, UDP-glucose, d-fructose 6P, galactinol, dulcitol, inositol, sorbitol, l-methionine, sarcosine, and d-proline. The M. saltuarius larvae engage in a dual respiration process involving both anaerobic and aerobic pathways when their bodily fluids freeze. Cysteine and methionine metabolism, as well as alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism, are the most important pathways linked to antioxidation and energy production. CONCLUSIONS: The implications of our findings may help strengthen and supplement the management strategies for monitoring, quarantine, and control of this pest, thereby contributing to controlling the further spread of PWD. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Profiling of viral load, antibody and inflammatory response of people with monkeypox during hospitalization: a prospective longitudinal cohort study in China.

BACKGROUND: The dynamics of viral shedding and the specific humoral response against monkeypox virus (MPXV) have not been well characterized in patients across their disease course during hospitalisation. The aim of this study was to determine the viral load and the levels of antibodies against MPXV using longitudinal paired-collected samples from hospitalized patients. METHODS: Patients who were hospitalised with mpox were recruited at Beijing Ditan Hospital Capital Medical University in China between June 2 and September 23, 2023. Paired samples, including samples from skin lesions, the oropharynx, saliva, faeces, urine, plasma, and serum, were serially collected at days 1, 3, 7, and 14 after admission until discharge. Not all of the patients had samples obtained at all of the timepoints. All the samples were analysed via quantitative PCR. Virus isolation was performed by using clinical samples and Vero cells. The presence of IgM, IgA, IgG, and neutralising antibodies (NAbs) against MPXV was evaluated. The first collected plasma sample was taken when the patient was hospitalised, and the levels of cytokines and chemokines were measured in the sample. The demographic data, smallpox vaccination status, history of known exposure to MPVX, HIV status and other clinical data were collected using a standard case report form. FINDINGS: A total of 510 specimens were serially collected from 39 recruited people with mpox. Among all the samples, the skin lesions had the highest viral DNA detection rates and viral loads, and the saliva samples had the second highest rates and viral loads. One day before discharge, 85% of the dry scrabs (median Ct 28.2, range 19.0-38.3) and 70% of the saliva samples (median Ct 32.4, range 24.5-38.1) were positive for viral DNA, Of which, 23.1% of dry scrabs were positive in viral culture. The rate of viral DNA detection in the oropharyngeal, saliva, and faecal samples decreased with time, while the rates in the plasma, serum, and urine samples increased quickly before 10 days post symptom onset (PSO). The median days of appearance of MPXV-IgM, MPXV-IgA, MPXV-IgG, and NAb were at 8 (interquartile range [IQR] 7-9), 9 (7-10), 12 (9-15), and 12 (9-15) PSO, respectively. The IgM, IgA, IgG, and NAb titres increased with time. Between days 11 and 21 PSO, the NAb titres were lower in people living with HIV (PWH) than in people living without HIV (PWOH). Increased NAb titres were associated with decreased viral loads in the saliva (r = 0.28, p = 0.025), faeces (r = 0.35, p = 0.021), plasma (r = 0.30, p = 0.0044), and serum samples (r = 0.37, p = 0.001). Compared with PWOH, PWH had higher plasma levels of MIP-1α, MIP-1ß, G-CSF, IL-4, and FGF-basic. INTERPRETATION: The high positive viral culture rate of clinical samples of patients when they are discharged from the hospital indicates that effective public health management strategies are needed for people with mpox. The low NAb titres and high levels of cytokines in PWH shows that earlier treatment is needed to control inflammation in high-risk populations. FUNDING: National Natural Science Foundation of China, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities for Peking Union Medical College, National Key R&D Program of China.

FOXM1/DEPDC1 feedback loop promotes hepatocarcinogenesis and represents promising targets for cancer therapy.

Forkhead box M1 (FOXM1) is a key regulator of mitosis and is identified as an oncogene involved in several kinds of human malignancies. However, how it induces carcinogenesis and related therapeutic approaches remains not fully understood. In this study, we aimed to identify a regulatory axis involving FOXM1 and its target gene DEP domain containing 1 (DEPDC1) and investigate their biological functions. FOXM1 bound to the promoter and transcriptionally induced DEPDC1 expression, in turn, DEPDC1 physically interacted with FOXM1, promoted its nuclear translocation, and reinforced its transcriptional activities. The FOXM1/DEPDC1 axis was indispensable for cancer cells, as evidenced by the fact that DEPDC1 rescued cell growth inhibition caused by FOXM1 knockdown, and silencing DEPDC1 efficiently attenuated tumor growth in a murine hepatocellular carcinoma model. Furthermore, strong positive associations between FOXM1/DEPDC1 axis and poor clinical outcome were observed in human hepatocellular carcinoma samples, further indicating their significance for hepatocarcinogenesis. Finally, we attempted to exploit immunotherapy approaches to target the FOXM1/DEPDC1 axis. Several HLA-A24:02-restricted T-cell epitopes targeting FOXM1 or DEPDC1 were identified through bioinformatic analysis. Then, T cell receptor (TCR)-engineered T cells targeting FOXM1262-270 or DEPDC1294-302 were successfully established and proved to efficiently eradicate tumor cells. Our findings highlight the significance of the FOXM1/DEPDC1 axis in the process of oncogenesis and indicate their potential as immunotherapy targets.

Thymol improves the growth performance of blue foxes by regulating the gut microbiota.

Introduction: The drawbacks of using antibiotics as feed additives for blue foxes have gradually become apparent; moreover, thymol has wide-spectrum antimicrobial activity and has the potential to replace antibiotics in various animals. However, there are few reports on the effects of thymol on blue foxes. Methods: This study aimed to investigate the effects of different concentrations of thymol on the growth performance, apparent nutrient digestibility, serum biochemical indicators, intestinal morphology, and gut microbiota of blue foxes. Twenty-four male blue foxes (120 ± 5 d) of similar weight (6.05 ± 0.16 kg) were randomly divided into 4 groups. 0, 100, 200, and 300 mg/kg thymol were added to the basal diets of groups C, L, M, and H, respectively. Results: Compared with those in the C group, the addition of 100 mg/kg thymol to the diet significantly increased organic matter (OM) digestibility, crude protein (CP) digestibility, immunoglobulin (Ig) A, IgM, the VH of the duodenum, the CD of the jejunum, the VH of the ileum, and the VH/CD of the ileum (P < 0.05) and strongly significantly increased IgG (P < 0.01). The addition of 200 mg/kg thymol to the diet increased the VH/CD of the duodenum (P < 0.05). The addition of 300 mg/kg thymol to the diet significantly increased the VH and CD of the jejunum (P < 0.05). The addition of 200 mg/kg and 300 mg/kg thymol to the diets increased the final weight (FW) (P < 0.05). Adding 100 mg/kg thymol significantly increased the levels of interleukin-4 (IL-4) and catalase (CAT) compared with those in the other groups (P < 0.05). 16S rRNA gene detection revealed that thymol can change the abundances of Bifidobacterium, Fusobacterium, Allobaculum, Streptococcus, Megasphaera, and Lactobacillus in the gut. Conclusion: The addition of thymol to diets can increase the abundance of Bifidobacterium, Fusobacterium, and Allobaculum, which may contribute to improving the growth performance of blue foxes.

Region-Specific Effects of Metformin on Gut Microbiome and Metabolome in High-Fat Diet-Induced Type 2 Diabetes Mouse Model.

The glucose-lowering drug metformin alters the composition of the gut microbiome in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and other diseases. Nevertheless, most studies on the effects of this drug have relied on fecal samples, which provide limited insights into its local effects on different regions of the gut. Using a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced mouse model of T2DM, we characterize the spatial variability of the gut microbiome and associated metabolome in response to metformin treatment. Four parts of the gut as well as the feces were analyzed using full-length sequencing of 16S rRNA genes and targeted metabolomic analyses, thus providing insights into the composition of the microbiome and associated metabolome. We found significant differences in the gut microbiome and metabolome in each gut region, with the most pronounced effects on the microbiomes of the cecum, colon, and feces, with a significant increase in a variety of species belonging to Akkermansiaceae, Lactobacillaceae, Tannerellaceae, and Erysipelotrichaceae. Metabolomics analysis showed that metformin had the most pronounced effect on microbiome-derived metabolites in the cecum and colon, with several metabolites, such as carbohydrates, fatty acids, and benzenoids, having elevated levels in the colon; however, most of the metabolites were reduced in the cecum. Thus, a wide range of beneficial metabolites derived from the microbiome after metformin treatment were produced mainly in the colon. Our study highlights the importance of considering gut regions when understanding the effects of metformin on the gut microbiome and metabolome.

Different genotypes and species of symbiotic fungi mediate the behavioral response of invasive Sirex noctilio fabricius (Hymenoptera: Siricidae).

In northeast China, the invasive woodwasp., Sirex noctilio, attacks Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica Litv and often shares habitat with native Sirex nitobei. Previous research showed that S. noctilio can utilize the volatiles from its symbiotic fungus (A. areolatum IGS-BD) to locate host trees. Consequently, symbiotic fungi (A. areolatum IGS-D and A. chailletii) carried by S. nitobei may influence the behavioral selection of S. noctilio. This study aimed to investigate the impact of fungal odor sources on S. noctilio's behavior in laboratory and field experiments. Our observations revealed that female woodwasps exhibited greater attraction toward the fungal volatiles of 14-day-old Amylostereum IGS-D in a "Y"-tube olfactometer and wind tunnel. When woodwasps were released into bolts inoculated separately with three strains in the field, females of S. noctilio exhibited a preference for those bolts pre-inoculated with A. areolatum IGS-BD. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis revealed that the volatiles emitted by the two genotypes of A. areolatum were similar yet significantly distinct from those of Ampelopsis chailletii. Hence, we postulate that the existence of native A. areolatum IGS-D could potentially facilitate the colonization of S. noctilio in scenarios with minimal or no A. areolatum IGS-BD present in the host.

Resource Sharing between the Invasive Sirex noctilio and Native Woodborers and Beetles in Pinus Plantations.

Sirex noctilio, a European woodwasp, occasionally shares resources with the native S. nitobei and other colonizers in northeast China. The impact of its coexistence on individual species remains unclear. Random sampling was conducted to assess the patterns and extent of insect co-colonization across various spatial scales. Additionally, we analyzed wood sections to determine the density, adult size, and distribution of the two Sirex species. Spatial scales revealed negative associations (Asemum striatum and Phaenops sp.) and neutral ones (Ips acuminatus) between woodwasps and other co-colonizers. Clustering of woodwasps and Phaenops sp. occurred at a small scale (0-7.3 m). Regression analysis showed a positive correlation between the chance of woodwasp attacks and past attacks on the same host, with little impact from other colonization factors. The distribution and body size of S. noctilio within the tree appeared unaffected by S. nitobei's presence. In the presence of S. noctilio, S. nitobei tended to lay eggs in damaged sections. At the stand level, the overall impact of S. noctilio on S. nitobei population density is likely positive because S. nitobei prefer weaker trees, a preference potentially influenced by initial attacks from S. noctilio on healthier hosts.

Protein-Based Packaging Films in Food: Developments, Applications, and Challenges.

With the emphasis placed by society on environmental resources, current petroleum-based packaging in the food industry can no longer meet people's needs. However, new active packaging technologies have emerged, such as proteins, polysaccharides, and lipids, in which proteins are widely used for their outstanding gel film-forming properties. Most of the current literature focuses on research applications of single protein-based films. In this paper, we review the novel protein-based packaging technologies that have been used in recent years to categorize different proteins, including plant proteins (soybean protein isolate, zein, gluten protein) and animal proteins (whey protein isolate, casein, collagen, gelatin). The advances that have recently been made in protein-based active packaging technology can be understood by describing protein sources, gel properties, molding principles, and applied research. This paper presents the current problems and prospects of active packaging technology, provides new ideas for the development of new types of packaging and the expansion of gel applications in the future, and promotes the development and innovation of environmentally friendly food packaging.

Antireflective Superhydrophobic and Robust Coating Based on Chitin Nanofibers and Methylsilanized Silica for Outdoor Applications.

Antireflective coatings with superhydrophobicity have many outdoor applications, such as solar photovoltaic panels and windshields. In this study, we fabricated an omnidirectional antireflective and superhydrophobic coating with good mechanical robustness and environmental durability via the spin coating technique. The coating consisted of a layer of phytic acid (PA)/polyacrylamide (PAM)/calcium ions (Ca2+) (referred to as Binder), an antireflective layer composed of chitin nanofibers (ChNFs), and a hydrophobic layer composed of methylsilanized silica (referred to as Mosil). The transmittance of a glass slide with the Binder/ChNFs/Mosil coating had a 5.2% gain at a wavelength of 550 nm, and the antireflective coating showed a water contact angle as high as 160° and a water sliding angle of 8°. The mechanical robustness and environmental durability of the coating, including resistance to peeling, dynamic impact, chemical erosion, ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, and high temperature, were evaluated. The coating retained excellent antireflective capacity and self-cleaning performance in the harsh conditions. The increase in voltage per unit area of a solar panel with a Binder/ChNFs/Mosil coating reached 0.4 mV/cm2 compared to the solar panel exposed to sunlight with an intensity of 54.3 × 103 lx. This work not only demonstrates that ChNFs can be used as raw materials to fabricate antireflective superhydrophobic coatings for outdoor applications but also provides a feasible and efficient approach to do so.

Vestibular Migraine and Recurrent Vertigo in Children: A Diagnostic Focus From a Tertiary Hospital Study.

BACKGROUND: To improve diagnostic precision in pediatric vertigo, particularly in Vestibular Migraine of Childhood (VMC), probable VMC (pVMC), Recurrent Vertigo of Childhood (RVC), and unspecified categories, by delineating clinical characteristics and prevalence to refine diagnostics and treatments. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of 102 pediatric patients (five to 18 years; 46 females, 56 males) at the Dizziness Center of the Otolaryngology Department in a tertiary-level hospital from January 2019 to December 2023. Patients were classified into VMC, pVMC, RVC, and indeterminate groups. Evaluations included audiometry and vestibular tests (video head impulse test [vHIT] or caloric testing), conducted in the audiology unit and vestibular testing laboratory. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS 20.0. RESULTS: Diagnoses were 8.8% VMC, 31.4% pVMC, 51.0% RVC, and 8.8% indeterminate. Nausea and vomiting were common in VMC and pVMC; cochlear symptoms like tinnitus and hearing loss predominated in VMC. Although vestibular testing showed no significant group differences, VMC had more vHIT abnormalities and RVC had more caloric test anomalies. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the need for comprehensive diagnostics in pediatric vestibular disorders, revealing unique and overlapping traits across VMC, pVMC, and RVC. Insights call for further research to refine diagnostic criteria and improve treatment methods.