Research on the Impact of Deep Eutectic Solvent and Hot-Water Extraction Methods on the Structure of Polygonatum sibiricum Polysaccharides.

Deep eutectic solvent (DES) and hot-water extraction (HWE) methods were utilized to extract polysaccharides from Polygonatum sibiricum, referred to as DPsP and WPsP, respectively. The extracted polysaccharides were purified using the Superdex-200 dextran gel purification system, resulting in three components for each type of polysaccharide. The structures of these components were characterized. The molecular weight analysis revealed that DPsP components had slightly larger molecular weights compared with WPsP, with DPsP-A showing a slightly higher dispersity index and broader molecular weight distribution. The main monosaccharide components of both DPsP and WPsP were mannose and glucose, while DPsP exhibited a slightly greater variety of sugar components compared with WPsP. FTIR analysis demonstrated characteristic polysaccharide absorption peaks in all six PSP components, with a predominance of acidic pyranose sugars. NMR analysis revealed the presence of pyranose sugars, including rhamnose and sugar aldehyde acids, in both DPsP-B and WPsP-A. DPsP-B primarily exhibited ß-type glycosidic linkages, while WPsP-A predominantly displayed α-type glycosidic linkages, with a smaller fraction being ß-type. These findings indicated differences in monosaccharide composition and structure between PSPs extracted using different methods. Overall, this study provided experimental evidence for future research on the structure-function relationship of PSPs.

Comparative Metabolomics and Transcriptome Analysis Reveal the Fragrance-Related Metabolite Formation in Phoebe zhennan Wood.

Nanmu (Phoebe zhennan) has a unique fragrance and is a high-quality tree species for forest conservation. The types and contents of volatile compounds in different tissues of nanmu wood are different, and the study of its volatile metabolites can help us to understand the source of its fragrance and functions. In order to explore the metabolites related to the wood fragrance of nanmu and to find out the unique volatile substances in the heartwood, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was performed to analyze the non-targeted metabolomics in five radial tissues from the sapwood to the heartwood of nanmu. A total of 53 volatile metabolites belonging to 11 classes were detected in all tissues, including terpenes, aromatic hydrocarbons, organoheterocyclics, phenols, esters, organic acids, alcohols, alkaloids, alkane, indoles derivatives, and others. And most of the volatile metabolites were identified for the first time in nanmu wood. Among them, terpenes and aromatic hydrocarbons were the main volatile components. In addition, 22 differential metabolites were screened from HW and SW, HW, and TZ via metabolomic analysis. Among these DAMs, three volatile metabolites (cadinene, a sesquiterpenoid; p-cymene, a monoterpenoid; 1,3,5-triisopropylbenzene, an aromatic hydrocarbon) contributed heavily to the characteristic fragrance of the heartwood. Additionally, the expression of transcripts showed that the unigenes in the terpenoid biosynthesis pathway were especially up-regulated in the SW. Therefore, we speculated that fragrance-related metabolites were synthesized in SW and then deposited in heartwood during sapwood transformed to heartwood. The expression levels of transcription factors (e.g., WRKY, C2H2, NAC) acted as the major regulatory factors in the synthesis of terpenoid. The results lay the foundations for further studies on the formation mechanism of fragrance components in nanmu wood and also provide a reference for the further development and utilization of nanmu wood.

A putative amphipathic alpha helix in hepatitis B virus small envelope protein plays a critical role in the morphogenesis of subviral particles.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) small (S) envelope protein has the intrinsic ability to direct the formation of small spherical subviral particles (SVPs) in eukaryotic cells. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the morphogenesis of SVPs from the monomeric S protein initially synthesized at the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane remains largely elusive. Structure prediction and extensive mutagenesis analysis suggested that the amino acid residues spanning W156 to R169 of S protein form an amphipathic alpha helix and play essential roles in SVP production and S protein metabolic stability. Further biochemical analyses showed that the putative amphipathic alpha helix was not required for the disulfide-linked S protein oligomerization, but was essential for SVP morphogenesis. Pharmacological disruption of vesicle trafficking between the ER and Golgi complex in SVP producing cells supported the hypothesis that S protein-directed SVP morphogenesis takes place at the ER-Golgi intermediate compartment (ERGIC). Moreover, it was demonstrated that S protein is degraded in hepatocytes via a 20S proteasome-dependent, but ubiquitination-independent non-classic ER-associated degradation (ERAD) pathway. Taken together, the results reported herein favor a model in which the amphipathic alpha helix at the antigenic loop of S protein attaches to the lumen leaflet to facilitate SVP budding from the ERGIC compartment, whereas the failure of budding process may result in S protein degradation by 20S proteasome in an ubiquitination-independent manner.Importance Subviral particles are the predominant viral product produced by HBV-infected hepatocytes. Their levels exceed the virion particles by 10,000 to 100,000-fold in the blood of HBV infected individuals. The high levels of SVPs, or HBV surface antigen (HBsAg), in the circulation induces immune tolerance and contributes to the establishment of persistent HBV infection. The loss of HBsAg, often accompanied by appearance of anti-HBs antibodies, is the hallmark of durable immune control of HBV infection. Therapeutic induction of HBsAg loss is, therefore, considered to be essential for the restoration of host antiviral immune response and functional cure of chronic hepatitis B. Our findings on the mechanism of SVP morphogenesis and S protein metabolism will facilitate the rational discovery and development of antiviral drugs to achieve this therapeutic goal.

Integrated Transcriptomic, Metabolomic, and Physiological Analyses Reveal New Insights into Fragrance Formation in the Heartwood of Phoebe hui.

Phoebe hui is an extremely valuable tree that is the main source of the fragrant golden-thread nanmu wood. Although the fragrance of wood has been investigated in several trees, the potential substances and gene regulation mechanisms that are involved in fragrance formation are poorly understood. Here, three radial tissues, sapwood (SW), heartwood (HW), and the transition zone (TZ) in between them, were compared via integrative physiological, volatile-metabolomic, and transcriptomic analyses to identify the key metabolites and regulatory mechanisms involved in fragrance formation. During heartwood formation, gradual starch grain loss was accompanied by the deposition of lipids and extractives in the cell lumen. Extracts of terpenoids were synthesized and accumulated in the heartwood, including monoterpenoids (limonene and p-cymene) and sesquiterpenes (cubebene and guaiadiene); these were identified as being closely related to the special fragrance of the wood. Additionally, the expression of transcripts showed that the genes related to primary metabolism were specifically upregulated in the SW, whereas genes annotated in terpenoid biosynthesis were specifically upregulated in the HW. Therefore, we speculated that terpenoid biosynthesis occurs in situ in the HW via the HW formation model of Type-III (Santalum) using the precursors that were produced by primary metabolism in the SW. The expression levels of transcription factors (e.g., MYB, WRKY, and C2H2) acted as the major regulatory factors in the synthesis of terpenoids. Our results explain the special fragrance in P. hui and broaden the current knowledge of the regulatory mechanisms of fragrance formation. This work provides a framework for future research that is focused on improving wood quality and value.

A neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio-based prognostic model to predict mortality in patients with HBV-related acute-on-chronic liver failure.

BACKGROUND: Although the Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) research consortium (AARC) ACLF score is easy to use in patients with hepatitis b virus-related ACLF (HBV-ACLF), serum lactate is not routinely tested in primary hospitals, and its value may be affected by some interference factors. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is used to assess the status of bacterial infection (BI) or outcomes in patients with various diseases. We developed an NLR-based AARC ACLF score and compared it with the existing model. METHODS: A total of 494 HBV-ACLF patients, enrolled in four tertiary academic hospitals in China with 90-day follow-up, were analysed. Prognostic performance of baseline NLR and lactate were compared between cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic subgroups via the receiver operating curve and Kaplan-Meier analyses. A modified AARC ACLF (mAARC ACLF) score using NLR as a replacement for lactate was developed (n = 290) and validated (n = 204). RESULTS: There were significantly higher baseline values of NLR in non-survivors, patients with admission BI, and those with higher grades of ACLF compared with the control groups. Compared with lactate, NLR better reflected BI status in the cirrhotic subgroup, and was more significantly correlated with CTP, MELD, MELD-Na, and the AARC score. NLR was an independent predictor of 90-day mortality, and was categorized into three risk grades (< 3.10, 3.10-4.78, and > 4.78) with 90-day cumulative mortalities of 8%, 21.2%, and 77.5% in the derivation cohort, respectively. The mAARC ACLF score, using the three grades of NLR instead of corresponding levels of lactate, was superior to the other four scores in predicting 90-day mortality in the derivation (AUROC 0.906, 95% CI 0.872-0.940, average P < 0.001) and validation cohorts (AUROC 0.913, 95% CI 0.876-0.950, average P < 0.01), with a considerable performance in predicting 28-day mortality in the two cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: The prognostic value of NLR is superior to that of lactate in predicting short-term mortality risk in cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic patients with HBV-ACLF. NLR can be incorporated into the AARC ACLF scoring system for improving its prognostic accuracy and facilitating the management guidance in patients with HBV-ACLF in primary hospitals.

Upregulated calcium-binding tyrosine phosphorylation-regulated protein-a/b regulates cell proliferation and apoptosis and predicts poor prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Calcium-binding tyrosine phosphorylation-regulated protein (CABYR) is a group of isoforms produced by alternative splicing and is overexpressed in human malignancies including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the prognostic value and biological functions of its major protein isoforms, named CABYR-a/b (combined CABYR-a and CABYR-b), in HCC remain to be established. METHODS: CABYR-a/b expression was detected in HCC tissues and cell lines by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis. The correlation of CABYR-a/b expression with clinical characteristics and its prognosis impact were determined by statistical analysis. Finally, the biological functions and molecular mechanism of CABYR-a/b were also investigated using molecular biology approaches. RESULTS: The present research found that CABYR-a/b was markedly elevated in HCC specimens and cell lines. Upregulated CABYR-a/b level had positive association with tumor size and differentiation in patients. Moreover, cases with elevated CABYR-a/b level had poorer overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) than those with reduced CABYR-a/b level. Multivariate analysis and prognostic nomograms demonstrated that CABYR-a/b overexpression was an independent predictive indicator for OS and DFS. The calibration curve for the odds of OS and DFS demonstrated that the prediction by nomograms was in excellent accordance with actual situation. CABYR-a/b downregulation suppressed cell proliferation and induced G1-phase arrest via decreasing cyclin D1 and cyclin dependent kinase 4, while promoted apoptosis by reducing B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) and increasing Bcl-2-associated death promoter. CONCLUSION: Our research indicates that CABYR-a/b exerts an oncogenic effect on HCC development and may become a new prognostic indicator for patients with HCC.

OGDHL silencing promotes hepatocellular carcinoma by reprogramming glutamine metabolism.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Mitochondrial dysfunction and subsequent metabolic deregulation are commonly observed in cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). When mitochondrial function is impaired, reductive glutamine metabolism is a major cellular carbon source for de novo lipogenesis to support cancer cell growth. The underlying regulators of reductively metabolized glutamine in mitochondrial dysfunction are not completely understood in tumorigenesis. METHODS: We systematically investigated the role of oxoglutarate dehydrogenase-like (OGDHL), one of the rate-limiting components of the key mitochondrial multi-enzyme OGDH complex (OGDHC), in the regulation of lipid metabolism in hepatoma cells and mouse xenograft models. RESULTS: Lower expression of OGDHL was associated with advanced tumor stage, significantly worse survival and more frequent tumor recurrence in 3 independent cohorts totaling 681 postoperative HCC patients. Promoter hypermethylation and DNA copy deletion of OGDHL were independently correlated with reduced OGDHL expression in HCC specimens. Additionally, OGDHL overexpression significantly inhibited the growth of hepatoma cells in mouse xenografts, while knockdown of OGDHL promoted proliferation of hepatoma cells. Mechanistically, OGDHL downregulation upregulated the α-ketoglutarate (αKG):citrate ratio by reducing OGDHC activity, which subsequently drove reductive carboxylation of glutamine-derived αKG via retrograde tricarboxylic acid cycling in hepatoma cells. Notably, silencing of OGDHL activated the mTORC1 signaling pathway in an αKG-dependent manner, inducing transcription of enzymes with key roles in de novo lipogenesis. Meanwhile, metabolic reprogramming in OGDHL-negative hepatoma cells provided an abundant supply of NADPH and glutathione to support the cellular antioxidant system. The reduction of reductive glutamine metabolism through OGDHL overexpression or glutaminase inhibitors sensitized tumor cells to sorafenib, a molecular-targeted therapy for HCC. CONCLUSION: Our findings established that silencing of OGDHL contributed to HCC development and survival by regulating glutamine metabolic pathways. OGDHL is a promising prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for HCC. LAY SUMMARY: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most prevalent tumors worldwide and is correlated with a high mortality rate. In patients with HCC, lower expression of the enzyme OGDHL is significantly associated with worse survival. Herein, we show that silencing of OGDHL induces lipogenesis and influences the chemosensitization effect of sorafenib in liver cancer cells by reprogramming glutamine metabolism. OGDHL is a promising prognostic biomarker and potential therapeutic target in OGDHL-negative liver cancer.

Enhanced mLST8 Expression Correlates with Tumor Progression in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway, containing mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) and mTORC2, is dysregulated in multiple cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Mammalian lethal with sec-13 protein 8 (mLST8) is a shared constituent of both mTORC1 and mTORC2, yet little is known regarding its role in HCC development. METHODS: mLST8 expression was detected in a total of 186 pairs of HCC and adjacent non-tumor specimens. The correlation between mLST8 level and clinicopathological features or prognostic significance were analyzed. The role of mLST8 on biological functions was also preliminarily studied. RESULTS: The study revealed that the mLST8 level was dramatically higher in HCC specimens than in adjacent non-tumor specimens. mLST8 overexpression positively correlated with tumor size, differentiation, and vessel invasion. Cases with elevated mLST8 level had more unfavorable overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) than those with downregulated mLST8 level. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that mLST8 upregulation was an independent predictive marker for OS and DFS. Calibration curves from nomogram models indicated an excellent coherence between nomogram prediction and actual situation. Decision curve analysis proved that mLST8-based nomograms presented much higher predictive accuracy when compared with conventional clinical staging systems. Mechanistically, mLST8 enhanced cell proliferation and invasion through the AKT (protein kinase B) pathway. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates that mLST8 exerts an oncogenic role in HCC and may become a promising prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for HCC patients.

Synthesis of gadolinium-based Bi2S3 nanoparticles as cancer theranostics for dual-modality computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging-guided photothermal therapy.

Development of a safe, efficient and inexpensive multifunctional nanoplatform using a facile approach for multimodal imaging and therapeutic functions becomes more and more practically relevant but challenging. In this work, we demonstrated a novel nanocomposites (Bi2S3-Gd) for computed tomography (CT)/magnetic resonance (MR) imaging-guided photothermal therapy (PTT) for cancer in vitro. It was achieved by modification of hydrophobic Bi2S3 with a smart amphiphilic gadolinium-chelated ligand. The as-prepared nanocomposites composed of low-cost Bi2S3 and gadolinium complexes, showed high stability, excellent biocompatibility and good photostability. It was observed that Bi2S3-Gd nanocomposites can efficiently convert the NIR light into heat, and then suppressed the growth of tumor cells under NIR laser irradiation. Apart from serving as an effective photothermal agent, the as-prepared nanomaterials could induce an efficient contrast enhancement for both CT and MR imaging at low concentrations of Bi and Gd, rendering more accurate diagnosis. This work suggests the potential of Bi2S3-Gd nanomaterials as a novel multifunctional nanoplatform for CT/MR imaging-guided PTT for cancer.

Microarray Expression Profiling of microRNAs Reveals Potential Biomarkers for Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a major health problem for delayed diagnosis, inefficient surveillance and poor prognosis. Recent studies have indicated that non-coding RNAs contribute to the development of new strategies for diagnosis and treatment of HCC. In the present study, we employed 18 pairs of HCC and matched non-tumor tissues for the identification of differentially expressed microRNAs (miRNAs) in HCC, among which 7 paired specimens were selected randomly for microarray detection. Totally, twenty-three miRNAs were screened out to have statistically significant differences with the threshold of P < 0.01 and fold-change ≥ 2.0 or ≤ 0.5 using miRNA microarray. In the validation stage, two miRNAs exhibited higher expression levels in the HCC tissues compared with those in the matched non-tumor tissues, whereas the expression levels of ten miRNAs were lower in the HCC tissues than those in the matched non-tumor tissues. In further analysis, eight miRNAs, including miR-4270, miR-125b-5p, miR-199a-3p, miR-10a-5p, miR-424-5p, miR-195-5p, miR-106b-5p and miR-3651, were retained, when another constraint about the signal intensity of microarray probes was established. Among these miRNAs, our study was the first to show the higher expression level of miR-3651 and the lower expression level of miR-4270 in HCC. The areas under the receiver-operating-characteristic curve values of miR-3651 and miR-4270 were 0.730 and 0.967, respectively, indicating their potential diagnostic values. Our results may help provide the context for expanded interpretations of miRNA studies involved in the progression of liver disease, potentially serving as a diagnostic tool of HCC.

Correlation between dysbiosis of vaginal microecology and endometriosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Endometriosis, a complex gynecological condition, involves inflammation and immune dysregulation. The vaginal microbiota, characterized by its diversity, is an integral part of the vaginal microecology-interacting with vaginal anatomy, the endocrine system, and local mucosal immunity. Imbalances in this microecology are known to precipitate various inflammatory diseases. Despite extensive research, the connection between vaginal microbiota dysbiosis and endometriosis remains a subject of debate. Our study assesses the association between vaginal microecology dysbiosis and endometriosis. METHODS: We systematically searched major electronic databases in English, including Embase, PubMed, The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE (Ovid), BIOSIS (Ovid), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Wanfang, up to August 15, 2023. Selected articles underwent screening based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Normal vaginal microecology was defined as a negative Amsel/Spiegel test or Nugent score of 0-3, or Lactobacillus predominance determined by 16S rRNA gene amplification sequencing. Deviations from this norm were classified as dysbiosis, further categorized into bacterial vaginosis (BV) and intermediate BV. Data analysis utilized Revman 5.4, with effect sizes presented as Odds Ratios (OR) and 95% Confidence Intervals (CI). RESULTS: Out of 1081 articles, eight met the inclusion criteria. Utilizing fixed-effect models due to low heterogeneity, the analysis revealed a positive association between dysbiosis and endometriosis (OR = 1.17, 95% CI 0.81-1.70; I2 = 0%), but showed a slight negative association between normal vaginal microecology with endometriosis (OR = 0.90, 95% CI 0.55-1.46; I2 = 29%). However, the association was not significant. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses corroborated the stability of these associations. CONCLUSION: A positive correlation exists between vaginal microecology dysbiosis and endometriosis, notably with intermediate BV. However, the mechanisms underpinning this relationship remain elusive, highlighting the need for further research to overcome limitations. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registration number: CRD42023445163.

Identification and variation analysis of the composition and content of essential oil and fragrance compounds in Phoebe zhennan wood at different tree ages.

Wood essential oil and wood products with special fragrances are high value-added forest products. Despite the availability of essential oil and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from Phoebe zhennan wood, their variation and dependence on tree age have not been examined. After essential oil extraction and wood processing, the yields and compositions of essential oils and VOCs in wood from P. zhennan trees of different ages (10a, 30a, and 80a) were determined. The yield of essential oil from 30a wood was significantly greater than that from 10a and 80a wood. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) revealed 672 and 41 volatile compounds, respectively, in the essential oil and wood, the majority of which exhibited large fluctuations in relative content and composition depending on tree age. Sesquiterpenoids, fatty acids and conjugates may greatly contribute to the main components of essential oil from wood. Almost all major sesquiterpenoid compounds, such as caryophyllene α-oxide, eudesmo, and cubebene, were identified in the essential oils from the 30a and 80a wood, and their relative contents were much greater than those in the 10a wood. The main components of the wood fragrance were sesquiterpenoids. The types and relative contents of sesquiterpenoids from wood increased with tree age. These results suggest that choosing wood from trees of a suitable age will significantly improve the efficiency of wood utilization.

HIV-Negative Case of Talaromyces marneffei Pulmonary Infection with Liver Cirrhosis in China: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Background: Talaromyces marneffei (TM) is the third most prevalent opportunistic infection in HIV-positive patients after tuberculosis and cryptococcosis. However, such infection of non-HIV individuals has rarely been reported. Case Presentation: We describe a very rare case of a 52-year-old male who presented with a single space-occupying lesion on the right lung and was eventually diagnosed with pulmonary TM infection. The patient was HIV-negative and had liver cirrhosis with portal vein thrombosis. Lung tissue next-generation sequencing (NGS) revealed TM infection. We successfully treated the patient with voriconazole for 8 weeks and observed lesion absorption via subsequent CT. The patient consumed wild bamboo rats two months before admission. Mutations related to congenital immune deficiency were not detected by whole-exome sequencing. Conclusion: Early and timely diagnosis is critical for improving patient prognosis. NGS plays a vital role in the diagnosis of pulmonary TM infection in patients. To our knowledge, this is the first published case of pulmonary TM infection in an HIV-negative patient with liver cirrhosis.

Multi-Omics profiling identifies aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 as a critical mediator in the crosstalk between Treg-mediated immunosuppression microenvironment and hepatocellular carcinoma.

Dysregulation of the aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) family has been implicated in various pathological conditions, including cancer. However, a systematic evaluation of ALDH alterations and their therapeutic relevance in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains lacking. Herein, we found that 15 of 19 ALDHs were transcriptionally dysregulated in HCC tissues compared to normal liver tissues. A four gene signature, including ALDH2, ALDH5A1, ALDH6A1, and ALDH8A1, robustly predicted prognosis and defined a high-risk subgroup exhibiting immunosuppressive features like regulatory T cell (Tregs) infiltration. Single-cell profiling revealed selective overexpression of tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 18 (TNFRSF18) on Tregs, upregulated in high-risk HCC patients. We identified ALDH2 as a tumor suppressor in HCC, with three novel phosphorylation sites mediated by protein kinase C zeta that enhanced enzymatic activity. Mechanistically, ALDH2 suppressed Tregs differentiation by inhibiting ß-catenin/TGF-ß1 signaling in HCC. Collectively, our integrated multi-omics analysis defines an ALDH-Tregs-TNFRSF18 axis that contributes to HCC pathogenesis and represents potential therapeutic targets for this aggressive malignancy.

Construction of Stable Magnetic Vinylene-Linked Covalent Organic Frameworks for Efficient Extraction of Benzimidazole Fungicides.

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) have attracted impressive interest in separation on aqueous media. Herein, we integrated the stable vinylene-linked COFs with magnetic nanosphere via the monomer-mediated in situ growth strategy to construct a crystalline Fe3O4@v-COF composite for enrichment and determination of benzimidazole fungicides (BZDs) from complex sample matrices. The Fe3O4@v-COF has a crystalline assembly, high surface area, porous character together with a well-defined core-shell structure, and serves as progressive pretreatment materials for magnetic solid phase extraction (MSPE) of BZDs. Adsorption mechanism studies revealed that the extended conjugated system and numerous polar cyan groups on v-COF provides abundant π-π and multiple hydrogen bonding sites, which are conducive to interact with BZDs collaboratively. Fe3O4@v-COF also displayed enrichment effects to various polar pollutions with conjugated structures and hydrogen-bonding sites. Fe3O4@v-COF-based MSPE-high-performance liquid chromatography exhibited the low limit of detection, wide linearity, and good precision. Moreover, Fe3O4@v-COF showed better stability, enhanced extraction performance, and more sustainable reusability in comparison with its imine-linked counterpart. This work proposes a feasible strategy on constructing the crystalline stable magnetic vinylene-linked COF composite for the determination of trace contaminants in complex food matrices.

Comparative analysis of nitrogen content and its influence on actinorhizal nodule and rhizospheric microorganism diversity in three Alnus species.

Alnus spp. (alder) are typical nonleguminous nitrogen-fixing trees that have a symbiotic relationship with Frankia. To explore the differences in nitrogen-fixing microorganisms between three alders (A. cremastogyne, A. glutinosa, and A. formosana) with different chromosome ploidies, the community structure and compositional diversity of potential nitrogen-fixing microorganism in root nodules and rhizosphere soil were comparatively analyzed using 16S rRNA and nitrogenase (nifH) gene sequencing. The nitrogen contents in the root nodules and rhizosphere soil were also determined. The results showed that the contents of total nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen in the root nodules of the three alders are significantly higher than those in the rhizosphere soils, while the ammonium nitrogen content show the opposite trend. The family, genus, and species levels showed obviously differences between root nodules and rhizosphere soils, while there were no significant differences at the classification level between the three alders. At the phylum level, the dominant phyla from 16S rRNA and nifH gene data in the root nodules and rhizosphere soil of the three alders are phylum Actinomycetota and phylum Pseudomonadota, respectively. The LEfSe results showed that there are significant differences in the dominant groups in the root nodules and rhizosphere oil of the three alders. The relative abundances of dominant groups also showed obvious differences between the root nodules and rhizosphere soils of three alders. The relative abundances of Frankia and unclassified_Frankia in root nodules are obviously higher than those in rhizosphere soils, and their relative abundances in A. glutinosa root nodules are significantly higher than those in A. cremastogyne and A. formosana at the genus and species levels. The diversity of potential nitrogen-fixing microorganism from 16S rRNA and nifH gene data in the A. glutinosa root nodules and rhizosphere soils are all higher than those in A. cremastogyne and A. formosana. The results of functional prediction also showed that the OTUs for nitrogen fixation, nitrate respiration, and ureolysis in A. glutinosa root nodules are higher than those in the other two alders. Redundancy analysis revealed that the total nitrogen content mostly affects the Frankia community. Overall, there are significant differences in the community composition and structure of potential nitrogen-fixing microorganism in the root nodules and rhizosphere soils between the three alders. A. glutinosa showed a relatively stronger nitrogen fixation capacity than A. formosana and A. cremastogyne. The results help elucidates how the community structure and nitrogen-fixing ability of potential nitrogen-fixing microorganism differ between alder species and serve as a reference for applying Frankia to alder plantations.

PRP19 Enhances Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Progression by Reprogramming SREBF1-Dependent Fatty Acid Metabolism.

Lipid metabolism reprogramming is a recognized hallmark of cancer cells. Identification of the underlying regulators of metabolic reprogramming in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) could uncover potential therapeutic targets to improve treatment. Here, we demonstrated that pre-mRNA processing factor 19 (PRP19) mediates reprogramming of lipid metabolism in ESCC. Expression of PRP19 was significantly upregulated in multiple ESCC cohorts and was correlated with poor clinical prognosis. PRP19 promoted ESCC proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Upregulation of PRP19 enhanced fatty acid synthesis through sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 (SREBF1), a major transcription factor of lipid synthase. Moreover, PRP19 enhanced the stability of SREBF1 mRNA in an N6-methyladenosine-dependent manner. Overall, this study shows that PRP19-mediated fatty acid metabolism is crucial for ESCC progression. Targeting PRP19 is a potential therapeutic approach to reverse metabolic reprogramming in patients with ESCC. SIGNIFICANCE: Upregulation of pre-mRNA processing factor 19 (PRP19) contributes to esophageal squamous cell carcinoma progression by reprogramming SREBF1-dependent fatty acid metabolism, identifying PRP19 as a potential prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target.

The electrospun polyacrylonitrile/covalent organic framework nanofibers for efficient enrichment of trace sulfonamides residues in food samples.

In this work, the electrospun polyacrylonitrile/covalent organic frameworks Tp-BD nanofibers (PAN/Tp-BD) were synthesized and applied as an adsorbent for thin film microextraction (TFME) of seven sulfonamides in animal derived food samples. The morphology, structure, porosity, and stability of the prepared nanofibers were investigated. The PAN/Tp-BD nanofibers exhibited good chemical stability, high flexibility, porous fibrous structure, and excellent extraction efficiency. Based on the PAN/Tp-BD nanofibers as the adsorbent, a thin film microextraction-high performance liquid chromatography (TFME-HPLC) method for the determination of seven sulfonamides (SAs) in food samples was developed. Under the optimal conditions, the TFME-HPLC exhibited the low limit of detection (0.10-0.18 ng·mL-1), the low limit of quantitation (0.33-0.60 ng·mL-1), the wide linear range (0.5-50 ng·mL-1) with correlation coefficients between 0.994 and 0.998, and good enrichment factors between 39.7 to 170.1 towards 20 ng/mL SAs solution. The relative standard deviation (RSD) was lower than 11% in the interday and intraday analysis. Furthermore, the applicability of PAN/Tp-BD nanofibers was demonstrated for measuring trace SAs residues in the spiked food samples with recoveries ranging from 85.3% to 115.2%. The results demonstrated that the PAN/Tp-BD nanofibers have great potential for the efficient extraction of sulfonamides from complex food samples.

Covalent Organic Framework/Polyacrylonitrile Electrospun Nanofiber for Dispersive Solid-Phase Extraction of Trace Quinolones in Food Samples.

The extraction of quinolone antibiotics (QAs) is crucial for the environment and human health. In this work, polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/covalent organic framework TpPa-1 nanofiber was prepared by an electrospinning technique and used as an adsorbent for dispersive solid-phase extraction (dSPE) of five QAs in the honey and pork. The morphology and structure of the adsorbent were characterized, and the extraction and desorption conditions for the targeted analytes were optimized. Under the optimal conditions, a sensitive method was developed by using PAN/TpPa-1 nanofiber as an adsorbent coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for five QAs detection. It offered good linearity in the ranges of 0.5-200 ng·mL-1 for pefloxacin, enrofloxacin, and orbifloxacin, and of 1-200 ng·mL-1 for norfloxacin and sarafloxacin with correlation coefficients above 0.9946. The limits of detection (S/N = 3) of five QAs ranged from 0.03 to 0.133 ng·mL-1. The intra-day and inter-day relative standard deviations of the five QAs with the spiked concentration of 50 ng·mL-1 were 2.8-4.0 and 3.0-8.8, respectively. The recoveries of five QAs in the honey and pork samples were 81.6-119.7%, which proved that the proposed method has great potential for the efficient extraction and determination of QAs in complex samples.