Pharmacological activation of TLR7 exerts inhibition on the replication of EV-D68 in respiratory cells.

The globally reemerging respiratory pathogen enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) is implicated in outbreaks of severe respiratory illness and associated with acute flaccid myelitis. However, there remains a lack of effective treatments for EV-D68 infection. In this work, we found that the host Toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) proteins, which function as powerful innate immune sensors, were selectively elevated in expression in response to EV-D68 infection. Subsequently, we investigated the impact of Vesatolimod (GS-9620), a Toll-like receptor 7 agonist, on EV-D68 replication. Our findings revealed that EV-D68 infection resulted in increased mRNA levels of TLR7. Treatment with Vesatolimod significantly inhibited EV-D68 replication [half maximal effective concentration (EC50) = 0.1427 µM] without inducing significant cytotoxicity at virucidal concentrations. Although Vesatolimod exhibited limited impact on EV-D68 attachment, it suppressed RNA replication and viral protein synthesis after virus entry. Vesatolimod broadly inhibited the replication of circulating isolated strains of EV-D68. Furthermore, our findings demonstrated that treatment with Vesatolimod conferred resistance to both respiratory and neural cells against EV-D68 infection. Overall, these results present a promising strategy for drug development by pharmacologically activating TLR7 to initiate an antiviral state in EV-D68-infected cells selectively.IMPORTANCEConventional strategies for antiviral drug development primarily focus on directly targeting viral proteases or key components, as well as host proteins involved in viral replication. In this study, based on our intriguing discovery that enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) infection specifically upregulates the expression of immune sensor Toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) protein, which is either absent or expressed at low levels in respiratory cells, we propose a potential antiviral approach utilizing TLR7 agonists to activate EV-D68-infected cells into an anti-viral defense state. Notably, our findings demonstrate that pharmacological activation of TLR7 effectively suppresses EV-D68 replication in respiratory tract cells through a TLR7/MyD88-dependent mechanism. This study not only presents a promising drug candidate and target against EV-D68 dissemination but also highlights the potential to exploit unique alterations in cellular innate immune responses induced by viral infections, selectively inducing a defensive state in infected cells while safeguarding uninfected normal cells from potential adverse effects associated with therapeutic interventions.

Enterovirus D68 3C protease antagonizes type I interferon signaling by cleaving signal transducer and activator of transcription 1.

Following the successful control of poliovirus, the re-emergence of respiratory enterovirus D68 (EV-D68), a prominent non-polio enterovirus, has become a serious public health concern worldwide. Host innate immune responses are the primary defense against EV-D68 invasion; however, the mechanism underlying viral evasion of the antiviral activity of interferons (IFN) remains unclear. In this study, we found that EV-D68 inhibited type I IFN signaling by cleaving signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1), a crucial factor in cellular responses to interferons and other cytokines. We observed that the prototype and circulating EV-D68 strains conserved their ability to induce STAT1 cleavage and attenuate IFN signal transduction. Further investigation revealed that EV-D68 3C protease cleaves STAT1 at the 131Q residue. Interestingly, not all enterovirus-encoded 3C proteases exhibited this ability. EV-D68 and poliovirus 3C proteases efficiently induced STAT1 cleavage; whereas, 3C proteases from EV-A71, coxsackievirus A16, and echoviruses did not. STAT1 cleavage also abolished the nuclear translocation capacity of STAT1 in response to IFN stimulation to activate downstream signaling elements. Overall, these results suggest that STAT1, targeted by viral protease 3C, is utilized by EV-D68 to subvert the host's innate immune response.IMPORTANCEEnterovirus D68 (EV-D68) has significantly transformed over the past decade, evolving from a rare pathogen to a potential pandemic pathogen. The interferon (IFN) signaling pathway is an important defense mechanism and therapeutic target for the host to resist viral invasion. Previous studies have reported that the EV-D68 virus blocks or weakens immune recognition and IFN production in host cells through diverse strategies; however, the mechanisms of EV-D68 resistance to IFN signaling have not been fully elucidated. Our study revealed that EV-D68 relies on its own encoded protease, 3C, to directly cleave signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1), a pivotal transduction component in the IFN signaling pathway, disrupting the IFN-mediated antiviral response. Previous studies on human enteroviruses have not documented direct cleavage of the STAT1 protein to evade cellular immune defenses. However, not all enteroviral 3C proteins can cleave STAT1. These findings highlight the diverse evolutionary strategies different human enteroviruses employ to evade host immunity.

SARS-CoV-2 and oncolytic EV-D68-encoded proteases differentially regulate pyroptosis.

Pyroptosis, a pro-inflammatory programmed cell death, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of coronavirus disease 2019 and other viral diseases. Gasdermin family proteins (GSDMs), including GSDMD and GSDME, are key regulators of pyroptotic cell death. However, the mechanisms by which virus infection modulates pyroptosis remain unclear. Here, we employed a mCherry-GSDMD fluorescent reporter assay to screen for viral proteins that impede the localization and function of GSDMD in living cells. Our data indicated that the main protease NSP5 of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) blocked GSDMD-mediated pyroptosis via cleaving residues Q29 and Q193 of GSDMD. While another SARS-CoV-2 protease, NSP3, cleaved GSDME at residue G370 but activated GSDME-mediated pyroptosis. Interestingly, respiratory enterovirus EV-D68-encoded proteases 3C and 2A also exhibit similar differential regulation on the functions of GSDMs by inactivating GSDMD but initiating GSDME-mediated pyroptosis. EV-D68 infection exerted oncolytic effects on human cancer cells by inducing pyroptotic cell death. Our findings provide insights into how respiratory viruses manipulate host cell pyroptosis and suggest potential targets for antiviral therapy as well as cancer treatment.IMPORTANCEPyroptosis plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of coronavirus disease 2019, and comprehending its function may facilitate the development of novel therapeutic strategies. This study aims to explore how viral-encoded proteases modulate pyroptosis. We investigated the impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and respiratory enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) proteases on host cell pyroptosis. We found that SARS-CoV-2-encoded proteases NSP5 and NSP3 inactivate gasdermin D (GSDMD) but initiate gasdermin E (GSDME)-mediated pyroptosis, respectively. We also discovered that another respiratory virus EV-D68 encodes two distinct proteases 2A and 3C that selectively trigger GSDME-mediated pyroptosis while suppressing the function of GSDMD. Based on these findings, we further noted that EV-D68 infection triggers pyroptosis and produces oncolytic effects in human carcinoma cells. Our study provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying virus-modulated pyroptosis and identifies potential targets for the development of antiviral and cancer therapeutics.

Long noncoding RNA lncPostn links TGF-ß and p53 signaling pathways to transcriptional regulation of cardiac fibrosis.

Cardiac fibroblasts are essential for the homeostasis of the extracellular matrix, whose remodeling in many cardiovascular diseases leads to fibrosis. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are associated with cardiac pathologies, but their functions in cardiac fibroblasts and contributions to cardiac fibrosis remain unclear. Here, we aimed to identify fibroblast-enriched lncRNAs essential in myocardial infarction (MI)-induced fibrosis and explore the molecular mechanisms responsible for their functions. Global lncRNA profiling was performed in post-MI mouse heart ventricles and transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß)-treated primary cardiac fibroblasts and confirmed in published data sets. We identified the cardiac fibroblast-enriched lncPostn, whose expression is stimulated in cardiac fibrosis induced by MI and the extracellular growth factor TGF-ß. The promoter of lncPostn contains a functional TGF-ß response element, and lncPostn knockdown suppresses TGF-ß-stimulated cardiac fibroblast activation and improves cardiac functions post-MI. LncPostn stabilizes and recruits EP300 to the profibrotic periostin's promoter, representing a major mechanism for its transcriptional activation. Moreover, both MI and TGF-ß enhance lncPostn expression while suppressing the cellular growth gatekeeper p53. TGF-ß and p53 knockdown-induced profibrotic gene expression and fibrosis occur mainly through lncPostn and show additive effects. Finally, levels of serum lncPostn are significantly increased in patients' postacute MI and show a strong correlation with fibrosis markers, revealing a potential biomarker of cardiac fibrosis. Our findings identify the fibroblast-enriched lncPostn as a potent profibrotic factor, providing a transcriptional link between TGF-ß and p53 signaling pathways to regulate fibrosis in cardiac fibroblasts.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Cardiac fibroblasts are essential for the homeostasis of the extracellular matrix, whose remodeling in many cardiovascular diseases leads to fibrosis. Long noncoding RNAs are functional and contribute to the biological processes of cardiovascular development and disorders. Our findings identify the fibroblast-enriched lncPostn as a potent profibrotic factor and demonstrate that serum lncPostn level may serve as a potential biomarker of human cardiac fibrosis postacute myocardial infarction.

Cotyledonary somatic embryo is one kind of intermediate material similar to callus in the process of in vitro tissue culture from Rosa hybrida 'John F. Kennedy'.

BACKGROUND: Rose is recognized as an important ornamental plant worldwide, and it is also one of the most widely used flowers in gardens. At present, the improvement of rose traits is still difficult and uncertain, and molecular breeding can provide new ideas for the improvement of modern rose varieties. Somatic embryos are quite good receptors for genetic transformation. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying during the regeneration process of rose somatic embryos. To elucidate the molecular regulation mechanism of somatic embryo plantlet regeneration, the relationship between the differences in traits of the two different regenerated materials and the significantly differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to phytohormone pathways in the process of regeneration were be investigated. RESULTS: These representative two regenerated samples from single-piece cotyledonary somatic embryo (SPC) culture of Rosa hybrida 'John F. Kennedy', were harvested for transcriptome analysis, with the SPC explants at the initial culture (Day 0) as the control. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the materials from two different types for regeneration approach (SBF type: the regeneration approach type of single bud formed from SPC explants; MBF type: the regeneration approach type of multiple buds formed from SPC explants) were be screened by means of the transcriptome sequencing technology. In this study, a total of about 396.24 million clean reads were obtained, of which 78.95-82.92% were localized to the reference genome, compared with the initial material (CK sample), there were 5594 specific genes in the material of SBF type and 6142 specific genes in the MBF type. The DEGs from the SBF type material were mainly concentrated in the biological processes of GO terms such as phytohormones, substance transport, cell differentiation, and redox reaction. The KEGG enrichment analysis revealed these DEGs were more active in ubiquinone and other terpenoid-quinone biosynthesis, fatty acid elongation, steroid biosynthesis, and glycosphingolipid biosynthesis-globo and isoglobo series. In contrast, the DEGs induced by the MBF type material were mainly associated with the biological processes such as phytohormones, phosphorylation, photosynthesis and signal transduction. According to KEGG analysis, these DEGs of MBF type were significantly enriched in the porphyrin and chlorophyll metabolism, brassinosteroid biosynthesis, carotenoid biosynthesis, and peroxisome. Furthermore, the results from the phytohormone pathways analysis showed that the auxin-responsive factor SAUR and the cell wall modifying enzyme gene XTH were upregulated for expression but the protein phosphatase gene PP2C was downregulated for expression in SBF type; the higher expression of the ethylene receptor ETR, the ethylene transduction genes EBF1/2, the transcription factor EIN3, and the ethylene-responsive transcription factor ERF1/2 were induced by MBF type. CONCLUSIONS: According to the GO and KEGG analysis, it indicated the DEGs between two different regenerated materials from somatic embryos were significantly different which might be causing morphological differences. That was somatic embryos from Rosa hybrida 'John F. Kennedy' could regenerate plantlet via both classic somatic embryogenesis (seed-like germination) and organogenesis, cotyledonary somatic embryos should be considered as one kind of intermediate materials similiar to callus, rather than the indicator materials for somatic embryogenesis.

Transient inhibition of neutrophil functions enhances the antitumor effect of intravenously delivered oncolytic vaccinia virus.

Oncolytic viruses (OVs) possess the unique ability to selectively replicate within tumor cells, leading to their destruction, while also reversing the immunosuppression within the tumor microenvironment and triggering an antitumor immune response. As a result, OVs have emerged as one of the most promising approaches in cancer therapy. However, the effective delivery of intravenously administered OVs faces significant challenges imposed by various immune cells within the peripheral blood, hindering their access to tumor sites. Notably, neutrophils, the predominant white blood cell population comprising approximately 50%-70% of circulating white cells in humans, show phagocytic properties. Our investigation revealed that the majority of oncolytic vaccinia viruses (VV) are engulfed and degraded by neutrophils in the bloodstream. The depletion of neutrophils using the anti-LY6G Ab (1-A8) resulted in an increased accumulation of circulating oncolytic VV in the peripheral blood and enhanced deposition at the tumor site, consequently amplifying the antitumor effect. Neutrophils heavily rely on PI3K signaling to sustain their phagocytic process. Additionally, our study determined that the inhibition of the PI3Kinase delta isoform by idelalisib (CAL-101) suppressed the uptake of oncolytic VV by neutrophils. This inhibition led to a greater presence of oncolytic VV in both the peripheral blood and at the tumor site, resulting in improved efficacy against the tumor. In conclusion, our study showed that inhibiting neutrophil functions can significantly enhance the antitumor efficacy of intravenous oncolytic VV.

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor mediates skin aging via CD74: Insights from single-cell and bulk RNA sequencing data.

Cell-cell communication is crucial for regulating signaling and cellular function. However, the precise cellular and molecular changes remain poorly understood in skin aging. Based on single-cell and bulk RNA data, we explored the role of cell-cell ligand-receptor interaction in skin aging. We found that the macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF)/CD74 ligand-receptor complex was significantly upregulatedin aged skin, showing the predominant paracrine effect of keratinocytes on fibroblasts. Enrichment analysis and in vitro experiment revealed a close association of the activation of the MIF/CD74 with inflammatory pathways and immune response. Mechanistically, MIF/CD74 could significantly inhibit PPARγ protein, which thus significantly increased the degree of fibroblast senescence, and significantly up-regulated the expression of senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) factors and FOS gene. Therefore, our study reveals that MIF/CD74 inhibits the activation of the PPAR signaling pathway, subsequently inducing the production of SASP factors and the upregulation of FOS expression, ultimately accelerating fibroblast senescence.

Abnormal metabolism in melanocytes participates in the activation of dendritic cell in halo nevus.

A comprehensive analysis of spatial transcriptomics was carried out to better understand the progress of halo nevus. We found that halo nevus was characterized by overactive immune responses, triggered by chemokines and dendritic cells (DCs), T cells, and macrophages. Consequently, we observed abnormal cell death, such as apoptosis and disulfidptosis in halo nevus, some were closely related to immunity. Interestingly, we identified aberrant metabolites such as uridine diphosphate glucose (UDP-G) within the halo nevus. UDP-G, accompanied by the infiltration of DCs and T cells, exhibited correlations with certain forms of cell death. Subsequent experiments confirmed that UDP-G was increased in vitiligo serum and could activate DCs. We also confirmed that oxidative response is an inducer of UDP-G. In summary, the immune response in halo nevus, including DC activation, was accompanied by abnormal cell death and metabolites. Especially, melanocyte-derived UDP-G may play a crucial role in DC activation.

Two lysin motif extracellular (LysMe) proteins are deployed in rice to facilitate arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis.

During arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis, plant innate immunity is modulated to a prime state to allow for fungal colonization. The underlying mechanisms remain to be further explored. In this study, two rice genes encoding LysM extracellular (LysMe) proteins were investigated. By obtaining OsLysMepro:GUS transgenic plants and generating oslysme1, oslysme2 and oslysme1oslysme2 mutants via CRISPR/Cas9 technique, OsLysMe genes were revealed to be specifically induced in the arbusculated cells and mutations in either gene caused significantly reduced root colonization rate by AM fungus Rhizophagus irregularis. Overexpression of OsLysMe1 or OsLysMe2 dramatically increased the colonization rates in rice and Medicago truncatula. The electrophoretic mobility shift assay and dual-luciferase reporter assay supported that OsLysMe genes are regulated by OsWRI5a. Either OsLysMe1 or OsLysMe2 can efficiently rescue the impaired AM phenotype of the mtlysme2 mutant, supporting a conserved function of LysMe across monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants. The co-localization of OsLysMe proteins with the apoplast marker SP-OsRAmy3A implies their probable localization to the periarbuscular space (PAS) during symbiosis. Relative to the fungal biomass marker RiTEF, some defense-related genes showed disproportionately high expression levels in the oslysme mutants. These data support that rice plants deploy two OsLysMe proteins to facilitate AM symbiosis, likely by diminishing plant defense responses.

Anxiolytic effect of antidiabetic metformin is mediated by AMPK activation in mPFC inhibitory neurons.

Diabetic patients receiving the antidiabetic drug metformin have been observed to exhibit a lower prevalence of anxiety disorders, yet the precise mechanism behind this phenomenon is unclear. In our study, we found that anxiety induces a region-specific reduction in AMPK activity in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Concurrently, transgenic mice with brain-specific AMPK knockout displayed abnormal anxiety-like behaviors. Treatment with metformin or the overexpression of AMPK restored normal AMPK activity in the mPFC and mitigated social stress-induced anxiety-like behaviors. Furthermore, the specific genetic deletion of AMPK in the mPFC not only instigated anxiety in mice but also nullified the anxiolytic effects of metformin. Brain slice recordings revealed that GABAergic excitation and the resulting inhibitory inputs to mPFC pyramidal neurons were selectively diminished in stressed mice. This reduction led to an excitation-inhibition imbalance, which was effectively reversed by metformin treatment or AMPK overexpression. Moreover, the genetic deletion of AMPK in the mPFC resulted in a similar defect in GABAergic inhibitory transmission and a consequent hypo-inhibition of mPFC pyramidal neurons. We also generated a mouse model with AMPK knockout specific to GABAergic neurons. The anxiety-like behaviors in this transgenic mouse demonstrated the unique role of AMPK in the GABAergic system in relation to anxiety. Therefore, our findings suggest that the activation of AMPK in mPFC inhibitory neurons underlies the anxiolytic effects of metformin, highlighting the potential of this primary antidiabetic drug as a therapeutic option for treating anxiety disorders.

NbC Nanoparticles Decorated Carbon Nanofibers as Highly Active and Robust Heterostructural Electrocatalysts for Ammonia Synthesis.

Transition-metal carbides with metallic properties have been extensively used as electrocatalysts due to their excellent conductivity and unique electronic structures. Herein, NbC nanoparticles decorated carbon nanofibers (NbC@CNFs) are proposed as an efficient and robust catalyst for electrochemical synthesis of ammonia from nitrate/nitrite reduction, which achieves a high Faradaic efficiency (FE) of 94.4 % and a large ammonia yield of 30.9 mg h-1 mg-1 cat.. In situ electrochemical tests reveal the nitrite reduction at the catalyst surface follows the *NO pathway and theoretical calculations reveal the formation of NbC@CNFs heterostructure significantly broadens density of states nearby the Fermi energy. Finite element simulations unveil that the current and electric field converge on the NbC nanoparticles along the fiber, suggesting the dispersed carbides are highly active for nitrite reduction.

UVB promotes melanogenesis by regulating METTL3.

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is the primary exogenous inducer of skin pigmentation, although the mechanism has not been fully elucidated. N6-methyladenosine (m6 A) modification is one of the key epigenetic form of gene regulation that affects multiple biological processes. The aim of this study was to explore the role and underlying mechanisms of m6 A modification in UVB-induced melanogenesis. Low-dose UVB increased global m6 A modification in melanocytes (MCs) and MNT1 melanoma cell line. The GEPIA database predicted that methyltransferase METTL3 is positively correlated with the melanogenic transcription factor MITF in the sun-exposed skin tissues. After METTL3 respectively overexpressed and knocked down in the MNT1, the melanin content and melanogenesis-related genes were significantly upregulated after overexpression of METTL3, especially with UVB irradiation, and downregulated after METTL3 knockdown. METTL3 levels were also higher in melanocytic nevi with high melanin content. METTL3 overexpression and knockdown also altered the protein level of YAP1. SRAMP analysis predicted four high-potential m6 A modification sites on YAP1 mRNA, of which three were confirmed by methylated RNA immunoprecipitation. Inhibition of YAP1 expression can partially reverse melanogenesis induced by overexpression of METTL3. In conclusion, UVB irradiation promotes global m6 A modification in MCs and upregulates METTL3, which increases the expression level of YAP1 through m6 A modification, thereby activating the co-transcription factor TEAD1 and promoting melanogenesis.

SARS-CoV-2-encoded inhibitors of human LINE-1 retrotransposition.

The ongoing pandemic of severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is causing a devastating impact on public health worldwide. However, details concerning the profound impact of SARS-CoV-2 on host cells remain elusive. Here, we investigated the effects of SARS-CoV-2-encoded viral proteins on the intracellular activity of long interspersed element 1 (L1) retrotransposons using well-established reporter systems. Several nonstructural or accessory proteins (Nsps) of SARS-CoV-2 (i.e., Nsp1, Nsp3, Nsp5, and Nsp14) significantly suppress human L1 mobility, and these viral L1 inhibitors generate a complex network that modulates L1 transposition. Specifically, Nsp1 and Nsp14 inhibit the intracellular accumulation of L1 open reading frame proteins (ORF1p), whereas Nsp3, Nsp5, and Nsp14 repress the reverse transcriptase activity of L1 ORF2p. Given recent findings concerning the roles of L1 in antiviral immune activation and host genome instability, the anti-L1 activities mediated by SARS-CoV-2-encoded inhibitors suggest that SARS-CoV-2 employs different strategies to optimize the host genetic environment.

A well-fabricated Ru@C material derived from Ru/Zn-MOF with high activity and stability in the hydrogenation of 4-chloronitrobenzene.

4-Chloroaniline (4-CAN) plays an important role in chemical and industrial production. However, it remains a challenge to avoid the hydrogenation of the C-Cl bond in the synthesis process to improve selectivity under high activity conditions. In this study, we in situ fabricated ruthenium nanoparticles (Ru NPs) containing vacancies inserted into porous carbon (Ru@C-2) as a highly efficient catalyst for the catalytic hydrogenation of 4-chloronitrobenzene (4-CNB) with remarkable conversion (99.9%), selectivity (99.9%), and stability. Experiments and theoretical calculations indicate that the appropriate Ru vacancies affect the charge distribution of the Ru@C-2 catalyst, promote the electron transfer between the Ru metal and support, and increase the active sites of the Ru metal, thus facilitating the adsorption of 4-CNB and the desorption of 4-CAN to improve the activity and stability of the catalyst. This study can provide some enlightenment for the development of new 4-CNB hydrogenation catalysts.

Diagnostic Value of Synovial Fluid Biomarkers for Periprosthetic Joint Infection: A Prospective, Double-blind Trial.

BACKGROUND This prospective, double-blind study investigated the clinical diagnostic value of synovial fluid S100 calcium-binding protein A8 (S100A8) and S100 calcium-binding protein A9 (S100A9) in periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) and investigated the subtypes of a-defensin that have diagnostic value for PJI. MATERIAL AND METHODS Synovial fluid samples were collected from 82 patients with suspected PJI after total joint arthroplasty. Patients were divided into a PJI group (n=39) and non-PJI group (n=43). Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry was used to determine S100A8, S100A9, alpha-defensin, and internal reference standards in synovial fluid. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to analyze the diagnostic efficiency of S100A8, S100A9, and alpha-defensin for PJI, as well as the diagnostic value in combination with common biomarkers of infection. RESULTS S100A8, 3 variants of S100A9, and 3 alpha-defensins (human neutrophil peptides [HNP]1-3) in synovial fluid were significantly higher in the PJI group than in the non-PJI group (P<0.001). The sensitivity, specificity, and the area under ROC curve (AUC) for diagnosing PJI were 97.4%, 86.0%, and 0.964 (95% CI: 0.929-0.998), respectively, for synovial fluid S100A8; 87.2%, 88.4% and 0.902 (95% CI: 0.823-0.980), respectively, for S100A9; and 89.7%, 83.7%, and 0.933 (95% CI: 0.884-0.982), respectively, for HNP1-3. The diagnostic efficiency was improved when combined with synovial fluid white blood cell count and percentage of polymorphonuclear neutrophils. CONCLUSIONS Synovial fluid S100A8, S100A9, and HNP1-3 have satisfactory diagnostic efficiency for the diagnosis of PJI, which will help clinicians to accurately diagnose PJI.

Durable Electrocatalytic Reduction of Nitrate to Ammonia over Defective Pseudobrookite Fe2 TiO5 Nanofibers with Abundant Oxygen Vacancies.

We propose the pseudobrookite Fe2 TiO5 nanofiber with abundant oxygen vacancies as a new electrocatalyst to ambiently reduce nitrate to ammonia. Such catalyst achieves a large NH3 yield of 0.73 mmol h-1 mg-1 cat. and a high Faradaic Efficiency (FE) of 87.6 % in phosphate buffer saline solution with 0.1 M NaNO3 , which is lifted to 1.36 mmol h-1 mg-1 cat. and 96.06 % at -0.9 V vs. RHE for nitrite conversion to ammonia in 0.1 M NaNO2 . It also shows excellent electrochemical durability and structural stability. Theoretical calculation reveals the enhanced conductivity of this catalyst and an extremely low free energy of -0.28 eV for nitrate adsorption at the presence of vacant oxygen.

Rational Regulation of Crystalline/Amorphous Microprisms-Nanochannels Based on Molecular Sieve (VSB-5) for Electrochemical Overall Water Splitting.

Rational regulation of the composition and structure of electrocatalysts is crucial to the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Herein, a new electrocatalyst of nickel phosphate microprism (VSB/NiPO) is developed via a simple solvothermal reaction. The microprism is mainly composed of Versailles-Santa Barbara-5 (VSB-5, molecular sieve) with unique nanochannels, which contribute to accelerating mass transfer and exposing more active sites, thus displaying excellent HER activity. Subsequently, the crystallinity and electronic structure of the framework are modulated by incorporating Fe with the combination of calcination and impregnation. The nanochannels are converted to the amorphous arrangement, and the Ni centers are regulated to the higher valence. The resultant Fe-VSB/NiPO-500 exhibits a low OER overpotential of 227 mV at 50 mA cm-2 . Interestingly, an integrated electrolyzer assembled by VSB/NiPO(-) and Fe-VSB/NiPO-500(+) performs well for overall water splitting, which requires only 1.487 V to achieve 10 mA cm-2 , and remains stable at 100 mA cm-2 over 100 h. This finding opens a new avenue for developing VSB-5 in the field of electrocatalysis.

HRP-conjugated-nanobody-based cELISA for rapid and sensitive clinical detection of ASFV antibodies.

African swine fever (ASF), which is caused by the ASF virus (ASFV), is a highly contagious hemorrhagic disease that causes high mortality to domestic porcine and wild boars and brings huge economic losses to world swine industry. Due to the lack of an effective vaccine, the control of ASF must depend on early, efficient, and cost-effective detection and strict control and elimination strategies. Traditional serological testing methods are generally associated with high testing costs, complex operations, and high technical requirements. As a promising alternative diagnostic tool to traditional antibodies, nanobodies (Nb) have the advantages of simpler and faster generation, good stability and solubility, and high affinity and specificity, although the system is dependent on the immunization of Bactrian camels to obtain the specific VHH library of the target protein. The application of Nbs in the detection of ASFV antibodies has not yet been reported yet. Using a phage display technology, one Nb against the ASFV p54 protein that exhibited high specificity and affinity, Nb8, was successfully screened. A HEK293T cell line stably expressing Nb8-horseradish peroxidase (HRP) fusion protein was established using the lentiviral expression system. Following the optimization of the reaction conditions, the Nb8-HRP fusion protein was successfully used to establish a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA) to detect ASFV-specific antibodies in pig serum, for the first time. There was no cross-reaction with healthy pig serum, porcine pseudorabies virus (PRV), porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), classical swine fever virus (CSFV), porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), and classical swine fever virus (CSFV) positive sera. The optimal cut-off value for the cELISA by ROC analysis was 52.5%. A total of 209 serum samples were tested using the developed cELISA and a commercial ELISA kit. The results showed that the relative specificity of the cELISA was 98.97%, and the relative sensitivity of the cELISA was 93.3%, with the percent agreement between the two ELISA methods being 98.56%. In conclusion, a specific, sensitive, and repeatable cELISA was successfully developed based on the Nb8 as a probe, providing a promising method for the detection of anti-ASFV antibodies in clinical pig serum. KEY POINTS: • We successfully screened a specific, high affinity nanobody against ASFV p54 protein. • We establish a method for continuous and stable expression of Nb-HRP fusion protein using a lentiviral packaging system. • We establish a nanobody cELISA detection method that can monitor an ASF infection.

Effects of extracellular DNA on dual-species biofilm formed by Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans.

Streptococcus mutans is the most important acid-producing pathogen that causes dental caries, while Candida albicans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen that is frequently detected in conjunction with heavy infection by S. mutans. Their interactions in dental plaque biofilms remain unclear. Extracellular DNA (eDNA) is found in oral biofilms, but its effects have not been thoroughly defined. In this study, the role of eDNA in dual-species biofilms formed by S. mutans and C. albicans was investigated. With eDNA removal, the growth of both strains was not affected, but the formation of dual-species biofilms obviously decreased. In addition, the removal of eDNA spatially disrupted the structure of the dual-species biofilm. It was also shown that eDNA mainly affected the initial attachment and development stages of the dual-species biofilms but not the well-developed biofilms. A similar phenomenon was also observed in the cell viability of dual-species biofilms after DNase I treatment. To further exploration, we analyzed the expression of genes associated with biofilm formation in both S. mutans and C. albicans. We determined that the co-cultivation of S. mutans and C. albicans promotes the expression of genes related to extracellular polysaccharide production (e.g., gtfC), adhesion (e.g., spaP, epa1), mycelial transformation (e.g., hwp1), and drug resistance (e.g., cdr2). However, these genes were significantly downregulated when the eDNA of the dual-species biofilm was removed by adding DNase I compared to those untreated groups. Altogether, eDNA removal, such as that by DNase I treatment, could be considered a promising strategy to control oral biofilms and biofilm-associated oral diseases.

Cancer spectrum in TP53-deficient golden Syrian hamsters: A new model for Li-Fraumeni syndrome.

BACKGROUND: The TP53 tumor suppressor gene is the most commonly mutated gene in human cancers. Humans who inherit mutant TP53 alleles develop a wide range of early onset cancers, a disorder called Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS). Trp53-deficient mice recapitulate most but not all of the cancer phenotypes observed in TP53-deficient human cancers, indicating that new animal models may complement current mouse models and better inform on human disease development. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The recent application of CRISPR/Cas9 genetic engineering technology has permitted the emergence of golden Syrian hamsters as genetic models for wide range of diseases, including cancer. Here, the first cancer phenotype of TP53 knockout golden Syrian hamsters is described. RESULTS: Hamsters that are homozygous for TP53 mutations become moribund on average ~ 139 days of age, while hamsters that are heterozygous become moribund at ~ 286 days. TP53 homozygous knockout hamsters develop a wide range of cancers, often synchronous and metastatic to multiple tissues, including lymphomas, several sarcomas, especially hemangiosarcomas, myeloid leukemias and several carcinomas. TP53 heterozygous mutants develop a more restricted tumor spectrum, primarily lymphomas. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, hamsters may provide insights into how TP53 deficiency leads to cancer in humans and can become a new model to test novel therapies.