Ginseng-DF ameliorates intestinal mucosal barrier injury and enhances immunity in immunosuppressed mice by regulating MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathways.

PURPOSE: Dietary fiber (DF) has a good application prospect in effectively restoring the integrity of the intestinal mucosal barrier. Ginseng-DF has good physicochemical properties and physiological activity and shows positive effects in enhancing immunity. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of Ginseng-DF on intestinal mucosal barrier injury induced by cyclophosphamide (CTX) in immunosuppressed mice and its possible mechanism. METHODS: The effects of Gginseng-DF on immune function in mice were studied by delayed-type hypersensitivy, lymphocyte proliferation assay and NK cytotoxicity assay, the T lymphocyte differentiation and intestinal barrier integrity were analyzed by flow cytometry and western blot. RESULTS: Ginseng-DF (2.5% and 5%) could attenuate the inhibition of DTH response by CTX, promote the transformation and proliferation of lymphocytes, and stimulate NK effector cell activity. At the same time, Ginseng-DF could restore the proportion of CD4+/CD8+ T lymphocytes induced by CTX to different extents, improved spleen tissue damage, promoted the secretion of immunoglobulin IgG, and enhanced body immunity. More importantly, Ginseng-DF could up-regulate the contents of TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-6 and IL-1ß in serum and intestine of immunosuppressed mice to maintain the balance between Th1/Th2 cytokines, and improve the permeability of intestinal mucosal barrier. Meanwhile, Ginseng-DF could reduce intestinal epithelial cell apoptosis and improve intestinal adaptive immunity in CTX-induced immunosuppressed mice by regulating MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathway. CONCLUSION: Ginseng-DF can be used as a safe dietary supplement to enhance body immunity and reduce intestinal mucosal injury caused by CTX.

Modified double-pulley fixation provides better reduction of bone fragments and union compared to single-point fixation in bony Bankart lesions.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare clinical scores and imaging outcomes of bony Bankart lesions that underwent single-point and modified double-pulley fixation after at least 2 years of follow-up. METHODS: Patients who underwent surgery to treat bony Bankart injuries were included and divided into groups A and B. A total of 69 patients were included (32 in group A and 37 in group B). Patients in group A underwent arthroscopic modified double-pulley fixation and patients in group B underwent arthroscopic single-point fixation. Three-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) was used to assess glenoid reduction one day after surgery. Postoperative bony union was assessed using 3D-CT and multiplanar reconstruction images 6 months after surgery. Constant-Murley, Rowe rating system, visual analogue scale and University of California at Los Angeles and American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons scores were recorded before and after surgery. RESULTS: In terms of imaging measurements, there was no significant group difference in the preoperative size of the glenoid defect, the size of the bony fragment or the expected postoperative size of the glenoid defect. The sizes of the actual postoperative glenoid defects differed significantly between the groups (p = 0.027), as did the absolute difference between the expected and actual glenoid defect sizes (p < 0.001). At 6 months postoperatively, 50.0% of group A patients and 24.3% of group B patients exhibited complete bony union (p = 0.027); the rates of partial union were 37.5% and 56.8%, respectively. At the final follow-up, all clinical scores were significantly better than the preoperative scores (all p < 0.05), with no significant group differences (not significant). CONCLUSIONS: The use of the modified double-pulley technique with two anchors to treat bony Bankart injuries provides a better reduction of bone fragments than single-point fixation with two anchors and was associated with a higher rate of early bone union. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.

The dose response of erythemal area and intensity on the unprotected skin fits well to a logistic 3P model in SPF tests of a Chinese population, which has the potential to improve the precision and consistency of minimal erythema dose determination.

BACKGROUND: The current ISO guidelines for minimal erythema dose (MED) determination require assessment of erythema area of UV-irradiated skin sites. However, this parameter has not been adequately quantified in daily practice. The aims of this study were to investigate the dose response on the unprotected skin sites by quantifying the erythema area and intensity and to show the potential for improving the precision and consistency of MEDu determination by developing predictive models. METHODS: Standard radiation tests were conducted on the back of 31 healthy Chinese volunteers and the MEDu site of each subject was clinically determined by dermatologists. Images of test sites were captured 24 h after radiation, and the erythema area (%EA) and intensity (∆a*) were measured by image analysis. The data were fitted to a logistic 3P function to obtain dose-response curves, and a set of logit (inverse-logistic) models were then derived. An erythema area threshold of %EA = 52% was established to predict MEDu based on the clinical endpoints defined by ISO 24444:2019. RESULTS: Analysis of the clinically determined MEDu sites revealed wide ranges of %EA (62.3 ± 15% SD) and ∆a* (2.96 ± 0.92 SD). The dose response fitted well to a logistic 3P model (mean R2 = 0.965 and 0.975 for %EA and ∆a*, respectively). Applying the area threshold, values of MEDu were determined by the logit model for the test population, which significantly improved the consistency of MEDu determination (52 ± 0% SD and 2.73 ± 0.61 SD for %EA and ∆a*, respectively). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that the dose response of UV-induced erythema can be quantified and modeled once the erythema area and intensity are measured. The results of this study show the potential to improve the precision and consistency of MEDu determination in an SPF test. The similar potential in photodermatological, therapeutic, and diagnostic applications was also implied.

Decoy nanoparticles protect against COVID-19 by concurrently adsorbing viruses and inflammatory cytokines.

The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has highlighted the urgent need to rapidly develop therapeutic strategies for such emerging viruses without effective vaccines or drugs. Here, we report a decoy nanoparticle against COVID-19 through a powerful two-step neutralization approach: virus neutralization in the first step followed by cytokine neutralization in the second step. The nanodecoy, made by fusing cellular membrane nanovesicles derived from human monocytes and genetically engineered cells stably expressing angiotensin converting enzyme II (ACE2) receptors, possesses an antigenic exterior the same as source cells. By competing with host cells for virus binding, these nanodecoys effectively protect host cells from the infection of pseudoviruses and authentic SARS-CoV-2. Moreover, relying on abundant cytokine receptors on the surface, the nanodecoys efficiently bind and neutralize inflammatory cytokines including interleukin 6 (IL-6) and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), and significantly suppress immune disorder and lung injury in an acute pneumonia mouse model. Our work presents a simple, safe, and robust antiviral nanotechnology for ongoing COVID-19 and future potential epidemics.

STUB1 is targeted by the SUMO-interacting motif of EBNA1 to maintain Epstein-Barr Virus latency.

Latent Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection is strongly associated with several malignancies, including B-cell lymphomas and epithelial tumors. EBNA1 is a key antigen expressed in all EBV-associated tumors during latency that is required for maintenance of the EBV episome DNA and the regulation of viral gene transcription. However, the mechanism utilized by EBV to maintain latent infection at the levels of posttranslational regulation remains largely unclear. Here, we report that EBNA1 contains two SUMO-interacting motifs (SIM2 and SIM3), and mutation of SIM2, but not SIM3, dramatically disrupts the EBNA1 dimerization, while SIM3 contributes to the polySUMO2 modification of EBNA1 at lysine 477 in vitro. Proteomic and immunoprecipitation analyses further reveal that the SIM3 motif is required for the EBNA1-mediated inhibitory effects on SUMO2-modified STUB1, SUMO2-mediated degradation of USP7, and SUMO1-modified KAP1. Deletion of the EBNASIM motif leads to functional loss of both EBNA1-mediated viral episome maintenance and lytic gene silencing. Importantly, hypoxic stress induces the SUMO2 modification of EBNA1, and in turn the dissociation of EBNA1 with STUB1, KAP1 and USP7 to increase the SUMO1 modification of both STUB1 and KAP1 for reactivation of lytic replication. Therefore, the EBNA1SIM motif plays an essential role in EBV latency and is a potential therapeutic target against EBV-associated cancers.

Mutation of gdpS gene induces a viable but non-culturable state in Staphylococcus epidermidis and changes in the global transcriptional profile.

BACKGROUND: In the genome of staphylococci, only the gdpS gene encodes the conserved GGDEF domain, which is the characteristic of diguanylate cyclases. In our previous study, we have demonstrated that the gdpS gene can modulate biofilm formation by positively regulating the expression of ica operon in Staphylococcus epidermidis. Moreover, this regulation seems to be independent of the c-di-GMP signaling pathway and the protein-coding function of this gene. Therefore, the biological function of the gdpS gene remains to be further investigated. RESULTS: In the present study, it was observed that mutation of the gdpS gene induced S. epidermidis to enter into a presumed viable but nonculturable state (VBNC) after cryopreservation with glycerol. Similarly, when moved from liquid to solid culture medium, the gdpS mutant strain also exhibited a VBNC state. Compared with the wild-type strain, the gdpS mutant strain autolyzed more quickly during storage at 4℃, indicating its increased susceptibility to low temperature. Transcriptional profiling analysis showed that the gdpS mutation affected the transcription of 188 genes (92 genes were upregulated and 96 genes were downregulated). Specifically, genes responsible for glycerol metabolism were most markedly upregulated and most of the altered genes in the mutant strain are those involved in nitrogen metabolism. In addition, the most significantly downregulated genes included the betB gene, whose product catalyzes the synthesis of glycine betaine and confers tolerance to cold. CONCLUSION: The preliminary results suggest that the gdpS gene may participate in VBNC formation of S. epidermidis in face of adverse environmental factors, which is probably achieved by regulating expression of energy metabolism genes. Besides, the gdpS gene is critical for S. epidermidis to survive low temperature, and the underlying mechanism may be partly explained by its influence on expression of betB gene.

In vitro activities of thiazolidione derivatives combined with daptomycin against clinical Enterococcus faecium strains.

BACKGROUND: Previous reports have demonstrated two thiazolidione derivatives (H2-60 and H2-81) can robustly inhibit the planktonic growth and biofilm formation of S. epidermidis and S. aureus by targeting the histidine kinase YycG. Whereas the antibacterial and anti-biofilm activity of these two thiazolidione derivatives (H2-60 and H2-81) against Enterococcus faecium remains elusive. Here, the pET28a-YycG recombinant plasmid were in vitro expressed in E. coli competent cell BL21 (DE3) and induced to express YycG' protein (conding HisKA and HATPase_c domain) by 0.5 mM IPTG and was purified by Ni - NTA agarose and then for the autophosphorylation test. Antimicrobial testing and time-killing assay were also be determined. Anti-biofilm activity of two derivatives with sub-MIC concentration towards positive biofilm producers of clinical E. faecium were detected using polystyrene microtiter plate and CLSM. RESULTS: The MICs of H2-60 and H2-81 in the clinical isolates of E. faecium were in the range from 3.125 mg/L to 25 mg/L. Moreover, either H2-60 or H2-81 showed the excellent bactericidal activity against E. faecium with monotherapy or its combination with daptomycin by time-killing assay. E. faecium planktonic cells can be decreased by H2-60 or H2-81 for more than 3 × log10 CFU/mL after 24 h treatment when combined with daptomycin. Furthermore, over 90% of E. faecium biofilm formation could markedly be inhibited by H2-60 and H2-81 at 1/4 × MIC value. In addition, the frequency of the eradicated viable cells embedded in mature biofilm were evaluated by the confocal laser microscopy, suggesting that of H2-60 combined with ampicillin or daptomycin was significantly high when compared with single treatment (78.17 and 74.48% vs. 41.59%, respectively, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: These two thiazolidione derivatives (H2-60 and H2-81) could directly impact the kinase phosphoration activity of YycG of E. faecium. H2-60 combined with daptomycin exhibit the excellent antibacterial and anti-biofilm activity against E. faecium by targeting YycG.

Survival of SARS-CoV-2 in artificial seawater and on the surface of inanimate materials.

There is a potential risk for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spread through human contact with seafood and the inanimate materials contaminated by the virus. In this study, we examined the stability of the virus in artificial seawater (ASW) and on the surface of selected materials. SARS-CoV-2 (3.75 log10 TCID50 ) in ASW at 22℃ maintained infectious about 3 days and at 4℃ the virus survived more than 7 days. It should be noticed that viable virus at high titer (5.50 log10 TCID50 ) may survive more than 20 days in ASW at 4℃ and for 7 days at 22℃. SARS-CoV-2 on stainless steel and plastic bag maintained infectious for 3 days, and on nonwoven fabric for 1 day at 22℃. In addition, the virus remained infectious for 9 days on stainless steel and non-woven fabric, and on plastic bag for 12 days at 4℃. It is important to highlight the role of inanimate material surfaces as a source of infection and the necessity for surface decontamination and disinfection.

Rapid SARS-CoV-2 Nucleic Acid Testing and Pooled Assay by Tetrahedral DNA Nanostructure Transistor.

Direct SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid testing with fast speed and high frequency is crucial for controlling the COVID-19 pandemic. Here, direct testing of SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid is realized by field-effect transistors (FETs) with an electro-enrichable liquid gate (LG) anchored by tetrahedral DNA nanostructures (TDNs). The applied gate bias electrostatically preconcentrates nucleic acids, while the liquid gate with TDNs provides efficient analyte recognition and signal transduction. The average diagnosis time is ∼80 s, and the limit of detection approaches 1-2 copies in 100 µL of clinical samples without nucleic acid extraction and amplification. As such, TDN-LG FETs solve the dilemma of COVID-19 testing on mass scale that diagnosis accuracy and speed undergo trade-off. In addition, TDN-LG FETs achieve unamplified 10-in-1 pooled nucleic acid testing for the first time, and the results are consistent with PCR. Thus, this technology promises on-site and wide population COVID-19 screening and ensures safe world-reopening.

Identification and Functional Analysis of the Caffeic Acid O-Methyltransferase (COMT) Gene Family in Rice (Oryza sativa L.).

Caffeic acid O-methyltransferase (COMT) is one of the core enzymes involved in lignin synthesis. However, there is no systematic study on the rice COMT gene family. We identified 33 COMT genes containing the methyltransferase-2 domain in the rice genome using bioinformatic methods and divided them into Group I (a and b) and Group II. Motifs, conserved domains, gene structure and SNPs density are related to the classification of OsCOMTs. The tandem phenomenon plays a key role in the expansion of OsCOMTs. The expression levels of fourteen and thirteen OsCOMTs increased or decreased under salt stress and drought stress, respectively. OsCOMTs showed higher expression levels in the stem. The lignin content of rice was measured in five stages; combined with the expression analysis of OsCOMTs and multiple sequence alignment, we found that OsCOMT8, OsCOMT9 and OsCOMT15 play a key role in the synthesis of lignin. Targeted miRNAs and gene ontology annotation revealed that OsCOMTs were involved in abiotic stress responses. Our study contributes to the analysis of the biological function of OsCOMTs, which may provide information for future rice breeding and editing of the rice genome.

Organic/Inorganic Species Synergistically Supported Unprecedented Vanadomolybdates.

Vanadomolybdates (VMos), comprised of Mo and V in high valences with O bridges, are one of the most important types of polyoxometalates (POMs), which have high activity due to their strong capabilities of gaining/losing electrons. Compared with other POMs, the preparation of VMos is difficult due to their relatively low structural stability, especially those with unclassical architectures. To overcome this shortcoming, in this study, triol ligands were applied to synthesize VMos through a beaker reaction in the presence of V2O5, Na2MoO4, and organic species in the aqueous solution. The single-crystal X-ray diffraction results indicate that two VMo clusters, Na4{V5Mo2O19[CH3C(CH2O)3]}∙13H2O and Na4{V5Mo2O19[CH3CH2C(CH2O)3]}∙13H2O, with a similar architecture, were synthesized, which were both stabilized by triol ligand and {MoO6} polyhedron. Both clusters are composed of five V ions and one Mo ion in a classical Lindqvist arrangement with an additional Mo ion, showing an unprecedented hepta-nuclear VMo structure. The counter Na+ cations assemble into one-dimensional channels, which facilitates the transport of protons and was further confirmed by proton conductivity experiments. The present results provide a new strategy to prepare and stabilize VMos, which is applicable for developing other compounds, especially those with untraditional architectures.

Quantification of perception towards facial skin ideal complexion in multiple ethnic populations from clinical imaging cues.

OBJECTIVE: Ideal complexion is a perceptual skin quality that is strongly influenced by cultural and ethnic background. The objectives of this study are to quantitatively characterise skin ideal complexion based on clinical image cues and to compare the perceptions of ideal complexion among multiple ethnicities. METHODS: Facial images of Indian, Chinese, Caucasian and Latino females collected using VISIA®-CR were presented to naïve panels of the same ethnicity following a two-alternative forced choice design and responses on skin 'ideal complexion' were obtained from 336 panellists. Panel perception was transformed logistically (d') and projected onto a continuum (ω) following Bradley-Terry model. Image cues including skin colour and unevenness, skin shine and surface smoothness and pigmentary blotches and spots were computed using image analysis, and their relationship with ω was evaluated through multiple regression analysis. A novel skin index, namely ideal complexion score (ICS), was developed and correlated against age using linear regression. Finally, ICS was applied to evaluate treatment efficacy of a skin brightening kit on 35 female Caucasian subjects. RESULTS: Panel perception d' showed statistically significant (p < 0.05) correlation with the contrast of image cues for all ethnic panels (R2  = 0.74, 0.76, 0.62 and 0.46 for Indian, Chinese, Caucasian and Latino respectively) and strong correlations between perception ω and linear combinations of image cues were observed (R2 > 0.88 for all). Main effects of facial image visual cues on ideal complexion were compared: contrast of skin redness and pigmented spots and visual smoothness were important in determining ICS for all ethnicities; skin colour unevenness was more pronounced for Indian and Caucasian; skin lightness was important for Indian and Chinese; skin shine was critical for Chinese and Latino; and skin hue angle ranked higher for Caucasian. Correlations between ICS and age were observed for Indian and Caucasian (R2  = 0.55) in which ICS decreased as age increased. Twenty-nine percent improvement on ICS was observed after 12 weeks' treatment using the brightening kit compared with the baseline. CONCLUSION: Mathematical models were successfully established to describe subjective perception towards skin ideal complexion based on objectively measured image cues for multiple ethnicities.

OBJECTIF: Le teint idéal est une qualité de peau perceptuelle qui est fortement influencée par l'origine culturelle et ethnique. Les objectifs de cette étude consistent à caractériser quantitativement le teint idéal de la peau en se basant sur des repères d'image clinique et à comparer les perceptions du teint idéal parmi plusieurs origines ethniques. MÉTHODES: Des images faciales de femmes indiennes, chinoises, caucasiennes et latino-américaines recueillies à l'aide de VISIA®-CR ont été présentées à des panels naïfs de même origine ethnique, suivant une conception à choix forcé en deux alternatives, et les réponses concernant le «teint idéal¼ de la peau ont été obtenues de 336 membres du panel. La perception du panel a été transformée sur le plan logistique (d') et projetée sur un continuum (ω) selon le modèle de BradleyTerry. Les repères d'image, y compris la couleur, l'uniformité et la brillance de la peau, et la douceur de la surface de la peau, ainsi que les taches et rougeurs pigmentaires, ont été calculés à l'aide d'une analyse d'image, et leur relation avec ω a été évaluée par le biais d'une analyse de régression multiple. Un nouvel indice cutané, à savoir le score de teint idéal (STI), a été développé et corrélé à l'âge à l'aide d'une régression linéaire. Enfin, un STI a été appliqué pour évaluer l'efficacité du traitement d'un kit d'éclaircissement de la peau chez 35 sujets caucasiens de sexe féminin. RÉSULTATS: La perception du panel d' a montré une significativité statistique (p de 0.88 pour tous). Les principaux effets des repères visuels de l'image faciale sur le teint idéal ont été comparés : le contraste des rougeurs cutanées, les taches pigmentées et la douceur visuelle étaient importants pour déterminer les STI pour toutes les origines ethniques; l'inégalité de la couleur de la peau était plus prononcée pour les Indiens et les Caucasiens; la luminosité de la peau était importante pour les Indiens et les Chinois ; et l'angle de teinte de la peau était plus élevée pour les sujets caucasiens. Des corrélations entre les STI et l'âge ont été observées pour les populations indienne et caucasienne (R2  = 0.55) chez lesquelles les STI ont diminué avec l'âge. Une amélioration de vingt-neuf pour cent des STI a été observée après 12 semaines de traitement à l'aide du kit d'éclaircissement par rapport à la référence. CONCLUSION: Des modèles mathématiques ont été établis avec succès afin de décrire la perception subjective du teint idéal de la peau sur la base d'indices d'image mesurés objectivement pour plusieurs origines ethniques.

Comprehensive model for characterizing skin translucency by expert grading, panel evaluation and image analysis in a Chinese population.

OBJECTIVES: Translucent skin is an attribute widely appreciated by people in East Asian countries. There have been studies in the literature to describe the phenomenon by means of clinical grading, instrumental measurement and image analysis. However, due to its subjective and complex nature, skin translucency has not been comprehensively and rigorously characterized and modelled, particularly in the Chinese population. This study is to develop a mathematical model that quantitatively describes skin translucency from visual cues objectively measured from the skin. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was designed to characterize and model skin translucency by incorporating expert evaluation, panel perception and image analysis of multiple skin visual attributes in one analysis. Faces of 36 Chinese females aged 18-65 years old were evaluated by a dermatologist to obtain clinical translucency scores. Subject pairs were formed with a relatively high and low translucency score in each pair. Their faces were judged in person by 9 panellists in paired-comparison (2-AFC) fashion to pick a 'more translucent skin' from each subject pair. Front-view facial images of the subjects were taken, and multiple colour and other visually perceivable skin attributes were measured using image analysis. Bradley-Terry analysis and multiple regressions were performed to correlate the panel choices of 'more translucent skin' with the objectively measured skin parameters. RESULTS: Multiple skin colour properties affected the panel choices towards translucent skin. Among them skin tone lightness and skin glossiness had positive effects on skin translucency while the hue, colour unevenness, severity of red and dark spots affected it negatively. Subsurface light reflection and skin visual smoothness had some effect but were not statistically significant. A mathematical model was constructed to predict a person's skin translucency from objectively measured skin attributes. CONCLUSION: The subjective property of skin translucency can be characterized and quantified via a comprehensive modelling process involving clinical grading, panel evaluation, image-based measurement of skin attributes and statistical analysis. A novel skin parameter, Skin Translucency Index (STI) was established, which provides a way to measure skin translucency, making it possible to assess treatment efficacy before and after product application.

OBJECTIF: La peau translucide est un attribut largement apprécié dans les pays d'Asie de l'Est. Des études ont été menées dans la littérature pour décrire ce phénomène au moyen d'une classification clinique, d'une mesure instrumentale et d'une analyse d'images. Cependant, en raison de sa nature subjective et complexe, la translucidité de la peau n'a pas été caractérisée et modélisée de manière exhaustive et rigoureuse, en particulier dans la population chinoise. Cette étude vise à développer un modèle mathématique qui décrit quantitativement la translucidité de la peau à partir de repères visuels objectivement mesurés sur la peau. MATÉRIELS ET MÉTHODES: L'étude a été conçue pour caractériser et modéliser la translucidité de la peau en intégrant l'évaluation des experts, les perceptions d'un panel et l'analyse d'images de multiples attributs visuels de la peau dans une seule analyse. Les visages de 36 femmes chinoises âgées de 18 à 65 ans ont été évalués par un dermatologue afin d'obtenir des scores de translucidité clinique. Des paires de sujets ont été formées, chaque paire ayant un score de translucidité relativement élevé et faible. Leurs visages ont été jugés en personne par 9 panellistes en comparaison appariée (2-AFC) pour choisir une « peau plus translucide ¼ pour chaque paire de sujets. Des images des visages des sujets de face ont été prises, et des attributs liés aux couleurs et d'autres attributs cutanés perceptibles visuellement ont été mesurés par une analyse des images. Une analyse de Bradley-Terry et des régressions multiples ont été réalisées pour corréler les choix de « peau plus translucide ¼ par le panel avec les paramètres cutanés mesurés objectivement. RÉSULTATS: Plusieurs propriétés liées à la couleur de peau ont influencé les choix du panel vers une peau translucide. Parmi celles-ci, la pâleur du teint et la brillance de la peau ont eu des effets positifs sur la translucidité de la peau, tandis que la teinte, l'inégalité de la couleur, la sévérité des taches rouges et foncées ont exercé une influence défavorable. La réflexion de la lumière sous la surface et la douceur de la peau perçue visuellement ont eu un certain effet, mais n'étaient pas statistiquement significatives. Un modèle mathématique a été construit pour prédire la translucidité de la peau d'une personne à partir d'attributs cutanés mesurés objectivement. CONCLUSION: La propriété subjective de la translucidité de la peau peut être caractérisée et quantifiée via un processus de modélisation complet comprenant une classification clinique, une évaluation par un panel, une mesure basée sur les images d'attributs cutanés et une analyse statistique. Un nouveau paramètre cutané, l'indice de translucidité de la peau (ITP), a été établi, qui fournit un moyen de mesurer la translucidité de la peau, permettant d'évaluer l'efficacité du traitement avant et après l'application du produit.

Imaging the Chemistry of Materials Kinetics.

The kinetics of most of chemical energy storage and conversion processes is rate-limited by the mass transport through matter. There is an uncertainty on the corresponding kinetic models, especially if based solely on kinetic theory. Henceforth analytical strategies coupled to setups, in order to capture data for overcoming this limitation are essential. Operando chemical imaging of the kinetics process supports the identification of rate-limiting barriers and definition of actionable kinetic insights. After an overview of the chemical and physical processes in various energy storage/conversion systems, and examples of chemical imaging applied on them, analytical challenges are discussed with particular focus on novel methods and fundamental limitations. Despite convincing success technologies, various scientific challenges of operando chemical kinetics await solution. Apart from technical improvements of the analysis instrumentation, promising developments are seen in advanced digital science.

[Detection of chondroitin sulfate in Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum and Cervi Cornu of different specifications and its application in quality evaluation].

The present study comprehensively compared the content of chondroitin sulfate in Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum(CCP) and Cervi Cornu(CC) of different specifications and explored the feasibility of chondroitin sulfate as an indicator to distinguish between CCP and CC. Twenty-two batches of CCP of different specifications(two-branched velvet antler and three-branched velvet antler) from 15 habitats, CC from 6 habitats, and 60 batches of CCP slices prepared from different parts(wax slices, powder slices, gauze slices, and bone slices) were collected. High-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC) was used to determine chondroitin sulfate content in CCP and CC of different specifications. Cluster analysis was used to classify CCP slices of different specifications. The results showed that CCP contained abundant chondroitin sulfate. The average content of chondroitin sulfate was 2.35 mg·g~(-1) in two-branched velvet antler and 1.79 mg·g~(-1) in three-branched velvet antler, significantly higher than 0.11 mg·g~(-1) in CC. Chondroitin sulfate content in wax slices, powder slices, gauze slices, and bone slices were 7.81, 8.39, 1.33, and 0.54 mg·g~(-1), respectively. Cluster analysis showed that gauze slices and bone slices could be clustered into one category and distinguished from wax slices and powder slices. CCP slices prepared from different parts could be separated well through chondroitin sulfate content. Based on the five principles of Q-marker selection, chondroitin sulfate can be used as a potential Q-marker for the identification of CCP and CC, as well as a potential quality indicator for CCP slices of different specifications(wax slices, powder slices, gauze slices, and bone slices). This research provides data support for CCP quality evaluation.

Direct SARS-CoV-2 Nucleic Acid Detection by Y-Shaped DNA Dual-Probe Transistor Assay.

Rapid screening of infected individuals from a large population is an effective means in epidemiology, especially to contain outbreaks such as COVID-19. The gold standard assays for COVID-19 diagnostics are mainly based on the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, which mismatches the requirements for wide-population screening due to time-consuming nucleic acid extraction and amplification procedures. Here, we report a direct nucleic acid assay by using a graphene field-effect transistor (g-FET) with Y-shaped DNA dual probes (Y-dual probes). The assay relies on Y-dual probes modified on g-FET simultaneously targeting ORF1ab and N genes of SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid, enabling high a recognition ratio and a limit of detection (0.03 copy µL-1) 1-2 orders of magnitude lower than existing nucleic acid assays. The assay realizes the fastest nucleic acid testing (∼1 min) and achieves direct 5-in-1 pooled testing for the first time. Owing to its rapid, ultrasensitive, easily operated features as well as capability in pooled testing, it holds great promise as a comprehensive tool for population-wide screening of COVID-19 and other epidemics.

Lactate Induces Production of the tRNAHis Half to Promote B-lymphoblastic Cell Proliferation.

High plasma lactate is emerging as a critical regulator in development and progression of many human malignancies. Small RNAs derived from cleavage of mature tRNAs have been implicated in many cellular stresses, but the detailed mechanisms that respond to lactic acid (LA; acidic lactate) are not well defined. Here, using an Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-immortalized B lymphoblastic cell line (LCL) as a model, we report that LA induces cleavage of mature tRNA at the anticodon loop, particularly production of three 5'-tRNA halves (5'-HisGUG, 5'-ValAAC, and 5'-GlyGCC), along with increased expression of RNA polymerase III and angiogenin (ANG). Of these, only the 5'-HisGUG half binds to the chromatin regulator argonaute-2 (AGO2) instead of the AGO1 protein for stability. Notably, the levels of ANG and 5'-HisGUG half expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from B cell lymphoma patients are tightly correlated with lactate dehydrogenase (LDH; a lactate indicator) in plasma. Silencing production of the 5'-HisGUG half by small interfering RNA or inhibition of ANG significantly reduces colony formation and growth of LA-induced tumor cells in vitro and in vivo using a murine xenograft model. Overall, our findings identify a novel molecular therapeutic target for the diagnosis and treatment of B cell lymphoma.

Long noncoding RNA MALAT1 releases epigenetic silencing of HIV-1 replication by displacing the polycomb repressive complex 2 from binding to the LTR promoter.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) may either repress or activate HIV-1 replication and latency; however, specific mechanisms for their action are not always clear. In HIV-1 infected CD4+ T cells, we performed RNA-Sequencing (RNA-Seq) analysis and discovered an up-regulation of MALAT1 (metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1), an lncRNA previously described in cancer cells that associate with cancer pathogenesis. Moreover, we found that MALAT1 promoted HIV-1 transcription and infection, as its knockdown by CRISPR/Cas9 markedly reduced the HIV-1 long terminal repeat (LTR)-driven gene transcription and viral replication. Mechanistically, through an association with chromatin modulator polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2), MALAT1 detached the core component enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) from binding with HIV-1 LTR promoter, and thus removed PRC2 complex-mediated methylation of histone H3 on lysine 27 (H3K27me3) and relieved epigenetic silencing of HIV-1 transcription. Moreover, the reactivation of HIV-1 stimulated with latency reversal agents (LRAs) induced MALAT1 expression in latently infected cells. Successful combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) was accompanied by significantly diminished MALAT1 expression in patients, suggesting a positive correlation of MALAT1 expression with HIV-1 replication. Our data have identified MALAT1 as a promoter of HIV-1 transcription, and suggested that MALAT1 may be targeted for the development of new therapeutics.

Subinhibitory Concentrations of Mupirocin Stimulate Staphylococcus aureus Biofilm Formation by Upregulating cidA.

Previous studies have shown that the administration of antibiotics at subinhibitory concentrations stimulates biofilm formation by the majority of multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains. Here, we investigated the effect of subinhibitory concentrations of mupirocin on biofilm formation by the community-associated (CA) mupirocin-sensitive MRSA strain USA300 and the highly mupirocin-resistant clinical S. aureus SA01 to SA05 isolates. We found that mupirocin increased the ability of MRSA cells to attach to surfaces and form biofilms. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) demonstrated that mupirocin treatment promoted thicker biofilm formation, which also correlated with the production of extracellular DNA (eDNA). Furthermore, quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) results revealed that this effect was largely due to the involvement of holin-like and antiholin-like proteins (encoded by the cidA gene), which are responsible for modulating cell death and lysis during biofilm development. We found that cidA expression levels significantly increased by 6.05- to 35.52-fold (P < 0.01) after mupirocin administration. We generated a cidA-deficient mutant of the USA300 S. aureus strain. Exposure of the ΔcidA mutant to mupirocin did not result in thicker biofilm formation than that in the parent strain. We therefore hypothesize that the mupirocin-induced stimulation of S. aureus biofilm formation may involve the upregulation of cidA.

Omadacycline Efficacy against Enterococcus faecalis Isolated in China: In Vitro Activity, Heteroresistance, and Resistance Mechanisms.

This study aimed to evaluate the in vitro antimicrobial activity, heteroresistance emergence, and resistance mechanism of omadacycline (OMC) in clinical Enterococcus faecalis isolates from China. A total of 276 isolates were collected retrospectively in China from 2011 to 2015. The MICs of OMC, doxycycline (DOX), and minocycline (MIN) against E. faecalis were determined by broth microdilution. Tetracycline (TET)-specific resistance genes and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) of the isolates were investigated using PCR. The detection frequency of OMC heteroresistance in E. faecalis was evaluated with population analysis profiling (PAP). The mechanism of OMC heteroresistance and resistance in E. faecalis was examined by amplifying 30S ribosomal subunit genes, RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq), and in vitro recombination experiments. The OMC MICs of clinical E. faecalis isolates ranged from ≤0.06 to 1.0 mg/liter, and 42% of the E. faecalis isolates with an OMC MIC of 1.0 mg/liter were found to be sequence type 16 (ST16). Six OMC-heteroresistant isolates with MIC values of ≤0.5 mg/liter were detected among 238 E. faecalis isolates. The resistant subpopulations of heteroresistant isolates showed OMC MICs in the range of 2 to 4 mg/liter and were found without 30S ribosomal subunit gene mutations. Moreover, RNA sequencing and in vitro recombination experiments demonstrated that overexpression of a bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) family ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter substrate-binding protein, OG1RF_RS00630, facilitated OMC heteroresistance in E. faecalis In conclusion, OMC exhibited better activity against clinical E. faecalis isolates from China than that of DOX or MIN, and overexpression of OG1RF_RS00630 in E. faecalis facilitated the development of OMC heteroresistance.