Mated-Atom Nanozymes with Efficient Assisted NAD+ Replenishment for Skin Regeneration.

Excessive accumulation of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) within biological organisms is closely associated with many diseases. It remains a challenge to efficiently convert superfluous and detrimental NADH to NAD+. NADH oxidase (NOX) is a crucial oxidoreductase that catalyzes the oxidation of NADH to NAD+. Herein, M1M2 (Mi=V/Mn/Fe/Co/Cu/Mo/Rh/Ru/Pd, i = 1 or 2) mated-atom nanozymes (MANs) are designed by mimicking natural enzymes with polymetallic active centers. Excitingly, RhCo MAN possesses excellent and sustainable NOX-like activity, with Km-NADH (16.11 µM) being lower than that of NOX-mimics reported so far. Thus, RhCo MAN can significantly promote the regeneration of NAD+ and regulate macrophage polarization toward the M2 phenotype through down-regulation of TLR4 expression, which may help to recover skin regeneration. However, RhRu MAN with peroxidase-like activity and RhMn MAN with superoxide dismutase-like activity exhibit little modulating effects on eczema. This work provides a new strategy to inhibit skin inflammation and promote skin regeneration.

Soybean RVE8a confers salt and drought tolerance in Arabidopsis.

Soybean is an economically important crop, which often suffers various abiotic stresses. REVEILLE (RVE) genes have been generally considered as circadian oscillators to mediate diverse developmental processes and plant response to environmental stresses. Addressing their roles is of significance for utilizing them to enhance agronomic traits in crops. However, our understanding of soybean RVEs is extremely limited. In the study, we investigated the expression patterns of soybean CCA1-like genes under salt stress using our RNA-Seq data. Subsequently, a salt stress-inducible gene, GmRVE8a, was chosen for further study. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that GmRVE8a is most closely related to Arabidopsis RVE4 and RVE8. Also, GmRVE8a showed circadian expression pattern with 24 h rhythmic period, suggesting that it might be a clock-regulated gene. Moreover, transgenic Arabidopsis lines over-expressing GmRVE8a were generated. It was observed that ectopic over-expression of GmRVE8a caused a significant delay in flowering. Further observation indicated that under salt and drought stress, transgenic seedlings were stronger than wild type. Consistently, three-week-old transgenic plants grew better than wild type under salt and drought conditions, and the MDA content in transgenic lines was significantly lower than wild type, suggesting that GmRVE8a might be a positive regulator in response to salt and drought stress. Intriguingly, Y2H assay indicated that GmRVE8a physically interacted with a drought-tolerant protein, GmNAC17. Overall, our findings provided preliminary information regarding the functional roles of GmRVE8a in response to salt and drought stress.

The miR156/SPL12 module orchestrates fruit colour change through directly regulating ethylene production pathway in blueberry.

Colour change is an important event during fruit ripening in blueberry. It is well known that miR156/SPLs act as regulatory modules mediating anthocyanin biosynthesis and ethylene plays critical roles during colour change, but the intrinsic connections between the two pathways remain poorly understood. Previously, we demonstrated that blueberry VcMIR156a/VcSPL12 affects the accumulation of anthocyanins and chlorophylls in tomato and Arabidopsis. In this study, we first showed that VcMIR156a overexpression in blueberry led to enhanced anthocyanin biosynthesis, decreased chlorophyll accumulation, and, intriguingly, concomitant elevation in the expression of ethylene biosynthesis genes and the level of the ethylene precursor ACC. Conversely, VcSPL12 enhanced chlorophyll accumulation and suppressed anthocyanin biosynthesis and ACC synthesis in fruits. Moreover, the treatment with ethylene substitutes and inhibitors attenuated the effects of VcMIR156a and VcSPL12 on pigment accumulation. Protein-DNA interaction assays indicated that VcSPL12 could specifically bind to the promoters and inhibit the activities of the ethylene biosynthetic genes VcACS1 and VcACO6. Collectively, our results show that VcMIR156a/VcSPL12 alters ethylene production through targeting VcACS1 and VcACO6, therefore governing fruit colour change. Additionally, VcSPL12 may directly interact with the promoter region of the chlorophyll biosynthetic gene VcDVR, thereby activating its expression. These findings established an intrinsic connection between the miR156/SPL regulatory module and ethylene pathway.

Two- and 3-year outcomes in convalescent individuals with COVID-19: A prospective cohort study.

As the long-term consequences of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have not been defined, it is necessary to explore persistent symptoms, long-term respiratory impairment, and impact on quality of life over time in COVID-19 survivors. In this prospective cohort study, convalescent individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 were followed-up 2 and 3 years after discharge from hospital. Participants completed an in-person interview to assess persistent symptoms and underwent blood tests, pulmonary function tests, chest high-resolution computed tomography, and the 6-min walking test. There were 762 patients at the 2-year follow-up and 613 patients at the 3-year follow-up. The mean age was 60 years and 415 (54.5%) were men. At 3 years, 39.80% of the participants had at least one symptom; most frequently, fatigue, difficulty sleeping, joint pain, shortness of breath, muscle aches, and cough. The participants experienced different degrees of pulmonary function impairment, with decreased carbon monoxide diffusion capacity being the main feature; results remained relatively stable over the 2-3 years. Multiple logistic regression analysis demonstrated that female sex and smoking were independently associated with impaired diffusion capacity. A subgroup analysis based on disease severity was performed, indicating that there was no difference in other parameters of lung function except forced vital capacity at 3-year follow-up. Persistent radiographic abnormalities, most commonly fibrotic-like changes, were observed at both timepoints. At 3 years, patients had a significantly improved Mental Component Score compared with that at 2 years, with a lower percentage with anxiety. Our study indicated that symptoms and pulmonary abnormalities persisted in COVID-19 survivors at 3 years. Further studies are warranted to explore the long-term effects of COVID-19 and develop appropriate rehabilitation strategies.

Multi-omics analysis reveals overactive inflammation and dysregulated metabolism in severe community-acquired pneumonia patients.

BACKGROUND: Severe community-acquired pneumonia (S-CAP) is a public health threat, making it essential to identify novel biomarkers and investigate the underlying mechanisms of disease severity. METHODS: Here, we profiled host responses to S-CAP through proteomics analysis of plasma samples from a cohort of S-CAP patients, non-severe (NS)-CAP patients, diseases controls (DCs), and healthy controls (HCs). Then, typical differentially expressed proteins were then validated by ELISA in an independent cohort. Metabolomics analysis was further performed on both the cohort 1 and cohort 2. Then, the proteomic and metabolomic signatures were compared between the adult and child cohorts to explore the characteristics of severe pneumonia patients. RESULTS: There were clear differences between CAP patients and controls, as well as substantial differences between the S-CAP and NS-CAP. Pathway analysis of changes revealed excessive inflammation, suppressed immunity, and lipid metabolic disorders in S-CAP cases. Interestingly, comparing these signatures between the adult and child cohorts confirmed that overactive inflammation and dysregulated lipid metabolism were common features of S-CAP patients, independent of age. The change proportion of glycerophospholipids, glycerolipids, and sphingolipids were obviously different in the adult and child S-CAP cases. CONCLUSION: The plasma multi-omics profiling revealed that excessive inflammation, suppressed humoral immunity, and disordered metabolism are involved in S-CAP pathogenesis.

A combined immune and inflammatory indicator predict the prognosis of severe Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia patients: a 12-year, retrospective, observational cohort.

Persistent inflammatory damage and suppressed immune function play a crucial role in the pathogenesis and progression of the pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PjP). Therefore, we aimed to investigate the correlation between the combined immune and inflammatory indicator: the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and prognosis of non-human immunodeficiency virus (non-HIV) PjP.In the retrospective analysis conducted in ICUs at Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, we examined data from 157 patients diagnosed with non-HIV PjP. Our findings reveal a concerning hospital mortality rate of 43.3%, with the 28-day mortality rate reaching 47.8%.Through multivariable logistic and Cox regression analyses, we established a significant association between elevated NLR levels and hospital mortality (adjusted odd ratio, 1.025; 95% CI, 1.008-1.043; p = 0.004) or 28-day mortality (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.026; 95% CI, 1.008-1.045; p = 0.005). Specifically, patients with an NLR exceeding 20.3 demonstrated markedly lower overall survival rates, underscoring the biomarker's predictive value for both hospital and 28-day mortality.In conclusion, non-HIV PjP patients in the ICU still have a high rate of mortality and a poor short-term prognosis after discharge. A high level of NLR was associated with an increased risk of hospital mortality and 28-day mortality.

Investigating and analyzing the current situation and factors influencing chronic neck, shoulder, and lumbar back pain among medical personnel after the epidemic.

BACKGROUND: Chronic shoulder and neck pain is one of the most common chronic occupational disorders, with an average incidence rate of 48.5%, severely affecting patients' quality of life and ability to work. According to epidemiological research, the prevalence of chronic neck, shoulder, and low back pain in adults over the age of 45 ranges from 40 to 80%. According to reports, medical staff have a higher incidence rate than other populations, and there is a positive correlation between the grade of the medical institution and the incidence rate, making medical staff a priority group for the prevention of chronic neck, shoulder, and low back pain. By the end of 2022, China has been fully opened to epidemic prevention and control, the total number of patients in domestic hospitals has increased significantly, and resulting in medical personnel shoulting great pressure, which seriously affects the physical and mental health of medical personnel. The aim of this study was to explore the risk factors of chronic neck, shoulder and lumbar back pain in medical staff. To provide guidelines for medical staff to improve cervical and lumbar subacute pain and reduce the emergence of spinal lesions. METHODS: From January to February 2023, 602 staff members of a third-grade hospital in Zunyi City were studied by Questionnaire star. Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression were used to analyze the independent risk factors of chronic neck, shoulder and lumbar back pain in medical staff, with stepwise regression utilized to choose the optimum model. The model was selected using Akaike's information criterion (AIC) and the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test. RESULTS: A total of 602 medical staff were polled, and the findings revealed that 588 cases of chronic neck, shoulder, and low back pain of varied severity had occurred in the previous 1 to 2 years, with a 97.7% incidence rate; logistic regression analysis revealed that anxiety level, frequency of bending over in the previous 1 to 2 years, whether related preventive measures were taken at work, gender, positive senior title, daily ambulation time, and whether the department they worked in organized independent influencing factors. CONCLUSION: The incidence of chronic neck, shoulder, and lumbar back pain among medical staff is high; its influencing factors are different and have not been systematically identified. Hospitals should take effective measures tailored to local conditions to improve the physical and mental health of medical staff.

[Effects of 4-hydroxy-2(3H)-benzoxazolone on proliferation and apoptosis of pancreatic cancer L3.6 cells].

This study explored the effects of 4-hydroxy-2(3H)-benzoxazolone(HBOA) on the proliferation and apoptosis of pancreatic cancer cells and its molecular mechanism. The L3.6 cells cultured in vitro were treated with HBOA of 0-1.0 mmol·L~(-1). The cell viability was detected by the cell counting kit-8(CCK-8) method, and the half inhibitory concentration(IC_(50)) was analyzed to determine the drug concentration and time. The cell morphology was observed under an inverted microscope and by acridine orange(AO) staining. The ability of proliferation and self-renewal were evaluated through live cell counting and colony formation experiments. The cell cycle progression and cell apoptosis rate were detected by flow cytometry. The morphology of cell apoptosis was observed by scanning electron microscopy. The mRNA expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen(PCNA), cyclinA1, cyclinA2, cyclin dependent kinase 2(CDK2), and cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor 1A(P21) were determined by qPCR. The level of reactive oxygen species(ROS), lipid peroxide, and mitochondrial membrane potential were measured by flow cytometry. The activity of protein kinase B(Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR) signaling pathway was detected by Western blot. Compared with the control group, the cells treated with HBOA exhibited a significant decrease in viability. Then the optimal concentration and intervention time of HBOA were determined to be 0.4 mmol·L~(-1), 0.6 mmol·L~(-1), and 48 h. Compared with the control group, groups with HBOA of 0.4 mmol·L~(-1 )and 0.6 mmol·L~(-1) showed a significant suppression in cell proliferation and colony formation ability, down-regulated mRNA of PCNA, cyclinA1, cyclinA2, and CDK2, up-regulated P21 mRNA, S-phase cell cycle arrest, and increased cell apoptosis rate. There was an appearance of apoptotic bodies, increased ROS and lipid peroxide, decreased mitochondrial membrane potential(with a significant decrease in 0.6 mmol·L~(-1) group), and down-regulated p-Akt and p-mTOR proteins. The results show that HBOA inhibits the proliferation of pancreatic cancer L3.6 cells and induces cell apoptosis, which may be related to the increase in reactive oxygen species and the inhibition of the Akt/mTOR pathway.

Identification of R2R3-MYB family in blueberry and its potential involvement of anthocyanin biosynthesis in fruits.

BACKGROUND: Blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum) are regarded as "superfoods" attributed to large amounts of anthocyanins, a group of flavonoid metabolites, which provide pigmentation in plant and beneficial effects for human health. MYB transcription factor is one of vital components in the regulation of plant secondary metabolism, which occupies a dominant position in the regulatory network of anthocyanin biosynthesis. However, the role of MYB family in blueberry responding to anthocyanin biosynthesis remains elusive. RESULTS: In this study, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of VcMYBs in blueberry based on the genome data, including phylogenetic relationship, conserved motifs, identification of differentially expressed MYB genes during fruit development and their expression profiling, etc. A total of 437 unique MYB sequences with two SANT domains were identified in blueberry, which were divided into 3 phylogenetic trees. Noticeably, there are many trigenic and tetragenic VcMYBs pairs with more than 95% identity to each other. Meanwhile, the transcript accumulations of VcMYBs were surveyed underlying blueberry fruit development, and they showed diverse expression patterns, suggesting various functional roles in fruit ripening. More importantly, distinct transcript profiles between skin and pulp of ripe fruit were observed for several VcMYBs, such as VcMYB437, implying the potential roles in anthocyanin biosynthesis. CONCLUSIONS: Totally, 437 VcMYBs were identified and characterized. Subsequently, their transcriptional patterns were explored during fruit development and fruit tissues (skin and pulp) closely related to anthocyanin biosynthesis. These genome-wide data and findings will contribute to demonstrating the functional roles of VcMYBs and their regulatory mechanisms for anthocyanins production and accumulation in blueberry in the future study.

Let-7b-5p inhibits colon cancer progression by prohibiting APC ubiquitination degradation and the Wnt pathway by targeting NKD1.

Naked cuticle homolog 1 (NKD1), which is expressed at low levels in many tumors, is considered an inhibitor of the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway, but it is highly expressed in colon cancer and can promote colon cancer cell proliferation. miRNAs are involved in the occurrence and progression of many tumors. However, miRNAs that can regulate NKD1 and the mechanisms by which NKD1 regulates tumor progression remain ambiguous. This research aims to reveal the potential regulatory network of NKD1 in colon cancer. miRNA data downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases were analyzed by bioinformatics to screen for potential miRNAs targeting NKD1. Let-7b-5p was found to inhibit proliferation, migration, and invasion of colon cancer cells targeting NKD1. Further studies suggested that let-7b-5p can modulate Wnt signaling activity, and the nuclear accumulation of ß-catenin was significantly restrained by let-7b-5p through targeting NKD1. Moreover, NKD1 could prohibit the expression of the APC protein. Further studies manifested that NKD1 bound to APC and promoted the ubiquitination degradation of APC through restraining the expression of the deubiquitinating enzyme USP15 and blocking the combination between USP15 and APC. Functionally, NKD1 enhanced the proliferation and migration of colon cancer cells by inhibiting APC expression. This research revealed a novel mechanism by which the let-7b-5p-NKD1-APC-ß-catenin signaling pathway inhibited colon cancer cell progression.

Two Acentric Aluminoborates Incorporated d10 Cations: Syntheses, Structures, and Nonlinear Optical Properties.

Two acentric aluminoborates (ABOs), [Zn(en)2Al{B5O9(OH)}{BO(OH)2}] (1) and [Cd(en)2AlB5O10]·H2O (2) (en = ethylenediamine), have been solvothermally made. 1 includes a two-dimensional (2D) wavy ABO layer using B5O9(OH) clusters and AlO3{BO(OH)2} groups, in which both units can be regarded as three-connected nodes, and simplifying the ABO layer to a hcb-type network. 2 features an acentric three-dimensional (3D) porous framework with a unique unc-type network constituted by strictly alternating connected B5O10 clusters and AlO4 units. The structural transformation from a 2D layer 1 to a 3D framework 2 was achieved with the elimination of the terminal hydroxyls in layer 1 by adjusting synthetic conditions in the same solvent system. Metal-amine complexes Zn(en)2/Cd(en)2 bond to the inorganic walls and are located in the cavity of frameworks 1 and 2, respectively. Compounds 1 and 2 exhibit large second-harmonic generation (SHG) responses that are 2.2 and 2.7 times those of KH2PO4 (KDP), respectively, which are among the largest powder SHG responses for all deep-ultraviolet (deep-UV) ABOs. The UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra of 1 and 2 show a wide transparency window below 190 nm. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations indicate that the B-O units and the introduced distorted d10 metal polyhedra played a decisive role in the optical properties of both compounds.

Psittacosis caused severe community-acquired pneumonia accompanied by acute hypoxic respiratory failure: a multicenter retrospective cohort study from China.

INTRODUCTION: Psittacosis can cause severe community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). The clinical manifestations of psittacosis range from subclinical to fulminant psittacosis with multi-organ failure. It is essential to summarize the clinical characteristic of patients with severe psittacosis accompanied by acute hypoxic respiratory failure (AHRF). METHODS: This retrospective study included patients with severe psittacosis caused CAP accompanied by AHRF from 19 tertiary hospitals of China. We recorded the clinical data, antimicrobial therapy, respiratory support, complications, and outcomes. Chlamydia psittaci was detected on the basis of metagenomic next-generation sequencing performed on bronchoalveolar lavage fluid samples. Patient outcomes were compared between the treatment methods. RESULTS: This study included 45 patients with severe CAP and AHRF caused by psittacosis from April 2018 to May 2021. The highest incidence of these infections was between September and April. There was a history of poultry contact in 64.4% of the patients. The median PaO2/FiO2 of the patients was 119.8 (interquartile range, 73.2 to 183.6) mmHg. Four of 45 patients (8.9%) died in the ICU, and the median ICU duration was 12 days (interquartile range, 8 to 21) days. There were no significant differences between patients treated with fluoroquinolone initially and continued after the diagnosis, fluoroquinolone initially followed by tetracycline, and fluoroquinolone combined with tetracycline. CONCLUSION: Psittacosis caused severe CAP seems not rare, especially in the patients with the history of exposure to poultry or birds. Empirical treatment that covers atypical pathogens may benefit such patients, which fluoroquinolones might be considered as an alternative.

Evaluating the effectiveness of coastal environmental management policies in China: The case of Bohai Sea.

With marine pollution issues becoming serious and widespread, a series of coastal environmental managemental policies are being carried out worldwide, the effectiveness of which requires comprehensive evaluation. Taking the Bohai Sea (BS) of China as an example, which has been plagued by serious ecological and environmental issues for decades due to terrestrial pollution discharge, this study explored and quantified, for the first time to our best knowledge, the variability of water quality after initiating a dedicated 3-year pollution control action (Uphill Battle for Integrated Bohai Sea Management, UBIBM, 2018-2020) implemented by China's central government, with two water quality indexes of water color (Forel-Ule index, FUI) and transparency (Secchi disk depth, ZSD, m) from satellite observations. During the UBIBM, a significant improvement in water quality was detected, characterized by a clearer and bluer BS, with ZSD and FUI improved by 14.1% and 3.2%, respectively, compared with the baseline period (2011-2017). In addition, an abrupt drop in the long-term record (2011-2022) of the coverage area of highly turbid waters (ZSD≤2 m or FUI≥8) was found in 2018, which coincided with the start of the UBIBM, indicating that the water quality improvement may be attributed to the pollution alleviation of the UBIBM. Independent data of land-based pollution statistics also supported this deduction. (3) Compared with the previous two pollution control actions in the first decade of 21st century, UBIBM was proved to be the most successful one in terms of the achieved highest transparency and lowest FUI during the past two decades. Reasons for the achievement and implications to future pollution control are discussed for a more sustainable and balanced improvement in the coastal environment. This research provides a valuable example that satellite remote sensing can play a vital role in the management of coastal ecosystems by providing effective evaluation of pollution control actions.

Genome-wide identification of BBX gene family and their expression patterns under salt stress in soybean.

BACKGROUND: BBX genes are key players in the regulation of various developmental processes and stress responses, which have been identified and functionally characterized in many plant species. However, our understanding of BBX family was greatly limited in soybean. RESULTS: In this study, 59 BBX genes were identified and characterized in soybean, which can be phylogenetically classified into 5 groups. GmBBXs showed diverse gene structures and motif compositions among the groups and similar within each group. Noticeably, synteny analysis suggested that segmental duplication contributed to the expansion of GmBBX family. Moreover, our RNA-Seq data indicated that 59 GmBBXs showed different transcript profiling under salt stress, and qRT-PCR analysis confirmed their expression patterns. Among them, 22 GmBBXs were transcriptionally altered with more than two-fold changes by salt stress, supporting that GmBBXs play important roles in soybean tolerance to salt stress. Additionally, Computational assay suggested that GmBBXs might potentially interact with GmGI3, GmTOE1b, GmCOP1, GmCHI and GmCRY, while eight types of transcription factors showed potentials to bind the promoter regions of GmBBX genes. CONCLUSIONS: Fifty-nine BBX genes were identified and characterized in soybean, and their expression patterns under salt stress and computational assays suggested their functional roles in response to salt stress. These findings will contribute to future research in regard to functions and regulatory mechanisms of soybean BBX genes in response to salt stress.

Identification of ARF family in blueberry and its potential involvement of fruit development and pH stress response.

BACKGROUND: Auxin responsive factor (ARF) family is one of core components in auxin signalling pathway, which governs diverse developmental processes and stress responses. Blueberry is an economically important berry-bearing crop and prefers to acidic soil. However, the understandings of ARF family has not yet been reported in blueberry. RESULTS: In the present study, 60 ARF genes (VcARF) were identified in blueberry, and they showed diverse gene structures and motif compositions among the groups and similar within each group in the phylogenetic tree. Noticeably, 9 digenic, 5 trigenic and 6 tetragenic VcARF pairs exhibited more than 95% identity to each other. Computational analysis indicated that 23 VcARFs harbored the miRNA responsive element (MRE) of miR160 or miR167 like other plant ARF genes. Interestingly, the MRE of miR156d/h-3p was observed in the 5'UTR of 3 VcARFs, suggesting a potentially novel post-transcriptional control. Furthermore, the transcript accumulations of VcARFs were investigated during fruit development, and three categories of transcript profiles were observed, implying different functional roles. Meanwhile, the expressions of VcARFs to different pH conditions (pH4.5 and pH6.5) were surveyed in pH-sensitive and tolerant blueberry species, and a number of VcARFs showed different transcript accumulations. More importantly, distinct transcriptional response to pH stress (pH6.5) were observed for several VcARFs (such as VcARF6s and VcARF19-3/19-4) between pH-sensitive and tolerant species, suggesting their potential roles in adaption to pH stress. CONCLUSIONS: Sixty VcARF genes were identified and characterized, and their transcript profiles were surveyed during fruit development and in response to pH stress. These findings will contribute to future research for eliciting the functional roles of VcARFs and regulatory mechanisms, especially fruit development and adaption to pH stress.

Development of Neuronal Excitability of the Bushy Cells in Anteroventral Cochlear Nucleus of Rats.

The ultrafast and precise single-onset action potential (AP) of the bushy cells (BCs) in the anteroventral cochlear nucleus (AVCN) plays an important role in precise processing of temporal auditory information for localizing sound sources and communication cues. The specialized properties of high conductance of the low-voltage-activated potassium (K+LVA) channel contribute to generate ultrafast and precise single-onset APs in BCs. However, the developmental changes of K+LVA distribution and their contributions to shape neuronal excitability of BCs remain unclear. Therefore, we investigated the developmental changes in neuronal excitability of BCs and K+LVA distribution at different developmental periods. Using electrophysiological recording, we first characterized the firing pattern of BCs in response to a sequence of current injections at different developmental periods. The expression of the K+LVA subunit Kv1.1 in AVCN was examined with Western blot. The results indicated that BCs showed single-onset AP firing patterns and paused multiple APs firing patterns at the postnatal time of day 7 (P7) and were then refined into single-onset firing patterns at P14 and P21. With development, the active membrane properties, including latency and half-width of AP, and passive membrane properties, including capacitance, input resistance, and time constant, were significantly decreased. Furthermore, the refinement of firing patterns in BCs was correlated with the upregulation of the Kv1.1 channel in AVCN. In summary, the present study indicated that BCs optimize precise and single-onset firing with development, possibly driven by the changes in membrane properties and upregulation of Kv1.1 in AVCN.

Two Mixed Alkali-Metal Borates Templated from Cations to Clusters.

Two mixed alkali-metal borates, K0.5Li[B6O10]·0.5H3O (1) and [(µ5-OH)@(Na4Li)]0.5[B6O10]·0.5B(OH)3 (2), have been prepared under solvothermal conditions. Both of them are obtained in the same synthetic system and contain a B6O138- cluster as the structural-building unit (SBU) but exhibit quite different structural features. 1 is a centric three-dimensional (3D) oxoboron (B-O) framework, where templated mixed K+ and Li+ cations occupied the cavities of the structure. 2 crystallizes in an acentric space group under the templating effect of a unique acentric alkali-metal cluster [(µ5-OH)@(Na4Li)]4+. The SBU of 2 is also the B6O138- cluster, which acts as six-connected nodes linked together to form a 3D B-O framework, showing different characters from 1 because of two types of templates; the acentric [(µ5-OH)@(Na4Li)]4+ clusters and the electroneutral B (OH)3 groups fill in two different cages in the framework and further connect each other via Na-O-B bonds to build a novel two-dimensional (2D) wavy bricklike network, resulting in a 3D B-O framework interpenetrated by a 2D [(µ5-OH)@(Na4Li)]-B(OH)3 network. As a crystal material with an acentric space group, 2 shows a good second harmonic generation response of about 2.8 times that of KDP (KH2PO4) and has a cutoff edge below 190 nm, which suggests that 2 is a potential deep-UV NLO material.

Modern thromboprophylaxis protocol based on guidelines applied in a respiratory intensive care unit: a single-center prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Critically ill patients in intensive care units (ICUs) are at high risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). This study aimed to explore the prophylaxis effect under a guideline-based thromboprophylaxis protocol among critically ill patients in a respiratory ICU. METHODS: For this single-center prospective cohort study, we followed the thromboprophylaxis protocol, which was drawn up based on relevant guidelines and Chinese experts' advice. Clinical data were entered into an electronic case report form and analyzed. Multivariate logistic regression was conducted to explore independent risk factors of VTE event under this protocol. RESULTS: From August 1, 2014, to December 31, 2020, 884 patients underwent thromboprophylaxis according to this protocol; 10.5% of them received mechanical prophylaxis, 43.8% received pharmacological prophylaxis, and 45.7% received pharmacological combined with mechanical prophylaxis. The proportion of VTE events was 14.3% for patients who received the thromboprophylaxis protocol, of which 0.1% had pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE), 2.0% had proximal deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and 12.1% had isolated distal DVT. There was no significant difference between different thromboprophylaxis measures. Cirrhosis (OR 5.789, 95% CI [1.402, 23.894], P = 0.015), acute asthma exacerbation (OR 39.999, 95% CI [4.704, 340.083], P = 0.001), and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation treatment (OR 22.237, 95%CI [4.824, 102.502], P < 0.001) were independent risk factors for proximal DVT under thromboprophylaxis. CONCLUSIONS: The thromboprophylaxis protocol based on guidelines applied in the ICU was practicable and could help decrease the proportion of PTE and proximal DVT events. The risk factors of VTE events happening under the thromboprophylaxis protocol require more attention. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02213978.

Identification and response analysis of xyloglucan endotransglycosylase/hydrolases (XTH) family to fluoride and aluminum treatment in Camellia sinensis.

BACKGROUND: Xyloglucan endotransglycosylase/hydrolases (XTH) can disrupt and reconnect the xyloglucan chains, modify the cellulose-xyloglucan complex structure in the cell wall to reconstruct the cell wall. Previous studies have reported that XTH plays a key role in the aluminum (Al) tolerance of tea plants (Camellia sinensis), which is a typical plant that accumulates Al and fluoride (F), but its role in F resistance has not been reported. RESULTS: Here, 14 CsXTH genes were identified from C. sinensis and named as CsXTH1-14. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that CsXTH members were divided into 3 subclasses, and conserved motif analysis showed that all these members included catalytic active region. Furthermore, the expressions of all CsXTH genes showed tissue-specific and were regulated by Al3+ and F- treatments. CsXTH1, CsXTH4, CsXTH6-8 and CsXTH11-14 were up-regulated under Al3+ treatments; CsXTH1-10 and CsXTH12-14 responded to different concentrations of F- treatments. The content of xyloglucan oligosaccharide determined by immunofluorescence labeling increased to the highest level at low concentrations of Al3+ or F- treatments (0.4 mM Al3+ or 8 mg/L F-), accompanying by the activity of XET (Xyloglucan endotransglucosylase) peaked. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, CsXTH activities were regulated by Al or F via controlling the expressions of CsXTH genes and the content of xyloglucan oligosaccharide in C. sinensis roots was affected by Al or F, which might finally influence the elongation of roots and the growth of plants.

LiB9O15·H2dap·H2O: A Cotemplated Acentric Layer-Pillared Borate Built by Mixed Oxoboron Clusters.

An acentric layer-pillared borate, LiB9O15·H2dap·H2O (1, dap = 1,3-diaminopropane), cotemplated by organic and inorganic cations and build by mixed oxoboron cluster units of B6O138- and B3O75-, has first been made under solvothermal conditions, in which the B6O138- clusters link each other to form 2D layers containing 9-membered ring (MR) windows, while the B3O75- clusters join together to produce 1D chains that further perform as the pillars to connect neighboring layers, resulting in a 3D layer-pillared framework with 13- and 7-MR channels located by H2dap2+ and Li+ cations, respectively. Its second harmonic generation shows a response of ∼2.1 times that of KDP (KH2PO4).