Fungal endophytes of Taxus species and regulatory effect of two strains on taxol synthesis.

BACKGROUND: Taxol, derived from Taxus trees, is a valuable natural resource for the development of anticancer drugs. Endophytic fungi from Taxus trees are a promising alternative source of Taxol. However, the impact of plant-endophytic microbial interaction on the host's Taxol biosynthesis is largely unknown. RESULTS: In the current study, the diversity of endophytic fungi in three different Taxus species was analyzed using Internal Transcribed Spacer sequencing. A total of 271 Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) were identified, grouping into 2 phyla, 8 classes, 16 orders, 19 families, and 19 genera. Alpha and beta diversity analysis indicated significant differences in endophytic fungal communities among the various Taxus trees. At the genus level, Alternaria and Davidiella were predominantly found in T. mairei and T. media, respectively. By utilizing a previously published dataset, a Pearson correlation analysis was conducted to predict the taxol biosynthesis-related fungal genera. Following screening, two isolates of Alternaria (L7 and M14) were obtained. Effect of inoculation with Alternaria isolates on the gene expression and metabolite accumulation of T. mairei was determined by transcriptomic and untargeted metabolomic studies. The co-inoculation assay suggests that the two Alternaria isolates may have a negative regulatory effect on taxol biosynthesis by influencing hormone signaling pathways. CONCLUSION: Our findings will serve as a foundation for advancing the production and utilization of Taxus and will also aid in screening endophytic fungi related to taxol production.

Poly(N,N-diethylacrylamide)-endowed spontaneous emulsification during the breath figure process and the formation of membranes with hierarchical pores.

The spontaneous emulsification for the formation of water-in-oil (W/O) or oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions needs the help of at least one kind of the third component (surfactant or cosolvent) to stabilize the oil-water interface. Herein, with the water/CS2-soluble polymer poly(N,N-diethylacrylamide) (PDEAM) as a surfactant, the spontaneous formation of water-in-PDEAM/CS2 emulsions is reported for the first time. The strong affinity between PDEAM and water or the increase of PDEAM concentration will accelerate the emulsification process with high dispersed phase content. It is demonstrated that the spontaneous emulsification of condensed water droplets into the PDEAM/CS2 solution occurs during the breath figure process, resulting in porous films with two levels of pore sizes (i.e., micron and submicron). The emulsification degree and the amounts of submicron-sized pores increase with PDEAM concentration and solidifying time of the solution. This work brings about incremental interest in spontaneous emulsification that may happen during the breath figure process. The combination of these two simultaneous processes provides us with an option to build hierarchically porous structures with condensed and emulsified water droplets as templates. Such porous membranes may have great potential in fields such as separation, cell culture, and biosensing.

Disturbed nutrient accumulation and cell wall metabolism in panicles are responsible for rice straighthead disease.

Rice straighthead disease substantially reduces crop yield, posing a significant threat to global food security. Dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) is the causal agent of straighthead disease and is highly toxic to the reproductive tissue of rice. However, the precise physiological mechanism underlying DMA toxicity remains unknown. In this study, six rice varieties with varying susceptibility to straighthead were utilized to investigate the growth performance and element distribution in rice panicles under DMA stress through pot experiments, as well as to explore the physiological response to DMA using transcriptomic methods. The findings demonstrate significant variations in both DMA accumulation and straighthead sensitivity among cultivars. The susceptible varieties exhibited higher DMA accumulation indices and displayed typical symptoms of straighthead disease, including erect panicles, deformed rachides and husks, and reduced seed setting rate and grain yield when compared to the resistant varieties. Moreover, DMA addition promoted mineral nutrients to accumulate in rachides and husks but less in grains. DMA showed preferential accumulation in rice grains with a distribution pattern similar to that of Copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) within the panicle. Transcriptome analyses underscored the substantial impact of DMA on gene expression related to mineral metabolism. Notably, DMA addition significantly up-regulated the expression of pectin methylesterase, pectin lyase, polygalacturonase, and exogalacturonase genes in Nanjingxiangzhan, while these genes were down-regulated or weakly expressed in Ruanhuayou 1179. The alteration of pectin metabolic pathways induced by DMA may lead to abnormality of cell wall assembly and modification, thereby resulting in deformed rice panicles.

The Role of the Tissue Perfusion Index in Predicting Disease Severity and Prognosis in Patients with Severe and Critical COVID-19.

OBJECTIVES: The study investigated whether percutaneous partial pressure of oxygen (PtcO2), percutaneous partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PtcCO2), and the derived tissue perfusion index (TPI) can predict the severity and short-term outcomes of severe and critical COVID-19. DESIGN: Prospective observational study conducted from January 1, 2023 to February 10, 2023. SETTING: A teaching hospital specializing in tertiary care in Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province, China. PARTICIPANTS: Adults (≥18 years) with severe and critical COVID-19. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The general information and vital signs of the patients were collected. The PtcO2 and PtcCO2 were monitored in the left dorsal volar. The ratio of TPI was defined as the ratio of PtcO2/fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) to PtcCO2. Mortality at 28 was recorded. The ability of the TPI to assess disease severity and predict prognosis was determined. ENDPOINT: Severity of the disease on the enrollment and mortality at 28. RESULTS: A total of 71 patients with severe and critical COVID-19, including 40 severe and 31 critical cases, according to the COVID-19 treatment guidelines published by WHO, were recruited. Their median age was 70 years, with 56 (79%) males. The median SpO2/FiO2, PtcO2, PtcCO2, PtcO2/ FiO2, and TPI values were 237, 61, 42, 143, and 3.6 mm Hg, respectively. Compared with those for severe COVID-19, the TPI, PtcO2/ FiO2, SpO2/FiO2, and PtcO2 were significantly lower in critical COVID-19, while the PtcCO2 was significantly higher. After 28 days, 26 (37%) patients had died. TPI values < 3.5 were correlated with more severe disease status (AUC 0.914; 95% CI: 0.847-0.981, P < 0.001), and TPI < 3.3 was associated with poor outcomes (AUC 0.937; 95% CI 0.880-0.994, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The tissue perfusion index (TPI), PtcCO2, and PtcO2/ FiO2 can predict the severity and outcome of severe and critical COVID-19.

Inhibition of microelement accumulation and disorder of saccharide and amino acid metabolism explain rice grain empty under dimethylarsinic acid stress.

KEY MESSAGE: Metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses revealed an intensification of energy metabolism in rice grains under DMA stress, possibly causing the consumption of sugars or non-sugars and the development of unfilled grains Excessive dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) causes rice straighthead disease, a physiological disorder typically with erect panicle due to empty grain at maturity. Although the toxicity of DMA and its uptake and transport in rice are well recognized, the underlying mechanism of unfilled grains remains unclear. Therefore, a pot experiment was conducted using a susceptible variety (Ruanhuayou1179, RHY) and a resistant one (Nanjingxiangzhan, NJXZ) via the metabolomic and transcriptomic approaches to explore the mechanisms of empty grains in diseased rice under DMA stress. The results demonstrate an increase in total and methylated As in grains of RHY and NJXZ under DMA addition, with RHY containing higher levels of DMA. DMA addition increased the soluble sugar content in grains of RHY and NJXZ by 17.1% and 14.3% compared to the control, respectively, but significantly reduced the levels of amino acid, soluble protein, and starch. The decrease of grain Zn and B contents was also observed, and inadequate Zn might be a key factor limiting rice grain yield under DMA stress. Notably, DMA addition altered the expression levels of genes involved in the transport of sugar, amino acids, nitrates/peptides, and mineral ions. In sugar and amino acid metabolism, the reduction of metabolites and the upregulated expression of genes reflect positive regulation at the level of energy metabolism, implying that the reduction of grain starch and proteins might be ascribed to generate sufficient energy to resist the stress. This study provides a useful reference for understanding the molecular mechanism of grain emptying under DMA stress.

Mitigating the allergenicity of peanut allergen Ara h 1 by cold atmospheric pressure argon plasma jet.

BACKGROUND: Peanut allergy is recognized as a major food allergy that triggers severe and even fatal symptoms. Avoidance of peanuts in the diet is the main option for current safety management. Processing techniques reducing peanut allergenicity are required to develop other options. Cold plasma is currently considered as a novel non-thermal approach to alter protein structure and has the potential to alleviate immunoreactivity of protein allergen. RESULTS: The application of a cold argon plasma jet to peanut protein extract could reduce the amount of a 64 kDa protein band corresponding to a major peanut allergen Ara h 1 using sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, but the overall protein size distribution did not change significantly. A decrease in peanut protein solubility was a possible cause that led to the loss of protein content in the soluble fraction. Immunoblotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay elucidated that the immunoreactivity of Ara h 1 was significantly decreased with the time treated with plasma. Ara h 1 antigenicity reduced by 38% after five scans (approximately 3 min) of cold argon plasma jet treatment, and the reduction was up to 66% after approximately 15 min of treatment. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that cold argon plasma jet treatment could be a suitable platform for alleviating the immunoreactivity of peanut protein. This work demonstrates an efficient, compact, and rapid platform for mitigating the allergenicity of peanuts, and shows great potential for the plasma platform as a non-thermal technique in the food industry. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

The harmonizing effect of Smart Snacks on the association between state snack laws and high school students' fruit and vegetable consumption, United States-2005-2017.

Despite national guidelines recommending daily fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption, intake of FV among adolescents is low. Over the past 10-15 years, state and federal laws have reduced the availability of junk foods in schools. This study examined the association between state snack laws and high school (HS) student FV consumption. The overall sample included 99,785 HS students (outcome samples ranged from 96,209-97,328) included in the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). National Cancer Institute Classification of Laws Associated with School Students' data for 2004-2016 were lagged on to 2005-2017 YRBS data. Separate analyses examined the state law-youth FV consumption relationship pre- and post-federal Smart Snacks standards (effective school year 2014-2015). Analyses were conducted between 2018 and 2020. Overall, state laws were associated with any vegetable, salad, and other vegetable consumption. The relationship between state laws and vegetable consumption primarily occurred pre-Smart Snacks. Pre-Smart Snacks, state laws were associated with higher odds of youth consumption of any vegetable, salad, carrots, and other vegetables (all compared to students in states without snack laws). The only association post-Smart Snacks was between strong state laws and salads. This study illustrates the important role that standards restricting the availability of junk foods in schools can have on increasing student vegetable consumption. Given current efforts to roll-back federal school meal standards, findings from this study illustrate how federal standards harmonized the patchwork of state laws that existed prior to Smart Snacks and the important role that consistent national standards can play in supporting student consumption of vegetables.

Association of pregnancy outcomes in women with type 2 diabetes treated with metformin versus insulin when becoming pregnant.

BACKGROUND: Metformin use in pregnancy is controversial because metformin crosses the placenta and the safety on the fetus has not been well-established. This retrospective study aimed to compare pregnancy outcomes in women with preexisting type 2 diabetes receiving metformin or standard insulin treatment. METHODS: The cohort of this population-based study includes women of age 20-44 years with preexisting type 2 diabetes and singleton pregnancies in Taiwan between 2003 and 2014. Subjects were classified into three mutually exclusive groups according to glucose-lowering treatments received before and after becoming pregnant: insulin group, switching group (metformin to insulin), and metformin group. A generalized estimating equation model adjusted for patient age, duration of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, retinopathy, and aspirin use was used to estimate the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of adverse pregnancy outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 1166 pregnancies were identified in the insulin group (n = 222), the switching group (n = 318) and the metformin group (n = 626). The insulin group and the switching group had similar pregnancy outcomes for both the mother and fetus, including risk of primary cesarean section, pregnancy-related hypertension, preeclampsia, preterm birth (< 37 weeks), very preterm birth (< 32 weeks), low birth weight (< 2500 g), high birth weight (> 4000 g), large for gestational age, and congenital malformations. The metformin group had a lower risk of primary cesarean section (aOR = 0.57; 95% CI, 0.40-0.82) and congenital malformations (aOR, 0.51; 95% CI; 0.27-0.94) and similar risk for the other outcomes as compared with the insulin group. CONCLUSIONS: Metformin therapy was not associated with increased adverse pregnancy outcomes in women with type 2 diabetes as compared with standard insulin therapy.

Comparison of Solute Clearance, Hospitalization Rate, and Aortic Arch Calcification between Online Hemodiafiltration and High-Flux Hemodialysis: A 6-Year Observational Study.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Studies on the long-term clinical benefits of hemodiafiltration (HDF) and high-flux hemodialysis (HFHD) are very limited. This study aimed to investigate the hospitalization rate and aortic arch calcification (AAC) of these two dialysis modalities over 6 years. METHODS: Participants who received regular HDF and HFHD in one hospital-facilitated hemodialysis center were prospectively enrolled after matching for age, sex, and diabetes between January 2009 and December 2014. Medical records were reviewed retrospectively on demographics, laboratory variables, calcified scores in aortic arch measured by chest radiography, and rates of hospital admission. Cox proportional hazard regression and linear regression were used to obtain the outcome results. RESULTS: The HDF and HFHD groups consisted of 108 and 102 participants, respectively. Levels of laboratory variables including small soluble solutes and Kt/V were not statistically different over the 6-year period between the HDF and HFHD groups. Calcified scores of the aortic arch increased over 6 years in both groups. The changes in the mean calcified scores were significant when compared between the two groups (0.44-1.82 in HFHD, 0.79-1.8 in HDF, respectively, p = 0.008). Hospitalization rates were 735 per 1,000 patients in the HDF group and 852 per 1,000 patients in the HFHD group, respectively. No significant difference was observed in frequency and days of hospitalization between HDF and HFHD. CONCLUSION: Hospitalization rates and AAC were observed to be equal for HDF and HFHD.

Profilin1 is expressed in osteocytes and regulates cell shape and migration.

Osteocytes are the most abundant cells in bone and regulate bone metabolism in coordination with osteoblasts and osteoclasts. However, the molecules that control osteocytes are still incompletely understood. Profilin1 is an actin-binding protein that is involved in actin polymerization. Osteocytes possess characteristic dendritic process formed based on actin cytoskeleton. Here, we examined the expression of profilin1 and its function in osteocytes. Profilin1 mRNA was expressed in osteocytic MLO-Y4 cells and its levels were gradually increased along with the time in culture. With regard to functional aspect, knockdown of profilin1 by siRNA enhanced BMP-induced increase in alkaline phosphatase expression levels in MLO-Y4 cells. Profilin1 knockdown suppressed the levels of dendritic processes and migration of MLO-Y4 cells. Since aging causes an increase in ROS in the body, we further examined the effects of hydrogen peroxide on the expression of profilin1. Hydrogen peroxide treatment increased the levels of profilin1 mRNA in MLO-Y4 cells in contrast to the decline in alkaline phosphatase. Profilin1 was expressed not only in MLO-Y4cells but also in the primary cultures of osteocytes. Importantly, profilin1 mRNA levels in primary cultures of osteocytes were higher than those in primary cultures of osteoblasts. To examine in vivo role of profilin1 in osteocytes, profilin1 was conditionally knocked out by using DMP1-cre and profilin1 floxed mice. This conditional deletion of profilin1 specifically in osteocytes resulted in reduction in the levels of bone volume and bone mineral density. These data indicate that profilin1 is expressed in osteocytes and regulates cell shape, migration and bone mass.

Structural basis of antizyme-mediated regulation of polyamine homeostasis.

Polyamines are organic polycations essential for cell growth and differentiation; their aberrant accumulation is often associated with diseases, including many types of cancer. To maintain polyamine homeostasis, the catalytic activity and protein abundance of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), the committed enzyme for polyamine biosynthesis, are reciprocally controlled by the regulatory proteins antizyme isoform 1 (Az1) and antizyme inhibitor (AzIN). Az1 suppresses polyamine production by inhibiting the assembly of the functional ODC homodimer and, most uniquely, by targeting ODC for ubiquitin-independent proteolytic destruction by the 26S proteasome. In contrast, AzIN positively regulates polyamine levels by competing with ODC for Az1 binding. The structural basis of the Az1-mediated regulation of polyamine homeostasis has remained elusive. Here we report crystal structures of human Az1 complexed with either ODC or AzIN. Structural analysis revealed that Az1 sterically blocks ODC homodimerization. Moreover, Az1 binding triggers ODC degradation by inducing the exposure of a cryptic proteasome-interacting surface of ODC, which illustrates how a substrate protein may be primed upon association with Az1 for ubiquitin-independent proteasome recognition. Dynamic and functional analyses further indicated that the Az1-induced binding and degradation of ODC by proteasome can be decoupled, with the intrinsically disordered C-terminal tail fragment of ODC being required only for degradation but not binding. Finally, the AzIN-Az1 structure suggests how AzIN may effectively compete with ODC for Az1 to restore polyamine production. Taken together, our findings offer structural insights into the Az-mediated regulation of polyamine homeostasis and proteasomal degradation.

Profilin Expression Is Regulated by Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP) in Osteoblastic Cells.

Profilin 1 (Pfn1) regulates cytoskeletal reorganization and migration, but its role in osteoblasts is not known. BMP (bone morphogenetic protein) is a multifunctional cytokine involved in osteoblastic differentiation and promotes bone regeneration and repair. Although several molecules are known to modulate BMP signaling, mechanisms that determine the levels of BMP action in osteoblastic function are still incompletely understood. We therefore examine the expression of Pfn1 in osteoblasts and its role in BMP-induced differentiation in osteoblasts. In osteoblastic MC3T3-E1(MC) cells, Pfn1 mRNA is expressed constitutively and its expression levels are declined during the culture in a time dependent manner in contrast to the increase in alkaline phosphatase activity revealing that Pfn1 expression is down regulated along with differentiation. To test the effects of osteoblastic differentiation on Pfn1expression further, MC cells are treated with BMP. BMP treatment suppresses the levels of Pfn1 mRNA. This suppressive effect of BMP is time dependent and further down regulation of Pfn1 mRNA levels is observed when the BMP treatment is continued for a longer period of time. Pfn1mRNA knock down (KD) by siRNAs enhances BMP-induced increase in alkaline phosphatase (Alp) activity in MC cells. To analyze the regulatory mechanism, Alp mRNA levels are examined and Pfn1 KD enhances the BMP-induced increase in the levels of Alp mRNA expression. Furthermore, Pfn1 KD enhances BMP-induced transcriptional expression of luciferase reporter activity via BMP response element in osteoblasts. These data indicate that Pfn1 is a novel target of BMP and suppresses BMP-induced differentiation of osteoblasts at least in part via transcriptional event.

Mass Spectrometry-Imaging Analysis of Active Ingredients in the Leaves of Taxus cuspidata.

BACKGROUND: Taxus cuspidata is an endangered evergreen conifer mainly found in Northeast Asia. In addition to the well-known taxanes, several active ingredients were detected in the leaves of T. cuspidata. However, the precise spatial distribution of active ingredients in the leaves of T. cuspidata is largely unknown. RESULTS: in the present study, timsTOF flex MALDI-2 analysis was used to uncover the accumulation pattern of active ingredients in T. cuspidata leaves. In total, 3084 ion features were obtained, of which 944 were annotated according to the mass spectrometry database. The principal component analysis separated all of the detected metabolites into four typical leaf tissues: mesophyll cells, upper epidermis, lower epidermis, and vascular bundle cells. Imaging analysis identified several leaf tissues that specifically accumulated active ingredients, providing theoretical support for studying the regulation mechanism of compound biosynthesis. Furthermore, the relative accumulation levels of each identified compound were analyzed. Two flavonoid compounds, ligustroflavone and Morin, were identified with high content through quantitative analysis of the ion intensity. CONCLUSIONS: our data provides fundamental information for the protective utilization of T. cuspidata.

Foxp2 Is Required for Nucleus Accumbens-mediated Multifaceted Limbic Function.

The forkhead box protein P2 (Foxp2), initially identified for its role in speech and language development, plays an important role in neural development. Previous studies investigated the function of the Foxp2 gene by deleting or mutating Foxp2 from developmental stages. Little is known about its physiological function in adult brains. Although Foxp2 has been well studied in the dorsal striatum, its function in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) of the ventral striatum remains elusive. Here, we examine the physiological function of Foxp2 in NAc of mouse brains. We conditionally knocked out Foxp2 by microinjections of AAV-EGFP-Cre viruses into the medial shell of NAc of Foxp2 floxed (cKO) mice. Immunostaining showed increased c-Fos positive cells in cKO NAc at basal levels, suggesting an abnormality in Foxp2-deficient NAc cells. Unbiased behavioral profiling of Foxp2 cKO mice showed abnormalities in limbic-associated function. Foxp2 cKO mice exhibited abnormal social novelty without preference for interaction with strangers and familiar mice. In appetitive reward learning, Foxp2 cKO mice failed to learn the time expectancy of food delivery. In fear learning, Foxp2 cKO mice exhibited abnormal increases in freezing levels in response to tone paired with foot shock during fear conditioning. The extinction of the fear response was also altered in Foxp2 cKO mice. In contrast, conditional knockout of Foxp2 in NAc did not affect locomotion, motor coordination, thermal pain sensation, anxiety- and depression-like behaviors. Collectively, our study suggests that Foxp2 has a multifaceted physiological role in NAc in the regulation of limbic function in the adult brain.

Sex-specific responses of Taxus mairei to UV-B radiation involved altering the interactions between the microbiota assembly and host secondary metabolism.

BACKGROUND: To adapt to constantly changing environments, ancient gymnosperms have coevolved with diverse endophytic fungi that are essential for the fitness and adaptability of the plant host. However, the effect of sex on plant-endophyte interactions in response to environmental stressors remains unknown. RNA-seq integrated with ITS analysis was applied to reveal the potential mechanisms underlying the sex-specific responses of Taxus mairei to ultraviolet (UV)-B radiation. RESULTS: Enrichment analysis suggested that sex influenced the expression of several genes related to the oxidation-reduction system, which might play potential roles in sex-mediated responses to UV-B radiations. ITS-seq analysis clarified the effects of UV-B radiation and sex on the composition of endophytic fungal communities. Sex influenced various secondary metabolic pathways, thereby providing chemicals for T. mairei host to produce attractants and/or inhibitors to filter microbial taxa. Analysis of fungal biomarkers suggested that UV-B radiation reduced the effect of sex on fungal communities. Moreover, Guignardia isolate #1 was purified to investigate the role of endophytic fungi in sex-mediated responses to UV-B radiation. Inoculation with spores produced by isolate #1 significantly altered various oxidation-reduction systems of the host by regulating the expression of APX2, GST7 NCED1, ZE1, CS1, and CM1. CONCLUSION: These results revealed the roles of endophytic fungi in sex-mediated responses to UV-B radiation and provided novel insights into the sex-specific responses of Taxus trees to environmental stressors. Video Abstract.

Supergravity-Steered Generic Manufacturing of Nanosheets-Embedded Nanocomposite Hydrogel with Highly Oriented, Heterogeneous Architecture.

Designing nanocomposite hydrogels with oriented nanosheets has emerged as a promising toolkit to achieve preferential performances that go beyond their disordered counterparts. Although current fabrication strategies via electric/magnetic force fields have made remarkable achievements, they necessitate special properties of nanosheets and suffer from an inferior orientation degree of nanosheets. Herein, a facile and universal approach is discovered to elaborate MXene-based nanocomposite hydrogels with highly oriented, heterogeneous architecture by virtue of supergravity to replace conventional force fields. The key to such architecture is to leverage bidirectional, force-tunable attributes of supergravity containing coupled orthogonal shear and centrifugal force field for steering high-efficient movement, pre-orientation, and stacking of MXene nanosheets in the bottom. Such a synergetic effect allows for yielding heterogeneous nanocomposite hydrogels with a high-orientation MXene-rich layer (orientation degree, f = 0.83) and a polymer-rich layer. The authors demonstrate that MXene-based nanocomposite hydrogels leverage their high-orientation, heterogeneous architecture to deliver an extraordinary electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness of 55.2 dB at 12.4 GHz yet using a super-low MXene of 0.3 wt%, surpassing most hydrogels-based electromagnetic shielding materials. This versatile supergravity-steered strategy can be further extended to arbitrary nanosheets including MoS2, GO, and C3N4, offering a paradigm in the development of oriented nanocomposites.

Laser-light cueing shoes with integrated foot pressure and inertial sensing for investigating the impact of visual cueing on gait characteristics in Parkinson's disease individuals.

Gait disorders are a fundamental challenge in Parkinson's disease (PD). The use of laser-light visual cues emitted from shoes has demonstrated effective in improving freezing of gait within less restrictive environments. However, the effectiveness of shoes-based laser-light cueing may vary among individuals with PD who have different types of impairments. We introduced an innovative laser-light visual shoes system capable of producing alternating visual cues for the left and right feet through one-side cueing at a time, while simultaneously recording foot inertial data and foot pressures. The effects of this visual cueing system on gait patterns were assessed in individuals with PD, both those with well-gait and those with worse-gait. Our device successfully quantified gait characteristics, including the asymmetry in the center of pressure trajectory, in individuals with PD. Furthermore, visual cueing prolonged stride times and increased the percentage of stance phase, while concurrently reducing stride length in PD individuals with well-gait. Conversely, in PD individuals with worse-gait, visual cueing resulted in a decreased freeze index and a reduction in the proportion of intervals prone to freezing episodes. The effects of visual cueing varied between PD individuals with well-gait and those with worse-gait. Visual cueing slowed down gait in the well-gait group while it appeared to mitigate freezing episodes in worse-gait group. Future researches, including enhancements to extend the projection distance of visual cues and clinical assessments conducted in real-world settings, will help establish the clinical utility of our proposed visual cueing system.

Straw incorporation induces rice straighthead disease in As-contaminated paddy soil.

Rice straw incorporation is globally recognized as a viable alternative to incineration. However, it might lead to arsenic (As) methylation in soils, resulting in increased accumulation of methylated As in rice plants, potentially contributing to the emergence of rice straighthead disease. To evaluate the effect of straw incorporation on the As transformation in the paddy field system, we conducted a pot experiment for rice cultivation in two paddy soils with different As background levels and also characterized the response of the soil microbial community to straw incorporation. The results showed that straw incorporation elevated the total and methylated As concentration within the soil solution and rice plants, which in turn reduced rice seed setting rate and yield, and caused straighthead disorder in rice cultivated in soils with high As levels. 16S rRNA-based sequencing demonstrated reduced abundance and diversity of microorganisms upon adding straw. Notably, the dominant phylum, Bacteroidetes, exhibited a significant increase in abundance due to straw integration, while the abundance of Proteobacteria and Acidobacteria decreased. At the family level, the prevalence of Rikenellaceae increased only in soils contaminated with As following straw incorporation. Redundancy analysis showed positive associations between Rikenellaceae and levels of methylated As present in both soil porewater and rice husks, suggesting a potentially pivotal role of Rikenellaceae in the As methylation process after straw integration. These findings collectively emphasize that including straw can reshape the soil's microbial community and amplify As methylation in the soil, thereby promoting the uptake and accumulation of methylated As in rice and inducing straighthead disease in As-contaminated soil.

Laser-light Visual Cueing Shoes with Foot Pressures and Inertial Sensing for Individuals with Parkinson's Disease.

Gait disorder is a core problem in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD), including bradykinesia, shuffling steps, festinating gait, and freeze of gait (FOG). Laser-light visual cueing has been demonstrated to be efficient in the mediation of gaits and the reduction in number of FOG episodes. However, previous approaches commonly adopted independent controls of visual cueing on left and right sides which was prone to produce two cues while individual was not in normal walking. In this study, we developed laser-light visual shoes which produced interlaced visual cues for left and right feet in a manner of one-side cueing at a time, solving the aforementioned problem. With parallel measurement of foot inertial data and foot pressures in each shoe, our results showed that the proposed visual cueing made PD individuals in the on-medication condition walk with a longer stance and swing times, that is, they walked more carefully and stable. The proposed approach can also be used to study kinematic and kinetic characteristics of gaits in the off-medication condition to clarify the mediation of visual cueing on motor control of PD individuals.Clinical Relevance- This demonstrates the effect of laser-light visual cueing on gaits in individuals with Parkinson's disease.

Differential Development of Dendritic Spines in Striatal Projection Neurons of Direct and Indirect Pathways in the Caudoputamen and Nucleus Accumbens.

Synaptic modification in postnatal development is essential for the maturation of neural networks. Developmental maturation of excitatory synapses occurs at the loci of dendritic spines that are dynamically regulated by growth and pruning. Striatal spiny projection neurons (SPNs) receive excitatory input from the cerebral cortex and thalamus. SPNs of the striatonigral direct pathway (dSPNs) and SPNs of the striatopallidal indirect pathway (iSPNs) have different developmental roots and functions. The spatial and temporal dynamics of dendritic spine maturation of these two types of SPNs remain elusive. Here, we delineate the developmental trajectories of dendritic spines of dSPNs and iSPNs in the caudoputamen and nucleus accumbens (NAc). We labeled dendritic spines of SPNs by microinjecting Cre-dependent AAV-eYFP viruses into newborn Drd1-Cre or Adora2a-Cre mice, and analyzed spinogenesis at three levels, including different SPN cell types, subregions and postnatal times. In the dorsolateral striatum, spine pruning of dSPNs and iSPNs occurred at postnatal day (P)30-P50. In the dorsomedial striatum, the spine density of both dSPNs and iSPNs reached its peak between P30 and P50, and spine pruning occurred after P30 and P50, respectively, for dSPNs and iSPNs. In the NAc shell, spines of dSPNs and iSPNs were pruned after P21-P30, but no significant pruning was observed in iSPNs of lateral NAc shell. In the NAc core, the spine density of dSPNs and iSPNs reached its peak at P21 and P30, respectively, and subsequently declined. Collectively, the developmental maturation of dendritic spines in dSPNs and iSPNs follows distinct spatiotemporal trajectories in the dorsal and ventral striatum.