Fabrication of Single-Crystal Violet Phosphorus Flakes For Ultrasensitive Photodetection.

Violet phosphorus (VP) has attracted a lot of attention for its unique physicochemical properties and emerging potential in photoelectronic applications. Although VP has a van der Waals (vdW) structure similar to that of other 2D semiconductors, direct synthesis of VP on a substrate is still challenging. Moreover, optoelectronic devices composed of transfer-free VP flakes have not been demonstrated. Herein, a bismuth-assisted vapor phase transport technique is designed to grow uniform single-crystal VP flakes on the SiO2 /Si substrate directly. The size of the crystalline VP flakes is an order of magnitude larger than that of previous liquid-exfoliated samples. The photodetector fabricated with the VP flakes shows a high responsivity of 12.5 A W-1 and response/recovery time of 3.82/3.03 ms upon exposure to 532 nm light. Furthermore, the photodetector shows a small dark current (<1 pA) that is beneficial to high-sensitivity photodetection. As a result, the detectivity is 1.38 × 1013 Jones that is comparable with that of the vdW p-n heterojunction detector. The results reveal the great potential of VP in optoelectronic devices as well as the CVT technique for the growth of single-crystal semiconductor thin films.

Discovery of Aurovertin B as a Potent Metastasis Inhibitor against Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Elucidating the Complex Role of the ATF3-DUSP1 Axis.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is characterized by high mortality rates primarily due to its propensity for metastasis. Addressing this challenge necessitates the development of effective antimetastatic therapies. This study aimed to identify natural compounds with potential antimetastatic properties mainly based on the high-throughput phenotypic screening system. This system, utilizing luciferase reporter gene assays combined with scratch wound assays, evaluates compounds based on their influence on the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) marker E-cadherin. Through this approach, aurovertin B (AVB) was revealed to have significant antimetastatic capability. Notably, AVB exhibited substantial metastasis suppression in many TNBC cell lines, including MDA-MB-231, HCC1937 and 4T1. Also, its remarkable antimetastatic activity was demonstrated in vivo via the orthotopic breast cancer mouse model. Further exploration revealed a pronounced association between AVB-induced upregulation of DUSP1 (dual-specificity phosphatase 1) and its inhibitory effect on TNBC metastasis. Additionally, microarray analysis conducted to elucidate the underlying mechanism of the AVB-DUSP1 interaction identified ATF3 (activating transcription factor 3) as a critical transcription factor instrumental in DUSP1 transcriptional activation. This discovery, coupled with observations of enhanced ATF3-DUSP1 expression and consequent reduction in TNBC metastatic foci in response to AVB, provides novel insights into the molecular mechanisms driving metastasis in TNBC. Significance Statement We construct a high-throughput phenotypic screening system utilizing EMT marker E-cadherin promoter luciferase reporter gene combined with scratch wound assays. Aurovertin B was revealed to possess significant antimetastatic activity through this approach, which was further demonstrated via in vivo and in vitro experiments. The discovery of the regulatory role of the ATF3-DUSP1 pathway enriches our understanding of TNBC metastasis mechanism and suggests the potential of ATF3 and DUSP1 as biomarkers for diagnosing TNBC metastasis.

Climate warming could free cold-adapted trees from C-conservative allocation strategy of storage over growth.

Carbon allocation has been fundamental for long-lived trees to survive cold stress at their upper elevation range limit. Although carbon allocation between non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) storage and structural growth is well-documented, it still remains unclear how ongoing climate warming influences these processes, particularly whether these two processes will shift in parallel or respond divergently to warming. Using a combination of an in situ downward-transplant warming experiment and an ex situ chamber warming treatment, we investigated how subalpine fir trees at their upper elevation limit coordinated carbon allocation priority among different sinks (e.g., NSC storage and structural growth) at whole-tree level in response to elevated temperature. We found that transplanted individuals from the upper elevation limit to lower elevations generally induced an increase in specific leaf area, but there was no detected evidence of warming effect on leaf-level saturated photosynthetic rates. Additionally, our results challenged the expectation that climate warming will accelerate structural carbon accumulation while maintaining NSC constant. Instead, individuals favored allocating available carbon to NSC storage over structural growth after 1 year of warming, despite the amplification in total biomass encouraged by both in situ and ex situ experimental warming. Unexpectedly, continued warming drove a regime shift in carbon allocation priority, which was manifested in the increase of NSC storage in synchrony to structural growth enhancement. These findings imply that climate warming would release trees at their cold edge from C-conservative allocation strategy of storage over structural growth. Thus, understanding the strategical regulation of the carbon allocation priority and the distinctive function of carbon sink components is of great implication for predicting tree fate in the future climate warming.

Ergodic speckle contrast optical coherence tomography velocimetry of rapid blood flow.

Visualizing a 3D blood flow velocity field through noninvasive imaging is crucial for analyzing hemodynamic mechanisms in areas prone to disorders. However, traditional correlation-based optical coherence tomography (OCT) velocimetry techniques have a maximum measurable flow velocity depending on the A-line rate. We presented the ergodic speckle contrast OCT (ESCOCT) to break the bottleneck in measuring the rapid blood flow velocity. It achieved a measurement of blood flow velocity ranging from 9.5 to 280 mm/s using a 100 kHz swept-source (SS) OCT based on 100 A-repeats scanning mode. Addressing the non-ergodic problem of temporal OCT signals by integrating more consecutive A-scans, ESCOCT can enable the estimation for lower velocity flows by increasing A-repeats. ESCOCT provided a wide dynamic range with no upper limit on measuring blood flow velocity with an adequate signal-to-noise ratio and improved the sensitivity and accuracy of the hemodynamic assessment.

LONG-TERM OUTCOME OF TRANSSCLERAL FOUR-POINT FIXATION OF AKREOS INTRAOCULAR LENS WITH CLOSED CONTINUOUS-LOOP SUTURE.

PURPOSE: To report the long-term clinical outcomes of transscleral four-point fixation of Akreos intraocular lens using a closed continuous-loop suture technique. METHODS: This was a retrospective, multicenter, interventional case series. Primary outcome measures were best-corrected visual acuity, intraocular pressure, corneal endothelial cell density, and complications with a minimum of 1-year follow-up. RESULTS: One hundred and ninety-two eyes of 177 patients from two surgical hospital sites were identified. The mean best-corrected visual acuity improved from 0.88 ± 0.74 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (Snellen 20/152) preoperatively to 0.42 ± 0.52 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (Snellen 20/53) postoperatively ( P < 0.001). The mean preoperative intraocular pressure was 17.51 ± 8.67 mmHg, and the mean postoperative intraocular pressure at final follow-up was 15.08 ± 4.18 mmHg ( P = 0.001). The mean corneal endothelial cell density significantly reduced from 2,259 ± 729 cells/mm 2 to 2077 ± 659 cells/mm 2 , representing a cell loss of 5.73% ( P < 0.001). The intraocular lens was fixed well during follow-up. There were no intraoperative complications noted. Postoperative complications included transient ocular hypertension in 15 eyes (7.81%), hypotony in two eyes (1.04%), retinal detachment in one eye (0.52%), and macular edema in one eye (0.52%). CONCLUSION: The transscleral four-point fixation Akreos intraocular lens using the closed continuous-loop suture technique was effective and safe with satisfactory visual acuity with a minimum of 1-year follow-up.

Dihalogenated nitrophenols exposure induces developmental neurotoxicity in zebrafish embryo.

2,6-Dihalogenated nitrophenols (2,6-DHNPs) are emerging halogenated nitroaromatic pollutants that have been detected in various water environments. However, there is currently limited research available regarding their potential impacts on locomotion behavior and neurotoxicity. Therefore, this study utilized zebrafish embryos to investigate the potential neurotoxic effects of 2,6-DHNPs by examining their impact on the nervous system at a concentration defined as 10% of the median lethal concentration. Our findings demonstrated that exposure to 2,6-DHNPs resulted in a significant 30 % decrease in the total swimming distance of zebrafish larvae, accompanied by notable impairments in motor neuron development and central nervous system. These effects were evidenced by a substantial 25% decrease in axonal growth, as well as disruptions in synapse formation and neuronal differentiation. Additionally, neurotransmitter analysis revealed marked decreases of 40%, 35%, and 30% in dopamine, 5-hydroxytryptamine, and acetylcholine levels respectively, highlighting disturbances in their synthesis, transport, and degradation mechanisms. These results emphasize the considerable neurotoxicity of 2,6-DHNPs at concentrations previously considered safe; thus necessitating a re-evaluation of environmental risk assessments and regulatory standards for such emerging contaminants.

Versatile Activated Carbon Fibers Derived from the Cotton Fibers Used as CO2 Solid-State Adsorbents and Electrode Materials.

Activated carbon has an excellent porous structure and is considered a promising adsorbent and electrode material. In this study, activated carbon fibers (ACFs) with abundant microporous structures, derived from natural cotton fibers, were successfully synthesized at a certain temperature in an Ar atmosphere and then activated with KOH. The obtained ACFs were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), elemental analysis, nitrogen and carbon dioxide adsorption-desorption analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and N2 adsorption-desorption measurement. The obtained ACFs showed high porous qualities and had a surface area from 673 to 1597 m2/g and a pore volume from 0.33 to 0.79 cm3/g. The CO2 capture capacities of prepared ACFs were measured and the maximum capture capacity for CO2 up to 6.9 mmol/g or 4.6 mmol/g could be achieved at 0 °C or 25 °C and 1 standard atmospheric pressure (1 atm). Furthermore, the electrochemical capacitive properties of as-prepared ACFs in KOH aqueous electrolyte were also studied. It is important to note that the pore volume of the pores below 0.90 nm plays key roles to determine both the CO2 capture ability and the electrochemical capacitance. This study provides guidance for designing porous carbon materials with high CO2 capture capacity or excellent capacitance performance.

TRAF3IP3 mediates the recruitment of TRAF3 to MAVS for antiviral innate immunity.

RIG-I-MAVS antiviral signaling represents an important pathway to stimulate interferon production and confer innate immunity to the host. Upon binding to viral RNA and Riplet-mediated polyubiquitination, RIG-I promotes prion-like aggregation and activation of MAVS. MAVS subsequently induces interferon production by activating two signaling pathways mediated by TBK1-IRF3 and IKK-NF-κB respectively. However, the mechanism underlying the activation of MAVS downstream pathways remains elusive. Here, we demonstrated that activation of TBK1-IRF3 by MAVS-Region III depends on its multimerization state and identified TRAF3IP3 as a critical regulator for the downstream signaling. In response to virus infection, TRAF3IP3 is accumulated on mitochondria and thereby facilitates the recruitment of TRAF3 to MAVS for TBK1-IRF3 activation. Traf3ip3-deficient mice demonstrated a severely compromised potential to induce interferon production and were vulnerable to RNA virus infection. Our findings uncover that TRAF3IP3 is an important regulator for RIG-I-MAVS signaling, which bridges MAVS and TRAF3 for an effective antiviral innate immune response.

Four-Point Scleral Fixation of An Akreos Adapt AO Intraocular Lens Using Double-Strand 9-0 Polypropylene Suture.

PURPOSE: To report the results of a novel surgical four-point transscleral suture fixation of intraocular lens (IOL) with four hollow haptics using the double-suture technique. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 15 eyes of 15 patients who underwent 4-point transscleral suture fixation of a foldable IOL using the double-suture technique. Preoperative data and follow-up data for at least 4 months were collected for all patients. RESULTS: The IOLs were fixed and centered well. The mean preoperative corrected distance visual acuity was 0.70 ± 0.54 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (Snellen 20/102), and it improved to 0.29 ± 0.26 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (Snellen 20/39) at the final follow-up ( P = 0.001). No vitreous hemorrhage, hypotony, suture breakage, retinal detachment, IOL dislocation, and iris capture was detected during the follow-up period in any of the patients. CONCLUSION: We have developed a novel technique for 4-point transscleral suture fixation of IOL using the double-suture technique with 9-0 polypropylene suture. This technique seemed to be safe and it may not require the surgeon to learn any new technique.

Rusty pipe syndrome: a case report and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Painless bloody nipple discharge is often classified as pathological due to its association with malignant lesions. However, it can also be a completely harmless condition. Rusty pipe syndrome is a rare cause of benign, self-limiting bloody nipple discharge during late pregnancy and early lactation. Given that rusty pipe syndrome is not described in conventional textbooks, we thought it would be appropriate to bring this benign disease to the notice of readers. CASE PRESENTATION: A 31-year-old G1P1 female delivered an infant with a birth weight of 3000 g via cesarean section at 39 weeks of gestation. The baby was admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit for a suspected oblique inguinal hernia. The mother had bilateral painless bloody nipple discharge when she started to express milk. A physical examination uncovered no signs of inflammation, engorgement, palpable mass, tenderness, cracks or ulcers. A breast ultrasound and cytological analysis revealed no signs of a neoplasm. Without any medical intervention, the color of the rusty milk changed from dark brown to light brown during hospitalization and finally resolved six days postpartum. CONCLUSION: Rusty pipe syndrome is a self-limiting benign condition that should be considered in the differential diagnosis of bloody nipple discharge. Awareness of this rare disease by medical professionals would be extremely beneficial for avoiding unneeded examinations and discontinuity of exclusive breastfeeding.

INCIDENCE AND RISK FACTORS OF POSTOPERATIVE ENDOPHTHALMITIS AFTER PRIMARY SURGICAL REPAIR COMBINED WITH INTRAOCULAR FOREIGN BODY REMOVAL.

PURPOSE: To analyze the incidence and risk factors of postoperative endophthalmitis after primary surgical repair and intraocular foreign body (IOFB) removal within 24 hours of injury. METHODS: The records of all patients treated surgically for open globe injury and IOFB removal at the Eye Hospital of Shandong First Medical University between January 1, 2015, and June 30, 2020, were retrospectively reviewed. Variables included time from injury to operation, cause of injury, details of surgical repair, and follow-up. The incidence and risk factors of endophthalmitis after IOFB removal were studied. RESULTS: During 5 years, 99 patients with IOFB were reviewed. Of these, 19 patients were diagnosed with endophthalmitis on admission, and 5 were suspected of having endophthalmitis during operation. Fifty-four cases had no clinical signs of endophthalmitis on admission and during operation and were treated with operation within 24 hours after the injury. Two patients (2 of 54; 3.70%) developed endophthalmitis after IOFB removal, and the causative agent in both cases was Bacillus cereus. CONCLUSION: The incidence of infectious endophthalmitis after primary surgical repair combined with IOFB removal (≤24 hours) was 3.70% in patients who received a series of standard treatments, and B. cereus infection might be a risk factor.

Influence of Nutritional Status on Prognosis of Stroke Patients With Dysphagia.

Context: Stroke is an acute cerebrovascular disease and a neurological disorder that occurs due to a cerebral arterial embolism and rupture. Acute stroke is often accompanied by dysphagia, which reduces patients' intake of food and nutrients, decreases their nutritional status, and affects their quality of life. Objective: The study intended to identify the demographic and clinical characteristics of stroke patients with dysphagia and to explore the relationship of those characteristics to nutritional status and prognosis. Methods: The research team retrospectively collected the clinical data of patients to compare the nutritional status and prognoses of patients with different demographic and clinical characteristics. Setting: The study took place in the Department of Neurology at the First People's Hospital of Shenyang in Shenyang, China. Participants: Participants were 789 stroke patients with dysphagia who had been admitted to the general ward of the neurology departments of hospitals of Grade 3 or higher in Northeast China between January 2019 and September 2020. Based on the results of the Nutrition Risk Screening (NRS-2002) and Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) scales at baseline, participants were enrolled in this study. Outcome Measures: The outcomes were the correlations between participants' demographic and clinical characteristics and their nutritional statuses and prognoses. The Modified Rankin Scale (mRS) was used to evaluate the prognosis of the patients at seven days and three months after participants' enrollment in the study. Using the SPSS 26.0, a t test, chi-square test, and F test were performed to analyze and verify the presence of fundamental differences in baseline characteristics between participants with good nutrition and those with poor nutrition. Also, a statistical correlation analysis was performed. Results: The study showed that participants with different nutritional levels had statistically significant differences in the presence or absence of infections and body temperature and scores on the Standardized Swallowing Assessment (SSA) and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), with all P < .001. At baseline seven days after enrollment, the prognoses of participants were significantly different for different previous histories of stroke (P < .001), family history of stroke (P = .005), presence or absence of infections (P < .001), body temperature (P < .001), and SSA (P < .001) and NIHSS (P < .001) scale scores. At three months after enrollment, the prognoses of participants were significantly different for previous history of stroke (P = .003), different body temperatures (P < .001), presence or absence of infections(P < .001), and SSA (P < .001) and NIHSS (P < .001) scale scores. Age, gender, family history of stroke, smoking, alcohol consumption, previous history of stroke, education level, SSA scale score, NIHSS scale score, body mass index (BMI), body temperature, and infection were adjusted in the model. Nutritional status as classified by NRS-2002 and SGA was significantly correlated with prognosis (P < .001). The prognosis of stroke patients with dysphagia was associated with nutritional status by unconditional logistic regression. Conclusion: The prognosis of stroke patients with dysphagia is related to their nutritional status. A better nutritional status indicates the better prognosis, and vice versa. In clinical treatment, attention should be paid to use of a nutritional intervention.

Detection of coronavirus in environmental surveillance and risk monitoring for pandemic control.

The novel human infectious coronaviruses (CoVs) responsible for severe respiratory syndromes have raised concerns owing to the global public health emergencies they have caused repeatedly over the past two decades. However, the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic induced by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has received unprecedented attention internationally. Monitoring pathogenic CoVs in environmental compartments has been proposed as a promising strategy in preventing the environmental spread and tracing of infectious diseases, but a lack of reliable and efficient detection techniques is still a significant challenge. Moreover, the lack of information regarding the monitoring methodology may pose a barrier to primary researchers. Here, we provide a systematic introduction focused on the detection of CoVs in various environmental matrices, comprehensively involving methods and techniques of sampling, pretreatment, and analysis. Furthermore, the review addresses the challenges and potential improvements in virus detection techniques for environmental surveillance.

Implementation and Challenges of Online Education during the COVID-19 Outbreak: A National Survey of Children and Parents in China.

This study aims to explore the implementation and challenges of China's national online education strategy - "Suspending Classes Without Stopping Learning" (SCWSL) - during the COVID-19 pandemic from the perspective of children and their parents. Altogether 28,334 children (aged 6-8 years) and their parents were randomly sampled from nine cities in five provinces of China, and a mixed-method design involving a questionnaire and interviews was used. The results indicated that: (1) most children had participated in online education characterized by wide-ranging content, teacher-led interaction, and rich learning platforms; (2) online education had an effect on children's physical and mental health; (3) parent pressure was at a medium to high level due to online education; and (4) parents perceived that offline education was more effective than online education, and this perception varied significantly between geographical regions, living areas, and school types. These findings reveal that the sudden implementation of nationwide online education created many challenges, and also provided practical implications for countries carrying out online education in the post-pandemic era.

Development of a novel ssDNA aptamer targeting cardiac troponin I and its clinical applications.

Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) is a specific biomarker of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, cTnI detection kits prepared with antibodies have many defects. Nucleic acid aptamers are sequences of single-strand DNA or RNA that can overcome the deficiency of antibodies. Herein, sandwich ELONA methods were established based on aptamers. Two selected ssDNA aptamers (Apt3 and Apt6) showed high binding affinity and sensibility (Apt3: Kd = 1.01 ± 0.07 nM, Apt6: k = 0.68 ± 0.05) and did not bind to the same domain of cTnI. Therefore, these two aptamers can be applied to the ELONA methods. The detection range of cTnI using the dual-aptamer sandwich ELONA method was 0.05-200 ng/mL, and the bioanalytical method verification results can meet the national standard of Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2020 Edition). There was no difference between results of the dual-aptamer sandwich ELONA method and the diagnostic results of serum obtained from 243 people (P = 0.39, P ˃ 0.05). The sensitivity and specificity of the ELONA with cTnI in serum were 96.46% and 93.85%, respectively. Compared with the FICA kit, which is clinically used, the consequences of ELONA method are closer to the diagnostic results. This study suggests that the aptamers Apt3 and Apt6 have high affinity and strong specificity and that the dual-aptamer sandwich ELONA method has a wide detection range and can be used to determine cTnI in serum, with potential applications in the diagnosis of AMIs.

Triclosan and Female Reproductive Health: A Preconceptional Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Triclosan (2,4,4'-trichloro-2'-hydroxy-diphenyl ether) is widely used in personal care and household products. Previous in vitro and in vivo studies showed that triclosan may affect female reproductive health. However, evidence from human studies is scarce. OBJECTIVES: To assess the potential effects of triclosan on women's reproductive health. METHODS: A prospective cohort study recruited 1,182 couples who planned to conceive and presented to preconception care clinics for physical examination in Shanghai, China, between 2013 and 2015. These couples were then prospectively followed every 2 months for 12 months. Triclosan was quantified in preconception urine samples at enrollment. The outcomes of interest included menstruation and fecundity. Normal menstruation was defined as a woman who had normal cycle duration between 21 and 35 days, duration of menstrual bleeding between 3 and 7 days, and self-reported normal amount of menstrual bleeding. RESULTS: A total of 698 women were included in the analysis on the association between triclosan and menstruation. Compared with low triclosan levels, high triclosan levels were associated with increased risks of abnormal menstruation [adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 1.47; 95% confidence interval = 1.05, 2.06] and prolonged menstrual cycle (OR = 2.08; 95% confidence interval = 1.00, 2.31). In the analysis on the association between triclosan and fecundability, 648 women were included. Compared with the lowest tertile of triclosan level (<1.1 ng/mL), the highest level (>4.5 ng/mL) was associated with a 23% of reduction in fecundability and there tended to be a dose-response pattern. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that triclosan may affect menstruation and reduce female fecundity.

Nanoscale cationic micelles of amphiphilic copolymers based on star-shaped PLGA and PEI cross-linked PEG for protein delivery application.

To enhance the bioavailability of protein therapeutants and improve the stability of storage and delivery, a series of branched amphiphilic block copolymers consisting of cholic acid (CA) initiated poly(D,L-lactide-co-glycolide) (CA-PLGA) and water-soluble polyethyleneimine cross-linked polyethylene glycol (PEI-PEG) denoted as CA-PLGA-b-(PEI-PEG) were synthesized and characterized. CA-PLGA-b-(PEI-PEG) presented low cytotoxicity by MTT and cck-8 assay. The cationic CA-PLGA-b-(PEI-PEG) micelles (diameter about 100 nm and zeta potential 34-61 mV) were prepared through self-assembly method, and complexed with insulin via electrostatic interaction to obtain nanoscale micelle/insulin complexes. The micelle/insulin complexes-loaded CA-PLGA microspheres (MIC-MS, 10.4 ± 3.85 µm) were manufactured by employing a double emulsion (W1/O/W2) method. The in vitro insulin release behavior and in vivo hypoglycaemic effect of MIC-MS on streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats were compared with those of the insulin-loaded CA-PLGA microspheres (INS-MS, 7.8 ± 2.57 µm). The initial burst in vitro release of MIC-MS was markedly lower than that of INS-MS (P < 0.01), and the pharmacological availability of MIC-MS via subcutaneous administration was 148.9% relative to INS-MS. Therefore, the cationic CA-PLGA-b-(PEI-PEG) micelles can effectively increase the bioavailability of insulin in CA-PLGA microspheres and can be considered as a potential protein carrier.

Self-assembly pH-sensitive chitosan/alginate coated polyelectrolyte complexes for oral delivery of insulin.

Polyelectrolyte complexes (PEC) provide new opportunities for controlled release system of drugs, and have potentials to address challenges on the way to effective oral insulin delivery. Here, an innovative pH-sensitive PEC for insulin oral administration was developed, which was formed by self-assembly of two oppositely charged nanoparticles (chitosan-coated nanoparticles and alginate-coated nanoparticles) through electrostatic interaction via optimised double emulsion method. The encapsulation efficiency of insulin-loaded alginate-coated and chitosan-coated nanoparticles were 81.5 ± 7.4% and 55.2 ± 7.0%, respectively, and the particle size of these nanoparticles were in 200-300 nm range. The pH-dependent morphology of PEC was observed by transmission electron microscopy. The PEC exhibited insulin release profile triggered by pH in vitro and was non-cytotoxicity against Caco-2 cell. The insulin-loaded PEC could decrease blood glucose levels effectively and prolong insulin release after oral administration to diabetic rats. The results illustrated that the as-prepared PEC may be employed as a potential oral insulin delivery system.

Development of microbial community-based index of biotic integrity to evaluate the wetland ecosystem health in Suzhou, China.

The development of microbial community-based biological indicators for assessing aquatic ecological status is urgently needed in heavily impaired regions, due to the local extinction of traditional indicator macro-organisms. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a microbial community-based index of biotic integrity (MC-IBI) to assess the health of wetlands in Suzhou, China. High-throughput sequencing was used to obtain information about microbial communities in wetlands and to investigate the health of the wetlands. When constructing the index, we selected what we considered were the most important environmental factors and biological parameters, and identified sensitive and tolerant species. We then used the index to evaluate the health of the inflows and outflows of 15 wetlands in Suzhou. The results showed that, of the 30 samples collected at the 10 impacted inflow sites, 2 were classified as "poor," 5 were "commonly," 18 were sub-healthy, and 5 were healthy; at the restored outflow sites, 24 were "healthy" and 6 were "sub-healthy." The health was worst at the inflows of wetlands that received agricultural effluent, followed by those that received industrial effluent, and was best at those that received urban effluent. The results from our study show that this newly developed MC-IBI gave reasonable evaluations of the health of wetland ecosystems. This application demonstrates that the evaluation system was feasible and we suggest that evaluations that further MC-IBI evaluation approaches should be developed further in the future.

Exercise affects biological characteristics of mesenchymal stromal cells derived from bone marrow and adipose tissue.

Both bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (BMSCs) and adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (ADSCs) are good sources for tissue engineering. To maximize therapeutic efficacy of MSCs, an appropriate source of MSCs should be selected according to their own inherent characteristics for future clinical application. Hence, this study was conducted to compare proliferative, differential and antiapoptosis abilities of both MSCs derived from exercised and sedentary rats under normal and hypoxia/serum deprivation conditions (H/SD). Our results showed that exercise may enhance proliferative ability and decrease adipogenic ability of BMSCs and ADSCs. However, positive effect of exercise on osteogenesis was only observed for BMSCs in either environment. Little effect was observed on the antiapoptotic ability of both MSC types. It was also suggested that biological characteristics of both types were partly changed. It is therefore believed that BMSCs derived from exercised rat on early passage may be a good cell source for bone tissue engineering.