Inhibition of mitochondrial citrate shuttle alleviates metabolic syndromes induced by high-fat diet.

The mitochondrial citrate shuttle, which relies on the solute carrier family 25 member 1 (SLC25A1), plays a pivotal role in transporting citrate from the mitochondria to the cytoplasm. This shuttle supports glycolysis, lipid biosynthesis, and protein acetylation. Previous research has primarily focused on Slc25a1 in pathological models, particularly high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity. However, the impact of Slc25a1 inhibition on nutrient metabolism under HFD remains unclear. To address this gap, we used zebrafish (Danio rerio) and Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) to evaluate the effects of inhibiting Slc25a1. In zebrafish, we administered Slc25a1-specific inhibitors (CTPI-2) for four weeks, while Nile tilapia received intraperitoneal injections of dsRNA to knockdown slc25a1b for seven days. Inhibition of the mitochondrial citrate shuttle effectively protected zebrafish from HFD-induced obesity, hepatic steatosis, and insulin resistance. Notably, glucose tolerance was unaffected. Inhibition of Slc25a1 altered hepatic protein acetylation patterns, with decreased cytoplasmic acetylation and increased mitochondrial acetylation. Under HFD conditions, Slc25a1 inhibition promoted fatty acid oxidation and reduced hepatic triglyceride accumulation by deacetylating Cpt1a. Additionally, Slc25a1 inhibition triggered acetylation-induced inactivation of Pdhe1α, leading to a reduction in glucose oxidative catabolism. This was accompanied by enhanced glucose uptake and storage in zebrafish livers. Furthermore, Slc25a1 inhibition under HFD conditions activated the SIRT1/PGC1α pathway, promoting mitochondrial proliferation and enhancing oxidative phosphorylation for energy production. Our findings provide new insights into the role of non-histone protein acetylation via the mitochondrial citrate shuttle in the development of hepatic lipid deposition and hyperglycemia caused by HFD.

Parameterized Multipartite Entanglement and Genuine Entanglement Measures Based on q-Concurrence.

We study genuine multipartite entanglement (GME) and multipartite k-entanglement based on q-concurrence. Well-defined parameterized GME measures and measures of multipartite k-entanglement are presented for arbitrary dimensional n-partite quantum systems. Our GME measures show that the GHZ state is more entangled than the W state. Moreover, our measures are shown to be inequivalent to the existing measures according to entanglement ordering. Detailed examples show that our measures characterize the multipartite entanglement finer than some existing measures, in the sense that our measures identify the difference of two different states while the latter fail.

Obstetric outcomes of women vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine (≥1 dose): A single-center retrospective cohort study of pregnant Chinese women.

In the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the quickly developed COVID-19 vaccine may cause various adverse reactions, especially in special groups, such as pregnant women. However, many pregnant women have concerns regarding vaccination in terms of safety for themselves and their neonates. Therefore, we studied the obstetric outcomes of pregnant women in Zunyi, China. In this retrospective study, we examined differences between pregnant women who were vaccinated and pregnant women who were not vaccinated/vaccinated at the end of pregnancy. In addition, we collected and retrieved the literature related to the COVID-19 vaccine and pregnancy outcomes from PubMed. Among concluded women, 369 were included in the study group and 231 were included in the control group. There were no differences in the baseline characteristics, labor rate, or rates of poor pregnancy outcomes between the 2 groups. Based on the adverse reaction and obstetric outcome data of pregnant women who received the COVID-19 vaccine in China, the vaccine does not raise any safety concerns. This result is the same as that of other countries we summarized. The COVID-19 vaccine has no effect on pregnancy outcomes.

CircATF6 inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma progression by suppressing calreticulin-mediated Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are covalently closed, single-stranded RNAs that play critical roles in various biological processes and diseases, including cancers. However, the functions and mechanisms of circRNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) need further clarification. Here, we identified and confirmed that circATF6 is downregulated in HCC tissues and negatively associated with the overall survival of HCC patients. Ectopic overexpression of circATF6 inhibits malignant phenotypes of HCC cells in vitro and in vivo, while knockdown of circATF6 had opposite effects. Mechanistically, we found that circATF6 bound to calreticulin (CALR) protein and acted as a scaffold to enhance the interaction of CALR with calpain2 (CAPN2), which promoted the degradation of CALR by its enzymatic activity. Moreover, we found that circATF6 inhibited HCC cells by suppressing CALR-mediated wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway. Taken together, our findings suggest that circATF6 is a potential prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target for HCC.

Diagnostic performance of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid for pulmonary tuberculosis in HIV-infected patients.

Introduction: Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) remains a significant health concern, particularly in individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) who are more susceptible to developing active TB disease. Early and accurate diagnosis of TB is crucial for effective treatment and prevention of transmission. This study aims to evaluate the potential of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS) analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) for diagnosis of suspected PTB in HIV-infected patients. Methods: This retrospective study recruited 60 HIV-infected patients with suspected PTB presenting with respiratory symptoms and abnormal chest radiographs between January 2022 and June 2023. BALF samples were collected and subjected to analysis using MALDI-TOF MS, GeneXpert, acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear and culture. And their diagnostic performance was compared. Results: The sensitivity of MALDI⁃TOFMS for diagnosing PTB was 83.3 %, which was better than that of smear 11.9 %, culture 40.5 % or Xpert38.1 % (all p < 0.01). The area under the curve (AUC) value of MALDI⁃TOFMS was 0.889, which was better than that of smear 0.532, culture 0.675 or Xpert 0.690 (all p < 0.01). The katG315 and rpoB-RRDR 511 mutations were detected by the MALDI⁃TOFMS in two patients. Conclusion: Nucleotide MALDI-TOFMS has a good clinical performance for rapid diagnosis of PTB from BALF samples in HIV infected patients, and detects mutations of TB simultaneously.

Simultaneous detection of five mycotoxins in traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) by visual protein microarray.

The pollution of mycotoxins to crops such as traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) is an established problem throughout the world. Thus, mycotoxin determination in TCMs during production and processing is significantly necessary, which means rapid, sensitive and accurate analytical methods are needed. In this work, a new method of visual protein microarray based on a 96-well microtiter plate was proposed. Combined with a colorimetric method, five mycotoxins (ochratoxin A, zearalenone, deoxynivalenol, aflatoxin B1 and fumonisin B1) in 90 samples (TCMs) could be detected simultaneously within 30 minutes. The detection limits for the five mycotoxins are 0.25 µg/kg, 0.33 µg/kg, 11.84 µg/kg, 0.06 µg/kg, and 3.58 µg/kg, which can satisfy specified requirements of mycotoxins in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2020 edition) adequately. Under repeated conditions, experiments were carried out on actual samples to verify the feasibility of the method. The results showed that the recoveries of all analytes were between 70 % and 120 %, and the relative standard deviations were less than 15 %. In comparison to LC-MS/MS, this method significantly reduces the required time, and the colorimetric technique offers more direct results compared to fluorescence-based screening assays. This method exhibits substantial potential for the rapid and sensitive on-site detection of TCMs for quality control.

Rotating magnetic field inhibits Aß protein aggregation and alleviates cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's disease mice.

Amyloid beta (Aß) monomers aggregate to form fibrils and amyloid plaques, which are critical mechanisms in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Given the important role of Aß1-42 aggregation in plaque formation, leading to brain lesions and cognitive impairment, numerous studies have aimed to reduce Aß aggregation and slow AD progression. The diphenylalanine (FF) sequence is critical for amyloid aggregation, and magnetic fields can affect peptide alignment due to the diamagnetic anisotropy of aromatic rings. In this study, we examined the effects of a moderate-intensity rotating magnetic field (RMF) on Aß aggregation and AD pathogenesis. Results indicated that the RMF directly inhibited Aß amyloid fibril formation and reduced Aß-induced cytotoxicity in neural cells in vitro. Using the AD mouse model APP/PS1, RMF restored motor abilities to healthy control levels and significantly alleviated cognitive impairments, including exploration and spatial and non-spatial memory abilities. Tissue examinations demonstrated that RMF reduced amyloid plaque accumulation, attenuated microglial activation, and reduced oxidative stress in the APP/PS1 mouse brain. These findings suggest that RMF holds considerable potential as a non-invasive, high-penetration physical approach for AD treatment.

[Identification and functional characterization of candidate genes involved in biosynthesis of ginsenoside Rg_1].

Panax ginseng is a perennial herb with the main active compounds of ginsenosides. Among the reported ginsenosides, ginsenoside Rg_1 not only has a wide range of medicinal functions and abundant content but also is one of the major ginsenoside for the quality evaluation of this herb in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. The main biosynthesis pathway of ginsenoside Rg_1 in P. ginseng has been clarified, which lays a foundation for the comprehensive and in-depth analysis of the biosynthesis and regulatory mechanism of ginseno-side Rg_1. However, the biosynthesis of ginsenoside Rg_1 is associated with other complex processes involving a variety of regulatory genes and catalyzing enzyme genes, which remain to be studied comprehensively. With the transcriptome data of 344 root samples from 4-year-old P. ginseng plants and their corresponding ginsenoside Rg_1 content obtained in the previous study, this study screened out 217 differentially expressed genes(DEGs) with Rg_1 content changes by DEseq2 analysis in R language. Furthermore, the weighted gene co-expression network analysis(WGCNA) revealed 40 hub genes among the DEGs.Pearsoncorrelation analysis was further perforned to yield 20 candidate genes significantly correlated with ginsenoside Rg_1 content, and these genes were annotated to multiple metabolic processes including primary metabolism and secondary metabolism. Finally, the treatment of P. ginseng adventitious roots with methyl jasmonate indicated that 16 of these genes promoted the biosynthesis of ginsenoside Rg_1 in response to methyl jasmonate induction. Finally, one of the 16 genes was randomly selected to verify the function of the gene by genetic transformation and qRT-PCR and to confirm the rationality of the methodology of this study. The above results lay a foundation for studying the mechanism for regulation on the synthesis of ginsenoside Rg_1 and provide genetic resources for the industrial production of ginsenoside Rg_1.

Target Detection of Diamond Nanostructures Based on Improved YOLOv8 Modeling.

Boron-doped diamond thin films exhibit extensive applications in chemical sensing, in which the performance could be further enhanced by nano-structuring of the surfaces. In order to discover the relationship between diamond nanostructures and properties, this paper is dedicated to deep learning target detection methods. However, great challenges, such as noise, unclear target boundaries, and mutual occlusion between targets, are inevitable during the target detection of nanostructures. To tackle these challenges, DWS-YOLOv8 (DCN + WIoU + SA + YOLOv8n) is introduced to optimize the YOLOv8n model for the detection of diamond nanostructures. A deformable convolutional C2f (DCN_C2f) module is integrated into the backbone network, as is a shuffling attention (SA) mechanism, for adaptively tuning the perceptual field of the network and reducing the effect of noise. Finally, Wise-IoU (WIoU)v3 is utilized as a bounding box regression loss to enhance the model's ability to localize diamond nanostructures. Compared to YOLOv8n, a 9.4% higher detection accuracy is achieved for the present model with reduced computational complexity. Additionally, the enhancement of precision (P), recall (R), mAP@0.5, and mAP@0.5:0.95 is demonstrated, which validates the effectiveness of the present DWS-YOLOv8 method. These methods provide effective support for the subsequent understanding and customization of the properties of surface nanostructures.

Structural characteristics of a polysaccharide from Armillariella tabescens and its protective effect on colitis mice via regulating gut microbiota and intestinal barrier function.

A new polysaccharide fraction (ATP) was obtained from Armillariella tabescens mycelium. Structural analysis suggested that the backbone of ATP was →4)-α-D-Glcp(1 â†’ 2)-α-D-Galp(1 â†’ 2)-α-D-Glcp(1 â†’ 4)-α-D-Glcp(1→, which branched at O-3 of →2)-α-D-Glcp(1 â†’ and terminated with T-α-D-Glcp or T-α-D-Manp. Besides, ATP significantly alleviated ulcerative colitis (UC) symptoms and inhibited the production of pro-inflammation cytokines (IL-1ß, IL-6). Meanwhile, ATP could improve colon tissue damage by elevating the expression of MUC2 and tight junction proteins (ZO-1, occludin and claudin-1) levels and enhance intestinal barrier function through inhibiting the activation of MMP12/MLCK/p-MLC2 signaling pathway. Further studies exhibited that ATP could increase the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria such as f. Muribaculacese, g. Muribaculaceae, and g. Alistips, and decrease the relative abundance of g. Desulfovibrio, g. Colidextribacter, g. Ruminococcaceae and g.Oscillibacter, and regulate the level of short-chain fatty acids. Importantly, FMT intervention with ATP-derived microbiome certified that gut microbiota was involved in the protective effects of ATP on UC. The results indicated that ATP was potential to be further developed into promising therapeutic agent for UC.

A Longitudinal Study on the Relationship Between Family Size and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living: The Masking Effect of Depressive Symptoms.

PURPOSE: According to use and disuse theory, the decreasing size of families in China may have a considerable influence on older adults' health. However, research on the associations among family size, depression, and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) in this population is limited. Thus, the current study examined the role of depression on the impact of family size on IADL and explored the differences between urban and rural areas. METHOD: Mediation analyses were performed with data from 7,290 older adults aged ≥60 years from the Harmonized China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study in 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2018, using stepwise regression and bootstrap methods. RESULTS: Family size had a positive impact on IADL limitations of older adults (0.29, p < 0.01), and the masking effects of depressive symptoms had a partial effect of family size on older adults' IADL. However, these effects only exist in rural areas. CONCLUSION: Providing emotional support through psychological counseling and guiding caregivers to provide moderate care support is crucial, particularly in rural areas, for alleviating depressive symptoms due to changes in family size and maintaining independent living skills among older adults. [Research in Gerontological Nursing, 17(4), 165-175.].

A label-free H1N1 influenza virus immunosensor based on an N-LIG/Au laser induced graphene microelectrode.

A label-free immunosensor based on an N-doped laser direct graphene (N-LIG)/Au electrode was proposed for H1N1 influenza virus detection. By utilizing the instantaneous high temperature of laser irradiation, N atoms are generated by the decomposition of melamine dripped onto the surface of an LIG electrode to obtain N-LIG with higher conductivity. The doping of N atoms provides a large number of active sites for LIG microelectrodes. Combined with the electrodeposition of Au NPs, and covalently crosslinking antibodies, a simple, highly sensitive and stable immunosensing interface is constructed. The proposed H1N1 influenza virus immunosensor has a detection range of 0.01 fg mL-1 to 10 ng mL-1 with a detection limit as low as 0.004 fg mL-1. The constructed sensor has ultra-high sensitivity and good selectivity and can be used for complex biological sample analysis, with potential application prospects in preventing the large-scale spread of influenza. Taking advantage of N-LIG electrode's properties will provide opportunities for developing portable electrochemical biosensors for health and environmental applications.

Phthalate exposure and markers of biological aging: The mediating role of inflammation and moderating role of dietary nutrient intake.

Limited evidence has suggested a relationship between phthalate exposure and biological aging. This study investigated the association between phthalate exposure and biological aging, focusing on the mediating role of inflammation and the interaction with dietary nutrient intake. Data were analyzed from a nationwide cross-sectional survey comprising 12,994 participants aged 18 and above. Eight phthalate metabolites were detected in spot urine samples. Biological aging was assessed using the Klemera-Doubal method-biological age (KDM-BA) acceleration, phenotypic age (PA) acceleration, and homeostatic dysregulation (HD). The systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) evaluated systemic inflammation. The individual and combined associations between phthalate exposure and biological aging were assessed using linear regression, weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression, and quantile g-computation (qgcomp). The participants had a mean age of 47 years, with 50.7 % male and 44.8 % non-Hispanic white. Most phthalate metabolites were positively correlated with KDM-BA acceleration (ß = 0.306-0.584), PA acceleration (ß = 0.081-0.281), and HD (ß = 0.016-0.026). Subgroup analysis indicated that men, older individuals, and non-Hispanic whites are particularly sensitive populations. WQS regression and qgcomp analyses consistently indicated a positive association between mixed phthalate exposure and HD, highlighting MEHHP as the most significant contributing metabolite. Mediation analyses showed inflammation partially mediated the association between phthalate metabolites and biological aging. Significant interactions regarding biological aging were found between specific phthalate metabolites and dietary nutrients (carotenoids, vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, B12, niacin, and selenium) intake. These findings indicated that the association between phthalate exposure and biological aging was mediated by inflammation, with nutrient intake mitigating this effect.

Spectrum and genotype-phenotype relationship of ALPK3 variants in Chinese patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Background: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common inherited cardiac disease, and it has obvious genetic and clinical heterogeneity. Recently, heterozygous ALPK3 truncating variants (ALPK3tv) have been shown to cause HCM. However, the spectrum of ALPK3 variants and their relationships with the clinical characteristics of Chinese patients with HCM remain to be elucidated. Methods and results: Whole-exome sequencing data from 986 patients with HCM and 761 controls without HCM were utilized to analyze ALPK3 variants. Eleven ALPK3tv were detected in 18 patients with HCM (1.8 %), while no such variants were identified in controls. We also detected 21 rare ALPK3 missense variants in 16 patients with HCM (1.6 %) and 8 controls (1.1 %), respectively. ALPK3tv were significantly enriched in patients with HCM (P < 0.001), whereas the prevalence of missense variants was comparable between the HCM and control groups (P = 0.309). Patients with ALPK3tv exhibited a significantly lower left ventricular outflow tract gradient (P = 0.011) and a higher prevalence of apical HCM (27.8 %; P = 0.008). Conclusions: Our study supports that heterozygous ALPK3tv, but not APLK3 missense variants, are a genetic cause of HCM. Patients with HCM carrying ALPK3tv have a greater likelihood of developing apical HCM.

Abatacept for acute graft-versus-host disease prophylaxis after unrelated donor hematopoietic cell transplantation.

Abatacept plus calcineurin inhibitors/methotrexate (CNI/MTX) is the first FDA-approved regimen for acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) prophylaxis during unrelated-donor hematopoietic cell transplantation (URD-HCT). We investigated its impact in URD-HCT patients using Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research data for 7/8-human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-mismatched (MMUD) or 8/8-HLA-matched (MUD) URD-HCT recipients between 2011-2018. Primary outcomes included day-180, 1-year, and 2-year overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) for abatacept+CNI/MTX vs CNI/MTX, CNI/MTX+antithymocyte globulin (ATG), and post-transplant cyclophosphamide-based prophylaxis (PT-Cy); other outcomes included aGVHD, chronic GVHD, non-relapse mortality, and relapse. For 7/8-MMUDs, day-180 OS (primary endpoint supporting FDA approval) was significantly higher for abatacept+CNI/MTX vs CNI/MTX (98%vs75%; p=0.0028). Two-year OS was significantly higher for abatacept+CNI/MTX vs CNI/MTX (83%vs55%; p=0.0036), CNI/MTX+ATG (83%vs46%; p=0.0005) and similar to PT-Cy (80%vs68%; p=0.2325). Two-year RFS was significantly higher for abatacept+CNI/MTX vs CNI/MTX (74%vs49%; p=0.0098) and CNI/MTX+ATG (77%vs35%; p=0.0002), and similar vs PT-Cy (72%vs56%; p=0.1058). For 8/8-MUDs, 2-year OS was similar with abatacept+CNI/MTX vs CNI/MTX (70%vs62%; p=0.2569), CNI/MTX+ATG (75%vs64%; p=0.1048), and PT-Cy (74%vs69%; p=0.5543). Two-year RFS for abatacept+CNI/MTX was numerically higher vs CNI/MTX (63%vs52%; p=0.1497) with an improved hazard ratio (HR: 0.46 [0.25-0.86]), and vs CNI/MTX+ATG (66%vs55%; p=0.1193; HR: 0.39 [0.21-0.73]). Two-year RFS was similar vs PT-Cy (68%vs57%; p=0.2356; HR: 0.54 [0.26-1.11]). For both 7/8-MMUD and 8/8-MUD recipients, abatacept+CNI/MTX prophylaxis improved survival outcomes vs CNI/MTX and CNI/MTX+ATG; outcomes were similar to PT-Cy-based regimens. Abatacept+CNI/MTX has potential to facilitate unrelated donor pool expansion for HCT.

FOXN2, identified as a novel biomarker in serum, modulates the transforming growth factor-beta signaling pathway through its interaction with partitioning defective 6 homolog alpha, contributing to the pathogenesis of gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Dysregulated expression of Forkhead Box N2 (FOXN2) has been detected in various cancer types. However, the underlying mechanisms by which FOXN2 contributes to the onset and progression of gastric cancer (GC) remain largely unexplored. This study aimed to elucidate the potential role of FOXN2 within GC, its downstream molecular mechanisms, and its feasibility as a novel serum biomarker for GC. METHODS: Tissue samples from GC patients and corresponding non-cancerous tissues were collected. Peripheral blood samples were obtained from GC patients and healthy controls. The expression of FOXN2 was determined using quantitative real-time PCR, western blotting, and immunohistochemistry. The expression of FOXN2 in GC cells was modulated by transfection with small interfering RNA (siRNA) or the pcDNA 3.1 expression vector. Cell proliferation was assessed using the Cell Counting Kit-8 and 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine incorporation assays. The migratory and invasive capacities of cells were evaluated by Transwell assays, apoptosis rates were measured by flow cytometry, and the expression of proliferative, apoptotic, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers were assessed by western blot analysis. RESULTS: FOXN2 was found to be overexpressed in the serum, tissues, and cells of GC, correlating with distant metastasis and TNM staging. FOXN2 demonstrated diagnostic value in differentiating GC patients from healthy individuals, with higher levels of FOXN2 being indicative of poorer survival rates. Silencing FOXN2 in vitro inhibited the proliferation, invasion, migration, and EMT of GC cells, while promoting apoptosis. FOXN2 was shown to regulate the transforming growth factor-beta (TGFß) receptor signaling pathway in GC cells via its interaction with Partitioning Defective 6 Homolog Alpha (PARD6A). CONCLUSION: In summary, our data suggest that FOXN2 acts as an oncogenic factor in GC, modulating the TGFß pathway by binding to PARD6A, thereby influencing gastric carcinogenesis. This study underscores the functional significance of FOXN2 as a potential serum biomarker and therapeutic target in GC.

The association between air pollution and obesity: an umbrella review of meta-analyses and systematic reviews.

The objective of this umbrella review was to investigate comprehensive and synthesized evidence of the association between ambient air pollution and obesity based on the current systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Related studies from databases including PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library, published before July 16, 2023, were considered in the analysis. All selected systematic reviews and meta-analyses were included in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. The risk of bias and the methodological quality were evaluated using the AMSTAR 2 tool. The protocol for this umbrella review was documented in PROSPERO with the registration number: CRD42023450191. This umbrella review identified 7 studies, including 5 meta-analyses and 2 systematic reviews, to assess the impacts of air pollutants on obesity. Commonly examined air pollutants included PM1, PM2.5, PM10, NO2, SO2, O3. Most of the included studies presented that air pollution exposure was positively associated with the increased risk of obesity. The impact of air pollution on obesity varied by different ambient air pollutants. This study provided compelling evidence that exposure to air pollution had a positive association with the risk of obesity. These findings further indicate the importance of strengthening air pollution prevention and control. Future studies should elucidate the possible mechanisms and pathways linking air pollution to obesity.

A Bioswitchable MiRNA Delivery System: Tetrahedral Framework DNA-Based miRNA Delivery System for Applications in Wound Healing.

The human body's primary line of defense, the skin, is especially prone to harm. Although microRNA (miRNA)-based therapies have attracted increasing attention for skin wound healing, their applications remain limited owing to a range of issues. Tetrahedral framework DNA (tFNA), a nanomaterial possessing nucleic acid characteristics, exhibits an excellent biocompatibility, in addition to anti-inflammatory and transdermal delivery capabilities, and can accelerate skin wound healing. Due to its potential to exert synergistic action with therapeutic miRNA, tFNA has been considered an ideal vehicle for miRNA therapy. The design and synthesis of a bioswitchable miRNA delivery system (BiRDS) is reported, which contains three miRNAs as well as a nucleic acid core to maximize the loading capacity while preserving the characteristics of tFNA. A high stability, excellent permeability of cells as well as tissues and good biological compatibility are demonstrated. By selectively inhibiting heparin-binding epidermal growth factor (HB-EGF), the BiRDS can inhibit the NF-κB pathway while simultaneously controlling the PTEN/Akt pathway. As a result, the BiRDS helps wound healing go through the inflammation to the proliferative phase. This study demonstrates the advantages of the BiRDS in miRNA-based therapy and provides new research ideas for the treatment of skin-related diseases.

Biochar-bacteria-plant combined potential for remediation of oil-contaminated soil.

Oil pollution is a common type of soil organic pollution that is harmful to the ecosystem. Bioremediation, particularly microbe-assisted phytoremediation of oil-contaminated soil, has become a research hotspot in recent years. In order to explore more appropriate bioremediation strategies for soil oil contamination and the mechanism of remediation, we compared the remediation effects of three plants when applied in combination with a microbial agent and biochar. The combined remediation approach of Tagetes erecta, microbial agent, and biochar exhibited the best plant growth and the highest total petroleum hydrocarbons degradation efficiency (76.60%). In addition, all of the remediation methods provided varying degrees of restoration of carbon and nitrogen contents of soils. High-throughput sequencing found that microbial community diversity and richness were enhanced in most restored soils. Some soil microorganisms associated with oil degradation and plant growth promotion such as Cavicella, C1_B045, Sphingomonas, MND1, Bacillus and Ramlibacter were identified in this study, among which Bacillus was the major component in the microbial agent. Bacillus was positively correlated with all soil remediation indicators tested and was substantially enriched in the rhizosphere of T. erecta. Functional gene prediction of the soil bacterial community based on the KEGG database revealed that pathways of carbohydrate metabolism and amino acid metabolism were up-regulated during remediation of oil-contaminated soils. This study provides a potential method for efficient remediation of oil-contaminated soils and thoroughly examines the biochar-bacteria-plant combined remediation mechanisms of oil-contaminated soil, as well as the combined effects from the perspective of soil bacterial communities.