Value of serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor and glial fibrillary acidic protein for detecting depression in patients with Helicobacter pylori infection.

OBJECTIVE: Infection with helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is associated with depression, and depression can affect the outcome of H. pylori treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the value of serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) for predicting depression in H. pylori-positive patients. METHOD: A total of 82H. pylori-positive and 82H. pylori-negative patients were recruited for this study. All patients underwent neuropsychological and gastrointestinal assessments and blood sampling. BDNF and GFAP levels were measured in serum. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) model was used to determine a composite marker. RESULTS: H. pylori-positive patients showed significantly increased serum GFAP levels and significantly decreased serum BDNF levels compared to H. pylori-negative patients. Among H. pylori-positive patients, serum levels of gastrin 17 (G-17), pepsinogen (PG) I/PGII, BDNF, and GFAP, as well as Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS) scores, were significantly correlated with Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD-24) overall scores and factor scores. Interactions between serum BDNF/GFAP and gastrointestinal serum indices or GSRS scores were significantly associated with HAMD-24 scores in H. pylori-positive patients. The LASSO model indicated that the combination of serum BDNF, GFAP, and G-17 and GSRS scores could identify H. pylori-positive patients with depression with an area under the curve of 0.879. CONCLUSION: Circulating changes in BDNF and GFAP were associated with the occurrence of depression in H. pylori-positive patients. A composite marker including neural and gastrointestinal function-related indices may be of value for identifying depression among H. pylori-positive patients.

A novel peptide PDHK1-241aa encoded by circPDHK1 promotes ccRCC progression via interacting with PPP1CA to inhibit AKT dephosphorylation and activate the AKT-mTOR signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most prevalent kidney cancer with high aggressive phenotype and poor prognosis. Accumulating evidence suggests that circRNAs have been identified as pivotal mediators in cancers. However, the role of circRNAs in ccRCC progression remains elusive. METHODS: The differentially expressed circRNAs in 4 paired human ccRCC and adjacent noncancerous tissues ccRCC were screened using circRNA microarrays and the candidate target was selected based on circRNA expression level using weighted gene correlation network analysis (WGCNA) and the gene expression omnibus (GEO) database. CircPDHK1 expression in ccRCC and adjacent noncancerous tissues (n = 148) were evaluated along with clinically relevant information. RT-qPCR, RNase R digestion, and actinomycin D (ActD) stability test were conducted to identify the characteristics of circPDHK1. The subcellular distribution of circPDHK1 was analyzed by subcellular fractionation assay and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry (IP-MS) and immunofluorescence (IF) were employed to evaluate the protein-coding ability of circPDHK1. ccRCC cells were transfected with siRNAs, plasmids or lentivirus approach, and cell proliferation, migration and invasion, as well as tumorigenesis and metastasis in nude mice were assessed to clarify the functional roles of circPDHK1 and its encoded peptide PDHK1-241aa. RNA-sequencing, western blot analysis, immunoprecipitation (IP) and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays were further employed to identify the underlying mechanisms regulated by PDHK1-241aa. RESULTS: CircPDHK1 was upregulated in ccRCC tissues and closely related to WHO/ISUP stage, T stage, distant metastasis, VHL mutation and Ki-67 levels. CircPDHK1 had a functional internal ribosome entry site (IRES) and encoded a novel peptide PDHK1-241aa. Functionally, we confirmed that PDHK1-241aa and not the circPDHK1 promoted the proliferation, migration and invasion of ccRCC. Mechanistically, circPDHK1 was activated by HIF-2A at the transcriptional level. PDHK1-241aa was upregulated and interacted with PPP1CA, causing the relocation of PPP1CA to the nucleus. This thereby inhibited AKT dephosphorylation and activated the AKT-mTOR signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicated that circPDHK1-encoded PDHK1-241aa promotes ccRCC progression by interacting with PPP1CA to inhibit AKT dephosphorylation. This study provides novel insights into the multiplicity of circRNAs and highlights the potential use of circPDHK1 or PDHK1-241aa as a therapeutic target for ccRCC.

Two-dimensional phased array antenna beamforming system based on mode diversity.

In this paper, a two-dimensional phased array antenna beamforming system based on mode diversity is demonstrated for the first time. The system uses few-mode long-period fiber gratings to excite different modes, and utilizes few-mode fiber Bragg gratings and 2 × 2 optical switches to control the propagation paths of optical signals, so as to realize the true time delay control of optical signals of different mode channels and complete the two-dimensional scanning of the beam. In order to prove the feasibility of the two-dimensional phased array antenna beamforming system based on mode diversity, we conduct experimental verification and performance testing of the system using optical switches to select the loop structures composed of the optical circulators. The far-field radiation patterns of 2 × 3 phased array antenna system of different frequencies are tested at different beam pointing angles. The experimental results are compared with the simulation results to demonstrate that the beam pointing angles have no squint. The beamforming system based on mode diversity takes modes as independent channels for the transmission of signals, and excites and processes signals of different modes in a single few-mode fiber core, which effectively reduces the volume and complexity of the optically controlled phased array radar system.

Hydrogen-Bonded Organic Framework-Polyoxometalate-Based System for Electrochromic Devices.

A porous hydrogen-bonded organic framework (HOF) structure was explored for the first time in the design of high-performance electrochromic devices (ECDs) using polyoxometalate (POM)-based charge-balancing layers as counter electrodes (CEs). The novelty of this work lies in the facile construction of films using small molecule-based EC materials to form a porous HOF structure. A full-cell model of an ECD was constructed by utilizing a POM-based CE to optimize the voltage distribution on the HOF-coated working electrode (WE). The addition of PW12O403- (PW12) on CE significantly enhanced the voltage distribution on EC electrodes and decreased the overvoltage on the WE, further preventing the formation of non-EC species and resulting in a 3.3-fold increase in the lifetime of the ECD. The optical contrast was enhanced from 47% (TiO2 only) to 68%, and the coloration efficiency was enhanced from 185 (TiO2 only) to 373 cm2 C-1. The optimized voltage distribution on the WE, leading to the fast response time and high optical EC contrast, could be explained by the charge-balancing effect. Overall, this new finding provides a robust framework for designing high-performance ECDs, taking advantage of the porous morphology and potential matching of the HOF and PW12.

A Novel Clinical Tool to Detect Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

Purpose: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a disease with high morbidity and is associated with adverse health outcomes. Screening potential severe OSA patients will improve the quality of patient management and prognosis, while the accuracy and feasibility of existing screening tools are not so satisfactory. The purpose of this study is to develop and validate a well-feasible clinical predictive model for screening potential severe OSA patients. Patients and Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study including 1920 adults with overnight polysomnography among which 979 cases were diagnosed with severe OSA. Based on demography, symptoms, and hematological data, a multivariate logistic regression model was constructed and cross-validated and then a nomogram was developed to identify severe OSA. Moreover, we compared the performance of our model with the most commonly used screening tool, Stop-Bang Questionnaire (SBQ), among patients who completed the questionnaires. Results: Severe OSA was associated with male, BMI≥ 28 kg/m2, high blood pressure, choke, sleepiness, apnea, white blood cell count ≥9.5×109/L, hemoglobin ≥175g/L, triglycerides ≥1.7 mmol/L. The AUC of the final model was 0.76 (95% CI: 0.74-0.78), with sensitivity and specificity under the optimal threshold selected by maximizing Youden Index of 73% and 66%. Among patients having the information of SBQ, the AUC of our model was statistically significantly greater than that of SBQ (0.78 vs 0.66, P = 0.002). Conclusion: Based on common clinical examination of admission, we develop a novel model and a nomogram for identifying severe OSA from inpatient with suspected OSA, which provides physicians with a visual and easy-to-use tool for screening severe OSA.

PER2/P65-driven glycogen synthase 1 transcription in macrophages modulates gut inflammation and pathogenesis of rectal prolapse.

Rectal prolapse in serious inflammatory bowel disease is caused by abnormal reactions of the intestinal mucosal immune system. The circadian clock has been implicated in immune defense and inflammatory responses, but the mechanisms by which it regulates gut inflammation remain unclear. In this study, we investigate the role of the rhythmic gene Period2 (Per2) in triggering inflammation in the rectum and its contribution to the pathogenesis of rectal prolapse. We report that Per2 deficiency in mice increased susceptibility to intestinal inflammation and resulted in spontaneous rectal prolapse. We further demonstrated that PER2 was essential for the transcription of glycogen synthase 1 by interacting with the NF-κB p65. We show that the inhibition of Per2 reduced the levels of glycogen synthase 1 and glycogen synthesis in macrophages, impairing the capacity of pathogen clearance and disrupting the composition of gut microbes. Taken together, our findings identify a novel role for Per2 in regulating the capacity of pathogen clearance in macrophages and gut inflammation and suggest a potential animal model that more closely resembles human rectal prolapse.

Predicting Drug-Disease Associations Through Similarity Network Fusion and Multi-View Feature Projection Representation.

Predicting drug-disease associations (DDAs) through computational methods has become a prevalent trend in drug development because of their high efficiency and low cost. Existing methods usually focus on constructing heterogeneous networks by collecting multiple data resources to improve prediction ability. However, potential association possibilities of numerous unconfirmed drug-related or disease-related pairs are not sufficiently considered. In this article, we propose a novel computational model to predict new DDAs. First, a heterogeneous network is constructed, including four types of nodes (drugs, targets, cell lines, diseases) and three types of edges (associations, association scores, similarities). Second, an updating and merging-based similarity network fusion method, termed UM-SF, is presented to fuse various similarity networks with diverse weights. Finally, an intermediate layer-mediated multi-view feature projection representation method, termed IM-FP, is proposed to calculate the predicted DDA scores. This method uses multiple association scores to construct multi-view drug features, then projects them into disease space through the intermediate layer, where an intermediate layer similarity constraint is designed to learn the projection matrices. Results of comparative experiments reveal the effectiveness of our innovations. Comparisons with other state-of-the-art models by the 10-fold cross-validation experiment indicate our model's advantage on AUROC and AUPR metrics. Moreover, our proposed model successfully predicted 107 novel high-ranked DDAs.

Suitable endometrial thickness on embryo transfer day may reduce ectopic pregnancy rate and improve clinical pregnancy rate.

BACKGROUND: This retrospective study aimed to investigate the most suitable endometrial thickness (EMT) on the day of embryo transfer that could reduce ectopic pregnancy rate (EPR) and improve clinical pregnancy rate (CPR) in fresh embryo transfer patients with early follicular phase long-acting regimen. METHODS: A total of 11,738 IVF/ICSI cycles, comprising 4,489 non-clinical pregnancies, 7,121 intrauterine pregnancies, and 128 ectopic pregnancy cycles after fresh embryo transfer, recorded between September 2017 and December 2020. Clinical pregnancy (CP) and ectopic pregnancy (EP) were the primary outcomes. Multivariate logistic regression was used to calculate the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for EP and CP. Patients were divided into three groups based on the EMT (6-10 mm, 11-15 mm, and 16-20 mm). CPR and EPR per millimeter of EMT were drawn into a line chart, and three groups were analyzed by Chi-square test. RESULTS: After controlling for potential confounders, EMT had a significant effect on CP (aOR = 1.07; 95% CI, 1.05-1.08; P = 0.00) and EP (aOR = 0.88; 95% CI, 0.82-0.94; P = 0.00). With the increase of EMT, CPR increased and EPR decreased. Pearson correlation coefficients were r = 0.708 (P = 0.00) and r =-0.558 (P = 0.03), respectively. Significant differenceswere detected in the CPRs and EPRs (all P = 0.00). The CPR in the 6-10 mm group (54.88%) was significantly lower than that in the 11-15 mm group (64.23%) and the 16-20 mm group (64.40%) (P = 0.00). The EPR in the 6-10 mm group (2.72%) was significantly higher than that in the other two groups (1.60% and 0.97%, P = 0.00). The difference in CPR and EPR between the 11-15 mm group and the 16-20 mm group was not statistically significant, which indicated that EMT ≥ 11 mm simultaneously reduced the EPR and increased the CPR. CONCLUSIONS: EMT was inversely proportional to EPR and directly proportional to CPR in fresh embryo transfer cycles. The EMT ≥ 11 mm on the day of embryo transfer could simultaneously achieve lower EPR and higher CPR. Accordingly, more attention should be given to the EMT of women who underwent ART treatment.

Meta-Structure Hull Design with Periodic Layered Phononic Crystals Theory for Wide-Band Low-Frequency Sound Insolation.

The hulls of marine vehicles are generally very effective at attenuating airborne acoustic noise generated by their powertrains. However, conventional hull designs are generally not very effective at attenuating wide-band low-frequency noise. Meta-structure concepts offer an opportunity for the design of laminated hull structures tailored to address this concern. This research proposes a novel meta-structure laminar hull concept using periodic layered Phononic crystals to optimize the sound insolation performance on the air-solid side of the hull structure. The acoustic transmission performance is evaluated using the transfer matrix, the acoustic transmittance, and the tunneling frequencies. The theoretical and numerical models for a proposed thin solid-air sandwiched meta-structure hull indicate ultra-low transmission within a 50-to-800 Hz frequency band and with two predicted sharp tunneling peaks. The corresponding 3D-printed sample experimentally validates the tunneling peaks at 189 Hz and 538 Hz, with 0.38 and 0.56 transmission magnitudes, respectively, with the frequency band between those values showing wide-band mitigation. The simplicity of this meta-structure design provides a convenient way to achieve acoustic band filtering of low frequencies for marine engineering equipment and, accordingly, an effective technique for low-frequency acoustic mitigation.

ATP-induced hypothermia improves burn injury and relieves burn pain in mice.

Thermal burn injury is a severe and life-threatening form of trauma that presents a significant challenge to clinical therapy. Therapeutic hypothermia has been shown to be beneficial in various human pathologies. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) induces a hypothermic state that resembles hibernation-like suspended animation in mammals. This study investigates the potential protective role of ATP-induced hypothermia in thermal burn injury. Male C57BL/6 mice underwent a sham procedure or third-degree burn, and ATP-induced hypothermia was applied immediately or 1 h after burn injury. Our results show that ATP-induced hypothermia significantly improved burn depth progression and reduced collagen degradation. Moreover, hypothermia induced by ATP alleviated burn-induced hyperinflammatory responses and oxidative stress. Metabolomic profiling revealed that ATP-induced hypothermia reversed the shifts of metabolic profiles of the skin in burn mice. In addition, ATP-induced hypothermia relieved nociceptive and inflammatory pain, as observed in the antinociceptive test. Our findings suggest that ATP-induced hypothermia attenuates burn injury and provides new insights into first-aid therapy after thermal burn injury.

Green Synthesis of MOF-801(Zr/Ce/Hf) for CO2/N2 and CO2/CH4 Separation.

The purification of natural gas and the removal of carbon dioxide from flue gases are crucial to economize precious resources and effectively relieve a series of environmental problems caused by global warming. Metal-organic framework (MOF) materials have demonstrated remarkable performance and benefits in the area of gas separation; however, obtaining materials with high gas capacity and selectivity simultaneously remains difficult. In addition, harsh synthesis conditions and solvent toxicity have been restricted in large-scale production and industrial application. Therefore, MOF-801(Zr/Ce/Hf) was created based on the green synthesis of the MOF-801 construction unit by altering the kinds of metal salts, and the impact of three metal nodes on the performance of gas adsorption and separation was demonstrated by contrasting the three MOFs. The results showed that MOF-801(Ce) has the best CO2 adsorption capacity (3.3 mmol/g at 298 K), which also was demonstrated with in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) results, CO2/CH4 (ideal adsorbed solution theory (IAST) = 13.28 at 298 K, 1 bar, CO2/CH4 = 1:1, v/v), and the separation performance of CO2/N2 (IAST = 57.46 at 298 K, 1 bar, CO2/N2 = 1:1, v/v) among the group. Green synthesis of MOF-801(Zr/Ce/Hf) is an ideal candidate for flue gas separation and methane purification because of its high regeneration capacity and strong cyclic stability.

Evolutionary game study on multi-agent value co-creation of service-oriented digital transformation in the construction industry.

The service-oriented digital transformation of the construction industry is a development trend of cross-border industrial integration and transformation and upgrading in the digital economy environment, and collaborative value creation among stakeholders is seen as a strategic imperative to promote this process. This study aims to achieve efficient collaborative value co-creation and accelerate the digital transformation process of the construction industry by exploring the collaborative strategies and evolution laws of value co-creators in the digital service ecosystem of the construction industry. Based on evolutionary game theory and methods, this paper analyzes the evolutionary stability strategies and conditions of each participant in the service-oriented value chain at different stages of the digital transformation of the construction industry. It is found that with the improvement of the level of digitalization, the degree of cooperation among game players continues to increase until a stable state of full cooperation is achieved. The initial willingness of the game players to cooperate accelerates the speed of the system's evolution to the stable state of full cooperation in the middle stage of digital transformation. Additionally, the improvement of the construction process digitalization level can subvert the evolution result of full non-coordination caused by a low initial willingness to cooperate. The research conclusions and corresponding countermeasures and suggestions can provide a strategic reference for the service-oriented digital transformation of the construction industry.

LncRNA DANCR deficiency promotes high glucose-induced endothelial to mesenchymal transition in cardiac microvascular cells via the FoxO1/DDAH1/ADMA signaling pathway.

Cardiac fibrosis is the main pathological basis of diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM), and endothelial-to-meschenymal transition (EndMT) is a key driver to cardiac fibrosis and plays an important role in the pathogenesis of DCM. Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), a crucial pathologic factor in diabetes mellitus, is involved in organ fibrosis. This study aims to evaluate underlying mechanisms of ADMA in DCM especially for EndMT under diabetic conditions. A diabetic rat model was induced by streptozotocin (STZ) injection, and human cardiac microvascular endothelial cells (HCMECs) were stimulated with high glucose to induce EndMT. Subsequently, the role of ADMA in EndMT was detected either by exogenous ADMA or by over-expressing dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase 1 (DDAH1, degradation enzyme for ADMA) before high glucose stimulation. Furthermore, the relationships among forkhead box protein O1 (FoxO1), DDAH1 and ADMA were evaluated by FoxO1 over-expression or FoxO1 siRNA. Finally, we examined the roles of LncRNA DANCR in FoxO1/DDAH1/ADMA pathway and EndMT of HCMECs. Here, we found that EndMT in HCMECs was induced by high glucose, as evidenced by down-regulated expression of CD31 and up-regulated expression of FSP-1 and collagen Ⅰ. Importantly, ADMA induced EndMT in HCMECs, and over-expressing DDAH1 protected from developing EndMT by high glucose. Furthermore, we demonstrated that over-expression of FoxO1-ADA with mutant phosphorylation sites of T24A, S256D, and S316A induced EndMT of HCMECs by down-regulating of DDAH1 and elevating ADMA, and that EndMT of HCMECs induced by high glucose was reversed by FoxO1 siRNA. We also found that LncRNA DANCR siRNA induced EndMT of HCMECs, activated FoxO1, and inhibited DDAH1 expression. Moreover, over-expression of LncRNA DANCR could markedly attenuated high glucose-mediated EndMT of HCMECs by inhibiting the activation of FoxO1 and increasing the expression of DDAH1. Collectively, our results indicate that LncRNA DANCR deficiency promotes high glucose-induced EndMT in HCMECs by regulating FoxO1/DDAH1/ADMA pathway.

Prediction of recurrence of early gastric carcinoma after endoscopic submucosal dissection.

Background: The aim of this retrospective study was to predict the post-endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) recurrence risk of early gastric carcinoma (EGC) using a nomogram model, and to provide valuable evidence for preventing the recurrence. Methods: The patients with EGC receiving ESD between March 2010 and February 2018 were enrolled. They were followed up once every three months after ESD. At the end of follow-up, they were assigned into recurrence and non-recurrence groups. The independent risk factors for post-ESD recurrence were identified using Cox regression analysis. A nomogram prediction model was established, and its predictive efficiency was assessed by plotting receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Results: Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection, number of positive lymph nodes >3 and a large amount of intraoperative hemorrhage were risk factors for post-ESD recurrence. According to multivariate Cox regression analysis, HP infection and number of positive lymph nodes >3 were independent predictors. The nomogram model had a good fitting effect, and the area under ROC curve was 0.933 (95% confidence interval: 0.919-0.947), suggesting a high predictive efficiency. Conclusion: Positive lymph nodes and HP infection are closely correlated with the recurrence risk after ESD in EGC patients. The established model is a quantitative tool for predicting recurrence to improve the prognosis.

Analysis of passenger's injuries caused by sidewall impact during train-overturn derailments.

The contact between passenger and the vehicle interior especially sidewall in train overturn derailment accident cause extremely serious injuries to passenger. It is regrettable that there are few relevant studies that account for overturning accidents and passenger injuries. In this study, the impact responses subject to sidewall and passenger injuries during train-overturn derailments are investigated. First, a theoretical model and a practical accident are used to validate the overturning multi-body dynamic model of an 8-car Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) coupled with a passenger. And then, the passenger's kinematic responses of baseline models with tray tables put back and put down are studied. The results of simulation cases with different train speeds (V), friction coefficients, chair distances (D), and passenger positions (P) show that V and D have a positive impact on passenger injuries. While the friction coefficient has an overall negative influence on the passenger's injuries, there are some irregular fluctuations. Generally, the sitting position farther away from the sidewall tends to be more dangerous for passengers. And the tray table plays an important role in protecting passengers under the same conditions. This study provides referential value for the study of train overturning accidents and guidance for the protection of passengers.

Characterization and bioactivity analysis of a heteropolysaccharide purified from Paenibacillus edaphicus strain UJ1.

Many polysaccharides produced by Paenibacillus spp. have attractive properties, such as rheological modification and immunomodulation. However, properties of P. edaphicus polysaccharides are not understood sufficiently. Here, the polysaccharide (PUM) was obtained from P. edaphicus strain UJ1 by batch fermentation, and the chemical characteristics, rheological and anti-inflammatory properties of PUM and its sulfate derivative (PUM-S) were investigated. The results indicated that PUM was a typical shear-thinning biopolymer with an estimated weight average molecular weight of 2.45 × 107 Da. PUM molecule consisted of D-Man, D-GlcA, D-Glc, D-Gal, and L-Fuc with the molar ratio of 3.00:1.07:3.21:0.81:0.76. It had the backbone â†’ 3)-ß-D-Man-(1 â†’ 3)-ß-D-Glc-(1 â†’ 3)-ß-D-Man-(1 â†’ 3)ß-D-Glc-(1 â†’ 4)-ß-D-GlcA-(1 â†’ 3)-ß-D-Man-(1 â†’ and two side chains, namely, pyruvoyl-Glc-(1→ and ß-L-Fuc-(1 â†’ 3)-ß-D-Gal-(1→. Moreover, PUM-S was prepared by SO3-pyridine method and had the weight average molecular weight of 1.42 × 105 Da. The bioactivity of PUM and PUM-S was analyzed in vitro in RAW 264.7 cells. The results indicated that both PUM and PUM-S facilitated cell proliferation at 50-500 µg/mL. Besides, PUM-S showed potential anti-inflammatory effect in the LPS-induced cells. According to transcription and molecular dynamics analyses, PUM-S expressed its activity probably by interacting with the Toll-like receptor 4. In general, P. edaphicus produced a polysaccharide with new chemical structure and promising rheological and bioactive properties.

The structure and flocculation characteristics of a novel exopolysaccharide from a Paenibacillus isolate.

Bioflocculants like polysaccharides are excellent alternatives to harmful synthetic flocculants and usability under stricter levels of ecosystem protection. In this study, an exopolysaccharide producing strain Paenibacillus sp. M21629 was isolated. The exopolysaccharide was abundant in carboxylic groups and named floccuronic acid with a high weight average molecular weight of 2.38 × 108 Da. The hexasaccharide repeating units of floccuronic acid were →3)-α-D-Manp-(1 â†’ 3)-4-Suc-ß-D-Manp-(1 â†’ 3)-ß-D-Glcp-(1 â†’ 4)-ß-D-GlcpA-(1 â†’ 4)[4,6-Pyr-ß-D-Galp-(1 â†’ 3)]-ß-D-Galp-(1→. The floccuronic acid at 0.5-1 ppm showed high turbidity removal efficiency in kaolin suspension (99.8%), coal wastewater (98.8%), and high-turbidity drinking water (89.2%). The flocculation ability of floccuronic acid depended on the instability of solid particles. Owing to these encouraging results, floccuronic acid is expected to be a useful bioflocculant applied in wastewater treatment and the utilization of water resources.

Riclin-Capped Silver Nanoparticles as an Antibacterial and Anti-Inflammatory Wound Dressing.

Purpose: In order to overcome the inflammatory response to bacterial infection during wound healing, we have fabricated an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory wound dressing based on polysaccharide riclin and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). Methods: The riclin-AgNPs nanocomposite was developed by borohydride method and was characterized by UV-Vis, TEM, XRD, Zeta potential, DLS. In vitro, we assessed the cumulative release, antibacterial activities and cytotoxicity. In vivo, we examined the wound healing in mice wound infection experiment and inflammatory mediators using histological observations and gene expression analysis. Results: The riclin/AgNPs nanocomposite hydrogel exhibited nanosized orbicular particles with high purity and stability. In vitro, the riclin/AgNPs showed sustained release of AgNPs, effective suppression in pathogen growth and negligible toxicity toward mammalian fibroblasts and macrophage cells. In vivo, the riclin/AgNPs treatment leads to faster and smoother growth of fresh skin with suppressed expression of inflammatory mediators. Conclusion: The reported Riclin-AgNPs nanocomposite hydrogel showed both antibacterial and anti-inflammatory functions, which induce significantly accelerated wound healing, indicating great potential as a novel attractive wound dressing material.

Abnormal BMI in Male and/or Female Partners Are Deleterious for Embryonic Development and Pregnancy Outcome During ART Process: A Retrospective Study.

Objective: To investigate the effect of BMI in male and/or female partners on embryo development and clinical pregnancy outcome during ART. Methods: Data of 11,130 cycles between January 2018 and December 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. They were divided into Group A, B, C, and D based on couples' BMI values, also were divided into Group I, II, III and IV in IVF cycles and Group i, ii, iii, and iv in ICSI cycles. After grouping, inter-group indicators comparisons and logistic regression analysis were performed. Results: In IVF cycles, CPR in Group I and Group III were higher than Group IV. In Group III, it was higher than Group II. The AR in Group IV was higher, but the LBR was lower than Group I, Group II, and Group III. Logistic regression analysis results suggested that AR in Group IV was higher than that in Group I in IVF cycles, whereas LBR was lower.In ICSI cycles, high-quality embryo rate in Group i and Group ii were both higher than that in Group iii and Group iv. The CPR in Group i was higher than Group ii and Group iv, and in Group iii was higher than Group ii and Group iv. The AR in Group i was lower than Group iii and Group iv, and AR in Group ii was lower than Group iv. LBR, in Group I it was higher than Group ii, Group iii, and Group iv. Logistic regression analysis results suggested CPR in Group ii was significantly lower than that in Group i. AR in Group iii was considerably higher than that in Group i. LBR in Group ii and Group iv were significantly lower than that in Group i. Conclusion: Female higher BMI was not conducive to the formation of high-quality embryos in ICSI cycle. Female and/or male BMI affected AR and LBR more than CPR not only in IVF cycles, but also in ICSI cycles.