Antibacterial effect of the metal nanocomposite on Escherichia coli.

Ag nanocomposites (NAs) have been found to induce irreversible harm to pathogenic bacteria, however, NAs tend to aggregate easily when used alone. These nanocomposites also show increased toxicity and their underlying antibacterial mechanism is still unknown. In short, practical applications of NA materials face the following obstacles: elucidating the mechanism of antibacterial action, reducing cytotoxicity to body cells, and enhancing antibacterial activity. This study synthesized a core-shell structured ZnFe2O4 @Cu-ZIF-8 @Ag (FUA) nanocomposite with high antibacterial activity and low cytotoxicity. The nanocomposites achieved a 99.99 % antibacterial rate against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and tetracycline-resistant E. coli (T - E. coli), in under 20 min at 100 µg/mL. The nanocomposites were able to inactivate E. coli due to the gradual release of Cu2+, Zn2+, and Ag+ ions, which synergistically form •OH from FUA in an aerobic environment. The presence of •OH has significant effects on the antibacterial activity. The released metal ions combine with •OH to cause damage to the bacterial cell wall, resulting in the leakage of electrolytes and ions. Moreover, in comparison to NA, the toxicity of FUA is considerably reduced. This study is expected to inspire the development of other silver-based nanocomposite materials for the inactivation of drug-resistant bacteria.

Elements of Post-Transplant Recovery in Lung Transplant Recipients: A Scoping Review.

To clarify and refine the specific elements of post-transplant recovery in lung transplant recipients, we explored the four dimensions of recovery: physiological, psychological, social, and habitual. This study is a scoping review. Two authors conducted a comprehensive electronic literature search to identify studies published from the establishment of the database to August 2022. Deductive coding was utilized to identify and categorize elements using a predefined list of the four components (physiological, psychological, social, and habitual recovery) based on the framework of post-transplant recovery proposed by Lundmark et al. Inductive coding was applied for concepts requiring further classification. The review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews guideline. Systematic searching identified 8,616 potential records, of which 51 studies met the inclusion criteria. Ten subdimensions and their corresponding elements were identified and categorized into four dimensions of recovery following lung transplantation. The subdimensions included physiological recovery (including symptom experience, complications, physical function, and energy reserve), psychological recovery (encompassing affective distress, psychological adaptation, and transition from illness to health), social recovery (involving family adaptation and social adaptation), and habit recovery (focusing on health behavior).

Exploring the Causal Effects of Gut Microbiota on Diabetic Nephropathy: A Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization Study.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, an increasing number of studies have indicated a bidirectional relationship between gut microbiota and the kidneys (the gut-kidney axis). Currently, the potential causal relationship between gut microbiota and diabetic nephropathy remains unclear. This study explores the causal effects of gut microbiota on diabetic nephropathy through Mendelian randomization. METHODS: We carried out a comprehensive Mendelian Randomization (MR) analysis, drawing on the Genome-wide Association Study (GWAS) data for 196 varieties of gut microbiota and diabetic nephropathy. The primary analytical approach employed was the inverse-variance weighted, supplemented by the MR-Egger, weighted median, simple mode, and weighted mode. We rigorously assessed heterogeneity with Cochran's Q test and examined pleiotropy via MREgger intercept and MR-PRESSO tests. To ensure the reliability of our findings, we conducted funnel plots and leave-one-out analysis. RESULTS: Our study indicates a causal relationship between the increased risk of diabetic nephropathy and specific gut microbiota, including the Bacteroidia (P=0.01892; OR=1.593; 95%CI, 1.080-2.350), Bacteroidales (P=0.01892; OR=1.593; 95%CI, 1.080-2.350), and LachnospiraceaeUCG008 (P=0.01350; OR=1.452; 95%CI, 1.080-1.953). Conversely, potential protective factors include the Proteobacteria (P=0.00397; OR=0.528; 95%CI, 0.342-0.815), Gammaproteobacteria (P=0.00965; OR=0.474; 95%CI, 0.270-0.834), Lentisphaeria (P=0.04417; OR=0.756; 95%CI, 0.576-0.993), Victivallales (P=0.04417; OR=0.756; 95%CI, 0.576-0.993), and Dialister (P=0.00118; OR=0.513; 95%CI, 0.343-0.768). CONCLUSION: This study confirms the causal effects of gut microbiota on diabetic nephropathy. Identifying the risk and protective factors within the gut microbiota for diabetic nephropathy offers fresh insights and novel approaches for preventing and treating this condition.

A Review on Traditional Uses, Phytochemistry, Pharmacology and Clinical Application of Tinospora sinensis (Lour.) Merr.

Tinospora sinensis (T. sinensis), whose Tibetan name is "Lezhe", as a traditional medicine, is widely distributed in China, India and Sri Lanka. It is used for the treatment of rheumatic arthralgia, sciatica, lumbar muscle strain and bruises. Research over the previous decades indicated that T. sinensis mainly contains terpenes, lignans, alkaloids, phenol glycosides and other chemical components. A wide range of pharmacologic activities such as anti-inflammatory, analgesic, immunosuppressive, anti-aging, anti-radiation, anti-leishmania and liver protection have been reported. However, the scholar's research on the pharmacodynamic material basis of T. sinensis is relatively weak. Data regarding many aspects such as links between the traditional uses and bioactivities, pharmacokinetics, and quality control standard of active compositions is still limited and need more attention. This review reports a total of 241 compounds, the ethnopharmacology and clinical application of T. sinensis, covering the literature which were searched by multiple databases including Web of Science, PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct, CNKI and other literature sources from 1996 to date, with a view to provide a systematic and insightful reference and lays a foundation and inspiration for the application and further in-depth research of T. sinensis resources.

The potential causal relationship between various lifestyles and depression: a univariable and multivariable Mendelian randomization study.

Background: Previous studies have shown that lifestyle was associated with depression. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine the causality between multiple lifestyles and depression by Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. Methods: The single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of depression, alcoholic drinks per week, sleeplessness or insomnia, body mass index (BMI), mood swings, weekly usage of mobile phone in the last 3 months, beef intake, cooked vegetable intake, and "smoking status: never" were acquired from the Integrative Epidemiology Unit Open genome-wide association study database. Causal effects of eight exposure factors and depression were investigated using MR-Egger, weighted median, inverse variance weighted (IVW), simple mode, and weighted mode, and results were primarily referred to IVW. Subsequently, univariable MR (UVMR) analysis was performed on eight exposure factors and depression, separately. In addition, sensitivity analysis, including heterogeneity test, horizontal pleiotropy, and leave-one-out (LOO) methods, was conducted to evaluate the stability of MR results. Furthermore, multivariable MR (MVMR) analysis was carried out. Results: UVMR analysis revealed that all eight exposure factors were causally associated with depression; alcoholic drinks per week, sleeplessness or insomnia, BMI, mood swings, weekly usage of mobile phone in the last 3 months, and cooked vegetable intake were risk factors, and beef intake and "smoking status: never" were protection factors. Heterogeneity tests revealed no heterogeneity for alcoholic drinks per week, sleeplessness or insomnia, mood swings, weekly usage of mobile phone in the last 3 months, and cooked vegetable intake. Meanwhile, there was no horizontal pleiotropy in UVMR, and LOO analysis verified that univariable analysis results were reliable. Moreover, MVMR analysis indicated that mood swings and weekly usage of mobile phone in the last 3 months were risk factors, and beef intake was a protection factor for depression when multiple factors occurred at the same time. Conclusion: Alcoholic drinks per week, sleeplessness or insomnia, BMI, mood swings, weekly usage of mobile phone in the last 3 months, and cooked vegetable intake were risk factors, and beef intake and "smoking status: never" were protection factors. In addition, mood swings, weekly usage of mobile phone in the last 3 months, and beef intake had a direct effect on depression when multiple factors occurred simultaneously.

Enhancing Electrocatalytic Water Oxidation of NiFe-LDH Nanosheets via Bismuth-Induced Electronic Structure Engineering.

The design and synthesis of high-efficiency electrocatalysts are of great practical significance in electrocatalytic water splitting, specifically in accelerating the slow oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Herein, a self-supported bismuth-doped NiFe layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanosheet array for water splitting was successfully constructed on nickel foam by a one-step hydrothermal strategy. Benefiting from the abundant active sites of two-dimensional nanosheets and electronic effect of Bi-doped NiFe LDH, the optimal Bi0.2NiFe LDH electrocatalyst exhibits excellent OER performance in basic media. It only requires an overpotential of 255 mV to drive 50 mA cm-2 and a low Tafel slope of 57.49 mV dec-1. The calculation of density functional theory (DFT) further shows that the incorporation of Bi into NiFe LDH could obviously overcome the step of H2O adsorption during OER progress. This work provides a simple and effective strategy for improving the electrocatalytic performance of NiFe LDHs, which is of great practical significance.

Synthesis of nano-Fe3O4/ZnO composites with enhanced antibacterial properties and plant growth promotion via one-pot reaction.

Bordeaux mixture is commonly used in agricultural production due to its certain antibacterial activity. However, it has been observed to promote plant growth at a slow pace. Therefore, it is crucial to explore an effective antibacterial agent that can enhance the antibacterial activity and promote plant growth in commercially available Bordeaux mixture, which can significantly contribute to the development of the agricultural economy. The investigation into inorganic agents with both bacteriostatic and plant-promoting properties has a broad application potential in agriculture. Fe3O4/ZnO (FZ) composites were synthesized from FeCl3, ZnCl2, and NaAc in a "one-pot approach" and analyzed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). To investigate the antibacterial activity and mechanism of FZ nanocomposites, Gram-negative Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) were used as model bacteria, and human mammary epithelial cells and model plant mung bean were used as targets to study the effects of FZ on human and plant growth. The results revealed that at 300 µg/mL for 80 min, the antibacterial efficacy of FZ composites was 99.8% against E. coli, which was 20% greater than that of Bordeaux liquid (FC), and 99.9% against S. aureus, which was 28.6% higher than that of FC. The inhibitory mechanism demonstrated that the substance could efficiently damage the bacterial cell wall of a concentration of 300 µg/mL. The IC50 of the material to human mammary epithelial cells was 49.518 µg/mL, and it also increased mung bean germination, root growth, and chlorophyll content, indicating that the application performance was 1.5 times better than that of FC. Its exceptional performance can be used to treat agricultural diseases.

Superior Energy Density Achieved in Unfilled Tungsten Bronze Ferroelectrics via Multiscale Regulation Strategy.

The most promising candidates for energy storage capacitor application are relaxor ferroelectrics, among which, the perovskite structure ferroelectric ceramics have witnessed great development progress. However, less attention has been paid on tetragonal tungsten bronze structure (TTBS) ceramics because of their lower breakdown strength and polarization. Herein, a multiscale regulation strategy is proposed to tune the energy storage performances (ESP) of TTBS ceramics from grain, domain, and macroscopic scale. The enhanced relaxor behavior with dynamic polar nanodomains guarantees low remanent polarization, while the refined grains and enlarged bandgap ensure increased breakdown strength. Hence, excellent ESP is realized in unfilled TTBS Sr0.425 La0.1 □0.05 Ba0.425 Nb1.4 Ta0.6 O6 (SLBNT) ceramics with an ultrahigh recoverable energy density of 5.895 J cm-3 and a high efficiency of 85.37%. This achievement notably surpasses previous studies in TTBS ceramics and is comparable to that of perovskite components. Meanwhile, the energy density exhibits a wide temperature, frequency, and cycling fatigue stability. In addition, high power density (257.89 MW cm-3 ), especially the ultrafast discharge time (t0.9 = 16.4 ns) are achieved. The multiscale regulation strategy unlocks the energy storage potential of TTBS ceramics and thus highlights TTBS ceramics as promising candidates for energy storage, like perovskite structured ceramics.

Flow Electrode Capacitive Deionization System with Simultaneous Desalting of Na+ and Gathering of Na.

Oceans contain many freshwater resources and metal elements that people need, so the rational development of marine resources can solve the two major problems of shortage of freshwater resources and metal elements for people. To solve these two challenges, a system was designed to obtain freshwater resources and metallic elements simultaneously. An ion enrichment module was added to the conventional flow capacitor deionization system to collect metal elements while the seawater was deionized. A flowing electrode allows the metal elements to enter the flowing electrode through the desalination ability. It transports the metal elements to the enrichment module through the fluidity of the fluid while reducing the ion concentration at the flowing electrode, thus reducing the effect caused by the rejection of the same ion and collecting and enriching the metal elements. We purchased activated carbon to test the feasibility of the system with different mass fractions of activated carbon suspensions. The results showed that the elemental enrichment capacity of the system increased from 12.291 to 14.795 mg, and the enrichment rate increased from 13.536 to 16.294 mg cm-2 h-1 as the mass fraction of activated carbon increased. Thus, the system accomplished the goals of desalination and metal collection simultaneously.

Quantitative determination of multi-class bioactive constituents for quality control of Yiqi Jiangzhi Granules.

Objective: To establish a reliable and sensitive method for evaluating quality of Yiqi Jiangzhi Granules (YQJZG). Methods: Ultra performance liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-MS/MS) was employed for simultaneous determination of eight marker components. Separation was performed on an AQUITY UPLC® HSS T3 column, the mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile as the organic phase and 0.1% (volume percentage) formic acid as the aqueous. Eight marker components, ginsenoside Rg1 (GRg1), ginsenoside Re (GRe), ginsenoside Rb1 (Gb1), typhaneoside (TEO), isorhamnetin-3-O-neohespeidoside (IN), hesperidin (HPD), aurantio-obtusin-6-O-ß-D-glucoside (AG) and curcumin (CCM), were detected by multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. The Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2020 edition) was regarded as the guidance document for this method validation. Results: The method showed good linearity (R 2 ≥ 0.9990). The relative standard deviation (RSD) values for the instrument precision, intermediate precision and repeatability were less than 2.91%, 2.88%, and 3.54%, respectively. The average recovery varied from 91.08% to 103.89%, with RSD below 3.81%. Sample solutions were found to be stable within 24 h at 4 °C (RSD < 2.85%). Eight marker components were successfully determined from three batches of YQJZG. Conclusion: The proposed UPLC-ESI-MS/MS method was found to be simple, fast and sensitive, and can be used for the routine quality assessment of YQJZG. Simultaneously, this method may provide a new and powerful tool of quality control for other traditional Chinese medicine analogous formulae.

Synthesis, characterization and antimicrobial property in vitro of supramolecular coordination polymers bearing brominated Schiff base ligand.

In this study, two supramolecular coordination polymers of Co(II) and Zn(II) based on brominated Schiff base (E)-4-bromo-2-((quinolin-6-ylimino)methyl)phenol (HL) were synthesized and characterized by using elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy and NMR spectroscopy. Furthermore, the crystal structures of HL, CoL2 (І) and ZnL2 (II) were determined by single crystal X-ray analysis. It was revealed that the bromine-related interaction played important role in the self-assembly of HL supramolecular network. The crystal structural investigations revealed that І and II were isomorphous with the same geometry around the metal atom and similar structural feature. The stable four-membered chelate structure resulted from coordination between the metal(II) ion and deprotonated bidentate ligand. And supramolecular coordination polymers of І and II formed diverse architecture through multiple hydrogen bondings, π···π interactions and halogen-related interactions. Antimicrobial activities of polymers were tested toward four bacteria and five phytopathogenic fungi. І and II showed higher activities toward the tested microorganisms than HL. Furthermore, the photoluminescence results indicated that HL and II accompanied with better fluorescence properties in the ultraviolet region.

Antibacterial and plant growth-promoting properties of novel Fe3O4/Cu/CuO magnetic nanoparticles.

In this work, an Fe3O4/Cu/CuO (FC) antibacterial nano-agent was synthesized in a "one-pot" approach using copper sulfate and ferric chloride as raw materials, and it was studied using TEM, XRD, XPS, UV-vis, and VSM methods. The antibacterial activity and mechanism of FC were studied, using a commercially available Bordeaux mixture as a control. The effects of an FC on mung bean development and its toxicity to human mammary epithelial cells were also investigated. The results revealed that FC could break the cell walls of E. coli and S. aureus, quadrupling the antibacterial activity of the Bordeaux combination. Furthermore, it was shown that FC might improve the germination, root development, and chlorophyll content of mung bean seeds while being 1/8 as hazardous to human mammary epithelial cells as the Bordeaux combination. The as-prepared FC can replace the Bordeaux combination in the management of agroforestry pathogens.

A new type of zinc ion hybrid supercapacitor based on 2D materials.

Zinc ion hybrid supercapacitors (ZICs) are truly promising competitors in prospective extensive electrochemical energy storage fields due to their cost-effectiveness, environmentally friendly nature, inherent security, and satisfying gravimetric energy density. Thus, several investigation endeavors have been dedicated to the construction and exploitation of high-performance ZICs. However, the exploitation of ZICs is still in its preliminary stage and there are many problems that need to be overcome before their potential can be fully realized. Recently, 2D materials with a fascinating structure and intriguing features have attracted enormous attention for applications in ZICs with prominent improvement from charge storage capacity to reaction kinetics. In this article, the recent research progress in 2D materials and their composites in the pursuit of high-performance ZICs is systematically reviewed, focusing on the possible charge storage mechanism of ZICs. In addition, the influence of the structure of 2D materials and their composites on the electrochemical performance and the zinc ion storage mechanism is analyzed. Finally, the challenges and prospects of the application of 2D materials and their composites in high-performance ZICs are presented.

H2O2/HOCl-based fluorescent probes for dynamically monitoring pathophysiological processes.

Serving as representative reactive oxygen species (ROS), H2O2 and HOCl play crucial roles in biological metabolism and intercellular oxidation-reduction dynamic equilibrium. The overexpression of H2O2/HOCl may cause a variety of diseases, such as acute and chronic inflammation, cancer and neurodegenerative disorders. A major question in H2O2/HOCl-based pathological diagnosis is knowing how H2O2/HOCl concentrations can be accurately regulated to initiate a diagnosis and subsequently guarantee therapeutic effects in the course of medical advances. Fluorescent probes, with their great spatial and temporal resolutions, have been used in diverse pathophysiological processes and developed rapidly in the last five years. We summarise in this review the optical properties of H2O2/HOCl-responsive fluorescent probes and focus on effective distribution and dynamic monitoring by using pathophysiological models.

[Profiling and identification of in vivo metabolism of rosmarinic acid in rats].

Rosmarinic acid,a hydrosoluble polyphenolic hydroxyl compound,is the active ingredient in such traditional Chinese medicines as Menthae Haplocalycis Herba,Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma,Rosemary,Perillae Folium. Because of its good anti-inflammatory,anti-oxidant and anti-tumor effects,it is widely used in food,medicine and other fields. However,the metabolic process and metabolites of rosmarinic acid in vivo have not been completely defined. In this study,an efficient method of ultra-high performance liquid chromatography combined with linear ion trap-Orbitrap(UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap) mass spectrometer was used to analyze the metabolites in vivo of rosmarinic acid in rats. Plasma,urine and feces samples were collected after oral administration of rosmarinic acid. After biological samples were processed by solid phase extraction,Acquity UPLC  BEH C18 column(2. 1 mm × 100 mm,1. 7 µm) was used with 0. 1% formic acid(A)-acetonitrile(B) solution as the mobile phase at the speed of 0. 30 m L·min-1 and temperature of 35 ℃ under gradient conditions. The plasma,urine,feces and the blank samples were then analyzed by ESI-LTQ-Orbitrap under both negative and positive ion modes. Based on the accurate mass measurement(<5),MS/MS fragmentation patterns,standards and literatures,a total of 36 metabolites were screened out and identified in the biological samples collected from rats after intragastric administration. Three were identified 3 from rat plasma,31 from urine,and 7 from feces. The main metabolic pathways of rosmarinic acid in rats can be divided into five parts. Rosmarinic acid were first decomposed into small molecules,such as trans-caffeic acid,coumaric acid,m-hydroxybenzoic acid and Danshensu,which were followed by sulfation,methylation,glucuronic acid conjugation and glucose conjugation. The results showed that UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap mass spectrometer could be used to analyze the metabolism of rosmarinic acid in rats,and provide reference for further studies on toxicology,pharmacodynamics and secondary development of Chinese medicine.