Quercetin promotes the proportion and maturation of NK cells by binding to MYH9 and improves cognitive functions in aged mice.

BACKGROUND: Quercetin is a flavonol compound widely distributed in plants that possesses diverse biological properties, including antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, neuroprotective and senescent cell-clearing activities. It has been shown to effectively alleviate neurodegenerative diseases and enhance cognitive functions in various models. The immune system has been implicated in the regulation of brain function and cognitive abilities. However, it remains unclear whether quercetin enhances cognitive functions by interacting with the immune system. RESULTS: In this study, middle-aged female mice were administered quercetin via tail vein injection. Quercetin increased the proportion of NK cells, without affecting T or B cells, and improved cognitive performance. Depletion of NK cells significantly reduces cognitive ability in mice. RNA-seq analysis revealed that quercetin modulated the RNA profile of hippocampal tissues in aging animals towards a more youthful state. In vitro, quercetin significantly inhibited the differentiation of Lin-CD117+ hematopoietic stem cells into NK cells. Furthermore, quercetin promoted the proportion and maturation of NK cells by binding to the MYH9 protein. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, our findings suggest that quercetin promotes the proportion and maturation of NK cells by binding to the MYH9 protein, thereby improving cognitive performance in middle-aged mice.

N6-methyladenosine-mediated feedback regulation of abscisic acid perception via phase-separated ECT8 condensates in Arabidopsis.

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most abundant internal modification in eukaryotic mRNAs, yet how plants recognize this chemical modification to swiftly adjust developmental plasticity under environmental stresses remains unclear. Here we show that m6A mRNA modification and its reader protein EVOLUTIONARILY CONSERVED C-TERMINAL REGION 8 (ECT8) act together as a key checkpoint for negative feedback regulation of abscisic acid (ABA) signalling by sequestering the m6A-modified ABA receptor gene PYRABACTIN RESISTANCE 1-LIKE 7 (PYL7) via phase-separated ECT8 condensates in stress granules in response to ABA. This partially depletes PYL7 mRNA from its translation in the cytoplasm, thus reducing PYL7 protein levels and compromising ABA perception. The loss of ECT8 results in defective sequestration of m6A-modified PYL7 in stress granules and permits more PYL7 transcripts for translation. This causes overactivation of ABA-responsive genes and the consequent ABA-hypersensitive phenotypes, including drought tolerance. Overall, our findings reveal that m6A-mediated sequestration of PYL7 by ECT8 in stress granules negatively regulates ABA perception, thereby enabling prompt feedback regulation of ABA signalling to prevent plant cell overreaction to environmental stresses.

Fabrication of levofloxacin-loaded porcine acellular dermal matrix hydrogel and functional assessment in urinary tract infection.

Bacterial cystitis, a commonly occurring urinary tract infection (UTI), is renowned for its extensive prevalence and tendency to recur. Despite the extensive utilization of levofloxacin as a conventional therapeutic approach for bacterial cystitis, its effectiveness is impeded by adverse toxic effects, drug resistance concerns, and its influence on the gut microbiota. This study introduces Lev@PADM, a hydrogel with antibacterial properties that demonstrates efficacy in the treatment of bacterial cystitis. Lev@PADM is produced by combining levofloxacin with decellularized porcine acellular dermal matrix hydrogel and exhibits remarkable biocompatibility. Lev@PADM demonstrates excellent stability as a hydrogel at body temperature, enabling direct administration to the site of infection through intravesical injection. This localized delivery route circumvents the systemic circulation of levofloxacin, resulting in a swift and substantial elevation of the antimicrobial agent's concentration specifically at the site of infection. The in vivo experimental findings provide evidence that Lev@PADM effectively prolongs the duration of levofloxacin's action, impedes the retention and invasion of E.coli in the urinary tract, diminishes the infiltration of innate immune cells into infected tissues, and simultaneously preserves the composition of the intestinal microbiota. These results indicate that, in comparison to the exclusive administration of levofloxacin, Lev@PADM offers notable benefits in terms of preserving the integrity of the bladder epithelial barrier and suppressing the recurrence of urinary tract infections.

A colorimetric and SERS dual-mode aptasensor for the detection of Shiga toxin type II based on Mn/Fe-MIL(53)@AuNSs.

Shiga toxin type II (Stx2), the major virulence component of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli, is strongly associated with the life-threatening hemolytic uremic syndrome thus posing a substantial risk to food safety and human health. In this work, a dual-mode aptasensor with colorimetric and surface-enhanced Raman scattering was developed for Stx2 specific detection based on noble metal nanoparticles and Raman reporter loaded metal-organic framework (Mn/Fe-MIL(53)@AuNSs-MBA). The Mn/Fe-MIL(53)@AuNSs could catalyze the H2O2-mediated oxidation of 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB), thereby enabling visual detection. Meanwhile, the SERS signal from MBA can be enhanced by the decorated AuNSs. Under optimal conditions, a linear range of 0.05-500 ng/mL with limit of detection (LOD) of 26 pg/mL was achieved in colorimetric mode and a linear range of 5-1000 ng/mL with LOD of 0.82 ng/mL in SERS mode, in which the dual-mode results complement each other, widening the linear range, increasing the accuracy and reliability of the detection. The method was further applied to the detection of Stx2 in milk with average recovery of 101.1 %, demonstrating its superior potential for bacterial toxin monitoring.

Generation of a specific aptamer for accurate detection of sarafloxacin based on fluorescent/colorimetric/SERS triple-readout sensor.

Sarafloxacin (SAR), one of the most widely used fluoroquinolone antibiotics, is a serious threat to aquatic environments and human health due to its illegal abuse. Herein, we first screened an aptamer (SAR-1) that specifically binds to SAR using capture-SELEX technology. Based on molecular docking technology, SAR-1 was gradually truncated, and a short SAR-1a with better affinity and specificity was obtained. The optimal SAR-1a was further combined with a Pt nanoparticle (Pt NP)- decorated bimetallic Fe/Co-MOF to fabricate a multimode sensing platform for SAR determination. The Fe/Co-MOF@Pt NPs exhibited excellent peroxidase-like activity, which catalyzed the H2O2-mediated oxidation of 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB), thereby enabling visual detection of SAR. Meanwhile, the generated oxTMB can also produce SERS responses and be used for the SERS detection of SAR. Moreover, the inherent fluorescence property of Fe/Co-MOF@Pt NPs enabled fluorescence detection of SAR. The designed triple-readout aptasensor showed good sensitivity for SAR detection with limits of detection of 0.125 ng/mL (fluorescent mode) and 0.05 ng/mL (colorimetric and SERS mode). The aptamer-based triple-mode sensing platform provided mutual verification of detection results in different output modes, effectively improving the assay accuracy and providing a promising tool for highly sensitive, selective, and accurate determination of SAR in daily life.

Development and Validation of a Self-Aligning Knee Exoskeleton With Hip Rotation Capability.

The self-aligning capability of an exoskeleton is important to ensure wearing comfort, and the delicate motion ability of the exoskeleton is essential for motion assistance. Designing a self-aligning exoskeleton that offers improved wearing comfort and enhanced motion-assistance functions remains a challenge. This paper proposes a novel spatial self-aligning mechanism for a knee exoskeleton to enable simultaneous assistance in the flexion and extension (FE) of the knee joint and the internal and external rotation (IER) of the hip joint. Additionally, considering the misalignment of the human-robot joint axes, a kinematic model of the knee exoskeleton is established and analyzed to demonstrate the kinematic compatibility of the exoskeleton. Furthermore, a global torque manipulability (GTM) index is proposed to evaluate the effects of dimensional parameters on the exoskeleton's performance, and then the knee exoskeleton is optimized according to the GTM index. Finally, experiments are conducted to validate the performance of the proposed exoskeleton. The experimental results show that during knee FE and hip IER, the proposed exoskeleton exhibits lower interaction forces and torques than existing exoskeletons.

Development and validation of prognostic nomogram for cirrhotic patients with acute kidney injury upon ICU admission.

This study aims to develop and validate a prognostic nomogram that accurately predicts the short-term survival rate of cirrhotic patients with acute kidney damage (AKI) upon ICU admission. For this purpose, we examined the admission data of 3060 cirrhosis patients with AKI from 2008 to 2019 in the MIMIC-IV database. All included patients were randomly assigned to derivation and validation cohorts in a 7:3 ratio. The derivation cohort used the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression model to identify independent predictors of AKI. A prognostic nomogram was constructed via multivariate logistic regression analysis in the derivation cohort and subsequently verified in the validation cohort. Nomogram's discrimination, calibration, and clinical utility were evaluated using the C-index, calibration plot, and decision curve analysis (DCA). A total of 2138 patients were enrolled in the derivation cohort, with a median follow-up period of 15 days, a median survival time of 41 days, and a death rate of 568 patients (26.6%). The cumulative survival rates at 15 and 30 days were 75.8% and 57.5%, respectively. The results of the multivariate analysis indicated that advanced AKI stage, use of vasoactive drugs, advanced age, lower levels of ALB, lower mean sBp, longer INR, and longer PT were all independent risk factors that significantly influenced the all-cause mortality of cirrhosis patients with AKI (all p < 0.01). The C-indices for the derivation and the validation cohorts were 0.821 (95% CI 0.800-0.842) and 0.831 (95% CI 0.810-0.852), respectively. The model's calibration plot demonstrated high consistency between predicted and actual probabilities. Furthermore, the DCA showed that the nomogram was clinically valuable. Therefore, the developed and internally validated prognostic nomogram exhibited favorable discrimination, calibration, and clinical utility in forecasting the 15-day and 30-day survival rates of cirrhosis patients with AKI upon admission to the ICU.

Observation on the Effect of Sequentially Combined Multi-modal Artificial Liver Treatment on HBV-related Acute-on-chronic Liver Failure.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the short-term effect of sequentially combined multimodal artificial liver treatment (SCMALT) on HBV-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF). METHODS: HBV-ACLF patients 155 cases undergoing artificial liver treatment were analyzed, and they were sorted into the SCMALT group and the conventional-modal artificial liver treatment (CALT) group. The clinical data of all patients were recorded and the serum levels of interleukin-8 (IL-8), chemokine interferon-inducible protein-10 (IP-10), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were detected. The changes in the 30-day survival rate, cytokine level, model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score, and complications of artificial liver treatment were analyzed. RESULTS: After being followed up for 30 days, 104 patients survived and 51 died. At the end of the whole-course treatment, the decreases in IL-6, IP-10, and IL-8 levels and MELD scores in the SCMALT group were greater than in the CALT group. Cox regression suggested WBC (OR=1.066 ， 95% CI 1.012-1.123 ， P=0.017), AT-III activity (OR=0.935 ， 95% CI 0.907-0.964 ， P=0.000) at baseline, artificial liver treatment mode (OR=0.362，95% CI 0.164-0.800，P=0.012), number of artificial liver treatments (OR=0.656 ， 95% CI 0.436-0.986 ， P=0.043), spontaneous peritonitis (OR=0.337，95% CI 0.165-0.689，P=0.003), and hepatic encephalopathy (OR=0.104, 95% CI 0.028-0.388 ， P=0.001) were independent influencing factors of 30-day survival rate. SCMALT can significantly prolong the survival period of the patient. No obvious difference was shown in the proportions of bleeding and circulation instability between the two groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Compared with the CALT, SCMALT can more effectively remove inflammatory mediators and reduce the MELD score in HBV-ACLF patients, which can obviously ameliorate the prognosis, with less effect on the platelet count.

Omnidirectional (Flexible) Ureteral Access Sheath: Safety, Efficacy, and Initial Experience Report.

Background: Recently a novel omnidirectional (OD) ureteral access sheath (UAS) has been developed. By retrospectively reviewing and comparing the flexible ureteroscopic lithotripsy (FURL) cases in our institution with either a conventional Cook UAS or an OD UAS in the past year, we shared our experience of the safety, efficacy, and relevant issues on the usage of OD UAS. Materials and Methods: The medical history and surgery details of 199 patients with kidney stones or ureterojunctional stones who underwent FURL in Xinhua Hospital, including 61 Cook UAS and 138 OD UAS, were reviewed and compared. The maximal deflection angle was measured by steering four different types of ureteroscopes to bend the OD UAS in different states. Result: The deflection angle of OD UAS was ∼110° to 130° free load, and 90° to 130° when loaded with different instruments. The stone burden and position were similar in two groups. Given a similar prestent ratio and operation time, the OD UAS group achieved a higher single-session stone-free rate (SFR) (63.9% vs 94.2%, p < 0.0001) at 1-month follow-up evaluated by a CT scan. Conclusion: OD UAS is a novel device with high safety and efficacy. The unique flexible design allows it to bend with the ureteroscope and enter renal calices and be set close to the stone. Combined with the suction port, OD UAS contributes greatly to dealing with large-burden kidney stones, shortens operation time, and improves single-session SFR.

Effect of OPRM1/COMT gene polymorphisms on sufentanil labor analgesia: a cohort study based on propensity score matching.

Background: This study investigated the use of COMT G1947A and OPRM1 A118G polymorphisms as predictive markers for sufentanil epidural analgesia. Methods: The visual analogue scale (VAS) score, and sufentanil consumption of 136 pairs of parturients using sufentanil with lidocaine and ropivacaine for epidural analgesia were used for analysis. Results: OPRM1 AG/GG had lower VAS score difference between fifth and 0 min (1.55 vs 1.87; p = 0.012) and higher consumption (19.65 µg vs 17.11 µg; p = 0.049) than AA carriers. COMT GA/AA had higher VAS score difference than GG carriers (1.86 vs 1.55; p = 0.021). Conclusion: Sufentanil may provide better epidural labor analgesia in OPRM1 AA and COMT GA/AA carriers compared with OPRM1 AG/GG and COMT GG carriers. Clinical Trial Registration: ChiCTR1900026897 (Chinese Clinical Trial Center Registry).

Antithrombin III activity is associated with prognosis, infection, and inflammation in patients with hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure.

OBJECTIVE: Patients with hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF) are characterized by severe liver function impairment, coagulation disorder, and multiple organ function impairment. The aim of this study was to explore the predictive value of antithrombin Ⅲ activity to the prognosis of HBV-ACLF patients. METHODS: A total of 186 HBV-ACLF patients were included in the analysis, and the baseline clinical data of patients were recorded to analyze the risk factors affecting the 30-day survival outcome of patients. Bacterial infection, sepsis, and hepatic encephalopathy were observed in ACLF patients. Antithrombin Ⅲ activity and serum cytokine levels were determined. RESULTS: The antithrombin Ⅲ activity of ACLF patients in the death group was significantly lower than that in the survival group, and antithrombin Ⅲ activity was independent factors affecting the 30-day outcome. The areas under the receiver operation characteristic (ROC) curve of antithrombin Ⅲ activity to predict the 30-day mortality of ACLF was 0.799. Survival analysis showed that the mortality of patients with antithrombin Ⅲ activity less than 13% was significantly increased. Patients with bacterial infection and sepsis had lower antithrombin Ⅲ activity than those without infection. Antithrombin Ⅲ activity was positively correlated with platelet count, fibrinogen, interferon (IFN)-γ, interleukin (IL)-13, IL-1ß, IL-4, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, IL-23, IL-27, and IFN-α, but negatively correlated with C-reactive protein, D dimer, total bilirubin, and creatinine levels. CONCLUSION: As a natural anticoagulant, antithrombin Ⅲ can be regarded as a marker of inflammation and infection in patients with HBV-ACLF, and as a predictor of survival outcome in patients with ACLF.

In vitro simulated fecal fermentation of mixed grains on short-chain fatty acid generation and its metabolized mechanism.

In vitro simulated digestion and fecal fermentation were performed to investigate the influence of mixed grains on gut microbes. In addition, the key metabolic pathways and enzymes associated with short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were explored. The mixed grains exhibited an observable regulatory effect on the composition and metabolism of intestinal microorganisms, especially in probiotics, such as Bifidobacterium spp., Lactobacillus spp., and Faecalibacterium spp. WR (wheat + rye), WB (wheat + highland barley) and WO (wheat + oats) tended to generate lactate and acetate, which are related to Sutterella, Staphylococcus, etc. WQ (wheat + quinoa) induced high propionate and butyrate accumulation by consuming lactate and acetate, mainly through Roseburia inulinivorans, Coprococcus catus and Anaerostipes sp., etc. Moreover, bacteria enriched in different mixed grain groups regulated the expression of pivotal enzymes in metabolic pathways and then affected the generation of SCFAs. These results provide new knowledge on the characteristics of intestinal microbial metabolism in different mixed grain substrates.

Renewable galactomannan-based biogums with structure regulation to protect zinc metal anodes via blocking and confinement effect.

Galactomannan-based biogums were derived from fenugreek, guar, tara, and carob and consisted of mannose and galactose with different ratios, as well as the implementation of high-value utilization was very significant for sustainable development. In this work, renewable and low-cost galactomannan-based biogums were designed and developed as functional coatings protected on the Zn metal anodes. The molecule structure of galactomannan-based biogums were explored on the effect of anticorrosion ability and uniform deposition behavior through the introduction of fenugreek gum, guar gum, tara gum, and carob gum with different ratios of mannose to galactose as 1.2:1, 2:1, 3:1, and 4:1. The existence of biogum protective layers can reduce the contact area between Zn anodes and aqueous electrolyte to enhance the anticorrosion ability of Zn anodes. Rich oxygen-containing groups in galactomannan-based biogums can coordinate with Zn2+ and Zn atoms to form ion conductivity gel layer and adsorb closely on the surface of Zn metal, which can induce uniform deposition of Zn2+ to avoid dendrite growth. Zn electrodes protected by biogums can cycle impressively for 1980 h with 2 mA cm-2 and 2 mAh cm-2. This work can provide a novel strategy to enhance Zn metal anodes' electrochemical performance, as well as implement the high-value application of biomass-based biogums as functional coatings.

Evaluating efficacy and safety of sub-anesthetic dose esketamine as an adjuvant to propofol/remifentanil analgosedation and spontaneous respiration for children flexible fibreoptic bronchoscopy: a prospective, double-blinded, randomized, and placebo-controlled clinical trial.

Background: Flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FFB) for children is widely performed under sedation. Currently, the optimal sedation regimen remains unclear. Esketamine is an N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptor antagonist, which has stronger sedative and analgesic effects and exerts less cardiorespiratory depression than other sedatives. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether a subanesthetic dose of esketamine as an adjuvant to propofol/remifentanil and spontaneous ventilation compared with control reduces the procedural and anesthesia-related complications of FFB in children. Materials and methods: Seventy-two children ≤ 12 years of age who were scheduled for FFB were randomly assigned, in a 1:1 ratio, to the esketamine-propofol/remifentanil (Group S, n = 36) or to the propofol/remifentanil group (Group C, n = 36). All children were retained spontaneous ventilation. The primary outcome was the incidence of oxygen desaturation (respiratory depression). Perioperative hemodynamic variables, blood oxygen saturation (SPO2), end-tidal partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PetCO2), respiratory rate (R), and the Bispectral index (BIS), induction time, procedural time, recovery time, the time to the ward from the recovery room, consumption of propofol and remifentanil during the procedure and the appearance of adverse events, including paradoxical agitation following midazolam administration, injection pain, laryngospasm, bronchospasm, PONV, vertigo, and hallucination were also compared. Results: The incidence of oxygen desaturation was significantly lower in Group S (8.3%) compared to Group C (36.1%, p = 0.005). The perioperative hemodynamic profile including SBP, DBP, and HR were more stable in Group S than that in Group C (p < 0.05). Consumption of propofol and remifentanil was lower in Group S than in Group C (p < 0.05). Furthermore, PAED scores, cough scores and injection pain were lower in the Group S than in Group C (p < 0.05). The recovery time of Group S was slightly longer than that of Group C (p < 0.05). Nobody happened paradoxical agitation following midazolam administration, PONV, vertigo, and hallucinations in both groups (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Our findings indicate that a subanesthetic dose of esketamine as an adjuvant to propofol/remifentanil and spontaneous respiration is an effective regimen for children undergoing FFB. Our findings will provide a reference for clinical sedation practice during these procedures in children. Clinical Trail Registration: Chinese clinicaltrials.gov registry (identifier: ChiCTR2100053302).

Surface Control Behavior toward Crystal Regulation and Anticorrosion Capacity for Zinc Metal Anodes.

The commercial application of high-safety aqueous zinc (Zn) secondary batteries is hindered by the poor cycling life of Zn metal anodes. Here we propose a dendrite growth and hydrogen evolution corrosion reaction mechanism from the binding energy of the deposited crystal plane on the Zn surface and the adsorption energy of H2O molecules on different crystal planes as well as the binding energy of H2O molecules with Zn2+ ions. The biomass-based alkyl polyglucoside (APG) surfactant is adopted as an electrolyte additive of 0.15% to regulate the preferential growth of a parallel Zn(002) plane and enhance the anticorrosion ability of Zn metal anodes. The robust binding and adsorption energies of APG with Zn2+ ions in the aqueous electrolyte and the Zn(002) plane on Zn surface generate a synergistic effect to increase the concentration of Zn2+ ions on the APG-adsorbed Zn(002) plane, endowing the continuous growth of the preferential parallel Zn(002) plane and the excellent anticorrosion capacity. Accordingly, the long-term cycle stability of 4000 h can be achieved for Zn anodes with APG additives, which is better than that with pure ZnSO4 electrolyte. With the addition of APG in the anolyte electrolyte, Zn-I2 full cells display excellent cycling performance (70 mAh g-1 after 20000 cycles) as compared with that without APG additives.

Chitooligosaccharide accelerated wound healing in potato tubers by promoting the deposition of suberin polyphenols and lignin at wounds.

Chitooligosaccharide (COS) is a low molecular weight product of chitosan degradation. Although COS induces plant resistance by activating phenylpropanoid metabolism, there are few reports on whether COS accelerates wound healing in potato tubers by promoting the deposition of phenolic acids and lignin monomers at wounds. The results showed that COS activated phenylalanine ammonialyase and cinnamate 4-hydroxylase and promoted the synthesis of cinnamic, caffeic, p-coumaric, ferulic acids, total phenolics and flavonoids. COS activated 4-coumaric acid coenzyme A ligase and cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase and promoted the synthesis of sinapyl, coniferyl and cinnamyl alcohols. COS also increased H2O2 levels and peroxidase activity and accelerated the deposition of suberin polyphenols and lignin on wounds. In addition, COS reduced weight loss and inhibited lesion expansion in tubers inoculated with Fusarium sulfureum. Taken together, COS accelerated wound healing in potato tubers by inducing phenylpropanoid metabolism and accelerating the deposition of suberin polyphenols and lignin at wounds.

Flavonoid Extract from Seed Residues of Hippophae rhamnoides ssp. sinensis Protects against Alcohol-Induced Intestinal Barrier Dysfunction by Regulating the Nrf2 Pathway.

Alcohol has been demonstrated to disrupt intestinal barrier integrity. Some flavonoid compounds that exert antioxidant activity have a protective effect on intestinal barrier function. As an important medicinal and edible plant, sea buckthorn (Hippophae) seeds are rich in flavonoids, but their protective effect on the intestinal barrier has not been reported. In our research, 76 kinds of flavonoids were identified in Hippophae rhamnoides ssp. sinensis seed residue flavonoids (HRSF) by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside, isorhamnetin-3-O-rutinoside, kaempferol-3-O-robinoside-7-O-rhamnoside, isorhamnetin-3-O-2G-rhamnosylrutinoside, quercetin-3-O-rutinoside, (-)-epigallocatechin, and B type of procyanidin were the most abundant substances, accounting for 15.276%, 15.128%, 18.328%, 10.904%, 4.596%, 5.082%, and 10.079% of all identified flavonoids, respectively. Meanwhile, pre-treatment with HRSF was able to prevent alcohol-induced disruption of intestinal barrier integrity through elevating the transepithelial monolayer resistance value, inhibiting the flux of fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran, and upregulating the mRNA and protein level of TJs (occludin and ZO-1). Furthermore, it was also able to reverse alcohol-induced oxidative stress through suppressing the accumulation of reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde, improving the glutathione level and superoxide dismutase activity. Finally, the results showed that HRSF pre-treatment effectively elevated the erythroid-related factor 2 mRNA and protein level compared with the alcohol-alone treatment group. Our research was the first to demonstrate that HRSF could prevent alcohol-induced intestinal barrier dysfunction through regulating the Nrf2-mediated pathway in order to attenuate oxidative stress and enhance TJ expression.

Glycyrrhizic acid inhibits myeloid differentiation of hematopoietic stem cells by binding S100 calcium binding protein A8 to improve cognition in aged mice.

BACKGROUND: Glycyrrhizic acid (GA), a saponin compound often used as a flavoring agent, can elicit anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor effects, and alleviate aging. However, the specific mechanism by which GA alters immune cell populations to produce these beneficial effects is currently unclear. RESULTS: In this study, we systematically analyzed single-cell sequencing data of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from young mice, aged mice, and GA-treated aged mice. Our in vivo results show that GA reduced senescence-induced increases in macrophages and neutrophils, and increased numbers of lymphoid lineage subpopulations specifically reduced by senescence. In vitro, GA significantly promoted differentiation of Lin-CD117+ hematopoietic stem cells toward lymphoid lineages, especially CD8+ T cells. Moreover, GA inhibited differentiation of CD4+ T cells and myeloid (CD11b+) cells by binding to S100 calcium-binding protein 8 (S100A8) protein. Overexpression of S100A8 in Lin- CD117+ hematopoietic stem cells enhanced cognition in aged mice and the immune reconstitution of severely immunodeficient B-NDG (NOD.CB17-Prkdcscid/l2rgtm1/Bcgen) mice. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, GA exerts anti-aging effects by binding to S100A8 to remodel the immune system of aged mice.

Comparative Assessment of Functional Components and Antioxidant Activities between Hippophae rhamnoides ssp. sinensis and H. tibetana Berries in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is the main production area of Hippophae rhamnoides ssp. sinensis (Rha) and H. tibetana (Tib), but studies on the types and contents of soluble sugars, organic acids, free phenolics, bound phenolics, vitamin C (VC), tocopherol (VE) and carotenoids of the two sea buckthorn berries from this region have not been reported. In this paper, we found that the soluble sugars in Rha and Tib were mainly glucose and fructose; Rha exhibited a higher content of total sugar and fructose compared to Tib. The organic acids were mainly quinic acid and malic acid; Rha exhibited a higher content of total acids and quinic acid, but lower tartaric acid and citric acid compared to Tib. Rha also possessed a higher total (free and bound) phenolic as well as total (free and bound) flavonoid content than those in Tib; twelve phenolic compounds were analyzed, among which flavonols were dominant. Catechin, isorhamnetin and quercetin were the main phenolic substances. VC and VE (γ-tocopherol (γ-VE) and δ-tocopherol (δ-VE)) were higher in Rha than Tib. The total carotenoid, lutein, ß-carotene and lycopene content of Tib was remarkably higher than that in Rha. Moreover, both Rha and Tib showed good in vitro and cellular antioxidant activities, and Rha had a stronger antioxidant activity. Taken together, Rha had a higher antioxidant activity, which may be due to its higher content of phenolics, flavonoids, VC and VE.

Effects of warming seasonal rotational grazing on plant communities' structure and diversity in desert steppe.

Grazing is the basic way of grassland utilization, and reasonable grazing is an important way to maintain the health of the grassland ecosystem. However, the traditional grazing time in warming seasons is negative for sustainable desert steppe ecosystem. Determining reasonable grassland grazing methods is to remain a critical issue for the ecological conservation and rational utilization of desert steppe. Therefore, our objectives were to explore the effects of warming seasonal rotation grazing on the species diversity and functional diversity of grassland plants and to reveal controlling factors of plant community diversity. The warm-season rotational grazing modes included traditional time of grazing (FG), delayed start of grazing (YG), early end of grazing (TG), delayed start early end of grazing (YT), and enclosed steppe (CK). The results showed that the important value of Agropyron mongolicum of the gramineae and Lespedeza potaninii of the leguminosae in YG increased by 12.10%-120.66% and 23.57%-34.25% than other treatments (CK, FG, TG, and YT), respectively. Therefore, the YG treatment has more advantages on the IV of A. mongolicum of the gramineae and L. potaninii of the leguminosae. Warming seasonal rotational grazing (FG, YG, TG, and YT) significantly increased the important value of Leymus secalinus by 51.43%-79.64% compared with CK (p < .05). Compared with CK, FG and YG promoted the growth of gramineae and appropriately reduced the proportion of forbs. There was no significant difference in the Shannon-Wiener index between grazing treatments and CK, while the Shannon-Wiener index in YT increased by 21.43% and 15.71% compared with FG and YG (p < .05). The functional richness index in FG and YG significantly decreased by 19.05%-23.81% compared with CK and TG (p < .05). The results of the redundancy analysis showed that the diversity of plant communities was mainly affected by soil-available nitrogen. These observations indicated that delayed start of grazing can improve the diversity of plant communities by increasing the important value of dominant plants in the community and promoting the growth of gramineous and leguminous plants, thereby optimizing the composition of community structure. Our findings can provide a theoretical basis for formulating a reasonable and scientific grazing period in desert steppe.