Cross-sectional study on the epidemiological investigation ability of professional staff from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Guizhou Province.

Introduction: This study aims to evaluate the qualifications and identify skill enhancement areas for epidemiological investigators in Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCs) in Guizhou's, informing future training and policy initiatives to strengthen public health responses. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in August 2022, and an online, self-designed questionnaire on the Epidemiological Dynamic Data Collection platform was administered to evaluate the professional staff in CDCs. The responses were scored and presented using descriptive statistical methods, and the factors influencing the total score were analyzed by one-way ANOVA and linear regression. Results and discussion: A total of 1321 questionnaires were collected, yielding an average score of 14.86±3.49 and a qualification rate of 29.9%. The scoring rate of ability of individual protection and coordination in epidemic control was high (87.25%). Meanwhile, improvements in further training were needed in areas such as data analysis ability (23.67%), knowledge of site disinfection (40.40%), and epidemiological investigation skills (42.50%). No significant difference was observed between the scores of city and county CDCs, (t = 1.071, p =0.284). The effects of gender and age could be disregarded, and the experience in epidemiological work and training (including investigation on COVID-19 cases and contacts), educational background, and professional title partially explained the survey outcome (R Square of the linear regression model was 0.351). The survey indicated the need for additional well-trained epidemiologic investigators in Guizhou. Specified training was effective in improving epidemiologic investigation, and enhancement in data analysis ability and knowledge of field disinfection are recommended in professional staff cultivation.

Cigarette smoke-induced dysbiosis: comparative analysis of lung and intestinal microbiomes in COPD mice and patients.

BACKGROUND: The impact of cigarette smoke (CS) on lung diseases and the role of microbiome dysbiosis in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have been previously reported; however, the relationships remain unclear. METHODS: Our research examined the effects of 20-week cigarette smoke (CS) exposure on the lung and intestinal microbiomes in C57BL/6JNarl mice, alongside a comparison with COPD patients' intestinal microbiome data from a public dataset. RESULTS: The study found that CS exposure significantly decreased forced vital capacity (FVC), thickened airway walls, and induced emphysema. Increased lung damage was observed along with higher lung keratinocyte chemoattractant (KC) levels by CS exposure. Lung microbiome analysis revealed a rise in Actinobacteriota, while intestinal microbiome showed significant diversity changes, indicating dysbiosis. Principal coordinate analysis highlighted distinct intestinal microbiome compositions between control and CS-exposed groups. In the intestinal microbiome, notable decreases in Patescibacteria, Campilobacterota, Defferibacterota, Actinobacteriota, and Desulfobacterota were observed. We also identified correlations between lung function and dysbiosis in both lung and intestinal microbiomes. Lung interleukins, interferon-É£, KC, and 8-isoprostane levels were linked to lung microbiome dysbiosis. Notably, dysbiosis patterns in CS-exposed mice were similar to those in COPD patients, particularly of Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) stage 4 patients. This suggests a systemic impact of CS exposure. CONCLUSION: In summary, CS exposure induces significant dysbiosis in lung and intestinal microbiomes, correlating with lung function decline and injury. These results align with changes in COPD patients, underscoring the important role of microbiome in smoke-related lung diseases.

Caregivers' Burden on Patients with Dementia Having Multiple Chronic Diseases.

Purpose: This study aimed to find the caregiving burden level for patients with dementia who had multiple chronic diseases by simultaneously considering both patient and caregiver factors. Participants and Methods: A cross-sectional study with 284 patients with dementia having multiple chronic diseases managed by the dementia collaborative care team at Changhua Christian Hospital in Taiwan was conducted. The input variables were from patients, such as age, gender, mood symptoms, and behavioral and psychological symptoms, and caregivers, including age, relation to the patient, caregiver's mood, and caregiving burden. The Apriori algorithm was employed to determine the association between patient and caregiver factors and different caregiving burden levels by setting up the minimum support of 1% and confidence of 90% along with lift >1. Results: When caring for patients with dementia, twenty scenarios were found for caregivers with a severe burden. In addition, 1936 scenarios were related to caregivers with a moderate-to-severe burden. Specifically, there were eight scenarios for patients with three chronic diseases which could be further categorized into five general rules. Two hundred and fifty scenarios belonging to patients with two chronic diseases could be classified into 16 different combinations from eight chronic diseases of the database. Conclusion: Caregiver's mood, patients with mild dementia, and patients aged 75-84 years were associated with a severe caregiving burden. College and above education of the caregiver, the patient aged 85 years or more, and at least one of caregiver's moods were the variables to result in a moderate-to-severe burden for caregivers caring for patients with three multiple chronic diseases. Moreover, college and above education of the caregiver, mood symptom, age of the caregiver, and age of the patient were important variables for caregivers who had a moderate-to-severe burden taking care of patients with two chronic diseases.

Precision and Robust Models on Healthcare Institution Federated Learning for Predicting HCC on Portal Venous CT Images.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common type of liver cancer, poses significant challenges in detection and diagnosis. Medical imaging, especially computed tomography (CT), is pivotal in non-invasively identifying this disease, requiring substantial expertise for interpretation. This research introduces an innovative strategy that integrates two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) deep learning models within a federated learning (FL) framework for precise segmentation of liver and tumor regions in medical images. The study utilized 131 CT scans from the Liver Tumor Segmentation (LiTS) challenge and demonstrated the superior efficiency and accuracy of the proposed Hybrid-ResUNet model with a Dice score of 0.9433 and an AUC of 0.9965 compared to ResNet and EfficientNet models. This FL approach is beneficial for conducting large-scale clinical trials while safeguarding patient privacy across healthcare settings. It facilitates active engagement in problem-solving, data collection, model development, and refinement. The study also addresses data imbalances in the FL context, showing resilience and highlighting local models' robust performance. Future research will concentrate on refining federated learning algorithms and their incorporation into the continuous implementation and deployment (CI/CD) processes in AI system operations, emphasizing the dynamic involvement of clients. We recommend a collaborative human-AI endeavor to enhance feature extraction and knowledge transfer. These improvements are intended to boost equitable and efficient data collaboration across various sectors in practical scenarios, offering a crucial guide for forthcoming research in medical AI.

Determining cut-off values and predictors for the Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale: comparison between clinical and school settings.

BACKGROUND: Few previous studies have established Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale (SHAPS) cut-off values using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis and applied these values to compare predictors of anhedonia between clinical and nonclinical groups. AIMS: To determine the optimal cut-off values for the SHAPS and use them to identify predictors of anhedonia in clinical and nonclinical groups in Taiwan. METHOD: This cross-sectional and correlational study used convenience sampling to recruit 160 patients from three hospitals and 412 students from two universities in northern Taiwan. Data analysis included receiver operating characteristic curve, univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: The optimal SHAPS cut-off values were 29.5 and 23.5 for the clinical and nonclinical groups, respectively. Moreover, two-stage analysis revealed that participants in the clinical group who perceived themselves as nondepressed, and participants in the nonclinical group who did not skip classes and whose fathers exhibited higher levels of care and protection were less likely to attain the cut-off values. Conversely, participants in the nonclinical group who reported lower academic satisfaction and were unwilling to seek help from family or friends were more likely to attain the cut-off values. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlight the importance of optimal cut-off values in screening for depression risk within clinical and nonclinical groups. Accordingly, the development of comprehensive, individualised programmes to monitor variation trends in SHAPS scores and relevant predictors of anhedonia across different target populations is crucial.

Biomechanical comparisons of F.E.R.I. techniques with different type of intramedullary screws fixation for Jones fractures.

Introduction: Jones fractures frequently fail to unite, and adequate fixation stability is crucial. This study aimed to elucidate the biomechanical stability of various intramedullary screw fixation constructs. Methods: Jones fracture model over the proximal 5th metatarsal of artificial bone was created in all specimens. Six groups were divided based on varied screw constructs with different screw lengths, either 30 or 40 mm, including cannulated screws-C30 and C40 groups, one high-resistance suture combined with intramedullary cannulated screws (F.E.R.I. technique)-CF30 and CF40 groups, and second-generation headless compression screws (SG-HCS) -HL30 and HL40 groups. Mechanical testing was conducted sequentially, and the maximal force (N) and stiffness (N/mm) of all constructs were recorded. Results: The maximal force (N) at 1.0 mm downward displacement in C30, C40, CF30, CF40, HL30, and HL40 groups were 0.56 ± 0.02, 0.49 ± 0.02, 0.65 ± 0.02, 0.49 ± 0.01, 0.68 ± 0.02, and 0.73 ± 0.02, respectively, and the stiffness (N/mm) in subgroups were 0.49 ± 0.01, 0.43 ± 0.01, 0.67 ± 0.01, 0.42 ± 0.01, 0.61 ± 0.01, and 0.58 ± 0.02, respectively. SG-HCS subgroups exhibited greater maximal force and stiffness than conventional cannulated screws. Screws of 30 mm in length demonstrated better stability than all 40 mm-length screws in each subgroup. In C30 fixation, the stiffness and maximum force endured increased by 1.16 and 1.12 times, respectively, compared with the C40 fixation method. There were no significant differences between CF30 and SG-HCS groups. Only the F.E.R.I technique combined with the 4.5 mm cannulated screw of 30 mm in length increased the biomechanical stability for Jones fractures. Discussion: These biomechanical findings help clinicians decide on better screw fixation options for greater stability in Jones fractures, especially when large-diameter screws are limited in use. However, this biomechanical testing of intramedullary screw fixation on Jones fracture model lacks clinical validation and no comparisons to extramedullary plate fixations. Moving forward, additional clinical and biomechanical research is necessary to validate our findings.

Understanding the factors associated with nurse employment in clinics: Experiences in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: The shortage and distribution of nurses affect healthcare access in aging societies. Limited research has explored the nursing workforce in clinics, which is vital for healthcare delivery. This study aimed to investigate the shortage and distribution of nurses in clinics in Taiwan, considering geographical, institutional, and specialty variations. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of the national nursing workforce in Western medicine clinics in Taiwan using open government data. The nursing practice rate (NPR) was calculated. The ratio of clinics employing nurses (RCN) was determined by calculating the percentage of clinics with nurses in each category. A logistic regression model was fitted to examine the factors associated with nurse employment, including urbanization level and different specialty clinic. Adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. RESULTS: The study revealed an overall NPR as low as 59.1%, and a decreasing trend with age. Among the 11706 clinics in the study, nearly a quarter did not employ nurses, with an overall RCN of 72.3%. Urbanization level and clinic specialty were associated with nurse employment (p<0.05). After adjusting for urbanization level, the fitted regression model identified the top three specialties as plastic surgery (OR=11.37, RCN=96.8%), internal medicine (OR=1.94, RCN=84.1%), and orthopedics (OR=1.89, RCN=83.6%), while the bottom three were otolaryngology (OR=0.59, RCN=61.5%), psychiatry (OR=0.49, RCN=57.1%), and rehabilitation medicine (OR=0.30, RCN=45.2%). Nurses were more likely to be employed in areas at urbanization level 1 (OR=1.17), 3 (OR=1.37), and 6 (OR=1.48), which represent highly urbanized areas within the urban, suburban, and rural categories, respectively, than in urbanization level 4. CONCLUSION: Clinics in Taiwan showed nursing shortages and maldistribution, with 72.3% RCN and variations based on urbanization and specialty. These factors may be considered in nursing research conducted in other countries to inform future workforce planning.

Synthesis of selenophene-containing flavonols and 2-styrylchromones: Evaluation of their activities compared with selenophene-containing chalcones as potential anticancer agents.

Previously, we documented the synthesis and assessed the biological effects of chalcones containing selenium against HT-29 human colorectal adenocarcinoma cells, demonstrating their significant potential. As research on selenium-containing flavonoids remains limited, this article outlines our design and synthesis of three selenium-based flavonols and three 2-styrylchromones. We conducted evaluations of these compounds to determine their impact on human lung cancer cells (A549, H1975, CL1-0, and CL1-5) and their influence on normal lung fibroblast MRC5 cells. Additionally, we included selenium-based chalcones in our testing for comparative purposes. Our findings highlight that the simplest compound, designated as compound 1, exhibited the most promising performance among the tested molecules.

Dual Z-scheme heterojunction Ce2Sn2O7/Ag3PO4/V@g-C3N4 for increased photocatalytic degradation of the food additive tartrazine, in the presence of persulfate: Kinetics, Toxicity, and Density functional theory studies.

This study involved the synthesis of a Ce2Sn2O7/Ag3PO4/V@g-C3N4 composite through hydrothermal methods, followed by mechanical grinding. The resulting heterojunction exhibited improved catalytic activity under visible light by effectively separating electrons and holes (e-/h+). The degradation of Tartrazine (TTZ) reached 93.20% within 50 min by employing a ternary composite at a concentration of 10 mg/L, along with 6 mg/L of PS. The highest pseudo-first-order kinetic constant (0.1273 min-1 and R2 = 0.951) was observed in this system. The dual Z-scheme heterojunction is developed by Ce2Sn2O7, Ag3PO4, and V@g-C3N4, and it may increase the visible light absorption range while also accelerating charge carrier transfer and separation between catalysts. The analysis of the vulnerability positions and degradation pathways of TTZ involved the utilization of density functional theory (DFT) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to examine the intermediate products. Therefore, Ce2Sn2O7/Ag3PO4/V@g-C3N4 is an excellent ternary nanocomposite for the remediation of pollutants.

A Ce2MgMoO6 double perovskite decorated on a functionalized carbon nanofiber nanocomposite for quantification of ciprofloxacin in milk and honey samples: Density functional theory interpretation.

In this study, a novel Ce2MgMoO6/CNFs (cerium magnesium molybdite double perovskite decorated on carbon nanofibers) nanocomposite was developed for selective and ultra-sensitive detection of ciprofloxacin (CFX). Physical characterization and analytical techniques were used to explore the morphology, structure, and electrocatalytic characteristics of the Ce2MgMoO6/CNFs nanocomposite. The sensor has a wide linear range (0.005-7.71 µM and 9.75-77.71 µM), a low limit of detection (0.012 µM), high sensitivity (0.807 µA µM-1 cm-2 nM), remarkable repeatability, and an appreciable storage stability. Here, we used density functional theory to investigate CFX and oxidized CFX as well as the locations of the energy levels and electron transfer sites. Furthermore, the Ce2MgMoO6/CNFs-modified electrode was successfully tested in food samples (milk and honey), indicating an acceptable response with a recovery percentage and relative standard deviation of less than 4%, which is comparable to that of GC-MS. Finally, the developed sensor exhibited high selectivity and stability for CFX detection.

Proteomics Study of Benzene Metabolite Hydroquinone Induced Hematotoxicity in K562 Cells.

Objective: Hydroquinone (HQ), one of the phenolic metabolites of benzene, is widely recognized as an important participant in benzene-induced hematotoxicity. However, there are few relevant proteomics in HQ-induced hematotoxicity and the mechanism hasn't been fully understood yet. Methods: In this study, we treated K562 cells with 40 µmol/L HQ for 72 h, examined and validated protein expression changes by Label-free proteomic analysis and Parallel reaction monitoring (PRM), and performed bioinformatics analysis to identify interaction networks. Results: One hundred and eighty-seven upregulated differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) and 279 downregulated DEPs were identified in HQ-exposed K562 cells, which were involved in neutrophil-mediated immunity, blood microparticle, and other GO terms, as well as the lysosome, metabolic, cell cycle, and cellular senescence-related pathways. Focusing on the 23 DEGs and 5 DEPs in erythroid differentiation-related pathways, we constructed the network of protein interactions and determined 6 DEPs (STAT1, STAT3, CASP3, KIT, STAT5B, and VEGFA) as main hub proteins with the most interactions, among which STATs made a central impact and may be potential biomarkers of HQ-induced hematotoxicity. Conclusion: Our work reinforced the use of proteomics and bioinformatic approaches to advance knowledge on molecular mechanisms of HQ-induced hematotoxicity at the protein level and provide a valuable basis for further clarification.

The involvement of SigmaR1K142 degradation mediated by ERAD in neural senescence linked with CdCl2 exposure.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia worldwide. Due to its uncertain pathogenesis, there is currently no treatment available for AD. Increasing evidences have linked cellular senescence to AD, although the mechanism triggering cellular senescence in AD requires further exploration. To investigate the involvement of cellular senescence in AD, we explored the effects of cadmium chloride (CdCl2) exposure, one of the potential environmental risk factors for AD, on neuron senescence in vivo and in vitro. ß-amyloid (Aß) and tubulin-associated protein (tau) pathologies were found to be enhanced by CdCl2 exposure in the in vitro models, while p53/p21/Rb cascade-related neuronal senescence pathways were activated. Conversely, the use of melatonin, a cellular senescence inhibitor, or a cadmium ion chelator suppressed CdCl2-induced neuron senescence, along with the Aß and tau pathologies. Mechanistically, CdCl2 exposure activated the suppressor enhancer Lin-12/Notch 1-like (SEL1L)/HMG-CoA reductase degradation 1 (HRD1)-regulated endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation (ERAD), which enhanced the ubiquitin degradation of sigma-1 receptor (SigmaR1) by specifically recognizing its K142 site, resulting in the activation of the p53/p21/Rb pathway via the induction of Ca2+ dyshomeostasis and mitochondrial dysfunction. In the in vivo models, the administration of the SigmaR1 agonist ANAVEX2-73 rescues neurobehavioral inhibition and alleviates cellular senescence and AD-like pathology in the brain tissue of CdCl2-exposed mice. Consequently, the present study revealed a novel senescence-associated regulatory route for the SEL1L/HRD1/SigmaR1 axis that affects the pathological progression of CdCl2 exposure-associated AD. CdCl2 exposure activated SEL1L/HRD1-mediated ERAD and promoted the ubiquitinated degradation of SigmaR1, activating p53/p21/Rb pathway-regulated neuronal senescence. The results of the present study suggest that SigmaR1 may function as a neuroprotective biomarker of neuronal senescence, and pharmacological activation of SigmaR1 could be a promising intervention strategy for AD therapy.

Smart cost estimation: Empirical case for extra-high voltage transmission towers.

Nowadays, electricity has become an integral part of human lives. Most of our daily appliances, tools, and personal belongings are inseparable from electricity. To ensure a proper electricity distribution with an efficient transfer capability, Extra-High Voltage (EHV) transmission towers are needed. To design such a structure, it is of utmost importance to account for the cost of said tower. However, the process to estimate the cost of EHV transmission towers is both time-consuming and strenuous on human labor since a lot of consideration have to be taken. To overcome this, an imperative requirement exists for a prompt, precise, and automated tool to replace the existing manual cost estimation method. This research endeavor aims to craft a tool using support vector regression (SVR) with the capacity to prognosticate construction expenses for projects involving EHV transmission towers. The exploration of pertinent literature has enabled us to amass historical data and delineate the attributes essential for estimating costs linked to EHV transmission tower construction. The investigation delves into a comprehensive dataset spanning the past decade in Taiwan. Within this timeframe, 317 EHV transmission towers were erected between 2009 and 2019. However, 79 of these instances are excluded due to incomplete information, thereby yielding 238 viable datasets (comprising 75 % of the overall total) to underpin the development of the SVR model. By configuring the parameters to C = 0.2 and γ = 0.1, followed by 5-fold cross-validation, the resultant SVR model attains a remarkable prediction accuracy of 97.91 %, on average. As a result, the proposed SVR-based model can effectively and accurately predict the cost of constructing an EHV transmission tower project and reduce the time spent on estimation, thus contributing to the enhancement of the resilience and robustness of the transmission network system.

Coprecipitation Strategy for Halide-Based Solid-State Electrolytes and Atmospheric-Dependent In Situ Analysis.

In the continuous pursuit of an energy-efficient alternative to the energy-intensive mechanochemical process, we developed a coprecipitation strategy for synthesizing halide-based solid-state electrolytes that warrant both structural control and commercial scalability. In this study, we propose a new coprecipitation approach to synthesized Li3InCl6, exhibiting both structural and electrochemical performance stability, with a high ionic conductivity of 1.42 × 10-3 S cm-1, comparable to that of traditionally prepared counterparts. Through the in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction technique, we unveil the stability mechanisms and rapid chemical reactions of Li3InCl6 under dry Ar, dry O2, and high-humidity atmosphere, which were not previously reported. Furthermore, the fast reversibility capability of moisture-exposed Li3InCl6 was tracked under vacuum, revealing the optimal recovery conditions at low temperatures (150-200 °C). This work addresses the critical challenges in structural engineering and sustainable mass production and provides insights into chemical reactions under real-world conditions.

In Operando X-ray Spectroscopic and DFT Studies Revealing Improved H2 Evolution by the Synergistic Ni-Co Electron Effect in the Alkaline Condition.

The different electrolyte conditions, e.g., pH value, for driving efficient HER and OER are one of the major issues hindering the aim for electrocatalytic water splitting in a high efficiency. In this regard, seeking durable and active HER electrocatalysts to align the alkaline conditions of the OER is a promising solution. However, the success in this strategy will depend on a fundamental understanding about the HER mechanism at the atomic scale. In this work, we have provided thorough understanding for the electrochemical HER mechanisms in KOH over Ni- and Co-based hollow pyrite microspheres by in operando X-ray spectroscopies and DFT calculations, including NiS2, CoS2, and Ni0.5Co0.5S2. We discovered that the Ni sites in hollow NiS2 microspheres were very stable and inert, while the Co sites in hollow CoS2 microspheres underwent reduction and generated Co metallic crystal domains under HER. The generation of Co metallic sites would further deactivate H2 evolution due to the large hydrogen desorption free energy (-1.73 eV). In contrast, the neighboring Ni and Co sites in hollow Ni0.5Co0.5S2 microspheres exhibited the electronic interaction to elevate the reactivity of Ni and facilitate the stability of Co without structure or surface degradation. The energy barrier in H2O adsorption/dissociation was only 0.73 eV, followed by 0.06 eV for hydrogen desorption over the Ni0.5Co0.5S2 surface, revealing Ni0.5Co0.5S2 as a HER electrocatalyst with higher durability and activity than NiS2 and CoS2 in the alkaline medium due to the synergy of neighboring Ni and Co sites. We believe that the findings in our work offer a guidance toward future catalyst design.

Domain Switching Characteristics in Ga-Doped HfO2 Ferroelectric Thin Films with Low Coercive Field.

The gallium-doped hafnium oxide (Ga-HfO2) films with different Ga doping concentrations were prepared by adjusting the HfO2/Ga2O3 atomic layer deposition cycle ratio for high-speed and low-voltage operation in HfO2-based ferroelectric memory. The Ga-HfO2 ferroelectric films reveal a finely modulated coercive field (Ec) from 1.1 (HfO2/Ga2O3 = 32:1) to an exceptionally low 0.6 MV/cm (HfO2/Ga2O3 = 11:1). This modulation arises from the competition between domain nucleation and propagation speed during polarization switching, influenced by the intrinsic domain density and phase dispersion in the film with specific Ga doping concentrations. Higher Ec samples exhibit a nucleation-dominant switching mechanism, while lower Ec samples undergo a transition from a nucleation-dominant to a propagation-dominant reversal mechanism as the electric field increases. This work introduces Ga as a viable dopant for low Ec and offers insights into material design strategies for HfO2-based ferroelectric memory applications.

A functional study reveals CsNAC086 regulated the biosynthesis of flavonols in Camellia sinensis.

MAIN CONCLUSION: CsNAC086 was found to promote the expression of CsFLS, thus promoting the accumulation of flavonols in Camellia sinensis. Flavonols, the main flavonoids in tea plants, play an important role in the taste and quality of tea. In this study, a NAC TF gene CsNAC086 was isolated from tea plants and confirmed its regulatory role in the expression of flavonol synthase which is a key gene involved in the biosynthesis of flavonols in tea plant. Yeast transcription-activity assays showed that CsNAC086 has self-activation activity. The transcriptional activator domain of CsNAC086 is located in the non-conserved C-terminal region (positions 171-550), while the conserved NAC domain (positions 1-170) does not have self-activation activity. Silencing the CsNAC086 gene using antisense oligonucleotides significantly decreased the expression of CsFLS. As a result, the concentration of flavonols decreased significantly. In overexpressing CsNAC086 tobacco leaves, the expression of NtFLS was significantly increased. Compared with wild-type tobacco, the flavonols concentration increased. Yeast one-hybrid assays showed CsNAC086 did not directly regulate the gene expression of CsFLS. These findings indicate that CsNAC086 plays a role in regulating flavonols biosynthesis in tea plants, which has important implications for selecting and breeding of high-flavonols-concentration containing tea-plant cultivars.

Selection of Fermentation Supernatant from Probiotic Strains Exhibiting Intestinal Epithelial Barrier Protective Ability and Evaluation of Their Effects on Colitis Mouse and Weaned Piglet Models.

The intestinal epithelial barrier can prevent the invasion of pathogenic microorganisms and food antigens to maintain a consistent intestinal homeostasis. However, an imbalance in this barrier can result in various diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease, malnutrition, and metabolic disease. Thus, the aim of this study was to select probiotic strains with epithelial barrier-enhancing ability in cell-based model and further investigate them for their improving effects on colitis mouse and weaned piglet models. The results showed that selected specific cell-free fermentation supernatants (CFSs) from Ligilactobacillus salivarius P1, Lactobacillus gasseri P12, and Limosilactobacillus reuteri G7 promoted intestinal epithelial cell growth and proliferation, strengthening the intestinal barrier in an intestinal epithelial cell line Caco-2 model. Further, the administration of CFSs of L. salivarius P1, L. gasseri P12, and L. reuteri G7 were found to ameliorate DSS-induced colitis in mice. Additionally, spray-dried powders of CFS from the three strains were examined in a weaned piglet model, only CFS powder of L. reuteri G7 could ameliorate the feed/gain ratio and serum levels of D-lactate and endotoxin. In conclusion, a new potential probiotic strain, L. reuteri G7, was selected and showed ameliorating effects in both colitis mouse and weaned piglet models.

The emerging tools for precisely manipulating microtubules.

Cells generate a highly diverse microtubule network to carry out different activities. This network is comprised of distinct tubulin isotypes, tubulins with different post-translational modifications, and many microtubule-based structures. Defects in this complex system cause numerous human disorders. However, how different microtubule subtypes in this network regulate cellular architectures and activities remains largely unexplored. Emerging tools such as photosensitive pharmaceuticals, chemogenetics, and optogenetics enable the spatiotemporal manipulation of structures, dynamics, post-translational modifications, and cross-linking with actin filaments in target microtubule subtypes. This review summarizes the design rationale and applications of these new approaches and aims to provide a roadmap for researchers navigating the intricacies of microtubule dynamics and their post-translational modifications in cellular contexts, thereby opening new avenues for therapeutic interventions.