HAS2 facilitates glioma cell malignancy and suppresses ferroptosis in an FZD7-dependent manner.

Glioma is the most common malignant tumor in the central nervous system, and it is crucial to uncover the factors that influence prognosis. In this study, we utilized Mfuzz to identify a gene set that showed a negative correlation with overall survival in patients with glioma. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analyses were then undertaken to gain insights into the functional characteristics and pathways associated with these genes. The expression distribution of Hyaluronan Synthase 2 (HAS2) was explored across multiple datasets, revealing its expression patterns. In vitro and in vivo experiments were carried out through gene knockdown and overexpression to validate the functionality of HAS2. Potential upstream transcription factors of HAS2 were predicted using transcriptional regulatory databases, and these predictions were experimentally validated using ChIP-PCR and dual-luciferase reporter gene assays. The results showed that elevated expression of HAS2 in glioma indicates poor prognosis. HAS2 was found to play a role in activating an antiferroptosis pathway in glioma cells. Inhibiting HAS2 significantly increased cellular sensitivity to ferroptosis-inducing agents. Finally, we determined that the oncogenic effect of HAS2 is mediated by the key receptor of the WNT pathway, FZD7.

Influence of PhoPQ and PmrAB two component system alternations on colistin resistance from non-mcr colistin resistant clinical E. Coli strains.

BACKGROUND: The current understanding of acquired chromosomal colistin resistance mechanisms in Enterobacterales primarily involves the disruption of the upstream PmrAB and PhoPQ two-component system (TCS) control caused by mutations in the regulatory genes. Interestingly, previous studies have yielded conflicting results regarding the interaction of regulatory genes related to colistin resistance in Escherichia coli, specifically those surrounding PhoPQ and PmrAB TCS. RESULTS: In our study, we focused on two clinical non-mcr colistin-resistant strains of E. coli, TSAREC02 and TSAREC03, to gain a better understanding of their resistance mechanisms. Upon analysis, we discovered that TSAREC02 had a deletion (Δ27-45) in MgrB, as well as substitutions (G206R, Y222H) in PmrB. On the other hand, TSAREC03 exhibited a long deletion (Δ84-224) in PhoP, along with substitutions (M1I, L14P, P178S, T235N) in PmrB. We employed recombinant DNA techniques to explore the interaction between the PhoPQ and PmrAB two-component systems (TCSs) and examine the impact of the mutated phoPQ and pmrB genes on the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of colistin. We observed significant changes in the expression of the pmrD gene, which encodes a connector protein regulated by the PhoPQ TCS, in the TSAREC02 wild-type (WT)-mgrB replacement mutant and the TSAREC03 WT-phoP replacement mutant, compared to their respective parental strains. However, the expressions of pmrB/pmrA, which reflect PmrAB TCS activity, and the colistin MICs remained unchanged. In contrast, the colistin MICs and pmrB/pmrA expression levels were significantly reduced in the pmrB deletion mutants from both TSAREC02 and TSAREC03, compared to their parental strains. Moreover, we were able to restore colistin resistance and the expressions of pmrB/pmrA by transforming a plasmid containing the parental mutated pmrB back into the TSAREC02 and TSAREC03 mutants, respectively. CONCLUSION: While additional data from clinical E. coli isolates are necessary to validate whether our findings could be broadly applied to the E. coli population, our study illuminates distinct regulatory pathway interactions involving colistin resistance in E. coli compared to other species of Enterobacterales. The added information provided by our study contribute to a deeper understanding of the complex pathway interactions within Enterobacterales.

Assessment of emissions and exposure in 3D printing workplaces in Taiwan.

Three-dimensional (3D) printing is an emerging and booming industry in Taiwan. Compared to traditional manufacturing, 3D printing has various advantages, such as advanced customization, additive manufacturing, reduced mold opening time, and reduced consumption of precursors. In this study, the real-time monitoring of particulate matter (PM) and total volatile organic compound (TVOC) emissions from various filaments is investigated using fused deposition modeling with material extrusion technology, a liquid-crystal display, a stereolithography apparatus based on vat photopolymerization technology, and binder jetting for occupational settings. An exposure assessment for nearby workers using the 3D printing process was performed, and improvement measures were recommended. Nine 3D printing fields were measured. The generation rate of ultrafine particles ranged from 1.19 × 1010 to 4.90 × 1012 #/min, and the geometric mean particle size ranged from 30.91 to 55.50 nm. The average concentration of ultrafine particles ranged from 2.31 × 103 to 7.36 × 104 #/cm3, and the PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations in each field ranged from 0.74 ± 0.27 to 12.46 ± 5.61 µg/m3 and from 2.39 ± 0.60 to 30.65 ± 21.26 µg/m3, respectively. The TVOC concentration ranged from 0.127 ± 0.012 to 1.567 ± 0.172 ppm. The respiratory deposition (RDUFPs) dose ranged from 2.02 × 1013 to 5.54 × 1014 nm2/day. Depending on the operating conditions, appropriate control and protective measures should be employed to protect workers' health.

Integrating Transcriptome and Chemical Analyses to Provide Insights into Biosynthesis of Terpenoids and Flavonoids in the Medicinal Industrial Crop Andrographis paniculate and Its Antiviral Medicinal Parts.

Andrographis paniculata is a medicinal plant traditionally used to produce diterpene lactones and flavonoids, which possess various biological activities. Widely distributed in China, India, and other Southeast Asia countries, A. paniculata has become an important economic crop, significantly treating SARS-CoV-2, and is being cultivated on a large scale in southern China. The biosynthesis of active ingredients in A. paniculata are regulated and controlled by genes, but their specific roles are still not fully understood. To further explore the growth regulation factors and utilization of its medicinal parts of this industrial crop, chemical and transcriptome analyses were conducted on the roots, stems, and leaves of A. paniculata to identify the biosynthesis pathways and related candidate genes of the active ingredients. The chemical analysis revealed that the main components of A. paniculata were diterpene lactones and flavonoids, which displayed potential ability to treat SARS-CoV-2 through molecular docking. Moreover, the transcriptome sequencing annotated a total of 40,850 unigenes, including 7962 differentially expressed genes. Among these, 120 genes were involved in diterpene lactone biosynthesis and 60 genes were involved in flavonoid biosynthesis. The expression of diterpene lactone-related genes was the highest in leaves and the lowest in roots, consistent with our content determination results. It is speculated that these highly expressed genes in leaves may be involved in the biosynthesis pathway of diterpenes. Furthermore, two class Ⅰ terpene synthases in A. paniculata transcriptome were also annotated, providing reference for the downstream pathway of the diterpene lactone biosynthesis. With their excellent market value, our experiments will promote the study of the biosynthetic genes for active ingredients in A. paniculata and provide insights for subsequent in vitro biosynthesis.

The effect of papain hydrolysis on tropomyosin levels in shrimp.

Shrimp allergy is a serious public health problem. Epidemiological studies indicated the main cause of food allergy is the ingestion of shrimp and crab. Consequently, reducing the risk of shrimp and crab allergy is a major research focus. Few studies have demonstrated the effect of enzyme hydrolysis on reduction of shrimp allergens in food. In this study, we used papain, a commonly used enzyme in the food industry, as an ingredient to decrease levels of allergen tropomyosin in shrimp. 0-50U of papain was used to treat the shrimp meat, and then heated to measure the levels of tropomyosin, and determined the change of the protein secondary structure. The results showed that 20U of papain decrease the tropomyosin levels up to 80 %, which was further enhanced when combined with 3 min of heating. Furthermore, the result of Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) showed alteration of secondary protein structure after the processing. The processing developed in this study may be an effective method used to change the levels and structure of tropomyosin.

Chinese olive (Canarium album Rauesch.): a critical review on its nutritional value, phytochemical composition, health benefits, and practical applications.

Chinese olive is a popular fruit with a long history of cultivation and consumption. As a fruit with edible, nutritional, and even medicinal value, the Chinese olive has attracted increased interest from both nutrition researchers and health-conscious consumers. Chinese olive is a rich nutrient source, including essential and non-essential amino acids, various fatty acids, organic acids, vitamins, microelements, and high-quality dietary fibers. It is also an important natural source of phytochemicals such as phenolic acids, flavonoids, phenylpropanoids, and other bioactive compounds. The nutritional and phytochemical compounds obtained from the Chinese olive exhibit unique and potent biological activities, explaining its various benefits to human health, including anti-Helicobacter pylori, anti-influenza, anti-diabetes, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor effects, among others. This review focuses on recent studies on Chinese olives and aims to summarize the major advances in their nutritional value, phytochemical composition, health benefits, and practical applications. It provides a reference for further research on Chinese olives and their properties and the development of novel functional products.

The promoting effect and mechanism of MAD2L2 on stemness maintenance and malignant progression in glioma.

BACKGROUND: Glioblastoma, the most common primary malignant tumor of the brain, is associated with poor prognosis. Glioblastoma cells exhibit high proliferative and invasive properties, and glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs) have been shown to play a crucial role in the malignant behavior of glioblastoma cells. This study aims to investigate the molecular mechanisms involved in GSCs maintenance and malignant progression. METHODS: Bioinformatics analysis was performed based on data from public databases to explore the expression profile of Mitotic arrest deficient 2 like 2 (MAD2L2) and its potential function in glioma. The impact of MAD2L2 on glioblastoma cell behaviors was assessed through cell viability assays (CCK8), colony formation assays, 5-Ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EDU) incorporation assays, scratch assays, and transwell migration/invasion assays. The findings from in vitro experiments were further validated in vivo using xenograft tumor model. GSCs were isolated from the U87 and LN229 cell lines through flow cytometry and the stemness characteristics were verified by immunofluorescence staining. The sphere-forming ability of GSCs was examined using the stem cell sphere formation assay. Bioinformatics methods were conducted to identified the potential downstream target genes of MAD2L2, followed by in vitro experimental validation. Furthermore, potential upstream transcription factors that regulate MAD2L2 expression were confirmed through chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and dual-luciferase reporter assays. RESULTS: The MAD2L2 exhibited high expression in glioblastoma samples and showed significant correlation with patient prognosis. In vitro and in vivo experiments confirmed that silencing of MAD2L2 led to decreased proliferation, invasion, and migration capabilities of glioblastoma cells, while decreasing stemness characteristics of glioblastoma stem cells. Conversely, overexpression of MAD2L2 enhanced these malignant behaviors. Further investigation revealed that MYC proto-oncogene (c-MYC) mediated the functional role of MAD2L2 in glioblastoma, which was further validated through a rescue experiment. Moreover, using dual-luciferase reporter gene assays and ChIP assays determined that the upstream transcription factor E2F-1 regulated the expression of MAD2L2. CONCLUSION: Our study elucidated the role of MAD2L2 in maintaining glioblastoma stemness and promoting malignant behaviors through the regulation of c-MYC, suggesting its potential as a therapeutic target.

Molecular drivers of resistance to sulbactam-durlobactam in contemporary clinical isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii.

Acinetobacter baumannii-calcoaceticus complex (ABC) causes severe infections that are difficult to treat due to pre-existing antibiotic resistance. Sulbactam-durlobactam (SUL-DUR) is a targeted ß-lactam/ß-lactamase inhibitor combination antibiotic designed to treat serious infections caused by Acinetobacter, including multidrug- and carbapenem-resistant strains. In a recent global surveillance study of 5,032 ABC clinical isolates collected from 2016 to 2021, less than 2% of ABC isolates had SUL-DUR MIC values >4 µg/mL. Molecular characterization of these isolates confirmed the primary drivers of resistance are metallo-ß-lactamases or penicillin-binding protein 3 (PBP3) mutations, as previously described. In addition, this study shows that certain common PBP3 variants, such as A515V, are insufficient to confer sulbactam resistance and that the efflux of durlobactam by AdeIJK is likely to play a role in a subset of strains.

Effectiveness of a covered oil-free cooking process on the abatement of air pollutants from cooking meats.

Cooking events can generate household air pollutants that deteriorate indoor air quality (IAQ), which poses a threat to human health and well-being. In this study, the emission characteristics and emission factors (EFs) of air pollutants of different meats (beef, lamb, chicken, pork, and fish) cooked by a novel oil-free process and common with-oil processes were investigated. Oil-free cooking tends to emit lower total volatile organic compound (TVOC) levels and fewer submicron smoke particles and can reduce the intake of fat and calories. However, TVOC emissions during oil-free cooking were significantly different, and the lamb EFs were nearly 8 times higher than those during with-oil cooking. The particle-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (Æ©PPAH) and benzo(a)pyrene-equivalent (Æ©BaPeq) EFs during with-oil cooking ranged from 76.1 to 140.5 ng/g and 7.7-12.4 ng/g, respectively, while those during oil-free cooking ranged from 41.0 to 176.6 ng/g and 5.4-47.6 ng/g, respectively. The Æ©PPAH EFs of chicken, pork, and fish were lower during oil-free cooking than during cooking with oil. Furthermore, the Æ©BaPeq EFs of beef, chicken, pork, and fish were lower during oil-free cooking than during cooking with oil. Therefore, it is recommended to use the oil-free method to cook chicken, pork, and fish to reduce Æ©PPAH and Æ©BaPeq emissions, but not recommended to cook lamb due to the increase of Æ©BaPeq emissions. The with-oil uncovered cooking EFs of aldehydes ranged from 3.77 to 22.09 µg/g, and those of oil-free cooking ranged from 4.88 to 19.96 µg/g. The aldehyde EFs were lower during oil-free covered cooking than with-oil uncovered cooking for beef, chicken, and fish. This study provides a better realizing of new cooking approaches for the reduction of cooking-induced emission, but further research on the effects of food composition (moisture and fat) and characteristics is needed.

Novel visible-light-active P-g-CN-based α-Bi2O3/WO3 ternary photocatalysts with a dual Z-scheme heterostructure for the efficient decomposition of refractory ultraviolet filters and environmental hormones: Benzophenones.

The ubiquitous and refractory benzophenone (BP)-type ultraviolet filters, which are also endocrine disruptors, were commonly detected in the aquatic matrix and could not be efficiently removed by conventional wastewater treatment processes, thus causing extensive concern. Herein, a novel ternary nanocomposite, P-g-CN/α-Bi2O3/WO3 (P-gBW), was successfully fabricated by mixing cocalcinated components and applied to the decomposition of BP-type ultraviolet filters. The dual-Z-scheme heterostructure of P-gBW enhances visible-light absorption, efficiently facilitates separation and mobility, and prolongs the lifetime of photoinduced charge carriers via double charge transfer mechanisms. The optimum 95 wt% P-gBW exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity, degrading 96% 4-hydroxy benzophenone (4HBP) within 150 min and 93% 2,2',4,4'-tetrahydroxybenzophenone (BP-2) within 100 min under visible-light illumination, respectively. The pseudo-first-order rate constant of 4HBP (1.15 h-1) was 6.8-, 3.1-, 3.3- and 2.2-fold higher than those of WO3, P-g-CN, α-Bi2O3, and P-g-CN/α-Bi2O3, respectively, while that of BP-2 (1.71 h-1) was 5.2-, 2.2-, 3.2- and 1.5-fold higher, respectively. The improved photocatalytic degradation was attributed to efficient photoinduced charge carrier separation and migration and prevented the recombination of electron holes, as verified by photoluminescence, transient photocurrent response, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Trapping experiments, electron paramagnetic resonance, and band energy position indicated an efficient dual-Z-scheme heterostructure.

High-efficiency carbon-coated steel wool filter for controlling cooking-induced oil smoke.

Cooking oil smoke (COS) contains many harmful substances, such as particulate matter, formaldehyde, and phenyl esters. Currently, commercial COS treatment equipment is expensive and requires a large space. Furthermore, a large amount of agricultural waste is generated and is mainly burned onsite, producing large amounts of greenhouse gases and air pollutants. This waste could be reused as a precursor for biochar and activated carbon. Therefore, this research used saccharification and catalytic hydrothermal carbonization to process rice straw and produce compact carbon-based filters (steel wool-C) for removing cooking-induced pollutants. Scanning electron microscopy indicated that carbon layers were coated on the steel wool. The Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area of the carbon filter was 71.595 m2/g, 43 times larger than that of steel wool. The steel wool filter removed 28.9%-45.4% of submicron aerosol particles. Adding a negative air ionizer (NAI) to the filter system enhanced the particle removal efficiency by 10%-25%. The removal efficiency of total volatile organic compounds was 27.3%-37.1% with the steel wool filter, but 57.2%-74.2% with the carbon-containing steel wool filter, and the NAI improved the removal efficiency by approximately 1%-5%. The aldehyde removal efficiency of the carbon filter with NAI was 59.0%-72.0%. Conclusively, the compact steel wool-C and NAI device could be promising COS treatment equipment for households and small eateries.

Skull base reconstruction using in situ bone flap in patients with pituitary adenomas treated by endoscopic endonasal approach.

Objective: The objective of this study is to study the effect of in situ bone flap (ISBF) repositioning, a recently proposed rigid skull base reconstruction technique, on patients diagnosed with pituitary adenoma undergoing endoscopic endonasal approach (EEA). Method: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 188 patients with pituitary adenomas who underwent EEA from February 2018 to September 2022. Patients were divided into the ISBF group and non-ISBF group, according to whether ISBF was used during skull base reconstruction. Results: Of the 75 patients in the non-ISBF group, 6 had postoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage (8%), while only 1 of 113 patients in the ISBF group (0.8%) had postoperative CSF leakage, indicating that the incidence of postoperative CSF leakage in the ISBF group was significantly lower than that in the non-ISBF group (P = 0.033). In addition, we also found that the postoperative hospitalization days of patients in the ISBF group (5.34 ± 1.24) were significantly less than those in the non-ISBF group (6.83 ± 1.91, P = 0.015). Conclusion: ISBF repositioning is a safe, effective, and convenient rigid skull base reconstruction method for patients with pituitary adenoma treated by EEA, which can significantly reduce the rate of postoperative CSF leakage and shorten postoperative hospital stays.

A 20-Year Study of Capsular Polysaccharide Seroepidemiology, Susceptibility Profiles, and Virulence Determinants of Klebsiella pneumoniae from Bacteremia Patients in Taiwan.

In this study, we selected bacteremic Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates from the Taiwan Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance program. A total of 521 isolates were collected over a period of 2 decades, including 121 from 1998, 197 from 2008, and 203 from 2018. Seroepidemiology showed that the top five capsular polysaccharide types were serotypes K1, K2, K20, K54, and K62, constituting 48.5% of the total isolates, and the respective ratios at each time point have remained similar over the past 2 decades. The antibacterial susceptibility tests showed that K1, K2, K20, and K54 were susceptible to most antibiotics, while K62 was relatively resistant compared to other typeable and nontypeable strains. In addition, six virulence-associated genes, clbA, entB, iroN, rmpA, iutA, and iucA, were predominant in K1 and K2 isolates of K. pneumoniae. In conclusion, serotypes K1, K2, K20, K54, and K62 of K. pneumoniae are the most prevalent serotypes and carry more virulence determinants in bacteremia patients, which may indicate their invasiveness. If further serotype-specific vaccine development is performed, these five serotypes should be included. Since the antibiotic susceptibility profiles were stable over a long duration, empirical treatment may be predicted according to serotype if rapid diagnosis from direct clinical specimens is available, such as PCR or antigen serotyping for serotype K1 and K2. IMPORTANCE This is the first nationwide study to examine the seroepidemiology of Klebsiella pneumoniae using blood culture isolates collected over a period of 20 years. The study found that the prevalence of serotypes remained consistent over the 20-year period, with high-prevalence serotypes associated with invasive types. Nontypeable isolates had fewer virulence determinants than other serotypes. With the exception of serotype K62, the other high-prevalence serotypes were highly susceptible to antibiotics. If rapid diagnosis using direct clinical specimens, such as PCR or antigen serotyping, is available, empirical treatment can be predicted based on serotype, particularly for K1 and K2. The results of this seroepidemiology study could also help the development of future capsule polysaccharide vaccines.

Ethnopharmacological use, pharmacology, toxicology, phytochemistry, and progress in Chinese crude drug processing of the lateral root of Aconitum carmichaelii Debeaux. (Fuzi): A review.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The lateral root of Aconitum carmichaelii Debeaux. (also known as Fuzi in Chinese) is a toxic Chinese medicine but widely used in clinical practice with remarkable effects. It is specifically used to treat cardiovascular diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, and other diseases, in Korea, Japan, and India. AIM OF THIS REVIEW: This study aimed to summarize and discuss the effects of drug processing on toxicity, chemical composition, and pharmacology of the lateral root of Aconitum carmichaelii Debeaux. This review could provide feasible insights for further studies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Relevant information on phytochemistry, pharmacology, and toxicology of Fuzi was collected through published materials and electronic databases, including the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, Flora of China, Web of Science, PubMed, Baidu Scholar, Google Scholar, and CNKI. RESULTS: More than 100 chemical compounds, including alkaloids, flavonoids, and polysaccharides were revealed. Modern pharmacological studies show that these chemical components have good effects on anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, anti-aging, treatment of cardiovascular diseases, and improving immunity. Di-ester alkaloids are the main source of Fuzi toxicity. Increasing studies have shown that Fuzi can induce multiple organ damage, especially cardiotoxicity and neurotoxicity. At present, most of the Fuzi used in clinical practice are processed. The processing affects the chemical structure, pharmacology, and toxicology of Fuzi. Moreover, different processing methods have different effects on Fuzi. CONCLUSIONS: This review analyzed the effects of Fuzi processing methods on its toxicity and efficiency. The lateral roots of aconite are the known medicinal part of Fuzi; however, the aerial parts of aconite are understudied and require further research to expand its medicinal potential. Processing and compatibility are the primary means to reduce Fuzi toxicity. Nevertheless, establishing a reasonable unified safe dose range requires further discussion.

Acetylation Enhances the Anticancer Activity and Oral Bioavailability of 5-Demethyltangeretin.

A kind of hydroxylated polymethoxyflavone (PMFs) existing in the citrus genus, 5-Demethyltangeretin (5-DTAN), has been reported to possess several bioactivities in vitro and in vivo. The aim of this study was to investigate whether acetylation could enhance the anticancer activity and oral bioavailability of 5-DTAN. PC-3 human prostate cancer cells were treated with tangeretin (TAN), 5-DTAN, and 5-acetylated TAN (5-ATAN), and the results showed that the cytotoxic effect 5-ATAN (IC50 value of 5.1 µM) on the cell viability of PC-3 cells was stronger than that of TAN (IC50 value of 17.2 µM) and 5-DTAN (IC50 value of 11.8 µM). Compared to 5-DTAN, 5-ATAN treatment caused a more pronounced DNA ladder, increased the sub-G1 phase population, and induced G2/M phase arrest in the cell cycle of PC-3 cells. We also found that 5-ATAN triggered the activation of caspase-3 and the progression of the intrinsic mitochondrial pathway in PC-3 cells, suggesting the induction of apoptosis. In a cell wound healing test, 5-ATAN dose-dependently reduced the cell migration, and the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) was decreased after 48 h of 5-ATAN treatment. Moreover, oral administration of 5-ATAN showed a significantly stronger inhibitory effect on tumor size and tumor weight in tumor-bearing nude mice than those of vehicle or the 5-DTAN group (p < 0.05). Furthermore, pharmacokinetic results showed that single-dose oral administration of 5-ATAN exhibited a higher maximum concentration (Cmax) and area under the curve (AUC) of 5-DTAN in plasma than that of 5-DTAN. More extensive distribution of 5-DTAN to most tissues of mice was also observed in mice treated with 5-ATAN for 7 days. In conclusion, acetylation strongly enhances the anticancer activity and oral bioavailability of 5-DTAN and could be a promising strategy to promote the potential bioactivities of natural products.

Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Neutralizing Antibodies in Vaccinated Pregnant Women and Neonates by Using a Lateral Flow Immunoassay Coupled with a Spectrum-Based Reader.

The focus of this study was to investigate the detection of neutralizing antibodies (Nabs) in maternal serum and cord blood as the targeted samples by employing a lateral flow immunoassay combined with a spectrum reader (LFI-SR) and the correlation of Nab protection against different types of SARS-CoV-2. We enrolled 20 pregnant women who were vaccinated with the Moderna (mRNA-1273) vaccine during pregnancy and collected 40 samples during delivery. We used an LFI-SR for the level of spike protein receptor binding domain antibody (SRBD IgG) as Nabs and examined the correlation of the SRBD IgG concentration and Nab inhibition rates (NabIR) via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). The LFI-SR had high confidence for the SRBD IgG level (p < 0.0001). Better NabIR were found in wild-type SARS-CoV-2 (WT) compared to Delta-type (DT) and Omicron-type (OT). Women with two-dose vaccinations demonstrated greater NabIR than those with a single dose. The cut-off value of the SRBD IgG level by the LFI-SR for NabIR to DT (≥30%; ≥70%) was 60.15 and 150.21 ng/mL for mothers (both p = 0.005), and 156.31 (p = 0.011) and 230.20 ng/mL (p = 0.006) for babies, respectively. An additional vaccine booster may be considered for those mothers with SRBD IgG levels < 60.15 ng/mL, and close protection should be given for those neonates with SRBD IgG levels < 150.21 ng/mL, since there is no available vaccine for them.

Integrating transcriptome and chemical analyses to reveal the anti-Alzheimer's disease components in Verbena officinalis Linn.

Verbena officinalis Linn. is a kind of traditional Chinese medicine, which has a long history of application and shows good effects on neuroprotection. Therefore, we consider that V. officinalis may be a potential drug for treating Alzheimer's disease (AD). First, ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) pointed out that the main chemical components in V. officinalis were iridoid glycosides, phenylethanoid glycosides, and flavonoids. These compounds were used for molecular docking and the results showed that these compounds had good anti-AD activity. To explore the biosynthetic pathway of anti-AD components in V. officinalis, UPLC and ultraviolet (UV) spectrophotometry were used for contents determination and the result was leaf > stem > root. At the same time, 92,867 unigenes were annotated in V. officinalis transcriptome; 206, 229, 115 related unigenes were, respectively, annotated in iridoid glycoside, phenylethanoid glycoside, and flavonoid pathway, of which 61, 73, and 35 were differential expression genes. The components had relatively high expression in leaves, which was consistent with the quantitative results. In addition, the tissue distribution particularity of verbenalin may be related to the branching of pathways. Meanwhile transcription factors VoWRKY6 and VoWRKY7 may be involved in the regulation of iridoid glycoside biosynthesis. Further, VoWRKY3, VoWRKY9, and VoWRKY12 may be related to flavonoid biosynthesis. The above research is helpful to explore the biosynthetic pathway of anti-AD components and the regulation mechanism of active components and to further explore the anti-AD effect of V. officinalis.

Mechanistic Insights into the Inhibitory Activities of Chemical Constituents from the Fruits of Terminalia boivinii on α-Glucosidase.

Regulation of key digestive enzymes is currently considered an effective remedy for diabetes mellitus. In this study, bioactive constituents were purified from Terminalia boivinii fruits and identified by 1 H-NMR, 13 C-NMR and EI-MS. In vitro and in silico methods were used to evaluate α-glucosidase, α-amylase, and lipase inhibition activities. Compounds 1, 2, and 4-7 with IC50 values between 89 and 445 µM showed stronger α-glucosidase inhibitory activities than the antihyperglycemic drug acarbose (IC50 =1463.0±29.5 µM). However, the compounds showed lower inhibitory effects against α-amylase and lipase with IC50 values above 500 µM than acarbose (IC50 =16.7±3.5 µM) and ursolic acid (IC50 =89.5±5.6 µM), respectively. Lineweaver-Burk plots showed that compounds 1, 2, and 7 were non-competitive inhibitors, compounds 4 and 5 were competitive inhibitors and compound 6 was a mixed-type inhibitor. Fluorescence spectroscopic data showed that the compounds altered the microenvironment and conformation of α-glucosidase. Computer simulations indicated that the compounds and enzyme interacted primarily through hydrogen bonding. The findings indicated that the compounds were inhibitors of α-glucosidase and provided significant structural basis for understanding the binding activity of the compounds with α-glucosidase.

Prismatic Silver Nanoparticles Decorated on Graphene Oxide Sheets for Superior Antibacterial Activity.

Spherical silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) and silver nanoprisms (Ag NPrsms) were synthesized and decorated on graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets. The Ag contents were 29% and 23% in the GO−Ag NPs and GO−Ag NPrsms, respectively. The Ag NPrsms exhibited stronger (111) crystal signal than Ag NPs. The GO−Ag NPrsms exhibited higher Ag (I) content (75.6%) than GO-Ag NPs (69.9%). Increasing the nanomaterial concentration from 25 to 100 µg mL−1 improved the bactericidal efficiency, and the antibacterial potency was in the order: GO−Ag NPrsms > GO−Ag NPs > Ag NPrsms > Ag NPs > GO. Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) was more vulnerable than Gram-negative Escherichia coli (E. coli) upon exposure to these nanomaterials. The GO−Ag NPrsms demonstrated a complete (100%) bactericidal effect against S. aureus at a concentration of 100 µg mL−1. The GO−Ag composites outperformed those of Ag or GO due to the synergistic effect of bacteriostatic Ag particles and GO affinity toward bacteria. The levels of reactive oxygen species produced in the bacteria−nanomaterial mixtures were highly correlated to the antibacterial efficacy values. The GO−Ag NPrsms are promising as bactericidal agents to suppress biofilm formation and inhibit bacterial infection.

Compounds with NO Inhibitory Effect from the Rattan Stems of Sinomenium acutum, a Kind of Chinese Folk Medicine for Treating Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Three new alkaloids (1-3), one new diphenyl ether (4) and fifteen known alkaloids (5-19) were isolated from the rattan stems of Sinomenium acutum. Comprehensive analyses of HR-ESI-MS, 1D (1 H and 13 C), 2D-NMR (1 H-1 H COSY, HSQC, HMBC, NOESY), circular dichroism (CD), UV and IR revealed the structures and absolute configurations of these new compounds. The structures of other compounds were determined by comparison of their 1 H and 13 C-NMR data with previous literature reports. By measuring the amount of NO produced, the anti-inflammatory properties of the isolated compounds were studied. The results showed that compounds 4 and 5 had strong NO inhibitory activity.