Interfacial OOH* mediated Fe(II) regeneration on the single atom Co-N-C catalyst for efficient Fenton-like processes.

Fe(II) regeneration is decisive for highly efficient H2O2-based Fenton-like processes, but the role of cobalt-containing reactive sites in promoting Fe(II) regeneration was overlooked. Herein, a single atom Co-N-C catalyst was employed in Fe(II)/H2O2 system to promote the degradation of diverse organic contaminants. The EPR and quenching experiments indicated Co-N-C significantly enhanced the generation of superoxide species, and accelerated hydroxyl radical generation for pollutant degradation. The electrochemical and surface composition analyses demonstrated the enhanced H2O2 activation and Fe(III)/Fe(II) recycling on the catalyst. Furthermore, in-situ Raman characterization with shell-isolated gold nanoparticles was employed to visualize the interfacial reactive intermediates and their time-resolved interaction. The accumulation of interfacial CoOOH* was confirmed when Co-N-C activated H2O2 alone, but it rapidly transformed into FeOOH* upon Fe(II) addition. Besides, the temporal variation of OOH* intermediates and the relative intensity of Co(III)-O and Co(IV)=O peaks depicted the dynamic interaction of reactive intermediates along the H2O2 consumption. With this basis, we proposed a mechanism of interfacial OOH* mediated Fe(II) regeneration, which overcame the kinetical limitation of Fe(II)/H2O2 system. Therefore, this study provided a primary effort to elucidate the overlooked role of interfacial CoOOH* in the Fenton-like processes, which may inspire the design of more efficient catalysts.

Investigation of supplementation with a combination of fermented bean dregs and wheat bran for improving the growth performance of the sow.

To investigate the effect of dietary supplementation with a fermented mixture of bean dregs and wheat bran (FBW) on sow performance. FBW was given to sows during late gestation and lactation; in total, 24 sows were randomly assigned to 4 groups (control diet; 3% FBW diet; 6% FBW diet; 9% FBW diet, n = 6). The weight ratio of bean dregs (wet) to wheat bran was 4:6. Sows were fed different diets from 85 d of gestation until weaning. The results showed that supplementation with FBW increased average daily feed intake (ADFI) during lactation (p < 0.05). FBW supplementation also increased litter weight and milk yield (p < 0.05). The contents of Escherichia coli in the feces of the treatment groups were significantly reduced by FBW supplementation (p < 0.01). FBW supplementation significantly improved the fecal morphology (p < 0.05), alleviating sows' constipation. In conclusion, FBW could increase the ADFI, improve lactation and piglet litter weight in sows and reduce the pathogenic bacterial content in sow feces and constipation.

Cocreation of photogenerated electron and hole collectors on polymeric carbon nitride synergistically promotes carrier separation and reaction kinetics towards propelling photocatalytic hydrogen evolution.

It is a challenging issue for the creation of photogenerated carrier collectors on the photocatalyst to drive charge separation and promote reaction kinetics in the photocatalytic reaction. Herein, based on one-step dual-modulation strategy, IrO2 nanodots are modified at the edge of polymeric carbon nitride (PCN) nanosheets and atomically dispersed Ir atoms are implanted in the skeleton of PCN to obtain a unique Ir-PCN/IrO2 photocatalyst. IrO2 nanodots and atomically dispersed Ir atoms act as hole and electron collectors to synergistically promote the carrier separation and reaction kinetics, respectively, thereby greatly improving the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution (PHE) performance. As a result, without adding additional cocatalyst, the PHE rate over the optimal Ir-PCN/IrO2-2% sample reaches up to 1564.4 µmol h-1 g-1 under the visible light irradiation, with achieving an apparent quantum yield (AQY) of 15.7% at 420 nm.

Gut microbiota intervention alleviates pulmonary inflammation in broilers exposed to fine particulate matter from broiler house.

The gut microbiota of poultry is influenced by a variety of factors, including feed, drinking water, airborne dust, and footpads, among others. Gut microbiota can affect the immune reaction and inflammation in the lungs. To investigate the effect of gut microbiota variation on lung inflammation induced by PM2.5 (fine particulate matter) in broilers, 36 Arbor Acres (AA) broilers were randomly assigned to three groups: control group (CON), PM2.5 exposure group (PM), and PM2.5 exposure plus oral antibiotics group (PMA). We used non-absorbable antibiotics (ABX: neomycin and amikacin) to modify the microbiota composition in the PMA group. The intervention was conducted from the 18th to the 28th day of age. Broilers in the PM and PMA groups were exposed to PM by a systemic exposure method from 21 to 28 days old, and the concentration of PM2.5 was controlled at 2 mg/m3. At 28 days old, the lung injury score, relative mRNA expression of inflammatory factors, T-cell differentiation, and dendritic cell function were significantly increased in the PM group compared to the CON group, and those of the PMA group were significantly decreased compared to the PM group. There were significant differences in both α and ß diversity of cecal microbiota among these three groups. Numerous bacterial genera showed significant differences in relative abundance among the three groups. In conclusion, gut microbiota could affect PM2.5-induced lung inflammation in broilers by adjusting the capacity of antigen-presenting cells to activate T-cell differentiation. IMPORTANCE: Gut microbes can influence the development of lung inflammation, and fine particulate matter collected from broiler houses can lead to lung inflammation in broilers. In this study, we explored the effect of gut microbes modified by intestinal non-absorbable antibiotics on particulate matter-induced lung inflammation. The results showed that modification in the composition of gut microbiota could alleviate lung inflammation by attenuating the ability of dendritic cells to stimulate T-cell differentiation, which provides a new way to protect lung health in poultry farms.

A single-chain antibody construct with specificity of a natural IgM antibody reduces hepatic ischemia reperfusion injury in mice.

Natural immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies have been shown to recognize post-ischemic neoepitopes following reperfusion of tissues and to activate complement. Specifically, IgM antibodies and complement have been shown to drive hepatic ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI). Herein, we investigate the therapeutic effect of C2 scFv (single-chain antibody construct with specificity of a natural IgM antibody) on hepatic IRI in C57BL/6 mice. Compared with PBS-treated mice, C2 scFv-treated mice displayed almost no necrotic areas, significant reduction in serum ALT, AST and LDH levels, and significantly reduced in the number of TUNEL positive cells. Moreover, C2 scFv-treated mice exhibited a notable reduction in inflammatory cells after hepatic IRI than PBS-treated mice. The serum IL-6, IL-1ß, TNF-α and MPC-1 levels were also severely suppressed by C2 scFv. Interestingly, C2 scFv reconstituted hepatic inflammation and IRI in Rag1-/- mice. We found that C2 scFv promoted hepatic cell death and increased inflammatory cytokines and infiltration of inflammatory cells after hepatic IRI in Rag1-/- mice. In addition, IgM and complement 3d (C3d) were deposited in WT mice and in Rag1-/- mice reconstituted with C2 scFv, indicating that C2 scFv can affect IgM binding and complement activation and reconstitute hepatic IRI. C3d expression was significantly lower in C57BL/6 mice treated with C2 scFv compared to PBS, indicating that excessive exogenous C2 scFv inhibited complement activation. These data suggest that C2 scFv alleviates hepatic IRI by blocking complement activation, and treatment with C2 scFv may be a promising therapy for hepatic IRI.

Human Endometrium Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells with Aberrant NOD1 Expression Are Associated with Ectopic Endometrial Lesion Formation.

Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain 1 (NOD1), a cytosolic pattern recognition receptor protein, plays a crucial role in innate immune responses. However, the functional expression of NOD1 in mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived from endometriosis remains unclear. The aim of this study was to explore the functions of NOD1 in ectopic endometrial lesions. Tissues and MSCs were isolated from both normal endometrium and endometriosis. Immunohistochemistry and real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) were used to determine the expression of NOD1 in the tissues/MSCs. Quantification of various cytokines was performed using RT-qPCR and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. To confirm the proliferation, invasion/migration, and apoptotic viabilities of the samples, Cell Counting Kit-8, clonogenic formation, transwell assays, and apoptotic experiments were conducted. Higher levels of NOD1 expression were detected in the ectopic-MSCs obtained from endometriosis compared to those from the endometrium. The expression of interleukin-8 was higher in the ectopic-MSCs than in the eutopic-MSCs. Pretreatment with NOD1 agonist significantly enhanced the proliferation and invasion/migration of eutopic-MSCs. Additionally, the NOD1 inhibitor ML-130 significantly reduced the proliferation, clone formation, invasion, and migration abilities of the ectopic-MSCs, having no effect on their apoptosis capacity. Our findings suggest that the expression of NOD1 in ectopic-MSCs may contribute to the progression of ectopic endometrial lesions.

Tuning the Biodegradation Rate of Silk Materials via Embedded Enzymes.

Conventional thinking when designing biodegradable materials and devices is to tune the intrinsic properties and morphological features of the material to regulate their degradation rate, modulating traditional factors such as molecular weight and crystallinity. Since regenerated silk protein can be directly thermoplastically molded to generate robust dense silk plastic-like materials, this approach afforded a new tool to control silk degradation by enabling the mixing of a silk-degrading protease into bulk silk material prior to thermoplastic processing. Here we demonstrate the preparation of these silk-based devices with embedded silk-degrading protease to modulate the degradation based on the internal presence of the enzyme to support silk degradation, as opposed to the traditional surface degradation for silk materials. The degradability of these silk devices with and without embedded protease XIV was assessed both in vitro and in vivo. Ultimately, this new process approach provides direct control of the degradation lifetime of the devices, empowered through internal digestion via water-activated proteases entrained and stabilized during the thermoplastic process.

Multivariate analysis for data mining to characterize poultry house environment in winter.

The processing and analysis of massive high-dimensional datasets are important issues in precision livestock farming (PLF). This study explored the use of multivariate analysis tools to analyze environmental data from multiple sensors located throughout a broiler house. An experiment was conducted to collect a comprehensive set of environmental data including particulate matter (TSP, PM10, and PM2.5), ammonia, carbon dioxide, air temperature, relative humidity, and in-cage and aisle wind speeds from 60 locations in a typical commercial broiler house. The dataset was divided into 3 growth phases (wk 1-3, 4-6, and 7-9). Spearman's correlation analysis and principal component analysis (PCA) were used to investigate the latent associations between environmental variables resulting in the identification of variables that played important roles in indoor air quality. Three cluster analysis methods; k-means, k-medoids, and fuzzy c-means cluster analysis (FCM), were used to group the measured parameters based on their environmental impact in the broiler house. In general, the Spearman and PCA results showed that the in-cage wind speed, aisle wind speed, and relative humidity played critical roles in indoor air quality distribution during broiler rearing. All 3 clustering methods were found to be suitable for grouping data, with FCM outperforming the other 2. Using data clustering, the broiler house spaces were divided into 3, 2, and 2 subspaces (clusters) for wk 1 to 3, 4 to 6, and 7 to 9, respectively. The subspace in the center of the house had a poorer air quality than other subspaces.

Effects of Fe3O4 NMs based Fenton-like reactions on biodegradable plastic bags in compost: New insight into plastisphere community succession, co-composting efficiency and free radical in situ aging theory.

Biodegradable plastic bags (BPBs), meant for eco-friendly, often inadequately degrade in compost, leading to microplastic pollution. In this study, the effect of Fenton-like reaction with Fe3O4 nanoparticles (NMs) on the plastisphere microorganisms' evolution and the BPBs' aging mechanism was revealed by co-composting of food waste with BPBs for 40 days. The establishment of the Fenton-like reaction was confirmed, with the addition of Fenton-like reagent treatments resulting in an increase of 57.67% and 37.75% in H2O2 levels during the composting, compared to the control group. Moreover, the structural characterization reveals that increasing oxygen content continuously generates reactive free radicals on the surface, leading to the formation of oxidative cavities. This process results in random chain-breaking, significantly reducing molecular weights by 39.27% and 38.81%, thus showcasing a deep-seated transformation in the plastic's molecular structure. Furthermore, the microbial network suggested that the Fenton-like reaction enriched plastisphere keystone species, thus accelerating the BPBs' aging. Additionally, the Fenton-like reaction improved compost maturity and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. These results reveal the bio-chemical mechanisms of BPBs aging and random chain-breaking by the Fenton-like reaction, under alternating oxidative/anoxic conditions of composting and provide a new insight to resolve the BPBs' pollutions.

The exposure in ovo to glyphosate on the integrity of intestinal epithelial tight junctions of chicks.

Glyphosate is an ingredient widely used in various commercial formulations, including Roundup®. This study focused on tight junctions and the expression of inflammatory genes in the small intestine of chicks. On the sixth day of embryonic development, the eggs were randomly assigned to three groups: the control group (CON, n = 60), the glyphosate group (GLYP, n = 60), which received 10 mg of active glyphosate/kg egg mass, and the Roundup®-based glyphosate group also received 10 mg of glyphosate. The results indicated that the chicks exposed to glyphosate or Roundup® exhibited signs of oxidative stress. Additionally, histopathological alterations in the small intestine tissues included villi fusion, complete fusion of some intestinal villi, a reduced number of goblet cells, and necrosis of some submucosal epithelial cells in chicks. Genes related to the small intestine (ZO-1, ZO-2, Claudin-1, Claudin-3, JAM2, and Occludin), as well as the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IFNγ, IL-1ß, and IL-6), exhibited significant changes in the groups exposed to glyphosate or Roundup® compared to the control group. In conclusion, the toxicity of pure glyphosate or Roundup® likely disrupts the small intestine of chicks by modulating the expression of genes associated with tight junctions in the small intestine.

Rapid purification of alkylamides from Zanthoxylum bungeanum by medium-pressure liquid chromatography and the establishment of a numbness prediction model using an electronic tongue.

In the present study, an efficient and rapid method for the preparation of high-purity typical alkylamides from Zanthoxylum bungeanum (Z. bungeanum) pericarps using medium-pressure liquid chromatography (MPLC) was developed. Under the optimized conditions using a mobile phase of methanol : water (70 : 30, v/v) at a flow rate of 25 mL min-1 and one run for 30 min, hydroxy-α-sanshool with a purity of 97.85% could be obtained. Sensory evaluation and electronic tongue analysis of the hydroxyl-α-sanshool were performed, and the aftertastes of bitterness and astringency were found to be more representative of the compounds in Chinese prickly ash that causes numbness, which has not been reported in the literature before. An electronic tongue prediction model for the evaluation of numbing intensity was established: Y = 20.452X1 - 7.594X2 - 2.876, R2 = 0.973, where Y is a sensory evaluation value based on the 15 cm linear scale method and X1 and X2 are the aftertastes from astringency and bitterness, respectively. The evaluation model can be used for the evaluation of the numbing intensity of amides of Zanthoxylum bungeanum.

Access to 2,4-Disubstituted Pyrrole-Based Polymer with Long-Wavelength and Stimuli-Responsive Properties via Copper-Catalyzed [3+2] Polycycloaddition.

Pyrrole-based polymers (PBPs), a type of fascinating functional polymers, play a crucial role in materials science. However, efficient synthetic strategies of PBPs with diverse structures are mainly focused on conjugated polypyrroles and still remain challenging. Herein, an atom and step economy protocol is described to access various 2,4-disubstituted PBPs by in situ formation of pyrrole core structure via copper-catalyzed [3+2] polycycloaddition of dialkynones and diisocyanoacetates. A series of PBPs is prepared with high molecular weight (Mw up to 18 200 Da) and moderate to good yield (up to 87%), which possesses a fluorescent emission located in the green to yellow light region. Blending the PBPs with polyvinyl alcohol, the stretchable composite films exhibit a significant strengthening of the mechanical properties (tensile stress up to 59 MPa, elongation at break >400%) and an unprecedented stress-responsive luminescence enhancement that over fourfold fluorescent emission intensity is maintained upon stretching up to 100%. On the basis of computational studies, the unique photophysical and mechanical properties are attributed to the substitution of carbonyl chromophores on the pyrrole unit.

Cultivated Meat from Aligned Muscle Layers and Adipose Layers Formed from Glutenin Films.

Cultivated meat production is a promising technology to generate meat while reducing the reliance on traditional animal farming. Biomaterial scaffolds are critical components in cultivated meat production, enabling cell adhesion, proliferation, differentiation, and orientation. In the present work, naturally derived glutenin was fabricated into films with and without surface patterning and in the absence of toxic cross-linking or stabilizing agents for cell culture related to cultivated meat goals. The films were stable in culture media for at least 28 days, and the surface patterns induced cell alignment and guided myoblast organization (C2C12s) and served as a substrate for 3T3-L1 adipose cells. The films supported adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation with mass balance considerations (films, cells, and matrix production). Freeze-thaw cycles were applied to remove cells from glutenin films and monitor changes in glutenin mass with respect to culture duration. Extracellular matrix (ECM) extraction was utilized to quantify matrix deposition and changes in the original biomaterial mass over time during cell cultivation. Glutenin films with C2C12s showed mass increases with time due to cell growth and new collagen-based ECM expression during proliferation and differentiation. All mass balances were compared among cell and noncell systems as controls, along with gelatin control films, with time-dependent changes in the relative content of film, matrix deposition, and cell biomass. These data provide a foundation for cell/biomaterial/matrix ratios related to time in culture as well as nutritional and textural features.

DNA-Based Fluorescent Nanoprobe for Cancer Cell Membrane Imaging.

As an important barrier between the cytoplasm and the microenvironment of the cell, the cell membrane is essential for the maintenance of normal cellular physiological activities. An abnormal cell membrane is a crucial symbol of body dysfunction and the occurrence of variant diseases; therefore, the visualization and monitoring of biomolecules associated with cell membranes and disease markers are of utmost importance in revealing the biological functions of cell membranes. Due to their biocompatibility, programmability, and modifiability, DNA nanomaterials have become increasingly popular in cell fluorescence imaging in recent years. In addition, DNA nanomaterials can be combined with the cell membrane in a specific manner to enable the real-time imaging of signal molecules on the cell membrane, allowing for the real-time monitoring of disease occurrence and progression. This article examines the recent application of DNA nanomaterials for fluorescence imaging on cell membranes. First, we present the conditions for imaging DNA nanomaterials in the cell membrane microenvironment, such as the ATP, pH, etc. Second, we summarize the imaging applications of cell membrane receptors and other molecules. Finally, some difficulties and challenges associated with DNA nanomaterials in the imaging of cell membranes are presented.

Correlation between ultrafiltration rate and hemoglobin level and erythropoietin response in hemodialysis patients.

This study aimed to investigate the correlation between ultrafiltration rate (UFR) and hemoglobin levels and erythropoietin (EPO) response in patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis (MHD). 225 MHD patients were divided into three groups according to the UFR: < 10 ml/h/kg, 10-13 ml/h/kg, and >13 ml/h/kg. Clinical parameters and prognosis were compared among the groups. Multiple linear correlation and regression analyses were conducted. SPSS 26.0 (IBM, Chicago, IL, USA) was used to analyze all statistics. The UFR < 10 ml/h/kg group was older than the other groups (p < 0.05). The UFR > 13 ml/h/kg group had the highest SpKt/V (p < 0.05), monthly EPO dose/weight (p < 0.001), and EPO resistance index (p < 0.001), as well as the lowest dry weight (p < 0.001), BMI (p < 0.001), hemoglobin (p < 0.001), hematocrit (p < 0.05), and red blood cell count (p < 0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that sex, dry weight, UFR, calcium, phosphorus, albumin, and C-reactive protein levels were associated with hemoglobin levels. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that a higher UFR was associated with lower hemoglobin levels, while male sex and higher levels of calcium and albumin were associated with higher hemoglobin levels. High UFR is associated with more severe anemia and EPO resistance in MHD. This study provides new insights into anemia management in patients undergoing hemodialysis.

In Situ Creation of Surface Defects on Pd@NiPd with Core-shell Hierarchical Structure Toward Boosting Electrocatalytic Activity.

A deep insight into surface structural evolution of the catalyst is a challenging issue to reveal the structure-activity relationship. In this contribution, based on a surface alloying strategy, the dual-functional Pd@NiPd catalyst with a unique core-shell hierarchical structure is developed through selective crystal growth, surface cocrystallization, directional self-assembly, and reduction process. The surface defects are created in situ on the outer NiPd alloy layer in the electrochemical redox processes, which endow the Pd@NiPd catalyst with excellent electrocatalytic activity of hydrogen generation reaction (HER) and oxygen generation reaction (OER) in alkaline media. The optimal Pd@NiPd-2 catalyst requires an overpotential of only 18 mV that is far lower than Pt/C benchmark (43 mV) at the current density of 10 mA cm-2 for the HER, and 210 mV that is far lower than RuO2 benchmark (430 mV) at 50 mA cm-2 for the OER. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the outstanding electrocatalytic activity is originated from the creation of surface defect structure that induces a significant reduction in the adsorption and dissociation energy barriers of H2O molecules in the HER and a decrease in the conversion energy from O* to OOH* that resulted from the synergy of two adjacent Pd sites by forming O-bridge. This work affords a typical paradigm for exploiting efficient catalysts and investigating the dependence of electrocatalytic activity on the surface structural evolution.

A Real-World Study on Safety and Efficacy of TAF Treatment in HBV Patients with High Risk of Osteoporosis or Osteopenia in China.

Objective: Long-term antiviral treatment is necessary for chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients, and treatment safety is imperative for these patients. Previous studies showed tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) has shown efficacy non-inferior to that of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) with improved renal and bone safety. However, there is still a lack of a rapid and convenient method to identify CHB patients at high risk of osteoporosis before initiating antiviral treatment. The International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) recommended a one-minute osteoporosis risk test to identify early high-risk patients. Our aim was to evaluate the feasibility of the one-minute osteoporosis risk test, along with evaluating the effectiveness and safety for virologically suppressed CHB patients switching to TAF. Methods: In this multicenter, prospective study, patients with chronic HBV infection who had been receiving TDF or Entecavir (ETV) for 48 weeks or more with HBV DNA less than 20 IU/mL for longer than 6 months were screened by one-minute osteoporosis risk test. Patients with a high risk of osteoporosis and then diagnosed with osteopenia or osteoporosis by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) were enrolled. Safety in bone and bone turnover markers and antiviral efficacy of TAF were assessed respectively at 24 and 48 weeks. Results: 84.95% (175/206) CHB patients screened by one-minute osteoporosis risk test were at risk of osteoporosis.85.71% (150/175) were diagnosed with osteopenia by DEXA. The analysis included a total of 138 patients, of whom 92(62.3%) were male and 46 (37.7%) were female, with a mean age of 45 years old. HBV DNA was suppressed at 48 weeks at 88% (35/40) in the prior ETV group and 90% (88/98) at 48 weeks group in the prior TDF group. Bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar spine (L1-L4) from TDF switching to TAF was improved at 24 weeks (1.03±0.11 vs. 0.97±0.12, P = .001) than baseline. Propeptides of type I procollagen (PINP) and beta-C-terminal telopeptides of type 1 collagen (CTX) in serum at 24 weeks after switching from TDF to TAF declined compared with baseline (50.35±18.90 vs. 63.65±19.17, P = .016 and 0.21±0.13 vs. 0.32±0.10, P = .017). BMD, PINP, and CTX in ETV to TAF group remained stable during treatment. Conclusion: Attention should be paid to osteoporosis risk during lone-term nucleot(s)ide analogue treatment. One minute test of osteoporosis risk could rapidly identify most CHB patients at risk of osteoporosis. Given its convenience, we recommend using this test for early screening in CHB patients prior to initiating antiviral treatment. Our results further demonstrated that an improvement in bone safety after switching to TAF in virologically suppressed CHB patients with osteoporosis.

Reconstitution of RNA cap methylation reveals different features of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV methyltransferases.

Cap RNA methylations play important roles in the replication, evasion of host RNA sensor recognition, and pathogenesis. Coronaviruses possess both guanine N7- and 2'-O-ribose methyltransferases (N7-MTase and 2'-O-MTase) encoded by nonstructural protein (nsp) 14 and nsp16/10 complex, respectively. In this study, we reconstituted the two-step RNA methylations of N7-MTase and 2'-O-MTase of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in vitro and demonstrated its common and different features in comparison with that of SARS-CoV. We revealed that the nsp16/10 2'-O-MTase of SARS-CoV-2 has a broader substrate selectivity than the counterpart of SARS-CoV and can accommodate both unmethylated and uncapped RNA substrates in a sequence-independent manner. Most intriguingly, the substrate selectivity of nsp16/10 complex is not determined by the apoenzyme of nsp16 MTase but by its cofactor nsp10. These results provide insight into the unique features of SARS-CoV-2 MTases and may help develop strategies to precisely intervene in the methylation pathway and pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2.

Apoptosis and autophagy of muscle cell during pork postmortem aging.

OBJECTIVE: Pork is an important source of animal protein in many countries. Subtle physiochemical changes occur during pork postmortem aging. The changes of apoptosis and autophagy in pork at 6 h to 72 h after slaughter were studied to provide evidence for pork quality. METHODS: In this article, morphological changes of postmortem pork was observed through Hematoxylin-eosin staining, apoptotic nuclei were observed by TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labeling assay, protein related to apoptosis and autophagy expressions were tested by western blot and LC3 level were expressed according to immunofluorescence assay. RESULTS: In this study, we found the occurrence of apoptosis in postmortem pork, and the process was characterized by nucleus condensation and fragmentation, formation of apoptotic bodies, increase in apoptosis-related Bax/Bcl-2 levels, and activation of caspases. Autophagy reached its peak between 24 and 48 h after slaughter, accompanied by the formation of autophagosomes on the cell membrane and expression of autophagy-related proteins beclin-1, P62, LC3-I, LC3-II, and ATG5. CONCLUSION: Obvious apoptosis was observed at 12 h and autophagy reached its peak at 48 h. The present work provides the evidence for the occurrence of apoptosis and autophagy during postmortem aging of pork. In conclusion, the apoptosis and autophagy of muscle cells discovered in this study have important implications for pork in the meat industry.

Enhancing the Quality of Life for Peritoneal Dialysis Patients: A Study of Influencing Factors.

Objective: The objective of this study was to examine the quality of life among peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients and identify the influencing factors. Methods: The study was conducted between March 2021 and December 2021 at the Peritoneal Dialysis Center of the Second Hospital affiliated with Harbin Medical University. A total of 148 patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) undergoing PD were included. Demographic information, assessments of dialysis adequacy, biochemical evaluations, and the administration of the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) were carried out. The study analyzed the factors influencing the quality of life of these dialysis patients using the Spearman correlation coefficient and multiple linear regression. Results: The KDQOL-36 score for PD patients was 69.78±15.62, with 15.6% experiencing anxiety and 59.7% reporting depression. Age (r = -0.209), residual renal creatinine clearance rate (residual Ccr, r=-0.261), SAS (r=-0.623), and SDS (r = -0.116) scores exhibited significant negative correlations with KDQOL-36 scores (P < .05), while serum albumin levels (r = 0.199) showed significant positive correlations with KDQOL-36 scores (P < .05). Advanced age, poor nutritional status, low serum albumin levels, reduced residual renal Ccr, and high SAS and SDS scores were identified as significant predictors of lower KDQOL-36 scores (P < .05). Conclusions: The psychological state, age, nutritional status, serum albumin levels, and residual renal function significantly impacted the quality of life of PD patients.