The relationship between sleep disturbance and aggressive behaviour among community-dwelling schizophrenia patients: a moderated mesomeric effect model.

OBJECTIVE: Sleep disturbance is the most common concern of patients with schizophrenia and can lead to a poor prognosis, a low survival rate and aggressive behaviour, posing a significant threat to social security and stability. The aim of this study was to explore the mediating role of depression in the relationship between sleep disturbance and aggressive behaviour in people with schizophrenia living in the community, as well as the regulatory role of family intimacy and adaptability. These findings, in turn, may provide a theoretical basis and constructive suggestions for addressing the physical and mental health problems of these patients. METHOD: From September 2020 to August 2021, a convenience sampling method was used to select schizophrenia patients from the community attending follow-up appointments at the Fourth People's Hospital of Pengzhou City, China. The researchers conducted a survey in the form of a star questionnaire. The survey included questions about general demographic data and disease-related questionnaires: the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the revised Chinese version of the Modified Over Aggression Scale (MOAS), the Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), and the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Scale, Second Edition. FACES-II and SPSS 21.0 were used to organize and analyse the data. RESULTS: A total of 818 schizophrenia patients living in the community participated in the survey, and 785 valid questionnaires were ultimately collected, for a response rate of 95.97%. The results of multivariate analysis indicated that sex, number of psychiatric medications used, outpatient follow-up, history of hospitalization for mental disorders and sleep disturbances were factors influencing aggressive behaviour. Depression played a partial mediating role between sleep disturbance and aggressive behaviour, and the indirect effect size was 0.043 (57.33% of the total). In addition to sleep disturbance, family intimacy (ß=-0.009, P < 0.01) and adaptability (ß=-0.145, P < 0.001) can significantly predict depression. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that sleep disturbance in schizophrenia patients in the community is a risk factor for aggressive behaviour, and depression plays a partial mediating role in the relationship among sleep disturbance, aggressive behaviour and family intimacy. In addition, adaptability plays a regulatory role in the relationship between depression and sleep disturbance.

Comparative analysis of psychiatric medications and their association with falls and fractures: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.

An association between psychiatric medications and falls and fractures in people taking them has been demonstrated, but which class or medication leads to the greatest risk of falls or fractures should be further investigated. The aim of this study was to compare and rank the magnitude of risk of falls and fractures due to different psychiatric medications. Eight databases were searched for this meta-analysis and evaluated using a frequency-based network meta-analysis. The results included a total of 28 papers with 14 medications from 5 major classes, involving 3,467,314 patients. The results showed that atypical antipsychotics were the class of medications with the highest risk of falls, and typical antipsychotics were the class of medications with the highest risk of resulting in fractures. Quetiapine ranked first in the category of 13 medications associated with risk of falls, and class Z drugs ranked first in the category of 6 medications associated with risk of fractures. The available evidence suggests that atypical antipsychotics and typical antipsychotics may be the drugs with the highest risk of falls and fractures, respectively. Quetiapine may be the medication with the highest risk of falls, and class Z drugs may be the medication with the highest risk of fractures.

Utilizing multicompartmental restriction spectrum magnetic resonance imaging for liver fibrosis characterization in a mouse model.

BACKGROUND: Currently, an advanced imaging method may be necessary for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to diagnosis and quantify liver fibrosis (LF). PURPOSE: To evaluate the feasibility of the multicompartmental restriction spectrum imaging (RSI) model to characterize LF in a mouse model. METHODS: Thirty mice with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced LF and eight control mice were investigated using multi-b-value (ranging from 0 to 2000 s/mm2) diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) on a 3T scanner. DWI data were processed using RSI model (2-5 compartments) with the Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC) determining the optimal model. Conventional ADC value and signal fraction of each compartment in the optimal RSI model were compared across groups. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve analysis was performed to determine the diagnosis performances of different parameters, while Spearman correlation analysis was employed to investigate the correlation between different tissue compartments and the stage of LF. RESULTS: According to BIC results, a 4-compartment RSI model (RSI4) with optimal ADCs of 0.471 × 10-3, 1.653 × 10-3, 9.487 × 10-3, and > 30 × 10-3, was the optimal model to characterize LF. Significant differences in signal contribution fraction of the C1 and C3 compartments were observed between LF and control groups (P = 0.018 and 0.003, respectively). ROC analysis showed that RSI4-C3 was the most effective single diffusion parameter for characterizing LF (AUC = 0.876, P = 0.003). Furthermore, the combination of ADC values and RSI4-C3 value increased the diagnosis performance significantly (AUC = 0.894, P = 0.002). CONCLUSION: The 4-compartment RSI model has the potential to distinguish LF from the control group based on diffusion parameters. RSI4-C3 showed the highest diagnostic performance among all the parameters. The combination of ADC and RSI4-C3 values further improved the discrimination performance.

Reducing postoperative hypothermia in infants: Quality improvement in China.

BACKGROUND: Unintended postoperative hypothermia in infants is associated with increased mortality and morbidity. We noted consistent hypothermia postoperatively in more than 60% of our neonatal intensive care (NICU) babies. Therefore, we set out to determine whether a targeted quality improvement (QI) project could decrease postoperative hypothermia rates in infants. OBJECTIVES: Our SMART aim was to reduce postoperative hypothermia (<36.5°C) in infants from 60% to 40% within 6 months. METHODS: This project was approved by IRB at Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center, China. The QI team included multidisciplinary healthcare providers in China and QI experts from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, USA. The plan-do-study-act (PDSA) cycles included establishing a perioperative-thermoregulation protocol, optimizing the transfer process, and staff education. The primary outcome and balancing measures were, respectively, postoperative hypothermia and hyperthermia (axillary temperature < 36.5°C, >37.5°C). Data collected was analyzed using control charts. The factors associated with a reduction in hypothermia were explored using regression analysis. RESULTS: There were 295 infants in the project. The percentage of postoperative hypothermia decreased from 60% to 37% over 26 weeks, a special cause variation below the mean on the statistical process control chart. Reduction in hypothermia was associated with an odds of 0.17 (95% CI: 0.06-0.46; p <.001) for compliance with the transport incubator and 0.24 (95% CI: 0.1-0.58; p =.002) for prewarming the OR ambient temperature to 26°C. Two infants had hyperthermia. CONCLUSIONS: Our QI project reduced postoperative hypothermia without incurring hyperthermia through multidisciplinary team collaboration with the guidance of QI experts from the USA.

Functional type mediates the responses of root litter-driven priming effect and new carbon formation to warming.

Input of root litter can alter soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics via causing priming effect (PE) on native SOC decomposition and forming new SOC. However, it is unknown how functional type mediates the root litter-driven PE and new C formation as well as their response to warming, which are of pivotal for soil C budget. We mixed litter segments of absorptive roots and transport roots from a Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata) plantation into isotopically distinct soil and incubated at 19°C (local mean annual temperature) and 23°C (warming by 4°C) for 210 days. Cumulative PE was calculated via integrating the instantaneous PE rates during the incubation. And the newly formed root litter-derived SOC (SOCrl) was calculated by measuring the δ13C value of soil at the end of incubation using a two-source mixed model. We found that absorptive roots with faster decomposition rates, caused significantly higher cumulative PE and SOCrl than transport roots. The microbial biomass and enzyme activities involved in C, N and P acquisition were significantly higher in the absorptive- than the transport roots addition treatment, indicating a higher level of microbial activation caused by absorptive roots. Although warming significantly increased the litter decomposition for both of functional types, while just significantly increased the PE of transport roots, indicating a root functional type dependent sensitivity of PE to warming. However, warming had no significant effect on SOCrl either for absorptive roots or for transport roots. As a consequence, warming relatively decreased the net SOC balance (difference between PE and SOCrl) in the transport roots addition treatment. Overall, our study highlights, for the first time, that functional type primarily mediates the response of root litter-driven PE to climate warming but not the new C formation, which may advance our understanding of SOC dynamics in Chinese fir plantation under climate change.

Targeted removal of the FA2 site on human albumin prevents fatty acid-mediated inhibition of Zn2+ binding.

Zinc is required for virtually all biological processes. In plasma, Zn2+ is predominantly transported by human serum albumin (HSA), which possesses two Zn2+-binding sites of differing affinities (sites A and B). Fatty acids (FAs) are also transported by HSA, with seven structurally characterized FA-binding sites (named FA1-FA7) known. FA binding inhibits Zn2+-HSA interactions, in a manner that can impact upon hemostasis and cellular zinc uptake, but the degree to which binding at specific FA sites contributes to this inhibition is unclear. Wild-type HSA and H9A, H67A, H247A, and Y150F/R257A/S287A (FA2-KO) mutant albumins were expressed in Pichia pastoris. Isothermal titration calorimetry studies revealed that the Zn2+-binding capacity at the high-affinity Zn2+ site (site A) was reduced in H67A and H247A mutants, with site B less affected. The H9A mutation decreased Zn2+ binding at the lower-affinity site, establishing His9 as a site B ligand. Zn2+ binding to HSA and H9A was compromised by palmitate, consistent with FA binding affecting site A. 13C-NMR experiments confirmed that the FA2-KO mutations prohibited FA binding at site FA2. Zn2+ binding to the FA2-KO mutant was unaffected by myristate, suggesting binding at FA2 is solely responsible for inhibition. Molecular dynamics studies identified the steric obstruction exerted by bound FA in site FA2, which impedes the conformational change from open (FA-loaded) to closed (FA-free) states, required for Zn2+ to bind at site A. The successful targeting of the FA2 site will aid functional studies exploring the interplay between circulating FA levels and plasma Zn2+ speciation in health and disease.

A Systematic Genotoxicity Assessment of a Suite of Metal Oxide Nanoparticles Reveals Their DNA Damaging and Clastogenic Potential.

Metal oxide nanoparticles (MONP/s) induce DNA damage, which is influenced by their physicochemical properties. In this study, the high-throughput CometChip and micronucleus (MicroFlow) assays were used to investigate DNA and chromosomal damage in mouse lung epithelial cells induced by nano and bulk sizes of zinc oxide, copper oxide, manganese oxide, nickel oxide, aluminum oxide, cerium oxide, titanium dioxide, and iron oxide. Ionic forms of MONPs were also included. The study evaluated the impact of solubility, surface coating, and particle size on response. Correlation analysis showed that solubility in the cell culture medium was positively associated with response in both assays, with the nano form showing the same or higher response than larger particles. A subtle reduction in DNA damage response was observed post-exposure to some surface-coated MONPs. The observed difference in genotoxicity highlighted the mechanistic differences in the MONP-induced response, possibly influenced by both particle stability and chemical composition. The results highlight that combinations of properties influence response to MONPs and that solubility alone, while playing an important role, is not enough to explain the observed toxicity. The results have implications on the potential application of read-across strategies in support of human health risk assessment of MONPs.

To characterize small renal cell carcinoma using diffusion relaxation correlation spectroscopic imaging and apparent diffusion coefficient based histogram analysis: a preliminary study.

PURPOSE: To study the capability of diffusion-relaxation correlation spectroscopic imaging (DR-CSI) on subtype classification and grade differentiation for small renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Histogram analysis for apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) was studied for comparison. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 61 patients with small RCC (< 4 cm) were included in the retrospective study. MRI data were reviewed, including a multi-b (0-1500 s/mm2) multi-TE (51-200 ms) diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) sequence. Region of interest (ROI) was delineated manually on DWI to include solid tumor. For each patient, a D-T2 spectrum was fitted and segmented into 5 compartments, and the volume fractions VA, VB, VC, VD, VE were obtained. ADC mapping was calculated, and histogram parameters ADC 90th, 10th, median, standard deviation, skewness and kurtosis were obtained. All MRI metrices were compared between clear cell RCC (ccRCC) and non-ccRCC group, and between high-grade and low-grade group. Receiver operator curve analysis was used to assess the corresponding diagnostic performance. RESULTS: Significantly higher ADC 90th, ADC 10th and ADC median, and significantly lower DR-CSI VB was found for ccRCC compared to non-ccRCC. Significantly lower ADC 90th, ADC median and significantly higher VB was found for high-grade RCC compared to low-grade. For identifying ccRCC from non-ccRCC, VB showed the highest area under curve (AUC, 0.861) and specificity (0.882). For differentiating high- from low-grade, ADC 90th showed the highest AUC (0.726) and specificity (0.786), while VB also displayed a moderate AUC (0.715). CONCLUSION: DR-CSI may offer improved accuracy in subtype identification for small RCC, while do not show better performance for small RCC grading compared to ADC histogram.

AKR1C2 genetic variants mediate tobacco carcinogens metabolism involving bladder cancer susceptibility.

Tobacco carcinogens metabolism-related genes (TCMGs) could generate reactive metabolites of tobacco carcinogens, which subsequently contributed to multiple diseases. However, the association between genetic variants in TCMGs and bladder cancer susceptibility remains unclear. In this study, we derived TCMGs from metabolic pathways of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and tobacco-specific nitrosamines, and then explored genetic associations between TCMGs and bladder cancer risk in two populations: a Chinese population of 580 cases and 1101 controls, and a European population of 5930 cases and 5468 controls, along with interaction and joint analyses. Expression patterns of TCMGs were sourced from Nanjing Bladder Cancer (NJBC) study and publicly available datasets. Among 43 TCMGs, we observed that rs7087341 T > A in AKR1C2 was associated with a reduced risk of bladder cancer in the Chinese population [odds ratio (OR) = 0.84, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.72-0.97, P = 1.86 × 10-2]. Notably, AKR1C2 rs7087341 showed an interaction effect with cigarette smoking on bladder cancer risk (Pinteraction = 5.04 × 10-3), with smokers carrying the T allele increasing the risk up to an OR of 3.96 (Ptrend < 0.001). Genetically, rs7087341 showed an allele-specific transcriptional regulation as located at DNA-sensitive regions of AKR1C2 highlighted by histone markers. Mechanistically, rs7087341 A allele decreased AKR1C2 expression, which was highly expressed in bladder tumors that enhanced metabolism of tobacco carcinogens, and thereby increased DNA adducts and reactive oxygen species formation during bladder tumorigenesis. These findings provided new insights into the genetic mechanisms underlying bladder cancer.

Multi-Gb/s visible light communication based on AlGaInP amber micro-LED.

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs), pivotal for solid-state illumination (SSL) and highly regarded as potential candidates in visible light communication (VLC) systems, have garnered significant interest as a solution to alleviate the congested radio frequency spectrum in next-generation communications. Addressing the challenge of extremely limited bandwidth due to the low response of phosphor in conventional illumination, our research focuses on an AlGaInP-based amber LED. This LED represents a promising avenue for phosphor-free, high-speed VLC applications when used in conjunction with the prevalent blue LED technology based on nitride materials. The fabricated AlGaInP amber LED, with a mesa diameter of 100 µm2, has undergone comprehensive optoelectronic property and transmission performance characterization. We have successfully demonstrated a proof-of-concept for VLC using the amber LED, achieving a data transmission rate of 2.94 Gb/s that complies with the forward-error-correction (FEC) standard of 3.8 × 10-3, utilizing adaptive bit and power loading with discrete multitone (BPL-DMT) modulation.

Soil microbes deal with the nitrogen deposition enhanced phosphorus limitation by shifting community structure in an old-growth subtropical forest.

Elevated atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition potentially enhances the degree of phosphorus (P) limitation in tropical and subtropical forests. However, it remains elusive that how soil microorganisms deal with the N deposition-enhanced P limitation. We collected soils experienced 9 years of manipulative N input at various rates (0, 40, and 80 kg N ha-1 y-1) in an old-growth subtropical natural forest. We measured soil total and available carbon (C), N and P, microbial biomass C, N and P, enzyme activities involved in C, N and P acquisition, microbial community structure, as well as net N and P mineralization. Additionally, we calculated element use efficiency and evaluated microbial homeostasis index. Our findings revealed that N input increased microbial biomass C:P (MBC:P) and N:P (MBN:P) ratios. The homeostasis indexes of MBC:P and MBN:P were 0.68 and 0.75, respectively, indicating stoichiometric flexibility. Interestingly, MBC:P and MBN:P correlated significantly with the fungi:bacteria ratio (F:B), not with N and P use efficiencies, net N and P mineralization, and enzyme C:P (EEAC:P) and N:P (EEAN:P) ratios. Furthermore, EEAC:P and EEAN:P correlated positively with F:B but did not negatively correlate with the C:P and N:P ratios of available resources and microbial biomass. The effects of N deposition on MBC:P, MBN:P and EEAN:P became insignificant when including F:B as a covariate. These findings suggest that microbes flexibly adapted to the N deposition enhanced P limitation by changing microbial community structure, which not only alter microbial biomass C:N:P stoichiometry, but also the enzyme production strategy. In summary, our research advances our understanding of how soil microorganisms deal with the N deposition-enhanced soil P limitation in subtropical forests.

New species, new records and common species of Pluteussect.Celluloderma from northern China.

Wood-rotting fungi are organisms that can decompose wood substrates and extract nutrients from them to support their growth. They play a crucial role in the material cycle of forest ecosystems. The genus Pluteus plays a significant role in wood decomposition. In this study, the morphology and molecular systematics of the sect. Celluloderma of the genus Pluteus were carried out. Pluteusbrunneodiscus was identified as a new species, along with the discovery of two new records, P.cystidiosus and P.chrysophlebius, and a common species, P.romellii. Pluteusbrunneodiscus is characterized by the brown center of the pileus that transitions to white towards the margins, with the surface cracking to form irregular granules. It is typically found in Populus forests growing on decomposing twigs or wood chips. Line drawings, color photographs, and phylogenetic analyses of related species within the genus Pluteus accompany the descriptions of these four species. The analyses are based on ITS + TEF1-α sequence data. Finally, a key for the twenty species within the sect. Celluloderma of the genus Pluteus, which has been documented in China, is provided.

Whole-genome sequencing and comparative genomic analyses of the medicinal fungus Sanguinoderma infundibulare in Ganodermataceae.

Sanguinoderma infundibulare is a newly discovered species of Ganodermataceae known to have high medicinal and ecological values. In this study, the whole-genome sequencing and comparative genomic analyses were conducted to further understand Ganodermataceae's genomic structural and functional characteristics. Using the Illumina NovaSeq and PacBio Sequel platforms, 88 scaffolds were assembled to obtain a 48.99-Mb high-quality genome of S. infundibulare. A total of 14,146 protein-coding genes were annotated in the whole genome, with 98.6% of complete benchmarking universal single-copy orthologs (BUSCO) scores. Comparative genomic analyses were conducted among S. infundibulare, Sanguinoderma rugosum, Ganoderma lucidum, and Ganoderma sinense to determine their intergeneric differences. The 4 species were found to share 4,011 orthogroups, and 24 specific gene families were detected in the genus Sanguinoderma. The gene families associated with carbohydrate esterase in S. infundibulare were significantly abundant, which was reported to be involved in hemicellulose degradation. One specific gene family in Sanguinoderma was annotated with siroheme synthase, which may be related to the typical characteristics of fresh pore surface changing to blood red when bruised. This study enriched the available genome data for the genus Sanguinoderma, elucidated the differences between Ganoderma and Sanguinoderma, and provided insights into the characteristics of the genome structure and function of S. infundibulare.

Sex and race differences in the association of albumin with cognitive function in older adults.

BACKGROUND: With the increasing aging population, dementia has become a significant socioeconomic burden. However, the effects of albumin on delayed recall (DR) impairment remain unclear, and there are limited reports on sex and race differences in this relationship. This study aimed to investigate the association between albumin levels and DR impairment in older adults. METHODS: A total of 1507 normal cognitive function and 553 DR impairment from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011-2014 were included in this cross-sectional analysis. Participants aged 60 years and above were assessed using the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease DR (CERAD-DR) test to evaluate cognitive function. Participants were categorized into DR impairment and normal cognitive function groups according to their CERAD-DR scores. Logistic regression analyses, generalized additive models, and fitted smoothing curves were utilized for data analysis. RESULTS: After adjusting for potential confounders, a negative association was found between albumin levels and cognitive function (odds ratio [OR] = 0.60, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.41-0.87). Subgroup analysis stratified by sex, race/ethnicity, and age revealed that the negative association remained significant in men (OR = 0.53, 95%CI 032-0.87), Blacks (OR = 0.35, 95%CI 0.17-0.74), and the age group of 60-70 years (OR = 0.48, 95%CI 0.28-0.81). However, no significant association was observed in women (OR = 0.72, 95%CI 0.41-1.28), whites (OR = 0.58, 95%CI 0.31-1.07), or Mexican Americans (OR = 1.11, 95%CI 0.35-3.46), as well as the age group of 71-80 years (OR = 0.62, 95%CI 0.37-1.03). CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that elevated albumin levels are associated with a decreased incidence of cognitive function impairment, particularly in older men and Blacks. This finding indicates that maintaining high levels of albumin may be beneficial for cognitive function in older adults.

Biomanufacture of L-homoserine lactone building block: A strategy for preparing γ-substituted L-amino acids by modular reaction.

A strain high-performance of esterase producing bacteria was screened from soil, which could selectively hydrolyze D-homoserine lactone from its racemate to achieve the resolution of L- homoserine lactone with more than 99% e.e. in 48% yield. L-homoserine lactone building block was then converted to L-α-amino-γ-bromobutyronic acid chiral blocks, which reacted with various nucleophilic reagent modules could to be applied to prepare L-γ- substituted α-amino acids such as L-selenomethionine, L-methionine, L-glufosinate and L-selenocystine. Its advantages included high selectivity of biocatalytic resolution reactions, high optical purity of products, racemic recycle of D-substrates and modular reaction, which simplified the production process of these products and highlighted the power of biological manufacturing.

The toxicity response of the electrochemical signal of the cell to the drug metabolized by the S9 system.

The electrochemical detection method of cytotoxicity using intracellular purines as biomarkers has shown great potential for in vitro drug toxicity evaluation. However, no electrochemical detection system based on an in vitro drug metabolism mechanism has been devised. In this paper, electrochemical voltammetry was used to investigate the effect of the S9 system on the electrochemical behavior of HepG2 cells, and benzo[a]pyrene, fluoranthene, and pyrene were employed to investigate the sensitivity of electrochemical signals of cells to the cytotoxicity of drugs metabolized by the S9 system. The results showed that, within 8 h of exposure to the S9 system, the electrochemical signal of HepG2 cells at 0.7 V did not alter noticeably. The levels of xanthine, guanine, hypoxanthine, and adenine in the cells were not significantly altered. Compared with the absence of S9 system metabolism, benzo[a]pyrene and fluoranthene processed by the S9 system decreased the electrochemical signal of the cells in a dose-dependent manner, while pyrene did not change it appreciably. HPLC also revealed that benzo[a]pyrene and fluoranthene metabolized by the S9 system decreased the intracellular purine levels, whereas pyrene had no effect on them before and after S9 system metabolism. The cytotoxicity results of the three drugs examined by electrochemical voltammetry and MTT assay showed a strong correlation and good agreement. The S9 system had no effect on the intracellular purine levels or the electrochemical signal of cells. When the drug was metabolized by the S9 system, variations in cytotoxicity could be precisely detected by electrochemical voltammetry.

Evaluation on purine metabolism in human skin fibroblast cells exposed to oxygenated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

A rapid and sensitive assessment of the toxicity of oxygenated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (OPAHs), widely distributed persistent organic pollutants in the environment, is crucial for human health. In this study, using high-performance liquid chromatography, the separation and detection of four purines, xanthine (X), guanine (G), adenine (A), and hypoxanthine (HX) in cells were performed. The aim was to evaluate the cytotoxicity of three OPAHs, namely 1,4-benzoquinone (1,4-BQ), 1,2-naphthoquinone (1,2-NQ) and 9,10-phenanthrenequinone (9,10-PQ), with higher environmental concentrations, from the perspective of purine nucleotide metabolism in human skin fibroblast cells (HFF-1). The results revealed that the levels of G and A were low in HFF-1 cells, while the levels of HX and X showed a dose-response relationship with persistent organic pollutants concentration. With increased concentration of the three persistent organic pollutants, the purine metabolism in HFF-1 cells weakened, and the impact of the three persistent organic pollutants on purine metabolism in cells was in the order of 9,10-PQ > 1,4-BQ > 1,2-NQ. This study provided valuable insights into the toxic mechanisms of 1,4-BQ, 1,2-NQ and 9,10-PQ, contributing to the formulation of relevant protective measures and the safeguarding of human health.

Design of gum Arabic/gelatin composite microcapsules and their cosmetic applications in encapsulating tea tree essential oil.

Microencapsulation has been widely used to protect essential oils, facilitating their application in cosmetics. In this study, gelatin, gum arabic and n-butyl cyanoacrylate were used as wall materials, and composite microcapsules of tea tree essential oil (TTO) were prepared using a combination of composite coagulation and in situ polymerization methods. When the ratio of gelatin to gum arabic is 1 : 1, the ratio of TTO to n-butyl cyanoacrylate is 4 : 1, the curing time is 10 h, and the encapsulation efficiency (EE) under these conditions is 73.61%. Morphological observation showed that the composite capsule was a micron-sized spherical particle with an average particle size of 10.51 µm, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) confirmed a complex coagulation reaction between gelatin and gum arabic, and the disappearance of the n-butyl cyanoacrylate peak indicated that the film was formed in a condensation layer. The thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) results showed that the composite capsule greatly improved the thermal stability of TTO. Rheological testing showed that the viscosity and viscoelasticity of the surface composite capsules have been improved. In addition, the composite capsule showed good stability in the osmotic environment and has good sustained-release performance and antioxidant capacity in the average human skin environment.

Design of oleic acid/alkyl glycoside composite vesicles as cosmetics carrier: stability, skin permeability and antioxidant activity.

Biocompatible fatty acids are natural biological materials which exhibit widespread biomedical applications. Nevertheless, their application in vesicle forms is hampered by strong pH sensitivity and poor stability to changes in ionic strength, temperature, and storage. In the investigation, the incorporation of alkyl glycoside (APG), a surfactant with non-ionic properties, into the oleic acid (OA) vesicles was undertaken as a means to address this issue. The newly formed OA/APG composite vesicles form in a pH range of between 5.4 and 7.4, which is close to the pH range of the physiological environment. The stability studies results showed that the OA/APG composite vesicles have excellent stability in terms of ionic strengths, temperature and storage. The formation of NAR-loaded OA/APG composite vesicles was demonstrated through FT-IR, DSC and XRD. In vitro topical delivery and skin retention studies confirmed that the composite vesicles improve skin permeation rate and have better skin permeation behavior. Antioxidant activity experiments confirmed that the antioxidant effect composite vesicles were significantly increased as compared to the naringenin (NAR). This finding has theoretical implications for the use of drug-loaded fatty acid vesicles in cosmetics industries and topical delivery systems.

Type 2 cytokine signaling in macrophages protects from cellular senescence and organismal aging.

Accumulation of senescent cells in organs and tissues is a hallmark of aging and known to contribute to age-related diseases. Although aging-associated immune dysfunction, or immunosenescence, is known to contribute to this process, the underlying mechanism remains elusive. Here, we report that type 2 cytokine signaling deficiency accelerated aging and, conversely, that the interleukin-4 (IL-4)-STAT6 pathway protected macrophages from senescence. Mechanistically, activated STAT6 promoted the expression of genes involved in DNA repair both via homologous recombination and Fanconi anemia pathways. Conversely, STAT6 deficiency induced release of nuclear DNA into the cytoplasm to promote tissue inflammation and organismal aging. Importantly, we demonstrate that IL-4 treatment prevented macrophage senescence and improved the health span of aged mice to an extent comparable to senolytic treatment, with further additive effects when combined. Together, our findings support that type 2 cytokine signaling protects macrophages from immunosenescence and thus hold therapeutic potential for improving healthy aging.