Regioselective super-assembly of Prussian blue analogue.

The construction of high-asymmetrical structures demonstrates significant potential in improving the functionality and distinctness of nanomaterials, but remains a considerable challenge. Herein, we develop a one-pot method to fabricate regioselective super-assembly of Prussian blue analogue (PBA) -- a PBA anisotropic structure (PBA-AS) decorated with epitaxial modules--using a step-by-step epitaxial growth on a rapidly self-assembled cubic substrate guided by thiocyanuric acid (TCA) molecules. The epitaxial growth units manifest as diverse geometric shapes, which are predominantly concentrated on the {100}, {111}, or {100}+{111} crystal plane of the cubic substrate. The crystal plane and morphology of epitaxial module can be regulated by changing the TCA concentration and reaction temperature, enabling a high level of controllability over specific assembly sites and structures. To illustrate the advantage of the asymmetrical structure, phosphated PBA-AS demonstrates improved performance in the oxygen evolution reaction compared to simple phosphated PBA nanocube. This method offers valuable insights for designing asymmetrical nanomaterials with intricate architectures and versatile functionalities.

First-Principles Calculations of the Mechanical Properties of Doped Cu3P Alloys.

In the quest to enhance the mechanical properties of CuP alloys, particularly focusing on the Cu3P phase, this study introduces a comprehensive investigation into the effects of various alloying elements on the alloy's performance. In this paper, the first principle of density universal function theory and the projection-enhanced wave method under VASP 5.4.4 software are used to recalculate the lattice constants, evaluate the lattice stability, and explore the mechanical properties of selected doped elements such as In, Si, V, Al, Bi, Nb, Sc, Ta, Ti, Y and Zr, including shear, stiffness, compression, and plasticity. The investigation reveals that strategic doping with In and Si significantly enhances shear resistance and stiffness, while V addition notably augments compressive resistance. Furthermore, incorporating Al, Bi, Nb, Sc, Ta, Ti, V, Y, and Zr has substantially improved plasticity, indicating a broad spectrum of mechanical enhancement through precise alloying. Crucially, the validation of our computational models is demonstrated through hardness experiments on Si and Sn-doped specimens, corroborating the theoretical predictions. Additionally, a meticulous analysis of the states' density further confirms our computational approach's accuracy and reliability. This study highlights the potential of targeted alloying to tailor the mechanical properties of Cu3P alloys and establishes a robust theoretical framework for predicting the effects of doping in metallic alloys. The findings presented herein offer valuable insights and a novel perspective on material design and optimization, marking a significant stride toward developing advanced materials with customized mechanical properties.

Analysis of mild and severe neonatal enterovirus infections in a Chinese neonatal tertiary center: a retrospective case-control study.

PURPOSE: To compare the clinical characteristics, virus serotype, and outcome in cases of mild and severe enteroviral infection at a tertiary neonatal intensive care unit in China. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of cases hospitalized between June and August 2019. Samples (stool or throat swabs) were examined using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Positive cases were divided into two groups: mild infection and severe infection. RESULTS: A total of 149 cases were assigned to one of two groups: mild infection (n = 104) and severe infection (n = 45). There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of sex, gestational age, birth weight, mode of delivery, and onset within 7 days. Clinical symptoms in both groups mostly resembled sepsis (fever, rash, poor feeding, and lethargy); however, there were significant variations in concomitant symptoms such as hepatitis, thrombocytopenia, encephalitis, coagulopathy, and myocarditis. Severe cases were more likely to have abnormal complete blood counts, biochemical parameters, and cerebrospinal fluid markers. The predominant serotypes implicated in neonatal enterovirus infections were echoviruses and Coxsackievirus B. Invasive ventilation, intravenous immunoglobulin, vasoactive medications, and blood product transfusions were often required, with high mortality rates among severe cases. CONCLUSION: We found significant differences between mild and severe cases of neonatal enterovirus infection with respect to complications, laboratory findings, and enterovirus serotypes. It is crucial to exercise caution when newborns exhibit symptoms of sepsis, during an enterovirus outbreak. Anemia, thrombocytopenia, abnormal liver function, and coagulation dysfunction should be monitored closely as they could indicate the presence of a severe enteroviral infection.

Rapid Construction of Double Crystalline Prussian Blue Analogue Hetero-Superstructure.

The controllable construction of complex metal-organic coordination polymers (CPs) merits untold scientific and technological potential, yet remains a grand challenge of one-step construction and modulating simultaneously valence states of metals and topological morphology. Here, a thiocyanuric acid (TCA)-triggered strategy is presented to one-step rapid synthesis a double-crystalline Prussian blue analogue hetero-superstructure (PBA-hs) that comprises a Co3[Fe(CN)6]2 cube overcoated with a KCo[Fe(CN)6] shell, followed by eight self-assembled small cubes on vertices. Unlike common directing surfactants, TCA not only acts as a trigger for the fast growth of KCo[Fe(CN)6] on the Co3[Fe(CN)6]2 phase resulting in a PBA-on-PBA hetero-superstructure, but also serves as a flange-like bridge between them. By combining experiments with simulations, a deprotonation-induced electron transfer (DIET) mechanism is proposed for formation of second phase in PBA-hs, differing from thermally and photo-induced electron transfer processes. To prove utility, the calcined PBA-hs exhibits enhanced oxygen evolution reaction performance. This work provides a new method to design of novel CPs for enriching chemistry and material science. This work offers a practical approach to design novel CPs for enriching chemistry and material science.

Molecular characterization of adenosine monophosphate deaminase 1 and the correlation analysis between its mRNA expression levels and inosine monophosphate content in large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea).

Declining flesh quality has drawn considerable attention in the farmed large yellow croaker (LYC; Larimichthys crocea) industry. Inosine monophosphate (IMP) is the primary flavor substance in aquatic animals. Adenosine monophosphate deaminase 1 (AMPD1) plays a critical role in IMP formation by catalyzing the deamination of AMP to IMP in the purine nucleotide cycle. To further evaluate the correlation between ampd1 mRNA expression levels and IMP content in the LYC muscle tissue, the relevant open reading frame (ORF) of L. crocea (Lcampd1) was cloned, and the IMP content and Lcampd1 mRNA expression in the muscles of LYCs of different sizes were examined. The ORF cDNA of Lcampd1 was 2211 bp in length and encoded a polypeptide of 736 amino acids (AAs). The deduced protein, LcAMPD1, possesses conserved AMPD active regions (SLSTDDP) and shows high homology with AMPD proteins of other teleost fishes. The genomic DNA sequence of Lcampd1 exhibits a high degree of evolutionary conservation in terms of structural organization among species. Phylogenetic analysis of the deduced AA sequence revealed that teleost fish and mammalian AMPD1 were separate from each other and formed a cluster with AMPD3, suggesting that AMPD1 and AMPD3 arose by duplication of a common primordial gene. In healthy LYC, Lcampd1 mRNA was expressed only in the muscle tissue. The IMP content in the muscle of LYCs with different average body weights was measured by high-performance liquid chromatography; the results showed that the IMP content in the muscle of LYCs with greater body weight was significantly higher than that in LYC with lower body weight. Moreover, a similar trend in Lcampd1 expression was observed in these muscle tissues. The Pearson correlation analysis further showed that the Lcampd1 mRNA expression was positively correlated with IMP content in the muscles of different-sized LYCs. These results suggest the potential function of Lcampd1 in determining the IMP content in LYC and provide a theoretical basis for flesh quality improvement, as well as a scientific basis for the development of the molecular breeding of LYC.

Efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccination in patients with asymptomatic or mild illness during the Omicron epidemic in Guangzhou: a multi-centre retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Despite the widespread administration of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines, the impact on patients with asymptomatic to mild illness remains unclear. Here, we aimed to assess the efficacy of various vaccine doses and types on the duration of isolation duration and discharge rates, the viral shedding duration, and negative rates in asymptomatic to mild COVID-19 patients. METHODS: We included adult patients at the Fangcang isolation centres in Pazhou or Yongning between November and December 2022. We analysed data on basic demographics, admission details, laboratory indicators and vaccination information. RESULTS: A total of 6560 infected patients were included (3584 from Pazhou and 2976 from Yongning). Of these, 90.6% received inactivated vaccines, 3.66% received recombinant SARS-CoV-2 spike protein subunit vaccines and 0.91% received adenovirus vaccines. Among the 6173 vaccinated individuals, 71.9% received a booster dose. By day 9, the isolation rate reached 50% among vaccinated patients. On day 7.5, the positive rate among vaccinated individuals reached 50%. CONCLUSIONS: Full vaccination was effective, with heterologous vaccines showing greater efficacy than inactivated vaccines alone. However, there was no significant difference in the vaccine protective effect 12 months after vaccination.

Comparative study on wound healing and infection between open and minimally invasive surgical methods in pediatric otolaryngology surgery.

Pediatric otolaryngology surgeries are crucial interventions requiring careful consideration of surgical methods to optimize outcomes. The choice between open and minimally invasive surgical approaches in this context warrants thorough investigation. While both methods aim to address ear, nose, and throat conditions in children, a comparative study assessing their impact on crucial factors such as intraoperative parameters, wound healing, complications, and postoperative pain is essential. This study aims to compare the effects of open and minimally invasive surgical methods on wound healing and infection in pediatric otolaryngology surgery, and provide a scientific basis for the selection of surgical methods. Two groups of patients were selected, with 90 people in each group. One group received open surgery and the other received minimally invasive surgery. Recording the intraoperative time, anesthesia time, and intraoperative blood loss; the number of days required for wound healing; the occurrence of wound-related complications; the comparison of pain on postoperative Days 1, 3, and 7; and the factors influencing postoperative wound healing were analyzed. In the minimally invasive surgery group, the intraoperative time was shorter, the anesthesia time was relatively reduced, and the amount of bleeding was significantly reduced. Wounds also take fewer days to heal and have lower rates of wound-related complications. When comparing the pain on 1, 3, and 7 days after surgery, the minimally invasive surgery group had relatively mild pain. Analysis of postoperative wound healing factors showed that minimally invasive surgical methods have a positive impact on healing. In pediatric otolaryngology surgery, minimally invasive surgery performs better than open surgery in terms of intraoperative operation time, anesthesia time, blood loss, wound healing time, complication rate, and postoperative pain. Therefore, minimally invasive surgery may be a safer and more effective surgical method.

Dipole Effect on Oxygen Evolution Reaction of 2D Janus Single-Atom Catalysts: A Case of Rh Anchored on the P6m2-NP Configurations.

Catalytic performance of single-atom catalysts (SACs) relies fundamentally on the electronic nature and local coordination environment of the active site. Here, based on a machine-learning (ML)-aided density functional theory (DFT) method, we reveal that the intrinsic dipole in Janus materials has a significant impact on the catalytic activity of SACs, using 2D γ-phosphorus carbide (γ-PC) as a model system. Specifically, a local dipole around the active site is a key degree to tune the catalytic activity and can be used as an important descriptor with a high feature importance of 17.1% in predicting the difference of adsorption free energy (ΔGO* - ΔGOH*) to assess the activity of the oxygen evolution reaction. As a result, the catalytic performance of SACs can be tuned by an intrinsic dipole, in stark contrast to those external stimuli strategies previously used. These results suggest that dipole engineering and the revolutionary DFT-ML hybrid scheme are novel approaches for designing high-performance catalysts.

Synergistic effect of composition gradient and morphology on the catalytic activity of amorphous FeCoNi-LDH.

The rational design of electrocatalysts with well-designed compositions and structures for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is promising and challenging. Herein, we developed a novel strategy - a one-step double-cation etching sedimentation equilibrium strategy - to synthesize amorphous hollow Fe-Co-Ni layered double hydroxide nanocages with an outer surface of vertically interconnected ultrathin nanosheets (Fe-Co-Ni-LDH), which primarily depends on the in situ etching sedimentation equilibrium of the template interface. This unique vertical nanosheet-shell hierarchical nanostructure possesses enhanced charge transfer, increased active sites, and favorable kinetics during electrolysis, resulting in superb electrocatalytic performance for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Specifically, the Fe-Co-Ni-LDH nanocages exhibited remarkable OER activity in alkaline electrolytes and achieved a current density of 100 mA cm-2 at a low overpotential of 272 mV with excellent stability. This powerful strategy provides a profound molecular-level insight into the control of the morphology and composition of 2D layered materials.

Newly discovered variants in unexplained neonatal encephalopathy.

BACKGROUND: The genetic background of neonatal encephalopathy (NE) is complicated and early diagnosis is beneficial to optimizing therapeutic strategy for patients. METHODS: NE Patients with unclear etiology received regular clinical tests including ammonia test, metabolic screening test, amplitude-integrated electroencephalographic (aEEG) monitoring, brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanning, and genetic test. The protein structure change was predicted using Dynamut2 and RoseTTAFold. RESULTS: 15 out of a total of 113 NE Patients were detected with newly reported pathogenic variants. In this sub-cohort, (1) seizure was the primary initial symptoms; (2) four patients had abnormal metabolic screening results, and two of them were also diagnosed with excessive blood ammonia concentration; (3) the brain MRI results were irregular in three infants and the brain waves were of moderate-severe abnormality in about a half of the patients. The novel pathogenic variants discovered in this study belonged to 12 genes, and seven of them were predicted to introduce a premature translation termination. In-silicon predictions showed that four variants were destructive to the protein structure of KCNQ2. CONCLUSION: Our study expands the mutation spectrum of genes associated with NE and introduces new evidence for molecular diagnosis in this newborn illness.

The same species, different nutrients: Lipidomics analysis of muscle in mud crabs (Scylla paramamosain) fed with lard oil and fish oil.

Aiming to assess the effects of lard oil (LO) and fish oil (FO) on the nutritional value of mud crabs (Scylla paramamosain), non-targeted lipidomics analysis was performed on the muscle of crabs after eight weeks of feeding trail. Compared to FO, dietary LO reduced the content of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidylserine (PS) with 18:0 bound at sn-1/3 site, the content of ether phospholipids containing 20:5n-3 (EPA) and 22:6n-3 (DHA) combined at sn-2 site, and increased the content of ether PE containing 18:0 and 18:1n-9. Furthermore, the deposition of 16:0, 16:1n-7, 18:2n-6, 18:3n-3, 20:4n-6, EPA and DHA at each site of PE, PS, phosphatidylcholine and/or triacylglycerols were reduced by dietary LO, while the DHA content at the sn-2 position of PE was increased. In conclusion, the nutritional value of mud crabs was reduced by dietary LO with the manifestation of variation in FA composition and positional distribution on phospholipids.

Magnesium Mitigation Behavior in P2-Layered Sodium-Ion Battery Cathode.

Heteroatom incorporation can effectively suppress the phase transition of layered sodium-ion battery cathode, but heteroatom behaviors during operating conditions are not completely understood at the atomic scale. Here, density functional theory calculations are combined with experiments to explore the mitigation behavior of Mg dopant and its mechanisms under operating conditions in P2-Na0.67Ni0.33Mn0.67O2. The void formed by Na extraction will pump some Mg dopants into Na layers from TM layers, and the collective diffusion of more than one Mg ion most likely occurs when the Mg content is relatively high in the TM layer, finally aggregating to form Mg-enrich regions (i.e., Mg segregation) apart from Ni vacancies. The void-pump-effect-induced Mg segregation effectively suppresses the P2-O2 phase transition owing to the stronger Mg-O electrostatic attraction that enhances the integrate of two adjacent oxygen layers and prevents the crack growth by mitigating the lattice volume variation under high-voltage cycling. Our work provides a fundamental understanding of heteroatom mitigation behavior in layered cathodes at the atomic level for next-generation energy storage technologies.

Oxygen Defect Engineering Promotes Synergy Between Adsorbate Evolution and Single Lattice Oxygen Mechanisms of OER in Transition Metal-Based (oxy)Hydroxide.

The oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity of transition metal (TM)-based (oxy)hydroxide is dominated by the number and nature of surface active sites, which are generally considered to be TM atoms occupying less than half of surface sites, with most being inactive oxygen atoms. Herein, based on an in situ competing growth strategy of bimetallic ions and OH- ions, a facile one-step method is proposed to modulate oxygen defects in NiFe-layered double hydroxide (NiFe-LDH)/FeOOH heterostructure, which may trigger the single lattice oxygen mechanism (sLOM). Interestingly, by only varying the addition of H2 O2 , one can simultaneously regulate the concentration of oxygen defects, the valence of metal sites, and the ratio of components. The proper oxygen defects promote synergy between the adsorbate evolution mechanism (AEM, metal redox chemistry) and sLOM (oxygen redox chemistry) of OER in NiFe-based (oxy)hydroxide, practically maximizing the use of surface TM and oxygen atoms as active sites. Consequently, the optimal NiFe-LDH/FeOOH heterostructure outperforms the reported non-noble OER catalysts in electrocatalytic activity, with an overpotential of 177 mV to deliver a current density of 20 mA cm-2 and high stability. The novel strategy exemplifies a facile and versatile approach to designing highly active TM-LDH-based OER electrocatalysts for energy and environmental applications.

SARS-CoV-2 variants evolve convergent strategies to remodel the host response.

SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic. Here, we used unbiased systems approaches to study the host-selective forces driving VOC evolution. We discovered that VOCs evolved convergent strategies to remodel the host by modulating viral RNA and protein levels, altering viral and host protein phosphorylation, and rewiring virus-host protein-protein interactions. Integrative computational analyses revealed that although Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta ultimately converged to suppress interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs), Omicron BA.1 did not. ISG suppression correlated with the expression of viral innate immune antagonist proteins, including Orf6, N, and Orf9b, which we mapped to specific mutations. Later Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5 more potently suppressed innate immunity than early subvariant BA.1, which correlated with Orf6 levels, although muted in BA.4 by a mutation that disrupts the Orf6-nuclear pore interaction. Our findings suggest that SARS-CoV-2 convergent evolution overcame human adaptive and innate immune barriers, laying the groundwork to tackle future pandemics.

Cloning and expression characterization of elongation of very long-chain fatty acids protein 6 (elovl6) with dietary fatty acids, ambient salinity and starvation stress in Scylla paramamosain.

Introduction: Elongation of very long-chain fatty acids protein 6 (ELOVL6) played crucial roles in regulating energy expenditure and fatty acid metabolism. Many studies have performed to investigate the physiological roles and regulatory mechanisms of elovl6 in fish and animals, while few studies were reported in crustaceans. Methods: Here we reported on the molecular cloning, tissue distribution and expression profiles in response to dietary fatty acids, ambient salinity and starvation stress in Scylla paramamosain by using rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) and quantitative real-time PCR. Results: Three elovl6 isoforms (named elovl6a, elovl6b and elovl6c) were isolated from S. paramamosain in the present study. The complete sequence of elovl6a was 1345 bp, the full-length sequence of elovl6b was 1419 bp, and the obtained elovl6c sequence was 1375 bp in full length. The elovl6a, elovl6b and elovl6c encoded 287, 329 and 301 amino acids respectively, and exhibited the typical structural features of ELOVL protein family members. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the ELOVL6a from S. paramamosain clustered most closely to ELOVL6 from Portunus trituberculatus and Eriocheir sinensis, while the ELOVL6b and ELOVL6c from S. paramamosain gathered alone into a single branch. Quantitative real-time PCR exhibited that the relatively abundant expression of elovl6b was observed in intestine and stomach, and the elovl6a and elovl6c were highly expressed in hepatopancreas. In addition, studies found that replacing fish oil with soybean oil could significantly increase the transcriptional levels of three elovl6 in hepatopancreas of S. paramamosain, and the expression of elovl6a and elovl6c in hepatopancreas were more sensitive to dietary fatty acids than the elovl6b. Compared with the normal sea water group (27‰), the expression of sterol-regulatory element binding protein1c (srebp-1), elovl6a, elovl6b and elovl6c were upregulated in the low salinity groups, particularly in 7‰. On the contrary, the starvation stress suppressed the expression of srebp-1, elovl6a, elovl6b and elovl6c. Discussion: These results may contribute to understand the functions of elovl6 in fatty acid synthesis and regulatory mechanisms in crustaceans.

Dynamic contrast-enhanced CT and clinical features of sarcomatoid hepatocellular carcinoma.

PURPOSE: To investigate the dynamic contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) features and clinical characteristics of sarcomatoid hepatocellular carcinoma (S-HCC). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the CECT data and clinical findings of 13 patients (11 male and 2 female, with an average age of 58.6 ± 11.2 years) with pathologically proven S-HCC, including 9 patients with surgical resection and 4 patients with biopsy examination. All patients underwent CECT scans. Two radiologists reviewed and evaluated general features, CECT features and extratumoral features of each lesions based on a consensus. RESULTS: Among the thirteen tumors, a mean size of 66.7 mm was observed, ranging in diameter from 30 to 146 mm. Seven of thirteen patients had hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and an elevation of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level. Most of cases located in the right lobe of liver (84.6%, 11/13). Nine of thirteen tumors showed lobulated or wavy contours and infiltrative morphology, while eight tumors presented with unclear margin. The tumor textures were mainly heterogeneous for ischemia or necrosis, with solid components dominantly in all cases. Eight of thirteen tumors exhibited "slow-in and and slow-out" dynamic enhancement pattern in CECT, with a enhancement peak in the portal venous phase. Portal vein or hepatic thrombus, adjacent organs invasion and lymph node metastasis were observed in two patients, respectively. Four of thirteen lesions occurred intrahepatic metastasis and hepatic surface retraction respectively. CONCLUSION: S-HCC gengerally seen in elderly male with HBV infection and elevated AFP level. The CT manifestations including: large diameter, frequently hepatic right lobe involvement, lobular or wavy contours, ill-defined margins, infiltrative morphology, obvious heterogeneity and dynamic enhancement pattern of "slow-in and and slow-out" , contributed to the diagnosis of S-HCC. These tumors usually occurred hepatic surface retraction and intrahepatic metastasis.

Exosomes from circ-Astn1-modified adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells enhance wound healing through miR-138-5p/SIRT1/FOXO1 axis regulation.

BACKGROUND: Wound healing impairment is a dysfunction induced by hyperglycemia and its effect on endothelial precursor cells (EPCs) in type 2 diabetes mellitus. There is increasing evidence showing that exosomes (Exos) derived from adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs) exhibit the potential to improve endothelial cell function along with wound healing. However, the potential therapeutic mechanism by which ADSC Exos contribute to wound healing in diabetic mice remains unclear. AIM: To reveal the potential therapeutic mechanism of ADSC Exos in wound healing in diabetic mice. METHODS: Exos from ADSCs and fibroblasts were used for high-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq). ADSC-Exo-mediated healing of full-thickness skin wounds in a diabetic mouse model was investigated. We employed EPCs to investigate the therapeutic function of Exos in cell damage and dysfunction caused by high glucose (HG). We utilized a luciferase reporter (LR) assay to analyze interactions among circular RNA astrotactin 1 (circ-Astn1), sirtuin (SIRT) and miR-138-5p. A diabetic mouse model was used to verify the therapeutic effect of circ-Astn1 on Exo-mediated wound healing. RESULTS: High-throughput RNA-Seq analysis showed that circ-Astn1 expression was increased in ADSC Exos compared with Exos from fibroblasts. Exos containing high concentrations of circ-Astn1 had enhanced therapeutic effects in restoring EPC function under HG conditions by promoting SIRT1 expression. Circ-Astn1 expression enhanced SIRT1 expression through miR-138-5p adsorption, which was validated by the LR assay along with bioinformatics analyses. Exos containing high concentrations of circ-Astn1 had better therapeutic effects on wound healing in vivo compared to wild-type ADSC Exos. Immunofluorescence and immunohistochemical investigations suggested that circ-Astn1 enhanced angiopoiesis through Exo treatment of wounded skin as well as by suppressing apoptosis through promotion of SIRT1 and decreased forkhead box O1 expression. CONCLUSION: Circ-Astn1 promotes the therapeutic effect of ADSC-Exos and thus improves wound healing in diabetes via miR-138-5p absorption and SIRT1 upregulation. Based on our data, we advocate targeting the circ-Astn1/miR-138-5p/SIRT1 axis as a potential therapeutic option for the treatment of diabetic ulcers.

A General Strategy for Synthesis of Binary Transition Metal Phosphides Hollow Sandwich Heterostructures.

The hollow sandwich core-shell micro-nanomaterials are widely used in materials, chemistry, and medicine, but their fabrication, particularly for transition metal phosphides (TMPs), remains a great challenge. Herein, a general synthesis strategy is presented for binary TMPs hollow sandwich heterostructures with vertically interconnected nanosheets on the inside and outside surfaces of polyhedron FeCoPx /C, demonstrated by a variety of transition metals (including Co, Fe, Cd, Mn, Cu, Cr, and Ni). Density functional theory (DFT) calculation reveals the process and universal mechanism of layered double hydroxide (LDH) growth on Prussian blue analog (PBA) surface in detail for the first time, which provides the theoretical foundations for feasibility and rationality of the synthesis strategy. This unique structure exhibits a vertical nanosheet-shell-vertical nanosheet configuration combining the advantages of sandwich, hollow and vertical heterostructures, effectively achieving their synergistic effect. As a proof-of-concept of their applications, the CoNiPx @FeCoPx /C@CoNiPx hollow sandwich polyhedron architectures (representative samples) show excellent catalytic performance for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) in alkaline electrolytes. This work provides a general method for constructing hollow-sandwich micro-nanostructures, which provides more ideas and directions for design of micro-nano materials with special geometric topology.

Serum vitamin C levels and risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: results from a cross-sectional study and Mendelian randomization analysis.

Background and aims: Vitamin C, as an antioxidant, may play a role in the treatment of NAFLD. This research aimed to investigate the association of serum vitamin C levels with the risk of NAFLD and to further examine the causal relationship by Mendelian randomization (MR) method. Methods: The cross-sectional study selected 5,578 participants of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2005-2006 and 2017-2018. The association of serum vitamin C levels with NAFLD risk was evaluated under a multivariable logistic regression model. A two-sample MR study, using genetic data from large-scale genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of serum vitamin C levels (52,014 individuals) and NAFLD (primary analysis: 1,483 cases /17,781 controls; secondary analysis: 1,908 cases/340,591 controls), was conducted to infer causality between them. The inverse-variance-weighted (IVW) was applied as the main method of MR analysis. A series of sensitivity analyzes were used to evaluate the pleiotropy. Results: In the cross-sectional study, results showed that Tertile 3 group (Tertile 3: ≥1.06 mg/dl) had a significantly lower risk (OR = 0.59, 95% CI: 0.48 ~ 0.74, p < 0.001) of NAFLD than Tertile 1 group (Tertile 1: ≤0.69 mg/dl) after full adjustments. In regard to gender, serum vitamin C was protective against NAFLD in both women (OR = 0.63, 95% CI: 0.49 ~ 0.80, p < 0.001) and men (OR = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.55 ~ 0.97, p = 0.029) but was stronger among women. However, in the IVW of MR analyzes, no causal relationship between serum vitamin C levels and NAFLD risk was observed in the primary analysis (OR = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.47 ~ 1.45, p = 0.502) and secondary analysis (OR = 0.80, 95% CI: 0.53 ~ 1.22, p = 0.308). MR sensitivity analyzes yielded consistent results. Conclusion: Our MR study did not support a causal association between serum vitamin C levels and NAFLD risk. Further studies with greater cases are warranted to confirm our findings.

Renal metabolomic profiling of large yellow croaker Larimichthys crocea acclimated in low salinity waters.

Cultivation of Larimichthys crocea in low salinity water has been regarded as an effective way to treat diseases induced by pathogens in seawater. The kidney of euryhaline teleost plays important roles in not only osmoregulation but also regulation of intermediary metabolism. However, the renal responses of metabolism and osmoregulation in L. crocea to low salinity waters are still rarely reported. In this work, renal metabolomic analysis based on MS technique was conducted on the L. crocea following cultivation in salinities of 24, 8, 6, 4, and 2 ppt for 40 days. A total of 485 metabolites covering organic acids and derivatives (34.17 %), lipids and lipid-like molecules (17.55 %), organoheterocyclic compounds (12.22 %), nucleosides, nucleotides, and analogues (11.91 %), and organic oxygen compounds (10.97 %), were identified in L. crocea kidney. Compared with control group (salinity 24), nearly all amino acids, nucleotides, and their derivatives were decreased in the kidney of L. crocea, whereas most of lipid-related metabolites including phospholipid, glycerophospholipids, and fatty acids were increased. The decrease in urea and inorganic ions as well as TMAO, betaine and taurine in L. crocea kidney suggested the less demand for maintaining osmotic homeostasis. Several intermediary metabolites covering amino acids, TCA cycle intermediates, and fatty acids were also significantly changed to match with the shift of energy allocation from osmoregulation to other biological processes. The reduced energy demand for osmoregulation might contribute to the promotion of L. crocea growth under low salinity environment. What is more, carbamoylphosphate and urea that showed linear salinity response curves and higher ED50 values were potential biomarkers to adaptation to low salinity water. Overall, the characterization of metabolomes of L. crocea kidney under low salinity provided a better understanding of the adaptive mechanisms to low salinity water and potentially contributed to a reference for optimal culture salinity and feed formula of L. crocea culture in low salinity water.