[Effect of different cleaning methods on bond strength and surface wettability of high translucency zirconia].

PURPOSE: To study the effect of different cleaning methods on the shear bond strength of self-adhesive resin cement to saliva-contaminated high translucency zirconia and surface wettability. METHODS: Eighty zirconia specimens were randomly divided into 5 groups (n=16), i.e., control group(not contaminated), 75% ethanol group,cleaning paste group,airborne-particle abrasion group, and atmospheric pressure cold plasma group. The contact angles was measured, shear bond strength were examined, and fracture types were determined. SPSS 26.0 software package was used for statistical analysis of the data. RESULTS: The atmospheric pressure cold plasma group produced the lowest contact angle(P＜0.05). The shear bond strength of the airborne-particle abrasion group, the cleaning paste group and the atmospheric pressure cold plasma group respectively were similar to the control group without significant difference(P＞0.05), while those were significantly higher than 75% ethanol group(P＜0.05). The mixed fracture mode of the atmospheric pressure cold plasma group evidently increased. CONCLUSIONS: Airborne-particle abrasion, cleaning paste and atmospheric pressure cold plasma overcome the effects of saliva contamination, producing the shear bond strength to zirconia similar to the control group. The atmospheric pressure cold plasma improves hydrophilicity of high translucency zirconia significantly.

Uncovering key salt-tolerant regulators through a combined eQTL and GWAS analysis using the super pan-genome in rice.

For sessile plants, gene expression plays a pivotal role in responding to salinity stress by activating or suppressing specific genes. However, our knowledge of genetic variations governing gene expression in response to salt stress remains limited in natural germplasm. Through transcriptome analysis of the Global Mini-Core Rice Collection consisting of a panel of 202 accessions, we identified 22 345 and 27 610 expression quantitative trait loci associated with the expression of 7787 and 9361 eGenes under normal and salt-stress conditions, respectively, leveraging the super pan-genome map. Notably, combined with genome-wide association studies, we swiftly pinpointed the potential candidate gene STG5-a major salt-tolerant locus known as qSTS5. Intriguingly, STG5 is required for maintaining Na+/K+ homeostasis by directly regulating the transcription of multiple members of the OsHKT gene family. Our study sheds light on how genetic variants influence the dynamic changes in gene expression responding to salinity stress and provides a valuable resource for the mining of salt-tolerant genes in the future.

Dual-Responsive Nanomedicine Activates Programmed Antitumor Immunity through Targeting Lymphatic System.

Effective antitumor immunotherapy depends on evoking a cascade of cancer-immune cycles with lymph nodes (LNs) as the initial sites for activating antitumor immunity, making drug administration through the lymphatic system highly attractive. Here, we describe a nanomedicine with dual responsiveness to pH and enzyme for a programmed activation of antitumor immune through the lymphatic system. The proposed nanomedicine can release the STING agonist diABZI-C2-NH2 in the LNs' acidic environment to activate dendritic cells (DCs) and T cells. Then, the remaining nanomedicine hitchhikes on the activated T cells (PD-1+ T cells) through binding to PD-1, resulting in an effective delivery into tumor tissues owing to the tumor-homing capacity of PD-1+ T cells. The enzyme matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) being enriched in tumor tissue triggers the release of PD-1 antibody (aPD-1) which exerts immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy. Eventually, the nanomedicine delivers a DNA methylation inhibitor GSK-3484862 (GSK) into tumor cells, and then the latter combines with granzyme B (GZMB) to trigger tumor cell pyroptosis. Consequently, the pyroptotic tumor cells induce robust immunogenic cell death (ICD) enhancing the DCs maturation and initiating the cascading antitumor immune response. Study on a 4T1 breast tumor mouse model demonstrates the prominent antitumor therapeutic outcome of this nanomedicine through creating a positive feedback loop of cancer-immunity cycles including immune activation in LNs, T cell-mediated drug delivery, ICB therapy, and tumor cell pyroptosis-featured ICD.

A benzimidazole-appended double-armed salamo type fluorescence and colorimetric bifunctional sensor for identification of MnO4- and its applications in actual water samples.

The symmetrically double-armed salamo type fluorescent sensor BMS, incorporating benzimidazole units, was designed and synthesized. Showcasing remarkable specificity and responsiveness to MnO4- within a DMSO:H2O (V/V = 9:1, pH = 7.2) Tris-HCl buffer medium, it enabled dual-channel detection of MnO4- through fluorescent and colorimetric changes. Critical experimental parameters, including detection and quantification thresholds (LOD and LOQ) along with binding affinity constants (Ka), were calculated using the Origin software. A rational interaction mechanism between BMS and MnO4- was deduced, based on fluorescence titration, Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry (ESI-MS), Ultraviolet-Visible Spectroscopy (UV-Vis), Infrared Spectroscopy (IR), Stern-Volmer plots, and Density Functional Theory (DFT) computations. Additionally, the sensor BMS was applied to monitor MnO4- in real water samples. Advancing its practical utility, BMS was fabricated into test strips for the selective detecting of MnO4-.

Discovery of olimycin E from Streptomyces sp. 11695.

A new natural product olimycin E (1), together with two known compounds of divergolide R (2) and olimycin B (3), were obtained from the marine-derived Streptomyces sp. 11695. The structures of 1-3 were established on the basis of HRESIMS as well as 1D and 2D NMR datasets. The absolute configuration of 1 is identified as 4 R, 6S, 7S, 10 R by comparison the experiment ECD with that of the theoretical ECD. Antibacterial results showed that compound 2 have antibacterial activities against Staphylococcus aureus and MRSA with the MIC values of 32 µg/mL, respectively.

Biological Valorization of Lignin-Derived Aromatics in Hydrolysate to Protocatechuic Acid by Engineered Pseudomonas putida KT2440.

Alongside fermentable sugars, weak acids, and furan derivatives, lignocellulosic hydrolysates contain non-negligible amounts of lignin-derived aromatic compounds. The biological funnel of lignin offers a new strategy for the "natural" production of protocatechuic acid (PCA). Herein, Pseudomonas putida KT2440 was engineered to produce PCA from lignin-derived monomers in hydrolysates by knocking out protocatechuate 3,4-dioxygenase and overexpressing vanillate-O-demethylase endogenously, while acetic acid was used for cell growth. The sugar catabolism was further blocked to prevent the loss of fermentable sugar. Using the engineered strain, a total of 253.88 mg/L of PCA was obtained with a yield of 70.85% from corncob hydrolysate 1. The highest titer of 433.72 mg/L of PCA was achieved using corncob hydrolysate 2 without any additional nutrients. This study highlights the potential ability of engineered strains to address the challenges of PCA production from lignocellulosic hydrolysate, providing novel insights into the utilization of hydrolysates.

High-sensitively fluorescent switch-type sensing for Ag+ and halide anions of 2D Cd-based network constructed with logic gates.

Effective detection of the concentration of Ag+ ions in bactericidal fluid is one of the necessary conditions for their effective utilization for sterilization. A novel 2D Cd(II) coordination polymer (CP1), named as [Cd(HDPN)(4,4'-bbpy)]·2H2O, was hydrothermally synthesized using 5-(2',4'-dicarboxylphenyl) nicotic acid (H3DPN) and 4,4'-bis(imidazolyl)biphenyl (4,4'-bbpy). The structure analysis discovered that CP1 possessed a 2D network structure of dinuclear inorganic building blocks. Fluorescence sensing discovered that CP1 could high-sensitively detect Ag+, tetracycline, nitrobenzene and pyrimethanil and the lowest limit of detection (LOD) were 1.44 × 10-8M, 2.15 × 10-8M, 8.09 × 10-8M, and 2.54 × 10-7M, respectively. It is worth noting that the quenching occurs after the addition of Ag+ to the aqueous solution of CP1, and then it gradually recovers when one of the halide anions (X- = Cl-, Br- and I-) is added, forming a unique "on-off-on" fluorescence sensor for Ag+ and constructing a simple logic gate. The fluorescence sensing mechanism of CP1 was investigated using ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, PXRD, XPS, and DFT methods. The research indicates that CP1 is anticipated to serve as an excellent multifunctional fluorescence sensor, especially as a switch-type sensor for Ag+ and the halide anions.

Density-dependent species interactions modulate alpine treeline shifts.

Species interactions such as facilitation and competition play a crucial role in driving species range shifts. However, density dependence as a key feature of these processes has received little attention in both empirical and modelling studies. Herein, we used a novel, individual-based treeline model informed by rich in situ observations to quantify the contribution of density-dependent species interactions to alpine treeline dynamics, an iconic biome boundary recognized as an indicator of global warming. We found that competition and facilitation dominate in dense versus sparse vegetation scenarios respectively. The optimal balance between these two effects was identified at an intermediate vegetation thickness where the treeline elevation was the highest. Furthermore, treeline shift rates decreased sharply with vegetation thickness and the associated transition from positive to negative species interactions. We thus postulate that vegetation density must be considered when modelling species range dynamics to avoid inadequate predictions of its responses to climate warming.

S-adenosyl-L-methionine alleviates the senescence of MSCs through the PI3K/AKT/FOXO3a signaling pathway.

Cellular senescence significantly affects the proliferative and differentiation capacities of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Identifying key regulators of senescence and exploring potential intervention strategies, including drug-based approaches, are active areas of research. In this context, S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM), a critical intermediate in sulfur amino acid metabolism, emerges as a promising candidate for mitigating MSC senescence. In a hydrogen peroxide-induced MSC aging model (100µM for 2h), SAM (50µM and 100µM) was revealed to alleviate the senescence of MSCs, and also attenuated the level of ROS and enhanced the adipogenic and osteogenic differentiation in senescent MSCs. In a premature aging mouse model (subcutaneously injected with 150 mg/kg/d D-galactose in the neck and back for 7 weeks), SAM (30 mg/kg/d by gavage for 5 weeks) was shown to delay the overall aging process while increasing the number and thickness of bone trabeculae in the distal femur. Mechanistically, activation of PI3K/AKT signaling and increased phosphorylation of FOXO3a was proved to be associated with the anti-senescence role of SAM. These findings highlight that the PI3K/AKT/FOXO3a axis in MSCs could play a crucial role in MSCs senescence and suggest that SAM may be a potential therapeutic drug for MSCs senescence and related diseases.

An unusual highly sensitive dual-channel bis(salamo)-like chemical probe for recognizing B4O72-, sensing mechanism, theoretical calculations and practical applications.

A bis(salamo)-like chemical sensor H3L ((1E,3E)-2-hydroxy-5-methylisophthalaldehyde O,O -di(3-((((E)-(2-hydroxynaphthalen-1-yl)methylene)amino)oxy)propyl) dioxime) was constructed. H3L is capable of recognizing B4O72- in H2O/DMF (1:9, v/v) solution by both fluorescent and colorimetric channels, bright green fluorescence was turned on when B4O72- was added to H3L and changed from colorless to yellow in natural light. The detection limit was 3.21 × 10-8 M. The identification has good anti-interfering ability, quickly responsive time (5 S) and broad pH detecting range (pH = 5-12). The mechanism of action was determined by 1H NMR titration, infrared spectrometry, HRMS spectra and further elucidated by theory calculations. The fluorescence imaging of bean sprouts and spiked recovery assays of actual water samples demonstrated the practical use of sensor H3L for the detection of B4O72-, which is expected to have applications for the detection of B4O72- in plants and the environment.

Association between dietary antioxidant capacity and type 2 diabetes mellitus in Chinese adults: a population-based cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Higher intakes of dietary antioxidants have been linked to a lower type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) risk. However, few studies have comprehensively examined the overall dietary antioxidant capacity, assessed by dietary antioxidant quality scores (DAQS) and dietary total antioxidant capacity (DTAC), related to T2DM risk, especially in populations consuming relatively monotonous diets. This study aimed to evaluate the associations of DAQS, DTAC, and T2DM among rural Chinese adults. METHODS: Data from 12,467 participants from the Natural Population Cohort of Northwest China: Ningxia Project was analyzed. Dietary intake was assessed using a validated semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. DAQS were calculated based on vitamins A, C, and E, zinc (Zn), and selenium (Se) intake. DTAC was estimated using the ferric-reducing ability of plasma assay. Logistic regression models were used to evaluate the associations of DAQS and DTAC with T2DM risk. Restricted cubic splines were used to assess potential non-linear relationships between DTAC and T2DM. RESULTS: T2DM was observed in 1,238 (9.9%) participants. After adjusting for confounders, compared to the lowest tertiles (T1) of DAQS, the odds ratios (ORs) for T2DM were 1.03 (95% CI 0.82-1.30) in T2 and 0.85 (95% CI 0.68-1.06) in T3 (P = 0.010). Compared to T1, the ORs for T2DM in the highest T3 were 0.78 (95% CI 0.67-0.91, P-trend = 0.008) for vitamin A, 1.34 (95% CI 1.15-1.56, P-trend < 0.001) for vitamin E, 0.83 (95% CI 0.71-0.97, P-trend = 0.007) for Se, and 0.86 (95% CI 0.74-1.01, P-trend = 0.033) for Zn. Compared to the lowest quartile(Q1) of DTAC, the OR in the highest Q4 was 0.96 (95% CI 0.80-1.17, P-trend = 0.024) for T2DM. A non-linear relationship was observed between DATC and T2DM. CONCLUSION: Higher DAQS and DATC were associated with a lower T2DM risk, suggesting that consuming antioxidant-rich foods may reduce the T2DM risk.

Fungal Endophthalmitis: Clinical Characteristics, Pathogens, and Factors Affecting Visual Outcome.

AIMS: The aims of this study are to investigate the etiology, microbiological spectrum, and risk factors associated with visual outcomes of fungal endophthalmitis (FE) in a tertiary eye specialty hospital in Shanghai, China. METHODS: This was a retrospective, single-center case series. The clinical characteristics, etiology, microbiological spectrum, and management, as well as the visual outcomes, were analyzed. Logistic regression was used to analyze the factors related to visual outcomes. RESULTS: This study involved 102 eyes of 92 patients with FE, including 63 males (66.3%). The mean age was 44.4 ± 19.8 years. The most common etiology of FE was trauma (56.5%). The predominant fungal species isolated were Aspergillus spp. (31/93, 33.3%). Pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) and intravitreal antifungal agents was performed initially in 86 (84.3%) and 83 (81.4%) eyes, respectively. Only 35 (34.3%) eyes achieved final best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of 20/400 or better. Ten (9.8%) eyes had a final BCVA of light perception or worse, and five (4.9%) had to be enucleated. The factors determining better visual outcomes included initial visual acuity better than finger-counting (FC) (odds ratio (OR) 5.811, p = 0.036), the absence of corneal infiltrate (OR 10.131, p = 0.002), and Candida species infection (OR 6.325, p = 0.011). CONCLUSIONS: Early diagnosis of FE and a timely vitrectomy, combined with an intravitreal injection of an antifungal drug, can mitigate the devastating results of intraocular fungal infection. Not being infected by Aspergillus spp., an initial BCVA that was no worse than FC, and the absence of corneal involvement were related to better visual prognosis.

LncRNA XIST promotes bladder cancer progression by modulating miR-129-5p/TNFSF10 axis.

BACKGROUND: The differential expression, biological function, and ceRNA regulatory mechanism of lncRNA XIST in bladder cancer (BC) were investigated, and its clinical values for the early diagnosis of bladder cancer patients were elucidated. METHODS: qRT-PCR was employed to detect the expression patterns of lncRNA XIST, miR-129-5p and TNFSF10. The biological functions were measured by CCK8 assay, wound healing assay and transwell assay. Bioinformatics analysis and Dual-Luciferase reporter assay were employed to evaluate the interactions between the lncRNA XIST, miR-129-5p and TNFSF10. RESULTS: LncRNA XIST and TNFSF10 were highly expressed and miR-129-5p was low expressed (P < 0.05) in bladder cancer cell line. The depletion of lncRNA XIST inhibited BC proliferation, migration and invasion. Mechanistically, lncRNA XIST could sponge miR-129-5p to regulate TNFSF10 expression in bladder cancer. Furthermore, compared with adjacent tissues, lncRNA XIST and miR-129-5p were lowly expressed (P < 0.01) in bladder cancer tissues, and TNFSF10 was highly expressed (P < 0.001). miR-129-5p and TNFSF10 were associated with the risk of bladder cancer (P < 0.05); the difference in AUC values for the diagnosis of bladder cancer by lncRNA XIST (AUC = 0.739), miR-129-5p (AUC = 0.850) and TNFSF10 (AUC = 0.753) was statistically significant (P < 0.01), and the three genes combined AUC was 0.900, 95%CI was 0.842-0.958 with a sensitivity of 83.3% and specificity of 86.7%. CONCLUSION: XIST, an elevated lncRNA in bladder cancer, inhibition of which could suppress the progression of BC. LncRNA XIST and miR-129-5p could form ceRNA to regulate the expression of TNFSF10.

Advancing green extraction of bioactive compounds using deep eutectic solvent-based ultrasound-assisted matrix solid-phase dispersion: Application to UHPLC-PAD analysis of alkaloids and organic acids in Coptidis rhizoma.

The utilization of deep eutectic solvents (DES) in sustainable extracting and separating of phytochemicals shows promising prospect. An exceptionally fast, eco-friendly, and sustainable approach was proposed for extracting bioactive compounds from Coptidis Rhizoma based on deep eutectic solvent-based ultrasound-assisted matrix solid phase dispersion (DES-UA-MSPD). Single-factor experiments and Box-Behnken design were utilized to explore the optimal extraction conditions. The analysis indicated that the acidic DES, especially betaine-acrylic acid (Bet-Aa 1:4 mol/mol) with 50% water content, was proved to be the most effective medium for the extraction of alkaloids (magnoflorine, groenlandicine, coptisine, epiberberine, berberine and palmatine) and organic acid (chlorogenic acid). With the parameters optimized, the total maximum extraction yield of alkaloids and organic acids reached 128.83 mg g-1 applying the optimal DES, which was 1.33-5.33 folds higher than conventional extraction solvents. Additionally, through microstructure analysis using scanning electron microscopy, density functional theory , and frontier molecular orbitals theory, a deeper understanding of the extraction principle was gained, and the molecular mechanism of DES synthesis and the interactions between target compounds were systematically elucidated. The sustainable and green potential of the DES-UA-MSPD method was demonstrated through Green Analytical Procedure Indexanalysis. The overall results of this investigation revealed that the proposed technology was a highly promising and sustainable alternative for effective extraction and quantification of natural products.

MORE FLORET1 controls anther development by negatively regulating key tapetal genes in both diploid and tetraploid rice.

Polyploid hybrid rice (Oryza sativa) has great potential for increasing yields. However, hybrid rice depends on male fertility and its regulation, which is less well studied in polyploid rice than in diploid rice. We previously identified a MYB transcription factor, MORE FLORET1 (MOF1), whose mutation causes male sterility in neo-tetraploid rice. MOF1 expression in anthers peaks at anther Stage 7 (S7) and progressively decreases to low levels at S10. However, it remains unclear how the dynamics of MOF1 expression contribute to male fertility. Here, we carefully examined anther development in both diploid and tetraploid mof1 rice mutants, as well as lines ectopically expressing MOF1 in a temporal manner. MOF1 mutations caused delayed degeneration of the tapetum and middle layer of anthers and aberrant pollen wall organization. Ectopic MOF1 expression at later stages of anther development led to retarded cytoplasmic reorganization of tapetal cells. In both cases, pollen grains were aborted and seed production was abolished, indicating that precise control of MOF1 expression is essential for male reproduction. We demonstrated that five key tapetal genes, CYP703A3 (CYTOCHROME P450 HYDROXYLASE 703A3), OsABCG26 (Oryza sativa ATP BINDING CASSETTE G26), PTC1 (PERSISTENT TAPETAL CELL1), PKS2 (POLYKETIDE SYNTHASE 2), and OsABCG15 (Oryza sativa ATP BINDING CASSETTE G15), exhibit expression patterns opposite to those of MOF1 and are negatively regulated by MOF1. Moreover, DNA affinity purification sequencing (DAP-seq), luciferase activity assays, and electrophoretic mobility shift assays indicated that MOF1 binds directly to the PKS2 promoter for transcriptional repression. Our results provide a mechanistic basis for the regulation of male reproduction by MOF1 in both diploid and tetraploid rice. This study will facilitate the development of polyploid male sterile lines, which are useful for breeding of polyploid hybrid rice.

RGS20 promotes non-small cell lung carcinoma proliferation via autophagy activation and inhibition of the PKA-Hippo signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Novel therapeutic targets are urgently needed for treating drug-resistant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and overcoming drug resistance to molecular-targeted therapies. Regulator of G protein signaling 20 (RGS20) is identified as an upregulated factor in many cancers, yet its specific role and the mechanism through which RGS20 functions in NSCLC remain unclear. Our study aimed to identify the role of RGS20 in NSCLC prognosis and delineate associated cellular and molecular pathways. METHODS: Immunohistochemistry and lung cancer tissue microarray were used to verify the expression of RGS20 between NSCLC patients. CCK8 and cell cloning were conducted to determine the proliferation ability of H1299 and Anip973 cells in vitro. Furthermore, Transcriptome sequencing was performed to show enrichment genes and pathways. Immunofluorescence was used to detect the translocation changes of YAP to nucleus. Western blotting demonstrated different expressions of autophagy and the Hippo-PKA signal pathway. In vitro and in vivo experiments verified whether overexpression of RGS20 affect the proliferation and autophagy of NSCLC through regulating the Hippo pathway. RESULTS: The higher RGS20 expression was found to be significantly correlated with a poorer five-year survival rate. Further, RGS20 accelerated cell proliferation by increasing autophagy. Transcriptomic sequencing suggested the involvement of the Hippo signaling pathway in the action of RGS20 in NSCLC. RGS20 activation reduced YAP phosphorylation and facilitated its nuclear translocation. Remarkably, inhibiting Hippo signaling with GA-017 promoted cell proliferation and activated autophagy in RGS20 knock-down cells. However, forskolin, a GPCR activator, increased YAP phosphorylation and reversed the promoting effect of RGS20 in RGS20-overexpressing cells. Lastly, in vivo experiments further confirmed role of RGS20 in aggravating tumorigenicity, as its overexpression increased NSCLC cell proliferation. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that RGS20 drives NSCLC cell proliferation by triggering autophagy via the inhibition of PKA-Hippo signaling. These insights support the role of RGS20 as a promising novel molecular marker and a target for future targeted therapies in lung cancer treatment.

Effect of electroacupuncture on global cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats: A urine proteome analysis.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate dynamic urinary proteome changes of electroacupuncture (EP) on cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (CI/R) injured rats and to explore the therapeutic biological mechanisms of EP. METHODS: First, changed urinary proteins were found in EP stimulation in healthy rats. Then, we used a CI/R injury rat model induced by Pulsinelli's four-vessel occlusion (4-VO) method to explore the function of EP on urinary proteome in CI/R injury. Urine samples were collected for proteome analysis by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and bioinformatics analysis. RESULTS: In total, 384 proteins were identified, among which 47 proteins (23 upregulated, 24 downregulated) were differentially expressed with 0.6-log FC and p < .05. Gene ontology analysis revealed that the cell redox homeostasis, acute-phase response, response to lipopolysaccharide, and cellular response to glucocorticoid stimulus were significantly enriched. The partially biologically connected differential proteins were found by the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis in the EP group. With the CI/R rat model, 80 proteins (27 upregulated, 53 downregulated) were significantly changed in the CI/R rats compared to the controls. Among these differentially expressed proteins (DEPs), 23 proteins (17 upregulated, six downregulated) showed significant changes after EP treatment (0.6-log FC change, p < .05). The main related biological processes were aging, immune response, acute-phase response, liver regeneration, protein catabolic process, and response to oxidative stress. Many metabolic pathways were enriched by KEGG analysis. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that the EP could alleviate cerebral damage induced by ischemia-reperfusion through an anti-inflammatory and metabolism regulation mechanism. The urinary proteome might reflect the pathophysiological changes in EP pretreatment in the treatment and prevention of CI/R injury.