CXXC5 drove inflammation and ovarian cancer proliferation via transcriptional activation of ZNF143 and EGR1.

CXXC5, a zinc-finger protein, is known for its role in epigenetic regulation via binding to unmethylated CpG islands in gene promoters. As a transcription factor and epigenetic regulator, CXXC5 modulates various signaling processes and acts as a key coordinator. Altered expression or activity of CXXC5 has been linked to various pathological conditions, including tumorigenesis. Despite its known role in cancer, CXXC5's function and mechanism in ovarian cancer are unclear. We analyzed multiple public databases and found that CXXC5 is highly expressed in ovarian cancer, with high expression correlating with poor patient prognosis. We show that CXXC5 expression is regulated by oxygen concentration and is a direct target of HIF1A. CXXC5 is critical for maintaining the proliferative potential of ovarian cancer cells, with knockdown decreasing and overexpression increasing cell proliferation. Loss of CXXC5 led to inactivation of multiple inflammatory signaling pathways, while overexpression activated these pathways. Through in vitro and in vivo experiments, we confirmed ZNF143 and EGR1 as downstream transcription factors of CXXC5, mediating its proliferative potential in ovarian cancer. Our findings suggest that the CXXC5-ZNF143/EGR1 axis forms a network driving ovarian cell proliferation and tumorigenesis, and highlight CXXC5 as a potential therapeutic target for ovarian cancer treatment.

Two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis of 91 circulating inflammatory protein levels and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Introduction: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease with poorly understood pathophysiology. Recent studies have highlighted systemic inflammation, especially the role of circulating inflammatory proteins, in ALS. Methods: This study investigates the potential causal link between these proteins and ALS. We employed a two-sample Mendelian Randomization(MR) approach, analyzing data from large-scale genome-wide association studies to explore the relationship between 91 circulating inflammatory proteins and ALS. This included various MR methods like MR Egger, weighted median, and inverse-variance weighted, complemented by sensitivity analyses for robust results. Results: Significant associations were observed between levels of inflammatory proteins, including Adenosine Deaminase, Interleukin-17C, Oncostatin-M, Leukemia Inhibitory Factor Receptor, and Osteoprotegerin, and ALS risk. Consistencies were noted across different P-value thresholds. Bidirectional MR suggested that ALS risk might influence levels of certain inflammatory proteins. Discussion: Our findings, via MR analysis, indicate a potential causal relationship between circulating inflammatory proteins and ALS. This sheds new light on ALS pathophysiology and suggests possible therapeutic targets. Further research is required to confirm these results and understand the specific roles of these proteins in ALS.

Exploration of radiotherapy strategy for brain metastasis patients with driver gene positivity in lung cancer.

Objective: To assess the disparities in effectiveness and identify outcome predictors in the treatment of a targeted-first and radiotherapy-first regimen with driver gene-positive lung cancer brain metastases. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study analyzed patients with driver gene-positive lung cancer brain metastases who received first-targeted and first-radiotherapy regimens, respectively, with SIB-WBRT (whole brain tissue 40 Gy/20 fractions, tumor tissue boosted to 56-60 Gy/20 fractions) and local irradiation (prescription dose range of 20-60 Gy/2-25 fractions, most commonly delivered as 30 Gy/5 fractions, with a BED range of 28-100.8 Gy) at Peking Union Medical College Hospital from September 2015 to December 2021. The primary endpoint was intracranial progression free survival (iPFS). Secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS), intracranial new lesions, and tumor control. The Kaplan-Meier method was utilized to depict and estimate iPFS, OS, intracranial new lesions and tumor control. The Cox regression analysis was conducted to assess the association between relevant factors and outcomes. Results: 88 patients were enrolled in targeted-first and radiotherapy-first regimen, totally. And no difference was found in the comparison of iPFS between the two groups (HR=1.180, 95%CI: 0.622-2.237, P=0.613). No difference was found in the comparison of OS between the two groups (HR=1.208, 95%CI: 0.679-2.150, P=0.520). No difference was found in the comparison of intracranial new lesions between the two groups (HR=1.184, 95%CI: 0.569-2.463, P=0.652). There was a difference in the local control time between the two groups, with radiotherapy-first regimen being superior (HR=2.397, 95% CI:1.453-3.954, P<0.001). Patient age (HR=1.054, 95%CI: 1.026- 1.082, P<0.001), radiotherapy modality (HR=0.128, 95%CI: 0.041-0.401, P<0.001), metastasis volume (HR=1.426, 95%CI: 1.209-1.682, P<0.001), number of metastases(HR=14.960, 95%CI: 1.990-112.444, P=0.009), extracranial disease status (HR=0.387, 95%CI: 0.170-0.880, P=0.023) and therapy sequence (HR=13.800, 95%CI: 4.455-42.751, P<0.001) were associated with local control. Conclusion: Targeted-first regimen was not found to improve patients' iPFS relative to radiotherapy-first regimen in patients with brain metastases. Radiotherapy-first regimen for brain metastases demonstrated superior local control compared to targeted-first regimen. Patient's age, radiotherapy modality, metastasis volume, number of metastases, extracranial disease status and therapy sequence may be related to local control of metastases.

Coptisine protects against transient focal cerebral ischaemic injury by regulation of arachidonic acid metabolism.

OBJECTIVES: Coptisine (Cop), an alkaloid isolated from Rhizoma Coptidis, has a protective effect against central nervous system diseases such as cerebral ischaemia-reperfusion (IR). Dysregulations in fatty acids metabolism are associated with neuroprotection and neuroinflammation. However, the effect of Cop on fatty acids metabolomics during anti-IR remains unclear. METHODS: Cerebral IR rats were established by middle cerebral artery occlusion, and the therapeutic effect of Cop was evaluated by 2, 3, 5-triphenytetrazolium chloride staining and neurological deficits scores. By liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), fatty acids metabolomics analysis in ischaemic hemisphere and serum were investigated. RESULTS: We observed Cop (2 mg/kg/qd) was able to reduce cerebral infarct size and ameliorate the neurological function score. Meanwhile decrease in tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) after Cop treatment. Compared with control, down-regulation of cyclopentenone PGs (e.g., PGA2, PGJ2, and 15-deoxy- delta-12,14-PGJ2) was observed in cerebral IR, but upregulation of them when followed by Cop treatment. Similarly, we found the ratios of 14,15-dihydroxyeicosatrienoic acid(14,15-DHET)/arachidonic acid and 11,12-DHET/arachidonic acid was lower in cerebral IR injury relative to control, while their ratios were increased after Cop treatment. CONCLUSION: Our results indicated that Cop protect against cerebral IR injury, and its mechanism might be closely associated with antiinflammation and the regulation of arachidonic acid metabolism.

Fused Azulenyl Squaraine Derivatives Improve Phototheranostics in the Second Near-Infrared Window by Concentrating Excited State Energy on Non-Radiative Decay Pathways.

The second near-infrared (NIR-II) theranostics offer new opportunities for precise disease phototheranostic due to the enhanced tissue penetration and higher maximum permissible exposure of NIR-II light. However, traditional regimens lacking effective NIR-II absorption and uncontrollable excited-state energy decay pathways often result in insufficient theranostic outcomes. Herein a phototheranostic nano-agent (PS-1 NPs) based on azulenyl squaraine derivatives with a strong NIR-II absorption band centered at 1092 nm is reported, allowing almost all absorbed excitation energy to dissipate through non-radiative decay pathways, leading to high photothermal conversion efficiency (90.98 %) and strong photoacoustic response. Both in vitro and in vivo photoacoustic/photothermal therapy results demonstrate enhanced deep tissue cancer theranostic performance of PS-1 NPs. Even in the 5 mm deep-seated tumor model, PS-1 NPs demonstrated a satisfactory anti-tumor effect in photoacoustic imaging-guided photothermal therapy. Moreover, for the human extracted tooth root canal infection model, the synergistic outcomes of the photothermal effect of PS-1 NPs and 0.5 % NaClO solution resulted in therapeutic efficacy comparable to the clinical gold standard irrigation agent 5.25 % NaClO, opening up possibilities for the expansion of NIR-II theranostic agents in oral medicine.

Spontaneous rupture of bladder diverticulum with pseudo renal failure:A case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Spontaneous or non-traumatic bladder rupture is rare but can be life-threatening. Bladder rupture caused by a diverticulum is extremely rare, with only a few case reports in medical literature. CASE PRESENTATION: We report the case of a 32-year-old woman admitted to hospital complaints of abdominal pain, oliguria and ascites with no history of trauma. Laboratory tests revealed an elevated serum urea nitrogen(UN) level of 33.5 mmol/l and an elevated creatinine levels of 528 umol/l. X-ray cystography confirmed the rupture of a bladder diverticulum. Subsequent transurethral catheterization led to a prompt increase in urinary output, and serum creatinine level returned to 40 umol/l within 48 h. The patient was successfully treated with laparoscopic diverticulectomy. CONCLUSION: Clinicians should maintain a high level of suspicion for urinary bladder rupture in cases presenting with acute lower abdominal pain, urinary difficulties, and oliguria. When acute renal failure, complicated ascites, and an elevated peritoneal fluid creatinine or potassium level exceeding serum levels are observed, intraperitoneal urine leakage should be suspected without delay. This case emphasizes the importance of early diagnosis and intervention in managing this rare but serious condition.

Key oncogenic signaling pathways affecting tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes infiltration in hepatocellular carcinoma: basic principles and recent advances.

The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) ranks first among primary liver cancers, and its mortality rate exhibits a consistent annual increase. The treatment of HCC has witnessed a significant surge in recent years, with the emergence of targeted immune therapy as an adjunct to early surgical resection. Adoptive cell therapy (ACT) using tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) has shown promising results in other types of solid tumors. This article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the intricate interactions between different types of TILs and their impact on HCC, elucidate strategies for targeting neoantigens through TILs, and address the challenges encountered in TIL therapies along with potential solutions. Furthermore, this article specifically examines the impact of oncogenic signaling pathways activation within the HCC tumor microenvironment on the infiltration dynamics of TILs. Additionally, a concise overview is provided regarding TIL preparation techniques and an update on clinical trials investigating TIL-based immunotherapy in solid tumors.

The impact of street greenery on active travel: a narrative systematic review.

Background: Street greenery may have a profound effect on residents' active travel (AT), a mode of transportation involving walking and cycling. This study systematically reviewed the scientific evidence on the effects of street greenery on active travel. Methods: A comprehensive search was performed using keywords and references in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane Library. The review included studies that met the following criteria: (1) Study design: experimental studies, cross sectional studies, (2) Participants: individuals of all ages, (3) Exposure variables: street greenery, including street vegetation (e.g., trees, shrubs, and lawns), (4) Outcomes: active travel behaviors (walking, cycling), (5) Article type: peer-reviewed articles, (6) Search time window: from the inception of relevant electronic literature database until 21 June 2023, (7) Geographic scope: worldwide; (8) Language: articles in English. Results: Twenty-six cross-sectional studies met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed. These studies employed objective metrics for assessing street greenery and varied methodologies to measure AT, including 14 using subjective measurements (like self-reported surveys), 10 using objective data (such as mobile app analytics), and two studies combined both approaches. This review identifies a generally positive impact of street greenery on active travel in various aspects. However, the extent of this influence varies with factors such as temporal factors (weekdays vs. weekends), demographic segments (age and gender), proximity parameters (buffer distances), and green space quantification techniques. Street greenness promotes active travel by enhancing environmental esthetics, safety, and comfort, while also improving air quality, reducing noise, and fostering social interactions. In addition, the study suggests that variables like weather, seasonality, and cultural context may also correlate with the effectiveness of street greenery in encouraging active travel. Conclusion: Street greenery positively influences active travel, contributing to public health and environmental sustainability. However, the findings also indicate the need for more granular, experimental, and longitudinal studies to better understand this relationship and the underlying mechanisms. These insights are pivotal for urban planners and policymakers in optimizing green infrastructure to promote active transportation, taking into account local demographics, socio-economic factors, and urban design.

HPV-associated cervicovaginal microbiome and host metabolome characteristics.

BACKGROUND: Cervicovaginal microbiome plays an important role in the persistence of HPV infection and subsequent disease development. However, cervicovaginal microbiota varied cross populations with different habits and regions. Identification of population-specific biomarkers from cervicovaginal microbiota and host metabolome axis may support early detection or surveillance of HPV-induced cervical disease at all sites. Therefore, in the present study, to identify HPV-specific biomarkers, cervicovaginal secretion and serum samples from HPV-infected patients (HPV group, n = 25) and normal controls (normal group, n = 17) in Xichang, China were collected for microbiome (16S rRNA gene sequencing) and metabolome (UHPLC-MS/MS) analysis, respectively. RESULTS: The results showed that key altered metabolites of 9,10-DiHOME, α-linolenic acid, ethylparaben, glycocholic acid, pipecolic acid, and 9,12,13-trihydroxy-10(E),15(Z)-octadecadienoic acid, correlating with Sneathia (Sneathia_amnii), Lactobacillus (Lactobacillus_iners), Atopobium, Mycoplasma, and Gardnerella, may be potential biomarkers of HPV infection. CONCLUSION: The results of current study would help to reveal the association of changes in cervicovaginal microbiota and serum metabolome with HPV infections.

Downregulation of PDIA3 inhibits gastric cancer cell growth through cell cycle regulation.

OBJECTIVE: Protein disulfide isomerase A3 (PDIA3) promotes the correct folding of newly synthesized glycoproteins in the endoplasmic reticulum. PDIA3 is overexpressed in most tumors, and it may become a biomarker of cancer prognosis and immunotherapy. Our study aims to detect the expression level of PDIA3 in gastric cancer (GC) and its association with GC development as wells as the underlying mechanisms. METHODS: GC cell lines with PDIA3 knockdown by siRNA, CRISPR-cas9 sgRNAs or a pharmacological inhibitor of LOC14 were prepared and used. PDIA3 knockout GC cells were established by CRISPR-cas9-PDIA3 system. The proliferation, migration, invasion and cell cycle of GC cells were analyzed by cell counting kit-8 assay, wound healing assay, transwell assay and flow cytometry, respectively. Immunodeficient nude mice was used to evaluate the role of PDIA3 in tumor formation. Quantitative PCR and western blot were used for examining gene and protein expressions. RNA sequencing was performed to see the altered gene expression. RESULTS: The expressions of PDIA3 in GC tissues and cells were increased significantly, and its expression was negatively correlated with the three-year survival rate of GC patients. Down-regulation of PDIA3 by siRNA, LOC14 or CRISPR-cas9 significantly inhibited proliferation, invasion and migration of GC cells TMK1 and AGS, with cell cycle arrested at G2/M phase. Meanwhile, decreased PDIA3 significantly inhibited growth of tumor xenograft in vivo. It was found that cyclin G1 (encoded by CCNG1 gene) expression was decreased by downregulation of PDIA3 in GC cells both in vitro and in vivo. In addition, protein levels of other cell cycle related factors including cyclin D1, CDK2, and CDK6 were also significantly decreased. Further study showed that STAT3 was associated with PDIA3-mediated cyclin G1 regulation. CONCLUSION: PDIA3 plays an oncogenic role in GC. Our findings unfolded the functional role of PDIA3 in GC development and highlighted a novel target for cancer therapeutic strategy.

In vitro efficacy of Er:YAG laser-activated irrigation versus passive ultrasonic irrigation and sonic-powered irrigation for treating multispecies biofilms in artificial grooves and dentinal tubules: an SEM and CLSM study.

BACKGROUND: Multispecies biofilms located in the anatomical intricacies of the root canal system remain the greatest challenge in root canal disinfection. The efficacy of Er:YAG laser-activated irrigation techniques for treating multispecies biofilms in these hard-to-reach areas has not been proved. The objective of this laboratory study was to evaluate the effectiveness of two Er:YAG laser-activated irrigation techniques, namely, photon-induced photoacoustic streaming (PIPS) and shock wave-enhanced emission photoacoustic streaming (SWEEPS), in treating multispecies biofilms within apical artificial grooves and dentinal tubules, in comparison with conventional needle irrigation (CNI), passive ultrasonic irrigation (PUI), and sonic-powered irrigation (EDDY). Two types of multispecies root canal biofilm models were established in combination with two assessment methods using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) with the aim to obtain more meaningful results. METHODS: Ninety extracted human single-rooted premolars were chosen for two multispecies biofilm models. Each tooth was longitudinally split into two halves. In the first model, a deep narrow groove was created in the apical segment of the canal wall. After cultivating a mixed bacterial biofilm for 4 weeks, the split halves were reassembled and subjected to five irrigation techniques: CNI, PUI, EDD, PIPS, and SWEEPS. The residual biofilms inside and outside the groove in Model 1 were analyzed using SEM. For Model 2, the specimens were split longitudinally once more to evaluate the percentage of killed bacteria in the dentinal tubules across different canal sections (apical, middle, and coronal thirds) using CLSM. One-way analysis of variance and post hoc multiple comparisons were used to assess the antibiofilm efficacy of the 5 irrigation techniques. RESULTS: Robust biofilm growth was observed in all negative controls after 4 weeks. In Model 1, within each group, significantly fewer bacteria remained outside the groove than inside the groove (P < 0.05). SWEEPS, PIPS and EDDY had significantly greater biofilm removal efficacy than CNI and PUI, both from the outside and inside the groove (P < 0.05). Although SWEEPS was more effective than both PIPS and EDDY at removing biofilms inside the groove (P < 0.05), there were no significant differences among these methods outside the groove (P > 0.05). In Model 2, SWEEPS and EDDY exhibited superior bacterial killing efficacy within the dentinal tubules, followed by PIPS, PUI, and CNI (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Er:YAG laser-activated irrigation techniques, along with EDDY, demonstrated significant antibiofilm efficacy in apical artificial grooves and dentinal tubules, areas that are typically challenging to access.

A diagnostic model based on bioinformatics and machine learning to differentiate bipolar disorder from schizophrenia and major depressive disorder.

Bipolar disorder (BD) showed the highest suicide rate of all psychiatric disorders, and its underlying causative genes and effective treatments remain unclear. During diagnosis, BD is often confused with schizophrenia (SC) and major depressive disorder (MDD), due to which patients may receive inadequate or inappropriate treatment, which is detrimental to their prognosis. This study aims to establish a diagnostic model to distinguish BD from SC and MDD in multiple public datasets through bioinformatics and machine learning and to provide new ideas for diagnosing BD in the future. Three brain tissue datasets containing BD, SC, and MDD were chosen from the Gene Expression Omnibus database (GEO), and two peripheral blood datasets were selected for validation. Linear Models for Microarray Data (Limma) analysis was carried out to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Functional enrichment analysis and machine learning were utilized to identify. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression was employed for identifying candidate immune-associated central genes, constructing protein-protein interaction networks (PPI), building artificial neural networks (ANN) for validation, and plotting receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC curve) for differentiating BD from SC and MDD and creating immune cell infiltration to study immune cell dysregulation in the three diseases. RBM10 was obtained as a candidate gene to distinguish BD from SC. Five candidate genes (LYPD1, HMBS, HEBP2, SETD3, and ECM2) were obtained to distinguish BD from MDD. The validation was performed by ANN, and ROC curves were plotted for diagnostic value assessment. The outcomes exhibited the prediction model to have a promising diagnostic value. In the immune infiltration analysis, Naive B, Resting NK, and Activated Mast Cells were found to be substantially different between BD and SC. Naive B and Memory B cells were prominently variant between BD and MDD. In this study, RBM10 was found as a candidate gene to distinguish BD from SC; LYPD1, HMBS, HEBP2, SETD3, and ECM2 serve as five candidate genes to distinguish BD from MDD. The results obtained from the ANN network showed that these candidate genes could perfectly distinguish BD from SC and MDD (76.923% and 81.538%, respectively).

A comparative study on the effectiveness of online and in-class team-based learning on student performance and perceptions in virtual simulation experiments.

BACKGROUND: The swift transition to online teaching in medical education has presented the challenge of replicating in-class engagement and interaction essential for active learning. Despite online team-based learning (TBL) offering potential solutions through structured cooperative activities, its efficacy in virtual simulation experiment courses remains scantily researched. This study investigates the effectiveness of online TBL for teaching virtual patient experiments in a basic medical laboratory course and contrasts it with traditional offline teaching in terms of student performance and perceptions. METHODS: A comparative analysis involved 179 Year 3 medical students using online TBL, face-to-face TBL (FTF-TBL), and the flipped classroom (FC) approach. The learning outcomes were assessed based on experiment reports, IRAT scores, TRAT scores, and final exam performance. Students' perceptions of both online and in-class TBL methodologies were also surveyed. RESULTS: Both online and in-class TBL groups demonstrated comparable academic outcomes and surpassed the FC group in academic performance. Students displayed a marked preference for the TBL format (whether online or in-class), valuing its enhancement of learning interest and practical knowledge application. Nevertheless, refinements in discussion efficiency, platform convenience, and student-instructor interaction were indicated as potential areas of improvement in the online setting. CONCLUSIONS: Online TBL, along with its in-class counterpart, showed superior academic performance and a more positive learning experience compared to the FC group. These findings underscore the potential of online TBL in adapting to modern pedagogical challenges and enriching medical education through virtual simulation experiments.

Ice-Templated Synthesis of Atomic Cluster Cocatalyst with Regulable Coordination Number for Enhanced Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution.

Supported metal catalysts have been exploited in various applications. Among them, cocatalyst supported on photocatalyst is essential for activation of photocatalysis. However, cocatalyst decoration in a controllable fashion to promote intrinsic activity remains challenging. Herein, a versatile method is developed for cocatalyst synthesis using an ice-templating (ICT) strategy, resulting in size control from single-atom (SA), and atomic clusters (AC) to nanoparticles (NP). Importantly, the coordination numbers (CN) of decorated AC cocatalysts are highly controllable, and this ICT method applies to various metals and photocatalytic substrates. Taking narrow-band gap Ga-doped La5 Ti2 Cu0.9 Ag0.1 O7 S5 (LTCA) photocatalyst as an example, supported Ru AC/LTCA catalysts with regulable Ru CNs have been prepared, delivering significantly enhanced activities compared to Ru SA and Ru NPs supported on LTCA. Specifically, Ru(CN = 3.4) AC/LTCA with an average CN of Ru─Ru bond measured to be ≈3.4 exhibits excellent photocatalytic H2 evolution rate (578 µmol h-1 ) under visible light irradiation. Density functional theory calculation reveals that the modeled Ru(CN = 3) atomic cluster cocatalyst possesses favorable electronic properties and available active sites for the H2 evolution reaction.

Emerging role of RNA modification and long noncoding RNA interaction in cancer.

RNA modification, especially N6-methyladenosine, 5-methylcytosine, and N7-methylguanosine methylation, participates in the occurrence and progression of cancer through multiple pathways. The function and expression of these epigenetic regulators have gradually become a hot topic in cancer research. Mutation and regulation of noncoding RNA, especially lncRNA, play a major role in cancer. Generally, lncRNAs exert tumor-suppressive or oncogenic functions and its dysregulation can promote tumor occurrence and metastasis. In this review, we summarize N6-methyladenosine, 5-methylcytosine, and N7-methylguanosine modifications in lncRNAs. Furthermore, we discuss the relationship between epigenetic RNA modification and lncRNA interaction and cancer progression in various cancers. Therefore, this review gives a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms by which RNA modification affects the progression of various cancers by regulating lncRNAs, which may shed new light on cancer research and provide new insights into cancer therapy.

Chemical profiling and quality evaluation of Liuweizhiji Gegen-Sangshen oral liquid by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS and HPLC-diode array detector fingerprinting.

INTRODUCTION: Liuweizhiji Gegen-Sangshen (LGS) oral liquid is a Chinese patent medicine that is widely used for the prevention and treatment of alcoholic liver disease in clinical practice. However, the chemical complexity of LGS has not yet been investigated. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to rapidly identify chemical constituents of LGS and establish a quality control method based on fingerprint and quantitative analysis. METHODOLOGY: A comprehensive strategy was used by combining qualitative analysis by ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) and fingerprint analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD). RESULTS: A total of 162 chemical components in LGS, including 91 flavonoids, 31 organic acids, and 20 phenolic compounds, were identified or preliminarily characterized in both positive and negative ion modes based on the UPLC-Q-TOF-MS results. Of these, 37 were confirmed with the reference standards. In fingerprint analysis, 23 peaks were chosen as common peaks and used to evaluate the similarity of different batches of LGS. Subsequently, a rapid quantification method was optimized and validated for the simultaneous determination of multiple chemical markers in LGS. The validated quantitative method was successfully used to analyze different batches of LGS samples. CONCLUSION: The proposed comprehensive strategy combining HPLC-DAD fingerprinting and multi-component quantification demonstrated satisfactory results with high efficiency, accuracy, and reliability. This can be used as a reference for the overall quality consistency evaluation of Chinese patent medicines.

Bimetallic PCN-333 with Modulated Crystallization and a Porosity Structure for a Highly Efficient Removal of Congo Red.

Bimetallic metal-organic frameworks (BMOFs) have garnered significant attention in the field of environmental remediation due to their more diverse adsorption sites compared to monometallic metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). Different energy barriers must be overcome for different metal ions and organic linkers to form MOFs. However, the impact of the synthesis temperature on the crystallization and porosity structure of BMOFs has been rarely studied. In this work, PCN-333 series-based BMOFs with different Fe/Al ratios were prepared by a solvothermal method at temperatures of both 135 and 150 °C. The synthesis temperature and Fe/Al ratio have significant effects on the crystal structure and specific surface area of bimetallic PCN-333, leading to the different adsorption performance of the PCN-333 for Congo red (CR). The Fe/Al-PCN-333-135(3:1) and Fe-PCN-333-150 exhibited the maximum CR adsorption capacities of 3233 and 3933 mg/g, respectively, surpassing the capacities of most previously documented adsorbents. The Langmuir model and pseudo-second-order kinetics can well describe the adsorption process of CR on Fe/Al-PCN-333-135(3:1) and Fe-PCN-333-150. Combining the isotherm adsorption behavior with the thermodynamic parameters, CR adsorption on BMOFs is a single-layer endothermic chemical adsorption. Furthermore, Fe/Al-PCN-333-135(3:1) and Fe-PCN-333-150 exhibited regenerability and reusability for three cycles with reasonable efficiency. This work is of great significance in the field of engineering BMOF materials to treat dye wastewater.

Effects of linguistic context and noise type on speech comprehension.

Introduction: Understanding speech in background noise is an effortful endeavor. When acoustic challenges arise, linguistic context may help us fill in perceptual gaps. However, more knowledge is needed regarding how different types of background noise affect our ability to construct meaning from perceptually complex speech input. Additionally, there is limited evidence regarding whether perceptual complexity (e.g., informational masking) and linguistic complexity (e.g., occurrence of contextually incongruous words) interact during processing of speech material that is longer and more complex than a single sentence. Our first research objective was to determine whether comprehension of spoken sentence pairs is impacted by the informational masking from a speech masker. Our second objective was to identify whether there is an interaction between perceptual and linguistic complexity during speech processing. Methods: We used multiple measures including comprehension accuracy, reaction time, and processing effort (as indicated by task-evoked pupil response), making comparisons across three different levels of linguistic complexity in two different noise conditions. Context conditions varied by final word, with each sentence pair ending with an expected exemplar (EE), within-category violation (WV), or between-category violation (BV). Forty young adults with typical hearing performed a speech comprehension in noise task over three visits. Each participant heard sentence pairs presented in either multi-talker babble or spectrally shaped steady-state noise (SSN), with the same noise condition across all three visits. Results: We observed an effect of context but not noise on accuracy. Further, we observed an interaction of noise and context in peak pupil dilation data. Specifically, the context effect was modulated by noise type: context facilitated processing only in the more perceptually complex babble noise condition. Discussion: These findings suggest that when perceptual complexity arises, listeners make use of the linguistic context to facilitate comprehension of speech obscured by background noise. Our results extend existing accounts of speech processing in noise by demonstrating how perceptual and linguistic complexity affect our ability to engage in higher-level processes, such as construction of meaning from speech segments that are longer than a single sentence.

Unveiling the critical pH values triggering the unfolding of soy 7S and 11S globulins and enhancing their encapsulation efficiency.

The pH-shifting process is an effective encapsulation method, and it is typically performed at extreme alkaline pH, which severely limits the application. In this study, we found that there were critical pH for the unfolding proteins during pH-shifting from 7 to 12, and upon the critical pH, physiochemical characteristics of protein greatly changed, leading to a sharp increase of encapsulation of hydrophobic actives. Firstly, the critical pH for ß-conglycinin (7S) or Glycinin (11S) unfolding was determined by multispectral technology. The critical pH for 7S and 11S were 10.5 and 10.3, respectively. The encapsulation efficiency (EE) obtained by ß-conglycinin-curcumin nanocomposite (7S-Cur) (88.80 %) and Glycinin-curcumin nanocomposite (11S-Cur) (88.38 %) at critical pH was significantly higher than that obtained by pH 7 (7S-Cur = 16.66 % and 11S-Cur = 15.78 %), and both values were close to EE obtained by at 12 (7S-Cur = 95.16 % and 11S-Cur = 94.63 %). The large-scale application of hydrophobic functional compounds will be enhanced by the experimental results.