Moyamoya syndrome may result from psoriasis: Four case reports.

BACKGROUND: Moyamoya syndrome (MMS) is a group of diseases that involves more than one underlying disease and is accompanied by moyamoya vascular phenomena. Psoriasis is a chronic immune skin disease closely linked to high blood pressure and heart disease. However, psoriasis-related MMS has not been reported. CASE SUMMARY: We collected data on patients with stroke due to MMS between January 2017 and December 2019 and identified four cases of psoriasis. Case histories, imaging, and hematological data were collected. The average age of the initial stroke onset was 58.25 ± 11.52 years; three cases of hemorrhagic and one case of ischemic stroke were included. The average duration from psoriasis confirmation to the initial MMS-mediated stroke onset was 17 ± 3.56 years. All MMS-related stenoses involved the bilateral cerebral arteries: Suzuki grade III in one case, grade IV in two cases, and grade V in one case. Abnormally elevated plasma interleukin-6 levels were observed in four patients. Two patients had abnormally elevated immunoglobulin E levels, and two had thrombocytosis. All four patients received medication instead of surgery. With an average follow-up time of 2 years, two causing transient ischemic attacks occurred in two patients, and no hemorrhagic events occurred. CONCLUSION: Psoriasis may be a potential risk factor for MMS. Patients with psoriasis should be screened for MMS when they present with neurological symptoms.

Simultaneous identification of three emergent stimulant laxative adulterants in slimming foods using only one antibody.

Stimulant laxatives were recently found to be abused in slimming foods, resulting in harmful effects on consumers. To ensure the safety of relative products, sensitive yet multiplex immunoassays are crucial in rapid screening of stimulant laxatives. However, there are few immunoassays for these substances, and even less for broad-specific recognition. Thus, in this work, four theoretically promising haptens of emerging stimulant laxative bisacodyl were rationally designed using molecular modeling and synthesized to immune animals, whose feasibility was confirmed by the obtained broad-specific antibody. Based on this unique antibody, a highly sensitive multiplex competitive indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ciELISA) was established with low limits of detection for bisacodyl, sodium picosulfate, and BHPM (0.23, 13.68, and 0.11 ng/mL). In spiked sample recovery test and real sample detection, this ciELISA exhibited acceptable consistency with the validation method, demonstrating high accuracy and applicability of our method. This reliable multiplex ciELISA proceeds the rapid screening of stimulant laxatives in slimming foods.

Visual authenticating hazardous adulterant phenolphthalein in slimming foods: Target-mimicking hapten epitope improved immunoassay.

Screening for the hazardous adulterant phenolphthalein (PTH) in slimming foods is necessary. Herein, the linkage of the PTH target epitope with various spacer arms was proposed for hapten design, aiming to produce highly sensitive and specific antibodies targeting PTH. To understand the influence of spacer arms on epitope, comprehensive evaluations were conducted using computer-aided chemistry and animal immunization. The resulting antibody exhibited maximal half-inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 0.25 ng/mL. Then, a lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) was established with detection capability for screening (CCß) of less than 140, 240, and 25 ng/g for PTH in tea, instant coffee, and oral liquid, respectively. Furthermore, blind sample results agreed well with LFIA and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Therefore, this work not only provides a robust tool for detecting PTH adulteration but also suggests that the careful pairing of spacer arms with hapten epitope is a key factor in advancing rational hapten design.

Bi2WO6/TiO2-based visible light-driven photoelectrochemical enzyme biosensor for glucose measurement.

Nowadays, the frequent occurrence of food adulteration makes glucose detection particularly important in food safety and quality management. The quality and taste of honey are closely related to the glucose content. However, due to the drawbacks of expensive equipment, complex operating procedures, and time-consuming processes, the application scope of traditional glucose detection methods is limited. Hence, this study developed a photoelectric chemical (PEC) sensor, which is composed of a photoactive material of bismuth tungstate (Bi2WO6) with titanium dioxide (TiO2) and glucose oxidase (GOD), for simple and rapid detection of glucose. Notably, the composites' absorption prominently increased in the visible light region, and the photo-generated electron-hole pairs were efficiently separated by virtue of the unique nanostructure system, thus playing a crucial role in facilitating PEC activity. In the presence of dissolved oxygen, the photocurrent intensity was enhanced by H2O2 generated from glucose under electro-oxidation specifically catalyzed by GOD fixed on the modified electrode. When the working potential was 0.3 V, the changes of photocurrent response indicated that the PEC enzyme biosensor provides a low detection limit (3.8 µM), and a wide linear range (0.008-8 mM). This method has better selectivity in honey samples and broad application prospects in clinical diagnosis for future.

Mechanisms and therapeutic targets of mitophagy after intracerebral hemorrhage.

Mitochondria are dynamic organelles responsible for cellular energy production. In addition to regulating energy homeostasis, mitochondria are responsible for calcium homeostasis, clearance of damaged organelles, signaling, and cell survival in the context of injury and pathology. In stroke, the mechanisms underlying brain injury secondary to intracerebral hemorrhage are complex and involve cellular hypoxia, oxidative stress, inflammatory responses, and apoptosis. Recent studies have shown that mitochondrial damage and autophagy are essential for neuronal metabolism and functional recovery after intracerebral hemorrhage, and are closely related to inflammatory responses, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and other pathological processes. Because hypoxia and inflammatory responses can cause secondary damage after intracerebral hemorrhage, the restoration of mitochondrial function and timely clearance of damaged mitochondria have neuroprotective effects. Based on studies on mitochondrial autophagy (mitophagy), cellular inflammation, apoptosis, ferroptosis, the BNIP3 autophagy gene, pharmacological and other regulatory approaches, and normobaric oxygen (NBO) therapy, this article further explores the neuroprotective role of mitophagy after intracerebral hemorrhage.

The immune checkpoint TIGIT/CD155 promotes the exhaustion of CD8 + T cells in TNBC through glucose metabolic reprogramming mediated by PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling.

OBJECTIVE: The CD155/TIGIT axis has attracted considerable interest as an emerging immune checkpoint with potential applications in cancer immunotherapy. Our research focused on investigating the role of CD155/TIGIT checkpoints in the progression of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). METHODS: We evaluated CD155 and TIGIT expression in TNBC tissues using both immunohistochemistry (IHC) and gene expression profiling. Our experiments, both in vivo and in vitro, provided evidence that inhibiting the CD155/TIGIT pathway reinstates the ability of CD8 + T cells to generate cytokines. To assess the impact of CD155/TIGIT signaling blockade, we utilized Glucose Assay Kits and Lactate Assay Kits to measure alterations in glucose and lactate levels within CD8 + T cells. We employed western blotting (WB) to investigate alterations in glycolytic-related proteins within the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathways following the inhibition of CD155/TIGIT signaling. RESULTS: CD155 exhibits heightened expression within TNBC tissues and exhibits a negative correlation with the extent of infiltrating CD8 + T cells. Furthermore, patients with TNBC demonstrate elevated levels of TIGIT expression. Our findings indicate that the interaction between CD155 and TIGIT disrupts the glucose metabolism of CD8 + T cells by suppressing the activation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, ultimately leading to the reduced production of cytokines by CD8 + T cells. Both in vivo and in vitro experiments have conclusively demonstrated that the inhibition of CD155/TIGIT interaction reinstates the capacity of CD8 + T cells to generate cytokines. Moreover, in vivo administration of the blocking antibody against TIGIT not only inhibits tumor growth but also augments the functionality of CD8 + T lymphocytes. CONCLUSIONS: Our research findings strongly suggest that CD155/TIGIT represents a promising therapeutic target for treating TNBC.

A review of the definition, influencing factors, and mechanisms of rapid composting of organic waste.

Composting is a traditional method of treating organic waste. A growing number of studies have been focusing on accelerating the process to achieve "rapid composting." However, the specific definition and influencing factors of rapid composting remain unclear. Therefore, we aimed to gather more insight into the features of rapid composting by reviewing the literature concerning organic waste composting published in the Web of Science database in the past 5 years. We selected 1615 sample studies with "composting" as the subject word and analyzed the effective composting time stated in each study. We defined rapid composting within 15 days using the median test and quartile method. Based on this definition, we summarized the influencing factors of "rapid composting," namely materials, reactors, temperature, and microorganisms. Finally, we summarized two mechanisms related to humus formation during organic waste rapid composting: high temperature-promoting maturation and microbial driving mechanisms. This literature review compiled useful references to help promote the development of rapid composting technology and related equipment.

Recent advance of ATP citrate lyase inhibitors for the treatment of cancer and related diseases.

ATP citrate lyase (ACLY), a strategic metabolic enzyme that catalyzes the glycolytic to lipidic metabolism, has gained increasing attention as an attractive therapeutic target for hyperlipidemia, cancers and other human diseases. Despite of continual research efforts, targeting ACLY has been very challenging. In this field, most reported ACLY inhibitors are "substrate-like" analogues, which occupied with the same active pockets. Besides, some ACLY inhibitors have been disclosed through biochemical screening or high throughput virtual screening. In this review, we briefly summarized the cancer-related functions and the recent advance of ACLY inhibitors with a particular focus on the SAR studies and their modes of action. We hope to provide a timely and updated overview of ACLY and the discovery of new ACLY inhibitors.

Enhanced poly(3-hydroxybutyrateco-3-hydroxyvalerate) production from high-concentration propionate by a novel halophile Halomonas sp. YJ01: Detoxification of the 2-methylcitrate cycle.

As a carbon substrate, propionate can be used to synthesize poly(3-hydroxybutyrateco-3-hydroxyvalerate) [PHBV] biopolymer, but high concentrations can inhibit PHBV production. Therefore, novel PHBV producers that can utilize high propionate concentrations are needed. Here, a novel halophile, Halomonas sp. YJ01 was applied to PHBV production via a propionate-dependent pathway, and optimal culture growth conditions were determined. The maximum poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) [PHB] content and yield in the presence of glucose were 89.5 wt% and 5.7 g/L, respectively. This strain utilizes propionate and volatile fatty acids (VFAs) for PHBV accumulation. Multiple genes related to polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) synthesis were identified using whole-genome annotation. The PHBV yield and 3HV fraction obtained by strain YJ01 utilizing 15 g/L propionate were 0.86 g/L and 29 mol%, respectively, but in cultures with glucose-propionate, it decreased its copolymer dry weight. This indicates that propionyl-CoA was converted to pyruvate through the 2-methylcitrate cycle (2MCC), which reduced propionate detoxification for the strain.

Using fresh vegetable waste from Chinese traditional wet markets as animal feed: Material feasibility and utilization potential.

To develop new animal feed sources and establish a sustainable food upcycling system, the material feasibility and feeding potential of fresh vegetable waste (FVW) were clarified in this study. First, the FVW output of wet markets in Hangzhou, China was tracked and predicted. The results showed that the retail waste ratio of FVW in wet markets reached 9.3 %, predicting that China's FVW will reach 9034 kt in 2030. Second, the study revealed that the nutritive value of FVW was comparable to that of traditional alfalfa feed, suitable for use as animal feed. However, we found a high probability of microbial contamination. Therefore, FVW should have stricter classification and collection methods. Under this premise, the feeding utilization potential of FVW in wet markets is large. In 2030, the crude protein content may replace 2737 kt of alfalfa, saving 7.7 E + 08 m3 of water and 75,018 ha of land.

ß-catenin promotes resistance to trastuzumab in breast cancer cells through enhancing interaction between HER2 and SRC.

More than 1 million women worldwide are diagnosed with breast cancer (BC) each year. This study aims to explore the molecular mechanisms of ß-catenin affecting the trastuzumab tolerance in HER2-positive BC. ß-catenin in BC and non-BC tissue samples were assessed by immunohistochemistry. ß-catenin and HER2 were over-expressed and knockdown to evaluate their role in tumorigenicity and trastuzumab resistance in cell and animal models using soft-agar and xenograft assays. Confocal laser immunofluorescence assay and co-immunoprecipitation were used to assess protein-protein binding. Expression of genes was detected using Western blot analysis. ß-catenin was highly expressed in primary and metastatic BC, overexpression of ß-catenin increased the colony formation of MCF7 cells when it was co-expressed with HER2 and synergically increased the tumor size in immunodeficient mice. Overexpression of ß-catenin also increased the phosphorylation of HER2 and HER3 and increased the size of tumor derived from HER2-elevated cells. Confocal laser immunofluorescence assay showed that ß-catenin and HER2 were co-localized on the membrane of MDA-MB-231 cells, suggesting that ß-catenin binds HER2 to activate the HER2 signaling pathway. Immunoprecipitation of ß-catenin and HER2 also confirmed this binding. On the other hand, knockdown of ß-catenin in MDA-MB-231 cell lines decreased the activity of SRC and decreased phosphorylation of HER2 at Y877 and Y1248. The interaction between HER2 and SRC was enhanced when ß-catenin was overexpressed, and ß-catenin increased the resistance of tumor derived from HER2 elevated BT474 cells to trastuzumab. Further analysis showed that trastuzumab inhibited the activation of HER3, but SRC was still highly expressed in cells overexpressing ß-catenin. Our work demonstrates that ß-catenin is highly expressed in BC and it synergically promotes formation and progress of BC with HER2. ß-catenin binds with HER2 leading to enhanced interaction with SRC and resistance to trastuzumab.

Epidemiology and a Predictive Model of Prognosis Index Based on Machine Learning in Primary Breast Lymphoma: Population-Based Study.

BACKGROUND: Primary breast lymphoma (PBL) is a rare disease whose epidemiological features, treatment principles, and factors used for the patients' prognosis remain controversial. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore the epidemiology of PBL and to develop a better model based on machine learning to predict the prognosis for patients with primary breast lymphoma. METHODS: The annual incidence of PBL was extracted from the surveillance, epidemiology, and end results database between 1975 and 2019 to examine disease occurrence trends using Joinpoint software (version 4.9; National Cancer Institute). We enrolled data from 1251 female patients with primary breast lymphoma from the surveillance, epidemiology, and end results database for survival analysis. Univariable and multivariable analyses were performed to explore independent prognostic factors for overall survival and disease-specific survival of patients with primary breast lymphoma. Eight machine learning algorithms were developed to predict the 5-year survival of patients with primary breast lymphoma. RESULTS: The overall incidence of PBL increased drastically between 1975 and 2004, followed by a significant downward trend in incidence around 2004, with an average annual percent change (AAPC) of -0.8 (95% CI -1.1 to -0.6). Disparities in trends of PBL exist by age and race. The AAPC of the 65 years or older cohort was about 1.2 higher than that for the younger than 65 years cohort. The AAPC of White patients is 0.9 (95% CI 0.0-1.8), while that of Black patients was significantly higher at 2.1 (95% CI -2.5 to 6.9). We also identified that the risk of death from PBL is multifactorial and includes patient factors and treatment factors. Survival analysis revealed that the patients diagnosed between 2007 and 2015 had a significant risk reduction of mortality compared to those diagnosed between 1983 and 1990. The gradient booster model outperforms other models, with 0.752 for sensitivity and 0.817 for area under the curve. The important features established with the gradient booster model were the year of diagnosis, age, histologic type, and primary site, which were the 4 most relevant variables to explain 5-year survival status. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of PBL started demonstrating a tendency to decrease after 2004, which varied by age and race. In recent years, the prognosis of patients with primary breast lymphoma has been remarkably improved. The gradient booster model had a promising performance. This model can help clinicians identify the early prognosis of patients with primary breast lymphoma and therefore improve the clinical outcome by changing management strategies and patient health care.

Authenticating Emergent Adulterant 6-Benzylaminopurine in Bean Sprouts: Virtual Hapten Similarity Enhanced Immunoassay.

6-Benzylaminopurine (6-BA), a plant growth regulator with cytokinin-like properties, was recently reported to be illegally used in bean sprouts to increase their commercial appearance. It is still nevertheless challenging to quickly detect this adulteration. In this work, four novel haptens (haptens 1-4) of 6-BA were rationally designed with computer-assisted modeling analysis and then synthesized for use as immunizing haptens to produce antibodies. One of two obtained antibodies showed high sensitivity and specificity toward 6-BA. Based on the most sensitive anti-6-BA antibody, an indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (icELISA) was performed, which demonstrated a 50% inhibition concentration (IC50) of 1.18 µg/L and a limit of detection of 0.075 µg/L. The average recoveries of this icELISA for 6-BA of spiked samples ranged from 87.2 to 95.0% with a coefficient of variation of less than 8.7%. Furthermore, the blind samples were detected simultaneously by the method and HPLC-MS/MS, and the results showed good agreement with each other. Therefore, the proposed icELISA can facilitate the rapid surveillance screening of adulterated 6-BA in sprout vegetables.

Identifying fungicide difenoconazole as illegal growth regulator in vegetable: Computer-aided hapten similarity to enhance immunoassay sensitivity.

Difenoconazole, a fungicide with broad-spectrum properties, has recently been found to have been used illegally used as a plant growth regulator in Brassica campestris, with the intent of inducing thick stems and dark green leaves. However, analysts have encountered challenges in implementing a rapid surveillance screening approach for this purpose. In this study, a novel hapten was designed to improve the analytical performance of difenoconazole immunoassay. Specifically, the triazole of the original hapten was replaced with a benzene ring, guided by molecular simulation. This led to the development of a very sensitive antibody and the subsequent development of a competitive indirect enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ciELISA) for the detection of difenoconazole in vegetable samples. The assay exhibited a working range of 0.16 ng mL-1 to 9.64 ng mL-1, with a detection limit of 0.05 ng mL-1. Upon analysis of blind samples, a strong correlation was observed between the ciELISA and HPLC-MS/MS methods. As a result, the proposed technique may prove to be an excellent tool for the rapid detection of difenoconazole overuse and adulteration in vegetables.

[Determination of eight cannabinoids in foods with enhanced matrix removal-lipid adsorbent by ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry].

A novel method was developed for the simultaneous determination of eight cannabinoids in six types of food matrices, including chocolate, fondant, biscuit, beverage, cookie and baijiu, using ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). The sample extraction and cleanup steps were optimized, and various purification methods were investigated to remove the oil matrix and glue in chocolate and fudge, respectively. Enhanced matrix removal-lipid adsorbent (EMR-Lipid) provided efficient, selective cleanup of the evaluated matrices. The sample was extracted using acetonitrile, followed by EMR-Lipid cleanup, and then dried using anhydrous sodium sulfate. The acetonitrile layer was concentrated by nitrogen to near-dry after 100 µL 10% glycerol in methanol was added to improve the recovery by reducing loss during concentration under the stream of nitrogen gas. Eight cannabinoids were separated using a Waters ACQUITY UPLC BEH Shield RP18 column (100 mm×3.0 mm, 1.7 µm). The responses of the cannabinoids in the positive and negative ionization modes were investigated and optimized, and the responses were superior in the negative ion mode compared to those in the positive ion mode. MS detection was performed in the multi-reaction monitoring (MRM) mode using an electrospray source in the negative ion mode. The cannabinoids were quantified using an external standard with matrix calibration curves to reduce the influences of the matrix effects on the quantitative results. The developed method was verified, and the conditions of sample pretreatment were also optimized. The calibration curves of tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabidivarin, tetrahydrocannabivarin, and cannabigerol and those of cannabidiol, cannabinol, cannabidiolic acid, and tetrahydrocannabinolic acid exhibited good linearities, with r>0.995, in the ranges of 2-200 and 0.4-40 ng/mL, respectively. The respective limits of detection (LODs, S/N=3) and quantification (LOQs, S/N=10) of tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabidivarin, tetrahydrocannabivarin, and cannabigerol were 4 and 10 µg/kg, and those of cannabidiol, cannabinol, cannabidiolic acid, and tetrahydrocannabinolic acid were 0.8 and 2 µg/kg. The average recoveries of the cannabinoids were 82.0%-114.9% under three spiked levels with corresponding relative standard deviations (RSDs) of <15% (n=6). EMR-Lipid provided efficient, selective cleanups of food matrices with good accuracy. The method is sensitive, rapid, accurate, simple to execute, and it is suitable for the determination of cannabinol compounds in typical food matrices.

Preparation and Application of Double Network Interpenetrating Colon Targeting Hydrogel Based on Konjac Glucomannan and N-Isopropylacrylamide.

Konjac glucomannan (KGM) can be degraded by colon-specific enzymes in the colonic environment, making it one of the materials for treating colonic diseases, which has attracted more and more attention. However, during drug administration, especially in the gastric environment and due to its easy swelling, the structure of KGM is usually destroyed and the drug is released, thereby reducing the bioavailability of the drug. To solve this problem, the easy swelling and drug release properties of KGM hydrogels are avoided by creating interpenetrating polymer network hydrogels. In this study, N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) is first formed into a hydrogel framework under the action of a cross-linking agent to stabilize the gel shape before the gel is heated under alkaline conditions to make KGM molecules wrap around the NIPAM framework. The structure of the IPN(KGM/NIPAM) gel was confirmed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and x-ray diffractometer (XRD). In the stomach and small intestine, it was found that the release rate and swelling rate of the gel were 30% and 100%, which were lower than 60% and 180% of KGM gel. The experimental results showed that this double network hydrogel has a good colon-directed release profile and fine drug carrier ability. This provides a new idea for the development of konjac glucomannan colon-targeting hydrogel.

Polyacetylene Isomers Isolated from Bidens pilosa L. Suppress the Metastasis of Gastric Cancer Cells by Inhibiting Wnt/ß-Catenin and Hippo/YAP Signaling Pathways.

(E)-7-Phenyl-2-hepten-4,6-diyn-1-ol (1) and (Z)-7-Phenyl-2-hepten-4,6-diyn-1-ol (2) are isomeric natural polyacetylenes isolated from the Chinese medicinal plant Bidens pilosa L. This study first revealed the excellent anti-metastasis potential of these two polyacetylenes on human gastric cancer HGC-27 cells and the distinctive molecular mechanisms underlying their activities. Polyacetylenes 1 and 2 significantly inhibited the migration, invasion, and adhesion of HGC-27 cells at their non-toxic concentrations in a dose-dependent manner. The results of a further mechanism investigation showed that polyacetylene 1 inhibited the expressions of Vimentin, Snail, ß-catenin, GSK3ß, MST1, YAP, YAP/TAZ, and their phosphorylation, and upregulated the expression of E-cadherin and p-LATS1. In addition, the expressions of various downstream metastasis-related proteins, such as MMP2/7/9/14, c-Myc, ICAM-1, VCAM-1, MAPK, p-MAPK, Sox2, Cox2, and Cyr61, were also suppressed in a dose-dependent manner. These findings suggested that polyacetylene 1 exhibited its anti-metastasis activities on HGC-27 cells through the reversal of the EMT process and the suppression of the Wnt/ß-catenin and Hippo/YAP signaling pathways.

Spermatozoa-induced seminal vesiculitis in mice.

BACKGROUND: Seminal vesiculitis is a common inflammation in the male genital tract. Etiologically, microbial infection and non-infectious factors can be responsible for seminal vesiculitis. The pathogenic triggers and mechanisms underlying non-infectious seminal vesiculitis remain unclear. OBJECTIVES: To demonstrate that spermatozoa can induce seminal vesiculitis in mice, which could be attributable to spermatozoa-induced innate immune responses in seminal vesicular epithelial cells. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Spermatozoa from epididymis were injected into seminal vesicles at the tail of the gland. Histopathology of seminal vesicles were examined by hematoxylin-eosin staining. Infiltration of leukocytes were identified by immunohistochemistry. Seminal vesicular epithelial cells were isolated from 5-week-old mice and cell types were detected by immunofluoresence. Western blot and real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) were used to detect protein and gene expression levels. RESULTS: In vivo, local injection of epididymal spermatozoa into seminal vesicles resulted in seminal vesiculitis characterized by tissue swelling and leukocyte infiltration. In vitro, spermatozoa induced the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, including TNF-α, IL-6, CXCL10, and MCP1, and the activation of NF-κB in seminal vesicular epithelial cells. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Spermatozoa may induce seminal vesiculitis through the activation of innate immune responses in seminal vesicular epithelial cells, which provide novel insights into the mechanisms underlying non-infectious seminal vesiculitis.

Rainstorms drive export of aromatic and concurrent bio-labile organic matter to a large eutrophic lake and its major tributaries.

Lakes are hotspots for global carbon cycling, yet few studies have explored how rainstorms alter the flux, composition, and bio-lability of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in inflowing rivers using high-frequency monitoring. We conducted extensive campaigns in the watershed of Lake Taihu and made daily observations for three years in its two largest inflowing tributaries, River Dapu and River Yincun. We found higher DOC, bio-labile DOC (BDOC), and specific UV absorbance (SUVA254) levels in the northwestern inflowing regions compared with the remaining lake regions. DOC and BDOC increased during rainstorms in River Dapu, and DOC declined due to local dilution and BDOC increased during rainstorms in River Yincun. We found that rainstorms resulted in increased DOM absorbance a350, SUVA254, and humification index (HIX) and enhanced percentages of humic-like fluorescent components, %polycyclic condensed aromatic and %polyphenolic compounds as revealed from ultrahigh-resolution mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS), while spectral slope (S275-295) and the percentages of protein-like C1 and C3 declined during rainstorms compared with other seasons. This can be explained by a combined flushing of catchment soil organic matter and household effluents. The annual inflows of DOC and BDOC to Lake Taihu were 1.15 ± 0.18 × 104 t C yr-1 and 0.23 ± 0.06 × 104 t C yr-1 from River Dapu and 2.92 ± 0.42 × 103 t C yr-1 and 0.53 ± 0.07 × 103 t C yr-1 from River Yincun, respectively, and the fluxes of DOC and BDOC from both rivers increased during rainstorms. We found an elevated frequency of heavy rainfall and rainstorms in the lake watershed during the past six decades. We conclude that an elevated input of terrestrial organic-rich DOM with concurrent high aromaticity and high bio-lability from inflowing rivers is likely to occur in a future wetter climate.

Caryophyllene-type sesquiterpenes from the endophytic fungus Pestalotiopsis lespedezae through an OSMAC approach.

Two new caryophyllene-type sesquiterpenes pestalotiopsins U and V (1 and 2) and three known compounds pestalotiopsin B (7), pestaloporinate B (8), and pestalotiopsin C (9) were isolated by the cultivation of the endophytic fungus Pestalotiopsis lespedezae on solid rice medium, while four additional new caryophyllene pestalotiopsins W-Z (3-6) were obtained when 3.5% NaI was added to the fungal culture medium. The structures of the new compounds were determined by HRESIMS and 1D/2D nuclear magnetic resonance data. Compounds 1-9 were tested for cytotoxicity against the mouse lymphoma cell line L5178Y, but only 6 displayed significant activity with an IC50 value of 2.4 µM.