Milk-derived exosome nanovesicles: recent progress and daunting hurdles.

Raw milk is the foundation of quality and safety in the dairy industry, and improving milk source management is the fundamental guarantee. Milk-derived exosomes (MDEs) are nanoscale information transfer molecules secreted by mammary cells with unique content and high stability, which can be used not only as potential markers to analyze key traits of lactation, reproduction, nutrition and health of animals, but also help farm managers to take timely interventions to improve animal welfare, milk quality, and functional traits. Our review first outlines the latest advances in MDEs isolation and purification, compositional analysis and characterization tools. We then provide a comprehensive summary of recent applications of MDEs liquid biopsy in breed selection, disease prevention and control, and feeding management. Finally, we evaluate the impact of processing on the stability of MDEs to offer guidance for dairy production and storage. The limitations and challenges in the development and use of MDEs markers are also discussed. As a noninvasive marker with high sensitivity and specificity, the MDEs-mediated assay technology is expected to be a powerful tool for measuring cow health and raw milk quality, enabling dynamic and precise regulation of dairy cows and full traceability of raw milk.

Preparation and characterisation of kaempferol composite carrier solid dispersion: evaluation of its application in preventing soybean oil spoilage.

Kaempferol (KPF) can be used as a natural antioxidant and food additive in food processing. However, the poor solubility of KPF limited its bioavailability and application. In order to improve the solubility of KPF, kaempferol composite carrier solid dispersion (KPF-CC-SD) was prepared and the process was optimised. When the ratio of KPF: CA (citric acid): Soluplus reached 1:4:6, the dissolution rate was the highest, and the sample was stable over 12 weeks. The characterisation results indicated that KPF-CC-SD exists in an amorphous form. Peroxidation value and acid value of soybean oil showed that the preservation effect of KPF-CC-SD was better than that of KPF, and the inhibition effect of KPF-CC-SD on acid value was better than that of butylated hydroxytoluene. In conclusion, KPF-CC-SD can change the solubility, crystal form and spatial stability of KPF through the carrier, which has a great application prospect in the field of food preservation.

The influence of in situ purification system on pathogen in the river fed by the drainage of sewage plant.

An in situ integrated system, consisting of ecological floating islands (EFI), ecological riverbeds (ER), and ecological filter dams (EFD), was built in a ditch only receiving the effluent of sewage plant; the effect of in situ technologies on the distribution of aquatic pathogen was investigated. The results showed the aquatic pathogen decreased along the ditch. Specifically, the relative abundance of Legionella, Aeromonas, and Acinetobacter decreased from 0.032, 0.035, and 0.26 to 0.026%, 0.012%, and 0.08%, respectively. Sedimentation, filtration, and sorption (provided by plant roots and biofilms on substrates) were principal processes for the removal. The nitrogen removal bacteria to prevent the potential risk of eutrophication were also evaluated. The EFI and ER were the dominant sites for Nitrosomonas (34.96%, 32.84%) and Nitrospira (35.74%, 54.73%) enrichment, while EFI and EFD facilitated the enrichment of denitrification bacteria. Notably, the relative abundance of endogenous denitrifiers (DNB-en) (including Dechloromonas at 9.72%, Thermomonas at 0.58%, and Saccharibacteria at 2.55%) exceeded those of exogenous denitrifiers (DNB-ex) (Thauera at 0.20%, Staphylococcus at 0.005%, and Rhodobacter at 0.27%). This study demonstrated that the in situ integrated system was effective in reducing the abundance of pathogens in the drainage channel, and the deficiency of DNB-ex and carbon sources made nitrate removal difficult.

Clinical characteristics and MRI features of autoimmune glial fibrillary acidic protein astrocytopathy: a case series of 34 patients.

Objectives: To analyze the clinical and imaging characteristics of autoimmune glial fibrillary acidic protein astrocytopathy (GFAP-A). Methods: Forty-three patients diagnosed with GFAP-A between March 2017 and July 2023 were retrospectively recruited. The clinical characteristics and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features were collected. Results: Twenty-one patients (61.8%) had a fever and 16 (47.1%) had a headache. Five patients (14.7%) had coexisting neural autoantibodies and one patient (2.9%) had a coexisting neoplasm. The most common presentation was meningoencephalomyelitis (13/34, 38.3%), followed by meningoencephalitis (12/34, 35.3%). The other clinical manifestations included blurred visions (5/34, 14.7%) and peripheral nervous system involvement (4/34, 11.8%). Twenty-six patients (76.5%) had elevated nucleated cell count, predominantly lymphocytes (15/15, 100%), and 27 (79.4%) had elevated protein levels of cerebrospinal fluid. One-half (50%) of the patients presented with hyponatremia. A majority of the patients (30/33, 90.9%) exhibited abnormal hyperintense lesions on T2WI, which were often located in juxtacortical white matter (18/33, 54.5%), followed by periventricular white matter (16/33, 48.5%), basal ganglia (15/ 33, 45.5%), brainstem (11/33, 33.3%), and thalamic lesions (9/33, 27.3%). Twenty-four patients (72.7%) had abnormal brain enhancement, with supratentorial leptomeningeal enhancement being the most frequent enhancement pattern (15/33, 45.5%), followed by linear perivascular radial enhancement (14/33, 42.4%). Nineteen patients (70.4%) had hyperintense intramedullary spinal cord lesions, with long segments (15/27, 55.6%) and transverse lesions (14/27, 51.9%) being the most frequent lesions. Most cases were sensitive to immunotherapy, such as glucocorticoids, intravenous immunoglobulin, and tacrolimus, with three patients (8.8%) experiencing relapses. Patients with brainstem lesions had higher onset modified Rankin scale scores and were more prone to intensive care unit admissions. Linear perivascular radial enhancement was positively associated with poor prognosis (p < 0.05). Conclusion: GFAP-A presented with meningoencephalomyelitis and meningoencephalitis. The brain lesions were often located in juxtacortical white matter, periventricular white matter, basal ganglia, brainstem, and thalamus. Long segments and transverse were the most frequent spine lesions. Leptomeningeal enhancement was the most frequent enhancement pattern, followed by linear perivascular radial enhancement, which may provide new insight into the differential diagnosis of GFAP-A.

Biobased Inks Based on Cuttlefish Ink and Cellulose Nanofibers for Biodegradable Patterned Soft Actuators.

Soft actuators with stimuli-responsive and reversible deformations have shown great promise in soft robotics. However, some challenges remain in existing actuators, such as the materials involved derived from nonrenewable resources, complex and nonscalable preparation methods, and incapability of complex and programmable deformation. Here, a biobased ink based on cuttlefish ink nanoparticles (CINPs) and cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) was developed, allowing for the preparation of biodegradable patterned actuators by direct ink writing technology. The hybrid CNF/CINP ink displays good rheological properties, allowing it to be accurately printed on a variety of flexible substrates. A bilayer actuator was developed by printing an ink layer on a biodegradable poly(lactic acid) film using extrusion-based 3D printing technology, which exhibits reversible and large bending behavior under the stimuli of humidity and light. Furthermore, programmable and reversible folding and coiling deformations in response to stimuli have been achieved by adjusting the ink patterns. This work offers a fast, scalable, and cost-effective strategy for the development of biodegradable patterned actuators with programmable shape-morphing.

Time-averaged atomic volume spectrum: locating and identifying vacancies.

Vacancies, as well as their derivatives, usually play a crucial role in many essential properties of materials. However, they always behave erratically, especially under universal thermal vibration, and are therefore difficult to accurately locate. Until now, the lack of an accurate and flexible method for locating and identifying vacancies has hampered the development of relative fields. In this paper, we present a new method to solve this problem. The strategy is to target the atomic cage enwrapping vacancies instead of the vacancies themselves. The core of the method is a time-averaged atomic volume spectrum (TAVS). The key to this method is to identify atoms using time-averaged rather than transient atomic volume, thereby simultaneously denoising intrinsic thermal vibration and avoiding vacancy migration jump. Using this method, we have succeeded for the first time in obtaining the panoramic maps of spontaneously trapped defects in quenched and annealed face-centered cubic aluminum and even the instantaneous images of a steady trapping process. All characteristics of each trapped vacancy, including location, dimension, volume and morphology, as well as aggregate statistical data such as vacancy amount and concentration, can be completely and accurately obtained. Furthermore, these first maps of defects (vacancies) revealed some surprising and interesting phenomena for future exploration. In conclusion, this method provides not only a means of locating and catching vacancies, but also a strategy for identifying and characterizing vacancies. On the basis of its successful application in FCC Al, the TAVS method can be easily extended to other systems as well.

First-principles studies on the electronic and contact properties of monolayer Ga2STe-metal contacts.

Monolayer (ML) Janus III-VI compounds have attracted the use of multiple competitive platforms for future-generation functional electronics, including non-volatile memories, field effect transistors, and sensors. In this work, the electronic and interfacial properties of ML Ga2STe-metal (Au, Ag, Cu, and Al) contacts are systematically investigated using first-principles calculations combined with the non-equilibrium Green's function method. The ML Ga2STe-Au/Ag/Al contacts exhibit weak electronic orbital hybridization at the interface, while the ML Ga2STe-Cu contact exhibits strong electronic orbital hybridization. The Te surface is more conducive to electron injection than the S surface in ML Ga2STe-metal contact. Quantum transport calculations revealed that when the Te side of the ML Ga2STe is in contact with Au, Ag and Cu electrodes, p-type Schottky contacts are formed. When in contact with the Al electrode, an n-type Schottky contact is formed with an electron SBH of 0.079 eV. When the S side of ML Ga2STe is in contact with Au and Al electrodes, p-type Schottky contacts are formed, and when it is in contact with Ag and Cu electrodes, n-type Schottky contacts are formed. Our study will guide the selection of appropriate metal electrodes for constructing ML Ga2STe devices.

A hypervirulent Acinetobacter baumannii strain has robust anti-phagocytosis ability.

BACKGROUND: Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) is associated with both hospital-acquired infections (HAP) and community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). In this study, we present a novel CAP-associated A. baumannii (CAP-AB) strain causing severe pneumonia in an afore healthy male patient without underlying conditions. Subsequently, we investigated the pathogenicity and immunogenicity of this CAP-AB strain using a mice pneumonia model. RESULTS: A 58-year-old male patient with no underlying conditions experienced worsening symptoms of a productive cough, sputum, and fever that developed acutely, in just 24 h. The diagnosis was severe community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and type-1 respiratory failure. An A. baumannii strain was isolated from his sputum and blood cultures. To gain a deeper understanding of the rapid progression of its pathology, we utilized the CAP-associated A. baumannii strain YC128, a previously obtained hospital-acquired pneumonia A. baumannii (HAP-AB) strain YC156, and a highly virulent A. baumannii control strain LAC-4 to construct a mouse pneumonia model, and subsequently compared the mortality rate of the three groups. Following inoculation with 107 CFU of A. baumannii, the mortality rate for the YC128, LAC-4, and YC156 groups was 60% (6/10), 30% (3/10), and 0%, respectively. The bacterial burden within the pulmonary, liver, and spleen tissues of mice in the YC128 group was significantly higher than that of the YC156 group, and slightly higher than that of the LAC-4 group. Pathological analysis of lung tissue using HE-staining revealed that the inflammatory pathological changes in mice from the YC128 group were significantly more severe than those in the YC156 group. Additionally, CT scan images displayed more pronounced inflammation in the lungs of mice from the YC128 group compared to the YC156 group. Local levels of cytokines/chemokines such as IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-α, and CXCL1 were assessed via RT-qPCR in lung tissues. In comparison with the YC156 strain, the highly virulent YC128 strain induced the expression of proinflammatory cytokines more rapidly and severely. Furthermore, we examined the in vitro anti-phagocytosis ability of YC128 and YC156 strains against mice peritoneal macrophages, revealing that the highly virulent YC128 isolate displayed greater resistance to macrophage uptake in contrast to YC156. Results from Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) indicated that YC128 harbored a complete type VI secretion system (T6SS) gene cluster, while YC156 lacked the majority of genes within the T6SS gene cluster. The other virulence-related genes exhibited minimal differences between YC128 and YC156. Drawing from previous studies, we postulated that the T6SS is linked to the hypervirulence and robust anti-phagocytic ability of YC128. CONCLUSIONS: This article reports on the isolation of a novel hypervirulent CAP-AB strain, YC128, from a severe CAP patient. The results demonstrate that this CAP-AB strain, YC128, is capable of inducing fatal pneumonia and extrapulmonary dissemination in a mouse pneumonia model. Moreover, this highly virulent CAP-AB strain exhibits significantly stronger anti-phagocytic abilities compared to the HAP-AB YC156 strain. Genome sequencing comparisons reveal that the heightened hypervirulence and enhanced anti-phagocytosis abilities observed in YC128 may be attributed to the presence of the T6SS.

Unveiling behaviors of 8:2 fluorotelomer sulfonic acid (8:2 FTSA) in Arabidopsis thaliana: Bioaccumulation, biotransformation and molecular mechanisms of phytotoxicity.

8:2 fluorotelomer sulfonic acid (8:2 FTSA) has been commonly detected in the environment, but its behaviors in plants are not sufficiently known. Here, the regular and multi-omics analyses were used to comprehensively investigate the bioaccumulation, biotransformation, and toxicity of 8:2 FTSA in Arabidopsis thaliana. Our results demonstrated that 8:2 FTSA was taken up by A. thaliana roots and translocated to leaves, stems, flowers, and seeds. 8:2 FTSA could be successfully biotransformed to several intermediates and stable perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) catalyzed by plant enzymes. The plant revealed significant growth inhibition and oxidative damage under 8:2 FTSA exposure. Metabolomics analysis showed that 8:2 FTSA affected the porphyrin and secondary metabolisms, resulting in the promotion of plant photosynthesis and antioxidant capacity. Transcriptomic analysis indicated that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were related to transformation and transport processes. Integrative transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis revealed that DEGs and differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) in plants were predominantly enriched in the carbohydrate metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and lipid metabolism pathways, resulting in greater energy consumption, generation of more nonenzymatic antioxidants, alteration of the cellular membrane composition, and inhibition of plant development. This study provides the first insights into the molecular mechanisms of 8:2 FTSA stress response in plants.

Leonurus japonicus Houtt. Modulates Neuronal Apoptosis in Intracerebral Hemorrhage: Insights from Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Leonurus japonicus Houtt. (Labiatae), commonly known as Chinese motherwort, is a herbaceous flowering plant that is native to Asia. It is widely acknowledged in traditional medicine for its diuretic, hypoglycemic, antiepileptic properties and neuroprotection. Currently, Leonurus japonicus (Leo) is included in the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) recognizes Leo for its myriad pharmacological attributes, but its efficacy against ICH-induced neuronal apoptosis is unclear. AIMS OF THE STUDY: This study aimed to identify the potential targets and regulatory mechanisms of Leo in alleviating neuronal apoptosis after ICH. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study employed network pharmacology, UPLC-Q-TOF-MS technique,molecular docking, pharmacodynamic studies, western blotting, and immunofluorescence techniques to explore its potential mechanisms. RESULTS: Leo was found to assist hematoma absorption, thus improving the neurological outlook in an ICH mouse model. Importantly, molecular docking highlighted JAK as Leo's potential therapeutic target in ICH scenarios. Further experimental evidence demonstrated that Leo adjusts JAK1 and STAT1 phosphorylation, curbing Bax while augmenting Bcl-2 expression. CONCLUSION: Leo showcases potential in mitigating neuronal apoptosis post-ICH, predominantly via the JAK/STAT mechanism.

Mediating effect of the NLR on the relationship between HbA1c and left atrial stiffness in overweight patients with hypertension.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to investigate the association between hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and left atrial (LA) stiffness in patients with hypertension and to explore the mediating effect of the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) on this association. METHODS: Essential hypertensive patients (n=292) aged 18 to 83 years were enrolled and divided into two groups based on the LA stiffness index (LASI): Group I (LASI≤0.32, n=146) and Group II (LASI>0.32, n=146). The LASI was defined as the ratio of early diastolic transmitral flow velocity/lateral mitral annulus myocardial velocity (E/e') to LA reservoir strain. Multivariate linear regression analysis was performed to determine the independent predictors of the LASI. RESULTS: Age, BMI, SBP, HbA1c, CRP and the NLR were significantly greater in Group II than in Group I (P<0.05). Additionally, Group II had a greater LA volume index (LAVI), left ventricular mass index (LVMI), and E/e' and lower LA reservoir, conduit and booster pump strains than Group I (P<0.001). Univariate and multivariate linear regression models revealed that age, SBP, HbA1c, and the NLR were independently associated with the LASI. Further mediation analysis was performed to determine the mediating effect of the NLR on the association between HbA1c and the LASI and revealed that the NLR had a mediating role only in overweight hypertensive patients, and the proportion of the mediating effect was 21.9%. CONCLUSIONS: The NLR was independently correlated with the LASI and played a mediating role in the relationship between HbA1c and the LASI in overweight hypertensive patients.

Circulating immune cell phenotyping is potentially relevant for diabetic retinopathy risk assessment.

BACKGROUND: Inflammation is believed to play a central role in the development of diabetes mellitus and is a common feature of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, the association with diabetic retinopathy (DR) remains a topic of debate. METHODS: This study employed two-sample bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses to establish causal associations between immune cell characteristics and DR. Using publicly available GWAS genetic data, we investigated the causal relationship between 731 immune cell characteristics and the risk of DR. A total of four types of immune features, including relative cell (RC), absolute cell (AC), median fluorescence intensities (MFI), and morphological parameters (MP), were included. Sensitivity analysis was conducted to assess the robustness, heterogeneity, and potential horizontal pleiotropy of the results. RESULTS: Thirty-five immune cell phenotypes were correlated with the risk of developing DR among four immune traits (MFI, RC, AC, and MP), and DR resulted in altered expression of twenty-six immune cells. CONCLUSION: We have demonstrated a strong correlation between immune cell traits and DR using a genetic approach. This finding offers valuable insights for early DR prevention and future clinical research and treatment.

Afterglow Performance of Phenylenevinylene-Based Semiconducting Polymer Nanoparticles Doped with Photosensitizers Containing Electron-Withdrawing Groups.

It is usually believed that doping with photosensitizers capable of generating singlet oxygen (1O2) plays a pivotal role in enhancing the afterglow performance of semiconducting polymer nanoparticles (SPNs). However, the effect of doping photosensitizer bearing electron-withdrawing groups has not been reported. Here we report the effect of doping with six photosensitizers possessing different electron-withdrawing groups on the afterglow performance of SPNs using poly[(9,9-di(2-ethylhexyl)-9H-fluo-rene-2,7-vinylene)-co-(1-methoxy-4-(2-ethylhexyloxy)-2,5-phenylenevinylene)] (PF-MEHPPV) as substrate. It was found that the afterglow performance of SPNs was significantly influenced by doping with photosensitizers bearing electron-withdrawing groups. For the doped photosensitizers with strong electron-withdrawing groups, the stronger the electron-withdrawing ability of the group, the worse of the afterglow performance of the SPN regardless of the 1O2 generation ability of the photosensitizer. When the doped photosensitizer exhibited weak or none electron-withdrawing effect, the 1O2 generation ability of the photosensitizer played a dominant role on the afterglow performance of the SPNs. This work deepens the understanding of the design and synthesis of SPNs with different afterglow properties.

Evaluating the link between DIO3-FA27 promoter methylation, biochemical indices, and heart failure progression.

BACKGROUND: Heart failure (HF) is a disease that poses a serious threat to individual health, and DNA methylation is an important mechanism in epigenetics, and its role in the occurrence and development of the disease has attracted more and more attention. The aim of this study was to evaluate the link between iodothyronine deiodinase 3 promoter region fragment FA27 (DIO3-FA27) methylation levels, biochemical indices, and HF. RESULTS: The methylation levels of DIO3-FA27_CpG_11.12 and DIO3-FA27_CpG_23.24 significantly differed in HF patients with different degrees. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that the relative HF risk in the third and fourth quartiles of activated partial thromboplastin time and fibrin degradation products. The results of the restricted cubic spline model showed that the methylation levels of DIO3-FA 27_CpG_11.12 and DIO3-FA 27_CpG_23.24 were associated with coagulation indicators, liver function, renal function, and blood routine. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the differential analysis of CpG methylation levels based on DIO3-FA27, it was found that biochemical indicators combined with DIO3-FA27 promoter DNA methylation levels could increase the risk of worsening the severity classification of HF patients, which provided a solid foundation and new insights for the study of epigenetic regulation mechanisms in patients with HF.

Efficient energy transport throughout conical implosions.

The double-cone ignition (DCI) scheme has been proposed as one of the alternative approaches to inertial confinement fusion, based on direct-drive and fast-ignition, in order to reduce the requirement for the driver energy. To evaluate the conical implosion energetics from the laser beams to the plasma flows, a series of experiments have been systematically conducted. The results indicate that 89%-96% of the laser energy was absorbed by the target, with moderate stimulated Raman scatterings. Here 2%-6% of the laser energy was coupled into the plasma jets ejected from the cone tips, which was mainly restricted by the mass reductions during the implosions inside the cones. The supersonic dense jets with a Mach number of 4 were obtained, which is favorable for forming a high-density, nondegenerated plasma core after the head-on collisions. These findings show encouraging results in terms of energy transport of the conical implosions in the DCI scheme.

Survival benefits of human papillomavirus 16 infection in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma undergoing chemoradiotherapy: A retrospective cohort study.

The role of human papillomavirus 16 (HPV 16) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains uncertain. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the prevalence of HPV 16 in patients with ESCC and its impact on theirprognosis. HPV 16 was detected using FISH, and TP53 status was evaluated via immunohistochemistry. The factors influencing prognosis were ananalyzed using the Log-rank test and Cox regression analyses. Among 178 patients with ESCC, 105 and 73 patients were categorized into concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) and postoperative chemoradiotherapy (POCRT) cohorts, respectively. Among 178 patients, 87 (48.87%) tested positive for HPV 16. Log-rank tests revealed that the overall survival (OS) of patients with ESCC who were HPV 16-positive was longer than that of those who were HPV 16-negative (median OS: 57 months vs. 27 months, p < 0.01**). HPV 16 infection and TP53 mutation status were identified as independent events. The OS of patients with mutant TP53 who were HPV 16-positive was longer than that of those who were HPV 16-negative in both CCRT and POCRT cohorts (p = 0.002** for CCRT cohorts and p = 0.0023** for POCRT cohorts). Conversely, HPV 16 infection had no effect on OS in the wild-type TP53 subgroup (p = 0.13 and 0.052 for CCRT and POCRT cohorts, respectively). As a conclusion, the positive rate of HPV 16 in ESCC in this study was 48.87% (87/178). Among the patients with ESCC who had TP53 mutation, those who were HPV 16-positive exhibited a better prognosis than those who were HPV 16-negative.

Investigating and analyzing the current situation and factors influencing chronic neck, shoulder, and lumbar back pain among medical personnel after the epidemic.

BACKGROUND: Chronic shoulder and neck pain is one of the most common chronic occupational disorders, with an average incidence rate of 48.5%, severely affecting patients' quality of life and ability to work. According to epidemiological research, the prevalence of chronic neck, shoulder, and low back pain in adults over the age of 45 ranges from 40 to 80%. According to reports, medical staff have a higher incidence rate than other populations, and there is a positive correlation between the grade of the medical institution and the incidence rate, making medical staff a priority group for the prevention of chronic neck, shoulder, and low back pain. By the end of 2022, China has been fully opened to epidemic prevention and control, the total number of patients in domestic hospitals has increased significantly, and resulting in medical personnel shoulting great pressure, which seriously affects the physical and mental health of medical personnel. The aim of this study was to explore the risk factors of chronic neck, shoulder and lumbar back pain in medical staff. To provide guidelines for medical staff to improve cervical and lumbar subacute pain and reduce the emergence of spinal lesions. METHODS: From January to February 2023, 602 staff members of a third-grade hospital in Zunyi City were studied by Questionnaire star. Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression were used to analyze the independent risk factors of chronic neck, shoulder and lumbar back pain in medical staff, with stepwise regression utilized to choose the optimum model. The model was selected using Akaike's information criterion (AIC) and the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test. RESULTS: A total of 602 medical staff were polled, and the findings revealed that 588 cases of chronic neck, shoulder, and low back pain of varied severity had occurred in the previous 1 to 2 years, with a 97.7% incidence rate; logistic regression analysis revealed that anxiety level, frequency of bending over in the previous 1 to 2 years, whether related preventive measures were taken at work, gender, positive senior title, daily ambulation time, and whether the department they worked in organized independent influencing factors. CONCLUSION: The incidence of chronic neck, shoulder, and lumbar back pain among medical staff is high; its influencing factors are different and have not been systematically identified. Hospitals should take effective measures tailored to local conditions to improve the physical and mental health of medical staff.

The characteristics of polysaccharide composition of red wines in China: Effects of grape varieties, origins and winemaking techniques.

In this work, the polysaccharide profile of different grapes and red wines in China was studied and the influences of two common winemaking techniques on the components of wine were analyzed. The soluble polysaccharide content in the skins of native grape species in China (non-Vitis vinifera grapes) was significantly higher than that of Vitis vinifera species, while the terroir effect on V. vinifera varieties was limited. The combination of the enzyme preparation and the addition of mannoproteins (MPs) at the beginning of alcoholic fermentation (MP1 + E) could increase the contents of MPs and acid polysaccharides (APS) compared to the control wines. Meanwhile, better color characteristics and higher level of anthocyanin derivatives were observed. However, MP1 + E treatment reduced the content of polysaccharides rich in arabinose and galactose (PRAGs) due to enzymatic hydrolysis. The study will provide useful information for winemakers to regulate the wine polysaccharide profile.

Ubiquitin-specific proximity labeling for the identification of E3 ligase substrates.

Protein ubiquitylation controls diverse processes within eukaryotic cells, including protein degradation, and is often dysregulated in disease. Moreover, small-molecule degraders that redirect ubiquitylation activities toward disease targets are an emerging and promising therapeutic class. Over 600 E3 ubiquitin ligases are expressed in humans, but their substrates remain largely elusive, necessitating the development of new methods for their discovery. Here we report the development of E3-substrate tagging by ubiquitin biotinylation (E-STUB), a ubiquitin-specific proximity labeling method that biotinylates ubiquitylated substrates in proximity to an E3 ligase of interest. E-STUB accurately identifies the direct ubiquitylated targets of protein degraders, including collateral targets and ubiquitylation events that do not lead to substrate degradation. It also detects known substrates of E3 ligase CRBN and VHL with high specificity. With the ability to elucidate proximal ubiquitylation events, E-STUB may facilitate the development of proximity-inducing therapeutics and act as a generalizable method for E3-substrate mapping.

Porous durian shell biochar modified by KMnO4 (Mn-DSB) as a highly selective adsorbent for Be(II).

The mining of uranium-beryllium ores has resulted in substantial beryllium (Be) contamination. In this study, agricultural waste durian shells were utilized as raw materials to prepare biochar, which was further modified to enhance its adsorption capacity (Mn-DSB). The results effectively demonstrated Mn loading onto the DSB surface. Batch experiments were conducted to identify the optimal adsorption conditions of Mn-DSB for beryllium. At a temperature of 35 °C and pH 6, beryllium's maximum adsorption capacity (Qe) was 42.08 mg·g-1. The materials' internal structure was analyzed before and after adsorption via multiple techniques. Mn-DSB manifested potent selectivity towards beryllium in multicomponent mixed solutions, binary systems, and uranium-beryllium wastewater, as the beryllium removal rate exceeded 90%. The study investigated the recyclability of Mn-DSB and found that after five reuse cycles, the adsorption and desorption efficiencies were 90% and 85%, respectively. The strong ligand complexation (N-H, CO32-, -OH) and ion exchange mechanisms (with Mn7+ ions) of Mn-DSB explained its high adsorption capacity. Therefore, this study demonstrates the potential of Mn-DSB for treating uranium-beryllium tailing wastewater.