Continuously Tunable MOFs Enable Precise Mass Transfer for High-Performance Isomer Separation.

Modulating mass transfer is crucial for optimizing the catalytic and separation performances of porous materials. Here, we systematically developed a series of continuously tunable MOFs (CTMOFs) that exhibit incessantly increased mass transfer. This was achieved through the strategic blending of ligands with different lengths and ratios in MOFs featuring the fcu topology. By employing a proportional mixture of two ligands in the synthesis of UiO-66, the micropores expanded, facilitating faster mass transfer. The mass transfer rate was evaluated by dye adsorption, dark-field microscopy, and gas chromatography (GC). The GC performance proved that both too-fast and too-slow mass transfer led to low separation performance. The optimized mass transfer in CTMOFs resulted in an exceptionally high separation resolution (5.96) in separating p-xylene and o-xylene. Moreover, this study represents the first successful use of MOFs for high-performance separation of propylene and propane by GC. This strategy provides new inspiration in regulating mass transfer in porous materials.

Near-infrared-II responsive ovalbumin functionalized gold-genipin nanosystem cascading photo-immunotherapy of cancer.

Synergistic cancer therapies have attracted wide attention owing to their multi-mode tumor inhibition properties. Especially, photo-responsive photoimmunotherapy demonstrates an emerging cancer treatment paradigm that significantly improved treatment efficiency. Herein, near-infrared-II responsive ovalbumin functionalized Gold-Genipin nanosystem (Au-G-OVA NRs) was designed for immunotherapy and deep photothermal therapy of breast cancer. A facile synthesis method was employed to prepare the homogeneous Au nanorods (Au NRs) with good dispersion. The nanovaccine was developed further by the chemical cross-linking of Au-NRs, genipin and ovalbumin. The Au-G-OVA NRs outstanding aqueous solubility, and biocompatibility against normal and cancer cells. The designed NRs possessed enhanced localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect, which extended the NIR absorption in the second window, enabling promising photothermal properties. Moreover, genipin coating provided complimentary red fluorescent and prepared Au-G-OVA NRs showed significant intracellular encapsulation for efficient photoimmunotherapy outcomes. The designed nanosystem possessed deep photothermal therapy of breast cancer and 90% 4T1 cells were ablated by Au-G-OVA NRs (80µg ml-1concentration) after 1064 nm laser irradiation. In addition, Au-G-OVA NRs demonstrated outstanding vaccination phenomena by facilitating OVA delivery, antigen uptake, maturation of bone marrow dendritic cells, and cytokine IFN-γsecretion for tumor immunosurveillance. The aforementioned advantages permit the utilization of fluorescence imaging-guided photo-immunotherapy for cancers, demonstrating a straightforward approach for developing nanovaccines tailored to precise tumor treatment.

Cohort profile: Beijing Healthy Aging Cohort Study (BHACS).

The Beijing Healthy Aging Cohort Study (BHACS) was established to supplement the limited data of a large representative cohort of older people based on the general population and was designed to evaluate the prevalence, incidence, and natural history of cognitive decline, functional disability, and conventional vascular risk factors. The aim was to determine the evolution of these conditions by estimating the rates and determinants of progression and regression to adverse outcomes, including dementia, cardiovascular events, cancer, and all-cause death. It can therefore provide evidence to help policy makers develop better policies to promote healthy aging in China. BHACS consisted of three cohorts (BLSA, CCHS-Beijing, and BECHCS) in Beijing with a total population of 11 235 (6281 in urban and 4954 in rural areas) and an age range of 55 years or older (55-101 years) with a mean age of 70.35 ± 7.71 years (70.69 ± 7.62 years in urban and 69.92 ± 7.80 years in rural areas). BHACS-BLSA conducted the baseline survey in 2009 with a multistage stratification-random clustering procedure for people aged 55 years or older; BHACS-CCHS-Beijing conducted the baseline survey in 2013-2015 with a stratified multistage cluster random sampling method for people aged 55 years or older; and BHACS-BECHCS conducted the baseline survey in 2010-2014 with two-stage cluster random sampling method for people aged 60 years or older. Data were collected through questionnaires, physical measurements, and laboratory analyses. Topics covered by BHACS include a wide range of physical and mental health indicators, lifestyles and personal, family, and socio-economic determinants of health. There are no immediate plans to make the cohort data freely available to the public, but specific proposals for further collaboration are welcome. For further information and collaboration, please contact the corresponding author Yao He (e-mail: yhe301@x263.net).

Safety and efficacy of indocyanine green fluorescence imaging for real-time guidance of laparoscopic thermal ablation in patients with liver cancer.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of indocyanine green fluorescence imaging for real-time guidance of laparoscopic thermal ablation in patients with liver cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 27 patients with 40 liver lesions underwent fluorescence-assisted laparoscopic ablation between January 2020 to March 2023. The sensitivity of indocyanine green (ICG)-fluorescence imaging, technique effectiveness rate and complications of fluorescence-assisted laparoscopic thermal ablation were evaluated. RESULTS: In total, 33 out of the 40 lesions were identified by ICG-fluorescence imaging technique, with the sensitivity of 82.5%. The sensitivity of ICG-fluorescence imaging of tumor detection in liver surface of parenchyma was significantly higher than that in the deeply located hepatic parenchyma (96.8% vs 33.3%, p = 0.002). ICG-fluorescence imaging procedures detected 4 lesions that cannot be seen on intraoperative ultrasound. It provides clear demarcation lines on the hepatic surface. Technical success is achieved if the necrotic zone had at least a 5 mm ablative margin around the outer edge of the ICG-fluorescence image. Technical success of fluorescence laparoscopic radiofrequency ablation (FLRFA) and fluorescence laparoscopic microwave ablation (FLMWA) was 100% (27/27). Technical effectiveness is defined by the complete necrotic lesions of the local tumor tissue during follow-up. According to the CT/MRI one month after FLRFA or FLMWA, the technical efficacy rate was 92.5% (37/40) and local tumor progression occurred in 7.5% (3/40) of the enrolled lesions. During the follow-up period, no major complications were observed. CONCLUSION: ICG-fluorescence imaging guided laparoscopic thermal ablation was feasible, safe and effective.

Identification and Analysis of DNA Methylation Inflammation-Related Key Genes in Intracerebral Hemorrhage.

Inflammation and DNA methylation have been reported to play key roles in intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). This study aimed to investigate new diagnostic biomarkers associated with inflammation and DNA methylation using a comprehensive bioinformatics approaches. GSE179759 and GSE125512 were collected from the Gene Expression Omnibus database, and 3222 inflammation-related genes (IFRGs) were downloaded from the Molecular Signatures Database. Key differentially expressed methylation-regulated and inflammation-related genes (DE-MIRGs) were identified by overlapping methylation-regulated differentially expressed genes (MeDEGs) between patients with ICH and control samples, module genes from weighted correlation network analysis, and IFRGs. Functional annotation of DE-MIRGs was performed using Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG). A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed to clarify the interrelationships between different DE-MIRGs. The key genes were categorized by least absolute shrinkage selection operator (LASSO) and support vector machine-recursive feature elimination (SVM-RFE), and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). A total of 22 DE-MIRGs were acquired from 451 MeDEGs, 3222 IFRGs, and 302 module genes, and were mainly enriched in the GO terms of wound healing, blood coagulation, and hemostasis; and the KEGG pathways of PI3K/Akt signaling, focal adhesion, and regulation of actin cytoskeleton. A PPI network with 22 nodes and 87 edges was constructed based on the 22 DE-MIRGs, 11 of which were selected for key gene selection. Two 2 key genes (SELP and S100A4) were identified using LASSO and SVM-RFE. Finally, SELP was mainly enriched in cell morphogenesis involved in differentiation, cytoplasmic translation, and actin binding of GO terms, and the KEGG pathway including endocytosis, focal adhesion, and platelet activation. S100A4 was mainly enriched in GO terms including mitochondrial inner membrane; mitochondrial respirasome and lysosomal membrane; and the KEGG pathway of oxidative phosphorylation, regulation of actin cytoskeleton, and chemical carcinogenesis-reactive oxygen species. Twenty-two DE-MIRGs-associated inflammation and DNA methylation were identified between patients with ICH and normal controls, and two key genes (SELP and S100A4) were identified and regarded as biomarkers for ICH, which could provide the research foundation for further investigation of the pathological mechanism of ICH.

On the Use and Construction of Wi-Fi Fingerprint Databases for Large-Scale Multi-Building and Multi-Floor Indoor Localization: A Case Study of the UJIIndoorLoc Database.

Large-scale multi-building and multi-floor indoor localization has recently been the focus of intense research in indoor localization based on Wi-Fi fingerprinting. Although significant progress has been made in developing indoor localization algorithms, few studies are dedicated to the critical issues of using existing and constructing new Wi-Fi fingerprint databases, especially for large-scale multi-building and multi-floor indoor localization. In this paper, we first identify the challenges in using and constructing Wi-Fi fingerprint databases for large-scale multi-building and multi-floor indoor localization and then provide our recommendations for those challenges based on a case study of the UJIIndoorLoc database, which is the most popular publicly available Wi-Fi fingerprint multi-building and multi-floor database. Through the case study, we investigate its statistical characteristics with a focus on the three aspects of (1) the properties of detected wireless access points, (2) the number, distribution and quality of labels, and (3) the composition of the database records. We then identify potential issues and ways to address them using the UJIIndoorLoc database. Based on the results from the case study, we not only provide valuable insights on the use of existing databases but also give important directions for the design and construction of new databases for large-scale multi-building and multi-floor indoor localization in the future.

Multi-Dimensional Wi-Fi Received Signal Strength Indicator Data Augmentation Based on Multi-Output Gaussian Process for Large-Scale Indoor Localization.

Location fingerprinting using Received Signal Strength Indicators (RSSIs) has become a popular technique for indoor localization due to its use of existing Wi-Fi infrastructure and Wi-Fi-enabled devices. Artificial intelligence/machine learning techniques such as Deep Neural Networks (DNNs) have been adopted to make location fingerprinting more accurate and reliable for large-scale indoor localization applications. However, the success of DNNs for indoor localization depends on the availability of a large amount of pre-processed and labeled data for training, the collection of which could be time-consuming in large-scale indoor environments and even challenging during a pandemic situation like COVID-19. To address these issues in data collection, we investigate multi-dimensional RSSI data augmentation based on the Multi-Output Gaussian Process (MOGP), which, unlike the Single-Output Gaussian Process (SOGP), can exploit the correlation among the RSSIs from multiple access points in a single floor, neighboring floors, or a single building by collectively processing them. The feasibility of MOGP-based multi-dimensional RSSI data augmentation is demonstrated through experiments using the hierarchical indoor localization model based on a Recurrent Neural Network (RNN)-i.e., one of the state-of-the-art multi-building and multi-floor localization models-and the publicly available UJIIndoorLoc multi-building and multi-floor indoor localization database. The RNN model trained with the UJIIndoorLoc database augmented with the augmentation mode of "by a single building", where an MOGP model is fitted based on the entire RSSI data of a building, outperforms the other two augmentation modes and results in the three-dimensional localization error of 8.42 m.

SP2-induced circPUM1 modulates chemoresistance and nature killer cell toxicity in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a type of tumour found in the cavity that is characterized by differentiation and metastasis to the lymph nodes. Although diagnosis strategy and clinical treatment have recently improved, the outcomes for OSCC patients remain unsatisfactory. This study verified the characteristics of circPUM1 in OSCC cells, subsequently generating dysregulated circPUM1 cell models, showing that circPUM1 promoted chemoresistance and natural killer (NK) cell toxicity. Furthermore, the transcription factor SP2 regulated the expression of circPUM1 in OSCC cells, circPUM1 acted as a molecular sponge for miR-770-5p. Moreover, Nucleosome Assembly Protein 1 Like 1 (NAP1L1) is a downstream target for miR-770-5p and essential for circPUM1-mediated cisplatin resistance and NK cell cytotoxicity in OSCC cells. The network composed of SP2, circPUM1, miR-770-5p and NAP1L1 in OSCC appears to be a promising avenue for the development of novel targets for diagnosing or treating OSCC.

Microwave ablation versus laparoscopic resection as first-line therapy for solitary 3-5-cm HCC.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The study objective was to compare the effectiveness of microwave ablation (MWA) and laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) on solitary 3-5-cm HCC over time. APPROACH AND RESULTS: From 2008 to 2019, 1289 patients from 12 hospitals were enrolled in this retrospective study. Diagnosis of all lesions were based on histopathology. Propensity score matching was used to balance all baseline variables between the two groups in 2008-2019 (n = 335 in each group) and 2014-2019 (n = 257 in each group) cohorts, respectively. For cohort 2008-2019, during a median follow-up of 35.8 months, there were no differences in overall survival (OS) between MWA and LLR (HR: 0.88, 95% CI 0.65-1.19, p = 0.420), and MWA was inferior to LLR regarding disease-free survival (DFS) (HR 1.36, 95% CI 1.05-1.75, p = 0.017). For cohort 2014-2019, there was comparable OS (HR 0.85, 95% CI 0.56-1.30, p = 0.460) and approached statistical significance for DFS (HR 1.33, 95% CI 0.98-1.82, p = 0.071) between MWA and LLR. Subgroup analyses showed comparable OS in 3.1-4.0-cm HCCs (HR 0.88, 95% CI 0.53-1.47, p = 0.630) and 4.1-5.0-cm HCCs (HR 0.77, 95% CI 0.37-1.60, p = 0.483) between two modalities. For both cohorts, MWA shared comparable major complications (both p > 0.05), shorter hospitalization, and lower cost to LLR (all p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: MWA might be a first-line alternative to LLR for solitary 3-5-cm HCC in selected patients with technical advances, especially for patients unsuitable for LLR.

Fractional flow reserve versus intravascular imaging to guide decision-making for percutaneous coronary intervention in intermediate lesions: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Both fractional flow reserve (FFR) and intravascular imaging (IVI) have been used to guide the decision-making for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in intermediate coronary stenosis. Nevertheless, studies that directly compared the prognostic significance of these two strategies are scarce. AIMS: The aim of this meta-analyses was to evaluate the impact of FFR versus IVI to guide the decision-making in PCI for intermediate stenosis on clinical outcomes. METHODS: We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and relevant database from inception date to September 2022 for observational studies and randomized clinical trials (RCTs) which compared FFR and IVI-based decision-making in PCI for intermediate stenosis. The primary outcome was a composite of major adverse cardiac event (MACE). Pooled risk ratios (RR) were calculated using random effects models and heterogeneity were evaluated with the I2 statistic. RESULTS: We identified 5 studies (3 RCTs and 2 observational studies) with 3208 patients. The follow-up duration ranged from 12 to 24 months. Among five studies, four compared FFR with intravascular ultrasound while one compared FFR with optical coherence tomography. There was no statistically difference between FFR and IVI in the incidence of MACE (RR: 1.19; 95% confidence interval: 0.85-1.68; p = 0.31) and its individual components. These results were consistent regardless of various cut-off value of PCI across the studies. Compared with IVI, FFR was associated with a lower PCI rate (37.0% vs. 60.3%; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The decision to perform PCI for intermediate stenosis guided by FFR or IVI showed a similar clinical outcome. The use of FFR significantly reduced the need for PCI.

Predicting Breast Cancer Subtypes Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging Based Radiomics With Automatic Segmentation.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study is to demonstrate whether radiomics based on an automatic segmentation method is feasible for predicting molecular subtypes. METHODS: This retrospective study included 516 patients with confirmed breast cancer. An automatic segmentation-3-dimensional UNet-based Convolutional Neural Networks, trained on our in-house data set-was applied to segment the regions of interest. A set of 1316 radiomics features per region of interest was extracted. Eighteen cross-combination radiomics methods-with 6 feature selection methods and 3 classifiers-were used for model selection. Model classification performance was assessed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity. RESULTS: The average dice similarity coefficient value of the automatic segmentation was 0.89. The radiomics models were predictive of 4 molecular subtypes with the best average: AUC = 0.8623, accuracy = 0.6596, sensitivity = 0.6383, and specificity = 0.8775. For luminal versus nonluminal subtypes, AUC = 0.8788 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.8505-0.9071), accuracy = 0.7756, sensitivity = 0.7973, and specificity = 0.7466. For human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-enriched versus non-HER2-enriched subtypes, AUC = 0.8676 (95% CI, 0.8370-0.8982), accuracy = 0.7737, sensitivity = 0.8859, and specificity = 0.7283. For triple-negative breast cancer versus non-triple-negative breast cancer subtypes, AUC = 0.9335 (95% CI, 0.9027-0.9643), accuracy = 0.9110, sensitivity = 0.4444, and specificity = 0.9865. CONCLUSIONS: Radiomics based on automatic segmentation of magnetic resonance imaging can predict breast cancer of 4 molecular subtypes noninvasively and is potentially applicable in large samples.

Lonidamine liposomes to enhance photodynamic and photothermal therapy of hepatocellular carcinoma by inhibiting glycolysis.

Phototherapy, including photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photothermal therapy (PTT), has great promise in the treatment of cancer. However, there are many obstacles that can restrict the therapeutic efficacy of phototherapy. The hypoxic tumor microenvironment can restrict the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in PDT. As for PTT, the thermotolerance of cancer cells may lead to ineffective PTT. In this study, IR780 and glycolysis inhibitor lonidamine (LND)-encapsulated liposomes are prepared for photodynamic and photothermal therapy of hepatocellular carcinoma. IR780 can be used as a photosensitizer and photothermal agent for simultaneous PDT and PTT after being irradiated with 808 nm laser. LND can reduce the oxygen consumption of cancer cells by inhibiting glycolysis, which will relieve tumor hypoxia and produce more ROS for PDT. On the other hand, energy supply can be blocked by LND-induced glycolysis inhibition, which will inhibit the production of heat shock proteins (HSPs), reduce the thermotolerance of tumor cells, and finally enhance the therapeutic efficacy of PTT. The enhanced PTT is studied by measuring intracellular HSPs, ATP level, and mitochondrial membrane potential. The antitumor effect of IR780 and LND co-loaded liposomes is extensively investigated by in vitro and in vivo experiments. This research provides an innovative strategy to simultaneously enhance the therapeutic efficacy of PDT and PTT by inhibiting glycolysis, which is promising for future creative approaches to cancer phototherapy.

Synthesis of Multifunctional Mn3O4-Ag2S Janus Nanoparticles for Enhanced T1-Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Photo-Induced Tumor Therapy.

The global burden of cancer is increasing rapidly, and nanomedicine offers promising prospects for enhancing the life expectancy of cancer patients. Janus nanoparticles (JNPs) have garnered considerable attention due to their asymmetric geometry, enabling multifunctionality in drug delivery and theranostics. However, achieving precise control over the self-assembly of JNPs in solution at the nanoscale level poses significant challenges. Herein, a low-temperature reversed-phase microemulsion system was used to obtain homogenous Mn3O4-Ag2S JNPs, which showed significant potential in cancer theranostics. Structural characterization revealed that the Ag2S (5-10 nm) part was uniformly deposited on a specific surface of Mn3O4 to form a Mn3O4-Ag2S Janus morphology. Compared to the single-component Mn3O4 and Ag2S particles, the fabricated Mn3O4-Ag2S JNPs exhibited satisfactory biocompatibility and therapeutic performance. Novel diagnostic and therapeutic nanoplatforms can be guided using the magnetic component in JNPs, which is revealed as an excellent T1 contrast enhancement agent in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with multiple functions, such as photo-induced regulation of the tumor microenvironment via producing reactive oxygen species and second near-infrared region (NIR-II) photothermal excitation for in vitro tumor-killing effects. The prime antibacterial and promising theranostics results demonstrate the extensive potential of the designed photo-responsive Mn3O4-Ag2S JNPs for biomedical applications.

Excitation Wavelength-Dependent Fluorescence of a Lanthanide Organic Metal Halide Cluster for Anti-Counterfeiting Applications.

The achievement of significant photoluminescence (PL) in lanthanide ions (Ln3+ ) has primarily relied on host sensitization, where energy is transferred from the excited host material to the Ln3+ ions. However, this luminous mechanism involves only one optical antenna, namely the host material, which limits the accessibility of excitation wavelength-dependent (Ex-De) PL. Consequently, the wider application of Ln3+ ions in light-emitting devices is hindered. In this study, we present an organic-inorganic compound, (DMA)4 LnCl7 (DMA+ =[CH3 NH2 CH3 ]+ , Ln3+ =Ce3+ , Tb3+ ), which serves as an independent host lattice material for efficient Ex-De emission by doping it with trivalent antimony (Sb3+ ). The pristine (DMA)4 LnCl7 compounds exhibit high luminescence, maintaining the characteristic sharp emission bands of Ln3+ and demonstrating a high PL quantum yield of 90-100 %. Upon Sb3+ doping, the compound exhibits noticeable Ex-De emission with switchable colors. Through a detailed spectral study, we observe that the prominent energy transfer process observed in traditional host-sensitized systems is absent in these materials. Instead, they exhibit two independent emission centers from Ln3+ and Sb3+ , each displaying distinct features in luminous color and radiative lifetime. These findings open up new possibilities for designing Ex-De emitters based on Ln3+ ions.

Exosomes derived from myeloid-derived suppressor cells facilitate castration-resistant prostate cancer progression via S100A9/circMID1/miR-506-3p/MID1.

BACKGROUND: Castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is a major cause of recurrence and mortality among prostate cancer (PCa) patients. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) regulate castration resistance in PCa. Previously, it was shown that intercellular communication was efficiently mediated by exosomes (Exos), but the role and the mechanism of MDSC-derived Exos in CRPC progression was unclear. METHODS: In this study, the circRNA expression profiles in PC3 cells treated with MDSC-Exo and control cells were investigated using a circRNA microarray. RESULTS: The data showed that circMID1 (hsa_circ_0007718) expression was elevated in PC3 cells treated with MDSC-Exo. Moreover, high circMID1 expression was found in PCa compared with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) tissues and in CRPC patients compared with hormone sensitive prostate cancer (HSPC) patients. Further studies showed that MDSC-Exo accelerated PCa cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, while circMID1 deficiency inhibited MDSC-Exo-regulated CRPC progression in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, MDSC-derived exosomal S100A9 increased circMID1 expression to sponge miR-506-3p, leading to increased MID1 expression and accelerated tumor progression. CONCLUSION: Together, our results showed that a S100A9/circMID1/miR-506-3p/MID1 axis existed in MDSC-Exo-regulated CRPC progression, which provided novel insights into MDSC-Exo regulatory mechanisms in CRPC progression.

Anthocyanins' effects on diabetes mellitus and islet transplantation.

The incidence of diabetes mellitus is dramatically increasing every year, causing a huge global burden. Moreover, existing anti-diabetic drugs inevitably bring adverse reactions, and the application of islet transplantation is often limited by the damage caused by oxidative stress after transplantation. Thus, new approaches are needed to combat the growing burden of diabetes mellitus. Anthocyanins are of great nutritional interest and have been documented that have beneficial effects on chronic diseases, including diabetes mellitus. Here, we describe the health effects of anthocyanins on diabetes mellitus and islet transplantation. Epidemiological studies demonstrated that moderate intake of anthocyanins leading to a reduction in risk of diabetes mellitus. Numerous experiments both animal and clinical studies also showed positive effects of anthocyanins on prevention and treatment of diabetes and diabetic complications. These effects of anthocyanins may be related to mechanisms of improving glucose and lipid metabolism and insulin resistance, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities. In addition, damage and function of pancreatic islets after transplantation are also improved by anthocyanins. These findings suggest that daily intake of anthocyanins may not only improve nutritional metabolism in healthy individuals to prevent from diabetes, but also as a supplementary treatment of diabetes mellitus and islet transplantation. Thus, more evidence is needed to better understand the potential health benefits of anthocyanins.

Isolation and identification of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria from tall fescue rhizosphere and their functions under salt stress.

Soil salinity has become one of the major factors that threaten tall fescue growth and turf quality. Plants recruit diverse microorganisms in the rhizosphere to cope with salinity stress. In this study, 15 plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) were isolated from the salt-treated rhizosphere of tall fescue and were annotated to 10 genera, including Agrobacterium, Fictibacillus, Rhizobium, Bhargavaea, Microbacterium, Paenarthrobacter, Pseudarthrobacter, Bacillus, Halomonas, and Paracoccus. All strains could produce indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). Additionally, eight strains exhibited the ability to solubilize phosphate and potassium. Most strains could grow on the medium containing 600 mM NaCl, such as Bacillus zanthoxyli and Bacillus altitudinis. Furthermore, Bacillus zanthoxyli and Bacillus altitudinis were inoculated with tall fescue seeds and seedlings to determine their growth-promoting effect. The results showed that Bacillus altitudinis and mixed culture significantly increased the germination rate of tall fescue seeds. Bacillus zanthoxyli can significantly increase the tillers number and leaf width of seedlings under salt conditions. Through the synergistic effect of FaSOS1, FaHKT1, and FaHAK1 genes, Bacillus zanthoxyli helps to expel the excess Na+ from aboveground parts and absorb more K+ in roots to maintain ion homeostasis in tall fescue. Unexpectedly, we found that Bacillus altitudinis displayed an inapparent growth-promoting effect on seedlings under salt stress. Interestingly, the mixed culture of the two strains was also able to alleviate, to some extent, the effects of salt stress on tall fescue. This study provides a preliminary understanding of tall fescue rhizobacteria and highlights the role of Bacillus zanthoxyli in tall fescue growth and salt tolerance.

Solvent-polarity-dependent conformation and ESIPT behaviors for 2-(benzimidazol-2-yl)-3-hydroxychromone: a novel dynamical mechanism.

In view of the potential importance of 3-hydroxychromone derivatives, in this work, we mainly focused on exploring the solvent-polarity-dependent photoinduced behaviors of 2-(benzimidazol-2-yl)-3-hydroxychromone (BI3HC). Distinguished from previous work, we first checked the coexisting three conformations (i.e., BI3HC-A, BI3HC-B, and BI3HC-C) and the presence of a coexistence mechanism between BI3HC-A and BI3HC-C. Most importantly, BI3HC-A is the main component in non-polar solvents, while BI3HC-C is the main one in polar solvents. Through combined analysis of the infrared (IR) vibrational spectra and geometrical variations as well as predicted hydrogen bonding energy via the bond critical point (BCP) between S0 and S1 states, we present a hydrogen bonding strengthening phenomenon that facilitates the excited-state intramolecular proton-transfer (ESIPT) behavior for BI3HC-A and BI3HC-C. To qualitatively investigate photoinduced behaviors based on frontier molecular orbitals (MOs), we found that photoinduced intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) and charge redistribution promoted an ESIPT tendency. By comparing the barriers of the potential energy curves (PECs) between twisting dihedral angles and ESIPT paths, we could rule out mutual transformations in the S1 state and also propose a solvent-polarity-regulated ESIPT behavior for BI3HC-A and BI3HC-C. Furthermore, via searching the transition state (TS) and performing intrinsic reaction coordinate (IRC) simulations, we further checked the ESIPT mechanism. Through gaining insights in spectral variations in solvents, we uncovered the solvent-polarity-dependent spectral behaviors. We sincerely hope this work will not only help clarify the solvent-polarity-regulated dynamical behaviors of BI3HC but also pave the way for further explorations and applications of other 3-hydroxychromone derivatives.

Assessment of radial artery atherosclerosis in acute coronary syndrome patients: an in vivo study using optical coherence tomography.

BACKGROUND: Radial artery (RA) atherosclerosis in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients has not been systematically observed in vivo. The study aims to characterize plaque morphology and intimal hyperplasia of the RA in patients with ACS, using optical coherence tomography (OCT). METHODS: In this retrospective study involving 239 ACS patients underwent RA OCT without guidewire shadow, 3 groups were divided according to the following criteria: radial artery plaque (RAP) group included patients with fibrous, lipid or calcified plaque; patients without RAP were further classified into radial intimal hyperplasia (RIH) group (intima media thickness ratio [IMR] ≥ 1) or normal group (IMR < 1). The presence and characteristics of RAP and its related risk factors were identified. RESULTS: The RAP, RIH and normal groups included 76 (31.8%), 69 (28.9%) and 94 (39.3%) patients, respectively. Patients in RAP group were the oldest, compared with those in the RIH and normal groups (p < 0.001), and more frequently had triple vessel disease (p = 0.004). The percentage of plaque rupture (72.4% vs. 56.4%, p = 0.018) and calcification (42.1% vs. 27.6%, p = 0.026) at culprit lesion were significantly higher in patients with RAP than those without RAP. A total of 148 RAP were revealed by OCT, including fibrous (72, 48.6%), lipid (50, 33.8%) and calcified plaques (26, 17.6%). The microvessels were also frequently observed in the RAP group than that in RIH and normal groups (59.2% vs. 8.7% vs. 9.6%, p < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age, diabetes, and smoking history (all p < 0.05) were independent risk factors for RAP. CONCLUSIONS: In terms of insights gained from OCT, RA atherosclerosis is not uncommon in ACS patients by OCT, sharing several morphological characters with early coronary atherosclerosis. Aging, diabetes, and smoking are risk factors for RAP.

Combined homocysteine and apoE rs429358 and rs7412 polymorphism in association with serum lipid levels and cognition in Chinese community-dwelling older adults.

BACKGROUND: ApoE gene polymorphism and serum total homocysteine (tHcy) has been reportedly associated with cognition. In this study, we assessed the association of combined ApoE gene polymorphism and tHcy with cognition in Chinese elder adults. METHODS: A cross- sectional study was carried out by recruiting 1458 community-dwelling people aged 55+ and above in Beijing in 2009. All participants were interviewed using a standard questionnaire and underwent a physical examination. The mini-mental scale examination (MMSE) score was used in assessing cognitive function. Fasting venous blood samples were taken for ApoE rs429358, rs7412 genotyping, tHcy and other serum lipid measurements. RESULTS: Participants with high serum tHcy level showed a relatively lower orientation, attention abilities as well as the total MMSE score than the group with normal tHcy after adjusting confounding factors. ApoE rs429358 and rs7412 variants were observed to have the highest serum TC and TG level in the subjects with high serum tHcy level (p <  0.05). Cognition of the subjects was found to be significantly associated with high serum tHcy level and ApoE genetic polymorphism (p <  0.05). Independent of age, BMI, education levels, smoking and alcohol drinking, the worst cognitive ability were detected in the high serum tHcy level subjects with ApoE rs429358C/T and rs7412 C/T as compare with other groups, especially orientation function, memory and delayed recall ability and attention ability. CONCLUSION: High serum tHcy level in combination with ApoE rs429358 and rs7412 variants might be linked with serum lipid levels and cognition, particularly for orientation function and memory and delayed recall ability in old Chinese adults.