Extracellular vesicle biomarkers for complement dysfunction in schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia, a complex neuropsychiatric disorder, frequently experiences a high rate of misdiagnosis due to subjective symptom assessment. Consequently, there is an urgent need for innovative and objective diagnostic tools. In this study, we used cutting-edge extracellular vesicles' (EVs) proteome profiling and XGBoost-based machine learning to develop new markers and personalized discrimination scores for schizophrenia diagnosis and prediction of treatment response. We analysed plasma and plasma-derived EVs from 343 participants, including 100 individuals with chronic schizophrenia, 34 first-episode and drug-naïve patients, 35 individuals with bipolar disorder, 25 individuals with major depressive disorder and 149 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Our innovative approach uncovered EVs-based complement changes in patients, specific to their disease-type and status. The EV-based biomarkers outperformed their plasma counterparts, accurately distinguishing schizophrenia individuals from healthy controls with an area under curve (AUC) of 0.895, 83.5% accuracy, 85.3% sensitivity and 82.0% specificity. Moreover, they effectively differentiated schizophrenia from bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder, with AUCs of 0.966 and 0.893, respectively. The personalized discrimination scores provided a personalized diagnostic index for schizophrenia and exhibited a significant association with patients' antipsychotic treatment response in the follow-up cohort. Overall, our study represents a significant advancement in the field of neuropsychiatric disorders, demonstrating the potential of EV-based biomarkers in guiding personalized diagnosis and treatment of schizophrenia.

Sphingolipid inhibitor response gene GhMYB86 controls fiber elongation by regulating microtubule arrangement.

Although the cell membrane and cytoskeleton play essential roles in cellular morphogenesis, the interaction between the membrane and cytoskeleton is poorly understood. Cotton fibers are extremely elongated single cells, which makes them an ideal model for studying cell development. Here, we used the sphingolipid biosynthesis inhibitor, fumonisin B1 (FB1), and found that it effectively suppressed the myeloblastosis (MYB) transcription factor GhMYB86, thereby negatively affecting fiber elongation. A direct target of GhMYB86 is GhTUB7, which encodes the tubulin protein, the major component of the microtubule cytoskeleton. Interestingly, both the overexpression of GhMYB86 and GhTUB7 caused an ectopic microtubule arrangement at the fiber tips, and then leading to shortened fibers. Moreover, we found that GhMBE2 interacted with GhMYB86 and that FB1 and reactive oxygen species induced its transport into the nucleus, thereby enhancing the promotion of GhTUB7 by GhMYB86. Overall, we established a GhMBE2-GhMYB86-GhTUB7 regulation module for fiber elongation and revealed that membrane sphingolipids affect fiber elongation by altering microtubule arrangement.

Antibiotic resistance and drug modification: Synthesis, characterization and bioactivity of newly modified potent pleuromutilin derivatives with a substituted piperazine moiety.

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria pose a major global public health concern, owing to the lack of effective antibacterial drugs. Consequently, the discovery and development of innovative antibacterial drug classes with unique mechanisms of action are urgently needed. In this study, we designed, synthesised, and tested a series of novel pleuromutilin derivatives with piperazine linker substituted by amino acids moieties to determine their antibacterial properties. Most synthesized compounds exhibited potent activities against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis. Compound 6l, the most potent antibacterial agent created in this study, displayed a rapid bactericidal activity against MRSA, Klebsiella pneumoniae and S. aureus cfr N12. Moreover, pharmacokinetics study of compound 6l exhibited good PK performance with a low in vivo clearance (CL = 1965 mL/h/kg) and a suitable half-life (T1/2 = 11.614 ± 5.123 h). Molecular docking experiments revealed the binding model of compound 6l to the unmethylated A2503 of peptidyl transferase centre of 23S rRNA. Interaction pattern of 6l with cfr-mediated ribosomes revealed by molecular dynamics. Moreover in vivo mouse systemic infection experiments with compound 6l revealed its effectiveness against MRSA and S. aureus cfr N12 with the ED50 of 11.08 mg/kg and 14.63 mg/kg body weight, respectively.

Anticancer Activity and Molecular Mechanism of Momordica cochinchinensis Seed Extract in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Cells.

Targeting Bcr-Abl is the key to the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia. Despite great progress in the treatment of patients with chronic CML, advanced CML patients are still unable to obtain effective and safe drugs. Momordica cochinchinensis seed is the dried ripe seed of Momordica cochinchinensis, which is a kind of fruit and consumed for dietary as well as medicinal uses. This study aimed to investigate the anticancer activity of Momordica cochinchinensis seed extract (MCSE) in CML cells. CML cells (KBM5 and KBM5-T315I) were treated with MCSE and analyzed for growth, apoptosis, and signal transduction. Nude mouse xenograft model was used to evaluate the antitumor activity of MCSE In Vivo. MCSE significantly reduced the cell viability of CML cells, triggered G0/G1 phase arrest in KBM5 cells and S phase arrest in KBM5-T315I cells. Concurrently, MCSE caused the activation of caspase-3, -8, -9, PARP and the degradation of Mcl-1, ultimately triggering endogenous and exogenous cell apoptosis. Meanwhile, MCSE downregulated Bcr-Abl levels and its downstream signaling pathways. Additionally, MCSE inhibited the growth of CML cells in nude mouse xenografts. Taken together, this study demonstrated the anticancer mechanism of MCSE, namely blocking Bcr-Abl and downregulating Mcl-1, and finally induced apoptosis of CML cells.

Mucocele: a rare complication following stapled haemorrhoidopexy.

BACKGROUND: Stapled haemorrhoidopexy (SH) has resulted in a unique collection of procedural complications with postoperative mucocele a particularly rare example. This study is designed to comprehensively describe the characteristics of rectal mucocele and discuss its pathogenesis following SH surgery. METHODS: A database of patients presenting with a rectal mucocele following an SH procedure was established and studied retrospectively. RESULTS: Seven patients (5 males; median age 32 years, range 20-75 years) were identified. All patients complained of variable anal discomfort with 5/7 presenting with inconstant anal pain, 2 with de novo evacuatory difficulty. These cases appeared at a median time of 6 months (range 2-84 months) after SH surgery. CONCLUSION: Rectal Mucocele develops when mucosal fragments become embedded and isolated under the mucosa. It is a preventable complication of SH surgery by ensuring correct purse string placement prior to stapled haemorrhoid excision.

GhCYP710A1 Participates in Cotton Resistance to Verticillium Wilt by Regulating Stigmasterol Synthesis and Plasma Membrane Stability.

Cotton is an important economic crop. Cotton Verticillium wilt caused by Verticillium dahliae seriously damages production. Phytosterols play roles in plant-pathogen interaction. To explore the function and related mechanism of phytosterols in the interaction between Verticillium dahliae and cotton plants, and the resistance to Verticillium wilt, in this study, we analyzed the changes of sterol composition and content in cotton roots infected by Verticillium dahliae, and identified the sterol C22-desaturase gene GhCYP710A1 from upland cotton. Through overexpressing and silencing the gene in cotton plant, and ectopically expressing the gene in Arabidopsis, we characterized the changes of sterol composition and the resistance to Verticillium wilt in transgenic plants. The infection of Verticillium dahliae resulted in the content of total sterol and each sterol category decreasing in cotton root. The ratio of stigmasterol to sitosterol (St/Si) increased, indicating that the conversion of sitosterol to stigmasterol was activated. Consistently, the expression level of GhCYP710A1 was upregulated after infection. The GhCYP710A1 has the conservative domain that is essential for sterol C22-desaturase in plant and is highly expressed in root and stem, and its subcellular location is in the endoplasmic reticulum. The ectopic expression of GhCYP710A1 gene promoted the synthesis of stigmasterol in Arabidopsis. The St/Si value is dose-dependent with the expression level of GhCYP710A1 gene. Meanwhile, the resistance to Verticillium wilt of transgenic Arabidopsis increased and the permeability of cell membrane decreased, and the content of ROS decreased after V991 (a strain of Verticillium dahliae) infection. Consistently, the resistance to Verticillium wilt significantly increased in the transgenic cotton plants overexpressing GhCYP710A1. The membrane permeability and the colonization of V991 strain in transgenic roots were decreased. On the contrary, silencing GhCYP710A1 resulted in the resistance to Verticillium wilt being decreased. The membrane permeability and the colonization of V991 were increased in cotton roots. The expression change of GhCYP710A1 and the content alteration of stigmasterol lead to changes in JA signal transduction, hypersensitivity and ROS metabolism in cotton, which might be a cause for regulating the Verticillium wilt resistance of cotton plant. These results indicated that GhCYP710A1 might be a target gene in cotton resistance breeding.

Antiviral activity of portulaca oleracea L. extracts against porcine epidemic diarrhea virus by partial suppression on myd88/NF-κb activation in vitro.

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), especially variants, causes a highly contagious enteric disease which could give rise to huge economic losses in the swine industry worldwide. Portulaca oleracea L. has been reported to regulate intestine disease and involved in viral infections. However, the underlying mechanisms of Portulaca oleracea L. extracts against PEDV have not been fully elucidated. In this study, the antiviral effects and potential mechanisms of Portulaca oleracea L. extracts against PEDV were investigated in vitro. We first examined the inhibitory effects of different Portulaca oleracea L. extracts on the PEDV(JX-16 strain) in vitro and found that the water extract of Portulaca oleracea L.(PO)could significantly inhibit PEDV replication by 92.73% on VH cells and 63.07% on Vero cells. Furthermore, time-course analysis showed PO inhibited PEDV replication during the adsorption period of infectious cycle. Western blot and indirect immunofluorescence assay indicated that PO down-regulated the S protein expression in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, our results demonstrated the ability of PO to inhibit PEDV replication in VH cells by down-regulating the cytokine levels (TNF-α,IL-22 and IFN-α) and inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway activated by PEDV. Thus, Portulaca oleracea L extracts have potential utility in the preventive and therapeutic strategies for PEDV infection.

Comparative Metabolomics Analysis Reveals Sterols and Sphingolipids Play a Role in Cotton Fiber Cell Initiation.

Cotton fiber is a seed trichome that protrudes from the outer epidermis of cotton ovule on the day of anthesis (0 day past anthesis, 0 DPA). The initial number and timing of fiber cells are closely related to fiber yield and quality. However, the mechanism underlying fiber initiation is still unclear. Here, we detected and compared the contents and compositions of sphingolipids and sterols in 0 DPA ovules of Xuzhou142 lintless-fuzzless mutants (Xufl) and Xinxiangxiaoji lintless-fuzzless mutants (Xinfl) and upland cotton wild-type Xuzhou142 (XuFL). Nine classes of sphingolipids and sixty-six sphingolipid molecular species were detected in wild-type and mutants. Compared with the wild type, the contents of Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), Sphingosine (Sph), Glucosylceramide (GluCer), and Glycosyl-inositol-phospho-ceramides (GIPC) were decreased in the mutants, while the contents of Ceramide (Cer) were increased. Detail, the contents of two Cer molecular species, d18:1/22:0 and d18:1/24:0, and two Phyto-Cer molecular species, t18:0/22:0 and t18:0/h22:1 were significantly increased, while the contents of all GluCer and GIPC molecular species were decreased. Consistent with this result, the expression levels of seven genes involved in GluCer and GIPC synthesis were decreased in the mutants. Furthermore, exogenous application of a specific inhibitor of GluCer synthase, PDMP (1-phenyl-2-decanoylamino-3-morpholino-1-propanol), in ovule culture system, significantly inhibited the initiation of cotton fiber cells. In addition, five sterols and four sterol esters were detected in wild-type and mutant ovules. Compared with the wild type, the contents of total sterol were not significantly changed. While the contents of stigmasterol and campesterol were significantly increased, the contents of cholesterol were significantly decreased, and the contents of total sterol esters were significantly increased. In particular, the contents of campesterol esters and stigmasterol esters increased significantly in the two mutants. Consistently, the expression levels of some sterol synthase genes and sterol ester synthase genes were also changed in the two mutants. These results suggested that sphingolipids and sterols might have some roles in the initiation of fiber cells. Our results provided a novel insight into the regulatory mechanism of fiber cell initiation.

[1.5 T Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging System Failure Treatment and Rectification Summary].

Quench of magnetic resonance imaging system refers to the process that the superconducting condition inside the magnet is destroyed due to some reason. The large current stored in the coil is quickly converted into heat at the place where the resistance is formed, and a large amount of liquid helium in the magnet is evaporated. If it happens, it will cause huge loss to the user. We introduce the real cases of 1.5 T magnetic resonance imaging system's quench fault, maintenance treatment and management improvement, which can be used for reference by various medical institutions, so as to better strengthen the operation and maintenance management of magnetic resonance imaging system, so as to avoid the occurrence of out of tolerance fault, and do a good job in the guarantee work after the out of tolerance fault.

Passive mode locking in fiber lasers due to the polarization-dependent losses.

Weak polarization dependence exists in most fiber components. We numerically demonstrated passive mode locking in fiber lasers based on weak polarization dependence down to polarization-dependent loss of 1.76 dB. Different polarization dependences are investigated to unveil its role for achieving passive mode locking. The anomalous dispersion region and the normal dispersion regime are both tested. It is found that, independent of operating dispersion regime, stronger gain is required for achieving mode locking with lower polarization dependence. Our numerical demonstration confirms previous experimental results and broadens the knowledge on additive-pulse mode locking.

A recombinant vaccine of Riemerella anatipestifer OmpA fused with duck IgY Fc and Schisandra chinensis polysaccharide adjuvant enhance protective immune response.

Riemerella anatipestifer (R. anatipestifer) causes septicemia and infectious serositis in domestic ducks, leading to high mortality and great economic losses worldwide. Vaccination is currently considered the best strategy to prevent R. anatipestifer infection in ducklings. In this study, we fused the duck IgY Fc gene to the outer membrane protein A (ompA) of R. anatipestifer. The eukaryotic expression plasmid carrying the fusion gene was transformed into Pichia pastoris (P. pastoris) to express the recombinant ompA and ompA-Fc proteins. Then, the effects of fused Fc on the vitality and antigen processing efficiency of duck peritoneal macrophages (PMø) were evaluated in vitro, whereas their immunogenicity was evaluated in vivo. Furthermore, Schisandra chinensis polysaccharide (SCP) was used to evaluate its immune-conditioning effects on the activation of PMø. SCP was also used as adjuvant to investigate immunomodulation on immunoresponses induced by the fused ompA-Fc in ducklings. The conventional Freund's incomplete adjuvant served as the control of SCP. Notably, ompA-Fc promoted phagocytosis of PMø and significantly increased serum antibody titers, CD4+ and CD8+ T-lymphocyte counts, lymphocyte transformation rate, and serum levels of IL-2 and IL-4. In addition, ducklings injected with the ompA-Fc vaccine exhibited considerably greater resistance to the R. anatipestifer challenge than those that received vaccines based on standalone ompA. Of note, SCP was demonstrated to boost the secretion of nitric oxide (NO), IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-α, and IFN-ß by duck macrophages. In addition, the supplementation of SCP adjuvant to the ompA-Fc vaccines led to the further enhancement of immune response and vaccine protection. The dose of 200 µg/mL showed the most pronounced effects. This study provided valuable insights into protective strategies against R. anatipestifer infection.

Taishan Pinus massoniana Pollen Polysaccharides Enhance Immune Responses in Chickens Infected by Avian Leukosis Virus Subgroup B.

Immunosuppressive virus, which can cause suppressed immunity and vaccination failure, frequently occurs in chicken flocks and seriously destroys the poultry industry. Our previous studies have reported that Taishan Pinus massoniana pollen polysaccharide (TPPPS) possess immunomodulatory effects and improve the immune effects of vaccines. In this study, avian leukosis virus subgroup B (ALV-B) was chosen as immunosuppressive virus to artificially establish immunosuppressive models in chickens, and the immune modulatory ability of TPPPS on the immune response of chickens was evaluated. Four randomly assigned groups (Group I-IV) of these immunosuppressed chickens were administered with TPPPS at doses of 0, 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg (every kilogram chick), respectively. Group V was administered with saline as control. At seven day old, 10 chickens randomly selected from Group I-V were inoculated with the attenuated Newcastle disease (ND) vaccine. The results showed that during the monitoring period, TPPPS significantly enhanced weight of immune organs, peripheral lymphocyte proliferation, the percentage of CD4+ and the ratio of CD4+/CD8+, IL-2 and IFN-γ production, and ALV-B antibody positive rate of chickens in a dose-dependent manner, with 400 mg/kg TPPPS being the most effective. In addition, the antibody titer against Newcastle disease virus (NDV) in Group IV with 400 mg/kg was significantly higher than those in other groups. We observed the stronger immunity in the TPPPS group, which indicates that TPPPS could be used as an immunoenhancer to relieve immunosuppression caused by ALV-B in the poultry industry.

Luteolin inhibits Musashi1 binding to RNA and disrupts cancer phenotypes in glioblastoma cells.

RNA binding proteins have emerged as critical oncogenic factors and potential targets in cancer therapy. In this study, we evaluated Musashi1 (Msi1) targeting as a strategy to treat glioblastoma (GBM); the most aggressive brain tumor type. Msi1 expression levels are often high in GBMs and other tumor types and correlate with poor clinical outcome. Moreover, Msi1 has been implicated in chemo- and radio-resistance. Msi1 modulates a range of cancer relevant processes and pathways and regulates the expression of stem cell markers and oncogenic factors via mRNA translation/stability. To identify Msi1 inhibitors capable of blocking its RNA binding function, we performed a ~ 25,000 compound fluorescence polarization screen. NMR and LSPR were used to confirm direct interaction between Msi1 and luteolin, the leading compound. Luteolin displayed strong interaction with Msi1 RNA binding domain 1 (RBD1). As a likely consequence of this interaction, we observed via western and luciferase assays that luteolin treatment diminished Msi1 positive impact on the expression of pro-oncogenic target genes. We tested the effect of luteolin treatment on GBM cells and showed that it reduced proliferation, cell viability, colony formation, migration and invasion of U251 and U343 GBM cells. Luteolin also decreased the proliferation of patient-derived glioma initiating cells (GICs) and tumor-organoids but did not affect normal astrocytes. Finally, we demonstrated the value of combined treatments with luteolin and olaparib (PARP inhibitor) or ionizing radiation (IR). Our results show that luteolin functions as an inhibitor of Msi1 and demonstrates its potential use in GBM therapy.

Effect of surface oxygen vacancy sites on ethanol synthesis from acetic acid hydrogenation on a defective In2O3(110) surface.

Developing a new type of low-cost and high-efficiency non-noble metal catalyst is beneficial for industrially massive synthesis of alcohols from carboxylic acids which can be obtained from renewable biomass. In this work, the effect of active oxygen vacancies on ethanol synthesis from acetic acid hydrogenation over defective In2O3(110) surfaces has been studied using periodic density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The relative stabilities of six surface oxygen vacancies from Ov1 to Ov6 on the In2O3(110) surface were compared. D1 and D4 surfaces with respective Ov1 and Ov4 oxygen vacancies were chosen to map out the reaction paths from acetic acid to ethanol. A reaction cycle mechanism between the perfect and defective states of the In2O3 surface was found to catalyze the formation of ethanol from acetic acid hydrogenation. By H2 reduction the oxygen vacancies on the In2O3 surface play key roles in promoting CH3COO* hydrogenation and C-O bond breaking in acetic acid hydrogenation. The acetic acid, in turn, benefits the creation of oxygen vacancies, while the C-O bond breaking of acetic acid refills the oxygen vacancy and, thereby, sustains the catalytic cycle. The In2O3 based catalysts were shown to be advantageous over traditional noble metal catalysts in this paper by theoretical analysis.

Passive mode locking resulting from weak polarization dependence based on evanescent field interaction with a monolayer graphene absorber.

Weak polarization dependence based on evanescent field interaction with a monolayer graphene absorber is demonstrated. By covering single-layer graphene on the top of a fiber taper, the symmetry of the light field propagation was destroyed. Polarization-dependent loss (PDL) of 2 dB was obtained, and no saturable absorption was observed. Passive mode locking was achieved by using the graphene-covered fiber taper in a fiber laser. It is found that the weak PDL down to 2 dB is capable for achieving mode locking in a fiber laser. Therefore, the claim of saturable absorption of any graphene or two-dimensional materials in a fiber laser needs to be made with care.

Pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of pefloxacin mesylate in chickens.

A specific, sensitive and stable high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-based analytical method was established to determine the level of pefloxacin mesylate (PM) in the plasma and various tissues of chickens. Chickens were randomly assigned to 12 equal experiment groups, including 11 treatment groups and one control group. The chickens in the treatment groups received oral administration of PM and were sacrificed at different pre-determined time points, with their blood and various organs harvested, extracted and analyzed by HPLC to quantify the level of the residual antibiotic. Method validation studies indicated that the HPLC measurement showed excellent precision, reproducibility, stability and robustness. The obtained pharmacokinetic parameters suggested that PM reached peak levels in various tissues within 1-2 h after its oral administration, and was mainly concentrated in liver and kidney. The antibiotic was also found to be cleared from chicken crureus, brain, testes, ovaries and pancreas at higher rates compared with other organs. Overall, the rapid accumulation of PM could at least be partially attributed to its relatively slow organ clearance. These results could serve as a useful guidance for the rational use of PM and other quinolone-derived antimicrobials in the treatment of infectious diseases in chickens and other animals.

Identification of Positively Charged Residues in Enterovirus 71 Capsid Protein VP1 Essential for Production of Infectious Particles.

UNLABELLED: Enterovirus 71 (EV71), a positive-stranded RNA virus, is the major cause of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) in children, which can cause severe central nervous system disease and death. The capsids of EV71 consist of 60 copies of each of four viral structural proteins (VP1 to VP4), with VP1, VP2, and VP3 exposed on the surface and VP4 arranged internally. VP1 plays a central role in particle assembly and cell entry. To gain insight into the role of positively charged residues in VP1 function in these processes, a charged-to-alanine scanning analysis was performed using an infectious cDNA clone of EV71. Twenty-seven mutants containing single charged-to-alanine changes were tested. Sixteen of them were not viable, seven mutants were replication defective, and the remaining four mutants were replication competent. By selecting revertants, second-site mutations which could at least partially restore viral infectivity were identified within VP1 for four defective mutations and two lethal mutations. The resulting residue pairs represent a network of intra- and intermolecular interactions of the VP1 protein which could serve as a potential novel drug target. Interestingly, mutation K215A in the VP1 GH loop led to a significant increase in thermal stability, demonstrating that conditional thermostable mutants can be generated by altering the charge characteristics of VP1. Moreover, all mutants were sensitive to the EV71 entry inhibitor suramin, which binds to the virus particle via the negatively charged naphthalenetrisulfonic acid group, suggesting that single charged-to-alanine mutation is not sufficient for suramin resistance. Taken together, these data highlight the importance of positively charged residues in VP1 for production of infectious particles. IMPORTANCE: Infection with EV71 is more often associated with neurological complications in children and is responsible for the majority of fatalities. No licensed vaccines or antiviral therapies are currently available for the prevention or treatment of EV71 infection. Understanding the determinants of virion assembly and entry will facilitate vaccine development and drug discovery. Here, we identified 23 out of 27 positively charged residues in VP1 which impaired or blocked the production of infectious particles. The defect could be rescued by second-site mutations within the VP1 protein. Our findings highlight the importance of positively charged residues in VP1 during infectious particle production and reveal a potential strategy for blocking EV71 infections by inhibiting intra- or intermolecular interactions of the VP1 protein.

The Taishan Robinia pseudoacacia polysaccharides enhance immune effects of rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus inactivated vaccines.

Robinia pseudoacacia flower, a common component in traditional Chinese medicine, has long been well-known for its high pharmaceutical value. This study aimed to assess the immunopotentiating effects of Taishan Robinia Pseudoacacia polysaccharides (TRPPS) in rabbits inoculated with a rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) inactivated vaccine. The rabbits were administered with the RHDV vaccine in conjunction with varying concentrations of TRPPS, and their blood samples were collected at different time points to analyze the ratio and number of blood lymphocytes. In addition, sera were prepared and analyzed to determine the overall antibody titer and the level of IL-2, a cytokine commonly used as an indicator of immune activity. The various TRPPS-supplemented vaccines were shown to be more effective in enhancing the immune functions of the inoculated rabbits compared to their polysaccharide-free counterpart, with 200 mg/mL of TRPPS exhibiting the most pronounced benefits that were comparable to those of propolis. In addition, the TRPPS-supplemented RHDV inactivated vaccines could significantly improve the survival rates of the immunized rabbits against RHDV infection. Our studies offered convincing experimental evidence for the development of TRPPS as a new type of plant-derived immunopotentiator.

Insights into the mechanism of ethanol synthesis and ethyl acetate inhibition from acetic acid hydrogenation over Cu2In(100): a DFT study.

Developing low-cost and high-efficiency non-noble metal catalysts is beneficial for industrially massive synthesis of ethanol from acetic acid, which can be obtained from renewable biomass. Understanding the detailed mechanism of the reaction from a molecular level provides insights that can be used to tailor catalysts to improve their performance. In this study, alternative mechanisms for ethanol synthesis from acetic acid hydrogenation over Cu2In(100) have been investigated using periodic density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The pathway of CH3COOH → CH3COO → CH3CHOO → CH3CHO → CH3CH2O → CH3CH2OH was found to be most favorable. The high activation barriers for CH3COO hydrogenation to CH3CHOO (1.33 eV) and CH3CH2O hydrogenation to CH3CH2OH (1.04 eV) indicate that these two steps are the rate-limiting steps. In addition, the results also show that there are probably two more active intermediate species of CH3CO and CH3CH(OH)O besides CH3COO. Furthermore, the synergy and the role of copper and indium in the Cu-In bimetallic catalyst were discussed. The adsorption strength of copper will be improved by indium. Indium, however, has high chemical inertness in Cu2In. They evenly divided the surface into small reaction areas which could significantly inhibit ethyl acetate formation through the hindrance effect.

In Vitro Assessment of Combinations of Enterovirus Inhibitors against Enterovirus 71.

Enterovirus 71 (EV-A71) is a major causative pathogen of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) epidemics. No antiviral therapies are currently available for treating EV-A71 infections. Here, we selected five reported enterovirus inhibitors (suramin, itraconazole [ITZ], GW5074, rupintrivir, and favipiravir) with different mechanisms of action to test their abilities to inhibit EV-A71 replication alone and in combination. All selected compounds have anti-EV-A71 activities in cell culture. The combination of rupintrivir and ITZ or favipiravir was synergistic, while the combination of rupintrivir and suramin was additive. The combination of suramin and favipiravir exerted a strong synergistic antiviral effect. The observed synergy was not due to cytotoxicity, as there was no significant increase in cytotoxicity when compounds were used in combinations at the tested doses. To investigate the potential inhibitory mechanism of favipiravir against enterovirus, two favipiravir-resistant EV-A71 variants were independently selected, and both of them carried an S121N mutation in the finger subdomain of the 3D polymerase. Reverse engineering of this 3D S121N mutation into an infectious clone of EV-A71 confirmed the resistant phenotype. Moreover, viruses resistant to ITZ or favipiravir remained susceptible to other inhibitors. Most notably, combined with ITZ, rupintrivir prevented the development of ITZ-resistant variants. Taken together, these results provide a rational basis for the design of combination regimens for use in the treatment of EV-A71 infections.