Cholecystokinin-expressing superficial tufted cells modulate odour representation in the olfactory bulb and olfactory behaviours.

In mammals, odour information within the olfactory bulb (OB) is processed by complex neural circuits before being ultimately represented in the action potential activity of mitral/tufted cells (M/Ts). Cholecystokinin-expressing (CCK+) superficial tufted cells (sTCs) are a subset of tufted cells that potentially contribute to olfactory processing in the OB by orchestrating M/T activity. However, the exact role of CCK+ sTCs in modulating odour processing and olfactory function in vivo is largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that manipulating CCK+ sTCs can generate perception and induce place avoidance. Optogenetic activation/inactivation of CCK+ sTCs exerted strong but differing effects on spontaneous and odour-evoked M/T firing. Furthermore, inactivation of CCK+ sTCs disrupted M/T odour encoding and impaired olfactory detection and odour discrimination. These results establish the role of CCK+ sTCs in odour representation and olfactory behaviours. KEY POINTS: Mice could perceive the activity of CCK+ sTCs and show place avoidance to CCK+ sTC inactivation. Optical activation of CCK+ sTCs increased the percentage of cells with odour response but reduced the odour-evoked response in M/Ts in awake mice. Optical inactivation of CCK+ sTCs greatly decreased spontaneous firing and odour-evoked response in M/Ts. Inactivation of CCK+ sTCs impairs the odour decoding performance of M/Ts and disrupts odour detection and discrimination behaviours in mice. These results indicate that CCK+ sTCs participate in modulating the odour representation and maintaining normal olfactory-related behaviours.

Simultaneous Biofilm Disruption, Bacterial Killing, and Inflammation Elimination for Wound Treatment Using Silver Embellished Polydopamine Nanoplatform.

Due to the presence of spatial barriers, persistent bacteria, and excessive inflammation in bacteria biofilm-infected wounds, current nanoplatforms cannot effectively address these issues simultaneously during the therapeutic process. Herein, a novel biomimetic photothermal nanoplatform integrating silver and polydopamine nanoparticles (Ag/PDAs) that can damage biofilms, kill bacterial persisters, and reduce inflammation for wound treatment is presented. These findings reveal that Ag/PDAs exhibit a broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity through direct damage to the bacterial membrane structure. Additionally, Ag/PDAs demonstrate a potent photothermal conversion efficiency. When combined with near-infrared (NIR) irradiation, Ag/PDAs effectively disrupt the spatial structure of biofilms and synergistically eradicate the resident bacteria. Furthermore, Ag/PDAs show remarkable anti-inflammatory properties in counteracting bacterium-induced macrophage polarization. The in vivo results confirm that the topical application of Ag/PDAs significantly suppress Staphylococcus aureus biofilm-infected wounds in murine models, concurrently facilitating wound healing. This research provides a promising avenue for the eradication of bacterial biofilms and the treatment of biofilm-infected wounds.

Cross-cultural experiences and self-development: a psychobiographical study of Bruce Lee.

A common challenge people face in today's cross-cultural world is how to solve a series of adaptation problems caused by cultural conflict. Exploring Bruce Lee's successful cross-cultural experiences through psychobiography offers some inspiration and thoughts. How did Bruce Lee successfully integrate martial arts, symbolising the Eastern culture, with films representing the Western culture, finally propelling kung fu films onto the international stage? Numerous publicly available materials about Bruce Lee were collected for this study, and the research data were evaluated using thematic analysis. Bruce Lee's success benefitted from reconstructing cultural environment information and exercising his initiative to shape a new cultural environment. His life experiences reflect individual cognition behaviour and social and cultural environments as two aspects of a dynamic circulation system and show that the two have reached internal and spiralling harmony through mutual integration. In the context of the Oriental collectivism culture's family narrative, Chinese adults' personality development features the unique theme of 'inheritance and innovation'. Dealing with the relationship between self-actualisation and familism is another important and challenging task in developing the Chinese personality.

Discovery of Novel Diphenyl Acrylonitrile Derivatives That Promote Adult Rats' Hippocampal Neurogenesis.

We previously discovered WS-6 as a new antidepressant in correlation to its function of stimulating neurogenesis. Herein, several different scaffolds (stilbene, 1,3-diphenyl 1-propene, 1,3-diphenyl 2-propene, 1,2-diphenyl acrylo-1-nitrile, 1,2-diphenyl acrylo-2-nitrile, 1,3-diphenyl trimethylamine), further varied through substitutions of twelve amide substituents plus the addition of a methylene unit and an inverted amide, were examined to elucidate the SARs for promoting adult rat neurogenesis. Most of the compounds could stimulate proliferation of progenitors, but just a few chemicals possessing a specific structural profile, exemplified by diphenyl acrylonitrile 29b, 32a, and 32b, showed better activity than the clinical drug NSI-189 in promoting newborn cells differentiation into mature neurons. The most potent diphenyl acrylonitrile 32b had an excellent brain AUC to plasma AUC ratio (B/P = 1.6), suggesting its potential for further development as a new lead.

[Expression Levels and Regulation of Selenoprotein Genes in Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019].

Objective To investigate the expression levels of selenoprotein genes in the patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the possible regulatory mechanisms.Methods The dataset GSE177477 was obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus,consisting of a symptomatic group (n=11),an asymptomatic group (n=18),and a healthy control group (n=18).The dataset was preprocessed to screen the differentially expressed genes (DEG) related to COVID-19,and gene ontology functional annotation and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes enrichment analysis were performed for the DEGs.The protein-protein interaction network of DEGs was established,and multivariate Logistic regression was employed to analyze the effects of selenoprotein genes on the presence/absence of symptoms in the patients with COVID-19.Results Compared with the healthy control,the symptomatic COVID-19 patients presented up-regulated expression of GPX1,GPX4,GPX6,DIO2,TXNRD1,SELENOF,SELENOK,SELENOS,SELENOT,and SELENOW and down-regulated expression of TXNRD2 and SELENON (all P<0.05).The asymptomatic patients showcased up-regulated expression of GPX2,SELENOI,SELENOO,SELENOS,SELENOT,and SELENOW and down-regulated expression of SELP (all P<0.05).The results of multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that the abnormally high expression of GPX1 (OR=0.067,95%CI=0.005-0.904,P=0.042) and SELENON (OR=56.663,95%CI=3.114-856.999,P=0.006) was the risk factor for symptomatic COVID-19,and the abnormally high expression of SELP was a risk factor for asymptomatic COVID-19 (OR=15.000,95%CI=2.537-88.701,P=0.003).Conclusions Selenoprotein genes with differential expression are involved in the regulation of COVID-19 development.The findings provide a new reference for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.

Diversity of Wolbachia infection and its influence on mitochondrial DNA variation in the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella.

Plutella xylostella is a pest that severely damages cruciferous vegetables worldwide and has been shown to be infected with the maternally inherited bacteria Wolbachia, with the main infected strain was plutWB1. In this study, we performed a large-scale global sampling of P. xylostella and amplified 3 mtDNA genes of P. xylostella and 6 Wolbachia genes to analyze the infection status, diversity of Wolbachia in P. xylostella, and its effect on mtDNA variation in P. xylostella. This study provides a conservative estimate of Wolbachia infection rates in P. xylostella, which was found to be 7% (104/1440). The ST 108 (plutWB1) was shared among butterfly species and the moth species P. xylostella, revealing that Wolbachia strain plutWB1 acquisition in P. xylostella may be through horizontal transmission. The Parafit analyses indicated a significant association between Wolbachia and Wolbachia-infected P. xylostella individuals, and individuals infected with plutWB1 tended to cluster in the basal positions of the phylogenetic tree based on the mtDNA data. Additionally, Wolbachia infections were associated with increased mtDNA polymorphism in the infected P. xylostella population. These data suggest that Wolbachia endosymbionts may have a potential effect on mtDNA variation of P. xylostella.

Pan-Cancer Study of the Prognosistic Value of Selenium Phosphate Synthase 1.

Objective: This study sought to determine the mean prognostic usefulness of seleniumphosphate synthase (SEPHS1) by investigating its expression in 33 human malignancies and its relationship to tumor immunity.Methods: The expression of selenophosphate synthase 1 (SEPHS1) in 33 human malignant tumors was examined using the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx), Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), and TIMER databases. Furthermore, the TCGA cohort was used to investigate relationships between SEPHS1 and immunological checkpoint genes (ICGs), tumor mutation burden (TMB), microsatellite instability (MSI), and DNA mismatch repair genes (MMRs). To establish independent risk factors and calculate survival probabilities for liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) and brain lower-grade glioma (LGG), Cox regression models and Kaplan-Meier curves were utilized. Eventually, the Genomics of Cancer Drug Sensitivity (GDSC) database was used to evaluate the drug sensitivity in LGG and LIHC patients with high SEPHS1 expression.Results: Overall, in numerous tumor tissues, SEPHS1 was highly expressed, and it significantly linked with the prognosis of LGG, ACC, and LIHC (P < .05). Furthermore, in numerous cancers, SEPHS1 expression was linked to tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TIICs), TMB, MSI, and MMRs. According to univariate and multivariate Cox analyses, SEPHS1 expression was significant for patients with LGG and LIHC.Conclusion: High SEPHS1 expression has a better prognosis for LGG, while low SEPHS1 expression has a better prognosis for LIHC. Chemotherapy was advised for LGG patients, particularly for those with high SEPHS1 expression because it can predict how responsive patients will be to 5-Fluorouracil and Temozolomide. This interaction between SEPHS1 and chemoradiotherapy has a positive clinical impact and may be used as evidence for chemotherapy for LGG and LIHC patients.

Nanovaccine-based strategies for lymph node targeted delivery and imaging in tumor immunotherapy.

Therapeutic tumor vaccines have attracted considerable attention in the past decade; they can induce tumor regression, eradicate minimal residual disease, establish lasting immune memory and avoid non-specific and adverse side effects. However, the challenge in the field of therapeutic tumor vaccines is ensuring the delivery of immune components to the lymph nodes (LNs) to activate immune cells. The clinical response rate of traditional therapeutic tumor vaccines falls short of expectations due to inadequate lymph node delivery. With the rapid development of nanotechnology, a large number of nanoplatform-based LN-targeting nanovaccines have been exploited for optimizing tumor immunotherapies. In addition, some nanovaccines possess non-invasive visualization performance, which is benefit for understanding the kinetics of nanovaccine exposure in LNs. Herein, we present the parameters of nanoplatforms, such as size, surface modification, shape, and deformability, which affect the LN-targeting functions of nanovaccines. The recent advances in nanoplatforms with different components promoting LN-targeting are also summarized. Furthermore, emerging LNs-targeting nanoplatform-mediated imaging strategies to both improve targeting performance and enhance the quality of LN imaging are discussed. Finally, we summarize the prospects and challenges of nanoplatform-based LN-targeting and /or imaging strategies, which optimize the clinical efficacy of nanovaccines in tumor immunotherapies.

Clinicopathological Features and Survival for Low ER-positive Breast-cancer Patients.

Context: Testing patients for estrogen-receptor (ER) expression has become an important factor in the prognosis and prediction of breast cancer. Many studies have shown that endocrine therapy has no benefit for breast-cancer patients with low ER (ER+) expression, in which the proportion of positively stained cells is 1% to 9%. Objective: The study intended to explore the response to endocrine therapy of ER+ breast-cancer patients and to evaluate the benefits of the clinical use of endocrine therapy for treatment. Design: The research team designed a retrospective analysis and reviewed the data and survival rates of patients with early breast cancer. Setting: The study took place at the Hebei Breast Disease Clinic at the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University in Shijiazhuang, China. Participants: Eligible participants in the study were 862 patients were diagnosed at and admitted to the clinic with early, nonadvanced breast cancer between January and December 2012. Outcome Measures: Based on ER-expression levels, participants were divided into ER negative (ER-), which indicates no positive staining of cells; ER+; and ER positive (ER++)-high expression in which the proportion of positively stained cells is ≥10%. The clinicopathological characteristics and the survival rates of the three groups were compared. Results: The clinicopathological features were similar for the ER- and ER+ groups. Compared to participants in the ER++ group, participants in the ER+ group: (1) were in an earlier stage, (2) had larger tumors, (3) were more likely to be positive for human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER-2), (4) had a higher expression rate of Ki-67, (5) had a lower progesterone-receptor (PR) expression rate, (6) were more likely to receive chemotherapy, and (7) were less likely to receive endocrine therapy. Regardless of whether a participant received endocrine therapy or not, the seven-year overall survival (OS) between the ER- group and the ER+ group showed no significant difference, but both were in a worse condition than the ER++ group (P = .026). Conclusions: The current study found that the clinicopathological features of ER+ breast cancers were different from those of ER++ breast cancers and similar to those of ER-negative breast cancers. The benefits of endocrine therapy for ER+ breast-cancer patients weren't obvious.

[Effect of Selenoprotein Thioredoxin Reductase 3 on the Survival Prognosis of Tumor Patients].

Objective To investigate the expression of thioredoxin reductase 3(TXNRD3),a selenoprotein,in 33 human malignant tumors and then analyze its effect on the survival prognosis.Methods We employed the genotype-tissue expression project database,the cancer cell line encyclopedia,and the cancer genome atlas to explore the expression of TXNRD3 gene in 33 human malignant tumors and analyze its impact on the survival prognosis.Further,we explored the correlations of TXNRD3 with immune cells and immune infiltration in the tumor microenvironment,as well as with neoantigens,immune checkpoint genes,tumor mutational burden,and microsatellite instability.Subsequently,human samples were classified into high-and low-expression groups according to TXNRD3 gene expression levels,and the enrichment analysis of biological functions and signaling pathways was performed.Results The analysis with multiple databases showed that TXNRD3 was highly expressed in 15 tumors.The survival analysis showed that TXNRD3 was significantly associated with poor prognosis in pancreatic cancer patients.In addition,the expression level of TXNRD3 was correlated with immune infiltration in tumor microenvironment,neoantigens,immune checkpoint genes,tumor mutational burden,and microsatellite instability.TXNRD3 affected the expression of DNA mismatch repair genes.The gene set enrichment indicated that TXNRD3 was involved in regulating multiple signaling pathways associated with tumor metabolism and tumor immunity.Conclusion TXNRD3 is widely expressed in tumors and has a clinical value for the survival prognosis prediction and treatment of multiple tumors,demonstrating the potential of being a promising biomarker for targeted treatment of multiple tumors.

Taxonomic description of Pseudomonas rhizovicinus sp. nov., isolated from the rhizosphere of a desert shrub Haloxylon ammodendron.

A Gram-negative aerobic bacterium, strain M30-35 T, was isolated from the rhizosphere of Haloxylon ammodendron in Tengger desert, Gansu province, northwest China. Our previous research indicated that strain M30-35 T can promote the growth of ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.). In this study, strain M30-35 T was subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic study. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene and two other housekeeping genes (gyrB, rpoD) showed that strain M30-35 T is a member of Pseudomonas anguilliseptica group. The average nucleotide identity (ANI) scores for strains KMM 3042 T and FR1439T were 76.5% and 83.7%, respectively, and DNA-DNA hybridization (DDH) were 21.6% and 26.6%, respectively, and the rates were less than the threshold range for species determination. The dominant cellular fatty acids of strain M30-35 T were C16:0 (22.7%), summed feature 3 (C16:1ω7c and/or C16:1ω6c; 18.5%), summed feature 8 (C18:1ω7c and/or C18:1ω6c; 23.1%). The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, phospholipid and aminophospholipid and the predominant respiratory quinone was ubiquinone (Q9). On the basis of above data, it can be concluded that strain M30-35 T represents a novel species in the genus Pseudomonas, for which the name Pseudomonas rhizovicinus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is M30-35 T (= MCCC 1K03247T = KCTC 52664 T).

Ginsenoside-Rg1 Protects against Renal Fibrosis by Regulating the Klotho/TGF-ß1/Smad Signaling Pathway in Rats with Obstructive Nephropathy.

Ginsenoside-Rg1 (G-Rg1) is an agent isolated from Panax ginseng that exerts anti-fibrotic effects; however, the mechanism is still unclear. Herein, we investigated whether G-Rg1 administration can mitigate or reverse unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO)-induced renal fibrosis by regulating the Klotho/transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß1/Smad signaling pathway in rats. Sprague-Dawley male rats were subjected to UUO, and rats in the treatment group were administered G-Rg1 or G-Rg1 plus Klotho short hairpin RNA interference (shRNA), while rats in the control and model groups were administered vehicle for 14 d. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) biomarkers and Klotho/TGF-ß1 signaling molecules were examined by immunohistochemistry, quantitative real-time PCR and Western blotting. Immunohistochemistry showed that UUO induced increased pro-fibrotic TGF-ß1 expression, overexpression of the mesenchymal marker, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), and suppression of the epithelial marker, E-cadherin. Moreover, Western blotting analysis indicated that UUO promoted TGF-ß1 and phosphorylated Smad3 (p-Smad3) expression (p<0.01), but blocked Klotho and Smad7 expression (p<0.01). After G-Rg1 administration, the UUO-induced TGF-ß1 and p-Smad3 expression was suppressed (p<0.01), whereas the reduced Klotho and Smad7 expression was reversed (p<0.05), followed by amelioration of the EMT process. Intriguingly, the G-Rg1 effects were largely abrogated by Klotho knockdown. Furthermore, Klotho expression was upregulated by G-Rg1 treatment at the mRNA and protein levels. Our results suggest that G-Rg1 may be beneficial for ameliorating renal fibrosis by targeting Klotho/TGF-ß1/Smad signaling in UUO rats.

Induced Salt Tolerance of Perennial Ryegrass by a Novel Bacterium Strain from the Rhizosphere of a Desert Shrub Haloxylon ammodendron.

Drought and soil salinity reduce agricultural output worldwide. Plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) can enhance plant growth and augment plant tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses. Haloxylon ammodendron, a C4 perennial succulent xerohalophyte shrub with excellent drought and salt tolerance, is naturally distributed in the desert area of northwest China. In our previous work, a bacterium strain numbered as M30-35 was isolated from the rhizosphere of H. ammodendron in Tengger desert, Gansu province, northwest China. In current work, the effects of M30-35 inoculation on salt tolerance of perennial ryegrass were evaluated and its genome was sequenced to identify genes associated with plant growth promotion. Results showed that M30-35 significantly enhanced growth and salt tolerance of perennial ryegrass by increasing shoot fresh and dry weights, chlorophyll content, root volume, root activity, leaf catalase activity, soluble sugar and proline contents that contributed to reduced osmotic potential, tissue K⁺ content and K⁺/Na⁺ ratio, while decreasing malondialdehyde (MDA) content and relative electric conductivity (REC), especially under higher salinity. The genome of M30-35 contains 4421 protein encoding genes, 12 rRNA, 63 tRNA-encoding genes and four rRNA operons. M30-35 was initially classified as a new species in Pseudomonas and named as Pseudomonas sp. M30-35. Thirty-four genes showing homology to genes associated with PGPR traits and abiotic stress tolerance were identified in Pseudomonas sp. M30-35 genome, including 12 related to insoluble phosphorus solubilization, four to auxin biosynthesis, four to other process of growth promotion, seven to oxidative stress alleviation, four to salt and drought tolerance and three to cold and heat tolerance. Further study is needed to clarify the correlation between these genes from M30-35 and the salt stress alleviation of inoculated plants under salt stress. Overall, our research indicated that desert shrubs appear rich in PGPRs that can help important crops tolerate abiotic stress.

Altererythrobacter soli sp. nov., isolated from desert sand.

An alkaliphilic strain designed MN-1T was isolated from a desert sand sample collected from Tengger desert, north-western China. To delineate its taxonomic position, this Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped, strictly aerobic bacterium was subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic study. Growth was observed at temperatures from 4 to 37 °C (optimum 30-32 °C), at salinities from 0 to 2 % (optimum 1 %) and at pH from 6.5 to 12.0 (optimum 7.0-9.0). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing showed that strain MN-1T was a member of the genus Altererythrobacterbut could be distinguished from recognized species of this genus. Compared to the reference strains, the novel strain was flagellated and motile by means of polar flagella. The predominant respiratory quinone was ubiquinone-10 and the major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, sphingoglycolipid, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, one unidentified glycolipid, one unidentified phospholipid and four unidentified lipids. The predominant fatty acids were C18 : 1ω7c, summed feature 3 (C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c) and C16 : 0. These chemotaxonomic traits were in agreement with the characteristics of the genus Altererythrobacter. Strain MN-1T was most closely related to Altererythrobacter xinjiangensis S3-63T (96.9 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity), followed by Altererythrobacter dongtanensis JM27T (96.4 %) and Altererythrobacter marinus H32T (96.1 %). The G+C content of the genomic DNA of strain MN-1T was 67.0 mol%. On the basis of data from this polyphasic taxonomic study, strain MN-1T is proposed as the type strain of a novel species of the genus Altererythrobacter, named as Altererythrobacter soli sp. nov. (=KCTC 52135T=MCCC 1K02066T).

Synergistic Effects of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (GB03) and Water Retaining Agent on Drought Tolerance of Perennial Ryegrass.

Water retaining agent (WRA) is widely used for soil erosion control and agricultural water saving. Here, we evaluated the effects of the combination of beneficial soil bacterium Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain GB03 and WRA (the compound is super absorbent hydrogels) on drought tolerance of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.). Seedlings were subjected to natural drought for maximum 20 days by stopping watering and then rewatered for seven days. Plant survival rate, biomass, photosynthesis, water status and leaf cell membrane integrity were measured. The results showed that under severe drought stress (20-day natural drought), compared to control, GB03, WRA and GB03+WRA all significantly improved shoot fresh weight, dry weight, relative water content (RWC) and chlorophyll content and decreased leaf relative electric conductivity (REC) and leaf malondialdehyde (MDA) content; GB03+WRA significantly enhanced chlorophyll content compared to control and other two treatments. Seven days after rewatering, GB03, WRA and GB03+WRA all significantly enhanced plant survival rate, biomass, RWC and maintained chlorophyll content compared to control; GB03+WRA significantly enhanced plant survival rate, biomass and chlorophyll content compared to control and other two treatments. The results established that GB03 together with water retaining agent promotes ryegrass growth under drought conditions by improving survival rate and maintaining chlorophyll content.

Tranilast attenuates TGF-ß1-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition in the NRK-52E cells.

We previously reported that tranilast can halt the pathogenesis of chronic cyclosporine nephrotoxicity in rats via the transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß) /Smad pathway, an important signaling system involved in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), but the exact underlying cellular mechanisms are not yet clear. Thus, by selecting TGF-ß1-induced normal rat kidney proximal tubular epithelial cells (NRK-52E) as a model, we demonstrated potential modifying effect of tranilast on EMT-induced by TGF-ß1 in vitro. NRK-52E cells were incubated with the blank vehicle (Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium and F-12 (DMEM/F12) added with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS)), 10 ng/ml TGF-ß1 alone or together with 100, 200 or 400µM tranilast for 48 h after incubation in medium containing 1% FBS for 24 h. Cell morphological changes were observed to confirm occurrence of EMT. Protein expressions of two typical markers of EMT, E-cadherin and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), were assessed by western blotting and flow cytometry, respectively. Our results showed that TGF-ß1 induced spindle-like morphological transition, the loss of E-cadherin protein and upregulation of expression of α-SMA. However, the TGF-ß1-produced changes in cellular morphology, E-cadherin and α-SMA were inversed by tranlilast in concentration-dependent manner. Our findings indicate that tranilast can directly inhibit EMT. Thus, it may be implied that regulation of EMT be the target to prevent renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis.

Enhancing Dendritic Cell Activation Through Manganese-Coated Nanovaccine Targeting the cGAS-STING Pathway.

Background: Nanovaccines have emerged as a promising vaccination strategy, exhibiting their capacity to deliver antigens and adjuvants to elicit specific immune responses. Despite this potential, optimizing the design and delivery of nanovaccines remains a challenge. Methods: In this study, we engineered a dendritic mesoporous silica-based nanocarrier enveloped in a metal-phenolic network (MPN) layer containing divalent manganese ions and tannic acid (MSN@MT). This nanocarrier was tailored for antigen loading to serve as a nanovaccine, aiming to activate the cyclic GMP-AMP synthase-stimulator of interferon genes (cGAS-STING) pathway in dendritic cells (DCs). Our experimental approach encompassed both cellular assays and mouse immunizations, allowing a comprehensive evaluation of the nanovaccine's impact on DC activation and its influence on the generation of antigen-specific T-cell responses. Results: MSN@MT demonstrated a remarkable enhancement in humoral and cellular immune responses in mice compared to control groups. This highlights the potential of MSN@MT to effectively trigger the cGAS-STING pathway in DCs, resulting in robust immune responses. Conclusion: Our study introduces MSN@MT, a unique nanocarrier incorporating divalent manganese ions and tannic acid, showcasing its exceptional ability to amplify immune responses by activating the cGAS-STING pathway in DCs. This innovation signifies a stride in refining nanovaccine design for potent immune activation.

Developmental Shifts in the Microbiome of a Cosmopolitan Pest: Unraveling the Role of Wolbachia and Dominant Bacteria.

Wolbachia bacteria (phylum Proteobacteria) are ubiquitous intracellular parasites of diverse invertebrates. In insects, coevolution has forged mutualistic associations with Wolbachia species, influencing reproduction, immunity, development, pathogen resistance, and overall fitness. However, the impact of Wolbachia on other microbial associates within the insect microbiome, which are crucial for host fitness, remains less explored. The diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella), a major pest of cruciferous vegetables worldwide, harbors the dominant Wolbachia strain plutWB1, known to distort its sex ratio. This study investigated the bacterial community diversity and dynamics across different developmental life stages and Wolbachia infection states in P. xylostella using high-throughput 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing. Proteobacteria and Firmicutes dominated the P. xylostella microbiome regardless of life stage or Wolbachia infection. However, the relative abundance of dominant genera, including an unclassified genus of Enterobacteriaceae, Wolbachia, Carnobacterium, and Delftia tsuruhatensis, displayed significant stage-specific variations. While significant differences in bacterial diversity and composition were observed across life stages, Wolbachia infection had no substantial impact on overall diversity. Nonetheless, relative abundances of specific genera differed between infection states. Notably, Wolbachia exhibited a stable, high relative abundance across all stages and negatively correlated with an unclassified genus of Enterobacteriaceae, Delftia tsuruhatensis, and Carnobacterium. Our findings provide a foundational understanding of the complex interplay between the host, Wolbachia, and the associated microbiome in P. xylostella, paving the way for a deeper understanding of their complex interactions and potential implications for pest control strategies.

Magnetic CoFe hydrotalcite composite Co metal-organic framework material efficiently activating peroxymonosulfate to degrade sulfamethoxazole: Oxygen vacancy-mediated radical and non-radical pathways.

Herein, a novel rich oxygen vacancy (Ov) cobalt-iron hydrotalcite composite cobalt metal-organic framework material (ZIF-67/CoFe-LDH) was prepared by simple urea water and heat reduction approach and utilized for the peroxymonosulfate (PMS) system to remove sulfamethoxazole (SMX). 95 ± 1.32 % SMX (20 mg/L) was able to degraded in 20 min with TOC removal of 53 ± 1.56 % in ZIF-67/CoFe-LDH/PMS system. The system maintained a fantastic catalytic capability with wide pH range (3-9) and common interfering substances (Cl-, NO3-, CO32-, PO42- and humic acid (HA)), and the degradation efficiency could even remain 80.2 ± 1.48 % at the fifth cycle. Meanwhile, the applicability and feasibility of the catalysts for practical water treatment was verified by the degradation effects of SMX in different water environments and several other typical pollutants. Co and Fe bimetallic active centers synergistically activate PMS, and density functional theory (DFT) predicted adsorption energy about Ov in ZIF-67/CoFe-LDH for PMS was 1.335 eV, and OO bond length of PMS was stretched to 1.826 Å. As a result, PMS was more easily activated and broken, which accelerated the singlet oxygen (1O2), sulfate radical (SO4•-), high-valent metals and other reactive oxygen species (ROS). Radical and non-radical jointly degrading the pollutants improved the catalytic effect. Finally, SMX degradation intermediates were analyzed to explain the degradation pathway and their biotoxicity was also evaluated. This paper provides a new research perspective of oxygen vacancy activating PMS to degrade pollutants.