AtHD2D, a plant-specific histone deacetylase involved in abscisic acid response and lateral root development.

In eukaryotes, histone acetylation levels directly regulate downstream gene expression. As a plant-specific histone deacetylase (HDAC), HD2D is involved in plant development and abiotic stress. However, the response of HD2D to drought stress and its interacting proteins, is still unclear. In this study, we analysed HD2D gene expression patterns in Arabidopsis, revealing that HD2D gene was highly expressed in roots and rosette leaves, but poorly expressed in other tissues such as stems, flowers, and young siliques. The HD2D gene expression was induced by d-mannitol. We investigated the responses to drought stress in the wild-type plant, HD2D overexpression lines, and hd2d mutants. HD2D-overexpressing lines showed abscisic acid (ABA) hypersensitivity and drought tolerance, and these phenotypes were not present in hd2d mutants. RNA-seq analysis revealed the transcriptome changes caused by HD2D under drought stress, and showed that HD2D responded to drought stress via the ABA signalling pathway. In addition, we demonstrated that CASEIN KINASE II (CKA4) directly interacted with HD2D. The phosphorylation of Ser residues on HD2D by CKA4 enhanced HD2D enzymatic activity. Furthermore, the phosphorylation of HD2D was shown to contribute to lateral root development and ABA sensing in Arabidopsis, but, these phenotypes could not be reproduced by the overexpression of Ser-phospho-null HD2D lines. Collectively, this study suggests that HD2D responded to drought stress by regulating the ABA signalling pathway, and the expression of drought stress-related genes. The regulatory mechanism of HD2D mediated by CKII phosphorylation provides new insights into the ABA response and lateral root development in Arabidopsis.

Carbon dots based ratiometric fluorescent sensing platform for food safety.

Food safety has become a major global concern and the rapid detection of food nutritional ingredients and contaminants has aroused much more attention. Nanomaterials-based fluorescent sensing holds great potential in designing highly sensitive and selective detection strategies for food safety analysis. Carbon dots (CDs) possess tremendous prospects in fluorescent sensing food ingredients and contaminants due to their superior properties of chemical and photostability, highly fluorescence with tunability, and no/low-toxicity. Numerous endeavors are demanded to contribute to overcoming the challenge of lower sensitivity and selectivity of the sensors interfered by various components in intricate food matrices to ensure food safety and human health. Nanohybrid CDs based ratiometric fluorescent sensing with self-calibration is regarded as an efficient strategy for the CDs based sensors for the specific recognition of target analyte in the food matrices. This work is devoted to reviewing the development of nanohybrid CDs based ratiometric fluorescent sensing platform and the perspectives of the platform for food safety. The applications of nanohybrid CDs in sensing are summarized and the sensing mechanisms are briefly discussed.

Intracranial hypertension and empty Sella from adrenal adenoma and excessive and prolonged steroid usage: a case report.

BACKGROUND: There is only one documented case of intracranial hypertension (IH) and empty sella from cortisol-producing adrenal adenoma so far. And IH and empty sella caused by long-term exogenous hypercortisolism has never been reported before. The purpose of this case report is to alert clinicians to glucocorticoid-induced IH. CASE PRESENTATION: We present retrospectively a 50-year-old woman with cortisol-secreting adrenal adenoma, who progressed to intractable intracranial hypertension and a markedly expanded empty sella due to improper treatment. In 2011, the patient presented with hypertension, lack of cortisol circadian rhythm, low ACTH, a left adrenal adenoma and a partial empty sella, but did not receive low-dose dexamethasone suppression test (LDDST) and 24-h urinary cortisol. In 2014, she exhibited truncal obesity, raised cortisol, LDDST non-suppression, high urinary free cortisol and low ACTH, proving her cortisol-producing adrenal adenoma. She was simultaneously diagnosed with unexplained IH because of papilledema and elevated intracranial pressure, and her partial empty sella changed to a complete empty sella. In 2015, she underwent adrenal adenoma resection. From 2015 to 2018, she kept taking dexamethasone at least 2 mg daily without her doctors' consent. During this period, she developed transient cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea, and her empty sella further worsened. After switching to low dose hydrocortisone, her papilledema disappeared completely, but optic atrophy has become irreversible. CONCLUSIONS: The patient seems to be just an extreme case, but it may reveal and illustrate a general phenomenon: Both cortisol-producing adrenal adenoma and long-term exogenous hypercortisolism could cause varying degrees of elevated intracranial pressure and empty sella. Clinicians should remain vigilant for this phenomenon in patients with cortisol-producing adrenal adenoma or excessive and prolonged steroid usage and give them corresponding examinations to identify this complication.

UiO-67 decorated on porous carbon derived from Ce-MOF for the enrichment and fluorescence determination of glyphosate.

A nanocomposite was prepared by loading UiO-67 nanoparticles onto porous carbon materials derived from Ce-MOF (Ce-PC) for fluorescence detection of glyphosate. The probe (UiO-67/Ce-PC) exhibits fluorescence emission at 414 nm as the response signal under excitation at 310 nm. The fluorescence enhancement mode of UiO-67 reduces the background interference, and the introduction of Ce-PC provide hierarchical nanostructure and large specific surface area that can increase the contact availability and improve the pre-enrichment effect, ensuring UiO-67/Ce-PC with superior sensitivity. The abundant metal hydroxyl group (M-O-H) of UiO-67/Ce-PC could recognize phosphoryl groups (-PO3H2) of glyphosate through ligand exchange, which synergizes with H-bonding interaction and electrostatic attraction to exhibit specificity toward glyphosate. The competitive coordination effects weaken the ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT) and consequently induce the fluorescence recovery. The calibration plot of the fluorescence enhancement response of UiO-67/Ce-PC towards glyphosate was recorded in the range 0.02-30 µg mL-1 with a low limit of detection (LOD) of 0.0062 µg mL-1, which is superior to the pure UiO-67. In addition, the sensor exhibited high selectivity and satisfactory accuracy and precision with recoveries of 92.1-105.6% and RSDs below 3.4%. This work not only presents a feasible sensor for sensitive and selective determination of glyphosate from cereal samples, but also provides a promising strategy for the design of MOF-based nanocomposites to achieve trace detection of various pollutants.

Investigation of adverse reactions in healthcare personnel working in Level 3 barrier protection PPE to treat COVID-19.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: The aim of our study was to investigate potential adverse reactions in healthcare professionals working in Level 3 barrier protection personal protective equipment (L3PPE) to treat patients with COVID-19. STUDY DESIGN: By using a convenience sampling approach, 129 out of 205 randomly selected healthcare professionals from the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine were invited to take part in a WeChat messaging app survey, Questionnaire Star, via a survey link. Healthcare personnel details were collected, including profession, years of professional experience and adverse reactions while wearing L3PPE. Survey results were divided by profession and years of professional experience; differences in adverse reactions were compared. RESULTS: Among the 129 healthcare professionals surveyed, 21 (16.28%) were doctors and 108 (83.72%) were nurses. A total of 122 (94.57%) healthcare professionals experienced discomfort while wearing L3PPE to treat patients with COVID-19. The main reasons for adverse reactions and discomfort include varying degrees of adverse skin reactions, respiratory difficulties, heat stress, dizziness and nausea. Doctors had a lower incidence of rashes (χ2=4.519, p=0.034) and dizziness (χ2=4.123, p=0.042) when compared with nurses. Junior (8.5 years of experience or fewer) healthcare personnel also experienced a higher rate of heat stress when compared with senior personnel (more than 8.5 years greater) (χ2=5.228, p=0.022). CONCLUSION: More attention should be offered to healthcare personnel wearing L3PPE to treat patients with COVID-19 because they are susceptible to developing adverse reactions.

Dynamic distribution of nasal microbial community in yaks (Bos grunniens) at different ages.

The significance of microbial community structure has been extensively recognized due to its key roles in metabolism, immunity, and health maintenance. Importantly, increasing evidence indicated that the dynamic distribution of microbial community structure can be used for evaluating the health condition of host. Yaks (Bos grunniens), mainly inhabiting in high-altitude hypoxic environment, are characterized by excellent adaptability and strong resistance. Currently, it has been determined that yaks possessed the complicated gastrointestinal microbial ecosystem, whereas not much is known about the nasal microbial community structure of yaks. Therefore, this study was performed to compare and analyze the differences in nasal microbiota of yaks with different ages by high-throughput sequencing. In this study, a total of 487,168 and 486,498 high-quality sequences were achieved from YYG (1-month-old yaks) and AYG (1-year-old yaks), respectively. Additionally, 5,340 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were identified and 657 OTUs were in common among all samples. Proteobacteria and Firmicutes were the two most predominant phyla in all samples. Moreover, Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes were the tertiary dominant phyla in YYG and AYG, respectively. At the level of genus, Moraxella, Faucicola, and Mannheimia were the most preponderant bacterial genera in the young and adult yaks. As compared to the AYG, the proportions of Actinobacillus, Parabacteroides, and Haemophilus in the YYG were significantly increased, whereas the Rhizobacter was decreased. In conclusion, this study firstly compared and investigated the distribution of nasal microbiota in yaks with different ages. Results demonstrated that age was an important factor affecting the nasal microbiota. Moreover, the current study will provide a theoretical basis for the further study on the microbial community structure of yaks.

TREM2 Overexpression Attenuates Cognitive Deficits in Experimental Models of Vascular Dementia.

Neuroinflammation plays a prominent role in the pathogenesis of vascular dementia (VD). Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) is a transmembrane receptor mainly expressed on microglia and has been known for its anti-inflammatory properties during immune response. However, data evaluating the effects of TREM2 in VD are lacking. Therefore, the present study is aimed at investigating the role of TREM2 in VD. In this study, the mouse model of VD was induced by transient bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO). We compared the hippocampal gene and protein expressions of TREM2 between the VD mice and sham-operated mice at different time points. The TREM2 mRNA and protein expression levels in the VD mice were higher than those in the sham-operated mice. The cognitive deficits of VD mice were observed in the Morris water maze test. Interestingly, overexpression of TREM2 by intracerebroventricular injection of a lentiviral vector that encoded TREM2 (LV-TREM2) significantly improved the spatial learning and memory and attenuated the hippocampal neural loss in VD mice. Further mechanistic study revealed that overexpression of TREM2 significantly inhibited microglia M1 polarization by decreasing inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and proinflammatory cytokines expression levels and conversely enhanced microglia M2 polarization by increasing Arginase-1 (Arg-1) and anti-inflammatory cytokine expression levels. These results strongly suggest that TREM2 provides a protective effect in VD via modulating the phenotype of activated microglia and may serve as a novel potential therapeutic target for VD.

Virulence traits and pathogenicity of uropathogenic Escherichia coli isolates with common and uncommon O serotypes.

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common human diseases worldwide. This study aimed to collect uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) isolates from Jiangsu Province and obtain insights into the molecular epidemiology of UPEC in this region. The O serotypes, phylogenetic groups, and virulence factors of 183 UPEC isolates were determined. In this study, we isolated 51 UPEC isolates with common O serotypes including O1, O2, O4, O6, O7, O16, O18 and O75, as well as 35 of those with uncommonly encountered O serotypes including O8, O12, O15, O26, and O74. Groups B2 and D were the most prevalent phylogenetic groups and accounted for 29.5% and 41% of the isolates, respectively. In the tested 13 virulence genes (VGs), tonB and dsdA possessed the highest prevalence rate, followed by fimH, degP and ompR. Several other virulence genes such as fliC, neuC, ireA, and vat had prevalence less than 23%. Moreover, representative isolates belonging to common or uncommon O serotypes with different numbers of VGs were chosen for the pathogenic analyses. Based on the results of 1-day-old chick lethality assay and UTI ascending mouse infection model, our study suggested that the virulence of UPEC isolates for chicks and/or mice depended on both the number of VGs expressed and the O serotypes.

All-trans retinoic acid upregulates the expression of ciliary neurotrophic factor in retinal pigment epithelial cells.

Retinopathy of prematurity, a leading cause of visual impairment in low birth-weight infants, remains a crucial therapeutic challenge. Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) is a promyelinating trophic factor that promotes rod and cone photoreceptor survival and cone outer segment regeneration in the degenerating retina. Ciliary neurotrophic factor expression is regulated by many factors such as all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA). In this study, we found that ATRA increased CNTF expression in mouse retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner, and PKA signaling pathway is necessary for ATRA-induced CNTF upregulation. Furthermore, we showed that ATRA promoted CNTF expression through CREB binding to its promoter region. In addition, CNTF levels were decreased in serum of retinopathy of prematurity children and in retinal tissue of oxygen-induced retinopathy mice. In mouse RPE cells cultured with high oxygen, CNTF expression and secretion were decreased, but could be recovered after treatment with ATRA. In conclusion, our data suggest that ATRA administration upregulates CNTF expression in RPE cells.

Circulating HMGB1 in acute ischemic stroke and its association with post-stroke cognitive impairment.

Background: Ischemic stroke frequently leads to a condition known as post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI). Timely recognition of individuals susceptible to developing PSCI could facilitate the implementation of personalized strategies to mitigate cognitive deterioration. High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is a protein released by ischemic neurons and implicated in inflammation after stroke. Circulating levels of HMGB1 could potentially serve as a prognostic indicator for the onset of cognitive impairment following ischemic stroke. Objective: To investigate the predictive value of circulating HMGB1 concentrations in the acute phase of ischemic stroke for the development of cognitive dysfunction at the 3-month follow-up. Methods: A total of 192 individuals experiencing their initial episode of acute cerebral infarction were prospectively recruited for this longitudinal investigation. Concentrations of circulating HMGB1 were quantified using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique within the first 24 hours following hospital admission. Patients underwent neurological evaluation including NIHSS scoring. Neuropsychological evaluation was conducted at the 3-month follow-up after the cerebrovascular event, employing the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) as the primary tool for assessing cognitive performance. Multivariable logistic regression models were employed to investigate the relationship between circulating HMGB1 concentrations and cognitive dysfunction following stroke, which was operationalized as a MoCA score below 26, while controlling for potential confounders including demographic characteristics, stroke severity, vascular risk factors, and laboratory parameters. Results: Of 192 patients, 84 (44%) developed PSCI. Circulating HMGB1 concentrations were significantly elevated in individuals who developed cognitive dysfunction following stroke compared to those who maintained cognitive integrity (8.4 ± 1.2 ng/mL vs 4.6 ± 0.5 ng/mL, respectively; p < 0.001). The prevalence of PSCI showed a dose-dependent increase with higher HMGB1 quartiles. After controlling for potential confounders such as demographic factors (age, gender, and education), stroke severity, vascular risk factors, and laboratory parameters in a multivariable logistic regression model, circulating HMGB1 concentrations emerged as a significant independent predictor of cognitive dysfunction following stroke (regression coefficient = 0.236, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Circulating HMGB1 concentrations quantified within the first 24 hours following acute cerebral infarction are significantly and independently correlated with the likelihood of developing cognitive dysfunction at the 3-month follow-up, even after accounting for potential confounding factors. HMGB1 may be a novel biomarker to identify patients likely to develop post-stroke cognitive impairment for targeted preventive interventions.

Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) from different sources in China.

A diverse collection of 261 Staphylococcus aureus strains from human, animal, food, and environmental sources were tested for the presence and type of SCCmec elements, antibiotic susceptibility to various antibiotics, and non-ß-lactam antibiotic resistance genes. About 18.39% (48/261) of strains were methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) including 29.75% (36/121) human strains of which 29 strains were hospital-acquired MRSA (HA-MRSA) and 7 strains were community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) and 19.67% (12/61) animal strains that all were CA-MRSA strains. The percentage of CA-MRSA strains from animals was significantly higher than that from human (p<0.01). Most of MRSA strains and a part of methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) strains harbored unique combinations of non-ß-lactamase genes aac(6')/aph(2″), aph(3')-III, ant (4',4″), ermA, ermC, mrsA, tetM, and tetK. Antibiotic resistance genes were detected more frequently in HA-MRSA strains than in CA-MRSA strains (p<0.01). MRSA strains and MSSA strains had 22 and 39 antibiotic profiles to 15 tested antibiotics, respectively. The resistant proportion was higher in HA-MRSA strains than in CA-MSSA strains for various antibiotics, as well as higher in MRSA strains than in MSSA strains. Animal MRSA reservoirs (particularly pigs and cows) might represent an important source of human CA-MRSA. CA-MRSA strains might acquire more different resistance genes gradually, depending on the selective pressure of antibiotics in different regions or environments. CA-MRSA is not yet endemic in China, but could be prevalent in future, contributing to its acquiring more resistance genes and huge animal sources. Infection with multidrug-resistant MSSA strains acquired from food, animal, and human sources might also become a significant problem for human medicine, which warrants further study.

Dose blockchain-based agri-food supply chain guarantee the initial information authenticity? An evolutionary game perspective.

Guarantee the initial information of the agri-food supply chain (AFSC) authenticity based on the blockchain is a complex problem. This paper develops an evolutionary game model of AFSC participants based on the blockchain and discusses the impacts of the key parameters on the dynamic evolution process of participants. To verify the theoretical results, simulation experiments and sensitivity analysis were conducted through Matlab 2022b. The study results show that: (1) Guaranteeing the initial information authenticity could become the common belief of all AFSC participants, with the scientific design of parameters; (2) Higher reward and synergistic effect, lower information cost and risk contribute to improving the probability of initial true information sharing. (3) when the default penalty is too severe, the enterprise will evolve into not sharing the initial true information. Finally, this study could provide some suggestions and countermeasures for the leading enterprise in the agricultural supply chain and local governments to guarantee initial information authenticity in China. That is the way to realize the sustainability of AFSC in the long run.

Visual detection of vitamin C in fruits and vegetables using UiO-66 loaded Ce-MnO2 mimetic oxidase.

A nanocomposite (UiO-66/Ce-MnO2) was fabricated by combining UiO-66 with cerium-doped manganese dioxide (Ce-MnO2) for colorimetric detecting vitamin C (Vc). Compared with traditional artificial enzymes, the as-synthesized UiO-66/Ce-MnO2 were simple to prepare and did not require the participation of other active substances. The doping of cerium increased the oxygen vacancies and the UiO-66 as a carrier improved the dispersibility. The formation of superoxide anion (O2-) and the inside Ce4+/Ce3+ and Mn4+/Mn3+ redox couples of UiO-66/Ce-MnO2 endowed UiO-66/Ce-MnO2 with a high catalytic capability, which could catalytically oxidize 3, 3', 5, 5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) into oxidation state TMB (oxTMB) without H2O2, accompanying with color change and a prominent peak at 652 nm in UV-vis spectra. Based on the inhibitory effects of Vc on catalytic oxidation of TMB, detection of Vc can be achieved, exhibiting a linear relationship in the concentration of 1.13-17.01 µmol L-1 with a low detection limit of 65.82 nmol L-1. This system can also be detected by smartphone, the linear detection range is 12.47-22.67 µmol L-1. Vc contents in fruits and vegetables detected by the sensor were in good agreement with the 2, 4-Dinitrophenylhydrazine colorimetry method (P > 0.05), indicating a reliable sensor for Vc detection.

Changes in Type II NRG-1 Expression during Regeneration Following Autologous Nerve Transplantation in Rats.

AIM: To investigate the changes in type II neuregulin-1 (NRG-1) during the regeneration process following autologous sciatic nerve transplantation in rats. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In total, 40 healthy male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats of clean grade with body weights between 250 g and 300 g were randomly divided into an experimental and control group, with 20 rats per group. Five time points were set, including the 3 < sup > rd < /sup > , 7 < sup > th < /sup > , 14 < sup > th < /sup > , 21 < sup > st < /sup > and 28 < sup > th < /sup > days after surgery. In the experimental group, reversed autologous transplantation of the sciatic nerve was performed, while in the control group, the sciatic nerve was simply exposed without autologous transplantation. At the different time points, changes in the rat footprints were observed, the sciatic functional index (SFI) was calculated, changes in the regeneration of the myelin sheath at the nerve end after transplantation were observed by transmission electron microscopy, changes in type II NRG-1 protein expression were detected by a western blot analysis, and changes in type II NRG-1 mRNA expression were detected by real-time PCR. RESULTS: The SFI in the experimental group was lower than that in the control group at all time points after surgery, and the SFI in the experimental group gradually increased; these differences were statistically significant (p < 0.05). The expression of type II NRG-1 protein in the experimental group was significantly increased on the 3rd day after nerve transplantation and peaked on the 7 < sup > th < /sup > day, which continued until the 28 < sup > th < /sup > day after surgery, indicating a significant difference from the control group (p < 0.01). NRG-1 mRNA expression was markedly increased on the 7th day after nerve transplantation, further increased, and peaked on the 14 < sup > th < /sup > day (p < 0.01). The area of medullated nerve fibers (?m2) in the experimental group significantly differed from that in the control group on the 7 < sup > th < /sup > , 14 < sup > th < /sup > , 21 < sup > st < /sup > and 28 < sup > th < /sup > days (p < 0.01), and the diameters of the axons in the experimental group notably differed from those in the control group on the 7 < sup > th < /sup > , 14 < sup > th < /sup > and 21 < sup > st < /sup > days (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Type II NRG-1 expression peaked between the 3 < sup > rd < /sup > day and 14 < sup > th < /sup > day after autologous nerve transplantation and is likely involved in the regulation of myelin sheath regeneration during this period.

Preparation of microcrystalline cellulose from agricultural residues and their application as polylactic acid/microcrystalline cellulose composite films for the preservation of Lanzhou lily.

Microcrystalline celluloses were isolated from four agricultural residues, including sweet sorghum stalk, Jerusalem artichoke stalk, grains stillage, and Chinese herb residue, and characterized in terms of physicochemical and structural properties. The obtained microcrystalline celluloses were composited with polylactic acid as a packing film for the preservation of Lanzhou lily. All the agricultural residues-derived microcrystalline celluloses were in cellulose Iß structure with high purity and good thermal stability. Microcrystalline celluloses from sweet sorghum stalk had a higher degree of polymerization (327) and crystallinity (70.52 %) than others. The preservation effect of lily bulbs packaged by films were significantly improved indicated by the lessened weight loss rate and the meliorative hardness and whiteness, which ascribe to the repressed oxidation reactions. Polylactic acid/microcrystalline cellulose composite films prepared from sweet sorghum straw have been proved the most effective. This work could offer a value-added outlet for agricultural residues to produce microcrystalline celluloses-based biocompatible films for preservation of Lanzhou lily.

Preparation and characterization of starch-based composite films reinforced by quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) straw cellulose nanocrystals.

The development of green and biodegradable nanomaterials is significant for the sustainable utilization of renewable lignocellulosic biomass. This work aimed to obtain the cellulose nanocrystals from quinoa straws (QCNCs) by acid hydrolysis. The optimal extraction conditions were investigated by response surface methodology, and the physicochemical properties of QCNCs were evaluated. The maximum yield of QCNCs (36.58 ± 1.42 %) was obtained under the optimal extraction conditions of 60 % (w/w) sulfuric acid concentration, 50 °C reaction temperature, and 130 min reaction time. The characterization results of QCNCs showed that it is a rod-like material with an average length of 190.29 ± 125.25 nm, an average width of 20.34 ± 4.69 nm, excellent crystallinity (83.47 %), good water dispersibility (Zeta potential = -31.34 mV) and thermal stability (over 200 °C). The addition of 4-6 wt% QCNCs could significantly improve the elongation at break and water resistance of high-amylose corn starch films. This study will pave the route for improving the economic value of quinoa straw, and provide relevant proof of QCNCs for the preliminary application in starch-based composite films with the best performance.

Type III NRG-1 plays a regulatory role in the regeneration process of nerves from the beginning of transplantation.

The present study investigated the effect of type III Neuregulin-1 (NRG-1) on changes in the myelin sheath and the recovery of nerve function during the regeneration process following autologous nerve transplantation. Seventy-two Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into a Blank, Model and (antisense oligonucleotide, ASON) group. The Model and ASON groups of SD rats were subjected to autologous nerve transplantation, and the Blank group only had the sciatic nerve exposed. The Model and ASON groups were given local injections of 2 ml PBS buffer solution and 2 ml ASON of Type III NRG-1, respectively, the NRG-1 type III was inhibited by ASON. Changes in the sciatic nerve functional index (SFI) and conduction velocities were observed at different 6 time points. Regeneration of the myelin sheath was observed using transmission electron microscopy. Type III NRG-1 protein was detected using Western blotting and immunohistochemistry, and NRG-1 mRNA was detected using PCR. The SFI of the ASON group was lower than the Model group after transplantation. The conduction velocities of the ASON group on the 14th and 21st days after autologous nerve transplantation were lower than the Model group (P < 0.01). The protein and mRNA expression of type III NRG-1 in the ASON group was lower than the Model group at all 6 time points. The area of medullated nerve fibres was significantly different between the ASON group and the Model group on the 3rd day (P < 0.05), as was the number of medullated nerve fibres per unit area (P < 0.01). The diameter of axons was obviously different between the two groups (P < 0.01). Type III NRG-1 played an important regulatory role in the regeneration process of the nerve from the beginning of transplantation to the 28th day.

Bone-marrow derived cells do not contribute to new beta-cells in the inflamed pancreas.

The contribution of bone-marrow derived cells (BMCs) to a newly formed beta-cell population in adults is controversial. Previous studies have only used models of bone marrow transplantation from sex-mismatched donors (or other models of genetic labeling) into recipient animals that had undergone irradiation. This approach suffers from the significant shortcoming of the off-target effects of irradiation. Partial pancreatic duct ligation (PDL) is a mouse model of acute pancreatitis with a modest increase in beta-cell number. However, the possibility that recruited BMCs in the inflamed pancreas may convert into beta-cells has not been examined. Here, we used an irradiation-free model to track the fate of the BMCs from the donor mice. A ROSA-mTmG red fluorescent mouse was surgically joined to an INS1Cre knock-in mouse by parabiosis to establish a mixed circulation. PDL was then performed in the INS1Cre mice 2 weeks after parabiosis, which was one week after establishment of the stable blood chimera. The contribution of red cells from ROSA-mTmG mice to beta-cells in INS1Cre mouse was evaluated based on red fluorescence, while cell fusion was evaluated by the presence of green fluorescence in beta-cells. We did not detect any red or green insulin+ cells in the INS1Cre mice, suggesting that there was no contribution of BMCs to the newly formed beta-cells, either by direct differentiation, or by cell fusion. Thus, the contribution of BMCs to beta-cells in the inflamed pancreas should be minimal, if any.

A dual-function chitosan packaging film for simultaneously monitoring and maintaining pork freshness.

Exploring food packaging films simultaneously possess freshness monitoring and maintaining can effectively tackle food safety issues. Here, we constructed a chitosan/N-doped carbon dots (CS/N-CDs) film which can monitor the freshness of pork based on pH-mediated fluorescent sensing and extend the shelf life based on the antioxidant, antibacterial and UV shielding properties. The fluorescent intensity of CS/N-CDs films increased with the increase of pork pH from 5.77 to 6.84 which positively related to the change of TVB-N from 6.68 to 17.53 mg/100 g. CS/N-CDs films had a maintaining effect on pork freshness corroborated by the scavenging activity on DPPH and ABTS radicals and antibacterial efficiency and inhibition zones of S. aureus and E.coli, and the total viable count, a value, weight loss, hardness and springiness of pork. Cell viability and hemolytic activity assay proved that CS/N-CDs films was safe. A novel chitosan-based intelligent and active food packaging film was provided.

Self-propelled nanomotors based on hierarchical metal-organic framework composites for the removal of heavy metal ions.

The outstanding performance efficiency for the removal of heavy metal ions in solution is governed by various factors: (a) sufficient contact probability between heavy metal ions and the adsorbent, (b) convenient diffusion/accessibility of heavy metal ions to the surface and the interior of the adsorbent, and (c) abundant binding sites for heavy metal ions on the adsorbent. We designed an efficient MnFe2O4 @MIL-53 @UiO-66 @MnO2 adsorbent for Pb(II) and Cd(II) removal. The adsorbents were fabricated by merging self-propelled nanomotors, exploiting hierarchical structure, and using a metal-organic framework (MOF) composite to simultaneously meet the three requirements. The sufficient contact probability between Pb(II)/Cd(II) and MnFe2O4 @MIL-53 @UiO-66 @MnO2 was achieved via the self-propelled movement of MnFe2O4 @MIL-53 @UiO-66 @MnO2 which was induced by the catalytic decomposition of H2O2 by MnO2. The convenient diffusion/accessibility of Pb(II)/Cd(II) on the surface and interior of MnFe2O4 @MIL-53 @UiO-66 @MnO2 was achieved by exploiting the properties of the hierarchical structure of MnFe2O4 @MIL-53 @UiO-66 @MnO2. Abundant binding sites (-COOH) on MIL-53 and UiO-66 composites were present for the binding of the Pb(II)/Cd(II) ions to the adsorbent. The adsorption capacities of the nanomotor adsorbent for Pb(II) and Cd(II) were 1018 and 440.8 mg g-1 at 25 °C, respectively. Additionally, the complex formed of MnFe2O4 and MIL-53 endowed the adsorbent with easy-recyclable properties under the influence of an external magnet. The nanomotors exhibit satisfactory removal performances for Pb(II) and Cd(II).