Boosted hydrogen evolution kinetics of heteroatom-doped carbons with isolated Zn as an accelerant.

Carbon-based single-atom catalysts, a promising candidate in electrocatalysis, offer insights into electron-donating effects of metal center on adjacent atoms. Herein, we present a practical strategy to rationally design a model catalyst with a single zinc (Zn) atom coordinated with nitrogen and sulfur atoms in a multilevel carbon matrix. The Zn site exhibits an atomic interface configuration of ZnN4S1, where Zn's electron injection effect enables thermal-neutral hydrogen adsorption on neighboring atoms, pushing the activity boundaries of carbon electrocatalysts toward electrochemical hydrogen evolution to an unprecedented level. Experimental and theoretical analyses confirm the low-barrier Volmer-Tafel mechanism of proton reduction, while the multishell hollow structures facilitate the hydrogen evolution even at high current intensities. This work provides insights for understanding the actual active species during hydrogen evolution reaction and paves the way for designing high-performance electrocatalysts.

A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Renin-angiotensin System Inhibitors and Angiotensin Receptor Neprilysin Inhibitors in Preventing Recurrence After Atrial Fibrillation Ablation.

ABSTRACT: To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of renin-angiotensin system inhibitors (RASIs) and angiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitors in preventing the recurrence of atrial fibrillation after atrial fibrillation ablation, we have written this meta-analysis. We systematically searched randomized controlled trials or cohort studies on RASIs and angiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitor-sacubitril/valsartan (SV) in preventing the recurrence of atrial fibrillation. Two researchers independently screened the literature, extracted the data, and assessed the risk of bias in the included studies. Afterward, the meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 software. This meta-analysis results showed that the recurrence rate of atrial fibrillation after ablation in subjects using RASIs was lower than that in subjects not using them [relative risk = 0.85, 95% confidence interval (CI) (0.72-0.99), P = 0.03]; the recurrence rate in subjects using SV was lower than that in subjects using RASIs [RR= 0.50, 95% CI (0.37-0.68), P < 0.00001]. These results show that both the use of RASIs and SV can prevent the recurrence of after atrial fibrillation ablation, among which the use of SV is more effective.

Highly sensitive and selective SERS detection of caspase-3 during cell apoptosis based on the target-induced hotspot effect.

Caspase-3 is an important biomarker for the process of apoptosis, which is a key target for cancer treatment. Due to its low concentration in single cells and the structural similarity of caspase family proteins, it is exceedingly challenging to accurately determine the intracellular caspase-3 during apoptosis in situ. Herein, a biosensing strategy based on the target-induced SERS "hot spot" formation has been developed for the simultaneous highly sensitive and selective detection of intracellular caspase-3 level. The nanosensor is composed of gold nanoparticles modified with the probe molecule 4-mercaptophenylboronic acid (4-MPBA) and a peptide chain. The well-designed peptide chain contains two distinct functional domains, one with a sulfhydryl group for bonding to the gold nanoparticles and the other a fragment specifically recognized by caspase-3. When caspase-3 is present, the negatively charged segment (NH2-Asp-Asp-Asp-Glu-Val-Asp-OH) of the peptide chain is specifically hydrolyzed, leaving a positively charged fragment coated on the surface of the gold nanoparticles. At this time, the golden nanoparticles undergo significant coupling aggregation due to the electrostatic interaction, resulting in a large number of SERS "hot spot" formation. The SERS signal of the 4-MPBA located at the nano-gap is significantly boosted because of the local plasma enhancement effect. The highly sensitive determination of caspase-3 can be achieved according to the altered SERS signal intensity of 4-MPBA. The turn-on of the SERS signal-induced target contributes to the excellent selectivity and the formation of the SERS "hot spot" effect that further improves the sensitivity of caspase-3 detection. The advantages of this biosensing technique allow for the precise in situ monitoring of the dynamic changes in caspase-3 levels during apoptosis. In addition, the differences in caspase-3 levels during the apoptosis of various cell types were compared. Monitoring the caspase-3 levels can be used to track the cellular apoptosis process, evaluate the effect of drugs on cancer cells in real time, and provide guidance for the selection of the appropriate drug dosage.

Diagnostic value of high-frequency ultrasound combined with fine needle aspiration cytology and BRAF gene for papillary thyroid microcarcinoma.

We attempted to evaluate clinical application value of high-frequency ultrasound (HFUS), fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC), BRAF gene, and combination of HFUS, FNAC, and BRAF gene in diagnosing papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC). The 150 patients with thyroid minimal lesions who underwent HFUS, FNAC and BRAF gene testing before surgery in our hospital from June 2020 to December 2021 were selected as research subjects. Patients were divided into two groups based on postoperative pathological results. The consistency of diagnostic results of HFUS, FNAC, and BRAF gene and their combination with those of pathological examination, diagnostic efficacy of HFUS, FNAC and BRAF gene combined detection and individual detection for PTMC lymph node metastasis, and diagnostic value of HFUS, FNAC and BRAF gene combined detection and individual detection for PTMC lymph node metastasis received analysis and comparison. The consistency of diagnostic results of combined detection with pathological examination exhibited elevation relative to that of HFUS, FNAC and BRAF gene detection alone (P < 0.05). The negative predictive value, sensitivity and accuracy of combined detection exhibited elevation relative to individual detection (P < 0.05). The AUC of combined detection in diagnosing PTMC lymph node metastasis exhibited elevation relative to that of HFUS and BRAF gene alone (P < 0.05). HFUS combined with FNAC and BRAF genes possesses high diagnostic value, with high diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy. Thus, combined detection for PTMC before surgery can accurately determine whether lymph node metastasis occurs, reduce occurrence of missed diagnosis and misdiagnosis, and thus improve diagnostic precision.

An age classification model based on DNA methylation biomarkers of aging in human peripheral blood using random forest and artificial neural network.

Recent epigenetic studies have revealed a strong association between DNA methylation and aging and lifespan, which changes (increases or decreases) with age. Based on these, the construction of age prediction models associated with DNA methylation levels can be used to infer biological ages closer to the functional state of the organism. We downloaded methylation data from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) public database for normal peripheral blood samples from people of different ages. We grouped the samples according to age (18-35 years and >50 years), screened the methylation sites that differed between the two groups, identified 44 differentially methylated sites, and subsequently obtained 11 age-related characteristic methylation sites using the random forest method. Then, we constructed an age classification model with these 11 characteristic methylation sites using an artificial neural network and evaluated its efficacy. The age classification model was constructed by an artificial neural network and its efficacy was evaluated. The model predicted an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.97 in the validation set and accurately distinguished between those aged 18-35 and >50 years. Furthermore, the levels of these 11 characteristic methylation sites also differed significantly between the two sets of samples in the validation set, including six newly identified age-related methylation sites (P<0.001). Finally, we constructed a multifactor regulatory network based on the corresponding genes of age-related methylation sites to reveal the transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation patterns. As a result of the increasing problem of aging, the age classification model we constructed allows us to accurately distinguish different age groups at the molecular level, which will be more predictive than chronological age for assessing individual aging and future health status.

[Application and Effect of Patient Portal System in the Remote Management of Chronic Diseases for Older Adults With Coronary Heart Disease]. / æ‚£è€ é—¨æˆ·ç³»ç»Ÿåœ¨è€å¹´å† å¿ƒç— æ ¢ç— è¿œç¨‹ç®¡ç†ä¸­çš„åº”ç”¨åŠæ•ˆæžœ.

Objective: To investigate the application of personal health record (PHR) and chronic disease management platform established on the basis of patient portal system (PPS) in managing older adults with coronary heart disease and to examine the effect on patients' self-care ability, coping mode, and quality of life. Methods: A total of 532 elderly patients with coronary heart disease were included in the study. All the participants enrolled were admitted to a tertiary-care hospital between January 2019 and June 2021. They were randomly assigned to the study group (269 cases) and the control group (263 cases). Patients in the control group were discharged with the routine discharge procedures and received the routine follow-up care. On the other hand, patients in the study group were discharged and followed up through the PHR and chronic disease management platform established on the basis of PPS. After 6 months, 12 months, and 18 months of patient management, the Exercise of Self-Care Agency (ESCA) Scale, Medical Coping Modes Questionnaire (MCMQ) and Seattle Angina Questionnaire (SAQ) were used to evaluate the patients' self-care ability, coping mode, and quality of life, respectively. The patient management effects of the two groups were analyzed. Results: Before the management programs started, there was no statistically significant difference in the scores for the scales between the two groups of patients. After 6 months, 12 months, and 18 months of patient management, the ESCA scores of both groups were higher than those before patient management started (P<0.05). Facing scores in the MCMQ of both groups were higher than those before patient management started (P<0.05), while the scores for avoidance and yielding were lower than those before patient management started (P<0.05). The SAQ scores of both groups were higher than those before patient management started (P<0.05). After 6 months, 12 months and 18 months of patient management, the ESCA scores of the study group were always higher compared with those of the control group (P<0.05). The facing score of the study group was higher, while the scores for avoidance and yielding were lower compared with those of the control group (P<0.05). The SAQ scores of the study group were higher compared with those of the control group (P<0.05). The medication compliance rate in the study group (83.27%) was higher than that in the control group (69.96%) (P<0.05). The incidence of adverse cardiovascular events in the study group (4.09%) was lower than that in the control group (10.27%) (P<0.05). The average times of emergency treatment and readmission in the study group were lower compared with those of the control group (P<0.05). The patient satisfaction score of the study group was higher compared with that of the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion: The PHR and chronic disease management platform established on the basis of PPS can increase the convenient access to medical care among elderly patients with coronary heart disease, which is conducive to improving their self-care ability, coping mode, and quality of life. In addition, the patient management effect is good.

Correlation of Folic Acid Metabolic Gene Polymorphisms, Homocysteine, Vitamin B12, and Red Blood Cell Folate with Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the relationship between folic acid (FA) metabolic gene polymorphisms, homocysteine (Hcy), vitamin B12 (Vit B12), and red blood cell folate (RBCF) with adverse pregnancy. The findings of this study can help in the prevention and treatment of adverse pregnancy in the future. Methods: 118 pregnant women admitted to Qingdao Central Hospital between August 2020 and October 2022 were selected for retrospective analysis, including 62 cases of normal delivery (control group, CG) and 56 cases of adverse pregnancy (research group, RG). The single nucleotide polymorphisms of MTHFR C677T, MTHFR A1298C, and MTRR A66G gene loci were tested in both cohorts. Besides, differences in Hcy, Vit B12, and RBCF levels were observed, as well as Hcy, Vit B12, and RBCF alterations in different genotype carriers in the research group. Results: An elevated proportion of MTHFR 677TT-type gene and MTRR 66GG-type gene carriers and a lower proportion of MTRR 66GG-type gene carriers were found in the research group (χ2 = 4.458, 4.238, 4.206, P = .035, .040, .040). As indicated by the Logistic regression analysis, carriers of MTHFR 677TT and MTRR 66GG gene had an increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes (95%CI=2.881-5.942, 1.427-3.809, P < .001), while MTRR 66AG carriers had a decreased risk (95%CI=0.124-1.849, P < .001). Finally, Hcy levels of MTHFR 677TT and MTRR 66GG gene carriers increased, while Vit B12 and RBCF decreased; the opposite was true for MTRR 66AG gene carriers (P < .001). Conclusions: FA metabolic gene polymorphisms, Hcy, Vit B12, and RBCF are closely related to adverse pregnancy outcomes, which is of great significance for future clinical evaluation of adverse pregnancy.

Choline alleviated perinatal fluoride exposure-induced learning and memory impairment through α4ß2 nAChRs and α7 nAChRs in offspring mice.

Fluoride pollution is widely present in the living environment. As a critical period of brain development, the perinatal period is extremely vulnerable to fluoride. Studies have found that choline can protect the brain's memory and enhance the ability to focus. However, the effect of choline on perinatal fluoride-induced nerve damage remains unclear. Therefore, 32 Kunming newly conceived female mice and their offspring mice were randomly divided into control, NaF, LC + NaF, and HC + NaF groups, and the HE staining, Y-maze test, RT-PCR, western blotting, immunohistochemistry, etc. were used in this study. The results showed that fluoride decreased the brain organ coefficients and brain protein content (p < 0.05, p < 0.01), and caused histomorphological damage in the hippocampus and cortex, which suggested that fluoride affected the development of the brain and damaged the brain. Moreover, the results of the Y-maze test showed that fluoride increased the number of learning days, error reaction time, and total reaction time, and decreased the AchE activity in the brain (p < 0.05, p < 0.01), which indicated that fluoride reduced the learning and memory ability of the mice. Besides, the results showed that fluoride decreased the mRNA and protein expression levels of α4ß2 nAChRs and α7 nAChRs in the hippocampus and cortex (p < 0.05, p < 0.01). However, perinatal choline supplementation reversed the aforementioned fluoride-induced changes. In short, these results demonstrated that choline alleviated perinatal fluoride-induced learning and memory impairment, which will provide a rationale for the mitigation and prevention of fluoride-induced brain damage.

Extraction, separation and kinetics of phenylethanosides from Plantago asiatica L. by an innovative extraction technology-deep eutectic solvent-based ultrasound-assisted extraction.

In this paper, the total phenylethanosides (TPS) were extracted efficiently by an innovative extraction technology--deep eutectic solvent-based ultrasound-assisted extraction (DES-UAE) from Plantago asiatica L. Ten diverse types of DESs were synthesized as alternative extraction solutions. The extraction efficiency of DES-3 (constituted by choline chloride and lactic acid) was much higher than those of other DESs. On the basis of single factor tests and Box-Behnken design (BBD), the optimum processing parameters of DES-UAE as follow: DES-3 with molar ratio of 1:3, extraction temperature 51 °C, solid/liquid 22.5 mg/ml, water content 30%, ultrasonic power 65 W, extraction time 23 min. The extraction efficiency of TPS from Plantago asiatica L. was 8.395 mg/ml, which was more superior than those of organic solvents (water, methanol, 50% methanol, ethanol, 50% ethanol). The extraction kinetics experiment results showed that water content had a significant influence upon the extraction efficiency of TPS. At the same time, AB-8 macroporous resin column was used to efficiently isolate TPS from DES extraction with a recovery rate of 88.5%.

Comparative assessment of efficacy and safety of approved oral therapies for overactive bladder: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

bladder based on a systematic review and network meta-analysis approach. METHODS: Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Register of Clinical Trials databases were systematically searched. The search time frame was from database creation to June 2, 2022. Randomized controlled double-blind trials of oral medication for overactive bladder were screened against the protocol's entry criteria. Trials were evaluated for quality using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool, and data were statistically analyzed using Stata 16.0 software. RESULT: A total of 60 randomized controlled double-blind clinical trials were included involving 50,333 subjects. Solifenacin 10mg was the most effective in mean daily micturitions and incontinence episodes, solifenacin 5/10mg in mean daily urinary urgency episodes and nocturia episodes, fesoterodine 8mg in urgency incontinence episodes/d and oxybutynin 5mg in voided volume/micturition. In terms of safety, solifenacin 5mg, ER-tolterodine 4mg, mirabegron, vibegron and ER-oxybutynin 10mg all showed a better incidence of dry mouth, fesoterodine 4mg, ER-oxybutynin 10mg, tolterodine 2mg, and vibegron in the incidence of constipation. Compared to placebo, imidafenacin 0.1mg showed a significantly increased incidence in hypertension, solifenacin 10mg in urinary tract infection, fesoterodine 4/8mg and darifenacin 15mg in headache. CONCLUSION: Solifenacin showed better efficacy. For safety, most anticholinergic drugs were more likely to cause dry mouth and constipation, lower doses were better tolerated. The choice of drugs should be tailored to the patient's specific situation to find the best balance between efficacy and safety.

Reversely Trapping Isolated Atoms in High Oxidation State for Accelerating the Oxygen Evolution Reaction Kinetics.

Developing efficient electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is paramount to the energy conversion and storage devices. However, the structural complexity of heterogeneous electrocatalysts makes it a great challenge to elucidate the dynamic structural evolution and OER mechanisms. Here, we develop a controllable atom-trapping strategy to extract isolated Mo atom from the amorphous MoOx -decorated CoSe2 (a-MoOx @CoSe2 ) pre-catalyst into Co-based oxyhydroxide (Mo-CoOOH) through an ultra-fast self-reconstruction process during the OER process. This conceptual advance has been validated by operando characterizations, which reveals that the initially rapid Mo leaching can expedite the dynamic reconstruction of pre-catalyst, and simultaneously trap Mo species in high oxidation state into the lattice of in situ generated CoOOH support. Impressively, the OER kinetics of CoOOH has been greatly accelerated after the reverse decoration of Mo species, in which the Mo-CoOOH affords a markedly decreased overpotential of 297 mV at the current density of 100 mA cm-2 . Density functional theory (DFT) calculations demonstrate that the Co species have been greatly activated via the effective electron coupling with Mo species in high oxidation state. These findings open new avenues toward directly synthesizing atomically dispersed electrocatalysts for high-efficiency water splitting.

Efficacy and safety of single-dose antiviral drugs for influenza treatment: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.

To conduct network meta-analysis (NMA) of clinical efficacy and safety of single-dose antiviral drugs, grouped by dosage, in treatment of influenza. Systematic retrievals were conducted in databases, including Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, the Cochrane Register of Clinical Trials and from the website ClinicalTrials.gov, for clinical trials recorded between the interception of the databases and March 31, 2021. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of influenza treatment in which single-dose antiviral drugs were administered were selected according to preset inclusion and exclusion criteria by two researchers who screened the literature independently from each other. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the Cochrane bias risk assessment tool. Software such as Stata 16.0 and Review Manager 5.3 was adopted for statistical analysis. Pairwise meta-analysis and NMA were carried out under the random-effects model. For both binary and continuous variables, odds ratio (OR), mean difference (MD) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used to rank treatment efficiencies and analyze the differences. A total of 12 RCTs involving 7296 participants were included in the analysis. According to the NMA results, peramivir 300 mg (MD = -17.68, 95% CI: [-34.05, -1.32]), peramivir 600 mg (MD = -16.15, 95% CI: [-29.35, -2.95]), baloxavir (MD = -14.67, 95% CI: [-26.75, -2.58]) and laninamivir 40 mg (MD = -12.42, 95% CI: [-22.53, -2.31]) remarkably outperformed laninamivir 20 mg in time to alleviation of symptoms (TTAS). However, no intervention statistically outperform others in antipyretic time, virus titer variations against the baseline 24 and 48 h after medication and adverse events (AEs). The efficacy rankings were: peramivir 300 mg (the surface under the cumulative ranking curve [SUCRA] = 80.3%) > peramivir 600 mg (SUCRA = 76.2%) > baloxavir (SUCRA = 68.4%) > laninamivir 40 mg (SUCRA = 55.0%) > laninamivir 20 mg (SUCRA = 16.6%) for TTAS; baloxavir (SUCRA = 76.3%) > peramivir 600 mg (SUCRA = 67.8%) > laninamivir 40 mg (SUCRA = 47.2%) > laninamivir 20 mg (SUCRA = 40.0%) for antipyretic time; baloxavir (SUCRA = 96.7%) > peramivir 300 mg (SUCRA = 64.5%) ≈ peramivir 600 mg (SUCRA = 63.2%), baloxavir (SUCRA = 93.2%) > peramivir 600 mg (SUCRA = 64.0%) ≈ peramivir 300 mg (SUCRA = 55.0%), for virus titer variations against the baseline 24 and 48 h after medication, respectively; and baloxavir (SUCRA = 83.4%) > peramivir 300 mg (SUCRA = 71.4%) > laninamivir 20 mg (SUCRA = 62.4%) > peramivir 600 mg (SUCRA = 56.2%) > laninamivir 40 mg (SUCRA = 36.8%) for adverse events. Among the single-dose anti-influenza virus drugs compared, peramivir is superior to baloxavir and laninamivir in TTAS, whereas baloxavir has the best efficacy in antipyretic time, virus titer variations against the baseline 24 and 48 h after medication and AEs. This study has been registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO), with a registration number of CRD42021238220.

Multiparametric quantitative MRI for the evaluation of dysthyroid optic neuropathy.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the ability of quantitative MRI parameters for predicting dysthyroid optic neuropathy (DON). METHODS: We retrospectively collected and analyzed the clinical features and 3.0 T MRI data of 59 patients with Graves orbitopathy (GO), with (n = 26) and without DON (n = 33). We compared MRI quantitative parameters, including the modified muscle index (mMI), proptosis, volume of intra-orbital fat, mean apparent diffusion coefficient value, and T2 value of the optic nerve among patients with and without DON. A logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the risk factors associated with DON. Moreover, we performed a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis and decision curve analysis to evaluate the diagnostic performance of the identified parameters for DON. RESULTS: We studied 118 orbits (43 and 75 with and without DON, respectively). The mMI and mean T2 value of the optic nerve were significantly greater in orbits with DON (p < 0.001). A greater mMI at 21 mm (odds ratio (OR), 1.039; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.019, 1.058) and higher mean T2 value of the optic nerve (OR, 1.035; 95% CI: 1.017, 1.054) were associated with a higher risk of DON. A model combining the mMI at 21 mm and mean T2 values for the optic nerve effectively predicted DON in patients with GO, with a sensitivity and specificity of 95.3% and 76%, respectively. CONCLUSION: A quantitative MRI parameter combining the mMI at 21 mm and mean T2 value of the optic nerve can be an effective imaging marker for identifying DON. KEY POINTS: • Patients with GO and DON had greater mMI than those without DON. • Optic nerves in patients with DON demonstrated an increased T2 value. • The quantitative MRI parameter combining the mMI at 21 mm and mean T2 value of the optic nerve is the most effective method for diagnosing DON.

Genome-wide analysis of BURP genes and identification of a BURP-V gene RcBURP4 in Rosa chinensis.

KEY MESSAGE: Nine RcBURPs have been identified in Rosa chinensis, and overexpression of RcBURP4 increased ABA, NaCl sensitivity, and drought tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis. BURP proteins are unique to plants and may contribute greatly to growth, development, and stress responses of plants. Despite the vital role of BURP proteins, little is known about these proteins in rose (Rosa spp.). In the present study, nine genes belonging to the BURP family in R. chinensis were identified using multiple bioinformatic approaches against the rose genome database. The nine RcBURPs, with diverse structures, were located on all chromosomes of the rose genome, except for Chr2 and Chr3. Phylogenic analysis revealed that these RcBURPs can be classified into eight subfamilies, including BNM2-like, PG1ß-like, USP-like, RD22-like, BURP-V, BURP-VI, BURP-VII, and BURP-VIII. Conserved motif and exon-intron analyses indicated a conserved pattern within the same subfamily. The presumed cis-regulatory elements (CREs) within the promoter region of each RcBURP were analyzed and the results showed that all RcBURPs contained different types of CREs, including abiotic stress-, light response-, phytohormones response-, and plant growth and development-related CREs. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that a BURP-V member, RcBURP4, was induced in rose leaves and roots under mild and severe drought treatments. We then overexpressed RcBURP4 in Arabidopsis and examined its role under abscisic acid (ABA), NaCl, polyethylene glycol (PEG), and drought treatments. Nine stress-responsive genes expression were changed in RcBURP4-overexpressing leaves and roots. Furthermore, RcBURP4-silenced rose plants exhibited decreased tolerance to dehydration. The results obtained from this study provide the first comprehensive overview of RcBURPs and highlight the importance of RcBURP4 in rose plant.

Quantification of 3-bromopyruvate in rat plasma by HPLC-MS/MS employing precolumn derivatization and the application to a pharmacokinetics study.

A simple high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) method has been developed for the determination of 3-bromopyruvate (3-BrPA) in rat plasma for the first time. The analytes were separated on a C18 column (100 × 2.1 mm, 1.7 µm) and a triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry equipped with an electrospray ionization source was applied for detection. 3-BrPA was extracted from rat plasma with protein precipitation, and then derivatized with 4-nitro-1,2-phenylenediamine to obtain the mass signal because 3-BrPA could not be detected in mass spectrometry. The method was fully validated according to the US Food and Drug Administration guidance. The method was linear over the concentration range 0.5-1,000.0 ng/ml for 3-BrPA. The precision and accuracy, extraction recovery, and matrix effect were within acceptable limits. The method was then applied to support a pharmacokinetic study after 3-BrPA and 3-BrPA-l-Val-l-Ile (a dipeptide prodrug of 3-BrPA, 3-BrPA-l-Valine-l-isoleucine) had been administered to the Sprague-Dawley rats, respectively.

Long-term exposure to microplastics induces intestinal function dysbiosis in rare minnow (Gobiocypris rarus).

Microplastics are ubiquitous in the natural environment, especially in waters, and their potential impact is also a key issue of concern. In this study, we used 1 µm, 1000 µg/L, polystyrene (PS-MPs) particles to analyze the effects after exposure for 14 and 28 days in rare minnow (Gobiocypris rarus). Results indicated that PS-MPs induce structural alterations in the intestinal tissue, including epithelial damage, villi damage and the inflammatory cell infiltration, while the changes were severer after exposure for 28 days. Polystyrene microplastics also significantly increased the activities of catalase (CAT, increased 142 % and 385 % in 14d and 28d), superoxide dismutase (SOD, increased 17.76 % and 23.43 % in the 14d and 28d) and the content of malondialdehyde (MDA, increased 14.5 % and 442 % in the 14d and 28d), glutathione (GSH, increased 146 % and 298 % in the 14d and 28d). The results not only showed the characterization of gut microbial communities in rare minnow, but also indicated that microbial diversity and composition were altered in gut of fish exposed to PS-MPs. In the control groups, Proteobacteria (31.36-54.54 %), Actinobacteriota (39.99-52.54 %), Fusobacteriota (1.43-1.78 %), Bacteriadota (0.31-0.57 %) were the four dominant bacterial phyla in the intestinal of rare minnow. After exposure to microplastics, In the gut microbiota, the proportion of Proteobacteria increased 9.27 % and 30 % with exposure time, while Actinobacteria decreased 37.89 % and significantly different after 28 days. In addition, metabolomic analysis suggested that exposure to PS-MPs induced alterations of metabolic profiles in rare minnow and differential metabolites were involved in energy metabolism, inflammatory responsible secretion, oxidative stress, nucleotide and its metabolomics. In conclusion, our findings suggest that long-term exposure to microplastics could induce intestinal inflammation, oxidative stress, microbiota dysbiosis and metabolic disorder in rare minnow, and the alterations and severity were exacerbated by prolonged exposure. This study has extended our cognition of the toxicity of polystyrene, and enriched theoretical data for exploring the toxicological mechanism of microplastics.

Exploration of a ternary deep eutectic solvent for the efficient extraction of plantamajoside, acteoside, quercetin and kaempferol from Plantago asiatica L.

INTRODUCTION: In the present study, ternary deep eutectic solvent-based ultrasound-assisted extraction was developed for the efficient extraction of plantamajoside, acteoside, quercetin and kaempferol from Plantago asiatica L. METHODOLOGY: Six kinds of choline chloride-based ternary deep eutectic solvents (TDESs) were prepared as potential extraction solutions. In order to obtain optimal extraction efficiency, a series of extraction conditions were investigated by single-factor test and orthogonal test. RESULTS: The extraction efficiency of choline chloride/lactic acid/ethylene glycol (ChCl-LA-EG) was much higher than that of other TDESs. ChCl-LA-EG-11 synthesised with choline chloride, lactic acid and ethylene glycol (1:4:2) was considered to have a higher extraction efficiency. The optimal ultrasound-assisted extraction conditions were as follows: water content in ChCl-LA-EG-11, 50%; extraction temperature, 70°C; ratio of solid/liquid, 20 mg/mL; ultrasonic power, 60 W; extraction time, 35 min; pH of the solution, 8. Under the optimal extraction conditions, the extraction efficiencies of plantamajoside, acteoside, quercetin and kaempferol were 3.83 ± 0.41, 4.23 ± 0.45, 0.56 ± 0.15 and 0.19 ± 0.08 mg/g, respectively. The extraction efficiency of the total target components was 9.21 ± 0.63 mg/g, which was much higher than that of conventional solvents (water, methanol, ethanol, 50% methanol, 50% ethanol). The target components were isolated efficiently from the TDES solution by an AB-8 macroporous resin column with a recovery rate of 95.6%. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that TDESs possessed excellent physical and chemical properties and had enormous potential for active component extraction of traditional Chinese medicinal materials.

Physiological Characteristic Changes and Full-Length Transcriptome of Rose (Rosa chinensis) Roots and Leaves in Response to Drought Stress.

Rose (Rosa chinensis) is the most important ornamental crops worldwide. However, the physiological and molecular mechanism of rose under drought stress remains elusive. In this study, we analyzed the changes of photosynthetic and phytohormone levels in the leaves and roots of rose seedlings grown under control (no drought), mild drought (MD) and severe drought stress. The total chlorophyll content and water use efficiency were significantly enhanced under MD in rose leaves. In addition, the concentration of ABA was higher in the leaves compared to the roots, whereas the roots accumulated more IAA, methylindole-3-acetic acid and indole-3-propionic acid. We also constructed the first full-length transcriptome for rose, and identified 96,201,862 full-length reads of average length 1,149 bp that included 65,789 novel transcripts. A total of 3,657 and 4,341 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in rose leaves and roots respectively. KEGG pathway analysis showed enrichment of plant hormone, signal transduction and photosynthesis are among the DEGs. 42,544 alternatively spliced isoforms were also identified, and alternative 3' splice site was the major alternative splicing (AS) event among the DEGs. Variations in the AS patterns of three genes between leaves and roots indicated the possibility of tissue-specific posttranscriptional regulation in response to drought stress. Furthermore, 2,410 novel long non-coding RNAs were detected that may participate in regulating the drought-induced DEGs. Our findings identified previously unknown splice sites and new genes in the rose transcriptome, and elucidated the drought stress-responsive genes as well as their intricate regulatory networks.

Analysis of the thaumatin-like genes of Rosa chinensis and functional analysis of the role of RcTLP6 in salt stress tolerance.

MAIN CONCLUSION: A total of 27 rose thaumatin-like protein (TLP) genes were identified from the rose genome through bioinformatics analyses. RcTLP6 was found to confer salinity stress tolerance in rose. Thaumatin-like proteins (TLPs) play critical roles in regulating many biological processes, including abiotic and biotic stress responses in plants. Here, we conducted a genome-wide screen of TLPs in rose (Rosa chinensis) and identified 27 RcTLPs. The identified RcTLPs, as well as other TLPs from six different plant species, were placed into nine groups based on a phylogenetic analysis. An analysis of the intron-exon structures of the TLPs revealed a high degree of similarity. RcTLP genes were found on all chromosomes except for chromosome four. Cis-regulatory elements (CEs) were identified in the promoters of all RcTLPs, including CEs associated with growth, development and hormone-responsiveness, as well as abiotic and biotic responses, indicating they play diverse roles in rose. Transcriptomics analysis revealed that RcTLPs had tissue-specific expression patterns, and several root-preferential RcTLPs were responsive to drought and salinity stress. Quantitative PCR analysis of six RcTLPs under ABA, PEG and NaCl treatment confirmed the differentially expressed genes identified in the transcriptomics experiment. In addition, silencing RcTLP6 in rose leaves led to decreased tolerance to salinity stress. We also screened proteins which may interact with RcTLP6 to understand its biological roles. This study represents the first report of the TLP gene family in rose and expands the current understanding of the role that RcTLP6 plays in salt tolerance. These findings lay a foundation for future utilization of RcTLPs to improve rose abiotic stress tolerance.

A High Strength but Fast Fracture-Self-Healing Thermoplastic Elastomer.

Herein, a new type of healable thermoplastic poly(urethane-urea) (PUU) elastomer with a unique dual dynamic network structure consisting of multi-strength hydrogen bonds and aromatic disulfide bonds, is designed and synthesized. The resultant PUU elastomer exhibits high tensile strength (41 MPa), great toughness (104 MJ m-3 ), and excellent self-healing capability (completely severes, heals at 60 ℃ for just 1 h, and recovers more than 80% of the original tensile strength). Although the PUU possesses high-density hydrogen bonds, it is completely homogeneous without micro-phase separation. The unique dual dynamic network structure alleviates the adverse effects of strong molecular interactions on self-healing process, simultaneously endowing the polymer with outstanding mechanical properties and excellent self-healing capability at mild temperature. In addition, the underlying mechanism between performance and structure is revealed. The PUU has potential applications in soft robots and wearable electronics.