Host metabolism balances microbial regulation of bile acid signalling.

Metabolites derived from the intestinal microbiota, including bile acids (BA), extensively modulate vertebrate physiology, including development, metabolism, immune responses and cognitive function. However, to what extent host responses balance the physiological effects of microbiota-derived metabolites remains unclear. Here, using untargeted metabolomics of mouse tissues, we identified a family of BA-methylcysteamine (BA-MCY) conjugates that are abundant in the intestine and dependent on vanin 1 (VNN1), a pantetheinase highly expressed in intestinal tissues.

Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction Improves Blood-Brain Barrier Integrity in Acute Traumatic Brain Injury Rats via Regulating Adenosine.

Objective: To explore the neuroprotective effects of Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction (XFZYD) based on in vivo and metabolomics experiments.

Methods: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) was induced via a controlled cortical impact (CCI) method. Thirty rats were randomly divided into 3 groups (10 for each): sham, CCI and XFZYD groups (9 g/kg).

Annealing Effect on Linear and Ultrafast Nonlinear Optical Properties of BiTe Thin Films.

In recent years, the fabrication of materials with large nonlinear optical coefficients and the investigation of methods to enhance nonlinear optical performance have been in the spotlight. Herein, the bismuth telluride (BiTe) thin films were prepared by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering and annealed in vacuum at various temperatures. The structural and optical properties were characterized and analyzed using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, spectroscopic ellipsometry, and UV/VIS/NIR spectrophotometry.

Photothermal-manipulatable shape memory polyacrylamide/gelatin Janus hydrogel with drug carrier array for invasive wound closure and responsive drug release.

Traditional wound closure methods often present several issues, including additional puncture wounds, adverse effects from anesthesia, and noticeable scarring. Inspired by embryonic wound healing, a Janus hydrogel (PG/Au-Asp@PCM) is designed to manipulate non-invasive wound closure by photothermal-responsive self-contraction of PG/Au-Asp@PCM, which is attributed to the shape memory behavior of PG/Au-Asp@PCM under near-infrared (NIR). Wherein, gelatin acts as a thermally reversible "switch" and polyacrylamide creates stable and cross-linked "net-points".

PKM2-mediated STAT3 phosphorylation promotes acute liver failure via regulating NLRP3-dependent pyroptosis.

Acute liver failure (ALF) is a life-threatening clinical syndrome characterized by high-grade inflammation and multi-organ failure. Our previous study shows that targeting the M2 isoform of pyruvate kinase (PKM2) to inhibit macrophage inflammation may be a promising strategy for ALF treatment. however, the mechanism by which PKM2 regulates the inflammatory response is unclear.