Probing the ionic structure of FLiNaK-ZrF salt mixtures by solid-state NMR.

In this study, by applying F, Na and Li high-resolution NMR methods, the evolution of the [Zr F ] local ionic structures in FLiNaK-ZrF salt mixtures were elucidated. KZrF, NaZrF and NaZrF crystal phases were identified when the melt salts were being solidified. The distribution of these [Zr F ] species was dependent on the content of ZrF in FLiNaK eutectic salts.

Associations between maternal obesity and offspring gut microbiome in the first year of life.

Background: Maternal obesity is an important determinant of offspring obesity risk, which may be mediated via changes in the infant microbiome.

Objectives: We examined infant faecal microbiome, short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), and maternal human milk oligosaccharides (HMO) in mothers with overweight/obese body mass index (BMI) (OW) compared with normal weight (NW) (Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01131117).

circ_0085296 inhibits the biological functions of trophoblast cells to promote the progression of preeclampsia via the miR-942-5p/THBS2 network.

Insufficient invasion of trophoblast cells is one of the important causes of preeclampsia (PE). Circular RNA (circRNA) has been proven to regulate the biological functions of trophoblast cells and mediate the progression of PE. The expression of circ_0085296, microRNA (miR)-942-5p, and thrombospondin 2 (THBS2) was detected by quantitative real-time PCR.

Freestanding Helical Nanostructured Chiro-Photonic Crystal Film and Anticounterfeiting Label Enabled by a Cholesterol-Grafted Light-Driven Molecular Motor.

Design and fabrication of freestanding chiro-photonic crystal film with the ability to change color over the whole visible light spectrum is appealing for anticounterfeiting technology and smart labels. Utilizing a newly synthesized light-responsive molecular motor functionalized with cholesterol (chol-MM) on the rotor, novel light-controlled photonic crystal is prepared by doping the novel chol-MM into liquid crystals (LCs). Thanks to the liquid crystalline cholesterol substituent, the chol-MM can be triggered by visible light (420 nm).

Reprogrammable Humidity-Driven Liquid Crystalline Polymer Actuator Enabled by Dynamic Ionic Bonds.

Liquid crystalline polymer (LCP) is a promising candidate in the design and fabrication of intelligent soft materials due to the combination of programmable anisotropy and elasticity. Here, a novel strategy to fabricate reprogrammable humidity-responsive LCP materials enabled by dynamic ionic cross-links were put forward. The prepared LCP film deforms reversibly with the change of relative humidity (RH).

Humidity-Responsive Photonic Crystals with pH and SO Gas Detection Ability Based on Cholesteric Liquid Crystalline Networks.

Dynamic photonic crystals with tunable structural colors have been a hot topic in the research of anticounterfeiting devices, decoration, and detection. In this work, we prepared cholesteric liquid crystalline network (CLCN)-based photonic crystals that present humidity- and SO gas-responsive behaviors. The covalently cross-linked CLCN film presents humidity-responsive color changes due to the swelling/deswelling of the matrix under different humidity conditions.

RNA sequencing analysis of hepatocellular carcinoma identified oxidative phosphorylation as a major pathologic feature.

Dysregulation of expression of functional genes and pathways plays critical roles in the etiology and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Next generation-based RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) offers unparalleled power to comprehensively characterize HCC at the whole transcriptome level. In this study, 17 fresh-frozen HCC samples with paired non-neoplastic liver tissue from Caucasian patients undergoing liver resection or transplantation were used for RNA-seq analysis.

The Effects of Fucoidan Dietary Supplementation on Growth Performance, Serum Antioxidant Capacity, Immune Function Indices and Intestinal Morphology in Weaned Kids.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of fucoidan dietary supplementation on growth performance, organs’ relative weight, serum anti-oxidation markers, immune function indices and intestinal morphology in weaned kids. A total of 60 2-month-old weaned castrated male kids (Chuanzhong black goat) were used for this 30-day experiment and randomly allocated to four groups. The control group (CON) fed a basal diet, while the other three groups were provided with the same diet further supplemented with fucoidan at 0.

Partial Restoration of Spinal Cord Neural Continuity Sural Nerve Transplantation Using a Technique of Spinal Cord Fusion.

Background: Spinal cord injury (SCI) can cause paralysis and serious chronic morbidity, and there is no effective treatment. Based on our previous experimental results of spinal cord fusion (SCF) in mice, rats, beagles, and monkeys, we developed a surgical protocol of SCF for paraplegic human patients. We designed a novel surgical procedure of SCF, called sural nerve transplantation (SNT), for human patients with lower thoracic SCI and distal cord dysfunction.

Seasonal COVID-19 surge related hospital volumes and case fatality rates.

Background: Seasonal and regional surges in COVID-19 have imposed substantial strain on healthcare systems. Whereas sharp inclines in hospital volume were accompanied by overt increases in case fatality rates during the very early phases of the pandemic, the relative impact during later phases of the pandemic are less clear. We sought to characterize how the 2020 winter surge in COVID-19 volumes impacted case fatality in an adequately-resourced health system.

Expression Profile Analysis to Identify Circular RNA Expression Signatures in the Prolificacy Trait of Yunshang Black Goat Pituitary in the Estrus Cycle.

The pituitary gland is an important organ. It is a complex area of the brain involved in endocrine function and reproductive regulation. However, the function of the pituitary in goat reproduction is still unclear.

Intermittent administration of tacrolimus enhances anti-tumor immunity in melanoma-bearing mice.

One key reason for T cell exhaustion is continuous antigen exposure. Early exhausted T cells can reverse exhaustion and differentiate into fully functional memory T cells if removed from persisting antigen stimulation. Therefore, this study viewed T cell exhaustion as an over-activation status induced by chronic antigen stimuli.

Tunable Circularly Polarized Luminescence with a High Dissymmetry Factor Emitted from Luminogen-Bonded and Electrically Controlled Polymer-Stabilized Cholesteric Liquid Crystals.

Circularly polarized luminescence (CPL)-active materials with high dissymmetry factor () values show great potential in photonic devices. In this study, electric-field-driven systems with tunable CPL signals are successfully fabricated based on polymer-stabilized cholesteric liquid crystal (PSChLC) doping by fluorescent molecules. By constructing a gradient helical superstructure of PSChLCs, distinctive CPL emission from two sides of a single sample is realized, in which the || values were measured to be 0.

Reduction of ROS-HIF1α-driven glycolysis by taurine alleviates infection.

Antibiotic-resistant strains of () frequently cause clinical mastitis in dairy cows resulting in enormous economic losses. The regulation of immunometabolism is a promising strategy for controlling this bacterial infection. To investigate whether taurine alleviates infection by the regulation of host glycolysis HIF1α, the murine mammary epithelial cell line (EpH4-Ev) and C57BL/6J mice were challenged with Our data indicate that HIF1α-driven glycolysis promotes inflammation and damage in response to the challenge.

Suture Tape Augmentation in Lateral Ankle Ligament Surgery: Current Concepts Review.

Chronic lateral ankle instability (CLAI) is a condition that is characterized by persistent disability and recurrent ankle sprains while encompassing both functional and mechanical (laxity) instability. Failure of conservative treatment for CLAI often necessitates operative intervention to restore the stability of the ankle joint. The traditional or modified Broström techniques have been the gold standard operative approaches to address CLAI with satisfactory results; however, patients with generalized ligament laxity (GLL), prior unsuccessful repair, high body mass index, or high-demand athletes may experience suboptimal outcomes.

Improved Genomic Identification, Clustering, and Serotyping of Shiga Toxin-Producing Using Cluster/Serotype-Specific Gene Markers.

Shiga toxin-producing (STEC) have more than 470 serotypes. The well-known STEC O157:H7 serotype is a leading cause of STEC infections in humans. However, the incidence of non-O157:H7 STEC serotypes associated with foodborne outbreaks and human infections has increased in recent years.

Horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance genes within the bacterial communities in aquacultural environment.

Very little is known about how microbiome interactions shape the horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance genes in aquacultural environment. To this end, we first conducted 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing to monitor the dynamics of bacterial community compositions in one shrimp farm from 2019 to 2020. Next, co-occurrence analysis was then conducted to reveal the interactions network between Vibrio spp.

Identification of and Variants Led to the Diagnosis of Persistent Müllerian Duct Syndrome in Three Cases.

Persistent Müllerian duct syndrome (PMDS) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder of sexual development in males, defined by the presence of Müllerian remnants with otherwise normal sexual differentiation. Mutations in anti-Müllerian hormone () and AMH receptor type 2 () genes are the main causes of PMDS. In this study, we performed molecular genetic analysis of 11 unrelated cryptorchidism patients using whole-exome sequencing and classified the variants.

expression defines a subpopulation of cells with chondrogenic potentials in E12.5 mouse embryonic limbs.

Growth differentiation factor 5 () and doublecortin () genes are both expressed in joint interzone cells during synovial joint development. In this study, we re-analyzed the single cell RNA-sequencing data (Gene Expression Omnibus GSE151985) generated from cells of mouse knee joints at embryonic stages of E12.5, E13.

Heteroaggregation between graphene oxide and titanium dioxide particles of different shapes in aqueous phase.

Graphene oxide (GO) inevitably interacts with engineered and/or natural nanoparticles (NPs) after releasing into aquatic environments. It is observed that GO could form heteroaggregates with differently shaped TiO NP at pHs 4.0 and 7.

Circulating long-chain acylcarnitine concentrations are not affected by exercise training in pregnant women with obesity.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of exercise during pregnancy in sedentary women with obesity on longitudinal changes in long-chain acylcarnitine (LC-AC) concentrations. We hypothesized that exercise training would significantly decrease circulating LC-ACs throughout gestation compared with a nonexercise control group. Pregnant women with obesity considered otherwise healthy [ = 80, means ± SD; body mass index (BMI): 36.

Targeting Mitochondrial Metabolism and RNA Polymerase POLRMT to Overcome Multidrug Resistance in Cancer.

Clinically, the prognosis of tumor therapy is fundamentally affected by multidrug resistance (MDR), which is primarily a result of enhanced drug efflux mediated by channels in the membrane that reduce drug accumulation in tumor cells. How to restore the sensitivity of tumor cells to chemotherapy is an ongoing and pressing clinical issue. There is a prevailing view that tumor cells turn to glycolysis for energy supply due to hypoxia.

The Clinical Value of Explainable Deep Learning for Diagnosing Fungal Keratitis Using Confocal Microscopy Images.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has great potential to detect fungal keratitis using confocal microscopy images, but its clinical value remains unclarified. A major limitation of its clinical utility is the lack of explainability and interpretability. An explainable AI (XAI) system based on Gradient-weighted Class Activation Mapping (Grad-CAM) and Guided Grad-CAM was established.

Elamipretide treatment during pregnancy ameliorates the progression of polycystic kidney disease in maternal and neonatal mice with PKD1 mutations.

Pregnancy is proposed to aggravate cyst progression in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) but Tolvaptan, the only FDA-approved drug for adult ADPKD, is not recommended for pregnant ADPKD patients because of potential fetal harm. Since pregnancy itself may increase the risk for ADPKD progression, we investigated the safety and efficacy of Elamipretide, a mitochondrial-protective tetrapeptide. Elamipretide was found to ameliorate the progression of kidney disease in pregnant Pkd1 mice, in parallel with attenuation of ERK1/2 phosphorylation and improvement of mitochondrial supercomplex formation.