Modular Engineering of Lysostaphin with Significantly Improved Stability and Bioavailability for Treating MRSA Infections.

Methicillin-resistant (MRSA) is a refractory pneumonia-causing pathogen due to the antibiotic resistance and the characteristics of persisting inside its host cell. Lysostaphin is a typical bacteriolytic enzyme for degrading bacterial cell walls via hydrolysis of pentaglycine cross-links, showing potential to combat multidrug-resistant bacteria. However, there are still grand challenges for native lysostaphin because of its poor shelf stability and limited bioavailability.

Structural and functional analysis reveals the catalytic mechanism and substrate binding mode of the broad-spectrum endolysin Ply2741.

The emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria has attracted interest in the field of endolysins. Here, we analyzed the diversity of endolysins and identified a new endolysin, Ply2741, that exhibited broad-spectrum bactericidal activity. Our results demonstrated that Ply2741 could effectively eradicate multidrug-resistant gram-positive pathogens and .

Validation Status of Electronic Sphygmomanometers in China: A National Survey.

Background: Although the information on the validation status of electronic sphygmomanometer (ES) devices in use in health care institutions and households is much more clinically relevant than that of ES models available on the market, it remains insufficient.

Methods: A national survey was conducted across all administrative regions of mainland China to assess the validation status of ESs. Fifty-eight cities were selected with stratification by municipality, provincial capital, and other cities, and health care institutions and households in each city were chosen by convenience to identify ES devices in use according to the study protocol.

Aberrant regional neural fluctuations and functional connectivity in insomnia comorbid depression revealed by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging.

Insomnia is a common mental illness seriously affecting people lives, that might progress to major depression. However, the neural mechanism of patients with CID comorbid MDD remain unclear. Combining fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF) and seed-based functional connectivity (FC), this study investigated abnormality in local and long-range neural activity of patients with CID comorbid MDD.

Light-regulated microRNAs shape dynamic gene expression in the zebrafish circadian clock.

A key property of the circadian clock is that it is reset by light to remain synchronized with the day-night cycle. An attractive model to explore light input to the circadian clock in vertebrates is the zebrafish. Circadian clocks in zebrafish peripheral tissues and even zebrafish-derived cell lines are entrainable by direct light exposure thus providing unique insight into the function and evolution of light regulatory pathways.

Low-Dose Oral Ginger Improves Daily Symptom Scores in Asthma.

A significant number of individuals with asthma have poorly controlled daily symptoms and utilize dietary supplements such as ginger in a quest for improved symptom control; however, its effectiveness at improving the control of symptoms is unproven. We questioned whether low-dose oral ginger would improve subjective and objective measurements of asthma control in mild-to-moderate asthmatics. We performed a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded study of a low dose (1 g twice daily) of a dietary supplement of ginger in 32 mild-to-moderate uncontrolled asthmatics over a 2-month trial period while maintaining daily conventional asthma therapies.

Glymphatic system dysfunction in epilepsy related to focal cortical dysplasia and its relationship with antiseizure medication response.

Purpose: Glymphatic function has not been explored in patients with focal cortical dysplasia (FCD)-related epilepsy. This study aimed to investigate the glymphatic system's involvement in these patients and to evaluate its correlation with response patterns to different antiseizure medications (ASMs) using diffusion tensor imaging along the perivascular space (DTI-ALPS).

Methods: Fifty-two patients with FCD-related epilepsy (10 with drug-responsive epilepsy and 42 with drug-resistant epilepsy) and 24 healthy controls (HC) were included.

Proteomic study of the inhibitory effects of tannic acid on MRSA biofilm.

Introduction: The mechanism of tannic acid (TA) intervention on methicillin-resistant (MRSA, USA 300) biofilm formation was explored using proteomics.

Methods: The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of TA against the MRSA standard strain USA 300 was determined by two-fold serial dilution of the microbroth. The effects of TA were studied using crystal violet staining.

More trust in networks, more secure keys.

A novel continuous-variable quantum passive optical network is proposed in which a user can increase their key rate by trusting other users. This is because the keys, which would be discarded to remove correlations with untrusted users, can be retained when the users are trusted. It provides a new perspective for enhancing network performance.

MTFAP: a comprehensive platform for predicting and analyzing master transcription factors.

Master transcription factors (MTFs) activate gene expression in pluripotent embryonic stem cells (ESCs) by binding to enhancers and super-enhancers, which precisely control ESC fate. Compelling evidence reveals a strong correlation between the operation of MTFs and the initiation and progression of cancer. Nevertheless, the challenge of identifying MTFs imposes a barrier for researchers.

Transcriptional landscape and predictive potential of long noncoding RNAs in peritoneal recurrence of gastric cancer.

Background: Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a critical role in gastric cancer (GC) progression and metastasis. However, research comprehensively exploring tissue-derived lncRNAs for predicting peritoneal recurrence in patients with GC remains limited. This study aims to investigate the transcriptional landscape of lncRNAs in GC with peritoneal metastasis (PM) and to develop an integrated lncRNA-based score to predict peritoneal recurrence in patients with GC after radical gastrectomy.

pH-sensitive chitosan/sodium alginate/calcium chloride hydrogel beads for potential oral delivery of rice bran bioactive peptides.

Although rice bran active peptide (RBAP) has potent antioxidant properties, its practical applications have been limited by its low bioavailability. In this study, we hypothesized that pH-responsive hydrogels prepared from the ionic gelation between chitosan and alginate could be a promising delivery system of short-chain peptides, like RBAP, for protecting them from chemical degradation during digestion and improving their functionality. The hydrogel beads retained RBAP in the gastric environment due to strong interactions between two biopolymers and RBAP, followed by a sustained release of more than 70 % peptide in the intestinal condition, thus improving its gastrointestinal stability.

Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of Ponatinib-based N-Phenylpyrimidine-2-amine derivatives as novel fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 (FGFR4) selective inhibitors.

Fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 (FGFR4) has been proven to be a promising target for FGFR-driven HCC therapy. Great efforts have been devoted to the discovery of FGFR4 inhibitors. In this article, a new class of Ponatinib-based N-phenylpyridine-2-amine derivatives was designed and synthesized as covalent and irreversible FGFR4 selective inhibitors through a rational drug design strategy.

[Soil health evaluation of non-grain cultivated land: A case study of Dongwu Town, Ningbo City, Zhejiang Province, China].

Non-grain utilization of cultivated land threatens farmland ecological environment and soil health, which restricts grain production. To identify the key obstacle factors of cultivated soil under non-grain utilization, explore the changes of soil quality and function, and evaluate the effects of non-grain utilization on the health of farmland soil, we evaluated soil health of farmland under different non-grain utilization types (vegetables, bamboo-abandoned, nursery-grown plant-abandoned, nursery-grown plant-rice) by soil quality index and soil multifunctionality index method combined with sensitivity and resistance approaches. The results showed that soil organic carbon and total nitrogen (TN) in the bamboo-abandoned soil were 95.

Strong Heteroatomic Bond-Induced Confined Restructuring on Ir-Mn Intermetallics Enable Robust PEM Water Electrolyzers.

Low-iridium acid-stabilized electrocatalysts for efficient oxygen evolution reaction (OER) are crucial for the market deployment of proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolysis. Manipulating the in situ reconstruction of Ir-based catalysts with favorable kinetics is highly desirable but remains elusive. Herein, we propose an atomic ordering strategy to modulate the dynamic surface restructuring of catalysts to break the activity/stability trade-off.

In vivo Raman spectroscopy for non-invasive transcutaneous glucose monitoring on animal models and human subjects.

Non-invasive glucose monitoring represents a significant advancement in diabetes management and treatment as non-painful alternatives than finger-sticks tests. After developing an integrated Raman spectral system with a 785 nm laser, this study systematically explores the application of in vivo Raman spectroscopy for quantitative, noninvasive glucose monitoring. In addition to observing characteristic glucose spectral information from a mouse model, a strong spectral correlation was also recognized with the blood glucose concentration.

Novel approach to alleviate lupus nephritis: targeting the NLRP3 inflammasome in CD8CD69CD103 T cells.

Background: Renal CD8 tissue-resident memory T (T) cells display prolonged survival and activity in lupus nephritis (LN), exacerbating renal pathology. NLRP3 regulates the T cell response. This study explored the impact of NLRP3 inflammasome activity on the regulatory functions of T cells in LN.

Modeling and Simulation of Micron Particle Agglomeration in a Turbulent Flow: Impact of Cylindrical Disturbance and Particle Properties.

The fly ash generated by coal combustion is one of the main sources of PM2.5, so the particulate matter removal technology of coal-fired boilers is receiving increasing attention. Turbulent agglomeration has emerged as a powerful tool for improving the efficiency of removing fine particulates from environments, sparking interest in its study.

Interface-aware molecular generative framework for protein-protein interaction modulators.

Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) play a crucial role in numerous biochemical and biological processes. Although several structure-based molecular generative models have been developed, PPI interfaces and compounds targeting PPIs exhibit distinct physicochemical properties compared to traditional binding pockets and small-molecule drugs. As a result, generating compounds that effectively target PPIs, particularly by considering PPI complexes or interface hotspot residues, remains a significant challenge.

Comprehensive analysis of the stress associated protein (SAP) family and the function of PagSAP9 from Populus alba × P. glandulosa in salt stress.

Poplar tree growth is frequently hindered by environmental stressors, particularly soil salinization. Enhancing salt tolerance is essential for improving their adaptability and biomass under these conditions. The Stress-Associated Protein (SAP) family, characterized by A20/AN1 zinc finger domains, plays a crucial role in plants' tolerance to abiotic stress.

Association between red cell distribution width-to-lymphocyte ratio and 30-day mortality in patients with ischemic stroke: a retrospective cohort study.

Objectives: Ischaemic stroke (IS) has become a major health problem globally as it is one of the leading causes of long-term disability and death. This study aimed to evaluate the association between red cell distribution width (RDW) to lymphocyte (LYM) ratio (RLR) and 30-day mortality risk in patients with IS.

Methods: The present study employed a retrospectively cohort study design with the adult data extracted from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC-III, MIMIC-IV) databases between 2001 and 2019.

Efficacy, safety, and biomarker analysis of first-line immune checkpoint inhibitors with chemotherapy versus chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer: a multicenter, retrospective cohort study.

Background: Recent phase III randomized controlled trials have demonstrated that first-line immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) improve prognosis in advanced HER-2-negative gastric cancer patients with programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) combined positive score (CPS) higher than 5. However, these findings are not confirmed in real-world settings, and the benefits in PD-L1 CPS < 5 patients remain controversial.

Methods: In this multicenter, retrospective cohort study, data from across thirteen medical centers were analyzed by inverse probability of treatment weighting for matching, alongside univariate and multivariate COX proportional hazard regression models.

Corrigendum: SERPIND1 affects the malignant biological behavior of epithelial ovarian cancer via the PI3K/AKT pathway: a mechanistic study.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2019.