Based on high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), nontarget analysis (NTA) can rapidly identify and characterize numerous hazardous substances in complex environmental samples. However, the intricate identification process often results in the underutilization of many mass spectrometry features. Even when chemical structures are identified, their toxicological effects and health outcomes may remain unknown.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe fluorescent silk produced by feeding silkworms with traditional fluorescent dyes is limited in functionality and suffers from fluorescence quenching, rendering it unsuitable for long-term stable performance as a medical implant material in the human body. This work introduces an innovative strategy to develop a novel multifunctional fluorescent silk composite by incorporating quercetin (QR), a naturally occurring molecule with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) characteristics, into the diet of silkworms. Silk derived from QR-fed silkworms presents significant enhancements in fluorescence, antioxidant, and mechanical properties, with the QR-2.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLignin is a crucial component of the cell wall, providing mechanical support and protection against biotic and abiotic stresses. However, little is known about wheat lignin-related mutants and their roles in pathogen defence. Here, we identified an ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS)-derived Aegilops tauschii mutant named brown glume and internode 1 (bgi1), which exhibits reddish-brown pigmentation in various tissues, including internodes, spikes and glumes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGroundwater can be contaminated by PFAS emissions, yet research on the presence and associated risks of PFAS in groundwater underlying different land-use areas remains limited. Herein, high-resolution mass spectrometry-based suspect and nontarget analyses were performed to determine PFAS occurrence in groundwater samples obtained from a rural area, a planting region, and the vicinities of a pharmaceutical park, an airport, and an industrial park in Datong City, China. A total of 31 PFAS (16 emerging and 15 legacy PFAS) were identified, and the ΣPFAS concentrations ranged from 0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFExercise in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) remains a hot topic, although current treatment strategies have not been shown to improve the long-term prognosis of HFpEF. Previous studies have mostly focused on the roles of endurance training; the mechanisms underlying long-term voluntary exercise have not been elucidated. The purpose of the present analysis was to evaluate alterations in cardiac function in HFpEF mice (HFpEF-Sed) after 6 wk of voluntary running (HFpEF-Ex), investigate mechanisms, and compare the effects with fluoxetine (HFpEF-FLX).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNucleosides Nucleotides Nucleic Acids
January 2025
In the early stages, chronic kidney disease (CKD) can be asymptomatic, marking diagnosis difficult. This study aimed to investigate the diagnostic role and potential regulatory mechanisms of nucleolar protein 14 (NOP14) -antisense RNA 1 (AS1) in patients with CKD. Herein, 68 patients with CKD, 65 patients with CKD undergoing peridialysis, and 80 healthy adults were included.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF17-Estradiol (E2) is a natural steroidal estrogen essential for a variety of physiological functions in organisms. However, external E2, which is renowned for its potent biological effects, is also considered to be an endocrine-disrupting compound (EDC) capable of disturbing the normal operation of the endocrine system, even at nanogram-per-liter (ng/L) concentrations. Studies have revealed that medical and livestock wastewater can be contaminated with E2, which poses potential risks to human health.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNeurotoxicity is frequently observed in the global aquatic environment, threatening aquatic ecosystems and human health. However, a very limited proportion of neurotoxic effects (∼1%) has been explained by known chemicals of concern. Here, we integrated machine learning, nontargeted analysis, and in vitro biotesting to identify neurotoxic drivers of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition in estuarine waters along the coast of China.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFKnowledge of the biotransformation of tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) and its related contaminants by human gut microbiota (GM) remains unexplored. Here, TBBPA and its four analogs were incubated with mixed GM strains, and nine rhamnosylated or debrominated transformation products (TPs) were discovered. Remarkably, rhamnosylation was identified as a common and unique microbial transformation pathway for these contaminants, and six of the seven rhamnosylated TPs were reported for the first time.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Adverse cardiovascular events due to radiation-induced heart disease (RIHD) have become the leading cause of death in cancer survivors, and early screening for RIHD has become an important clinical issue. Our objective was to determine the utility of three-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (3D-STE) for detecting RIHD.
Methods: According to inclusion and exclusion criteria, patients with lung cancer who received radiotherapy in our hospital for the first time were recruited as subjects.
Background: Melanoma is a highly invasive skin cancer with limited treatment strategies. Bupivacaine, a commonly used local anesthetic recognized for its safety, has shown promise in combating tumors. 3'-phosphoadenosine 5'-phosphosulfate synthase 2 (PAPSS2) is a key enzyme in the sulfation process and is associated with the development and metastasis of various tumors.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: Hepatic inflammation, the driver of fibrosis progression in liver disease, can impact the accuracy of liver stiffness measurement (LSM). We wondered whether the decline in LSM value during the early antiviral phase was mainly attributed to the control of hepatic inflammation or the regression of fibrosis in patients with fibrotic/cirrhotic chronic hepatitis B (CHB).
Patients And Methods: The study cohort was composed of 82 patients with CHB who underwent antiviral and antifibrotic therapy at the Fifth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital.
Organic contaminants are ubiquitous in the environment, with mounting evidence unequivocally connecting them to aquatic toxicity, illness, and increased mortality, underscoring their substantial impacts on ecological security and environmental health. The intricate composition of sample mixtures and uncertain physicochemical features of potential toxic substances pose challenges to identify key toxicants in environmental samples. Effect-directed analysis (EDA), establishing a connection between key toxicants found in environmental samples and associated hazards, enables the identification of toxicants that can streamline research efforts and inform management action.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe global practice of reusing sewage sludge in agriculture and its landfill disposal reintroduces environmental contaminants, posing risks to human and ecological health. This study screened sewage sludge from 30 Chinese cities for androgen receptor (AR) disruptors, utilizing a disruptor list from the Toxicology in the 21st Century program (Tox21), and identified 25 agonists and 33 antagonists across diverse use categories. Predominantly, natural products 5α-dihydrotestosterone and thymidine emerged as agonists, whereas the industrial intermediate caprolactam was the principal antagonist.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe safety of municipal sewage sludge has raised great concerns because of the accumulation of large-scale endocrine disrupting chemicals in the sludge during wastewater treatment. The presence of contaminants in sludge can cause secondary pollution owing to inappropriate disposal mechanisms, posing potential risks to the environment and human health. Effect-directed analysis (EDA), involving an androgen receptor (AR) reporter gene bioassay, fractionation, and suspect and nontarget chemical analysis, were applied to identify causal AR agonists in sludge; 20 of the 30 sludge extracts exhibited significant androgenic activity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe persistence of HBV covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) and HBV integration into the host genome in infected hepatocytes pose significant challenges to the cure of chronic HBV infection. Although CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing shows promise for targeted clearance of viral genomes, a safe and efficient delivery method is currently lacking. Here, we developed a novel approach by combining light-induced heterodimerization and protein acylation to enhance the loading efficiency of Cas9 protein into extracellular vesicles (EVs).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThere is growing evidence that the transformation products of emerging contaminants in foodstuffs may pose a health risk to humans. However, the exact identities, levels, and estimated dietary intake (EDI) of neonicotinoid transformation products in crops remain poorly understood. We established an extended suspect screening strategy to investigate neonicotinoid insecticides and their transformation products in retail cowpea from 11 cities in Hainan Province, China.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAcute pancreatitis (AP) is a common emergency of the digestive system and serious cases can develop into severe acute pancreatitis (SAP), which ortality rates up to 30%. Sirtuin4 (SIRT4) is a member of the sirtuin family, and plays a key role in inflammation and oxidative stress. However, the potential role of SIRT4 in SAP has yet to be elucidated.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLeaf rust, caused by Puccinia triticina Eriksson (Pt), is one of the most severe foliar diseases of wheat. Breeding for leaf rust resistance is a practical and sustainable method to control this devastating disease. Here, we report the identification of Lr47, a broadly effective leaf rust resistance gene introgressed into wheat from Aegilops speltoides.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCatheter-related infection (CRI) is a major complication in patients undergoing hemodialysis. The lack of high-throughput research on catheter-related microbiota makes it difficult to predict the occurrence of CRI. Thus, this study aimed to delineate the microbial structure and diversity landscape of hemodialysis catheter tips among patients during the perioperative period of kidney transplantation (KTx) and provide insights into predicting the occurrence of CRI.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To assess the association between endocervical adenocarcinoma (ECA) and HPV (Human papillomavirus) infection, as well as the characteristics of ECA distribution in China.
Methods: A total of 756 specimens were collected from seven geographic regions across China. All cases were histologically categorized according to the 2020 WHO classification of female genital tract cancers, and 496 cases were included.