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The isolation and subsequent molecular analysis of extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from patient samples is a widely used strategy to understand vesicle biology and to facilitate biomarker discovery. Expressed prostatic secretions in urine are a tumor proximal fluid that has received significant attention as a source of potential prostate cancer (PCa) biomarkers for use in liquid biopsy protocols. Standard EV isolation methods like differential ultracentrifugation (dUC) co-isolate protein contaminants that mask lower-abundance proteins in typical mass spectrometry (MS) protocols. Further complicating the analysis of expressed prostatic secretions, uromodulin, also known as Tamm-Horsfall protein (THP), is present at high concentrations in urine. THP can form polymers that entrap EVs during purification, reducing yield. Disruption of THP polymer networks with dithiothreitol (DTT) can release trapped EVs, but smaller THP fibres co-isolate with EVs during subsequent ultracentrifugation. To resolve these challenges, we describe here a dUC method that incorporates THP polymer reduction and alkaline washing to improve EV isolation and deplete both THP and other common protein contaminants. When applied to human expressed prostatic secretions in urine, we achieved relative enrichment of known prostate and prostate cancer-associated EV-resident proteins. Our approach provides a promising strategy for global proteomic analyses of urinary EVs.

为探索食用葵花籽清选、分级、选种、定价的理论依据，完善建立葵花籽的离散元法分析模型，对食用葵花籽的主要尺寸及均齐性进行了分析。选择内蒙古自治区主栽的3个品种食用葵花籽（1013、SH361、SH363）为研究对象，使用统计学方法，以籽粒的三轴尺寸(长度、宽度、厚度)、平均径（算术平均径、几何平均径）、百粒重为指标，分析葵花籽三轴尺寸的统计分布特性、均齐性以及平均径与百粒重的关系，并按宽度对葵花籽进行了清选分级试验。结果表明：不同品种葵花籽的三轴尺寸均服从正态分布并存在线性相关，且总体上存在显著性差异；葵花籽的均齐性存在差异且其几何平均径、算术平均径与百粒重的变化趋势一致；1013品种选用圆孔筛10 mm和8 mm规格，SH361和SH363品种选用圆孔筛10 mm和8.5 mm规格时，分级效果满足要求。In order to explore the theoretical basis for cleaning, grading, selection, pricing of sunflower seeds, and improve the discrete component analysis model of sunflower seeds, the main dimensions and homogeneity of edible sunflower seeds were analyzed. The three typical edible sunflower seeds (1013, SH361, SH363) planted in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region were used as research objects, and the statistical distribution characteristics of the three-axis sizes, homogeneity and relationship between average diameter and hundred-grain weight of the sunflower seeds were analyzed with the three-axis size(length, width and thickness), mean size(geometric mean diameter, arithmetic mean diameter) and hundred-grain weight as indexes. The width grading test of sunflower seeds was carried out. The results showed that the three-axis sizes of different varieties of sunflower seeds followed a normal distribution and were linearly correlated with significant differences in general. The homogeneity of sunflower seeds was different, and its geometric mean diameter, arithmetic mean diameter and hundred-grain weight had the same changing trend. When round hole sieves of 10 mm and 8 mm were used for 1013, and round hole sieves of 10 mm and 8.5 mm were used for SH361 and SH363, the grading effect could meet the requirement.

Gallic acid (GA) is a common phenolic acid that is widely used as an antibacterial agent in the food industry. In order to increase its applicability, this study investigated the antibacterial effects and mechanisms of GA on Escherichia coli O157:H7 (E. coli O157:H7) after UV-C light treatment combined with photodynamic therapy. This study evaluated the photodynamic effects of GA after UV-C irradiation (UVC-GA) based on changes in substances and ROS generation. Using E. coli O157:H7 as a model bacterium, the antibacterial effects were evaluated from various aspects, including MIC, MBC, time-kill curve, cell membrane damage, DNA damage, protein damage, motility changes, biofilm formation, and activity. In addition, the antibacterial mechanisms were further investigated by combining RT-qPCR analysis of gene expression. The results of this study demonstrated that GA has the ability to exert photodynamic effects, even after the removal of the UV-C light source, and can effectively reduce the number of viable E. coli O157:H7 cells. Moreover, UVC-GA caused significant damage to the cell membrane, DNA, and proteins, and according to the RT-qPCR results, the antibacterial mechanisms of UVC-GA and GA on E. coli O157:H7 were completely different. Based on the above results, food-sterilizing detergents can be developed and applied to contaminated oyster to provide an effective food cleaning effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Accurately stratifying patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is very important, and traditional risk scores still have internal heterogeneity. This study aimed to construct a risk stratification model that can accurately identify clinical worsening (CW) events in conventional low‐intermediate risk patients with pulmonary hypertension under targeted drug treatment by using echocardiographic parameters. Methods: This study is a single‐center, prospective study, including 105 PAH patients who underwent regular follow‐up at Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital from October 2021 to April 2023. The primary endpoint was the occurrence of CW, including death, hospitalization due to pulmonary hypertension, escalation of targeted drug therapy, and worsening of PAH. The predictive value of the echocardiography‐based three‐strata risk model was assessed using Kaplan‐Meier curves and COX regression analysis. Results: A total of 98 PAH patients were ultimately included in this study. The median follow‐up duration was 26 months (range 7–28 months). The echocardiography‐based three‐strata model included the ratio of tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion and pulmonary artery systolic pressure (TAPSE/PASP) and inferior vena cava (IVC). The echocardiography‐based three‐strata model had higher diagnostic value (C‐index =.76) compared to the 2022 ESC/ERS three‐strata model and four‐strata model (C‐index =.66 and C‐index =.61, respectively). PAH patients with lower TAPSE/PASP and wider IVC showed a higher CW rate compared to patients with higher TAPSE/PASP and normal IVC (HR = 15.1, 95%CI:4.4‐51.9, p <.001). Conclusion: The echocardiography‐based three‐strata model based on TAPSE/PASP and IVC can effectively improve the stratification of low‐intermediate risk PAH patients under targeted treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundAs an excellent nondestructive testing technology, cold neutron radiography is widely employed to image materials of interest in many basic and application research fields. One of key components of such device is the neutron sensitive scintillation screen. Normally, these screens are made up of scintillation or phosphor powder mixed with/without neutron sensing isotopes, such as 6LiF:ZnS(Ag) and Gd2O2S:Tb. Uniform scintillation screens are very difficult to make a trade-off between spatial resolution and neutron detection efficiency. Recently a new type of micro-structural scintillation screens has been proposed, which is expected to have higher spatial resolution while maintaining higher neutron detection efficiency. Following this idea, a scintillation screen has been proposed, developed, and studied by our group.PurposeThis study aims to develop a new type of scintillation screens based on a glass capillary array filled with scintillation powders to achieve high spatial resolution and neutron detection efficiency.MethodsFirst of all, a neutron sensing scintillation screen was made by filling very fine grinded Gd2O2S:Tb phosphor powder into glass capillary arrays. Three main steps, i.e. the phosphor powder grinding, the particle size screening, and the vacuum suction filtration process, were taken making such screens. Then, photographs of Gd2O2S:Tb phosphor before and after grinding were taken with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) to examine the filling efficiency of scintillation powder in the glass capillary arrays. Finally, experimental test of spatial resolution of such scintillation screens was carried out by using an optical system to read out the scintillation light emitted by the screen, and a Siemens Star neutron test target to characterize the screens' spatial resolution with cold neutrons.ResultsX-ray luminescence spectra show that the grinding process reduces the light yield of the phosphor. The filling efficiency of scintillation powder in the glass capillary arrays is up to 70%. The cold neutron imaging system with developed scintillation screen achieves spatial resolution of about 300 μm@CTF=3% by experimental test.ConclusionsAlthough the new neutron sensing scintillation screen is still under-developing and there are still some problems to be overcome, cold neutron imaging scintillation screen based on glass capillary array filled with Gd2O2S:Tb phosphor, proposed in this study, can be used to achieve high spatial resolution and neutron detection efficiency with advantages of low cost and simple fabrication process.