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Glycyrrhiza uralensis has long been used as a flavoring and sweetening agent in food products. In the last ten years, suspensions of Glycyrhiza cells have been successfully established. However, there is no report of full metabolic profiling research on these cells. To identify their composition we used HPLC-DAD coupled with ESI(+/−)-MS to compare the constituents of cultured Glycyrhiza (CG) cells with those the native cells (NG). We identified 60 compounds including flavonoids, phenols, and triterpenoids. Among these compounds, 42 occurred both in NG and CG, nine were present in NG only and nine were present in CG alone. The number of the triterpenoid aglycones without glycones in CG was smaller than that in NG. The number of flavanone, isoflavone, isoflavan, and benzenoid compounds was also smaller in CG than that in NG, whereas the number of pterocarpans was much higher. Although differences existed between CG and NG, the extract of CG was similar to that of NG. With the development of cell suspension culture-based biotransformation, cell culture of Glycyrrhiza has the potential to be more profitable than field cultivation in some areas. [Figure not available: see fulltext.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This work described the graft polymerization of a zwitterionic polymer, [3-(methacryloylamino)propyl]-dimethyl(3-sulfopropyl) ammonium hydroxide (MPDSAH), onto polypropylene non-woven fabric (NWF) membrane via O2 plasma pretreatment and UV-irradiated technique. The surfaces of the modified NWF membranes were principally characterized using attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR-ATR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and static water contact-angle measurement. The wettability was measured by water contact angle and equilibrium water adsorption. It was found that the water contact angles for the membranes decreased from 123° to 17° with increasing grafting density of poly(MPDSAH) from 0 to 349.2μg/cm2, while the equilibrium water adsorption reached a maximum at the grafting density of 120.5μg/cm2. The decreases of protein adsorption and platelet adhesion on the modified membrane revealed the enhancement protein resistance and excellent resistance to platelet adhesion due to the incorporation of zwitterionic poly(MPDSAH). Besides, microfiltration experiments were carried out to test the antifouling properties. Water flux recovery ratio was achieved as high as 90% for the modified membrane with respect to only about 30% for the neat NWF membrane. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Metal ions doped polyoxometalate (POM) microtubes (M–SiW12; M=Zn2+, Cd2+) have been synthesized in aqueous solution by a simple method. The microtubes were characterized by FT-IR, UV/Vis, XPS, elemental analysis, and their morphology was examined by ESEM-FEG. The Zn2+ or Cd2+ doped in POM microtubes were chelated with 8-hydroxyquinoline, to obtain novel POM microtubes (MQ2–SiW12) with fluorescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study explores the potential application of the lactic acid bacteria coated in nanofiber microcapsules. Nanofiber microcapsules loading Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM (L. acidophilus NCFM) were fabricated by electrostatic spinning; the encapsulated efficiency, storage stability, survival in simulated stomach condition, and the stability in water, duodenum stimulated and bile salt of the coated bacteria were determined. The results showed that nanofibers with 209.7 nm mean diameter were produced with 96.7% encapsulation efficiency, and were almost insoluble in water. After 30 d storage at 25 °C, the reduction of L. acidophilus NCFM coated in nanofiber microcapsules was less than that of uncoated L. acidophilus NCFM (0.26 CFU/g vs. 0.86 CFU/g). The nanofiber microcapsules had better resistance to simulated rumen pH and a high concentration of bile salts. In the simulated duodenum pH, the survival rate of L. acidophilus NCFM coated in nanofiber microcapsules in pH2 was higher than that in pH3. In summary, these results demonstrated that nanofiber microcapsules with L. acidophilus NCFM have a good shape, tiny size and great stability in water and storage at room temperature, great encapsulated efficiency for the bacteria, and could resist stomach pH but release the bacteria at duodenum pH. We investigated that the nanofiber microcapsules loading L. acidophilus NCFM could improve the viability of bacteria after 30d storage at 25°C; it was almost insoluble in water and more stable in the simulated ruminant stomachs' pH condition; it could release the bacteria from the nanofiber microcapsules in the simulated intestinal pH condition. [Display omitted] • The work studied the application of nanofiber loading bacteria to ruminants. • The encapsulation rate of the nanofiber loading bacteria was 96.7%. • Encapsulation helped bacteria to resist pH conditions of stomachs. • The survival rate of bacteria coated in the intestinal pH condition was 13.9%. • Encapsulation helped the bacteria survive better stored at 25 °C for 30 d. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a comparative study of the tribological and vibration performance of the synthesized lithium complex grease (LCG) containing Carbon black, Fe 3 O 4 and Al 2 O 3 nanoparticles on rolling bearing. The micromorphology, friction coefficient, worn surface and bearing vibration experiment of four greases were studied. The results show that in presence of nanoparticles friction and wear behaviors are improved compared to LCG without nanoparticles. The best tribological performance is obtained in presence of Al 2 O 3 nanoparticle, which is mainly attributed to its high hardness, cylindrical shape and deposition on the worn surface. Further, the wettability test shows that Al 2 O 3 nanoparticles can effectively promote the flow of base oil on the LCG soap fibers, which results in the most effective bearing vibration suppression. • The Al 2 O 3 nano-particles have the largest hardness and show cylindrical microscopic morphology. • The Al 2 O 3 nano-particles were intensively deposited on the surface of worn steel ball. • The Al 2 O 3 nanoparticles effectively promote the flow of base oil on the LCG soap fibers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the effects of CuO nanoparticles on friction and vibration behaviors of grease on rolling bearing, lithium complex grease (LCG), polyurea grease (PG), calcium sulfonate complex grease (CSCG) and these three greases containing 1 wt% CuO nanoparticles were prepared respectively. The microstructure, friction coefficient, wear surface and bearing vibration test of six greases were investigated in detail. The results show tribological properties of PG are improved most significantly, with the friction coefficient and wear scar diameter decrease, and the wear surface is fine and smooth. This is mainly attributed to the synergistic effect of lamellar thickener structure and CuO nanoparticles. Further, the addition of CuO nanoparticles to PG also has an obvious inhibitory effect on bearing vibration. • The three thickeners show coiled fibrous, lamellar and reticular microstructure. • The CuO nanoparticles have different effects on friction of the three greases. • The CuO nanoparticles affect the vibration of bearing with three greases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A combined process of coagulation pretreatment and three-stage membrane aeration biofilm reactor (MABR) system was successfully applied for the first time to treat actual municipal solid waste leachate (MSWL), which was characterized by high concentrations of toxic hard-to-degrade organics and salinity. The results showed that 9.8%-21.3% of organics could be removed from actual MSWL by coagulation with polymeric aluminum chloride (PAC). Three-stage MABR contributed 95.6% of the chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal, with the influent COD concentration ranging from 6000 to 7000 mg/L. At the same time, the removal efficiencies of total nitrogen (TN) and ammonia (NH 4 + -N) could reach to 84.3% and 79.9% without the addition of external carbon source, respectively. The nitrifying/denitrifying bacteria were enriched in the biofilm including Thiobacillus, Azoarcus and Methyloversatilis, which supported the MABR with high nitrogen removal efficiency and significantly toxic tolerance. Principal component analysis (PCA) and the Pearson correlation coefficients (r) illustrated that aeration pressure is a crucial operational parameter, exhibiting a strong correlation between the MABR performance and microbial communities. This work demonstrates that MABR is an effective and low-energy option for simultaneous removal of carbon and nitrogen in the treatment of MSWL., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The purpose of this work was to develop an anti-CAT-SYI immunoglobulin Y (IgY) antibody that targeted both GtfB (glucosyltransferase B) and GbpB (glucan-binding protein B) and test its anticaries properties in rats., Methods: A new CAT-SYI fusion gene was created utilising functional DNA fragments from the GtfB and GbpB genes. The recombinant antigens, comprising the fused CAT-SYI antigen, GtfB, and GbpB, were expressed and purified using a prokaryotic expression and purification system. The purified recombinant antigens were utilised to immunise laying hens against particular IgY production. The biological activities of these particular IgY antibodies were then assessed both in vitro and in vivo, including their capacity to suppress biofilm formation and tooth caries., Results: Results indicated that these produced IgY antibodies demonstrated a high antibody titer (>0.1 μg/mL) and could precisely recognise and bind to their respective antigens. Furthermore, it was discovered that these specific IgY antibodies successfully bind to Streptococcus mutans and significantly reduce biofilm development. After 8 weeks of ingesting antigen-specific IgY meals, comprising anti-GtfB IgY and anti-GbpB IgY, the severity of dental caries was dramatically reduced in S mutans-infected Sprague-Dawley rats (P < .01). Anti-CAT-SYI IgY therapy significantly reduced tooth cavities by 89.0% in vivo (P < .05) compared to other treatment groups., Conclusions: The anti-CAT-SYI IgY, a multitarget antibody that targets both GtfB and GbpB, displayed excellent inhibitory effects against S mutans, making it a promising targeted method with improved anticaries efficacy and significant application opportunities., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest None disclosed., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To assess the relative benefits of various non-pharmacological interventions on treating primary dysmenorrhoea within a network meta-analysis., Study Design: Systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis., Inclusion Criteria: Randomised controlled trial involving patient with primary dysmenorrhoea and received non-pharmacological interventions., Data Sources: Four databases (Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library and Web of Science) were searched from inception to October first, 2022., Risk-Of-Bias Rob Assessment: RoB 2.0 assessment tools was used to assess the risk of bias in the included studies., Synthesis of Results: Conventional meta-analysis was conducted by pairwise comparison between non-pharmacological therapy and control treatment. The Bayesian network meta-analysis was conducted by the Aggregate Data Drug Information System Software based on the consistency or inconsistency model, and rank probability was used to indicate the priority of non-pharmacological therapy., Results: 33 studies involving eight non-pharmacological interventions were included. With regard to conventional meta-analysis, we selected Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) as primary outcome to evaluate the pain intensity. The result showed that eight interventions (Exercise, Herb, Acupuncture, Aromatherapy, Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation, Topical heat, Acupressure, Yoga) displayed positive effect on reduction of menstrual pain compared with placebo or no treatment. A Bayesian network meta-analysis revealed that exercise -3.20 (95% CI -4.01 to -2.34), acupuncture -2.90 (95% CI -3.97 to -2.85) and topical heat -2.97 (95% CI -4.66 to -1.29) probably resulted in a reduction in pain intensity (VAS) ., Conclusions: Non-pharmacological interventions may result in a reduction or slight reduction in pain intensity compared with no treatment or placebo. Specifically, exercise and acupuncture are considered as potentially effective non-pharmacological treatments in short-term treatment. Indeed, larger and better methodological quality research is needed., Trial Registration Number: CRD42022351021., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Monomethyl auristatin F (MMAF), a synthetic analogue of the natural compound dolastatin 10, has garnered significant attention in cancer research due to its high potency in vitro. While previous studies have focused on modifying the N-terminal extension of the amino group and the C-terminal modification of the carboxyl group, there has been limited exploration into modifying the P1 and P5 side chains. In this study, we substituted the valine residue at the P1 position with various natural or unnatural amino acids and introduced triazole functional groups at the P5 side chain. Compounds 11k and 18d exhibited excellent inhibition on tubulin. Additionally, compound 18d demonstrated enhanced cytotoxicity against HCT116 cells compared to the parent compound MMAF, suggesting its potential as a cytotoxic payload for further antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) development., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

The training and inference of Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) are costly when scaling up to large-scale graphs. Graph Lottery Ticket (GLT) has presented the first attempt to accelerate GNN inference on large-scale graphs by jointly pruning the graph structure and the model weights. Though promising, GLT encounters robustness and generalization issues when deployed in real-world scenarios, which are also long-standing and critical problems in deep learning ideology. In real-world scenarios, the distribution of unseen test data is typically diverse. We attribute the failures on out-of-distribution (OOD) data to the incapability of discerning causal patterns, which remain stable amidst distribution shifts. In traditional spase graph learning, the model performance deteriorates dramatically as the graph/network sparsity exceeds a certain high level. Worse still, the pruned GNNs are hard to generalize to unseen graph data due to limited training set at hand. To tackle these issues, we propose the Resilient Graph Lottery Ticket (RGLT) to find more robust and generalizable GLT in GNNs. Concretely, we reactivate a fraction of weights/edges by instantaneous gradient information at each pruning point. After sufficient pruning, we conduct environmental interventions to extrapolate potential test distribution. Finally, we perform last several rounds of model averages to further improve generalization. We provide multiple examples and theoretical analyses that underpin the universality and reliability of our proposal. Further, RGLT has been experimentally verified across various independent identically distributed (IID) and out-of-distribution (OOD) graph benchmarks.

Background: Electrochromic materials can dynamically change their optical properties (such as transmittance, absorbance, and reflectance under the action of an applied voltage, and their research and application in the visible band have been widely concerned. In recent years, with the continuous development of electrochromic technology, the related research has been gradually extended to the infrared region., Objective: This invited review aims to provide an overview of the current status of several inorganic infrared electrochromic materials, to provide some references for future research, and to promote the research and application of electrochromic technology in the infrared region., Methods: This review summarizes various research results in the field of infrared electrochromic, which includes a detailed literature review and patent search. Starting from the key performance parameters and device structure characteristics of infrared electrochromic devices (ECDs), the research and progress of several types of inorganic infrared electrochromic materials, including metal oxides, plasma nanocrystals, and carbon nanomaterials, are mainly presented, and feasible optimization directions are also discussed., Conclusion: We believe that the potential of these materials for civilian and military applications, for example, infrared electrochromic smart windows, infrared stealth/disguise, and thermal control of spacecraft, can be fully exploited by optimizing the materials and their devices to improve their performance., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

In this report, an ammonium metatungstate (AMT) and ferrous chloride [Fe(II)Cl 2 ] electrochromic liquid (ECL) was synthesized using a hydrothermal method, with D 2 O used as the solvent instead of H 2 O. The results show that the use of D 2 O can improve the stability and performance of ECLs. The hydrogen evolution process in electrochromic devices (ECDs) filled with ECL becomes more difficult, while the material exchange process becomes easier. The ECD exhibits a color modulation amplitude of 58%@680 nm at 2 V. After 500 cycles, the device's performance remains above 95% at a current density of 1.5 mA/cm 2 . Hydrogen bonds in D 2 O solutions are expected to exhibit stronger forces compared to those in regular H 2 O solutions. Therefore, we hypothesize that enhancing the strength of hydrogen bonds in H 2 O solutions is an effective approach for improving the performance and stability of electrochromic solutions.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron harbors more than 30 mutations of the spike protein and exhibits substantial immune evasion. Although previous study indicated that BNT162b2 messenger RNA vaccine induces potent cross-clade pan-sarbecovirus neutralizing antibodies in survivors of the infection by SARS-CoV-1, the neutralization activity and Fc-mediated effector functions of these cross-reactive antibodies elicited in SARS-CoV-1 survivors to Omicron subvariants still remain largely unknown. In this study, the neutralization activity and Fc-mediated effector functions of antibodies boosted by a third dose vaccination were characterized in SARS-CoV-1 convalescents and healthy individuals. Potent cross-clade broadly neutralizing antibodies were observed in SARS-CoV-1 survivors who received a three-dose vaccination regimen consisting of two priming doses of CoronaVac followed by one booster dose of the protein subunit vaccine ZF2001. However, the induced antibodies exhibited both reduced neutralization and impaired Fc effector functions targeting multiple Omicron subvariants. Importantly, the data also support the notion that immune imprints resulted from SARS-CoV-1 infection may exacerbate the impairment of neutralization activity and Fc-mediated effector functions to Omicron subvariants and provided invaluable information to vaccination strategy in future., (© 2023 The Authors. Journal of Medical Virology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Canine coronavirus-human pneumonia-2018 (CCoV-HuPn-2018) was recently isolated from a child with pneumonia. This novel human pathogen resulted from cross-species transmission of a canine coronavirus. It has been known that CCoV-HuPn-2018 uses aminopeptidase N (APN) from canines, felines, and porcines, but not humans, as functional receptors for cell entry. The molecular mechanism of cell entry in CCoV-HuPn-2018 remains poorly understood. In this study, we demonstrated that among the nine APN orthologs tested, the APN of the Mexican free-tailed bat could also efficiently support CCoV-HuPn-2018 spike (S) protein-mediated entry, raising the possibility that bats may also be an alternative host epidemiologically important for the transmission of this virus. The glycosylation at residue N747 of canine APN is critical for its receptor activity. The gain of glycosylation at the corresponding residues in human and rabbit APNs converted them to functional receptors for CCoV-HuPn-2018. Interestingly, the CCoV-HuPn-2018 spike protein pseudotyped virus infected multiple human cancer cell lines in a human APN-independent manner, whereas sialic acid appeared to facilitate the entry of the pseudotyped virus into human cancer cells. Moreover, while host cell surface proteases trypsin and TMPRSS2 did not promote the entry of CCoV-HuPn-2018, endosomal proteases cathepsin L and B are required for the entry of CCoV-HuPn-2018 in a pH-dependent manner. IFITMs and LY6E are host restriction factors for the CCoV-HuPn-2018 entry. Our results thus suggest that CCoV-HuPn-2018 has not yet evolved to be an efficient human pathogen. Collectively, this study helps us understand the cell tropism, receptor usage, cross-species transmission, natural reservoir, and pathogenesis of this potential human coronavirus. IMPORTANCE Viral entry is driven by the interaction between the viral spike protein and its specific cellular receptor, which determines cell tropism and host range and is the major constraint to interspecies transmission of coronaviruses. Aminopeptidase N (APN; also called CD13) is a cellular receptor for HCoV-229E, the newly discovered canine coronavirus-human pneumonia-2018 (CCoV-HuPn-2018), and many other animal alphacoronaviruses. We examined the receptor activity of nine APN orthologs and found that CCoV-HuPn-2018 utilizes APN from a broad range of animal species, including bats but not humans, to enter host cells. To our surprise, we found that CCoV-HuPn-2018 spike protein pseudotyped viral particles successfully infected multiple human hepatoma-derived cell lines and a lung cancer cell line, which is independent of the expression of human APN. Our findings thus provide mechanistic insight into the natural hosts and interspecies transmission of CCoV-HuPn-2018-like coronaviruses., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) can be employed to determine crystal structures but has not been used alone to identify defects at the atom scale due to the lack of understanding of the EBSD patterns generated by various structure defects. In the present work, the EBSD patterns of FCC-Fe with 9-layer, 6-layer and 3-layer twin structures are simulated, respectively, using the revised real space (RRS) method and compared with the counterpart of perfect crystals. Our results show that when the electron beam is incident along a direction parallel to the twin plane, the pattern appears symmetrical with respect to the corresponding Kikuchi band of the twin plane, and the diffraction details within the Kikuchi band also exhibit symmetry with respect to the middle line of the Kikuchi band. Moreover, the overall clarity of the patterns decreases, and the pattern becomes more blurred with increasing the distance from the Kikuchi band corresponding to the twin plane. By contrast, the incident electron beam along the direction perpendicular to the twin plane results in diffraction superposition of the matrix region and the shear region, which shows twofold rotational symmetry with respect to the Kikuchi pole corresponding to the normal to the twin plane. In addition, some extra Kikuchi bands appear in the EBSD patterns due to the long-period structures of the multilayer twins. As the number of multilayer twins decreases, the number of extra Kikuchi bands decreases and the area of the blurring pattern increases. The correlation between twin structures and EBSD patterns provides theoretical insights for identifying twin structures by the EBSD technique., (© 2023 Royal Microscopical Society.)

Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) technology is a powerful tool for materials characterization including crystal orientation mapping, phase identification, and strain analysis. However, it is still challenging for using EBSD to identify crystallographic defects due to the insufficient understanding of the diffraction patterns of different defect structures. In the present work, EBSD patterns of FCC-Fe with 1/2 < 110 > edge dislocation dipole and 1/6 < 11̅2 > screw dislocation quadrupole structures are simulated by the revised real space (RRS) method. Our results showed that the presence of dislocations deteriorates the overall quality of the diffraction pattern and have different effects on different Kikuchi bands and Kikuchi poles. The edges of the Kikuchi band corresponding to the edge dislocation glide plane are sharp and the diffraction details within the band are clear. The sharpness of the edges of the Kikuchi band corresponding to the crystal plane normal to the dislocation Burgers vector is reduced, but the intra-band diffraction details are clear. Other Kikuchi bands show obvious anisotropic blurring. The diffraction details of the Kikuchi pole corresponding to the screw dislocation Burgers vector are clear, the edges of the Kikuchi bands across this pole are sharp, and the diffraction details within the bands are clear in the segments close to this pole and blurred in the segments far away from it. Other Kikuchi bands and Kikuchi poles are blurred. Our results indicate that the EBSD pattern can be simulated based on the electron diffraction dynamic theory and the correlation between dislocation structure and EBSD pattern is revealed, which provides theoretical guidance for the resolution of dislocation structures by the EBSD technique., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Osmotic stress seriously limits crop yield and quality. Among plant-specific transcription factors families, the NAC family of transcription factors is extensively involved in various growth, development and stress responses. Here we identified a maize NAC family transcription factor ZmNAC2 with inducible gene expression in response to osmotic stress. The subcellular localization showed that it was localized in the nucleus and overexpression of ZmNAC2 in Arabidopsis significantly promoted seed germination and elevated cotyledon greening under osmotic stress. ZmNAC2 also enhanced stomatal closure and decreased water loss in transgenic Arabidopsis. Overexpression of ZmNAC2 activated ROS scavenging and the transgenic lines accumulated less MDA and developed more lateral roots with drought or mannitol treatment. Further RNA-seq and qRT-PCR analysis showed that ZmNAC2 up-regulated a number of genes related to osmotic stress resistance, as well as plant hormone signaling genes. All together, ZmNAC2 enhances osmotic stress tolerance by regulating multiple physiological processes and molecular mechanisms, and exhibits potential as the target gene in crop breeding to increase osmotic stress resistance., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

N -(Anthrancen-9-ylmethyl) isoserines are useful drug intermediates but short for efficient synthesis. We herein report the synthesis of N -(anthrancen-9-ylmethyl) isoserines via a Rh 2 (Ph 3 COO) 3 (OAc) and chiral phosphoric acid (CPA) synergistically catalyzed multicomponent reaction (MCR) of N -alkyl imines, alcohols, and diazoesters. The method representing the first example of N -alkyl imines-involved MCR is featured by high atom-economy, high diastereo- and enantioselectivities, and broad substrate scope. DFT calculations on the mechanism of the MCR reveals that the hydrophobic interactions and π-π stackings between N -(anthrancen-9-ylmethyl) imines and Rh 2 (Ph 3 COO) 3 (OAc)/CPA cocatalyst is essential to the reactivity and stereocontrol. The synthetic applications of the MCR products include the semisynthesis of paclitaxel, its alkyne-tagged derivative, and β -lactam as an anticancer agent overcoming paclitaxel-resistance. We expect this work to shed light on the development of new N -alkyl imines-involved reactions and on the synthesis of drugs with isoserines as intermediates.

Objective: To assess the awareness, knowledge, and misconceptions of young people regarding long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs)., Design: We conducted a systematic review in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines of MEDLINE-Ovid, Embase, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature. A random-effects meta-analysis was performed with formal tests for heterogeneity and publication bias. Additional outcomes were summarized using thematic analysis., Setting: Not applicable., Patient(s): Adolescents and young adults (aged 12-25 years) with a uterus., Intervention(s): Not applicable., Main Outcome Measure(s): Patient-reported outcomes related to awareness, knowledge, and misconceptions of LARCs (including intrauterine devices, subdermal implants, and injections) were analyzed., Result(s): Of the 4,077 database citations, we included 40 studies encompassing 10,470 adolescents and young people. Twenty studies were eligible for meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence described that only 65.0% (95% confidence interval [CI], 51-78) of participants were aware of at least 1 type of LARC (I 2 = 100). The meta-regression noted that the region, risk of bias, gravidity, sexual history, previous LARC experience, and postsecondary education were not associated with awareness. There were numerous misconceptions regarding eligibility, safety, and usage. Notably, 62% (95% CI, 20-91) did not understand that LARCs could be used in nulliparous individuals, and 37% (95% CI, 21-56) believed that LARCs could cause infertility., Conclusion(s): There are notable knowledge gaps among adolescents and young people regarding LARCs, such as eligibility criteria, the reversibility of long-acting options, and misconceptions regarding infertility. Clinicians should specifically counsel regarding the suitability for LARCs in nulliparous populations and that LARCs do not cause infertility., (Copyright © 2022 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The design system based on aesthetic principles is the most representative in the field of design and has a certain significance for the research and construction of design aesthetics and the development of design education. Therefore, this paper studies the application of pattern recognition system in the field of design based on aesthetic principles and designs a new type of aesthetic principle design system based on pattern recognition in computer vision. This paper proposes pattern similarity measurement and image preprocessing technology to improve the traditional aesthetic principle design system through pattern recognition and then further refine the research of the whole system through histogram equalization and gamma correction. Finally, the MNIST dataset experiment is used to verify the effect of multicolumn convolutional neural network pattern recognition on the aesthetic principle design system. The questionnaire survey experiment in this article and the traditional comparative experiment show that 76% of the public are very satisfied with this design system based on the aesthetic principles of pattern recognition in computer vision. Also, the improved aesthetic principle system scores as high as 90-95 points., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there are no potential conflicts of interest in this study., (Copyright © 2022 Chenzhen Wang and Xinglin Li.)

Purpose: Mutations (K11E or E271K) of DEAD-box RNA helicase 24 (DDX24) were related to multi-organ venous lymphatic malformation syndrome (MOVLD). However, the relationship between these mutations and DDX24-function still remains unknown. Understanding whether K11E and E271K cause "loss-of-function" or "gain-of-function" for DDX24 is significant for related diseases. DDX24 was reported to be related to tumors closely, thus this study aims to explore how K11E and E271K affect DDX24-function in tumor proliferation. Methods: Cell lines stably expressing wild-type DDX24, K11E-DDX24, E271K-DDX24, along with vector only based on Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO) and Balb/c tumor-bearing mice models were constructed. Then immunofluorescence staining, proliferation assay and colony formation assay in vitro and 18 F-FDG PET/CT-scan were performed. Finally, the tumor tissues were collected to perform transcriptome sequencing to predict the potential mechanism. Results: Contrasted with CHO-WT-DDX24, CHO-K11E-DDX24 or CHO-E271K-DDX24 showed a decreased number of nucleoli, a slower proliferation rate and a lower colony formation rate significantly. Moreover, mice, inoculated with CHO-K11E-DDX24 or CHO-E271K-DDX24 cells, showed lower tumor formation rate, slower tumor growth rate, better prognosis, reduced standard uptake value and K i of glucose in subcutaneous tumors. Sequencing indicated CHO-K11E-DDX24 or CHO-E271K-DDX24 caused increasing expression of TNF or chemokines and alteration in immune-related signal pathways. Conclusion: K11E or E271K mutation could lead to "loss-of-function" of DDX24 in cell proliferation and tumor bearing mice, which may be acted by non-specific immune killing to inhibit tumor growth., Competing Interests: Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interest exists., (© The author(s).)

Coronaviruses (CoVs) are a group of enveloped positive-sense RNA viruses and can cause deadly diseases in animals and humans. Cell entry is the first and essential step of successful virus infection and can be divided into two ongoing steps: cell binding and membrane fusion. Over the past two decades, stimulated by the global outbreak of SARS-CoV and pandemic of SARS-CoV-2, numerous efforts have been made in the CoV research. As a result, significant progress has been achieved in our understanding of the cell entry process. Here, we review the current knowledge of this essential process, including the viral and host components involved in cell binding and membrane fusion, molecular mechanisms of their interactions, and the sites of virus entry. We highlight the recent findings of host restriction factors that inhibit CoVs entry. This knowledge not only enhances our understanding of the cell entry process, pathogenesis, tissue tropism, host range, and interspecies-transmission of CoVs but also provides a theoretical basis to design effective preventive and therapeutic strategies to control CoVs infection.

Purpose: Performing a gynecological exam is an essential skill for physicians. While interventions have been implemented to optimize how this skill is taught in medical school, it remains an area of concern and anxiety for many medical students. To date, a comprehensive assessment of these interventions has not been done. The authors conducted a systematic review of the literature on interventions that aim to improve medical student education on gynecological exams., Method: The authors searched 6 databases (Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid EMBASE, EBSCO CINAHL Plus, Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection, and ERIC [Proquest]) from inception to August 4, 2020. Studies were included if they met the following criteria: focus on medical students, intervention with the purpose of teaching students to better perform gynecological exams, and reported outcomes/evaluation. Extracted data included study location, study design, sample size, details of the intervention and evaluation, and context of the pelvic exam. All outcomes were summarized descriptively; key outcomes were coded as subjective or objective assessments., Results: The search identified 5,792 studies; 50 met the inclusion criteria. The interventions described were diverse, with many controlled studies evaluating multiple methods of instruction. Gynecological teaching associates (GTAs), or professional patients, were the most common method of education. GTA-led teaching resulted in improvements in student confidence, competence, and communication skills. Physical adjuncts, or anatomic models and simulators, were the second most common category of intervention. Less resource-intensive interventions, such as self-directed learning packages, online training modules, and video clips, also demonstrated positive results in student comfort and competence. All studies highlighted the need for improved education on gynecological exams., Conclusions: The literature included evaluations of numerous interventions for improving medical student comfort and competence in performing gynecological exams. GTA-led teaching may be the most impactful educational tool described, though less resource-intensive interventions can also be effective., (Copyright © 2021 by the Association of American Medical Colleges.)

Background: Esophageal squamous carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most common cancers in developing countries. However, currently there are no specific biomarkers for ESCC. This study evaluated the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), tumor suppressor protein p53, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) as biomarkers for ESCC., Methods: This study included 60 clinical cases (30 ESCC and 30 non-ESCC cases that were confirmed pathologically). The expression of PCNA, p53, EGFR, and VEGF were investigated using a quantitative computerized immunohistochemistry (IHC) method. The expression level of each protein was indicated by a H-score from the quantitative analysis. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) and area under curve (AUC) analyses were performed. The sensitivity and specificity of each individual protein and combinations of the proteins were calculated., Results: The H-score analysis indicated that expressions of EGFR, PCNA, and VEGF were statistically significantly higher in ESCC than non-ESCC patients; however, p53 was not. The panels of combinations of these proteins were more sensitive than that of any single protein. In the triplicate combination, the AUC prediction probability increased to 0.86, while the single protein AUC prediction probabilities were 0.74 (EGFR), 0.80 (PCNA), and 0.70 (VEGF)., Conclusions: The high expression of PCNA, EGFR, and VEGF suggests that they are potential biomarkers for ESCC. The combination of these biomarkers may provide targets for molecular therapy and molecular imaging., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form (available at https://dx.doi.org/10.21037/atm-21-2950). The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (2021 Annals of Translational Medicine. All rights reserved.)

SARS-CoV-2 is the underlying cause for the COVID-19 pandemic. Like most enveloped RNA viruses, SARS-CoV-2 uses a homotrimeric surface antigen to gain entry into host cells. Here we describe S-Trimer, a native-like trimeric subunit vaccine candidate for COVID-19 based on Trimer-Tag technology. Immunization of S-Trimer with either AS03 (oil-in-water emulsion) or CpG 1018 (TLR9 agonist) plus alum adjuvants induced high-level of neutralizing antibodies and Th1-biased cellular immune responses in animal models. Moreover, rhesus macaques immunized with adjuvanted S-Trimer were protected from SARS-CoV-2 challenge compared to vehicle controls, based on clinical observations and reduction of viral loads in lungs. Trimer-Tag may be an important platform technology for scalable production and rapid development of safe and effective subunit vaccines against current and future emerging RNA viruses.

Chiral metal-organic frameworks (CMOFs),[Zn(L-mal)(H 2 O) 2 ] n were prepared by using zinc oxide instead of the traditional metal inorganic salt as the zinc source, and their chiral separation performance was investigated. Equal amounts of ZnO and L-malic acid were dissolved in H 2 O, and[Zn(L-mal)(H 2 O) 2 ] n were obtained by allowing the mixture to stand at room temperature for 24 h. Then, 100 mg[Zn(L-mal)(H 2 O) 2 ] n as the adsorbent was added to 250 μL 1 g/L 2,2'-furoin racemate, and 4.5 mL isopropanol and 1 mL methanol were selected as the extraction solvent and elution solvent, respectively, for selective adsorption experiments. The final filtrate was analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The results showed that[Zn(L-mal)(H 2 O) 2 ] n exhibited better selective adsorption ability for R -2,2'-furoin with 20% enantiomeric excess (ee). This work provides a new method for the green preparation of CMOF and expands its application in the field of chiral separation.

Background: The mechanisms mediating the impacts of fetal growth restriction (FGR) on follicular development are commonly studied in mouse/rat models, where ovarian development occurs largely during the early postnatal period. These models have shown that FGR is associated with premature follicle loss, early pubertal onset, and accelerated ovarian aging. Whether the same occurs in precocious species is unknown., Objective: Since guinea pig follicle development occurs in utero in a manner consistent with human ovarian development, we sought to determine whether FGR had similar impacts on guinea pig ovarian development., Methods: Dunkin-Hartley guinea pig dams were randomized to receive a control (CON) or a nutrient-restricted diet (FGR) prior to conception until weaning. Offspring ovaries were collected at prepubertal (postnatal day [P] 25) and young adult (P110) time points., Results: Prepubertal offspring exposed to FGR showed little differences in ovarian transcript levels and follicle counts. Young adult FGR offspring, however, showed reductions in the number of transitioning, primary, and antral follicles, as well as corpora lutea. This loss in follicles was associated with reduced insulin-like growth factor receptor and growth differentiation factor-9 messenger RNA levels in FGR P110 offspring compared to CON., Conclusion: We demonstrate that FGR in guinea pigs is accompanied by perturbations in signaling pathways essential for proper follicle growth and manifests as reductions in growing follicles in offspring, but these changes do not manifest until postpuberty. These data support the fact that accelerated reproductive maturation/aging is a conserved phenotype that is associated with in utero nutritional adversity.

Glycerol is a byproduct during biodiesel production. It is an important feedstock for fermentation due to its low price and high reduced status. Multiple genes of the glycerol utilization pathway were modulated in a previously engineered high β-carotene producing Escherichia coli strain CAR015 to enhance glycerol utilization capability for improving isoprenoids production. The glpR gene, encoding glycerol 3-phosphate repressor, was firstly deleted. The glpFK, glpD and tpiA genes were then modulated by three artificial regulatory parts, M1-37, M1-46 and M1-93, respectively. β-carotene titer reached 64.82 mg/L after modulating glpD with M1-46, which was 4.86 times higher than that of CAR015, and glycerol consumption rate also increased 100%. Modulating tpiA led to a little increase of β-carotene titer, whereas modulating glpFK led to a little decrease of β-carotene titer. This demonstrated that GlpD was a rate-limiting step in glycerol utilization pathway. Q-PCR of glpF, glpK, glpD and tpiA results showed that decrease the transcription level of glpF, glpK, glpD, or decrease the transcription level of tpiA could increase the cell growth and β-carotene production, probably for the decrease of methylglyoxal toxicity. Modulating glpD and tpiA genes in combination resulted in the best strain Gly003, which produced 72.45 mg/L β-carotene with a yield of 18.65 mg/g dry cell weight. The titer was 5.23 and yield 1.99 times of that of the parent strain CAR015. Our work suggested that appropriate activation of glpD and tpiA genes in glycerol utilization pathway could effectively improve β-carotene production. This strategy can be used for production of other terpenoids in E. coli.