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Brucellosis is a zoonotic infectious disease that has long endangered the development of animal husbandry and human health. Currently, vaccination stands as the most efficacious method for preventing and managing brucellosis. Alum, as the most commonly used adjuvant for the brucellosis vaccine, has obvious disadvantages, such as the formation of granulomas and its non-degradability. Therefore, the aims of this study were to prepare an absorbable, injectable, and biocompatible hydroxypropyl chitin (HPCT) thermosensitive hydrogel and to evaluate its immunization efficacy as an adjuvant for Brucella antigens. Specifically, etherification modification of marine natural polysaccharide chitin was carried out to obtain a hydroxypropyl chitin. Rheological studies demonstrated the reversible temperature sensitivity of HPCT hydrogel. Notably, 5 mg/mL of bovine serum albumin can be loaded in HPCT hydrogels and released continuously for more than one week. Furthermore, the L929 cytotoxicity test and in vivo degradation test in rats proved that an HPCT hydrogel had good cytocompatibility and histocompatibility and can be degraded and absorbed in vivo. In mouse functional experiments, as adjuvants for Brucella antigens, an HPCT hydrogel showed better specific antibody expression levels and cytokine (Interleukin-4, Interferon-γ) expression levels than alum. Thus, we believe that HPCT hydrogels hold much promise in the development of adjuvants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/objectives: Ischemic stroke is a major health concern, and nutrition is a modifiable risk factor that can influence recovery outcomes. This study investigated the impact of maternal dietary deficiencies in folic acid (FADD) or choline (ChDD) on the metabolite profiles of offspring after ischemic stroke. Methods: A total of 32 mice (17 males and 15 females) were used to analyze sex-specific differences in response to these deficiencies. Results: At 1-week post-stroke, female offspring from the FADD group showed the greatest number of altered metabolites, including pathways involved in cholesterol metabolism and neuroprotection. At 4 weeks post-stroke, both FADD and ChDD groups exhibited significant disruptions in metabolites linked to inflammation, oxidative stress, and neurotransmission. Conclusions: These alterations were more pronounced in females compared to males, suggesting sex-dependent responses to maternal dietary deficiencies. The practical implications of these findings suggest that ensuring adequate maternal nutrition during pregnancy may be crucial for reducing stroke susceptibility and improving post-stroke recovery in offspring. Nutritional supplementation strategies targeting folic acid and choline intake could potentially mitigate the long-term adverse effects on metabolic pathways and promote better neurological outcomes. Future research should explore these dietary interventions in clinical settings to develop comprehensive guidelines for maternal nutrition and stroke prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the potential benefits and challenges of incorporating phase change materials (PCMs) into building glazing systems. By adding PCMs to glazing units, the thermal environment of buildings can be improved, leading to increased energy efficiency and reduced cooling energy consumption. The article discusses the properties of commonly used PCMs, such as paraffin wax and salt hydrates, and explores the potential of adding nanoparticles to enhance their photothermal properties. Factors that affect the performance of PCM-filled glazing systems, such as the position of the PCM layer and thermal conductivity, are also discussed. The evaluation of PCM-based glazing systems requires consideration of various metrics, including optics, thermal performance, energy performance, thermal comfort, and economy. The article concludes by identifying research challenges and gaps in the field, such as the need for long-term assessment, improvement of PCM properties, development of validated numerical tools, and economic feasibility studies. [Extracted from the article]

Background and Objectives: Excessive Manganese (Mn) exposure is neurotoxic and can cause Mn-Induced Parkinsonism (MnIP), marked by cognitive and motor dysfunction. Although metabolomic and lipidomic research in Parkinsonism (PD) patients exists, it remains limited. This study hypothesizes distinct metabolomic and lipidomic profiles based on exposure status, disease diagnosis, and their interaction., Methods: We used a case-control design with a 2×2 factorial framework to investigate the metabolomic and lipidomic alterations associated with Mn exposure and their link to PD. The study population of 97 individuals was divided into four groups: non-exposed controls (n=23), exposed controls (n=25), non-exposed with PD (n=26) and exposed with PD (n=23). Cases, defined by at least two cardinal PD features (excluding vascular, iatrogenic, and traumatic origins), were recruited from movement disorder clinics in four hospitals in Brescia, Northern Italy. Controls, free from neurological or psychiatric conditions, were selected from the same hospitals. Exposed subjects resided in metallurgic regions (Val Camonica and Bagnolo Mella) for at least 8 continuous years, while non-exposed subjects lived in low-exposure areas around Lake Garda and Brescia city. We conducted untargeted analyses of metabolites and lipids in whole blood samples using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) and mass spectrometry (MS), followed by statistical analyses including Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Partial Least Squares-Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA), and Two-Way Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA)., Results: Metabolomic analysis revealed modulation of alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism (Impact=0.05, p=0.001) associated with disease effect; butanoate metabolism (Impact=0.03, p=0.004) with the exposure effect; and vitamin B6 metabolism (Impact=0.08, p=0.03) with the interaction effect. Differential relative abundances in 3-sulfoxy-L-Tyrosine (β=1.12, FDR p<0.001), glycocholic acid (β=0.48, FDR p=0.03), and palmitelaidic acid (β=0.30, FDR p<0.001) were linked to disease, exposure, and interaction effects, respectively. In the lipidome, ferroptosis (Pathway Lipids=11, FDR p=0.03) associated with the disease effect and sphingolipid signaling (Pathway Lipids=9, FDR p=0.04) associated with the interaction effect were significantly altered. Lipid classes triacylglycerols, ceramides, and phosphatidylethanolamines showed differential relative abundances associated with disease, exposure, and interaction effects, respectively., Discussion: These findings suggest that PD and Mn exposure induce unique metabolomic and lipidomic changes, potentially serving as biomarkers for MnIP and warranting further study.

The human gut microbiome (GM) undergoes dynamic changes throughout life, transitioning from infancy to adulthood. Despite improved understanding over the past years about how genetics, lifestyle, and the external environment impact the GM, limited research has explored the GM's evolution during late-stage adolescence, especially among college students. This study addresses this gap by investigating the longitudinal dynamics of fecal microbial, functional, and metabolomic signatures in a diverse group of first-year, dormitory-housed college students. A total of 485 stool samples from 246 participants were analyzed, identifying four primary GM community types, predominantly led by Bacteroides (66.8% of samples), as well as Blautia and Prevotella . The Prevotella / Bacteroides (P/B) ratio emerged as a robust GM composition indicator, predictively associated with 15 metabolites. Notably, higher P/B ratios correlated negatively with p-cresol sulfate and cholesterol sulfate, implying potential health implications, while positively correlating with kynurenic acid. Distinct GM transition and stability patterns were found from a detailed longitudinal subset of 93 participants over an academic year. Parasutterella and the Ruminococcus gnavus group exhibited positive associations with compositional variability, whereas Faecalibacterium and Eubacterium ventriosum group displayed negative associations, the latter suggesting stabilizing roles in the GM. Most notably, nearly half of the longitudinal cohort experienced GM community shifts, emphasizing long-term GM adaptability. Comparing individuals with stable community types to those undergoing transitions, we observed significant differences in microbial composition and diversity, signifying substantial shifts in the microbiota during transitions. Although diet-related variables contributed to some observed variance, diet did not independently predict the probability of switching between community types within the study's timeframe via multi-state Markov modeling. Furthermore, exploration of stability within dynamic microbiomes among the longitudinal cohort experiencing shifts in community types revealed that microbiome taxa at the genus level exhibited significantly higher total variance than estimated functional and fecal metabolomic features. This suggests tight control of function and metabolism, despite community shifting. Overall, this study highlights the dynamic nature of the late-stage adolescent GM, the role of core taxa, metabolic pathways, the fecal metabolome, and lifestyle and dietary factors, contributing to our understanding of GM assembly and potential health implications during this life phase., Competing Interests: Competing interests The authors declare that they have no competing interests.