An Evidence-Based Review of Related Metabolites and Metabolic Network Research on Cerebral Ischemia

In recent years, metabolomics analyses have been widely applied to cerebral ischemia research. This paper introduces the latest proceedings of metabolomics research on cerebral ischemia. The main techniques, models, animals, and biomarkers of cerebral ischemia will be discussed. With analysis help from the MBRole website and the KEGG database, the altered metabolites in rat cerebral ischemia were used for metabolic pathway enrichment analyses. Our results identify the main metabolic pathways that are related to cerebral ischemia and further construct a metabolic network. These results will provide useful information for elucidating the pathogenesis of cerebral ischemia, as well as the discovery of cerebral ischemia biomarkers

An Evidence-Based Review of Related Metabolites and Metabolic Network Research on Cerebral Ischemia

In recent years, metabolomics analyses have been widely applied to cerebral ischemia research. This paper introduces the latest proceedings of metabolomics research on cerebral ischemia. The main techniques, models, animals, and biomarkers of cerebral ischemia will be discussed. With analysis help from the MBRole website and the KEGG database, the altered metabolites in rat cerebral ischemia were used for metabolic pathway enrichment analyses. Our results identify the main metabolic pathways that are related to cerebral ischemia and further construct a metabolic network. These results will provide useful information for elucidating the pathogenesis of cerebral ischemia, as well as the discovery of cerebral ischemia biomarkers

The utilization of nanopore targeted sequencing proves to be advantageous in the identification of infections present in deceased donors

BackgroundNanopore Target Sequencing (NTS) represents a novel iteration of gene sequencing technology; however, its potential utility in the detection of infection in deceased donors has yet to be documented. The present study endeavors to assess the applicability of NTS in this domain.MethodsThis retrospective study comprised a cohort of 71 patients who were under intensive care at Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University between June 2020 and January 2022. The specimens were subjected to microbiological tests utilizing NTS, culture, and other techniques, and subsequently, the diagnostic accuracy of NTS was compared with conventional methods.ResultsBlood NTS exhibited a better agreement rate of 52.11% and a greater positive rate of pathogen detection than blood culture (50.70% vs. 5.63%, p < 0.001). In NTS of deceased donors, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, and Acinetobacter baumannii were the most frequently found bacteria, and Candida was the most frequently found fungus. Blood NTS had a considerably better sensitivity for detecting clinical bloodstream infection than blood culture (62.50%: 7.14%, p < 0.001). These findings were supported by comparisons between blood NTS and conventional microbial detection methods (such as blood culture, glucan testing, galactomannan testing, T cell spot testing for tuberculosis infection, smear, etc.).ConclusionThe pathogen detection technology NTS has a high sensitivity and positive rate. It can more accurately and earlier detect infection in deceased donors, which could be very important for raising the donation conversion rate

A heterozygous moth genome provides insights into herbivory and detoxification

How an insect evolves to become a successful herbivore is of profound biological and practical importance. Herbivores are often adapted to feed on a specific group of evolutionarily and biochemically related host plants1, but the genetic and molecular bases for adaptation to plant defense compounds remain poorly understood2. We report the first whole-genome sequence of a basal lepidopteran species, Plutella xylostella, which contains 18,071 protein-coding and 1,412 unique genes with an expansion of gene families associated with perception and the detoxification of plant defense compounds. A recent expansion of retrotransposons near detoxification-related genes and a wider system used in the metabolism of plant defense compounds are shown to also be involved in the development of insecticide resistance. This work shows the genetic and molecular bases for the evolutionary success of this worldwide herbivore and offers wider insights into insect adaptation to plant feeding, as well as opening avenues for more sustainable pest management.Minsheng You … Simon W Baxter … et al

Microstructure and mechanical properties of novel Al–Cu–Mg–Zn lightweight entropy alloys for elevated-temperature applications

In this study, the microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of five lightweight Al–Cu–Mg–Zn entropy alloys (Al85Cu5Zn5Mg5, Al74Cu10Zn8Mg8, Al93Cu4Zn1Mg1Cr1, Al84Cu10Zn3Mg2Cr1, and Al77Cu17Zn3Mg2Cr1) were investigated. The five experimental alloys revealed lightweight characteristics with density values ranging from 2.95 to 3.63 g/cm3 and multiphase features. The microstructural and phase evolutions at elevated-temperature were characterized using X-ray diffraction and optical, scanning, and transmission electron microscopy. With the increase in Cu and other element contents, the volume fraction of intermetallic compounds (ICs) increased, resulting in an improved yield strength (YS) and reduced plasticity. The GP zone and fine η’ precipitates were effective strengthening sources in fcc-Al, but they were unstable at 300 °C and transformed into coarse and submicron-sized particles. The main source of strengthening in the alloy series was the well-interconnected IC network. Among the five alloys studied, Alloy 5 (Al77Cu17Zn3Mg2Cr1) exhibited the highest YS of 588 MPa at room temperature and retained the highest YS of 199 MPa at 300 °C after thermal exposure for 100 h. Combining its high strength and good thermal stability at 300 °C, Alloy 5 exhibits promising potential for elevated-temperature applications

Development of lightweight Al-based entropy alloys for elevated temperature applications

A series of lightweight Al-based entropy alloys containing Cu, Zn, Cr, V, Ti and Fe has been designed for elevated temperature applications. The microstructure, mechanical properties at room and elevated temperatures, and the thermal stability of six entropy alloys (Al93Cu4Zn1Cr1Fe1, Al85Cu11Zn2Cr1Fe1, Al85Cu11Zn1Cr2V1, Al78Cu18Zn2Cr1Fe1, Al78Cu18Zn1Cr2Ti1, and Al78Cu18Zn1Cr2V1) were investigated. Owing to the large chemical difference and high negative enthalpy between Al and the alloying elements, the generation of a large quantity of intermetallic compounds (ICs) was inevitable. With increasing Cu content, the volume fraction of ICs increased significantly. The three high-Cu alloys (Al78Cu18Zn2Cr1Fe1, Al78Cu18Zn1Cr2Ti1, and Al78Cu18Zn1Cr2V1) exhibited high yield strengths of more than 200 MPa and excellent thermal stability at 300 °C. These values are considerably superior to those of most conventional aluminum alloys. The strengthening mechanisms at room and elevated temperatures have been discussed. The favorable thermal stability and good mechanical properties of the high-Cu alloys up to 450 °C indicate their significant potential for high temperature applications

Constructing TC-1-GLUC-LMP2 Model Tumor Cells to Evaluate the Anti-Tumor Effects of LMP2-Related Vaccines

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is related to a variety of malignant tumors, and its encoded protein, latent membrane protein 2 (LMP2), is an effective target antigen that is widely used to construct vector vaccines. However, the model cells carrying LMP2 have still not been established to assess the oncolytic effect of LMP2-related vaccines at present. In this study, TC-1-GLUC-LMP2 tumor cells were constructed as target cells to evaluate the anti-tumor effects of LMP2-assosiated vaccines. The results showed that both LMP2 and Gaussia luciferase (GLuc) genes could be detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in TC-1-GLUC-LMP2 cells. Western blot results showed that the LMP2 and Gaussia luciferase proteins were stably expressed in tumor cells for at least 30 generations. We mixed 5 × 104 LMP2-specific mouse splenic lymphocytes with 5 × 103 TC-1-GLUC-LMP2 target cells and found that the target cells were killed as the specific killing effect was obviously enhanced by the increased quantities of LMP2-peptide stimulated spleens. Furthermore, the tumor cells could not be observed in the mice inoculated TC-1-GLUC-LMP2 cells after being immunized with vaccine-LMP2, while the vaccine-NULL immunized mice showed that tumor volume gradually grew with increased inoculation time. These results indicated that the TC-1-GLUC-LMP2 cells stably expressing LMP2 and GLuc produced tumors in mice, and that the LMP2-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) effectively killed the cells in vitro and in vivo, suggesting that TC-1-GLUC-LMP2 cells can be used as model cells to assess the immune and antitumor effects of LMP2-related vaccines

MicroRNA-21 Contributes to Acute Liver Injury in LPS-Induced Sepsis Mice by Inhibiting PPARα Expression

The severity of sepsis may be associated with excessive inflammation, thus leading to acute liver injury. MicroRNA-21 is highly expressed in the liver of a variety of inflammation-related diseases, and PPARα is also proved to participate in regulating inflammation. In the present study, the LPS-induced sepsis model was established. We found that microRNA-21 expression was upregulated in the liver of sepsis mice, and microRNA-21 inhibition significantly reduced the liver injury. The expression of liver injury markers, inflammation cytokines, and PPARα in the septic mice was higher than in antagomir-21 treated septic mice. In addition, we also found that PPARα is the target gene of microRNA-21; PPARα antagonist GW6471 could reverse the effect of antagomir-21. In conclusion, our study illustrated that microRNA-21 exacerbate acute liver injury in sepsis mice by inhibiting PPARα expression