This paper presents the synthesis of a cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and highly efficient Cerium (Ce)-based polyvinyl alcohol/tannin hydrogel adsorbent modified with triethylene tetramine (Ce-PVA/TA/TETA). This material integrates components with exceptional phosphate affinity, making it ideal for phosphate removal applications. Specifically, the hydrogels were firstly prepared by using tannin and polyvinyl alcohol as raw materials. Subsequently, after HBO as crosslinking, the Ce was loaded into hydrogel by co-precipitation and Ce-PVA/TA was modified by triethylene tetramine amine to obtain Ce-PVA/TA/TETA with high adsorption efficiency and high selectivity. Triple modification with tannin hydrogelation, Ce loading and amination can significantly improve the affinity of the material to phosphate. This allows the Ce-PVA/TA/TETA hydrogel to maintain high phosphate adsorption capabilities across a wide pH range of 3.0-12.0. The Ce-PVA/TA/TETA hydrogel achieved a maximum phosphorus adsorption capacity of 110.88 mg/g within an equilibrium time of 120 min at 25 °C and pH = 3.0. The presence of co-existing ions had impact on phosphate adsorption. Both the pseudo-second-order model and the Langmuir model effectively described the kinetics and isotherms, respectively. The adsorption process was a monolayer chemical adsorption, which was dominated by the surface adsorption and particle internal diffusion. Besides electrostatic attraction, ligand exchange and internal diffusion mechanisms were involved in the phosphate adsorbing of Ce-PVA/TA/TETA based on Zeta potential, FTIR, and XPS analysis. Most importantly, the Ce-PVA/TA/TETA hydrogel can swiftly remove phosphate from natural water and wastewater at low doses, meeting regulatory standards. This underscores its promising potential for phosphate management and eutrophication control.

Cytochrome c oxidases are hemoproteins with a heme prosthetic group bound to the apoprotein. These complex enzymes are found embedded in the plasma membrane of the bacterial cells and play a vital role in the transfer of electrons from the electron transport chain to the oxygen molecule that acts as a terminal electron acceptor and gets reduced to water molecules. It helps establish a proton gradient across the plasma membrane by pumping hydrogen ions into the periplasmic space, generating adenosine triphosphate through oxidative phosphorylation. Bacteria have various cytochrome c oxidases based on the ecological niche that are differentially expressed with varying environmental conditions. Cytochrome c oxidases are made of different subunits with a distinct heme‑copper binuclear active site that catalyzes oxygen molecule reduction. Since these complex enzymes play a vital role in cellular respiration, the structure of cytochrome c oxidases remains conserved in many of the bacteria. Therefore, a detailed analysis of the structure of enzyme subunits, amino acid composition, and catalytic activity helps to design small molecules as drugs of clinical relevance for bacteria. The present review focuses on the structural details and molecular mechanisms such as proton pumping, electron transfer and the catalytic activity of oxygen reduction.

Hydrogels with good biocompatibility, suitable physicochemical properties, and effective wound healing promotion are currently recognized as ideal candidates for wound dressings. This study introduced an innovative thermosensitive phase-transition hydrogel (CSDA-MC-HG) for skin wound repair, prepared using decanoic acid-modified chitosan (CSDA) and methyl cellulose (MC). The enhanced hydrophobic interaction with increasing temperature was the primary mechanism behind the thermosensitive phase-transition property of CSDA-MC-HG. Rheological measurement confirmed that CSDA-MC-HG possessed adequate spreadability and adaptability, allowing it to conform well to irregular shaped wounds and be easily applied and replaced. The other characterization findings indicated that CSDA-MC-HG possessed ideal interconnected porous structure, along with superior swelling capacity, water retention ability, and water vapor permeability necessary for an optimal wound dressing. Biocompatibility experiments indicated that CSDA-MC-HG exhibited satisfactory blood compatibility and cell compatibility, supporting the proliferation and migration of L929 cells. Furthermore, the hydrogel's potential as a wound dressing was tested on SD rats with full-thickness skin wounds. The results indicated that CSDA-MC-HG effectively promoted wound healing by enhancing fibroblast proliferation, accelerating the formation of new blood vessels and skin appendages, and facilitating collagen deposition. The findings presented suggested that CSDA-MC-HG held significant potential for application as a wound healing dressing.

This study explores the synthesis, structural, and functional properties of starch/sodium alginate aerogels prepared via two-step and multi-step solvent exchange methods, with and without calcium chloride (CaCl) crosslinking. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy confirmed that both polymers were incorporated in an aerogel matrix, while Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis revealed that the preparation method and composition of initial polymer solution had a significant influence on surface area and porosity. Specifically, the surface area ranged from 4 to 132 m/g, with multi-step solvent exchange producing aerogels with higher surface area and porosity. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that multi-step solvent exchange produced more homogeneous aerogel structures, while the two-step method was more effective for sodium alginate-rich aerogels. Mechanical testing revealed that crosslinked aerogels achieved a maximum stress force of up to 12 MPa, significantly higher than non-crosslinked aerogels, which showed a maximum stress of 9 MPa. Swelling studies in PBS buffer (pH 7.4) indicated that the equilibrium swelling degree (SD) increased with sodium alginate content, with values ranging from 330 to 656 % for sodium alginate-rich samples, due to carboxyl group dissociation, whereas non-crosslinked samples, particularly those with higher sodium alginate content, dissolve in PBS buffer. Neat starch aerogels exhibited lower swelling behavior, with SDeq values around 300 %, and were largely unaffected by the addition of the crosslinker. These findings highlight the tunable structural, mechanical, and swelling properties of starch/sodium alginate aerogels, making them promising candidates for numerous applications such as drug delivery and environmental remediation applications.

Nanocellulose extracted from agricultural waste for the development of reinforced sustainable composites is needed, due to a greater environmental responsibility and awareness of environmental pollution. In this work, the extraction of nanocellulose (GNC) from ginger residue was conducted via acid hydrolysis without complicated pretreatments. The potential application of GNC as a reinforcing agent for sustainable composite films was also explored. The results showed that the obtained GNC exhibited a rod-like shape with a high aspect ratio (15.75 ± 4.25). X-ray diffraction patterns revealed a cellulose II structure with a crystallinity index of 88.47 %. The reinforcing effects of GNC were evaluated in composite films made from different matrices, including sodium alginate (SA) and chitosan (CS), to assess its performance in enhancing material properties. The incorporation of 5 % of GNC significantly improved the tensile strength of SA and CS by 94 % and 64 %, respectively. Notably, the addition of GNC also enhanced the elongation at break of the SA-based films. This study demonstrates that ginger residue is a promising and sustainable feedstock for extracting nanocellulose, which can serve as an effective reinforcing agent in biocomposite films.

This study aims to investigate the effect of fatty acids with different degrees of saturation on the microwave freeze-drying (MFD) characteristics and crosslinking behavior of wheat starch-fatty acid composite systems. In the composite system, with the increase in the unsaturation of fatty acids, the initial moisture content also increased. In terms of drying characteristics, both the MFD curve and the MFD rate curve indicate that composite systems of wheat starch with higher unsaturation levels respond more stably to changes in microwave power throughout the MFD process. During the MFD of wheat starch-stearic acid, wheat starch- oleic acid and wheat starch- linoleic acid, as the microwave power was elevated from 0.5 W/g to 2.5 W/g, the DSC results showed changes in the melting enthalpy (ΔH) of 2475.31 J/g, 643.32 J/g, and 2157.80 J/g, respectively. The XRD results indicated that the relative crystallinity (RC) decreased by 37.70 %, 17.56 %, and 29.70 %, respectively. The FTIR results revealed an increase in the ratio at 1022/995 cm by 3.79 × 10, 0.21 × 10, and 0.25 × 10, respectively. The CI of the three composite systems decreased by 23.98 %, 2.14 %, and 12.48 %, respectively. In other words, the composite of wheat starch and monounsaturated fatty acid was more stable during the MFD process compared to the composites of wheat starch with saturated fatty acids and wheat starch with polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the deadliest cancers, characterized by a poor prognosis. Currently, there are no screening programs for the early detection of PC, and existing diagnostic methods are primarily limited to high-risk individuals. Biomarkers such as CA19-9 have not significantly improved early diagnosis, making the identification of new potential biomarkers crucial for routine clinical practice. Among the candidate biomarkers, miRNAs have been most extensively studied due to their role in regulating gene expression (either as oncomiRs or tumor suppressor miRNAs) and their potential for minimally invasive analysis through liquid biopsy techniques. This review aims to summarize the current literature on blood-circulating miRNAs and their diagnostic value in PC detection, considering the context of CA19-9 and benign pancreatic diseases. The data from the collected studies were curated through both statistical and bioinformatics analyses to identify the most promising miRNAs with optimal diagnostic accuracy for PC detection and to assess their role in the molecular processes leading to tumor development.

La-based nanoparticles encapsulated within a host matrix exhibit enhanced phosphate removal efficiency and improved stability compared to their bulk counterparts. The optimization of La-based adsorbents, balancing adsorption capacity and separation efficiency, is of great significance. In this study, we developed a three-dimensional layered skeleton network of La-modified graphene oxide/sodium alginate beads (La-GO/SA) by uniformly embedding La(OH)₃. Original GO maintained a high specific surface area (2630 m/g), which boosted the surface area, electrical crosslinking, and affinity towards oxygen-donor compounds of La-GO/SA. The crosslinked hydrogel exhibited enhanced mesoporous and microporous structures, as confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and surface structural analyses. Batch experiments demonstrated that La-GO/SA achieved stable phosphate removal (>80 %) across a broad pH range of 3.0-10.0, with a maximum phosphate uptake of 34.8 mg/g at pH 4.0. Notably, La-GO/SA maintained high selectivity for phosphate even in the presence of competing anions such as Cl, HCO, SO, and NO. The experimental data were well-fitted to Freundlich and pseudo-second-order models, indicating a multilayer chemisorption mechanism. Additionally, multi-instrument characterization analysis elucidated the phosphate removal mechanisms, including electrostatic interactions, surface precipitation, ligand exchange, and Lewis acid-base interactions. The La-GO/SA hydrogel provided attachment sites for LaPO precipitates, which contributed to a decrease in pore volume after adsorption. Our research on the synthesis, properties, and adsorption mechanisms of La-GO/SA hydrogel laid a scientific foundation for practical phosphate immobilization and recycling applications.

Intestinal perforation is a serious medical emergency, and traditional surgery often causes adhesion and other complications. Innovative hydrogels improve postoperative care and rehabilitation with their anti-adhesion, antibacterial, and hemostatic properties. We have developed an advanced anti-adhesion hydrogel, AA-A30, composed of polypyrrole-modified gelatin (PPy-GelMA), carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS), and NHS-functionalized polyethylene glycol (PEG-NHS). This hydrogel is specifically tailored for intestinal perforations. Upon hydrolysis, PEG-NHS forms a protective barrier that effectively prevents adhesion to surrounding normal tissues. Furthermore, the integration of PPy-GelMA significantly extends the degradation duration of the hydrogel, from 24 to 48 h. In a mouse model of intestinal perforation, the AA-A30 hydrogel demonstrated remarkable efficacy in inhibiting inflammation and preventing tissue adhesion by modulating the expression of both inflammatory and tissue adhesion-related factors, such as IL-1β, TNF-α, and the ratio of tPA to PAI-1. These findings underscore the considerable potential of AA-A30 for the therapeutic management of intestinal perforations.

Polysaccharide edible film (PEF) plays an important role in protecting food from physical extrusion, chemical hazards and microbial invasion. In recent years, on the basis of ensuring food safety, consumers have put forward higher requirements for maintaining sensory characteristics and nutritional value of food in the process of storage and circulation. As a natural component with convenient preparation and rich sources, polysaccharides have antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and other biological activities. The edible preservative film based on polysaccharide has the advantages of environmental protection, safety and no residue. Considering the health of consumers and the sustainable development of the environment, the environment-friendly, safe and effective PEF has become an important material in the field of food preservation and a creative solution to the problem of food preservation. Based on this, review focuses on the application of PEF in the preservation of different kinds of food, and briefly expounds the mechanism of PEF in the preservation of food, the production methods and different types of PEF. At the same time, it summarizes the existing problems and future development prospects and directions of PEF. After years of in-depth research and application, PEF technology has shown an important role and application potential in the field of food preservation. This paper hopes to provide reference value for the further application of PEF in the field of food preservation.

Phase change materials are essential for sustainable thermal management, but challenges such as leakage, formability loss, low thermal conductivity, and poor photo-thermal conversion efficiency limit their stability and versatility. Herein, we propose a simple yet effective carbonization strategy that leverages the inherent three-dimensional, oriented, and hierarchical cellulose skeleton of carbonized wood (CW) to support polyethylene glycol (PEG). When the carbonization temperature is 1000 °C and the heating rate is 3-5 °C/min, the CW's maximum specific surface area and average pore diameter reach as high as 598.19 m/g and 3.25 nm, respectively. Furthermore, the thermal conductivity of the CW-PEG composite phase change energy storage materials (CW-PEG composite PCESMs) increases to 0.434 W/m·K. The CW-PEG composite PCESMs exhibit a melting enthalpy of 130.5 J/g and an energy storage efficiency of 99.8 %. The surface temperature variations captured by the infrared camera during the heating and cooling cycles underscore the outstanding solar energy conversion efficiency of CW-PEG composite PCESMs. Moreover, even after 50 cycles, the phase change enthalpy retains 95 %, highlighting the CW-PEG composite PCESMs promising potential for energy-efficient building materials and cold chain transportation.

This study mainly aimed to reveal the superiority of the positively charged poly(N, N-dimethyl acrylamide) (PC-PDMAA)/poly(ethyl acrylate) (PEA) structure to control poly(sodium allyl sulfonate) (PSAS)/PEA structure in enhancing the sizing properties (viscosity stability, adhesion to fibers (cellulose-based cotton and hydrophobic polyester), and film properties) and desizability of starch, and avoid desizing difficulty issue of positively charged PATAC-grafted starch, due to its worse desizing efficiency. Also, it aimed to survey the influence of grafting ratio on these properties, to develop a new biobased starch adhesive, PC-PDMAA-g-starch-g-PEA (PC-PDMAA-g-S-g-PEA), for the sizing of cotton and polyester. Under a similar grafting ratio, the PC-PDMAA-g-S-g-PEA (IV) showed significantly superior bonding to both fibers, film elongation and endurance (p < 0.05), and better paste stability and desizability compared to control PSAS-g-starch-g-PEA (PSAS-g-S-g-PEA, IV). This demonstrated that combining the PC-PDMAA/PEA branches could further enhance these properties of acid-thinned starch (ATS) compared to the PSAS/PEA branches. Bonding strengths, viscosity stability, desizability, film elongation, and film endurance of PC-PDMAA-g-S-g-PEA were strengthened with an increased grafting ratio from 0 % to 10.80 %. According to these findings, PC-PDMAA-g-S-g-PEA, a novel starch bio-based adhesive with a grafting ratio of 10.80 %, showed promise for use in cotton and polyester warp sizing.

Ruminants play a crucial role in dairy farming, pharmaceuticals, and embryonic stem cell research; thus, it is vital to prevent pregnancy loss and improve reproductive outcomes through a better understanding of placental development. Paternally-expressed gene 10 (PEG10) is a conserved gene essential for placental development in mammals, but its function in ruminants is not well understood. To develop insights into its role in placental development, this study investigated the gene structure and expression of PEG10 in cattle and goats. We found that PEG10's structure was conserved across species, and in the placenta, it retained the ability to bind to its own mRNA. Transcript analysis revealed differential expression patterns of PEG10 at early and late stages of placental development. We identified 70 proteins potentially interacting with PEG10 that were involved in biological processes like metabolism, signal transduction, cell proliferation, and immune responses. These proteins were grouped into seven clusters, associated with pathways such as amino acid degradation, the TCA cycle, longevity regulation, cardiomyopathy, proteasome function, and biosynthesis. Our findings suggest that PEG10 regulates placental development in ruminants by interacting with key proteins like CAST, ITGA6, and FTL, which are responsible for critical cellular processes in placental function.

This study was designed to investigate the morphological, structural, rheological, functional, and emulsifying properties of native (NKS) and octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA)-esterified Kodo millet starch (EKS) blended with commercial pea protein (PP), soy protein (SP), and whey protein (WP). The effects of esterification and blending on the stabilization of oil-in-water Pickering emulsions were also evaluated. Morphological analysis revealed significant starch-protein interactions, causing deformation and surface irregularities in the NKS and EKS blends, with stronger interactions in the esterified blends due to hydrophilic and hydrophobic forces. Structural characterization revealed similar crystalline structures in starch-protein blends, with increased X-ray diffraction peaks after protein addition. However, esterification reduced the pasting temperature (PT) from 88.80 °C (NKS) to 83.25 °C (EKS), and protein addition further decreased the PT by 0.5-4.80 % for the NKS blends and 0.25-1.62 % for the EKS blends, indicating reduced swelling resistance and thermal stability. Rheological tests of starch-protein blend suspensions revealed shear-thinning flow and elastic-dominant (G' > G") behavior, with EKS-protein blends exhibiting stronger gel networks. NKS-protein blends had relatively high water absorption capacities (2.37-2.43 g/g), whereas EKS-protein blends showed higher oil absorption capacities (2.32-2.37 g/g). The emulsifying activity index (11.03 to 12.76-16.21) and emulsifying stability index (70.49 min to 93.85-99.62 min) increased after blending, with Pickering emulsions remaining stable for a minimum of two weeks. However, emulsion stability was highest for the EKS-SP blends, which remained stable for up to 25 days. Overall, the esterification of starch increased its compatibility with proteins, leading to improved emulsifying properties and more stable emulsions.

Bacterial flagellins are recognized for their potent immunomodulatory properties and potential as vaccine adjuvants. They activate innate and adaptive immune responses by interacting with Toll-like receptor 5 (TLR5) and the cytosolic NOD-like receptor protein 4 (NLRC4) inflammasome, thereby enhancing immune responses. This study investigates the impact of various truncated flagellin derivatives, derived from Escherichia coli (EHEC EDL933) and lacking specific domains, on TLR5 activation and their adjuvant properties. We generated several truncated flagellin mutants and assessed their ability to activate TLR5 in vitro and their immunoadjuvant effects in vivo. Our data show that only the FliC, FliC, FliC-FaeG, and FliC-FaeG proteins, which lack the hypervariable region (HVP) but retain both the amino- and carboxy-terminal regions, significantly enhanced TNF-α and IL-8 production compared to other flagellin derivatives. These findings underscore the essential roles of both conserved terminal regions in TLR5 activation. Notably, the FliC truncated mutant exhibited TLR5 activation comparable to that of native flagellin and induced higher antibody titers when co-administered with a model antigen or used as a fusion protein. Our results suggest that the HVR is not essential for flagellin's immunoadjuvant activity and that its removal enhances flagellin's ability to activate the innate immune system. This study provides valuable insights into optimizing flagellin derivatives for vaccine development, offering a more potent platform for enhancing immune responses against a range of pathogens.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a persistent mental illness caused by severe traumatic events, and its pathogenesis is still unclear. Recent studies indicate that p75 neurotrophic factor receptor (p75NTR) plays a crucial role in neurological diseases, but the role of p75NTR in PTSD is currently unknown. To investigate the effects and mechanisms of p75NTR in PTSD, in this study, a functional p75NTR-deficient mouse was used to establish a PTSD model by single prolonged stress (SPS) paradigm, then the behavioral effects and underlying mechanisms were further investigated. The results demonstrated that p75NTR deletion alleviated anxiety-like behavior and spatial learning and memory impairment in SPS-induced PTSD mice. Further study indicated that deletion of p75NTR downregulated the expression of apoptosis (Bax) and autophagy (Beclin-1) related proteins in the hippocampus of PTSD mice, protected against hippocampal neuronal damage, upregulated the expression of synaptic-related proteins (PSD95 and Synapsin I), increased dendritic complexity and dendritic spine density, and improved synaptic plasticity through the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. In conclusion, deletion of p75NTR rescues behavioral and cognitive dysfunction through PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway mediated regulation of hippocampal autophagy, apoptosis and synaptic plasticity in SPS-induced PTSD mice, which provides a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of PTSD.

Mucinous adenocarcinoma (MAC) is a unique histological subtype of colorectal cancer (CRC), which usually occurs in the right-sided colon with poor prognosis. Our previous studies reveled unique clinicopathological characteristic of MAC, but the distinct molecular features and tumor microenvironment (TME) characteristics remain clarify systematically. In this study, we conducted a single nuclear RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) analysis for CRC tissues with different histological subtypes, including MAC, partial mucinous adenocarcinoma (pMAC) and non-specific adenocarcinoma (AC). Our results show that MAC has a unique transcriptome profile and a distinct single-cell characteristic. It exhibited a higher degree of tumor purity but a lower composition of TME. MAC had a distinct cell-cell communication microenvironment and a particular evolutionary trajectory. The EpithelialCells of MAC closely interacted with fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and mural cells clusters. Furthermore, molecular functional characteristics analysis revealed that MAC enriched EpithelialCells, Fibroblasts, and Endothelial cells clusters have a high active in glycolysis, inflammation, and angiogenesis respectively. This comprehensive study first demonstrated that MAC is a unique histological subtype of right-sided CRC in the single cell level, and elucidated its tumor microenvironment composition and biological function characteristics, which will help us better understand the intrinsic feature of MAC.

Transcriptional gene silencing (TGS) mediated by siRNA holds promise for long-term silencing efficacy, determined by effective nuclear delivery of siRNA. However, non-viral vectors for this purpose are limited. In this work, we synthesized guanidinylated linear synthetic polypeptides (GLSPs) to explore how chain length and conformation impact siRNA delivery, especially nuclear entry. Results show that helical conformations, particularly right-handed ones, enhance siRNA loading and silencing efficiency compared to unordered structures. Increasing chain length also improves these aspects. The endocytic pathways of carrier/siRNA nanocomplexes (NCs) are mainly determined by conformation, regardless of length. Notably, some NCs derived from right-handed helices can enter cells via direct membrane penetration, like bioactivity of cell penetrating peptides (CPPs). When the peptide chain of GLSPs is long enough, all vectors can rapidly deliver siRNA to the nucleus, similar to bioactivity of nuclear localization signal peptides (NLSPs). Interestingly, helicity of the vectors aids endosomal escape of NCs. Moreover, delivering siRNA to the nucleus via GLSPs induces TGS associated with DNA promoter methylation or histone deacetylation. This study clarifies the structure-activity relationship of GLSPs in siRNA delivery, providing new insights for designing non-viral carriers for TGS.