Pharmacokinetic Profile and Evaluation of Acute and Subchronic Oral Toxicity of Shikimic Acid in Mice.

Shikimic acid, a widely known hydroaromatic compound abundantly found in (commonly known as Chinese star anise), serves as a key intermediate in the synthesis of neuraminidase inhibitors such as oseltamivir. However, its pharmacokinetic (PK) properties and long-term safety profile remain inadequately characterized. This study systematically evaluated its PK behavior following both oral and intravenous administrations, along with its acute toxicity and 28-day subchronic oral toxicity in mice.

Sustainable and cost-efficient hydrogen production using platinum clusters at minimal loading.

Proton exchange membrane water electrolysis stands as a promising technology for sustainable hydrogen production, although its viability hinges on minimizing platinum (Pt) usage without sacrificing catalytic efficiency. Central to this challenge is enhancing the intrinsic activity of Pt while ensuring the stability of the catalyst. We herein present a MoTiC MXene-supported Pt nanocluster catalyst (MoTiC-Pt) that requires a minimal Pt content (36 μg cm) to function, yet remains highly active and stable.

Anion intercalation enables efficient and stable carboxylate upgrading via aqueous non-Kolbe electrolysis.

Next-generation techniques for sustainable carboxylate production generate carboxylate salts as the primary outcome. To circumvent the costly conversion of carboxylate salts to acids, we demonstrate the aqueous (non-)Kolbe electrolysis process as an alternative strategy to generate downstream value-added chemicals. Upon revealing the irreversible oxidation-induced charge transfer inhibition on the graphite anode, we propose an anion intercalation strategy to mitigate the stability problem induced by the ever-increasing overpotential.

Why cutting is easier than tearing elastomers.

Tearing tough soft solids such as rubbers, leather or meat is much harder than cutting them with a sharp blade. To understand why, we use samples labeled with mechanically sensitive fluorophores to investigate cutting and fracture behavior in PDMS elastomers and quantify the extent of bond scission resulting from cutting pre-stretched samples. Our findings reveal that stretch-induced cracks produce significant deformation, bond scission and blunting near the crack tip, requiring more energy to propagate.

In Vitro Plasma Protein Binding Determination of Lefamulin by Equilibrium Dialysis and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Coupled With Evaporative Light Scattering Detector.

A credible method utilizing equilibrium dialysis and high-performance liquid chromatography with an evaporative light scattering detector (HPLC-ELSD) was developed to determine the plasma protein binding of lefamulin in swine. The method demonstrated excellent linearity, with a logarithmic calibration curve in the range of 0.1 to 2 μg/mL (r > 0.

Alisol A 24-Acetate combats Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection by targeting the mevalonate biosynthesis.

Infections caused by Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) have emerged as one of the most pressing global public health challenges. In concert with global rise of antimicrobial resistance at alarming rate, there is an urgent need for alternative strategies to combat MRSA. Here, the high throughput screening indicated that the Alisol A 24-acetate (AA) effectively inhibits the mevalonate (MVA) synthesis in MRSA.

Copper-Catalysed Electrochemical CO Methanation via the Alloying of Single Cobalt Atoms.

The electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide (CO) to methane (CH) presents a promising solution for mitigating CO emissions while producing valuable chemical feedstocks. Although single-atom catalysts have shown potential in selectively converting CO to CH, their limited active sites often hinder the realization of high current densities, posing a selectivity-activity dilemma. In this study, we developed a single-atom cobalt (Co) doped copper catalyst (CoCu) that achieved a CH Faradaic efficiency exceeding 60 % with a partial current density of -482.

Daily occupational exposure in swine farm alters human skin microbiota and antibiotic resistome.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major threat to global public health, and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) are widely distributed across humans, animals, and environment. Farming environments are emerging as a key research area for ARGs and antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB). While the skin is an important reservoir of ARGs and ARB, transmission mechanisms between farming environments and human skin remain unclear.

Coherent perfect absorption from asymmetry transmissive Helmholtz resonator metamaterials.

We propose an asymmetry transmissive (AT) Helmholtz resonator metamaterial to interact with dual incidences of different polarizations from opposite directions to achieve coherent perfect absorption at a terahertz regime. More specifically, the proposed design will solely allow the x-polarized incidence tunnel into the Helmholtz resonator cavity array with roughly half the energy reflected. Meanwhile, the transmitted fields will be converted into the y-polarized counterparts so as to go out through the metamaterial and finally coherent canceled with the partially reflected fields of the other incidence.

Targeted inhibition of gut bacterial β-glucuronidases by octyl gallate alleviates mycophenolate mofetil-induced gastrointestinal toxicity.

Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) is a viable therapeutic option against various immune disorders as a chemotherapeutic agent. Nevertheless, its application has been undermined by the gastrotoxic metabolites (mycophenolic acid glucuronide, MPAG) produced by microbiome-associated β-glucuronidase (βGUS). Therefore, controlling microbiota-produced βGUS underlines the potential strategy to improve MMF efficacy by overcoming the dosage limitation.

CeONP priming enhances the seed vigor of alfalfa () under salt stress.

Soil salinization is a common environmental problem that seriously threatens crop yield and food security, especially through its impact on seed germination. Nanoparticle priming, an emerging seed treatment method, is receiving increasing attention in improving crop yield and stress resistance. This study used alfalfa seeds as materials to explore the potential benefits of cerium oxide nanoparticle (CeONP) priming to promote seed germination and improve salt tolerance.

Exposure to salinomycin dysregulates interplay between mitophagy and oxidative response to damage the porcine jejunal cells.

Salinomycin (SAL) has caused widespread pollution as a feed additive and growth promoter in livestock such as pigs, exerting a negative impact on public health. The toxicity mechanism of SAL has been widely studied in chickens, but the underlying mechanisms of SAL-induced toxicity to pigs and the ecosystem remain undefined. In this study, we explored the potential damage of SAL in IPEC-J2 cells to identify the effects of excessive SAL on the interplay between mitophagy and oxidative stress.

Phentolamine Significantly Enhances Macrolide Antibiotic Antibacterial Activity against MDR Gram-Negative Bacteria.

Objectives: Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacterial infections have limited treatment options due to the impermeability of the outer membrane. New therapeutic strategies or agents are urgently needed, and combination therapies using existing antibiotics are a potentially effective means to treat these infections. In this study, we examined whether phentolamine can enhance the antibacterial activity of macrolide antibiotics against Gram-negative bacteria and investigated its mechanism of action.

Tough and fatigue-resistant polymer networks by crack tip softening.

Soft materials fail by crack propagation under external loads. While fracture toughness of a soft material can be enhanced by orders of magnitude, its fatigue threshold remains insusceptible. In this work, we demonstrate a crack tip softening (CTS) concept to simultaneously improve the toughness and threshold of a single polymeric network.

Selective CO electrolysis to CO using isolated antimony alloyed copper.

Renewable electricity-powered CO evolution from CO emissions is a promising first step in the sustainable production of commodity chemicals, but performing electrochemical CO reduction economically at scale is challenging since only noble metals, for example, gold and silver, have shown high performance for CO-to-CO. Cu is a potential catalyst to achieve CO reduction to CO at the industrial scale, but the C-C coupling process on Cu significantly depletes CO* intermediates, thus limiting the CO evolution rate and producing many hydrocarbon and oxygenate mixtures. Herein, we tune the CO selectivity of Cu by alloying a second metal Sb into Cu, and report an antimony-copper single-atom alloy catalyst (SbCu) of isolated Sb-Cu interfaces that catalyzes the efficient conversion of CO-to-CO with a Faradaic efficiency over 95%.

Iron nanoparticles induced the growth and physio-chemical changes in Kobresia capillifolia seedlings.

Iron nanoparticles (NPs) priming is known to affect the seed germination and seedling growth in many plants. However, whether it has an important role in stimulating the growth of perennial Qinghai-Tibet Plateau plants remains unclear. In this study, the effects of seed priming with different concentrations of nFeO and FeCl (10, 50, 100, 500, and 1000 mg L) on seed germination, plant growth, photosystem, antioxidant enzyme activities, root morphology, and biomass distribution of Kobresia capillifolia were evaluated under laboratory conditions.

Effects of Sheep Bone Collagen Peptide on Liver Lipid Deposition in Ovariectomized Rats.

Liver can be directly involved in the synthesis and decomposition of fatty acids. Liver lipid deposition is one of the most common chronic liver diseases. Estrogen deficiency can cause lipid deposition and energy metabolism disorders in the liver.

Green nanopriming: responses of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) seedlings to alfalfa extracts capped and light-induced silver nanoparticles.

The application of nanotechnology in agriculture can remarkably improve the cultivation and growth of crop plants. Many studies showed that nanoparticles (NPs) made plants grow more vigorously. Light can make NPs aggregated, leading to the reduction of the NPs toxicity.

3D Printing Method for Tough Multifunctional Particle-Based Double-Network Hydrogels.

3D printing of hydrogels finds widespread applications in biomedicine and engineering. Artificial cartilages and heart valves, tissue regeneration and soft robots, require high mechanical performance of complex structures. Although many tough hydrogels have been developed, complicated synthesis processes hinder their fabrication in 3D printing.

Effects of shade stress on turfgrasses morphophysiology and rhizosphere soil bacterial communities.

Background: The shade represents one of the major environmental limitations for turfgrass growth. Shade influences plant growth and alters plant metabolism, yet little is known about how shade affects the structure of rhizosphere soil microbial communities and the role of soil microorganisms in plant shade responses. In this study, a glasshouse experiment was conducted to examine the impact of shade on the growth and photosynthetic capacity of two contrasting shade-tolerant turfgrasses, shade-tolerant dwarf lilyturf (Ophiopogon japonicus, OJ) and shade-intolerant perennial turf-type ryegrass (Lolium perenne, LP).

Determination of 5-nitro-2-furaldehyde as marker residue for nitrofurazone treatment in farmed shrimps and with addressing the use of a novel internal standard.

We developed a significantly improved ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for determination of 5-nitro-2-furaldehyde (NF) as a surrogate using a novel internal standard for the detection of nitrofurazone. We used 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine derivatization and furfural as the internal standard. Derivatization was easily performed in HCl using ultrasonic manipulation for 5 min followed by liquid extraction using ethyl acetate.

[Contamination Characteristics and Safety Risk Assessment of Perflurorinated Alkylated Substances in Aquatic Products from Guangzhou].

To investigate the contamination characteristics of PFASs in aquatic products, 254 samples belonging to 6 species, including fishes, crustaceans, cephalopods, were collected from Guangzhou, and 23 PFASs were determined by UPLC-MS/MS. The total detection rates of the various sample species ranged from 93.5% to 100%, and the concentrations of PFASs were relatively higher in the fishes and crustaceans.