Region-specific characterization and ecotoxicity assessment of PAH compounds in winter PM from three capital cities in Northeast Asia.

Industrialization and urbanization in Northeast Asia have heightened PM pollution, posing significant public health risks. This study examined the spatial and chemical variability of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their ecotoxicity in winter PM from three capitals-Ulaanbaatar (UB, Mongolia), Beijing (BJ, China), and Seoul (SE, South Korea)-using two-dimensional gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC-TOF MS). PM samples collected between December 15, 2020 and January 14, 2021 revealed UB had the highest concentrations (85.

Transition Temperature-Guided Design of Lipid Nanoparticles for Effective mRNA Delivery.

Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are promising mRNA delivery vehicles due to their biocompatibility and tunable characteristics. While current rational design approaches focus on ionizable lipids' p and zeta potential to optimize mRNA encapsulation and endosomal escape, the selection of helper lipids remains largely empirical. We propose that the lipid transition temperature (), marking the shift from the gel to the liquid crystalline phase, can guide rational helper lipid selection.

Identification of specific gut microbes and their therapeutic potential in ameliorating systemic lupus erythematosus in a mouse model.

Aims: The gut microbiome significantly influences autoimmune diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). This study aimed to characterize the gut microbiome and metabolome in SLE and evaluate the therapeutic potential of specific microbial supplementation in MRL/lpr mice.

Materials And Methods: MRL/lpr mice, a well-established model for SLE, were used to analyze gut microbiome changes before and after SLE symptom onset.

Structural Investigation of the Anti-CRISPR Protein AcrIE7.

The CRISPR-Cas system is an adaptive immune system in prokaryotes that provides protection against bacteriophages. As a countermeasure, bacteriophages have evolved various anti-CRISPR proteins that neutralize CRISPR-Cas immunity. Here, we report the structural and functional investigation of AcrIE7, which inhibits the type I-E CRISPR-Cas system in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Computational identification of potential natural terpenoid inhibitors of MDM2 for breast cancer therapy: molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulation, and ADMET analysis.

Background: Breast cancer (BC) remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality in women. The oncoprotein MDM2 negatively regulates the tumor suppressor p53, and its overexpression in BC promotes tumor progression and resistance to therapy. Targeting the MDM2-p53 interaction represents a promising therapeutic approach.

Antifungal effect and mechanism of 405 nm light-emitting diodes combined with riboflavin on Penicillium digitatum and Penicillium italicum.

Aims: This study was designed to evaluate the antifungal effect of a 405 nm light-emitting diode (LED) combined with an exogenous photosensitizer against Penicillium digitatum and Penicillium italicum and elucidate the antifungal mechanism.

Methods And Results: The results showed that riboflavin significantly enhanced the antifungal effect of 405 nm LED illumination among the three photosensitizers tested (chlorogenic acid, chlorophyllin, and riboflavin). Riboflavin inactivated mold spores below the detection limit (∼6.

ST1936 stimulates osteoclastogenesis and suppresses osteoclastic apoptosis through the ERK1/2 signaling pathway in bone marrow-derived macrophages.

5-hydroxytryptamine 6 receptor (5-HTR) is a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), and its activation results in bone resorption and loss. In the present study, we investigated the signaling pathway induced by the activation of 5-HTR during osteoclastogenesis in bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMMs). ST1936-induced 5-HTR stimulation enhanced tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP)-positive multinucleated osteoclasts during osteoclastogenesis, a process that was counteracted by SB258585, a specific 5-HTR antagonist, as well as by 5-HTR knockdown.

AMPK Knockout Impairs the Formation of Three-Dimensional Spheroids.

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is an important regulator of cellular energy homeostasis, and AMPK contributes to cell growth, apoptosis, and autophagy. Although most cell studies have been performed using two-dimensional (2D) cell culture, recent studies have demonstrated that the three-dimensional (3D) spheroid technique is helpful in various cell research fields, such as tumor biology, due to its resemblance to the 3D tissue structure. However, the role of AMPK in 3D spheroid formation has not been characterized clearly.

Extracts from Target STAT3 Signaling Pathway to Overcome Cisplatin Resistance in Lung Cancer.

Lung cancer, particularly non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality, with cisplatin-based chemotherapy being a standard treatment. However, the development of chemoresistance significantly limits its efficacy, necessitating alternative therapeutic approaches. Here, we demonstrate the anticancer effects of the extracts of (APE), a salt-tolerant plant, in cisplatin-resistant NSCLC.

Niclosamide extends health span and reduces frailty by ameliorating mTORC1 hyperactivation in aging models.

Introduction: Frailty is characterized by an increased vulnerability to disease and physical debilitation due to a decline in the body's capacity to maintain homeostasis during aging. Therefore, effective management of frailty is crucial for promoting health. Although the role of niclosamide (NIC), an autophagy promoter, has been studied for the treatment of cancer, infectious diseases, and metabolic disorders, no research has focused on its effects on aging.

(ReMoV)X (X = S, Se) Ternary Alloy Nanosheets for Enhanced Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution Reaction.

Modulating the electronic structure of 2D transition metal dichalcogenides via alloying can extend their potential applications. In this study, composition-tuned ternary alloy nanosheets of (ReMoV)X (X = S and Se) are synthesized using solvothermal and colloidal reactions, respectively. Ternary alloying occurred with homogeneous atomic mixing over a wide range of compositions (x = 0.

Evaluating Metabolic Signatures in the Serum of South Korean Patients with Humidifier Disinfectant-Associated Lung Injury Identified through Untargeted Metabolomics.

Background: The South Korean humidifier disinfectant-associated lung injury case was one of the worst disasters involving household chemical products, resulting in over 5,800 casualties. Despite the strong association between lung injury and humidifier disinfectants, the underlying pathogenic mechanisms remain unclear.

Objectives: We investigated patients with humidifier disinfectant-associated lung injury to identify key metabolic signatures, aiming to gain insights into the underlying pathogenic mechanisms based on the characteristics of these metabolites.

Protective effects of Trifuhalol A, a Phlorotannin derived from edible Brown seaweed Agarum cribrosum, on dexamethasone-induced muscle atrophy in muscle cells and zebrafish models.

Muscle atrophy, characterized by declines in muscle mass and functionality, currently lacks effective therapeutic options, highlighting an urgent need for further research. This research aimed to elucidate the protective effects of Trifuhalol A (TFA), a phlorotannin derived from Agarum cribrosum, against dexamethasone (Dexa)-induced muscle atrophy in zebrafish and C2C12 cells. TFA enhanced differentiation of myoblasts and myotube formation by upregulating MyHC, myogenin, MyoD, p-Akt, and p-mTOR, as well as activation of key downstream effectors of the mTOR pathway, enhancing protein synthesis.

Rhusflavone Modulates Osteoclastogenesis Through RANKL-Induced AKT Signaling in Bone Marrow-Derived Macrophages.

Osteoclast differentiation inhibition is a viable treatment strategy for osteoporosis because osteoclasts play a vital role in disease progression. Rhusflavone (Rhus), a biflavonoid, exhibits a sedative-hypnotic effect via the positive allosteric modulation of GABA(A) receptors. Although several biflavonoids possess activities that help prevent bone loss, the potential effects of Rhus on osteoclastogenesis have not been reported yet.

Near-Infrared Emissive CuInS/ZnS Quantum Dot-Embedded Polymer Scaffolds for Photon Upconversion Imaging.

A facile synthesis and application of photon upconversion (UC) probes, CuInS₂/ZnS quantum dots (nCIS QDs) is presented, which exhibits near-infrared (NIR) spectral emission. The nCIS QDs are synthesized via a template-assisted cation-exchange reaction during a heating process, resulting in NIR-I emission with a large Stokes shift (≈650 meV) and a high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY, ≈0.95).

Oxidative potential of urban PM in relation to chemical composition: Importance of fossil driven sources.

For a comprehensive evaluation of the key factors determining the oxidative potential (OP) of PM, 75 samples of PM were collected in urban Seoul, South Korea, during 2019-2021, and dithiothreitol consumption (DTTv) was measured using a DTT assay, coupled with an analysis of major constituents and stable isotope ratios of PM. For the entire sample set, the mean DTTv value was 0.58 ± 0.

Grandparental transfer of nanoplastics in pea plants (Pisum sativum): Transmission from soil to third generations.

With the increase in micro- and nanoplastic abundance in the soil environment, there has been growing concern regarding the translocation of nanoplastics to the soil biota. To this end, this study aimed to determine the multigenerational transfer of nanoplastics in plants by chronic exposure to nanoplastics (200 nm, polystyrene). Only the first generation (F0) of pea plants was exposed to nanoplastics, and subsequent generations (F1 and F2) were replanted in clean soil without nanoplastics.

PITPβ promotes COPI vesicle fission through lipid transfer and membrane contact formation.

Intracellular transport among organellar compartments occurs in two general ways: by membrane-bound carriers and membrane contacts. Specific circumstances that involve the coordination of these two modes of transport remain to be defined. By studying coat protein I (COPI) transport, we find that phosphatidylcholine with short acyl chains (sPC) is delivered through membrane contact from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to sites of COPI vesicle formation at the Golgi to support the fission stage.

Anomalous Phonon Softening with Inherent Strain in Wrinkled Monolayer WSe.

Local deformation is a control knob to dynamically tune the electronic band structure of 2D semiconductors. This study demonstrates the local strain-dependent phonon properties of monolayer tungsten diselenide, which are investigated by using the scanning tunneling microscopy-based tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy. The anomalous appearance and softening of the Raman-inactive out-of-plane mode are first revealed, which exhibits equivalent behavior to other principal phonons of tungsten diselenide.

Comparison of metagenomic analysis of fecal and gastrointestinal tract samples for identifying beneficial gut microorganisms.

Introduction: Previous research on the gut microbiome has primarily focused on fecal microbiota, raising concerns about whether fecal samples accurately represent the entire intestinal microbiota. Studies have shown that microbial communities across the gastrointestinal (GI) tract are more diverse than those in feces, suggesting that microbial composition may vary depending on the sampling method. Additionally, analyzing the broader diversity of microbial communities in the GI tract may enhance the identification of potentially beneficial microbiota.

Development of a BMU-on-a-chip model based on spatiotemporal regulation of cellular interactions in the bone remodeling cycle.

Bone remodeling is essential for maintaining bone homeostasis throughout life by replacing old bone with new tissue. This dynamic process occurs continuously within basic multicellular unit (BMU) through well-coordinated interactions among osteocytes, osteoblasts, and osteoclasts. However, a precise model that accurately replicates this mechanism has not yet been developed.

Cross-talks between Metabolic and Translational Controls during Beige Adipocyte Differentiation.

Whether and how regulatory events at the translation stage shape the cellular and metabolic features of thermogenic adipocytes is hardly understood. In this study, we report two hitherto unidentified cross-talk pathways between metabolic and translational regulation in beige adipocytes. By analysing temporal profiles of translation activity and protein level changes during precursor-to-beige differentiation, we found selective translational down-regulation of OXPHOS component-coding mRNAs.

Layer-by-Layer Interdigitated CuS/AuS Heteronanoplates by Selectively Blocking the Pathway of Cation Exchange Reaction.

Cation exchange reactions (CERs), recognized as a promising postsynthetic modification strategy, have garnered significant interest for generating thermodynamically unfavorable structural features, such as heterointerfaces. The formation of these heterointerfaces, which exhibit physicochemical properties distinct from those of their individual components, relies on precise control over the diffusion pathways of externally introduced cations as they migrate from the surface into the crystal interior. However, achieving regiospecific modulation of cation diffusion to rationally design heterointerfaces remains a formidable challenge.

Gut microbiota links vitamin C supplementation to enhanced mental vitality in healthy young adults with suboptimal vitamin C status: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

The intricate relationship between nutrition, gut microbiome, and mental health has gained increasing attention. We aimed to determine how vitamin C supplementation improves mental vitality through the gut microbiome and associated neurological and immunological changes. We used 16S rRNA sequencing to analyze gut microbiota profiles of participants from our previous trial, in which healthy young adults (20-39 years) with inadequate serum vitamin C levels (< 50 μM) received 500 mg vitamin C or a placebo twice daily for 4 weeks (vitamin C, n = 21; placebo, n = 19).