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Background We aimed to clarify the controversial relationship between levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and severity of depression in men and women. Methods Medical records were retrospectively analyzed for 1,236 inpatients at our medical center who were diagnosed with depression at discharge between January 2018 and August 2022. Depression severity was assessed during hospitalization using the 24-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. Potential associations between severity scores and hs-CRP levels were explored using multivariate linear regression as well as smooth curve fitting to detect non-linear patterns. Results In male patients, hs-CRP levels between 2.00 mg/L and 10.00 mg/L showed a non-linear association with depression severity overall (fully adjusted β  = 1.69, 95% CI 0.65 to 2.72), as well as with severity of specific symptoms such as hopelessness, sluggishness, and cognitive disturbance. In female patients, hs-CRP levels showed a linear association with severity of cognitive disturbance (fully adjusted β  = 0.07, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.12). These results remained significant after adjusting for age, body mass index, diabetes, hypertension, history of drinking, history of smoking, and estradiol levels. Discussion Levels of hs-CRP show sex-specific associations with depression severity, particularly levels between 2.00 and 10.00 mg/L in men. These findings may help develop personalized anti-inflammatory treatments for depression, particularly for men with hs-CRP levels of 2.00–10.00 mg/L.

Eating late in the day is associated with circadian desynchrony, resulting in dysregulated metabolism and increased cardiometabolic disease risk. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Using targeted metabolomics of postprandial plasma samples from a secondary analysis of a randomised 2 × 2 crossover study in 36 healthy older Chinese adults, we have compared postprandial metabolic responses between high (HI) glycemic index (GI) or low-GI (LO) meals, consumed either at breakfast (BR) or at dinner (DI). 29 out of 234 plasma metabolites exhibited significant differences (p < 0.05) in postprandial AUC between BR and DI sessions, whereas only five metabolites were significantly different between HI and LO sessions. There were no significant interactions between intake timing and meal GI. Lower glutamine: glutamate ratio, lower lysine and higher trimethyllysine (TML) levels were found during DI compared with BR, along with greater postprandial reductions (δAUC) in creatine and ornithine levels during DI, indicating a worse metabolic state during the evening DI period. Greater reductions (δAUC) in postprandial creatine and ornithine were also observed during HI compared with LO (both p < 0.05). These metabolomic changes may indicate potential molecular signatures and/or pathways linking metabolic responses with cardiometabolic disease risk between different meal intake timings and/or meals with variable GI.

Abnormal cytokine expression has been implicated as a potential contributor to neurodegeneration. This study aimed to investigate the plasma cytokine profiles in patients with early-onset schizophrenia (SCZ) and to explore the molecular mechanisms underlying the role of the key cytokine CCL11 in contributing to cognitive impairment. Plasma concentrations of 44 cytokines were quantified in individuals with SCZ. The effects of CCL11 on mitochondrial function were examined in vitro using primary hippocampal neurons. An in vivo model was subsequently developed by administering CCL11 into the lateral ventricle. The impact of the CCL11-CCR3 signaling pathway on mitochondrial function, oxidative stress, and cognitive function within the hippocampus was assessed using a combination of behavioral testing, molecular biology experiments, transcriptomic analysis, and non-targeted metabolomics. In individuals with SCZ, CCL11 and IL-13 levels were notably higher than in controls. In vitro, CCL11 exposure caused mitochondrial dysfunction and increased reactive oxygen species in hippocampal neurons. In vivo, CCL11-treated mice showed cognitive deficits, mitochondrial fission, and neuroinflammation in the hippocampus. Comprehensive integration of transcriptomic and metabolomic data revealed that CCL11 significantly disrupted the Glucokinase/Glucose-6-phosphate metabolism pathway, coinciding with elevated metabolites indicative of oxidative damage. Finally, downregulation of the CCR3 receptor in the hippocampus mitigated CCL11-induced oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and cognitive impairment. CCL11 causes cytotoxicity in neurons by increasing oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. In a mouse model, knockout of the CCR3 receptor alleviates CCL11-induced cognitive impairment, mitochondrial dysfunction, and oxidative stress.

Aims We aimed to evaluate the potential of a novel selective α‐amino‐3‐hydroxy‐5‐methyl‐4‐isoxazole‐propionic acid receptor (AMPAR) potentiator, LT‐102, in treating cognitive impairments associated with schizophrenia (CIAS) and elucidating its mechanism of action. Methods The activity of LT‐102 was examined by Ca2+ influx assays and patch‐clamp in rat primary hippocampal neurons. The structure of the complex was determined by X‐ray crystallography. The selectivity of LT‐102 was evaluated by hERG tail current recording and kinase‐inhibition assays. The electrophysiological characterization of LT‐102 was characterized by patch‐clamp recording in mouse hippocampal slices. The expression and phosphorylation levels of proteins were examined by Western blotting. Cognitive function was assessed using the Morris water maze and novel object recognition tests. Results LT‐102 is a novel and selective AMPAR potentiator with little agonistic effect, which binds to the allosteric site formed by the intradimer interface of AMPAR's GluA2 subunit. Treatment with LT‐102 facilitated long‐term potentiation in mouse hippocampal slices and reversed cognitive deficits in a phencyclidine‐induced mouse model. Additionally, LT‐102 treatment increased the protein level of brain‐derived neurotrophic factor and the phosphorylation of GluA1 in primary neurons and hippocampal tissues. Conclusion We conclude that LT‐102 ameliorates cognitive impairments in a phencyclidine‐induced model of schizophrenia by enhancing synaptic function, which could make it a potential therapeutic candidate for CIAS. The challenge of improving cognitive impairment associated with schizophrenia (CIAS) persists due to the limited availability of novel treatment options and drugs. Our study introduces a novel AMPAR potentiator, LT‐102, which could be a potential therapeutic candidate for CIAS by modifying synaptic plasticity and glutamate signaling.

Atomic-level coordination engineering is an efficient strategy for tuning the catalytic performance of single-atom catalysts (SACs). However, their rational design has so far been plagued by the lack of a universal correlation between the coordination symmetry and catalytic properties. Herein, we synthesised planar-symmetry-broken CuN 3 (PSB-CuN 3 ) SACs through microwave heating for electrocatalytic CO 2 reduction. Remarkably, the as-prepared catalysts exhibited a selectivity of 94.3% towards formate at −0.73 V vs. RHE, surpassing the symmetrical CuN 4 catalyst (72.4% at −0.93 V vs. RHE). In a flow cell equipped with a PSB-CuN 3 electrode, over 90% formate selectivity was maintained at an average current density of 94.4 mA cm −2 during 100 h operation. By combining definitive structural identification with operando X-ray spectroscopy and theoretical calculations, we revealed that the intrinsic local symmetry breaking from planar D 4 h configuration induces an unconventional dsp hybridisation, and thus a strong correlation between the catalytic activity and microenvironment of metal centre (i.e., coordination number and distortion), with high preference for formate production in CuN 3 moiety. The finding opens an avenue for designing efficient SACs with specific local symmetries for selective electrocatalysis. Atomic-level coordination influences the properties of single-atom-catalysts but is difficult to precisely engineer. Here, authors study the role of local symmetry manipulation, finding planar-symmetry-broken CuN 3 catalysts outperform highly symmetrical CuN 4 for CO 2 electroreduction to formic acid.

Seawater electrolysis offers a renewable, scalable, and economic means for green hydrogen production. However, anode corrosion by Cl - pose great challenges for its commercialization. Herein, different from conventional catalysts designed to repel Cl - adsorption, we develop an atomic Ir catalyst on cobalt iron layered double hydroxide (Ir/CoFe-LDH) to tailor Cl - adsorption and modulate the electronic structure of the Ir active center, thereby establishing a unique Ir-OH/Cl coordination for alkaline seawater electrolysis. Operando characterizations and theoretical calculations unveil the pivotal role of this coordination state to lower OER activation energy by a factor of 1.93. The Ir/CoFe-LDH exhibits a remarkable oxygen evolution reaction activity (202 mV overpotential and TOF = 7.46 O 2 s −1 ) in 6 M NaOH+2.8 M NaCl, superior over Cl - -free 6 M NaOH electrolyte (236 mV overpotential and TOF = 1.05 O 2 s −1 ), with 100% catalytic selectivity and stability at high current densities (400-800 mA cm −2 ) for more than 1,000 h. The seawater oxidation reaction faces challenges from competitive chloride oxidation reaction. Herein, the authors have utilized chlorine adsorption to modulate the single-atom Ir coordination state and promote seawater oxidation and catalyst stability.

Pressure-induced charge density wave (CDW) state can overcome the low-temperature limitation for practical application, thus seeking its traces in experiments is of great importance. Herein, we provide spectroscopic evidence for the emergence of room temperature CDW order in the narrow pressure range of 10–15 GPa in bulk VSe 2 . Moreover, we discovered an 8-coordination structure of VSe 2 with C2/m symmetry in the pressure range of 35–65 GPa by combining the X-ray absorption spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction experiments, and the first-principles calculations. These findings are beneficial for furthering our understanding of the charge modulated structure and its behavior under high pressure.

Aerogels have been attracting wide attentions in flexible/wearable electronics because of their light weight, excellent flexibility, and electrical conductivity. However, multifunctional aerogel‐based flexible/wearable electronics for human physiological/motion monitoring, and energy harvest/supply for mobile electronics, have been seldom reported yet. In this study, a kind of hybrid aerogel (GO/CNT HA) based on graphene oxide (GO) and carboxylated multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CMWCNTs) is prepared which can not only used as piezoresistive sensors for human motion and physiological signal detections, but also as high performance triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) coupled with both solid–solid and gas–solid contact electrifications (CE). The repeatedly loading–unloading tests with 20 000 cycles exhibit its high and ultrastable piezoresistive sensor performances. Moreover, when the obtained aerogel is used as the electrode of a TENG, high electric output performance is produced due to the synergistic effect of solid–solid, and gas–solid interface CEs (3D electrification: solid–solid interface CE between the two solid electrification layers; gas–solid interface CE between the inner surface of GO/CNT HA and the air filled in the aerogel pores). This kind of aerogel promises good applications for human physiological/motion monitoring and energy harvest/supply in flexible/wearable electronics such as piezoresistive sensors and flexible TENG. A kind of conductive, ultralight, elastic, hybrid aerogel is prepared by simply physical crosslinking of graphene oxide nanosheets and carboxylated multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CMWCNTs). Piezoresistive sensors for multimode physiological/human motion signal detections with long‐term ultrastability are successfully achieved due to the 3D network structure. High‐performance triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) is based on the coupling of solid–solid and gas–solid contact electrifications.

Background During mammalian pre-implantation embryonic development dramatic and orchestrated changes occur in gene transcription. The identification of the complete changes has not been possible until the development of the Next Generation Sequencing Technology. Results Here we report comprehensive transcriptome dynamics of single matured bovine oocytes and pre-implantation embryos developed in vivo. Surprisingly, more than half of the estimated 22,000 bovine genes, 11,488 to 12,729 involved in more than 100 pathways, is expressed in oocytes and early embryos. Despite the similarity in the total numbers of genes expressed across stages, the nature of the expressed genes is dramatically different. A total of 2,845 genes were differentially expressed among different stages, of which the largest change was observed between the 4- and 8-cell stages, demonstrating that the bovine embryonic genome is activated at this transition. Additionally, 774 genes were identified as only expressed/highly enriched in particular stages of development, suggesting their stage-specific roles in embryogenesis. Using weighted gene co-expression network analysis, we found 12 stage-specific modules of co-expressed genes that can be used to represent the corresponding stage of development. Furthermore, we identified conserved key members (or hub genes) of the bovine expressed gene networks. Their vast association with other embryonic genes suggests that they may have important regulatory roles in embryo development; yet, the majority of the hub genes are relatively unknown/under-studied in embryos. We also conducted the first comparison of embryonic expression profiles across three mammalian species, human, mouse and bovine, for which RNA-seq data are available. We found that the three species share more maternally deposited genes than embryonic genome activated genes. More importantly, there are more similarities in embryonic transcriptomes between bovine and humans than between humans and mice, demonstrating that bovine embryos are better models for human embryonic development. Conclusions This study provides a comprehensive examination of gene activities in bovine embryos and identified little-known potential master regulators of pre-implantation development.

The aggravation of soil salinization has become one of the major factors that threaten crop growth and yield. Rhizobia, as an important biological nitrogen-fixing microorganism, can establish symbiotic relationships with legumes to improve their nitrogen-fixing ability and stress tolerance. Trehalose, a non-reducing disaccharide that is widely found in bacteria, fungi, and plants, can protect cellular structures and maintain the viability of cells under stress conditions. However, it remains to be determined whether the endogenous trehalose level in rhizobia could affect its stress tolerance and nitrogen-fixing capabilities. In this study, we constructed four engineered rhizobial strains to examine the effects of the overexpression and knockout of the trehalose synthesis genes otsA/otsB in the rhizobium strain CCBAU25338 on its salt tolerance and nitrogen-fixing capacity. The results indicated that the overexpression of otsA, rather than the otsB gene, significantly enhanced both the stress tolerance and nitrogen-fixing abilities of the strains. Furthermore, the inoculation of otsA-overexpressing recombinant cells leads to greater agronomic traits in the host plant’s peanuts under salinity conditions. We hope our findings may serve as valuable references for the future development of efficient and superior engineered rhizobial strains for peanut cultivation.