Currently, the drug delivery system (DDS) based on nanomaterials has become a hot interdisciplinary research topic. One of the core issues is drug loading and controlled release, in which the key lever is carriers. Vaterite, as an inorganic porous nano-material, is one metastable structure of calcium carbonate, full of micro or nano porous. Recently, vaterite has attracted more and more attention, due to its significant advantages, such as rich resources, easy preparations, low cost, simple loading procedures, good biocompatibility and many other good points. Vaterite, gained from suitable preparation strategies, can not only possess the good drug carrying performance, like high loading capacity and stable loading efficiency, but also improve the drug release ability, showing the better drug delivery effects, such as targeting release, pH sensitive release, photothermal controlled release, magnetic assistant release, optothermal controlled release. At the same time, the vaterite carriers, with good safety itself, can protect proteins, enzymes, or other drugs from degradation or inactivation, help imaging or visualization with loading fluorescent drugs in vitro and in vivo, and play synergistic effects with other therapy approaches, like photodynamic therapy, sonodynamic therapy, and thermochemotherapy. Latterly, some renewed reports in drug loading and controlled release have led to their widespread applications in diverse fields, from cell level to clinical studies. This review introduces the basic characteristics of vaterite and briefly summarizes its research history, followed by synthesis strategies. We subsequently highlight recent developments in drug loading and controlled release, with an emphasis on the advantages, quantity capacity, and comparations. Furthermore, new opportunities for using vaterite in cell level and animal level are detailed. Finally, the possible problems and development trends are discussed.

With the widespread use of antibiotics, drug-resistant bacterial infections have become a significant threat to human health. Finding new antibacterial strategies that can effectively control drug-resistant bacterial infections has become an urgent task. Unlike small molecule drugs that target bacterial proteins, antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) can target genes related to bacterial resistance, pathogenesis, growth, reproduction and biofilm formation. By regulating the expression of these genes, ASO can inhibit or kill bacteria, providing a novel approach for the development of antibacterial drugs. To overcome the challenge of delivering antisense oligonucleotide into bacterial cells, various drug delivery systems have been applied in this field, including cell-penetrating peptides, lipid nanoparticles and inorganic nanoparticles, which have injected new momentum into the development of antisense oligonucleotide in the antibacterial realm. This review summarizes the current development of small nucleic acid drugs, the antibacterial mechanisms, targets, sequences and delivery vectors of antisense oligonucleotide, providing a reference for the research and development of antisense oligonucleotide in the treatment of bacterial infections.

The auxin/indole-3-acetic acid (Aux/IAA) gene family is an important regulator for plant growth hormone signaling, involved in plant growth, development, as well as response to environmental stresses. In the present study, we identified SmIAA7 which is potentially associated with Salvia miltiorrhiza leaf development through comparatively analyzed the transcriptome data from different pinnate leaves. SmIAA7 was successfully isolated from S. miltiorrhiza using the specific primers. Then subsequent bioinformatic analysis, prokaryotic expression and purification, subcellular localization, and induction expression analysis under auxin and abiotic stress were performed. The full-length of SmIAA7 contained an ORF of 684 bp encoding a protein of 227 amino acid with a molecular weight of 25.3 kD. Conserved domain analysis showed that SmIAA7 contains the conserved Aux_IAA domain (pfam02309). Sequence analysis and phylogenetic tree analysis results indicated SmIAA7 was phylogenetically close to IAA7 and IAA14 from other plants, suggesting SmIAA7 involved in plant growth and development as well as response to environmental stresses. The prokaryotic expression vector pET28a-SmIAA7 was constructed and SmIAA7 recombinant protein was successfully expressed in E. coli Rosetta (DE3) strain. Subcellular localization experiment demonstrated that SmIAA7 localized in the nucleus of plant cells. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR results showed that the expression level of SmIAA7 was upregulated in response to auxin. Drought, low temperature, and salt stress significantly increased the transcript level of SmIAA7 gene. This study lays a foundation for further elucidating the role of SmIAA7 in leaf development, signal transduction, and stress defense in S. miltiorrhiza.

Biomolecular condensates are formed through phase separation of biomacromolecules such as proteins and RNAs. These condensates exhibit liquid-like properties that can futher transition into more stable material states. They form complex internal structures via multivalent weak interactions, enabling precise spatiotemporal regulations. However, the use of inconsistent and non-standardized terminology has become increasingly problematic, hindering academic exchange and the dissemination of scientific knowledge. Therefore, it is necessary to discuss the terminology related to biomolecular condensates in order to clarify concepts, promote interdisciplinary cooperation, enhance research efficiency, and support the healthy development of this field.

ObjectiveTo explore the molecular mechanism of aerobic exercise to improve hippocampal neuronal degeneration by regulating tryptophan metabolic pathway. Methods60 SPF-grade C57BL/6J male mice were divided into a young group (2 months old, n=30) and a senile group (12 months old, n=30), and each group was further divided into a control group (C/A group, n=15) and an exercise group (CE/AE group, n=15). An aerobic exercise program was used for 8 weeks. Learning memory ability was assessed by Y-maze, and anxiety-depression-like behavior was detected by absent field experiment. Hippocampal Trp levels were measured by GC-MS. Nissl staining was used to observe the number and morphology of hippocampal neurons, and electron microscopy was used to detect synaptic ultrastructure. ELISA was used to detect the levels of hippocampal Trp,5-HT, Kyn, KATs, KYNA, KMO, and QUIN; Western blot was used to analyze the activities of TPH2, IDO1, and TDO enzymes. ResultsGroup A mice showed significant decrease in learning and memory ability (P<0.05) and increase in anxiety and depressive behaviors (P<0.05); all of AE group showed significant improvement (P<0.05). Hippocampal Trp levels decreased in group A (P<0.05) and increased in AE group (P<0.05). Nidus vesicles were reduced and synaptic structures were degraded in group A (P<0.05), and both were significantly improved in group AE (P<0.05). The levels of Trp, 5-HT, KATs, and KYNA were decreased (P<0.05) and the levels of Kyn, KMO, and QUIN were increased (P<0.05) in group A. The activity of TPH2 was decreased (P<0.05), and the activities of IDO1 and TDO were increased (P<0.05). The AE group showed the opposite trend. ConclusionThe aging process significantly reduces the learning memory ability and increases the anxiety-depression-like behavior of mice, and leads to the reduction of the number of nidus vesicles and degenerative changes of synaptic structure in the hippocampus, whereas aerobic exercise not only effectively enhances the spatial learning memory ability and alleviates the anxiety-depression-like behavior of aging mice, but also improves the morphology and structure of neurons in hippocampal area, which may be achieved by the mechanism of regulating the tryptophan metabolic pathway.

ObjectiveTo understand the seropositivity of neutralizing antibodies (NAb) and low-level NAb against SARS-CoV-2 infection in the community residents, and to explore the impact of COVID-19 vaccination and SARS-CoV-2 infection on the levels of NAb in human serum. MethodsOn the ground of surveillance cohort for acute infectious diseases in community populations in Shanghai, a proportional stratified sampling method was used to enroll the subjects at a 20% proportion for each age group (0‒14, 15‒24, 25‒59, and ≥60 years old). Blood samples collection and serum SARS-CoV-2 NAb concentration testing were conducted from March to April 2023. Low-level NAb were defined as below the 25^th percentile of NAb. ResultsA total of 2 230 participants were included, the positive rate of NAb was 97.58%, and the proportion of low-level NAb was 25.02% (558/2 230). Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that age, infection history and vaccination status were correlated with low-level NAb (all P<0.05). Individuals aged 60 years and above had the highest risk of low-level NAb. There was a statistically significant interaction between booster vaccination and one single infection (aOR=0.38, 95%CI: 0.19‒0.77). Compared to individuals without vaccination, among individuals infected with SARS-CoV-2 once, both primary immunization (aOR=0.23, 95%CI: 0.16‒0.35) and booster immunization (aOR=0.12, 95%CI: 0.08‒0.17) significantly reduced the risk of low-level NAb; among individuals without infections, only booster immunization (aOR=0.28, 95%CI: 0.14‒0.52) showed a negative correlation with the risk of low-level NAb. ConclusionsThe population aged 60 and above had the highest risk of low-level NAb. Regardless of infection history, a booster immunization could reduce the risk of low-level NAb. It is recommended that eligible individuals , especially the elderly, should get vaccinated in a timely manner to exert the protective role of NAb.

ObjectiveTo present the exploration and application of a prospective follow-up research method for acute infectious disease surveillance based on natural community populations， using COVID-19 infection as an example， and to provide a reference for improving the infectious disease surveillance and early warning system. MethodsA multi-stage probability proportional sampling method was employed to sample residents from all communities of 16 administrative districts in Shanghai， with households as the units. A cohort for acute infectious diseases based on natural community populations was established. The baseline survey was conducted for all cohort subjects， and COVID-19 antigen test kits were distributed. From December 21， 2022 to September 30， 2023， prospective follow-up monitoring of COVID-19 antigen and nucleic acid was carried out on the study subjects on a weekly basis. The baseline characteristics and follow-up information of the cohort subjects were described. ResultsThe cohort for acute infectious diseases included a total of 12 881 subjects， comprising 6 098 males （47.3%） and 6 783 females （52.7%）. The baseline survey revealed that 35.2% （4 540/12 881） of the subjects had a history of COVID-19 infection. During the follow-up period from December 21， 2022 to September 30， 2023， the average incidence density in the cohort was 0.61/person-year， with a higher incidence density in females （0.63/person-year） compared to males （0.59/person-year）. Individuals aged 60 and above （0.64/person-year） and those with underlying health conditions （0.67/person-year） had a higher incidence density. Healthcare workers showed a notably higher incidence density （0.84/person-year） than that in other occupational groups. As of September 30， 2023， a total of 340 subjects in the cohort experienced secondary infections， with a median interval of 170 days between the first and second infections. ConclusionThis study applies cohort study method to acute infectious disease surveillance， providing crucial data support for estimating infection rates and forecasting alerts for acute infectious diseases in the community. This method can be promoted and applied as a new approach for acute infectious disease surveillance.

Aim To investigate the regulatory role and mechanism of resveratrol in inhibiting autophagy and promoting apoptosis in choroidal melanoma cells. Methods Choroidal melanoma cells (MUM2B) were divided into control and experimental groups, and treated with different concentrations of resveratrol (0, 10, 20,40,60,80 μmol ·L

Aim To discover the potential active compounds and possible mechanisms in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment with Zhi-Huang-Zhi-Tong powder (ZHZTP) by using network pharmacology and in vitro study. Methods The active ingredient targets and disease targets of Zhihuang Zhitong Powder were searched and screened by database; they intersected to get a common target; and the "drug-component-target" relationship network diagram was constructed for GO and KEGG enrichment analysis of the overlapping genes; then the core components were docked with the core targets. Finally, based on the inflammation model of HUVECs in vitro, the efficacy and mechanism of Zhihuang Zhitong powder were verified by MTT method, plate scratch test and Western blot. Results Active compounds involved in RA treatment were screened in the present study, and the top two were ursolic acid and emodin, all playing crucial roles in RA treatment with ZHZTP. Additionally, the key target was AKTA, TNF and IL-6. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis revealed that ZHZTP regulated BP, MF and CC, and also focused on regulating AKTA, TNF and IL-6 signaling pathway. Molecular docking showed that interactions between key active compounds and key targets were stable. In vitro ZHZTP significantly inhibited cell viability and migration of TNF-a-stimulated HUVECs, and the involved mechanism may be associated with PI3K/AKT/m-TOR signaling. Conclusions The present study reveals that the potential active compounds of ZHZTP are ursolic acid and emodin, and moreover, the involved mechanisms of ZHZTP for RA treatment are associated with PI3 K/AKT/m-TOR signaling.

ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical features and outcomes of critically ill pregnant and parturient women with chronic hepatitis B virus （HBV） infection， and to provide clinical experience for the rescue of critically ill pregnant and parturient women and the prevention and treatment of the severe exacerbation of liver disease. MethodsA total of 41 pregnant and parturient women with chronic HBV infection who were admitted to Department of Critical Care Medicine， Nanjing Second Hospital， from March 2013 to March 2023 were enrolled in this study， and their clinical data were collected through the electronic medical record system of hospital to summarize the main causes of transfer to the intensive care unit （ICU）， the causes of death， and treatment. The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between two groups， and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between two groups. The chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups. ResultsAmong the 41 patients， 13 （31.71%） did not receive regular antenatal examination and 8 （19.51%） with a high viral load （HBV DNA ≥2×10⁵ IU/mL） did not receive antiviral therapy. Cesarean section was the main mode of delivery in 32 patients （78.05%）； 23 patients （56.10%） had premature delivery， and 5 patients died （12.20%）. The top three causes of transfer to the ICU were liver failure， postpartum hemorrhage， and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Liver failure mainly occurred in late pregnancy， with hepatic encephalopathy as the most common complication （28.57%） and intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy as the most common comorbidity （21.43%）； among the 14 patients with liver failure， 6 （42.86%） received regular antenatal examination， and 13 （92.86%） did not receive antiviral therapy before admission. The mean length of ICU stay was 3.31±1.65 days for the patients with postpartum hemorrhage， among whom the patients with severe liver disease had coagulation disorders before delivery， which were difficult to correct after 48 hours of treatment. ConclusionPregnant and parturient women with chronic HBV infection tend to have complex conditions and a relatively high mortality rate. For pregnant and parturient women with chronic HBV infection， assessment of liver status， regular antenatal examination， and timely antiviral therapy are of vital importance to reduce severe exacerbation and mortality rate.