Pericyte-derived extracellular vesicle-mimetic nanovesicles ameliorate erectile dysfunction via lipocalin 2 in diabetic mice

Diabetes mellitus is one of the main causes of erectile dysfunction (ED). Men with diabetic ED do not respond well to oral phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors owing to neurovascular dysfunction. Pericyte-derived extracellular vesicle-mimetic nanovesicles (PC-NVs) are known to promote nerve regeneration in a mouse model of cavernous nerve injury. Here, we report that administration of PC-NVs effectively promoted penile angiogenesis and neural regeneration under diabetic conditions, thereby improving erectile function. Specifically, PC-NVs induced endothelial proliferation and migration and reduced cell apoptosis under diabetic conditions. In addition, PC-NVs induced neural regeneration in STZ-induced diabetic mice in dorsal root ganglion and major pelvic ganglion explants in vivo and ex vivo under high-glucose conditions. We found that lipocalin 2 (Lcn2) is a new target of PC-NVs in this process, demonstrating that PC-NVs exert their angiogenic and nerve-regeneration effects by activating MAP kinase and PI3K/Akt and suppressing P53 signaling pathway in an Lcn2-dependent manner. Our findings provide new conclusive evidence that PC-NVs can promote neurovascular regeneration and recovery of erectile function under diabetic conditions via an Lcn2-dependent mechanism. Thus, local administration of PC-NVs may be a promising treatment strategy for the treatment of diabetic ED.     

Depression compromises antiviral innate immunity via the AVP-AHI1-Tyk2 axis

Depression is a serious public-health issue. Recent reports have suggested higher susceptibility to viral infections in depressive patients. However, how depression affects antiviral innate immune signaling remains unknown. Here, we revealed a reduction in expression of Abelson helper integration site 1 (AHI1) in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and macrophages from the patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), which leads to attenuated antiviral immune response. We found that depression-related arginine vasopressin (AVP) induces reduction of AHI1 in macrophages. Further studies demonstrated that AHI1 is a critical stabilizer of basal type-I-interferon (IFN-I) signaling. Mechanistically, AHI1 recruits OTUD1 to deubiquitinate and stabilize Tyk2, while AHI1 reduction downregulates Tyk2 and IFN-I signaling activity in macrophages from both MDD patients and depression model mice. Interestingly, we identified a clinical analgesic meptazinol that effectively stimulates AHI1 expression, thus enhancing IFN-I antiviral defense in depression model mice. Our study promotes the understanding of the signaling mechanisms of depression-mediated antiviral immune dysfunction, and reveals meptazinol as an enhancer of antiviral innate immunity in depressive patients.Subject terms: Innate immunity, Ubiquitylation, Cell signalling     

内蒙古根瘤菌的数值分类

对63株新分离的内蒙古根瘤菌与6株来自Rhizobiumleguminosarum及Sinorhizobiummililoti的参比菌株一起进行了数值分类。结果表明：所有测试菌株在67％的相似性水平上分为三个表观群,群Ⅰ包括3株Sinorhizobiummeliloti的参比菌和9株新分离的内蒙古根瘤菌;群Ⅱ包括3株RhizobiumLoguminosarum参比菌和37株新分离的内蒙古根瘤菌;群Ⅲ全部由20株新分离的内蒙古根瘤菌组成。在78％的相似     

Nicotinamide riboside and caffeine partially restore diminished NAD availability but not altered energy metabolism in Alzheimer's disease

The redox co‐factor nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) declines with age, and NAD deficits are specifically associated with dysfunctional energy metabolism in late‐onset Alzheimer''s disease (LOAD). Nicotinamide riboside (NR), a dietary NAD precursor, has been suggested to ameliorate the aging process or neurodegeneration. We assessed whether NR with or without caffeine, which increases nicotinamide mononucleotide transferase subtype 2 (NMNAT2), an essential enzyme in NAD production, modulates bioenergetic functions in LOAD. In LOAD patients—and young or old control individuals—derived dermal fibroblasts as well as in induced pluripotent stem cell‐differentiated neural progenitors and astrocytes, NR and caffeine cell type‐specifically increased the NAD pool, transiently enhanced mitochondrial respiration or glycolysis and altered the expression of genes in the NAD synthesis or consumption pathways. However, continued treatment led to reversed bioenergetic effects. Importantly, NR and caffeine did not alter the characteristics of a previously documented inherent LOAD‐associated bioenergetic phenotype. Thus, although NR and caffeine can partially restore diminished NAD availability, increasing NAD alone may not be sufficient to boost or restore energy metabolism in brain aging or alter aberrant energy management in LOAD. Nicotinamide riboside might still be of value in combination with other agents in preventive or therapeutic intervention strategies to address the aging process or age‐associated dementia.     

Long COVID and its Management

The pandemic of COVID-19 is the biggest public health crisis in 21^st Century. Besides the acute symptoms after infection, patients and society are also being challenged by the long-term health complications associated with COVID-19, commonly known as long COVID. While health professionals work hard to find proper treatments, large amount of knowledge has been accumulated in recent years. In order to deal with long COVID efficiently, it is important for people to keep up with current progresses and take proactive actions on long COVID. For this purpose, this review will first introduce the general background of long COVID, and then discuss its risk factors, diagnostic indicators and management strategies. This review will serve as a useful resource for people to understand and prepare for long COVID that will be with us in the foreseeable future.     

Designing a Biomimetic Ornithopter Capable of Sustained and Controlled Flight

We describe the design of four ornithopters ranging in wing span from 10 cm to 40 cm, and in weight from 5 g to 45 g. The controllability and power supply are two major considerations, so we compare the efficiency and characteristics between different types of subsystems such as gearbox and tail shape. Our current omithopter is radio-controlled with inbuilt visual sensing and capable of takeoff and landing. We also concentrate on its wing efficiency based on design inspired by a real insect wing and consider that aspects of insect flight such as delayed stall and wake capture are essential at such small size. Most importantly, the advance ratio, controlled either by enlarging the wing beat amplitude or raising the wing beat frequency, is the most significant factor in an ornithopter which mimics an insect.     

21世纪以来闽三角城市群人类景观开发强度的时空演变——基于能值-GIS方法

在快速的城市化进程中,城市群作为城市发展到成熟阶段的高级空间组织形式,其在推进城市群区域社会经济一体化的同时,也在一定程度上加剧了城市群的人地关系矛盾和景观开发强度。为量化城市群的人类景观开发强度,揭示自然环境对人类资源消耗过程的压力响应机制,选取闽三角城市群在2000、2005和2013年的夜间灯光数据(DMSP/OLS)作为刻画人类经济活动范围的基础数据,通过能值分析理论,耦合可更新能源(太阳能、风能、地热能和降雨化学能等)与基于统计数据的不可更新能源进行能值核算,并进一步描述人类景观开发强度(Landscape development intensity,LDI)的时空演变特征,基于人类活动对自然生态系统的干扰程度划分为5级进行空间展示与分析。结果表明:(1)在时间尺度上,闽三角城市群的年可更新能值密度均值在2000、2005和2013年,分别为9.42×10~(16) sej/hm~2、7.25×10~(16) sej/hm~2和7.88×10~(16) sej/hm~2,呈现出先减后增的趋势,在空间尺度上,闽三角城市群可更新资源由环海湾地带向内陆地区呈环形逐层增加,其中在2000年表现尤为明显;(2)在不可更新资源的利用上,闽三角城市群的本地不可更新能源能值投入在2000、2005和2013年,分别为4.64×10~(24) sej、4.63×10~(24) sej和4.66×10~(24) sej,只出现轻微浮动,而外部输入能源的能值投入则在2000、2005和2013年,分别为1.41×10~(24) sej、3.18×10~(24) sej和5.71×10~(24) sej呈现逐年上升趋势,且其中对原煤的需求表现最高,占比高达90%;(3)LDI在空间分布上,自内陆至沿海干扰等级逐渐上升,其中,强度干扰与剧烈干扰主要覆盖厦门市、龙海市、晋江市和石狮市;在时间分布上,呈现出强度干扰和剧烈干扰逐渐增大的趋势。研究有助于政府对不同干扰等级区域的城乡建设与规划管理提供决策依据,为实现城市群可持续发展提供数据参考。     

格网尺度下典型旅游城市生态服务价值估算和时空分异特征——以三亚为例

以典型旅游城市三亚市为案例地,利用2006-2018年4期Landsat遥感影像数据,借助ENVI、ArcGIS平台定量识别土地利用演变特征,在1km×1km格网尺度下估算旅游地生态系统服务价值,并结合空间探索性数据分析揭示生态系统服务价值时空分异特征及其与旅游地发展的时空耦合关系。结果表明：（1）2006-2018年间,三亚市生态系统服务价值总量呈逐年下降趋势,由6.73×10⁹元降至5.76×10⁹元,累计减少9.78×10⁸元;（2）空间格局上,三亚市呈"南低北高"空间分异格局,2006-2018年增值区域连片分布于崖州区、天涯区、吉阳区南部区域,且呈逐年减少趋势,减值区域集聚于天涯区东北部、海棠区;（3）空间集聚上,生态系统服务价值截面各年份均呈显著空间正相关且相关性先降后增。高高集聚区位于天涯区北部区域,低低集聚区分布于沿海、海湾地区;（4）旅游发展与生态系统服务价值时空演化特征关联性较强。三亚市天涯区北部林地生态环境良好,生态系统服务价值略有下降但绝对数值稳定,是生态系统服务价值主要来源;旅游发展较为迅速的三亚湾、崖州湾以及海棠湾,相对增值区域较多,但绝对生态系统服务价值损失显著,严重滞后于其他区域。     

两种不同保护剂冻干的仔猪副伤寒活疫苗质量比较

【目的】系统比较两种不同保护剂冻干的仔猪副伤寒活疫苗(耐热苗和常规苗)质量指标,为科学评价两种疫苗质量提供参考。【方法】制备耐热苗和常规苗各3批,分别进行物理性状、纯粹性、活菌计数、安全性、剩余水分、真空度和保存期等参数测定和比较,同时比较冻干前后的活菌存活率及耐老化性能。任选耐热苗与常规苗1批,按3×109 CFU分别口服与肌肉注射仔猪各5头,设相同条件下不免疫对照5头,30 d后静脉注射致死量猪霍乱沙门氏菌,临床观察30 d后评估疫苗的效力。【结果】耐热苗及常规苗的物理性状、纯粹性、活菌计数、安全性、剩余水分、真空度均符合现行《中国兽药典》的要求。3批耐热苗冻干菌存活率分别为88.2%、83.1%和86.4%,耐老化试验后的活菌存活率为83.6%、82.9%和88.8%;然而3批常规苗冻干菌存活率分别为52.3%、56.2%和61.4%,耐老化活菌存活率分别为58.5%、60.2%和54.7%。经37°C、7 d耐老化试验结果显示,耐热苗物理性状良好,而常规苗原有团块表面凹陷1/4-1/2。保存期结果表明耐热苗4°C有效期可达24个月,常规苗仅为9个月。仔猪免疫攻毒结果表明,耐热苗肌肉注射及口服免疫均达100%(5/5)保护;常规苗肌肉注射达80%(4/5)保护,口服达100%(5/5)保护,不免疫对照0保护(5/5死亡)。【结论】耐热苗具有较高的冻干菌存活率和良好的耐老化性能,4°C可长期保存且不影响其免疫效力。