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AbstractOral diseases are a prevalent global issue, causing significant health and economic burdens that greatly diminish the quality of life for affected individuals. Tissue engineering strategies employing scaffolds offer a promising approach to restoring the original structures and biological functions of dental and dentoalveolar tissues. Among the various building materials, polysaccharides, known for their inherent biocompatibility, have gained significant attention. Topical advances in tissue engineering have led to the fabrication of composite scaffolds with the greatest utilization of favorable properties of each material. This review aims to explore the application of polysaccharide-based composite scaffolds for regenerating dental and dentoalveolar tissues, including both hard and soft tissues, as well as tissue complexes. To begin, we will provide a brief overview to commonly used polysaccharides. Subsequently, we will introduce the commonly used forms of composite polysaccharide scaffolds together with fabricating, engineering, and optimizing methods for dental and dentoalveolar tissue regeneration. Next, we will examine the latest progress and the potential of polysaccharide composite scaffolds in dental and dentoalveolar tissue regeneration applications. To conclude, this review will reflect on the limitations and prospects associated with polysaccharide composite scaffolds for dental and dentoalveolar tissue regeneration. By addressing these aspects, we aim to contribute to the understanding and development of effective strategies for improving oral health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Close-range interpersonal interactions serve as a major channel for virus transmission, with higher infection risks indoors than outdoors. Thus, evaluating indoor infectious disease transmission risks is vital for effective epidemic prevention and control. However, collecting complete individual-level behavioral data faces challenges due to privacy concerns and data acquisition costs, impeding accurate indoor risk mapping. To address this, we propose an individual-centered, scenario-based simulation framework in this paper. This framework incorporates stepwise movement of agents to model crowd interactions in indoor spaces, enabling infection risk mapping through geographic scenario simulation. The simulation model's core components encompass the generation of indoor environments, formulation of individual behavior rules, establishment of human-environment interaction logic, and simulation of virus transmission processes. Additionally, we outline the implementation algorithm for this simulation model. Lastly, we employ a high-risk university canteen as a case study to demonstrate the model's capabilities in creating risk maps at different levels: spatial, spatiotemporal, and individual. The proposed framework achieves the construction and process simulation of multi-dimensional geographic scenarios at a microscale, introduces a behavior path model based on spatiotemporal cubes, and enhances the comprehensive analysis and mapping capabilities for indoor infectious disease risk, laying the foundation for precise prevention and control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decreased dietary protein intake (DPI) may lead to protein-energy malnutrition and may be associated with increased mortality risk. We hypothesized that longitudinal changes in dietary protein intake have independent associations with survival in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. 668 stable PD patients were selected in the study from January 2006 to January 2018 and were followed up until December 2019. Their three-day dietary records were collected at the baseline (the sixth month after PD) and thereafter every 3 months for two and a half years. The latent class mixed models (LCMM) were used to identify subgroups of PD patients with similar longitudinal trajectories of DPI. The relation between DPI (baseline and longitudinal data) and survival was examined using Cox model to estimate death hazard ratios. Meanwhile, different formulae were used to assess nitrogen balance. The results showed that baseline DPI ≤ 0.60g/kg/day was associated with the worst outcome in PD patients. Patients with DPI 0.80–0.99g/kg/day and DPI ≥ 1.0g/kg/day both presented positive nitrogen balance; patients with DPI 0.61–0.79g/kg/day presented obviously negative nitrogen balance. Longitudinal association between time-dependent DPI and survival was found in PD patients. The consistently low DPI' (0.61–0.79g/kg/d) group was correlated with increased death risk as compared with the 'consistently median DPI' group (0.80–0.99g/kg/d, HR = 1.59, p = 0.008), whereas there was no difference in survival between 'consistently median DPI' group and 'high-level DPI' group (≥1.0 g/kg/d, p > 0.05). Our study revealed that DPI ≥ 0.8 g/kg/day was beneficial to the long-term outcome for the PD population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To estimate the up-to-date prevalence of chronic kidney disease among the health check-up population in economically developed areas of China using estimated glomerular filtration rate, urinary albumin creatinine ratio, and kidney ultrasound. Healthcare data from 38,093 subjects in 10 megalopolises of China who had an annual health check-up in 2021 were used. The overall and stratified prevalence of chronic kidney disease by sex, age, region and comorbidity group was reported. The association between chronic kidney disease and covariates of demographics, and comorbidities were analyzed in the multivariable-adjusted logistic regression model. A total of 3837 CKD cases were detected meeting any of the three CKD diagnostic criteria, with a crude prevalence of 10.1% in the study population. Using one criterion of decreased glomerular filtration rate, albuminuria and kidney structural abnormalities alone detected 204 (5.3%), 3289 (85.7%) and 563 (14.7%) cases, respectively. The addition of kidney ultrasound detected 427 (11.1%) structural abnormality cases without decreased GFR and albuminuria. The most common abnormalities were renal masses, hydronephrosis due to obstruction and congenital anomalies of kidney and urinary tract. Female, older age, low city-tier, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, hypertriglyceridemia as well as early disease stages such as pre-hypertension, impaired fasting glucose and overweight were significantly associated with chronic kidney disease. Kidney ultrasound helps to amplify the detection of CKD patients, which is a supplement to kidney function and urine protein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Themus Motschulsky, 1858 is one of the largest genera of beetle family Cantharidae, however, no complete mitochondrial genome is available in the public database so far. Here, we sequenced and analyzed the first complete mitochondrial genome of Themus, with T. foveicollis as the representative species. The mitochondrial genome was 16,469 bp in size with 37 genes including 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNA genes, and two ribosomal RNA genes, as well as a non-coding region, which are arranged in the same way as the hypothetical ancestral insect. It exhibited a typical high A + T bias and a higher proportion of bases A and C than T and G (A: 41.1%, T: 37.5%, G: 8.6%, C: 12.9%). The phylogenetic trees of Elateroidea were reconstructed based on 13 PCGs sequences using the Bayesian inference (BI) and maximum-likelihood (ML) analyses to investigate its phylogenetic position. The results showed that Themus was consistently grouped with the remaining genera of Cantharidae and placed in a monophyletic clade of Cantharinae in high supporting values, which are congruent with the morphological classification. The newly sequenced mitochondrial genome in this study constitutes important reference data for reconstructing phylogeny of the family Cantharidae or the superfamily Elateroidea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To uncover the role of the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)/runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2)/interleukin-11 (IL-11) pathway in the activation of Müller glial cells (MGCs) and the breakdown of blood-retina barrier (BRB) during diabetic retinopathy (DR). Western blot (WB) detected the activation of MEK/ERK/RUNX2/IL-11 pathway, and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) detected IL-11 mRNA levels in high glucose (HG)-exposed MIO-M1 cells. Co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) identified the interaction between ERK and RUNX2. Immunofluorescence (IF) measured the co-localization of ERK and RUNX2. Luciferase reporter gene assay identified the transcription activity of IL-11 promoter under HG conditions. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) detected IL-11 levels in MIO-M1 cell culture supernatant. WB detected IL-RA protein levels, and Immunofluorescence measured the co-localization of IL-11 and IL-11RA. WB detected MGCs activation marker glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) protein levels. 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) incorporation assay detected the proliferation of MGCs. WB detected the activation of MEK/ERK/RUNX2/IL-11 pathway in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice. ELISA detected IL-11 and IL-11RA levels in mouse retina tissues. QRT-PCR and WB detected tight junction-associated molecules claudin-5, occluding and tight junction protein 1 (ZO-1) mRNA and protein levels in mouse retina tissues, respectively. MEK/ERK/RUNX2/IL-11 pathway was activated in HG-exposed MIO-M1 cells. Additionally, IL-11 bound to IL-11RA on MIO-M1 cells to promote MIO-M1 cell activation and proliferation. In the mouse STZ-induced diabetic model, MEK/ERK/RUNX2/IL-11/IL-11RA pathway was also activated. Finally, the blockade of the pathway mitigated the activation of MGCs and the breakdown of BRB. The data suggested that activated MEK/ERK/RUNX2/IL-11/IL-11RA autocrine pathway can promote the activation of MGCs and the breakdown of BRB during DR, implying novel anti-molecular strategies for the treatment of DR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate how different quality of day 3 (D3) embryos affect blastocyst formation and clinical outcomes. This retrospective study analysed 699 patients undergoing assisted reproductive technology (ART) between January 2017 and February 2021. A total of 2517 D3 embryos were transferred to blastocyst medium for extended culture. D3 embryos were divided into five groups. Grade A, 6–10 cells, symmetrical blastomeres and <20% fragmentation; grade B, 6–10 cells, uneven blastomeres and ≥20% fragmentation; grade C, >10 cells, symmetrical blastomeres and <20% fragmentation; grade D, >10 cells, uneven blastomeres and ≥20% fragmentation; grade E, <6 cells. Status of day 5 (D5) and day 6 (D6) blastocysts and the clinical outcomes (blastocyst transfer) of each D3 embryo were recorded. The grade C group showed a higher D5 blastocyst formation rate and a high-quality blastocyst rate than other groups (p<.05). However, the clinical pregnancy rates in the grade A group were higher than other groups (p<.05). Embryos with low speed of development (grade E group) showed considerable clinical outcomes that were still worth investigating. D3 embryos with less fragmentation and ≥6 symmetrical blastomeres revealed a higher developmental potential, while embryos with 6–10 blastomeres showed the ideal clinical outcomes. What is already known on this subject? Accurate embryo evaluation can effectively reflect the developmental potential of different embryos. The number of blastomeres, proportion of fragmentation, and blastomere symmetry are three important and popular morphologic parameters used for evaluating day 3 (D3) embryos. However, in existing reports, combining these three parameters for embryo evaluation often results in different results. This is because different researchers have chosen different criteria for these three parameters. What do the results of this study add? In this retrospective study, we summarised the medical records of our reproductive centre in the past three years, redefined the evaluation method of the D3 embryos, and analysed the corresponding developmental potential and clinical outcomes. We conclude that although the embryonic development potential of grade C embryos (>10 cells, symmetrical blastomeres and/or <20% fragmentation) is relatively good, the results of grade A embryos (6–10 cells, symmetrical blastomeres and/or <20% fragmentation) are better in terms of clinical outcomes. What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? We believe this is meaningful for embryologists to choose embryos for transfer and predict the clinical outcome of IVF cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4) is an adipokine that was mainly derived from adipocytes and macrophages. Vascular calcification (VC) is highly prevalent in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients and could predict their cardiovascular mortality. The pathogenesis of VC is complex, and adipokines may play an important role in it. This study aimed to examine the relationship between serum FABP4 and VC in PD patients. Serum FABP4 was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. According to the median value of serum FABP4, the participants were divided into the low FABP4 group and the high FABP4 group. Lateral plain X-ray films of abdomen were used to evaluate the abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) score. The participants were divided into the high AAC score group (AAC score ≥4, indicating moderate or heavy VC) and the low AAC score group (AAC score <4, indicating no or mild VC). 116 PD patients were involved in the study. The AAC score and the proportion of patients with an AAC score ≥4 of the high FABP4 group were significantly higher than those of the low FABP4 group. Serum FABP4 of the high AAC score group was significantly higher than that of the low AAC score group [164.5 (138.4, 362.8) ng/mL versus 144.7 (123.8, 170.1) ng/mL, p = 0.002]. Serum FABP4 was positively associated with the AAC score according to the multivariate linear regression analysis. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, serum FABP4 was the independent influencer of an AAC score ≥4. Serum FABP4 is positively associated with the AAC score and is an independent marker of AAC in PD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Extranodal natural/killer T-cell lymphoma (ENKTL) is a rare subtype of T cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Current clinical prognostic models for ENKTL still have their limitations. Validated prognostic models for ENKTL have not yet been established. Methods: Tumor microenvironment IL-6 was measured by immunohistochemistry in 78 ENKTL patients. Results: Patients with negative IL-6 expression in the tumor microenvironment have a longer PFS (56.0 months vs. 25.6 months, p < 0.001) and OS (96.0 months vs. 43.3 months, p < 0.001). In the multivariate analysis, tumor microenvironment IL-6 [p = 0.048, HR = 1.76(1.00-3.08)] and extranodal involvement [p = 0.001, HR = 2.69(1.50-4.82)] were independent prognostic factors for PFS. Tumor microenvironment IL-6 [p = 0.033, HR = 2.69 (1.08-6.67)], Ann Arbor stage [p = 0.002, HR = 2.77 (1.47-5.23)] and B symptom [p = 0.027, HR = 2.02 (1.08-3.78)] were independent prognostic factors for OS. Expert opinion: A high IL-6 expression was related to poor survival, which may be a valuable biomarker for prognostic evaluation at baseline in ENKTL. These results showed that anti-IL-6R may be a potential targeted therapy for the treatment of advanced or relapsed ENKTL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Curcumin alleviates septic acute kidney injury (SAKI); however, the underlying mechanism remained unclear. To explore this, SAKI cell model and mice model were conducted by using LPS and cecal ligation and puncture (CLP), respectively. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) assays indicated that LPS reduced the viability, but upregulated the levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-6, whereas Curcumin pretreatment had no effect on viability, but reduced the levels of TNF-α and IL-6. Further assays showed that Curcumin partly attenuated the LPS-induced injury as the viability was enhanced, TNF-α and IL-6 expressions and cell apoptosis rates were reduced. Western blot analysis indicated that Janus kinase (JAK) 2/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) 3, p-65-NF-κB and cell apoptosis pathways were activated by LPS but suppressed by Curcumin. Mice SAKI model further indicated that the serum Cystatin C (Cys-C), creatinine (Cr) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) were increased within 24 h of model construction while those indicators were decreased at 48 h. Pretreated with Curcumin, NF-κB inhibitor (PDTC) or JAK2 inhibitor (AG-490) could weaken the renal histological injury and the increased serum Cys-C, Cr and BUN, IL-6 and TNF-α induced by CLP. Moreover, PDTC, AG-490 and Curcumin all significantly reversed the previously increased expressions of p-JAK2/STAT3, p-p65 and proapoptotic proteins in the mice with AKI. The present study revealed that Curcumin attenuated SAKI through inhibiting NF-κB and JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathways, and proposed that Curcumin could be a potential therapeutic agent for treating SAKI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The pathological mechanisms of constant exotropia (XT) are still not understood. This study aimed to critically investigate whether patients with XT express neuronal activity changes after the critical period of visual development and further explore how these alterations are associated with behavioral performance. Materials and methods: Fourteen patients with XT and 16 healthy controls (HCs) underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The regional homogeneity (ReHo) method was used to evaluate spontaneous brain activities. The association between significantly altered mean ReHo values and behavioral performance was assessed using Pearson's correlation analysis. Results: Compared with HCs, the right secondary visual cortex (V2) in patients with XT exhibited increased ReHo values, whereas the left Brodmann area 47 (BA47) demonstrated decreased spontaneous ReHo values. In patients with XT, the correlation between the left BA47's mean ReHo value and duration of strabismus was positively significant. Conclusions: These findings indicate that patients with XT have severe neural dysfunction in the right V2 and left BA47, and pathological severity in the left BA47 is likely influenced by duration of ongoing strabismus. Therefore, these results may provide clinically important information toward understanding the underlying pathological mechanisms of XT and thus can be fundamental in future XT research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a plasma cells malignant proliferative disease, especially in aged people. LncRNAs have been considered as important regulators in MM. This research was to study the effect of LncRNA MALAT1 on the proliferation and adhesion of myeloma cells and whether Long non-coding RNAs MALAT1(LncRNA MALAT1) plays its regulative role through Hippo-YAP signaling pathway by targeting miR-181a-5p. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) analysis was used to detect the LncRNA MALAT1/miR-181a-5p expression and improve the transfection efficiency. Western blot analysis was used to analyze the expression of proliferation and apoptosis related proteins and Hippo-Yes-associated protein (YAP) signaling pathway related proteins. Cell proliferative ability and cell apoptosis were respectively determined by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay and flow cytometry analysis. ELISA assay was for the determination of adherence factors. Immunohistochemistry was to detect the expression of proliferation and adhesion related proteins. LncRNA MALAT1 targeting gene was determined by Dual-luciferase reporter assay. LncRNA MALAT1 was increased in MM cells and LncRNA MALAT1 interference could inhibit cell proliferation and promote cell apoptosis with the changes in the related proteins. Also, LncRNA MALAT1 interference could inhibit cell adhesion through Hippo-YAP signaling pathway. MiR-181a-5p was demonstrated to be a target of LncRNA MALAT1 and miR-181a-5p overexpression could also regulate the changes in cellular behavior in accordance with the LncRNA MALAT1 interference. In addition, LncRNA MALAT1 interference could decrease the expression of miR-181a-5p and inhibit the growth of tumor. In conclusion, this study showed that LncRNA MALAT1 interference inhibited the proliferation and adhesion of myeloma cells by the up-regulation of miR-181a-5p through activating the Hippo-YAP signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Notwithstanding the numerous drugs available for liver cancer, emerging evidence suggests that chemotherapeutic resistance is a significant issue. HGF and its receptor MET play critical roles in liver carcinogenesis and metastasis, mainly dependent on the activity of receptor tyrosine kinase. However, for unknown reasons, all HGF-MET kinase activity-targeted drugs have failed or have been suspended in clinical trials thus far. Macroautophagy/autophagy is a protective 'self-eating' process for resisting metabolic stress by recycling obsolete components, whereas the impact of autophagy-mediated reprogrammed metabolism on therapeutic resistance is largely unclear, especially in liver cancer. In the present study, we first observed that HGF stimulus facilitated the Warburg effect and glutaminolysis to promote biogenesis in multiple liver cancer cells. We then identified the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDHC) and GLS/GLS1 as crucial substrates of HGF-activated MET kinase; MET-mediated phosphorylation inhibits PDHC activity but activates GLS to promote cancer cell metabolism and biogenesis. We further found that the key residues of kinase activity in MET (Y1234/1235) also constitute a conserved LC3-interacting region motif (Y1234-Y1235-x-V1237). Therefore, on inhibiting HGF-mediated MET kinase activation, Y1234/1235-dephosphorylated MET induced autophagy to maintain biogenesis for cancer cell survival. Moreover, we verified that Y1234/1235-dephosphorylated MET correlated with autophagy in clinical liver cancer. Finally, a combination of MET inhibitor and autophagy suppressor significantly improved the therapeutic efficiency of liver cancer in vitro and in mice. Together, our findings reveal an HGF-MET axis-coordinated functional interaction between tyrosine kinase signaling and autophagy, and establish a MET-autophagy double-targeted strategy to overcome chemotherapeutic resistance in liver cancer. Abbreviations: ALDO: aldolase, fructose-bisphosphate; CQ: chloroquine; DLAT/PDCE2: dihydrolipoamide S-acetyltransferase; EMT: epithelial-mesenchymal transition; ENO: enolase; GAPDH: glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase; GLS/GLS1: glutaminase; GLUL/GS: glutamine-ammonia ligase; GPI/PGI: glucose-6-phosphate isomerase; HCC: hepatocellular carcinoma; HGF: hepatocyte growth factor; HK: hexokinase; LDH: lactate dehydrogenase; LIHC: liver hepatocellular carcinoma; LIR: LC3-interacting region; PDH: pyruvate dehydrogenase; PDHA1: pyruvate dehydrogenase E1 alpha 1 subunit; PDHX: pyruvate dehydrogenase complex component X; PFK: phosphofructokinase; PK: pyruvate kinase; RTK: receptor tyrosine kinase; TCGA: The Cancer Genome Atlas [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The matrix effect is a serious problem for the immunoassay of antibiotic residues, which greatly restricts its real application in fishery products as well as other foodstuffs. Till now the related information on the colloidal gold immunochromatographic assay (GICA) is still limited. Therefore, five species of fish as samples, and the interference of main matrix components on the analysis of ciprofloxacin was investigated. Some water-soluble proteins were demonstrated to have significant affluence on GICA. Moreover, magnesium is also an important source of the matrix interference was revealed for the first time, and its interaction with some immunoglobin (Ig)G was assumed to be a possible reason for this. Based on these results, corresponding approaches for elimination of the interference were also explored. The matrix interference was fully eliminated and the sensitivity of GICA was increased about 8 times for the quantitative analysis of ciprofloxacin via acid pre-treatment followed by pH adjustment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. GNA-PEG-NLC and GNA-NLC were prepared by emulsification and low-temperature solidification methods. The optimized GNA-PEG-NLC and GNA-NLC were not only found to have small mean size (146.33 ± 2.11 and 144.07 ± 1.44) nm, high Zeta potential (−25.10 ± 1.35 and −28.03 ± 0.29) mV, but also great entrapment efficiency (79.07 ± 1.11 and 84.65 ± 0.98%). TEM proved that particles were nearly spherical with smooth surface shape. Furthermore,in vitrorelease revealed a burst release initially, followed by a sustained profiles up to 48 h, and the cumulative drug release of GNA-PEG-NLC and GNA-NLC was 65.90 ± 2.34% and 69.25 ± 1.77%, respectively. 2. In pharmacokinetic, GNA-PEG-NLC exhibited prolonged MRT and higher AUC values compared with GNA-NLC and GNA solution. Moreover, the tissue distribution demonstrated a high uptake of GNA-PEG-NLC in stomach. 3. These results indicated that PEG-NLC is a promising delivery system for GNA, which could prolong drug circulation time in body and thus improved its bioavailability. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Fatigue is one of the most common yet complicated failures that can cause damage to mechanical structures. Structural adhesively bonded joints are not exempt from this deleterious phenomenon and have to be assessed under vibration loads. In this work, fatigue characteristics of single-lap joints (SLJ) made of steel and carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) laminates under vibration loads are primarily investigated by experiments. The aim of this work is to analyze the changes in the ultimate load of the SLJ under vibration loads. The experimental results showed that SLJ will face cohesive failure after the uniaxial tensile loading test. In addition to the increase of vibration cycles, the ultimate load and failure displacement gradually decrease. In order to model the adhesive between joint components and simulate the damage propagation, a new traction–separation law called the embedded process zone (EPZ) and a damage factor are introduced and developed within the framework of cohesive zone Modeling (CZM) techniques. Meanwhile, the stress variations in the adhesive layer of SLJ in different vibration cycles are researched using the finite element method in ABAQUS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring drug release and therapeutic efficacy is crucial for developing drug delivery systems. Our preliminary study demonstrated that, as compared with pristine multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), transactivator of transcription (TAT)-chitosan functionalized MWCNTs (MWCNTs-TC) were a more promising candidate for drug delivery in cancer therapy. In the present study, a MWCNTs/TC-based drug delivery system was developed for an anticancer drug, doxorubicin (DOX). The drug loading andin vitrorelease profiles, cellular uptake and cytotoxicity were assessed. More importantly, thein vivodrug release and antitumor effect of MWCNTs/DOX/TC were evaluated by noninvasive fluorescence and bioluminescence imaging. It was demonstrated that MWCNTs/DOX/TC can be efficiently taken up by BEL-7402 hepatoma cells. The release of DOX from MWCNTs/DOX/TC was faster under lower pH condition, which was beneficial for intrcellular drug release. Thein vivorelease process of DOX and antitumor effect in animal model were monitored simultaneously by noninvasive fluorescence and luminescence imaging, which demonstrated the application potential of MWCNTs/DOX/TC for cancer therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impoundment of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) altered the hydrodynamic conditions and modulated the accumulation and behaviors of heavy metals in the sediments. In this study, the sediments from the riparian and submerged areas of the entire TGR mainstream were collected in 2014 to investigate the spatial distribution of chromium (Cr) and nickel (Ni), and to assess their contamination state and potential eco-risk to aquatic environment by multiple indices. Results showed that the concentrations of Cr and Ni in the sediments increased toward the dam. The concentrations of Cr were significantly higher in the riparian sediments than in the submerged sediments, whereas the Ni concentrations were comparable. The relatively high storages of Cr and Ni in the sediments existed near the dam. The physiochemical properties of sediments and local human activities controlled the spatial variations of Cr and Ni in the sediments. Currently, the TGR sediments are not heavily contaminated by Cr and Ni and show low eco-risk. Nevertheless, considering the decrease in sediment loads from the upper Yangtze River and the rapid urbanization in the TGR catchment, much more attentions should be paid to the geochemical behaviors and the eco-risk of Cr and Ni in the sediments. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma secreting IgG or IgA (non-IgM LPL) is rarely seen. Systematic studies of the clinical features and treatment outcomes are lacking in these patients. This study evaluated 17 patients with non-IgM LPL. The paraprotein secreted by these tumors was IgA (n = 8; 47%) and IgG (n = 9; 53%). The median serum level of paraprotein was 2,475 mg/dl (range = 747–5260) for IgA and 2580 mg/dl (range = 1900–7100) for IgG. The IgA-LPL group was more likely to present with B symptoms, a high beta2-microglobulin level and extramedullary involvement. Compared with patients with Waldenström macroglobulinemia (WM), patients with non-IgM LPL showed similar clinical and pathologic features, but a higher mortality within the first year after diagnosis (p < 0.001) and worse overall survival (p = 0.024), with no difference in progression-free survival and disease-specific survival. Rituximab alone or rituximab-based therapy was used frequently and was effective as either first-line or salvage therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The objective of this experiment was to determine the digestible energy (DE) and metabolisable energy (ME) in 22 sources of soybean meal (SBM) produced from soybeans from different countries and subsequently to establish equations for predicting the DE and ME in SBM based on their chemical composition. The 22 sources of SBM were all processed in Chinese crushing plants, but the soybeans used originated from China (n = 6), the US (n = 6), Brazil (n = 7) or Argentina (n = 3). The basal diet was a corn-based diet and 22 additional diets were formulated by mixing corn and 24.3% of each source of SBM. The average DE and ME in SBM from China, the US, Brazil and Argentina were 15.73, 15.93, 15.64 and 15.90 MJ/kg and 15.10, 15.31, 14.97 and 15.42 MJ/kg, respectively, and no differences among countries were observed. From a stepwise regression analysis, a series of DE and ME prediction equations were generated. The best-fit equations for SBM were DE = 38.44–0.43 crude fibre −0.98 gross energy +0.11 acid detergent fibre (R2 = 0.67,p < 0.01) and ME = 2.74 + 0.97 DE −0.06 crude protein (R2 = 0.79,p < 0.01). In conclusion, there were no differences in the DE and ME of SBM among the different soybean sources used in this experiment. The DE and ME of SBM of different origin can be predicted based on their chemical composition when fed to growing pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to construct a 3D pore network reflecting the real pore structure of bulk grain, a series of 2D section images are obtained and used to reconstruct 3D images using MATLAB. The parameters of the 3D pore network are extracted by the maximal ball method. A stochastic 3D pore network with a random size is generated, but some throats are lost in generation. The parameter deviation between the original model and the generated model decreases with an increase in volume. There is almost no deviation when the space size is up to meter level. The image resolution of 0.5 mm is enough to extract parameters of the bulk grain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cell penetrating peptide TAT, which appears to enter cells with alacrity, can pass through the BBB efficiently. It has been indentified to enhance the brain delivery of the liposome. However, little was known about its mechanism. TAT contains a basic region consisting of six arginine and two lysine residues. These eight basic amino acids seem to be the key to its highly efficient membrane translocation and brain delivery. In this study, four selected peptides are synthesized. (1) TAT peptide with terminal Cysteine (Cys-AYGRKKRRQRRR). (2) TAT peptide with disordered sequence (Cys-RKARYRGRKRQR). (3) Glycine and glutamic acid substituted TAT peptide (Cys-AYGGQQGGQGGG). (4) R8 (Cys-RRRRRRRR). Liposomes were chosen as the delivery vehicle. The peptide was covalently bonded with the liposome. We compare four peptides for their brain targeting potential, and investigate their ability to target liposomes to the brain in vitro and in vivo. The cellular uptake of these four liposomes by brain capillary endothelial cells (BCECs) of rats and C6s and the mechanism of the pathway of endocytosis were explored. Biodistribution in vivo was also investigated qualitatively and quantitatively. The results showed that the charge of the peptide played an important role in enhancing its brain delivery. The sequence had little to do with its membrane translocation and brain delivery indicated there might be no specific receptor or transporter for the Tat peptide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose for this article is to research the relationship between public transportation and real estate based on the area of East Lansing. Two methods are mainly used to analyze the data: correlation analysis and means analysis with the help of Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) data analyzing software. There are two analysis results: (1) the real estate, which is closer to public transportation, will have higher value than that is far from public transportation, and (2) the number of bus in one bus stop has no obvious relation with the value of real estate. Based on these results, real estate developers could build residential real estate close to public transportation or bring public transportation in their real estate community by contract with transportation corporations. In sum, they should reasonably use public transportation as attractive features to convince people to prefer to their houses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is being widely applied to official construction activities nowadays. This technique can not only display graphs for each spatial data displayed, but also provide a broad prediction and decision tool. The purpose of this paper is to describe the capabilities of GIS application in building a new parking facility in the city of East Lansing through wide analysis of the surrounding data. The results are displayed in maps and graphs. Finally, the recommendation area is selected using three criteria: proximity to the downtown area; the degree of VACANT; and distance from all buffers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractObjectivesMethodResultsConclusionTo systematically evaluate the effects of telehealth interventions on the caregiver burden and mental health of caregivers for people with dementia (PWD).Relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of telehealth interventions on caregivers were extracted from nine electronic databases (PubMed, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Embase, CINAHL, SinoMed, CNKI, WanFang, and VIP). The retrieval time was from inception to 26 July 2023.Twenty-two articles with 2132 subjects were included in the final analysis. The meta-analysis demonstrated that telehealth interventions exerted a significant effect in reducing caregiver burden (SMD: −0.14, 95 % CI: −0.25, −0.02, p = 0.02), depression (SMD = −0.17; 95%CI: −0.27, −0.07, p < 0.001) and stress (SMD = −0.20, 95%CI: −0.37, −0.04, p = 0.01). However, no statistically significant effect was observed on anxiety (SMD = −0.12, 95%CI: −0.27, 0.03, p = 0.12). Moreover, subgroup analysis showed that tailored interventions were associated with more evident reductions in depression (SMD = −0.26; 95%CI: −0.40, −0.13, p < 0.001) than standardized interventions (SMD = −0.08; 95%CI: −0.22, 0.06, p = 0.25). In addition, telehealth was effective in relieving depression in Internet-based (SMD = −0.17, 95%CI: −0.30, −0.03, p = 0.01) and Telephone-based group (SMD = −0.18, 95%CI: −0.34, −0.02, p = 0.03), while there was no significant difference in the Internet and Telephone-based group (SMD = −0.18, 95%CI: −0.54, 0.18, p = 0.32).Telehealth could effectively reduce the burden and relieve the depression and stress of caregivers of PWD, while its effect on anxiety requires further research. Overall, telehealth has potential benefits in dementia care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses conservation methods for tomb murals at archaeological sites. Topics include details on the economic and technical difficulties associated with conserving burials, details on the practice of removing murals for preservation in China, details on the recovery of mural and brick tombs, details on the research of the environment, structure, and scale of tombs to determine the appropriate process of conservation, and details on the different methods applied to murals from different regions and periods.