Qualitative and quantitative detection of sex-targeted hormones in chicken embryo based on terahertz spectroscopy and metamaterial technology.

Gender identification of chick embryos at the early stages of incubation is of significant importance to poultry industry. Existing studies showed reproductive hormone concentrations are associated with gender of chick embryos. Accurate detection of reproductive hormone concentration can assist in gender identification.

Targeting the EP2 receptor ameliorates inflammatory bowel disease in mice by enhancing the immunosuppressive activity of T cells.

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are characterized by unrestrained innate and adaptive immune responses and compromised intestinal epithelial barrier integrity. Regulatory T (T) cells are crucial for maintaining self-tolerance and immune homeostasis in intestinal tissues. Prostaglandin E (PGE), a bioactive lipid compound derived from arachidonic acid, can modulate T cell functions in a receptor subtype-specific manner.

High-throughput screening of dual-target inhibitors for SARS-CoV-2 main protease and papain-like protease from Chebulae Fructus: prediction and experimental verification.

Background: The unavoidable propagation of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has underscored the urgent requirement for efficacious therapeutic agents. The dried fruit of Retz., namely Chebulae Fructus, is widely used for treating bacterial and viral infectious diseases, which was witnessed to perform anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity in recommended Chinese patent medicine.

The association between blood metals and cardiovascular diseases: findings from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011-2020.

Objectives: Previous studies have examined the relationship between cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and blood metal levels. However, fewer studies have investigated the role of the combinations of blood metals on CVDs. In the current study, our aim is to explore the roles of specific blood metals and further develop a model to differentiate between healthy participants and CVD patients using database from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

The role of splicing events in the inflammatory response of atherosclerosis: molecular mechanisms and modulation.

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by persistent inflammatory responses throughout all stages of its progression. Modulating these inflammatory responses is a promising avenue for the development of cardiovascular disease therapies. Splicing events modulate gene expression and diversify protein functionality, exerting pivotal roles in the inflammatory mechanisms underlying atherosclerosis.

A Review of Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor Delivery Strategies and Applications in Regenerative Medicine.

Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) is a significant member of the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family. The bFGF has a three-dimensional structure comprising 12 reverse parallel β-folds. This structure facilitates tissue wound repair, angiogenesis, bone formation, cartilage repair, and nerve regeneration.

Obesity-induced activation of NADPH oxidase 2 prolongs cardiac repolarization via inhibiting K+ currents.

Obesity is associated with abnormal repolarization manifested by QT interval prolongation, and oxidative stress is an important link between obesity and arrhythmias. However, the underlying electrophysiological and molecular mechanisms remain unclear. The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of obesity in potassium current in ventricular myocytes and the potential mechanism of NADPH oxidase 2 (Nox2).

Colloidal ZnAl-Layered Double Hydroxide Nanomaterials for Effective Prevention of SARS-CoV-2.

SARS-CoV-2 is a threat to global public health, which requires the development of safe measures to reduce the spread of this coronavirus. Herein, in this study, we prepared and examined potential antiviral agents based on ZnAl-layered double hydroxide (ZnAl-LDH) materials. ZnAl-LDH-based samples were synthesized via a one-pot low-temperature coprecipitation method, which features an ultrathin structure.

A fast-modeling framework for personalized human body models based on a single image.

Finite element human body models (HBMs) are the primary method for predicting human biological responses in vehicle collisions, especially personalized HBMs that allow accounting for diverse populations. Yet, creating personalized HBMs from a single image is a challenging task. This study addresses this challenge by providing a framework for HBM personalization, starting from a single image used to estimate the subject's skin point cloud, the skeletal point cloud, and the relative positions of the skeletons.

Impact of COVID-19 vaccination on adolescent and youth students' mental health and bullying behaviors after the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in China.

Background: Vaccination plays an important role in fighting against COVID-19. However, it is unclear about the association among vaccination, mental health, and bullying behaviors in China.

Method: This online survey was conducted to investigate the association among vaccination status, mental health problems and bullying behaviors in students from December 14, 2022 to February 28, 2023 in Sichuan, China.

Impact of Panvascular Disease on Exercise Capacity and Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction.

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the impact of panvascular disease (PVD) on quality of life (QOL), exercise capacity, and clinical outcomes, in patients with heart failure (HF) with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF).

Methods: We performed a post hoc analysis of the Heart Failure: A Controlled Trial Investigating Outcomes of Exercise Training (HF-ACTION; NCT00047437). Patients with PVD were defined as those having coronary heart disease, stroke, or peripheral vascular disease at baseline.

Multi-stain deep learning prediction model of treatment response in lupus nephritis based on renal histopathology.

The response of the kidney after induction treatment is one of the determinants of prognosis in lupus nephritis, but effective predictive tools are lacking. Here, we sought to apply deep learning approaches on kidney biopsies for treatment response prediction in lupus nephritis. Patients who received cyclophosphamide or mycophenolate mofetil as induction treatment were included and the primary outcome was 12-month treatment response, complete response defined as 24h urinary protein under 0.

Identification of allelochemicals under continuous cropping of Morchella mushrooms.

Continuous cropping obstacle has been becoming the bottleneck for the stable development of morel cultivation. The allelopathic effect of soil allelochemicals may play an instrumental role in the morel soil sickness. In this study, the allelochemicals were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) combined with in vitro bioassay.

Effect of Interventional Ultrasound in the Treatment of Postthyroidectomy Vocal Cord Dysfunction: A Preliminary Exploratory Study.

Purpose: To explore the efficacy of interventional ultrasound treatment for hoarseness caused by nondisconnected recurrent laryngeal nerve injury after thyroidectomy.

Materials And Methods: In this retrospective study, we analysed the clinical data of 21 patients who underwent interventional ultrasound therapy (ultrasound-guided injection of a Diprospan and saline mixture) for postthyroidectomy hoarseness at our hospital between August 1, 2023, and January 31, 2024 (the Diprospan group) and randomly selected 21 patients who did not receive any treatment for postthyroidectomy hoarseness during the same period as the control group. The average vocal cord activity improvement time for the Diprospan group was calculated and compared with that of untreated patients from previous studies.

Discovery of novel xanthohumol C derivatives regulating XRCC2 transcription and expression for the treatment of colorectal cancer.

X-ray repair cross-complementing 2 (XRCC2), a critical protein in homologous recombination (HR), plays a significant role in the occurrence, progression, and drug resistance of colorectal cancer (CRC). In this study, a series of xanthohumol C derivatives were synthesized, and their anticancer activity was evaluated. The results revealed that A33 demonstrated the potent anticancer activity and effectively inhibited the proliferation of CRC cells in vitro.

All-in-one microfluidic immunosensing device for rapid and end-to-end determination of salivary biomarkers of cardiovascular diseases.

Routine screening for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) through point-of-care assays for at-home or community-based testing of salivary biomarkers can significantly improve patient outcomes. However, its translatability has been hindered by a dearth of biosensing devices that streamline assay procedures for rapid biomarker quantitation. To address this challenge through end-to-end engineering, we developed an in-house, all-in-one microfluidic immunosensing device that integrates on-chip vibration-enhanced incubation, magnetic-assisted separation using immune magnetic bead probes, and colorimetric readout via absorbance measurements.

Brassica rapa L. polysaccharide mitigates hypobaric hypoxia-induced oxidation and intestinal damage via microbiome modulation.

The high-altitude, low-pressure, and hypoxia environment poses a significant threat to human health, particularly causing intestinal damage and disrupting gut microbiota. This study investigates the protective effects of Brassica rapa L. crude polysaccharides (BRP) on intestinal damage in mice exposed to hypobaric hypoxic conditions.

Effects of immersion bathing in Lactobacillus plantarum CLY-05 on the growth performance, non-specific immune enzyme activities and gut microbiota of Apostichopus japonicus.

In order to study the optimal use of Lactobacillus plantarum in sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus), 49 days feeding trial was conducted to determine the influence of immersion bathing in different concentrations of Lactobacillus plantarum CLY-05 on body weight gain rate and non-specific immune activities. The potential effect of CLY-05 on gut microbiota was also analyzed during the immersion bathing at the optimum concentration. The results showed that the body weight growth rate of all bathing groups was higher than that of control.

Influence of Substrate Bias Voltage on Structure and Properties of (AlCrMoNiTi)N Films.

(AlCrMoNiTi)N high-entropy alloy nitride (HEAN) films were synthesized at various bias voltages using the co-filter cathodic vacuum arc (co-FCVA) deposition technique. This study systematically investigates the effect of bias voltage on the microstructure and performance of HEAN films. The results indicate that an increase in bias voltage enhances the energy of ions while concomitantly reducing the deposition rate.

Preparation of Chitosan Oleogel from Capillary Suspension and Its Application in Pork Meatballs.

In the oil dispersion of chitosan, the formation of a capillary bridge was triggered by adding a small amount of water to obtain an oleogel. With this method, the types of liquid oil and the ratio of oil/chitosan/water were explored to achieve an optimal oleogel. MCT performed best, followed by soybean oil, which was chosen for its edibility and cost.

[Burial, source characteristics and influencing factors of organic carbon in mangrove sediments at the mouth of the Oujiang River Estuary, China].

Mangrove forests are crucial coastal "blue carbon" ecosystems, known for their significant carbon sequestration capabilities to "carbon neutrality" and mitigating global climate change. We used Pb radioisotope dating to analyze sedimentation rates in the sediments of the Oujiang River Estuary mangrove forest, to calculate organic carbon burial rate, and to assess the characteristics and sources of organic carbon burial. The results showed that the average total organic carbon content in the sediments was 1.

Enhancing the water use efficiency model predictions for Platycladus orientalis and Quercus variabilis: Integrating the dynamics of carbon dioxide concentration and soil water availability.

Water use efficiency (WUE) is a tracer for plants on the trade-off exchange of water and carbon dioxide between terrestrial ecosystems and the atmosphere; therefore, a dynamic investigation of WUE and its driving factors will be of great significance to optimize water and carbon fitness and predict the plants' response to climate change. In our study, a modified water use efficiency model was proposed to improve the quantification of carbon and water processes by adding a photosynthesis-g simulation dependent on CO concentration and soil moisture to the photosynthetic transpiration model (noted as SMPTSB model). Actual measured water use efficiencies were respectively obtained by the gas exchange measurements (WUE) and the δC that defined as the carbon-heavy isotope of the water-soluble compound in leaves (WUE) of three-year tree saplings of Platycladus orientalis (L.

Heat Tolerance-Associated circRNA3685 Regulates Apoptosis and Autophagy in Bovine Mammary Epithelial Cells via Sponging bta-miR-138.

Heat stress negatively affects dairy cow production, and health, leading to significant losses. Identifying mechanisms associated with heat tolerance is crucial for developing breeding strategies. Circular RNAs (circRNAs), a type of noncoding RNA, regulate cell functions like autophagy, apoptosis and proliferation.