The influence of PM2.5 exposure on SARS-CoV-2 infection via modulating the expression of angiotensin converting enzyme II.

Particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) pollution and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic are the greatest environmental health issues worldwide.

Effectiveness Study of a Cultural Adaptation of Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy-Based Application for Depressive Symptoms in College Students: A Randomised Controlled Trial.

Introduction: Studies on mental health applications among college students lack empirical evidence regarding mobile application usage's intensity, duration and frequency.

Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of a cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT)-based mobile application in ameliorating depressive symptoms among college students.

Methods: A randomised controlled trial was conducted at three universities.

SON is an essential RNA splicing factor promoting ErbB2 and ErbB3 expression in breast cancer.

Background: In breast cancer, ErbB receptors play a critical role, and overcoming drug resistance remains a major challenge in the clinic. However, intricate regulatory mechanisms of ErbB family genes are poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate SON as an ErbB-regulatory splicing factor and a novel therapeutic target for ErbB-positive breast cancer.

Treatment with autophagic inhibitors enhances oligonol‑induced apoptotic effects in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells.

Although the combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy has increased the survival rate of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), certain patients do not respond well to the treatment and have a poor prognosis. Therefore, novel therapeutic drugs and strategies to improve prognosis of patients with NPC are required. As certain plant extracts can suppress the viability of cancer cells, the present study investigated whether oligonol, a polyphenolic compound primarily found in lychee fruit, exerts anticancer activities in NPC cells.

Engineering a NanoBiT biosensor for detecting angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (hACE2) interaction with SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and screening the inhibitors to block hACE2 and spike interaction.

Infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is facilitated by its trimeric surface spike protein, which binds to the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) receptor. This critical interaction facilitates viral entry and is a primary target for therapeutic intervention against COVID-19. However, it is difficult to fully optimize viral infection using existing protein-protein interaction methods.

Field performance of 15 rain gardens in different cities in Taiwan.

Rain gardens are widely used for low impact development (LID) or as a nature-based solution (NbS). They help to reduce runoff, mitigate hot temperatures, create habitats for plants and insects, and beautify landscapes. Rain gardens are increasingly being established in urban areas.

A game-based multimedia application to improve the ability of clinical nurses to perform geriatric care: A randomized controlled trial.

Background: Given the realities of global aging, maintaining Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) abilities among clinical nurses is very important. Newer methods of continuing education are needed to engage nurses in CGA education. Using multimedia and game-based applications in CGA education (CGA APP) may be an effective method for continuing education.

Protein lipoylation: mitochondria, cuproptosis, and beyond.

Protein lipoylation, a crucial post-translational modification (PTM), plays a pivotal role in mitochondrial function and emerges as a key player in cell death through cuproptosis. This novel copper-driven cell death pathway is activated by excessive copper ions binding to lipoylated mitochondrial proteins, disrupting energy production and causing lethal protein aggregation and cell death. The intricate relationship among protein lipoylation, cellular energy metabolism, and cuproptosis offers a promising avenue for regulating essential cellular functions.

A novel long non-coding RNA MIR4500HG003 promotes tumor metastasis through miR-483-3p-MMP9 axis in triple-negative breast cancer.

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women worldwide. The 5-year survival rate is over 90% in BC patients, but once BC cells metastasis into distal organs, it is dramatically decreasing to less than 30%. Especially, triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients usually lead to poor prognosis and survival because of metastasis.

Continuous microalgal culture module and method of culturing microalgae containing macular pigment.

This study established and investigated continuous macular pigment (MP) production with a lutein (L):zeaxanthin (Z) ratio of 4-5:1 by an MP-rich Chlorella sp. CN6 mutant strain in a continuous microalgal culture module. Chlorella sp.

Inhibitory Efficacy of Main Components of on the Interaction between Spike Protein of SARS-CoV-2 and Human Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme II.

Blocking the interaction between the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and the human angiotensin-converting enzyme II (hACE2) protein serves as a therapeutic strategy for treating COVID-19. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatments containing bioactive products could alleviate the symptoms of severe COVID-19. However, the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants has complicated the process of developing broad-spectrum drugs.

Intelligent Evacuation Sign Control Mechanism in IoT-Enabled Multi-Floor Multi-Exit Buildings.

In contemporary evacuation systems, the evacuation sign typically points fixedly towards the nearest emergency exit, providing guidance to evacuees. However, this static approach may not effectively respond to the dynamic nature of a rapidly evolving fire situation, in particular if the closest emergency exit is compromised by fire. This paper introduces an intelligent evacuation sign control mechanism that leverages smoke and temperature sensors to dynamically adjust the direction of evacuation signs, ensuring evacuees are guided to the quickest and safest emergency exit.

Fabrication and application of glutathione biosensing SPCE strips with gold nanoparticle modification.

Glutathione (GSH) is a major antioxidant in organisms. An alteration in GSH concentration has been implicated in a number of pathological conditions. Therefore, GSH sensing has become a critical issue.

Studying the Roles of the Renin-Angiotensin System in Accelerating the Disease of High-Fat-Diet-Induced Diabetic Nephropathy in a db/db and ACE2 Double-Gene-Knockout Mouse Model.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a crucial metabolic health problem. The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is well known to play an important role in DN. Abnormal RAS activity can cause the over-accumulation of angiotensin II (Ang II).

Relationship Between Rectal Swab and Tissue Samples in Mucosa-associated Microbiota in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Background: Gut mucosa-associated microbiota is more closely correlated with disease phenotypes than fecal microbiota; however sampling via tissue biopsy is more invasive and uncomfortable. Rectal swab may be a suitable substitute for tissue biopsy, but its effectiveness is controversial. This study aimed to evaluate differences in the microbiota at these sites in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Fucoidan Enhances Cisplatin-induced Effects on SCC-25 Human Oral Cancer Cells by Inhibiting the PI3K/AKT Pathway.

Background/aim: Cisplatin is a drug for treating oral cancer. However, several previous studies indicate that oral cancer cells can develop resistance to cisplatin, which may result in a poor prognosis for patients with oral cancer. Fucoidan, a natural health product extracted from brown seaweed, has anticancer abilities against various types of cancer cell.

Serum Starvation Induces Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 Expression in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Cells Through the ERK-AP1 Pathway .

Background/aim: Although clinical medicine has significantly progressed in treating nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in recent years, many patients still have poor prognoses due to distant metastasis. It is still relatively unclear why NPC has a highly metastatic ability. Especially whether the tumor microenvironment affects the invasion and metastasis of NPC still needs to be cleared.

A Low-Cost Fertilizer Medium Supplemented with Urea for the Lutein Production of sp. and the Ability of the Lutein to Protect Cells against Blue Light Irradiation.

This study aimed to investigate the use of organic fertilizers instead of modified f/2 medium for sp. cultivation, and the extracted lutein of the microalga to protect mammal cells against blue-light irradiation. The biomass productivity and lutein content of sp.

Short-term effects of Chlorhexidine mouthwash and Listerine on oral microbiome in hospitalized patients.

Introduction: Chlorhexidine (CHX) and essential oil containing mouthwashes like Listerine can improve oral hygiene suppressing oral microbes. In hospitalized patients, CHX mouthwash reduces the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia. However, CHX use was also associated with increased mortality, which might be related to nitrate-reducing bacteria.

Man on Noninvasive Positive Airway Pressure Ventilation With Throat Pain.

Dentures dislodged into throat on bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP) ventilation can be overlooked and potentially compromise airway patency. An 81-year-old man with a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) presented with increased shortness of breath and productive cough for 1 week. Inhaled bronchodilators, parenteral steroids, and BiPAP ventilation were administered for acute exacerbation of COPD complicated with acute hypercapnic respiratory failure.