The involvement of the dysfunctional insulin receptor signaling system in long COVID patients with diabetes and chronic pain and its implications for the clinical management using taVNS.

In clinical terms, chronic pain is the most prevalent sequela resulting from COVID-19, which is induced by the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), while type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) is the most common comorbidity. This triangular relationship can be attributed to the dysfunction of the insulin receptor signaling system (IRSS) in both central and peripheral systems. Patients with T2D are essentially more susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection due to the widespread expression of angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) in their pancreatic beta cells, which serves as the cellular port for the SARS-CoV-2 to infect and enter the cell.

Bioadhesive supramolecular polymer/hyaluronic acid hydrogel with sustained release of zinc ions and dexamethasone for diabetic wound healing.

Diabetic patients often struggle with wound healing and are at higher risk of infections, necessitating the development of a stretchable, adhesive hydrogel dressing with antibacterial and angiogenesis-promoting properties. In this study, we synthesized a series of adhesive, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory hydrogels using free radical polymerization with materials including methacrylated hyaluronic acid (HAMA), N-[tris(hydroxymethyl)methyl]acrylamide (THMA), and 3-(bis(pyridin-2-ylmethyl)amino)propyl methacrylate (DPAMA). By leveraging the strong affinity of zinc(II)-dipicolylamine coordination complexes for the phosphorylated groups in dexamethasone sodium phosphate (DMSP), Zn and DMSP were successfully incorporated into the hydrogel.

Synthesis, characterization, and application of films made from highly substituted N-perfluoroacylated chitosan.

Highly substituted perfluoroacylated chitosan can alter the physicochemical properties of chitosan; however, the currently synthesized perfluoroacylated chitosan has a low degree of substitution. In this study, we present a simple method for the homogeneous preparation of highly substituted N-perfluoroacylated chitosan, conducted at room temperature without requiring strict anhydrous or oxygen-free conditions. Various perfluorocarbon chains were successfully attached to chitosan through a reaction between perfluorinated acid esters and amines, catalyzed by DBU.

Selenium nanoparticles enhance the anti-tumor immune responses of anti-4-1BB antibody and alleviate the adverse effects on mice.

4-1BB agonists for cancer immunotherapy have shown good preliminary efficacy in clinical trials, but several of the first-generation 4-1BB agonistic antibodies entering the clinic have failed due to safety issues. Selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) exhibit anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, antioxidant, and immune-modulating properties. In addition, they have been shown to have detoxifying effects and prevent oxidative liver damage.

Screening of potentially active compounds against rheumatoid arthritis in the Juan-Bi decoction using systems pharmacology and animal experiments.

The Juan-Bi decoction (JBD) is a classic traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) prescription for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, the active compounds of the JBD in RA treatment remain unclear. The aim of this study is to screen effective compounds in the JBD for RA treatment using systems pharmacology and experimental approaches.

Comprehensive bioinformatics analysis of human cytomegalovirus pathway genes in pan-cancer.

Background: Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a herpesvirus that can infect various cell types and modulate host gene expression and immune response. It has been associated with the pathogenesis of various cancers, but its molecular mechanisms remain elusive.

Methods: We comprehensively analyzed the expression of HCMV pathway genes across 26 cancer types using the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and The Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) databases.

Zwitterion-Lubricated Hydrogel Microspheres Encapsulated with Metformin Ameliorate Age-Associated Osteoarthritis.

Chondrocyte senescence and reduced lubrication play pivotal roles in the pathogenesis of age-related osteoarthritis (OA). In the present study, highly lubricated and drug-loaded hydrogel microspheres are designed and fabricated through the radical polymerization of sulfobetaine (SB)-modified hyaluronic acid methacrylate using microfluidic technology. The copolymer contains a large number of SB and carboxyl groups that can provide a high degree of lubrication through hydration and form electrostatic loading interactions with metformin (Met@SBHA), producing a high drug load for anti-chondrocyte senescence.

Cucurbit[8]uril-based supramolecular theranostics.

Different from most of the conventional platforms with dissatisfactory theranostic capabilities, supramolecular nanotheranostic systems have unparalleled advantages via the artful combination of supramolecular chemistry and nanotechnology. Benefiting from the tunable stimuli-responsiveness and compatible hierarchical organization, host-guest interactions have developed into the most popular mainstay for constructing supramolecular nanoplatforms. Characterized by the strong and diverse complexation property, cucurbit[8]uril (CB[8]) shows great potential as important building blocks for supramolecular theranostic systems.

An ultra-small organic dye nanocluster for enhancing NIR-II imaging-guided surgery outcomes.

Purpose: The accuracy of surgery for patients with solid tumors can be greatly improved through fluorescence-guided surgery (FGS). However, existing FGS technologies have limitations due to their low penetration depth and sensitivity/selectivity, which are particularly prevalent in the relatively short imaging window (< 900 nm). A solution to these issues is near-infrared-II (NIR-II) FGS, which benefits from low autofluorescence and scattering under the long imaging window (> 900 nm).

Point-process modeling of secondary crashes.

Secondary crashes or crashes that occur in the wake of a preceding or primary crash are among the most critical incidents occurring on highways, due to the exceptional danger they present to the first responders and victims of the primary crash. In this work, we developed a self-exciting temporal point process to analyze crash events data and classify it into primary and secondary crashes. Our model uses a self-exciting function to describe secondary crashes while primary crashes are modeled using a background rate function.

Gut Microbiome and Metabolomics Study of Selenium-Enriched Kiwifruit Regulating Hyperlipidemia in Mice Induced by a High-Fat Diet.

Our previous study showed that as a substitute for statins, selenium-enriched kiwifruit (Se-Kiwi) might reduce blood lipids and protect the liver in Kunming mice, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Metabolic regulation of mammalian intestinal microflora plays an important role in obesity and related diseases induced by a high-fat diet (HFD). Here, samples of serum, liver, colon, and fresh feces from the Se-Kiwi-treated hyperlipidemia C57BL/6J mouse model were collected.

Nutritional composition, health benefits and bio-active compounds of chickpea ( L.).

Chickpea ( L.), an annual plant of the family Fabaceae is mainly grown in semiarid and temperate regions. Among pulses, cultivated worldwide chickpeas are considered an inexpensive and rich source of protein.

CTNNAL1 deficiency suppresses CFTR expression in HDM-induced asthma mouse model through ROCK1-CAL signaling pathway.

The downregulation of adhesion molecule catenin alpha-like 1 (CTNNAL1) in airway epithelial cells of asthma patients and house dust mite (HDM)-induced asthma animal models was illustrated in our previous study. It is assumed to contribute to airway inflammation and mucus hypersecretion. In this work, we further explore the underlying mechanism of CTNNAL1 in asthma.

Understanding the molecular pathogenesis of primary central nervous system lymphoma by experimental animal models.

Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is a rare and invasive diffuse large B cell lymphoma confined in central nervous system (CNS). The effort to press forward the translational progress has been frustrated by the insufficient understanding of immunophenotype of CNS and tumor genetic alterations of PCNSL, and the lack of validated diagnostic biomarkers. Researchers now have a variety of PCNSL animal models at their disposal that resemble the morphology and immunophenotype of PCNSL, however, a careful and detailed re-examination of these animal models is needed to clarify the differences in genetic alterations, migration capability, and immune status.

Prediction of severity of aviation landing accidents using support vector machine models.

The purpose of this study was to apply support vector machine (SVM) models to predict the severity of aircraft damage and the severity of personal injury during an aircraft approach and landing accident and to evaluate and rank the importance of 14 accident factors across 39 sub-categorical factors. Three new factors were introduced using the theory of inattentional blindness: The presence of visual area surface penetrations for a runway, the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) visual area surface penetration policy timeframe, and the type of runway approach lighting. The study comprised 1,297 aircraft approach and landing accidents at airports within the United States with at least one instrument approach procedure.

Spatiotemporal variability characteristics of extreme climate events in Xinjiang during 1960-2019.

Under the global warming, it is particularly important to explore the response of extreme climate to global climate change over the arid regions. Based on daily temperature (maximum, minimum, and average) and precipitation data from meteorological stations in Xinjiang, China, we analyzed the spatiotemporal characteristics of extreme temperature and extreme precipitation events via combining thin plate smoothing spline function interpolation, Sen's slope, and Mann-Kendall test. Our results showed that during 1960-2019, the extreme low temperature index of frost days (FD), icing days (ID), cold days (TX10p), cold nights (TN10p), and cold speel duration index (CSDI) all showed the downward trend to varying degrees, and the extreme high temperature index of summer days (SD25), warm days (TX90p), warm night (TN90p), and warm speel duration index (WSDI) all showed an upward trend to varying degrees, and the extreme low temperature index of high altitude mountains decreases more than that of the basin and plains.

Semaphorins and their receptors in pancreatic cancer: Mechanisms and therapeutic opportunities.

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a malignant tumor with high malignancy that is difficult to diagnose and treat. PC is a major medical problem because of its low early diagnosis rate, high surgical mortality rate, low cure rate, and expensive related testing cost. Therefore, the significance of finding new markers for PC is self-evident.

Combined Medial and Lateral Approach Versus Paratricipital Approach in Open Reduction and Internal Fixation for Type C Distal Humerus Fracture: A Randomized Controlled Study.

Objective: Olecranon osteotomy and paratricipital approaches were widely used in the treatment of type C distal humerus fracture but some disadvantages exist, so a combined medial and lateral approach was designed. The objective of this study was to investigate and compare the clinical outcomes of combined medial and lateral approach with the paratricipital approach in open reduction and internal fixation of type C distal humerus fractures.

Methods: From May 2018 to April 2020, 37 patients with type C distal humerus fracture who accepted open reduction and internal fixation in our hospital were enrolled in this study.

Mst1 attenuates myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury following heterotopic heart transplantation in mice through regulating Keap1/Nrf2 axis.

Ischemia reperfusion (I/R) injury remains a frequent adverse event that accompanies heart transplantation. Oxidative stress and aberrant production of free radicals were regarded as the culprit of cell death and tissue damage in post-transplant IR injury. Mst1 has been identified as a mediator of oxidative stress and Nrf2 regulates anti-oxidative enzymes, however, the interaction between Mst1 and Nrf2 anti-oxidative stress pathway remains to be clarified in the event of cardiac IR injury.

Island carrying capacity for three development types: ecological resource, agricultural production, and urban construction.

The evaluation of island carrying capacity is the premise for conducting the island spatial planning and can contributes to guiding island ecological conservation and socioeconomic developments. In this study, the island carrying capacities were evaluated for the three major development types, namely, ecological resource, agricultural production, and urban construction, based on the quantity and quality. The occupancy and vacancy rates of island carrying capacity were measured in different scenarios.

Development of Efficient and Recyclable ZnO-CuO/g-CN Nanocomposite for Enhanced Adsorption of Arsenic from Wastewater.

Arsenic (III) is a toxic contaminant in water bodies, especially in drinking water reservoirs, and it is a great challenge to remove it from wastewater. For the successful extraction of arsenic (III), a nanocomposite material (ZnO-CuO/g-CN) has been synthesized by using the solution method. The large surface area and plenty of hydroxyl groups on the nanocomposite surface offer an ideal platform for the adsorption of arsenic (III) from water.

Facile synthesis of chitosan-based nanogels through photo-crosslinking for doxorubicin delivery.

Chitosan-based nanogels are effective carriers for drug delivery due to their biocompatibility and biodegradability. However, the chemically cross-linked nanogels usually require complicated procedures or tough conditions. Herein, we report a simple approach to generate chitosan-based nanogels by photo-crosslinking of poor solvent-induced nanoaggregates without requiring any emulsifying agent, catalyst, or external crosslinker.