Formation of the rosette-like starch with enhanced V-type crystallization via modified solvent-shifting method.

This research investigated the effect modified solvent-shifting method on the formation, ordered structure, and morphology of V-type starch. Ionic liquid (IL) dissolution and hot ethanol aqueous incubation in gradient concentrations from 30 % to 80 % (v/v) were applied to optimize the relative crystallinity of V-type starch. The results showed that this new method worked in producing V-type conformation, and higher ethanol concentration tended to yield V-type starch with higher crystallinity and more disk-like shape structure within the ethanol range of 30-50 % (v/v).

Masking Ability of Subtractively and Additively Manufactured Dental Ceramic Restorations: A Systematic Review.

Objective: To conduct a systematic review on the masking ability of subtractively and additively manufactured dental ceramics.

Materials And Methods: The study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement. The electronic search was carried out through MEDLINE, Scopus, and Website of Science databases with a date restriction being from 2001 onwards.

The impact of parental migration on left-behind children's tooth health in China.

Background: Parental migration plays a significant role in shaping the health outcomes of left-behind children. However, limited research has been conducted on how parental migration impacts the dental health of these children in China. To address this gap, this study aims to investigate the effects of parental migration on the dental health of left-behind children and explore the underlying mechanisms that contribute to these outcomes.

Detection of Disease Features on Retinal OCT Scans Using RETFound.

Eye diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) are major causes of irreversible vision loss. Early and accurate detection of these diseases is essential for effective management. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging provides clinicians with in vivo, cross-sectional views of the retina, enabling the identification of key pathological features.

Investigation of Effects of Cushioning Packaging on the Physiological and Quality Changes in Chinese Olive Fruits During Cold Chain Transportation.

To gain a deeper understanding of the mechanisms by which cushioning packaging preserves the quality of Chinese olive fruits during cold chain transportation and extends their shelf life, this study simulated cold chain conditions and investigated the effects of cushioning packaging on the physiology, antioxidant capacity, and secondary metabolites of fruits during a 20-day shelf life. The results indicated that the decay rate in cushioning-packaging-treated fruit was 75% lower than that in the unbuffered packaging fruit at day 20 of shelf life. Simultaneously, cushioning packaging treatment mitigated the damage severity of the cell membrane structure and kept the cell membrane permeability at a low level, which was 15.

Self-Healing Oxidized Dextran/Sodium Alginate Hydrogel Dressing with Hemostatic Activity Speeds Up Wound Healing in Burn Injuries.

This study introduced a hydrogel dressing, termed SODex-gel, which was constructed by establishing Schiff base and hydrogen bonds with the precursors of oxidized dextran (ODex) and succinic dihydrazide (SD)-modified sodium alginate (SD--SA). Through comprehensive and studies, the adhesive properties, self-healing capabilities, hemostatic potential, and wound healing efficacy of the SODex-gel dressing were meticulously evaluated. The H NMR, FTIR, and TGA analyses confirmed the fabrication of the SODex-gel dressing and its constituent elements.

Effect of intravenous urokinase vs best medicine treatment on functional outcome for patients with acute minor stroke (TRUST): a randomized controlled trial.

Background: The benefits of intravenous thrombolysis in patients with acute minor stroke remain controversial. For the aim of providing a better therapeutic strategy, high-quality trials are required to validate the efficacy of thrombolytic medicine other than intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen and tenecteplase. In the trial, we evaluate the efficacy and safety of urokinase (UK) in acute minor stroke.

Tgm2-Catalyzed Covalent Cross-Linking of IκBα Drives NF-κB Nuclear Translocation to Promote SASP in Senescent Microglia.

Microglia, as resident immune cells in the central nervous system (CNS), play a crucial role in maintaining homeostasis and phagocytosing metabolic waste in the brain. Senescent microglia exhibit decreased phagocytic capacity and increased neuroinflammation through senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). This process contributes to the development of various neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Distributed aggregative optimization with affine coupling constraints.

This paper investigates a distributed aggregative optimization problem subject to coupling affine inequality constraints, in which local objective functions depend not only on their own decision variables but also on an aggregation of all the agents' variables. The formulated problem encompasses numerous practical applications, such as commodity distribution, electric vehicle charging, and energy consumption control in power grids. Hence, there is a compelling need to explore a new neurodynamic approach to address this.

Active components unveiling and pharmacodynamic research on Valeriana jatamansi jones for ameliorating ulcerative colitis based on pharmacokinetics and network pharmacology.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Valeriana jatamansi Jones (V. jatamansi), a traditional Chinese medicine, is widely used in the treatment of gastrointestinal disorders, such as ulcerative colitis (UC). However, the active components of V.

The chromatin remodeling factor OsINO80 promotes H3K27me3 and H3K9me2 deposition and maintains TE silencing in rice.

The INO80 chromatin remodeling complex plays a critical role in shaping the dynamic chromatin environment. The diverse functions of the evolutionarily conserved INO80 complex have been widely reported. However, the role of INO80 in modulating the histone variant H2A.

Bridged emulsion gels from polymer-nanoparticle enabling large-amount biomedical encapsulation and functionalization.

Large-amount encapsulation and subsequent expressing are common characteristics for many biomedical applications, such as cosmetic creams and medical ointments. Emulsion gels can accomplish that, but often undergo exclusive, complex, multiple synthesis steps, showing extremely laborious and non-universal. The method here is simple via precisely interfacial engineering in homogenizing a nanoparticle aqueous dispersion and a polymer oil solution, gaining interfacial 45° three-phase-contact-angle for the nanoparticle that can bridge across oil emulsions' interfaces and ultimately form interconnected macroscopic networks.

Pathological-microenvironment responsive injectable GelMA hydrogel with visualized biodegradation for pressure-assisted treatment of hypertrophic scars.

Intralesional injection of 5-fluorouracil for the clinical treatment of hypertrophic scars (HS) remains challenging due to its short half-life, as well as the absence of evidence-based dosage and frequency injection guidelines. Herein, we developed a matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs)/reactive oxygen species (ROS)-responsive injectable prodrug hydrogel (GFP) that exhibits sustained drug release and fluorescence imaging capability, aiming to facilitate the optimization of injection dosage and frequency in HS treatment. The GFP hydrogel comprises gelatin methacryloyl and pendant methacryloyl-decorated tetrapeptide (PPPK) with 5-fluorouracil acetic acid/rhodamine B at the N-terminus.

Development and validation of a predictive model for overall survival in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma post-esophagectomy: the role of lymph node metastatic Stations.

Background: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) poses a substantial healthcare challenge, particularly in areas such as East Asia. The pathologic nodal (pN) stage of ESCC remains a controversial factor. Accurately predicting overall survival (OS) after esophagectomy is crucial for treatment planning and improving treatment outcomes.

Natural endogenous material-based vehicles for delivery of macromolecular drugs.

Natural endogenous materials (NEMs), such as cell and cell derivatives, polysaccharide, protein and peptide, and nucleic acid-derived vectors, often exhibit biocompatibility, biodegradability and natural homing ability, which can minimize adverse reactions in vivo and have the potential to improve drug delivery efficacy. Currently, a variety of drug delivery systems (DDSs) based on NEMs have been constructed for macromolecules to address the challenges posed by their inherent large size, intricate structure, low permeability, and susceptibility to harsh environments. The aim of this article is to provide a comprehensive overview of various delivery strategies that predominantly utilize NEMs as carriers for macromolecular delivery.

Reduction-Responsive RGD-Docetaxel Conjugate: Synthesis, In Vitro Drug Release and In Vitro Antitumor Activity.

Poor selectivity to tumor cells is a major drawback in the clinical application of the antitumor drug docetaxel (DTX). Peptide-drug conjugates (PDCs) constructed by modifying antitumor drugs with peptide ligands that have high affinity to certain overexpressed receptors in tumor cells are increasingly assessed for their possibility of tumor-selective drug delivery. In the present research, DTX is condensed with 3-(pyridin-2-yldisulfanyl) propanoic acid via ester bond to obtain the intermediate Py-SS-DTX.

Liver Function Biomarkers and Lung Cancer Risk: A Prospective Cohort Study in the UK Biobank.

Background: As the primary organ of metabolism and detoxification, the liver may contribute to the pathogenesis of lung cancer. We aimed to illuminate the intricate link between liver function biomarkers and lung cancer risk, as well as delineate the role of smoking behavior within this association.

Methods: We investigated the associations of seven liver function biomarkers levels (alkaline phosphatase [ALP], alanine transaminase [ALT], total bilirubin [TBIL], albumin [ALB], gamma-glutamyltransferase [GGT], aspartate transaminase [AST], and total protein [TP]) with lung cancer risk across the UK Biobank (N = 337 499) through restricted cubic splines and Cox proportional hazards models.

Knockdown of NDUFAF6 inhibits breast cancer progression via promoting mitophagy and apoptosis.

Background: While NDUFAF6 is implicated in breast cancer, its specific role remains unclear.

Methods: The expression levels and prognostic significance of NDUFAF6 in breast cancer were assessed using The Cancer Genome Atlas, Gene Expression Omnibus, Kaplan-Meier plotter and cBio-Portal databases. We knocked down NDUFAF6 in breast cancer cells using small interfering RNA and investigated its effects on cell proliferation and migration ability.

Spatiotemporal distribution prediction for PM based on STXGBoost model and high-density monitoring sensors in Zhengzhou High Tech Zone, China.

The increasing demand for air pollution control has driven the application of low-cost sensors (LCS) in air quality monitoring, enabling higher observation density and improved air quality predictions. However, the inherent limitations in data quality from LCS necessitate the development of effective methodologies to optimize their application. This study established a hybrid framework to enhance the accuracy of spatiotemporal predictions of PM, standard instrument measurements were employed as reference data for the remote calibration of LCS.

Simultaneous stereoisomeric preconcentration and determination of alkaloids and stereoisomers in Uncariae ramulus cum uncis using field enhanced sample injection and dynamic pH junction sweeping method by cyclodextrin electrokinetic chromatography.

A rapid and sensitive enrichment technique, field enhanced sample injection-dynamic pH junction-sweeping (FESI-DypH-sweeping) was successfully developed for the simultaneous separation and concentration of alkaloids and stereoisomers of Uncariae ramulus cum uncis (UR) by cyclodextrin electrokinetic chromatography (CDEKC) with diode array detection system. The sample was prepared in a low-conductivity (FESI), low-pH (DypH) sample matrix (4 mM phosphate buffer, 3% methanol, pH=3), and the background electrolyte (BGE) consisted of a high-conductivity, high-pH buffer (40 mM phosphate buffer, pH 7.0, 8 mg/mL carboxymethyl-β-cyclodextrin, and 30% methanol).

CCT39 Transcription Factor Promotes Chlorophyll Biosynthesis and Photosynthesis in Poplar.

Chlorophyll serves as a crucial pigment in plants, essential for photosynthesis, growth, and development. Our previous study has shown that PpnCCT39 can increase leaf chlorophyll content and photosynthesis rate in poplar. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unknown.

Design of a humanized CD40 agonist antibody with specific properties using AlphaFold2 and development of an anti-PD-L1/CD40 bispecific antibody for cancer immunotherapy.

Bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) represent a promising strategy for cancer immunotherapy. Challenges in immunotherapy include inefficient early events in the immune response cycle, such as antigen presentation and T cell priming. Background stimulation of CD40 with agonistic antibodies is a promising strategy to enhance the therapeutic efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs).

Inter-rater reliability in labeling quality and pathological features of retinal OCT scans: A customized annotation software approach.

Objectives: Various imaging features on optical coherence tomography (OCT) are crucial for identifying and defining disease progression. Establishing a consensus on these imaging features is essential, particularly for training deep learning models for disease classification. This study aims to analyze the inter-rater reliability in labeling the quality and common imaging signatures of retinal OCT scans.

A Near-Infrared II Luminogen with a Photothermal Effect toward Tumor Drug Resistance Reversal.

Multidrug resistance of tumor cells has greatly limited the chemotherapy effect. The development of reliable strategies to deal with tumor multidrug resistance is highly desirable for tumor therapy. In this work, a near-infrared II (NIR II) luminogen was rationally designed and prepared, which could act as a photothermal reagent to reverse the drug resistance of tumor cells by reducing the related protein expression, achieving a high inhibition efficiency with the synergistic effect of chemotherapeutic drugs.

Sheath-enhanced concentration and on-chip detection of bacteria from an extremely low-concentration level.

Microfluidic-based sheath flow focusing methods have been widely used for efficiently isolating, concentrating, and detecting pathogenic bacteria for various biomedical applications due to their enhanced sensitivity and exceptional integration. However, such a microfluidic device usually needs complicated device fabrication and sample dilution, hampering the efficient and sensitive identification of target bacteria. In this study, we develop and fabricate a sheath-assisted and pneumatic-induced nano-sieve device for achieving the improved on-chip concentration and sensitive detection of (MRSA).