Enhancing curcumin stability and bioavailability through chickpea protein isolate-citrus pectin conjugate emulsions: Targeted delivery and gut microecology modulation.

The limited solubility, rapid metabolism, and poor bioavailability of curcumin restrict its application. In this study, we synthesized chickpea protein isolate (CPI)-citrus pectin (CP) conjugates to prepare an emulsion delivery system that enhances the stability and bioavailability of curcumin. The CPI-CP emulsion achieved a curcumin encapsulation efficiency of 86.

Neuroticism trait and postnatal depression among Chinese women: the mediating role of childbirth experience and the moderating role of perceived social support.

Background: Despite the link between neuroticism trait and postnatal depression has been confirmed, little is known about the factors that influence this association. This study aimed to examine whether childbirth experience mediated the association between neuroticism trait and postnatal depression, and whether this indirect effect was moderated by perceived social support.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1686 women within one year postpartum from 38 hospitals in China.

Improving the emulsifying properties and oil-water interfacial behaviors of chickpea protein isolates through Maillard reaction with citrus pectin.

The limited adsorption capability of chickpea protein isolates (CPI) at the oil-water interface restricts its application in emulsions. This study aimed to improve the emulsifying properties and interfacial behaviors of CPI through Maillard reaction with citrus pectin (CP). The research findings showed that the covalent linking of CP with CPI caused the unfolding of the molecular structure of CPI, exposing more hydrophobic groups.

Metabolomics study of Shenling Baizhu Powder in the treatment of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome in the elderly (MODSE) with malnutrition.

Malnutrition is an important risk factor for multiple organ dysfunction syndrome in the elderly (MODSE) and seriously affects the occurrence, progression and prognosis of MODSE. Shenling Baizhu Power (SBP), a classic formula from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), when integrated with enteral nutrition, has been proven to be an effective clinical strategy for treating the patients of MODSE with malnutrition. This study aimed to investigate the metabolic changes during disease occurrence and SBP treatment, and to discover potential metabolic biomarkers for the diagnosis and efficacy evaluation.

Hydroxyl Radical-Induced Oxidation on the Properties of Cathepsin H and Its Influence in Myofibrillar Proteins Degradation of .

The most frequently occurring protein modification in fish postmortem is oxidization, which further affects meat quality through multiple biochemical pathways. To investigate how hydroxyl radicals affect the structure of cathepsin H and its ability to break down myofibrillar proteins in , cathepsin H was oxidized with 0, 0.1, 0.

LOXL2-induced PEAR1 Ser891 phosphorylation suppresses CD44 degradation and promotes triple-negative breast cancer metastasis.

CD44 is associated with a high risk of metastasis, recurrence, and drug resistance in various cancers. Here we report that platelet endothelial aggregation receptor 1 (PEAR1) is a CD44 chaperone protein that protected CD44 from endocytosis-mediated degradation and enhances cleavage of the CD44 intracellular domain (CD44-ICD). Furthermore, we found that lysyl oxidase-like protein 2 (LOXL2), an endogenous ligand of PEAR1, bound to the PEAR1-EMI domain and facilitated the interaction between PEAR1 and CD44 by inducing PEAR1 Ser891 phosphorylation in a manner that was independent of its enzyme activity.

Effect of music intervention on perinatal depressive symptoms: A meta-analysis.

Background: Little is known about the effect of music intervention on perinatal depressive symptoms (PDS), especially the effectiveness of specific aspects of the intervention. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of music intervention and explore the role of different intervention features.

Methods: Six databases were searched from inception to May 21, 2024, to identify randomized controlled trials evaluating the effect of music intervention on PDS.

Targeting Liver by GalNAc-siRNA Is an Effective Strategy for Hyperuricemia Therapy.

Hyperuricemia, i.e., increased plasma uric acid concentration, is a common problem in clinical practice, leading to gout or nephrolithiasis, and is associated with other disorders, such as metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, and chronic renal disease.

Reproductive concerns and its correlation with fear of recurrence and level of family support in patients of childbearing age with gynecologic malignancies.

Background: To discuss the current status of reproductive concerns and its correlation with fear of recurrence and level of family support in patients of childbearing age with gynecologic malignancies.

Methods: A convenient sampling method was used to enroll 188 patients with gynecologic malignancies in Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, and Haian Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine from September 2022 to April 2023. Patients were assessed using general information questionnaire, Reproductive Concerns After Cancer Scale (RCAC), Fear of Cancer Recurrence Inventory (FCRI) questionnaire, and Perceived Social Support-Family (PSS-FA) Scale.

Overexpression of NDNF Improves the Cytoprotective Effects of Aged Human Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells by Modulating Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis.

The therapeutic potential of autologous stem cell transplantation for heart repair diminishes in the elderly due to stem cell aging. Rejuvenating aged stem cells to enhance their protective effects on injured cardiomyocytes is crucial for aging patients with heart failure. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether neuron-derived neurotrophic factor (NDNF) over-expression improves the protective effect of aged stem cells for injured cardiomyocytes and explore the underlying mechanism.

Von-Hipple Lindau syndrome with family history: a case report and seventeen years follow-up study.

Background: Von-Hipple Lindau syndrome is an uncommon autosomal dominant disorder. 17 years ago we diagnosed a young woman with VHL syndrome validated by Sanger sequencing, her family members were genetically tested as well, and 187 healthy people were randomly selected for VHL genetic testing as controls. We analyze the clinical and genetic characteristics of VHL syndrome in a Chinese lineage and with 17-year follow-up.

Study on the structural characteristics and emulsifying properties of chickpea protein isolate-citrus pectin conjugates prepared by Maillard reaction.

Chickpea protein isolate (CPI) typically exhibits limited emulsifying properties under various food processing conditions, including pH variations, different salt concentrations, and elevated temperatures, which limits its applications in the food industry. In this study, CPI-citrus pectin (CP) conjugates were prepared through the Maillard reaction to investigate the influence of various CP concentrations on the structural and emulsifying properties of CPI. With the CPI/CP ratio of 1:2, the degree of graft reached 35.

Coagulation Factor VII Fine-tunes Hepatic Steatosis by Blocking AKT-CD36-Mediated Fatty Acid Uptake.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is considered a risk factor for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease owing to its close association with coagulant disturbances. However, the precise biological functions and mechanisms that connect coagulation factors to NAFLD pathology remain inadequately understood. Herein, with unbiased bioinformatics analyses followed by functional testing, we demonstrate that hepatic expression of coagulation factor VII (FVII) decreases in patients and mice with NAFLD/nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

A Novel Conductive Polypyrrole-Chitosan Hydrogel Containing Human Endometrial Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Exosomes Facilitated Sustained Release for Cardiac Repair.

Myocardial infarction (MI) results in cardiomyocyte necrosis and conductive system damage, leading to sudden cardiac death and heart failure. Studies have shown that conductive biomaterials can restore cardiac conduction, but cannot facilitate tissue regeneration. This study aims to add regenerative capabilities to the conductive biomaterial by incorporating human endometrial mesenchymal stem cell (hEMSC)-derived exosomes (hEMSC-Exo) into poly-pyrrole-chitosan (PPY-CHI), to yield an injectable hydrogel that can effectively treat MI.

Branched-chain amino acids promote thrombocytopoiesis by activating mTOR signaling.

Background: Megakaryocyte differentiation and platelet production disorders are the main causes of thrombocythemia and thrombocytopenia and lead to thrombosis or hemorrhage. Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are essential nutrients that regulate important metabolic signals. BCAA administration could also increase platelet activation and promote the risk of thrombosis.

Utility of the capability, opportunity, and motivation behaviour (COM-B) model in explaining the negative association between pre-pregnancy body mass index and exclusive breastfeeding at six weeks postpartum.

The mechanisms underlying the negative associations between pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and exclusive breastfeeding remain poorly understood. Thus, the study aimed to determine whether the negative associations between high pre-pregnancy BMI and exclusive breastfeeding at six weeks postpartum are mediated by components of the capability, opportunity, and motivation behaviour (COM-B) model. In this prospective observational study, we assigned 360 primiparous women to a pre-pregnancy overweight/obese group (n = 180) and a normal-BMI group (n = 180).

Spontaneous behaviors during breast crawling and factors influencing self-locating mothers' breasts in newborns: A cross-sectional study.

Breast crawling in newborns to propel themselves to their mothers' breasts normally occurs upon skin-to-skin contact with mothers immediately after birth but is often missed by the neglect of hospital staff and insufficient evidence support. Hence, this study described the behavioral characteristics of 135 newborns from China during breast crawling and further explored the factors influencing newborns' self-locating mothers' breasts (measured by whether fail to experience the familiarization stage, initial time and duration of the familiarization stage) using multivariable analysis. The findings supported and extended previous studies that newborns could emerge in nine instinctive stages and corresponding spontaneous behaviors early in life.

The Screening of Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies Targeting the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein by mRNA Immunization in Mice.

Neutralizing antibodies (nAbs), the popular antiviral drugs used for the treatment of COVID-19, are effective in reducing viral load and hospitalization. Currently, most nAbs are screened from convalescent or vaccinated individuals through single B-cell sequencing which requires cutting-edge facilities. Moreover, owing to the rapid mutation of SARS-CoV-2, some approved nAbs are no longer effective.

Targeting Pericytes for Functional Recovery in Ischemic Stroke.

Pericytes surrounding endothelial cells in the capillaries are emerging as an attractive cell resource, which can show a large variety of functions in ischemic stroke, including preservation of the blood-brain barrier, regulation of immune function, and support for cerebral vasculature. These functions have been fully elucidated in previous studies. However, in recent years, increasing evidence has shown that pericytes play an important role in neurological recovery after ischemic stroke due to their regenerative function which can be summarized in two aspects according to current discoveries, one is that pericytes are thought to be multipotential themselves, and the other is that pericytes can promote the differentiation of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs).

Synthesis and biological evaluation of cholic acid-conjugated oxaliplatin as a new prodrug for liver cancer.

A cholic acid-conjugated oxaliplatin, LLC-202, is developed as a novel prodrug for liver cancer. The conjugate is obtained by using 3-NHcyclobutane-1,1-dicarboxylate as a linker between the oxaliplatin analogue and cholic acid moiety and cholic acid is strongly bonded to the linker via an amide bond. Pharmacokinetic experiment shows that LLC-202 is mainly distributed and accumulated in the liver after intravenous administration to Sprague-Dawley rats, revealing the liver-targeting profile.

Metabolomics Identifies a Panel of Diagnostic Biomarkers for Early Human Embryonic Development Arrest.

Early embryonic development arrest (EEDA) is a unique form of early spontaneous abortion in pregnant women, which is previously suggested to be associated with metabolic abnormalities. Noninvasive biomarkers would significantly improve its diagnosis and clinical outcome. Here, we performed a targeted metabolomics study in plasma from EEDA patients ( = 27) and normal pregnant women (NPW, = 27) using liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC-MS) to identify potential diagnostic marker metabolites.