Lignin reinforced eco-friendly and functional nanoarchitectonics materials with tailored interfacial barrier performance.

Exploring innovative and sustainable routes for the production of biodegradable biomass-based materials is critical to promote a circular carbon economy and carbon neutrality goals. Fossil-based non-biodegradable plastic waste poses a nonnegligible threat to humans and the ecological environment, and biomass-based functional materials are becoming increasingly viable alternatives. Lignin, a naturally occurring macromolecular polymer, is green and renewable resource rich in aromatic rings, with biodegradability, biocompatibility, and excellent processability for eco-friendly composites.

The subacute toxicity and underlying mechanisms of biomimetic mesoporous polydopamine nanoparticles.

Recently, mesoporous nanomaterials with widespread applications have attracted great interest in the field of drug delivery due to their unique structure and good physiochemical properties. As a biomimetic nanomaterial, mesoporous polydopamine (MPDA) possesses both a superior nature and good compatibility, endowing it with good clinical transformation prospects compared with other inorganic mesoporous nanocarriers. However, the subacute toxicity and underlying mechanisms of biomimetic mesoporous polydopamine nanoparticles remain uncertain.

Collagen changes in rabbit conjunctiva after conjunctival crosslinking.

This study aims to determine the ultrastructural changes in collagen fibrils in rabbit conjunctiva after conjunctival crosslinking using riboflavin and ultraviolet A (UVA) light at an irradiation intensity of 45 mW/cm. Conjunctival crosslinking may increase conjunctival stiffness. The supertemporal quadrants of the right eyes of 24 adult rabbits were treated with a topical riboflavin solution (0.

Dynamic structural evolution of lignin macromolecules and hemicelluloses during Chinese pine growth.

To comprehend the biosynthesis processes of conifers, it is essential to investigate the disparity between the cell wall shape and the interior chemical structures of polymers throughout the development of Chinese pine. In this study, branches of mature Chinese pine were separated according to their growth time (2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 years). The variation of cell wall morphology and lignin distribution was comprehensively monitored by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal Raman microscopy (CRM), respectively.

Using patient-derived organoids to predict locally advanced or metastatic lung cancer tumor response: A real-world study.

Predicting the clinical response to chemotherapeutic or targeted treatment in patients with locally advanced or metastatic lung cancer requires an accurate and affordable tool. Tumor organoids are a potential approach in precision medicine for predicting the clinical response to treatment. However, their clinical application in lung cancer has rarely been reported because of the difficulty in generating pure tumor organoids.

The design of small-molecule prodrugs and activatable phototherapeutics for cancer therapy.

Cancer remains as one of the most significant health problems, with approximately 19 million people diagnosed worldwide each year. Chemotherapy is a routinely used method to treat cancer patients. However, current treatment options lack the appropriate selectivity for cancer cells, are prone to resistance mechanisms, and are plagued with dose-limiting toxicities.

Structure regulated 3D flower-like lignin-based anode material for lithium-ion batteries and its storage kinetics.

As a green sustainable material, lignin-derived porous carbon (LPC) exhibits great application potential when used as the anode material in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), but the applications are limited by the heterogeneity of the lignin precursor. Therefore, it is crucial to reveal the relationship among lignin properties, porous carbon structure and the kinetics of lithium-ion storage. Herein, LPCs from fractionated lignin have been prepared by an eco-friendly and recyclable activator.

Fractionation of technical lignin and its application on the lignin/poly-(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) bio-composites.

Complex and heterogeneous structures of lignin impede its further conversion and valorization. Herein, three technical lignins (from softwood, hardwood, and grass) were fractionated with acetone solvent to reduce their structural heterogeneity, which were then blended with poly-(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) to fabricate biodegradable bio-composites. Macromolecular structures of lignins and their effects on the properties of lignin/PBAT composites were thoroughly investigated.

Clinical outcomes of EGFR+/METamp+ vs. EGFR+/METamp- untreated patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: MET dysregulation has been implicated in the development of primary and secondary resistance to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy. However, the clinicopathological characteristics and outcomes of patients harboring EGFR-sensitive mutations and de novo MET amplifications still need to be explored.

Methods: A total of 54 patients from our hospital with non-small cell lung cancer harboring EGFR-sensitive mutations and/or de novo MET amplifications were included in this study.

Selectivity Comparison of Tumor-Imaging Probes Designed Based on Various Tumor-Targeting Strategies: A Proof of Concept Study.

Fluorescence probes are emerging as appealing tools for tumor imaging, although the discovery of ideal probes with high tumor selectivity and desirable tumor-to-normal contrast remains challenging. There are currently two strategies used for designing tumor-targeted probes. One is employing tumor-targeting agents and the other is tumor-microenvironment-activatable probes.

Dual-Channel Fluorescent Probe for the Simultaneous Monitoring of Peroxynitrite and Adenosine-5'-triphosphate in Cellular Applications.

Changes in adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and peroxynitrite (ONOO) concentrations have been correlated in a number of diseases including ischemia-reperfusion injury and drug-induced liver injury. Herein, we report the development of a fluorescent probe ATP-LW, which enables the simultaneous detection of ONOO and ATP. ONOO selectively oxidizes the boronate pinacol ester of ATP-LW to afford the fluorescent 4-hydroxy-1,8-naphthalimide product NA-OH (λ = 450 nm, λ = 562 nm or λ = 488 nm, λ = 568 nm).

Discovery of a Potential Liver Fibrosis Inhibitor from a Mushroom Endophytic Fungus by Genome Mining of a Silent Biosynthetic Gene Cluster.

Liver fibrosis has accounted for liver diseases and overall mortality, but no relevant drug has been developed. Filamentous fungi are important resources of natural products for pharmaceutical development. is a mushroom endophytic fungus, which primarily produces aurovertins.

Effect of integrated treatment on improving the enzymatic digestibility of poplar and the structural features of isolated hemicelluloses.

Herein, a two-step hydrothermal pretreatment combined with alkali extraction method was applied to deconstruct the poplar cell walls for enzymatic hydrolysis. Results revealed that 88.1 % of hemicelluloses and 77.

Structural elucidation of lignin macromolecule from abaca during alkaline hydrogen peroxide delignification.

To maximize the utilization of Abaca lignin in the current biorefinery, structural characteristics of native lignin from Abaca were firstly comprehensively investigated. Parallelly, effective delignification of Abaca was achieved by alkaline hydrogen peroxide (AHP) process, which facilitated the production of specialty paper in industry. The structural changes of lignin macromolecules during the AHP delignification were illustrated by comparing the structural differences of the released lignin fraction and corresponding native lignin, which were analyzed via the advanced analytical methods, such as 2D-HSQC NMR, P NMR, pyrolysis-GC/MS, and GPC techniques.

Comparative study of hemicelluloses from Hybrid Pennisetum via a green and clean integrated process.

In this study, a green and clean integrated process based on microwave-assisted hydrothermal pretreatment (MHTP) and subsequent alkali post-treatment was performed to isolate and characterize water- and alkali-soluble hemicelluloses (SHs and AHs) from Hybrid Pennisetum (HP) as well as to improve the enzymatic digestibility of HP. Meanwhile, part of hemicelluloses was degraded into the value-added xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS) during the MHTP process, which would be applied to the food and pharmaceuticals industries. State-of-the-art analytical techniques (e.

Amination of biorefinery technical lignins using Mannich reaction synergy with subcritical ethanol depolymerization.

The alcoholic depolymerization and Mannich reaction were conducted to improve the chemical activity of biorefinery technical lignins and introduce amino groups into lignins, respectively. To understand the chemical structural transformations and examine the reaction mechanism, GPC and solution-state NMR techniques were performed. Element analysis was also used to quantify the amount of amine groups.

Assessment of integrated process based on autohydrolysis and robust delignification process for enzymatic saccharification of bamboo.

In this study, bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens) was successfully deconstructed using an integrated process (autohydrolysis and subsequent delignification). Xylooligosaccharides, high-purity lignin, and digestible substrates for producing glucose can be consecutively collected during the integrated process. The structural change and fate of lignin during autohydrolysis process was deeply investigated.

Expressions of matrix metalloproteinases 1 and 3 and their tissue inhibitors in the conjunctival tissue and fibroblasts cultured from conjunctivochalasis.

Aim: To investigate the expression of matrix metalloproteinases 1 and 3 (MMP-1 and MMP-3) and their tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases 1 and 3 (TIMP-1 and TIMP-3) in the conjunctiva of eyes with conjunctivochalasis (CCh).

Methods: The conjunctival tissue was obtained from the CCh patients and controls, the MMPs/TIMPs expression concentration was determined by enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay (ELISA) and immunofluorescence staining. The expression levels of MMPs/TIMPs in the CCh fibro-blasts were determined by analyzing its concentration in the cellular supernatant that was abstracted from the cultured CCh fibroblasts.

Lower eyelid tension in young adults determined by a simple lid tensiometer.

Purpose: Eyelid tension seems to be related to corneal astigmatism and to affect the ocular surface. The aim of this study is to determine the lower eyelid tension in young adults with a simple lid tensiometer.

Methods: A commercially available precision digital pressure gauge that was connected to a pressure-guided tube full of water with a sensor at its end being placed between the lower eyelid and ocular surface was used as the lid tensiometer to measure the lower eyelid pressure at the central lid in 8 male and 12 female subjects aged between 20 and 39 years with normal healthy eyes.

ABCG2 protects kidney side population cells from hypoxia/reoxygenation injury through activation of the MEK/ERK pathway.

Breast cancer resistance protein 1 (BCRP1/ABCG2) is used to identify the side population (SP) within a population of cells, which is enriched for stem and progenitor cells in different tissues. Here, we investigated the role of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 in the signaling mechanisms underlying ischemic/hypoxic conditions in kidney SP cells. Kidney SP cells were isolated using Hoechst 33342 dye-mediated fluorescein-activated cell sorting and then incubated under hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) with or without verapamil, a selective BCRP1/ABCG2 inhibitor.

Investigating the refolding pathway of human acidic fibroblast growth factor (hFGF-1) from the residual structure(s) obtained by denatured-state hydrogen/deuterium exchange.

Human fibroblast growth factor 1 (hFGF-1) consists of 12 anti-parallel β-strands arranged into a β-trefoil architecture. We directly measured hydrogen/deuterium exchange rates on the urea-denatured hFGF-1 to obtain the information with regard to the persistent residual interaction(s) in the unfolded hFGF-1. Thirty-eight residues whose heteronuclear single quantum coherence cross-peaks can be observed after exchange show higher protections than those predicted for the same residues in a random coil conformation, suggesting the existence of residual structure(s).

Molecular level interaction of the human acidic fibroblast growth factor with the antiangiogenic agent, inositol hexaphosphate .

Acidic fibroblast growth factor (FGF1) regulates a wide array of important biological phenomena such as angiogenesis, cell differentiation, tumor growth, and neurogenesis. Generally, FGFs are known for their strong affinity for the glycosaminoglycan heparin, as a prerequisite for recognition of a specific tyrosine kinase on the cell surface and are responsible for the cell signal transduction cascade. Inositol hexaphosphate (IP6) is a natural antioxidant and is known for its antiangiogenic role, in addition to its ability to control tumor growth.

Evaluation of the effects of pulse high-volume hemofiltration in patients with severe sepsis: a preliminary study.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of pulse high-volume hemofiltration (PHVHF) in patients with severe sepsis.

Methods: Twenty-two patients with severe sepsis admitted to XiJing hospital between January 2009 and January 2010 were included in the present study. Patients were randomly divided into the control group (conventional treatment) and the PHVHF group.