Trash into Treasure: Nano-coating of Catheter Utilizes Urine to Deprive HS Against Persister and Rip Biofilm Matrix.

Bacteria-derived hydrogen sulfide (HS) often contributes to the emergence of antibiotic-recalcitrant bacteria, especially persister (a sub-population of dormant bacteria), thus causing the treatment failure of Catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI). Here, an HS harvester nanosystem to prevent the generation of persister bacteria and disrupt the dense biofilm matrix by the self-adaptive ability of shape-morphing is prepared. The nanosystem possesses a core-shell structure that is composed of liquid metal nanoparticle (LM NP), AgNPs, and immobilized urease.

Moderate Fields, Maximum Potential: Achieving High Records with Temperature-Stable Energy Storage in Lead-Free BNT-Based Ceramics.

The increasing awareness of environmental concerns has prompted a surge in the exploration of lead-free, high-power ceramic capacitors. Ongoing efforts to develop lead-free dielectric ceramics with exceptional energy-storage performance (ESP) have predominantly relied on multi-component composite strategies, often accomplished under ultrahigh electric fields. However, this approach poses challenges in insulation and system downsizing due to the necessary working voltage under such conditions.

Ultrahigh Electrostrictive Effect in Lead-Free Ferroelectric Ceramics Via Texture Engineering.

The electrostrictive effect, which induces strain in ferroelectric ceramics, offers distinct advantages over its piezoelectric counterpart for high-precision actuator applications, including anhysteretic behavior even at high frequencies, rapid reaction times, and no requirement for poling. Historically, commercially available electrostrictive materials have been lead oxide-based. However, global restrictions on the use of lead in electronic components necessitate the exploration of lead-free electrostrictive ceramics with a high strain performance.

Conformally Large-Area Single-Crystal Piezocomposites with High Performance for Acoustic Transducers.

Large-area and conformal piezoelectric elements are highly desired for acoustic transducers to possess a large power source level and wide detecting range. To date, single-crystal piezocomposites attract much attention on enhancing the power source level and bandwidth for next-generation acoustic transducers, owing to their higher piezoelectric and electromechanical coupling properties compared to traditional piezocomposites. Unfortunately, it is still challenging to achieve large-area and conformal single-crystal piezocomposites because of the fragile nature, large anisotropy, and the limited grown size of piezoelectric single crystals.

Effects of fermented Shenling Baizhu San on gut microbiota, antioxidant capacity, and intestinal barrier function of yellow-plumed broilers.

The current study focused on the effects of Shenling Baizhu San (SLBZS) fermented by (. ) on gut microbiota, antioxidant capacity, and intestinal barrier function of yellow-plumed broilers. Our results showed that the content of ginsenoside Rb1 was the highest when SLBZS were inoculated with 3% .

[Curcumin targeting miR-155-5p/TP53INP1 axis induced oxidative stress to regulate salivary gland tumor cell proliferation and apoptosis].

Purpose: To investigate the mechanism of curcumin targeting miR-155-5p/TP53INP1 axis to induce oxidative stress to regulate salivary gland tumor cell proliferation and apoptosis.

Methods: A253 cells were cultured by adding curcumin and transfected with miR-155-5p mimic and/or pcDNA3.1-TP53INP1.

Enhanced Energy Storage Properties in Lead-Free (NaBi)SrTiO-Based Relaxor Ferroelectric Ceramics through a Cooperative Optimization Strategy.

Although relaxor ferroelectrics have been widely investigated owing to their various advantages, there are still impediments to boosting their energy-storage density () and energy-storage efficiency (). In this paper, we propose a cooperative optimization strategy for achieving comprehensive outstanding energy-storage performance in (NaBi)SrTiO (NBST)-based ceramics by triggering a nonergodic-to-ergodic transformation and optimizing the forming process. The first step of substituting NaNbO (NN) for NBST generated an ergodic state and induced polar nanoregions under the guidance of a phase-field simulation.

Transcriptome profiling Revealed the potential mechanisms of Shen Lin Bai Zhu San n-butanol extract on DSS induced Colitis in Mice and LC-MS analysis.

Background: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic and recurrent inflammatory disorder in gastrointestinal tract. Shen Ling Bai Zhu San (SLBZS), which has a long history of use in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), has been widely used to treat gastrointestinal diseases. The isolated fractions of TCM have also been proved to possess an important potential for treating diseases, which are due to their effective components.

Polyphenol Rich Extract Alleviates DSS-Induced Ulcerative Colitis in Mice through the Nrf2-NLRP3 Pathway.

This study systematically evaluated the effect of extract on dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced ulcerative colitis (UC) and determined its mechanism of action. The results showed that extract significantly inhibited DSS-induced UC in mice. In vivo mechanistic studies revealed that extract relieved the symptoms of colitis by enhancing antioxidant activity and inhibiting pyroptosis.

High-Performance Curved Piezoelectric Single-Crystal Composites via 3D-Printing-Assisted Dice and Insert Technology for Underwater Acoustic Transducer Applications.

Piezoelectric single-crystal composites (PSCCs) have been studied and applied because of their improved resolution and power source level performance in underwater acoustic transducer applications relative to traditional piezoelectric ceramic composites (PCCs). Currently, the methods to fabricate curved PSCCs are mostly derived from PCCs, including molding with flexible backing, molding with heating, and molding with the casting rubber method. Unfortunately, the methods mentioned above are not suitable for preparing curved PSCCs for underwater acoustic transducer applications because of their brittleness, the large anisotropy of piezoelectric single crystals, and the high thickness (>2 mm) of PSCCs for achieving the low operating frequency (<700 kHz).

Comparative Evaluation of From Different Harvest Seasons and Regions by HPLC/NIR Analysis and Anti-inflammatory and Antioxidant Assays.

(FF), the dry fruit of (Thunb.) Vahl, has a long history of use in traditional Chinese Medicine for its heat-clearing and detoxifying properties. It possesses clinical therapeutic effects and biological functions showing efficacy in handling different diseases.

Extremely High Piezoelectric Properties in Pb-Based Ceramics through Integrating Phase Boundary and Defect Engineering.

An ultrahigh piezoelectric coefficient is always desired for electromechanical devices and systems. However, for a long time, a large value in lead-based and lead-free piezoelectric ceramics was usually obtained at the expense of their , and vice versa, limiting their practical applications. Here, we proposed a design concept, i.

Three-dimensional assessment of accuracy for open reduction and internal fixation of the subcondylar fracture and its implications on the TMJ function.

This study used three-dimensional cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) to assist the accuracy of open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) for the unilateral subcondylar fracture and the long-term temporomandibular joint (TMJ) function impairment. Bilateral TMJs were analyzed postoperatively on CBCT images, involving the following three-dimensional (3D) parameters: condylar position and inclination; circumferential joint space, ramus, and mandible length; and the volumetric joint space. The inclusion criteria for adult patients included having a displaced fracture >5°, a shortening in ramus length >2 mm, and mouth opening limitation.

Large-Area Piezoelectric Single Crystal Composites via 3-D-Printing-Assisted Dice-and-Insert Technology for Hydrophone Applications.

Compared with Pb(Zr,Ti)O (PZT) ceramics, piezoelectric ceramic composites (PCCs), and piezoelectric polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) polymer, piezoelectric single crystal composites (PSCCs) are thought to be the promising candidates for hydrophone applications because of their superior hydrostatic performance. However, due to the brittleness and small dimensions of single crystals, the preparation of large-area or conformal PSCCs is to be challenged. Herein, we prepared a large-area PSCC with dimensions of 50 mm × 50 mm × 5 mm using 3-D-printing-assisted dice-and-insert technology.

Quantitative imaging of intracellular nanoparticle exposure enables prediction of nanotherapeutic efficacy.

Nanoparticle internalisation is crucial for the precise delivery of drug/genes to its intracellular targets. Conventional quantification strategies can provide the overall profiling of nanoparticle biodistribution, but fail to unambiguously differentiate the intracellularly bioavailable particles from those in tumour intravascular and extracellular microenvironment. Herein, we develop a binary ratiometric nanoreporter (BiRN) that can specifically convert subtle pH variations involved in the endocytic events into digitised signal output, enabling the accurately quantifying of cellular internalisation without introducing extracellular contributions.

Textured ferroelectric ceramics with high electromechanical coupling factors over a broad temperature range.

The figure-of-merits of ferroelectrics for transducer applications are their electromechanical coupling factor and the operable temperature range. Relaxor-PbTiO ferroelectric crystals show a much improved electromechanical coupling factor k (88~93%) compared to their ceramic counterparts (65~78%) by taking advantage of the strong anisotropy of crystals. However, only a few relaxor-PbTiO systems, for example Pb(InNb)O-Pb(MgNb)O-PbTiO, can be grown into single crystals, whose operable temperature range is limited by their rhombohedral-tetragonal phase transition temperatures (T: 60~120 °C).

Characteristics and outcomes of Ludwig's angina in patients admitted to the intensive care unit: A 6-year retrospective study of 29 patients.

Background/purpose: Ludwig's angina (LA) still presents regularly and various characteristics are documented, but patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) has not been studied. The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with LA who were admitted to ICU.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively reviewed all 29 patients with LA who were admitted to the ICU of a university hospital from January 2013 to October 2018.

A pH-Activatable nanoparticle for dual-stage precisely mitochondria-targeted photodynamic anticancer therapy.

Mitochondria-targeted photodynamic therapy (PDT) has emerged as one of the most efficient antitumor strategies. However, the therapeutic outcome of mitochondria-targeted PDT nanocarriers has been hampered by its poor capability of endosome escape and always-ON mode which induces normal tissue damage. To tackle these limitations, herein a novel pH-activatable nanoparticle is developed with dual-stage targeting capacity of early endosome and mitochondria for exponential activation of fluorescent signals and photodynamic efficacy.

Quick-Responsive Polymer-Based Thermosensitive Liposomes for Controlled Doxorubicin Release and Chemotherapy.

Thermosensitive liposomes (TSLs) have been widely investigated for controlled drug release at specific pathophysiological sites. Although excellent thermo-sensitivity under hyperthermia (HT) was already realized for TSLs, their stability under physiological temperature still remains challenging. To overcome this limitation, optimized polymer-based thermosensitive liposomes (P-TSLs) with good thermo-sensitivity as well as satisfactory stability were developed in this study for tumor-specific controlled delivery of doxorubicin (DOX).

Redox/enzyme sensitive chondroitin sulfate-based self-assembled nanoparticles loading docetaxel for the inhibition of metastasis and growth of melanoma.

In this report, redox/enzyme responsive chondroitin sulfate-ss-deoxycholic acid (CSCD) conjugates were synthesized using cystamine as the linkage which could self-assemble to form self-assembled nanoparticles (175.6 + 5.2 nm) in the aqueous environment.

Insight into the role of dual-ligand modification in low molecular weight heparin based nanocarrier for targeted delivery of doxorubicin.

Low molecular weight heparin nanoparticles (LMWH) modified by glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) (LMWH-GA) and further decorated by lactobionic acid (LA) (LA-LMWH-GA) were reported as novel hepatocellular carcinoma (HPC)-targeted carriers to overcome multidrug resistance (MDR) of doxorubicin (DOX). The drug-loaded nanoparticles had negative charge of around -25mV and average size range of 70-170nm. These nanoparticles performed sustained drug release in vitro and prolonged DOX residence time in blood circulation in vivo.

Internal stimuli-responsive nanocarriers for drug delivery: Design strategies and applications.

The design of internal stimuli-responsive nanocarriers has been extensively used for delivery of various active compounds including drugs, peptides and genes. These nanosystems are not only designed for improved solubility, enhanced bioavailability, and prolonged blood circulation time, furthermore, they can be tailored chemically to achieve selective drug release at the desired sites of action, which can enable them to bypass physiological or pathological obstacles and achieve enhanced therapeutic efficacy. This review presents current functional moieties responsive to a variety of internal stimuli, including pH, redox, enzyme, temperature.

Self-assembled nanoparticles based on chondroitin sulfate-deoxycholic acid conjugates for docetaxel delivery: Effect of degree of substitution of deoxycholic acid.

Hydrophobically-modified polymers based on chondroitin sulfate with different degree of substitution (DS) of deoxycholic acid (DOCA) were developed for docetaxel delivery. Chondroitin sulfate-deoxycholic acid (CSAD) bioconjugates were synthesized via the linker of adipic dihydrazide by amide bond. They were characterized with spherical shape, mean diameter of around 165.

Reconfigurable all-dielectric metamaterial frequency selective surface based on high-permittivity ceramics.

Based on effective medium theory and dielectric resonator theory, we propose the design of reconfigurable all-dielectric metamaterial frequency selective surfaces (FSSs) using high-permittivity ceramics. The FSS is composed of ceramic resonators with different band stop responses under front and side incidences. By mechanically tuning the orientation of the ceramic resonators, reconfigurable electromagnetic (EM) responses between two adjacent stopbands can be achieved.

The role of glycyrrhetinic acid modification on preparation and evaluation of quercetin-loaded chitosan-based self-aggregates.

Quercetin (QC), a type of plant-based chemical, has been reported to own anticancer activity in vivo. However, the poor water solubility limits its pharmaceutical application. In this study, two kinds of QC-loaded self-aggregates based on O-carboxymethyl chitosan-cholic acid conjugates (CMCA) were developed to improve the drug bioavailability in which glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) modification was utilized in the nanocarrier fabrication (QC-GA-CMCA) or not (QC-CMCA).