Impact of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor on the Shape, Survival, and Osteogenic Transformation of Gingiva-Derived Stem Cell Spheroids.

: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a protein which stimulates the formation of new blood vessels, playing a crucial role in processes such as wound healing and tumor growth. : This study investigated the effects of VEGF on cell viability and osteogenic differentiation in mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) spheroids. Stem cell spheroids were fabricated using concave microwells and cultured with VEGF at concentrations of 0, 0.

Engineering CAR-T Therapeutics for Enhanced Solid Tumor Targeting.

Cancer immunotherapy, specifically Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy, represents a significant breakthrough in treating cancers. Despite its success in hematological cancers, CAR-T exhibits limited efficacy in solid tumors, which account for more than 90% of all cancers. Solid tumors commonly present unique challenges, including antigen heterogeneity and complex tumor microenvironment (TME).

Enhancement of Chondrogenic Differentiation in Bone Marrow-Derived Stem Cell Spheroids by Methanolic Extract: Insights into Concentration-Dependent mRNA Expression and Gene Clustering Analysis.

: L. has been utilized as a medicinal plant for centuries. This research sought to examine the effects of cumin methanolic extract (CMT) on the chondrogenic differentiation of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells.

Neural interfaces: Bridging the brain to the world beyond healthcare.

Neural interfaces, emerging at the intersection of neurotechnology and urban planning, promise to transform how we interact with our surroundings and communicate. By recording and decoding neural signals, these interfaces facilitate direct connections between the brain and external devices, enabling seamless information exchange and shared experiences. Nevertheless, their development is challenged by complexities in materials science, electrochemistry, and algorithmic design.

Topological van der Waals Contact for Two-Dimensional Semiconductors.

The relentless miniaturization inherent in complementary metal-oxide semiconductor technology has created challenges at the interface of two-dimensional (2D) materials and metal electrodes. These challenges, predominantly stemming from metal-induced gap states (MIGS) and Schottky barrier heights (SBHs), critically impede device performance. This work introduces an innovative implementation of damage-free SbTe topological van der Waals (T-vdW) contacts, representing an ultimate contact electrode for 2D materials.

Enhancing the cytotoxicity of immunotoxins by facilitating their dissociation from target receptors under the reducing conditions of the endocytic pathway.

Immunotoxins (ITs) are recombinant chimeric proteins that combine a protein toxin with a targeting moiety to facilitate the selective delivery of the toxin to cancer cells. Here, we present a novel strategy to enhance the cytosolic access of ITs by promoting their dissociation from target receptors under the reducing conditions of the endocytic pathway. We engineered monobody, a human fibronectin type III domain-based monobody with disulfide bond (SS)-containing paratopes, targeting receptors such as EGFR, EpCAM, Her2, and FAP.

The Influence of Tacrolimus on Cellular Morphology, Cellular Viability, Osteogenic Differentiation, and mRNA Expression within Stem Cell Spheroids.

: Tacrolimus is a macrolide lactone compound derived from the bacterium , widely known as an immunosuppressant. In basic research, the effects of tacrolimus on osteogenic differentiation have been tested using mesenchymal stem cells. In this study, tacrolimus's effects on the cellular survival and osteogenic differentiation of stem cell spheroids were investigated.

Soft Bioelectronics Using Nanomaterials and Nanostructures for Neuroengineering.

The identification of neural networks for large areas and the regulation of neuronal activity at the single-neuron scale have garnered considerable attention in neuroscience. In addition, detecting biochemical molecules and electrically, optically, and chemically controlling neural functions are key research issues. However, conventional rigid and bulky bioelectronics face challenges for neural applications, including mechanical mismatch, unsatisfactory signal-to-noise ratio, and poor integration of multifunctional components, thereby degrading the sensing and modulation performance, long-term stability and biocompatibility, and diagnosis and therapy efficacy.

Self-Thermal Management in Filtered Selenium-Terminated MXene Films for Flexible Safe Batteries.

Li-ion batteries with superior interior thermal management are crucial to prevent thermal runaway and ensure safe, long-lasting operation at high temperatures or during rapid discharging and charging. Typically, such thermal management is achieved by focusing on the separator and electrolyte. Here, the study introduces a Se-terminated MXene free-standing electrode with exceptional electrical conductivity and low infrared emissivity, synergistically combining high-rate capacity with reduced heat radiation for safe, large, and fast Li storage.

The discovery of an anti-inflammatory monoterpenoid, neoroseoside from the Zea mays.

A new monoterpenoid, neoroseoside (1), along with two previously reported compounds, 2″-O-α-l-rhamnosyl-6-C-fucosylluteolin (2) and farobin A (3) were isolated from the Zea mays. The structure of compound 1 was determined through the analysis spectroscopic data, including mass spectrometry (MS), infrared (IR) spectroscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) data. The absolute configurations of 1 were deduced from the comparing the values of optical rotations and from the interpretation of electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra.

Regeneration of Rabbit Calvarial Defects with Combination of Stem Cells and Enamel Matrix Derivative: A Microcomputed Tomography and Histological Evaluation Comparing Two- and Three-Dimensional Cell Constructs.

: This study addresses the challenge of bone regeneration in calvarial defects, exploring the efficacy of stem cell-based therapies and enamel matrix derivative (EMD) in tissue engineering. It assesses the regenerative potential of two- and three-dimensional cell constructs combined with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and EMD in rabbit calvarial defects. : This research involved the use of bone-marrow-derived MSCs cultured in silicon elastomer-based concave microwells to form spheroids.

Impact of 17β-Estradiol on the Shape, Survival, Osteogenic Transformation, and mRNA Expression of Gingiva-Derived Stem Cell Spheroids.

: Mesenchymal stem cells hold promise for tissue regeneration, given their robust growth and versatile differentiation capabilities. An analysis of bone marrow-sourced mesenchymal stem cell proliferation showed that 17β-estradiol could enhance their growth. This study aims to investigate the influence of 17β-estradiol on the shape, survival, osteogenic differentiation, and mineralization of human mesenchymal stem cells.

Sirt6-Mediated Cell Death Associated with Sirt1 Suppression in Gastric Cancer.

Background: Gastric cancer, one of the leading causes of cancer-related death, is strongly associated with infection, although other risk factors have been identified. The sirtuin (Sirt) family is involved in the tumorigenesis of gastric cancer, and sirtuins can have pro- or anti-tumorigenic effects.

Methods: After determining the overall survival rate of gastric cancer patients with or without Sirt6 expression, the effect of Sirt6 upregulation was also tested using a xenograft mouse model.

Mechanistic Basis of Conductivity in Carbon Dioxide-Expanded Electrolytes: A Joint Experimental-Theoretical Study.

Electrolyte conductivity contributes to the efficiency of devices for electrochemical conversion of carbon dioxide (CO) into useful chemicals, but the effect of the dissolution of CO gas on conductivity has received little attention. Here, we report a joint experimental-theoretical study of the properties of acetonitrile-based CO-expanded electrolytes (CXEs) that contain high concentrations of CO (up to 12 M), achieved by CO pressurization. Cyclic voltammetry data and paired simulations show that high concentrations of dissolved CO do not impede the kinetics of outer-sphere electron transfer but decrease the solution conductivity at higher pressures.

Phase-separated stretchable conductive nanocomposite to reduce contact resistance of skin electronics.

Skin electronics, facilitating a high-quality interface between external devices and human skin for recording physiological and/or electrophysiological signals as well as delivering external electrical and/or mechanical energy into the human body, has shown significant progress. However, achieving mechanically conformal contact and electrically low contact resistance at the device-skin interface remains challenging. Here, we propose a material strategy to potentially address such an issue by using phase separation of silver nanowires and silver nanoparticles (Ag NWs and Ag NPs) within a stretchable conductive nanocomposite (NC).

"Nulichal" Barley Extract Suppresses Nitric Oxide and Pro-Inflammatory Cytokine Production by Lipopolysaccharides in RAW264.7 Macrophage Cell Line.

The cultivar "Nulichal," a type of naked waxy barley ( L.), was developed by the National Institute of Crop Science, Rural Development Administration, Korea, in 2010. In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of the "Nulichal" ethanol extract (NRE) using various assays.

Moderating Role of Communication Competence in the Association between Professionalism and Job Satisfaction in Korean Millennial and Generation Z Nurses: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Millennial and Generation Z (MZ generation) nurses, the core of the Republic of Korean nursing workforce, are leaving hospitals. We, therefore, aimed to determine the mediating role of communication competence between nursing professionalism and job satisfaction of MZ generation nurses in Republic of Korea. A total of 188 nurses aged 20-39 years belonging to the MZ generation, who had been working in a general hospital for over six months, participated in an online survey from 27 October 2022 to 11 January 2023.

Comparison of the Standard E TB-Feron ELISA and QuantiFERON-TB Gold PLUS assays: the advantageous use of whole recombinant protein antigens for latent tuberculosis diagnosis.

The laboratory diagnosis of latent tuberculosis is often performed using interferon-gamma release assays. Here, we compared two enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay-based interferon-gamma release assays, namely, the newly developed Standard E TB-Feron enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (STFE) and the QuantiFERON-TB Gold PLUS assay (QFT-GP), using samples from 155 participants. The STFE is based on using whole EAST6 and CFP10 recombinant antigens for latent tuberculosis diagnosis.

Engagement Measures in Maltreatment Prevention Studies: A Scoping Review.

Prevention services can promote public health by building protective factors and reducing maltreatment risk. Yet, engaging caregivers in prevention services presents a unique set of challenges. Measurement studies are important first steps to increase the knowledge of caregiver engagement in prevention services.