Ductal lavage followed by observation versus oral corticosteroids in idiopathic granulomatous mastitis: A randomized trial.

Oral corticosteroids represents the most prevalent treatment for idiopathic granulomatous mastitis. Ductal lavage with triamcinolone acetonide and antibiotics followed by observation (DL-OBS) has emerged as a novel strategy, but a comparison of them remains lacking. Here in this multicenter, open-label, non-inferiority, randomized trial (ClinicalTrials.

Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Silica Film with a TGBA* Structure.

Twisted grain boundary (TGB) phases exhibit highly frustrated and complex liquid crystal structures, and have attracted enormous interest because of their unique internal structure, textures and properties. However, among the few real concerns related to these interesting structures, applying them to prepare polymer-stabilized colored liquid crystal films has been challenging. Herein, the organic-inorganic hybrid silica (OIHS) films with a TGBA* structure were prepared using two organosilanes and one chiral additive under an acidic condition.

Enhancement of zein-based films for mango preservation using high-intensity ultrasound and castor oil plasticization.

Zein-based films exhibit high efficiency in ethylene adsorption. However, its brittleness limits the practical applications. To address this issue, this study synergizes the plasticizing effects of high-intensity ultrasound (HIU) and castor oil (CO) to reduce the brittleness of zein-based films.

Efficient multicolour and white circularly polarized luminescence from liquid crystalline polymer networks.

Twelve liquid crystalline polymer network films were fabricated through photopolymerization of cholesteric liquid-crystalline mixtures containing two aggregation-induced emissive-active luminogens. The films exhibit multicolour and white circularly polarized luminescence with dissymmetry factors up to 0.85 and fluorescence quantum yields up to 90%.

Prediction of chemical-induced acute toxicity using in vitro assay data and chemical structure.

Exposure to various chemicals found in the environment and in the context of drug development can cause acute toxicity. To provide an alternative to in vivo animal toxicity testing, the U.S.

PKCα Induced the Generation of Extracellular Vesicles in Activated Platelets to Promote Breast Cancer Metastasis.

Platelet extracellular vesicles (PEVs) play an important role in tumor development. However, the mechanisms underlying their biogenesis have not been fully elucidated. Protein kinase Cα (PKCα) is an important regulator of platelet activation, but the effect of PKCα on EV generation is unclear.

Tumor cells impair immunological synapse formation via central nervous system-enriched metabolite.

Tumors employ various strategies to evade immune surveillance. Central nervous system (CNS) has multiple features to restrain immune response. Whether tumors and CNS share similar programs of immunosuppression is elusive.

Use of Tox21 screening data to profile PFAS bioactivities on nuclear receptors, cellular stress pathways, and cytochrome p450 enzymes.

Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are synthetic chemicals widely used in commercial products. PFAS are a global concern due to their persistence in the environment and extensive associations with adverse health outcomes. While legacy PFAS have been extensively studied, many non-legacy PFAS lack sufficient toxicity information.

Biomimetic protein structural transitions regulate activation and inhibition of the broad-spectrum bactericidal activity of cationic nanoparticles.

The development of cationic polymers as alternative materials to antibiotics necessitates addressing the challenge of balancing their antimicrobial activity and toxicity. Here we propose a precise switching strategy inspired by biomimetic voltage-gated ion channels, enabling controlled activation and inhibition of cationic antimicrobial functions through protein conformational transitions in diverse physiological environments. Following thermodynamic studies on the specific recognition between mannose end groups on polycations and concanavalin A (ConA), we synthesized a type of ConA-polycation nanoparticle.

Polymer Network Film with Double Reflection Bands Prepared Using a Thermochromic Cholesteric Liquid Crystal Mixture.

Cholesteric liquid crystal polymer network (CLCN) films with a single reflection band have found applications for decoration and anticounterfeiting. The CLCN films with double reflection bands were more suitable for these applications. Herein, they were prepared by using thermochromic cholesteric liquid crystals (CLCs) through a two-step photopolymerization approach.

Circularly Polarized Luminescence of Cholesteric Liquid Crystal Polymer Networks with a Europium(III) Complex as an Emitter.

A coordination complex, Eu(CCdbm)(phen), with strong emission and a high quantum yield (QY ∼ 51.9%) was synthesized. The Eu complex, as a fluorescent emitter, was embedded in cholesteric liquid crystal polymer networks (CLCNs).

Sequential neoadjuvant chemotherapy using pegylated liposomal doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide followed by taxanes with complete trastuzumab and pertuzumab treatment for HER2-positive breast cancer: A phase II single-arm study.

Objective: Despite cardiotoxicity overlap, the trastuzumab/pertuzumab and anthracycline combination remains crucial due to significant benefits. Pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD), a less cardiotoxic anthracycline, was evaluated for efficacy and cardiac safety when combined with cyclophosphamide and followed by taxanes with trastuzumab/pertuzumab in human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2)-positive early breast cancer (BC).

Methods: In this multicenter, phase II study, patients with confirmed HER2-positive early BC received four cycles of PLD (30-35 mg/m) and cyclophosphamide (600 mg/m), followed by four cycles of taxanes (docetaxel, 90-100 mg/m or nab-paclitaxel, 260 mg/m), concomitant with eight cycles of trastuzumab (8 mg/kg loading dose, then 6 mg/kg) and pertuzumab (840 mg loading dose, then 420 mg) every 3 weeks.

Effectiveness of a broad-spectrum bivalent mRNA vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 variants in preclinical studies.

Vaccines utilizing modified messenger RNA (mRNA) technology have shown robust protective efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 in humans. As the virus continues to evolve in both human and non-human hosts, risk remains that the performance of the vaccines can be compromised by new variants with strong immune escape abilities. Here we present preclinical characterizations of a novel bivalent mRNA vaccine RQ3025 for its safety and effectiveness in animal models.

Cadmium Exposure Induces Apoptosis and Necrosis of Thyroid Cells via the Regulation of miR-494-3p/PTEN Axis.

Cadmium (Cd) exposure is a persistent pollution problem, necessitating caution in using cadmium-expelling complexing agents. Currently, there is no targeted therapy to treat Cd poisoning. The thyroid gland is a major endocrine organ that directly regulates thyroid hormones involved in various physiological processes and is a target organ for Cd accumulation.

Capturing Protein-Protein Interactions with Acidic Amino Acids Reactive Cross-Linkers.

Acidic residues (Asp and Glu) have a high prevalence on protein surfaces, but cross-linking reactions targeting these residues are limited. Existing methods either require high-concentration coupling reagents or have low structural compatibility. Here a previously reported "plant-and-cast" strategy is extended to develop heterobifunctional cross-linkers.

Preclinical evaluation of RQ3013, a broad-spectrum mRNA vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 variants.

The global emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants has led to increasing breakthrough infections in vaccinated populations, calling for an urgent need to develop more effective and broad-spectrum vaccines to combat COVID-19. Here we report the preclinical development of RQ3013, an mRNA vaccine candidate intended to bring broad protection against SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs). RQ3013, which contains pseudouridine-modified mRNAs formulated in lipid nanoparticles, encodes the spike (S) protein harboring a combination of mutations responsible for immune evasion of VOCs.

Polymer-Stabilized Cholesteric Liquid Crystal Films with Double Reflection Bands Prepared Based on the Competition between Photopolymerization and Photoisomerization.

Composite colors have been widely found in nature. Herein, polymer-stabilized cholesteric liquid crystal (PSCLC) films with composite structural colors were prepared through a one-step photopolymerization approach. The CLC mixtures were prepared using a mixture of acrylates and a mixture of two chiral dopants.

A PSCLC Pattern Prepared Based on Handedness Inversion for Anti-counterfeiting.

Handedness inversion has been widely studied in supramolecular chemistry and material sciences. Herein, a photoisomerizable chiral dopant was synthesized, which could induce the formation of a cholesteric phase with right-handedness. The Bragg reflection band of the cholesteric liquid crystal (CLC) mixture shifted to the long wavelength with extending 365 nm UV light irradiation time.

Precision Dosing of Antibiotics and Potentiators by Hypoxia-Responsive Nanoparticles for Overcoming Antibiotic Resistance in Gram-Negative Bacteria.

The stalling development of antibiotics, especially against intrinsically resistant Gram-negative pathogens associated with outer membranes, leads to an emerging antibiotic crisis across the globe. To breathe life into existing drugs, we herein report a hypoxia-responsive nanoparticle (NP) that encapsulates a hydrophobic antibiotic, rifampicin, and a cationic potentiator, polysulfonium. The simultaneous release of antibiotics and potentiators can be promoted and inhibited in response to the severity of bacterial-induced hypoxia, leading to antimicrobial dosing in a precision manner.

Transcriptomic analysis of ovarian follicles uncovers the crucial genes relevant to follicle selection and preovulatory hierarchy in hens.

Follicle selection and preovulatory hierarchy of hen ovaries were important stages of follicle development and crucially determining egg-laying performance. The selected follicles with a higher expression level of follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR) mRNA that facilitates response to FSH, and rapidly develops into preovulatory follicles with distinctive characteristics of granulosa cells (GCs) proliferation and differentiation. Identification of the key genes involved in these developmental events is helpful for elucidation of the molecular mechanism underlying egg-laying traits in chicken and other domestic fowl.

Dietary SL001 Improves Growth Performance, Health-Related Parameters, Intestinal Morphology and Microbiota of Broiler Chickens.

It was assumed that dietary inclusion of SL001 isolated from the gastric contents of rabbits could act as an alternative to feed antibiotics to improve the growth performance of broiler chickens. We randomly assigned 360 one-day-old AA white-feathered chicks in three treatments: basal diet (control), basal diet plus zinc bacitracin (antibiotic), and basal diet plus SL001 (SL001) treatment. The results showed the total BW gain and average daily gain (ADG) of broilers in SL001 treatment increased significantly ( < 0.