Synergistic metabolic modulation of fibroblast-like synoviocytes targeted dual prodrug nanoparticles to mitigate rheumatoid arthritis.

Elevated glucose metabolism is a prominent characteristic of fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, the efficacy of inhibiting a single target of glucose metabolism in FLS using small molecular inhibitors is limited for RA treatment. Herein, the synergistic inhibition of FLS' survival, proliferation, and activation by combining two glucose metabolism inhibitors, diclofenac (DC) and lonidamine (LND) was first verified.

Tailoring Tumor Cell Golgi Apparatus-Targeting Self-Assembled Peptide for Effective Immunotherapy via Reshaping MIF-Mediated Immunosuppressive Network.

The immunosuppressive network formed by the enhanced crosstalk between tumor cells and various types of immune cells may ultimately lead to the formation of tumor immunosuppressive microenvironment (TIME). The Golgi apparatus (GA) of tumor cells is a key organelle in the formation of a tumor immunosuppressive network. However, there are no studies to show whether interfering with the GA of tumor cells can reshape the immunosuppressive network to enhance the effectiveness of immunotherapy.

Flexible bioelectronic systems with large-scale temperature sensor arrays for monitoring and treatments of localized wound inflammation.

Continuous monitoring and closed-loop therapy of soft wound tissues is of particular interest in biomedical research and clinical practices. An important focus is on the development of implantable bioelectronics that can measure time-dependent temperature distribution related to localized inflammation over large areas of wound and offer in situ treatment. Existing approaches such as thermometers/thermocouples provide limited spatial resolution, inapplicable to a wearable/implantable format.

Comparative Study on Protein Composition and Foam Characteristics of Barley and Wheat Beer.

Protein is an important component of beer, and its type, content and molecular weight directly affect the quality of beer, especially the foam quality of beer. Different brands of wheat beer and barley beer available in the market were used for this analysis. The differences in protein composition and foam performance between multi-sample barley and wheat beer were analyzed using sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and high-pressure size exclusion chromatography.

Preparation of active films with antioxidant and antimicrobial properties by combining ginger essential oil nanoemulsion with xylan and polyvinyl alcohol.

Due to the environmental challenges of petroleum-based packaging, new biodegradable and active food packaging has garnered significant attention. In this work, active films were generated with xylan/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as the film-forming matrix, combined with ginger essential oil nanoemulsions (GEO-NEs) at varying concentrations (2.0 %, 4.

Multi-functional, conformal systems with ultrathin crystalline-silicon-based bioelectronics for characterization of intraocular pressure and ocular surface temperature.

Technologies that established in vivo evaluations of soft-tissue biomechanics and temperature are essential to biological research and clinical diagnostics, particularly for a wide range of eye-related diseases such as glaucoma. Of importance are advanced bioelectronic devices for high-precise monitoring of intraocular pressure (IOP) and various ocular temperatures, as clinically proven uses for glaucoma diagnosis. Existing characterization methods are temporary, single point, and lack microscale resolution, failing to measure continuous IOP fluctuation across the long-term period.

Do all algae grow faster in environments replenished by reclaimed water? Examples of two effluents produced in Beijing.

Reclaimed water with nitrogen, phosphorus, and other contaminants may trigger algal blooms during its ecological utilization in replenishing rivers or lakes. However, the effect of reclaimed water on algal growth rates is not well understood. In this study, the growth potentials of algae in terms of Cyanophyta, Chlorophyta, and Bacillariophyta, as well as mixed algae in both regular culture medium and reclaimed water produced from treatment plants in Beijing with similar N and P concentrations, were compared to evaluate whether reclaimed water could facilitate algal growth.

Studies on the degradation pattern of wheat malt endo-1,4-β-xylanase on wheat-derived arabinoxylans.

Background: Wheat malt endo-1,4-β-xylanase is a key enzyme for arabinoxylan degradation, but its wheat-derived arabinoxylan degradation pattern is unclear.

Results: Water-extractable arabinoxylan (WEAX) of 300-750 kDa and 30-100 kDa were the two components with the highest degradation efficiency of wheat malt endo-1,4-β-xylanase, followed by > 1000 kDa WEAX, but 100-300 kDa WEAX showed the lowest degradation efficiency. The main enzymatic products were the 5-30 kDa WEAX, which accounted for 57.

Single-Atom Gd Nanoprobes for Self-Confirmative MRI with Robust Stability.

Gadolinium (Gd)-based complexes are extensively utilized as contrast agents (CAs) in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), yet, suffer from potential safety concerns and poor tumor targeting. Herein, as a mimic of Gd complex, single-atom Gd nanoprobes with r and r values of 34.2 and 80.

[Distribution of memory B cell subsets in peripheral blood of children with frequently relapsing nephrotic syndrome].

Objectives: To investigate the change in the distribution of memory B cell subsets in children with frequently relapsing nephrotic syndrome (FRNS) during the course of the disease.

Methods: A total of 35 children with primary nephrotic syndrome (PNS) who attended the Department of Pediatrics of the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University from October 2020 to October 2021 were enrolled as subjects in this prospective study. According to the response to glucocorticoid (GC) therapy and frequency of recurrence, the children were divided into two groups: FRNS (=20) and non-FRNS (NFRNS; =15).

The effect of barley to wheat ratio in malt blends on protein composition and physicochemical characteristics of wort and beer.

The present work explored the effect of barley to wheat ratio in malt blends on protein composition and physicochemical characteristics of wort and beer. Results illustrated that the addition of wheat malt can significantly improve the soluble protein of wort and the final beer, and it can provide more > 2.2 kDa protein in final beer, which is mainly derived from the raw wheat malt, but also including some protein produced in the fermentation process, such as some protein between 29 and 66.

B cell phenotype, activity, and function in idiopathic nephrotic syndrome.

Idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (INS) is the most frequent glomerular disease in childhood. However, its underlying etiology mechanism lacks thorough understanding. Previous studies have described INS as a T cell functional disorder resulting in increased plasma lymphocyte-derived permeability factors.

Ecological stoichiometry, salt ions and homeostasis characteristics of different types of halophytes and soils.

Studying eco-stoichiometric and salt ions characteristics of halophytes and soils is helpful to understand the distribution mechanism of nutrients and salts in halophytes and their adaptation strategies to salinized habitats. In this study, three different types of halophytes (-salt repellent, -salt accumulating, and - salt secreting) and soils were selected to analyze the differences and correlations of C, N, P stoichiometry and salt accumulation. Results showed that: (1) the total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) contents of the three halophytes' leaves were significantly higher than those of the roots and stems, and the C: N ratios were contrary to the difference mentioned above.

Influence of spent ginger yeast cultures on the production performance, egg quality, serum composition, and intestinal microbiota of laying hens.

Objective: Spent ginger is a byproduct of juice extraction from the rhizome of ginger (Zingiber officinale). Despite its nutritional value, it is difficult to preserve or further process and thus is often wasted. This study uses spent ginger as a substrate for fermentation and cultivates spent ginger yeast cultures (SGYCs) that are then added to the feed of laying hens.

Relationship between the index of protein modification (Kolbach index) and degradation of macromolecules in wheat malt.

Kolbach index (KI) is an important index to evaluate the qualities of malt, which will affect protein molecular composition, enzyme activity, and other macromolecules degradation during wheat malting. In this paper, the relationship between wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) malts KI and the (i) characterization of albumins, globulins, gliadins, and glutenins and their hydrolysis and (ii) the enzymatic breakdown of starch and arabinoxylans during malting were studied.

Effects of cannabidiol and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol in the elevated plus maze in mice.

The present study tested the effects of cannabidiol (CBD) alone, Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) alone, and CBD and THC in combination (15:1 ratio) in the elevated plus maze (EPM), a test useful for the study of anxiety. In dose-response studies, adult, male CD1 mice were injected intraperitoneally with (1) CBD alone (0-96 mg/kg), (2) THC alone (0-6.4 mg/kg) or (3) CBD+THC in a 15:1 combination (0.

Wastewater treatment and reuse situations and influential factors in major Asian countries.

As Asia is the most populous continent in the world, the contradiction between water supply and demand is increasing. Wastewater treatment and reclaimed water use are important means to solve the contradiction between supply and demand and realize the sustainability of the water management system. Based on the data collected from 48 typical countries and regions in Asia, this study evaluates the possible influential factors on wastewater treatment and reclaimed water use such as Gross Domestic Product (GDP) level, water resource availability, water withdrawn and water stress.

Prolonged warm ischemia aggravates hepatic mitochondria damage and apoptosis in DCD liver by regulating Ca/CaM/CaMKII signaling pathway.

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of warm ischemia duration on hepatocyte mitochondrial damage after liver transplantation, and confirm the role of CaMKIIγ in this process. Rat donation after cardiac death (DCD) liver transplantation model was established by exposing donor liver to 0 (W group), 15 (W group), and 30 (W group) min warm ischemia. Some rats in W group were transfected with CaMKIIγ and CaMKIIγ-shRNA lentivirus.

Benzyl alcohol suppresses seizures in two different animal models.

We have been exploring the effects of dihydroprogesterone in female amygdala-kindled rats. For intraperitoneal (i.p.

Lipid production by a CO₂-tolerant green microalga, Chlorella sp. MRA-1.

Since CO2 concentrations in industrial flue gases are usually 10%-20%, one of the prerequisites for efficient CO2 removal by algae is the level of tolerance of microalgal species to exposure to high concentrations of CO2. A newly isolated microalgal strain, Chlorella sp. MRA-1, could retain growth with high concentrations of CO2 up to 15%.

[Relationship between daily mean temperature and emergency department visits for respiratory diseases: a time-series analysis].

Objective: To quantitatively evaluate the influences of daily mean air temperature (DMT) on Emergency Department Visits (EDVs) for the respiratory diseases.

Methods: The EDV data from medical records for respiratory diseases in Peking University Third Hospital between January 2004 and June 2009 were collected. The data of the air pollutants (SO(2), NO(2) and PM(10)) and meteorological factors at the same time periods were also collected from the local authorities of Beijing.

Effects of light intensity on the growth and lipid accumulation of microalga Scenedesmus sp. 11-1 under nitrogen limitation.

Scenedesmus spp. have been reported as potential microalgal species used for the lipid production. This study investigated the effects of light intensity (at three levels: 50, 250, and 400 μmol photons m(-2) s(-1)) on the growth and lipid production of Scenedesmus sp.