Design and biochemical evaluation of 2-cyclopropyl-thioureidobenzamide (CP-TBA) derivatives as potent HBV capsid assembly modulators targeting a novel binding site.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) capsid assembly modulators (CAMs) represent a promising therapeutic approach in the treatment of chronic HBV infection. In the quest for effective therapeutics against chronic Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, we employed a novel binding site occupancy strategy to develop novel 2-cyclopropyl-thioureidobenzamide (CP-TBA) derivatives as potent HBV CAMs. Our diversity modification approach led to the identification of compound 17e, which demonstrated remarkable anti-HBV activity with an EC of 0.

Impact of maternal COVID-19 infection on offspring immunity and maternal-fetal outcomes at different pregnancy stages: a cohort study.

Objective: To investigate the impact of COVID-19 infection on maternal and neonatal outcomes and immunity in pregnant women in China.

Methods: 283 pregnant women with COVID-19 were included in the prospective observational cohort study and divided into five groups based on infection stage. Antibody levels were measured in plasma, umbilical cord blood, and breast milk, and combined with clinical data and 6-month follow-up results.

Estrogen Promotes Endometrial Cancer Development by Modulating ZNF626, SLK, and RFWD3 Gene Expression and Inducing Immune Inflammatory Changes.

: Elevated estrogen has been found to contribute to the pathological development of endometrial cancer (EC), potentially through alterations in the tumor inflammatory immune microenvironment. However, the exact mechanisms underlying this process remain unclear. : Bioinformatics was used to identify differentially expressed genes, analyze pathway enrichment, and assess their correlation with immune cell infiltration.

Hierarchical Phosphide-Based Hybrid Anodes for High-Performance Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Transition metal phosphides (TMPs) have emerged as promising anode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, their poor intrinsic conductivity and significant volume changes result in slow redox kinetics and structural collapse during cycling, which hinder their practical application. Here, a hierarchical hybrid anode is synthesized by evenly dispersing NiP particles with N-doped carbon encapsulation on Co(OH) nanosheets (Co(OH)/NiP@N-C).

Duck feather inspired hydrophobic carboxymethyl cellulose/gelatin film for intelligent and active food packaging.

Inspired by the superhydrophobic characteristics of duck feathers this research introduced an intelligent, responsive, and eco-friendly food packaging film constructed from carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and gelatin (Gel). The film successfully mimics the asymmetric, bionic, barbed structure of a duck feather, offering outstanding hydrophobicity and moisture vapor resistance characteristics. Moreover, the bionic film demonstrated good mechanical strength, film-forming ability and biodegradability.

The effects of high-intensity interval training on cognitive performance: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Cognitive decline is an important feature of an aging population. Despite the large body of research investigating the effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on cognitive performance, reports of its effectiveness are inconsistent and it is difficult to determine what factors moderate these effects. The purpose of this study was to conduct a meta-analysis of existing randomised controlled trials investigating the effects of HIIT on various domains of cognitive performance, and to further examine the intervention cycle and age-related moderating effects.

The association between composite dietary antioxidant index and rheumatoid arthritis: evidence from NHANES 2001-2020.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the composite dietary antioxidant index (CDAI) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) spanning from 2001 to 2020.

Methods: CDAI is based on the intake of vitamins A, C, E, manganese, selenium, and zinc from the diet. RA patients were identified through questionnaire responses.

Empathy Development in Preschoolers With/Without Hearing Loss and Its Associations with Social-Emotional Functioning.

Empathy plays a crucial role in children's social-emotional development. There is an increasing trend in recent studies to recognize empathy as a multi-dimensional construct, consisting of three distinct hierarchical levels: emotion contagion, attention to others' feelings and prosocial behaviors (Hoffman, Motiv Emot, 14(2), 151-172, 1990). The present study is amongst the first to use a longitudinal approach to examine the development trajectories of the distinct empathic levels, based on a sample of Chinese preschoolers aged 2 to 6 years, half of the sample being deaf or hard-of-hearing (DHH).

Bimetallic sulfides based hybrid anodes are constructed for high-performance lithium ion batteries.

Transition metal sulfides (TMSs) are considered as one of the most promising anode materials for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) in virtue of their high theoretical specific capacity, low cost and environmental friendliness. However, the intrinsic poor electron/ion transport, large volume change and the shuttle effect of polysulfides hinder their achievement of superb rate capability and cycle performance. Compared with the monometallic sulfides, bimetallic sulfides have superior electron transport capability and higher electrochemical activity.

Improving treatment for Parkinson's disease: Harnessing photothermal and phagocytosis-driven delivery of levodopa nanocarriers across the blood-brain barrier.

Parkinson's disease (PD) poses a significant therapeutic challenge, mainly due to the limited ability of drugs to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) without undergoing metabolic transformations. Levodopa, a key component of dopamine replacement therapy, effectively enhances dopaminergic activity. However, it encounters obstacles from peripheral decarboxylase, hindering its passage through the BBB.

The bidirectional association between self-perceptions of aging and frailty: the mediating role of subjective cognitive decline.

Objective: With the global population aging rapidly, understanding the factors influencing health outcomes in older adults is crucial. This study explores the longitudinal causal relationship between self-perceptions of aging and frailty and examines whether subjective cognitive decline mediated the associations.

Methods: The Brief-Aging Perceptions Questionnaire(B-APQ), the Frailty Phenotype Assessment Scale, and the Subjective Cognitive Decline Questionnaire were used to survey 619 community-dwelling older adults in Xinxiang, Henan, China, from March to October 2021 and from March to October 2023, respectively.

Starch hydration properties in relation to kinetic modelling of mass transfer and properties of deep-frying batter.

The hydration properties of starch were examined in relation to mass transfer and the characteristics of deep-frying batter. With extended deep-frying, the oil content in all samples increased, while the moisture content exhibited an inverse trend. Analyses of zeta potential, disulfide bonds, secondary structure, particle size of the proteins, thermal properties, and water status indicated that prolonged deep-frying time facilitated protein aggregation and led to a decrease in both gelatinization enthalpy (ΔH) and the percentage of bound water.

LUC7L2 accelerates the growth of liver cancer cells by enhancing DNA damage repair via RRAS.

Background & Objectives: LUC7L2 may be involved in the recognition of non-consensus splice donor sites in association with the U1 snRNP spliceosomal subunit. However, their detailed features and regulatory mechanisms of LUC7L2 in the development of human liver cancer have not been well characterized.

Results: Herein, our results demonstrate that LUC7L2 promotes the proliferation of liver cancer cells in vitro and xenograft transplantation in vivo.

Iron-Based Nanoplatforms Achieve Hepatocellular Carcinoma Regression Through a Cascade of Effects.

Purpose: Ferroptosis is a regulated form of cell death characterized by iron-dependent accumulation of associated lipid peroxides (LPO), which can induce cell death when a certain level is reached. However, the extremely complex tumor microenvironment (TME) has the characteristics of antioxidant, even if it induces ferroptosis of tumor cells, its killing effect on tumor cells is still very limited. To solve this problem, we constructed a novel nanomaterials (GOx/EC@FeO@CCM).

The electric regulation mechanism of drug molecules intercalating with DNA.

The insertion of small drug molecules into DNA can change its electrical properties, thereby controlling the probability of its electrical transmission. This characteristic has enabled its widespread application in molecular electronics. However, the current understanding of the intercalation properties and electronic transmission mechanisms is still not deep enough, which severely restricts its practical application.

Sohlh2 Promotes the Progression of Hepatocellular Carcinoma via TGM2-Mediated Autophagy.

Liver cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounting for 85% of liver cancer-related deaths. Autophagy controls HCC cell growth, invasion, metastasis, drug resistance, and stemness. Spermatogenesis and oogenesis basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor 2 (Sohlh2) can bind to the E-boxes in the promoter regions of target genes, which are involved in multiple neoplasms.

Catechol/m-Phenylenediamine Modified Sol-Gel Coating with Enhanced Long-Lasting Anticorrosion Performance on 3003 Al Alloy.

Aluminum alloys, characterized by their low density and high mechanical strength, are widely applied in the manufacturing sector. However, the application of aluminum alloys in extreme environments presents severe corrosion challenges. Sol-gel organic coating techniques have garnered significant attention due to their excellent stability, barrier properties, and cost-effectiveness, as well as their simpler processing.

Nur77 ameliorates cyclophosphamide-induced ovarian insufficiency in mice by inhibiting oxidative damage and cell senescence.

Premature ovarian failure (POF) is among the primary causes of ovarian dysfunction that severely affects women's physical and mental health. The main purpose of this study was to explore the expression level of Nerve growth factor-induced protein B (Nur77/NR4A1) in cyclophosphamide (CTX)-induced POF. We then tested whether Nur77 can exert a protective effect after CTX treatment and investigated the mechanism of Nur77's role during ovarian injury.

Knockdown of host genes influences dimorphic transition of in the host hemolymph.

The Chinese cordyceps, a unique parasitic complex of / ghost moths and fungus in the Tibetan Plateau, is a highly valuable biological resource for medicine and health foods in Asian countries. Efficient system for artificial cultivation of Chinese cordyceps relies on understanding the gene functions involved in the induction of growing blastospores into hyphae in the larval hemolymph of insect host, during . infection.

SIRT6 modulates lesion microenvironment in LPC induced demyelination by targeting astrocytic CHI3L1.

Demyelination occurs widely in the central nervous system (CNS) neurodegenerative diseases, especially the multiple sclerosis (MS), which with a complex and inflammatory lesion microenvironment inhibiting remyelination. Sirtuin6 (SIRT6), a histone/protein deacetylase is of interest for its promising effect in transcriptional regulation, cell cycling, inflammation, metabolism and longevity. Here we show that SIRT6 participates in the remyelination process in mice subjected to LPC-induced demyelination.