Injectable pH-responsive polypeptide hydrogels for local delivery of doxorubicin.

Cancer, as a global health threat, is often treated with chemotherapy, but its effect is limited, especially the drugs such as doxorubicin (DOX) are limited by their non-specificity and side effects. This study focuses on developing a new drug delivery system to overcome these challenges. Based on the self-assembling peptide hemopressin (HP), we designed and screened FOK peptide, which serves as a pH-responsive carrier with excellent pH sensitivity and mechanical stability.

Rewiring of Uric Acid Metabolism in the Intestine Promotes High-Altitude Hypoxia Adaptation in Humans.

Adaptation to high-altitude hypoxia is characterized by systemic and organ-specific metabolic changes. This study investigates whether intestinal metabolic rewiring is a contributing factor to hypoxia adaptation. We conducted a longitudinal analysis over 108 days, with seven time points, examining fecal metabolomic data from a cohort of 46 healthy male adults traveling from Chongqing (a.

Unilateral Biportal Endoscopic Discectomy versus Percutaneous Endoscopic Lumbar Discectomy in the Treatment of Lumbar Disc Herniation Linked with Posterior Ring Apophysis Separation: A Retrospective Study.

Objectives: Posterior ring apophysis separation (PRAS) associated with lumbar disc herniation (LDH) is a relatively rare form of disc herniation. This study aims to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of unilateral biportal endoscopic discectomy (UBE) and percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD) in the treatment of PRAS with LDH.

Methods: We enrolled 41 patients who met the inclusion criteria to undergo either UBE (15 cases) or PELD (26 cases) between October 2022 and October 2023.

Multifunctional Photothermal Nanorods for Targeted Treatment of Drug-Resistant Bacteria-Induced Wound Healing.

The challenge of drug-resistant bacteria-induced wound healing in clinical and public healthcare settings is significant due to the negative impacts on surrounding tissues and difficulties in monitoring the healing progress. We developed photothermal antibacterial nanorods (AuNRs-PU) with the aim of selectively targeting and combating drug-resistant (). The AuNRs-PU were engineered with a bacterial-specific targeting polypeptide (UBI) and a bacterial adhesive carbohydrate polymer composed of galactose and phenylboronic acid.

Effects of the comprehensive elimination of Spartina alterniflora along China's coast on blue carbon and scenario prediction after ecological restoration.

Salt marshes cover the largest area among the three types of traditional blue carbon ecosystems in China's coastal zone, with the introduced smooth cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora Loisel.) being dominant in these marshes. The effects of eradicating S.

Application of Short T1 Inversion Recovery Sequence in Increased Signal Intensity Following Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy.

Objectives: To compare magnetic resonance (MR) short T1 inversion recovery (STIR) sequence with MR T2-weighted (T2W) sequence for detecting increased signal intensity (ISI) and assessing outcomes of ISI in cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM).

Methods: Data of patients with CSM who showed ISI on MR imaging and had undergone cervical spine surgery were retrospectively reviewed. STIR and T2W images were examined to assess signal intensity ratio (SIR), length and grading of the ISI, maximal spinal cord compression, canal narrowing ratio, and ligamentum flavum hypertrophy.

Deubiquitinase UCHL1 promotes angiogenesis and blood-spinal cord barrier function recovery after spinal cord injury by stabilizing Sox17.

Improving the function of the blood-spinal cord barrier (BSCB) benefits the functional recovery of mice following spinal cord injury (SCI). The death of endothelial cells and disruption of the BSCB at the injury site contribute to secondary damage, and the ubiquitin-proteasome system is involved in regulating protein function. However, little is known about the regulation of deubiquitinated enzymes in endothelial cells and their effect on BSCB function after SCI.

Whole-lesion iodine map histogram analysis in the risk classification of gastrointestinal stromal tumors: comparison with single-slice iodine concentration measurements.

Purpose: To evaluate and compare the diagnostic performances of whole-lesion iodine map (IM) histogram analysis and single-slice IM measurement in the risk classification of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs).

Methods: Thirty-seven patients with GISTs, including 19 with low malignant underlying GISTs (LG-GISTs) and 18 with high malignant underlying GISTs (HG-GISTs), were evaluated with dual-energy computed tomography (DECT). Whole-lesion IM histogram parameters (mean; median; minimum; maximum; standard deviation; variance; 1st, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th, and 99th percentile; kurtosis, skewness, and entropy) were computed for each lesion.

Differential diagnosis of lung cancer and tuberculosis based on 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET/CT multi-time points imaging.

Objective: To investigate the value of 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose(FDG) PET/CT multi-time points imaging (MTPI) on the differential diagnosis between lung cancer (LC) and tuberculosis (TB).

Methods: Sixty-four patients underwent 18 F-FDG PET/CT MTPI. The stdSUVmax, stdSUVavg, retention index, metabolic tumor volume, total lesion glycolysis at four-time points and slope of metabolic curve were measured and calculated, and the sex, age, and uniformity of FDG uptake were recorded.

Dual-responsive antibiotic and baicalein co-delivery nanoparticles with enhanced synergistic antibacterial activity.

Globally, due to the rapid development of bacterial resistance, bacterial infections lead to significant mortality and morbidity which require efficient strategies to eradicate these infections. Herein, we prepared a dual-responsive synergistic drug delivery nanoparticle carrier (NPS@Bai/Cip), which responds to sub-acid bacterial microenvironments and targets phosphatase or phospholipase at infection sites. Nanoparticles surfaces were positively (10.

Dual-Responsive Curcumin-Loaded Nanoparticles for the Treatment of Cisplatin-Induced Acute Kidney Injury.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) has been a global public health concern leading to high patient morbidity and mortality in the world. Nanotechnology-mediated antioxidative therapy has facilitated the treatment of AKI. Herein, a hierarchical curcumin-loaded nanodrug delivery system (NPS@Cur) was fabricated for antioxidant therapy to ameliorate AKI.

Microbial mediated arsenate reducing behavior in landfill leachate-saturated zone.

As(V) reduction mediated by microorganisms might be an essential process in resisting As toxicity since As(V) is the major species in the landfill. LSZ has been considered as a trigger of all types of microbial activity inside a landfill site. This research investigated the microbial As(V)-reducing behavior in LSZ.

Flea index predicts plague epizootics among great gerbils (Rhombomys opimus) in the Junggar Basin China plague focus.

Background: The Junggar Basin plague focus was the most recently identified natural plague focus in China. Through extensive field investigations, great gerbils (Rhombomys opimus) have been confirmed as the main host in this focus, and the community structure of their parasitic fleas is associated with the intensity of plague epizootics. The aim of this study is to provide an indicator that can be surveyed to evaluate the risk of plague epizootics.

Minimal apparent diffusion coefficient in predicting the Ki-67 proliferation index of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors.

Purpose: To investigate the diagnostic performance of the minimal apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) to distinguish between pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (Pan-NETs) with low and high Ki-67 proliferation index values and to evaluate the relationship between ADC and the Ki-67 proliferation index.

Methods: Pre-operative magnetic resonance imaging data and postoperative Ki-67 proliferation index data of 42 patients with primary neuroendocrine tumor of the pancreas from November 2014 to March 2021 were included in this retrospective study. According to the Ki-67 proliferation index value, Pan-NETs were divided into a high-expression group (Ki-67 ≥ 10%, n = 17) and low-expression group (Ki-67 < 10%, n = 25), and mean ADC (ADC) and ADC values were compared between groups using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves to evaluate the performance of ADC and ADC in judging the expression level of Ki-67 proliferation index.

Primary lung invasive adenocarcinoma misdiagnosed as infectious pneumonia in F-FDG PET/CT:A case report.

A 64-year-old woman presented to our hospital with cough and a large amount of white foam sputum, F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (F-FDG PET/CT) showed diffuse ground-glass opacities in both lungs, which was considered as infectious pneumonia. However, after ineffective anti-infection, the primary invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma was finally diagnosed. Pulmonary invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma is rare and special subtype of lung adenocarcinoma, it has a variety of imaging manifestations.

Lung adenocarcinoma: development of nomograms based on PET/CT images for prediction of epidermal growth factor receptor mutation status and subtypes.

Objective: To develop nomograms that combine clinical characteristics, computed tomographic (CT) features and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET (18F-FDG PET) metabolic parameters for individual prediction of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation status and exon 19 deletion mutation and exon 21 point mutation (21 L858R) subtypes in lung adenocarcinoma.

Methods: In total 124 lung adenocarcinoma patients who underwent EGFR mutation testing and whole-body 18F-FDG PET/CT were enrolled. Each patient's clinical characteristics (age, sex, smoking history, etc.

Amphiphilic block versus random copolymer nanoparticles with reactive oxygen species responsiveness as berberine vehicles.

A series of amphiphilic block and random copolymers based on phenylboronic acid pinacol ester were synthesized reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization. The obtained copolymers can self-assemble in aqueous solution into stable block copolymer nanoparticles and random nanoparticles with sizes of 116.1-158.

Co-delivery of antibiotic and baicalein by using different polymeric nanoparticle cargos with enhanced synergistic antibacterial activity.

To evaluate the effect of polymer structures on their unique characteristics and antibacterial activity, this study focused on developing amphiphilic copolymers by using three different molecules through RAFT polymerization. Three amphiphilic copolymers, namely, PBMA-b-(PDMAEMA-r-PPEGMA) (BbDrE), (PBMA-r-PDMAEMA)-b-PPEGMA (BrDbE), and PBMA-r-PDMAEMA-r-PPEGMA (BrDrE), are successfully self-assembled into spherical or oval shaped nanoparticles in aqueous solution and remain stable in PBS, LB, and 10% FBS solutions for at least 3 days. The critical micelle concentrations are 0.

Association between medical resources and the proportion of oldest-old in the Chinese population.

The potential association between medical resources and the proportion of oldest-old (90 years of age and above) in the Chinese population was examined, and we found that the higher proportion of oldest-old was associated with the higher number of beds in hospitals and health centers.

Salidroside Ameliorates Mitochondria-Dependent Neuronal Apoptosis after Spinal Cord Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury Partially through Inhibiting Oxidative Stress and Promoting Mitophagy.

Ischemia-reperfusion injury is the second most common injury of the spinal cord and has the risk of neurological dysfunction and paralysis, which can seriously affect patient quality of life. Salidroside (Sal) is an active ingredient extracted from Herba Cistanche with a variety of biological attributes such as antioxidant, antiapoptotic, and neuroprotective activities. Moreover, Sal has shown a protective effect in ischemia-reperfusion injury of the liver, heart, and brain, but its effect in ischemia-reperfusion injury of the spinal cord has not been elucidated.