Inhibitors of NADH-O-methylquinone compound a class of antitubercular drugs.

Disruption of the mycobacterial redox homeostasis leads to irreversible stress induction and cell death. Hydroquinone scaffolds, as a new type of redox cycling anti-tuberculosis chemotypes, exhibit potent bactericidal activity against non-replicating, nutrient-deprived phenotypically drug-resistant bacteria. Evidences from microbiological, biochemical, and genetic studies indicate that the redox-driven mode of action relies on the reduction of quinones by type II NADH dehydrogenase (NDH2), generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) of bactericidal level.

Critical evaluation of extracellular polymeric substances extraction methods: Extraction efficiency, molecular characteristics, and heavy metals binding properties.

Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) significantly influence the properties and performance of waste activated sludge. Various pretreatment protocols with different extraction efficiency and characteristics of EPS have been reported, which markedly impact subsequent treatment and disposal of sewage sludge. This study systematically assesses the EPS properties from twelve extraction pretreatment methods.

Probiotic Bacillus cereus regulates metabolic disorders and activates the cholic acid-FXR axis to alleviate DSS-induced colitis.

Inflammatory bowel disease is characterized by severe imbalance of intestinal flora and metabolic disorders. Recent studies have demonstrated that probiotics can effectively alleviate inflammatory bowel disease by restoring the intestinal flora structure and modulating the immune response. However, the role of probiotics in regulating intestinal metabolism disorders is still unclear.

Isolation, evolution, and biological characterization of non-virulent and non-drug-resistant Escherichia coli from porcine intestine.

Previous studies have predominantly focused on the pathogenic mechanisms and epidemiological investigations of pathogenic Escherichia coli (E. coli), but much remains unknown about the non-virulent and non-drug-resistant E. coli (NVNR E.

Homodyne quadrature laser interferometry for the characterization of low-frequency residual vibrational noise in cryogenic trapped-ion systems.

Cryogenic trapped-ion systems (CTISs) have emerged as indispensable platforms for the advancement of quantum computation and precision measurement techniques. However, the sensitivity of these systems to vibrational noise, especially during the compression and expansion cycles of the cold head in a Gifford-McMahon cycle refrigerator (GMCR), poses a significant challenge. To mitigate this, we have crafted an innovative methodology for characterizing low-frequency residual vibrational noise in closed-cycle cryogenic trapped-ion systems.

A Bio-Based Polybenzoxazine Derived from Diphenolic Acid with Intrinsic Flame Retardancy, High Glass Transition Temperature and Dielectric Properties.

A bio-based benzoxazine monomer, diphenolic methyl ester hexafluoro diamino benzoxazine (DPME-HFBz), was successfully synthesized from diphenolic acid (DPA), and the chemical structure was successfully verified. The curing kinetics were studied via non-isothermal differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The activation energies of DPME-HFBz were calculated by Kissinger and Ozawa methods to be 136.

Pharmacokinetics and Bioavailability Study of a Novel Smoothened Inhibitor TPB15 for Treatment of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer in Rats by High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry.

Background And Objectives: Smoothened (SMO), a key component of the hedgehog signaling pathway, represents a therapeutic target for triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), yet the chemotherapy response rate in TNBC patients is only 40-50%, underscoring the urgent need for the development of novel drugs to effectively treat this condition. The novel compound TPB15, an SMO inhibitor derived from [1,2,4] triazolo [4,3-α] pyridines, demonstrated superior anti-TNBC activity and lower toxicity compared to the first SMO inhibitor vismodegib in both in vitro and in vivo. However, the compound's pharmacokinetic properties remain unclear.

Saponin nanoparticle adjuvants incorporating Toll-like receptor agonists drive distinct immune signatures and potent vaccine responses.

Over the past few decades, the development of potent and safe immune-activating adjuvant technologies has become the heart of intensive research in the constant fight against highly mutative and immune evasive viruses such as influenza, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Herein, we developed a highly modular saponin-based nanoparticle platform incorporating Toll-like receptor agonists (TLRas) including TLR1/2a, TLR4a, and TLR7/8a adjuvants and their mixtures. These various TLRa-saponin nanoparticle adjuvant constructs induce unique acute cytokine and immune-signaling profiles, leading to specific T helper responses that could be of interest depending on the target disease for prevention.

Evaluation of contrast-enhanced ultrasound for predicting tumor grade in small (≤4 cm) clear cell renal cell carcinoma: Qualitative and quantitative analysis.

Objective: The study aimed to evaluate the utility of qualitative and quantitative analysis employing contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in predicting the WHO/ISUP grade of small (≤4 cm) clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCCs).

Methods: Patients with small ccRCCs, confirmed by histological examination, underwent preoperative CEUS and were classified into low- (grade I/II) and high-grade (grade III/IV) groups. Qualitative and quantitative assessments of CEUS were conducted and compared between the two groups.

Generation of an inflammatory niche in an injectable hydrogel depot through recruitment of key immune cells improves efficacy of mRNA vaccines.

Messenger RNA (mRNA) delivered in lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) rose to the forefront of vaccine candidates during the COVID-19 pandemic due in part to scalability, adaptability, and potency. Yet there remain critical areas for improvements of these vaccines in durability and breadth of humoral responses. In this work, we explore a modular strategy to target mRNA/LNPs to antigen presenting cells with an injectable polymer-nanoparticle (PNP) hydrogel depot technology which recruits key immune cells and forms an immunological niche in vivo.

Serum microRNA-125b-5p expression in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy combined with heart failure and its effect on myocardial fibrosis.

Objective: This paper was performed to decipher the serum microRNA (miR)-125b-5p expression in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) combined with heart failure (HF) and its effect on myocardial fibrosis.

Methods: Serum miR-125b-5p expression, LVEDD, LVESD, LVEF, LVFS, and NT-proBNP levels were evaluated in clinical samples. A rat DCM model was established by continuous intraperitoneal injection of adriamycin and treated with miR-125b-5p agomir and its negative control.

Mechanism of Pressure Difference Variations on Heavy Oil Start-Up and Percolation Effects.

To investigate the influence of pressure difference changes on the micro start-up and percolation of heavy oil, a micro visualization displacement device was used to characterize the start-up time and oil-water percolation state of heavy oil. The mechanism of different pressure differences, as well as the frequency and amplitude of pressure difference changes, on the start-up and percolation balance of heavy oil was clarified. The results indicate that high-pressure difference and pressure difference changes can reduce the start-up time of heavy oil.

Tubuloside B, a major constituent of Cistanche deserticola, inhibits migration of hepatocellular carcinoma by inhibiting Hippo-YAP pathway.

Background: Studies have shown that phenylethanoid glycosides (PhGs) have multiple pharmacological effects such as anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective or neuroprotective functions, whereas their anti-tumor effects are rarely studied. Tubuloside B (Tub B) is a PhG isolated from Cistanche deserticola, a traditional Chinese medicine. To date, there is a lack of comprehensive research regarding the biological activity of Tub B.

A karst-inspired hierarchical Mg/Al layered double hydroxide with a high entropy-driven process for interception and storage.

Karstification plays a crucial role in forming magnificent scenery, and storing oil, natural gas, mineral resources, and water. Through the inspiration of karstification, a hierarchical layered double hydroxide (LDH) with funnel-like and cave-like structures (called Karst-LDH) is formed by the dissolution of acrylic acid/water solution. Meanwhile, the results of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) show that Karst-LDH has complicated and interconnected internal pipe networks.

LncRNA NEAT1 aggravates human microvascular endothelial cell injury by inhibiting the Apelin/Nrf2/HO-1 signalling pathway in type 2 diabetes mellitus with obstructive sleep apnoea.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) regulate the progression of type 2 diabetes mellitus complicated with obstructive sleep apnoea (T2DM-OSA). However, the role of the lncRNA nuclear paraspeckle assembly transcript 1 (NEAT1) in T2DM-OSA remains unknown. This study aimed to reveal the function of NEAT1 in T2DM-OSA and the underlying mechanism.

Nanoparticle-Conjugated Toll-Like Receptor 9 Agonists Improve the Potency, Durability, and Breadth of COVID-19 Vaccines.

Development of effective vaccines for infectious diseases has been one of the most successful global health interventions in history. Though, while ideal subunit vaccines strongly rely on antigen and adjuvant(s) selection, the mode and time scale of exposure to the immune system has often been overlooked. Unfortunately, poor control over the delivery of many adjuvants, which play a key role in enhancing the quality and potency of immune responses, can limit their efficacy and cause off-target toxicities.

Ferroptosis boosted oral cancer photodynamic therapy by carrier-free Sorafenib-Ce6 self-assembly nanoparticles.

Oral cancer is a disease with high morbidity and mortality worldwide and greatly impacts the quality of life, especially in patients with advanced stages. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is one of the most effective clinical treatments for oral cancers. However, most clinically applied photosensitizers have several deficiencies, including oxygen dependence, poor aqueous solubility, and a lack of tumor-targeting ability.

Physical exercise plays a role in rebalancing the bile acids of enterohepatic axis in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is considered as one of the most common diseases of lipid metabolism disorders, which is closely related to bile acids disorders and gut microbiota disorders. Bile acids are synthesized from cholesterol in the liver, and processed by gut microbiota in intestinal tract, and participate in metabolic regulation through the enterohepatic circulation. Bile acids not only promote the consumption and absorption of intestinal fat but also play an important role in biological metabolic signaling network, affecting fat metabolism and glucose metabolism.

External Validation of Ultrasound Radiomics for Small (≤ 4 cm) Renal Mass Differentiation: A Comparison with Radiologists.

Background: Renal cell carcinoma, especially in small renal masses (≤ 4 cm) (SRM), has increased. Pathological analysis revealed a high proportion of benign masses, highlighting the urgent need for precise SRM differentiation.

Objectives: This research aimed to independently validate the performance of machine learning-based ultrasound (US) radiomics analysis in differentiating benign from malignant SRM, and to compare its performance with that of radiologists.

Systematic Myostatin Expression Screening Platform for Identification and Evaluation of Myogenesis-Related Phytogenic in Pigs.

Skeletal muscle growth in livestock impacts meat quantity and quality. Concerns arise because certain feed additives, like beta-agonists, may affect food safety. Skeletal muscle is a specialized tissue consisting of nondividing and multinucleated muscle fibers.

The anti-inflammatory effects of mesenchymal stem cells attenuate diffuse pulmonary hemorrhage.

There are few effective treatment options for diffuse pulmonary hemorrhage (DPH). We aimed to elucidate the therapeutic role and underlying mechanisms of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and MSC-derived extracellular vesicles (MSC-EVs) in DPH. Therapeutic effects of MSCs/MSC-EVs in pristane-induced DPH mice were evaluated via pulmonary function testing and histopathology.

Saponin Nanoparticle Adjuvants Incorporating Toll-Like Receptor Agonists Drive Distinct Immune Signatures and Potent Vaccine Responses.

Unlabelled: Over the past few decades, the development of potent and safe immune-activating adjuvant technologies has become the heart of intensive research in the constant fight against highly mutative and immune evasive viruses such as influenza, SARS-CoV-2, and HIV. Herein, we developed a highly modular saponin-based nanoparticle platform incorporating toll-like receptor agonists (TLRas) including TLR1/2a, TLR4a, TLR7/8a adjuvants and their mixtures. These various TLRa-SNP adjuvant constructs induce unique acute cytokine and immune-signaling profiles, leading to specific Th-responses that could be of interest depending on the target disease for prevention.

Clinicopathological and prognostic features of Borrmann type IV gastric cancer versus other Borrmann types: A unique role of signet ring cell carcinoma.

Background: Evidence specifically comparing the clinicopathology of Borrmann type IV (B-IV) gastric cancer with that of other Borrmann types is insufficient.

Methods: A total of 3130 patients with advanced gastric cancer who underwent gastrectomy from January 2001 to September 2017 were enrolled in the analysis. Logistic regression and survival analysis methodology were used to investigate factors associated with peritoneal metastasis and overall survival (OS).

Behavior of organic components and the migration of heavy metals during sludge dewatering by different advanced oxidation processes via optical spectroscopy and molecular fingerprint analysis.

A comparative study of the different advanced oxidation processes (Fe(II)-Oxone, Fe(II)-HO, and Fe(II)-NaClO) was carried out herein to analyze the characteristics of organic components and the migration of heavy metals in waste activated sludge. With the Fe(II)-Oxone and Fe(II)-HO treatments, sludge dewaterability was significantly improved, however, sludge dewaterability was deteriorated by the Fe(II)-NaClO treatment. The enhanced sludge dewaterability by the Fe(II)-Oxone and Fe(II)-HO treatments was strongly correlated with the shifted organic components, particularly proteins, in soluble extracellular polymeric substances (S-EPS), while the deteriorated sludge dewaterability by the Fe(II)-NaClO treatment was strongly correlated with the over release of organic components from bound EPS (B-EPS) to S-EPS.