Zinc Combined with Metformin Corrects Zinc Homeostasis and Improves Steroid Synthesis and Semen Quality in Male Type 2 Diabetic Mice by Activating PI3K/AKT/mTOR Pathway.

Male infertility is a common complication of diabetes. Diabetes leads to the decrease of zinc (Zn) content, which is a necessary trace element to maintain the normal structure and function of reproductive organs and spermatogenesis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of metformin combined with zinc on testis and sperm in diabetic mice.

Backbone assignment of the N-terminal domain of the A subunit of the Bacillus cereus GerI germinant receptor.

The nutrient germinant receptors (GRs) in spores of Bacillus species consist of a cluster of three proteins- designated A, B, and C subunits- that play a critical role in initiating the germination of dormant spores in response to specific nutrient molecules. The Bacillus cereus GerI GR is essential for inosine-induced germination; however, the roles of the individual subunits and the mechanism by which germinant binding activates GR function remain unclear. In this study, we report the backbone chemical shift assignments of the N-terminal domain (NTD) of the A subunit of GerI (GerIA).

Fecal metabolomic analysis of the role of gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acids in the therapeutic mechanism of Timosaponin AIII in Sjögren's syndrome.

Introduction/objectives: Sjogren's syndrome (SS) is a chronic inflammatory and difficult-to-treat autoimmune disease. Timosaponin AIII (TAIII), a plant-derived steroidal saponin, effectively inhibits cell proliferation, induces apoptosis, and exhibits anti-inflammatory properties. This study explored the mechanisms of action of TAIII in SS treatment by studying gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) using fecal metabolomics.

Molecular mechanism of osteoclast differentiation of PBMC in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune condition that causes severe joint deformities and impaired functionality, affecting the well-being and daily life of individuals. Consequently, there is a pressing demand for identifying viable therapeutic targets for treating RA. This study aimed to explore the molecular mechanisms of osteoclast differentiation in PBMC from patients with RA through transcriptome sequencing and bioinformatics analysis.

Pancreas-guided C-shaped surgical procedure: a safer and more efficient procedure for laparoscopic left hemicolectomy in obese patients.

The surgical risk is higher for obese patients undergoing laparoscopic left hemicolectomy. To enhance the surgical safety and efficacy for obese patients, we have innovatively integrated the advantages of various surgical approaches to modify a pancreas-guided C-shaped surgical procedure. The safety and quality were assessed through a retrospective analysis.

Role of immune cell homeostasis in research and treatment response in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Introduction Recently, immune cells within the tumor microenvironment (TME) have become crucial in regulating cancer progression and treatment responses. The dynamic interactions between tumors and immune cells are emerging as a promising strategy to activate the host's immune system against various cancers. The development and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) involve complex biological processes, with the role of the TME and tumor phenotypes still not fully understood.

Investigating the decomposition mechanism of DNAN/DNB cocrystal explosive under high temperature using ReaxFF/lg molecular dynamics simulations.

Context: DNAN/DNB cocrystals, as a newly developed type of energetic material, possess superior safety and thermal stability, making them a suitable alternative to traditional melt-cast explosives. Nonetheless, an exploration of the thermal degradation dynamics of the said cocrystal composite has heretofore remained uncharted. Consequently, we engaged the ReaxFF/lg force field modality to delve into the thermal dissociation processes of the DNAN/DNB cocrystal assembly across a spectrum of temperatures, encompassing 2500, 2750, 3000, 3250, and 3500 K.

Associations of fat, bone, and muscle indices with disease severity in patients with obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome.

Purpose: To investigate the relationship between obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) severity and fat, bone, and muscle indices.

Methods: This study included 102 patients with OSAHS and retrospectively reviewed their physical examination data. All patients underwent polysomnography, body composition analysis, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, computed tomography (CT) and blood test.

Development of Electrospinning Setup for Vascular Tissue-Engineering Application with Thick-Hierarchical Fiber Alignment.

Background: Tissue engineering holds promise for vascular repair and regeneration by mimicking the extracellular matrix of blood vessels. However, achieving a functional and thick vascular wall with aligned fiber architecture by electrospinning remains a significant challenge.

Methods: A novel electrospinning setup was developed that utilizes an auxiliary electrode and a spring.

The Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences on the Development of Adolescent Risk-Taking: The Mediating Effect of Self-Control and Moderating Effect of Genetic Variations.

Risk-taking is a concerning yet prevalent issue during adolescence and can be life-threatening. Examining its etiological sources and evolving pathways helps inform strategies to mitigate adolescents' risk-taking behavior. Studies have found that unfavorable environmental factors, such as adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), are associated with momentary levels of risk-taking in adolescents, but little is known about whether ACEs shape the developmental trajectory of risk-taking.

Design, synthesis, and in vitro antitumor evaluation of novel benzimidazole acylhydrazone derivatives.

This study focuses on the design, synthesis, and evaluation of benzimidazole derivatives for their anti-tumor activity against A549 and PC-3 cells. Initial screening using the MTT assay identified compound 5m as the most potent inhibitor of A549 cells with an IC of 7.19 μM, which was superior to the positive agents 5-Fluorouracil and Gefitinib.

Exogenous melatonin and grafting improved the growth and physiological characteristics of Citrullus lanatus seedlings under cadmium stress.

Citrullus lanatus is an important vegetable crop, but it is heavily polluted by cadmium. In this study, we used C. Lanatus as experimental material to investigate effects of different concentrations (0, 50, 100, 200, 400 µmolL) of exogenous melatonin, and grafting on the physiological growth index and anatomical structure of seedlings were studied by simulating Cd (180 mg L) stress environment.

Unraveling the controversy: exploring the link between sex hormones and skin cancers through a meta-analysis and systematic review.

Skin cancers continue to present unresolved challenges, particularly regarding the association with sex hormones, which remains a topic of controversy. A systematic review is currently warranted to address these issues. To analyze if sex hormones result in a higher incidence of skin cancers (cutaneous melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma).

Stochastic galvanic vestibular stimulation improves kinetic performance in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis during obstacle negotiation.

Vestibular dysfunction has been reported as a potential cause in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). However, it remained unclear how stochastic galvanic vestibular stimulation (GVS) affected kinetic performance of patients with AIS. This study aimed to investigate the effect of stochastic GVS on ground reaction forces (GRF) measures during obstacle negotiation among patients with AIS.

Pro-Arg, The Potential Anti-Diabetes Peptide, Screened from Almond by In-Silico Analysis.

Insulin resistance was considered to be the most important clinical phenotype of type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Almond is a widely-consumed nut and long-term intake was beneficial to alleviating insulin resistance in patients with T2DM. Hence, screening of anti-diabetic peptides from almond proteins was feasible based on the effectiveness of peptides in the treatment of T2DM.

IL-35 modulates Tfh2 and Tfr cell balance to alleviate allergic rhinitis.

Background: Allergic rhinitis (AR) represents a persistent inflammatory condition affecting the upper respiratory tract, characterized by abnormal initiation of the immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated cascade. Follicular helper T (Tfh) cells and regulatory T (Tfr) cells are pivotal in orchestrating the development of IgE production in AR patients. IL-35, an anti-inflammatory cytokine, secreted by various cellular subpopulations.

Comparative Analysis of the Probiotic Features of Lysinibacillus and Enterobacter Strains Isolated from Gut Tract of Triploid Cyprinid Fish.

Gut mucosal immunity of teleost is mainly governed by mucosa-associated lymphoid tissues (MALT) and indigenous microbiota on mucosal surfaces of gut tract, which can confer protection against pathogenic invasion. However, the probiotic features of bacterial isolates from gut tract of triploid cyprinid fish (TCF) were largely unclear. In this study, Lysinibacillus and Enterobacter strains were isolated for probiotic identification.

Machine learning-based assessment of morphometric abnormalities distinguishes bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder.

Introduction: Bipolar disorder (BD) and major depressive disorder (MDD) have overlapping clinical presentations which may make it difficult for clinicians to distinguish them potentially resulting in misdiagnosis. This study combined structural MRI and machine learning techniques to determine whether regional morphological differences could distinguish patients with BD and MDD.

Methods: A total of 123 participants, including BD (n = 31), MDD (n = 48), and healthy controls (HC, n = 44), underwent high-resolution 3D T1-weighted imaging.

Multicenter study of thermal ablation versus partial thyroidectomy for paratracheal papillary thyroid microcarcinoma.

Objective: To compare the clinical outcomes of patients with unifocal paratracheal papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) after thermal ablation (TA) vs. partial thyroidectomy (PT).

Materials And Methods: This retrospective multicenter study included 436 patients with unifocal, clinical N0 paratracheal PTMC who underwent TA (210 patients) or PT (236 patients) between June 2014 and December 2020.

Unlocking the Key to Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production Using Electronic Mediators for Z-Scheme Water Splitting.

A prevalent challenge in particulate photocatalytic water splitting lies in the fact that while numerous photocatalysts exhibit outstanding hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity in organic sacrificial reagents, their performance diminishes markedly in a Z-scheme water splitting system using electronic mediators. This underlying reason remains undefined, posing a long-standing issue in photocatalytic water splitting. Herein, we unveiled that the primary reason for the decreased HER activity in electronic mediators is due to the strong adsorption of shuttle ions on cocatalyst surfaces, which inhibits the initial proton reduction and results in a severe backward reaction of the oxidized shuttle ions.

Combination of Fe-O Species and Fe-O-Zr Bonds Empowers FeO Nanoclusters Anchored on UiO-66 Robust HS-Selective Catalytic Oxidation Performance.

The low sulfur selectivity of Fe-based HS-selective catalytic oxidation catalysts is still a problem, especially at a high O content. This is alleviated here through anchoring FeO nanoclusters on UiO-66 via the formation of Fe-O-Zr bonds. The introduced FeO species exist in the form of Fe and Fe.

Efficacy and safety of KN026 and docetaxel for HER2-positive breast cancer: a phase II clinical trial.

Background: The standard first-line treatment for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive recurrent/metastatic breast cancer currently includes pertuzumab plus trastuzumab and docetaxel. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of KN026, an anti-HER2 bispecific antibody, plus docetaxel in first-line treatment of HER2-positive recurrent/metastatic breast cancer.

Methods: This open-label, single-arm, phase II study enrolled patients with HER2-positive recurrent/metastatic breast cancer in 19 centers across China from December 30, 2019 to May 27, 2021.

Isolation, Purification, and Characterization of Lentinus edodes Polysaccharides Extracted with Subcritical Water Enhanced with Deep Eutectic Solvent.

The Lentinus edodes polysaccharide (LEP) was extracted with a new subcritical water extraction (SWE) enhanced with deep eutectic solvent (DES) method and then purified with a DEAE-52 cellulose column and a Sephadex G-100 column. Two purified polysaccharides (LEP1 and LEP2) were obtained and their structure, antioxidant activity, and immunomodulatory activity were analyzed. LEP1 and LEP2 were composed of mannose, glucose, and galactose with a molar ratio of 1:12.

Probing the Interaction Mechanisms of Dodecane and Mica/Calcite: Implications for Oil Recovery.

Understanding the interfacial interaction mechanisms between oil and minerals is of vital importance in the applications of petroleum production and environmental protection. In this work, the interactions of dodecane with mica and calcite in aqueous media were investigated by using the drop probe technique based on atomic force microscopy. For the dodecane-mica interactions, the electrical double layer (EDL) repulsion dominated in 10 mM NaCl solution, and a higher pH facilitated the detachment of dodecane.