Publications by authors named "R-L Gao"

Three two-dimensional (2D) chiral Ag(I) complexes with formulas [Ag(L)(5-nipa)] (), [Ag(L)(5-nipa)] (), and {[Ag(L)(5-hipa)]·2HO} () were prepared through the reactions of AgO with enantiopure -monodentate N-donors (L/L) and different dicarboxylic acids bearing A (acceptor)-π-- and D (donor)-π--type structural features, where / = (-)/(+)-2-(4'-pyridyl)-4,5-pinene-pyridine, 5-Hnipa = 5-nitroisophthalic acid, and 5-Hhipa = 5-hydroxyisophthalic acid. A study of their nonlinear optical responses reveals that chiral and enantiomeric pairs with the A-π--type dicarboxylic acid ligand simultaneously display second- and third-harmonic generation (SHG and THG) responses, while chiral containing the D-π--type dicarboxylic acid ligand only exhibits a very strong THG response. The THG intensity of is 451 × α-SiO, being about 27 and 24 times larger than those of and , respectively.

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Delivering ribonucleoproteins (RNPs) for in vivo genome editing is safer than using viruses encoding for Cas9 and its respective guide RNA. However, transient RNP activity does not typically lead to optimal editing outcomes. Here we show that the efficiency of delivering RNPs can be enhanced by cell-penetrating peptides (covalently fused to the protein or as excipients) and that lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) encapsulating RNPs can be optimized for enhanced RNP stability, delivery efficiency and editing potency.

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Rhodopsin, the prototypical class-A G-protein coupled receptor, is a highly sensitive receptor for light that enables phototransduction in rod photoreceptors. Rhodopsin plays not only a sensory role but also a structural role as a major component of the rod outer segment disc, comprising over 90% of the protein content of the disc membrane. Mutations in which lead to structural or functional abnormalities, including the autosomal recessive E150K mutation, result in rod dysfunction and death.

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  • This study focuses on improving cartilage regeneration using stem cells by addressing issues like off-target differentiation and hypertrophic tendencies.
  • Researchers created a system to monitor chondrogenesis and hypertrophy in real-time using stem cells with specific genetic markers and tested over 2,000 FDA-approved drugs.
  • They discovered that the drug phentolamine promoted cartilage growth and avoided degeneration, suggesting the α2-AR/SLPI pathway as a potential target for effective cartilage regeneration.
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  • Current heart failure treatments following myocardial infarction (MI) are insufficient, highlighting a gap in cardiovascular care.
  • This study explores exosomes from human macrophages treated with the cytokine IL-4 (THP1-IL4-exo), which help improve heart function in mice with MI due to diet-induced coronary artery disease.
  • THP1-IL4-exo works by reprogramming specific immune cells and reducing inflammation, ultimately preventing heart damage and preserving heart function after an MI.*
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Milk boasts an array of potent bioactive compounds, such as lactoferrin (Lf), immunoglobulins, and functional proteins, all delivering substantial therapeutic benefits. In this study, Immune Powder (a functional dairy formulation) and its primary component called Fractionated Milk Protein (FMP) containing Lf, zinc, and immunoglobulins and formulated by Ausnutria Pty Ltd. were evaluated for their potential broad-spectrum pharmacological activity.

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  • Genetic studies have highlighted the need for more diverse research on plasma fibrinogen levels, as previous studies largely focused on Europeans, leading to gaps in understanding and missing heritability.
  • By analyzing data from whole-genome sequencing and genotype data from large cohorts, researchers identified 18 genetic loci related to fibrinogen levels, some of which are more common in African populations and include variants that may impact protein function.
  • The study's findings indicate a connection between fibrinogen levels and various health conditions, emphasizing the importance of whole-genome sequencing in discovering genetic factors in diverse populations and enhancing knowledge about fibrinogen regulation.
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Ruthenium is relevant for a broad range of applications, including catalysis and electronics. Like other metals of the platinum group, ruthenium stands out as one of the rarest elements in the Earth's crust. The demand for Ru from the industry is putting pressure on its availability.

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Combination approaches are needed to strengthen and extend the clinical response to KRAS inhibitors (KRASi). Here, we assessed the antitumor responses of KRAS mutant lung and colorectal cancer models to combination treatment with a SOS1 inhibitor (SOS1i), BI-3406, plus the KRAS inhibitor, adagrasib. We found that responses to BI-3406 plus adagrasib were stronger than to adagrasib alone, comparable to adagrasib with SHP2 (SHP2i) or EGFR inhibitors and correlated with stronger suppression of RAS-MAPK signaling.

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Methods for the targeted integration of genes in mammalian genomes suffer from low programmability, low efficiencies or low specificities. Here we show that phage-assisted continuous evolution enhances prime-editing-assisted site-specific integrase gene editing (PASSIGE), which couples the programmability of prime editing with the ability of recombinases to precisely integrate large DNA cargoes exceeding 10 kilobases. Evolved and engineered Bxb1 recombinase variants (evoBxb1 and eeBxb1) mediated up to 60% donor integration (3.

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Acetabular cartilage delamination is commonly seen in patients with femoroacetabular impingement (FAI), especially ones with the cam deformity. However, the definition and classification of acetabular cartilage injuries caused by FAI to guide clinical treatment remain controversial. Moreover, treatment of acetabular cartilage damage always causes a dilemma for surgeon during surgery.

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Background: While it has been hypothesized that high plaque stress and strain may be related to plaque rupture, its direct verification using in vivo coronary plaque rupture data and full 3-dimensional fluid-structure interaction models is lacking in the current literature due to difficulty in obtaining in vivo plaque rupture imaging data from patients with acute coronary syndrome. This case-control study aims to use high-resolution optical coherence tomography-verified in vivo plaque rupture data and 3-dimensional fluid-structure interaction models to seek direct evidence for the high plaque stress/strain hypothesis.

Methods: In vivo coronary plaque optical coherence tomography data (5 ruptured plaques, 5 no-rupture plaques) were acquired from patients using a protocol approved by the local institutional review board with informed consent obtained.

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Congenital scoliosis (CS), affecting approximately 0.5 to 1 in 1,000 live births, is commonly caused by congenital vertebral malformations (CVMs) arising from aberrant somitogenesis or somite differentiation. While Wnt/ß-catenin signaling has been implicated in somite development, the function of Wnt/planar cell polarity (Wnt/PCP) signaling in this process remains unclear.

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Introduction: The prospective study aimed to investigate the long-term associated risks of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) across various subtypes of steatotic liver disease (SLD).

Methods: We enrolled 332,175 adults who participated in a health screening program between 1997 and 2013. Participants were categorized into various subtypes, including metabolic dysfunction-associated SLD (MASLD), MASLD with excessive alcohol consumption (MetALD), and alcohol-related liver disease (ALD), based on ultrasonography findings, alcohol consumption patterns, and cardiometabolic risk factors.

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Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetics and safety profile of MT218, a peptide-targeted gadolinium-based contrast agent, in healthy males.

Materials And Methods: This was a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, single-ascending-dose study including 30 healthy male subjects. In each dose group (0.

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Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global threat fueled by incorrect (and overuse) of antibiotic drugs, giving rise to the evolution of multi- and extreme drug-resistant bacterial strains. The longer time to antibiotic administration (TTA) associated with the gold standard bacterial culture method has been responsible for the empirical usage of antibiotics and is a key factor in the rise of AMR. While polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and other nucleic acid amplification methods are rapidly replacing traditional culture methods, their scope has been restricted mainly to detect genotypic determinants of resistance and provide little to no information on phenotypic susceptibility to antibiotics.

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By introducing enantiomerically pure mono-bidentate N-donor ligands (L/L) into Yb(btfa)(HO) and Yb(dbm)(HO), respectively, two pairs of chiral Yb enantiomers, namely Yb(btfa)L/Yb(btfa)L (D-1/L-1) and [Yb(dbm)L]·[Yb(dbm)(CHOH)]/[Yb(dbm)L]·[Yb(dbm)(CHOH)] (D-2/L-2) were isolated, where btfa = 3-benzoyl-1,1,1-trifluoroacetonate, dbm = dibenzoylmethanate, and L/L = (-)/(+)-4,5-pinenepyridyl-2-pyrazine. D-1/L-1 possess mononuclear structures in which the Yb ions are eight-coordinated, while D-2/L-2 show cocrystal structures containing Yb(dbm)(L/L) and Yb(dbm)(CHOH) moieties in which the two Yb ions are eight and seven-coordinated, respectively. They not only feature different molecular structures but also present distinct linear and nonlinear optical performances.

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Background: Cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs) are vascular malformations that frequently cause stroke. CCMs arise due to loss of function in one of the genes that encode the CCM complex, a negative regulator of MEKK3-KLF2/4 signaling in vascular endothelial cells. Gain-of-function mutations in (encoding the enzymatic subunit of the PI3K (phosphoinositide 3-kinase) pathway associated with cell growth) synergize with CCM gene loss-of-function to generate rapidly growing lesions.

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By employing enantiomerically pure mono-bidentate N-donors (L/L) as chiral bridging ligands to react with Cu(ClO)(HO) in CHCN-DMF mixed solvent, respectively, a pair of ionic one-dimensional (1D) Cu(II) chain enantiomers formulated as {[CuL(CHCN)(DMF)HO](ClO)}/{[CuL(CHCN)(DMF)HO](ClO)} (D-1/L-1) were isolated and structurally characterized, where L/L = (-)/(+)-4,5-pinenepyridyl-2-pyrazine. They crystallize in the noncentrosymmetric (NCS) 222 space group of an orthorhombic system due to the introduction of chiral L/L, and the ClO groups as counteranions reside in crystal lattices, thus leading to charge separation with large dipole moments in their molecular structures. Based on crystal samples, investigation on their nonlinear optical (NLO) behaviors showed that D-1 and L-1 display simultaneously much larger second- and third-harmonic generation (SHG and THG) responses than their analogues based on the same chiral N-donors (L/L) and Cu(NO)(HO) with NO acting as the coordination group to bind Cu(II) ions.

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Prime editing enables a wide variety of precise genome edits in living cells. Here we use protein evolution and engineering to generate prime editors with reduced size and improved efficiency. Using phage-assisted evolution, we improved editing efficiencies of compact reverse transcriptases by up to 22-fold and generated prime editors that are 516-810 base pairs smaller than the current-generation editor PEmax.

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Mutations in Atp2b2, an outer hair cell gene, cause dominant hearing loss in humans. Using a mouse model Atp2b2, with a dominant hearing loss mutation (Oblivion), we show that liposome-mediated in vivo delivery of CRISPR-Cas9 ribonucleoprotein complexes leads to specific editing of the Obl allele. Large deletions encompassing the Obl locus and indels were identified as the result of editing.

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Background: The use of cerebral oximetry monitoring in the care of extremely preterm infants is increasing. However, evidence that its use improves clinical outcomes is lacking.

Methods: In this randomized, phase 3 trial conducted at 70 sites in 17 countries, we assigned extremely preterm infants (gestational age, <28 weeks), within 6 hours after birth, to receive treatment guided by cerebral oximetry monitoring for the first 72 hours after birth or to receive usual care.

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In this phase I study, the safety, pharmacokinetics, and antitumour activity of the HER2-targeted antibody-drug conjugate A166 were evaluated in patients with HER2-expressing advanced solid tumours. Patients with advanced solid tumours refractory to standard therapies received A166 at doses of 0.1, 0.

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Direct-ink-writing (DIW)-based 3D-printing technology combined with the direct-foaming method provides a new strategy for the fabrication of porous materials. We herein report a novel method of preparing porous SiC ceramics using the DIW process and investigate their mechanical and wave absorption properties. We investigated the effects of nozzle diameter on the macroscopic shape and microstructure of the DIW SiC green bodies.

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The expanding applications of nonviral genomic medicines in the lung remain restricted by delivery challenges. Here, leveraging a high-throughput platform, we synthesize and screen a combinatorial library of biodegradable ionizable lipids to build inhalable delivery vehicles for messenger RNA and CRISPR-Cas9 gene editors. Lead lipid nanoparticles are amenable for repeated intratracheal dosing and could achieve efficient gene editing in lung epithelium, providing avenues for gene therapy of congenital lung diseases.

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