Publications by authors named "Ruifang Li"

Purpose: This study aimed to explore active ingredients in Scrophularia ningpoensis Hemsl (SNH) with potential effects on ameloblastoma (AM) using network pharmacological approach, bioinformatic gene analysis and in vitro cell experiments.

Methods: The active ingredients and their corresponding targets of SNH were identified from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology (TCMSP), as well as SwissTargetPrediction. Disease targets of AM were selected from GeneCards and DisGeNET databases.

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Saikosaponin-b2 (SS-b2), an active ingredient derived from the root of Radix Bupleuri, possesses antitumour, anti-inflammatory, antioxidative and hepatoprotective properties. We investigated the inhibition of tumour proliferation by SS-b2 and the underlying molecular mechanisms, including the MACC1/p-c-Met/p-Akt pathway expression in HepG2 liver cancer cells and H22 tumour-bearing mice. Animal experiments showed that SS-b2 significantly decreased the levels of MACC1, p-c-MET and p-Akt in tumour tissue transplanted with H22 liver cancer cells in mice, while it increased the expression of p-BAD.

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Natural lutein is liposoluble and has powerful antioxidant activity, which can be self-aggregated to form H-type aggregates in organic-water systems. However,its application is limited by poor solubility and high instability. Here, whey proteins/chitosan-coated H-type aggregates lutein nanoparticles (NPs) were fabricated via a bottom-up layer-by-layer self-assembly technique.

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Article Synopsis
  • Salicylic acid (SA) is crucial for plant defense against certain pathogens, and its levels spike significantly at infection sites, yet how pathogens cope with this SA stress is still unclear.
  • Research identified a specific operon (Xcc4167-Xcc4171) in the pathogen Xcc that encodes a transcription factor (HepR) and an SA efflux pump (HepABCD), both of which play roles in sensing and evicting SA during infection.
  • The study concluded that HepR acts as a novel SA sensor that regulates the operon's expression, and the efflux pump is essential for Xcc's virulence in host plants like Chinese radish and cabbage.
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Wheat leaf blight caused by Bipolaris sorokiniana is a widespread fungal disease that poses a serious risk to wheat. Biological control without causing environmental pollution is one of the safest and most effective method to control plant diseases. The antagonistic bacterial strain HeN-7 (identified as Bacillus velezensis) was isolated from tobacco leaves cultivated in Henan province, China.

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Exposure to fine particulate matter (PM) poses numerous health risks, with oxidative potential (OP) serving as a critical marker of its toxicity. Synthetic phenolic antioxidants (SPAs) and bisphenols (BPs) influence reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in PM, and exposure to these compounds induces oxidative stress in organisms, thereby potentially affecting the OP of PM. We detected 26 phenols (including 12 SPAs, 5 transformation products (TPs), and 9 BPs) in PM sample collected from October 2018 to September 2021 in Wuhan, China.

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Background And Aims: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is currently the standard therapy for superficial esophageal cancer (SEC). However, postoperative mucosal defects often lead to esophageal stricture. Although steroid application is effective prophylaxis, the efficacy and safety of various steroid administration modes remain unclear.

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Background: Fibroblast activation protein (FAP), a cell surface serine protease, plays roles in tumor invasion and immune regulation. However, there is currently no pan-cancer analysis of FAP. We aimed to assess the pan-cancer expression profile of FAP, its molecular function, and its potential role in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSC).

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Insufficient antigen self-presentation of tumor cells and ineffective antigen cross-presentation by dendritic cells (DCs) contribute to diminished immune recognition and activation, which cause resistance to immunotherapies. Herein, we present an ultrasound-activatable vaccine by utilizing a hybrid nanovesicle composed of a thylakoid (TK)/platelet (PLT) membrane and a liposome encapsulating DNA methyltransferase inhibitor zebularine (Zeb) and sonosensitizer hematoporphyrin monomethyl ether (HMME). Upon local exposure to ultrasound, reactive oxygen species (ROS) are generated and induce the sequential release of the payloads.

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pv. () is a notorious plant pathogen. Like most bacterial pathogens, has evolved a complex regulatory network to modulate the expression of various genes related to pathogenicity.

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Aims: Candida albicans is the most prevalent pathogenic fungus, exhibiting escalating multidrug resistance (MDR). Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) represent promising candidates for addressing this issue. In this research, five antimicrobial peptides, ACP1 to ACP5 which named ACPs were studied as alternative fungicidal molecules.

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The application of disposable tableware has increased substantially in recent times due to the rapidly growing food delivery business in China. Synthetic phenolic antioxidants (SPAs) are widely used in food contact materials (FCMs) to delay the process of oxidation; however, their compositions, concentrations, and potential health hazards remain unclear. Therefore, FCMs comprised of five materials obtained from 19 categories (n = 118) in China were analyzed for SPAs concentrations.

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In line with the "healthy aging" principle, we aim to assess the exposure map and health risks of environmental chemicals in the elderly. Blood samples from 918 elderly individuals in Wuhan, China, were analyzed using the combined gas/liquid-mass spectrometry technology to detect levels of 118 environmental chemicals. Cluster analysis identified exposure profiles, while risk indexes and bioanalytical equivalence percentages were calculated using EPA's ToxCast database.

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The mechanism of Ni-catalyzed carboxylation of aryl C(sp)-S bonds with CO was studied for the first time by density functional theory calculations. We first proposed another possible reaction pathway in which CO insertion occurs prior to reduction. Then, we performed calculations on all proposed reaction pathways, and our calculation results show that the pathway in which reduction occurs prior to CO insertion is the favored pathway for this reaction.

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The mechanisms of Ni-catalyzed 3,3-dialkynylation of 2-aryl acrylamide have been investigated by using density functional theory calculations. The result shows that this reaction includes double alkynylation, which involves sequential key steps of vinylic C-H bond activation, successive oxidative addition, and reductive elimination, with the second C-H bond activation being the rate-determining step. C-H and N-H bond activation occurs via the concerted metalation-deprotonation mechanism.

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(NXDQ), as a saccharification and fermentation agent, directly affects the flavor and yield of fresh (NXBJ). The difference in fermentation temperature owing to the artificial turning operation leads to the formation of superior (S) and normal (N) grades of NXDQ. Here, aiming to explore the discriminant characteristics of two grades of NXDQ, we studied the physicochemical properties, volatile compounds and microbial communities using HS-SPME-GC/MS and high-throughput sequencing technology.

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Background: Endoscopic treatment is increasingly used for refractory gastroesophageal reflux disease (rGERD). Unlike the mechanism of conventional surgical fundoplication, gastroesophageal junction ligation, anti-reflux mucosal intervention, and radiofrequency ablation have extremely similar anti-reflux mechanisms; hence, we collectively refer to them as endoscopic cardia peripheral tissue scar formation (ECSF). We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the safety and efficacy of ECSF in treating rGERD.

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Article Synopsis
  • The hydrophobic antimicrobial peptide L30, which has issues with water solubility and hemolytic activity, was reformulated using a biocompatible nano-delivery system (LDMSNs@L30) to improve its clinical usability.
  • The LDMSNs@L30 nanocarrier demonstrated enhanced solubility of L30 in PBS, moving from 8 μg/mL to 2.25 mg/mL, and significantly reduced its hemolytic activity.
  • In mice infected with Staphylococcus aureus 9 (cfr), LDMSNs@L30 showed improved therapeutic effects compared to free L30, decreasing lung inflammation and inflammatory cytokines after 7 days of treatment.
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Introduction: The etiology and clinical presentation of vulvar carcinomas, especially vulvar lesions, are not fully understood. Because the vulva and cervix are anatomically connected, human papillomavirus (HPV) is the main cause of cervical lesions. Thus, this study explored the potential characteristics and effects of specific HPV infection types across vulvar lesions and concurrent cervical lesions.

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