Research progress on the molecular mechanisms of Saikosaponin D in various diseases (Review).

Bupleurum, a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) herb, is widely used in China and other Asian countries to manage chronic liver inflammation and viral hepatitis. Saikosaponin D (SSD), a triterpenoid saponin extracted from Bupleurum, exhibits extensive pharmacological properties, including anti‑inflammatory, antioxidant, anti‑apoptotic, anti‑fibrotic and anti‑cancer effects, making it a therapeutic candidate for numerous diseases. Clarifying the targets and molecular mechanisms underlying TCM compounds is essential for scientifically validating TCM's therapeutic roles in disease prevention and treatment, as well as for identifying novel therapeutic targets and lead compounds.

Mendelian randomization study and mediation analysis about the relation of inflammatory bowel disease and diabetic retinopathy: the further exploration of gut-retina axis.

Background: The concept of the gut-retinal axis proposed by previous scholars primarily focused on the relationship between intestinal microbiota and retinal diseases, and few further expanded the relationship between intestinal diseases and retinal diseases. To further substantiate the concept of the gut-retinal axis, we analyzed inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and diabetic retinopathy (DR) using Mendelian randomization (MR), and use mediation analysis to further explore the potential substances that influence this causal relationship.

Methods: The genome-wide association study's (GWAS) summary statistics for genetic variations were utilized in a Mendelian randomization (MR) investigation.

Causal effects of gut microbiome on autoimmune liver disease: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study.

Background: Epidemiological studies have indicated a potential link between the gut microbiome and autoimmune liver disease (AILD) such as autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). The relationship between the gut microbiome and autoimmune liver disease is still uncertain due to confounding variables. In our study, we aim to shed light on this relationship by employing a two-sample Mendelian randomization approach.

Aqueous-Based Inorganic Colloidal Halide Perovskites Customizing Liquid Scintillators.

Compared to solid scintillators and organic liquid scintillators, aqueous-based liquid scintillators (AbLS) have more superiority in highly flexible scalability, yet are now limited by their low light yield (≈100 photons MeV ). Here, aqueous-based inorganic colloidal halide perovskites with high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of three primary color luminescence up to 88.1% (red), 96% (green), and 81.

Alleviative effects of mannosylerythritol lipid-A on the deterioration of internal structure and quality in frozen dough and corresponding steamed bread.

The effects of mannosylerythritol lipid-A (MEL-A) on the quality of frozen dough and corresponding steamed bread were investigated. The results revealed that the rheological properties of frozen dough were improved with the increment of MEL-A (0%-2.0%).

Highly Ambient Stable CsSnBr Perovskite via a New Facile Room-Temperature "Coprecipitation" Strategy.

Tin-based perovskites are becoming promising alternatives to lead-based perovskites with eco-friendly merit and tantalizing photophysical properties. Unfortunately, the lack of facile, low-cost synthesis approaches associated with extremely poor stability greatly restrict their practical applications. Herein, a facile room-temperature "coprecipitation" method utilizing ethanol (EtOH) solvent and salicylic acid (SA) additive is proposed for synthesizing highly stable cubic phase CsSnBr perovskite.

Protein engineering, cofactor engineering, and surface display engineering to achieve whole-cell catalytic production of chondroitin sulfate A.

Chondroitin sulfate A (CSA) is a valuable glycosaminoglycan that has great market demand. However, current synthetic methods are limited by requiring the expensive sulfate group donor 3'-phosphoadenosine-5'-phosphosulfate (PAPS) and inefficient enzyme carbohydrate sulfotransferase 11 (CHST11). Herein, we report the design and integration of the PAPS synthesis and sulfotransferase pathways to realize whole-cell catalytic production of CSA.

A nomogram model for predicting ocular GVHD following allo-HSCT based on risk factors.

Objective: To develop and validate a nomogram model for predicting chronic ocular graft-versus-host disease (coGVHD) in patients after allogenic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT).

Methods: This study included 61 patients who survived at least 100 days after allo-HSCT. Risk factors for coGVHD were screened using LASSO regression, then the variables selected were subjected to logistic regression.

Embryonic stem cell extracellular vesicles reverse the senescence of retinal pigment epithelial cells by the p38MAPK pathway.

Retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cellular senescence is regarded as an initiator for age-related macular degeneration (AMD). We previously demonstrated that by the coculture way, embryonic stem cells (ESCs) can reverse the senescence of RPE cells, but xenograft cells can cause a plethora of adverse effects. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from ESCs can act as messengers to mediate nearby cell activities and have the same potential as ESCs to reverse RPE senescence.

Tear film cytokines as prognostic indicators for predicting early recurrent pterygium.

Cytokine profiles in tears have become a noninvasive biomarker for various ocular surface diseases. Therefore, the preoperative profile of cytokines in tear samples of 89 primary pterygium patients were obtained from Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center during 2015-2017. Compared to the tear cytokines in primary groups, the concentrations of IL-8, MMP-1, MMP-9, bFGF and VEGF were generally higher in recurrent pterygium group.

OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY ANGIOGRAPHY FINDINGS OF MICROVASCULAR AND NEURAL CHANGES IN PRIMARY PULMONARY HYPERTENSION.

Purpose: To investigate the microvascular and neural changes in primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH) patients compared with healthy controls.

Methods: Forty-four eyes of 22 PPH patients were included in this observational clinical cohort study, and 44 eyes of 22 healthy participants were enrolled as controls. Optical coherence tomography angiography images were obtained from each participant using the RTVue XR Avanti device with AngioVue software 2.

Which treatment is best for patients with AJCC stage IV bladder cancer?

Purpose: We sought to identify the method that could obtain the best survival rate for AJCC stage IV bladder cancer (BCa) patients.

Methods: Patients with AJCC stage IV BCa diagnosed between 2004 and 2015 were identified using the Surveillance, epidemiology and end results (SEER) database. Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank test were used for overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS).

Enhanced photoluminescence and energy transfer performance of YAlGaO:Mn,Dy phosphors for plant growth LED lights.

Plant growth LEDs have attracted broad attention in modern society, desperate for specific phosphors with a characteristic emission band. A novel Mn and Dy co-doped YAlGaO phosphor were successfully prepared through a conventional high-temperature solid-state reaction. A three band emission including red (625-700 nm), orange (550-607 nm) and blue (462-490 nm) is observed in these phosphors when excited under a near-UV lamp, which is ascribed to E → A of Mn, F → H and F → H of Dy, respectively.

Research on the static experiment of super heavy crude oil demulsification and dehydration using ultrasonic wave and audible sound wave at high temperatures.

In this paper, the static experiment of super heavy crude oil demulsification and dehydration using ultrasonic irradiation at high temperatures is carried out. How the all factors, such as ultrasonic frequency, sound intensity, ultrasonic power, ultrasonic treatment time, sedimentation time, temperature and water ratio, affect ultrasonic crude oil demulsification and dehydration are summarized though this experiment. In addition, recent progress on ultrasonic demulsification equipment in China are reviewed.