Synthesis, oral bioavailability evaluation and antiplatelet aggregation activity of three derivatives of 3,4‑dihydroxyacetophenone.

3,4‑Dihydroxyacetophenone (DHAP) exerts therapeutic effects on cardiovascular disease and pulmonary heart disease. However, it is not utilized as a clinical drug due to its rapid metabolism, short‑acting effect and low oral bioavailability. In the present study, three derivatives of DHAP, including 4‑acetyl‑1,2‑phenylene dipropionate (APDP), 1‑(3‑hydroxy‑4‑phenoxy‑phenyl)‑ethanone (HPPE) and a polymer derivative, PEG‑DHAP, were synthesized via the esterification or etherification of hydroxyls at C3 and C4, which are the prime metabolism sites of DHAP.

Mass Spectrometry Imaging Establishes 2 Distinct Metabolic Phenotypes of Aldosterone-Producing Cell Clusters in Primary Aldosteronism.

Aldosterone-producing adenomas (APAs) are one of the main causes of primary aldosteronism and the most prevalent surgically correctable form of hypertension. Aldosterone-producing cell clusters (APCCs) comprise tight nests of zona glomerulosa cells, strongly positive for CYP11B2 (aldosterone synthase) in immunohistochemistry. APCCs have been suggested as possible precursors of APAs because they frequently carry driver mutations for constitutive aldosterone production, and a few adrenal lesions with histopathologic features of both APCCs and APAs have been identified.

Grayanane diterpenoid glucosides as potent analgesics from Pieris japonica.

A total of fifteen grayanane diterpenoid glucosides including eight undescribed ones, pierisjaponosides A-H, were isolated from the leaves of Pieris japonica (Thunb.) D. Don ex G.

miR-17 regulates the proliferation and differentiation of retinal progenitor cells by targeting CHMP1A.

MicroRNAs have a vital effect on the differentiation of many types of progenitor cells. Recent studies have suggested that miR-17 plays an important role in the differentiation process of brain neural progenitor cells (NPC). Nevertheless, its detailed functions in regulating retinal progenitor cells (RPC) remain unclear.

Human Primordial Germ Cells Are Specified from Lineage-Primed Progenitors.

In vitro gametogenesis is the process of making germline cells from human pluripotent stem cells. The foundation of this model is the quality of the first progenitors called primordial germ cells (PGCs), which in vivo are specified during the peri-implantation window of human development. Here, we show that human PGC (hPGC) specification begins at day 12 post-fertilization.

The Synergistic Value of Time-Averaged Serum Albumin and Globulin in Predicting the First Peritonitis in Incident Peritoneal Dialysis Patients.

Background: The prognostic value of serum time-averaged albumin (TA-Alb) and time-averaged globulin (TA-Glo) combination on the peritonitis in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients is unknown.

Methods: The patients who started PD treatment between July 2013 and 2018 were included. Serum Alb and globulin (Glo) were tested at baseline and monthly during follow-up.

Antinociceptive Grayanane Diterpenoids from the Leaves of .

Thirteen new grayanane diterpenoids (-) and 15 known analogues (-) were isolated from a leaf extract of . Their structures were determined by spectrometric and spectroscopic methods, including HRESIMS, NMR, IR, and UV. The absolute configurations of , , -, and were defined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis.

Benchmark selectivity -xylene separation by a non-porous molecular solid through liquid or vapor extraction.

Solid-liquid separation of similarly sized organic molecules utilizing sorbents offers the potential for new energy-efficient approaches to a number of important industrial separations such as xylenes (C8) separations. Research on selective C8 sorption has tended to focus upon rigid porous materials such as zeolites and MOFs but has revealed generally weak selectivity that is inconsistent across the range of C8 molecules. Nevertheless, there are a few recent examples of non-porous molecular materials that exhibit relatively high selectivity for -xylene (X) from X/X, approaching that of the current benchmark X sorbent, the zeolite H/ZSM-5.

Calcium binding to herring egg phosphopeptides: Binding characteristics, conformational structure and intermolecular forces.

Phosphorylation could improve functional characteristics of proteins/peptides, and might be used in the functional improvement of herring egg peptides owing to their enriched phosphorylation sites. The present study aimed to study the effect of phosphorylation on calcium-binding ability of herring egg peptides, and investigate the conformational structure and intermolecular forces of herring egg phosphopeptides (HEPPs)-calcium complex. The HEPPs were found to be superior in calcium-binding activities, as compared to the non-phosphorylated variant.

Chronic ethanol exposure facilitates facial-evoked MLI-PC synaptic transmission via nitric oxide signaling pathway in vivo in mice.

Ethanol (EtOH) exposure causes alterations of motor coordination, balance, behavior, speech, and certain cognitive functions are considered to be caused partly by impairment of cerebellar circuits function and modulation of synaptic transmission. The cerebellar cortical molecular layer interneuron-Purkinje cell (MLI-PC) synapses are critical for various information integration and transmission, which are sensitive to acute and chronic EtOH exposure. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of chronic ethanol exposure on the facial stimulation-evoked MLI-PC synaptic transmission in urethane-anesthetized mice, by electrophysiological recording and pharmacological methods.

Pulmonary papillary squamous cell carcinoma: a population-based analysis of incidence, treatment, and prognosis.

Background: Pulmonary papillary squamous cell carcinoma (PSCC) is a rare variant of pulmonary squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). This study aims to improve relevant understanding and demonstrate the incidence, treatment, and prognosis of pulmonary PSCC using a population-based database.

Methods: The Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database was used to extract data of cases diagnosed with PSCC from 1973 to 2015 and analyze the incidence, treatment, and prognosis.

Impacts of risk and competition on the profitability of banks: Empirical evidence from Pakistan.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of risk and competition on the profitability of the Pakistani banking industry. Data are retrieved from the annual statements of banks, the Ministry of finance Pakistan and the World Bank covering the period of (2007-2017). Two steps Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) with the collapse command is used as an estimation technique to overcome endogeneity, unobserved heterogeneity and autocorrelation problems.

The formation mechanism of a sea cucumber ovum derived heptapeptide-calcium nanocomposite and its digestion/absorption behavior.

Asn-Asp-Glu-Glu-Leu-Asn-Lys (NDEELNK), derived from a sea cucumber ovum, has shown a prominent calcium-binding ability. In this study, the formation mechanism of a NDEELNK-calcium nanocomposite and its digestion and absorption behavior were investigated. Results indicated that calcium ions specifically bound to two carboxyl oxygen atoms of Asp and Glu on the NDEELNK peptide in its monomeric form, and that the binding mode was referred to as the "bidentate" mode.

Erythropoietin attenuates vascular calcification by inhibiting endoplasmic reticulum stress in rats with chronic kidney disease.

Previous studies suggested that endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress induced-apoptosis promoted vascular calcification (VC). Interestingly, erythropoietin (EPO), an endogenous glycoprotein, exerts multiple tissue protective effects by inhibiting ER stress and apoptosis. We investigated the role and potential mechanism of EPO on VC in chronic kidney disease (CKD) rats and cultured vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs).

Factors associated with Chinese pregnant women's preference for a cesarean section based on the theory of planned behaviour.

Objectives: Cesarean delivery on maternal request is one of the important public health issues in China. Our study aimed to apply the theory of planned behaviour to comprehensively determine the factors regarding pregnant women's preference for cesarean section and to provide references for establishing measures to reduce cesarean delivery on maternal request.

Methods: This cross-sectional analysis was conducted in four women's and children's hospitals in China from May to June 2018.

A new dual-peptide strategy for enhancing antioxidant activity and exploring the enhancement mechanism.

The development of a new generation antioxidant peptides with high free radical scavenging rates is highly desirable, but remains a great challenge. Herein, a new dual-peptide development strategy based on plant and animal proteins has been proposed to enhance the antioxidant activity of peptides. Sea cucumber peptide and pine nut peptide were selected to assemble the dual-peptides, namely, VTPYKDHCH and VTPYQDHCH.

Induction of metabolic quiescence defines the transitional to follicular B cell switch.

Transitional B cells must actively undergo selection for self-tolerance before maturing into their resting follicular B cell successors. We found that metabolic quiescence was acquired at the follicular B cell stage in both humans and mice. In follicular B cells, the expression of genes involved in ribosome biogenesis, aerobic respiration, and mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) signaling was reduced when compared to that in transitional B cells.

Active Fraction Combination from Liuwei Dihuang Decoction (LW-AFC) Alleviated the LPS-Induced Long-Term Potentiation Impairment and Glial Cells Activation in Hippocampus of Mice by Modulating Immune Responses.

Neuroinflammation is known as a typical feature associated with many neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease (AD) and impairs the synaptic plasticity of the hippocampus. LW-AFC is an active fraction combination being extracted from Liuwei Dihuang decoction, a classic traditional Chinese medicine prescription. This study aimed to investigate the effects of LW-AFC on synaptic plasticity in mice with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment.

Calcium Delivery System Assembled by a Nanostructured Peptide Derived from the Sea Cucumber Ovum.

In this study, the binding mechanism, morphological, and conformational analysis of the complex of a sea cucumber ovum derived octapeptide (EDLAALEK) with Ca as well as its calcium delivery behavior via the gastrointestinal (GI) tract were investigated. The Ca specifically bound to two carboxyl oxygen atoms of C-terminal Glu and Asp on the EDLAALEK peptide at a stoichiometric ratio of 1:1. Calcium coordination induced the self-assembly of the EDLAALEK peptide, resulting in the formation of a nanocomposite with a crystal structure.

High-Efficiency Isolation and Rapid Identification of Heterogeneous Circulating Tumor Cells (CTCs) Using Dual-Antibody-Modified Fluorescent-Magnetic Nanoparticles.

Extreme rarity and inherent heterogeneity of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) result in a tremendous challenge for the CTC isolation from patient blood samples with high efficiency and purity. Current CTC isolation approaches mainly rely on the epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM), which may significantly reduce the ability to capture CTCs when the expression of EpCAM is lost or down-regulated in epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Here, a rapid and highly efficient method is developed to isolate and identify heterogeneous CTCs with high efficiency from patient blood samples using the fluorescent-magnetic nanoparticles (F-MNPs).

Mesoporous Cu-Ce-O Solid Solutions from Spray Pyrolysis for Superior Low-Temperature CO Oxidation.

Development of Pt group metal-free catalysts for low-temperature CO oxidation remains critical. In this work, active and stable mesoporous Cu-Ce-O solid solutions are prepared by using spray pyrolysis. The specific surface areas and pore volumes reach as high as 170 m  g and 0.

Food-borne nanocarriers from roast beef patties for iron delivery.

Food-borne nanoparticles (FNs) produced during thermal processing of food may have potential as nanocarriers for Fe(ii) supplements. In this paper, the FNs in beef patties roasted for different times (15, 30, and 45 minutes) and the binding between FNs and ferrous ions were studied. The size of FNs decreased from 7.

Prognostic value of fibrinogen-to-albumin ratio in predicting 1-year clinical progression in patients with non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

Previous studies have indicated that fibrinogen and low serum albumin levels are associated with poor cardiovascular outcomes. The objective of the present study was to examine whether the fibrinogen-to-albumin ratio (FAR) was able to predict the 1-year prognosis of patients with non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). A total of 1,352 patients with NSTE-ACS undergoing PCI were included in this prospective study and were divided into a low-FAR group (FAR ≤8.