Publications by authors named "Tao P"

Cigarette smoke (CS) contributes to IL---33 release and neutrophil inflammation in asthma. Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are essential for neutrophil function. However, the effect of IL--33 on neutrophils in cigarette smoke--exposure asthma remains unclear.

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Although cathepsin S is transported from the spleen to the liver, where it cleaves collagen XVIII to produce endostatin and plays a critical role in the onset of early liver fibrosis, the relationship between liver fibrosis and spleen function remains underexplored. Given the roles of phosphorylation in disease, understanding its regulatory mechanism in early liver fibrosis is crucial. Despite advances in mass spectrometry enhancing phosphoproteomics, its application is limited by small clinical samples and subtle protein changes.

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Purpose: To explore the impact of high body mass index (BMI) on the embryo quality and clinical outcomes of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients, and the possible genes involved.

Methods: Patients who underwent in-vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment and embryo transfer in our center from November 2014 to September 2023, were divided into low BMI PCOS (LBP) group, high BMI PCOS (HBP) group, and high BMI control (HBC) group. Transcriptome sequencing was performed in eight PCOS patients' granulosa cells (GCs).

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The rarity and heterogeneity of liposarcomas (LPS) pose significant challenges in their diagnosis and management. In this work, a series of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) engineering is designed and implemented. Through comprehensive characterization and performance evaluations, such as stability, thermal-driven desorption efficiency, as well as energy- and charge-transfer capacity, the engineering of group IV bimetallic MOFs emerges as particularly noteworthy.

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M2 macrophage-derived extracellular vesicles (M2-EVs) demonstrate the capacity to reduce pro-inflammatory M1 macrophage formation, thereby restoring the M1-M2 macrophage balance and promoting immunoregulation. However, the efficacy of M2-EVs in regulating macrophage polarization and subsequently enhancing osseointegration around titanium (Ti) implants in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) remains to be elucidated. In this study, Ti implants were coated with polydopamine to facilitate M2-EVs adherence.

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Direct harvesting of abundant solar thermal energy within organic phase-change materials (PCMs) has emerged as a promising way to overcome the intermittency of renewable solar energy and pursue high-efficiency heating-related applications. Organic PCMs, however, generally suffer from several common shortcomings including melting-induced leakage, poor solar absorption, and low thermal conductivity. Compounding organic PCMs with single-component carbon materials faces the difficulty in achieving optimized comprehensive performance enhancement.

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Background: Extensive research has underscored the criticality of preserving diversity and equilibrium within the gut microbiota for optimal human health. However, the precise mechanisms by which the metabolites and targets of the gut microbiota exert their effects remain largely unexplored. This study utilizes a network pharmacology methodology to elucidate the intricate interplay between the microbiota, metabolites, and targets in the context of DM, thereby facilitating a more comprehensive comprehension of this multifaceted disease.

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Surgery remains an essential treatment for managing drug-resistant focal epilepsy, but its accessibility and efficacy are limited in patients without distinct structural abnormalities on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Potassium ion (K), a critical marker for seizure-associated neuronal signaling, shows significant promise for designing sensors targeting hidden epileptic foci. However, existing sensors cannot cross the blood-brain barrier and lack the ability to specifically enrich and amplify K signals in the brain with high temporal and spatial resolution.

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Solar-thermal energy storage (STES) within solid-liquid phase change materials (PCMs) has emerged as an attractive solution to overcome intermittency of renewable energy. However, current storage systems usually suffer from slow charging rates, sacrificed storage capacity, and overheating tendency. Inspired by the thermoregulation behavior of fish, here, we present a quick-responsive, ultrafast, large-capacity, overheating-protective STES strategy.

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  • Soybean is a crucial crop for protein and oil, but salt stress significantly reduces its yield by disrupting vital processes like photosynthesis and growth.
  • This study analyzed data from 563 soybean samples globally to conduct a Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) aimed at identifying genetic markers (SNPs) linked to salt tolerance.
  • Ten significant SNPs were found, along with candidate genes, which can aid in developing salt-tolerant soybean varieties, demonstrating the potential for effective genomic selection.
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  • The study focuses on the rising global prison population, particularly emphasizing the health issues faced by older inmates, specifically regarding digestive diseases in Taiwan.
  • An analysis was conducted using data from 2,215 older prisoners, revealing that over 51% suffer from digestive system diseases, with a notably higher prevalence among older women prisoners.
  • The results underscore the need for early detection and treatment of these conditions, while also highlighting the importance of maintaining human rights and justice within prison healthcare systems.
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Background: Myofibroblasts constitute a significant component of the tumor microenvironment (TME) and play a pivotal role in the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Integrin α5 (ITGA5) is a crucial regulator in myofibroblasts of malignant tumors. Therefore, the potential of ITGA5 as a novel target for the therapeutic strategy of HCC should be investigated.

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  • * Ozone treatment for 30 minutes at a 5 L/min airflow significantly decreased allergenicity by 61.14% and reduced specific protein subunits' allergenic potential.
  • * The findings suggest that ozone can improve the safety of whole wheat products by altering protein structure through disulfide bonds and hydrophobic interactions.
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This study reports a comprehensive analysis and comparison of several AlphaFold2 adaptations and OmegaFold and AlphaFlow approaches in predicting distinct allosteric states, conformational ensembles, and mutation-induced structural effects for a panel of state-switching allosteric ABL mutants. The results revealed that the proposed AlphaFold2 adaptation with randomized alanine sequence scanning can generate functionally relevant allosteric states and conformational ensembles of the ABL kinase that qualitatively capture a unique pattern of population shifts between the active and inactive states in the allosteric ABL mutants. Consistent with the NMR experiments, the proposed AlphaFold2 adaptation predicted that G269E/M309L/T408Y mutant could induce population changes and sample a significant fraction of the fully inactive I form which is a low-populated, high-energy state for the wild-type ABL protein.

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The development of opioid analgesics with reduced adverse effects is an unmet need. In a previous study, we discovered a unique combination of BPRMU191 and morphinan antagonists that produced potent antinociception with reduced adverse effects after central administration (intrathecal or intracerebroventricular). BPRMU191/naltrexone exhibits notable and pharmacological properties.

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  • The study investigates the relationship between frailty and elevated serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL) levels, along with the mediating role of renal function (eGFR) using data from the 2013-2014 NHANES survey involving 1,782 participants aged 20-75 years.
  • Results show that frail individuals have significantly higher sNfL levels and that eGFR is negatively associated with sNfL levels, indicating potential kidney function impact on cognitive impairment.
  • The findings suggest that sNfL could be a useful biomarker for assessing frailty and cognitive health, with eGFR accounting for a portion of the frailty's effect on sNfL
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Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury (HIRI) is a major complication reported in various clinical scenarios such as liver transplantation (LTx), hepatectomy, and acute hepatic insult. This condition affects the restoration of hepatic functionalities post-LTx. Contemporary scientific inquiries have highlighted the involvement of intestinal microbiota and their metabolic by-products in the initiation and progression of HIRI.

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  • Shape-controlled alloy nanoparticle catalysts improve performance in oxygen reduction reactions (ORR) in liquid half-cells, but face challenges in fuel cell applications due to harsher operating conditions.* -
  • A new strategy was developed to limit atomic diffusion in surface layers, allowing for the selective transformation of platinum-iron nanowires into stable intermetallic structures at low temperatures.* -
  • This surface engineering approach enhances membrane electrode assembly (MEA) stability by reducing iron loss by 50% while maintaining high catalytic activity, showing promise for practical fuel cell applications with shape-controlled catalysts.*
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  • Stem cell transplantation shows potential for heart regeneration after a heart attack, but success is limited due to the harsh conditions stem cells face in the damaged heart tissue; recent research is looking at ways to improve stem cell survival and function.* -
  • The study investigated the effects of GDF11 on reducing oxidative stress-related aging in endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) that were exposed to oxidative stress, aiming to understand how to better support these stem cells post-transplantation.* -
  • Results indicated that GDF11 treatment reduced oxidative damage and senescence in EPCs, improved autophagy, and enhanced heart regeneration and blood vessel formation when EPCs were transplanted into heart tissue, suggesting a promising role for GDF11 in
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  • Retrons are multigene defense systems that protect organisms from phage invasions, involving a reverse transcriptase, non-coding RNA, and effector protein.
  • The study focuses on the retron Ec86 system, discovering that it is triggered by a phage-encoded DNA methyltransferase (Dcm) and activated by methylation of single-stranded DNA.
  • Researchers revealed a specific structure of the Ec86-effector complex that can break down NAD, highlighting how complex assemblies contribute to effective antiphage defenses.
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Background: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal tumors of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and cases of GISTs tend to be of the disseminated type, with a global incidence of 10 to 15 cases/million each year. The rarer familial GISTs, which often represent a population, differ in screening, diagnosis, and treatment. Familial GISTs include primary familial GISTs with predominantly KIT/PDGFRA mutations and wild-type GISTs.

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Background: Acute suppurative cholangitis (ASC) lacks sensitive and specific preoperative diagnostic criteria. Some researchers suggest treating ASC as severe cholangitis. This study aimed to explore the relationship between the Tokyo Guidelines 2018 (TG18) grading system for acute cholangitis (AC) and the diagnosis of acute suppurative cholangitis (ASC), searching for independent risk factors of ASC and develop a nomogram to discriminate ASC from acute nonsuppurative cholangitis (ANSC) accurately.

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Background: Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer in women, and its progression is closely related to the phenomenon of anoikis. Anoikis, the specific programmed death resulting from a lack of contact between cells and the extracellular matrix, has recently been recognized as playing a critical role in tumor initiation, maintenance, and treatment. The ability of cancer cells to resist anoikis leads to cancer progression and metastatic colonization.

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  • - This study explores how conducting polymers (CPs) can heat up through magnetic induction when exposed to alternating magnetic fields (AMFs), with findings indicating that eddy currents play a key role in this process.
  • - The research highlights how factors like the shape of the AMF and the CP's structure influence the heating efficiency and temperature distribution, achieved through different fabrication techniques.
  • - The potential biomedical applications include the development of a self-adaptive heat patch made from a conducting polymer aerogel for localized heating, which can facilitate thermal ablation of tumors and encourage neuronal differentiation for tissue engineering.
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Study Objective: Advanced rectal cancer is a common cause of perineal pain and research on the use of radiofrequency therapy for the treatment of this pain is limited. In the present study, we aimed to compare the effectiveness and safety of conventional radiofrequency (CRF) and high-voltage long-term pulsed radiofrequency (H-PRF) of radiofrequency therapy in the management of perineal pain in advanced rectal cancer.

Design: Randomized, Double-Blind Controlled Trial.

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