Functional insulin aspart/insulin degludec-based microneedles for promoting postprandial glycemic control.

Insulin aspart (IAsp) and insulin degludec (IDeg), as the third generation of insulin, have a faster onset time or a more durable action period, which may simulate the secretion of insulin under physiological conditions. Microneedles (MNs) are transdermal delivery devices that may allow diabetic patients to easily deploy transdermal insulin therapy while considerably reducing injection pain. In this study, we investigated the combination of dissolving MNs with IAsp or IDeg therapy as an alternative to daily multiple insulin injections, aiming to improve glycemic control and patient compliance.

An update on biomaterials as microneedle matrixes for biomedical applications.

Microneedles (MNs) have been developed for various applications such as drug delivery, cosmetics, diagnosis, and biosensing. To meet the requirements of MNs used in these areas, numerous materials have been used for the fabrication of MNs. However, MNs will be exposed to skin tissues after piercing the stratum corneum barrier.

Effects of Schyzocotyle acheilognathi (Yamaguti, 1934) infection on the intestinal microbiota, growth and immune reactions of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella).

Our understanding of interactions among intestinal helminths, gut microbiota and host is still in its infancy in fish. In this study, the effects of Schyzocotyle acheilognathi infection on the intestinal microbiota, growth and immune reactions of grass carp were explored under laboratory conditions. 16S rDNA amplification sequencing results showed that S.

Operando High-Valence Cr-Modified NiFe Hydroxides for Water Oxidation.

High-valence metal-doped multimetal (oxy)hydroxides outperform noble metal electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) owing to the modified energetics between 3d metals and high-valence dopants. However, the rational design of sufficient and subtle modulators is still challenging. With a multimetal layered double hydroxide (LDH) as the OER catalyst, this study introduces a series of operando high-valence dopants (Cr, Ru, Ce, and V), which can restrict the 3+ valence states in the LDH template to prevent phase separation and operando transfer to the >3+ valence states for sufficient electronic interaction during the OER process.

An update on microneedle-based systems for diabetes.

Diabetes is one of the most serious chronic diseases today. Patients with diabetes need frequent insulin injections or blood sampling to monitor blood glucose levels. The microneedles are a painless transdermal drug delivery system, which has great advantages in achieving self-management.

Stability and Diffusion Properties of Insulin in Dissolvable Microneedles: A Multiscale Simulation Study.

Microneedle (MN) technology has been proven to be promising to become an effective drug delivery route of insulin for diabetes treatment, with the advantages of high delivery efficiency, convenient management, and minimal risk of infection. However, efforts are still required to verify the insulin activity in MNs for further clinical application. Moreover, it is also essential to study the diffusion properties of insulin to understand the ability of various MN materials to control insulin release.

RIPK1/RIPK3-Mediated Necroptosis is Involved in Sevoflurane-Induced Neonatal Neurotoxicity in the Rat Hippocampus.

Recent studies have shown that exposure to sevoflurane in developing brains causes neuronal apoptosis and cognitive dysfunction. "Necroptosis" is a novel pathway of necrosis. We introduced the caspase-specific inhibitor Z-VAD in addition to the receptor-interacting protein kinase 1 (RIPK1) inhibitor Nec-1, to ascertain the existence and importance of necroptosis.

In vivo safety assessment, biodistribution and toxicology of polyvinyl alcohol microneedles with 160-day uninterruptedly applications in mice.

Dissolving microneedles (DMNs) are widely used in drug delivery systems since they are based on one-step application, which is simple and convenient for patients, especially for the patients such as diabetes who need daily or long-term self-administration. In general, the matrix materials of DMNs are water-soluble materials that can release the encapsulated drugs gradually by dissolving in the skin without generating sharp needle waste. However, the matrix materials of DMNs will also leave in the skin after application.

Novel Long Non-coding RNA Markers for Prognostic Prediction of Patients with Bladder Cancer.

Objective To explore novel long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) molecular markers related to bladder cancer prognosis and to construct a prognostic prediction model for bladder cancer patients. Methods LncRNA expression data of patients with bladder cancer were downloaded from TCGA database. Univariate Cox regression and likelihood-based survival analysis were used to discover prognosis related lncRNAs.

Radiotherapy was associated with the lower incidence of metachronous second primary lung cancer.

Our study aims to estimate the incidence of metachronous second primary lung cancer(SPLC) in initial primary lung cancer(IPLC) survivors and to determine whether radiotherapy affects the risk of metachronous SPLC in the first five years after the diagnosis of lung cancer. Incidence data of IPLC individuals who survived ≥2 years were obtained from SEER-18 database in 2004-2007. Joinpoint regression analysis and competing risk analysis were used to calculate the incidence of metachronous SPLC.

Morphology is not a reliable taxonomic tool for the genus Lernaea: molecular data and experimental infection reveal that L. cyprinacea and L. cruciata are conspecific.

Background: Species belonging to the genus Lernaea are cosmopolitan parasites that can infect many different freshwater fish hosts. Due to a high degree of morphological intraspecific variability and high levels of interspecific similarities, their classification is extremely difficult and controversial. Although the suitability of the shape of cephalic horns has been questioned decades ago by some experimental infection studies, this character still plays the central role in the identification of Lernaea spp.

Soil Nutrients Drive Function and Composition of -Harboring Bacterial Community in Acidic Soils of Southern China.

Phosphorus (P) deficiency is an important factor that limits the agricultural production potential in acidic soils. The bacterial gene encodes non-specific acid phosphatase (ACP), which participates in the mineralization of soil organic P and is therefore important for the improvement of soil P availability. However, the function and community population of -harboring bacteria and their driving factors in acidic soil remain largely unknown.

Mitochondrial genomes and 28S rDNA contradict the proposed obsoletion of the order Tetraonchidea (Platyhelminthes: Monogenea).

Due to the incongruence of morphology-based hypotheses and scarcity of molecular data, validity of the order Tetraonchidea remains contentious. The only complete mitogenome currently available for the entire order is that of Paratetraonchoides inermis (Tetraonchoididae). To study the phylogeny of Tetraonchidea from mitogenomic perspective, we sequenced the first mitogenome for the family Tetraonchidae: Tetraonchus monenteron (Tetraonchidea).

Evidence for Adaptive Selection in the Mitogenome of a Mesoparasitic Monogenean Flatworm .

Whereas a majority of monogenean flatworms are ectoparasitic, i.e., parasitize on external surfaces (mainly gills) of their fish hosts, species (subfamily Ancyrocephalinae) are mesoparasitic, i.

PhyloSuite: An integrated and scalable desktop platform for streamlined molecular sequence data management and evolutionary phylogenetics studies.

Multigene and genomic data sets have become commonplace in the field of phylogenetics, but many existing tools are not designed for such data sets, which often makes the analysis time-consuming and tedious. Here, we present PhyloSuite, a (cross-platform, open-source, stand-alone Python graphical user interface) user-friendly workflow desktop platform dedicated to streamlining molecular sequence data management and evolutionary phylogenetics studies. It uses a plugin-based system that integrates several phylogenetic and bioinformatic tools, thereby streamlining the entire procedure, from data acquisition to phylogenetic tree annotation (in combination with iTOL).

Mitochondrial Genomes of Two Species (Platyhelminthes: Monogenea) Reveal the First rRNA Gene Rearrangement among the Neodermata.

Phylogenetic framework for the closely related Ancylodiscoidinae and Ancyrocephalinae subfamilies remains contentious. As this issue was never studied using a large molecular marker, we sequenced the first two Ancylodiscoidinae mitogenomes: and . Both mitogenomes had two non-coding regions (NCRs) that contained a number of repetitive hairpin-forming elements (RHE).

Homoplasy or plesiomorphy? Reconstruction of the evolutionary history of mitochondrial gene order rearrangements in the subphylum Neodermata.

Recent mitogenomic studies have exposed a gene order (GO) shared by two classes, four orders and 31 species ('common GO') within the flatworm subphylum Neodermata. There are two possible hypotheses for this phenomenon: convergent evolution (homoplasy) or shared ancestry (plesiomorphy). To test those, we conducted a meta-analysis on all available mitogenomes to infer the evolutionary history of GO in Neodermata.

Effect of intestinal tapeworms on the gut microbiota of the common carp, Cyprinus carpio.

Background: Parasitic protozoans, helminths, alter the gut microbiota in mammals, yet little is known about the influence of intestinal cestodes on gut microbiota in fish. In the present study, the composition and diversity of the hindgut microbiota were determined in the intestine of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) infected with two tapeworm species, Khawia japonensis and Atractolytocestus tenuicollis.

Results: The intestine contained a core microbiota composed of Proteobacteria, Fusobacteria and Tenericutes.

Prognostic factors and nomogram for cancer-specific death in non small cell lung cancer with malignant pericardial effusion.

Background: The prognosis of lung cancer with malignant pericardial effusion is very terrible owing to the impact of cardiac tamponade. The aim of our study seeks to identify prognostic factors and establish a prognostic nomogram of non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with malignant pericardial effusion.

Methods: NSCLC patients with malignant pericardial effusion between 2010 and 2014 are searched from SEER database.

Identification of Gangesia oligonchis Roitman & Freze, 1964 (Cestoda: Onchoproteocephalidea) from Tachysurus fulvidraco Richardson in central China: implications for the validity of Gangesia pseudobagrae Chen, 1962.

Owing to the brief and incomplete original description of Gangesia pseudobagrae Chen, 1962 (Cestoda: Onchoproteocephalidea) and high morphological similarity to Gangesia oligonchis Roitman & Freze, 1964 parasitising the same host Tachysurus fulvidraco Richardson, the taxonomic validity of G. pseudobagrae in China remains questionable. Therefore, we sampled and identified specimens of Gangesia Woodland, 1924 from the intestine of T.

Metabolomic Analysis of Serum Glycerophospholipid Levels in Eosinophilic and Neutrophilic Asthma.

Objective: To compare the serum glycerophospholipid levels in the inflammatory subtypes of asthma by using targeted metabolomic analysis.

Methods: Demographic and clinical data were collected from 51 patients with asthma between January 2015 and December 2015. Routine blood and sputum induction tests were performed.

Incidence trends and risk prediction nomogram of metachronous second primary lung cancer in lung cancer survivors.

Background: This study was designed to estimate the trends in 5-year incidence of metachronous second primary lung cancer(SPLC) and to establish a risk prediction model to identify candidates who were at high risk of developing metachronous SPLC.

Methods: Incidence data between 2004 and 2007 were obtained from SEER database, including 42453 participants who survived ≥ 2 years after the initial diagnosis of lung cancer. Joinpoint regression analysis was used to calculate the 5-year incidence rates of metachronous SPLC per 100 000 population.

Basal position of two new complete mitochondrial genomes of parasitic Cymothoida (Crustacea: Isopoda) challenges the monophyly of the suborder and phylogeny of the entire order.

Background: Isopoda is a highly diverse order of crustaceans with more than 10,300 species, many of which are parasitic. Taxonomy and phylogeny within the order, especially those of the suborder Cymothoida Wägele, 1989, are still debated. Mitochondrial (mt) genomes are a useful tool for phylogenetic studies, but their availability for isopods is very limited.

Mitochondrial genomes of two diplectanids (Platyhelminthes: Monogenea) expose paraphyly of the order Dactylogyridea and extensive tRNA gene rearrangements.

Background: Recent mitochondrial phylogenomics studies have reported a sister-group relationship of the orders Capsalidea and Dactylogyridea, which is inconsistent with previous morphology- and molecular-based phylogenies. As Dactylogyridea mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) are currently represented by only one family, to improve the phylogenetic resolution, we sequenced and characterized two dactylogyridean parasites, Lamellodiscus spari and Lepidotrema longipenis, belonging to a non-represented family Diplectanidae.

Results: The L.

Three new Diplozoidae mitogenomes expose unusual compositional biases within the Monogenea class: implications for phylogenetic studies.

Background: As the topologies produced by previous molecular and morphological studies were contradictory and unstable (polytomy), evolutionary relationships within the Diplozoidae family and the Monogenea class (controversial relationships among the Discocotylinea, Microcotylinea and Gastrocotylinea suborders) remain unresolved. Complete mitogenomes carry a relatively large amount of information, sufficient to provide a much higher phylogenetic resolution than traditionally used morphological traits and/or single molecular markers. However, their implementation is hampered by the scarcity of available monogenean mitogenomes.