A water-soluble Gd(III)-based fluorescence/-MR dual-modality probe for HS sensing.

We present a water-soluble fluorescence/MR dual-modality probe NBD[Gd] for HS detection. It showed 88.4% of fluorescence quenching and a 36% reduction in upon exposure to HS.

Licorice Extract Isoliquiritigenin Protects Endothelial Function in Type 2 Diabetic Mice.

Endothelial dysfunction occurs prior to atherosclerosis, which is an independent predictor of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Diabetes mellitus impairs endothelial function by triggering oxidative stress and inflammation in vascular tissues. Isoliquiritigenin (ISL), one of the major bioactive ingredients extracted from licorice, has been reported to inhibit inflammation and oxidative stress.

TRPV2 calcium channel promotes breast cancer progression potential by activating autophagy.

Breast cancer, the most prevalent and aggressive tumor affecting women, requires identification of disease determinants to facilitate the development of effective therapeutic strategies. Transient receptor potential vanilloid 2 (TRPV2), an ion channel highly permeable for calcium (Ca), is implicated in physiological and pathological processes. Nevertheless, the role of TRPV2 in breast cancer remains poorly elucidated.

Asperuloside activates hepatic NRF2 signaling to stimulate mitochondrial metabolism and restore lipid homeostasis in high fat diet-induced MAFLD.

Background: Nutrient overload predisposes the development of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). However, there are no specific pharmacological therapies for MAFLD. Asperuloside (ASP), an iridoid glycoside extracted from Eucommia ulmoides leaves, can alleviate obesity and MAFLD.

Asperuloside as a Novel NRF2 Activator to Ameliorate Endothelial Dysfunction in High Fat Diet-Induced Obese Mice.

Current treatments are inadequate in alleviating obesity-associated vascular diseases. The development of effective therapies to ameliorate endothelial dysfunction and attenuate oxidative stress is of utmost importance. Asperuloside (ASP), a bioactive compound extracted from , exhibits antiobesity properties.

Macrophage-engaging peptidic bispecific antibodies (pBsAbs) for immunotherapy a facile bioconjugation strategy.

Bispecific antibodies are artificial molecules that fuse two different antigen-binding sites of monoclonal antibodies into one single entity. They have emerged as a promising next-generation anticancer treatment. Despite the fascinating applications of bispecific antibodies, the design and production of bispecific antibodies remain tedious and challenging, leading to a long R&D process and high production costs.

Doping control of estra-4,9-diene-3,17-dione in horses.

Estra-4,9-diene-3,17-dione (dienedione) is an anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) available on the market as a dietary supplement for bodybuilding. It is prohibited in both human and equine sports due to its potential performance-enhancing effect. With the rare presence of the 4,9-diene configuration in endogenous steroids, dienedione has been considered as a synthetic AAS.

Shrimp Extract Exacerbates Allergic Immune Responses in Mice: Implications on Clinical Diagnosis of Shellfish Allergy.

Tropomyosin has been identified as the major cross-reactive shellfish allergen, but recent studies showed the presence of other clinically relevant allergens. This study aims at determining the allergic immune responses of mice sensitized with raw and boiled shrimp extracts in comparison to recombinant tropomyosin (rTM). Female Balb/c mice were intragastrically sensitized and challenged with raw, boiled shrimp or rTM.

Endogenous nature of estra-4,9-diene-3,17-dione in entire male horses.

Estra-4,9-diene-3,17-dione (dienedione) is an anabolic androgenic steroid (AAS) sold as a bodybuilding supplement. It is prohibited in both human and equine sports. With no report of 4,9-diene configuration in endogenous steroids, dienedione has long been considered a synthetic AAS.

Gene Doping Control Analysis of Human Erythropoietin Transgene in Equine Plasma by PCR-Liquid Chromatography High-Resolution Tandem Mass Spectrometry.

Gene doping involves the misuse of genetic materials to alter an athlete's performance, which is banned at all times in both human and equine sports. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assays have been used to control the misuse of transgenes in equine sports. Our laboratory recently developed and implemented duplex as well as multiplex qPCR assays for transgenes detection.

Initiation of warfarin is associated with decreased mortality in patients with infective endocarditis: A population-based cohort study.

Importance: The use of warfarin to prevent thromboembolism in patients with infective endocarditis (IE) remains controversial due to potentially increased bleeding risks.

Design: Population-based retrospective cohort study.

Participants: Patients aged 18 or older and diagnosed with IE in Hong Kong between January 1st, 1997 and August 31st, 2020 were included.

New-onset syncope in diabetic patients treated with sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors versus dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors: a Chinese population-based cohort study.

Background And Aims: Syncope is a symptom that poses an important diagnostic and therapeutic challenge, and generates significant cost for the healthcare system. Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) have demonstrated beneficial cardiovascular effects, but their possible effects on incident syncope have not been fully investigated. This study compared the effects of SGLT2i and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP4i) on new-onset syncope.

IL-4/STAT6 axis observed to reverse proliferative defect in SCA3 patient-derived neural progenitor cells.

Spinocerebellar ataxia 3 (SCA3) is an incurable, neurodegenerative genetic disorder that leads to progressive cerebellar ataxia and other parkinsonian-like pathologies because of loss of cerebellar neurons. The role of an expanded polyglutamine aggregate on neural progenitor cells is unknown. Here, we show that SCA3 patient-specific induced neural progenitor cells (iNPCs) exhibit proliferative defects.

Nutritional Assessment of Plant-Based Meat Products Available on Hong Kong Market: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

Background: Plant-based meat (PBM) takes up ever-increasing market shares and draws great attention from both customers and retailers these days. However, little is known about the nutritional quality of PBM products.

Objective: This study intended to profile and evaluate the overview nutrition of PBM with equivalent meat products on the Hong Kong market.

Type 2 cytokines promote angiogenesis in ischemic muscle via endothelial IL-4Rα signaling.

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is one of the leading causes of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality worldwide, yet current trials on therapeutic angiogenesis remain suboptimal. Type 2 immunity is critical for post-ischemic regeneration, but its regulatory role in revascularization is poorly characterized. Here, we show that type 2 cytokines, interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interleukin-13 (IL-13), are the key mediators in post-ischemic angiogenesis.

Secular trends of health care resource utilization and costs between Brugada syndrome and congenital long QT syndrome: A territory-wide study.

Background: Health care resource utilization (HCRU) and costs are important metrics of health care burden, but they have rarely been explored in the setting of cardiac ion channelopathies.

Hypothesis: This study tested the hypothesis that attendance-related HCRUs and costs differed between patients with Brugada syndrome (BrS) and congenital long QT syndrome (LQTS).

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of consecutive BrS and LQTS patients at public hospitals or clinics in Hong Kong, China.

The Association Between Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio and Variability with New-Onset Dementia: A Population-Based Cohort Study.

Background: Previous studies identified that neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) may be a predictor of dementia. However, the associations between NLR and dementia at the population level were less explored.

Objective: This retrospective population-based cohort study was designed to identify the associations between NLR and dementia among patients visiting for family medicine consultation in Hong Kong.

Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors versus dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors on new-onset overall cancer in Type 2 diabetes mellitus: A population-based study.

Background: Cancer is currently the second leading cause of death globally. There is much uncertainty regarding the comparative risks of new-onset overall cancer and pre-specified cancer for Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients on sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2I) versus DPP4I.

Methods: This population-based cohort study patients included patients who were diagnosed with T2DM and administered either SGLT2 or DPP4 inhibitors between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2020 in public hospitals of Hong Kong.

A self-indicating and antibacterial gelatine-chitosan blended hydrogel enabling real-time quality control and sustained bioactive agent delivery.

Hydrogels are one type of materials that are widely exploited for bioactive agent delivery, partly owing to their high biocompatibility and low toxicity. When hydrogels are used as carriers, their performance in agent loading and sustained agent release are predominately determined by the gel structure, which can be largely affected by variations during gel preparation. Till now, effective and easy methods to enable monitoring of such variations in real time have been lacking, making quality control of the generated gel-based carrier technically challenging.

Cracking the natriuresis puzzle: Insight from structural biology.

Sodium chloride cotransporter (NCC) plays a crucial role in regulating blood pressure through Na reabsorption. Recently, in Nature, Fan et al. determined the structure of human NCC and revealed the mechanism of action of thiazide diuretics, establishing the groundwork for future drug development.

Physiological concentration of protocatechuic acid directly protects vascular endothelial function against inflammation in diabetes through Akt/eNOS pathway.

Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) have been the major cause of mortality in type 2 diabetes. However, new approaches are still warranted since current diabetic medications, which focus mainly on glycemic control, do not effectively lower cardiovascular mortality rate in diabetic patients. Protocatechuic acid (PCA) is a phenolic acid widely distributed in garlic, onion, cauliflower and other plant-based foods.

Cross-linked chitosan/lysozyme hydrogels with inherent antibacterial activity and tuneable drug release properties for cutaneous drug administration.

Gels with high drug release sustainability and intrinsic antibacterial properties are of high practical potential for cutaneous drug administration, particularly for wound care and skin disease treatment. This study reports the generation and characterization of gels formed by 1,5-pentanedial-mediated crosslinking between chitosan and lysozyme for cutaneous drug delivery. Structures of the gels are characterized by using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometry and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy.

A Wrong Fate Decision in Adipose Stem Cells upon Obesity.

Progress has been made in identifying stem cell aging as a pathological manifestation of a variety of diseases, including obesity. Adipose stem cells (ASCs) play a core role in adipocyte turnover, which maintains tissue homeostasis. Given aberrant lineage determination as a feature of stem cell aging, failure in adipogenesis is a culprit of adipose hypertrophy, resulting in adiposopathy and related complications.