Adenosine triphosphate mediates the pain tolerance effect of manual acupuncture at Zusanli (ST36) in mice.

Objective: To investigate the mechanisms behind the effects of acupuncture in Traditional Chinese Medicine, we delved into the adenosine triphosphate/peripheral purinergic P2X receptor 3 (ATP/P2X3) receptor signaling system as an indicator of the body's energy state, commonly referred to as "".

Methods: The tail-flick test was utilized to explore the impact of acupuncture on pain tolerance threshold (PTT) in mice, while also assessing adenosine (ADO) levels and adenylate energy charge (EC) at Zusanli (ST36). The study further investigated the dose-dependent effects of acupuncture on PTT and ADO levels at Zusanli (ST36).

In situ imaging of intracellular miRNAs in tumour cells by branched hybridisation chain reaction.

The ability to visualise microRNA in situ is crucial for studying microRNAs, their microRNA-associated biological functions and disease diagnosis. Traditional fluorescence in situ hybridisation methods based on paraformaldehyde fixation of microRNAs suffer from release of microRNAs from cells, which limits the sensitivity of in situ hybridisation, making them unsuitable for the detection of small, low-abundance microRNAs. To reduce the loss, microRNAs were covalently cross-linked to proteins within cells by combining EDC and paraformaldehyde, and the target microRNA was used as the initiator chain for a branched hybridisation chain reaction to detect microRNA expression levels in situ.

Design, construction and application of algae-bacteria synergistic system for treating wastewater.

The wastewater treatment technology of algae-bacteria synergistic system (ABSS) is a promising technology which has the advantages of low energy consumption, good treatment effect and recyclable high-value products. In this treatment technology, the construction of an ABSS is a very important factor. At the same time, the emergence of some new technologies (such as microbial fuel cells and bio-carriers, etc.

β-cyclodextrin/spiropyran-functionalized optical-driven hydrogel film for bisphenol A detection in food packaging.

Bisphenol A (BPA), an endocrine disruptor, is widely used in food packaging materials, including drink containers. Sensitive detection of BPA is crucial to food safety. Herein, we have developed a novel optical-driven hydrogel film sensor for sensitive BPA detection based on the displacement of spiropyran (SP) from β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) cavity by BPA followed by the photochromism of the released SP.

Catalytic Hairpin Assembly-Based Self-Ratiometric Gel Electrophoresis Detection Platform for Reliable Nucleic Acid Analysis.

The development of gel electrophoresis-based biodetection assays for point-of-care analysis are highly demanding. In this work, we proposed a ratiometric gel electrophoresis-based biosensing platform by employing catalytic hairpin assembly (CHA) process functions as both the signal output and the signal amplification module. Two types of nucleic acids, DNA and miRNA, are chosen for demonstration.

Hsa_circ_0080608 Attenuates Lung Cancer Progression by Functioning as a Competitive Endogenous RNA to Regulate the miR-661/ADRA1A Pathway.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) participate in the progression of human cancers and have been broadly elucidated. Here, we aimed to elucidate the roles and functional mechanisms of hsa_circ_0080608 (circ_0080608) in lung cancer. Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) was performed to assess the mRNA expression levels of circ_0080608, miR-661, and adrenoceptor alpha 1A (ADRA1A).

Liang-Ge Decoction Ameliorates Coagulation Dysfunction in Cecal Ligation and Puncture-Induced Sepsis Model Rats through Inhibiting PAD4-Dependent Neutrophil Extracellular Trap Formation.

Liang-Ge (LG) decoction could ameliorate coagulation dysfunction in septic model rats. However, the mechanism of LG in treating sepsis still needs to be clarified. Our current study established a septic rat model to evaluate the effect of LG on coagulation dysfunction in septic rats first.

The Complex of Phycobiliproteins, Fucoxanthin, and Krill Oil Ameliorates Obesity through Modulation of Lipid Metabolism and Antioxidants in Obese Rats.

Phycobiliproteins, fucoxanthin, and krill oil are natural marine products with excellent activities. In the study, we prepared the complex of phycobiliproteins, fucoxanthin, and krill oil (PFK) and assessed the anti-obesity, lipid-lowering, and antioxidant activities in high-fat diet rats. The results showed that the rats significantly and safely reduced body weight gain and regulated serum biochemical parameters at 50 mg/kg phycobiliproteins, 10 mg/kg fucoxanthin, and 100 mg/kg krill oil.

Forsythiaside B ameliorates coagulopathies in a rat model of sepsis through inhibition of the formation of PAD4-dependent neutrophil extracellular traps.

Forsythiaside B (FTB) is one of the main components of (Thunb.) Vahl and exerts anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effects. However, its mechanism of action as a treatment for sepsis remains unclear.

Liang-Ge decoction ameliorates acute lung injury in septic model rats through reducing inflammatory response, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and modulating host metabolism.

Liang-Ge decoction (LG) has been used in the treatment of early stage of spesis and can ameliorate sepsis-associated lung injury. However, the mechanism of LG on sepsis-associated lung injury remains unknown. In this study, we established a rat model of sepsis-associated lung injury using the cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) method, and investigated the therapeutic effects of LG on lung injury in rats with sepsis.

Finite-Time Synchronization of Complex Dynamical Networks via a Novel Hybrid Controller.

The issue of finite-time synchronization (FTS) of complex dynamical networks (CDNs) is investigated in this article. A new control strategy coupling weak finite-time control and finite times of impulsive control is proposed to realize the FTS of CDNs, where the impulses are synchronizing and restricted by maximal impulsive interval (MII), differing from the existing results. In this framework, several global and local FTS criteria are established by using the concept of impulsive degree.

ITGA7, CD133, ALDH1 are inter-correlated, and linked with poor differentiation, lymph node metastasis as well as worse survival in surgical cervical cancer.

Aim: Integrin alpha 7 (ITGA7) regulates cancer stemness and metastasis in several malignancies, while its role in cervical cancer is obscure. Therefore, the current study aimed to investigate the correlation among ITGA7, cluster of differentiation 133 (CD133), and aldehyde dehydrogenase isoform 1 (ALDH1), as well as their relation to tumor features and survival in cervical cancer patients.

Methods: A total of 133 surgical cervical cancer patients were enrolled.

Phycobiliprotein as fluorescent probe and photosensitizer: A systematic review.

Phycobiliprotein is a natural product with many biological activities in various seaweeds. Phycobiliproteins have been widely used for anti-oxidation, anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory and immune-enhancing activities as a functional factor. Phycobiliproteins with high purity are considerably more expensive than common.

Review of stability and stabilization for impulsive delayed systems.

This paper reviews some recent works on impulsive delayed systems (IDSs). The prime focus is the fundamental results and recent progress in theory and applications. After reviewing the relative literatures, this paper provides a comprehensive and intuitive overview of IDSs.

Label-free fluorescence detection of microRNA based on target induced adenosine2-coralyne-adenosine2 formation.

This study develops a simple and label-free biosensor for sensitive and selective detection of microRNA (miRNA) based on the formation of the adenosine2-coralyne-adenosine2 complex mediated by miRNA-specific polyadenosine extension.

A highly sensitive strategy for base excision repair enzyme activity detection based on graphene oxide mediated fluorescence quenching and hybridization chain reaction.

A novel fluorescent nanosensor has been developed by combining super fluorescence quenching ability of graphene oxide and hybridization chain reaction amplification, which enables highly sensitive detection of base excision repair enzyme activity with a wide dynamic range from 0.0001 to 100 U mL(-1) and a detection limit of 0.00006 U mL(-1).

Global Exponential Stability of Cohen-Grossberg Neural Networks with Piecewise Constant Argument of Generalized Type and Impulses.

In this letter, we consider a model of Cohen-Grossberg neural networks with piecewise constant argument of generalized type and impulses. Sufficient conditions ensuring the existence and uniqueness of solutions are obtained. Based on constructing a new differential inequality with piecewise constant argument and impulse and using the Lyapunov function method, we derive sufficient conditions ensuring the global exponential stability of equilibrium point, with approximate exponential convergence rate.

Strong Manual Acupuncture Manipulation Could Better Inhibit Spike Frequency of the Dorsal Horn Neurons in Rats with Acute Visceral Nociception.

Afferent impulses from visceral nociception can be regulated by acupuncture at spinal cord level; however, the effects of different manual acupuncture (MA) manipulations on the afferent impulses are still unknown. Here, we analyzed the spike frequency of excitatory gastric-related wide dynamic range (WDR) neurons in spinal dorsal horn (SDH) following acute gastric distension (GD) in rats and compared their responses to MA manipulations with four different frequencies (0.5, 1, 2, and 3 Hz) at Zusanli (ST36).

Efficacy and safety of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation to treat muscle spasticity following brain injury: a double-blinded, multicenter, randomized controlled trial.

Objective: This study was aimed at evaluating the clinical efficacy and safety of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) to treat muscle spasticity after brain injury (Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR-TRC-11001310).

Methods: A total of 60 patients with muscle spasticity after brain injury were randomized to the following 3 groups: 100, 2, and 0 Hz (sham) TEAS. The acupoints Hegu (LI4)--Yuji (LU10) and Zusanli (ST36)--Chengshan (BL57) on the injured side were stimulated at 0, 2, or 100 Hz, 5 times per week for 4 weeks.

A novel graphene oxide based fluorescent nanosensing strategy with hybridization chain reaction signal amplification for highly sensitive biothiol detection.

A novel fluorescent nanosensor has been developed for detecting biothiols including cysteine and glutathione using graphene oxide based hairpin DNA-selective fluorescence quenching and thymine-Hg(II)-thymine coordination-controlled hybridization chain reaction, which provides a simple but the most sensitive platform for biothiol assays.

Isothermal nucleic acid amplification strategy by cyclic enzymatic repairing for highly sensitive microRNA detection.

Technologies enabling highly sensitive and selective detection of microRNAs (miRNAs) are critical for miRNA discovery and clinical theranostics. Here we develop a novel isothermal nucleic acid amplification technology based on cyclic enzymatic repairing and strand-displacement polymerase extension for highly sensitive miRNA detection. The enzymatic repairing amplification (ERA) reaction is performed via replicating DNA template using lesion bases by DNA polymerase and cleaving the DNA replicate at the lesions by repairing enzymes, uracil-DNA glycosylase, and endonuclease IV, to prime a next-round replication.

The effects of henna (hair dye) on the embryonic development of zebrafish (Danio rerio).

The powder of henna is extensively used as decorative skin paint for nail coloring and as a popular hair dye in Asian countries. Its human health risk is extensive, and it is frequently released as waste into the aquatic environment raising the concerns. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos were employed to study the developmental effects of henna.

A WS2 nanosheet based sensing platform for highly sensitive detection of T4 polynucleotide kinase and its inhibitors.

DNA phosphorylation, catalyzed by polynucleotide kinase (PNK), plays significant regulatory roles in many biological events. Here, a novel fluorescent nanosensor based on phosphorylation-specific exonuclease reaction and efficient fluorescence quenching of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) by a WS2 nanosheet has been developed for monitoring the activity of PNK using T4 polynucleotide kinase (T4 PNK) as a model target. The fluorescent dye-labeled double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) remains highly fluorescent when mixed with WS2 nanosheets because of the weak adsorption of dsDNA on WS2 nanosheets.

A simple, sensitive colorimetric assay for coralyne based on target induced split G-quadruplex formation.

The screening of potential drugs specifically binding to polydeoxyadenosine (poly(dA)) has been of great interest in recent studies. We have developed a simple colorimetric strategy through the mechanism of target induced split G-quadruplex formation for detecting coralyne, a poly(dA)-binding drug with noticeable antitumor activity. Two DNA oligonucleotides containing a split G-quadruplex sequence and an adenine-rich sequence are used in our strategy.

[Toll-like receptor 4 in regional acupoints and initiation of acupuncture signals].

It has been well documented that acupuncture effect is produced through suitable manipulation stimulation of the inserted acupuncture needle, and subsequent activation of the body' s inherent nerve-endocrine-immune regulating network. As a physical stimulus, the acupuncture stimulation exerted onto the local acupoint needs being converted into biological signal first, further reaching favorable regulation in the body. Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR 4), an important molecular pattern recognition receptor, can not only recognize the exogenous pathogen-associated molecular patterns but also identify endogenous damage-associated molecular patterns, leading to activation of innate immunity.