Construction of a dual-component hydrogel matrix for 3D biomimetic skin based on photo-crosslinked chondroitin sulfate/collagen.

The main challenge in the field of 3D biomimetic skin is to search for a suitable hydrogel matrix with good biocompatibility, appropriate mechanical property and inner porosity that can support the adhesion and proliferation of skin cells. In this study, photocurable chondroitin sulfate methacrylate (CSMA) and collagen methacrylate (CoLMA) synthesized from chondroitin sulfate (CS) and type I collagen I (CoL) in the dermal matrix were used to construct a photo-crosslinked dual-component CSMA-CoLMA hydrogel matrix. Due to the toughening effect of the dual-component, the CSMA-CoLMA hydrogel improved the intrinsic brittleness of the single-component CSMA hydrogel, presented good mechanical tunability.

Explorating the mechanism of Huangqin Tang against skin lipid accumulation through network pharmacology and experimental validation.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Huangqin Tang (HQT), a famous prescription with the effect of clearing pathogenic heat and detoxifying, was first recorded in "Treatise on Typhoid and Miscellaneous Diseases". It has proved that HQT has good anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects and can improve acne symptoms clinically. However, the study on the regulation of HQT on sebum secretion which is one of the inducements of acne is not enough.

Hydrolyzed Conchiolin Protein (HCP) Extracted from Pearls Antagonizes both ET-1 and -MSH for Skin Whitening.

Pearl powder is a famous traditional Chinese medicine that has a long history in treating palpitations, insomnia, convulsions, epilepsy, ulcers, and skin lightining. Recently, several studies have demonstrated the effects of pearl extracts on protection of ultraviolet A (UVA) induced irritation on human skin fibroblasts and inhibition of melanin genesis on B16F10 melanoma cells. To further explore the effect we focused on the whitening efficacy of pearl hydrolyzed conchiolin protein (HCP) on melanoma MNT-1 cells under the irritation of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (-MSH) or endothelin 1 (ET-1) to evaluate the intracellular tyrosinase and melanin contents, as well as the expression levels of tyrosinase (), tyrosinase related protein 1 (), and dopachrome tautomerase () genes and related proteins.

Protocol for quantitative ethology on natural social interactions in .

Quantitative ethology of social interactions between free-moving animals enables precise measurement of behavioral kinematics critical for various disciplines such as neuroscience. Here, we describe a set of tools for quantitative ethology of social interactions including the analysis pipeline SoAL, the training dataset SDPD, and the camera control software MIAS, along with experimental details. These tools are directly applicable for courtship behavior in Drosophila and can be used for other social interactions in other species after modification.

Behavioral signatures of structured feature detection during courtship in Drosophila.

Many animals detect other individuals effortlessly. In Drosophila, previous studies have examined sensory processing during social interactions using simple blobs as visual stimulation; however, whether and how flies extract higher-order features from conspecifics to guide behavior remains elusive. Arguing that this should be reflected in sensorimotor relations, we developed unbiased machine learning tools for natural behavior quantification and applied these tools, which may prove broadly useful, to study interacting pairs.

The effects of PPAR-gamma ligand pioglitazone on platelet aggregation and arterial thrombus formation.

Background: It has been suggested that peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-gamma ligands reduce the development of atherosclerosis and myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury; both of these phenomena are associated with platelet activation. We postulated that PPAR-gamma activation would inhibit platelet activation and intra-arterial thrombus formation.

Methods And Results: Sprague-Dawley rats were fed chow mixed with pioglitazone (1 or 10 mg/kg/day) for 7 to 10 days.

Human urotensin II modulates collagen synthesis and the expression of MMP-1 in human endothelial cells.

Objectives: Human urotensin II (hU-II) is a cyclic peptide highly expressed in cardiac tissues and blood vessels. hU-II is a potent vasoconstrictor. Recent studies indicate that urotensin II participates in myocardial remodeling after injury.