PpNAP4 and ethylene act in a regulatory loop to modulate peach fruit ripening and softening.

Ripening significantly influences fruit quality and commercial value. Peaches (Prunus persica), a climacteric fruit, exhibit increased ethylene biosynthesis and decreased fruit firmness during ripening. NAC-like proteins activated by AP3/P1 (NAP) proteins are a subfamily of NAC transcription factors, and certain NAPs have been shown to intervene in fruit ripening.

NAC Transcription Factor PpNAP4 Promotes Chlorophyll Degradation and Anthocyanin Synthesis in the Skin of Peach Fruit.

Chlorophyll (Chl) catabolism and anthocyanin synthesis play pivotal roles in determining the final skin color of fruits during maturation. However, in peach () fruit, the regulatory mechanism governing skin color, especially the Chl catabolism, remains largely elusive. In this study, we identified ten Chl catabolic genes (CCGs), with emerging as a key regulator in Chl degradation in peaches.

DNA Nanoparticle Based 2D Biointerface to Study the Effect of Dynamic RGD Presentation on Stem Cell Adhesion and Migration.

The native extracellular matrix (ECM) undergoes constant remodeling, where adhesive ligand presentation changes over time and in space to control stem cell function. As such, it is of interest to develop 2D biointerfaces able to study these complex ligand stem-cell interactions. In this study, a novel dynamic bio interface based on DNA hybridization is developed, which can be employed to control ligand display kinetics and used to study dynamic cell-ligand interaction.

Facile Preparation of Hydrogel-Coated Surfaces with Antifouling and Salt Resistance for Efficient Solar-Driven Water Evaporation.

Hydrogel-based evaporators are a promising strategy to obtain freshwater from seawater and sewage. However, the time-consuming and energy-consuming methods used in hydrogel preparation, as well as their limited scalability, are major factors that hinder the development of a hydrogel-based evaporator. Herein, a facile and scalable strategy was designed to prepare a hydrogel-coated evaporator to realize efficient solar-driven water evaporation.

Development of Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticle-Based Films with Tunable Arginine-Glycine-Aspartate Peptide Global Density and Clustering Levels to Study Stem Cell Adhesion and Differentiation.

Stem cell adhesion is mediated via the binding of integrin receptors to adhesion motifs present in the extracellular matrix (ECM). The spatial organization of adhesion ligands plays an important role in stem cell integrin-mediated adhesion. In this study, we developed a series of biointerfaces using arginine-glycine-aspartate (RGD)-functionalized mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN-RGD) to study the effect of RGD adhesion ligand global density (ligand coverage over the surface), spacing, and RGD clustering levels on stem cell adhesion and differentiation.

Ultrasmall Cu(PO) Nanoparticles Reinforced Hydrogel Membrane for Super-antifouling Oil/Water Emulsion Separation.

Membrane fouling is a persistent and crippling challenge for oily wastewater treatment due to the high susceptibility of membranes to contamination. A feasible strategy is to design a robust and stable hydration layer on the membrane surface to prevent contaminates. A hydrogel illustrates a distinct category of materials with outstanding antifouling performance but is limited by its weak mechanical property.

DNA modified MSN-films as versatile biointerfaces to study stem cell adhesion processes.

A significant bottleneck in the clinical translation of stem cells remains eliciting the desired stem cell behavior once transplanted in the body. In their natural environment, stem cell fate is regulated by their interaction with extracellular matrix (ECM), mainly through integrin-mediated cell adhesion. 2D biointerfaces that selectively present ECM-derived ligands can be used as valuable tools to study and improve our understanding on how stem cells interact with their environment.

Soybean Oil Treatment Using the Dissolving Curve Equation of Hydrogen.

The solubility of hydrogen in n-hexane was determined using a homemade reactor. The solubility of hydrogen in soybean oil was established using the Peng-Robinson (PR) equation of state and the van der Waals mixing rule. The curve equation established a linear relationship between the solubility of hydrogen in oil and the number of moles of hydrogen in the reactor.

Effect of ultrasound on the preparation of soy protein isolate-maltodextrin embedded hemp seed oil microcapsules and the establishment of oxidation kinetics models.

In this study, microcapsules were prepared by spray drying and embedding hemp seed oil (HSO) with soy protein isolate (SPI) and maltodextrin (MD) as wall materials. The effect of ultrasonic power on the microstructure and characteristics of the composite emulsion and microcapsules was studied. Studies have shown that ultrasonic power has a significant impact on the stability of composite emulsions.

2D biointerfaces to study stem cell-ligand interactions.

Stem cells have great potential in the field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine due to their inherent regenerative capabilities. However, an ongoing challenge within their clinical translation is to elicit or predict the desired stem cell behavior once transplanted. Stem cell behavior and function are regulated by their interaction with biophysical and biochemical signals present in their natural environment (i.

Erratum: Multifunctional Polyethylene Glycol (PEG)-Poly (Lactic-Co-Glycolic Acid) (PLGA)-Based Nanoparticles Loading Doxorubicin and Tetrahydrocurcumin for Combined Chemoradiotherapy of Glioma.

The authors informed the journal that an error occurred in their manuscript. Figure 2D was mistakenly overlooked by the authors during the galley proof stage. Reference: 1.

Multifunctional Polyethylene Glycol (PEG)-Poly (Lactic-Co-Glycolic Acid) (PLGA)-Based Nanoparticles Loading Doxorubicin and Tetrahydrocurcumin for Combined Chemoradiotherapy of Glioma.

BACKGROUND This study aimed to prepare doxorubicin- and tetrahydrocurcumin-loaded and transferrin-modified PEG-PLGA nanoparticles (Tf-NPs-DOX-THC) for enhanced and synergistic chemoradiotherapy. MATERIAL AND METHODS Tf-NPs-DOX-THC were prepared via the double-emulsion method. The morphologies and particle sizes of the prepared nanoparticles were examined by TEM and DLS, respectively.

Triamcinolone acetonide-chitosan coated liposomes efficiently treated retinal edema as eye drops.

Macular edema (ME), which is present in various retinal diseases, leads to permanent retinal structural damage and threatens vision. The intravitreal/periocular injection of triamcinolone acetonide (TA) can improve the prognosis of ME; however, further exploration of noninvasive delivery systems is essential. Therefore, as a continuation of our previous study using TA-chitosan coated liposomes (TA-CHLs) as a topical drug delivery system, the present study aimed to determine the drug safety, stability, permeability, and bioavailability of TA-CHLs.

A more efficient ocular delivery system of triamcinolone acetonide as eye drop to the posterior segment of the eye.

As a leading cause of vision impairment of the retina, macular edema (ME) has one of the highest clinical demands for treatment. Current treatment of ME relies heavily on invasive techniques resulting in complications and poor patient compliance. To enhance the efficiency of triamcinolone acetonide as eye drop to the posterior segment of the eye, we developed and characterized a novel formulation, namely, triamcinolone acetonide chitosan-coated liposomes (TA-CHL), prepared by the calcium acetate gradient method with some modifications.

Heparin-reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites for curcumin delivery: in vitro, in vivo and molecular dynamics simulation study.

Graphene-based nanomaterials (GBNMs) have great potential in drug delivery and photothermal therapy owing to their unique physicochemical properties. However, inferior water solubility and biocompatibility related issues greatly restricted their further applications. Herein, to rectify the obstructive problems, we prepared uniform and smaller sized graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets (∼85 nm) via a modified Hummers' method, which exhibited significantly improved hemocompatibility compared to random large sized GO nanosheets prepared by a common method.

The enhanced effect of tetrahydrocurcumin on radiosensitivity of glioma cells.

Objectives: To evaluate the effects of tetrahydrocurcumin (THC) on the radiosensitivity of glioma cells and the possible molecular mechanism.

Methods: MTT assay, colony forming and wound healing assays were performed to detect the proliferation, radiosensitivity and migration of cells with various treatments. Cell apoptosis, cell cycle and GHS level were determined for exploring potent sensitization mechanism of THC.

Tumor targeting strategies for chitosan-based nanoparticles.

Currently, targeted nanoparticles (NPs) are rapidly being developed to overcome various bottlenecks of antitumor agents, such as poor solubility in aqueous solution, poor pharmacokinetics, a lack of selectivity and undesirable side effects in healthy tissues. In recent years, chitosan, a cationic polysaccharide, has been widely explored for the targeted delivery of antitumor agents due to its unique physicochemical and biological properties, such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, mucoadhesive feature, absorption enhancement and active functional groups for chemical modifications. This article reviews the recent developments in various target-specific nanoparticles based on chitosan and its derivatives, including passive, active and stimuli-sensitive targeting strategies.

Paliperidone protects SK-N-SH cells against glutamate toxicity via Akt1/GSK3β signaling pathway.

Schizophrenia is a heterogeneous psychotic illness and its etiology remains poorly understood. Recent studies have suggested that neurodegeneration is a component of schizophrenia pathology and some atypical antipsychotics appear to slow progressive morphological brain changes. In addition, the atypical antipsychotics were reported to have a superior therapeutic efficacy in treating schizophrenia and have a low incidence of extrapyramidal side effects (EPS) compared to typical antipsychotics.

Paliperidone protects prefrontal cortical neurons from damages caused by MK-801 via Akt1/GSK3β signaling pathway.

Recent studies have suggested that neurodegeneration is involved in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia, and some atypical antipsychotics appear to prevent or retard progressive morphological brain changes. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are largely unknown. Whether changes in intracellular signaling pathways are related to their neuroprotective effects remains undefined.