The aim of this study was to comprehensively analyze the structural characteristics of Ziziphus jujuba dates polysaccharide (ZJP-I) and its potential activity against colitis in vivo. A series of advanced analytical techniques, including ion exchange chromatography, gel column chromatography, infrared (IR) spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), were used to characterize the structure of ZJP-I. The results showed that the molecular weight of ZJP-I was 2.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe use of guar gum in the food industry faces challenges owing to its large molecular weight and high viscosity. Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is a novel technique that utilizes the reactive species produced by high voltage discharge to modify food ingredients. In this study, guar gum was treated with CAP at different powers and duration, and its rheological properties, molecular structure, thermal stability, emulsifying activity, and stability were evaluated.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAllergic rhinitis (AR), which presents symptoms like sneezing and a runny nose, is categorized as an upper respiratory condition of type 2. Recent progress in comprehending AR has revealed the significant role played by type 2 cytokines, specifically interleukin (IL)-13, IL-4, and IL-5. These cytokines are released by helper T cells 2 (Th2) and innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCarrageenan fibers developed by wet spinning have been extensively studied due to their remarkable flame-retardant characteristics. However, its mechanical properties have not been significantly improved, which limits the further development of carrageenan fibers. Traditionally, the first coagulation bath has been selected as a KCl solution, which can promote the formation of gels from carrageenan without reacting with NaOH to produce precipitates.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe effect of an oriented external electric field (EEF) on materials has led to the ongoing development, which stimulates us to consider whether intracage microelectric fields (IMEFs) can be used to substitute for the EEF. Focusing on the manipulation and evaluation of the IMEF of asymmetric molecular containers, the host-guest compounds of interesting pineapple-shaped Y@CX (X = vacant, Cl, F, and H; Y = NHCl, HO-Cl, and 2HO) are theoretically constructed and the strength of the IMEF was evaluated by the intrapotential energy surface analysis by using the point charge ( = +1) scanning method. Interestingly, the left and right halves of each cage are like two IMEFs connected in reverse series.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCurrently, platinum (Pt)/carbon support composite materials have tremendous application prospects in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). However, one of the primary challenges for boosting their performance is designing a substrate with the desired microstructure. Herein, the intact hollow carbon spheres (HCSs) were prepared via template method.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe expression levels of microRNA (miRNA) vary significantly in correlation with the occurrence and progression of cancer, making them valuable biomarkers for cancer diagnosis. However, their quantitative detection faces challenges due to the high sequence homology, low abundance and small size. In this work, we established a strand displacement amplification (SDA) approach based on miRNA-triggered structural "Lock" nucleic acid ("Lock" DNA), coupled with the CRISPR/Cas12a system, for detecting miRNA-21 in breast cancer cells.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWith the improvement of modern living standards, the challenge of diabetic wound healing has significantly impacted the public health system. In this study, our objective was to enhance the bioactivity of taxifolin (TAX) by encapsulating it in liposomes using a thin film dispersion method. Additionally, polyvinyl alcohol/carboxymethyl chitosan-based hydrogels were prepared through repeated freeze-thawing.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTo identify superalkali-alkaline earthide ion pairs, it's theoretically shown that, as a novel class of excess electron superalkali compounds, both chair and boat forms of (AM-HMHC)-AM' (AM = Li, Na, and K; AM' = Be, Mg, and Ca; HMHC = 1,4,7,10,13,16-hexamethyl-1,4,7,10,13,16-hexaazacyclooctadecane) are good candidates. An attractive superalkali-alkaline earthide ion pair in (AM-HMHC)-AM' is firstly exhibited, which possesses alkaline-earthide characteristics and nonlinear optical response superior to similar M(calix[4]pyrrole)M' (M = Li, Na, and K; M' = Be, Mg, and Ca) with high stability. The electronic and vibrational second order hyperpolarizabilities and the frequency-dependent first hyperpolarizabilities of (AM-HMHC)-AM' are presented.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Wolfberry is rich in carotenoids, flavonoids, vitamins, alkaloids, betaines and other bioactive ingredients. For over 2,000 years, wolfberry has been used in China as a medicinal and edible plant resource. Nevertheless, the content of bioactive ingredients varies by cultivars, resulting in uneven quality across wolfberry cultivars and species.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPeriodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease deriving from dental plaque, characterized by the excessive accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) and other substances, resulting in the destruction of periodontal tissues. At present, the main therapeutic modalities, such as local mechanical debridement and antibiotic delivery, are not only difficult to solve the intractable bacterial biofilm effectively but also tricky to ameliorate the excessive inflammatory response as well as regenerate the impaired periodontal tissues. Herein, we have proposed the TM/BHT/CuTA hydrogel system formed by the self-assembly of the copper-based nanozyme (copper tannic acid coordination nanosheets, CuTA NSs) and the triglycerol monostearate/2,6-di--butyl-4-methylphenol (TM/BHT) hydrogel.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn recent years, bifunctional electrocatalysts, nanomaterials directly grown on the substrate for application towards the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), have become of interest for sustainable and clean energy technologies. However, the influence of interfacial interactions between the electrode materials and substrate on device performance remains unclear and is rarely investigated. Herein, we report two-dimensional (2D) CoO nanosheets grown on carbon cloth (CC) (2D CoO/CC) to construct a hybrid electrocatalyst with a seamlessly conductive network.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFReinforced edible film with active nanoparticles has been in increasing demand as a new technology to improve the quality and extend the shelf-life of muscle foods. The study aimed to fabricate and characterize a novel potato starch (Pst)/watermelon peel pectin (Wpp) composite film with the microencapsulated Lycium barbarum leaf flavonoids (MLF) and nano-TiO (Pst/Wpp/MLF/TiO) and further apply the film in Tan mutton preservation. The moisture content, thickness and water vapor permeability (WVP) of the composite film were relatively increased with increasing the percentage of MLF, while nano-TiO had slight influence on the thickness, but leaded to a significantly decreased the moisture content and WVP.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTo explore the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to biosynthesis of active ingredients in wolfberry fruits of different varieties of L. and reveal the molecular mechanism of the differences of active ingredients, we utilized Illumina NovaSeq 6000 high-throughput sequencing technology to conduct transcriptome sequencing on the fruits of 'Ningqi No.1' and 'Ningqi No.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFContext And Aims: Melatonin is a powerful antioxidant regulating various biological functions, including alleviating male reproductive damage under pathological conditions. Here, we aim to analyse the effect of melatonin on normal male reproduction in mice.
Methods: Male mice received an intraperitoneal injection of melatonin (10mg/kg body weight) for 35 consecutive days.
Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) harms mammalian testis development, yet the specific mechanism of its effect on sperm quality and function is unclear. In this study, male mice were administrated DEHP (200 mg/kg/day) via intragastric (i.g.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: To clarify the ambiguity of the function of CMTM3 in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and explore its molecular mechanism.
Methods: The Cmtm3-KO C57BL/6 mouse strain was established using CRISPR-Cas9. Acute liver damage and HCC models were induced by peritoneal injection of 100 or 25 mg/kg.
Doxorubicin (DOX) is an effective chemotherapy drug, but its clinical use has adverse effects on male reproduction. However, there are few studies about the specific biological processes related to male reproduction or strategies for improving fertility protection. In this paper, we examined the effects of DOX on spermatogenesis and sperm function, and tested the possible protective role of melatonin (MLT) against DOX's reproductive toxicity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe treatment of diabetic wounds remains a global challenge. Compared with traditional wound dressings, there are higher requirements of antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and pro-angiogenic effects in diabetic wound dressings. Furthermore, it is desirable for dressings to self-adapt to wounds with different morphologies without extra processes and stably (suitable adhesive and self-healing abilities) provide a conducive environment for wound healing.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTo combine both electride and alkalide characteristics in one molecular switch, it is shown herein that the phenalenyl radical and the M ring (M-PHY, M = Li, Na, and K) stacked with parallel and vertical geometries are good candidates. The former geometry is the superalkali electride e⋯M-PHY while the latter geometry is the superalkalide M-M-PHY. The superalkalide M-M-PHY may isomerize to the superalkali electride e⋯M-PHY (M = Li, Na, and K) using suitable long-wavelength irradiation, while the latter may isomerize to the former with suitable short-wavelength irradiation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFExcessive fibrosis is the major factor in the failure of glaucoma filtration surgery. So far, the dominant approach for inhibiting fibrosis is the use of an antimetabolite drug, but the complications it causes, such as filtering bleb leakage, bacterial endophthalmitis and ocular hypotony, are also inevitable. Herein, a multifunctional anti-scarring platform (PVA@rGO-Ag/5-Fu) integrated with outstanding photothermal, antibacterial and drug delivery abilities is developed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAlthough cytokinins (CKs) regulate fruit development, no direct genetic evidence supports the role of endogenous CKs in pericarp growth or development or fruit size. Here, we report that the reduction in endogenous active CKs level via overexpression of a CKs-inactivating enzyme gene AtCKX2 specifically in fruit tissues resulted in reduced pericarp thickness and smaller fruit size, compared to wild-type control fruits. The pericarp thickness and single fruit weight in transgenic plants were significantly reduced.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFChemotherapeutic drug of paclitaxel (PTX) has been shown to cause reproductive toxicity thus affecting male fertility, but its underlying molecular basis is unclear. Melatonin (MLT) can mitigate the reproductive damage caused by certain chemotherapy drugs. In this study, we aimed to identify impact of PTX on the main biological processes and protective effect of MLT on reproductive damage caused by PTX.
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