Epigallocatechin-3-gallate as an effective inhibitor of vascular endothelial dysfunction induced by endothelial-localized myeloperoxidase.

In inflammatory vasculature, the leukocyte-released myeloperoxidase (MPO) is internalized by endothelial cells and this enzyme promotes endothelial dysfunction by catalytically producing strong oxidant, hypochlorous acid (HOCl). Herein, we developed epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG, the main polyphenolic flavonoid found in green tea) as a novel endothelial-targeted MPO inhibitor. It was shown that culture of MPO and EGCG with vascular endothelial cells could result in their transport into the sub-endothelial space.

Groundwater quality evolution across China.

China is facing a severe groundwater quality crisis amid economic development and climate change, yet the extent and trajectory of this crisis remain largely unknown. Here we developed a machine-learning model, incorporating natural and social-economic factors, to construct annual probabilistic maps of poor groundwater quality (PGQ, i.e.

Recent advances of miR-23 in human diseases and growth development.

MicroRNA (miRNA) is broadly manifested in eukaryotes and serves as a critical function in biological development and disease occurrence. With the rapid advancement of experimental research tools, researchers have discovered functional correlations among different miRNA isoforms and clusters within the same miRNA family. As a highly conserved member in the miR-23-27-24 cluster, miR-23 exhibits different isoforms and participates in various essential development.

Critical new insights into the interactions of hexafluoropropylene oxide-dimer acid (GenX or HFPO-DA) with albumin at molecular and cellular levels.

A key characteristic to be elucidated, to address the harmful health risks of environmental perfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS), is their binding modes to serum albumin, the most abundant protein in blood. Hexafluoropropylene oxide-dimer acid (GenX or HFPO-DA) is a new industrial replacement for the widespread linear long-chain PFAS. However, the detailed interaction of new-generation short-chain PFAS with albumin is still lacking.

Automated segmentation of brain metastases with deep learning: A multi-center, randomized crossover, multi-reader evaluation study.

Background: Artificial intelligence has been proposed for brain metastasis (BM) segmentation but it has not been fully clinically validated. The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate a system for BM segmentation.

Methods: A deep-learning-based BM segmentation system (BMSS) was developed using contrast-enhanced MR images from 488 patients with 10338 brain metastases.

Clonal growth characteristics and diversity patterns of different Clintonia udensis (Liliaceae) diploid and tetraploid cytotypes in the Hualongshan Mountains.

Polyploidization plays an important role in plant evolution and biodiversity. However, intraspecific polyploidy compared to interspecific polyploidy received less attention. Clintonia udensis (Liliaceae) possess diploid (2n = 2x = 14) and autotetraploid (2n = 4x = 28) cytotypes.

Mapping Blood Lead Levels in China during 1980-2040 with Machine Learning.

Lead poisoning is globally concerning, yet limited testing hinders effective interventions in most countries. We aimed to create annual maps of county-specific blood lead levels in China from 1980 to 2040 using a machine learning model. Blood lead data from China were sourced from 1180 surveys published between 1980 and 2022.

Urinary cadmium levels in China (1982-2021): Regional trends and influential factors.

Despite the significant threat of cadmium exposure in China, a national-level assessment has been conspicuously absent. This study bridges this critical gap by collecting, geospatial analyzing and multivariable regression analyzing published studies on urinary cadmium levels in Chinese from 1982 to 2021. Our research reveals a notable decline trend in cadmium exposure among Chinese populations.

High-efficiency fiber-cladding power stripper based on all-dielectric optical thin films.

Although conventional fiber-cladding power strippers (CPSs) based on the techniques of high-index adhesive or corrosive liquids onto fiber inner cladding have been well developed, they are still facing challenges in special applications such as spaceborne or radiation-environment fiber lasers and amplifiers. In this paper, we propose and fabricate high-efficiency CPSs based on all-dielectric optical thin films. By numerically analyzing the propagation characteristics of cladding light at the thin film interface, we design a high-index CPS and CPS with single- and cascaded-layer films coated onto the fiber inner cladding, respectively.

Clinical characteristics and prognostic factors in nasopharyngeal carcinoma with brain metastasis: A retrospective, single-center study.

Background: Brain metastasis is rare in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), with only anecdotal cases reported. Conducting a systematic study is crucial for improving the management of these patients.

Materials And Methods: Forty-one patients with brain metastasis were retrospectively included between February 2000 and February 2023.

The interaction of perfluorooctane sulfonate with hemoproteins and its relevance to molecular toxicology.

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), a representative of perfluorinated compounds in industrial and commercial products, has posed a great threat to animals and humans via environmental exposure and dietary consumption. Herein, we investigated the effects of PFOS binding on the redox state and stability of two hemoproteins (hemoglobin (Hb) and myoglobin (Mb)). Fluorescence spectroscopy, circular dichroism and UV-vis absorption spectroscopy demonstrated that PFOS could induce the conformational changes of proteins along with the exposure of heme cavity and generation of hemichrome, which resulted in the increased release of free hemin.

Serum albumin acted as an effective carrier to improve the stability of bioactive flavonoid.

The health-improving functions of bioactive flavonoids in vitro and in vivo are often limited by their low stability, which could be counteracted by the application of proteins as carriers of flavonoids. Clarification of the mechanism of protein-ligand interaction is crucial for the encapsulation of bioactive components. Herein, common plasma proteins [i.

Serum albumin mitigated perfluorooctane sulfonate-induced cytotoxicity by affecting the cellular responses.

During the wide applications of perfluorinated materials such as perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in commercial and industrial products, the potential toxicity of these engineered compounds has attracted more and more attention. As a typical environmental pollutant, PFOS could preferentially bind to albumin protein in vivo. However, the role of protein-PFOS interactions in the cytotoxicity of PFOS was not stressed enough.

pH-dependent self-assembly mechanism of a single repetitive domain from a spider silk protein.

Spider silk is self-assembled from full-length silk proteins, and some silk protein fragments can also form silk-like fibers in vitro. However, the mechanism underlying the silk fiber formation is not understood well. In this study, we investigated the fiber formation of a single repetitive domain (RP) from a minor ampullate silk protein (MiSp).

Efficacy and Dose-Response Relationship of Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy for Abdominal Lymph Node Metastases from Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Background: The objective of this study was to investigate the treatment efficacy of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) and evaluate the influence of radiation dose on local control and survival in patients with abdominal lymph node metastases (LNM) from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Patients And Methods: Between 2010 and 2020, data of 148 patients with HCC with abdominal LNM, including 114 who underwent SBRT and 34 who received conventional fractionation radiation therapy (CFRT), were collected. A total radiation dose of 28-60 Gy was delivered in 3-30 fractions, with a median biologic effective dose (BED) of 60 Gy (range, 39-105 Gy).

1.3/1.4 µm dual-wave band dissipative soliton resonance in a passively mode-locked Bi-doped phosphosilicate fiber laser.

We report the 1.3/1.4 µm dual-wave band dissipative soliton resonance (DSR) in a passively mode-locked bismuth-doped phosphosilicate fiber (Bi-PSF) laser.