Antimicrobial peptide Mt 5 inhibits human hepatocellular carcinoma cell HepG2 proliferation.

The Mt 5 peptide is an antimicrobial peptide, its effect on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and its underlying mechanism is not understood. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of the Mt 5 peptide in a human HCC cell line, namely HepG2, in vitro. Notably, Mt 5 markedly reduced the growth of HepG2 cells by disrupting the cell membrane while exhibiting minimal toxicity to healthy liver cells.

High prevalence and seasonal patterns of vitamin D deficiency in children and adolescents in Central China: a three-year single-center study.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence and associated factors of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency in children and adolescents in Central China.

Methods: In total, 8,248 children and adolescents aged 0-18 years at a children's hospital from January 2019 to February 2022, were recruited. Their serum vitamin D levels were measured, and monthly meteorological and air pollution data were collected.

Research on the local path planning of an orchard mower based on safe corridor and quadratic programming.

Introduction: Path planning algorithms are challenging to implement with mobile robots in orchards due to kinematic constraints and unstructured environments with narrow and irregularly distributed obstacles.

Methods: To address these challenges and ensure operational safety, a local path planning method for orchard mowers is proposed in this study. This method accounts for the structural characteristics of the mowing operation route and utilizes a path-velocity decoupling method for local planning based on following the global reference operation route, which includes two innovations.

Hierarchical Nb@NbN core-shell-like nanocolumns for asymmetric supercapacitors.

Transition metal nitrides (TMNs) are promising electrode materials for supercapacitors because of their high electrical conductivity and chemical stability. The rational design and facile synthesis of TMNs electrode materials with a unique nanostructure are the key to develop high-performance supercapacitors. Herein, we propose a two-step, binder-free, and eco-friendly approach utilizing magnetron sputtering at an oblique angle deposition configuration to fabricate hierarchical Nb@NbN core-shell-like nanocolumns for supercapacitors.

Strong Metal-Support Interactions in Heterogeneous Oxygen Electrocatalysis.

Molecular oxygen redox electrocatalysis involves oxygen reduction and evolution as core reactions in various energy conversion and environmental technology fields. Strong metal-support interactions (SMSIs) based nanomaterials are regarded as desirable and state-of-the-art heterogeneous electrocatalysts due to their exceptional physicochemical properties. Over the past decades, considerable advancements in theory and experiment have been achieved in related studies, especially in modulating the electronic structure and geometrical configuration of SMSIs to enable activity, selectivity, and stability.

Research on the multitarget 3D trajectory tracking method of in the thermal infrared region based on YOLOX-GMM and SORT-Pest.

Introduction: Studying the behavioral responses and movement trajectories of insects under different stimuli is crucial for developing more effective biological control measures. Therefore, accurately obtaining the movement trajectories and behavioral parameters of insects in three-dimensional space is essential.

Methods: This study used the litchi pest as the research object.

Surface Reconstruction Regulation of CoN Through Heterostructure Engineering Toward Efficient Oxygen Evolution Reaction.

Oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysts generally experience structural and electronic modifications during electrocatalysis. This phenomenon, referred to as surface reconstruction, results in the formation of catalytically active species that act as real OER sites. Controlling surface reconstruction therefore is vital for enhancing the OER performance of electrocatalysts.

Muscle CT Radiomics is Feasible in the Identification of Gout.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of muscle CT radiomics in identifying gout.

Materials And Methods: A total of 30 gout patients and 20 non-gout cases with CT examinations of ankles were analyzed by using the methods of CT radiomics. CT radiomics features of the soleus muscle were extracted using the software of a 3D slicer, and then gout cases and non-gout cases were compared.

Osteogenic differentiation of bone mesenchymal stem cells on linearly aligned triangular micropatterns.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) hold promise for regenerative medicine, particularly for bone tissue engineering. However, directing MSC differentiation towards specific lineages, such as osteogenic, while minimizing undesired phenotypes remains a challenge. Here, we investigate the influence of micropatterns on the behavior and lineage commitment of rat bone marrow-derived MSCs (rBMSCs), focusing on osteogenic differentiation.

MEN1 Deficiency-Driven Activation of the β-Catenin-MGMT Axis Promotes Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumor Growth and Confers Temozolomide Resistance.

O6-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) removes alkyl adducts from the guanine O6 position (O-MG) and repairs DNA damage. High MGMT expression results in poor response to temozolomide (TMZ). However, the biological importance of MGMT and the mechanism underlying its high expression in pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PanNETs) remain elusive.

Application of LiLaZrTaMoO/PEO Composite Solid Electrolyte in High-Performance Lithium Batteries.

Replacing the flammable liquid electrolytes with solid ones has been considered to be the most effective way to improve the safety of the lithium batteries. However, the solid electrolytes often suffer from low ionic conductivity and poor rate capability due to their relatively stable molecular/atomic architectures. In this study, we report a composite solid electrolyte, in which polyethylene oxide (PEO) is the matrix and LiLaZrTaMoO (LLZTMO) and LiLaZrTaO (LLZTO) are the fillers.

Harnessing Mitochondrial Stress for Health and Disease: Opportunities and Challenges.

Mitochondria, essential organelles orchestrating cellular metabolism, have emerged as central players in various disease pathologies. Recent research has shed light on mitohormesis, a concept proposing an adaptive response of mitochondria to minor disturbances in homeostasis, offering novel therapeutic avenues for mitochondria-related diseases. This comprehensive review explores the concept of mitohormesis, elucidating its induction mechanisms and occurrence.

Investigating the Distribution and Antibiotic Resistance of Bacterial Pathogens in Clinical Specimens from a Chinese Maternal and Child Hospital: The Role of Environmental Factors.

Objective: To analyze bacterial distribution and antibiotic resistance in clinical specimens from a Chinese hospital for evaluating environmental factors' impact on pathogen prevalence.

Methods: From January 2017 to December 2021, we collected 42,854 clinical specimens from hospitalized children and women. The specimens were cultured on various agar plates and incubated at 35°C for 18-48 h.

Efficacy of acupuncture for a cough-related symptom cluster in patients with lung cancer: A randomized controlled trial.

Purpose: This study was designed to evaluate the effect of acupuncture on cough, expectoration, and shortness of breath in lung cancer patients.

Methods: Between December 2021 and June 2022, a total of 130 lung cancer patients were recruited, and they were split into control and intervention groups at random. Routine nursing was provided to the control group, whereas routine nursing with acupuncture using LU7 (Lie Que), LU9 (Tai Yuan), BL13 (Fei Shu), and BL20 (Pi Shu) was administered to the intervention group for 7 days.

Spatial confinement modulates endothelial cell behavior and traction force in 3D hydrogel microgrooves.

The mechanical environment of vascular endothelial cells (ECs) encompasses a wide range of curvatures due to variations in blood vessel diameters. Integrins, key mediators of cell-matrix interactions, establish connections between the extracellular matrix and the actin cytoskeleton, influencing diverse cellular behaviors. In this study, we explored the impact of spatial confinement on human umbilical vein ECs (HUVECs) cultured within three-dimensional hydrogel microgrooves of varying curvatures and the underlying role of integrins in mediating cellular responses.

Improvement of Perovskite Solar Cells Efficiency by Management of the Electron Withdrawing Groups in Hole Transport Materials: Theoretical Calculation and Experimental Verification.

Management of functional groups in hole transporting materials (HTMs) is a feasible strategy to improve perovskite solar cells (PSCs) efficiency. Therefore, starting from the carbazole-diphenylamine-based JY7 molecule, JY8 and JY9 molecules are incorporated into the different electron-withdrawing groups of fluorine and cyano groups on the side chains. The theoretical results reveal that the introduction of electron-withdrawing groups of JY8 and JY9 can improve these highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy levels, intermolecular stacking arrangements, and stronger interface adsorption on the perovskite.

Angiogenesis and Microvascular Permeability.

Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood microvessels, is a necessary physiological process for tissue generation and repair. Sufficient blood supply to the tissue is dependent on microvascular density, while the material exchange between the circulating blood and the surrounding tissue is controlled by microvascular permeability. We thus begin this article by reviewing the key signaling factors, particularly vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which regulates both angiogenesis and microvascular permeability.

Research on the ditching resistance reduction of self-excited vibrations ditching device based on MBD-DEM coupling simulation.

In plant horticulture, furrow fertilizing is a common method to promote plant nutrient absorption and to effectively avoid fertilizer waste. Considering the high resistance caused by soil compaction in southern orchards, an energy-saving ditching device was proposed. A standard ditching blade with self-excited vibration device was designed, and operated in sandy clay with a tillage depth of 30cm.

Association of lipoprotein lipase gene variants with hyperlipidemic acute pancreatitis in southeastern Chinese population.

Objective: The study aims to explore the relationship between lipoprotein lipase variants and hyperlipidemic acute pancreatitis (HLAP) in the southeastern Chinese population.

Subjects And Methods: In total, 80 participants were involved in this study (54 patients with HLAP and 26 controls). All coding regions and intron-exon boundaries of the gene were sequenced.