[Application status of methotrexate in patients with rheumatoid arthritis].

Objective: To investigate the current status of methotrexate (MTX) application in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients.

Methods: The clinical and laboratory data of RA patients who attended in the Department of Rheumatology and Immunology of Peking University Third Hospital from January 1, 2022 to November 31, 2023 were collected retrospectively. In order to figure out the relationship between MTX use and RA disease control, we recorded information including the starting dose, maximum dose, current dose, reasons of discontinuation of MTX, .

Rapid virus inactivation by nanoparticles-embedded photodynamic surfaces.

The persistent threat of viral epidemics poses significant risks to human health, highlighting the urgent need for antiviral surfaces to mitigate viral transmission through bioaerosols and surface contamination. However, there is still a scarcity of readily accessible antiviral coatings to address this critical concern. In this study, we demonstrate that photodynamic nanoparticle-embedded surfaces can swiftly inactivate both enveloped and non-enveloped viruses.

The Synergy between Antibiotics and the Nanoparticle-Based Photodynamic Effect.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing global health concern, necessitating innovative strategies beyond the development of new antibiotics. Here, we employed NdYVO:Eu nanoparticles, which can persistently produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) after stopping the light, as a model of photodynamic nanoparticles and demonstrated that the photodynamic effect can serve as an adjuvant with antibiotics to effectively reduce their minimum inhibitory concentration. These preirradiated nanoparticles could penetrate the bacterial cell membrane, significantly enhancing the potency of antibiotics.

Analysis of the improved mechanism of VK-2-3 coenzyme Q10 by reverse metabolic engineering.

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is an essential medicinal ingredient. In this study, we obtained a high-yielding mutant strain of CoQ10, VK-2-3, by subjecting V-0 (V-0) to a C heavy ion beam and high-voltage prick electric field treatment. To investigate the mutation mechanism, the complete genomes of VK-2-3 and V-0 were sequenced.

Soluble CXCL16 is a prognostic biomarker associated with rapidly progressive interstitial lung disease complicated with dermatomyositis.

Objectives: Rapidly progressive interstitial lung disease (RPILD) in patients with dermatomyositis (DM) significantly impacts prognosis, leading to high mortality rates. Although several indicators have been demonstrated to strongly correlate with the risk of developing RPILD, their clinical utility still needs to be investigated. The objective of this study was to investigate the clinical significance of soluble CXCL16 (sCXCL16) in DM patients complicated with RPILD.

Ba-doping introduced piezoelectricity and efficient Ultrasound-Triggered bactericidal activity of brookite TiO nanorods.

Exploring highly efficient ultrasound-triggered catalysts is pivotal for various areas. Herein, we presented that Ba doped brookite TiO nanorod (TiO: Ba) with polarization-induced charge separation is a candidate. The replacement of Ba for Ti not only induced significant lattice distortion to induce polarization but also created oxygen vacancy defects for facilitating the charge separation, leading to high-efficiency reactive oxygen species (ROS) evolution in the piezo-catalytic processes.

An Indocyanine Green-Based Nanocluster for Imaging Orthodox Endometriosis Lesions with Negative Contrast.

Indocyanine green (ICG), as the sole near-infrared dye FDA-approved, is limited in biomedical applications because of its poor photostability, lack of targeting, and rapid removal in vivo. Herein, we presented a nanoformulation of poly-l-lysine-indocyanine green-hyaluronic acid (PIH) and demonstrated that it can image orthodox endometriosis (EM) lesions with a negative contrast. The PIH nanocluster, with an average diameter of approximately 200 nm, exhibited improved fluorescence photostability and antioxidant ability compared to free ICG.

Nitazoxanide reduces inflammation and bone erosion in mice with collagen-induced arthritis via inhibiting the JAK2/STAT3 and NF-κB pathways in fibroblast-like synoviocytes.

Our recent study showed that Nitazoxanide (NTZ), an FDA-approved anti-parasitic drug, prevents ovariectomy-induced bone loss by inhibiting osteoclast activity. However, there have been no investigations to determine whether NTZ has preventive potential in other bone resorbing diseases, especially rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In this study, the primary RA fibroblast-like synoviocytes (RA-FLS) and collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) murine model were used to evaluate the effect of NTZ.

Infiltrating Perfluorocarbon Nanoemulsion and Sensitizing Ultrasound Cavitation to Eradicate Biofilms.

Developing strategies for the treatment of bacterial biofilms is challenging due to their complex and resilient structure, low permeability to therapeutics, and ability to protect resident pathogens. Herein, we demonstrate that a polylysine-stabilized perfluorocarbon nanoemulsion is favored for penetrating biofilms and sensitizing the cavitation effect of low-intensity ultrasound, resulting in the dispersal of extracellular polymeric substances and killing of the protected cells. Through experiments, we observed a complete penetration of the nanoemulsion in a 40 μm biofilm and demonstrated that it was induced by the fluidic perfluorocarbon, possibly attributing to its low surface tension.

Reversible cardiac function and left ventricular hypertrophy in a Chinese man with mitochondrial myopathy: a case report.

Background: Mitochondrial myopathies (MMs) are a group of multi-system diseases caused by abnormalities in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) or mutations of nuclear DNA (nDNA). The diagnosis of mitochondrial myopathy (MM) is reliant on the combination of history and physical examination, muscle biopsy, histochemical studies, and next-generation sequencing. Patients with MMs have diverse clinical manifestations.

Ultrasmall Day-Night Photocatalysts of LnYVO:Eu (Ln = Nd, Tm, and Er) Nanoparticles.

Day-night photocatalysts that can persistently generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) after ceasing light attracted intensive attention in diverse fields. However, current strategies of combining a photocatalyst and an energy storage material can hardly fulfill the demands, especially in size. We herein present a one-phase sub-5 nm day-night photocatalyst via simply doping Nd, Tm, or Er into YVO:Eu nanoparticles, efficiently producing ROS in both day and night modes.

Erbium oxide nanoplates as a sonosensitizer devoid of photosensitivity.

Phototoxicity is an undesirable consequence of photodynamic and most sonodynamic therapies. In the current work, we showed that ErO nanoplates can avoid being cytotoxic when exposed to light and could be an effective sonosensitizer.

An antibacterial chitosan-based hydrogel as a potential degradable bio-scaffold for alveolar ridge preservation.

Post-extraction, preventing the absorption of alveolar ridge to retain the supporting construction for implanted teeth is still a challenge. Herein, we developed modified chitosan (CS)-based hydrogel using -hydroxysuccinimide-terminated 4-arm poly (ethylene glycol) (4-arm-PEG-NHS) as the crosslinking agent, after introducing it to the polyhexamethyleneguanidine hydrochloride (PHMB) solution, CS/PEG/PHMB hydrogel with the enhanced antibacterial properties was obtained. The CS/PEG hydrogel and CS/PEG/PHMB hydrogel prepared here showed excellent mechanical strength and their compressive strength could reach 440 kPa and 450 kPa, respectively.

Genetic diversity and pathogenicity of novel chicken astrovirus in China.

Five novel chicken astrovirus (CAstV) strains, designated ZDF, MHC, WSC, WSW and MHW, were successfully isolated from chickens with gout, and were subjected to full genome sequencing characterization and tested for their pathogenic effects in specific pathogen-free (SPF) chicken embryos and chickens. The complete genomes of the five isolated strains were approximately 7436 nt to 7511 nt in length. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that strains ZDF and MHC were clustered in a clade with strains isolated in China and that the others were clustered with strains from other countries.

Mitochondrial DNA Depletion Syndrome and Its Associated Cardiac Disease.

Mitochondria is a ubiquitous, energy-supplying (ATP-based) organelle found in nearly all eukaryotes. It acts as a "power plant" by producing ATP through oxidative phosphorylation, providing energy for the cell. The bioenergetic functions of mitochondria are regulated by nuclear genes (nDNA).

Radiographic analysis of the sacral-2-alar screw trajectory.

Purpose: To explore the feasibility of sacral-2-alar (S2-alar) screw placement by measuring the length, diameter, and angle of the screw trajectory on computed tomography (CT).

Methods: This study selected 100 Han-nationality adults in northern China with a normal spine and pelvis. CT data were imported into PHILIPS software for reconstructing the 3D digital images.

PEG/Sodium Tripolyphosphate-Modified Chitosan/Activated Carbon Membrane for Rhodamine B Removal.

Textile dyes from wastewater effluent are highly toxic to both living species and aqueous environments. An environmentally friendly method to remove hazardous dyes from wastewater in the textile industry has been a challenge. Chitosan (CS) and activated carbon (AC) are widely used as adsorbents for dye removal.

Does the grassland ecological compensation policy improve the herders' breeding technical efficiency in China?-Based on the parallel mediation effect model.

The Grassland Ecological Compensation Policy (abbreviated as GECP), which aims to realize the ecological protection by reducing the stock-carrying capacity of pastures and promote the transformation of pasture animal husbandry by improving the herders' breeding methods, has been a major project in China's grassland pastoral areas and grassland ecological construction. This study, thus, sought to measure the breeding efficiency of herders before and after the implementation of GECP. Moreover, the study also thought to analyze the effect and the effecting path of the implementation of GECP on the efficiency of herders' livestock breeding.

Whole Genome Characterization and Genetic Evolution Analysis of a New Ostrich Parvovirus.

Ostrich diseases characterized by paralysis have been breaking out in broad areas of China since 2015, causing major damage to the ostrich breeding industry in China. This report describes a parvovirus detected in ostriches from four different regions. The entire genomes of four parvovirus strains were sequenced following amplification by PCR, and we conducted comprehensive analysis of the ostrich parvovirus genome.

Mutagenesis of Rhodobacter sphaeroides using atmospheric and room temperature plasma treatment for efficient production of coenzyme Q10.

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) plays an important role in the human respiratory chain and is widely used as medicine and dietary supplement. To improve the fermentation efficiency of CoQ10, a modified version of atmospheric and room temperature plasma (ARTP) treatment was used to mutate Rhodobacter sphaeroides. Meanwhile, Vitamin K3, a structural analog of CoQ10, was used as an inhibitor for mutant selection.