Development of specific molecular markers for medicinal peony () with double flower.

In China, medicinal with double flowers (DFs) does not produce seeds, yet it possesses significantly higher paeoniflorin content compared with its single-flowered counterpart. The propagation of medicinal with DFs relies solely on rhizomes. However, due to economic motivations, the rhizomes of medicinal with single flowers (SFs) are often mixed with those of medicinal with DFs.

The Critical Isomerization Effect of Core Bromination on Nonfullerene Acceptors in Achieving High-Performance Organic Solar Cells with Low Energy Loss.

Highly efficient nonfullerene acceptors (NFAs) for organic solar cells (OSCs) with low energy loss (E) and favorable morphology are critical for breaking the efficiency bottleneck and achieving commercial applications of OSCs. In this work, quinoxaline-based NFAs are designed and synthesized using a synergistic isomerization and bromination approach. The π-expanded quinoxaline-fused core exhibits different bromination sites for isomeric NFAs, namely AQx-21 and AQx-22.

Emergent Skyrmions in CrTe nanoflakes at Room Temperature.

Chiral noncollinear magnetic nanostructures, such as skyrmions, are intriguing spin configurations with significant potential for magnetic memory technologies. However, the limited availability of 2D magnetic materials that host skyrmions with Curie temperatures above room temperature presents a major challenge for practical implementation. Chromium tellurides exhibit diverse spin configurations and remarkable stability under ambient conditions, making them a promising platform for fundamental spin physics research and the development of innovative 2D spintronic devices.

Macrophages in organ fibrosis: from pathogenesis to therapeutic targets.

Fibrosis, an excessive self-repair response, is an age-related pathological process that universally affects various major organs such as the heart, liver, kidney, and lungs. Continuous accumulation of pathological tissue fibrosis destroys structural integrity and causes loss of function, with consequent organ failure and increased mortality. Although some differences exist in the triggering mechanisms and pathophysiologic manifestations of organ-specific fibrosis, they usually share similar cascading responses and features, including chronic inflammatory stimulation, parenchymal cell injury, and macrophage recruitment.

Evaluating the roles of microRNAs associated with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in hepatocellular carcinoma tumorigenesis: a systematic review and network analysis.

Introduction: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become the leading cause of chronic liver disease worldwide. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common malignancy worldwide, with high morbidity and mortality. The rapidly increasing incidence of NAFLD is becoming an essential precursor of HCC globally.

Mechanistic Modeling of Spatial Heterogeneity of Drug Penetration and Exposure in the Human Central Nervous System and Brain Tumors.

Direct measurement of spatial-temporal drug penetration and exposure in the human central nervous system (CNS) and brain tumors is difficult or infeasible. This study aimed to develop an innovative mechanistic modeling platform for quantitative prediction of spatial pharmacokinetics of systemically administered drugs in the human CNS and brain tumors. A nine-compartment CNS (9-CNS) physiologically-based pharmacokinetic model was developed to account for general anatomical structure and pathophysiological heterogeneity of the human CNS and brain tumors.

Early clinical efficacy of 3D-printed artificial vertebral body in spinal reconstruction after total en bloc spondylectomy for spinal tumors.

Background: Total en bloc spondylectomy (TES) is a recognized surgical approach for managing spinal tumors. With advancements in three-dimensional (3D) printing technology, the use of 3D-printed prosthetics for vertebral reconstruction post-tumor resection has gained traction. However, research on the clinical implications of these prosthetics remains limited.

Multi-omics analysis reveals CMTR1 upregulation in cancer and roles in ribosomal protein gene expression and tumor growth.

The mRNA cap methyltransferase CMTR1 plays a crucial role in RNA metabolism and gene expression regulation, yet its significance in cancer remains largely unexplored. Here, we present a comprehensive multi-omics analysis of CMTR1 across various human cancers, revealing its widespread upregulation and potential as a therapeutic target. Integrating transcriptomic and proteomic data from a large set of cancer samples, we demonstrate that CMTR1 is upregulated at the mRNA, protein, and phosphoprotein levels across multiple cancer types.

Quantitative Trait Locus Mapping and Candidate Gene Analysis of the Contents of Three Tanshinone Components in Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge.

Tanshinones are abietane diterpenoid quinone compounds with diverse biological activities and pharmacological effects found in Salvia miltiorrhiza. Leveraging the high-density genetic map established through our prior research endeavors, we conducted a quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis pertaining to the concentrations of three major tanshinone components, cryptotanshinone, tanshinone I, and tanshinone IIA, in S. miltiorrhiza.

Enhancing DOX efficacy against NSCLC through UDCA-mediated modulation of the TGF-β/MAPK autophagy pathways.

Lung carcinoma, predominantly manifested as non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), significantly contributes to oncological mortality, underscoring an imperative for novel therapeutic paradigms. Amidst this context, the present investigation delineates the synergistic potentiation of doxorubicin (DOX)-a canonical chemotherapeutic-by Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), a compound with a historical pedigree in hepatobiliary medicine, now repositioned within oncological pharmacotherapy due to its dichotomous cellular modulation-affording cytoprotection to non-malignant epithelia whilst eliciting apoptotic cascades in neoplastic counterparts. This study, through a rigorous methodological framework, elucidates UDCA's capacity to inhibit NSCLC cellular proliferation and induce apoptosis, thereby significantly amplifying DOX's chemotherapeutic efficacy.

Identifying the bioimaging features of Alzheimer's disease based on pupillary light response-driven brain-wide fMRI in awake mice.

Pupil dynamics has emerged as a critical non-invasive indicator of brain state changes. In particular, pupillary-light-responses (PLR) in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients show potential as biomarkers for brain degeneration. To investigate AD-specific PLR and its underlying neuromodulatory sources, we combine high-resolution awake mouse fMRI with real-time pupillometry to map brain-wide event-related correlation patterns based on illumination-driven pupil constriction ( ) and post-illumination pupil dilation recovery (amplitude, , and time, T).

CHS-Ⅳa activates the IGF1R/PI3K signal pathway with inhibited pyroptosis of endometrial stromal cells and progress of endometriosis.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Chikusetsusaponin IVa (CHS IVa) as a natural extract from the Panax japonicus (T.Nees) C.A.

Evaluation of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 Expression with Novel Ga-Labeled Peptides Originated from the Coronavirus Receptor-Binding Domain.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is not only a key to the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and related diseases, but also the main entry point on cell surfaces for certain coronaviruses, including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and SARS-CoV-2. By analyzing the different key binding sites from the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2, nine new ACE2-targeting peptides (A to A) were designed, synthesized and connected with a chelator, 1,4,7-triazacyclononane-'-triacetic acid (NOTA). NOTA-A, NOTA-A, NOTA-A, NOTA-A, and NOTA-A were successfully labeled with [Ga]Ga and were used for biological evaluation.

Histone modifications in Duchenne muscular dystrophy: pathogenesis insights and therapeutic implications.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a commonly encountered genetic ailment marked by loss-of-function mutations in the gene, ultimately resulting in progressive debilitation of skeletal muscle. The investigation into the pathogenesis of DMD has increasingly converged on the role of histone modifications within the broader context of epigenetic regulation. These modifications, including histone acetylation, methylation and phosphorylation, are catalysed by specific enzymes and play a critical role in gene expression.

Electronic structure engineering of N-doped carbon nanozyme via incorporating Cl and sp-hybridized defected carbon for organophosphorus pesticides assay.

Metal-free carbon-based nanozymes often exhibit superior chemical stability and detection reliability compared to their metal-doped counterparts. However, their catalytic activity remains an area ripe for further enhancement. Herein, we successfully prepared a chlorine (Cl)-modified, metal-free, and porous N-doped carbon nanozyme (Cl-pNC) via NaCl molten etching.

Prevalence of mild cognitive impairment and modifiable risk factors: A cross-sectional study in rural older adults with diabetes.

To determine the prevalence and modifiable risk factors for MCI in older adults with T2DM in rural China. This cross-sectional study encompassed 96 villages, employing a cluster sampling approach to recruit eligible older adults with T2DM as study participants. Logistic regression analysis was utilized to identify modifiable risk factors associated with MCI.

First report of causing leaf spot on in China.

Millettia speciosa Champ, renowned for its diverse applications in traditional medicine, is extensively cultivated in the Guangxi region of China, spanning roughly 5,973 hectares. In July 2021, a plantation in Yulin, Guangxi, China (22°64'N; 110°29'E), exhibited severe leaf spot disease on M. speciosa.

Myocardial strain is regulated by cardiac preload in the early stage of sepsis.

Background: Owing to a lack of data, this study aimed to explore the effect of cardiac preload on myocardial strain in patients with sepsis.

Methods: A total of 70 patients with sepsis in intensive care unit (ICU) of a tertiary teaching hospital in China from January 2018 to July 2019 and underwent transthoracic echocardiography were enrolled. Echocardiographic data were recorded at ICU admission and 24 h later.

A new UiO-66-NH MOF-based nano-immobilized DFR enzyme as a biocatalyst for the synthesis of anthocyanidins.

Anthocyanidins and anthocyanins are one subclass of flavonoids in plants with diverse biological functions and have health-promoting effects. Dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (DFR) is one of the important enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of anthocyanidins and other flavonoids. Here, a new MOF-based nano-immobilized DFR enzyme acting as a nano-biocatalyst for the production of anthocyanidins in vitro was designed.