Autophagy-dependent ferroptosis may play a critical role in early stages of diabetic retinopathy.

Diabetic retinopathy (DR), as one of the most common and significant microvascular complications of diabetes mellitus (DM), continues to elude effective targeted treatment for vision loss despite ongoing enrichment of the understanding of its pathogenic mechanisms from perspectives such as inflammation and oxidative stress. Recent studies have indicated that characteristic neuroglial degeneration induced by DM occurs before the onset of apparent microvascular lesions. In order to comprehensively grasp the early-stage pathological changes of DR, the retinal neurovascular unit (NVU) will become a crucial focal point for future research into the occurrence and progression of DR.

Potential of novel iron 1,3,5-benzene tricarboxylate loaded on biochar to reduce ammonia and nitrous oxide emissions and its associated biological mechanism during composting.

In this study, a novel iron 1,3,5-benzene tricarboxylate loaded on biochar (BC-FeBTC) was developed and applied to kitchen waste composting. The results demonstrated that the emissions of NH and NO were significantly reduced by 57.2% and 37.

The ideal treatment timing for diabetic retinopathy: the molecular pathological mechanisms underlying early-stage diabetic retinopathy are a matter of concern.

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a prevalent complication of diabetes, significantly impacting patients' quality of life due to vision loss. No pharmacological therapies are currently approved for DR, excepted the drugs to treat diabetic macular edema such as the anti-VEGF agents or steroids administered by intraocular route. Advancements in research have highlighted the crucial role of early intervention in DR for halting or delaying disease progression.

The Synchronization Analysis of Cohen-Grossberg Stochastic Neural Networks with Inertial Terms.

The exponential synchronization (ES) of Cohen-Grossberg stochastic neural networks with inertial terms (CGSNNIs) is studied in this paper. It is investigated in two ways. The first way is using variable substitution to transform the system to another one and then based on the properties of integral, differential operator, and the second Lyapunov method to get a sufficient condition of ES.

The three syndromes and six Chinese patent medicine study during the recovery phase of COVID-19.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), first broke out in Wuhan, China, in 2019. SARS-CoV-2 develops many types of mutations (such as B.1.

The direct evidence and mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine treatment of COVID-19.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the third coronavirus causing serious human disease to spread across the world in the past 20 years, after SARS and Middle East respiratory syndrome. As of mid-September 2020, more than 200 countries and territories have reported 30 million cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2, including 950,000 deaths. Supportive treatment remains the mainstay of therapy for COVID-19.

Identification and characterization of N9-methyltransferase involved in converting caffeine into non-stimulatory theacrine in tea.

Caffeine is a major component of xanthine alkaloids and commonly consumed in many popular beverages. Due to its occasional side effects, reduction of caffeine in a natural way is of great importance and economic significance. Recent studies reveal that caffeine can be converted into non-stimulatory theacrine in the rare tea plant Camellia assamica var.

Sirt3-dependent deacetylation of COX-1 counteracts oxidative stress-induced cell apoptosis.

The mitochondrial complexes are prone to sirtuin (Sirt)3-mediated deacetylation modification, which may determine cellular response to stimuli, such as oxidative stress. In this study, we show that the cytochrome c oxidase (COX)-1, a core catalytic subunit of mitochondrial complex IV, was acetylated and deactivated both in 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride-treated NIH/3T3 cells and hydrogen peroxide-treated primary neuronal cells, correlating with apoptotic cell death induction by oxidative stress. Inhibition of Sirt3 by small interfering RNA or the inhibitor nicotinamide induced accumulation of acetylation of COX-1, reduced mitochondrial membrane potential, and increased cell apoptosis.

Effects of thermal treatment on the properties of defatted soya bean flour and its adhesion to plywood.

With an attempt to economically and efficiently improve the water resistance of defatted soya bean flour (DSF)-based wood adhesives, DSF was subjected to thermal treatment at various temperatures (65°C, 80°C, 95°C, 110°C and 125°C) for 30 min. The effects of thermal treatment temperature onto the chemical structure, crystalline degree, water-insoluble content and acetaldehyde value of the thermally treated DSF (T-DSF) were investigated. The thermal stabilities and bonding properties of soya bean adhesives prepared from T-DSF and cross-linker epichlorohydrin-modified polyamide (EMPA) were also investigated.

Mitochondrial expression and activity of P-glycoprotein under oxidative stress in outer blood-retinal barrier.

Aim: To investigate the role of oxidative stress in regulating the functional expression of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) in mitochondria of D407 cells.

Methods: D407 cells were exposed to different ranges of concentrations of HO. The mitochondrial location of P-gp in the cells subjected to oxidative stress was detected by confocal analysis.

TMPyP4-regulated cell proliferation and apoptosis through the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in SW480 cells.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the potential effects of the 5, 10, 15, 20-tetrakis (1-methylpyridinium-4-yl) porphyrin (TMPyP4) on the proliferation and apoptosis of SW480 cells and the underlying mechanisms by which TMPyP4 exerted its actions.

Methods: After treated with different doses of TMPyP4, cell viability was determined by MTT method, the apoptosis was observed by flow cytometry (FCM) and the expression of Wnt, GSK-3β, β-catenin and cyclinD1 was measured by RT-PCR and Western blot analysis.

Results: The analysis revealed that TMPyP4 potently suppressed cell viability and induced the apoptosis of SW480 cells in a dose-dependent manner.

Anticipation, anti-glaucoma drug treatment response and phenotype of a Chinese family with glaucoma caused by the Pro370Leu myocilin mutation.

Aim: To describe the anticipation and anti-glaucoma drugs response of a Chinese family with juvenile-onset open angle glaucoma (JOAG) caused by the Pro370Leu myocilin (MYOC) mutation.

Methods: Fifteen members of a three-generation Chinese family with JOAG were recruited to this study. They all underwent ophthalmic common examinations.

Detecting and (not) dealing with plagiarism in an engineering paper: beyond CrossCheck-a case study.

In papers in areas such as engineering and the physical sciences, figures, tables and formulae are the basic elements to communicate the authors' core ideas, workings and results. As a computational text-matching tool, CrossCheck cannot work on these non-textual elements to detect plagiarism. Consequently, when comparing engineering or physical sciences papers, CrossCheck may return a low similarity index even when plagiarism has in fact taken place.

Inhibitory effect of curcumin on the Al(III)-induced Aβ₄₂ aggregation and neurotoxicity in vitro.

The pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) involves a key event which changes the morphology of amyloid-β 42 (Aβ)₄₂ peptide from its soluble monomeric form into the fibrillated aggregates in the brain. Aluminum ion, Al(III), is known to act as a pathological chaperone of the Aβ₄₂ in this process; curcumin, a natural phenolic compound, is considered capable of binding Al(III) and Aβ₄₂; nevertheless, little is known about the combined action of curcumin and Al(III) on the Aβ₄₂ fibrillation and neurotoxicity. Here, combinations of circular dichroism spectroscopy, thioflavin T fluorescence, atomic force microscopy, Bradford and MTT assays, it is demonstrated that although Al(III) can promote the Aβ₄₂ fibrillation dose-dependently, leading to the high neurotoxicity to PC12 cells, curcumin can inhibit the events.

[Effects of morphine and pethidine on the expression of P-glycoprotein in mouse brain microvascular endothelial cells].

Objective: To observe the effects of morphine and pethidine on P-glycoprotein (P-gp) expression in mouse brain microvascular endothelial cells and investigate the role of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) signaling pathway in morphine-induced up-expression of P-gp.

Methods: The mouse brain microvascular endothelial cell line (b.END3) was subjected to pre-incubation with NF-kappaB inhibitor PDTC (5 micromol/L) for 1 h followed by stimulation with morphine (1 microg/ml) or pethidine (1 microg/ml) for 24 h.

[Medium- and long-chain fatty acid triacylglycerol reduce body fat and serum triglyceride in overweight and hypertriglyceridemic subjects].

Objective: To investigate effects of medium- and long-chain fatty acid triacylglycerols (MLCT) on body fat and serum lipid in overweight and hypertriglyceridemic subjects.

Methods: A double-blind, controlled clinical trial was carried out, in which 112 subjects with hypertriglyceridemia were enrolled and divided into two groups, there were 56 subjects in each group. One group was randomized to consume long-chain fatty acid triacylglycerol (LCT), and the other to MLCT.

Hepatocyte gene transfer mediated by stable polyplexes based on MPP-containing DNA complexes.

Background: In the field of gene therapy, viral vectors as delivery tools have a number of disadvantages for medical application. This study aimed to explore a novel nonviral vector as a vehicle for gene therapy.

Methods: Transvector-rpE-MPP and EGFP (enhanced green fluorescent protein) were used as the gene transfer carrier and the reporter gene, respectively.

Mitochondrial complex I defect induces ROS release and degeneration in trabecular meshwork cells of POAG patients: protection by antioxidants.

Purpose: There is growing evidence that oxidative stress contributes to the progression of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), a leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide. The authors provide evidence that mitochondrial dysfunction is a possible mechanism for the loss of trabecular meshwork (TM) cells in persons with POAG.

Methods: TM from patients with POAG (GTM) and age-matched subjects without disease (NTM) were obtained by standard surgical trabeculectomy.

[The protective effect of hypoxic preconditioning against light-induced photoreceptor degeneration in mice].

Objective: To study the protective roles of hypoxic preconditioning in light induced retinal injury in a mice model and investigate the possible mechanism of related gene regulation.

Methods: 54 BALB/c mice were randomly divided into simple light exposure group (SL), hypoxic pretreatment group (HP) and control group (CON). The mice of SL and HP were continually exposed to light for 3 h, which built model of light-induced damage.

[Erythropoietin administration protects retina against light-induced retinal degeneration].

Objective: To study whether recombinant human erythropoietin can pass through mice blood-retina barrier and the protective role in light-induced damage in retina.

Methods: After the injection of rHEPO, the content of rHEPO in 24 BALB/c mice retina was examined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). 24 BALB/c mice were used to establish a light-induced damaged model, the difference of retina in rHEPO group and control group was compared using light microscope and TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL).

Protein transduction domain of membrane penetrating peptide can efficiently deliver DNA and protein into mouse liver for gene therapy.

Background: The development of a harmless and efficient nonviral gene delivery system that can facilitate the penetration of nucleic acids through the plasma membrane is a key to successful gene therapy. The aim of this study was to test a nonviral gene transferring vector's function of delivering DNA into liver cells to provide an important clue for gene transfer in liver gene therapy.

Methods: The complex of DNA and DNA delivering protein was injected into mice through their tail veins.