Kaempferol inhibits the growth of Helicobacter pylori in a manner distinct from antibiotics.

Helicobacter pylori is associated with gastric disorders. In this study, the anti-H. pylori capacity of natural products from "Winter Red" crabapple flowers were evaluated, including flavonoids, organic acids, terpenoids, and phenolic acids.

Matrix stiffness regulates macrophage polarization in atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease and the pathological basis of many fatal cardiovascular diseases. Macrophages, the main inflammatory cells in atherosclerotic plaque, have a paradox role in disease progression. In response to different microenvironments, macrophages mainly have two polarized directions: pro-inflammatory macrophages and anti-inflammatory macrophages.

Nondestructive Testing of Pear Based on Fourier Near-Infrared Spectroscopy.

Fourier transform near-infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopy is a nondestructive, rapid, real-time analysis of technical detection methods with an important reference value for producers and consumers. In this study, the feasibility of using FT-NIR spectroscopy for the rapid quantitative analysis and qualitative analysis of 'Zaosu' and 'Dangshansuli' pears is explored. The quantitative model was established by partial least squares (PLS) regression combined with cross-validation based on the spectral data of 340 pear fresh fruits and synchronized with the reference values determined by conventional assays.

Integration of Distinct Analysis Strategies Improves Tissue-Trait Association Identification.

Integrating genome-wide association studies (GWAS) with transcriptomic data, human complex traits and diseases have been linked to relevant tissues and cell types using different methods. However, different results from these methods generated confusion while no gold standard is currently accepted, making it difficult to evaluate the discoveries. Here, applying three methods on the same data source, we estimated the sensitivity and specificity of these methods in the absence of a gold standard.

Double life: How GRK2 and β-arrestin signaling participate in diseases.

G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) kinases (GRKs) and β-arrestins play key roles in GPCR and non-GPCR cellular responses. In fact, GRKs and arrestins are involved in a plethora of pathways vital for physiological maintenance of inter- and intracellular communication. Here we review decades of research literature spanning from the discovery, identification of key structural elements, and findings supporting the diverse roles of these proteins in GPCR-mediated pathways.

Empagliflozin Ameliorates Preeclampsia and Reduces Postpartum Susceptibility to Adriamycin in a Mouse Model Induced by Angiotensin Receptor Agonistic Autoantibodies.

Preeclampsia (PE) is the leading cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality and also is a risk factor for cardiovascular and kidney disease later in life. PE is associated with oversecretion of autoantibodies against angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1-AA) by the placenta into the maternal circulation. Here, we sought to determine the therapeutic value of the sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor empagliflozin (EMPA) in mice with AT1-AA-induced preeclampsia.

Human Nmnat1 Promotes Autophagic Clearance of Amyloid Plaques in a Model of Alzheimer's Disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by irreversible cognitive decline with limited therapeutic approaches. We characterized a model of amyloid pathology that expresses human amyloid-beta precursor protein (APP) and β-site APP cleaving enzyme (BACE) in the nervous system. Our model recapitulates the age-dependent accumulation of BACE-derived C-terminal fragment (CTF) and amyloid plaques in the brain, one of the key pathological hallmarks of AD.

Outcomes of combined phacoemulsification, anterior vitrectomy, and sclerectomy in nanophthalmic eyes with glaucoma.

Objectives: To compare the long-term efficacy and safety of combined phacoemulsification, anterior vitrectomy, and sclerectomy (triple procedure surgery, TS); combined phacoemulsification and anterior vitrectomy (double procedure surgery, DS); and filtering surgery (FS) in nanophthalmos with angle-closure glaucoma (NACG).

Methods: Retrospective cohort study. Forty patients (44 eyes) diagnosed with NACG who underwent TS, DS, and FS were included.

Do older patients with stage IB non-small-cell lung cancer obtain survival benefits from surgery? A propensity score matching study using SEER data.

Background: Surgical resection is the preferred treatment for Stage IB non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but one-third of patients still do not receive surgery, which might be due to the lack of robust and dedicated studies on the outcomes of surgical treatment in older patients with stage IB NSCLC. This study aims to investigate whether older patients with stage IB NSCLC benefit from surgery.

Methods: Data of patients with NSCLC were downloaded from the SEER (Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results) database classifications were converted from the 7th edition staging system to the 8th edition staging system, and older patients (aged ≥65 years at diagnosis) with stage IB NSCLC were included.

Peripapillary Vascular Reactivity in Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma With High Myopia by Using Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography.

Purpose: To evaluate peripapillary vascular reactivity in primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) with and without high myopia (HM) by using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA).

Methods: This prospective study enrolled 48 eyes with POAG, including 16 and 32 eyes with and without HM, respectively. The retinal peripapillary vessel density (VD) was repeatedly assessed using OCTA at baseline and after a hyperoxia test (breathing 80% oxygen).

Genetic and phenotypic links between obesity and extracellular vesicles.

Obesity has a highly complex genetic architecture, making it difficult to understand the genetic mechanisms, despite the large number of discovered loci via genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Omics techniques have provided a better resolution to view this problem. As a proxy of cell-level biology, extracellular vesicles (EVs) are useful for studying cellular regulation of complex phenotypes such as obesity.

2% Ganciclovir Eye Drops Control Posner-Schlossman Syndrome Relapses With/Without Cytomegalovirus Intraocular Reactivation.

Background: To observe and compare the efficacy of 2% ganciclovir eye drops in the treatment of Posner-Schlossman Syndrome relapses with/without cytomegalovirus intraocular reactivation.

Methods: A prospective cohort study enrolling 101 patients diagnosed unilateral Posner-Schlossman Syndrome in Eye & ENT hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China. Thorough ophthalmic examinations were given.

Neutrophil count is a useful marker to predict the severity of preeclampsia.

Background: At present, pre-eclampsia is a growing concern and still a diagnostic challenge for obstetricians.

Aims: This study aimed to evaluate whether the relationship of second trimester of pregnancy neutrophil count differed among pregnancies with mild preeclampsia, severe preeclampsia, and healthy status and explore whether or not neutrophil count in the second trimester of pregnancy would be useful as new predictors of subsequent preeclampsia.

Patients And Methods: This study involved 933 pregnancies from 1 January 2018 to 30 January 2021, comprising 396 healthy pregnancies, 222 pregnancies with mild preeclampsia, and 315 pregnancies with severe preeclampsia.

Graphene-Oxide-Based Fluoro- and Chromo-Genic Materials and Their Applications.

Composite materials and their applications constitute a hot field of research nowadays due to the fact that they comprise a combination of the unique properties of each component of which they consist. Very often, they exhibit better performance and properties compared to their combined building blocks. Graphene oxide (GO), as the most widely used derivative of graphene, has attracted widespread attention because of its excellent properties.

How do maternal emotion and sleep conditions affect infant sleep: a prospective cohort study.

Background: Recent studies suggest that the incidence of infant sleep disorder is related to maternal emotional and sleep conditions, but how they influence each other is not fully understood.

Methods: A total of 513 pairs of parents and infants were enrolled in this prospective cohort study. Maternal emotional and sleep conditions were assessed using a self-rating depression scale, self-rating anxiety scale, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index at the third trimester and within 3 months after delivery.

An Empirical Study on the Improvement of College Students' Employability Based on University Factors.

With the popularization of higher education and the promotion of college enrollment expansion, the number of college graduates increases sharply. At the same time, the continuous transformation and upgrading of the industrial structure put forward higher requirements on the employability of college students, which leads to the imbalance between supply and demand in the labor market. The key to dealing with employment difficulties lie in the improvement of college students' employability.

Clinical characteristics of virus-related uveitic secondary glaucoma: focus on cytomegalovirus and varicella zoster virus.

Background: We aimed to analyze the clinical characteristics of secondary glaucoma related to cytomegalovirus (CMV)- and varicella zoster virus (VZV)-positive uveitis.

Methods: In this retrospective study, we enrolled patients with anterior uveitic secondary glaucoma. All the patients underwent aqueous and serum analyses for viral antibody through enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Predictors of radiation-induced hypothyroidism in nasopharyngeal carcinoma survivors after intensity-modulated radiotherapy.

Background: The aim of the study is to identify clinical and dosimetric factors that could predict the risk of hypothyroidism in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients following intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT).

Methods: A total of 404 non-metastatic NPC patients were included in our study. All patients were treated with IMRT.

[Analysis of the changes in intestinal microecology in the early stage of sepsis rat based on 16S rDNA sequencing].

Objective: To investigate the changes of intestinal microecology in the early stage of sepsis rat model by 16S rDNA sequencing.

Methods: Sixty male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) group and sham operation group (Sham group), with 30 rats in each group. In the CLP group, sepsis rat model was reproduced by CLP method; the rats in the Sham group only underwent laparotomy without CLP.

Effects of Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Cultures on Performance and Immune Performance of Dairy Cows During Heat Stress.

The dairy farming industry is facing massive economic losses as heat stress continues to rise. The purpose of this study was to see how feeding Saccharomyces cerevisiae culture (SC) influences productive performance, lactation performance, serum biochemical indexes, hormonal level, antioxidant capacity, and immune function in mid-lactating cows during heat stress. Forty-five healthy mid-lactation dairy cows with comparable milk yield, lactation days, and parity were randomly divided into 3 groups (15 cows in each group).

Residue, Dissipation Pattern, and Dietary Risk Assessment of Imidacloprid in Chinese Chives.

The demand for Chinese chives is growing as they are also rich in vitamins, fiber, and sulfur nutrients. Chinese chives should be sprayed with imidacloprid to control pests and diseases to safeguard their yield and to meet the demands of East Asian consumers for Chinese chives. Overspraying of imidacloprid can lead to residues in Chinese chives, posing a severe risk to human health.

Myocardial GRK2 Reduces Fatty Acid Metabolism and β-Adrenergic Receptor-Mediated Mitochondrial Responses.

G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) kinase 2 (GRK2) is upregulated in heart failure (HF) patients and mouse models of cardiac disease. GRK2 is a regulator of β-adrenergic receptors (βARs), a GPCR involved in ionotropic and chronotropic responses. We and others have recently reported GRK2 to be localized in the mitochondria, although its function in the mitochondria and/or metabolism remain not clearly defined.

Probing the Mechanism of Isonitrile Formation by a Non-Heme Iron(II)-Dependent Oxidase/Decarboxylase.

The isonitrile moiety is an electron-rich functionality that decorates various bioactive natural products isolated from diverse kingdoms of life. Isonitrile biosynthesis was restricted for over a decade to isonitrile synthases, a family of enzymes catalyzing a condensation reaction between l-Trp/l-Tyr and ribulose-5-phosphate. The discovery of ScoE, a non-heme iron(II) and α-ketoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase, demonstrated an alternative pathway employed by nature for isonitrile installation.

Cereal grain 3D point cloud analysis method for shape extraction and filled/unfilled grain identification based on structured light imaging.

Cereals are the main food for mankind. The grain shape extraction and filled/unfilled grain recognition are meaningful for crop breeding and genetic analysis. The conventional measuring method is mainly manual, which is inefficient, labor-intensive and subjective.