Exploring the therapeutic potential of yeast β-glucan: Prebiotic, anti-infective, and anticancer properties - A review.

Yeast β-glucan (YBG), an indigestible polysaccharide from yeast cell walls, is multifunctional. It plays a pivotal role in regulating gut microbiota (GM) and boosting the immune system, which is central to research on inflammation, cancer, and metabolic diseases. By modulating the GM, YBG exhibits various prebiotic effects, including hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, and immune-regulating properties.

Advantages of metagenomic next-generation sequencing in the management of ANCA-associated vasculitis patients with suspected pulmonary infection as a rule-out tool.

Objective: Pulmonary infection is one of the leading causes of death in patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV). It is sometimes difficult to differentiate pulmonary infection from pulmonary involvement of vasculitis in AAV patients. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) assays are useful diagnostic methods.

Risk factors for severe COVID-19 infection and the impact of COVID-19 infection on disease progression among patients with AAV.

To identify risk factors for COVID-19 infection and investigate the impact of COVID-19 infection on chronic kidney disease (CKD) progression and vasculitis flare in patients with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV). This cohort study retrospectively analyzed the prevalence and severity of COVID-19 infection in 276 patients with AAV who were followed up. Logistic regression was employed to estimate the risk of COVID-19 infection as well as CKD progression and vasculitis flare upon COVID-19 infection.

Association between abusive supervision and nurses' withholding voice about patient safety: the roles of impression management motivation and speak up-related climate.

Background: Abusive supervision by the nurse manager significantly influences nurses' withholding voice about patient safety. The role of impression management motivation and speak up-related climate is crucial in understanding their connection. This study aimed to explore the relationship between abusive supervision, impression management motivation, speak up-related climate, and withholding voice about patient safety.

Immunogenicity and immunoprotection of the functional TL-HN fragment derived from tetanus toxin.

Tetanus toxin (TeNT) is a protein toxin produced by Clostridium tetani bacteria, which causes hyperreflexia and rhabdomyolysis by spastic paralysis. Like botulinum neurotoxin, TeNT comprises a heavy chain (HC) and a light chain (LC) linked via an interchain disulfide bond, which include the following three functional domains: a receptor-binding domain (Hc), a translocation domain (HN), and a catalytic domain (LC). Herein, we produced and characterized three functional domains of TeNT and three types of TeNT-derived L-HN fragments (TL-HN, TL-GS-HN and TL-2A-HN), which contained L and HN domains but lacked the Hc domain.

Biology activity and characterization of the functional L-HN fragment derivative of botulinum neurotoxin serotype E.

Objectives: The mature botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) is a long peptide chain consisting of a light chain (L) and a heavy chain (H) linked by a disulfide bond, where the heavy chain is divided into a translocation domain and an acceptor binding domain (Hc). In this study, we further explored the biology activity and characteristics of recombinant L-HN fragment (EL-HN) composed of the L and HN domains of BoNT/E in vivo and in vitro.

Methods: Neurotoxicity of L-HN fragments from botulinum neurotoxins was assessed in mice.

Pathogenesis of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis.

Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) encompasses a group of potentially life-threatening disorders characterized by necrotizing small vessel vasculitis with positive serum ANCA. To date, the pathogenesis of AAV has not been fully elucidated, but remarkable progress has been achieved in the past few decades. In this review, we summarize the mechanism of AAV.

Efficacy and Safety of the Chinese Herbal Compound TJAOA101 in Treating Diminished Ovarian Reserve: A Protocol for Multicenter, Prospective, and Pre-Post Study.

Objective: Diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) can lead to early menopause, poor fecundity, and an increased risk of disorders such as osteoporosis, cardiovascular disease, and cognitive impairment, seriously affecting the physical and mental health of women. There is still no safe and effective strategy or method to combat DOR. We have developed a novel Chinese herbal formula, Tongji anti-ovarian aging 101 (TJAOA101), to treat DOR.

A modified renal risk score for Chinese patients with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis.

Background: The renal risk score (RRS) is a useful tool to predict end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in patients with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV). The current study aimed to validate the predictive performance of RRS and to further modify this model in Chinese AAV patients.

Methods: Two hundred and seventy-two patients diagnosed with AAV confirmed by renal biopsies were retrospectively enrolled from a single center.

Machine-learning assisted scheduling optimization and its application in quantum chemical calculations.

Easy and effective usage of computational resources is crucial for scientific calculations, both from the perspectives of timeliness and economic efficiency. This work proposes a bi-level optimization framework to optimize the computational sequences. Machine-learning (ML) assisted static load-balancing, and different dynamic load-balancing algorithms can be integrated.

Inhibitor of apoptosis proteins antagonist SM164 ameliorates experimental MPO-ANCA-associated vasculitis via enhancing fatty acid oxidation in neutrophils.

Objectives: Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) is a group of life-threatening autoimmune diseases. Inhibitors of apoptosis proteins (IAPs) are a class of molecules engaged in cell death and inflammation, interventions of which are proven effective in a number of inflammatory diseases. Here we tested whether targeting IAPs could ameliorate AAV and explored the potential mechanism.

Down-regulated FcγRII expression on plasma cells is associated with the disease activity of ANCA-associated vasculitis.

Objectives: Inhibitory FcγRIIB/CD32B on B cells are critical for immunity regulation to help maintain peripheral tolerance. Altered FcγRIIB expression on B cells has been observed in several autoimmune diseases, and animal studies have suggested that FcγRIIB on B cells participates in the pathogenesis of ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV). Here, we investigated the expression of FcγRII (FcγRIIB) on various B cell subsets and the correlation of FcγRII/CD32 expression with disease activity in AAV patients.

Renal Expression of Annexin A1 Is Associated With the Severity of Renal Injury in Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Autoantibody-Associated Vasculitis.

Background: Increasing studies demonstrated the importance of activation of neutrophils in the pathogenesis of antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV). Previous studies showed that annexin A1 (ANXA1) inhibited the recruitment, transendothelial migration and respiratory burst of neutrophils and induced apoptosis of neutrophils. The current study aimed to investigate the plasma and renal levels of ANXA1 as well as their association with the disease severity in AAV patients.

The effects of music therapy on peripherally inserted central catheter in hospitalized children with leukemia.

To explore the effect of music therapy on children with leukemia who have peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC). In this study, we divided 107 patients undergoing PICC into music group (47 cases) and control group (60 cases). The music group received music therapy during PICC, while the control group was given no complementary treatment.

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.

Dynamically actuated soft heliconical architecture via frequency of electric fields.

Dynamic electric field frequency actuated helical and spiral structures enable a plethora of attributes for advanced photonics and engineering in the contemporary era. Nevertheless, leveraging the frequency responsiveness of adaptive devices and systems within a broad dynamic range and maintaining restrained high-frequency induced heating remain challenging. Herein, we establish a frequency-actuated heliconical soft architecture that is quite distinct from that of common frequency-responsive soft materials.

Increased frequency of IgD-CD27CD38 B cells and its association with the renal involvement in ANCA-associated vasculitis.

Background: B cells have been highlighted in the pathogenesis of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) by the identification of activated B cells in granulomatous lesions and the efficacy of B cell depletion in treatment of AAV patients in the current study; we aimed to investigate the frequency of a specific B cell subset, IgD-CD27CD38 B cells in AAV patients, and its association with the disease severity of AAV.

Methods: Blood samples of patients with AAV in active stage and in remission were collected. The frequency of IgD-CD27CD38 B cells was detected by flow cytometry, and its correlation with clinicopathological parameters was analyzed.

Development and evaluation of a tetravalent botulinum vaccine.

Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) are the most toxic known proteins. Naturally occurring botulism in humans is caused by botulinum serotypes A, B, E, and F. Vaccination is an effective strategy to prevent botulism.