Publications by authors named "Zhijun Zhang"

In this study, we examined the effects of different residual feed intakes (RFIs) on nutrient digestibility and the microbiota of the digestive tract of Dexin fine-wool sheep. Fifty 70-day-old Dexin fine-wool meat lambs were selected as the experimental group and fed in a single pen for 100 days. Based on their mid-term metabolic weight, 100-day average daily weight gain and daily feed intake, the male Dexin lambs were divided into a low-RFI group (13), a mid-RFI group (18), and a high-RFI group (11).

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Humans are widely exposed to phthalates, a common chemical plasticizer. Previous cohort studies have revealed that maternal exposure to monobutyl phthalate (MBP), a key metabolite of phthalates, is associated with neurodevelopmental defects. However, the molecular mechanism remains unclear.

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Background: Plant diseases caused by plant pathogens pose a great threat to biodiversity and food security, and the problem of drug resistance caused by traditional antibiotics and fungicides is becoming more and more serious. It is urgent to develop new antibacterial molecules with low toxicity and high efficiency. Marinoquinoline A is an alkaloid isolated from marine actinomycetes and has a variety of pharmacological activities.

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The existence of residual small-size tumors after surgery is a major factor contributing to the high recurrence rate of glioblastoma (GBM). Conventional adjuvant therapeutics involving both chemotherapy and radiotherapy usually exhibit unsatisfactory efficacy and severe side effects. Recently, two-photon photodynamic therapy (TP-PDT), especially excited by the second near-infrared (NIR-II) light, offers an unprecedented opportunity to address this challenge, attributed to its combinational merits of PDT and TP excitation.

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The study comprehensively investigated the therapeutic potential of triterpenoid saponin extract (GST), encompassing its hepatoprotective, immunomodulatory, and anticancer activities. The study employed a Prednisolone (PRD)-induced immunosuppressed rat model to assess the hepatoprotective and immunomodulatory effects of GST. Using this model, GST was found to modulate haematopoiesis, improving RBC, platelet, and WBC counts, underscoring its potential in hematopoietic homeostasis.

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Vitamin D binding protein (VDBP) is a potential biomarker of major depressive disorder (MDD). This study demonstrates for the first time that VDBP is highly expressed in core emotion-related brain regions of mice susceptible to chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS). Specifically, the overexpression of microglia (MG)-derived VDBP in the prelimbic leads to depression-like behavior and aggravates CUMS-induced depressive phenotypes in mice, whereas conditional knockout of MG-derived VDBP can reverse both neuronal damage and depression-like behaviors.

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Traumatic brain injury (TBI) remains a principal factor in neurological disorders, often resulting in significant morbidity due to secondary neuroinflammatory and oxidative stress responses. While circular RNAs are recognized for their high expression levels in the nervous system and play crucial roles in various neurological processes, their specific contributions to the pathophysiology of TBI remain underexplored. In this study, the possible molecular mechanisms through which circMETTL9 modulated oxidative stress and neurological outcomes following TBI were investigated.

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To efficiently solve the time-varying convex quadratic programming (TVCQP) problem under equational constraint, an adaptive variable-parameter dynamic learning network (AVDLN) is proposed and analyzed. Being different from existing varying-parameter and fixed-parameter convergent-differential neural network (VPCDNN and FPCDNN), the proposed AVDLN integrates the error signals into the time-varying parameter term. To do so, the TVCQP problem is transformed into a time-varying matrix equation.

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Article Synopsis
  • Researchers identified new compounds from the dried roots and bark of Morus alba, including two hybrids (morusalins A and B) and three previously undescribed flavonoids (morusalins C-E), along with forty-one known compounds.
  • The structures of these compounds were determined using advanced techniques such as NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and X-ray diffraction.
  • The study also tested the compounds for their effects on nitric oxide production in murine macrophage cells and their cytotoxicity against human colon and liver cancer cells, proposing a biosynthetic pathway for the new compounds.
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The plant cell wall is the first barrier against pathogen invasion. Fusarium solani is the primary pathogen responsible for apple replant disease. In this study, we identified an MYB protein, MdMYB54, which interacts with the positive regulator of F.

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Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have emerged as promising candidates for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) therapy. Increasing the MSC survival rate and deepening the understanding of the behavior of transplanted MSCs are of great significance for improving the efficacy of MSC-based IPF treatment. Therefore, dual-functional Au-based nanoparticles (Au@PEG@PEI@TAT NPs, AuPPT) were fabricated by sequential modification of cationic polymer polyetherimide (PEI), polyethylene glycol (PEG), and transactivator of transcription (TAT) penetration peptide on AuNPs, to co-deliver retinoic acid (RA) and microRNA (miRNA) for simultaneously enhancing MSC survive and real-time imaging tracking of MSCs during IPF treatment.

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Low-temperature stress causes various types of physiological and biochemical damage to plants. The basic leucine zipper (bZIP) family transcription factor HY5 plays a significant role in multiple stress responses in plants. Here, cold stress was found to induce the upregulation of MdHY5 expression, which, in turn, positively regulates the cold tolerance of apple (Malus domestica).

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Background: This study aimed to explore the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) among family members of stroke patients regarding stroke rehabilitation.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on the family members of stroke patients at the China Rehabilitation Research Center from February 15 to May 2, 2024. This study collected demographic data and KAP scores through a self-designed questionnaire.

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Background: Avascular necrosis of femoral head and malunion are frequent post-operative complications of femoral neck fractures. To optimize surgical techniques, this study aims to provide a microstructural understanding of intraosseous microvasculature and the trabecular bone of the femoral head and neck.

Study Design: This anatomical study analyzed twenty-eight femora from fourteen cadaveric beagles.

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Article Synopsis
  • Plant pathogenic bacteria and fungi significantly harm crops, leading to serious economic losses, prompting the search for effective alternatives to traditional antibiotics and fungicides.
  • This study designed and synthesized new chemical compounds based on tetrahydrocarbazole (THCz) alkaloids and evaluated their antimicrobial properties against various harmful plant pathogens.
  • Among the synthesized derivatives, compound KZa-17 showed promising antibacterial activity, outperforming traditional control drugs and demonstrating the potential for use in developing more effective agricultural treatments.
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Cysteine-rich polycomb-like proteins (CPPs), pivotal transcription factors crucial for evolution of plants from germination to maturity, and adaptation to environmental stresses, have not yet been characterized within the context of Moso bamboo. The CPP gene family of Moso bamboo was identified through bioinformatics, and the structural and functional attributes of the gene, including its physicochemical properties, evolutionary relationships, and gene-protein structures, were revealed. Additionally, the current study also offers valuable information on the patterns of gene expression in bamboo shoots during the period of accelerated development.

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study focuses on enhancing nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs) due to their significant potential in synthetic biology, despite limited knowledge of their functions.
  • - Researchers used computational methods to redesign the "gate-keeper" adenylation domain in a model enzyme, achieving substantial boosts in efficiency and specificity in converting certain acids.
  • - The findings suggest improved biocatalysts for producing nylon monomers and offer a new strategy for engineering NRPSs more effectively.
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  • Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a brain injury affecting newborns due to lack of oxygen and blood flow, leading to inflammation and neuron loss.
  • The study investigates the effects of the IRE1-XBP1 inhibitor, 4μ8С, on improving cognition, reducing brain damage, and preventing cell death in a rat model of HIE.
  • Results show that 4μ8С treatment decreases certain proteins related to inflammation and improves learning abilities while protecting neurons, suggesting a new approach for treating HIE.
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Osteosarcoma (OS) is one of the most common primary bone sarcoma with high malignant degree and poor prognosis, for which there is an urgent need to develop novel therapeutic approaches. Recent research has revealed that mifamurtide significantly improved the outcome of OS patients when combined with adjuvant chemotherapy drugs including cisplatin (DDP). The present study aimed to construct a drug delivery system co-loading DDP and mifamurtide.

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  • The study highlights the importance of immune cell and neurovascular unit interactions for neural recovery after CNS injuries.
  • The researchers developed an innovative immunomodulatory hydrogel microsphere (MP/RIL4) that effectively regulates this immune-neurovascular crosstalk, enhancing recovery outcomes.
  • In animal models, these microspheres reduced inflammation and improved brain health, suggesting they may be a promising treatment for ischemic stroke and other CNS conditions.
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Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder condition linked to various systemic comorbidities. Numerous studies have shown bidirectional crosstalk between the heart and the brain, but the specifics of how these interactions occur in AD are poorly understood. This narrative review summarizes the clinical evidence for a firm link between AD and cardiovascular health and discusses the bidirectional roles of AD and the cardiovascular system.

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Grafting is important for increasing the resistance of grapevines to environmental stress, improving fruit quality, and shortening the reproductive period. In this study, 'Cabernet Sauvignon' (CS) grafted on the resistant rootstock 140R (CS/140R), self-grafted grapevines of the resistant rootstock 140R (140R/140R), and self-grafted grapevines of CS (CS/CS) were subjected to high-throughput sequencing; small RNA (sRNA) libraries were constructed, and miRNAs responsive to the grafting process were identified. A total of 177 known miRNAs and 267 novel miRNAs were identified.

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Pathogenic microorganisms are a significant cause of food spoilage, adversely affecting both product quality and human health. This study evaluated the antifungal activities of 34 aldehydes against foodborne and plant pathogenic fungi, identifying 8 promising lead compounds. Among them, , -2, 4-nonadienal exhibited optimal effects against with an EC of 11.

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Introduction: Medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) are considered the first line treatment for opioid use disorder. As states expanded Medicaid beginning in 2014 under the Affordable Care Act, policymakers and public health officials were interested in the potential for expansion to increase access to MOUD. This study examined whether there were changes in MOUD use within outpatient admissions to specialty treatment facilities in Medicaid expansion states beyond the initial expansion period.

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Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, and timely diagnosis and intervention are crucial for cancer patients. Transfer RNA-derived fragments (tRFs) play a noncoding regulatory role in organisms. Serum EV(extracellular vesicles), as an integral mediator of intercellular transmission of genetic information vesicles in Transfer RNA-derived fragment (tRF RNA), are expected to be minimally invasive diagnostic and predictive biologic factors of CRC.

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