Publications by authors named "Zhu Rui"

Introduction: Metformin has shown benefits in treating metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), but its mechanisms remain unclear. This study investigates miR-200a-5p's role in the AMPK/SERCA2b pathway to reduce liver fat accumulation and ER stress in MASLD.

Methods: A PA cell model induced by palmitic and oleic acids (2:1) was used to assess lipid accumulation via Oil Red O and Nile Red staining.

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Corporate executives often favor short-term "end-of-pipe" solutions to comply with environmental regulations. In this study, we examine how managerial myopia influences corporate preferences for environmental investments, using data from listed Chinese firms between 2007 and 2021. Grounded in the upper-echelon and time orientation theories, this analysis reveals that managerial myopia discourages environmental investments, with a more pronounced impact on preventive measures compared to treatment-focused approaches.

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Population-based studies have been inconsistent in terms of the relationship between bone mineral density (BMD) and the progression of osteoarthritis. This study aimed to evaluate the causal relationship between BMD and the risk of joint replacement in patients with osteoarthritis. We performed a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to determine the association of BMD of the total body, femoral neck, and lumbar spine with the risk of hip and knee replacements.

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Ulcerative colitis (UC) is characterised notably by an imbalance in intestinal mucosal homeostasis. Although mitochondrial dysfunction has been identified as a potential contributor to this imbalance, it remains an incomplete understanding. Consequently, further investigation into the role of mitochondria in UC is warranted.

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Objective: To explore the health information avoidance behaviors and influencing factors of cancer patients, and to construct a structural equation model to analyze the mediating roles of self-efficacy and negative emotions in the process of generating health information avoidance behaviors of cancer patients.

Methods: A face-to-face electronic questionnaire was used to collect data. Applying a chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression model to analyze the role of different socio-demographic factors in influencing health information avoidance behavior of cancer patients; applying structural equation modeling to analyze the role mechanism of health information avoidance behavior of cancer patients.

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Electrochromic smart windows can realize intelligent photothermal regulation by applying a low potential, which is of great significance for energy-saving buildings and achieving low carbon emission. However, the dense structure of conventional metal oxide electrochromic materials limits ion transport efficiency, resulting in poor electrochromic properties. Here, we propose a surface crystal reconstruction strategy for cubic NiO through phosphorylation (P-NiO) to build energetic reactive interfaces and enhance the electrochromic performance.

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Determination of Fusarium spores is essential for precision control of Fusarium head blight and ensuring agri-food safety. As a highly sensitive real-time detection technique with rich fingerprint information and little influence from water, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has been widely applied in the determination of microorganisms. However, fungi determination faces significant challenges including low sensitivity, and poor specificity.

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We investigate photocurrent generation mechanisms in a pentacene single-molecule junction using subnanometer resolved photocurrent imaging under both on- and off-resonance laser excitation. By employing a wavelength-tunable laser combined with a lock-in technique, net photocurrent signals are extracted to elucidate photoinduced electron tunneling processes. Under off-resonance excitation, photocurrents are found to arise from photon-assisted tunneling, with contributions from three distinct frontier molecular orbitals at different bias voltages.

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The study investigated the potential alleviating effect of sodium butyrate (SB) on intestinal injuries caused by glycinin in the diet of common carp. Fish were divided into six groups: a control group (without glycinin and SB), a Gly group (with glycinin), and four groups supplemented with different doses of SB (0.75, 1.

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Objective: to investigate the correlation between cardiometabolic index (CMI) and lumbar spine bone mineral density (LSBMD) in U.S. adults.

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In the combustion process, the nitric oxide (NO) concentration and temperature are considered to be highly related to the combustion efficiency. Currently, ultraviolet differential absorption optical spectroscopy (UV-DOAS) has become an ideal method for NO analysis due to its strong absorption characteristics in the UV spectral regime. However, since temperature and concentration have similar effects and complex correspondences on intensity, it is a challenge to achieve dual-indicator sensing of NO at this time.

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Background: Neoseiulus californicus is a predatory mite that can control various spider mites and other small arthropods. Despite its acknowledged effectiveness in the natural enemy market, a crucial knowledge gap exists in understanding the genomic features related to its predatory traits and adaptation. With the increasing emphasis on modern pest management strategies and dynamic environmental changes in plant production trends, constructing a reliable genomic resource for N.

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This retrospective study aimed to comprehensively investigate the impact of non-surgical treatments on condylar osseous changes in adult patients with degenerative joint disease (DJD). Radiographic and clinical data were collected for analysis. Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) was used to diagnose DJD, including flattening, erosion, osteophytes, sclerosis and cysts.

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Group B Coxsackieviruses (CVBs) consist of six serotypes, CVB1 to CVB6, which can clinically affect the heart, brain, liver, pancreas and other organs, causing myocarditis, encephalitis, myelitis, pancreatitis, hand-foot-and-mouth disease (HFMD) and other diseases, and can even lead to death. CVBs are widespread globally and highly contagious. However, there are currently no approved CVB vaccines or effective treatments.

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Aims: Hepsin (HPN), a Type II transmembrane serine protease (TTSP), is involved in hepatocyte metabolism and various diseases. It undergoes autoactivation on the surface of human hepatoma cells, a mechanism not observed in other cell types. This study aims to explore HPN activation and surface expression in endometrial epithelial cells.

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Decades of research into the Hippo signaling pathway have greatly advanced our understanding of its roles in organ growth, tissue regeneration, and tumorigenesis. The Hippo pathway is frequently dysregulated in human cancers and is recognized as a prominent cancer signaling pathway. Hence, the Hippo pathway represents an ideal molecular target for cancer therapies.

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Corneal complications associated with diabetes are gradually receiving attention because of the large number of patients with diabetes. The current treatment for diabetic corneal lesions relies on symptomatic relief, which has uncertain efficacy. Exploring the mechanisms underlying delayed corneal epithelial healing in diabetes is of great significance for the treatment of this disease.

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COVID-19, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, poses significant health challenges worldwide, particularly due to severe immune-related complications. Understanding the molecular mechanisms and identifying key immune-related genes (IRGs) involved in COVID-19 pathogenesis is critical for developing effective prevention and treatment strategies. This study employed computational tools to analyze biological data (bioinformatics) and a method for inferring causal relationships based on genetic variations, known as Mendelian randomization (MR), to explore the roles of IRGs in COVID-19.

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AgBiS quantum dots (ABS QDs) have emerged as highly promising candidates for photovoltaic applications due to their strong sunlight absorption, nontoxicity, and elemental availability. Nevertheless, the efficiencies of ABS solar cells currently fall far short of their thermodynamic limits due in large part to sluggish charge transport characteristics in nanocrystal-derived films. In this study, we overcome this limitation by tuning the surfaces of ABS semiconductor QDs via a solvent-induced ligand exchange (SILE) strategy and provide key insights into the role of surface composition on both - and -type charge transfer doping, as well as long-range charge transport.

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Dishevelled (DVL) proteins precisely control Wnt signaling pathways with many effectors. While substantial research has advanced our understanding of DVL's role in Wnt pathways, key questions regarding its regulatory mechanisms and interactions remain unresolved. Herein, we present the recent advances and perspectives on how DVL regulates signaling.

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Article Synopsis
  • Researchers used density functional theory to show that small polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons containing odd-membered carbon rings can significantly reduce electron reorganization energies in n-type organic semiconductors.
  • They examined 60 molecules, finding that those with 5- and 7-membered rings incorporated into linear or nonlinear structures achieved very low reorganization energies (as low as 65 meV).
  • The study suggests that higher molecular aromaticity leads to lower energy levels and proposes specific areas ("acupoints") for modifications to enhance electron injection and stability without increasing reorganization energy.
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Background: The prognostic nutritional index (PNI) is a comprehensive measure of individual immune and nutritional status. This study aimed to evaluate the role of PNI in the presence and mortality of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: This study used data of participants aged ≥ 40 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003-2018.

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Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 (EcN) is a unique probiotic utilized to treat inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome. Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) from EcN can not only deliver pro-biotic anti-inflammatory molecules to cancer cells to exert anti-rectal cancer effects, but also deliver therapeutic drugs, genes, and other "cargoes" encapsulated in the vesicles to specific cells, making them an ideal vehicle for drug delivery. In this study, we successfully isolated OMVs of probiotic origin and obtained BCN-OMVs by encapsulating baicalin (BCN) in EcN-OMVs.

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We proposed a label-free method for the identification and classification of atherosclerosis plaques by combining optical coherence tomography (OCT) with ultraviolet autofluorescence spectroscopy (uFLS). By aligning the OCT source and the FLS excitation beams, we were able to illuminate the same spot on plaques fixed to the integrated probe, which underwent rotational scanning. This setup enabled the detection of both OCT images and uFLS spectra of the plaques in a co-localized manner.

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Background: Recent studies offer conflicting conclusions about the effectiveness of digital health interventions in changing physical activity behaviors. In addition, research focusing on digital health interventions for college students remains relatively scarce.

Objective: This study aims to examine the impact of digital health interventions on physical activity behaviors among college students, using objective measures as outcome indicators.

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