Gentiopicroside Alleviates Atherosclerosis by Suppressing Reactive Oxygen Species-Dependent NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation in Vascular Endothelial Cells via SIRT1/Nrf2 Pathway.

Objective: To evaluate the protective effects of gentiopicroside (GPS) against reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced NOD-like receptor family, pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation in endothelial cells, aiming to reduce atherosclerosis.

Methods: Eight-week-old male ApoE-deficient mice were randomly divided into 2 groups (n=10 per group): the vehicle group and the GPS treatment group. Both groups were fed a high-fat diet for 16 weeks.

Reversible Snapping of Constrained Anisotropic Hydrogels Upon Light Stimulations.

Creatures, such as Venus flytrap and hummingbirds, capable of rapid predation through snap-through transition, provide paradigms for the design of soft actuators and robots with fast actions. However, these artificial "snappers" usually need contact stimulations to trigger the flipping. Reported here is a constrained anisotropic poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) hydrogel showing fast snapping upon light stimulation.

Impact of Microbubble Degradation and Flow Velocity on Subharmonic-aided Pressure Estimation (SHAPE): An Experimental Investigation.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the impact of microbubble degradation and flow velocity on Sub-Harmonic Aided Pressure Estimation (SHAPE), and to explore the correlation between subharmonic amplitude and pressure as a single factor.

Methods: We develop an open-loop vascular phantom platform system and utilize a commercial ultrasound machine and microbubbles for subharmonic imaging. Subharmonic amplitude was measured continuously at constant pressure and flow velocity to assess the impact of microbubble degradation.

Photo-steered rapid and multimodal locomotion of 3D-printed tough hydrogel robots.

Hydrogels are an ideal material to develop soft robots. However, it remains a grand challenge to develop miniaturized hydrogel robots with mechanical robustness, rapid actuation, and multi-gait motions. Reported here is a facile strategy to fabricate hydrogel-based soft robots by three-dimensional (3D) printing of responsive and nonresponsive tough gels for programmed morphing and locomotion upon stimulations.

Animating hydrogel knotbots with topology-invoked self-regulation.

Steering soft robots in a self-regulated manner remains a grand challenge, which often requires continuous symmetry breaking and recovery steps for persistent motion. Although structural morphology is found significant for robotic functions, geometric topology has rarely been considered and appreciated. Here we demonstrate a series of knotbots, namely hydrogel-based robots with knotted structures, capable of autonomous rolling and spinning/rotating motions.

Bufotalin attenuates pulmonary fibrosis via inhibiting Akt/GSK-3β/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic interstitial lung disease with no cure. Bufotalin (BT), an active component extracted from Venenum Bufonis, has been prescribed as a treatment for chronic inflammatory diseases. However, whether BT has antifibrotic properties has never been investigated.

Development and evaluation of short-form version of the Constitution in Chinese Medicine Questionnaire: study a new and best brief instrument of Chinese medicine for health management.

Background: More efficient instruments for body constitution identification are needed for clinical practice. We aimed to develop the short-form version of the Constitution in Chinese Medicine Questionnaire (CCMQ) and evaluate for health management.

Methods: First, the short forms were developed through expert survey, classical test theory (CTT), and modern item response (IRT) based on the CCMQ.

Toughening Hydrogels by Forming Robust Hydrazide-Transition Metal Coordination Complexes.

Energy dissipation based on dynamic fracture of metal ligands is an effective way to toughen hydrogels for specific applications in biomedical and engineering fields. Exploration of new kinds of metal-ligand coordinates with robust bonding strength is crucial for the facile synthesis of tough gels. Here a hydrogel toughening strategy based on the formation of robust coordination complexes between the hydrazide ligands and zinc ions is reported.

High-frequency ultrasound features in vulvar lichen sclerosus and correlation with histopathology.

Background: Vulvar lichen sclerosus (VLS) is a chronic inflammatory disease initially involving anogenital areas. Noninvasive assessment is essential for precise management in VLS. We aim to analyze high-frequency ultrasound (HFUS) features and correlate HFUS with histopathological changes.

Magneto-Orientation of Magnetic Double Stacks for Patterned Anisotropic Hydrogels with Multiple Responses and Modulable Motions.

Reported here is a multi-response anisotropic poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) hydrogel developed by using a rotating magnetic field to align magnetic double stacks (MDSs) that are fixed by polymerization. The magneto-orientation of MDSs originates from the unique structure with γ-Fe O nanoparticles sandwiched by two silicate nanosheets. The resultant gels not only exhibit anisotropic optical and mechanical properties but also show anisotropic responses to temperature and light.

SARS-CoV-2 Delta Variant in Jingmen City, Hubei Province, China, 2021: Children Susceptible and Vaccination Breakthrough Infection.

Background: The delta variant (B.1.617.

Programmable Morphing Hydrogels for Soft Actuators and Robots: From Structure Designs to Active Functions.

Nature provides abundant inspiration and elegant paradigms for the development of smart materials that can actuate, morph, and move on demand. One remarkable capacity of living organisms is to adapt their shapes or positions in response to stimuli. Programmed deformations or movements in plant organs are mainly driven by water absorption/dehydration of cells, while versatile motions of mollusks are based on contraction/extension of muscles.

Association Between Vascular Index Measured Superb Microvascular Imaging and Molecular Subtype of Breast Cancer.

Background: To determine whether vascular index (VI; defined as the ratio of Doppler signal pixels to pixels in the total lesion) measured superb microvascular imaging in breast cancer correlates with immunohistochemically defined subtype and is able to predict molecular subtypes.

Methods: This prospective study involved 225 patients with 225 mass-type invasive breast cancers (mean size 2.6 ± 1.

Development and evaluation of short form of constitution in Chinese medicine questionnaire: a national epidemiological survey data of 21 948 case.

Objective: To develop the best short form of constitution in Chinese medicine questionnaire (CCMQ) and evaluate its psychometric properties in Chinese population.

Methods: A total of 21 948 subjects were used to refine the short form. Correlation coefficient, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and Cronbach's alpha coefficient were used to analyze and select items to form the short form.

A comparative study of melanocytic nevi classification with dermoscopy and high-frequency ultrasound.

Background: Melanocytic nevi (MN) can be classified into three subtypes according to the depth of the nests of nevus cells which is important for management. High-frequency ultrasound (HF-US) can clearly reveal the lesion size, contour, depth, and internal structures. However, the HF-US studies of MN according to subtypes are limited.

Patterned Electrode Assisted One-Step Fabrication of Biomimetic Morphing Hydrogels with Sophisticated Anisotropic Structures.

Anisotropic structures are ubiquitous in nature, affording fascinating morphing behaviors. Biomimetic morphing materials can be developed by spatially controlling the orientations of molecules or nanofillers that produce anisotropic responses and internal stresses under external stimuli. However, it remains a serious challenge to fabricate materials with sophisticated anisotropic architectures.

The value of high-frequency ultrasonography in the differential diagnosis of early mycosis fungoides and inflammatory skin diseases: A case-control study.

Background: The clinical manifestations of early mycosis fungoides (eMF) are non-specific and similar to inflammatory skin diseases. High-frequency ultrasonography (HF-US) can show small structure of skin lesions and is helpful to provide information objectively.

Materials And Methods: A case-control study was designed in 62 patients with multiple erythemas and scales, including 18 eMF and 44 age-matched patients with eczema (EC) or psoriasis vulgaris (PsV).

Distributed Electric Field Induces Orientations of Nanosheets to Prepare Hydrogels with Elaborate Ordered Structures and Programmed Deformations.

Living organisms use musculatures with spatially distributed anisotropic structures to actuate deformations and locomotion with fascinating functions. Replicating such structural features in artificial materials is of great significance yet remains a big challenge. Here, a facile strategy is reported to fabricate hydrogels with elaborate ordered structures of nanosheets (NSs) oriented under a distributed electric field.

Light-steered locomotion of muscle-like hydrogel by self-coordinated shape change and friction modulation.

Many creatures have the ability to traverse challenging environments by using their active muscles with anisotropic structures as the motors in a highly coordinated fashion. However, most artificial robots require multiple independently activated actuators to achieve similar purposes. Here we report a hydrogel-based, biomimetic soft robot capable of multimodal locomotion fueled and steered by light irradiation.