A review of pharmacological mechanisms, challenges and prospects of macromolecular glycopeptides.

Macromolecular glycopeptides are natural products derived from various sources, distinguished by their structural diversity, multifaceted biological activities, and low toxicity. These compounds exhibit a wide range of biological functions, such as immunomodulation, antitumor effects, anti-inflammatory properties, antioxidant activity, and more. However, limited understanding of natural glycopeptides has hindered their development and practical application.

Hyaluronic acid modified metal-organic frameworks loading cisplatin achieve combined chemodynamic therapy and chemotherapy for lung cancer.

As one of the most commonly used chemotherapeutic agents in clinical practice, cisplatin is unable to selectively accumulate in tumor tissue due to its lack of targeting ability, leading to increased systemic toxicities. Additionally, the effectiveness of monotherapy is greatly limited. Therefore, the development of new cisplatin-based drug delivery systems is essential to improve the effectiveness of tumor treatment.

Enhanced production of recombinant calf chymosin in Kluyveromyces lactis via CRISPR-Cas9 engineering.

As an important industrial enzyme, chymosin has been widely used in cheese manufacturing. Fermentation with Kluyveromyces lactis has allowed recombinant chymosin production to fit the growing global demand for cheese consumption; yet improvements can be made to allow for stable and larger-scale production. In this work, various chymosin producing (CP) strains were constructed via targeted chromosomal integration of various copies of a prochymosin expression cassette (PEC) using a CRISPR-Cas9 platform optimized for K.

Downregulation of the Phosphatase PHLPP1 Contributes to NNK-induced Malignant Transformation of Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells (HBECs).

Cigarette smoking (CS) is one of the greatest health concerns, which can cause lung cancer. 4-(Methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK), a tobacco-specific nitrosamine, and has been well-documented for its carcinogenic activity in both epidemiological and laboratory studies. PH domain leucine-rich repeat protein phosphatase 1 (PHLPP1) and phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) are two well-known phosphatase tumor suppressors that have been reported to be downregulated in human lung cancer tissues.

Mitochondrial fission and fusion in neurodegenerative diseases:Ca signalling.

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) are a group of disorders characterized by the progressive loss of neuronal structure and function. The pathogenesis is intricate and involves a network of interactions among multiple causes and systems. Mitochondria and Ca signaling have long been considered to play important roles in the development of various NDs.

Concoctive principles of detoxification and retention of the main toxic hepatotoxicity of Tripterygium wilfordii and its anti-inflammatory efficacy by concocting with the medicinal excipient Spatholobi Caulis juice.

Tripterygium wilfordii (TW), which has severe hepatotoxicity, is commonly used as anti-rheumatism. Using the juice of auxiliary herbs in concocting poisonous herbs is a conventional method for toxicity reduction or efficacy enhancement. Traditional Chinese Pharmacy textbooks record that Spatholobi Caulis (SC) can alleviate the side effects caused by TW and also possesses excellent hepatoprotective effect.

Dynamic cycles between brain states during creative storytelling.

Many theories suggest that creative thinking involves a dynamic transition between different mental states, yet empirical evidence supporting this notion remains scarce. The dual process model proposes that spontaneous thinking and deliberate thinking drive the dwell in and the transitions between different mental states during creative thinking, but there is a debate over whether the two types of thinking operate in parallel or in sequence. To address these gaps, we conducted a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study in 41 college students during a creative storytelling task.

Associations of breakfast habits and breakfast quality with depression: A cross-sectional study based on NHANE 2007-2018.

Background: Breakfast, often considered the most important meal of the day, affects both physical and mental health. While most studies focused on the effects of skipping breakfast on depression, few explored the roles of breakfast quality and breakfast time. The study aimed to investigate the association of breakfast habits and breakfast quality with depression.

Insight into selective removal of trace thallium (Tl(Ι)) by novel chitosan adsorbents encapsulating low-cost silicate mineral wastes.

Recently, thallium (Tl) contamination at trace levels has gained worldwide attention, particularly in the remote ore-smelting regions of China. To effectively eliminate the residual target Tl(I) ions, one of the best strategies is to develop novel adsorbents with high selectivity. In this study, we selected silicate mineral waste (SMW) and chitosan (CTS) to synthesize a low-cost composite adsorbent for the removal of trace Tl(I).

Timosaponin B II as a novel KEAP1-NRF2 inhibitor to alleviate alcoholic liver disease:Receptor structure-based virtual screening and biological evaluation.

Oxidative stress induced by excess ethanol is an important factor in the progression of alcoholic liver disease (ALD). In recent years, inhibiting Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (KEAP1) to activate the antioxidant regulator Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) has been considered an effective strategy for treating oxidative stress-related diseases, but its application in ALD remains insufficiently explored. This study aims to discover high-affinity inhibitors targeting the KEAP1 receptor.

Inhibition of the Basolateral Amygdala to Prelimbic Cortex Pathway Enhances Risk-taking during Risky Decision-making Shock Task in Rats.

Many animal studies have explored decision-making under risk and punishment, particularly regarding potential rewards, but less focus has been placed on contexts involving net losses. Understanding decision-making under net loss conditions can shed light on the neural mechanisms involved. The basolateral amygdala to prelimbic cortex (BLA→PL) pathway is crucial for risky decision-making.

CircKIAA0182 Enhances Lung Cancer Progression and Chemoresistance through Interaction with YBX1.

Lung cancer, particularly non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Resistance to platinum-based chemotherapy, such as cisplatin, significantly limits treatment efficacy. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have emerged as key regulators of cancer progression and chemotherapy resistance due to their stable structure, which protects them from degradation.

Clinical evaluation of droplet digital PCR in suspected invasive pulmonary aspergillosis.

Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA), the most common fungal infection, is associated with high mortality of affected patients. Traditional diagnostic methods exhibit limited sensitivity and specificity, raising big challenges for precise management of the patients. There is thus an urgent need to find out a timely and accurate diagnostic method in clinical practice.

In-situ conversion of BiOBr to Br-doped BiOCl nanosheets for "rocking chair" zinc-ion battery.

Developing insertion-type anodes is essential for designing high-performance "rocking chair" zinc-ion batteries. BiOCl shows great potential as an insertion-type anode material for Zn storage due to its high specific capacity and unique layered structure. However, the development of BiOCl has been significantly hampered by its poor stability and kinetics during cycling.

Lattice coherency engineering trigger rapid charge transport at the heterointerface of Te/InO@MXene photocatalysts for boosting photocatalytic hydrogen evolution.

The establishment of heterojunctions has been demonstrated as an effective method to improve the efficiency of photocatalytic hydrogen production. Conventional heterojunctions usually have random orientation relationships, and heterointerfaces can hinder photogenerated carrier transport due to larger lattice mismatches, thus reducing the photoelectric conversion efficiency. In this study, a novel Te/InO@MXene lattice coherency heterojunction was prepared by leveraging the identical lattice spacing of InO (222) and Te (021) crystal face.

Two-in-one strategy to enhance the stability of TiCT in transition metal ion solutions.

Although MXenes have attracted significant attention across diverse fields, they exhibit a pronounced susceptibility to oxidation in aqueous environments, with oxidation significantly accelerated in the presence of transition metal ions (TMI) such as Fe and Cu. This limitation impedes the synthesis of transition metal compounds/MXene-based composites and their potential for functional applications. In this study, we elucidate the mechanism of accelerated oxidation of TiCT is that Fe promotes the electron loss in TiCT, thus leading to an increased production of hydroxyl radicals (OH) to oxidize TiCT.

Awakening n-π* electron transition in structurally distorted g-CN nanosheets via hexamethylenetetramine-involved supercritical CO treatment towards efficient photocatalytic H production.

Graphitic carbon nitride (g-CN) has been regarded as highly potential photocatalyst for solar energy utilization. However, the restricted absorption of visible light for pristine g-CN significantly limits the solar-light-driven chemical reaction efficiency. Herein, structurally distorted g-CN nanosheets with awakened n-π* electron transition were successfully synthesized through hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA)-involved supercritical CO (scCO) treatment and following pyrolysis of melamine precursor.

Chirality engineering-regulated liquid-liquid phase separation of stress granules and its role in chemo-sensitization and side effect mitigation.

In recent years, the chiral biological effects of nanomedicines have garnered significant interest. Research has focused on understanding how material chirality affects cellular transcription and metabolism. Stress granules, which are membraneless organelles formed through liquid-liquid phase separation of G3BP1 proteins and related compartments, have been extensively studied and are closely associated with cellular damage repair and metabolism.

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxithiophene) coated on vanadium oxide hydration nanobelts enhancing ammonium-ion storage for hybrid supercapacitors.

The development of electrode materials for aqueous ammonium-ion supercapacitors (NH-SCs) has garnered significant attention in recent years. Poor intrinsic conductivity, sluggish electron transfer and ion diffusion kinetics, as well as structural degradation of vanadium oxides during the electrochemical process, pose significant challenges for their efficient ammonium-ion storage. In this work, to address the above issues, the core-shell VO·nHO@poly(3,4-ethylenedioxithiophene) composite (denoted as VOH@PEDOT) is designed and prepared by a simple agitation method to boost the ammonium-ion storage of VO·nHO (VOH).

Enhanced degradation of sulfamethoxazole in water by biochar loading and multiple free and non-free radicals cooperating in the FeS@BC/PS system.

The excessive consumption of sulfamethoxazole (SMX), a pharmaceutical antibiotic, poses significant environmental hazards. The FeS-persulfate (FeS-PS) system has been employed for SMX remediation because of its excellent performance. However, FeS tends to agglomerate and become passivated, negatively impacting its activation performance.

Mixotrophic denitrification using thiocyanate as an electron donor: Role of thiocyanate under different C/N conditions.

Thiocyanate (SCN) is a highly toxic reducing inorganic compound commonly found in various nitrogen-rich wastewater and is also a promising electron donor for mixotrophic denitrification. However, its extent of involvement in mixotrophic denitrification under conditions of carbon limitation or excess remains unclear. In this study, five reactors were constructed to investigate the participation and microbial mechanisms of SCN in mixotrophic denitrification under high C/N and low C/N conditions.

Heterotrophic denitrification enhancement via effective organic matter degradation driven by suitable iron dosage in sediment.

The control of internal pollution was important throughout the restoration of the lake, especially the removal of sediment internal nitrogen. Experiments involving incubation were conducted in this study to investigate the effects of iron remediation on nitrogen in both water and sediment. Adding iron with varying dosage had different effects on the nutrients content and other properties of water and sediment in remediation.

Roles and opportunities of quorum sensing in natural and engineered anaerobic digestion systems.

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is a biological process in which anaerobic microorganisms convert organic matter into methane-rich gas, contributing to the cycling of carbon and other nutrients. Quorum sensing (QS), a microbial communication mechanism, plays a critical role in regulating population-level behaviors within AD systems. This review systematically examines the roles and applications of QS in AD, emphasizing its importance in enhancing process efficiency.

Formosanin C induces autophagy-mediated cell death in hepatocellular carcinoma through activating DUSP1/AMPK/ULK1/Beclin1 signaling pathway.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounts for the majority of primary liver cancers and is associated with poor survival. Formosanin C (FC) is a diosgenin glycoside extracted from Paris polyphylla. Therapeutic effects of FC against HCC malignancies remain unclear.

SERS and ECL dual-mode sensing of bacterial lipopolysaccharide based on bifunctional DNA strands mediated transformation from Au@Ag nanocubes to silver nanoclusters.

Bacterial contamination is a very serious health and environmental problem, with the main source of toxicity being lipopolysaccharides in the cell walls of Gram-negative bacteria. Therefore, the development of effective analytical methods is crucial for the detection of lipopolysaccharide content. This work facilitates the efficient generation of precisely adjustable dual-mode signals for LPS detection in surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) and electrochemiluminescence (ECL) by inducing anisotropic morphological evolution of Au@Ag nanocubes (Au@AgNCs) through poly-cytosine (poly-C) DNA.