Protective effect of puerarin in diabetic nephropathy: A systematic review and meta-analysis of animal studies.

Background: Puerarin is a crucial constituent separated from the Chinese herbaceous plant, Pueraria lobata (Willd.) Ohwi, which exhibits multiple biological activities. Previous studies have indicated that puerarin has a function to alleviate renal damage in animal models of diabetic nephropathy (DN).

A Paper-Based Sensor for the Detection of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Utilizing a Cleavable Fluorescent Polymer.

Nowadays, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) has emerged as one of the major hazards to the health of the upper gastrointestinal tract, and there is an urgent need for a low-cost, user-friendly, and non-invasive detection method. Herein, a paper-based sensor (CP sensor) for the non-invasive screening of GERD is proposed. The sensor is structured as a specially shaped cellulose paper strip embedded with fluorescent colloids, which are self-assembled from a cleavable synthetic fluorescent polymer (P4).

Sprayed Aqueous Microdroplets for Spontaneous Synthesis of Functional Microgels.

The development of sustainable synthesis route to produce functional and bioactive polymer colloids has attracted much attention. Most strategies are based on the polymerization of monomers or crosslinking of prepolymers by enzyme- or cell-mediated reactions or specific catalysts in confined emulsions. Herein, a facile solution spray method was developed for spontaneous synthesis of microgels without use of confined emulsion, additional initiators/catalysts and deoxygenation, which addresses the challenges in traditional microgel synthesis.

Switchable Deep Eutectic Solvents for the Green Extraction of Tea Saponins From Camellia Oleifera Seed Meal.

Tea saponin has garnered tremendous interest for its potential use in surfactant and drug synthesis. This research was designed to develop a technique based on pH-responsive switchable deep eutectic solvents (SDESs) for extracting tea saponins from Camellia oleifera seed meal. SDES synthesized from hexanoic acid and triethanolamine (1:1 molar ratio) offered the optimum extractive performance and the optimal conditions were obtained through single-factor experiments: 30 wt% water content in SDES, solid-liquid ratio of 1:30 g/mL, 60°C extraction temperature, 30 min extraction time, and acid volume of 1500 µL.

Soluplus Stabilized Amorphous Dispersions for Enhanced Oral Absorption of Felodipine.

Background: Overcoming the poor aqueous solubility of small-molecule drugs is a major challenge in developing clinical pharmaceuticals. Felodipine (FLDP), an L-type calcium calcium channel blocker, is a poorly water-soluble drug.

Objectives: The study aimed to explore the potential applications of polyvinyl caprolactam-polyvinyl acetate-polyethylene glycol (Soluplus) stabilized amorphous dispersions for augmenting the oral delivery of poorly water-soluble drugs.

Natural products and biological activity from actinomycetes associated with Hook. & Arn.

An endophytic actinomycetes, , was -isolated from the leaves of Hook. et Arn. Five compounds were separated from the ethyl acetate extract of the fermentation broth of endophytic actinomycetes, and their structures were confirmed by utilising methods such as nuclear magnetic resonance, mass spectrometry, and literature references.

TiO-Based Implantable Memristor for Biomedical Engineering.

Implantable memristors are considered an emerging electronic technology that can simulate brain memory function and demonstrate some promising applications in the biomedical field. However, it remains a critical challenge to enhance their long-term stability and biocompatibility in implantation environments. In this work, an implantable memristor has been successfully fabricated based on TiO using magnetron sputtering.

The evolution of the Amber additive protein force field: History, current status, and future.

Molecular dynamics simulations are pivotal in elucidating the intricate properties of biological molecules. Nonetheless, the reliability of their outcomes hinges on the precision of the molecular force field utilized. In this perspective, we present a comprehensive review of the developmental trajectory of the Amber additive protein force field, delving into researchers' persistent quest for higher precision force fields and the prevailing challenges.

CXCL16 promotes proliferation of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma by regulating GPX1-mediated antioxidant levels.

Numerous studies have demonstrated that the high expression of CXC motif chemokine ligand 16 (CXCL16) in cancer correlates with poor prognosis, as well as tumor cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. While CXCL16 can serve as a tumor biomarker, the underlying mechanism in modulating head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remains unclear. In this study, the aimed was to investigate the CXCL16 expression in HNSCC and to uncover the potential underlying mechanism.

Accuracy evaluation and clinical realization of digital interproximal enamel reduction for orthodontics: a case study.

Objective: This study presents a novel digital interproximal enamel reduction (IER) clinical procedure, aiming to improve the effectiveness of IER processes in orthodontic treatment.

Methods: A malocclusion case of skeletal-class I and angle-class I was selected for the experimental investigation. A three-dimensional (3D) model of the dentition was constructed using scanning data from a plaster model.

SDES-YOLO: A high-precision and lightweight model for fall detection in complex environments.

Falling is an emergency situation that can result in serious injury or even death, especially in the absence of immediate assistance. Therefore, developing a model that can accurately and promptly detect falls is crucial for enhancing quality of life and safety. In the field of object detection, while YOLOv8 has recently made notable strides in detection accuracy and speed, it still faces challenges in detecting falls due to variations in lighting, occlusions, and complex human postures.

Electrode functional microorganisms in bioelectrochemical systems and its regulation: A review.

Bioelectrochemical systems (BES) as environmental remediation biotechnologies have boomed in the last two decades. Although BESs combined technologies with electro-chemistry, -biology, and -physics, microorganisms and biofilms remain at their core. In this review, various functional microorganisms in BESs for CO reduction, dehalogenation, nitrate, phosphate, and sulfate reduction, metal removal, and volatile organic compound oxidation are summarized and compared in detail.

Prediction of p-phenylenediamine antioxidant concentrations in human urine using machine learning models.

p-phenylenediamine antioxidants (PPDs) are extensively used in rubber manufacturing for their potent antioxidative properties, but PPDs and 2-anilino-5-[(4-methylpentan-2yl)amino]cyclohexa-2,5-diene-1,4-dione (6PPDQ) pose potential environmental and health risks. Existing biomonitoring methods for assessing human exposure to PPDs are labor-intensive, costly, and provide limited data. Thus, there is a critical need to develop predictive models for evaluating PPDs and 6PPDQ exposure levels to facilitate health risk assessments.

A reliable LC-MS/MS method for the quantification of natural amino acids in human plasma and its application in clinic.

A simple and fast LC-MS/MS method was developed and validated for simultaneous quantification of 20 L-amino acids (AAs) in human plasma. Chromatographic separation was achieved on an Agilent AdvanceBio Hilic column within 15 min via gradient elution with an aqueous solution containing 5 mM ammonium formate, 5 mM ammonium acetate and 0.1 % formic acid and an organic mobile phase containing 0.

Tea polyphenol-loaded chitosan/pectin nanoparticle as a nucleating agent for slurry ice production and its application in preservation of large yellow croaker (Pseudosciaena crocea).

Slurry ice preparation experiences considerable supercooling, which can be mitigated by nano-nucleating agents. A nano-nucleating agent (CH/PE-TP NPs) was prepared by ultrasonication-assistant self-assembly of chitosan (CH) and pectin (PE), encapsulated with tea polyphenols (TP). Ultrasonication for 10 min downsized self-assembled aggregates from 5.

Construction of a Heterostructured Alloy-Molybdenum Nitride Catalyst for Enhanced NH Production via Nitrate Electrolysis.

Here, we reported a highly efficient nitrate electroreduction (NORR) electrocatalyst that integrated alloying and heterostructuring strategies comprising FeCo alloy and MoN (FeCo-MoN/NC). Notably, the maximum NH Faraday efficiency (FE) of 83.24%, NH yield of 12.

Amorphous Ni(OH) Coated Cu Dendrites with Superaerophobic Interface for Bipolar Hydrogen Production Assisted with Formaldehyde Oxidation.

Since formaldehyde oxidation reaction (FOR) can release H, it is attractive to construct a bipolar hydrogen production system consisting of FOR and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Although copper-based catalysts have attracted much attention due to their low cost and high FOR activity, the performance enhancement mechanism lacks in-depth investigation. Here, an amorphous-crystalline catalyst of amorphous nickel hydroxide-coated copper dendrites on copper foam (Cu@Ni(OH)/CF) is prepared.

Experimental study on the influence of lapping plate materials on the quality of both sides cylindrical rollers machining.

The both-sides machining method can obtain high precision cylindrical rollers, but there is a drawback that the lapping plate is easy to wear, which restricts further improvement in the quality of rollers machining. Aiming to solve this problem, a both-sides machining method using hard ceramic lapping plate is proposed. Friction and wear experiments with different lapping plate materials, along with the corresponding comparative machining experiments, demonstrated the superior performance of AlO ceramic lapping plate in terms of roundness (0.

Mn-Doped Ni(OH) Nanosheets as High-Performance Electrocatalyst for 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural Electrooxidation.

Converting 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) via electrooxidation is a sustainable approach for generating high-value chemicals from biomass. This study presents Mn-doped Ni(OH) nanosheets as an effective electrocatalyst for HMF electrooxidation. The Mn-doped Ni(OH) nanosheets were synthesized through a microwave-assisted deep eutectic solvent (DES) strategy, followed by an alkaline reflux process.

Ultimate water capillary evaporation in bamboo-inspired evaporator.

Bionic evaporators inspired by natural plants like bamboo and mushrooms have emerged as efficient generators through water capillary evaporation. However, primitive natural evaporators cannot currently meet growing demand, and their performance limitations remain largely unexplored, presenting a substantial challenge. Through extensive experimentation and detailed simulation analysis, this study presents a precisely engineered H-type bamboo steam generator.

Alloying effect modulated electronic structure of Mo-doped PdIn bimetallene nanoribbons for ambient electrosynthesis of urea.

Designing advanced catalysts for electrosynthesis of urea is of significance yet remains challenging. Herein, ultrathin two-dimensional Mo-doped PdIn bimetallene nanoribbons were synthesized a one-pot method. Material characterization and electrochemical study revealed that the alloying effect enabled electron transfer from In to Pd and provided dual metal sites with regulated electronic structure for the adsorption and activation of NO and CO, thus facilitating the generation of key active intermediates and promoting the C-N coupling reaction.

Carbon Dots@Upconversion Nanoparticles: Conjugate Manipulation and Luminophor Confinement Enabling Aqueous-Phase Orthogonal Multicolor Phosphorescence-Upconversion Luminescence.

Developing single-particle nanocomposite with aqueous-phase orthogonal multicolor phosphorescence or multimodal luminescence holds great significance for optical coding, anti-counterfeiting encryption, bioimaging, and biosensing. However, it faces challenges such as a limited range of emission wavelengths and difficulties in controlling the synthesis process. In this work, a conjugate structure manipulation integrated luminophor confinement strategy is proposed to prepare carbon dots@upconversion nanoparticles (CDs@UCNPs) featuring aqueous-phase orthogonal multicolor room-temperature phosphorescence-upconversion luminescence (RTP-UCL) through wet-chemical synthetic methods.

Occurrence and bioaccumulation of organophosphate flame retardants in high-altitude regions: A comprehensive field survey in Qinghai Province, China.

Organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs) are a class of substances that pose potential risks to human health and ecosystems due to their large-scale production, wide range of applications, and ubiquitous presence in the environment. With their potential for long-range atmospheric transport (LRAT), OPFR pollution in high-altitude areas has become an increasing concern. Herein, a general pretreatment method for OPFRs across various sample matrices was established and combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), utilizing a programmed temperature ramp in the vaporization chamber to enable high-throughput detection of OPFRs in various environmental matrices.

Data-Driven Approach for Designing Eco-Friendly Heterocyclic Compounds for the Soil Microbiome.

Soil microbiota plays crucial roles in maintaining the health, productivity, and nutrient cycling of terrestrial ecosystems. The persistence and prevalence of heterocyclic compounds in soil pose significant risks to soil health. However, understanding the links between heterocyclic compounds and microbial responses remains challenging due to the complexity of microbial communities and their various chemical structures.

FF-ATPase Biomolecular Motor: Structure, Motility Manipulations, and Biomedical Applications.

Biomolecular motors are dynamic systems found in organisms with high energy conversion efficiency. FF-ATPase is a rotary biomolecular motor known for its near 100% energy conversion efficiency. It utilizes the synthesis and hydrolysis of ATP to induce conformational changes in motor proteins, thereby converting chemical energy into mechanical motion.