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Breast cancer is the most diagnosed cancer in women worldwide and the leading cause of most cancer-related deaths, posing a serious threat to women′s health worldwide. At present, although the prognosis of some patients with breast cancer has improved, the emergence of drug resistance and the metastasis and recurrence of breast cancer are still the main reasons for poor prognosis. CD36 is a multiligand transmembrane glycoprotein expressed on various cell types. In recent years, studies have confirmed that CD36 can reshape the lipid metabolism of cancer cells; promote the differentiation of tumor-related macrophages into M2 type and recruitment into tumor tissues; regulate the function of Treg cells, CD8+ T cells, DCs, and other immune cells, and thus promote tumor development. In addition, CD36 is also associated with breast cancer stem cells, metastasis-initiating cells, and breast drug resistant cells. Therefore, CD36 could be an important potential therapeutic target for breast cancer.

Introduction: Pulmonary fibrosis is a major cause of the poor prognosis of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). While mechanical ventilation (MV) is an indispensable life-saving intervention for ARDS, it may cause the remodeling process in lung epithelial cells to become disorganized and exacerbate ARDS-associated pulmonary fibrosis. Piezo1 is a mechanosensitive ion channel that is known to play a role in regulating diverse physiological processes, but whether Piezo1 is necessary for MV-exacerbated ARDS-associated pulmonary fibrosis remains unknown. Objectives: This study aimed to explore the role of Piezo1 in MV-exacerbated ARDS-associated pulmonary fibrosis. Methods: Human lung epithelial cells were stimulated with hydrochloric acid (HCl) followed by mechanical stretch for 48 h. A two-hit model of MV after acid aspiration-induced lung injury in mice was used. Mice were sacrificed after 14 days of MV. Pharmacological inhibition and knockout of Piezo1 were used to delineate the role of Piezo1 in MV-exacerbated ARDS-associated pulmonary fibrosis. In some experiments, ATP or the ATP-hydrolyzing enzyme apyrase was administered. Results: The stimulation of human lung epithelial cells to HCl resulted in phenotypes of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which were enhanced by mechanical stretching. MV exacerbated pulmonary fibrosis in mice exposed to HCl. Pharmacological inhibition or knockout of Piezo1 attenuated the MV-exacerbated EMT process and lung fibrosis in vivo and in vitro. Mechanistically, the observed effects were mediated by Piezo1-dependent Ca2+ influx and ATP release in lung epithelial cells. Conclusions: Our findings identify a key role for Piezo1 in MV-exacerbated ARDS-associated pulmonary fibrosis that is mediated by increased ATP release in lung epithelial cells. Inhibiting Piezo1 may constitute a novel strategy for the treatment of MV-exacerbated ARDS-associated pulmonary fibrosis.

Oligopeptide (AYAPE, AYP) has been isolated from Isochrysis Zhanjiangensis and it has been proven to have good biological activity potential, but its structural characteristics and structure-activity are not yet very clear. As an oligopeptide of five amino acids, the structural characteristics of AYP are the key factors of its activity. Therefore, through evaluating the antioxidant mechanism and stress degree of AYP in different cells, the active action sites were analyzed to explain the antioxidant structure activity relationship of AYP. The results indicate that under oxidative stress, 50 μM AYP can restore 78.53 % of cell viability. AYP through NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways inhibit inflammation and cell apoptosis. And then, it activates Nrf2/Keap1 pathway, promotes Nrf2 nuclear transfer, and increases the expression of antioxidant enzymes, thus exerting antioxidant effects. In addition, in order to further explore the structure activity relationship of AYP, quantum mechanics and molecular docking were combined for analysis. The results showed that tyrosine, alanine, proline, and glutamic acid contained in AYP can all contribute to antioxidant activity, and the key amino acids that mainly play an antioxidant role are tyrosine and alanine. Therefore, this study provides a new idea for the rational design of marine oligopeptides based on the activity mechanism in the application of food and health products.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the deadliest forms of cancer, but the drugs currently used for its treatment are less than ideal. Tilapia oligopeptides have a wide range of biological activities and are potential sources of new drugs. In this study, the role and mechanism of TBP-1 (Ser-Val-Val-Ala-Ile), an oligopeptide from tilapia, on inflammation and endothelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in HCC was investigated using the LPS-induced RAW264.7 inflammation model and the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1-induced HCC EMT model. The results showed that TBP-1 could effectively inhibit inflammatory response. Moreover, in TGF-β1-induced human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells, 100 μM TBP-1 significantly reduced the secretion of N-cadherin (54.2 ± 10.6 %), Vimentin (47.0 ± 9.4 %) and Snail (76.0 ± 9.0 %), increased the secretion of E-cadherin (56.0 ± 16.3 %), inhibited cell metastasis, and participated in the regulatory mechanisms of TGF-β/Smad and non-TGF-β/Smad mediated EMT. TBP-1 may be a potentially valuable inhibitor of HCC.

Low temperatures pose a significant threat to plant growth and development. Studies have shown that aquaporins (AQPs), as the main functional proteins on the cell membrane regulating water ingress and egress, play a vital role in maintaining dynamic water balance when plants face cold stress. Catalpa bungei, an important timber and ornamental tree species, has its cultivation range significantly limited by its poor cold tolerance. However, no study has been found aiming to identify its aquaporin gene family. This study aims to fill this gap using two C. bungei cultivars with differing cold tolerance as experimental material: “Qiuza 1”, which is less cold-tolerant, and “Qiuza 2”, which is more cold-tolerant. The plants were subjected to low-temperature stress at 4 °C for 24 h. Using high-throughput molecular sequencing technology, a transcriptome sequencing of the leaves was performed at 0, 6, 12, and 18 h of cold stress. Fifteen candidate aquaporin genes in C. bungei (CbAQP) were identified. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the CbAQP gene family is divided into five subfamilies: 5 PIPs, 4 TIPs, 3 NIPs, 2 SIPs, and 1 XIP. By analyzing AQPs related to cold stress in other plants and the expression patterns of CbAQP genes, 12 CbAQP genes related to cold stress were identified. The genes that responded positively include CbPIP2;5, CbPIP1;2, CbTIP4;1, and CbNIP2;1. The results provide a foundation for further analysis of the biological functions of candidate CbAQP genes related to cold tolerance and offer theoretical support for improving seedling quality, cold-resistant genetic breeding, and expanding its distribution range.

Periodontitis is a common chronic inflammatory disease of the supporting tissues of the tooth that involves a complex interaction of microorganisms and various cell lines around the infected site. To prevent and treat this disease, several options are available, such as scaling, root planning, antibiotic treatment, and dental surgeries, depending on the stage of the disease. However, these treatments can have various side effects, including additional inflammatory responses, chronic wounds, and the need for secondary surgery. Consequently, numerous studies have focused on developing new therapeutic agents for more effective periodontitis treatment. This review explores the latest trends in bioactive substances with therapeutic effects for periodontitis using various search engines. Therefore, this study aimed to suggest effective directions for therapeutic approaches. Additionally, we provide a summary of the current applications and underlying mechanisms of bioactive substances, which can serve as a reference for the development of periodontitis treatments.

The microclimate environment can be conveniently controlled with accuracy by plant incubators, in which the cuttings propagation method can efficiently enhance seedling production. To ensure air flow evenly throughout the incubator, the scientific design of the air inlet is crucial. This study utilized a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model to simulate the airflow patterns in a culture layer under different air inlet conditions. Furthermore, the optimal design parameters were determined by way of response surface methodology (RSM) and the Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm-II (NSGA-II). Adopting the optimal parameters, a prototype was manufactured, and a cuttings experiment was carried out with apple cuttings in the incubator. The results showed that the optimal air inlet radius is 90 mm, the optimal air inlet height is 188 mm, and the optimal uniform flow plate hole diameter is 13 mm. Meanwhile, the apple cuttings were able to root. Therefore, this incubator with optimal parameters can be used for cuttings. The study provides a methodological and theoretical basis for the future optimizing of air inlet parameters and promoting cuttings rooting.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder of the elderly for which there is no cure or disease-modifying therapy. Mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress play a central role in dopaminergic neurodegeneration in PD. Therefore, antioxidants are considered a promising neuroprotective approach. In in vivo activity studies, 6-OHDA-induced oxidative stress in SH-SY5Y cells was established as a model of PD for cellular experiments. IIAVE (Ile–Ile–Ala–Val–Glu) was derived from Isochrysis zhanjiangensis octapeptide (IIAVEAGC), which has a small molecular weight. The structure and antioxidant activity of IIAVE were tested in a previous study and proved to have good antioxidant potential. In this study, the chemical properties of IIAVE were calculated using quantum chemical methods, including frontier molecular orbital (FMO), molecular electrostatic potential (MEP), natural population analysis (NPA), and global reactivity properties. The interaction of IIAVE with Bcl-2 and DJ-1 was investigated using the molecular docking method. The results showed that IIAVE promoted the activation of the Keap1/Nrf2 pathway and up-regulated the expression of the superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD-1) protein by inhibiting the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cells. In addition, IIAVE inhibits ROS production and prevents 6-OHDA-induced oxidative damage by restoring mitochondrial membrane potential. Furthermore, IIAVE inhibited cell apoptosis by increasing the Bcl-2/Bax ratio and inhibiting the activation of Caspase-9 and Caspase-3. Thus, IIAVE may become a potential drug for the treatment and prevention of PD.

The corrosion of reinforced concrete (RC) is one of the most serious durability problems in civil engineering structures, and the corrosion detection of internal reinforcements is an important basis for structural durability assessment. In this paper, the appropriate frequency required to cause excitation signals in the specimen is first analyzed by means of frequency dispersion curves. Subsequently, the effectiveness of five damage indexes (DIs) is discussed using random corrosion in finite elements. Finally, guided ultrasonic wave (GUW) tests are conducted on reinforcement and RC specimens at different corrosion degrees, and the test results are verified using a theoretical corrosion model. The results show that the larger the covered thickness is at the same frequency, the higher the modal order of the GUW in the frequency dispersion curve is, and the smaller the group velocity is. The SAD is the most sensitive to the corrosion state of the reinforcement compared with the other DIs, and it shows a linear increasing trend with the increase in the corrosion degree of the reinforcement. The SAD values of the RC specimens showed a three-stage change with the increase in the corrosion time, and the time until the appearance of corrosion cracks was increased with the increase in the covered thickness. It can be seen that increasing the covered thickness is an effective method to delay the time until the appearance of corrosion cracks in RC specimens.

Abstract Background Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common primary malignant bone tumors in children and adolescents. Large numbers of studies have focused on the long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) that plays essential roles in the progression of osteosarcoma. Nevertheless, the functions and underlying mechanisms of LncRNA NDRG1 in osteosarcoma remain unknown. Methods Differentially expressed lncRNAs between osteosarcoma and adjacent normal tissues were identified through RNA sequencing. The role of LncRNA NDRG1 in osteosarcoma proliferation and metastasis were investigated through in vitro and in vivo functional experiments. The interaction between LncRNA NDRG1 and miR-96-5p was verified through bioinformatic analysis and luciferase reporter assay. Regulation relationship between LncRNA NDRG1 and miR-96-5p was further evaluated by the rescue experiments. Additionally, the changes in the expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and the PI3K/AKT pathway were verified by Western blot. Results LncRNA NDRG1 was up-regulated in osteosarcoma cell lines and tissues and the expression of LncRNA NDRG1 was correlated with the overall survival of osteosarcoma patients. Functional experiments exhibited that LncRNA NDRG1 aggravated osteosarcoma proliferation and migration in vitro; meanwhile, animals experiments showed that LncRNA NDRG1 promoted osteosarcoma growth and metastasis in vivo. Mechanistically, LncRNA NDRG1 was found to aggravate osteosarcoma progression and regulate the PI3K/AKT pathway by sponging miR-96-5p. Conclusions LncRNA NDRG1 aggravates osteosarcoma progression and regulates the PI3K/AKT pathway by sponging miR-96-5p. Therefore, LncRNA NDRG1 could act as a prognostic marker and a therapeutic target for osteosarcoma in the future.

Abstract Background P16INK4A is a surrogate signature compensating for the specificity and/or sensitivity deficiencies of the human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA and Papanicolaou smear (Pap) co‐test for detecting high‐grade cervical squamous intraepithelial lesions or worse (HSIL+). However, traditional p16INK4A immunostaining is labour intensive and skill demanding, and subjective biases cannot be avoided. Herein, we created a high‐throughput, quantitative diagnostic device, p16INK4A flow cytometry (FCM) and assessed its performances in cervical cancer screening and prevention. Methods P16INK4A FCM was built upon a novel antibody clone and a series of positive and negative (p16INK4A‐knockout) standards. Since 2018, 24 100‐women (HPV‐positive/‐negative, Pap‐normal/‐abnormal) have been enrolled nationwide for two‐tier validation work. In cross‐sectional studies, age‐ and viral genotype‐dependent expression of p16INK4A was investigated, and optimal diagnostic parameter cut‐offs (using colposcopy and biopsy as a gold standard) were obtained. In cohort studies, the 2‐year prognostic values of p16INK4A were investigated with other risk factors by multivariate regression analyses in three cervicopathological conditions: HPV‐positive Pap‐normal, Pap‐abnormal biopsy‐negative and biopsy‐confirmed LSIL. Results P16INK4A FCM detected a minimal ratio of 0.01% positive cells. The p16INK4A‐positive ratio was 13.9 ± 1.8% among HPV‐negative NILM women and peaked at the ages of 40–49 years; after HPV infection, the ratio increased to 15.1 ± 1.6%, varying with the carcinogenesis of the viral genotype. Further increments were found in women with neoplastic lesions (HPV‐negative: 17.7 ± 5.0–21.4 ± 7.2%; HPV‐positive: 18.0 ± 5.2–20.0 ± 9.9%). Extremely low expression of p16INK4A was observed in women with HSILs. As the HPV‐combined double‐cut‐off‐ratio criterion was adopted, a Youden's index of 0.78 was obtained, which was significantly higher than that (0.72) of the HPV and Pap co‐test. The p16INK4A‐abnormal situation was an independent HSIL+ risk factor for 2‐year outcomes in all three cervicopathological conditions investigated (hazard ratios: 4.3–7.2). Conclusions FCM‐based p16INK4A quantification offers a better choice for conveniently and precisely monitoring the occurrence of HSIL+ and directing risk‐stratification‐based interventions.

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) mainly induce oxidative stress through the overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can lead to cytotoxicity. Celastrol, a plant-derived compound, can exert antioxidant effects by reducing ROS production. Our results indicated that exposure to MWCNTs decreased cell viability and increased ROS production. Nrf2 knockdown (kd) led to increased ROS production and enhanced MWCNT-induced cytotoxicity. Keap1-kd led to decreased ROS production and attenuated cytotoxicity. Treatment with celastrol significantly decreased ROS production and promoted Keap1 protein degradation through the lysosomal pathway, thereby enhancing the translocation of Nrf2 from the cytoplasm to the nucleus and increasing HO-1 expression. The in vivo results showed that celastrol could alleviate the inflammatory damage of lung tissues, increase the levels of the antioxidants, GSH and SOD, as well as promote the expression of the antioxidant protein, HO-1 in MWCNT-treated mice. Celastrol can alleviate MWCNT-induced oxidative stress through the Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway.

Here the authors provide experimental evidence of extended topological valley-locked states. By splicing together Dirac semimetals and topological insulators, they demonstrate reduced backscattering and enhanced matching of SAW with interdigital transducers proposing this system for topological acoustics devices.

In this paper, firstly, the effects of graphene oxide on the mechanical properties of concrete were investigated. Secondly, the degradation and mechanism of the mechanical properties of graphene oxide concrete (GOC) under sulfate attack and a freeze–thaw environment were investigated. In addition, the dynamic modulus of elasticity (MOEdy) and uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) of the GOC were measured under different environmental conditions. According to the test results, the incorporation of graphene oxide in appropriate admixtures could improve the mechanical properties of concrete in these two working environments. It is worth noting that this effect is most pronounced when 0.05 wt% graphene oxide is incorporated. In the sulfate attack environment, the MOEdy and UTS of the GOC0.05% specimen at 120 cycles decreased by 22.28% and 24.23%, respectively, compared with the normal concrete specimens. In the freeze–thaw environment, the MOEdy and UTS of the GOC0.05% specimen at 90 cycles decreased by 13.96% and 7.58%, respectively, compared with the normal concrete specimens. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis showed that graphene oxide could adjust the aggregation state of cement hydration products and its own reaction with some cement hydration crystals to form strong covalent bonds, thereby improving and enhancing the microstructure density.

The orthotropic steel deck is a prevalent stiffening girder structure utilized in long-span cable-stayed bridges and suspension bridges. Nonetheless, the issue of fatigue cracking has persisted in in-service orthotropic steel decks, significantly impacting the longevity of bridges. This study examines the analysis of the distribution of residual stress during the rewelding process of a fatigue crack at the U-rib-to-deck-plate joint of an orthotropic steel bridge deck. Additionally, the impact of the initial welding and the stiffness of the boundary constraint on the residual stress field during rewelding is discussed. The findings indicate that the removal of the fatigue crack prior to rewelding alleviates the transverse residual stress caused by the initial welding. After undergoing the rewelding procedure, both the transverse residual stress and the longitudinal residual stress exhibited a significant stress peak. More precisely, the transverse tensile stress underwent a rise from 21 MPa to 385 MPa, while the longitudinal tensile stress experienced an increase from 345 MPa to 525 MPa. Furthermore, the range of tensile stress within the longitudinal residual distribution expanded by 88%. Moreover, the stress redistribution during the rewelding of the local fatigue crack varied depending on the constraints imposed on the steel bridge deck. Notably, the transverse residual stress increases by 40.6% when compared to the absence of constraints. The findings of this research offer valuable insights for the implementation of rewelding repair techniques on steel bridge decks, emphasizing the significance of considering the effects of residual stresses induced during the rewelding process.

It is of great significance to design and innovate electrode materials with unique structures to effectively optimize the electrochemical properties of the secondary battery. Herein, inspired by neuron networks, an ingenious synthesis is proposed to fabricate NiSe with multidimensional micro-nano structures, followed by in situ construction of NiSe/NiO heterostructures via a temporary calcination. The major structure of bulk NiSe synthesized by the solvothermal method is 3-dimensional micron cluster spherical particles interwoven by uniform one-dimensional nanofibers. Such structures possess the synergistic advantages of nano and micro materials. After a temporary calcination in air, NiSe/NiO heterostructures should be formed in the bulk NiSe, which provides a built-in electric field to enhance diffusion kinetics of sodium ions. This special neural-like network and heterojunction structures ensure the excellent structural stability combined with rapid kinetics of the electrode, releasing 310.9 mAh g−1 reversible capacity after 2,000 cycles at 10 A g−1. Furthermore, the electrochemical storage and ion transport mechanisms are elaborated by electrochemical analysis and theoretical calculation in more detail.

Abstract Developing effective strategies to improve the initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE) and cycling stability of hard carbon (HC) anodes for sodium‐ion batteries is the key to promoting the commercial application of HC. In this paper, homotype heterojunctions are designed on HC to induce the generation of stable solid electrolyte interfaces, which can effectively increase the ICE of HC from 64.7% to 81.1%. The results show that using a simple surface engineering strategy to construct a homotypic amorphous Al2O3 layer on the HC could shield the active sites, and further inhibit electrolyte decomposition and side effects occurrence. Particularly, due to the suppression of continuous decomposition of NaPF6 in ester‐based electrolytes, the accumulation of NaF could be reduced, leading to the formation of thinner and denser solid electrolyte interface films and a decrease in the interface resistance. The HC anode can not only improve the ICE but elevate its sodium storage performance based on this homotype heterojunction composed of HC and Al2O3. The optimized HC anode exhibits an outstanding reversible capacity of 321.5 mAh g−1 at 50 mA g−1. The cycling stability is also improved effectively, and the capacity retention rate is 86.9% after 2000 cycles at 1 A g−1 while that of the untreated HC is only 52.6%. More importantly, the improved sodium storage behaviors are explained by electrochemical kinetic analysis.

Abstract Nondestructive testing of plant roots is a hot topic in recent years. The traditional measurement process is time-consuming and laborious, and it is impossible to analyze the state of plant roots without destroying the sample. Recent studies have shown that as an excellent nondestructive measurement method, although electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) has made great achievements in many botanical research fields such as plant morphology and stress resistance, there are still limitations. This review summarizes the application of EIS in plant root measurement. The experiment scheme, instrument and electrode, excitation frequency range, root electrical characteristics, equivalent circuit, and combination of EIS and artificial intelligence (AI) are discussed. Furthermore, the review suggests that future research should focus on miniaturization of measurement equipment, standardization of planting environment and intelligentization of root diagnosis, so as to better apply EIS technology to in situ root nondestructive measurement.

Postoperative delirium (POD) is common in the elderly and is associated with poor clinical outcomes. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and blood-brain barrier (BBB) damage have been implicated in the development of POD, but the association between these two factors and the potential mechanism is not clear. Cyclophilin A (CypA) is a specifically chemotactic leukocyte factor that can be secreted in response to ROS, which activates matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) and mediates BBB breakdown. We, therefore, hypothesized that ROS may contribute to anesthesia/surgery-induced BBB damage and delirium-like behavior via the CypA/MMP9 pathway. To test these hypotheses, 16-month-old mice were subjected to laparotomy under 3% sevoflurane anesthesia (anesthesia/surgery) for 3 h. ROS scavenger (N-acetyl-cysteine) and CypA inhibitor (Cyclosporin A) were used 0.5 h before anesthesia/surgery. A battery of behavior tests (buried food test, open field test, and Y maze test) was employed to evaluate behavioral changes at 24 h before and after surgery in the mice. Levels of tight junction proteins, CypA, MMP9, postsynaptic density protein (PSD)-95, and synaptophysin in the prefrontal cortex were assessed by western blotting. The amounts of ROS and IgG in the cortex of mice were observed by fluorescent staining. The concentration of S100β in the serum was detected by ELISA. ROS scavenger prevented the reduction in TJ proteins and restored the permeability of BBB as well as reduced the levels of CypA/MMP9, and further alleviated delirium-like behavior induced by anesthesia/surgery. Furthermore, the CypA inhibitor abolished the increased levels of CypA/MMP, which reversed BBB damage and ameliorated delirium-like behavior caused by ROS accumulation. Our findings demonstrated that ROS may participate in regulating BBB permeability in aged mice with POD via the CypA/MMP9 pathway, suggesting that CypA may be a potential molecular target for preventing POD.

ObjectiveConvolutional Neural Network(CNN) is increasingly being applied in the diagnosis of gastric cancer. However, the impact of proportion of internal data in the training set on test results has not been sufficiently studied. Here, we constructed an artificial intelligence (AI) system called EGC-YOLOV4 using the YOLO-v4 algorithm to explore the optimal ratio of training set with the power to diagnose early gastric cancer.DesignA total of 22,0918 gastroscopic images from Yixing People’s Hospital were collected. 7 training set models were established to identify 4 test sets. Respective sensitivity, specificity, Youden index, accuracy, and corresponding thresholds were tested, and ROC curves were plotted.Results1. The EGC-YOLOV4 system completes all tests at an average reading speed of about 15 ms/sheet; 2. The AUC values in training set 1 model were 0.8325, 0.8307, 0.8706, and 0.8279, in training set 2 model were 0.8674, 0.8635, 0.9056, and 0.9249, in training set 3 model were 0.8544, 0.8881, 0.9072, and 0.9237, in training set 4 model were 0.8271, 0.9020, 0.9102, and 0.9316, in training set 5 model were 0.8249, 0.8484, 0.8796, and 0.8931, in training set 6 model were 0.8235, 0.8539, 0.9002, and 0.9051, in training set 7 model were 0.7581, 0.8082, 0.8803, and 0.8763.ConclusionEGC-YOLOV4 can quickly and accurately identify the early gastric cancer lesions in gastroscopic images, and has good generalization.The proportion of positive and negative samples in the training set will affect the overall diagnostic performance of AI.In this study, the optimal ratio of positive samples to negative samples in the training set is 1:1~ 1:2.

Microalgae are primary producers in marine ecosystems, and have been diffusely used in medicine and food. In this research, we evaluated the protective effects of polypeptides from microalgae, Isochrysis zhanjiangensis (EMFGTSSET, ETT) on endothelial injury in angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). The results showed that ETT inhibited the fluorescence intensity of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), and reduces the expression of related cytokines, such as IL-1β, IL-8, TNF-α, iNOS, COX-2, ET-1, AT-1, and adhesion factor. It blocks inflammation and apoptosis through mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK), nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) and serine/threonine kinase (Akt) signal pathways, thereby alleviating endothelial damage. Meanwhile, ETT (IC50 = 15.08 μM) antagonizes Angiotensin-I Converting Enzyme (ACE) in a non-competitive binding mode, and has an antihypertensive effect in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Therefore, ETT has excellent effect in regulating hypertension, can become the main component of potential functional food for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, and further improve the use value of Isochrysis Zhanjiangensis.

Abstract Background Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) has rarely been applied in plant science, particularly to study plant resistance to abiotic and biotic stresses. In this study, we evaluated the freezing resistance of floribunda roses (Rosa Floribunda) during frost dehardening using the EIT technique to identify a new method for rapid and non-destructive measurement of plant freezing resistance. Results The current was the excitation source, the boundary voltage value was measured, and then the boundary voltage reconstructed value was formed. Using an imaging algorithm, the two-dimensional (2D) distribution of impedance or impedance variation was reconstructed. The EIT reconstructed values decreased obviously with the decline in freezing temperatures. The EIT reconstructed values of stems had the best fit to the logistic equation, and subsequently, the semi-lethal temperatures were calculated. The freezing resistance results evaluated using EIT reconstructed values were linearly correlated with the results of the traditional electrolyte leakage (EL) method (r = 0.93, P

Abstract Soluble sugars and starches are important metabolites of plant life and physiological markers of plant stress response. There is an urgent need to develop a non-destructive and rapid method for determining plant starch and soluble sugar contents. Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) technology has been used to determine the physiological state and cold resistance of select plant tissues. However, so far there have been no reports on the use of EIT for the rapid estimation of soluble sugar and starch contents. In this study, EIT was used to obtain reconstructed voltage values and estimate starch and soluble sugar contents in the stems of three Rosa hybrida cultivars during February to May, which were grown in the Specimen Park (38° 50′ N, 115° 26′ E) of Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding City, Hebei Province, China. Stems from two of the cultivars were used for establishing regression models for starch and soluble sugar contents as functions of reconstructed voltage values. The third cultivar was used to test the accuracy of the regression models. The quadratic regression model was best for determining soluble sugar content and the logarithmic regression model was best for determining starch content. Thus, this research provided technical support for using EIT to analyze changes in physiological parameters and to rapidly estimate physiological indexes of plants. More studies were now needed to validate the results in this paper.

Epi-aszonalenin A (EAA) is an alkaloid that is isolated and purified from the secondary metabolites of coral symbiotic fungi and has been shown to have good atherosclerotic intervention activity and anti-angiogenic activity in our previous studies. In the present study, antiangiogenic activity was used as a basis of an intensive study of its mechanism of action against tumor metastasis and invasion. Invasive metastatic pairs are a hallmark of malignancy, and the dissemination of tumor cells is the most dangerous process in the development of tumors. The results of cell wound healing and the Transwell chamber assay showed that EAA interfered well with PMA-induced migration and invasion of HT1080 cells. Western blot and the ELISA assay showed that EAA decreased MMPs and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) activity and inhibited the expression of N-cadherin and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) by regulating the phosphorylation of downstream mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), PI3K/AKT, and NF-κB pathways. Simultaneous molecular docking results revealed that the mimic coupling between the EAA and MMP-2/-9 molecules formed a stable interaction. The results of this study provide a research basis for the inhibition of tumor metastasis by EAA, and together with previous studies, confirm the potential pharmacology and drug potential for this class of compound for application in angiogenesis-related diseases and further improve the availability of coral symbiotic fungi.

General anesthesia is widely applied in clinical practice. However, the precise mechanism of loss of consciousness induced by general anesthetics remains unknown. Here, we measured the dynamics of five neurotransmitters, including γ-aminobutyric acid, glutamate, norepinephrine, acetylcholine, and dopamine, in the medial prefrontal cortex and primary visual cortex of C57BL/6 mice through in vivo fiber photometry and genetically encoded neurotransmitter sensors under anesthesia to reveal the mechanism of general anesthesia from a neurotransmitter perspective. Results revealed that the concentrations of γ-aminobutyric acid, glutamate, norepinephrine, and acetylcholine increased in the cortex during propofo-linduced loss of consciousness. Dopamine levels did not change following the hypnotic dose of propofol but increased significantly following surgical doses of propofol anesthesia. Notably, the concentrations of the five neurotransmitters generally decreased during sevoflurane-induced loss of consciousness. Furthermore, the neurotransmitter dynamic networks were not synchronized in the non-anesthesia groups but were highly synchronized in the anesthetic groups. These findings suggest that neurotransmitter dynamic network synchronization may cause anesthetic-induced loss of consciousness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Mechanotransduction couples mechanical stimulation with ion flux, which is critical for normal biological processes involved in neuronal cell development, pain sensation, and red blood cell volume regulation. Although they are key mechanotransducers, mechanosensitive ion channels in mammals have remained difficult to identify. In 2010, Coste and colleagues revealed a novel family of mechanically activated cation channels in eukaryotes, consisting of Piezo1 and Piezo2 channels. These have been proposed as the long-sought-after mechanosensitive cation channels in mammals. Piezo1 and Piezo2 exhibit a unique propeller-shaped architecture and have been implicated in mechanotransduction in various critical processes, including touch sensation, balance, and cardiovascular regulation. Furthermore, several mutations in Piezo channels have been shown to cause multiple hereditary human disorders, such as autosomal recessive congenital lymphatic dysplasia. Notably, mutations that cause dehydrated hereditary xerocytosis alter the rate of Piezo channel inactivation, indicating the critical role of their kinetics in normal physiology. Given the importance of Piezo channels in understanding the mechanotransduction process, this review focuses on their structural details, kinetic properties and potential function as mechanosensors. We also briefly review the hereditary diseases caused by mutations in Piezo genes, which is key for understanding the function of these proteins.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a neurodegenerative disease, is the most common cause of dementia in humans worldwide. Although more in-depth research has been carried out on AD, the therapeutic effect of AD is not as expected, and natural active substances are increasingly sought after by scientists. In the present study, we evaluated two benzaldehydes from a coral-derived Aspergillus terreus strain C23-3, their anti-neuroinflammatory activity in microglia (BV-2), and their neuroprotective activity and mechanisms in hippocampal neuronal cells (HT-22). These include the protein expression of iNOS, COX-2, MAPKs pathways, Tau protein-related pathways, caspases family-related signaling pathways. They also include the levels of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-18 and ROS, as well as the level of mitochondrial oxidative stress and neuronal cell apoptosis. The results showed that both benzaldehydes were effective in reducing the secretion of various inflammatory mediators, as well as pro-inflammatory factors. Among these, benzaldehyde 2 inhibited mitochondrial oxidative stress and blocked neuronal cell apoptosis through Tau protein-related pathways and caspases family-related signaling pathways, thereby inhibiting β-amyloid (Aβ)-induced neurological damage. This study reveals that benzaldehyde 2 has potential as a therapeutic agent for Alzheimer’s disease, and offers a new approach to the high-value use of marine natural products.

Abstract Background Traditional measurements of apple seedling roots often rely on manual measurements and existing root scanners on the market. Manual measurement requires a lot of labor and time, and subjective reasons may cause the uncertainty of data; root scanners have limited scanning size and expensive. In case of fruit roots, coverage and occlusion issues will occur, resulting in inaccurate results, but our research solved this problem. Results The background plate was selected according to the color of the seedling roots; the image of the roots of the collected apple seedlings was preprocessed with Vision Development Module by combining image and Labview. The root surface area, average root diameter, root length and root volume of apple seedlings were measured by combining root characteristic parameters algorithm. In order to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method, a set of measurement system for root morphology of apple seedlings was designed, and the measurement result was compared with the Canadian root system WinRHIZO 2016 (Canada). With application of SPSS v22.0 analysis, the significance P > 0.01 indicated that the difference was not significant. The relative error of surface area was less than 0.5%. The relative error of the average diameter and length of the root system was less than 0.1%, and the relative error of the root volume was less than 0.2%. Conclusions It not only proved that the root surface area, average root diameter, root length and root volume of apple seedlings could be accurately measured by the method described herein, which was handy in operation, but also reduced the cost by 80–90% compared with the conventional scanner.

Introduction: A previous study has shown that Ala–Thr–Pro–Gly–Asp–Glu–Gly (ATPGDEG) peptide identified from boiled abalone by-products has high antioxidant activities and antihypertensive effect. Objective: In this study, we further investigated its antiphotoaging activities by ultraviolet B (UVB)-induced HaCaT cells. Result: UVB irradiation significantly increased the content of intercellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the production of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in HaCaT cells and decreased its content of collagen. First, the generation of intercellular ROS was reduced by abalone peptide in UVB-induced HaCaT cells. And activities of MMP-1 and MMP-9 were reduced by abalone peptide in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, western blot analysis demonstrated that abalone peptide downregulated the expression of p38, c-Jun N-terminal kinases, and extracellular signal-regulated kinases via mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and NF-κB signaling to protect type I pro collagen and DNA damage. Molecular docking simulation confirms that abalone peptide inhibited activities of MMP-1 and MMP-9 by docking their active site, among them N-terminal Ala, C-terminal Gly, and Pro at the third position of N-terminal made a great contribution. Conclusion and recommendation: Abalone peptide could protect type I procollagen synthesis in UVB-irradiated HaCaT cells, and it is a potential peptide for the treatment of skin photoaging in the future.

The coexistence of nanoplastics (NPs) and pollutants such as arsenic (As) has become an unignorable environmental problem. However, there is still a considerable knowledge gap about the impact of NPs and pollutants on human health risks. In this study, the human gastric adenocarcinoma (AGS) cells were used as a model to investigate the toxicity of NPs with different particle sizes and As by MTT assay, western blotting, immunofluorescence and so on. The results showed that 20 nm (8 μg/mL), 50 nm (128 μg/mL), 200 nm (128 μg/mL), 500 nm (128 μg/mL), 1000 nm (128 μg/mL) polystyrene (PS) did not affect cell viability, ROS, intracellular calcium and activate apoptosis pathway in AGS cells. However, noncytotoxic concentration of NPs enhanced the cytotoxicity and intracellular accumulation of As. NPs destroys the fluidity of cell membrane and cytoskeleton, inhibits the activity of ABC transporter, and leads to the accumulation of As in cells. This work highlights that the damage caused by NPs, especially at the level of noncytotoxicity, joint with As cannot be ignored and provides a specific toxicological mechanism of NPs accompanied by exposure to As.

Gelidium crinale, the red algae belonging to Geliaceae Gelidium, is a traditional edible and industrial alga in China. A sulfated polysaccharide (GNP) is successfully separated from Gelidium crinale by acid extraction and two-step column chromatography. Chemical analysis showed that the molecular weight of GNP was 25.8 kDa and the monosaccharide composition had the highest galactose content and confirmed the presence and content (16.5%) of sulfate by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) spectrometry as well as barium chloride-gelatin methods. In addition, the effect of GNP on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced oxidative stress and inflammation in macrophages was also evaluated. The research results showed that GNP had fairly strong scavenging activities on 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical, hydroxyl radical, and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical and had Fe2+-chelating ability in a dose-dependent manner. At the same time, it significantly inhibits the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in RAW 264.7 cells induced by LPS through blocking the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/nuclear factor kappa beta (NF-κB) signaling pathway. These results indicate that GNP may be a latent component anti-inflammation in pharmaceutical and functional food industries.