Search

As an indirect application of cold atmospheric plasma, the use of plasma-activated solutions has recently attracted significant attention for intracavity tumor perfusion therapy. Here, an underwater plasma-bubble reactor with three discharge modes was applied to activate a cell culture medium, with the aim of inhibiting the growth of bladder cancer T24 cells in vitro. The results showed that although the reactive species in cell culture medium generated by the underwater bubble plasma varied between the dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) mode, spark mode, and hybrid mode, the plasma-activated cell culture medium (PAM) corresponding to all three discharge modes effectively decreased the viability of T24 cells. However, after co-culturing the PAM-pretreated T24 cells with normal T24 cells, it was observed that normal T24 cells were not affected by either the DBD or spark mode; however, the hybrid mode PAM-pretreated T24 cells further induced inactivation and apoptosis of normal T24 cells. Further studies suggested that the aqueous reactive species generated by the underwater bubble plasma in hybrid mode not only induced the apoptosis of T24 cells directly but also triggered PAM-pretreated T24 cell-derived exosome-mediated anticancer activity toward cancer cells. These results may provide a strategy for enhancing the anticancer extent and effect of PAM as well as advancing its clinical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brewers' spent grain (BSG) is a fibre and protein-rich by-product of beer-brewing. Fermenting BSG with Rhizopus oligosporus can further increase its content of soluble fibre, protein and certain antioxidants. Since nutrients rich in BSG can improve postprandial glycaemic response, this study assessed the postprandial glucose response (PPGR) and postprandial insulin response (PPIR) controlling effect of consuming 30% wheat flour substituted biscuits with autoclaved BSG (ABSG) or fermented BSG (FBSG) in individuals with metabolic syndrome (MetS). The effect on postprandial lipid panel, breath hydrogen (H2) and methane (CH4) concentration and subjective appetite response was also examined. Fifteen subjects with MetS participated in this crossover randomised controlled trial, and blood was collected at 9 time-points for 4 h after consumption of control biscuits (Control), ABSG and FBSG. A significant interaction effect was observed (Pinteraction = 0.013) for the glucose time-points concentration. At 180 min, the glucose concentration was lowered after the consumption of ABSG (p = 0.010) and FBSG (p = 0.012) compared to the Control. Moreover, the FBSG resulted in a significantly lower glucose incremental area under curve (iAUC) compared to the Control (p = 0.028). Insulin level was also lowered at 180 min after the ABSG (p = 0.010) and FBSG (p = 0.051) consumption compared to the Control. However, no difference was noted for postprandial lipid panel, breath H2 and CH4 concentration and subjective appetite response. In conclusion, the consumption of BSG-incorporated biscuits can attenuate PPGR, and fermented BSG incorporation conferred a further PPGR controlling benefit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractScholars have long recognized that product presentation plays an important role for consumers to understand product and make further decisions, but it is not well-tested in the cross-border e-commerce context. Additionally, there exist inconsistent insights regarding the influences of the two major product presentation modes currently used by cross-border e-commerce platforms (i.e., static pictures and live streaming). Therefore, drawing on regulatory focus theory, this study develops a research model to explain and differentiate how live streaming and static pictures affect cross-border purchase intentions through the motivation systems associated with different desired end states (i.e., accessing benefit and avoiding uncertainty). Partial least squares approach and relative importance analysis were used to test the model with 272 survey participants. The empirical results show that both product presentation modes can enhance cross-border purchase intentions through regulatory focus. More interestingly, it shows that static pictures are better at reducing perceived uncertainty, whereas live streaming is more effective at increasing perceived desirability, in leading to higher cross-border purchase intentions. This study contributes to differentiating the impacts of different product presentation modes in attracting cross-border purchase intentions from a regulatory focus perspective and provides practical implications for cross-border e-commerce providers and sellers to leverage distinct product presentation modes to attract consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of the most common malignancies, oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) with high rates of invasiveness and metastasis threatens people's health worldwide, while traditional therapeutic approaches have not met the requirement of its cure. Phototherapies including photothermal therapy (PTT) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) have shown great potential for OSCC treatment due to their noninvasiveness or minimal invasiveness, high selectivity and little tolerance. However, PTT or PDT alone makes it difficult to eradicate OSCC and prevent its metastasis and recurrence. Here, double-layered membrane vesicles (DMVs) were extracted from attenuated Porphyromonas gingivalis, one of the most common pathogens inside the oral region, and served as an immune adjuvant to develop a biomimetic phototherapeutic nanoagent named PBAE/IR780@DMV for OSCC treatment via combining dual PTT/PDT and robust antitumor immunity. To obtain PBAE/IR780@DMV, poly(β-amino) ester (PBAE) was used as a carrier material to prepare the nanoparticles for loading IR780, a widely known photosensitizer possessing both PTT and PDT capabilities, followed by surface wrapping with DMVs. Upon 808 nm laser irradiation, PBAE/IR780@DMV exerted strong antitumor effects against OSCC both in vitro and in vivo, via combining PTT/PDT and specific immune responses triggered by tumor-associated antigens and DMVs. Altogether, this study provides a promising biomimetic phototherapeutic nanoagent for comprehensive treatment of OSCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atmospheric precipitable water vapor (PWV) is a very important meteorological factor for weather forecasting and climate change monitoring. GNSS observation and ERA5 reanalysis for the period of 2010–2022 are used to analyse the overall and seasonal distribution and interdecadal trend of PWV in North America. The results indicate that GNSS and ERA5 are in good agreement between the distribution and interdecadal trend of PWV. The overall PWV change from 2010 to 2022 shows an obvious upward trend. The mean PWV is less than 20 mm in most regions of North America except for the Southeast where mean PWV is more than 30 mm. The change trend and correlation of PWV and temperature in North America from 1940 to 2022 based on ERA5 reanalysis data are analysed. The results show that the PWV increases more significantly with the interdecadal trend of 0.17 mm decade-1. The results illustrate that there is a significant correlation between PWV and temperature with the correlation coefficient of 0.96, and that there are some differences between the actual increase and ideal increase of water vapor content derived from Clausius-Clapeyron equation for every 1 K increase in North America. In addition, the results also show a significant increase of PWV during strong El Nino events and a significant decrease of PWV during strong La Nino events, thereby indicating that El Nino and La Nino events have an important influence on the change of PWV in North America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]