Non-invasive droplet manipulation with no physical damage to the sample is important for the practical value of manipulation tools in multidisciplinary applications from biochemical analysis and ...diagnostics to cell engineering. It is a challenge to achieve this for most existing photothermal, electric stimuli, and magnetic field-based technologies. Herein, we present a droplet handling toolbox, the ferrofluid transporter, for non-invasive droplet manipulation in an oil environment. It involves the transport of droplets with high robustness and efficiency owing to low interfacial friction. This capability caters to various scenarios including droplets with varying components and solid cargo. Moreover, we fabricated a droplet array by transporter positioning and achieved droplet gating and sorting for complex manipulation in the droplet array. Benefiting from the ease of scale-up and high biocompatibility, the transporter-based droplet array can serve as a digital microfluidic platform for on-chip droplet-based bioanalysis, cell spheroid culture, and downstream drug screening tests.
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer worldwide, with high incidence and mortality rates. Conventional therapies, including surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, are extensively used ...for the treatment of CRC. However, patients present with adverse effects, such as toxicity, hepatic injury and drug resistance. Thus, there is an urgent requirement to identify effective and safe therapy for CRC. Curcumin (CUR), a polyphenol substrate extracted from the
of
, has been extensively studied for the treatment of CRC due to its high efficacy and fewer side effects. Previous studies have reported that several signaling pathways, such as NF-κB, Wnt/β-catenin, are involved in the antitumor effects of CUR
. However, the effect and mechanisms
are not yet fully understood. The present study aimed to determine the molecular mechanism of colorectal cancer
. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR, western blot and immunohistochemistry analyses were performed to determine the underlying molecular mechanism of curcumin's anti-cancer effect in azoxymethane-dextran sodium sulfate induced colorectal cancer. The results of the present study demonstrated that CUR suppressed tumorigenesis in AOM-DSS induced CRC in mice, and anticancer effects were exerted by suppressing the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and downregulating Axin2 in the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Taken together, these results exhibit the potential
mechanisms of the anticancer effects of CUR, and highlight Axin2 as a potential therapeutic target for CRC.
The ceramic composite separators coated with silica or alumina particles have been used in power batteries due to their better electrolyte wettability and better thermal stability compared with bare ...polymer separators. However, these oxide ceramics are Li+ ion insulators, which increase internal resistance and hinder the improvement of rate capability of batteries. Herein, we report a strategy to further improving the performance of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) by using fast ionic conductor ceramic composite separator as an alternative to traditional ceramic coated separators. Lithium lanthanum titanate (LLTO), a fast ionic conductor with excellent room temperature bulk conductivity, are coated on the common polyethylene (PE) separators. Our results demonstrate that such a novel LLTO-coated separator possess excellent electrolyte wettability and thermal stability; and the assembled NCM523/graphite lithium-ion pouch cells with LLTO-coated separator show better rate capability and cyclic performance with 88.7% capacity retention after 1000 cycles at room temperature compared with the pouch cells with Al2O3-coated separators. The fast ionic conductor ceramic composite separators will be a potential competitor to the next-generation novel separators for high-performance Li-ion power batteries.
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•LLTO are coated on polyethylene (PE) separators for fast ionic conductor ceramic composite separators.•The novel PE-LLTO separator possess excellent electrolyte wettability and thermal stability.•The battery with PE-LLTO separator show better rate capability and cyclic performanc than that with PE-Al2O3 separators.
The induction efficiency of maize embryonic callus is highly dependent on the genotype, and only a few lines possess a high capacity for callus formation. Although certain genes and pathways have ...been reported to contribute to the regulation of callus induction, to the best of our knowledge, the functions of the small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) involved in this process remain unknown. In this study, we identified 861 differentially expressed siRNAs and 576 target genes in the callus induction process. These target genes were classified into 3 clusters, and their functions involve controlling metalloexopeptidase activity, catalase activity, transcription regulation, and O-methyltransferase activity. In addition, certain genes related to auxin transport and stem cell or meristem development (e.g., PLT5-like, ARF15, SAUR-like, FAS1-like, Fea3, SCL5, and Zmwox2A) were regulated by the differentially expressed siRNAs. Moreover, zma-siR004119-2 directly cleaves the 5' UTR of Homeobox-transcription factor 25, which further leads to the down-regulation of its expression. Twelve 24-nt-siRNAs led to the hyper-methylation of GRMZM2G013465, which further decreases its expression. These results suggest that differentially expressed siRNAs regulate callus formation by controlling the expression of their target genes.
This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) among elderly coronary heart disease (CHD) patients toward self-perceived health abilities.
This web-based study was carried ...out between April 2023 and September 2023 at Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences. A self-developed questionnaire was utilized to collect demographic information from elderly CHD patients, and evaluate their KAP towards self-perceived health abilities.
A total of 568 valid questionnaires were collected. Among the participants, the average age was 65.97±5.50 years, and 298 (52.46%) were female, and the mean scores for knowledge, attitudes, and practices were 6.34±2.29 (possible range: 0-9), 35.24±4.99 (possible range: 9-45), and 27.79±10.09 (possible range: 9-45), respectively. The structural equation model demonstrated that elderly CHD patients' knowledge directly affects attitudes and practices, with path coefficient of 0.93 (P<0.001) and 0.39 (P=0.033), respectively. Moreover, attitudes play an intermediary role between knowledge and practice with path coefficient of 0.75 (P<0.001). Furthermore, residence directly affects knowledge with path coefficient of 0.67 (P<0.001), cardiac function directly affects knowledge with path coefficient of -0.97 (P<0.001) and history of interventional therapy directly affects practice with path coefficient of 4.23 (P<0.001).
Elderly CHD patients demonstrated sufficient knowledge, positive attitudes, and proactive practices towards self-perceived health abilities. However, educational programs and behavior modification are recommended, particularly for elderly with lower age and education, living in rural areas, lacking interventional therapy, obese, or taking multiple CHD medications.
Abstract. Angiopoietin-like protein 8 (ANGPTL8) is a newly discovered adipokine plays an important role in energy homoeostasis, obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Although lifestyle modification in ...obesity and T2D is known to offer metabolic benefits, there is paucity of comprehensive data on change in ANGPTL8. We investigated the effect of lifestyle intervention on ANGPTL8 concentrations. 384 obese/overweight adults with newly diagnosed T2D were randomly assigned (1:1:1) to diet (n = 128), diet + activity (n = 128) or usual care (control, n = 128) groups. All patients received usual care. Besides, the diet group received a calorie-restricted diet aiming for a weight loss of 5 - 10%. The diet + activity group additionally received a pedometer-based walking program. Primary outcome was change in ANGPTL8 concentration at 6 months. Data were analyzed according to intention-to-treat. From baseline to 6 months, the median ANGPTL8 level changed from 804.38 pg/mL to 792.86 pg/mL in control group. Compared with control, ANGPTL8 decreased with diet (baseline-adjusted between-group difference was -121.00 pg/mL, 95% CI -177.47 to -64.53; p < 0.0001) and diet + activity (-126.16 pg/mL, -181.21 to -71.11; p < 0.0001). There was no greater effect of diet + activity compared with diet (-5.16 pg/mL, -53.63 to 43.31; p = 0.8348). Both effects disappeared after adjusting for change in body fat, but did not differ significantly when adjusting for physical activity. A 6-month intervention inducing weight loss by a calorie-restricted diet or diet + activity, resulted in significant decrease on ANGPTL8 concentration. These effects were established by change in total body fat, and not by change in physical activity.
Abstract Sepsis has become the focus of research in the field of intensive care medicine due to its high mortality and complicated pathogenesis. To evaluate the effects and mechanism of Progranulin ...(PGRN) affects inflammation in lung damage of burn-induced Sepsis. In mice of burn-induced Sepsis, PGRN gene expression was increased in lung tissue. So, PGRN promoted inflammation in vitro model through SIRT1/ROS/NLRP3 pathways. Down-regulation of PGRN reduced inflammation via SIRT1/ROS/NLRP3 Pathways. The activation of SIRT1 reduced the effects of PGRN on inflammation in lung cell by LPS via SIRT1/ROS/NLRP3 pathways. The inactivation of NLRP3 decreased the effects of PGRN on inflammation in vitro model. Our data suggest that PGRN is serves as inflammation-response biomarker and promoted lung damage in burn-induced Sepsis via the SIRT1 Pathways by ROS/NLRP3 pathways.
Abstract Sepsis has become the focus of research in the field of intensive care medicine due to its high mortality and complicated pathogenesis. To evaluate the effects and mechanism of Progranulin ...(PGRN) affects inflammation in lung damage of burn-induced Sepsis. In mice of burn-induced Sepsis, PGRN gene expression was increased in lung tissue. So, PGRN promoted inflammation in vitro model through SIRT1/ROS/NLRP3 pathways. Down-regulation of PGRN reduced inflammation via SIRT1/ROS/NLRP3 Pathways. The activation of SIRT1 reduced the effects of PGRN on inflammation in lung cell by LPS via SIRT1/ROS/NLRP3 pathways. The inactivation of NLRP3 decreased the effects of PGRN on inflammation in vitro model. Our data suggest that PGRN is serves as inflammation-response biomarker and promoted lung damage in burn-induced Sepsis via the SIRT1 Pathways by ROS/NLRP3 pathways.
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer worldwide, with high incidence and mortality rates. Conventional therapies, including surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, are extensively used ...for the treatment of CRC. However, patients present with adverse effects, such as toxicity, hepatic injury and drug resistance. Thus, there is an urgent requirement to identify effective and safe therapy for CRC. Curcumin (CUR), a polyphenol substrate extracted from the rhizome of Curcuma longa, has been extensively studied for the treatment of CRC due to its high efficacy and fewer side effects. Previous studies have reported that several signaling pathways, such as NF-kappaB, Wnt/beta-catenin, are involved in the antitumor effects of CUR in vitro. However, the effect and mechanisms in vivo are not yet fully understood. The present study aimed to determine the molecular mechanism of colorectal cancer in vivo. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR, western blot and immunohistochemistry analyses were performed to determine the underlying molecular mechanism of curcumin's anti-cancer effect in azoxymethane-dextran sodium sulfate induced colorectal cancer. The results of the present study demonstrated that CUR suppressed tumorigenesis in AOM-DSS induced CRC in mice, and anticancer effects were exerted by suppressing the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and downregulating Axin2 in the Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway. Taken together, these results exhibit the potential in vivo mechanisms of the anticancer effects of CUR, and highlight Axin2 as a potential therapeutic target for CRC. Key words: curcumin, colorectal cancer, mechanism, Wnt/beta-catenin, Axin2
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