Explore the vast range of titles available.

Silk fabrics hold immense historical value as precious legacies left by our ancestors, yet they face significant damage during archaeological excavations, necessitating urgent protective measures. However, The current protective materials can’t effectively prevent the degradation of silk fabrics. Nanotechnology has emerged as a promising avenue for the consolidation and preservation of silk fabrics, offering novel concepts and materials. In this study, we propose an innovative and cost-effective method that uses the MOF-818 with a radical scavenging ability to enhance the protection of silk fabrics. The resulting demonstrates that the MOF-818 was the large surface area and porous properties, which exhibited excellent superoxide dismutase (SOD)-like activity at 10 ug/mL. The silk fabrics treated by MOF-818 displays small color difference, reduced the oxidation of functional group and prevents the degradation of silk fabrics. The successful development of this nanocomposite marks a significant advancement in silk protection, opening new horizons for the preservation of silk cultural relics.

Background Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) biofilm-associated bacterial infection is the primary cause of nosocomial infection and has long been an ongoing threat to public health. MRSA biofilms are often resistant to multiple antimicrobial strategies, mainly due to the existence of a compact protective barrier; thus, protecting themselves from the innate immune system and antibiotic treatment via limited drug penetration. Results A hierarchically structured hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S)-releasing nano-disinfectant was presented, which was composed of a zinc sulfide (ZnS) core as a H 2 S generator and indocyanine green (ICG) as a photosensitizer. This nano-disinfectant (ICG-ZnS NPs) sensitively responded to the biofilm microenvironment and demonstrated efficient eradication of MRSA biofilms via a synergistic effect of Zn 2+ , gas molecule-mediated therapy, and hyperthermia. Physically boosted by released H 2 S and a near-infrared spectroscopy-induced hyperthermia effect, ICG-ZnS NPs destroyed the compactness of MRSA biofilms showing remarkable deep-penetration capability. Moreover, on-site generation of H 2 S gas adequately ameliorated excessive inflammation, suppressed secretion of inflammatory cytokines, and expedited angiogenesis, therefore markedly accelerating the in vivo healing process of cutaneous wounds infected with MRSA biofilms. Conclusion ICG-ZnS NPs combined with NIR laser irradiation exhibited significant anti-biofilm activity in MRSA biofilms, can accelerate the healing process through deep-penetration and anti-inflammatory effectuation. The proposed strategy has great potential as an alternative to antibiotic treatment when combating multidrug-resistant bacterial biofilms. Graphical Abstract

Background/Objectives: Sleep health impacts numerous domains of human health, and sleep deprivation has emerged as a significant public health concern. Multiple types of dietary nutrient supplementation, dietary intake, and the use of nutritional supplements to enhance sleep quality are recognized as effective methods to improve sleep quality. Methods: We aim to systematically evaluate the efficacy of dietary supplement interventions in sleep quality improvement across populations with sleep disorders and healthy individuals. We conducted a comprehensive literature search across PubMed, Web of Science, CNKI, ScienceDirect, Wiley, and CVIP databases. Sleep evaluation metrics included the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), sleep efficiency (SE), sleep latency (SL), total sleep time (TST), wake after sleep onset (WASO), and number of awake after sleep onset (NASO). Meta-analysis procedures were executed in Review Manager 5.3 and Stata 17.0, with heterogeneity quantified via I2 statistics. Results: This study, in total, included 28 randomized controlled trials. This meta-analysis’s results suggest dietary interventions significantly improved sleep outcomes: reduced PSQI (MD: −0.70, 95% CI: −1.37 to −0.03, p < 0.05), increased SE (+2.58 min, 95% CI: 2.01–3.16, p < 0.00001), prolonged TST (SMD: +0.23, 95% CI: 0.04–0.43, p < 0.05), and shortened SL (SMD: −0.24, 95% CI: −0.37 to −0.10) and WASO (SMD: −0.30, 95% CI: −0.48 to −0.12) (both p < 0.001). NASO showed a marginal reduction (MD: −1.57, 95% CI: −3.16 to 0.02, p = 0.05). Conclusions: These findings suggest that tryptophan, vitamin D, omega-3, zinc, and antioxidants may enhance sleep quality by decreasing SL, and WASO increases SE and extends TST, respectively.

Background: Cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. The presence of atherosclerotic plaques in the arteries leads to continuous growth and obstruction of blood vessels, which ultimately leads to acute myocardial infarction and sudden cardiac death. Ultrasound-triggered GVs cavitation has great potential in plaque treatment due to its noninvasive nature and safety. Methods: In this work, we constructed a Hirudin–Gas Vesicle Recombinant Plasmid to achieve gene delivery using macrophage membrane/lipid membrane fusion bio-vesicles. Results: The bio-fusion vesicles retained the macrophage membrane protein integrin α4β1 to combine with vascular adhesion molecules highly expressed by inflammatory cells to achieve delivery; the Hirudin–Gas Vesicle Recombinant Plasmid could escape lysosomes and enter the nucleus to achieve highly efficient transfection; Hirudin and Gas Vesicles are exocytosed through cleavage peptide and exocytosis peptide, respectively; their pharmacological effects are linked and complementary. Gas vesicles can break up lesion plates with the assistance of in vitro ultrasound, and Hirudin achieves fragment ablation and anti-inflammatory and lipid regulation. Conclusions: GVs-HV@MM-Lipo exerts potent anti-atherosclerotic and anti-inflammatory effects with favorable safety. GVs-HV@Lipo reduces mice aortic arch plaque area by 17%, while GVs-HV@MM-Lipo+US achieves further plaque regression and improved hemodynamics. Our work opens up a new paradigm in the treatment of atherosclerosis with Chinese medicine.

This study aimed to investigate the correlation between serum inflammatory markers of patients with diabetic macular edema (DME) and the efficacy of intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). This was a single-center, prospective cohort study. Peripheral blood cell analysis was performed on 40 patients with confirmed type 2 diabetes complicated by DME, 40 healthy individuals, and 40 patients with confirmed type 2 diabetes without diabetic retinopathy. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), and systemic immune-inflammation index [SII; (neutrophil count × platelet count)/lymphocyte count] were calculated. All patients with DME received three monthly intravitreal injections of anti-VEGF agents (ranibizumab). Correlation analyzes and linear regression models were used to investigate the relationships between systemic inflammatory markers and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central macular thickness (CMT) before and after anti-VEGF treatment in DME patients. The NLR, PLR, and SII values in the DME group differed significantly from those in both the healthy and non-diabetic retinopathy (NDR) groups. Significant differences in MLR values were observed between the healthy and NDR groups. After a 3-month follow-up (following three injections), BCVA and CMT showed significant improvement before and after anti-VEGF treatment in DME patients. However, there were no significant differences in NLR, PLR, and SII before and after anti-VEGF treatment. MLR was significantly different before and after treatment. BCVA in the DME group before anti-VEGF treatment was positively correlated with NLR, PLR, and SII. CMT before anti-VEGF treatment was positively correlated with NLR, PLR, MLR, and SII. NLR, PLR, MLR, and SII were significantly correlated with BCVA and CMT. In multivariate linear regression analysis, only NLR was significantly correlated with CMT. The efficacy of anti-VEGF in DME is correlated with serum inflammatory markers. Additionally, NLR, PLR, MLR, and SII may serve as potential markers for DME treatment decisions. The finding that NLR remained significant in the multivariate analysis highlights its potential value as a simple, accessible prognostic biomarker for stratifying patients who may respond suboptimally to anti-VEGF treatment.

This study aims to compare retinal vascular characteristics between ApoE ε4 carriers and non-carriers in healthy individuals. A total of 84 cognitively healthy subjects—64 non-carriers and 20 carriers of the ApoE ε4 allele—were analyzed using swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCTA). In the retinal vascular layer of OCTA images, parameters such as foveal avascular zone (FAZ) area, vessel perimeter, acircularity index (AI), and vascular density (FD) were quantified. Additionally, blood flow areas in the outer retina and choroidal capillaries, as well as the area without perfusion in the superficial vascular complex (SVC), were measured. Compared to non-carriers, carriers of ApoE ε4 exhibited significant reductions in the FAZ area, as well as increased foveal vessel density in both the deep and superficial vascular complexes. No significant differences were observed in AI, FD, blood perfusion area, or perifoveal blood vessel density between the groups. These findings suggest that reduced FAZ area and increased foveal blood flow density in ApoE ε4 carriers may indicate a compensatory mechanism in retinal blood flow, potentially serving as early indicators of Alzheimer’s disease (AD).

Silencing genes using small interfering (si) RNA is a promising strategy for treating cancer. However, the curative effect of siRNA is severely constrained by low serum stability and cell membrane permeability. Therefore, improving the delivery efficiency of siRNA for cancer treatment is a research hotspot. Recently, mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) have emerged as bright delivery vehicles for nucleic acid drugs. A comprehensive understanding of the design of MSN-based vectors is crucial for the application of siRNA in cancer therapy. We discuss several surface-functionalized MSNs’ advancements as effective siRNA delivery vehicles in this paper. The advantages of using MSNs for siRNA loading regarding considerations of different shapes, various options for surface functionalization, and customizable pore sizes are highlighted. We discuss the recent investigations into strategies that efficiently improve cellular uptake, facilitate endosomal escape, and promote cargo dissociation from the MSNs for enhanced intracellular siRNA delivery. Also, particular attention was paid to the exciting progress made by combining RNAi with other therapies to improve cancer therapeutic outcomes.

The intestinal immune system plays a pivotal role in the induction of immune responses against food. In the case of T cell response, dendritic cells (DCs) are especially important. However, the regulation of immune responses to food by intestinal DCs has been poorly described. In this study, we analyzed the effect of subsp. YRC3780, a lactic acid bacterial strain isolated from kefir, a traditional fermented milk product, on the immune responses induced by antigen presentation by intestinal DCs to T cells as well as the mechanism of action of these immunomodulatory effects. It has been shown that YRC3780 ameliorates the symptoms of pollinosis in both animal and human studies. CD11c cells from mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs) of BALB/c mice were cultured as MLN DCs with YRC3780 and expression of genes inducing regulatory T cells (Tregs) was examined by qPCR. In addition, MLN DCs were cocultured with CD4 T cells from DO11.10 transgenic mice expressing an ovalbumin (OVA)-specific TCR and the OVA antigen peptide and YRC3780. Induction of Tregs was examined by flow cytometry, gene expression was analyzed by DNA microarray and qPCR, and the production of cytokines was measured by ELISA. MLN DCs from TLR2-deficient mice and components of YRC3780 were used to examine the recognition of YRC3780 by MLN DCs. YRC3780 enhanced the expression of genes involved in Treg induction in MLN DCs and induced Foxp3 CD4 T cells in an MLN DC and CD4 T-cell co-culture system. The effect on MLN DCs was likely mediated by receptors other than TLR2. Together with microarray analyses of CD4 T cell gene expression and cytokine ELISA, it was demonstrated that YRC3780 promoted the induction of Th1 and Tregs, and regulated the balance of Th1/Th2 and Treg/Th17 cells involving multiple genes via the antigen-presentation of MLN DCs. Our findings provide insights into the modulation of intestinal immune responses mediated by DCs and the antiallergic effects of lactic acid bacteria.

Grout injection is an effective technique for repairing cracks in earthen sites. This study aims to address the challenges of Calcined Ginger Nuts (CGN)-based grout and enhance its engineering performance by investigating the compatibility of different superplasticizers. We examined the effects of Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer (PCE) and Naphthalene Superplasticizer (PNS) on the properties of CGN-based grout, focusing on fluidity, rheological properties, mechanical strength, volume stability, color difference, and pore structure. The engineering applicability of the optimized CGN-based grout with superplasticizers was assessed using COMSOL Multiphysics. The results show that fluidity increased with higher dosages of PCE and PNS. The grout containing these superplasticizers behaved as a shear-thinning fluid, following the power law model. Specifically, the consistency coefficient of grout with 0.5 wt% PCE and PNS decreased by 39.73% and 64.83%, respectively. Additionally, 2.9 wt% PCE and PNS reduced volume shrinkage rate by 6.86% and 6.27%, respectively. Initially, increasing the dosage of PCE and PNS improved compressive and flexural strength, but these properties later declined. XRD analysis revealed that PNS above 1.1 wt% and PCE weakened the hydration reaction, while both superplasticizers promoted carbonation. Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry (MIP) showed that 1.1 wt% PCE and PNS reduced the proportion of capillary pores by 13.79% and 10.11%, respectively. Based on these findings, 0.5 wt% PNS demonstrated the best compatibility with CGN-based grout, whereas PCE showed poor compatibility. Numerical simulations using COMSOL Multiphysics confirmed that 0.5 wt% PNS provided superior grouting effectiveness. Therefore, the CGN based grout with 0.5wt% PNS demonstrates excellent engineering performance and applicability. This study offers valuable insights into optimizing CGN-based grout for the preservation of earthen sites.

Purpose Myopic choroidal neovascularization (CNV) is a common reason for visual impairment. This study investigated the clinical effects of repeated intravitreal injections of ranibizumab among patients with CNV secondary to pathologic myopia. Methods This study involved a single-center, non-randomized clinical prospective cohort research design including 39 patients with myopic CNV and a control group of 10 patients with cataract. Plasma and aqueous humor samples were analyzed to compare cytokine concentrations between the two groups and assess changes after intravitreal ranibizumab injections. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central macular thickness (CMT) were also monitored. Results BCVA values and CMT varied significantly after intravitreal ranibizumab injections. The study group had significantly higher plasma concentrations of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A and significantly lower epidermal growth factor (EGF) and angiopoietin-2 concentrations than the control group. Likewise, in the aqueous humor, the study group had significantly higher concentrations of fibroblast growth factor and significantly lower concentrations of EGF and VEGF-A than the control group. The average VEGF-A content decreased significantly after 1 and 2 months relative to the baseline. Mean VEGF-D and endoglin contents at two months were significantly reduced compared to the baseline and at 1 month. The average EGF contents were significantly higher at 2 months than the baseline. Conclusion Ranibizumab could increase the BCVA and lower the CMT and cytokines involved in angiogenesis. This study contributes to further understanding the pathogenesis of myopic CNV and promoting new drug research and development for patients with this condition.