Taxifolin Regulates the Gene Expression of MUC5AC Mucin via Affecting IκBα/NF-κB p65 Signaling in Human Airway Epithelial Cells.

In this study, we explored the effects of taxifolin, a flavonoid compound, on the expression of the MUC5AC mucin gene in airway epithelial cells. Human pulmonary epithelial NCI-H292 cells were pretreated with taxifolin for 30 min prior to stimulation with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) for 24 h. We also investigated the influence of taxifolin on the PMA-induced activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway.

Antigen reactivity defines tissue-resident memory and exhausted T cells in tumours.

CD8 T cells are a key weapon in the therapeutic armamentarium against cancer. While CD8 CD103 T cells with a tissue-resident memory T (T ) cell phenotype have been favourably correlated with patient prognoses , the tumour microenvironment also contains dysfunctional exhausted T (T ) cells that exhibit a myriad of T -like features, leading to conflation of these two populations. Here, we deconvolute T and T cells within the intratumoural CD8 CD103 T cell pool across human cancers, ascribing markers and gene signatures that distinguish these CD8 populations and enable their functional distinction.

Chemochromic Damage-Detecting and Recovery System Using Affordable Hydrogel.

A multipurpose chemochromic protector is proposed with a hydrogel made from a mixture of sodium chloride, starch, and water, and the deposition of a copper layer on the nylon polyethylene film surrounding the hydrogel. This hydrogel is found to be chemically stable, water-retaining, shock-absorbent, biocompatible, cost-effective, and highly reactive with copper enough to realize its chemochromic characteristics. The varying chemical compositions of the hydrogel show that the presence of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) inside can enhance the damage-detecting and recovery capabilities of the protector.

Compartmentalization of heme biosynthetic pathways into yeast mitochondria enhances heme production.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a generally recognized as safe (GRAS) workhorse strain widely used in the food industry for the cost-effective production of food ingredients. However, the heme production yield in yeast is significantly lower than in bacteria for two main reasons: (1) the heme biosynthetic pathway is bifurcated into the cytosol and mitochondria, and (2) yeast's heme biosynthetic protoporphyrin-dependent (PPD) pathway is thermodynamically unfavorable compared with bacteria's coproporphyrin-dependent (CPD) pathway. To overcome these limitations, the PPD and CPD pathways were compartmentalized into the mitochondria by attaching mitochondria-targeting sequences (MTSs) to the N-terminus of the enzymes.

Emergence of material-driven two-dimensional electron gas by thermodynamically robust layers in AlO/InO/AlO nanolaminate structures.

In this study, the formation of two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) at both AlO (AO)/InO (IO) and reversed IO/AO interfaces was demonstrated, enabling its integration into both channel-first and channel-last processes. While conventional reductive-precursor-driven 2DEG was generated at AO/IO interfaces, material-driven 2DEG was developed at IO/AO with no effect from the fabrication process. An optimized AO/IO nanolaminate showed a mobility of 217.

Deconvoluting TCR-dependent and -independent activation is vital for reliable Ag-specific CD4 T cell characterization by AIM assay.

Activation-induced marker (AIM) assays identify antigen (Ag)-specific T cells, but recent studies revealed AIM T helper cell 17 (T17)-like (CCR6) and circulating T follicular helper cells (cTfh) were not associated with peptide/HLA tetramer staining. We show that CD39 regulatory T cell (T)-like and CD26 T22-like cells undergo T cell receptor (TCR)-independent activation by cytokines during Ag stimulation, leading to nonspecific up-regulation of AIM readouts. Transcriptional analysis enabled discrimination of bona fide Ag-specific T cells from cytokine-activated T and T22 cells.

Hederacoside C Modulates EGF-Induced MUC5AC Mucin Gene Expression by Regulating the MAPK Signaling Pathway in Human Airway Epithelial Cells.

This study aimed to evaluate the potential of hederacoside C, an active compound isolated from , which has been used for managing inflammatory respiratory diseases, in attenuating epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced airway MUC5AC mucin gene expression. Human pulmonary mucoepidermoid NCI-H292 cells were pretreated with hederacoside C for 30 min and subsequently stimulated with EGF for 24 h. The study also examined the effect of hederacoside C on the EGF-induced mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway.

Resetting the Drift of Oxygen Vacancies in Ultrathin HZO Ferroelectric Memories by Electrical Pulse Engineering.

Ferroelectric HfO-based films incorporated in nonvolatile memory devices offer a low-energy, high-speed alternative to conventional memory systems. Oxygen vacancies have been rigorously cited in literature to be pivotal in stabilizing the polar noncentrosymmetric phase responsible for ferroelectricity in HfO-based films. Thus, the ability to regulate and control oxygen vacancy migration in operando in such materials would potentially offer step changing new functionalities, tunable electrical properties, and enhanced device lifespan.

Galangin Regulates Mucin 5AC Gene Expression via the Nuclear Factor-κB Inhibitor α/Nuclear Factor-κB p65 Pathway in Human Airway Epithelial Cells.

In this study, we investigated the effects of the flavonoid galangin on the expression of the mucin 5AC () gene in airway cells. Human pulmonary epithelial NCI-H292 cells were pretreated with galangin for 30 min and then stimulated with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) for 24 h. We also examined the effects of galangin on the PMA-induced nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway.

Perioperative risk factors for osteoporosis after radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer.

Background: Osteoporosis, a frequent complication of gastrectomy, increases with age, and the average age of gastric cancer patients continues to rise. This study aims to analyze perioperative factors of osteoporosis after radical gastrectomy.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective cohort study included patients who underwent dual-energy-X-ray absorptiometry after gastrectomy due to gastric cancer between 2016 and 2019 at Seoul Boramae Medical Center.

MAIT cell plasticity enables functional adaptation that drives antibacterial immune protection.

Mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are known for their rapid effector functions and antibacterial immune protection. Here, we define the plasticity of interferon-γ (IFN-γ)-producing MAIT1 and interleukin-17A (IL-17A)-producing MAIT17 cell subsets in vivo. Whereas T-bet MAIT1 cells remained stable in all experimental settings, after adoptive transfer or acute or infection, RORγt MAIT17 cells could undergo phenotypic and functional conversion into both RORγtT-bet MAIT1/17 and RORγtT-bet MAIT1 cells.

Intra-Articular Injection of Stem Cells for the Regeneration of Knee Joint Cartilage: a Therapeutic Option for Knee Osteoarthritis - a Narrative Review.

Current approaches to regulating osteoarthritis primarily focus on symptom management; however, these methods often have significant side effects and may not be suitable for long-term care. As an alternative to conventional treatments, injecting stem cells into knee joint cartilage is a promising option for repairing damaged cartilage. In this review, we outline the general procedure for stem cell treatment of knee joint cartilage regeneration, emphasizing the potential of intra-articular stem cell injections as a therapeutic option for osteoarthritis.

Emodin Inhibited MUC5AC Mucin Gene Expression via Affecting EGFR-MAPK-Sp1 Signaling Pathway in Human Airway Epithelial Cells.

The aim of this study was to evaluate emodin, a natural trihydroxyanthraquinone compound found in the roots and barks of several plants including rhubarb and buckthorn, might attenuate epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced airway MUC5AC mucin gene expression. The human pulmonary mucoepidermoid NCI-H292 cells were pretreated with for 30 min and then stimulated with EGF for the following 24 h. The effect of emodin on EGF-induced mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway was examined.

Metabolic Engineering of Saccharomyces cerevisiae for Fermentative Production of Heme.

Heme is a key ingredient required to mimic the color and flavor of meat in plant-based alternatives. This study aimed to develop a yeast-based microbial cell factory for efficient and sustainable production of heme. To this end, first, Hem12p (uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase) was identified as the rate-limiting enzyme in the heme biosynthetic pathway present in Saccharomyces cerevisiae D452-2.

Pyronaridine Inhibited Mucin Gene Expression by Regulation of Nuclear Factor Kappa B Signaling Pathway in Human Pulmonary Mucoepidermoid Cells.

In this study, the potential effects of pyronaridine, an antimalarial agent, on airway mucin gene expression were investigated. The human pulmonary epithelial NCI-H292 cells were pretreated with pyronaridine for 30 min and then stimulated with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) for 24 h. The effect of pyronaridine on the PMA-induced nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway was also examined.

CD4 T cells display a spectrum of recall dynamics during re-infection with malaria parasites.

Children in malaria-endemic regions can experience repeated Plasmodium infections over short periods of time. Effects of re-infection on multiple co-existing CD4 T cell subsets remain unresolved. Here, we examine antigen-experienced CD4 T cells during re-infection in mice, using scRNA-seq/TCR-seq and spatial transcriptomics.

Plasmodium infection induces phenotypic, clonal, and spatial diversity among differentiating CD4 TÂ cells.

Naive CD4 T cells must differentiate in order to orchestrate immunity to Plasmodium, yet understanding of their emerging phenotypes, clonality, spatial distributions, and cellular interactions remains incomplete. Here, we observe that splenic polyclonal CD4 T cells differentiate toward T helper 1 (Th1) and T follicular helper (Tfh)-like states and exhibit rarer phenotypes not elicited among T cell receptor (TCR) transgenic counterparts. TCR clones present at higher frequencies exhibit Th1 skewing, suggesting that variation in major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC-II) interaction influences proliferation and Th1 differentiation.

Synergistic Effect of Size-Tailored Structural Engineering and Postinterface Modification for Highly Efficient and Stable Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells.

Despite significant progress in device performance, dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) continue to fall short of their theoretical potential. Moreover, research in recent years needs to pay more attention to improving the device fabrication process. To achieve the theoretical efficiency limit, it is crucial to optimize the interface between the dye and TiO nanoparticles in the entire device stack.

Novel small molecule-mediated restoration of the surface expression and anion exchange activity of mutated pendrin causing Pendred syndrome and DFNB4.

Variants in SLC26A4 (pendrin) are the most common reasons for genetic hearing loss and vestibular dysfunction in East Asians. In patients with Pendred syndrome and DFNB4 (autosomal recessive type of genetic hearing loss 4), caused by variants in SLC26A4, the hearing function is residual at birth and deteriorates over several years, with no curative treatment for these disorders. In the present study, we revealed that a novel small molecule restores the expression and function of mutant pendrin.

Predictors of critical illness among young males with chest pain, abdominal pain, or headaches in the Republic of Korea Army.

Purpose: Chest pain, abdominal pain, and headache are common symptoms associated with critical illness. Here, we aimed to evaluate predictors associated with critical illness in young males of the Republic of Korea Army.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed previously healthy young males with chest pain, abdominal pain, or headaches who visited Armed Forces Seoul District Hospital between January 2019 and December 2020.

Systemic host inflammation induces stage-specific transcriptomic modification and slower maturation in malaria parasites.

Maturation rates of malaria parasites within red blood cells (RBCs) can be influenced by host nutrient status and circadian rhythm; whether host inflammatory responses can also influence maturation remains less clear. Here, we observed that systemic host inflammation induced in mice by an innate immune stimulus, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), or by ongoing acute infection, slowed the progression of a single cohort of parasites from one generation of RBC to the next. Importantly, plasma from LPS-conditioned or acutely infected mice directly inhibited parasite maturation during in vitro culture, which was not rescued by supplementation, suggesting the emergence of inhibitory factors in plasma.