Leveraging topological reactivity of cellulose nanocrystals with allomorph II (CNC-II) to create temperature-sensitive systems for ibuprofen delivery.

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) have garnered attention for their renewable and reactive nature, yet CNC allomorph II (CNC-II) remains underexplored compared to the extensively studied CNC-I. This study bridges this gap by introducing a two-step carboxylamine condensation strategy to conjugate poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) onto CNC-II via ethylenediamine, leveraging the high topochemical reactivity of CNC-II. Utilizing bicarboxylate-capped PEG as a probe, quartz crystal microbalance with energy dissipation (QCM-D) assays revealed a significant reactivity increase of 16.

Uranium immobilization by Brevundimonas vesicularis LWG1: A synergistic approach via biomineralization, biosorption, and bioreduction.

With the growing demand for uranium (U) resources, the development of efficient and economical methods for treating U mine wastewater is critical for environmental and human health protection. Biomineralization of stable U phosphate minerals offers a promising remedial approach. In this study, Brevundimonas vesicularis strain LWG1, a U-resistant bacterium capable of secreting phosphatase, was isolated from real U mine wastewater.

The correlation between airborne pollen and asthma in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Childhood asthma is a prevalent chronic respiratory disease globally. Airborne pollen is a known environmental trigger, but the impact of different pollen types on pediatric asthma remains unclear. Seasonal and geographic pollen variations, influenced by climate change, may affect asthma patterns.

Study on the Micro-Mechanism of Corrosion Deterioration of Concrete Under Sulfate Attack Environment.

To investigate the influence of the water-cement ratio and erosion patterns on the deterioration of concrete in a sulfate corrosion environment, concrete specimens with different water-cement ratios were immersed in NaSO solutions of varying concentrations (0%, 5%, and 8%). The immersion times were set at 0 days, 30 days, 60 days, and 90 days. Macro-scale compressive strength tests and micro-scale performance tests were conducted to obtain the damage morphology, micro-scale elastic modulus, and hardness of eroded concrete.

Exploring the Clinical Value of Perioperative ctDNA-Based Detection of Molecular Residual Disease in Patients With Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Objective: To explore the clinical value of molecular residual disease detection based on circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA-MRD) in the perioperative period of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and to analyze the tumor escape mechanisms in MRD-positive cases.

Methods: A total of 35 ESCC patients were prospectively enrolled. Preoperative and postoperative (1 month after surgery) blood and surgical tissue samples were analyzed.

Hydrated Calcium Silicate Erosion in Sulfate Environments a Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study.

To investigate the micro-mechanism of the erosion of hydrated calcium silicate (C-S-H gel) in a sulfate environment, a solid-liquid molecular dynamics model of C-S-H gel/sodium sulfate was developed. This model employs molecular dynamics methods to simulate the transport processes between C-S-H gel and corrosive ions at concentrations of 5%, 8%, and 10% sodium sulfate (NaSO), aiming to elucidate the interaction mechanism between sulfate and C-S-H gel. The micro-morphology of the eroded samples was also investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

Exploring the association between atmospheric pollutants and preterm birth risk in a river valley city.

Objective: To investigate the association between exposure to atmospheric pollutants and preterm birth in a river valley-type city and its critical exposure windows.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was used to collect data from the medical records of preterm and full-term deliveries in two hospitals in urban areas of a typical river valley-type city from January 2018 to December 2019. A total of 7,288 cases were included in the study with general information such as pregnancy times, the number of cesarean sections, occupation, season of conception and regularity of the menstrual cycle.

The association between O-pulse slope ratio and functional severity of coronary stenosis: A combined cardiopulmonary exercise testing and quantitative flow ratio study.

Background: The role of cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) parameters in evaluating the functional severity of coronary disease remains unclear. The aim of this study was to quantify the O-pulse morphology and investigate its relevance in predicting the functional severity of coronary stenosis, using Murray law-based quantitative flow ratio (μQFR) as the reference.

Methods: CPET and μQFR were analyzed in 138 patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD).

Discovery of a potent inhibitor, D-132, targeting AsfvPolX, via protein-DNA complex-guided pharmacophore screening and in vitro molecular characterizations.

The heightened transmissibility and capacity of African swine fever virus (ASFV) induce fatal diseases in domestic pigs and wild boars, posing significant economic repercussions and global threats. Despite extensive research efforts, the development of potent vaccines or treatments for ASFV remains a persistent challenge. Recently, inhibiting the AsfvPolX, a key DNA repair enzyme, emerges as a feasible strategy to disrupt viral replication and control ASFV infections.

On rheological properties of disc-shaped cellulose nanocrystals.

The rheological properties of a substance depend greatly on its morphology, and rod-shaped cellulose nanocrystals (RCNCs) and cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) have been extensively studied for their rheological properties. Nevertheless, the rheological properties of disc-shaped cellulose nanocrystals (DCNCs) with crystalline allomorph II derived from mercerized cellulose remain unknown yet. This work investigated the DCNCs' rheological properties in depth using steady-shear and oscillation measurements.

Effects of hydrolysis conditions on the morphology of cellulose II nanocrystals (CNC-II) derived from mercerized microcrystalline cellulose.

The properties of cellulose nanocrystals with allomorph II (CNC-II) vary with the sources and the treatments received. In this work, the influences of hydrolysis time, temperature, and the applied acid concentration on the crystal size of CNC-II were investigated by the surface response experimental design. The results showed that temperature was the most significant factor affecting the crystal size of CNC-II during hydrolysis from mercerized cellulose.

METTL16-mediated N6-methyladenosine modification of Soga1 enables proper chromosome segregation and chromosomal stability in colorectal cancer.

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most prevalent internal modification in mammalian messenger RNAs and is associated with numerous biological processes. However, its role in chromosomal instability remains to be established. Here, we report that an RNA m6A methyltransferase, METTL16, plays an indispensable role in the progression of chromosome segregation and is required to preserve chromosome stability in colorectal cancer (CRC) cells.

Relationship between air pollutants and spontaneous abortion in a coal resource valley city: a retrospective cohort study.

Objective: Pollutants in the atmosphere have been linked to poor pregnancy outcomes in women. However, such investigations are scarce in metropolitan northern China. The major exposure window of air pollution affecting pregnant women is also unknown.

Controlling the nanocellulose morphology by preparation conditions.

Nanocellulose (NC) is the desired building block for novel biomaterials. The morphology of NC is one of the core parameters impacting the functionality and property of engineered functional materials. This work aims to reveal the relationship between the product morphology and sulfuric acid hydrolysis conditions (including acid concentration, temperature and time), and to realize morphological regulation of obtained NC.

Prognostic role of tissue plasminogen activator in coronary artery disease with or without aortic valve sclerosis.

Aims: We sought to investigate the relationship between circulating tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) level and long-term outcomes in stable coronary artery disease patients with or without aortic valve sclerosis (AVSc).

Methods And Results: Serum levels of t-PA were determined in 347 consecutive stable angina patients with (n = 183) or without (n = 164) AVSc. Outcomes were prospectively recorded as planned clinic evaluations every 6 months up to 7 years.

Bre1/RNF20 promotes Rad51-mediated strand exchange and antagonizes the Srs2/FBH1 helicases.

Central to homologous recombination (HR) is the assembly of Rad51 recombinase on single-strand DNA (ssDNA), forming the Rad51-ssDNA filament. How the Rad51 filament is efficiently established and sustained remains partially understood. Here, we find that the yeast ubiquitin ligase Bre1 and its human homolog RNF20, a tumor suppressor, function as recombination mediators, promoting Rad51 filament formation and subsequent reactions via multiple mechanisms independent of their ligase activities.

Inositol possesses antifibrotic activity and mitigates pulmonary fibrosis.

Background: Myo-inositol (or inositol) and its derivatives not only function as important metabolites for multiple cellular processes but also act as co-factors and second messengers in signaling pathways. Although inositol supplementation has been widely studied in various clinical trials, little is known about its effect on idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Recent studies have demonstrated that IPF lung fibroblasts display arginine dependency due to loss of argininosuccinate synthase 1 (ASS1).

The RPA-RNF20-SNF2H cascade promotes proper chromosome segregation and homologous recombination repair.

The human tumor suppressor Ring finger protein 20 (RNF20)-mediated histone H2B monoubiquitination (H2Bub) is essential for proper chromosome segregation and DNA repair. However, what is the precise function and mechanism of RNF20-H2Bub in chromosome segregation and how this pathway is activated to preserve genome stability remain unknown. Here, we show that the single-strand DNA-binding factor Replication protein A (RPA) interacts with RNF20 mainly in the S and G2/M phases and recruits RNF20 to mitotic centromeres in a centromeric R-loop-dependent manner.

Phaenospila gen. nov. (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Alysiinae) and three new species from Thailand.

A new braconid genus belonging to the tribe Alysiini. Phaenospila van Achterberg & Yao, gen. nov.

Oxygen pulse variation in symptomatic patients with suspected coronary artery disease: a diagnostic analysis.

Background: Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) has been found high sensitivity and specificity in cardiac ischemia. However, the role of CPET in coronary artery disease (CAD) is unclear. This study was to explore the diagnostic value of CPET indicators in CAD.

Effect of graphene and graphene oxide on antibiotic resistance genes during copper-contained swine manure anaerobic digestion.

Copper is an important selectors for antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) transfer because of metal-antibiotic cross-resistance and/or coresistance. Due to carbon-based materials' good adsorption capacity for heavy metals, graphene and graphene oxide have great potential to reduce ARGs abundance in the environment with copper pollution. To figure out the mechanics, this study investigated the effects of graphene and graphene oxide on the succession of ARGs, mobile genetic elements (MGEs), heavy metal resistance genes (HMRGs), and bacterial communities during copper-contained swine manure anaerobic digestion.