The value of fecal calprotectin measured by fluorescent immunochromatography assay in evaluating clinical and endoscopic activity in ulcerative colitis.

Aim: Fecal calprotectin (FC) levels correlate with clinical or endoscopic activity in ulcerative colitis (UC), however, these values vary widely between detection methods, and optimal cut-off values remain debated. To assess the correlation between FC levels measured by fluorescent immunochromatography assay (FICA) and disease activity and to identify optimal cut-off values for predicting clinical and endoscopic activity in UC.

Method: The study included patients hospitalized at Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology between January 2021 and June 2022.

Bioink design for organ-scale projection-based 3D bioprinting.

Projection-based three-dimensional bioprinting offers an approach for manufacturing biomimetic tissues with complex spatial structures and bioactivity, presenting potential for creating implantable organs or organoids to test drug response. Nevertheless, the extended printing times required for organ-scale manufacturing represents a challenge. Here we provide step-by-step instructions to manufacture organ-scale structures using bioinks while preserving high bioactivity.

Open Digital Reference Materials Unchain Controlled Substance Analysis.

Digital reference materials (dRMs) can conceptually overcome the intrinsically limited availability and accessibility of identical reference materials (iRMs) that persistently impede the chemical analysis of rare and controlled substances, respectively. Quantum mechanics (QM)-driven terative unctionalized pin nalysis (HifSA) is digital by nature and capable of referencing molecules with high specificity and full instrumental portability in the form of HifSA profiles by decoding their "nuclear genotype" in the form of the key H spin parameters including chemical shifts (δ) and coupling constants (). This study establishes the proof-of-concept for replacing iRMs with open dRMs for controlled alkaloids (ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, methylephedrine) by producing their fully field-scalable HifSA profiles and adopting them for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of and traditional Chinese medicines as a -containing multicomponent mixture.

Coaxial 3D Printing of Blood Vessels for Monitoring Monocyte-Endothelium Interactions and Drug Discovery.

Monocyte adhesion to the vascular endothelium is recognized as an early feature of atherosclerosis, involving various cytokines and pathological events. Current assays for evaluating monocyte-endothelium interactions typically rely on 2D co-culture models, which is hard to accurately represent the spatiotemporal characteristics of real pathological events. This study introduces a novel approach for monitoring monocyte-endothelium interactions using 3D printed engineered blood vessels (EBVs), facilitating drug discovery targeting monocyte adhesion.

Field application of silicate suppresses rice insect pest populations and damage in association with defense-related chemicals.

Background: It is widely documented that silicon (Si) application plays a crucial role in enhancing crop resistance against pests. However, such effects have been rarely tested in a field context together with varietal resistance and related to defense chemicals. A randomized 2 × 2 factorial combinations of variety [susceptible Taichung Native 1 (TN1) and moderately resistant Zhongzheyou8 (ZY8)] and Si application (treated at 300 kg SiO hm, +Si and untreated, Si) was employed to test the hypothesis that Si amendment interacts with varietal resistance to suppress planthopper populations and damage caused by the rice leaf folder (RLF) and the rice stem borer (RSB) through modulation of defense-related chemicals.

Estrogen receptor β alleviates colitis in intestinal epithelial cells and activates HIF-1a and ATG-9a-mediated autophagy.

Estrogen receptor β (ERβ) plays a pivotal role in regulating intestinal epithelial function and inflammation. Its involvement in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), particularly in ulcerative colitis (UC), remains poorly understood, despite emerging evidence pointing to its anti-inflammatory properties. This study investigated ERβ expression in UC patients using quantitative PCR, Western blot, and immunofluorescence.

Estrogen Receptor β Alleviates Colitis by Inhibiting Ferroptosis in Intestinal Epithelial Cells.

Background: Ulcerative colitis (UC), a major type of inflammatory bowel disease, is characterized by chronic inflammation of the colonic mucosa and submucosa. Estrogen receptor β (ERβ) predominates in the colon and exerts anti-inflammatory effects. Ferroptosis, a recently discovered form of iron-dependent programmed cell death, is implicated in the pathogenesis of several diseases, including UC.

Deep learning large-scale drug discovery and repurposing.

Large-scale drug discovery and repurposing is challenging. Identifying the mechanism of action (MOA) is crucial, yet current approaches are costly and low-throughput. Here we present an approach for MOA identification by profiling changes in mitochondrial phenotypes.

Environmentally Relevant Concentrations of Tetracycline Promote Horizontal Transfer of Antimicrobial Resistance Genes via Plasmid-Mediated Conjugation.

The ubiquitous presence of antimicrobial-resistant organisms and antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) constitutes a major threat to global public safety. Tetracycline (TET) is a common antimicrobial agent that inhibits bacterial growth and is frequently detected in aquatic environments. Although TET may display coselection for resistance, limited knowledge is available on whether and how it might influence plasmid-mediated conjugation.

Mesenteric adipose-derived exosomal TINAGL1 enhances intestinal fibrosis in Crohn's Disease via SMAD4.

Introduction: Crohn's Disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory condition characterized by intestinal fibrosis, severely impacting patient quality of life. The molecular mechanisms driving this fibrosis remain inadequately understood. Recent evidence implicates mesenteric adipose tissue (MAT) in CD pathogenesis, particularly through its exosome secretion, which may influence fibrogenic pathways.

Uncovering the Novel Role of NR1D1 in Regulating BNIP3-Mediated Mitophagy in Ulcerative Colitis.

Background: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic, incurable condition characterized by mucosal inflammation and intestinal epithelial cell (IEC) damage. The circadian clock gene NR1D1, implicated in UC and the critical mitophagy process for epithelial repair, needs further exploration regarding its role in mitophagy regulation in UC.

Methods: We created a jet lag mouse model and induced colitis with dextran sulfate sodium (DSS), investigating NR1D1's role.

Oat beta-glucan reduces colitis by promoting autophagy flux in intestinal epithelial cells via EPHB6-TFEB axis.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a group of chronic inflammatory disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, mainly including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Epidemiological findings suggest that inadequate dietary fibers intake may be a risk factor for IBD. Oat beta-glucan is a type of fermentable dietary fiber and has been proved to reduce experimental colitis.

An updated review of gastrointestinal toxicity induced by PD-1 inhibitors: from mechanisms to management.

PD-1 inhibitors, as one of commonly used immune checkpoint inhibitors, enable T-cell activation and prevent immune escape by blocking the PD-1/PD-L1 signaling pathway. They have transformed the treatment landscape for cancer in recent years, due to the advantages of significantly prolonging patients' survival and improving their life quality. However, the ensuing unpredictable immune-related adverse effects (irAEs) plague clinicians, such as colitis and even potentially fatal events like intestinal perforation and obstruction.

Clinical value of fecal calprotectin for evaluating disease activity in patients with Crohn's disease.

To explore the clinical value of fecal calprotectin (FC) for evaluating disease activity in patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and its relationship with disease location. Patients with CD were enrolled retrospectively, and clinical data, including FC levels, were collected. Clinical activity was assessed using the Crohn's disease activity index (CDAI).

Xuanfei Baidu formula alleviates impaired mitochondrial dynamics and activated NLRP3 inflammasome by repressing NF-κB and MAPK pathways in LPS-induced ALI and inflammation models.

Background: Xuanfei Baidu Formula (XBF) is an effective traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) remedy for treating coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in China. This herbal medicine has shown effects in reducing clinical symptoms and shortening the average length of hospital stay for COVID-19 patients. Previous studies have demonstrated that XBF alleviates acute lung injury (ALI) by regulating macrophage-mediated immune inflammation, but the mechanisms of action remain elusive.

[Theoretical innovation of component-based Chinese medicine and its exemplary practice: the study on creating Guanxinning Tablets].

Upholding the wisdom of traditional Chinese medicine that the therapeutic principle, method, formula and medicine are coherent with each other, we propose the technical methodology for intelligent creation of component-based Chinese medicine by integrating multidisciplinary knowledge such as artificial intelligence, pharmaceutical informatics, system pharmacology and phytochemistry. Taking the creation of Guanxinning Tablets as an example, we expound the technical principle for creating component-based Chinese medicine and briefly describe the design method for optimizing the entity of Chinese medicine efficacy by rational combination of active components. Our research sought to "clarify and explain" the mechanism of its clinical treatment action through multi-modal and multi-scale systematic pharmacology studies.

Network pharmacology study to reveal active compounds of Qinggan Yin formula against pulmonary inflammation by inhibiting MAPK activation.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Pneumonia is common and frequently-occurred disease caused by pathogens which predisposes to lung parenchymal inflammation leading pulmonary dysfunction. To prevent and alleviate the symptoms of pneumonia, Qinggan Yin formula (QGY) was composed based on clinical experience and four classical traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions which frequently applied to treat infectious diseases.

Aim Of The Study: Traditional Chinese medicine is a complex mixture and it is difficult to distinguish the effective component molecules.

LA-ICP-MS bioimaging demonstrated disturbance of metal ions in the brain of Parkinson's disease model mouse undergoing manganese-enhanced MRI.

Manganese-enhanced MRI (MEMRI) is a powerful tool to study neuronal activity and microarchitecture in vivo. Yet the influence of exogenous manganese on the brain of the Parkinson's disease (PD) model mouse is poorly understood. Laser ablation connected to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) imaging for tissue section is an ideal tool to simultaneously analyze the metabolism of endogenous metal ions.

A Comprehensive Review of the Therapeutic Value of Urine-Derived Stem Cells.

Stem cells possess regenerative powers and multidirectional differentiation potential and play an important role in disease treatment and basic medical research. Urine-derived stem cells (USCs) represent a newly discovered type of stem cell with biological characteristics similar to those of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), including their doubling time and immunophenotype. USCs are noninvasive and can be readily obtained from voided urine and steadily cultured.

A rapid and facile analytical approach to detecting Salmonella Enteritidis with aptamer-based surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy.

Salmonella should be absence in pharmaceutical preparations and foods according to regulations in many countries. Up to now, rapidly detecting Salmonella at 1 CFU·[10 g (mL) ] in pharmaceutical preparation or 1 CFU·[25 g (mL) ] in food samples is still a challenge. Herein, we present an aptamer-based surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) method for rapidly detecting Salmonella Enteritidis by using a handheld Raman instrument.

Multimodal Identification by Transcriptomics and Multiscale Bioassays of Active Components in Xuanfeibaidu Formula to Suppress Macrophage-Mediated Immune Response.

Xuanfeibaidu Formula (XFBD) is a Chinese medicine used in the clinical treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. Although XFBD has exhibited significant therapeutic efficacy in clinical practice, its underlying pharmacological mechanism remains unclear. Here, we combine a comprehensive research approach that includes network pharmacology, transcriptomics, and bioassays in multiple model systems to investigate the pharmacological mechanism of XFBD and its bioactive substances.

An online, non-destructive method for simultaneously detecting chemical, biological, and physical properties of herbal injections using hyperspectral imaging with artificial intelligence.

Botanical drugs hold great potential to prevent and treat complex diseases. Quality control is essential in ensuring the safety, efficacy, and therapeutic consistency of these drug products. The quality of a botanical drug product can be assessed using a variety of analytical methods based on criteria that judge the identity, strength, purity, and potency.

Nanoparticle-mediated convection-enhanced delivery of a DNA intercalator to gliomas circumvents temozolomide resistance.

In patients with glioblastoma, resistance to the chemotherapeutic temozolomide (TMZ) limits any survival benefits conferred by the drug. Here we show that the convection-enhanced delivery of nanoparticles containing disulfide bonds (which are cleaved in the reductive environment of the tumour) and encapsulating an oxaliplatin prodrug and a cationic DNA intercalator inhibit the growth of TMZ-resistant cells from patient-derived xenografts, and hinder the progression of TMZ-resistant human glioblastoma tumours in mice without causing any detectable toxicity. Genome-wide RNA profiling and metabolomic analyses of a glioma cell line treated with the cationic intercalator or with TMZ showed substantial differences in the signalling and metabolic pathways altered by each drug.

An ultra-robust fingerprinting method for quality assessment of traditional Chinese medicine using multiple reaction monitoring mass spectrometry.

Chromatographic fingerprinting has been perceived as an essential tool for assessing quality and chemical equivalence of traditional Chinese medicine. However, this pattern-oriented approach still has some weak points in terms of chemical coverage and robustness. In this work, we proposed a multiple reaction monitoring (MRM)-based fingerprinting method in which approximately 100 constituents were simultaneously detected for quality assessment.