Advancements in Nanomaterial Dispersion and Stability and Thermophysical Properties of Nano-Enhanced Phase Change Materials for Biomedical Applications.

Phase change materials (PCMs) are materials that exhibit thermal response characteristics, allowing them to be utilized in the biological field for precise and controllable temperature regulation. Due to considerations of biosafety and the spatial limitations within human tissue, the amount of PCMs used in medical applications is relatively small. Therefore, researchers often augment PCMs with various materials to enhance their performance and increase their practical value. The dispersion of nanoparticles to modify the thermophysical properties of PCMs has emerged as a mature concept. This paper aims to elucidate the role of nanomaterials in addressing deficiencies and enhancing the performance of PCMs. Specifically, it discusses the dispersion methods and stabilization mechanisms of nanoparticles within PCMs, as well as their effects on thermophysical properties such as thermal conductivity, latent heat, and specific heat capacity. Furthermore, it explores how various nano-additives contribute to improved thermal conductivity and the mechanisms underlying enhanced latent heat and specific heat. Additionally, the potential applications of PCMs in biomedical fields are proposed. Finally, this paper provides a comprehensive analysis and offers suggestions for future research to maximize the utilization of nanomaterials in enhancing the thermophysical properties of PCMs for biomedical applications.

Super-enhancer-driven ameboidal-type cell migration-related MMP14 expression in tongue squamous cell carcinoma switched by BATF and ATF3.

BACKGROUND: Tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) exhibits an aggressive biological behavior of lymph node and distant metastasis, which contributes to poorer prognosis and results in tongue function loss or death. In addition to known regulators and pathways of cell migration in TSCC, it is important to uncover pivotal switches governing tumor metastasis. METHODS: Cancer cell migration-associated transcriptional and epigenetic characteristics were profiled in TSCC, and the specific super-enhancers (SEs) were identified. Molecular function and mechanism studies were used to investigate the pivotal switches in TSCC metastasis. RESULTS: Ameboidal-type cell migration-related genes accompanied by transcriptional and epigenetic activity were enriched in TSCC. Meanwhile, the higher-ranked SE-related genes showed significant differences between 43 paired tumor and normal samples from the TCGA TSCC cohort. In addition, key motifs were detected in SE regions, and transcription factor-related expression levels were significantly associated with TSCC survival status. Notably, BATF and ATF3 regulated the expression of ameboidal-type cell migration-related MMP14 by switching the interaction with the SE region. CONCLUSION: SEs and related key motifs transcriptional regulate tumor metastasis-associated MMP14 and might be potential therapeutic targets for TSCC.

Data on hematological parameters and generalized severe periodontitis in the United States.

This article describes an ensemble of datasets used to understand the relationship between generalized severe periodontitis and hematological parameters. This dataset combines public periodontal examination data, hematological parameters data, and demographic data from the National Center for Health Statistics from 2009 to 2014. The stage of periodontitis was identified by attachment loss conducted by dental examiners, who were dentists (D.D.S./ D.M.D.) licensed in at least one U.S. state, while matching current classification criteria from the American Academy of Periodontology and the European Federation of Periodontology. Based on the NHANES database, information on age, gender, education level (< 9th grade, 9-11th grade, high school, college, graduate), race/ethnicity (Mexican American, Hispanic, non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, and other races), PIR (poverty income ratio) were acquired from the demographic data. Hematological parameters (including HB, HCT, mean cell volume, mean cell hemoglobin, mean cell hemoglobin concentration, red cell distribution width, platelet count, mean platelet volume, and red blood cell count) and glucose data had been obtained from laboratory data. Smoking data had been obtained from questionnaire data.

Associations between vitamin D levels and periodontal attachment loss.

OBJECTIVES: Periodontitis is accompanied by attachment loss and alveolar bone resorption. Vitamin D (VD) deficiency was closely associated with bone loss or osteoporosis. The study aims to investigate the potential relationship between different VD levels and severe periodontal attachment loss in American adults. METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted including 5749 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 2009 to 2014. The association of periodontal attachment loss progression with total VD, vitamin D3 (VD3), and vitamin D2 (VD2) levels was assessed using multivariable linear regression models, hierarchical regression, fitted smoothing curves, and generalized additive models. RESULTS: Based on the indicators of 5749 subjects, we found that severe attachment loss tended to occur in the elderly or males and was accompanied by less total VD levels, or VD3 levels, as well as a lower poverty-income ratio (PIR). Total VD (below the inflection point: 111 nmol/L) or VD3 were negatively associated with the progression of attachment loss in each multivariable regression model. In threshold analysis, VD3 is linearly correlated with the progression of attachment loss (ß = - 0.0183, 95% CI: - 0.0230 to - 0.0136). The relationship between VD2 and attachment loss progression was an S-shaped curve (inflection point: 5.07 nmol/L). CONCLUSION: Increasing total VD (below 111 nmol/L) and VD3 levels may be beneficial to periodontal health. VD2 levels above 5.07 nmol/L were a risk factor for severe periodontitis. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The present study reports that different vitamin D levels may serve as different associations with periodontal attachment loss progression.

Association of vitamin K, fibre intake and progression of periodontal attachment loss in American adults.

BACKGROUND: Periodontitis-related attachment loss is accompanied by mucosal bleeding and inflammatory lesions. Dietary vitamin K and fibre intake are known to be correlation factors of haemostasis and anti-inflammation, respectively. OBJECTIVE: To explore the association between severe periodontal attachment loss and vitamin K or fibre intake in American adults. METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted including 2747 males and 2218 females in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) from 2009 to 2014. The number of teeth with severe periodontal attachment loss (above 5 mm attachment loss) was used as the dependent variable. The main independent variables included the intake of vitamin K and dietary fibre. The association among variables was examined using multivariable linear regression models, hierarchical regression, fitted smoothing curves, and generalized additive models. RESULTS: Based on the indicators of 4965 subjects, we found that severe attachment loss tended to occur in elderly individuals or males and was accompanied by less intake of vitamin K or dietary fibre, as well as lower educational qualification. Vitamin K intake was stably negatively associated with attachment loss progression in each multivariable linear regression model. In subgroup analyses, a negative association between fibre intake and attachment loss progression was identified in all races except blacks (ß = 0.0005, 95% CI: -0.0005 to 0.0016). The relationship between fibre intake and attachment loss progression was a broad U-shaped curve (inflection point: 753.4 mg), which especially manifested in males (inflection point: 967.5 mg). CONCLUSION: There was an inverse association between vitamin K intake and the progression of periodontal attachment loss in American adults, while dietary fibre should be moderate in intake (below 753.4 mg), especially in males (below 967.5 mg).

Effects of Different Roughage Diets on Fattening Performance, Meat Quality, Fatty Acid Composition, and Rumen Microbe in Steers.

This study aimed to evaluate different roughages on fatting performance, muscle fatty acids, rumen fermentation and rumen microbes of steers. Seventy-five Simmental crossbred steers were randomly divided into wheat straw group (WG), peanut vine group (PG) and alfalfa hay group (AG), with 5 replicates of 5 steers each. The results showed a highest average daily gain and lowest feed/gain ratio in AG group (P = 0.001). Steers fed alfalfa hay had the highest muscle marbling score and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), and also the rumen NH3-N and microbial protein (MCP) concentration among the three groups (P < 0.05). Correlation analysis showed that ruminal NH3-N and MCP were negatively correlated with muscle saturated fatty acid (SFA), while ruminal MCP was positively correlated with muscle PUFA and n-3 PUFA (P < 0.05). 16S rRNA analysis indicated that fed alfalfa hay decreased the abundance of Ruminococcaceae_UCG-001(P = 0.005). More importantly, muscle SFA deposition were positively correlated to the abundance of Ruminococcaceae_UCG-001 (P < 0.05), while the muscle PUFA and n-3 PUFA deposition were negatively correlated to it (P < 0.01). Therefore, alfalfa hay provides a better fattening effect on steers. Alfalfa rich in n-3 PUFA would reduce the abundance of Ruminococcaceae_UCG-001 involved in hydrogenation, increase the rumen protective effect of C18:3 n-3, which is beneficial to the deposition of muscle n-3 PUFA and PUFA.

Dietary alfalfa powder supplementation improves growth and development, body health, and meat quality of Tibetan sheep.

The application of alfalfa powder (AP) in Tibetan sheep to explore its healthy effects and meat quality improvement potential has not been reported. Our study found that AP improved the growth performance, serum metabolism, and antioxidation of Tibetan sheep. The edible quality, sensory quality, and nutritional quality of longissimus dorsi (LD) were analyzed. We observed lower drip loss and hue angle of meat after AP supplementation. AP also increased the cooked meat percentage, pH24h, a*24h, chroma24h, and the contents of protein and fat. The targeted metabolomics profiling revealed that the contents of essential amino acids and flavor amino acids in mutton increased by AP treatments. AP also promoted the deposition of MUFA and PUFA. Therefore, as a promising botanical supplement, AP has a positive effect on the growth, development, and body health of Tibetan sheep, and is also conductive to providing healthy and nutritious high-quality livestock products.

Epstein-Barr virus infection is associated with a higher Child-Pugh score and may predict poor prognoses for patients with liver cirrhosis.

BACKGROUND: Studies on Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) have focused mostly on neoplastic disease. Few studies have considered immunocompetent patients who are not severely immunocompromised. Liver cirrhosis is associated with various levels of immune dysfunction. In the current study, we determined EBV infection rates, the influence on liver function, and analyzed the risk factors for death in patients with liver cirrhosis. METHODS: The medical records of patients diagnosed with liver cirrhosis between 1 January 2014 and 31 December 2016 were reviewed. Patients who were or were not infected with EBV were enrolled in this study. Liver functions were compared. The risk factors for 28-, 90-, and 180-day mortality rates were analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: The medical records hospitalized patients diagnosed with liver cirrhosis were reviewed. Of these patients, 97 had assessed EBV deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and 36 (37.1%) patients were EBV DNA-positive. The age of the EBV-infected patients was older than patients not infected with EBV. EBV-infected patients had a lower level of albumin, and a lower albumin-to-globulin ratio (P = 0.019 and P = 0.013, respectively). EBV-infected patients had higher Child-Pugh scores (P = 0.033) and higher acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) rate (P = 0.050). The Child-Pugh score and ACLF were the risk factors for the 28-, 90-, and 180-day mortality rates. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that patients with liver cirrhosis had higher EBV infection rates, especially patients > 60 years of age, which likely reflected viral reactivation. And liver injury was aggravated in EBV-infected patients. Thus, EBV infection indirectly influenced the prognosis of EBV-infected patients by increasing the Child-Pugh score and ACLF rate.

Efficient low-temperature soot combustion by bimetallic Ag-Cu/SBA-15 catalysts.

In this study, the effects of copper (Cu) additive on the catalytic performance of Ag/SBA-15 in complete soot combustion were investigated. The soot combustion performance of bimetallic Ag-Cu/SBA-15 catalysts was higher than that of monometallic Ag and Cu catalysts. The optimum catalytic performance was acquired with the 5Ag1-Cu0.1/SBA-15 catalyst, on which the soot combustion starts at Tig=225°C with a T50=285°C. The temperature for 50% of soot combustion was lower than that of conventional Ag-based catalysts to more than 50°C (Aneggi et al., 2009). Physicochemical characterizations of the catalysts indicated that addition of Cu into Ag could form smaller bimetallic Ag-Cu nanolloy particles, downsizing the mean particle size from 3.7nm in monometallic catalyst to 2.6nm in bimetallic Ag-Cu catalyst. Further experiments revealed that Ag and Cu species elicited synergistic effects, subsequently increasing the content of surface active oxygen species. As a result, the structure modifications of Ag by the addition of Cu strongly intensified the catalytic performance.

[Advances on correlation of PET-CT findings with breast cancer molecular subtypes, treatment response and prognosis].

In recent years, PET-CT has an increasing importance in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. PET-CT scan can be used as a noninvasive method for molecular subtyping of breast cancer, and prediction of therapeutic effect and prognosis of patients. Studies have revealed that luminal A subtype has a significantly lower maximum standard intake value (SUVmax) than the other subtypes; triple-negative and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) positive tumors have relatively high SUVmax than luminal B subtype, but the specificity and sensitivity of SUVmax in diagnosis of molecular subtypes are very low, so its clinical application is limited. In predicting the effectiveness of the treatment and the prognosis of the patients, the decreased uptake of fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) is correlated with better therapeutic effect. In addition, patients with high FDG uptake have worse survival outcomes. New tracers, such as 18F-fluoroestradiol (18F-FES) and[89Zr]trastuzumab play an important role in molecular subtyping of breast cancer. 18F-FES PET-CT can effectively evaluate the estrogen receptor (ER) status of breast cancer and the response to endocrine therapy.[89Zr]trastuzumab PET-CT can evaluate the expression of HER2 and localization of HER2-overexpressing tumors, but their specificities and sensitivities are also low. In this article, we review the recent advances on the correlation of PET-CT findings with molecular subtypes, treatment response and prognosis of breast cancer.

Effect of the co-culture of human bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells with human umbilical vein endothelial cells in vitro.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) give origin to the marrow tromal environment that supports hematopoiesis. These cells present a wide range of differentiation potentials and a complex relationship with hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and endothelial cells. In addition to bone marrow (BM), MSCs can be obtained from other sites in the adult or the fetus. Recent studies have shown that cocultured endothelial cells and osteoblasts are mutually promotive in bone tissues repair. In this study, we observed the effects of coculture of endothelial cells and osteoblasts at different ratios on vasculogenesis and bone formation, and we found that angiogenic effect is more effective when endothelial cells are cocultured with osteoblasts at the ratio of 4:1, and osteogenic effect is more effective at the ratio of 1:4. It is concluded that the co-culture of human bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells with human umbilical vein endothelial cells could be a promising culture system for bone tissue engineering applications.

Determination of uric acid in human urine by capillary zone electrophoresis with indirect laser-induced fluorescence detection.

A CZE with indirect LIF detection method was used for the determination of uric acid (UA) in human urine. UA and its coexisting analytes (i.e. hypoxanthine, xanthine and ascorbic acid) could be well separated within 4.5 min at a voltage of 25 kV with 25°C cartridge temperature in a running buffer composed of 5 mM sodium borate, 10% methanol (v/v) and 0.3 µM fluorescein sodium (apparent pH of the final mixed hydro-organic solution of sodium borate, methanol and fluorescein is 9.5). Under the optimum condition, the method has good linearity relationships (correlation coefficients: 0.9973-0.9987) with ranges of 25-500, 25-350, 25-250 and 25-300 µg/mL for hypoxanthine, ascorbic acid, xanthine and UA, respectively. The detection limits for the analytes were in the range of 0.29-0.90 µg/mL. The intra-day RSD values for migration times and peak areas were less than 0.43 and 3.27%, respectively. This method was applied to the quantitation of UA in human urine with recoveries in the range of 93.1-107.3%.