Determination

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play a pivotal role in cancer progression. This study aimed to explore the roles of CAFs-derived Fibroblast growth factor 9 (FGF9) and Neuro-oncological ventral antigen 1 (NOVA1) in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) progression. MDA-MB-231 and BT-549 cells were cocultured with CAF conditioned-medium (CAF-CM) or normal fibroblasts conditioned-medium (NF-CM). MTT, EdU, colony formation, wound healing, transwell migration, and invasion assays were employed to determine cell proliferation, migration and invasion, respectively...

The phloem-limited bacterium, ' Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus' ( C Las), is the putative causal pathogen of the severe Asiatic form of huanglongbing (citrus greening) and is most commonly transmitted by the Asiatic citrus psyllid (ACP), Diaphorina citri . C Las severely affects many Citrus species and hybrids and has been recorded in the Citrus relative, orange jasmine, Murraya paniculata (L.) Jack (syn. M. exotica L.). In this study, 13 accessions of three Murraya species ( M. paniculata , M. sumatrana Roxb...

We developed a simple, paper-based device that enables sensitive detection by mass spectrometry (MS) without solid phase extraction or other sample preparation.  Using glass fiber filter papers within a 3D printed holder, the device employs electrokinetic manipulations to stack, separate, and desalt charged molecules on paper prior to spray into the MS. Due to counter-balanced electroosmotic flow and electrophoresis, charged analytes stack on the paper and desalting occurs in minutes.  One end of the paper strip was cut into a sharp point and positioned near the inlet of a MS...

Nitridophosphates and nitridogermanates attract high interest in current research due to their structural versatility. Herein, the elastic properties of GeP2 N4 were investigated by single-crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD) upon compression to 44.4(1) GPa in a diamond anvil cell. Its isothermal bulk modulus was determined to be 82(6) GPa. At 44.4(1) GPa, laser heating resulted in the formation of multiple crystalline phases, one of which was identified as unprecedented germanium nitridophosphate GePN3 . Its structure was elucidated from single-crystal XRD data ( C 2/ c (no...

Many pathogens continuously change their protein structure in response to immune-driven selection, resulting in weakened protection even in previously exposed individuals. In addition, for some pathogens, such as dengue virus, poorly targeted immunity is associated with increased risk of severe disease through a mechanism known as antibody-dependent enhancement. However, it remains unclear whether the antigenic distances between an individual's first infection and subsequent exposures dictate disease risk, explaining the observed large-scale differences in dengue hospitalizations across years...

Phytochemical investigation of the leaves of Knema intermedia has led to the isolation of a new furofuran lignan, intermedianin 1 together with five known lignans, α-cubebin 2 , β-cubebin 3 , bicubebin A 4 , bicubebin B 5 , and bicubebin C 6 . The characterisation and structural elucidation of the isolated compounds were established by extensive spectroscopic data analysis and comparison with literature data. The antifungal activity was tested using the broth microdilution assay, whereas the microbial biofilms were determined using a semi-quantitative static biofilm...

BACKGROUND: Understanding the association between the immune response and the risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has implications for forthcoming prevention strategies. We evaluated the association between antibody titers and the risk of infection for the general population during the Omicron-dominant phase. METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study of residents or people affiliated with institutions in Bizen City, which included 1,899 participants...

Because humans spend about one-third of their time asleep in their bedrooms and are themselves emission sources of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), it is important to specifically characterize the composition of the bedroom air that they experience during sleep. This work uses real-time indoor and outdoor measurements of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to examine concentration enhancements in bedroom air during sleep and to calculate VOC emission rates associated with sleeping occupants. Gaseous VOCs were measured with proton-transfer reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometry during a multiweek residential monitoring campaign under normal occupancy conditions...

Previous results from the our research group have isolated numerous compounds, including novel ones, but the anticancer activity of Miliusa velutina has not been demonstrated. In this study, from the most active ethyl acetate extract of the stems of Miliusa velutina , seven compounds were isolated and determined structures, including a new drimane sesquiterpenoid compound named miliutine C methyl ester ( 1 ) and three bioactive alkaloids ( 5 - 7 ). These three alkaloids ( 5 - 7 ) exhibited strong anticancer activities against various cancer cell lines such as MCF-7, HepG2, HeLa, NCI H460 and normal fibroblasts...

BACKGROUND: Many of the college students expressed experiencing moderate or severe psychological distress. In their emergence as adults, college students encounter significant periods of drastic change. Family functions play a crucial role in determining individuals' mental health status. OBJECTIVES: The first objective of this study was to investigate whether family communication mediates the relationships between family dysfunctions and perceived mental health status among under/graduate students...

Since the pandemic started, organisations have been actively seeking ways to improve their organisational agility and resilience (regility) and turn to Artificial Intelligence (AI) to gain a deeper understanding and further enhance their agility and regility. Organisations are turning to AI as a critical enabler to achieve these goals. AI empowers organisations by analysing large data sets quickly and accurately, enabling faster decision-making and building agility and resilience. This strategic use of AI gives businesses a competitive advantage and allows them to adapt to rapidly changing environments...

Infectious disease cryptosporidiosis is caused by the cryptosporidium parasite, a type of parasitic organism. It is spread through the ingestion of contaminated water, food, or fecal matter from infected animals or humans. The control becomes difficult because the parasite may remain in the environment for a long period. In this work, we constructed an epidemic model for the infection of cryptosporidiosis in a fractional framework with strong and weak immunity concepts. In our analysis, we utilize the well-known next-generation matrix technique to evaluate the reproduction number of the recommended model, indicated by [Formula: see text]...

Unidirectional photochemically driven molecular motors (PMMs) convert the energy of absorbed light into continuous rotational motion. As such they are key components in the design of molecular machines. The prototypical and most widely employed class of PMMs is the overcrowded alkenes, where rotational motion is driven by successive photoisomerization and thermal helix inversion steps. The efficiency of such PMMs depends upon the speed of rotation, determined by the rate of ground state thermal helix inversion, and the quantum yield of photoisomerization, which is dependent on the excited state energy landscape...

The spray system mechanism during a gas explosion in an underground square pipeline is complex. In this paper, the underground square of Fuxin City is selected as the research object. FLACS numerical simulation software is used to analyze the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of a gas explosion in an underground square pipeline with an unopened spray system using combustion and combustion rate models. Different spray pressures were compared and analyzed to determine the optimal spray control pressure, and the spray system mechanism was clarified...

We developed a motivational interviewing (MI) counselling training and support program for lay counsellors in South Africa-branded "Thusa-Thuso-helping you help", commonly referred to as Thusa-Thuso. We present the results of a pilot study to determine the program's impact on MI technical skills and qualitatively assess the feasibility of a training-of-trainers (TOT) scale-up strategy among counselling staff of non-governmental (NGO) support partners of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) treatment program in South Africa...

Clonorchis sinensis is one of the most important fish-borne zoonotic parasitic worms in humans, and is distributed in several countries with more than 15 million people infected globally. However, the lack of a point-of-care testing (POCT) method is still the critical barrier to effectively prevent clonorchiasis. With the application of novel fluorescent nanomaterials, the development of on-site testing methods with high signal enhancement can provide a simple, precise and inexpensive tool for disease detection...

Two new triterpenoid saponins (oleanolic acid 2 β -hydroxyl-3- O - β -D-glucuronopyranoside-6 ' - O -buthyl ester ( 1 ) and oleanolic acid 2 β -hydroxyl-3- O -[ β -D-glucuronopyranosyl-6'- O -methylester]-28- O - β -D-glucopyranoside ( 2 )) and two new goodyerosides (4-methylenefuran-2(5 H )-one (6'- O -vanilloyl)- β -D-glucopyranoside ( 3 ), 3-hydroxy-2(5 H )-furanone, 4-(6'- O -vanilloyl)- β -D-glucopyranoside ( 4 )), together with seven known compounds ( 5 - 11 ) were isolated from the whole plant of Tournefortia sibirica L...

BACKGROUND: Worksite-based health programs have shown positive impacts on employee health and have led to significant improvements in cardiovascular risk factor profiles. We aimed to determine the effect of cafeteria intervention on cardio-metabolic risk factors diet in a worksite setting (Dhulikhel Hospital) in Nepal. METHODS: In this one-arm pre-post intervention study, we recruited 277 non-pregnant hospital employees aged 18-60 with prediabetes or pre-hypertension...

BACKGROUND: The burden of multidrug-resistant bacterial infections in low-income countries is alarming. This study aimed to identify the bacterial etiologies and antibiotic resistance patterns among neonates in Jimma, Ethiopia. METHODS: An observational longitudinal study was conducted among 238 presumptive neonatal sepsis cases tested with blood and/or cerebrospinal fluid culture. The bacterial etiologies were confirmed using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry...

Accurately determining the diet of wild animals can be challenging if food items are small, visible only briefly, or rendered visually unidentifiable in the digestive system. In some food caching species, an additional challenge is determining whether consumed diet items have been previously stored or are fresh. The Canada jay (Perisoreus canadensis) is a generalist resident of North American boreal and subalpine forests with anatomical and behavioural adaptations allowing it to make thousands of arboreal food caches in summer and fall that are presumably responsible for its high winter survival and late winter/early spring breeding...