Search Results (43)

Background and Objectives: Although beaded filament structural protein 1 (BFSP1) may be involved in oncogenic mechanisms, its clinical relevance and functional role in liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) remain unclear. This study examined the prognostic significance, regulatory mechanisms, and potential therapeutic implications of BFSP1 in LIHC. Materials and Methods: Comprehensive bioinformatics analysis was performed across multiple platforms using datasets derived from The Cancer Genome Atlas. Differential gene expression, DNA methylation, copy number variation, immune cell infiltration, drug sensitivity, and co-expression networks were systematically examined. Functional enrichment analyses of protein–protein and gene–gene interaction networks were conducted using STRING and GeneMANIA. Additionally, short interfering RNA-mediated knockdown and wound-healing assays were performed in HepG2 cells to evaluate BFSP1 function in vitro. Results: The results showed that BFSP1 mRNA expression was significantly upregulated in tissues from LIHC patients. Elevated BFSP1 levels were associated with poorer prognostic patterns, which were further supported by detailed clinicopathological subgroup analyses. Furthermore, BFSP1 expression was correlated with promoter hypomethylation and associated with patterns of tumor-infiltrating immune cells, including specific immune cell subtypes such as M1 and M2 macrophages. Integrative analyses revealed strong associations between BFSP1 and drug sensitivity, as well as a regulatory network encompassing genes involved in the cell cycle, DNA repair, and metabolic processes. Functional knockdown of BFSP1 significantly reduced HepG2 cell migration in vitro, as assessed by wound healing assay, with decreased wound closure at 24 h (11.0% vs. 16.5%) and 48 h (7.4% vs. 12.5%) compared with the control (p < 0.05, n = 6 biological replicates). Conclusions: In conclusion, these findings suggest that BFSP1 functions as a multifaceted prognostic biomarker and a potential therapeutic target for LIHC. Full article

Carcass weight (CW) is a major determinant of beef yield and market value in Korea, yet the genetic basis of this trait remains largely unexplored in cattle from Jeju Island. In this study, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) using both a mixed linear model (MLM) and the FarmCPU approach, followed by pathway and network analyses to identify loci and biological functions underlying CW variation. A total of 256 Jeju cattle (92 Jeju Black and 164 Jeju Black × Hanwoo crossbreds) were initially sampled. One crossbred sample failed genotyping, leaving 255 animals (92 Jeju Black and 163 crossbreds) for analysis. Animals were genotyped using the Illumina BovineSNP50 v3 BeadChip, and 39,055 high-quality single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were retained after quality control. The MLM analysis detected no genome-wide significant associations, whereas the FarmCPU analysis identified six significant loci on Bos taurus chromosomes 3, 5, 6, 10, and 13, each explaining 2.55–9.58% of the phenotypic variance. Candidate genes located near these loci included EIF2B3, HECTD3, SOX5, KLF6, PHACTR3, and two uncharacterized protein-coding genes. Functional enrichment analysis identified biologically relevant pathways including lysine degradation, tryptophan metabolism, glycerolipid metabolism, fatty acid biosynthesis, extracellular matrix–receptor interaction, and signaling cascades such as PI3K–Akt and Rap1, although most pathways were not statistically significant after FDR correction. Protein–protein interaction (PPI) network analysis using STRING highlighted modules of signaling, extracellular matrix, and metabolic genes. These clusters suggest that coordinated interactions among these pathways contribute to carcass growth and development. These findings provide new insights into the molecular basis of CW in Jeju Black and Hanwoo × Jeju Black crossbred cattle and identify candidate genes and pathways that may be useful for genomic selection and the sustainable improvement of Jeju Black cattle populations. Full article

Background: The search for reliable aging biomarkers using proteomic databases and large-scale proteomic studies presents a significant challenge in biogerontology. Existing proteomic databases and studies contain valuable information; however, there is inconsistency in approaches to biomarker selection and data integration. This creates barriers to translating existing knowledge into clinical practice and use in biomedical research. This work analyzed experimental proteomic studies, the content of proteomic databases, and proposed recommendations for optimization and improvement of proteomic database formation and enrichment. Methods: The study utilized publications devoted to proteomic data acquisition methods, proteomic databases, and experimental studies. Results: Methods for obtaining proteomic data were analyzed (Protein Pathway Array (PPA), Tissue Microarray (TMA), Luminex (Bead Array), MSD (Meso Scale Discovery), Simoa (Quanterix), SOMAscan (SomaLogic), Olink (PEA), Alamar NULISA (PEA+), and Oxford Nanopore. A total of 16 proteomic databases were investigated (HAGR, KEGG, STRING, Aging Atlas, HALL, Human Protein Atlas, UniProt, AgeAnnoMO, AgeFactDB, AgingBank, iProX, jMorp, jPOSTrepo, MassIVE, MetaboAge DB, PRIDE Archive). Additionally, 22 proteomic studies devoted to aging and age-associated diseases were analyzed. Conclusions: Proteomic databases and experimental studies individually contain valuable information about aging biomarkers. Using data from different sources within biomedical research poses challenges for improving and optimizing methodological solutions for publication selection, database formation, and marker development. Full article

Silica aerogel possesses a significantly lower thermal conductivity compared to still air at room temperature, thanks to its high porosity and advanced thermal and physical properties. It is extensively investigated for its potential use as an insulation material, usually being incorporated into other matrix materials, such as cement plasters, to enhance the overall thermal performance with minimal weight load. The development of lightweight thermal insulation materials is a key step in reducing energy consumption in hot and cold environments during construction and in thermal equipment. The superior insulation capabilities of aerogels stem from their nanostructured SiO₂ framework, which induces nanoscale rarefaction effects on the enclosed air near the SiO₂ structure. This study reconstructed the nanostructured SiO₂ network of modern aerogels using microscopy imaging and the literature data and integrated it into sophisticated heat transfer simulations at a microscopic level to predict its thermal performance. The simulation assumed conduction as the primary energy dissipation mechanism, incorporating local rarefaction effects based on kinetic theory approaches. SiO₂ aggregates were modeled as interconnected strings of spherical beads, with variations in the aggregate size explored in a parametric study. Nanoscale rarefaction phenomena, such as slip wall and Knudsen diffusion, prevalent at these grain sizes and structures, were incorporated to refine the modeling approach. The degree of the aerogel content relative to the effective properties of the multiphasic material was then investigated systematically along the multilayered mortar thickness and on a representative multiphasic layer at the mesoscopic level. The results quantify the significant decrease in the thermal conductivity of the heterogeneous material as the porosity of the aerogel increased. The insulation performance of this aerogel incorporated into cement plasters was assessed with this hierarchical approach and validated against experimental data, providing insights for the optimization of the fabrication process and potential applications in construction. Full article

Lopinavir (LPV) and ritonavir (RTV) are two of the essential antiretroviral active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) characterized by poor solubility. Hence, attempts have been made to improve both their solubility and dissolution rate. One of the most effective approaches used for this purpose is to prepare amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs). To our best knowledge, this is the first attempt aimed at developing ASDs via the electrospinning technique in the form of fibers containing LPV and RTV. In particular, the impact of the various polymeric carriers, i.e., Kollidon K30 (PVP), Kollidon VA64 (KVA), and Eudragit^® E100 (E100), as well as the drug content as a result of the LPV and RTV amorphization were investigated. The characterization of the electrospun fibers included microscopic, DSC, and XRD analyses, the assessment of their wettability, and equilibrium solubility and dissolution studies. The application of the electrospinning process led to the full amorphization of both the APIs, regardless of the drug content and the type of polymer matrix used. The utilization of E100 as a polymeric carrier for LPV and KVA for RTV, despite the beads-on-string morphology, had a favorable impact on the equilibrium solubility and dissolution rate. The results showed that the electrospinning method can be successfully used to manufacture ASDs with poorly soluble APIs. Full article

Optical microscopy is widely regarded to be an indispensable tool in healthcare and manufacturing quality control processes, although its inability to resolve structures separated by a lateral distance under ~200 nm has culminated in the emergence of a new field named fluorescence nanoscopy, while this too is prone to several caveats (namely phototoxicity, interference caused by exogenous probes and cost). In this regard, we present a triplet string of concatenated O-Net (‘bead’) architectures (termed ‘Θ-Net’ in the present study) as a cost-efficient and non-invasive approach to enhancing the resolution of non-fluorescent phase-modulated optical microscopical images in silico. The quality of the afore-mentioned enhanced resolution (ER) images was compared with that obtained via other popular frameworks (such as ANNA-PALM, BSRGAN and 3D RCAN), with the Θ-Net-generated ER images depicting an increased level of detail (unlike previous DNNs). In addition, the use of cross-domain (transfer) learning to enhance the capabilities of models trained on differential interference contrast (DIC) datasets [where phasic variations are not as prominently manifested as amplitude/intensity differences in the individual pixels unlike phase-contrast microscopy (PCM)] has resulted in the Θ-Net-generated images closely approximating that of the expected (ground truth) images for both the DIC and PCM datasets. This thus demonstrates the viability of our current Θ-Net architecture in attaining highly resolved images under poor signal-to-noise ratios while eliminating the need for a priori PSF and OTF information, thereby potentially impacting several engineering fronts (particularly biomedical imaging and sensing, precision engineering and optical metrology). Full article

Chronic wounds often result in multiple infections with various kinds of bacteria and uncontrolled wound exudate, resulting in several healthcare issues. Advanced medicated nanofibres prepared by electrospinning have gained much attention for their topical application on infected chronic wounds. The objective of this work is to enhance the critical variables of ciprofloxacin-loaded polycaprolactone-silk sericin (PCL/SS-PVA-CIP) nanofibre production via the process of electrospinning. To examine the antibacterial effectiveness of PCL/SS-PVA-CIP nanocomposites, the material was tested against P. aeruginosa and S. aureus. The combination of PCL/SS-PVA-CIP exhibited potent inhibitory properties, with the most effective concentrations of ciprofloxacin (CIP) being 3 μg/g and 7.0 μg/g for each bacterium, respectively. The biocompatibility was evaluated by conducting cell reduction and proliferation studies using the human epidermal keratinocyte (HaCaT) cells and human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs) in vitro cell lines. The PCL/SS-PVA-CIP showed good cell compatibility with HaCaT and HGF cells, with effective proliferation even at antibiotic doses of up to 7.0 μg/g. The drug release effectiveness of the nanocomposites was assessed at various concentrations of CIP, resulting in a maximum cumulative release of 76.5% and 74.4% after 72 h for CIP concentrations of 3 μg/g and 7 μg/g, respectively. In summary, our study emphasizes the possibility of combining silk sericin (SS) and polycaprolactone (PCL) loading with CIP nanocomposite for wound management. Full article

Touch serves as an important medium for human–environment interaction. The piezoresistive tactile sensor has attracted much attention due to its convenient technology, simple principle, and convenient signal acquisition and analysis. In this paper, conductive beads-on-string polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/polyaniline doped with dodecyl benzene sulfonic acid (PANI-DBSA) nanofibers were fabricated via the electrospinning technique. Due to the special nanostructure of PVA-coated PANI-DBSA, the tactile sensor presented a wide measuring range of 12 Pa–121 kPa and appreciable sensitivity of 8.576 kPa⁻¹ at 12 Pa~484 Pa. In addition, the response time and recovery time of the sensor were approximately 500 ms, demonstrating promising prospects in the field of tactile sensing for active upper limb prostheses. Full article

Anomalous bright spots, called the string of bead-like response, are typical seismic migration profile features in carbonate fractured reservoirs in the Tarim Basin, and they are indicators of high-quality oil and gas reservoirs. Correctly recognizing the correspondence between fractures and the SBLR can contribute to the efficient drilling of target carbonate fractured reservoirs. Physical models can describe fractured reservoirs more directly and efficiently than real situations and have obvious advantages in accurately and quantitatively designing parameters such as dipping angles and the number of layers of fractured reservoirs. Under such a background, according to the real tectonic characteristics of the Tarim Basin, among the main hydrocarbon reservoirs, fractured reservoirs with various parameters were designed and a physical model was constructed according to the real stratigraphic parameters. After seismic data acquisition and processing, the response characteristics of the string of bead-like response were extracted and summarized from seismic migration profiles for all fractured reservoirs, which provided targeted analyses and discussions on the fracture dipping angle, number of fracture layers, overlying stratigraphic influences, and planar attributes of the fractured reservoirs. In general, the larger the fracture dip, the more difficult it is to identify, while the slope of reflection strength and maximum absolute amplitude attributes can be important markers for fractured reservoir identification. The physical modeling study of fractured reservoirs in this paper can provide a basis for the analysis and prediction of carbonate fractured reservoirs in the Tarim Basin. Full article

We report on the effect of a hydrocarbon (n-dodecane) on the rheological properties and shapes of the hybrid wormlike micelles (WLMs) of a surfactant potassium oleate with an embedded polymer poly(4-vinylpyridine). With and without hydrocarbon solutions, the hybrid micelles exhibit the same values of viscosity at shear rates typical for hydraulic fracturing (HF) tests, as solutions of polymer-free WLMs. Therefore, similar to WLMs of surfactants, they could be applied as thickeners in HF fluids without breakers. At the same time, in the presence of n-dodecane, the hybrid micelles have much higher drag-reducing efficiency compared to microemulsions formed in polymer-free systems since they form “beads-on-string” structures according to results obtained using cryo-transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM), dynamic-light scattering (DLS), and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). Consequently, they could also act as drag-reducing agents in the pipeline transport of recovered oil. Such a unique multi-functional additive to a fracturing fluid, which permits its concurrent use in oil production and oil transportation, has not been proposed before. Full article

This study investigates the synthesis and application of composite electrospun fibers incorporating coal tar pitch (CTP) and various nanomaterial additives, with a specific focus on their potential for eco-bio-applications. The research underscores the environmentally viable aspects of CTP following a thermal treatment process that eliminates volatile components and sulfur, rendering it amenable for fiber electrospinning and subsequent carbonization. Composite fibers were fabricated by integrating CTP with nanomaterials, including nickel oxide (NiO), titanium dioxide (TiO₂), activated carbon (AC), and magnetite (Fe₃O₄). The C/NiO composite fibers exhibit notable acetone sensing capabilities, specifically displaying a rapid response time of 40.6 s to 100 ppm acetone at 220 °C. The C/TiO₂ composite fibers exhibit a distinct “beads-on-a-string” structure and demonstrate a high efficiency of 96.13% in methylene blue decomposition, highlighting their potential for environmental remediation applications. Additionally, the C/AC composite fibers demonstrate effective adsorption properties, efficiently removing manganese (II) ions from aqueous solutions with an 88.62% efficiency, thereby suggesting their utility in water purification applications. This research employs an interdisciplinary approach by combining diverse methods, approaches, and materials, including the utilization of agricultural waste materials such as rice husks, to create composite materials with multifaceted applications. Beyond the immediate utility of the composite fibers, this study emphasizes the significance of deploying environmentally responsible materials and technologies to address pressing eco-bio-challenges. Full article

Mathematics is the subject in which many school-age children reveal difficulties. The literature has shown that fine motor skills, namely fine motor coordination and visuomotor integration, have been more robustly associated with mathematical performance. Studies have shown the importance that instruments have to evaluate these skills, however, the characteristics of these instruments do not fit the reality of kindergartens, they are usually time consuming and expensive and are usually administered by specialists. Thus, the main objective of this study was to identify, select, adapt and validate motor tests to evaluate fine motor skills associated with mathematical skills to allow the kindergarten teachers to apply them simultaneously to the class, with few material resources, in a short period of time and without the need for a lot of training to apply, score and classify. For this purpose, firstly, it was necessary to understand the main difficulties highlighted by kindergarten teachers regarding the use of instruments to evaluate fine motor skills and, thus, elaborate criteria to identify and select the tests that best fit the reality of kindergartens. The test identified, selected and adapted to evaluate fine motor coordination was threading beads from the Movement Evaluation Battery for Children, 2nd Edition. The main adaptation of the test was related to time, that is, instead of counting the time it takes the child to string the total number of cubes on the string, we counted the number of cubes the child strung on the string in a pre-defined time. To evaluate visual–motor integration, the test identified, selected and adapted was the Visual–Motor Integration (6th Edition) test. The main adaptation was related to material resources, that is, it will be possible to apply the test using only one sheet per child instead of the seven suggested by the original test. After the preliminary adaptation of the tests, their validation was performed by means of the degree of reliability (test-retest) and predictive validity. The results indicated that the adapted tests presented an excellent degree of reliability (>0.9) and could therefore be used to administer them simultaneously to the class group. The adapted Visual–Motor Integration test seems to be the most suitable one to be used by kindergarten teachers, in a classroom context, to simultaneously evaluate students’ fine motor skills and associate their results with mathematical skills. Full article

Colon-targeted drug delivery is gradually attracting attention because it can effectively treat colon diseases. Furthermore, electrospun fibers have great potential application value in the field of drug delivery because of their unique external shape and internal structure. In this study, a core layer of hydrophilic polyethylene oxide (PEO) and the anti-colon-cancer drug curcumin (CUR), a middle layer of ethanol, and a sheath layer of the natural pH-sensitive biomaterial shellac were used in a modified triaxial electrospinning process to prepare beads-on-the-string (BOTS) microfibers. A series of characterizations were carried out on the obtained fibers to verify the process–shape/structure–application relationship. The results of scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy indicated a BOTS shape and core–sheath structure. X-ray diffraction results indicated that the drug in the fibers was in an amorphous form. Infrared spectroscopy revealed the good compatibility of the components in the fibers. In vitro drug release revealed that the BOTS microfibers provide colon-targeted drug delivery and zero-order drug release. Compared to linear cylindrical microfibers, the obtained BOTS microfibers can prevent the leakage of drugs in simulated gastric fluid, and they provide zero-order release in simulated intestinal fluid because the beads in BOTS microfibers can act as drug reservoirs. Full article

Fibrillin-1 microfibrils are essential elements of the extracellular matrix serving as a scaffold for the deposition of elastin and endowing connective tissues with tensile strength and elasticity. Mutations in the fibrillin-1 gene (FBN1) are linked to Marfan syndrome (MFS), a systemic connective tissue disorder that, besides other heterogeneous symptoms, usually manifests in life-threatening aortic complications. The aortic involvement may be explained by a dysregulation of microfibrillar function and, conceivably, alterations in the microfibrils’ supramolecular structure. Here, we present a nanoscale structural characterization of fibrillin-1 microfibrils isolated from two human aortic samples with different FBN1 gene mutations by using atomic force microscopy, and their comparison with microfibrillar assemblies purified from four non-MFS human aortic samples. Fibrillin-1 microfibrils displayed a characteristic “beads-on-a-string” appearance. The microfibrillar assemblies were investigated for bead geometry (height, length, and width), interbead region height, and periodicity. MFS fibrillin-1 microfibrils had a slightly higher mean bead height, but the bead length and width, as well as the interbead height, were significantly smaller in the MFS group. The mean periodicity varied around 50–52 nm among samples. The data suggest an overall thinner and presumably more frail structure for the MFS fibrillin-1 microfibrils, which may play a role in the development of MFS-related aortic symptomatology. Full article

Delving into the spatiotemporal evolution of the railway network in different periods can provide guidance and reference for the planning and layout of the railway network. However, most of the existing studies tended to model the railway data separately and compare the network indices of adjacent periods based on the railway data of different periods, thus failing to integrate the railway network in different periods into a unified framework for evolution analysis. Therefore, this paper used the railway data from 2008, 2010, 2015, and 2019, and analyzed the spatiotemporal integration of the railway network evolution based on the complex network theory and the self-organizing maps (SOM) method. Firstly, this study constructed the geographical railway network in the four years and probed into how the network feature indices changed. Then, it used the SOM method to capture the spatiotemporal integration of the railway network evolution in multi-time series. Finally, it clustered the change trajectory of each city node and unveiled the relationship between the evolution of city nodes and the hierarchy of urban systems. The results show that from 2008 to 2019, the railway network feature indices showed an upward trend and that the expansion pattern of the railway network could be divided into the core–peripheral pattern, belt expansion pattern, strings of beads pattern, and multi-center network pattern. The evolution of the change trajectory of the city nodes was highly related to the hierarchical structure of the urban system. This study helps to understand the evolution process of the railway network in China, and provides decision-making reference for improving and optimizing China’s railway network. Full article