Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a group of chronic, nonspecific intestinal inflammatory disorders characterized by localized and systemic inflammation. The use of biologic agents in the treatment of IBD patients is widespread, and the occurrence of primary non-responsiveness during treatment is also significant. This review briefly summarizes the possible reasons for primary non-responsiveness in IBD patients, as well as predictive markers and current strategies to address it, providing a theoretical reference for early identification and management of IBD patients who do not respond to treatment.
Workers'task specialization and division of labor are critical features of social insects'ecological success.It has been proposed that the division of labor relies on response threshold models:individuals varying their sensitivity(and responsiveness)to biologically relevant stimuli and performing a specific task when a stimulus exceeds an internal threshold.In this work,we study carbohydrate and protein responsiveness and their relation to worker task specialization in Vespula germanica,an invasive social wasp.The sucrose and peptone responsiveness of two different subcastes,preforagers and foragers,was determined by stimulating the antenna of the wasps with increasing concentrations of the solution and quantifying whether each concentration elicited a licking response.We studied responsiveness in five different ways:(1)response threshold,(2)concentration 50(concentration to which at least 50%of wasps responded),(3)maximum response,(4)mean scores and(5)median scores.Our results suggest that V germanica foragers are more sensitive to sucrose(lower thresholds)than preforager workers.However,we found no differences for peptone thresholds(i.e.,a protein resource).Nonetheless,this is the first study to investigate response thresholds for protein resources.The intercaste variation in sucrose responsiveness shown in our work contributes to the existing knowledge about response threshold theory as a mechanism for task specialization observed in V germanica.
We developed a fluorescent double network hydrogel with ionic responsiveness and high mechanical properties for visual detection.The nanocomposite hydrogel of laponite and polyacrylamide serves as the first network,while the ionic cross-linked hydrogel of terbium ions and sodium alginate serves as the second network.The double-network structure,the introduction of nanoparticles and the reversible ionic crosslinked interactions confer high mechanical properties to the hydrogel.Terbium ions are not only used as the ionic cross-linked points,but also used as green emitters to endow hydrogels with fluorescent properties.On the basis of the “antenna effect” of terbium ions and the ion exchange interaction,the fluorescence of the hydrogels can make selective responses to various ions(such as organic acid radical ions,transition metal ions) in aqueous solutions,which enables a convenient strategy for visual detection toward ions.Consequently,the fluorescent double network hydrogel fabricated in this study is promising for use in the field of visual sensor detection.
Objective:To evaluate the effect of rosmarinic acid on tracheal smooth muscle responsiveness and lung pathological changes in ovalbumin-sensitized rats.Methods:Rats were randomly divided into six groups:the control group,the asthmatic group,and the asthmatic groups treated with dexamethasone(1 mg/kg;oral gavage)or three doses of rosmarinic acid(0.5,1,and 2 mg/kg;oral gavage).For induction of asthma,rats received intraperitoneal injections and inhalation of ovalbumin.After 21 days,bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and lung samples were collected for histopathological analyses.Moreover,total and differential white blood cell counts were determined.Results:The rosmarinic acid-treated group had significantly lower tracheal smooth muscle responses to methacholine than the asthmatic group.In addition,rosmarinic acid reduced white blood cell count and the percentages of eosinophils,monocytes,and neutrophils while increasing the percentage of lymphocytes.Ovalbumin-induced lung pathological changes were significantly improved by treatment with rosmarinic acid.Conclusions:Rosmarinic acid improves tracheal smooth muscle responsiveness and lung pathological changes in ovalbumin-sensitized rats.
