Speech-Processing Network Formation of Cochlear-Implanted Toddlers With Early Hearing Experiences.

To reveal the formation process of speech processing with early hearing experiences, we tracked the development of functional connectivity in the auditory and language-related cortical areas of 84 (36 female) congenitally deafened toddlers using repeated functional near-infrared spectroscopy for up to 36 months post cochlear implantation (CI). Upon hearing restoration, the CI children lacked the modular organization of the mature speech-processing network and demonstrated a higher degree of immaturity in temporo-parietal than temporo-frontal connections. The speech-processing network appeared to form rapidly with early CI experiences, with two-thirds of the developing connections following nonlinear trajectories reflecting possibly more than one synaptogenesis-pruning cycle. A few key features of the mature speech-processing network emerged within the first year of CI hearing, including left-hemispheric advantage, differentiation of the dorsal and ventral processing streams, and functional state (speech listening vs. resting) specific patterns of connectivity development. The developmental changes were predictable of future auditory and verbal communication skills of the CI children, with prominent contribution from temporo-parietal connections in the dorsal stream, suggesting a mediating role of speech-processing network formation with early hearing experiences in speech acquisition.

Molecular biological mechanisms of radiotherapy-induced skin injury occurrence and treatment.

Radiotherapy-Induced Skin Injury (RISI) is radiation damage to normal skin tissue that primarily occurs during tumor Radiotherapy and occupational exposure. The risk of RISI is high due to the fact that the skin is not only the first body organ that ionizing radiation comes into contact with, but it is also highly sensitive to it, especially the basal cell layer and capillaries. Typical clinical manifestations of RISI include erythema, dry desquamation, moist desquamation, and ulcers, which have been established to significantly impact patient care and cancer treatment. Notably, our current understanding of RISI's pathological mechanisms and signaling pathways is inadequate, and no standard treatments have been established. Radiation-induced oxidative stress, inflammatory responses, fibrosis, apoptosis, and cellular senescence are among the known mechanisms that interact and promote disease progression. Additionally, radiation can damage all cellular components and induce genetic and epigenetic changes, which play a crucial role in the occurrence and progression of skin injury. A deeper understanding of these mechanisms and pathways is crucial for exploring the potential therapeutic targets for RISI. Therefore, in this review, we summarize the key mechanisms and potential treatment methods for RISI, offering a reference for future research and development of treatment strategies.

[Influence of Tis108 on GA content and expression of key enzyme GeCYP714A1 involved in GA deactivation of Gastrodia elata].

To investigate the influence of the strigolactone inhibitor Tis108 on the growth of Gastrodia elata, this study treated G. elata tuber with Tis108 solution of 10 µmol·L~(-1) and measured the content of endogenous hormone gibberellin(GA) in the tuber. By using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) technology, the key enzyme GeCYP714A1 gene involved in GA deactivation was cloned. Bioinformatics analysis on the GeCYP714A1 gene was carried out by using ExPASy, SWISS-MODEL, MEGA, etc., and its expression levels in different parts of G. elata were determined. The results showed that after Tis108 treatment, GA content in G. elata tuber was significantly increased, and the transcription level of the GeCYP714A1 gene was significantly decreased. The full length of the coding region of the GeCYP714A1 gene is 1 173 bp, encoding 390 amino acids. The protein has a molecular weight of 44.85 kDa, a theoretical isoelectric point of 9.83, an instability index of 49.20, an aliphatic index of 89.03, and a grand average of hydropathicity of-0.235, classifying it as an unstable, basic, hydrophilic protein, and the GeCYP714A1 protein was localized in the mitochondria, lacking a signal peptide and a transmembrane structure. Phylogenetic tree analysis revealed that GeCYP714A1 was most closely related to the DcCYP714C2(PKU78454.1) protein from Dendrobium candidum, with a sequence identity of 67.25%. The qRT-PCR analysis of the expression patterns of the GeCYP714A1 gene indicated that GeCYP714A1 had the highest transcription level in G. elata tuber, followed by stem and inflorescence. The study represented that Tis108 inhibited the transcription level of GeCYP714A1 involved in GA deactivation in G. elata tuber, thereby increasing the accumulation of GA and affecting the growth of G. elata tuber. These results provided a basis for further studies of strigolactone regulation of GA signal and tuber development in G. elata.

[Pharmacoeconomic evaluation of Shaoma Zhijing Granules in treatment of tic disorders in children].

This study conducted a pharmacoeconomic evaluation of Shaoma Zhijing Granules in the treatment of tic disorder(TD) in children. Firstly, from the perspective of the healthcare system, cost-effectiveness analysis was used to evaluate the economic efficiency of Shaoma Zhijing Granules compared with Changma Xifeng Tablets and Jiuwei Xifeng Granules in the treatment of TD in children. Then, through network Meta-analysis, the overall effectiveness of different regimens was calculated, combined with the total cost of the regimens, to calculate the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio(ICER). Finally, sensitivity analysis was performed to verify the stability of the study results and the credibility of the conclusions. This study included 17 articles, including 9 articles on Chinese patent medicines(3 on Shaoma Zhijing Granules, 2 on Jiuwei Xifeng Granules, and 4 on Changma Xifeng Tablets), for the treatment of TD in children, and 8 articles on Chinese patent medicines combined with conventional western medicines(3 on Shaoma Zhijing Granules, 2 on Jiuwei Xifeng Granules, and 3 on Changma Xifeng Tablets). In the Chinese patent medicine group, the total cost of Shaoma Zhijing Granules for treating TD was CNY 4 410.00, with clinical total effective rate of 77.53%; the total cost of Jiuwei Xifeng Granules for treating TD was CNY 5 192.70, with clinical total effective rate of 82.13%. The ICER of Jiuwei Xifeng Granules vs Shaoma Zhijing Granules was 169.95, higher than the willingness-to-pay(WTP, cost of increasing efficiency by 1% is CNY 85.70). Therefore, Jiuwei Xifeng Granules did not have a cost-effectiveness advantage over Shaoma Zhijing Granules. The total cost of Changma Xifeng Tablets for treating TD was CNY 1 282.50, with clinical total effective rate of 80.60%. The total cost of Changma Xifeng Tablets was lower and clinical total effective rate was higher than that of Shaoma Zhijing Granules. Overall, Shaoma Zhijing Granules did not have a cost-effectiveness advantage. In the Chinese patent medicine combined with conventional western medicine group, the total cost of Shaoma Zhijing Granules for treating TD + conventional western medicines was CNY 6 768.52/6 778.48, with clinical total effective rate of 96.18%. The total cost of Jiuwei Xifeng Granules + conventional western medicines for treating TD was CNY 6 522.56, with clinical total effective rate of 88.30%. The ICER of Shaoma Zhijing Granules + conventional western medicines vs Jiuwei Xifeng Granules + conventional western medicines was 31.20, lower than WTP. Therefore, Shaoma Zhijing Granules + conventional western medicines had a cost-effectiveness advantage over Jiuwei Xifeng Granules + conventional western medicines. The total cost of Changma Xifeng Tablets + conventional western medicines for treating TD was CNY 1 706.12, with clinical total effective rate of 95.39%. The ICER of Shaoma Zhijing Granules + conventional western medicines vs Changma Xifeng Tablets + conventional western medicines was 6 334.06, higher than WTP. Therefore, although Shaoma Zhijing Granules + conventional western medicines had higher clinical total effective rate compared with Changma Xifeng Tablets + conventional western medicines, it did not have a cost-effectiveness advantage. Overall, for different medication regimens(Chinese patent medicines monotherapy or in combination with conventional western medicines), Shaoma Zhijing Granules and Jiuwei Xifeng Granules both had a cost-effectiveness advantage, but compared with Changma Xifeng Tablets, neither had a cost-effectiveness advantage. For Chinese patent medicines in combination with conventional western medicines, clinical total effective rate of Shaoma Zhijing Granules in combination with conventional western medicines for the treatment of TD in children was the highest.

Beyond skin deep: Revealing the essence of iPS cell-generated skin organoids in regeneration.

Various methods have been used for in vivo and in vitro skin regeneration, including stem cell therapy, tissue engineering, 3D printing, and platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection therapy. However, these approaches are rooted in the existing knowledge of skin structures, which overlook the normal physiological processes of skin development and fall short of replicating the skin's regenerative processes outside the body. This comprehensive review primarily focuses on skin organoids derived from human pluripotent stem cells, which have the capacity to regenerate human skin tissue by restoring the embryonic skin structure, thus offering a novel avenue for producing in vitro skin substitutes. Furthermore, they contribute to the repair of damaged skin lesions in patients with systemic sclerosis or severe burns. Particular emphasis will be placed on the origins, generations, and applications of skin organoids, especially in dermatology, and the challenges that must be addressed before clinical implementation.

Data-Driven Knowledge Fusion for Deep Multi-Instance Learning.

Multi-instance learning (MIL) is a widely applied technique in practical applications that involve complex data structures. MIL can be broadly categorized into two types: traditional methods and those based on deep learning. These approaches have yielded significant results, especially regarding their problem-solving strategies and experiment validation, providing valuable insights for researchers in the MIL field. However, considerable knowledge is often trapped within the algorithm, leading to subsequent MIL algorithms that rely solely on the model's data fitting to predict unlabeled samples. This results in a significant loss of knowledge and impedes the development of more powerful models. In this article, we propose a novel data-driven knowledge fusion for deep MIL (DKMIL) algorithm. DKMIL adopts a completely different idea from existing deep MIL methods by analyzing the decision-making of key samples in the dataset (referred to as the data-driven) and using the knowledge fusion module designed to extract valuable information from these samples to assist the model's learning. In other words, this module serves as a new interface between data and the model, providing strong scalability and enabling prior knowledge from existing algorithms to enhance the model's learning ability. Furthermore, to adapt the downstream modules of the model to more knowledge-enriched features extracted from the data-driven knowledge fusion (DDKF) module, we propose a two-level attention (TLA) module that gradually learns shallow-and deep-level features of the samples to achieve more effective classification. We will prove the scalability of the knowledge fusion module and verify the efficiency of the proposed architecture by conducting experiments on 62 datasets across five categories.

A High-Entropy Oxyhydroxide with a Graded Metal Network Structure for Efficient and Robust Alkaline Overall Water Splitting.

Designing high-entropy oxyhydroxides (HEOs) electrocatalysts with controlled nanostructures is vital for efficient and stable water-splitting electrocatalysts. Herein, a novel HEOs material (FeCoNiWCuOOH@Cu) containing five non-noble metal elements derived by electrodeposition on a 3D double-continuous porous Cu support is created. This support, prepared via the liquid metal dealloying method, offers a high specific surface area and rapid mass/charge transfer channels. The resulting high-entropy FeCoNiWCuOOH nanosheets provide a dense distribution of active sites. The heterostructure between Cu skeletons and FeCoNiWCuOOH nanosheets enhances mass transfer, electronic structure coupling, and overall structural stability, leading to excellent activities in the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), and water splitting reaction. At 10 mA cm-2, the overpotentials for OER, HER, and water splitting in 1.0 m KOH solution are 200, 18, and 1.40 V, respectively, outperforming most current electrocatalysts. The catalytic performance remains stable even after operating at 300 mA cm-2 for 100, 100, and over 1000 h, correspondingly. This material has potential applications in integrated hydrogen energy systems. More importantly, density functional theory (DFT) calculations demonstrate the synergy of the five elements in enhancing water-splitting activity. This work offers valuable insights for designing industrial water electrolysis systems.

Injectable bone cement cannulated pedicle screw for lumbar degenerative disease in osteoporosis - clinical follow-up of over 5 years.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical efficacy of injectable cemented hollow pedicle screw (CICPS) in the treatment of osteoporotic lumbar degenerative diseases through a large sample long-term follow-up study. Additionally, we aim to explore the risk factors affecting interbody fusion. METHODS: A total of 98 patients who underwent CICPS for transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) for osteoporotic lumbar degenerative disease from March 2011 to September 2017 were analyzed. X-ray and electronic computed tomography (CT) imaging data were collected during preoperative, postoperative, and follow-up periods. The data included changes in intervertebral space height (ΔH), screw failure, cement leakage (CL), and intervertebral fusion. The patients were divided into two groups based on their fusion status one year after surgery: satisfied group A and dissatisfied group B. Surgical data such as operation time, intraoperative bleeding volume and surgical complications were recorded, and visual analog scale (VAS) and Oswestry disability index (ODI) were used to evaluate the improvement of lumbar and leg pain. RESULTS: The mean follow-up time was 101.29 months (ranging from 70 to 128 months). A total of 320 CICPS were used, with 26 screws (8.13%) leaking, 3 screws (0.94%) experiencing cement augmentation failure, and 1 screw (0.31%) becoming loose and breaking. The remaining screws were not loose or pulled out. Female gender, decreased bone density, and CL were identified as risk factors affecting interbody fusion (P < 0.05). Early realization of interbody fusion can effectively prevent the loss of intervertebral space height (P < 0.05) and maintain the surgical treatment effect. Both VAS and ODI scores showed significant improvement during the follow-up period (P < 0.05). Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that decreased bone density and cement leakage were risk factors for prolonged interbody fusion. CONCLUSIONS: The results of long-term follow-up indicate that PMMA enhanced CICPS has unique advantages in achieving good clinical efficacy in the treatment of osteoporosis lumbar degenerative diseases. Attention should be paid to identify female gender, severe osteoporosis, and CL as risk factors affecting interbody fusion.

Dose-response relationship between physical activity and frailty: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: Frailty is a significant public health issue facing aging societies and can be reduced by physical activity (PA), but the dose-response relationship between PA and frailty is not clear. This systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis aimed to assess the effect of PA on frailty in adults by aggregating data from observational studies. Methods: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Scopus, SAGE Reference Online, SinoMed, CINAHL and CNKI were retrieved for articles published before May 2024. After quality evaluation, data on PA and the risk of frailty were extracted. Stata/MP 17.0 was used for dose-response meta-analysis. Results: A total of 15 articles were included, involving 34,754 participants, including 4250 subjects with frailty or pre-frailty. The consequence of the dose-response meta-analysis revealed that compared with those who were not active at all, a 22 % (95 % CI, 16 %-28 %) reduction in the risk of frailty in individuals with 11.25 MET h/week of cumulative activity and a 55 % (95 % CI, 44 %-63 %) reduction in the risk of frailty in those with 22.5 MET h/week of cumulative activity; for higher activity levels (36.75 MET h/week), the risk of frailty was reduced by 68 % (95 % CI, 58 %-76 %) and continued to be reduced as PA volum increased. Conclusions: There is a non-linear dose-response relationship between PA and frailty risk. Even small amounts of PA could reduce the risk of frailty. Meeting the minimum recommended PA target could reduce some risks, and doubling the recommended PA volumes could reduce most risks, which continue to increase as the volum of PA accumulates.

S-scheme heterojunction phthalocyanine/TiO2 photoelectrochemical sensor for innovative glutathione detection.

A novel photoelectrochemical sensor, employing an S-scheme heterojunction of phthalocyanine and TiO2 nanoparticles, has been developed to enable highly sensitive determination of glutathione. By integrating the favorable stability, environmental benignity, and electronic properties of the TiO2 matrix with the unique photoactivity of phthalocyanine species, the designed sensor presents a substantial linear dynamic range and a low detection limit for the quantification of glutathione. The sensitivity is attributed to efficient charge transfer and separation across the staggered heterojunction energy levels, which generates measurable photocurrent signals. Systematic variation of phthalocyanine content reveals an optimal composition that balances light harvesting capacity and electron-hole recombination rates. The incorporation of phosphotungstic acid (PTA) in sample preparation effectively minimizes interference from compounds like L-cysteine and others. Consequently, this leads to an improvement in accuracy through the reduction of impurity levels. Appreciable photocurrent enhancements are observed upon introduction of both oxidized and reduced glutathione at the optimized composite photoanode. Coupled with advantageous features of photoelectrochemical transduction such as simplicity, cost-effectiveness, and resistance to fouling, this sensor holds great promise for practical applications in complex biological media.

Anti-phasic oscillatory development for speech and noise processing in cochlear implanted toddlers.

Human brain demonstrates amazing readiness for speech and language learning at birth, but the auditory development preceding such readiness remains unknown. Cochlear implanted (CI) children (n = 67; mean age 2.77 year ± 1.31 SD; 28 females) with prelingual deafness provide a unique opportunity to study this stage. Using functional near-infrared spectroscopy, it was revealed that the brain of CI children was irresponsive to sounds at CI hearing onset. With increasing CI experiences up to 32 months, the brain demonstrated function, region and hemisphere specific development. Most strikingly, the left anterior temporal lobe showed an oscillatory trajectory, changing in opposite phases for speech and noise. The study provides the first longitudinal brain imaging evidence for early auditory development preceding speech acquisition.

Wickerhamomyces corioli f.a., sp. nov., a novel yeast species discovered in two mushroom species.

Two yeast strains, designated as 19-39-3 and 19-40-2, obtained from the fruiting bodies of Trametes versicolor and Marasmius siccus collected in Yunwu Mountain Forest Park, PR China, have been identified as representing a novel asexual ascomycetous yeast species. From the results of phylogenetic analyses of the sequences of the D1/D2 domains of the large subunit (LSU) rRNA, small subunit (SSU) rRNA and translation elongation factor 1-α (TEF1) genes, it was determined that these strains represent a member of the genus Wickerhamomyces, with Wickerhamomyces alni and Candida ulmi as the closest relatives. The novel species exhibited 6.6 and 6.7% differences in the D1/D2 domains compared with W. alni and C. ulmi, respectively. Additionally, distinct biochemical and physiological differences were observed between the novel species and its related counterparts. No sexual reproduction was observed in these strains, leading to the proposal of the name Wickerhamomyces corioli f.a., sp. nov. for this newly discovered species.

Dual RNA sequencing of Helicobacter pylori and host cell transcriptomes reveals ontologically distinct host-pathogen interaction.

Helicobacter pylori is a highly successful pathogen that poses a substantial threat to human health. However, the dynamic interaction between H. pylori and the human gastric epithelium has not been fully investigated. In this study, using dual RNA sequencing technology, we characterized a cytotoxin-associated gene A (cagA)-modulated bacterial adaption strategy by enhancing the expression of ATP-binding cassette transporter-related genes, metQ and HP_0888, upon coculturing with human gastric epithelial cells. We observed a general repression of electron transport-associated genes by cagA, leading to the activation of oxidative phosphorylation. Temporal profiling of host mRNA signatures revealed the downregulation of multiple splicing regulators due to bacterial infection, resulting in aberrant pre-mRNA splicing of functional genes involved in the cell cycle process in response to H. pylori infection. Moreover, we demonstrated a protective effect of gastric H. pylori colonization against chronic dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis. Mechanistically, we identified a cluster of propionic and butyric acid-producing bacteria, Muribaculaceae, selectively enriched in the colons of H. pylori-pre-colonized mice, which may contribute to the restoration of intestinal barrier function damaged by DSS treatment. Collectively, this study presents the first dual-transcriptome analysis of H. pylori during its dynamic interaction with gastric epithelial cells and provides new insights into strategies through which H. pylori promotes infection and pathogenesis in the human gastric epithelium. IMPORTANCE: Simultaneous profiling of the dynamic interaction between Helicobacter pylori and the human gastric epithelium represents a novel strategy for identifying regulatory responses that drive pathogenesis. This study presents the first dual-transcriptome analysis of H. pylori when cocultured with gastric epithelial cells, revealing a bacterial adaptation strategy and a general repression of electron transportation-associated genes, both of which were modulated by cytotoxin-associated gene A (cagA). Temporal profiling of host mRNA signatures dissected the aberrant pre-mRNA splicing of functional genes involved in the cell cycle process in response to H. pylori infection. We demonstrated a protective effect of gastric H. pylori colonization against chronic DSS-induced colitis through both in vitro and in vivo experiments. These findings significantly enhance our understanding of how H. pylori promotes infection and pathogenesis in the human gastric epithelium and provide evidence to identify targets for antimicrobial therapies.

Nakazawaea tricholomae f.a., sp. nov., a Novel Ascomycetous Yeast Species Isolated from Two Mushroom Species in China.

Two yeast strains designated as 20-27-1 and 20-28 were isolated from the fruiting bodies of Tricholoma gambosum and Marasmius maximus, respectively, which were collected in Wudaogou, Weichang county, Chengde area, Hebei Province, China. The multi-locus analysis of the sequences of the rDNA ITS, D1/D2 LSU, and SSU regions, together with partial sequences of two protein-coding genes RPB1 and TEF1 indicates that the two strains are closely related to Nakazawaea ernobii and Nakazawaea holstii, showing the similarity values of 99.3-98.7%, 97.2-97.1%, 91.9-92.5%, and 84.6% in D1/D2 LSU, ITS, TEF1, and RPB1, respectively. Physiologically, the two strains are different from N. ernobii and N. holstii in the assimilation of melibiose, inulin, and DL-lactic acid. Both the phenotypic and phylogenetic analyses indicate that those two strains represent a novel species in the genus Nakazawaea, for which the name Nakazawaea tricholomae f.a., sp. nov. (Fungal Names: FN 571492) is proposed.

A prognostic four-gene signature and a therapeutic strategy for hepatocellular carcinoma: Construction and analysis of a circRNA-mediated competing endogenous RNA network.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has a poor long-term prognosis. The competition of circular RNAs (circRNAs) with endogenous RNA is a novel tool for predicting HCC prognosis. Based on the alterations of circRNA regulatory networks, the analysis of gene modules related to HCC is feasible. METHODS: Multiple expression datasets and RNA element targeting prediction tools were used to construct a circRNA-microRNA-mRNA network in HCC. Gene function, pathway, and protein interaction analyses were performed for the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in this regulatory network. In the protein-protein interaction network, hub genes were identified and subjected to regression analysis, producing an optimized four-gene signature for prognostic risk stratification in HCC patients. Anti-HCC drugs were excavated by assessing the DEGs between the low- and high-risk groups. A circRNA-microRNA-hub gene subnetwork was constructed, in which three hallmark genes, KIF4A, CCNA2, and PBK, were subjected to functional enrichment analysis. RESULTS: A four-gene signature (KIF4A, CCNA2, PBK, and ZWINT) that effectively estimated the overall survival and aided in prognostic risk assessment in the The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) cohort and International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) cohort was developed. CDK inhibitors, PI3K inhibitors, HDAC inhibitors, and EGFR inhibitors were predicted as four potential mechanisms of drug action (MOA) in high-risk HCC patients. Subsequent analysis has revealed that PBK, CCNA2, and KIF4A play a crucial role in regulating the tumor microenvironment by promoting immune cell invasion, regulating microsatellite instability (MSI), and exerting an impact on HCC progression. CONCLUSIONS: The present study highlights the role of the circRNA-related regulatory network, identifies a four-gene prognostic signature and biomarkers, and further identifies novel therapy for HCC.

Azo-Linked Porous Polycalix[n]arenes for the Efficient Removal of Organic Micropollutants from Water.

Developing novel porous adsorbents for efficient wastewater treatment is significant to the environment protection. Herein, three porous polycalix[n]arenes (n = 4, 6, and 8) which had varying cavity sizes of the macrocycle (Azo-CX4P, Azo-CX6P, and Azo-CX8P) were prepared under mild conditions and tested for their potential application in water purification. Azo-CX8P with a larger cavity size of the macrocycle outperformed Azo-CX4P and Azo-CX6P in screening studies involving a range of organic micropollutants. It was proved that Azo-CX8P was especially efficient in the removal of cationic dyes because of its high negative surface charge. In terms of the adsorption of Rhodamine B with Azo-CX8P, the pseudo-second-order rate constant reaches 5.025 g·mg-1·min-1 with the maximum adsorption capacity being 1345 mg·g-1. These values are significantly higher compared with those recorded for most adsorbents. In addition, the easily prepared Azo-CX8P can be reused at least six times without a loss of the adsorption efficiency, demonstrating its potential use in water purification.

[CiteSpace knowledge map of research status and trends of Croci Stigma].

This study retrieved Croci Stigma related literature from CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, and Web of Science database, and used bibliometrics and CiteSpace 6.1.R2 software to analyze the published Croci Stigma related articles in Chinese and English from 2000 to 2022. The authors, research institutions, and keywords were visualized and analyzed, and the current status and development trend of Croci Stigma research was summarized by combining the information extraction methods. A total of 1 846 Chinese articles and 2 703 English articles were screened out and included. The results showed a generally steady increase in the number of Croci Stigma related articles. The results of the visualization analysis showed that there were more collaborations between researcher teams and major research institutions in English articles than Chinese articles. The Chinese articles was mainly published by China Pharmaceutical University, and most of the inter-institutional collaborations occurred in neighboring regions. The English articles was mainly published by Iranian institutions, and most of the cooperation occurred within the country, with less transnational cooperation. Keywords analysis showed that the research on Croci Stigma was mainly focused on chemical compositions, pharmacological effects, mechanisms, quality control, etc. It was predicted that the future research hotspots of Croci Stigma would mainly focus on pharmacological mechanism and clinical efficacy. The current research related to Croci Stigma still needs to be developed, cooperation should be strengthened, and more in-depth research should be conducted.

Hydrogel with ROS scavenging effect encapsulates BR@Zn-BTB nanoparticles for accelerating diabetic mice wound healing via multimodal therapy.

The strategies for eliminating excess reactive oxygen species (ROS) or suppressing inflammatory responses on the wound bed have proven effective for diabetic wound healing. In this work, a zinc-based nanoscale metal-organic framework (NMOF) functions as a carrier to deliver natural product berberine (BR) to form BR@Zn-BTB nanoparticles, which was, in turn, further encapsulated by hydrogel with ROS scavenging ability to yield a composite system of BR@Zn-BTB/Gel (denoted as BZ-Gel). The results show that BZ-Gel exhibited the controlled release of Zn2+ and BR in simulated physiological media to efficiently eliminated ROS and inhibited inflammation and resulted in a promising antibacterial effect. In vivo experiments further proved that BZ-Gel significantly inhibited the inflammatory response and enhanced collagen deposition, as well as to re-epithelialize the skin wound to ultimately promote wound healing in diabetic mice. Our results indicate that the ROS-responsive hydrogel coupled with BR@Zn-BTB synergistically promotes diabetic wound healing.

Neurophysiological evidence for goal-oriented modulation of speech perception.

Speech perception depends on the dynamic interplay of bottom-up and top-down information along a hierarchically organized cortical network. Here, we test, for the first time in the human brain, whether neural processing of attended speech is dynamically modulated by task demand using a context-free discrimination paradigm. Electroencephalographic signals were recorded during 3 parallel experiments that differed only in the phonological feature of discrimination (word, vowel, and lexical tone, respectively). The event-related potentials (ERPs) revealed the task modulation of speech processing at approximately 200 ms (P2) after stimulus onset, probably influencing what phonological information to retain in memory. For the phonological comparison of sequential words, task modulation occurred later at approximately 300 ms (N3 and P3), reflecting the engagement of task-specific cognitive processes. The ERP results were consistent with the changes in delta-theta neural oscillations, suggesting the involvement of cortical tracking of speech envelopes. The study thus provides neurophysiological evidence for goal-oriented modulation of attended speech and calls for speech perception models incorporating limited memory capacity and goal-oriented optimization mechanisms.