Bridging Nickel-MOF and Copper Single Atoms/Clusters with H-Substituted Graphdiyne for the Tandem Catalysis of Nitrate to Ammonia.

Interfacial engineering of synergistic catalysts is one of the keys to achieving multiple proton-coupled electron transfer processes in nitrate-to-ammonia conversion. Herein, by joining ultrathin nickel-based metal-organic framework (denoted Ni-MOF) nanosheets with few-layered hydrogen-substituted graphdiyne-supported copper single atoms and clusters (denoted HsGDY@Cu), a tandem catalyst of Ni-MOFs@HsGDY@Cu with dual-active interfaces was developed for the concerted catalysis of nitrate-to-ammonia. In such a system, the sandwiched HsGDY layer could serve as a bridge to connect the coordinated unsaturated Ni2+ sites with Cu single atoms/clusters in a limited range of 0 to 3.6 nm. From Ni2+ to Cu, via the hydrogen spillover process, the hydrogen radicals (H·) generated at the unsaturated Ni2+ sites could migrate across HsGDY to the Cu sites to participate in the transformation of *HNO3 to NH3. From Cu to Ni2+, bypassing the higher reaction energy for *HNO3 formation on the Ni2+ sites, the NO2- detached from the Cu sites could diffuse onto the unsaturated Ni2+ sites to form NH3 as well. The combined results make this hybrid a tandem catalyst with dual active sites for the catalysis of nitrate-to-ammonia conversion with improved Faradaic efficiency at lower overpotentials.

Dihydroquercetin alleviates dopamine neuron loss via regulating TREM2 activation.

BACKGROUND: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative disorder, marked by the degeneration of dopamine (DA) neurons in the substantia nigra (SN). Current evidence strongly suggests that neuroinflammation, primarily mediated by microglia, contributes to PD pathogenesis. Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) might serve as a promising therapeutic target for PD due to its ability to suppress neuroinflammation. Dihydroquercetin (DHQ) is an important natural dihydroflavone and confers apparent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-fibrotic effects. Recently, DHQ-mediated neuroprotection was exhibited. However, the specific mechanisms of its neuroprotective effects remain incompletely elucidated. METHODS: In this study, rat models were utilized to induce damage to DA neurons using lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) to assess the impacts of DHQ on the loss of DA neurons. Furthermore, DA neuronal MN9D cells and microglial BV2 cells were employed to investigate the function of TREM2 in DHQ-mediated DA neuroprotection. Finally, TREM2 knockout mice were used to investigate whether the neuroprotective effects mediated by DHQ through a mechanism dependent on TREM2. RESULTS: The main findings demonstrated that DHQ effectively protected DA neurons against neurotoxicity induced by LPS and 6-OHDA and inhibited microglia-elicited neuroinflammation. Meanwhile, DHQ promoted microglial TREM2 signaling activation. Notably, DHQ failed to reduce inflammatory cytokines release and further present neuroprotection from DA neurotoxicity upon TREM2 silencing. Similarly, DHQ didn't exert DA neuroprotection in TREM2 knockout mice. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that DHQ exerted DA neuroprotection by regulating microglia TREM2 activation.

Optimization of the fermentation media and growth conditions of Bacillus velezensis BHZ-29 using a Plackett-Burman design experiment combined with response surface methodology.

Introduction: Bacillus velezensis occurs extensively in the soil environment. It produces a range of antimicrobial compounds that play an important role in the field of biological control. However, during the actual application process it is often affected by factors such as the medium formulation and fermentation conditions, and therefore biocontrol measures often do not achieve their expected outcomes. Methods: In this study, the B. velezensis BHZ-29 strain was used as the research object. The carbon and nitrogen sources, and inorganic salts that affect the number of viable bacteria and antibacterial potency of B. velezensis BHZ-29, were screened by a single factor test. A Plackett-Burman design experiment was conducted to determine the significant factors affecting the number of viable bacteria and antibacterial potency, and a Box-Behnken design experiment was used to obtain the optimal growth of B. velezensis BHZ-29. The medium formula that produced the highest number of viable bacteria and most antibacterial substances was determined. The initial pH, temperature, amount of inoculant, liquid volume, shaking speed, and culture time were determined by a single factor test. The factors that had a significant influence on the number of viable bacteria of B. velezensis BHZ-29 were selected by an orthogonal test. A Box-Behnken design experiment was conducted to obtain the optimal fermentation conditions, and highest number of viable bacteria and antibacterial titer. Results: Molasses, peptone, and magnesium sulfate had significant effects on the viable count and antibacterial titer of B. velezensis BHZ-29. The viable count of B. velezensis BHZ-29 increased from 7.83 × 109 to 2.17 × 1010 CFU/mL, and the antibacterial titer increased from 111.67 to 153.13 mm/mL when the optimal media were used. The optimal fermentation conditions for B. velezensis BHZ-29 were as follows: temperature 25.57°C, pH 7.23, culture time 95.90 h, rotation speed 160 rpm, amount of inoculant 2%, and liquid volume 100 ml. After the optimization of fermentation conditions, the number of viable bacteria increased to 3.39 × 1010 CFU/mL, and the bacteriostatic titer increased to 158.85 mm/ml.The plant height and leaf number of cotton plants treated with BHZ-29 fermentation broth were higher than those of cotton inoculated with Verticillium dahliae. The number of bacteria was 1.15 × 107 CFU/g, and the number of fungi was 1.60 × 105 spores/g. The disease index of the cotton seedlings treated with the optimized fermentation broth was 2.2, and a control effect of 93.8% was achieved. B. velezensis BHZ-29 could reduce the disease index of cotton Verticillium wilt and had a controlling effect on the disease. The best effect was achieved in the treatment group with an inoculation concentration of 2 × 108 CFU/ml, the disease index was 14.50, and a control effect of 84.18% was achieved. Discussion: The fermentation process parameters of the number of viable bacteria and antibacterial titer by strain B. velezensis BHZ-29 were optimized to lay a foundation for the practical production and application of strain B. velezensis BHZ-29 in agriculture.

To analyze the relationship between gut microbiota, metabolites and migraine: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study.

Background: It has been suggested in several observational studies that migraines are associated with the gut microbiota. It remains unclear, however, how the gut microbiota and migraines are causally related. Methods: We performed a bidirectional two-sample mendelian randomization study. Genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary statistics for the gut microbiota were obtained from the MiBioGen consortium (n = 18,340) and the Dutch Microbiota Project (n = 7,738). Pooled GWAS data for plasma metabolites were obtained from four different human metabolomics studies. GWAS summary data for migraine (cases = 48,975; controls = 450,381) were sourced from the International Headache Genetics Consortium. We used inverse-variance weighting as the primary analysis. Multiple sensitivity analyses were performed to ensure the robustness of the estimated results. We also conducted reverse mendelian randomization when a causal relationship between exposure and migraine was found. Results: LachnospiraceaeUCG001 (OR = 1.12, 95% CI: 1.05-1.20) was a risk factor for migraine. Blautia (OR = 0.93, 95% CI: 0.88-0.99), Eubacterium (nodatum group; OR = 0.94, 95% CI: 0.90-0.98), and Bacteroides fragilis (OR = 0.97, 95% CI: 0.94-1.00) may have a suggestive association with a lower migraine risk. Functional pathways of methionine synthesis (OR = 0.89, 95% CI: 0.83-0.95) associated with microbiota abundance and plasma hydrocinnamate (OR = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.73-1.00), which are downstream metabolites of Blautia and Bacteroides fragilis, respectively, may also be associated with lower migraine risk. No causal association between migraine and the gut microbiota or metabolites was found in reverse mendelian randomization analysis. Both significant horizontal pleiotropy and significant heterogeneity were not clearly identified. Conclusion: This Mendelian randomization analysis showed that LachnospiraceaeUCG001 was associated with an increased risk of migraine, while some bacteria in the gut microbiota may reduce migraine risk. These findings provide a reference for a deeper comprehension of the role of the gut-brain axis in migraine as well as possible targets for treatment interventions.

Asia-Pacific consensus on long-term and sequential therapy for osteoporosis.

Objectives: This study aimed to present the Asia-Pacific consensus on long-term and sequential therapy for osteoporosis, offering evidence-based recommendations for the effective management of this chronic condition. The primary focus is on achieving optimal fracture prevention through a comprehensive, individualized approach. Methods: A panel of experts convened to develop consensus statements by synthesizing the current literature and leveraging clinical expertise. The review encompassed long-term anti-osteoporosis medication goals, first-line treatments for individuals at very high fracture risk, and the strategic integration of anabolic and antiresorptive agents in sequential therapy approaches. Results: The panelists reached a consensus on 12 statements. Key recommendations included advocating for anabolic agents as the first-line treatment for individuals at very high fracture risk and transitioning to antiresorptive agents following the completion of anabolic therapy. Anabolic therapy remains an option for individuals experiencing new fractures or persistent high fracture risk despite antiresorptive treatment. In cases of inadequate response, the consensus recommended considering a switch to more potent medications. The consensus also addressed the management of medication-related complications, proposing alternatives instead of discontinuation of treatment. Conclusions: This consensus provides a comprehensive, cost-effective strategy for fracture prevention with an emphasis on shared decision-making and the incorporation of country-specific case management systems, such as fracture liaison services. It serves as a valuable guide for healthcare professionals in the Asia-Pacific region, contributing to the ongoing evolution of osteoporosis management.

Performance of 18F-FDG PET/MRI and its parameters in staging and neoadjuvant therapy response evaluation in bladder cancer.

18F-FDG PET/MRI shows potential efficacy in the diagnosis of bladder cancer (BLCA). However, the performance of 18F-FDG PET/MRI in staging and neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) response evaluation for BLCA patients remains elusive. Here, we conduct this study to evaluate the performance of 18F-FDG PET/MRI and its derived parameters for tumor staging and NAT response prediction in BLCA. Forty BLCA patients were retrospectively enrolled to evaluate the performance of 18F-FDG PET/MRI in staging and NAT response prediction in BLCA. The feasibility of using 18F-FDG PET/MRI-related parameters for tumor staging and NAT response evaluation was also analyzed. In conclusion, 18F-FDG PET/MRI is found to show good performance in the BLCA staging and NAT response prediction. Moreover, ΔSUVmean is an efficacious candidate parameter for NAT response prediction. This study highlights that 18F-FDG PET/MRI is a promising imaging approach in the clinical diagnosis and treatment for BLCA.

A pseudo-surfactant chemical permeation enhancer to treat otitis media via sustained transtympanic delivery of antibiotics.

Chemical permeation enhancers (CPEs) represent a prevalent and safe strategy to enable non-invasive drug delivery across skin-like biological barriers such as the tympanic membrane (TM). While most existing CPEs interact strongly with the lipid bilayers in the stratum corneum to create defects as diffusion paths, their interactions with the delivery system, such as polymers forming a hydrogel, could compromise gelation, formulation stability, and drug diffusion. To overcome that challenge, we explore the differing interactions present with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), an ionic surfactant and a common CPE, and methyl laurate (ML), a non-ionic counterpart with a similar length alkyl chain. Notably, we show that the use of ML effectively decouples permeation enhancement from gelation, enabling sustained delivery across TMs to treat acute otitis media (AOM) that is not possible with the use of SDS. We reveal that ML and ciprofloxacin form a pseudo-surfactant that significantly boosts transtympanic permeation. The middle ear ciprofloxacin concentration is increased by 70-fold in vivo in a chinchilla AOM model, yielding superior efficacy and biocompatibility than the previous highest-performing formulation. Beyond improved efficacy and biocompatibility, this single-CPE formulation significantly accelerates its progression toward clinical deployment. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

A qualitative study on experiences of stigma among postoperative oral cancer patients.

AIM: This study aimed to explore the characteristics of stigma in postoperative oral cancer patients to provide a reference for the formulation of targeted intervention measures. METHODS: A qualitative study was conducted on 25 postoperative oral cancer patients in a tertiary A hospital in Hunan, China, from March to July 2021. Semi-structured face-to-face interviews focused on experiences of stigma were performed. The interview data was analyzed using the NVivo V.12 software based on the reflexive intuitive thematic analysis method. The paper complies with the COREQ. RESULTS: The stigma experience of postoperative oral cancer patients can be divided into 3 themes: (1) triggers (impaired appearance and oral function and psycho-social pressure); (2) forms (overall isolation, unpleasant feeling of inferiority, and unpleasant social discrimination); (3) coping strategies (positive psychological adjustment, seeking social support and coming out of the unpleasant shadows). CONCLUSION: Postoperative oral cancer patients clearly articulated that stigma was present in their lives and they experienced multiple forms of stigma. Further work is needed to increase education and awareness about oral cancer to guide them to take positive coping and reduce stigma.

Rutin Attenuates Gentamycin-induced Hair Cell Injury in the Zebrafish Lateral Line via Suppressing STAT1.

Aminoglycoside antibiotics, including gentamicin (GM), induce delayed ototoxic effects such as hearing loss after prolonged use, which results from the death of hair cells. However, the mechanisms underlying the ototoxicity of aminoglycosides warrant further investigation, and there are currently no effective drugs in the clinical setting. Herein, the therapeutic effect of the flavonoid compound rutin against the ototoxic effects of GM in zebrafish hair cells was investigated. Animals incubated with rutin (100-400 µmol/L) were protected against the pernicious effects of GM (200 µmol/L). We found that rutin improves hearing behavior in zebrafish, and rutin was effective in reducing the number of Tunel-positive cells in the neuromasts of the zebrafish lateral line and promoting cell proliferation after exposure to GM. Subsequently, rutin exerted a protective effect against GM-induced cell death in HEI-OC1 cells and could limit the production of cytosolic reactive oxygen species (ROS) and diminish the percentage of apoptotic cells. Additionally, the results of the proteomic analysis revealed that rutin could effectively inhibit the expression of necroptosis and apoptosis related genes. Meanwhile, molecular docking analysis revealed a high linking activity between the molecular docking of rutin and STAT1 proteins. The protection of zebrafish hair cells or HEI-OC1 cells from GM-induced ototoxicity by rutin was attenuated by the introduction of STAT1 activator. Finally, we demonstrated that rutin significantly improves the bacteriostatic effect of GM by in vitro experiments, emphasising its clinical application value. In summary, these results collectively unravel a novel therapeutic role for rutin as an otoprotective drug against the adverse effects of GM.

A thermally reversible injectable adhesive for intestinal tissue repair and anti-postoperative adhesion.

Intestine damage is an acute abdominal disease that usually requires emergency sealing. However, traditional surgical suture not only causes secondary damage to the injured tissue, but also results in adhesion with other tissues in the abdominal cavity. To this end, a thermally reversible injectable gelatin-based hydrogel adhesive (GTPC) is constructed by introducing transglutaminase (TGase) and proanthocyanidins (PCs) into a gelatin system. By reducing the catalytic activity of TGase, the density of covalent and hydrogen bond crosslinking in the hydrogel can be regulated to tune the sol-gel transition temperature of gelatin-based hydrogels above the physiological temperature (42 °C) without introducing any synthetic small molecules. The GTPC hydrogel exhibits good tissue adhesion, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties, which can effectively seal damaged intestinal tissues and regulate the microenvironment of the damaged site, promoting tissue repair and regeneration. Intriguingly, temperature-induced hydrogen bond disruption and reformation confer the hydrogel with asymmetric adhesion properties, preventing tissue adhesion when applied in vivo. Animal experiment outcomes reveal that the GTPC hydrogel can seal the damaged intestinal tissue firmly, accelerate tissue healing, and efficiently prevent postoperative adhesion.

Exercised-enriched blood plasma rescues hippocampal impairments and cognitive deficits in an Alzheimer's disease model.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, and moderate exercise holds promise in ameliorating the ongoing neurodegeneration and cognitive decline. Here, we investigated whether exercise-enriched blood plasm could yield a beneficial therapeutic effect on AD pathologies and cognitive decline in transgenic AD (P301S) mice. In this investigation, a cohort of 2-month-old C57BL/6 mice were granted continuous access to either a running wheel or a fixed wheel for 6 weeks. After that, their plasmas were extracted and subsequently injected intravenously into 4.5-month-old P301S mice biweekly over a 6-week period. A comprehensive methodology was then employed, integrating behavioral tests, pathology assessments, and biochemical analyses to unveil the potential anti-dementia implications of exercise-enriched blood plasma in P301S mice. Upon systemic administration, the findings revealed a noteworthy attenuation of hippocampus-dependent behavioral impairments in P301S mice. Conversely, blood plasma from sedentary counterparts exhibited no discernible impact. These effects were intricately associated with the mitigation of neuroinflammation, the augmentation of hippocampal adult neurogenesis, and a reduction of synaptic impairments following the administration of exercise-enriched blood plasma. These findings advance the proposition that administering exercise-enriched blood plasma may serve as an effective prophylactic measure against AD, opening avenues for further exploration and potential therapeutic interventions.

GADD45B in the ventral hippocampal CA1 modulates aversive memory acquisition and spatial cognition.

AIMS: This study was designed to investigate the role of growth arrest and DNA damage-inducible ß (GADD45B) in modulating fear memory acquisition and elucidate its underlying mechanisms. MAIN METHODS: Adeno-associated virus (AAV) that knockdown or overexpression GADD45B were injected into ventral hippocampal CA1 (vCA1) by stereotactic, and verified by fluorescence and Western blot. The contextual fear conditioning paradigm was employed to examine the involvement of GADD45B in modulating aversive memory acquisition. The Y-maze and novel location recognition (NLR) tests were used to examine non-aversive cognition. The synaptic plasticity and electrophysiological properties of neurons were measured by slice patch clamp. KEY FINDINGS: Knockdown of GADD45B in the vCA1 significantly enhanced fear memory acquisition, accompanied by an upregulation of long-term potentiation (LTP) expression and intrinsic excitability of vCA1 pyramidal neurons (PNs). Conversely, overexpression of GADD45B produced the opposite effects. Notably, silencing the activity of vCA1 neurons abolished the impact of GADD45B knockdown on fear memory development. Moreover, mice with vCA1 GADD45B overexpression exhibited impaired spatial cognition, whereas mice with GADD45B knockdown did not display such impairment. SIGNIFICANCE: These results provided compelling evidence for the crucial involvement of GADD45B in the formation of aversive memory and spatial cognition.

Immunoactivation by Cutaneous Blue Light Irradiation Inhibits Remote Tumor Growth and Metastasis.

An improved innate immunity will respond quickly to pathogens and initiate efficient adaptive immune responses. However, up to now, there have been limited clinical ways for effective and rapid consolidation of innate immunity. Here, we report that cutaneous irradiation with blue light of 450 nm rapidly stimulates the innate immunity through cell endogenous reactive oxygen species (ROS) regulation in a noninvasive way. The iron porphyrin-containing proteins, mitochondrial cytochrome c (Cyt-c), and cytochrome p450 (CYP450) can be mobilized by blue light, which boosts electron transport and ROS production in epidermal and dermal tissues. As a messenger of innate immune activation, the increased level of ROS activates the NF-κB signaling pathway and promotes the secretion of immunomodulatory cytokines in skin. Initiated from skin, a regulatory network composed of cytokines and immune cells is established through the circulation system for innate immune activation. The innate immunity activated by whole-body blue light irradiation inhibits tumor growth and metastasis by increasing the infiltration of antitumor neutrophils and tumor-associated macrophages. Our results elucidate the remote immune modulation mechanism of blue light and provide a clinically applicable way for innate immunity activation.

Survey of awareness and attitudes to the management of fragility fractures among the membership of the Asia Pacific Orthopaedic Association.

A survey of awareness and attitudes to the management of fragility fractures among the membership of the Asia Pacific Orthopaedic Association conducted in 2022 found considerable variation in care across the region. A Call to Action is proposed to improve acute care, rehabilitation and secondary fracture prevention across Asia Pacific. PURPOSE: Fragility fractures impose a substantial burden on older people and their families, healthcare systems and national economies. The current incidence of hip and other fragility fractures across the Asia Pacific region is enormous and set to escalate rapidly in the coming decades. This publication describes findings of a survey of awareness and attitudes to the management of fragility fractures among the membership of the Asia Pacific Orthopaedic Association (APOA) conducted in 2022. METHODS: The survey was developed as a collaboration between the Asia Pacific Osteoporosis and Fragility Fracture Society and the Asia Pacific Fragility Fracture Alliance, and included questions relating to aspects of care upon presentation, during surgery and mobilisation, secondary fracture prevention, and access to specific services. RESULTS: In total, 521 APOA members completed the survey and marked variation in delivery of care was evident. Notable findings included: Fifty-nine percent of respondents indicated that analgesia was routinely initiated in transit (by paramedics) or within 30 minutes of arrival in the Emergency Department. One-quarter of respondents stated that more than 80% of their patients underwent surgery within 48 hours of admission. One-third of respondents considered non-hip, non-vertebral fractures to merit assessment of future fracture risk. One-third of respondents reported the presence of an Orthogeriatric Service in their hospital, and less than a quarter reported the presence of a Fracture Liaison Service. CONCLUSION: A Call to Action for all National Orthopaedic Associations affiliated with APOA is proposed to improve the care of fragility fracture patients across the region.

Efficacy and efficacy-influencing factors of stem cell transplantation on patients with Parkinson's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Cell transplants as a treatment for Parkinson's disease have been studied for decades, and stem cells may be the most promising cell sources for this treatment. We aimed to investigate whether stem cell transplantation contributes to the cure for Parkinson's disease and the factors that may influence the efficacy for this therapy. Methods: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, SinoMed, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), China Science and Technology Journal Database (VIP), and ChinaInfo were thoroughly searched to find controlled trials or randomized controlled trials performing stem cell transplantation in patients with Parkinson's disease. The pooled effects were analyzed to evaluate the weighted mean difference (WMD) with 95% confidence intervals. Results: Nine articles were identified including 129 individuals. Stem cell transplantation was an effective treatment for Parkinson's disease (WMD = -14.86; 95% CI: -16.62 to -13.10; p < 0.00001), with neural stem cells, umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UCMSCs), and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) being effective cell sources for transplantation. Stem cell transplantation can be effective for at least 12 months, but its long-term effectiveness remains unknown due to the limited studies monitoring patients for more than 1 year, not to mention decades. Conclusion: Data from controlled trials suggest that stem cell transplantation as a therapy for Parkinson's disease can be effective for at least 12 months. The factors that may influence its curative effect are time after transplantation and stem cell types. Systematic review registration: (Registration ID: CRD42022353145).

Genome-Wide Association Study of Body Conformation Traits in Tashi Goats (Capra hircus).

Identifying genetic markers of economically valuable traits has practical benefits for the meat goat industry. To better understand the genomic variations influencing body conformation traits, a genome-wide association study was performed on Tashi goats, an indigenous Chinese goat breed. A total of 155 Tashi goats were phenotyped for eight body conformation traits: body height, body length, chest depth, chest width, chest girth, rump width, rump height, and cannon bone circumference. Then, 100 Tashi goats were randomly selected for whole-genome sequencing and genotyped. We obtained 1676.4 Gb of raw data with an average sequencing depth of 6.2X. Clean reads were aligned to the ARS1.2 reference genome, and 11,257,923 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified. The structure analysis showed that these Tashi goats were almost not genetically related. The 109, 20, 52, 14, 62, 51, 70, and 7 SNPs were significantly associated with body height, body length, chest depth, chest width, chest girth, rump width, rump height, and cannon bone circumference. Within the ±500 kb region of significant SNPs, 183 genes were annotated. The most significantly enriched KEGG pathway was "olfactory transduction", and the most significantly enriched gene ontology (GO) terms were "cellular process", "cellular anatomical entity", and "molecular transducer activity". Interestingly, we found several SNPs on chromosomes 10 and 11 that have been identified multiple times for all eight body conformation traits located in two fragments (114 kb and 1.03 Mb). In chr.10:25988403-26102739, the six SNPs were tightly linked, the TACTAG genotype was the highest at 91.8%, and the FNTB (Farnesyltransferase, CAAX Box Beta) and CHURC1 (Churchill Domain Containing 1) genes were located. In chr.11:88216493-89250659, ten SNPs were identified with several dependent linkage disequilibrium (LD) blocks, and seven related genes were annotated, but no significant SNP was located in them. Our results provide valuable biological information for improving growth performance with practical applications for genomic selection in goats.

Characteristics of attentional bias in adolescents with major depressive disorders: differentiating the impact of anxious distress specifier.

Background: No consistent conclusion has been reached regarding the attentional bias characteristics of adolescents with major depressive disorders (MDD), and unexamined co-occurring anxiety distress may contribute to this inconsistency. Methods: We enrolled 50 MDD adolescents with anxiety distress, 47 MDD adolescents without anxiety distress and 48 healthy adolescents. We measured attentional bias using a point-probe paradigm during a negative-neutral emotional face task. Reaction time, correct response rate and attentional bias value were measured. Results: MDD adolescents did not show a negative attentional bias; MDD adolescents with anxiety distress exhibited longer reaction time for negative and neutral stimuli, lower correct response rate for negative stimuli. Hamilton Anxiety Scale scores were positively correlated with reaction time, negatively correlated with correct response rate, and not significantly correlated with attentional bias value. Limitations: The cross-sectional design hinders causal attribution, and positive emotional faces were not included in our paradigm. Conclusion: Negative attentional bias is not a stable cognitive trait in adolescents with MDD, and avoidance or difficulty in disengaging attention from negative emotional stimuli may be the attentional bias characteristic of MDD adolescents with anxiety distress.

Prevention and characterization of thin film defects induced by contaminant aggregates in initiated chemical vapor deposition.

As initiated Chemical Vapor Deposition (iCVD) finds increasing application in precision industries like electronics and optics, defect prevention will become critical. While studies of non-ideal morphology exist in the iCVD literature, no studies investigate the role of defects. To address this knowledge gap, we show that the buildup of short-chain polymers or oligomers during normal operation of an iCVD reactor can lead to defects that compromise film integrity. We used atomic force microscopy to show that oligomer aggregates selectively prevented film growth, causing these hole-like defects. X-ray diffraction and optical microscopy demonstrated the crystallinity of the aggregates, pointing to a flat-on lamellar or mono-lamellar structure. To understand the origin of the aggregates, spectroscopic ellipsometry showed that samples exposed to the reactor consistently accrued low-volatility contaminants. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed material derived from polymerization in the contamination, while scanning electron microscopy showed the presence of defect-causing aggregates. We directly linked oligomeric/polymeric contamination with defect formation by showing an increased defect rate when a contaminant polymer was heated alongside the sample. Most importantly, we showed that starting a deposition at a high sample temperature (e.g., 50 °C) before reducing it to the desired setpoint (e.g., 9 °C) unilaterally prevented defects, providing a simple method to prevent defects with minimal impact on operations.

Alum/CpG adjuvant promotes immunogenicity of inactivated SARS-CoV-2 Omicron vaccine through enhanced humoral and cellular immunity.

The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, which was classified as a variant of concern (VOC) by the World Health Organization on 26 November 2021, has attracted worldwide attention for its high transmissibility and immune evasion ability. The existing COVID-19 vaccine has been shown to be less effective in preventing Omicron variant infection and symptomatic infection, which brings new challenges to vaccine development and application. Here, we evaluated the immunogenicity and safety of an Omicron variant COVID-19 inactivated vaccine containing aluminum and CpG adjuvants in a variety of animal models. The results showed that the vaccine candidate could induce high levels of neutralizing antibodies against the Omicron variant virus and binding antibodies, and significantly promoted cellular immune response. Meanwhile, the vaccine candidate was safe. Therefore, it provided more foundation for the development of aluminum and CpG as a combination adjuvant in human vaccines.