Morinda officinalis oligosaccharides modulate the default-mode network homogeneity in major depressive disorder at rest.

BACKGROUND: While prior studies have explored the efficacy of Morinda officinalis oligosaccharides (MOs) as a treatment for patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), the mechanistic basis for the effects of MOs on brain function or the default-mode network (DMN) has yet to be characterized. The objective of this was to examine the effects of MOs treatment on functional connectivity in different regions of the DMN. METHODS: In total, 27 MDD patients and 29 healthy control subjects (HCs) underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. The patients were then treated with MOs for 8 weeks, and scanning was performed at baseline and the end of the 8-week treatment period. Changes in DMN homogeneity associated with MOs treatment were assessed using network homogeneity (NH) analyses of the imaging data, and pattern classification approaches were employed to determine whether abnormal baseline NH deficits could differentiate between MDD patients and controls. The ability of NH abnormalities to predict patient responses to MOs treatment was also evaluated. RESULTS: Relative to HCs, patients exhibited a baseline reduction in NH values in the right precuneus (PCu). At the end of the 8-week treatment period, the MDD patients showed reduced and increased NH values in the right PCu and left superior medial frontal gyrus (SMFG), respectively. Compared to these patients at baseline, the 8-week MOs treatment was associated with reduced NH values in the right angular gyrus and increased NH values in the left middle temporal gyrus and the right PCu. Support vector machine (SVM) analyses revealed that NH abnormalities in the right PCu and left SMFG were the most accurate (87.50%) for differentiating between MDD patients and HCs. CONCLUSION: These results indicated that MOs treatment could alter default-mode NH in patients with MDD. The results provide a foundation for elucidation of the effects of MOs on brain function and suggest that the distinctive NH patterns observed in this study may be useful as imaging biomarkers for distinguishing between patients with MDD and healthy subjects.

Farmland's silent threat: Comprehensive multimedia assessment of micropollutants through non-targeted screening and targeted analysis in agricultural systems.

Intricate agricultural ecosystems markedly influence the dynamics of organic micropollutants, posing substantial threats to aquatic organisms and human health. This study examined the occurrence and distribution of organic micropollutants across soils, ditch sediment, and water within highly intensified farming setups. Using a non-targeted screening method, we identified 405 micropollutants across 10 sampling sites, which mainly included pesticides, pharmaceuticals, industrial chemicals, and personal care products. This inventory comprised emerging contaminants, banned pesticides, and controlled pharmaceuticals that had eluded detection via conventional monitoring. Targeted analysis showed concentrations of 3.99-1021 ng/g in soils, 4.67-2488 ng/g in sediment, and 12.5-9373 ng/L in water, respectively, for Σ40pesticides, Σ8pharmaceuticals, and Σ3industrial chemicals, indicating notable spatial variability. Soil organic carbon content and wastewater discharge were likely responsible for their spatial distribution. Principal component analysis and correlation analysis revealed a potential transfer of micropollutants across the three media. Particularly, a heightened correlation was decerned between soil and sediment micropollutant levels, highlighting the role of sorption processes. Risk quotients surpassed the threshold of 1 for 13-23 micropollutants across the three media, indicating high environmental risks. This study highlights the importance of employing non-targeted and targeted screening in assessing and managing environmental risks associated with micropollutants.

Failure Mechanism and Control Mechanism of Intermittent Jointed Rock Bridge Based on Acoustic Emission (AE) and Digital Image Correlation (DIC).

Deep foundation pit excavation is an important way to develop underground space in congested urban areas. Rock bridges prevent the interconnection of joints and control the deformation and failure of the rock mass caused by excavation for foundation pits. However, few studies have considered the acoustic properties and strain field evolution of rock bridges. To investigate the control mechanisms of rock bridges in intermittent joints, jointed specimens with varying rock bridge length and angle were prepared and subjected to laboratory uniaxial compression tests, employing acoustic emission (AE) and digital image correlation (DIC) techniques. The results indicated a linear and positive correlation between uniaxial compressive strength and length, and a non-linear and negative correlation with angle. Moreover, AE counts and cumulative AE counts increased with loading, suggesting surges due to the propagation and coalescence of wing and macroscopic cracks. Analysis of RA-AF values revealed that shear microcracks dominated the failure, with the ratio of shear microcracks increasing as length decreased and angle increased. Notably, angle exerted a more significant impact on the damage form. As length diminished, the failure plane's transition across the rock bridge shifted from a complex coalescence of shear cracks to a direct merger of only coplanar shear cracks, reducing the number of tensile cracks required for failure initiation. The larger the angle, the higher the degree of coalescence of the rock bridge and, consequently, the fewer tensile cracks required for failure. The decrease of length and the increase of angle make rock mass more fragile. The more inclined the failure mode is to shear failure, the smaller the damage required for failure, and the more prone the areas is to rock mass disaster. These findings can provide theoretical guidance for the deformation and control of deep foundation pits.

Optimization of Cementitious Material with Thermal-Activated Lead-Zinc Tailings Based on Response Surface Methodology.

The accumulation of lead-zinc tailings will cause a series of problems, including geological disasters and environmental pollution. Efficient secondary utilization of lead-zinc tailings is crucial. In this study, the activity of lead-zinc tailings was stimulated by thermal activation. The optimal thermal activation parameters are a thermal activation temperature of 900 °C and a holding time of 30 min. Based on the response surface methodology, the effect of raw materials content on cementitious material strength was analyzed, and the relational model between cementitious material strength and experimental variables was established. The results show that the sensitivity order of cementitious material strength at 28 days curing age is sand/cement ratio > water/cement ratio > fly ash content > tailing content. According to the relational model, the optimal materials ratio is as follows: tailing/fly ash/cement = 28.99%:14.58%:56.43%, and the sand/binder ratio and water/binder ratio are 1:1 and 0.47, respectively. The corresponding cost is CNY 290.965 per ton, which is the lowest. The strength of cementitious material with these parameters can reach 20 MPa, which meets the requirements of "Technical specification for application of solid waste cementitious material (T/CECS 689-2020)".

Efficacy and safety of subcutaneous immunotherapy combined with omalizumab in children with dust mite-induced asthma.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the benefits of combining omalizumab with specific immunotherapy (SCIT) in the treatment of children with bronchial asthma. METHODS: In this study, 83 children with asthma were treated at the Allergy Department of Qingdao University from January 2019 to February 2020. Participants were divided into three groups: SCIT, combination (omalizumab + SCIT), and control (standard asthma medications). We assessed Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ) scores, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores, and lung function at baseline, 24 wk, and 48 wk. Additionally, asthma medication scores were compared at 24 and 48 wk. Adverse reactions were monitored in both the SCIT and combination groups. RESULTS: The combination group demonstrated lower ACQ scores at both 24 and 48 wk, and improved VAS scores at 48 wk compared to the other groups. Additionally, lung function parameters (FEV1 and FEF50) showed significant improvement in the combination group. Reduced asthma medication scores were noted in the combination group at 24 and 48 wk. Local adverse reactions were fewer in the combination group, and no systemic adverse reactions were reported. CONCLUSION: Combining omalizumab with SCIT provides quicker asthma control, lowers medication requirements, and enhances lung function with fewer adverse effects, making it a safe and effective treatment for children with bronchial asthma.

Enhanced osteochondral repair by leukocyte-depleted platelet-rich plasma in combination with adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells encapsulated in a three-dimensional photocrosslinked injectable hydrogel in a rabbit model.

INTRODUCTION: Intra-articular injection of adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (ASCs) and/or platelet-rich plasma (PRP) have been reported to independently and synergistically improve healing of osteochondral lesions in animal models. However, their independent and combined effects when localized to an osteochondral lesion by encapsulation within a photocrosslinkable methacrylated gelatin hydrogel (GelMA) have not been explored. Herein we investigated a unique combination of allogeneic ASCs and PRP embedded in GelMA as a single-stage treatment for osteochondral regeneration in a rabbit model. METHODS: Thirty mature rabbits were divided into six experimental groups: (1) Sham; (2) Defect; (3) GelMA; (4) GelMA + ASCs; (5) GelMA + PRP; and (6) GelMA + ASCs + PRP.At 12 weeks following surgical repair, osteochondral regeneration was assessed on the basis of gross appearance, biomechanical properties, histological and immunohistochemical characteristics, and subchondral bone volume. RESULTS: In terms of mechanical property reflecting the ability of neotissue to bear stress, PRP only group were significantly lower than the Sham group (p = 0.0098). On the other hand, ASCs only and ASCs combined with PRP groups did not exhibit significantly difference, which suggesting that incorporation of ASCs assists in restoring the ability of the neotissue to bear stresses similarly to native tissue (p = 0.346, p = 0.40, respectively). Safranin O in ASCs combined with PRP group was significantly higher than the Defect and GelMA only groups (p = 0.0009, p = 0.0017, respectively). Additionally, ASCs only and ASCs combined with PRP groups presented especially strong staining for collagen type II. Surprisingly, PRP only and PRP + ASCs groups tended to exhibit higher collagen type I and collagen type X staining compared to ASCs only group, suggesting a potential PRP-mediated hypertrophic effect. CONCLUSION: Regeneration of a focal osteochondral defect in a rabbit model was improved by a single-stage treatment of a photocrosslinked hydrogel containing allogenic ASCs and autologous PRP, with the combination of ASCs and PRP producing superior benefit than either alone. No experimental construct fully restored all properties of the native, healthy osteochondral unit, which may require longer follow-up or further modification of PRP and/or ASCs characteristics.

Construction of a Near-Infrared Fluorescent Probe for Dynamic Monitoring and Early Diagnosis of Heart Failure.

Cardiac hypertrophy characterized by abnormal cardiomyocyte viscosity is a typical sign of heart failure (HF) with vital importance for early diagnosis. However, current biochemical and imaging diagnostic methods are unable to detect this subclinical manifestation. In this work, we developed a series of NIR-I fluorescence probes for detecting myocardial viscosity based on the pyridazinone scaffold. The probes showed weak fluorescence due to free intramolecular rotation under low-viscosity conditions, while they displayed strong fluorescence with limited intramolecular rotation in response to a high-viscosity environment. Among them, CarVis2 exhibited higher stability and photobleaching resistance than commercial dyes. Its specific response to viscosity was not influenced by the pH and biological species. Furthermore, CarVis2 showed rapid and accurate responses to the viscosity of isoproterenol (ISO)-treated H9C2 cardiomyocytes with good biocompatibility. More importantly, CarVis2 demonstrated excellent sensitivity in monitoring myocardial viscosity variation in HF mice in vivo, potentially enabling earlier noninvasive identification of myocardial abnormalities compared to traditional clinical imaging and biomarkers. These findings revealed that CarVis2 can serve as a powerful tool to monitor myocardial viscosity, providing the potential to advance insights into a pathophysiological mechanism and offering a new reference strategy for early visual diagnosis of HF.

Mediating effect of gestational weight gain on the preventive effect of exercise during pregnancy on macrosomia: a randomized clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to investigate the impact of individualized exercise guidance during pregnancy on the incidence of macrosomia and the mediating effect of gestational weight gain (GWG). DESIGN: A prospective randomized clinical trial. SETTING: A Hospital in Xingtai District, Hebei Province. POPULATION: Older than 20 years of age, mid-pregnancy, and singleton pregnant women without contraindications to exercise during pregnancy. METHODS: A randomized clinical trial was conducted from December 2021 to September 2022 to compare the effects of standard prenatal care with individualized exercise guidance on the incidence of macrosomia. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Incidence of macrosomia. RESULTS: In all, 312 singleton women were randomized into an intervention group (N = 162) or a control group (N = 150). Participants who received individualized exercise guidance had a significantly lower incidence of macrosomia (3.73% vs. 13.61%, P = 0.002) and infants large for gestational age (9.94% vs. 19.73%, P = 0.015). However, no differences were observed in the rate of preterm birth (1.86% vs. 3.40%, P = 0.397) or the average gestational age at birth (39.14 ± 1.51 vs. 38.69 ± 1.85, P = 0.258). Mediation analysis revealed that GWG mediated the effect of exercise on reducing the incidence of macrosomia. CONCLUSION: Individualized exercise guidance may be a preventive tool for macrosomia, and GWG mediates the effect of exercise on reducing the incidence of macrosomia. However, evidence does not show that exercise increases the rate of preterm birth or affects the average gestational age at birth. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The trial is registered at www.clinicaltrails.gov [registration number: NCT05760768; registration date: 08/03/2023 (retrospectively registered)].

Fabrication of Lead-Zinc Tailings Sintered Brick and Its Effect Factors Based on an Orthogonal Experiment.

The existence of lead-zinc tailings threatens the social and ecological environment. The recycling of lead-zinc tailings is important for the all-round green transformation of economic society. In this study, the possibility of fabricating sintered ordinary bricks with lead-zinc tailings was studied based on orthogonal experimentation, and the phase composition and micromorphology of sintered products were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). With lead-zinc tailings as the main material, and clay and fly ash as additives, the effect of clay content, forming pressure, sintering temperature, and holding time on physical properties of sintered bricks was analyzed. The results show that clay content and sintering temperature have a major effect on compressive strength, while sintering temperature and holding time play an important role in water absorption. During sintering, mica, chlorite, and other components in lead-zinc tailings are decomposed to form albite, hematite, maghemite, and anhydrite, which play a role in the strength of bricks. The optimal process parameters were found to be a ratio of lead-zinc tailings:clay:fly ash = 6:3:1, forming pressure of 20 MPa, firing temperature of 1080 °C, and holding time of 60 min. The corresponding compressive strength and water absorption were 34.94 MPa and 16.02%, which meets the Chinese sintered ordinary bricks standard (GB/T 5101-2017).

Experiment and Analysis of Variance for Stabilizing Fine-Grained Soils with Cement and Sawdust Ash as Liner Materials.

Due to volume change and low strength, fine-grained soils are problematic in construction. Stabilization with cement and sawdust ash (SDA) by-products can improve engineering properties. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of cement and sawdust ash (SDA) in stabilizing fine-grained soils for liner applications. Varying proportions of cement (0-9%) and SDA (0-10%) were added to soil samples (n = 24). Specimens were tested for unconfined compressive strength (UCS), hydraulic conductivity (HC), and volumetric shrinkage strain (VSS). Two-way ANOVA analyzed stabilization effects. Optimal stabilization occurred with 6% cement and 6% SDA, resulting in significant increases in UCS (51 to 375 kN/m2) and decreases in HC (1.7 × 10-8 to 4.7 × 10-10 m/s) and VSS (12.8 to 3.51%) compared to untreated soil. ANOVA indicated that both cement and SDA had statistically significant (p < 0.05) effects on improving all three engineering properties. The addition of 6% cement and 6% SDA significantly improved the expansive soil's strength, hydraulic conductivity, and volume change properties. ANOVA confirmed the quantitative improvements and the significance of both stabilizers. Stabilization using the by-product SDA has the potential to be a sustainable soil improvement method.

Targeting lysosomal quality control as a therapeutic strategy against aging and diseases.

Previously, lysosomes were primarily referred to as the digestive organelles and recycling centers within cells. Recent discoveries have expanded the lysosomal functional scope and revealed their critical roles in nutrient sensing, epigenetic regulation, plasma membrane repair, lipid transport, ion homeostasis, and cellular stress response. Lysosomal dysfunction is also found to be associated with aging and several diseases. Therefore, function of macroautophagy, a lysosome-dependent intracellular degradation system, has been identified as one of the updated twelve hallmarks of aging. In this review, we begin by introducing the concept of lysosomal quality control (LQC), which is a cellular machinery that maintains the number, morphology, and function of lysosomes through different processes such as lysosomal biogenesis, reformation, fission, fusion, turnover, lysophagy, exocytosis, and membrane permeabilization and repair. Next, we summarize the results from studies reporting the association between LQC dysregulation and aging/various disorders. Subsequently, we explore the emerging therapeutic strategies that target distinct aspects of LQC for treating diseases and combatting aging. Lastly, we underscore the existing knowledge gap and propose potential avenues for future research.

A Study on the Borehole Wall Stability Analysis and Slurry Ratio Optimization for Construction of Pile in Complex Marine Strata.

In order to address the issue of hole collapse, which frequently arises when boring piles are being constructed in intricate marine strata, this paper discusses the influence of the slurry ratio on the slurry performance as well as the mechanism of slurry wall protection. It performs this by means of theoretical analysis, laboratory ratio testing, engineering analogies, numerical simulation, and field testing. Our findings demonstrate that adding sodium polyacrylate and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose can enhance mud's viscosity, contribute to flocculation, and improve the connection between mud and soil layers. Refering similar engineering cases, three optimization schemes are proposed for achieving a mud ratio that offers wall protection in complex marine strata. Furthermore, the particle flow model of slurry viscous fluid is established. The collapse of holes in the sand layer is reflected in the uneven radial displacement of hole walls and the invasion of mud particles. Increasing the viscosity of mud gradually transforms the uneven radial deformation of pore walls in the sand layer into a uniform radial deformation, whereas increasing the proportion of mud significantly decreases the radial displacement of hole walls. Additionally, when the mud pressure in the hole is 300 kPa and 600 kPa, the wall protection effect is better, and there is no particle penetration by substances such as sand. It is found that a high mud pressure can promote the diffusion of mud particles into the sand layer, while low mud pressure cannot balance the pressure on deep soil. The results of the field tests show that the ratio of water-clay-bentonite-CMC-Na-sodium carbonate = 700:110:90:1.5:0.5 used (where the mass percentage of each material is 77.8% water, 12.2% clay, 10% bentonite, 0.16% CMC-Na, and 0.05% sodium carbonate) can effectively prevent hole collapse and reduce the thickness of the sand layer at the bottom of the hole by 50%.

The effect of telephone and short-message follow-ups on compliance and efficacy in asthmatic children treated with inhaled corticosteroid: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to evaluate the effect of telephone and short-message follow-ups on compliance and efficacy in asthmatic children treated with inhaled corticosteroids. METHODS: A total of 120 children with moderate bronchial asthma who visited the Asthma Outpatient Department of the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University were enrolled in the study. They were divided randomly into 3 groups based on the type of follow-up given: a combined telephone and short-message service (Tel + SMS) group, a SMS group, and a control group. After being followed up for 12 weeks, each child's asthma control level was assessed and their lung function was measured. RESULTS: The compliance rates of children in the Tel + SMS group and SMS group were 86.49% and 56.25%, respectively. The total effective rates of these 2 groups (94.59% and 75.0%, respectively) were significantly higher than the rate of the control group (P < .01). The lung function indicators of the children in all 3 groups were better than those before treatment, although only the Tel + SMS group and SMS group improved significantly (P < .05). The lung function indicators of the large and small airways in the Tel + SMS group and the SMS group were also significantly better than those of the control group (P < .01). The results of the study suggest that 1 of the causes of poor compliance in asthmatic children is fear of an adverse reaction to inhaled corticosteroids. CONCLUSION: Telephone and short-message follow-ups can increase compliance with inhaled corticosteroid treatment and improve the asthma control levels and lung function of asthmatic children.

Serum Lactate Is an Indicator for Short-Term and Long-Term Mortality in Patients with Acute Pancreatitis.

BACKGROUND: Serum lactate, as a single and an easily available biomarker, has been applied in various diseases. AIMS: In this study, we aimed to explore the predictive value of serum lactate for short-term and long-term prognosis in acute pancreatitis (AP) admitted in intensive care unit (ICU) based on a large-scale database. METHODS: AP patients admitted in ICU in the MIMIC-IV database were included. We constructed three different models to investigate the relationships between serum lactate and clinical outcomes, including 30-day, 180-day and 1-year mortality in AP. Smooth fitting curves were performed for intuitively demonstrating the relationship between serum lactate and different outcomes in AP by the generalized additive model. RESULTS: A total of 895 AP patients admitted in ICU were included. The mortalities of 30 days, 180 days, and 1 year were 12.63% (n = 113), 16.87% (n = 151), and 17.54% (n = 157). In model B, with 1-mmol/L increment in serum lactate, the values of OR in 30-day, 180-day and 1-year mortality were 1.20 (95%CI 1.04-1.37, P = 0.0094), 1.21 (95%CI 1.06-1.37, P = 0.0039), and 1.21 (95%CI 1.07-1.38, P = 0.0035). The AUCs of serum lactate for predicting 30-day, 180-day, and 1-year mortality in AP were 0.688 (95%CI 0.633-0.743), 0.655 (95%CI 0.605-0.705), and 0.653 (95%CI 0.603-0.701), respectively. The cut-off value of serum lactate predicting 30-day, 180-day and 1-year mortality in AP was 2.4 mmol/L. CONCLUSION: Serum lactate could be an indicator for short-term and long-term mortality in patients with AP admitted in ICU.

Genome-Wide Identification, Characterization, and Expression Analysis of the HD-Zip Gene Family in Lagerstroemia for Regulating Plant Height.

The Homeodomain leucine zipper (HD-Zip) family of transcription factors is crucial in helping plants adapt to environmental changes and promoting their growth and development. Despite research on the HD-Zip family in various plants, studies in Lagerstroemia (crape myrtle) have not been reported. This study aimed to address this gap by comprehensively analyzing the HD-Zip gene family in crape myrtle. This study identified 52 HD-Zip genes in the genome of Lagerstroemia indica, designated as LinHDZ1-LinHDZ52. These genes were distributed across 22 chromosomes and grouped into 4 clusters (HD-Zip I-IV) based on their phylogenetic relationships. Most gene structures and motifs within each cluster were conserved. Analysis of protein properties, gene structure, conserved motifs, and cis-acting regulatory elements revealed diverse roles of LinHDZs in various biological contexts. Examining the expression patterns of these 52 genes in 6 tissues (shoot apical meristem, tender shoot, and mature shoot) of non-dwarf and dwarf crape myrtles revealed that 2 LinHDZs (LinHDZ24 and LinHDZ14) and 2 LinHDZs (LinHDZ9 and LinHDZ35) were respectively upregulated in tender shoot of non-dwarf crape myrtles and tender and mature shoots of dwarf crape myrtles, which suggested the important roles of these genes in regulate the shoot development of Lagerstroemia. In addition, the expression levels of 2 LinHDZs (LinHDZ23 and LinHDZ34) were significantly upregulated in the shoot apical meristem of non-dwarf crape myrtle. These genes were identified as key candidates for regulating Lagerstroemia plant height. This study enhanced the understanding of the functions of HD-Zip family members in the growth and development processes of woody plants and provided a theoretical basis for further studies on the molecular mechanisms underlying Lagerstroemia plant height.

Occurrence and spatiotemporal distribution of natural and synthetic steroid hormones in soil, water, and sediment systems in suburban agricultural area of Guangzhou City, China.

Steroid hormones are highly potent compounds that can disrupt the endocrine systems of aquatic organisms. This study explored the spatiotemporal distribution of 49 steroid hormones in agricultural soils, ditch water, and sediment from suburban areas of Guangzhou City, China. The average concentrations of Σsteroid hormones in the water, soils, and sediment were 97.7 ng/L, 4460 ng/kg, and 9140 ng/kg, respectively. Elevated hormone concentrations were notable in water during the flood season compared to the dry season, whereas an inverse trend was observed in soils and sediment. These observations were attributed to illegal wastewater discharge during the flood season, and sediment partitioning of hormones and manure fertilization during the dry season. Correlation analysis further showed that population, precipitation, and number of slaughtered animals significantly influenced the spatial distribution of steroid hormones across various districts. Moreover, there was substantial mass transfer among the three media, with steroid hormones predominantly distributed in the sediment (60.8 %) and soils (34.4 %). Risk quotients, calculated as the measured concentration and predicted no-effect concentration, exceeded 1 at certain sites for some hormones, indicating high risks. This study reveals that the risk assessment of steroid hormones requires consideration of their spatiotemporal variability and inter-media mass transfer dynamics in agroecosystems.

Continuous flow biocatalysis: synthesis of purine nucleoside esters catalyzed by lipase TL IM from Thermomyces lanuginosus.

Purine nucleoside ester is one of the derivatives of purine nucleoside, which has antiviral and anticancer activities. In this work, a continuous flow synthesis of purine nucleoside esters catalyzed by lipase TL IM from Thermomyces lanuginosus was successfully achieved. Various parameters including solvent, reaction temperature, reaction time/flow rate and substrate ratio were investigated. The best yields were obtained with a continuous flow microreactor for 35 min at 50 °C with the substrate ratio of 1 : 5 (nucleosides to vinyl esters) in the solvent of tert-amyl alcohol. 12 products were efficiently synthesized with yields of 78-93%. Here we reported for the first time the use of lipase TL IM from Thermomyces lanuginosus in the synthesis of purine nucleoside esters. The significant advantages of this methodology are a green solvent and mild conditions, a simple work-up procedure and the highly reusable biocatalyst. This research provides a new technique for rapid synthesis of anticancer and antiviral nucleoside drugs and is helpful for further screening of drug activity.

Intelligent classification of major depressive disorder using rs-fMRI of the posterior cingulate cortex.

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a widespread psychiatric condition that affects a significant portion of the global population. The classification and diagnosis of MDD is crucial for effective treatment. Traditional methods, based on clinical assessment, are subjective and rely on healthcare professionals' expertise. Recently, there's growing interest in using Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (rs-fMRI) to objectively understand MDD's neurobiology, complementing traditional diagnostics. The posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) is a pivotal brain region implicated in MDD which could be used to identify MDD from healthy controls. Thus, this study presents an intelligent approach based on rs-fMRI data to enhance the classification of MDD. Original rs-fMRI data were collected from a cohort of 430 participants, comprising 197 patients and 233 healthy controls. Subsequently, the data underwent preprocessing using DPARSF, and the amplitudes of low-frequency fluctuation values were computed to reduce data dimensionality and feature count. Then data associated with the PCC were extracted. After eliminating redundant features, various types of Support Vector Machines (SVMs) were employed as classifiers for intelligent categorization. Ultimately, we compared the performance of each algorithm, along with its respective optimal classifier, based on classification accuracy, true positive rate, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC-ROC). Upon analyzing the comparison results, we determined that the Random Forest (RF) algorithm, in conjunction with a sophisticated Gaussian SVM classifier, demonstrated the highest performance. Remarkably, this combination achieved a classification accuracy of 81.9 % and a true positive rate of 92.9 %. In conclusion, our study improves the classification of MDD by supplementing traditional methods with rs-fMRI and machine learning techniques, offering deeper neurobiological insights and aiding accuracy, while emphasizing its role as an adjunct to clinical assessment.

Bioreactor Culture to Create Adipose Tissue from Human Mesenchymal Stromal Cells.

Adipose tissue is a complex and multifaceted endocrine organ located throughout the body. The dysfunction of adipose tissue is known to induce a wide variety of comorbidities that can negatively impact one's health and quality of life. In addition to behavioral changes, drugs that target dysfunctional adipose tissue to treat associated diseases are clinically needed. Regarding drug-testing platforms, animal models are the most popular models, limited by known differences from humans in genetics and physiology. Two-dimensional and static three-dimensional (3D) cell cultures are also used. Still, these in vitro models with static culture fail to recapitulate the phenotype and function of adipocytes seen in vivo. To combat this, our lab has developed an adipose tissue microphysiological system. A perfusion bioreactor with dual-flow chambers is 3D printed, which enables individualized top and bottom medium flows after adipose tissues are inserted as a barrier. Human progenitor cells, such as human mesenchymal stem cells, are embedded within a gelatin scaffold and in situ adipogenic differentiation within the bioreactor. Medium flow is established via a syringe pump system, allowing in vivo-like conditions to be maintained. The novel bioreactor-cultured adipose tissues represent a versatile disease modeling and drug-testing system. Here, we present the step-by-step methods to generate the bioreactors and adipose tissues. We also show the process of collecting and analyzing samples. In addition, we highlight the critical steps that require particular attention in notes.

Lack of clinical benefit from preoperative short-term parenteral nutrition on the clinical prognosis of patients treated with radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer: a two-center retrospective study based on propensity score matching analysis.

Background: Preoperative nutritional support studies for patients undergoing gastrointestinal (GI) surgery mostly focused on enteral nutrition (EN) or long-term (≥7 days) parenteral nutrition (PN). Some studies also found that preoperative short-term PN could improve the postoperative short-term nutritional status of tumor patients. But whether short-term PN support (1-6 days) before surgery can improve the prognosis of patients undergoing surgery for gastric cancer (GC) remains unclear. Therefore, we focused on assessing the effect of preoperative short-term PN on the outcomes of patients undergoing radical surgery for GC. Methods: A retrospective analysis of 1,155 patients who underwent radical gastrectomy for GC between July 2014 and February 2019 was conducted. According to whether patients received short-term (1-6 days) PN support before surgery, patients were divided into non-PN group and PN group. After 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM), two groups of patients with similar baseline clinical characteristics were obtained. The incidence of various complications and overall survival (OS) rate were compared between the two groups, and logistic regression analysis for complications, Cox regression analysis for OS, and subgroup analysis were performed. Results: Each group had 478 patients after PSM, and the clinical characteristics were balanced. There were no significant differences in overall postoperative complications (pre-PSM: P=0.495; post-PSM: P>0.99), postoperative length of stay (LOS; pre-PSM: P=0.092; post-PSM: P=0.460), or readmission rate within 30 days (pre-PSM: P=0.496; post-PSM: P=0.793) between the two groups before and after PSM. The OS of PN group before matching was lower than that of non-PN group (P=0.023), but this difference was not significant after matching (P=0.950), but the PN group's hospitalization expenses were substantially greater than those of the control group (post-PSM: P<0.001). Preoperative short-term PN support was not an independent factor in the incidence of postoperative complications (P>0.99) and OS (P=0.949). Subgroup analyses failed to identify those patients who might benefit from preoperative short-term PN support. Conclusions: Preoperative short-term PN support may have no significant benefit on short-term postoperative complications or the long-term OS of patients with GC but increase hospitalization costs. It thus should not be the first choice of treatment for these patients.