Orienting role of the putative human posterior infero-temporal area in visual attention.

The dorsal attention network (DAN) is a network of brain regions essential for attentional orienting, which includes the lateral intraparietal area (LIP) and frontal eye field (FEF). Recently, the putative human dorsal posterior infero-temporal area (phPITd) has been identified as a new node of the DAN. However, its functional relationship with other areas of the DAN and its specific role in visual attention remained unclear. In this study, we analyzed a large publicly available neuroimaging dataset to investigate the intrinsic functional connectivities (FCs) of the phPITd with other brain areas. The results showed that the intrinsic FCs of the phPITd with the areas of the visual network and the DAN were significantly stronger than those with the ventral attention network (VAN) areas and areas of other networks. We further conducted individual difference analyses with a sample size of 295 participants and a series of attentional tasks to investigate which attentional components each phPITd-based DAN edge predicts. Our findings revealed that the intrinsic FC of the left phPITd with the LIPv could predict individual ability in attentional orienting, but not in alerting, executive control, and distractor suppression. Our results not only provide direct evidence of the phPITd's functional relationship with the LIPv, but also offer a comprehensive understanding of its specific role in visual attention.

Identification of FTY720 and COH29 as novel topoisomerase I catalytic inhibitors by experimental and computational studies.

The development of novel topoisomerase I (TOP1) inhibitors is crucial for overcoming the drawbacks and limitations of current TOP1 poisons. Here, we identified two potential TOP1 inhibitors, namely, FTY720 (a sphingosine 1-phosphate antagonist) and COH29 (a ribonucleotide reductase inhibitor), through experimental screening of known active compounds. Biological experiments verified that FTY720 and COH29 were nonintercalative TOP1 catalytic inhibitors that did not induce the formation of DNA-TOP1 covalent complexes. Molecular docking revealed that FTY720 and COH29 interacted favorably with TOP1. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed that FTY720 and COH29 could affect the catalytic domain of TOP1, thus resulting in altered DNA-binding cavity size. The alanine scanning and interaction entropy identified Arg536 as a hotspot residue. In addition, the bioinformatics analysis predicted that FTY720 and COH29 could be effective in treating malignant breast tumors. Biological experiments verified their antitumor activities using MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Their combinatory effects with TOP1 poisons were also investigated. Further, FTY720 and COH29 were found to cause less DNA damage compared with TOP1 poisons. The findings provide reliable lead compounds for the development of novel TOP1 catalytic inhibitors and offer new insights into the potential clinical applications of FTY720 and COH29 in targeting TOP1.

Interior automobile seats: A syntactical and perceptual study.

This study investigated the seat layout of automobile interiors and its impact on the fluidity and privacy of interior space using spatial perception and space syntax research methods. The interior of an automobile is a typical "miniature" passenger space. First, to explore the perception characteristics of interior space fluidity and privacy across different seat configurations, we conducted a perception experiment on the interior space of seven automobile models with various seat layouts. The depth, connection, global integration degree, and standardized integration degree values were obtained using spatial syntax to perform topological calculations on the experimental automobile models. We conducted a correlation analysis in conjunction with the results of the perception experiment and the spatial syntax analysis. The calculation results of spatial syntax analysis are consistent with the experimental results of perception of automobile interior space layout on the fluidity and privacy. The different layout of automobile seats can affect people's perception on the fluidity and privacy of automobile interior space. At the same time, spatial syntax can provide an effective design analysis tool for the fluidity and privacy of automobile interior space.

Potential probiotic characteristics and genomic analysis of a new folate-producing lactic acid bacteria Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ZFM55.

BACKGROUND: Folate is crucial for maintaining health, but humans are unable to synthesize folate and need to obtain it from food. Lactiplantibacillus plantarum can produce the necessary vitamin B for the human body, including folate. Whole genome sequencing technology can clarify the physiological characteristics of folate production in Lactiplantibacillus plantarum. In order to explore new Lactiplantibacillus plantarum that produce folate, the folate production and probiotic characteristics of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ZFM55 isolated from infant feces were investigated, and whole genome sequencing was performed. RESULTS: The folate synthesis ability of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ZFM55 were measured, and its total folate production was 299.72 ± 28.81 ng mL-1. Subsequently, its probiotic properties were explored. The antibacterial test showed that its inhibition zone diameter against Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella typhimurium was 15.5 ± 0.82 mm and 13.88 ± 0.98 mm, respectively. The tolerance test results indicated that it maintained good activity in simulated gastrointestinal tract and bile salt environments. In vitro intestinal simulation experiments had confirmed that Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ZFM55 can increase the abundance of beneficial bacteria such as Bifidobacteria in the intestine and inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria such as Escherichia_Shigella. Genomic sequencing indicated that the genetic material of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ZFM55 contains one chromosome and three plasmids, and it has 20 genes related to folate synthesis, which explains its ability to produce folate. CONCLUSION: This study reports a new potential probiotic that produces folate, and provides ideas for exploring probiotics with specific probiotic characteristics. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Efficacy and mechanism of acupuncture in animal models of depressive-like behaviors: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Many studies have investigated the efficacy of acupuncture in treating depression, but the mechanism of acupuncture for depression is still controversial and there is a lack of meta-analysis of mechanisms. Consequently, we investigated acupuncture's efficacy and mechanism of depression. Methods: We searched the Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science. The SYRCLE Risk of Bias Tool was used to assess bias risk. Meta-analysis was performed using Stata 15.0 for indicators of depression mechanisms, body weight and behavioral tests. Results: A total of 22 studies with 497 animals with depressive-like behaviors were included. Meta-analysis showed that acupuncture significantly increased BDNF [SMD = 2.40, 95% CI (1.33, 3.46); I2 = 86.6%], 5-HT [SMD = 2.28, 95% CI (1.08, 3.47); I2 = 87.7%] compared to the control group (p < 0.05), and significantly reduced IL-1ß [SMD = -2.33, 95% CI (-3.43, -1.23); I2 = 69.6%], CORT [SMD = -2.81, 95% CI (-4.74, -0.87); I2 = 86.8%] (p < 0.05). Acupuncture improved body weight [SMD = 1.35, 95% CI (0.58, 2.11); I2 = 84.5%], forced swimming test [SMD = -1.89, 95% CI (-2.55, -1.24); I2 = 76.3%], open field test (crossing number [SMD = 3.08, 95% CI (1.98, 4.17); I2 = 86.7%], rearing number [SMD = 2.53, 95% CI (1.49, 3.57); I2 = 87.0%]) (p < 0.05) compared to the control group. Conclusion: Acupuncture may treat animals of depressive-like behaviors by regulating neurotrophic factors, neurotransmitters, inflammatory cytokines, neuroendocrine system. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42023403318, identifier (CRD42023403318).

Efficacy and immune-inflammatory mechanism of acupuncture-related therapy in animal models of knee osteoarthritis: a preclinical systematic review and network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Many KOA patients have not reached indications for surgery, thus we need to find effective non-surgical treatments. Acupuncture is thought to have the potential to modulate inflammation and cytokines in KOA through the immune system. However, the mechanisms have not been elucidated, and there is no network Meta-analysis of acupuncture on KOA animals. So we evaluate the effect and mechanism of acupuncture-related therapy in KOA animals. METHODS: A comprehensive search was conducted in multiple databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, CBM, CNKI, WanFang, and VIP Database to identify relevant animal studies focusing on acupuncture therapy for KOA. The included studies were assessed for risk of bias using SYRCLE's Risk of Bias tool. Subsequently, pair-wise meta-analysis and network meta-analysis were performed using Stata 15.0 software, evaluating outcomes such as Lequesne index scale, Mankin score, IL-1ß, TNF-α, MMP3, and MMP13. RESULTS: 56 RCTs with 2394 animals were included. Meta-analysis showed that among the 6 outcomes, there were significant differences between acupuncture and model group; the overall results of network meta-analysis showed that the normal group or sham operation group performed the best, followed by the acupotomy, acupuncture, and medicine group, and the model group had the worst effect, and there were significant differences between 6 interventions. CONCLUSIONS: Acupuncture-related therapy can be a possible treatment for KOA. The mechanism involves many immune-inflammatory pathways, which may be mediated by DAMPs/TLR/NF-κB/MAPK,PI3K/Akt/NF-κB pathway, or IFN-γ/JAK-STAT pathway. It needs to be further confirmed by more high-quality animal experiments or meta-analysis. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO identifier: CRD42023377228.

Corrigendum: Exercise for reducing chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1252259.].

Multiplex Aptamer-Based Fluorescence Assay Using Magnetism-Encoded Nanoparticles for Simultaneous Detection of Multiple Pathogenic Bacteria.

Multiplex assay has emerged as a robust and versatile method for the simultaneous detection of multiple analytes in a single test. However, challenges in terms of poor accuracy and complexity remained. In this work, we developed a multiplex aptamer-based fluorescence assay using magnetism-encoded nanoparticles for the simultaneous detection of multiple pathogenic bacteria. The encapsulation of different amounts of Fe3O4 nanoparticles in zeolitic imidazolate framework-90 (ZIF-90) leads to the formation of Fe3O4@ZIF-90 (FZ) composites with distinct magnetism strengths. By functionalizing a specific aptamer on the surface of the FZ composites, target bacteria can be specifically and precisely separated from a mixed sample in a sequential manner. This property allows for the simultaneous quantitative analysis of multiple target bacteria by using a single-color fluorescence label, thereby resulting in minimal spectral crosstalk interference and improved accuracy. The successful determination of multiple bacteria in contaminated milk samples demonstrates the applicability of this multiplex assay in complex biological matrices. Compared to conventional multiplex fluorescence assays, this approach offers distinct advantages of simplicity, efficiency, and implementation. We believe that this study can provide valuable insights into the development of the multiplex assay while introducing a new method for the simultaneous detection of multiple bacteria.

Utilizing chitosan and pullulan for the encapsulation of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ZJ316 to enhance its vitality in the gastrointestinal tract.

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ZJ316 has demonstrated effective alleviation of gastritis and colitis, making it crucial to improve its viability within the gastrointestinal tract. In this study, Chitosan (CS) and pullulan (PUL) encapsulated nanofibers of ZJ316 were prepared using electrospinning, considering both the synergistic effects of prebiotics and probiotics and their protective effects. We found that increasing the CS ratio resulted in elevated conductivity of the polymer solution, while decreasing viscosity and pH. Scanning electron microscopy showed that at a CS: PUL ratio of 1:135, polymer filaments were difficult to form, and nanofiber diameter decreased with higher CS content. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the miscibility of CS and PUL, while ATR-FTIR demonstrated the presence of hydrogen bonding interactions between the two materials. Thermal analysis indicated that an increased CS concentration improved the thermal stability of the nanofibers. Based on these findings, the optimal CS:PUL ratio for electrospinning was determined to be 1:60. Encapsulation of ZJ316 in the nanofibers significantly enhanced its survival rate in simulated gastrointestinal fluid compared to free bacteria, with survival rates of 87.24 % (gastric) and 79.71 % (intestinal), respectively. This study provides valuable insights for the development of probiotic functional foods.

E3 ligase TRIM65 alleviates intestinal ischemia/reperfusion injury through inhibition of TOX4-mediated apoptosis.

Intestinal ischemia-reperfusion (II/R) injury is an urgent clinical disease with high incidence and mortality, and impaired intestinal barrier function caused by excessive apoptosis of intestinal cells is an important cause of its serious consequences. Tripartite motif-containing protein 65 (TRIM65) is an E3 ubiquitin ligase that is recently reported to suppress the inflammatory response and apoptosis. However, the biological function and regulation of TRIM65 in II/R injury are totally unknown. We found that TRIM65 was significantly decreased in hypoxia-reoxygenation (H/R) induced intestinal epithelial cells and II/R-induced intestine tissue. TRIM65 knockout mice markedly aggravated intestinal apoptosis and II/R injury. To explore the molecular mechanism of TRIM65 in exacerbating II/R-induced intestinal apoptosis and damage, thymocyte selection-associated high mobility group box factor 4 (TOX4) was screened out as a novel substrate of TRIM65 using the yeast two-hybrid system. TRIM65 binds directly to the N-terminal of TOX4 through its coiled-coil and SPRY structural domains. Immunofluorescence confocal microscopy showed that they can co-localize both in the cytoplasm and nucleus. Furthermore, TRIM65 mediated the K48 ubiquitination and degradation of TOX4 depending on its E3 ubiquitin ligase activity. In addition, TRIM65 inhibits H/R-induced intestinal epithelial apoptosis via TOX4. In summary, our results indicated that TRIM65 promotes ubiquitination and degradation of TOX4 to inhibit apoptosis in II/R. These findings provide a promising target for the clinical treatment of II/R injury.

Role of folic acid in regulating gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acids based on an in vitro fermentation model.

Folic acid deficiency is common worldwide and is linked to an imbalance in gut microbiota. However, based on model animals used to study the utilization of folic acid by gut microbes, there are challenges of reproducibility and individual differences. In this study, an in vitro fecal slurry culture model of folic acid deficiency was established to investigate the effects of supplementation with 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (MTHF) and non-reduced folic acid (FA) on the modulation of gut microbiota. 16S rRNA sequencing results revealed that both FA (29.7%) and MTHF (27.9%) supplementation significantly reduced the relative abundance of Bacteroidetes compared with control case (34.3%). MTHF supplementation significantly improved the relative abundance of Firmicutes by 4.49%. Notably, compared with the control case, FA and MTHF supplementation promoted an increase in fecal levels of Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Pediococcus. Short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) analysis showed that folic acid supplementation decreased acetate levels and increased fermentative production of isobutyric acid. The in vitro fecal slurry culture model developed in this study can be utilized as a model of folic acid deficiency in humans to study the gut microbiota and demonstrate that exogenous folic acid affects the composition of the gut microbiota and the level of SCFAs. KEY POINTS: • Establishment of folic acid deficiency in an in vitro culture model. • Folic acid supplementation regulates intestinal microbes and SCFAs. • Connections between microbes and SCFAs after adding folic acid are built.

The Role of KDM2A and H3K36me2 Demethylation in Modulating MAPK Signaling During Neurodevelopment.

Intellectual disability (ID) is a condition characterized by cognitive impairment and difficulties in adaptive functioning. In our research, we identified two de novo mutations (c.955C>T and c.732C>A) at the KDM2A locus in individuals with varying degrees of ID. In addition, by using the Gene4Denovo database, we discovered five additional cases of de novo mutations in KDM2A. The mutations we identified significantly decreased the expression of the KDM2A protein. To investigate the role of KDM2A in neural development, we used both 2D neural stem cell models and 3D cerebral organoids. Our findings demonstrated that the reduced expression of KDM2A impairs the proliferation of neural progenitor cells (NPCs), increases apoptosis, induces premature neuronal differentiation, and affects synapse maturation. Through ChIP-Seq analysis, we found that KDM2A exhibited binding to the transcription start site regions of genes involved in neurogenesis. In addition, the knockdown of KDM2A hindered H3K36me2 binding to the downstream regulatory elements of genes. By integrating ChIP-Seq and RNA-Seq data, we made a significant discovery of the core genes' remarkable enrichment in the MAPK signaling pathway. Importantly, this enrichment was specifically linked to the p38 MAPK pathway. Furthermore, disease enrichment analysis linked the differentially-expressed genes identified from RNA-Seq of NPCs and cerebral organoids to neurodevelopmental disorders such as ID, autism spectrum disorder, and schizophrenia. Overall, our findings suggest that KDM2A plays a crucial role in regulating the H3K36me2 modification of downstream genes, thereby modulating the MAPK signaling pathway and potentially impacting early brain development.

The MADS-box family gene PtrANR1 encodes a transcription activator promoting root growth and enhancing plant tolerance to drought stress.

KEY MESSAGE: PtrANR1 positively regulates plant drought tolerance by increasing proline level and reducing ROS accumulation. PtrANR1 directly activates PtrAUX1 expression to promote root growth and improve plant drought tolerance. Citrus quality and yield are severely declined under drought stress. To date, the effects of MADS-box family transcription factors (TFs) on plant drought resistance have made some progress. However, whether MADS-box family TFs are associated with citrus drought response has remained unclear. The current paper identified a MADS-box family gene PtrANR1 encoding anthocyanidin reductase from trifoliate orange. PtrANR1 exhibits high identities with ANR1 proteins found in various plants. PtrANR1 possesses two conserved domains known as MADS and kertanin-like domains. PtrANR1 is a nuclear protein which has transactivation activity. A significant induction of PtrANR1 transcript was detected in leaves and roots of trifoliate orange treated with PEG6000 and ABA. Under drought stress, Arabidopsis ectopic overexpressing PtrANR1 exhibited obviously elevated contents of proline, ABA and IAA, better developed root, enhanced antioxidant enzyme activities, as well as notably reduced accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) compared with WT plants. However, opposite change trends of these physiological indices were detected in PtrANR1 homolog silencing lemon. Furthermore, transgenic Arabidopsis displayed significantly increased expression levels in genes associated with ABA, IAA and proline production, IAA polar transport, ROS elimination and drought response. However, these genes exhibited noticeably decreased transcript levels in PtrANR1 homolog silencing lemon. Moreover, PtrANR1 could increase IAA content and promote root growth by binding to GArG-box in the promoter of PtrAUX1 to activate its transcript. These findings indicated that PtrANR1 had a beneficial impact on plant drought resistance through promoting root development, increasing proline accumulation and scavenging of ROS.

Whether mindfulness-guided therapy can be a new direction for the rehabilitation of patients with Parkinson's disease: a network meta-analysis of non-pharmacological alternative motor-/sensory-based interventions.

Background: The treatment for Parkinson's disease (PD) consumes a lot of manpower and financial resources. Non-pharmacological alternative motor-/sensory-based interventions are optimized for the rehabilitation of PD patients. Mindfulness-based therapy shows ideal efficacy, but the diversity of the therapy brings difficulties to the selection of clinicians and patients. Methods: Network meta-analysis in the Bayesian framework was used to evaluate the efficacy of non-pharmacological alternative motor-/sensory-based interventions in improving motor and non-motor symptoms in PD patients. Results: A total of 58 studies (2,227 patients) were included. Compared with the non-intervention group, qigong was associated with improved outcomes in the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test (mean difference (MD) -5.54, 95% confidence interval (CI) -8.28 to -2.77), and UPDRS-I (MD -15.50, 95% CI -19.93 to -7.63). Differences between non-pharmacological alternative motor-/sensory-based interventions were not significant for PDQ-39, UPDRS-I, or UPDRS-II; however, qigong was superior to dance (MD -3.91, 95% CI -6.90 to -0.95), Tai Chi (MD -3.54, 95% CI -6.53 to -0.69), acupuncture (MD -6.75, 95% CI -10.86 to -2.70), music (MD -3.91, 95% CI -7.49 to -0.48), and exercise (MD -3.91, 95% CI -6.49 to -1.33) in the TUG test. Conclusion: This network meta-analysis supports mindfulness-based therapy (e.g., qigong, yoga, and Tai Chi) as a preferred non-pharmacological alternative motor-/sensory-based intervention for PD rehabilitation. Systematic review registration: https://inplasy.com/inplasy-2022-10-0109/, INPLASY2022100109.

The regulation function of intestinal microbiota by folate-producing Lactiplantibacillus plantarum LZ227.

BACKGROUND: Folic acid is a class of B vitamins that have the function of improving intestinal microbiota. RESULT: Lactiplantibacillus plantarum LZ227, which is a highly folate-producing strain, was used as the research object, and the folic acid produced by LZ227 was further identified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and the structural diversity, community composition, abundance difference, and short-chain fatty acids content in fermentation broth were studied by the manure slurry fermentation model. The results showed that the folic acid produced by LZ227 was 5-methyltetrahydrofolate. CONCLUSION: LZ227 can increase the intestinal microbial diversity in the folate-free state, regulate the intestinal flora, increase the abundance of Firmicutes in the intestinal flora, and inhibit the abundance of Bacteroidetes. LZ227 can inhibit the growth of Alistipes, Parabacteroides, and Bacteroides in the intestine. LZ227 significantly reduced the acetic acid content and significantly increased the butyric acid content in the folate-free case. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

A Multimodality Electrochemical and Impedance Spectroscopy System-on-a-Chip With Temperature Sensing and Impedance-Boosting Techniques.

This article presents a multimodal electrochemical sensing system-on-chip (SoC), including the functions of cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and temperature sensing. CV readout circuitry achieves an adaptive readout current range of 145.5 dB through an automatic range adjustment and resolution scaling technique. EIS has an impedance resolution of 9.2 m Ω/√ Hz at a sweep frequency of 10 kHz and an output current of up to 120 µA. With an impedance boost mechanism, the maximum detectable load impedance is extended to 22.95 k Ω, while the total harmonic distortion is less than 1%. A resistor-based temperature sensor using a swing-boosted relaxation oscillator can achieve a resolution of 31 mK in 0-85 °C. The design is implemented in a 0.18 µm CMOS process. The total power consumption is 1 mW.

Mechanosensitive non-equilibrium supramolecular polymerization in closed chemical systems.

Chemical fuel-driven supramolecular systems have been developed showing out-of-equilibrium functions such as transient gelation and oscillations. However, these systems suffer from undesired waste accumulation and they function only in open systems. Herein, we report non-equilibrium supramolecular polymerizations in a closed system, which is built by viologens and pyranine in the presence of hydrazine hydrate. On shaking, the viologens are quickly oxidated by air followed by self-assembly of pyranine into micrometer-sized nanotubes. The self-assembled nanotubes disassemble spontaneously over time by the reduced agent, with nitrogen as the only waste product. Our mechanosensitive dissipative system can be extended to fabricate a chiral transient supramolecular helix by introducing chiral-charged small molecules. Moreover, we show that shaking induces transient fluorescence enhancement or quenching depending on substitution of viologens. Ultrasound is introduced as a specific shaking way to generate template-free reproducible patterns. Additionally, the shake-driven transient polymerization of amphiphilic naphthalenetetracarboxylic diimide serves as further evidence of the versatility of our mechanosensitive non-equilibrium system.

Effect of acupuncture on neuroinflammation in animal models of Alzheimer's disease: A preclinical systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Despite neuroinflammation being an important component of the pathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD), effective therapies to alleviate neuroinflammation are still lacking. Many animal experiments in AD have found that acupuncture may ameliorate cognition by decreasing neuroinflammation and modulating cytokines, but its effects have not been systematically examined. We aimed to assess its efficacy on neuroinflammation in AD and to investigate the potential mechanisms. Materials and methods: The following databases were searched from inception until 24 August 2022: Web of Science, EMBASE, PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure. Animal studies that reported the efficacy of acupuncture on neuroinflammation in AD were included. The SYRCLE Robt was utilized to evaluate methodological quality. Stata 17 was utilized to conduct a meta-analysis of cytokine levels and the results of the Morris water maze. Results: 23 studies were included, with a total of 417 rats/mice. The overall quality of all included reports was medium. The results indicated that acupuncture significantly reduced the expressions of pro-inflammatory cytokines which included IL-1ß [SMD = -3.50, 95% CI (-4.31, -2.69); I 2 = 78.6%] (P < 0.05), TNF-α [SMD = -3.05, 95% CI (-3.86, -2.24); I 2 = 69.6%] (P < 0.05), IL-6 [SMD = -3.22, 95% CI (-4.62, -1.81); I 2 = 77.6%] and enhanced the expressions of anti-inflammatory cytokines including IL-4 [SMD = 2.77, 95% CI (1.95, 3.59); I 2 = 33.9%] (P < 0.05), IL-10 [SMD = 1.84, 95% CI (1.20, 2.49); I 2 = 41.0%] (P < 0.05) in an animal model of AD. Regarding the Morris water maze, compared to the control group, the acupuncture group showed a shorter escape latency [SMD = -2.23, 95% CI (-2.89, -1.57); I 2 = 79.2%] (P < 0.05), longer duration in platform quadrant [SMD = 2.34, 95% CI (1.44, 3.23); I 2 = 81.7%] (P < 0.05), and increased platform crossing number [SMD = 2.79, 95% CI (2.06, 3.53); I 2 = 71.9%] (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Acupuncture may reduce neuroinflammation in AD by modulating cytokine expression. This modulation significantly improved cognitive function in animal models of AD. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier CRD42022354878.

Electrophysiological characteristics and long-term outcome of substrate-based catheter ablation for left posterior fascicular ventricular tachycardia targeting fragmented antegrade Purkinje potentials during sinus rhythm.

AIMS: The aim of this study was to investigate the electrophysiological characteristics and long-term outcome of patients undergoing substrate-based ablation of left posterior fascicular ventricular tachycardia (LPF-VT) guided by targeting of fragmented antegrade Purkinje potentials (FAPs) during sinus rhythm. METHODS AND RESULTS: This study retrospectively analysed 50 consecutive patients referred for ablation. Substrate mapping during sinus rhythm was performed to identify the FAP that was targeted by ablation. FAPs were recorded in 48 of 50 (96%) patients during sinus rhythm. The distribution of FAPs was located at the proximal segment of posterior septal left ventricle (LV) in two (4.2%) patients, middle segment in 33 (68.8%) patients, and distal segment in 13 (27.1%) patients. In 32 of 48 (66.7%) patients, the FAP displayed a continuous multicomponent fragmented electrogram, while a fragmented, split, and uncoupled electrogram was recorded in 16 (33.3%) patients. Entrainment attempts at FAP region were performed successfully in seven patients, demonstrating concealed fusion and the critical isthmus of LPF-VT. Catheter ablation targeting at the FAPs successfully terminated the LPF-VT in all 48 patients in whom they were seen. Left posterior fascicular (LPF) block occurred in four (8%) patients after ablation. During a median follow-up period of 61.2 ± 16.8 months, 47 of 50 (94%) patients remained free from recurrent LPF-VT. CONCLUSION: Ablation of LPF-VT targeting FAP during sinus rhythm results in excellent long-term clinical outcome. FAPs were commonly located at the middle segment of posterior septal LV. Region with FAPs during sinus rhythm was predictive of critical site for re-entry.

Risk factor analysis and a new prediction model of venous thromboembolism after pancreaticoduodenectomy.

AIM: The present study aimed to identify risk factors for venous thromboembolism (VTE) after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) and to develop and internally validate a predictive model for the risk of venous thrombosis. METHODS: We retrospectively collected data from 352 patients who visited our hospital to undergo PD from January 2018 to March 2022. The number of patients recruited was divided in an 8:2 ratio by using the random split method, with 80% of the patients serving as the training set and 20% as the validation set. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (Lasso) regression model was used to optimize feature selection for the VTE risk model. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to construct a prediction model by incorporating the features selected in the Lasso model. C-index, receiver operating characteristic curve, calibration plot, and decision curve were used to assess the accuracy of the model, to calibrate the model, and to determine the clinical usefulness of the model. Finally, we evaluated the prediction model for internal validation. RESULTS: The predictors included in the prediction nomogram were sex, age, gastrointestinal symptoms, hypertension, diabetes, operative method, intraoperative bleeding, blood transfusion, neutrophil count, prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST)/alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ratio (AST/ALT), and total bilirubin (TBIL). The model showed good discrimination with a C-index of 0.827, had good consistency based on the calibration curve, and had an area under the ROC curve value of 0.822 (P < 0.001, 95%confidence interval:0.761-0.882). A high C-index value of 0.894 was reached in internal validation. Decision curve analysis showed that the VTE nomogram was clinically useful when intervention was decided at the VTE possibility threshold of 10%. CONCLUSION: The novel model developed in this study is highly targeted and enables personalized assessment of VTE occurrence in patients who undergo PD. The predictors are easily accessible and facilitate the assessment of patients by clinical practitioners.