m6A epitranscriptomic and epigenetic crosstalk in cardiac fibrosis.

Cardiac fibrosis, a crucial pathological characteristic of various cardiac diseases, presents a significant treatment challenge. It involves the deposition of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and is influenced by genetic and epigenetic factors. Prior investigations have predominantly centered on delineating the substantial influence of epigenetic and epitranscriptomic mechanisms in driving the progression of fibrosis. Recent studies have illuminated additional avenues for modulating the progression of fibrosis, offering potential solutions to the challenging issues surrounding fibrosis treatment. In the context of cardiac fibrosis, an intricate interplay exists between m6A epitranscriptomic and epigenetics. This interplay governs various pathophysiological processes: mitochondrial dysfunction, mitochondrial fission, oxidative stress, autophagy, apoptosis, pyroptosis, ferroptosis, cell fate switching, and cell differentiation, all of which affect the advancement of cardiac fibrosis. In this comprehensive review, we meticulously analyze pertinent studies, emphasizing the interplay between m6A epitranscriptomics and partial epigenetics (including histone modifications and noncoding RNA), aiming to provide novel insights for cardiac fibrosis treatment.

Calycosin alleviates titanium particle-induced osteolysis by modulating macrophage polarization and subsequent osteogenic differentiation.

Periprosthetic osteolysis (PPO) caused by wear particles is one of the leading causes of implant failure after arthroplasty. Macrophage polarization imbalance and subsequent osteogenic inhibition play a crucial role in PPO. Calycosin (CA) is a compound with anti-inflammatory and osteoprotective properties. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of CA on titanium (Ti) particle-induced osteolysis, Ti particle-induced macrophage polarization and subsequent osteogenic deficits, and explore the associated signalling pathways in a Ti particle-stimulated calvarial osteolysis mouse model using micro-CT, ELISA, qRT-PCR, immunofluorescence and western blot techniques. The results showed that CA alleviated inflammation, osteogenic inhibition and osteolysis in the Ti particle-induced calvarial osteolysis mouse model in vivo. In vitro experiments showed that CA suppressed Ti-induced M1 macrophage polarization, promoted M2 macrophage polarization and ultimately enhanced osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells. In addition, CA alleviated osteogenic deficits by regulating macrophage polarization homeostasis via the NF-κB signalling pathway both in vivo and in vitro. All these findings suggest that CA may prove to be an effective therapeutic agent for wear particle-induced osteolysis.

Single-Nucleotide-Specific Lipidic Nanoflares for Precise and Visible Detection of KRAS Mutations via Toehold-Initiated Self-Priming DNA Polymerization.

Accurate identification of single-nucleotide mutations in circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is critical for cancer surveillance and cell biology research. However, achieving precise and sensitive detection of ctDNAs in complex physiological environments remains challenging due to their low expression and interference from numerous homologous species. This study introduces single-nucleotide-specific lipidic nanoflares designed for the precise and visible detection of ctDNA via toehold-initiated self-priming DNA polymerization (TPP). This system can be assembled from only a single cholesterol-conjugated multifunctional molecular beacon (MMB) via hydrophobicity-mediated aggregation. This results in a compact, high-density, and nick-hidden arrangement of MMBs on the surface of lipidic micelles, thereby enhancing their biostability and localized concentrations. The assay commences with the binding of frequently mutated regions of ctDNA to the MMB toehold domain. This domain is the proximal holding point for initiating the TPP-based strand-displacement reaction, which is the key step in enabling the discrimination of single-base mutations. We successfully detected a single-base mutation in ctDNA (KRAS G12D) in its wild-type gene (KRAS WT), which is one of the most frequently mutated ctDNAs. Notably, coexisting homologous species did not interfere with signal transduction, and small differences in these variations can be visualized by fluorescence imaging. The limit of detection was as low as 10 amol, with the system functioning well in physiological media. In particular, this system allowed us to resolve genetic mutations in the KRAS gene in colorectal cancer, suggesting its high potential in clinical diagnosis and personalized medicine.

CysModDB: a comprehensive platform with the integration of manually curated resources and analysis tools for cysteine posttranslational modifications.

The unique chemical reactivity of cysteine residues results in various posttranslational modifications (PTMs), which are implicated in regulating a range of fundamental biological processes. With the advent of chemical proteomics technology, thousands of cysteine PTM (CysPTM) sites have been identified from multiple species. A few CysPTM-based databases have been developed, but they mainly focus on data collection rather than various annotations and analytical integration. Here, we present a platform-dubbed CysModDB, integrated with the comprehensive CysPTM resources and analysis tools. CysModDB contains five parts: (1) 70 536 experimentally verified CysPTM sites with annotations of sample origin and enrichment techniques, (2) 21 654 modified proteins annotated with functional regions and structure information, (3) cross-references to external databases such as the protein-protein interactions database, (4) online computational tools for predicting CysPTM sites and (5) integrated analysis tools such as gene enrichment and investigation of sequence features. These parts are integrated using a customized graphic browser and a Basket. The browser uses graphs to represent the distribution of modified sites with different CysPTM types on protein sequences and mapping these sites to the protein structures and functional regions, which assists in exploring cross-talks between the modified sites and their potential effect on protein functions. The Basket connects proteins and CysPTM sites to the analysis tools. In summary, CysModDB is an integrated platform to facilitate the CysPTM research, freely accessible via https://cysmoddb.bioinfogo.org/.

Association between maternal cigarette smoking cessation and risk of preterm birth in Western New York.

BACKGROUND: Although many studies suggested the benefit of smoking cessation among pregnant women in reducing the risk of preterm birth (PTB), the timing of the effect of the cessation remains inconclusive. OBJECTIVES: To examine the association of trimester-specific smoking cessation behaviours with PTB risk. METHODS: We included 199,453 live births in Western New York between 2004 and 2018. Based on self-reported cigarette smoking during preconception and in each trimester, we created six mutually exclusive groups: non-smokers, quitters in each trimester, those who smoked throughout pregnancy, and inconsistent smokers. Risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using Poisson regression to examine the association between smoking cessation and PTB. Effect modification by illegal drug use, maternal age, race and ethnicity and pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) was investigated multiplicatively by ratio of relative risk and additively by relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI). RESULTS: Overall, 6.7% of women had a PTB; 14.1% smoked throughout pregnancy and 3.4%, 1.8% and 0.8% reported quitting smoking during the first, second and third trimesters, respectively. Compared to non-smokers, third-trimester cessation (RR 1.20, 95% CI 1.01, 1.43) and smoking throughout pregnancy (RR 1.27, 95% CI 1.21, 1.33) were associated with a higher PTB risk, while quitting smoking during the first or second trimester, or inconsistent smoking was not associated with PTB. A positive additive interaction was identified for maternal age and late smoking cessation or smoking throughout pregnancy on PTB risk (RERI 0.17, 95% CI 0.00, 0.36), and a negative interaction was observed for pre-pregnancy BMI ≥30 kg/m2 (ratio of relative risk 0.70, 95% CI 0.63, 0.78; RERI -0.42, 95% CI -0.56, -0.30). CONCLUSION: Compared to non-smokers, smoking throughout pregnancy and third-trimester smoking cessation are associated with an increased risk of PTB, while quitting before the third trimester may not increase PTB risk.

Efficient acid hydrolysis for compound-specific δ15N analysis of amino acids for determining trophic positions.

Compound-specific isotope analysis of nitrogen in amino acids (CSIA-AA, δ15NAA) has gained increasing popularity for elucidating energy flow within food chains and determining the trophic positions of various organisms. However, there is a lack of research on the impact of hydrolysis conditions, such as HCl concentration and hydrolysis time, on δ15NAA analysis in biota samples. In this study, we investigated two HCl concentrations (6 M and 12 M) and four hydrolysis times (2 h, 6 h, 12 h, and 24 h) for hydrolyzing and derivatizing AAs in reference materials (Tuna) and biological samples of little egret (n = 4), night heron (n = 4), sharpbelly (n = 4) and Algae (n = 1) using the n-pivaloyl-iso-propyl (NPIP) ester approach. A Dowex cation exchange resin was used to purify amino acids before derivatization. We then determined δ15NAA values using gas chromatography-combustion-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC-C-IRMS). The results revealed no significant differences (p > 0.05) in δ15NAA values among samples treated with different HCl concentrations or hydrolysis times, particularly for δ15NGlx (range: 21.0-23.5‰) and δ15NPhe (range: 4.3-5.4‰) in Tuna (12 M). Trophic positions (TPs) calculated based on δ15NAA at 2 h (little egret: 2.9 ± 0.1, night heron: 2.8 ± 0.1, sharpbelly: 2.0 ± 0.1 and Algae: 1.3 ± 0.2) were consistent with those at 24 h (3.1 ± 0.1, 2.8 ± 0.1, 2.2 ± 0.1 and 1.1 ± 0.1, respectively), suggesting that a 2-h hydrolysis time and a 6 M HCl concentration are efficient pretreatment conditions for determining δ15NAA and estimating TP. Compared to the currently used hydrolysis conditions (24 h, 6 M), the proposed conditions (2 h, 6 M) accelerated the δ15NAA assay, making it faster, more convenient, and more efficient. Further research is needed to simplify the operational processes and reduce the time costs, enabling more efficient applications of CSIA-AA.

Using live videography observation and Bayesian isotope mixing model to identify food composition and dietary contribution to inorganic mercury and methylmercury intake by songbird nestlings.

Mercury (Hg) exposure is increasing in terrestrial birds; however, studies on its sources are scarce. In the present study, we elucidated the food composition of green-backed tit nestlings from three urban forest parks (CPL, AHL, and LCG) using live videography observation (LVO). Furthermore, the daily dietary intakes of inorganic Hg (IHg) (MDIIHg) and methylmercury (MeHg) (MDIMeHg) were determined using the Bayesian isotope mixing model (BIMM) to uncover the nestlings' specific dietary Hg contribution. Both LVO and BIMM indicated that Lepidoptera (primarily caterpillar) constituted the primary food source for the nestlings in the three forests, accounting for approximately 60% of their diet in all three forest parks. The estimated MDI of Hg revealed that lepidopterans and spiders primarily contributed to IHg exposure, with a co-contribution ratio of 71.8%-97.7%. Unexpectedly, dietary MeHg was mostly derived from spiders; the highest contribution ratio of 93.6% was recorded at CPL, followed by another peak ratio of 92.9% at LCG. However, the dietary exposure was primarily IHg, accounting for 69.8% (AHL), 62.0% (LCG), and 61.3% (CPL) of the nestlings. Our study findings highlight the importance of dietary IHg transfer in evaluating the effects of Hg in nestlings. LVO, coupled with BIMM, is an effective tool for determining the food compositions of songbird nestlings and estimating the contribution of specific diets.

Research on Magnetic Field-Based Damage Detection Technology for Ferromagnetic Microwires.

Composite materials are frequently exposed to external factors during their operational service, resulting in internal structural damage which subsequently impacts their structural performance. This paper employs ferromagnetic materials for their sensitivity to magnetic field strength. By detecting variations in the magnetic field within the embedded ferromagnetic microwires of composite materials, the aim is to indirectly assess the health status of the composite materials. Firstly, a theoretical numerical model for magnetic field intensity at the crack site was established. Subsequently, a finite element model was employed to analyze the variations in the magnetic characteristics of ferromagnetic microwires at the crack site. Under different parameter conditions, the patterns of magnetic signals at the crack site were determined. The results indicate that with an increase in the angle between the external magnetic field and the crack, the fitted curve of the magnetic signal shows a linear increase. The distance between the peak and valley of the radial magnetic signal in the axial direction decreases, and the axial magnetic signal transitions from double-peak to single-peak. With the increase in crack depth, the fitted curve of the magnetic signal shows a linear increase, and the magnetic signal at the crack tip also exhibits a linear increase. An increase in crack width leads to a non-linear decrease in the fitted curve of the magnetic signal, and after reaching a certain width, the magnetic signal stabilizes. For two identical cracks at different distances, the magnetic signal exhibits a transition from a complete pattern to two complete patterns. With the increase in the external magnetic field, the magnetic signal shows a completely regular linear increase. By analyzing and calculating the variations in magnetic signals, the patterns of magnetic characteristics under the damaged state of ferromagnetic microwires were obtained. This serves as a basis for assessing whether they can continue in service and for evaluating the overall health status of composite materials.

A 6-Year Follow-up of a Chinese Child with Homozygous ß0-Thalaasemia and a Heterozygous KLF1 Mutation.

Patients with the genotype of ß0/ß0 for ß-thalassemia (ß-thal) usually behave as ß-thal major (ß-TM) phenotype which is transfusion-dependent. The pathophysiology of ß-thal is the imbalance between α/ß-globin chains. The degree of α/ß-globin imbalance can be reduced by the more effective synthesis of γ-globin chains, and increased Hb F levels, modifying clinical severity of ß-TM. We report a Chinese child who had homozygous ß0-thal and a heterozygous KLF1 mutation. The patient had a moderate anemia since 6 months old, keeping a baseline Hb value of 8.0-9.0 g/dL. She had normal development except for a short stature (3rd percentile) until 6 years old, when splenomegaly and facial bone deformities occurred. Although genetic alteration of KLF1 expression in ß0/ß0 patients can result in some degree of disease alleviation, our case shows that it is insufficient to ameliorate satisfactorily the presentation. This point should be borne in mind for physicians who provide the genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis to at-risk families.

A Conserved Intramolecular Ion-Pair Plays a Critical but Divergent Role in Regulation of Dimerization and Transport Function among the Monoamine Transporters.

The monoamine transporters, including the serotonin transporter (SERT), dopamine transporter (DAT), and norepinephrine transporter (NET), are the therapeutic targets for the treatment of many neuropsychiatric disorders. Despite significant progress in characterizing the structures and transport mechanisms of these transporters, the regulation of their transport functions through dimerization or oligomerization remains to be understood. In the present study, we identified a conserved intramolecular ion-pair at the third extracellular loop (EL3) connecting TM5 and TM6 that plays a critical but divergent role in the modulation of dimerization and transport functions among the monoamine transporters. The disruption of the ion-pair interactions by mutations induced a significant spontaneous cross-linking of a cysteine mutant of SERT and an increase in cell surface expression but with an impaired specific transport activity. On the other hand, similar mutations of the corresponding ion-pair residues in both DAT and NET resulted in an opposite effect on their oxidation-induced dimerization, cell surface expression, and transport function. Reversible biotinylation experiments indicated that the ion-pair mutations slowed down the internalization of SERT but stimulated the internalization of DAT. In addition, cysteine accessibility measurements for monitoring SERT conformational changes indicated that substitution of the ion-pair residues resulted in profound effects on the rate constants for cysteine modification in both the extracellular and cytoplasmatic substrate permeation pathways. Furthermore, molecular dynamics simulations showed that the ion-pair mutations increased the interfacial interactions in a SERT dimer but decreased it in a DAT dimer. Taken together, we propose that the transport function is modulated by the equilibrium between monomers and dimers on the cell surface, which is regulated by a potential compensatory mechanism but with different molecular solutions among the monoamine transporters. The present study provided new insights into the structural elements regulating the transport function of the monoamine transporters through their dimerization.

Efficacy and Safety of Adding Ketamine to Lidocaine in Intravenous Regional Anesthesia: A Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

PURPOSE: To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of adding ketamine (K) to lidocaine (L) for intravenous regional anesthesia (IVRA). DESIGN: A systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS: A comprehensive search of the Cochrane library, Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, and ProQuest databases, and the Google Scholar search engine was conducted from inception to March 2023. All retrieved articles were imported into Endnote X20 software and independently screened by two researchers according to predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The data were analyzed using Revman 5.4 software and the assessed outcomes included the time of sensory and motor block onset, time of sensory and motor block recovery, fentanyl consumption, time of tourniquet pain onset, intraoperative and postoperative visual analog scale scores, and complications. FINDINGS: A total of 532 patients from 11 randomized controlled trials were included in the meta-analysis. The results showed that the time of sensory (P < .00001) and motor block onset (P < .00001) were shorter in the L + K group than in the L-only group. The time of sensory (P = .01) and motor block recovery (P = .006) and time of tourniquet pain onset (P < .00001) were longer in the L + K group than in the L-only group. There was a significant reduction in fentanyl consumption (P = .0002) in the L + K group compared to the L-only group. Moreover, the visual analog scale scores in the L + K group were significantly lower than the L-only group 10 minutes (P = .04), 20 minutes (P = .0004), 30 minutes (P < .00001), and 40 minutes (P < .0001) after tourniquet inflation, and 5 minutes (P < .00001), 15 minutes (P = .04), 30 minutes (P = .008), 1 hour (P = .002), 2 hours (P < .00001), and 4 hours (P < .00001) after tourniquet deflation. There was no evidence that the use of K as an adjuvant in IVRA increased adverse effects. CONCLUSIONS: The addition of K to L in IVRA shortened the onset time, prolonged the block time, and reduced intraoperative and postoperative pain without increasing complications.

Impairment of intestinal barrier associated with the alternation of intestinal flora and its metabolites in cow's milk protein allergy.

Cow's milk protein allergy (CMPA), one of the most prevalent food allergies, seriously affects the growth and development of infants and children with the rising incidence and prevalence. The dysbiosis of intestinal flora acts to promote disease including allergic disease. Therefore, studying the role of intestinal flora in allergic diseases holds great promise for developing effective strategies to mitigate the risk of food allergies. This study aims to elucidate the role of disrupted intestinal flora and its metabolites in children with CMPA.16S rDNA sequence analysis was applied to characterize the changes in the composition of intestinal flora. The findings revealed heightened diversity of intestinal flora in CMPA, marked by decreased abundance of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes, and increased abundance of Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria. Furthermore, metabolite analysis identified a total of 1245 differential metabolites in children with CMPA compared to those in healthy children. Among these, 765 metabolites were down-regulated, while 480 were up-regulated. Notably, there were 10 negative differential metabolites identified as bile acids and derivatives, including second bile acids, such as deoxycholic acid, ursodeoxycholic acid and isoursodexycholic acid. The intestinal barrier was further analyzed and showed that the enterocytes proliferation and the expression of Claudin-1, Claudin-3 and MUC2 were down-regulated with the invasion of biofilm community members in the CMPA group. In summary, these findings provide compelling evidence that food allergies disrupt intestinal flora and its metabolites, consequently damaging the intestinal barrier's integrity to increase intestinal permeability and immune response.

METTL3 boosts mitochondrial fission and induces cardiac fibrosis by enhancing LncRNA GAS5 methylation.

Dysregulated mitochondrial metabolism occurs in several pathological processes characterized by cell proliferation and migration. Nonetheless, the role of mitochondrial fission is not well appreciated in cardiac fibrosis, which is accompanied by enhanced fibroblast proliferation and migration. We investigated the causes and consequences of mitochondrial fission in cardiac fibrosis using cultured cells, animal models, and clinical samples. Increased METTL3 expression caused excessive mitochondrial fission, resulting in the proliferation and migration of cardiac fibroblasts that lead to cardiac fibrosis. Knockdown of METTL3 suppressed mitochondrial fission, inhibiting fibroblast proliferation and migration for ameliorating cardiac fibrosis. Elevated METTL3 and N6-methyladenosine (m6A) levels were associated with low expression of long non-coding RNA GAS5. Mechanistically, METTL3-mediated m6A methylation of GAS5 induced its degradation, dependent of YTHDF2. GAS5 could interact with mitochondrial fission marker Drp1 directly; overexpression of GAS5 suppressed Drp1-mediated mitochondrial fission, inhibiting cardiac fibroblast proliferation and migration. Knockdown of GAS5 produced the opposite effect. Clinically, increased METTL3 and YTHDF2 levels corresponded with decreased GAS5 expression, increased m6A mRNA content and mitochondrial fission, and increased cardiac fibrosis in human heart tissue with atrial fibrillation. We describe a novel mechanism wherein METTL3 boosts mitochondrial fission, cardiac fibroblast proliferation, and fibroblast migration: METTL3 catalyzes m6A methylation of GAS5 methylation in a YTHDF2-dependent manner. Our findings provide insight into the development of preventative measures for cardiac fibrosis.

A review of the current research on in vivo and in vitro detection for alpha-synuclein: a biomarker of Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease is a health-threatening neurodegenerative disease of the elderly with clinical manifestations of motor and non-motor deficits such as tremor palsy and loss of smell. Alpha-synuclein (α-Syn) is the pathological basis of PD, it can abnormally aggregate into insoluble forms such as oligomers, fibrils, and plaques, causing degeneration of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra in the patient's brain and the formation of Lewy bodies (LBs) and Lewy neuritis (LN) inclusions. As a result, achieving α-Syn aggregate detection in the early stages of PD can effectively stop or delay the progression of the disease. In this paper, we provide a brief overview and analysis of the molecular structures and α-Syn in vivo and in vitro detection methods, such as mass spectrometry, antigen-antibody recognition, electrochemical sensors, and imaging techniques, intending to provide more technological support for detecting α-Syn early in the disease and intervening in the progression of Parkinson's disease.

Effects of Mindfulness-Based Elder Care (MBEC) on symptoms of depression and anxiety and spiritual well-being of institutionalized seniors with disabilities: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Despite the need to incorporate seniors from various settings into mindfulness-based empirical research, issues of geriatric frailties and non-compliance remain. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a mindfulness-based elder care (MBEC) program on mental health and spiritual well-being among seniors with disabilities in long-term care residential settings. METHODS: This single-blind, randomized controlled trial (RCT) randomly assigned seventy-seven participants into an MBEC group or control group of an eight-week MBEC program. Participants were assessed every four weeks at baseline (T0), mid-intervention (T1), post-intervention (T2) and follow-up (T3) using the Geriatric Depression Scale Short Form (GDS-SF), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and the Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS), respectively. RESULTS: Linear mixed model (LMM) showed that MBEC participants' mental health improved significantly after completing the intervention; compared with controls, the MBEC group exhibited significantly lower anxiety (state-anxiety at T2; trait-anxiety at T2 and T3) and fewer depressive symptoms. Spiritual well-being was also significantly enhanced compared to that in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: MBEC has positive effects on both mental health and spiritual well-being outcomes among seniors with disabilities. In long-term care facilities, seniors with abilities have the potential to adhere to and engage in activities of a mindfulness-based intervention. This low risk, easily accessible, and effective 8-week program is recommended to be integrated into regular long-term care institutional routines. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was registered with Clinical Trial Registry (ClinicalTrials.gov - U.S. National Library of Medicine #NCT05123261. Retrospectively registered on 07/04/2021.). The CONSORT 2010 guidelines were used in this study for properly reporting how the randomized trial was conducted.

Application of QF-PCR Technology Combined With Early Pregnancy Ultrasound in Prenatal Screening for Fetal Chromosomal Aneuploidy.

Context: Abnormalities in the meiosis process after sperm-egg union can cause fetal chromosome aneuploidy. The rate of birth defects and the mortality of fetuses with chromosome aneuploidy is significantly higher than that of fetuses with normal chromosomes. Both ultrasound and quantitative fluorescence polymerase chain reaction (QF-PCR) have limitations when used singly, but their combined use may provide better diagnoses. Objective: The study intended to investigate the value of QF-PCR combined with ultrasound in early pregnancy for prenatal screening for fetal chromosomal aneuploidy, to contribute to the improvement of prenatal examinations, ultimately enhancing the early detection and management of the aneuploidies. Design: The research team performed a retrospective study. Setting: The study took place at the Affiliated Dongguan Hospital at Southern Medical University in Dongguan, China. Participants: Participants were 1082 pregnant women who underwent an ultrasound examination in early pregnancy, 11 weeks to 13 + 6 weeks, at the hospital between January 2019 and January 2022. Outcome Measures: Using the results of participants' ultrasounds and QF-PCR testing, the research team used the gold standard, a chromosomal karyotype analysis, to evaluate the efficacy in diagnosing fetal chromosomal aneuploidies, of ultrasound alone, QF-PCR testing alone, and their combination. Results: Early-pregnancy ultrasound detected 15 abnormalities, of which seven were an abnormal thickness of the transparent layer of the neck, 22 were abnormal nasal bone, four were a fish-scale appearance of bilateral soles of the feet, and three were other abnormalities, such as an incomplete quadrant of the heart, gastroceles, or dilatation of the pelvis. No cases of missed or failed karyotype cultures occurred. The QF-PCR detected 21 abnormal fetuses, including six with trisomy 21 syndrome, two with trisomy 18 syndrome, one with trisomy 13 syndrome, and 11 with sex-chromosome abnormalities. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of QF-PCR in diagnosing fetal chromosomal aneuploidy were 85.7%, 99.81%, and 99.54%, respectively, and the Kappa value for its consistency with the gold standard was 0.88. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the ultrasound, combined with QF-PCR in diagnosing fetal chromosomal aneuploidy were 95.23%,99.71%, and 99.63%, respectively, and the Kappa value of combined tests' consistency with the gold standard was 0.91. Conclusion: QF-PCR combined with ultrasound in early pregnancy can effectively improve the accuracy of prenatal diagnosis of fetal chromosome aneuploidy, especially for high-risk pregnant women with a high, positive, predictive value, providing a feasible detection method for clinical practice.

Screening of Peptides that Specifically Binds to M3-M4 Extracellular Domain of Sodium Pump α1 Subunit and Analysis of Their Bioactivity In Vitro and In Vivo.

Interaction between ouabain (OUA) and Na+/K+-pump remains in the current focus of hypertension research. This study aimed to find an oligopeptide that would antagonize the inhibitory effect of endogenous OUA on Na+/K+-pump and examine its activity at the cellular and organism levels. To this end, Phage Random 12 Peptide Library was employed to screen for specific polypeptide ligands that interact with M3-M4 extracellular domain of Na+/K+-pump α1 subunit known as OUA-binding site. Synthetic sequence ILEYTWLEAGGGS of extracellular domain M3-M4 of Na+/K+-pump α1 subunit was used as the target. The phage positive clones were screened and identified using the phage library and double sandwich ELISA. DNA was extracted and sequenced to synthesize 3 peptide ligands to Na+/K+-pump: P-A, P-B, and P-C. We also studied the effects of the short peptide with the highest potency for countering OUA on proliferation and apoptosis of EA.hy926 vascular endothelial cells and on systolic BP in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). The effect of peptide P-A on proliferation (stimulation with physiological concentrations of OUA) and on apoptosis (stimulation with OUA in high concentrations) of EA.hy926 vascular endothelial cells was assessed by the MTT test and flow cytometry, respectively. In SHR rats, intravenous injection of P-A decreased systolic BP. Oligopeptide P-A competitively antagonized the inhibitory action of OUA on Na+/K+-pump, OUA-induced proliferation, and OUA-provoked apoptosis of cultured EA.hy926 cells. Our findings open vista for the emergence of novel hypertensive drugs.

Micro-Nanocarriers Based Drug Delivery Technology for Blood-Brain Barrier Crossing and Brain Tumor Targeting Therapy.

The greatest obstacle to using drugs to treat brain tumors is the blood-brain barrier (BBB), making it difficult for conventional drug molecules to enter the brain. Therefore, how to safely and effectively penetrate the BBB to achieve targeted drug delivery to brain tumors has been a challenging research problem. With the intensive research in micro- and nanotechnology in recent years, nano drug-targeted delivery technologies have shown great potential to overcome this challenge, such as inorganic nanocarriers, organic polymer-carriers, liposomes, and biobased carriers, which can be designed in different sizes, shapes, and surface functional groups to enhance their ability to penetrate the BBB and targeted drug delivery for brain tumors. In this review, the composition and overcoming patterns of the BBB are detailed, and then the hot research topics of drug delivery carriers for brain tumors in recent years are summarized, and their mechanisms of action on the BBB and the factors affecting drug delivery are described in detail, and the effectiveness of targeted therapy for brain tumors is evaluated. Finally, the challenges and dilemmas in developing brain tumor drug delivery systems are discussed, which will be promising in the future for targeted drug delivery to brain tumors based on micro-nanocarriers technology.

Triglyceride-glucose index as a marker in cardiovascular diseases: landscape and limitations.

The triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index has been identified as a reliable alternative biomarker of insulin resistance (IR). Recently, a considerable number of studies have provided robust statistical evidence suggesting that the TyG index is associated with the development and prognosis of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Nevertheless, the application of the TyG index as a marker of CVD has not systemically been evaluated, and even less information exists regarding the underlying mechanisms associated with CVD. To this end, in this review, we summarize the history of the use of the TyG index as a surrogate marker for IR. We aimed to highlight the application value of the TyG index for a variety of CVD types and to explore the potential limitations of using this index as a predictor for cardiovascular events to improve its application value for CVD and provide more extensive and precise supporting evidence.

Inhibition of GABA interneurons in the mPFC is sufficient and necessary for rapid antidepressant responses.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with alterations of GABAergic interneurons, notably somatostatin (Sst) as well as parvalbumin (Pvalb), in cortical brain areas. In addition, the antidepressant effects of rapid-acting drugs are thought to occur via inhibition of GABA interneurons. However, the impact of these interneuron subtypes in affective behaviors as well as in the effects of rapid-acting antidepressants remains to be determined. Here, we used a Cre-dependent DREADD-chemogenetic approach to determine if inhibition of GABA interneurons in the mPFC of male mice is sufficient to produce antidepressant actions, and conversely if activation of these interneurons blocks the rapid and sustained antidepressant effects of scopolamine, a nonselective acetylcholine muscarinic receptor antagonist. Chemogenetic inhibition of all GABA interneurons (Gad1+), as well as Sst+ and Pvalb+ subtypes in the mPFC produced dose and time-dependent antidepressant effects in the forced swim and novelty suppressed feeding tests, and increased synaptic plasticity. In contrast, stimulation of Gad1, Sst, or Pvalb interneurons in mPFC abolished the effects of scopolamine and prevented scopolamine induction of synaptic plasticity. The results demonstrate that transient inhibition of GABA interneurons promotes synaptic plasticity that underlies rapid antidepressant responses.