Effect of psychological nursing intervention on anxiety level and quality of life in patients with gastrointestinal peptic ulcer.

BACKGROUND: Peptic ulcer is a common gastrointestinal disease, and psychological intervention has an important influence on its occurrence and development. AIM: To investigate the effect of psychological nursing intervention on the anxiety level and quality of life of patients with gastrointestinal peptic ulcers. METHODS: Two groups of patients with peptic ulcer were selected from January to December 2012, with 60 cases in each group, and psychological nursing intervention and routine treatment were respectively performed. Psychological nursing interventions include cognitive behavioral therapy, psychological support and relaxation training. Self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) and quality of life questionnaire were used to evaluate the anxiety level and quality of life of patients before, during and after treatment. RESULTS: The SAS scores of the experimental group significantly decreased over the course of treatment, from 52.3 before treatment to 30.5 after treatment, while SAS scores of the control group did not change significantly. Meanwhile, the experimental group's quality of life score (SF-36) significantly improved over the course of treatment, from 65.2 to 85.2, while the control group remained stable. Further analysis showed that sex and age had no significant influence on the effect of psychotherapy. Both men and women, young and old, showed similar trends in anxiety relief and improved quality of life after treatment. CONCLUSION: Psychological nursing-based intervention program has a positive effect on the anxiety level and quality of life of patients with gastrointestinal peptic ulcer.

Causal relationship between IgA nephropathy and common neuropsychiatric disorders: A two-sample mendelian randomization analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Utilizing two-sample Mendelian randomization (TSMR), this study seeks to determine the causal relationship between IgA nephropathy and five prevalent neuropsychiatric disorders. By exploring the genetic associations between IgA nephropathy and neuropsychiatric disorders, this research aims to contribute to the prevention of neuropsychiatric disorders in patients with IgA nephropathy. METHODS: Public genome-wide association study databases were searched, with IgA nephropathy as the exposure factor, including 15,587 patients with IgA nephropathy and 462,197 healthy controls. The outcome factors were five common neuropsychiatric disorders (bipolar disorder, depressive disorder, schizophrenia, anorexia nervosa, and Alzheimer's disease), with outcome data drawn from five datasets in the PGC and GWAScatalog databases. Inverse-variance weighting served as the primary method for causal effect estimation, supplemented by MR-Egger, weighted median, weighted mode, and simple mode methods. Heterogeneity was tested using Cochran's Q test, and sensitivity analysis was conducted using MR-Egger and MR-presso. RESULTS: MR analysis indicated a positive causal relationship between IgA nephropathy and depressive disorder (OR = 1.010, 95%CI: 1.003-1.017, P = 3.27 × 10-3), and a potential positive causal relationship between IgA nephropathy and anorexia nervosa (OR = 1.165, 95%CI: 1.030-1.319, P = 0.015). CONCLUSION: There is a positive causal relationship between IgA nephropathy and depressive disorder, and a potential positive causal relationship with anorexia nervosa. No causal relationship was found with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or Alzheimer's disease.

Gender-specific microbial signatures in saliva: Unveiling the association between the oral microbiome and the pathogenesis of glioma.

The intricate interplay between the human oral microbiome and systemic health is increasingly being recognized, particularly in the context of central nervous system pathologies such as glioblastoma. In this study, we aimed to elucidate gender-specific differences in the salivary microbiome of glioma patients by utilizing 16S rRNA sequencing data from publicly available salivary microbiome datasets. We conducted comprehensive bioinformatics analysis, encompassing quality control, noise reduction, species classification, and microbial community composition analysis at various taxonomic levels. Machine learning algorithms were employed to identify microbial signatures associated with glioma. When compared to healthy controls, our analysis revealed distinct differences in the salivary microbiota of glioma patients. Notably, the genera Leptotrichia and Atopobium exhibited significant variations in abundance between genders. Leptotrichia was prevalent in healthy females but exhibited a reduced abundance in female glioma patients. In contrast, Atopobium was more abundant in male glioma patients. These findings suggest that hormonal influences might play a role in shaping the salivary microbiome and its association with glioma. We utilized a combination of LASSO-logistic regression and random forest models for feature selection, and identified key microbial features that differentiated glioma patients from healthy controls. We developed a diagnostic model with high predictive accuracy and area under the curve and principal component analysis metrics confirmed its robustness. The analysis of microbial markers, including Atopobium and Leptotrichia, highlighted the potential of the salivary microbiota as a non-invasive biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of glioma. Our findings highlight significant gender-specific disparities in the salivary microbiome of patients with glioma, offering new insights into the pathogenesis of glioma and paving the way for innovative diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. The use of saliva as a diagnostic fluid, given its ease of collection and non-invasive nature, holds immense promise for monitoring systemic health and the trajectory of disease. Future research should focus on investigating the underlying mechanisms by which the salivary microbiome influences the development of glioma and identifying potential microbiome-targeted therapies to enhance the management of glioma.

The correlation between single and mixed trace elements exposure in systemic lupus erythematosus: A case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have shown an association between trace elements and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), but the relationship between trace elements and SLE is still unclear. This study aims to determine the distribution of plasma trace elements in newly diagnosed SLE patients and the association between these essential and toxic element mixtures and SLE. METHODS: In total, 110 SLE patients and 110 healthy controls were included. Blood samples were collected. 15 plasma trace elements were quantified using an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). Multivariate logistic regression, restricted cubic spline (RCS), weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression, quantile g-computation (qgcomp), and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) are used to analyze the association between single and mixed exposure of elements and SLE. RESULTS: The logistic regression model shows that, plasma lithium (Li) [OR (95 % CI): 1.963 (1.49-2.586)], vanadium (V) [OR (95 % CI): 2.617(1.645-4.166)] and lead (Pb) [OR (95 % CI): 1.603(1.197-2.145)] were positively correlated with SLE, while selenium (Se) [OR (95 % CI): 0.055(0.019-0.157)] and barium (Ba) [OR (95 % CI): 0.792(0.656-0.957)] had been identified as protective factors for SLE. RCS results showed a non-linear correlation between the elements Li, V, Ni, copper, Se, rubidium and SLE. In addition, WQS regression, qgcomp, and BKMR models consistently revealed significant positive effects of plasma Li and Pb on SLE, as well as significant negative effects of plasma Se. CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to heavy metals such as Li and Pb is significantly positively correlated with SLE, but Se may be protective factors for SLE. In addition, there is a nonlinear correlation between the elements Li and Se and SLE, and there are complex interactions between the elements. In the future, larger populations and prospective studies are needed to confirm these associations.

Effects of the combination of biochar and organic fertilizer on soil properties and agronomic attributes of soybean (Glycine max L.).

This research aimed to investigate the impacts of a combination of rice husk biochar and organic fertilizer on the physical and chemical properties of soil, the population of soil bacteria, the relative chlorophyll content of leaves, the development of soybean root nodules, and yield components under strongly acid soil conditions. A greenhouse and pot experiment was designed using a randomize complete block design with factorial 2 × 3 treatments and three replications. The experimental treatments comprised two rates of biochar (35 and 70 g/pot) and three rates of organic fertilizer (70, 105, and 140 g/pot). After 100 days of amendment of strongly acidic soils, the results showed that application of treatments B35F70 and B70F140 increased soil pH by 16.80% compared to the control group (CK). On the other hand, treatments B35F140 and B70F105 resulted in an increase of soil electrical conductivity by 66.67% compared to CK. In addition, after 100 days of amendment with treatments B35F105, B35F105, B35F140, B70F105, B70F70, B70F70, and B35F140, organic matter, available phosphorous (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn), organic matter, available phosphorous (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn), significantly increased when compared to the control group (CK). Treatment B35F140 increased relative leaf chlorophyll content and soybean seed weight per plant by 60.76% and 100.56%, respectively when compared to the CK. Furthermore, treatment B35F70 produced 125% more root nodules than CK. Moreover, each amended strongly acid soil resulted with a significant upsurge in total soil bacteria compared to the CK. Overall, statistics proved that a combination of biochar and organic fertilizer improved soil properties and soybean agronomic attributes.

The impact of depression on platelet activation, cardiocerebral vascular events and arteriovenous fistula dysfunction in patients undergoing haemodialysis.

Depression is a common psychiatric disorder among patients undergoing maintenance haemodialysis (MHD). Depression may reportedly contribute to poor prognosis in several ways, including its effects on platelet function. We hypothesised that depression contributes to the occurrence of cardiocerebral vascular events (CCVE) and dysfunction of arteriovenous fistula (DAVF) in patients undergoing MHD through its effects on platelets. In this prospective cohort study, patients undergoing MHD were recruited and divided into depression and non-depression groups according to their Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) scores. The 286 enrolled patients had 103 occurrences of depressive symptoms (prevalence = 36.01%). Compared with the non-depression group, depression group had a significantly higher cumulative prevalence of CCVE and DAVF during follow-up. Cox regression analysis indicated that higher HAMD scores and lower plasma platelet distribution width (PDW) were common risk factors for CCVE and DAVF. Furthermore, HAMD scores were significantly negatively correlated with plasma PDW and was the main variable affecting changes in PDW, as indicated by multiple linear regression analysis. Depression may increase the risk of CCVE and DAVF in patients undergoing MHD by activating platelets. Plasma PDW may be a convenient indicator of platelet activation status and may predict the risk of CCVE and DAVF.

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation activity in China 2022-2023. The proportions of peripheral blood for stem cell source continue to grow: a report from the Chinese Blood and Marrow Transplantation Registry Group.

Over past two years, a total of 39,918 hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) cases were reported, with 18,194 and 21,714 transplants performed in 2022 and 2023, respectively. Autologous HSCT accounted for 6562 cases (31%) in 2022, while allogeneic HSCT comprised 12,632 cases (69%). In 2023, the number of allogeneic HSCTs exceeded 15,000, maintaining a 69% share. Participation in the 2022 and 2023 surveys included 193 and 212 transplantation teams, respectively, from 27 provinces, municipalities, or autonomous regions. The leading indication of HSCT was acute leukemia, including acute myeloid leukemia (AML), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and mixed phenotype acute leukemia, with a total of 17,421 cases. AML was the most common disease (10,339, 38%) for allogeneic HSCT, which was followed by ALL (5925 cases, 21%). Peripheral blood emerged as the primary source of stem cell grafts, utilized in 54% of matched sibling donor transplants and 77% of haploidentical donor transplants. The BuCy-based conditioning regimen was the most prevalent, used in 53% of allogeneic HSCT cases in the past two years. This survey offers a comprehensive overview of the current HSCT landscape and serves as a valuable resource for clinical practice.

Acarbose enhances the efficacy of immunotherapy against solid tumours by modulating the gut microbiota.

The crucial role of gut microbiota in shaping immunotherapy outcomes has prompted investigations into potential modulators. Here we show that oral administration of acarbose significantly increases the anti-tumour response to anti-PD-1 therapy in female tumour-bearing mice. Acarbose modulates the gut microbiota composition and tryptophan metabolism, thereby contributing to changes in chemokine expression and increased T cell infiltration within tumours. We identify CD8+ T cells as pivotal components determining the efficacy of the combined therapy. Further experiments reveal that acarbose promotes CD8+ T cell recruitment through the CXCL10-CXCR3 pathway. Faecal microbiota transplantation and gut microbiota depletion assays indicate that the effects of acarbose are dependent on the gut microbiota. Specifically, acarbose enhances the efficacy of anti-PD-1 therapy via the tryptophan catabolite indoleacetate, which promotes CXCL10 expression and thus facilitates CD8+ T cell recruitment, sensitizing tumours to anti-PD-1 therapy. The bacterial species Bifidobacterium infantis, which is enriched by acarbose, also improves response to anti-PD-1 therapy. Together, our study endorses the potential combination of acarbose and anti-PD-1 for cancer immunotherapy.

Impact of human papillomavirus and coinfection with other sexually transmitted pathogens on male infertility.

This study primarily aimed to investigate the prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) and other common pathogens of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in spermatozoa of infertile men and their effects on semen parameters. These pathogens included Ureaplasma urealyticum, Ureaplasma parvum, Chlamydia trachomatis, Mycoplasma genitalium, herpes simplex virus 2, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus agalactiae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus. A total of 1951 men of infertile couples were recruited between 23 March 2023, and 17 May 2023, at the Department of Reproductive Medicine of The First People's Hospital of Yunnan Province (Kunming, China). Multiplex polymerase chain reaction and capillary electrophoresis were used for HPV genotyping. Polymerase chain reaction and electrophoresis were also used to detect the presence of other STIs. The overall prevalence of HPV infection was 12.4%. The top five prevalent HPV subtypes were types 56, 52, 43, 16, and 53 among those tested positive for HPV. Other common infections with high prevalence rates were Ureaplasma urealyticum (28.3%), Ureaplasma parvum (20.4%), and Enterococcus faecalis (9.5%). The prevalence rates of HPV coinfection with Ureaplasma urealyticum, Ureaplasma parvum, Chlamydia trachomatis, Mycoplasma genitalium, herpes simplex virus 2, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus agalactiae, and Staphylococcus aureus were 24.8%, 25.4%, 10.6%, 6.4%, 2.4%, 7.9%, 5.9%, 0.9%, and 1.3%, respectively. The semen volume and total sperm count were greatly decreased by HPV infection alone. Coinfection with HPV and Ureaplasma urealyticum significantly reduced sperm motility and viability. Our study shows that coinfection with STIs is highly prevalent in the semen of infertile men and that coinfection with pathogens can seriously affect semen parameters, emphasizing the necessity of semen screening for STIs.

An innovative mixture sampling strategy with uniform design: Application to global sensitivity analysis of mixture toxicity.

Global sensitivity analysis combined with quantitative high-throughput screening (GSA-qHTS) uses random starting points of the trajectories in mixture design, which may lead to potential contingency and a lack of representativeness. Moreover, a scenario in which all factor levels were at stimulatory effects was not considered, thereby hindering a comprehensive understanding of GSA-qHTS. Accordingly, this study innovatively introduced an optimised experimental design, uniform design (UD), to generate non-random and representative sample points with smaller uniformity deviation as starting points of multiple trajectories. By combining UD with the previously optimised one-factor-at-a-time (OAT) method, a novel mixture design method was developed (UD-OAT). The single toxicity tests showed that three pyridinium and five imidazolium ionic liquids (ILs) exerted stimulatory effects on Vibrio qinghaiensis sp.-Q67; thus, four stimulatory effective concentrations of each IL were selected as factor levels. The UD-OAT generated 108 mixture samples with equal frequency and without repetition. High-throughput microplate toxicity analysis revealed that all 108 mixtures exhibited inhibitory effects. Among these, type B mixtures exhibited increasing toxicities that subsequently decreased, unlike type C mixtures, which consistently increased over time. GSA successfully identified three of the eight ILs as important factors influencing the toxicities of the mixtures. When individual ILs produced stimulatory effects, mixtures containing two to three ILs exhibited either stimulatory effects or none. In contrast, mixtures containing five to eight ILs exhibited inhibitory effects, while those containing four ILs showed a transition from stimulatory to inhibitory effects. This study provides a novel mixture design method for studying mixture toxicity and fills the application gap of GSA-qHTS. The phenomenon of individuals being beneficial while mixtures can be harmful challenges traditional mixture risk assessments.

Red nucleus mGluR2 but not mGluR3 mediates inhibitory effect in the development of SNI-induced neuropathological pain by suppressing the expressions of TNF-α and IL-1ß.

Our previous study has verified that activation of group Ⅰ metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRⅠ) in the red nucleus (RN) facilitate the development of neuropathological pain. Here, we further discussed the functions and possible molecular mechanisms of red nucleus mGluR Ⅱ (mGluR2 and mGluR3) in the development of neuropathological pain induced by spared nerve injury (SNI). Our results showed that mGluR2 and mGluR3 both were constitutively expressed in the RN of normal rats. At 2 weeks post-SNI, the protein expression of mGluR2 rather than mGluR3 was significantly reduced in the RN contralateral to the nerve lesion. Injection of mGluR2/3 agonist LY379268 into the RN contralateral to the nerve injury at 2 weeks post-SNI significantly attenuated SNI-induced neuropathological pain, this effect was reversed by mGluR2/3 antagonist EGLU instead of selective mGluR3 antagonist ß-NAAG. Intrarubral injection of LY379268 did not alter the PWT of contralateral hindpaw in normal rats, while intrarubral injection of EGLU rather than ß-NAAG provoked a significant mechanical allodynia. Further studies indicated that the expressions of nociceptive factors TNF-α and IL-1ß in the RN were enhanced at 2 weeks post-SNI. Intrarubral injection of LY379268 at 2 weeks post-SNI significantly suppressed the overexpressions of TNF-α and IL-1ß, these effects were reversed by EGLU instead of ß-NAAG. Intrarubral injection of LY379268 did not influence the protein expressions of TNF-α and IL-1ß in normal rats, while intrarubral injection of EGLU rather than ß-NAAG significantly boosted the expressions of TNF-α and IL-1ß. These findings suggest that red nucleus mGluR2 but not mGluR3 mediates inhibitory effect in the development of SNI-induced neuropathological pain by suppressing the expressions of TNF-α and IL-1ß. mGluR Ⅱ may be potential targets for drug development and clinical treatment of neuropathological pain.

Cadmium causes cerebral mitochondrial dysfunction through regulating mitochondrial HSF1.

Mitochondria, as the powerhouse of the cell, play a vital role in maintaining cellular energy homeostasis and are known to be a primary target of cadmium (Cd) toxicity. The improper targeting of proteins to mitochondria can compromise the normal functions of the mitochondria. However, the precise mechanism by which protein localization contributes to the development of mitochondrial dysfunction induced by Cd is still not fully understood. For this research, Hy-Line white variety chicks (1-day-old) were used and equally distributed into 4 groups: the Control group (fed with a basic diet), the Cd35 group (basic diet with 35 mg/kg CdCl2), the Cd70 group (basic diet with 70 mg/kg CdCl2) and the Cd140 group (basic diet with 140 mg/kg CdCl2), respectively for 90 days. It was found that Cd caused the accumulation of heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) in the mitochondria, and the overexpression of HSF1 in the mitochondria led to mitochondrial dysfunction and neuronal damage. This process is due to the mitochondrial HSF1 (mtHSF1), causing mitochondrial fission through the upregulation of dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1) content, while inhibiting oligomer formation of single-stranded DNA-binding protein 1 (SSBP1), resulting in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) deletion. The findings unveil an unforeseen role of HSF1 in triggering mitochondrial dysfunction.

A genome-wide methylation analysis of Chinese Han patients with chronic insomnia disorder.

BACKGROUND: As the most common sleep disorder, chronic insomnia disorder (CID) has become a global health burden to the public. However, it remains unclear about the pathogenesis of this disease. Epigenetic changes may provide important insights into the gene-environment interaction in CID. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the DNA methylation pattern in CID and reveal the epigenetic mechanism of this disease. METHODS: In this study, whole blood DNA was extracted from 8 CID patients (the CID group) and 8 healthy controls (the control group), respectively. Besides, genome-wide DNA methylation was detected by Illumina Human Methylation 850 K Beadchip. Moreover, the sleep quality and insomnia severity were evaluated by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), respectively. RESULTS: A total of 369 differentially methylated positions (DMPs) and 23 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) were identified between the CID and control groups. LHX6 was identified as the most important differentially methylated gene (DMG). The Gene Ontology (GO) analysis results corroborated that DMPs were significantly enriched in 105 GO terms, including cell signaling, homogenous cell adhesion of plasma membrane adhesion molecules, nervous system development, cell adhesion, and calcium ion binding. In addition, it was demonstrated that DMPs were significantly enriched in the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways, including the hippo signaling pathway, Ras signaling pathway, and vitamin B6 metabolism. The DMR-related GO analysis results revealed the positive regulation of protein kinase activities. CONCLUSIONS: DNA methylation plays a critical role in the development of CID, and LHX6 is validated to be an important DMG.

In vivo pharmacokinetics of ginsenoside compound K mediated by gut microbiota.

Ginsenoside Compound K (GCK) is the main metabolite of natural protopanaxadiol ginsenosides with diverse pharmacological effects. Gut microbiota contributes to the biotransformation of GCK, while the effect of gut microbiota on the pharmacokinetics of GCK in vivo remains unclear. To illustrate the role of gut microbiota in GCK metabolism in vivo, a systematic investigation of the pharmacokinetics of GCK in specific pathogen free (SPF) and pseudo-germ-free (pseudo-GF) rats were conducted. Pseudo-GF rats were treated with non-absorbable antibiotics. Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was validated for the quantification of GCK in rat plasma. Compared with SPF rats, the plasma concentration of GCK significantly increased after the gut microbiota depleted. The results showed that GCK absorption slowed down, Tmax delayed by 3.5 h, AUC0-11 increased by 1.3 times, CLz/F decreased by 0.6 times in pseudo-GF rats, and Cmax was 1.6 times higher than that of normal rats. The data indicated that gut microbiota played an important role in the pharmacokinetics of GCK in vivo.

Accuracy of cell-free Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA testing in pleural effusion for diagnosing tuberculous pleurisy: a multicenter cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The diagnosis of tuberculous pleurisy (TP) presents a significant challenge due to the low bacterial load in pleural effusion (PE) samples. Cell-free Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA (cf-TB) in PE samples is considered an optimal biomarker for diagnosing TP. This study aimed to evaluate the applicability of cf-TB testing across diverse research sites with a relatively large sample size. METHODS: Patients suspected of TP and presenting with clinical symptoms and radiological evidence of PE were consecutively enrolled by treating physicians from 11 research sites across 6 provinces in China between April 2020 and August 2022. Following centrifugation, sediments obtained from PE were used for Xpert MTB/RIF (Xpert) and mycobacterial culture, while the supernatants were subjected to cf-TB testing. This study employed a composite reference standard to definite TP, which was characterized by any positive result for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) through either PE culture, PE Xpert, or pleural biopsy. RESULTS: A total of 1412 participants underwent screening, and 1344 (95.2%) were subsequently enrolled in this study. Data from 1241 (92.3%) participants were included, comprising 284 with definite TP, 677 with clinically diagnosed TP, and 280 without TP. The sensitivity of cf-TB testing in definite TP was 73.6% (95% CI 68.2-78.4), significantly higher than both Xpert (40.8%, 95% CI 35.3-46.7, P < 0.001) and mycobacterial culture (54.2%, 95% CI 48.4-59.9, P < 0.001). When clinically diagnosed TP was incorporated into the composite reference standard for sensitivity analysis, cf-TB testing showed a sensitivity of 46.8% (450/961, 95% CI 43.7-50.0), significantly higher than both Xpert (116/961, 12.1%, 95% CI 10.2-14.3, P < 0.001) and mycobacterial culture (154/961, 16.0%, 95% CI 13.8-18.5, P < 0.001). The specificities of cf-TB testing, Xpert, and mycobacterial culture were all 100.0%. CONCLUSIONS: The performance of cf-TB testing is significantly superior to that of Xpert and mycobacterial culture methods, indicating that it can be considered as the primary diagnostic approach for improving TP detection. Trial registration The trial was registered on Chictr.org.cn (ChiCTR2000031680, https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=49316 ).

Identification of a Hippocampus-to-Zona Incerta Projection involved in Motor Learning.

Motor learning (ML), which plays a fundamental role in growth and physical rehabilitation, involves different stages of learning and memory processes through different brain regions. However, the neural mechanisms that underlie ML are not sufficiently understood. Here, a previously unreported neuronal projection from the dorsal hippocampus (dHPC) to the zona incerta (ZI) involved in the regulation of ML behaviors is identified. Using recombinant adeno-associated virus, the projections to the ZI are surprisingly identified as originating from the dorsal dentate gyrus (DG) and CA1 subregions of the dHPC. Furthermore, projection-specific chemogenetic and optogenetic manipulation reveals that the projections from the dorsal CA1 to the ZI play key roles in the acquisition and consolidation of ML behaviors, whereas the projections from the dorsal DG to the ZI mediate the retrieval/retention of ML behaviors. The results reveal new projections from the dorsal DG and dorsal CA1 to the ZI involved in the regulation of ML and provide insight into the stages over which this regulation occurs.

The intratumoral microbiota biomarkers for predicting survival and efficacy of immunotherapy in patients with ovarian serous cystadenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Ovarian serous cystadenocarcinoma, accounting for about 90% of ovarian cancers, is frequently diagnosed at advanced stages, leading to suboptimal treatment outcomes. Given the malignant nature of the disease, effective biomarkers for accurate prediction and personalized treatment remain an urgent clinical need. METHODS: In this study, we analyzed the microbial contents of 453 ovarian serous cystadenocarcinoma and 68 adjacent non-cancerous samples. A univariate Cox regression model was used to identify microorganisms significantly associated with survival and a prognostic risk score model constructed using LASSO Cox regression analysis. Patients were subsequently categorized into high-risk and low-risk groups based on their risk scores. RESULTS: Survival analysis revealed that patients in the low-risk group had a higher overall survival rate. A nomogram was constructed for easy visualization of the prognostic model. Analysis of immune cell infiltration and immune checkpoint gene expression in both groups showed that both parameters were positively correlated with the risk level, indicating an increased immune response in higher risk groups. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that microbial profiles in ovarian serous cystadenocarcinoma may serve as viable clinical prognostic indicators. This study provides novel insights into the potential impact of intratumoral microbial communities on disease prognosis and opens avenues for future therapeutic interventions targeting these microorganisms.

Phenotypic characteristics of the mycelium of Pleurotus geesteranus using image recognition technology.

Phenotypic analysis has significant potential for aiding breeding efforts. However, there is a notable lack of studies utilizing phenotypic analysis in the field of edible fungi. Pleurotus geesteranus is a lucrative edible fungus with significant market demand and substantial industrial output, and early-stage phenotypic analysis of Pleurotus geesteranus is imperative during its breeding process. This study utilizes image recognition technology to investigate the phenotypic features of the mycelium of P. geesteranus. We aim to establish the relations between these phenotypic characteristics and mycelial quality. Four groups of mycelia, namely, the non-degraded and degraded mycelium and the 5th and 14th subcultures, are used as image sources. Two categories of phenotypic metrics, outline and texture, are quantitatively calculated and analyzed. In the outline features of the mycelium, five indexes, namely, mycelial perimeter, radius, area, growth rate, and change speed, are proposed to demonstrate mycelial growth. In the texture features of the mycelium, five indexes, namely, mycelial coverage, roundness, groove depth, density, and density change, are studied to analyze the phenotypic characteristics of the mycelium. Moreover, we also compared the cellulase and laccase activities of the mycelium and found that cellulase level was consistent with the phenotypic indices of the mycelium, which further verified the accuracy of digital image processing technology in analyzing the phenotypic characteristics of the mycelium. The results indicate that there are significant differences in these 10 phenotypic characteristic indices ( P < 0.001 ), elucidating a close relationship between phenotypic characteristics and mycelial quality. This conclusion facilitates rapid and accurate strain selection in the early breeding stage of P. geesteranus.

Correlation between viral infections in male semen and infertility: a literature review.

Infertility affects approximately one-sixth of couples globally, with the incidence of male infertility steadily increasing. However, our understanding of the impact of viral infections on fertility remains limited. This review consolidates findings from previous studies, outlining 40 viruses identified in human semen and summarizing their key characteristics, modes of transmission, and their effects on both the reproductive and endocrine systems. Furthermore, it elucidates potential pathogenic mechanisms and treatment prospects of viruses strongly associated with male infertility. This synthesis will enhance our comprehension of how viral infections influence male reproductive health, offering valuable insights for future research as well as the diagnosis and treatment of infectious infertility.

Derivation of water quality criteria for paraquat, bisphenol A and carbamazepine using quantitative structure-activity relationship and species sensitivity distribution (QSAR-SSD).

The risk assessment of an expanding array of emerging contaminants in aquatic ecosystems and the establishment of water quality criteria rely on species sensitivity distribution (SSD), necessitating ample multi-trophic toxicity data. Computational methods, such as quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR), enable the prediction of specific toxicity data, thus mitigating the need for costly experimental testing and exposure risk assessment. In this study, robust QSAR models for four aquatic species (Rana pipiens, Crassostrea virginica, Asellus aquaticus, and Lepomis macrochirus) were developed using leave-one-out (LOO) screening variables and the partial least squares algorithm to predict toxicity data for paraquat, bisphenol A, and carbamazepine. These predicted data can be integrated with experimental data to construct SSD models and derive hazardous concentration for 5 % of species (HC5) for the criterion maximum concentration. The chronic water quality criterion for paraquat, bisphenol A, and carbamazepine were determined at 6.7, 11.1, and 3.5 µg/L, respectively. The QSAR-SSD approach presents a viable and cost-effective method for deriving water quality criteria for other emerging contaminants.