Pathways to motherhood: A single-center retrospective study on fertility preservation and reproductive outcomes in patients with breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer treatments often have negative effects on fertility, which pose challenges among patients who want to be parents in the future. This study aimed to examine the efficacy of oocyte cryopreservation, embryo cryopreservation, and ovarian tissue cryopreservation in patients with breast cancer. METHODS: This retrospective review evaluated 42 patients with breast cancer who underwent fertility preservation at our center from January 2012 to December 2022. This review encompassed the demographic characteristics of the patients, cancer stages, treatment details, and types of fertility preservation procedures and their outcomes. RESULTS: The average age at disease diagnosis was 33.4 years. Approximately 90.4% of patients presented with early-stage cancer (≤2). Of 42 patients, 26 underwent oocyte cryopreservation; 17, embryo cryopreservation; and 2, ovarian tissue cryopreservation. Further, three patients received mixed treatment. The overall live birth rate was 63.2%. There are more live births in embryo cryopreservation group. The successful pregnancy group was significantly younger and had a remarkably higher quantity of preserved oocytes/embryos than the nonsuccessful pregnancy group. The oocyte and embryo utilization rates in cryopreservation were 7.69% and 52.94%, respectively. These findings underscored the importance of prompt, informed discussions about fertility preservation options. CONCLUSION: Fertility preservation in patients with breast cancer have promising reproductive outcomes, with embryo cryopreservation being particularly effective. Prompt counseling and individualized fertility preservation strategies are important for improving the likelihood of posttreatment pregnancy. Nevertheless, future research on the long-term psychological and emotional effects of different fertility preservation methods must be performed.

The emerging role of cysteine-rich peptides in pollen-pistil interaction.

Unlike early land plants, flowering plants have evolved a pollen tube that transport a pair of non-motile sperm cells to the female gametophyte. This process, known as siphonogamy, was first observed in gymnosperms and later become prevalent in angiosperms. However, the precise molecular mechanisms underlying the male-female interactions remain enigmatic. From the pollen grain's landing on the stigma to gametes fusion, the male part needs to pass various tests: How does the stigma distinguish between compatible and incompatible pollen? What mechanisms guide pollen tube towards the ovule? What factors trigger pollen tube rupture? How is polyspermy prevented? And how does the sperm cell ultimately reach the egg? Successful male-female communications is essential for surmounting these challenges, with cysteine-rich peptides (CRPs) playing a pivotal role in these dialogues. In this review, we summarize the characteristics of four distinct classes of CRPs and then we systematically review the recent progresses of the role of CRPs in four crucial stages of pollination and fertilization. Finally, we conclude by considering the potential applications of this knowledge in crop breeding, and suggesting avenues for future research.

Self-Supporting Hierarchical Carbon Network Loaded with NiW Nanoparticles for Efficient Hydrogen Evolution.

Water splitting technology can convert renewable energies such as solar and wind into hydrogen energy, which is key to achieving a low-carbon hydrogen economy cycle. However, Pt-based catalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) are too expensive, thus it needs to develop efficient non-noble metal catalysts as alternatives. Herein, Ni-BDC-loaded carbon cloth (CC) is co-pyrolyzed with urea to obtain a composite structure of carbon nanotubes (CNT) and porous carbon (PC) embedded with W-doped Ni nanoparticles on CC, resulting in NiW-CNT/PC/CC. Benefiting from the synergistic effect between Ni and W, the high conductivity of CNT, and the high mass transfer rate of PC, NiW-CNT/PC/CC exhibits excellent HER activity in KOH, which only requires a low overpotential of 45 mV to drive a current density of 10 mA cm-2 with stability exceeding 40 h. Simulation calculations confirm that the W doping in metal Ni can optimize its electronic structure by lowering the d-band center and weakening hydrogen adsorption, thus reducing its HER barrier.

Passive Vision Detection of Torch Pose in Swing Arc Narrow Gap Welding.

To enhance the synchronous detection of the horizontal and vertical positions of the torch in swing arc narrow gap welding, a torch pose detection (TPD) method is proposed. This approach utilizes passive visual sensing to capture images of the arc on the groove sidewall, using advanced image processing methods to extract and fit the arc contour. The coordinates of the arc contour center point and the highest point are determined through the arc contour fitting line. The torch center position is calculated from the average horizontal coordinates of the arc contour centers in adjacent welding images, while the height position is determined from the vertical coordinate of the arc's highest point. Experimental validation in both variable and constant groove welding conditions demonstrated the TPD method's accuracy within 0.32 mm for detecting the torch center position. This method eliminates the need to construct the wire centerline, which was a requirement in previous approaches, thereby reducing the impact of wire straightness on detection accuracy. The proposed TPD method successfully achieves simultaneous detection of the torch center and height positions, laying the foundation for intelligent detection and adaptive control in swing arc narrow gap welding.

Preoperative prediction of central lymph node metastasis in follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma using clinical and ultrasound features.

Background: The most common metastatic site of follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (FVPTC) is the central lymph nodes, which may be associated with the prognosis and survival of patients. In the present study, we establish a combined model based on preoperative clinical and ultrasound (US) features of FVPTC to predict the risk of central lymph node metastasis (CLNM). Methods: From January 2013 to December 2022, 315 patients with FVPTC were enrolled and randomly divided into the training and validation cohorts in a ratio of 7:3. The independent risk factors for CLNM in FVPTC were analysed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Then, three different models were established based on clinical and US data. Subsequently, a nomogram was constructed to predict CLNM. Its predictive effect was evaluated via receiver operating characteristic and calibration curve analyses. Results: Backward multivariate regression analysis revealed that age (P=0.001), thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb) (P=0.11), diameter (P=0.047), irregular/lobulated margin (P=0.15), extrathyroidal extension (P=0.001), nodules with macrocalcifications (P=0.009), nodules with microcalcification (P=0.003) and Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System (ACR-TI-RADS) category 5 (P=0.33) were independent risk factors for CLNM in FVPTC. The areas under the curve of the matching nomogram in the training (N=221) and validation cohorts (N=94) were 0.841 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.788-0.895] and 0.735 (95% CI: 0.621-0.872), respectively. Conclusions: Preoperative thyroid US provides useful features for prediction of CLNM. The nomogram constructed based on combining US and clinical features can better predict the risk of CLNM and may facilitate decision-making in clinical settings.

Investigating the impact of poverty on mental illness in the UK Biobank using Mendelian randomization.

It is unclear whether poverty and mental illness are causally related. Using UK Biobank and Psychiatric Genomic Consortium data, we examined evidence of causal links between poverty and nine mental illnesses (attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anorexia nervosa, anxiety disorder, autism spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and schizophrenia). We applied genomic structural equation modelling to derive a poverty common factor from household income, occupational income and social deprivation. Then, using Mendelian randomization, we found evidence that schizophrenia and ADHD causally contribute to poverty, while poverty contributes to major depressive disorder and schizophrenia but decreases the risk of anorexia nervosa. Poverty may also contribute to ADHD, albeit with uncertainty due to unbalanced pleiotropy. The effects of poverty were reduced by approximately 30% when we adjusted for cognitive ability. Further investigations of the bidirectional relationships between poverty and mental illness are warranted, as they may inform efforts to improve mental health for all.

Superlong Metal-Organic Framework Micro-/Nanofibers for Selective Vitamin Absorption.

Superlong MOF-74-type micro/nanofibers, which have aspect ratios much higher than 200, are synthesized via nanoparticulate MOF-mediated recrystallization. Co-MOF-74 microfibers have high crystallinity, whereas Co-MOF-74-II nanofibers are composed of nanocrystals and amorphous phases, even though they have nanofibrous morphology. Both MOFs consist of plenty of micropores with diameters in the range of 1.0 to 2.0 nm, and they exhibit high thermal stability with a decomposition temperature higher than 260.0 °C. The MOFs are demonstrated for selective absorption of some vitamins including riboflavin, folic acid, and 5-methyltetrahydrofolate. Co-MOF-74-II nanofibers can efficiently absorb riboflavin and folic acid from their aqueous solution with absorption percentages approaching 90.0%, and they have enhanced capability for absorbing tocopherol in methanol. The micro/nanofibrous morphology, together with the capability for selective vitamin absorption, makes the novel MOFs highly promising for applications in micro-solid-phase extraction.

Differential Activation of Alkynes between Capped and Naked Ag Nanoclusters Anchored by Highly-Open Mesoporous CeO2 for Two Coupling Reactions with CO2.

The cyclization of 3-hydroxy alkynes and the carboxylation of terminal alkynes both with CO2 are two attractive strategies to simultaneously reduce CO2 emission and produce value-added chemicals. Herein, the differential activation of alkynes over atomically precise Ag nanoclusters (NCs) supported on Metal-organic framework-derived highly-open mesoporous CeO2 (HM-CeO2) by reserving or removing their surface captopril ligands is reported. The ligand-capped Ag NCs possess electron-rich Ag atoms as efficient π-activation catalytic sites in cyclization reactions, while the naked Ag NCs possess partial positive-charged Ag atoms as perfect σ-activation catalytic sites in carboxylation reactions. Impressively, via coupling with HM-CeO2 featuring abundant basic sites and quick mass transfer, the ligand-capped Ag NCs afford 97.9% yield of 4,4-dimethyl-5-methylidene-1,3-dioxolan-2-one for the cyclization of 2-methyl-3-butyn-2-ol with CO2, which is 4.5 times that of the naked Ag NCs (21.7%), while the naked Ag NCs achieve 98.5% yield of n-butyl 2-alkynoate for the carboxylation of phenylacetylene with CO2, which is 15.6 times that of ligand-capped Ag NCs (6.3%). Density functional theory calculations reveal the ligand-capped Ag NCs can effectively activate alkynyl carbonate ions for the intramolecular ring closing in cyclization reaction, while the naked Ag NCs are highly affiliative in stabilizing terminal alkynyl anions for the insertion of CO2 in carboxylation reaction.

Multimodal evaluation of blood-brain barrier opening in mice in response to low-intensity ultrasound and a claudin-5 binder.

Background: The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a major bottleneck in delivering therapeutics to the brain. Treatment strategies to transiently open this barrier include focused ultrasound combined with intravenously injected microbubbles (FUS+MB) and targeting of molecules that regulate BBB permeability. Methods: Here, we investigated BBB opening mediated by the claudin-5 binder cCPEm (a microorganismal toxin in a truncated form) and FUS+MB at a centre frequency of 1 MHz, assessing dextran uptake, broadband emission, and endogenous immunoglobulin G (IgG) extravasation. Results: FUS+MB-induced BBB opening was detectable at a pressure ≥0.35 MPa when assessed for leakage of 10 and 70 kDa dextran, and at ≥0.2 MPa for uptake of endogenous IgG. Treating mice with 20 mg/kg cCPEm failed to open the BBB, and pre-treatment with cCPEm followed by FUS+MB at 0.2 and 0.3 MPa did not overtly increase BBB opening compared to FUS+MB alone. Using passive cavitation detection (PCD), we found that broadband emission correlated with the peak negative pressure (PNP) and dextran leakage, indicating the possibility of using broadband emission for developing a feedback controller to monitor BBB opening. Conclusions: Together, our study highlights the challenges in developing combinatorial approaches to open the BBB and presents an additional IgG-based histological detection method for BBB opening.

Premature Progesterone Rise Is Associated with Higher Cumulative Live Birth Rate with Freeze-All Strategy.

Background/Objectives: This paper undertakes an investigation into the implications of premature progesterone rise (PPR) on pregnancy outcomes in freeze-all strategy cycles. Methods: A retrospective cohort study encompassing 675 IVF/ICSI cycles using a freeze-all strategy was enrolled. The cycles were categorized into two groups based on serum progesterone levels at the time of hCG administration: 526 cycles had levels below 1.5 ng/mL, while 149 cycles had levels equal to or above 1.5 ng/mL. Results: The findings revealed a significantly higher number of mature follicles and retrieved oocytes in patients with PPR across all AMH categories. Multiple analyses revealed factors influencing PPR, including the duration of induction and the number of retrieved oocytes. Within the same oocyte retrieval number group, patients with PPR demonstrated non-inferior pregnancy outcomes compared to non-PPR patients. Upon adjustment for age, AMH, and total follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) dosage, PPR maintained a positive correlation with the cumulative live birth rate (LBR). Conclusions: The study showed that PPR correlates with an increase in retrieved oocytes while maintaining similar embryo quality and oocyte retrieval rates and results in a higher cumulative LBR.

The varicella-zoster virus ORF16 protein promotes both the nuclear transport and the protein abundance of the viral DNA polymerase subunit ORF28.

Although all herpesviruses utilize a highly conserved replication machinery to amplify their viral genomes, different members may have unique strategies to modulate the assembly of their replication components. Herein, we characterize the subcellular localization of seven essential replication proteins of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) and show that several viral replication enzymes such as the DNA polymerase subunit ORF28, when expressed alone, are localized in the cytoplasm. The nuclear import of ORF28 can be mediated by the viral DNA polymerase processivity factor ORF16. Besides, ORF16 could markedly enhance the protein abundance of ORF28. Noteworthily, an ORF16 mutant that is defective in nuclear transport still retained the ability to enhance ORF28 abundance. The low abundance of ORF28 in transfected cells was due to its rapid degradation mediated by the ubiquitin-proteasome system. We additionally reveal that radicicol, an inhibitor of the chaperone Hsp90, could disrupt the interaction between ORF16 and ORF28, thereby affecting the nuclear entry and protein abundance of ORF28. Collectively, our findings imply that the cytoplasmic retention and rapid degradation of ORF28 may be a key regulatory mechanism for VZV to prevent untimely viral DNA replication, and suggest that Hsp90 is required for the interaction between ORF16 and ORF28.

Deep learning-assisted diagnosis of benign and malignant parotid tumors based on ultrasound: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: To develop a deep learning(DL) model utilizing ultrasound images, and evaluate its efficacy in distinguishing between benign and malignant parotid tumors (PTs), as well as its practicality in assisting clinicians with accurate diagnosis. METHODS: A total of 2211 ultrasound images of 980 pathologically confirmed PTs (Training set: n = 721; Validation set: n = 82; Internal-test set: n = 89; External-test set: n = 88) from 907 patients were retrospectively included in this study. The optimal model was selected and the diagnostic performance evaluation is conducted by utilizing the area under curve (AUC) of the receiver-operating characteristic(ROC) based on five different DL networks constructed at varying depths. Furthermore, a comparison of different seniority radiologists was made in the presence of the optimal auxiliary diagnosis model. Additionally, the diagnostic confusion matrix of the optimal model was calculated, and an analysis and summary of misjudged cases' characteristics were conducted. RESULTS: The Resnet18 demonstrated superior diagnostic performance, with an AUC value of 0.947, accuracy of 88.5%, sensitivity of 78.2%, and specificity of 92.7% in internal-test set, and with an AUC value of 0.925, accuracy of 89.8%, sensitivity of 83.3%, and specificity of 90.6% in external-test set. The PTs were subjectively assessed twice by six radiologists, both with and without the assisted of the model. With the assisted of the model, both junior and senior radiologists demonstrated enhanced diagnostic performance. In the internal-test set, there was an increase in AUC values by 0.062 and 0.082 for junior radiologists respectively, while senior radiologists experienced an improvement of 0.066 and 0.106 in their respective AUC values. CONCLUSIONS: The DL model based on ultrasound images demonstrates exceptional capability in distinguishing between benign and malignant PTs, thereby assisting radiologists of varying expertise levels to achieve heightened diagnostic performance, and serve as a noninvasive imaging adjunct diagnostic method for clinical purposes.

The Binding of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein to Platelet Factor 4: A Proposed Mechanism for the Generation of Pathogenic Antibodies.

Pathogenic platelet factor 4 (PF4) antibodies contributed to the abnormal coagulation profiles in COVID-19 and vaccinated patients. However, the mechanism of what triggers the body to produce these antibodies has not yet been clarified. Similar patterns and many comparable features between the COVID-19 virus and heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) have been reported. Previously, we identified a new mechanism of autoimmunity in HIT in which PF4-antibodies self-clustered PF4 and exposed binding epitopes for other pathogenic PF4/eparin antibodies. Here, we first proved that the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (SP) also binds to PF4. The binding was evidenced by the increase in mass and optical intensity as observed through quartz crystal microbalance and immunosorbent assay, while the switching of the surface zeta potential caused by protein interactions and binding affinity of PF4-SP were evaluated by dynamic light scattering and isothermal spectral shift analysis. Based on our results, we proposed a mechanism for the generation of PF4 antibodies in COVID-19 patients. We further validated the changes in zeta potential and interaction affinity between PF4 and SP and found that their binding mechanism differs from ACE2-SP binding. Importantly, the PF4/SP complexes facilitate the binding of anti-PF4/Heparin antibodies. Our findings offer a fresh perspective on PF4 engagement with the SARS-CoV-2 SP, illuminating the role of PF4/SP complexes in severe thrombotic events.

Silanol-Assisted High-Yield Nanofabrication of SnO2 Single Crystals with Highly Tunable and Ordered Mesoporosity.

Highly ordered mesoporous materials with a single-crystalline structure have attracted broad interest due to their wide applications from catalysis to energy conversion/storage, but constructing them with good controllability and high yields remains a highly daunting task. Herein, we construct a new class of three-dimensionally ordered mesoporous SnO2 single crystals (3DOm-SnO2) with well-defined facets and excellent mesopore tunability. Mechanism studies demonstrate that the silanol groups on ordered silica nanospheres (3DO-SiO2) can induce the efficient heterogeneous crystallization of uniform SnO2 single crystals in its periodic voids by following the hard and soft acid and base theory, affording a much higher yield of ∼96% for 3DOm-SnO2 than that of its solid counterpart prepared in the absence of 3DO-SiO2 (∼1.5%). Benefiting from its permanent ordered mesopores and favorable electronic structure, Pd-supported 3DOm-SnO2 can efficiently catalyze the unprecedented sequential hydrogenation of 4-nitrophenylacetylene to produce 4-nitrostyrene, then 4-nitroethylbenzene, and finally 4-aminoethylbenzene. DFT calculations further reveal the favorable synergistic effect between Pd and 3DOm-SnO2 via moderate electron transfer for realizing this sequential hydrogenation reaction. Our work underlines the crucial role of silanol groups in inducing the high-yield heterogeneous crystallization of 3DOm-SnO2, shedding light on the rational design and construction of various 3DO single crystals that are of great practical significance.

Analyzing the Diversity of MYB Family Response Strategies to Drought Stress in Different Flax Varieties Based on Transcriptome Data.

The MYB transcription factor family has numerous members, and is involved in biological activities, such as ABA signaling, which plays an important role in a plant's resistance to abiotic stresses such as drought. However, the diversity of MYB members that respond to drought stress and their regulatory mechanisms in different flax varieties were unclear. In this study, we obtained 855.69 Gb of clean data from 120 flax root samples from 20 flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) varieties, assembled 92,861 transcripts, and identified 434 MYB family members in each variety. The expression profiles of the MYB transcription factor family from 20 flax varieties under drought stress were analyzed. The results indicated that there are four strategies by which the MYB family responds to drought stress in these 20 flax varieties, each of which has its own specific processes, such as development, reproduction, and localization processes. The four strategies also include common biological processes, such as stimulus responses, metabolic processes, and biological regulation. The WGCNA method was subsequently employed to identify key members of the MYB family involved in response strategies to drought stress. The results demonstrated that a 1R-MYB subfamily gene co-expression network is significantly related to the gibberellin response and cytokinin-activated signaling pathway processes in the 'Strategy 4' for MYB family response to drought, identifying core genes such as Lus.scaffold70.240. Our results showed a diversity of MYB family responses to drought stress within flax varieties, and these results contribute to deciphering the mechanisms of the MYB family regulation of drought resistance. This will promote the more accurate breeding development of flax to adapt to agricultural production under drought conditions.

Macrophage exosomes modified by miR-365-2-5p promoted osteoblast osteogenic differentiation by targeting OLFML1.

In the bone immune microenvironment, immune cells can regulate osteoblasts through a complex communication network. Macrophages play a central role in mediating immune osteogenesis, exosomes derived from them have osteogenic regulation and can be used as carriers in bone tissue engineering. However, there are problems with exosomal therapy alone, such as poor targeting, and the content of loaded molecules cannot reach the therapeutic concentration. In this study, macrophage-derived exosomes modified with miR-365-2-5p were developed to accelerate bone healing. MC3T3-E1 cells were incubated with the culture supernatants of M0, M1 and M2 macrophages, and it was found that the culture medium of M2 macrophages had the most significant effects in contributing to osteogenesis. High-throughput sequencing identified that miR-365-2-5p was significantly expressed in exosomes derived from M2 macrophages. We incubated MC3T3-E1 with exosomes overexpressing or knocking down miR-365-2-5p to examine the biological function of exosome miR-365-2-5p on MC3T3-E1 differentiation. These findings suggested that miR-365-2-5p secreted by exosomes increased the osteogenesis of MC3T3-E1. Moreover, miR-365-2-5p had a direct influence over osteogenesis for MC3T3-E1. Sequencing analysis combined with dual luciferase detection indicated that miR-365-2-5p binded to the 3'-UTR of OLFML1. In summary, exosomes secreted by M2 macrophages targeted OLFML1 through miR-365-2-5p to facilitate osteogenesis.

ESCRT-I protein UBAP1 controls ventricular expansion and cortical neurogenesis via modulating adherens junctions of radial glial cells.

Intricate cerebral cortex formation is orchestrated by the precise behavior and division dynamics of radial glial cells (RGCs). Endocytosis functions in the recycling and remodeling of adherens junctions (AJs) in response to changes in RGC activity and function. Here, we show that conditional disruption of ubiquitin-associated protein 1 (UBAP1), a component of endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT), causes severe brain dysplasia and prenatal ventriculomegaly. UBAP1 depletion disrupts the AJs and polarity of RGCs, leading to failure of apically directed interkinetic nuclear migration. Accordingly, UBAP1 knockout or knockdown results in reduced proliferation and precocious differentiation of neural progenitor cells. Mechanistically, UBAP1 regulates the expression and surface localization of cell adhesion molecules, and ß-catenin over-expression significantly rescues the phenotypes of Ubap1 knockdown in vivo. Our study reveals a critical physiological role of the ESCRT machinery in cortical neurogenesis by regulating AJs of RGCs.

Improving Sensitivity and Reproducibility of Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Biochips Utilizing Magnetoplasmonic Nanoparticles and Statistical Methods.

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) technology has been widely recognized for its remarkable sensitivity in biochip development. This study presents a novel sandwich immunoassay that synergizes SERS with magnetoplasmonic nanoparticles (MPNs) to improve sensitivity. By taking advantage of the unique magnetism of these nanoparticles, we further enhance the detection sensitivity of SERS biochips through the applied magnetic field. Despite the high sensitivity, practical applications of SERS biochips are often limited by the issues of stability and reproducibility. In this study, we introduced a straightforward statistical method known as "Gaussian binning", which involves initially binning the two-dimensional Raman mapping data and subsequently applying Gaussian fitting. This approach enables a more consistent and reliable interpretation of data by reducing the variability inherent in Raman signal measurements. Based on our method, the biochip, targeting for C-reactive protein (CRP), achieves an impressive detection limit of 5.96 fg/mL, and with the application of a 3700 G magnetic field, it further enhances the detection limit by 5.7 times, reaching 1.05 fg/mL. Furthermore, this highly sensitive and magnetically tunable SERS biochip is easily designed for versatile adaptability, enabling the detection of other proteins. We believe that this innovation holds promise in enhancing the clinical applicability of SERS biochips.

Extending the Coverage of Lys-C/Trypsin-Based Bottom-up Proteomics by Cysteine S-Aminoethylation.

To improve the coverage in bottom-up proteomics, S-aminoethylation of cysteine residues (AE-Cys) was carried out with 2-bromoethylamine, followed by cleavage with lysyl endopeptidase (Lys-C) or Lys-C/trypsin. A model study with bovine serum albumin showed that the C-terminal side of AE-Cys was successfully cleaved by Lys-C. The frequency of side reactions at amino acids other than Cys was less than that in the case of carbamidomethylation of Cys with iodoacetamide. Proteomic analysis of A549 cell extracts in the data-dependent acquisition mode after AE-Cys modification afforded a greater number of identified protein groups, especially membrane proteins. In addition, label-free quantification of proteins in mouse nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tissue in the data-independent acquisition mode after AE-Cys modification showed improved NSCLC pathway coverage and greater reproducibility. Furthermore, the AE-Cys method could identify an epidermal growth factor receptor peptide containing the T790 M mutation site, a well-established lung-cancer-related mutation site that has evaded conventional bottom-up methods. Finally, AE-Cys was found to fully mimic Lys in terms of collision-induced dissociation fragmentation, ion mobility separation, and cleavage by Lys-C/trypsin, except for sulfoxide formation during sample preparation.

Virtual agents among participants with methamphetamine use disorders: Acceptability and usability study.

INTRODUCTION: While the potential future role of virtual agents (VAs) in treating addiction is promising, participants' attitudes toward the use of VAs in psychotherapy remain insufficiently investigated. This lack of investigation could pose barriers to the adoption of VA-led psychotherapy for people with substance use disorders (SUD). This research aims to explore the acceptability and usability of VAs for people with methamphetamine use disorder. METHODS: Following a single session of psychotherapy led by VAs through the Echo-app, a group of 49 individuals actively seeking treatment for current DSM-V substance dependence (with a mean age of 39.06 ± 8.02) completed self-administered questionnaires and participated in focus group interviews. These questionnaires aimed to investigate participants' preference regarding the type of psychotherapy and their willingness to engage in VA-led psychotherapy, taking into account their diverse psychological needs. RESULTS: Quantitative data were subjected to analysis through both descriptive and inferential statistical methods. Interestingly, participants exhibited a significantly higher acceptability for traditional face-to-face psychotherapy compared to email-based psychotherapy (p = 0.042), but there was no statistically significant difference between their acceptance of traditional psychotherapy and VA-led psychotherapy (p = 0.059). The questionnaire outcomes indicated participants' willingness to engage in VA-led psychotherapy for purposes such as relapse prevention intervention, addressing emotional issues, managing somatic experiences, and facilitating social and family functional recovery. Furthermore, the participants' attitudes toward VA-led psychotherapy were predicted by factors including the need for anxiety-focused psychotherapy (p = 0.027; OR [95%CI] = 0.14[0.03,0.80]), the presence of chronic somatic diseases (p = 0.017; OR [95%CI] = 13.58[1.59,116.03]), and marital status (p = 0.031; OR [95%CI] = 5.02[1.16,21.79]). DISCUSSION: Through the interviews, the study uncovered the factors that either supported or hindered participants' experiences with VA-led psychotherapy, while also gathering suggestions for future improvements. This research highlights the willingness and practicality of individuals with SUD in embracing VA-led psychotherapy. The findings are anticipated to contribute to the refinement of VA-led tools to better align with the preferences and needs of the users.