Rapid and efficient dual detection of Zn2+ ions and oxytetracycline hydrochloride using a responsive fluorescent "on-off" sensor based on simple salen-type Schiff base ligand.

This research has progressed a effective dual detection chemosensor of zinc ion and oxytetracycline hydrochloride antibiotic based on fluorescence technique. A straightforward method utilizing microwave irradiation was employed to synthesize the salen-type Schiff base ligand N,N'-bis(salicylaldehyde)4,5-dichloro-1,2-phenylenediamine (H2I), providing a good 70% yield. In ethanol, the H2I sensor demonstrated remarkable rapidity, selectivity, and sensitivity in detecting zinc ions. The fluorescence spectrum exhibited a 44-fold substantial enhancement at 522 nm and achieved a low limit of detection (LOD) of 1.47 µM. The ability to recognize zinc ions in different real water samples demonstrated from 98.67% to 103.31% in recovery. Interestingly, a naked-eye visible fluorescence color of H2I solution impregnated filter papers turned colorless into yellow under UV irradiation by adding Zn2+ ion, renders it suitable for developing a practical zinc ion detection kit test. In particular, the I-Zn2+ complex effectively quenched the fluorescence toward oxytetracycline hydrochloride (OTC) with a LOD value of 1.49×10-2 µM in DMSO: H2O (6:4, v/v). This is a novel and effective procedure in sensing OTC antibiotic by the I-Zn2+ complex. These findings hold immense potential for the development of dual fluorescent probes, thereby enhancing sensitivity and specificity in identifying metal ions and antibiotics in wide range of applications.

Geometric changes and clinical risk factors from aortic arch to proximal internal carotid artery between normal subjects and moderate right carotid plaques.

The anatomical features spanning from the aortic arch to the proximal carotid artery and the associated cardiovascular risks might significantly influence the development of right carotid plaque. Our research aimed to compare these anatomical and risk factors between individuals with no carotid plaque and those with moderate right-side carotid plaque within a Korean cohort. We conducted a retrospective, cross-sectional analysis involving 413 participants, categorized into a normal group (n = 339) and a right moderate carotid plaque group (defined as > 50% stenosis based on NASCET criteria) (n = 74). We collected data on cardiovascular risk factors and conducted laboratory tests. A 3D model of the carotid artery was constructed using cranio-cervical computed tomography angiography (CTA) data through semi-automated software. Measurements taken on this 3D model included the common carotid artery (CCA), internal carotid artery (ICA), external carotid artery (ECA), and carotid artery bifurcation (CAB) in terms of maximal vascular diameter, sectional area, angles of carotid bifurcation and ICA, and carotid tortuosity. When compared with the normal group, individuals in the right moderate carotid plaque group exhibited smaller angles at the carotid bifurcation, larger CCA diameter and sectional area (p < 0.01), advanced age, and a higher incidence of hypertension, diabetes, and stroke history (p < 0.05), along with reduced glomerular filtration rate (GFR) (p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that the sectional area of the bifurcation, calcification of the aortic bulb, and GFR were independently associated with the presence of right moderate carotid plaque (p < 0.01). Statistical analyses disclosed significant differences in both clinical risk factors and geometric changes in the region extending from the aortic arch to the proximal carotid artery among subjects with right moderate carotid plaque when compared to those without.

Fixed-Time Passivity and Synchronization of Multiweighted Coupled Memristive Neural Networks With Adaptive Couplings.

Two types of multiweighted coupled memristive neural networks (CMNNs) with adaptive couplings are introduced in this article, and the fixed-time passivity (FXTP) and fixed-time synchronization (FXTS) of such networks are considered. First, under the developed adaptive scheme, a sufficient condition to guarantee the FXTP for multiweighted CMNNs with adaptive couplings is obtained. Second, the FXTP, fixed-time input-strict passivity and fixed-time output-strict passivity for multiweighted CMNNs with adaptive couplings and coupling delays are investigated by devising an appropriate state feedback controller. Third, applying the Lyapunov functional method, it establishes the FXTS criteria for the two kinds of networks presented. Finally, numerical examples are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the derived results.

Turning sublimed sulfur and bFGF into a nanocomposite to accelerate wound healing via co-activate FGFR and Hippo signaling pathway.

Clinical treatment of diabetic refractory ulcers is impeded by chronic inflammation and cell dysfunction associated with wound healing. The significant clinical application of bFGF in wound healing is limited by its instability in vivo. Sulfur has been applied for the treatment of skin diseases in the clinic for antibiosis. We previously found that sulfur incorporation improves the ability of selenium nanoparticles to accelerate wound healing, yet the toxicity of selenium still poses a risk for its clinical application. To obtain materials with high pro-regeneration activity and low toxicity, we explored the mechanism by which selenium-sulfur nanoparticles aid in wound healing via RNA-Seq and designed a nanoparticle called Nano-S@bFGF, which was constructed from sulfur and bFGF. As expected, Nano-S@bFGF not only regenerated zebrafish tail fins and promoted skin wound healing but also promoted skin repair in diabetic mice with a profitable safety profile. Mechanistically, Nano-S@bFGF successfully coactivated the FGFR and Hippo signalling pathways to regulate wound healing. Briefly, the Nano-S@bFGF reported here provides an efficient and feasible method for the synthesis of bioactive nanosulfur and bFGF. In the long term, our results reinvigorated efforts to discover more peculiar unique biofunctions of sulfur and bFGF in a great variety of human diseases.

Shark Cartilage-Derived Anti-Angiogenic Peptide Inhibits Corneal Neovascularization.

Corneal neovascularization is a significant cause of vision loss, often resulting in corneal clouding and chronic inflammation. Shark cartilage is widely recognized as a significant natural source of anti-angiogenic compounds. Our previous studies have shown that a polypeptide from white-spotted catshark (Chiloscyllium plagiosum Bonnet) has the potential to inhibit the angiogenesis of breast tumors. This study applied this peptide (SAIF) to a corneal alkali injury model to assess its effect on corneal neovascularization. Results revealed that SAIF inhibits endothelial cell proliferation, migration, and tube formation. SAIF inhibited VEGF-induced angiogenesis in the matrigel plug. Using the corneal alkali injury model, SAIF significantly inhibited corneal vascular neovascularization in mice. We found that SAIF not only significantly inhibited the upregulation of pro-angiogenic factors such as VEGF, bFGF, and PDGF expression induced by alkali injury, but also promoted the expression of anti-angiogenesis factor PEDF. Moreover, we also analyzed the MMPs and TIMPs involved in extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling, angiogenesis, and lymphangiogenesis. We found that SAIF treatment inhibited the expression of pro-angiogenic factors like MMP1, MMP2, MMP3, MMP9, MMP13, and MMP14, and promoted the expression of anti-angiogenesis factors such as MMP7, TIMP1, TIMP2, and TIMP3. In conclusion, SAIF acts as an anti-angiogenic factor to inhibit the proliferation, migration, and tube formation of endothelial cells, inhibit pro-angiogenic factors, promote anti-angiogenic factors, and regulate the expression of MMPs, ultimately inhibiting corneal neovascularization.

Acesulfame potassium triggers inflammatory bowel disease via the inhibition of focal adhesion pathway.

Acesulfame potassium (ACK) was generally regarded as innocuous and extensively ingested. Nevertheless, ACK has recently gained attention as a burgeoning pollutant that has the potential to induce a range of health hazards, particularly to the digestive system. Herein, we uncover that ACK initiates inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in mice and zebrafish, as indicated by the aggregation of macrophages in the intestine and the inhibition of intestinal mucus secretion. Transcriptome analysis of mice and zebrafish guts revealed that exposure to ACK typically impacts the cell cycle, focal adhesion, and PI3K-Akt signaling pathways. Using pharmacological approaches, we demonstrate that the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway and the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) triggered by cell division are not significant factors in the initiation of IBD caused by ACK. Remarkably, inhibition of the focal adhesion pathway is responsible for the IBD onset induced by ACK. Our results indicate the detrimental impacts and possible underlying mechanisms of ACK on the gastrointestinal system and provide insights for making informed choices about everyday dietary habits.

Atractylenolide-I Alleviates Hyperglycemia-Induced Heart Developmental Malformations through Direct and Indirect Modulation of the STAT3 Pathway.

BACKGROUND: Gestational diabetes could elevate the risk of congenital heart defects (CHD) in infants, and effective preventive and therapeutic medications are currently lacking. Atractylenolide-I (AT-I) is the active ingredient of Atractylodes Macrocephala Koidz (known as Baizhu in China), which is a traditional pregnancy-supporting Chinese herb. PURPOSE: In this study, we investigated the protective effect of AT-I on the development of CHD in embryos exposed to high glucose (HG). STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: First, systematic review search results revealed associations between gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and cardiovascular malformations. Subsequently, a second systematic review indicated that heart malformations were consistently associated with oxidative stress and cell apoptosis. We assessed the cytotoxic impacts of Atractylenolide compounds (AT-I, AT-II, and AT-III) on H9c2 cells and chick embryos, determining an optimal concentration of AT-I for further investigation. Second, immunofluorescence, western blot, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), and flow cytometry were utilized to delve into the mechanisms through which AT-I mitigates oxidative stress and apoptosis in cardiac cells. Molecular docking was employed to investigate whether AT-I exerts cardioprotective effects via the STAT3 pathway. Then, we developed a streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus (PGDM) mouse model to evaluate AT-I's protective efficacy in mammals. Finally, we explored how AT-I protects hyperglycemia-induced abnormal fetal heart development through microbiota analysis and untargeted metabolomics analysis. RESULTS: The study showed the protective effect of AT-I on embryonic development using a chick embryo model which rescued the increase in the reactive oxygen species (ROS) and decrease in cell survival induced by HG. We also provided evidence suggesting that AT-I might directly interact with STAT3, inhibiting its phosphorylation. Further, in the PGDM mouse model, we observed that AT-I not only partially alleviated PGDM-related blood glucose issues and complications but also mitigated hyperglycemia-induced abnormal fetal heart development in pregnant mice. This effect is hypothesized to be mediated through alterations in gut microbiota composition. We proposed that dysregulation in microbiota metabolism could influence the downstream STAT3 signaling pathway via EGFR, consequently impacting cardiac development and formation. CONCLUSIONS: This study marks the first documented instance of AT-I's effectiveness in reducing the risk of early cardiac developmental anomalies in fetuses affected by gestational diabetes. AT-I achieves this by inhibiting the STAT3 pathway activated by ROS during gestational diabetes, significantly reducing the risk of fetal cardiac abnormalities. Notably, AT-I also indirectly safeguards normal fetal cardiac development by influencing the maternal gut microbiota and suppressing the EGFR/STAT3 pathway.

Biomedical image segmentation algorithm based on dense atrous convolution.

Biomedical images have complex tissue structures, and there are great differences between images of the same part of different individuals. Although deep learning methods have made some progress in automatic segmentation of biomedical images, the segmentation accuracy is relatively low for biomedical images with significant changes in segmentation targets, and there are also problems of missegmentation and missed segmentation. To address these challenges, we proposed a biomedical image segmentation method based on dense atrous convolution. First, we added a dense atrous convolution module (DAC) between the encoding and decoding paths of the U-Net network. This module was based on the inception structure and atrous convolution design, which can effectively capture multi-scale features of images. Second, we introduced a dense residual pooling module to detect multi-scale features in images by connecting residual pooling blocks of different sizes. Finally, in the decoding part of the network, we adopted an attention mechanism to suppress background interference by enhancing the weight of the target area. These modules work together to improve the accuracy and robustness of biomedical image segmentation. The experimental results showed that compared to mainstream segmentation networks, our segmentation model exhibited stronger segmentation ability when processing biomedical images with multiple-shaped targets. At the same time, this model can significantly reduce the phenomenon of missed segmentation and missegmentation, improve segmentation accuracy, and make the segmentation results closer to the real situation.

Lian-Mei-Yin formula alleviates diet-induced hepatic steatosis by suppressing Yap1/FOXM1 pathway-dependent lipid synthesis.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease, with a global prevalence of 25%. Patients with NAFLD are more likely to suffer from advanced liver disease, cardiovascular disease, or type II diabetes. However, unfortunately, there is still a shortage of FDA-approved therapeutic agents for NAFLD. Lian-Mei-Yin (LMY) is a traditional Chinese medicine formula used for decades to treat liver disorders. It has recently been applied to type II diabetes which is closely related to insulin resistance. Given that NAFLD is another disease involved in insulin resistance, we hypothesize that LMY might be a promising formula for NAFLD therapy. Herein, we verify that the LMY formula effectively reduces hepatic steatosis in diet-induced zebrafish and NAFLD model mice in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Mechanistically, LMY suppresses Yap1-mediated Foxm1 activation, which is crucial for the occurrence and development of NAFLD. Consequently, lipogenesis is ameliorated by LMY administration. In summary, the LMY formula alleviates diet-induced NAFLD in zebrafish and mice by inhibiting Yap1/Foxm1 signaling-mediated NAFLD pathology.

rTMS effects on urges and severity of tobacco use disorder operate independently of a retrieval-extinction component and involve frontal-striatal pathways.

BACKGROUND: Although smoking remains a leading cause of preventable disease, the treatment options for smoking are limited. The present study evaluated the neural features underlying effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) for reducing smoking cravings. In addition, the efficacy of a simulated retrieval-extinction procedure to augment rTMS efficacy was examined. METHODS: Sixty-one individuals with tobacco use disorder (TUD) were randomized into three groups: classic rTMS, retrieval rTMS (viewed smoking videos before rTMS), and sham rTMS. rTMS was performed on the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) over 5 days using a standard figure-8 coil. Smoking cravings and brain responses to smoking cues were measured before and after rTMS treatment. Changes in functional connectivity (FC) among different brain regions were calculated. RESULTS: rTMS reduced smoking urges in TUD. Both active-rTMS groups demonstrated greater activations of the DLPFC, caudate, and bilateral insula relative to the sham group. Increased FC was observed between executive and reward network brain regions, and decreased FC was observed within reward network regions. Compared with standard rTMS, retrieval-extinction rTMS demonstrated similar outcomes and was associated with less activation of the medial frontal gyrus. CONCLUSIONS: rTMS increased activations in brain regions implicated in executive control and reward processing. Strengthened prefrontal-striatal pathway suggests that rTMS enhanced top-down control over smoking cravings. The retrieval-extinction process, although associated with some different and multiple similar neural correlates as the standard rTMS, did not enhance cessation outcomes.

Masticatory muscle weakness as the main manifestation in a patient with Kennedy′s disease: a case report / 中华神经科杂志

Kennedy′s disease usually begins with limbs weakness, especially lower limbs weakness and atrophy, accompanied by tongue atrophy. A case of Kennedy′s disease with masticatory muscle weakness and atrophy as the first and main symptoms was reported. The patient was a middle-aged male who had been weak chewing for 7 years with progressive deterioration and needed to hold his jaw with his hand while chewing or speaking. There was no significant limbs weakness throughout the course. Physical examination showed strength of limbs grade Ⅴ, only mild tongue atrophy, but serious masticatory muscle atrophy and weak chowing. He was finally definitely diagnosed with Kennedy′s disease by genetic testing. Masticatory muscle atrophy and weak chowing as the main phenotype is rare in Kennedy′s disease. This case will help clinicians to strengthen the understanding of this rare clinical phenotype of Kennedy′s disease.

Outcomes of pregnant women hospitalized with unrepaired congenital heart disease: Insights from a multidisciplinary center in Vietnam.

Background: In developing countries, fewer women have access to multidisciplinary congenital heart disease and reproductive programs staffed by experts. We report pregnancy outcomes of a multidisciplinary healthcare strategy utilizing an in-hospital teamwork approach in Vietnam. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included pregnant women with unrepaired congenital heart disease managed at a referral cardiovascular center. Results: Undiagnosed congenital heart disease before pregnancy, a lack of pre-pregnancy cardiology counseling, and modified World Health Organization class III/IV were common. Under the multispecialty healthcare strategy, although the rate of maternal death was 8.2% in the modified World Health Organization class IV group, no deaths occurred in any other group. Fetal/neonatal complications occurred in 54% of pregnancies, and 49.4% of neonates survived. Poor pregnancy outcomes were associated with admission during the first/seconde trimester for fetus/neonates, third trimester for mother, modified World Health Organization class III/IV, cyanosis, and heart failure. Conclusion: The outcomes of pregnant women with unrepaired congenital heart disease were poor but seemed to improve with a multidisciplinary in-hospital healthcare teamwork strategy.

Promotion of Tricholoma matsutake mycelium growth by Penicillium citreonigrum.

Tricholoma matsutake has been the most valuable ectomycorrhizal fungi in Asia because of its unique flavor and taste. However, due to the difficulty of artificial cultivation, the cultivation of T. matsutake has relied on natural growth in forests. To cultivate the T. matsutake artificially, microorganisms in fairy rings were introduced. In this study, we isolated 30 fungal species of microfungi from the soil of fairy rings. Among them, one single fungal strain showed a promoting effect on the growth of T. matsutake. The growth effect was confirmed by measuring the growth area of T. matsutake and enzyme activities including α-amylase, cellulase, and ß-glucosidase. In comparison with control, microfungal metabolite increased the growth area of T. matsutake by 213% and the enzyme activity of T. matsutake by 110-200%. The isolated fungal strain was identified as Penicillium citreonigrum by BLAST on the NCBI database. The Discovery of this microfungal strain is expected to contribute to artificial cultivation of T. matsutake.

A global optimization generation method of stitching dental panorama with anti-perspective transformation.

To address the limitation of narrow field-of-view in local oral cavity images that fail to capture large-area targets at once, this paper designs a method for generating natural dental panoramas based on oral endoscopic imaging that consists of two main stages: the anti-perspective transformation feature extraction and the coarse-to-fine global optimization matching. In the first stage, we increase the number of matched pairs and improve the robustness of the algorithm to viewpoint transformation by normalizing the anti-affine transformation region extracted from the Gaussian scale space and using log-polar coordinates to compute the gradient histogram of the octagonal region to obtain the set of perspective transformation resistant feature points. In the second stage, we design a coarse-to-fine global optimization matching strategy. Initially, we incorporate motion smoothing constraints and improve the Fast Library for Approximate Nearest Neighbors (FLANN) algorithm by utilizing neighborhood information for coarse matching. Then, we eliminate mismatches via homography-guided Random Sample Consensus (RANSAC) and further refine the matching using the Levenberg-Marquardt (L-M) algorithm to reduce cumulative errors and achieve global optimization. Finally, multi-band blending is used to eliminate the ghosting due to unalignment and make the image transition more natural. Experiments show that the visual effect of dental panoramas generated by the proposed method is significantly better than that of other methods, addressing the problems of sparse splicing discontinuities caused by sparse keypoints, ghosting due to parallax, and distortion caused by the accumulation of errors in multi-image splicing in oral endoscopic image stitching.

Clinician Champions' Influence on Social Needs Screening Volumes in Pediatric Practices.

Health systems face barriers implementing routine screening for social needs. We assessed the impact of "clinician champions" on social needs screening. Screening data were assessed at 11 pediatric primary care practices in Bronx, NY, between April 2018 and August 2021. Three intervention practices had clinician champions; 8 control practices did not. The Wald chi-square tests and Poisson regressions evaluated the relationship between screening and introduction of clinician champions. The introduction of a clinician champion was a significant predictor of screening (P < .001). Within a practice, screening after the introduction of a clinician champion was higher than before the introduction (P < .001). The rate of screening for practices with a clinician champion was 2.8 times higher per month than for practices without a clinician champion. Furthermore, practices with clinician champions had higher rates of screening during the pandemic. In summary, the presence of clinician champions increased social needs screening rates in pediatric primary care practices.

Intelligent crowd sensing pickpocketing group identification using remote sensing data for secure smart cities.

As a public infrastructure service, remote sensing data provided by smart cities will go deep into the safety field and realize the comprehensive improvement of urban management and services. However, it is challenging to detect criminal individuals with abnormal features from massive sensing data and identify groups composed of criminal individuals with similar behavioral characteristics. To address this issue, we study two research aspects: pickpocketing individual detection and pickpocketing group identification. First, we propose an IForest-FD pickpocketing individual detection algorithm. The IForest algorithm filters the abnormal individuals of each feature extracted from ticketing and geographic information data. Through the filtered results, the factorization machines (FM) and deep neural network (DNN) (FD) algorithm learns the combination relationship between low-order and high-order features to improve the accuracy of identifying pickpockets composed of factorization machines and deep neural networks. Second, we propose a community relationship strength (CRS)-Louvain pickpocketing group identification algorithm. Based on crowdsensing, we measure the similarity of temporal, spatial, social and identity features among pickpocketing individuals. We then use the weighted combination similarity as an edge weight to construct the pickpocketing association graph. Furthermore, the CRS-Louvain algorithm improves the modularity of the Louvain algorithm to overcome the limitation that small-scale communities cannot be identified. The experimental results indicate that the IForest-FD algorithm has better detection results in Precision, Recall and F1score than similar algorithms. In addition, the normalized mutual information results of the group division effect obtained by the CRS-Louvain pickpocketing group identification algorithm are better than those of other representative methods.

SAIF plays anti-angiogenesis via blocking VEGF-VEGFR2-ERK signal in tumor treatment.

Shark cartilage was created as a cancer-fighting diet because it was believed to have an element that may suppress tumor growth. Due to overfishing, sharks have become endangered recently, making it impossible to harvest natural components from shark cartilage for therapeutic development research. Previously, we identified a peptide SAIF from shark cartilage with an-tiangiogenic and anti-tumor effects, successfully expressed it in Escherichia coli by using genetic engineering techniques. However, we did not elucidate the specific target of SAIF and its antiangiogenic molecular mechanism, which hindered its further drug development. Therefore, in this work, the exact mechanism of action was studied using various techniques, including cellular and in vivo animal models, computer-aided simulation, molecular target capture, and transcriptome sequencing analysis. With VEGF-VEGFR2 interaction and preventing the activation of VEGFR2/ERK signaling pathways, SAIF was discovered to decrease angiogenesis and hence significantly limit tumor development. The findings further demonstrated SAIF's strong safety and pharmaceutically potential. The evidence showed that SAIF, which is expressed by, is a potent and safe angiogenesis inhibitor and might be developed as a candidate peptide drug for the treatment of solid tumors such as hepatocellular carcinoma and other conditions linked with angiogenic overgrowth.

Exploration of Remarkably Potential Multitarget-Directed N-Alkylated-2-(substituted phenyl)-1H-benzimidazole Derivatives as Antiproliferative, Antifungal, and Antibacterial Agents.

Improving lipophilicity for drugs to penetrate the lipid membrane and decreasing bacterial and fungal coinfections for patients with cancer pose challenges in the drug development process. Here, a series of new N-alkylated-2-(substituted phenyl)-1H-benzimidazole derivatives were synthesized and characterized by 1H and 13C NMR, FTIR, and HRMS spectrum analyses to address these difficulties. All the compounds were evaluated for their antiproliferative, antibacterial, and antifungal activities. Results indicated that compound 2g exhibited the best antiproliferative activity against the MDA-MB-231 cell line and also displayed significant inhibition at minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of 8, 4, and 4 µg mL-1 against Streptococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus compared with amikacin. The antifungal data of compounds 1b, 1c, 2e, and 2g revealed their moderate activities toward Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger, with MIC values of 64 µg mL-1 for both strains. Finally, the molecular docking study found that 2g interacted with crucial amino acids in the binding site of complex dihydrofolate reductase with nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate.