Connectivity isomerization of the same aromatic molecular core with different substitution positions profoundly affects electron transport pathways and single-molecule conductance. Herein, we designed and synthesized all connectivity isomers of a thiophene (TP) aromatic ring substituted by two dihydrobenzo[b]thiophene (BT) groups with ethynyl spacers (m,n-TP-BT, (m,n = 2,3; 2,4; 2,5; 3,4)), to systematically probe how connectivity contributes to single-molecule conductance. Single-molecule conductance measurements using a scanning tunneling microscopy break junction (STM-BJ) technique show â¼12-fold change in conductance values, which follow an order of 10-4.83 G0 (2,4-TP-BT) < 10-4.78 G0 (3,4-TP-BT) < 10-4.06 G0 (2,3-TP-BT) < 10-3.75 G0 (2,5-TP-BT). Electronic structure analysis and theoretical simulations show that the connectivity isomerization significantly changes electron delocalization and HOMO-LUMO energy gaps. Moreover, the connectivity-dependent molecular structures lead to different quantum interference (QI) effects in electron transport, e.g., a strong destructive QI near E = EF leads the smallest conductance value for 2,4-TP-BT. This work proves a clear relationship between the connectivity isomerization and single-molecule conductance of thiophene heterocyclic molecular junctions for the future design of molecular devices.
BACKGROUND: Epilepsy is a serious neurological disorder that affects millions of people each year, often leading to cognitive issues and reduced quality of life. Medication is the main treatment, but many patients experience negative side effects. Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were chosen as experimental animals for this experiment due to their physiological and genetic similarities to humans, cost-effectiveness, and ease of handling in a laboratory setting. AIMS: The objective of this study was to assess the neuroprotective properties of baicalin (BA) in relation to its impact on anxiety and depressive-like behaviors in the epilepsy model. METHODS: Thirty male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were selected for this experiment. Pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) kindling (40 mg/kg; i.p.) was utilized to establish an epilepsy model. The effect of BA (50 mg/kg; gavage) on seizure severity (assessed using the Racine scale), anxiety, and depressive- like behaviors (evaluated through open field experiments and forced swimming tests) was examined. Histological examinations, including hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining and Nissl staining, were conducted to assess neuronal damage. Furthermore, the neuroprotective properties of BA were examined through the analysis of Doublecortin (DCX), MKI67 (KI67), and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) levels in the hippocampus of rats. The inhibitory impact of BA on neuroinflammation was assessed via dual labeling for NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3 (NLRP3) and the microglial marker ionized calcium- binding adapter molecule 1 (Iba-1). The influence of BA on the expression of P2X7 receptor (P2X7R), NLRP3, and Interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) was also assessed by reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) in the brain. Finally, we employed a molecular docking model to assess the extent of receptor-ligand binding. RESULTS: Epilepsy models exhibited significant anxiety and depressive-like behaviors, and BA significantly reduced the severity of seizures in these rats while also alleviating their anxiety and depressive-like behaviors. Moreover, neuronal loss and damage were observed in the hippocampus of epileptic rats, but BA was able to effectively counteract this issue by enhancing BDNF expression and promoting neurogenesis within the hippocampus, especially in the DG region. The co-localization of Iba-1 with NLRP3 indicated the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome in microglia. Subsequent RT-PCR revealed that BA may alleviate anxiety and depressive-like behaviors in epileptic rats by activating the P2RX7/NLRP3/ IL-1ß signaling pathway. The final molecular docking results indicated that BA had a good binding affinity with proteins, such as P2RX7, NLRP3, and IL-1ß. CONCLUSION: This study confirmed the effectiveness of BA in improving anxiety and depressivelike behaviors associated with epilepsy. Moreover, it provides theoretical support for the neuroprotective role demonstrated by BA.
Traditional optical waveguides or mediums are often silica-based materials, but their applications in biomedicine and healthcare are limited due to the poor biocompatibility and unsuitable mechanical properties. In term of the applications in human body, a biocompatible hydrogel system with excellent optical transparency and mechanical flexibility could be beneficial. In this review, we explore the different designs of hydrogel-based optical waveguides derived from natural and synthetic sources. We highlighted key developments such as light emitting contact lenses, implantable optical fibres, biosensing systems, luminating and fluorescent materials. Finally, we expand further on the challenges and perspectives for hydrogel waveguides to achieve clinical applications.
BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative condition among the elderly population and the most common form of dementia, however, we lack potent interventions to arrest its inherent pathogenic vectors. Robust evidence indicates thermoregulatory perturbations during and before the onset of symptoms. Therefore, temperature-regulated biomarkers may offer clues to therapeutic targets during the presymptomatic stage. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to develop and assess a thermoregulation-related gene prediction model for Alzheimer's Disease diagnosis. METHOD: This study aims to utilize microarray bioinformatic analysis to identify the potential biomarkers of AD by analyzing four microarray datasets (GSE48350, GSE5281, GSE122063, and GSE181279) of AD patients. Furthermore, thermoregulation-associated hub genes were identified, and the expression patterns in the brain were explored. In addition, we explored the infiltration of immune cells with thermoregulation-related hub genes. Diagnostic marker validation was then performed at the single-cell level. Finally, the prediction of targeted drugs was performed based on the hub genes. RESULTS: Through the analysis of four datasets pertaining to AD, a total of five genes associated with temperature regulation were identified. Notably, CCK, CXCR4, SLC27A4, and SLC17A6 emerged as diagnostic markers indicative of AD-related brain injury. Furthermore, in the examination of peripheral blood samples from AD patients, SLC27A4 and CXCR4 were identified as pivotal diagnostic indicators. Regrettably, animal experimentation was not pursued to validate the data; rather, an assessment of temperature regulation-related genes was conducted. Future investigations will be undertaken to establish the correlation between these genes and AD pathology. CONCLUSION: Overall, CCK, CXCR4, SLC27A4, and SLC17A6 can be considered pivotal biomarkers for diagnosing the pathogenesis and molecular functions of AD.
Soil, particularly in agricultural regions, has been recognized as one of the significant reservoirs for the emerging contaminant of MPs. Therefore, developing a rapid and efficient method is critical for their identification in soil. Here, we coupled HSI systems [i.e., VNIR (400-1000 nm), InGaAs (800-1600 nm), and MCT (1000-2500 nm)] with machine learning algorithms to distinguish soils spiked with white PE and PA (average size of 50 and 300 µm, respectively). The soil-normalized SWIR spectra unveiled significant spectral differences not only between control soil and pure MPs (i.e., PE 100% and PA 100%) but also among five soil-MPs mixtures (i.e., PE 1.6%, PE 6.9%, PA 5.0%, and PA 11.3%). This was primarily attributable to the 1st-3rd overtones and combination bands of C-H groups in MPs. Feature reductions visually demonstrated the separability of seven sample types by SWIR and the inseparability of five soil-MPs mixtures by VNIR. The detection models achieved higher accuracies using InGaAs (92-100%) and MCT (97-100%) compared to VNIR (44-87%), classifying 7 sample types. Our study indicated the feasibility of InGaAs and MCT HSI systems in detecting PE (as low as 1.6%) and PA (as low as 5.0%) in soil. SYNOPSIS: One of two SWIR HSI systems (i.e., InGaAs and MCT) with a sample imaging surface area of 3.6 mm² per grid cell was sufficient for detecting PE (as low as 1.6%) and PA (as low as 5.0%) in soils without the digestion and separation procedures.
The symmetrically double-armed salamo type fluorescent sensor BMS, incorporating benzimidazole units, was designed and synthesized. Showcasing remarkable specificity and responsiveness to MnO4- within a DMSO:H2O (V/V = 9:1, pH = 7.2) Tris-HCl buffer medium, it enabled dual-channel detection of MnO4- through fluorescent and colorimetric changes. Critical experimental parameters, including detection and quantification thresholds (LOD and LOQ) along with binding affinity constants (Ka), were calculated using the Origin software. A rational interaction mechanism between BMS and MnO4- was deduced, based on fluorescence titration, Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry (ESI-MS), Ultraviolet-Visible Spectroscopy (UV-Vis), Infrared Spectroscopy (IR), Stern-Volmer plots, and Density Functional Theory (DFT) computations. Additionally, the sensor BMS was applied to monitor MnO4- in real water samples. Advancing its practical utility, BMS was fabricated into test strips for the selective detecting of MnO4-.
With the continuous advancement of communication technology, the escalating demand for electromagnetic shielding interference (EMI) materials with multifunctional and wideband EMI performance has become urgent. Controlling the electrical and magnetic components and designing the EMI material structure have attracted extensive interest, but remain a huge challenge. Herein, we reported the alternating electromagnetic structure composite films composed of hollow metal-organic frameworks/layered MXene/nanocellulose (HMN) by alternating vacuum-assisted filtration process. The HMN composite films exhibit excellent EMI shielding effectiveness performance in the GHz frequency (66.8 dB at Ka-band) and THz frequency (114.6 dB at 0.1-4.0 THz). Besides, the HMN composite films also exhibit a high reflection loss of 39.7 dB at 0.7 THz with an effective absorption bandwidth up to 2.1 THz. Moreover, HMN composite films show remarkable photothermal conversion performance, which can reach 104.6 °C under 2.0 Sun and 235.4 °C under 0.8 W cm-2, respectively. The unique micro- and macro-structural design structures will absorb more incident electromagnetic waves via interfacial polarization/multiple scattering and produce more heat energy via the local surface plasmon resonance effect. These features make the HMN composite film a promising candidate for advanced EMI devices for future 6G communication and the protection of electronic equipment in cold environments.
Objectives: The present study was conducted to explore the performance of micronutrients in the prediction and prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Methods: This is an observational case-control study. 149 normal controls (NCs) and 214 COVID-19 patients were included in this study. Fat-soluble and water-soluble vitamins were determined by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis, and inorganic elements were detected by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analysis. A logistic regression model based on six micronutrients were constructed using DxAI platform. Results: Many micronutrients were dysregulated in COVID-19 compared to normal control (NC). 25-Hydroxyvitamin D3 [25(OH)D3], magnesium (Mg), copper (Cu), calcium (Ca) and vitamin B6 (pyridoxic acid, PA) were significantly independent risk factors for COVID-19. The logistic regression model consisted of 25(OH)D3, Mg, Cu, Ca, vitamin B5 (VB5) and PA was developed, and displayed a strong discriminative capability to differentiate COVID-19 patients from NC individuals [area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) = 0.901]. In addition, the model had great predictive ability in discriminating mild/normal COVID-19 patients from NC individuals (AUROC = 0.883). Conclusions: Our study showed that micronutrients were associated with COVID-19, and our logistic regression model based on six micronutrients has potential in clinical management of COVID-19, and will be useful for prediction of COVID-19 and screening of high-risk population.
INTRODUCTION: Professional identity formation (PIF) is a central tenet of effective medical education. However, efforts to support, assess and study PIF are hindered by unclear definitions and conceptualisations of what it means to 'think, act, and feel like a physician'. Gaps in understanding PIF, and by extension, its support mechanisms, can predispose individuals towards disengaged or unprofessional conduct and institutions towards short-sighted or reactionary responses to systemic issues. METHODS: A Systematic Evidence-Based Approach-guided systematic scoping review of PIF theories was conducted related to medical students, trainees and practising doctors, published between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2021 in PubMed, Embase, ERIC and Scopus databases. RESULTS: A total of 2441 abstracts were reviewed, 607 full-text articles evaluated and 204 articles included. The domains identified were understanding PIF through the lens of pivotal theories and characterising PIF by delineating the underlying factors that influence it and processes that define it. CONCLUSIONS: Based on regnant theories and frameworks related to self-concepts of identity and personhood, the relationships between key PIF influences, processes and outcomes were examined. A theory-backed integrated conceptual model was proposed to delineate the interconnected relationships among these, aiming to untangle some of the complexities inherent to PIF, to shed light on existing practices and to identify shortcomings in our understanding so as to develop mechanisms in support of its multifaceted, interlinked components.
OBJECTIVE: To establish a mesenchymal stem cellï¼MSCï¼-based in vitro cell model for the evaluation of mouse bone marrow acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD). METHODS: Female C57BL/6N mice aged 6-8 weeks were used as bone marrow and lymphocyte donors, and female BALB/c mice aged 6-8 weeks were used as aGVHD recipients. The recipient mouse received a lethal dose (8.0 Gy,72.76 cGy/min) of total body γ irradiation, and injected with donor mouse derived bone marrow cells (1×107/mouse) in 6-8 hours post irradiation to establish a bone marrow transplantation (BMT) mouse model (n=20). In addition, the recipient mice received a lethal dose (8.0 Gy,72.76 cGy/min) of total body γ irradiation, and injected with donor mouse derived bone marrow cells (1×107/mouse) and spleen lymphocytes (2×106/mouse) in 6-8 hours post irradiation to establish a mouse aGVHD model (n=20). On the day 7 after modeling, the recipient mice were anesthetized and the blood was harvested post eyeball enucleation. The serum was collected by centrifugation. Mouse MSCs were isolated and cultured with the addition of 2%, 5%, and 10% recipient serum from BMT group or aGVHD group respectively. The colony-forming unit-fibroblastï¼CFU-F) experiment was performed to evaluate the potential effects of serums on the self-renewal ability of MSC. The expression of CD29 and CD105 of MSC was evaluated by immunofluorescence staining. In addition, the expression of self-renewal-related genes including Oct-4, Sox-2, and Nanog in MSC was detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCRï¼RT-qPCR). RESULTS: We successfully established an in vitro cell model that could mimic the bone marrow microenvironment damage of the mouse with aGVHD. CFU-F assay showed that, on day 7 after the culture, compared with the BMT group, MSC colony formation ability of aGVHD serum concentrations groups of 2% and 5% was significantly reduced ï¼P < 0ï¼05ï¼; after the culture, at day 14, compared with the BMT group, MSC colony formation ability in different aGVHD serum concentration was significantly reduced ï¼P < 0ï¼05ï¼. The immunofluorescence staining showed that, compared with the BMT group, the proportion of MSC surface molecules CD29+ and CD105+ cells was significantly dereased in the aGVHD serum concentration group (P < 0.05), the most significant difference was at a serum concentration of 10% ï¼P < 0ï¼001, P < 0.01ï¼. The results of RT-qPCR detection showed that the expression of the MSC self-renewal-related genes Oct-4, Sox-2, and Nanog was decreased, the most significant difference was observed at an aGVHD serum concentration of 10% ï¼P < 0.01,P < 0ï¼001,P < 0ï¼001ï¼. CONCLUSION: By co-culturing different concentrations of mouse aGVHD serum and mouse MSC, we found that the addition of mouse aGVHD serum at different concentrations impaired the MSC self-renewal ability, which providing a new tool for the field of aGVHD bone marrow microenvironment damage.
Bone Marrow Transplantation , Disease Models, Animal , Graft vs Host Disease , Mesenchymal Stem Cells , Mice, Inbred BALB C , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Animals , Mice , Female , Mesenchymal Stem Cells/cytology , Bone Marrow Cells/cytology , Cellular Microenvironment , Bone Marrow , Rats
Introduction: Acori Tatarinowii Rhizoma (ATR) is a well-known traditional Chinese medicine that is used for treating neuropathic diseases. However, there is little information about the safety of ATR. Methods: The present study evaluated the acute and subacute oral toxicity of a water extract of ATR in Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice. In acute trials, a single administration of extract at a dose 5,000 mg/kg body weight led to no clinical signs of toxicity or mortality, indicating that the lethal dose (LD50) exceeded 5,000 mg/kg. A subacute toxicity test was done using daily doses of 1,250, 2,500, and 5,000 mg/kg of the ATR extract for 28 days, which did not show any adverse clinical symptoms or mortality. However, the male renal organ index and urea level in mice given 5,000 mg/kg was obviously abnormal, which was consistent with pathological results and suggested that this dose might cause kidney injury. Results: Doses of ATR lower than 2,500 mg/kg could be regarded as safe, although the potential cumulative effects of long-term use of high doses of ATR need to be considered. Discussion: The study highlights the function of ATR in reducing blood lipids and provides a new idea for its widespread clinical use in the future.
The improvement of biosorption efficiency for selective dye removal in a multi-dye aqueous system has become an increasingly significant research topic. However, the competitive effects of coexisting dyes and the target dye in such systems remain uncertain due to complex interactions between adsorbent and coexisting dyes. Therefore, in this research, response surface methodology (RSM) model was effectively employed to investigate the competitive effects of allura red (AR) and malachite green (MG) on methylene blue (MB) removal in a ternary dye aqueous system using three different parts of rape straw powders. In the current design of RSM, the initial concentrations of AR and MG dyes ranging from 0 mg·L-1 to 500 mg·L-1 were considered as influencing factors, while the removal rates of MB on adsorbents at an initial concentration of 500 mg·L-1 were established as response values. The RSM models exhibited high correlation coefficients with adjusted R2 values of 0.9908 (pith core), 0.9870 (seedpods), and 0.9902 (shells), respectively, indicating a close fitted between predicted and actual values. The proposed models indicated that the perturbation effects of initial AR and MG concentrations were observed on the removal rates of MB by three types of rape straw powders in a ternary dye aqueous system, resulting in a decrease in MB removal rates, particularly at higher initial AR concentration due to stronger competitive effects compared to initial MG concentration. The structures of rape straw powders, including pith core, seedpods and shell, were analyzed using scanning eletron microscoe (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), N2 physisorption isotherm, frourier transform infared spectroscopy (FTIR), Zeta potential classes and fluorescence spectrum before and after adsorption of MB in various dye aqueous systems. The characteristics of rape straw powders suggested that similar adsorption mechanisms, such as electrostatic attraction, pore diffusion, and group complex formation for MB, AR, and MG, respectively, occurred on the surfaces of adsorbents during their respective adsorption processes. This leads to significant competitive effects on the removal rates of MB in a ternary dye aqueous system, which are particularly influenced by initial AR concentrations as confirmed through fluorescence spectrum analysis.
Impact of AR and MG on MB removal was analyzed using simple methodologies.Competitive behaviors between AR, MG and MB were understood through RSM.Intense restrain effects on MB removal were revealed by AR concentration.
Calvisia is a colorful winged stick insect genus consisting of 6 subgenera and 44 species widely distributed in temperate and tropical Asia. C. medogensis syn. nov. was discovered in Mdog, Xizang (Tibet), China and is so far the only species recorded from China. We here propose that C. medogensis syn. nov. is a synonym of C. fuscoalata after checking type specimens of both species. New materials studied are deposited in Yunnan Agricultural University, China (YNAU).
Neoptera , Humans , Animals , China , Animal Distribution
BACKGROUND: Episodic memory loss is a prominent clinical manifestation of Alzheimer's disease (AD), which is closely related to tau pathology and hippocampal impairment. Due to the heterogeneity of brain neurons, the specific roles of different brain neurons in terms of their sensitivity to tau accumulation and their contribution to AD-like social memory loss remain unclear. Therefore, further investigation is necessary. METHODS: We investigated the effects of AD-like tau pathology by Tandem mass tag proteomic and phosphoproteomic analysis, social behavioural tests, hippocampal electrophysiology, immunofluorescence staining and in vivo optical fibre recording of GCaMP6f and iGABASnFR. Additionally, we utilized optogenetics and administered ursolic acid (UA) via oral gavage to examine the effects of these agents on social memory in mice. RESULTS: The results of proteomic and phosphoproteomic analyses revealed the characteristics of ventral hippocampal CA1 (vCA1) under both physiological conditions and AD-like tau pathology. As tau progressively accumulated, vCA1, especially its excitatory and parvalbumin (PV) neurons, were fully filled with mislocated and phosphorylated tau (p-Tau). This finding was not observed for dorsal hippocampal CA1 (dCA1). The overexpression of human tau (hTau) in excitatory and PV neurons mimicked AD-like tau accumulation, significantly inhibited neuronal excitability and suppressed distinct discrimination-associated firings of these neurons within vCA1. Photoactivating excitatory and PV neurons in vCA1 at specific rhythms and time windows efficiently ameliorated tau-impaired social memory. Notably, 1 month of UA administration efficiently decreased tau accumulation via autophagy in a transcription factor EB (TFEB)-dependent manner and restored the vCA1 microcircuit to ameliorate tau-impaired social memory. CONCLUSION: This study elucidated distinct protein and phosphoprotein networks between dCA1 and vCA1 and highlighted the susceptibility of the vCA1 microcircuit to AD-like tau accumulation. Notably, our novel findings regarding the efficacy of UA in reducing tau load and targeting the vCA1 microcircuit may provide a promising strategy for treating AD in the future.
Alzheimer Disease , Humans , Male , Mice , Animals , Alzheimer Disease/metabolism , Alzheimer Disease/pathology , Mice, Transgenic , Proteomics , Hippocampus/metabolism , Hippocampus/pathology , Memory Disorders/metabolism
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the preliminary clinical effect of closed reduction and cannulated nail internal fixation for femoral neck fracture assisted by robot navigation and positioning system. METHODS: From July 2019 to January 2020, 16 cases of femoral neck fracture ï¼navigation groupï¼ were treated with closed reduction and internal fixation guided by robot system, including 7 males and 9 females, aged 25 to 72 years old with an average of ï¼53.61±5.45ï¼ years oldï¼Garden classification of fractureï¼3 cases of typeâ , 3 cases of typeâ ¡, 8 cases of type â ¢, 2 cases of type â £. Non navigation group ï¼control groupï¼ï¼20 cases of femoral neck fracture were treated with closed reduction and hollow nail internal fixation, 8 males and 12 females, aged 46 to 70 years old with an average of ï¼55.23±4.64ï¼ years oldï¼Garden typeâ in 2 cases, typeâ ¡in 4 cases, type â ¢ in 11 cases, type â £ in 3 cases. The operation time, fluoroscopy times, guide needle drilling times, screw adjustment times, intraoperative bleeding volume and other indicators of two groups were evaluated. RESULTS: Both groups were followed up for 12 to 18 months with an average of ï¼15.6±2.8ï¼ months. The fractures of both groups were healed without delayed union and nonunion. There was no significant difference in healing time between two groupsï¼P=0.782ï¼. There was no significant difference in Harris scores between two groups at the last follow-upï¼P=0.813ï¼. There was no significant difference in operation time between two groupsï¼P>0.05ï¼. There were significant differences between two groups in fluoroscopy times, guide needle drilling times, hollow screw replacement times, and intraoperative bleeding volumeï¼P<0.05ï¼. CONCLUSION: Closed reduction and hollow screw internal fixation assisted by robot navigation system for femoral neck fracture has the advantages of minimally invasive operation, precise screw placement, and reduction of X-ray radiation damage during operation.
Femoral Neck Fractures , Orthopedics , Robotics , Male , Female , Humans , Adult , Middle Aged , Aged , Treatment Outcome , Femoral Neck Fractures/surgery , Bone Screws , Fracture Fixation, Internal , Fracture Healing , Retrospective Studies
PURPOSE: Depression is a psychiatric disorder and the treatment of depression is an urgent problem that need to be solved. Gastrodin (GAS) is a Traditional Chinese Medicine from an orchid and is used for neurological diseases, including depressive disorders. METHODS: To assess the effect of GAS on gut microbiota of depressive mice, we established a chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS)-induced mouse model, and GAS was administered to one group of the mice. Animal behavior experiments were used to detect depressive-like behaviors, and 16â¯S rRNA gene analysis was applied to detect the gut microbiota of each group. All raw sequences were deposited in the NCBI Sequence Read Archive under accession number SRP491061. RESULTS: GAS treatment significantly improved depressive-like behaviors as well as the diversity and abundance of the gut microbiota. The depressive-like behaviors of the CUMS-GAS group were improved in different degrees compared with the CUMS group. The linear discriminant analysis (LDA) of the gut microbiota showed that the makeup of the gut microbiota in mice changed dramatically in the CUMS-GAS group, compared with the CUMS group, Bacteroides (LDA = 3.94, P < 0.05) were enriched in the CUMS-GAS group at the genus level. In comparison to the CUMS group, the CUMS-GAS group had a greater concentration numbers of Lactobacillus, Corynebacterium, Staphylococcus, Bacteroides, Psychrobacter, and Alistipes. CONCLUSION: Our results suggested that GAS improved depressive-like behaviors in mice and impacted the microbial composition of the gut. Our research indicated that dysbiosis of the gut microbiota may be affected by GAS treatment, which improved depressive-like behaviors in the CUMS-induced mouse model of depression.
Benzyl Alcohols , Depression , Gastrointestinal Microbiome , Glucosides , Humans , Mice , Animals , Depression/drug therapy , Depression/psychology , Behavior, Animal , Stress, Psychological/complications
It is well-known that highly reactive hydroxyl radicals (HOâ¢) can be produced by the classic Fenton system and our recently discovered haloquinone/H2O2 system, but rarely from thiol-derivatives. Here, we found, unexpectedly, that HO⢠can be generated from H2O2 and thiourea dioxide (TUO2), a widely used and environmentally friendly bleaching agent. A carbon-centered radical and sulfite were detected and identified as the transient intermediates, and urea and sulfate as the final products, with the complementary application of electron spin-trapping, oxygen-18 isotope labeling coupled with HPLC/MS analysis. Density functional theory calculations were conducted to further elucidate the detailed pathways for HO⢠production. Taken together, we proposed that the molecular mechanism for HO⢠generation by TUO2/H2O2: TUO2 tautomerizes from sulfinic acid into ketone isomer (TUO2-K) through proton transfer, then a nucleophilic addition of H2O2 on the S atom of TUO2-K, forming a S-hydroperoxide intermediate TUO2-OOH, which dissociates homolytically to produce HOâ¢. Our findings represent the first experimental and computational study on an unprecedented new molecular mechanism of HO⢠production from simple thiol-derived sulfinic acids, which may have broad chemical, environmental, and biomedical significance for future research on the application of the well-known bleaching agent and its analogs.
OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the relationship between taste dysfunction and depression among patients with schizophrenia, to achieve early detection of depression in clinical practice. METHODS: Following PRISMA guidance, a comprehensive literature search was conducted globally, covering papers published from 1961 to June 2023. A total of 17 manuscripts were selected through meta-analysis and sensitivity analysis after examining available materials from seven databases to determine the correlation between depression and taste dysfunction. RESULTS: The comparison of the 17 selected manuscripts revealed that individuals with gustatory dysfunction may be more likely to experience depressive symptoms (SMD, 0.51, 95% CI, 0.08 to 0.93, p = 0.02). Depression is associated with taste dysfunction in certain aspects, as indicated by the pleasantness ratings of sucrose solutions (SMD, -0.53, 95% confidence interval [CI] -1.11 to 0.05, p = 0.08), gustatory identification ability (SMD, 0.96, 95% CI, 0.03 to 1.89, p = 0.04), and the perception threshold of sweet taste (MD, 0.80, 95% CI, 0.79 to 0.81, p < 0.00001). CONCLUSIONS: Due to variations in the methods, designs, and selection criteria employed in the included studies, it is necessary to establish a feasible framework. Future research using detailed and targeted approaches can provide clearer and more unified conclusions on the relationship between taste dysfunction and depression. Moreover, further high-quality research is needed to obtain clearer conclusions and explore the potential of taste dysfunction as an effective tool for early screening of depression. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This review has been registered in the PROSPERO on April 2022 with the identifier CRD42023400172.
Depression , Schizophrenia , Humans , Depression/diagnosis , Depression/prevention & control , Schizophrenia/complications , Schizophrenia/diagnosis , Sucrose , Taste Disorders , Sensation
STUDY OBJECTIVES: The relationship between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is complex. We aim to determine the association of subjective and objective sleep parameters with diverse manifestations of the GERD spectrum. METHODS: We prospectively recruited 561 subjects who underwent an electrocardiogram-based cardiopulmonary coupling (CPC) for OSA screening during a health check-up. All subjects received the Reflux Disease Questionnaire (RDQ) and an upper endoscopy to determine the presence of troublesome reflux symptoms and erosive esophagitis (EE). Sleep quality was evaluated by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and sleep dysfunction was defined as a PSQI > 5. OSA was defined as a CPC-derived apnea/hypopnea index exceeding 15 events per hour. Comparisons were made between subjects on the GERD spectrum with respect to their various subjective and objective sleep parameters. RESULTS: Among the 277 subjects with GERD (49.4%), 198 (35.3%) had EE. Subjects with GERD had higher scores of PSQI (6.99 ± 3.97 vs. 6.07 ± 3.73, P = 0.005) and a higher prevalence of sleep dysfunction (60.6% vs. 49.6%, P = 0.009). Subjects with EE had a higher prevalence of OSA (42.9% vs. 33.9%, P = 0.034). Along the GERD spectrum, symptomatic EE subjects had the highest PSQI scores and prevalence of sleep dysfunction (70.7%), while asymptomatic EE subjects had the highest prevalence of OSA (44%). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate a high prevalence of sleep dysfunction among individuals with GERD. Furthermore, patients on the GERD spectrum are prone to experiencing a range of subjective and objective sleep disturbances.
