Effects of variable-temperature drying on the qualities and sweet-substance profile of Zizyphus jujuba Mill. cv. Junzao.

The changes in the qualities and sweet-substance levels of Junzao jujube during variable-temperature drying (VTD) were investigated. The results showed that VTD retains the original color of jujube, reduces its hardness and chewiness, and decreases its wrinkling while shortening the drying time by 13.2% compared with that of constant temperature drying (CTD). "Electronic-tongue" taste analysis showed that the sweetness of VTD jujube is significantly higher than that for CTD. This is shown to be related to the contents of sucrose, fructose, and glucose, as well as the activities of invertase and sucrose synthase enzymes. In addition, the content trends for sweet amino acids are correlated with the temperature gradient used in VTD. Thus, the present study elucidates the factors governing the transformation of sugar substances in jujube during VTD, as well as providing a practical reference for the application of VTD in the jujube industry.

Comparative analysis between the safety and efficacy of oral corticosteroids versus corticosteroids pulse therapies in IgA nephropathy.

OBJECTIVE: This study retrospectively compared the safety and efficacy of oral corticosteroid therapy (OCT) and corticosteroid pulse therapy (CPT) in the treatment of IgA nephropathy. METHODS: One ninety-two patients were diagnosed with IgA nephropathy and had an estimated glomerular filtration rate > 15mL/min/1.73m2 and 24-h urine protein level of 0.75-3.5g. Patients were divided into CPT and OCT groups according to the treatment protocol. The differences in the efficacy and safety between the two groups were assessed by logistic regression analysis and propensity score matching. RESULTS: Significant differences at baseline, including 24-h urine protein level and eGFR, were observed between the two groups. Logistic regression analysis indicated that the remission rate increased significantly, while the incidences of total adverse events and infections decreased in CPT group compared with the OCT group after adjusting the potential confounding factors. Forty-seven pairs of subjects are matched by using propensity score matching with similar baseline data. The results indicate that the total remission rate and complete remission rate were significantly higher, while the incidences of total adverse events were lower (p = 0.008) in the CPT group than in the OCT group. The subgroup analysis showed that CPT group was more likely to achieve remission in patients with initial 24-h urine protein levels falling into the range of 2-3.5 g and Oxford Classification of S1 or C1/2 (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Among patients with IgA nephropathy and 24-h urine protein levels of 0.75-3.5g, CPT may be more effective than OCT in reducing urinary protein levels and improving renal function with a lower incidence of adverse events.

Integrated System Built for Small-Molecule Semiconductors via High-Throughput Approaches.

High-throughput synthesis of solution-processable structurally variable small-molecule semiconductors is both an opportunity and a challenge. A large number of diverse molecules provide a possibility for quick material discovery and machine learning based on experimental data. However, the diversity of the molecular structure leads to the complexity of molecular properties, such as solubility, polarity, and crystallinity, which poses great challenges to solution processing and purification. Here, we first report an integrated system for the high-throughput synthesis, purification, and characterization of molecules with a large variety. Based on the principle "Like dissolves like," we combine theoretical calculations and a robotic platform to accelerate the purification of those molecules. With this platform, a material library containing 125 molecules and their optical-electronic properties was built within a timeframe of weeks. More importantly, the high repeatability of recrystallization we design is a reliable approach to further upgrading and industrial production.

Effects of food stimuli on event-related potentials of restrained eating subgroups during task switching.

Executive functions are thought to affect problematic eating behaviors in restrained eaters. While neurophysiological features of inhibitory control among restrained eaters in particular have been extensively investigated, considerably less is known about its influence on cognitive flexibility. The present study investigated the behavioral and neural correlates of food-related cognitive flexibility with event-related potentials (ERPs) associated in a task-switching paradigm among successful restrained eaters (SREs, n = 30) and unsuccessful restrained eaters (UREs, n = 32). Behavioral results revealed smaller switch reaction times among SREs than among UREs in both food-stimuli and neutral-stimuli tasks. ERP analyses indicated that neutral-switch trials, especially in UREs, displayed larger N2 amplitudes. In addition, SREs displayed larger P3 amplitudes in frontal, frontal-central, and central than UREs. P3 amplitude increased significantly during food-stimuli tasks compared to that during neutral-stimuli tasks. These results indicate that SREs possess better efficiency in enhanced cognitive transformation during the processing of target monitoring and conflict resolution. This is the first study to provide evidence for differences between SREs and UREs during task switching using ERP measures and reliance on different food-related processing strategies among SREs compared to UREs.

Optically Controlled Living Micromotors for the Manipulation and Disruption of Biological Targets.

Bioinspired and biohybrid micromotors represent a revolution in microrobotic research and are playing an increasingly important role in biomedical applications. In particular, biological micromotors that are multifunctional and can perform complex tasks are in great demand. Here, we report living and multifunctional micromotors based on single cells (green microalgae: Chlamydomonas reinhardtii) that are controlled by optical force. The micromotor's locomotion can be carefully controlled in a variety of biological media including cell culture medium, saliva, human serum, plasma, blood, and bone marrow fluid. It exhibits the capabilities to perform multiple tasks, in particular, indirect manipulation of biological targets and disruption of biological aggregates including in vitro blood clots. These micromotors can also act as elements in reconfigurable motor arrays where they efficiently work collaboratively and synchronously. This work provides new possibilities for many in vitro biomedical applications including target manipulation, cargo delivery and release, and biological aggregate removal.

Artificial intelligence and convolution neural networks assessing mammographic images: a narrative literature review.

Studies have shown that the use of artificial intelligence can reduce errors in medical image assessment. The diagnosis of breast cancer is an essential task; however, diagnosis can include 'detection' and 'interpretation' errors. Studies to reduce these errors have shown the feasibility of using convolution neural networks (CNNs). This narrative review presents recent studies in diagnosing mammographic malignancy investigating the accuracy and reliability of these CNNs. Databases including ScienceDirect, PubMed, MEDLINE, British Medical Journal and Medscape were searched using the terms 'convolutional neural network or artificial intelligence', 'breast neoplasms [MeSH] or breast cancer or breast carcinoma' and 'mammography [MeSH Terms]'. Articles collected were screened under the inclusion and exclusion criteria, accounting for the publication date and exclusive use of mammography images, and included only literature in English. After extracting data, results were compared and discussed. This review included 33 studies and identified four recurring categories of studies: the differentiation of benign and malignant masses, the localisation of masses, cancer-containing and cancer-free breast tissue differentiation and breast classification based on breast density. CNN's application in detecting malignancy in mammography appears promising but requires further standardised investigations before potentially becoming an integral part of the diagnostic routine in mammography.

Extensive serum cytokine analysis in patients with prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer (CaP) is a common male malignancy. Using prostate specific antigen (PSA) and prostate cancer antigen 3 (PCA3) in the diagnosis of prostate cancer, sensitivity and specificity still require improvement. Additional targets are urgently needed for the diagnosis, prognosis, and prediction of therapeutic response, leading to better treatments in order to reduce the mortality of CaP. Here, we utilized a solid-phase antibody array, which can simultaneously detect 200 proteins, for the screening of novel blood-based biomarkers. The proteins differentially expressed in the pathogenesis of CaP were further analyzed using bioinformatics methods. The identified targets were further validated by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A total of 38 proteins were identified with significantly differential levels in CaP serum compared to healthy control serum, including 21 up-regulated and 17 down-regulated cytokines. ELISA result showed that validated six ones of these differential cytokines were significantly differential between CaP and control, consistent with the antibody array result. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis for these differentially expressed cytokines showed the top five cytokines interacting with most other cytokines were insulin, SDF-1a, CD40L, IL-18 and NCAM-1, suggesting these five targets are important in the pathogenesis of CaP, and more sensitive for the early diagnosis and prognosis of CaP. Targeting these cytokines may be more effective therapies against CaP. Among these differentially expressed cytokines, it was found that AR, BTC, IL-1 F8, IL-31, Marapsin, b-NGF, EDA-A2, MCP-3, MCP-4, MIP-3a, PIGF, and TECK decreased, while Fas, Flt-3L, and NCAM-1 increased in CaP when compared to the controls. Taken together, those 38 differentially expressed cytokines may service as novel serum biomarkers for CaP, which will be further validated with more clinical samples.

Injectable and biodegradable phospholipid-based phase separation gel for sustained delivery of insulin.

Long-term and daily injection of insulin for the treatment of diabetes mellitus often bring great suffering to patients. In order to reduce injection frequency and improve patient compliance, an injectable in-situ forming phospholipid-based phase separation gel (PPSG) was formulated in the present study. Insulin was loaded into PPSG for sustained and controlled delivery, which could maintain the bioactivity of insulin during its release process. The in-situ formation and degradation behavior of PPSG in vivo indicated that solvent exchange could be the driving force for phase transition and that phospholipid vesicle formation and burst could be the mechanism of drug release and gel degradation. In the foreign body response study, PPSG implants were demonstrated to be biodegradable, and the degree of inflammation and fibrotic responses could be decreased by increasing the phospholipid content. The applicability of insulin on PPSG was justified by studying the drug release property and the bioactivity of insulin in PPSG. As a result, the insulin-loaded PPSG showed a sustained drug release behavior and a long-lasting hypoglycemic effect in diabetic rats. In conclusion, PPSG is of good biocompatibility and biodegradability, which is promising to serve as a sustained insulin delivery system and improve patient compliance effectively.

The important roles of type I interferon and interferon-inducible genes in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a severe autoimmune disease that causes multiple-organ dysfunction mainly affecting women in their childbearing years. Type I IFN synthesis is usually triggered by viruses, and its production is tightly regulated and limited in time in health individuals. However, many patients with systemic autoimmune diseases including SLE have signs of aberrant production of type I interferon (IFN) and display an increased expression of IFN-inducible genes. Continuous type I IFNs derived from activated plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) by interferogenic immune complexes (ICs) and migration of these cells to tissues both break immune tolerance and promote an on-going autoimmune reaction in human body. By the means of detecting type I IFNs and IFN-inducible genes, it can help with diagnosis and evaluation of SLE in early stage and more efficiently. Anti-IFN-α monoclonal antibodies in SLE patients were recently reported and is now being investigated in phase II clinical trails. In this review, we focus on recent research progress in type I IFN and IFN-inducible genes. Possible mechanisms behind the dysregulated type I IFN system in SLE and how they contribute to the development of an autoimmune process, and act as a biomarker and therapeutic target will be reviewed.

Safety and efficacy of policosanol in patients with high on-treatment platelet reactivity after drug-eluting stent implantation: two-year follow-up results.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate safety and efficacy of policosanol in patients with high on-treatment platelet reactivity after drug-eluting stent implantation. BACKGROUND: Certain number of patients has high residual platelet reactivity on clopidogrel after coronary intervention, and their risk of thrombotic events is high. METHOD: In this prospective, randomized trial conducted in four Chinese sites, 350 patients with high on-treatment platelet reactivity (HPR, defined as platelet aggregation >65%) were randomized by the ratio of 1:3:3 to: group A, clopidogrel 75 mg/d for 1 year (n=50); group B, clopidogrel 150 mg/d for 30 days followed by 75 mg/d until 1 year (n=150); or group C, policosanol 40 mg/d for 6 month and clopidogrel 75 mg/d for 1 year (n=150). All of them were treated with aspirin. The primary endpoint was the reversion rate of HPR at 1 month (reversion was defined as platelet aggregation <65%). The secondary endpoints were 6-month major adverse cardiac events (MACE), which included cardiac death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or ischemic symptoms driven target vessel revascularization. RESULTS: At 30 days, the reversion rate of HPR was 34.0%, 55.2%, and 48.7% in group A, group B, and group C, respectively (P=.029). Major adverse cardiac events occurred in 4 (8.0%), 6(4.0%), and 5(3.3%) patients (P=.342). There was 1 (0.7%) major bleeding and 1 (0.7%) minor bleeding event in high maintenance dose clopidogrel group, no major or moderate bleeding in the other two groups. The minimal bleeding in group B was significantly higher than group C (10.7% vs 2.7%, P=.022). At 2-year follow-up, the benefits of policosanol on bleedings persisted compared with group B. CONCLUSIONS: Policosanol reduced platelet reactivity to a similar extent as high maintenance dose of clopidogrel without increasing bleeding rate.