Causal association between blood metabolites and abdominal aortic calcification: A bidirectional Mendelian randomization study.

Previous studies have reported correlations between metabolic factors and abdominal aortic calcification (AAC). However, the causal relationship between blood metabolites and AAC remains to be fully explored. We employed bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) to investigate the potential causal relationships between 486 blood metabolites and AAC. The inverse variance weighted method was primarily utilized for MR analysis, and the MR-Egger, weighted median, and Robust Adjusted Profile Score methods were used for supplementary analysis. Sensitivity analyses were conducted using Radial MR, MR-PRESSO, Cochran Q test, MR-Egger intercept, and leave-one-out analysis to evaluate the heterogeneity and pleiotropy. Furthermore, the Steiger test and linkage disequilibrium score regression were used to assess genetic correlation and directionality. Multivariable MR analysis was performed to evaluate the direct effect of metabolites on AAC. Through rigorous screening, we identified 6 metabolites with presumed causal effects on AAC: 4-methyl-2-oxopentanoate (effect size [ES] 0.46, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.10-0.82), erythrose (ES -0.35, 95% CI: -0.59 to -0.11), 10-undecenoate (11:1n1) (ES 0.14, 95% CI: 0.03-0.25), 1-myristoylglycerophosphocholine (ES 0.31, 95% CI: 0.11-0.50), glycerol 2-phosphate (ES 0.20, 95% CI: 0.04-0.37), and the unidentified metabolite X-11469 (ES 0.19, 95% CI: 0.08-0.30). Multivariable MR analysis revealed that genetically predicted erythrose, 10-undecenoate, 1-myristoylglycerophosphocholine, and X-11469 could directly affect AAC independent of other metabolites. Reverse MR analysis revealed an alteration in 12 blood metabolites due to AAC, including caffeine, 1,7-dimethylurate, arachidonic acid, and 1-arachidonoylglycerophosphocholine. This study provides evidence supporting a causal relationship between metabolites and AAC. These findings help elucidate the underlying biological mechanisms of AAC and may offer insights into screening, prevention, and treatment approaches.

The influence of form on motion signal processing in the ventral intraparietal area of macaque monkeys.

The visual system relies on both motion and form signals to perceive the direction of self-motion, yet the coordination mechanisms between these two elements in this process remain elusive. In the current study, we employed heading perception as a model to delve into the interaction characteristics between form and motion signals. We recorded the responses of neurons in the ventral intraparietal area (VIP), an area with strong heading selectivity, to motion-only, form-only, and combined stimuli of simulated self-motion. Intriguingly, VIP neurons responded to form-only cues defined by Glass patterns, although they exhibited no tuning selectivity. In combined condition, introducing a small offset between form and motion cues significantly enhanced neuronal sensitivity to motion cues. However, with a larger offset, the enhancement effect on sensitivity became comparatively smaller. Moreover, we observed that the influence of form cues on neuronal response to motion cues is more pronounced in the later stage (1-2 s) of stimulation, with a relatively smaller effect in the early stage (0-1 s). This suggests a dynamic interaction between motion and form cues over time for heading perception. In summary, our study uncovered that in area VIP, form information plays a role in constructing accurate self-motion perception. This adds valuable insights into the complex dynamics of how the brain integrates motion and form cues for the perception of one's own movements.

A differential network with multiple gated reverse attention for medical image segmentation.

UNet architecture has achieved great success in medical image segmentation applications. However, these models still encounter several challenges. One is the loss of pixel-level information caused by multiple down-sampling steps. Additionally, the addition or concatenation method used in the decoder can generate redundant information. These limitations affect the localization ability, weaken the complementarity of features at different levels and can lead to blurred boundaries. However, differential features can effectively compensate for these shortcomings and significantly enhance the performance of image segmentation. Therefore, we propose MGRAD-UNet (multi-gated reverse attention multi-scale differential UNet) based on UNet. We utilize the multi-scale differential decoder to generate abundant differential features at both the pixel level and structure level. These features which serve as gate signals, are transmitted to the gate controller and forwarded to the other differential decoder. In order to enhance the focus on important regions, another differential decoder is equipped with reverse attention. The features obtained by two differential decoders are differentiated for the second time. The resulting differential feature obtained is sent back to the controller as a control signal, then transmitted to the encoder for learning the differential feature by two differential decoders. The core design of MGRAD-UNet lies in extracting comprehensive and accurate features through caching overall differential features and multi-scale differential processing, enabling iterative learning from diverse information. We evaluate MGRAD-UNet against state-of-theart (SOTA) methods on two public datasets. Our method surpasses competitors and provides a new approach for the design of UNet.

Association of serum iron metabolism with muscle mass and frailty in older adults: A cross-sectional study of community-dwelling older adults.

This study aimed to explore the correlation between serum ferritin and additional biomarkers associated with iron metabolism, as well as their connection to muscle atrophy and frailty in the community-dwelling middle-aged and elderly population. The study included 110 middle-aged and elderly participants. Participants were categorized into an iron accumulation group (31 cases) and a normal iron group (79 cases) based on the standard ferritin values for men and women. Based on the criteria of the Asian Working Group on Muscular Dystrophy, participants were classified into a sarcopenia group (31 cases) and a non-sarcopenia group (79 cases). Using the Fried frailty syndrome criteria, participants were categorized into non-frailty (7 cases), pre-frailty (50 cases), and frailty (53 cases) groups. We employed multiple linear regression, binary logistic regression, partial correlation analysis, and ordinal logistic regression to assess the associations between iron metabolism indices and the presence of muscle atrophy and frailty. Compared with the normal iron group, the iron overload group had significantly higher ferritin, weight loss, fatigue, slow gait, and frailty scores (P < .05). Among the 3 models we set, ferritin was not significantly correlated with muscle mass in models 1 and 3 (P > .05), ferritin was positively correlated with muscle mass in model 2 (Pmodel2 = .048), but Transferrin saturation was positively correlated with muscle mass in all 3 models (Pmodel1 = .047, Pmodel2 = .026, Pmodel3 = .024). Ferritin, body mass index and iron overload were the influencing factors of sarcopenia (Pferritin = .027, PBMI < .001, Piron overload = .028). Ferritin was positively correlated with weight loss, fatigue, slow gait, frailty score, and frailty grade (P < .05). Age, gender and ferritin were the influencing factors of frailty classification (P < .05). Disrupted iron metabolism can lead to decreased muscle mass and function among the middle-aged and elderly, increasing frailty risk. It's crucial to prioritize community-based frailty screening and prevention, focusing on iron utilization as well as storage, since accelerating the body's iron metabolism cycle might influence muscle health more significantly than iron reserves.

Queen bee acid pretreatment attenuates myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury by enhancing autophagic flux.

Queen bee acid (QBA), which is exclusively found in royal jelly, has anti-inflammatory, antihypercholesterolemic, and antiangiogenic effects. A recent study demonstrated that QBA enhances autophagic flux in the heart. Considering the significant role of autophagy in the development of myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury, we investigated the effect of pretreatment with QBA on myocardial damage. In an in vivo model, left coronary artery blockage for 30 min and reperfusion for 2 h were used to induce myocardial I/R. In an in vitro model, neonatal rat cardiomyocytes (NRCs) were exposed to 3 h of hypoxia and 3 h of reoxygenation (H/R). Our results showed that pretreatment with QBA increased the cell viability of cardiomyocytes exposed to H/R in a dose-dependent manner, and the best protective concentration of QBA was 100 µM. Next, we noted that QBA pretreatment (24h before H/R) enhanced autophagic flux and attenuated mitochondrial damage, cardiac oxidative stress and apoptosis in NRCs exposed to H/R injury, and these effects were weakened by cotreatment with the autophagy inhibitor bafilomycin A1 (Baf). In addition, similar results were observed when QBA (10 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally into I/R mice 30 min before ischemia. Compared to mice subjected to I/R alone, those treated with QBA had decreased myocardial infarct area and increased cardiac function, whereas, these effects were partly reversed by Baf. Notably, in NRCs exposed to H/R, tandem fluorescent mRFP-GFP-LC3 assays indicated increased autophagosome degradation due to the increase in autophagic flux upon QBA treatment, but coinjection of Baf blocked autophagic flux. In this investigation, no notable adverse effects of QBA were detected in either cellular or animal models. Our findings suggest that QBA pretreatment mitigates myocardial I/R injury by eliminating dysfunctional mitochondria and reducing reactive oxygen species via promoting autophagic flux.

Spexin inhibits excessive autophagy-induced ferroptosis to alleviate doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity by upregulating Beclin 1.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Doxorubicin is widely used in the treatment of malignant tumours, but doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity severely limits its clinical application. Spexin is a neuropeptide that acts as a novel biomarker in cardiovascular disease. However, the effects of spexin on doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity is unclear. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: We established a model of doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity both in vivo and in vitro. Levels of cardiac damage in mice was assessed through cardiac function assessment, determination of serum cardiac troponin T and CKMB levels and histological examination. CCK8 and PI staining were used to assess the doxorubicin-induced toxicity in cultures of cardiomyocytes in vitro. Ferroptosis was assessed using FerroOrange staining, determination of MDA and 4-HNE content and ferroptosis-associated proteins SLC7A11 and GPX4. Mitochondrial membrane potential and lipid peroxidation levels were measured using TMRE and C11-BODIPY 581/591 probes, respectively. Myocardial autophagy was assessed by expression of P62 and Beclin1. KEY RESULTS: Spexin treatment improved heart function of mice with doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity, and attenuated doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity by decreasing iron accumulation, abnormal lipid metabolism and inhibiting ferroptosis. Interestingly, doxorubicin caused excessive autophagy in cardiomyocyte in culture, which could be alleviated by treatment with spexin. Knockdown of Beclin 1 eliminated the protective effects of spexin in mice with DIC. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Spexin ameliorated doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity by inhibiting excessive autophagy-induced ferroptosis, suggesting that spexin could be a drug candidate against doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity. Beclin 1 might be critical in mediating the protective effect of spexin against doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity.

A CRISPR/Cas12a-based fluorescence method for the amplified detection of total antioxidant capacity.

The CRISPR/Cas12a system is a powerful signal amplification tool that has been widely used in nucleic acid detection. It has also been applied to the assay of non-nucleic acid targets, mainly relying on strategies for converting target determination into nucleic acid detection. Herein, we describe a CRISPR/Cas12a-based fluorescence method for sensitive detection of the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) by utilizing a strategy of converting TAC determination into Mn2+ detection. Specifically, the reduction of MnO2 nanosheets by antioxidants produces plenty of Mn2+, which accelerates the trans-cleavage activity of CRISPR/Cas12a. Thus, a fluorescence enhanced detection method for TAC was established, with a detection limit as low as 0.04 mg L-1 for a typical antioxidant, ascorbic acid. More importantly, this method has been proven to successfully analyze TAC in beverages. The excellent analytical performance of this method demonstrates the great potential of the CRISPR/Cas12a system in simple and sensitive TAC analysis.

Light-Triggered Reversible Swelling of Azobenzene-Containing Block Copolymer Worms via Confined Deformation Prepared by Polymerization-Induced Self-Assembly.

Stimuli-responsive block copolymer nanoparticles (NPs) have received close attention in recent years owing to their tremendous application potential in smart materials. Azobenzene-containing NPs are widely studied due to the advantages of light as a stimulus and fast reversible trans-cis isomerization of azobenzene chromophores. However, the inefficient preparation process and difficult reversible transformation of morphologies limit their development. Herein it is demonstrated that the light-triggered reversible swelling behavior of wormlike NPs with high azobenzene content could be realized via confined deformation. These worms are prepared in large quantities via polymerization-induced self-assembly based on the copolymerization of 11-(4-(4-butylphenylazo)phenoxy)undecyl methacrylate (MAAz) and N-(methacryloxy)succinimide (NMAS) monomers. Upon UV/visible light irradiation, the reversible deformation of worms is achieved when the feed molar ratio of NMAS/MAAz is relatively high or via crosslinking using diamines, which leads to the reduction of the photoisomerization efficiency. The diameter variation of the worms is influenced by the amount and types of crosslinkers. Moreover, the scalability of this strategy is further proved by the fabrication of photo- and reductant-responsive crosslinked worms. It is expected that this study not only provides a new route to affording reversible photoresponsive NPs but also offers a unique insight into the reversible photodeformation mechanism of azobenzene-containing NPs.

Efficient markerless genetic manipulation of Pasteurella multocida using lacZ and pheSm as selection markers.

Pasteurella multocida is a zoonotic conditional pathogen that infects multiple livestock species, causing substantial economic losses in the animal husbandry industry. An efficient markerless method for gene manipulation may facilitate the investigations of P. multocida gene function and pathogenesis of P. multocida. Herein, a temperature-sensitive shuttle vector was constructed using lacZ as a selection marker, and markerless glgB, opa, and hyaE mutants of P. multocida were subsequently constructed through blue-white colony screening. The screening efficiency of markerless deletion strains was improved by the lacZ system, and the method could be used for multiple gene deletions. However, the fur mutant was unavailable via this method. Therefore, we constructed a pheSm screening system based on mutated phenylalanine tRNA synthetase as a counterselection marker to achieve fur deletion mutant. The transformed strain was sensitive to 20 mM p-chloro-phenylalanine, demonstrating the feasibility of pheSm as a counter-selective marker. The pheSm system was used for markerless deletions of glgB, opa, and hyaE as well as fur that could not be screened by the lacZ system. A comparison of screening efficiencies of the system showed that the pheSm counterselection system was more efficient than the lacZ system and broadly applicable for mutant screening. The methods developed herein may provide valuable tools for genetic manipulation of P. multocida.IMPORTANCEPasteurella multocida is a highly contagious zoonotic pathogen. An understanding of its underlying pathogenic mechanisms is of considerable importance and requires efficient species-specific genetic tools. Herein, we propose a screening system for P. multocida mutants using lacZ or pheSm screening markers. We evaluated the efficiencies of both systems, which were used to achieve markerless deletion of multiple genes. The results of this study support the use of lacZ or pheSm as counterselection markers to improve counterselection efficiency in P. multocida. This study provides an effective genetic tool for investigations of the virulence gene functions and pathogenic mechanisms of P. multocida.

Skin-Friendly Flexible Ultraviolet Detectors Based on Reversibly Deformable Worm-Like Polymer Nanoparticles.

Flexible ultraviolet (UV) light detection technology has important applications in wearable devices, smart sensors, and other fields and attracts much attention in recent years. However, for most semiconductor-based UV detectors, the elastic modulus between rigid semiconductors and flexible substrates is mismatched, which makes it difficult to fabricate UV detectors that meet the needs of wearable devices. Herein, a fully flexible, large-scale, skin-friendly UV photodetector component centered on photo-responsive worm-like polymer nanoparticles (NPs) is developed, and the resulting device can quantitatively detect UV illumination. Skin-friendly poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), amphiphilic azobenzene-containing polymer NPs (AzNPs), and water-soluble ionic liquids (IL) are formed into (AzNPs-IL)/PVA fabrics by electrospinning. There are interactions such as hydrogen bonding among PVA, AzNPs, and IL, which make the material system stable. The UV detector made of the fabric realizes UV sensing through the illuminance-mechanical stress-electrical signal conversion mechanism. It is capable of achieving a response time of 9 s, a detection range of 10-150 mW cm-2, and stability for 1000 cycle tests upon 365 nm UV irradiation. Moreover, it has good skin affinity, and the water contact angle of the fabric is only 23.57°, which holds great promise for wearable smart devices.

Determination, temporal variation and potential health risk assessment of pesticide residues in grapes from South and Southwest China.

Pesticide residues in grapes from South and Southwest China were determined using the QuEChERS procedure and UHPLC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS methods. The 4-year monitoring and survey showed 94.6% of the 1341 samples of grapes collected from eight main production areas contained one or multiple pesticide residues (above the respective LOQs). Overall, 40 pesticides were detected, including 24 fungicides, 12 insecticides, 2 acaricides and 2 plant growth modulators, of which one pesticide was unauthorised for use in treating grapes. Two or more pesticide residues were discovered in 87.4% of the samples (above the respective LOQs), and pesticide residues in 5.7% of the samples exceeded the MRLs, such as difenoconazole, cyhalothrin, propiconazole, etc. The main risk factors affecting the safety of grape before 2019 were difenoconazole, cyhalothrin and cyazofamid. After 2019, however, the frequency of occurrence of the above pesticides significantly declined, and the banned or restricted pesticides including omethoate were not found, which was credited to the stricter supervision and management policies by local governments. Despite the high detection rates and multi-residue occurrence of pesticides in grapes, about 84% of the samples were compliant with regulatory standards. Moreover, the accumulative chronic diet risk determined from ADI is very low. This study and timely monitoring can ensure that grape growers comply with GAP and minimise the occurrence of residues.

Mixed Selectivity Coding of Content-Temporal Detail by Dorsomedial Posterior Parietal Neurons.

The dorsomedial posterior parietal cortex (dmPPC) is part of a higher-cognition network implicated in elaborate processes underpinning memory formation, recollection, episode reconstruction, and temporal information processing. Neural coding for complex episodic processing is however under-documented. Here, we recorded extracellular neural activities from three male rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) and revealed a set of neural codes of "neuroethogram" in the primate parietal cortex. Analyzing neural responses in macaque dmPPC to naturalistic videos, we discovered several groups of neurons that are sensitive to different categories of ethogram items, low-level sensory features, and saccadic eye movement. We also discovered that the processing of category and feature information by these neurons is sustained by the accumulation of temporal information over a long timescale of up to 30 s, corroborating its reported long temporal receptive windows. We performed an additional behavioral experiment with additional two male rhesus macaques and found that saccade-related activities could not account for the mixed neuronal responses elicited by the video stimuli. We further observed monkeys' scan paths and gaze consistency are modulated by video content. Taken altogether, these neural findings explain how dmPPC weaves fabrics of ongoing experiences together in real time. The high dimensionality of neural representations should motivate us to shift the focus of attention from pure selectivity neurons to mixed selectivity neurons, especially in increasingly complex naturalistic task designs.

lncRNA POU6F2-AS1 Regulated by KIAA1429 Contributes to Colorectal Cancer Progression in an m6A Modification Manner.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are participated in tumourigenesis, including colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the effects and mechanisms of lncRNA POU6F2-AS1 in CRC have not been investigated. KIAA1429 act as a member of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification, has been knew as an oncogenic factor in various cancer containing CRC. We focus to investigate the regulation effect of lncRNA POU6F2-AS1, and the mechanism among lncRNA POU6F2-AS1 and KIAA1429 in CRC. The lncRNA POU6F2-AS1 and KIAA1429 levels in CRC tissue samples as well as cells were clarified by qRT-PCR, and their relationship was predicted by bioinformatics, MeRIP and Pearson analysis. Cell survival, migration and invasion were analyzed via EdU, wound healing and Transwell assays after lncRNA POU6F2-AS1 was down-regulated and KIAA1429 was up-regulated. LncRNA POU6F2-AS1 and KIAA1429 were enriched in CRC tissue samples. LncRNA POU6F2-AS1 silencing suppressed CRC cell survival, migration, and invasion, and KIAA1429 overexpression facilitated CRC cell malignancy. KIAA1429 promoted lncRNA POU6F2-AS1 expression via m6A modification. Furthermore, KIAA1429 upregulation reversed the inhibitory effect of lncRNA POU6F2-AS1 interference on the malignant behavior of CRC cells. lncRNA POU6F2-AS1 was modulated by KIAA1429 in the form of m6A modification to regulate the malignant phenotype of CRC, which may provide new insights into the potential application of KIAA1429-m6A-lncRNA POU6F2-AS1-based CRC therapy.

Assessment of visual function in blind mice and monkeys with subretinally implanted nanowire arrays as artificial photoreceptors.

Retinal prostheses could restore image-forming vision in conditions of photoreceptor degeneration. However, contrast sensitivity and visual acuity are often insufficient. Here we report the performance, in mice and monkeys with induced photoreceptor degeneration, of subretinally implanted gold-nanoparticle-coated titania nanowire arrays providing a spatial resolution of 77.5 µm and a temporal resolution of 3.92 Hz in ex vivo retinas (as determined by patch-clamp recording of retinal ganglion cells). In blind mice, the arrays allowed for the detection of drifting gratings and flashing objects at light-intensity thresholds of 15.70-18.09 µW mm-2, and offered visual acuities of 0.3-0.4 cycles per degree, as determined by recordings of visually evoked potentials and optomotor-response tests. In monkeys, the arrays were stable for 54 weeks, allowed for the detection of a 10-µW mm-2 beam of light (0.5° in beam angle) in visually guided saccade experiments, and induced plastic changes in the primary visual cortex, as indicated by long-term in vivo calcium imaging. Nanomaterials as artificial photoreceptors may ameliorate visual deficits in patients with photoreceptor degeneration.

Cross-Modal Plasticity during Self-Motion Perception.

To maintain stable and coherent perception in an ever-changing environment, the brain needs to continuously and dynamically calibrate information from multiple sensory sources, using sensory and non-sensory information in a flexible manner. Here, we review how the vestibular and visual signals are recalibrated during self-motion perception. We illustrate two different types of recalibration: one long-term cross-modal (visual-vestibular) recalibration concerning how multisensory cues recalibrate over time in response to a constant cue discrepancy, and one rapid-term cross-modal (visual-vestibular) recalibration concerning how recent prior stimuli and choices differentially affect subsequent self-motion decisions. In addition, we highlight the neural substrates of long-term visual-vestibular recalibration, with profound differences observed in neuronal recalibration across multisensory cortical areas. We suggest that multisensory recalibration is a complex process in the brain, is modulated by many factors, and requires the coordination of many distinct cortical areas. We hope this review will shed some light on research into the neural circuits of visual-vestibular recalibration and help develop a more generalized theory for cross-modal plasticity.

Comparison of the flavor qualities between two varieties of Mercenaria mercenaria.

The saltwater hard clam Mercenaria mercenaria (M. mercenaria) as a representative of low-value shellfish, enhancing its flavor quality, is the key to enter the high-end market. Nevertheless, there has not been reported research on the flavor quality of M. mercenaria. This study compared the flavor quality of selective and non-selective saltwater hard clams of M. mercenaria by using various indicators: proximate component, free amino acids, nucleotides, and metabolomic analysis. The results indicated that selective breeding contributed to the significant improvement contents of crude protein, flavor-associated free amino acids (glutamic acid, aspartic acid, proline, etc.), and nucleotides (AMP) (P < 0.05). Then, the metabolome was utilized to assess the metabolite changes in the pre/post-selective breeding of M. mercenaria and further understand the flavor characteristics and metabolic status. In the metabolomics assay, among the 3143 quantified metabolites, a total of 102 peaks were identified as significantly different metabolites (SDMs) between the selective and non-selective varieties of M. mercenaria (VIP > 1 and P < 0.05). These results can provide new insights for future research on improving the quality of saltwater bivalves through selective breeding.

Galangin Attenuates Myocardial Ischemic Reperfusion-Induced Ferroptosis by Targeting Nrf2/Gpx4 Signaling Pathway.

Purpose: Myocardial ischemic reperfusion injury (MIRI) is a crucial clinical problem globally. The molecular mechanisms of MIRI need to be fully explored to develop new therapeutic methods. Galangin (Gal), which is a natural flavonoid extracted from Alpinia Officinarum Hance and Propolis, possesses a wide range of pharmacological activities, but its effects on MIRI remain unclear. This study aimed to determine the pharmacological effects of Gal on MIRI. Methods: C57BL/6 mice underwent reperfusion for 3 h after 45 min of ischemia, and neonatal rat cardiomyocytes (NRCs) subjected to hypoxia and reoxygenation (HR) were cultured as in vivo and in vitro models. Echocardiography and TTC-Evans Blue staining were performed to evaluate the myocardial injury. Transmission electron microscope and JC-1 staining were used to validate the mitochondrial function. Additionally, Western blot detected ferroptosis markers, including Gpx4, FTH, and xCT. Results: Gal treatment alleviated cardiac myofibril damage, reduced infarction size, improved cardiac function, and prevented mitochondrial injury in mice with MIRI. Gal significantly alleviated HR-induced cell death and mitigated mitochondrial membrane potential reduction in NRCs. Furthermore, Gal significantly inhibited ferroptosis by preventing iron overload and lipid peroxidation, as well as regulating Gpx4, FTH, and xCT expression levels. Moreover, Gal up-regulated nuclear transcriptive factor Nrf2 in HR-treated NRCs. Nrf2 inhibition by Brusatol abolished the protective effect of Gal against ferroptosis. Conclusion: This study revealed that Gal alleviates myocardial ischemic reperfusion-induced ferroptosis by targeting Nrf2/Gpx4 signaling pathway.

Azobenzene-Containing Liquid Crystalline Twisted Ribbons via Polymerization-Induced Hierarchical Self-Assembly.

Polymerization-induced self-assembly incorporating liquid crystallization, as a polymerization-induced hierarchical self-assembly (PIHSA) method to produce polymeric particles with anisotropic morphologies facilely and efficiently, has drawn wide attention recently. However, the means of regulating the morphologies of liquid crystalline (LC) polymer assemblies still need to be explored. Herein, a route is presented to fabricate the twisted ribbons via PIHSA containing azobenzene based on poor reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) control, called poorly controlled PIHSA. Cyano-4-(dodecylsulfanylthiocarbonyl)sulfanyl pentanoic acid-2-(2-pyridyldithio) ethyl ester is used as the RAFT agent with poor controllability, and the morphological evolution from ribbons to twisted ribbons can be observed in the corresponding PIHSA system. The formation mechanism of the twisted ribbons is studied systematically and the broad molecular weight distribution is considered to be the decisive factor. Moreover, the supramolecular chirality induced by symmetry breaking is also related to the twist of the ribbons. This study enriches the methods of controlling the morphologies of LC polymer particles and is helpful for further clarifying the mechanism of PIHSA.

Impact of migration on oral health outcomes of children in multi-beneficial kindergartens in Nanning, Southern China: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of children's migration on their oral health outcomes in multi-beneficial kindergartens in Jiangnan District, Nanning, China, and to provide a basis for improving the oral health of migrant children. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 470 children aged 5 years in Jiangnan District, Nanning, Guangxi. A questionnaire was used to collect information on their demographic and socioeconomic background, migration experience, eating habits, oral hygiene behaviours and utilization of dental care services. Dental caries of primary teeth was examined using the decayed, missing, and filled teeth (dmft) index recommended by the World Health Organization. Dental caries experience and oral health-related behaviours were compared between migrant and resident children. The impact of children's migration attributes on their oral health outcomes was examined by univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: Among the examined children, 52.3% were migrant children. The prevalence of caries among the children in multi-beneficial kindergartens was 78.3%, and the mean number of dmft was 5.73 ± 5.00. The prevalence of caries was 81.7% for migrant children and 74.6% for resident children (p = 0.060). No significant difference was found in the mean numbers of DMFT between migrant children and resident children (5.96 ± 4.81 vs. 5.47 ± 5.20, p = 0.139). There were significant differences in the frequency of tooth brushing (p = 0.023) and parental help with tooth brushing (p = 0.008), typical use of fluoride (p = 0.012), regular dental check-ups (p = 0.003) and experience of dental fillings for caries (p < 0.001) between migrant and resident children. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that among the children with caries, the proportion of resident children who had regular dental check-ups was 1.720 times higher than that of migrant children (95% CI = 1.155 ~ 2.560), and resident children were more likely to have caries filled than migrant children (OR = 3.313, 95% CI = 1.585 ~ 6.927). CONCLUSION: Oral health status and oral health behaviours were poor among children in multi-beneficial kindergartens in Nanning, China, and migration might be a significant predictive indicator for the poor utilization of dental care services by children. The government departments should make special policy to promote the children's oral health in multi-beneficial kindergartens, and invest more to cover the migrant children's utilization of oral health services.

The computational rules of cross-modality suppression in the visual posterior sylvian area.

The macaque visual posterior sylvian area (VPS) is an area with neurons responding selectively to heading direction in both visual and vestibular modalities, but how VPS neurons combined these two sensory signals is still unknown. In contrast to the subadditive characteristics in the medial superior temporal area (MSTd), responses in VPS were dominated by vestibular signals, with approximately a winner-take-all competition. The conditional Fisher information analysis shows that VPS neural population encodes information from distinct sensory modalities under large and small offset conditions, which differs from MSTd whose neural population contains more information about visual stimuli in both conditions. However, the combined responses of single neurons in both areas can be well fit by weighted linear sums of unimodal responses. Furthermore, a normalization model captured most vestibular and visual interaction characteristics for both VPS and MSTd, indicating the divisive normalization mechanism widely exists in the cortex.