A systematic review on reporting quality of economic evaluations for negotiated glucose-lowering drugs in China national reimbursement drug list.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to examine the reporting quality of existing economic evaluations for negotiated glucose-lowering drugs (GLDs) included in China National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL) using the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards 2013 (CHEERS 2013). METHODS: We performed a systematic literature research through 7 databases to identify published economic evaluations for GLDs included in the China NRDL up to March 2021. Reporting quality of identified studies was assessed by two independent reviewers based on the CHEERS checklist. The Kruskal-Wallis test and Mann-Whitney U test were performed to examine the association between reporting quality and characteristics of the identified studies. RESULTS: We have identified 24 studies, which evaluated six GLDs types. The average score rate of the included studies was 77.41% (SD:13.23%, Range 47.62%-91.67%). Among all the required reporting items, characterizing heterogeneity (score rate = 4.17%) was the least satisfied item. Among six parts of CHEERS, results part scored least at 0.55 (score rate = 54.79%) because of the incompleteness of characterizing uncertainty. Results from the Kruskal-Wallis test and Mann-Whitney U test showed that model choice, journal type, type of economic evaluations, and study perspective were associated with the reporting quality of the studies. CONCLUSIONS: There remains room to improve the reporting quality of economic evaluations for GLDs in NRDL. Checklists such as CHEERS should be widely used to improve the reporting quality of economic researches in China.

Klein Tunneling in ß12 Borophene.

Motivated by the recent observation of Klein tunneling in 8-Pmmn borophene, we delve into the phenomenon in ß12 borophene by employing tight-binding approximation theory to establish a theoretical mode. The tight-binding model is a semi-empirical method for establishing the Hamiltonian based on atomic orbitals. A single cell of ß12 borophene contains five atoms and multiple central bonds, so it creates the complexity of the tight-binding model Hamiltonian of ß12 borophene. We investigate transmission across one potential barrier and two potential barriers by changing the width and height of barriers and the distance between two potential barriers. Regardless of the change in the barrier heights and widths, we find the interface to be perfectly transparent for normal incidence. For other angles of incidence, perfect transmission at certain angles can also be observed. Furthermore, perfect and all-angle transmission across a potential barrier takes place when the incident energy approaches the Dirac point. This is analogous to the "super", all-angle transmission reported for the dice lattice for Klein tunneling across a potential barrier. These findings highlight the significance of our theoretical model in understanding the complex dynamics of Klein tunneling in borophene structures.

Unraveling early recurrence of risk factors in Gallbladder cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is the most prevalent biliary tract tumor characterized by a high incidence of recurrence, even after curative-intent surgery. The object of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to investigate the risk factors related to early recurrence (ER). METHODS: A systematic literature review was conducted in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science to identify published articles up to February 2024. Data on risk factors associated with ER reported by two or more studies were collected. Selection of different effect models based on data heterogeneity. RESULTS: Out of 6497 initially identified articles based on our search strategies, only 5 were eligible and included in this meta-analysis and 12 ER-related factors were collected. The overall recurrence rate was reported between 32.3% and 61.0 %, and the ER rate ranged from 19.6% to 26.5 %. Concentrations of CA19-9 (OR 3.03 95 % CI 2.20-4.17) and CEA (OR 1.85 95 % CI 1.24-2.77), tumor differentiation (OR 2.79, 95 % CI 1.86-4.20), AJCC T stage (OR 7.64, 95%CI 3.40-17.18), lymphovascular invasion (OR 2.71, 95 % CI 1.83-4.03), perineural invasion (OR 2.71, 95 % CI 1.79-4.12), liver involvement (OR 5.69, 95%CI 3.78-8.56) and adjuvant therapy (OR 2.19, 95 % CI 1.06-4.55) were identified as the risk factors of ER. CONCLUSION: This study may provide valuable insights for early identification of increased ER risk and making informed decisions regarding the comprehensive diagnosis and treatment of patients with GBC. To draw more definitive conclusions, there is a need for high-quality prospective studies involving multiple centers and diverse racial populations.

Modelling the dynamic gas/particle partitioning process of semi-volatile organic compounds emitted from point sources: Quantitative analysis and impact assessment.

The deleterious impact of pollution point sources on the surrounding environment and human has long been a focal point of environmental research. When considering the local atmospheric dispersion of semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) around the emission sites, it is essential to account the dynamic process for the gas/particle (G/P) partitioning, which involves the transition from an initial state to a steady state. In this study, we have developed a model that enables the prediction of the dynamic process for G/P partitioning of SVOCs, particularly considering the influence from emission. It is important to note that the dynamic processes of the concentrations of SVOCs in particle phase (CP) and in gas phase (CG) differ significantly. These differences arise due to the influence of two critical factors: particulate proportion of SVOCs in the emissions (ϕ0) and octanol-air partitioning coefficient (KOA). The validity of our model was assessed by comparing its predictions of the extremum value of the G/P partitioning quotient (KP) with the results obtained from the steady-state model. Remarkably, the characteristic time (tC), used to evaluate the timescale required for SVOCs to reach steady state, demonstrated different variations with KOA for CP and CG. Additionally, the values of tC were quite different for CP and CG, which were markedly influenced by ϕ0. For some SVOCs with high KOA values, it took approximately 35 h to reach steady state. Furthermore, it was found that the time to achieve 95 % of steady state (t95 ≈ 3tC) could reach approximately 105 h. This duration is sufficient for chemicals to disperse from their emission site to the surrounding areas. Therefore, it is crucial to consider the dynamic process of G/P partitioning in local atmospheric transport studies. Moreover, the influence of ϕ0 should be incorporated into future investigations examining the dynamic process of G/P partitioning.

Integrative analyses of bulk and single-cell transcriptomics reveals the infiltration and crosstalk of cancer-associated fibroblasts as a novel predictor for prognosis and microenvironment remodeling in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is a highly malignant neoplasm and characterized by desmoplastic matrix. The heterogeneity and crosstalk of tumor microenvironment remain incompletely understood. METHODS: To address this gap, we performed Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) to identify and construct a cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) infiltration biomarker. We also depicted the intercellular communication network and important receptor-ligand complexes using the single-cell transcriptomics analysis of tumor and Adjacent normal tissue. RESULTS: Through the intersection of TCGA DEGs and WGCNA module genes, 784 differential genes related to CAFs infiltration were obtained. After a series of regression analyses, the CAFs score was generated by integrating the expressions of EVA1A, APBA2, LRRTM4, GOLGA8M, BPIFB2, and their corresponding coefficients. In the TCGA-CHOL, GSE89748, and 107,943 cohorts, the high CAFs score group showed unfavorable survival prognosis (p < 0.001, p = 0.0074, p = 0.028, respectively). Additionally, a series of drugs have been predicted to be more sensitive to the high-risk group (p < 0.05). Subsequent to dimension reduction and clustering, thirteen clusters were identified to construct the single-cell atlas. Cell-cell interaction analysis unveiled significant enhancement of signal transduction in tumor tissues, particularly from fibroblasts to malignant cells via diverse pathways. Moreover, SCENIC analysis indicated that HOXA5, WT1, and LHX2 are fibroblast specific motifs. CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals the key role of fibroblasts - oncocytes interaction in the remodeling of the immunosuppressive microenvironment in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Subsequently, it may trigger cascade activation of downstream signaling pathways such as PI3K-AKT and Notch in tumor, thus initiating tumorigenesis. Targeted drugs aimed at disrupting fibroblasts-tumor cell interaction, along with associated enrichment pathways, show potential in mitigating the immunosuppressive microenvironment that facilitates tumor progression.

Microsurgical reconstruction for head and neck in patients with end-stage renal disease undergoing dialysis.

INTRODUCTION: Free flap transfer for head and neck defects has gained worldwide acceptance. Because flap failure is a devastating outcome, studies have attempted to identify risk factors-including renal failure. We sought to determine whether end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients undergoing dialysis are at increased risk of flap failure following microsurgical head and neck reconstruction. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study's participants were patients who underwent free flap reconstruction in the head and neck region at Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital between January 2010 and December 2019. We used the National Health Insurance "Specific Diagnosis and Treatment Code" to identify patients undergoing dialysis; these patients comprised the dialysis group, whose members were matched to a non-dialysis group for age and gender. The dependent variables were flap survival rate, take-back rate, and flap failure risk between the dialysis and non-dialysis groups. RESULTS: We included 154 patients in the dialysis (n = 14) and non-dialysis (n = 140) groups. The groups were similar in terms of age and most comorbidities, except diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and coronary artery disease, which were more prevalent in the dialysis group. The dialysis and non-dialysis groups had similar flap survival rates (100% vs. 92.9%; p = .600). Twenty-three patients underwent take-back surgery, most in the non-dialysis group (14.3% vs. 15.0%; p = 1.000). Patients in the dialysis group were more likely to have prolonged intensive care unit stays; however, dialysis alone did not predict flap failure (OR: 0.83; p = .864). CONCLUSION: This study found no significant differences in free flap survival and take-back rates between patients with and without dialysis. Dialysis did not increase the risk of flap failure following microsurgical head and neck reconstruction in this study; however, prospective, randomized controlled trials are needed.

Research trends and hotspots in the field of electrical impedance tomography for mechanical ventilation: a bibliometric analysis.

Background: Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) is a relatively recent functional imaging technique that is both noninvasive and radiation free. EIT measures the associated voltage when a weak current is applied to the surface of the human body to determine the distribution of electrical resistance within tissues. We performed a bibliometrics-based review to explore the geographic hotspots of current research and future trends developing in the field of EIT for mechanical ventilation. Methods: The Web of Science database was searched from its inception to June 25, 2023. CiteSpace software was used to visualize and analyze the relevant literature and identify the most impactful literature, trends, and hotspots. Results: 363 articles describing EIT use in mechanical ventilation were identified. A fluctuating growth in the number of publications was observed from 1998 to 2023. Germany had the highest number of articles (n=154), followed by Italy (n=53) and China (n=52). A cluster analysis of keyword co-occurrence revealed that "titration", "ventilator-related lung injury", and "oxygenation" were the most actively researched terms associated with the use of EIT in mechanically ventilated patients. Conclusions: Significant progress has been made in EIT research for mechanical ventilation. EIT research is limited to a small number of countries with a present research focus on the prevention and treatment of ventilator-related lung injury, oxygenation status, and prone ventilation. These topics are expected to remain research hotspots in the future.

Assessment of causal association between the socio-economic status and osteoporosis and fractures: a bidirectional Mendelian randomization study in European population.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between socio-economic status and bone-related diseases is attracting increasing attention. Therefore, a bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was performed in this study. METHODS: Genetic data on factors associated with socio-economic status (average total household income before tax, years of schooling completed and Townsend Deprivation Index at recruitment), femoral neck bone mineral density (FN-BMD), heel bone mineral density (eBMD), osteoporosis, and five different sites of fracture (spine, femur, lower leg-ankle, foot, and wrist-hand fractures) were derived from genome-wide association summary statistics of European ancestry. The inverse variance weighted method was employed to obtain the causal estimates, complemented by alternative MR techniques, including MR-Egger, weighted median, and MR-pleiotropy residual sum and outlier (MR-PRESSO). Furthermore, sensitivity analyses, and multivariable MR was performed to enhance the robustness of our findings. RESULTS: A higher educational attainment was associated with an increased level of eBMD (beta:0.06, 95% CI:0.01-0.10, P = 7.24 × 10-3), and decreased risk of osteoporosis (OR:0.78, 95% CI:0.65-0.94, P = 8.49 × 10-3), spine fracture (OR:0.76, 95% CI:0.66-0.88, P = 2.94 × 10-4), femur fracture (OR:0.78, 95% CI:0.67-0.91, P = 1.33 × 10-3), lower leg-ankle fracture (OR:0.79, 95% CI:0.70-0.88, P = 2.05 × 10-5), foot fracture (OR:0.78, 95% CI:0.66-0.93, P = 5.92 × 10-3) and wrist-hand fracture (OR:0.83, 95% CI:0.73-0.95, P = 7.15 × 10-3). Further, material deprivation seemed to harm the spine fracture (OR:2.63, 95% CI:1.43-4.85, P = 1.91 × 10-3). A higher level of FN-BMD positively affected increased household income (beta:0.03, 95% CI:0.01-0.04, P = 6.78 × 10-3). All these estimates were adjusted for body mass index (BMI), type 2 diabetes, smoking initiation, and frequency of alcohol intake. CONCLUSIONS: The Mendelian randomization analyses show that higher educational levels is associated with higher eBMD, reduced risk of osteoporosis and fractures, while material deprivation is positively related to spine fracture. Enhanced FN-BMD correlates with increased household income. These findings offer valuable insights into the formulation of health guidelines and policy development.

We conducted stratified analyses to explore the causal links between socio-economic status and osteoporosis and various fractures and observed that education significantly reduced risk of osteoporosis and lower eBMD. It also lowered the risks of fractures of spine, femur, lower leg-ankle, foot, and wrist-hand, while material deprivation exhibited positive associations with spine fracture risk. Bidirectional MR analysis showed that an elevated score of FN-BMD was associated with a higher income level. Our study shows the importance of conducting routine BMD estimations and osteoporosis screening, to enhance knowledge and awareness among individuals to promote bone health and prevent fractures.

[Heavy Metal Content and Risk Assessment of Sediments and Soils in the Juma River Basin].

The sediment and soil in the Juma River channel pose a risk of pollution to the downstream ecological environment of Beijing and Xiong'an New Area. To address this issue, sediments and soil samples were collected along the river from the source to the Zhangfang outlet. The samples were further divided into three types:main stream sediment (29 samples), riverbank soil (27 samples), and farmland soil (26 samples). Enrichment factor analysis and the potential ecological risk index were employed to investigate the ecological risk. The results showed that the average concentrations of Cd, Hg, Pb, Zn, and Cu in the river sediment and soil in the study area were higher than those in the Baiyangdian Lake sediment and the surface soil of Hebei Province, whereas the concentrations of As, Cr, and Ni were relatively lower. The ranking of heavy metal pollution levels from high to low were Cd > Hg > Pb > Zn > Cu > Cr > Ni > As. The comprehensive ecological risk index showed that farmland soil and riverbank soil were mainly at a slight risk, followed by a moderate risk. The potential ecological risk of the main stream sediment was mainly moderate, severe, and extremely severe, accounting for 35.5%, 24.1%, and 24.1%, respectively, and the main contributing factors of the risk were Cd and Hg. The results of multivariate statistical analysis indicated that the main pollution sources of Cd, Pb, Zn, and Cu were industrial and mining activities. Cr, Ni, and As were mainly controlled by the weathering of the parent rock, and As was also influenced by agricultural activities. Hg was controlled by composite pollution sources such as industrial and mining activities, parent rock weathering, and atmospheric dust fall. Overall, the risk of heavy metal in the soil of the research area was generally at a slight level. However, there was a significant enrichment of Cd and other heavy metal in the sediment of the Taiyu-Sigezhuang-Pengtou River. This river section should be the focus of environmental monitoring, river dredging, and governance.

Optimized BEAC conditioning regimen improves clinical outcomes of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in non-Hodgkin lymphomas.

The conditioning regimen is an important part of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (ASCT). We explored the efficacy and safety of an optimized BEAC (adjusted-dose, intermediate-dose cytarabine and reduced-dose cyclophosphamide, AD-BEAC) conditioning regimen for non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). A total of 141 NHL patients received AD-BEAC or a standard-dose BEAC (SD-BEAC) conditioning regimen from January 2007 to December 2017, and 104 patients were included in the study after 1:1 propensity matching. The 5-year overall survival (OS) and progression free survival (PFS) rates were significantly higher with AD-BEAC than with SD-BEAC (82.7% vs. 67.3%, P = 0.039; 76.9% vs. 57.7%, P = 0.039). Transplant-related mortality (TRM) was 3.8% in both the AD-BEAC and SD-BEAC groups. The AD-BEAC group had lower incidence of oral ulcers and cardiotoxicity than the SD-BEAC group. An optimized BEAC conditioning regimen is an effective conditioning regimen for ASCT in NHL with acceptable toxicity, that is more effective and safer than a standard BEAC conditioning regimen.

A meta-analysis between robotic hepatectomy and conventional open hepatectomy.

Current meta-analysis was performed to compare robotic hepatectomy (RH) with conventional open hepatectomy (OH) in terms of peri-operative and postoperative outcomes. PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library were all searched up for comparative studies between RH and OH. RevMan5.3 software and Stata 13.0 software were used for statistical analysis. Nineteen studies with 1747 patients who received RH and 23,633 patients who received OH were included. Pooled results indicated that patients who received RH were generally younger than those received OH (P < 0.00001). Moreover, RH was associated with longer operative time (P = 0.0002), less intraoperative hemorrhage (P < 0.0001), lower incidence of intraoperative transfusion (P = 0.003), lower incidence of postoperative any morbidity (P < 0.00001), postoperative major morbidity (P = 0.0001), mortalities with 90 days after surgery (P < 0.0001), and shorter length of postoperative hospital stay (P < 0.00001). Comparable total hospital costs were acquired between RH and OH groups (P = 0.46). However, even at the premise of comparable R0 rate (P = 0.86), RH was associated with smaller resected tumor size (P < 0.00001). Major hepatectomy (P = 0.02) and right posterior hepatectomy (P = 0.0003) were less frequently performed in RH group. Finally, we concluded that RH was superior to OH in terms of peri-operative and postoperative outcomes. RH could lead to less intraoperative hemorrhage, less postoperative complications and an enhanced postoperative recovery. However, major hepatectomy and right posterior hepatectomy were still less frequently performed via robotic approach. Future more powerful well-designed studies are required for further exploration.

Anion/Cation Co-Doping to Improve the Thermoelectric Performance of Sn-Enriched n-Type SnSe Polycrystals with Suppressed Lattice Thermal Conductivity.

Enhancing the thermoelectric performance of n-type polycrystalline SnSe is essential, addressing challenges posed by elevated thermal conductivity and compromised power factor inherent in its intrinsic p-type characteristics. This investigation utilized solid-state reactions and spark plasma sintering techniques for the synthesis of n-type SnSe. A significant improvement in the figure of merit (ZT) is achieved through strategic reduction in Se concentration and optimization of crystal orientation. The co-doping with Br and Ge further improves the material; Br amplifies carrier concentration, enhancing electrical conductivity, while Ge introduces effective phonon scattering centers. In the Br/Ge co-doped SnSe sample, thermal conductivity dropped to 0.38 Wm⁻¹K⁻¹, yielding a remarkable power factor of 662 µW mK- 2 at 773 K, culminating in a ZT of 1.34. This signifies a noteworthy 605% improvement over the pristine sample, underscoring the pivotal role of Ge doping in enhancing n-type material thermoelectric properties. The enhancement is attributed to Br doping introducing additional electronic states near the valence band, and Ge doping modifying the band structure, fostering resonant states near the conduction band. The Br/Ge co-doping further transforms the band structure, influencing electrical conductivity, Seebeck coefficient, and thermal conductivity, advancing the understanding and application of n-type SnSe materials for superior thermoelectric performance.

Modified Minimally Invasive Bunnell Suture Surgery with Channel-assisted Minimally Invasive Reconstruction Device for Treating Achilles Tendon Rupture.

The aim of this study was to improve the process of microincision and endoscopic surgery for the treatment of Achilles tendon (AT) rupture using the modified minimally invasive Bunnell suture (MIBS) technique.From December 2019 to December 2021, 20 patients with AT rupture who visited the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University (Harbin, China) underwent MIBS surgery.A total of 20 patients were included, of whom 18 (90.0%) were male and 2 (10.0%) were female. The mean age of the patients was 37.75 ± 9.94 years. In terms of the site of the AT, two (10.0%) had surgery on their left AT. The mean duration of surgery was 23.00 ± 2.47 minutes, and the mean bleeding volume was 5.00 ± 1.12 mL. All 20 patients (100%) showed complete incisional healing (stage I healing) and normal functional recovery (3-6 months postoperatively). There were no cases of abnormal functional recovery or postoperative recurrence within the 3-6 month follow-up period. The Achilles tendon Total Rupture Score (ATRS) significantly improved post-surgery (83.6 ± 5.59) compared to pretreatment (0.3 ± 0.92, p < 0.0001), indicating successful patient recovery.After the modified MIBS surgical process, the operation steps were simplified, the surgical difficulty was reduced, and the surgical trauma was alleviated, resulting in good postoperative recovery and patient satisfaction with the outcome. Therefore, the MIBS surgery has high promotability.

Semantic image sorting method for RSVP presentation.

The rapid serial visual presentation (RSVP) paradigm, which is based on the electroencephalogram (EEG) technology, is an effective approach for object detection. It aims to detect the event-related potentials (ERP) components evoked by target images for rapid identification. However, the object detection performance within this paradigm is affected by the visual disparity between adjacent images in a sequence. Currently, there is no objective metric to quantify this visual difference. Consequently, a reliable image sorting method is required to ensure the generation of a smooth sequence for effective presentation. In this paper, we propose a novel semantic image sorting method for sorting RSVP sequences, which aims at generating sequences that are perceptually smoother in terms of the human visual experience. We conducted a comparative analysis between our method and two existing methods for generating RSVP sequences using both qualitative and quantitative assessments. A qualitative evaluation revealed that the sequences generated by our method were smoother in subjective vision and were more effective in evoking stronger ERP components than those generated by the other two methods. Quantitatively, our method generated semantically smoother sequences than the other two methods. Furthermore, we employed four advanced approaches to classify single-trial EEG signals evoked by each of the three methods. The classification results of the EEG signals evoked by our method were superior to those of the other two methods. In summary, the results indicate that the proposed method can significantly enhance the object detection performance in RSVP-based sequences.

Immunization with a low dose of zymosan A confers resistance to depression-like behavior and neuroinflammatory responses in chronically stressed mice.

Stimulation of the innate immune system prior to stress exposure is a possible strategy to prevent depression under stressful conditions. Based on the innate immune system stimulating activities of zymosan A, we hypothesize that zymosan A may prevent the development of chronic stress-induced depression-like behavior. Our results showed that a single injection of zymosan A 1 day before stress exposure at a dose of 2 or 4 mg/kg, but not at a dose of 1 mg/kg, prevented the development of depression-like behaviors in mice treated with chronic social defeat stress (CSDS). The prophylactic effect of a single zymosan A injection (2 mg/kg) on CSDS-induced depression-like behaviors disappeared when the time interval between zymosan A and stress exposure was extended from 1 day or 5 days to 10 days, which was rescued by a second zymosan A injection 10 days after the first zymosan A injection and 4 days (4×, once daily) of zymosan A injections 10 days before stress exposure. Further analysis showed that a single zymosan A injection (2 mg/kg) 1 day before stress exposure could prevent the CSDS-induced increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. Inhibition of the innate immune system by pretreatment with minocycline (40 mg/kg) abolished the preventive effect of zymosan A on CSDS-induced depression-like behaviors and CSDS-induced increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines in the brain. These results suggest that activation of the innate immune system triggered by zymosan A prevents the depression-like behaviors and neuroinflammatory responses in the brain induced by chronic stress.

NSC689857, an inhibitor of Skp2, produces antidepressant-like effects in mice.

We have previously reported that two inhibitors of an E3 ligase S-phase kinase-associated protein 2 (Skp2), SMIP004 and C1, have an antidepressant-like effect in non-stressed and chronically stressed mice. This prompted us to ask whether other Skp2 inhibitors could also have an antidepressant effect. Here, we used NSC689857, another Skp2 inhibitor, to investigate this hypothesis. The results showed that administration of NSC689857 (5 mg/kg) produced an antidepressant-like effect in a time-dependent manner in non-stressed male mice, which started 8 days after drug administration. Dose-dependent analysis showed that administration of 5 and 10 mg/kg, but not 1 mg/kg, of NSC689857 produced antidepressant-like effects in both non-stressed male and female mice. Administration of NSC689857 (5 mg/kg) also induced antidepressant-like effects in non-stressed male mice when administered three times within 24 h (24, 5, and 1 h before testing) but not when administered acutely (1 h before testing). In addition, NSC689857 and fluoxetine coadministration produced additive antidepressant-like effects in non-stressed male mice. These effects of NSC689857 were not associated with the changes in locomotor activity. Administration of NSC689857 (5 mg/kg) also attenuated depression-like behaviors in male mice induced by chronic social defeat stress, suggesting therapeutic potential of NSC689857 in depression. Overall, these results suggest that NSC689857 is capable of exerting antidepressant-like effects in both non-stressed and chronically stressed mice.

Crosslinking-induced patterning of MOFs by direct photo- and electron-beam lithography.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with diverse chemistry, structures, and properties have emerged as appealing materials for miniaturized solid-state devices. The incorporation of MOF films in these devices, such as the integrated microelectronics and nanophotonics, requires robust patterning methods. However, existing MOF patterning methods suffer from some combinations of limited material adaptability, compromised patterning resolution and scalability, and degraded properties. Here we report a universal, crosslinking-induced patterning approach for various MOFs, termed as CLIP-MOF. Via resist-free, direct photo- and electron-beam (e-beam) lithography, the ligand crosslinking chemistry leads to drastically reduced solubility of colloidal MOFs, permitting selective removal of unexposed MOF films with developer solvents. This enables scalable, micro-/nanoscale (≈70 nm resolution), and multimaterial patterning of MOFs on large-area, rigid or flexible substrates. Patterned MOF films preserve their crystallinity, porosity, and other properties tailored for targeted applications, such as diffractive gas sensors and electrochromic pixels. The combined features of CLIP-MOF create more possibilities in the system-level integration of MOFs in various electronic, photonic, and biomedical devices.

Exceptional-point-enhanced phase sensing.

Optical sensors, crucial in diverse fields like gravitational wave detection, biomedical imaging, and structural health monitoring, rely on optical phase to convey valuable information. Enhancing sensitivity is important for detecting weak signals. Exceptional points (EPs), identified in non-Hermitian systems, offer great potential for advanced sensors, given their marked response to perturbations. However, strict physical requirements for operating a sensor at EPs limit broader applications. Here, we introduce an EP-enhanced sensing platform featuring plug-in external sensors separated from an EP control unit. EPs are achieved without modifying the sensor, solely through control-unit adjustments. This configuration converts and amplifies optical phase changes into quantifiable spectral features. By separating sensing and control functions, we expand the applicability of EP enhancement to various conventional sensors. As a proof-of-concept, we demonstrate a sixfold reduction in the detection limit of fiber-optic strain sensing using this configuration. This work establishes a universal platform for applying EP enhancement to diverse phase-dependent structures, promising ultrahigh-sensitivity sensing across various applications.

Alginate oligosaccharide assimilation by gut microorganisms and the potential role in gut inflammation alleviation.

Dietary fiber metabolism by gut microorganisms plays important roles in host physiology and health. Alginate, the major dietary fiber of daily diet seaweeds, is drawing more attention because of multiple biological activities. To advance the understanding of alginate assimilation mechanism in the gut, we show the presence of unsaturated alginate oligosaccharides (uAOS)-specific alginate utilization loci (AUL) in human gut microbiome. As a representative example, a working model of the AUL from the gut microorganism Bacteroides clarus was reconstructed from biochemistry and transcriptome data. The fermentation of resulting monosaccharides through Entner-Doudoroff pathway tunes the metabolism of short-chain fatty acids and amino acids. Furthermore, we show that uAOS feeding protects the mice against dextran sulfate sodium-induced acute colitis probably by remodeling gut microbiota and metabolome. IMPORTANCE: Alginate has been included in traditional Chinese medicine and daily diet for centuries. Recently discovered biological activities suggested that alginate-derived alginate oligosaccharides (AOS) might be an active ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine, but how these AOS are metabolized in the gut and how it affects health need more information. The study on the working mechanism of alginate utilization loci (AUL) by the gut microorganism uncovers the role of unsaturated alginate oligosaccharides (uAOS) assimilation in tuning short-chain fatty acids and amino acids metabolism and demonstrates that uAOS metabolism by gut microorganisms results in a variation of cell metabolites, which potentially contributes to the physiology and health of gut.