Biomineralization-inspired synthesis of autologous cancer vaccines for personalized metallo-immunotherapy.

Autologous cancer vaccines represent a promising therapeutic approach against tumor relapse. Herein, a concise biomineralization strategy was developed to prepare an immunostimulatory autologous cancer vaccine through protein antigen-mediated growth of flower-like manganese phosphate (MnP) nanoparticles. In addition to inheriting the cyclic guanosine monophosphate-adenosine monophosphate synthase (cGAS)-stimulator of interferon genes (STING)-activating capacity of Mn2+, the resulting ovalbumin (OVA)-loaded MnP (OVA@MnP) nanoparticles with superior stability and pH-responsiveness enabled efficient priming of antigen-specific CD8+ T cell expansion through promoting the endo/lysosome escape and subsequent antigen cross-presentation of OVA. Resultantly, OVA@MnP vaccines upon subcutaneous vaccination elicited both prophylactic and therapeutic effects against OVA-expressing B16-F10 melanoma. Furthermore, the biomineralized autologous cancer vaccines prepared from the whole tumor cell lysates of the dissected tumors suppressed the growth of residual tumors, particularly in combination with anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. This study highlights a simple biomineralization approach for the controllable synthesis of cGAS-STING-activating autologous cancer vaccines to suppress postsurgical tumor relapse.

Synthesis, structure and red-light emission of a manganese halide directed by a methyldiphenylphosphine oxide complex.

Controlling the optical activity of halide perovskite materials through modulation of the coordination configurations of the metal ions is important. Herein, a novel manganese-based halide, specifically diaquatetrakis(methyldiphenylphosphine oxide)manganese(II) tetrachloridomanganate(II), [Mn(C13H13OP)4(H2O)2][MnCl4] or [Mn(MDPPO)4(H2O)2][MnCl4] (MDPPO is methyldiphenylphosphine oxide), was synthesized through the solvothermal reaction of MnCl2 with the neutral molecule MDPPO. In this compound, [Mn(MDPPO)4(H2O)2]2+ acts as the cation, while [MnCl4]2- serves as the anion, enabling the co-existence of tetrahedral and octahedral structures within the same system. Remarkably, the compound exhibits efficient red-light emission at 662 nm, distinct from the green-light emission typically observed in MnX4-based halides. Theoretical calculations show that the red emission comes from the charge transfer from the MDPPO to the Mn2+ of [MnCl4]2-. This work provides a new perspective for the design and synthesis of red-light-emitting manganese-based halides with unique structures.

Application of the process-based teaching based on SPARK case database in the practice teaching of radiology in the musculoskeletal system for undergraduate medical students.

BACKGROUND: Process-based teaching is a new education model. SPARK case database is a free medical imaging case database. This manuscript aimed to explore the application of the process-based teaching based on SPARK case database in the practice teaching of radiology in the musculoskeletal system. METHODS: 117 third year medical students were included. They were divided into Group A, B, C and D according to the curriculum arrangement. Group A and B attended the experimental class at the same time, A was the experimental group, B was the control group. Group C and D attended experimental classes at the same time, C was the experimental group, D was the control group. The experimental group used SPARK case database, while the control group used traditional teaching model for learning. The four groups of students were respectively tested after the theoretical class, before the experimental class, after the experimental class, and one week after the experimental class to compare the results. Finally, all students used SPARK case database to study, and were tested one month after the experimental class to compare their differences. RESULTS: The scores after the theoretical class of Group A and B were (100.0 ± 25.4), (101.0 ± 23.8)(t=-0.160, P > 0.05), Group C and D were (94.7 ± 23.7), (92.1 ± 18.6)(t = 0.467, P > 0.05). The scores of Group A and B before and after the experimental class and one week after the experimental class were respectively (84.1 ± 17.4), (72.1 ± 21.3)(t = 2.363, P < 0.05), (107.6 ± 14.3), (102.1 ± 18.0)(t = 1.292, P > 0.05), (89.7 ± 24.3), (66.6 ± 23.2)(t = 3.706, P < 0.05). The scores of Group C and D were (94.0 ± 17.3), (72.8 ± 25.5)(t = 3.755, P < 0.05), (107.3 ± 20.3), (93.1 ± 20.9)(t = 2.652, P < 0.05), (100.3 ± 19.7), (77.2 ± 24.0)(t = 4.039, P < 0.05). The scores of Group A and B for one month after the experimental class were (86.6 ± 28.8), (84.5 ± 24.0)(t = 0.297, P > 0.05), and Group C and D were (95.7 ± 20.3), (91.7 ± 23.0)(t = 0.699, P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The process-based teaching based on SPARK case database could improve the radiology practice ability of the musculoskeletal system of students.

Differences in the intestinal microbiota and association of host metabolism with hair coat status in cattle.

Introduction: The hair coat status of cattle serves as an easily observed indicator of economic value in livestock production; however, the underlying mechanism remains largely unknown. Therefore, the objective of the current study was to determine differences in the intestinal microbiota and metabolome of cattle based on a division of with either slick and shining (SHC) or rough and dull (MHC) hair coat in Simmental cows. Methods: Eight SHC and eight MHC late-pregnancy Simmental cows (with similar parities, body weights, and body conditions) were selected based on their hair coat status, and blood samples (plasma) from coccygeal venipuncture and fecal samples from the rectum were collected. The intestinal microbiota (in the fecal samples) was characterized by employing 16S rRNA gene sequencing targeting the V3-V4 hypervariable region on the Illumina MiSeq PE300 platform, and plasma samples were subjected to LC-MS/MS-based metabolomics with Progenesis QI 2.3. Plasma macromolecular metabolites were examined for differences in the metabolism of lipids, proteins, mineral elements, and hormones. Results: Notable differences between the SHC and MHC groups related to host hair coat status were observed in the host metabolome and intestinal microbiota (P < 0.05). The host metabolome was enriched in histidine metabolism, cysteine and methionine metabolism, and purine metabolism in the SHC group, and the intestinal microbiota were also enriched in histidine metabolism (P < 0.05). In the MHC group, the symbiotic relationship transitioned from cooperation to competition in the MHC group, and an uncoupling effect was present in the microbe-metabolite association of intestine microbiota-host interactions. The hubs mediating the relationships between intestinal microbiota and plasma metabolites were the intestinal bacterial genus g__norank_f__Eubacterium_coprostanoligenes_group, plasma inosine, triiodothyronine, and phosphorus, which could be used to differentiate cows' hair coat status (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Overall, the present study identified the relationships between the features of the intestinal microbiota and host hair coat status, thereby providing evidence and a new direction (intestine microbiota-host interplay) for future studies aimed at understanding the hair coat status of cattle.

Association between stressful life events and sleep quality in Chinese university students: Mediating and moderating roles of emotion regulation.

This study investigated whether emotion regulation mediates or modulates the relationship of SLEs with sleep quality and potential sex differences. A total of 1447 Chinese university students completed the Adolescent Self-Rating Life Events Checklist, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire. The results indicated that both cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression significantly mediated and moderated the negative association between SLEs and sleep quality. Additionally, sex differences were found for the mediating role of cognitive reappraisal and for the modulating roles of cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression in the relationship between SLEs and sleep quality. Although the present cross-sectional data does not allow us to test any causal relationships, these results help clarify the underlying emotion-regulation process between SLEs and sleep in university students and highlight the importance of considering sex differences in emotion regulation.

Novel biomarkers related to oxidative stress and immunity in chronic kidney disease.

Introduction: The incidence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) has been increasing in recent years, gradually becoming a global health crisis. Due to limited treatment options, novel molecular pathways are urgently required to advance the treatment and diagnosis of CKD. Materials and methods: The characteristics of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in CKD patients were analyzed using Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, and genes related to oxidative stress were retrieved from the Genecard database. Subsequently, a comprehensive approach was applied, including immune infiltration analysis, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis, to identify hub genes among differentially expressed immune-related oxidative stress genes (DEIOSGs). Validation of hub genes was performed using an external data set, and diagnostic potential capability was evaluated through receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis. In animal experiments, the expression of hub genes in CKD was confirmed by inducing a CKD model through a 5/6 nephrectomy procedure. Finally, the relationship between these hub genes and clinical characteristics were assessed using the Nephroseq v5 database. Results: 29 DEIOSGs were identified by comprehensive bioinformatics analysis. PPI analysis screened the hub genes NCF2, S100A9, and SELL. ROC analysis demonstrated excellent diagnostic efficacy. Further validation from other databases and animal experiments confirmed a substantial upregulation in the expression of hub genes in CKD. Additionally, clinical correlation analysis established a clear link between hub gene expression and renal function deterioration. Conclusions: Our study confirms NCF2, S100A9, and SELL as diagnostic biomarkers associated with immune response and oxidative stress in CKD, suggesting their potential as novel targets for CKD diagnosis and treatment.

Long-term abacus training gains in children are predicted by medial temporal lobe anatomy and circuitry.

Abacus-based mental calculation (AMC) is a widely used educational tool for enhancing math learning, offering an accessible and cost-effective method for classroom implementation. Despite its universal appeal, the neurocognitive mechanisms that drive the efficacy of AMC training remain poorly understood. Notably, although abacus training relies heavily on the rapid recall of number positions and sequences, the role of memory systems in driving long-term AMC learning remains unknown. Here, we sought to address this gap by investigating the role of the medial temporal lobe (MTL) memory system in predicting long-term AMC training gains in second-grade children, who were longitudinally assessed up to fifth grade. Leveraging multimodal neuroimaging data, we tested the hypothesis that MTL systems, known for their involvement in associative memory, are instrumental in facilitating AMC-induced improvements in math skills. We found that gray matter volume in bilateral MTL, along with functional connectivity between the MTL and frontal and ventral temporal-occipital cortices, significantly predicted learning gains. Intriguingly, greater gray matter volume but weaker connectivity of the posterior parietal cortex predicted better learning outcomes, offering a more nuanced view of brain systems at play in AMC training. Our findings not only underscore the critical role of the MTL memory system in AMC training but also illuminate the neurobiological factors contributing to individual differences in cognitive skill acquisition. A video abstract of this article can be viewed at https://youtu.be/StVooNRc7T8. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: We investigated the role of medial temporal lobe (MTL) memory system in driving children's math learning following abacus-based mental calculation (AMC) training. AMC training improved math skills in elementary school children across their second and fifth grade. MTL structural integrity and functional connectivity with prefrontal and ventral temporal-occipital cortices predicted long-term AMC training-related gains.

A Multiparametric MRI-based Radiomics Model for Stratifying Postoperative Recurrence in Luminal B Breast Cancer.

This study aims to develop an MRI-based radiomics model to assess the likelihood of recurrence in luminal B breast cancer. The study analyzed medical images and clinical data from 244 patients with luminal B breast cancer. Of 244 patients, 35 had experienced recurrence and 209 had not. The patients were randomly divided into the training set (51.5 ± 12.5 years old; n = 171) and the test set (51.7 ± 11.3 years old; n = 73) in a ratio of 7:3. The study employed univariate and multivariate Cox regression along with the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression methods to select radiomics features and calculate a risk score. A combined model was constructed by integrating the risk score with the clinical and pathological characteristics. The study identified two radiomics features (GLSZM and GLRLM) from DCE-MRI that were used to calculate a risk score. The AUCs were 0.860 and 0.868 in the training set and 0.816 and 0.714 in the testing set for 3- and 5-year recurrence risk, respectively. The combined model incorporating the risk score, pN, and endocrine therapy showed improved predictive power, with AUCs of 0.857 and 0.912 in the training set and 0.943 and 0.945 in the testing set for 3- and 5-year recurrence risk, respectively. The calibration curve of the combined model showed good consistency between predicted and measured values. Our study developed an MRI-based radiomics model that integrates clinical and radiomics features to assess the likelihood of recurrence in luminal B breast cancer. The model shows promise for improving clinical risk stratification and treatment decision-making.

Gel-mediated recruitment of conventional type 1 dendritic cells potentiates the therapeutic effects of radiotherapy.

The efficacy of radiotherapy has not yet achieved optimal results, partially due to insufficient priming and infiltration of effector immune cells within the tumor microenvironment (TME), which often exhibits suppressive phenotypes. In particular, the infiltration of X-C motif chemokine receptor 1 (XCR1)-expressing conventional type-1 dendritic cells (cDC1s), which are critical in priming CD8+ cytotoxic T cells, within the TME is noticeably restricted. Hence, we present a facile methodology for the efficient fabrication of a calcium phosphate hydrogel loaded with X-C motif chemokine ligand 1 (XCL1) to selectively recruit cDC1s. Manganese phosphate microparticles were also loaded into this hydrogel to reprogram the TME via cGAS-STING activation, thereby facilitating the priming of cDC1s propelled specific CD8+ T cells. They also polarize tumor-associated macrophages towards the M1 phenotype and reduce the proportion of regulatory cells, effectively reversing the immunosuppressive TME into an immune-active one. The yielded XCL1@CaMnP gel exhibits significant efficacy in enhancing the therapeutic outcomes of radiotherapy, particularly when concurrently administered with postoperative radiotherapy, resulting in an impressive 60 % complete response rate. Such XCL1@CaMnP gel, which recruits cDC1s to present tumor antigens generated in situ, holds great potential as a versatile platform for enhanced cancer treatment through modulating the immunosuppressive TME.

Mercury distribution, exposure and risk in Poyang Lake and vicinity, China.

Mercury (Hg), especially methylmercury (MeHg), which is highly neurotoxic, is a global pollutant that can affect human health because of its accumulation in aquatic products. Poyang Lake, an inland lake in China, has been significantly affected by human activity, yet there is limited understanding of local mercury contamination and potential exposure pathways to humans. In this study, we explored the risks of mercury exposure by sampling sediments, plants, and aquatic organisms in the lake and surrounding areas and analyzing total Hg (THg) and MeHg levels. Sediment sampling was conducted at the main lake, rivers, rice paddies, and fishponds. Two dominant species of plants and 15 species of aquatic organisms were sampled and analyzed. We assessed the characteristics of mercury in sediments using the geo-accumulation index (Igeo), mercury exposure using the biomagnification factor (BMF) and biota sediment accumulation factor (BSAF), and risks using thresholds for adverse effects. The highest THg concentrations (137.04 ± 44.3 ng g-1 dw) were detected in the main lake sediments, whereas the highest MeHg concentrations (0.47 ± 0.6 ng g-1 dw) were detected in fishpond sediments. Mercury accumulation in the main lake sediments could be assessed as contaminated (Igeo > 0: 81.6%). Yellow catfish had the highest mercury concentration (THg 770.69 ± 199.7 ng g-1 dw; MeHg 741.93 ± 168.8 ng g-1 dw). Piscivores were adversely affected by carnivorous fish (50.8%), but all fish concentrations did not exceed the food safety standards recommend by China and the WHO. The mercury exposure results revealed significant Hg biomagnification and enrichment (BMF >1: 94.55%; BSAFmax = 1218). Long-term monitoring of aquatic organisms is warranted.

Early Gray Matter Structural Covariance Predicts Longitudinal Gain in Arithmetic Ability in Children.

Previous neuroimaging studies on arithmetic development have mainly focused on functional activation or functional connectivity between brain regions. It remains largely unknown how brain structures support arithmetic development. The present study investigated whether early gray matter structural covariance contributes to later gain in arithmetic ability in children. We used a public longitudinal sample comprising 63 typically developing children. The participants received structural magnetic resonance imaging scanning when they were 11 years old and were tested with a multiplication task at 11 years old (time 1) and 13 years old (time 2), respectively. Mean gray matter volumes were extracted from eight brain regions of interest to anchor salience network (SN), frontal-parietal network (FPN), motor network (MN), and default mode network (DMN) at time 1. We found that longitudinal gain in arithmetic ability was associated with stronger structural covariance of the SN seed with frontal and parietal regions and stronger structural covariance of the FPN seed with insula, but weaker structural covariance of the FPN seed with motor and temporal regions, weaker structural covariance of the MN seed with frontal and motor regions, and weaker structural covariance of the DMN seed with temporal region. However, we did not detect correlation between longitudinal gain in arithmetic ability and behavioral measure or regional gray matter volume at time 1. Our study provides novel evidence for a specific contribution of gray matter structural covariance to longitudinal gain in arithmetic ability in childhood.

Tumor Microenvironment Modulating CaCO3 -Based Colloidosomal Microreactors Can Generally Reinforce Cancer Immunotherapy.

Tumor hypoxia and acidity, two general features of solid tumors, are known to have negative effect on cancer immunotherapy by directly causing dysfunction of effector immune cells and promoting suppressive immune cells inside tumors. Herein, a multifunctional colloidosomal microreactor is constructed by encapsulating catalase within calcium carbonate (CaCO3 ) nanoparticle-assembled colloidosomes (abbreviated as CaP CSs) via the classic double emulsion method. The yielded CCaP CSs exhibit well-retained proton-scavenging and hydrogen peroxide decomposition performances and can thus neutralize tumor acidity, attenuate tumor hypoxia, and suppress lactate production upon intratumoral administration. Consequently, CCaP CSs treatment can activate potent antitumor immunity and thus significantly enhance the therapeutic potency of coloaded anti-programmed death-1 (anti-PD-1) antibodies in both murine subcutaneous CT26 and orthotopic 4T1 tumor xenografts. In addition, such CCaP CSs treatment also markedly reinforces the therapeutic potency of epidermal growth factor receptor expressing chimeric antigen receptor T (EGFR-CAR-T) cells toward a human triple-negative breast cancer xenograft by promoting their tumor infiltration and effector cytokine secretion. Therefore, this study highlights that chemical modulation of tumor acidity and hypoxia can collectively reverse tumor immunosuppression and thus significantly potentiate both immune checkpoint blockade and CAR-T cell immunotherapies toward solid tumors.

Grey matter structural alterations in anxiety disorders: a voxel-based meta-analysis.

Anxiety disorders (ADs) are a group of prevalent and destructive mental illnesses, but the current understanding of their underlying neuropathology is still unclear. Employing voxel-based morphometry (VBM), previous studies have demonstrated several common brain regions showing grey matter volume (GMV) abnormalities. However, contradictory results have been reported among these studies. Considering that different subtypes of ADs exhibit common core symptoms despite different diagnostic criteria, and previous meta-analyses have found common core GMV-altered brain regions in ADs, the present research aimed to combine the results of individual studies to identify common GMV abnormalities in ADs. Therefore, we first performed a systematic search in PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science on studies investigating GMV differences between patients with ADs and healthy controls (HCs). Then, the anisotropic effect-size signed differential mapping (AES-SDM) was applied in this meta-analysis. A total of 24 studies (including 25 data sets) were included in the current study, and 906 patients with ADs and 1003 HCs were included. Compared with the HCs, the patients with ADs showed increased GMV in the left superior parietal gyrus, right angular gyrus, left precentral gyrus, and right lingual gyrus, and decreased GMV in the bilateral insula, bilateral thalamus, left caudate, and right putamen. In conclusion, the current study has identified some abnormal GMV brain regions that are related to the pathological mechanisms of anxiety disorders. These findings could contribute to a better understanding of the underlying neuropathology of ADs.

Self-fueling ferroptosis-inducing microreactors based on pH-responsive Lipiodol Pickering emulsions enable transarterial ferro-embolization therapy.

Lipiodol chemotherapeutic emulsions remain one of the main choices for the treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) via transarterial chemoembolization (TACE). However, the limited stability of Lipiodol chemotherapeutic emulsions would lead to rapid drug diffusion, which would reduce the therapeutic benefit and cause systemic toxicity of administrated chemotherapeutics. Therefore, the development of enhanced Lipiodol-based formulations is of great significance to enable effective and safe TACE treatment. Herein, a stable water-in-oil Lipiodol Pickering emulsion (LPE) stabilized by pH-dissociable calcium carbonate nanoparticles and hemin is prepared and utilized for efficient encapsulation of lipoxygenase (LOX). The obtained LOX-loaded CaCO3&hemin-stabilized LPE (LHCa-LPE) showing greatly improved emulsion stability could work as a pH-responsive and self-fueling microreactor to convert polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), a main component of Lipiodol, to cytotoxic lipid radicals through the cascading catalytic reaction driven by LOX and hemin, thus inducing ferroptosis of cancer cells. As a result, such LHCa-LPE upon transcatheter embolization can effectively suppress the progression of orthotopic N1S1 HCC in rats. This study highlights a concise strategy to prepare pH-responsive and stable LPE-based self-fueling microreactors, which could serve as bifunctional embolic and ferroptosis-inducing agents to enable proof-of-concept transarterial ferro-embolization therapy of HCC.

Deep learning model for measuring the sagittal Cobb angle on cervical spine computed tomography.

PURPOSES: To develop a deep learning (DL) model to measure the sagittal Cobb angle of the cervical spine on computed tomography (CT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two VB-Net-based DL models for cervical vertebra segmentation and key-point detection were developed. Four-points and line-fitting methods were used to calculate the sagittal Cobb angle automatically. The average value of the sagittal Cobb angle was manually measured by two doctors as the reference standard. The percentage of correct key points (PCK), matched samples t test, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), Pearson correlation coefficient, mean absolute error (MAE), and Bland‒Altman plots were used to evaluate the performance of the DL model and the robustness and generalization of the model on the external test set. RESULTS: A total of 991 patients were included in the internal data set, and 112 patients were included in the external data set. The PCK of the DL model ranged from 78 to 100% in the test set. The four-points method, line-fitting method, and reference standard measured sagittal Cobb angles were - 1.10 ± 18.29°, 0.30 ± 13.36°, and 0.50 ± 12.83° in the internal test set and 4.55 ± 20.01°, 3.66 ± 18.55°, and 1.83 ± 12.02° in the external test set, respectively. The sagittal Cobb angle calculated by the four-points method and the line-fitting method maintained high consistency with the reference standard (internal test set: ICC = 0.75 and 0.97; r = 0.64 and 0.94; MAE = 5.42° and 3.23°, respectively; external test set: ICC = 0.74 and 0.80, r = 0.66 and 0.974, MAE = 5.25° and 4.68°, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The DL model can accurately measure the sagittal Cobb angle of the cervical spine on CT. The line-fitting method shows a higher consistency with the doctors and a minor average absolute error.

Efferocytosis Nanoinhibitors to Promote Secondary Necrosis and Potentiate the Immunogenicity of Conventional Cancer Therapies for Improved Therapeutic Benefits.

Efferocytosis of apoptotic cancer cells by tumor-associated macrophages or other phagocytes is reported to promote tumor immunosuppression by preventing them from secondary necrosis, which would lead to the release of intracellular components and thus enhanced immunogenicity. Therefore, current apoptosis-inducing cancer treatments (e.g., chemotherapy and radiotherapy) are less satisfactory in eliciting antitumor immunity. Herein, a nanoparticulate inhibitor of efferocytosis is prepared by encapsulating BMS777607, a hydrophobic inhibitor of receptors in macrophages responsible for phosphatidylserine-dependent efferocytosis, with biocompatible poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) and its amphiphilic derivatives. The yielded nano-BMS can inhibit the efferocytosis of apoptotic cancer cells, thus redirecting them to immunogenic secondary necrosis. As a result, intratumorally injected nano-BMS is capable of activating both innate and adaptive antitumor immunity to achieve greatly improved therapeutic responses, when synergized with nonimmunogenic chemotherapy by cisplatin, immunogenic chemotherapy by oxaliplatin, or radiotherapy by external beams. Moreover, we further demonstrate that the inhalation of nano-BMS could significantly promote the efficacy of cisplatin chemotherapy to suppress tumor lung metastases. Therefore, this study highlights a general strategy to potentiate the immunogenicity of different cancer treatments by suppressing efferocytosis-propelled tumor immunosuppression, showing tremendous clinical potential in rescuing existing cancer therapies for more effective treatment.

Associations between physical activity and proactive control and the modulating role of working memory.

Accumulating evidence indicates positive associations between physical activity (PA) and cognitive control. Proactive control, the ability to maintain goal-relevant information in preparation of upcoming task demands, is a critical component of cognitive control. However, little research has examined the association between PA and proactive control. To address this issue, a total of 132 university students were recruited and divided into two groups based on reported regular PA during past week. All participants completed two common cognitive control tasks: the AX Continuous Performance Task (AX-CPT) and the Cued Task-Switching Paradigm (CTS). In comparison with the low PA group, the high PA group showed greater proactive control efficiency on both tasks. Moreover, proactive control indices significantly correlated between the two tasks for the high but not for the low PA group. Further, working memory significantly modulated the association between PA and proactive control efficiency of CTS. Although the present cross-section design does not allow us to test the causal relationship between PA and proactive control, these findings may have important implications for developing effective intervention strategies which aim to promote proactive control through increasing PA or to promote PA through increasing proactive control. Moreover, individual differences in working memory are important to consider when we aim to design such interventions.

Arula-7 powder improves diarrhea and intestinal epithelial tight junction function associated with its regulation of intestinal flora in calves infected with pathogenic Escherichia coli O1.

BACKGROUND: The effects of Arula-7 powder (ASP) on diarrhea and intestinal barrier function associated with its regulation of intestinal microflora in calves infected with pathogenic Escherichia coli O1 (E. coli O1) were studied. METHOD: Twenty Holstein calves were randomly divided into four treatment groups: normal control (NC), model control (MC), 0.5 mg/kg ciprofloxacin (CIP) and 2.50 g/kg ASP groups. RESULTS: ASP inhibited the relative abundance of Proteobacteria, Selenomonadales, and Enterobacteriales, and increased the relative abundance of Lactobacillus, Faecalibacterium, and Alloprevotella. Moreover, we demonstrated for the first time that the ASP and CIP promoted weight gain, reduced the diarrhea rate (P < 0.05), and enhanced antioxidant capacity (P < 0.05) due to the increase in average daily gain (ADG), total protein (TP), and albumin (ALB). In addition, ASP and CIP increased the expression of Zunola occludens-1 (ZO-1), Occludin, and Claudin-1 in the ileum (P < 0.05), and improved immunity due to increase levels of interleukin-2 (IL-2), interleukin-4 (IL-4), interferon-γ (IFN-γ), immunoglobulin A (IgA), and immunoglobulin G (IgG) in the serum, strengthened CD4+T levels in the ileal mucosa and reducing CD8+T and CD11c+T (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Hence, The intestinal microbiota environment formed by early intervention of ASP powder has a protective effect on the intestinal mucosal function of calves infected with pathogenic E. coli. Video Abstract.

Development of clinical and magnetic resonance imaging-based radiomics nomograms for the differentiation of nodular fasciitis from soft tissue sarcoma.

BACKGROUND: Accurate differentiation of nodular fasciitis (NF) from soft tissue sarcoma (STS) before surgery is essential for the subsequent diagnosis and treatment of patients. PURPOSE: To develop and evaluate radiomics nomograms based on clinical factors and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the preoperative differentiation of NF from STS. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This retrospective study analyzed the MRI data of 27 patients with pathologically diagnosed NF and 58 patients with STS who were randomly divided into training (n = 62) and validation (n = 23) groups. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify the clinical factors and semantic features of MRI. Radiomics analysis was applied to fat-suppressed T1-weighted (T1W-FS) images, fat-suppressed T2-weighted (T2W-FS) images, and contrast-enhanced T1-weighted (CE-T1W) images. The radiomics nomograms incorporating the radiomics signatures, clinical factors, and semantic features of MRI were developed. ROC curves and AUCs were carried out to compare the performance of the clinical factors, radiomics signatures, and clinical radiomics nomograms. RESULTS: Tumor location, size, heterogeneous signal intensity on T2W-FS imaging, heterogeneous signal intensity on CE-T1W imaging, margin definitions on CE-T1W imaging, and septa were independent predictors for differentiating NF from STS (P < 0.05). The performance of the radiomics signatures based on T2W-FS imaging (AUC = 0.961) and CE-T1W imaging (AUC = 0.938) was better than that based on T1W-FS imaging (AUC = 0.833). The radiomics nomograms had AUCs of 0.949, which demonstrated good clinical utility and calibration. CONCLUSION: The non-invasive clinical radiomics nomograms exhibited good performance in the differentiation of NF from STS, and they have clinical application in the preoperative diagnosis of diseases.