What can we learn from a Chinese social media used by glaucoma patients?

PURPOSE: Our study aims to discuss glaucoma patients' needs and Internet habits using big data analysis and Natural Language Processing (NLP) based on deep learning (DL). METHODS: In this retrospective study, we used web crawler technology to crawl glaucoma-related topic posts from the glaucoma bar of Baidu Tieba, China. According to the contents of topic posts, we classified them into posts with seeking medical advice and without seeking medical advice (social support, expressing emotions, sharing knowledge, and others). Word Cloud and frequency statistics were used to analyze the contents and visualize the keywords of topic posts. Two DL models, Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory (Bi-LSTM) and Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT), were trained to identify the posts seeking medical advice. The evaluation matrices included: accuracy, F1 value, and the area under the ROC curve (AUC). RESULTS: A total of 10,892 topic posts were included, among them, most were seeking medical advice (N = 7071, 64.91%), and seeking advice regarding symptoms or examination (N = 4913, 45.11%) dominated the majority. The following were searching for social support (N = 2362, 21.69%), expressing emotions (N = 497, 4.56%), and sharing knowledge (N = 527, 4.84%) in sequence. The word cloud analysis results showed that ocular pressure, visual field, examination, and operation were the most frequent words. The accuracy, F1 score, and AUC were 0.891, 0.891, and 0.931 for the BERT model, 0.82, 0.821, and 0.890 for the Bi-LSTM model. CONCLUSION: Social media can help enhance the patient-doctor relationship by providing patients' concerns and cognition about glaucoma in China. NLP can be a powerful tool to reflect patients' focus on diseases. DL models performed well in classifying Chinese medical-related texts, which could play an important role in public health monitoring.

Ultrasound fusion imaging for improving diagnostic and therapeutic strategies of focal liver lesions: A preliminary study.

PURPOSE: To assess the effect of ultrasound (US) fusion imaging on the clinical diagnostic and therapeutic strategies of focal liver lesions, which are difficult to detect or diagnose by conventional US. METHODS: From November 2019 to June 2022, 71 patients with invisible or undiagnosed focal liver lesions who underwent fusion imaging combining US with CT or MR were included in this retrospective study. The reasons for US fusion imaging were as follows: (1) lesions that were undetectable or inconspicuous on B-mode US; (2) post-ablation lesions that could not be assessed accurately by B-mode US; (3) to evaluate whether the lesions detected by B-mode US that were consistent with those presented on MRI/CT images. RESULTS: Of the 71 cases, 43 cases were single lesions, and 28 cases were multiple lesions. Among the 46 cases which were invisible on conventional US, the display rate of lesions using US-CT/MRI fusion imaging was 30.8%, and that combined with CEUS was 76.9%. US-guided biopsy was performed in 30 patients after the detection and localization determined by fusion imaging, with a positive rate of 73.3%. Six patients with recurrence after ablation therapy were all detected and located accurately after fusion imaging, and 4 of them successfully underwent ablation therapy again. CONCLUSION: Fusion imaging contributes to the understanding of the anatomical relationship between lesion location and blood vessels. Additionally, fusion imaging can improve the diagnostic confidence, be helpful to guide interventional operations, and hence be conducive to clinical therapeutic strategies.

Biomimic Trained Immunity-MSCs Delivery Microcarriers for Acute Liver Failure Regeneration.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have a demonstrated value for acute liver failure (ALF) regeneration, while their delivery stratagems with long-term biological functions, low immune response, and high biocompatibility are still a challenge. Here, a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-loaded photoresponsive cryogel porous microcarrier (CPM) for MSCs delivery and colonization is presented to promote defect liver regeneration. The CPMs are fabricated with graphene oxide, poly(N-isopropylacrylamide), and gelatin methacrylate (GelMA) via droplet microfluidic technology and a gradient-cooling procedure. Benefitting from the biocompatible GelMA component and the porous microstructure of the CPMs, MSCs can be nondestructively captured and abundantly delivered. Because the LPS can be released from the CPMs under NIR irradiation, the delivered MSCs are imparted with the feature of "trained immunity." Thus, when the MSCs-laden CPMs are tailored into the liver matched patches by bioprinting and applied in ALF rats, they display superior anti-inflammatory and more significant liver regeneration properties than the untrained MSCs. These features make the CPMs an excellent MSCs delivery system for clinical applications in tissue repair.

Role of Vector Flow Mapping in Evaluating Left Ventricular Diastolic Flow Dynamics in Patients Who Underwent Mitral Valve Repair for Degenerative Mitral Regurgitation.

Background: Mitral valve (MV) morphology after MV repair affects postoperative left ventricular (LV) blood flow pattern and long-term cardiac function. Pilot data suggest that LV diastolic vortex flow pattern changes after operation, but specific quantifiers remain unknown. We aimed to explore the role of vector flow mapping (VFM) in LV diastolic vortex flow pattern in patients who underwent MV repair. Methods: A total of 70 patients with degenerative mitral regurgitation were consecutively enrolled and 30 age- and gender-matched controls were recruited. 50 Patients who underwent MV repair were eventually included in our study. LV average energy loss (EL-AVE) during diastole was measured in the MV repair group by VFM one week before and one month after the operation, and compared with that of controls using one-way analysis of variance. The effect of surgical techniques and the extension of leaflet degeneration on postoperative EL-AVE were analyzed using muti-way analysis of variance, and patients were categorized into a resection subgroup (n = 29) and a non-resection subgroup (n = 21). Results: The EL-AVE one month after operation in the MV repair group was decreased (p < 0.001) compared to that one week before the operation, and was increased (p < 0.001) compared to that in controls. Mitral leaflet resection had a statistically significant effect on postoperative EL-AVE. The EL-AVE of the resection subgroup was higher than that of non-resection subgroup (p < 0.001). Conclusions: VFM can be used to evaluate the diastolic blood flow pattern of LV after MV repair, and to observe the changes of LV blood flow pattern caused by different surgical techniques. VFM may be a potential new hemodynamic evaluation method after MV repair.

Methane Emissions from Wetlands in China and Their Climate Feedbacks in the 21st Century.

Wetlands are large sinks of carbon dioxide (CO2) and sources of methane (CH4). Both fluxes can be altered by wetland management (e.g., restoration), leading to changes in the climate system. Here, we use multiple models to assess CH4 emissions and CO2 sequestration from the wetlands in China and the impacts on climate under three climate scenarios and four wetland management scenarios with various levels of wetland restoration in the 21st century. We find that wetland restoration leads to increased CH4 emissions with a national total of 0.32-11.31 Tg yr-1. These emissions induce an additional radiative forcing of 0.0005-0.0075 W m-2 yr-1 and global annual mean air temperature rise of 0.0003-0.0053 °C yr-1, across all future climate and management scenarios. However, wetland restoration also resulted in net CO2 sequestration, leading to a combined net greenhouse gas sink in all climate management scenarios, except in the highest restoration level combined with the hottest climate scenario. The highest climate cooling was achieved under medium restoration, with the climate scenario consistent with the Paris agreement target of below 2 °C, with a cumulative global warming potential of -3.2 Pg CO2-eq (2020-2100). Wetland restoration in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau offers the greatest cooling effect.

Non-invasive myocardial work index contributes to early identification of impaired left ventricular myocardial function in uremic patients with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac damage is the leading cause of death in uremic patients. This study aimed to evaluate the application of non-invasive myocardial work index (NIMWI) by echocardiography in assessing the left ventricular (LV) systolic function in uremic patients. METHODS: Twenty-six uremic patients and 27 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers were enrolled in the study. Except for the conventional echocardiographic parameters, the LV myocardial work (MW) parameters including GWI (myocardial global work index), GCW (global constructive work), GWW (global wasted work), and GWE (global work efficiency) were calculated in study participants. Differences in MW parameters between the uremic and normal groups were compared by independent-sample t-test. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed for MW parameters to detect abnormal LV systolic function in uremic patients. RESULTS: Compared with the normal group, GWW was significantly increased and GWE decreased in the uremic group (P < 0.05). Area under the curve (AUC) for GWE by the ROC analysis was 0.966. The best threshold, sensitivity and specificity values of GWE to detect abnormality of LV systolic function in uremic patients were 92.5%, 0.89 and 0.96, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: NIMWI may be applied to assess the global MW of uremic patients. The presence of reduced GWE can help identify impaired left ventricular myocardial function in uremic patients with preserved LV ejection fraction with a high sensitivity and specificity.

The effects of mandibular osteotomy on maxillary orthodontic tooth movement and bone remodelling in a rat model.

OBJECTIVES: The accelerated tooth movement phenomenon after orthognathic surgery has been observed. However, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. There is no experimental study showing the effect of orthognathic surgery on orthodontic tooth movement of the opposing jaw. Therefore, the present study aimed at investigating if mandibular osteotomy enhances maxillary tooth movement and bone remodelling. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-four male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into two groups: maxillary tooth movement (TM) and maxillary tooth movement + mandibular surgery (TM + MS). The orthodontic force was delivered to move the left maxillary first molar mesially. The surgical intervention was performed on the left mandible. Microcomputed tomography, histological analysis, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction were used to assess changes at 3, 7, and 21 days after surgery. RESULTS: The mandibular osteotomy accelerates the rate of maxillary tooth movement with decreased bone volume fraction on the seventh day. Bone resorption was observed on the third and seventh day after mandibular osteotomy. It was found that serum interleukin-1ß level increased significantly in the TM + MS group compared with the TM group, as well as the high expression level of cathepsin K and tumour necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 5 of the orthodontic tooth on the third and seventh day after mandibular osteotomy. CONCLUSION: Data from the present study suggested that mandibular osteotomy accelerates maxillary osteoclast activity and post-operative tooth movement, providing evidence for accelerated tooth movement phenomenon after orthognathic surgery.

Mandibular osteotomy-induced hypoxia enhances osteoclast activation and acid secretion by increasing glycolysis.

The rapid bone remodeling after osteotomy has been reported for a long time. However, the underlying mechanism promoting the active bone reconstruction was still to be elucidated. Since not only the bone, blood vessels, and supportive tissues, but also the local microenvironment were destroyed, if the changes on the cell metabolism was contributed to the accelerated bone remodeling came into sight. In present study, we found that the mandibular osteotomy in rabbit activated osteoclasts, as well as the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α) in alveolar bone. Hypoxia or HIF-1α could enhanced osteoclastogenesis, bone absorption, and lactic acid concentration in receptor activator of nuclear factor κΒ ligand-induced RAW264.7 cells. Coincided with the upregulated HIF-1α expression, HIF-driven glycolytic enzymes, such as lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA), glucokinase (GCK), pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2), and phosphofructokinase1 (PFK1), were found massively increased in both hypoxic RAW264.7 cells and the alveolar HIF-1α-positive osteoclasts after mandibular osteotomy. Knockdown of HIF-1α suppressed not only the hypoxia-mediated glycolysis, but also the hypoxia-induced acid secretion and bone resorption in RAW264.7 cells. Application of inhibitor on glycolysis gave rise to the similar results as HIF-1α knockdown. Our findings suggested that hypoxia-driven glycolysis in osteoclasts was an adaptive mechanism to permit alveolar bone remodeling after mandibular osteotomy.

Activity and morphologic changes in the mandible after mandibular osteotomy.

INTRODUCTION: Orthognathic surgery accelerates orthodontic tooth movement, and tooth movement accelerates with demineralized bone and accelerated bone remodeling. The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether orthognathic surgery induces accelerated bone remodeling. The research design included a human model and an animal model. METHODS: The levels of serum tartrate resistant acid phosphatase-5b (TRAP) and bone alkaline phosphatase (BALP) were measured in 15 patients after sagittal split ramus osteotomy. For the animal study, 18 rabbits were divided into 6 groups: a control group and 5 surgery groups. The rabbits in the surgery groups had osteotomies in the molar regions of the mandible. Changes in bone mass of the anterior mandibles were examined by microcomputed tomography, and changes in osteoblast and osteoclast numbers were analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction, hematoxylin and eosin staining, TRAP staining, and alkaline phosphatase staining. RESULTS: In the 15 patients, TRAP-5b increased from 1 to 8 weeks postoperatively, and BALP increased significantly in 2 weeks postoperatively. In the rabbits, the levels of mRNA expression of TRAP were increased at 3 weeks, and matrix metalloproteinase 9 was increased at 4 and 8 weeks, whereas mRNA expression of BALP and bone morphogenetic protein 2 were increased at 4 weeks. Bone loss was detected from 1 week postoperatively and reached the maximum at 3 weeks; and bone mass and mechanical structure did not recoverer to preoperative levels until 8 weeks postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: These findings show active bone remodeling induced by osteotomy.

Evaluation of the left atrial appendage by real time three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography online.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of online real time three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (RT3DTEE) in the measurement of left atrial appendage (LAA) orifice size. We also analyzed the correlation between LAA ejection fraction (EF) and its peak empty velocity (PEV). METHODS: There were 91 subjects enrolled in this study, with 46 patients with AF and 45 individuals with sinus rhythm (SR). RT3DTEE was performed by four methods including iSlice and iCrop online and QLAB software 3DQ and GI-3DQ off-line which were used to measure LAA orifice area, long diameter, short diameter, depth in the largest LAA, and number of LAA lobes. These LAA parameters achieved by the four methods were compared, respectively. GI-3DQ off-line was used to measure LAA end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes to calculate EF of LAA. Two-dimensional (2D) TEE was applied to measure PEV of LAA. The correlation between EF and PEV was analyzed. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in all LAA parameters between any two RT3DTEE methods (All P > .05). There was a significant and positive correlation between PEV and EF (r = .423, P = .000). There were statistical differences in LAA EF and PEV between patients with AF and SR individuals (0.38 ± 0.12 vs 0.61 ± 0.07, 35.7 ± 12.1 vs 49.5 ± 10.0 cm/s, P = .000). CONCLUSION: Using online RT3DTEE for measuring LAA orifice size is feasible, and online RT3DTEE is more convenient than offline RT3DTEE. EF is positively correlated with PEV. LAA function is significantly decreased in patients with AF.

IL-6 Enhances Osteocyte-Mediated Osteoclastogenesis by Promoting JAK2 and RANKL Activity In Vitro.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Evidence suggests that IL-6 affects bone mass by modulating osteocyte communication towards osteoclasts. However, the mechanism by which IL-6 enhances osteocyte-mediated osteoclastogenesis is unclear. We aimed to investigate the inflammatory factors in serum after orthodontic surgery and their relationship between osteocytes and osteoclasts. METHODS: Serum was obtained from 10 orthognathic surgery patients, and inflammatory factors were detected by ELISA. We treated the osteocyte-like cell line MLO-Y4 with recombinant mouse IL-6 and IL-6 receptor (IL-6R), and used quantitative RT-PCR and Western blotting to explore Receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) expression at both the mRNA and protein level. MLO-Y4 cells were co-cultured with osteoclast precursor cells, and the formation of osteoclasts was detected by tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) staining. To explore the role of JAK2 in the osteocyte-mediated osteoclastogenesis, AG490, a JAK2 inhibitor, was used to inhibit the JAK2-STAT3 pathway in osteocytes. RESULTS: In our study, we found that IL-6 and RANKL were stimulated in serum 3-7 days after orthognathic surgery. Therefore, IL-6 and IL-6 receptor enhanced the expression of RANKL at both the mRNA and protein level in MLO-Y4. Furthermore, when MLO-Y4 cells were co-cultured with osteoclast precursor cells, it significantly stimulated osteoclastogenesis. Our study indicated that osteocytes could promote osteoclastic differentiation and the formation of TRAP-positive multinucleated cells after stimulation with IL-6 and IL-6R. Our results also indicated that treatment with IL-6 and IL-6R increased RANKL mRNA expression and the RANKL/OPG expression ratio. Meanwhile, the phosphorylation of Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) and Signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT3) also correlated with RANKL levels. Furthermore, we investigated the effects of a specific JAK2 inhibitor, AG490, on the expression of RANKL in osteocyte-like MLO-Y4 cells and osteocyte-mediated osteoclastogenesis. The results showed that AG490 inhibited (p)-JAK2 and RANKL expression. Osteoclastic differentiation was decreased after pretreatment in MLO-Y4 with mouse IL-6/IL-6R and AG490; therefore, we concluded that IL-6 increased osteocyte-mediated osteoclastic differentiation by activating JAK2 and RANKL. CONCLUSION: The effects of IL-6/il-6R and AG490 on osteocyte-mediated osteoclastogenesis contribute to our understanding of the role of inflammatory factors in the interaction between osteocytes and osteoclast precursors. IL-6 and RANKL are key factors for bone remodelling after the orthodontic surgery, and their roles in bone remodelling may be fundamental mechanisms accelerating tooth movement by orthodontic surgery.

[Analysis of CSF1R gene mutation in a Chinese family with hereditary diffuse leukoencephalopathy with neuroaxonal spheroids].

OBJECTIVE: To identify potential mutation of the colony stimulating factor 1 receptor gene (CSF1R) in a large Chinese family affected with hereditary diffuse leukoencephalopathy with spheroids (HDLS) and analyze the genotype-phenotype correlation. METHODS: The proband was evaluated physically and radiologically to ascertain the HDLS phenotype. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples from family members. The coding region of the CSF1R gene was amplified with PCR and subjected to direct DNA sequencing. RESULTS: There were 9 affected members (5 alive) in this five-generation family (1 member had died during the follow-up). A missense mutation c.2563C>A (p.P855T) of the CSF1R gene has been identified in the proband. The same mutation was identified in 3 affected and 1 unaffected members of the family. CONCLUSION: The family was consistent with autosomal dominant inheritance. CSF1R gene mutation is also a disease-causing mutation in Chinese patients.

Biomimetic hepatic lobules from three-dimensional imprinted cell sheets.

Liver-tissue engineering has proven valuable in treating liver diseases, but the construction of liver tissues with high fidelity remains challenging. Here, we present a novel three-dimensional (3D)-imprinted cell-sheet strategy for the synchronous construction of biomimetic hepatic microtissues with high accuracy in terms of cell type, density, and distribution. To achieve this, the specific composition of hepatic cells in a normal human liver was determined using a spatial proteogenomics dataset. The data and biomimetic hepatic micro-tissues with hexagonal hollow cross-sections indicate that cell information was successfully generated using a homemade 3D-imprinted device for layer-by-layer imprinting and assembling the hepatic cell sheets. By infiltrating vascular endothelial cells into the hollow section of the assembly, biomimetic hepatic microtissues with vascularized channels for nutrient diffusion and drug perfusion can be obtained. We demonstrate that the resultant vascularized biomimetic hepatic micro-tissues can not only be integrated into a microfluidic drug-screening liver-on-a-chip but also assembled into an enlarged physiological structure to promote liver regeneration. We believe that our 3D-imprinted cell sheets strategy will open new avenues for biomimetic microtissue construction.

Engineering Heterogeneous Tumor Models for Biomedical Applications.

Tumor tissue engineering holds great promise for replicating the physiological and behavioral characteristics of tumors in vitro. Advances in this field have led to new opportunities for studying the tumor microenvironment and exploring potential anti-cancer therapeutics. However, the main obstacle to the widespread adoption of tumor models is the poor understanding and insufficient reconstruction of tumor heterogeneity. In this review, the current progress of engineering heterogeneous tumor models is discussed. First, the major components of tumor heterogeneity are summarized, which encompasses various signaling pathways, cell proliferations, and spatial configurations. Then, contemporary approaches are elucidated in tumor engineering that are guided by fundamental principles of tumor biology, and the potential of a bottom-up approach in tumor engineering is highlighted. Additionally, the characterization approaches and biomedical applications of tumor models are discussed, emphasizing the significant role of engineered tumor models in scientific research and clinical trials. Lastly, the challenges of heterogeneous tumor models in promoting oncology research and tumor therapy are described and key directions for future research are provided.

Biomimetic Liver Lobules from Multi-Compartmental Microfluidics.

Engineered liver lobule is highly practical in hepatic disease treatment, while constructing a 3D biomimetic lobule with a heterogeneous architecture on a large scale is challenging. Here, inspired by the natural architectural construction of hepatic lobules, biomimetic hepatic lobules are proposed with coaxially through-pores for nutrient exchange via microfluidic technology. This multi-channel microfluidic chip is made by parallelly installing capillaries. Sodium alginate (Alg) is pumped through its central channel, while Ca2+-loaded gelatin methacrylate (GelMA) solutions encapsulating hepatocytes, mesenchymal stem cells, and endothelia cells are pumped through surrounding channels, respectively. The rapid gelation of Alg and Ca2+ brings about an in situ formation of Alg fiber, with heterogeneous multi-cell-laden GelMA microcarriers forming around it. The peeled-off microcarriers each featured with a coaxially through pore, simulating the cord-like structure of hepatic lobule and facilitating nutrients exchange. Meanwhile, the spatially anisotropic arrangement of cells highly simulates the hepatic architecture. It is demonstrated that by transplanting these biomimetic microparticles into liver in situ, the failed liver in rat shows increased regeneration and decreased necrosis. These results indicated that the microfluidic multi-compartmental microcarriers provide a new strategy to engineer 3D artificial livers for clinical translation.

Viral Mimicking Polyplexes as Hierarchical Unpacking Vectors for Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment.

Nano-delivery systems hold great promise for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Current research efforts are primarily focused on enhancing their targeting capabilities and efficacy. Here, this study proposes a novel viral-mimicking ternary polyplexes system for the controlled delivery of the anti-inflammatory drug Cyclosporin A (CsA) to effectively treat RA. The ternary polyplexes consist of a nanogel core loaded with CsA and a hyaluronic acid shell, which facilitates CD44-mediated targeting. By mimicking the Trojan Horse strategy employed by viruses, these polyplexes undergo a stepwise process of deshielding and disintegration within the inflamed joints. This process leads to the release of CsA within the cells and the scavenging of pathogenic factors. This study demonstrates that these viral-mimicking ternary polyplexes exhibit rapid targeting, high accumulation, and prolonged persistence in the joints of RA mice. As a result, they effectively reduce inflammation and alleviate symptoms. These results highlight the potential of viral-mimicking ternary polyplexes as a promising therapeutic approach for the targeted and programmed delivery of drugs to treat not only RA but also other autoimmune diseases.

Influence of TMX2-CTNND1 polymorphism on cortical thickness in schizophrenia patients and unaffected siblings: an exploratory study based on target region sequencing.

OBJECTIVE: The advancement of neuroimaging and genetic research has revealed the presence of morphological abnormalities and numerous risk genes, along with their associations. We aimed to estimate magnetic resonance imaging-derived cortical thickness across multiple brain regions. METHODS: The cortical thickness of 129 schizophrenia patients, 42 of their unaffected siblings, and 112 healthy controls was measured and the candidate genes were sequenced. Comparisons were made of cortical thickness (including 68 regions of the Desikan-Killiany Atlas) and genetic variants (in 108 risk genes for schizophrenia) among the three groups, and correlation analyses were performed regarding cortical thickness, clinical symptoms, cognitive tests (such as the N-back task and the logical memory test), and genetic variants. RESULTS: Schizophrenia patients had significantly thinner bilateral frontal, temporal, and parietal gyri than healthy controls and unaffected siblings. Association analyses in target genes showed that four single nucleotide variants (SNVs) were significantly associated with schizophrenia, including thioredoxin-related transmembrane protein 2-catenin, cadherin-associated protein, delta 1 (SNV20673) (positive false discovery rate [PFDR] = 0.008) and centromere protein M (rs35542507, rs41277477, rs73165153) (PFDR = 0.030). Additionally, cortical thickness in the right pars triangularis was lower in carriers of the SNV20673 variant than in non-carriers (PFDR = 0.048). Finally, a positive correlation was found between right pars triangularis cortical thickness and logical memory in schizophrenia patients (r = 0.199, p = 0.032). CONCLUSIONS: This study identified regional morphological abnormalities in schizophrenia, including the right homologue of Broca's area, which was associated with a risk variant that affected delta-1 catenin and logical memory. These findings suggest a potential association between candidate gene loci, cortical thickness, and schizophrenia.

The 3-year follow-up of a fully biodegradable implantable device closure for perimembranous ventricular septal defects in children using echocardiography.

Objects: The aim of this study was to investigate the morphologic changes of a novel fully biodegradable implantable device after closing a perimembranous ventricular septal defect (Pm-VSD) and to evaluate the effect of the occluder on the myocardial function in patients during a 3-year follow-up period. Methods: One-year, 2-year, and 3-year follow-ups were carried out after implantation with a total of 30 Pm-VSD patients who had successful closure by the fully biodegradable occluder. In total, 30 healthy children were enrolled as controls. At discharge and at every follow-up visit, the lengths of the left and right discs of the novel device were measured in the apical three- and four-chamber as well as short-axis views. At the end of the follow-up, using three-dimensional speckle-tracking conditions, the values of myocardial deformation, including global longitudinal strain, global circumferential strain, and global area strain, were acquired. Results: The fully bioabsorbable double-disc occluder gradually decreased over time and was eventually invisible under echocardiographic scanning during the follow-up (p < 0.05). At the end of the third year, there were no significant differences in the myocardial deformation parameters between the cases implanted with the novel devices and the controls; no significant differences were found between the basal segments of the ventricle septa and that of the left ventricle (LV) free wall among the patients who completed the Pm-VSD closure using the fully biodegradable occluder (p > 0.05). Conclusion: The novel fully biodegradable occluder is a safe, effective, and perfect alternative for the treatment of VSD. Echocardiography plays a crucial role in the follow-up of this new type of occluder implantation.

Microfluidic Encapsulation of Exosomes Derived from Lipopolysaccharide-Treated Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Hyaluronic Acid Methacryloyl to Restore Ovarian Function in Mice.

Premature ovarian failure (POF) features an upward incidence nowadays, and the human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs)-derived exosomes (MSC-Exos) have shown applied values in the recovery of ovarian function. Here, a novel exosome-encapsulated microcarrier prepared by microfluidic technology for ovarian repair after chemotherapy damage is presented. The exosomes derived from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-preconditioned hUC-MSCs are encapsulated with hyaluronic acid methacryloyl (HAMA) via microfluidic electrospray, which is named HAMA/MSC-Exos. Attributing to the biocompatibility and semipermeable property of HAMA, the encapsulated exosomes show great viability and controllable release behavior from HAMA. It is demonstrated that in situ transplantation of HAMA/MSC-Exos can rescue ovarian functions of cyclophosphamide-induced ovarian failure in mice by increasing ovarian volume, improving the number of antral follicles and restoring fertility. It is believed that the transplantation of HAMA/MSC-Exos will provide a new concept for the treatment of POF in clinical practice.

The neural compensation phenomenon in schizophrenia with mild attention deficits during working memory task.

BACKGROUND: Working memory (WM) and attention are essential cognitive processes, and their interplay is critical for efficient information processing. Schizophrenia often exhibits deficits in both WM and attention, contributing to function impairments. This study aims to investigate the neural mechanisms underlying the relationship between WM impairments and attention deficits in schizophrenia. METHODS: We assessed the functional-MRI scans of the 184 schizophrenias with different attention deficits (mild=133; severe=51) and 146 controls during an N-back WM task. We explored their whole-brain functional connectome profile by adopting the voxel-wise degree centrality (DC). Linear analysis was conducted to explore the associations among attention deficit severity, altered DC, and WM performance in patients. RESULTS: We observed that all patients showed decreased DC in the pre-supplementary area (pre-SMA), and posterior cerebellum compared to the controls, and schizophrenia patients with mild attention deficits showed decreased DC in the supramarginal gyrus, insula, and precuneus compared with the other 2 groups. DC values of the detected brain regions displayed U-shaped or inverted U-shaped curves, rather than a linear pattern, in response to increasing attention deficits. The linear analysis indicated that altered DC of the pre-SMA can modulate the relationship between attention deficits and WM performance. CONCLUSION: The U-shaped or inverted U-shaped pattern in response to increasing attention deficits may reflect a compensation mechanism in schizophrenia with mild attention deficits. This notion is also supported by the linear analysis that schizophrenia patients with mild attention deficits can improve their WM performance by increasing the DC value of the pre-SMA.