Arabidopsis Argonaute10 specifically sequesters miR166/165 to regulate shoot apical meristem development.

The shoot apical meristem (SAM) comprises a group of undifferentiated cells that divide to maintain the plant meristem and also give rise to all shoot organs. SAM fate is specified by class III HOMEODOMAIN-LEUCINE ZIPPER (HD-ZIP III) transcription factors, which are targets of miR166/165. In Arabidopsis, AGO10 is a critical regulator of SAM maintenance, and here we demonstrate that AGO10 specifically interacts with miR166/165. The association is determined by a distinct structure of the miR166/165 duplex. Deficient loading of miR166 into AGO10 results in a defective SAM. Notably, the miRNA-binding ability of AGO10, but not its catalytic activity, is required for SAM development, and AGO10 has a higher binding affinity for miR166 than does AGO1, a principal contributor to miRNA-mediated silencing. We propose that AGO10 functions as a decoy for miR166/165 to maintain the SAM, preventing their incorporation into AGO1 complexes and the subsequent repression of HD-ZIP III gene expression.

[Screening for Characteristic Genes of Different Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndromes of Psoriasis Vulgaris: A Study Based on Bioinformatics and Machine Learning]. / ç”Ÿç‰©ä¿¡æ¯å­¦å’Œæœºå™¨å­¦ä¹ ç­›é€‰é“¶å±‘ç— ä¸­åŒ»è¯åž‹ç‰¹å¾åŸºå› .

Objective: To screen for the key characteristic genes of the psoriasis vulgaris (PV) patients with different Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) syndromes, including blood-heat syndrome (BHS), blood stasis syndrome (BSS), and blood-dryness syndrome (BDS), through bioinformatics and machine learning and to provide a scientific basis for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of PV of different TCM syndrome types. Methods: The GSE192867 dataset was downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). The limma package was used to screen for the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of PV, BHS, BSS, and BDS in PV patients and healthy populations. In addition, KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genes) pathway enrichment analysis was performed. The DEGs associated with PV, BHS, BSS, and BDS were identified in the screening and were intersected separately to obtain differentially characterized genes. Out of two algorithms, the support vector machine (SVM) and random forest (RF), the one that produced the optimal performance was used to analyze the characteristic genes and the top 5 genes were identified as the key characteristic genes. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves of the key characteristic genes were plotted by using the pROC package, the area under curve (AUC) was calculated, and the diagnostic performance was evaluated, accordingly. Results: The numbers of DEGs associated with PV, BHS, BSS, and BDS were 7699, 7291, 7654, and 6578, respectively. KEGG enrichment analysis was focused on Janus kinase (JAK)/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT), cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), apoptosis, and other pathways. A total of 13 key characteristic genes were identified in the screening by machine learning. Among the 13 key characteristic genes, malectin (MLEC), TUB like protein 3 (TULP3), SET domain containing 9 (SETD9), nuclear envelope integral membrane protein 2 (NEMP2), and BTG anti-proliferation factor 3 (BTG3) were the key characteristic genes of BHS; phosphatase 15 (DUSP15), C1q and tumor necrosis factor related protein 7 (C1QTNF7), solute carrier family 12 member 5 (SLC12A5), tripartite motif containing 63 (TRIM63), and ubiquitin associated protein 1 like (UBAP1L) were the key characteristic genes of BSS; recombinant mouse protein (RRNAD1), GTPase-activating protein ASAP3 Protein (ASAP3), and human myomesin 2 (MYOM2) were the key characteristic genes of BDS. Moreover, all of them showed high diagnostic efficacy. Conclusion: There are significant differences in the characteristic genes of different PV syndromes and they may be potential biomarkers for diagnosing TCM syndromes of PV.

[Meta-analysis of case-control studies on obesity risk factors in children aged 3-6 years in China].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the risk factors of obesity in children aged 3-6 years in China. METHODS: Using search terms, preschooler, obesity, risk factors/influence factors, case-control studies, and language limited to Chinese and English, search databases(CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, CBM, PubMed, Web of science, Embase, The Cochrane library). To collect domestic and foreign literature on the case-control study design of obesity risk factors in preschool children in China published from January 1, 2000 to June 30, 2021. Stata 14.0 software was used for Meta-analysis of the included literature, and publication bias test and sensitivity analysis were performed. RESULTS: A total of 11 770 people were included in 12 papers, including 4092 in the case group and 7678 in the control group. Meta analysis shows: birth weight ≥4000 g OR=2.176, 95% CI 1.507-3.143; strong appetite OR=3.860, 95%CI 2.991-4.980; fast eating OR=2.836, 95%CI 2.552-3.152; mother overweight and obesity OR=1.903, 95%CI 1.213-2.986; mother's low level of education OR=1.744, 95%CI 1.100-2.766; Physical inactivity OR=1.488, 95%CI 1.267-1.748. CONCLUSION: Birth weight ≥ 4000 g, fast eating speed, strong appetite, mother overweight and obesity, mother's low level of education, and physical inactivity are risk factors for obesity in children aged 3-6 years.

Catalytic Asymmetric Addition of Diorganozinc Reagents to Pyrazole-4,5-Diones and Indoline-2,3-Diones.

The catalytic enantioselective diorganozinc additions to cyclic diketones including pyrazolin-4,5-diones and isatins have been developed. In the presence of morpholine-containing chiral amino alcohol ligand, the corresponding chiral cyclic tertiary alcohols were produced in good to excellent yields (up to 97 %) and enantioselectivities (up to 95 % ee). The notable feature of this protocol includes its mild reaction conditions, Lewis acid additives free and broad functional group tolerance.

Ultrasound lymphatic imaging for the diagnosis of metastatic central lymph nodes in papillary thyroid cancer.

OBJECTIVES: Up to 40% of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) patients have lymph node metastasis, a condition that implies persistent, recurrent, or progressive disease. However, the American Joint Committee on Cancer Manual states that there is no reliable examination for adequate lymph node staging. Therefore, our aim is to develop a lymphatic imaging technique using ultrasonography to address this challenge. METHODS: We consecutively enrolled PTC patients who underwent ultrasound (US) lymphatic imaging via the peritumoral injection of contrast media. Identification of the sentinel lymph nodes and the targeted sentinel lymph nodes was separately based on the lymphatic drainage pathway and the enhancement patterns. Every identified targeted node was assigned a score, according to the features on conventional US and enhancement patterns, and was referred for ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration. Cytological and histopathologic results represented the statuses of the targeted lymph nodes and overall central lymph nodes, respectively, which were applied to evaluate the diagnostic performance of US lymphatic imaging. RESULTS: In total, 100 PTC patients were included. On the basis of the cytological results, the sensitivity (97.1%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 84.7-99.9%) of detecting positive targeted nodes by US lymphatic imaging significantly increased by 45.5% at a threshold of 4 or higher (p = 0.0001), without loss of specificity (p = 1.0000). The surgical results showed that the metastatic degree was positively correlated with an increase in the score (τ: 0.671, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Ultrasound lymphatic imaging has a high diagnostic performance, and its corresponding scoring system facilitates grading of the nodal burden in the central compartment. KEY POINTS: • Ultrasound neck lymphatic imaging is an effective contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) technique (applied after the peritumoral injection of contrast media) for identifying sentinel lymph nodes in the central compartment by tracing the imaged afferent lymphatic vessel. • Lack of enhancement or perfusion defects is the typical enhancement pattern for recognizing the involved central lymph nodes. • Ultrasound lymphatic imaging for identification of positive central lymph nodes before surgery may effectively avoid complications associated with the surgical sentinel node procedure.

Inhibition of sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) receptor 1/2/3 ameliorates biological dysfunction in rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast-like synoviocyte MH7A cells through Gαi/Gαs rebalancing.

Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) exerts its various physiological and pathological effects by interacting with G protein-coupled receptors. In addition, S1P can induce biological dysfunction in fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs) in the development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, the mechanism underlying this S1P-induced dysfunction remains unclear. An imbalance between Gαi and Gαs can affect the level of cAMP, an important regulator of numerous cell functions. Therefore, we studied the effects of S1P receptor (S1PR) 1-, 2-, and 3-associated Gαi/Gαs imbalance on the biological function of rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast-like synoviocyte (MH7A cells). The results showed that blocking S1PR1/3 and Gαi, and activating Gαs, inhibited the proliferation, migration, invasion, and proinflammatory cytokine release of MH7A cells in a S1P-induced inflammation model, whereas suppressing S1PR2 only affected the invasion and the release of proinflammatory cytokines of these cells. Analysis of the expression of S1PR1/2/3 and Gαi/Gαs further showed that S1PR1/2/3 could regulate the Gαi/Gαs balance. Furthermore, our data suggested that the level of cAMP was also affected. Combined, our results showed that impaired S1PR1/2/3 signalling can affect MH7A cells biological function via Gαi/Gαs-cAMP signalling, which can provide a new idea for the treatment of RA.

Geniposide downregulates the VEGF/SphK1/S1P pathway and alleviates angiogenesis in rheumatoid arthritis in vivo and in vitro.

The VEGF/SphK1/S1P pathway is closely related to angiogenesis in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but the precise underlying mechanisms are unclear at present. Here, we explored the involvement of the VEGF/SphK1/S1P cascade in RA models and determined the effects of GE intervention. Our results showed abnormal expression of proteins related to this pathway in RA synovial tissue. Treatment with GE effectively regulated the signal axis, inhibited angiogenesis, and alleviated RA symptoms. In vitro, TNF-ɑ enhanced the VEGF/SphK1/S1P pathway in a co-culture model of fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) and vascular endothelial cells (VEC). GE induced downregulation of VEGF in FLS, restored the dynamic balance of pro-/antiangiogenic factors, and suppressed SphK1/S1P signaling in VEC, resulting in lower proliferation activity, migration ability, tube formation ability, and S1P secretion ability of VEC cells. Additionally, SphK1-specific small interfering RNA (siRNA) blocked the VEGF/SphK1/S1P cascade, which can effectively alleviate the stimulatory effect of FLS on VEC and further enhanced the therapeutic effect of GE. Taken together, our results demonstrate that GE suppresses the VEGF/SphK1/S1P pathway and alleviates the stimulation of VEC by FLS, thereby preventing angiogenesis and promoting therapeutic effects against RA.

Metabolic Interaction between Ammonia and Baicalein.

Ammonia is treated as a primary waste product of cellular metabolism in vivo and can contribute to the alteration of neurotransmission, oxidative stress, and cerebral edema and astrocyte swelling when its concentration in the brain is high. The objective of this study was to determine whether bioactive polyphenol baicalein had the capacity to trap ammonia in vitro and in vivo. Under in vitro conditions, baicalein rapidly reacted with ammonia to generate two monoaminated products and one diaminated product under different reaction times. These three major aminated products were purified from the reaction mixture, and their structures were characterized as 5-NH2-baicalein, 6-NH2-baicalein, and 5,6-di-NH2-baicalein based on the analysis of their HR-MS and 1D- and 2D-NMR data. In mice, both 5-NH2-baicalein and 6-NH2-baicalein were detected in 24 h fecal and urine samples collected from mice treated with baicalein (200 mg/kg) through oral gavage, and 6-NH2-baicalein was also detected in mouse plasma and brain samples collected at 0.5 h after baicalein treatment. Significant amounts of 6-NH2-baicalein were detected in all mouse samples including feces, urine, plasma, and brain. The levels of 6-NH2-baicalein in feces and urine were significantly higher than those of 5-NH2-baicalein. Furthermore, the average level of 6-NH2-baicalein was very close to that of baicalein (3.62 vs 3.77 ng/g) in mouse brain, suggesting it is possible that baicalein has the capacity to be absorbed rapidly into the circulation system and then cross the blood-brain barrier into the brain to detoxify ammonia in the blood and brain. In conclusion, this study confirmed that baicalein, a flavonoid with a vic-trihydroxyl structure on the A-ring, has the potential to detoxify ammonia and treat ammonia-associated chronic diseases.

The Effects of Dexmedetomidine in a Rat Model of Sepsis-Induced Lung Injury are Mediated Through the Adenosine Monophosphate-Activated Protein Kinase (AMPK)/Silent Information Regulator 1 (SIRT1) Pathway.

BACKGROUND This study aimed to investigate the effects of dexmedetomidine in a rat model of sepsis-induced lung injury and the role of the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) gene and silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1) gene signaling pathway. MATERIAL AND METHODS Sixty 28-week-old healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups, the sham group, the model group, and the dexmedetomidine-treated group. The rat model of sepsis-induced lung injury was developed by surgical cecal ligation and puncture. Lung tissues examined histologically in the three study groups. Cell apoptosis was measured using the TUNEL assay, and the expression of inflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), and IL-10 were measured in rat lung tissue by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Apoptosis-associated proteins and AMPK/SIRT1 pathway-associated protein expression levels were detected using Western blot. RESULTS Dexmedetomidine significantly increased the survival rate and reduced the body temperature of rats in the model group with sepsis-induced lung injury, reduced lung injury, significantly reduced apoptosis in lung tissues, and reduced the expression levels of TNF-alpha, and IL-1ß, and increased the levels of IL-10. Dexmedetomidine significantly reduced the expression of caspase-3 in the rat lung tissue (P<0.01), and significantly increased the expression of Bcl-2/Bax and the phosphorylation levels of AMPK, SIRT1, nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB), and forkhead box class O 3a (FOXO3a). CONCLUSIONS In a rat model of sepsis-induced lung injury, dexmedetomidine reduced lung damage by activating the AMPK/SIRT1 signaling pathway and reduced the expression of inflammatory cytokines and cell apoptosis.

Synchronous Sampling-Based Direct Current Estimation Method for Self-Sensing Active Magnetic Bearings.

Active magnetic bearings (AMBs) commonly use pulse-width modulation to reduce analogous hardware and manufacturing costs, but they experience sensing process, sensing accuracy and stability problems. To address these issues, a synchronous sampling-based direct current estimation (SS-DCE) method is proposed herein with a bistate switching power amplifier. First-considering the reluctance evolution mechanism of AMBs-a coupling relation mathematical model between rotor displacement and voltage/current is presented to acquire the rotor position from the working coil current alone. Then-assuming that the switching current was an approximately triangular signal-a DCE for the rotor position was established based on the estimation inductance of the charging/discharging phase. Finally-to decrease the phase shift caused by the self-sensing filters and position estimation algorithms-the SS-DCE method was introduced to conduct precise position detection for rotors with high velocities. The simulation and experimental results indicated that the proposed method could improve the sensing accuracy and stability. Compared to other AMB position estimation methods, the simple linearity of the SS-DCE method was greatly improved and could be controlled below 4%. Evaluation using frequency response analysis showed that the SS-DCE method had excellent dynamic accuracy and could perform at a higher phase margin, especially for the uprising/landing transient state. Moreover, there was a phase margin of 158° at the natural frequency of 19.26 HZ, and the peak sensitivity in the 50-250 µm range reached 10.7 dB.

Selection of aptamers against pathogenic bacteria and their diagnostics application.

Aptamers are short nucleotide sequences which can specifically bind to a variety of targets with high affinity. They are identified and selected via systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX). Compared to antibodies, aptamers offer several advantages including easy labeling, high stability and lower cost. Those advantages make it possible to be a potential for use as a recognition probe to replace antibody in the diagnostic field. This article is intended to provide a comprehensive review, which is focused on systemizing recent advancements concerning SELEX procedures, with special emphasis on the key steps in SELEX procedures. The principles of various aptamer-based detections of pathogenic bacteria and their application are discussed in detail, including colorimetric detection, fluorescence detection, electrochemical detection, lateral flow strip test, mass sensitive detection and PCR-based aptasensor. By discussing recent research and future trends based on many excellent publications and reviews, we attempt to give the readers a comprehensive view in the field of aptamer selection against pathogenic bacteria and their diagnostics application. Authors hope that this review will promote lively and valuable discussions in order to generate new ideas and approaches towards the development of aptamer-based methods for application in pathogenic bacteria diagnosis.

An aptamer-based PCR method coupled with magnetic immunoseparation for sensitive detection of Salmonella Typhimurium in ground turkey.

Aptamers are single-stranded oligonucleotide ligands that can bind to targets with high affinity and specificity. They have been widely studied in the field of diagnostics as alternatives to antibodies due to their favorable features such as easy labeling, temperature tolerance, lower cost and recognition of a wide variety of targets. In this study, an aptamer-based PCR method coupled with magnetic immunoseparation was developed to detect S. Typhimurium from ground turkey. Firstly, biotinylated polyclonal anti-S. Typhimurium antibody was immobilized on streptavidin-coated magnetic nanobeads to capture S. Typhimurium. Secondly, the aptamers were added and bound to the surface of S. Typhimurium after blocking the magnetic nanobeads with short ssDNA. Finally, the aptamers were released by heating and amplified by PCR. After optimization, this assay was able to detect 102 CFU/mL of S. Typhimurium in pure culture, and 103 CFU/mL of S. Typhimurium in ground turkey. This study demonstrated the feasibility and application of an aptamer-based PCR method coupled with magnetic immunoseparation for sensitive detection of S. Typhimurium in ground turkey.

Three-dimensional printed magnetophoretic system for the continuous flow separation of avian influenza H5N1 viruses.

As a result of the low concentration of avian influenza viruses in samples for routine screening, the separation and concentration of these viruses are vital for their sensitive detection. We present a novel three-dimensional printed magnetophoretic system for the continuous flow separation of the viruses using aptamer-modified magnetic nanoparticles, a magnetophoretic chip, a magnetic field, and a fluidic controller. The magnetic field was designed based on finite element magnetic simulation and developed using neodymium magnets with a maximum intensity of 0.65 T and a gradient of 32 T/m for dragging the nanoparticle-virus complexes. The magnetophoretic chip was designed by SOLIDWORKS and fabricated by a three-dimensional printer with a magnetophoretic channel for the continuous flow separation of the viruses using phosphate-buffered saline as carrier flow. The fluidic controller was developed using a microcontroller and peristaltic pumps to inject the carrier flow and the viruses. The trajectory of the virus-nanoparticle complexes was simulated using COMSOL for optimization of the carrier flow and the magnetic field, respectively. The results showed that the H5N1 viruses could be captured, separated, and concentrated using the proposed magnetophoretic system with the separation efficiency up to 88% in a continuous flow separation time of 2 min for a sample volume of 200 µL.

A Portable Impedance Immunosensing System for Rapid Detection of Salmonella Typhimurium.

SalmonellaTyphimurium is one of the most dangerous foodborne pathogens and poses a significant threat to human health. The objective of this study was to develop a portable impedance immunosensing system for rapid and sensitive detection of S. Typhimurium in poultry. The developed portable impedance immunosensing system consisted of a gold interdigitated array microelectrode (IDAM), a signal acquisitive interface and a laptop computer with LabVIEW software. The IDAM was first functionalized with 16-Mercaptohexadecanoic acid, and streptavidin was immobilized onto the electrode surface through covalent bonding. Then, biotin-labelled S. Typhimurium-antibody was immobilized onto the IDAM surface. Samples were dropped on the surface of the IDAM and the S. Typhimurium cells in the samples were captured by the antibody on the IDAM. This resulted in impedance changes that were measured and displayed with the LabVIEW software. An equivalent circuit of the immunosensor demonstrated that the largest change in impedance was due to the electron-transfer resistance. The equivalent circuit showed an increase of 35% for the electron-transfer resistance value compared to the negative control. The calibration result indicated that the portable impedance immunosensing system could be used to measure the standard impedance elements, and it had a maximum error of measurement of approximately 13%. For pure culture detection, the system had a linear relationship between the impedance change and the logarithmic value of S. Typhimurium cells ranging from 76 to 7.6 × 106 CFU (colony-forming unit) (50 µL)-1. The immunosensor also had a correlation coefficient of 0.98, and a high specificity for detection of S. Typhimurium cells with a limit of detection (LOD) of 10² CFU (50 µL)-1. The detection time from the moment a sample was introduced to the display of the results was 1 h. To conclude, the portable impedance immunosensing system for detection of S. Typhimurium achieved an LOD that is comparable with commercial electrochemical impedance instruments. The developed impedance immunosensor has advantages in portability, low cost, rapid detection and label-free features showing a great potential for in-field detection of foodborne pathogens.

An electrochemical biosensor for rapid detection of E. coli O157:H7 with highly efficient bi-functional glucose oxidase-polydopamine nanocomposites and Prussian blue modified screen-printed interdigitated electrodes.

The presence of pathogenic bacteria in foods has always been a great threat to the wellbeing of people and the revenue of food manufacturers. Therefore, the demand for advanced detection methods that can sensitively and rapidly detect these pathogens has been of great importance. This study reports an electrochemical biosensor for rapid detection of E. coli O157:H7 with the integration of bifunctional glucose oxidase (GOx)-polydopamine (PDA) based polymeric nanocomposites (PMNCs) and Prussian blue (PB) modified screen-printed interdigitated microelectrodes (SP-IDMEs). The core-shell magnetic beads (MBs)-GOx@PDA PMNCs were first synthesized by the self-polymerization of dopamine (DA). Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were dispersed on the surface of PMNCs through biochemical synthesis to achieve further highly efficient adsorption of antibodies (ABs) and GOx. The final product ABs/GOxext/AuNPs/MBs-GOx@PDA PMNCs served as the carrier to separate target bacteria from food matrices as well as the amplifier for electrochemical measurement. The unbound PMNCs were separated by a filtration step and transferred into glucose solution to allow the enzymatic reaction to occur. The change of the current response was measured with an electrochemical detector using PB-modified SP-IDMEs. The constructed biosensor has been proven to be able to detect E. coli O157:H7 with the detection limit of 10(2) cfu ml(-1). The bifunctional PMNCs contain a high load of enzyme and can optimally utilize the binding sites on bacterial cells, which efficiently amplify the signals for measurement. The biosensor in this study exhibited good specificity, reproducibility, and stability and is expected to have a great impact on applications in the detection of foodborne pathogens.

A colorimetric detection of acrylamide in potato chips based on nucleophile-initiated thiol-ene Michael addition.

Acrylamide (AA), a neurotoxin and a potential carcinogen, has been found in various thermally processed foods such as potato chips, biscuits, and coffee. Simple, cost-effective, and sensitive methods for the rapid detection of AA are needed to ensure food safety. Herein, a novel colorimetric method was proposed for the visual detection of AA based on a nucleophile-initiated thiol-ene Michael addition reaction. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were aggregated by glutathione (GSH) because of a ligand-replacement, accompanied by a color change from red to purple. In the presence of AA, after the thiol-ene Michael addition reaction between GSH and AA with the catalysis of a nucleophile, the sulfhydryl group of GSH was consumed by AA, which hindered the subsequent ligand-replacement and the aggregation of AuNPs. Therefore, the concentration of AA could be determined by the visible color change caused by dispersion/aggregation of AuNPs. This new method showed high sensitivity with a linear range from 0.1 µmol L(-1) to 80 µmol L(-1) and a detection limit of 28.6 nmol L(-1), and especially revealed better selectivity than the fluorescence sensing method reported previously. Moreover, this new method was used to detect AA in potato chips with a satisfactory result in comparison with the standard methods based on chromatography, which indicated that the colorimetric method can be expanded for the rapid detection of AA in thermally processed foods.

An Impedance Aptasensor with Microfluidic Chips for Specific Detection of H5N1 Avian Influenza Virus.

In this research a DNA aptamer, which was selected through SELEX (systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment) to be specific against the H5N1 subtype of the avian influenza virus (AIV), was used as an alternative reagent to monoclonal antibodies in an impedance biosensor utilizing a microfluidics flow cell and an interdigitated microelectrode for the specific detection of H5N1 AIV. The gold surface of the interdigitated microelectrode embedded in a microfluidics flow cell was modified using streptavidin. The biotinylated aptamer against H5N1 was then immobilized on the electrode surface using biotin-streptavidin binding. The target virus was captured on the microelectrode surface, causing an increase in impedance magnitude. The aptasensor had a detection time of 30 min with a detection limit of 0.0128 hemagglutinin units (HAU). Scanning electron microscopy confirmed the binding of the target virus onto the electrode surface. The DNA aptamer was specific to H5N1 and had no cross-reaction to other subtypes of AIV (e.g., H1N1, H2N2, H7N2). The newly developed aptasensor offers a portable, rapid, low-cost alternative to current methods with the same sensitivity and specificity.

Exploiting enzyme catalysis in ultra-low ion strength media for impedance biosensing of avian influenza virus using a bare interdigitated electrode.

Enzyme catalysis is broadly used in various fields but generally applied in media with high ion strength. Here, we propose the exploitation of enzymatic catalysis in ultra-low ion strength media to induce ion strength increase for developing a novel impedance biosensing method. Avian influenza virus H5N1, a serious worldwide threat to poultry and human health, was adopted as the analyte. Magnetic beads were modified with H5N1-specific aptamer to capture the H5N1 virus. This was followed by binding concanavalin A (ConA), glucose oxidase (GOx), and Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) to create bionanocomposites through a ConA-glycan interaction. The yielded sandwich complex was transferred to a glucose solution to trigger an enzymatic reaction to produce gluconic acid, which ionized to increase the ion strength of the solution, thus decreasing the impedance on a screen-printed interdigitated array electrode. This method took advantages of the high efficiency of enzymatic catalysis and the high susceptibility of electrochemical impedance on the ion strength and endowed the biosensor with high sensitivity and a detection limit of 8 × 10(-4) HAU in 200 µL sample, which was magnitudes lower than that of some analogues based on biosensing methods. Furthermore, the proposed method required only a bare electrode for measurements of ion strength change and had negligible change on the surficial properties of the electrode, though some modification of magnetic beads/Au nanoparticles and the construction of a sandwich complex were still needed. This helped to avoid the drawbacks of commonly used electrode immobilization methods. The merit for this method makes it highly useful and promising for applications. The proposed method may create new possibilities in the broad and well-developed enzymatic catalysis fields and find applications in developing sensitive, rapid, low-cost, and easy-to-operate biosensing and biocatalysis devices.

Therapeutic effect of electroacupuncture, massage, and blocking therapy on external humeral epicondylitis.

OBJECTIVE: To compare two therapeutic methods: electroacupuncture + massage + blocking therapy, and blocking therapy alone in the treatment of external humeral epicondylitis. METHODS: Eighty-six patients were randomized into two groups with 43 in each. The treatment group received electroacupuncture + massage + blocking therapy, while the control group received blocking therapy only. A course of electroacupuncture treatment included therapy once a day for 10 days. There were 10 treatments in a massage course and massage was given once a day, with a 1-week interval given before the next course. A course of blocking treatment included therapy once a week, for two total treatments, and generally no more than three times. The therapeutic effects were evaluated with the visual analog scale (VAS), grip strength index (GSI) score, and Mayo elbow performance score (MEPS) before treatment and at 0, 6, 12, and 24 months after treatment to observe the total effective rate. RESULTS: In the treatment and control groups before treatment and at 0, 6, 12, and 24 months after treatment, the VAS scores were: 6.5 +/- 1.9 and 6.4 +/- 1.6; 4.6 +/- 1.3 and 4.6 +/- 1.7; 4.8 +/- 1.3 and 4.8 +/- 1.2; 4.6 +/- 1.2 and 6.6 +/- 1.6; and 6.5 +/- 1.6 and 6.5 +/- 1.3, respectively. The GSI scores were 63 +/- 8 and 63 +/- 8; 84 +/- 6 and 82 +/- 7; 82 +/- 7 and 82 +/- 6; 84 +/- 6 and 62 +/- 8; and 64 +/- 6 and 64 +/- 7, respectively. The MEPS of both groups were 65 +/- 7 and 66 +/- 8; 85 +/- 6 and 84 +/- 7; 84 +/- 5 and 84 +/- 7; 80 +/- 7 and 66 +/- 6; and 65 +/- 6 and 65 +/-7, respectively. The total effective rates of the treatment and control groups at 0, 6, 12, and 24 months after treatment were 87.5% and 85.0%; 85.0% and 82.5%; 80.0% and 12.5%; and 2.5% and 5.0%, respectively. Compared with the treatment group, the control group had greater joint function, better therapeutic effect, and lower pain intensity (P<0.01), indicating a high recurrence rate in the 12th month after treatment. There were no differences in VAS, GSI, or MEPS at 0, 6, and 24 months after treatment (P> 0.05) between the two groups. CONCLUSION: We found that both methods were effective for external humeral epicondylitis. After 6 months of treatment, the effects were good in both groups. However, in the 12th month, the control group had a relatively severe relapse. After 24 months, both groups relapsed. The effect of electroacupuncture, massage, and blocking therapy used in combination lasted longer, delaying the recurrence of the disease.

Smartphone app-based interventions on physical activity behaviors and psychological correlates in healthy young adults: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: The issue of low physical activity (PA) levels among the youth is a longstanding concern. Smartphone applications offer a promising avenue for delivering interventions that are both accessible and engaging. Up to now, there appears to be a gap in the literature, with no systematic reviews assessing the efficacy of smartphone apps in encouraging increased physical activity among healthy young adults. OBJECTIVE: To synthesize the effects of a smartphone app-based intervention on PA and PA-related psychological correlates in healthy young adults (18-35 years old). METHODS: A search was conducted on eighteen databases: PubMed, Medline, Web of Science, SPORTDiscus, Scopus, Academic Search Premier, Communication and Mass Media Complete, Article First, Biomed Central, BioOne, EBSCOHost, JSTOR, ProQuest, SAGE Reference Online, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, Taylor&Francis, and Wiley Online. The search covered the period up until December 2023. This research included all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that evaluated the effectiveness of smartphone app-based interventions on PA and PA related psychological outcomes in healthy young adults. The overall impact was determined by vote counting based on the direction of effect and aggregating p values. The quality of the evidence was evaluated using an 8-item scale. This study has been registered in the PROSPERO database with the identification number CRD42023390033. RESULTS: A total of 8403 articles were retrieved, and based on the predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, seven articles were selected for inclusion. Among these articles, four high-quality RCTs were identified, and the results of vote counting and combining p values methods suggested that smartphone-based app interventions did not demonstrate significant effectiveness in improving PA and PA-related psychological outcomes. However, some improvements were observed. The analysis results, which were categorized into fitness apps and health apps based on the characteristics of the interventions, also failed to demonstrate significant intervention effects. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that, currently, there are no significant effects of smartphone app interventions on improving PA and PA-related psychological outcomes in healthy young adults aged 18-35 years. It is important to note that these findings should be interpreted with caution due to the limited number of included studies. Future research should focus on employing high-quality study designs to determine the true effects of interventions and analyze various smartphone app interventions. These analyses should encompass different app characteristics (e.g., fitness app and health app), various combinations (e.g., fitness app alone and fitness app in combination with other interventions), diverse intervention goals (e.g., PA and PA along with other outcomes), and multiple intervention characteristics (e.g., frequency and duration).