A trawl collected dataset of Johnius (Actinopterygii, Sciaenidae) species in central-western Taiwanese waters.

Background: Sciaenidae is one of the most important coastal fisheries in Taiwan, both in production and economic value. It is also significant as the main targetted diet of Chinese white dolphins, Sousachinensis, especially for the genus Johnius, such as J.taiwanensis, J.belangerii and J.distinctus, which is primarily found in central-western Taiwan coastal waters. Despite an abundance of Johnius species occurrences reported in the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) and the Taiwan Biodiversity Information Facility (TaiBIF) data portals (Mozambique, Australia, Taiwan, Korea, India, Indonesia, South Africa, Pakistan, Vietnam and China), there are no specific datasets that properly document the regional distribution of this genus, especially in Taiwanese waters. Thus, this paper describes a dataset of genus Johnius occurrences in waters on the central-western coast of Taiwan. The data collection for the present study was conducted from 2009 until 2020 and comprised 62 sampling events and 133 occurrence records. All fish specimens were collected by trawling in Miaoli, Changhwa and Yunlin Counties, Taiwan and brought back to the lab for identification, individual number count and body weight measurement. These processing data have been integrated and established in the Taiwan Fish Database and published in GBIF. This dataset contains six Johnius species and 2,566 specimens, making it comprehensive Johnius fish fauna and spatial distributional data on the coastal habitat in central-western Taiwanese waters. New information: This dataset contains 133 occurrence records of Johnius species (Sciaenidae) with 2,566 specimens, making it the most extensive public dataset of Johnius distribution records in Taiwan. The publication of this dataset through the TaiBIF and GBIF dataset platforms demonstrated that the number of Johnius spatial and temporal records in Taiwan waters is influenced by the topographical structure of the Changyun Rise (CYR) in combination with the cold current of the China Coastal currents and bound with the warm currents of the Kuroshio and the South China Sea on the central-western coast of Taiwan. The data serve as the foundation for understanding the biogeography and Johnius species ecology in Taiwan's coastal waters, which present a 2°C water temperature difference split at the CYR.

Free buccal fat pad graft for the bone defect filling of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaws: A novel surgical approach.

Surgical intervention for medication-related jaw osteonecrosis (MRONJ) is currently the main treatment method, offering a higher healing rate than conservative approaches. However, the management of bony defects after sequestrectomy remains a challenging issue due to poor vascularization from the drug effect. The use of pedicled buccal fat pad (PBFP) for filling bone defects has become common and effective but is limited to the posterior maxillary region. To add to the advantages of the buccal fat pad, we explored a novel treatment approach using a free buccal fat pad (FBFP) to fill bone defects other than the posterior maxilla. While the FBFP has been employed in oral defect reconstruction, currently published cases have been utilized in recipient sites with good blood supply. There has yet to be any usage in poor vascularization defects like MRONJ. This article describes that the FBFP was used to fill the surgical defects of 8 patients who were diagnosed with MRONJ and who underwent sequestrectomy and saucerization. During follow-up visits, there was excellent wound healing and no significant tissue depression. Based on successful treatment experiences, FBFP is a reliable therapeutic option for the management of poor vascularization defects like MRONJ treated through surgical intervention.

Using rDNA ITS2 barcoding to identify kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) from the genus Mitragyna and Neolamarckia cadamba.

This study collected 80 samples of suspected kratom plant powder. A polymerase chain reaction sequence analysis was conducted using two sets of DNA barcode primers for plant ribosomal (r)DNA internal transcribed spacers (ITSs), namely, ITS3/ITS4 and ITS-p3/ITS-u4. Among the 80 samples, 40 were analyzed using the ITS3/ITS4 primer pair, and then DNA sequences were subjected to a National Center for Biotechnology Information-Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (NCBI-BLAST) comparison. Results showed that 29 samples had a 100% match (364/364) with Mitragyna speciosa (kratom), and 6 samples had a 99.73% match (363/364) with M. speciosa, whereas 5 samples had disordered and unreadable sequences. The 5 unreadable samples and an additional 40 suspected kratom samples were then analyzed using the ITS-p3/ITS-u4 primer pair, followed by an NCBI-BLAST comparison. Among these, 32 samples had a 100% match (404/404) with M. speciosa, and 11 samples had a 99.75% match (403/404) with M. speciosa. Among the samples with sequences matching M. speciosa, three distinct types were observed (no variance/404, 287M/404, and 287A/404). One sample had a 99.51% match (404/406) with Neolamarckia cadamba, and another sample had a sequencing length of 305 bp, with 25 positions showing mixed base pairs, indicating a mixture of different species. Analysis of the mixed base pair pattern suggested a possible mixture of M. speciosa and N. cadamba. Actually, M. speciosa and N. cadamba have very similar external morphologies. This indicates that the ITS-p3/ITS-u4 primer pair is effective in distinguishing mixtures of M. speciosa and N. cadamba and is thus more suitable than ITS3/ITS4 for identifying and analyzing samples of suspected kratom plant powder.

Emodin alleviates intestinal ischemia-reperfusion injury through antioxidant stress, anti-inflammatory responses and anti-apoptosis effects via Akt-mediated HO-1 upregulation.

BACKGROUND: Intestinal ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury is a severe vascular emergency. Previous research indicated the protective effects of Emodin on I/R injury. Our study aims to explore the effect of Emodin on intestinal I/R (II/R) injury and elucidate the underlying mechanisms. METHODS: C57BL/6 mice and Caco-2 cells were used for in vivo and in vitro studies. We established an animal model of II/R injury by temporarily occluding superior mesenteric artery. We constructed an oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) cell model using a hypoxia-reoxygenation incubator. Different doses of Emodin were explored to determine the optimal therapeutic dose. Additionally, inhibitors targeting the protein kinase B (Akt) or Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) were administered to investigate their potential protective mechanisms. RESULTS: Our results demonstrated that in animal experiments, Emodin mitigated barrier disruption, minimized inflammation, reduced oxidative stress, and inhibited apoptosis. When Akt or HO-1 was inhibited, the protective effect of Emodin was eliminated. Inhibiting Akt also reduced the level of HO-1. In cell experiments, Emodin reduced inflammation and apoptosis in the OGD/R cell model. Additionally, when Akt or HO-1 was inhibited, the protective effect of Emodin was weakened. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that Emodin may protect the intestine against II/R injury through the Akt/HO-1 signaling pathway.

Ratiometric fluorescence and smartphone-assisted sensing platform based on dual-emission carbon dots for brilliant blue detection.

In this study, an innovative ratiometric fluorescence and smartphone-assisted visual sensing platform based on blue-yellow dual-emission carbon dots (BY-CDs) was constructed for the first time to determine brilliant blue. The BY-CDs was synthesized via a facile one-step hydrothermal process involving propyl gallate and o-phenylenediamine. The synthesized BY-CDs exhibit favorable water solubility and exceptional fluorescence stability. Under excitation at 370 nm, BY-CDs show two distinguishable fluorescence emission bands (458 and 558 nm). Upon addition of brilliant blue, the fluorescence intensity at 558 nm exhibited a significant quenching effect attributed to fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), while the fluorescence intensity at 458 nm was basically unchanged. The prepared BY-CDs can effectively serve as a ratiometric nanosensor for determining brilliant blue with the ratio of fluorescence intensities at 458 and 558 nm (F458/F558) as response signal. In addition, the developed ratiometric fluorescence sensor exhibits a noticeable alteration in color from yellow to green under UV light with a wavelength of 365 nm upon addition of varying concentrations of brilliant blue, which provides the possibility of visual detection of brilliant blue by a smartphone application. Finally, the BY-CDs based dual-mode sensing platform successfully detected brilliant blue in actual food samples and achieved a desirable recovery rate. This study highlights the merits of fast, convenient, economical, real-time, visual, high accuracy, excellent precision, good selectivity and high sensitivity for brilliant blue detection, and paves new paths for the monitoring of brilliant blue in real samples.

Alteration of fractional anisotropy in preterm-born individuals: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUD: Neurological disorders are common in preterm (PT) born individuals. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies using tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) effectively detect microstructural white matter (WM) abnormalities in the brain. We conducted this systematic review to integrate the findings of TBSS studies to determine the most consistent WM alterations in PT born individuals. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and Science Direct were searched. DTI studies using TBSS in PT born individuals were screened up to October 2022. The systematic review included studies reporting alterations in FA values for the entire brain in a stereotactic space, with three coordinates (x, y, z), according to the seed-based d mapping method. RESULTS: The search strategy identified seventeen studies that fulfilled our inclusion criteria, with a total of 911 PT-born individuals and 563 matched controls were analysed. Of the seventeen studies, eight were dedicated to 650 adults, five to 411 children and four to 413 infants. Ten studies recruited 812 individuals born very prematurely (GA <29 weeks), six studies recruited 386 moderately premature individuals (GA = 29-32 weeks) and one study recruited 276 individuals born late prematurely (GA >32 weeks). This meta-analysis of six studies including 388 individuals highlighted four brain regions in which fractional anisotropy (FA) was lower in PT group than in people born at term. The quantitative meta-analysis found that the most robust WM alterations were located in the corpus callosum (CC), the bilateral thalamus and the left superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF) II. Significant changes in FA reflect WM abnormalities in PT born individuals from infant to young adulthood. CONCLUSIONS: Significant changes in FA reflect WM abnormalities in individuals born PT from infancy to young adulthood. The abnormal development of the CC, bilateral thalamus and left SLF may play a vital role in the neurodevelopment of PT individuals.

Neurological disorders are prevalent in preterm (PT) born individuals. The use of tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) in diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies has proven effective in detecting microstructural abnormalities of the white matter (WM) of the brain. In order to determine the most consistent alterations in WM among those born prematurely, we have screened DTI studies using TBSS in this PT born population up until October 2022. The meta-analysis identified four brain regions where fractional anisotropy (FA) was lower in the PT group than in those born at term. The quantitative meta-analysis identified the corpus callosum, the bilateral thalamus and the left superior longitudinal fasciculus II. As the most robust WM alterations. Various studies have demonstrated the links between PT birth, intelligence quotient, gestational age and subject age.

Global research hotspots and trends in constraint-induced movement therapy in rehabilitation over the past 30 years: a bibliometric and visualization study.

Background: Stroke is a cerebrovascular disease with high prevalence and mortality, and upper limb hemiparesis is a major factor limiting functional recovery in stroke patients. Improvement of motor function in stroke patients through various forms of constraint-induced movement therapy (CITM) has been recognized as safe and effective in recent years. This research field lacks a comprehensive systematic and clear vein combing analysis, analyzing the literature research of CIMT in the field of rehabilitation in the past three decades, summarizing the research hotspots and cutting-edge trends in this field, in an effort to offer ideas and references for subsequent researchers. Methods: Relevant literature on CIMT in rehabilitation was collected from 1996 to 2024 within the Web of Science database's core dataset by using CiteSpace6.1, VOSviewer1.6.18, R-bibliometrix4.6.1, Pajek5.16, Scimago Graphica 1.0.26 software for visualization and analysis. Results: There were 970 papers in all United States was ranked first with 401 papers. Alabama Univ was ranked first for institutions with 53 papers. Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair was ranked first for journals with 78 papers, and Taub E was ranked first for author publications with 64 papers. Research keywords were CIMT, stroke rehabilitation, upper extremity function, lower extremity gait balance, randomized controlled trials, physical therapy techniques (transcranial magnetic stimulation and sensory amplitude electrical stimulation), primary motor cortex plasticity, lateral dominance (spatial behaviors), cerebral vascular accidents, activities of daily living, hand function, disability, functional restoration, bimanual training, aphasia, acquired invalidity, type A Botulinum toxin and joystick riding toys. Conclusion: The current state of research shows that CIMT still has a vast potential for development in the field of rehabilitation research. The research hotspots are the clinical efficacy of CIMT combined with other therapies (botulinum toxin type A, transcranial direct current stimulation, virtual reality, mirror therapy, robotic-assisted) to enhance the functionality of upper limb hemiparesis in stroke patients, the mechanism of CIMT to improve the plasticity of the motor cortex through electrophysiological and imaging methods, and improvement of lower limb gait balance function in stroke patients and aphasia applications, the optimal intervention time and dose, and exploration of CIMT in new settings such as robot-assisted, telemedicine, and home rehabilitation.

The Effectiveness of On-Demand Health Education Systems in Assisting the Nursing Workload.

This article explores the "On-Demand Health Education System" in healthcare, highlighting its role in enhancing nursing efficiency and quality. Using a database, it allows nurses to provide tailored education via QR codes for patients and families. Key findings show its positive impact on education quality and efficiency, though improvements are needed in user interface and accessibility for certain groups like the elderly. Future enhancements should focus on user experience and expanding accessibility, acknowledging the potential of such systems in medical education with technological advancement.

Meta-analysis of the accuracy for RASSF1A methylation in bronchial aspirates for the diagnosis of lung cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To establish the diagnostic accuracy of RASSF1A (Ras association domain family 1 isoform) methylation using bronchial aspirates as an auxiliary method for diagnosing lung cancer through a systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS: Studies published prior to October 30, 2022, were retrieved from the Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, and Wan Fang databases using the keywords "lung cancer", "RASSF1A", "methylation", and "bronchial aspirates". A fixed or random effect model was used to calculate the combined sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratios (LR), negative LR, diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), along with the respective 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and the area under the curve (AUC) with Q index. The threshold effect was defined by using the Spearman correlation coefficient, and the Deeks funnel plot was generated to evaluate publication bias. RESULTS: Among the 12 trials that met the inclusion criteria, a total of 2388 participants were involved. The pooled results for the diagnosis of lung cancer were as follows, when compared to the pathological diagnosis: sensitivity of 0.47 (95% CI: 0.45-0.50), specificity of 0.96 (95% CI: 0.95-0.97), positive LR of 12.18 (95% CI: 8.96-16.55), negative LR of 0.56 (95% CI: 0.52-0.61), DOR of 24.05 (95% CI: 17.29-33.47), and AUC of 0.78 (Q index = 0.72), respectively. The sensitivity of the RASSF1A methylation assay was relatively low in a detailed subgroup analysis, fluctuating between 0.39 and 0.90, indicating a limitation in its diagnostic value for lung cancer. The RASSF1A methylation assay, on the other hand, demonstrated excellent specificity, suggesting a high exclusion value. Of note, the diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, DOR, and AUC for small cell lung cancer were 0.90 (0.84-0.94), 0.95 (0.94-0.97), 249.5 (103.94-598.8), and 0.98, respectively, showing that RASSF1A methylation was a promising biomarker for diagnosing small cell lung cancer with both high diagnostic and exclusion value. Furthermore, RASSF1A methylation using bronchial washings and bronchial aspirates showed a high AUC of 0.998 and 0.93, respectively, indicating excellent diagnostic performance. CONCLUSIONS: The methylation of RASSF1A in bronchial aspirates demonstrated a high level of diagnostic accuracy and has the potential to be a valuable supplementary diagnostic method, especially for identifying small cell lung cancer.

Benzo(a)pyrene exposure impacts cerebrovascular development in zebrafish embryos and the antagonistic effect of berberine.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) widely present in the environment, but their effect on cerebrovascular development has been rarely reported. In this study, dechorionated zebrafish embryos at 24 hpf were exposed to benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) at 0.5, 5 and 50 nM for 48 h, cerebrovascular density showed a significant reduction in the 5 and 50 nM groups. The expression of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) was significantly increased. Transcriptomic analysis showed that the pathway of positive regulation of vascular development was down-regulated and the pathway of inflammation response was up-regulated. The transcription of main genes related to vascular development, such as vegf, bmper, cdh5, f3b, itgb1 and prkd1, was down-regulated. Addition of AhR-specific inhibitor CH233191 in the 50 nM BaP group rescued cerebrovascular developmental defects and down-regulation of relative genes, suggesting that BaP-induced cerebrovascular defects was AhR-dependent. The cerebrovascular defects were persistent into adult fish raised in clean water, showing that the relative area of vascular network, the length of vessels per unit area and the number of vascular junctions per unit area were significantly decreased in the 50 nM group. Supplementation of berberine (BBR), a naturally derived medicine from a Chinese medicinal herb, alleviated BaP-induced cerebrovascular defects, accompanied by the restoration of altered expression of AhR and relative genes, which might be due to that BBR promoted BaP elimination via enhancing detoxification enzyme activities, suggesting that BBR could be a potential agent in the prevention of cerebrovascular developmental defects caused by PAHs.

[Quality evaluation and grading standard discussion on Cinnamomi Ramulus].

This study explored the relationship between the appearance traits and internal components of Cinnamomi Ramulus pieces, so as to provide a reference for the quality evaluation and the formulation of grade standards. This study determined the appearance traits and index component contents of 41 batches of Cinnamomi Ramulus pieces in the core producing areas of Guangxi and Guangdongand established the HPLC characteristic map method. The weight of the pieces, the narrowest diameter, and the widest diameter of the tr ansverse section were used as the indices of appearance traits. The content of index components(cinnamic acid and cinnamalde hyde)was determined by the established content determination method. The chromatographic characteristics were determinedon a Waters XBridge C_(18)(4. 6 mm×250 mm, 5 µm) column with a mobile phase consisting of 0. 1% phosphoric acidacetonitrile and gradient elution at the flow rate of 1 mL ·min~(-1). The column temperature was 30 ℃, and the detection wavelength was 254 nm. Cluster analysis, principal component analysis, and other stoichiometric methods were used to analyze the correlation between theap pearance traits and the index/characteristic components of Cinnamomi Ramulus pieces and compare the qu ality differences of the piecesfrom different batches and plac es. The results showed that the larger weight, the narrowest diameter, andthe widest diameter of the tra nsverse section indicated lowercontent of main indexes/characteristic components, and there was a synergistic decreasing trend amongd ifferent components. The overall quality of Cinnamomi Ramulus pieces in Guangdong Province and Guangxi Province was similar, but there were still differences between different origins and different batches of the same origin. It is scientific and feasible to evaluatethe quality of Cinnamomi Ramulus pieces and establish grading standards based on the appearance traits and index/character istic components. The research provides a more scientific and comprehensive basis for the quality control evaluation and standardformulation of Cinnamomi Ramulus.

Interpenetrated In(III)-MOF with Multiple Recognition Sites for Single-Step Ethylene Purification.

An interpenetrated indium(III) metal-organic framework (MOF), NTUniv-73, with a rarely reported tetrameric indium cluster is developed for streamlining ethylene purification from C2 gases. At 298 K, the adsorption capacities exhibited a complete reversal sequence of C2H6 > C2H2 > C2H4. Grand canonical Monte Carlo simulation indicated that the corners in a octahedral cage facilitated the C2H2/C2H4 separation, while the pocket-like aperture situated between adjacent octahedral cages allows for full contact of C2H6. Breakthrough experiments illustrated that NTUniv-73 could yield pure C2H4 in a single step with a productivity of 0.42 mmol g-1.

Closed-Loop Recyclable Poly(ester-disulfide)s for Potential Alternatives to Engineering Plastic.

Facile fabrication, low material complexity and closed-loop recycling are essential for polymer plastics to alter their linear product economy towards a cradle-to-cradle one. Covalent adaptable networks (CANs) are one way to achieve that, which intrinsically exhibit decent mechanical properties of the thermosets but could also be easily recycled like the thermoplastics. In this work, we introduce rigid ester structural motifs into dynamic poly(disulfide)s to form a series of dual polymer networks. Owning to the coherence of soft/rigid segments and the reversible sacrificial crosslinking, they exhibit tailorable properties and good resistance towards different chemicals. Their closed-loop recycling is achieved via mild solvolysis, maintaining materials' mechanical integrities. It offers a solution as a sustainable replacement for engineering plastics which are massively under production but hard to be recycled.

The Effect of Gua Sha Therapy on Pain in Parkinson's Disease: a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Purpose: Pain is a common yet undertreated symptom of Parkinson's disease (PD). This study investigated the effect of Gua Sha therapy on pain in patients with PD. Patients and Methods: A total of 56 PD patients with pain were randomized into either the experimental group (n=28), receiving 12 sessions of Gua Sha therapy, or the control group (n=28) without additional treatment. Participants underwent assessment at baseline, after the twelfth invention, and at the 2-month follow-up timepoints. The primary outcome was KPPS and VAS. Secondary outcomes included UPDRS I-III, PDSS-2, HADS, PDQ-39, and blood biomarkers (5-HT, IL-8, IL-10). Results: The experimental group reported a significant improvement in pain severity, motor functions, affective disorder, and sleep quality (P < 0.05). Furthermore, increasing trends in both 5-HT and IL-10, as well as decreasing trends in IL-8 were observed. No serious adverse events occurred. Conclusion: The preliminary findings suggest that Gua Sha therapy may be effective and safe for alleviating pain and improving other disease-related symptoms in PD patients.

A non-invasive diagnostic nomogram for CHB-related early cirrhosis: a prospective study.

This study aimed to construct a non-invasive diagnostic nomogram based on high-frequency ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging results for early liver cirrhosis patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) which cannot be detected by conventional non-invasive examination methods but can only be diagnosed through invasive liver puncture for pathological examination. 72 patients with CHB were enrolled in this prospective study, and divided into S4 stage of liver cirrhosis and S0-S3 stage of non-liver cirrhosis according to pathological findings. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to identify independent predictors, and a diagnostic nomogram was constructed for CHB-related early cirrhosis. It was validated and calibrated by bootstrap self-extraction. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that age (OR 1.14, 95% CI (1.04-1.27)), right hepatic vein diameter (OR 0.43, 95% CI 0.23-0.82), presence or absence of nodules (OR 31.98, 95% CI 3.84-266.08), and hepatic parenchymal echogenicity grading (OR 12.82, 95% CI 2.12-77.51) were identified as independent predictive indicators. The nomogram based on the 4 factors above showed good performance, with a sensitivity and specificity of 90.70% and 89.66%, respectively. The area under the curve (AUC) of the prediction model was 0.96, and the predictive model showed better predictive performance than APRI score (AUC 0.57), FIB-4 score (AUC 0.64), INPR score (AUC 0.63), and LSM score (AUC 0.67). The calibration curve of the prediction model fit well with the ideal curve, and the decision curve analysis showed that the net benefit of the model was significant. The nomogram in this study can detect liver cirrhosis in most CHB patients without liver biopsy, providing a direct, fast, and accurate practical diagnostic tool for clinical doctors.

Systematic studies on the kinetic process of 20(S)-protopanaxadiol in rats and dogs: absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion.

Background and Objective: Ginseng has been regarded as a precious medicinal herb with miraculous effects in Eastern culture. The primary chemical constituents of ginseng are saponins, and the physiological activities of ginsenosides determine their edible and medicinal value. The aim of this study is to comprehensively and systematically investigate the kinetic processes of 20(S)-protopanaxadiol (PPD) in rats and dogs, in order to promote the rational combination of ginseng as a drug and dietary ingredient. Methods: PPD was administered, and drug concentration in different biological samples were detected by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) and radioactive tracer methods. Pharmacokinetic parameters such as absorption, bioavailability, tissue distribution, plasma protein binding rate, excretion rate, and cumulative excretion were calculated, along with inference of major metabolites. Results: This study systematically investigated the absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion (ADME) of PPD in rats and dogs for the first time. The bioavailabilities of PPD were relatively low, with oral absorption nearly complete, and the majority underwent first-pass metabolism. PPD had a high plasma protein binding rate and was relatively evenly distributed in the body. Following oral administration, PPD underwent extensive metabolism, potentially involving one structural transformation and three hydroxylation reactions. The metabolites were primarily excreted through feces and urine, indicating the presence of enterohepatic circulation. The pharmacokinetic processes of PPD following intravenous administration aligned well with a three-compartment model. In contrast, after gastric administration, it fitted better with a two-compartment model, conforming to linear pharmacokinetics and proportional elimination. There were evident interspecies differences between rats and dogs regarding PPD, but individual variations of this drug were minimal within the same species. Conclusion: This study systematically studied the kinetic process of PPD in rats and also investigated the kinetic characteristics of PPD in dogs for the first time. These findings lay the foundation for further research on the dietary nutrition and pharmacological effects of PPD.

Neuregulin 1 mitigated prolactin deficiency through enhancing TRPM8 signaling under the influence of melatonin in senescent pituitary lactotrophs.

The age-related alterations in pituitary function, including changes in prolactin (PRL) production contributes to the systemic susceptibility to age-related diseases. Our previous research has shown the involvement of Nrg1 in regulating the expression and secretion of PRL. However, the precise role of Nrg1 in mitigating the senescence of pituitary lactotrophs and the underlying mechanisms are yet to be comprehended. Here, data from the GEPIA database was used to evaluate the association between transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily M member 8 (TRPM8) and PRL in normal human pituitary tissues, followed by immunofluorescence verification using a human pituitary tissue microarray. TRPM8 levels showed a significant positive association with PRL expression in normal human pituitary tissues, and both TRPM8 and PRL levels declined during aging, suggesting that TRPM8 may regulate pituitary aging by affecting PRL production. It was also found that treatment with exogenous neuregulin 1 (Nrg1) markedly delayed the senescence of GH3 cells (rat lactotroph cell line) generated by D-galactose (D-gal). In addition, melatonin reduced the levels of senescence-related markers in senescent pituitary cells by promoting Nrg1 / ErbB4 signaling, stimulating PRL expression and secretion. Further investigation showed that Nrg1 attenuated senescence in pituitary cells by increasing TRPM8 expression. Downregulation of TRPM8 activation eliminated Nrg1-mediated amelioration of pituitary cell senescence. These findings demonstrate the critical function of Nrg1 / ErbB signaling in delaying pituitary lactotroph cell senescence and enhancing PRL production via promoting TRPM8 expression under the modulation of melatonin.

Model-agnostic counterfactual reasoning for identifying and mitigating answer bias in knowledge tracing.

Knowledge tracing (KT) aims to monitor students' evolving knowledge states through their learning interactions with concept-related questions, and can be indirectly evaluated by predicting how students will perform on future questions. In this paper, we observe that there is a common phenomenon of answer bias, i.e., a highly unbalanced distribution of correct and incorrect answers for each question. Existing models tend to memorize the answer bias as a shortcut for achieving high prediction performance in KT, thereby failing to fully understand students' knowledge states. To address this issue, we approach the KT task from a causality perspective. A causal graph of KT is first established, from which we identify that the impact of answer bias lies in the direct causal effect of questions on students' responses. A novel COunterfactual REasoning (CORE) framework for KT is further proposed, which separately captures the total causal effect and direct causal effect during training, and mitigates answer bias by subtracting the latter from the former in testing. The CORE framework is applicable to various existing KT models, and we implement it based on the prevailing DKT, DKVMN, and AKT models, respectively. Extensive experiments on three benchmark datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of CORE in making the debiased inference for KT. We have released our code at https://github.com/lucky7-code/CORE.

Impact of COVID-19 Vaccine Persuasion Strategies on Social Endorsement and Public Response on Chinese Social Media.

Persuading the public to get vaccinated against infectious diseases is critical and carries profound implications for preparing for future pandemics. This study examined whether and how persuasion strategies employed in pro-vaccine messages affect social endorsement and audience stance toward the COVID-19 vaccine expressed in comments on Chinese social media. Through manual coding and pre-trained BERT model, we analyzed 1,500 Weibo posts focused on COVID-19 vaccination persuasion and 238,201 associated comments. Results showed that medical experts succeeded in eliciting heightened social endorsement and receiving more pro-vaccine comments. Posts that employed negative emotional appeal were less likely to be liked or receive pro-vaccine comments. Besides, vaccine persuasion messages presented in a narrative format or emphasizing vaccine efficacy garnered significantly more likes but did not significantly receive more pro-vaccine comments. Discussing domestic issues or employing joy appeal received more pro-vaccine comments. These results offer valuable insights for health practitioners and communicators, highlighting more effective persuasion strategies for engaging citizens in vaccine-related discussions on social media. This study underscores the importance of leveraging persuasion tactics on social media to foster vaccination uptake and better prepare us for handling future pandemics.