Recent progress of the research of metal-organic frameworks-molecularly imprinted polymers (MOFs-MIPs) in food safety detection field.

Food safety is an important cornerstone of protecting human health and life. Therefore, it is of great significance to detect possible pollutants in food sensitively and efficiently. Molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been widely used in the adsorption and detection of food pollutants. However, traditional MIPs have problems such as uneven loading of the imprinted cavity and slow mass transfer efficiency. While the adsorption of MOFs has low specificity and cannot accurately identify target molecules. Therefore, some researchers have taken advantage of the high specific recognition abilities of MIPs and the large specific surface areas, high porosity and easy functionalization of MOFs to combine MOFs with MIPs, and have achieved a series of important results in the field of food safety detection. This paper reviews the research progress of the application of MOFs-MIPs in the field of food safety detection from 2019 to 2024. It furnishes researchers interested in this domain with a rapid and comprehensive grasp of the latest research status, it also offers them a chance to anticipate future development trends, thereby supporting the continuous advances of MOFs-MIPs in food safety detection.

Preparation of dual recognition adsorbents based on molecularly imprinted polymers and aptamer for highly sensitive recognition and enrichment of ochratoxin A.

In light of the significant risks that mycotoxins posed to public health and environmental safety, this research developed an adsorbent MIPs/Apt/AuNPs@ZIF-67 (MA-AZ) utilizing a dual-recognition approach combining molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) and aptamer (Apt). This innovative method enabled the effective and highly selective recognition and enrichment of ochratoxin A (OTA). ZIF-67 was utilized as a carrier with a substantial specific surface area, and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were loaded on its surface to fix the thiol-modified Apt on the surface of the carrier. Then, an initiator was used to initiate a polymerization reaction, and the generated MIPs coated Apt/AuNPs@ZIF-67, thereby synthesizing the MA-AZ with a "synergistic recognition" effect. The Apt significantly increased the number of recognition sites within the imprinted cavities, and MIPs played roles in identifying targets, fixing and protecting Apt. The combination of the both produced the effect of "1+1>2". The study on the adsorption performance of MA-AZ found that the adsorption capacity of MA-AZ could reach 65.1 mg/g, and the imprinted factor was 5.48. In addition, MA-AZ exhibited excellent stability, specificity, reusability and recovery rate. Thus, this study offers valuable insights for the recognition and enrichment of hazardous substances, and helps to promote the rapid development of safety detection.

An exonuclease III-driven dual-mode aptasensor based on Au-Pd@Fc nanozyme and magnetic separation pretreatment for aminoglycoside antibiotics detection.

A novel dual-mode aptasensor was constructed for aminoglycoside antibiotics (AAs) detection by using a broad-spectrum aptamer as a biorecognition element, and Au-Pd@Fc functionalized by signal DNA as nanoprobes. In electrochemical mode, the target-induced cyclic amplification reaction run under the action of exonuclease-III, which increased the number of nanoprobes on the electrode surface. AAs could be quantitatively detected with LOD of 0.0355 ± 0.00613 nM. In colorimetric mode, the Au-Pd@Fc nanozyme catalyzed the color reaction of 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine. The blue-shifted absorbance will be observed with the change of AAs concentration, and the LOD was 0.0458 ± 0.00572 nM. Furthermore, a magnetic molecular-imprinted material capable of specific adsorption of AAs was prepared on milk sample pretreatment. The aptasensor was used to detect 10 kinds of AAs in milk and the recoveries were 97.19 ± 4.41% âˆ¼ 98.70 ± 4.45% and 96.38 ± 3.53%-97.54 ± 4.13% in electrochemical and colorimetric methods. This work provided a theoretical basis for the application of aptamers in simultaneous detection of antibiotics.

Novel ratiometric electrochemical aptasensor based on broad-spectrum aptamer recognition for simultaneous detection of penicillin antibiotics in milk.

To effectively monitor multi-residues of penicillin antibiotics (PENs) in milk, we developed a novel ratiometric electrochemical aptasensor enabling simultaneous detection of PENs. The aptasensor employed a broad-spectrum aptamer as a recognition element, niobium carbide functionalized with methylene blue (Nb2C-MB) as a reference signal generator, and a ferrocene-labeled aptamer (Fc-Apt) as an output signal. Electrodes were modified with Fe-N-C doped carbon nanotubes (Fe-N-C-CNTs) to amplify detection signals further. During detection, Fc-Apt binding to PENs decreased Fc current intensity (IFc) and increased MB current intensity (IMB). The simultaneous detection of PENs was achieved using IMB/IFc as a quantitative signal. Under optimal conditions, a good linear relationship between IMB/IFc and antibiotic concentration was observed, indicating the aptasensor had a robustness. The limits of detection of aptasensor for four penicillin antibiotics and their mixed targets were 0.093-0.191 nM. This work provides a new approach to multi-residue detection of the same class of antibiotics.

Screening of broad-spectrum aptamer and development of electrochemical aptasensor for simultaneous detection of penicillin antibiotics in milk.

Penicillin antibiotics (PENs) play an important role in killing pathogenic bacteria. However, the residues of various penicillin antibiotics in milk gradually accumulate in the human body with the increase of milk intake, which causes direct harm to the human body. Aptamers can be used as recognition element of sensors. It is great significance to use broad-spectrum aptamers for simultaneous detection of PENs. In this study, we reported the screening and identification of DNA aptamers for PENs. The aptamers were screened by graphene oxide-systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (GO-SELEX). The broad-spectrum aptamers with high affinity and specificity were successfully obtained after 13 rounds of screening. The affinity and specificity of candidate aptamers were analyzed by a GO fluorescence competition method. Further sequence analysis revealed that a truncated 47 nt aptamer (P-11-1) had a higher affinity than the original 79 nt aptamer. The truncated aptamer P-11-1 was used as a recognition element, and an electrochemical aptasensor was prepared using gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) combined with ferroferric oxide-multi walled carbon nanotube (Fe3O4-MWCNTs) complex. The results showed that the developed aptasensor achieved the simultaneous detection of PENs in milk samples across a concentration range of 2 nM-10,000 nM, achieving a limit of detection of 0.667 nM. This methodology provided a simple and sensitive new thinking for antibiotic multi-residue detection.

Brain Criticality EEG analysis for tracking neurodevelopment from Childhood to Adolescence.

The brain criticality hypothesis suggests that neural networks and multiple aspects of brain activity self-organize into a critical state, and criticality marks the transition between ordered and disordered states. This hypothesis is appealing from computer science perspective because neural networks at criticality exhibit optimal processing and computing properties while having implications in clinical applications to neurological disorders. In this paper, we introduced brain criticality analysis to track neurodevelopment from childhood to adolescence using the electroencephalogram (EEG) data of 662 subjects aged 5 to 16 years from the Child Mind Institute. We computed brain criticality from long-range temporal correlation (LRTC) using detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA). We also compared the brain criticality analysis with standard EEG power analysis. The results showed a statistically significant increase in brain criticality from childhood to adolescence in the alpha band. A decreasing trend was observed in theta band from EEG power analysis, but a much higher variance was observed compared to the brain criticality analysis. However, the significant results were only observed in some EEG channels, and not observed if the analysis were performed separately with eyes-open and eyes-close condition. Nonetheless, the results suggest that brain criticality may serve as a biomarker of brain development and maturation, but further research is needed to improve brain criticality algorithms and EEG analysis methods.Clinical Relevance- The brain criticality analysis may be used to characterize and predict neurodevelopment in early childhood.

Risk of thrombotic events in immune thrombocytopenia patients treated with thrombopoietic agents: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), which is a well-known hemorrhagic disorder characterized by low platelet counts, has been shown to be associated with the risk of thrombosis. Thrombopoietic agents (TAs) are extensively used as second-line treatments for ITP, effectively reducing the risk of hemorrhage. However, thrombosis, a potential adverse effect of TAs, raises clinical challenges. METHODS: The MEDLINE(PubMed), Embase, and the Cochrane Library databases were systematically searched for relevant studies, including both single-arm trials and randomized controlled trials (RCTs), without language restrictions. RESULTS: A total of 17 RCTs comprising 2,105 patients and 29 single-arm trials comprising 3,227 patients were included. In the single-arm meta-analysis, the pooled rate of overall thrombotic events in ITP patients receiving TAs was 2.2% (95% CI 1.0% - 3.7%). In RCTs, a higher incidence of thrombosis (33/1425 vs. 4/680) and higher risk ratios (RR) of overall, arterial, and venous thrombotic events (1.73, 95% CI [0.88, 3.39], P = 0.113; RR 1.98, 95% CI [0.80, 4.92], P = 0.141; RR 1.06, 95% CI [0.46, 2.41], P = 0.895, respectively) were observed in the TAs group than in the control group, although the differences were not significant. Subgroup analysis demonstrated that hetrombopag was the only TA with no increased thrombotic risk (rate 0.3% 95% CI [0.0 - 1.5%]; RR 0.76, 95% CI [0.03, 18.41], P = 0.864) compared to eltrombopag, avatrombopag, romiplostim, and rhTPO. Subgroup analyses also revealed that ITP patients with advanced age (3.7% vs. 1.3%, P = 0.132) or with a thrombotic history (3.0% vs. 1.4%, P = 0.257), and patients who received TAs therapy for a long duration (4.7% vs. 0.1%, P < 0.001) had an increased risk of thrombosis. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest ITP patients treated with TAs have a nonsignificantly higher risk of overall, arterial, and venous thrombotic events. Furthermore, hetrombopag is the recommended TA to avoid thrombophilia. Patients receiving long-term TAs, as well as elderly ITP patients or those with a history of thrombosis, face an increased thrombotic risk. In general, clinicians should consider potential thrombotic risks, address underlying risk factors, and ensure ongoing monitoring and follow-up when treating ITP patients with TAs.

Observation on the therapeutic efficacy of thread hanging combined with cotton plug in the treatment of stage Ⅲ paronychia / 中国热带医学

@#Abstract: Objective To observe the curative effect of thread-hanging combined with cotton plug on stage Ⅲ paronychia. Methods Sixty-one patients with stage Ⅲ paronychia were selected and randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group. The treatment group (n=31) was treated with thread-hanging and tampon under local infiltration anesthesia, and changed dressing and tampon every day after operation. After the wound healed, the patient soaked his feet in warm water every day and changed the tampon himself until the symptoms subsided, and the knot did not receive special treatment, and the nail plate would naturally shed as it outgrew the paronychia. The control group (n=30) was treated with thread-hanging and nail groove reconstruction under nerve block anesthesia, and the dressing was changed every day after operation. After thread removal, the patients soaked their feet in warm water every day until the symptoms subsided, and the knot was not specially treated, and it naturally fell off with the growth of the deck beyond the nail groove. The postoperative Visual Analog Scale (VAS) pain score, pain duration, wound healing time, cure rate, effective rate and recurrence rate of paronychia, and patients' satisfaction with the operation were compared between the two groups. Results Compared with the control group, the treatment group had lower VAS pain scores on the first and third postoperative days (2.1±0.3) and (0.2±0.1) vs. (6.3±0.1) and (3.2±0.2), respectively, shorter duration of pain and wound healing time (3.3±0.3) days and (10.1±0.5) days vs. (5.2±0.3) days and (15.2±0.3) days, respectively, higher cure rate (87.1% vs. 66.7%), lower failure rate (12.9% vs. 33.3%), lower recurrence rate (7.4% vs. 20.0%), and higher patient satisfaction (97.0% vs.75.3%). The treatment group showed significant superiority over the control group in all outcomes. Conclusion For patients with stage Ⅲ paronychia, thread-hanging combined with cotton tampon without nail groove reconstruction is advantageous as it avoids additional skin trauma, and does not affect the nail appearance and normal periungual barrier after healing, , reduces patient discomfort, and shortens the time off work, resulting in a higher cure rate. This treatment approach is therefore worth promoting in clinical practice.

Nanoporous Graphene Oxide-Based Quartz Crystal Microbalance Gas Sensor with Dual-Signal Responses for Trimethylamine Detection.

This paper presents a straightforward method to develop a nanoporous graphene oxide (NGO)-functionalized quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) gas sensor for the detection of trimethylamine (TMA), aiming to form a reliable monitoring mechanism strategy for low-concentration TMA that can still cause serious odor nuisance. The synthesized NGO material was characterized by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to verify its structure and morphology. Compared with the bare and GO-based QCM sensors, the NGO-based QCM sensor exhibited ultra-high sensitivity (65.23 Hz/µL), excellent linearity (R2 = 0.98), high response/recovery capability (3 s/20 s) and excellent repeatability (RSD = 0.02, n = 3) toward TMA with frequency shift and resistance. Furthermore, the selectivity of the proposed NGO-based sensor to TMA was verified by analysis of the dual-signal responses. It is also proved that increasing the conductivity did not improve the resistance signal. This work confirms that the proposed NGO-based sensor with dual signals provides a new avenue for TMA sensing, and the sensor is expected to become a potential candidate for gas detection.

Down-Regulation of Lipid Metabolism in the Hepatopancreas of Shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei upon Light and Heavy Infection of Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei: A Comparative Proteomic Study.

Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei (EHP) is the pathogen of hepatopancreatic microsporidiosis (HPM) in shrimp. The diseased shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei exhibits a slow growth syndrome, which causes severe economic losses. Herein, 4D label-free quantitative proteomics was employed to analyze the hepatopancreas of L. vannamei with a light (EHPptp2 < 103 copies/50 ng hpDNA, L group) and heavy (EHPptp2 > 104 copies/50 ng hpDNA, H group) load of EHP to better understand the pathogenesis of HPM. Exactly 786 (L group) and 1056 (H group) differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) versus the EHP-free (C group) control were mainly clustered to lipid metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and energy production processing. Compared with the L group, the H group exhibited down-regulation significantly in lipid metabolism, especially in the elongation and degradation of fatty acid, biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acid, metabolism of α-linolenic acid, sphingolipid, and glycerolipid, as well as juvenile hormone (JH) degradation. Expression pattern analysis showed that the degree of infection was positively correlated with metabolic change. About 479 EHP proteins were detected in infected shrimps, including 95 predicted transporters. These findings suggest that EHP infection induced the consumption of storage lipids and the entire down-regulation of lipid metabolism and the coupling energy production, in addition to the hormone metabolism disorder. These were ultimately responsible for the stunted growth.

Fluorescence Assay for Detecting Four Organophosphorus Pesticides Using Fluorescently Labeled Aptamer.

In this work, we reported a rapid and sensitive fluorescence assay in homogenous solution for detecting organophosphorus pesticides by using tetramethylrhodamine (TAMRA)-labeled aptamer and its complementary DNA (cDNA) with extended guanine (G) bases. The hybridization of cDNA and aptamer drew TAMRA close to repeated G bases, then the fluorescence of TAMRA was quenched by G bases due to the photoinduced electron transfer (PET). Upon introducing the pesticide target, the aptamer bound to pesticide instead of cDNA because of the competition between pesticide and cDNA. Thus, the TAMRA departed from G bases, resulting in fluorescence recovery of TAMRA. Under optimal conditions, the limits of detection for phorate, profenofos, isocarbophos, and omethoate were 0.333, 0.167, 0.267, and 0.333 µg/L, respectively. The method was also used in the analysis of profenofos in vegetables. Our fluorescence design was simple, rapid, and highly sensitive, which provided a means for monitoring the safety of agricultural products.

Novel Electrochemical Aptasensor Based on Ordered Mesoporous Carbon/2D Ti3C2 MXene as Nanocarrier for Simultaneous Detection of Aminoglycoside Antibiotics in Milk.

Herein, a novel electrochemical aptasensor using a broad-spectrum aptamer as a biorecognition element was constructed based on a screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) for simultaneous detection of aminoglycoside antibiotics (AAs). The ordered mesoporous carbon (OMC) was firstly modified on 2D Ti3C2 MXene. The addition of OMC not only effectively improved the stability of the aptasensor, but also prevented the stacking of Ti3C2 sheets, which formed a good current passage for signal amplification. The prepared OMC@Ti3C2 MXene functioned as a nanocarrier to accommodate considerable aptamers. In the presence of AAs, the transport of electron charge on SPCE surface was influenced by the bio-chemical reactions of the aptamer and AAs, generating a significant decline in the differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) signals. The proposed aptasensor presented a wide linear range and the detection limit was 3.51 nM. Moreover, the aptasensor, with satisfactory stability, reproducibility and specificity, was successfully employed to detect the multi-residuals of AAs in milk. This work provided a novel strategy for monitoring AAs in milk.

Effective Electrochemiluminescence Aptasensor for Detection of Atrazine Residue.

According to the chemiluminescence characteristics of the luminol-hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) system, this work designed a novel and effective electrochemiluminescence (ECL) aptasensor to detect atrazine (ATZ) rapidly. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) could effectively catalyze the decomposition of H2O2 and enhance the ECL intensity of the luminol-H2O2 system. Once ATZ was modified on the aptasensor, the ECL intensity was significantly weakened because of the specific combination between ATZ and its aptamer. Therefore, the changes in ECL intensity could be used to detect the concentration of ATZ. Under optimal detecting conditions, the aptasensor had a wide linear range from 1 × 10-3 ng/mL to 1 × 103 ng/mL and a low limit of detection (3.3 × 10-4 ng/mL). The designed aptasensor had the advantages of good stability, reproducibility, and specificity. The aptasensor could be used to detect the ATZ content of tap water, soil, and cabbage and had satisfactory results. This work effectively constructs a novel, effective, and rapid ECL aptasensor for detecting ATZ in actual samples.

Emerging Roles of Platelets in Allergic Asthma.

Allergic asthma is a complex chronic inflammatory disease of the airways, driven by Th2 immune responses and characterized by eosinophilic pulmonary inflammation, airway hyperresponsiveness, excessive mucus production, and airway remodeling. Overwhelming evidence from studies in animal models and allergic asthmatic patients suggests that platelets are aberrantly activated and recruited to the lungs. It has been established that platelets can interact with other immune cells and secrete various biochemical mediators to promote allergic sensitization and airway inflammatory response, and platelet deficiency may alleviate the pathological features and symptoms of allergic asthma. However, the comprehensive roles of platelets in allergic asthma have not been fully clarified, leaving attempts to treat allergic asthma with antiplatelet agents questionable. In this review, we summarize the role of platelet activation and pulmonary accumulation in allergic asthma; emphasis is placed on the different interactions between platelets with crucial immune cell types and the contribution of platelet-derived mediators in this context. Furthermore, clinical antiplatelet approaches to treat allergic asthma are discussed. This review provides a clearer understanding of the roles of platelets in the pathogenesis of allergic asthma and could be informative in the development of novel strategies for the treatment of allergic asthma.

Structural and diffusion MRI based schizophrenia classification using 2D pretrained and 3D naive Convolutional Neural Networks.

The ability of automatic feature learning makes Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) potentially suitable to uncover the complex and widespread brain changes in schizophrenia. Despite that, limited studies have been done on schizophrenia identification using interpretable deep learning approaches on multimodal neuroimaging data. Here, we developed a deep feature approach based on pre-trained 2D CNN and naive 3D CNN models trained from scratch for schizophrenia classification by integrating 3D structural and diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data. We found that the naive 3D CNN models outperformed the pretrained 2D CNN models and the handcrafted feature-based machine learning approach using support vector machine during both cross-validation and testing on an independent dataset. Multimodal neuroimaging-based models accomplished performance superior to models based on a single modality. Furthermore, we identified brain grey matter and white matter regions critical for illness classification at the individual- and group-level which supported the salience network and striatal dysfunction hypotheses in schizophrenia. Our findings underscore the potential of CNN not only to automatically uncover and integrate multimodal 3D brain imaging features for schizophrenia identification, but also to provide relevant neurobiological interpretations which are crucial for developing objective and interpretable imaging-based probes for prognosis and diagnosis in psychiatric disorders.

The Efficacy and Safety of Different Dosages of Rituximab for Adults with Immune Thrombocytopenia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Rituximab has been frequently used as a second-line treatment for patients with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). The optimal dose and course of rituximab are uncertain. METHODS: A comprehensive search for randomized controlled trials reporting the use of low-dose (100 mg) or standard-dose (375 mg/m2) rituximab in ITP treatment was conducted. Meta-analyses were performed on CRR (complete response rate), ORR (overall response rate), PRR (partial response rate), SRR (sustained response rate), infection rate, SB (significant bleeding) rate, and SAE (serious adverse event) rate. RESULTS: A total of 12 studies were included, comprising 869 patients. Compared to the control group, rituximab treatment resulted in an obvious increase in CRR (P < 0.00001), ORR (P < 0.0001), and SRR at month 6 and 12 (P = 0.0007, P = 0.0003), without increasing the infection rate (P = 0.12) and SAE rate (P = 0.11). No significant differences in CRR (RR 1.61 vs. 1.42, P = 0.45), ORR (RR 1.26 vs. 1.49, P = 0.28), PRR (RR 1.25 vs. 1.00, P = 0.11), SRR at month 12 (RR 2.00 vs. RR 1.64, P = 0.54), infection rate (RR 0.85 vs. 1.46, P = 0.36), and SB rate (RR 0.14 vs. 1.19, P = 0.17) were found in subgroups of low dose and standard dose. CONCLUSION: Rituximab was effective and safe for adult patients with ITP. A low-dose rituximab regimen might be an effective alternative to the standard-dose regimen in ITP, as it showed similar CRR, ORR, and SRR at month 12 and was relatively safer with a lower cost.

Brain Functional Changes in Stroke Following Rehabilitation Using Brain-Computer Interface-Assisted Motor Imagery With and Without tDCS: A Pilot Study.

Brain-computer interface-assisted motor imagery (MI-BCI) or transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has been proven effective in post-stroke motor function enhancement, yet whether the combination of MI-BCI and tDCS may further benefit the rehabilitation of motor functions remains unknown. This study investigated brain functional activity and connectivity changes after a 2 week MI-BCI and tDCS combined intervention in 19 chronic subcortical stroke patients. Patients were randomized into MI-BCI with tDCS group and MI-BCI only group who underwent 10 sessions of 20 min real or sham tDCS followed by 1 h MI-BCI training with robotic feedback. We derived amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF), regional homogeneity (ReHo), and functional connectivity (FC) from resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data pre- and post-intervention. At baseline, stroke patients had lower ALFF in the ipsilesional somatomotor network (SMN), lower ReHo in the contralesional insula, and higher ALFF/Reho in the bilateral posterior default mode network (DMN) compared to age-matched healthy controls. After the intervention, the MI-BCI only group showed increased ALFF in contralesional SMN and decreased ALFF/Reho in the posterior DMN. In contrast, no post-intervention changes were detected in the MI-BCI + tDCS group. Furthermore, higher increases in ALFF/ReHo/FC measures were related to better motor function recovery (measured by the Fugl-Meyer Assessment scores) in the MI-BCI group while the opposite association was detected in the MI-BCI + tDCS group. Taken together, our findings suggest that brain functional re-normalization and network-specific compensation were found in the MI-BCI only group but not in the MI-BCI + tDCS group although both groups gained significant motor function improvement post-intervention with no group difference. MI-BCI and tDCS may exert differential or even opposing impact on brain functional reorganization during post-stroke motor rehabilitation; therefore, the integration of the two strategies requires further refinement to improve efficacy and effectiveness.

Mitigation of salt stress response in upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) by exogenous melatonin.

As a pleiotropic signal molecule, melatonin is ubiquitous throughout the animal and plant kingdoms and plays important roles in the regulation of plant growth, development, and responses to environmental stresses. In this study, we quantified the endogenous melatonin levels in upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The melatonin concentrations in root, stem, and leaf were 150.60, 37.92, and 40.58 ng g fresh weight- 1, respectively. The effects of exogenous melatonin (1 µM) on plant growth, photosynthesis, antioxidant enzyme activity, and ion homeostasis in upland cotton seedlings exposed to 100 mM NaCl treatment were determined. Pretreatment (prior to exposure to salt stress) of seedlings with exogenous melatonin significantly alleviated plant growth inhibition by salt stress and maintained an improved photosynthetic capacity. The application of melatonin also significantly reduced the salt-induced oxidative damage, possibly through the accumulation of osmotic regulatory substances and the activation of antioxidant enzymes. We also showed that exogenous melatonin regulated the expression of stress-responsive and ion-channel genes under salinity, which could contribute to improved salt tolerance in cotton. Taken together, our study provides evidence that cotton contains endogenous melatonin, and it may have unraveled crucial evidence of the role of melatonin in cotton against salt stress.

Migfilin supports hemostasis and thrombosis through regulating platelet αIIbß3 outside-in signaling.

Elucidating the regulation mechanism of integrin αIIbß3 is key to understand platelet biology and thrombotic diseases. Previous in vitro studies have implicated a role of migfilin in the support of platelet αIIbß3 activation, however, contribution of migfilin to thrombosis and hemostasis in vivo and a detailed mechanism of migfilin in platelets are not known. In this study, with migfilin deletion (migfilin-/-) mice, we report that migfilin is a pivotal positive regulator of hemostasis and thrombosis. Migfilin-/- mice showed a nearly doubled tail-bleeding time and a prolonged occlusion time in Fecl3-induced mesenteric arteriolar thrombosis. Migfilin deficiency impedes platelet thrombi formation on collagen surface and impairs platelet aggregation and dense-granule secretion. Supported by characteristic functional readings and phosphorylation status of distinctive signaling molecules in the bidirectional signaling processes of αIIbß3, the functional defects of migfilin-/- platelets appear to be mechanistically associated with a compromised outside-in signaling, rather than inside-out signaling. A synthesized cell-permeable migfilin peptide harboring filamin A binding sequence rescued the defective function and phosphorylation of signaling molecules of migfilin-/- platelets. Finally, migfilin does not influence the binding of filamin A and ß3 subunit of αIIbß3 in resting platelets, but hampers the re-association of filamin A and ß3 during the conduct of outside-in signaling, suggesting that migfilin functions through regulating the interaction dynamics of αIIbß3 and filamin A in platelets. Our study enhances the current understanding of platelet integrin αIIbß3-mediated outside-in signaling and proves that migfilin is an important regulator for platelet activation, hemostasis and thrombosis.

Brain MRI-based 3D Convolutional Neural Networks for Classification of Schizophrenia and Controls.

Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) has been successfully applied on classification of both natural images and medical images but limited studies applied it to differentiate patients with schizophrenia from healthy controls. Given the subtle, mixed, and sparsely distributed brain atrophy patterns of schizophrenia, the capability of automatic feature learning makes CNN a powerful tool for classifying schizophrenia from controls as it removes the subjectivity in selecting relevant spatial features. To examine the feasibility of applying CNN to classification of schizophrenia and controls based on structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), we built 3D CNN models with different architectures and compared their performance with a handcrafted feature-based machine learning approach. Support vector machine (SVM) was used as classifier and Voxel-based Morphometry (VBM) was used as feature for handcrafted feature-based machine learning. 3D CNN models with sequential architecture, inception module and residual module were trained from scratch. CNN models achieved higher cross-validation accuracy than handcrafted feature-based machine learning. Moreover, testing on an independent dataset, 3D CNN models greatly outperformed handcrafted feature-based machine learning. This study underscored the potential of CNN for identifying patients with schizophrenia using 3D brain MR images and paved the way for imaging-based individual-level diagnosis and prognosis in psychiatric disorders.