Multicenter integration analysis of TRP channels revealed potential mechanisms of immunosuppressive microenvironment activation and identified a machine learning-derived signature for improving outcomes in gliomas.

AIM: This study aimed to explore the mechanisms of transient receptor potential (TRP) channels on the immune microenvironment and develop a TRP-related signature for predicting prognosis, immunotherapy response, and drug sensitivity in gliomas. METHODS: Based on the unsupervised clustering algorithm, we identified novel TRP channel clusters and investigated their biological function, immune microenvironment, and genomic heterogeneity. In vitro and in vivo experiments revealed the association between TRPV2 and macrophages. Subsequently, based on 96 machine learning algorithms and six independent glioma cohorts, we constructed a machine learning-based TRP channel signature (MLTS). The performance of the MLTS in predicting prognosis, immunotherapy response, and drug sensitivity was evaluated. RESULTS: Patients with high expression levels of TRP channel genes had worse prognoses, higher tumor mutation burden, and more activated immunosuppressive microenvironment. Meanwhile, TRPV2 was identified as the most essential regulator in TRP channels. TRPV2 activation could promote macrophages migration toward malignant cells and alleviate glioma prognosis. Furthermore, MLTS could work independently of common clinical features and present stable and superior prediction performance. CONCLUSION: This study investigated the comprehensive effect of TRP channel genes in gliomas and provided a promising tool for designing effective, precise treatment strategies.

Neuroimage Analysis Methods and Artificial Intelligence Techniques for Reliable Biomarkers and Accurate Diagnosis of Schizophrenia: Achievements Made by Chinese Scholars Around the Past Decade.

BACKGROUND AND HYPOTHESIS: Schizophrenia (SZ) is characterized by significant cognitive and behavioral disruptions. Neuroimaging techniques, particularly magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), have been widely utilized to investigate biomarkers of SZ, distinguish SZ from healthy conditions or other mental disorders, and explore biotypes within SZ or across SZ and other mental disorders, which aim to promote the accurate diagnosis of SZ. In China, research on SZ using MRI has grown considerably in recent years. STUDY DESIGN: The article reviews advanced neuroimaging and artificial intelligence (AI) methods using single-modal or multimodal MRI to reveal the mechanism of SZ and promote accurate diagnosis of SZ, with a particular emphasis on the achievements made by Chinese scholars around the past decade. STUDY RESULTS: Our article focuses on the methods for capturing subtle brain functional and structural properties from the high-dimensional MRI data, the multimodal fusion and feature selection methods for obtaining important and sparse neuroimaging features, the supervised statistical analysis and classification for distinguishing disorders, and the unsupervised clustering and semi-supervised learning methods for identifying neuroimage-based biotypes. Crucially, our article highlights the characteristics of each method and underscores the interconnections among various approaches regarding biomarker extraction and neuroimage-based diagnosis, which is beneficial not only for comprehending SZ but also for exploring other mental disorders. CONCLUSIONS: We offer a valuable review of advanced neuroimage analysis and AI methods primarily focused on SZ research by Chinese scholars, aiming to promote the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of SZ, as well as other mental disorders, both within China and internationally.

ZBTB20 suppresses tumor growth in glioblastoma through activating the TET1/FAS/caspase­3 pathway.

Zinc finger and BTB domain containing 20 (ZBTB20) is a key transcription repressor that regulates multiple physiological and pathophysiological processes. Thus far, the role of ZBTB20 in glioblastoma (GBM), a World Health Organization grade IV glioma, remains unclear. In the present study, the expression profile data of ZBTB20 in GBM tissues from public databases was analyzed. It was found that ZBTB20 expression in GBM tissues was significantly lower than that measured in lower grade glioma tissues. Furthermore, patients with GBM with lower ZBTB20 expression were associated with a shorter overall survival time. Gain- and loss-of-function experiments in GBM cells were also performed. The results demonstrated that ZBTB20 overexpression decreased GBM cell proliferation, while ZBTB20 knockdown significantly enhanced it. Cell cycle analysis showed the ZBTB20 overexpression may have inhibited proliferation through cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase, while ZBTB20 knockdown increased the percentages of cells in both the S phase and G2/M phase. Ten-eleven translocation 1 (TET1) is an important tumor suppressor involved in the formation of various types of tumor, and it was upregulated in ZBTB20-overexpressing GBM cells. It was further demonstrated that ZBTB20 activated the TET1/FAS/caspase-3 pathway. The results of the present study therefore indicated the potential role of ZBTB20 as a tumor suppressor and therapeutic target for GBM.

Efficacy and safety of percutaneous transhepatic biliary radiofrequency ablation in patients with malignant obstructive jaundice.

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiodrainage (PTCD) and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography/endoscopic nasobiliary drainage are the most common clinical procedures for jaundice control in patients with unresectable malignant obstructive jaundice, yet the safety and effect of endobiliary radiofrequency ablation (EB-RFA) combined PTCD is rarely reported, in this article, we report our experience of EB-RFA combined PTCD in such patients. AIM: To retrospectively study the efficacy and safety of EB-RFA combined PTCD in patients with unresectable malignant obstructive jaundice. METHODS: Patients with unresectable malignant obstructive jaundice treated with EB-RFA under PTCD were selected, the bile ducts of the right posterior lobe was selected as the target bile ducts in all cases. The general conditions of all patients, preoperative tumour markers, total bilirubin (TBIL), direct bilirubin (DBIL), albumin (ALB), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and glutamyl transferase (GGT) before and on the 7th day after the procedure, as well as perioperative complications, stent patency time and patient survival were recorded. RESULTS: All patients successfully completed the operation, TBIL and DBIL decreased significantly in all patients at the 7th postoperative day (P = 0.009 and 0.006, respectively); the values of ALB, ALP and GGT also decreased compared with the preoperative period, but the difference was not statistically significant. Perioperative biliary bleeding occurred in 2 patients, which was improved after transfusion of blood and other conservative treatments, pancreatitis appeared in 1 patient after the operation, no serious complication and death happened after operation. Except for 3 patients with loss of visits, the stent patency rate of the remaining 14 patients was 100% 71% and 29% at the 1st, 3rd, and 6th postoperative months respectively, with a median survival of 4 months. CONCLUSION: EB-RFA under PTCD in patients with unresectable malignant obstructive jaundice has a satisfactory therapeutic effect and high safety, which is worthy of further clinical practice.

DUSP5 regulated by YTHDF1-mediated m6A modification promotes epithelial-mesenchymal transition and EGFR-TKI resistance via the TGF-ß/Smad signaling pathway in lung adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) patients have a dismal survival rate because of cancer metastasis and drug resistance. The study aims to identify the genes that concurrently modulate EMT, metastasis and EGFR-TKI resistance, and to investigate the underlying regulatory mechanisms. METHODS: Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier analyses were applied to identify prognostic oncogenes in LUAD. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was used to indicate the biological functions of the gene. Wound-healing and Transwell assays were used to detect migratory and invasive ability. EGFR-TKI sensitivity was evaluated by assessing the proliferation, clonogenic survival and metastatic capability of cancer cells with treatment with gefitinib. Methylated RNA immunoprecipitation (MeRIP) and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) analyses established the level of m6A modification present on the target gene and the protein's capability to interact with RNA, respectively. Single-sample gene set enrichment (ssGSEA) algorithm used to investigate levels of immune cell infiltration. RESULTS: Our study identified dual-specificity phosphatase 5 (DUSP5) as a novel and powerful predictor of adverse outcomes for LUAD by using public datasets. Functional enrichment analysis found that DUSP5 was positively enriched in EMT and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-ß) signaling pathway, a prevailing pathway involved in the induction of EMT. As expected, DUSP5 knockdown suppressed EMT via inhibiting the canonical TGF-ß/Smad signaling pathway in in vitro experiments. Consistently, knockdown of DUSP5 was first found to inhibit migratory ability and invasiveness of LUAD cells in in vitro and prevent lung metastasis in in vivo. DUSP5 knockdown re-sensitized gefitinib-resistant LUAD cells to gefitinib, accompanying reversion of EMT progress. In LUAD tissue samples, we found 14 cytosine-phosphate-guanine (CpG) sites of DUSP5 that were negatively associated with DUSP5 gene expression. Importantly, 5'Azacytidine (AZA), an FDA-approved DNA methyltransferase inhibitor, restored DUSP5 expression. Moreover, RIP experiments confirmed that YTH N6-methyladenosine RNA binding protein 1 (YTHDF1), a m6A reader protein, could bind DUSP5 mRNA. YTHDF1 promoted DUSP5 expression and the malignant phenotype of LUAD cells. In addition, the DUSP5-derived genomic model revealed the two clusters with distinguishable immune features and tumor mutational burden (TMB). CONCLUSIONS: Briefly, our study discovered DUSP5 which was regulated by epigenetic modification, might be a potential therapeutic target, especially in LUAD patients with acquired EGFR-TKI resistance.

ShuYu capsule alleviates emotional and physical symptoms of premenstrual dysphoric disorder: Impact on ALLO decline and GABAA receptor δ subunit in the PAG area.

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) is a severe subtype of premenstrual syndrome in women of reproductive age, with its pathogenesis linked to the heightened sensitivity of type A γ -aminobutyric acid receptors (GABAAR) to neuroactive steroid hormone changes, particularly allopregnanolone (ALLO). While a low dose of fluoxetine, a classic selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, is commonly used as a first-line drug to alleviate emotional disorders in PMDD in clinical settings, its mechanism of action is related to ALLO-GABAA receptor function. However, treating PMDD requires attention to both emotional and physical symptoms, such as pain sensitivity. This study aims to investigate the efficacy of ShuYu capsules, a traditional Chinese medicine, in simultaneously treating emotional and physical symptoms in a rat model of PMDD. Specifically, our focus centres on the midbrain periaqueductal grey (PAG), a region associated with emotion regulation and susceptibility to hyperalgesia. Considering the underlying mechanisms of ALLO-GABAA receptor function in the PAG region, we conducted a series of experiments to evaluate and define the effects of ShuYu capsules and uncover the relationship between the drug's efficacy and ALLO concentration fluctuations on GABAA receptor function in the PAG region. Our findings demonstrate that ShuYu capsules significantly improved oestrous cycle-dependant depression-like behaviour and reduced stress-induced hyperalgesia in rats with PMDD. Similar to the low dose of fluoxetine, ShuYu capsules targeted and mitigated the sharp decline in ALLO, rescued the upregulation of GABAAR subunit function, and activated PAG neurons in PMDD rats. The observed effects of ShuYu capsules suggest a central mechanism underlying PMDD symptoms, involving ALLO_GABAA receptor function in the PAG region. This study highlights the potential of traditional Chinese medicine in addressing both emotional and physical symptoms associated with PMDD, shedding light on novel therapeutic approaches for this condition.

Abnormal methylation mediated upregulation of LINC00857 boosts malignant progression of lung adenocarcinoma by modulating the miR-486-5p/NEK2 axis.

LINC00857 is frequently dysregulated in varying cancers, which in turn exerts carcinogenic effects; however, its DNA methylation status in promoter region and molecular mechanisms underlying the progression of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remain rarely understood. Through bioinformatics analysis, we examined the expression state and methylation site of LINC00857 in LUAD and further investigated the properties of LINC00857 as a competitive endogenous RNA in the cancer progression. The current study revealed that the overexpression of LINC00857 in LUAD tissue and cells was mainly caused by the hypomethylation of the promoter region. LINC00857 knockdown prominently reduced cell proliferation, impeded cell migration and invasion, and restrained lymph node metastasis, with enhancing radiosensitivity. The effects of LINC00857 on tumor growth were also investigated in nude mice models. Subsequently, the downstream factors, miR-486-5p and NEK2, were screened, and the putative regulatory axis was examined. Overall, the regulatory effect of methylation-mediated LINC00857 overexpression on miR-486-5p/NEK2 axis may be a new mechanism for LUAD progression.

Effect of emotional stimulus on response inhibition in people with mild cognitive impairment: an event-related potential study.

Background: A few studies are emerging to explore the issue of how aging promotes emotional response inhibition. However, there is a lack of empirical study concerning the impact of pathological cognitive impairment on emotional response inhibition. The present study investigated the effect of emotion on response inhibition in people with mild cognitive impairment, the stage of cognitive impairment before dementia. Methods: We used two emotional stop-signal tasks to explore whether the dual competition framework considering limited cognitive resources could explain the relationship between emotion and response inhibition in mild cognitive impairment. Results: The results showed that negative emotions prolonged N2 latency. The Go trial accuracy was reduced in the high-arousal negative conditions and the stop-signal reaction time was prolonged under high-arousal conditions. This study also verified impaired response inhibition in mild cognitive impairment and found that negative emotions prolonged P3 latency in mild cognitive impairment. Conclusion: Emotional information interferes with response inhibition in mild cognitive impairment populations, possibly because emotional information captures more attentional resources, thus interfering with response inhibition that relies on common-pool resources.

Selenobacteria-mediated Se transformation and uptake involving the unique genetic code.

Selenium (Se) is a crucial micronutrient for human health. Plants are the primary source of Se for humans. Selenium in the soil serves as the primary source of Se for plants. The soil contains high total Se content in large areas in Guangxi, China. However, the available Se is low, hindering Se uptake by plants. Microorganisms play a pivotal role in the activation of Se in the soil, thereby enhancing its uptake by plants. In this study, selenobacteria were isolated from Se-rich soils in Guangxi. Then two selenobacteria strains, YLB1-6 and YLB2-1, representing the highest (30,000 µg/mL) and lowest (10,000 µg/mL) Se tolerance levels among the Se-tolerant bacteria, were selected for subsequent analysis. Although the two selenobacteria exhibited distinct effects, they can significantly transform Se species, resulting in a decrease in the soil residual Se (RES-Se) content while concurrently increasing the available Se (AVA-Se) content. Selenobacteria also enhance the transformation of Se valencies, with a significant increase observed in soluble Se6+ (SOL-Se6+). Additionally, selenobacteria can elevate the pH of acidic soil. Selenobacteria also promote the uptake of Se into plants. After treatment with YLB1-6 and YLB2-1, the Se content in the aboveground part of Chinese flowering cabbage increased by 1.96 times and 1.77 times, respectively, while the Se accumulation in the aboveground part of the plant significantly increased by 104.36% and 81.69%, respectively, compared to the control. Further whole-genome sequencing revealed the genetic difference between the two selenobacteria. Additionally, 46 and 38 candidate genes related to selenium utilization were identified from YLB1-6 and YLB2-1, respectively. This work accelerates our understanding of the potential molecular mechanism of Se biofortification by selenobacteria. It also provides microorganisms and gene targets for improving crop varieties or microorganisms to exploit the rich Se source in soil.

Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy Modulates Neuron Recruitment and Neurotransmission Homeostasis of the Contralesional Cortex to Enhance Function Recovery after Ischemic Stroke.

Stroke often results in long-term and severe limb dysfunction for a majority of patients, significantly limiting their activities and social participation. Constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) is a rehabilitation approach aimed explicitly at enhancing upper limb motor function following a stroke. However, the precise mechanism remains unknown. This study explores how CIMT may alleviate forelimb paralysis in ischemic mice, potentially through structural and functional remodeling of brain regions beyond the infarct area, especially the contralateral cortex. We demonstrated that CIMT recruits neurons from the contralesional cortex into the network that innervates the affected forelimb, as evidenced by PRV retrograde nerve tracing. Additionally, we investigated how CIMT influences synaptic plasticity in the contralateral cortex by evaluating synaptic growth marker levels and neurotransmission's homeostatic regulation. Our findings uncover a rehabilitative mechanism by which CIMT treats ischemic stroke, characterized by increased recruitment of neurons from the contralateral cortex into the network that innervates the affected forelimb, facilitated by homeostatic regulation of neurotransmission.

Efficacy and safety of Chinese patent medicine combined with 5-aminosalicylic acid for patients with ulcerative colitis: A network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Objectives: Given the widespread use of Chinese patent medicines (CPMs) in combination with 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) for Ulcerative colitis (UC) patients, this study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of nine CPMs combined with 5-ASA in the treatment of UC. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in eight databases from inception to May 2023 to identify eligible RCTs evaluating the effects of CPM combined with 5-ASA for the treatment of UC. The methodological quality of the included RCTs was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool in Review Manager 5.4. The primary outcome of the meta-analysis was the overall response rate. The secondary outcomes included excellent rate, disease activity index (DAI), IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α levels, mean platelet volume (MPV), fibrinogen (FIB) levels, recurrence rate, and adverse event rate. Network meta-analysis was performed using Review Manager 5.4 and Stata 15.0. Results: In total, 70 RCTs including 5973 patients and 10 treatment regimens were included. The combination of Kangfuxin Liquid (KFL) and 5-ASA showed the greatest efficacy in improving FIB levels and the overall response rate. Bupi Yichang Pill (BYP) combined with 5-ASA was associated with the fewest adverse events and the lowest recurrence rate. Hudi Enteric-coated Capsule (HEC) combined with 5-ASA ranked first in improving DAI. ZhiKang Capsule (ZKC), ChangYanNing Capsule (CYN), and Danshen Injection (DSI) combined with 5-ASA ranked first in improving IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-α levels, respectively. Shenling Baizhu Powder (SBP) combined with 5-ASA was associated with the highest excellent rate. Conclusions: CPM combined with 5-ASA may be more effective than 5-ASA alone for treating UC. Besides, CPM combined with 5-ASA could better reduce the recurrence rate and adverse event rate in UC patients. The current meta-analysis provides statistical evidence for clinical application.Systematic Review Registration: International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO), No. CRD42023433672.

Field-aged rice hull biochar stimulated the methylation of mercury and altered the microbial community in a paddy soil under controlled redox condition changes.

Mercury (Hg) contaminated paddy soils are hot spots for methylmercury (MeHg) which can enter the food chain via rice plants causing high risks for human health. Biochar can immobilize Hg and reduce plant uptake of MeHg. However, the effects of biochar on the microbial community and Hg (de)methylation under dynamic redox conditions in paddy soils are unclear. Therefore, we determined the microbial community in an Hg contaminated paddy soil non-treated and treated with rice hull biochar under controlled redox conditions (< 0 mV to 600 mV) using a biogeochemical microcosm system. Hg methylation exceeded demethylation in the biochar-treated soil. The aromatic hydrocarbon degraders Phenylobacterium and Novosphingobium provided electron donors stimulating Hg methylation. MeHg demethylation exceeded methylation in the non-treated soil and was associated with lower available organic matter. Actinobacteria were involved in MeHg demethylation and interlinked with nitrifying bacteria and nitrogen-fixing genus Hyphomicrobium. Microbial assemblages seem more important than single species in Hg transformation. For future directions, the demethylation potential of Hyphomicrobium assemblages and other nitrogen-fixing bacteria should be elucidated. Additionally, different organic matter inputs on paddy soils under constant and dynamic redox conditions could unravel the relationship between Hg (de)methylation, microbial carbon utilization and nitrogen cycling.

Inhibition of METTL3 in macrophages provides protection against intestinal inflammation.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is prevalent, and no satisfactory therapeutic options are available because the mechanisms underlying its development are poorly understood. In this study, we discovered that increased expression of methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3) in macrophages was correlated with the development of colitis and that depletion of METTL3 in macrophages protected mice against dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis. Mechanistic characterization indicated that METTL3 depletion increased the YTHDF3-mediated expression of phosphoglycolate phosphatase (PGP), which resulted in glucose metabolism reprogramming and the suppression of CD4+ T helper 1 (Th1) cell differentiation. Further analysis revealed that glucose metabolism contributed to the ability of METTL3 depletion to ameliorate colitis symptoms. In addition, we developed two potent small molecule METTL3 inhibitors, namely, F039-0002 and 7460-0250, that strongly ameliorated DSS-induced colitis. Overall, our study suggests that METTL3 plays crucial roles in the progression of colitis and highlights the potential of targeting METTL3 to attenuate intestinal inflammation for the treatment of colitis.

Ultrasound pretreatment enhances moisture migration and drying quality of mulberry via microstructure and cell-wall polysaccharides nanostructure modification.

The effects of ultrasound pretreatment (20 kHz, 30 W/L) on mulberries' texture, microstructure, characteristics of cell-wall polysaccharides, moisture migration, and drying quality were investigated over exposure times ranging from 15 to 45 min. Ultrasound induced softening of mulberry tissue, accompanied by an increase in water-soluble pectin and a decrease in chelate-soluble pectin and Na2CO3-soluble pectin concentrations. Noticeable depolymerization of the pectin nanostructure was observed in the pretreated mulberries, along with a decrease in molecular weight, attributed to side-chain structure cleavage. Ultrasound loosened the cell wall structure, increased free water content and freedom, thereby reducing water diffusion resistance. Ultrasound pretreatment reduced drying time by 11.2 % to 23.3 % at various processing times compared to controls. Due to significantly enhanced drying efficiency, the optimal pretreatment time (30 min) yielded dried mulberries with higher levels of total phenolics and total anthocyanins, along with an increased antioxidant capacity. The results of this study provide insights into the mechanisms by which ultrasound pretreatment can effectively enhance the mulberry drying process.

Assessing the temporal within-day glycemic variability during hospitalization in patients with type 2 diabetes patients using continuous glucose monitoring: a retrospective observational study.

AIMS: Frequent and extensive within-day glycemic variability (GV) in blood glucose levels may increase the risk of hypoglycemia and long-term mortality in hospitalized patients with diabetes. We aimed to assess the amplitude and frequency of within-day GV in inpatients with type 2 diabetes and to explore the factors influencing within-day GV. METHODS: We conducted a single-center, retrospective observational study by analyzing hospital records and 10-day real-time continuous glucose monitoring data. Within-day GV was assessed using the coefficient of variation (%CV). The primary outcome was the amplitude and frequency of within-day GV. The frequency of within-day GV was assessed by the consecutive days (CD) of maintaining within the target %CV range after first reaching it (CD after first reaching the target) and the maximum consecutive days of maintaining within the target %CV range (Max-CD). The target %CV range was less than 24.4%. We evaluated the factors influencing within-day GV using COX regression and Poisson regression models. RESULTS: A total of 1050 cases were analyzed, of whom 86.57% reduced the amplitude of within-day GV before the sixth day of hospitalization. Of the 1050 hospitalized patients, 66.57% stayed within the target %CV range for less than two days after first reaching the target and 69.71% experienced a Max-CD of fewer than four days. Reducing the average postprandial glucose excursion (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.81, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.77-0.85; incidence rate ratios [IRR]: 0.72, 95% CI: 0.69-0.74) and the use of α-glucosidase inhibitors (IRR: 1.1, 95% CI: 1.01-1.18) and glucagon-like peptide-1 agonist (IRR: 1.30, 95% CI: 1.02-1.65) contributed to reducing the amplitude and decreasing the frequency of within-day GV. However, the use of insulin (HR: 0.64, 95% CI: 0.55-0.75; IRR: 0.86, 95% CI: 0.79-0.93) and glinide (HR: 0.47, 95% CI: 0.31-0.73; IRR: 0.84, 95% CI: 0.73-0.97) may lead to an increased frequency of within-day GV. CONCLUSIONS: An increasing frequency of within-day GV was observed during the hospitalization in patients with type 2 diabetes, despite the effective reduction in the amplitude of within-day GV. Using medications designed to lower postprandial blood glucose could contribute to minimize the risk of frequent within-day GV.

More reliable biomarkers and more accurate prediction for mental disorders using a label-noise filtering-based dimensional prediction method.

The integration of neuroimaging with artificial intelligence is crucial for advancing the diagnosis of mental disorders. However, challenges arise from incomplete matching between diagnostic labels and neuroimaging. Here, we propose a label-noise filtering-based dimensional prediction (LAMP) method to identify reliable biomarkers and achieve accurate prediction for mental disorders. Our method proposes to utilize a label-noise filtering model to automatically filter out unclear cases from a neuroimaging perspective, and then the typical subjects whose diagnostic labels align with neuroimaging measures are used to construct a dimensional prediction model to score independent subjects. Using fMRI data of schizophrenia patients and healthy controls (n = 1,245), our method yields consistent scores to independent subjects, leading to more distinguishable relabeled groups with an enhanced classification accuracy of 31.89%. Additionally, it enables the exploration of stable abnormalities in schizophrenia. In summary, our LAMP method facilitates the identification of reliable biomarkers and accurate diagnosis of mental disorders using neuroimages.

Epidemiology and risk factors of oral frailty among older people: an observational study from China.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to compare the prevalence of oral frailty among community-dwelling older people in Nanjing, China with the usage of different measurements, and to investigate the potential risk factors of oral frailty. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: A total of 338 community-dwelling older people in Nanjing, China were recruited. METHODS: Oral frailty was measured based on the Oral Frailty Index-8 (OFI-8) scale and other measurement methods including the number of natural teeth (TN), repetitive saliva-swallowing test (RSST), and oral diadochokinesis (ODK). The chi-square test and the binary logistic regression analysis were performed to identify potential risk factors for oral frailty. RESULTS: There were 310 participants included in the analysis. Prevalence of oral frailty by using the OFI-8, OFI-8 + TN, OFI-8 + ODK, OFI-8 + TN + ODK and RSST measurement methods were 69.0%, 27.4%, 51.9%, 21.0% and 2.9%, respectively. Passive smoking (OR = 2.04; 95%CI 1.03-4.03), being widowed/unmarried (OR1 = 2.53; 95%CI 1.25-5.10; OR2 = 2.94; 95%CI 1.12-7.77), pre-frailty (OR = 1.76; 95%CI 1.03-3.01), frailty (OR = 3.01; 95%CI 1.39-6.54), and aged 80 years and above (OR = 3.99; 95%CI 1.35-11.81) were found to be risk factors of oral frailty by the usage of the four kinds of measurement methods. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The definition and diagnostic criteria of oral frailty are strongly needed to be unified in future research. Only subjective assessment is not enough for assessing oral frailty. Among objective indicators, RSST is not suitable as a screening method for oral frailty. In addition, objective indicators including TN and ODK should be valued for early screening and preventive interventions. The risk factors of oral frailty include physical frailty, passive smoking, and being widowed.

A multi-stakeholder collaboration model of dementia-friendly communities: Experiences from Nanjing, China.

The care for people with dementia (PwD) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is dominated by home care and supplemented sporadically by public care provided using public resources. In the context of community resources cannot meet the demand for high-quality services for PwD, dementia-friendly communities (DFCs) provide ideas for alleviating this situation by integrating resources from multiple stakeholders. However, there is still a considerable gap between the capacity of services and the demand of PwD. Based on the experience of elderly services and DFCs construction in Nanjing, China, this study developed a stakeholder collaboration model and clarified the collaborative relationship among stakeholders such as the government, communities, and medical institutions in meeting the needs of PwD. This work summarizes the partnerships and specific actions of stakeholders and highlights the importance of facilitating resource integration to provide comprehensive services.

Characteristics and duties of clinical research nurses: a scoping review.

Introduction: The characteristics and duties of clinical research nurses (CRNs) are constantly developing and changing with the progress of medical technology and increasing needs in patient care. With the continuous deepening and standardization of clinical trials, the importance and status of CRNs during the whole process of clinical trials are also increasingly valued. Methods: A scoping review of studies related to the characteristics and duties of CRNs was conducted to clarify relevant roles and concepts. An electronic search was conducted on three English databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Embase) and two Chinese databases (CNKI and Wanfang database) in December 2023. Two authors independently screened the literature, extracted information from the included literature, and summarized and reported the findings. Results: A total of 26 articles published between 1991 and 2023 were analyzed, and four characteristics of CRNs were identified as participants and managers of clinical trials, caregivers and protectors of subjects, coordinators of research teams, and educators. Basic knowledge, skills and literacy, communication and coordination ability, and advanced research ability are the competencies required for CRNs. Conclusion: Further studies should focus on the importance of various characteristics of CRNs, so as to improve the quality of clinical trials and promote clinical evidence-based practice.

Evolution and function analysis of auxin response factors reveal the molecular basis of the developed root system of Zygophyllum xanthoxylum.

BACKGROUND: As a xerophytic shrub, forming developed root system dominated with lateral roots is one of the effective strategies for Zygophyllum xanthoxylum to adapt to desert habitat. However, the molecular mechanism of lateral root formation in Z. xanthoxylum is still unclear. Auxin response factors (ARFs) are a master family of transcription factors (TFs) in auxin-mediated biological processes including root growth and development. RESULTS: Here, to determine the relationship between ARFs and root system formation in Z. xanthoxylum, a total of 30 potential ZxARF genes were first identified, and their classifications, evolutionary relationships, duplication events and conserved domains were characterized. 107 ARF protein sequences from alga to higher plant species including Z. xanthoxylum are split into A, B, and C 3 Clades, consisting with previous studies. The comparative analysis of ARFs between xerophytes and mesophytes showed that A-ARFs of xerophytes expanded considerably more than that of mesophytes. Furthermore, in this Clade, ZxARF5b and ZxARF8b have lost the important B3 DNA-binding domain partly and completely, suggesting both two proteins may be more functional in activating transcription by dimerization with AUX/IAA repressors. qRT-PCR results showed that all A-ZxARFs are high expressed in the roots of Z. xanthoxylum, and they were significantly induced by drought stress. Among these A-ZxARFs, the over-expression assay showed that ZxARF7c and ZxARF7d play positive roles in lateral root formation. CONCLUSION: This study provided the first comprehensive overview of ZxARFs and highlighted the importance of A-ZxARFs in the lateral root development.