Less Is More: Donor Engineering of a Stable Molecular Dye for Bioimaging in the NIR-IIb Window.

Fluorescence molecular imaging aims to enhance clarity in the region of interest, particularly in the near-infrared IIb window (NIR-IIb, 1500-1700 nm). To achieve this, we developed a novel small-molecule dye, named , based on classic cyanine dyes (heptamethine or pentamethine is essential for wavelengths beyond 1000 nm). By reducing excessive polymethine to a single methine and disrupting symmetry to form an asymmetric donor-π-acceptor (D-π-A) architecture, we enhanced the donor's electron-donating capability, yielding emission at 1088 nm.

Design, Synthesis, and Imaging of a Stable Xanthene-Based Dye with NIR-II Emission up to 1450 nm.

The development of long-wavelength near-infrared II (NIR-II, 900-1700 nm) dyes is highly desirable but challenging. To achieve both red-shifted absorption/emission and superior imaging capabilities, a donor-acceptor-donor (D-A-D) xanthene core was strategically modified by extending π-conjugated double bonds and enhancing electron-donating properties. Two dyes named and were synthesized and exhibited notably red-shifted absorption/emission peaks at 942/1250 and 1098/1450 nm, respectively.

Natural variation in ZmNRT2.5 modulates husk leaf width and promotes seed protein content in maize.

The husk leaf of maize (Zea mays) encases the ear as a modified leaf and plays pivotal roles in protecting the ear from pathogen infection, translocating nutrition for grains and warranting grain yield. However, the natural genetic basis for variation in husk leaf width remains largely unexplored. Here, we performed a genome-wide association study for maize husk leaf width and identified a 3-bp InDel (insertion/deletion) in the coding region of the nitrate transporter gene ZmNRT2.

A series of blue phosphorescent iridium complexes with thermally activated delayed fluorescence and efficiency roll-off properties.

Six iridium complexes were designed and studied using the DFT approach, (ppy)Ir(pic) (1), (fppy)Ir(pic) (2), (ppy)Ir(tmd) (3), (fppy)Ir(tmd) (4), (ppy)Ir(tpip) (5) and (fppy)Ir(tpip) (6). Here ppy denotes phenylpyridine, fppy denotes 2-(2,3,4,5-tetrafluorophenyl) pyridine, pic denotes benzoic acid, tmd denotes 5-hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylhept-4-en-3-one and tpip denotes tetraphenylimido-diphosphinate. The geometries, absorptions, emissions, frontier molecular orbitals, and spin-orbit coupling (SOC) constants of the 6 complexes were evaluated.

A holistic platform for accelerating sorbent-based carbon capture.

Reducing carbon dioxide (CO) emissions urgently requires the large-scale deployment of carbon-capture technologies. These technologies must separate CO from various sources and deliver it to different sinks. The quest for optimal solutions for specific source-sink pairs is a complex, multi-objective challenge involving multiple stakeholders and depends on social, economic and regional contexts.

HyCas9-12aGEP: an efficient genome editing platform for .

plays a crucial role as a significant industrial producer of metabolites. Despite the successful development of CRISPR-Cas9 and CRISPR-Cas12a-assisted genome editing technologies in , their editing resolution and efficiency are hampered by the diverse on-target activities of guide RNAs (gRNAs). To address this problem, a hybrid CRISPR-Cas9-Cas12a genome editing platform (HyCas9-12aGEP) was developed in .

[Establishment of a quantitative method for GC analysis of polyoxyethylene (35) castor oil in microemulsion extracts].

With the continuous exploration of microemulsions as solvents for traditional Chinese medicine extraction, polyoxyethy-lene(35) castor oil(CrEL), a commonly used surfactant, is being utilized by researchers. However, the problem of detecting residues of this surfactant in microemulsion extracts has greatly hampered the further development of microemulsion solvents. Based on the chemical structures of the components in CrEL and the content determination method of castor oil in the 2020 edition of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia(Vol.

Pilot study of genome-wide DNA methylation and gene expression for treatment response to escitalopram in panic disorder.

Background: Antidepressants, particularly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, are currently considered the first-line treatment for panic disorder (PD). However, little is known about the relationship between the biomarkers that may predict better treatment.

Aim: To compare genome-wide methylation and gene expression patterns between responsive and non-responsive patients with PD after 4 wk of escitalopram treatment.

[Free posterior interosseous artery perforator flap in the treatment of finger with skin and soft tissue defect].

Objective: To explore clinical effects of repairing skin and soft tissue defect of finger with free posterior interosseous artery perforator flap.

Methods: Totally 8 patients with finger skin and soft tissue defect repaired with free posterior interosseous artery perforator flap were treated from May 2021 to November 2022, including 7 males and 1 female aged from 24 to 54 years old, and soft tissue defect area ranged from 3.0 cm×1.

gene polymorphisms are associated with respiratory symptoms in panic disorder.

Background: Genetic factors play an important role in the pathogenesis of panic disorder (PD). However, the effect of genetic variants on PD remains controversial.

Aim: To evaluate the associations between gene polymorphisms and PD risk and assess the effect of gene polymorphisms on the severity of clinical symptoms in PD.

A DNA Nanodevice-Based Platform with Diverse Capabilities.

Social biotic colonies often perform intricate tasks by interindividual communication and cooperation. Inspired by these biotic behaviors, a DNA nanodevice community is proposed as a universal and scalable platform. The modular nanodevice as the infrastructure of platform contains a DNA origami triangular prism framework and a hairpin-swing arm machinery core.

[Dryness-alleviating effect of processed Aurantii Fructus from Lingnan based on correlation of fecal metabolomics and dryness].

With the approach of untargeted metabolomics and correlation analysis, this study aimed to explore the mechanism of Aurantii Fructus from Lingnan region in alleviating dryness by analyzing the different effects of raw Aurantii Fructus(RAF) and processed Aurantii Fructus(PAF) on fecal endogenous metabolism in normal rats. Eighteen Sprague-Dawley(SD) rats were randomly divided into a control group(C), an RAF group(10 g·kg~(-1)), and a PAF group(10 g·kg~(-1)). After seven days of administration, the effects of RAF and PAF on dryness-related indexes were compared, including water intake, fecal water content, salivary secretion, the expression of AQP5, VIP, and 5-HT in the submandibular gland, as well as the expression of AQP3, VIP, and 5-HT in the colon.

Relationship between the UPLC Fingerprints of "Chachi" Leaves and Their Antioxidant Activities.

"Chachi" (CRC) leaves contain abundant flavonoids, indicating that they possess good nutritional/pharmacological research and development potential. This study aims to explore chemical antioxidant quality markers based on the spectrum-effect relationship and quality control strategy of CRC leaves. The ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) system was used to establish chromatographic fingerprints of "Chachi" leaves.

An miRISC-initiated DNA nanomachine for monitoring MicroRNA activity in living cells.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role in post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. However, methods to accurately detect miRNA activity in living cells are still limited. Here we developed a DNA nanomachine initiated by a miRNA-induced silencing complex (miRISC) for imaging miRNA activity in living cells.

Prediction of the Effect of Methylation in the Promoter Region of ZP2 Gene on Egg Production in Jinghai Yellow Chickens.

Egg production in chickens is a quantitative trait. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of promoter methylation of the Zona pellucida 2 (ZP2) gene on egg production. Real-time fluorescence quantification showed that the expression of the ZP2 gene in the ovaries of 300-day-old Jinghai yellow chickens in the high-laying group was significantly higher than that in the low-laying group (p < 0.

[Optimization of extraction process of Congrong Shujing Granules based on AHP-CRITIC analysis].

The index weight coefficients were determined by comparing the analytic hierarchy process(AHP), the criteria importance through inter-criteria correlation(CRITIC), and the AHP-CRITIC mixed weighting method. The comprehensive scores of index components(echinacoside, salvianolic acid B, paeoniflorin, and ointment yield) of each group in the orthogonal test were compared to optimize the extraction process of Congrong Shujing Granules. The results showed that the AHP-CRITIC mixed weighting method scientifically optimized the extraction process.

CD38 Drives Progress of Osteoarthritis by Affecting Cartilage Homeostasis.

Objective: To observe expression of CD38, a key modulator of nicotinamide dinucleotide (NAD+) metabolism in mice with knee osteoarthritis, and protective effect of CD38 inhibition during the osteoarthritis (OA) development.

Method: The destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM) model was performed in mice to mimic the process of OA. Immunofluorescence of CD38 was performed to evaluate its response during the OA process.

[Longitudinal Cohort Study of the Relationship between Sleep Duration and Depressive Symptoms in Older People in China].

Objective: To investigate the relationship between sleep duration and depressive symptoms in older people in China, and to explore whether there are gender differences in the relationship.

Methods: Accessing the data from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) for 2015 and 2018, we covered in the study a total of 2898 respondents, including 1684 males (58.1%) and 1214 females (41.

Enhancing β-alanine production from glucose in genetically modified Corynebacterium glutamicum by metabolic pathway engineering.

To directly produce β-alanine from glucose by microbial fermentation, a recombinant Corynebacterium glutamicum strain with high efficiency of β-alanine production was constructed in this study. To do this, the biosynthetic pathway of β-alanine in an L-lysine-producing strain XQ-5 was modified by enhancing carbon flux in biosynthetic pathway and limiting carbon flux in competitive pathway. This study showed that replacement of L-aspartate kinase (AK) with wild-type AK and disruption of lactate dehydrogenase and alanine/valine aminotransferases increase β-alanine production because of decreasing the by-products accumulation.

A Prospective Study of the Effect of Tinnitus Sound Matching Degree on the Efficacy of Customized Sound Therapy in Patients with Chronic Tinnitus.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore and compare the customized sound therapy effect between tinnitus sound matching and nonmatching patients in tinnitus customized sound therapy and therapy-related influencing factors.

Methods: This prospective study investigated a total of 100 patients with unilateral chronic tinnitus who received customized sound therapy. The participants were dichotomously divided into matching (group A) and nonmatching (group B) groups after 4 stages of tinnitus matching via the tinnitus assistant app (provided by Sound Ocean Company, SuZhou, China).

[Preparation of paclitaxel-loaded and folic acid-modified poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) nano-micelles and in vitro anticancer effect on cervical cancer HeLa cells].

The paclitaxel-loaded and folic acid-modified poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) nano-micelles(PTX@FA-PLGA-NMs) were prepared by the emulsion solvent evaporation method, and the parameters of paclitaxel-loaded nano-micelles were optimized with the particle size and PDI as evaluation indexes. The morphology of the nano-micelles was observed by transmission electron microscopy(TEM), and the stability, drug loading and encapsulation efficiency were systematically investigated. In vitro experiments were performed to study the cytotoxic effects of nano-micelles, apoptosis, and cellular uptake.

The effectiveness of formative assessment in pathophysiology education from students' perspective: a questionnaire study.

Current interdisciplinary medical training calls for reforms and innovations in the assessment of pathophysiology education. Formative assessment is used to monitor student learning to provide ongoing feedback that can improve both learning and teaching. Beginning in 2016, we implemented a formative assessment composed of case-based multiple-choice questions (MCQs) for all students in all majors.

Inflammatory response in postmenopausal osteoporotic fracture healing.

A balanced inflammatory response is important for successful fracture healing. The response of osteoporotic fracture healing is deranged and an altered inflammatory response can be one underlying cause. The objectives of this review were to compare the inflammatory responses between normal and osteoporotic fractures and to examine the potential effects on different healing outcomes.