Efficacy and safety of BF839 for pediatric autism spectrum disorder: a randomized clinical trial.

Background: The clinical utility of in treating autism spectrum disorder (ASD) remains unclear. Therefore, this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study aimed to explore the therapeutic effects and safety of BF839 in the treatment of pediatric ASD.

Methods: We examined 60 children aged 2-10 years diagnosed with ASD, and participants received either BF839 powder (10 g/bar with ≥10 CFU/bar of viable bacteria, two bars/day) or placebo for 16 weeks.

Comparison of the connectivity of the posterior intralaminar thalamic nucleus and peripeduncular nucleus in rats and mice.

The posterior intralaminar thalamic nucleus (PIL) and peripeduncular nucleus (PP) are two adjoining structures located medioventral to the medial geniculate nucleus. The PIL-PP region plays important roles in auditory fear conditioning and in social, maternal and sexual behaviors. Previous studies often lumped the PIL and PP into single entity, and therefore it is not known if they have common and/or different brain-wide connections.

Amino acid-based metallo-supramolecular nanoassemblies capable of regulating cellular redox homeostasis for tumoricidal chemo-/photo-/catalytic combination therapy.

Nanozymes, as nanomaterials with natural enzyme activities, have been widely applied to deliver various therapeutic agents to synergistically combat the progression of malignant tumors. However, currently common inorganic nanozyme-based drug delivery systems still face challenges such as suboptimal biosafety, inadequate stability, and inferior tumor selectivity. Herein, a super-stable amino acid-based metallo-supramolecular nanoassembly (FPIC NPs) with peroxidase (POD)- and glutathione oxidase (GSHOx)-like activities was fabricated via Pt-driven coordination co-assembly of l-cysteine derivatives, the chemotherapeutic drug curcumin (Cur), and the photosensitizer indocyanine green (ICG).

Local H release remodels senescence microenvironment for improved repair of injured bone.

The senescence microenvironment, which causes persistent inflammation and loss of intrinsic regenerative abilities, is a main obstacle to effective tissue repair in elderly individuals. In this work, we find that local H supply can remodel the senescence microenvironment by anti-inflammation and anti-senescence effects in various senescent cells from skeletally mature bone. We construct a H-releasing scaffold which can release high-dosage H (911 mL/g, up to 1 week) by electrospraying polyhydroxyalkanoate-encapsulated CaSi nanoparticles onto mesoporous bioactive glass.

Pathogenic mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets for Parkinson disease revealed by bioinformatic analysis of necroptosis and immune cell infiltration.

Parkinson disease (PD) is an age-dependent neurodegenerative disease with very high prevalence by age 80 years. Necroptosis is a newly identified form of programmed cell death implicated in neurodegenerative diseases, but has not yet been conclusively associated with PD. This study examined the contributions of necroptosis to PD using bioinformatics analysis.

Glutathione/pH-responsive copper-based nanoplatform for amplified chemodynamic therapy through synergistic cycling regeneration of reactive oxygen species and dual glutathione depletion.

The rapid scavenging of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by glutathione (GSH) and insufficient endogenous hydrogen peroxide (HO) in tumor cells are the major factors greatly restricting the efficacy of chemodynamic therapy (CDT). Herein, we developed a tumor microenvironment (TME)-responsive Cu-based metal-mesoporous organosilica nanoplatform integrating vitamin k3 (VK3), which could deplete GSH and specifically regenerate HO for amplified CDT of cancer. Once the CuO@MON-PEG/VK3 nanoparticles entered into the tumor cells through enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect, the organosilicon shell and CuO core would be successively degraded upon the triggering of GSH and endo/lysosomal acidity.

Inhibition of free heme-catalyzed Fenton-like reaction prevents non-alcoholic fatty liver disease by hepatocyte-targeted hydrogen delivery.

The metabolic disorder of hepatocytes in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) leads to the formation of an iron pool which induces the Fenton reaction-derived ferroptosis and the deterioration of liver disease. The elimination of the iron pool for the removal of Fenton reactions is vitally important to prevent the evolution of NAFLD, but quite challenging. In this work, we discover that free heme in the iron pool of NAFLD can catalyze the hydrogenation of HO/‧OH to block the heme-based Fenton reaction for the first time, and therefore develop a novel hepatocyte-targeted hydrogen delivery system (MSN-Glu) by modifying magnesium silicide nanosheets (MSN) with N-(3-triethoxysilylpropyl) gluconamide to block the heme-catalyzed vicious circle of liver disease.

Possible rodent equivalent of the posterior cingulate cortex (area 23) interconnects with multimodal cortical and subcortical regions.

Posterior cingulate cortex (area 23, A23) in human and monkeys is a critical component of the default mode network and is involved in many diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, autism, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and schizophrenia. However, A23 has not yet identified in rodents, and this makes modeling related circuits and diseases in rodents very difficult. Using a comparative approach, molecular markers and unique connectional patterns this study has uncovered the location and extent of possible rodent equivalent (A23~) of the primate A23.

Sonocatalytic hydrogen/hole-combined therapy for anti-biofilm and infected diabetic wound healing.

It is a great challenge to effectively eradicate biofilm and cure biofilm-infected diseases because dense extracellular polymeric substance matrix prevents routine antibacterial agents from penetrating into biofilm. H is an emerging energy-regulating molecule possessing both high biosafety and high tissue permeability. In this work, we propose a concept of sonocatalytic hydrogen/hole-combined 'inside/outside-cooperation' anti-biofilm for promoting bacteria-infected diabetic wound healing based on two-dimensional piezoelectric nanomaterials.

Two-Dimensional Mg Si Nanosheet-Enabled Sustained Hydrogen Generation for Improved Repair and Regeneration of Deeply Burned Skin.

Molecular hydrogen holds a high potential for wound healing owing to its anti-inflammatory effect and high biosafety, but commonly used hydrogen administration routes hardly achieve the sustained supply of high-dosage hydrogen, limiting hydrogen therapy efficacy. Here, two-dimensional Mg Si nanosheet (MSN) is exploited as a super-persistent hydrogen-releasing nanomaterial with high biocompatibility, and the incorporation of MSN into the chitosan/hyaluronic acid hydrogel (MSN@CS/HA) is developed as a dressing to repair deeply burned skin. The MSN@CS/HA hydrogel dressing can continuously generate hydrogen molecules for about 1 week in the physiological conditions in support of local, long-term, and plentiful hydrogen supply and remarkably promotes the healing and regeneration of deep second-degree and third-degree burn wounds without visible scar and toxic side effect.

Photocatalytic glucose depletion and hydrogen generation for diabetic wound healing.

High-glucose microenvironment in the diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) causes excessive glycation and induces chronic inflammation, leading to the difficulty of DFU healing. Hydrogen-rich water bath can promote the healing of DFU in clinic by virtue of the anti-inflammatory effect of hydrogen molecules, but the long-term daily soaking counts against the formation of a scab and cannot change the high-glucose microenvironment, limiting the outcome of DFU therapy. In this work, photocatalytic therapy of diabetic wound is proposed for sustainable hydrogen generation and local glucose depletion by utilizing glucose in the high-glucose microenvironment as a sacrificial agent.

Chemoarchitecture of area prostriata in adult and developing mice: Comparison with presubiculum and parasubiculum.

Retrosplenial area 29e, which was a cortical region described mostly in earlier rodent literature, is often included in the dorsal presubiculum (PrSd) or postsubiculum (PoS) in modern literature and commonly used brain atlases. Recent anatomical and molecular studies have revealed that retrosplenial area 29e belongs to the superficial layers of area prostriata, which in primates is found to be important in fast analysis of quickly moving objects in far peripheral visual field. As in primates, the prostriata in rodents adjoins area 29 (granular retrosplenial area), area 30 (agranular retrosplenial area), medial visual cortex, PrSd/PoS, parasubiculum (PaS), and postrhinal cortex (PoR).

Rodent Area Prostriata Converges Multimodal Hierarchical Inputs and Projects to the Structures Important for Visuomotor Behaviors.

Area prostriata is a limbic structure critical to fast processing of moving stimuli in far peripheral visual field. Neural substrates underlying this function remain to be discovered. Using both retrograde and anterograde tracing methods, the present study reveals that the prostriata in rat and mouse receives inputs from multimodal hierarchical cortical areas such as primary, secondary, and association visual and auditory cortices and subcortical regions such as the anterior and midline thalamic nuclei and claustrum.

Artemisinin improves neurocognitive deficits associated with sepsis by activating the AMPK axis in microglia.

Sepsis is life-threatening organ dysfunction due to dysregulated systemic inflammatory and immune response to infection, often leading to cognitive impairments. Growing evidence shows that artemisinin, an antimalarial drug, possesses potent anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory activities. In this study we investigated whether artemisinin exerted protective effect against neurocognitive deficits associated with sepsis and explored the underlying mechanisms.

Afferent Projections to Area Prostriata of the Mouse.

Area prostriata plays important roles in fast detection and analysis of peripheral visual information. It remains unclear whether the prostriata directly receives and integrates information from other modalities. To gain insight into this issue, we investigated brain-wide afferent projections to mouse prostriata.

Homotopic Commissural Projections of Area Prostriata in Rat and Mouse: Comparison With Presubiculum and Parasubiculum.

Area prostriata in primates has recently been found to play important roles in rapid detection and processing of peripheral visual, especially fast-moving visual information. The prostriata in rodents was not discovered until recently and its connectivity is largely unknown. As a part of our efforts to reveal brain-wide connections of the prostriata in rat and mouse, this study focuses on its commissural projections in order to understand the mechanisms underlying interhemispheric integration of information, especially from peripheral visual field.

Altered anxiety and social behaviors in a mouse model of Fragile X syndrome treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is a common mental retardation syndrome. Anxiety and abnormal social behaviors are prominent features of FXS in humans. To better understand the effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) on these behaviors, we analyzed anxiety-related and social behaviors in Fmr1 knockout mice treated by HBOT.

An Akkermansia muciniphila subtype alleviates high-fat diet-induced metabolic disorders and inhibits the neurodegenerative process in mice.

The prevalence of obesity and diabetes, and their complicating mental disorders, severely affect public health. This study aimed to investigate the long-term effects of an Akkermansia muciniphila subtype (A. muciniphila) on high-fat diet-induced obesity and diabetes, and to evaluate whether this subtype can alleviate their complicated mental disorders.

Localization of area prostriata and its connections with primary visual cortex in rodent.

Area prostriata (Pro) has been found to play important roles in the rapid processing of moving stimuli in the far peripheral visual field. However, the specific neural substrates responsible for these functions remain unknown. In this study, we first examined the location, extent, and topography of the rodent equivalent of the primate Pro based on cytoarchitecture and molecular markers.

The role of PI3-K/Akt signal pathway in the antagonist effect of CEPO on CHF rats.

The possible role of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3-K)/protein kinase B (Akt) signal pathway in the antagonist effect of carbamylated erythropoietin (CEPO) on chronic heart failure (CHF) in rats was investigated. Twenty of 120 rats were randomly selected as the control group, and the remaining rats as the model group. Rats in the model group received intraperitoneal injection of isoproterenol, those in the control group underwent intraperitoneal injection of equivalent normal saline.

Fragile X mental retardation protein promotes astrocytoma proliferation via the MEK/ERK signaling pathway.

Objective: To examine the association between fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP) expression and astrocytoma characteristics.

Methods: Pathologic grade and expressions of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), Ki67 (proliferation marker), and FMRP were determined in astrocytoma specimens from 74 patients. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was undertaken.

Alpha-asarone improves striatal cholinergic function and locomotor hyperactivity in Fmr1 knockout mice.

Hyperactivity is a symptom found in several neurological and psychiatric disorders, including Fragile X syndrome (FXS). The animal model of FXS, fragile X mental retardation gene (Fmr1) knockout (KO) mouse, exhibits robust locomotor hyperactivity. Alpha (α)-asarone, a major bioactive component isolated from Acorus gramineus, has been shown in previous studies to improve various disease conditions including central nervous system disorders.

Relationship between Foxp3-3279 (rs376158) polymorphism and dust mite allergic conjunctivitis.

Purpose: To investigate the genotyping of Foxp3-3279 (A/Crs376158) genes in patients with dust mite-induced allergic conjunctivitis from Guangdong province and to explore the association between these genes and the susceptibility to dust mite allergic conjunctivitis.

Methods: In total, 80 patients with dust mite allergic conjunctivitis and 103 healthy Han Chinese were enrolled in the study and received genotyping of Foxp3-3279 (A/C,rs376158) by PCR-SSP technique.

Results: Genotype frequency of Foxp3-3279 AA, CA, and CC in patients with dust mite allergic conjunctivitis were 1.