Elevated IL-22 as a result of stress-induced gut leakage suppresses septal neuron activation to ameliorate anxiety-like behavior.

Psychological stress and its sequelae pose a major challenge to public health. Immune activation is conventionally thought to aggravate stress-related mental diseases such as anxiety disorders and depression. Here, we sought to identify potentially beneficial consequences of immune activation in response to stress.

Mapping multi-regional functional connectivity of astrocyte-neuronal networks during behaviors.

Significance: Diverse behaviors rely on coordinated activity and multi-regional functional connectivity within astrocyte-neuronal networks. However, current techniques for simultaneously measuring astrocytic and neuronal activities across multiple brain regions during behaviors remain limited.

Aim: We propose a multi-fiber solution that can simultaneously record activities of astrocyte-neuronal networks across multiple regions during behaviors.

Robotic surgery versus laparoscopic surgery for rectal cancer: a comparative study on surgical safety and functional outcomes.

Backgrounds: This study aims to evaluate the clinical efficacy and functional outcomes of DA Vinci (Xi)-assisted surgery compared to conventional laparoscopic surgery for middle and low rectal cancer, focusing on oncologic cure and functional preservation.

Methods: Between December 2020 and June 2021, 102 patients with middle and low rectal cancer (tumour lower margin ≤10 cm) were enrolled at the affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University. Participants were divided into two groups: robot-assisted (n = 51) and laparoscopy-assisted (n = 51).

Protective effect of the branched short-chain fatty acid isobutyrate on intestinal damage in weaned piglets through intestinal microbiota remodeling.

Background: Postweaning intestinal damage in piglets is a challenging issue in the livestock industry. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are important metabolic products of the gut microbiota and are widely recognized for their role in maintaining normal colonic function and regulating the intestinal immune system. However, the effects of branched short-chain fatty acid (BSCFA) isobutyrate on intestinal health remain largely unknown.

Acute myeloid leukemia cells adhere to bone marrow and acquire chemoresistance by downregulating UNC5B expression.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a malignant tumor of the hematological system. Because of its characteristics of recurrence, refractory and chemoresistance, new therapeutic targets need to be identified. Adhesion and proliferation are characteristics of AML cells, and critical steps in inducing chemotherapy resistance.

Branched Short-Chain Fatty Acid-Rich Fermented Protein Food Improves the Growth and Intestinal Health by Regulating Gut Microbiota and Metabolites in Young Pigs.

The diet in early life is essential for the growth and intestinal health later in life. However, beneficial effects of a diet enriched in branched short-chain fatty acids (BSCFAs) for infants are ambiguous. This study aimed to develop a novel fermented protein food, enriched with BSCFAs and assess the effects of dry and wet ferment products on young pig development, nutrient absorption, intestinal barrier function, and gut microbiota and metabolites.

Chronic cold stress promotes inflammation and ER stress via inhibiting GLP-1R signaling, and exacerbates the risk of ferroptosis in the liver and pancreas.

The cold climates in autumn and winter threatens human health. The aim of this study was to reveal the effects of prolonged cold exposure on the liver and pancreas based on GLP-1R signaling, oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and ferroptosis by Yorkshire pig models. Yorkshire pigs were divided into the control group and chronic cold stress (CCS) group.

Toxic effect of fluorene on Perinereis aibuhitensis body wall and its corresponding defense mechanisms: A metabolomics perspective.

Fluorene is a coastal sediment pollutant with high ecological risk. Perinereis aibuhitensis is an ecotoxicological model used for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon bioremediation; however, the effects of fluorene on the physiological metabolism of P. aibuhitensis and its corresponding responses remain unclear.

Mechanisms of intestinal injury in polychaete Perinereis aibuhitensis caused by low-concentration fluorene pollution: Microbiome and metabonomic analyses.

The polychaete Perinereis aibuhitensis is used for bioremediation; however, its ability to remove fluorene, a common environmental pollutant, from sediments remains unclear, especially at low concentrations of fluorene (10 mg/kg). In this study, we explored the mechanism of intestinal injury induced by low concentrations of fluorene and the reason intestinal injury is alleviated in high fluorene concentration groups (100 and 1000 mg/kg) using histology, ecological biomarkers, gut microbiome, and metabolic response analyses. The results show that P.

S100a8/9 (S100 Calcium Binding Protein a8/9) Promotes Cardiac Hypertrophy Via Upregulation of FGF23 (Fibroblast Growth Factor 23) in Mice.

Background: S100a8/9 (S100 calcium binding protein a8/9) belongs to the S100 family and has gained a lot of interest as a critical regulator of inflammatory response. Our previous study found that S100a8/9 homolog promoted aortic valve sclerosis in mice with chronic kidney disease. However, the role of S100a8/9 in pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy remains unclear.

Isthmin-1 alleviates cardiac ischaemia/reperfusion injury through cGMP-PKG signalling pathway.

Aims: Ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is an important complication of reperfusion therapy for acute myocardial infarction, extremely compromising the cardiac benefits of revascularization; however, specific and efficient treatment for cardiac I/R injury is still lacking. Isthmin-1 (ISM1) is a novel adipokine and plays indispensable roles in regulating glycolipid metabolism and cell survival. The present study aims to investigate the potential role and molecular mechanism of ISM1 in cardiac I/R injury using gain- and loss-of-function approaches.

Dysregulations of amino acid metabolism and lipid metabolism in urine of children and adolescents with major depressive disorder: a case-control study.

Rationale: The mechanisms underlying major depressive disorder (MDD) in children and adolescents are unclear. Metabolomics has been utilized to capture metabolic signatures of various psychiatric disorders; however, urinary metabolic profile of MDD in children and adolescents has not been studied.

Objectives: We analyzed urinary metabolites in children and adolescents with MDD to identify potential biomarkers and metabolic signatures.

Adolescent male rats show altered gut microbiota composition associated with depressive-like behavior after chronic unpredictable mild stress: Differences from adult rats.

Accumulating evidence reveals the metabolism and neurotransmitter systems are different in major depressive disorder (MDD) between adolescent and adult patients; however, much is still unknown from the gut microbiome perspective. To minimize confounding factors such as geographical location, ethnicity, diet, and drugs, we investigated the gut microbial differences between adolescent and adult male Sprague-Dawley rats. We exposed the adolescent rats to chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) for 3 weeks and assessed their behavior using the sucrose preference test (SPT), open field test (OFT), and forced swimming test (FST).

Identifying plasma metabolic characteristics of major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia in adolescents.

Major depressive disorder (MDD), bipolar disorder (BD), and schizophrenia (SCZ) are classified as major mental disorders and together account for the second-highest global disease burden, and half of these patients experience symptom onset in adolescence. Several studies have reported both similar and unique features regarding the risk factors and clinical symptoms of these three disorders. However, it is still unclear whether these disorders have similar or unique metabolic characteristics in adolescents.

Construction of Reconfigurable and Polymorphic DNA Origami Assemblies with Coiled-Coil Patches and Patterns.

DNA origami nanodevices achieve programmable structure and tunable mechanical and dynamic properties by leveraging the sequence-specific interactions of nucleic acids. Previous advances have also established DNA origami as a useful building block to make well-defined micron-scale structures through hierarchical self-assembly, but these efforts have largely leveraged the structural features of DNA origami. The tunable dynamic and mechanical properties also provide an opportunity to make assemblies with adaptive structures and properties.

Comparative analysis of the nucleus accumbens transcriptional features in multiple depressive animal models.

Chronic stress is deemed a significant clinical contributor to depression. The use of animal models of chronic stress can fully reveal the complex pathological mechanisms and their changing trends in the pathogenesis of depression, which is crucial for both disease prevention and therapy. It is also unknown how various forms of stress differ in their impact on animal physiology and behavior.

Isthmin-1 Improves Aging-Related Cardiac Dysfunction in Mice through Enhancing Glycolysis and SIRT1 Deacetylase Activity.

Aging-related cardiac dysfunction poses a major risk factor of mortality for elderly populations, however, efficient treatment for aging-related cardiac dysfunction is far from being known. Isthmin-1 (ISM1) is a novel adipokine that promotes glucose uptake and acts indispensable roles in restraining inflammatory and fibrosis. The present study aims to investigate the potential role and molecular mechanism of ISM1 in aging-related cardiac dysfunction.

Assessment of early scientific research skills training for medical undergraduates in China.

The medical field is facing a physician-scientist shortage, threatening future medical research and development. Medical institutions can contribute to developing physician-scientists by stimulating students' involvement in research. In this study, a medical undergraduate teaching module to develop research skills and encourage interest in research was held in Chongqing, China.

Establishing Single-Cell Clones from In Vitro-Cultured Circulating Tumor Cells.

Cancer is a common health problem with more than 90% of deaths due to metastases. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) contain precursors that can initiate metastases. However, CTCs are rare, heterogeneous, and difficult to expand in culture.