Electroacupuncture alleviates neuropathic pain in a rat model of CCD via suppressing P2X3 expression in dorsal root ganglia.

Background: Sciatica and low back pain are prevalent clinical types of neuropathic pain that significantly impair patients' quality of life. Conventional therapies often lack effectiveness, making these conditions challenging to treat. Electroacupuncture (EA) is an effective physiotherapy for pain relief.

Multicriteria optimization achieves superior normal tissue sparing in volumetric modulated arc therapy for gastric cancer.

Objective: To evaluate the benefits of volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) based on multicriteria optimization (MCO) for gastric cancer patients, particularly the protection of serial organs at risk (OARs) that overlap with the target volume.

Methods: MCO and single-criterion optimization (SCO) VMAT plans were conducted among 30 gastric cancer patients, with a prescription dose of 50.4 Gy delivered in 28 fractions.

1α,25-hydroxyvitamin D alleviated rotavirus infection induced ferroptosis in IPEC-J2 cells by regulating the ATF3-SLC7A11-GPX4 axis.

Rotavirus (RV) mainly infects mature intestinal epithelial cells and impairs intestinal absorption function, which leads to the death of infected cells and eventually fatal diarrhea. Ferroptosis is a novel regulatory cell death pattern, which can be caused by virus infection. 1α,25-hydroxyvitamin D (1,25D) has an anti-RV infection effect and can regulate ferroptosis.

Unlocking the Effects of the RuCo Alloy Ratio on Alkaline Hydrogen Production.

Understanding the interaction between Ru and Co components and the alloy ratio effects on the catalytic process is a technical challenge that requires a precise alloy structural design. This study proposes an effective stepwise annealing method for the construction of RuCo alloy-based electrocatalysts with varied Ru:Co ratios. Interestingly, as the concentration of Co in the first-step pyrolysis products increases, the secondary pyrolysis results in RuCo composites undergoing a transition from incomplete alloying to alloy ratios of 1:1, 1:2, and 1:8.

Trojan Horse Strategy for Wireless Electrical Stimulation-Induced Zn Release to Regulate Neural Stem Cell Differentiation for Spinal Cord Injury Repair.

Due to the uncertain differentiation of neural stem cells (NSCs), replenishing lost neurons by endogenous neural differentiation to repair spinal cord injury (SCI) remains challenging. The electrical stimulation-induced drug release is a promising approach for the localized and controlled release of drugs to regulate the differentiation of NSCs into neurons. Here, we developed Zn-PDA@BT nanoparticles acted as Trojan Horse to enter cells through endocytosis for Zn-controlled release therapy by the potentials generated by the piezoelectric effect.

Super broad and protective nanobodies against Sarbecoviruses including SARS-CoV-1 and the divergent SARS-CoV-2 subvariant KP.3.1.1.

The ongoing evolution and immune escape of SARS-CoV-2, alongside the potential threat of SARS-CoV-1 and other sarbecoviruses, underscore the urgent need for effective strategies against their infection and transmission. This study highlights the discovery of nanobodies from immunized alpacas, which demonstrate exceptionally broad and potent neutralizing capabilities against the recently emerged and more divergent SARS-CoV-2 Omicron subvariants including JD.1.

Integrating transcriptomic data and digital pathology for NRG-based prediction of prognosis and therapy response in gastric cancer.

Background: Cancer is characterized by its ability to resist cell death, and emerging evidence suggests a potential correlation between non-apoptotic regulated cell death (RCD), tumor progression, and therapy response. However, the prognostic significance of non-apoptotic RCD-related genes (NRGs) and their relationships with immune response in gastric cancer (GC) remain unclear.

Methods: In this study, RNA-seq gene expression and clinical information of GC patients were acquired from The Cancer Genome Atlas and the Gene Expression Omnibus databases.

Synthetic promoter design in based on multinomial diffusion model.

Generative design of promoters has enhanced the efficiency of creation of functional sequences. Though several deep generative models have been employed in biological sequence generation, including variational autoencoder (VAE) or Wasserstein generative adversarial network (WGAN), these models might struggle with mode collapse and low sample diversity. In this study, we introduce the multinomial diffusion model (MDM) for promoter sequence design and propose a structured set of criteria for effectively comparing the performance of generative models.

Functional characterization of Siglec14 in facilitating innate defenses in Carassius cuvieri × Carassius auratus red var.

Sialic acid-binding Ig-like lectin 14 (Siglec14) is a member of the Siglecs family, a group of immune system receptors characterized by their ability to recognize sialic acids, which are a type of carbohydrate commonly found on the surfaces of cells in mammals. However, the role of Siglec14 in the innate immunity of teleosts has not been extensively explored. For this purpose, our study focused on the identification and characterization of a classical Siglec14, designated as WR-Siglec14, derived from the hybrid fish Carassius cuvieri × Carassius auratus red var.

Structure-guided design and evaluation of CRM197-scaffolded vaccine targeting GnRH for animal immunocastration.

Immunocastration is a humane alternative to surgical castration for controlling population and estrous behaviors in animals. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), the pivotal initiating hormone of the hormonal cascade in mammals, is the optimal target for immunocastration vaccine development. Cognate antigen-mediated cross-linking of B cell receptors (BCRs) is a strong activation signal for B cells and is facilitated by repetitive surface organizations of antigens.

Chitosan-Modified Hydrogel Microsphere Encapsulating Zinc-Doped Bioactive Glasses for Spinal Cord Injury Repair by Suppressing Inflammation and Promoting Angiogenesis.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a common nerve injury caused by external force, resulting in sensory and motor impairments. Previous studies demonstrated that inhibiting the neuroinflammation promoted SCI repair. However, these approaches are low efficient, and lack targeting specificity, and even require repeated and high doses of systemic administration.

Systematic Analysis of Cinnamyl Alcohol Dehydrogenase Family in Cassava and Validation of and in Lignin Synthesis and Postharvest Physiological Deterioration.

Cassava ( Crantz) is used as a biomass energy material and an effective supplement for food and feed. Cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD) catalyzes the final step of lignin biosynthesis and is responsible for various stresses. However, systematic investigations of the gene family in cassava have been poorly understood.

A Low-Computational-Complexity Digital Predistortion Model for Wideband Power Amplifier.

This paper proposes a Composition Piecewise Memory Polynomial (CPMP) digital predistortion model based on a Vector Switched (VS) behavioral model to address the challenges of severe nonlinearity and strong memory effects in wideband power amplifiers (PAs). To tackle this issue, two thresholds are calculated and used to segment the envelope values of the input signal according to the nonlinear distortion characteristics of the PA. In this approach, a Generalized Memory Polynomial (GMP) model is employed for the lower segment, a Memory Polynomial (MP) model is employed for the middle segment, and a higher-order GMP model is employed for the upper segment.

Characteristics of Polysaccharides from Industrial Hemp ( L.) Kernels.

Polysaccharides from hemp seeds exhibit antioxidant activities in vitro and in vivo. However, crude polysaccharide quality is often low owing to the presence of fibres and pigment impurities, which are difficult to eliminate in the hemp seed shell. In this study, crude polysaccharides from hemp kernels (HKP) were obtained by hot water extraction and separated by membrane ultrafiltration into eight fractions with different molecular weights.

Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Targeting Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex and Orbitofrontal Cortex on Somatic Symptoms in Patients With Major Depressive Disorder: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Clinical Trial.

Aim: There is a lack of research on transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for the treatment of somatic symptoms in major depressive disorder (MDD) and the suitable stimulating brain region. We investigated the efficacy of tDCS targeting the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) versus orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) on depressive somatic symptoms and somatic anxiety in patients with MDD and aimed to identify the appropriate stimulating brain regions.

Methods: In this randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled study, a total of 70 patients diagnosed with MDD were randomly allocated into DLPFC group, OFC group, and Sham group.

Elucidating Rheological Properties of Cementitious Materials Containing Fly Ash and Nanosilica by Machine Learning.

Researching the rheology contributes to enhancing the physical and mechanical properties of concrete and promoting material sustainability. Despite the challenges posed by numerous factors influencing viscosity, leveraging machine learning in the era of big data emerges as a viable solution for predicting the general properties of construction materials. This study aims to create models to forecast the rheological properties of cementitious materials containing fly ash and nanosilica.

Influence of the Pt/ionomer/water interface on the oxygen reduction reaction: insights into the micro-three-phase interface.

Understanding the Pt/ionomer/water interface structure and its impact on the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity is essential for enhancing catalyst utilization and performance of fuel cells. This study aimed to investigate the influence of sulfonic acid groups on the Pt/ionomer/water interface and the ORR mechanism. By using a combination of DFT, AIMD, and microkinetic simulations, the results showed that when the sulfonic acid group is located at the edge of the Helmholtz plane, it creates an optimal three-phase interface, providing more available active sites, a stronger interfacial electric field, and a more continuous H-bond network.

design of mIDH1 inhibitors by integrating deep learning and molecular modeling.

Background: Mutations in the IDH1 gene have been shown to be an important driver in the development of acute myeloid leukemia, gliomas and certain solid tumors, which is a promising target for cancer therapy.

Methods: Bidirectional recurrent neural network (BRNN) and scaffold hopping methods were used to generate new compounds, which were evaluated by principal components analysis, quantitative estimate of drug-likeness, synthetic accessibility analysis and molecular docking. ADME prediction, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations were used to screen candidate compounds and assess their binding affinity and binding stability with mutant IDH1 (mIDH1).

SLC38A5 suppresses ferroptosis through glutamine-mediated activation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling in osteosarcoma.

Background: Solute carrier family 38 member 5 (SLC38A5) is an amino acid transporter that plays a significant role in various cellular biological processes and may be involved in regulating the progression of tumors However, its function and underlying mechanism in osteosarcoma remain unexplored.

Methods: Utilizing various database analyses and experiments, we have explored the dysregulation of SLC38A5 in osteosarcoma and its prognostic value. A series of in vitro functional experiments, including CCK-8, colony formation, wound healing, and transwell invasion assays, were conducted to evaluate the effects of SLC38A5 on the proliferation, migration, and invasion of osteosarcoma cells.

Long-Term Outcomes of Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Pineocytomas: An International Multicenter Study.

Background And Objectives: Pineocytomas are grade 1 tumors arising from the pineal parenchyma. Gross total resection can potentially cure these benign lesions but can be associated with morbidity. This study was designed to provide multi-institutional data to evaluate the results of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for pineocytomas.

Observation of Aromatic B(CO) ( = 1-7) as Boron Carbonyl Analogs of Benzene.

CO as a typical σ-donor is one of the most important ligands in chemistry, while planar B is experimentally known as the most prominent magic-number boron cluster analogous to benzene. Joint gas-phase mass spectroscopy, collision-induced dissociation, and first-principles theory investigations performed herein indicate that B reacts with CO successively under ambient conditions to form a series of boron carbonyl complexes B(CO) up to = 7, presenting the largest boron carbonyl complexes observed to date with a quasi-planar B core at the center coordinated by CO ligands around it. Extensive theoretical analyses unveil both the chemisorption pathways and bonding patterns of these aromatic B(CO) monocations which, with three delocalized π bonds well-retained over the slightly wrinkled B moiety, all prove to be boron carbonyl analogs of benzene tentatively named as boron carbonyl aromatics (BCAs).

Recombinant characterization and pathogenicity of a novel L1C RFLP-1-4-4 variant of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus in China.

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) is one of the most significant diseases affecting the pig industry worldwide and is caused by the PRRS virus (PRRSV), which has complex genetic variation due to frequent mutations, indels, and recombination. The emergence of PRRSV L1C.5 in 2020 in the United States has raised worldwide concerns about PRRSV with the RFLP 1-4-4 pattern and lineage 1C.