Identifying influential nodes in brain networks via self-supervised graph-transformer.

Background: Studying influential nodes (I-nodes) in brain networks is of great significance in the field of brain imaging. Most existing studies consider brain connectivity hubs as I-nodes such as the regions of high centrality or rich-club organization. However, this approach relies heavily on prior knowledge from graph theory, which may overlook the intrinsic characteristics of the brain network, especially when its architecture is not fully understood.

Development of a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for the rapid detection of Beiji nairovirus.

Beiji nairovirus (BJNV) is a recently discovered tick-borne RNA virus associated with human febrile illness. This study aimed to develop a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for the precise detection of BJNV, with a specific focus on assessing its effectiveness with clinical samples. The optimal molecular target was identified as the BJNV small (S) segment gene, and the ideal reaction conditions were established at 65 °C for 50 min.

Two new sesquiterpene eudesmanolides from the Raeusch.

Two new sesquiterpene eudesmanolides, 5-hydroxy-eudesman-7(11)-en-8(12)-olide (), and 5-hydroxy-7(11)-en-8-oxo-eudesmane (), along with six known sesquiterpene eudesmanolides, were isolated from the leaves and twigs of Raeusch. The structures of these compounds were established basis on NMR and MS spectroscopic analyses. The cytotoxic activities of the isolated compounds were evaluated.

A retrospective single cohort study on the 5-13 year clinical outcomes of implant-supported cross-arch fixed dental prostheses with monolithic zirconia-based frameworks.

Purpose: To investigate the mid-to-long term clinical outcomes of the implant-supported cross-arch fixed dental prostheses (IFCDPs) with monolithic zirconia-based frameworks and related risk factors of success and survival.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective study encompassed individuals exhibiting terminal dentition or edentulism in the maxilla and/or mandible who underwent treatment involving IFCDPs with monolithic zirconia frameworks. Inclusion criteria required a documented follow-up period of at least five years post-definitive prosthesis delivery.

Brain functional gradients are related to cortical folding gradient.

Cortical folding is closely linked to brain functions, with gyri acting more like local functional "hubs" to integrate information than sulci do. However, understanding how anatomical constraints relate to complex functions remains fragmented. One possible reason is that the relationship is estimated on brain mosaics divided by brain functions and cortical folding patterns.

Strategic delivery of rapamycin and ranibizumab with intravitreal hydrogel depot disrupts multipathway-driven angiogenesis loop for boosted wAMD therapy.

Autophagic dysfunction-induced deterioration of the retinal microenvironment drives the progression of wet age-related macular degeneration (wAMD). The efficacy of single-target anti-VEGF antibodies in treating wAMD has long been suboptimal due to the intricate interplay between autophagy dysfunction, oxidative stress, and angiogenesis. Here, we introduce an intravitreal hydrogel depot, named Rab&Rapa-M@G, consisting of rapamycin-loaded microemulsion (Rapa-M, an mTOR inhibitor), ranibizumab (anti-VEGF antibody), and a thermosensitive hydrogel matrix.

Effects of E2 on the IDO1-mediated metabolic KYN pathway in OVX female mice.

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of 17β-estradiol (E2)-mediated oestrogen receptor (ER) in modulating the depressive-like behaviours of ovariectomy (OVX) mice and the associated mechanisms. E2 was administrated in OVX mice. The behaviour and physiological changes of OVX mice including immobility time in tail suspension test (TST) and forced swimming test (FST), levels of serum E2, inflammatory mediators, oxidative stress factors, indoleamine2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) and the neurotransmitters mediated by IDO1 activation were then recorded.

Maturation of pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes: limitations and challenges from metabolic aspects.

Acute coronary syndromes, such as myocardial infarction (MI), lack effective therapies beyond heart transplantation, which is often hindered by donor scarcity and postoperative complications. Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) offer the possibility of myocardial regeneration by differentiating into cardiomyocytes. However, hiPSC-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-cardiomyocytes) exhibit fetal-like calcium flux and energy metabolism, which inhibits their engraftment.

Impact of scanning strategies on the accuracy of virtual interocclusal records in partially edentulous arch using intraoral scanner: an in vitro study.

Purpose: To evaluate the scanning strategies affecting the accuracy of virtual interocclusal records (VIR) in partially edentulous arches using an intraoral scanner in vitro.

Methods: A reference model of a partially edentulous arch with implant analogs in positions 45,46 and 47 was constructed. Six pairs of 1-mm diameter metal beads were placed on the gingival tissue as markers for measurement.

Air bag-embedded MIL-101(Fe) metal-organic frameworks for an amplified tumor microenvironment activation loop through strategic delivery of iron ions and lentinan.

Iron-based nanocarriers have demonstrated potential in redirecting tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) polarization towards the M1 phenotype, critical for activating the tumor microenvironment (TME) in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). However, their real-world effectiveness is curtailed by insufficient Fe exposure and the absence of suitable synergists in tumors. We introduce an air bag-embedded iron-based MIL-101 metal-organic frameworks (MOF) for igniting the TME in TNBC through bubble-driven tumoral codelivery of Fe and lentinan.

Novel ultrasound capsule endoscopy for gastrointestinal scanning: An animal study.

Background And Objectives: EUS is an important modality for diagnosis and assessment of gastrointestinal (GI) subepithelial lesions. However, EUS is invasive and operator-dependent and requires sedation in most cases. The newly developed ultrasound capsule endoscopy (USCE) system, with both white-light and ultrasound imaging modalities, is a minimally invasive method for superficial and submucosal imaging of the esophagus.

Evaluating Cryo-TEM Reconstruction Accuracy of Self-Assembled Polymer Nanostructures.

Cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) combined with single particle analysis (SPA) is an emerging imaging approach for soft materials. However, the accuracy of SPA-reconstructed nanostructures, particularly those formed by synthetic polymers, remains uncertain due to potential packing heterogeneity of the nanostructures. In this study, the combination of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and image simulations is utilized to validate the accuracy of cryo-TEM 3D reconstructions of self-assembled polypeptoid fibril nanostructures.

Comparison of robotic system and dynamic navigation for zygomatic implant placement: An in vitro study.

Objectives: To compare the accuracy of robotic and dynamic navigation systems in assisting zygomatic implant (ZI) using an in vitro model experiment.

Methods: Preoperative cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images of patients who underwent ZI treatment between 2011 and 2023 were collected from local databases. Corresponding three-dimensional resin models were printed and assigned to two groups: the robotic and dynamic navigation system groups.

SIRT5 safeguards against T-2 toxin induced liver injury by repressing iron accumulation, oxidative stress, and the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome.

T-2 toxin, a highly toxic trichothecene mycotoxin widely found in food and feed, poses a significant threat to human health as well as livestock and poultry industry. Liver, being a crucial metabolic organ, is particularly susceptible to T-2 toxin induced damage characterized by inflammation and oxidative stress. Despite the role of Sirtuin 5 (SIRT5) in mitigating liver injury has been confirmed, its specific impact on T-2 toxin induced liver injury remains to be elucidated.

Exploring thermophysical properties of CoCrFeNiCu high entropy alloy via molecular dynamics simulations.

High entropy alloys (HEAs) are alloys composed of five or more primary elements in equal or nearly equal proportions of atoms. In the present study, the thermophysical properties of the CoCrFeNiCu high entropy alloy (HEA) were investigated by a molecular dynamics (MD) method at nanoscale. The effects of the content of individual elements on lattice thermal conductivity were revealed, and the results suggested that adjusting the atomic content can be a way to control the lattice thermal conductivity of HEAs.

A colorimetric assay for Neospora caninum utilizing the loop-mediated isothermal amplification technique.

Neospora caninum (N. caninum) is a protozoan parasite that poses a serious risk to livestock by infecting various domestic and wild animals. Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) offers a cost-effective, highly sensitive, and specific method for detecting protozoan parasites.

Impact of labially inclined implant axes on immediate implant placement and provisionalization in anterior maxilla: A prospective cohort study.

Objectives: To investigate whether a labially inclined implant axis compromises the clinical outcomes of immediate implant placement and provisionalization (IIPP) in the anterior maxilla.

Materials And Methods: Patients with unsalvageable central or lateral maxillary incisors were enrolled. IIPP with simultaneous connective tissue graft (CTG) was performed in all participants.

Fusing multi-scale functional connectivity patterns via Multi-Branch Vision Transformer (MB-ViT) for macaque brain age prediction.

Brain age (BA) is defined as a measure of brain maturity and could help characterize both the typical brain development and neuropsychiatric disorders in mammals. Various biological phenotypes have been successfully applied to predict BA of human using chronological age (CA) as label. However, whether the BA of macaque, one of the most important animal models, can also be reliably predicted is largely unknown.

Zika virus NS5 protein inhibits type I interferon signaling via CRL3 E3 ubiquitin ligase-mediated degradation of STAT2.

The ZIKA virus (ZIKV) evades the host immune response by degrading STAT2 through its NS5 protein, thereby inhibiting type I interferon (IFN)-mediated antiviral immunity. However, the molecular mechanism underlying this process has remained elusive. In this study, we performed a genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 screen, revealing that ZSWIM8 as the substrate receptor of Cullin3-RING E3 ligase is required for NS5-mediated STAT2 degradation.

Efficacy of cordycepin against Neospora caninum infection in vitro and in vivo.

Neospora caninum (N. caninum) is an obligate intracellular Apicomplexa parasite that causes abortions in dairy cows and incurs substantial to significant economic losses in the global dairy farming industry. Cordycepin, a nucleoside antibiotic derived from Chinese medicine Cordyceps militaries, exhibits diverse biological activities.

Protocol for transplantation of cells derived from human midbrain organoids into a Parkinson's disease mouse model to restore motor function.

Midbrain organoids provide an innovative cellular source for transplantation therapies of neurodegenerative diseases. Here, we present a protocol for midbrain organoid-derived cell transplantation into a Parkinson's disease mouse model. We describe steps for midbrain organoid generation, single-cell suspension preparation, and cell transplantation.

An interpretable Bayesian clustering approach with feature selection for analyzing spatially resolved transcriptomics data.

Recent breakthroughs in spatially resolved transcriptomics (SRT) technologies have enabled comprehensive molecular characterization at the spot or cellular level while preserving spatial information. Cells are the fundamental building blocks of tissues, organized into distinct yet connected components. Although many non-spatial and spatial clustering approaches have been used to partition the entire region into mutually exclusive spatial domains based on the SRT high-dimensional molecular profile, most require an ad hoc selection of less interpretable dimensional-reduction techniques.