Effects of synbiotics surpass probiotics alone in improving type 2 diabetes mellitus: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Background And Aims: Combining probiotics and prebiotics in synbiotics may present a synergistic approach to improve type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM); however, further evidence is required to establish the comparative efficacy of synbiotics versus probiotics. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis MN-Gup (MN-Gup) and a synbiotic mixture of MN-Gup and galactooligosaccharide (MN-Gup-GOS) on glycemic control in T2DM patients and explore possible mechanisms.

Alterations of gut microbiota and metabolome are associated with primary nephrotic syndrome in children.

Background: Primary nephrotic syndrome (PNS) is a common glomerular disease in children. Dysbiosis of gut microbiota acts as a cause of Treg abnormalities. However, the intestinal metabolic impact of PNS with children remains poorly understood.

Inhibition of the NLRP3 inflammasome attenuates spiral ganglion neuron degeneration in aminoglycoside-induced hearing loss.

JOURNAL/nrgr/04.03/01300535-202510000-00031/figure1/v/2024-11-26T163120Z/r/image-tiff Aminoglycosides are a widely used class of antibacterials renowned for their effectiveness and broad antimicrobial spectrum. However, their use leads to irreversible hearing damage by causing apoptosis of hair cells as their direct target.

Tissue-specific and functional loci analysis of CASP14 gene in the sheep horn.

Under the current context of intensive farming, small-horned animals are more suitable for large-scale breeding. The CASP14 gene, closely associated with skin and keratin formation, may influence horn size due to its link with skin development. This study comprehensively analyzed the tissue-specific expression of CASP14 using RNA-Seq data, identified functional sites through whole-genome sequencing (WGS), and investigated allele-specific expression (ASE) validated by KASP assays.

The impact of serial mergers and acquisitions on enterprises' total factor productivity: The mediating role of digital transformation.

Research Background: M&A (Mergers and acquisitions) is a strategic measure for enterprises to expand their scale, enhance their competitiveness and improve productivity in the market competition. As a new factor of production, data is changing the factor input model and value creation path of enterprises.

Research Objectives: From the perspective of serial M&A, this study explores the impact of serial M&A on enterprises' TFP (total factor productivity) and the mechanism of digital transformation between them.

Flavor properties of post-heated fermented milk revealed by a comprehensive analysis based on volatile and non-volatile metabolites and sensory evaluation.

Existing research on the post-heating processing of fermented milk has primarily focused on single post-heating treatments and the texture, while research on how changes in metabolites during different post-heating treatments affect flavor and sensory properties is limited. This study investigates the changes in volatile metabolites in fermented milk treated at different post-heating temperatures to determine the characteristic aroma types and analyzes the changes in non-volatile metabolites associated with aroma-active compounds or their precursors to clarify the causes of the altered flavor and sensory properties. The results showed that in the 65 °C and 75 °C treatments, 63 volatile compounds were produced by Strecker degradation, lipid oxidation and esterification to produce ketones and aldehydes.

Toxicokinetics and responses of multiple biomarkers of sediment-associated fluoroquinolones in an ecologically important freshwater snail Bellamya aeruginosa.

Fluoroquinolones (FQs) have the propensity to accumulate in sediments once introduction into aquatic environments, thereby posing potential threats to benthic organisms, yet the ecotoxicity of sediment-associated FQs remains unclear. In this study, the toxicokinetics and responses of multiple biomarkers in Bellamya aeruginosa, exposed to the three commonly used FQs (norfloxacin, NOR; ciprofloxacin, CIP; levofloxacin, LEVO) at environmentally relevant concentrations were investigated under sediment exposure scenario. The results revealed that FQs were effectively ingested by B.

SOF mediated click chemistry enables modular disulfide formation in diverse reaction media.

The dynamic disulfide linkage plays a vital role in various biological processes as well as drugs and biomaterials. The conversion of thiols to their corresponding disulfides is a hallmark of sulfur chemistry, but notoriously difficult to control. Achieving optimal reactivity and selectivity continues to pose significant challenges.

Smoking cessation to prevent death and tuberculosis recurrence after treatment: A prospective cohort study with a seven-year follow-up in China.

Background: Although there is consistent evidence that smoking is a risk factor associated with tuberculosis (TB), whether smoking cessation improves treatment outcomes and reduces the risk of TB recurrence remains understudied.

Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study with a seven-year follow-up in China. We recruited newly-diagnosed TB patients and classified them as non-smokers, ex-smokers, and current smokers.

α-linolenic acid mitigates microglia-mediated neuroinflammation of schizophrenia in mice by suppressing the NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway via binding GPR120-β-arrestin 2.

Background: Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a heterogeneous psychiatric disorder that is poorly treated by current therapies. Emerging evidence indicates that SCZ is closely correlated with a persistent neuroinflammation. α-linolenic acid (ALA) is highly concentrated in the brain and represents a modulator of the immune system by decreasing the inflammatory response in chronic metabolic diseases.

Hip-Knee Motion-Lagged Coordination Mapping Enables Speed Adaptive Walking for Powered Knee Prosthesis.

The commonly used finite-state-machine (FSM) impedance control for powered prostheses deploys diverse control parameters according to different gait phases, resulting in dozens of parameter adjustments and possible gait phase misrecognition. In contrast, this study presents a straightforward, continuous, and speed-adaptive control approach based on hip-knee motion-lagged coordination mapping (MLCM). The mapping, featured by the motion lag, can effectively generate the prosthetic knee's goal gait within a second-order polynomial.

Amino Acid-Induced Chemotaxis Plays a Key Role in the Adaptation of from Seawater to the Muscle of the Host Fish.

is a normal flora in natural marine habitats and a significant opportunistic pathogen in marine animals. This bacterium can cause a series of lesions after infecting marine animals, in which muscle necrosis and ulcers are the most common symptoms. This study explored the adaptation mechanisms of from the seawater environment to host fish muscle environment.

Investigating the antiviral activity of Erigeron annuus (L.) pers extract against RSV and examining its active components.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: The plants in the genus Erigeron are known to exhibit antiviral activities, including those against the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). In traditional medicine Erigeron annuus (L.) Pers (EA) has been used in the treatment of pulmonary diseases and acute infectious hepatitis.

Spontaneous aggregation-enhanced electrochemiluminescence via galvanic strategy.

Researchers unremittingly strive to develop innovative luminophores to enhance intrinsic electrochemiluminescence (ECL) performance. However, the potential to harness facile strategies, such as manipulating the physical properties of luminophores while retaining functional chemical properties to fabricate cost-effective ECL complexes, remains underexplored. Herein, we reported a novel and efficient one-step galvanic technique to actualize aggregation-enhanced ECL (AEECL) of ruthenium complexes.

Modular Synthesis of Polysubstituted α-Phosphorylated Arenes via the Catellani Strategy.

In this paper, we described a palladium/norbornene-catalyzed -C-H phosphormethylation of aryl iodides using XCHP(O)RR', offering a reliable method for the modular synthesis of polysubstituted α-phosphorylated arenes. Alkenylation, hydrogenation, cyanation, methylation, and arylation were all viable termination steps compatible with the reaction. This method demonstrates excellent functional group tolerance and can be extended to the late-stage modification of bioactive molecules.

Elucidating thoracic aortic dissection pathogenesis: The interplay of m1A-related gene expressions and miR-16-5p/YTHDC1 Axis in NLRP3-dependent pyroptosis.

The underlying molecular mechanisms of thoracic aortic dissection (TAD) remain incompletely understood. Recent insights into RNA methylation and microRNA-mediated gene regulation offer new avenues for exploring how these processes contribute to the pathophysiology of TAD, particularly through the modulation of pyroptosis and smooth muscle cell viability. This research aimed to elucidate the interplay of m1A-related gene expressions and miR-16-5p/YTHDC1 Axis in NLRP3-dependent pyroptosis, a mechanism implicated in the pathogenesis of TAD.

Oxygen Vacancy Mediation in SnO Electron Transport Layers Enables Efficient, Stable, and Scalable Perovskite Solar Cells.

Previous findings have suggested a close association between oxygen vacancies in SnO and charge carrier recombination as well as perovskite decomposition at the perovskite/SnO interface. Underlying the fundamental mechanism holds great significance in achieving a more favorable balance between the efficiency and stability. In this study, we prepared three SnO samples with different oxygen vacancy concentrations and observed that a low oxygen vacancy concentration is conducive to long-term device stability.

Tracheobronchial Foreign Body in Children with an Insidious Medical History.

This study explored the clinical features of tracheobronchial foreign bodies (TFB) in children lacking both a foreign body aspiration history and bronchial cut-off signs on imaging. This study was conducted between 2011 and 2021, including 45 children without a choking history or tracheal interruption on CT scans. Common symptoms were cough and wheezing (91.