[Research progress in alkaloids and their pharmacological effects from plants of Rutaceae].

The plants of Rutaceae, with wide distribution in China, have a long history of medicinal use. They contain a wide variety of alkaloids, which include isoquinolines, quinolines, acridones, carbazoles, and indoles. Pharmacological studies have shown that most of these alkaloids have antitumor, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antidiabetic and other activities.

Histological Features of Uterine Myometrial Dysfunction: Possible Involvement of Localized Inflammation.

Objective: The latest perspective suggests that elevated levels of inflammation and cytokines are implicated in atonic postpartum hemorrhage. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) has been widely used to induce inflammation in animal models. Therefore, this study aimed to induce uterine inflammation using LPS to investigate whether local inflammation triggers dysfunction and atrophy in the myometrium, as well as the potential underlying molecular mechanisms involved.

Genes Associated with Altered Brain Structure and Function in Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has been widely reported to cause abnormalities in brain structure and function, but the genetic mechanisms behind these changes remain largely unexplored. Our research aims to investigate the relationship between sleep characteristics, cognitive impairments, genetic factors, and brain structure and function in OSA. Using structural and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data, we compared cortical morphology and spontaneous brain activity between 28 patients with moderate-to-severe OSA and 34 healthy controls (HCs) utilizing voxel-based morphology (VBM) and the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) analyses.

Multilayer network analysis of dynamic network reconfiguration in patients with moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea and its association with neurocognitive function.

Background: Brain functional network disruption and neurocognitive dysfunction have been reported in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients. Nevertheless, most research studies static networks, while brain evolution continues dynamically.

Purpose: To investigate the characteristics of dynamical networks in moderate-to-severe OSA patients using multilayer network analysis of dynamic networks and compare their association with neurocognitive function.

LncRNA HCG27 Promotes Glucose Uptake Ability of HUVECs by MiR-378a-3p/MAPK1 Pathway.

Objective: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is the most common metabolic disorder during pregnancy. LncRNA HLA complex group 27 (HCG27) plays a crucial role in various metabolic diseases. However, the relationship between lncRNA HCG27 and GDM is not clear.

Differential and correlational tractography as tract-based biomarkers in mild traumatic brain injury: A longitudinal MRI study.

We evaluated the fiber bundles in mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) patients using differential and correlational tractography in a longitudinal analysis. Diffusion MRI data were acquired in 34 mTBI patients at 7 days (acute stage) and 3 months or longer (chronic stage) after mTBI. Trail Making Test A (TMT-A) and Digital Symbol Substitution Test changes were used to evaluate the cognitive performance.

Voicing the story behind the cover.

In this selection, we celebrate the art of science by highlighting some of the submitted cover images from the past year. In this collection, our authors share the stories behind their inspiration for how to portray their science to captivate a broader audience.

Effectiveness of six-step complex decongestive therapy for treating upper limb lymphedema after breast cancer surgery.

Background: Complex decongestive therapy (CDT) is currently recommended as the standard treatment for lymphedema. CDT is a four-step detumescence therapy that can effectively treat upper limb lymphedema after breast cancer surgery, and is considered non-invasive, painless and without side effects.

Aim: To determine the effectiveness of a six-step CDT involving a foam granule bandage for the treatment of upper extremity lymphedema pressure after breast cancer surgical intervention.

Diagnostic performance of gliomas grading and IDH status decoding A comparison between 3D amide proton transfer APT and four diffusion-weighted MRI models.

Background: The focus of neuro-oncology research has changed from histopathologic grading to molecular characteristics, and medical imaging routinely follows this change.

Purpose: To compare the diagnostic performance of amide proton transfer (APT) and four diffusion models in gliomas grading and isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) genotype.

Study Type: Prospective.

An ex vivo system to study cellular dynamics underlying mouse peri-implantation development.

Upon implantation, mammalian embryos undergo major morphogenesis and key developmental processes such as body axis specification and gastrulation. However, limited accessibility obscures the study of these crucial processes. Here, we develop an ex vivo Matrigel-collagen-based culture to recapitulate mouse development from E4.

Detection and Classification of Breast Lesions With Readout-Segmented Diffusion-Weighted Imaging in a Large Chinese Cohort.

To evaluate the performance of readout-segmented echo-planar imaging DWI (rs-EPI DWI) in detecting and characterizing breast cancers in a large Chinese cohort with comparison to dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI). The institutional review board approved this retrospective study with waived written informed consent. A total of 520 women (mean age, 43.

R2* value derived from multi-echo Dixon technique can aid discrimination between benign and malignant focal liver lesions.

Background: R2* estimation reflects the paramagnetism of the tumor tissue, which may be used to differentiate between benign and malignant liver lesions when contrast agents are contraindicated.

Aim: To investigate whether R2* derived from multi-echo Dixon imaging can aid differentiating benign from malignant focal liver lesions (FLLs) and the impact of 2D region of interest (2D-ROI) and volume of interest (VOI) on the outcomes.

Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 73 patients with 108 benign or malignant FLLs.

[Effect of psoralen on rat osteoblasts injuries induced by TCP wear particles in vitro and its mechanism].

To investigate the effect and mechanism of psoralen on calvarial osteoblasts injuries caused by tricalcium phosphate (TCP) wear particles in vitro. Primary osteoblasts were obtained from the calvaria of neonatal SD rat by the series of digestion and were identified with ALP staining. Calvarial osteoblasts were treated with TCP wear particles for 48 h to establish the in vitro model of osteoblasts injuries.

Thyroid imaging reporting and data system (TIRADS) for ultrasound features of nodules: multicentric retrospective study in China.

Purpose: To establish a practical and simplified Chinese thyroid imaging reporting and data system (C-TIRADS) based on the Chinese patient database.

Methods: A total of 2141 thyroid nodules that were neither cystic nor spongy were used in the current study. These specimens were derived from 2141 patients in 131 alliance hospitals of the Chinese Artificial Intelligence Alliance for Thyroid and Breast Ultrasound.

Salvianolic acid B decreases interleukin-1β-induced colitis recurrence in mice.

Background: Degree of mucosal recovery is an important indicator for evaluating the therapeutic effects of drugs in treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Increasing evidences has proved that tight junction (TJ) barrier dysfunction is one of the pathological mechanisms of IBD. The aim of this study was to observe whether enhancement of TJ can decrease colitis recurrence.

Symmetry Breaking in the Mammalian Embryo.

We present an overview of symmetry breaking in early mammalian development as a continuous process from compaction to specification of the body axes. While earlier studies have focused on individual symmetry-breaking events, recent advances enable us to explore progressive symmetry breaking during early mammalian development. Although we primarily discuss embryonic development of the mouse, as it is the best-studied mammalian model system to date, we also highlight the shared and distinct aspects between different mammalian species.

Evaluating steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence as a tool to study the behavior of asphaltene in toluene.

A combination of steady-state fluorescence, fluorescence lifetime measurements and the determination of time-resolved emission spectra were employed to characterize asphaltene toluene solutions. Lifetime measurements were shown to be insensitive to the source of asphaltene or the alkane solvent from which asphaltene was precipitated. This insensitivity suggests that either the composition of Athabasca and Cold Lake asphaltene is very similar or that the fluorescence behavior is dominated by the same sub-set of fluorophores for the different samples.

Effect of terbium(III) on the binding of aromatic guests with sodium taurocholate aggregates.

The effect of binding Tb(3+) to sodium taurocholate aggregates containing polyaromatic hydrocarbon guests was examined using pyrene and 1-ethylnaphthalene as guests that bind to the primary aggregate, and 1-naphthyl-1-ethanol as a secondary aggregate guest. Time-resolved fluorescence quenching studies were used to study the binding site properties, while laser flash photolysis quenching studies provided information on the dynamics of the guest-aggregate system. Both the primary and secondary aggregate binding sites became more compact in the presence of bound Tb(3+), while only the primary aggregate became more accessible to anionic molecules.