A Femtosecond Fiber Laser-Based Compact Label-Free Multimodality Nonlinear Optical Microscopy and Its Ex Vivo Bioimaging.

Nonlinear multimode imaging is a versatile tool to realize complex structural and compositional information of biological samples. In this study, we presented a novel integrated multimode nonlinear optical microscopy system by using an Er3 + -doped femtosecond fiber laser. The system could perform second harmonic generation (SHG), third harmonic generation (THG), and three-photon fluorescence (3PEF) imaging modes simultaneously.

Sevoflurane Activates PI3K/AKT Signaling Pathway by Upregulating Expression to Attenuate Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury in Cardiomyocytes.

Background: Myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury stands as a primary contributor to ischemic heart disease. Sevoflurane (SEVO), a commonly used inhalation anesthetic, has been shown to exert a direct protective effect on ischemic heart injury. However, the specific mechanism by which it exerts the protective effect remains unclear.

The combined use of serum Raman spectroscopy and D dimer testing for the early diagnosis of acute aortic dissection.

Objectives: Acute aortic dissection (AAD) is an extremely life-threatening medical emergency, often misdiagnosed in its early stages, resulting in prolonged wait times for rescue. This study aims to identify potential serum biomarkers that can assist in the accurate diagnosis of AAD and effectively differentiate it from other conditions causing severe chest pain.

Methods: A total of 122 patients with AAD and 129 patients with other severe chest pain disorders were included in the study.

DKK1 loss promotes endometrial fibrosis via autophagy and exosome-mediated macrophage-to-myofibroblast transition.

Introduction: Intrauterine adhesions (IUA) manifest as endometrial fibrosis, often causing infertility or recurrent miscarriage; however, their pathogenesis remains unclear.

Objectives: This study assessed the role of Dickkopf WNT signaling pathway inhibitor 1 (DKK1) and autophagy in endometrial fibrosis, using clinical samples as well as in vitro and in vivo experiments.

Methods: Immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence and western blot were used to determine the localization and expression of DKK1 in endometrium; DKK1 silencing and DKK1 overexpression were used to detect the biological effects of DKK1 silencing or expression in endometrial cells; DKK1 gene knockout mice were used to observe the phenotypes caused by DKK1 gene knockout.

GWAS and Meta-QTL Analysis of Yield-Related Ear Traits in Maize.

Maize ear traits are an important component of yield, and the genetic basis of ear traits facilitates further yield improvement. In this study, a panel of 580 maize inbred lines were used as the study material, eight ear-related traits were measured through three years of planting, and whole genome sequencing was performed using the maize 40 K breeding chip based on genotyping by targeted sequencing (GBTS) technology. Five models were used to conduct a genome-wide association study (GWAS) on best linear unbiased estimate (BLUE) of ear traits to find the best model.

A rapid multispectral endoscopic imaging system for assessment of the morphological and physiological characteristics of mouse intestines.

Accurate assessment of blood content in biological tissues is critical for the diagnosis and monitoring of various diseases, including cardiovascular disease, tumors, trauma, and the success rate of organ transplants. In this study, a multispectral endoscopic imaging system was built for capturing tissue reflection optical images in 18 bands across the wavelength range from 400 nm to 760 nm, non-invasively. The system was characterized by six tri-channel narrowband filters installed in front of the light source to achieve spectral separation and was equipped with a specially designed color CCD for achieving a speed of 24 multispectral imaging cubes per second.

Nocturnal oxygen saturation is associated with all-cause mortality: a community-based study.

Study Objectives: Observational studies have demonstrated the association between the single-point measurement of oxygen saturation (SpO) level and mortality in the general population. This study aimed to evaluate whether nocturnal SpO level could predict all-cause mortality in a community-based population.

Methods: The study samples were obtained from the Sleep Heart Health Study, which included 2,280 men and 2,606 women (mean age, 63.

Non-destructive diagnostic testing of cardiac myxoma by serum confocal Raman microspectroscopy combined with multivariate analysis.

The symptoms of cardiac myxoma (CM) mainly occur when the tumor is growing, and the diagnosis is determined by clinical presentation. Unfortunately, there is no evidence that specific blood tests are useful in CM diagnosis. Raman spectroscopy (RS) has emerged as a promising auxiliary diagnostic tool because of its ability to simultaneously detect multiple molecular features without labelling.

Triptolide Alleviates Neuropathic Pain by Inhibiting the Activation of Microglial Toll-Like Receptor 3.

Background: Current data indicates the incidence of neuropathic pain after surgical nerve injury is as high as 50%, thus representing a major problem for patients and for the medical system. Triptolide, a traditional Chinese herb, has anti-inflammatory effects on various neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory diseases. This agent also reduces peripheral nerve injury-induced neuropathic pain, although the mechanism underlying this effect is still unknown.

Raman microspectroscopy based TNM staging and grading of breast cancer.

The tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) system is the most common way that doctors determine the anatomical extent of cancer on the basis of clinical and pathological criteria. In this study, a spectral histopathological study has been carried out to bridge Raman micro spectroscopy with the breast cancer TNM system. A total of seventy breast tissue samples, including healthy tissue, early, middle, and advanced cancer, were investigated to provide detailed insights into compositional and structural variations that accompany breast malignant evolution.

Effect of visceral adipose tissue mass on coronary artery disease and heart failure: A Mendelian randomization study.

Objectives: Obesity is associated with coronary artery disease (CAD) and its risk factors in observational studies. This two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study investigated the effect of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) mass on coronary artery disease (CAD), myocardial infarction (MI) and heart failure (HF).

Methods: Genetic variants (220 SNPs, P < 5 × 10) associated with VAT mass were obtained from a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in the UK Biobank.

Epistasis Activation Contributes Substantially to Heterosis in Temperate by Tropical Maize Hybrids.

Epistasis strongly affects the performance of superior maize hybrids. In this study, a multiple-hybrid population, consisting of three hybrid maize sets with varied interparental divergence, was generated by crossing 28 temperate and 23 tropical inbred lines with diverse genetic backgrounds. We obtained 1,154 tested hybrids.

Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on complications and mortality of patients with cardiac surgery.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess changes in cardiovascular disease severity, types, postoperative complications and prognosis during the COVID-19 pandemic and to explore possible influencing factors.

Methods: A total of 422 patients were enrolled in this study, and hospitalization and short-term follow-up data were retained. The patient population included 273 men and 149 women.

CircRAB11FIP1 promoted autophagy flux of ovarian cancer through DSC1 and miR-129.

At present, no systematic and in-depth study is available on the function and potential mechanisms of circular RNA in autophagy. This study aimed to screen the expression profiles of circRNA, miRNA, and mRNA of ovarian cancer cells induced by Torin 1 (10 µM). The expression profiles of circRNA, miRNA, and mRNA were analyzed with next-generation sequencing technology.

Early label-free analysis of mitochondrial redox states by Raman spectroscopy predicts septic outcomes.

Background: Sepsis remains an unacceptably high mortality due to the lack of biomarkers for predicting septic outcomes in the early period. Mitochondrial redox states play a pivotal role in this condition and are disturbed early in the development of sepsis. Here, we hypothesized that visualizing mitochondrial redox states via resonance Raman spectroscopy (RRS) could identify septic outcomes at an early time point.

Low-dose alcohol ameliorated high fat diet-induced anxiety-related behavior via enhancing adiponectin expression and activating the Nrf2 pathway.

Long-term high-fat-diet (HFD)-induced obesity is associated with many comorbidities, such as cognitive impairment and anxiety, which are increasing public health burdens that have gained prevalence in adolescents. Although low-dose alcohol could attenuate the risk of cardiovascular disease, its mechanism on HFD-induced anxiety-related behavior remains not clear. The mice were divided into 4 groups, Control (Con), Alcohol (Alc), HFD and HFD + Alc groups.

Muscle-Derived Mitochondrial Transplantation Reduces Inflammation, Enhances Bacterial Clearance, and Improves Survival in Sepsis.

Background: Mitochondrial transplantation is a promising strategy for the treatment of several diseases. However, the effects of mitochondrial transplantation on the outcome of polymicrobial sepsis remain unclear.

Methods: The distribution of transplanted mitochondria in cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-operated mice was detected at 2 and 12 h after intravenous injection in the tail (n = 3).

Mitochondrial Transplantation Attenuates Brain Dysfunction in Sepsis by Driving Microglial M2 Polarization.

Activation of microglia and mitochondrial dysfunction are two major contributors to the pathogenesis of sepsis-associated brain dysfunction. Mitochondrial dysfunction can alter the immunological profile of microglia favoring to a pro-inflammatory phenotype. Mitochondrial transplantation, as an emerging mitochondria-targeted therapy, possesses considerable therapeutic potential in various central nervous system injuries or diseases.

Electroacupuncture attenuated cerebral ischemic injury and neuroinflammation through α7nAChR-mediated inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome in stroke rats.

Background: Our previous research confirmed that electroacupuncture (EA) stimulus elicits neuroprotective effects against cerebral ischemic injury through α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR)-mediated inhibition of high-mobility group box 1 release mechanism. This study investigated whether the signal transducer of α7nAChR and inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome are involved in the neuroprotective effects of EA stimulus.

Methods: In adult male Sprague-Dawley rats, the focal cerebral ischemic injury was induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) models for 1.

Probenecid Relieves Cerebral Dysfunction of Sepsis by Inhibiting Pannexin 1-Dependent ATP Release.

Acute brain dysfunction and the following neurological manifestation are common complications in septic patients, which are associated with increased morbidity and mortality. However, the therapeutic strategy of this disorder remains a major challenge. Given the emerging role of a clinically approved drug, probenecid (PRB) has been recently identified as an inhibitor of pannexin 1 (PANX1) channel, which restrains extracellular ATP release-induced purinergic pathway activation and inflammatory response contributing to diverse pathological processes.

Muscle-derived autologous mitochondrial transplantation: A novel strategy for treating cerebral ischemic injury.

The available evidence showed that mitochondrial transfer by releasing the extracellular vesicles containing mitochondria from astrocytes to neurons exerted a neuroprotective effect after stroke. Whether extracellular mitochondrial replenishment could rescue the tissues from cerebral ischemic injury still needs to be explored completely. It was hypothesized that the augmentation of mitochondrial damage after cerebral ischemia could be resolved by timely replenishment of exogenous mitochondria.

MARCH5 RNA promotes autophagy, migration, and invasion of ovarian cancer cells.

MARCH5 is a crucial regulator of mitochondrial fission. However, the expression and function of MARCH5 in ovarian cancer have not been determined. This study investigated the expression and function of MARCH5 in ovarian cancer with respect to its potential role in the tumorigenesis of the disease as well as its usefulness as an early diagnostic marker.

Transient Receptor Potential Melastatin 2 Regulates Phagosome Maturation and Is Required for Bacterial Clearance in Escherichia coli Sepsis.

Background: Transient receptor potential melastatin 2 is a Ca-permeable cation channel abundantly expressed in macrophages. Trpm2 mice showed exacerbated infection and mortality during polymicrobial sepsis, which is associated with inefficient bacterial killing in macrophages. However, the mechanism of transient receptor potential melastatin 2 regulating bacterial killing remains unknown.

Plasma microRNA profile as a predictor of early virological response to interferon treatment in chronic hepatitis B patients.

Background: Interferon (IFN) and pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) treatment of chronic hepatitis B leads to a sustained virological response in a limited proportion of patients and has considerable side effects. To find novel markers associated with prognosis of IFN therapy, we investigated whether a pretreatment plasma microRNA profile could be used to predict early virological response to IFN.

Methods: We performed microRNA microarray analysis of plasma samples from 94 patients with chronic hepatitis B who received IFN therapy.