BrainFTFCN: Synergistic feature fusion of temporal dynamics and network connectivity for brain age prediction.

Using neuroimaging-derived data for age estimation serves as a prominent approach in comprehending the normal pace of brain development and mechanisms underlying cognitive declines due to aging and neurological diseases. Despite the promise of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) for brain age prediction, previous deep learning models have prioritized capturing either the temporal dynamics via time courses (TCs) or the inherent network topology revealed by functional network connectivity (FNC). These fragmented models neglect the complementary information available by synergistically integrating both.

Recombinant humanized collagen ameliorates ischemic myopathy through limiting natural IgM-mediated lectin complement activation.

Despite technological advances in endovascular procedures, therapeutics that provide supportive microenvironments to repair ischemic muscles are limited for the treatment of advanced lower extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD). Here, based on the two major extracellular matrix components in skeletal muscle, the efficacies of recombinant humanized collagen type I and III (rhCol I and rhCol III) in regenerating tibialis anterior muscle after hindlimb ischemia were studied. Repeated intramuscular injections of rhCol I or rhCol III preserved myofiber structure and accelerated myofiber regeneration within one-week after injury.

Synergistic effect of P2, O3 phase on biphasic layered oxide with enhanced electrochemical performance for sodium storage.

Oxides with a layered structure are regarded as prospective candidates for use as cathodes in the next generation of sodium ion batteries. These materials, which exhibit a P2 structure and O3 structure, possess distinctive advantages that give rise to disparate electrochemical performance. Herein, a thermodynamically and kinetically stable P2/O3 biphasic layered oxide with a chemical formula of KNaNiMnO is synthesized using a simplistic high temperature solid-state method.

Structural and functional alterations of the hippocampal subfields in T2DM with mild cognitive impairment and insulin resistance: A prospective study.

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is characterized by insulin resistance (IR) and is often accompanied by mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The detrimental effects of T2DM and IR on the hippocampus have been extensively demonstrated. Few studies have examined the effects of IR on structure and function of hippocampal subfields in T2DM-MCI patients.

Resting-State Brain Function Alteration in Colorectal Cancer Patients.

Background And Purpose: To investigate the abnormal pattern of altered functional activity in the brain and the neuroimaging mechanisms underlying the cognitive impairment of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) via resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI).

Materials And Methods: CRC patients (n = 56) and healthy controls (HCs) (n = 50) were studied. The participants underwent rs-fMRI scans and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA).

Synthesis and Characterization of Multiple Stimuli-Responsive Fluorescent Polymer Hydrogels Based on Terpyridine and -Isopropylacrylamide.

A series of stimuli-responsive fluorescent hydrogels were successfully synthesized via micelle radical copolymerization of hydrophilic acrylamide (AM), hydrophobic chromophore terpyridine-based monomer (TPY), and -isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM). These hydrogels presented blue emissions (423-440 nm) under room temperature, which is caused by the π-π* transition of the conjugated structures. Once the ambient temperature was increased to 55 °C, the fluorescence color changed from blue (430 nm) to pink (575 nm) within 10 min, subsequently to yellow (535 nm), and eventually back to pink.

Optimizing electrochemical performance of Na0.67Ni0.17Co0.17Mn0.66O2 with P2 structure via preparing concentration-gradient particles for sodium-ion batteries.

P2-type layered oxides for rechargeable sodium-ion batteries have drawn a lot of attention because of their excellent electrochemical performance. However, these types of cathodes usually suffer from poor cyclic stability. To overcome this disadvantage, in this work, novel ball-shaped concentration-gradient oxide NaNiCoMnO with P2 structure modified by Mn-rich surface is successfully prepared using co-precipitation method.

Screening for Fungicide Efficacy in Controlling Blackleg Disease in Wasabi ().

Blackleg disease is devastating for wasabi () production, occurring at any time and everywhere within the main production area of the Sichuan Province, China. There have been very few studies on the chemical control of this disease. In this study, we isolated and identified a local popular strain of the pathogen .

Correlation between preoperative frailty and postoperative delirium in elderly patients undergoing hip arthroplasty.

Background: Postoperative delirium (POD) refers to acute brain dysfunction occurring within 7 days after operation or before discharge. Frailty refers to the state that the body's physiological reserve is insufficient, so that the compensative capacity to endogenous and exogenous stress stimuli decreases. The purpose of this study is to explore the association of preoperative frailty (PF) with POD in elderly patients undergoing hip arthroplasty.

Pickering Emulsion Stabilized by β-Cyclodextrin and Cinnamaldehyde/β-Cyclodextrin Composite.

A Pickering emulsion was prepared using β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) and a cinnamaldehyde (CA)/β-CD composite as emulsifiers and corn oil, camellia oil, lard oil, and fish oil as oil phases. It was confirmed that Pickering emulsions prepared with β-CD and CA/β-CD had good storage stability. The rheological experiments showed that all emulsions had G' values higher than G″, thus confirming their gel properties.

Impacts of Industrial Modification on the Structure and Gel Features of Soy Protein Isolate and its Composite Gel with Myofibrillar Protein.

Native soy protein isolate (N-SPI) has a low denaturation point and low solubility, limiting its industrial application. The influence of different industrial modification methods (heat (H), alkaline (A), glycosylation (G), and oxidation (O)) on the structure of SPI, the properties of the gel, and the gel properties of soy protein isolate (SPI) in myofibril protein (MP) was evaluated. The study found that four industrial modifications did not influence the subunit composition of SPI.

Crystal Growth, Thermal Treatment, and Characterization of Nonlinear Optical Crystal LiGaInSe for Mid-infrared Applications.

LiGaInSe is a new quaternary nonlinear optical crystal for the mid-IR application grown as a mixed crystal of the LiGaSe-LiInSe solid-solution system. It is transparent in the 0.47-14 μm range and has an appropriate bandgap and a lower melting point than LiGaSe and LiInSe.

Advances in protein glycosylation and its role in tissue repair and regeneration.

After tissue damage, a series of molecular and cellular events are initiated to promote tissue repair and regeneration to restore its original structure and function. These events include inter-cell communication, cell proliferation, cell migration, extracellular matrix differentiation, and other critical biological processes. Glycosylation is the crucial conservative and universal post-translational modification in all eukaryotic cells [1], with influential roles in intercellular recognition, regulation, signaling, immune response, cellular transformation, and disease development.

Strategies of strengthening mechanical properties in the osteoinductive calcium phosphate bioceramics.

Calcium phosphate (CaP) bioceramics are widely applied in the bone repairing field attributing to their excellent biological properties, especially osteoinductivity. However, their applications in load-bearing or segmental bone defects are severely restricted by the poor mechanical properties. It is generally considered that it is challenging to improve mechanical and biological properties of CaP bioceramics simultaneously.

Injectable TG-linked recombinant human collagen hydrogel loaded with bFGF for rat cranial defect repair.

The basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) plays a significant role in promoting the process of bone repair, but bFGF cannot keep its biological activity stable under normal physiological conditions. Therefore, the development of better biomaterials to carry bFGF remains a challenge for bone repair and regeneration. Here we designed a novel recombinant human collagen (rhCol), which could be cross-linked by transglutaminase (TG) and loaded bFGF to prepare rhCol/bFGF hydrogels.

Physicochemical and pozzolanic properties of municipal solid waste incineration fly ash with different pretreatments.

Swelling caused by gas generated from municipal solid waste incineration fly ash (MSWIFA) when it is mixed with alkali limits its uses. Besides, the leaching of anion salts and heavy metals contained in MSWIFA poses a high risk to environment. This study presents the feasibility of a one-step alkaline washing, one-step thermal quenching and two-step combination of alkaline washing and thermal quenching pretreatment methods in altering the key properties of MSWIFA for promoting its reusability.

Collagen hydrogel viscoelasticity regulates MSC chondrogenesis in a ROCK-dependent manner.

Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) chondrogenesis in three-dimensional (3D) culture involves dynamic changes in cytoskeleton architecture during mesenchymal condensation before morphogenesis. However, the mechanism linking dynamic mechanical properties of matrix to cytoskeletal changes during chondrogenesis remains unclear. Here, we investigated how viscoelasticity, a time-dependent mechanical property of collagen hydrogel, coordinates MSC cytoskeleton changes at different stages of chondrogenesis.

ADAMTS7-Mediated Complement Factor H Degradation Potentiates Complement Activation to Contributing to Renal Injuries.

Background: The dysfunction of complement factor H (CFH), the main soluble complement negative regulator, potentiates various complement-induced renal injuries. However, insights into the underlying mechanism of CFH dysfunction remain limited. In this study, we investigated whether extracellular protease-mediated degradation accounts for CFH dysfunction in complement-mediated renal injuries.

ADAMTS-7 deficiency attenuates thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection in mice.

Thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection (TAAD) is a life-threatening cardiovascular disease with severe extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling that lacks efficient early stage diagnosis and nonsurgical therapy. A disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motif 7 (ADAMTS-7) is recognized as a novel locus for human coronary artery atherosclerosis. Previous work by us and others showed that ADAMTS-7 promoted atherosclerosis, postinjury neointima formation, and vascular calcification.

Catalyst-Free Oxidation Reactions in a Microwave Plasma Torch-Based Ion/Molecular Reactor: An Approach for Predicting the Atmospheric Oxidation of Pollutants.

The atmospheric oxidation of chemicals has produced many new unpredicted pollutants. A microwave plasma torch-based ion/molecular reactor (MPTIR) interfacing an online mass spectrometer has been developed for creating and monitoring rapid oxidation reactions. Oxygen in the air is activated by the plasma into highly reactive oxygen radicals, thereby achieving oxidation of thioethers, alcohols, and various environmental pollutants on a millisecond scale without the addition of external oxidants or catalysts (6 orders of magnitude faster than bulk).

Peptide Vaccine Against ADAMTS-7 Ameliorates Atherosclerosis and Postinjury Neointima Hyperplasia.

Background: The metalloprotease ADAMTS-7 (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin type 1 motif 7) is a novel locus associated with human coronary atherosclerosis. ADAMTS-7 deletion protects against atherosclerosis and vascular restenosis in rodents.

Methods: We designed 3 potential vaccines consisting of distinct B cell epitopic peptides derived from ADAMTS-7 and conjugated with the carrier protein KLH (keyhole limpet hemocyanin) as well as aluminum hydroxide as an adjuvant.