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Ischemic stroke is a leading cause of disability and mortality worldwide. Recently, increasing evidence implicates microRNAs (miRs) in the pathophysiology of ischemic stroke. Studies have shown that miR-15a/16-1 is abnormally expressed in brains after ischemic stroke, and its upregulation may increase ischemic damage. Given that sex and age are significant modifiers of stroke outcomes, here we investigated whether inhibiting miR-15a/16-1 with antagomirs mitigates cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in a sex- and age-dependent manner. Young (3 months) and aged (18 months) male and female C57/BL mice underwent 1-h middle cerebral artery occlusion and 3–7 days reperfusion (tMCAO). We administered miR-15a/16-1 antagomir (30 pmol/g) or control antagomir (NC, 30 pmol/g) via tail vein 2 h post-MCAO. Neurobehavioral testing and infarct volume assessment were performed on days 3 and 7. Compared to controls, antagomir treatment significantly improved neurobehavioral outcomes and reduced infarct volume in tMCAO mice at day 7, with the effects being more pronounced in young mice. Notably, young female mice exhibited superior survival and sensorimotor function compared to young male mice. These results were also replicated in a permanent MCAO (pMCAO) mice model. This suggests miR-15a/16-1 antagomir and estradiol may synergistically regulate genes involved in neurovascular cell death, inflammation, and oxidative stress, with sex and age-dependent expression of miR-15a/16-1 and its targets likely underlying the observed variations. Overall, our findings identify miR-15a/16-1 antagomir as a promising therapeutic for ischemic stroke and suggest that sex and age should be considered when developing miR-based therapeutic strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microwave continuous-flow heating has been proven to reduce the time of chemical reaction, increase the conversion rate, and improve product purity effectively. However, there are still problems such as relatively low heating efficiency, unideal heating homogeneity, and poor compactness, which brings further drawbacks like difficulty in fabrication and integration. In this study, a compact microwave continuous-flow heater based on six fractal antennas is proposed to address the problems above. First, a multi-physics simulation model is built, while heating efficiency and the volumetric coefficient of variance (COV) are improved through adjusting the geometric structure of this heater and the phase assignment of each radiator. Second, an experiment is conducted to verify the simulation model, which is consistent with the simulation. Third, a method of fast varying phases to achieve greater heating efficiency and heating homogeneity is adopted. The results show that the single-phase radiator improved efficiency by 31.1%, and COV was significantly optimized, reaching 64%. Furthermore, 0–100% ethanol–water solutions are processed by the heater, demonstrating its strong adaptability of vastly changing relative permittivity of liquid load. Moreover, an advance of this microwave continuous-flow heater is observed, compared with conventional multi-mode resonant cavity. Last, the performance of this microwave continuous-flow heater as the chemical reactor for biodiesel production is simulated. This design enables massive chemical production in fields like food industry and biodiesel production, with enhanced compactness, heating efficiency, and heating homogeneity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dengue fever, a mosquito-borne disease in tropical and subtropical climates caused by the dengue virus (DENV), has become a major social and economic burden in recent years. However, current primary detection methods are inadequate for early diagnosis of DENV because they are either time-consuming, expensive, or require training. Non-structural protein 1 (NS1) is secreted during DENV infection and is thus considered a suitable biomarker for the development of an early detection method. In the present study, we developed a detection method for the NS1 protein based on a previously reported thio-NAD cycling ELISA (i.e., ultrasensitive ELISA) and successfully achieved a LOD of 1.152 pg/mL. The clinical diagnosis potential of the detection system was also evaluated by using 85 patient specimens, inclusive of 60 DENV-positive and 25 DENV-negative specimens confirmed by the NAAT method. The results revealed 98.3% (59/60) sensitivity and 100% (25/25) specificity, which was in almost perfect agreement with the NAAT data with a kappa coefficient of 0.972. The present study demonstrates the diagnostic potential of using an ultrasensitive ELISA as a low-cost, easy-to-use method for the detection of DENV compared with NAAT and could be of great benefit in low-income countries.

Central nervous system (CNS) injuries, such as stroke, traumatic brain injury (TBI) and spinal cord injury (SCI), are important causes of death and long-term disability worldwide. MicroRNA (miRNA), small non-coding RNA molecules that negatively regulate gene expression, can serve as diagnostic biomarkers and are emerging as novel therapeutic targets for CNS injuries. MiRNA-based therapeutics include miRNA mimics and inhibitors (antagomiRs) to respectively decrease and increase the expression of target genes. In this review, we summarize current miRNA-based therapeutic applications in stroke, TBI and SCI. Administration methods, time windows and dosage for effective delivery of miRNA-based drugs into CNS are discussed. The underlying mechanisms of miRNA-based therapeutics are reviewed including oxidative stress, inflammation, apoptosis, blood-brain barrier protection, angiogenesis and neurogenesis. Pharmacological agents that protect against CNS injuries by targeting specific miRNAs are presented along with the challenges and therapeutic potential of miRNA-based therapies.

Objective: Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) is a functional unit formed by specific molecules. It lacks a membrane and has been reported to play a crucial role in tumor drug resistance and growth by regulating gene expression and drug distribution. However, whether LLPS could be used to predict cancer prognosis was not clear. This study aimed to construct a prognostic model for breast cancer based on LLPS-correlated genes (LCGs).Methods: LCGs were identified using the PhaSepDB, gene expression profile and clinical characteristics of breast cancer were obtained from TCGA and cBioportal. The PanCancer Atlas (TCGA) cohort was used as the training cohort to construct the prognostic model, while the Nature 2012 and Nat Commun 2016 (TCGA) cohort and GEO data were used as test cohort to perform external verification. Data analysis was performed with R4.2.0 and SPSS20.0.Results: We identified 140 prognosis-related LCGs (pLCGs) (p< 0.01) in all cohorts, 240 pLCGs (p< 0.01) in the luminal cohort, and 28 pLCGs (p< 0.05) in the triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cohort. Twelve genes in all cohorts (training cohort: 5/10-year ROC values were 0.76 and 0.77; verification cohort: 5/10-year ROC values were 0.61 and 0.58), eight genes in the luminal cohort (training cohort: 5/10-year ROC values were 0.79 and 0.75; verification cohort: 5/10-year ROC values were 0.62 and 0.62), and four genes in the TNBC cohort (training cohort: 5/10-year ROC values were 0.73 and 0.79; verification cohort: 5/10-year ROC values were 0.55 and 0.54) were screened out to construct the prognostic prediction model. The 17-gene risk-score was constructed in all cohorts (1/3/5-year ROC values were 0.88, 0.83, and 0.81), and the 11-gene risk-score was constructed in the luminal cohort (1/3/5-year ROC values were 0.67, 0.85 and 0.84), and the six-gene risk-score was constructed in the TNBC cohort (1/3/5-year ROC value were 0.87, 0.88 and 0.81). Finally, the risk-score and clinical factors were applied to construct nomograms in all cohorts (1/3/5-year ROC values were 0.89, 0.79 and 0.75, C-index = 0.784), in the luminal cohort (1/3/5-year ROC values were 0.84, 0.83 and 0.85, C-index = 0.803), and in the TNBC cohort (1/3/5-year ROC values were 0.95, 0.84 and 0.77, C-index = 0.847).Discussion: This study explored the roles of LCGs in the prediction of breast cancer prognosis.

Objective: To establish a method for the preparation of acetamiprid matrix reference material in cowpeas. Methods: Planted fresh blank cowpea which meets the requirements of reference material development was selected as the research object to obtain dry powder after crushed, freeze-dried, added, mixed, twice freeze-dried, crushed, screened, mixed, packaged and Co60 irradiation sterilized. The dry powder sample was determined by Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry （LC-MS/MS） and calibrated for quantitative determination by matrix standard solution. After homogeneity and stability studies, coordinated value was determined by 9 laboratories and the uncertainty was evaluated. Results: The prepared sample of cowpea freeze-dried powder had good homogeneity and stability, for which it was convenient to storage transport and preserve in stable status during the testing time. The property value and expanded uncertainty of acetamiprid was （0.283 7±0.008 5） mg/kg （k=2）, certified by 9 independent laboratories. Conclusion: The matrix reference material prepared by this method has good homogeneity, stability and accuracy in request of the national metrology technical specification, which can be used in the quality control in process of testing, calibration of analytical instruments and development and verification of testing method, etc.

We report a case of aseptic abscess in the cavernous body at the base of the penis. In our clinical observation, the patient underwent puncture and drainage of the corpus cavernosum abscess, followed by surgical resection of the abscess wall, with the incisions closed layer by layer with primary suture. In addition, we paid attention to strengthening the postoperative management by using elastic bandages to wrap the penis intermittently to prevent edema; the incision would not be covered with dressings from the third day after the operation, so as to keep the incision site dry in an open way. During the period of indwelling of the catheter after the operation, we noticed the care of the external orifice of the urethra to reduce the occurrence of catheter-related infections. Finally, the patient was diagnosed with a penile aseptic abscess in the cavernous body at the base of the penis. The patient recovered well after surgery and was discharged 1 week later. At 1.5 years after the operation, the shape of the penis returned to normal, and the erectile function was normal. It was seen that good nursing concept is of great help for prognosis, which could avoid infection and edema, and is conducive to wound healing.

Abstract Epidemiologic studies have indicated that dyslipidemia may facilitate the progression of cognitive dysfunction. We previously showed that patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS) had significantly higher plasma levels of electronegative very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) than did healthy controls. However, the effects of electronegative-VLDL on the brain and cognitive function remain unclear. In this study, VLDL isolated from healthy volunteers (nVLDL) or patients with MetS (metVLDL) was administered to mice by means of tail vein injection. Cognitive function was assessed by using the Y maze test, and plasma and brain tissues were analyzed. We found that mice injected with metVLDL but not nVLDL exhibited significant hippocampus CA3 neuronal cell loss and cognitive dysfunction. In mice injected with nVLDL, we observed mild glial cell activation in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and hippocampus CA3. However, in mice injected with metVLDL, plasma and brain TNF-α and Aβ-42 levels and glial cell activation in the mPFC and whole hippocampus were higher than those in control mice. In conclusion, long-term exposure to metVLDL induced levels of TNF-α, Aβ-42, and glial cells in the brain, contributing to the progression of cognitive dysfunction. Our findings suggest that electronegative-VLDL levels may represent a new therapeutic target for cognitive dysfunction.

Norovirus is the most common cause of foodborne gastroenteritis, affecting millions of people worldwide annually. Among the ten genotypes (GI–GX) of norovirus, only GI, GII, GIV, GVIII, and GIX infect humans. Some genotypes reportedly exhibit post-translational modifications (PTMs), including N- and O-glycosylation, O-GlcNAcylation, and phosphorylation, in their viral antigens. PTMs have been linked to increased viral genome replication, viral particle release, and virulence. Owing to breakthroughs in mass spectrometry (MS) technologies, more PTMs have been discovered in recent years and have contributed significantly to preventing and treating infectious diseases. However, the mechanisms by which PTMs act on noroviruses remain poorly understood. In this section, we outline the current knowledge of the three common types of PTM and investigate their impact on norovirus pathogenesis. Moreover, we summarize the strategies and techniques for the identification of PTMs.

Under the background of global climate change, the evolution of climate in the future is the focus of geoscience. The Nanri Channel is an important passage connecting the Xinghua Bay and the Taiwan Strait, in China, and the study of its provenance and paleoenvironmental alternation is of great significance to the climate evolution in the eastern coast of China. The grain size and X-ray diffraction analyses of sediments from ZK1 in Nanri Channel and ZK5 in Xinghua Bay, were used to study the variation of grain size and clay mineral characteristics and to analyze the changes in hydrodynamic characteristics, provenance, and paleoenvironmental evolution in the regions since the Last Glacial Maximum. The results show that the sedimentary environment of ZK1 varies from the nearshore tidal flat facies with strong hydrodynamic conditions and the neighboring rivers as the main provenance, to the littoral facies with weak hydrodynamic conditions and the Yangtze River-like type sediments as the main provenance. The sedimentary environment of ZK5 is from the nearshore tidal flat facies with strong hydrodynamic conditions to the littoral facies with weak hydrodynamic conditions, and the provenance of both facies is mainly Yangtze River-like type sediments. The clay mineral characteristics of ZK1 show that the climate in the Nanri Channel has experienced a change from cool and wet, to mild and dry, to mild and wet since the Last Glacial Maximum, while the climate in the Xinghua Bay has experienced a change from warm and humid, to moderate and dry, to warm and humid since the early-middle Holocene, which provides scientific theoretical support for the provenance and paleoenvironment of sediments in the study area and neighboring areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chamaecrista rotundifolia (C. rotundifolia) is a perennial herb of leguminosae, which increasingly being grown as a forage in China. In our search for original bioactive metabolites from Cassia plants, the phytochemical reinvestigation of the C. rotundifolia was carried out, which led to the isolation of three new (1–3) and six known (4–9) chromones. Their structures were confirmed by spectroscopic methods, including extensive 1D and 2D NMR techniques. Compounds 1–9 were evaluated for their anti-rotavirus activities, and the results revealed that compounds 1–9 exhibited potential anti-rotavirus activities with therapeutic index (TI) valves in the range of 12.0 ∼ 20.2, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]