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Background Posterior circulation ischemic stroke patients with vestibular symptoms usually do not present with obvious limb paralysis with certain walking ability after improvement of dizziness and vertigo symptoms, however, their fall risk is high and clinical attention to walking ability is lacking. Functional assessment using dual-task paradigms can better detect potential gait abnormalities in patients and provide a basis for early rehabilitation intervention. Objective To investigate the effect of dual task on walking ability of posterior circulation ischemic stroke patients with vestibular symptoms. Methods Forty patients diagnosed with posterior circulation ischemic stroke accompanied by vestibular symptoms and treated at Tianjin Huanhu Hospital from 2021 to 2022 were selected as the study subjects. Gait parameters including gait speed, step frequency, step size, proportion of double support phase time, step duration, trunk coronal plane and sagittal plane swing angles were collected using single-task walking, motor-motor dual-task walking, and cognitive-motor dual-task walking paradigms. The differences in gait parameters among the three task conditions and the differences in dual-task costs between the two dual-task walking. Results Compared to single-task walking, the trunk coronal plane and sagittal plane swing angles were decreased in patients during motor-motor dual-task walking (P

Unnatural product (uNP) nonribosomal peptides promise to be a valuable source of pharmacophores for drug discovery. However, the extremely large size and complexity of the nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) enzymes pose formidable challenges to the production of such uNPs by combinatorial biosynthesis and synthetic biology. Here we report a new NRPS dissection strategy that facilitates the engineering and heterologous production of these NRPSs. This strategy divides NRPSs into "splitting units", each forming an enzyme subunit that contains catalytically independent modules. Functional collaboration between the subunits is then facilitated by artificially duplicating, at the N‐terminus of the downstream subunit, the linker ‐ thiolation domain ‐ linker fragment that is resident at the C‐terminus of the upstream subunit. Using the suggested split site that follows a conserved motif in the linker connecting the adenylation and the thiolation domains allows cognate or chimeric splitting unit pairs to achieve productivities that match, and in many cases surpass those of hybrid chimeric enzymes, and even those of intact NRPSs, upon production in a heterologous chassis. Our strategy provides facile options for the rational engineering of fungal NRPSs and for the combinatorial reprogramming of nonribosomal peptide production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fish exhibit a broad spectrum of colors and patterns facilitated by specialized cells known as chromatophores. The vibrant coloration of fish, controlled by complex genetic and environmental interactions, serves critical roles in ecological functions such as mating, predation, and camouflage. This diversity not only makes fish an invaluable model for exploring the molecular mechanisms of pigmentation but also significantly impacts their economic value within the aquaculture industry, where color traits can drive marketability and breeding choices. This review delves into the sophisticated biological processes governing fish pigmentation and discusses their applications in enhancing aquaculture practices. By exploring the intersection of genetic regulation, environmental influences, and advanced breeding techniques, this review highlights both the scientific understanding and practical applications of fish coloration, providing a bridge between basic biological research and its application in commercial aquaculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the successful oral delivery of peptide drugs, considerable barriers created by the harsh environment of the gastrointestinal tract, mucus, and epithelial cells must be overcome. This study was to establish a core-shell structure with chitosan (CS) nanoparticles (NP) as the core and poly-N-(2-hydroxypropyl) methacrylamide (pHPMA) as the intelligent escape shell to overcome pH and mucus barriers and improve the delivery efficiency of peptide drugs. A core-shell system (COS) composed of pHPMA-AT-1002-cys-chitosan (LRA-PA-CNPs) was prepared and used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus with the large-molecule peptide drug liraglutide (LRA). The complete COS system was observed through electron microscopy; the particle size of the LRA-PA-CNPs was approximately 160 nm; the encapsulation efficiency was approximately 69% ± 5%; the zeta potential was close to neutral; the mucus and epithelial penetration of the COS system were increased; and animal experiments showed that the COS system enhanced the oral hypoglycaemic effect of LRA. Intelligent escape material of poly-N-(2-hydroxypropyl) methacrylamide as the shell. Core-shell nanoparticles penetrate the mucus layer and exposing the chitosan core. Overcome pH and mucus barriers to improve the delivery efficiency of peptide drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anesthesia‐related drugs cause various side effects and health‐related illnesses after surgery. In particular, neurogenerative disorder is a common problem of anesthesia‐related drugs. A patient gets anesthesia as a requirement of the preoperative evaluation to diagnose the medical illness, which is caused by anesthetic drug treatment. Different blood‐based biomarkers help in identifying the changes appearing in patients after anesthesia treatment. Among them, tau protein is a sensitive biomarker of neurodegenerative diseases, and the fluctuations in tau proteins are highly associated with various diseases. Furthermore, researchers have found unstable levels of tau protein after the anesthesia process. The current research has focused on quantifying tau protein via impedance spectroscopy to identify the problems caused by anesthesia‐related drugs. An impedance spectroscopy electrode was modified into a multiwalled carbon nanotube, and an amine‐ended aptamer was then attached. This electrode surface was used to quantify the tau protein level and reached the detection limit of 1 fM. The determination coefficient was found to be y = 369.93x + 1144.9, with R2 = 0.9846 in the linear range of 1 fM–1 nM. Furthermore, tau protein spiked human serum was clearly identified on the immobilized aptamer surface, indicating the specific detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The delivery of peptides or protein drugs via the oral route has always presented a significant challenge. Here, nanoparticles for the oral delivery of liraglutide are prepared. The nanoparticles are composed of the biodegradable carrier materials chitosan and poly-N-(2-hydroxypropyl) methacrylamide (pHPMA). In addition, CSKSSDYQC (CSK) and hemagglutinin-2 (HA2) are introduced into the particles to improve the in vivo bioavailability of liraglutide. The size of the nanoparticles is less than 200 nm, and the encapsulation efficiency is approximately 80%. Compared with the subcutaneously injected liraglutide solution group (100%), the relative bioavailability of the nanoparticle group modified with CSK and HA2 reached 10.12%, which is 2.53 times that of the oral liraglutide solution group. In vivo imaging results showed that pHPMA/HA2-CSK chitosan nanoparticles (pHPMA/HA-CCNPs) are retained in the gastrointestinal tract for up to 12 h, which is beneficial for oral absorption. CSK and HA2 modified pHPMA/chitosan nanoparticles significantly improved liraglutide oral bioavailability and therefore have the potential to be applied for oral administration of peptides and proteins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]