Coumarin-Conjugated Macromolecular Probe for Sequential Stimuli-Mediated Activation

Protein bioconjugation has emerged as one of the most valuable tools for the development of protein-based biochemical assays. Here, we report a fluorescent macromolecular material, RF16_Halo, in which the coumarin derivative RF16 is specifically conjugated onto HaloTag protein to achieve a dual-stimuli-mediated fluorescence response. RF16 is first obtained by installing a H2O2-sensitive boron cage onto the C7 hydroxy moiety of the coumarin fluorophore with a HaloTag ligand attaching to the pH-labile 1,3-dioxane moiety. Upon stimulation, RF16_Halo exhibits a sequential fluorescence response to H2O2/pH at both liquid and solid interfaces. The fluorescence of the RF16_Halo-based protein film increases linearly toward H2O2 with a higher sensitivity when compared with that of RF16. Subsequently, the H2O2-cleaved RF16_Halo presents a pH-dependent fluorescence decrease under acidic conditions. Such a stimulus-responsive fluorescence "off-on-off" multimode enables RF16_Halo to be applied as a sequential logic circuit. In addition, we evaluate the fluorescence labeling ability of RF16 to intracellular IRE1_Halo protein and demonstrate that RF16 containing the HaloTag ligand could be precisely retained in cells to track IRE1_Halo protein. Hence, we provide a unique structural design strategy to construct a fluorescence dual-responsive macromolecular probe for information encryption and protein tracking in cells.

Preparation and characterization of chemically modified tapioca starch-ionic liquid antibacterial films

The plasticizing and antibacterial effects of ionic liquids (ILs) in the preparation of tapioca starch-IL films were studied for the first time. 1-Ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([Emim][OAc]) caused complete disruption of starch crystallites during thermal compression, while some crystallites remained after the plasticization of starch with choline acetate ([Ch][OAc]). Compared to native tapioca starch (NTS), the plasticization of acetylated tapioca starch (ATS) and cross-linked tapioca (CTS) was slightly promoted and inhibited, respectively. Starch-[Emim][OAc] films exhibited higher hydrophobicity and mechanical properties but lower antibacterial activity than starch-[Ch][OAc] films. CTS-[Ch][OAc] films presented higher mechanical strength and antibacterial activity than NTS-[Ch][OAc] and ATS-[Ch][OAc] films. From this study, we conclude that ILs can be used in the preparation of antibacterial starch films to play the roles of plasticization and antibacterial activity. The antibacterial activity of starch films depends on types of ILs and their interactions with starch during film preparation.

A prospective comparison of a modified miniaturised hand-held epifluorescence microscope and touch imprint cytology for evaluation of axillary sentinel lymph nodes intraoperatively in breast cancer patients

BACKGROUND

The management of axillary lymph nodes in early-stage breast cancer patients has changed considerably, with the primary focus shifting from the examination of sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) to toward the detection of all macro-metastases. However, current methods, such as touch imprint cytology (TIC) and frozen sections, are inadequate for clinical needs. To address this issue, we proposed a novel miniaturised epifluorescence widefield microscope (MEW-M) to assess SLN status intraoperatively for improved diagnostic efficiency.

METHODS

A prospective, side-by-side comparison of intraoperative SLN evaluation between MEW-M and TIC was performed.

RESULTS

A total of 73 patients with 319 SLNs consecutive enrolled in this study. MEW-M showed significantly superior image quality compared to TIC (median score 3.1 vs 2.1, p < 0.0001) and had a shorter time to issue results (10.3 vs 19.4 min, p < 0.0001). Likelihood ratio analysis illustrated that the positive likelihood ratio value of MEW-M compared with TIC was infinitely great vs 52.37 (95% CI, 21.96-124.90) in model 1 (classifying results into negative/positive), infinitely great vs 52.37 (95% CI, 21.96-124.90) in model 2 (classifying results into macro-metastasis/others, and TIC results followed the same classification as model 1), respectively. Similarly, the negative likelihood ratio values of MEW-M compared with TIC were 0.055 (95% CI, 0.018-0.160) and 0.074 (95% CI, 0.029-0.190) in model 1; and 0.019 (95% CI, 0.003-0.130) vs 0.020 (95% CI, 0.003-0.140) in model 2, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

MEW-M is a promising technique that can be utilised to provide a rapid and accurate intraoperative assessment of SLN in a clinical setting to help improve decision-making in axillary surgery.

Outward foreign direct investment and GVC position of manufacturing industry: A perspective on China's general trade and processing trade structure

Depending on the trading modes, the effect of Outward Foreign Direct Investment (OFDI) on the manufacturing industry's position within the global value chain (GVC) may differ considerably. This paper examines the GVC position of China's manufacturing industry from 2003 to 2018, specifically focusing on the general trade and processing trade. Drawing upon this premise, this paper analyzes the effect and mechanism by which OFDI influences the GVC position of China's manufacturing industry. The result demonstrates that: (1) China's processing trade manufacturing industry has a much lower GVC position than general trade manufacturing industry. The GVC position of China's general trade manufacturing industry rose from 2.76 to 2.90 from 2003 to 2018, while processing trade manufacturing industry remained around 1.93. (2) OFDI boosts the GVC position of general trade manufacturing industry through facilitating reverse technology spillover, inducing industry structure upgrading, and enabling export scale expansion. (3) OFDI hinders the GVC position growth of processing trade manufacturing industry. The research findings offer theoretical backing for China to develop OFDI strategies that are tailored to different trading modes within the new framework of dual circulation. These strategies aim to facilitate the transformation and advancement of the manufacturing industry, as well as the growth of the GVC position.

Microbiome and its implications in oncogenesis: a Mendelian randomization perspective

The human microbiome, an intricate ecological network, has garnered significant attention due to its potential implications in oncogenesis. This paper delves into the multifaceted relationships between the microbiome, its metabolites, and cancer development, emphasizing the human intestinal tract as the primary microbial habitat. Highlighting the potential causative associations between microbial disturbances and cancer progression, we underscore the role of specific bacterial strains in various cancers, such as stomach and colorectal cancer. Traditional causality assessment methods, like randomized controlled trials (RCTs), have limitations. Therefore, we advocate using Mendelian Randomization (MR) as a powerful alternative to study causal relationships, leveraging genetic variants as instrumental variables. With the proliferation of genome-wide association studies, MR harnesses genetic variations to infer causality, which is especially beneficial when addressing confounders like diet and lifestyle that can skew microbial research. We systematically review MR's application in understanding the microbiome-cancer nexus, emphasizing its strengths and challenges. While MR offers a unique perspective on causality, it faces hurdles like horizontal pleiotropy and weak instrumental variable bias. Integrating MR with multi-omics data, encompassing genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics, holds promise for future research, potentially heralding groundbreaking discoveries in microbiology and genetics. This comprehensive review underscores the critical role of the human microbiome in oncogenesis and champions MR as an indispensable tool for advancing our understanding in this domain.

Proteomic Analysis of the Mitochondrial Responses in P19 Embryonic Stem Cells Exposed to Florfenicol

Florfenicol (FLO) has been shown to elicit diverse toxic effects in plants, insects, and mammals. Previously, our investigations revealed that FLO induced abnormal cardiac development and early embryonic mortality in chicken embryos. However, the effect of FLO on mitochondrial responses in stem cells remains unclear. In this study, we show that FLO significantly diminishes proliferation viability and obstructs the directed differentiation of P19 stem cells (P19SCs) into cardiomyocytes. Proteomic analysis revealed 148 differentially expressed proteins in response to FLO. Functional analysis has pinpointed FLO interference with biological processes associated with oxidative phosphorylation within the mitochondria. In alignment with the results of proteomic analysis, we confirmed that FLO inhibits the expression of both nuclear DNA-encoded and mitochondrial DNA-encoded subunits of the electron transport chain. Subsequent experiments demonstrated that FLO disrupts mitochondrial dynamics and induces the mitochondrial unfolded protein response to maintain mitochondrial homeostasis. These findings collectively highlight the significance of mitochondrial dynamics and the mitochondrial unfolded protein response to mediate the decreased proliferation viability and directed differentiation potential in P19SCs treated with FLO. In conclusion, this study provides a comprehensive overview of mitochondrial responses to FLO-induced cytotoxicity and enhances our understandings of the molecular mechanisms underlying FLO-induced embryonic toxicity.

Association between viral infections and glioma risk: a two-sample bidirectional Mendelian randomization analysis

BACKGROUND

Glioma is one of the leading types of brain tumor, but few etiologic factors of primary glioma have been identified. Previous observational research has shown an association between viral infection and glioma risk. In this study, we used Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to explore the direction and magnitude of the causal relationship between viral infection and glioma.

METHODS

We conducted a two-sample bidirectional MR analysis using genome-wide association study (GWAS) data. Summary statistics data of glioma were collected from the largest meta-analysis GWAS, involving 12,488 cases and 18,169 controls. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with exposures were used as instrumental variables to estimate the causal relationship between glioma and twelve types of viral infections from corresponding GWAS data. In addition, sensitivity analyses were performed.

RESULTS

After correcting for multiple tests and sensitivity analysis, we detected that genetically predicted herpes zoster (caused by Varicella zoster virus (VZV) infection) significantly decreased risk of low-grade glioma (LGG) development (OR = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.76-0.96, P = 0.01, FDR = 0.04). No causal effects of the other eleven viral infections on glioma and reverse causality were detected.

CONCLUSIONS

This is one of the first and largest studies in this field. We show robust evidence supporting that genetically predicted herpes zoster caused by VZV infection reduces risk of LGG. The findings of our research advance understanding of the etiology of glioma.

Asymmetric response of aboveground and belowground temporal stability to nitrogen and phosphorus addition in a Tibetan alpine grassland

Anthropogenic eutrophication is known to impair the stability of aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP), but its effects on the stability of belowground (BNPP) and total (TNPP) net primary productivity remain poorly understood. Based on a nitrogen and phosphorus addition experiment in a Tibetan alpine grassland, we show that nitrogen addition had little impact on the temporal stability of ANPP, BNPP, and TNPP, whereas phosphorus addition reduced the temporal stability of BNPP and TNPP, but not ANPP. Significant interactive effects of nitrogen and phosphorus addition were observed on the stability of ANPP because of the opposite phosphorus effects under ambient and enriched nitrogen conditions. We found that the stability of TNPP was primarily driven by that of BNPP rather than that of ANPP. The responses of BNPP stability cannot be predicted by those of ANPP stability, as the variations in responses of ANPP and BNPP to enriched nutrient, with ANPP increased while BNPP remained unaffected, resulted in asymmetric responses in their stability. The dynamics of grasses, the most abundant plant functional group, instead of community species diversity, largely contributed to the ANPP stability. Under the enriched nutrient condition, the synchronization of grasses reduced the grass stability, while the latter had a significant but weak negative impact on the BNPP stability. These findings challenge the prevalent view that species diversity regulates the responses of ecosystem stability to nutrient enrichment. Our findings also suggest that the ecological consequences of nutrient enrichment on ecosystem stability cannot be accurately predicted from the responses of aboveground components and highlight the need for a better understanding of the belowground ecosystem dynamics.

BmPxt1 mediated immune response by regulating PGE2 in silkworm, Bombyx mori

Prostaglandins (PGs) mediates the immune response of insects to multiple stimuli. Mammalian cyclooxygenase (COXs) is a key enzyme in the synthesis of PGs, and peroxinectin (Pxt) may have similar functions in some sequenced insect genomes. As a representative of Lepidoptera, the silkworm also contains PGs, but its synthetic pathway is not clear. We cloned a full-length cDNA encoding a Pxt, designated as BmPxt1, from silkworm. Sequence alignment analysis showed that the protein encoded by BmPxt1 has a conserved domain similar to Pxts, and its catalytic site is shared with the Pxt of Manduca sexta, which also produces PGs. The expression of BmPxt1 gene was the highest in the hemocytes and was induced by Nuclear Polyhedrosis Virus (NPV) challenge in the detected tissues. Moreover, we found that dsPxt1 treatment deficiency down-regulated BmPxt1 transcript levels and efficiently inhibiting hemocyte-spreading and nodule formation in silkworm. Hemocyte-spreading, nodule formation, phenoloxidase (PO) and AMP genes (attacin, defencin and moricin) were also inhibited by aspirin, a COX inhibitor. Treatment by PGE2 but not arachidonic acid (AA) rescued the immunosuppression; PGs concentrations was also inhibited by aspirin. PGE2, but not AA, treatment rescued the PGs concentrations. The COX inhibitor, aspirin, impaired the innate immune response including nodulation, encapsulation, and melanization in silkworm, while PGE2, but not arachidonic acid (AA), partially reversed these effects of aspirin. Recombinant BmsPxt1 significantly induced PO activation in larvae hemolymph, PGs concentrations and encapsulation of agarose beads. Injection of recombinant BmsPxt1 into larvae resulted in increased transcript levels of AMP genes. Our results confirmed that BmPxt1 was involved in the synthesis of PGs in the innate immune response of silkworm larvae, and provided new information for the role of BmsPxt1 secreted by silkworm in activating PO and antimicrobial peptides.

Development of a multiple convolutional neural network-facilitated diagnostic screening program for immunofluorescence images of IgA nephropathy and idiopathic membranous nephropathy

Background

Immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) and idiopathic membranous nephropathy (IMN) are the most common glomerular diseases. Immunofluorescence (IF) tests of renal tissues are crucial for the diagnosis. We developed a multiple convolutional neural network (CNN)-facilitated diagnostic program to assist the IF diagnosis of IgAN and IMN.

Methods

The diagnostic program consisted of four parts: a CNN trained as a glomeruli detection module, an IF intensity comparator, dual-CNN (D-CNN) trained as a deposition appearance and location classifier and a post-processing module. A total of 1573 glomerular IF images from 1009 patients with glomerular diseases were used for the training and validation of the diagnostic program. A total of 1610 images of 426 patients from different hospitals were used as test datasets. The performance of the diagnostic program was compared with nephropathologists.

Results

In >90% of the tested images, the glomerulus location module achieved an intersection over union >0.8. The accuracy of the D-CNN in recognizing irregular granular mesangial deposition and fine granular deposition along the glomerular basement membrane was 96.1% and 93.3%, respectively. As for the diagnostic program, the accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of diagnosing suspected IgAN were 97.6%, 94.4% and 96.0%, respectively. The accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of diagnosing suspected IMN were 91.7%, 88.9% and 95.8%, respectively. The corresponding areas under the curve (AUCs) were 0.983 and 0.935. When tested with images from the outside hospital, the diagnostic program showed stable performance. The AUCs for diagnosing suspected IgAN and IMN were 0.972 and 0.948, respectively. Compared with inexperienced nephropathologists, the program showed better performance.

Conclusion

The proposed diagnostic program could assist the IF diagnosis of IgAN and IMN.

Willingness to receive and recommend hypothetical mpox vaccination and associated factors in Chinese adults: a community-based survey in Shenzhen, China

OBJECTIVES

China may face new threats to public health due to the increased risk of imported mpox (monkeypox) cases. However, research gaps exist in the acceptance of mpox vaccination and potential associated factors in the Chinese population.

STUDY DESIGN

We conducted a cross-sectional study targeting community residents in Shenzhen, China, from August 5 to September 7 2022.

METHODS

A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect information about demographic and health characteristics, mpox-related perceptions, and attitudes towards mpox vaccination. Multivariable logistic regression models were applied to detect the factors associated with willingness to receive and recommend mpox vaccination.

RESULTS

A total of 2293 community residents were included in the analyses (average age: 34.03, female: 72.6%). Among the participants, 76.9% were aware of mpox, 62.1% were aware of the global mpox outbreak, but only 53.6% had a high knowledge level of mpox. Males had a higher proportion of high knowledge (56.9% vs 52.3%, P＜0.05) and a lower proportion of high worry (30.2% vs 45.4%, P＜0.05) than females. Approximately 69.1% of the participants were willing to vaccinate against mpox, and 69.6% were willing to recommend mpox vaccination to people around them, in which no gender difference was found. The obstacle reported most among people hesitant to receive vaccination was concerning the safety and side-effects, whereas it changed to be concerning the suitability due to individual health differences among people hesitant to recommend mpox vaccines. Factors associated with the willingness to receive and recommend mpox vaccination included having a history of influenza vaccination, having a history of COVID-19 vaccination, being aware of the global mpox outbreak, having a high knowledge level of mpox, and having a high level of mpox-related worry.

CONCLUSIONS

This study identified a moderate willingness to receive and recommend mpox vaccination among Chinese adults. Without gender differences, willingness to receive and recommend mpox vaccination was significantly associated with mpox-related perceptions, such as awareness, knowledge, and worry. Authoritative and up-to-date information is needed to help the general population improve public confidence in mpox vaccines in China.

The effects of environmental policy uncertainty on productivity growth- Data from Chinese micro enterprise level

China's economy has made remarkable achievements in the past 40 years. However, the economic development is accompanied by serious environmental pollution. Chinese government has promulgated many policies to reduce environment pollution. However, it is doubtable whether the increased uncertainty in environmental policies inhibits enterprise development. Therefore in this study we use Mathematical Derivation, Stepwise Regression Method and Regulated Effect to investigate the impact of environmental policy uncertainty on enterprise productivity. The results show that (1) environmental policy uncertainty significantly inhibits the improvement of enterprise productivity. (2) environmental policy uncertainty inhibits enterprise productivity by enterprise innovation, human capital and foreign direct investment; (3) environmental policy uncertainty has heterogeneous impact on enterprise productivity. According to this study we also provide some beneficial environmental policy suggestions for the Chinese government. Such as the government should build a stable economic environment, maintain the sustainability of local environmental regulation policies and formulate more detailed measures to adapt different types of enterprises.

Number of segments with motion abnormalities is better correlated with infarct size in acute myocardial infarction

BACKGROUND

The relationship between the number of segments with motion abnormalities (SMA) on the bull's-eye plots of speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) and myocardial infarct size (MIS) on late gadolinium-enhanced cardiac MRI (LGE-cMRI) has not been well characterized. This study aimed to determine MIS using the number of SMA in patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI).

METHODS

Left ventricular two-dimensional STE and LGE-cMRI were performed in 380 patients with ST-segment elevation MI within 48 h and 5-6 days after primary percutaneous intervention, respectively.

RESULTS

Patients with impaired global and regional myocardial strain, work and greater number of SMA had significantly larger infarcts ( P  < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis that included myocardial strain, work, and number of SMA showed that total number of SMA [odds ratio (OR) = 1.976; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.539-2.538, P  < 0.0001], the number of segments with paradoxalic systolic movements (SPSM, OR = 3.703; 95% CI: 2.112-6.493, P  < 0.0001) were independent risk factors of large MIS (>19%). The area under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.904 (0.866~0.942) for total number of SMA was superior to that for global longitudinal strain (GLS, AUC = 0.813, 0.761~0.865), global work efficiency (GWE, AUC = 0.794, 0.730~0.857) and number of SPSM (AUC = 0.851, 0.804-0.899) to predict a large MIS ( P  < 0.05). The optimal cutoff value of total number of SMA was 7, with a sensitivity of 85.31%, a specificity of 81.48%, and an accuracy of 83.27%.

CONCLUSION

Total number of SMA is better associated with infarct size, which provided an incremental prognostic value above established prognostic parameters such as GLS and GWE.

Occult breast cancer patients with mastectomy have better prognosis than those with breast-conserving therapy

Background: This single-center retrospective study compared the efficacy of breast-conserving therapy along with axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) with mastectomy and ALND with regard to survival of Chinese patients with occult breast cancer. Materials & methods: Univariate Kaplan-Meier analysis and multivariate Cox proportional hazards model were used to compare treatments and prognosis. Results: A total of 111 patients with a median follow-up of 72.9 months were included. 39 patients with mastectomy + ALND had better disease-free survival than 72 patients with breast-conserving therapy + ALND (HR = 0.31; p = 0.012). Patients with radiotherapy demonstrated inferior survival for both overall survival (HR = 2.67; p = 0.071) and disease-free survival (HR = 5.35; p = 0.002). Surgical strategies and radiotherapy remained significantly predictive of better disease-free survival in multivariate analyses. Conclusion: Mastectomy and ALND demonstrate superior disease-free prognosis compared with breast-conserving therapy and ALND in occult breast cancer.

Construction of Coumarin-Based Bioorthogonal Macromolecular Probes for Photoactivation

Photoactivatable fluorescence imaging is one of the most valuable methods for visualizing protein localization, trafficking, and interactions. Here, we designed four bioorthogonal fluorescent probes K1-K4 by installing photoactive cages and HaloTag ligands onto the different positions of the coumarin fluorophore. Although K1-K4 all exhibited rapid photostimulated responses in aqueous solution, only K3 was found to have an obvious aggregation-induced emission (AIE). Next, macromolecular fluorescent probes Kn=1/2/3/4_POIs were obtained by covalently attaching K1-K4 to HaloTag-fused proteins of interest (POIs). Kn=3/4_POIs exhibited a higher fluorescence increase than that of Kn=1/2_POIs upon photoactivation in both liquid and solid phases. Moreover, K3_GFP_Halo and K4_GFP_Halo presented the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) from photocleaved K3 and K4 to GFP in the protein complex. We further examined the fluorescence labeling ability of K1-K4 to intracellular IRE1_Halo protein and found that K3 and K4 containing the HaloTag ligand on the C4 position of coumarin could be retained in cells for long-term tracking of the IRE1_Halo protein. Hence, we established a platform of novel bioorthogonal fluorescent probes conjugating onto Halo-tagged POIs for rapid photoactivation in vitro and in cells.

Rapid Segmentation and Diagnosis of Breast Tumor Ultrasound Images at the Sonographer Level Using Deep Learning

BACKGROUND

Breast cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in women. A noninvasive ultrasound examination can identify mammary-gland-related diseases and is well tolerated by dense breast, making it a preferred method for breast cancer screening and of significant clinical value. However, the diagnosis of breast nodules or masses via ultrasound is performed by a doctor in real time, which is time-consuming and subjective. Junior doctors are prone to missed diagnoses, especially in remote areas or grass-roots hospitals, due to limited medical resources and other factors, which bring great risks to a patient's health. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop fast and accurate ultrasound image analysis algorithms to assist diagnoses.

METHODS

We propose a breast ultrasound image-based assisted-diagnosis method based on convolutional neural networks, which can effectively improve the diagnostic speed and the early screening rate of breast cancer. Our method consists of two stages: tumor recognition and tumor classification. (1) Attention-based semantic segmentation is used to identify the location and size of the tumor; (2) the identified nodules are cropped to construct a training dataset. Then, a convolutional neural network for the diagnosis of benign and malignant breast nodules is trained on this dataset. We collected 2057 images from 1131 patients as the training and validation dataset, and 100 images of the patients with accurate pathological criteria were used as the test dataset.

RESULTS

The experimental results based on this dataset show that the MIoU of tumor location recognition is 0.89 and the average accuracy of benign and malignant diagnoses is 97%. The diagnosis performance of the developed diagnostic system is basically consistent with that of senior doctors and is superior to that of junior doctors. In addition, we can provide the doctor with a preliminary diagnosis so that it can be diagnosed quickly.

CONCLUSION

Our proposed method can effectively improve diagnostic speed and the early screening rate of breast cancer. The system provides a valuable aid for the ultrasonic diagnosis of breast cancer.

Applications of photodynamic therapy in extramammary Paget's disease

Extramammary Paget's disease (EMPD) is a rare form of adenocarcinoma usually found in apocrine gland-containing cutaneous regions. EMPD affects the vulvar area most commonly, followed by the perianal area, scrotum, penis, and axillary region. In its initial form, EMPD presents as an erythematous plaque with well-defined edges, fine scaling, excoriations, exulcerations, and lichenification. Generally, a definitive diagnosis can be made through histopathological analysis. Importantly, associated malignancies should be investigated prior to treatment initiation. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a modern, noninvasive treatment strategy for non-oncological diseases as well as various cancers. In recent years, PDT has been widely used to treat EMPD. This present article presents a discussion of the diagnosis and treatment of EMPD as well as the usefulness of PDT in its management.

Research Progress of α-Glucosidase Inhibitors Produced by Microorganisms and Their Applications

Based on the easy cultivation of microorganisms and their short cycle time, research on α-glucosidase inhibitors (α-GIs) of microbial origin is receiving extensive attention. Raw materials used in food production, such as cereals, dairy products, fruits, and vegetables, contain various bioactive components, like flavonoids, polyphenols, and alkaloids. Fermentation with specific bacterial strains enhances the nutritional value of these raw materials and enables the creation of hypoglycemic products rich in diverse active ingredients. Additionally, conventional food processing often results in significant byproduct generation, causing resource wastage and environmental issues. However, using bacterial strains to ferment these byproducts into α-GIs presents an innovative solution. This review describes the microbial-derived α-GIs that have been identified. Moreover, the production of α-GIs using industrial food raw materials and processing byproducts as a medium in fermentation is summarized. It is worth analyzing the selection of strains and raw materials, the separation and identification of key compounds, and fermentation broth research methods. Notably, the innovative ideas in this field are described as well. This review will provide theoretical guidance for the development of microbial-derived hypoglycemic foods.

Effects of Bedaquiline Combined with Fluoroquinolone and/or Clofazimine on QT Interval in Patients with Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis: a Retrospective Study

With the application of bedaquiline (Bdq), the success rate of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) treatment has been significantly improved; however, the cardiac safety of the patients during treatment cannot be ignored. Hence, this study compared the effects of bedaquiline alone and bedaquiline combined with fluoroquinolones (FQs) and/or clofazimine (CFZ) on the QT interval. This single-center retrospective cohort study analyzed the clinical data of MDR-TB patients treated with bedaquiline for 24 weeks from January 2020 to May 2021 in Xi'an Chest Hospital and compared the changes in QTcF between the two groups. Eighty-five patients were included in the study and grouped by types of anti-TB drugs affecting the QT interval they used. Group A included bedaquiline (n = 33), and group B included bedaquiline in combination with fluoroquinolones and/or clofazimine (n = 52). Out of patients with available corrected QT interval by Fridericia's formula (QTcF) data, 2.4% (2/85) experienced a postbaseline QTcF of ≥500 ms, and 24.7% (21/85) had at least one change of QTcF of ≥60 ms from baseline. In group A, 9.1% (3/33) had at least one ΔQTcF of >60 ms, as did 34.6% (18/52) of group B. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that the adjusted risk of QT prolongation was 4.82 times higher in group B (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.406 to 16.488). Bedaquiline combined with other anti-TB drugs affecting QT interval significantly increased the incidence of grade 3 or 4 QT prolongation; however, no serious ventricular arrhythmia and permanent drug withdrawal occurred. The use of bedaquiline combined with fluoroquinolone and/or clofazimine is an independent risk factor affecting QT interval. IMPORTANCE Tuberculosis (TB) is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The emergence of MDR-TB is caused by an organism that is resistant to at least isoniazid and rifampin and is currently considered the major challenge for the global control of TB. Bedaquiline is the first new TB drug in 50 years with a unique mechanism of action, strong anti-M. tuberculosis activity. Yet unexplained excess deaths in the bedaquiline arms have been found in some phase II clinical trials; thus, the FDA has issued a "boxed warning." However, the cardiac safety of the patients during treatment cannot be ignored. Accordingly, further investigations are needed to establish whether bedaquiline combined with clofazimine, fluoroquinolones, or anti-TB drugs affecting the QT interval in a long-course or short-course treatment increases the risk of QT prolongation.

Diagnostic value of circRNA in coronary heart disease: a meta-analysis

Aim: Studies have indicated that circRNAs have diagnostic value for coronary heart disease (CHD), but the efficacy varies greatly; therefore, a meta-analysis was conducted to assess the diagnostic value of circRNAs in CHD. Materials & methods: 16 studies with 3962 subjects (2239 cases and 1723 controls) were included by searching PubMed, Web of Science and MEDLINE. The pooled sensitivity and specificity, summary receiver operating characteristic and area under the curve, positive likelihood ratio and negative likelihood ratio were calculated. Results: The pooled area under the curve of circRNAs for the diagnosis of CHD was 0.80 (sensitivity and specificity were 0.77 and 0.68, respectively), and more indexes were calculated. Conclusion: circRNAs may be good biomarkers for diagnosing CHD.

Development of an MCL-1-related prognostic signature and inhibitors screening for glioblastoma

Introduction: The effect of the conventional treatment methods of glioblastoma (GBM) is poor and the prognosis of patients is poor. The expression of MCL-1 in GBM is significantly increased, which shows a high application value in targeted therapy. In this study, we predicted the prognosis of glioblastoma patients, and therefore constructed MCL-1 related prognostic signature (MPS) and the development of MCL-1 small molecule inhibitors. Methods: In this study, RNA-seq and clinical data of 168 GBM samples were obtained from the TCGA website, and immunological analysis, differential gene expression analysis and functional enrichment analysis were performed. Subsequently, MCL-1-associated prognostic signature (MPS) was constructed and validated by LASSO Cox analysis, and a nomogram was constructed to predict the prognosis of patients. Finally, the 17931 small molecules downloaded from the ZINC15 database were screened by LibDock, ADME, TOPKAT and CDOCKER modules and molecular dynamics simulation in Discovery Studio2019 software, and two safer and more effective small molecule inhibitors were finally selected. Results: Immunological analysis showed immunosuppression in the MCL1_H group, and treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors had a positive effect. Differential expression gene analysis identified 449 differentially expressed genes. Build and validate MPS using LASSO Cox analysis. Use the TSHR HIST3H2A, ARGE OSMR, ARHGEF25 build risk score, proved that low risk group of patients prognosis is better. Univariate and multivariate analysis proved that risk could be used as an independent predictor of patient prognosis. Construct a nomogram to predict the survival probability of patients at 1,2,3 years. Using a series of computer-aided techniques, two more reasonable lead compounds ZINC000013374322 and ZINC000001090002 were virtually selected. These compounds have potential inhibitory effects on MCL-1 and provide a basis for the design and further development of MCL-1 specific small molecule inhibitors. Discussion: This study analyzed the effect of MCL-1 on the prognosis of glioblastoma patients from the perspective of immunology, constructed a new prognostic model to evaluate the survival rate of patients, and further screened 2 MCL-1 small molecule inhibitors, which provides new ideas for the treatment and prognosis of glioblastoma.

Evolutionary dynamics in financial markets with heterogeneities in investment strategies and reference points

In nature and human societies, the effects of homogeneous and heterogeneous characteristics on the evolution of collective behaviors are quite different from each other. By incorporating pair pattern strategies and reference point strategies into an agent-based model, we have investigated the effects of homogeneous and heterogeneous investment strategies and reference points on price movement. In the market flooded with the investors with homogeneous investment strategies or homogeneous reference points, large price fluctuations occur. In the market flooded with the investors with heterogeneous investment strategies or heterogeneous reference points, moderate price fluctuations occur. The coexistence of different kinds of investment strategies can not only refrain from the occurrence of large price fluctuations but also the occurrence of no-trading states. The present model reveals that the coexistence of heterogeneous populations, whether they are the individuals with heterogeneous investment strategies or heterogeneous reference points of stock prices, is an important factor for the stability of the stock market.

Comparative Filtration Performance of Composite Air Filter Materials Synthesized Using Different Impregnated Porous Media

Indoor environment quality is currently a hot research topic. In this study, composite air filter materials were synthesized using different impregnated porous medium materials, and their filtration performance and structural parameters were analyzed. The results showed that composite filter materials' structures changed at the fibers' surfaces when synthesized using different porous medium material layers. The filtration efficiency of composite filter materials synthesized using different porous media reached a maximum 0.8 m/s filtration velocity, and PM₁₀, PM_2.5, and PM_1.0 increased by 1.67~26.07, 1.19~26.96, and 1.10~21.98%, respectively. The filtration efficiencies of reduced graphene oxide composite for PM₁₀, PM_2.5, and PM_1.0 were 21.26, 20.22, and 18.50% higher, respectively, than those of carbon black composite. In addition, the filtration efficiency of the composite material synthesized by reducing graphene oxide improved for 0 to 1.0 μm particulates and was more effective by comparison. Filtration efficiency and resistance were comprehensively considered during air filter use to provide useful values for the selection and preparation of composite filter materials in the future.

Core microbes closely related with the nutrients and flavor of sweet fermented oats (whole grain food) from China

Increased attention has been given to whole grain and plant-based foods due to health concerns. Sweet fermented oats (SFOs) are such traditional fermented food from China. However, reports on their microbiota and relations with the nutrients and flavor were scarcely few, hindering their wider application. The comprehensive microbial composition, metabolic compounds and their correlations of representative SFOs from northwestern China were firstly investigated. Firmicutes predominated the microbial communities, followed by Proteobacteria. Weissella, Bacillus and Lactobacillus were dominant bacterial genera, biomarkers and core bacteria as well. GC-MS (Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometer) identified the metabolic compounds, among which the categories fatty acids and carboxylic acids most abundant. Eighteen chemicals showed significant differences among the five SFOs, including ethyl octanoate, neryl acetate, L-sorbose, diglycerol, cellotetraose etc. Fatty acids, carboxylic acids, amino acids, peptides, oligosaccharides, and monosaccharides were the key substances responsible for the unique flavor and rich nutrients in SFOs. The core bacteria were closely related to chemical acids, esters, flavone and alcohol. Pediococcus showed a negative correlation with 2,3-butanediol. SFOs were made in the laboratory with the core bacterial strains, obtaining a high abundance of nutrient chemicals and sensory evaluation value. The research provided a foundation for the improvement, further application and industrialization of SFOs.

An exploration of the correlations between seven psychiatric disorders and the risks of breast cancer, breast benign tumors and breast inflammatory diseases: Mendelian randomization analyses

Background

Previous observational studies have showed that certain psychiatric disorders may be linked to breast cancer risk, there is, however, little understanding of relationships between mental disorders and a variety of breast diseases. This study aims to investigate if mental disorders influence the risks of overall breast cancer, the two subtypes of breast cancer (ER+ and ER-), breast benign tumors and breast inflammatory diseases.

Methods

During our research, genome-wide association study (GWAS) data for seven psychiatric disorders (schizophrenia, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder and anorexia nervosa) from the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium (PGC) and the UK Biobank were selected, and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) significantly linked to these mental disorders were identified as instrumental variables. GWAS data for breast diseases came from the Breast Cancer Association Consortium (BCAC) as well as the FinnGen consortium. We performed two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses and multivariable MR analyses to assess these SNPs' effects on various breast diseases. Both heterogeneity and pleiotropy were evaluated by sensitivity analyses.

Results

When the GWAS data of psychiatric disorders were derived from the PGC, our research found that schizophrenia significantly increased the risks of overall breast cancer (two-sample MR: OR 1.05, 95%CI [1.03-1.07], p = 3.84 × 10^-6; multivariable MR: OR 1.06, 95%CI [1.04-1.09], p = 2.34 × 10^-6), ER+ (OR 1.05, 95%CI [1.02-1.07], p = 5.94 × 10^-5) and ER- (two-sample MR: OR 1.04, 95%CI [1.01-1.07], p = 0.006; multivariable MR: OR 1.06, 95%CI [1.02-1.10], p = 0.001) breast cancer. Nevertheless, major depressive disorder only showed significant positive association with overall breast cancer (OR 1.12, 95%CI [1.04-1.20], p = 0.003) according to the two-sample MR analysis, but not in the multivariable MR analysis. In regards to the remainder of the mental illnesses and breast diseases, there were no significant correlations. While as for the data from the UK Biobank, schizophrenia did not significantly increase the risk of breast cancer.

Conclusions

The correlation between schizophrenia and breast cancer found in this study may be false positive results caused by underlying horizontal pleiotropy, rather than a true cause-and-effect relationship. More prospective studies are still needed to be carried out to determine the definitive links between mental illnesses and breast diseases.