Age, growth, maturity and mortality of the tapetail anchovy Coilia brachygnathus (Engraulidae) in Lake Honghu, China

The tapertail anchovy Coilia brachygnathus, a commercially important species mainly distributed along the mid-lower Chang-Jiang basin, is by far the most dominant species in Lake Honghu. To figure out its success in this semiclosed lake, some basic biological parameters of this anchovy were analysed based on samples seasonally collected from October 2020 to December 2021. The results demonstrated that the age classes of fished individuals varied from 0.5 to 3.5, with the majority (97.36%) being between 0.5 and 3 years old. The size at 50% maturity of 17.2 cm total length (TL) for females and 19.0 cm TL for males corresponded to 1 and 1.6 years, respectively. Coilia brachygnathus has a short life span, early sexual maturity and a relatively fast growth rate. The flourishing of the fish in the lake is mainly attributed to its short life span, early maturity, fast growth rate, closed fishing, pelagic spawners, the availability of plenty of food and low predation effect on it. Age 3.5 year occurs in an extremely small percentage of the total (<3%), indicating that a large number of larger-sized or older fish died after spawning, which is probably one of the major sources of water pollution if the closed fishing measure is adopted in Lake Honghu. Thus, individuals older than 2 years or more than 20.0 cm TL should be harvested. These findings have important management implications for the fish resources in Lake Honghu and beyond.

Dual-modality rigid endoscope for photoacoustic imaging and white light videoscopy

Significance

There has been significant interest in the development of miniature photoacoustic imaging probes for a variety of clinical uses, including the in situ assessment of tumors and minimally invasive surgical guidance. Most of the previously implemented probes are either side viewing or operate in the optical-resolution microscopy mode in which the imaging depth is limited to ∼ 1    mm . We describe a forward-viewing photoacoustic probe that operates in tomography mode and simultaneously provides white light video images.

Aim

We aim to develop a dual-modality endoscope capable of performing high-resolution PAT imaging and traditional white light videoscopy simultaneously in the forward-viewing configuration.

Approach

We used a Fabry-Pérot ultrasound sensor that operates in the 1500 to 1600 nm wavelength range and is transparent in the visible and near infrared region (580 to 1250 nm). The FP sensor was optically scanned using a miniature MEMs mirror located at the proximal end of the endoscope, resulting in a system that is sufficiently compact (10 mm outer diameter) and lightweight for practical endoscopic use.

Results

The imaging performance of the endoscope is evaluated, and dual-mode imaging capability is demonstrated using phantoms and abdominal organs of an ex vivo mouse including spleen, liver, and kidney.

Conclusions

The proposed endoscope design offers several advantages including the high acoustic sensitivity and wide detection bandwidth of the FP sensor, dual-mode imaging capability, compact footprint, and an all-optical distal end for improved safety. The dual-mode imaging capability also offers the advantage of correlating the tissue surface morphology with the underlying vascular anatomy. Potential applications include the guidance of laparoscopic surgery and other interventional procedures.

A review of conservation status of freshwater fish diversity in China

China harbors a high species diversity of freshwater fishes not shared with any of its neighboring nations. Freshwater fish diversity in the country has been under severe threat from human activities over the past decades, thus conservation freshwater fishes and ecosystems is urgently needed. To accumulate baseline data for guiding protection actions, the third red list assessment of Chinese freshwater fishes was carried out. Among Chinese freshwater fishes assessed, there are 355 at-risk species (22.3% of the total), including 69 ranked as Critically Endangered, 97 as Endangered, and 189 as Vulnerable. Two species are classified as Extinct and one as Regionally Extinct. China's threat level seems to be lower than the known average level found in the IUCN's global assessment of freshwater fishes, but this is an artifact of a high rate of species classified as Data Deficient. Conservation of freshwater fishes is presently facing a grim situation in China. Imperilment of Chinese freshwater fishes is primarily attributed to habitat loss and degradation arising from human perturbations, particularly river damming. Despite the adoption of protected areas setting up, captive breeding and release, and a fishing moratorium, conservation efforts for freshwater fishes are compromised by disproportional attention in China's biodiversity conservation, baseline data deficiency, insufficiently designed protection networks, and inefficient or inadequate implementation of conservation strategies. To achieve the objectives of Chinese freshwater fish conservation, it is proposed to conduct a national-scale survey of fish diversity and reassess their at-risk status, develop systematic conservation planning of freshwater fish diversity and ecosystems, prioritize strategies for protected areas development, perform genetic-based captive breeding for releasing in concert with other protection actions, and implement flexible fishing moratorium strategies in different water bodies.

Descriptions of two new species of the botiid genus Leptobotia Bleeker, 1870 (Teleostei: Cypriniformes) from South China

Two new species of Leptobotia are here described as L. rotundilobus from the Xin'an-Jiang of the upper Qiantang-Jiang basin in both Anhui and Zhejiang Provinces and the Cao'e-Jiang in Zhejiang Province, and L. paucipinna from the Qing-Jiang of the middle Chang-Jiang basin in Hubei Province, South China. Both have a plain brown body as found in L. bellacauda Bohlen & Šlechtová, 2016, L. microphthalma Fu & Ye, 1983, L. posterodorsalis Chen & Lan, 1992 and L. tientainensis (Wu, 1930). The two new species are distinct from these species in vertebral counts, further from L. posterodorsalis in vent placement and further from the other three species in pectoral-fin length. Both differ in caudal-fin coloration and shape, and dorsal-fin location and coloration, and also in internal morphology. Their validity is confirmed by their own monophyly recovered in a phylogenetic analysis based on the mitochondrial cyt b and COI genes.

Impact of opioid-free analgesia on pain severity and patient satisfaction after discharge from surgery: multispecialty, prospective cohort study in 25 countries

BACKGROUND

Balancing opioid stewardship and the need for adequate analgesia following discharge after surgery is challenging. This study aimed to compare the outcomes for patients discharged with opioid versus opioid-free analgesia after common surgical procedures.

METHODS

This international, multicentre, prospective cohort study collected data from patients undergoing common acute and elective general surgical, urological, gynaecological, and orthopaedic procedures. The primary outcomes were patient-reported time in severe pain measured on a numerical analogue scale from 0 to 100% and patient-reported satisfaction with pain relief during the first week following discharge. Data were collected by in-hospital chart review and patient telephone interview 1 week after discharge.

RESULTS

The study recruited 4273 patients from 144 centres in 25 countries; 1311 patients (30.7%) were prescribed opioid analgesia at discharge. Patients reported being in severe pain for 10 (i.q.r. 1-30)% of the first week after discharge and rated satisfaction with analgesia as 90 (i.q.r. 80-100) of 100. After adjustment for confounders, opioid analgesia on discharge was independently associated with increased pain severity (risk ratio 1.52, 95% c.i. 1.31 to 1.76; P < 0.001) and re-presentation to healthcare providers owing to side-effects of medication (OR 2.38, 95% c.i. 1.36 to 4.17; P = 0.004), but not with satisfaction with analgesia (β coefficient 0.92, 95% c.i. -1.52 to 3.36; P = 0.468) compared with opioid-free analgesia. Although opioid prescribing varied greatly between high-income and low- and middle-income countries, patient-reported outcomes did not.

CONCLUSION

Opioid analgesia prescription on surgical discharge is associated with a higher risk of re-presentation owing to side-effects of medication and increased patient-reported pain, but not with changes in patient-reported satisfaction. Opioid-free discharge analgesia should be adopted routinely.

Validation of remote anthropometric measurements in a rural randomized pediatric clinical trial in primary care settings

Rural children are more at risk for childhood obesity but may have difficulty participating in pediatric weight management clinical trials if in-person visits are required. Remote assessment of height and weight observed via videoconferencing may provide a solution by improving the accuracy of self-reported data. This study aims to validate a low-cost, scalable video-assisted protocol for remote height and weight measurements in children and caregivers. Families were provided with low-cost digital scales and tape measures and a standardized protocol for remote measurements. Thirty-three caregiver and child (6-11 years old) dyads completed remote (at home) height and weight measurements while being observed by research staff via videoconferencing, as well as in-person measurements with research staff. We compared the overall and absolute mean differences in child and caregiver weight, height, body mass index (BMI), and child BMI adjusted Z-score (BMIaz) between remote and in-person measurements using paired samples t-tests and one sample t-tests, respectively. Bland-Altman plots were used to estimate the limits of agreement (LOA) and assess systematic bias. Simple regression models were used to examine associations between measurement discrepancies and sociodemographic factors and number of days between measurements. Overall mean differences in child and caregiver weight, height, BMI, and child BMIaz were not significantly different between remote and in-person measurements. LOAs were - 2.1 and 1.7 kg for child weight, - 5.2 and 4.0 cm for child height, - 1.5 and 1.7 kg/m2 for child BMI, - 0.4 and 0.5 SD for child BMIaz, - 3.0 and 2.8 kg for caregiver weight, - 2.9 and 3.9 cm for caregiver height, and - 2.1 and 1.6 kg/m2 for caregiver BMI. Absolute mean differences were significantly different between the two approaches for all measurements. Child and caregiver age were each significantly associated with differences between remote and in-person caregiver height measurements; there were no significant associations with other measurement discrepancies. Remotely observed weight and height measurements using non-research grade equipment may be a feasible and valid approach for pediatric clinical trials in rural communities. However, researchers should carefully evaluate their measurement precision requirements and intervention effect size to determine whether remote height and weight measurements suit their studies.Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04142034 (29/10/2019).

Dissecting embryonic and extraembryonic lineage crosstalk with stem cell co-culture

Embryogenesis necessitates harmonious coordination between embryonic and extraembryonic tissues. Although stem cells of both embryonic and extraembryonic origins have been generated, they are grown in different culture conditions. In this study, utilizing a unified culture condition that activates the FGF, TGF-β, and WNT pathways, we have successfully derived embryonic stem cells (FTW-ESCs), extraembryonic endoderm stem cells (FTW-XENs), and trophoblast stem cells (FTW-TSCs) from the three foundational tissues of mouse and cynomolgus monkey (Macaca fascicularis) blastocysts. This approach facilitates the co-culture of embryonic and extraembryonic stem cells, revealing a growth inhibition effect exerted by extraembryonic endoderm cells on pluripotent cells, partially through extracellular matrix signaling. Additionally, our cross-species analysis identified both shared and unique transcription factors and pathways regulating FTW-XENs. The embryonic and extraembryonic stem cell co-culture strategy offers promising avenues for developing more faithful embryo models and devising more developmentally pertinent differentiation protocols.

Polyguluronic acid alleviates doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity by suppressing Peli1-NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis

Polyguluronic acid (PG), a polysaccharide from alginate, possesses excellent bioactivities. We prepared high-purity PG with 10.41 kDa molecular weight (Mw) and a 59 average degree of polymerization (DP) by acid hydrolysis, three pH grades, Q-Sepharose column elution, and Sephadex G-25 column desalination. Then, we evaluated the PG protective effects on doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity (DIC) in vitro and in vivo. The nontoxic PG enhanced cellular viability, reduced cell pyroptosis morphology, diminished the LDH and IL-1β release, and downregulated expressions of ASC oligomerization, NLRP3, cl-CASP1, and GSDMD, by which PG protected the cardiomyocytes from NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis in doxorubicin-stimulated HL-1 cells and C57BL/6J mice. The probable underlying mechanism may be that PG downregulated doxorubicin -induced Peli1, the deficiency of which could inhibit doxorubicin-induced NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis. These results suggested that polysaccharide PG from alginate could prevent DIC and may be a potential therapeutic agent or bioactive material for preventing DIC.

Extending the In Vivo Residence Time of Macrophage Membrane-Coated Nanoparticles through Genetic Modification

Nanoparticles coated with natural cell membranes have emerged as a promising class of biomimetic nanomedicine with significant clinical potential. Among them, macrophage membrane-coated nanoparticles hold particular appeal due to their versatility in drug delivery and biological neutralization applications. This study employs a genetic engineering approach to enhance their in vivo residence times, aiming to further improve their performance. Specifically, macrophages are engineered to express proline-alanine-serine (PAS) peptide chains, which provide additional protection against opsonization and phagocytosis. The resulting modified nanoparticles demonstrate prolonged residence times when administered intravenously or introduced intratracheally, surpassing those coated with the wild-type membrane. The longer residence times also contribute to enhanced nanoparticle efficacy in inhibiting inflammatory cytokines in mouse models of lipopolysaccharide-induced lung injury and sublethal endotoxemia, respectively. This study underscores the effectiveness of genetic modification in extending the in vivo residence times of macrophage membrane-coated nanoparticles. This approach can be readily extended to modify other cell membrane-coated nanoparticles toward more favorable biomedical applications.

Resistomycin Inhibits Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling to Induce the Apoptotic Death of Human Colorectal Cancer Cells

Resistomycin is a natural antibiotic related to quinone that has been shown to exhibit robust antitumor activity. To further characterize the mechanistic basis for such activity, human colorectal cancer (CRC) cells were selected as a model to explore the role of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in the ability of resistomycin to induce apoptotic cell death. These analyses revealed that resistomycin was able to suppress β-catenin, TCF4, and GSK-3β expression, together with that of the downstream targets c-Myc and survivin. This coincided with elevated cleaved caspase-3 and Bax protein levels and a decline in Bcl-2 content. When β-catenin was silenced, this further enhanced the ability of resistomycin to induce apoptotic CRC cell death, whereas this apoptotic process was partially ablated when cells were treated using lithium chloride to activate Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Overall, these results support a model wherein resistomycin inhibits Wnt/β-catenin signaling within CRC cells, thereby inducing apoptotic death. Further research may be warranted to better clarify the potential utility of this compound as a candidate drug for use in the treatment of patients suffering from this form of cancer.

Spatially resolved readout of a Fabry-Perot ultrasound sensor interrogated through a multimode optical fiber using wavefront shaping

The spatially resolved interrogation of a Fabry-Perot ultrasound sensor using a laser beam focused through a multimode fiber is demonstrated. To scan the beam across the sensor as required to read it out, optical wavefront shaping was employed to compensate for the scrambling of light in the fiber. By providing a means to map ultrasound through inexpensive, lightweight fibers, this could lead to new ultrasonic and photoacoustic imaging systems, such as endoscopes and flexible handheld probes.

H - 15 Leveraging Community Health Care Workers in Rural Communities to Address Brain Health Equity

OBJECTIVE

To address brain health in rural communities, Telehealth ROCKS developed a service delivery program with local partners. Community healthcare workers (CHWs) assess and provide students with referrals to address social determinants of health (SDoH) and mental health needs.

DATA SELECTION

Qualitative and quantitative data were collected. This program serves seven school districts and 6876 students in an area historically reliant on a mining/factory economies with high concerns for environmental exposures. Students were from diverse backgrounds with a range of neurological and neurodevelopmental conditions. To close SDOH gaps, CHWs utilized Community CareLink (CCL), an online platform tailored for rural communities that documents, tracks, and identifies SDOH gaps.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Since 2022, 85% of families elected to pursue CHW support. To date, 10 CHWs have worked directly with approximately 10% of the school population with 80% of encounters having an attendance component. Thematic analysis shows building trust has been an important encounter theme: "Building that trust within the families is so important. By being able to help them with housing, utility assistance or getting access to Medicaid can be a huge relief. . ."

CONCLUSIONS

The pandemic impacted SDOH domains, further exacerbating rural and other systemic disparities that will have long-lasting impact on brain health in rural communities. For neuropsychologists, adopting this program design may help to foster trusted relationships and community partnerships, improve culturally informed referrals, and provide scaffolding/coaching around referrals so that our expertise can aid patients and families where and when it is needed most.

An Update of Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT) for the Palliation of Unirradiated Mucosal Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC)

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

We report the treatment outcomes of palliative Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) in patients with primary mucosal head and neck cancer (HNC) who were not eligible to receive conventional radiation therapy (RT).

MATERIALS/METHODS

This is a retrospective study that reviewed the medical records of patients with primary SCC mucosal HNC who were treated with SBRT between 2011 and 2022. Patients with other histologies, skin cancer, parotid tumors, or recurrent previously irradiated tumors were excluded from the study.

RESULTS

A total of 74 patients and 77 tumors were treated with SBRT in this cohort. The median age in the study was 81 (52-97) years and the median follow-up was 7.2 months. The most common site of HNC was the oral cavity (62%), followed by the oropharynx (18%), hypopharynx (8%), larynx (5%), nasal cavity/sinonasal cancer (3%), and unknown primary (1%). T3-4 lesions were found in most patients (76%). SBRT doses ranged from 35-50 Gy in 5 fractions, and the most common prescription dose was ≥45 Gy in 5 fractions (60%) for the GTV prescription. An elective nodal volume of 25 Gy in 5 fractions was infrequently (17%) used. Most patients (81%) who were treated twice a week completed in ≤14 days. The predominant symptoms at presentation were: pain (41%), mass effect (39%), dysphagia/odynophagia (14%), headache/nasal obstruction (1.4%), bleeding (1.4%), stridor (1.4%), asymptomatic (1.4%), and unknown (1.4%). 84% of patients had symptomatic response to treatment with 24% of them having complete symptom response. Cumulative incidence of local failure (LF) was 6.7% and at 6 months and 17.9% at 12 months, respectively. Cumulative incidence of distant metastasis was 7.3% and 10.5% at 6 and 12 months. Cancer was the most common cause of death in 29 patients (51%). The median overall survival (OS) was 8 months with 6 and 12-month OS rates of 67% and 36%, respectively. 39% of patients developed acute G3 toxicity, including 30% with G3 mucositis, 5% with G3 dysphagia, and 4% with G3 dermatitis. A crude rate of late G ≥3 toxicity was observed in 11% of patients including (5%, n = 4) with osteoradionecrosis, and a single case of dysphagia, soft tissue necrosis, supraglottic ulceration, and mucosal necrosis.

CONCLUSION

This study highlights the feasibility of SBRT as a treatment option for primary mucosal head and neck cancer patients who are not eligible for conventional radiation therapy. The results indicate that SBRT was effective in achieving local control and symptom relief, but larger prospective studies are needed to confirm the findings. The Canadian Cancer Trials Group has endorsed HN-13, a randomized control trial comparing HN SBRT to palliative RT.

First Measurement of the Nuclear-Recoil Ionization Yield in Silicon at 100 eV

We measured the nuclear-recoil ionization yield in silicon with a cryogenic phonon-sensitive gram-scale detector. Neutrons from a monoenergetic beam scatter off of the silicon nuclei at angles corresponding to energy depositions from 4 keV down to 100 eV, the lowest energy probed so far. The results show no sign of an ionization production threshold above 100 eV. These results call for further investigation of the ionization yield theory and a comprehensive determination of the detector response function at energies below the keV scale.

Capsulated Cellular Nanosponges for the Treatment of Experimental Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic gastrointestinal tract disorder characterized by uncontrolled inflammatory responses to the disrupted intestinal epithelial barrier and gut microbiome dysbiosis. Currently available small-molecule immunosuppressive agents and anticytokine biologics show limited potency, mainly due to the complexity of the inflammatory network involved in IBD. Here, we develop an oral formulation of macrophage membrane-coated nanoparticles capsulated in enteric polymer-coated gelatin capsules (denoted "cp-MΦ-NPs") for IBD treatment. The capsules protect the nanoparticles from gastric degradation and allow for targeted delivery to the colon. At the inflamed colon, cp-MΦ-NPs act as macrophage decoys that bind and neutralize pro-inflammatory cytokines. The in vivo treatment efficacy of cp-MΦ-NPs is tested in a mouse model of dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis. In both prophylactic and delayed treatment regimens, the oral delivery of cp-MΦ-NPs significantly alleviates IBD severity, reflected by reduced intestinal inflammation and intestinal barrier restoration. Overall, cp-MΦ-NPs provide a biomimetic nanomedicine strategy for the treatment of IBD.

Weak Spatial Target Extraction Based on Small-Field Optical System

Compared to wide-field telescopes, small-field detection systems have higher spatial resolution, resulting in stronger detection capabilities and higher positioning accuracy. When detecting by small fields in synchronous orbit, both space debris and fixed stars are imaged as point targets, making it difficult to distinguish them. In addition, with the improvement in detection capabilities, the number of stars in the background rapidly increases, which puts higher requirements on recognition algorithms. Therefore, star detection is indispensable for identifying and locating space debris in complex backgrounds. To address these difficulties, this paper proposes a real-time star extraction method based on adaptive filtering and multi-frame projection. We use bad point repair and background suppression algorithms to preprocess star images. Afterwards, we analyze and enhance the target signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Then, we use multi-frame projection to fuse information. Subsequently, adaptive filtering, adaptive morphology, and adaptive median filtering algorithms are proposed to detect trajectories. Finally, the projection is released to locate the target. Our recognition algorithm has been verified by real star images, and the images were captured using small-field telescopes. The experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the algorithm proposed in this paper. We successfully extracted hip-27066 star, which has a magnitude of about 12 and an SNR of about 1.5. Compared with existing methods, our algorithm has advantages in both recognition rate and false-alarm rate, and can be used as a real-time target recognition algorithm for space-based synchronous orbit detection payloads.

The Oriental spittlebug genus Paracercopis Schmidt (Hemiptera: Cercopoidea: Cercopidae) revisited, with description of one new species from Hubei, China

The generic diagnostic characters of Paracercopis (Hemiptera: Cercopoidea: Cercopidae) are redefined and the autapomorphies are proposed to support the monophyly of the genus. Scanning electron micrographs of antennal sensilla and sensilla on rostral apex of P. seminigra (Melichar, 1902) are provided for the first time. A checklist together with new distribution records and key to the species of the genus are provided. Host plant associations of Paracercopis species are reported for the first time. Paracercopis unicolor Liang, Zhang & Xiao, sp. nov., representing the seventh and largest species of the genus is described from Hubei Province in south central China.

Bend-insensitive fiber optic ultrasonic tracking probe for cardiovascular interventions

BACKGROUND

Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is widely used to guide medical device placement in minimally invasive cardiovascular procedures. However, visualization of the device tip with TEE can be challenging. Ultrasonic tracking, enabled by an integrated fiber optic ultrasound sensor (FOUS) that receives transmissions from the TEE probe, is very well suited to improving device localization in this context. The problem addressed in this study is that tight deflections of devices such as a steerable guide catheter can result in bending of the FOUS beyond its specifications and a corresponding loss of ultrasound sensitivity.

PURPOSE

A bend-insensitive FOUS was developed, and its utility with ultrasonic tracking of a steerable tip during TEE-based image guidance was demonstrated.

METHODS

Fiberoptic ultrasound sensors were fabricated using both standard and bend insensitive single mode fibers and subjected to static bending at the distal end. The interference transfer function and ultrasound sensitivities were compared for both types of FOUS. The bend-insensitive FOUS was integrated within a steerable guide catheter, which served as an exemplar device; the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of tracking signals from the catheter tip with a straight and a fully deflected distal end were measured in a cardiac ultrasound phantom for over 100 frames.

RESULTS

With tight bending at the distal end (bend radius < 10 mm), the standard FOUS experienced a complete loss of US sensitivity due to high attenuation in the fiber, whereas the bend-insensitive FOUS had largely unchanged performance, with a SNR of 47.7 for straight fiber and a SNR of 36.8 at a bend radius of 3.0 mm. When integrated into the steerable guide catheter, the mean SNRs of the ultrasonic tracking signals recorded with the catheter in a cardiac phantom were similar for straight and fully deflected distal ends: 195 and 163.

CONCLUSION

The FOUS fabricated from bend-insensitive fiber overcomes the bend restrictions associated with the FOUS fabricated from standard single mode fiber, thereby enabling its use in ultrasonic tracking in a wide range of cardiovascular devices.

Connecting Behavioral Health Specialists With Schools: Adapting a Telementoring Series During COVID-19

To address the daunting behavioral and mental health needs of Kansas' rural and underserved communities, Telehealth ROCKS (Rural Outreach for the Children of Kansas) Schools project partnered with school-based health centers, school districts, and special education cooperatives to provide a range of telebehavioral health intervention services and teletraining. This project used the Project Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) telementoring framework to connect specialty providers with school/community providers for web-based continuing education and case consultation to support students with special education needs. Our team created the Function Friday for Better Behavior ECHO series to address challenging behaviors in schools, based on the concept of functional behavior assessment and function-based treatment. Part of the ECHO series came into being after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. This article describes how our ECHO series provided an effective mechanism for supporting school and community providers during the pandemic, and participating educators utilized skills as they transitioned from onsite education to the virtual learning environment with students.

[Biomechanical analysis of miniplate fixation systems in restorative laminoplasty for spinal canal reconstruction]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the biomechanical properties of H-shaped and L-shaped miniplate fixation systems (H-MFS and L-MFS, respectively) in restorative laminoplasty for spinal canal reconstruction (RL-SCR).

METHODS

Laminectomy was performed in a 3D printed L4 vertebral model followed by RL-SCR using H-MFS or L-MFS, and the biomechanical properties of the reconstructed models were evaluated using static and dynamic compression tests. Biomechanical analyses of RL-SCR were also conducted in finite element models of the L3-L5 vertebrae with normal assignment (NA), laminectomy, or fixation with H-MFS or L-MFS, and the range of motion (ROM) of L3-L4 and L4-L5 was evaluated.

RESULTS

In static compression test, the sustained yield load, compression stiffness, yield displacement and axial displacement- axial load were all significantly greater in H-MFS group (P < 0.05). Door closing, lamina collapse and plate breakage occurred in all the models in L-MFS group, and only some models in H-MFS group showed plate cracks and screw loosening. In dynamic compression tests, the peak load in H-MFS group reached 873 N (which was 95% of the average yield load in static compression), significantly greater than that in L-MFS group (P < 0.05). The ultimate load in L-MFS group was only 46.59% of that in H-MFS group (P>0.05). In finite element analysis, the ROM of the L3-L4 and L4- L5 segments were significantly smaller in NA, H-MFS and L-MFS groups than in laminectomy group. Compared with NA group, H-MFS group showed a greater ROM during extension, and L-MFS group showed greater ROM in flexion, extension, bending, and rotation; The overall ROM of the vertebral segments decreased in the order of laminectomy group, L-MFS group, H-MFS group, and NA group.

CONCLUSION

Laminectomy causes structural destruction of the posterior column of the spine to affect its biomechanical stability. RL-SCR can effectively maintain the biomechanical stability of the spine, and H-MFS is superior to L-MFS in maintaining the integrity and biomechanical properties of the reconstructed spinal canal.

Dissecting embryonic and extra-embryonic lineage crosstalk with stem cell co-culture

Faithful embryogenesis requires precise coordination between embryonic and extraembryonic tissues. Although stem cells from embryonic and extraembryonic origins have been generated for several mammalian species(Bogliotti et al., 2018; Choi et al., 2019; Cui et al., 2019; Evans and Kaufman, 1981; Kunath et al., 2005; Li et al., 2008; Martin, 1981; Okae et al., 2018; Tanaka et al., 1998; Thomson et al., 1998; Vandevoort et al., 2007; Vilarino et al., 2020; Yu et al., 2021b; Zhong et al., 2018), they are grown in different culture conditions with diverse media composition, which makes it difficult to study cross-lineage communication. Here, by using the same culture condition that activates FGF, TGF-β and WNT signaling pathways, we derived stable embryonic stem cells (ESCs), extraembryonic endoderm stem cells (XENs) and trophoblast stem cells (TSCs) from all three founding tissues of mouse and cynomolgus monkey blastocysts. This allowed us to establish embryonic and extraembryonic stem cell co-cultures to dissect lineage crosstalk during early mammalian development. Co-cultures of ESCs and XENs uncovered a conserved and previously unrecognized growth inhibition of pluripotent cells by extraembryonic endoderm cells, which is in part mediated through extracellular matrix signaling. Our study unveils a more universal state of stem cell self-renewal stabilized by activation, as opposed to inhibition, of developmental signaling pathways. The embryonic and extraembryonic stem cell co-culture strategy developed here will open new avenues for creating more faithful embryo models and developing more developmentally relevant differentiation protocols.

Overexpression of CsATG3a improves tolerance to nitrogen deficiency and increases nitrogen use efficiency in arabidopsis

Nitrogen (N) is a major nutrition element for tea plant. However, application of high levels of N negatively causes environmental problems. Therefore, improved N use efficiency (NUE) of tea plant will be highly desirable and crucial for sustainable tea cultivation. Autophagy plays a central role in N recycling and holds potential to improve N utilization, and many AuTophaGy-related genes (ATGs) are involved in the autophagy process. Here, CsATG3a was identified from Camellia sinensis, and the functions involved in N utilization was characterized in arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). The transcript level of CsATG3a in tea leaves increases with their maturity. Relative to the wild type (WT) arabidopsis, two CsATG3a-overexpressing (CsATG3a-OE) lines exhibited improved vegetative growth, delayed reproductive stage, and upregulated expression of AtATGs (AtATG3, AtATG5 and AtATG8b) in a low N (LN) hydroponic condition. The expression levels of AtNRT1.1, AtNRT2.1, AtNRT2.2, AtAMT1.1 and AtAMT1.3 for N uptake and transport in roots were all significantly higher in CsATG3a-OE lines compared with those in the WT under LN. Meanwhile, the overexpression of CsATG3a in arabidopsis also increased N and dry matter allocation into both rosette leaves and roots under LN. Additionally, compared with WT, improved HI (harvest index), NHI (N harvest index), NUtE (N utilization efficiency) and NUE (N use efficiency) of CsATG3a-OE lines were further confirmed in a low-N soil cultured experiment. Together, these results concluded that CsATG3a is involved in N recycling and enhances tolerance to LN, indicating that CsATG3a holds potential promise to improve NUE in tea plant.

Leveraging community health workers in extending pediatric telebehavioral health care in rural communities: Evaluation design and methods

OBJECTIVE

The pandemic exacerbated and intensified pediatric behavioral health and access needs in rural and underserved areas due to long-standing workforce shortages, lack of resources, and multigenerational poverty and trauma. Kansas is a predominantly rural and frontier state with 94% of counties designated as mental health professional shortage areas.

INNOVATION

The Telehealth ROCKS (THR) program is among the first of its kind to increase the behavioral health workforce capacity by integrating trained school-based community health workers (CHWs) directly into rural communities. CHWs facilitate the coordination of behavioral health appointments and access to social determinants of health needs.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We plan to assess the implementation, clinical outcomes, quality of care, and access to care through a mixed-methods design to evaluate the process and impact of expanding the rural behavioral health workforce via CHWs. Preliminary program data suggest CHWs have supported over 90 students/families around social determinants of health in the first 6 months.

CONCLUSION

The THR program aims to bring childserving systems of care together, cultivate relationships with rural communities, empower and increase workforce capacity in health care and education, and build trust to enhance acceptance and thus program sustainability. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Intraoperative Needle Tip Tracking with an Integrated Fibre-Optic Ultrasound Sensor

Ultrasound is an essential tool for guidance of many minimally-invasive surgical and interventional procedures, where accurate placement of the interventional device is critical to avoid adverse events. Needle insertion procedures for anaesthesia, fetal medicine and tumour biopsy are commonly ultrasound-guided, and misplacement of the needle may lead to complications such as nerve damage, organ injury or pregnancy loss. Clear visibility of the needle tip is therefore critical, but visibility is often precluded by tissue heterogeneities or specular reflections from the needle shaft. This paper presents the in vitro and ex vivo accuracy of a new, real-time, ultrasound needle tip tracking system for guidance of fetal interventions. A fibre-optic, Fabry-Pérot interferometer hydrophone is integrated into an intraoperative needle and used to localise the needle tip within a handheld ultrasound field. While previous, related work has been based on research ultrasound systems with bespoke transmission sequences, the new system-developed under the ISO 13485 Medical Devices quality standard-operates as an adjunct to a commercial ultrasound imaging system and therefore provides the image quality expected in the clinic, superimposing a cross-hair onto the ultrasound image at the needle tip position. Tracking accuracy was determined by translating the needle tip to 356 known positions in the ultrasound field of view in a tank of water, and by comparison to manual labelling of the the position of the needle in B-mode US images during an insertion into an ex vivo phantom. In water, the mean distance between tracked and true positions was 0.7 ± 0.4 mm with a mean repeatability of 0.3 ± 0.2 mm. In the tissue phantom, the mean distance between tracked and labelled positions was 1.1 ± 0.7 mm. Tracking performance was found to be independent of needle angle. The study demonstrates the performance and clinical compatibility of ultrasound needle tracking, an essential step towards a first-in-human study.

A chronicle review of new techniques that facilitate the understanding and development of optimal individualized therapeutic strategies for chordoma

Chordoma is a rare malignant bone tumor that mainly occurs in the sacrum and the clivus/skull base. Surgical resection is the treatment of choice for chordoma, but the local recurrence rate is high with unsatisfactory prognosis. Compared with other common tumors, there is not much research and individualized treatment for chordoma, partly due to the rarity of the disease and the lack of appropriate disease models, which delay the discovery of therapeutic strategies. Recent advances in modern techniques have enabled gaining a better understanding of a number of rare diseases, including chordoma. Since the beginning of the 21st century, various chordoma cell lines and animal models have been reported, which have partially revealed the intrinsic mechanisms of tumor initiation and progression with the use of next-generation sequencing (NGS) techniques. In this study, we performed a systematic overview of the chordoma models and related sequencing studies in a chronological manner, from the first patient-derived chordoma cell line (U-CH1) to diverse preclinical models such as the patient-derived organoid-based xenograft (PDX) and patient-derived organoid (PDO) models. The use of modern sequencing techniques has discovered mutations and expression signatures that are considered potential treatment targets, such as the expression of Brachyury and overactivated receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs). Moreover, computational and bioinformatics techniques have made drug repositioning/repurposing and individualized high-throughput drug screening available. These advantages facilitate the research and development of comprehensive and personalized treatment strategies for indicated patients and will dramatically improve their prognoses in the near feature.

Magnetic-field-synchronized wireless modulation of neural activity by magnetoelectric nanoparticles

The in vitro study demonstrates wirelessly controlled modulation of neural activity using magnetoelectric nanoparticles (MENPs), synchronized to magnetic field application with a sub-25-msec temporal response. Herein, MENPs are sub-30-nm CoFe₂O₄@BaTiO₃ core-shell nanostructures. MENPs were added to E18 rat hippocampal cell cultures (0.5 μg of MENPs per 100,000 neurons) tagged with fluorescent Ca²⁺ sensitive indicator cal520. MENPs were shown to wirelessly induce calcium transients which were synchronized with application of 1200-Oe bipolar 25-msec magnetic pulses at a rate of 20 pulses/sec. The observed calcium transients were similar, in shape and magnitude, to those generated through the control electric field stimulation with a 50-μA current, and they were inhibited by the sodium channel blocker tetrodotoxin. The observed MENP-based magnetic excitation of neural activity is in agreement with the non-linear M - H hysteresis loop of the MENPs, wherein the MENPs' coercivity value sets the threshold for the externally applied magnetic field.

Mutasynthesis Generates Antibacterial Benzothiophenic-Containing Nosiheptide Analogues

Nosiheptide is a bicyclic thiopeptide featuring an indole-containing side ring, which is biologically important in maintaining its potent antibacterial activity. By using mutational biosynthesis, the pharmaceutically significant benzothiophene was introduced into the nosiheptide biosynthetic pathway, resulting in the generation of three bioactive nosiheptide analogues with characteristic benzothiophene-containing side rings. Insights were provided into the transformation relationship of these analogues, which effectively improves the yield of S-NOS-1 with favorable activity against Gram-positive pathogens.

Transcriptomic analysis of succulent stem development of Chinese kale (Brassica oleracea var. alboglabra Bailey) and its synthetic allotetraploid via RNA sequencing

Chinese kale (Brassica oleracea var. alboglabra Bailey, CC) is a succulent stem vegetable in the Brassica family. Its allotetraploid (AACC) vegetable germplasm, which was synthesized via distant hybridization with the colloquially named 'yellow turnip' (B. rapa L. ssp. rapifera Matzg., AA), has a swelling stem similar to CC. To address the molecular mechanism of stem development for CC and AACC, RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) was used to investigate transcriptional regulation of their stem development at three key stages including 28 days, 42 days and the bolting stage (BS) after sowing. As a result, 32,642, 32,665, 33,816, 32,147, 32,293 and 32,275 genes were identified in six corresponding cDNA libraries. Among them, 25,459 genes were co-expressed, while 7,183, 7,206, 8,357, 6,688, 6,834 and 6,814 genes were specifically expressed. Additionally, a total of 29,222 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were found for functional enrichment as well as many genes involved in plant hormones including gibberellin (GA), abscisic acid (ABA), cytokinin (CTK) and auxin (AUX). Based on gene expression consistency between CC and AACC, the gene families including DELLA, GID, PYR/PYL, PP2C, A-ARR and AUX/IAA might be related to stem development. Among these, eight genes including Bo00834s040, Bo5g093140, Bo6g086770, Bo9g070200, Bo7g116570, Bo3g054410, Bo7g093470 and Bo5g136600 may play important roles in stem development based on their remarkable expression levels as confirmed by qRT-PCR. These findings provide a new theoretical basis for understanding the molecular mechanism of stem development in Brassica vegetable stem breeding.

Environmental filtering in the dry season and spatial structuring in the wet: different fish community assembly rules revealed in a large subtropical floodplain lake

Although environmental filtering and spatial structuring are commonly regarded as two key factors shaping community dynamics, their relative contribution remains unknown for numerous aquatic ecosystems, particularly highly dynamic floodplain lakes. This issue is here addressed by examining the seasonal metacommunity dynamics of freshwater fishes in Lake Dongting, a large subtropical lake of the middle Chang-Jiang basin in southern China. Physicochemical variables and fish assemblages were recorded at 20 sampling sites during the wet, normal, and dry seasons. Distance-based redundancy analysis and associated variation partitioning were used to examine the relative role of environmental variables and spatial factors in fish community assembly in each season. Analysis results demonstrated that the relative contribution of environmental filtering and spatial structuring varied depending on environmental features and the extent of hydrological connectivity in different seasons. Intensified physicochemical parameters in the dry season convinced the enhanced environmental filtering, whereas high hydrological connectivity in the wet season favored the stronger spatial process. Specifically, the community assembly processes were temporally dynamic; spatial structuring (or mass effects), resulting from excessively high dispersal rates, was dominant during the flooding season, and environmental filtering was stronger than spatial structuring (or dispersal limitation) during the non-flooding season. These findings highlight the importance of conserving local habitats of Lake Dongting during the dry and normal seasons, and maintaining of the flood pulse of the lake and its natural variability during the wet season. Apparently, the construction of a water-level regulation project at the Chenglingji Channel, the outlet watercourse of Lake Dongting, is not supported because it will change the flood pulse of this lake and thus impact habitat heterogeneity or variability.

Saquayamycin B1 Suppresses Proliferation, Invasion, and Migration by Inhibiting PI3K/AKT Signaling Pathway in Human Colorectal Cancer Cells

Moromycin B (Mor B), saquayamycin B₁ (Saq B₁), saquayamycin B (Saq B), and landomycin N (Lan N), four angucyclines produced by the marine-derived actinomycete Streptomyces sp., are a class of polyketone compounds containing benzanthracene. Here, the structure–activity relationship of these four compounds was analyzed in human colorectal cancer (CRC) cells. Saq B₁, which showed the strongest cytotoxicity with an IC₅₀ of 0.18–0.84 µM for CRC cells in MTT assays, was employed to test underlying mechanisms of action in SW480 and SW620 cells (two invasive CRC cell lines). Our results showed that Saq B₁ inhibited CRC cell proliferation in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Notably, lower cytotoxicity was measured in normal human hepatocyte cells (QSG-7701). Furthermore, we observed proapoptosis, antimigration, and anti-invasion activities of Saq B₁ in CRC cells. At the same time, the protein and mRNA expression of important markers related to the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and apoptosis changed, including N-cadherin, E-cadherin, and Bcl-2, in Saq B₁-treated CRC cells. Surprisingly, the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway was shown to be involved in Saq B₁-induced apoptosis, and in inhibiting invasion and migration. Computer docking models also suggested that Saq B₁ might bind to PI3Kα. Collectively, these results indicate that Saq B₁ effectively inhibited growth and decreased the motor ability of CRC cells by regulating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, which provides more possibilities for the development of drugs in the treatment of CRC.

Liobagrus brevispina, a new species of torrent catfish (Siluriformes: Amblycipitidae) from the upper Chang-Jiang basin, South China

A new species of Liobagrus is unearthed in the Nan-Jiang flowing into the Jialing-Jiang of the upper Chang-Jiang basin in which currently recognized Chinese congeners have a concentrated distribution. This small-sized (less than 100.0 mm L_S ) torrent fish belongs to the species group defined by the presence of a smooth posterior edge of the pectoral-fin spine and upper and lower jaws of equal length or a lower jaw slightly longer than the upper jaw in length. It is distinct from Liobagrus aequilabris and Liobagrus formosanus by the presence of a pectoral-fin spine extending short of (vs. beyond) the vertical through the dorsal-fin origin, maxillary barbels reaching the middle of the pectoral fin (vs. pectoral-fin insertion or slightly beyond), 17-19 anal-fin rays (vs. 15-16 in L. formosanus), 39-41 (vs. 35-37 in L. aequilabris) post-Weberian vertebrae and the pectoral-fin spine length 3.6%-7.4% of L_S (vs. 7.6-10.5 in L. aequilabris). It differs from Liobagrus marginatoides by the presence of upper and lower jaws of equal length (vs. a lower jaw slightly longer than the upper jaw in length) and a rounded or unevenly rounded (vs. subtruncate) caudal fin. The validity of the new species is confirmed by its monophyly recovered in a cytochrome b gene-based phylogenetic analysis and its significant genetic distance with sampled congeneric species.

Ultrathin, high-speed, all-optical photoacoustic endomicroscopy probe for guiding minimally invasive surgery

Photoacoustic (PA) endoscopy has shown significant potential for clinical diagnosis and surgical guidance. Multimode fibres (MMFs) are becoming increasingly attractive for the development of miniature endoscopy probes owing to their ultrathin size, low cost and diffraction-limited spatial resolution enabled by wavefront shaping. However, current MMF-based PA endomicroscopy probes are either limited by a bulky ultrasound detector or a low imaging speed that hindered their usability. In this work, we report the development of a highly miniaturised and high-speed PA endomicroscopy probe that is integrated within the cannula of a 20 gauge medical needle. This probe comprises a MMF for delivering the PA excitation light and a single-mode optical fibre with a plano-concave microresonator for ultrasound detection. Wavefront shaping with a digital micromirror device enabled rapid raster-scanning of a focused light spot at the distal end of the MMF for tissue interrogation. High-resolution PA imaging of mouse red blood cells covering an area 100 µm in diameter was achieved with the needle probe at ∼3 frames per second. Mosaicing imaging was performed after fibre characterisation by translating the needle probe to enlarge the field-of-view in real-time. The developed ultrathin PA endomicroscopy probe is promising for guiding minimally invasive surgery by providing functional, molecular and microstructural information of tissue in real-time.

Re-description of the loach species Homatula variegata (Dabry de Thiersant, 1874) (Pisces: Nemacheilidae) from the middle Huang-He basin in Shaanxi Province of Central China

Despite the wide recognition of Homatula variegata (Dabry de Thiersant, 1874) as a valid Chinese loach, its type locality, identity and distribution still remain contentious. A molecular phylogenetic analysis based on the mitochondrial cytochrome b (cyt b) gene for samples from all known range of the species showed that three distinct species are involved. Morphological comparisons, coupled with examination on the types, confirmed that H. variegata s. str. is characterized by having a sparsely scaled predorsal body, an adipose crest along the dorsal midline of the caudal peduncle that extends forward to the vertical through the posterior end of the anal-fin base and a broadly rounded caudal fin. It is found merely in the Wei-He of the Huang-He basin. The Jinsha-Jiang population, previously misidentified as H. variegata, represents a distinct species, for which Homatula oxygnathra is the available name. Homatula laxiclathra, endemic to the Wei-He, is also a valid species distinct from H. variegata.

Updated species checklist of fishes from Lake Dongting in Hunan Province, South China: Species diversity and conservation

A lack of an updated checklist of freshwater fish species from Lake Dongting is a great hindrance to further biodiversity analysis. A seasonal survey of fishes in the lake was conducted from October 2017 to January 2019. Based on the data obtained during the field survey and coupled with known literature and the latest taxonomic development of relevant taxa, the species checklist of fishes from Lake Dongting was updated. A total of 130 species from 12 orders, 30 families and 76 genera has been documented, containing 126 native species and four alien species. Its fish fauna is dominated by the Xenocyprididae that has the highest number of included species (30), followed by the Gobionidae (25) and Acheilognathidae (11). This checklist comprises 20 species undergoing nomenclatural changes and 11 new records, eight of which are native and three exotic. It excludes 20 species, which have been reported in error in historical works, due to synonyms, erroneous records, taxonomic changes and unconfirmed records. Unsampled in this survey were 34 species that are ecologically specialised: migratory, rheophilic, predatory, shellfish-dependent or pelagic-egg-spawning. While some of these species eluded capture likely due to the paucity of population, others may have been extirpated in Lake Dongting perhaps owing to human perturbations, such as river damming across affluents or the Chang-Jiang mainstem, sand dredging, overfishing or water pollution. The updated checklist lays a sound foundation for biodiversity conservation of fishes in Lake Dongting.

CsATG101 Delays Growth and Accelerates Senescence Response to Low Nitrogen Stress in Arabidopsis thaliana

For tea plants, nitrogen (N) is a foundational element and large quantities of N are required during periods of roundly vigorous growth. However, the fluctuation of N in the tea garden could not always meet the dynamic demand of the tea plants. Autophagy, an intracellular degradation process for materials recycling in eukaryotes, plays an important role in nutrient remobilization upon stressful conditions and leaf senescence. Studies have proven that numerous autophagy-related genes (ATGs) are involved in N utilization efficiency in Arabidopsis thaliana and other species. Here, we identified an ATG gene, CsATG101, and characterized the potential functions in response to N in A. thaliana. The expression patterns of CsATG101 in four categories of aging gradient leaves among 24 tea cultivars indicated that autophagy mainly occurred in mature leaves at a relatively high level. Further, the in planta heterologous expression of CsATG101 in A. thaliana was employed to investigate the response of CsATG101 to low N stress. The results illustrated a delayed transition from vegetative to reproductive growth under normal N conditions, while premature senescence under N deficient conditions in transgenic plants vs. the wild type. The expression profiles of 12 AtATGs confirmed the autophagy process, especially in mature leaves of transgenic plants. Also, the relatively high expression levels for AtAAP1, AtLHT1, AtGLN1;1, and AtNIA1 in mature leaves illustrated that the mature leaves act as the source leaves in transgenic plants. Altogether, the findings demonstrated that CsATG101 is a candidate gene for improving annual fresh tea leaves yield under both deficient and sufficient N conditions via the autophagy process.

Targeted Therapy for Inflammatory Diseases with Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Their Derived Exosomes: From Basic to Clinics

Inflammation is a beneficial and physiological process, but there are a number of inflammatory diseases which have detrimental effects on the body. In addition, the drugs used to treat inflammation have toxic side effects when used over a long period of time. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are pluripotent stem cells that can be isolated from a variety of tissues and can be differentiate into diverse cell types under appropriate conditions. They also exhibit noteworthy anti-inflammatory properties, providing new options for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. The therapeutic potential of MSCs is currently being investigated for various inflammatory diseases, such as kidney injury, lung injury, osteoarthritis (OA), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). MSCs can perform multiple functions, including immunomodulation, homing, and differentiation, to enable damaged tissues to form a balanced inflammatory and regenerative microenvironment under severe inflammatory conditions. In addition, accumulated evidence indicates that exosomes from extracellular vesicles of MSCs (MSC-Exos) play an extraordinary role, mainly by transferring their components to recipient cells. In this review, we summarize the mechanism and clinical trials of MSCs and MSC-Exos in various inflammatory diseases in detail, with a view to contributing to the treatment of MSCs and MSC-Exos in inflammatory diseases.

[Research progress on precious Tibetan medicine formula in prevention and treatment of central nervous system diseases]

Precious Tibetan medicine formula is a characteristic type of medicine commonly used in the clinical treatment of central nervous system diseases. Through the summary of modern research on the precious Tibetan medicine formulas such as Ratnasampil, Ershiwuwei Zhenzhu Pills, Ershiwewei Shanhu Pills, and Ruyi Zhenbao Pills, it is found that they have obvious advantages in the treatment of stroke, Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, angioneurotic headache, and vascular dementia. Modern pharmacological studies have shown that the mechanisms of precious Tibetan medicine formulas in improving central nervous system diseases are that they promote microcirculation of brain tissue, regulate the permeability of the blood-brain barrier, alleviate inflammation, relieve oxidative stress damage, and inhibit nerve cell apoptosis. This review summarizes the clinical and pharmacological studies on precious Tibetan medicine formulas in prevention and treatment of central nervous system diseases, aiming to provide a reference for future in-depth research and innovative discovery of Tibetan medicine against central nervous diseases.

Gobiobotia lii, a new species of gudgeon (Teleostei, Gobionidae) from the middle Chang-Jiang Basin, central China, with notes on the validity of G. nicholsi Bănărescu &amp; Nalbant, 1966

Gobiobotia lii is described from the Qi-Shui, a stream tributary on the northern bank of the middle Chang-Jiang mainstem in Hubei Province and Lake Dongting in Hunan Province, central China. The new species is distinguished from all other congeneric species by possessing a combination of the following characters: a naked region of the abdomen adjacent to the ventral mid-line extending to the vent and the vertebral count (4+31–32). The validity of G. lii is confirmed by its monophyletic nature recovered in a phylogenetic analysis, based on the cyt b gene and its significant sequence divergence with sampled congeneric species. Critical notes were given on the species recognition of historically documented eight-barbel gudgeons co-existing in Lake Dongting. Gobiobotia nicholsi Bănărescu &amp; Nalbant, 1966 should be a valid species distinct from G. filifer (Garman, 1912) and both G. pappenheimi Kreyenberg, 1911 and G. boulengeri (=Xenophysogobio boulengeri (Tchang, 1929)) have an erroneous record from the Lake.

Co-Delivery of Dexamethasone and Captopril by α8 Integrin Antibodies Modified Liposome-PLGA Nanoparticle Hybrids for Targeted Anti-Inflammatory/Anti-Fibrosis Therapy of Glomerulonephritis

Purpose

Mesangial cells-mediated glomerulonephritis refers to a category of immunologically mediated glomerular injuries characterized by infiltration of circulating inflammatory cells, proliferation of mesangial cells, and the common pathological manifestation to the later stage is renal fibrosis, accompanied by excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM). Treatment regimens include glucocorticoids and immunosuppressive agents, but their off-target distribution causes severe systemic toxicity. Hence, specific co-delivery of “anti-inflammatory/anti-fibrosis” drugs to the glomerular mesangial cell (MC) region is expected to produce better therapeutic effects.

Methods

A novel kidney-targeted nanocarrier drug delivery system targeting MCs was constructed using passive targeting resulting from the difference in pore size between the glomerular endothelial layer and the basement membrane, and active targeting based on the specific binding of antibodies and antigens. Specifically, a liposome-nanoparticle hybrid (PLGA-LNHy) was formed by coating the surface of PLGA nanoparticles (NPs) with a phospholipid bilayer, and then PLGA-LNHy was co-modified with PEG and α8 integrin antibodies to obtain PLGA immunoliposomes (PLGA-ILs).

Results

The results showed that the obtained NPs had a core-shell structure, uniform and suitable particle size (119.1 ± 2.31 nm), low cytotoxicity, and good mesangial cell-entry ability, which can successfully accumulate in the glomerular MC region. Both dexamethasone (DXMS) and captopril (CAP) were loaded onto PLGA-ILs with a drug loading of 10.22 ± 1.00% for DXMS and 6.37 ± 0.25% for CAP (DXMS/CAP@PLGA-ILs). In vivo pharmacodynamics showed that DXMS/CAP@PLGA-ILs can effectively improve the pathological changes in the mesangial area and positive expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in glomeruli as well as reduce the expression of inflammatory factors, fibrotic factors and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Thus, renal inflammation and fibrosis were relieved.

Conclusion

We have provided a strategy to increase nanoparticle accumulation in MCs with the potential to implement regulatory effects of anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrosis in glomerulonephritis (GN).

The Emerging Roles of Pellino Family in Pattern Recognition Receptor Signaling

The Pellino family is a novel and well-conserved E3 ubiquitin ligase family and consists of Pellino1, Pellino2, and Pellino3. Each family member exhibits a highly conserved structure providing ubiquitin ligase activity without abrogating cell and structure-specific function. In this review, we mainly summarized the crucial roles of the Pellino family in pattern recognition receptor-related signaling pathways: IL-1R signaling, Toll-like signaling, NOD-like signaling, T-cell and B-cell signaling, and cell death-related TNFR signaling. We also summarized the current information of the Pellino family in tumorigenesis, microRNAs, and other phenotypes. Finally, we discussed the outstanding questions of the Pellino family in immunity.

Dual-Regulated Functionalized Liposome-Nanoparticle Hybrids Loaded with Dexamethasone/TGFβ1-siRNA for Targeted Therapy of Glomerulonephritis

Mesangial cell (MC)-mediated glomerulonephritis is a frequent cause of end-stage renal disease, with immune inflammatory damage and fibrosis as its basic pathological processes. However, the treatment of glomerulonephritis remains challenging owing to limited drug accumulation and serious side effects. Hence, the specific codelivery of "anti-inflammatory/antifibrosis" drugs to the glomerular MC region is expected to yield better therapeutic effects. In this study, liposome-nanoparticle hybrids (Au-LNHy) were formed by coating the surface of gold nanoparticles with a phospholipid bilayer; the Au-LNHys formed were comodified with PEG and α8 integrin antibodies to obtain gold nanoparticle immunoliposomes (Au-ILs). Next, the Au-ILs were loaded with dexamethasone and TGFβ1 siRNA to obtain DXMS/siRNA@Au-ILs. Our results showed that the functionalized nanoparticles had a core-shell structure, a uniform and suitable particle size, low cytotoxicity, and good MC entry, and lysosomal escape abilities. The nanoparticles were found to exhibit enhanced retention in glomerular MCs due to anti-α8 integrin antibody mediation. In vivo and in vitro pharmacodynamic studies showed the enhanced efficacy of DXMS/siRNA@Au-ILs modified with α8 integrin antibodies in the treatment of glomerulonephritis. In addition, DXMS/siRNA@Au-ILs were capable of effectively reducing the expression levels of TNF-α, TGF-β1, and other cytokines, thereby improving pathological inflammatory and fibrotic conditions in the kidney, and significantly mediating the dual regulation of inflammation and fibrosis. In summary, our results demonstrated that effectively targeting the MCs of the glomerulus for drug delivery can inhibit local inflammation and fibrosis and produce better therapeutic effects, providing a new strategy and promising therapeutic approach for the development of targeted therapies for glomerular diseases.

Comprehensive Analysis of LPCATs Highlights the Prognostic and Immunological Values of LPCAT1/4 in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Background

The prognosis of patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains poor. Lipid remodeling modulators are considered promising therapeutic targets of cancers, owing to their functions of facilitating cancer cells’ adaption to the limited environment. Lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferases (LPCATs) are enzymes regulating bio-membrane remodeling, whose roles in HCC have not been fully illuminated.

Methods

Multiple bioinformatic tools were applied to comprehensively evaluate the expression, genetic alterations, clinical relevance, prognostic values, DNA methylation, biological functions, and correlations with immune infiltration of LPCATs in HCC.

Results

We found LPCAT1 was significantly overexpressed and the most frequently altered in HCC. The high-expression of LPCAT1/4 indicated clinicopathological advancements and poor prognoses of HCC patients. Even though the global DNA methylation of LPCATs in HCC showed no significant difference with that in normal liver, the hypermethylation of numerous CpG sites of them implied worse survivals of HCC patients. Thirty LPCATs’ interactive genes were identified, which were generally membrane components and partook in phospholipid metabolism pathways. Finally, we found the expression of LPCATs was extensively positively correlated with the infiltration of various stimulatory and suppressive tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TIICs) in the tumor microenvironment.

Conclusion

This study addressed LPCAT1/4 were potential prognostic and immunotherapeutic biomarkers of HCC targeting bio-membrane lipid remodeling.

Eight in One: Hidden Diversity of the Bagrid Catfish Tachysurus albomarginatus s.l. (Rendhal, 1928) Widespread in Lowlands of South China

There is increasing evidence that species diversity is underestimated in the current taxonomy of widespread freshwater fishes. The bagrid species T. albomarginatus s.l. is mainly distributed in the lowlands of South China, as currently identified. A total of 40 localities (including the type locality), which covers most of its known range, were sampled. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on concatenated mtDNA and nuclear genes recover nine highly supported lineages clustering into eight geographic populations. The integration of molecular evidence, morphological data, and geographic distribution demonstrates the delineation of T. albomarginatus s.l. as eight putative species. Four species, namely, T. albomarginatus, T. lani, T. analis, and T. zhangfei sp. nov. and the T. similis complex are taxonomically recognized herein. Moreover, T. zhangfei sp. nov. comprises two genetically distinct lineages with no morphological and geographical difference. This study also reveals aspects of estimation of divergence time, distribution, and ecological adaption within the T. albomarginatus group. The unraveling of the hidden species diversity of this lowland bagrid fish highlights the need for not only the molecular scrutiny of widely distributed species of South China but also the adjustment of current biodiversity conservation strategies to protect the largely overlooked diversity of fishes from low-elevation rapids.

A backward-mode optical-resolution photoacoustic microscope for 3D imaging using a planar Fabry-Pérot sensor

Optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy (OR-PAM) combines high spatial resolution and strong absorption-based contrast in tissue, which has enabled structural and spectroscopic imaging of endogenous chromophores, primarily hemoglobin. Conventional piezoelectric ultrasound transducers are typically placed far away from the photoacoustic source due to their opacity, which reduces acoustic sensitivity. Optical ultrasound sensors are an alternative as their transparency allows them to be positioned close to the sample with minimal source-detector distances. In this work, a backward-mode OR-PAM system based on a planar Fabry-Pérot ultrasound sensor and coaxially aligned excitation and interrogation beams was developed. Two 3D imaging modes, using raster-scanning for enhanced image quality and continuous-scanning for fast imaging, were implemented and tested on a leaf skeleton phantom. In fast imaging mode, a scan-rate of 100,000 A-lines/s was achieved. 3D images of a zebrafish embryo were acquired in vivo in raster-scanning mode. The transparency of the FP sensor in the visible and near-infrared wavelength region makes it suitable for combined functional and molecular imaging applications using OR-PAM and multi-photon fluorescence microscopy.

Vanmaneniamarmorata, a new species of loach (Teleostei: Gastromyzontidae) from the middle Chang-Jiang Basin in Guizhou Province, south China

Background

The gastromyzontid genus Vanmanenia was established by Hora in 1932, based on the type species Vanmaneniastenosoma. The genus is a loach group adapted to running waters of streams from southern China, northern Vietnam and Laos. Currently, 19 valid species of the genus have been recognised. The northernmost distribution of the genus is the Yangtze River (= Chang-Jiang in Chinese) Basin and five species (V.maculata, V.intermedia, V.stenosoma, V.pseudostriata and V.gymnetrus) have been reported from the Basin.

New information

Vanmaneniamarmorata, a new hillstream species of loach, is here described from the middle Chang-Jiang Basin in Guizhou Province, south China. It is distinguished from its congeners by having a combination of the following characters: three triangular-shaped rostral lobules; postdorsal saddles wider than interspaces; a more backwards-placed anus (the vent to anal distance 30.5–36.9% of the pelvic to anal distance); a larger gill opening with its upper extremity reaching the level of the middle of the orbit; anal-fin base length 5.6–6.4% of SL; caudal-peduncle length 11.6–12.9% of SL; prepelvic length 51.1–53.4% of SL. Its validity is also affirmed by its distinct cyt b gene sequence divergence with all sampled congeners and its monophyly recovered in a cyt b gene-based phylogenetic analysis.

Pituitary metastasis: From pathology to clinical and radiological considerations

PURPOSE

A review of the literature with respect to pituitary metastases (PM) with clinical and radiological considerations are summarized to facilitate clinical decision making in the management of PM METHODS: A review of literature associated with PM and tumour to tumour metastases in the English literature was reviewed and summarized RESULTS: Pituitary metastases account for 1.0-3.6% of all surgically treated pituitary lesions. Often identified in parallel with extensive disseminated disease, once diagnosed, the prognosis is generally poor, although survival is highly heterogeneous and dependent on the primary tumor histology. Within this anatomical region is also the observation of tumor-to-tumor metastases and collision tumours. Both the tumor macro- and microenvironment play central roles to the progression of disease with distinctive radiological features that may suggest a metastatic sellar lesion as opposed to a primary pituitary lesion. Surgical resection is the first line of therapy followed by adjuvant chemoradiotherapy and endocrinological evaluation for hormonal supplementation CONCLUSION: PMs are relatively rare but important oncological entities representing disseminated disease in the majority of cases. Careful consideration of the relevant clinical history and radiological features can aid the clinician differentiate between a metastatic lesion to the pituitary region and a primary pituitary tumor. While surgical resection is first line therapy, stereotactic radiosurgery in carefully selected patients is emerging as a viable alternative.

Garra hormuzensis, a new species from the upper Kol River drainage in the Persian Gulf basin (Teleostei: Cyprinidae)

Garra hormuzensis, new species, is described from the Kol River drainage. It is distinguished from its congeners in the Iranian part of the Persian Gulf basin by having 7 branched dorsal-fin rays, usually 9+8 branched caudal-fin rays, the breast, belly and back in front of the dorsal-fin origin covered by scales, and a free lateral and posterior margins of the gular disc. It is further characterised by having a minimum K2P distance of 1.16% to G. mondica in the mtDNA COI barcode region.

Constraints on Lightly Ionizing Particles from CDMSlite

The Cryogenic Dark Matter Search low ionization threshold experiment (CDMSlite) achieved efficient detection of very small recoil energies in its germanium target, resulting in sensitivity to lightly ionizing particles (LIPs) in a previously unexplored region of charge, mass, and velocity parameter space. We report first direct-detection limits calculated using the optimum interval method on the vertical intensity of cosmogenically produced LIPs with an electric charge smaller than e/(3×10^{5}), as well as the strongest limits for charge ≤e/160, with a minimum vertical intensity of 1.36×10^{-7}  cm^{-2} s^{-1} sr^{-1} at charge e/160. These results apply over a wide range of LIP masses (5  MeV/c^{2} to 100  TeV/c^{2}) and cover a wide range of βγ values (0.1-10^{6}), thus excluding nonrelativistic LIPs with βγ as small as 0.1 for the first time.