Browse Articles

Behavioral relevance of category selectivity revealed by human ECoG data

Object recognition is a crucial brain function that involves a complex interplay between various brain regions. However, the behavioral relevance of functional interactions between these regions remains largely unexplored. In this study, we examined the functional interactions between different brain regions during object recognition using intracranial electrocorticography (ECoG) recordings in subjects diagnosed with pharmacologically intractable epilepsy. We computed the phase locking value (PLV) between different brain areas and its category selectivity, and assessed its behavioral relevance by comparing correctly and incorrectly performed trials. Our results revealed that phase locking between brain regions varies across different object categories and that this variability significantly influences the perceptual behavior of subjects. Importantly, we found that the behavioral relevance of these interactions is spatially organized, with the high behaviorally relevant connections being longer for the frontal lobe and shorter for the occipital lobe. These findings underscore the unique roles of different brain areas in object recognition and pave the way for more nuanced explorations of the interplay between brain regions in object recognition and other cognitive functions.

Elucidating the mycochemistry and anticancer efficacy of F5 fraction of ethanolic extract of Daldinia eschscholtzii

Establishment of an in vivo analytical method for detecting total anti-UFH activity and pharmacokinetic study in PS and R15 in rats

Protamine sulfate (PS), the only U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved heparin antagonist, is encumbered by several drawbacks. R15, a synthetic polyarginine peptide, has proven to be a promising protamine substitute in prior studies. PS and R15 undergo biotransformation to active metabolites, underscoring the need for an analytical method that quantifies their total anti-heparin activity in vivo. Here, we reported the development and validation of such a method and described the pharmacokinetic profiles of PS and R15 in rats. Total anti-heparin activity in plasma was quantified by fortifying each sample with a fixed concentration of heparin and subsequently measuring the residual heparin. The method was fully validated for PS and R15 in accordance with Chinese bioanalytical guidance from Chinese Pharmacopoeia, confirming acceptable selectivity, precision and accuracy, stability, and dilution integrity. Pharmacokinetic profiles were then characterized in rats following single intravenous bolus administrations of PS at 300 U·kg ⁻ ¹ and R15 at 300, 900, and 2700 U·kg ⁻ ¹. An assay for quantifying total anti- heparin activity in rat plasma was successfully validated for both PS and R15. After a single intravenous dose of 300 U·kg-1, R15 sustained anti-heparin activity for a markedly longer period (51.93 min vs. 3.94 min) and achieved an 18-fold higher of areaunder the curves (AUC = 632 min·μg·mL-1 vs. 35.89 min·μg·mL-1) with 19-fold higher mean residence time (MRT = 54.95 min vs. 2.59 min). Clearance (CL) for R15 and PS was 2.73 mL·min-1·kg-1 vs. 53.65 mL·min-1·kg-1, whereas the apparent volume of distribution (Vd) was of similar level (194 mL·kg-1 vs. 268 mL·kg-1), consistent with limited tissue distribution and prolonged intravascular retention. The extended exposure afforded by R15 is clinically advantageous because it mitigates the well-documented “heparin rebound” observed after rapid protamine clearance, thereby reducing the need for repeat dosing. R15 exhibited dose-dependent nonlinear pharmacokinetics, demonstrating saturable elimination processes typical of nonlinear pharmacokinetics. The validated assay, coupled with the in vivo rat pharmacokinetic study, provides a solid foundation for advancing R15’s preclinical development.

Epigenetic modulation of VEGF-A/VEGFR2 pathway genes in OC/TME axis driving genetic upregulation and tumor plasticity

Deodorization of noni juice using rotary evaporation and its sensory and chemical properties in pineapple juice blends

Abstract Juice from noni fruit, Morinda citrifolia, has multiple health benefits but the unpleasant odors of raw juice limits consumer adoption. The two-step process of deodorizing noni juice by rotary evaporation (rotovap) followed by mixing with pineapple juice produces a beverage that has a less off-putting odor and is more palatable. Analysis of total soluble solids and titratable acidity confirms that pineapple juice sweetens the taste profile. Sensory evaluation by trained panelists found that 80% pineapple with 20% rotovap (20 RVN) received higher scores for both sweetness and freshness than 80% pineapple and 20% original noni juice (20 OGN) highlighting the impact of noni juice volatiles on these organoleptic qualities. Noni juice volatiles were further investigated using dynamic headspace sampling (HS) coupled to gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS) with principal component analysis (PCA) of volatile profiles. These analyses show that total volatiles decreased in rotovap treated juices, pineapple juice and pineapple/noni juice mixtures grouped more closely while untreated (OGN) and the water fraction removed by rotovap were strongly associated. Together these results suggest that treatment by rotovap removes unpleasant odors from noni juice and mixture with pineapple juice produces a sweeter, fresher, more palatable beverage potentially suitable for the consumer market.

Synthesis of iron-modified montmorillonite/Al2O3 composite adsorbents and their phosphorus adsorption performance study

Auditory-cognitive contributions to speech-in-noise perception determined with structural equation modelling of a large sample

Abstract Problems understanding speech-in-noise (SIN) are commonly associated with peripheral hearing loss. But pure tone audiometry (PTA) alone fails to fully explain SIN ability. This is because SIN perception is based on complex interactions between peripheral hearing, central auditory processing (CAP) and other cognitive abilities. We assessed interaction between these factors and age using a multivariate approach that allows the modelling of directional effects on theoretical constructs: structural equation modelling. We created a model to explain SIN using latent constructs for sound segregation, auditory (working) memory, and SIN perception, as well as PTA, age, and measures of non-verbal reasoning. In a sample of 207 participants aged 18–81 years old, age was the biggest determinant of SIN ability, followed by auditory memory. PTA did not contribute to SIN directly, although it modified sound segregation ability, which covaried with auditory memory. A second model, using a CAP latent structure formed by measures of sound segregation, auditory memory, and temporal processing, revealed CAP to be the largest determinant of SIN ahead of age. Furthermore, we demonstrated the impact of PTA and non-verbal reasoning on SIN are mediated by their influence on CAP. Our results highlight the importance of central auditory processing in speech-in-noise perception.

Polyneuropathy in hereditary and wildtype transthyretin amyloidosis, comparison of key clinical features and red flags

Abstract Transthyretin (TTR) amyloidosis manifests in two distinct forms: hereditary (ATTRv) and wild-type transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTRwt). Despite being one of the commonest manifestations in ATTRv amyloidosis, the presence of polyneuropathy has long been underestimated in ATTRwt patients. This prospective study enrolled 72 patients with ATTRv (n = 11) and ATTRwt (n = 61) amyloidosis. Our standardized protocol included a detailed patient history, clinical and electrophysiological examinations, assessment of unrelated neuropathy risk factors and predefined red flags for ATTRv amyloidosis, as well as serum neurofilament light chain concentrations (NfL). We found signs of polyneuropathy in all ATTRv patients and a vast majority of ATTRwt patients (84%). Predefined red flag symptom clusters were prevalent in both subgroups, indicating significant overlap, however gastrointestinal symptoms were more frequent in ATTRv amyloidosis (p = 0.008), while carpal tunnel syndrome was less common (p = 0.015) compared to ATTRwt amyloidosis. The groups differed in severity of polyneuropathy, with ATTRv patients demonstrating more pronounced subjective limitations, greater clinical disability, marked nerve conduction abnormalities, and higher serum NfL concentrations (p = 0.011). Our findings underscore a high prevalence of polyneuropathy in patients with transthyretin amyloidosis, irrespective of its origin. Differences in the severity of polyneuropathy as well as in red flags indicate different underlying mechanisms of damage.

Recommendation of deep reinforcement learning based on value function considering error reduction

Plasma pancreatic stone protein is a promising biomarker for prognosis and severity outcome in sepsis patients with COVID-19

Finger dissection open radical prostatectomy offers comparable early functional results with robotic prostatectomy in the robotic era: a comparative study

Postpartum metabolomics profile predicts 8-years postdelivery women’s subclinical atherosclerosis measures

MEMCAIN: a memory-enhanced hybrid CNN-attention model for network anomaly detection

Abstract With increasing cybersecurity threats, effective intrusion detection has become critical for safeguarding networks. Although deep learning methods have advanced, two major issues persist: (1) class imbalance biases models toward normal traffic, increasing false negatives; (2) single-task frameworks limit feature representation and fail to leverage multi-task collaboration potential. To address these, we propose Memory Autoencoder with CNN-Attention Integration Network(MEMCAIN), a multi-task feature fusion deep learning method. First, MEMCAIN integrates CNN with attention mechanisms, constructing CCA Blocks through contrastive normalization to capture spatiotemporal features. These blocks are stacked to form CCANet, enabling comprehensive spatiotemporal feature extraction from traffic data. Second, a memory autoencoder is introduced to capture latent distribution features of traffic flows. Finally, an end-to-end collaborative training framework jointly optimizes CCANet (main task) and the memory autoencoder (auxiliary task). Experiments demonstrate MEMCAIN’s significant superiority over baselines across multiple datasets, with ablation studies validating each module’s efficacy for fine-grained intrusion detection in complex network environments.

Nanoliposome loaded with 5-fluorouracil and Dorema aucheri extract reduces tumor growth in a mouse model of colorectal cancer

Abstract The rising incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) and the limited success of conventional therapies have spurred efforts to identify promising new drugs with fewer side effects. Dorema aucheri (DA) has shown potential as An Anti-cancer agent. Additionally, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), a chemotherapy drug widely used for CRC. This study aims to investigate the effect of Liposome-encapsulated 5-FU and DA on tumor growth in a mouse model. The lipid thin-film hydration method was used to create the liposomes, and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to evaluate their characteristics. Using an MTT experiment, the impact on cell growth was assessed. BALB/c mice were implanted with CT26 mouse tumor cells. Tumor growth was monitored by measuring tumor size. Real-time PCR was used to look at the levels of expression of VEGF, VEGF-R2, VE-Cadherin, VEGF-C, and β-actin genes in tumor tissue. The nanoparticles that were developed exhibited a spherical shape, uniform size, And An average diameter of 146 ± 4.6 nanometers. HPLC Analysis demonstrated that approximately 80% of the compound was successfully encapsulated within the nanoliposomes. The MTT assay results showed that the nanoliposome-encapsulated 5FU + DA (NLP + 5FU + DA) formulation resulted in a dose-dependent reduction in cell proliferation. The group treated with NLP + 5FU + DA exhibited the slowest tumor volume growth and the highest weight gain. Furthermore, the expression levels of VEGF, VEGF-R2, VE-Cadherin, and VEGF-C genes in the tumor microenvironment Comparing the NLP + 5FU + DA group to the control group revealed a substantial decrease. The combination of nanoliposomes loaded with 5-FU and DA can reduce the growth rate of colorectal tumors in mice. It can also reduce the expression of VEGF, VEGF-R2, VE-Cadherin, and VEGF-C genes.

Effect of early weight bearing on rehabilitation in ankle fractures with syndesmotic injuries

Food chain risk assessment of cadmium accumulation and the relationships among diversely irrigated pasture-reared ruminants

Photocatalytic degradation of amoxicillin in aqueous solutions using rGO/BiFeO3 nanocomposites in the presence of LED light irradiation

FinTech driven green energy transition foreign direct investment and ecological footprint in BRICST countries

TP53 p.R181H is enriched in the Swedish cohort (SWEP53) and associated with a distinct breast and prostate phenotype

Abstract Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS) is a severe cancer predisposition syndrome caused by germline TP53 variants and characterized by a wide range of cancers. The TP53 variant p.R181H is enriched in the Swedish germline TP53 cohort and has distinct phenotypical characteristics. Using our nationwide Swedish germline TP53 database (SWEP53, 189 individuals, 86 families), p.R181H was identified in 22% of families (19/86), compared to just 0.6% in the National Cancer Institute (NCI) TP53 database (8/1360). Notably, p.R181H carriers had lower cancer incidence and better survival than carriers of other TP53 variants (both p < 0.0001). Female carriers primarily developed breast cancer (earliest onset 29 years), males mainly prostate cancer (earliest onset 45 years), and no cancers were observed in children. The results were confirmed using the NCI TP53 database. Tumor sequencing confirmed loss of heterozygosity. Additionally, haplotype analysis suggests that p.R181H is a potential Swedish founder variant, estimated to be ~ 550 years old. These findings indicate that, for p.R181H carriers, tailored surveillance could focus on adults by omitting children from testing and surveillance, and by targeting prevention and detection to breast cancer in females and prostate cancer in males. Validation in independent cohorts is warranted.

Unveiling excitonic insulator signatures in Ta$$_\textrm{2}$$NiSe$$_\textrm{5}$$ through structural and orbital probes

Abstract The high-temperature phase of Ta $$_\textrm{2}$$ NiSe $$_\textrm{5}$$ , a near-zero-gap semiconductor ( $$E_G$$ = 0), is a promising candidate for an excitonic insulator. Given the dome-like evolution expected for an excitonic insulator around $$E_G$$ , we investigated Ta $$_\textrm{2}$$ NiSe $$_\textrm{5}$$ , the more semi-metallic Ta $$_\textrm{2}$$ (Ni,Co)Se $$_\textrm{5}$$ , and semiconducting Ta $$_\textrm{2}$$ NiS $$_\textrm{5}$$ using high-resolution single-crystal x-ray diffraction and near-edge x-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS). Our findings reveal a second-order structural phase transition from orthorhombic (space group: Cmcm) to monoclinic (space group: C2/c) in Ta $$_\textrm{2}$$ NiSe $$_\textrm{5}$$ and Ta $$_\textrm{2}$$ (Ni,Co)Se $$_\textrm{5}$$ , but no transition in Ta $$_\textrm{2}$$ NiS $$_\textrm{5}$$ down to 2 K. This transition breaks two mirror symmetries, enabling and enhancing the hybridization of Ta, Ni, and Se atoms, shortening bond lengths, and strengthening orbital interactions. NEXAFS data confirm stronger hybridization, significant changes in excitonic binding energies, and a key alteration in orbital character, suggesting an excitonic insulating state in Ta $$_\textrm{2}$$ NiSe $$_\textrm{5}$$ and emphasizing the crucial electronic role of orbitals in the formation of the excitonic insulator state.