Dynamic Changes Research Articles

Outcomes and inflammation changes in different types of immunocompromised patients with critically ill COVID-19 admitted to ICU: a national multicenter study

BackgroundImmunocompromised patients face higher risks of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 infection and co-infections, leading to a possibility of high disease severity and poor outcomes. Conversely, immunosuppression can mitigate the excessive inflammatory response induced by the virus, potentially reducing disease severity. This study aims to investigate the prognostic differences and early inflammatory response characteristics in various types of immunocompromised patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) admitted to intensive care unit (ICU), summarize their clinical features, and explore potential mechanisms.MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted on critically ill COVID-19 patients admitted to the ICU of 59 medical centers in mainland China during the Omicron outbreak from November 2022 to February 2023. Patients were categorized into two groups based on their immunosuppression status: immunocompromised and immunocompetent. Immunocompromised patients were further subdivided by etiology into cancer patients, solid organ transplant (SOT) patients, and other immunocompromised groups, with immunocompetent patients serving as controls. The mortality rates, respiratory support, complications, and early inflammatory cytokine dynamics upon ICU admission among different populations were analyzed.ResultsA total of 2030 critically ill COVID-19 patients admitted to ICU were included, with 242 in the immunocompromised group and 1788 in the immunocompetent group. Cancer patients had a higher median age of 69 years (IQR 59, 77), while SOT patients were generally younger and had less severe illness upon ICU admission, with a median APACHE II score of 12.0 (IQR 8.0, 20.0). Cancer patients had a twofold increased risk of death (OR = 2.02, 95% CI 1.18–3.46, P = 0.010) compared to immunocompetent patients. SOT and cancer patients exhibited higher C-reactive protein and serum ferritin levels than the immunocompetent group in their early days of ICU admission. The CD8+ T cells dynamics were inversely correlated in cancer and SOT patients, with Interleukin-6 levels consistently lower in the SOT group compared to both immunocompetent and cancer patients.ConclusionCritically ill COVID-19 patients admitted to the ICU exhibit distinct clinical outcomes based on their immunosuppression status, with cancer patients facing the highest mortality rate due to variations in inflammatory responses linked to their immunosuppression mechanisms. Monitoring dynamic changes in inflammatory markers and immune cells, particularly CD8+ T lymphocytes and IL-6, may offer valuable prognostic insights for these patients.

축제 산업생태계 네트워크 구조 분석 : 명예 문화관광축제를 중심으로

The demand for the industrialization of festivals has become increasingly prominent both academically and in policy discussions. Approaching festivals from an industrial perspective is regarded as a key strategy for improving supply chain efficiency and expanding the festival business ecosystem. The demand for the industrialization of festivals is increasingly strong, both academically and in policy discussions. This study aims to analyze the structural characteristics (connectivity and cohesion) and positional characteristics (influence) of South Korea's festival industry through social network analysis, grounded in industry ecosystem theory. The research utilizes 595 expenditure data points from four major cultural tourism festivals in Korea. The data were preprocessed in Excel, using pivot tables to identify relationships between attributes. After data cleaning, the dataset was divided into node and edge files, which were analyzed using Gephi 0.10, an open-source Java-based software optimized for large-scale network analysis. This multidimensional approach was critical in visualizing and optimizing the network data. The findings reveal that Korea’s festival business ecosystem displays characteristics of early-stage industrialization, characterized by low network density and limited two-way interactions between actors. While cohesive clusters within the network show diversity, the influence of major networks remains low, highlighting the need for focused efforts to strengthen them. In terms of positional characteristics, festival organizations, venue construction industries, and content development companies were identified as influential actors. Academically, this study contributes to the empirical identification of the network structure within the festival business ecosystem, providing foundational data for understanding its dynamic changes. Practically, it offers policy recommendations, including fostering key actors to enhance cohesion and expanding opportunities for inter-company collaboration to further develop the ecosystem.

Nickel phytoremediation potential of Plantago major L.: Transcriptome analysis

Plantago major L, a ubiquitous perennial weed thriving in diverse harsh environments, possesses a substantial reservoir of resistance genes, particularly those conferring resistance to heavy metals. Despite its prevalence, the intricate molecular mechanisms underpinning its exceptional ability to endure heavy metal pollution remain largely unexplored. Through transcriptome analysis, this study intended to reveal the mechanisms behind the enrichment of heavy metal Ni (nickel) in P. major and its potential for phytoremediation. In total, 7848 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) exhibited dynamic changes in tissues treated with different Ni concentrations. It was discovered that the root of P. major exhibited a more pronounced and significant response when exposed to higher concentrations of Ni. Furthermore, the upregulated genes associated with adversity stress were significantly observed in response to Ni stress. The majority of pathways related to plant growth and photosynthesis were significantly reduced; however, pathways related to metabolite synthesis, chitin synthesis, and adversity signal transduction were stimulated, and pathways related to root cell wall organization or biogenesis were suppressed. We identified that the rate-limiting enzyme PmHISN1A/B in the histidine synthesis pathway significantly enhanced Ni tolerance of the transgenic Arabidopsis without side effects, which was different to its Arabidopsis homologs. The study uncovered a molecular basis for the Ni tolerance of P. major, a heavy metal remediation plant, and provided potential genetic resources to cultivate novel P. major varieties or breed stress resilience crops.

The effect of amyloid beta, membrane, and ER pathways on the fractional behavior of neuronal calcium

Calcium signal transduction is essential for cellular activities such as gene transcription, death, and neuronal plasticity. Dynamical changes in the concentration of calcium have a profound effect on the intracellular activity of neurons. The Caputo fractional reaction-diffusion equation is a useful tool for modeling the intricate biological process involved in calcium concentration regulation. We include the Amyloid Beta, STIM-Orai mechanism, voltage-dependent calcium entry, inositol triphosphate receptor (IPR), endoplasmic reticulum (ER) flux, SERCA pump, and plasma membrane flux in our mathematical model. We use Green's function and Hankel and Laplace integral transforms to solve the membrane flux problem. Our simulations investigate the effects of various factors on the spatiotemporal behavior of calcium levels, with a simulation on the buffers in Alzheimer's disease-affected neurons. We also look at the effects of calcium-binding substances like the S100B protein and BAPTA and EGTA. Our results demonstrate how important the S100B protein Amyloid beta and the STIM-Orai mechanism are, and how important they are to consider when simulating the calcium signaling system. As such, our research indicates that a more realistic and complete model for modeling calcium dynamics may be obtained by using a generalized reaction-diffusion technique.

Evaluating the Effects of Wetland Restoration on Ecosystem Services Using InVEST and Geostatistics: A Case Study of Dongting Lake in China

Ecological restoration projects aim to recover ecosystems that have been degraded, damaged, or destroyed. The effective assessment of these projects is crucial for ensuring that restoration goals are met and for guiding future efforts. The Poplar Ecological Restoration Project (PERP), focused on removing floodplain poplar plantations, is a key environmental initiative in China to preserve the ecological functions and services of the Dongting Lake freshwater wetland complex. Understanding the dynamic changes in ecosystem services and their trade-offs/synergies before and after the project is crucial for ensuring that ecosystem services are maintained and enhanced. This study selected three key ecosystem services, water conservation, carbon storage, and habitat quality, as indicators to assess the PERP. Using the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-offs (InVEST) model and geostatistical methods, including the Spearman correlation analysis and spatial autocorrelation analysis, we explored the ecological outcomes of the project. The results indicated that since its implementation in 2014, the PERP has significantly altered the land use and land cover (LULC) in the lake. Most of the former plantations have been converted into reedbeds (17,404 ha), followed by sedgelands (3841 ha), mudflats (443 ha), shallow waters (382 ha), and deep waters (301 ha). During this period, water conservation and habitat quality initially decreased and then increased, while carbon storage continuously declined. Overall, all assessed services showed an increasing trend except for carbon storage, resulting in a slight decrease in the integrated ecosystem services. Moreover, there were strong bivariate associations among the three investigated ecosystem services, and the synergies were strengthened during the project. Importantly, these synergies became positive after the PERP, meaning that the improvement of one service enhanced others, potentially leading to a more sustainable and resilient ecosystem.

Quantitation of Rainfall Retention Capacity for Small Reservoirs Considering Spatial Soil Moisture

To realize the estimation of rainfall retention capacity for small reservoirs considering spatial soil moisture, a rainfall retention capacity model and its parameter schemes have been developed in this study. An iterative trial solution method considering potential rainfall and soil moisture for the model constructed was proposed for efficient computation. The rainfall retention capacity of 32 pilot small reservoirs located in ungauged basins of Hunan province was calculated starting from 21 August 2023. In addition, a continuous calculation was carried out from 1 August to 30 September 2023 using the proposed method for Heping reservoir. The results show that the Pearson’s correlation coefficients between rainfall retention capacity and available reservoir capacity and soil moisture, are 0.36 and −0.64, respectively. Using Heping reservoir as an example, this study effectively characterized the dynamic change in its rainfall retention capacity, which ranged from 123.6 mm to 68 mm in August 2023. The analysis indicates the rainfall retention capacity of the pilot small reservoirs calculated is reasonably related to the soil moisture, supporting risk visualization for small reservoirs within rain-affected regions. Furthermore, the impact of the antecedent precipitation on rainfall retention capacity can also be dynamically quantified in real time, which provides reference for the continuous management of small reservoirs.

Evaluation of in vitro simulated digestion and fermentation characteristics of the crude exopolysaccharide from Levilactobacillus brevis M-14.

The present study employed an in vitro static digestion model to simulate the saliva-gastrointestinal digestion and fecal fermentation of exopolysaccharides (EPSs) extracted from Levilactobacillus brevis M-14, aiming to understand the dynamic changes in physicochemical properties, biological potential of EPS, as well as their impact on the human enteric microorganism. EPS was mainly composed of polysaccharides. The molecular weight (Mw) showed that EPS comprised two parts with a high Mw and a low Mw fraction of 42.81 × 104 and 1.23 × 104 Da, respectively. EPSs mainly consisted of mannose, rhamnose, galacturonic acid, glucose, and galactose in a molar ratio of 0.42∶0.13∶0.21∶0.13∶0.11. In the simulated digestion process, EPS was relatively stable. Furthermore, simulated digestion increased the antioxidant and hypoglycemic capacities of EPS. During the fermentation stage, the total carbohydrate contents of EPS decreased by 20.19%. The Mw of the two components of EPS decreased by 16.37% and 61.67%, respectively, and accompanied by the production of free monosaccharides. EPS had the potential to modulate the composition of gut microbiota, increasing the relative abundance of Enterococcus and Parabacteroides, while decreasing the relative abundance of Bacteroides. The pH decreased and total short-chain fatty acids contents increased, especially acetic acid and propionic acid. This research provided valuable insights into the potential application of EPS as a prebiotic agent.

Mitochondria-Targetable Cyclometalated Iridium(III) Complex-Based Luminescence Probe for Monitoring and Assessing Treatment Response of Ferroptosis-Mediated Hepatic Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury.

Ferroptosis plays an essential role in the pathological progression of hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury (HIRI), which is closely related to iron-dependent lipid peroxidation. Since mitochondria are thought to be the major site of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and iron storage, monitoring the variations of mitochondrial hypochlorous acid (HClO) (an important member of ROS) has important implications for the assessment of ferroptosis status, as well as the formulation of treatment strategies for HIRI. However, reliable imaging tools for the visualization of mitochondrial HClO and monitoring its dynamic changes in ferroptosis-mediated HIRI are still lacking. Herein, in this work, an HClO-activated near-infrared (NIR) cyclometalated iridium(III) complex-based probe, named NIR-Ir-HClO, was developed for the visual monitoring of the mitochondrial HClO fluxes in ferroptosis-mediated HIRI. The newly prepared probe showed fast response (<30 s), good sensitivity, excellent selectivity, good cell biocompatibility, and satisfactory mitochondrial-targeting performance, making it suitable for accurate monitoring of mitochondrial HClO in living cells. Moreover, visualization of the variations of mitochondrial HClO in ferroptosis-mediated HIRI and monitoring of the treatment response of ferroptosis-mediated HIRI to the ferroptosis inhibitors were achieved for the first time. All these show that probe NIR-Ir-HClO can be utilized as a reliable imaging tool for revealing the pathological mechanism of mitochondrial HClO in ferroptosis-mediated HIRI, as well as for the formulation of new treatment strategies for HIRI.

EB-SUN, a new microtubule plus-end tracking protein in Drosophila.

Microtubule (MT) regulation is essential for oocyte development. In Drosophila, MT stability, polarity, abundance, and orientation undergo dynamic changes across developmental stages. In our effort to identify novel microtubule-associated proteins that regulate MTs in the Drosophila ovary, we identified a previously uncharacterized gene, CG18190, whichencodes a novel MT end-binding (EB) protein, which we propose to name EB-SUN. We show that EB-SUN colocalizes with EB1 at growing MT plus-ends in Drosophila S2 cells. Tissue-specific and developmental expression profiles from Paralog Explorer reveal that EB-SUN is predominantly expressed in the ovary and early embryos, while EB1 is ubiquitously expressed. Furthermore, as early as oocyte determination, EB-SUN comets are highly concentrated in oocytes during oogenesis. EB-SUN knockout (KO) results in decreased MT density at the onset of mid-oogenesis (stage 7) and delays oocyte growth during late mid-oogenesis (stage 9). Combining EB-SUN KO with EB1 knockdown (KD) in germ cells significantly further reduces MT density at stage 7. Hatching assays of single protein depletion reveal distinct roles for EB-SUN and EB1 in early embryogenesis, likely due to differences in theirexpression and binding partners. Notably, all eggs from EB-SUN KO/EB1 KD females fail to hatch, suggesting partial redundancy between these proteins.

Development of mathematical modeling of a mobile robot's motion control system

This study focuses on developing a mathematical model for precise control and stabilization of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in various spatial conditions. Addressing the problem of achieving precise control and stability, the proposed solution designs a control system based on a linear-quadratic controller (LQR) and simulates it using a proportional-derivative (PD) controller implemented in Matlab/Simulink. The results demonstrate high precision and stability in controlling the UAV motion parameters – roll, pitch, yaw, and altitude. This important level of performance is achieved due to the adaptivity of the LQR-based control system, which optimizes control actions according to the unsteady dynamics of the UAV. The integration of the PD controller improves responsiveness and stability, providing precise motion control over a range of spatial states. These features effectively solve the problem by handling the complex dynamics of the UAV and providing precise control. The results are explained by the ability of the LQR to provide optimal control laws that minimize deviations using a quadratic cost function, while the PD controller quickly corrects errors and responds to disturbances. The benefits of this approach include a significant reduction in control errors by about 25–30 %, increased response speed to external disturbances, and reduced computational latency due to efficient processing compared to more resource-intensive methods such as model predictive control. The developed mathematical model can be applied in practice in conditions requiring robust real-time control and adaptation to dynamic changes in the environment. It is especially suitable for industries such as logistics, surveillance, and environmental monitoring, providing an effective and optimal solution for stabilizing and controlling the motion of UAVs in various spatial states. This approach improves the performance of UAVs and expands their capabilities in various operating conditions.

Exploring the developmental changes in and the relationship between resilience and anxiety and depression in older gastric cancer survivors: A latent growth mixture model and random intercept cross-lagged panel model analysis.

This study aims to investigate the independent and joint trajectories of resilience, anxiety, and depression symptoms and research the interaction between older gastric cancer survivors' resilience and anxiety-depression during the period of 1 year after surgery. The participants were 381 older gastric cancer survivors, with a mean age of 69 years. Resilience, anxiety, and depression symptoms were assessed immediately after surgery, and at 3, 6, and 12 months post-surgery, respectively. A longitudinal design was employed to capture the dynamic changes in resilience, anxiety, and depression levels among older gastric cancer survivors post-surgery. Latent growth mixture model and random intercept cross-lagged panel model were used to analyse the trajectories of resilience and anxiety-depression and the interaction between them. Two latent trajectories were identified for the resilience, four latent trajectories were identified for the anxiety, and five latent trajectories were identified for the depression, respectively, with three joint trajectories identified: gradual-increasing resilience, gradual-decreasing anxiety, and depression group (10.0%); gradual-decreasing resilience, gradual-increasing anxiety, and depression group (21.2%); and rapid-growth resilience, rapid-decline anxiety, and depression group (68.8%). Resilience among older gastric cancer survivors exhibits significant bidirectional and negative predictive effects on anxiety and depression. Individual differences in resilience, anxiety, and depression trajectories exist among older gastric cancer survivors, with heterogeneous joint progression patterns, and the relationship between resilience and anxiety-depression appears bidirectional. More sophisticated intervention programmes tailored to the unique characteristics of the relevant trajectories are necessary to enhance resilience and mitigate the risk of anxiety and depression.

Drilling Rate of Penetration Prediction Based on CBT-LSTM Neural Network.

Due to the uncertainty of the subsurface environment and the complexity of parameters, particularly in feature extraction from input data and when seeking to understand bidirectional temporal information, the evaluation and prediction of the rate of penetration (ROP) in real-time drilling operations has remained a long-standing challenge. To address these issues, this study proposes an improved LSTM neural network model for ROP prediction (CBT-LSTM). This model integrates the capability of a two-dimensional convolutional neural network (2D-CNN) for multi-feature extraction, the advantages of bidirectional long short-term memory networks (BiLSTM) for processing bidirectional temporal information, and the dynamic weight adjustment of the time pattern attention mechanism (TPA) for extracting crucial information in BiLSTM, effectively capturing key features in temporal data. Initially, data are denoised using the Savitzky-Golay filter, and five correlation coefficient methods are employed to select input features, with principal component analysis (PCA) used to reduce model complexity. Subsequently, a sliding window approach transforms the time series into a two-dimensional structure to capture dynamic changes, constructing the model input. Finally, the ROP prediction model is established, and search methods are utilized to identify the optimal hyperparameter combinations. Compared with other neural networks, CBT-LSTM demonstrates superior performance metrics, with MAE, MAPE, RMSE, and R2 values of 0.0295, 0.0357, 9.3101%, and 0.9769, respectively, indicating the highest predictive capability. To validate the model's robustness, noise was introduced into the training data, and results show stable performance. Furthermore, the model's predictive results for other wells achieved R2 values of 0.95, confirming its strong generalization ability. This method provides a new solution for ROP prediction in real-time drilling operations, assisting drilling engineers in better planning their operations and reducing drilling cycles.

A prospective study on prognostic value of hypocholestrolemia in sepsis

Background: Sepsis is a major cause of mortality in adult, non-coronary intensive care units (ICUs) and holds significant clinical importance. Multicentre prospective surveys have shown that 1% of hospitalized patients experience bacteraemia, with 0.3% suffering from bacteraemia with severe sepsis. These rates increase eightfold and thirtyfold, respectively, when ICU admissions are considered. Approximately 10% of ICU patients have sepsis, 6% have severe sepsis, and 2-3% experience septic shock. Aim: This study aimed to assess the dynamic changes in serum cholesterol levels in sepsis patients and evaluate whether these cholesterol levels correlate with prognosis using the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score. Materials and methods: A comprehensive analysis was conducted over 18 months on 115 patients with sepsis. SOFA scores and lipid profiles were collected at ICU admission (day 0) and day 3. Patients were categorized into two groups based on their total cholesterol: Group A (&lt;160 mg/dl) and Group B (&gt;160 mg/dl). Statistical analysis was performed to examine differences. Results: The study found that 56.5% of patients had cholesterol &lt;160 mg/dl (Group A) and 43.5% had &gt;160 mg/dl (Group B). Significant differences in cholesterol and SOFA scores between groups were observed on days 0 and 3 (p &lt; 0.001). Mortality was higher in Group B, indicating that hypocholesterolaemia is associated with increased mortality risk. Conclusion: This study suggests that monitoring cholesterol levels can serve as a prognostic tool in sepsis. An increasing cholesterol trend may indicate a better disease outcome.

A Knowledge Base Driven Task-Oriented Image Semantic Communication Scheme

With the development of artificial intelligence and computer hardware, semantic communication has been attracting great interest. As an emerging communication paradigm, semantic communication can reduce the requirement for channel bandwidth by extracting semantic information. This is an effective method that can be applied to image acquisition of unmanned aerial vehicles, which can transmit high-data-volume images within the constraints of limited available bandwidth. However, the existing semantic communication schemes fail to adequately incorporate the guidance of task requirements into the semantic communication process and are difficult to adapt to the dynamic changes of tasks. A task-oriented image semantic communication scheme driven by knowledge base is proposed, aiming at achieving high compression ratio and high quality image reconstruction, and effectively solving the bandwidth limitation. This scheme segments the input image into several semantic information unit under the guidance of task requirements by Yolo-World and Segment Anything Model. The assigned bandwidth for each unit is according to the task relevance scores, which enables high-quality transmission of task-related information with lower communication overheads. An improved metric weighted learned perceptual image patch similarity (LPIPS) is proposed to evaluate the transmission accuracy of the novel scheme. Experimental results show that our scheme achieves a notable performance improvement on weighted LPIPS while the same compression ratio compared with traditional image compression schemes. Our scheme has a higher target capture ratio than traditional image compression schemes under the task of target detection.

Profiles of peripheral regulatory T cells forecasts the feasibility of steroid withdrawal after liver transplantation based on cellular thermal modeling

After liver transplantation, steroid therapy is often used to prevent rejection. However, long-term steroid use can lead to serious side effects, therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of peripheral regulatory T cell profiles for steroid discontinuation after liver transplantation through cellular thermal modeling and real-time monitoring of intracellular thermodynamics. In this study, cellular thermal modeling techniques were used to simulate the thermodynamic characteristics of peripheral TREgs under different conditions. The dynamic changes of peripheral Treg in liver transplantation animal models were monitored by flow cytometry and molecular biology. Significant changes in peripheral Treg profiles were observed after initiation of steroid therapy, especially in the discontinuation group, and these changes were strongly associated with the restoration of immune homeostasis. Real-time monitoring of the thermodynamic data revealed that peripheral Treg activity showed a specific temperature dependence in the cellular thermal model. Cell thermal modeling combined with real-time monitoring of intracellular thermodynamics provides a new perspective for evaluating the feasibility of peripheral regulatory T cell profiles for steroid discontinuation after liver transplantation. Strengthening the dynamic monitoring of peripheral Treg spectrum provides an important basis for the formulation of personalized immunosuppression strategies, and improves the therapeutic effect and quality of life of liver transplant patients.

The achilles tendon rupture: A deeper dive into its impact on professional and high-performance athletes

Background: The Achilles tendon rupture (ATR) is an injury that has been detrimental to professional athletes over the years, recently rising to unforeseen heights as the intensity of sports has increased. Methods: To obtain relevant statistics for this paper, a review of prior research, including original research and case studies, was conducted. Digital publications and clinical data were reviewed to dissect factors such as injury causes, operations, current initiatives, the role of technology, and future implications. Results: The data revealed a significant increase in documented ATRs in athletes and the National Football League (NFL) over the years; most recently, these injuries increased from 11 in the 2019-2020 season to 24 in the 2021-2022 season.3 Despite advancements in technology and recovery methods, dynamic changes involving training, conditioning, physicality, and intensity in sports have greatly contributed to the increased rates of injuries. With modernized resources such as advanced testing and rehabilitation procedures incorporating artificial intelligence (AI), specialists continue to search for new ways to treat injury and improve functional outcomes more effectively. Conclusion: This paper examines ATRs in athletes, its risk factors, current surgical methods for treatment, and modern rehabilitation methods. Future research should continue to develop comprehensive assessment and treatment methods to decrease the time to return to play, reduce the risk of re-injuries, and ensure cost-effective standards in implementing advanced rehabilitation modalities.

Hippocampal SENP3 mediates chronic stress-induced depression-like behaviors by impairing the CREB-BDNF signaling.

Impaired signaling between cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element binding protein (CREB) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the hippocampus is generally considered to be the cause of depression. The mechanisms underlying the impairment of CREB-BDNF signaling under stress conditions are largely unclear. Small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) specific peptidase 3 (SENP3) is a molecule that can regulate SUMOylation of target proteins related to synaptic plasticity. Its dynamic changes have been reported to be associated with neuronal damage in various models of central nervous disorders such as cerebral ischemia and traumatic brain injury. However, its role in depression is completely unknown. This problem was addressed in the present study. Our results showed that chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) triggered a specific increase in SENP3 expression in the hippocampus of non-stressed mice. Overexpression of SENP3 in the hippocampus of non-stressed mice elicited depression-like behaviors in the tail suspension test, forced swimming test, and sucrose preference test, accompanied by impairment of the CREB-BDNF signaling cascade in the hippocampus. Conversely, genetic silencing of SENP3 in the hippocampus suppressed the development of depression-like behaviors. Furthermore, infusion of SENP3-shRNA into the hippocampus failed to suppress CUS-induced depression-like behaviors when mice received genetic silencing CREB or BDNF in the hippocampus or inhibition of the BDNF receptor by K252a. Taken together, these results suggest that abnormally elevated SENP3 in the hippocampus leads to the development of depression-like behavior by impairing the CREB-BDNF signaling cascade. SENP3 in the hippocampus could be a promising target for the development of new antidepressants.

Impact of covid-19 on family dynamics in relation to age: A comparative study

This study examines the differential impact of COVID-19 on family dynamics across two distinct age groups: young adults (20-40 years) and middle-aged adults (41-60 years). The primary aim is to assess how the pandemic affected family interactions and emotional well-being in relation to age. A sample of 100 participants was selected, with 50 individuals from each age group. Data was collected using a validated questionnaire designed to measure the pandemic's impact on family dynamics through a Likert-type scale. Descriptive statistics, including mean and standard deviation, were calculated for each group, followed by a t-test to compare the two age groups. The results indicate a statistically significant difference in the impact on family dynamics, with a t-value of -2.15 and a p-value of 0.034, suggesting that middle-aged adults experienced more significant changes in family dynamics compared to young adults. This study contributes to understanding the age-related psychological and emotional responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and highlights the need for targeted interventions based on age-specific challenges.

Analysis of lncRNAs and Their Regulatory Network in Skeletal Muscle Development of the Yangtze River Delta White Goat.

lncRNA (long non-coding RNA) has been confirmed to be associated with growth, development, cell proliferation, and other biological processes. This study explored the potential role and dynamic change process of lncRNAs and related ceRNA (competitive endogenous RNA) networks in skeletal muscle development of the Yangtze River Delta White (YDW) goat, and to analyze the differences in muscle fiber characteristics and meat quality levels of goats at different growth stages. In this study, we compared the expression profiles of lncRNAs in the M. Longissimus dorsi of the YDW goats at different stages of growth and development by RNA sequencing. The results revealed that, in terms of muscle fiber characteristics, muscle fiber diameter and muscle fiber area were significantly larger in 6-month-old and 10-month-old goats than those in 2-month-old goats (p < 0.01). In terms of muscle quality, a* and b* values of 6-month-old goats were significantly higher than those of 2-month-old goats (p < 0.01). Additionally, the a*, b*, and L* values of 6-month-old goats were significantly higher than those of 10-month-old goats (p < 0.01). The pH at 45 min post-mortem (pH45min) in 10-month-old goats was significantly higher than that in 2-month-old goats (p = 0.006). However, the pH at 24 h post-mortem (pH24h) in 10-month-old goats was significantly lower than that in both 2-month-old and 6-month-old goats (p < 0.01). Shear force increased gradually with age (p < 0.05), while there was no significant difference in drip loss among the different age groups (p > 0.05). Among the identified lncRNA expression profiles, a total of 3073 lncRNAs were found, including 2676 known lncRNAs and 397 novel lncRNAs. Of these, 110, 93, and 99 lncRNAs were specifically expressed in 2-month-old, 6-month-old, and 10-month-old goats, respectively. The lncRNA target gene enrichment analysis showed that they were mainly involved in actin binding, the actin cytoskeleton, the myocardin complex, as well as the AMPK, FoxO, and GnRH signaling pathways. When constructing the lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA ceRNA network, it was found that the ceRNA networks centered on chi-miR-758 and chi-miR-127-5p were involved in muscle development across all three periods, suggesting that they may play an important role in goat muscle growth and development.

TRPV1 alleviates APOE4-dependent microglial antigen presentation and T cell infiltration in Alzheimer's disease

BackgroundPersistent innate and adaptive immune responses in the brain contribute to the progression of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). APOE4, the most important genetic risk factor for sporadic AD, encodes apolipoprotein E4, which by itself is a potent modulator of immune response. However, little is known about the immune hub that governs the crosstalk between the nervous and the adaptive immune systems. Transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1) channel is a ligand-gated, nonselective cation channel with Ca2+ permeability, which has been proposed as a neuroprotective target in AD.MethodsUsing Ca2+-sensitive dyes, dynamic changes of Ca2+ in microglia were measured, including exogenous Ca2+ uptake and endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ release. The mRFP-GFP-tagged LC3 plasmid was expressed in microglia to characterize the role of TRPV1 in the autophagic flux. Transcriptomic analyses and flow cytometry were performed to investigate the effects of APOE4 on brain microglia and T cells from APOE-targeted replacement mice with microglia-specific TRPV1 gene deficiency.ResultsBoth APOE4 microglia derived from induced pluripotent stem cells of AD patients and APOE4-related tauopathy mouse model showed significantly increased cholesterol biosynthesis and accumulation compared to their APOE3 counterparts. Further, cholesterol dysregulation was associated with persistent activation of microglia and elevation of major histocompatibility complex II-dependent antigen presentation in microglia, subsequently accompanied by T cell infiltration. In addition, TRPV1-mediated transient Ca2+ influx mitigated cholesterol biosynthesis in microglia by suppressing the transcriptional activation of sterol regulatory element-binding protein 2, promoted autophagic activity and reduced lysosomal cholesterol accumulation, which were sufficient to resolve excessive immune response and neurodegeneration in APOE4-related tauopathy mouse model. Moreover, microglia-specific deficiency of TRPV1 gene accelerated glial inflammation, T cell response and associated neurodegeneration in an APOE4-related tauopathy mouse model.ConclusionsThe findings provide new perspectives for the treatment of APOE4-dependent neurodegeneration including AD.