Corticosterone Contributes to Context-Triggered Retrieval of Morphine Withdrawal Memories by Acting on Basolateral Amygdala Neurons Projecting to Nucleus Accumbens Core.

Context-triggered retrieval of drug withdrawal memories (CTR-DWM) is a major cause of drug relapse. Most studies of the context-triggered retrieval of morphine withdrawal memories (CTR-MWM) have mainly focused on the functional interactions within the central structures of the brain. It remains unknown how an increase in corticosterone, which is an important response under drug withdrawal state, participates in CTR-MWM.

Modification of Spanish Mackerel () Surimi Gels by Three Anionic Polysaccharides.

This study investigated the gel performance of Spanish mackerel surimi gels (SMSGs) modified by three anionic polysaccharides: κ-carrageenan (KC), ι-carrageenan (IC), and gellan gum (GG). By incorporating polysaccharides, SMSGs showed a 24.9-103.

The TonB-Dependent Transport System Facilitates the Uptake of Inorganic Metal Mediators in Pseudomonas putida KT2440 in a Bioelectrochemical System.

Mediator-based extracellular electron transfer (EET) in a bioelectrochemical system is a unique approach to regulate the microbial redox and energy metabolism of Pseudomonas putida KT2440, which enables a new-to-nature high product yield under anaerobic conditions. Previous studies identified respiratory complex III in the inner membrane as a key redox protein involved in mediator (ferricyanide) interactions, but the exact mechanism through which the mediator crosses the outer membrane to extract electrons from membrane-bound redox proteins and transfer them to the anode remains unclear. In this study, we demonstrated the critical role of the TonB-dependent system, a widespread transportation system in gram-negative bacteria, in the mediator-based EET process.

Electrifying food fermentations to promote sustainability.

The important food microorganism Lactococcus lactis is limited by its fermentative metabolism and low energy yield. This limitation can be partially overcome by activating aerobic respiration which, in a food context, can be difficult to achieve as heme and oxygen must be supplied. Supplying oxygen is particularly challenging due to oxygen mass transfer limitations in food matrices.

Gel properties of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) surimi treated by different calcium salts as sodium chloride substitutes.

This study investigated the effect of various calcium salts [calcium chloride (CaCl), calcium sulfate (CaSO), calcium β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (CaHMB), calcium acetate (CaAc)] on gel properties of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) surimi gels (GCSGs). CaHMB and CaAc obviously improved the textural properties of GCSGs by 31.3 %-55.

Copper-Based Metal-Organic Framework Nanoplatform for miRNA Delivery: Synergistic Antitumor Therapy.

Background: Chemodynamic therapy (CDT) is a promising antitumor strategy that damages tumor cells by generating reactive oxygen species (ROS) to induce oxidative stress. However, antioxidant mechanisms in tumor cells greatly reduce CDT efficacy.

Methods: We propose using MOF-199 nanoparticles (NPs) with tumor microenvironment responsiveness as a carrier for miR-4521 to construct miR-4521@MOF-199 for cancer treatment.

Case report and literature review of complex renal angiomyolipoma.

Renal angiomyolipoma (AML) is a rare benign renal tumor with notable clinical implications, including potential compression of adjacent organs and a heightened risk of spontaneous hemorrhage, particularly when the tumor grows large. We present a complex case involving renal AML in a 52-year-old male patient who exhibited persistent left flank pain. Radiological imaging revealed a bilateral AML, with the most significant lesion on the left measuring approximately 13.

Instant noninvasive near-infrared deep brain stimulation using optoelectronic nanoparticles without genetic modification.

Noninvasive transcranial neuromodulation of deep brain regions is a longstanding goal in neuroscience. While optogenetics enables remote neural control, it is constrained by shallow tissue penetration of visible light and delayed onset due to required opsin expression. Here, we introduce a neuromodulation technique using hybrid upconversion and photovoltaic (HUP) nanoparticles, which eliminates the need for genetic modification and affords near-infrared (NIR) activation of neurons in wild-type mice.

Improvement of anti-inflammatory efficacy of apigenin by shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) powder/κ-carrageenan hydrogel in dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis.

Shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) powder/κ-carrageenan (SP/KC) hydrogel was used to improve the anti-inflammatory efficacy of apigenin (API) with elastic gel properties and dense honeycomb microstructures. Ulcerative colitis (UC) mice were gavaged with API and SP/KC/API, respectively, to evaluate the effectiveness of SP/KC. Compared with API group, the weight loss and colon shortening of UC mice in the SP/KC/API group were alleviated from 35.

Modification of functionalities and in vitro digestibility of clam Mactra chinensis powder upon ultrasound treatment.

Background: Abundant protein and amino acids have been found in clam Mactra chinensis powder (MCp), while the functionalities and in vitro digestibility of MCp are not clear. Meanwhile, ultrasound treatment is wildly used in modification of proteins. In this study, ultrasound was used to modify MCp at amplitudes from 30% to 90%, and the functionalities and in vitro digestibility of MCp upon ultrasound treatment were evaluated.

Genetic Variation A118G in the OPRM1 Gene Underlies the Dimorphic Response to Epidural Opioid-Induced Itch.

Neuraxial opioids, widely used in obstetric and perioperative pain management, often lead to unwanted itch, reducing patient satisfaction. While the μ-opioid receptor has been implicated in opioid-induced itch, the genetic basis for variable itch incidence remains unknown. This study examined 3616 patients receiving epidural opioids, revealing an itch occurrence of 26.

The Impact of Redox Mediators on the Electrogenic and Physiological Properties of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 in a Biophotovoltaic System.

Biophotovoltaics (BPV) is a novel biohybrid solution to utilize solar energy potentially at high energy efficiency, by exploiting the water splitting in oxygenic photoautotrophs and electrochemical electron harvest. Unlike model electrogens, known phototrophic microbes benefit from redox mediators for extracting the photosynthetic electrons and transferring them to the external electron sink for further utilization. In this work, three representative mediators, i.

Rapid and accurate diagnosis of urinary tract infections using targeted next-generation sequencing: A multicenter comparative study with metagenomic sequencing and traditional culture methods.

Background: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) rank among the most prevalent bacterial infections globally. Traditional urine culture methods have significant limitations in detection time and sensitivity, prompting the need to evaluate targeted next-generation sequencing (tNGS) as a potential diagnostic tool.

Methods: The study included a discovery cohort of 400 suspected UTI patients (202 analyzed) and a validation cohort of 200 patients (110 analyzed).

RNA interference targeting β-N-acetylhexosaminidase genes impairs molting and development of Tetranychus urticae.

β-N-acetylhexosaminidases (HEXs) are key chitin-degrading enzymes in insects. Here, we identified TuHex1 and TuHex2 using insect orthologous genes by searching Tetranychus urticae genome and transcriptome database to investigate their roles in mite molting. TuHex1 and TuHex2 expression was induced by 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E), and inhibition of TuHex1 and TuHex2 expression by RNAi resulted in wrinkled cuticle or an inability to shed the old cuticle in nymphs, which may be due to a reduction in particle deposition in the exocuticle and lamellar structure in the endocuticle as revealed by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy.

Involvement of Anion-Specific Effects in Changes in the Gelation and Thermodynamic Properties of Calcium Alginate Hydrogel.

The gelation process and hydrogel properties of calcium salt-induced alginate hydrogels are influenced by anion-specific effects. In this study, we investigated the effects of CaSO, CaI, and Ca(CHO) [calcium β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate, CaHMB] on the gelation behavior of alginate hydrogels, using various mannuronic/guluronic acid (M/G) ratios to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of anion-specific effects. Here, at a high M/G ratio (2:1), the gelation time of CaSO, as a low-solubility calcium source, delayed the formation of the calcium alginate hydrogel.

Statin Therapy before Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: A Novel Bridge between Thrombin and Thrombomodulin for Enhanced Cardiovascular Protection.

Percutaneous coronary intervention administration of statins enhances the thrombin-thrombomodulin (TM) interaction, which is critical for the prevention of post-procedural cardiovascular complications. Atomic force microscopy showed that statins increased the single molecule rupture forces between thrombin and TM, suggesting a strengthened complex. This was supported by surface plasmon resonance, which showed an enhanced binding affinity under the statin treatment.

Protocol to study the role of medial entorhinal cortex-basolateral amygdala circuit in context-induced retrieval of morphine withdrawal memory in mice.

The medial entorhinal cortex (MEC) is crucial for context memory, yet its role in context-induced retrieval of morphine withdrawal memory remains to be investigated. Here, we present a protocol to evaluate the importance of projection neurons from the MEC to the basolateral amygdala (BLA) (MEC neurons) in mice during context-induced retrieval of morphine withdrawal memory using a conditioned place aversion (CPA) model. We describe steps for surgical procedure and behavioral experiments.

Inflammatory burden index as a prognostic marker in patients with advanced gastric cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy and immunotherapy.

Background: Blood inflammation index has been shown to correlate with the prognosis of patients with gastric cancer. However, few studies have compared the efficacy of existing blood inflammatory markers in predicting the prognosis of patients with locally advanced gastric cancer in combination with neoadjuvant chemotherapy and immunotherapy.

Objective: The objective of this study was to compare the prognostic value of existing commonly used blood inflammatory index in patients with advanced gastric cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with immunotherapy.

Structural Insights into the Substrate Recognition of Ginsenoside Glycosyltransferase Pq3-O-UGT2.

Ginsenosides are a group of tetracyclic triterpenoids with promising health benefits, consisting of ginseng aglycone attached to various glycans. Pq3-O-UGT2, an important UDP-dependent glycosyltransferase (UGT), catalyzes the production of Ginsenoside Rg3 and Rd by extending the glycan chain of Ginsenoside Rh2 and F2, respectively, with higher selectivity for F2. However, the mechanism underlying its substrate recognition remains unclear.

Understanding the electron pathway fluidity of Synechocystis in biophotovoltaics.

Biophotovoltaics offers a promising low-carbon footprint approach to utilize solar energy. It aims to couple natural oxygenic photosynthetic electrons to an external electron sink. This lays the foundation for a potentially high light-to-energy efficiency of the Biophotovoltaic process.

Molecular dynamics of photosynthetic electron flow in a biophotovoltaic system.

Biophotovoltaics (BPV) represents an innovative biohybrid technology that couples electrochemistry with oxygenic photosynthetic microbes to harness solar energy and convert it into electricity. Central to BPV systems is the ability of microbes to perform extracellular electron transfer (EET), utilizing an anode as an external electron sink. This process simultaneously serves as an electron sink and enhances the efficiency of water photolysis compared to conventional electrochemical water splitting.

[NMDA receptors in prelimbic cortex neurons projecting to paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus are associated with morphine withdrawal memory retrieval].

At present, the problem of drug addiction treatment mainly lies in the high relapse rate of drug addicts. Addictive drugs will bring users a strong sense of euphoria and promote drug seeking. Once the drug is withdrawn, there will be withdrawal symptoms such as strong negative emotions and uncomfortable physical reactions.

Gelation melioration of clam Meretrix meretrix surimi based on the interactions with different plant/animal proteins.

The effects and mechanisms of four exogenous proteins, soy protein isolate (SPI), pea protein isolate (PPI), egg white protein (EWP), and whey protein isolate (WPI), on the gelation of Meretrix meretrix (MM) surimi were investigated. The exogenous protein addition significantly increased the G* of samples to 1.36-1.

Gelation improvement of low-salt Chinese shrimp (Fenneropenaeus chinensis) surimi gel by L-arginine.

In this study, the effect of L-arginine (L-Arg) on the gel properties of low-salt (NaCl, 0.5 % w/w) Chinese shrimp surimi gel (SSG) was investigated and the mechanism was explored. As the L-Arg concentration was raised from 0 to 0.

Encapsulation of melatonin in zein/pectin composite nanoparticles: Fabrication, characterization, and in vitro release property.

In this study, the encapsulation of melatonin (MT) in zein nanoparticles was investigated via anti-solvent co-precipitation method with pectin stabilization. Compared with MT-loaded zein nanoparticles (MT-Z NPs), 1.0 mg/mL pectin led to a 92.