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  1. Meng X, Wen K, Citartan M, Lin Q
    Analyst, 2023 Feb 13;148(4):787-798.
    PMID: 36688616 DOI: 10.1039/d2an01767a
    Aptamers are single-stranded oligonucleotide molecules that bind with high affinity and specificity to a wide range of target molecules. The method of systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) plays an essential role in the isolation of aptamers from a randomized oligonucleotide library. To date, significant modifications and improvements of the SELEX process have been achieved, engendering various forms of SELEX from conventional SELEX to microfluidics-based full-chip SELEX. While full-chip SELEX is generally considered advantageous over conventional SELEX, there has not yet been a conclusive comparison between the methods. Herein, we present a comparative study of three SELEX strategies for aptamer isolation, including those using conventional agarose bead-based partitioning, microfluidic affinity selection, and fully integrated microfluidic affinity selection and PCR amplification. Using immunoglobulin E (IgE) as a model target molecule, we compare these strategies in terms of the time and cost for each step of the SELEX process including affinity selection, amplification, and oligonucleotide conditioning. Target-binding oligonucleotides in the enriched pools are sequenced and compared to assess the relative efficacy of the SELEX strategies. We show that the microfluidic strategies are more time- and cost-efficient than conventional SELEX.
  2. Thevendran R, Navien TN, Meng X, Wen K, Lin Q, Sarah S, et al.
    Anal Biochem, 2020 07 01;600:113742.
    PMID: 32315616 DOI: 10.1016/j.ab.2020.113742
    The performance of aptamers as versatile tools in numerous analytical applications is critically dependent on their high target binding specificity and selectivity. However, only the technical or methodological aspects of measuring aptamer-target binding affinities are focused, ignoring the equally important mathematical components that play pivotal roles in affinity measurements. In this study, we aim to provide a comprehensive review regarding the utilization of different mathematical models and equations, along with a detailed description of the computational steps involved in mathematically deriving the binding affinity of aptamers against their specific target molecules. Mathematical models ranging from one-site binding to multiple aptameric binding site-based models are explained in detail. Models applied in several different approaches of affinity measurements such as thermodynamics and kinetic analysis, including cooperativity and competitive-assay based mathematical models have been elaborately discussed. Mathematical models incorporating factors that could potentially affect affinity measurements are also further scrutinized.
  3. Meng X, Li J, Li M, Wang H, Ren B, Chen J, et al.
    J Ethnopharmacol, 2021 Aug 10;276:114145.
    PMID: 33932518 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2021.114145
    ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Gynura cass., belonging to the tribe Senecoineae of the family Compositae, contains more than 40 accepted species as annual or perennial herbs, mainly distributed in Asia, Africa and Australia. Among them, 11 species are distributed in China. Many of the Gynura species have been used as traditional herbal medicines for the treatment of diabetes mellitus, rheumatism, eruptive fever, gastric ulcer, bleeding, abscesses, bruises, burning pains, rashes and herpes zoster infection in tropical Asia countries such as China, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Vietnam. Some of the species have been used as vegetables, tea beverage or ornamental plants by the local people.

    AIM OF THE STUDY: A more comprehensive and in-depth review about the geographical distribution, traditional uses, chemical constituents and pharmacological activities as well as safe and toxicity of Gynura species has been summarized, hoping to provide a scientific basis for rational development and utilization as well as to foster further research of these important medicinal plant resources in the future.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: A review of the literature was performed based on the existing peer-reviewed researches by consulting scientific databases including Web of Science, PubMed, Elsevier, Google Scholar, SciFinder and China National Knowledge Infrastructure.

    RESULTS: Many of the Gynura species have been phytochemically studied, which led to the isolation of more than 338 compounds including phenolics, flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, steroids, cerebrosides, aliphatics and other compounds. Pharmacological studies in vitro and in vivo have also confirmed the various bioactive potentials of extracts or pure compounds from many Gynura plants, based on their claimed ethnomedicinal and anecdotal uses, including antioxidant, anti-inflammation, anticancer, antidiabetic, antihypertension, antibacterial and other activities. However, pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) pose a threat to the medication safety and edible security of Gynura plants because of toxicity issues, requiring the need to pay great attention to this phenomenon.

    CONCLUSION: The traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology of Gynura species described in this review demonstrated that these plants contain a great number of active constituents and display a diversity of pharmacological activities. However, the mechanism of action, structure-activity relationship, potential synergistic effects and pharmacokinetics of these components need to be further elucidated. Moreover, further detailed research is urgently needed to explain the mechanisms of toxicity induced by PAs. In this respect, effective detoxification strategies need to be worked out, so as to support the safe and reasonable utilization of Gynura plant resources in the future.

  4. Lu L, Fan W, Meng X, Xue L, Ge S, Wang C, et al.
    Sci Total Environ, 2023 Jan 15;856(Pt 1):158798.
    PMID: 36116663 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.158798
    The rapid development of the textile industry and improvement of people's living standards have led to the production of cotton textile and simultaneously increased the production of textile wastes. Cotton is one of the most common textile materials, and the waste cotton accounts for 24% of the total textile waste. To effectively manage the waste, recycling and reusing waste cotton are common practices to reduce global waste production. This paper summarizes the characteristics of waste cotton and high-value products derived from waste cotton (e.g., yarns, composite reinforcements, regenerated cellulose fibers, cellulose nanocrystals, adsorptive materials, flexible electronic devices, and biofuels) via mechanical, chemical, and biological recycling methods. The advantages and disadvantages of making high-value products from waste cotton are summarized and discussed. New technologies and products for recycling waste cotton are proposed, providing a guideline and direction for merchants and researchers. This review paper can shed light on converting textile wastes other than cotton (e.g., bast, silk, wool, and synthetic fibers) into value-added products.
  5. Chen W, Chen Y, Aslam MS, Shen J, Tong T, Yan S, et al.
    Behav Brain Res, 2023 Oct 18;455:114627.
    PMID: 37619770 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114627
    BACKGROUND: Depression is a severe emotional condition that significantly affects the quality of life. Acupuncture exerts preventive effects on depression in rats with post-chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS). Methods The study involved chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) depression model mice to administer acupuncture as a preventative measure to investigate the mechanism of acupuncture's antidepressant and observe the effect of acupuncture on impact via the Lateral Habenula (LHb) and Gut-Liver-Brain Axis. The researcher investigated molecules correlating with a nitric oxide/cyclic guanosine monophosphate (NO/cGMP) pathway and assessed inflammation in the LHb and liver. In addition, 16 S rDNA bioinformatics study revealed the quantity and variety of gut microbiota. Rats were randomly divided into five groups: control (CON), CUMS, CUMS + acupuncture (AP), CUMS + fluoxetine (FX) and CUMS + N(G) -nitro -L- arginine methyl ester (LNAME) group. Except for the CON group, other rats were exposed to CUMS condition for 28 days. Simultaneously, manual acupuncture (at Fengfu and Shangxing acupoints, once every other day) and fluoxetine gavage (2.1 mg/kg, 0.21 mg/mL, daily) were conducted to the groups of AP and FX, respectively, after stressors. Rats in LNAME group were treated with LNAME normal saline (10 mg/kg, 1 mg/mL, i.p.) solution. Behavioural tests and biological detection methods were conducted sequentially to evaluate depressionlike phenotype in rats.

    RESULTS: The results showed CUMS induced depression-like behaviours, hyper-activation of NO/cGMP signaling pathway, inflammation in serum, LHb and liver, and dysbiosis of the gut microbiota. These changes could be prevented and ameliorated by acupuncture to varying extents.

    CONCLUSION: Acupuncture prevented and attenuated depression-like phenotype induced by CUMS, possibly via regulating the NO/cGMP signaling pathway and thus improving inflammation in serum, LHb and liver, and gut microbiota dysbiosis. In addition, these can be evidence of the existence of the gut-liver-brain axis.

  6. Li P, Huang W, Chen Y, Aslam MS, Cheng W, Huang Y, et al.
    Neural Plast, 2023;2023:1474841.
    PMID: 37179843 DOI: 10.1155/2023/1474841
    PURPOSE: To explore the therapeutic efficiency of acupuncture and the related molecular mechanism of neural plasticity in depression.

    METHODS: Chronic unpredictable mild stress- (CUMS-) induced rats were established for the depression animal model. There were a total of four rat groups, including the control group, the CUMS group, the CUMS+acupuncture group, and the CUMS+fluoxetine group. The acupuncture group and the fluoxetine group were given a 3-week treatment after the modeling intervention. The researcher performed the open-field, elevated plus maze, and sucrose preference tests to evaluate depressive behaviors. The number of nerve cells, dendrites' length, and the prefrontal cortex's spine density were detected using Golgi staining. The prefrontal cortex expression, such as BDNF, PSD95, SYN, and PKMZ protein, was detected using the western blot and RT-PCR.

    RESULTS: Acupuncture could alleviate depressive-like behaviors and promote the recovery of the neural plasticity functions in the prefrontal cortex, showing the increasing cell numbers, prolonging the length of the dendrites, and enhancing the spine density. The neural plasticity-related proteins in the prefrontal cortex, including BDNF, PSD95, SYN, and PKMZ, were all downregulated in the CUMS-induced group; however, these effects could be partly reversed after being treated by acupuncture and fluoxetine (P < 0.05).

    CONCLUSION: Acupuncture can ameliorate depressive-like behaviors by promoting the recovery of neural plasticity functions and neural plasticity-related protein upregulation in the prefrontal cortex of CUMS-induced depressed rats. Our study provides new insights into the antidepressant approach, and further studies are warranted to elucidate the mechanisms of acupuncture involved in depression treatment.

  7. Tong T, Hao C, Shen J, Liu S, Yan S, Aslam MS, et al.
    Brain Res Bull, 2024 Jan;206:110838.
    PMID: 38123022 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2023.110838
    BACKGROUND: Depression is associated with lowered mood, anxiety, anhedonia, cognitive impairments, and even suicidal tendencies in severe cases. Yet few studies have directed acupuncture's mechanism toward enhancing axonal repair correlated with synaptic plasticity and anti-inflammatory effects related to oxidative stress in the hippocampus.

    METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into control group (CON), chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) group, CUMS + electroacupuncture group (EA), and CUMS + fluoxetine group (FLX) (n = 10/group). Rats were given a 28-day treatment at the Shangxing (GV23) and Fengfu (GV16) acupoints with electroacupuncture or fluoxetine (2.1 mg/kg).

    RESULTS: Rats exposed to CUMS induced depression-like behaviors and spatial learning-memory impairment, changed the ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1 (IBA-1), Vglut1, myelin basic protein (MBP), and postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD95) level of hippocampal, increased the Nod-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3), atypical squamous cell (ASC), Caspase level and hippocampal reactive oxygen species (ROS), and prompted the activation of Epha4-mediated signaling and an inflammatory response. Conversely, electroacupuncture administration reduced these changes and prevented depression-like behaviors and cognitive impairment. Electroacupuncture also promoted hippocampal expression of Sirtuin1(SIRT1), Nuclear factor erythroid 2-like (Nrf2), Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1); reduced the expression of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-18 (IL-18), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α); and prevented neural damage, particularly the synaptic myelin sheath, and neuroinflammation by regulating Eph receptor A4 (EphA4) in the hippocampal.

    CONCLUSION: These results indicate that electroacupuncture prevents depression-like behaviors with cognitive impairment and synaptic and neuronal damage, probably by reducing EphA4, which mediates ROS hyperfunction and the inflammatory response.

  8. Shen J, Hao C, Yuan S, Chen W, Tong T, Chen Y, et al.
    Brain Res, 2024 Mar 01;1826:148715.
    PMID: 38142722 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2023.148715
    BACKGROUND: The treatment of depression with acupuncture has been documented. The mechanism behind acupuncture's curative and preventative effects is still unknown.

    METHODS: The current study examined the effects of acupuncture on depression-like behaviors in a rat model of chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS), while also exploring its potential mechanisms. A total of six groups of rats were randomly assigned: control, CUMS, acupuncture, fluoxetine, acupoint catgut embedding and sham acupoint catgut embedding. Fluoxetine (2.1 mg/kg) and acupoint catgut embedding were used for comparative research to acupuncture. The modelling evaluation is measured by body weight and behavior tests. Western blotting and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction were used to detect the proteins and mRNA expression of Silent information regulator 1 (Sirt1)/ nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/ heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1)/ Glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) pathway in the hippocampus. The expression of oxidative stress (OS)-related proteins and inflammatory cytokines in the serum was detected with ELISA. Immunofluorescence showed microglia and astrocytes activity in the hippocampus.

    RESULTS: Acupuncture and fluoxetine could alleviate CUMS-induced depression-like behaviors. Acupuncture was also found to effectively reverse the levels of MDA, SOD, GSH, GSH-PX and T-AOC, IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α in the serum of CUMS-induced rats. Rats with CUMS showed decreased levels of Sirt1, Nrf2, HO-1 and GPX4 in the hippocampus, while acupuncture treatment could partly reverse the diminished effects. In addition, acupuncture treatment significantly reduced the activation of hippocampal microglia and astrocytes in CUMS-induced rats.

    CONCLUSION: The study's findings indicate that acupuncture has the potential to mitigate depression-like behaviors in rats induced with CUMS by mitigating OS and reducing neuroinflammation.

  9. Giannakopoulou O, Lin K, Meng X, Su MH, Kuo PH, Peterson RE, et al.
    JAMA Psychiatry, 2021 Nov 01;78(11):1258-1269.
    PMID: 34586374 DOI: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2021.2099
    IMPORTANCE: Most previous genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of depression have used data from individuals of European descent. This limits the understanding of the underlying biology of depression and raises questions about the transferability of findings between populations.

    OBJECTIVE: To investigate the genetics of depression among individuals of East Asian and European descent living in different geographic locations, and with different outcome definitions for depression.

    DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Genome-wide association analyses followed by meta-analysis, which included data from 9 cohort and case-control data sets comprising individuals with depression and control individuals of East Asian descent. This study was conducted between January 2019 and May 2021.

    EXPOSURES: Associations of genetic variants with depression risk were assessed using generalized linear mixed models and logistic regression. The results were combined across studies using fixed-effects meta-analyses. These were subsequently also meta-analyzed with the largest published GWAS for depression among individuals of European descent. Additional meta-analyses were carried out separately by outcome definition (clinical depression vs symptom-based depression) and region (East Asian countries vs Western countries) for East Asian ancestry cohorts.

    MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Depression status was defined based on health records and self-report questionnaires.

    RESULTS: There were a total of 194 548 study participants (approximate mean age, 51.3 years; 62.8% women). Participants included 15 771 individuals with depression and 178 777 control individuals of East Asian descent. Five novel associations were identified, including 1 in the meta-analysis for broad depression among those of East Asian descent: rs4656484 (β = -0.018, SE = 0.003, P = 4.43x10-8) at 1q24.1. Another locus at 7p21.2 was associated in a meta-analysis restricted to geographically East Asian studies (β = 0.028, SE = 0.005, P = 6.48x10-9 for rs10240457). The lead variants of these 2 novel loci were not associated with depression risk in European ancestry cohorts (β = -0.003, SE = 0.005, P = .53 for rs4656484 and β = -0.005, SE = 0.004, P = .28 for rs10240457). Only 11% of depression loci previously identified in individuals of European descent reached nominal significance levels in the individuals of East Asian descent. The transancestry genetic correlation between cohorts of East Asian and European descent for clinical depression was r = 0.413 (SE = 0.159). Clinical depression risk was negatively genetically correlated with body mass index in individuals of East Asian descent (r = -0.212, SE = 0.084), contrary to findings for individuals of European descent.

    CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: These results support caution against generalizing findings about depression risk factors across populations and highlight the need to increase the ancestral and geographic diversity of samples with consistent phenotyping.

  10. Chatrchyan S, Khachatryan V, Sirunyan AM, Tumasyan A, Adam W, Bergauer T, et al.
    Phys Rev Lett, 2014 Apr 25;112(16):161802.
    PMID: 24815637
    Results are presented of a search for a "natural" supersymmetry scenario with gauge mediated symmetry breaking. It is assumed that only the supersymmetric partners of the top quark (the top squark) and the Higgs boson (Higgsino) are accessible. Events are examined in which there are two photons forming a Higgs boson candidate, and at least two b-quark jets. In 19.7  fb-1 of proton-proton collision data at s=8  TeV, recorded in the CMS experiment, no evidence of a signal is found and lower limits at the 95% confidence level are set, excluding the top squark mass below 360 to 410 GeV, depending on the Higgsino mass.
  11. Chatrchyan S, Khachatryan V, Sirunyan AM, Tumasyan A, Adam W, Bergauer T, et al.
    Eur Phys J C Part Fields, 2014 08 13;74(8):2980.
    PMID: 25814906
    A search for invisible decays of Higgs bosons is performed using the vector boson fusion and associated ZH production modes. In the ZH mode, the Z boson is required to decay to a pair of charged leptons or a [Formula: see text] quark pair. The searches use the 8 [Formula: see text] pp collision dataset collected by the CMS detector at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of up to 19.7 [Formula: see text]. Certain channels include data from 7 [Formula: see text] collisions corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.9 [Formula: see text]. The searches are sensitive to non-standard-model invisible decays of the recently observed Higgs boson, as well as additional Higgs bosons with similar production modes and large invisible branching fractions. In all channels, the observed data are consistent with the expected standard model backgrounds. Limits are set on the production cross section times invisible branching fraction, as a function of the Higgs boson mass, for the vector boson fusion and ZH production modes. By combining all channels, and assuming standard model Higgs boson cross sections and acceptances, the observed (expected) upper limit on the invisible branching fraction at [Formula: see text] [Formula: see text] is found to be 0.58 (0.44) at 95 % confidence level. We interpret this limit in terms of a Higgs-portal model of dark matter interactions.
  12. CMS Collaboration, Chatrchyan S, Khachatryan V, Sirunyan AM, Tumasyan A, Adam W, et al.
    Eur Phys J C Part Fields, 2014 08 07;74(8):2973.
    PMID: 25814904
    Measurements are reported of the WZ and ZZ production cross sections in proton-proton collisions at [Formula: see text][Formula: see text] in final states where one Z boson decays to b-tagged jets. The other gauge boson, either W or Z, is detected through its leptonic decay (either [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] or [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], or [Formula: see text]). The results are based on data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 18.9 fb[Formula: see text] collected with the CMS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The measured cross sections, [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], are consistent with next-to-leading order quantum chromodynamics calculations.
  13. CMS Collaboration, Chatrchyan S, Khachatryan V, Sirunyan AM, Tumasyan A, Adam W, et al.
    Eur Phys J C Part Fields, 2014 08 20;74(8):3014.
    PMID: 25814909
    The normalised differential top quark-antiquark production cross section is measured as a function of the jet multiplicity in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7[Formula: see text] at the LHC with the CMS detector. The measurement is performed in both the dilepton and lepton+jets decay channels using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.0[Formula: see text]. Using a procedure to associate jets to decay products of the top quarks, the differential cross section of the [Formula: see text] production is determined as a function of the additional jet multiplicity in the lepton+jets channel. Furthermore, the fraction of events with no additional jets is measured in the dilepton channel, as a function of the threshold on the jet transverse momentum. The measurements are compared with predictions from perturbative quantum chromodynamics and no significant deviations are observed.
  14. CMS Collaboration, Chatrchyan S, Khachatryan V, Sirunyan AM, Tumasyan A, Adam W, et al.
    Eur Phys J C Part Fields, 2014 11 12;74(11):3129.
    PMID: 25814874
    A measurement of differential cross sections for the production of a pair of isolated photons in proton-proton collisions at [Formula: see text] is presented. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 5.0[Formula: see text] collected with the CMS detector. A data-driven isolation template method is used to extract the prompt diphoton yield. The measured cross section for two isolated photons, with transverse energy above 40 and 25[Formula: see text] respectively, in the pseudorapidity range [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and with an angular separation [Formula: see text], is [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]. Differential cross sections are measured as a function of the diphoton invariant mass, the diphoton transverse momentum, the azimuthal angle difference between the two photons, and the cosine of the polar angle in the Collins-Soper reference frame of the diphoton system. The results are compared to theoretical predictions at leading, next-to-leading, and next-to-next-to-leading order in quantum chromodynamics.
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