While oral antidepressants reach efficacy after weeks, single-dose intravenous (i.v.) ketamine has rapid, yet time-limited antidepressant effects. We aimed to determine the efficacy and safety of ...single-dose i.v. ketamine augmentation of escitalopram in major depressive disorder (MDD).
Thirty outpatients with severe MDD (17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression total score ⩾ 24) were randomized to 4 weeks double-blind treatment with escitalopram 10 mg/day+single-dose i.v. ketamine (0.5 mg/kg over 40 min) or escitalopram 10 mg/day + placebo (0.9% i.v. saline). Depressive symptoms were measured using the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and the Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology - Self-Report (QIDS-SR). Suicidal ideation was evaluated with the QIDS-SR item 12. Adverse psychopathological effects were measured with the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS)-positive symptoms, Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) and Clinician Administered Dissociative States Scale (CADSS). Patients were assessed at baseline, 1, 2, 4, 24 and 72 h and 7, 14, 21 and 28 days. Time to response (⩾ 50% MADRS score reduction) was the primary outcome.
By 4 weeks, more escitalopram + ketamine-treated than escitalopram + placebo-treated patients responded (92.3% v. 57.1%, p = 0.04) and remitted (76.9% v. 14.3%, p = 0.001), with significantly shorter time to response hazard ratio (HR) 0.04, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.01-0.22, p < 0.001 and remission (HR 0.11, 95% CI 0.02-0.63, p = 0.01). Compared to escitalopram + placebo, escitalopram + ketamine was associated with significantly lower MADRS scores from 2 h to 2 weeks (peak = 3 days-2 weeks; effect size (ES) = 1.08-1.18), QIDS-SR scores from 2 h to 2 weeks (maximum ES = 1.27), and QIDS-SR suicidality from 2 to 72 h (maximum ES = 2.24). Only YMRS scores increased significantly with ketamine augmentation (1 and 2 h), without significant BPRS or CADSS elevation.
Single-dose i.v. ketamine augmentation of escitalopram was safe and effective in severe MDD, holding promise for speeding up early oral antidepressant efficacy.
The entorhinal cortex (EC) is one of the most vulnerable brain regions that is attacked during the early stage of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here, we report that the synaptic terminals of pyramidal ...neurons in the EC layer II (ECII
) directly innervate CA1 parvalbumin (PV) neurons (CA1
) and are selectively degenerated in AD mice, which exhibit amyloid-β plaques similar to those observed in AD patients. A loss of ECII
-CA1
synapses disables the excitatory and inhibitory balance in the CA1 circuit and impairs spatial learning and memory. Optogenetic activation of ECII
using a theta burst paradigm rescues ECII
-CA1
synaptic defects and intercepts the decline in spatial learning and memory. These data reveal a novel mechanism of memory loss in AD mice via the selective degeneration of the ECII
-CA1
pathway.
Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) is a key enzyme that generates NADPH to maintain reduced glutathione (GSH), which scavenges reactive oxygen species (ROS) to protect cancer cell from ...oxidative damage. In this study, we mainly investigate the potential roles of G6PD in colorectal cancer (CRC) development and chemoresistance. We discover that G6PD is overexpressed in CRC cells and patient specimens. High expression of G6PD predicts poor prognosis and correlated with poor outcome of oxaliplatin-based first-line chemotherapy in patients with CRC. Suppressing G6PD decreases NADPH production, lowers GSH levels, impairs the ability to scavenge ROS levels, and enhances oxaliplatin-induced apoptosis in CRC via ROS-mediated damage in vitro. In vivo experiments further shows that silencing G6PD with lentivirus or non-viral gene delivery vector enhances oxaliplatin anti-tumor effects in cell based xenografts and PDX models. In summary, our finding indicated that disrupting G6PD-mediated NADPH homeostasis enhances oxaliplatin-induced apoptosis in CRC through redox modulation. Thus, this study indicates that G6PD is a potential prognostic biomarker and a promising target for CRC therapy.
Functional porous materials are of increasing importance in energy conversion and catalysis. Improved analysis is needed to guide optimization. Four-dimensional (4D) imaging chemical mapping in ...three-dimensional (3D) by spectro-tomography of an Al2O3 aerogel coated with ZnO by atomic layer deposition was performed using soft X-ray ptychography at the Zn L-edge. A two-dimensional spatial resolution of 14(2) nm was achieved. Visualizations of the 3D chemical structure are provided. The degree of ZnO coverage of the surface of the Al2O3 aerogel framework in two different samples was estimated and found to be both thicker and less homogeneous than expected. Other analyses of the 4D results, including the degree of contact between Al2O3 and ZnO, were extracted from the reconstructed 3D data. This pioneering soft X-ray spectro-ptycho-tomography study will anchor further studies of functional porous materials.
Digital technology has emerged as a transformative tool in dental implantation, profoundly enhancing accuracy and effectiveness across multiple facets, such as diagnosis, preoperative treatment ...planning, surgical procedures, and restoration delivery. The multiple integration of radiographic data and intraoral data, sometimes with facial scan data or electronic facebow through virtual planning software, enables comprehensive 3-dimensional visualization of the hard and soft tissue and the position of future restoration, resulting in heightened diagnostic precision. In virtual surgery design, the incorporation of both prosthetic arrangement and individual anatomical details enables the virtual execution of critical procedures (e.g., implant placement, extended applications, etc.) through analysis of cross-sectional images and the reconstruction of 3-dimensional surface models. After verification, the utilization of digital technology including templates, navigation, combined techniques, and implant robots achieved seamless transfer of the virtual treatment plan to the actual surgical sites, ultimately leading to enhanced surgical outcomes with highly improved accuracy. In restoration delivery, digital techniques for impression, shade matching, and prosthesis fabrication have advanced, enabling seamless digital data conversion and efficient communication among clinicians and technicians. Compared with clinical medicine, artificial intelligence (AI) technology in dental implantology primarily focuses on diagnosis and prediction. AI-supported preoperative planning and surgery remain in developmental phases, impeded by the complexity of clinical cases and ethical considerations, thereby constraining widespread adoption.
A real‐time loop‐mediated isothermal amplification (Rti‐LAMP) DNA assay was developed for rapid and sensitive detection of viable Escherichia coli O157:H7 in milk by combining with ethidium monoazide ...bromide (EMA) and bentonite coated activated carbon (BCAC) treatment without enrichment. The assay involved inoculating 25 mL portions of milk with various numbers of E. coli O157:H7. Then each of milk sample was adsorbed with 4 g BCAC to remove DNA amplification inhibitor. The recovered purified bacteria sample was further treated with EMA for discrimination viable from dead cells in Rti‐LAMP assay. The detection limit of viable E. coli O157:H7 was 10 CFU/mL in milk by the BCAC‐EMA‐Rti‐LAMP, and the entire assay could be completed in 5 hr. Twenty‐five raw milk samples were detected by the BCAC‐EMA‐Rti‐LAMP assay, using three methods as controls including E. coli O157:H7 plate culture, BCAC‐Rti‐LAMP, and Rti‐LAMP combined with enrichment at 37°C (E‐Rti‐LAMP). The results showed that the BCAC‐EMA‐Rti‐LAMP had similar accuracy and sensitivity as that of plate culture, as they both detected one sample of viable E. coli O157:H7 positive from 25 fresh raw milk samples. These data strongly suggested that the BCAC‐EMA‐Rti‐LAMP could rapidly and sensitively detect viable E. coli O157:H7 in milk without enrichment.
Practical Applications
Escherichia coli O157:H7 is one of the foodborne pathogens in milk, which has low dose of infection and high pathogenicity. In milk, components such as Ca2+, proteinase, fats, and milk proteins may block DNA and shield it from access by polymerase. This study was targeting VT2 and Z3276 genes for rapid and sensitive detection of viable E. coli O157:H7 in milk. BCAC was used to remove DNA amplification inhibitor and improve the detection sensitivity. EMA was used to discriminate viable from dead cells. The assay will be a potential tool in the rapidity, sensitivity, and specificity for detection of E. coli O157:H7 in milk without enrichment.
Serum tumour markers carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) and CA242 were investigated to evaluate the values of single and combined test in the diagnosis and prognosis ...of pancreatic cancer.
Pre-operative serum CEA, CA19-9 and CA242 were measured in 105 pancreatic cancers, 70 non-pancreatic malignancies and 30 benign pancreatic diseases.
The sensitivity of CA19-9 alone was the highest in pancreatic cancer patients (80%), but the specificity was significantly lower than that of CEA and CA242 (
P<0.01). The combination of CEA and CA242 could increase the specificity to 92%. In serum CA242 positive patients, the survival time was remarkably shorter than that of patients with negative result (
P<0.01). The survival time in patients with more than two markers positive expression of CEA, CA19-9 and CA242 was obviously shorter than that of only one or no marker positive expression (
P<0.05).
The diagnostic rate of CA19-9 in pancreatic cancer is better than that of CEA and CA242. Combined detection of CEA and CA242 can improve the diagnostic specificity obviously. High levels of serum markers are associated with advanced stage of the disease. Patients with two or three markers positive expression of CEA, CA19-9, and CA242 simultaneously had a shorter survival time.
The nanostructured surface of biomaterials plays an important role in improving their in vitro cellular bioactivity as well as stimulating in vivo tissue regeneration. Inspired by the mussel’s ...adhesive versatility, which is thought to be due to the plaque–substrate interface being rich in 3,4-dihydroxy-l-phenylalamine (DOPA) and lysine amino acids, in this study we developed a self-assembly method to prepare a uniform calcium phosphate (Ca-P)/polydopamine composite nanolayer on the surface of β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) bioceramics by soaking β-TCP bioceramics in Tris–dopamine solution. It was found that the addition of dopamine, reaction temperature and reaction time are three key factors inducing the formation of a uniform Ca-P/polydopamine composite nanolayer. The formation mechanism of a Ca-P/polydopamine composite nanolayer involved two important steps: (i) the addition of dopamine to Tris–HCl solution decreases the pH value and accelerates Ca and P ionic dissolution from the crystal boundaries of β-TCP ceramics; (ii) dopamine is polymerized to form self-assembled polydopamine film and, at the same time, nanosized Ca-P particles are mineralized with the assistance of polydopamine, in which the formation of polydopamine occurs simultaneously with Ca-P mineralization (formation of nanosized microparticles composed of calcium phosphate-based materials), and finally a self-assembled Ca-P/polydopamine composite nanolayer forms on the surface of the β-TCP ceramics. Furthermore, the formed self-assembled Ca-P/polydopamine composite nanolayer significantly enhances the surface roughness and hydrophilicity of β-TCP ceramics, and stimulates the attachment, proliferation, alkaline phosphate (ALP) activity and bone-related gene expression (ALP, OCN, COL1 and Runx2) of human bone marrow stromal cells. Our results suggest that the preparation of self-assembled Ca-P/polydopamine composite nanolayers is a viable method to modify the surface of biomaterials by significantly improving their surface physicochemical properties and cellular bioactivity for bone regeneration application.
Blood clams (Scapharca broughtonii) are widely cultivated and consumed in noutheast Asia. Forty-eight polymorphic microsatellite loci were developed for this clam using magnetic-bead hybridization ...enrichment. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 2 to 14. Polymorphism of these loci was assessed in 30 individuals from a population collected from coastal areas of Qingdao, China. The values of observed heterozygosity, expected heterozygosity and polymorphism information content per locus ranged from 0.1034 to 0.9655, from 0.1831 to 0.9208, and from 0.1638 to 0.8964, respectively. Forty-three of 48 loci conformed to Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. These microsatellite loci would be useful for molecular genetic breeding, population genetics, genome mapping, and other relevant research on S. broughtonii.
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