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This article explores the development of a new method for producing seedless watermelons through gene editing. The researchers targeted a specific gene, ClSPL, which resulted in the production of fully diploid seedless fruits. The method was found to be more efficient and cost-effective than traditional breeding methods. The researchers suggest that this approach could be applied to other fruit crops to produce nontransgenic seedless varieties. The article provides detailed information on the methods used and presents the results of various analyses on pollen viability, chromosomal behavior, fruit firmness, and nutrient content. The document also includes acknowledgements, information about the authors' contributions, and references to other relevant studies. [Extracted from the article]

A molecular phylogenetic study was conducted on genus Grandinenia, based on COI and 16S sequences. A total of eight out of 26 species in the genus, as well as three unidentified species were sequenced. Phylogenetic results supported the monophyly of Grandinenia and the validity of all sampled species and subspecies. A new species, Grandinenia jiangjilini Chen, Lin, Wu & Ouyang, sp. nov., from Guangxi, southern China is identified and described, based on morphological comparison and molecular phylogeny. The discovery indicates that the inflated-fusiform shell is not isolated in genus Grandinenia and the species diversity of the genus still remains to be explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psoriasis is an inflammatory skin disease with unclear pathogenesis and unmet therapeutic needs. To investigate the role of senescent CD4+ T cells in psoriatic lesion formation and explore the application of senolytics in treating psoriasis. We explored the expression levels of p16INK4a and p21, classical markers of cellular senescence, in CD4+ T cells from human psoriatic lesions and imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriatic lesions. We prepared a senolytic gel using B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) inhibitor ABT-737 and evaluated its therapeutic efficacy in treating psoriasis. Using multispectrum immunohistochemistry (mIHC) staining, we detected increased expression levels of p16INK4a and p21 in CD4+ T cells from psoriatic lesions. After topical application of ABT-737 gel, significant alleviation of IMQ-induced psoriatic lesions was observed, with milder pathological alterations. Mechanistically, ABT-737 gel significantly decreased the percentage of senescent cells, expression of T cell receptor (TCR) α and β chains, and expression of Tet methylcytosine dioxygenase 2 (Tet2) in IMQ-induced psoriatic lesions, as determined by mIHC, high-throughput sequencing of the TCR repertoire, and RT-qPCR, respectively. Furthermore, the severity of psoriatic lesions in CD4creTet2f/f mice was milder than that in Tet2f/f mice in the IMQ-induced psoriasis model. We revealed the roles of senescent CD4+ T cells in developing psoriasis and highlighted the therapeutic potential of topical ABT-737 gel in treating psoriasis through the elimination of senescent cells, modulation of the TCR αβ repertoire, and regulation of the TET2-Th17 cell pathway. • We highlight the crucial role of senescent CD4+ T cells in pathogenesis of psoriasis. • The TET2 emerges as an important regulator of senescent CD4+ T cells in psoriasis. • Topical ABT-737 gel shows potential as a therapy for psoriasis by eliminating senescent cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the potential anti-aging effects of a topical BCL-2 inhibitor called ABT-737 on skin photoaging in mice. Photoaging is caused by long-term exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) and is characterized by changes in the dermis and epidermis, as well as an increase in senescent cells. ABT-737 has been shown to eliminate senescent cells and delay aging when administered through intraperitoneal injection. This study aimed to investigate the effects of ABT-737 when applied topically. The results showed that ABT-737 gel improved skin smoothness, reduced wrinkles, increased collagen fiber density, and decreased epidermal thickness in the mice. It also inhibited the expression of BCL-2 and reduced the levels of p21 and Mmp2, which are associated with photoaging. The study suggests that ABT-737 has potential as a topical treatment for photoaging. [Extracted from the article]

In this paper, we study the spatiotemporal dynamics in a diffusive cell polarization model with source and loss terms under zero flux boundary conditions. Firstly, we investigate the stability of the positive equilibrium and the existence of Hopf bifurcation for the system without diffusion. Secondly, Turing instability and Turing bifurcation near the positive constant equilibrium are discussed for the diffusive system. Thirdly, the normal forms on the center manifold are given to determine the properties of Turing and Hopf bifurcations. Finally, numerical simulations are performed to illustrate our theoretical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experiment was to study the nutritional quality and production performance of alfalfa with different autumn dormancy grades in Shihezi area, to obtain excellent dormancy alfalfa varieties suitable for local planting. Ten alfalfa varieties with different autumn dormancy levels were selected as experimental materials. The nutritional quality, production index and overwintering rate of alfalfa in early flowering period were determined and evaluated comprehensively. The results showed that the first group of non-autumn dormancy and extreme non-autumn dormancy alfalfa, represented by Yumu No. 1, had excellent production performance and nutritional quality, but poor wintering ability. Semi-autumn dormancy alfalfa (Xinjiang Daye, Victoria and Archer) had strong wintering ability and good comprehensive performance. Autumn dormancy alfalfa (Zhaodong, Xinmu No. 2 and Qishi No. 2) had strong wintering ability, but its comprehensive performance was poor. The study indicates that considering the local climate and perennial characteristics of alfalfa, semi-autumn dormancy alfalfa (Xinjiang Daye, Victoria and Archer) with good comprehensive performance and strong wintering ability should be optimized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose a bioeconomic predator–prey model with Michaelis–Menten type prey harvesting and general functional response which is described by a differential–algebraic system. Using the local parameterization, we derive an equivalent parametric system and investigate its dynamics in terms of local stability and Hopf bifurcation. The economic profit is chosen as a bifurcation parameter to prove the occurrence of Hopf bifurcation phenomenon in the neighborhood of the interior equilibrium. Moreover, we calculate the first Lyapunov coefficient to study the direction of Hopf bifurcation and the stability of bifurcated periodic solutions based on the normal form theory. Numerical simulations are carried out to demonstrate the analytical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) is an autoimmune disease characterized by chronic skin inflammation and recurrent lesions. Recent studies have highlighted the pivotal role of cellular senescence in the pathogenesis of LE, and the efficacy of senolytic B-cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) inhibitors in selectively eliminating senescent cells has been demonstrated across diverse diseases. However, the therapeutic potential of senolytic BCL-2 inhibitors in treating CLE remains uncertain. In this study, we introduced a novel topical application of senolytic ABT-737 gel, showing its efficacy in ameliorating skin lesions, histopathological characteristics, and immune complex deposition of C3 and IgG in a humanized CLE mouse model. Mechanistically, the senescent cells in skin lesions of CLE mice were reduced through the application of ABT-737 gel. These findings suggest that the senolytic ABT-737 gel delayed the progression of CLE by targeting senescent cell populations. In conclusion, our study provides promising preclinical evidence supporting the therapeutic potential of ABT-737 gel for CLE treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by persistent immune cell activation and the overproduction of autoantibodies, affecting various organs such as joints, kidneys, and skin. Interleukin-15 (IL-15) is a pleiotropic cytokine that modulates immune cells of the innate and adaptive immune systems, playing a crucial role in the development of inflammatory and protective immune responses. However, the role of IL-15 in SLE pathogenesis and the therapeutic effects of IL-15 blockade on SLE remain unknown. In this study, we conducted flow cytometry analysis and identified a significant increase in the frequencies of IL-15+ and IL-15R+ cells in peripheral blood CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, dendritic cells (DCs), monocytes, and natural killer (NK) cells of patients with SLE compared to healthy controls (HCs). Besides, we found elevated levels of serum IL-15 in SLE patients compared to HCs. Furthermore, we evaluted the effectiveness of IL-15 mAb treatment in a chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) mouse model of SLE. We observed that the IL-15 mAb treatment effectively reduced the frequencies of CD4+CD44hiCD62LloPD-1+CD153+ senescent CD4+ T cells, B220+CD11c+T-bet+ age-associated B cells (ABCs), Tfh cells, and germinal center (GC) B cells, alleviated lupus-associated manifestations such as serum anti-double-stranded DNA antibody (anti-dsDNA) and kidney injury in the SLE mouse model of cGVHD. These findings provide compelling preclinical evidence suggesting the pathogenic role of IL-15 in SLE and the therapeutic potential of IL-15 blockade in the treatment of SLE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This review describes in detail the key metabolic pathways involved in SLE, and explains how alterations in these pathways affect immune cells, thereby contributing to the pathological process of SLE. • Our review evaluates and summarizes current therapeutic strategies targeting metabolic pathways in SLE. • These findings provide insights into how modulation of these pathways could ameliorate disease symptoms and improve patient outcomes. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a severe autoimmune disease with significant socioeconomic impact worldwide. Orderly energy metabolism is essential for normal immune function, and disordered energy metabolism is increasingly recognized as an important contributor to the pathogenesis of SLE. Disorders of energy metabolism are characterized by increased reactive oxygen species, ATP deficiency, and abnormal metabolic pathways. Oxygen and mitochondria are critical for the production of ATP, and both mitochondrial dysfunction and hypoxia affect the energy production processes. In addition, several signaling pathways, including mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)/adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling and the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) pathway also play important regulatory roles in energy metabolism. Furthermore, drugs with clear clinical effects on SLE, such as sirolimus, metformin, and tacrolimus, have been proven to improve the disordered energy metabolism of immune cells, suggesting the potential of targeting energy metabolism for the treatment of SLE. Moreover, several metabolic modulators under investigation are expected to have potential therapeutic effects in SLE. This review aimed to gain insights into the role and mechanism of abnormal energy metabolism in the pathogenesis of SLE, and summarizes the progression of metabolic modulator in the treatment of SLE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The predictive role of hematological indexes of mean platelet volume (MPV) and red cell distribution width (RDW) has been demonstrated in cardiovascular disease concomitant with psoriasis. This meta-analysis is intended to assess whether MPV and RDW can also serve as biomarkers for the early diagnosis and disease severity assessment of psoriasis. Material and methods: 13 studies which enrolled 1331 psoriasis patients and 919 healthy volunteers were included after screening the search results from PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library since inception to Mar 14, 2020. MPV of psoriasis participants and their counterparts was assessed in 10 studies, and RDW was evaluated in 4 studies, while the disease severity was measured by the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) in 11 studies. Random-effect model analysis was applied to calculate pooled standard mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence interval (95% CI). Results: Associations of MPV and RDW with the presence of psoriasis were demonstrated (MPV: SMD = 0.503, 95% CI: 0.242–0.765; RDW: SMD = 0.522, 95% CI: 0.228–0.817), but no statistically significant correlation of MPV and disease severity of psoriasis was found in meta-regression analysis (p = 0.208). Subgroup analysis revealed that the diagnosis value of MPV and RDW was consistent regardless of PASI and study type. Heterogeneity analysis between studies was implemented by chi-squared test and I2 statistics. Begg's and Egger's test were utilized for the evaluation of publication bias. The sensitivity analysis revealed no significant alteration no matter which study was excluded. Conclusion: MPV and RDW could serve as promising predictive diagnostic biomarkers of psoriasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Kinesin (KIN) as a motor protein is a versatile nano-machine and involved in diverse essential processes in plant growth and development. However, the kinesin gene family has not been identified in watermelon, a valued and nutritious fruit, and yet their functions have not been characterized. Especially, their involvement in early fruit development, which directly determines the size, shape, yield and quality of the watermelon fruit, remains unclear. Results: In this study, we performed a whole-genome investigation and comprehensive analysis of kinesin genes in C. lanatus. In total, 48 kinesins were identified and categorized into 10 kinesin subfamilies groups based on phylogenetic analysis. Their uneven distribution on 11 chromosomes was revealed by distribution analysis. Conserved motif analysis showed that the ATP-binding motif of kinesins was conserved within all subfamilies, but not the microtubule-binding motif. 10 segmental duplication pairs genes were detected by the syntenic and phylogenetic approaches, which showed the expansion of the kinesin gene family in C. lanatus genome during evolution. Moreover, 5 ClKINs genes are specifically and abundantly expressed in early fruit developmental stages according to comprehensive expression profile analysis, implying their critical regulatory roles during early fruit development. Our data also demonstrated that the majority of kinesin genes were responsive to plant hormones, revealing their potential involvement in the signaling pathways of plant hormones. Conclusions: Kinesin gene family in watermelon was comprehensively analyzed in this study, which establishes a foundation for further functional investigation of C. lanatus kinesin genes and provides novel insights into their biological functions. In addition, these results also provide useful information for understanding the relationship between plant hormone and kinesin genes in C. lanatus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of derivatives of nitroso-substituted cubane were designed through the substitution of hydrogen atoms by nitroso groups one by one. The heats of formation (HOFs) were calculated to explore the thermal stability. The bond dissociation energies (BDEs) and the bond orders of the trigger bonds were also investigated to explore the molecular stability kinetically. Furthermore, the steric effect was confirmed as the determinant of molecular stability for title molecules. To explore the detonation properties, the detonation pressure (P), the detonation velocity (D), the heat of detonation (Q), and the specific density (ρ) were calculated by using the empirical Kamlet-Jacobs (K-J) equations. To predict the sensitivity, the characteristic drop height (H50) is calculated. Based on our calculations, the octanitrosocubane is found with detonation parameters (D = 9.03 km/s, P = 36.96 GPa) better than that of RDX with enough stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we consider a predator–prey system with Holling type III ratio-dependent functional response. Such a system can exhibit complex dynamical behavior such as bistable and tristable phenomena which contain equilibria and oscillating motions for certain parameter values. In particular, we show that the ratio-dependent predator–prey system can exhibit multiple limit cycles due to Hopf bifurcation, giving rise to coexistence of stable equilibria and stable periodic solutions. These solutions may reveal some new type of patterns of complex dynamical behaviors in predator–prey systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study provides an in-depth analysis of the impact of innovation on industrial upgrading from theoretical and practical perspectives. In terms of theory, based on the endogenous growth theory model, a multi-sectoral growth model is constructed to portray the inherent logical connection between innovation and industrial structure upgrading. The results show that innovation has an important impact on industrial structure upgrading. Industrial structure upgrading depends on differences in innovation level among industries and the substitution relationship of finished products in the industry. From an empirical perspective, based on the panel data of 31 provinces in China from 2005 to 2017, the spatial effect of innovation on industrial upgrading was analyzed using the spatial Durbin model. The results show that innovation and industrial structure upgrading has significant spatial correlation effects, and regional innovation can drive China's industrial upgrading. Meanwhile, the space spillover effect is an important factor that cannot be ignored in industrial upgrading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an effective clustering method, Affinity Propagation (AP) has received extensive attentions. But its applications are seriously limited by two major deficiencies. Firstly, the ultimate exemplars and clusters are sensitive to a list of user-defined parameters called preferences. Secondly, it cannot deal with the nonspherical cluster issue. To solve these problems, an adaptive density distribution inspired AP clustering algorithm is proposed in this work. Aiming at the difficulties in preference selection, a density-adaptive preference estimation algorithm is proposed to explore the underlying exemplars, which can obtain the better clustering results by only using the local density distributions of data. Aiming at the arbitrary shape cluster problem, a non-parameter similarity measurement strategy based on the nearest neighbor searching is presented to describe the true structures of data, and then, the data with both spherical and nonspherical distributions can be clustered. The experiments conducted on various synthetic and public datasets demonstrate that the proposed method outperforms other state-of-the-art approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High concentrations of ethanol, low pH, the presence of sulfur dioxide and some polyphenols have been reported to inhibit Oenococcus oeni growth, thereby negatively affecting malolactic fermentation (MLF) of wine. In order to generate superior O. oeni strains that can conduct more efficient MLF, despite these multiple stressors, a continuous culture approach was designed to directly evolve an existing ethanol tolerant O. oeni strain, A90. The strain was grown for ∼350 generations in a red wine-like environment with increasing levels of stressors. Three strains were selected from screening experiments based on their completion of fermentation in a synthetic wine/wine blend with 15.1% (v/v) ethanol, 26 mg/L SO 2 at pH 3.35 within 160 h, while the parent strain fermented no more than two thirds of l -malic acid in this medium. These superior strains also fermented faster and/or had a larger population in four different wines. A reduced or equivalent amount of the undesirable volatile, acetic acid, was produced by the optimised strains compared to a commercial strain in Mouvedre and Merlot wines. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of using directed evolution as a tool to generate more efficient MLF starters tailored for wines with multiple stressors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we consider a number of predator-prey systems with various types of functional responses. Detailed analysis on the dynamics and bifurcations of the systems are given. Particular attention is focused on the complex dynamics due to bifurcation of limit cycles, which may generate bistable or tristable phenomena involving equilibria and oscillating motions. It is shown that predator-prey systems can exhibit such bistable or tristable phenomena due to Hopf bifurcation, giving rise to the coexistence of stable equilibria and stable periodic solutions. Explicit conditions on the system parameters are derived which can be used to determine the number of Hopf bifurcations, the stability of bifurcating limit cycles, and the parameter regime where the bistable or tristable phenomenon occurs. The method developed in this paper can be applied to study certain interesting patterns of complex dynamical behaviors in biological or other physical systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) was a well-known environmental pollutant, numerous studies had implicated BaP as a causative agent in human cancer, particularly lung cancer. The lemongrass essential oil (LEO) possessed various pharmacological activities, especially the anti-oxidative stress and cancer prevention. In the current study, human embryonic lung fibroblast (HELF) cells were treated with 25 mM BaP in the absence or presence of 0.5%, 1% or 2.5% LEO and the cell viability and levels of oxidative stress (OS) and DNA damage in the cells were then measured. Nineteen chemical constituents were identified in LEO, with citral being the main component, representing about 68.78%. LEO was able to protect the HELF cells against BaP-induced loss in cell viability, achieving a maximum of 95.58% cell viability at the 0.5% concentration. Treatment of HELF cells with BaP alone significantly increased the level of Malondialdehyde (MDA) and decreased superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). However, these effects were suppressed when the cells were also treated with LEO, leading to enhanced levels of SOD and CAT activities (2.9- and 2-fold, respectively, compared with BaP treatment only) and reduced the level of MDA in the cells (43% reduction in malondialdehyde level). At the same time, LEO also reduced the level of DNA damage, as shown by a reduced level of 8-hydroxy-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG). Taken together, the results showed that LEO offered protection against BaP-induced OS and DNA damage, suggesting that LEO could be a promising agent for lung cancer chemoprevention. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper, a Leslie-type predator-prey model with ratio-dependent functional response and Allee effect on prey is considered. We first study the existence of the multiple positive equilibria and their stability. Then we investigate the effect of delay on the distribution of the roots of characteristic equation and obtain the conditions for the occurrence of simple-zero, double-zero and triple-zero singularities. The formulations for calculating the normal form of the triple-zero bifurcation of the delay differential equations are derived. We show that, under certain conditions on the parameters, the system exhibits homoclinic orbit, heteroclinic orbit and periodic orbit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we firstly employ the normal form theory of delayed differential equations according to Faria and Magalhães to derive the normal form of saddle-node-Hopf bifurcation for the general retarded functional differential equations. Then, the dynamical behaviors of a Leslie-Gower predator-prey model with time delay and nonmonotonic functional response are considered. Specially, the dynamical classification near the saddle-node-Hopf bifurcation point is investigated by using the normal form and the center manifold approaches. Finally, the numerical simulations are employed to support the theoretical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cadmium (Cd), a highly ubiquitous toxic heavy metal, can contaminate the environment, including agricultural soil, water and air, via industrial runoff and other sources of pollution. Cd accumulated in the body via direct exposure or through the food chain results in neurodegeneration and many other diseases. Previous studies on its toxicity in the central nervous system (CNS) focused mainly on neurons. To obtain a more comprehensive understanding of Cd toxicity for the CNS, we investigated how astrocytes respond to acute and chronic Cd exposure and its toxic molecular mechanisms. When primary cultures of cerebral cortical astrocytes incubated with 1-300 μM CdCl, morphological changes, LDH release and cell death were observed in a time and dose-dependent manner. Further studies demonstrated that acute and chronic Cd treatment phosphorylated JNK, p38 and Akt to different degrees, while ERK1/2 was only phosphorylated under low doses of Cd (10 μM) exposure. Inhibition of JNK and PI3K/Akt, but not of p38, could partially protect astrocyte from cytotoxicity in chronic and acute Cd exposure. Moreover, Cd also induced a strong calcium signal, while BAPTA, a specific intracellular calcium (Ca) chelator, prevented Cd-induced intracellular increase of calcium levels in astrocytes; inhibited the Cd-induced activation of ERK1/2, JNK, p38 and Akt; and also significantly reduced astrocyte cell death. All of these results suggested that the Cd-Ca-MAPK and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways were involved in Cd-induced toxicity in astrocytes. This toxicity involvement indicates that these pathways may be exploited as a target for the prevention of Cd-induced neurodegenerative diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bimodal imaging probes that combine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and photoluminescence imaging are quite appealing since they can supply both anatomical and molecular information to effectively ameliorate the accuracy of detection. In this study, an activatable nanoprobe, [Eu(BTD)3(DPBT)]@MnO2, for bimodal time-gated luminescence imaging (TGLI) and MRI has been constructed by anchoring visible-light-excitable Eu3+ complexes on lamellar MnO2 nanosheets. Due to the luminescence quenching effect and non-magnetic resonance (MR) activity of MnO2 nanosheets, the developed nanoprobe presents quite weak TGL and MR signals. After exposure to H2O2 or GSH, accompanied by the transformation from MnO2 to Mn2+, the nanoprobe exhibits rapid, sensitive, and selective "turn-on" responses towards GSH and H2O2 in TGL and MR detection modes. Furthermore, the nanoprobe displays high stability, low cytotoxicity, good biocompatibility and water dispersion. Given the high contents of GSH and H2O2 in cancer cells, the nanoprobe was used for the identification of cancer cells by TGLI of intracellular GSH and H2O2, as well as for the tracing of tumor cells in tumor-bearing mice by tumor-targeting in vivo MRI and TGLI of tumor tissues. The research outcomes proved the potential of [Eu(BTD)3(DPBT)]@MnO2 as a useful nanoprobe for the tracing and accurate detection of cancer cells in vitro and in vivo via bimodal TGLI and MRI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper, Bogdanov–Takens bifurcation occurring in an oscillator with negative damping and delayed position feedback is investigated. By using center manifold reduction and normal form theory, dynamical classification near Bogdanov–Takens point can be completely figured out in terms of the second and third derivatives of delayed feedback term evaluated at the zero equilibrium. The obtained normal form and numerical simulations show that multistability, heteroclinic orbits, stable double homoclinic orbits, large amplitude periodic oscillation, and subcritical Hopf bifurcation occur in an oscillator with negative damping and delayed position feedback. The results indicate that negative damping and delayed position feedback can make the system produce more complicated dynamics. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this paper, employing the normal form theory of delay differential equations due to Faria and Magalhães, we present explicit formulas of the coefficients of a normal form associated with the flow on a center manifold with the unfolding for general delay differential equations under the cases of steady-state, Hopf and steady-state-Hopf singularities. The explicit conditions determining the transcritical and pitchfork bifurcations for steady-state singularity, determining the direction and stability of Hopf bifurcations, and determining the coefficients of a normal form with universal unfolding for steady-state-Hopf singularity up to third order are obtained. Using the obtained results, we give a complete description of bifurcation scenario of the damped harmonic oscillator with delay feedback near the zero equilibrium. Finally, numerical simulations are given to illustrate our theoretical results and some numerical extensions are obtained as a supplement to our theoretical analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Recently, Nonnegative Matrix Factorization (NMF) is a developed method for dimension reduction, feature extraction and data mining, etc. In this paper, we propose an interior point trust region (IPTR) method, which can find a better solution in global region for NMF with general cost functions. First, to control the growth in the size of the solution with noise and regularize the solution in iterations, two auxiliary constraints are added into NMF. Then we introduce the logarithmic barrier function to eliminate the nonnegative regularization, and obtain an equivalent quadratic trust region problem by some mathematical calculation. According to the necessary and sufficient conditions of the trust region problem, we obtain a solution of the original problem by solving a parameterized linear system. We apply this method into NMF with different cost functions, including , , KL-divergence, dual KL(DKL)-divergence, where different cost functions are imposed on different types of data. Numerical experiments demonstrate the high performance of the proposed method. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Hopf bifurcation which produces oscillations is a very important phenomena in the theory and application of dynamical systems. Almost all works available about Hopf bifurcations are related to a non-degenerate focus or center. For the case of a degenerate focus or center, the study of the bifurcations becomes challenge. In this paper, we consider the bifurcation of limit cycles for a quartic near-Hamiltonian system by perturbing a nilpotent center. We take coefficients as parameters, then we can get six limit cycles. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Objective: Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease regulated by T lymphocyte subsets. Recently, CD4+ CD25+ Foxp3+ regulatory T (Treg) cells and Th17 cells have been described as two distinct subsets and have the opposite effects on autoimmunity. Clinical observation has revealed that the Th17/Treg imbalance exists in patients with acute coronary syndrome. We investigated whether the Th17/Treg functional imbalance existed during atherogenesis in ApoE−/− mice. Methods and results: Th17/Treg functions at different levels including cell frequencies, related cytokine secretion and key transcription factors were investigated comparatively between ApoE−/− mice and their age-matched C57BL/6J mice. The results demonstrated that ApoE−/− mice revealed significantly increased secretion of Th17 related cytokines (IL-17 and IL-6) and expression of transcription factor (RORγt) levels and obviously decreased number in Treg cells, secretion of Treg related cytokines (TGF-β1) and expression of transcription factor (Foxp3) levels as compared with age-matched C57BL/6J mice. Th17 related mediators reached their maximum expression values at the early stage (8–16weeks of age) in ApoE−/− mice, and then followed by continuous depression of their expression levels. Meanwhile, the expression of Treg related mediators was much lower in ApoE−/− mice than in their age-matched wild-type littermates. Conclusions: Th17/Treg functional imbalance exists during atherogenesis in ApoE−/− mice, suggesting a potential role of Th17/Treg imbalance in the formation and progression of atherosclerosis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: As we know, the Liénard system and its generalized forms are classical and important models of nonlinear oscillators, and have been widely studied by mathematicians and scientists. The main problem considered by most people is the number of limit cycles. In this paper, we investigate two kinds of Liénard systems and obtain the maximal number (i.e. the least upper bound) of limit cycles appearing in Hopf bifurcations by applying some known bifurcation theorems with technical analysis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this paper we deal with a centrally symmetric quintic near-Hamiltonian system whose unperturbed system is a simple cubic Hamiltonian system having a nilpotent center. We prove that the system can have ten limit cycles by using a homoclinic bifurcation method based on stability-change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As we know, Hopf bifurcation is an important part of bifurcation theory of dynamical systems. Almost all known works are concerned with the bifurcation and number of limit cycles near a nondegenerate focus or center. In the present paper, we study a general near-Hamiltonian system on the plane whose unperturbed system has a nilpotent center. We obtain an expansion for the first order Melnikov function near the center together with a computing method for the first coefficients. Using these coefficients, we obtain a new bifurcation theorem concerning the limit cycle bifurcation near the nilpotent center. An interesting application example & a cubic system having five limit cycles & is also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We investigate a general near-Hamiltonian system on the plane whose unperturbed system has a nilpotent center. Our main purpose is to give an algorithm for calculating the first coefficients of the expansion of the first order Melnikov function. We also give an application by using the method and obtain the number of limit cycles of a cubic system. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Exploring the different spin states of central metals in the complex to regulate the anti-tumor activity of cancer cells is of great significance in drug design and clinical use. However, it is a challenge to build a strong coupling between spin states and anti-tumor activities in one system. Herein, we present two complexes {FeII2L2[PdII(CN)4]2}·2H2O (L = Bztpen (1), Bztppn (2); Bztpen = N-benzyl-N,N′,N′-tris(2-pyridylmethyl)ethylenediamine, Bztppn = N-benzyl-N,N′,N′-tris(2-pyridylmethyl)propylenediamine) showing different cytotoxic activities actuated by fine-tuning the structure with different spin states of Fe(II). Magnetic susceptibility measurements and X-ray diffraction revealed that the Fe(II) ion in complexes 1 and 2 remains in the LS and HS state, respectively, at room temperature. Cytotoxicity tests indicate that complex 1 is more biologically effective than complex 2. In complex 2, however, the high-spin Fe(II) played a key role in regulating its in vitro antitumor effects and seems to be associated with ROS-mediated apoptosis. These findings offer a new avenue for developing anti-cancer drugs by designing complexes with different spin states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A molecular phylogenetic study was conducted on genus Tropidauchenia, based on COI and 16S sequences. A total of six out of 18 species in the genus, as well as three species of Grandinenia and eight species of subfamily Synprosphyminae and Phaedusinae were sequenced. The phylogenetic results supported the monophyly of three Clausiliid subfamilies distributed in East Asia and demonstrated that Tropidauchenia was divided into two clades that corresponded to its two main distribution areas. A new species, Tropidauchenia jiangjilini Z.-G. Chen, Z.-Y. Chen & R.-X. Lin, sp. nov., from Guangdong, southern China, has been identified and described based on morphological comparison and molecular phylogeny. The discovery expanded the distribution range of Tropidauchenia and revealed the potential species diversity of land snails in the karst region of Guangdong. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

B cells play a crucial role in antigen presentation, antibody production and pro-/anti-inflammatory cytokine secretion in adaptive immunity. Several translational factors including transcription factors and cytokines participate in the regulation of B cell development, with the cooperation of epigenetic regulations. Autoimmune diseases are generally characterized with autoreactive B cells and high-level pathogenic autoantibodies. The success of B cell depletion therapy in mouse model and clinical trials has proven the role of B cells in pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. The failure of B cell tolerance in immune checkpoints results in accumulated autoreactive naïve B (BN) cells with aberrant B cell receptor signaling and dysregulated B cell response, contributing to self-antibody-mediated autoimmune reaction. Dysregulation of translational factors and epigenetic alterations in B cells has been demonstrated to correlate with aberrant B cell compartment in autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, primary Sjögren's syndrome, multiple sclerosis, diabetes mellitus and pemphigus. This review is intended to summarize the interaction of translational factors and epigenetic regulations that are involved with development and differentiation of B cells, and the mechanism of dysregulation in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Acute pancreatitis is easily confused with abdominal pain symptoms, and it could lead to serious complications for pregnant women and fetus, the mortality was as high as 3.3% and 11.6–18.7%, respectively. However, there is still lack of sensitive laboratory markers for early diagnosis of APIP and authoritative guidelines to guide treatment. Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore the risk factors of acute pancreatitis in pregnancy, establish, and evaluate the dynamic prediction model of risk factors in acute pancreatitis in pregnancy patients. Study Design: Clinical data of APIP patients and non-pregnant acute pancreases patients who underwent regular antenatal check-ups during the same period were collected. The dataset after propensity matching was randomly divided into training set and verification set at a ratio of 7:3. The model was constructed using Logistic regression, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression, R language and other methods. The training set model was used to construct the diagnostic nomogram model and the validation set was used to validate the model. Finally, the accuracy and clinical practicability of the model were evaluated. Results: A total of 111 APIP were included. In all APIP patients, hyperlipidemic pancreatitis was the most important reason. The levels of serum amylase, creatinine, albumin, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and apolipoprotein A1 were significantly different between the two groups. The propensity matching method was used to match pregnant pancreatitis patients and pregnant non-pancreatic patients 1:1 according to age and gestational age, and the matching tolerance was 0.02. The multivariate logistic regression analysis of training set showed that diabetes, triglyceride, Body Mass Index, white blood cell, and C-reactive protein were identified and entered the dynamic nomogram. The area under the ROC curve of the training set was 0.942 and in validation set was 0.842. The calibration curve showed good predictive in training set, and the calibration performance in the validation set was acceptable. The calibration curve showed the consistency between the nomogram model and the actual probability. Conclusion: The dynamic nomogram model we constructed to predict the risk factors of acute pancreatitis in pregnancy has high accuracy, discrimination, and clinical practicability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new catfish species, Liobagrus chenhaojuni Chen, Guo & Wu, sp. nov., is described from the Tiaoxi River, a tributary of Taihu Lake, located in Zhejiang Province, China. This description is based on morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis. This species belongs to a group defined by the presence of a smooth posterior edge of the pectoral-fin spine and can be distinguished from other species in the group by a unique combination of characteristics, including: an upper jaw longer than the lower jaw; maxillary barbels reaching the middle of the pectoral fin; irregular blotches present on the lateral body; a rounded caudal-fin with a length ranging from 16.5% to 19.9% of the standard length; 39 to 41 post-Weberian vertebrae; and 15 to 17 anal-fin rays. The validity of this new species is further supported by the molecular phylogenetic analysis based on Cytb sequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We presented the multifilter light curves of CSS_J154915.7+375506 inaugurally, which were observed by the 1.5-m Astronomicheskiy Zerkalniy Telescope 22 (AZT-22) telescope at Maidanak Astronomical Observatory. A low-resolution spectrum obtained by Large-sky-Area Multi-Object fiber Spectroscopic Telescope reveals that it is an A-type (spectral A type) close binary. By analysing the BVRI total-eclipse light curves, we are able to derive a reliable photometric solution for this system, which indicates that CSS_J154915.7+375506 is an extremely low mass ratio (q  = 0.138) marginal contact binary system. The location in the Hertzsprung–Russell (HR) diagram shows that its secondary component with a much smaller mass is the more evolved one, indicating that the mass ratio reversal occurred. The present secondary component had transferred a significant amount of mass to the present primary one. By the combination of a total of 20 times of minimum, we investigated its O–C (observed minus calculated) curve. A periodic oscillation and a possible period decrease have been detected. As the period decreases, the system will evolve towards the contact phase. This makes CSS_J154915.7+375506 a valuable case to study the formation scenario of contact binaries through mass reversal. The periodic oscillation suggested a third body with a minimal mass of |$0.91\, {\rm M}_{\odot }$|⁠ , which is larger than that of the less massive component in the central binary. This implies that the secondary body was not replaced by the third body during early stellar interactions, indicating that it is a fossil system and retains its original dynamical information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Objectives Methods Results Conclusions Lupus erythematosus (LE) is a spectrum of autoimmune diseases. Due to the complexity of cutaneous LE (CLE), clinical skin image‐based artificial intelligence is still experiencing difficulties in distinguishing subtypes of LE.We aim to develop a multimodal deep learning system (MMDLS) for human‐AI collaboration in diagnosis of LE subtypes.This is a multi‐centre study based on 25 institutions across China to assist in diagnosis of LE subtypes, other eight similar skin diseases and healthy subjects. In total, 446 cases with 800 clinical skin images, 3786 multicolor‐immunohistochemistry (multi‐IHC) images and clinical data were collected, and EfficientNet‐B3 and ResNet‐18 were utilized in this study.In the multi‐classification task, the overall performance of MMDLS on 13 skin conditions is much higher than single or dual modals (Sen = 0.8288, Spe = 0.9852, Pre = 0.8518, AUC = 0.9844). Further, the MMDLS‐based diagnostic‐support help improves the accuracy of dermatologists from 66.88% ± 6.94% to 81.25% ± 4.23% (p = 0.0004).These results highlight the benefit of human‐MMDLS collaborated framework in telemedicine by assisting dermatologists and rheumatologists in the differential diagnosis of LE subtypes and similar skin diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microanalysis of carbon and magnesium isotopes in dolomite is gaining increasing attention as a valuable tool in various fields of earth sciences. However, the matrix effect poses a major challenge for determining C and Mg isotopes using laser ablation multi-collector ICP-MS, particularly due to the wide range of chemical compositions found in natural dolomite. A preferred solution is to use a matrix-matched reference material with homogeneous isotope compositions at the micron scale. In this contribution, we established a new protocol for preparing a dolomite reference material for isotopic microanalysis through pressureless sintering. The effects of particle size and sintering temperature on the isotopic homogeneity of sintered dolomite powder pellets (SDPPs) were carefully evaluated. Our results indicate that a smaller d90 particle size improves isotope homogeneity, and SDPPs with a d90 of 3.17 μm show the best laser ablation repeatabilities of δ26Mg and δ25Mg (0.11‰ and 0.09‰) that are 2–4 times better compared to the repeatability of those with a d90 of 10.37 μm. Higher sintering temperature enhances particle cohesion and pellet hardness, which are crucial for laser ablation performance; Vickers hardness (HV) is improved to 41.58 kgf mm−2 when SDPPs are heated up to 400 °C below decomposition temperature. These SDPPs show the best δ13C, δ26Mg and δ25Mg homogeneity with a twice standard deviation value of 0.37‰, 0.11‰ and 0.06‰ (n = 15), respectively. Of note, in situ carbon and magnesium isotope characterization of SDPPs using LA-MC-ICP-MS shows negligible isotope fractionation against natural dolomites. This further confirms the reliability and robustness of the proposed protocol for dolomite isotopic reference preparation via pressureless sintering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the improvement of living standards, personalized clothing customization has become a trend of people’s apparel demand. The key factor in personalized clothing customization is a three-dimensional human modeling. With the development of image analysis technology, it is possible to use image analysis technology to extract human characteristics. In this paper, two-dimensional human feature regions and characteristic parameter extraction methods of images are used. The backpropagation neural network (BP neural network) is used to curve the three-dimensional human characteristics, and the neck, chest, waist, and buttocks of 22 subjects are verified. The results show that the use of this method can well achieve the extraction of human characteristic parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) has revolutionized the therapeutic strategy for achalasia with promising results. We conducted this meta-analysis to compare clinical outcomes between Eastern and Western countries. A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science and Cochrane Library databases to query for studies that assessed the efficacy of POEM for achalasia. All articles published from inception to December 31, 2021 were included. The primary outcome was the pooled clinical success rate. The secondary outcomes included the pooled technical success rate, incidence of adverse events, procedure time and hospital stay. Eighteen Eastern studies involving 5962 patients and 11 Western studies involving 1651 patients were included. The pooled clinical success rate and technical success rate for POEM was equal in the Eastern studies compared to Western studies. The pooled incidence of procedure adverse events for POEM was a little lower in the Eastern studies compared to Western studies (6.6% vs. 8.7%). Similarly, the incidence of reflux-related adverse events was lower in Eastern studies than that in Western studies. The pooled procedure time of POEM was shorter in Eastern studies compared to Western studies (61 minutes vs. 80 minutes), while the length of hospital stay was longer in Eastern studies compared to Western studies (5.8 days vs. 2.4 days). Overall, Eastern countries have the similar POEM outcomes compared to Western countries. However, Eastern countries still need to do more to reduce the length of hospital stay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To explore the disease burden of early-onset colorectal cancer (EO-CRC) in individuals aged 40–49 years and provide baseline evidence for routine recommended age adjustment for CRC screening and other clinical decision-making. Methods: We collected data stratified by sex, risk factors, and socio-demographic index (SDI) from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 Data Resources. Trends in disease burden were analyzed by estimated annual percentage change. The Bayesian age-period-cohort model predicted the burden over the following 10 years. Results: In 2019, the global rates of incidence, mortality, prevalence, and disability-adjusted life year (DALY) of EO-CRC in people aged 40–44 years were 11.48 (95% uncertainty interval: 10.50–12.59), 4.35 (4.01–4.70), 72.63 (66.48–79.52), 209.82 (193.55–226.59) per 100,000 population. For people aged 45–49 years, the rates of these four estimates were 19.63 (17.97–21.54), 7.76 (7.16–8.41), 121.73 (110.99–133.84), and 335.83 (310.14–362.91), respectively. The incidence and prevalence rates for both age groups increased while the mortality and DALY rates remained stable from 1990 to 2019. In 2019, high-income North America had the highest incidence and prevalence rates. A low milk diet accounted for the largest proportion of global DALYs in EO-CRC, and there was a tendency for the DALY rate first to increase and then decrease with increasing SDI. The incidence and mortality rates were predicted to increase in the next 10 years. Conclusion: The current and future burden of EO-CRC among people aged 40–49 years is heavy. Substantial variation exists in disease burden across regions and countries. Urgent screening actions and policies are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A nomogram that integrates risk models and clinical characteristics can accurately predict the prognosis of individual patients. We aimed to identify the prognostic factors and establish nomograms for predicting overall survival (OS) and cause-specific survival (CSS) in patients with multi-organ metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods: Demographic and clinical information on multi-organ metastases from 2010 to 2019 were extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program. Univariate and multivariate Cox analyses were used to identify independent prognostic factors that were used to develop nomograms to predict CSS and OS, and to assess the concordance index (C-index), area under the curve (AUC), and calibration curve. Results: The patients were randomly assigned to the training and validation groups at a 7:3 ratio. A Cox proportional hazards model was conducted for CRC patients to identify independent prognostic factors, including age, sex, tumor size, metastases, degree of differentiation, stage T, stage N, primary and metastasis surgery. The competing risk models employed by Fine and Gray were used to identify the risk factors for CRC. Death from other causes was treated as a competing event, and Cox models were used to identify the factors for death to identify the independent factors of CSS. By incorporating the corresponding independent prognostic factors, we established prognostic nomograms for OS and CSS. Finally, we used the C-index, ROC curve, and calibration plots to assess the utility of the nomogram. Conclusions: Using the SEER database, we constructed a predictive model for CRC patients with multi-organ metastases. Nomograms provide clinicians with 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS and CSS predictions for CRC, allowing them to formulate appropriate treatment plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: The impact of portal hypertension (PH) on postoperative short-term outcomes and long-term survival in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients has lately been discussed controversially. This study aimed to explore the influence of PH on postoperative outcomes in HCC patients undergoing surgical resection. Methods: Patients undergoing hepatectomy for HCC from 2010 to 2014 were enrolled. The impact of PH on postoperative complications, posthepatectomy liver failure (PHLF) and overall survival (OS) was evaluated. Results: A total of 355 HCC patients were enrolled; 129 (36.3%) experienced postoperative complications and 21 (5.9%) developed PHLF. PH was identified as an independent predictor of PHLF. Patients with PH experienced a higher incidence of complications and PHLF than patients without PH. On the Cox proportional hazards regression model, PH was verified as a risk factor of OS for BCLC stage 0/A and B patients. Patients without PH had significantly better long-term survival compared to patients with PH both in the total cohort and in cirrhosis subgroup. Conclusion: Liver resection in HCC patients with PH showed a significantly increased postoperative complications and PHLF, and revealed a decreasing long-term survival than non-PH patients. Besides, tumor burden also played an important role in determining the OS. However, due to the improvement in surgical technique and perioperative management, surgery was feasible in carefully selected HCC patients with PH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On their journey from the wine grape to the resulting wine, microbiota from grape surfaces controlled by multiple factors is transferred to wine spontaneous fermentation process with indisputable consequences for wine quality parameters. The associated microbiota was regionally distinct (defined to microbial terroir) but how these microbial patterns with significantly regional distinctiveness quantitatively drive the wine regional characteristics are not definite within a complete grape ecosystem at different geographical (> 300 km), subregional (< 10 km), and varietal scales. Here, we collected 24 samples (containing two grape varieties) from four subregions of two regions in Xinjiang wine production area to investigate fungal distribution patterns and the association with wine chemical composition at different evaluation scales. Meanwhile, the relationships were established between geographical, subregional, varietal community of fungi, and wine volatile aroma using partial least squares regression (PLSR) and structural equation modeling (SEM). Results show that microbial and volatile samples present the significantly regional difference inside the complete ecosystem. Microbiota showed a stronger heterogeneity at geography scales, which drove the distributions of subregional and varietal microbiota thereby influencing the volatile composition of finished wines. Moreover, geographical microbiota seems to weaken the effects of varietal community on wine aroma compounds. Microbial communities respond to environmental changes within a completely set grape-related ecosystem at different scales, and these responses resulted in the wine regional distinctiveness based on the volatile profiles. Our findings further confirmed the important role of microbial terroir in shaping wine styles and provided the new cerebration for the terroir drivers of microbiota. • Microbial and volatile profiles present regional difference inside a complete ecosystem. • Several genera are ubiquitous in vineyard ecosystems. • Geographical microbiota would weaken the effects of varietal community on volatile compounds. • SEM revealed the importance of geographical microbiota to aroma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Chaptalisation is commonly used to ameliorate the potential alcohol of kiwi wine prior to fermentation. It can be performed either by one‐time sugaring or via multiple supplementations of sugar. However, for both approaches, their precise effects on chemical composition of kiwi wine are unclear. Thus, this study evaluated the influence of five different multi‐step chaptalisation strategies on physicochemical parameters, potentially harmful alcohols, nutritional composition and volatile compounds of kiwi wine. Results show that multi‐step chaptalisation significantly reduced total acidity and harmful alcohols of the resulting kiwi wine. Among the harmful alcohols, the greatest reduction was seen for isoamyl alcohol and isobutanol. Additionally, multi‐step chaptalisation also modified volatile profile of the kiwi wine, particularly in acetate esters (isoamyl acetate and phenethyl acetate), ethyl esters, n‐octanal and decanal. Together, our results highlight the potential of using multi‐step chaptalisation to produce 'healthier' kiwi wines with more balanced alcohol and more complexed flavour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]