Search

Cotton fiber length is basically determined by well‐coordinated gene expression and phosphatidylinositol phosphates (PIPs) accumulation during fiber elongation but the regulatory mechanism governing PIPs transport remains unknown. Here, we report a MYB transcription factor GhMYB30D04 in Gossypium hirsutum that promotes fiber elongation through modulating the expression of PIP transporter gene GhLTPG1. Knockout of GhMYB30D04 gene in cotton (KO) results in a reduction of GhLTPG1 transcripts with lower accumulation of PIPs, leading to shorter fibers and lower fiber yield. Conversely, GhMYB30D04 overexpression (GhMYB30D04‐OE) causes richer PIPs and longer cotton fibers, mimicking the effects of exogenously applying PIPs on the ovules of GhMYB30D04‐KO and wild type. Furthermore, GhMYB30D04 interacts with GhHD1, the crucial transcription factor of fiber initiation, to form an activation complex stabilized by PIPs, both of which upregulate GhLTPG1 expression. Comparative omics‐analysis revealed that higher and extended expressions of LTPG1 in fiber elongation mainly correlate with the variations of the GhMYB30D04 gene between two cotton allotetraploids, contributing to longer fiber in G. babardense. Our work clarifies a mechanism by which GhHD1–GhMYB30D04 form a regulatory module of fiber elongation to tightly control PIP accumulation. Our work still has an implication that GhMYB30D04–GhHD1 associates with development transition from fiber initiation to elongation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Verticillium dahliae is a kind of pathogenic fungus that brings about wilt disease and great losses in cotton. The molecular mechanism of the effectors in V. dahliae regulating cotton immunity remains largely unknown. Here, we identified an effector of V. dahliae , VdPHB1, whose gene expression is highly induced by infection. The VdPHB1 protein is localized to the intercellular space of cotton plants. Knock-out of the VdPHB1 gene in V. dahliae had no effect on pathogen growth, but decreased the virulence in cotton. VdPHB1 ectopically expressed Arabidopsis plants were growth-inhibited and significantly susceptible to V. dahliae. Further, VdPHB1 interacted with the type II metacaspase GhMC4. GhMC4 gene-silenced cotton plants were more sensitive to V. dahliae with reduced expression of pathogen defense-related and programmed cell death genes. The accumulation of GhMC4 protein was concurrently repressed when VdPHB1 protein was expressed during infection. In summary, these results have revealed a novel molecular mechanism of virulence regulation that the secreted effector VdPHB1 represses the activity of cysteine protease for helping V. dahliae infection in cotton. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report herein a chiral CpXRh(III)‐catalyzed domino cyclization/C3‐arylation process using 2‐alkynylanilines and 1‐diazonaphthoquinones as viable substrates, delivering indole‐based derivatives endowed with axial chirality. The method features high enantioselectivity, broad substrate scope, and robust functional group tolerance. Subsequent functionalization of the synthesized scaffolds underlines the practicality of this approach in the design of indole‐derivated axially chiral frameworks, demonstrating its substantial promise in synthetic and medicinal chemistry applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Ethylene plays an essential role in the development of cotton fibres. Ethylene biosynthesis in plants is elaborately regulated by the activities of key enzymes, 1‐aminocyclopropane‐1‐carboxylate oxidase (ACO) and 1‐aminocyclopropane‐1‐carboxylate synthase (ACS); however, the potential mechanism of post‐translational modification of ACO and ACS to control ethylene synthesis in cotton fibres remains unclear. Here, we identify an E3 ubiquitin ligase, GhXB38D, that regulates ethylene biosynthesis during fibre elongation in cotton. GhXB38D gene is highly expressed in cotton fibres during the rapid elongation stage. Suppressing GhXB38D expression in cotton significantly enhanced fibre elongation and length, accompanied by the up‐regulation of genes associated with ethylene signalling and fibre elongation. We demonstrated that GhXB38D interacts with the ethylene biosynthesis enzymes GhACS4 and GhACO1 in elongating fibres and specifically mediates their ubiquitination and degradation. The inhibition of GhXB38D gene expression increased the stability of GhACS4 and GhACO1 proteins in cotton fibres and ovules, resulting in an elevated concentration of ethylene. Our findings highlight the role of GhXB38D as a regulator of ethylene synthesis by ubiquitinating ACS4 and ACO1 proteins and modulating their stability. GhXB38D acts as a negative regulator of fibre elongation and serves as a potential target for enhancing cotton fibre yield and quality through gene editing strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, diphenyl sulfoxide was prepared by oxidizing diphenyl sulfide with hydrogen peroxide using phosphotungstic acid as catalyst in semi-batch mode. In order to optimize the synthesis process, a four-factor three-level Box-Behnken design was adopted. The result showed that under the optimal condition, namely catalyst concentration 0.19 mmol/mol, oxygen-sulfur ratio 1.08, reaction temperature 30 ºC, and dosing time 15 min, the yield of diphenyl sulfoxide could reach up to 79.05%. In addition, the thermal behavior of synthesis process was systematically investigated using a reaction calorimeter (EasyMax 102) equipped with a situ FTIR monitoring. The receivable mechanism is that H 2 O 2 is activated by the catalyst and subsequently reacts with diphenyl sulfide to produce oxidized product. H 2 O 2 was relatively stable when PTA was used as catalyst. Thermal risk index was used to assess the thermal hazard of H 2 O 2 & PTA. Furthermore, risk matrix method as well as Stoessel criticality diagram was used to assess the thermal risk of the process and an unacceptable risk was obtained. One of the main hidden dangers was the potential chemical splatter caused by decomposition of H 2 O 2. It should be equipped with a pre-set quench or sufficient emergency discharge to avoid further loss. The results of this work proposed a solid foundation for the safe operation of this process and can be further used for scale-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Cotton seed development and fiber elongation are the inseparable and overlapped development processes requiring the continuous supply of sucrose as the direct carbon source. However, little is known about the molecular mechanism of how sucrose is transported from the source tissues (leaves) into growing cotton seeds. Here, we identify the function of a sucrose transporter gene, Sugars Will Eventually be Exported Transporter 10, GhSWEET10 in cotton seed development. GhSWEET10 encodes a functional sucrose transporter, predominantly expressing in the funiculus, inner seedcoat, and endosperm during fiber elongation. GhSWEET10 RNAi plants (GhSWEET10i) accumulated less sucrose and glucose in growing seeds and that led to shorter fibers and smaller seeds, whereas GhSWEET10 overexpressed plants (GhSWEET10OE) had bigger seeds and longer fibers with more sugar accumulation during fiber elongation. GhSWEET10 gene is transcriptionally controlled by the transcription factor GhDOFD45. GhDOFD45 knockout plants (GhDOFD45‐KO) possessed the phenotypes of smaller seeds and shorter fibers like those of GhSWEET10i plants. Furthermore, GhSWEET10 mainly exports the sucrose from the funiculus into developing seeds according to the mimic‐analysis of sucrose transporting. Collectively, all these findings show that GhDOFD45 positively regulates GhSWEET10 expression to mainly transport sucrose from leaves into developing cotton seeds. Our findings also imply that the sucrose transport into enlarging seeds benefits fiber development, and thus GhSWEET10 can be selected as a target of breeding novel cotton varieties with larger and more vigorous seeds. Significance Statement: The results of this manuscript provide clues and gene candidates for cotton breeding of improving cotton yield (seed and fiber) by directed‐mutation strategy. The regulation of sucrose transportation and cotton seed development is essential for promoting fiber quality and cotton yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy transfer mechanism between MoO 4 2− and Eu3+, Tb3+ ions in the (A) absence and (B) presence of the Fe3+ ions, and the process of the emission intensity were restored at the presence of F- ions. CaMoO 4 (CMO) doped with lanthanide ions (Eu, Tb) with hollow spindle-like morphology were prepared by a low temperature hydrothermal method, assisting with polymer, and its structural, morphology, surface binding information and photoluminescence properties were studied. Fluorescence quenching happened when the electron transferring of CMO phosphors was blocked. Based on this finding, these materials were employed as an inorganic sensor for Fe3+ ions assay. This facile preparation and assay may have potential applications in biomolecules diagnose and metal ions monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lateral flow assays (LFAs) are promising points-of-care tests, playing a vital role in diseases screening, diagnosis and surveillance. However, development of portable, cheap, and smart LFAs platform for sensitive and accurate quantification of disease biomarkers in complex media is challenging. Here, a cheap handheld device was developed to realize on-site detection of disease biomarkers by Nd3+/Yb3+ co-doped near-infrared (NIR)-to-NIR downconversion nanoparticles (DCNPs) based LFA. Its sensitivity is at least 8-fold higher for detecting NIR light signal from Nd3+/Yb3+ co-doped nanoparticles than conventional expensive InGaAs camera based detection platform. Additionally, we enhance NIR quantum yield of Nd3+/Yb3+ co-doped nanoparticles up to 35.5% via simultaneous high dopant of sensitizer ions Nd3+ and emitter ions Yb3+. Combination of NIR-to-NIR handheld detection device and ultra-bright NIR emitting NaNbF 4 :Yb60%@NaLuF 4 nanoparticle probe allows the detection sensitivity of SARS-CoV-2 ancestral strain and Omicron variants specific neutralizing antibodies LFA up to the level of commercial enzyme linked immunosorbent assay kit. Furthermore, by this robust method, enhanced neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 ancestral strain and Omicron variants are observed in healthy participants with Ad5-nCoV booster on top of two doses of inactivated vaccine. This NIR-to-NIR handheld platform provides a promising strategy for on-site evaluating protective humoral immunity after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination or infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A NIR-II FRET platform is established using lanthanide downshifting nanoparticles. • This NIR-II FRET platform exhibits extraordinary anti-interference in whole blood. • This NIR-II FRET platform enables a maximum FRET efficiency as high as 92.2%. • This NIR-II FRET platform can realize highly sensitive detection in whole blood. Förster or fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) enables to probe biomolecular interactions, thus playing a vital role in bioassays. However, conventional FRET platforms suffer from limited sensitivity due to the low FRET efficiency and poor anti-interference of existing FRET pairs. Here we report a NIR-II (1000–1700 nm) FRET platform with extremely high FRET efficiency and exceptional anti-interference capability. This NIR-II FRET platform is established based on a pair of lanthanides downshifting nanoparticles (DSNPs) by employing Nd3+ doped DSNPs as an energy donor and Yb3+ doped DSNPs as an energy acceptor. The maximum FRET efficiency of this well-engineered NIR-II FRET platform reaches up to 92.2%, which is much higher than most commonly used ones. Owing to the all-NIR advantage (λ ex = 808 nm, λ em = 1064 nm), this highly efficient NIR-II FRET platform exhibits extraordinary anti-interference in whole blood, and thus enabling background-free homogeneous detection of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies in clinical whole blood sample with high sensitivity (limit of detection = 0.5 μg/mL) and specificity. This work opens up new opportunities for realizing highly sensitive detection of various biomarkers in biological samples with severe background interference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Targeting proteins for Xklp2 (TPX2s) comprise a class of MAPs that are essential for plant growth and development by regulating the dynamic changes of microtubules (MTs) and proper formation of cytoskeleton. However, the function of TPX2 proteins in cotton fiber development remains poorly understood. Here, we identified the function of a fiber elongation-specific TPX2 protein, GhMAP20L5, in cotton. Suppressed GhMAP20L5 gene expression in cotton (GhMAP20L5i) significantly reduced fiber elongation rate, fiber length and lint percentage. GhMAP20L5i fibers had thinner and looser secondary cell walls (SCW), and incompact helix twists. GhMAP20L5 specifically interacted with the tubulin GhTUB13 on the cytoskeleton. Gene coexpression analysis showed that GhMAP20L5 involved in multiple pathways related to cytoskeleton establishment and fiber cell wall formation and affected cellulase genes expressions. In summary, our results revealed that GhMAP20L5 is important for fiber development by regulating cytoskeleton establishment and the cellulose deposition in cotton. • GhMAP20L5 is a microtubule-associated protein (MAP) differentially expressed in cotton fiber development. • Silenced GhMAP20L5 in cotton reduced fiber elongation rate, fiber length and lint percentage. • Inhibition of GhMAP20L5 affected the secondary cell wall architecture of cotton fibers. • GhMAP20L5 involved in fiber elongation through the interaction with GhTUB13. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers and can be induced by chronic HBV infection. The role of HBV-specific immune responses in mediating tumorigenesis and HCC prognosis is debated. The effect of intratumoral microenvironment on tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) is also unclear. Here, we examined resected tumor tissue from 36 patients with HBV-induced HCC. We categorized study cohort based on ex vivo IL-10 secretion by tumor cells into high IL-10-secreting (Hi10) and low IL-10-secreting (Lo10) groups, and found that the Lo10 group was less sensitive to TLR ligand stimulation. TILs from the Lo10 group contained higher frequencies of HBV-specific IFN-g-producing cells and total IFN-g-producing cells, and possessed higher proliferative capacity. Moreover, the proliferative capacity of TILs from the Hi10 group was negatively correlated with IL-10 secretion from tumor cells. Together, our data demonstrated that low IL-10-producing capacity in HBV-induced HCC tumors is associated with enhanced TIL activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between neurotransmitters and oxidative stress in Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) patients, considering HPA axis activity and psychological and cognitive states, is unclear. This study examines changes in neurotransmitters (GABA, Glx) and antioxidants (GSH) in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) of MDD patients under varying levels of ACTH, and their relationship with psychological and cognitive conditions. Forty-five MDD patients were divided into high-ACTH (>65 pg/mL; n = 16) and normal-ACTH (7–65 pg/mL; n = 29) groups based on blood ACTH levels, along with 12 healthy controls (HC). All participants underwent HAM-D, HAM-A assessments, and most completed MMSE and MoCA tests. GABA+, Glx, and GSH levels in the dACC were measured using the MEGA-PRESS sequence. Intergroup differences and correlations between clinical factors, HPA axis activity, and metabolites were analyzed. Compared to HC, the normal ACTH group showed higher Glx and lower GSH levels. Glx and GSH were negatively correlated with MDD severity. In the high-ACTH MDD group, Glx positively correlated with delayed memory, and GSH positively correlated with abstraction. Factors influencing GABA included ACTH levels, depression duration, and negative events. Predictive factors for HAM-D scores were GSH and GABA. The sample size is small. MDD patients exhibit neurochemical differences in the brain related to HPA axis levels, MDD severity, and cognitive function. Clinical factors, neurotransmitters, and neuroendocrine levels significantly influence depression severity. [Display omitted] • Compared to healthy controls, the normal ACTH MDD patients had higher Glx and lower GSH levels • Glx and GSH levels were inversely related to MDD severity • In the high ACTH MDD group, Glx positively correlated with delayed memory, and GSH with abstraction • Neurochemical differences in MDD patients' brains at varying HPA axis levels are linked to MDD severity and cognitive function [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To find the optimal acceleration factor (AF) of the compressed SENSE (CS) technique for uterine isotropic high-resolution 3D T2-weighted imaging (3D-ISO-T2WI). Methods: A total of 91 female volunteers from the First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, Chu Hsien-I Memorial Hospital and Tianjin Institute of Endocrinology, and The Fourth Hospital of Harbin were recruited. A total of 44 volunteers received uterus sagittal 3D-ISO-T2WI scans on 3.0T MRI device with different CS AFs (including SENSE3, CS3, CS4, CS5, CS6, and CS7), 51 received 3D-ISO-T2WI scans with different degrees of fat suppression (none, light, moderate, and severe), while 4 volunteers received both series of scans. Image quality was subjectively evaluated with a 3-point scoring system. Junction zone signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), and myometrial SNR were also calculated. Intraclass correlation coefficients were used to analyse the consistency of the measurement results by 2 observers. Analysis of variance test or Friedman rank sum test was used to compare the differences in subjective scores, SNR, and CNR under different AFs/different degrees of fat suppression. Results: Images by AFs of CS3, CS4, and CS5 had the highest SNR and CNR. Among them, CS5 had the shortest scan time. CS5 also had one of the highest subjective scores. There was no significant difference in SNR and CNR among images acquired with different degrees of fat suppression. Also, images with moderate fat suppression had the highest subjective scores. Conclusion: The CS5 combined with moderate fat suppression is recommended for routine female pelvic 3D-ISO-T2WI scan. Advances in knowledge: The CS5 has the highest image quality and has the shortest scan time, which is the best AF. Moderate fat suppression has the highest subjective scores. The CS5 and moderate fat suppression are the best combination for a female pelvic 3D-ISO-T2WI scan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Increasing attention has been given to the peritumoral region. However, conflicting findings have been reported regarding the relationship between peritumoral region features on MRI and the prognosis of breast cancer. Purpose: To evaluate the relationship between peritumoral region features on MRI and prognosis of breast cancer. Materials and methods: A retrospective meta-analysis of observational studies comparing either qualitative or quantitative assessments of peritumoral MRI features on breast cancer with poor prognosis and control subjects was performed for studies published till October 2022. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) or standardized mean differences and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated by using random-effects models. The heterogeneity across the studies was measured using the statistic I2. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to test this association according to different study characteristics. Results: Twenty-four studies comprising 1853 breast cancers of poor prognosis and 2590 control participants were included in the analysis. Peritumoral edema was associated with non-luminal breast cancers (OR=3.56; 95%CI: 2.17, 5.83; p=.000), high expression of the Ki-67 index (OR=3.70; 95%CI: 2.41, 5.70; p =.000), high histological grade (OR=5.85; 95%CI: 3.89, 8.80; p=.000), lymph node metastasis (OR=2.83; 95%CI: 1.71, 4.67; p=.000), negative expression of HR (OR=3.15; 95%CI: 2.03, 4.88; p=.000), and lymphovascular invasion (OR=1.72; 95%CI: 1.28, 2.30; p=.000). The adjacent vessel sign was associated with greater odds of breast cancer with poor prognosis (OR=2.02; 95%CI: 1.68, 2.44; p=.000). Additionally, breast cancers with poor prognosis had higher peritumor-tumor ADC ratio (SMD=0.67; 95%CI: 0.54, 0.79; p=.000) and peritumoral ADCmean (SMD=0.29; 95%CI: 0.15, 0.42; p=.000). A peritumoral region of 2–20 mm away from the margin of the tumor is recommended. Conclusion: The presence of peritumoral edema and adjacent vessel signs, higher peritumor-tumor ADC ratio, and peritumoral ADCmean were significantly correlated with poor prognosis of breast cancer. Clinical relevance statement: MRI features of the peritumoral region can be used as a non-invasive index for the prognostic evaluation of invasive breast cancer. Key Points: • Peritumoral edema was positively associated with non-luminal breast cancer, high expression of the Ki-67 index, high histological grade, lymph node metastasis, negative expression of HR, and lymphovascular invasion. • The adjacent vessel sign was associated with greater odds of breast cancers with poor prognosis. • Breast cancers with poor prognosis had higher peritumor-tumor ADC ratio and peritumoral ADCmean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the feasibility of using compressed sensitivity encoding (CS-SENSE) to accelerate high-resolution black-blood T1-weighted imaging with variable flip angles (T1WI-VFA) for efficient visualization and characterization of lenticulostriate arteries (LSAs) on a 3.0 T MR scanner. Twenty-five healthy volunteers and 18 patients with the cerebrovascular disease were prospectively enrolled. Healthy volunteers underwent T1WI-VFA sequences with different acceleration factors (AFs), including conventional sensitivity encoding (SENSE) AF = 3 and CS-SENSE AF = 3, 4, 5, and 6 (SENSE3, CS3, CS4, CS5, CS6, respectively) at 3 Tesla MRI scanner. Objective evaluation (contrast ratio and number, length, and branches of LSAs) and subjective evaluation (overall image quality and LSA visualization scores) were used to assess image quality and LSA visualization. Comparisons were performed among the 5 sequences to select the best AF. All patients underwent both T1WI-VFA with the optimal AF and digital subtraction angiography (DSA) examination, and the number of LSAs observed by T1WI-VFA was compared with that by DSA. Pair-wise comparisons among CS3, CS4, and SENSE3 revealed no significant differences in both objective measurements and subjective evaluation (all P > 0.05). In patients, there was no significant difference in LSA counts on the same side between T1WI-VFA with CS4 and DSA (3, 3–4 and 3, 3–3, P = 0.243). CS3 provided better LSA visualization but a longer scan duration compared to CS4. And, CS4 strikes a good balance between LSA visualization and acquisition time, which is recommended for routine clinical use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diversity in structure and organization is one of the main features of angiosperm mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes). The ultra-long reads of Oxford Nanopore Technology (ONT) provide an opportunity to obtain a complete mitogenome and investigate the structural variation in unprecedented detail. In this study, we compared mitogenome assembly methods using Illumina and/or ONT sequencing data and obtained the complete mitogenome (208 kb) of Chrysanthemum nankingense based on the hybrid assembly method. The mitogenome encoded 19 transfer RNA genes, three ribosomal RNA genes, and 34 protein-coding genes with 21 group II introns disrupting eight intron-contained genes. A total of seven medium repeats were related to homologous recombination at different frequencies as supported by the long ONT reads. Subsequently, we investigated the variations in gene content and constitution of 28 near-complete mitogenomes from Asteraceae. A total of six protein-coding genes were missing in all Asteraceae mitogenomes, while four other genes were not detected in some lineages. The core fragments (~88 kb) of the Asteraceae mitogenomes had a higher GC content (~46.7%) than the variable and specific fragments. The phylogenetic topology based on the core fragments of the Asteraceae mitogenomes was highly consistent with the topologies obtained from the corresponding plastid datasets. Our results highlighted the advantages of the complete assembly of the C. nankingense mitogenome and the investigation of its structural variation based on ONT sequencing data. Moreover, the method based on local collinear blocks of the mitogenomes could achieve the alignment of highly rearrangeable and variable plant mitogenomes as well as construct a robust phylogenetic topology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphorescence analyses have attracted broad attention due to their remarkable merits of the elimination of auto-fluorescence and scattering light. However, it remains a great challenge to develop novel materials with uniform size and morphology, stability, long lifetime, and aqueous-phase room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) characteristics. Herein, monodisperse and uniform RTP nanobeads were fabricated by an in situ covalent hybridization of carbon dots (CDs) and dendritic mesoporous silicon nanoparticles (DMSNs) via silane hydrolysis. The formation of Si–O–C and Si–C/N covalent bonds is beneficial for the fixation of vibrations and rotations of the luminescent centers. Specially, the nanopores of DMSNs provide a confined area that can isolate the triplet state of CDs from water and oxygen and thus ensure the occurrence of aqueous-phase RTP with an ultra-long lifetime of 1.195 s (seen by the naked eye up to 9 seconds). Through surface modifying folic acid (FA), CDs@DMSNs can serve as a probe to distinguish different cell lines that feature varying FA receptor expression levels. In addition, taking MCF-7 as the model, highly sensitive and quantitative detection (linear range: 103–106 cells per mL) has been achieved via an RTP probe. Furthermore, their potential applications in cellular and in vivo time-gated phosphorescence imaging have been proposed and demonstrated, respectively. This work would provide a new route to design CD-based RTP composites and promote their further applications in the medical and biological fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microstructural abnormalities of white matter fiber tracts are considered as one of the etiology of diabetes-induced neurological disorders. We explored the cerebral white matter microstructure alteration accurately, and to analyze its correlation between cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) burden and cognitive performance in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The clinical-laboratory data, cognitive scores [including mini-mental state examination (MMSE), Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA), California verbal learning test (CVLT), and symbol digit modalities test (SDMT)], CSVD burden scores of the T2DM group (n = 34) and healthy control (HC) group (n = 21) were collected prospectively. Automatic fiber quantification (AFQ) was applied to generate bundle profiles along primary white matter fiber tracts. Diffusion tensor images (DTI) metrics and 100 nodes of white matter fiber tracts between groups were compared. Multiple regression analysis was used to analyze the relationship between DTI metrics and cognitive scores and CSVD burden scores. For fiber-wise and node-wise, DTI metrics in some commissural and association fibers were increased in T2DM. Some white matter fiber tracts DTI metrics were independent predictors of cognitive scores and CSVD burden scores. White matter fiber tracts damage in patients with T2DM may be characterized in specific location, especially commissural and association fibers. Aberrational specific white matter fiber tracts are associated with visuospatial function and CSVD burden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of enhanced red and green emission phosphors: Sr 3 Y ( PO 4) 3 (SYP): Eu 3 + , Tb 3 + were successfully synthesized via a novel hydrothermal method. The structural and optical properties were investigated through XRD and PL (photoluminescence) measurements. The results of PL spectra revealed that SYP exhibited red and green emission for Eu 3 + , Tb 3 + -phosphors doped, respectively. In order to obtain optimal phosphors, we proposed the concentration of dopants and the reaction time. Results indicated that enhanced red and green emission phosphors SYP may be potential candidates in light-emitting diodes (LEDs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Barium molybdate (BMO) powders doped with Re 3 + (Eu, Sm, Tb, Dy) were successfully synthesized by the solid-state reaction with the assistance of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). The effects of the reaction conditions and activator ions on the structural and luminescence properties of BMO were extensively investigated. The results of powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectra exhibited the structures of the phosphors, which demonstrate that the Eu 3 + have been effectively doped into the BaMoO4 (BMO) lattice. The factors of PVA amount, Eu 3 + -doped concentration and different dopants on phosphor samples were investigated via photoluminescence (PL) measurements. The as-synthesized samples degrade as a two-step degradation by thermogravimetric analysis. BMO phosphors show strong multicolor emission with different dopant RE 3 + ions: red–orange (Eu 3 + ), red (Sm 3 + ), green (Tb 3 + ) and green–yellow (Dy 3 + ) under ultraviolet excitation, which may find potential applications in light phosphor powders, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and device in photochemical field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Noninvasive and precise methods to estimate treatment response and identify hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients who could benefit from transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) are urgently required. The present study aimed to investigate the ability of intratumoral and peritumoral radiomics based on contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (CE-MRI) to preoperatively predict tumor response to TACE in HCC patients. Methods: A total of 138 patients with HCC who received TACE were retrospectively included and randomly divided into training and validation cohorts at a ratio of 7:3. Total 1206 radiomics features were extracted from arterial, venous, and delayed phases images. The inter- and intraclass correlation coefficients, the spearman's rank correlation test, and the gradient boosting decision tree algorithm were used for radiomics feature selection. Radiomics models on intratumoral region (TR) and peritumoral region (PTR) (3 mm, 5 mm, and 10 mm) were established using logistic regression. Three integrated radiomics models, including intratumoral and peritumoral region (T-PTR) (3 mm), T-PTR (5 mm), and T-PTR (10 mm) models, were constructed using TR and PTR radiomics scores. A clinical-radiological model and a combined model incorporating the optimal radiomics score and selected clinical-radiological predictors were constructed, and the combined model was presented as a nomogram. The discrimination, calibration, and clinical utilities were evaluated by receiver operating characteristic curve, calibration curve, and decision curve analysis, respectively. Results: The T-PTR radiomics models performed better than the TR and PTR models, and the T-PTR (3 mm) radiomics model demonstrated preferable performance with the AUCs of 0.884 (95%CI, 0.821–0.936) and 0.911 (95%CI, 0.825–0.975) in both training and validation cohorts. The T-PTR (3 mm) radiomics score, alkaline phosphatase, tumor size, and satellite nodule were fused to construct a combined nomogram. The combined nomogram [AUC: 0.910 (95%CI, 0.854–0.958) and 0.918 (95%CI, 0.831–0.986)] outperformed the clinical-radiological model [AUC: 0.789 (95%CI, 0.709–0.863) and 0.782 (95%CI, 0.660–0.902)] in the both cohorts and achieved good calibration capability and clinical utility. Conclusions: CE-MRI-based intratumoral and peritumoral radiomics approach can provide an effective tool for the precise and individualized estimation of treatment response for HCC patients treated with TACE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess the value of amide proton transfer weighted (APTw) combined with intra-voxel incoherent motion (IVIM) imaging in differential diagnosis of stage I-II endometrial carcinoma (EC) and endometrial polyp (EP). A total of 53 female patients (37 cases with EC and 16 cases with EP) confirmed by surgical resection or biopsy from June 2019 to Jan. 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. All patients underwent 3.0 T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination including diffusion weighted imaging (DWI), APTw and IVIM scans. The pure diffusion coefficient (D), pseudo-diffusion coefficient (D⁎), perfusion fraction (f), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and APT values were independently measured by two observers. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) were used to test the consistency of measurements by the two observers. Mann-Whitney U test was performed to analyze the difference of each parameter between EC and EP groups. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed, and the Delong test was used for ROC curve comparison. Pearson's correlation analysis was used to assess the correlation between APTw and IVIM parameters. There was no significant difference in clinical manifestations between the two groups (P > 0.05). APT and D⁎ values of the EC group were significantly higher than those of the EP group [APT: 2.64 ± 0.50% vs. 2.05 ± 0.58%; and D⁎: (54.06 ± 36.06) × 10−3 mm2/s vs. (30.54 ± 16.67) × 10−3 mm2/s]. D, f and ADC values of EC group were significantly lower than those of EP group [D: 0.62(0.53,0.76) × 10−3 mm2/s vs. (1.45 ± 0.48) × 10−3 mm2/s; f: 22.18 ± 8.08% vs. 30.80 ± 8.92%; and ADC: (0.88 ± 0.16) × 10−3 mm2/s vs. (1.57 ± 0.43) × 10−3 mm2/s]. The area under ROC curves were observed as: AUC (IVIM+APT) > AUC (D) > AUC (ADC) > AUC (APT) > AUC (f) > AUC (D⁎). Delong test suggested statistical significance between AUC by APT and D, D and D⁎, D and f, D⁎ and ADC, APT and com(IVIM+APT), D⁎ and com(IVIM+APT), as well as f and com(IVIM+APT). No significant correlation between the APT and IVIM parameters was observed in either EC or EP group. Both APT and IVIM parameters showed statistical differences between EC and EP. With combination of APT and IVIM parameters, the diagnostic accuracy between EC and EP can be significantly improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study is to search for the predictive value of 3D fat analysis and calculation technique (FACT) and intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) parameters in identifying osteoporosis in women. Methods: We enrolled 48 female subjects who underwent 3.0 T MRI, including 3D FACT and IVIM sequences. Bone mineral density (BMD) values and Fracture Risk Assessment (FRAX) scores were obtained. Proton density fat fraction (PDFF) in the bone marrow and the real diffusion (D) value of intervertebral discs were measured on 3D FACT and IVIM images, respectively. Accuracy and bias were assessed by linear regression analysis and Bland–Altman plots. Intraclass correlation coefficients were used to assess the measurements' reproducibility. Spearman's rank correlation was applied to explore the correlation. MRI-based parameters were tested for significant differences among the three groups using ANOVA analyses. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed. Results: The PDFF of the vertebral body showed a negative correlation with BMD (R = −0.393, p = 0.005) and a positive correlation with the FRAX score (R = 0.706, p < 0.001). The D value of intervertebral discs showed a positive correlation with BMD (R = 0.321, p = 0.024) and a negative correlation with the FRAX score (R = −0.334, p = 0.019). The area under the curve values from the ROC analysis showed that the 3D FACT and IVIM sequences could accurately differentiate between normal and osteoporosis (AUC = 0.88 using the PDFF; AUC = 0.77 using the D value). The PDFF value demonstrated a sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of 78.6%, 89.5%, 84.6%, and 85.0%, respectively, in its ability to predict osteoporosis. The D value had a sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of 63.16%, 92.9%, 65.0%, and 77.8%, respectively, for predicting osteoporosis. Conclusions: The 3D FACT- and IVIM-measured PDFF and D values are promising biomarkers in the assessment of bone quality and fracture risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Luminescence concentration quenching exists widely in lanthanide-doped luminescent nanomaterials, and significantly hinders their emission intensity. In this work, we report the concentration-quenching-free properties of the 406 nm emission in Pr3+-doped nanoscintillators, which is attributed to the large energy gap between the 1S0 and 1I6 states (ΔE = ∼25 000 cm−1) of Pr3+ ions, preventing the concentration quenching effects caused by both cross-relaxation and energy migration to surface quenchers. This work provides further understanding about the concentration quenching effect of lanthanide-doped luminescent nanomaterials and a new perspective for avoiding detrimental concentration quenching. In addition, we also demonstrate the potential use of Pr3+-doped nanoscintillators as anti-counterfeiting materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

End-stage renal disease (ESRD) results in hippocampal volume reduction, but the hippocampal subfields atrophy patterns cannot be identified. We explored the volumes and asymmetry of the hippocampal subfields and their relationships with memory function and biochemical changes. Hippocampal global and subfields volumes were derived from 33 ESRD patients and 46 healthy controls (HCs) from structural MRI. We compared the volume and asymmetric index of each subfield, with receiver operating characteristic curve analysis to evaluate the differentiation between ESRD and HCs. The relations of hippocampal subfield volumes with memory performance and biochemical data were investigated in ESRD group. ESRD patients had smaller hippocampal subfield volumes, mainly in the left CA1 body, left fimbria, right molecular layer head, right molecular layer body and right HATA. The right molecular layer body exhibited the highest accuracy for differentiating ESRD from HCs, with a sensitivity of 80.43% and specificity of 72.73%. Worse learning process (r = 0.414, p = 0.032), immediate recall (r = 0.396, p = 0.041) and delayed recall (r = 0.482, p = 0.011) was associated with left fimbria atrophy. The left fimbria volume was positively correlated with Hb (r = 0.388, p = 0.05); the left CA1 body volume was negatively correlated with Urea (r = − 0.469, p = 0.016). ESRD patients showed global and hippocampal subfields atrophy. Left fimbria atrophy was related to memory function. Anemia and Urea level may be associated with the atrophy of left fimbria and CA1 body, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Strain analysis has become commonly used in clinical practice in various heart diseases.Purpose: To explore whether late gadolinium enhancement (LGE)-negative areas with coronary artery chronic total occlusion (CTO) appear normal when analyzed for longitudinal strain using cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging.Material and Methods: A total of 16 patients and 31 healthy controls who underwent 1.5-T MR at our hospital between January 2015 and July 2017 were included in the study. The LGE-CMR of patients with CTO was negative. Left ventricular functional parameters, segmental longitudinal strain/strain rate, and perfusion parameters were measured using CVI42 software.Results: For myocardial segments supplied by CTO vessels, systolic longitudinal strain rate (SLSR)was significantly lower than that of healthy controls, and diastolic longitudinal strain rate (DLSR) was significantly higher (1.19 1/s vs. 1.02 1/s; P = 0.018). Moreover, longitudinal strain (LS), SLSR, and DLSR did not differ between good and poor collateral circulation. Perfusion index of CTO territory segments was lower than non-CTO territory segments (0.20 vs. 0.22; P = 0.027). No correlation was found between longitudinal strain parameters and perfusion parameters.Conclusion: Although LGE-CMR was negative in patients with CTO, the myocardial SLSR of CTO territory segments was significantly lower than that of healthy controls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adult-onset leukoencephalopathy with axonal spheroids and pigmented glia (ALSP) is a rare autosomal dominant disorder caused by mutations in the colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor (CSF1R) gene. As of 2022, more than 100 different CSF1R mutations were reported in patients with CSF1R-related leukoencephalopathy. In this case report, we describe ALSP in a previously healthy 46-year-old woman who presented with memory impairment, poor interpersonal behavior, and decreased verbal fluency. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed confluent white matter changes and atrophy of the corpus callosum. Whole-exome sequencing identified a novel splice-site mutation (C.1858 + 5G > A) in intron 13 of the CSF1R gene, resulting in an intron 12 retention and an exon 13 deletion of CSF1R mRNA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• CsWRKY55 encodes a nucleus-localized Xcc -inducible WRKY transcription factor. • Overexpressing CsWRKY55 confers the citrus plant CBC resistance while silence of CsWRKY55 causes CBC susceptibility. • CsWRKY55 regulates the expression of genes involved in phytohormone biosynthesis and signaling. Citrus bacterial canker (CBC) is an infection caused by Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri (Xcc), adversely affecting citrus production. Plant-specific WRKY transcription factors positively regulate the expression of genes involved in defense against pathogens. However, the role of CsWRKY55 in CBC resistance remains unknown. CsWRKY55 was found to be upregulated in the CBC-resistant Kumquat citrus variety but not in the sensitive Wanjincheng variety, as shown by qRT-PCR, indicating its involvement in Xcc infection. Furthermore, CsWRKY55 was observed to be localized in the nucleus. Transient overexpression of CsWRKY55 markedly increased resistance to CBC, while virus-induced gene silencing enhanced susceptibility. Biochemical analyses demonstrated that CsWRKY55 silencing reduced the production of salicylic acid (SA) and increased the synthesis of jasmonic acid (JA) and abscisic acid (ABA). In summary, the findings of the study indicate that CsWRKY55 is a positive regulator that enhances resistance against CBC by altering the biosynthesis and signaling of JA, SA, and ABA. These results suggest that modulation of CsWRKY55 could be beneficial in the production of CBC-resistant citrus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility of applying R2* values to differentiate hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) from cavernous hemangiomas of the liver (CHL). Materials and Methods: This retrospective study was approved by the participating Institutional Review Board and written informed consent for all subjects were obtained. Seventy-three patients with 79 pathologically identified HCCs and 65 patients with 91 clinically or pathologically identified CHLs were enrolled in this study. All subjects underwent a breath-hold multi-echo T2* weighted MR imaging on a 1.5T clinical MR scanner. R2* values from HCC and CHL groups were compared using the Mann-Whitney non-parametric U test. A cut-off value of R2* was evaluated with receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis. Results: The mean R2* value was 23.32±12.23 Hz (95% confidence interval [CI]: 20.58 Hz, 26.06 Hz) for the HCC group, and 3.66±2.37 Hz (95% CI: 3.17 Hz, 4.15 Hz) for the CHL group. The mean R2* value for HCC was significantly higher than that of CHL (p<0.001). A threshold of 9.48 Hz for the minimum R2* value in the diagnosis of HCC resulted in a sensitivity of 96.20% (76 out of 79 patients), and a specificity of 97.80% (89 out of 91 patients). The positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and diagnostic accuracy for HCC were 97.44% (76 out of 78 patients), 96.74% (89 out of 92 patients) and 97.06% (165 out of 170 patients), respectively. The AUC for differentiation between these two groups was 0.994 (95% CI: 0.980, 1.000). Conclusions: R2* is a significant MRI biomarker to differentiate HCC from CHL with satisfying sensitivity and specificity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Intravoxel incoherent motion imaging (IVIM) can non-invasively evaluate diffusion and microvascular perfusion. Purpose: To explore the myocardium microcirculation of a healthy Chinese population by using cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) IVIM. Material and Methods: A total of 80 healthy volunteers (44 men, 36 women) who underwent 3.0-T CMR examination were enrolled. All participants had cardiac cine imaging and short-axis CMR-IVIM of the left ventricle (LV) using multiple b-values. The consistency of the IVIM parameters was assessed by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and the Bland–Altman test. Spearman correlation analysis was performed between IVIM parameters and age, and body mass index (BMI). The differences of IVIM parameters were analyzed between gender and different ages. Results: LV end-diastolic volume (EDV), end-systolic volume (ESV), LVmass, cardiac output (CO), and BMI in the male group were higher than those in the female group (P <0.05). IVIM parameters had good intra-observer and inter-observer consistency (≥0.75). Bland–Altman analysis also showed good intra-observer and inter-observer consistency. ADCfast decreased with increasing female age (rs = –0.37; P = 0.01), while IVIM parameters had no correlation with BMI regardless of sex. ADCfast in the female group had a statistical difference between different age groups. The ADCslow and f in the male group were lower than those in the female group (P <0.05); however, there was no statistical difference in ADCfast between genders. Conclusion: IVIM parameters in healthy Chinese volunteers provided good consistency. There was a negative correlation between ADCfast and age in the female group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wetlands play a crucial role in the carbon cycle as they are the largest natural source of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Changes in wetland hydrology can alter the rate of greenhouse gas release from wetlands and have the potential to alter Earth's carbon budget. However, the microbial dynamics underpinning these observations are poorly constrained. Here we combine monitoring of environmental parameters and greenhouse gas fluxes with monthly records of microbial phospholipid fatty acid (PLFAs) δ13C values to probe changes in microbial community and biogeochemistry in response to hydrological changes in a monsoon influenced subtropical wetland from central China. Our results show that water table depth is a key factor controlling the microbial community structure, with Gram-negative bacteria and actinobacteria increasing and fungi decreasing during dry and low water table periods. Meanwhile, the δ13C values of specific PLFAs decreased up to 12‰ during dry compared to wet periods. The extent of depletion varied, but PLFAs from Gram-negative bacteria were most depleted in 13C, indicative for a rapid increase in methanotrophy (methane consumption) during these dry periods. Furthermore, the methane emission of the wetland was drastically reduced and even had negative flux values during dry periods, suggesting that the increased methanotrophy led to a reduced methane flux and a temporary shift of the wetland from a methane source to a methane sink. Our results indicate that short-term hydrological variations lead to a rapid response in microbial community and carbon metabolic activity that directly influences wetland carbon dynamics and greenhouse gas emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the value of amide proton transfer-weighted (APTw) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for differential diagnosis of fibroadenomas and malignant breast tumors. This prospective study enrolled 56 patients with suspected breast tumors and performed APTw imaging. Based on the histopathology results, patients were divided into group 1 with malignant breast tumors (n = 41) and group 2 with fibroadenomas (n = 15). The measured image parameters (APTw value, ADC value, type of Time of Intensity Curve, maximum tumor diameter in image) and the maximal diameter of the tumors measured from surgical resection were compared between the two groups, and the diagnostic performance based on these parameters was quantified with ROC curve. Spearman's correlation coefficient was used to analyze the association between APTw or ADC values and ER, PR, HER2, and Ki-67 expressions. The intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC = 0.87 and 0.91) indicated a good inter-observer agreement of the measured APTw values. APTw values of malignant lesions were significantly higher than those of fibroadenomas (3.21 ± 1.04% vs 1.50 ± 0.54%, p < 0.001). Area under the curve (AUC) obtained from APTw imaging, DWI, DCE, APTw imaging+DWI, APTw imaging+DWI, and APTw imaging+DWI + DCE was 0.959, 0.897, 0.976, 0.997, and 1 respectively. The APTw value showed a negative correlation with ER expression (r = −0.357). APTw imaging yielded similar diagnosis performance in discriminating fibroadenomas and malignant breast tumors when compared to the DCE and better than DWI imaging, and provided supplement information on tumor cell activity to DWI images. The APTw value showed correlations with some prognostic factors for breast cancer. • APTw imaging can be used prospectively differentiating benign from malignant tumors. • APTw imaging yielded similar diagnosis performance in discriminating benign and malignant breast tumors when compared to the DCE and better than DWI imaging. • The APTw value showed a negative correlation with ER expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NRT1.2 has been characterized as a low-affinity nitrate transporter and an abscisic acid (ABA) transporter in Arabidopsis. In this study, we demonstrate that NRT1.2 positively regulated the ABA response during germination and seedling development. The transgenic Arabidopsis NRT1.2 -over-expressionors showed increased sensitivity to ABA during these processes. qRT-PCR assays indicated that NRT1.2 over-production in 7-days-old seedlings up-regulated the expression of ABA-responsive genes: ABI1 , ABI2 , ABI3 , ABI4 , ABI5 , RAB18 , RD29A , and RD29B and PHOSPHOLIPASE Dα1 (PLDα1). The expression of these genes was suppressed in the nrt1.2 mutant in comparison with the wild type following ABA treatment. Importantly, bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays indicated that NRT1.2 interacts with PLDα1 at the plasma membrane. Their interaction was further confirmed by using yeast two hybrid (Y2H) experiments with the mating-based split ubiquitin system (MbSUS). Moreover, genetic assays indicated that PLDα1 acts epistatically on NRT1.2 to affect ABA signaling. Taken together, our results provide detailed mechanisms of NRT1.2 in ABA-mediated seed germination and seedling development. • PLD activity enhanced by ABA and modulated by PLDα1 and NRT1.2 genes. • NRT1.2 physically interacts with PLDα1. • PLDα1 acts epistatically on NRT1.2 to affect ABA signaling. • NRT1.2 in ABA-mediated seed germination and seedling development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignancies worldwide and chemoresistance is the main obstacle for effective treatments of HCC. Accumulating studies indicated that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) contribute to the chemoresistance of human carcinoma. However, the functional role of HANR in autophagy-mediated chemoresistance of HCC is unknown. Methods: The expressions of HANR, miR-29b and ATG9A in tissues and cell lines were detected by real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). The expression of autophagy-related protein LC3-I and LC3-II was evaluated by Western blotting. The cell viability and apoptosis were examined by CCK-8 and flow cytometry, respectively. Bioinformatics analysis and luciferase activity assay were applied to determine the downstream target gene of HANR or miR-29b. Xenograft experiment was used to detect the effect of HANR on tumor growth. Results: In the present study, we demonstrated that HANR was notably overexpressed in sorafenib-resistant HepG2 (HepG2/sora) and sorafenib-resistant Huh7 (Huh7/sora) cells, and HANR enhanced sorafenib resistance by facilitating autophagy in HepG2/sora and Huh7/sora cells. Furthermore, we demonstrated that miR‑29b could directly interact with HANR and abolished HANR-induced sorafenib resistance by suppressing autophagy in HepG2/sora and Huh7/sora cells. Moreover, ATG9A was validated as a target of miR-29b and its overexpression obviously reversed the inhibitory effect of miR-29b on sorafenib resistance and autophagy. In addition, HANR could act as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) to upregulate ATG9A expression by sponging miR-29b. Hence, HANR increased autophagy-related sorafenib resistance via inhibiting the miR-29b/ATG9A axis in HepG2/sora and Huh7/sora cells, indicating that it may be a potential target to prevent chemoresistance of HCC. Conclusion: Our study revealed HANR enhanced sorafenib resistance by acting as an autophagy promoter by regulating miR-29b/ATG9A axis in sorafenib‑resistant HCC cells and might provide potential therapeutic strategies for HCC treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A low-temperature hydrothermal method was developed to synthesize red phosphor lanthanum molybdate doped with Eu 3 + ions. SEM, XRD, FTIR, Raman, UV–Vis DRS and photoluminescence patterns were employed to characterize information of the sample's morphologies, phase structure and properties. The calcination temperature was determined by TG-DTA results. Thorough energy transfer happened between Fe 3 + ions and phosphors in water solution. So, the prepared materials provide an excellent sensing platform for ferric ions, which have potential applications in biotechnology and environmental protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, Eu 3 + -doped yttrium oxide nanophosphors were prepared using the hydrothermal method assisting with the polyacrylic acid (PAA), phenol formaldehyde resin precursor (PF), and gum arabic (GA), respectively and their structural and optical properties were studied. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of the samples can be well indexed to the cubic structure. Additionally, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images showed that the samples were different morphologies, via combining with different templates. The luminescence results revealed that the addition of templates have a significant influence on the luminescence properties of Eu 3 + -doped Y 2 O 3 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Angiosperm mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) are notable for their extreme diversity in both size and structure. However, our current understanding of this diversity is limited, and the underlying mechanism contributing to this diversity remains unclear. Here, we completely assembled and compared the mitogenomes of three kiwifruit (Actinidia) species, which represent an early divergent lineage in asterids. We found conserved gene content and fewer genomic repeats, particularly large repeats (>1 kb), in the three mitogenomes. However, sequence transfers such as intracellular events are variable and dynamic, in which both ancestral shared and recently species-specific events as well as complicated transfers of two plastid-derived sequences into the nucleus through the mitogenomic bridge were detected. We identified extensive whole-genome rearrangements among kiwifruit mitogenomes and found a highly variable V region in which fragmentation and frequent mosaic loss of intergenic sequences occurred, resulting in greatly interspecific variations. One example is the fragmentation of the V region into two regions, V1 and V2, giving rise to the two mitochondrial chromosomes of Actinidia chinensis. Finally, we compared the kiwifruit mitogenomes with those of other asterids to characterize their overall mitogenomic diversity, which identified frequent gain/loss of genes/introns across lineages. In addition to repeat-mediated recombination and import-driven hypothesis of genome size expansion reported in previous studies, our results highlight a pattern of dynamic structural variation in plant mitogenomes through global genomic rearrangements and species-specific fragmentation and mosaic loss of intergenic sequences in highly variable regions on the basis of a relatively large ancestral mitogenome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the differentiation efficiency of texture analysis of T1WI, T2WI and contrasted-enhanced T1WI MRI sequences in gliomas with and without IDH1 mutation based on entire tumor region.Materials and Methods: A total of 42 patients with histopathologically confirmed gliomas, including 21 patients carrying IDH1 mutation (IDH1mutation group) and 21 with wild-type IDH1 (IDH1wt group) were included in this study. The preoperative MRI and clinical data were collected. The regions of interest (ROIs) covering the entire tumor and edema were manually delineated on axial slices using O.K. (Omni Kinetics, GE Healthcare, China) software; and the histogram and GLCM features based on T1WI, T2WI and contrasted-enhanced T1WI sequences were automatically generated.Results: Based on contrasted-enhanced T1WI features, the inertia resulted as the best feature for diagnosis, with the AUC of 0.844. Furthermore, the AUC for gliomas prediction with IDH1mutation was 0.800 for cluster prominence. IDH1-mutation was differentiated on T2WI with the highest AUC of 0.848, which corresponded to GLCM Entropy. After modeling, the accuracy of the contrasted-enhanced T1WI, T1WI, and T2WI features model was 0.952, 0.857, and 0.738, respectively. The AUC of Joint VariableT1WI+C for predicting IDH1mutation was 0.984, while the AUC of Joint VariableT1WI for predicting the same mutation was 0.927. The diagnostic efficiency of Joint VariableT2WI was also desirable.Conclusion: MRI texture analysis could be used as a new noninvasive method for identification of gliomas with IDH1 mutation. The present results show that the Joint Variable derived from conventional MR imaging histogram and GLCM features is suitable for precise detection of IDH1-mutated gliomas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the application of conventional MRI histogram analysis based on the whole tumor measurement on assessing meningioma grading.Materials and Methods: This retrospective study was approved by the institutional review board. A total amount of 90 patients with meningioma were enrolled and the preoperative MRI of them were analyzed. To be specific, the patient group were consisted of 45 patients with grade I, 38 with grade II, and 7 with grade III meningioma. Grade I meningioma is classified as low grade meningioma (LGM), whereas Grade II and III meningioma were combined and classified as high grade meningioma (HGM). ROIs were drawn along the edge of the tumor on each section of T1WI, T2WI, and contrasted T1WI. 3D ROI signal intensity histogram and all its parameters were obtained. Independent t-test and Kruskal-Wallis test were used for comparison between two groups. Univariate logistic regression analysis and Spearman's correlation analysis were used to screen for the parameters with high predictive efficiency, while multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the optimal model for the classification of meningioma.Results: There were significant differences observed between HGM and LGM groups regarding to histogram volume count, uniformity of three sequences, range of T1WI and T2WI, kurtosis, standard deviation, variance, max intensity of T2WI, skewness, mean deviation, minimum intensity, mean value, the 5th percentile, the 10th percentile, the 25th percentile, the 50th percentile, the 75th percentile, and the 90th percentile of contrasted T1WI. Volume count and uniformity were high predictive parameters in distinguishing HGM from LGM. Logistic regression model included contrasted T1WI histogram parameters (i.e. minimum intensity, volume count, skewness, uniformity, and the 75th percentile) showed the best diagnostic efficiency for meningioma grade, with a sensitivity and specificity of 83.9% and 77.4% (AUC = 0.834, cutoff value = 0.413), respectively. The optimal model was achieved with a sensitivity of 71.4% and a specificity of 78.6% in the test set (AUC = 0.791, cutoff value = 0.413).Conclusions: Histogram analysis of conventional MRI based on 3D tumor measurement can be applied in the assessment of meningioma grading in clinical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background LncRNA has been shown to associates with the initiation and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Recently, some studies showed that HANR function as an oncogene in HCC; however, the detailed mechanism of HANR-regulated HCC tumorigenesis and progression needs to be elucidated. Methods We used RT-qPCR method to probe genes expression. MTT assay, wound healing assay and transwell invasion assay were utilized to examine proliferation and migration and invasion abilities of HepG2 cells. Xenograft tumor experiment was used to show the growth of tumors in vivo. Results HANR was evidently upregulated in HCC tumors and cells compared to normal tissues and cells. Besides, HANR knockdown induces attenuated cell proliferation, migration, invasion of HCC cells. By bioinformatic analysis and dual luciferase reporter assay, we found that miR-214 was the downstream target of HANR. Furthermore, miR-214 inhibitor largely enhanced tumor phenotypes of HCC cells regulated by HANR knockdown. HANR and miR-214 regulated the EZH2, then affecting TGFBR2 level. Finally, we demonstrated that EZH2 overexpression could greatly rescue HANR knockdown or miR-214 mimic-induced HCC tumorigenesis and progression. Conclusions In this study, we report a newly identified regulatory mechanism HANR/miR-214/EZH2/TGF-β axis, which is implicated in tumorigenesis and progression of HCC. Our findings suggest that HANR facilitates the development of therapeutical strategies or diagnostic markers by targeting HANR. Highlights • HANR directly targets miR-214. • MiR-214 inhibitor greatly rescues shHANR-induced tumor phenotypes of HCC cells. • HANR and miR-214 regulate EZH2 expression and TGF-β signaling. • EZH2 partially restores HCC phenotypes induced by HANR and miR-214. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To demonstrate the value of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in the characterisation of mastitis lesions.Methods: Sixty-one non-puerperal patients with pathologically confirmed single benign mastitis lesions underwent preoperative examinations with conventional MRI and axial DWI. Patients were categorised into three groups: (1) periductal mastitis (PDM), (2) granulomatous lobular mastitis (GLM), and (3) infectious abscess (IAB). Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values of each lesion were recorded. A one-way ANOVA with logistic analysis was performed to compare ADC values and other parameters. Discriminative abilities of DWI modalities were compared using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: ADC values differed significantly among the three groups (P = 0.003) as well as between PDM and IAB and between PDM and GLM. The distribution of non-mass enhancement on dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI differed significantly among the three groups (P = 0.03) but not between any two groups specifically. There were no differences in lesion location, patient age, T2WI or DWI signal intensity, enhancement type, non-mass internal enhancement, or mass enhancement characteristics among the three groups.Conclusions: ADC values and the distribution of non-mass enhancement are valuable in classifying mastitis subtypes.Key Points: • Mastitis subtypes exhibit different characteristics on DWI and DCE MRI. • ADC values are helpful in isolating PDM from other mastitis lesions. • Distribution of non-mass enhancement also has value in comparing mastitis subtypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) remains the standard modality for local staging of gynecological malignancies, but it has several limitations, especially when differentiating a cancer limited to the endometrium from a cancer invading the superficial myometrium.Purpose: To explore 1.5 T diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in assessing superficial myometrial infiltration by endometrial carcinoma.Material and Methods: We analyzed the sensitivity of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) versus fractional anisotropy (FA) in diagnosing superficial myometrial infiltration compared to DCE-MRI and T2-weighted imaging (T2WI) in 35 patients with endometrial cancer. For each patient, T2WI-DWI fusion images were generated, and five regions of interest (ROIs) were placed on corresponding DTI images. ADC and FA were calculated, and fiber tractography (FT) images for each level were obtained. ADC and FA values for the five ROIs were compared.Results: In distinguishing cancerous versus non-cancerous areas within superficial myometrium, median ADC values were significantly lower (1.16 vs. 1.48, respectively; P < 0.001) and median FA values were significantly higher (0.41 vs. 0.27; P < 0.001, respectively). ADC's versus FA's sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, and accuracy for diagnosing superficial myometrial invasion were 74.3%, 88.6%, 86.7%, 77.5%, 81.4% versus 88.6%, 97.1%, 96.9%, 89.5%, 92.9%, respectively. T2WI and DCE-MR showed a sensitivity of 80.0% and 77.1%, respectively, in diagnosing myometrial invasion.Conclusion: Both ADC and FA were able to distinguish between cancerous verss non-cancerous areas within superficial myometrium (although FA was more sensitive based on AUC values). In addition, FA was superior to ADC, and more sensitive than T2WI and DCE-MR, in evaluating myometrial invasion. FT images provided visual confirmation of irregular arrangement and direction of the fibers due to proliferation of stromal cells caused by superficial myometrial invasion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 4-1BB signal pathway plays a key role in organ transplantation tolerance. In this study, we have investigated the effect of gene silencing of 4-1BB by RNA interference (RNAi) on the acute rejection in rats with liver transplantation. The recombination vector of lentivirus that contains shRNA targeting the 4-1BB gene (LV-sh4-1BB) was constructed. The liver transplantation was performed using the two-cuff technique. Brown-Norway (BN) recipient rats were infected by the recombinant LVs. The results showed that gene silencing of 4-1BB by RNAi downregulated the 4-1BB gene expression of the splenic lymphocytes in vitro, and the splenic lymphocytes isolated from the rats with liver transplantation. LV-sh4-1BB decreased the plasma levels of liver injury markers including AST, ALT, and BIL and also decreased the level of plasma IL-2 and IFN- ¿ in recipient rats with liver transplantation. Lentivirus-mediated delivery of shRNA targeting 4-1BB gene prolonged the survival time of recipient and alleviated the injury of liver morphology in recipient rats with liver transplantation. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that gene silencing of 4-1BB by RNA interference inhibits the acute rejection in rats with liver transplantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) are promising for bioimaging, sensing, and other applications, but their upconversion (UC) efficiency is far from satisfactory. Organic dye sensitization is considered to be an effective strategy to improve the performance of UCNPs. In this work, we provide direct evidence that organic sensitizer surpasses inorganic sensitizer in sensitization capability. To maximize the performance of dye-sensitized UCNPs, three critical factors, namely different optically inert lanthanide ions, Yb3+ doping concentration, and particle size, are systemically investigated and optimized. It is found that the optimal Yb3+ doping concentration and particle size are determined to be 20% and ~19 nm for dye-sensitized UCNPs, while different optically inert lanthanide ions have negligible influence on this system. Importantly, our results suggest that dye sensitization is more favorable for improving the performance of smaller-sized UCNPs. Although ultrasmall UCNPs (<10 nm) are desirable for biomedical applications UCNPs due to their reduced toxicity, they suffer from extremely low UC efficiency and weak brightness. Fortunately, the strategy of dye sensitization turns out to be particularly useful for producing ultrasmall and ultrabright UCNPs, which are desirable for biomedical applications. [Display omitted] • Organic sensitizer is superior over inorganic sensitizer in sensitization capability. • The optimal Yb3+ doping concentration and particle size are determined to be 20% and ~19 nm for dye-sensitized upconversion nanoparticles, while the doping of different optically inert lanthanide ions has negligible influence on this system. • The strategy of dye sensitization is particularly useful for producing ultrasmall and ultrabright upconversion nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Actual fatigue damage and operation data were comprehensively measured. • Multiple operation factors were investigated. • Rail corrugation and 8th order wheel polygon were determined. • The major fatigue damage was caused by rail corrugation combined with wheel polygon. Metro vehicle bogie frame is usually subjected to complex external excitations. The fatigue damage accumulation of bogie frame is induced by multiple elements and may even lead to failure hazard. Therefore, a comprehensive investigation into the influencing elements was conducted in this paper. To achieve this purpose, a targeted field test was first carried out under normal operating conditions to obtain the dynamic stress and operating state data. Then, P2 resonance frequency of vehicle-track system was calculated, and rail corrugation and 8th order wheel polygon were determined. Damage analysis was performed for rail corrugation, wheel polygon, rail joint, velocity, and passenger capacity. The results indicate that rail corrugation accompanied with wheel polygon are the main reasons for the damage of bogie frame. This research will be beneficial for ensuring operation safety and developing reasonable maintenance schedule for metro vehicle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A review of OGFC was conducted by emphasizing the drainability and functionality. • Cost-benefit analysis about OGFC was presented. • Challenges and prospects of OGFC were described. During the last few years, the use of Open-Graded Friction Course (OGFC) as a wearing surface material has gained a great concern due to the various benefits in terms of safety, economy, and environment. This paper reviewed the state-of-the-art research of OGFC, and the emphasis was laid on durability and functionality. By addressing the issues of durability, a mapping from materials to durability was established, which was beneficial in prolonging the lifespan. By discussing the issues of durability and noise-reduction, the internal mechanisms of OGFCs' functionality can be identified, so that the functional effectiveness of OGFCs could be better maintained. Cost-benefit analysis of the application of OGFC was also summarized. Besides, the current and future challenges were identified to enhance the performance of OGFC to facilitate the widespread use. Due to the extensive benefits of OGFC pavements, there exists an expansive scope for further research to promote the understanding of the material better, which will make it a promising sustainable pavement material in future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concretes with binary and ternary blends of Portland cement, granulated-blast furnace slag (GGBS), and carbon fiber (CF) were prepared to investigate their effects on mechanical performance, drying shrinkage and creep behaviors. Nine types of concrete mixtures were prepared and tests were conducted during a long testing period which was up to 180 days. Research showed that GGBS and CF played a detriment effect on short-term compressive strength. GGBS could improve the workability of concretes, while CF presented an opposite effect. Concrete with the addition of CF showed superior drying shrinkage resistance and creep resistance, while GGBS increased the drying shrinkage and creep potentials. The coupling effect of GGBS and CF on the drying shrinkage and creep performance highly depended on the relative content of GGBS and CF. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to analyze the importance of GGBS and CF on the drying shrinkage and creep performance. Results showed that test period, content of GGBS, and content of CF were all significant factors in influencing the drying shrinkage and creep behaviors. Models to predict the drying shrinkage strain and creep coefficient were proposed by considering different proportions of cement, GGBS, and CF, and the models give promising results. Besides, the cost-benefit analysis and the environmental impact were also quantitively studied, and results showed that concretes incorporated with 20% GGBS in mass and 0.1% or 0.2% CF in volume presented both good cost-benefit effectiveness and low environmental impact. • Concrete incorporated with GGBS and carbon fiber CF was prepared. • The mechanical, drying shrinkage and creep behaviors were investigated. • Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted. • Models were established to predict the shrinkage strain and creep coefficient. • Cost-benefit and environmental impact analysis were performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eu3+ activated CaWO 4 (CWO) phosphors were prepared via a modified hydrothermal process. In present work, the phosphors illustrated enhanced emission properties by the assistance of poly acrylic acid (PAA). The phase structure, micromorphology, photoluminescence properties and luminescence enhancement mechanism of the as-prepared samples were investigated. The as-prepared PAA assisted samples exhibited significantly enhanced red emission peaking at 595 nm and emission intensity increased by about 8 times. The results indicated that CWO: Eu3+ samples could be a potential candidate of red phosphor for white light-emitting diodes (WLEDs). The enhanced red-emission spectra of CaWO 4 assisted by PAA. (Insets are the corresponding luminescence photograph and CIE diagram of CaWO 4 with different condition of PAA). Image 1009 • A low temperature hydrothermal method assisting with PAA for preparation of CaWO 4 activated with Eu3+ ions is proposed. • The red-emission intensity of CaWO 4 :Eu3+ increases about 8-fold after modificating by PAA. • The enhancement mechanism of CaWO 4 :Eu3+ is discussed in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, spindle-like micrometre SrMoO 4 : Ln 3 + (Tb, Eu) phosphors have been synthesized and designed as a fluorescent sensor for Fe 3 + ions assay. The structural information, morphologies and luminescence properties of the samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared, Raman analysis, field-emission scanning electron microscopy and photoluminescence patterns. Furthermore, Fe 3 + ions could be immediately detected using fluorescence quenching methods, and this method shows excellent and satisfying sensitivity. This facile method could be extended to environmental and biological applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Solid papillary carcinoma (SPC) is a rare variant of breast papillary carcinoma with unique pathological morphology and biological behavior. There is only one case report on T1-MRI of SPC. In this study, we report our findings on this new category of papillary carcinoma to fill the gap in MRI characterization of SPC.Methods: This retrospective study included four pathology-confirmed in situ SPC patients. Conventional MRI, diffusion weighted imaging (DWI), and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) were performed with a 1.5 T whole-body MR scanner before surgical operation. The following characteristics of each lesion were recorded: signal intensity on T2WI/STIR and T1FSPGR, morphology, maximum lesion size, and time intensity curve (TIC) on dynamic contrast enhancement MRI (DCE-MRI), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value from DWI, and Cho peak from MRS.Results: Signal intensities of all lesions were heterogenous on T2WI/STIR and T1FSPGR. Mass enhancements were observed for all lesions with either oval or irregular shapes on DCE-MRI. The maximum lesion size ranged from 0.8 cm to 3.2 cm. All lesion margins were circumscribed, and internal enhancements were homogeneous or heterogeneous from DCE-MRI. TIC appeared with a rapid increase in initial contrast phases of all lesions. All lesions on DWI (b = 1000s/mm2) were slightly hyperintense with an ADC value range of 1.3 × 10-3 mm2/s to 1.9 × 10-3 mm2/s. Cho peak was absent at 3.2 ppm for all lesions.Conclusions: MRI characteristics of SPC include heterogeneous signal intensity within the lesion on T2WI/STIR and T1FSPGR, mass enhancement with circumscribed margins, either oval or irregular shapes, and a rapid initial enhancement of TIC on DCE-MRI. ADC values and the absence of Cho peak may provide valuable information to distinguish SPC from other invasive breast carcinomas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]