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Background: Renal ischaemia‒reperfusion injury (IRI) is the primary cause of acute kidney injury (AKI). To date, effective therapies for delaying renal IRI and postponing patient survival remain absent. Ankyrin repeat domain 1 (ANKRD1) has been implicated in some pathophysiologic processes, but its role in renal IRI has not been explored. Methods: The mouse model of IRI‐AKI and in vitro model were utilised to investigate the role of ANKRD1. Immunoprecipitation‐mass spectrometry was performed to identify potential ANKRD1‐interacting proteins. Protein‒protein interactions and protein ubiquitination were examined using immunoprecipitation and proximity ligation assay and immunoblotting, respectively. Cell viability, damage and lipid peroxidation were evaluated using biochemical and cellular techniques. Results: First, we unveiled that ANKRD1 were significantly elevated in renal IRI models. Global knockdown of ANKRD1 in all cell types of mouse kidney by recombinant adeno‐associated virus (rAAV9)‐mitigated ischaemia/reperfusion‐induced renal damage and failure. Silencing ANKRD1 enhanced cell viability and alleviated cell damage in human renal proximal tubule cells exposed to hypoxia reoxygenation or hydrogen peroxide, while ANKRD1 overexpression had the opposite effect. Second, we discovered that ANKRD1's detrimental function during renal IRI involves promoting lipid peroxidation and ferroptosis by directly binding to and decreasing levels of acyl‐coenzyme A synthetase long‐chain family member 3 (ACSL3), a key protein in lipid metabolism. Furthermore, attenuating ACSL3 in vivo through pharmaceutical approach and in vitro via RNA interference mitigated the anti‐ferroptotic effect of ANKRD1 knockdown. Finally, we showed ANKRD1 facilitated post‐translational degradation of ACSL3 by modulating E3 ligase tripartite motif containing 25 (TRIM25) to catalyse K63‐linked ubiquitination of ACSL3, thereby amplifying lipid peroxidation and ferroptosis, exacerbating renal injury. Conclusions: Our study revealed a previously unknown function of ANKRD1 in renal IRI. By driving ACSL3 ubiquitination and degradation, ANKRD1 aggravates ferroptosis and ultimately exacerbates IRI‐AKI, underlining ANKRD1's potential as a therapeutic target for kidney IRI. Key Points/Highlights: Ankyrin repeat domain 1 (ANKRD1) is rapidly activated in renal ischaemia‒reperfusion injury (IRI) models in vivo and in vitro.ANKRD1 knockdown mitigates kidney damage and preserves renal function.Ferroptosis contributes to the deteriorating function of ANKRD1 in renal IRI.ANKRD1 promotes acyl‐coenzyme A synthetase long‐chain family member 3 (ACSL3) degradation via the ubiquitin‒proteasome pathway.The E3 ligase tripartite motif containing 25 (TRIM25) is responsible for ANKRD1‐mediated ubiquitination of ACSL3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a widespread gastrointestinal disorder known for its multifaceted pathogenesis and varied extraintestinal manifestations, yet its implications for bone and muscle health are underexplored. Recent studies suggest a link between IBS and musculoskeletal disorders, but a comprehensive understanding remains elusive, especially concerning the role of bile acids (BAs) in this context. This study aimed to elucidate the potential contribution of IBS to bone and muscle deterioration via alterations in gut microbiota and BA profiles, hypothesizing that cholestyramine could counteract these adverse effects. We employed a mouse model to characterize IBS and analysed its impact on bone and muscle health. Our results revealed that IBS promotes bone and muscle loss, accompanied by microbial dysbiosis and elevated BAs. Administering cholestyramine significantly mitigated these effects, highlighting its therapeutic potential. This research not only confirms the critical role of BAs and gut microbiota in IBS‐associated bone and muscle loss but also demonstrates the efficacy of cholestyramine in ameliorating these conditions, thereby contributing significantly to the field's understanding and offering a promising avenue for treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To evaluate the association between frailty and postoperative delirium (POD) in elderly cardiac surgery patients. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted of older patients admitted to the intensive care unit after cardiac surgery at a tertiary academic medical center in Boston from 2008 to 2019. Frailty was measured using the Modified Frailty Index (MFI), which categorized patients into frail (MFI ≥3) and non‐frail (MFI = 0–2) groups. Delirium was identified using the confusion assessment method for the intensive care unit and nursing notes. Logistic regression models were used to examine the association between frailty and POD, and odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Results: Of the 2080 patients included (median age approximately 74 years, 30.9% female), 614 were frail and 1466 were non‐frail. The incidence of delirium was significantly higher in the frail group (29.2% vs. 16.4%, p < 0.05). After adjustment for age, sex, race, marital status, Acute Physiology Score III (APSIII), sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA), albumin, creatinine, hemoglobin, white blood cell count, type of surgery, alcohol use, smoking, cerebrovascular disease, use of benzodiazepines, and mechanical ventilation, multivariate logistic regression indicated a significantly increased risk of delirium in frail patients (adjusted OR: 1.61, 95% CI: 1.23–2.10, p < 0.001, E‐value: 1.85). Conclusions: Frailty is an independent risk factor for POD in older patients after cardiac surgery. Further research should focus on frailty assessment and tailored interventions to improve outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Albumin nanoparticles (ANPs) offer unique advantages for antitumor drug delivery system, including non-immunogenicity and inherent tumor-targeting capacity. At present, only a few products, such as ABRAXANE® and FYARRO™, have been approved for clinical applications. The poor affinity of doxorubicin (DOX) for albumin, coupled with its numerous severe adverse reactions, poses challenges in the fabrication of desirable albumin nanoparticles loaded with DOX. In this study, we developed prodrugs by conjugating fatty acids of varying lengths with DOX. Our aim was to investigate the balance between efficacy and safety through the selection of appropriate modules. We synthesized five pH-sensitive doxorubicin-fatty acid prodrugs. Compared to free DOX, all DOX prodrug ANPs exhibited a uniform size distribution with desirable sizes of 150 nm. Additionally, DOX prodrugs with hydrazone bonds remained intact in blood circulation while releasing DOX within tumor cells. Significantly, the characteristics of prodrug ANPs were considerably influenced by the length of fatty acids, impacting their in vivo pharmacokinetics, antitumor effectiveness and tumor accumulation. This research offers a detailed understanding of the length of fatty acid influence on DOX-fatty acid prodrug-based ANPs, and it builds a good platform for creating ANPs which prioritize high drug loading, high efficiency, and minimal side effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential of potassium chloride (KCl) to be used as a substitute for sodium chloride (NaCl) was studied by monitoring the effects of salt treatment on thermal behavior, aggregation kinetics, rheological properties, and protein conformational changes. The results show that the addition of KCl can improve solubility, reduce turbidity and particle size, and positively influence rheological parameters such as apparent viscosity, consistency coefficient (K value), and fluidity index (n). These changes indicate delayed thermal denaturation. In addition, KCl decreased the content of β-sheet and random coil structures and increased the content of α-helix and β-turn structures. The optimal results were obtained with 2% KCl addition, leading to an increase in Tp up to 85.09 °C. The correlation results showed that Tp was positively correlated with solubility, α-helix and β-turn but negatively correlated with ΔH, turbidity, β-sheet and random coil. Overall, compared to NaCl, 2% KCl is more effective in delaying the thermal aggregation of LWE, and these findings lay a solid theoretical foundation for the study of sodium substitutes in heat-resistant liquid egg products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uncovering the complex periodic variations in soil moisture can provide a significant reference for climate prediction and hydrological process simulation. We used wavelet analysis to quantify and identify the multi-scale periodic variations of soil moisture in the desert steppe of Inner Mongolia from 2009 to 2019 and analyzed the differences between the multi-scale periodic changes in soil moisture at the bottom (BS) and upper slope (US). The results show that the interannual variability in soil moisture at the BS and US has a significant upward trend. Moreover, the amount and volatility decrease with the increase in soil depth in the range of 0–30 cm, and the soil moisture at the BS is 26.4% higher than the US. The soil moisture has periodic changes of 0.5a, 1a, 2a, 3a and 3.5a in the desert steppe environment of Inner Mongolia. The periodic structure and intensity of different slope positions are greatly different. Soil moisture at the US has more complex multi-scale periodic changes, and the periodic oscillations of 3.5a, 3a, and 1a are dominant. The periodic oscillations of 0.5a and 1a are dominant at the BS. At the BS, the intensity of periodic oscillation of 1a after January 2015 has weakened. The weakening of soil moisture by temperature, rainfall and soil temperature caused the change in the multiple time-scale periodic oscillation of soil moisture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The purpose of this study was to investigate the fermentation characteristics of five varieties of fig juices (Ficus carica cv. Siluhongyu, Siluhuangjin, Silufeicui, Jinaofen and Fengchanhuang) by two select strains (Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus acidophilus), based on the changes of physicochemical parameters, bioactive components, antioxidant activities and flavour volatiles. Viable counts were above 9.5 log CFU mL−1 throughout the fermentation process, indicating that fig juices were suitable substrates for strain proliferation. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were significantly enhanced during fermentation, particularly with Siluhuangjin by L. plantarum and Silufeicui by L. acidophilus, exhibiting the highest total phenolic (465 mg GAE L−1) and total flavonoid contents (152 mg RE L−1), respectively. Accordingly, antioxidant activities based on SOD, DPPH, ABTS and FRAP methods were significantly improved after fermentation (P < 0.05). SOD and ABTS were positively correlated with contents of protocatechuic acid and caffeic acid, respectively (P < 0.05). Furthermore, alcohols, ketones and terpenoids contents were increased, while aldehydes content was decreased significantly after fermentation (P < 0.05), suggesting the improved flavour characteristics of fermented fig juices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims Patients on hemodialysis (HD) or peritoneal dialysis (PD) often have insufficient energy and protein intake, resulting in poor nutritional status and adverse outcomes. Oral nutritional supplements (ONSs) are the most commonly used to increase such patients' energy and protein intakes. Methods In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we analyzed studies on nutritional status, inflammatory markers, and electrolyte levels in patients on dialysis receiving ONSs. We searched four electronic databases from inception until 31 December 2022, for randomized controlled trials comparing ONS treatment versus placebo or routine care. Results 22 studies with 1185 patients on dialysis were included in our meta-analysis. Compared with the control group, the ONS group exhibited significantly increased serum albumin levels [1.26 g/l (95%CI, 0.50–2.02, P  < 0.0001; I 2 = 80.4%)], body mass indexes (BMIs) [0.30 kg/m2 (95%CI, 0.09–0.52, P  = 0.005; I 2 = 41.4%)], and handgrip strength (HGS) [0.96 kg (95%CI, 0.07–1.84, P  = 0.034; I 2 = 41.4%)] from baseline to the end of intervention. No significant differences were observed between the groups in lean body mass, phase angle, C-reactive protein, and serum phosphorus and potassium levels. In terms of improving albumin, the subgroup analyses show that ONS use seems to be more inclined to three variations: HD patients, short-term use, and non-intradialytic supplementation. Conclusion In conclusion, ONS use can improve the nutritional status of patients on dialysis in terms of their serum albumin, BMI, and HGS without significant effects on serum phosphorus, potassium, and C-reactive protein levels. However, it remains uncertain whether these results translate to improvement in clinically relevant outcomes. Large-scale high-quality studies are still required in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying robust breast cancer subtypes will help to reveal the cancer heterogeneity. However, previous breast cancer subtypes were based on population-level quantitative gene expression, which is affected by batch effects and cannot be applied to individuals. We detected differential gene expression, genomic, and epigenomic alterations to identify driver differential expression at the individual level. The individual driver differential expression reflected the breast cancer patients' heterogeneity and revealed four subtypes. Mesenchymal subtype as the most aggressive subtype harbored deletion and downregulated expression of genes in chromosome 11q23 region. Specifically, silencing of the SDHD gene in 11q23 promoted the invasion and migration of breast cancer cells in vitro by the epithelial–mesenchymal transition. The immunologically hot subtype displayed an immune-hot microenvironment, including high T-cell infiltration and upregulated PD-1 and CTLA4. Luminal and genomic-unstable subtypes showed opposite macrophage polarization, which may be regulated by the ligand–receptor pairs of CD99. The integration of multi-omics data at the individual level provides a powerful framework for elucidating the heterogeneity of breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NCOA7 is a nuclear receptor coactivator that is downregulated in a variety of cancers. However, the expression and prognostic significance of NCOA7 in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) remain unknown. The expression of NCOA7 in ccRCC tissues was analyzed using bioinformatics analysis, Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry. Kaplan–Meier analysis, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and clinicopathological correlation analysis were used to assess the predictive power of NCOA7. Overexpression function tests were conducted in cells and mouse models to clarify the function and mechanism of NCOA7 in inhibiting the progression of ccRCC. NCOA7 expression was downregulated in all three subtypes of renal cell carcinoma, and only had significant prognostic value for patients with ccRCC. NCOA7 overexpression inhibited the proliferation, invasion, and metastasis of ccRCC cells in vivo and in vitro. Mechanistically, NCOA7 inhibited the MAPK/ERK pathway to regulate epithelial–mesenchymal transformation (EMT) and apoptosis, thereby inhibiting the progression of ccRCC. NCOA7 inhibits tumor growth and metastasis of ccRCC through the MAPK/ERK pathway, thus indicating its potential as a prognostic marker and therapeutic target for ccRCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The K+ transporter KT/HAK/KUP (K+ transporter/high-affinity K+/K+ uptake) family has a critical effect on K+ uptake and translocation in plants under different environmental conditions. However, the functional analysis of KT/HAK/KUP members in sweet potatoes is still limited. The present work reported the physiological activity of a new gene, IbHAK11, in the KT/HAK/KUP family in sweet potatoes. IbHAK11 expression increased significantly in the low K+-tolerant line compared with the low K+-sensitive line following treatment with low K+ concentrations. IbHAK11 upregulation promoted root growth in Arabidopsis under low K+ conditions. Under high saline stress, transgenic lines had superior growth and photosynthetic characteristics compared with the wild-type (WT). As for IbHAK11-overexpressing plants, activation of both the non-enzymatic and enzymatic reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging systems was observed. Therefore, IbHAK11-overexpressing plants had lower malondialdehyde (MDA) and ROS levels (including H2O2 and O2−) compared with WT under salt-induced stress. We also found that under both low K+ and high salinity conditions, overexpression of IbHAK11 enhanced K+ translocation from the root to the shoot and decreased Na+ absorption in Arabidopsis. Consequently, IbHAK11 positively regulated K+ deficiency and high salinity stresses by regulating K+ translocation and Na+ uptake, thus maintaining K+/Na+ homeostasis in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The current outcomes for early diagnosis and late treatment of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) are unsatisfactory. This study aimed to determine the diagnostic and prognostic value of Netrin family genes for ccRCC and to explore new therapeutic targets. We systematically analyzed the expression profile of Netrin family genes in ccRCC using a bioinformatics approach and identified three genes, including NTN4, as potential biomarkers for ccRCC prognosis. In vitro and in vivo experiments confirmed that NTN4 regulates the growth and invasion of ccRCC cells by inhibiting the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Targeting this pathway through NTN4 may be a promising strategy for ccRCC treatment. The results of this study may have important implications for developing personalized cancer treatment strategies and identifying new biomarkers for ccRCC. Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC, or KIRC) is the most common type of kidney cancer, originating within the renal cortex. The current outcomes for early diagnosis and late treatment of ccRCC are unsatisfactory. Therefore, it is important to explore tumor biomarkers and therapeutic opportunities for ccRCC. In this study, we used bioinformatics methods to systematically evaluate the expression and prognostic value of Netrin family genes in ccRCC. Through our analysis, three potential biomarkers for ccRCC were identified, namely NTNG1, NTNG2, and NTN4. Moreover, we performed in vitro and in vivo experiments to explore the possible biological roles of NTN4 and found that NTN4 could regulate ccRCC development through Wnt/β-catenin signaling. We elucidate the molecular mechanism by which NTN4 modulates β-catenin expression and nuclear translocation to inhibit ccRCC progression, providing a new theoretical basis for developing therapeutic targets for ccRCC. Thus, we suggest that Netrin-related studies may offer new directions for the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of ccRCC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work aims to develop a modulation strategy for converting red mud (RM) into cementitious material based on elucidating the phase transformation of hydrogarnet. The results show that cementitious minerals 2CaO·SiO2 (C2S), 12CaO·7Al2O3 (C12A7), and 4CaO·Al2O3·Fe2O3 (C4AF), as well as the free iron minerals Fe and FeO, are formed by integrating calcification dealkalization and reduction roasting treatment of RM. During the reduction roasting process, CaO is preferentially combined with SiO2 and Al2O3 to form cementitious minerals, and the Fe(III) compounds in hydrogarnet and hematite can be directly reduced to free iron minerals without intermediate ferrites. By optimizing the reduction roasting parameters and eliminating the useless minerals 2CaO·Al2O3·SiO2 (C2AS), and FeO, the reduction roasting product is mainly composed of C2S, C12A7, C4AF, and Fe. Therefore, cementitious material is obtained after the magnetic separation of Fe, which possesses both early and late hydration properties. In addition, 75% Fe in RM can be recovered, and the reduced iron powder (RIP) is also useful in the cement clinker production or steel smelting process. The findings in this work lay the foundations for understanding the phase transformation of RM-derived hydrogarnet in the reduction roasting process and also provide a new reference for the modulation and utilization of RM in the cement and concrete field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron walnut (Juglans sigillata Dode) is a native species in southwestern China that exhibits variation in both fruit morphology and shell thickness. However, the underlying molecular processes controlling hardened endocarp development in walnut has not yet been reported. Here, we generated transcriptional profiles of iron walnut endocarp at three developmental stages using "Dapao", the most common commercial variety. Using pairwise comparisons between these three stages, a total of 8555 non-redundant differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, and more than one-half of the total DEGs exhibited significant differential expression in stage I as compared with stage II or stage III, suggesting that the first stage may ultimately determine the final characteristics of the mature walnut shell. Furthermore, in the clustering analysis of the above DEGs, 3682, 2349, and 2388 genes exhibited the highest expression in stages I, II, and III, respectively. GO enrichment analysis demonstrated that the major transcriptional variation among the three developmental stages was caused by differences in cell growth, plant hormones, metabolic process, and phenylpropanoid metabolism. Namely, using the tissue-specific expression analysis and a gene co-expression network, we identified MADS-box transcription factor JsiFBP2 and bHLH transcription factor JsibHLH94 as candidate regulators of endocarp formation in the early stage, and JsiNAC56 and JsiMYB78 might play key roles in regulating the lignification process of endocarp in the late stage. This study provides useful information for further research to dissect the molecular mechanisms governing the shell formation and development of iron walnut. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the discovery of apoptosis signal‐regulated kinase 1 (ASK1), the signal transduction mechanism and pathophysiological process involved in its regulation have been continuously revealed. Many previous studies have identified that ASK1 is involved and plays a critical role in the development of diseases affecting the nervous, cardiac, renal, and other systems. As a mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) kinase kinase, ASK1 mediates apoptosis, necrosis, inflammation, and other pathological processes by activating its downstream c‐Jun N‐terminal kinase (JNK)/p38 MAPK. Owing to the important role of ASK1, an increasing number of studies in recent years have focused on its status in liver‐related diseases. In this paper, we review the mechanisms and targets of ASK1 in liver‐related diseases to emphasize its important role in the development of liver disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway can be activated by a variety of growth factors, cytokines, and hormones, and mediates numerous intracellular signals related to cellular activities, including cell proliferation, motility, and differentiation. It has been widely studied in the occurrence and development of inflammation and tumor. Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury (HIRI) is a common pathophysiological phenomenon that occurs in surgical procedures such as lobectomy and liver transplantation, which is characterized by severe inflammatory reaction after ischemia and reperfusion. In this review, we mainly discuss the role of p38, ERK1/2, JNK in MAPK family and TAK1 and ASK1 in MAPKKK family in HIRI, and try to find an effective treatment for HIRI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we consider the Cauchy problem for the generalized Camassa–Holm equation proposed by Hakkaev and Kirchev (Commun Partial Differ Equ 30:761–781, 2005). We prove that the solution map of the generalized Camassa–Holm equation is not uniformly continuous on the initial data in Besov spaces. Our result includes the present work Li et al. (Differ Equ 269:8686–8700, 2020) on Camassa–Holm equation with Q = 1 and extends the previous non-uniform continuity in Sobolev spaces Mi and Mu (Monatsh Math 176:423–457, 2015) to Besov spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a correction notice for an article titled "Balancing efficacy and safety of doxorubicin-loaded albumin nanoparticles utilizing pH-sensitive doxorubicin-fatty acid prodrugs" published in Nano Research. The correction addresses an error in Figure 4 of the article, where the images of the DOX-C22 ANPs group were mistakenly used with the neighboring images of the DOX-C26 ANPs group. The corrected images have been provided in the correction notice. The original article can be found on the Nano Research website. [Extracted from the article]

Ischemia–reperfusion (I/R) is a common pathological phenomenon that occurs in numerous organs and diseases. It generally results from secondary damage caused by the recovery of blood flow and reoxygenation, followed by ischemia of organ tissues, which is often accompanied by severe cellular damage and death. Currently, effective treatments for I/R injury (IRI) are limited. Ferroptosis, a new type of regulated cell death (RCD), is characterized by iron overload and iron-dependent lipid peroxidation. Mounting evidence has indicated a close relationship between ferroptosis and IRI. Ferroptosis plays a significantly detrimental role in the progression of IRI, and targeting ferroptosis may be a promising approach for treatment of IRI. Considering the substantial progress made in the study of ferroptosis in IRI, in this review, we summarize the pathological mechanisms and therapeutic targets of ferroptosis in IRI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Patients with diabetes mellitus and end-stage renal disease are at a high risk of developing coronary, cerebrovascular, and peripheral vascular diseases. This study aimed to characterize hypoglycemia and blood glucose fluctuations associated with maintenance hemodialysis in older adult patients with diabetes mellitus and end-stage renal disease using a continuous glucose monitoring system. Methods: Seven patients were enrolled in this study, and 13 pairs of continuous glucose monitoring system data were collected. Each pair included data of 1 dialysis-on day and 1 dialysis-off day. Information on basic patient characteristics, including age, diabetes mellitus duration, hemodialysis duration, and proportions of hemoglobin A1c and glycated albumin, were collected. Differences in blood glucose fluctuation were compared between dialysis-on days and dialysis-off days. Results: The mean blood glucose on dialysis-on days (6.96 ± 2.57 mmol/L) was significantly lower than that on dialysis-off days (7.68 ± 2.31 mmol/L; P < 0.05). In contrast, the following parameters had significantly higher values (all P < 0.05) on dialysis-on days compared to dialysis-off days: large amplitude of glycemic excursion level (5.82 ± 2.86 mmol/L versus 4.21 ± 1.71 mmol/L), large amplitude of glycemic excursion level from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. (3.6 ± 1.74 mmol/L versus 2.8 ± 1.33 mmol/L), mean amplitude of glycemic excursion level (4.78 ± 1.68 mmol/L versus 3.89 ± 1.67 mmol/L), mean amplitude of glycemic excursion level from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. (4.01 ± 1.03 mmol/L versus 3.12. ± 0.97 mmol/L), standard deviation of blood glucose (1.55 ± 0.89 mmol/L versus 1.03 ± 0.4 mmol/L), and time below a target glucose range of less than 3.9 mmol/L (8.27% versus 4.25%). Conclusion: Fluctuations in blood glucose levels were larger on dialysis-on days, particularly from the start of hemodialysis to 2 h post-hemodialysis, than on dialysis-off days. Hypoglycemia, as indicated by the time below a target glucose range of less than 3.9 mmol/L, occurred more frequently on dialysis-on days than on dialysis-off days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Voltage-gated K+ channel β subunits act as a structural component of Kin channels in different species. The β subunits are not essential to the channel activity but confer different properties through binding the T1 domain or the C-terminal of α subunits. Here, we studied the physiological function of a novel gene, KIbB1, encoding a voltage-gated K+ channel β subunit in sweetpotato. The transcriptional level of this gene was significantly higher in the low-K+-tolerant line than that in the low-K+-sensitive line under K+ deficiency conditions. In Arabidopsis, KIbB1 positively regulated low-K+ tolerance through regulating K+ uptake and translocation. Under high-salinity stress, the growth conditions of transgenic lines were obviously better than wild typr (WT). Enzymatic and non-enzymatic reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging were activated in transgenic plants. Accordingly, the malondialdehyde (MDA) content and the accumulation of ROS such as H2O2 and O2− were lower in transgenic lines under salt stress. It was also found that the overexpression of KIbB1 enhanced K+ uptake, but the translocation from root to shoot was not affected under salt stress. This demonstrates that KIbB1 acted as a positive regulator in high-salinity stress resistance through regulating Na+ and K+ uptake to maintain K+/Na+ homeostasis. These results collectively suggest that the mechanisms of KIbB1 in regulating K+ were somewhat different between low-K+ and high-salinity conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the field of network security, although there has been related work on software vulnerability detection based on classic machine learning, detection ability is directly proportional to the scale of training data. A quantum neural network has been proven to solve the memory bottleneck problem of classical machine learning, so it has far-reaching prospects in the field of vulnerability detection. To fill the gap in this field, we propose a quantum neural network structure named QDENN for software vulnerability detection. This work is the first attempt to implement word embedding of vulnerability codes based on a quantum neural network, which proves the feasibility of a quantum neural network in the field of vulnerability detection. Experiments demonstrate that our proposed QDENN can effectively solve the inconsistent input length problem of quantum neural networks and the problem of batch processing with long sentences. Furthermore, it can give full play to the advantages of quantum computing and realize a vulnerability detection model at the cost of a small amount of measurement. Compared to other quantum neural networks, our proposed QDENN can achieve higher vulnerability detection accuracy. On the sub dataset with a small-scale interval, the model accuracy rate reaches 99%. On each subinterval data, the best average vulnerability detection accuracy of the model reaches 86.3%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The objective of the study was to explore the effect of insulin resistance on pregnancy outcomes in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) from the first embryo transfer cycle. Design: This was a single-center, retrospective, observational cohort study. Patients: Included in the study were women with PCOS for the first embryo transfer. Main Outcome Measures: Early miscarriage rate and macrosomia rate were the main outcome measures. Results: With increased HOMA-IR, the early miscarriage rate (7.14, 13.21, and 16.22%, respectively; P = 0.039), macrosomia rate (5.78, 11.79, and 17.58%, respectively; P = 0.026) and the incidence of gestational diabetes (GDM) (10.00, 14.50, and 25.67% respectively; P = 0.002) significantly increased, while the live birth rate markedly decreased (63.03, 55.27, and 47.88%, respectively; P = 0.004). No significant difference was found in clinical pregnancy rate, late miscarriage rate, low birthweight rate and baby gender ratio (all P > 0.05). After adjusting for confounding factors, HOMA-IR was an independent risk factor of early miscarriage rate and macrosomia rate. Conclusion: Insulin resistance is an independent risk factor for early miscarriage and macrosomia in PCOS patients during the first embryo transfer cycle. It is essential to give more attention before and after pregnancy for PCOS women with high HOMA-IR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neurobrucellosis is a chronic complication of human brucellosis that is caused by the presence of Brucella spp in the central nervous system (CNS) and the inflammation play a key role on the pathogenesis. Doxycycline (Dox) is a widely used antibiotic that induces apoptosis of bacteria-infected cells. However, the mechanisms of Brucella inhibition of microglial apoptosis and Dox induction of apoptosis are still poorly understood. In this study, we found that Brucella suis S2 strain (B. suis S2) increased calreticulin (CALR) protein levels and inhbited HMC3 cell apoptosis. Hence, we constructed two HMC3 cell line variants, one with stable overexpression (HMC3-CALR) and one with low expression of CALR (HMC3-sh-CALR). CALR was found to decrease levels of p-JNK and p-p53 proteins, as well as suppress apoptosis in HMC3 cells. These findings suggest that CALR suppresses apoptosis by inhibiting the JNK/p53 signaling pathway. Next, we treated HMC3, HMC3-CALR and HMC3-sh-CALR cell lines with B. suis S2 or Dox. Our results demonstrate that B. suis S2 restrains the JNK/p53 signaling pathway to inhibit HMC3 cell apoptosis via increasing CALR protein expression, while Dox plays the opposite role. Finally, we treated B. suis S2-infected HMC3 cells with Dox. Our results confirm that Dox induces JNK/p53-dependent apoptosis in B. suis S2-infected HMC3 cells through inhibition of CALR protein expression. Taken together, these results reveal that CALR and the JNK/p53 signaling pathway may serve as novel therapeutic targets for treatment of neurobrucellosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extreme variation in lifetime cancer risk among tissues has been a riddle of cancer etiology. Considering that cancer risks were found to be contributed heavily by environmental factors, levels of environmental carcinogens, such as metal/metalloid in tissues, may be an explanation of the variation. We analyzed the correlations between metal/metalloid concentrations in different tissues and the lifetime cumulative cancer risks of the corresponding tissues using the data of National Health Standards and National Central Cancer Registry of China. Cadmium (Cd) and rubidium (Rb) were found to be correlated with the lifetime cancer risks in a positive linear relationship while a U-shaped relationship was observed for cesium (Cs) and tin (Sn). A positive linear trend between the mixture of metals/metalloids and lifetime cancer risks was observed and cadmium (Cd) may be the main driving element. Our results indicated that Cd-based metal/metalloid levels may be an explanation for the variation in lifetime cancer risk among tissues. Furthermore, the analytical strategy may in turn help identify environmental factors involved in cancer etiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contrary to the conventional detection method like radiography, the near infrared light source has been demonstrated to be suitable for dental imaging due to different reflectivity among enamel, dentin, and caries lesion. In this paper, three light sources with different bandwidths based on a transillumination method are compared. The contrast among enamel, dentin, and caries lesion is calculated in different situations. The experimental results show that the random fiber laser has the best comprehensive quality in dental imaging due to its high spectral density, low coherence, and deep penetration. This work provides a guidance for light source selection in dental imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decoherence of fiber laser sources is of great importance in imaging applications, and most current studies use ordinary multi-mode fibers (MMFs). Here, a newly designed single-trench fiber (STF) is investigated to reduce the spatial coherence of fiber light source and compared with MMFs. By bending two fibers with different turns, speckle contrast of a 0.8-m-long STF can be reduced from 0.13 to 0.08, while a 0.8-m-long MMF shows an inverse result. Through speckle contrast and decoupling-mode analysis, the reason of this inverse trend is revealed. Firstly, the STF supports more modes than the MMF due to its larger core diameter. Secondly, mode leak from the first core of the STF can couple to the second core when bending the STF. Thus, power distribution among high and low-order modes become more even, reducing the spatial coherence considerably. However, in the MMF, high-order modes become leaky modes and decrease slightly when bending the fiber. This work provides a new method to modulate coherence of light source and a new angle to study decoherence principle using special fibers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a growing demand for silver pastes and inks used in the field of printed electronics. The synthesis of organic surfactant stabilized silver micro-flakes by the solution-phase chemical reduction method at room temperature has attracted wide attention due to its simple equipment, convenient operation and affordable price. However, the electrical conductivity of silver micro-flakes-filled conductive pastes and inks are significantly influenced by residual surfactants. Therefore, the surface modification of silver micro-flakes to remove surface adsorbents becomes a key issue. In this study, the silver frameworks based on the self-sintering silver micro-flakes at room temperature are developed for silver pastes with excellent conductivity. The silver paste with 48 wt% of the sodium nitrate and succinic acid treated silver powders has a resistivity of 1.08 × 10−6 Ω m and excellent adhesion strength after being cured at 140 °C in an oven. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subacute progressive neuropsychiatric symptoms with cognitive and motor impairment and autoimmune seizures are some of the typical symptoms of anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (anti-NMDAR) encephalitis. The mechanisms underlying this disease are yet to be elucidated, which could be partly attributed to the lack of appropriate animal models. The present study aimed to establish an active immune mouse model of anti-NMDAR encephalitis. Mice were immunized with the extracellular segment of the NMDA1 protein, then subjected to open-field and novel object recognition experiments. Plasma was collected after euthanasia on day 30 after immunization and anti-NMDA1 antibodies were detected using ELISA. Furthermore, brain slices were analyzed to measure postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD-95) and NMDA1 expression. Western blot analysis of NMDA1 and PSD-95 protein expression levels in the hippocampus was also performed. In addition, protein expression levels of PSD-95 and NMDA1 in mouse neuronal HT-22 cells were evaluated. Compared with controls, mice immunized with NMDA1 exhibited anxiety, depression and memory impairment. Moreover, high anti-NMDA1 antibody titers were detected with ELISA and the levels of anti-NMDA1 antibody reduced postsynaptic NMDA1 protein density in the mouse hippocampus. These findings demonstrated the successful construction of a novel mouse model of anti-NMDAR encephalitis by actively immunizing the mice with the extracellular segment of the NMDA1 protein. This model may be useful for studying the pathogenesis and drug treatment of anti-NMDAR encephalitis in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silver microparticles have inspired much research interest due to their enhanced properties for use in optical, electric, catalytic, and magnetic applications. One such use is as electrically conductive filler for printed electronics. A manufacturing approach has been developed to prepare low-curing-temperature silver pastes. Firstly, silver flakes were synthesized directly by a one-step aqueous-phase reduction reaction, using silver nitrate as silver salt precursor and iron(II) sulfate heptahydrate as reducing agent. Various silver flake samples were synthesized by controlling experimental parameters such as the reaction temperature, surfactant concentration, and reducing agent concentration. The obtained silver powders were characterized by x-ray diffraction analysis, scanning electron microscopy, and dynamic light scattering measurements. The results revealed that the morphology of the silver powders was a plate-like structure with diameter of 1 μm to 1.5 μm and thickness of 30 nm. The prepared silver flakes were then used directly without ball milling to prepare low-curing-temperature silver pastes. The bulk resistivity of a line screen-printed using silver paste containing 48 wt.% (34 ± 5 vol.%) silver flakes and cured at 140°C for 30 min in air was about (1.773 ± 0.118) × 10−6 Ω m. More importantly, the prepared screen-printed patterns exhibited excellent durability in terms of peel strength and folding endurance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanical alloying was used to prepare an Ag-Cu-Sn brazing alloy with the low amounts of intermetallic compounds. X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry were carried out to investigate the phase transformation of the as-milled samples. It seemed that the intermetallic compounds experienced the stage of synthesis-decomposition-resynthesis in the ball milling process. By controlling the ball milling time and tin contents, the solid solution phases of Ag (Cu, Sn) and Ag (Cu) were achieved in the 60Ag30Cu10Sn sample after milling for 40 h. Although the intermetallic compound will be generated during the brazing process, the improvement of their distributed morphology is beneficial for the good bonding interface of the joint with stainless steel substrate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Publisher's note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. B Correction to: Environmental Science and Pollution Research b https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-023-26534-z The appropriate keywords for this article are: Red mud; Hydrogarnet; Reduction roasting; Cementitious material; Waste utilization; Reaction mechanism. [Extracted from the article]

We have investigated the influence of heat treatment on the morphologies of copper nanoparticles based films on glass slides by a spin coating method. The experiments show that heat treatment can modify the sizes and morphologies of copper nanoparticles based films on glass slides. We suggest that through changing the parameters of heat treatment process may be helpful to vary the scattering and absorbing intensity of copper nanoparticles when used in energy harvesting/conversion and optical devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A polymer-dispersed liquid crystal based on a biphenol A diglycidyl ether (E-44) and 4-pentyl-4′-cyanobiphenyl was prepared by a method of polymerized-induced phase separation. Electro-optical transmissions of the biphenol-A epoxy resin dispersed liquid crystal were measured as a function of applied alternating voltage over a range of 0–90 V for a liquid crystal cell gap of about 20 μm. Influences of heat treating time and content of firming agent on the electro-optical transmissions of the biphenol A diglycidyl ether dispersed liquid crystal were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vinyltriethoxysilane based inorganic–organic glasses dispersed with 4′-n-pentyl-4-cyanobiphenyl nematic liquid crystal are designed to fabricate a new type of gel glass dispersed with liquid crystal. Scanning electron microscopy shows that the nematic liquid crystal phase, occupying the interconnected cavities, is continuously embedded in the inorganic–organic matrixes. The effect of the nematic liquid crystal weight concentration on the morphology is investigated. The differential scanning calorimetry shows that the nematic-isotropic transition temperature depends on the nematic liquid crystal weight concentration. The Raman spectra show that there are no obvious Raman frequency shifts, compared with pure nematic liquid crystal. The in situ diffuse reflectance FTIR spectra show that the integral intensity of bands of hydroxyls has not varied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mushrooms can be found in forests worldwide and have long been exploited as resources in developed economies because of their important agro-industrial, medicinal and commercial uses. For less developed countries, such as those within the Greater Mekong Subregion, wild harvesting and mushroom cultivation provides a much-needed alternative source of income for rural households. However, this has led to over-harvesting and ultimately environmental degradation in certain areas, thus management guidelines allowing for a more sustained approach to the use of wild mushrooms is required. This article addresses a selection of the most popular and highly sought after edible mushrooms from Greater Mekong Subregion: Astraeus hygrometricus, Boletus edulis, Morchella conica, Ophiocordyceps sinensis, Phlebopus portentosus, Pleurotus giganteus, Termitomyces eurhizus, Thelephora ganbajun, Tricholoma matsuake, and Tuber indicum in terms of value, ecology and conservation. The greatest threat to these and many other mushroom species is that of habitat loss and over-harvesting of wild stocks, thus, by creating awareness of these issues we wish to enable a more sustainable use of these natural products. Thus our paper provides baseline data for these fungi so that future monitoring can establish the effects of continued harvesting on mushroom populations and the related host species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Greater Mekong River Subregion (GMS) is a global biodiversity hotspot. Macrofungi play an essential role as decomposers, parasites, and symbionts, and are also an important source of medicine, food, and income for many communities in the GMS; however, the diversity and composition of macrofungi in this region remain poorly understood. In order to help address this knowledge gap, we established 20 permanent study plots in the GMS (native forests, tea plantation, pine plantations, mixed rubber and coffee plantation). Macrofungal diversity and community composition were evaluated across four study sites classified to two climate types and two management methods. Heat maps and nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) were used to show differences in macrofungal community composition, and linear relationships were illustrated in order to analyze how environmental factors influenced macrofungal diversity and community composition. In total, 7028 specimens were collected, belonging to 1360 species, 216 genera, and 79 families. Russula, Lactarius, Amanita, Mycena, Suillus, and Inocybe were found to be the dominant genera in the GMS. We found that ectomycorrhizal fungi were dominant in temperate forests and that saprobic fungi were dominant in tropical forests. We also found that macrofungal community composition in native forests differed from that of plantation forests, indicating that plantations can provide different and complementary habitats for macrofungal growth. Our analysis of environmental factors revealed that macrofungal diversity was weakly correlated with tree species richness, and strongly correlated with elevation and latitude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]