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Background: This study aimed to investigate the safety and efficacy of suture fixation of the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device (LNG-IUD) by hysteroscope for the treatment of adenomyosis in patients at high risk of device expulsion, to provide a viable treatment option for these patients. Methods: Twenty-one patients with large symptomatic adenomyosis were sewed and fixed with the LNG-IUD in the uterus by hysteroscopy to prevent the device expulsion. Results: In this prospective case series, all 21 patients were successfully sewed and fixed with the LNG-IUD in the uterus by hysteroscopy. The amount of menstruation was significantly decreased and dysmenorrhea was significantly relieved in 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery compared with before surgery. Only one patient underwent a laparoscopic hysterectomy due to dysmenorrhea which was not alleviated one month later. Serious IUD complications including expulsion and perforation were not observed. There was no development of new side effects than LNG-IUD insertion. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that suture fixation of the LNG-IUD by hysteroscope is a safe, effective, and minimally invasive surgical procedure to prevent the device expulsion. It is a good solution for the treatment of large symptomatic adenomyosis and has shown to be effective in managing symptoms related to adenomyosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existing forage harvester header cannot automatically adjust the height and inclination during operation, resulting in uneven stubble height of forage, which, in turn, affects the efficiency of harvesting and the quality of forage regeneration. To address this issue, this study conducted the design and experimentation of a 2-degrees-of-freedom (DOF) profiling header. Firstly, this study designed an adaptive profiling header with 2-DOF adjustment, which was realized by the height adjustment mechanism and the tilt angle adjustment mechanism. The relationship model between the profiling device and the attitude of the header was established so that the header can acquire ground undulation in real time through the angle sensor of the profiling device. In order to verify the rationality of the header design, a co-simulation model of ADAMS and MATLAB/Simulink was built, and the header attitude control system was designed based on the fuzzy PID algorithm. The co-simulation results show that the header height ( H ) is always kept around 150 mm during the forwarding process of the harvester, with a maximum error of 5.8 mm, and the average relative error ( R E H ) and root mean square error ( R M S E H ) were 1.4% and 2.6 mm, respectively, and the maximum error of the tilt angle ( γ ) of the header is 0.53° and the R M S E γ is 0.22°, which indicates that the header profiling mechanism can accurately reflect the undulation of the terrain and the header attitude control system has good robustness. Finally, the test platform was built and tested in a grassland. The test results show that the average height of the header is 149.8 mm, the maximum error is 7.5 mm, and the R E H and R M S E H are 3.4% and 5.3 mm, respectively. The average error of the header inclination is 0.34°, and the maximum error is 0.57°. The test results indicate that the header can realize the adaptive adjustment of height and inclination, and the control system has high precision, stability and reliability, meeting the demand of automatic regulation of header attitude of a forage harvester. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) is a necrotizing granulomatous vasculitis classified as an autoimmune small-vessel vasculitis. Clinically, approximately 80% of affected organs in GPA involve the upper/lower respiratory tract and kidneys, with cardiovascular system involvement being rare. Here, we report a case of a 50-year-old female patient who presented with sudden-onset chest pain lasting for 1 hour. The patient had normal body temperature, and markers of infection such as C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were within normal limits. Electrocardiography revealed ST-segment elevation in inferior, precordial, and posterior leads. Emergency coronary angiography showed no significant obstructive disease, prompting consideration of vasospastic angina given the patient's recurrent chest pain symptoms and findings on laboratory and imaging studies. The patient underwent treatment including coronary vasospasm antagonists and immunomodulation, resulting in clinical improvement and subsequent discharge. During a 7-month follow-up period, the patient did not experience any further adverse cardiovascular events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to investigate their correlation and predictive utility for in-stent restenosis (ISR) in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods: We collected medical records of 668 patients who underwent PCI treatment from January 2022 to December 2022. Based on follow-up results (ISR defined as luminal narrowing ≥ 50% on angiography), all participants were divided into ISR and non-ISR groups. The XGBoost machine learning (ML) model was employed to identify the optimal predictive variables from a set of 31 variables. Discriminatory ability was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC), while calibration and performance of the prediction models were assessed using the Hosmer-Lemeshow (HL) test and calibration plots. Clinical utility of each model was evaluated using decision curve analysis (DCA). Results: In the XGBoost importance ranking of predictive factors, LMR and RC ranked first and fourth, respectively. The AUC of the entire XGBoost ML model was 0.8098, whereas the model using traditional stepwise backward regression, comprising five predictive factors, had an AUC of 0.706. The XGBoost model showed superior predictive performance with a higher AUC, indicating better discrimination and predictive accuracy for ISR compared to traditional methods. Conclusion: LMR and RC are identified as cost-effective and reliable biomarkers for predicting ISR risk in ACS patients following drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation. LMR and RC represent cost-effective and reliable biomarkers for predicting ISR risk in ACS patients following drug-eluting stent implantation. Enhances the accuracy and clinical utility of ISR prediction models, offering clinicians a robust tool for risk stratification and personalized patient management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obtaining consistent multi-view images of litchis is crucial for various litchi-related studies, such as data augmentation and 3D reconstruction. This paper proposes a two-stage model that integrates the Mask2Former semantic segmentation network with the Wonder3D multi-view generation network. This integration aims to accurately segment and extract litchis from complex backgrounds and generate consistent multi-view images of previously unseen litchis. In the first stage, the Mask2Former model is utilized to predict litchi masks, enabling the extraction of litchis from complex backgrounds. To further enhance the accuracy of litchi branch extraction, we propose a novel method that combines the predicted masks with morphological operations and the HSV color space. This approach ensures accurate extraction of litchi branches even when the semantic segmentation model's prediction accuracy is not high. In the second stage, the segmented and extracted litchi images are passed as input into the Wonder3D network to generate multi-view of the litchis. After comparing different semantic segmentation and multi-view synthesis networks, the Mask2Former and Wonder3D networks demonstrated the best performance. The Mask2Former network achieved a mean Intersection over Union (mIoU) of 79.79% and a mean pixel accuracy (mPA) of 85.82%. The Wonder3D network achieved a peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) of 18.89 dB, a structural similarity index (SSIM) of 0.8199, and a learned perceptual image patch similarity (LPIPS) of 0.114. Combining the Mask2Former model with the Wonder3D network resulted in an increase in PSNR and SSIM scores by 0.21 dB and 0.0121, respectively, and a decrease in LPIPS by 0.064 compared to using the Wonder3D model alone. Therefore, the proposed two-stage model effectively achieves automatic extraction and multi-view generation of litchis with high accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Coronary artery disease (CAD) remains a significant global health challenge, with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) being a primary revascularization method. In-stent restenosis (ISR) post-PCI, although reduced, continues to impact patient outcomes. Inflammation and platelet activation play key roles in ISR development, emphasizing the need for accurate risk assessment tools. The systemic inflammation aggregation index (AISI) has shown promise in predicting adverse outcomes in various conditions but has not been studied in relation to ISR. Methods: A retrospective observational study included 1712 patients post-drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation. Data collected encompassed demographics, medical history, medication use, laboratory parameters, and angiographic details. AISI, calculated from specific blood cell counts, was evaluated alongside other variables using machine learning models, including random forest, Xgboost, elastic networks, logistic regression, and multilayer perceptron. The optimal model was selected based on performance metrics and further interpreted using variable importance analysis and the SHAP method. Results: Our study revealed that ISR occurred in 25.8% of patients, with a range of demographic and clinical factors influencing the risk of its development. The random forest model emerged as the most adept in predicting ISR, and AISI featured prominently among the top variables affecting ISR prediction. Notably, higher AISI values were positively correlated with an elevated probability of ISR occurrence. Comparative evaluation and visual analysis of model performance, the random forest model demonstrates high reliability in predicting ISR, with specific metrics including an AUC of 0.9569, accuracy of 0.911, sensitivity of 0.855, PPV of 0.81, and NPV of 0.948. Conclusion: AISI demonstrated itself as a significant independent risk factor for ISR following DES implantation, with an escalation in AISI levels indicating a heightened risk of ISR occurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Astragaloside IV (AST-IV), as an effective active ingredient of Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bunge. It has been found that AST-IV inhibits the replication of dengue virus, hepatitis B virus, adenovirus, and coxsackievirus B3. Enterovirus 71 (EV71) serves as the main pathogen in severe hand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD), but there are no specific drugs available. In this study, we focus on investigating whether AST-IV can inhibit EV71 replication and explore the potential underlying mechanisms. Methods: The GES-1 or RD cells were infected with EV71, treated with AST-IV, or co-treated with both EV71 and AST-IV. The EV71 structural protein VP1 levels, the viral titers in the supernatant were measured using western blot and 50% tissue culture infective dose (TCID50), respectively. Network pharmacology was used to predict possible pathways and targets for AST-IV to inhibit EV71 replication. Additionally, ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS) was used to investigate the potential targeted metabolites of AST-IV. Associations between metabolites and apparent indicators were performed via Spearman's algorithm. Results: This study illustrated that AST-IV effectively inhibited EV71 replication. Network pharmacology suggested that AST-IV inhibits EV71 replication by targeting PI3K-AKT. Metabolomics results showed that AST-IV achieved these effects by elevating the levels of hypoxanthine, 2-ketobutyric acid, adenine, nicotinic acid mononucleotide, prostaglandin H2, 6-hydroxy-1 H-indole-3- acetamide, oxypurinol, while reducing the levels of PC (14:0/15:0). Furthermore, AST-IV also mitigated EV71-induced oxidative stress by reducing the levels of MDA, ROS, while increasing the activity of T-AOC, CAT, GSH-Px. The inhibition of EV71 replication was also observed when using the ROS inhibitor N-Acetylcysteine (NAC). Additionally, AST-IV exhibited the ability to activate the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway and suppress EV71-induced apoptosis. Conclusion: This study suggests that AST-IV may activate the cAMP and the antioxidant stress response by targeting eight key metabolites, including hypoxanthine, 2-ketobutyric acid, adenine, nicotinic acid mononucleotide, prostaglandin H2, 6-Hydroxy-1 H-indole-3-acetamide, oxypurinol and PC (14:0/15:0). This activation can further stimulate the PI3K-AKT signaling to inhibit EV71-induced apoptosis and EV71 replication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate whether the surgical process information sharing system could alleviate the parental anxiety during a pediatric selective operation. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted one day before surgery for the enrolled participants. Family members assigned to the intervention group received real-time process information sharing through service reminders during the surgical period, while the control group received standard perioperative education. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used to evaluate sleep quality during the perioperative period, and the State of Cohesion-13 Scale (SOC-13) and Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) were used to assess anxiety levels. Satisfaction levels during the perioperative period were assessed through a follow-up survey conducted one day after surgery. Results: The intervention group showed better scores in terms of PSQI, SOC-13, SAS, and postoperative satisfaction levels at various time points compared to the control group, with statistically significant differences observed (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Real-time process information sharing is effective in reducing perioperative sleep disorders and anxiety among family members of pediatric patients, as well as improving satisfaction levels. This approach not only establishes a process and mechanism for effective doctor-patient communication but also helps implement continuous perioperative care, thereby optimizing internet healthcare services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence of somatic pain in orthodontic patients and determine whether somatic pain contributes to worsening oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) through the mediating effect of psychological discomfort. Materials and methods: Scale measurements and analyses were conducted on a cohort of 769 orthodontic outpatients, encompassing Patient Health Questionnaire-15-pain (PHQ-15-P), Hua-Xi Emotional-Distress Index (HEI), Psychosocial Impact of Dental Aesthetics Questionnaire (PIDAQ), and Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14). Results: Among the respondents, 56.3% (N = 433) reported somatic pain and 20.0% (N = 154) had mental discomfort based on PHQ-15-P and HEI scores. Patients with somatic pain symptoms had significantly higher scores of HEI and OHIP-14 (P < 0.001), and higher PHQ-15-P and HEI scores emerged as statistically significant predictors of lower OHIP-14 scores (P < 0.001). HEI scores which assessed anxiety and depression partially mediated the correlation between PHQ-15-P and OHIP-14 scores, of which anxiety accounted for 52.9% of the overall mediation effect, dominating the indirect effect. Conclusion: Orthodontic patients reporting somatic pains were at a significantly higher risk of worsening OHRQoL during treatment, and this adverse effect is partially mediated by anxiety and depression. Clinical relevance: Our findings highlight the necessity for the assessment of general health and mental well-being during orthodontic interventions. To prevent delays in treating general disorders and the potential failure of orthodontic treatments, we encourage increased attentiveness towards patients with somatic symptoms and consideration of the adverse effects of comorbid mental distress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study introduces a novel methodology for the dynamic extraction of information on cotton growth in terms of height utilizing the DJI Zenmuse L1 LiDAR sensor mounted onto a DJI Matrice 300 RTK Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), aimed at enhancing the precision and efficiency of growth monitoring within the realm of precision agriculture. Employing the Progressive TIN Densification (PTD) and Cloth Simulation Filter (CSF) algorithms, combined with Kriging interpolation, we generated Canopy Height Models (CHMs) to extract the cotton heights at two key agricultural sites: Zengcheng and Tumxuk. Our analysis reveals that the PTD algorithm significantly outperforms the CSF method in terms of accuracy, with its R2 values indicating a superior model fit for height extraction across different growth stages (Zengcheng: 0.71, Tumxuk: 0.82). Through meticulous data processing and cluster analysis, this study not only identifies the most effective algorithm for accurate height extraction but also provides detailed insights into the dynamic growth patterns of cotton varieties across different geographical regions. The findings highlight the critical role of UAV remote sensing in enabling large-scale, high-precision monitoring of crop growth, which is essential for the optimization of agricultural practices such as precision fertilization and irrigation. Furthermore, the study demonstrates the potential of UAV technology to select superior cotton varieties by analyzing their growth dynamics, offering valuable guidance for cotton breeding and cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drug resistance substantially compromises antibiotic therapy and poses a serious threat to public health. Fusidic acid (FA) is commonly used to treat staphylococcal infections, such as pneumonia, osteomyelitis and skin infections. However, Gram-negative bacteria have natural resistance to FA, which is almost restrained in cell membranes due to the strong interactions between FA and phospholipids. Herein, we aim to utilize the strong FA–phospholipid interaction to pre-form a complex of FA with the exogenous phospholipid. The FA, in the form of an FA–phospholipid complex (FA-PC), no longer interacts with the endogenous membrane phospholipids and thus can be delivered into bacteria cells successfully. We found that the water solubility of FA (5 µg/mL) was improved to 133 µg/mL by forming the FA-PC (molar ratio 1:1). Furthermore, upon incubation for 6 h, the FA-PC (20 µg/mL) caused a 99.9% viability loss of E. coli and 99.1% loss of P. aeruginosa, while free FA did not work. The morphology of the elongated bacteria cells after treatment with the FA-PC was demonstrated by SEM. The successful intracellular delivery was shown by confocal laser scanning microscopy in the form of coumarin 6-PC (C6-PC), where C6 served as a fluorescent probe. Interestingly, the antibacterial effect of the FA-PC was significantly compromised by adding extra phospholipid in the medium, indicating that there may be a phospholipid-based transmembrane transport mechanism underlying the intracellular delivery of the FA-PC. This is the first report regarding FA-PC formation and its successful reversing of Gram-negative bacteria resistance to FA, and it provides a platform to reverse transmembrane delivery-related drug resistance. The ready availability of phospholipid and the simple preparation allow it to have great potential for clinical use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protein prenylation mediated by the Arabidopsis thaliana PLURIPETALA (AtPLP) gene plays a crucial role in plant growth, development, and environmental response by adding a 15-carbon farnesyl group or one to two 20-carbon geranylgeranyl groups onto one to two cysteine residues at the C-terminus of the target protein. However, the homologous genes and their functions of AtPLP in rapeseed are unclear. In this study, bioinformatics analysis and gene cloning demonstrated the existence of two homologous genes of AtPLP in the Brassica napus L. genome, namely, BnPLP1 and BnPLP2. Evolutionary analysis revealed that BnPLP1 originated from the B. rapa L. genome, while BnPLP2 originated from the B. oleracea L. genome. Genetic transformation analysis revealed that the overexpression of BnPLP1 in Arabidopsis plants exhibited earlier flowering initiation, a prolonged flowering period, increased plant height, and longer main inflorescence length compared to the wild type. Contrarily, the downregulation of BnPLP1 expression in B. napus plants led to delayed flowering initiation, shortened flowering period, decreased plant height, and reduced main inflorescence length compared to the wild type. These findings indicate that the BnPLP1 gene positively regulates flowering time, plant height, and main inflorescence length. This provides a new gene for the genetic improvement of flowering time and plant architecture in rapeseed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the functional mechanism of long non-coding small nucleolar host gene 17 (SNHG17) in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). lncRNAs related to the prognosis of patients with DLBCL were screened to analyze long non-coding small nucleolar host gene 17 (SNHG17) expression in DLBCL and normal tissues, and a nomogram established for predicting DLBCL prognosis. SNHG17 expression in B-cell lymphoma cells was detected using qPCR. The effects of SNHG17 with/without doxorubicin on the proliferation and apoptosis of DoHH2 and Daudi were detected. The effects of combined SNHG17 and doxorubicin were analyzed. The regulatory function of SNHG17 in DLBCL was investigated using a mouse tumor xenotransplantation model. RNA sequencing was used to analyze the signaling pathways involved in SNHG17 knockdown in B-cell lymphoma cell lines. The target relationships among SNHG17, microRNA, and downstream mRNA biomolecules were detected. A higher SNHG17 level predicted a lower survival rate. SNHG17 was highly expressed in DLBCL patient tissues and cell lines. We established a prognostic model containing SNHG17 expression, which could effectively predict the overall survival rate of DLBCL patients. SNHG17 knockdown inhibited the proliferation and induced the apoptosis of B-cell lymphoma cells, and the combination of SNHG17 and doxorubicin had a synergistic effect. SNHG17, miR-34a-5p, and ZESTE gene enhancer homolog 2 (EZH2) had common hypothetical binding sites, and the luciferase reporter assay verified that miR-34a-5p was the direct target of SNHG17, and EZH2 was the direct target of miR-34a-5p. The carcinogenic function of SNHG17 in the proliferation and apoptosis of DLBCL cells was partially reversed by a miR-34a-5p inhibitor. SNHG17 increases EZH2 levels by inhibiting miR-34a-5p. Our findings indicate SNHG17 as critical for promoting DLBCL progression by regulating the EZH2 signaling pathway and sponging miR-34a-5p. These findings provide a new prognostic marker and therapeutic target for the prognosis and treatment of DLBCL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the three symptom indicators of scalp seborrheic dermatitis (SSD), namely scalp flaking, maximum erythema area, and pruritus, to develop a "16‐point scale," to explore its relationship with the severity of SSD, and verify the reliability of the 16‐point scale. Method: A dermatologist evaluated patients with SSD using a 16‐point scale, and statistically analyzed the collected data with the help of SPSS 26.0 software. The measurement data are expressed as (mean ± SD), and the intergroup comparison was done using a non‐parametric test. We performed the correlation analysis using the bivariate correlation analysis method, and the relationship among non‐normal distribution data variables were analyzed using Spearman's correlation coefficient. p < 0.05 indicated that the difference was statistically significant. Results: The total score of the "16‐point scale" strongly correlated with the severity of disease, where scalp flaking had the strongest correlation. As compared with a single score, the correlation of the total score with the severity of disease was higher. The scoring range for mild patients was (0, 5], that for moderate patients was (5, 9], and that for severe patients was (9, 16]. Conclusion: A "16‐point scale", consisting of items for adherent scalp flaking (0–10), maximum erythema area (0–3), and pruritus (0–3), was used to score the patients with SSD, and the total score was strongly correlated with and differentiated the severity of SSD. Recommended evaluation criteria: a total score of 0–5 points indicates mild SSD, 6–9 points indicates moderate SSD, 10–16 points indicates severe SSD. These criteria can help to standardize disease diagnosis and treatment, and efficacy assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNAs (MiRNAs) play pivotal roles in regulating gene expression, and serve as crucial biomarkers for diagnosis of a variety of disease. However, label-free and sensitive miRNA detection remains a huge challenge due to the low abundance. Herein, we developed an approach through integrating primer exchange reaction (PER) with DNA-templated silver nanoclusters (AgNCs) for label-free and sensitive miRNA detection. In this method, PER was used to amplify miRNA signals and produce single-strand DNA (ssDNA) sequences. The produced ssDNA sequences mediated DNA-templated AgNCs based signal generation by unfolding the designed hairpin probe (HP). The generated AgNCs signal was correlated with the dosage of target miRNA. Eventually, the established approach exhibited a low detection of limit of 47 fM with a great dynamic range of more than five orders of magnitude. In addition, the method was also utilized to detect the miRNA-31 expression in collected clinical samples from pancreatitis patients and demonstrated that miRNA-31 was upregulated in patients, showing a great promising of the method in clinical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The automated harvesting of clustered fruits relies on fast and accurate visual perception. However, the obscured stem diameters via leaf occlusion lack any discernible texture patterns. Nevertheless, our human visual system can often judge the position of harvesting points. Inspired by this, the aim of this paper is to address this issue by leveraging the morphology and the distribution of fruit contour gradient directions. Firstly, this paper proposes the calculation of fruit normal vectors using edge computation and gradient direction distribution. The research results demonstrate a significant mathematical relationship between the contour edge gradient and its inclination angle, but the experiments show that the standard error projected onto the Y-axis is smaller, which is evidently more conducive to distinguishing the gradient distribution. Secondly, for the front view of occluded lychee clusters, a fully convolutional, feature prototype-based one-stage instance segmentation network is proposed, named the lychee picking point prediction network (LP3Net). This network can achieve high accuracy and real-time instance segmentation, as well as for occluded and overlapping fruits. Finally, the experimental results show that the LP3Net based on this study, along with lychee phenotypic features, achieves an average location accuracy reaching 82%, significantly improving the precision of harvesting point localization for lychee clusters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapeseed is a globally important economic crop that can be severely impacted by aphids. However, our understanding of rapeseed resistance to aphid stress is very limited. In this study, we analyzed the resistance characteristics of the low aphid-susceptible variety APL01 and the highly aphid-susceptible variety Holly in response to aphid stress. APL01 had a more significant inhibitory effect on aphid proliferation compared with Holly during the early stage of inoculation, whereas Holly showed stronger tolerance to aphid stress compared with APL01 during the later stage of inoculation. Through transcriptome, physiological, and gene expression analyses, it was revealed that chitinase activity, catalase activity, calcium signal transduction, and activation of systemic acquired resistance might be involved in aphid resistance in B. napus. The degree of inhibition of photosynthesis in plants under aphid stress directly determines the tolerance of B. napus to aphid stress. Furthermore, four promising candidate genes were screened from eight genes related to rapeseed response to biotic stress through RT-qPCR analysis of gene expression levels. These research findings represent an important step forward in understanding the resistance of rapeseed to aphid stress and provide a solid foundation for the cloning of genes responsible for this resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a prevalent chronic respiratory disease that poses a significant health risk to individuals. Patients with COPD are predisposed to a higher incidence of coronary artery disease (CAD) than the general population. This study aims to investigate the correlation between COPD and the incidence of in-stent restenosis (ISR) after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).Methods: This study retrospectively analyzed the clinical data and laboratory test results of patients who underwent PCI at our hospital between January 2018 and December 2021 to investigate the relationship between COPD and drug-Eluting Stents (DES) postoperative ISR. We employed the best subset method to select the most suitable combination of predictive factors, utilizing the data, and verified the precision of the model by means of internal validation. We ultimately assessed the performance of the prediction model using an ROC curve.Results: The research indicates that COPD is an independent risk factor for ISR after PCI (OR=2.437, 95% CI [1.336, 4.495], P=0.004). The analysis revealed an area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of 0.783 for the training group and 0.705 for the testing group, indicating a model fitting for both groups (both > 0.5).Conclusion: COPD history is a dependable predictor of stent restenosis post percutaneous coronary intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To enhance the efficiency of mechanical automatic picking of cherry tomatoes in a precision agriculture environment, this study proposes an improved target detection algorithm based on YOLOv5n. The improvement steps are as follows: First, the K-means++ clustering algorithm is utilized to update the scale and aspect ratio of the anchor box, adapting it to the shape characteristics of cherry tomatoes. Secondly, the coordinate attention (CA) mechanism is introduced to expand the receptive field range and reduce interference from branches, dead leaves, and other backgrounds in the recognition of cherry tomato maturity. Next, the traditional loss function is replaced by the bounding box regression loss with dynamic focusing mechanism (WIoU) loss function. The outlier degree and dynamic nonmonotonic focusing mechanism are introduced to address the boundary box regression balance problem between high-quality and low-quality data. This research employs a self-built cherry tomato dataset to train the target detection algorithms before and after the improvements. Comparative experiments are conducted with YOLO series algorithms. The experimental results indicate that the improved model has achieved a 1.4% increase in both precision and recall compared to the previous model. It achieves an average accuracy mAP of 95.2%, an average detection time of 5.3 ms, and a weight file size of only 4.4 MB. These results demonstrate that the model fulfills the requirements for real-time detection and lightweight applications. It is highly suitable for deployment in embedded systems and mobile devices. The improved model presented in this paper enables real-time target recognition and maturity detection for cherry tomatoes. It provides rapid and accurate target recognition guidance for achieving mechanical automatic picking of cherry tomatoes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unknown objects in agricultural soil can be important because they may impact the health and productivity of the soil and the crops that grow in it. Challenges in collecting soil samples present opportunities to utilize Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) image processing and artificial intelligence techniques to identify and locate unidentified objects in agricultural soil, which are important for agriculture. In this study, we used finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulated models to gather training data and predict actual soil conditions. Additionally, we propose a multi-class support vector machine (MSVM) that employs a semi-supervised algorithm to classify buried object materials and locate their position in soil. Then, we extract echo signals from the electromagnetic features of the FDTD simulation model, including soil type, parabolic shape, location, and energy magnitude changes. Lastly, we compare the performance of various MSVM models with different kernel functions (linear, polynomial, and radial basis function). The results indicate that the FDTD-Yee method enhances the accuracy of simulating real agricultural soils. The average recognition rate of the hyperbola position formed by the GPR echo signal is 91.13%, which can be utilized to detect the position and material of unknown and underground objects. For material identification, the directed acyclic graph support vector machine (DAG-SVM) model attains the highest classification accuracy among all soil layers when using an RBF kernel. Overall, our study demonstrates that an artificial intelligence model trained with the FDTD forward simulation model can effectively detect objects in farmland soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bacillomycin D-C16 can induce resistance in cherry tomato against pathogens; however, the underlying molecular mechanism is poorly understood. Here, the effect of Bacillomycin D-C16 on induction of disease resistance in cherry tomato was investigated using a transcriptomic analysis. Results: Transcriptomic analysis revealed a series of obvious enrichment pathways. Bacillomycin D-C16 induced phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathways and activated the synthesis of defense-related metabolites including phenolic acids and lignin. Moreover, Bacillomycin D-C16 triggered a defense response through both hormone signal transduction and plant-pathogen interactions pathways, and increased the transcription of several transcription factors (e.g., AP2/ERF, WRKY and MYB). These transcription factors might contribute to the further activated the expression of defense-related genes (PR1, PR10 and CHI) and stimulated the accumulation of H2O2. Conclusion: Bacillomycin D-C16 can induce resistance in cherry tomato by activating the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway, hormone signal transduction pathway and plant-pathogen interactions pathway, thus activating comprehensive defense reaction against pathogen invasion. These results provided a new insight into the bio-preservation of cherry tomato by the Bacillomycin D-C16. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to the worldwide shortage of 99mTc supply caused by the combined consequence from both decommissioning and maintenance of research reactors worldwide, the Institute of Modern Physics (IMP) of the Chinese Academy of Science and Lanzhou University have launched a collaboration to research and develop a 99mTc production solution based on the 25 MeV high-intensity superconducting proton linear accelerator. Radiation from high-current proton bombardment must be evaluated and considered carefully at the design stage to meet radiation protection (RP) policy and requirements of the shielding for the key device. This work employed FLUKA to conduct the shielding assessment of both prompt and residual radiation fields in several iterations, based on a prototype of the high-power target system. The prompt dose rates outside the target station are lower than the institution's limit. The residual dose rates inside the station fall below 100 μSv/h at 64 h after the end of beam (EOB); the dominant source term is then the target chamber. The service life of the main actuator is expected to be extended by 2.7 times with the current partial shielding design. The simulation accelerating techniques are applied to balance the accuracy of results and the progress of the project at the same time, which is referential to the shielding assessment of large-scale nuclear facilities. The results can also be used in further study and construction of the target station. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

purpose of this study was to explore the predictive value of preprocedural CHA2DS2-VASc score on ISR in patients after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation. Methods: To further investigate the relationship between CHA2DS2-VASc scores and ISR after DES, a retrospective study of DES was carried on. Additionally, the preoperative variables for the ISR and control groups were contrasted. Predictive factors were chosen using the optimal subset regression. We validate the model using internal validation. The prediction model was evaluated using the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis. Results: We used a 3:7 ratio to create an experimental group and a validation group, and then ran a stepwise regression with the data from each of the two groups. The results showed that CHA2DS2-VASc score was an independent risk factor for ISR in both the experimental (p = 0.0139) and validation groups (p = 0.0014), and both had significant predictive value for ISR. The area of the ROC curve was greater than 0.5 in both groups (AUC = 0.78, 0.719, respectively) indicating that the model fit was good in both groups. Conclusion: The CHA2DS2-VASc score is a reliable predictor of in-stent restenosis (ISR) after DES implantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Cyclonic Continuous Centrifugal Separator (CCCS) is a new type of separation equipment developed based on cyclonic continuous centrifugal separation technology and combined with the separation principle of the fluidized bed. Taking hematite as the research object, the main parameters and conditions of the best hematite classification were determined through the classification test by using CCCS. Based on the classification test, the significance order of each process parameter and their interaction with hematite classification efficiency of the underflow products was analyzed with the Response Surface Methodology, the optimal process parameter of hematite classification was obtained and a multiple regression equation was established. The optimized process conditions were as follows, feeding pressure 55.48 kPa, backwash pressure 9.79 kPa, and underflow pressure 31.94 kPa. Under these conditions, the average hematite ore classification efficiency of coarse fraction (-2~+0.15mm), medium fraction (-0.15~+0.074mm) and fine fraction (-0.074mm) were 85.08%, 65.10% and 51.41%, respectively, and the relative errors with the predicted values were 1.6%, 4.0% and 2.5%, respectively. The results showed that the analytical model has good predictive performance. This research provides a certain prospect for the application of Cyclonic Continuous Centrifugal Separation to hematite ore classification. it provides a reference for the application of the Response Surface Methodology in the classification of hematite by Cyclonic Continuous Centrifugal Separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) with high morbidity and mortality is closely associated with an abnormal equilibrium of circulation selenium levels. The oxidative stress theory is the most accepted theory of selenium causing ischemic cardiomyopathy. However, the role of inflammatory responses in ICM has received limited attention. Methods: This study included 119 subjects, 43 of whom were patients with ICM, and 76 were healthy controls. Blood specimens were collected from subjects and serum levels of inflammatory and oxidative stress indicators and plasma levels of selenium were measured. Results: When plasma selenium and indicators of inflammation and oxidative stress were compared between groups, plasma selenium levels were significantly lower in the ICM group than in the control group (68.83874 vs 104.39775, p=0.02032), while indicators of inflammation such as tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) (79.09773 vs 46.15634, p< 0.001), interleukin-6 (IL-6) (49.41484 vs 38.46923, p< 0.01) and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (3.696574 vs 2.383658, p< 0.001) were significantly higher in the ICM group than in the control group (all of these results were statistically different). Additionally, malondialdehyde (MDA), a marker of oxidative stress, was considerably higher in the ICM group than in the control group (61.63078 vs 39.0609, p< 0.01). In contrast, there were no significant differences in superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels between groups (p 0.05). The Poisson regression analysis revealed a significant association between selenium and high levels of MDA, IL-6 and TNF-α (p< 0.05). Additionally, selenium was negatively connected with SOD levels and the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, but this relationship was not statistically significant (p=0.96, 0.15, respectively). Conclusion: Selenium deficiency is strongly associated with the development of ICM, and with levels of inflammation and oxidative stress in patients with ICM. Selenium can prevent the development and delay the progression of ICM by alleviating inflammatory responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cronobacter spp. is an important foodborne pathogen that can cause life‐threatening diseases in infants and immunocompromised adults. The present study was carried out to understand the prevalence and characterization of Cronobacter spp. in dried edible mushrooms in Jiangsu province, China. Cronobacter isolates were identified and genotyped by multilocus sequence typing (MLST); the antimicrobial susceptibility of Cronobacter strains was determined by the disk diffusion method; the biofilm formation ability of Cronobacter spp. was assessed using the microtiter plate method. The overall prevalence of Cronobacter spp. in dried edible mushrooms was 14.8%, with the highest contamination rate of after 37.2% found in Auricularia auricular. The Cronobacter isolates were identified as C. sakazakii (n = 26), C. malonaticus (n = 2), C. dublinensis (n = 2) and C. turicensis (n = 1). The MLST scheme produced 20 sequence types (STs), two of which were newly identified. ST148 was the most prevalent ST (n = 5), followed by ST4 (n = 3), ST17 (n = 3), ST64 (n = 3), and ST540 (n = 2). One (3.2%) and 15 (48.4%) Cronobacter isolates were resistant to tetracycline and meropenem, respectively. In contrast, all of the tested isolates were susceptible to the remaining 14 antibiotics. Moreover, 20 (64.5%) Cronobacter isolates showed weak ability to produce biofilm, but no isolates showed strong or moderate biofilm‐forming ability. Practical Application: Our findings revealed a high genetic diversity of Cronobacter spp. in dried edible mushrooms and provided new epidemiological evidence for the widespread existence of Cronobacter spp. in such products. The presence of Cronobacter spp. in dried edible mushrooms may pose potential risks to human health and enhancing the hygiene of such products are necessary to ensure food safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exhaust is generated by engine flows through a turbocharger, front exhaust pipe, and selective catalytic reduction (SCR) post-treatment device. The structure of the front exhaust pipe affects the temperature, velocity, and turbulent kinetic energy of exhaust and the Sauter Mean Diameter (SMD) of urea water solution (UWS). A high temperature and turbulent kinetic energy in the exhaust will promote the decomposition of UWS, and further accelerate the evaporation and atomization effect of the UWS droplets. Therefore, in order for the exhaust to reach a high temperature and turbulent kinetic energy, a double-layered pipe structure with air insulation was designed. The flow field and the atomization of UWS in the double-layered pipe based on hydroforming processing was investigated through numerical simulation. The thermal insulation simulation was verified by the temperature measurement system and the temperature drops between the double-layered pipe and the volcanic rock-wrapped pipe were also compared. The results indicate that the temperature at the outlet of the designed double-layered pipe was 3.5% higher than that of a single-layered pipe with the same structure, and the velocity at the outlet of the exhaust of the double-layered pipe was 16.1% higher than that of a single-layered pipe. The maximum turbulent kinetic energy in the double-layered pipe was 71 times that of the single-layered pipe. The design is not only conducive to the mixing of UWS and exhaust, but can also improve the atomization performance of UWS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different formulations for 3D printable cementitious composites have been developed for extrusion-based printing. However, there is a lack of configuration guides for actual printing operations, which integrate one printable material and one printing system closely. Three testing methods for configuration determination were proposed and tested with three material proportions, with initial setting times of 2, 8, and 13 min, respectively. The building index (BI) measures the layer stacking stability based on the material, scale, and device. The height reduction test (HRT) quantifies the shortening in the height of the printed filaments. The leaning angle (LA) refers to the maximum slope of the stacked layers. In this study, results showed the critical values were (a) 0.167 for the height reduction ratio (HRR), (b) 40° for LA, and (c) 0~19.1, 0~61.1, and 0~99.4 for BI of the three mixtures. They were the meta parameters used to guide the CAD sketching, material development, and printing configurations, including the printing speed and layer height. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The precision detection of dense small targets in orchards is critical for the visual perception of agricultural picking robots. At present, the visual detection algorithms for plums still have a poor recognition effect due to the characteristics of small plum shapes and dense growth. Thus, this paper proposed a lightweight model based on the improved You Only Look Once version 4 (YOLOv4) to detect dense plums in orchards. First, we employed a data augmentation method based on category balance to alleviate the imbalance in the number of plums of different maturity levels and insufficient data quantity. Second, we abandoned Center and Scale Prediction Darknet53 (CSPDarknet53) and chose a lighter MobilenetV3 on selecting backbone feature extraction networks. In the feature fusion stage, we used depthwise separable convolution (DSC) instead of standard convolution to achieve the purpose of reducing model parameters. To solve the insufficient feature extraction problem of dense targets, this model achieved fine-grained detection by introducing a 152 × 152 feature layer. The Focal loss and complete intersection over union (CIOU) loss were joined to balance the contribution of hard-to-classify and easy-to-classify samples to the total loss. Then, the improved model was trained through transfer learning at different stages. Finally, several groups of detection experiments were designed to evaluate the performance of the improved model. The results showed that the improved YOLOv4 model had the best mean average precision (mAP) performance than YOLOv4, YOLOv4-tiny, and MobileNet-Single Shot Multibox Detector (MobileNet-SSD). Compared with some results from the YOLOv4 model, the model size of the improved model is compressed by 77.85%, the parameters are only 17.92% of the original model parameters, and the detection speed is accelerated by 112%. In addition, the influence of the automatic data balance algorithm on the accuracy of the model and the detection effect of the improved model under different illumination angles, different intensity levels, and different types of occlusions were discussed in this paper. It is indicated that the improved detection model has strong robustness and high accuracy under the real natural environment, which can provide data reference for the subsequent orchard yield estimation and engineering applications of robot picking work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

aim to establish a risk prediction model for ISR in CAD patients undergoing PCI. Methods: A total of 477 CAD patients who underwent PCI with DES (drug-eluting stents) between January 2017 and December 2020 were retrospectively enrolled. And the preoperative factors were compared between the non-ISR and ISR groups. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and multi-factor logistic regression were used for statistical analysis. The prediction model was evaluated using receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis, the Hosmer–Lemeshow 2 statistic, and the calibration curve. Results: In this study, 94 patients developed ISR after PCI. Univariate analysis showed that post-PCI ISR was associated with the underlying disease (COPD), higher Gensini score (GS score), higher LDL-C, higher neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, and higher remnant cholesterol (RC). The multi-factor logistic regression analysis suggested that remnant cholesterol (odds ratio [OR] = 2.09, 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.40– 3.11], P < 0.001), GS score (OR = 1.01, 95% CI [1.00, 1.02], P = 0.002), medical history of COPD (OR = 4.56, 95% CI [1.98, 10.40], P < 0.001), and monocyte (OR = 1.30, 95% CI [1.04, 1.70], P < 0.001) were independent risk factors for ISR. A nomogram was generated and displayed favorable fitting (Hosmer-Lemeshow test P = 0.609), discrimination (area under ROC curve was 0.847), and clinical usefulness by decision curve analysis. Conclusion: Patients with certain preoperative characteristics, such as a history of COPD, higher GS scores, higher levels of RC, and monocytes, who undergo PCI may have a higher risk of developing ISR. The predictive nomogram, based on the above predictors, can be used to help identify patients who are at a higher risk of ISR early on, with a view to provide post-PCI health management for patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Treatment of androgenetic alopecia (AGA) with concurrent electrodynamic microneedling and 5% minoxidil may further stimulate hair growth. To evaluate the efficacy of microneedling combined with 5% minoxidil in Chinese male AGA patients and to explore the underlying mechanisms. Seventy-one male volunteers with AGA completed the entire trial and follow-up. The first group (n = 23) received only 5% minoxidil twice daily for 24 weeks; the second group (n = 23) received only microneedle therapy every 3 weeks for eight treatments; and the third group (n = 25) received the combination treatment for a total of 24 weeks. Changes in hair density and diameter were evaluated before and after treatment every 3 weeks, and patients were followed up at 6 months after the final treatment. In the combination group, a PCR array was used to detect the expression of molecules in the Wnt/β-catenin pathway within the hair loss sites on top of the head before and after treatment and within the scalp tissues from non-hair loss sites on top of the head. The tissues were obtained by punches in the most severe area of hair loss on top of the head and in the adjacent normal hair area without hair loss. Real-time quantitative PCR and western blotting were used to further examine changes in the differentially expressed molecules identified by PCR array (FZD3) and in molecules in the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway closely related to hair growth (β-catenin and LEF-1). Compared to single minoxidil or single microneedle treatment, the combination therapy showed superior therapeutic effects clinically, with further upregulation of FZD3, β-catenin, and LEF-1 expression levels at both mRNA and protein levels in the treated areas. Microneedling combined with 5% minoxidil can improve AGA, and the underlying mechanism may involve activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming to explore the relationship between RC and ISR, we designed a retrospective study of patients with CHD after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation, combining the data from a public database and selecting the best-fitting model by comparing the optical subset with least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression. Results: Analysis of the abovementioned two models showed that the optical subset optimal subset model, which was based on RC, creatine, history of diabetes, smoking, multi-vessel lesions (2 vessels or more lesions), peripheral vascular lesions (PAD), and blood uric acid, had a better fit (AUC = 0.68), and that RC was an independent risk factor for ISR in the abovementioned two models. Notwithstanding its limitation, this study does suggest that RC has good predictive value for ISR. Conclusion: Remnant cholesterol is an independent risk factor for in-stent restenosis after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and is a reliable predictor of ISR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Striae gravidarum is a common dermatologic condition for females caused by multiple factors during pregnancy. It remains a therapeutic challenge especially in the striae alba (SA) stage, generating psychological and emotional distress to those affected. This study aims to compare the efficacy and safety of 1565-nm non-ablative fractional laser (NAFL) and fractional microneedle radiofrequency (MRF) for treatment of SA striae gravidarum. Fourteen Chinese women with SA striae gravidarum were included in this study. Patient abdomens were randomly divided into NAFL and MRF treatment sides, treated three times at 6-week intervals. Treatment efficacy was evaluated by subjective (clinical assessments, patient satisfaction rating, adverse effects assessment) assessments and objective (skin melanin index measurement, histological study) assessments. Clinical assessment suggested MRF was more effective (P = 0.0143) for improving the appearance of SA striae gravidarum. Both NAFL and MRF demonstrated effective improvement (P = 0.0082 and P = 0.0158, respectively), with no significant difference according to patient satisfaction ratings and changes in melanin index (P = 0.5900). Both treatments induced limited adverse reactions, but MRF treatment caused significant pain compared with the more moderate NAFL treatment (P = 0.0003). MRF treatment increased neocollagen and elastic fibers more significantly than NAFL, based on histological assessments (P = 0.0298 and P = 0.0048, respectively). MRF treatment improved collagen regeneration in SA striae gravidarum more than NAFL but caused considerable pain during treatment. Corresponding treatment or therapeutic strategies should be applied according to clinical scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the advent of large-scale social networks, two communication users need to generate session keys with the help of a remote server to communicate securely. In the existing three-party authenticated key exchange (3PAKE) protocols, users' passwords need to be stored on the server; it cannot resist the server disclosure attack. To solve this security problem, we propose a more efficient 3PAKE protocol based on the verification element by adopting a public-key cryptosystem and approximate smooth projection hash (ASPH) function on an ideal lattice. Using the structure of separating authentication from the server, the user can negotiate the session key only after two rounds of communication. The analysis results show that it can improve the efficiency of computation and communication and resist the server disclosure attack, quantum algorithm attack, and replay attack; moreover, it has session key privacy to the server. This protocol can meet the performance requirement of the current communication network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

effects of HHP on the texture properties of eel surimi, eel myofibrillar protein (MP) structure, and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity were studied. In this study, eel surimi samples were treated with HHP at 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, and 600 MPa. Texture profiling analysis results of eel surimi under HHP (> 400 MPa) showed that the hardness, adhesiveness, and chewiness of surimi had significantly increased compared to control, which greatly improved the quality of surimi. HHP could convert the α-helix and β-sheet to random coil and β-turn, enhancing the contents of the interior hydrophobic and reactive sulfhydryl groups. The hardness, adhesiveness, chewiness, and springiness of surimi showed a negative relationship with the α-helix and β-sheet, and a positive correlation with random coil and β-turn. The ACE inhibitory activity of MP after HHP treatment increased, and the ACE inhibitory activity was highly (76.9%) observed at 300 MPa, which was increased by 16.5% compared with that of the control group. A positive relationship between the hydrophobic and ACE inhibitory activity of MP, and a negative relationship with the β-sheet structure were observed. The overall results suggested that structurally induced changes can be a major cause of the significant enhance of texture of surimi and ACE inhibitory activity of MP under HHP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hair loss (HL) is a common chronic problem of poorly defined etiology. Herein, we explored the functionality of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cell (BMSC) and conditioned medium (MSC-CM) as regulators of hair follicle proliferation and regeneration, and the mechanistic basis for such activity. BMSC were cultured and identified in vitro through the induction of multilineage differentiation and the use of a CCK-8 kit. The dorsal skin of mice was then injected with BMSC and MSC-CM, and the impact of these injections on hair cycle transition and hair follicle stem cell (HFSC) proliferation was then evaluated via hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and immunofluorescent (IF) staining. We then conducted a tandem mass tags (TMT)-based quantitative proteomic analysis of control mice and mice treated with BMSC or MSC-CM to identify differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) associated with these treatments. Parallel reaction monitoring (PRM) was utilized as a means of verifying our proteomic analysis results. Herein, we found that BMSC and MSC-CM injection resulted in the transition of telogen hair follicles to anagen hair follicles, and we observed the enhanced proliferation of HFSCs positive for Krt15 and Sox9. Our TMT analyses identified 1,060 and 770 DEPs (fold change＞1.2 or＜0.83 and p ＜ 0.05) when comparing the BMSC vs. control and MSC-CM vs. control groups, respectively. Subsequent PRM validation of 14 selected DEPs confirmed these findings, and led to the identification of Stmn1, Ncapd2, Krt25, and Ctps1 as hub DEPs in a protein-protein interaction network. Together, these data suggest that BMSC and MSC-CM treatment can promote the proliferation of HFSCs, thereby facilitating hair follicle regeneration. Our proteomics analyses further indicate that Krt25, Cpm, Stmn1, and Mb may play central roles in hair follicle transition in this context and may represent viable clinical targets for the treatment of HL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: ARVC is a rare genetic-related disease characterized by fibrous fat replacement in the ventricular myocardium, caused by mutations in genes encoding for the desmosomal proteins, such as the desmoglein-2 gene (DSG2). It is reported in the literature that other genetic factors may play a role in disease penetrance. Herein, we report a Chinese proband with ARVC, which was probably caused by DSG2 p.Val149Ile mutation as genetic background when carrying heterozygous PRRT2 p.Arg217ProfsTer8 mutation. Case Presentation: A 17-year-old male with a history of paroxysmal kinesigenic dyskinesia (PKD) presented to the hospital for syncope induced by ventricular tachycardia. According to relevant clinical data and the diagnostic criteria of ARVC, a precise positive diagnosis of ARVC was finally made. Gene testing revealed that the patient carried a DSG2 heterozygous missense mutation (NM_001943: exon5: c.445G>A, p.Val149Ile) as well as frameshift mutation of PRRT2 (NM_001256442: exon2: p. Arg217Profs Ter8). Conclusion: This is the first time to report a Chinese proband with ARVC and a history of PKD carrying both DSG2 p. val149ile mutation and PRRT2 p. Arg217ProfsTer8 mutation, which can provide a new direction for gene screening of patients with ARVC and further supplements for its diagnostic criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Thyroxine is closely related to cardiovascular diseases, such as coronary heart disease, ventricular arrhythmia, atrioventricular block, myocardial systolic weakness, pericardial effusion, low cardiac output and hypertension. Previous studies have also found that hypothyroidism can also lead to mental disorders. Here, we present a rare case of severe hypothyroidism patient accompanied by sick sinus syndrome (SSS) as a cardiovascular manifestation needing cardiac pacing and severe mental disorders. Case Presentation: A 42-year-old female patient, previously healthy, was referred to our hospital because of bradycardia complicated with sick sinus syndrome which requiring cardiac pacing and severe mental disorders. Her clinical features along with laboratory findings strongly suggested that the patient had severe hypothyroidism with sick sinus syndrome and mental disorders, both of which were reversible and successfully treated with levothyroxine. Conclusion: This is the first reported case of hypothyroidism with sick sinus syndrome requiring pacemakers and psychiatric disorders, and the symptoms can be improved and reversed after thyroxine supplementation. This case highlights the importance of hypothyroidism screening when faced with unexplained psychosis or sick sinus syndrome, especially if combined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was designed to investigate the cytotoxicity of lead acetate (Pb(AC)2, a representative air pollutant) by focusing on PPARγ/caspase-3/PARP apoptotic signaling pathway and to explore the inhibitory effect of PPARγ antagonist on apoptosis of TM3 Leydig cells. MTT assay was utilized to examine cell viability. Cell apoptosis was analyzed using a flow cytometry by staining with Annexin V-PE/7AAD staining and a fluorescence microscope by staining with Hoechst 33,258. The levels of apoptosis-related proteins were examined using western blot. From the results, Pb reduced significantly TM3 cell proliferation in concentration- and time-dependent manner. It increased significantly apoptosis; increased the PPARγ, Bax, procaspase-3, cleaved caspase-3, proPARP, cleaved PARP levels; and decreased Bcl-2 level in Pb-treated TM3 cells as compared to control cells. Furthermore, pretreatment with PPARγ antagonist significantly attenuated the apoptosis and cleavage of caspase-3 and PARP induced by Pb. Our results suggested that Pb induced cytotoxicity on TM3 Leydig cells, at least in part, by increasing PPARγ expression, stimulating cleavage of caspase-3 and PARP, and then induced cell apoptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) is involved in a variety of diseases. Recently, it was found that ERS induces not only apoptosis but also autophagy. Previous studies showed that inhibition of autophagy alleviates cell injury. The purpose of our study was to investigate the involvement of the R-like ER kinase (PERK) in ERS-induced autophagy in H9c2 cardiomyoblasts. To address this aim, therefore, H9c2 cells were treated with PERK agonist and inhibitor after establishment of rapamycin-induced ERS models in H9c2 cardiomyoblasts. Transmission electron microscopy and immunofluorescence staining were used to detect degrees of ERS-induced autophagy, apoptosis and myocardial fibrosis. Western blotting was employed to detect the levels of total and phosphorylated PERK, light chain 3 (LC3), P62, Caspase3, Bcl2 and Bax. Immunofluorescence staining was used to assess α-SMA density. TGF-β induced H9c2 cardiomyoblasts time-dependently upregulated col I, col III, FN, and LC3 expressions, PERK phosphorylation and α-SMA density, and downregulated P62 level compared with control cells. Treatment with PERK agonist and inhibitor respectively increased and decreased LC3 expression, conversely in P62 level, which is consistent with effect of ERS agonists and inhibitors. And a PERK inhibitor upregulated the expressions of Caspase3 and Bax, and downregulated Bcl2 level, which developed H9c2 cardiomyoblasts. Moreover, siRNA-mediated knockdown of PERK reduced ERS mediated autophagy activity and increased cells apoptosis. On the other hand, elevated autophagy activity could downregulated PERK level. Our finding showed that PERK activity mediates upregulation of ERS-induced autophagy and regulation of cardiomyocyte apoptosis in H9c2 cardiomyoblasts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with myocardial ischemic diseases or who are undergoing one of various heart treatments, such as open heart surgery, coronary artery bypass grafting, percutaneous coronary artery intervention or drug thrombolysis, face myocardial ischemia–reperfusion injury (MIRI). However, no effective treatment is currently available for MIRI. To improve the prognosis of people with cardiovascular disease, it is important to research the mechanism of MIRI. Arachidonic acid (AA) is one of the focuses of current research. The various metabolic pathways of AA are closely related to the development of cardiovascular disease, and the roles of various metabolites in ischemia–reperfusion injury have gradually been confirmed. AA is mainly metabolized in the cyclooxygenase (COX) pathway, lipoxygenase (LOX) pathway, and cytochrome P450 monooxygenase (CYP) pathway. This paper summarizes the progress of research on these three major AA metabolic pathways with respect to MIRI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Large-scale retrospective studies of light/laser in treating nasal rosacea were lacking. Objective: The study was aimed to perform a decade retrospection of the patients with nasal rosacea who were treated with light/laser devices. Methods: A study between 2008 and 2017 was performed retrospectively. Categorization of rosacea type (erythema/telangiectasia, ET; papules/pustules, PP; rhinophyma, RP) was made according to the photographs. Device settings, treatment regimens and treatment sessions of light/laser facilities were summarized. Efficacy was evaluated using a grading scale. Results: In all, 807 patients received light/laser treatments. The subtypes of nasal rosacea were ET (n = 196), PP (n = 95), RP (n = 42), ET + PP (n = 334), ET + RP (n = 15), PP + RP (n = 88), and ET + PP + RP (n = 37). The lesions of ET or PP were mainly treated with noninvasive devices (Intense pulsed light, IPL; Dye pulse light, DPL; Dual wavelength laser system, DW) and those of RP were treated with the Fractional carbon dioxide (FCO2) laser. For the mixed subtypes, the general disposal orders of lesions were ET, PP, and later RP, and the fundamental orders of devices application were IPL, DPL, DW, and FCO2 laser. For all types of rosacea except for RP (2–4 sessions), most of the patients received 4–6 sessions of treatments. Of all subtypes of ET, PP, RP, ET + PP, ET + RP, PP + RP, and ET + PP + RP, the patients who achieved more than 50% improvement accounted for 74.5%, 58.3%, 83.3%, 69.2%, 73.3%, 61.4%, and 51.4%, respectively. Conclusion: The multiple, sequential light/laser devices can be safely used in nasal rosacea with various degrees efficacies based on different types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In treating androgenetic alopecia, 5% minoxidil is a commonly used topical drug. By using electrodynamic microneedle at the same time may increase absorption of minoxidil and further stimulate hair growth. Objective: A 24-week, randomized, evaluator blinded, comparative study was performed to evaluate the efficacy of treating Chinese male androgenetic alopecia using microneedle combined with 5% minoxidil topical solution. Methods: Randomized subjects received topical 5% minoxidil (group 1, n = 20), local electrodynamic microneedle treatments (group 2, n = 20), or local electrodynamic microneedle treatments plus topical 5% minoxidil (group 3, n = 20). A total of 12 microneedle treatments were performed every 2 weeks with 2ml 5% minoxidil delivery in group three during each microneedle treatment. Patient receiving topical 5% minoxidil applied 1 ml of the solution twice daily over the course of the study. A total of 60 Chinese male subjects with Norwood-Hamilton type III-VI androgenetic alopecia were treated. Results: The mean improvement in total hair density from baseline to 24 weeks was 18.8/cm2 in group 1, 23.4/cm2 in group 2, and 38.3/cm2 in group 3. The hair growth in the three groups was significantly different (P = 0.002), but there were no significant differences in toxicity found between the three groups. Conclusions: Treatment with microneedle plus topical 5% minoxidil was associated with the best hair growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Background: Alopecia areata (AA) is a relatively common dermatosis with the sudden burst of hair loss on the scalp and other hair‐bearing regions. However, because of high relapse and side effects, no satisfactory therapy has been widely accepted. Objective: To observe the efficiency and safety of the combination therapy of a nonablative fractional (NAF) laser and topical minoxidil for AA. Methods: Eight Chinese AA patients were included in this study. These patients received 10 treatments every two weeks. At every time, the subject was given 10 to 15 mJ of energy with a total intensity of 300 spots/cm2. After the laser treatment, a topical 5% minoxidil tincture was immediately applied twice daily and continued until the final laser treatment. Results: Hair regrowth was observed 1‐2 months after treatment. There was complete regrowth in 2 patients, and the lesions of 2 children with alopecia universalis were covered with 30% and 50% regrowth, respectively. All patients except 1 had no relapse at the 1‐year follow‐up examination. Conclusion: The combination of nonablative laser and topical minoxidil may be a good alternative therapy for AA patients, including alopecia totalis and alopecia universalis, without systemic and local side effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To analyze the anti-tumor mechanism of Baicalin in human colon cancer. The MTT assay and colony formation assay demonstrated that Baicalin treatment inhibits the proliferation of DLD1 and HCT-116 cells. The apoptosis rates were induced upon Baicalin treatment and which was determined by FACS. The qPCR and western blot analysis showed that Baicalin promotes expression of DKK1 (Dickkopf), an important antagonist of Wnt signaling pathway, thereby reduces the expression of its downstream protein β-catenin and c-Myc. Reduction of DKK1 expression by siRNA attenuates β-catenin and c-Myc expression. microRNA-217 (miR-217) is decreased upon Baicalin treatment. Moreover, DKK1 is identified as the direct downstream target gene of miR-217 through the dual-luciferase reporter assay. miR-217/DKK1-mediated inhibition of Wnt signaling pathway participate in apoptosis induced by Baicalin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We used JetPeel, combined with topical minoxidil to treat patients with AGA, in order to observe whether the JetPeel can accelerate the recovery of the disease and find a new method for AGA treatment. Method: Thirty patients who met the standard were included in the study. The patients were randomly divided into three groups. The first group was treated with JetPeel-assisted topical minoxidil. The second group received topical minoxidil monotherapy. The third group was not given any treatment. We used objective evaluation (amount and diameter of hair, oil secretion level) and subjective evaluation (hair growth score marked by dermatologist and patient) to evaluate the hair growth condition before treatment and every other month. The calculatedpvalues of less than 0.05 were accepted as significant. Result: All of the 30 patients finished the study. There was no difference in age, sex, and duration and severity of the disease among groups prior to treatment (p > 0.05). And there was greater improvement in scores of hair growth in the first group compared to the second and third group, which was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Compared with topical minoxidil monotherapy, JetPeel-assisted topical minoxidil is more effective during the treatment of androgenetic alopecia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transcriptomic analysis reveals that bacillomycin D-C16 induces multiple pathways of disease resistance in cherry tomato. B Correction: BMC Genomics 24, 218 (2023) b https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-023-09305-5 Following publication of the original article [[1]], it was reported that there was an error in the presentation of Jing Sun, Yuanhong Li and Yingjian Lu's affiliations. [Extracted from the article]