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Liquid–liquid phase transitions hold a unique and profound significance within condensed matter physics. These transitions, while conceptually intriguing, often pose formidable computational challenges. However, recent advances in neural network (NN) potentials offer a promising avenue to effectively address these challenges. In this paper, we delve into the structural transitions of liquid CdTe, CdS, and their alloy systems using molecular dynamics simulations, harnessing the power of an NN potential named LaspNN. Our investigations encompass both pressure and temperature effects. Through our simulations, we uncover three primary liquid structures around melting points that emerge as pressure increases: tetrahedral, rock salt, and close-packed structures, which greatly resemble those of solid states. In the high-temperature regime, we observe the formation of Te chains and S dimers, providing a deeper understanding of the liquid's atomic arrangements. When examining CdSxTe1−x alloys, our findings indicate that a small substitution of S by Te atoms for S-rich alloys (x > 0.5) exhibits a structural transition much different from CdS, while a large substitution of Te by S atoms for Te-rich alloys (x < 0.5) barely exhibits a structural transition similar to CdTe. We construct a schematic diagram for liquid alloys that considers both temperature and pressure, providing a comprehensive overview of the alloy system's behavior. The local aggregation of Te atoms demonstrates a linear relationship with alloy composition x, whereas that of S atoms exhibits a nonlinear one, shedding light on the composition-dependent structural changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a serious complication of diabetes, and inflammation plays a crucial role. Sirtuin 2 (SIRT2), a NAD+-dependent deacetylase, which is involved in the regulation of cell metabolism, proliferation and longevity through deacetylation. Our previous research showed a positive correlation between urinary SIRT2 levels and renal injury markers in DN patients. Therefore, this study explored the specific role of SIRT2 in DN and its regulatory relationship with inflammatory response. Increased expression of SIRT2 was observed in kidney tissues of DN mice and in HK2 cells induced by HG/PA. SIRT2 knockout mice alleviated microalbuminuria, inflammatory responses, and kidney damage induced by HFD/STZ. In HK2 cells, reducing SIRT2 expression or inhibiting its acetylase activity alleviated the inflammatory response induced by HG/PA, whereas overexpression of SIRT2 exacerbated this response. Further investigation revealed that SIRT2 directly interacts with c-Jun/c-Fos, promoting their deacetylation. And inhibitors of c-Jun/c-Fos partially reversed the upregulation of inflammatory factors caused by SIRT2 overexpression. Meanwhile, disrupting SIRT2 reduced the binding activity between AP-1 and the MCP-1 promoter, while overexpressing SIRT2 further increased their binding activity in HK2 cells. Interestingly, SIRT2 increased its phosphorylation while deacetylating c-Jun, leading to nuclear accumulation of p-c-Jun. In conclusion, SIRT2 knockout can alleviate kidney injury and inflammatory response in HFD/STZ mice. The mechanism is related to the increased acetylation of c-Jun/c-Fos in renal tubular epithelial cells, accompanied by crosstalk between c-Jun phosphorylation and acetylation. Blocking SIRT2 could therefore be a potential therapeutic target for DN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simulation of watershed streamflow is essential for the prevention and control of flood and drought disasters. To improve streamflow simulation, a coupled SWAT-LSTM model was constructed by combining a conceptual process-based hydrological model—Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT)—with a machine learning model—Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM). The coupled model was applied to simulate the daily streamflow of the upper Huaihe River above the Xixian station from 1962 to 2010, which identified the optimal explanatory variables of the model and reduced streamflow simulation errors. Furthermore, four machine learning models, back propagation (BP) neural network, gated recurrent unit (GRU), support vector regression (SVR) and extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), were chosen to assess the effectiveness of coupling SWAT with LSTM in streamflow simulation. Results showed that the coupled SWAT-LSTM model performed satisfactorily in streamflow simulation in the study area, with NSE reaching 0.90 and 0.85 in calibration and validation periods, respectively. The coupled model showed a significant improvement in simulating flood peak and average streamflow in each period, with mean NSE increasing by 0.24 compared to the standalone SWAT model. In comparison to other coupled models (i.e., SWAT-BP, SWAT-GRU, SWAT-SVR, and SWAT-XGB), the mean NSE of SWAT-LSTM exhibited an improvement of 0.02–0.16 during validation period. Furthermore, the coupled model effectively avoided the overfitting problem and had better generalization performance. The findings of this study offer new ideas for streamflow simulation of watersheds and provide references for water resources management and planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diffusion of Li ions plays a vital role and has been the central topic of the Li-ion battery (LIB) research. However, the diffusion behaviors at the cathode/electrolyte interface still remain unclear due to the complexity of interfaces. Despite achieving some progress through ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) and classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, a full understanding of Li-ion diffusion behavior requires direct simulation of the entire interface. This remains challenging due to the inherent limitations of current simulation methods. Here, we develop a global neural network potential to reveal the Li ion diffusion behaviors at the interface between the LiCoO2 cathode and liquid electrolytes (EC, DMC and LiPF6) by performing long-term molecular dynamics simulations. We identify four kinds of interfacial diffusion behaviors by analyzing the trajectories of Li ions. While the inactive Li ions are immobile, the active Li ions can shuttle between the interface and solution regions, hop between different interfacial sites, or diffuse as they would in pure electrolytes. Among all diffusion behaviors, only the diffusion across the interface can contribute to the effective conductivity and thus the device performance. Based on the above findings, we further study the influence of electrolyte concentration and interfacial compounds on the diffusion of interfacial Li ions. We show that 1 mol L−1 LiPF6 has the largest conductivity across the interface, in agreement with the experimental results that 1 mol L−1 LiPF6 is the most suitable electrolyte concentration. We further propose that Li2O could be used as an interface coating to improve the Li ion conductivity across the interface. Our work provides deep atomic insights into the dynamics of Li ions at the cathode/electrolyte interface and is expected to help the optimization of LIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Thermosensitive male sterility (TMS) is a heritable agronomic trait influenced by the interaction between genotype and environment. The anthers of plants are composed of various specialized cells, each of which plays different roles in plant reproduction. In rapeseed (Brassica napus L.), Polima (pol) temperature-sensitive cytoplasmic male sterility (TCMS) is widely used in two-line breeding because its fertility can be partially restored at certain temperatures. The pol-TCMS line exhibits abnormal anther development and pollen abortion at high (restrictive) temperatures (HT, 25 °C) compared to at low (permissive) temperatures (LT, 16 °C). However, the response of different anther cell types to HT and the dynamic regulation of genes under such conditions remain largely unknown. Results: We present the first single-cell transcriptomic atlas of Brassica napus early developing flower bud tissues in response to HT. We identified 8 cell types and 17 transcriptionally distinct cell clusters via known marker genes under LT and HT treatment conditions. Under HT conditions, changes in the gene expression patterns of different cell clusters were observed, with the number of down-regulated genes in various cell types exceeding that of up-regulated genes. Pseudotime trajectory analysis revealed that HT strongly affected the development of early stamen/anther tissue cells. In combination with the snRNA-seq, WGCNA, and bulk RNA-seq results, we found that many transcription factors play crucial roles in the response to HT, especially heat response family genes. Conclusions: Our study revealed the transcriptional regulatory network of floral bud tissue in the pol-TCMS line under HT/LT conditions and increased our understanding of high-temperature-induced anther developmental abnormalities, which may help researchers utilize TCMS in the two-line breeding of Brassica plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global water scarcity, exacerbated by population growth and environmental contamination, makes it imperative to enhance access to water resources. The accelerated evolution of atmospheric water harvesting (AWH) technology presents a valuable opportunity to confront this challenge. Herein, we report a novel solar-driven porous and hygroscopic polypyrrole (PPy)/MOF-801-G/calcium alginate (CA) (PMC) aerogel with a large specific surface area and abundant defect structures. It was shown that the water sorption property of the PMC aerogel was positively correlated with the content of Zr–OH with hydrophilic groups. Moreover, the heat of water adsorption (Qst) of the P0.5MC aerogel (PMC aerogel with 0.5 g of MOF-801-G) was higher than that of MOF-801-G. P0.5MC exhibited excellent water sorption capacity (0.386 g g−1 at 25 °C and 20% RH) and fast solar desorption efficiency and rate. As a proof-of-concept application, the P0.5MC aerogel was further evaluated for collecting water from the air in a homemade outdoor atmospheric water harvesting device. Under outdoor conditions of 32.85 °C and 61.01% RH, 1.081 kgH2O/kgP0.5MC of clean water meeting the World Health Organization (WHO) drinking water standards could be collected in one day. This study provides a strategy to improve sorption capacity by engineering defects as sorption sites and explores the relationship between Zr–OH and hygroscopic properties, paving a new path to improve the working capacity of MOF-801 as a water adsorbent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In long-span bridges and high-rise buildings, closely spaced modes are commonly observed, which greatly increases the challenge of identifying modal parameters. Hilbert–Huang transform (HHT), a widely used method for modal parameter identification, first applies empirical mode decomposition (EMD) to decompose the acquired response and then uses the Hilbert transform (HT) to identify the modal parameters. However, the problem is that the deficiency of mode separation of EMD in HHT limits its application for structures with closely spaced modes. In this study, an improved HHT based on analytical mode decomposition (AMD) is proposed and is used to identify the modal parameters of structures with closely spaced modes. In the improved HHT, AMD is first employed to replace EMD for decomposing the measured response into several mono-component modes. Then, the random decrement technique is applied to the decomposed mono-component modes to obtain the free decay responses. Furthermore, the resulting free decay responses are analyzed by HT to estimate the modal parameters of structures with closely spaced modes. Examples of a simple three-degree-of-freedom system with closely spaced modes, a high-rise building under ambient excitation, and the Ting Kau bridge under typhoon excitations are adopted to validate the accuracy, effectiveness, and applicability of the proposed method. The results demonstrate that the proposed method can efficiently and accurately identify the natural frequencies and damping ratios of structures with closely spaced modes. Moreover, its identification results are more precise compared to those obtained using existing methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chloroplast-related mutants are excellent genetic resources for studying physiological pathways such as photosynthesis, chlorophyll biosynthesis, and chloroplast structure development. They also have certain application values as marker traits in breeding. Our research team discovered a cotyledon yellowing to lethal mutant ytl (yellowing to lethal) from the recurrent selection population of restorer lines. The mutant remained yellowing state after germination and died after 9-15 days of sowing. Previous studies identified a locus trait of cotyledons on the C09 chromosome. Phenotypic observations showed that there were significant differences in plant height and root length between the mutant and the wild-type after 7 days of emergence, which were significantly shorter. Genetic analysis shows that the mutant is controlled by two pairs of recessive nuclear genes. Using unit point segregation population to locate BnaC02. YTL within the physical interval of 418 kb corresponding to the ZS11 reference genome, combined with quantitative analysis and gene comparison sequencing, BnaC02G0055700ZS was identified as a highly likely candidate gene. This study lays the foundation for further precise mapping of the gene BnaC02.YTL and subsequent functional research of mutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aimed to translate the Vocal Fatigue Index (VFI) into Simplified Chinese and test its reliability and validity in mainland China. Methods: The original English version of the VFI was translated and adapted to a Simplified Chinese version (VFI -SC). Fifty-four participants with voice disorders and 21 healthy controls completed the VFI-SC. Sixteen participants with voice disorders completed it again two weeks later. Reliability, validity, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) of the VFI-SC were analyzed. Results: The Cronbach's alpha values for the VFI factor scores were found to be 0.930 for tiredness and avoidance of voice use (factor 1), 0.878 for physical discomfort with voice use (factor 2), and 0.915 for improvement of symptoms with voice rest (factor 3). The test–retest reliability was 0.967 for all three factors. There was a significant difference between the total scores of the patient group and the control group (p < 0.01). Factor 1 and factor 2 were positively correlated with the Voice Handicap Index (VHI-30). The ROC curves showed acceptable intrinsic accuracies for factor 1 (AUC = 0.883), factor 2 (AUC = 0.901), and factor 3 (AUC = 0.800), with cutoff scores of 22, 7, and 9, respectively. Conclusions: This study provides preliminary evidence that the VFI-SC has good reliability and validity. It can be used to screen for clinical symptoms of voice fatigue in mainland China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In microbial cell factories, substrate accessibility to enzyme is a key factor affecting the biosynthesis of natural products. As a robust chassis cells for biofuels and bioproducts, Saccharomyces cerevisiae also encounters the challenge since different enzymes and precursors are typically compartmentalized in different organelles. Such spatial separation could largely limit the efficiency of enzymatic reactions. In this study, the production of the hydrophobic product (vitamin A) was highly improved by metabolic engineering combined with degrading lipid droplets (the primary organelle storing β-carotene) to achieve efficient contact between β-carotene and 15, 15'-β-carotene monooxygenases in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Results: To efficiently produce vitamin A in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, ten 15, 15'-β-carotene monooxygenases (BCMOs) were firstly evaluated. The strain carrying marine bacterium 66A03 (Mb. BCMO) achieved the highest vitamin A titer. Co-adding 10% dodecane and 1% dibutylhydroxytoluene increased vitamin A titer to 19.03 mg/L in two-phase fermentation. Since most β-carotene is stored in LDs while BCMO is located in the cytosol, we developed a strategy to release β-carotene from LDs to better contact with BCMO. By overexpressing TGL3 and TGL4 using an ion-responsive promoter after high accumulation of β-carotene in LDs, LDs were sequentially degraded, which dramatically improved vitamin A production. Finally, by overexpressing tHMG1, ERG20, and CrtI and introducing Vitreoscilla hemoglobin, vitamin A titer reached 219.27 mg/L, which was a 10.52-folds increase over the original strain in shake flasks, and finally reached 1100.83 mg/L in fed-batch fermentation. The effectiveness of LDs degradation on promoting the formation of β-carotene cleaved product has also been verified in β-ionone synthesis with 44.07% increased yield. Conclusions: Overall, our results highlighted the significance of sequential degrading LDs on vitamin A overproduction in recombinant yeast, and verified that combining metabolic and LDs engineering is an efficient strategy to improve vitamin A production. This integrated strategy can be applied to the overproduction of other hydrophobic compounds with similar characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Sarcomas with muscle differentiation (for example, rhabdomyosarcoma, leiomyosarcoma, and pleomorphic sarcoma) are uncommon in the adult bladder. Case presentation: In this case report, we describe a 69-year-old Chinese male patient who presented to the urology outpatient clinic because of intermittent full-course macroscopic hematuria for 10 days. A B ultrasound indicated hypoechoic nodules in the right upper wall of the bladder. Transurethral resection of the bladder tumor and cystoscopic multipoint random biopsy was performed. Postoperative pathological findings showed pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma of the adult bladder. Later, he was transferred to the Department of Medical Oncology of our hospital for further postoperative chemotherapy. The chemotherapy regimen used was intravenous chemotherapy of dacarbazine with doxorubicin. The patient in this case has survived for 12 months postoperatively. Conclusion: From this case, our elderly patient with early pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma of the urinary bladder received transurethral resection of bladder tumor and postoperative chemotherapy, and there had been no recurrence 12 months postoperatively. The aforementioned treatment modality may offer a favorable prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study a new class of differential quasivariational-hemivariational inequalities of the elliptic type. The problem consists of a system coupling the Cauchy problem for an ordinary differential equation with the variational-hemivariational inequalities, unilateral constraints, and history-dependent operators. First, based on the Minty formulation and the continuity of the solution map of a parametrized quasivariational-hemivariational inequality, and a fixed point theorem for a history-dependent operator, we prove a result on the well-posedness. Next, we examine optimal control problems for differential quasivariational-hemivariational inequalities, including a time-optimal control problem and a maximum stay control problem, for which we show the existence of solutions. In all the optimal control problems, the system is controlled through a distributed and boundary control, a control in initial conditions, and a control that appears in history-dependent operators. Finally, we illustrate the results by considering a nonlinear controlled system for a time-dependent elliptic equation with unilateral constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The harmful effects of PM2.5 on human health, including an increased risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD), have raised a lot of attention, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. We used the Shanghai Meteorological and Environmental Animal Exposure System (Shanghai-METAS) to simulate the inhalation of PM2.5 in the real environment and established an animal model by exposing C57BL/6 mice to filtered air (FA) and Particulate Matter (PM2.5) for 8 weeks. PM2.5 impaired the renal function of the mice, and the renal tubules underwent destructive changes. Analysis of NHANES data showed a correlation between reduced kidney function and higher blood levels of PM2.5 components, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dioxins, which are Aryl hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR) ligands. PM2.5 exposure induced higher levels of AhR and CYP1A1 and oxidative stress as evidenced by the higher levels of ROS, MDA, and GSSG in kidneys of mice. PM2.5 exposure led to AhR overexpression and nuclear translocation in proximal renal tubular epithelial cells. Inhibition of AhR reduced CYP1A1 expression and PM2.5-increased levels of ROS, MDA and GSSG. Our study suggested metformin can mitigate PM2.5-induced oxidative stress by inhibiting the AhR/CYP1A1 pathway. These findings illuminated the role of AhR/CYP1A1 pathway in PM2.5-induced kidney injury and the protective effect of metformin on PM2.5-induced cellular damage, offering new insights for air pollution-related renal diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuropathic pain is a debilitating chronic condition that lacks effective treatment. The role of cytokine- and chemokine-mediated neuroinflammation in its pathogenesis has been well documented. Follistatin (FST) is a secreted protein known to antagonize the biological activity of cytokines in the transforming growth factor–β (TGF-β) superfamily. The involvement of FST in neuropathic pain and the underlying mechanism remain largely unknown. Here, we report that FST was up-regulated in A-fiber sensory neurons after spinal nerve ligation (SNL) in mice. Inhibition or deletion of FST alleviated neuropathic pain and reduced the nociceptive neuron hyperexcitability induced by SNL. Conversely, intrathecal or intraplantar injection of recombinant FST, or overexpression of FST in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons, induced pain hypersensitivity. Furthermore, exogenous FST increased neuronal excitability in nociceptive neurons. The biolayer interferometry (BLI) assay and coimmunoprecipitation (co-IP) demonstrated direct binding of FST to the insulin-like growth factor–1 receptor (IGF1R), and IGF1R inhibition reduced FST-induced activation of extracellular signal–regulated kinase (ERK) and protein kinase B (AKT), as well as neuronal hyperexcitability. Further co-IP analysis revealed that the N-terminal domain of FST exhibits the highest affinity for IGF1R, and blocking this interaction with a peptide derived from FST attenuated Nav1.7-mediated neuronal hyperexcitability and neuropathic pain after SNL. In addition, FST enhanced neuronal excitability in human DRG neurons through IGF1R. Collectively, our findings suggest that FST, released from A-fiber neurons, enhances Nav1.7-mediated hyperexcitability of nociceptive neurons by binding to IGF1R, making it a potential target for neuropathic pain treatment. Editor's summary: Neuroinflammation contributes to the pathogenesis of neuropathic pain. The characterization of signaling pathways involved could help to identify new therapeutic targets. Here, Jiang et al. used a mouse model to show that the glycoprotein follistatin (FST) was up-regulated in sensory neurons in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) after spinal nerve ligation. FST injections were sufficient to drive mechanical hypersensitivity and excitability of DRG neurons. FST interacted with insulin-like growth factor–1 receptor, and a peptide that blocked these interactions could alleviate neuropathic pain–related behaviors and FST-mediated voltage-gated sodium channel currents, highlighting a potential therapeutic strategy that warrants further examination. —Daniela Neuhofer [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the impacts of China's carbon mitigation policies spanning from 2011 to 2023 on the stock returns of seven distinct nonrenewable and renewable energy markets. We apply contagion tests, examining variations in linear, asymmetric, and external dependence to identify the transmission of policy shocks from the coal market to energy markets. Among the analyzed carbon reduction policies, both cap-and-trade schemes and coal capacity cut policies present stronger evidence of policy contagion between the coal and energy markets compared to national development plans. Additionally, nonrenewable energy markets demonstrate more pronounced evidence of policy contagion than renewable energy markets during the implementation of carbon reduction plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A major threat is posed to both human society and the environment by geological hazards, necessitating the need for accurate and comprehensive investigation and application in this field. Traditional geological hazard monitoring technologies are not only inefficient, but also fail to accurately delineate affected areas and provide comprehensive disaster data sets, preventing researchers from conducting precise investigations, detection and prevention. Therefore, this article summarizes the application of oblique photography technology through examples, especially its application in the investigation of local geological disasters such as debris flows and landslides, and the use of orthogonal-based corrected single-view oblique photography technology in the investigation of regional geological disasters such as earthquakes. Through summary, it is found that compared with traditional methods, UAV oblique photography technology is more excellent in the accuracy of investigation, detection, prevention, terrain information identification and geological disaster risk factor analysis in geological disasters. UAV oblique photography technology plays a vital role in the investigation, detection and prevention of geological disasters due to its versatility, efficiency and accuracy. It can help create detailed maps and 3D models of terrain by capturing high-resolution images from multiple angles to help identify potential geohazards. It can also detect changes in landforms, vegetation or waterways to provide warning signs for landslides, sinkholes or provide early warning signals for potential geological hazards such as erosion. High-resolution imagery captured by drones allows rescuers to quickly assess impacts on infrastructure, settlements and natural resources, thereby facilitating the efficient allocation of resources for rescue and recovery efforts. Drone oblique photography technology significantly enhances the ability to investigate, detect and prevent geohazards by providing timely, detailed spatial information critical for informed decision-making and proactive disaster management. Additionally considering that drone oblique photography technology may be combined with artificial intelligence algorithms and virtual reality (VR) imaging technology in the future, this integration is expected to improve the efficiency and accuracy of geological disaster management, thus ensuring the safety of human life and property. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accuracy of long-term runoff models can be increased through the input of local weather variables and global climate indices. However, existing methods do not effectively extract important information from complex input factors across various temporal and spatial dimensions, thereby contributing to inaccurate predictions of long-term runoff. In this study, local–global–temporal attention mechanisms (LGTA) were proposed for capturing crucial information on global climate indices on monthly, annual, and interannual time scales. The graph attention network (GAT) was employed to extract geographical topological information of meteorological stations, based on remotely sensed elevation data. A long-term runoff prediction model was established based on long-short-term memory (LSTM) integrated with GAT and LGTA, referred to as GAT–LGTA–LSTM. The proposed model was compared to five comparative models (LGTA–LSTM, GAT–GTA–LSTM, GTA–LSTM, GAT–GA–LSTM, GA–LSTM). The models were applied to forecast the long-term runoff at Luning and Pingshan stations in China. The results indicated that the GAT–LGTA–LSTM model demonstrated the best forecasting performance among the comparative models. The Nash–Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) of GAT–LGTA–LSTM at the Luning and Pingshan stations reached 0.87 and 0.89, respectively. Compared to the GA–LSTM benchmark model, the GAT–LGTA–LSTM model demonstrated an average increase in NSE of 0.07, an average increase in Kling–Gupta Efficiency (KGE) of 0.08, and an average reduction in mean absolute percent error (MAPE) of 0.12. The excellent performance of the proposed model is attributed to the following: (1) local attention mechanism assigns a higher weight to key global climate indices at a monthly scale, enhancing the ability of global and temporal attention mechanisms to capture the critical information at annual and interannual scales and (2) the global attention mechanism integrated with GAT effectively extracts crucial temporal and spatial information from precipitation and remotely-sensed elevation data. Furthermore, attention visualization reveals that various global climate indices contribute differently to runoff predictions across distinct months. The global climate indices corresponding to specific seasons or months should be selected to forecast the respective monthly runoff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapeseed (Brassica napus) is an important oilseed crop worldwide. Plant vascular tissues are responsible for long-distance transport of water and nutrients and for providing mechanical support. The lateral roots absorb water and nutrients. The genetic basis of vascular tissue and lateral root development in rapeseed remains unknown. This study characterized an ethyl methanesulfonate-mutagenized rapeseed mutant, T16 , which showed dwarf stature, reduced lateral roots, and leaf wilting. SEM observations showed that the internode cells were shortened. Observations of tissue sections revealed defects in vascular bundle development in the stems and petioles. Genetic analysis revealed that the phenotypes of T16 were controlled by a single semi-dominant nuclear gene. Map-based cloning and genetic complementarity identified BnaA03.IAA13 as the functional gene; a G-to-A mutation in the second exon changed glycine at position 79 to glutamic acid, disrupting the conserved degron motif VGWPP. Transcriptome analysis in roots and stems showed that auxin and cytokinin signaling pathways were disordered in T16. Evolutionary analysis showed that AUXIN/INDOLE-3-ACETIC ACID is conserved during plant evolution. The heterozygote of T16 showed significantly reduced plant height while maintaining other agronomic traits. Our findings provide novel insights into the regulatory mechanisms of vascular tissue and lateral root development, and offer a new germplasm resource for rapeseed breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Evidence suggests that insulin resistance (IR) is an autonomous risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Nevertheless, the association between estimated glucose disposal rate (eGDR), a novel indicator of IR, and incident CVD and mortality in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients without diabetes remains uncertain. Methods: The study included 19,906 participants from the UK Biobank who had an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 60 ml/min/1.73m2 or a urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) ≥ 30 mg/g and no history of CVD and diabetes. Individuals were divided into three categories based on tertiles of eGDR. The outcome was a composite CVD (coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke) and mortality (all-cause, non-accidental, and cardiovascular mortality). Furthermore, a cohort of 1,600 individuals from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) was applied to validate the association between eGDR and mortality. The Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to examine the association between eGDR and event outcomes. Results: During a follow-up of around 12 years, 2,860 CVD, 2,249 CHD, 783 stroke, 2,431 all-cause, 2,326 non-accidental and 492 cardiovascular deaths were recorded from UK Biobank. Higher eGDR level was not only associated with lower risk of CVD (hazard ratio [HR] 0.641, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.559–0.734), CHD (HR 0.607, 95% CI 0.520–0.709), stroke (HR 0.748, 95% CI 0.579–0.966), but also related to reduced risk of all-cause (HR 0.803, 95% CI 0.698–0.923), non-accidental (HR 0.787, 95% CI 0.682–0.908), and cardiovascular mortality (HR 0.592, 95% CI 0.423–0.829). Validation analyses from NHANES yielded consistent relationship on mortality. Conclusions: In these two large cohorts of CKD patients without DM, a higher eGDR level was associated with a decreased risk of CVD and mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perioperative anesthetic management entails a multitude of decision-making processes within complex medical scenarios. These demand the continuous and dynamic execution of precise decisions which poses significant challenges. In the age of big data, the exponential growth in data volume from diverse sources has revolutionized many fields, including healthcare, finance, and marketing. Machine learning has emerged as a powerful tool for analyzing big data, enabling the handling of large datasets and uncovering intricate patterns and relationships. The application of big data and artificial intelligence algorithms is gradually being integrated, enabling effective task completion in various stages of perioperative management, including risk prediction, decision support, and auxiliary examination. Through in-depth analysis of big data, healthcare professionals can gain insights into patient prognoses. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the distinctive features of perioperative big data and its applications in anesthesia management during the perioperative period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a Brassica crop, Brassica napus typically has single flowers that contain four petals. The double-flower phenotype of rapeseed has been a desirable trait in China because of its potential commercial value in ornamental tourism. However, few double-flowered germplasms have been documented in B. napus, and knowledge of the underlying genes is limited. Here, B. napus D376 was characterized as a double-flowered strain that presented an average of 10.92 ± 1.40 petals and other normal floral organs. F1, F2 and BC1 populations were constructed by crossing D376 with a single-flowered line reciprocally. Genetic analysis revealed that the double-flower trait was a recessive trait controlled by multiple genes. To identify the key genes controlling the double-flower trait, bulk segregant analysis sequencing (BSA-seq) and RNA-seq analyses were conducted on F2 individual bulks with opposite extreme phenotypes. Through BSA-seq, one candidate interval was mapped at the region of chromosome C05: 14.56–16.17 Mb. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses revealed that the DEGs were significantly enriched in carbohydrate metabolic processes, notably starch and sucrose metabolism. Interestingly, five and thirty-six DEGs associated with floral development were significantly up- and down-regulated, respectively, in the double-flowered plants. A combined analysis of BSA-seq and RNA-seq data revealed that five genes were candidates associated with the double flower trait, and BnaC05.ERS2 was the most promising gene. These findings provide novel insights into the breeding of double-flowered varieties and lay a theoretical foundation for unveiling the molecular mechanisms of floral development in B. napus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are the prominent cell type in the tumor microenvironment (TME), and CAF subsets have been identified in various tumors. However, how CAFs spatially coordinate other cell populations within the liver TME to promote cancer progression remains unclear. Methods: We combined multi-region proteomics (6 patients, 24 samples), 10X Genomics Visium spatial transcriptomics (11 patients, 25 samples), and multiplexed imaging (92 patients, 264 samples) technologies to decipher the expression heterogeneity, functional diversity, spatial distribution, colocalization, and interaction of fibroblasts. The newly identified CAF subpopulation was validated by cells isolated from 5 liver cancer patients and in vitro functional assays. Results: We identified a liver CAF subpopulation, marked by the expression of COL1A2, COL4A1, COL4A2, CTGF, and FSTL1, and named F5-CAF. F5-CAF is preferentially located within and around tumor nests and colocalizes with cancer cells with higher stemness in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Multiplexed staining of 92 patients and the bulk transcriptome of 371 patients demonstrated that the abundance of F5-CAFs in HCC was associated with a worse prognosis. Further in vitro experiments showed that F5-CAFs isolated from liver cancer patients can promote the proliferation and stemness of HCC cells. Conclusions: We identified a CAF subpopulation F5-CAF in liver cancer, which is associated with cancer stemness and unfavorable prognosis. Our results provide potential mechanisms by which the CAF subset in the TME promotes the development of liver cancer by supporting the survival of cancer stem cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bone morphogenetic protein 9 (BMP9) is a hepatokine that plays a pivotal role in the progression of liver diseases. Moreover, an increasing number of studies have shown that BMP9 is associated with hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS), but its role in HPS is unclear. Here, we evaluated the influence of CBDL on BMP9 expression and investigated potential mechanisms of BMP9 signalling in HPS. Methods: We profiled the circulating BMP9 levels in common bile duct ligation‐induced HPS rat model, and then investigated the effects and mechanisms of HPS rat serum on pulmonary vascular endothelial dysfunction in rat model, as well as in primarily cultured rat pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells. Results: Our data revealed that circulating BMP9 levels were significantly increased in the HPS rats compared to control group. Besides, the elevated BMP9 in HPS rat serum was not only crucial for promoting endothelial cell proliferation and tube formation through the activin receptor‐like kinase1 (ALK1)‐Endoglin‐Smad1/5/9 pathway, but also important for accumulation of monocytes. Treatments with ALK1‐Fc or silencing ALK1 expression to inhibit the BMP9 signalling pathway effectively eliminated these effects. In agreement with these observations, increased circulating BMP9 was associated with an increase in lung vessel density and accumulation of pro‐angiogenic monocytes in the microvasculature in HPS rats. Conclusions: This study provided evidence that elevated circulating BMP9, secreted from the liver, promote pulmonary angiogenesis in HPS rats via ALK1‐Endoglin‐Smad1/5/9 pathway. In addition, BMP9‐regulated pathways are also involved in accumulation of pro‐angiogenic monocytes in the pulmonary microvasculature in HPS rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: The successful interaction between pollen and stigma is a critical process for plant sexual reproduction, involving a series of intricate molecular and physiological events. After self‐compatible pollination, a significant reduction in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production has been observed in stigmas, which is essential for pollen grain rehydration and subsequent pollen tube growth. Several scavenging enzymes tightly regulate ROS homeostasis. However, the potential role of these ROS‐scavenging enzymes in the pollen‐stigma interaction in Brassica napus remains unclear. Here, we showed that the activity of ascorbate peroxidase (APX), an enzyme that plays a crucial role in the detoxification of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), was modulated depending on the compatibility of pollination in B. napus. We then identified stigma‐expressed APX1s and generated pentuple mutants of APX1s using CRISPR/Cas9 technology. After compatible pollination, the BnaAPX1 pentuple mutants accumulated higher levels of H2O2 in the stigma, while the overexpression of BnaA09.APX1 resulted in lower levels of H2O2. Furthermore, the knockout of BnaAPX1 delayed the compatible response‐mediated pollen rehydration and germination, which was consistent with the effects of a specific APX inhibitor, ρ‐Aminophenol, on compatible pollination. In contrast, the overexpression of BnaA09.APX1 accelerated pollen rehydration and germination after both compatible and incompatible pollinations. However, delaying and promoting pollen rehydration and germination did not affect the seed set after compatible and incompatible pollination in APX1 pentuple mutants and overexpression lines, respectively. Our results demonstrate the fundamental role of BnaAPX1 in pollen rehydration and germination by regulating ROS homeostasis during the pollen‐stigma interaction in B. napus. Significance Statement: Our research found that self‐incompatibility in Brassica napus requires the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in the stigma. We identified the importance of BnaAPX1 in regulating ROS homeostasis, which is critical for pollen rehydration and germination in B. napus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Accurate measurement of hemoglobin concentration is essential for various medical scenarios, including preoperative evaluations and determining blood loss. Traditional invasive methods are inconvenient and not suitable for rapid, point-of-care testing. Moreover, current models, due to their complex parameters, are not well-suited for mobile medical settings, which limits the ability to conduct frequent and rapid testing. This study aims to introduce a novel, compact, and efficient system that leverages deep learning and smartphone technology to accurately estimate hemoglobin levels, thereby facilitating rapid and accessible medical assessments. Methods: The study employed a smartphone application to capture images of the eye, which were subsequently analyzed by a deep neural network trained on data from invasive blood test data. Specifically, the EGE-Unet model was utilized for eyelid segmentation, while the DHA(C3AE) model was employed for hemoglobin level prediction. The performance of the EGE-Unet was evaluated using statistical metrics including mean intersection over union (MIOU), F1 Score, accuracy, specificity, and sensitivity. The DHA(C3AE) model's performance was assessed using mean absolute error (MAE), mean-square error (MSE), root mean square error (RMSE), and R^2. Results: The EGE-Unet model demonstrated robust performance in eyelid segmentation, achieving an MIOU of 0.78, an F1 Score of 0.87, an accuracy of 0.97, a specificity of 0.98, and a sensitivity of 0.86. The DHA(C3AE) model for hemoglobin level prediction yielded promising outcomes with an MAE of 1.34, an MSE of 2.85, an RMSE of 1.69, and an R^2 of 0.34. The overall size of the model is modest at 1.08 M, with a computational complexity of 0.12 FLOPs (G). Conclusions: This system presents a groundbreaking approach that eliminates the need for supplementary devices, providing a cost-effective, swift, and accurate method for healthcare professionals to enhance treatment planning and improve patient care in perioperative environments. The proposed system has the potential to enable frequent and rapid testing of hemoglobin levels, which can be particularly beneficial in mobile medical settings. Trial Registration: The clinical trial was registered on the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (No. ChiCTR2100044138) on 20/02/2021. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the fifth generation European Center for Medium-range Weather Forecasts (ERA5) reanalysis data, we present a detailed examination of the climatological features of convectively coupled Kelvin waves (CCKWs) over the Indian and Pacific basins. The composited horizontal structure of Indian CCKWs resembles the theoretical Kelvin waves, with a maximum wave response at the equator. In contrast, the Pacific counterpart exhibits a very different pattern, characterized by a significant northward shift of the convective center, along with enhanced meridional winds and a relatively stronger wave response. The moist static energy (MSE) budget analysis is conducted to elucidate the physical factors that control the energetics of CCKWs. Despite the marked contrast in horizontal structure between Pacific and Indian CCKWs, the energy cycle and the physical factors that maintain this cycle are rather similar. During the recharge period (days -2 and -1), the column process (including vertical MSE advection, apparent heat source and moisture sink) functions to destabilize the atmosphere by importing the MSE; while the horizontal MSE advection tends to destabilize the atmosphere on day -2 but starts to stabilize the atmosphere earlier on day -1. During the discharge and transition period (from days 0 to + 2), the column process functions to stabilize the atmosphere by exporting the MSE; while the horizontal MSE advection inclines to stabilize the atmosphere on days 0 and + 1 but again starts to destabilize the atmosphere earlier on day + 2. The leading of horizontal MSE advection to the recharge-discharge cycle clearly points out the importance of the former in driving the eastward propagation of CCKWs. Both the horizontal MSE advection and column process are vital in maintaining the energy cycle of CCKWs, as they often take turns leading the role in recharging and discharging the atmosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we deal with a class of second-order evolutionary history-dependent variational–hemivariational inequalities with constraint. The unique solvability of the considered second-order evolutionary inequality problem is established via a surjectivity result combined with a fixed point theorem. Moreover, we construct a regularized problem for such second-order evolutionary history-dependent variational–hemivariational inequality and show the convergence of the regularized solutions toward the solution of the original problem under some mild assumptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe deformation of GW103k magnesium alloy cabin in heat treatment is easily to cause failure in the subsequent assembly process. Its deformation variation and stress distribution in heat treatment were investigated in this study to acquire the methods for deformation control. Firstly, the finite element model of heat treatment process of castings was established, and the stress and deformation evolution of was obtained. Secondly, the effect of residual stress and structural stiffness on the variation of deformation was analyzed and a method of support tooling was adopted to decrease the deformation in heat treatment. Thirdly, the effect of tooling parameters on the deformation was investigated and a quantitative calculation model was established between the tooling section parameters and the maximum radial deformation of the cabin. And the stress distribution of the cabin has been verified by experiments. The results showed that the local stress reached 130 MPa with heterogeneous residual distribution before heat treatment. The maximum radial deformation reached 5.7 mm after heat treatment. Deformation was induced by the released residual stresses on top of the cabin during the preheating stage. The asymmetric buckling deformation of the top of the cabin was determined by the uneven stiffness distribution. Deformation of the cabin after heat treatment could be effectively reduced by adding the internal support tooling with spoke-shaped on the top end face bumps of the cabin. By the simulation results, when a spoke-shaped tooling with a sectional dimension of 40 mm × 60 mm was used to support the bumps at the top of the cabin, the deformation inhabitation could reach the minimum of 0.8 mm. And the deformation suppression rate reached 85.9%. This work can provide a accurately controlled deformation suppression scheme for similar thin-wall cabin castings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Branch angle (BA) is a critical morphological trait that significantly influences planting density, light interception and ultimately yield in plants. Despite its importance, the regulatory mechanism governing BA in rapeseed remains poorly understood. In this study, we generated 109 transcriptome data sets for 37 rapeseed accessions with divergent BA phenotypes. Relative to adaxial branch segments, abaxial segments accumulated higher levels of auxin and exhibited lower expression of six TCP1 homologues and one GA20ox3. A co‐expression network analysis identified two modules highly correlated with BA. The modules contained homologues to known BA control genes, such as FUL, YUCCA6, TCP1 and SGR3. Notably, a homoeologous exchange (HE), occurring at the telomeres of A09, was prevalent in large BA accessions, while an A02‐C02 HE was common in small BA accessions. In their corresponding regions, these HEs explained the formation of hub gene hotspots in the two modules. QTL‐seq analysis confirmed that the presence of a large A07‐C06 HE (~8.1 Mb) was also associated with a small BA phenotype, and BnaA07.WRKY40.b within it was predicted as candidate gene. Overexpressing BnaA07.WRKY40.b in rapeseed increased BA by up to 20°, while RNAi‐ and CRISPR‐mediated mutants (BnaA07.WRKY40.b and BnaC06.WRKY40.b) exhibited decreased BA by up to 11.4°. BnaA07.WRKY40.b was exclusively localized to the nucleus and exhibited strong expression correlations with many genes related to gravitropism and plant architecture. Taken together, our study highlights the influence of HEs on rapeseed plant architecture and confirms the role of WRKY40 homologues as novel regulators of BA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nosocomial bloodstream infections (nBSI) have emerged as a clinical concern for physicians treating COVID-19 patients. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a multiplex ddPCR in detecting bacterial pathogens in the blood of COVID-19 critically ill patients. Methods: This prospective diagnostic study included RT-PCR-confirmed COVID-19 patients admitted to our hospital from December 2022 to February 2023. A multiplex ddPCR assay was used to detect common bacterial pathogens and AMR genes in blood samples of the patients, along with antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST). The diagnostic performance of the ddPCR assay was evaluated by comparing the results with those obtained through blood culture and clinical diagnosis. Additionally, the ability of ddPCR in detecting bacterial resistance was compared with the AST results. Results: Of the 200 blood samples collected from 184 patients, 45 (22.5%) were positive using blood culture, while 113 (56.5%) were positive for bacterial targets using the ddPCR assay. The ddPCR assay outperformed blood culture in pathogen detection rate, mixed infection detection rate, and fungal detection rate. Acinetobacter baumannii and Klebsiella pneumoniae were the most commonly detected pathogens in COVID-19 critically ill patients, followed by Enterococcus and Streptococcus. Compared to blood culture, ddPCR achieved a sensitivity of 75.5%, specificity of 51.0%, PPV of 30.9%, and NPV of 87.8%, respectively. However, there were significant differences in sensitivity among different bacterial species, where Gram-negative bacteria have the highest sensitivity of 90.3%. When evaluated on the ground of clinical diagnosis, the sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV of ddPCR were 78.1%, 90.5%, 94.7%, and 65.5%, respectively. In addition, the ddPCR assay detected 23 cases of blaKPC, which shown a better consistent with clinical test results than other detected AMR genes. Compared to blaKPC, there were few other AMR genes detected, indicating that the application of other AMR gene detection in the COVID-19 critically ill patients was limited. Conclusion: The multiplex ddPCR assay had a significantly higher pathogen detection positivity than the blood culture, which could be an effective diagnostic tool for BSIs in COVID-19 patients and to improve patient outcomes and reduce the burden of sepsis on the healthcare system, though there is room for optimization of the panels used.- Adjusting the targets to include E. faecalis and E. faecium as well as Candida albicans and Candida glabrata could improve the ddPCR' s effectiveness. However, further research is needed to explore the potential of ddPCR in predicting bacterial resistance through AMR gene detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapeseed, an important oil crop, relies on robust seedling emergence for optimal yields. Seedling emergence in the field is vulnerable to various factors, among which inadequate self-supply of energy is crucial to limiting seedling growth in early stage. SUGAR-DEPENDENT1 (SDP1) initiates triacylglycerol (TAG) degradation, yet its detailed function has not been determined in B. napus. Here, we focused on the effects of plant growth during whole growth stages and energy mobilization during seedling establishment by mutation in BnSDP1. Protein sequence alignment and haplotypic analysis revealed the conservation of SDP1 among species, with a favorable haplotype enhancing oil content. Investigation of agronomic traits indicated bnsdp1 had a minor impact on vegetative growth and no obvious developmental defects when compared with wild type (WT) across growth stages. The seed oil content was improved by 2.0–2.37% in bnsdp1 lines, with slight reductions in silique length and seed number per silique. Furthermore, bnsdp1 resulted in lower seedling emergence, characterized by a shrunken hypocotyl and poor photosynthetic capacity in the early stages. Additionally, impaired seedling growth, especially in yellow seedlings, was not fully rescued in medium supplemented with exogenous sucrose. The limited lipid turnover in bnsdp1 was accompanied by induced amino acid degradation and PPDK-dependent gluconeogenesis pathway. Analysis of the metabolites in cotyledons revealed active amino acid metabolism and suppressed lipid degradation, consistent with the RNA-seq results. Finally, we proposed strategies for applying BnSDP1 in molecular breeding. Our study provides theoretical guidance for understanding trade-off between oil accumulation and seedling energy mobilization in B. napus.Key message: Mutation in BnSDP1 exhibited developmental pleiotropy, enhancing the oil content in mature stage and reduced seedling emergence in seedling stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Glycopyrrolate is commonly researched as a preoperative medication or in conjunction with cholinesterase inhibitors to counteract the lingering muscarinic effects of non-depolarizing muscarinic agents. However, studies have yielded inconsistent results regarding the superiority of glycopyrrolate over other anti-cholinergic drugs, such as atropine, particularly its effect on heart rate, blood pressure (BP), and glandular secretions. This study aimed to evaluate the differences in perioperative oral secretions, hemodynamics, and recovery quality with glycopyrrolate versus those with atropine before anesthesia induction in children undergoing tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy. Methods: In this prospective, single-center, randomized, double-blind, controlled trial, a total of 103 children were randomly assigned to group A (n = 51, glycopyrrolate 0.005 mg/kg) or B (n = 52, atropine 0.01 mg/kg). The follow-up anesthetic induction and maintenance protocols were the same in both groups. Vital signs, duration of surgery, extubation time, degree of wetness around the vocal cords during tracheal intubation, weight of oral secretions, and perioperative complications were recorded. Results: No significant differences were observed in the degree of wetness around the vocal cords during tracheal intubation, as well as in the weight of oral secretions, duration of surgery, or extubation time, between the two groups. The intraoperative and postoperative heart rates were lower in group A than in group B (110.18 ± 10.58 vs. 114.94 ± 11.14, p = 0.028; 96.96 ± 10.81 vs. 103.38 ± 10.09, p = 0.002). The differences observed in the intraoperative and preoperative heart rates were lower in group A than in group B (23.84 ± 9.62 vs. 29.65 ± 8.75, p = 0.002). The differences observed in the postoperative and preoperative heart rates were lower in group A than in group B (10.63 ± 9.97 vs. 18.09 ± 9.39, p = 0.000). Conclusion: Glycopyrrolate showed a smoother change in heart rate than atropine during and after tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy, with no effect on BP or recovery quality, and did not increase oral secretions. The findings indicate that glycopyrrolate can serve as an alternative to atropine to prevent secretions in anesthesia induction for tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy in children. Trial registration: This study was registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (Registration Number: ChiCTR2200063578; Date of Registration: 12/09/2022). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate whether Dex protects pulmonary and renal function via its anti-inflammatory effects in elderly patients undergoing prolonged major hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery. Design and Setting: Between October 2019 and December 2020, this randomized controlled trial was carried out at a tertiary hospital in Chongqing, China. Patients: 86 patients aged 60– 75 who underwent long-duration (> 4 hrs) hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery without significant comorbidities were enrolled and randomly assigned into two groups at a 1:1 ratio. Interventions: Patients were given either Dex or an equivalent volume of 0.9% saline (Placebo) with a loading dose of 1 μg kg− 1 for 10 min, followed by 0.5 μg kg− 1 hr− 1 for maintenance until the end of surgery. Main Outcome Measures: The changes in serum concentrations of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were primary outcomes. Results: At one hour postoperatively, serum IL-6 displayed a nine-fold increase (P< 0.05) in the Placebo group. Administration of Dex decreased IL-6 to 278.09 ± 45.43 pg/mL (95% CI: 187.75 to 368.43) compared to the Placebo group (P=0.019; 432.16 ± 45.43 pg/mL, 95% CI: 341.82 to 522.50). However, no significant differences in TNF-α were observed between the two groups. The incidence of postoperative acute kidney injury was twice as high in the Placebo group (9.30%) compared to the Dex group (4.65%), and the incidence of postoperative acute lung injury was 23.26% in the Dex group, lower than that in the Placebo group (30.23%), although there was no statistical significance between the two groups. Conclusion: Dex administration in elderly patients undergoing major hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery reduces inflammation and potentially protects kidneys and lungs. Registration: Chinese Clinical Trials Registry, identifier: ChiCTR1900024162, on 28 June 2019. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ubiquitination is an important post-translational modification. However, the significance of the TRIM family of E3 ubiquitin ligases in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) has not been determined. In this study, the roles of TRIM E3 ubiquitin ligases in lymphovascular invasion in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) were evaluated. Materials and Methods: TRIM expression and related parameters were obtained from UbiBrowser2.0, UALCAN, TIMER, TISIDB, LinkedOmics, STRING, and GeneMANIA databases. Immunohistochemistry was used to confirm their expression. Results: TRIM2, TRIM11, TRIM28, and TRIM56 were upregulated in HNSCC with lymphovascular invasion. TRIM expression was strongly associated with immune infiltration, including key treatment targets, like PD-1 and CTL4. Co-expressed genes and possible ubiquitination substrates included tumor-related factors. The TRIMs had predicted roles in ubiquitination-related pathways and vital signaling pathways, eg, MAPK, PI3K-Akt, and JAK-STAT signaling pathways. Conclusion: Ubiquitination mediated by four TRIMs might be involved in the regulation of tumor immunity, laying the foundation for future studies of the roles of the TRIM family on the prediction and personalized medicine in HNSCC. The four TRIMs might exert oncogenic effects by promoting lymphovascular invasion in HNSCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The causal effect and pathways of gut microbiota and plasma metabolome on lung cancer have been important topics for personalized medicine; however, the heterogeneity of lung cancer subtypes has not gained enough attention in previous studies. This study sought to employ a Mendelian randomization analysis to screen the specific gut microbiota and plasma metabolome, which may have a causal effect on lung cancer. We further extended our analysis to estimate the effects of these exposures on various pathological subtypes of lung cancer. Furthermore, a mediation analysis was performed to identify the potential pathway underlying the influence of microbiota and metabolites. Our study identified 13 taxa and 15 metabolites with a causal association with the overall risk of lung cancer. Furthermore, we found 8 taxa and 14 plasma metabolites with a causal effect on lung adenocarcinoma, 4 taxa and 10 metabolites with a causal effect on squamous cell lung carcinoma, and 7 taxa and 16 metabolites with a causal effect on SCLC. We also identified seven mediation pathways that could potentially elucidate the influence of these microbiota and metabolites on overall lung cancer or special subtypes. Our study highlighted the heterogeneity of the gut microbiome and plasma metabolome in a lung cancer subtype and elucidated the potential underlying mechanisms. This could pave the way for more personalized lung cancer prevention and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]