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Preeclampsia (PE) is associated with increased angiotensin II sensitivity and poor neurological outcomes marked by temporal loss of neural control of blood pressure. Yet the role of centrally expressed angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) within the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) in the PE model is not understood. In a PE rat model with reduced placental perfusion pressure (RUPP) induced on gestational day 14 (GD14), the PVN expression and cellular localization of AT1R were assessed using immunofluorescence and western blotting. The sensitivity of RUPP to acute angiotensin II infusion was assessed. AT1R was antagonized by losartan (100 µg/kg/day) for 5 days intracerebroventricularly (ICV). Hemodynamic data and samples were collected on GD19 for further analysis. RUPP upregulated (p < 0.05) mRNA and protein of AT1R within the PVN and lowered (p < 0.05) circulating angiotensin II in rats. RUPP increased neural and microglial activation. Cellular localization assessment revealed that AT1R was primarily expressed in neurons and slightly in microglia and astrocytes. Infusion of 100 ng/kg as bolus increased the mean arterial pressure (MAP in mmHg) in both RUPP and Sham. ICV losartan infusion attenuated RUPP-increased MAP (113.6 ± 6.22 in RUPP vs. 92.16 ± 5.30 in RUPP + Los, p = 0.021) and the expression of nuclear transcription factor NF-κB, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the PVN. Our data suggest that centrally expressed AT1R, within the PVN, contributes to placental ischemia–induced hypertension in RUPP rats highlighting its therapeutic potential in PE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the impact of Chinese fiscal decentralization on public service satisfaction using the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) data from 2012 to 2020. The findings reveal that fiscal decentralization has a significantly positive effect on public service satisfaction in China. This result remains robust when subjected to various tests. Moreover, this study finds that the enhancement of public service satisfaction is more pronounced in the eastern regions, compared to the central and western regions. Additionally, this study suggests that both economic pressure and corruption have a negative moderating effect on the promotion of fiscal decentralization on public service satisfaction, while marketization has a positive moderating effect. These findings provide a deeper understanding of the factors that promote public service satisfaction in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background : Micrococcus antarcticus (M. antarcticus) is an aerobic Gram-positive spherical actinobacterium that was initially isolated from Chinese Great-Wall station in Antarctica in 2000. M. antarcticus was considered to be of low pathogenicity, no previous cases of human infection by this organism have been reported. Here we describe the first report with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) caused by M. antarcticus. Case presentation: An 87-year-old female was presented to the Central Hospital of Wuhan in November 2023 with a chief complaint of cough, sputum production, and chest tightness for 2 weeks. Microbial culture of the patient's bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and identification of the isolates using Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization/time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed M. antarcticus infection. Combined with clinical symptoms, laboratory and imaging examination, the patient was diagnosed with CAP. Then cefoperazone/sulbactam and levofloxacin was administrated, the patient's condition was improved and she was discharged after a week after admission, no abnormalities were detected during a 5-month follow-up. Conclusions: This case highlights that M. antarcticus, first identified from a patient with CAP, is an extremely rare pathogenic microorganism. Clinicians should be aware of its potential as a pathogen in the diagnosis and treatment of CAP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing production and circulation of fresh food, society's requirements for product quality have also increased. Currently, upstream and downstream enterprises in the fresh food supply chain tend to delegate the cold chain transportation of fresh food to third–party cold chain logistics (CCL) service providers who offer more professional integrated preservation services. This study adopts coordination theory to research the delegation, coordination, and incentive strategies between a Fresh Food Producer, Distributor, and CCL Service Provider. The aim is to promote the efforts of the CCL Service Provider in improving freshness and achieving the overall optimal interests of the fresh food supply chain. First, the basic models of the Fresh Food Producer and Distributor individually entrusting the CCL Service Provider are established under different information conditions. Second, a collaborative delegation agency model between the Fresh Food Producer and Distributor is established on top of the basic models. Finally, through the optimal decision solutions under different information conditions and numerical calculations of preservation benefit levels, the following conclusions are drawn: (1) The more transparent and open the information environment, the more it can encourage the CCL Service Provider to improve the quality of their preservation services, allowing the Fresh Food Producer and Distributor to obtain more significant preservation benefits. However, when information is completely transparent, the incentive mechanisms formulated by the Fresh Food Producer and Distributor become ineffective. (2) Collaborative cooperation strategies can encourage the CCL Service Provider to enhance their preservation efforts while strengthening the effectiveness of relevant incentive strategies for the Fresh Food Producer and Distributor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Previous proteomics studies in dysferlinopathy muscle have been limited in scope, often utilizing 2D‐electrophoresis and yielding only a small number of differential expression calls. To address this gap, this study aimed to employ high‐resolution proteomics to explore the proteomic landscapes of dysferlinopathy and analyze the correlation between muscle pathological changes and alterations in protein expression in muscle biopsies. Methods: We conducted a comprehensive approach to investigate the proteomic profile and disease‐associated changes in the muscle tissue proteome from 15 patients with dysferlinopathy, exhibiting varying degrees of dystrophic pathology, alongside age‐matched controls. Our methodology encompasses tandem mass tag (TMT)‐labeled liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS)‐based proteomics, protein–protein interaction (PPI) network analysis, weighted gene co‐expression network analysis, and differential expression analysis. Subsequently, we examined the correlation between the expression of key proteins and the clinical characteristics of the patients to identify pathogenic targets associated with DYSF mutations in dysferlinopathy. Results: A total of 1600 differentially expressed proteins were identified, with 1321 showing high expression levels and 279 expressed at lower levels. Our investigation yields a molecular profile delineating the altered protein networks in dysferlinopathy‐afflicted skeletal muscle, uncovering dysregulation across numerous cellular pathways and molecular processes, including mRNA metabolic processes, regulated exocytosis, immune response, muscle system processes, energy metabolic processes, and calcium transmembrane transport. Moreover, we observe significant associations between the protein expression of ANXA1, ANXA2, ANXA4, ANXA5, LMNA, PYGM, and the extent of histopathologic changes in muscle biopsies from patients with dysferlinopathy, validated through immunoblotting and immunofluorescence assays. Conclusions: Through the aggregation of expression data from dysferlinopathy‐impacted muscles exhibiting a range of pathological alterations, we identified multiple key proteins associated with the dystrophic pathology of patients with dysferlinopathy. These findings provide novel insights into the pathogenesis of dysferlinopathy and propose promising targets for future therapeutic endeavors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Stutzerimonas nitrititolerans (S. nitrititolerans) is a rare human pathogenic bacterium and has been inadequately explored at the genomic level. Here, we report the first case of carbapenem-resistant S. nitrititolerans isolated from the peritoneal dialysis fluid of a patient with chronic renal failure. This study analyzed the genomic features, antimicrobial resistance, and virulence factors of the isolated strain through whole genome sequencing (WGS). Methods: The bacterial isolate from the peritoneal dialysis fluid was named PDI170223, and preliminary identification was conducted through Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization/time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). WGS of the strain PDI170223 was performed using the Illumina platform, and a phylogenetic tree was constructed based on the 16S rRNA gene sequences. Antimicrobial susceptibility test (AST) was conducted using the TDR-200B2 automatic bacteria identification/drug sensitivity tester. Results: S. nitrititolerans may emerge as a human pathogen due to its numerous virulence genes, including those encoding toxins, and those involved in flagellum and biofilm formation. The AST results revealed that the strain is multidrug- and carbapenem-resistant. The antimicrobial resistance genes of S. nitrititolerans are complex and diverse, including efflux pump genes and β⁃lactam resistance genes. Conclusion: The analysis of virulence factors and antimicrobial resistance of S. nitrititolerans provides clinical insight into the pathogenicity and potential risks of this bacterium. It is crucial to explore the mechanisms through which S. nitrititolerans causes diseases and maintains its antimicrobial resistance, thereby contributing to development of effective treatment and prevention strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Volatile components in red orange essential oil extracted by two cold pressing processes (cup pressing and lime method) were analyzed by gas chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-Q/TOF). A total of 93 components were identified, 89 and 84 compounds were identified for the two types of red orange essential oils, respectively. Among the 93 components, there were 29 terpenes, 20 alcohols, 20 aldehydes, 5 esters, 2 ketones, 12 hydrocarbons, and 5 other compounds. There were 80 compounds shared by the two essential oils. The total volatile component content of red orange essential oil by cup pressing method was significantly higher than that by lime method. The highest content of these compounds was terpenes which total content was over 80%. In addition, the compounds with higher content were D-limonene, γ-terpinene, β-myrcene, linalool and α-pinene. According to principal component analysis (PCA), there was a significant difference in the volatile components of the two types of red orange essential oils. The relative odor activity value (ROAV) method indicated that linalool was the most important aroma component of the two red orange essential oils. And the citrus aroma properties of red orange essential oil extracted by cup pressing method was significantly stronger than that extracted by lime method. Linalool, thymol, β-myrcene, D-limonene, citronellal, and γ- terpinene were confirmed to the key aroma components of the red orange essential oils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nutrients contained in plant tissues serve as the driving force behind plant and herbivore interactions. The nutrient level, including different kinds of elements and amount of fertilizer, can vary owing to variations in soil composition and this can directly impact plant defense response against herbivores. Plants take up nutrients via two pathways: (i) directly through the root hairs and epidermis and (ii) indirectly through the beneficial microbes that interact with plant roots, such as mycorrhizal fungi and rhizobacteria. The associated microbes, modifying plant nutrient composition, can indirectly affect plant and herbivore interactions. These direct and indirect nutrient uptake pathways adjust plant resistance or tolerance to herbivore attack, as evidenced by factors such as herbivore performance, plant nutrient status, biomass allocation, and compensatory growth. In turn, aboveground and belowground herbivory can exert an effect on nutrient exchange between plants and their associated microbes, primarily on the key resources such as carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). Furthermore, it shows that herbivory, in the presence of plant associated beneficial microbes, has no negative effect on plant N and C content. The molecular mechanisms underlying these ecological interactions are being systematically uncovered. In order to outline the research progress in this field, this review synthesizes the current scientific literature regarding the mutual effect of nutrients on plant–herbivore interactions. It aims to support efforts in maintaining the sustainability of ecosystem by optimizing plant defense strategies via managing nutrient variability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accumulating evidence shows that inflammation is essential for embryo implantation and decidualization. Histamine, a proinflammatory factor that is present in almost all mammalian tissues, is synthesized through decarboxylating histidine by histidine decarboxylase (HDC). Although histamine is known to be essential for decidualization, the underlying mechanism remains undefined. In the present study, histamine had no obvious direct effects on in vitro decidualization in mice. However, the obvious differences in HDC protein levels between day 4 of pregnancy and day 4 of pseudopregnancy, as well as between delayed and activated implantation, suggested that the blastocyst may be involved in regulating HDC expression. Furthermore, blastocyst‐derived tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) significantly increased HDC levels in the luminal epithelium. Histamine increased the levels of amphiregulin (AREG) and disintegrin and metalloproteinase domain‐containing protein 17 (ADAM17) proteins, which was abrogated by treatment with famotidine, a specific histamine type 2 receptor (H2R) inhibitor, or by TPAI‐1 (a specific inhibitor of ADAM17). Intraluminal injection of urocanic acid (HDC inhibitor) on day 4 of pregnancy significantly reduced the number of implantation sites on day 5 of pregnancy. TNFα‐stimulated increases in HDC, AREG and ADAM17 protein levels was abrogated by urocanic acid, a specific inhibitor of HDC. Additionally, AREG treatment significantly promoted in vitro decidualization. Collectively, our data suggests that blastocyst‐derived TNFα induces luminal epithelial histamine secretion, and histamine increases mouse decidualization through ADAM17‐mediated AREG release. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Supply Chain Scheduling (SCS) decision making is a challenging task under the blockchain environment because the supply chain is composed of multi-players in all layers. To utilise the information sharing by multiplayers with equal rights in all layers to maximise the supply chain's utility for reducing the carbon emission, this study proposed a three-echelon supply chain integrated scheduling model that considers the production capacity and multi-product with different delivery time factors. The objective is to minimise the total cost incurred in production and transportation under the blockchain environment. To cope with the complexity arising from multiplayers with equal rights in all layers, a metaheuristic based sequential brain storm optimisation (SBSO) algorithm with a novel encoding scheme and the hybrid crossover and mutation strategy is proposed to enhance the performance. A case study comparing the proposed decision-making framework with the artificial bee colony algorithm (ABC) and the backtracking search algorithm (BSA) is conducted, and results show the superiority of the proposed framework. With the help of the proposed SCS decision-making framework, not only can the SCS decision be made, but also the low efficient nodes within the supply chain under the blockchain environment can be identified for potential sustainable upgrading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motion style transfer, which aims to transfer the style from a source motion to the target while keeping its content, has recently gained considerable attention. Some existing works have shown promising results but required labeled data for supervised training, limiting their applicability. In this paper, we present a novel self-supervised learning method for motion style transfer. Specifically, we cast the problem into a contrastive learning framework, which disentangles the human motion representation into a content code and a style code, and the result can be generated by compositing the style code of source motion and the content code of target motion. To encourage better code disentanglement and composition, we investigate InfoNCE loss and Triplet loss in a self-supervised manner. This framework aims at generating reasonable motions while guaranteeing the disentanglement of the latent codes. Comprehensive experiments have been conducted over the benchmark datasets and demonstrated our superior performance over state-of-the-art methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Due to its rarity, subcutaneous panniculitis‐like T‐cell lymphoma (SPTCL) is often misdiagnosed as benign panniculitis, and there are no standardized treatment guidelines for SPTCL. Aurora kinase A (AURKA) plays a regulatory role in both mitosis and meiosis. Cells treated with an AURKA inhibitor showed severe mitotic delay, which triggered apoptosis. Materials and Methods: Ten cases of SPTCL were collected in this study, and immunohistochemistry was performed to detect AURKA expression in the skin tissues of these cases. Control groups were set as follows: 1) 10 cases of inflammatory panniculitis; 2) 9 healthy individuals. Fisher's exact test was used to compare the positive rates of AURKA among various groups. Results: An average onset age of 27.3 years was found in 10 SPTCL cases. Clinically, these patients primarily presented with multiple subcutaneous nodules on the trunk and lower extremities, accompanied by intermittent high fever. One case showed lymph node metastasis, while no other distant organ metastasis being observed in any case. Pathologically, there was an infiltration of a large number of atypical lymphocytes within the fat lobules, characterized as a cytotoxic type. AURKA stanning was positive in 6 out of 10 SPTCL cases, while no positive cases were found in the control groups. Conclusion: 1) SPTCL predominantly affects young individuals and can be identified by nodular erythema on the trunk, intermittent high fever, and infiltration of atypical cytotoxic lymphocytes within fat lobules. 2) For early‐stage cases without metastasis, monotherapy with glucocorticoids or immunosuppressants such as cyclosporine can be considered. 3) High expression of AURKA in SPTCL tissues suggests that AURKA could be a potential biomarker for disease diagnosis, providing a theoretical basis for further targeted therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the laser wakefield accelerators, the energy transfer efficiency from the laser to the electron beam and the energy spread of the electron beam are parameters of contradiction, which people have not been able to improve simultaneously for a long time. To generate quasi-monoenergetic electron beams, the energy transfer efficiencies are up to the 1% level, while for 10% or higher energy transfer efficiencies, the electron spectra are broad in general. In the series of particle-in-cell simulations shown in this paper, we observe the simultaneous improvement of these two parameters by the self-injection mechanism in uniform plasma using the plasma telescope configuration [Zeng et al., Phys. Plasmas 27, 023109 (2020)]. The energy transfer efficiency is increased to more than 10%, and the energy spread of the electron beam is less than 5%. We also show the possibility to produce an electron beam with the energy of 1.871 GeV, the charge of 2.13 nC, and the energy spread of 2.5% by a 30 J laser. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the cracking behaviors and failure mechanisms of soft rocks with existing cracks is crucial in designing rock engineering structures. Hence, we studied the influence of crack parameters, including crack inclination angle, crack number, and crack form, on the strength characteristics and cracking behaviors of silty mudstone using uniaxial compression tests and numerical simulation. The mechanisms of crack initiation, propagation, and coalescence in silty mudstone with preexisting cracks are discussed in this paper. The results showed that the stress-strain curves of silty mudstone with preexisting cracks can be divided into three stages: the load compaction, crack extension, and postpeak damage stages. Preexisting cracks had a weakening effect on the mechanical properties of silty mudstone, and the main order of influence of the various factors was crack inclination angle, crack number, and crack form. The failure mode of silty mudstone with preexisting vertical cracks was mainly composite tensile-shear failure; the failure modes of rocks with single and double cracks were tensile failure, shear failure, and composite tensile-shear failure. The damage process of silty mudstone with preexisting cracks under stress was as follows. The propagation and coalescence of cracks caused cracking of weak surfaces within the rock mass. The cracks propagated along the axial stress direction or preexisting crack direction under different stress states to form macroscopic crack surfaces, which ultimately led to rock mass failure. In addition, the strength characteristics and cracking behaviors of silty mudstone simulated using FLAC3D version 6.0 were consistent with the experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Non-syndromic tooth agenesis (NSTA) is a type of ectodermal dysplasia (ED) in which patients with non-syndromic oligodontia may only affect teeth. No pathological findings were found in other tissues of the ectodermal. Herein, we report a case of a NSTA patient with severe dental anxiety and poor oral health. Case presentation: A 5-year-old boy without systemic diseases presented as a patient with oligodontia, extensive caries, and periapical periodontitis. Molecular genetic analysis found a mutation in the Ectodysplasin A (EDA) gene, confirming the diagnosis of NSTA. Conclusion: Tooth agenesis (TA) is the most common ectodermal developmental abnormality in humans. Non-syndromic oligodontia patients often seek treatment in the department of stomatology. Because of their complex oral conditions, these patients should be provided with a systematic and personalized treatment plan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Non-syndromic tooth agenesis (NSTA) is a type of ectodermal dysplasia (ED) in which patients with non-syndromic oligodontia may only affect teeth. No pathological findings were found in other tissues of the ectodermal. Herein, we report a case of a NSTA patient with severe dental anxiety and poor oral health. Case presentation: A 5-year-old boy without systemic diseases presented as a patient with oligodontia, extensive caries, and periapical periodontitis. Molecular genetic analysis found a mutation in the Ectodysplasin A (EDA) gene, confirming the diagnosis of NSTA. Conclusion: Tooth agenesis (TA) is the most common ectodermal developmental abnormality in humans. Non-syndromic oligodontia patients often seek treatment in the department of stomatology. Because of their complex oral conditions, these patients should be provided with a systematic and personalized treatment plan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advancing the integration of nonliving and living components relies heavily on functional hydrogel materials with biocompatibility and customizability. In this study, an enzyme‐assisted surface activation method is developed to produce reactive hydrogel microparticles (HMPs) comprising thiolated hyaluronic acid and hyperbranched poly(β‐hydrazide esters). Fluorescence labeling analysis reveals an over six‐fold increase in surface‐active functional group density on the hydrogels and three‐fold on HMPs after enzyme activation. This enhancement improves accessibility of active elements, facilitating post‐functionalization and optimizing their capacity to support initial cell adhesion and spreading as carriers for cell cultures. Additionally, by utilizing the exposed reactive double bonds on the HMP surfaces post‐enzymatic treatment, thiolated HMPs are produced through a thiol‐ene coupling reaction with thiolated polymers. These thiolated HMPs bond together spontaneously, resulting in the formation of annealed granular hydrogels with interconnected large‐pore networks and a tunable storage modulus (G') from tens to hundreds of pascals, compatible with most soft tissues. Integrated with 3D bioprinting, this hydrogel ink generates prints that foster cell adhesion, migration, growth, and network formation. Moving forward, integrating various granular hydrogel scaffold systems with the enzyme‐assisted activation technique holds significant promise for enhancing performance and expanding applications in regenerative medicine and innovative living materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solid‐state methods for cooling and heating promise a sustainable alternative to current compression cycles of greenhouse gases and inefficient fuel‐burning heaters. Barocaloric effects (BCE) driven by hydrostatic pressure (p) are especially encouraging in terms of large adiabatic temperature changes (|ΔT| ≈ 10 K) and isothermal entropy changes (|ΔS| ≈ 100 J K−1 kg−1). However, BCE typically require large pressure shifts due to irreversibility issues, and sizeable |ΔT| and |ΔS| seldom are realized in a same material. Here, the existence of colossal and reversible BCE in LiCB11H12 is demonstrated near its order‐disorder phase transition at ≈380 K. Specifically, for Δp ≈ 0.23 (0.10) GPa, |ΔSrev| = 280 (200) J K−1 kg−1 and |ΔTrev| = 32 (10) K are measured, which individually rival with state‐of‐the‐art BCE figures. Furthermore, pressure shifts of the order of 0.1 GPa yield huge reversible barocaloric strengths of ≈2 J K−1 kg−1 MPa−1. Molecular dynamics simulations are performed to quantify the role of lattice vibrations, molecular reorientations, and ion diffusion on the disclosed BCE. Interestingly, lattice vibrations are found to contribute the most to |ΔS| while the diffusion of lithium ions, despite adding up only slightly to the entropy change, is crucial in enabling the molecular order–disorder phase transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concrete composition of different pipelines varies greatly, and a comprehensive analysis of the impact of concrete design on pipeline corrosion is required. Developed an integrated model based on Scikit-Optimize, XGBoost and SHAP to analyze concrete's carbonation and sulfuric acid resistance from five aspects: binder type, supplementary cementitious material (SCM's), aggregate, admixture and w/b. Choose Scikit-Optimize for parameter optimization. As an explanation model, the SHAP model can perform analysis well and explain the analysis basis of the XGBoost training model. The established model can accurately predict the corrosion effect (R2 >0.987) without overfitting. Binder should be maintained at 380 to 400 (kg/m3). Water/binder and coarse aggregate/binder are the two main factors that influence the binder, and they should be maintained at a ratio of around 0.4 to 0.6 and 2.5, respectively. Fly ash (FA) should be SCM's used as at a range of 300 to 350 (kg/m3) to improve corrosion resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Odontogenic carcinoma with dentinoid (OCD) is a rare and controversial entity, which has not yet been included in the current World Health Organization classification of odontogenic lesions. Owing to the small number of reported cases, the clinicopathological characteristics, biological behavior, prognosis, and appropriate treatment strategies for OCD remain to be defined. Herein, we present an additional case of OCD with a focus on the differential diagnosis and review of the pertinent literature, in order to enable better recognition by oral clinicians and pathologists and further characterization of this entity. Case presentation: This paper reports a case of OCD in the posterior mandible of a 22-year-old female. Radiography showed a well-defined unilocular radiolucency with radiopaque materials. The intraoperative frozen section pathology gave a non-committed diagnosis of odontogenic neoplasm with uncertain malignant potential. Then a partial mandibulectomy with free iliac crest bone graft and titanium implants was performed. Microscopically, the tumor consisted of sheets, islands, and cords of round to polygonal epithelial cells associated with an abundant dentinoid matrix. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells were diffusely positive for CK19, p63, and β-catenin (cytoplasmic and nuclear). No rearrangement of the EWSR1 gene was detected. The final diagnosis was OCD. There has been no evidence of recurrence or metastasis for 58 months after surgery. We also provide a literature review of OCD cases, including one case previously reported as ghost cell odontogenic carcinoma from our hospital. Conclusions: OCD is a locally aggressive low grade malignancy without apparent metastatic potential. Wide surgical excision with clear margins and long-term period follow-up to identify any possible recurrence or metastases are recommended. Histopathological examination is essential to conclude the diagnosis. Special care must be taken to distinguish OCD from ghost cell odontogenic carcinoma and clear cell odontogenic carcinoma, as misdiagnosis might lead to unnecessary overtreatment. Study of additional cases is required to further characterize the clinicopathological features and clarify the nosologic status and biological behavior of this tumor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cryptococcal meningitis (CM) is a fatal fungal central nervous system (CNS) infection caused by Cryptococcus infecting the meninges and/or brain parenchyma, with fever, headache, neck stiffness, and visual disturbances as the primary clinical manifestations. Immunocompromised individuals with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection or who have undergone organ transplantation, as well as immunocompetent people can both be susceptible to CM. Without treatment, patients with CM may have a mortality rate of up to 100% after hospital admission. Even after receiving therapy, CM patients may still suffer from problems such as difficulty to cure, poor prognosis, and high mortality. Therefore, timely and effective treatment is essential to improve the mortality and prognosis of CM patients. Currently, the clinical outcomes of CM are frequently unsatisfactory due to limited drug choices, severe adverse reactions, drug resistance, etc. Here, we review the research progress of CM treatment strategies and discuss the suitable options for managing CM, hoping to provide a reference for physicians to select the most appropriate treatment regimens for CM patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new glass forming method is essential for broadening the scope of liquid and glassy metal–organic frameworks due to the limitations of the conventional melt-quenching method. Herein, we show that in situ mechanical vibration can facilitate the framework melting at a lower temperature and produce glassy metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) with unique properties. Using zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF)-62 as a concept-proofing material, in situ mechanical vibration enables low-temperature melting at 653 K, far below its melting point (713 K). The resultant vibrated ZIF-62 glass exhibited a lower glass transition temperature of 545 K, improved gas accessible porosity, and pronounced short-to-medium range structures compared to the corresponding melt-quenched glass. We propose that vibration-facilitated surface reconstruction facilitates pre-melting, which could be the cause of the lowered melting temperature. The vibration assisted method represents a new general method to produce MOF glasses without thermal decomposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Nutritional deficiency occurs frequently during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Tryptophan (Trp), an essential amino acid which is critical for protein synthesis, serves as the precursor for serotonin, melatonin, and kynurenine (Kyn). The imbalance between serotonin and kynurenine pathways in Trp metabolism is closely related to inflammation and depression. This study assessed the effects of Trp deficiency on mouse early pregnancy. Methods: Embryo implantation and decidualization were analyzed after female mice had been fed diets containing 0.2% Trp (for the control group), 0.062% Trp (for the low Trp group) and 0% Trp (for the Trp-free group) for two months. The uteri of the mice were collected on days 4, 5, and 8 of pregnancy for further analysis. Results: On day 8 of pregnancy, the number of implantation sites were found to be similar between the control and the low Trp groups. However, no implantation sites were detected in the Trp-free group. On day 5 of pregnancy, plane polarity- and decidualization-related molecules showed abnormal expression pattern in the Trpfree group. On day 4 of pregnancy, there was no significant difference in uterine receptivitymolecules between the low-Trp group and the control group, but uterine receptivity was abnormal in the Trp-free group. At implantation sites of the Trp-free group, IDO and AHR levels were markedly elevated. This potentially increased levels of Kyn, 2-hydroxy estradiol, and 4-hydroxy estradiol to affect decidualization. Conclusions: Trp-free diet may impair decidualization via the IDO-KYNAHR pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) is one of the most profitable forest species worldwide owing to its quick growth, high wood yields, and strong adaptability. The AP2/ERF gene family plays a widespread role in the physiological processes of plant defense responses and the biosynthesis of metabolites. Nevertheless, there are no reports on this gene family in loblolly pine (P. taeda). In this study, a total of 303 members of the AP2/ERF gene family were identified. Through multiple sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis, they were classified into four subfamilies, including AP2 (34), RAV (17), ERF (251), and Soloist (1). An analysis of the conservation domains, conserved motifs, and gene structure revealed that every PtAP2/ERF transcription factor (TF) had at least one AP2 domain. While evolutionary conservation was displayed within the same subfamilies, the distribution of conserved domains, conserved motifs, and gene architectures varied between subfamilies. Cis-element analysis revealed abundant light-responsive elements, phytohormone-responsive elements, and stress-responsive elements in the promoter of the PtAP2/ERF genes. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses of potential target genes showed that the AP2/ERF gene family might play a critical role in plant growth and development, the response to environmental stresses, and metabolite biosynthesis. Utilizing quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), we examined the expression patterns of 10 randomly selected genes from Group IX after 6 h of treatments with mechanical injury, ethephon (Eth), and methyl jasmonate (MeJA). The AP2/ERF gene family in the loblolly pine was systematically analyzed for the first time in this study, offering a theoretical basis for exploring the functions and applications of AP2/ERF genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Identifying predictive biomarkers for allergen immunotherapy response is crucial for enhancing clinical efficacy. This study aims to identify such biomarkers in patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) undergoing subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) for house dust mite allergy. Methods: The Tongji (discovery) cohort comprised 72 AR patients who completed 1‐year SCIT follow‐up. Circulating T and B cell subsets were characterized using multiplexed flow cytometry before SCIT. Serum immunoglobulin levels and combined symptom and medication score (CSMS) were assessed before and after 12‐month SCIT. Responders, exhibiting ≥30% CSMS improvement, were identified. The random forest algorithm and logistic regression analysis were used to select biomarkers and establish predictive models for SCIT efficacy in the Tongji cohort, which was validated in another Wisco cohort with 43 AR patients. Results: Positive SCIT response correlated with higher baseline CSMS, allergen‐specific IgE (sIgE)/total IgE (tIgE) ratio, and frequencies of Type 2 helper T cells, Type 2 follicular helper T (TFH2) cells, and CD23+ nonswitched memory B (BNSM) and switched memory B (BSM) cells, as well as lower follicular regulatory T (TFR) cell frequency and TFR/TFH2 cell ratio. The random forest algorithm identified sIgE/tIgE ratio, TFR/TFH2 cell ratio, and BNSM frequency as the key biomarkers discriminating responders from nonresponders in the Tongji cohort. Logistic regression analysis confirmed the predictive value of a combination model, including sIgE/tIgE ratio, TFR/TFH2 cell ratio, and CD23+ BSM frequency (AUC = 0.899 in Tongji; validated AUC = 0.893 in Wisco). Conclusions: A T‐ and B‐cell signature combination efficiently identified SCIT responders before treatment, enabling personalized approaches for AR patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is recognized that PCOS patients are often accompanied with aberrant follicular development, which is an important factor leading to infertility in patients. However, the relevant regulatory mechanisms of abnormal follicular development are not well understood. In the present study, by collecting human ovarian granulosa cells (GCs) from PCOS patients who underwent in vitro fertilization (IVF), we found that the proliferation ability of GCs in PCOS patients was significantly reduced. Surprisingly, PATL2 and adrenomedullin 2 (ADM2) were obviously decreased in the GCs of PCOS patients. To further explore the potential roles of PATL2 and ADM2 on GC, we transfected PATL2 siRNA into KGN cells to knock down the expression of PATL2. The results showed that the growth of GCs remarkably repressed after knocking down the PATL2, and ADM2 expression was also weakened. Subsequently, to study the relationship between PATL2 and ADM2, we constructed PATL2 mutant plasmid lacking the PAT construct and transfected it into KGN cells. The cells showed the normal PATL2 expression, but attenuated ADM2 expression and impaired proliferative ability of GCs. Finally, the rat PCOS model experiments further confirmed our findings in KGN cells. In conclusion, our study suggests that PATL2 promoted the proliferation of ovarian GCs by stabilizing the expression of ADM2 through "PAT" structure, which is beneficial to follicular development, whereas, in the ovary with polycystic lesions, reduction of PATL2 could result in the decreased expression of ADM2, subsequently weakened the proliferation ability of GCs and finally led to the occurrence of aberrant follicles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Domino reaction of benzo[d]thiazole‐2‐methylamine (S1) has been developed in the presence of MnCl2 ⋅ 4H2O, leading to tetrasubstituted pyrrole coordinated dinuclear Mn(II) complex 1 ([MnClP]2, P−=2,3,4,5‐tetrakis(benzo[d]thiazol‐2‐yl)pyrrol‐1‐ide). The reaction process has been studied by assigning a series of intermediates based on time‐dependent mass spectrometry, control experiments, crystallography, and density functional theory (DFT) theoretical calculation. A plausible mechanism involving an unprecedented divergent‐convergent domino sequence has been proposed. Compound S1 could be activated by MnCl2 ⋅ 4H2O via coordination, which divergently produces two intermediates imine II (1‐(benzo[d]thiazol‐2‐yl)‐N‐(benzo[d]thiazol‐2‐ylmethyl)methanimine) and alkene C (1,2‐bis(benzo[d]thiazol‐2‐yl)ethene) through oxidative self‐condensation and free radical coupling followed by elimination, respectively. They could then react with each other convergently via formal [3+2] cycloaddition to give deprotonated tetrasubstituted pyrrole coordinated intermediate [MnClP] after aromatization. Dimerization of [MnClP] produces the final product 1. Three C−C bonds and one C−N bond are formed through this six‐step domino sequence. The corresponding organic skeleton (HP: 2,2′,2′′,2′′′‐(1H‐pyrrole‐2,3,4,5‐tetrayl)tetrakis(benzo[d]thiazole)) has been obtained from 1 and shows a higher fluorescent quantum yield (52 %) than the reported 3,4‐diphenyl substituted analogue 2,2′‐(3,4‐diphenyl‐1H‐pyrrole‐2,5‐diyl)bis(benzo[d]thiazole) (DPB) (42 %). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The occurrence of major asthma symptoms is largely attributed to airway vagal hypertonia, of which the central mechanisms remain unclear. This study tests the hypotheses that endothelin-1-mediated brainstem glial activation produces asthmatic airway vagal hypertonia via enhanced action of adenosine 5’-triphosphate on neuronal purinergic P2X4 receptors. A rat model of asthma was prepared using ovalbumin. Airway vagal tone was evaluated by the recurrent laryngeal discharge and plethysmographic measurement of pulmonary function. The changes in the brainstem were examined using ELISA, Western blot, luciferin-luciferase, quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, enzyme activity assay and immunofluorescent staining, respectively. The results showed that in the medulla of rats, endothelin receptor type B and P2X4 receptors were primarily expressed in astrocytes and neurons, respectively, and both of which, along with endothelin-1 content, were significantly increased after ovalbumin sensitization. Ovalbumin sensitization significantly increased recurrent laryngeal discharge, which was blocked by acute intracisternal injection of P2X4 receptor antagonist 5-BDBD, knockdown of brainstem P2X4 receptors, and chronic intraperitoneal injection of endothelin receptor type B antagonist BQ788, respectively. Ovalbumin sensitization activated microglia and astrocytes and significantly decreased ecto-5’-nucleotidase activity in the medulla, and all of which, together with the increase of medullary P2X4 receptor expression and decrease of pulmonary function, were reversed by chronic BQ788 treatment. These results demonstrated that in rats, allergic airway challenge activates both microglia and astrocytes in the medulla via enhanced endothelin-1/endothelin receptor type B signaling, which subsequently causes airway vagal hypertonia via augmented adenosine 5’-triphosphate/P2X4 receptor signaling in central neurons of airway vagal reflex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, it has been reported that groundwater contains elevated levels of Fe and Mn. However, the risk of prolonged exposure to groundwater with elevated Fe and Mn was often ignored due to their much lower carcinogenic risk. To assess the human health risk of elevated Fe and Mn intake in groundwater, 1863 groundwater samples from the Yangtze catchment, a densely populated and economically prosperous area of China, were collected in this study. The spatial distributions of Fe and Mn in groundwater were investigated by the geographic information system (GIS) and their health risk assessment was done. The results indicated that 38.6% and 50.3% of the groundwater samples were defined as "elevated/high" levels for Fe and Mn, respectively, exceeding 0.3 and 0.1 mg/L (World Health Organization guidelines). Moreover, in the groundwater of Yangtze Catchment, the order of Fe and Mn contents is followed by upper< middle< lower. Based on the calculated hazard index (HI), HIadult and HIchild were in a range of 0‐4.91 and 0‐11.07, respectively. There was an area of 3,483 and 35,523 km2 with a non‐carcinogenic risk from Fe and Mn, correspondingly. The numbers of affected adults and children were about 3,018,066 and 2,775,007, respectively. It means that 0.20% and 2.00% of the study area or 0.64% and 0.59% of the total population will suffer health risks from Fe and Mn intake in groundwater, respectively. Therefore, a significant basis for groundwater safety in the Yangtze catchment and similar areas was provided in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports on two sisters with recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB) caused by novel variants in the COL7A1 gene. The sisters experienced symptoms such as intense cutaneous pruritus, skin blistering, erosion, and ulceration on their hands and feet, as well as nail dystrophy. Whole-exome sequencing revealed two heterozygous variants in COL7A1, which were inherited from their parents and segregated with the phenotype in the family. These variants were classified as uncertain significance but were believed to affect the fibronectin III-like domains in the NC-1 domain of the protein, resulting in a milder phenotype. This study contributes to the understanding of genotype-phenotype correlation in RDEB. [Extracted from the article]

In order to repair critical‐sized bone defects, various polylactic acid‐glycolic acid (PLGA)‐based hybrid scaffolds are successfully developed as bone substitutes. However, the byproducts of these PLGA‐based scaffolds are known to acidify the implanted site, inducing tiresome acidic inflammation. Moreover, these degradation productions cannot offer an osteo‐friendly microenvironment at the implanted site, matching natural bone healing. Herein, inspired by bone microenvironment atlas of natural bone‐healing process, an osteo‐microenvironment stage‐regulative scaffold (P80/D10/M10) is fabricated by incorporating self‐developed decellularized bone matrix microparticles (DBM‐MPs) and multifunctional magnesium hydroxide nanoparticles (MH‐NPs) into PLGA with an optimized proportion using low‐temperature rapid prototyping (LT‐RP) 3D‐printing technology. The cell experiments show that this P80/D10/M10 exhibits excellent properties in mechanics, biocompatibility, and biodegradability, meanwhile superior stimulations in osteo‐immunomodulation, angiogenesis, and osteogenesis. Additionally, the animal experiments determined that this P80/D10/M10 can offer an osteo‐friendly microenvironment in a stage‐matched pattern for enhanced bone regeneration, namely, optimization of early inflammation, middle neovascularization, and later bone formation. Furthermore, transcriptomic analysis suggested that the in vivo performance of P80/D10/M10 on bone defect repair is mostly attributed to regulating artery development, bone development, and bone remodeling. Overall, this study reveals that the osteo‐microenvironment stage‐regulative scaffold provides a promising treatment for bone defect repair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a future mission concept, the MeV Astrophysical Spectroscopic Surveyor (MASS), which is a large area Compton telescope using 3D position sensitive cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) detectors optimized for emission line detection. The payload consists of two layers of CZT detectors in a misaligned chessboard layout, with a total geometric area of 4096 cm 2 for on-axis observations. The detectors can be operated at room-temperature with an energy resolution of 0.6% at 0.662 MeV. The in-orbit background is estimated with a mass model. At energies around 1 MeV, a line sensitivity of about 10 - 5 photons cm - 2 s - 1 can be obtained with a 1 Ms observation. The main science objectives of MASS include nucleosynthesis in astrophysics and high energy astrophysics related to compact objects and transient sources. The payload CZT detectors weigh roughly 40 kg, suggesting that it can be integrated into a micro- or mini-satellite. We have constructed a pathfinder, named as MASS-Cube, to have a direct test of the technique with 4 detector units in space in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of dietary vitamin A on juvenile Chinese perch (Siniperca chuatsi). Chinese perch were fed with five experimental diets containing 0, 20, 40, 60, and 80 mg VA·kg−1 for 8 weeks. Results showed that dietary vitamin A significantly influenced the fish's growth, feed utilization, glucose and lipid metabolism, appetite, and antioxidant capacity. Vitamin A-supplemented groups had higher weight gain rate (WGR) and specific growth rate (SGR) compared to the control group. Feed conversion ratio (FCR) was also lower in the vitamin A-supplemented groups. Dietary vitamin A had no significant effect on the survival rate (SR). Compared to the control group, fish fed with vitamin A had increased feed intake (FI), and the expression of appetite-promoting genes (npy and agrp) was significantly higher in the 40 mg VA·kg−1 group. Vitamin A also enhanced the utilization of dietary protein by Chinese perch. The serum glucose content of the fish fed with 40 mg VA·kg−1 diet was significantly higher than that of the control group and 20 mg VA·kg−1 diet, indicating that the promoting effect of VA on gluconeogenesis was greater than that on glycolysis. Additionally, dietary vitamin A increased the expression of lipid metabolism-related genes (hl and fas) and antioxidant genes (nrf2 and gpx) in the fish. These results suggest that the optimal vitamin A requirement of juvenile Chinese perch bream was estimated to be 37.32 mg VA·kg−1 based on broken-line regression analysis of WGR. In conclusion, this study provides valuable insights into the potential benefits of dietary vitamin A on the growth, metabolism, and antioxidant capacity of Chinese perch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It remains an interesting and challenging problem to synthesize a vivid and realistic singing face driven by music. In this paper, we present a method for this task with natural motions for the lips, facial expression, head pose, and eyes. Due to the coupling of mixed information for the human voice and backing music in common music audio signals, we design a decouple-and-fuse strategy to tackle the challenge. We first decompose the input music audio into a human voice stream and a backing music stream. Due to the implicit and complicated correlation between the two-stream input signals and the dynamics of the facial expressions, head motions, and eye states, we model their relationship with an attention scheme, where the effects of the two streams are fused seamlessly. Furthermore, to improve the expressivenes of the generated results, we decompose head movement generation in terms of speed and direction, and decompose eye state generation into short-term blinking and long-term eye closing, modeling them separately. We have also built a novel dataset, SingingFace, to support training and evaluation of models for this task, including future work on this topic. Extensive experiments and a user study show that our proposed method is capable of synthesizing vivid singing faces, qualitatively and quantitatively better than the prior state-of-the-art. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: Inflammatory responses are implicated in embryo implantation, decidualization, pregnancy maintenance and labor. Both embryo implantation and decidualization are essential to successful pregnancy in rodents and primates. S100A6 is involved in inflammation, tumor development, apoptosis and calcium homeostasis. S100A6 is strongly expressed in mouse decidua, but the underlying mechanisms of how S100A6 regulates implantation and decidualization are poorly defined. (2) Methods: Mouse endometrial stromal and epithelial cells are isolated from day 4 pseudopregnant mouse uteri. Both immunofluorescence and Western blotting are used to analyze the expression and localization of proteins. The molecular mechanism is verified in vitro by Western blotting and the quantitative polymerase chain reaction. (3) Results: From days 4 to 8 of pregnancy, S100A6 is specifically expressed in mouse subluminal stromal cells. Blastocyst-derived lactic acid induces AA secretion by activating the luminal epithelial p-cPLA2. The epithelial AA induces stromal S100A6 expression through the COX2/PGI2/PPAR δ pathway. Progesterone regulates S100A6 expression through the progesterone receptor (PR). S100A6/RAGE signaling can regulate decidualization via EGFR/ERK1/2 in vitro. (4) Conclusions: S100A6, as an inflammatory mediator, is important for mouse implantation and decidualization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tar is the main toxic of cigarettes, and its effect on atherosclerosis progression and the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) play a key role in atherogenesis and plaque vulnerability. The present study sought to investigate the mechanism of atherosclerosis progression through tar-induced VSMC necroptosis, a recently described form of necrosis. Methods: The effect of tar on atherosclerosis progression and VSMC necroptosis was examined in ApoE−/− mice and cultured VSMCs. The role of necroptosis in tar-induced plaque development was evaluated in RIPK3-deletion mice (ApoE−/−RIPK3−/−). The key proteins of necroptosis in carotid plaques of smokers and non-smokers were also examined. Quantitative proteomics of mice aortas was conducted to further investigate the underlying mechanism. Pharmacological approaches were then applied to modulate the expression of targets to verify the regulatory process of tar-induced necroptosis. Results: Tar administration led to increased atherosclerotic plaque area and reduced collagen and VSMCs in ApoE−/− mice. The expression of RIPK1、RIPK3、and MLKL in VSMCs of plaques were all increased in tar-exposed mice and smokers. RIPK3 deletion protected against VSMC loss and plaque progression stimulated by tar. In mechanistic studies, quantitative proteomics analysis of ApoE−/− mice aortas suggested that tar triggered endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. PERK-eIF2α-CHOP axis was activated in tar-treated VSMCs and atherosclerotic plaque. Inhibition of ER stress using 4PBA significantly reduced plaque progression and VSMC necroptosis. Further study revealed that ER stress resulted in calcium (Ca2+) release into mitochondria and cytoplasm. Elevated Ca2+ levels lead to mitochondrial dysfunction and excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, which consequently promote RIPK3-dependent necroptosis. In addition, Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) activated by cytosolic Ca2+ overload binds to RIPK3, accounting for necroptosis. Conclusion: The findings revealed that cigarette tar promoted atherosclerosis progression by inducing RIPK3-dependent VSMC necroptosis and identified novel avenues of ER stress and Ca2+ overload. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rhizome of Rohdea chinensis (Baker) N.Tanaka (RRc) is a famous folk medicine for the treatment of carbuncles and pharyngitis. Steroidal saponins (SSs) were considered to be the most abundant active constituents in RRc. However, to date, the in-depth study of SSs is still lacking. This study was aimed to investigate the SSs profiles of RRc extract by HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS. Analysis was performed on an Agilent poroshell 120 EC-C18 column (2.1 mm × 100 mm, i.d., 2.7 μm) with 0.1% formic acid aqueous solution and acetonitrile as the mobile phase under gradient conditions. The results showed that 32 SSs including 20 furospirostanol, 11 spirostanol and 1 pseudo-spirostanol saponins were identified, 5 of which were reported in this plant for the first time. This is the first report on the analysis of SSs in RRc. This novel analysis method may stimulate further research regarding the identification of SSs in other plant species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calciphylaxis is a rare cutaneous vascular disease that manifests with intolerable pains, non-healing skin wounds, histologically characterized by calcification, fibrointimal hyperplasia, and microvessel thrombosis. Currently, there are no standardized guidelines for this disease. Recent studies have recognized a high prevalence of thrombophilias and hypercoagulable conditions in calciphylaxis patients. Here, we report a case of uremic calciphylaxis patient whom was refractory to conventional treatments and then received a salvage strategy with intravenous and local hAMSC application. In order to investigate the therapeutic mechanism of hAMSCs from the novel perspective of hypercoagulability, coagulation-related indicators, wound status, quality of life and skin biopsy were followed up. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed to determine the distribution of hAMSCs in multiple tissues including lung, kidney and muscle after infusion of hAMSCs for 24 h, 1 week and 1 month in mice aiming to investigate whether hAMSCs retain locally active roles after intravenous administration. Improvement of hypercoagulable condition involving correction of platelet, D-dimer and plasminogen levels, skin regeneration and pain alleviation were revealed after hAMSC administration over one-year period. Skin biopsy pathology suggested regenerative tissues after 1 month hAMSC application and full epidermal regeneration after 20 months hAMSC treatment. PCR analysis indicated that hAMSCs were homing in lung, kidney and muscle tissues of mice even until tail vein injection of hAMSCs for 1 month. We propose that hypercoagulability is a promising therapeutic target of calciphylaxis patients, which can be effectively improved by hAMSC treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blood bone metabolic biomarkers are noninvasive indices for evaluating metabolic bone diseases. We investigated the relationships between blood bone metabolic biomarkers and anemia in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients and analyzed the effects of parathyroidectomy (PTX) on the above indices. In this cross-sectional study, 100 healthy controls and 239 CKD patients, including 46 secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) patients with PTX, were enrolled. Moreover, a prospective study was conducted in which 28 PTX patients were followed up. The degree of anemia was classified as mild, moderate, or severe based on the tertiles of hemoglobin (Hb) levels of the anemic CKD patients, with cutoff values of 83 g/L and 102 g/L. Bone metabolic biomarkers, including calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH), fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23), and α-klotho, were tested. The mean estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in CKD patients was 25.7 ± 36.0 ml/min/1.73 m2, and 84.10% of CKD patients had anemia. The baseline Hb levels in the mild, moderate, and severe anemia subgroups were 110.86 ± 5.99 g/L, 92.71 ± 5.96 g/L, and 67.38 ± 10.56 g/L, respectively. CKD patients had higher adjusted Ca, P, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), iPTH, and FGF23 levels and lower α-klotho levels than controls. Baseline adjusted Ca, P, iPTH, and α-klotho levels were associated with Hb levels in CKD patients. Blood adjusted Ca, P, and iPTH levels were correlated with anemia severity. After PTX (median interval: 6.88 months), anemia and high blood adjusted Ca, P, iPTH, and FGF23 levels were ameliorated, while α-klotho levels were increased. Blood adjusted Ca, P, iPTH, and α-klotho levels were correlated with Hb levels in CKD patients. Correction of bone metabolic disorders may be a therapeutic strategy for anemia treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glomerular basement membrane (GBM) thickening is a typical and essential histopathological characteristic for the diagnosis of primary membranous nephropathy (PMN). The present study aimed to explore the relationship between GBM thickness and treatment response in PMN patients. A total of 128 patients with nephrotic syndrome concurrent with PMN were studied. The highest GBM thickness was measured from at least five glomerular capillary loops using an electron microscope, and the mean value was obtained. Patients were categorized into three groups according to the tertiles of GBM thickness as follows: Group 1 (GBM thickness ≤ 1100 nm, n = 48), Group 2 (1100 nm < GBM thickness ≤ 1300 nm, n = 40), Group 3 (GBM thickness >1300 nm, n = 40). Clinicopathological features and treatment response were compared among the three groups. The associations of GBM thickness with complete remission (CR) were assessed by Cox proportional hazard analyses and a cubic spline curve. During a median follow-up period of 25.80 months, 69 (53.9%) patients achieved CR. Kaplan–Meier analysis showed that the non-CR probability was significantly higher in the highest tertile of GBM thickness (p˂0.001). Univariate Cox proportional hazard analysis indicated that GBM thickness was associated with CR (HR per SD 0.617, 95% CI [0.471–0.809], p˂0.001). After adjusting for age, duration of PMN, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), urinary protein excretion, grade of C3 deposition, and titer of serum anti-phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R) antibody, GBM thickness remained an independent predictor of CR (HR per SD 0.580, 95% CI [0.436–0.772], p˂0.001). Further multivariable-adjusted restricted cubic spline analysis confirmed a significant reverse linear association between GBM thickness and CR (p for nonlinear = 0.1261). GBM thickness is an independent risk factor of CR. PMN patients with an increased level of GBM thickening at diagnosis have a lower probability of achieving CR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growth of lithium dendrites and the shuttle of polysulfides in lithium metal batteries (LMBs) have hindered their development. In LMBs, the cathode and anode are separated by a separator, although this does not solve the battery's issues. The use of biomass materials is widespread for modifying the separator due to their porous structure and abundant functional groups. LMBs perform more electrochemically when lithium ions are deposited uniformly and polysulfide shuttling is reduced using biomass separators. In this review, we analyze the growth of lithium dendrite and the shuttle of polysulfide in LMBs, summarize the types of biomass separator materials and the mechanisms of action (providing mechanical barriers, promoting uniform deposition of metal ions, capturing polysulfides, shielding polysulfide). The prospect of developing new separator materials from the perspective of regulating ion transport and physical sieving efficiency as well as the application of advanced technologies such as synchrotron radiation to characterize the mechanism of action of biomass separators is also proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the potential benefits of dietary phospholipids (PLs) in fish glucose metabolism and to promote feed culture of Chinese perch (Siniperca chuatsi), we set up six diets to feed Chinese perch (initial mean body weight 37.01 ± 0.20 g) for 86 days, including: Control diet (CT), 1% (SL1), 2% (SL2), 3% (SL3), 4% (SL4) soybean lecithin (SL) and 2% (KO2) krill oil (KO) supplemental diets (in triplicate, 20 fish each). Our study found that the SL2 significantly improved the weight gain rate and special growth rate, but the KO2 did not. In addition, the SL2 diet significantly improved feed intake, which is consistent with the mRNA levels of appetite-related genes (npy, agrp, leptin A). Additionally, in the CT and SL-added groups, leptin A expression levels were nearly synchronized with serum glucose levels. Besides, the SL2 significantly upregulated expression levels of glut2, gk, cs, fas and downregulated g6pase in the liver, suggesting that it may enhance glucose uptake, aerobic oxidation, and conversion to fatty acids. The SL2 also maintained the hepatic crude lipid content unchanged compared to the CT, possibly by significantly down-regulating the mRNA level of hepatic lipase gene (hl), and by elevating serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL) level and intraperitoneal fat ratio in significance. Moreover, the serum high-density lipoprotein levels were significantly increased by PL supplementation, and the SL2 further significantly increased serum total cholesterol and LDL levels, suggesting that dietary PLs promote lipid absorption and transport. Furthermore, dietary SL at 1% level could enhance non-specific immune capacity, with serum total protein level being markedly higher than that in the CT group. In conclusion, it is speculated that the promotion of glucose utilization and appetite by 2% dietary SL could be linked. We suggest a 1.91% supplementation of SL in the diet for the best growth performance in juvenile Chinese perch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to assess the effect of pyridoxine supplementation in the mandarin fish diet on growth performance, protein and lipid metabolism, and liver and intestinal histology. Mandarin fish were fed six diets with different levels of pyridoxine (2.67 mg/kg (control), 4.41 mg/kg, 6.57 mg/kg, 10.25 mg/kg, 17.93 mg/kg, 33.12 mg/kg diet) for 8 weeks, and samples were collected for analysis. The findings demonstrated that feeding mandarin fish a diet with 6.57 mg/kg pyridoxine led to a significant increase in weight gain rate (WGR), protein efficiency ratio (PER), whole-body crude protein, whole-body crude lipid, serum protein, cholesterol (CHO), triacylglycerol (TG), high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), as well as significantly lower serum glucose (GLU) and feed conversion ratio (FCR), compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Furthermore, we found a significant upregulation of the relative expression of genes associated with hepatic lipid oxidation and synthesis (hl, lpl, pparα, cpt1, cs, srebp1, and fas) and proteolysis (ast, alt, and gdh) in fish fed a diet containing 6.57 mg/kg pyridoxine (P < 0.05). Regarding the histological analysis, we observed a notable decrease in the quantity of intestinal mucus-secreting cells when the fish fed a diet containing 10.25 mg/kg pyridoxine (P < 0.05). These findings suggest that dietary pyridoxine supplementation promotes mandarin fish growth by improving the efficiency of protein and lipid utilization. Additionally, we used a broken-line regression analysis to estimate the optimal dietary pyridoxine requirement for mandarin fish in the range of 6.17–6.41 mg/kg based on WGR, FCR, and PER. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine whether blastocyst quality affects the sex ratio at birth through a single blastocyst frozen - thawed embryo transfer (SBFET) cycle. In this retrospective analysis, we examined 3,041 singleton infants born following SBFET between 2017 and 2020 at a single institution. We compared the sex ratios of these infants with respect to the blastocyst quality, embryo growth rate, and morphology. The main outcomes of this study were that the sex ratio (M/F) at birth of SBFET was 1.24. Mothers >40 years old had a considerably lower sex ratio than mothers <40 years old (0.39 vs. 1.23–1.28, p <.05). Transplanting high-quality blastocysts significantly increased the proportion of boys born (1.29 vs. 0.88, p <.05). There were no significant differences in the sex ratio with respect to the inner cell mass (ICM) score and expansion degree. Additionally, a high trophoblastic cell (TE) score resulted in a significantly higher sex ratio than the TE score with C (1.62 vs. 1.15 vs. 0.85, p <.001). Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to determine which variables were significant factors affecting sex ratio, and the outcomes were consistent with previous findings. Our study indicated that high-quality, especially good TE score, had a higher chance of resulting in a male infant than a female infant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]