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Electromagnetic radiation (EMR) is a ubiquitous harm and hard to detect dynamically in multiple scenarios. A mechano-photothermal cooperative microfiber film (MFF) actuator is developed that can synchronously detect EMR with high reliability. The programmable actuation is deployed by a hot-pressing methodology, achieving the MFF with moderate modulus (378 MPa) and superior toughness (87.26 MJ m -3 ) that ensure superior response (0.068 cm -1  s -1 ) and bending curvature (0.63 cm -1 ). A secondary hot-pressing can further program the actuation behavior with black phosphorus local photothermal enhancement patterns to achieve 2D-3D transformable geometries. An amphibious robot with a land-water adaptive locomotion mechanism is designed by programming the MFFs. It can crawl on land and locomote on water with a velocity up to ≈1.8 mm s -1 , and ≈2.39 cm s -1 , respectively. Employing the conductive fabric layer of the actuator with electromagnetic induction effect, the amphibious robot can synchronously perceive environmental EMR with sensitivity up to 99.73% ± 0.15% during locomotion, with superior adaptability to EMR source intensity (0.1 to 3000 W) and distance (≈9 m) compared to a commercial EMR detector. This EMR detective microfiber actuator can inspire a new direction of environment-interactive smart materials, and soft robots with multi-scenario adaptivity and autonomous environment perceptivity., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Background: The treatment of food allergy (FA) needs improvement. The treatment of immune disorders can be improved by regulating epigenetic marks, which is a promising method. The objective of this research is to alleviate experimental FA by employing an inhibitor of DNA methyltransferase-1 (DNMT1)., Methods: Ovalbumin was used as the specific antigen to establish a mouse model of FA. Intestinal IL-35 + regulatory B cells (Breg cells) were isolated from FA mice, and characterized using immunological approaches., Results: FA mice had a lower frequency of IL-35 + Breg cells, which was inversely correlated with their FA response. The quantity of IL-35 was lower in intestinal Breg cells from FA mice. Hypermethylation status was detected in the Il35 promoter, which was accompanied with high levels of H3K9me3. Enforced expression of DNMT1 hindered the promoter activity of the IL35 gene. Administration of an inhibitor of DNMT1 (RG108) restored the immune regulatory capacity of FA intestinal Bregs, and effectively suppressed the expression of DNMT1, and attenuated experimental FA., Conclusions: The elevated quantity of DNMT1 in intestinal Breg cells compromises the expression of IL-35 and affects the immune regulatory functions, which facilitates the development of FA. The immune regulatory functions of intestinal Breg cells are restored and experimental FA is attenuated by inhibiting DNMT1., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest None to declare., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Sewage sludge in cities of Yangzi River Belt, China, generally exhibits a lower organic content and higher silt contentdue to leakage of drainage system, which caused low bioenergy recovery and carbon emission benefits in conventional anaerobic digestion (CAD). Therefore, this paper is on a pilot scale, a bio-thermophilic pretreatment anaerobic digestion (BTPAD) for low organic sludge (volatile solids (VS) of 4%) was operated with a long-term continuous flow of 200 days. The VS degradation rate and CH 4 yield of BTPAD increased by 19.93% and 53.33%, respectively, compared to those of CAD. The analysis of organic compositions in sludge revealed that BTPAD mainly improved the hydrolysis of proteins in sludge. Further analysis of microbial community proportions by high-throughput sequencing revealed that the short-term bio-thermophilic pretreatment was enriched in Clostridiales, Coprothermobacter and Gelria, was capable of hydrolyzing acidified proteins, and provided more volatile fatty acid (VFA) for the subsequent reaction. Biome combined with fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis showed that the number of bacteria with high methanogenic capacity in BTPAD was much higher than that in CAD during the medium temperature digestion stage, indicating that short-term bio-thermophilic pretreatment could provide better methanogenic conditions for BTPAD. Furthermore, the greenhouse gas emission footprint analysis showed that short-term bio-thermophilic pretreatment could reduce the carbon emission of sludge anaerobic digestion system by 19.18%., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Studies have shown that androgens can alleviate the symptoms of T2 asthma and are inversely correlated with the severity of allergic asthma. METTL3, a crucial component of m6A modification, mitigates the development of T2 asthma by inhibiting Th2 cell differentiation. However, the impact of androgens, such as dihydrotestosterone (DHT), on the progression of T2 asthma through METTL3 has yet to be investigated. At the clinical level, patients with T2 asthma exhibited reduced levels of DHT and METTL3 mRNA, along with increased levels of 17β-estradiol (E2). DHT and METTL3 were found to be negatively associated with the severity of T2 asthma, while E2 was positively associated with it. Administration of DHT and E2 in induced T2 asthma mouse models showed that DHT improved lung function, reduced airway inflammation, and inhibited Th2 cell differentiation. Interestingly, DHT reversed the damage to METTL3, whereas E2 had the opposite effect. In vitro studies of mouse bronchial epithelial cells (BECs) confirmed that METTL3-dependent m6A modification inhibited the T2 inflammatory response, and DHT inhibited Th2 cell differentiation in T2 asthma by promoting METTL3 expression in BECs. In conclusion, our study suggests that DHT has therapeutic potential for T2 asthma by regulating METTL3 in BECs., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Background: Excavation of key molecules can help identify therapeutic targets and improve the prognosis of pancreatic cancer. This study evaluated the roles of SUMO3 in cell viability, glycolysis, gemcitabine (GEM) sensitivity, and the antitumor activity of butyric acid (BA) in pancreatic cancer., Methods: The mRNA and protein levels of SUMO3 were detected by qRT-PCR, Western blot, and immunohistochemical assay. SUMO3 was silenced or overexpressed in pancreatic cancer cells with or without Wnt/β-catenin pathway inhibitor, glycolysis inhibitor, GEM, or BA treatment. Cell viability was measured using the Cell Counting Kit-8 assay. Glycolysis was measured by determining the extracellular acidification rate, ATP level, and lactate content. Apoptosis was measured by flow cytometry, and TUNEL staining was used to examine in vitro and in vivo sensitivity to GEM chemotherapy. Luciferase reporter and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays were conducted to detect the binding of the SUMO3 promoter and NF-κB p65., Results: SUMO3 was increased and associated with poor survival in pancreatic cancer. SUMO3 knockdown decreased cell viability and glycolysis in vitro and inhibited tumor growth in vivo. SUMO3 overexpression increased cell viability and glycolysis in vitro through the β-catenin pathway. SUMO3 knockdown increased GEM sensitivity, whereas SUMO3 overexpression decreased GEM sensitivity and inhibited the antitumor activity of BA. BA promoted histone acetylation and p-IκBα expression to inhibit NF-κB p65-mediated SUMO3 transcription., Conclusion: SUMO3 acted as an active molecule in cell survival and growth by enhancing glycolysis in response to either GEM or BA. The mechanism was related to the constitutive IκBα/NF-κB/SUMO3/β-catenin signaling pathway., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Irreversible electroporation (IRE) has emerged as a promising modality for tumor ablation, leveraging the controlled application of electrical pulses to induce cell death. However, the associated muscle contractions during the procedure pose challenges. This study introduces a novel approach, termed Synergistic Bipolar Irreversible Electroporation (SBIRE), aimed at achieving tumor ablation without the undesirable side effect of muscle contraction. SBIRE involves the simultaneous application of nanosecond bipolar electrical pulses (±1600 V per 0.2 cm or ±8000 V per 1 cm, ±500 ns, "+" to "-" delay 1 μs, "-" to "+" delay 200 μs, 5 cycles) and microsecond bipolar electrical pulses (±300 V per 0.2 cm or ±1500 V per 1 cm, ±2 μs, "+" to "-" delay 2 μs, "-" to "+" delay 1000 μs, 25 cycles), strategically designed to synergistically target tumor cells while minimizing the impact on adjacent muscle tissue. The experimental setup includes in vitro and in vivo studies utilizing tumor cells and animal models to assess the efficacy of SBIRE. Preliminary results demonstrate the effectiveness of SBIRE in inducing irreversible electroporation within the tumor, leading to cell death, and the ablation effect is better than other parameter forms (24.41±0.23 mm2 (SBIRE group) vs 12.93±0.31 mm2 (ns group), 6.55±0.23 mm2 (μs group), 19.54±0.25 mm2 (ns+μs group), p<0.0001). Notably, muscle contraction is significantly reduced compared to traditional IRE procedures, highlighting the potential of SBIRE to enhance patient comfort and procedural success. The development of SBIRE represents a significant advancement in the field of tumor ablation, addressing a fundamental limitation associated with muscle contraction during IRE. This technique not only offers a valuable and promising approach to tumor treatment but also holds promise for minimizing procedural side effects.

Thioredoxin (TRX) is a small protein with REDOX activity that plays a crucial role in a plant's growth, development, and stress resistance. The TRX family has been extensively studied in Arabidopsis, rice, and wheat, and so it is likely that its members have similar biological functions in Liriodendron that have not been reported in Liriodendron . In this study, we performed the genome-wide identification of the TRX gene family based on the Liriodendron chinense genome, leading to a total of 42 LcTRX gene members. A phylogenetic analysis categorized these 42 LcTRX proteins into 13 subfamilies. We further characterized their chromosome distributions, gene structures, conserved protein motifs, and cis-elements in the promoter regions. In addition, based on the publicly available transcriptome data for Liriodendron hybrid and following RT-qPCR experiments, we explored the expression patterns of LhTRXs to different abiotic stressors, i.e., drought, cold, and heat stress. Notably, we found that several LhTRXs , especially LhTRX-h3 , were significantly upregulated in response to abiotic stress. In addition, the subcellular localization assay showed that LhTRX-h3 was mainly distributed in the cytoplasm. Subsequently, we obtained LhTRX-h3 overexpression (OE) and knockout (KO) callus lines in Liriodendron hybrid. Compared to the wild type (WT) and LhTRX-h3 -KO callus proliferation of LhTRX-h3 -OE lines was significantly enhanced with reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation under drought stress. Our findings that LhTRX-h3 is sufficient to improve drought tolerance. and underscore the significance of the TRX gene family in environmental stress responses in Liriodendron .

The joint made of cast steel is frequently utilized within a treelike column structure to ensure a smooth transition. It is of great significance in ensuring the overall structural safety, but currently, the mechanical property and bearing capacity of this type of joint cannot be fully understood. This study investigates the load characteristics of three-forked cast steel joints through concrete experiments, finite element analysis, and regression method formula derivation, filling the gap in mechanical properties and calculation formulas of forked cast steel joints. Initially, a comprehensive model of the cast-steel joint, sourced from a practical engineering, underwent vertical load testing. Detailed scrutiny of stress distribution and vertical displacement of the tested joint was conducted based on the experimental outcomes. Subsequently, a finite element model of the tested joint was constructed using SolidWorks and subjected to analysis via ANSYS. The numerical findings were juxtaposed with experimental data and extrapolated to encompass other parametric scenarios. Ultimately, a regression analysis method was employed to derive a calculation formula for the load-carrying capacity of branch-bearing cast-steel joints. The regression analysis method can accurately obtain the load-bearing capacity calculation formula for tree-shaped joint models and can be extended to determine corresponding branch and main pipe dimensions, as well as the deviation angle between branches and the main pipe, under known load conditions. This improves design efficiency and accuracy. Comparative analysis reveals a substantial concurrence among experimental, finite element analysis, and formula-based predictive outcomes. The maximum error between experimental results and those obtained from finite element analysis is 9.02%. The maximum error between the results calculated using the load-bearing capacity formula derived from regression methods and those from finite element analysis is only 1.9%., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Aims: The main pathological features of osteoarthritis (OA) include the degeneration of articular cartilage and a decrease in matrix synthesis. Chondrocytes, which contribute to matrix synthesis, play a crucial role in the development of OA. Liquiritin, an effective ingredient extracted from Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch., has been used for over 1000 years to treat OA. This study aims to investigate the impact of liquiritin on OA and its underlying mechanism., Materials and Methods: Gait and hot plate tests assessed mouse behavior, while Micro-CT and ABH/OG staining observed joint morphological changes. The TUNEL kit detected chondrocyte apoptosis. Western blot and immunofluorescence techniques determined the expression levels of cartilage metabolism markers COL2 and MMP13, as well as apoptosis markers caspase3, bcl2, P53, and PUMA. KEGG analysis and molecular docking technology were used to verify the relationship between liquiritin and P53., Key Findings: Liquiritin alleviated pain sensitivity and improved gait impairment in OA mice. Additionally, we found that liquiritin could increase COL2 levels and decrease MMP13 levels both in vivo and in vitro. Importantly, liquiritin reduced chondrocyte apoptosis induced by OA, through decreased expression of caspase3 expression and increased expression of bcl2 expression. Molecular docking revealed a strong binding affinity between liquiritin and P53. Both in vivo and in vitro studies demonstrated that liquiritin suppressed the expression of P53 and PUMA in cartilage., Significance: This indicated that liquiritin may alleviate OA progression by inhibiting the P53/PUMA signaling pathway, suggesting that liquiritin is a potential strategy for the treatment of OA., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The author statement, this study does not have any financial or commercial aspects of the conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Objective: Asthma, a chronic inflammatory disease in which type 2 T helper cells (Th2) play a causative role in the development of T2 asthma. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification, an mRNA modification, and methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3) is involved in the development of T2 asthma by inhibiting Th2 cell differentiation. Sex determining region Y-box protein 5 (SOX5) is involved in regulating T cell differentiation, but its role in T2 asthma was unclear. The objective of this study was to explore the role of METTL3 and SOX5 in T2 asthma and whether there is an interaction between the two., Materials and Methods: Adults diagnosed with T2 asthma (n = 14) underwent clinical information collection and pulmonary function tests. In vivo and in vitro T2 asthma models were established using female C57BL/6 mice and human bronchial epithelial cells (HBE). The expressions of METTL3 and SOX5 were detected by Western blot and qRT-PCR and Western blot. Th2 cell differentiation was determined by flow cytometry and IL-4 level was detected by ELISA. m6A methylation level was determined by m6A quantitative assay. The relationship between METTL3 expression and clinical parameters was determined by Spearman rank correlation analysis. The function of METTL3 and SOX5 genes in asthma was investigated in vitro and in vivo. The RNA immunoprecipitation assay detected the specific interaction between METTL3 and SOX5., Results: Patients with T2 asthma displayed lower METTL3 levels compared to healthy controls. Within this group, a negative correlation was observed between METTL3 and Th2 cells, while a positive correlation was noted between METTL3 and clinical parameters as well as Th1 cells. In both in vitro and in vivo models representing T2 asthma, METTL3 levels decreased significantly, while SOX5 levels showed the opposite trend. Overexpression of METTL3 gene in HBE cells significantly inhibited Th2 cell differentiation and increased m6A methylation activity. From a mechanism perspective, low METTL3 negatively regulates SOX5 expression through m6A modification dependence, while high SOX5 expression is positively associated with T2 asthma severity. Cell transfection experiments confirmed that METTL3 regulates Th2 cell differentiation and IL-4 release through SOX5., Conclusions: Overall, our results indicate that METTL3 alleviates Th2 cell differentiation in T2 asthma by modulating the m6A methylation activity of SOX5 in bronchial epithelial cells. This mechanism could potentially serve as a target for the prevention and management of T2 asthma., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: Evidences of comparison of sex difference in Chinese irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients were few. We aim to compare gender difference in the biopsychosocial characteristics of Chinese patients of IBS predominant with diarrhea (IBS-D)., Methods: IBS-D patients meeting Rome III criteria were enrolled. We administered IBS symptom questionnaires, evaluation of psychological status (HAMD and HAMA scales) and IBS quality of life (IBS-QOL), dietary habits, healthcare seeking behaviors, and compared biopsychosocial characteristics between male and female patients., Results: Four hundred and ninety patients were enrolled including 299 males and 191 females. More female patients reported abdominal pain associated with defecation (84.3% vs. 74.9%, P = 0.014) while males reported more abdominal discomfort (39.8% vs. 26.7%, P = 0.003). Females had higher IBS symptom score (9.7 ± 1.7 vs. 9.4 ± 1.4, P = 0.025) and more of females had severe abdominal pain/discomfort (17.8% vs. 12.4%, P = 0.013) while there were no significant differences of other bowel symptoms. Females reported higher incidence of comorbid anxiety state (64.9% vs. 52.8%, P = 0.008) and depression state (35.6% vs. 19.7%, P < 0.001) than males. Female patients also had lower IBS-QOL score (70.2 ± 20.4 vs. 75.1 ± 16.8, P = 0.028) and more frequent consultations, as well as less response for dietary modification than males., Conclusions: Chinese female patients with IBS-D had more prominent psychosocial disorders compared to male patients and their abdominal symptoms had minor differences., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Heat shock factors (Hsfs) play a crucial role in plant defense processes. However, the distribution and functional characteristics of Hsf genes in the relict plant Liriodendron chinense are still unclear. In this study, a total of 19 LcHsfs were identified and divided into three separate subgroups, comprising 10 LcHsfA , 7 LcHsfB , and 2 LcHsfC genes, respectively, based on their phylogenetic tree and the presence/absence of conserved protein domains. Whole-genome duplication and segmental duplication led to an expansion of the LhHsf gene family. The promoters of LcHsf genes are enriched for different types of cis -acting elements, including hormone responsive and abiotic-stress-responsive elements. The expression of LcHsfA3 , LcHsfA4b , LcHsfA5 , LcHsfB1b , and LcHsfB2b increased significantly as a result of both cold and drought treatments. LcHsfA2a , LcHsfA2b , and LcHsfA7 act as important genes whose expression levels correlate strongly with the expression of the LcHsp70 , LcHsp110 , and LcAPX genes under heat stress. In addition, we found that transiently transformed 35S:LcHsfA2a seedlings showed significantly lower levels of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) after heat stress and showed a stronger thermotolerance. This study sheds light on the possible functions of LcHsf genes under abiotic stress and identifies potentially useful genes to target for molecular breeding, in order to develop more stress-resistant varieties.

There has been much controversy over the effects of music tempo on movement flow. In this study, a single-factor repeated-measurement design was used to explore the effect of music tempo (fast, slow, and no music control) on movement flow by measuring both subjective experiences and objective electroencephalographic (EEG) characteristics during brisk walking. In the experiment, 20 college students walked briskly on a treadmill using EEG equipment. Each participant walked for 10 min on three different days. Their brain waves were recorded during brisk walking on a treadmill. After each walk, the participants completed a form of short flow state scale-2 (S FSS-2), which covered nine major aspects of flow. The results showed that music tempo had a significant effect on subjective experiences and objective physiological characteristics; that is, a higher subjective flow level for fast-tempo music in brisk walking and a significant enhancement of mean power values in the subconscious brain waves of the delta, theta, alpha, and beta bands for fast tempo music were observed. A fast tempo facilitated the movement flow. The findings of this study can be instructive for the use of music in exercises to improve sports training outcomes., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Zhang, Huang, Dong, Li, Zhu and Zhao.)

Rare earth elements have excellent catalytic effects on improving hydrogen storage properties of the Mg 2 Ni-based alloys. This study used a small amount of Y to substitute Mg partially in Mg 2 Ni 0.9 Co 0.1 and characterized and discussed the effects of Y on the solidification and de-/hydrogenation behaviors. The Mg 2-x Y x Ni 0.9 Co 0.1 (x = 0, 0.2, 0.3, and 0.4) hydrogen storage alloys were prepared using a metallurgy method. The phase composition of the alloys was studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD). Additionally, their microstructure and chemical composition were studied using scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, respectively. The hydrogen absorption and desorption properties of the alloys were studied using pressure-composition isotherms and differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) measurements. The structure of the as-cast Mg 2 Ni 0.9 Co 0.1 alloy was composed of the peritectic Mg 2 Ni, eutectic Mg-Mg 2 Ni, and a small amount of pre-precipitated Mg-Ni-Co ternary phases, and was converted into the Mg 2 NiH 4 , Mg 2 Ni 0.9 Co 0.1 H 4 , and MgH 2 phases after hydrogen absorption. Furthermore, the XRD patterns of the alloys showed the MgYNi 4 phase and a trace amount of the Y 2 O 3 phase along with the Mg and Mg 2 Ni phases after the addition of Y. After hydrogen absorption, the phase of the alloys was composed of the Mg 2 NiH 4 , MgH 2 , MgYNi 4 , YH 3 , Y 2 O 3 , and Mg 2 NiH 0.3 phases. With the increase of Y addition, the area ratios of the peritectic Mg 2 Ni matrix phase in the Mg 2-x Y x Ni 0.9 Co 0.1 (x = 0, 0.2, 0.3, and 0.4) alloys gradually decreased until they disappeared. However, the eutectic structure gradually increased, and the microstructures of the alloys were obviously refined. The addition of Y improves the activation performance of the alloys. The alloy only needed one cycle of de-/hydrogenation to complete the activation for x = 0.4. The DSC curves showed that the initial dehydrogenation temperatures of Mg 2 Ni 0.9 Co 0.1 and Mg 1.8 Y 0.2 Ni 0.9 Co 0.1 were 200 and 156 °C, respectively. The desorption activation energies of the hydrides of the Mg 2 Ni 0.9 Co 0.1 and Mg 1.8 Y 0.2 Ni 0.9 Co 0.1 alloys calculated using the Kissinger method were 94.7 and 56.5 kJ/mol, respectively. Moreover, the addition of Y reduced the initial desorption temperature of the alloys and improved their kinetic properties., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The calmodulin (CaM) and calmodulin-like (CML) proteins are major calcium sensors that play a critical role in environmental stimulus response in plants. Nevertheless, the CaM/CML proteins from the specific plants with extreme tolerance to abiotic stresses remained so far uncharacterized. In this study, 66 candidate proteins (three NsCaMs and sixty-three NsCMLs) were identified from the halophyte Nitraria sibirica, which can withstand an extreme salinity. Bioinformatic analysis of upstream cis-acting elements predicted the potential involvement of NsCaM/CMLs in abiotic stress responses and various hormone responses. Additionally, the Nitraria sibirica transcriptome revealed that 17 and 7 NsCMLs were significantly upregulated under 100 mM or 400 mM NaCl treatment. Transcription of most salt-responsive genes was similarly upregulated under cold stress, yet downregulated under drought treatment. Moreover, predictive subcellular localization analysis suggested that the stress-responsive NsCML proteins mainly localize at the cellular membrane and within the nucleus. Furthermore, transgenic overexpression of two NsCMLs (NISI03G1136 and NISI01G1645) was found to mitigate H 2 O 2 accumulation caused by salt stress. These results provide insights into the potential function of Nitraria sibirica CaM/CML proteins, which could aid the investigation of molecular mechanisms of extreme tolerance to abiotic stresses in halophytes., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Despite adherence to guidelines, recurrence of lesions remains possible in lung tumor microwave ablation (MWA) even when termination is enabled by 5-10 mm ground glass changes. Limited evidence exists regarding the correlation between timely management of perioperative complications (including pneumothorax, pleural effusion, hemorrhage, cavity formation, and infection) and local tumor progression. This retrospective study aimed to investigate the relationship among peri-procedural factors, complications, and local tumor progression in 164 cases of lung tumors treated with computed tomography-guided MWA (CT-MWA), and improve the local prognosis and reduce the complication rate of CT-guided lung tumor ablation., Methods: We reviewed 164 consecutive patients who underwent CT-MWA at Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center's Minimally Invasive Therapy Center for lung cancer from September 2019 to May 2020. Correlative analysis was performed between peri-procedural factors, complications and outcomes (local tumor progression rates). Patients who have had prior surgery or previous MWA were excluded. Ablation was the first treatment of choice, and all patients who have had other treatments were excluded. Patients were followed every 3 months with CT. Outcomes of ablation including complications and local tumor progression were evaluated. Peri-procedural factors included demographical factors, tumor features, ablation parameters, management of intra-procedural pneumothorax, and CT features. Complications included pneumothorax, post-procedural refractory infection, and pleural effusion., Results: The study included 98 males and 68 females, with an average age of 56.1 years. Local tumor progression rate was negatively correlated with intra-procedural management of pneumothorax (R=-0.550, P=0.0003) and Hounsfield unit (HU) difference between HU before and after procedure (R=-0.855, P=0.006), and positively correlated with the average HU value of immediate post-procedural CT at the measurement points (R=0.857, P=0.00002). The correlation analysis results also showed a positive correlation between infection after procedure and pneumothorax (R=0.340, P=0.0001)., Conclusions: A greater difference between HU before and after the procedure or a decrease in CT values immediately after ablation may predict a higher rate of local complete ablation. Prompt management of intraoperative pneumothorax may lower local tumor progression rates and decrease incidence of post-procedural infection., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form (available at https://jtd.amegroups.com/article/view/10.21037/jtd-23-1799/coif). B.B.P. serves as Consultant of GE Healthcare, outside the submitted work. The other authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (2023 Journal of Thoracic Disease. All rights reserved.)

Previous LCD-based multiplicative compressive light field (CLF) display has the trade-off between the brightness and the depth of field (DOF). In this paper, we propose a hybrid CLF display using a reflective polarizer and RGB mini-LED panel. By the polarization-multiplexing and the reflector dam (RD) designed on the mini-LED panel, the proposed system can preserve high brightness while enhancing the DOF. Then, a decomposition algorithm is proposed to improve the image quality by depth segmentation and limiting the motion parallax. Compared to the conventional hybrid CLF display, the brightness of the proposed system reaches 348 nits and the reconstruction quality achieves structural similarity index measure (SSIM) improvement by 0.12. The experiments also demonstrate that the proposed method could achieve a higher brightness, larger depth of field, and higher image quality.

Th17 (T-helper 17) cells subtype of non-T2 (non-type 2) asthma is related to neutrophilic infiltration and resistance to inhaled corticosteroids (ICS), so is also known as severe asthma. Methyl-CpG binding domain protein 2 (MBD2) regulates the differentiation of the Th17 cells, tending to show a therapeutic target in severe asthma. miR-146a-3p is associated with anti-inflammatory characteristics and immunity. Moreover, bioinformatic analysis showed that MBD2 may be a target gene of miR-146a-3p. However, the role of miR-146a-3p in the differentiation of Th17 cells via MBD2 in severe asthma remains unknown. Here, we aimed to explore how miR-146a-3p interacts with MBD2 and affects the differentiation of Th17 cells in severe asthma. First, we recruited 30 eligible healthy people and 30 patients with severe asthma to detect the expression of miR-146a-3p in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) by qRT-PCR. Then, we established a HDM/LPS (house dust mite/lipopolysaccharide) exposure model of bronchial epithelial cells (BECs) to evaluate the expression of miR-146a-3p, the interaction between miR-146a-3p and MBD2 using western blot and luciferase reporter analysis and the effect of miR-146a-3p regulated Th17 cells differentiation by flow cytometry in BECs in vitro. Finally, we constructed a mouse model of Th17 predominant neutrophilic severe asthma to assess the therapeutic potential of miR-146a-3p in severe asthma and the effect of miR-146a-3p regulated Th17 cells differentiation via MBD2 in vivo. Decreased miR-146a-3p expression was noted in severe asthma patients, in the BECs and in the animal severe asthma models. Moreover, we demonstrated that miR-146a-3p suppressed Th17 cells differentiation by targeting the MBD2. miR-146a-3p overexpression significantly reduced airway hyperresponsiveness, airway inflammation and airway mucus secretion, while also inhibiting Th17 cells response in vivo, which relieved severe asthma. By targeting MBD2 to suppress Th17 cells differentiation, miR-146a-3p provides a potential novel therapeutic for Th17 predominant neutrophilic severe asthma., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

The loading of catalytic manganese dioxide (MnO 2 ) nanoparticles onto an impregnated decorative paper has been an effective method for the removal of indoor formaldehyde (HCHO) pollutants. However, its preparation can present numerous challenges, including instability in dipping emulsions and leaching. In this investigation, a novel and stable formaldehyde-free polyacrylate dipping emulsion containing MnO 2 particles was prepared and then back-coated on a decorative paper. To improve the dispersion and fixation, the MnO 2 was modified with silane. HCHO can undergo physical adsorption on the cellulosic fibers present in the paper, while it can also undergo chemical degradation into CO 2 within the MnO 2 groups. The silane not only enhanced the interfacial adhesion to a polyacrylate resin but also increased the interlayer distance, thereby creating a larger space for HCHO absorption. The impregnated decorative paper back-coated with 10 wt % of silane-modified MnO 2 exhibited a removal efficiency of approximately 90% for HCHO at 20 °C. The removal rate further improved to approximately 100% when the temperature was increased to 60 °C. Moreover, it is worth noting that the release of volatile organic compounds was exceptionally minimal. Additionally, the particleboard bonded with this impregnated decorative paper exhibited an extremely low emission of HCHO, with a value that approached 0 mg·L -1 . Furthermore, the bonding strength of the surface remained unaffected. Therefore, this study provides a simple and eco-friendly method for effectively removing HCHO, which can enhance indoor air quality.

Liriodendron chinense is a tree species of the Magnoliaceae family, an ancient relict plant mainly used for landscaping and timber production due to its excellent material properties and ornamental value. The cytokinin oxidase/dehydrogenase (CKX) enzyme regulates cytokinin levels and plays an important role in plant growth, development, and resistance. However, too-high or too-low temperatures or soil drought can limit the growth of L. chinense , representing a key issue for research. Here, we identified the CKX gene family in the L. chinense genome and examined its transcriptional responses to cold, drought, and heat stresses. A total of five LcCKX genes, distributed on four chromosomes and divided into three phylogenetic groups, were identified across the whole L. chinense genome. Further analysis showed that multiple hormone- and stress-responsive cis-acting elements are located in the promoter regions of LcCKX s, indicating a potential role of these LcCKX s in plant growth, development, and response to environmental stresses. Based on existing transcriptome data, LcCKX s, especially LcCKX5 , were found to transcriptionally respond to cold, heat, and drought stresses. Furthermore, quantitative reverse-transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) showed that LcCKX5 responds to drought stress in an ABA-dependent manner in stems and leaves and in an ABA-independent manner in roots. These results lay a foundation for functional research on LcCKX genes in the resistance breeding of the rare and endangered tree species of L. chinense .

Water quality is directly linked to drinking water safety for millions of people receiving the water. The Danjiangkou Reservoir is the main water source for the Middle Route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project (MR-SNWDP), located in the vicinity of Henan and Hubei provinces in China. Aquatic microorganisms are key indicators of biologically assessing and monitoring the water quality of the reservoir as they are sensitive to environmental and water quality changes. This study aimed to investigate the spatiotemporal variations in bacterioplankton communities during wet (April) and dry (October) seasons at eight monitoring points in Hanku reservoir and five monitoring points in Danku reservoir. Each time point had three replicates, labeled as wet season Hanku (WH), wet season Danku (WD), dry season Hanku (DH), and dry season Danku (DD) of Danjiangkou Reservoir in 2021. High-throughput sequencing (Illumina PE250) of the 16S rRNA gene was performed, and alpha (ACE and Shannon) and beta (PCoA and NDMS) diversity indices were analyzed. The results showed that the dry season (DH and DD) had more diverse bacterioplankton communities compared to the wet season (WH and WD). Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Firmicutes were the most abundant phyla, and Acinetobacter, Exiguobacterium, and Planomicrobium were abundant in the wet season, while polynucleobacter was abundant in the dry season. The functional prediction of metabolic pathways revealed six major functions including carbohydrate metabolism, membrane transport, amino acid metabolism, signal transduction, and energy metabolism. Redundancy analysis showed that environmental parameters greatly affected bacterioplankton diversity during the dry season compared to the wet season. The findings suggest that seasonality has a significant impact on bacterioplankton communities, and the dry season has more diverse communities influenced by environmental parameters. Further, the relatively high abundance of certain bacteria such as Acinetobacter deteriorated the water quality during the wet season compared to the dry season. Our findings have significant implications for water resource management in China, and other countries facing similar challenges. However, further investigations are required to elucidate the role of environmental parameters in influencing bacterioplankton diversity in order to devise potential strategies for improving water quality management in the reservoir.

Carotenoid cleavage oxygenase (CCO) is an enzyme that can catalyze carotenoids to volatile aromatic substances and participate in the biosynthesis of two important phytohormones, i.e., abscisic acid (ABA) and strigolactone (SL). However, the genome-wide identification and analysis of the CCO gene family in the rare and endangered woody plant Liriodendron chinense has not been reported. Here, we performed a genome-wide analysis of the CCO gene family in the L. chinense genome and examined its expression pattern during different developmental processes and in response to various abiotic stresses. A total of 10 LcCCO genes were identified and divided into 6 subfamilies according to the phylogenetic analysis. Subcellular localization prediction showed that most of the LcCCO proteins were located in the cytoplasm. Gene replication analysis showed that segmental and tandem duplication contributed to the expansion of this gene family in the L. chinense genome. Cis -element prediction showed that cis -elements related to plant hormones, stress and light response were widely distributed in the promoter regions of LcCCO genes. Gene expression profile analysis showed that LcNCED3b was extensively involved in somatic embryogenesis, especially the somatic embryo maturation, as well as in response to heat and cold stress in leaves. Furthermore, qRT-PCR analysis showed that LcNCED3b obviously responded to drought stress in roots and leaves. This study provides a comprehensive overview of the LcCCO gene family and a potential gene target for the optimization of the somatic embryogenesis system and resistance breeding in the valuable forest tree L. chinense .

The accelerator-driven subcritical system has a strong transmutation ability and high inherent safety, and it is internationally recognized as the most promising long-life nuclear waste disposal device. This study involves the construction of a Visual Hydraulic ExperimentaL Platform (VHELP) for the purpose of evaluating the applicability of Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) models and analyzing the pressure distribution within the fuel bundle channel of China initiative accelerator-driven system (CiADS). Measurements of thirty differential pressures in edge subchannels within a 19-pin wire-wrapped fuel bundle channel were obtained under different conditions using deionized water. The pressure distribution in the fuel bundle channel at Reynolds numbers of 5000, 7500, 10,000, 12,500, and 15,000 was simulated using Fluent. The results show that RANS models obtained accurate results, and the shear stress transport k-ω model provided the most accurate prediction of the pressure distribution. The difference between the results of the Shear stress transport (SST) k-ω model and experimental data was the smallest, and the maximum difference was ±5.57%. Moreover, the error between the experimental data and numerical results of the axial differential pressure was smaller than that of the transverse differential pressure. The pressure periodicity in axial and transverse directions (one pitch) and a relatively three-dimensional pressure measurements were studied. The static pressure fluctuated and decreased periodically as the z-axis coordinate increased. These results can facilitate research on the cross-flow characteristics of liquid metal-cooled fast reactors., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper, (© 2023 Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Plant glutathione peroxidases (GPXs) are the main enzymes in the antioxidant defense system that sustain H 2 O 2 homeostasis and normalize plant reaction to abiotic stress conditions. However, the genome-wide identification of the GPX gene family and its responses to environmental stresses, especially salt stress, in Nitraria sibirica , which is a shrub that can survive in saline environments, has not yet been reported. Here, we first report the genome-wide analysis of the GPX gene family in N. sibirica , leading to a total of seven NsGPX genes that are distributed on six of the twelve chromosomes. Phylogenetic analysis showed that NsGPX genes were grouped into four major groups (Group I-IV). Three types of cis-acting elements were identified in the NsGPX promoters, mainly related to hormones and stress response. The quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis indicated that NsGPX1 and NsGPX3 were significantly up-regulated in stem and leaf, while NsGPX7 transcriptionally in root in response to salt stress. The current study identified a total seven NsGPX genes in N. sibirica via genome-wide analysis, and discovered that NsGPXs may play an important role in response to salt stress. Taken together, our findings provide a basis for further functional studies of NsGPX genes, especially in regarding to the resistance to salt stress of this halophyte plant N. sibirica , eventually aid in the discovery of new methods to restore overtly saline soil.

Hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension (HPH) is a progressive and lethal disease characterized by the uncontrolled proliferation of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) and obstructive vascular remodelling. Previous research demonstrated that Breg cells were involved in the pathogenesis of pulmonary hypertension. This work aimed to evaluate the regulatory function of Breg cells in HPH. HPH mice model were established and induced by exposing to chronic hypoxia for 21 days. Mice with HPH were treated with anti-CD22 or adoptive transferred of Breg cells. The coculture systems of Breg cells with CD4 + T cells and Breg cells with PASMCs in vitro were constructed. Lung pathology was evaluated by HE staining and immunofluorescence staining. The frequencies of Breg cells, Tfh cells and Tfr cells were analysed by flow cytometry. Serum IL-21 and IL-10 levels were determined by ELISA. Protein levels of Blimp-1, Bcl-6 and CTLA-4 were determined by western blot and RT-PCR. Proliferation rate of PASMCs was measured by EdU. Compared to the control group, mean PAP, RV/(LV + S) ratio, WA% and WT% were significantly increased in the model group. Anti-CD22 exacerbated abnormal hemodynamics, pulmonary vascular remodelling and right ventricle hypertrophy in HPH, which ameliorated by adoptive transfer of Breg cells into HPH mice. The proportion of Breg cells on day 7 induced by chronic hypoxia was significantly higher than control group, which significantly decreased on day 14 and day 21. The percentage of Tfh cells was significantly increased, while percentage of Tfr cells was significantly decreased in HPH than those of control group. Anti-CD22 treatment increased the percentage of Tfh cells and decreased the percentage of Tfr cells in HPH mice. However, Breg cells restrained the Tfh cells differentiation and expanded Tfr cells differentiation in vivo and in vitro. Additionally, Breg cells inhibited the proliferation of PASMCs under hypoxic condition in vitro. Collectively, these findings suggested that Breg cells may be a new therapeutic target for modulating the Tfh/Tfr immune balance in HPH., (© 2022 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: The relationship between obesity and osteoporosis is complex, with contradictory findings reported. Our aim was to evaluate the association between waist circumference (WC), as an easy-to-determine clinical index of abdominal obesity, and femoral neck bone mineral density (BMD) among older adults, using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database., Methods: Data of five NHANES cycles (2005-2010, 2013-2014, and 2017-2018), including 5801 adults aged ≥ 60 years, were used in the analysis. Weighted multiple regression analyses were performed to evaluate the association between WC and femoral neck BMD. Weighted generalized additive models and smooth curve fitting were further performed to characterize nonlinearities in the association., Results: There was a positive association between WC and femoral neck BMD in non-adjusted models. After adjusting for body mass index (BMI), the association became negative. On subgroup analysis stratified by sex, this negative association only existed for men. An inverted U-shaped curve relationship between WC and femoral neck BMD was further identified, with an inflection point at a WC of 95 cm for both men and women., Conclusions: Abdominal obesity is a negative predictor of bone health among older adults, independent of BMI. The association between WC and femoral neck BMD followed an inverted U-shaped curve., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Profiling the spatial distributions and tissue changes of characteristic compounds with interspecific differences is critical to elucidate the complex species identification during tree species traceability, wood anti-counterfeiting verification and timber trade control. In this research, in order to visualize the spatial position of characteristic compounds in two species with similar morphology ( Pterocarpus santalinus and Pterocarpus tinctorius ), a high coverage MALDI-TOF-MS imaging method was used to found the mass spectra fingerprints of different wood species. 2-Mercaptobenzothiazole matrix was used to spray wood tissue section to enhance the detection effect of metabolic molecules, and the mass spectrometry imaging data were obtained. Based on this technology, the spatial location of fifteen potential chemical markers with remarkable interspecific differences in 2 Pterocarpus timber species were successfully obtained. Distinct chemical signatures obtained from this method can promote rapid identification at the wood species level. Thus, matrix-assisted laser desorption/time-of-flight/ionization mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-TOF-MSI) provides a spatial-resolved way for traditional wood morphological classification and breaking through the limitations of traditional wood identification technology., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The reviewer GZ declared a shared affiliation with the authors to the handling editor at the time of review., (Copyright © 2023 Liu, Chen, Tang, Zhu, Zou, Li, Fan, Fu and Lu.)

In-situ remediating phosphogypsum (PG) for cemented paste backfill (CPB) in the contaminated site is economic management for promoting sustainable developments in the phosphate industry. This study concerns the combined use of NaOH pretreatment and ground-granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS) additives to promote the solidification/stabilization of PG with a lower carbon footprint pathway. According to physico-chemical analyses, the NaOH pretreatment effectively removed approximately 95% of F within the PG, which may originally be present as sparingly soluble fluorides or coexisting with silicates. The micro mineralogical characterization illustrates that the pretreatment can accelerate the early age hydration, with more hydration products observed, including calcium silicate hydrates and ettringite, effective F and P retention candidates. Whereas the incorporation of GGBFS plays an essential role in promoting the generation of additional cement hydrates at the following stages. The macro mechanical performance analysis indicates that the mixtures of pretreated-PG-OPC-GGBFS exhibit an excellent mechanical performance satisfying the design criteria. Subsequent elemental mapping and toxicity characteristic leaching procedures demonstrate that this combined approach has a competitive F and P immobilization ability compared to the typical OPC binder and individual GGBFS addition. The newly formed phases effectively controlled the concentration of F and P through adsorption, incorporation, or encapsulation. Objectively, the proposed methodology can be a promising candidate pathway for extrapolating the in-situ immobilization of PG. This study opens up new perspectives for synergetically recycling PG and GGBFS in a profitable and low carbon footprint way., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The calcineurin B-like (CBL)-interacting protein kinases (CIPKs), a type of plant-specific genes in the calcium signaling pathway, function in response to adverse environments. However, few halophyte derived CIPKs have been studied for their role in plant physiological and developmental adaptation during abiotic stresses, which inhibits the potential application of these genes to improve environmental adaptability of glycophytes. In this study, we constructed Nitraria billardieri CIPK25 overexpressing Arabidopsis and analyzed the seedling development under salt treatment. Our results show that Arabidopsis with NbCIPK25 expression exhibits more vigorous growth than wild type plants under salt condition. To gain insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying salt tolerance, we profiled the transcriptome of WT and transgenic plants via RNA-seq. GO and KEGG analyses revealed that upregulated genes in NbCIPK25 overexpressing seedlings under salt stress are enriched in photosynthesis related terms; Calvin-cycle genes including glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenases (GAPDHs) are significantly upregulated in transgenic plants, which is consistent with a decreased level of NADPH (GAPDH substrate) and increased level of NADP + . Accordingly, NbCIPK25 overexpressing plants exhibited more efficient photosynthesis; soluble sugar and proteins, as photosynthesis products, showed a higher accumulation in transgenic plants. These results provide molecular insight into how NbCIPK25 promotes the expression of genes involved in photosynthesis, thereby maintaining plant growth under salt stress. Our finding supports the potential application of halophyte-derived NbCIPK25 in genetic modification for better salt adaptation., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Lu, Wu, Tang, Zhu, Hao, Zhang, Li, Shi, Chen and Cheng.)

Large volumes of carbon dioxide are released during mining and ore resource development, and cemented paste backfill (CPB) materials are placed in the mined-out stopes where can be discharged from polluted air containing CO 2 . The construction of green mines and the goal of achieving carbon neutrality have become an inevitable choice for the mining industry to achieve the harmonious development of rational exploitation of resources and environmental protection. Against this background, to minimize the carbon emissions from the mining industry and promote the efficient utilization of CPB, this study investigated the carbon-uptake characteristics and mechanical property of CPB in underground mined-out stopes with 1.5 % concentration CO 2 . The results show that the carbonation curing (CC) increased the carbonation rate by nearly 4 times compared to natural curing, while the samples exhibited total carbonation within 28 days. This indicates that CO 2 uptake could occur within the CPB. The CO 2 was absorbed as calcium carbonate minerals, and each ton of CPB can ideally absorb about 78.4 kg CO 2 and treat 2600 m 3 of dirty air in the mined-out stopes. The increase in early uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) during CC required a higher cement concentrate, and the CC would retard the development of later compressive strength. Microstructure analysis indicated that the CC refined the pore structure and reduced the porosity of the CPB. It also affected the crystal growth and distribution of hydration and carbonation products, further influencing the difference in strength. In summary, CPB technology can potentially be useful during carbon uptake and may assist in mitigating carbon emissions from the mining industry and promoting environment friendly development., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

We verified the feasibility of an alternative solution to generate temperature and pressure profiles with the U.S. standard atmosphere model (USSA-76). We simultaneously integrated this model with conventional meteorological parameters measured by a weather station in the course of estimating the refractive index structure constant ( C n 2). Moreover, a continuous-time-series estimation method of the refractive index structure constant was established within the marine atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) based on wind data obtained from a coherent Doppler wind lidar (CDWL). We also analyzed the optical turbulence characteristics induced by wind shear during the conducted experiment. Laminated and patchy stratified turbulences, which affect the performance of imaging and light transmission systems, were found within the marine ABL. Additionally, the relationship between the ABL and all atmospheric optical turbulence factors shows that the ratio of marine ABL in the entire layer differs from that reported in previous studies. Moreover, the influence of thermal turbulence factors within the marine ABL was less than that of the entire layer in our case. We report a real-time C n 2 estimation method based on a CDWL. The characteristics of the marine ABL C n 2 constitute a reference for optoelectronic applications.

Cantilever brackets have been widely used in buildings to provide support for all kinds of pipes. In order to improve the bearing capacity of cantilever brackets, two types of reinforcement schemes are proposed, one is to sleeve a pipe, and the other is to add a haunch. Their mechanical properties are studied by numerical simulation and experimental investigation. First, the non-linear finite element (FE) simulation analysis was carried out, and the structural bearing capacity, stress distribution, and failure modes were discussed. Then, the full-scale model tests were completed to provide validation of the FE analysis. On this basis, a comparison of the FE results and test results of three kinds of cantilever brackets was discussed in detail. The results show that two reinforcement schemes can enhance the bearing capacity of the cantilever bracket significantly by 38.3% and 25.9%, respectively, and they are applicable for the reinforcement of existing cantilever brackets.

In this study, on-site monitoring was used to obtain the temperature field distribution and cable force values of the bridge at various times, the temperature change pattern of the bridge elements, the temperature sensitivity of the cable force of different parts of the bridge, and the trend of the cable force under temperature load were all analyzed. The static response of the wires was studied under various operating circumstances. The total cable force of the bridge is inversely related to the temperature rise and fall, and the temperature sensitivity of the cable force in different parts of the bridge is different under the same temperature effect. The change in cable force is uneven. They vary according to the loading circumstances. This project's cable force changes are the most substantial and consistent with observed circumstances and should be appropriately considered in comparable projects. Thermal impacts must be addressed in strand cable safety design., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2022 The Author(s).)

The calcineurin B-like-interacting protein kinase (CIPK) protein family plays a key role in the plant calcium ion-mediated signal transduction pathway, which regulates a plant's response to abiotic stress. Nitraria sibirica pall. ( N. sibirica ) is a halophyte with a strong tolerance for high salt environments, yet how it is able to deal with salt stress on a molecular level is still unknown. Due to their function as described in other plant species, CIPK genes are prime candidates for a role in salt stress signaling in N. sibirica . In this study, we identified and analyzed the phylogenetic makeup and gene expression of the N. sibirica CIPK gene family. A total of 14 CIPKs were identified from the N. sibirica genome and were clustered into seven groups based on their phylogeny. The promoters of NsCIPK genes contained multiple elements involved in hormonal and stress response. Synteny analysis identified a total of three pairs of synteny relationships between NsCIPK genes. Each gene showed its own specific expression pattern across different tissues, with the overall expression of CIPK6 being the lowest, and that of CIPK20 being the highest. Almost all CIPK genes tended to respond to salt, drought, and cold stress, but with different sensitivity levels. In this study, we have provided a general description of the NsCIPK gene family and its expression, which will be of great significance for further understanding of the NsCIPK gene family function.

Nitraria sibirica is a shrub that can survive in extreme drought environments. The auxin-response factors (ARFs) are a class of transcription factors that are widely involved in plant growth and development, as well as in the regulation of stress resistance. However, the genome-wide identification of the ARF gene family and its responses to environmental stresses, especially drought stress, in N. sibirica has not yet been reported. Here, we identified a total of 12 ARF genes in the genome of N. sibirica , which were distributed over 10 chromosomes and divided into three clades. Intragenome synteny analysis revealed one collinear gene pair in the ARF gene family, i.e., NsARF9a and NsARF9b . Cis-acting element analysis showed that multiple hormones and stress-responsive cis-acting elements were found in the promoters of NsARFs , suggesting that NsARFs may be involved in multiple biological processes. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) showed that many NsARFs had tissue-specific expression patterns, with the highest expression of NsARF16 in the seedlings of N. sibirica . In addition, most of the NsARFs that were upregulated under drought were independent of endogenous ABA biosynthesis, whereas the response of NsARF5 and NsARF7a to drought was disrupted by the ABA-biosynthesis inhibitor fluridone. These studies provide a basis for further research into how NsARFs in N. sibirica respond to hormonal signaling and environmental stresses.

The plant-specific module of calcineurin B-like proteins (CBLs) and CBL-interacting protein kinases (CIPKs) play a crucial role in plant adaptation to different biotic and abiotic stresses in various plant species. Despite the importance of the CBL-CIPK module in regulating plant salt tolerance, few halophyte CIPK orthologs have been studied. We identified NbCIPK25 in the halophyte Nitraria billardieri as a salt-responsive gene that may improve salt tolerance in glycophytes. Sequence analyses indicated that NbCIPK25 is a typical CIPK family member with a conserved NAF motif, which contains the amino acids: asparagine, alanine, and phenylalanine. NbCIPK25 overexpression in salt-stressed transgenic Arabidopsis seedlings resulted in enhanced tolerance to salinity, a higher survival rate, longer newly grown roots, more root meristem cells, and less damaged root cells in comparison to wild-type (WT) plants. H 2 O 2 accumulation and malondialdehyde (MDA) content were both deceased in NbCIPK25 -transgenic plants under salt treatment. Furthermore, their proline content, an important factor for scavenging reactive oxygen species, accumulated at a significantly higher level. In concordance, the transcription of genes related to proline accumulation was positively regulated in transgenic plants under salt condition. Finally, we observed a stronger auxin response in salt-treated transgenic roots. These results provide evidence for NbCIPK25 improving salt tolerance by mediating scavenging of reactive oxygen species, thereby protecting cells from oxidation and maintaining plant development under salt stress. These findings suggest the potential application of salt-responsive NbCIPK25 for cultivating glycophytes with a higher salt tolerance through genetic engineering., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Lu, Wu, Wang, Zhu, Liu, Tang, Hao, Lu, Zhang, Shi, Cheng and Chen.)

Background: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a progressive disorder lacking a validated and effective therapy which characterized by elevated pulmonary arterial pressure, vascular remodeling and eventual death. FDA approved sildenafil is being used as a first-line drug for PH, however, neither survival rates nor quality of life have been improved because of side effects and patient noncompliance. Thus, the exploration of novel therapeutic drugs is urgently needed. Astragaloside IV (ASIV) exhibits a protective effect on HPH, but its mechanisms of action is unclear., Hypothesis: CD4+T cell subsets, Tfh and Tfr cells, may contribute to the development of chronic hypoxia-induced PH (HPH). We hypothesized that ASIV could effectively ameliorates pulmonary vascular remodeling of HPH by restraining the Tfh cell response and expanding Tfr cell response., Methods and Results: HPH mice model was established by exposure to chronic hypoxia for 21 days. Mice were randomly assigned to six groups: NaCl group, model group, SN group (100 mg/kg of sildenafil), low-dose group (20 mg/kg of ASIV), medium-dose group (40 mg/kg of ASIV) and high-dose group (80 mg/kg of ASIV). Primary culture and identification of distal pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) in mice were established. Here, we demonstrated that ASIV treatment could significantly ameliorate the increase of mean PAP, RV/ (LV+S) ratio and PAMT in HPH mice. ASIV inhibited Tfh cell differentiation and IL-21 production, but promoted Tfr cell differentiation and TGF-β, IL-10 production. Chronic hypoxia promoted germinal center B cell responses, which inhibited by ASIV. ASIV regulated Tfh and Tfr cell differentiation by inhibiting the phosphorylation of mTOR signaling pathway, and the effect of ASIV-H was better than that observed in the SN group. ASIV inhibited the proliferation, migration and adhesion of PASMCs in vitro. Moreover, ASIV significantly downregulated the protein level of RhoA and upregulated the protein level of p27 in PASMCs under hypoxic condition., Conclusion: Collectively, ASIV may regulate Tfh and Tfr cell responses to subsequently repress pulmonary vascular remodeling and hypoxic pulmonary hypertension., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

Exercise intolerance is one of the major symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Exercise training can benefit COPD patients, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. The modified Total Body Recumbent Stepper (TBRS, Nustep-T4) can benefit patients with stroke, spinal cord injury and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Nevertheless, the effect of TBRS training alone on pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) in COPD patients remains largely unknown. We aimed to explore the effect of TBRS training on exercise capacity and the thioredoxin system (TRXS) in COPD patients to provide a novel rehabilitation modality and new theoretical basis for PR of COPD patients. Ninety stable COPD patients were randomly divided into a control group (NC group) and a TBRS training group (TBRS group), with 45 cases in each group. Subjects in the TBRS training group were scheduled to undergo TBRS endurance training triweekly for 12 weeks under the guidance of a rehabilitation therapist. We assessed the primary outcome: exercise capacity (6-min walking distance, 6MWD); and secondary outcomes: perception of dyspnoea (mMRC, Borg), the COPD assessment test (CAT), the BODE index, pulmonary function, the number of acute exacerbations of COPD and oxidative stress (TRXS) at one-year follow-up. Compared with before the intervention and the control group, after the intervention, the TBRS training group, exhibited an increase in the 6MWD (from 366.92 ± 85.81 to 484.10 ± 71.90, 484.10 ± 71.90 vs 370.63 ± 79.87, P < 0.01), while the scores on the BORG, mMRC, BODE index, CAT, and the number of acute exacerbations of COPD were reduced, and the protein and mRNA expression levels of TRXS was significantly increased (P < 0.01). However, no differences were found in PF parameters in the comparison with before the intervention or between groups. TBRS training can effectively increase exercise capacity, while there are indications that it can alleviate COPD-related dyspnoea and reduce the number of acute exacerbations of COPD. Interestingly, long-term regular TBRS training may reduce oxidative stress associated with COPD to increase exercise capacity., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

The principal component analysis network (PCANet) is an unsupervised deep network, utilizing principal components as convolution filters in its layers. Albeit powerful, the PCANet suffers from two fundamental problems responsible for its performance degradation. First, the principal components transform the data as column vectors (which we call the amalgamated view) and incur a loss of spatial information present in the data. Second, the generalized pooling in the PCANet is unable to incorporate spatial statistics of the natural images, and it also induces redundancy among the features. In this research, we first propose a tensor-factorization-based deep network called the tensor factorization network (TFNet). The TFNet extracts features by preserving the spatial view of the data (which we call the minutiae view). We then proposed HybridNet, which simultaneously extracts information with the two views of the data since their integration can improve the performance of classification systems. Finally, to alleviate the feature redundancy among hybrid features, we propose Attn-HybridNet to perform attention-based feature selection and fusion to improve their discriminability. Classification results on multiple real-world datasets using features extracted by our proposed Attn-HybridNet achieves significantly better performance over other popular baseline methods, demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed techniques.

Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.)Hook is an important economic timber tree in China. However, its genome characteristics have not been extensively assessed. To better understand its genome information, the bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) library of chinese fir was constructed. A total of 422 BAC clones were selected and divided into 10 pools and sequenced, and with an average insert size of 121 kb, ranging from 97 to 145 kb. A total of 61,902,523 bp of reference sequences were sequenced and assembled, and based on an estimated genome size of 11.6 Gb for Chinese fir, the BAC library was estimated to have a total coverage of 0.53% genome equivalents. Bioinformatics analyses were also performed for repeated sequences, tRNAs, coding gene prediction, and functional annotation. The results of this study provide insights into the brief structure of the Chinese fir genome and has generated gene data that will facilitate molecular investigations on the mechanisms underlying tree growth., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Ji, Zhu, Hao, Su, Zheng, Shi, Zheng and Chen.)

Bamboo is a natural fibre reinforced composite with excellent performance which is, to a certain extent, an alternative to the shortage of wood resources. The heterogeneous distribution and molecular structure of lignin is one of the factors that determines its performance, and it is the key and most difficult component in the basic research into the chemistry of bamboo and in bamboo processing and utilization. In this study, the distribution of lignin components and lignin content in micro-morphological regions were measured in semi-quantitative level by age and radial location by means of visible-light microspectrophotometry (VLMS) coupled with the Wiesner and Maule reaction. There as guaiacyl lignin and syringyl lignin in the cell wall of the fibre. Lignin content of the secondary cell wall and cell corner increased at about 10 days, reached a maximum at 1 year, and then decreased gradually. From 17 days to 4 years, the lignin content of the secondary cell wall in the outer part of bamboo is higher than that in the middle part (which is, in turn, higher than that in the inner part of the bamboo). VLSM results of the micro-morphological regions showed that bamboo lignification developed by aging. Guaiacyl and syringl lignin units can be found in the cell wall of the fibre, parenchyma, and vessel. There was a difference in lignin content among different ages, different radial location, and different micro-morphological regions of the cell wall. The fibre walls were rich in guaiacyl lignin in the early stage of lignification and rich in syringyl units in the later stage of lignification. The guaiacyl and syringyl lignin deposition of bamboo green was earlier than that of the middle part of bamboo culm, and that of the middle part of bamboo culm was earlier than that of bamboo yellow. The single molecule lignin content of the thin layer is higher than that of thick layers, while the primary wall is higher than the secondary cell wall, showing that lignin deposition is consistent with the rules of cell wall formation. The obtained cytological information is helpful to understand the origin of the anisotropic, physical, mechanical, chemical, and machining properties of bamboo.

Background: Liriodendron chinense (Lchi) is a tree species within the Magnoliaceae family and is considered a basal angiosperm. The too low or high temperature or soil drought will restrict its growth as the adverse environmental conditions, thus improving L. chinense abiotic tolerance was the key issues to study. WRKYs are a major family of plant transcription factors known to often be involved in biotic and abiotic stress responses. So far, it is still largely unknown if and how the LchiWRKY gene family is tied to regulating L. chinense stress responses. Therefore, studying the involvement of the WRKY gene family in abiotic stress regulation in L. chinense could be very informative in showing how this tree deals with such stressful conditions., Results: In this research, we performed a genome-wide analysis of the Liriodendron chinense (Lchi) WRKY gene family, studying their classification relationships, gene structure, chromosomal locations, gene duplication, cis-element, and response to abiotic stress. The 44 members of the LchiWRKY gene family contain a significant amount of sequence diversity, with their lengths ranging from 525 bp to 40,981 bp. Using classification analysis, we divided the 44 LchiWRKY genes into three phylogenetic groups (I, II, II), with group II then being further divided into five subgroups (IIa, IIb, IIc, IId, IIe). Comparative phylogenetic analysis including the WRKY families from 17 plant species suggested that LchiWRKYs are closely related to the Magnolia Cinnamomum kanehirae WRKY family, and has fewer family members than higher plants. We found the LchiWRKYs to be evenly distributed across 15 chromosomes, with their duplication events suggesting that tandem duplication may have played a major role in LchiWRKY gene expansion model. A Ka/Ks analysis indicated that they mainly underwent purifying selection and distributed in the group IId. Motif analysis showed that LchiWRKYs contained 20 motifs, and different phylogenetic groups contained conserved motif. Gene ontology (GO) analysis showed that LchiWRKYs were mainly enriched in two categories, i.e., biological process and molecular function. Two group IIc members (LchiWRKY10 and LchiWRKY37) contain unique WRKY element sequence variants (WRKYGKK and WRKYGKS). Gene structure analysis showed that most LchiWRKYs possess 3 exons and two different types of introns: the R- and V-type which are both contained within the WRKY domain (WD). Additional promoter cis-element analysis indicated that 12 cis-elements that play different functions in environmental adaptability occur across all LchiWRKY groups. Heat, cold, and drought stress mainly induced the expression of group II and I LchiWRKYs, some of which had undergone gene duplication during evolution, and more than half of which had three exons. LchiWRKY33 mainly responded to cold stress and LchiWRKY25 mainly responded to heat stress, and LchiWRKY18 mainly responded to drought stress, which was almost 4-fold highly expressed, while 5 LchiWRKYs (LchiWRKY5, LchiWRKY23, LchiWRKY14, LchiWRKY27, and LchiWRKY36) responded equally three stresses with more than 6-fold expression. Subcellular localization analysis showed that all LchiWRKYs were localized in the nucleus, and subcellular localization experiments of LchiWRKY18 and 36 also showed that these two transcription factors were expressed in the nucleus., Conclusions: This study shows that in Liriodendron chinense, several WRKY genes like LchiWRKY33, LchiWRKY25, and LchiWRKY18, respond to cold or heat or drought stress, suggesting that they may indeed play a role in regulating the tree's response to such conditions. This information will prove a pivotal role in directing further studies on the function of the LchiWRKY gene family in abiotic stress response and provides a theoretical basis for popularizing afforestation in different regions of China., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Patients with aortic stenosis and low left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) would benefit from transcatheter aortic valve replacement. However, the safety and efficacy of transcatheter aortic valve replacement in patients with aortic regurgitation and left ventricular dysfunction remains unknown.We defined LVEF < 50% as left ventricular dysfunction. A total of 27 symptomatic patients with aortic regurgitation and ejection fraction < 50% underwent transcatheter aortic valve replacement using the J-Valve™ system (JieCheng Medical Technology Co, Ltd, Suzhou, China) in Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, from May 2014 to June 2019. Procedural and postoperative clinical outcomes were analyzed according to Valve Academic Research Consortium-2 (VARC-2) criteria.All patients (eight females; 70.6 ± 7.1 years) were considered to be at least intermediate surgical risk and/or severe comorbidity precluding for surgical aortic valve replacement (logistic European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation, 16.8 ± 9.5%, range 4.6% to 37.9%) by a multidisciplinary heart team. Transapical implantations were successful in 26 (96.3%) patients. All-cause mortality was 3.7% in the latest follow-up (25-590 days, median 369 days). Significant improvements in LVEF, left ventricular end-diastolic, and systolic dimensions were observed after procedure (from 40.3 ± 6.7% to 50.8 ± 10.5%, P < 0.001; from 65.1 ± 8.9 mm to 56.0 ± 9.6 mm, P = 0.002; from 52.2 ± 9.8 mm to 35.9 ± 13.4 mm, P < 0.001, respectively). No patient had aortic stenosis and paravalvular leak more than moderate and heart function improvement was obtained in the majority of patients at 1-year follow-up.Transcatheter aortic valve replacement using the J-Valve™ system is a reasonable alternative for patients with aortic regurgitation and left ventricular dysfunction regarding promising short-term outcomes.

Ubiquitination, an essential posttranslational modification, plays fundamental roles during mammalian spermatogenesis. We previously reported the requirement of two Cullin 4 ubiquitin ligase family genes, Cullin 4a ( Cul4a ) and Cullin 4b ( Cul4b ), in murine spermatogenesis. Both genes are required for male fertility despite their distinct functions in different cell populations. Cul4a is required in primary spermatocytes to promote meiosis while Cul4b is required in secondary spermatocytes for spermiogenesis. As the two genes encode proteins that are highly homologous and have overlapping expression in embryonic germ cells, they may compensate for each other during germ cell development. In the present study, we directly address the potential functional redundancy of these two proteins by deleting both Cul4 genes, specifically, in the germ cell lineage during embryonic development, using the germ-cell specific Vasa -Cre line. Conditional double-knockout (dKO) males showed delayed homing and impaired proliferation of gonocytes, and a complete loss of germ cells before the end of the first wave of spermatogenesis. The dKO male germ cell phenotype is much more severe than those observed in either single KO mutant, demonstrating the functional redundancy between the two CUL4 proteins. The dKO mutant also exhibited atypical tight junction structures, suggesting the potential involvement of CUL4 proteins in spermatogonial stem cell (SSC) niche formation and blood-testis-barrier (BTB) maintenance. We also show that deleting Cul4b in both germ and Sertoli cells is sufficient to recapitulate part of this phenotype, causing spermatogenesis defects and drastically reduced number of mature sperms, accompanied by defective tight junctions in the mutant testes. These results indicate the involvement of CUL4B in maintaining BTB integrity.

Aiming at the problems of a low material utilization rate and uneven stress distribution of cast-steel support joints in cable dome structures, topology optimization and additive manufacturing methods are used for optimization design and integrated manufacturing. First, the basic principle and calculation process of topology optimization are briefly introduced. Then, the initial model of the support joint is calculated and analyzed by using the universal software ANSYS Workbench 2020R2 and Altair OptiStruct, and the optimized joint is imported into Discovery Live to smooth the surface. The static behaviors of three types of joints (topology-optimized joints, joints after the smoothing treatment, and joints from practical engineering) are compared and analyzed. Finally, the joints are printed by using fused deposition modeling (FDM) technology and laser-based powder bed fusion (LBPBF) technology in additive manufacturing. The results show that the new support joint in the cable dome structure obtained by the topology optimization method has the advantages of a novel shape, a high material utilization rate, and a uniform stress distribution. Additive manufacturing technology can allow the manufacture of complex shape components with high precision and high speed. The combination of topology optimization and additive manufacturing effectively realizes the advanced design and integrated manufacturing of support joints for cable dome structures.