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Developing an effective vegetation classification method for mountain–plain transition zones is critical for understanding ecological patterns, evaluating ecosystem services, and guiding conservation efforts. Existing methods perform well in mountainous and plain areas but lack verification in mountain–plain transition zones. This study utilized terrain data and Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 imagery to extract topographic, spectral, texture, and SAR features as well as the vegetation index. By combining feature sets and applying feature elimination algorithms, the classification performance of one-dimensional convolutional neural networks (1D-CNNs), Random Forest (RF), and Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) was evaluated to determine the optimal feature combinations and methods. The results show the following: (1) multi-feature combinations, especially spectral and topographic features, significantly improved classification accuracy; (2) Recursive Feature Elimination based on Random Forest (RF-RFE) outperformed ReliefF in feature selection, identifying more representative features; (3) all three algorithms performed well, with consistent spatial results. The MLP algorithm achieved the best overall accuracy (OA: 81.65%, Kappa: 77.75%), demonstrating robustness and lower dependence on feature quantity. This study presents an efficient and robust vegetation classification workflow, verifies its applicability in mountain–plain transition zones, and provides valuable insights for small-region vegetation classification under similar topographic conditions globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grasslands play a vital role in the global ecosystem. Efficient and reproducible methods for estimating the grassland aboveground biomass (AGB) are crucial for understanding grassland growth, promoting sustainable development, and assessing the carbon cycle. Currently, the available methods are limited by their computational inefficiency, model transfer, and sampling scale. Therefore, in this study, the estimation of grassland AGB over a large area was achieved by coupling the PROSAIL model with the support vector machine regression (SVR) method. The ill-posed inverse problem of the PROSAIL model was mitigated through kernel-based regularization using the SVR model. The Zoigê Plateau was used as the case study area, and the results demonstrated that the estimated biomass accurately reproduced the reference AGB map generated by zooming in on on-site measurements (R2 = 0.64, RMSE = 43.52 g/m2, RRMSE = 15.13%). The estimated AGB map also maintained a high fitting accuracy with field sampling data (R2 = 0.69, RMSE = 44.07 g/m2, RRMSE = 14.21%). Further, the generated time-series profiles of grass AGB for 2022 were consistent with the trends in local grass growth dynamics. The proposed method combines the advantages of the PROSAIL model and the regression algorithm, reduces the dependence on field sampling data, improves the universality and repeatability of grassland AGB estimation, and provides an efficient approach for grassland ecosystem construction and planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to construct a geological hazard susceptibility evaluation and analysis model using three types of machine learning models, namely, random forest (RF), support vector machine (SVM), and naive Bayes (NB), and to evaluate the susceptibility to landslides, using the Puge section of the Zemu River valley in the Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture as the study area. First, 89 shallow landslide and debris flow locations were recognized through field surveys and remote sensing interpretation. A total of eight hazard-causing factors, namely, slope, aspect, rock group, land cover, distance to road, distance to river, distance to fault, and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), were selected to evaluate the spatial relationship with landslide occurrence. As a result of the analysis, the results of the weighting of the hazard-causing factors indicate that the two elements of rock group and distance to river contribute most to the creation of geological hazards. After comparing all the indices of the three models, the random forest model had a higher correct area under the ROC curve (AUC) value of 0.87, root mean squared error (RMSE) of 0.118, and mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.045. The SVM model had the highest sensitivity to geological hazards. The results of geological hazard prediction susceptibility analysis matched the actual situation in the study area, and the prediction effects were good. The results of the hazard susceptibility assessment of the three models are able to provide support and help for the prevention and control of geological hazards in the same type of areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We develop a poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid)/β-calcium phosphate (PLGA/TCP)-based scaffold through a three-dimensional (3D) printing technique incorporating icaritin (ICT), a unique phytomolecule, and secretome derived from human fetal mesenchymal stem cells (HFS), to provide mechanical support and biological cues for stimulating bone defect healing. With the sustained release of ICT and HFS from the composite scaffold, the cell-free scaffold efficiently facilitates the migration of MSCs and promotes bone regeneration at the femoral defect site in the ovariectomy (OVX)-induced osteoporotic rat model. Furthermore, mechanism study results indicate that the combination of ICT and HFS additively activates the Integrin–FAK (focal adhesion kinase)–ERK1/2 (extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2)–Runx2 (Runt-related transcription factor 2) axis, which could be linked to the beneficial recruitment of MSCs to the implant and subsequent osteogenesis enhancement. Collectively, the PLGA/TCP/ICT/HFS (P/T/I/S) bioactive scaffold is a promising biomaterial for repairing osteoporotic bone defects, which may have immense implications for their translation to clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) is a promising bone and dental tissue engineering material with excellent mechanical properties and biocompatibility, but its biological inertness deficiency limits its clinical applications. In this study, poly(sodium p‐styrene sulfonate) (pNaSS) was grafted onto PEEK surface by ultraviolet (UV) induced polymerization to enhance its osteogenic activities. Attenuated total reflectance Fourier transformed Infrared (ATR‐FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and contact angle (CA) analysis were carried out to prove the success of grafting polymerization. Toluidine blue O (TBO) colorimetric assay was utilized to quantify the graft amounts of pNaSS. Results showed that the amounts of grafted pNaSS on the PEEK surface could be well‐controlled from 0.59 ± 0.07 mmol/cm2 to 5.08 ± 0.20 mmol/cm2, through adjusting the UV irradiation time and monomer concentration. The hydrophilicity of PEEK surface was increased and the in vitro mineralization ability was promoted with the introduction of pNaSS. Besides, this surface modification method did not influence the intrinsic mechanical properties of PEEK. in vitro biological studies revealed that cell adhesion, proliferation, and osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3‐E1 cells were enhanced with the increase of graft amounts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An effective treatment for spinal cord injury (SCI) remains a severe clinical challenge due to the intrinsically limited regenerative capacity and complex anatomical structure of the spinal cord. The combination of biomaterials, which serve as scaffolds for axonal growth, cells and neurotrophic factors, is an excellent candidate for spinal cord regeneration. Herein, a new micropatterned conductive electrospun nanofiber mesh was constructed with poly{[aniline tetramer methacrylamide]-co-[dopamine methacrylamide]-co-[poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate]}/PCL (PCAT) using a rotation electrospinning technology. The aim was to study the synergistic effects of electrical stimulation (ES) and a micropatterned conductive electrospun nanofiber mesh incorporated with nerve growth factor (NGF) on the differentiation of rat nerve stem cells (NSCs). The hydrophilicity of the conductive nanofiber mesh could be tailored by changing the dopamine (DA) and aniline tetramer (AT) content from 19° to 79°. A favorable electroactivity and conductivity was achieved by the AT segment of PCAT. The as-fabricated micropatterned electrospun nanofiber mesh possessed a regularly aligned valley and ridge structure, and the diameter of the nanofiber was 312 ± 58 nm, while the width of the valley and ridge was measured to be 210 ± 17 μm and 200 ± 16 μm, respectively. The growth and neurite outgrowth of differentiated NSCs were observed along the valley of the micropatterned nanofiber mesh. In addition, the NGF loaded micropatterned conductive electrospun nanofiber mesh combined with ES exhibited the highest cell viability, and effectively facilitated the differentiation of NSCs into neurons and suppressed the formation of astrocytes, thus exhibiting a great application potential for nerve tissue engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although electroactive and magnetic biomedical composites have been proven respectively to promote bone regeneration, their associated biological effects have not been investigated. Herein, electroactive GdPO4·H2O/P3HT/PLGA nanocomposites were prepared, which can enhance MRI and CT signals with different GdPO4·H2O content (0.0, 1.0, 3.5, or 7.0 wt%). The morphology, hydrophilicity, magnetism, electroactivity and conductivity of the composites were characterized. Compared with PLGA, the composites exhibit good paramagnetism and electroactivity. The cell morphology and viability of pre-osteoblasts (MC3T3-E1 cell), their alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, calcium deposition, relative expression level of osteogenic genes, and MRI and CT imaging were studied. The proliferation of pre-osteoblasts was obviously increased on the GdPO4·H2O (3.5 wt%)/P3HT/PLGA composite, and the composite containing 7.0 wt% GdPO4·H2O significantly promoted osteogenic differentiation by increasing the ALP activity and calcium deposition, as well as the gene expression of Runx 2, OPN and OCN. Moreover, an enhanced effect was observed in osteogenic differentiation when the electroactive composites were coupled with electrical stimulation (ES) at a frequency of 100 Hz and electrical potential of 500 mV. In particular, OPN expression with GdPO4·H2O (7.0 wt%) was up-regulated 3.0-fold compared to on glass with ES after 7 days. Besides this, the MRI and CT signals gradually enhanced with increasing GdPO4·H2O content. Overall, the electroactive nanocomposite with traceability combined with ES can synergistically up-regulate cellular activity and may be a promising bone implant for bone repair and regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large-scale cell culture for cell expansion in tissue engineering is currently a major focus of research. One method to achieve better cell amplification is to utilize microcarriers. In this study, different amounts of poly(γ-benzyl-l-glutamate) (PBLG) (from 11 wt% to 50 wt%) were grafted on mesoporous hydroxyapatite (MHA) by the in situ ring opening polymerization of γ-benzyl-l-glutamate N-carboxyanhydride (BLG-NCA), and biodegradable and biocompatible PBLG-g-MHA microcarriers were directly fabricated using the oil-in-water (O/W) solvent-evaporation technique for bone tissue engineering. The amount of grafted PBLG could be controlled by adjusting the feed ratio of MHA and BLG-NCA. The relationships between sphere morphology and graft amount or solution concentration were explored. Furthermore, cytological assays were performed to evaluate the biological properties of the PBLG-g-MHA microcarriers. For a solution concentration of 3% (w/v) and PBLG graft amounts of 33 wt% and 50 wt%, the microspheres could be harvested with optimal spherical shapes. In vitro cell culture revealed that the PBLG-g-MHA microspheres had favorable properties for cell proliferation and significantly enhanced the osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells and bone matrix formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The recombinant basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) containing collagen‐binding domain (CBD) has been found to be a potential therapeutic factor in tissue regeneration. However, its binding efficiency and quantification remain uncertain. In this research, massive recombinant bFGFs with good bioactivity for enhancing the proliferation of NIH‐3T3 cells were achieved. An ELISA‐based quantitative method was set up to investigate the binding efficiency of CBD‐bFGFs on collagen films. It indicated that the CBDs significantly increased the collagen‐binding ability of bFGF (P < .05), with the optimum binding condition first determined to be in the pH range of 7.5‐9.5 (P < .05). Then, the relevant equations to calculate the binding density of bFGF, C‐bFGF, and V‐bFGF were acquired. Analysis confirmed that the bioactivity of immobilized bFGFs was well correlated with the density of growth factor on collagen films. Based on this research, the density of growth factor is a logical and applicable dosage unit for quantification of binding efficiency of growth factors, rather than traditional concentration of soluble growth factors in tissue engineering applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A poly(glycolide) (PGA) fiber-reinforced hydroxyapatite/poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (HA/PLGA) composite with high mechanical strength has been prepared previously. In this paper, in vitro degradation of ternary composites with different contents of PGA fibers (0, 30, 50 and 70 wt%) was investigated. Water absorption showed a marked increase as the degradation progressed, and the composite with 70 wt% PGA fibers showed the highest final water uptake which was 3.89 times higher than the initial value. The mass loss of the composite with 70 wt% PGA fibers was 79.3 ± 6.47% at 16 weeks, which was the highest among all the composites. The molecular weight of the PLGA matrix decreased over time especially for the composites containing 70 wt% PGA fibers. The lowest pH of the buffer solution was also observed in the composite with 70 wt% PGA fibers. Environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) and micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) results demonstrated that the porosity of the composites and the size of the pores gradually increased as the degradation progressed. The most significant change in compression strength was observed for the composite with 70 wt% PGA fibers which was reduced from an initial value of 20 MPa to approximately 1 MPa at 16 weeks. The results indicated that the in vitro degradation of the composites could be accelerated by increasing the content of PGA fibers. It implied that the ternary composites might be a candidate for the repair of non-load bearing or cancellous bone which needs high initial strength and fast degradation rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Bone defect and osteochondral injury frequently occur due to diseases or traumatism and bring a crucial challenge in orthopedics. The hybrid scaffold has shown promise as a potential strategy for the treatment of such defects. In this study, a novel biomimetic porous collagen (Col)/hydroxyapatite (HA) scaffold was fabricated through assembling layers of Col containing gradual amount of HA under the assistance of 'iterative layering' freeze-drying process. The scaffold presents a double gradient of highly interconnected porosity and HA content from top to bottom, mimicking the inherent physiological structure of bone. Owing to the biomimetic structure and component, significant increase of cell proliferation, alkaline phosphatase activity, and osteogenic differentiation in vitro was observed, illustrating potential application of the excellent Col/HA scaffold as a promising strategy for bone tissue engineering. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017, 134, 45271. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Xianghualing skarn Sn deposit in the southwestern part of the southern Hunan Metallogenic Belt is a large Sn deposit in the Nanling area. In this paper, the garnet has been analyzed by laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) to obtain the concentrations of the major and trace elements. The results reveal that the garnets from the Xianghualing deposit mainly belong to andradite-grossular (grandite) solid solution and are typically richer in Al than in Fe. They show enrichment in heavy rare earth elements (HREEs) and notably lower light rare earth elements (LREEs), and commonly negative Eu anomalies, indicative of a relatively reduced formation environment. The garnets have high Sn concentrations between 2313 ppm and 5766 ppm. It is also evident that there is a positive correlation between Sn and Fe, suggesting that Sn4+ substitutes into the garnets through substituting for Fe3+ in the octahedral position. Combined with previous studies, it can be recognized that the Sn concentrations of garnet in skarn Sn deposits are generally high, whereas the W concentrations are relatively low. This is just the opposite in garnets from skarn W deposits that typically have high W, but low Sn concentrations. In polymetallic skarn deposits with both economic Sn and W, the concentrations of both metals in garnets are relatively high, although varying greatly. Therefore, the Sn and W concentrations in garnets can be used to evaluate a skarn deposit's potential to produce Sn and (or) W mineralization, which is helpful in exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease and the leading cause of dementia. Recent research highlights meningeal lymphatics as key regulators in neurological diseases, suggesting that enhancing their drainage function could be a potential therapeutic strategy for AD. Our proof-of-concept study demonstrated that cranial bone transport can improve meningeal lymphatic drainage function and promote ischemic stroke recovery., Methods: This study defined cranial bone maneuver (CBM) technique. After osteotomy, a small circular bone flap was made and attached to an external fixator for subsequent maneuver in a controlled fashion for a defined period using 5xFAD mice., Results: CBM treatment improved memory functions, reduced amyloid deposits, and promoted meningeal lymphatic drainage function. CBM induced cascades of inflammatory and lymphangiogenic processes in skull and meninges. Meningeal lymphatics are indispensable elements for the therapeutic effects of CBM., Discussion: CBM might be a promising innovative therapy for AD management, warranting further clinical investigation., Highlights: Cranial bone maneuver (CBM) alleviated memory deficits and amyloid depositions. CBM promoted meningeal lymphangiogenesis and lymphatic drainage function. The beneficial effects of CBM lasted for a long time following the CBM procedures. CBM induced cascades of inflammatory and lymphangiogenic processes in the meninges. Meningeal lymphatic vessels are indispensable elements for CBM therapeutic effects., (© 2025 The Author(s). Alzheimer's & Dementia published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Alzheimer's Association.)

Introduction and Aims: Flavonoids are non-nutrient bioactive substances widely found in plants, possessing antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Periodontitis is a long-term inflammatory disease that impacts the tissues supporting the teeth, poses a substantial burden on public health and individuals alike. This study aims to explore the association between dietary flavonoid intake and periodontitis., Methods: This study included 3005 participants from the 2009 to 2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We compared the weighted prevalence of periodontitis across different participant groups. Binary logistic regression analysis was conducted to evaluate the relationship between dietary flavonoid intake and periodontitis. The restricted cubic spline plot was used to explore nonlinear relationships., Results: The prevalence of periodontitis among participants with total flavonoid intake in quartiles Q1 to Q4 was 54.95%, 44.11%, 40.62%, and 48.28%, respectively. When compared to the Q1 group of total flavonoid intake, the OR values for Q2 to Q4 groups were 0.58 (95% CI: 0.39-0.86, P = .01), 0.50 (95% CI: 0.35-0.73, P = .001), and 0.68 (95% CI: 0.50-0.91, P = .01), respectively. A significant nonlinear association was observed between ln-transformed total flavonoid intake and the likelihood of developing periodontitis (nonlinearity P < .001). The inflection point was identified at an ln-transformed total flavonoid intake of 4.05, corresponding to a total flavonoid intake of 57.54 mg. Beyond this inflection point, as the total flavonoid intake value continues to rise, there was a diminishing protective effect against periodontitis., Conclusions: Higher dietary flavonoid intake is associated with a reduced risk of periodontitis, with the greatest protective effect observed at moderate intake levels., Clinical Relevance: Understanding the association between flavonoid intake and periodontitis can guide dietary recommendations and interventions aimed at preventing periodontitis. This study supports the potential role of a flavonoid-rich diet in promoting periodontal health, suggesting that dietary modifications could be a viable strategy in periodontal disease prevention and management., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest None of the authors have any potential conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Urinary tract infection (UTI) caused by uropathogens is the most common infectious disease and significantly affects all aspects of the quality of life of the patients. However, uropathogens are increasingly becoming antibiotic-resistant, which threatens the only effective treatment option available-antibiotic, resulting in higher medical costs, prolonged hospital stays, and increased mortality. Currently, people are turning their attention to the immune responses, hoping to find effective immunotherapeutic interventions which can be alternatives to the overuse of antibiotic drugs. Bladder infections are caused by the main nine uropathogens and the bladder executes different immune responses depending on the type of uropathogens. It is essential to understand the immune responses to diverse uropathogens in bladder infection for guiding the design and development of immunotherapeutic interventions. This review firstly sorts out and comparatively analyzes the immune responses to the main nine uropathogens in bladder infection, and summarizes their similarities and differences. Based on these immune responses, we innovatively propose that different microbial bladder infections should adopt corresponding immunomodulatory interventions, and the same immunomodulatory intervention can also be applied to diverse microbial infections if they share the same effective therapeutic targets., 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 Li, Li, Yang, Xie and Chen.)

Overactive bladder (OAB) is a common condition that affects a significant patient population. The N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) has a role in developing bladder overactivity, pharmacological inhibition of which inhibits bladder overactivity. The common pathogenesis of OAB involves bladder smooth muscle (BSM) overactivity. In this study, a smooth muscle-specific NMDAR knockout ( SMNRKO ) mouse model was generated. The bladders from SMNRKO mice displayed normal size and weight with an intact bladder wall and well-arranged BSM bundles. Besides, SMNRKO mice had normal voiding patterns and urodynamics and BSM contractility, indicating that NMDAR in BSM was not essential for normal physiological bladder morphology and function. Unexpectedly, cyclophosphamide (CYP)-treated SMNRKO and wild-type (WT) mice had similar pathological changes in the bladder. Furthermore, SMNRKO mice displayed similar altered voiding patterns and urodynamic abnormalities and impaired BSM contractility compared with WT mice after CYP treatment. MK801 partially reversed the pathological bladder morphology and improved bladder dysfunction induced by CYP, but did not cause apparent differences between WT mice and SMNRKO mice, suggesting that NMDAR in BSM was not involved in pathological bladder morphology and function. Moreover, the direct instillation of NMDAR agonists or antagonists into the CYP-induced OAB did not affect bladder urodynamic function, indicating that NMDAR in BSM was not the pharmacotherapy target of MK801 for CYP-induced cystitis. The findings indicated that NMDAR in BSM was not essential for normal physiological or pathological bladder morphology and function, and MK801 improving pathological bladder function was not mediated by an action on NMDAR in BSM., Competing Interests: The authors declare there are no competing interests., (©2021 Xie et al.)

Three-dimensional (3D) fibrous scaffolds allowing sufficient cell infiltration are urgently needed for bone tissue engineering. In this study, a highly permeable 3D interconnected scaffold was fabricated by surface bonding of cotton-like nonwoven fibers with micro- and nanoscale architecture using gaseous chloroform. The results of physiochemical characterization indicated that bonding for 90 min with a fiber density of 0.15 g/cm 3 could facilitate satisfactory porosity, supportive mechanical properties, and a 3D spatial microstructure for cell ingrowth. Coating with gelatin on the fibers induced highly efficient in vitro mineralization and in vivo bone formation as indicated by mineral deposition and repair of rabbit radius bone defect. The findings from this work demonstrated that these biofunctionalized fibrous scaffolds could bionically represent topographic nanofeatures and biological composition for cell binding affinities similar to those of the natural extracellular matrix (ECM). It can be concluded that the facile fabrication and modification strategy of 3D fibrous scaffolds exhibit promising prospect to fulfill the progressive needs in bone tissue engineering.

Three-dimensional (3D) composite porous scaffolds containing hydroxyapatite (HA) and polymer matrix showed wide applications in bone repair because of their improved biocompatibility, bioactivity, and mechanical properties in our previous studies. In this work, mesoporous hydroxyapatite (MHA) surface-modified by poly(γ-benzyl-l-glutamate) (PBLG) with different amounts (from 11 to 50 wt %) was synthesized by the in situ ring opening polymerization of γ-benzyl-l-glutamate N-carboxy anhydride (BLG-NCA) and then PBLG- g -MHA/PLGA composite films were prepared to illustrate the biological performance of the composites. Furthermore, porous scaffolds of PBLG- g -MHA/PLGA were fabricated through modified solvent casting/particulate leaching (SC/PL) method to demonstrate the ability of in vivo bone defect repair. In vitro cytological assay indicated that enhanced cell expansion on PBLG- g -MHA/PLGA with 11 wt % PBLG amounts and improved osteogenic differentiation on the composites with 33 and 50 wt % PBLG amounts were achieved. And the porous scaffolds exhibited high porosity and interconnected pores. Results of the in vivo rabbit radius defect repair indicated that rapid mineralization and new bone formation could be observed on the composites with 22 and 33 wt % PBLG. This study revealed that PBLG- g -MHA/PLGA composites might have potential applications in clinical bone repair.