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Background: Seed vigor recognized as a quantitative trait is of particular importance for agricultural production. However, limited knowledge is available for understanding genetic basis of wheat seed vigor. Methods: The aim of this study was to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) responsible for 10 seed vigor-related traits representing multiple aspects of seed-vigor dynamics during artificial aging with 6 different treatment times (0, 24, 36, 48, 60, and 72 h) under controlled conditions (48 °C, 95% humidity, and dark). The mapping populations were two wheat introgression lines (IL-1 and IL-2) derived from recipient parent (Lumai 14) and donor parent (Shaanhan 8675 or Jing 411). Results: A total of 26 additive QTLs and 72 pairs of epistatic QTLs were detected for wheat seed-vigor traits. Importantly, chromosomes 1B and 7B contained several co-located QTLs, and chromosome 2A had a QTL-rich region near the marker Xwmc667, indicating that these QTLs may affect wheat seed vigor with pleiotropic effects. Furthermore, several possible consistent QTLs (hot-spot regions) were examined by comparison analysis of QTLs detected in this study and reported previously. Finally, a set of candidate genes for wheat seed vigor were predicted to be involved in transcription regulation, carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. Conclusion: The present findings lay new insights into the mechanism underlying wheat seed vigor, providing valuable information for wheat genetic improvement especially marker-assisted breeding to increase seed vigor and consequently achieve high grain yield despite of further investigation required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantum dot light-emitting diodes (QLEDs) are emerging as promising candidates for next-generation displays, with the current efficiency and stability of both red and green QLEDs meeting display requirements. However, the efficiency and stability of blue QLEDs, particularly pure blue iterations, significantly lag behind those of their red and green counterparts, thus hindering the widespread adoption of full-color QLEDs. Here, we introduce a strategy to improve the efficiency and stability of pure blue zinc selenide (ZnSe) QLEDs by adding a new ionic liquid (IL) salt, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium phosphorus hexafluoride (BMIMPF6), into the hole transport layer (HTL). This IL salt acts as an effective p-dopant, enhancing charge mobility while also increasing the surface potentials of the HTL for better alignment of energy bands at the interface. This results in a significant improvement in device performance, with the external quantum efficiency (EQE) increasing from 4.90% to 7.02%, setting a high performance for cadmium-free pure-blue ZnSe QLEDs. Additionally, the device's operational lifetime, measured as the time taken for luminance to drop to 50% (T50) at 100 cd m−2, sees a remarkable six-fold increase, reaching 177 hours. Our work represents a significant advancement in developing cadmium-free pure-blue ZnSe QLEDs and offers valuable insights for designing efficient and stable quantum dot-based displays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subgroup J avian leukemia virus (ALV-J) and chicken infectious anemia virus (CIAV) are widely acknowledged as significant immunosuppressive pathogens that commonly co-infect chickens, causing substantial economic losses in the poultry industry. However, whether co-infection of ALV-J and CIAV have synergistic pathogenicity remains uncertain. To explore their synergistic pathogenesis, we established a co-infection model of ALV-J and CIAV in HD11 cells and specific-pathogen-free (SPF) chickens. We discovered that ALV-J and CIAV can synergistically promote the secretion of IL-6, IL-10, IFN-α, and IFN-γ and apoptosis in HD11 cells. In vivo, compared to the ALV-J and CIAV mono-infected group, the mortality increased significantly by 27% (20 to 47%) and 14% (33 to 47%) in the co-infected group, respectively. We also discovered that ALV-J and CIAV synergistically inhibited weight gain and exhibited more severe organ damage in co-infected chickens. Furthermore, we found that CIAV can promote the replication of ALV-J in HD11 cells and significantly enhance ALV-J viral load in blood and tissues of co-infected chickens, but ALV-J cannot promote the replication of CIAV. Moreover, by measuring the immune organ indexes and proportions of blood CD3+CD4+ and CD3+CD8+ lymphocytes, more serious instances of immunosuppression were observed in ALV-J and CIAV co-infected chickens than in mono-infected chickens. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that ALV-J and CIAV synergistically enhance pathogenicity and immunosuppression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meta‐aramid fibre exhibits poor dyeing performance when treated using conventional dyeing methods. In this study, coloration of meta‐aramid fabrics was performed at room temperature utilising diazonium salts from weakly basic aromatic amines and was achieved via in situ construction of azo chromophores on the meta‐phenylenediamine moiety. To promote diazonium‐salt penetration into the meta‐aramid fibre, the pretreatment of meta‐aramid fabrics with dimethyl sulfoxide at 55°C for 30 min and the utilisation of methanol were involved during the coloration process. As a result, the fabrics could be coloured with deep, levelled and firm shades of brown series. The azo chromophore is derived from the skeleton of the polyamide chain. Therefore, the coloured fabrics exhibit good resistance to organic solvents as well as good to excellent colour fastness to soaping, rubbing and sublimation. A study of the coloration mechanism revealed that the terminal and middle meta‐phenylenediamine moieties serve as the main coupling reaction sites. When treated with a diazonium salt, the highly reactive terminal meta‐phenylenediamine moiety reacted first and generated chromophores with an absorption peak in the long‐wavelength region. However, such chromophores only contributed a limited colour depth owing to the limited number of the terminals. If excess diazonium salts were used, the main hue can be attributed to the azo chromophores based on the massive middle meta‐phenylenediamine moieties, although these moieties are less reactive than the terminal meta‐phenylenediamine moieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seed aging is a common physiological phenomenon during storage which has a great impact on seed quality. An in-depth analysis of the physiological and molecular mechanisms of wheat seed aging is of great significance for cultivating high-vigor wheat varieties. This study reveals the physiological mechanisms of wheat seed aging in two cultivars differing in seed vigor, combining metabolome and transcriptome analyses. Differences between cultivars were examined based on metabolomic differential analysis. Artificial aging had a significant impact on the metabolism of wheat seeds. A total of 7470 (3641 upregulated and 3829 downregulated) DEGs were detected between non-aging HT and LT seeds; however, 10,648 (4506 up and 6142 down) were detected between the two cultivars after aging treatment. Eleven, eight, and four key metabolic-related gene families were identified in the glycolysis/gluconeogenesis and TCA cycle pathways, starch and sucrose metabolism pathways, and galactose metabolism pathways, respectively. In addition, 111 up-regulated transcription factor genes and 85 down-regulated transcription factor genes were identified in the LT 48h group. A total of 548 metabolites were detected across all samples. Cultivar comparisons between the non-aged groups and aged groups revealed 46 (30 upregulated and 16 downregulated) and 62 (38 upregulated and 24 downregulated) DIMs, respectively. Network analysis of the metabolites indicated that glucarate O-phosphoric acid, L-methionine sulfoxide, isocitric acid, and Gln-Gly might be the most crucial DIMs between HT and LT. The main related metabolites were enriched in pathways such as glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism, biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, fatty acid degradation, etc. However, metabolites that exhibited differences between cultivars were mainly enriched in carbon metabolism, the TCA cycle, etc. Through combined metabolome and transcriptome analyses, it was found that artificial aging significantly affected glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, pyruvate metabolism, and glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism, which involved key genes such as ACS, F16P2, and PPDK1. We thus speculate that these genes may be crucial in regulating physiological changes in seeds during artificial aging. In addition, an analysis of cultivar differences identified pathways related to amino acid and polypeptide metabolism, such as cysteine and methionine metabolism, glutathione metabolism, and amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism, involving key genes such as BCAT3, CHI1, GAUT1, and GAUT4, which may play pivotal roles in vigor differences between cultivars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Postoperative delirium (POD) is a common complication with poor prognosis in the elderly, but its mechanism has not been fully elucidated. There is evidence that the changes in synaptic activity in the brain are closely related to the occurrence of POD. And neuronal pentraxin 2 (NPTX2) can regulate synaptic activity in vivo. Aims: This study aims to explore whether decreased NPTX2 levels affects POD and whether the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers of POD mediate this association. Methods: In this prospective cohort study, we interviewed patients with knee/hip replacement 1 day before surgery to collect patient information and assess their cognitive function. CSF was extracted for measuring the CSF levels of NPTX2 and other POD biomarkers on the day of surgery. And postoperative follow-up visits were performed 1–7 days after surgery. Results: Finally, 560 patients were included in the study. The patients were divided into POD group and NPOD (non-POD) group. The POD group had a median age of 80 years, a female proportion of 45%, a median BMI of 24.1 kg/m2, and a median years of education of 9 years. The Mann–Whitney U test showed that CSF NPTX2 levels were significantly lower in POD group, compared with the NPOD group (P < 0.05). Univariate binary logistic regression analysis showed that reduced CSF levels of NPTX2 protected against POD (crude OR = 0.994, 95% CI 0.993–0.995, P < 0.001). The receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve indicated that CSF NPTX2 level had high predictive value for POD. Mediation analyses showed that CSF T-tau (mediating proportion = 21%) and P-tau (mediating proportion = 29%) had significant mediating effects on the association between CSF NPTX2 and POD. Conclusion: CSF NPTX2 levels were associated with the occurrence of POD. Low CSF NPTX2 levels may be an independent protective factor for POD. CSF T-tau and P-tau could mediate the association between CSF NPTX2 and POD occurrence. Clinical trial registration: The trial registration number (TRN): ChiCTR2200064740, Date of Registration: 2022-10-15. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the rapidly evolving Metaverse, enhancing user immersion through clear, lifelike, and ergonomic near‐eye displays is crucial. However, existing rigid near‐eye displays encounter challenges such as insufficient resolution, limited adaptability, and suboptimal visual experiences. To address these issues, a strategic shift is proposed to flexible ultrahigh‐resolution (FUR) displays, which combine ultrahigh resolution with the ability to conform to individual eye curvature for a more realistic field of view. FUR quantum dot light‐emitting diodes (FUR‐QLEDs) featuring 9072 pixels per inch (PPI), a maximum external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 15.7%, and peak brightness of 15 163 cd m−2 are achieved through the integration of nanoimprinting and surface modification technologies. The degradation mechanism of FUR‐QLEDs under bending fatigue tests is investigated, identifying the high elastic modulus of the insulating patterned film as the primary cause through theoretical analysis, simulation, and experimental characterizations. Optimizing the elastic modulus of the patterned film enabled to maintain 91% of its initial brightness after 400 bending cycles, demonstrating exceptional bending stability and durability of FUR‐QLEDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pathological complete response (pCR) is an essential criterion for adjusting follow-up treatment plans for patients with breast cancer (BC). The value of the visual geometry group and long short-term memory (VGG-LSTM) network using time-series dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) for pCR identification in BC is unclear., Purpose: To identify pCR to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) using deep learning (DL) models based on the VGG-LSTM network., Study Type: Retrospective., Population: Center A: 235 patients (47.7 ± 10.0 years) were divided 7:3 into training (n = 164) and validation set (n = 71). Center B: 150 patients (48.5 ± 10.4 years) were used as test set., Field Strength/sequence: 3-T, T2-weighted spin-echo sequence imaging, and gradient echo DCE sequence imaging., Assessment: Patients underwent MRI examinations at three sequential time points: pretreatment, after three cycles of treatment, and prior to surgery, with tumor regions of interest manually delineated. Histopathology was the gold standard. We used VGG-LSTM network to establish seven DL models using time-series DCE-MR images: pre-NAC images (t0 model), early NAC images (t1 model), post-NAC images (t2 model), pre-NAC and early NAC images (t0 + t1 model), pre-NAC and post-NAC images (t0 + t2 model), pre-NAC, early NAC and post-NAC images (t0 + t1 + t2 model), and the optimal model combined with the clinical features and imaging features (combined model). The models were trained and optimized on the training and validation set, and tested on the test set., Statistical Tests: The DeLong, Student's t-test, Mann-Whitney U, Chi-squared, Fisher's exact, Hosmer-Lemeshow tests, decision curve analysis, and receiver operating characteristics analysis were performed. P < 0.05 was considered significant., Results: Compared with the other six models, the combined model achieved the best performance in the test set yielding an AUC of 0.927., Data Conclusion: The combined model that used time-series DCE-MR images, clinical features and imaging features shows promise for identifying pCR in BC., Technical Efficacy: Stage 4., (© 2024 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.)

Chronic cigarette smoke exposure decreases lung expression of WWOX which is known to protect the endothelial barrier during infectious models of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Proteomic analysis of WWOX -silenced endothelial cells (ECs) was done using tandem mass tag mass spectrometry (TMT-MS). WWOX -silenced ECs as well as those isolated from endothelial cell Wwox knockout (EC Wwox KO) mice were subjected to cyclic stretch (18% elongation, 0.5 Hz, 4 h). Cellular lysates and media supernatant were harvested for assays of cellular signaling, protein expression, and cytokine release. These were repeated with dual silencing of WWOX and zyxin. Control and EC Wwox KO mice were subjected to high tidal volume ventilation. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and mouse lung tissue were harvested for cellular signaling, cytokine secretion, and histological assays. TMT-MS revealed upregulation of zyxin expression during WWOX knockdown which predicted a heightened inflammatory response to mechanical stretch. WWOX -silenced ECs and ECs isolated from EC Wwox mice displayed significantly increased cyclic stretch-mediated secretion of various cytokines (IL-6, KC/IL-8, IL-1β, and MCP-1) relative to controls. This was associated with increased ERK and JNK phosphorylation but decreased p38 mitogen-activated kinases (MAPK) phosphorylation. EC Wwox KO mice subjected to VILI sustained a greater degree of injury than corresponding controls. Silencing of zyxin during WWOX knockdown abrogated stretch-induced increases in IL-8 secretion but not in IL-6. Loss of WWOX function in ECs is associated with a heightened inflammatory response during mechanical stretch that is associated with increased MAPK phosphorylation and appears, in part, to be dependent on the upregulation of zyxin. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Prior tobacco smoke exposure is associated with an increased risk of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) during critical illness. Our laboratory is investigating one of the gene expression changes that occurs in the lung following smoke exposure: WWOX downregulation. Here we describe changes in protein expression associated with WWOX knockdown and its influence on ventilator-induced ARDS in a mouse model.

Objectives: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) commonly complicates kidney stone disease (KSD). Our objective is to investigate the variations in the urinary microbiota between individuals with KSD alone and those with KSD plus T2DM. This exploration could have implications for disease diagnosis and treatment strategies., Methods: During lithotripsy, a ureterscope was employed, and 1 mL of urine was collected from the renal pelvis after bladder disinfection. Sequencing targeting the V3-V4 hypervariable region was performed using the 16S rRNA and Illumina Novaseq platform., Results: The Shannon index showed a significant decrease in the KSD plus T2DM group compared to the KSD-only group (false discovery rate = 0.041). Principal Coordinate Analysis (PCoA) demonstrated a distinct bacterial community in the KSD plus T2DM group compared to the KSD-only group (false discovery rate = 0.027). The abundance of Sphingomonas , Corynebacterium , and Lactobacillus was significantly higher in the KSD plus T2DM group than in the KSD-only group (false discovery rate < 0.05). Furthermore, Enhydrobacter , Chryseobacterium , and Allobaculum were positively correlated with fasting blood glucose and HbA1c values ( P < 0.05)., Conclusions: The urinary microbiota in the renal pelvis exhibits differences between patients with KSD plus T2DM and those with KSD alone. Further studies employing animal models are necessary to validate these distinctions, potentially paving the way for therapeutic developments based on the urinary microbiota., Competing Interests: The authors declare there are no competing interests., (©2024 Li et al.)