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Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides ssp. sinensis) is a deciduous shrub or small tree in the Elaeagnaceae family. It is dioecious, featuring distinct structures in female and male flowers. The MADS-box gene family plays a crucial role in flower development and differentiation of floral organs in plants. However, systematic information on the MADS-box family in sea buckthorn is currently lacking. This study presents a genome-wide survey and expression profile of the MADS-box family of sea buckthorn. We identified 92 MADS-box genes in the H. rhamnoides ssp. Sinensis genome. These genes are distributed across 12 chromosomes and classified into Type I (42 genes) and Type II (50 genes). Based on the FPKM values in the transcriptome data, the expression profiles of HrMADS genes in male and female flowers of sea buckthorn showed that most Type II genes had higher expression levels than Type I genes. This suggesting that Type II HrMADS may play a more significant role in sea buckthorn flower development. Using the phylogenetic relationship between sea buckthorn and Arabidopsis thaliana, the ABCDE model genes of sea buckthorn were identified and some ABCDE model-related genes were selected for qRT-PCR analysis in sea buckthorn flowers and floral organs. Four B-type genes may be involved in the identity determination of floral organs in male flowers, and D-type genes may be involved in pistil development. It is hypothesized that ABCDE model genes may play an important role in the identity of sea buckthorn floral organs. This study analyzed the role of MADS-box gene family in the development of flower organs in sea buckthorn, which provides an important theoretical basis for understanding the regulatory mechanism of sex differentiation in sea buckthorn.

Introduction: This study investigates the geographical distribution and fractal characteristics of the medical service network in China, using the “Good Doctor website” as a case study.Methods: Data for this study were extracted from the Good Doctor website Health Community. A two-tiered hierarchical network model was developed to analyze the geographical distribution and fractal characteristics of the medical service network in China.Results: Results unveil the hierarchical nature of hospital distribution and the interconnectivity among healthcare institutions. Shandong Province as a central node within the national hospital network, and networks of secondary hospitals show significant self-similarity and scale-free properties.Discussion: The small world and fractal characteristics shed light on the rapid dissemination of medical information and the robustness of the healthcare network. The results offer a novel perspective for understanding and optimizing the distribution of medical resources, and help improve the efficiency of healthcare services supply.

Left ventricular outflow tract obstruction (LVOTO), a major form of outflow tract malformation, accounts for a substantial portion of congenital heart defects (CHDs). Unlike its prevalence, the genetic architecture of LVOTO remains largely unknown. To unveil the genetic mutations and risk genes potentially associated with LVOTO, we enrolled a cohort of 106 LVOTO patients and 100 healthy controls and performed a whole-exome sequencing (WES). 71,430 rare deleterious mutations were found in LVOTO patients. By using gene-based burden testing, we further found 32 candidate genes enriched in LVOTO patient including known pathological genes such as GATA5 and GATA6. Most variants of 32 risk genes occur simultaneously rather exclusively suggesting polygenic inherence of LVOTO and 14 genes out of 32 risk genes interact with previously discovered CHD genes. Single cell RNA-seq further revealed dynamic expressions of GATA5, GATA6, FOXD3 and MYO6 in endocardium and neural crest lineage indicating the mutations of these genes lead to LVOTO possibly through different lineages. These findings uncover the genetic architecture of LVOTO which advances the current understanding of LVOTO genetics.

Ferroptosis is a newly discovered type of cell death mainly triggered by uncontrolled lipid peroxidation, and it could potentially have a significant impact on the development and progression of tetralogy of Fallot (TOF). Our project aims to identify and validate potential genes related to ferroptosis in TOF. We obtained sequencing data of TOF from the GEO database and ferroptosis-related genes from the ferroptosis database. We employed bioinformatics methods to analyze the differentially expressed mRNAs (DEmRNAs) and microRNAs between the normal control group and TOF group and identify DEmRNAs related to ferroptosis. Protein–protein interaction analysis was conducted to screen hub genes. Furthermore, a miRNA–mRNA–TF co-regulatory network was constructed to utilize prediction software. The expression of hub genes was further validated through quantitative real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). After conducting the differential gene analysis, we observed that in TOF, 41 upregulated mRNAs and three downregulated mRNAs associated with ferroptosis genes were found. Further Gene Ontology/Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis revealed that these genes were primarily involved in molecular functions and biological processes related to chemical stress, oxidative stress, cellular response to starvation, response to nutrient levels, cellular response to external stimulus, and cellular response to extracellular stimulus. Furthermore, we constructed a miRNA–mRNA–TF co-regulatory network. qRT-PCR analysis of the right ventricular tissues from human cases showed an upregulation in the mRNA levels of KEAP1 and SQSTM1. Our bioinformatics analysis successfully identified 44 potential genes that are associated with ferroptosis in TOF. This finding significantly contributes to our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the development of TOF. Moreover, these findings have the potential to open new avenues for the development of innovative therapeutic approaches for the treatment of this condition.

The aim of this study was to clarify the mechanism by which thinning alters stand structure and affects forest productivity by characterizing changes in stand quantitative maturity age, stand diameter distribution, structural heterogeneity, and forest productivity of Chinese fir plantations at different thinning times and intensities. Our findings provide insights into how the density of stands could be modified to enhance the yield and timber quality of Chinese fir plantations. The significance of differences in individual tree volume, stand volume, and timber merchantable volume was determined using one-way analysis of variance and post hoc Duncan tests. The stand quantitative maturity age was obtained using the Richards equation. The quantitative relationship between stand structure and productivity was determined using a generalized linear mixed model. We found that (1) the quantitative maturity age of Chinese fir plantations increased with thinning intensity, and the quantitative maturity age was much greater under commercial thinning than under pre-commercial thinning. (2) Individual tree volume and the proportion of medium-sized and large-sized timber merchantable volume increased with stand thinning intensity. Thinning promoted increases in stand diameter. pre-commercially thinned stands were dominated by medium-diameter trees when the quantitative maturity age was reached, whereas commercially thinned stands were dominated by large-diameter trees. The living trees volume will decrease immediately after thinning, and then it will gradually increase with the age of the stand. When the stand volume included both living trees volume and thinned volume, thinned stands increased stand volume compared with unthinned stands. In pre-commercial thinning stands, the greater the intensity of thinning, the greater the increase in stand volume, and the opposite was true for commercial thinning. (3) Thinning also reduced heterogeneity in stand structure, which was lower after commercial thinning than after pre-commercial thinning. The productivity of pre-commercially thinned stands increased with thinning intensity, whereas that of commercially thinned stands decreased with thinning intensity. (4) The structural heterogeneity of pre-commercially and commercially thinned stands was negatively and positively correlated with forest productivity, respectively. In the Chinese fir plantations in the hilly terrain of the northern Chinese fir production area, when pre-commercial thinning was performed in the ninth year to a residual density of 1750 trees per hectare, the stand quantitative maturity age was reached in year 30, medium-sized timber accounted for 75.2% of all trees, and the stand volume was 667.9 m3 per hectare. This thinning strategy is favorable for producing medium-sized Chinese fir timber. When commercial thinning was performed in year 23, the optimal residual density was 400 trees per hectare. When the stand quantitative maturity age was reached in year 31, large-sized timber accounted for 76.6% of all trees, and the stand volume was 574.5 m3 per hectare. This thinning strategy is favorable for producing large-sized Chinese fir timber.

Enhancers are a class of cis-regulatory elements in the genome that instruct the spatiotemporal transcriptional program. Last decade has witnessed an exploration of non-coding transcripts pervasively transcribed from active enhancers in diverse contexts, referred to as enhancer RNAs (eRNAs). Emerging evidence unequivocally suggests eRNAs are an important layer in transcriptional regulation. In this mini-review, we summarize the well-established regulatory models for eRNA actions and highlight the recent insights into the structure and chemical modifications of eRNAs underlying their functions. We also explore the potential roles of eRNAs in transcriptional condensates.

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is the largest reservoir of microbiota in the human body; however, it is still challenging to estimate the distribution and life patterns of microbes. Biofilm, as the predominant form in the microbial ecosystem, serves ideally to connect intestinal flora, molecules, and host mucosa cells. It gives bacteria the capacity to inhabit ecological niches, communicate with host cells, and withstand environmental stresses. This study intends to evaluate the connection between GI tract biofilms and chronic mucosa diseases such as chronic gastritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and colorectal cancer. In each disease, we summarize the representative biofilm makers including Helicobacter pylori, adherent-invasive Escherichia coli, Bacteroides fragilis, and Fusobacterium nucleatum. We address biofilm’s role in causing inflammation and the pro-carcinogenic stage in addition to discussing the typical resistance, persistence, and recurrence mechanisms seen in vitro. Biofilms may serve as a new biomarker for endoscopic and pathologic detection of gastrointestinal disease and suppression, which may be a useful addition to the present therapy strategy.

ObjectivesTo explore the value of T1-weighted imaging (T1WI), T2-weighted imaging (T2WI) and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) radiomics features reflecting TP53 mutations in patients with triple negative breast cancer (TNBC).Study designThis retrospective study enrolled 91 patients with TNBC with TP53 testing (64 patients in the training cohort and 27 patients in the validation cohort). A total of 2832 radiomics features were extracted from the first phase of dynamic contrast-enhanced T1WI, T2WI and ADC maps. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the Kruskal-Wallis-test were used for feature selection. Then, linear discriminant analysis (LDA), multilayer perceptron (MLP), logistic regression (LR), LR with LASSO, decision tree (DT), naïve Bayes (NB), random forest (RF), and support vector machine (SVM) models were used for classification.ResultsThe validation AUCs of the eight classifiers ranged from 0.74 (NB) to 0.85 (SVM). SVM attained the highest AUC (0.85) and diagnostic accuracy (0.82) of all tested models. The top 3 ranking features in the SVM model were T1-square-first order-skewness (coefficient: 1.735), T2-wavelet-LHH-GLCM-joint energy, and T2-wavelet-LHH-GLCM-inverse difference moment (coefficient: -0.654, -0.634).ConclusionsRadiomics-based analysis with the SVM model is recommended for the detection of TP53 mutations in TNBC. Furthermore, T1WI- and T2WI-related features could be used as noninvasive biomarkers for predicting TP53 mutations.

Atrioventricular septal defect (AVSD) is a deleterious subtype of congenital heart diseases (CHD) characterized by atrioventricular canal defect. The pathogenic genetic changes of AVSD remain elusive, particularly for copy number variation (CNV), a large segment variation of the genome, which is one of the major forms of genetic variants resulting in congenital heart diseases. In the present study, we recruited 150 AVSD cases and 100 healthy subjects as controls for whole exome sequencing (WES). We identified total 4255 rare CNVs using exon Hidden Markov model (XHMM) and screened rare CNVs by eliminating common CNVs based on controls and Database of Genomic Variants (DGV). Each patient contained at least 9 CNVs, and the CNV burden was prominently presented in chromosomes 19,22,21&16. Small CNVs (

VSD combined with other cardiac or extracardiac malformations (defined as “complex VSD” by us) is one of the major causes of perinatal morbidity and mortality. Functional non-coding SNPs (cis-regulatory SNPs) have not been systematically studied in CHDs, including complex VSD. Here we report an exome-wide association analysis using WES data of 60 PA/VSD cases, 20 TOF cases and 100 controls in Chinese children. We identify 93 low-frequency non-coding SNPs associated with complex VSD risk. A functional genomics pipeline integrating ATAC-seq, ChIP-seq and promoter CHi-C recognizes the rs2279658 variant as a candidate cis-regulatory SNP. Specifically, rs2279658 resides in a cardiac-specific enhancer bound by FOXH1 and PITX2, and would abrogate binding of these two transcription factors to the identified enhancer during cardiac morphogenesis. COQ2 and FAM175A are predicted to be target genes for “rs2279658-FOXH1 or PITX2” pairs in the heart. These findings highlight the importance of cis-regulatory SNPs in the pathogenesis of complex VSD and broaden our understanding of this disease.

IntroductionSocial media, an essential source of public access to information regarding the COVID-19 vaccines, has a significant effect on the transmission of information regarding the COVID-19 vaccines and helps the public gain correct insights into the effectiveness and safety of the COVID-19 vaccines. The forwarding behavior of social media users on posts concerned with COVID-19 vaccine topics can rapidly disseminate vaccine information in a short period, which has a significant effect on transmission and helps the public access relevant information. However, the factors of social media users' forwarding posts are still uncertain thus far. In this paper, we investigated the factors of the forwarding COVID-19 vaccines Weibo posts on Chinese social media and verified the correlation between social network characteristics, Weibo textual sentiment characteristics, and post forwarding.MethodsThis paper used data mining, machine learning, sentiment analysis, social network analysis, and regression analysis. Using “新冠疫苗 (COVID-19 vaccine)” as the keyword, we used data mining to crawl 121,834 Weibo posts on Sina Weibo from 1 January 2021 to 31 May 2021. Weibo posts not closely correlated with the topic of the COVID-19 vaccines were filtered out using machine learning. In the end, 3,158 posts were used for data analysis. The proportions of positive sentiment and negative sentiment in the textual of Weibo posts were calculated through sentiment analysis. On that basis, the sentiment characteristics of Weibo posts were determined. The social network characteristics of information transmission on the COVID-19 vaccine topic were determined through social network analysis. The correlation between social network characteristics, sentiment characteristics of the text, and the forwarding volume of posts was verified through regression analysis.ResultsThe results suggest that there was a significant positive correlation between the degree of posting users in the social network structure and the amount of forwarding. The relationship between the closeness centrality and the forwarding volume was significantly positive. The betweenness centrality was significantly positively correlated with the forwarding volume. There was no significant relationship between the number of posts containing more positive sentiments and the forwarding volume of posts. There was a significant positive correlation between the number of Weibo posts containing more negative sentiments and the forwarding volume.ConclusionAccording to the characteristics of users, COVID-19 vaccine posts from opinion leaders, “gatekeepers,” and users with high-closeness centrality are more likely to be reposted. Users with these characteristics should be valued for their important role in disseminating information about COVID-19 vaccines. In addition, the sentiment contained in the Weibo post is an important factor influencing the public to forward vaccine posts. Special attention should be paid to the negative sentimental tendency contained in this post on Weibo to mitigate the negative impact of the information epidemic and improve the transmission effect of COVID-19 vaccine information.

ObjectivesTo investigate the image quality and diagnostic capability a of whole-lesion histogram and texture analysis of advanced ZOOMit (A-ZOOMit) and simultaneous multislice readout-segmented echo-planar imaging (SMS-RS-EPI) to differentiate benign from malignant breast lesions.Study designFrom February 2020 to October 2020, diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) using SMS-RS-EPI and A-ZOOMit were performed on 167 patients. Three breast radiologists independently ranked the image datasets. The inter-/intracorrelation coefficients (ICCs) of mean image quality scores and lesion conspicuity scores were calculated between these three readers. Histogram and texture features were extracted from the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps, respectively, based on a WL analysis. Student’s t-tests, one-way ANOVAs, Mann–Whitney U tests, and receiver operating characteristic curves were used for statistical analysis.ResultsThe overall image quality scores and lesion conspicuity scores for A-ZOOMit and SMS-RS-EPI showed statistically significant differences (4.92 ± 0.27 vs. 3.92 ± 0.42 and 4.93 ± 0.29 vs. 3.87 ± 0.47, p < 0.0001). The ICCs for the image quality and lesion conspicuity scores had good agreements among the three readers (all ICCs >0.75). To differentiate benign and malignant breast lesions, the entropy of ADCA-Zoomit had the highest area (0.78) under the ROC curve.ConclusionsA-ZOOMit achieved higher image quality and lesion conspicuity than SMS-RS-EPI. Entropy based on A-ZOOMit is recommended for differentiating benign from malignant breast lesions.

PurposeFor men suspected of having prostate cancer (PCa), the transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided systematic biopsy (SB) was performed. MRI/TRUS fusion guided-targeted biopsy (MRI-TB) could enhance PCa detection, allowing sampling of sites at higher risk which were not obvious with TRUS alone. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to compare the detection rates of prostate cancer by MRI-TB or MRI-TB plus SB versus SB, mainly for diagnosis of high-risk PCa.MethodsA literature Search was performed on PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase databases. We searched from inception of the databases up to January 2021.ResultsA total of 5831 patients from 26 studies were included in the present meta-analysis. Compared to traditional TRUS-guided biopsy, MRI-TB had a significantly higher detection rate of clinically significant PCa (RR=1.27; 95%CI 1.15-1.40; p

AimsThis article evaluates the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the 5-item WHO Well-Being Index (WHO-5) in mainland China.MethodsTwo cross-sectional studies with 1,414 participants from a university in China were conducted. The Chinese version of the WHO-5 was assessed to determine its internal consistency, concurrent validity, factorial validity, and construct validity.ResultsThe results indicate that the WHO-5 is unidimensional and has good internal consistency, with Cronbach's a = 0.85 and 0.81 in Study 1 (n = 903) and Study 2 (n = 511), respectively. The findings also demonstrate that the WHO-5 has good concurrent validity with other well-established measures of wellbeing, self-efficacy, self-esteem, and mental wellbeing. The results of confirmatory factor analysis also suggest that the scale has a good model fit.ConclusionsThis study provides empirical data demonstrating that the Chinese version of the WHO-5 has good psychometric properties. The scale can be a useful measure in epistemological studies and clinical research related to wellbeing in Chinese populations.

Methylmalonic acidaemia (MMA) has been reported to be associated with cardiovascular involvement, especially for the combined type with homocystinuria. We have screened 80 control subjects and 99 MMA patients (23 isolated type and 76 combined type) using electrocardiograph and echocardiography. 32 cases (34%) of ECG changes were found including sinus tachycardia (n = 11), prolonged QTc interval (n = 1), I-degree atrioventricular block (n = 1), left axis deviation (n = 5) and T wave change (n = 14). By echocardiography, 8 cases of congenital heart disease were found in 4 combined MMA patients (5.3%) including ventricular septal defect (n = 2), atrial septal defect (n = 3), patent ductus arteriosus (n = 1) and coronary artery-pulmonary artery fistula (n =2). Pulmonary hypertension (n = 2) and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (n = 1) in combined subtype were also noted. Moreover, echocardiographic parameters were analyzed by multiple regression to clarify the influence of different subtypes on cardiac function. It was found that the left ventricular mass index (LVMI) was significantly reduced only in combined subtype [R = −3.0, 95%CI (−5.4, −0.5), P = 0.017]. For left ventricle, the mitral E' velocity was significantly reduced [isolated type: R = −1.8, 95%CI (−3.3, −0.4), P = 0.016; combined type: R = −2.5, 95%CI (−3.5, −1.5), P < 0.001], the global longitudinal strain (GLS) was the same [isolated type: R = −1.4, 95%CI (−2.3, −0.4), P = 0.007; Combined type: R = −1.1, 95%CI (−1.8, −0.4), P = 0.001], suggesting weakened left ventricular diastolic and systolic functions in both subtypes. For right ventricle, only in combined subtype, the tricuspid E' velocity was significantly reduced [R = −1.4, 95%CI (−2.6, −0.2), P = 0.021], and the tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) was the same [R = −1.3, 95%CI (−2.3, −0.3), P=0.013], suggesting impaired right ventricular systolic and diastolic function. In conclusion, isolated and combined types showed different pattern of cardiac dysfunction, specifically the former only affected the left ventricle while the latter affected both ventricles. And it is necessary to perform echocardiographic screening and follow up in both MMA subtypes.

BackgroundPulmonary atresia (PA) is a kind of congenital heart disease characterized by right ventricular outflow tract obstruction. It is divided into PA with intact ventricular septum (PA/IVS) whose favorable form is pulmonary valvular stenosis (PS), and PA with ventricular septal defect (PA/VSD) whose favorable form is tetralogy of Fallot (TOF). Due to limitations in genetics etiology, whole-exome sequencing (WES) was utilized to identify new variants associated with the diseases.MethodsThe data from PS-PA/IVS (n = 74), TOF-PA/VSD (n = 100), and 100 controls were obtained. The common sites between PS and PA/IVS, PA/VSD and TOF, were compared. The novel rare damage variants, and candidate genes were identified by gene-based burden analysis. Finally, the enrichment analysis of differential genes was conducted between case and control groups.ResultsSeventeen rare damage variants located in seven genes were predicted to be associated with the PS through burden analysis. Enrichment analysis identified that the Wnt and cadherin signaling pathways were relevant to PS-PA/IVS.ConclusionThis study put forth seven candidate genes (APC, PPP1R12A, PCK2, SOS2, TNR, MED13, and TIAM1), resulting in PS-PA/IVS. The Wnt and cadherin signaling pathways were identified to be related to PS-PA/IVS by enrichment analysis. This study provides new evidence for exploring the genetic mechanism of PS-PA/IVS.

Background: Sex-related differences in cardiovascular parameters have been well documented in adults, and the impact of birthweight on cardiovascular health in later life has been acknowledged. However, data was limited regarding the association between birthweight and cardiovascular outcomes at an early age, and the sex-disparity in the association remained unclear.Objective: To investigate the association between birthweight and cardiovascular parameters in 4-year-old children. Furthermore, to explore whether sex-disparity exist in this association or in cardiovascular risk.Methods: Follow-up data from the Shanghai Birth Cohort (SBC) was analyzed. Detailed perinatal information including both maternal and offspring datum were recorded. Blood pressure, echocardiography, and anthropometry assessment were conducted during the follow-up of 4-year-old children. Linear regression models were used to analyze the association between birthweight and left ventricle (LV) structure and function changes in each sex and birthweight category. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to compare risk of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in different birthweight subgroups.Results: Overall, macrosomia was significantly associated with thickened LV posterior wall thickness in systole [LVPWs, (β = 0.26, 95% CI: 0.06, 0.45)] and diastole [LVPWd, (β = 0.18, 95% CI: 0.06, 0.30)], and thickened interventricular septal thickness in diastole [IVSd, (β = 0.16, 95% CI: 0.05, 0.28)]. Boys with macrosomia showed a higher left ventricle mass index [LVMI, (β = 1.29, 95% CI: 0.14, 2.43)], thickened LVPWs (β = 0.30, 95% CI: 0.05, 0.56) and LVPWd (β = 0.21, 95% CI: 0.06, 0.36), and thickened IVSd (β = 0.23, 95% CI: 0.09, 0.36). However, no significant association of structural changes was found in girls. Furthermore, an increased risk of LVH was found solely in macrosomic boys (OR = 2.79, 95% CI: 1.17, 6.63).Conclusion: Children with macrosomia developed cardiovascular changes as early as 4 years of age. Macrosomia was associated with LV structural changes and higher LVH risk in pre-school-aged boys, while no association was found in girls.

BackgroundSepsis is a complex systemic immune dysfunction syndrome induced by infection. Sepsis has a high mortality rate, with most patients dying due to systemic organ failure or secondary infection. Dendritic cells (DCs) are professional antigen-presenting cells. Upon infection with microbes, DCs are activated to induce adaptive immune responses for controlling infection. DC generation and function are impaired during sepsis; however, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown.MethodsPeripheral blood samples from sepsis patients were collected to examine DC subsets, DC progenitors, and apoptosis of DCs by flow cytometer. In vitro induction of DCs from hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells were established and a variety of sepsis-associated inflammatory mediators [e.g., interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), interleukin-1beta (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF)] and Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were determined for the impact on DC generation and function in vitro.ResultsOur results demonstrate that sepsis-induced systemic inflammation impairs the capacity of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) to produce DCs, including conventional DCs (cDCs) and plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs). We investigated peripheral blood (PB) samples from 34 pediatric patients on days 1 to 7 following diagnosis. Compared to healthy donors (n = 18), the sepsis patients exhibited a significantly fewer percentage and number of pDCs and cDCs, and a lower expression of antigen presenting molecule HLD-DR and co-stimulatory molecules (e.g., CD86) on the surface of DCs. This sepsis-induced DC impairment was associated with significantly increased apoptotic death of DCs and marked decreases of progenitor cells that give rise to DCs. Furthermore, we observed that among the tested sepsis-associated cytokines (e.g., IFN-γ, IL-1β, TNF-α, and G-CSF), G-CSF and IFN-γ impaired DC development from cultured HSPCs. G-CSF also markedly decreased the expression of HLA-DR on HSPC-derived DCs and their cytokine production, including IL-12 and IFN-β.ConclusionsCollectively, these findings indicate that sepsis impairs the survival of functional DCs and their development from HSPCs. Strategies for improving DC reconstitution following sepsis may restore DC progenitors and their associated function.

Brain cancers are among the top causes of death worldwide. Although, the survival rates vary widely depending on the type of the tumor, early diagnosis could generally benefit in better prognosis outcomes of the brain cancer patients. Conventionally, neuroimaging and biopsy are the most widely used approaches in diagnosis, subtyping, and prognosis monitoring of brain cancers, while emerging liquid biopsy assays using peripheral blood or cerebrospinal fluid have demonstrated many favorable characteristics in this task, especially due to their minimally invasive and easiness in sampling nature. Here, we review the recent studies in the liquid biopsy of brain cancers. We discuss the methodologies and performances of various assays on diagnosis, tumor subtyping, relapse prediction as well as prognosis monitoring in brain cancers, which approaches have made a big step toward clinical benefits of brain cancer patients.

Previous studies of the lexical psycholinguistic properties (LPPs) in second language (L2) production have assessed the degree of an LPP dimension of an L2 corpus by computing the mean ratings of unique content words in the corpus for that dimension, without considering the possibility that learners at different proficiency levels may perceive the degree of that dimension of the same words differently. This study extended a dynamic semantic similarity algorithm to estimate the degree of five different LPP dimensions of several sub-corpora of the Education First-Cambridge Open Language Database representing L2 English learners at different proficiency levels. Our findings provide initial evidence for the validity of the algorithm for assessing the LPPs in L2 production and contribute useful insights into between-proficiency relationships and cross-proficiency differences in the LPPs in L2 production as well as the relationships among different LPP dimensions.

Host-plant-associated bacteria affect the growth, vigor, and nutrient availability of the host plant. However, phyllosphere bacteria have received less research attention and their functions remain elusive, especially in forest ecosystems. In this study, we collected newly developed needles from sapling (age 5 years), juvenile (15 years), mature (25 years), and overmature (35 years) stands of Chinese fir [Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook]. We analyzed changes in phyllosphere bacterial communities, their functional genes, and metabolic activity among different stand ages. The results showed that phyllosphere bacterial communities changed, both in relative abundance and in composition, with an increase in stand age. Community abundance predominantly changed in the orders Campylobacterales, Pseudonocardiales, Deinococcales, Gemmatimonadales, Betaproteobacteriales, Chthoniobacterales, and Propionibacteriales. Functional predictions indicated the genes of microbial communities for carbon metabolism, nitrogen metabolism, antibiotic biosynthesis, flavonoids biosynthesis, and steroid hormone biosynthesis varied; some bacteria were strongly correlated with some metabolites. A total of 112 differential metabolites, including lipids, benzenoids, and flavonoids, were identified. Trigonelline, proline, leucine, and phenylalanine concentrations increased with stand age. Flavonoids concentrations were higher in sapling stands than in other stands, but the transcript levels of genes associated with flavonoids biosynthesis in the newly developed needles of saplings were lower than those of other stands. The nutritional requirements and competition between individual trees at different growth stages shaped the phyllosphere bacterial community and host–bacteria interaction. Gene expression related to the secondary metabolism of shikimate, mevalonate, terpenoids, tocopherol, phenylpropanoids, phenols, alkaloids, carotenoids, betains, wax, and flavonoids pathways were clearly different in Chinese fir at different ages. This study provides an overview of phyllosphere bacteria, metabolism, and transcriptome in Chinese fir of different stand ages and highlights the value of an integrated approach to understand the molecular mechanisms associated with biosynthesis.

Background: Maternal gestational weight gain (GWG) may be associated with cardiovascular diseases in the offspring from childhood to adulthood. We aimed to investigate the association between maternal GWG and the left ventricle (LV) geometry and function in the offspring, and explore the influence of the intrauterine environment on early childhood cardiac change.Methods: Data of 981 mother-offspring pairs from the Shanghai Birth Cohort was used. Maternal pre-pregnancy weight and height, weight in the first trimester (≤ 12 weeks), and before delivery were measured. The echocardiography, blood pressure, and anthropometry assessment were evaluated in the offspring at 4 years of age.Results: Interventricular septal thickness during diastole had a significantly positive correlation with total GWG [β = 0.009, (0.001, 0.017)]. In the second and third trimesters, LV mass index [β = 0.149, (0.015,0.282)], interventricular septal thickness in systole [β = 0.027, (0.011,0.043)], and in diastole [β = 0.014, (0.005,0.023)] were positively associated with GWG. The risks of eccentric [OR = 1.115, (1.232, 1.010)] and concentric hypertrophy [OR = 1.133, (1.259,1.018)] increased with the elevation of maternal GWG.Conclusions: This study suggested that the excessive maternal GWG was associated with the thickening of the interventricular septum in the offspring, especially during the second and third trimesters. Excessive GWG in the second and third trimesters was a risk factor for LV eccentric and concentric hypertrophy in the offspring.

In the northwest of China, a strategy to transmit the wind-thermal–bundled power from the local grid and doubly fed induction generator (DFIG)–based wind farms through a voltage source converter–based HVDC (VSC-HVDC) can be widely applied. However, since the local grid is usually weak, a new type of electrical oscillation in the medium-frequency region may occur in the sending-end converter (SEC) of VSC-HVDC with PQ-control. The mechanism of this oscillation caused by the interaction between the DFIG, local grid, and SEC is not entirely understood. In this study, the sequence impedance model of the sending-end converter (SEC) of VSC-HVDC with the PQ-control outer loop and PLL is derived with the explicit analytic expression, and then, the oscillation mechanism is explored based on the intuitive analysis of the system impedance frequency characteristics. Compared with the subsynchronous oscillation (SSO) caused by the DFIG or power inverter, the theoretical analysis shows that this medium-frequency oscillation (MFO) mainly originates from the SEC due to its negative damping effect between about 100 and 200 Hz. In addition, the impact of the system controller parameters and operating conditions of the DFIG, local grid, and SEC on the oscillation characteristics is analyzed in detail. Finally, the correctness of the theoretical analysis is validated by time-domain simulation.

Symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) range from asymptomatic to severe pneumonia and death. A deep understanding of the variation of biological characteristics in severe COVID-19 patients is crucial for the detection of individuals at high risk of critical condition for the clinical management of the disease. Herein, by profiling the gene expression spectrum deduced from DNA coverage in regions surrounding transcriptional start site in plasma cell-free DNA (cfDNA) of COVID-19 patients, we deciphered the altered biological processes in the severe cases and demonstrated the feasibility of cfDNA in measuring the COVID-19 progression. The up- and downregulated genes in the plasma of severe patient were found to be closely related to the biological processes and functions affected by COVID-19 progression. More importantly, with the analysis of transcriptome data of blood cells and lung cells from control group and cases with severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, we revealed that the upregulated genes were predominantly involved in the viral and antiviral activity in blood cells, reflecting the intense viral replication and the active reaction of immune system in the severe patients. Pathway analysis of downregulated genes in plasma DNA and lung cells also demonstrated the diminished adenosine triphosphate synthesis function in lung cells, which was evidenced to correlate with the severe COVID-19 symptoms, such as a cytokine storm and acute respiratory distress. Overall, this study revealed tissue involvement, provided insights into the mechanism of COVID-19 progression, and highlighted the utility of cfDNA as a noninvasive biomarker for disease severity inspections.

Isorhamnetin (ISO), a naturally occurring plant flavonoid, is widely used as a phytomedicine. The major treatment modality for non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) is radiotherapy. However, radiotherapy can induce radioresistance in cancer cells, thereby resulting in a poor response rate. Our results demonstrated that pretreatment with ISO induced radiosensitizing effect in A549 cells using colony formation, micronucleus, and γH2AX foci assays. In addition, ISO pretreatment significantly enhanced the radiation-induced incidence of apoptosis, the collapse of mitochondrial membrane potential, and the expressions of proteins associated with cellular apoptosis and suppressed the upregulation of NF-κBp65 induced by irradiation in A549 cells. Interestingly, the expression of interleukin-13 (IL-13), an anti-inflammatory cytokine, was positively correlated with the ISO-mediated radiosensitization of A549 cells. The knockdown of IL-13 expression by RNA interference decreased the IL-13 level and thus reduced ISO-mediated radiosensitivity in cells. We also found that the IR-induced NF-κB signaling activation was inhibited by ISO pretreatment, and it was abrogated in IL-13 silenced cells. We speculated that ISO may confer radiosensitivity on A549 cells via increasing the expression of IL-13 and inhibiting the activation of NF-κB. To our knowledge, this is the first report demonstrating the effects of ISO treatment on the responsiveness of lung cancer cells to irradiation through IL-13 and the NF-κB signaling pathway. In summary, ISO is a naturally occurring radiosensitizer with a potential application in adjuvant radiotherapy.

Background: Assessing right ventricular overload in children is challenging. We conducted this study involving children with pulmonary valvular stenosis (PS) or pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum (PA/IVS) to evaluate the potential of a new endogenous ligand of apelin receptor, Elabela (ELA), as a potential biomarker for right heart overload.Methods: In this prospective cohort study, a total of 118 congenital heart diseases patients with right ventricle outflow tract obstruction were recruited from 2018 to 2019. Among them, 44 isolated PS and 7 PA/IVS patients were selected. Their venous blood was collected, and all patients underwent an echocardiographic examination. Among them, post-operative blood was collected from 24 patients with PS after percutaneous balloon pulmonary valvuloplasty. The plasma ELA concentration was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Results: The ELA was significantly associated with the peak transvalvular pulmonary gradient (r = −0.62; p = 0.02), thus reflecting the severity of PS or PA/IVS. The ELA significantly increased at 3 days after intervention, when mechanical obstruction of the right outflow tract was relieved. Based on the receiver-operator characteristic curve results, ELA could be a risk factor for duct dependence in patients with critical PS or PA/IVS who are younger than 6 months (AUC: 0.82).Conclusion: ELA concentration and severity of PS or PA/IVS had a significant negative correlation, indicating that ELA might be a novel biomarker for right ventricular afterload and reflect the immediate pressure changes in the right heart. Furthermore, ELA could predict duct-dependency in PS and PA/IVS patients, as valuable as classical echocardiographic indexes.

Copy number variants (CNVs) are major variations contributing to the gene heterogeneity of congenital heart diseases (CHD). pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect (PA-VSD) is a rare form of cyanotic CHD characterized by complex manifestations and the genetic determinants underlying PA-VSD are still largely unknown. We investigated rare CNVs in a recruited cohort of 100 unrelated patients with PA-VSD, PA-IVS, or TOF and a population-matched control cohort of 100 healthy children using whole-exome sequencing. Comparing rare CNVs in PA-VSD cases and that in PA-IVS or TOF positive controls, we observed twenty-two rare CNVs only in PA-VSD, five rare CNVs only in PA-VSD and TOF as well as thirteen rare CNVs only in PA-VSD and PA-IVS. Six of these CNVs were considered pathogenic or potentially pathogenic to PA-VSD: 16p11.2 del (PPP4C and TBX6), 5q35.3 del (FLT4), 5p13.1 del (RICTOR), 6p21.33 dup (TNXB), 7p15.2 del (HNRNPA2B1), and 19p13.3 dup (FGF22). The gene networks showed that four putative candidate genes for PA-VSD, PPP4C, FLT4, RICTOR, and FGF22 had strong interaction with well-known cardiac genes relevant to heart or blood vessel development. Meanwhile, the analysis of transcriptome array revealed that PPP4C and RICTOR were also significantly expressed in human embryonic heart. In conclusion, three rare novel CNVs were identified only in PA-VSD: 16p11.2 del (PPP4C), 5q35.3 del (FLT4) and 5p13.1 del (RICTOR), implicating novel candidate genes of interest for PA-VSD. Our study provided new insights into understanding for the pathogenesis of PA-VSD and helped elucidate critical genes for PA-VSD.

Sand burial and wind erosion caused by sand movement are common phenomena in desert environments, but the effects on clonal shrub have rarely been investigated. Here, we assessed how sand movements affect the population regeneration capacity of juvenile clonal fragments of the shrub Calligonum mongolicum growing in mobile desert sand dunes. We investigated the population status and natural regeneration capacity in three types of mobile dunes (heavy wind erosion, heavy sand burial and moderate sand burial). Clonal propagation of C. mongolicum was markedly different across sites. Moderate sand burial sites had the largest ramet density and bud number per unit length of rhizome, and the overwinter survival rate was significantly higher at sand burial sites than at wind erosion sites, suggesting that C. mongolicum may have well adapted to the moderate sand burial environment. We further examined the effects of clonal integration on clonal regeneration of this species. Physiological, biochemical and morphological characteristics of parent and daughter ramets growing in heterogeneous sandy habitats (sand burial or wind erosion) were measured. The results showed that being connected or severed from the maternal plant critically determined survival of daughter ramets on wind eroded rhizomes. When eroded rhizomes remained connected, the mother ramets had the highest chlorophyll a, b and a + b contents. However, both the mother plant and the daughter ramets undergoing erosion had higher proline and soluble protein levels than sand buried ramets. Meanwhile, the daughter ramets undergoing sand burial had higher photosynthetic rates (Pn), chlorophyll fluorescence parameters (Fm and Fo), and phenotypic traits of assimilating shoots, i.e., node number, length and volume than wind-eroded ramets. However, significant differences with mother plants, whether connected or severed, were very limited. It was concluded that moderate sand burial environments promoted clonal reproduction and growth of C. mongolicum. Additionally, physiological integration with mother raments in favorable conditions can alleviate stress on daughter ramets exposed to wind erosion. This physiological effect may do not occur for sand buried daughter ramets. These survival strategies and phenotypic responses should be carefully considered in shrub and sand dune management in sand fixation plantations of C. mongolicum.

Calligonum mongolicum is a dominant native perennial shrub on sand dunes in arid deserts of northwestern China, and is therefore widely used in sand dune stabilization in these regions. However, it remains largely unknown how seedling emergence of C. mongolicum has adapted to unpredictable sand movement and extreme drought. Here we examined effects of seed burial depth, light intensity, and seed age on seedling emergence, and considered seed germination and seedling emergence strategies for the shrub’s adaption to the desert environment. In our pot experiment, the optimum seeding depth for emergence of C. mongolicum was 2 cm, indicating that for germination and seedling emergence only moderate sand burial is required. Light intensity at the surface soil (0 cm) was important for seedling emergence, while there was no significant difference between 50 and 20% light flux density, at burial depths of 1 and 2 cm, indicating that C. mongolicum seeds had adapted to sand burial, while not exposure from sand erosion. We also found C. mongolicum seedlings emerged in spring and in late summer to early autumn. Meanwhile, seedling emergence percentage for 3-year-old seeds was similar to that of 1-year-old seeds, which meant that C. mongolicum seeds were well preserved under normal sand dune conditions, thus were capable of developing a persistent, but shallow soil seed-bank. These results indicated that germination and seedling emergence take a bet-hedging strategies to adapt to variable desert environments. Our study confirmed that C. mongolicum desert shrubs combine strategies in its adaption to arid and variable sand environments.

Background: While intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) is crucial in numerous spinally related illnesses and is common among the elderly, the complete understanding of its pathogenic mechanisms is still an area of ongoing study. In recent years, it has revealed that liposomes are crucial in the initiation and progression of IVDD. However, their intrinsic mediators and related mechanisms remain unclear. With the development of genomics, an increasing amount of data points to the contribution of genetics in the etiology of disease. Accordingly, this study explored the causality between liposomes and IVDD by Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis and deeply investigated the intermediary roles of undetected metabolites. Methods: According to MR analysis, 179 liposomes and 1400 metabolites were evaluated for their causal association with IVDD. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are strongly associated with the concentrations of liposomes and metabolites. Consequently, they were employed as instrumental variables (IVs) to deduce if they constituted risk elements or protective elements for IVDD. Furthermore, mediation analysis was conducted to pinpoint possible metabolic mediators that link liposomes to IVDD. The inverse variance weighting (IVW) was the main analytical technique. Various confidence tests in the causality estimates were performed, including consistency, heterogeneity, pleiotropy, and sensitivity analyses. Inverse MR analysis was also utilized to estimate potential reverse causality. Results: MR analysis identified 13 liposomes and 79 metabolites markedly relevant to IVDD. Moreover, the mediation analysis was carried out by choosing the liposome, specifically the triacylglycerol (48:2) levels, which were found to be most notably associated with an increased risk of IVDD. In all, three metabolite-associated mediators were identified (3-methylcytidine levels, inosine 5'-monophosphate (IMP) to phosphate ratio, and adenosine 5'-diphosphate (ADP) to glycine ratio). Conclusion: The analysis's findings suggested possible causal connections between liposomes, metabolites, and IVDD, which could act as both forecast and prognosis clinical indicators, thereby aiding in the exploration of the pathogenesis behind IVDD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Spinal meningioma is a common intraspinal tumor, which mainly occurs in the thoracic spine. Ossified meningioma (OSM) is an extremely rare histological variant. Our article reports a rare patient with dorsal complete OSM and reviews this subject. Case presentation: A 68-year-old woman presented with a one-year history of progressive weakness in both lower limbs with gait disturbance. Physical examination revealed hypoesthesia with a sensory level below T10. Babinski and pathological signs on both sides were weakly positive. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a mass at the T10 to T11 level causing severe compression of the spinal cord. Computed tomography (CT) showed complete ossification of the mass. 18F-Fluoro-deoxy-glucose positron emission tomography CT (18FFDG PET/CT) scan combined with MRI revealed that the mass was an intradural extramedullary high-density ossified nodule. The patient underwent a gross total resection of the mass and pathologic examination indicated that the mass was a meningioma with diffused psammomatous bodies. Conclusion: We identified a rare case of dorsal complete OSM occurring in a 68-year-old woman. After complete surgical resection, although there were complications such as cerebral fluid leakage and fever, the patient finally recovered with a satisfactory result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Preference and plasticity in nitrogen (N) form uptake are the main strategies with which plants absorb soil N. However, little effort has been made to explore effects of N form acquisition strategies, especially the plasticity, on invasiveness of exotic plants, although many studies have determined the effects of N levels (e.g. N deposition). Methods: To address this problem, we studied the differences in N form acquisition strategies between the invasive plant Solidago canadensis and its co-occurring native plant Artemisia lavandulaefolia, effects of soil N environments, and the relationship between N form acquisition strategy of S. canadensis and its invasiveness using a 15N-labeling technique in three habitats at four field sites. Results: Total biomass, root biomass, and the uptakes of soil dissolved inorganic N (DIN) per quadrat were higher for the invasive relative to the native species in all three habitats. The invader always preferred dominant soil N forms: NH4 + in habitats with NH4 + as the dominant DIN and NO3 - in habitats with NO3 - as the dominant DIN, while A. lavandulaefolia consistently preferred NO3 - in all habitats. Plasticity in N form uptake was higher in the invasive relative to the native species, especially in the farmland. Plant N form acquisition strategy was influenced by both DIN levels and the proportions of different N forms (NO3 -/NH4 +) as judged by their negative effects on the proportional contributions of NH4 + to plant N (fNH4 +) and the preference for NH4 + (βNH4 +). In addition, total biomass was positively associated with fNH4 + or βNH4 + for S. canadensis, while negatively for A. lavandulaefolia. Interestingly, the species may prefer to absorb NH4 + when soil DIN and/or NO3 -/NH4 + ratio were low, and root to shoot ratio may be affected by plant nutrient status per se, rather than by soil nutrient availability. Discussion: Our results indicate that the superior N form acquisition strategy of the invader contributes to its higher N uptake, and therefore to its invasiveness in different habitats, improving our understanding of invasiveness of exotic plants in diverse habitats in terms of utilization of different N forms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition has often been considered as a driver of exotic plant invasions. However, most related studies focused on the effects of soil N levels, and few on those of N forms, and few related studies were conducted in the fields. Methods: In this study, we grew Solanum rostratum, a notorious invader in arid/semi-arid and barren habitats, and two coexisting native plants Leymus chinensis and Agropyron cristatum in mono- and mixed cultures in the fields in Baicheng, northeast China, and investigated the effects of N levels and forms on the invasiveness of S. rostratum. Results: Compared with the two native plants, S. rostratumhad higher aboveground and total biomass in both mono- and mixed monocultures under all N treatments, and higher competitive ability under almost all N treatments. N addition enhanced the growth and competitive advantage of the invader under most conditions, and facilitated invasion successof S. rostratum. The growth and competitive ability of the invader were higher under low nitrate relative to low ammonium treatment. The advantages of the invader were associated with its higher total leaf area and lower root to shoot ratio compared with the two native plants. The invader also had a higher light-saturated photosynthetic rate than the two native plants in mixed culture (not significant under high nitrate condition), but not in monoculture. Discussion: Our results indicated that N (especially nitrate) deposition may also promote invasion of exotic plants in arid/semi-arid and barren habitats, and the effects of N forms and interspecific competition need to be taken into consideration when studying the effects of N deposition on invasion of exotic plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological invasions and soil salinization have become increasingly severe environmental problems under global change due to sea-level rise and poor soil management. Invasive species can often outcompete native species, but few studies focus on whether invasive alien species are always superior competitors under increasing stressors. We grew an invasive grass species, Oenothera biennis L., and three native grass species (Artemisia argyi Le'vl. et Vant., Chenopodium album L., and Inula japonica Thunb.) as a monoculture (two seedlings of each species) or mixture (one seedling of O. biennis and one native species seedling) under three levels of salt treatments (0, 1, and 2 g/kg NaCl) in a greenhouse. We found that invasive O. biennis exhibited greater performance over native C. album and I. japonica, but lower performance compared to A. argyi, regardless of the soil salinity. However, salinity did not significantly affect the relative dominance of O. biennis. Interspecific competition enhanced the growth of O. biennis and inhibited the growth of I. japonica. Although O. biennis seedlings always had growth dominance over C. album seedlings, C. album was not affected by O. biennis at any salt level. At high salt levels, O. biennis inhibited the growth of A. argyi, while A. argyi did not affect the growth of O. biennis. Salt alleviated the competitive effect of O. biennis on I. japonica but did not mitigate the competition between O. biennis and the other two native species. Therefore, our study provides evidence for a better understanding of the invasive mechanisms of alien species under various salinity conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Bacterial pneumonia poses a significant global public health challenge, where unaddressed pathogens and inflammation can exacerbate acute lung injury and prompt cytokine storms, increasing mortality rates. Alveolar macrophages are pivotal in preserving lung equilibrium. Excessive inflammation can trigger necrosis in these cells, disrupting the delicate interplay between inflammation and tissue repair.Methods: We obtained extracellular vesicle from aloe and tested the biosafety by cell viability and hemolysis assays. Confocal microscopy and flow cytometry were used to detect the uptake and internalization of extracellular vesicle by macrophages and the ability of extracellular vesicle to affect the phenotypic reprogramming of macrophages in vitro. Finally, we conducted a clinical feasibility study employing clinical bronchoalveolar lavage fluid as a representative model to assess the effective repolarization of macrophages influenced by extracellular vesicle.Results: In our study, we discovered the potential of extracellular vesicle nanovesicles derived from aloe in reprograming macrophage phenotypes. Pro-inflammatory macrophages undergo a transition toward an anti-inflammatory immune phenotype through phagocytosing and internalizing these aloe vera-derived extracellular vesicle nanovesicles. This transition results in the release of anti-inflammatory IL-10, effectively curbing inflammation and fostering lung tissue repair.Discussion: These findings firmly establish the immunomodulatory impact of aloe-derived extracellular vesicle nanovesicles on macrophages, proposing their potential as a therapeutic strategy to modulate macrophage immunity in bacterial pneumonia.

BackgroundSpontaneous echo contrast (SEC) observed in transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is a reliable predictor of the risk of future ischemic stroke in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). Left atrial strain globally reflects atrial function, remodeling and distensibility. The left atrial appendage (LAA) is a myogenic remnant of the left atrium, which can actively relax and contract. The left atrial appendage (LAA) is an important part of releasing the pressure of the left atrium. The key role of the left atrium is to regulate the left ventricular filling pressure, act as a reservoir for pulmonary venous return during ventricular contraction, and act as a conduit, transferring blood to the Left ventricle during early ventricular diastole. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between left atrial function and left atrial appendage spontaneous echo contrast (LAASEC).MethodsA retrospective study of 338 patients with non-valvular AF was conducted. Two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography provided the following metrics of LA strain: LA strain during the reservoir phase (LASr), LA strain during the conduit phase (LAScd). LA or LAA has the dense SEC of more than grade 3, which is defined as mud like change or pre thrombosis.ResultsPatients with level 3 SEC (n = 81) has lower LASr than those with lower grades of SEC (n = 257) (7.20 ± 3.70 vs. 17.48 ± 8.67, P 2 scores with sensitivity and specificity were 79% and 85%.ConclusionLower LASr is independently associated with the dense LAASEC in NVAF and has incremental values superior to clinical scores. The decrease of LASr may be a potential non-invasive parameter for evaluating the higher risk of LAA thrombosis.

Shuangxia decoction is an effective traditional Chinese medicine formula for treating insomnia. Up to now, there has not been any report about the effective substances. An omics data processing method based on mass spectrometry technology is used to explore the chemical composition changes of Shuangxia decoction, the components absorbed into the blood and brain, and to explore the anti-insomnia mechanism based on molecular docking technology. Forty-nine chemical components in Shuangxia decoction have been identified, and 51 new components generated by co-decoction have been discovered. It was found that 7,404 compounds of Shuangxia decoction were absorbed into the blood. Forty kinds of known compounds were quickly identified, and 15 new compounds generated by co-decoction were also found to be absorbed into the blood. By using UPLC-MS/MS method, it was confirmed that 10 compounds were absorbed into the blood and 9 compounds were absorbed into the brain. Furthermore, it is found that rosmarinic acid is mainly distributed in the hypothalamus and striatum, and caffeic acid is mainly distributed in the hypothalamus, striatum, and hippocampus. Molecular docking results showed rosmarinic acid, danshensu, and HMLA with GABAA receptor have excellent binding characteristics, even surpassing the proligand. Danshensu and HMLA with dopamine D2 receptor also showed good binding energy. Our findings will help to further confirm the mechanism of Shuangxia decoction for relieving insomnia, and we also establish a novel data processing method for supplementing the mechanism of the efficacy of other traditional Chinese medicine formula.

Neurodegenerative diseases are disorders that are characterized by a progressive decline of motor and/or cognitive functions caused by the selective degeneration and loss of neurons within the central nervous system. The most common neurodegenerative diseases are Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), and Huntington’s disease (HD). Neurons have high energy demands, and dysregulation of mitochondrial quality and function is an important cause of neuronal degeneration. Mitochondrial quality control plays an important role in maintaining mitochondrial integrity and ensuring normal mitochondrial function; thus, defects in mitochondrial quality control are also significant causes of neurodegenerative diseases. The mitochondrial deacetylase SIRT3 has been found to have a large effect on mitochondrial function. Recent studies have also shown that SIRT3 has a role in mitochondrial quality control, including in the refolding or degradation of misfolded/unfolded proteins, mitochondrial dynamics, mitophagy, and mitochondrial biogenesis, all of which are affected in neurodegenerative diseases.