Search

The hospital indoor environment has a crucial impact on the microbial exposures that humans encounter. Resistance to antibiotics is a mechanism used by bacteria to develop resilience in indoor environments, and the widespread use of antibiotics has led to changes in the ecological function of resistance genes and their acquisition by pathogens. By integrating the 16S rRNA Illumina sequencing and high-throughput-quantitative PCR approaches with water and air dust samples across seven departments in Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, China, this study yields intriguing findings regarding the department-specific variations, correlations and source tracing of bacteria, antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) within the hospital indoor environment. A notable observation was the pivotal role played by seasonal variations in shaping the bacterial composition across the entire hospital indoor environment. Another department-specific finding was the correlation between ARGs and MGEs abundance, which was evident in the overall hospital indoor environment, but not found in the blood test room, ophthalmology, and gynecology departments. Notably, as an important source of bacteria and ARGs/MGEs for the blood test room, the gynecology department also presented a close link between bacterial communities and the presence of ARGs/MGEs. Additionally, the results reiterate the importance of surveillance and monitoring of antibiotic resistance, specifically in Legionella spp. in man-made water systems, and highlight the significance of understanding genetic elements like Tp614 involved in gene transfer and recombination, and their impact on antimicrobial treatment efficacy. Key points: •The department-specific variations, correlations and source tracing of bacteria, ARGs, and MGEs were uncovered in the hospital's indoor environment. •Although each department exhibited consistent seasonal impacts on bacterial compositions, the co-occurrence between the presence of ARGs and MGEs was exclusively evident in the emergency, surgery, pneumology and otolaryngology departments. •The gynecology department emerged as a crucial source of bacteria, ARGs and MGEs within the hospital. Additionally, it was found to exhibit a significant correlation between bacterial communities and the presence of ARGs and MGEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Emerging evidence indicates that long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) RP11-93B14.5 facilitates tumor progression in variety of malignancies. The present study proposed to study the functional effect of lncRNA RP11-93B14.5 in gastric cancer (GC) as well as the underlying mechanism. Methods: Bioinformatics analysis was utilized to analyze lncRNA expression in GC tissues. siRNA was used for knockdown of RP11-93B14.5 in GC cells MKN45 and KATO III. The stable knockdown cell lines were constructed by CRISPR-Cas9. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay and soft agar colony formation assay were used to analyze GC cell viability. Flow cytometry analysis was performed to analyze the cell cycle distribution of MKN45 and KATO III. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) was employed to detect differential genes after transfection with siRP11-93B14.5. Quantitative PCR (Q-PCR) was used to examine gene expression in GC cell lines. Western-blot assay was used to measure protein levels. RNA fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) was conducted for lncRNA cellular location and expression. Results: Based on the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) database, RP11-93B14.5 was upregulated in GC tissue, which was also verified in GC cell lines in comparison to the normal gastric epithelial HFE145 cells. Knockdown of RP11-93B14.5 decreased cell viability and the colony number of MKN45 and KATO III cells, and altered cell cycle distribution in vitro. RNA-seq analysis revealed RP11-93B14.5 may modulate genes expression of S100A2 and TIMP2 in MKN45 and KATO III cells. Mechanistically, RP11-93B14.5 may drive the progression of GC via S100A2 related-PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Conclusions: LncRNA RP11-93B14.5 knockdown alleviated the malignant phenotypes of GC cells through regulating PI3K/AKT. Our results provide evidence for the role of lncRNAs in regulating tumor progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In cloud environment, designing the efficient outsourced calculation protocols to serve the machine learning or data mining is a hot topic. At the same time, homomorphic encryption allows operations on encrypted data, and is a natural primitive to implement outsourced computation. Most existing protocols consider all operands being secret data. While in practice, the operations may occur between public data and private data since some of them is publicly known to all, and only partial data is confidential. To address the partially encrypted computation, it is necessary to design new protocols. In this paper, we consider the integer division calculation and design two protocols based on the partial homomorphic encryption, one of which caters to the division with public divisor and private dividend, and the other caters to the division with public dividend and private divisor. The quotient and the remainder are computed in ciphertext. The security of the protocols is proved within the ideal/real paradigm, and the performance analysis shows the efficiency of the protocols compared with the full-encrypted division [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Federated learning is an emerging paradigm that enables multiple organizations to jointly train a model without revealing their private data. As an important variant, vertical federated learning (VFL) deals with cases in which collaborating organizations own data of the same set of users but with disjoint features. It is generally regarded that VFL is more secure than horizontal federated learning. However, recent research (USENIX Security'22) reveals that it is still possible to conduct label inference attacks in VFL, in which attacker can acquire privately owned labels of other participants; even VFL constructed with model splitting (the kind of VFL architecture with higher security guarantee) cannot escape it. To solve this issue, in this paper, we propose the dispersed training framework. It utilizes secret sharing to break the correlations between the bottom model and the training data. Accordingly, even if the attacker receives the gradients in the training phase, he is incapable to deduce the feature representation of labels from the bottom model. Besides, we design a customized model aggregation method such that the shared model can be privately combined, and the linearity of secret sharing schemes ensures the training accuracy to be preserved. Theoretical and experimental analyses indicate the satisfactory performance and effectiveness of our framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 is still spreading today, and it has caused great harm to human beings. The system at the entrance of public places such as shopping malls and stations should check whether pedestrians are wearing masks. However, pedestrians often pass the system inspection by wearing cotton masks, scarves, etc. Therefore, the detection system not only needs to check whether pedestrians are wearing masks, but also needs to detect the type of masks. Based on the lightweight network architecture MobilenetV3, this paper proposes a cascaded deep learning network based on transfer learning, and then designs a mask recognition system based on the cascaded deep learning network. By modifying the activation function of the MobilenetV3 output layer and the structure of the model, two MobilenetV3 networks suitable for cascading are obtained. By introducing transfer learning into the training process of two modified MobilenetV3 networks and a multi-task convolutional neural network, the ImagNet underlying parameters of the network models are obtained in advance, which reduces the computational load of the models. The cascaded deep learning network consists of a multi-task convolutional neural network cascaded with these two modified MobilenetV3 networks. A multi-task convolutional neural network is used to detect faces in images, and two modified MobilenetV3 networks are used as the backbone network to extract the features of masks. After comparing with the classification results of the modified MobilenetV3 neural network before cascading, the classification accuracy of the cascading learning network is improved by 7%, and the excellent performance of the cascading network can be seen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Retrospective analysis revealed increased [18F]AlF-NOTA-FAPI-04 uptake in the myocardium of patients with esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC) treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). This study investigated and verified the feasibility of [18F]AlF-NOTA-FAPI-04 PET/CT for detecting radiation-induced myocardial damage (RIMD). Methods: Myocardial FAPI uptake was analyzed before and during radiotherapy in thirteen ESCC patients treated with CCRT. In the animal study, a single dose of 50 Gy was delivered to the cardiac apex of Wistar rats (24 rats, including 16 RIMD model rats and 8 control model rats). RIMD model rats were scanned with [18F]AlF-NOTA-FAPI-04 PET/CT weekly for 12 weeks, and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was measured by magnetic resonance imaging. Dynamic, blocking, and [18F]FDG PET/CT studies (4 rats/group) were performed on RIMD rats at 5 weeks post-radiation, and histopathological analyses were conducted. Results: Increased FAPI uptake in the myocardium was found after CCRT (1.53 ± 0.53 vs 1.88 ± 0.70, P = 0.015). In RIMD rats, significantly increased FAPI uptake in the damaged myocardium was observed from the 2nd week post-radiation exposure and peaked in the 5th week. Significantly more intense tracer accumulation was observed in the damaged myocardium than in the remote myocardium, as identified by decreased [18F]FDG uptake and confirmed by autoradiography, hematoxylin–eosin, Masson's trichrome, and immunohistochemical staining. The LVEF remained unchanged at the 3rd week post-radiation exposure but was remarkably decreased compared with that in the control group at the 8th week. Conclusion: Through clinical phenomena and animal experimental studies, this study indicated that [18F]AlF-NOTA-FAPI-04 PET/CT imaging can detect RIMD noninvasively and before a decrease in LVEF, indicating the clinical potential of [18F]AlF-NOTA-FAPI-04 as a PET/CT tracer for early monitoring of RIMD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The daily use of plastics presents a serious pollution issue due to their extremely slow degradation. Microplastics and the biofilm that grows on plastics (i.e., the plastisphere) are important subsets of plastic wastes. Many studies have been conducted to reveal the structures of the plastispheres, the driving factors for the formation of the plastisphere, and the ability of the plastispheres to degrade plastics in a variety of water bodies. However, the plastispheres related to wastewater are understudied. In this study, we used a microcosmic strategy to study the evolution of the plastispheres associated with microplastics (MPs) over time in wastewater. We found that plastic materials and water sources did not actively select and shape the plastispheres at an early stage, but the active selection for a unique niche of the plastisphere occurred after 14 d of growth. In addition, we confirmed that the alkB gene was densely present, and metagenomics showed some additional chemical reactions, which suggests that MPs are consumed by the microbes in the plastispheres. Additionally, metagenomics identified some metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) associated with high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The identification of HDPE-associated MAGs and PET-associated MAGs further supports the notion that the selection for a unique niche of the plastisphere is driven by plastic materials and water sources (in this study, after 14 d of growth). Our discoveries bring new views on the behavior of the wastewater-associated plastisphere, especially how long it takes a wastewater plastisphere to form. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The online version of the original article can be found at https://doi.org/10.1007/s10586-024-04589-yCorrection to: Cluster Computinghttps://doi.org/10.1007/s10586-024-04589-yIn this article, the "Algorithm 2 QT mod: Division with public dividend and private divisor" Table has been inadvertently missed to include in the article. The Algorithm Table 2 has been included now in the article.The original article has been corrected.Publisher's NoteSpringer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.By Yuhong Sun; Jiatao Wang and Fengyin LiReported by Author; Author; Author [Extracted from the article]

Main conclusion: BnPGIPs interacted with Sclerotinia sclerotiorum PGs to improve rapeseed SSR resistance at different levels; the BnPGIP-overexpression lines did not affect plant morphology or seed quality traits. Plant polygalacturonase-inhibiting proteins (PGIPs) play a crucial role in plant defence against phytopathogenic fungi by inhibiting fungal polygalacturonase (PG) activity. We overexpressed BnPGIP2, BnPGIP5, and BnPGIP10 genes in an inbred line 7492 of rapeseed (Brassica napus). Compared with 7492WT, the overexpression of BnPGIP2 lines significantly increased Sclerotinia sclerotiorum resistance in both seedlings and adult plants. BnPGIP5 overexpression lines exhibited decreased S. sclerotiorum disease symptoms in seedlings only, whereas BnPGIP10 overexpression lines did not improve Sclerotinia resistance for seedlings or adult plants. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis of S. sclerotiorum PG1, SsPG3, SsPG5, and SsPG6 genes in overexpressing BnPGIP lines showed that these pathogenic genes in the Sclerotinia resistance transgenic lines exhibited low expression in stem tissues. Split-luciferase complementation experiments confirmed the following: BnPGIP2 interacts with SsPG1 and SsPG6 but not with SsPG3 or SsPG5; BnPGIP5 interacts with SsPG3 and SsPG6 but not with SsPG1 or SsPG5; and BnPGIP10 interacts with SsPG1 but not SsPG3, SsPG5, or SsPG6. Leaf crude protein extracts from BnPGIP2 and BnPGIP5 transgenic lines displayed high inhibitory activity against the SsPG crude protein. BnPGIP-overexpression lines with Sclerotinia resistance displayed a lower accumulation of H2O2 and higher expression of the H2O2-removing gene BnAPX (ascorbate peroxidase) than 7492WT, as well as elevated expression of defence response genes including jasmonic acid/ethylene and salicylic acid pathways after S. sclerotiorum infection. The plants overexpressing BnPGIP exhibited no difference in either agronomic traits or grain yield from 7492WT. This study provides potential target genes for developing S. sclerotiorum resistance in rapeseed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute lung injury (ALI) is a serious disease with morbidity and mortality in patients. Engeletin (dihydrokaempferol 3-rhamnoside) is a flavanonol glycoside. It can be found in the skin of white grapes and white wine and is widely distributed in southeast Asia. In our study, we evaluated the protective and therapeutic effects of engeletin on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ALI in animal model. We determined the level of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ), nuclear factor kappaB (NF-κB), and IκBα by western blotting. The myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and lung wet/dry (W/D) ratio in lung tissues were also detected. Histopathological changes and the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β were determined by H&E staining and ELISA. The MPO activity and lung W/D ratio induced by LPS were attenuated by engeletin. The numbers of inflammatory cells and the levels of inflammatory cytokines in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were ameliorated by engeletin. Furthermore, the results also showed that engeletin significantly suppressed LPS-induced NF-κB activation. The expression of PPAR-γ was upregulated by treatment of engeletin. In conclusion, we found that engeletin had protective and therapeutic effects against LPS-induced ALI by activating PPAR-γ. Engeletin is a potentially effective agent for the treatment of lung injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have demonstrated clinical benefits in the treatment of several tumour types. However, the emergence of TKI resistance restricts the therapeutic effect. This study uses non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) to explore the mechanisms contributing to TKI resistance in tumours.Methods: Biological phenotypes and RNA microarray expression data were analysed in NSCLC cells with and without TKI pretreatment. Specific inhibitors and siRNAs were used to validate the direct involvement of an AKT/FOXM1/STMN1 pathway in TKI resistance. Patients' tissues were analysed to explore the clinical importance of FOXM1 and STMN1.Results: In vitro and in vivo studies showed that TKIs induced the enrichment of cancer stem cells (CSC), promoted epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), and conferred multidrug resistance on NSCLC cells in a cell type- and TKI class-dependent manner. Mechanistically, TKIs activated an AKT/FOXM1/STMN1 pathway. The crucial role of this pathway in TKI-induced enrichment of CSC and drug resistance was verified by silencing FOXM1 and STMN1 or blocking the AKT pathway. Additionally, overexpression of STMN1 was associated with upregulation of FOXM1 in advanced NSCLC patients, and STMN1/FOXM1 upregulation predicted a poor outcome.Conclusions: Our findings elucidate an additional common mechanism for TKI resistance and provide a promising therapeutic target for reversing TKI resistance in NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The early auxin responsive SAUR family is an important gene family in auxin signal transduction. We here present the first report of a genome-wide identification of SAUR genes in watermelon genome. We successfully identified 65 ClaSAURs and provide a genomic framework for future study on these genes. Phylogenetic result revealed a Cucurbitaceae-specific SAUR subfamily and contribute to understanding of the evolutionary pattern of SAUR genes in plants. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis demonstrates the existed expression of 11 randomly selected SAUR genes in watermelon tissues. ClaSAUR36 was highly expressed in fruit, for which further study might bring a new prospective for watermelon fruit development. Moreover, correlation analysis revealed the similar expression profiles of SAUR genes between watermelon and Arabidopsis during shoot organogenesis. This work gives us a new support for the conserved auxin machinery in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The WUSCHEL-related homeobox (WOX) gene family is a hotspot for diverse functions in development biology. Recently available whole-genome sequences allowed a more comprehensive analysis of WOX genes in watermelon ( Citrullus lanatus). The results of this study provide a genomic framework for further research of watermelon WOX genes and contribute to understanding of the evolutionary mode of WOX genes in Cucurbitaceae crops. The qRT-PCR analysis demonstrated active expression of 11 WOX genes in watermelon tissues, which brings new evidence for WOX genes acting as conserved factors during watermelon development. Moreover, the distinct expression profiles of WOX genes during shoot initiation might lead to different shoot regeneration abilities. This work gives an overview of the differentially expressed WOX genes during shoot regeneration in watermelon. The interrelations of WOX genes, phytohormones and other transcription factors during the process will be the focus of future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The MAC (medium access control) of CSMA (carrier sense multiple access) is widely used in distributed wireless networks with random node locations. In CSMA MAC, two nodes that are within the range of one another cannot transmit packets simultaneously. Modeling the concurrently transmitting nodes is crucial for the performance analysis of the CSMA networks. In this paper, we study the density of concurrently transmitting nodes and propose another modification of classical hard core point process to accurately estimate the density of concurrently transmitting nodes, in the absence and in the presence of fading conditions. The MMHCP model we propose outperforms the popular Matérn type II model and the existing modified hard core point (MHCP) process model by avoiding the underestimation and alleviating the overestimation issues, respectively. We conduct extensive numerical analysis and simulations to evaluate the accuracy of our MMHCP model. Furthermore, we study the impact of the density of initial Poisson Point Process (PPP) and fading factor on the mean probability of successful reception and on the transmission capacity of networks from numerical analysis and simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]