Search

Abstract Background Classification of parasitic bopyrids has traditionally been based on morphological characteristics, but phylogenetic relationships have remained elusive due to limited information provided by morphological data and tendency for loss of morphological features as a result of parasitic lifestyle. Subfamily Argeiinae was separated from Bopyrinae based on morphological evidence, although the assignment of all genera has not been phylogenetically evaluated. Bopyroides hippolytes has been traditionally classified in Bopyrinae, but divergent morphological characters make this assignment questionable. To investigate the relationship of bopyrines, we sequenced the complete mitochondrial genome of B. hippolytes and four mitochondrial genes of two other Bopyrinae. Results The phylogenetic trees based on separate and combined cox1and 18S sequence data recovered Bopyridae as robustly monophyletic, but Bopyrinae as polyphyletic. Bopyroides hippolytes was a close sister to Argeia pugettensis, type species to Argeiinae. Mitochondrial phylogenomics also suggested that B. hippolytes was close to Argeiinae. We also found a novel gene order in B. hippolytes compared to other isopods. Conclusions Bopyroides hippolytes should be excluded from the Bopyrinae and has a close affinity with Argeia pugettensis based on molecular and morphological data. The conserved syntenic blocks of mitochondrial gene order have distinctive characteristics at a subordinal level and may be helpful for understanding the higher taxonomic level relationships of Isopoda.

Abstract Background Argeia pugettensis is an isopod species that parasitizes other crustaceans. Its huge native geographic range spans the Pacific from China to California, but molecular data are available only for a handful of specimens from North-American populations. We sequenced and characterised the complete mitogenome of a specimen collected in the Yellow Sea. Results It exhibited a barcode (cox1) similarity level of only 87–89% with North-American populations, which is unusually low for conspecifics. Its mitogenome is among the largest in isopods (≈16.5 Kbp), mostly due to a large duplicated palindromic genomic segment (2 Kbp) comprising three genes. However, it lost a segment comprising three genes, nad4L-trnP-nad6, and many genes exhibited highly divergent sequences in comparison to isopod orthologues, including numerous mutations, deletions and insertions. Phylogenetic and selection analyses corroborated that this is one of the handful of most rapidly evolving available isopod mitogenomes, and that it evolves under highly relaxed selection constraints (as opposed to positive selection). However, its nuclear 18S gene is highly conserved, which suggests that rapid evolution is limited to its mitochondrial genome. The cox1 sequence analysis indicates that elevated mitogenomic evolutionary rates are not shared by North-American conspecifics, which suggests a breakdown of cox1 barcoding in this species. Conclusions A highly architecturally disrupted mitogenome and decoupling of mitochondrial and nuclear rates would normally be expected to have strong negative impacts on the fitness of the organism, so the existence of this lineage is a puzzling evolutionary question. Additional studies are needed to assess the phylogenetic breadth of this disrupted mitochondrial architecture and its impact on fitness.

Agrostis capillaris is a cool-season turf grass species that is found worldwide in temperate countries, and a good Pb phytostabilizer. In this study, the entire chloroplast genome sequence of A. capillaris was determined by Illumina sequencing. The complete chloroplast genome was circular and composed of 136,396 bp nucleotides with a GC content of about 38.5%. There were a large single-copy region (LSC, 81,659bp), a small single-copy region (SSC, 12,593bp), and a pair of reverse repeat regions (IRs, 42,144bp) in the chloroplast genome. In total, the A. capillaris chloroplast genome contained 144 genes, including 96 protein-coding genes, 40 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that A. capillaris was closely related to A. gigantean. The sequence data of A. capillaris chloroplast genome could provide useful genetic information for the studies on phylogenetic and evolutionary of Agrostidinae.

Securigera varia is an important leguminous forage grass species that is mainly distributed in arid and semi-arid land with water scarcity, and has outstanding drought resistance. In this study, Illumina sequencing was used to obtain the complete sequence of the S. varia chloroplast genome. The complete genome was 154,257 bp in length with 35.9% GC content. It was a circular genome containing a large single-copy region (LSC, 84,762 bp), a small single-copy region (SSC, 18,059 bp), and a pair of inverted repeat regions (IRs, 51,436 bp). A total of 128 genes were encoded, including 83 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNAs, and 8 rRNAs. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that S. varia was closely related to Robinia pseudoacacia. The sequence data of S. varia chloroplast genome could provide useful genetic information for the studies on phylogenetic and evolutionary of Leguminosae.

Abstract Background The advancement of nanotechnology underscores the imperative need for establishing in silico predictive models to assess safety, particularly in the context of chronic respiratory afflictions such as lung fibrosis, a pathogenic transformation that is irreversible. While the compilation of predictive descriptors is pivotal for in silico model development, key features specifically tailored for predicting lung fibrosis remain elusive. This study aimed to uncover the essential predictive descriptors governing nanoparticle-induced pulmonary fibrosis. Methods We conducted a comprehensive analysis of the trajectory of metal oxide nanoparticles (MeONPs) within pulmonary systems. Two biological media (simulated lung fluid and phagolysosomal simulated fluid) and two cell lines (macrophages and epithelial cells) were meticulously chosen to scrutinize MeONP behaviors. Their interactions with MeONPs, also referred to as nano-bio interactions, can lead to alterations in the properties of the MeONPs as well as specific cellular responses. Physicochemical properties of MeONPs were assessed in biological media. The impact of MeONPs on cell membranes, lysosomes, mitochondria, and cytoplasmic components was evaluated using fluorescent probes, colorimetric enzyme substrates, and ELISA. The fibrogenic potential of MeONPs in mouse lungs was assessed by examining collagen deposition and growth factor release. Random forest classification was employed for analyzing in chemico, in vitro and in vivo data to identify predictive descriptors. Results The nano-bio interactions induced diverse changes in the 4 characteristics of MeONPs and had variable effects on the 14 cellular functions, which were quantitatively evaluated in chemico and in vitro. Among these 18 quantitative features, seven features were found to play key roles in predicting the pro-fibrogenic potential of MeONPs. Notably, IL-1β was identified as the most important feature, contributing 27.8% to the model’s prediction. Mitochondrial activity (specifically NADH levels) in macrophages followed closely with a contribution of 17.6%. The remaining five key features include TGF-β1 release and NADH levels in epithelial cells, dissolution in lysosomal simulated fluids, zeta potential, and the hydrodynamic size of MeONPs. Conclusions The pro-fibrogenic potential of MeONPs can be predicted by combination of key features at nano-bio interfaces, simulating their behavior and interactions within the lung environment. Among the 18 quantitative features, a combination of seven in chemico and in vitro descriptors could be leveraged to predict lung fibrosis in animals. Our findings offer crucial insights for developing in silico predictive models for nano-induced pulmonary fibrosis.

Abstract Background LncRNAs play essential roles in multiple tumors. However, research on genome-wide lncRNA alterations and their functions in cervical cancer (CC) is limited. This study aims to explore key lncRNAs in CC progression and uncover the molecular mechanisms involved in the development of CC. Methods In this study, we analyzed 30 tissues from CC, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), and normal (NOR) using transcriptome sequencing and weighted gene co-expression network analysis to establish gene modules related to the NOR-CIN-CC transition. Machine learning diagnostic models were employed to investigate the role of lncRNAs in this transition. Molecular biological experiments were conducted to elucidate the potential mechanisms of CARMN in CC, with a particular focus on its transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of abnormal expression in CC. Results CARMN was identified as a hub gene in two modules significantly associated with the NOR-CIN-CC transition. Analysis using ten machine learning models confirmed its critical role in this progression. The results of RNA-seq, qPCR and RNAScope performed in another cohort of 83 cervical tissues all showed that CARMN was significantly downregulated in CC. CARMN significantly enhanced the interaction between Keap1 and Nrf2, leading to increased ROS levels. The elevated ROS levels suppressed the Akt/mTOR signaling pathway, leading to autophagy arrest via autophagic flux blockade. Additionally, CARMN interacted with TFAP2α to repress MAPK13 transcription, further inhibiting the MAPK cascade. A promoter SNP (rs12517403) was found to increase CC risk (OR = 1.34, 95% CI = 1.11–1.61) and reduce CARMN expression by decreasing SP1 binding. Furthermore, the RNA binding proteins that could modulate CARMN RNA stability were also determined using RNA-pulldown assay. The results demonstrated that YBX1, a component of the coding region instability determinant (CRD)-mediated mRNA stabilization complex, promoted CARMN RNA stability. DHX9, another component of complex, acted as a scaffold to bridge YBX1 and CARMN. Conclusions CARMN exerts an anti-cancer effect in CC progression by inhibiting the Akt-mTOR and MAPK signaling pathways. rs12517403 and the YBX1/DHX9 complex are key mechanisms influencing its transcription and stability in CC cells. CARMN represents a promising biomarker for CC diagnosis and therapeutic target.

Abstract Ferroptosis is a promising strategy for cancer therapy, with numerous inhibitors of its braking axes under investigation as potential drugs. However, few studies have explored the potential of activating the driving axes to induce ferroptosis. Herein, phosphatidylcholine peroxide decorating liposomes (LIPPCPO) are synthesized to induce ferroptosis by targeting divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1). LIPPCPO is found to boost lysosomal Fe2+ efflux by inducing cysteinylation of lysosomal DMT1, resulting in glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) suppression, glutathione depletion and ferroptosis in breast cancer cells and xenografts. Importantly, LIPPCPO induced ferroptotic cell death is independent of acquired resistance to radiation, chemotherapy, or targeted agents in 11 cancer cell lines. Furthermore, a strong synergistic ferroptosis effect is observed between LIPPCPO and an FDA-approved drug, artesunate, as well as X rays. The formula of LIPPCPO encapsulating artesunate significantly inhibits tumor growth and metastasis and improves the survival rate of breast cancer-bearing female mice. These findings provide a distinct strategy for inducing ferroptosis and highlight the potential of LIPPCPO as a vector to synergize the therapeutic effects of conventional ferroptosis inducers.

Cyanobacterial blooms and aquatic macrophytes can affect the health, physiology, and behavior of freshwater fish. Changes in food intake can be a key indicator of stress in teleost fish, while changes in metabolite abundance in the gut can indicate a shift in metabolic priorities, including response to environmental stressors. Here, we exposed stone moroko (Pseudorasbora parva) to the cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa and/or the macrophyte Ottelia acuminata and analyzed changes in fish health, appetite regulation, and intestinal metabolome after 96-h exposures. We found that O. acuminata treatment didn’t change the tested indicators, while exposure to M. aeruginosa increased concentrations of appetite-inhibiting factors, such as CART and GLP-1, and decreased concentrations of stimulatory factors like orexin. Exploration of the metabolome following exposure revealed that the appetite-inhibiting influence of M. aeruginosa was positively correlated with key metabolites of lipid, amino acid, and cholesterol metabolism, especially those associated with bile acid synthesis and secretion. Further, the presence of O. acuminata decreased the adverse effects of M. aeruginosa among neuro-endocrine regulatory factors, which could be explained by altered regulation of intestinal amino acid metabolites. The deeper mechanism by which O. acuminata moderates the harmful effects of M. aeruginosa remains to be identified.

Recently, the safety of anthraquinone (AQ) in Chinese tea has received much attention. This study determined the concentration of AQ in 1573 Chinese tea samples by gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). It was observed that the total detection rate of AQ was 60.97%, and the mean concentration was 0.0170 mg/kg. The concentration levels of AQ in tea varied by different types of tea, different packaging types, different sale spots and different tea-producing areas. The results of the deterministic assessment show that the health risks associated with daily exposure to AQ via tea consumption are low in different populations in China. For the general population, the mean daily exposure of AQ via tea consumption was (2.50 × 10−4) µg/kg body weight (BW), 0.0037% of the acceptable daily intake of AQ (6.8 µg/kg BW). In the different sex-age groups, the highest mean daily exposure of AQ via tea consumption was found in the male group aged ≥ 60 years, which was (2.84 × 10−4) µg/kg BW. The high consumer exposure (95th percentile, P95) was found in the female group aged ≥ 60 years, which was (9.36 × 10−4) µg/kg BW. Green tea is the main type of tea with AQ exposure by Chinese tea consumers.

Abstract Safe and effective vaccines against COVID-19 for children and adolescents are needed. This international multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase III clinical trial assessed the efficacy, immunogenicity, and safety of CoronaVac® in children and adolescents (NCT04992260). The study was carried out in Chile, South Africa, Malaysia, and the Philippines. The enrollment ran from September 10, 2021 to March 25, 2022. For efficacy assessment, the median follow-up duration from 14 days after the second dose was 169 days. A total of 11,349 subjects were enrolled. Two 3-μg injections of CoronaVac® or placebo were given 28 days apart. The primary endpoint was the efficacy of the CoronaVac®. The secondary endpoints were the immunogenicity and safety. The vaccine efficacy was 21.02% (95% CI: 1.65, 36.67). The level of neutralizing antibody in the vaccine group was significantly higher than that in the placebo group (GMT: 390.80 vs. 62.20, P

Abstract Objectives This study aimed to investigate the associations between changes in blood pressure (BP) and cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD). Methods This study included 401 participants in the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sub-study conducted between 2018 and 2020 as a part of the Multidomain Interventions to Delay Dementia and Disability in Rural China project. MRI markers of CSVD were assessed based on international criteria. Individualized linear regression models evaluated changes in BP by estimating the trend of blood pressure changes over time and fitting a straight line from 2014 to 2018. The data were analyzed using logistic and general linear regression models. Result The mean age of the participants was 64.48 ± 2.69 years, with 237 (59.1%) being females. Increases in systolic BP in later life were significantly associated with larger volumes of periventricular white matter hyperintensity (WMH), greater perivascular spaces in the basal ganglia (BG-PVS) burden, and the presence of deep lacunes and cerebral microbleeds. Additionally, increases in diastolic BP in later life were significantly associated with the presence of infratentorial and deep lacunes. Conclusions CSVDs are associated with increased exposure to elevated BP later in life.

Abstract Background Process-based teaching is a new education model. SPARK case database is a free medical imaging case database. This manuscript aimed to explore the application of the process-based teaching based on SPARK case database in the practice teaching of radiology in the musculoskeletal system. Methods 117 third year medical students were included. They were divided into Group A, B, C and D according to the curriculum arrangement. Group A and B attended the experimental class at the same time, A was the experimental group, B was the control group. Group C and D attended experimental classes at the same time, C was the experimental group, D was the control group. The experimental group used SPARK case database, while the control group used traditional teaching model for learning. The four groups of students were respectively tested after the theoretical class, before the experimental class, after the experimental class, and one week after the experimental class to compare the results. Finally, all students used SPARK case database to study, and were tested one month after the experimental class to compare their differences. Results The scores after the theoretical class of Group A and B were (100.0 ± 25.4), (101.0 ± 23.8)(t=-0.160, P > 0.05), Group C and D were (94.7 ± 23.7), (92.1 ± 18.6)(t = 0.467, P > 0.05). The scores of Group A and B before and after the experimental class and one week after the experimental class were respectively (84.1 ± 17.4), (72.1 ± 21.3)(t = 2.363, P 0.05), (89.7 ± 24.3), (66.6 ± 23.2)(t = 3.706, P 0.05), and Group C and D were (95.7 ± 20.3), (91.7 ± 23.0)(t = 0.699, P > 0.05). Conclusions The process-based teaching based on SPARK case database could improve the radiology practice ability of the musculoskeletal system of students.

Objective: Emerging evidence highlights the pivotal roles of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in lipid metabolism. Apoprotein C3 (ApoC3) is a well-established therapeutic target for hypertriglyceridemia and exhibits a strong association with cardiovascular disease. However, the exact mechanisms via which the lncRNAs control ApoC3 expression remain unclear. Methods: We identified a novel long noncoding RNA (lncRNA), GM47544, within the ApoA1/C3/A4/A5 gene cluster. Subsequently, the effect of GM47544 on intracellular triglyceride metabolism was analyzed. The diet-induced mouse models of hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis were established to explore the effect of GM47544 on dyslipidemia and plaque formation in vivo. The molecular mechanism was explored through RNA sequencing, immunoprecipitation, RNA pull-down assay, and RNA immunoprecipitation. Results: GM47544 was overexpressed under high-fat stimulation. GM47544 effectively improved hepatic steatosis, reduced blood lipid levels, and alleviated atherosclerosis in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, GM47544 directly bound to ApoC3 and facilitated the ubiquitination at lysine 79 in ApoC3, thereby facilitating ApoC3 degradation via the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. Moreover, we identified AP006216.5 as the human GM47544 transcript, which fulfills a comparable function in human hepatocytes. Conclusions: The identification of GM47544 as a lncRNA modulator of ApoC3 reveals a novel mechanism of post-translational modification, with significant clinical implications for the treatment of hypertriglyceridemia and atherosclerosis.

The synergistic integration of tourism, the economy, and the ecological environment within a region is crucial for promoting its sustainable development. Tourism acts as a catalyst for green economic growth, yet varying levels of tourism development can intensify the strain on the ecological environment. Thus, achieving a Pareto optimal balance among the benefits of these three entities holds significant theoretical and practical relevance. This research utilizes statistical data spanning from 2000 to 2021 to devise a tourism-economy-ecological environment (TEE) indicator system for Xinjiang. The study employs a coupled coordination model to analyze the spatial and temporal coupling dynamics between subsystems and to classify the types of coupled coordination. The analysis also identifies obstacles that impede the degree of coordination. The findings indicate that during the period under investigation, the TEE system in Xinjiang experienced consistent growth. However, the tourism subsystem exhibited disparate development and pronounced resource monopolization, which stimulated the economic subsystem’s growth, albeit with noticeable developmental lags in the latter stages. Spatially, economic performance demonstrated a declining trend from core urban centers like Urumqi City and Karamay City towards peripheral areas. From an ecological perspective, the distribution of resources exhibited a heterogeneous “M-V-W” pattern, characterized by significant disparities in the availability of natural resources and the occurrence of localized ecological deterioration. There is a notable and increasing degree of coupled coordination in regional synergistic development, which is primarily manifested in the delayed development of tourism. The combined development of the three subsystems is influenced by some factors, including environmental pollution, resources, economic quality, and industrial structure. Soot emissions, green space per capita in parks, and sulfur dioxide emissions are identified as key constraints. This study provides theoretical backing and empirical evidence for economic growth, the optimization of industrial structure, and the preservation of the ecological environment in arid and semi-arid regions globally.

Pressure swing adsorption (PSA) technology is among the most efficient techniques for purifying and separating hydrogen. A layered adsorption bed composed of activated carbon and zeolite 5A for a gas mixture (H2: 56.4 mol%, CH4: 26.6 mol%, CO: 8.4 mol%, N2: 5.5 mol%, CO2: 3.1 mol%) PSA model was built. The simulation model was validated using breakthrough curves. Then, a six-step PSA cycle model was built, and the purification performance was studied. The Box–Behnken design (BBD) method was utilized in Design Expert software (version 10) to optimize the PSA purification performance. The independent optimization parameters included the adsorption time, the pressure equalization time, and the feed flow rate. Quadratic regression models can be derived to represent the responses of purity and productivity. To explore a better optimization solution, a novel optimization method using machine learning with a back propagation neural network (BPNN) was then proposed, and a kind of heuristic algorithm–genetic algorithm (GA) was introduced to enhance the architecture of the BPNN. The predicted outputs of hydrogen production using two kinds of models based on the BPNN–GA and the BBD method integrated with the BPNN–GA (BBD–BPNN–GA). The findings revealed that the BBD–BPNN–GA model exhibited a mean square error (MSE) of 0.0005, with its R–value correlation coefficient being much closer to 1, while the BPNN–GA model exhibited an MSE of 0.0035. This suggests that the BBD–BPNN–GA model has a better performance, as evidenced by the lower MSE and higher correlation coefficient compared to the BPNN–GA model.

Mathematical modeling plays an important role in improving students’ interests and attitudes in reasoning, communicating and solving problems. In order to understand modeling in the popular mathematics textbooks for primary schools in China, this study developed a modeling framework for K-12 mathematics textbooks, and used content analysis method to analyze China’s current textbooks of primary mathematics in grades 3 to 6. The results showed that the samples follow a gradual development principle in terms of “content level,”“appearing location,” and “representation mode,” but the scientificity of model content level needs to be enhanced. In the four stages of modeling, the contents for cultivating students’ high-order thinking ability need to be further enriched. It is also suggested that more mathematical background knowledge should be covered in future textbook compilations.

Abstract In the last few decades, sulfonated carbon materials have garnered significant attention as Brønsted solid acid catalysts. The sulfonation process and catalytic activity of sulfonated biochar can be influenced by the aromaticity and degree of condensation exhibited by biochar. However, the relationships between the aromaticity, sulfonating ability, and resultant catalytic activity are not fully understood. In this study, biochar samples pyrolyzed at 300–650 °C exhibiting different aromaticity and degrees of condensation were sulfonated and employed as sulfonate-bearing solid catalysts for hydrolytically removing tylosin. They exhibited excellent hydrolytic performance and their kinetic constants were positively correlated with the total acidity and negatively correlated with their aromaticity. This study has uncovered the relationship between the structure, properties, sulfonating ability, and subsequent hydrolytic performance of biochar samples. It was observed that the aromaticity of biochar decreased as the pyrolysis temperature increased. Lower pyrolysis temperatures resulted in a reduced degree of condensation, smaller ring size, and an increased number of ring edge sites available for sulfonation, ultimately leading to enhanced catalytic performance. These findings provide valuable insights into the fundamental chemistry behind sulfonation upgrading of biochar, with the aim of developing functional catalysts for mitigating antibiotics in contaminated water. Graphical Abstract

ObjectiveTo evaluate mutagenic and teratogenic effects of lanthanum nitrate for providing evidence to safe use of the rare earth element. MethodsThe mutagenicity of lanthanum nitrate was evaluated by micronucleus assay on mouse bone marrow cells, in vitro chromosome aberration test, and Salmonella typhimurium strains bacterial reverse mutation test and the teratogenic effect of lanthanum nitrate was assessed with teratogenicity test in rats. The micronucleus assay on mouse bone marrow cells was performed in three groups of ICR mice (10 in each group, half male and half female) administrated with lanthanum nitrate at concentrations (mg/kg·BW) of 875, 437.5, 218.75 for the male mice and 1015, 507.5, 253.75 for the female mice according to the median lethal dose (LD50) of lanthanum nitrate for the mice. The chromosome aberration test of mammalian cells in vitro was conducted on Chinese hamster lung (CHL) cells (with good growth during logarithmic division and inoculated into 25 mL cell culture bottle, 1 × 106 cells per bottle) treated with lanthanum nitrate at concentrations of 1 × 10 – 3, 1 × 10 – 4, 1 × 10 – 5 mol (without S9 mixture) and 5 × 10 – 3, 2.5 × 10 – 4,1.25 × 10 – 5 mol (with S9 mixture) based on the median inhibition concentration (IC50) of lanthanum nitrate on CHL cells. Five lanthanum nitrate dose groups (5, 1, 0.2, 0.04, 0.008 mg/dish, respectively) were set up to carry out Salmonella typhimurium (TA97, TA98, TA100, TA102, TA1535) strains bacterial reverse mutation test in the presence or absence of S9 metabolic activation system. In teratogenicity test on pregnant Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats (at least 15 in each group), three lanthanum nitrate dosages of (9, 36, 144 mg/kg·BW) were determined and the growth and implantation ability and the offspring rats′ weight and length, rate of skeletal malformation, rate of organ malformation and total rate of viscera malformation were oberserved. ResultsIn micronucleus assay, the micronucleus formation rates of bone marrow cells in each lanthanum nitrate dose group were similar with that of vehicle control group (P > 0.05) . In vitro chromosome aberration test, the rate of cells with chromosome aberration in 1 × 10 – 5 M lanthanum nitrate group significantly increased in the absence of S9 compared to that of the control group (χ2 = 12.109, P < 0.01); however, the proportion of cells with chromosome aberration was less than 5%, indicating a biological insignificance; in the presence of S9, there was no significant difference in chromosome aberration the between each lanthanum nitrate dose group and the control group (all P > 0.05). The results of Salmonella typhimurium strains bacterial reverse mutation test showed that there were no significant differences in the mutagenicity among lanthanum nitrate dose groups and the control group in both the presence and absence of S9 mixture. The results of teratogenic test showed that there were no significant differences in the growth and the implantation ability of pregnant rats among all dose groups and the vehicle group; lanthanum nitrate at concentration of 144 mg/kg BW inhibited fetal body weight and length significantly (both P < 0.05) and increased skeletal malformation of fetal rat compared with those of the vehicle group (χ2 = 9.939, P < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in organ-specific and total visceral malformation among the dose groups (P > 0.05 for all). ConclusionsThe mutagenic effect of lanthanum nitrate was not observed under the conditions of this study and the study resulted in a no observable adverse effect level (NOAEL) of 36 mg/kg BW for lanthanum nitrate (15.38 mg/kg BW in terms of lanthanum).

BackgroundVaccine effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2 infection has been somewhat limited due to the widespread dissemination of the Omicron variant, its subvariants, and the immune response dynamics of the naturally infected with the virus.MethodsTwelve subjects between 3-17 years old (yo), vaccinated with two doses of CoronaVac®, were followed and diagnosed as breakthrough cases starting 14 days after receiving the second dose. Total IgGs against different SARS-CoV-2 proteins and the neutralizing capacity of these antibodies after infection were measured in plasma. The activation of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells was evaluated in peripheral blood mononuclear cells stimulated with peptides derived from the proteins from the wild-type (WT) virus and Omicron subvariants by flow cytometry, as well as different cytokines secretion by a Multiplex assay.Results2 to 8 weeks post-infection, compared to 4 weeks after 2nd dose of vaccine, there was a 146.5-fold increase in neutralizing antibody titers against Omicron and a 38.7-fold increase against WT SARS-CoV-2. Subjects showed an increase in total IgG levels against the S1, N, M, and NSP8 proteins of the WT virus. Activated CD4+ T cells showed a significant increase in response to the BA.2 subvariant (p

Chlorocholine chloride (CCC) is a plant growth regulator used worldwide that is detectable in cereals, fruits and animal products. The health effects of CCC exposure have raised public concern. Our previous research showed that CCC exposure decreased testosterone synthesis in pubertal rats. However, little is known about whether and how pubertal CCC exposure impacts spermatogenesis. In this study, we used BALB/c mice and spermatogonia-derived GC-1 cells to examine CCC-induced spermatogenic dysfunction. In vivo, pubertal CCC exposure led to decreased testicular weight, decreased testicular germ cells and poor sperm quality. This effect worsened after cessation of CCC exposure for the next 30 days. RNA-seq and western blot analysis revealed that CCC induced aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) signaling, endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) and ferritinophagy. Increased iron content and lipid peroxidation levels were also observed in CCC-treated testes. In vitro, it was identified that iron overload mediated by enhanced ferritinophagy occurred in CCC-treated GC-1 cells, which might be attributed to the PERK pathway in ERS. Further, for the first time, our study elucidated the involvement of AhR in CCC-induced iron overload, which aggravated testicular oxidative damage via lipid peroxidation. Considering the adverse impact of CCC exposure on rodents, supportive evidence from GC-1 cells, and the critical importance of spermatogenesis on male development, the effects of CCC on the male reproduction warrant increased attention.

Abstract Carbon-based solid acids have been successfully employed as acidic catalysts for pollutant mitigation in wastewater. To fully tap the potentials of commercially viable carbons for the preparation of solid acids and enhance their catalytic performances is a challenging problem. In this work, three commercialized carbons including biochar, activated carbon and graphite were preprocessed (ball-milling, Hummer exfoliation, HNO3 soaking, and microwave heating in HNO3, etc.), sulfonated, and evaluated as solid-acid catalysts for tylosin mitigation. Graphite-originated solid acid performed the best through a balling-milling preprocess, while biochar-originated solid acids behaved well under all preprocessing treatments, in which 40 mg L−1 of tylosin was mitigated within 8 min by 1 g L−1 of biochar-originated solid acids. The biochar solid acid through the ball-milling preprocess presented high total acidity and large amounts of –SO3H groups, due to dramatically increased surface area and the rise of activation groups (hydroxyl, alkyl and alkoxy groups, etc.) facilitating electrophilic reaction. In addition, decreased particle size and aromaticity and increased structural defects also contributed. Theoretical calculation of average local ionization energy (ALIE) of condensed aromatic model molecules with substituted activation groups confirmed the promoting effects on sulfonation from strong to weak were 8.40–9.06 eV. These findings have deepened the knowledge in tuning carbon surface chemistry for better sulfonation, thus strengthening catalytic degradation of tylosin. The value of this study is in pulling a clear thread for maneuvering solid-acid catalysts using carbons, which holds a novel promise for rationally functionalizing biochar-based catalysts for the remediation of macrolide antibiotics in polluted water. Graphical Abstract

Objectives: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the non-inferiority of a quadrivalent influenza vaccine (QIV) developed by Sinovac Biotech Co., Ltd. (Sinovac, Beijing, China) by comparing its immunogenicity and safety with a comparator QIV (Vaxigrip Tetra®) in a population aged 3 years and older in Chile and the Philippines. Methods: A phase 3, non-inferiority, double-blind, randomized controlled, multicenter clinical trial was conducted in the southern hemisphere (SH) 2023 influenza season. Participants aged ≥ 3 years old with stable health were randomized 1:1 to receive either Sinovac QIV or comparator QIV. The co-primary outcomes were immunological non-inferiority for Sinovac QIV versus the comparator against each strain contained in the vaccines in terms of seroconversion rates (SCRs) and geometric mean titers (GMTs) of hemagglutination inhibition (HI) antibodies 28 days after final vaccination. Results: A total of 2039 participants were vaccinated (1019 Sinovac QIV; 1020 comparator QIV). Sinovac QIV induced non-inferior immune responses to all four strains as compared to comparator QIV, with slightly higher GMTs than those of comparator QIV: GMT ratios (lower limit 95% confidence interval (CI)) were 1.8 (1.6) for A(H1N1), 1.4 (1.3) for A (H3N2), 1.3 (1.1) for B Victoria and 1.2 (1.1) for B Yamagata; observed seroconversion rate differences (lower limit 95% CI) were 9.6% (6.7) for A(H1N1), 7.0% (3.5) for A(H3N2), 2.4% (−0.03) for B Victoria and 6.8% (3.0) for B Yamagata. Adverse reactions were similar across the two groups and no vaccine-related serious adverse events were reported. Conclusions: The immunogenicity of Sinovac QIV was non-inferior to that of the comparator QIV in these populations aged 3 years and older, and safety was comparable.

The loss of rural kindergarten teachers has become a common social concern in China, which is of great importance to the development of preschool education. This study conducted a survey of 2944 kindergarten teachers in mainland China, to explore the relationship between work–family conflict and turnover intention, the mediating effect of emotional exhaustion, and the moderating effect of professional identity. The study used the work–family conflict questionnaire, the emotional exhaustion scale, the turnover intention questionnaire, and the professional identity questionnaire. The results showed that (1) work–family conflict significantly predicted turnover intention; (2) emotional exhaustion played a mediating role between work–family conflict and turnover intention; and (3) professional identity moderated the latter half path of the mediation model, that is, strong professional identity alleviated the indirect predicting effect of work–family conflict on turnover intention through emotional exhaustion. The results clarified the influencing mechanism of work–family conflict on turnover intention, which could help improve rural preschool teachers’ positive emotions and reducing turnover.

Septic encephalopathy (SE) represents a severe inflammatory syndrome linked to elevated septic mortality rates, lacking specific therapeutic interventions, and often resulting in enduring neurological sequelae. The present investigation endeavors to elucidate the involvement of C-X-C Motif Chemokine Receptor 2 (CXCR2) in the pathogenesis of SE and to explore the potential of CXCR2 modulation as a therapeutic avenue for SE. Employing a murine SE model induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administration, CXCR2 knockout mice and the CXCR2 inhibitor SB225002 were utilized to assess neutrophil recruitment, endothelial integrity, and transendothelial migration. Our findings substantiate that either CXCR2 deficiency or its inhibition curtails neutrophil recruitment without impacting their adhesion to cerebral endothelial cells. This phenomenon is contingent upon endothelial CXCR2 expression rather than CXCR2’s presence on neutrophils. Furthermore, the CXCR2 blockade preserves the integrity of tight junction protein ZO-1 and mitigates F-actin stress fiber formation in cerebral endothelial cells following septic challenge. Mechanistically, CXCL1-mediated CXCR2 activation triggers cerebral endothelial actin contraction via Rho signaling, thereby facilitating neutrophil transmigration in SE. These observations advocate for the potential therapeutic efficacy of CXCR2 inhibition in managing SE.

Ferroptosis hallmarked by lipid peroxidation and iron homeostasis imbalance is involved in the occurrence and development of various diseases. The plant growth regulator chlormequat chloride (CCC) can contribute to the causality and exacerbation of reproductive disorders. However, the mechanism by which CCC may cause Leydig cell attenuation remains poorly understood. In this study, TM3 Leydig cells were used to investigate the inhibitory effect of CCC on cell growth and its possible mechanism. The results showed that CCC caused apoptosis, pyroptosis, ferroptosis and necroinflammation in TM3 cells. By comparing the effects of ferroptosis inhibitor Ferrostatin-1 (Fer-1) and pan-Caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK (ZVF) on lipid peroxidation and Caspase-mediated regulated cell death (RCD), we found that Fer-1 was better at rescuing the growth of TM3 cells than ZVF. Although ZVF reduced mitochondrial ROS level and inhibited the activation of Caspase3 and Caspase1, it could not significantly ameliorate lipid peroxidation and the levels of IL-1β and HMGB1 like Fer-1. Therefore, ferroptosis might be a key non apoptotic RCD mode responsible for CCC-driven inflammation, leading to weakened viability and proliferation of TM3 cells. In addition, overexpression of ferritin light chain (FTL) promoted the resistance of TM3 cells to CCC-induced ferroptosis-mediated inflammation and to some extent improved the inhibition of viability and proliferation. Altogether, ferroptosis-initiated inflammation might play a key role in CCC-impaired TM3 cell growth.

Embodied carbon flows among regions have led to unfair carbon emission responsibility accounting based on production. However, the heterogeneity of carbon peaking stress between regions is significantly neglected for those embodied carbon flows. Incorporating the carbon peaking stress into the embodied carbon flows can more clearly show what causes the carbon peaking stress and which carbon flow paths are more critical. In this study, the decoupling index of carbon emissions and economy development was applied to characterize the carbon peaking stress in each region, and the environmental extended multi-regional input–output model was applied to re-evaluate the criticality of regional embodied carbon flows. The results showed that the carbon peaking stress in China improved from 2007 to 2012, but the rebound of carbon peaking stress in 2017 made most regions reverse the previous downward trend. The stress to reach carbon peaks varies considerably from region to region, and the stress in the northwest is much higher than that in developed eastern China. Considering the heterogeneity of carbon peaking stress, additional concerns should be given to the net embodied carbon output in the northwestern, northern, and central regions, which can help avoid the dilemma between outsourcing embodied carbon and reducing carbon emissions from production. The policy to reduce emissions should be implemented in all regions that benefit from the net embodied carbon output of the northern and northwestern regions, where the carbon peaking stress is higher. The focus should be on the actual improvement of the carbon peaking stress, not just on the transfer of stress. The increasing urgency of achieving carbon peaking targets and unequal stress for regional peaking emissions calls for differentiated regional mitigation measures to help the Chinese government scientifically and in an orderly manner promote the overall and local carbon peaking work.

Industrial water saving is an objective requirement for the high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin, as water resource is the largest rigid constraint. In this study, water resources input-output model, structural decomposition analysis (SDA) and structural path analysis (SPA) were constructed to decompose the driving factors of total water use in typical water-deficient provinces (Ningxia, Shanxi, and Henan) in China's Yellow River Basin, to calculate their water use at each production stage and identify their key water-saving pathways. The results were as follows: (i) Water intensity had the most obvious impact on total water saving, resulting in efficiency improvements of 81.39%, 9.21%, and 78.45% for each province, respectively. The next factor was the final demand structure, which suppressed total water-saving efforts by 24.23%, 11.52%, and 113.12% in the respective provinces. (ii) The key water-saving paths in the typical water-deficient provinces of the Yellow River Basin were primarily centered around Sector 1. (iii) Water intensity had a strong water-saving effect on the key paths in the three provinces, with contribution rates of 100.42%, 59.02%, and 42.34% for Ningxia, Henan, and Shanxi, respectively. Final demand also contributed to water-saving in the key paths of Shanxi and Henan, with contribution rates of 35.06% and 28.23%, respectively. However, it inhibited water-saving efforts in the key paths of Ningxia, reducing it by 8.64%. Policy measures should be tailored to local conditions.

An individual's likelihood of developing non-communicable diseases is often influenced by the types, intensities and duration of exposures at work. Job exposure matrices provide exposure estimates associated with different occupations. However, due to their time-consuming expert curation process, job exposure matrices currently cover only a subset of possible workplace exposures and may not be regularly updated. Scientific literature articles describing exposure studies provide important supporting evidence for developing and updating job exposure matrices, since they report on exposures in a variety of occupational scenarios. However, the constant growth of scientific literature is increasing the challenges of efficiently identifying relevant articles and important content within them. Natural language processing methods emulate the human process of reading and understanding texts, but in a fraction of the time. Such methods can increase the efficiency of both finding relevant documents and pinpointing specific information within them, which could streamline the process of developing and updating job exposure matrices. Named entity recognition is a fundamental natural language processing method for language understanding, which automatically identifies mentions of domain-specific concepts (named entities) in documents, e.g., exposures, occupations and job tasks. State-of-the-art machine learning models typically use evidence from an annotated corpus, i.e., a set of documents in which named entities are manually marked up (annotated) by experts, to learn how to detect named entities automatically in new documents. We have developed a novel annotated corpus of scientific articles to support machine learning based named entity recognition relevant to occupational substance exposures. Through incremental refinements to the annotation process, we demonstrate that expert annotators can attain high levels of agreement, and that the corpus can be used to train high-performance named entity recognition models. The corpus thus constitutes an important foundation for the wider development of natural language processing tools to support the study of occupational exposures.

Background: The structural brain alterations for subjective cognitive decline (SCD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) are poorly defined. We sought to characterize grey matter volume (GMV) and cortical thickness associated with SCD and MCI among rural-dwelling older adults in China. Methods: This population-based cross-sectional study included 1072 dementia-free participants from the brain MRI sub-study of MIND-China (2018–2020). We defined MCI following the Petersen’s criteria, and SCD as the self-rated Ascertain Dementia 8-item Questionnaire score ≥ 2. Data were analyzed using voxel-based morphometry (VBM), surface-based morphometry analysis (SBM), and logistic regression models. Results: SCD was defined in 243 persons and MCI in 246 individuals. The VBM analysis showed that MCI (vs. normal cognition) was significantly associated with reduced GMV in brain regions such as the bilateral parahippocampus, bilateral hippocampus, and bilateral fusiform (P 0.05). The ROI-wise SBM analysis revealed that SCD was significantly associated with cortical thinning in the right paracentral sulcus, left caudal middle frontal gyrus, and left entorhinal cortex (P

BackgroundJob satisfaction for preschool teachers in rural areas has an important impact on their professional development, physical and mental health, and the development of preschool education. However, few studies have explored the factors that influence rural preschool teachers’ job satisfaction.PurposeThis study aims to examine the influence of rural preschool teachers’ work–family conflict on their job satisfaction, and the mediating effect of occupational identity, the moderating effect of social support.MethodParticipants included 3,065 rural preschool teachers from Zhejiang Province in mainland China. Teachers completed questionnaires on work–family conflict, occupational identity, job satisfaction, and social support. The correlation and moderated mediation analyses were conducted using SPSS PROCESS.Results(1) work–family conflict is associated with poorer job satisfaction in preschool teachers; (2) occupational identity mediates the relationship between work–family conflict and job satisfaction; and (3) a high level of social support alleviates the negative influence of work–family conflict on job satisfaction and promotes the positive effect of occupational identity on job satisfaction.ConclusionThe study revealed the negative impact of work–family conflict on preschool teachers’ job satisfaction, and the protecting effect of social support, which has important implications for improving teachers’ future job satisfaction.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease worldwide. Fat accumulation “sensitizes” the liver to insult and leads to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). G protein-coupled receptor 35 (GPR35) is involved in metabolic stresses, but its role in NAFLD is unknown. We report that hepatocyte GPR35 mitigates NASH by regulating hepatic cholesterol homeostasis. Specifically, we found that GPR35 overexpression in hepatocytes protected against high-fat/cholesterol/fructose (HFCF) diet-induced steatohepatitis, whereas loss of GPR35 had the opposite effect. Administration of the GPR35 agonist kynurenic acid (Kyna) suppressed HFCF diet-induced steatohepatitis in mice. Kyna/GPR35 induced expression of StAR-related lipid transfer protein 4 (STARD4) through the ERK1/2 signaling pathway, ultimately resulting in hepatic cholesterol esterification and bile acid synthesis (BAS). The overexpression of STARD4 increased the expression of the BAS rate-limiting enzymes cytochrome P450 family 7 subfamily A member 1 (CYP7A1) and CYP8B1, promoting the conversion of cholesterol to bile acid. The protective effect induced by GPR35 overexpression in hepatocytes disappeared in hepatocyte STARD4-knockdown mice. STARD4 overexpression in hepatocytes reversed the aggravation of HFCF diet-induced steatohepatitis caused by the loss of GPR35 expression in hepatocytes in mice. Our findings indicate that the GPR35–STARD4 axis is a promising therapeutic target for NAFLD.

Background Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is one of the most important kidney replacement therapies for patients with end‐stage kidney disease (ESKD). PD technique failure can lead to an escalated cost and increased infectious and cardiovascular risk, up and including to death. The accumulation of uric acid (UA) was associated with adverse outcomes in ESKD patients. However, the relationship between serum UA and technique failure is little explored. Methods Here, a total of 266 continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients (age, 41.8 ± 12.6 years; 125 males) were enrolled and followed up for 31.7 months. Serum UA levels were examined at baseline and each visit. Subjects were divided into three groups according to their baseline serum UA concentrations. Multivariable Cox regression models were used to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of PD technique failure. Results The level of serum UA increased gradually as time prolonged. During the follow-up period, 77 (28.9%) patients occurred PD technique failure, of which 56 (21.1%) transferred to hemodialysis (HD) and 21 (7.9%) died. Compared to the lowest UA tertile, after adjusting for potential confounders, HRs of technique failure in tertile 2 and tertile 3 were 1.82 (95% CI: 0.95–3.49) and 2.03 (95% CI: 1.05–3.92), respectively, and p for trend was 0.043. Adjusted HRs of all-cause technique failure, transferring to HD and mortality with each 1 mg/dL increase in serum UA were 1.20 (95% CI: 1.03–1.40, p = 0.019), 1.22 (95% CI: 1.01–1.48, p = 0.039), and 1.25 (95% CI: 0.94–1.67, p = 0.128), respectively. Conclusion Higher serum UA level predicted higher risk of technique failure in CAPD patients.

Ovarian cancer (OV) is characterized by high incidence and poor prognosis. Increasing evidence indicates that aberrant alternative splicing (AS) events are associated with the pathogenesis of cancer. We examined prognosis-related alternative splicing events and constructed a clinically applicable model to predict patients’ outcomes. Public database including The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), TCGA SpliceSeq, and the Genomics of Drug Sensitivity in Cancer databases were used to detect the AS expression, immune cell infiltration and IC50. The prognosis-related AS model was constructed and validated by using Cox regression, LASSO regression, C-index, calibration plots, and ROC curves. A total of eight AS events (including FLT3LG|50942|AP) were selected to establish the prognosis-related AS model. Compared with high-risk group, low-risk group had a better outcome (P = 1.794e-06), was more sensitive to paclitaxel (P = 0.022), and higher proportions of plasma cells. We explored the upstream regulatory mechanisms of prognosis-related AS and found that two splicing factor and 156 tag single nucleotide polymorphisms may be involved in the regulation of prognosis-related AS. In order to assess patient prognosis more comprehensively, we constructed a clinically applicable model combining risk score and clinicopathological features, and the 1 -, and 3-year AUCs of the clinically applicable model were 0.812, and 0.726, which were 7.5% and 3.3% higher than that of the risk score. We constructed a prognostic signature for OV patients and comprehensively analysed the regulatory characteristics of the prognostic AS events in OV.

The intelligent control of precision planting can detect and regulate the operation quality of the planter in real time, which plays an important role in improving the operation quality of the planter and the yield of the corn. In this paper, the control system of a corn precision planter is designed to realize the operating quality monitoring and electric driving of the seed-metering device. The planting quality is calculated by the time interval between the neighboring falling seeds, instead of the plant spacing, to improve the operational efficiency of the system. At the same time, the forward speed of the planter is obtained by radar, which is used to accurately match the speed of the seed-metering device with the forward speed of the planter. The velocity error of the radar is analyzed, and the relevant relationship of the radar output frequency and forward speed is established. Comparative test results of this system and the JPS-12 test bench show that the detection performance of the system is reliable, and the maximum detection error of the quality parameters is less than 2.88%. Field experiments were carried out to verify the operational performance of the control system. Two speed sensors, radar and GPS, were chosen to study the effect of speed measuring on the performance of the control system. We found that speed measuring has a significant effect on planting performance. The qualified parameters of radar were significantly higher than those of GPS, at a forward speed of 6–12 km/h. The qualification feeding index (QFI) of radar was 0.51%, 0.67%, and 2.05% higher than that of GPS at speeds of 6, 8, 10, and 12 km/h. The precision index (PREC) of radar was 17.60%, 5.44%, 16.81%, and 17.30% lower than that of GPS. Therefore, the control system based on the radar speed measurement developed in this paper can significantly improve the operating quality of the planter.

The APOA1/C3/A4/A5 cluster is an essential component in regulating lipoprotein metabolism and maintaining plasma lipid homeostasis. A genome-wide association analysis and Mendelian randomization have revealed potential associations between genetic variants within this cluster and lipid metabolism disorders, including hyperlipidemia and cardiovascular events. An enhanced understanding of the complexity of gene regulation has led to growing recognition regarding the role of epigenetic variation in modulating APOA1/C3/A4/A5 gene expression. Intensive research into the epigenetic regulatory patterns of the APOA1/C3/A4/A5 cluster will help increase our understanding of the pathogenesis of lipid metabolism disorders and facilitate the development of new therapeutic approaches. This review discusses the biology of how the APOA1/C3/A4/A5 cluster affects circulating lipoproteins and the current progress in the epigenetic regulation of the APOA1/C3/A4/A5 cluster.

Thermal runaway (TR) of lithium-ion batteries has always been a topic of concern, and the safety of batteries is closely related to the operating temperature. An overheated battery can significantly impact the surrounding batteries, increasing the risk of fire and explosion. To improve the safety of battery modules and prevent TR, we focus on the characteristics of temperature distribution and thermal spread of battery modules under overheating conditions. The heat transfer characteristics of battery modules under different battery thermal management systems (BTMSs) are assessed. In addition, the effects of abnormal heat generation rate, abnormal heat generation location, and ambient temperature on the temperature distribution and thermal spread of battery modules are also studied. The results indicate that the BTMS consisting of flat heat pipes (FHPs) and bottom and side liquid cooling plates can effectively suppress thermal spread and improve the safety of the battery module.

Abstract The primary objective of this study was to determine the longitudinal profile of serum sST2 (soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2), IL‐33 (interleukin‐33) and NT‐proBNP (N‐terminal pro‐brain natriuretic peptide) concentrations in twin pregnancies with pre‐eclampsia (PE) and those normotensive twins. The secondary objective was to test whether the change of serum sST2,IL‐33 and NT‐proBNP is related to PE in twin pregnancies. This is a longitudinal nested case–control study and all 156 dichorionic (DC) pregnancies were from a prospective cohort of twin pregnancies who received antenatal care and gave two live births at Peking University Third Hospital between October 2017 and September 2020. Four to five milliliters of peripheral blood of each pregnant woman were collected during the following three intervals: (1) 6–11+6 weeks; (2) 24–27+6 weeks; (3) 28–31+6 weeks. We found that sST2 and NT‐proBNP levels increased as pregnancy progressed in normotensive twin pregnancies and further increased in PE group, while no differences were found in IL‐33 levels throughout pregnancy. Then the correlation of biomarker levels with the occurrence of PE was assessed. Our results indicated that combining maternal serum sST2 and NT‐proBNP levels yielded the highest predictive value on the occurrence of PE significantly higher than the predictive value of any markers alone. Interestingly, the predictive value of second trimester (AUC = 0.876, 95%CI 0.824–0.928, LR−0.338, LR+7.67, p

Abstract Continuing studies imply that m6A RNA modification is involved in the development of cervical cancer (CC), but lack strong support on recurrence and diagnosis prediction. In this research, a comprehensive analysis of 33 m6A regulators was performed to fulfill them. Here, we performed diagnostic and prognosis models and identified key regulators, respectively. Then the CC patients were separated into two clusters in accordance with 33 regulators, and participants in the cluster 1 had a worse prognosis. Subsequently, the m6AScore was calculated to quantify the m6A modification pattern based on regulators and we found that patients in cluster 1 had higher m6AScore. Afterwards, immune microenvironment, cell infiltration, escape analyses and tumor burden mutation analyses were executed, and results showed that m6AScore was correlated with them, but to a limited extent. Interestingly, HLAs and immune checkpoint expression, and immunophenoscore in patients with high-m6AScores were significantly lower than those in the low-m6AScore group. These suggested the m6AScores might be used to predict the feasibility of immunotherapy in patients. Results provided a distinctive perspective on m6A modification and theoretical basis for CC diagnosis, prognosis, clinical treatment strategies, and potential mechanism exploration.

Abstract Background Previous studies suggest that deficits in cognition may increase the risk of suicide. Our study aims to develop a machine learning (ML) algorithm-based suicide risk prediction model using cognition in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). Methods Participants comprised 52 depressed suicide attempters (DSA) and 61 depressed non-suicide attempters (DNS), and 98 healthy controls (HC). All participants were required to complete a series of questionnaires, the Suicide Stroop Task (SST) and the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT). The performance in IGT was analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA. ML with extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) classification algorithm and locally explanatory techniques assessed performance and relative importance of characteristics for predicting suicide attempts. Prediction performances were compared with the area under the curve (AUC), decision curve analysis (DCA), and net reclassification improvement (NRI). Results DSA and DNS preferred to select the card from disadvantageous decks (decks "A" + "B") under risky situation (p = 0.023) and showed a significantly poorer learning effect during the IGT (F = 2.331, p = 0.019) compared with HC. Performance of XGBoost model based on demographic and clinical characteristics was compared with that of the model created after adding cognition data (AUC, 0.779 vs. 0.819, p > 0.05). The net benefit of model was improved and cognition resulted in continuous reclassification improvement with NRI of 5.3%. Several clinical dimensions were significant predictors in the XGBoost classification algorithm. Limitations A limited sample size and failure to include sufficient suicide risk factors in the predictive model. Conclusion This study demonstrate that cognitive deficits may serve as an important risk factor to predict suicide attempts in patients with MDD. Combined with other demographic characteristics and attributes drawn from clinical questionnaires, cognitive function can improve the predictive effectiveness of the ML model. Additionally, explanatory ML models can help clinicians detect specific risk factors for each suicide attempter within MDD patients. These findings may be helpful for clinicians to detect those at high risk of suicide attempts quickly and accurately, and help them make proactive treatment decisions.

Pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) has been widely used as cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) rootstock to defend against Fusarium wilt (FW) and increase cucumber yields and profits. However, the resistance genes and mechanisms underlying the FW tolerance in pumpkin are poorly understood. Here we analyzed the transcriptome of pumpkin inoculated with the cucumber FW causal agent Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum (Foc), and obtained 3 152 and 4 735 upregulated genes induced by Foc at 24 h after Foc inoculation compared with at 0 h and 24 h non-inoculated control, respectively. Next, 404 common differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened using the criterion log2 FPKM (fold change) ≥ 2. In total, 206 of 404 DEGs were predominantly expressed in roots, which is the first tissue that Foc contacts and invades. 140 DEGs were selected and classified into four groups (pathogenesis resistance, secondary metabolism-related, transcription factor and signal binding) based on their functional descriptions. Then, 29 genes having high expression levels were selected to investigate the expression patterns induced by a Foc inoculation. Among them, 16 genes were significantly induced by Foc and showed high expression levels at various treatment time points. These candidate genes may act as positive regulators of FW resistance in pumpkin and provide effective resources for improving cucumber FW resistance through breeding programs.

Ecosystem service value (ESV) in arid regions is subject to multiple factors, and the main factors affecting ESV may vary in different regions. However, there are fewer studies concerned with the spatial heterogeneity of the factors influencing ESV in arid regions. In this study, we selected five typical sub-basins of the Tarim River Basin (TRB), including the Kashghar (KRB), the Weigan (WRB), the Dinah (DRB), the Keriya (KRRB), and the Qarqan (QRB) river basins, as research objects to investigate the ESV. Firstly, we estimated the ESV by utilizing the LULC data sets and benefits transfer methods. Next, we conducted a systematic analysis of the spatial variations of ESV. Finally, we analyzed the driving factors of spatial variation of ESV using a geographical detector model. Our results show that: (1) During 1990–2018, various land use types underwent complex dynamic transformations, including the conversion of grassland and water bodies into cropland and unused land. (2) Over the 29-year study period, the five studied TRB sub-basins show a decreasing trend in total ESV during 1990–2018, with the largest reduction observed in KRRB (-230.64 × 107 USD), followed by WRB (-105.43 × 107 USD), and the smallest in QRB (-10.31 × 107 USD). Moreover, environment depuration (ED), climate regulation (CR), hydrological regulation (HR), and soil conservation (SC) were the key components of high service value in the study area. (3) The spatial distribution of ESV demonstrated strong positive spatial autocorrelation, with high and low values clustering on a spatial scale. Our analysis of driving forces revealed that spatial differentiation is the result of a synergistic effect of natural factors such as elevation, temperature, and precipitation, as well as anthropogenic and socioeconomic factors. Based on the results obtained, our study serves as a crucial foundation for implementing necessary measures aimed at achieving ecological security and promoting sustainable development in the TRB area.