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Abstract Background Trihliex transcription factors (TFs) play crucial roles in plant growth and development, stress response, and plant hormone signaling network transmission. In order to comprehensively investigate the functions of trihliex genes in eggplant development and the abiotic stress response, we conducted an extensive analysis of the trihliex gene family in the eggplant genome. Results In this study, 30 trihelix gene family members were unevenly distributed on 12 chromosomes. On the basis of their phylogenetic relationships, these genes were conserved in different plant species and could be divided into six subfamilies, with trihelix genes within the same subfamily sharing similar structures. The promoter regions of trihelix genes contained cis-acting elements related to plant growth and development, plant hormones, and abiotic stress responses, suggesting potential applications in the development of more resistant crops. Selective pressure assessments indicated that trihliex genes have undergone purifying selection pressure. Expression analysis on the basis of transcriptomic profiles revealed that SmGT18, SmGT29, SmGT6, and SmGT28 are highly expressed in roots, leaves, flowers, and fruits, respectively. Expression analysis via quantitative real-time PCR (qRT‒PCR) revealed that most trihelix genes respond to low temperature, abscisic acid (ABA), and salicylic acid (SA), with SmGT29 exhibiting significant upregulation under cold stress conditions. The SmGT29 gene was subsequently successfully cloned from eggplant, which was located in the nucleus, robust transcriptional activity, and a protein molecular weight of 74.59 kDa. On the basis of these findings, SmGT29 was postulated to be a pivotal candidate gene that actively responds to biotic stress stimuli, thereby supporting the plant’s innate stress resistance mechanisms. Conclusion In summary, this study was the first report on trihelix genes and their potential roles in eggplant plants. These results provided valuable insights for enhancing stress resistance and quality traits in eggplant breeding, thereby serving as a crucial reference for future improvement efforts.

Abstract Antibacterial bone cements (ABCs), such as antibiotic-loaded bone cements (ALBCs), have been widely utilized in clinical treatments. Currently, bone cements loaded with vancomycin, gentamicin, tobramycin, or clindamycin are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. However, traditional ALBCs exhibit drawbacks like burst release and bacterial resistance. Therefore, there is a demand for the development of antibacterial bone cements containing novel agents to address these defects. In this review, we provide an overview and prospect of the new antibacterial agents that can be used or have the potential to be applied in bone cement, including metallic antibacterial agents, pH-switchable antibacterial agents, cationic polymers, N-halamines, non-leaching acrylic monomers, antimicrobial peptides and enzymes. Additionally, we have conducted a preliminary assessment of the feasibility of bone cement containing N-halamine, which has demonstrated good antibacterial activities. The conclusion of this review is that the research and utilization of bone cement containing novel antibacterial agents contribute to addressing the limitations of ALBCs. Therefore, it is necessary to continue expanding the research and use of bone cement incorporating novel antibacterial agents. This review offers a novel perspectives for designing ABCs and treating bone infections. Graphical abstract

Abstract Background Bisphosphonate (BP) can treat osteoporosis and prevent osteoporotic fractures in clinical. However, the effect of BP on microstructure and mechanical properties of cortical and trabecular bone has been taken little attention, separately. Methods In this study, BP was used to intervene in ovariectomized female SD rats. The femoral micro-CT images were used to measure the structural parameters and reconstruct the 3D models in volume of interest. The structural parameters of cortical and trabecular bone were measured, and the mechanical properties were predicted using micro-finite element analysis. Results There was almost no significant difference in the morphological structure parameters and mechanical properties of cortical bone between normal, ovariectomized (sham-OVX) and BP intervention groups. However, BP could significantly improve bone volume fraction (BV/TV) and trabecular separation (Tb.SP) in inter-femoral condyles (IT) (sham-OVX vs. BP, p

The dry matter content in buffalo milk is relatively high, and its comprehensive nutritional value, which is higher than that of ordinary milk, is considered a good source of various bioactive components. Therefore, buffalo milk and its related products are receiving increasing attention from consumers. In this paper, the contents of protein, fat, carbohydrate and other nutrients in buffalo milk and their physical and chemical properties are introduced according to the cutting-edge research results on buffalo milk nutrients and their products. Meanwhile, the preparation and related research of buffalo milk dairy products, such as cheese, cream, yogurt and ice cream are summarized. Finally, this paper provides some insights on the possibility of developing functional food based on bioactive substances in buffalo milk and reference for enterprises to develop buffalo-milk-related products.

Yeast has been an indispensable host for synthesizing complex plant-derived natural compounds, yet the yields remained largely constrained. This limitation mainly arises from overlooking the importance of cell and pathway suitability during the optimization of enzymes and pathways. Herein, beyond conventional enzyme engineering, we dissected metabolic suitability with a framework for simultaneously augmenting cofactors and carbon flux to enhance the biosynthesis of heterogenous triterpenoids. We further developed phospholipid microenvironment engineering strategies, dramatically improving yeast's suitability for the high performance of endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-localized, rate-limiting plant P450s. Combining metabolic and microenvironment suitability by manipulating only three genes, NHMGR (NADH-dependent HMG-CoA reductase), SIP4 (a DNA-binding transcription factor)and GPP1 (Glycerol-1-phosphate phosphohydrolase 1), we enabled the high-level production of 4.92 g/L rare licorice triterpenoids derived from consecutive oxidation of β-amyrin by two P450 enzymes after fermentation optimization. This production holds substantial commercial value, highlighting the critical role of establishing cell suitability in enhancing triterpenoid biosynthesis and offering a versatile framework applicable to various plant natural product biosynthetic pathways.

ABSTRACT: Objectives: The emergence of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae presents significant health challenges. Here, we present the structural genome sequence of an NDM-5–producing K. pneumoniae (HZKP2) in China. Methods: Antimicrobial susceptibility tests were conducted via broth microdilution. Whole-genome sequencing was performed for genomic analysis. Wzi and capsular polysaccharide (KL) were analysed using Kaptive. Resistance genes, virulence factors, and comparative genomics analyses were also conducted. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST), replicons type, and core genome MLST analysis were further conducted using BacWGSTdb server. Results: HZKP2 was resistant to cefepime, ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, meropenem, and ertapenem. It harboured fosA, blaSHV-187, oqxA, oqxB, sul1, dfrA1, tet(A), floR, aph(6)-Id, aph(3′')-Ib, sul2, blaCTX-M-55, and blaNDM-5. Based on the RAST results, 5563 genes that belonged to 398 subsystems were annotated. The complete genome sequence of HZKP2 was characterized as ST1, wzi 19, and KL19, 5 five contigs totalling 5 654 446 bp, including one chromosome and four plasmids. Further analysis found that blaNDM-5 was located in a 46 161 bp IncX3 plasmid (pHZKP2-3). The genetic structure of blaNDM-5 gene was ISKox3-IS26-bleMBL-blaNDM-5-IS5-ISAb125-IS3000. Further analysis revealed that insertion sequences mediated the dissemination of blaNDM-5 from other species of Enterobacterales. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the closest relative was from a human stool specimen in China, which differed by 53 core genome MLST alleles. Conclusions: Our study provides the first structural perspective of the ST1 K. pneumoniae isolate producing NDM-5 in China. These results could provide valuable insights into the genetic characteristics, antimicrobial resistance mechanisms, and transmission dynamics of carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae in clinical settings.

For marine soft soil under the periodic wave loading, the pore water content in soil suffering dry-wet cycle for a long time, which affects its microstructure and macroscopic mechanical strength, resulting in insufficient bearing capacity and excessive deformation of soft soil. To reveal the microstructural characteristics and strength attenuation law of marine soft soil under dry-wet cycle condition, electron microscopy scanning and direct shear tests under different times of dry-wet cycles were carried out, and the mathematical equations of pore structure and strength parameters were established based on fractal theory. The research results showed that: (1) The pore structure changed considerably after the first dry-wet cycle, and then changed gently with the increase of dry-wet cycle times, which was reflected by the fractal dimension D value decreases to a constant value gradually. (2) The shear strength of the soil diminishes with an increase in the number of dry-wet cycle times, and the maximum attenuation occurs after the first dry-wet cycle. (3) The relationship between cohesion (c), internal friction angle (φ), and fractal dimension (D) is exponential, with the curve shapes being concave and convex, respectively.

Abstract Background UV-B, an important environmental factor, has been shown to affect the yield and quality of rice (Oryza sativa) worldwide. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the response to UV-B stress remain elusive in rice. Results We perform comprehensive metabolic profiling of leaves from 160 diverse rice accessions under UV-B and normal light conditions using a widely targeted metabolomics approach. Our results reveal substantial differences in metabolite accumulation between the two major rice subspecies indica and japonica, especially after UV-B treatment, implying the possible role and mechanism of metabolome changes in subspecies differentiation and the stress response. We next conduct a transcriptome analysis from four representative rice varieties under UV-B stress, revealing genes from amino acid and flavonoid pathways involved in the UV-B response. We further perform a metabolite-based genome-wide association study (mGWAS), which reveals 3307 distinct loci under UV-B stress. Identification and functional validation of candidate genes show that OsMYB44 regulates tryptamine accumulation to mediate UV-B tolerance, while OsUVR8 interacts with OsMYB110 to promote flavonoid accumulation and UV-B tolerance in a coordinated manner. Additionally, haplotype analysis suggests that natural variation of OsUVR8 groupA contributes to UV-B resistance in rice. Conclusions Our study reveals the complex biochemical and genetic foundations that govern the metabolite dynamics underlying the response, tolerance, and adaptive strategies of rice to UV-B stress. These findings provide new insights into the biochemical and genetic basis of the metabolome underlying the crop response, tolerance, and adaptation to UV-B stress.

Abstract DNA polymerase ζ (Pol ζ) plays an essential role in replicating damaged DNA templates but contributes to mutagenesis due to its low fidelity. Therefore, ensuring tight control of Pol ζ’s activity is critical for continuous and accurate DNA replication, yet the specific mechanisms remain unclear. This study reveals a regulation mechanism of Pol ζ activity in human cells. Under normal conditions, an autoinhibition mechanism keeps the catalytic subunit, REV3L, inactive. Upon encountering replication stress, however, ATR-mediated phosphorylation of REV3L’s S279 cluster activates REV3L and triggers its degradation via a caspase-mediated pathway. This regulation confines the activity of Pol ζ, balancing its essential role against its mutations causing potential during replication stress. Overall, our findings elucidate a control scheme that fine tunes the low-fidelity polymerase activity of Pol ζ under challenging replication scenarios.

Abstract Background The prognostic value of the pretreatment prognostic nutritional index (PNI) for gynaecological malignancies remain unclear. This meta-analysis aimed to explore the predictive significance of the PNI for gynaecological tumours. Methods The PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases were searched up to January 30, 2024, to identify relevant studies. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to assess the associations of the PNI with overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and disease-free survival (DFS) in patients with gynaecological tumours. We examined the correlation of the PNI with clinicopathological parameters of patients with gynaecological carcinoma by utilizing pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs. Results A total of 28 articles involving 9,428 patients were included in the meta-analysis. The results revealed that a low PNI significantly predicted worse OS (HR = 1.60, 95% CI: 1.39–1.84, P

Abstract Stretchable electronics commonly assemble multiple material modules with varied bulk moduli and surface chemistry on one packaging substrate. Preventing the strain-induced delamination between the module and the substrate has been a critical challenge. Here we develop a packaging substrate that delivers mechanically stable module/substrate interfaces for a broad range of stiff and stretchable modules with varied surface chemistries. The key design of the substrate was to introduce module-specific stretchability and universal adhesiveness by regionally tuning the bulk molecular mobility and surface molecular polarity of a near-hermetic elastic polymer matrix. The packaging substrate can customize the deformation of different modules while avoiding delamination upon stretching up to 600%. Based on this substrate, we fabricated a fully stretchable bioelectronic device that can serve as a respiration sensor or an electric generator with an in vivo lifetime of 10 weeks. This substrate could be a versatile platform for device assembly.

Abstract Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a complex tissue injury that results in a wide range of physical deficits, including permanent or progressive disabilities of sensory, motor and autonomic functions. To date, limitations in current clinical treatment options can leave SCI patients with lifelong disabilities. There is an urgent need to develop new therapies for reconstructing the damaged spinal cord neuron-glia network and restoring connectivity with the supraspinal pathways. Neural stem cells (NSCs) possess the ability to self-renew and differentiate into neurons and neuroglia, including oligodendrocytes, which are cells responsible for the formation and maintenance of the myelin sheath and the regeneration of demyelinated axons. For these properties, NSCs are considered to be a promising cell source for rebuilding damaged neural circuits and promoting myelin regeneration. Over the past decade, transplantation of NSCs has been extensively tested in a variety of preclinical models of SCI. This review aims to highlight the pathophysiology of SCI and promote the understanding of the role of NSCs in SCI repair therapy and the current advances in pathological mechanism, pre-clinical studies, as well as clinical trials of SCI via NSC transplantation therapeutic strategy. Understanding and mastering these frontier updates will pave the way for establishing novel therapeutic strategies to improve the quality of recovery from SCI.

Abstract In the geothermal development of hot dry rock (HDR), both the drilling of the wellbore and the heat exchange of the heat reservoir involve the effects of different cold and hot conditions on the high-temperature rock mass. The testing machine for rock mechanics was used to conduct a uniaxial compression test and carry out micro testing on the treated samples; furthermore, with the help of scanning electron microscopy the fracture mechanism of granite subjected to different temperatures and cooling methods was studied. The results show: (1) With the gradual increase in temperature, the compressive strength of granite under the two cooling methods gradually decreases. (2) The failure modes of the samples under the two cooling methods are mainly shear failure of the "Y" type. The degree of damage of the sample under water cooling is significantly greater than that under natural cooling. Electron micrographs could confirm these results. (3) It can be obtained by testing the mineral composition and element changes of granite at different temperatures. When the temperature reaches 600℃, its change is more pronounced. The results of this study can provide a theoretical reference for the failure of the wellbore and the degree of fracture of the thermal reservoir rock mass during geothermal development.

Objective As a charismatic species, cashmere goats have rich genetic resources. In the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, there are three cashmere goat varieties named and approved by the state. These goats are renowned for their high cashmere production and superior cashmere quality. Therefore, it is vitally important to protect their genetic resources as they will serve as breeding material for developing new varieties in the future. Methods Three breeds including Inner Mongolia cashmere goats (IMCG), Hanshan White cashmere goats (HS), and Ujimqin white cashmere goats (WZMQ) were studied. IMCG were of three types: Aerbas (AEBS), Erlangshan (ELS), and Alashan (ALS). Nine DNA samples were collected for each population, and they were genomically re-sequenced to obtain high-depth data. The genetic diversity parameters of each population were estimated to determine selection intensity. Principal component analysis, phylogenetic tree construction and genetic differentiation parameter estimation were performed to determine genetic relationships among populations. Results Samples from the 45 individuals from the five goat populations were sequenced, and 30,601,671 raw single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) obtained. Then, variant calling was conducted using the reference genome, and 17,214,526 SNPs were retained after quality control. Individual sequencing depth of individuals ranged from 21.13× to 46.18×, with an average of 28.5×. In the AEBS, locus polymorphism (79.28) and expected heterozygosity (0.2554) proportions were the lowest, and the homologous consistency ratio (0.1021) and average inbreeding coefficient (0.1348) were the highest, indicating that this population had strong selection intensity. Conversely, ALS and WZMQ selection intensity was relatively low. Genetic distance between HS and the other four populations was relatively high, and genetic exchange existed among the other four populations. Conclusion The Inner Mongolia cashmere goat (AEBS type) population has a relatively high selection intensity and a low genetic diversity. The IMCG (ALS type) and WZMQ populations had relatively low selection intensity and high genetic diversity. The genetic distance between HS and the other four populations was relatively high, with a moderate degree of differentiation. Overall, these genetic variations provide a solid foundation for resource identification of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region cashmere goats in the future.

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation causes skin damage including oxidative stress, inflammation, and photoaging. Extremophile fermentation products have been found to effectively protect the skin from UV-induced damage. This study aimed to investigate the impact of acid-induced stress on the content of bioactive compounds, as well as the anti-inflammatory and anti-photoaging properties of sorghum fermentation by the extremophilic Monascus pilosus. The study compared acid-stress fermentation (ASF) of sorghum with conventional fermentation (CF) and examined differences in total phenolic content, antioxidant activity, and short-chain fatty acid levels. Using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry assay, the ASF sample had lower total phenolic content compared to CF, but significantly higher levels of short-chain fatty acids. Butyric acid was the predominant metabolite in the ASF sample, followed by propionic acid. The ASF sample exhibited superior protection for UV-irradiated human keratinocytes by inhibiting apoptosis, reducing ROS, and downregulating inflammatory mediators. It also decreased metalloproteinases expression levels, increased collagen and elastin production, and mitigated UV-induced photoaging. The effects of ASF samples were evaluated in volunteers, and the results confirmed the ASF sample's effectiveness in ameliorating UV-induced skin symptoms, including pigmentation, redness, and wrinkles. These findings conclude that acid-stress enhances the anti-inflammatory and anti-photoaging capabilities of Monascus pilosus fermented sorghum.

Abstract Urban greening is becoming an important strategy in improving urban ecosystem services and sustainability. Identifying the response of vegetation to urbanization and urban landscape patterns can help in planning for urban greening. Urbanization may lead to both direct and indirect effects on vegetation, and the indirect effects of urbanization on vegetation growth (UIE-VG) have been paid much attention recently in large scale. In this study, we investigated the spatiotemporal evolution of UIE-VG and the effects of landscape patterns on UIE-VG using the boosted regression tree model and remotely sensed data. An increase in average UIE-VG from 4 to 56% was found during urbanization of Kunming, the case study area in southwest China. However, UIE-VG exhibited high variations due to landscape pattern changes at the local scale. Overall, area-related and aggregation-related landscape metrics had greater effects on UIE-VG than the other metrics. The increase and aggregation of built-up land enhanced UIE-VG by 3.1–81.3% while the increase and aggregation of unused land and waterbodies reduced UIE-VG by 0.7–20.6%. Moreover, we found that the large and aggregated vegetation areas may mitigate the negative UIE-VG in low urbanization areas. Our findings have important implications for integrating urban landscape planning into sustainable urban greening strategies.

Abstract Objective Currently, there are still some shortcomings in EBM education in China.The study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the novel evidence-based medicine (EBM) learning model of “autonomy-collaboration.” Methods A total of 91 undergraduate students majoring in clinical medicine at Zhongshan Clinical College of Dalian University from the 2019 batch were selected as the participants in this study. They were instructed to follow the EBM learning model of “autonomy-collaboration.” Upon completion of the course, questionnaires, records of participants’ sentiments and insights, and evidence-based clinical practice reports were used as indicators to evaluate the effectiveness of the training. Results This learning modality effectively enhanced independent learning ability of the students, stimulated their interest in learning, and strengthened the communication between students and teachers, thereby improving the quality of teaching. Conclusion The novel EBM learning model of “autonomy-collaboration,” exhibited robust effectiveness in instruction and facilitated the seamless integration of theoretical knowledge with clinical practice. Consequently, its widespread adoption is strongly recommended.

The objective of this study was to investigate the potential of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus L08 (L. rhamnosus L08) to enhance the functionality, improve the taste, and explore efficient storage methods of blue honeysuckle juice (BHJ). The fermentation process resulted in an increase in the levels of polyphenols, flavonoids, and anthocyanins in blue honeysuckle juice, which was attributed to the action of β-glucosidase on specific phenolic compounds, namely Cyanidin-3-Glucoside and Quinic acid. The increase in phenolic content resulted in an enhancement of the antioxidant capacity of BHJ. The fermentation processed, utilizing L. rhamnosus L08, not only enhanced the flavor and taste of BHJ, but also mitigated its bitter aftertaste while minimizing the loss of bioactive components during storage. In conclusion, this study demonstrated a potential avenue for enhancing the commercial value and dietary significance of this lesser-known superfruit, with fermented BHJ emerging as a promising innovation in the field of functional foods.

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is an essential thin film fabrication technique widely used in electronic and energy systems, but avoiding ALD in untargeted areas has been a long-standing challenge that excludes the possibility of creating patterns through bottom-up processes. We present a liquid sealing strategy to prevent unwanted ALD by combining shadow masks with viscous perfluoropolyether oil that conformally fulfills all gaps between the mask and substrate down to the molecular level. Due to the anti-adsorption and non-defective nature of the liquid sealant, ALD molecules are forced away from the masking areas, resulting in order-of-magnitude improvements in the patterning resolution compared with conventional shadow masks. The liquid sealant does not change the growth rate and film properties of ALD oxides and can be easily removed by solvents. This liquid sealing strategy applies to a variety of shadow masks (e.g., curved mask and anodic aluminum oxide), substrates (e.g., silicon, plastic, and elastomer), patterning materials (e.g., oxide and metal), and deposition methods (e.g., sputtering and thermal evaporation), providing new insights for bottom-up pattern fabrications.

The reduction of grain size to nanoscale is a common approach to enhance material properties, such as fatigue resistance and overall strength of Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs), but it normally decreases the volume fraction of the material undergoing reversible martensitic transformation (MT), leading to a reduction in the reversible strain amplitude. This paper explores the atomic relationship between specific transformation pathways and grain size/gradient of NiTi polycrystal based on molecular dynamics simulation. It is found that during a tensile loading-unloading cycle, four different transformation pathways can be observed, with their volume fractions being dependent on grain size. Importantly, these transformation pathways serve as the medium of the grain size effects on the global mechanical properties of NiTi. The gradient nanograined (GNG) NiTi with large gradients can maintain a high stress level while reducing the residual strain by adjusting the fraction of different transformation pathways, thus achieving both advantages of small residual strain and high strength during cyclic loading with large strain amplitude. The results provide atomic insights into the grain size effects on the transformation pathways of SMAs and the development of high-performance SMAs based on the grain size gradient.

Abstract Adsorption coupled with photocatalytic degradation is proposed to fulfill the removal and thorough elimination of organic dyes. Herein, we report a facile hydrothermal synthesis of MIL-100(Fe)/GO photocatalysts. The adsorption and photocatalytic degradation process of methylene blue (MB) on MIL‐100(Fe)/GO composites were systematically studied from performance and kinetic perspectives. A possible adsorption‐photocatalytic degradation mechanism is proposed. The optimized 1M8G composite achieves 95% MB removal (60.8 mg/g) in 210 min and displays well recyclability over ten cycles. The obtained MB adsorption and degradation results are well fitted onto Langmuir isotherm and pseudo‐second order kinetic model. This study shed light on the design of MOFs based composites for water treatment. Graphical Abstract

This study introduces a brazing technique for joining Al0·3CoCrFeNi high-entropy alloy (HEA) utilizing a FeCoCrNiCu/Ti composite interlayer. The primary objectives of this investigation encompass an examination of the microstructure of the Al0·3CoCrFeNi joint, as well as an evaluation of the shear strength of the brazed joints under diverse brazing parameters. The characteristic microstructure of the Al0·3CoCrFeNi brazing seam is comprised of Ti (s, s), Cu (s, s) from the FeCoCrNiCu interlayer, and face-centered cubic (FCC) phases containing more than five elements. When the brazing temperature increases from 1100 °C to 1180 °C, there is a gradual augmentation in the diffusion of Ti element and subsequent reactions involving Cu, Ti, and Ni. Furthermore, the impact of holding time on the brazing seam is investigated. The findings suggest that prolonging the holding time has a relatively negligible effect on the reaction layer formed by the Ti foil. However, it does lead to a reduction of the Cu (s, s) content within the FeCoCrNiCu interlayer. Notably, the highest shear strength reaches up to 280 MPa when the joint brazed at 1160 °C for 10 min. In addition, the shear strength did not decrease below 800 °C. During the shear test, ductile fractures are observed in the joint, indicating favorable mechanical properties. Overall, this study successfully demonstrates the potential of the proposed brazing technique employing a FeCoCrNiCu/Ti composite interlayer for the effective joining of Al0·3CoCrFeNi HEA. By optimizing the brazing parameters, it is possible to achieve robust joints with exceptional mechanical characteristics.

Objective: To evaluate the anti-fatigue effects of different extracts from Cistanche tubulosa (Schenk) Wight (C. tubulosa, Rou Cong Rong), focusing on central and exercise-induced fatigue in mice. This study investigated the pharmacological effects of the total oligosaccharides, polysaccharides, and phenylethanoid glycosides (CPhGs) extracted from C. tubulosa. Methods: Models of sleep deprivation and forced swimming fatigue were established to simulate central and exercise-induced fatigue. The mice were treated with different extracts of C. tubulosa, and their effects were assessed using behavioral tests to measure exercise capacity, learning, and memory function. Biochemical analyses were performed to evaluate the changes in serum and brain neurotransmitter levels, liver and muscle glycogen storage, and various fatigue-related biomarkers. Results: This study found that treatment with C. tubulosa extract improved exercise capacity, learning, and memory in mice. Total oligosaccharides from C. tubulosa enhanced adrenocorticotropic hormone, cholinesterase, and thyroid-stimulating hormone levels, reduced cortisol levels in central fatigue models, and ameliorated biochemical markers of exercise-induced fatigue, including lowering lactic acid, blood urea nitrogen, and malondialdehyde levels. Among the tested extracts, the total oligosaccharides showed the most comprehensive anti-fatigue effects. Conclusion: The anti-fatigue effects of C. tubulosa, particularly those of its total oligosaccharides, are pronounced in both central and exercise-induced fatigue. These effects are mediated by the regulation of neurotransmitter levels, enhancement of glycogen storage, and improvement of antioxidant enzyme activity, suggesting potential therapeutic benefits in fatigue-related conditions.

Abstract Objective To evaluate the surface electromyography (sEMG) of pelvic floor muscles (PFMs), compare between vaginal birth and cesarean section and correlate with maternity and obstetrics characteristics in primiparous 6–8 weeks postpartum. Methods PFMs surface electromyography screening data of primiparous postpartum women in our hospital at 6–8 weeks postpartum from 2018 to 2021 were selected and analyzed. The study collected data on delivery activities of 543 postpartum women totally. Results In general, the abnormal incidence of pelvic floor electromyography in postpartum women mainly occurred in slow muscle (type I fiber) stage and endurance testing stage. Compared to vaginal birth postpartum women, the incidence of abnormal pelvic floor electromyography in cesarean section postpartum women is lower. There were statistical differences in measurement values of pelvic floor electromyography in several different stages between cesarean section and vaginal birth (P

Abstract Background Climate change has led to severe cold events, adversely impacting global crop production. Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.), a significant economic crop, is highly susceptible to cold damage, affecting both yield and quality. Unraveling the molecular mechanisms governing cold resistance, including the identification of key genes and comprehensive transcriptional regulatory pathways, is crucial for developing new varieties with enhanced tolerance. Results In this study, we conducted a comparative analysis of leaf physiological indices and transcriptome sequencing results. The orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) highlighted peroxidase (POD) activity and soluble protein as crucial physiological indicators for both varieties. RNA-seq data analysis revealed that a total of 7024 and 6209 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified from variety “A” and variety “B”, respectively. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment of DEGs demonstrated that the significant roles of starch and sucrose metabolism, glutathione metabolism, terpenoid synthesis, and energy metabolism (sucrose and starch metabolism) were the key pathways in eggplant. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) shown that the enrichment of numerous cold-responsive genes, pathways, and soluble proteins in the MEgrep60 modules. Core hub genes identified in the co-expression network included POD, membrane transporter-related gene MDR1, abscisic acid-related genes, growth factor enrichment gene DELLA, core components of the biological clock PRR7, and five transcription factors. Among these, the core transcription factor MYB demonstrated co-expression with signal transduction, plant hormone, biosynthesis, and metabolism-related genes, suggesting a pivotal role in the cold response network. Conclusion This study integrates physiological indicators and transcriptomics to unveil the molecular mechanisms responsible for the differences in cold tolerance between the eggplant cold-tolerant variety “A” and the cold-sensitive variety “B”. These mechanisms include modulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), elevation in osmotic carbohydrate and free proline content, and the expression of terpenoid synthesis genes. This comprehensive understanding contributes valuable insights into the molecular underpinnings of cold stress tolerance, ultimately aiding in the improvement of crop cold tolerance.

Abstract Purpose Prostatitis is a highly prevalent condition that seriously affects men’s physical and mental health. Although epidemiological investigations have provided evidence of a correlation between insufficient sleep and prostatitis, the pathogenesis of prostatitis remains unclear. We sought to identify the underlying mechanism involved and identify a promising therapeutic target. Methods Sleep deprivation (SD) was utilized to establish a mouse model of insufficient sleep in a special device. Prostatitis was observed at different time points post-SD. The degree of prostatitis was evaluated by pathological section and behavioural tests. Using immunofluorescence, western blot, and proteomic analyses, the underlying mechanism of SD-related prostatitis was investigated, and the development and therapeutic target of prostatitis were elucidated. Results SD, as an initial pathological trigger, resulted in a reduction in dihydrotestosterone and melatonin levels. Proteomic analysis revealed that the cGAS-STING pathway may play a significant role in inducing prostatitis. The subsequent results illustrated that the dual reduction in dihydrotestosterone and melatonin led to an accumulation of reactive oxygen species and the release of mitochondrial DNA (mt-DNA). The accumulation of mt-DNA activated the cGAS-STING pathway, which recruited inflammatory cells into the prostatic stroma through the secretion of interferon-β. Consequently, an inflammatory microenvironment was formed, ultimately promoting the development of prostatitis. Notably, mice with SD-induced prostatitis gradually recovered to a normal state within 7 days of recovery sleep. However, after being subjected to SD again, these mice tended to have a more pronounced manifestation of prostatitis within a shorter timeframe, which suggested that prostatitis is prone to relapse. Conclusions The cGAS-STING pathway activated by dual deficiency of dihydrotestosterone and melatonin plays a comprehensive inflammatory role in SD-related prostatitis. This research provides valuable insights into the pathogenesis, therapeutic targets, and prevention strategies of prostatitis.

Background Systemic sclerosis (SSc) often overlaps with other autoimmune diseases. More complex autoantibody profiles may be observed in SSc overlap syndrome (SSc OS). To determine the clinical significance of autoantibodies in SSc OS and classify the patients more accurately for better disease assessments, we analysed the correlation between serological profiles, organ involvements and outcomes.Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted in Peking University People’s Hospital. Chi-square tests and analysis of variance were used to analyse univariate comparisons of clinical symptoms, organ involvement and laboratory indicators. Survival was evaluated using Cox proportional hazards model.Results Among 141 cases, anti-Ro-52 was the most common antibody, followed by anti-centromere antibody and anti-Scl-70 antibody. We analysed the correlation between autoantibodies and vital organ damage in SSc OS patients, and compared the differences across four SSc OS subgroups (SSc SLE, SSc RA, SSc PM/DM and SSc SS) to demonstrate the correlation between autoantibodies and clinical characteristics and organ damage. Cox regression analysis showed that scleroderma renal crisis (SRC) (p = .004) and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PH) (p = .010) were independent risk factors for survival.Conclusions Autoantibodies are associated with clinical features, organ involvement and prognosis in SSc OS patients. Anti-Scl-70 antibody is associated with interstitial lung disease (ILD) and SRC, while ACA is a protective factor of ILD. SRC and PH are risk factors associated with death.

As a typical tight sandstone gas reservoir in the Ordos Basin, the second member of the Shanxi Formation in the XQ gas field in the Ordos Basin has had rich gas reservoirs and good development effects in the past. On the basis of previous studies, this paper brings new understanding to the sedimentary model of this area. Nine kinds of single lithofacies and seven kinds of lithofacies combinations are determined. Braided fluvial fan deposits in distributive fluvial systems likely developed in this area. The study area is part of the middle subfacies of this sedimentary facies, and five kinds of sedimentary microfacies environments developed. Finally, establishing sedimentary model based on sedimentary characteristics. The braided fluvial fan sedimentary model based on DFS is of great significance for deepening the understanding of terrestrial sedimentary systems and providing guidance for the exploration and development of oil and gas bearing basins.

Abstract Precise diagnostic biomarkers of anticitrullination protein antibody (ACPA)‐negative and early‐stage RA are still to be improved. We aimed to screen autoantibodies in ACPA‐negative patients and evaluated their diagnostic performance. The human genome‐wide protein arrays (HuProt arrays) were used to define specific autoantibodies from the sera of 182 RA patients and 261 disease and healthy controls. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS 17.0. In Phase I study, 51 out of 19,275 recombinant proteins covering the whole human genome were selected. In Phase II validation study, anti‐ANAPC15 (anaphase promoting complex subunit 15) exhibited 41.8% sensitivity and 91.5% specificity among total RA patients. There were five autoantibodies increased in ACPA‐negative RA, including anti‐ANAPC15, anti‐LSP1, anti‐APBB1, anti‐parathymosin, and anti‐UBL7. Anti‐parathymosin showed the highest prevalence of 46.2% (p = 0.016) in ACPA‐negative early stage (

Abstract Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a complicated and recurrent intestinal disease. Currently available drugs for UC treatment are scarce, therefore, novel therapeutic drugs for the UC are urgently to be developed. Gingerenone A (GA) is a phenolic compound known for its anti‐inflammatory effect, but its effect on UC remains unknown. Here, it is shown that GA protects mice against UC, which is closely associated with inhibiting intestinal mucosal inflammation and enhancing intestinal barrier integrity in vivo and in vitro. Of note, RNA sequencing analysis demonstrates an evident correlation with IL‐17 signaling pathway after GA treatment, and this effect is further corroborated by Western blot. Mechanistically, GA directly interacts with IL‐17RA protein through pull‐down, surface plasmon resonance analysis and molecular dynamics simulation. Importantly, lentivirus‐mediated IL‐17RA/Act1 knock‐down or GA co‐treatment with brodalumab/ixekizumab significantly impairs the protective effects of GA against DSS‐induced inflammation and barrier dysfunction, suggesting a critical role of IL‐17RA signaling for GA‐mediated protection against UC. Overall, these results indicate that GA is an effective agent against UC mainly through the direct binding of IL‐17RA to inhibit inflammatory signaling activation.

BackgroundMultiple sclerosis (MS) and Cerebral Small Vessel Disease (CSVD) exhibit some similarities in Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), potentially leading to misdiagnosis and delaying effective treatment windows. It is unclear whether CSVD can be detected with Paramagnetic Rim Lesions (PRL), which is special in MS.ObjectiveWe aimed to investigate whether PRL can serve as a neuroimaging marker for discriminating between MS and CSVD.MethodsIn this retrospective study, 49 MS and 104 CSVD patients underwent 3.0 T Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Visual assessment of 37 MS patients and 89 CSVD patients with or without lacunes, cerebral microbleeds (CMBs), enlarged perivascular spaces (EPVS), white matter hyperintensity (WMH), central vein sign (CVS), and PRL. The distribution and number of PRL were then counted.ResultsOur study found that PRL was detected in over half of the MS patients but was entirely absent in CSVD patients (78.38 vs. 0%, p

BackgroundPancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) is a formidable challenge in oncology research, with a complex pathogenesis that requires to be explored. Major Vault Protein (MVP) is the principal structural component of the vault complex, and its expression level is remarkably upregulated in various cancers. Extensive investigations have been conducted to explore the role of MVP in specific cancer contexts, yet the potential molecular mechanisms and biological functions of MVP in PAAD still remain considerably elusive. This study aims to explore the role of MVP as a novel immune-related biomarker in the pathogenesis and clinical treatment of PAAD.MethodsGene expression data and clinical information were collected from TCGA, GTEx and GEO databases. Survival, prognostic and functional enrichment analysis were employed with R software. Immunological correlation analysis was performed using TIMER2.0, TIDE scores, TISIDB and TISCH. Epigenetic analysis was implemented by MethSurv, CPTAC, UALCAN, and cBioPortal. Drug analysis was conducted using Enrichr and CellMiner. Moreover, cellular experiments, like RNA interference, qRT-PCR, Western blot, cell cycle analysis, cell apoptosis analysis, colony formation assay, transwell assay, and wound healing assay, were performed for verifying the functional properties of MVP in the PAAD progression.ResultsWe demonstrated an abnormally upregulated expression of MVP in PAAD tissues, which notably correlated with an adverse prognosis in PAAD patients. Functional analysis suggested the conceivable involvement of MVP in immune modulation, and immunotherapy. Additionally, we identified genetic alterations, reduced promoter methylation, and heightened phosphorylation in MVP. We also clarified Suloctidil and Tetradioxin as the most notable potential drugs targeting MVP in PAAD. Moreover, our experimental observations consistently highlighted the significant impact of MVP deficiency on impeding PAAD cell proliferation, inhibiting cell migration, and accelerating cell apoptosis. Interestingly, a potential link between MVP and ERK or AKT pathways was displayed, which opens new avenues for further exploration of the molecular mechanisms of MVP-targeted therapies in PAAD.ConclusionsThis study systematically describes MVP as an immune-related biomarker with remarkable potential for predicting the prognosis, tumor progression and immunotherapeutic efficacy in PAAD.

Reactive air brazing (RAB) has been widely applied in fabricating solid oxide fuel cell stacks, gas separators, sensors, and other fields due to the joint good oxidation resistance. Nevertheless, a methodical analysis of fundamental principles, development process, and application scope has yet to be reported since RAB was proposed in 2000. Although various braze systems have been developed, a comprehensive comparison and classification are still absent, making it difficult to guide the selection of RAB braze. Besides, this technique faces several intractable issues, such as excessive interfacial reactions, large thermal mismatch, etc., seriously restricting the RAB application. Hence this review elucidates the basic information, braze systems, existing issues, and corresponding solutions of RAB. The joining mechanism, development history, and application fields are explicitly introduced. Reported braze systems are analyzed in-depth and divided into three categories according to reactivity. Further, we outline four issues of RAB: excessive interfacial reaction, excessive thermal expansion coefficient of braze, limited aging performance, and high-temperature softening of braze, and discuss the corresponding solutions. Finally, our review proposed several potential improvements and possible future research trends in the RAB technique, aiming to guide the future development of RAB and offer new insights to broaden its application range.

Inflammation has been shown to trigger a wide range of chronic diseases, particularly inflammatory diseases. As a result, the focus of research has been on anti-inflammatory drugs and foods. In recent years, the field of medicinal and edible homology (MEH) has developed rapidly in both medical and food sciences, with 95% of MEH being associated with plants. Phenolic acids are a crucial group of natural bioactive substances found in medicinal and edible homologous plants (MEHPs). Their anti-inflammatory activity is significant as they play a vital role in treating several inflammatory diseases. These compounds possess enormous potential for developing anti-inflammatory drugs and functional foods. However, their development is far from satisfactory due to their diverse structure and intricate anti-inflammatory mechanisms. In this review, we summarize the various types, structures, and distribution of MEHP phenolic acids that have been identified as of 2023. We also analyze their anti-inflammatory activity and molecular mechanisms in inflammatory diseases through NF-κB, MAPK, NLRP3, Nrf2, TLRs, and IL-17 pathways. Additionally, we investigate their impact on regulating the composition of the gut microbiota and immune responses. This analysis lays the groundwork for further exploration of the anti-inflammatory structure-activity relationship of MEHP phenolic acids, aiming to inspire structural optimization and deepen our understanding of their mechanism, and provides valuable insights for future research and development in this field.

Abstract Fully biodegradable packaging materials are demanded to resolve the issue of plastic pollution. However, the fresh food storage performance of biodegradable materials is generally much lower than that of plastics due to their high permeability, microbial friendliness, and limited stretchability and transparency. Here a biodegradable packaging material is reported with high fresh food storage performance based on an oil‐infused bacterial cellulose (OBC) porous film. The oil infusion significantly improved cellulose's food‐keeping performance by reducing its gas permeability, increasing its stretchability and transparency, and enabling the active release of green vapor‐phase preservative molecules, while maintaining its intrinsically high degradability. Strawberries stored in a container with the OBC lid at 23 °C after 5 days exhibited a moldy rate of 0%, in contrast to the 100% moldy rate of those stored by poly(ethylene). Enhanced storage performance is also obtained on tomatoes, pork, and shrimp. The OBC film is naturally degraded after being buried in wet soil at 30 °C for 9 days, identical to the degradation rate of bacterial cellulose. The liquid seal strategy broadly applies to different celluloses, providing a general option for developing cellulose‐based biodegradable packaging materials.

Abstract COVID‐19 is currently pandemic and the detection of SARS‐CoV‐2 variants in wastewater is causing widespread concern. Herein, cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) is proposed as a novel wastewater disinfection technology that effectively inactivates SARS‐CoV‐2 transcription‐ and replication‐competent virus‐like particles, coronavirus GX_P2V, pseudotyped SARS‐CoV‐2 variants, and porcine epidemic diarrhoea virus in a large volume of water within 180 s (inhibition rate > 99%). Further, CAP disinfection did not adversely affect the viability of various human cell lines. It is identified that CAP produced peroxynitrite (ONOO−), ozone (O3), superoxide anion radicals (O2−), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) as the major active substances for coronavirus disinfection. Investigation of the mechanism showed that active substances not only reacted with the coronavirus spike protein and affected its infectivity, but also destroyed the nucleocapsid protein and genome, thus affecting virus replication. This method provides an efficient and environmentally friendly strategy for the elimination of SARS‐CoV‐2 and other coronaviruses from wastewater.

Summary: Bronchoscopic-assisted discrimination of lung tumors presents challenges, especially in cases with contraindications or inaccessible lesions. Through meta-analysis and validation using the HumanMethylation450 database, this study identified methylation markers for molecular discrimination in lung tumors and designed a sequencing panel. DNA samples from 118 bronchial washing fluid (BWF) specimens underwent enrichment via multiplex PCR before targeted methylation sequencing. The Recursive Feature Elimination Cross-Validation and deep neural network algorithm established the CanDo classification model, which incorporated 11 methylation features (including 8 specific to the TBR1 gene), demonstrating a sensitivity of 98.6% and specificity of 97.8%. In contrast, bronchoscopic rapid on-site evaluation (bronchoscopic-ROSE) had lower sensitivity (87.7%) and specificity (80%). Further validation in 33 individuals confirmed CanDo’s discriminatory potential, particularly in challenging cases for bronchoscopic-ROSE due to pathological complexity. CanDo serves as a valuable complement to bronchoscopy for the discriminatory diagnosis and stratified management of lung tumors utilizing BWF specimens.

ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of prolonged exposure to varying levels of music or noise on the behavioral, physiological, and immune responses of pullets following their transfer to an egg-laying facility. A total of 240 one-day-old Hy-Line Brown pullets were randomly assigned to five groups: 0 dB sound stimulation, low-decibel music (65–75 dB), high-decibel music (85–95 dB), low-decibel noise (65–75 dB), and high-decibel noise (85–95 dB) stimuli. Pullets received music or noise stimuli 10 h per d from 1-day-old to 16-wk-old and were then transferred to the egg-laying facility. The results indicated that feeding and drinking behaviors significantly decreased (P < 0.05), whereas feather pecking, aggression, and preening behaviors significantly increased (P < 0.05) in the pullets after transfer. Pullets also had higher serum cortisol (COR) levels (P < 0.05), whereas immunoglobulin Y (IgY), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interferon-γ (INF-γ), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels significantly increased (P < 0.05). Low-decibel sound stimuli increased aggressive behavior and decreased pecking behavior (P < 0.05). High-decibel sound stimuli decreased feather pecking, cage pecking, aggression, and sham dustbathing behaviors (P < 0.05). In addition, a low-decibel sound stimulus decreased the serum COR content, and increased the serum IL-6 level in the transferred pullets. A high-decibel sound stimulus also induced shorter tonic immobility (TI) durations in pullets on d 7 after transport stress. Meanwhile, high-decibel sound stimulus decreased the serum IL-6 and TNF-α levels of pullets. In conclusion, the transfer has detrimental effects on the pullets. Long-term sound stimulation effectively mitigated the negative impact of transportation stress on pullets. Among them, the high-decibel sound stimulus showed more promise in relieving transport stress.

Vacuum brazing of TiAl alloy is achieved using TiZrNiCu fillers and BNi-2 fillers. The oxidation behavior of the two kinds of TiAl alloy joints is investigated in air at 800 °C. The influence of high-temperature oxidation on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the joints are characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and shear tests. It is found that long-term oxidation does not have a large effect on the microstructure of joints. However, the fillet of the brazed joint achieved via BNi-2 fillers forms longitudinal solidification cracks, which proved that the brazed joint using TiZrNiCu fillers shows more excellent oxidation resistance.

ABSTRACT: The milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) can protect probiotic bacteria from bile stress. However, its potential mechanism has not been reported. In this study, the viability, morphology and gene transcriptional response of Bifidobacterium longum ssp. infantis ATCC 15697 (BI_15697) stressed by bile salts with or without MFGM were investigated. It was shown that MFGM alleviated the reduction in BI_15697 population induced by 0.2% porcine bile stress and restored the population to the control levels. MFGM ameliorated the shrunken, fragmented appearance and irregular morphology of BI_15697 and maintained cell integrity disrupted by bile stress. RNA-sequencing results showed that MFGM increased transport of glucose and raffinose and decreased that of branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) in the presence of bile salts. MFGM stimulated the expression of genes involved in the synthesis of raffinose in galactose metabolism and the metabolism of BCAA, suggesting that MFGM stimulated the accumulation of raffinose and BCAA in the presence of bile. In addition, MFGM stimulated the expression of 2 bile efflux transporters under bile stress. Together, the multifactorial response helps BI_15697 excrete bile salts and maintain cellular integrity in response to bile stress. This study proposes a mechanism for the protection of BI_15697 against bile salt stress by MFGM, thereby providing a molecular basis for its application in incorporation of probiotics.

Thermal barrier coatings play crucial roles in protecting the hot end components of aero-engines against high-temperature erosion. They must suffer extremely harsh environments including high temperatures, heavy loads, and large internal temperature gradients, which would result in various complex failures. Therefore, it is important to unveil these failure mechanisms to minimize and even prevent them for obvious reasons. Strain/stress evolution between different layers and foreign material erosion are the main failure mechanisms of thermal barrier coatings, which are well suited to be investigated using synchrotron X-ray diffraction. With its tunable energy, high flux, and many other advantages, synchrotron-based X-ray diffraction has become an advanced non-destructive characterization technique for engineering materials yielding important information including their compositions and residual stress which also provides spatial and temporal resolution that is vital for understanding their service performance. This paper presents a concise review of the applications of synchrotron-based X-ray diffraction in investigating thermal barrier coatings to explore their failure mechanisms.

Glass/Glass-ceramic sealing is always accompanied by issues of high porosity and brittle joints. To migrate these problems, an Ag foam was innovatively induced as an interlayer in the process of glass sealing the yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) ceramic to Mn–Co spinel-coated Crofer 22 H stainless steel. Interlayer-added joints showed a significant reduction in porosity, and the shear strength was improved to 52.3 MPa, with an enhancement of 37.8 %. The influence of interlayer on the microstructure of the joint has been investigated and the formation process of the joint is illustrated. The Ag interlayer expels gases from the sealant material through expansion at high temperatures and promotes finer nucleation grains of crystallites integrating with the interlayer, reducing the porosity and alleviating the brittleness as well.

Abstract In the area of 3D computer vision, the ability to estimate pose between two cameras under high noise levels while maintaining small reprojection errors reflects the robustness of such pose estimation algorithms. Moreover, maintaining positive depth constraint is another challenging task. Unfortunately, current pose estimation algorithms are often sensitive to noise/outliers and do not always guarantee positive depths. As a standalone task, these algorithms perform a positive sign check and simply discard the points with negative depths after the algorithms are executed. These algorithms do not integrate positive depth constraints into the algorithms themselves. Instead, they do it afterwards. Here, from a comprehensive mathematical derivation, we propose a novel pose estimation algorithm that integrates positive depth constraint into the algorithm itself by estimating the depths directly. The algorithm was competitive in producing small reprojection errors when compared to the state-of-the-art algorithms under both synthetic and real-world tests, while most importantly guaranteeing positive depths.

Abstract Background Bladder cancer (BLCA) is a prevalent urinary system malignancy. Understanding the interplay of immunological and metabolic genes in BLCA is crucial for prognosis and treatment. Methods Immune/metabolism genes were extracted, their expression profiles analyzed. NMF clustering found prognostic genes. Immunocyte infiltration and tumor microenvironment were examined. Risk prognostic signature using Cox/LASSO methods was developed. Immunological Microenvironment and functional enrichment analysis explored. Immunotherapy response and somatic mutations evaluated. RT-qPCR validated gene expression. Results We investigated these genes in 614 BLCA samples, identifying relevant prognostic genes. We developed a predictive feature and signature comprising 7 genes (POLE2, AHNAK, SHMT2, NR2F1, TFRC, OAS1, CHKB). This immune and metabolism-related gene (IMRG) signature showed superior predictive performance across multiple datasets and was independent of clinical indicators. Immunotherapy response and immune cell infiltration correlated with the risk score. Functional enrichment analysis revealed distinct biological pathways between low- and high-risk groups. The signature demonstrated higher prediction accuracy than other signatures. qRT-PCR confirmed differential gene expression and immunotherapy response. Conclusions The model in our work is a novel assessment tool to measure immunotherapy’s effectiveness and anticipate BLCA patients’ prognosis, offering new avenues for immunological biomarkers and targeted treatments.

Abstract The lack of desirable diffusion barrier layers currently prohibits the long-term stable service of bismuth telluride thermoelectric devices in low-grade waste heat recovery. Here we propose a new design principle of barrier layers beyond the thermal expansion matching criterion. A titanium barrier layer with loose structure is optimized, in which the low Young’s modulus and particle sliding synergistically alleviates interfacial stress, while the TiTe2 reactant enables metallurgical bonding and ohmic contact between the barrier layer and the thermoelectric material, leading to a desirable interface characterized by high-thermostability, high-strength, and low-resistivity. Highly competitive conversion efficiency of 6.2% and power density of 0.51 W cm−2 are achieved for a module with leg length of 2 mm at the hot-side temperature of 523 K, and no degradation is observed following operation for 360 h, a record for stable service at this temperature, paving the way for its application in low-grade waste heat recovery.

To improve the performance of yeast cell factories for industrial production, extensive CRISPR-mediated genome editing systems have been applied by artificially creating double-strand breaks (DSBs) to introduce mutations with the assistance of intracellular DSB repair. Diverse strategies of DSB repair are required to meet various demands, including precise editing or random editing with customized gRNAs or a gRNA library. Although most yeasts remodeling techniques have shown rewarding performance in laboratory verification, industrial yeast strain manipulation relies only on very limited strategies. Here, we comprehensively reviewed the molecular mechanisms underlying recent industrial applications to provide new insights into DSB cleavage and repair pathways in both Saccharomyces cerevisiae and other unconventional yeast species. The discussion of DSB repair covers the most frequently used homologous recombination (HR) and nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ) strategies to the less well-studied illegitimate recombination (IR) pathways, such as single-strand annealing (SSA) and microhomology-mediated end joining (MMEJ). Various CRISPR-based genome editing tools and corresponding gene editing efficiencies are described. Finally, we summarize recently developed CRISPR-based strategies that use optimized DSB repair for genome-scale editing, providing a direction for further development of yeast genome editing.

Objective There is limited evidence on long-term thrombosis risk in patients with obstetric antiphospholipid syndrome (OAPS). This study aimed to investigate the clinical features and risk factors associated with the first thrombosis in patients with isolated OAPS.Methods Data from patients with isolated OAPS were collected. All patients were followed up until the first thrombotic event during or after delivery or until the end of the study. Logistic regression analysis identified independent risk factors associated with the first thrombosis in patients with isolated OAPS.Results The study enrolled 186 patients with OAPS. During a mean 5.4-year follow-up, 11 (5.9%) patients experienced thrombotic events. Multivariate binary logistic regression analysis revealed that triple-positive antiphospholipid antibodies (aPLs, OR=11.662, 95% CI=2.117 to 64.243, p=0.005) and hypocomplementemia (OR=9.047, 95% CI=1.530 to 53.495, p=0.015) were identified as independent risk factors for the first thrombosis in OAPS, after adjustment for low-dose aspirin and hydroxychloroquine.Conclusions Triple-positive aPLs and hypocomplementemia are risk factors for the first thrombosis in patients with OAPS.

Bone morphogenetic protein-4 (BMP4) is involved in regulation of neural stem cells (NSCs) proliferation, differentiation, migration and survival. It was previously thought that the treatment of NSCs with BMP4 alone induces astrocytes, whereas the treatment of NSCs with the bFGF/BMP4 combination induces quiescent neural stem cells (qNSCs). In this study, we performed bulk RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) to compare the transcriptome profiles of BMP4-treated NSCs and bFGF/BMP4-treated NSCs, and found that both NSCs treated by these two methods were Sox2 positive qNSCs which were able to generate neurospheres. However, NSCs treated by those two methods exhibited different characteristics in state and the potential for neuronal differentiation based on transcriptome analysis and experimental results. We found that BMP4-treated NSCs tended to be in a deeper quiescent state than bFGF/BMP4-treated NSCs as the percentage of ki67-positive cells were lower in BMP4-treated NSCs. And after exposure to differentiated environment, bFGF/BMP4-treated NSCs generated more DCX-positive immature neurons and MAP2-positive neurons than BMP4-treated NSCs. Our study characterized qNSCs treated with BMP4 alone and bFGF/BMP4 combination, providing a reference for the scientific use of BMP4 and bFGF/BMP4-induced qNSCs models.