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Abstract Background Non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) is renowned for its high recurrence, invasiveness, and poor prognosis. Consequently, developing new biomarkers for risk assessment and investigating innovative therapeutic targets postoperative in NMIBC patients are crucial to aid in treatment planning. Approaches Differential gene expression analysis was performed using multiple Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between NMIBC and normal tissue, as well as between NMIBC and muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). Functional enrichment analysis was conducted based on the DEGs identified. Subsequently, prognosis-related genes were selected using Kaplan–Meier (KM) analysis and Cox regression analysis. The Boruta algorithm was utilized to further screen for core DEGs related to postoperative progression in NMIBC based on the aforementioned prognosis-related genes. Single-cell and clinical correlation studies were performed to verify their expression across various stages of bladder cancer. To investigate the link between core genes and the immune microenvironment, single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) was utilized, and Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) and KM analyses were performed to confirm predictive power for immune therapy outcomes. Machine learning (ML) models were constructed using the DepMap dataset to predict the efficacy of core gene inhibitors in treating bladder cancers. The prognostic performance of the core genes was evaluated using ROC curve analysis. An online prediction tool was developed based on the core genes to provide prognostic predictions. Finally, RT-qPCR, CCK-8, and Transwell assays were used to verify the pro-tumor effects of the GINS2 in bladder cancer. Results A total of 70 DEGs were identified, among which 11 prognostic genes were obtained through KM analysis, and an additional 8 prognostic genes were obtained through COX analysis. The Boruta algorithm selected AURKB, GINS2, and UHRF1 as the three core DEGs. Single-cell and clinical variable correlation analyses indicated that the core genes promoted the progression of bladder cancer. The analysis of immune infiltration revealed a strong positive association between the core genes and both activated CD4 T cells and Type 2 helper T cells. Two random forest (RF) models were constructed to effectively predict the treatment effect of bladder cancer after targeted inhibition of AURKB and GINS2. In addition, an online nomogram tool was developed to effectively predict the risk of postoperative progression in NMIBC patients undergoing TURBT. Finally, RT-qPCR, CCK8, and Transwell assays showed that GINS2 promoted the growth and progression of bladder cancer. Conclusion AURKB, GINS2, and UHRF1 have the potential to enhance postoperative management of NMIBC patients undergoing transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) and can predict immunotherapy response, establishing them as promising therapeutic targets.

Two new Cordyceps-like species, Perennicordyceps zongqii and Purpureocillium zongqii, isolated from a larva and soil, are introduced. Morphological comparisons and phylogenetic analyses based on multigene datasets (ITS, LSU, RPB2 and TEF) support the establishment of the new species. Moreover, new species in the families Polycephalomycetaceae and Ophiocordycipitaceae were introduced into Tiankeng and the valley for the first time. Further attention needs to be paid to the diversity of other Cordyceps-like fungi in the special eco-environment of the karst region.

Abstract Background Intestinal infectious diseases (IIDs) can impact the growth and development of children and weaken adults. This study aimed to establish a spatial panel model to analyze the relationship between factors such as population, economy and health resources, and the incidence of common IIDs. The objective was to provide a scientific basis for the formulation diseases prevention measures. Methods Data on monthly reported cases of IIDs in each district and county of Zhejiang Province were collected from 2011 to 2021. The spatial distribution trend was plotted, and nine factors related to population, economy and health resources were selected for analysis. A spatial panel model was developed to identify statistically significant spatial patterns of influencing factors (P

Isothermal compression test is used to investigate the hot deformation behavior of spray co-deposited and extruded 10 vol% SiCP/Al–Cu–Mg–Ag composite. In this study, an accurate strain-compensated model based on Arrhenius constitutive equation is constructed with the corresponding R value of 0.9965 and AARE of 4.05%. The experimental results are in high agreement with the predicted flow stress. Hot deformation activation energy of the SiCP/Al composite (161.685 kJ/mol) is notably higher than that of Al–Cu–Mg–Ag alloy, which is attributed to the dislocations introduced by SiC reinforcement. The microstructure evolution of compressed specimens is characterized using EBSD and TEM. DRX, including CDRX and DDRX, is the main softening mechanism under the hot deformation conditions of high temperature, low strain rate and high strain. The transition of softening mechanism from DRV to DRX is due to the subgrains consuming dislocations and then transforming into DRX grains. Comparing the microstructure under different hot deformation parameters, the recrystallization degree is significantly influenced by temperature, followed by strain rate and strain. In addition, the recrystallization process is impeded by the primary Al2Cu phases, T phases and SiC particles in the composite through hindering the migration of dislocations.

Abstract Objectives To develop and validate nomograms combining radiomics and semantic features to identify the invasiveness and histopathological risk stratification of thymic epithelial tumors (TET) using contrast-enhanced CT. Methods This retrospective multi-center study included 224 consecutive cases. For each case, 6764 intratumor and peritumor radiomics features and 31 semantic features were collected. Multi-feature selections and decision tree models were performed on radiomics features and semantic features separately to select the most important features for Masaoka–Koga staging and WHO classification. The selected features were then combined to create nomograms for the two systems. The performance of the radiomics model, semantic model, and combined model was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs). Results One hundred eighty-seven cases (56.5 years ± 12.3, 101 men) were included, with 62 cases as the external test set. For Masaoka–Koga staging, the combined model, which incorporated five peritumor radiomics features and four semantic features, showed an AUC of 0.958 (95% CI: 0.912–1.000) in distinguishing between early-stage (stage I/II) and advanced-stage (III/IV) TET in the external test set. For WHO classification, the combined model incorporating five peritumor radiomics features and two semantic features showed an AUC of 0.857 (0.760–0.955) in differentiating low-risk (type A/AB/B1) and high-risk (B2/B3/C) TET. The combined models showed the most effective predictive performance, while the semantic models exhibited comparable performance to the radiomics models in both systems (p > 0.05). Conclusion The nomograms combining peritumor radiomics features and semantic features could help in increasing the accuracy of grading invasiveness and risk stratification of TET. Critical relevance statement Peripheral invasion and histopathological type are major determinants of treatment and prognosis of TET. The integration of peritumoral radiomics features and semantic features into nomograms may enhance the accuracy of grading invasiveness and risk stratification of TET. Key Points Peritumor region of TET may suggest histopathological and invasive risk. Peritumor radiomic and semantic features allow classification by Masaoka–Koga staging (AUC: 0.958). Peritumor radiomic and semantic features enable the classification of histopathological risk (AUC: 0.857). Graphical Abstract

Alternaria tenuissima (Kunze) Wiltshire 1933 is a plant pathogenic fungus mainly causing leaf blotch disease. Here, we de novo assembled mitochondrial genome of A. tenuissima isolate AT-1224. The total mitogenome size is 57,475 bp with 29.00% G + C content. The genome contained 12 coding genes and 15 hypothetical proteins, 34 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes and 2 ribosomal RNA (rRNA). There are 227 SSR repeats, range from 2 to 4 base pairs, most five repeats were AT (144), AAT (54), AG (33), AC (13) and AAG (5). The results also found 13 tandem repeats (>100 bp), the largest repeat were forward 2 times located from 13,405 to 20,024 bp and 25,549 to 32,168 bp. Phylogenetic analysis based on 17 species complete mitogenomes indicated that A. tenuissima mitogenome was closest to 2 species, A. solani and A. alternata, sister clade to 6 species, representing Curvularia clavate, Exserohilum rostratum, Exserohilum turcicum, Bipolaris cookie, Bipolaris oryzae and Bipolaris sorokiniana. Further analysis among common fungus in local apple orchards using mitochondrial protein-coding genes revealed A. tenuissima were closing to 2 Alternaria fungi and a fungus representing Phoma sp. These results provide a basic reference for identification and evolution studies of A. tenuissima on apple trees.

Case presentation A 47-year-old Asian woman was admitted with worsening chest tightness and dyspnea for 10 days. Computed tomography (CT) showed changes in the trachea and segmental bronchi. Pulmonary function results suggestive of severe obstructive ventilatory dysfunction. Bronchoscopic findings showed the presence of multiple nodular lesions in the patient’s trachea and left and right main bronchi. Bronchoscopic biopsy, lymph node biopsy and bone marrow aspiration flow cytometry test results led to a definitive diagnosis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), staged as Binet stage B and Rai stage 2.

Abstract Background Gastric cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide, with high incidence and mortality rates, and it has a complex etiology and complex pathological features. Depending on the tumor type, gastric cancer can be classified as intestinal-type and diffuse-type gastric cancer, each with distinct pathogenic mechanisms and clinical presentations. In recent years, machine learning techniques have been widely applied in the medical field, offering new perspectives for the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of gastric cancer patients. Methods This study recruited 2158 gastric cancer patients and constructed prognostic prediction models for both intestinal-type and diffuse-type gastric cancer. Clinical pathological data were collected from patients, and machine learning algorithms were used for feature selection and model construction. The performance of the models was validated with training and testing datasets. The Shapley additive explanations (SHAP) values were used to interpret the model predictions and identify the main factors that influence patient survival. Results In the prognostic model for intestinal-type gastric cancer, the gradient boosting decision tree (GBDT) model demonstrated the best performance, with key features including pTNM, CA125, tumor size, CA199, and PALB. Similarly, in the prognostic model for diffuse-type gastric cancer, the GBDT model was utilized, with key features comprising pTNM, Borrmann type IV disease, lymphocyte (LYM), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), potassium (K), perineural invasion (PNI), tumor size, and whole stomach location. Risk stratification analysis revealed that the prognosis of high-risk patients was significantly worse than that of low-risk patients. Conclusion Machine learning shows great potential in predicting survival outcomes of gastric cancer patients, providing strong support for the development of personalized treatment plans.

Abstract Mesophilic Argonautes (Agos) from microbial resources have received significant attention due to their potential applications in genome editing and molecular diagnostics. This study characterizes a novel Ago from Pseudobutyrivibrio ruminis (PrAgo), which can cleave single-stranded DNA using guide DNA (gDNA). PrAgo, functioning as a multi-turnover enzyme, effectively cleaves DNA using 5′-phosphate gDNA, 14–30 nucleotides in length, in the presence of both Mn2+ and Mg2+ ions. PrAgo demonstrates DNA cleavage activity over a broad pH range (pH 4–12), with optimal activity at pH 11. As a mesophilic enzyme, PrAgo cleaves efficiently DNA at temperatures ranging from 25 to 65 °C, particularly at 65 °C. PrAgo does not show strong preferences for the 5′-nucleotide in gDNA. It shows high tolerance for single-base mismatches, except at positions 13 and 15 of gDNA. Continuous double-nucleotide mismatches at positions 10–16 of gDNA significantly reduce cleavage activity. Furthermore, PrAgo mediates DNA-guided DNA cleavage of AT-rich double stranded DNA at 65 °C. Additionally, molecular dynamic simulations suggest that interactions between the PAZ domain and different nucleic acids strongly influence cleavage efficiency. These findings expand our understanding of Protokaryotic Agos and their potential applications in biotechnology. Graphical Abstract

Two new species, Chlorocillium sinense and Calcarisporium guizhouense, isolated from a spider and fruiting body of Cordyceps sp., are introduced. Morphological comparisons and phylogenetic analyses based on multigene datasets (ITS+LSU+RPB2+tef-1alpha) support the establishment of the new species. A combined dataset of ITS, LSU, RPB2, and tef-1alpha showed the taxonomic placement of Chlorocillium in Clavicipitaceae for the first time. Pseudometarhizium is regarded as a synonym of Chlorocillium and two Pseudometarhizium species are transferred into the latter based on the phylogenetic analysis and morphological characteristics.

Abstract Background Recent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies have established that brain iron accumulation might accelerate cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients. Both normal aging and AD are associated with cerebral atrophy in specific regions. However, no studies have investigated aging- and AD-selective iron deposition-related cognitive changes during normal aging. Here, we applied quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) to detect iron levels in cortical signature regions and assessed the relationships among iron, atrophy, and cognitive changes in older adults. Methods In this Taizhou Imaging Study, 770 older adults (mean age 62.0 ± 4.93 years, 57.5% women) underwent brain MRI to measure brain iron and atrophy, of whom 219 underwent neuropsychological tests nearly every 12 months for up to a mean follow-up of 2.68 years. Global cognition was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Domain-specific cognitive scores were obtained from MoCA subscore components. Regional analyses were performed for cortical regions and 2 signature regions where atrophy affected by aging and AD only: Aging (AG) -specific and AD signature meta-ROIs. The QSM and cortical morphometry means of the above ROIs were also computed. Results Significant associations were found between QSM levels and cognitive scores. In particular, after adjusting for cortical thickness of regions of interest (ROIs), participants in the upper tertile of the cortical and AG-specific signature QSM exhibited worse ZMMSE than did those in the lower tertile [ $$\:\beta\:$$ β = -0.104, p = 0.026; $$\:\beta\:$$ β = -0.118, p = 0.021, respectively]. Longitudinal analysis suggested that QSM values in all ROIs might predict decline in ZMoCA and key domains such as attention and visuospatial function (all p

Abstract In this study, the Structural Units‐Bonding Matrix will be introduced into the crude oil characteristics analysis, specifically engineered to depict the molecular intricacies of petroleum substances. This methodology synergizes the bonding matrix with structural units, assigning the bonding matrix to the foundational layer, while the structural units adorn the surface layer. Through meticulous analysis of crude oil data, this study identified the core and branched molecular constituents of crude oil, facilitating the digital articulation of these molecules. Leveraging this foundational work, this study developed composition models for five quintessential types of crude oil, enabling the precise prognostication of their macroscopic physical properties. Further, by evaluating the viscosity‐temperature characteristics of these selected crude oils, this study established a predictive model for the viscosity–temperature relationship of crude oils, grounded in the quantitative structure–property relationship method. This approach not only augments this study understanding of crude oil molecular composition but also enhances the predictive accuracy of their physical properties, heralding a significant advancement in the field of petroleum molecular science.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Neuroprotection plays an important role in the treatment of brain disorders. In recent years, studies using rat models and clinical trials have demonstrated the positive effects of hydrogen treatment on neurological disorders and brain injuries. Hence, it is of great significance to shed light on this issue. In this article, CiteSpace is employed for visualization and bibliometric analysis of the research frontiers and evolving trends related to the neuroprotective effect of hydrogen. METHODS: All articles published from 2009 to 2023 that discussed the neuroprotective effects of hydrogen in cerebrovascular diseases were retrieved from the Web of Science. Using CiteSpace, a visualization analysis was conducted on aspects such as countries, institutions, authors, keywords, and Co cited references, which enables an intuitive observation of current research hotspots. RESULTS: After manual screening, a total of 106 articles were retrieved. Over time, The number of publications has increased annually. Regarding national contributions, the top three countries with the highest number of publications include China, the United States, and Japan. The Second Military Medical University is the institution that publishes the most articles and has significant influence in the field of hydrogen neuroprotection. Sun, Xuejun and Domoki, Ferenc were the most productive. The most common keywords include hydrogen, oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis. Potential areas of focus for future research consist of early brain injury, hydrogen, ischemia-reperfusion injury and hypothermia treatment. CONCLUSION: The bibliometric study presented herein offers insights into the current status and trends of research on hydrogen in the field of cerebrovascular diseases. Future research trends suggest that hydrogen contributes significantly to the cerebrovascular domain through its anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, and anti-apoptotic mechanisms. This study can aid researchers in identifying hot topics and exploring new research directions.

Abstract The charge density wave (CDW), as a hallmark of vanadium-based kagome superconductor AV3Sb5 (A = K, Rb, Cs), has attracted intensive attention. However, the fundamental controversy regarding the underlying mechanism of CDW therein persists. Recently, the vanadium-based bi-layered kagome metal ScV6Sn6, reported to exhibit a long-range charge order below 94 K, has emerged as a promising candidate to further clarify this core issue. Here, employing micro-focusing angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (μ-ARPES) and first-principles calculations, we systematically studied the unique CDW order in vanadium-based bi-layered kagome metals by comparing ScV6Sn6 with its isostructural counterpart YV6Sn6, which lacks a CDW ground state. Combining ARPES data and the corresponding joint density of states (DOS), we suggest that the VHS nesting mechanism might be invalid in these materials. Besides, in ScV6Sn6, we identified multiple hybridization energy gaps resulting from CDW-induced band folding, along with an anomalous band dispersion, implying a potential electron-phonon coupling-driven mechanism underlying the formation of the CDW order. Our finding not only comprehensively maps the electronic structure of V-based bi-layer kagome metals but also provides constructive experimental evidence for the unique origin of CDW in this system.

Enlightenment modernity brings about the domination of industrialization, bureaucracy and instrumental rationality over the subject and its school life. At this time, the subject is like living in what Weber called the "iron cage" ruled by instrumental rationality. The worship of rational authority in education has reached such an extent that aesthetics characterized by perceptual enjoyment has been suppressed, denied and outlawed, which is embodied in the loss of transcendence of aesthetic education. Utilitarianism and entertainment are the main manifestations of the loss of transcendence in aesthetic education. Therefore, it is necessary to regain the transcendence of aesthetic education in three aspects: first, to redeem the rigid and bureaucratic school life through aesthetics, to save the "beautiful risk" of education dominated by instrumental rationality in education; second, to resist the one-sided development of human beings through aesthetic education, and to create unique and individualized personality traits by cultivating students' individualized aesthetic interest; Thirdly, we should resist the "standard answer" through the interpretation of the pluralistic meaning of works of art in aesthetic education.