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Abstract Aims To establish a sensitive, scientific and practical evaluation system for haemodialysis nursing and to provide a reference for the evaluation of haemodialysis nursing quality. Design Through a literature review and Delphi method. Method According to the literature review, a preliminary nursing‐sensitive quality indicators for haemodialysis were established, and an expert survey questionnaire was designed. Finally, the evaluation system for the nursing‐sensitive quality indicators was determined using the Delphi method. Results Thirteen nursing‐sensitive quality indicators for haemodialysis were finally constructed, including two structural indicators, three process indicators and eight outcome indicators. The effective recovery rate of the two rounds of expert survey questionnaires was 100%, the coefficient of judgement basis is 0.956, the coefficient of familiarity is 0.833, the coefficient of authority is 0.895, and the Kendall's harmony coefficients of the two rounds of expert consultation were 0.158 ~ 0.307 and 0.170 ~ 0.315, respectively, with statistical significance (p

This paper proposes a new distributed AC state estimation method. Different from the popular distributed state estimation (DSE) methods based on area partitioning method, the proposed method is a truly distributed method in which the power system is not required to be divided into smaller areas and a centralized state estimator in each area is not needed. In order to achieve fully DSE, the information propagation algorithm is introduced in this paper to help the distributed local state estimators share the measurement data. The information propagation algorithm is developed based on consensus protocol. The proof of the convergence of the information propagation algorithm is provided in this paper. Then, the AC state estimation method is integrated with the information propagation algorithm to realize the proposed method. The proposed method is tested in different standard power system models. The results show that the proposed method reaches the similar accuracy as the traditional centralized state estimation methods and performs faster and more accurate than the existing DSE methods.

Abstract Tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member-12A (TNFRSF12A) plays a critical role in inflammation and cell death. It is expressed in multiple tissues yet extremely low in normal liver. To date, little is known about its role in cholestasis. Therefore, we sought to delineate the role of TNFRSF12A in cholestasis and its underlying mechanisms. Human liver tissues were collected from patients with obstructive cholestasis (OC) or primary biliary cholangitis (PBC). Tnfrsf12a knockout (KO) mice were generated. Cholestasis was induced by bile-duct ligation (BDL) or 0.1% 5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine (DDC)-feeding. Human hepatoma PLC/PRF/5-ASBT and THP1 cell lines or primary mouse hepatocytes were used for mechanistic studies. Hepatic TNFRSF12A expression was markedly increased in OC or PBC patients. Genetic ablation of Tnfrsf12a in BDL- and 0.1%DDC-induced cholestatic mice significantly attenuated cholestatic liver injury with remarkable reduction of hepatocyte pyroptosis but without changing scores of necroptosis and apoptosis. Morphological features of hepatocyte pyroptosis and increased levels of pyroptosis-related proteins, NLRP3, cleaved-Caspase-1, and cleaved-GSDMD in OC patients and BDL-mice confirmed this observation. Further mechanistic studies revealed that bile acids (BAs) induced TNFRSF12A expression by enhancing the transcription factor c-JUN binding to the TNFRSF12A promoter and subsequently initiated hepatocyte pyroptosis by the NFκB/Caspase-1/GSDMD signaling. Interestingly, TWEAK, a typical ligand of TNFRSF12A, secreted by infiltrated macrophages in cholestatic livers, enhanced TNFRSF12A-induced hepatocyte pyroptosis. Taken together, we report, for the first time, that hepatic TNFRSF12A is dramatically increased in human cholestasis. Deletion of TNFRSF12A inhibits BAs-induced hepatocyte pyroptosis through the NFκB/Caspase-1/GSDMD signaling and thereby ameliorates cholestatic liver injury. As such, targeting TNFRSF12A could be a promising approach to treating cholestasis.

Abstract Background The detection of selective traits in different populations can not only reveal current mechanisms of artificial selection for breeding, but also provide new insights into phenotypic variation in new varieties and the search for genes associated with important traits. Panou sheep is a cultivated breed of Tibetan sheep in China with stable genetic performance, consistent appearance and fast growth and development after decades of artificial selection and cultivation. Due to long-term adaptation to the high altitude, cold and hypoxic environment in the plateau area, they may have formed a unique gene pool that is different from other Tibetan sheep breeds. To explore the genetic resources of Panou sheep, we used next-generation sequencing technology for the first time to investigate the genome-wide population structure, genetic diversity, and candidate signatures of positive selection in Panou sheep. Results Comparative genomic analysis with the closely related species Oula sheep (a native breed of Tibetan sheep in China) was used to screen the population selection signal of Panou sheep. Principal component analysis and neighbor joining tree showed that Panou sheep and Oula sheep had differences in population differentiation. Furthermore, analyses of population structure, they came from the same ancestor, and when K = 2, the two populations could be distinguished. Panou sheep exhibit genetic diversity comparable to Oula sheep, as shown by observed heterozygosity, expected heterozygosity and runs of homozygosity. Genome-wide scanning using the Fst and π ratio methods revealed a list of potentially selected related genes in Panou sheep compared to Oula sheep, including histone deacetylase 9 (HDAC9), protein tyrosine kinase 2 (PTK2), microphthalmia-related transcription factor (MITF), vesicular amine transporter 1 (VAT1), trichohyalin-like 1 (TCHHL1), amine oxidase, copper containing 3 (AOC3), interferon-inducible protein 35 (IFI35). Conclusions The results suggest that traits related to growth and development and plateau adaptation may be selection targets for the domestication and breeding improvement of Tibetan sheep. This study provides the fundamental footprints for Panou sheep breeding and management.

Abstract Dynamic changes in epigenetic landscape reflect a critical command of lineage-specific gene expression. In an effort to discern the epigenetic regulatory networks of myogenic differentiation, we have used systematic and integrative approaches to explore multi-omics datasets on global myogenic gene expression, histone acetylation and acetyltransferase occupancy in view of distinct chromatin states. In this brief report, we discuss experimental design and provide a comprehensive assessment regarding data quality control, filtering and processing. We also define a gene-level overlap between RNA-seq and ChIP-seq datasets through integrative analyses to offer strategies for future use of the data. Furthermore, our analyses generate a blueprint on chromatin state distribution of residue-specific histone acetylation and concomitant association with histone acetyltransferase p300 in committed skeletal myoblasts and differential histone acetylation signatures at the onset of myoblast differentiation. These datasets can be further utilized to delineate the function of muscle-specific regulatory elements governed by other muscle myogenic regulators or signaling molecules.

Histone acetylation and deacetylation affect the patterns of gene expression in cellular differentiation, playing pivotal roles in tissue development and maintenance. For example, the intrinsic histone acetyltransferase activity of transcriptional coactivator p300 is especially required for the expression of myogenic regulatory factors including Myf5 and MyoD, and consequently for skeletal myogenesis. On the other hand, histone deacetylases (HDACs) remove the acetyl group from histones, which is critical for gene repression in stem cell fate transition. Through integrative omic analyses, we found that while some HDACs were differentially expressed at the early stage of skeletal myoblast differentiation, Hdac11 gene expression was significantly enhanced by nuclear receptor signaling. In addition, p300 and MyoD control Hdac11 expression in milieu of normal and signal-enhanced myoblast differentiation. Thus, HDAC11 may be essential to differential gene expression at the onset of myoblast differentiation.

P21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1) is a critical downstream target that mediates the effect of small Rho GTPase on the regulation of cytoskeletal kinetics, cell proliferation, and cell migration. PAK1 has been identified as a crucial regulator of spindle assembly during the first meiotic division; however, its roles during the metaphase I (MI) to metaphase II (MII) transition in oocytes remain unclear. In the present study, the potential function of PAK1 in regulating microtubule organization and spindle positioning during the MI–MII transition was addressed in porcine oocytes. The results showed that activated PAK1 was co-localized with α-tubulin, and its expression was increased from the MI to MII stage (p < 0.001). However, inhibiting PAK1 activity with an inhibitor targeting PAK1 activation-3 (IPA-3) at the MI stage decreased the first polar body (PB1) extrusion rate (p < 0.05), with most oocytes arrested at the anaphase-telophase (ATI) stage. IPA-3-treated oocytes displayed a decrease in actin distribution in the plasma membrane (p < 0.001) and an increase in the rate of defects in MII spindle reassembly with abnormal spindle positioning (p < 0.001). Nevertheless, these adverse effects of IPA-3 on oocytes were reversed when the disulfide bond between PAK1 and IPA-3 was reduced by dithiothreitol (DTT). Co-immunoprecipitation revealed that PAK1 could recruit activated Aurora A and transform acidic coiled-coil 3 (TACC3) to regulate spindle assembly and interact with LIM kinase 1 (LIMK1) to facilitate actin filament-mediated spindle migration. Together, PAK1 is essential for microtubule organization and spindle migration during the MI–MII transition in porcine oocytes, which is associated with the activity of p-Aurora A, p-TACC3 and p-LIMK1.

Microbial activities play a pivotal role in the migration and transformation of arsenic (As) within groundwater systems, particularly at high concentrations. Focusing on the Kuitun River Basin, this study used high-throughput sequencing to unravel the intricate diversity of microbial communities and their influence on As enrichment. Groundwater with elevated As hosted richer and more diverse microbial populations compared to that with lower As levels. The Sobs and Shannon diversity indices for the high-As group initially declined before rising with increasing As concentrations. Key microbial taxa dominating these ecosystems included Pseudomonas , Acinetobacter , Aquabacterium , Novosphingobium , and Sphingobium , with Pseudomonas showing substantial variation in abundance across different As concentrations. Distance-based redundancy analysis emphasized the importance of dissolved oxygen in shaping the microbial landscape, followed closely by the interplay between iron and As concentrations. Flavobacteriaceae and Burkholderiaceae displayed inverse correlations with As levels, highlighting the multifaceted relationship between microbial communities and groundwater chemistry. This investigation underscores the profound impact of As concentration gradients on microbial biodiversity and elucidates a complex regulatory framework where environmental parameters and microorganisms collaborate in governing As accumulation in groundwater. The results enrich our understanding of the biogeochemical dynamics underlying arsenic behavior in subterranean aquatic habitats.

Auricularia auricula polysaccharides used in Pinus koraiensis polyphenol encapsulation and delivery under weightlessness are rarely reported. In this study, an anionic polysaccharide fragment named AAP Iα with a molecular weight of 133.304 kDa was isolated and purified to construct a polyphenol encapsulation system. Nanoparticles named NPs-PP loaded with a rough surface for Pinus koraiensis polyphenol (PP) delivery were fabricated by AAP Iα and ε-poly-L-lysine (ε-PL). SEM and the DLS tracking method were used to observe continuous changes in AAP Iα, ε-PL and PP on the nanoparticles’ rough surface assembly, as well as the dispersion and stability. Hydrophilic, monodisperse and highly negative charged nanoparticles can be formed at AAP Iα 0.8 mg/mL, ε-PL 20 μg/mL and PP 80 μg/mL. FT-IR was used to determine their electrostatic interactions. Release kinetic studies showed that nanoparticles had an ideal gastrointestinal delivery effect. NPs-PP loaded were assembled through electrostatic interactions between polyelectrolytes after hydrogen bonding formation in PP-AAP Iα and PP-ε-PL, respectively. Colon adhesion properties and PP delivery in vivo of nanoparticles showed that NPs-PP loaded had high adhesion efficiency to the colonic mucosa under simulated microgravity and could enhance PP bioavailability. These results suggest that AAP Iα can be used in PP encapsulation and delivery under microgravity in astronaut food additives.

TREM2 is a critical innate immune receptor primarily expressed on myeloid-derived cells, such as microglia and macrophages. Mutations in TREM2 are linked to several neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). TREM2 can be cleaved from the cell membrane and released as soluble TREM2 (sTREM2). sTREM2 levels are shown to peak prior to AD, with its levels fluctuating throughout disease progression. However, the mechanism by which sTREM2 may affect innate immune responses is largely uncharacterized. In this study, we investigated whether sTREM2 can induce inflammatory response in myeloid-derived THP-1 monocytes and macrophages and characterized the signaling mechanisms involved. Our results show that sTREM2 was capable of stimulating the expression of several inflammatory cytokines in THP-1 cells throughout the time course of 2 h to 8 h but inducing anti-inflammatory cytokine expression at later time points. A TREM2 antibody was capable of inhibiting the expression of some cytokines induced by sTREM2 but enhancing others. The complex of sTREM2/TREM2 antibody was shown to enhance IL-1β expression, which was partially blocked by an NLRP3 specific inhibitor, indicating that the complex activated the NRLP3 inflammasome pathway. sTREM2 was also shown to have differential effects on cytokine expression in M0, M1, and M2 macrophages differentiated from THP-1 cells. sTREM2 has a more stimulating effect on cytokine expression in M0 macrophages, less of an effect on M2 macrophages, and some inhibitory effects on cytokine expression in M1 macrophages at early time points. Analyses of several signaling pathways revealed that sTREM2-induced expression of cytokines occurs mainly through MAPK–JNK signaling. Our work reveals differential effects of sTREM2 on cytokine expression profiles of THP-1 cells and macrophages and demonstrates that the MAPK–JNK signaling pathway is mainly responsible for sTREM2-induced cytokine expression.

Dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) is a rate-limiting enzyme of de novo biosynthesis of pyrimidine. Although the involvement of DHODH in resisting ferroptosis has been successively reported in recent years, which greatly advanced the understanding of the mechanism of programmed cell death (PCD), the genetic sequence of the yak DHODH gene and its roles in ferroptosis are still unknown. For this purpose, we firstly cloned the coding region sequence of DHODH (1188 bp) from yak liver and conducted a characterization analysis of its predictive protein that consists of 395 amino acids. We found that the coding region of the yak DHODH gene presented high conservation among species. Second, the expression profile of the DHODH gene in various yak tissues was investigated using RT-qPCR. The results demonstrated that DHODH was widely expressed in different yak tissues, with particularly high levels in the spleen, heart, and liver. Third, to investigate the involvement of DHODH in regulating ferroptosis in cells, yak skin fibroblasts (YSFs) were isolated from fetuses. And then, bisphenol S (BPS) was used to induce the in vitro ferroptosis model of YSFs. We observed that BPS decreased the cell viability (CCK8) and membrane potential (JC-1) of YSFs in a dose-dependent manner and induced oxidative stress by elevating reactive oxygen species (ROS). Simultaneously, it was evident that BPS effectively augmented the indicators associated with ferroptosis (MDA and BODIPY staining) and reduced GSH levels. Importantly, the co-administration of Ferrostatin-1 (Fer), a potent inhibitor of ferroptosis, significantly alleviated the aforementioned markers, thereby confirming the successful induction of ferroptosis in YSFs by BPS. Finally, overexpression plasmids and siRNAs of the yak DHODH gene were designed and transfected respectively into BPS-cultured YSFs to modulate DHODH expression. The findings revealed that DHODH overexpression alleviated the occurrence of BPS-induced ferroptosis, while interference of DHODH intensified the ferroptosis process in YSFs. In summary, we successfully cloned the coding region of the yak DHODH gene, demonstrating its remarkable conservation across species. Moreover, using BPS-induced ferroptosis in YSFs as the model, the study confirmed the role of the DHODH gene in resisting ferroptosis in yaks. These results offer valuable theoretical foundations for future investigations into the functionality of the yak DHODH gene and the underlying mechanisms of ferroptosis in this species.

The flexible fire hose and net (hose net) is a novel fish-hauling device developed for set-net fishery. The hose net is placed inside the box chamber net, air is injected from one edge of the hose net, the hoses are inflated, and the buoyancy force is increased. The net floats up gradually, cornering the fish on the other edge. In previous studies, we have conducted a series of floating-up and sinking-down experiments to evaluate the performance of the hose net in calm water. In this study, aimed at the practical implementation of the hose net fish-hauling system, we conducted a water tank experiment and a semi-field test to confirm the operation of the hose net, which was installed inside a box chamber net model. The results demonstrated that the net could float up gradually in an ideal form and stretched on the surface of the box net. The time taken to float up processes varied with the air injected into the auxiliary hose and hose net, so that the motion of the hose net could be controlled by adjusting the air at different parts of practical operation. Furthermore, semi-field trials were conducted to verify its performance in the natural marine environment and its ability to capture schools of fish. Overall, this innovative hose net fish-hauling device is expected to be valuable for next-generation set-net fishing.

Understanding the mutation landscape of cancer may enable the development of more targeted therapies. Here, the authors sequence a panel of genes in a large Asian cohort and compare to American cohorts and find 64% of the Asian patients have actionable mutations.

Abstract. Background:. This study aimed to reveal the treatment patterns and clinical outcomes of diverse palbociclib-based regimens in Han patients with estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) metastatic breast cancer in routine clinical practice. Methods:. The clinical data of patients with ER+ metastatic breast cancer treated with palbociclib were collected from the National Cancer Center database. The efficacy profile of palbociclib in this Han population was evaluated, especially for various combination regimens. The efficacy of palbociclib-based therapy in patients with prior everolimus treatment was also assessed. Results:. A total of 186 patients from 89 cities in 18 provinces in China were enrolled. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was similar among different palbociclib-combined groups (P = 0.566): 10.0 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 3.8–16.1) in the +exemestane group, 9.7 months (95% CI 6.3–13.1) in the +letrozole group, 7.8 months (95% CI 5.5–10.2) in the +fulvestrant group, 7.2 months (95% CI 3.2–11.3) in the +toremifene group, and 6.1 months (95% CI 1.2–11.0) in the +anastrozole group. Thirty-four patients (18.3%) had received everolimus for their metastatic disease before the prescription of palbociclib. The disease control rate was significantly lower in patients who had received previous everolimus than in the everolimus-naïve group (50.0% vs. 82.2%, P

Abstract Background Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) F4 commonly colonizes the small intestine and releases enterotoxins that impair the intestinal barrier function and trigger inflammatory responses. Although Bacillus licheniformis (B. licheniformis) has been reported to enhance intestinal health, it remains to be seen whether there is a functional role of B. licheniformis in intestinal inflammatory response in intestinal porcine epithelial cell line (IPEC-J2) when stimulated with ETEC F4. Methods In the present study, the effects of B. licheniformis PF9 on the release of pro-inflammation cytokines, cell integrity and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activation were evaluated in ETEC F4-induced IPEC-J2 cells. Results B. licheniformis PF9 treatment was capable of remarkably attenuating the expression levels of inflammation cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-8, and IL-6 during ETEC F4 infection. Furthermore, the gene expression of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)-mediated upstream related genes of NF-κB signaling pathway has been significantly inhibited. These changes were accompanied by significantly decreased phosphorylation of p65 NF-κB during ETEC F4 infection with B. licheniformis PF9 treatment. The immunofluorescence and western blotting analysis revealed that B. licheniformis PF9 increased the expression levels of zona occludens 1 (ZO-1) and occludin (OCLN) in ETEC F4-infected IPEC-J2 cells. Meanwhile, the B. licheniformis PF9 could alleviate the injury of epithelial barrier function assessed by the trans-epithelial electrical resistance (TEER) and cell permeability assay. Interestingly, B. licheniformis PF9 protect IPEC-J2 cells against ETEC F4 infection by decreasing the gene expressions of virulence-related factors (including luxS, estA, estB, and elt) in ETEC F4. Conclusions Collectively, our results suggest that B. licheniformis PF9 might reduce inflammation-related cytokines through blocking the NF-κB signaling pathways. Besides, B. licheniformis PF9 displayed a significant role in the enhancement of IPEC-J2 cell integrity.

Most learning-based low-light image enhancement methods typically suffer from two problems. First, they require a large amount of paired data for training, which are difficult to acquire in most cases. Second, in the process of enhancement, image noise is difficult to be removed and may even be amplified. In other words, performing denoising and illumination enhancement at the same time is difficult. As an alternative to supervised learning strategies that use a large amount of paired data, as presented in previous work, this paper presents an mixed-attention guided generative adversarial network called MAGAN for low-light image enhancement in a fully unsupervised fashion. We introduce a mixed-attention module layer, which can model the relationship between each pixel and feature of the image. In this way, our network can enhance a low-light image and remove its noise simultaneously. In addition, we conduct extensive experiments on paired and no-reference datasets to show the superiority of our method in enhancing low-light images.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play vital roles in the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. Previous studies have shown that miR-150 is a crucial regulator of B cell proliferation, differentiation, metabolism, and apoptosis. miR-150 regulates the immune homeostasis during the development of obesity and is aberrantly expressed in multiple B-cell-related malignant tumors. Additionally, the altered expression of MIR-150 is a diagnostic biomarker of various autoimmune diseases. Furthermore, exosome-derived miR-150 is considered as prognostic tool in B cell lymphoma, autoimmune diseases and immune-mediated disorders, suggesting miR-150 plays a vital role in disease onset and progression. In this review, we summarized the miR-150-dependent regulation of B cell function in B cell-related immune diseases.

Immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) consist of a common and clinically diverse group of diseases. Despite remarkable progress in the past two decades, no remission is observed in a large number of patients, and no effective treatments have been developed to prevent organ and tissue damage. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor precursor (proBDNF) and receptors, such as p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) and sortilin, have been proposed to mediate intracellular metabolism and mitochondrial function to regulate the progression of several IMIDs. Here, the regulatory role of proBDNF and its receptors in seven typical IMIDs, including multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, allergic asthma, type I diabetes, vasculitis, and inflammatory bowel diseases, was investigated.

Background The imbalance of monocyte/macrophage polarization toward the preferential proinflammatory phenotype and a lack of normal inflammation resolution are present in acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Our previous study showed that upregulation of brain‐derived neurotrophic factor precursor (proBDNF) in M2‐like monocytes may contribute to the proinflammatory response in the Stanford type‐A acute aortic dissection. The present study aimed to investigate the role of proBDNF signaling in monocytes/macrophages in the progress of AMI. Methods and Results We observed the upregulation of proBDNF in the proinflammatory monocytes of patients with AMI. The upregulation of proBDNF was also observed in the circulating proinflammatory Ly6Chigh monocytes and cardiac F4/80+CD86+ macrophages 3 days after AMI in a mice model. To neutralize proBDNF, the mice subjected to AMI were injected intraperitoneally with a monoclonal anti‐proBDNF antibody. Echocardiography, 2,3,5‐triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining, and positron emission tomography/computed tomography results demonstrate that monoclonal anti‐proBDNF antibody treatment further impaired cardiac functions, increased infarct size, and exacerbated the proinflammatory state. Moreover, the level of proinflammatory Ly6Chigh in the blood and F4/80+CD86+ in the heart was further increased in monoclonal anti‐proBDNF antibody mice. RNA sequencing revealed that matrix metalloprotease‐9 protein level was dramatically increased, along with the activated proinflammatory‐related cytokines. Matrix metalloprotease‐9 inhibitor treatment attenuated the deteriorated effect of monoclonal anti‐proBDNF antibody on cardiac function and infarct areas. Conclusions Our study shows that endogenous proBDNF in monocytes/macrophages may exert protective roles in cardiac remodeling after AMI by regulating matrix metalloprotease‐9 activity.

The AlkB family (ALKBH1-8 and FTO), a member of the Fe (II)- and α-ketoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase superfamily, has shown the ability to catalyze the demethylation of a variety of substrates, including DNA, RNA, and histones. Methylation is one of the natural organisms’ most prevalent forms of epigenetic modifications. Methylation and demethylation processes on genetic material regulate gene transcription and expression. A wide variety of enzymes are involved in these processes. The methylation levels of DNA, RNA, and histones are highly conserved. Stable methylation levels at different stages can coordinate the regulation of gene expression, DNA repair, and DNA replication. Dynamic methylation changes are essential for the abilities of cell growth, differentiation, and division. In some malignancies, the methylation of DNA, RNA, and histones is frequently altered. To date, nine AlkB homologs as demethylases have been identified in numerous cancers’ biological processes. In this review, we summarize the latest advances in the research of the structures, enzymatic activities, and substrates of the AlkB homologs and the role of these nine homologs as demethylases in cancer genesis, progression, metastasis, and invasion. We provide some new directions for the AlkB homologs in cancer research. In addition, the AlkB family is expected to be a new target for tumor diagnosis and treatment.

Some of the congenital coronary artery diseases in children have potential life-threatening complications. In addition to anatomical classification, the peadiatricians should pay more attention to the risk of adverse cardiac events classification; and then, they can eventrually make the personalized guidance suggestions and treatment decisions according to different diseases.

Right atrial (RA) structural and functional evaluations have recently emerged as powerful biomarkers for adverse events in various cardiovascular conditions. Quantitative analysis of the right atrium, usually performed with volume changes or speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE), has markedly changed our understanding of RA function and remodeling. Knowledge of reference echocardiographic values and measurement methods of RA volumes and myocardial function is a prerequisite to introduce RA quantitation in the clinical routine. This review describes the methodology, benefits and pitfalls of measuring RA size and function by echocardiography based on the current understanding of right atrial anatomy and physiological function and provides the current knowledge of right atrial function in related cardiac diseases.

Objective To investigate the frequency of CD36 deletion and gene mutation in voluntary blood donors of Zhongshan city, and to explore the possibility of establishing local CD36 negative platelet donor bank. Methods Platelet CD36 antigen was detected by ELISA in 1 654 voluntary blood donors.Some of the negative samples were confirmed by flow cytometry, and genotyping was also performed. Results Platelet CD36 antigen was negative in 27 cases, accounting for 1.6% (27/1654), among which 1.6% (18/1149) were males and 1.8% (9/505) were females.No significant difference was noticed between males and females in CD36 antigen deletion cases (P>0.05). Fifteen CD36 negative samples were randomly selected, genotyped and sequenced, with type I deletion in 1 case[ 6.7% (1/15)], type Ⅱ deletion in 14 cases[ 93.3% (14/15)], and gene mutation in exon 3-14 detected in 8 cases. Conclusion The frequency of platelet CD36 antigen deletion in Zhongshan is comparable to that in other southern regions of China.The establishment of CD36 negative platelet donor bank is conductive to improve the effectiveness of platelet transfusion.

Abstract Background Yield-related traits including thousand grain weight (TGW), grain number per spike (GNS), grain width (GW), grain length (GL), plant height (PH), spike length (SL), and spikelet number per spike (SNS) are greatly associated with grain yield of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). To detect quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with them, 193 recombinant inbred lines derived from two elite winter wheat varieties Chuanmai42 and Chuanmai39 were employed to perform QTL mapping in six/eight environments. Results A total of 30 QTLs on chromosomes 1A, 1B, 1D, 2A, 2B, 2D, 3A, 4A, 5A, 5B, 6A, 6D, 7A, 7B and 7D were identified. Among them, six major QTLs QTgw.cib-6A.1, QTgw.cib-6A.2, QGw.cib-6A, QGl.cib-3A, QGl.cib-6A, and QSl.cib-2D explaining 5.96-23.75% of the phenotypic variance were detected in multi-environments and showed strong and stable effects on corresponding traits. Three QTL clusters on chromosomes 2D and 6A containing 10 QTLs were also detected, which showed significant pleiotropic effects on multiple traits. Additionally, three Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR (KASP) markers linked with five of these major QTLs were developed. Candidate genes of QTgw.cib-6A.1/QGl.cib-6A and QGl.cib-3A were analyzed based on the spatiotemporal expression patterns, gene annotation, and orthologous search. Conclusions Six major QTLs for TGW, GL, GW and SL were detected. Three KASP markers linked with five of these major QTLs were developed. These QTLs and KASP markers will be useful for elucidating the genetic architecture of grain yield and developing new wheat varieties with high and stable yield in wheat.

Abstract The hydraulic performance of single-wing labyrinth drip irrigation tapes under the coupling effect of water and fertilizer affects the operating efficiency of the entire drip irrigation system. In this study, three types of single-wing labyrinth drip irrigation tapes were studied. We evaluated the average relative flow of each type and conducted indoor uniform orthogonal tests of three factors, namely, fertilizer concentration, sediment content, and operating pressure. The results showed that the order of the factors affecting the average relative flow of single-wing labyrinth drip irrigation tape was sediment content > fertilizer concentration > operating pressure. The projection pursuit regression (PPR) models of the average relative flow of three types of single-wing labyrinth drip irrigation tapes (H1, H2, and H3) were established. The root mean square errors (nRMSE) of these three models were 0.66%, 0.74%, 0.34%, respectively, indicating their excellent prediction performance. The optimal performance of the three types of tapes were obtained when the fertilizer concentration was 0.6 g/L, the sediment content was 1 g/L, and the operating pressure was 40 kPa. Under the optimal condition, the average relative flows of H1-type, H2-type, and H3-type were 0.792, 0.764, and 0.700, respectively.

Background: The prognostic factors and optimal choice of treatment for primary neuroendocrine neoplasms of the breast (BNEN) remain to be defined. Methods: Patients diagnosed with BNEN in China were retrospectively reviewed from the literature following the systematic search of China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese biomedical literature service system (sinomed), wanfang medical network, and Pubmed database. The clinical characteristics and different treatment modalities of patients with BNEN were evaluated. Results: A total of 209 cases with BNEN were enrolled. There were 204 female and 5 male patients. The median age was 51 years old (range, 17–82). Out of 209 patients with BNEN, 208 (99.5%) patients were treated with surgery (SG), 44 patients (21.1%) had received radiotherapy (RT), 173 patients (82.8%) experienced chemotherapy (CT). A total of 158 patients with hormone receptor (HR) positive (87.8%, 158/180) were treated with endocrine treatment (ET). The median follow-up time was 52.4 months (range, 6–144). The 3-year overall survival (OS) rate and 3-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate for the whole group were 93.7% and 85.3%, respectively. In univariate analyses, Ki67 expression ≥20%, HR negative, neuroendocrine carcinomas (NECs) were associated with decreased OS and DFS (P 0.05). Conclusions: The best selection of patients to get the most benefit from different treatment modalities warrant further exploration. The clinicopathological parameters including gender, HR expression, ki67 expression, pathologic type, stage, tumor size, and lymph node status may serve as both indicators of diagnosis and prognosis, and guide treatment decisions for BNEN.

Filters are important pieces of equipment to ensure the normal operation of micro-irrigation systems, and the head loss is a key indicator to evaluate their hydraulic performances. To reduce the head loss and energy consumption, a new type of filter for treating surface water – the pre-pump micro-pressure filter was proposed. The pre-pump micro-pressure filter was studied, and physical model tests on the flow rate, water separator type, and filter screen area were conducted under clean water conditions. Statistical and dimensional analysis methods were used to analyze the test results. Our results showed that the order of the factors affecting the head loss of the filter was flow rate > water separator type > filter screen area. The various water separator types showed no significant differences in terms of head loss, while the different flow rates showed significant differences. A head loss prediction model was constructed, and the coefficient of determination R2 reached 0.987. Our results can provide technical support for new filter development and enrich the theory of micro-pressure filtration. HIGHLIGHTS The predicted head loss of pre-pump micro-pressure filter has a high regression coefficient. The average relative error of the predicted value is 6.07%, which shows that the calculation equation is an ideal head loss prediction model.; The order of the factors affecting the head loss of the filter is as follows: flow rate > water separator type > filter screen area.;

AIM: To investigate the effect of perioperative synoptophore scintillation training on postoperative restoration of binocular visual function in patients with constant exotropia.METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 68(136 eyes)patients with constant exotropia, who successfully underwent surgical ophthalmological treatment from January 2017 to March 2021. Patients were divided into group A(n=35 cases, 70 eyes)and group B(n=33 cases, 66 eyes)according to whether or not they received perioperative synoptophore scintillation training. Group A included 19 males(38 eyes)and 16 females(32 eyes)(mean age: 29.34±12.72 years). Group B included 13 males(26 eyes)and 20 females(40 eyes)(mean age: 30.12±8.75 years). One month postoperatively, the patients were examined with a synoptophore, and the restoration of simultaneous vision, fusion function, and stereoscopic function were compared between the two groups.RESULTS: There were no significant differences in age, sex, and preoperative far and near deviations between the two groups(P>0.05). Postoperatively, the restoration rates of simultaneous vision, fusion function, and stereoacuity were 54%, 54%, and 43% in group A, respectively. And 27%, 27%, and 15% in group B, respectively. Statistically, there were respectively significant differences between the two groups(χ2=5.117, 5.117, 6.280; all P12 years)with constant exotropia without binocular vision function and enhance the therapeutic effect of surgery.

We establish both the uniqueness and the existence of the solutions to a hidden-memory variable-order fractional stochastic partial differential equation, which models, e.g., the stochastic motion of a Brownian particle within a viscous liquid medium varied with fractal dimensions. We also investigate the inverse problem concerning the observations of the solutions, which eliminates the analytic assumptions on the variable orders in the literature of this topic and theoretically guarantees the reliability of the determination and experimental inference.

This work investigates the role of boron addition in the solidification behavior and microstructural evolution during the heat treatment process of Ti-46Al-8Nb-xB (x = 0.1, 0.7, 1.4, 2.5 at.%). The results show that the solid solution boron element prefers to occupy the interstitial vacancies of the α2 phase in the alloy. However, the solid solubility of the boron element in high Nb-containing TiAl alloys is extremely low. Therefore, it does not have a significant effect on the lattice distortion of α2 and γ phases in the alloy. When the boron content is added up to 0.1%, a B27-type TiB precipitated phase is produced in the alloy. The morphology of borides mostly shows short rod-like structures, and a few show long curved shapes. And the addition of boron refines both the alloy colony size and the lamellar structure. Furthermore, it is also found that boron addition weakens the casting texture of the alloy. After a solid solution and different time aging heat treatment process, the microstructure of different boron content alloys have experienced obvious coarsening phenomenon. However, the morphology of the boride is closely related to boron content and heat treatment.

Background: To observe whether guideline non-adherence in initial palliative treatment choices for premenopausal hormone receptor-positive (HR+), HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients result in worse clinical outcomes in the Chinese population. Methods: The China National Cancer Center database was used to identify 2194 patients diagnosed between 2004 and 2015. A total of 451 premenopausal patients with HR + HER2- MBC were included. Clinicopathological features and survival information were extracted. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method and compared using log-rank test. Results: The number of patients receiving initial chemotherapy, endocrine therapy and chemo-endocrine therapy were 222 (49.2%), 80 (17.7%), and 149 (33.0%), respectively. Patients receiving initial chemotherapy were more likely to be luminal B subtype, had more de novo stage IV disease and more liver metastasis, compared with patients receiving initial endocrine therapy. Both PFS and OS were significantly longer for chemo-endocrine therapy group (median PFS 18.9 months and OS 75.0 months), than for endocrine therapy group (median PFS 11.7 months and OS 53.5 months), and chemotherapy group (median PFS 7.1 months and OS 43.9 months). In multivariate analysis, none of the three treatment strategies were independently associated with PFS or OS. Conclusion: In real world, a high percentage of premenopausal patients with HR + HER2- disease received chemotherapy as initial palliative treatment in China, which was not associated with worsened survival. Further studies with larger sample size across China are needed to explore the relationship between this guideline non-adherence and clinical outcomes.

The weak heat tolerance of Clematis ornamental varieties negatively affects their ornamental qualities in the summer. To elucidate heat resistance mechanisms, Clematis lanuginosa, which is an important original parent of the Clematis large-flowered group of ornamental varieties, was selected for use in this study. Here, six libraries, including three biological replicates each of control and heat-shock stress samples, were determined using RNA-sequencing technology. In total, 62,050 unigenes were obtained, and 6,439 unigenes exceeded 1 kb in length. A total of 42,377 unigenes were annotated using six databases. Between the two treatments, 2,165 differentially expressed genes were identified, with 1,565 being up-regulated and 600 down-regulated. In addition, 51 heat-shock protein-encoding genes were identified, among which the small heat-shock proteins accounted for 68.63%. In total, two heat-shock factors and 12 ribosomal proteins were significantly up-regulated under heat-stress conditions. The differential expressions of ethylene-responsive transcription factor, chalcone synthase, cysteine-rich receptor-like kinase and aspartic protease unigenes in guard cells were induced by heat-shock. The data obtained will assist the elucidation of the molecular events underlying heat-stress responses in C. lanuginosa.

ABSTRACT The rhizosphere of invasive plants presumably develops different soil microbial assemblages compared with native plants, which may hinder or promote their invasion. However, to date, no studies have clearly explored rhizosphere microbial community assemblages during invasion. The invasive species Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. and Bidens pilosa L. are widely distributed in China and are known to reduce local biodiversity and cause agricultural losses. Monoculture of A. artemisiifolia or B. pilosa, a mixture of each invasive and native species, and monoculture of native species were established to simulate different degrees of invasion. Metagenomic sequencing techniques were used to test microbial community structure and function. The aim was to explore the drivers of the assembly of peculiar functional microbes in the rhizosphere soil of invasive species during the long-term invasive-native species interaction. Compared with the native species, the relative abundance of 34 microbial genera was higher in the rhizosphere soil of the invasive species. The NO3-N concentration in the rhizosphere soil from the A. artemisiifolia and B. pilosa monocultures was lower than that from monocultures of the three native plants, whereas pH followed the opposite trend. The NO3-N concentration was significantly and negatively correlated with Sporichthya, Afipia, Actinokineospora, and Pseudolabrys. pH was positively correlated with Bradyrhizobium, Actinoplanes, Micromonospora, Steroidobacter, Burkholderia, and Labilithrix. The differences in soil microbes, NO3-N concentrations, and pH between native and invasive species suggest that the rhizosphere soil microbial assemblages may vary. The reduced NO3-N concentration and increased pH corelated with changes in rhizosphere microbial community during A. artemisiifolia and B. pilosa invasion. IMPORTANCE Soil microbial communities play a vital role in the growth of invasive plants. Invasive species may shape peculiar functional microbes in the rhizosphere soil of an invasive species to benefit its growth. However, the drivers of the assembly of soil microbial communities in the rhizosphere soil of invasive species remain unclear. Our study established the relationship between soil microbial communities and soil chemical properties during invasion by A. artemisiifolia and B. pilosa. Additionally, it showed that the presence of the invasive plants correlated with changes in NO3-N and pH, as well as in rhizosphere microbial community assemblage. Furthermore, the study provided important insights into the difference in the microbial community assembly between native and invasive plant species.

Background and Objective. Intrapleural tissue plasminogen activator/deoxyribonuclease (tPA/DNase) is increasingly being used for pleural infections. Compared to sequential instillation of tPA/DNase, concurrent instillation considerably reduces the complexity of the administration process and reduces workload and the number of times the chest drain is accessed. However, it remains unclear if concurrent intrapleural therapy is as efficacious or safe as sequential intrapleural therapy. Methods. We conducted a retrospective review of patients with pleural infection requiring intrapleural therapy at two tertiary referral centres. Results. We included 84 (62.2%) and 51 (37.8%) patients who received sequential and concurrent intrapleural therapy, respectively. Patient demographics and clinical characteristics, including age, RAPID score, and percentage of pleural opacity on radiographs before intrapleural therapy, were similar in both groups. Treatment failure rates (defined by either in-hospital mortality, surgical intervention, or 30-day readmission for pleural infection) were 9.5% and 5.9% with sequential and concurrent intrapleural therapy, respectively (p=0.534). This translates to a treatment success rate of 90.5% and 94.1% for sequential and concurrent intrapleural therapy, respectively. There was no significant difference in the decrease in percentage of pleural effusion size on chest radiographs (15.1% [IQR 6-35.7] versus 26.6% [IQR 9.9-38.7], p=0.143) between sequential and concurrent therapy, respectively. There were also no significant differences in the rate of pleural bleeding (4.8% versus 9.8%, p=0.298) and chest pain (13.1% versus 9.8%, p=0.566) between sequential and concurrent therapy, respectively. Conclusion. Our study adds to the growing literature on the safety and efficacy of concurrent intrapleural therapy in pleural infection.

The heating mechanisms of solar white-light flares remain unclear. We present an X1.0 white-light flare on 2022 October 2 (SOL2022-10-02T20:25) observed by the Chinese H α Solar Explorer that provides two-dimensional spectra in the visible light for the full solar disk with a seeing-free condition. The flare shows a prominent enhancement of ∼40% in the photospheric Fe i line at 6569.2 Å, and the nearby continuum also exhibits a maximum enhancement of ∼40%. For the continuum near the Fe i line at 6173 Å from the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory, it is enhanced up to ∼20%. At the white-light kernels, the Fe i line at 6569.2 Å has a symmetric Gaussian profile that is still in absorption and the H α line at 6562.8 Å displays a very broad emission profile with a central reversal plus a red or blue asymmetry. The white-light kernels are cospatial with the microwave footpoint sources observed by the Expanded Owens Valley Solar Array and the time profile of the white-light emission matches that of the hard X-ray emission above 30 keV from the Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM) on Fermi. These facts indicate that the white-light emission is qualitatively related to a nonthermal electron beam. We also perform a radiative hydrodynamic simulation with the electron-beam parameters constrained by the hard X-ray observations from Fermi/GBM. The result reveals that the white-light enhancement cannot be well explained by a pure electron-beam heating together with its induced radiative backwarming but may need additional heating sources such as Alfvén waves.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0261234.].

BackgroundGliomas are the most common and invasive malignant tumors that originate in the central nervous system. Currently, the primary treatment modality for gliomas is maximum surgical resection, supplemented by radiotherapy and chemotherapy. However, the long-term survival rate has not signifificantly increased. Pyroptosis is a new form of programmed lytic death that has been recently discovered. Caspase 4 (CASP4) plays a key role in pyroptosis. Many studies have shown that pyroptosis is not only related to inflflammation but is also closely related to the occurrence and development of most tumors. This study aimed to prove that CASP4 has a key role in the mechanism of gliomas.MethodsWe used expression data from The Cancer Genome Atlas and the Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas to explore the relationship between CASP4 expression and glioma prognosis. The differential expression of CASP4 in gliomas and normal tissues was fifirst tested, and then the connection between CASP4 and tumor prognosis was explored. The relationship between CASP4 expression and immune cell infifiltration was also investigated. Finally, the possible pathways were analyzed using Gene Ontology, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes, and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis.ResultsCASP4 was highly expressed and associated with a signifificantly lower survival rate in patients with glioma. It could also inflfluence immune cell infifiltration by releasing cytokines.ConclusionCASP4 can be a diagnostic biomarker and is a promising therapeutic target for gliomas.

In recent years, the amount of available data is growing exponentially, and large-scale data is becoming ubiquitous. Machine learning is a key to deriving insight from this deluge of data. In this paper, we focus on the large-scale data analysis, especially classification data, and propose an online conjugate gradient (CG) descent algorithm. Our algorithm draws from a recent improved Fletcher-Reeves (IFR) CG method proposed in Jiang and Jian[13] as well as a recent approach to reduce variance for stochastic gradient descent from Johnson and Zhang [15]. In theory, we prove that the proposed online algorithm achieves a linear convergence rate under strong Wolfe line search when the objective function is smooth and strongly convex. Comparison results on several benchmark classification datasets demonstrate that our approach is promising in solving large-scale machine learning problems, viewed from the points of area under curve (AUC) value and convergence behavior.

Objective To construct a hit-deficient mutant strain of S. mutans ATCC25175 and verify its cell cycle regulatory function. Method Genomic DNA was extracted from S. mutans ATCC25175 strains, and then the upstream and downstream DNA fragments of the hit gene were cloned into the pFW5 vector (spectinomycin resistant) to construct recombinant plasmids using PCR amplification. Third, employed by natural genetic transformation in S. mutans ATCC25175 strains, the linearized recombinant plasmids were transformed into their genetic competence, induced by the synthesized competence-stimulating peptide (CSP), and then, homologous recombination was utilized to produce crossover and noncrossover products. Fourth, the hit-deficient mutant strains of S. mutans ATCC25175 were screened through the spectinomycin-resistance marker and identified by the electrophoresis of PCR products and PCR Sanger sequencing. Finally, its growth rate in vegetative BHI medium was also investigated. Results The upstream (856 bp) and downstream (519 bp) DNA fragments of the hit gene from the genomic DNA materials of S. mutans ATCC25175 were cloned into two multiple cloning sites (MCS-I and MCS-II) of the pFW5 vector, respectively, and the recombinant plasmid pFW5_hit_Up_Down was constructed and identified by double-emzyme digestion and PCR Sanger sequencing. The linearized recombinant plasmids were transformed into their genetic competence, induced by the synthetic CSP, and then, homologous recombination was utilized to produce various products. The hit-deficient mutant strains of S. mutans ATCC25175 were screened through the spectinomycin resistance marker and identified by the electrophoresis of PCR products and Sanger sequencing. The growth rate of the hit-deficient mutant strains versus their parental S. mutans ATCC25175 strains was increased greatly (P

Because current mainstream anti-glycolipid GD2 therapeutics for neuroblastoma (NB) have limitations, such as severe adverse effects, improved therapeutics are needed. In this study, we developed a GD2 aptamer (DB99) and constructed a GD2-aptamer-mediated multifunctional nanomedicine (ANM) with effective, precise, and biocompatible properties, which functioned both as chemotherapy and as gene therapy for NB. DB99 can bind to GD2+ NB tumor cells but has minimal cross-reactivity to GD2− cells. Furthermore, ANM is formulated by self-assembly of synthetic aptamers DB99 and NB-specific MYCN small interfering RNA (siRNA), followed by self-loading of the chemotherapeutic agent doxorubicin (Dox). ANM is capable of specifically recognizing, binding, and internalizing GD2+, but not GD2−, NB tumor cells in vitro. Intracellular delivery of ANM activates Dox release for chemotherapy and MYCN-siRNA-induced MYCN silencing. ANM specifically targets, and selectively accumulates in, the GD2+ tumor site in vivo and further induces growth inhibition of GD2+ tumors in vivo; in addition, ANM generates fewer or no side effects in healthy tissues, resulting in markedly longer survival with fewer adverse effects. These results suggest that the GD2-aptamer-mediated, targeted drug delivery system may have potential applications for precise treatment of NB.

Abstract Background Optimal projection is essential for valve deployment during transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). The purpose of this study was to propose an approach to predict optimal projection in TAVI candidates with different aortic valve anatomies. Methods 331 patients undergoing self-expanding TAVI were included and the so-called non-coronary cusp (NCC)-parallel technique was utilized, which generated the predicted projection by connecting NCC commissures on the transverse plane on the pre-procedural computed tomography images. Results 37.8% of the study cohort were bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) patients. Around 80% of both NCC-parallel views and final views were in the right anterior oblique (RAO) and caudal (CAU) quadrant. There was less than 5° change required from the NCC-parallel view to the final implanted view in 79% of tricuspid aortic valve (TAV) patients but only in 27% (13/48) of type 0 BAV patients with coronary arteries originated from the different cusps. After excluding the above mentioned BAV patients, 62.3% (48/77) of BAV patients needed less than 5° change to achieve optimal projection and only in 8 patients, the angular change was larger than 10° in either left/right anterior oblique or cranial/caudal direction. Conclusions The NCC-parallel technique provides reliable prediction for optimal projection in self-expanding TAVI in all TAV and most BAV patients, with a vast majority of views in the RAO and CAU quadrant.

Purpose: To evaluate the function of cinnabar in Shangke Jiegu tablet (SKJGT) via pharmacodynamics and toxicity investigations to determine whether cinnabar should be removed from SKJGT. Materials and methods: The pharmacodynamic differences between SKJGT and cinnabar-free Shangke Jiegu tablet (CFSKJGT) were systematically compared in five animal models. Anti-inflammatory effects were assessed on ear swelling and paw edema by measuring the degree of swelling in each. Then, the acetic acid-induced writhing reaction and hot-water tail-flick were also evaluated by counting pain reactions. The pharmacodynamic effects on soft tissue contusions were identified through histopathological observation. Chemical markers of fracture healing, including osteocytes and the blood calcium and phosphorus level, were determined via radiographic examination and biochemical assay, respectively. In addition, the maximum dosages of SKJGT and CFSKJGT were tested in mice to compare their toxicities. Results: SKJGT and CFSKJGT showed anti-inflammation effects (swelling inhibition ratios of 40.8% and 44.0%, respectively), analgesia (pain threshold ratios of 48.2% and 44.1%, respectively, at 60 min in the hot-water tail-flick test), and soft tissue contusion repair compared with the control (p < 0.05), and the degree of swelling inhibition and the number of pain reactions were dose-dependent. SKJGT and CFSKJGT both significantly improved the bone healing in the rat fracture model, as indicated by the increased osteocyte size during weeks 1–6 and elevated blood calcium and blood phosphorus levels (reaching maximum concentrations of 7.5 mmol/L and 6.8 mmol/L, respectively) during weeks 1–2. The maximum doses for the SKJGT and CFSKJGT groups were 9.0 g/kg in the acute toxicity experiment. The seizure rate of the SKJGT group (25.0%) was lower than that of the CFSKJGT group (50.0%) when the toxicity was observed after administration. Conclusion: This is the first report to investigate the pharmacodynamics and acute toxicity of cinnabar in SKJGT. Broadly, this study offers novel, valuable insights into the efficacy of cinnabar in prescribed SKJGT.

To determine the allelopathic effects of root exudates from Flaveria bidentis on function of Bacillus, pot experiment was used to collect root exudates from living plants and test its allelopathic effects on function of Bacillus frigoritolerans and Bacillus megaterium, which were two dominant bacteria in the rhizosphere soil of F. bidentis. To obtain the allelopathic substances, the root exudates were successively extracted by N-hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, and N-butanol, and their allelopathic effects were tested. The results showed that B. frigoritolerans and B. megaterium considerably increased the concentration of available phosphorus and nitrogen, respectively, when the soil was treated with different concentrations of root exudates. Among the four organic solvent extracts, dichloromethane extracts significantly increased the abundances of B. frigoritolerans and B. megaterium and promoted their nitrogen-fixing and phosphate-solubilizing abilities. Phenol was detected in dichloromethane extracts by gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (GC-MS). Meanwhile, phenol promoted the ability to fix nitrogen of B. megaterium and its growth by increasing the soil available nitrogen concentration, but phenol promoted the ability to solubilize phosphate of B. frigoritolerans only in 0.1mg/mL concentration. Therefore, phenol was an allelochemicals in the root exudates of F. bidentis that affects the growth and activities of B. megaterium.

This paper mainly studies the preparation technology and properties of energy-storing luminescent plastic. The colorless and colored energy-storing self-luminous plastics were prepared by using epoxy resin as the carrier, adding long-acting noctilucent powder into epoxy resin to fully mix and adding phenol-4-sulfonic acid to cure. Their properties were analyzed. The color, hardness and luminescence spectral characteristics of the energy-storing self-luminous plastic were measured, analyzed and studied. The results showed that the red luminescence performance of the energy-storing self-luminous plastics prepared by a certain process had a good degree of recognition, and the amount of long-acting noctilucent powder also had an influence on the hardness of the energy-storing self-luminous plastics. The more the addition, the higher the hardness, the better the luminescence effect. Although the luminescence plastic with pigment could present a certain color performance in the daytime, it had a certain masking effect on the luminous intensity of the energy-storing self-luminous plastics at night.

The dysregulated microRNAs (miRNAs) are implicated in the malignancy of lupus nephritis (LN). This work aims to analyse the effect and mechanism of miR-146b-5p in lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-induced model of LN in vitro. The serum samples of LN patients and normal volunteers were collected. HK-2 cells were challenged via LPS. miR-146b-5p and interferon-induced protein 35 (IFI35) abundances were detected via quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) or western blot. The inflammatory response was assessed via inflammatory cytokines levels via qRT-PCR and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Cell apoptosis was analysed via flow cytometry and apoptotic protein levels. The protein levels of JAK1/STAT1 signalling were detected via western blot. The relationship of miR-146b-5p and IFI35 was analysed via bioinformatics and dual-luciferase reporter assays. This study revealed that miR-146b-5p level was declined and IFI35 abundance was elevated in serum of LN patients and LPS-challenged HK-2 cells. Functionally, IFI35 overexpression promoted LPS-caused inflammatory response and cell apoptosis, and knockdown of IFI35 caused an opposite trend. Meanwhile, miR-146b-5p targeted IFI35 to suppress inflammatory response and cell inflammatory response and apoptosis via inactivating the JAK1/STAT1 pathway. MiR-146b-5p suppressed inflammatory response and cell apoptosis by IFI35 mediated-JAK1/STAT1 signalling in HK-2 cells, which provided a new mechanism for understanding the pathogenesis of LN.

Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a chronic, progressive, fatal interstitial lung disease with limited available therapeutic strategies. We recently reported that the protein kinase glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) interacts with and inactivates the ubiquitin-editing enzyme A20 to suppress the degradation of the transcription factor CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein beta (C/EBPβ) in alveolar macrophages (AMs), resulting in a profibrotic phenotype of AMs and promoting the development of PF. Here, we showed that chronic lung injury upregulated the stress response protein tribbles homolog 3 (TRIB3), which interacted with GSK-3β and stabilized GSK-3β from ubiquitination and degradation. Elevated GSK-3β expression phosphorylated A20 to inhibit its ubiquitin-editing activity, causing the accumulation of C/EBPβ and the production of several profibrotic factors in AMs and promoting PF development. Activated C/EBPβ, in turn, increased the transcription of TRIB3 and GSK-3β, thereby establishing a positive feedback loop in AMs. The knockdown of TRIB3 expression or the pharmacologic disruption of the TRIB3‒GSK-3β interaction was an effective PF treatment. Our study reveals an intact profibrotic axis of TRIB3‒GSK-3β‒A20‒C/EBPβ in AMs, which represents a target that may provide a promising treatment strategy for PF.

Abstract The telencephalon is also known as the cerebrum, and it consists of the largest part of the brain. It makes up about 85% of the total weight of the brain. Neuroglobin (Ngb) is a protein found in neurons of both the peripheral and central nervous system that appears to convey some resilience to hypoxia, while the hypoxia‐inducible factor (Hif‐1α) is a dimeric protein complex that plays an integral role in the body's response to low oxygen concentrations, or hypoxia. The study examines the expression of Ngb and Hif‐1α in the telencephalon of adult yak in the telencephalon. The immunohistochemistry (IHC), quantitative real‐time PCR and Western blot (WB) were employed to investigate Ngb and Hif‐1α expression in the telencephalon. Ngb and Hif‐1α are significantly expressed in all tissues of the telencephalon except the hypothalamus. The cerebellar cortex, hippocampus, amygdala, cerebellum and corpus callosum recorded the highest expression but not significant. The overall expression revealed that Ngb expression was higher as compared to Hif‐1α. The IHC results also showed that the expression of Ngb and Hif‐1α were higher in the cerebellar cortex, hippocampus, amygdala, cerebellum and corpus callosum as compared to other regions. The results suggested that Ngb and Hif‐1α expression influence the adaptive mechanism of yak to the high altitude environment. Both Ngb and Hif‐1α participate in oxygen transports throughout the telencephalon and have functions in neuroprotection. Further studies are needed to confirm the mechanism of adaptation.

The fluorescent turn-on detection of metal ions is highly desirable for public health and environmental security. Herein, we report a rationally designed fluorescent probe (1) for the detection of Cu2+ synthesized by integrating 2-hydrazinylbenzothiazole with 3-acetyl-7-hydroxycoumarin. The probe alone is non-fluorescent due to the isomerization of C=N in the excited state. The addition of Cu2+ can cause a delayed fluorescence enhancement. A comparative study of 1 and its analogues indicated that the turn-on fluorescence response was thanks to the sulfur atom coordinating to Cu2+. The response delay of 1 in sensing Cu2+ was ascribed to the gradual transition from N-coordination to S-coordination (N and S in thiazole moiety). The proposed new function of S-donor would provide a new approach for the turn-on fluorescence sensation of Cu2+.