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The present study aimed to determine the effects of gradual drought stress on Prunus mongolica seedlings. The growth and chlorophyll fluorescence of the seedlings were investigated under drought and control conditions. The short-term (21 day) decline in soil water content from 30.46% to 15.55% did not significantly influence the growth of P. mongolica seedlings but increased the height, basal diameter, crown, leaf number, stem mass, leaf mass, and root mass of the seedlings. The growth of the drought group reached the maximum, but remained lower than that of the control group, within 21 days. Compared with the control group, the drought group showed 1.46%, 9.65%, 9.44%, 5.19%, 29.09%, 19.20%, and 0.03% lower height, basal diameter, crown, leaf number, stem mass, leaf mass, and root mass, respectively. With the gradual manifestation of soil drought through the decline in soil water content from 15.55% to 11.38% from 21 days to 42 days, growth of the drought group became significantly lower than that of the control group (P < 0.05). The minimal fluorescence decreased and then increased, whereas the nonphotochemical quenching initially increased and then decreased. Thus, P. mongolica can protect the PSII reaction center from damage at the early stage of drought stress. The maximal fluorescence, the maximum quantum yield of PSII, and the photochemical quenching slightly decreased during the initial period of drought stress. These results suggest that drought can slightly influence the openness of PSII reaction centers. This influence was further proven by the decreased quantum yield of PSII. This study provided insights into the adaptive mechanism of P. mongolica seedlings under drought and may serve as a theoretical basis to protect the P. mongolica population. Comparing these responses is crucial for elucidating the drought-tolerance mechanisms in P. mongolica cultivars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Few studies have used spatially resolved ambient particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of <10 µm (PM10) to examine the impact of PM10 on ischemic heart disease (IHD) mortality in China. The aim of our study is to evaluate the short-term effects of PM10 concentrations on IHD mortality by means of spatiotemporal analysis approach. Methods We collected daily data on air pollution, weather conditions and IHD mortality in Beijing, China during 2008 and 2009. Ordinary kriging (OK) was used to interpolate daily PM10 concentrations at the centroid of 287 township-level areas based on 27 monitoring sites covering the whole city. A generalized additive mixed model was used to estimate quantitatively the impact of spatially resolved PM10 on the IHD mortality. The co-effects of the seasons, gender and age were studied in a stratified analysis. Generalized additive model was used to evaluate the effects of averaged PM10 concentration as well. Results The averaged spatially resolved PM10 concentration at 287 township-level areas was 120.3 ± 78.1 µg/m³. Ambient PM10 concentration was associated with IHD mortality in spatiotemporal analysis and the strongest effects were identified for the 2-day average. A 10 µg/m³ increase in PM10 was associated with an increase of 0.33% (95% confidence intervals: 0.13%, 0.52%) in daily IHD mortality. The effect estimates using spatially resolved PM10 were larger than that using averaged PM10. The seasonal stratification analysis showed that PM10 had the statistically stronger effects on IHD mortality in summer than that in the other seasons. Males and older people demonstrated the larger response to PM10 exposure. Conclusions Our results suggest that short-term exposure to particulate air pollution is associated with increased IHD mortality. Spatial variation should be considered for assessing the impacts of particulate air pollution on mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experimental testing and analysis of strength and deformation characteristics of hydrate reservoirs is an integral part of natural gas hydrate exploitation. However, studies so far have failed to deeply explore samples from the South China Sea. Especially, there is a lack of a simple and applicable method to estimate their mechanical behaviors. Thus, based on test data, an improved Duncan-Chang model is established in this paper to characterize the strength and deformation of reconstituted samples with various hydrate saturation and stress states from this area. This model can accurately describe the strainhardening characteristics, and failure strength is estimated by the improved Drucker-Prager criterion with high fitting accuracy. The initial elastic modulus and failure ratio are given by the proposed empirical models, which are obtained from experimental data and fitting methods. Generally, this model has several advantages including simple structure, favorable performances, and a limited number of model parameters. Therefore, it could be widely used in strength and deformation analysis. This study can support the prevention and control of geological risks during natural gas hydrate exploitation in the South China Sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As shortest path (SP) problem has been one of the most fundamental network optimization problems for a long time, technologies for this problem are still being studied. In this paper, a new method by integrating a path finding mathematical model, inspired by Physarum polycephalum, with extracted one heuristic rule to solve SP problem has been proposed, which is called Rapid Physarum Algorithm (RPA). Simulation experiments have been carried out on three different network topologies with varying number of nodes. It is noted that the proposed RPA can find the optimal path as the path finding model does for most networks. What is more, experimental results show that the performance of RPA surpasses the path finding model on both iterations and solution time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a frequent reproductive and metabolic disorder associated with insulin resistance (IR). Berberine (BBR) is an isoquinoline derivative alkaloid extracted from Chinese medicinal herbs that has been used as an insulin sensitizer. BBR may have a potential therapeutic value for PCOS. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of BBR in comparison to metformin (MET) on the metabolic features of women with PCOS. Design and methods: Eighty-nine subjects with PCOS and IR subjects were randomized into one of three treatment groups: BBRCcompound cyproterone acetate (CPA; n=31), METCCPA (n=30), and placebo+CPA (n=28) for 3 months. Clinical characteristics of the women and metabolic and hormonal parameters were assessed before and after the period of treatment. Results: Treatment with BBR in comparison to MET showed decrease in waist circumference and waistto- hip ratio (WHR; P<0.01), total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC; P<0.05) as well as increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC) and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG; P<0.05). Similarly, treatment with BBR in comparison to placebo showed decrease in WHR, fasting plasma glucose, fasting insulin, homeostasis model assessment for IR, area under the curve of insulin, TC, LDLC, and TG (P<0.05) as well as increase in HDLC and SHBG (P<0.01). Conclusions: Intake of BBR improved some of the metabolic and hormonal derangements in a group of treated Chinese women with PCOS. Main effects could be related to the changes in body composition in obesity and dyslipidemia. Further controlled studies are needed for the assessment of the potential favorable metabolic effects of BBR in women with PCOS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the polyaniline/attapulgite composite supported nano zero-valent iron (nZVI/PANI/ APT) composites were synthesized by one-step oxidation using Fe3+ as oxidant and iron source. nZVI/PANI/APT was used as a catalyst to activate persulfate (Ps) for the simultaneous removal of Cr(VI) and orange G6 (OG6) from aqueous solutions. The main factors (different composite materials, pH value, Ps concentration, etc.) affecting the removal performance of Cr(VI) and OG6 were evaluated as well. The experimental results revealed that the nZVI/PANI/APT composites can effectively remove Cr(VI) and OG6 simultaneously at a relatively low Ps concentration, the removal efficiencies of Cr(VI) and OG6 were 99.7% and 99.4% after 60 min, respectively. PANI/APT as the supporter matrix could decrease the aggregation of nZVI and increase its reactivity. A good synergistic effect between Cr(VI) reduction and OG6 oxidation was achieved by nZVI/PANI/APT combined Ps system. nZVI not only can be as a reductant for removal Cr(VI) and OG6 but also play as a catalyst to activate Ps and generate radicals for the degradation OG6. The presence of persulfate could not significantly decline nZVI reactivity for Cr(VI) reduction but remarkably promote OG6 oxidation. Moreover, kinetic and thermodynamic analyses were used to study the removal process, and the possible removal mechanism of Cr(VI) and OG6 was discussed by using the UV-Vis spectrum and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry techniques. The nZVI/PANI/APT-persulfate heterogeneous Fenton system combines the nZVI reduction with the Fenton-like oxidation, which can be used for the treatment of industrial wastewater containing heavy metal ions and organic dyes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE: To analyze the outcomes and incidence of postoperative complications in a large series of patients undergoing LASIK for myopia. METHODS: All 5081 patients (10,052 eyes) diagnosed with myopia at The Third Hospital of Handan, China, from September 2003 through March 2005 were studied. All study eyes underwent LASIK with 1-month follow-up. Spherical equivalent refraction, best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA), and uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) were measured before and after surgery and intra- and postoperative complications were recorded. RESULTS: Uncorrected visual acuity at 1-month follow- up of 9555 (95.1%) eyes reached or exceeded the preoperative BSCVA. Hemorrhage of corneal limbus during surgery occurred in 1060 (10.5%) eyes, Sands of Sahara syndrome occurred in 232 (2.3%) eyes, interface infection responsive to treatment occurred in 4 (0.04%) eyes, and epithelial ingrowth occurred in 1 (0.01%) eye. CONCLUSIONS: LASIK is a safe and effective method for the treatment of myopia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Immune-based combination therapies have revolutionized the first-line treatment for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, for the efficacy and safety, the best treatment option is still uncertain. Methods: We conducted a Bayesian network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate first-line immune-based combination therapies for advanced NSCLC. Results: Fourteen trials involving 8467 patients were included. For the programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression non-selective patients, there were no significant differences among all the treatment modes for overall survival (OS), but the ranking profiles indicated that Immunotherapy + Immunoth erapy + Chemotherapy (IO + IO + Chemo) was most likely to be the best mode (probability = 68%). Immunotherapy + Immunotherapy + Anti-angiogenic therapy + Chemotherapy (IO + Anti-angio + Chemo) was significantly better than most other treatment modes for progression-free survival (PFS) with better objective response rate (ORR) and more obvious grade =3 treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs). In PD-L1-high cohort, IO + Anti-angio + Chemo seemed to be the best mode for OS, PFS, and ORR according to the ranking profiles. In PD-L1-intermediate and PD-L1-negative cohort, IO + IO + Chemo was inclined to be ranked first for prolonging OS (probability = 78%; 37%) and IO + Anti-angio + Chemo was most likely to provide best PFS (probability = 96%; 100%). Conclusion: IO + IO + Chemo has great potential to improve the OS regardless of histology type, especially in PD-L1-intermediate and PD-L1-negative cohort. IO + Anti-angio + Chemo shows great superiority in improving the short-term survival accompanied by increasing grade =3 TRAEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immune microenvironment plays a critical role in lung cancer control versus progression and metastasis. In this investigation, we explored the effect of tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte subpopulations on lung cancer biology by studying in vitro cocultures, in vivo mouse models, and human lung cancer tissue. Lymphocyte conditioned media (CM) induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and migration in both primary human lung cancer cells and cell lines. Correspondingly, major accumulation of Th9 and Th17 cells was detected in human lung cancer tissue and correlated with poor survival. Coculturing lung cancer cells with Th9/Th17 cells or exposing them to the respective CM induced EMT in cancer cells and modulated the expression profile of genes implicated in EMT and metastasis. These features were reproduced by the signatory cytokines IL-9 and IL-17, with gene regulatory profiles evoked by these cytokines partly overlapping and partly complementary. Coinjection of Th9/Th17 cells with tumor cells in WT, Rag1-/-, Il9r-/-, and Il17ra-/- mice altered tumor growth and metastasis. Accordingly, inhibition of IL-9 or IL-17 cytokines by neutralizing antibodies decreased EMT and slowed lung cancer progression and metastasis. In conclusion, Th9 and Th17 lymphocytes induce lung cancer cell EMT, thereby promoting migration and metastatic spreading and offering potentially novel therapeutic strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: According to the reactivity hypothesis and the diathesis-stress model, repeated activation of the stress system has a negative effect on health, and this effect may differ because of individual characteristics. Thus, the present study explores the effect of chronic stress on fatigue and investigates its mechanism., Methods: A questionnaire survey of 288 participants selected from the northwest part of China was conducted (13.89% females; ages ranged from 18 to 34 years, with M  ±  SD  = 23.14 ± 3.79 years) on chronic stress, fatigue, depression, anxiety, and negative emotion differentiation. SPSS 28.0 was used to process descriptive statistics and correlation analysis and the PROCESS macro was used to analyze the moderated chained multi-mediation., Results: Chronic stress was found to be positively correlated with fatigue, depression, and anxiety; depression and anxiety played a chained multi-mediating role between chronic stress and fatigue, and negative emotion differentiation played a moderating role in the chained multi-mediation model., Discussion: Compared with depression, anxiety plays a more important role in the influence of chronic stress on fatigue. Therefore, it is necessary to pay more attention to anxiety symptoms and take appropriate intervention measures. Negative emotion differentiation plays a moderating role. Improving negative emotion differentiation through mindfulness and adaptive emotion regulation is an effective way to reduce the influence of chronic stress on fatigue., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Lv, Qiu, Lu, Yajuan, Yongjie, Xing and Zhu.)

Objective: To investigate the correlation between systemic immune inflammatory (SII) index, serum interleukin-35 (IL-35) and high mobility Group-Box one (HMGB-1) with the severity and prognosis of sepsis., Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of 209 patients with sepsis admitted to Ganzhou City People's Hospital from October 2019 to October 2021. One hundred eighteen patients in Group-A had common sepsis, and 91 patients in Group-B had septic shock, which were subdivided into the survival Group-And the mortality Group-According to the 28d prognosis. The levels of SII, IL-35 and HMGB-1 in different groups were compared, and their correlation with the severity and prognosis of sepsis was analyzed., Result: The levels of SII, IL-35 and HMGB-1 in Group-A were significantly lower than those in Group-B (p<0.05). The levels of SII, IL-35 and HMGB-1 in the survival group were significantly lower than those in the death group (p<0.05). Spearman correlation analysis showed that the levels of SII, IL-35, and HMGB-1 were significantly positively correlated with the severity of sepsis (p<0.05), and significantly positively correlated with the prognosis of patients with sepsis (p<0.05)., Conclusion: SII, IL-35 and HMGB-1 are remarkably correlated with the severity and prognosis of patients with sepsis. With the increasing in SII, IL-35 and HMGB-1 levels, patients will suffer from severe disease progression and poor prognosis, which require more clinical attention., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest: None., (Copyright: © Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences.)