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Abstract Objectives The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate the influence of chemotherapy on the immune status of individual patients diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and to elucidate the clinical characteristics of immune reconstitution in ALL patients following chemotherapy. Methods Clinical data of children with ALL were gathered, including information on the number of lymphocyte subsets prior to chemotherapy, at the end of therapy, six months, and one year after the end of the treatment. Results A total of 146 children with ALL were included, and T cells, B cells, and NK cells all decreased to various degrees prior to treatment. The abnormal CD3 + T cell numbers group experienced a considerably higher mortality (21.9% vs. 6.1%) and recurrence rate (31.3% vs. 11.4%) compared to the normal group (P

The complex nature of microbiome data has made the differential abundance analysis challenging. Microbiome abundance counts are often skewed to the right and heteroscedastic (also known as overdispersion), potentially leading to incorrect inferences if not properly addressed. In this paper, we propose a simple yet effective framework to tackle the challenges by integrating Poisson (log-linear) regression with standard error estimation through the Bootstrap method and Sandwich robust estimation. Such standard error estimates are accurate and yield satisfactory inference even if the distributional assumption or the variance structure is incorrect. Our approach is validated through extensive simulation studies, demonstrating its effectiveness in addressing overdispersion and improving inference accuracy. Additionally, we apply our approach to two real datasets collected from the human gut and vagina, respectively, demonstrating the wide applicability of our methods. The results highlight the efficacy of our covariance estimators in addressing the challenges of microbiome data analysis. The corresponding software implementation is publicly available at https://github.com/yimshi/robustestimates.

Abstract Background Cotton fiber is a model tissue for studying microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs). The Xklp2 (TPX2) proteins that belong to the novel MAPs member mainly participate in the formation and development of microtubule (MT). However, there is a lack of studies concerning the systematic characterization of the TPX2 genes family in cotton. Therefore, the identification and portrayal of G. hirsutum TPX2 genes can provide key targets for molecular manipulation in the breeding of cotton fiber improvement. Result In this study, TPX2 family genes were classified into two distinct subclasses TPXLs and MAP genes WAVE DAMPENED2-LIKE (WDLs) and quite conservative in quantity. GhWDL3 was significantly up-regulated in 15 days post anthesis fibers of ZRI-015 (an upland cotton with longer and stronger fiber). GhWDL3 promotes all stem hairs to become straight when overexpressed in Arabidopsis, which may indirectly regulate cotton fiber cell morphology during fiber development. Virus induced gene silencing (VIGS) results showed that GhWDL3 inhibited fiber cell elongation at fiber development periods through regulating the expression of cell wall related genes. Conclusion These results reveal that GhWDL3 regulated cotton fiber cell elongation and provide crucial information for the further investigation in the regulatory mechanisms/networks of cotton fiber length.

Abstract Background The objective of this study was to develop and validate a nomogram for the individualized prediction of adverse events in patients with Stanford type A aortic dissection (TAAD) undergoing hybrid total aortic arch repair. Methods From April 2019 to April 2022, we conducted a comprehensive review of the medical records of Stanford type A aortic dissection patients who underwent hybrid total aortic arch repair surgery at our hospital. Patients were separated into two groups based on whether or not a composite adverse event occurred following surgery. Using univariate and multivariate analyses of logistic regression, the prediction model was created. Construct risk prediction models utilizing nomograms and evaluate their precision, discrimination, and clinical utility. Results Age, platelets, serum blood urea nitrogen, and ascending aortic diameter were the variables included in the nomogram by univariate and multivariate analysis. The risk model performed well in internal validation, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.829. The calibration curve demonstrated good agreement between predicted and actual probabilities (Hosmer-Lemeshow test, P = 0.22). Clinical decision analysis curves demonstrate predictive nomograms’ clinical utility. Conclusion This study created and validated a nomogram for predicting the risk of composite endpoint events in TAAD patients undergoing hybrid total aortic arch repair. The nomogram can help determine the severity of a patient’s condition and provide a more personalized diagnosis and treatment.

The Remote Sensing Ecological Index (RSEI) model is widely used for large-scale, rapid Ecological Environment Quality (EEQ) assessment. However, both the RSEI and its improved models have limitations in explaining the EEQ with only two-dimensional (2D) factors, resulting in inaccurate evaluation results. Incorporating more comprehensive, three-dimensional (3D) ecological information poses challenges for maintaining stability in large-scale monitoring, using traditional weighting methods like the Principal Component Analysis (PCA). This study introduces an Improved Remote Sensing Ecological Index (IRSEI) model that integrates 2D (normalized difference vegetation factor, normalized difference built-up and soil factor, heat factor, wetness, difference factor for air quality) and 3D (comprehensive vegetation factor) ecological factors for enhanced EEQ monitoring. The model employs a combined subjective–objective weighting approach, utilizing principal components and hierarchical analysis under minimum entropy theory. A comparative analysis of IRSEI and RSEI in Miyun, a representative study area, reveals a strong correlation and consistent monitoring trends. By incorporating air quality and 3D ecological factors, IRSEI provides a more accurate and detailed EEQ assessment, better aligning with ground truth observations from Google Earth satellite imagery.

ABSTRACT The gut microbiome is a potentially important mechanism that links prenatal disaster exposures with increased disease risks. However, whether prenatal disaster exposures are associated with alterations in the infant’s gut microbiome remains unknown. We established a birth cohort study named Hurricane as the Origin of Later Alterations in Microbiome (HOLA) after Hurricane Maria struck Puerto Rico in 2017. We enrolled vaginally born Latino term infants aged 2 to 6 months, including n = 29 infants who were exposed in utero to Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico and n = 34 infants who were conceived at least 5 months after the hurricane as controls. Shotgun metagenomic sequencing was performed on infant stool swabs. Infants exposed in utero to Hurricane Maria had a reduced diversity in their gut microbiome compared to the control infants, which was mainly seen in the exclusively formula-fed group (P = 0.02). Four bacterial species, including Bacteroides vulgatus, Clostridium innocuum, Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum, and Clostridium neonatale, were depleted in the exposure group compared to the control group. Compositional differences in the microbial community and metabolic genes between the exposure and control groups were significant, which were driven by the formula feeding group (P = 0.02 for the microbial community and P = 0.008 for the metabolic genes). Metabolic modules involved in carbohydrate metabolism were reduced in the exposure group. Prenatal maternal exposure to Hurricane Maria was associated with a reduced gut commensal and an altered microbial composition and metabolic potential in the offspring’s gut. Breastfeeding can adjust the composition of the gut microbiomes of exposed infants. IMPORTANCE Climate change is a serious issue that is affecting human health. With more frequent and intense weather disasters due to climate change, there is an urgent need to evaluate and understand the impacts of prenatal disaster exposures on the offspring. The prenatal stage is a particularly vulnerable stage for disease origination. However, the impact of prenatal weather disaster exposures on the offspring’s gut microbiome has not been evaluated. Our HOLA study starts to fill this knowledge gap and provides novel insights into the microbiome as a mechanism that links prenatal disaster exposures with elevated disease risks. Our major finding that reduced microbial diversity and altered metabolic capacity are associated with prenatal hurricane exposures warrants further studies to evaluate the impact of weather disasters on the unborn.

Prenatal exposure to heavy metals causes multiple hazards to fetal growth and development. Epidemiological studies on the association between heavy metals and fetal chromosomal abnormalities (CAs) are lacking. We conducted a nested case-control study in a cohort of high-risk pregnant women in China from September 2018 to June 2021. A total of 387 participants were diagnosed with fetal CAs in the case group and 699 were diagnosed with a normal karyotype in the control group. Amniotic fluid concentrations of 10 metals (barium, cobalt, antimony, manganese, ferrum, copper, selenium, strontium, vanadium, and chromium) were measured using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. We applied quantile g-computation and weighted quantile sum regression to assess the overall effect of metal mixtures and identify metals with significant weight. Logistic and Poisson regression analyses were used to estimate the effects of metals on CAs and CAs subtypes. Our results showed that the metal mixture concentrations were positively associated with the risk of fetal CAs. In adjusted logistic models, Sb was associated with fetal CAs (OR=1.15, 95% CI: 1.02–1.30), and revealed a linear dose-response relationship between Sb level and the risk of fetal CAs. Additionally, the exploratory analysis revealed that Sb levels were associated with Klinefelter syndrome (OR=1.452, 95% CI: 1.063–1.984) and Turner syndrome (OR=1.698; 95% CI,1.048–2.751). Our study revealed that metal mixtures are associated with a higher risk of fetal CAs and that this association may be driven primarily by Sb. Moreover, we provide a genetic perspective on the effects of heavy metals on sexual development in humans.

Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are a classic environmental endocrine disruptor with carcinogenic risk. Epidemiological studies have shown that PFASs contamination is associated with breast cancer development, but the mechanism remains largely unknown. This study first obtained complex biological information about PFASs-induced breast cancer through the comparative toxicogenomics database (CTD). The Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) network, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Ontology (GO) analysis were utilized to investigate molecular pathways. The ESR1 and GPER expression levels at different pathological stages and the prognosis of Breast Cancer patients were confirmed using the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Furthermore, we verified this by cellular experiments and the results showed breast cancer cell migration and invasion were promoted by PFOA. Two estrogen receptors (ER), ERα and G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER), mediated the promoting effects of PFOA by activating MAPK/Erk and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways. These pathways were regulated by ERα and GPER in MCF-7 cells or independently by GPER in MDA-MB-231 cells. Overall, our study provides a better overview of the mechanisms associated with PFASs-induced breast cancer development and progression.

AimTo explore the feasibility of Omaha system theory in the care of children with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), which may provide a practical basis for the continuous nursing of DCM children.MethodsA total of 1,392 records describing symptoms, signs, and nursing interventions were extracted from the medical records of 76 children suffered from DCM. Content analysis method was used to find out existent nursing problems, make precise nursing plans, and take corresponding nursing measurements according to the medical records of DCM children. Cross-mapping method was utilized to compare the conceptual consistency of the medical records and Omaha system (problem classification and intervention subsystems).ResultsOf the total 1,392 records, 1,094 (78.59%) were complete consistency, while 245 (17.60%) were partial consistency, and 53 (3.81%) were inconsistency with the Omaha system concepts. The concept matching degree of medical records and Omaha system was approximately 96.19%.ConclusionsThe Omaha system may be an effective nursing language for Chinese DCM children, which may be useful to guide nurses in the care of DCM. Further well-design studies need to fully evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of the Omaha system in nursing children with DCM.

BackgroundThe 5-year event-free survival rate for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) has increased to more than 85%. However, the 5-year overall survival rate in children with relapsed/refractory ALL did not exceed 50%. In the past decade, immunotherapies (such as blinatumomab and chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy) were approved for relapsed/refractory B-ALL, transforming the treatment environment for children with relapsed/refractory ALL.ObjectiveThis study aimed to explore how immunotherapy can be incorporated into salvage regimens for pediatric patients with relapsed/refractory ALL by retrospectively analyzing the diagnosis and treatment process of seven children with relapsed/refractory leukemia and observing the side effects of the two strategies and long-term survival.MethodsThe clinical features and treatment responses of patients aged

BackgroundAcquired von Willebrand syndrome (AVWS) is a less common bleeding disorder, primarily manifested as mild to moderate mucocutaneous bleeding and laboratory tests are similar to hereditary von Willebrand disease (VWD). AVWS is secondary to other diseases, and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a relatively rare cause.Case presentationWe report a case of AVWS as onset clinical presentation of SLE manifested as epistaxis and pulmonary hemorrhage. A 13-year-old male child presented to the hospital with a six-month history of recurrent epistaxis and a one-month history of anemia. Routine blood tests demonstrated severe normocytic anemia and normal platelet count. Von Willebrand test revealed a significantly lower level. High-resolution chest computed tomography (CT) showed patchy ground glass opacities consistent with hemorrhagic changes. After ruling out the family history, the patient was diagnosed with AVWS. Additional tests confirmed positive antinuclear and anti-Sm antibodies. The underlying SLE was diagnosed and treated with methylprednisolone with disease recovery.ConclusionWe recommend screening for bleeding disorders in patients with recurrent epistaxis. AVWS should be considered when laboratory findings suggest hereditary von Willebrand disease without a personal or familial history of bleeding. In addition, the underlying disease should be explored.

Location privacy refers to the individual private and sensitive location information involved in the user’s access to location services. Achieving location privacy protection has become a hot topic of research. However, existing location privacy protection schemes are susceptible to background knowledge attack, edge information attack, and homogeneity attack, on the one hand, and strict constraint on the number of neighbors, on the other hand. To address these deficiencies, a dummy location interference privacy protection algorithm for Location-Based Service location is proposed. To begin with, the dummy location candidate set is constructed based on using WordNet structure to guarantee semantic differentiation, randomly selecting offset location, and conforming to probability similarity; next, the dummy location set is filtered out by discretizing dummy locations based on the Heron formula; finally, the secure anonymity set is constructed according to the anonymity level. Experiments show that the algorithm enhances the privacy protection strength and improves the security of location privacy. Meanwhile, the communication volume and time overhead are reduced and the practicality is boosted by taking into account the sparse and dense environment of location points.

BackgroundCommensal microbiota have been proven to colonize the mammary gland, but whether their composition is altered in patients with breast cancer (BC) remains elusive. This study intends to explore the breast microbiome differences between benign and malignant diseases and to investigate the impact of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) on the breast microbiota in patients with BC.MethodsBreast normal adipose tissues (NATs) were collected from 79 patients with BC and 15 controls between July 2019 and November 2021. The BC group consisted of 29 patients who had received NAC and 50 who were non-NAC patients. Participants diagnosed with benign breast disease were recruited as controls. 16S rRNA gene sequencing was used to analyze the bacterial diversity of NATs.ResultsThe community structure of the NAT microbiome was significantly different between the BC and control groups. Proteobacteria decreased (47.40% versus 39.74%), whereas Firmicutes increased (15.71% versus 25.33%) in patients with BC when compared with that in control tissues. Nine genera were enriched in BC NATs, and four genera levels increased in the control group. The associations between differential bacterial genera and breast tumor grade were calculated by Spearman’s correlation. The results showed that tumor grade was positively associated with the relative abundance of Streptococcus and negatively related to Vibrio, Pseudoalteromonas, RB41, and Photobacterium. Moreover, menopause was associated with the microbiota composition change of non-NAC BC patients and related to the significant reduction in the abundance level of Pseudoalteromonas, Veillonella, and Alcaligenes. In addition, NAC was related to the beta diversity of patients with BC and associated with the decrease of Clostridium_sensu_stricto_7 and Clostridium_sensu_stricto_2 in postmenopausal patients. Of note, Tax4Fun functional prediction analysis revealed that the metabolic state was more exuberant in the BC group with upregulating of multiple metabolism-related pathways.ConclusionOur results offer new insight into the relationship between NAC and breast microbiota and help to better characterize the breast microbial dysbiosis that occurs in patients with BC. Further epidemiological studies with larger sample size and well-designed animal experiments are required to elucidate the role of breast microbiota in the therapeutic outcome of BC.

The catalytic activity and cyclic catalysis of different methyl benzoates were studied by using a series of Lewis solid acid catalysts. The iron-supported zirconium/titanium solid acid catalysts were characterized using FTIR, SEM, XRD, and BET. The details of catalytic activity and cyclic catalysis verified that the catalyst catalyzed the reactions of 31 benzoic acids with different substituents and methanol. In addition, the mechanism was revealed according to the microstructure, acid strength, and specific surface area of the catalysts, and the yields of methyl benzoates by the GC-MS. Zr ions had significant effects on the catalytic activity of the catalyst. A certain proportion of Fe and Ti ions additionally enhanced the catalytic activity of the catalyst, with the catalyst-specific composition of Fe:Zr:Ti = 2:1:1 showing optimal catalytic activity. A variety of substituents in the benzene ring, such as the electron-withdrawing group, the electron-donating group, large steric hindrance, and the position of the group on the benzene ring, had regular effects on the catalytic activity of the methyl benzoates. An increase in the catalyst activity occurred owing to the increases in the catalyst surface and the number of acid sites after the Fe ion was added. The catalytic activity remained unchanged after the facile recycling method was performed.

Plastic mulching reduces weeds, conserves soil water, and boosts crop yield. However, most studies are insufficient when determining how plastic mulching affects greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, particularly when used in conjunction with fertilizers. The purpose of this study was to determine the combined effect of plastic mulching and fertilizers on GHG emissions in apple orchards. A 3-year field experiment was conducted with two factors: mulching and fertilizers; (1) mulching treatments: plastic film (PM) and no mulching (NM); and (2) four fertilizer treatments: control (CK), organic fertilizer (M), inorganic fertilizer (NPK), and organic combined with inorganic fertilizer (MNPK), arranged in a two factorial randomized complete block design. The results showed that the mean annual N2O emissions ranged from 0.87 to 5.07 kg ha−1 in PM and from 0.75 to 2.90 kg ha−1 in NM. The mean CO2 emissions ranged from 2.10 to 6.68 t ha−1 in PM and from 1.98 to 4.27 t ha−1 in NM. MNPK contributed more to N2O and CO2 emissions in both PM and NM. The mean CH4 uptake rate ranged from 1.19 to 4.25 kg ha−1 in PM and from 1.14 to 6.75 kg ha−1 in NM. M treatment contributed more to CH4 uptake in both PM and NM. NKP treatments had higher greenhouse gas intensity (GHGI) in PM and NM, while MNPK and NPK treatments had higher greenhouse gas potential (GWP) in PM and NM, respectively. These results suggest that plastic film mulching significantly raises the potential for soil GHG emissions and increases apple yield.

The mechanism of improving the anaerobic fermentation performance of waste active sludge by using dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma pretreatment technology was investigated. The maximum accumulation of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) was observed on the 7th day of anaerobic fermentation when the DBD power was 76.50 W, which was 1726.70 mg COD/L, 1.50 times of the control group. The ratio of acetic acid in DBD group was 9.30% higher than that in the control. Further mechanism research indicated that DBD pretreatment can destroy the structure of extracellular polymer substances and release organic substances such as protein and polysaccharide. The dissolved organic matter analysis indicated that the DBD technique could increase the release of biodegradable organics (eg., tyrosine proteins, soluble microbial by-products), thus accelerate the biotransformation of organic substance. Bacterial community structure analysis showed that the increase in the abundance of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes and the decrease in the abundance of Proteobacteria in DBD group were beneficial to the accumulation of SCFAs. Besides, further archaeal analysis indicated that the decrease of Methanosaeta sp. and Methanosarcina sp. abundance in the DBD group facilitate acetic acid accumulation. This study demonstrated that the DBD technique can be used as an effective and potential pretreatment method to improve sludge anaerobic fermentation performance.

Cardinal features of CDK13-related disorders are characterized by intellectual disability, developmental delay, dysmorphic facial features, structural heart defect and structural brain abnormality. A 9-year-old boy presented with intellectual disability, development delay, characteristic craniofacial features, brain malformation, cryptorchidism, autism spectrum disorder, and recently, recurrent hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) in a half year period. Further investigation revealed the diagnosis of CDK13-related disorder. Finally, we found the underlying cause of HLH is acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Probably leukemia was a coincidental finding in this boy with CDK13-related disorder, but the case herein suggests that individuals with CDK13-related disorder also face risk of developing cancers. Further detailed information could enable us to clarify this presentation because of only limited investigation in affected cases.

Gossypium hirsutum (upland cotton) is one of the most economically important crops worldwide, which has experienced the long terms of evolution and domestication process from wild species to cultivated accessions. However, nucleotide evolution, domestication selection, and the genetic relationship of cotton species remain largely to be studied. In this study, we used chloroplast genome sequences to determine the evolutionary rate, domestication selection, and genetic relationships of 72 cotton genotypes (36 cultivated cotton accessions, seven semi-wild races of G. hirsutum, and 29 wild species). Evolutionary analysis showed that the cultivated tetraploid cotton genotypes clustered into a single clade, which also formed a larger lineage with the semi-wild races. Substitution rate analysis demonstrated that the rates of nucleotide substitution and indel variation were higher for the wild species than the semi-wild and cultivated tetraploid lineages. Selection pressure analysis showed that the wild species might have experienced greater selection pressure, whereas the cultivated cotton genotypes underwent artificial and domestication selection. Population clustering analysis indicated that the cultivated cotton accessions and semi-wild races have existed the obviously genetic differentiation. The nucleotide diversity was higher in the semi-wild races compared with the cultivated genotypes. In addition, genetic introgression and gene flow occurred between the cultivated tetraploid cotton and semi-wild genotypes, but mainly via historical rather than contemporary gene flow. These results provide novel molecular mechanisms insights into the evolution and domestication of economically important crop cotton species.

Abstract Background Cotton (Gossypium spp.) fiber yield is one of the key target traits, and improved fiber yield has always been thought of as an important objective in the breeding programs and production. Although some studies had been reported for the understanding of genetic bases for cotton yield-related traits, the detected quantitative trait loci (QTL) for the traits is still very limited. To uncover the whole-genome QTL controlling three yield-related traits in upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), phenotypic traits were investigated under four planting environments and 9244 single-nucleotide polymorphism linkage disequilibrium block (SNPLDB) markers were developed in an association panel consisting of 315 accessions. Results A total of 53, 70 and 68 significant SNPLDB loci associated with boll number (BN), boll weight (BW) and lint percentage (LP), were respectively detected through a restricted two-stage multi-locus multi-allele genome-wide association study (RTM-GWAS) procedure in multiple environments. The haplotype/allele effects of the significant SNPLDB loci were estimated and the QTL-allele matrices were organized for offering the abbreviated genetic composition of the population. Among the significant SNPLDB loci, six of them were simultaneously identified in two or more single planting environments and were thought of as the stable SNPLDB loci. Additionally, a total of 115 genes were annotated in the nearby regions of the six stable SNPLDB loci, and 16 common potential candidate genes controlling target traits of them were predicted by two RNA-seq data. One of 16 genes (GH_D06G2161) was mainly expressed in the early ovule-development stages, and the stable SNPLDB locus (LDB_19_62926589) was mapped in its promoter region. Conclusion This study identified the QTL alleles and candidate genes that could provide important insights into the genetic basis of yield-related traits in upland cotton and might facilitate breeding cotton varieties with high yield.

Sporadic acute Stanford type A aortic dissection (TAAD) is a serious condition that requires urgent treatment to avoid catastrophic consequences. The purpose of the present study was to explore, firstly, whether TLR4-regulated immune signalling molecules were activated in TAAD patients and, secondly, whether TLR4-regulated inflammatory products interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and CC chemokine ligand 5 (CCL5) could be a promising biomarker for diagnosis in patients with TAAD. Full-thickness ascending aortic wall specimens from TAAD patients (n = 12) and control donors (n = 12) were examined for the expression of TLR4 and its major signalling molecules, in terms of immunity and inflammation. Blood samples from TAAD (n = 49) and control patients (n = 53) were collected to detect the circulating plasma cytokine levels of IL-1β and CCL5. We demonstrated that expression levels of TLR4 and its downstream signalling cascade molecules were significantly elevated. Furthermore, receiver operating characteristic curve analyses showed that elevated IL-1β levels and decreased plasma CCL5 may have diagnostic value for TAAD. In summary, this current study suggests a more generalized pattern of inflammation in TAAD. In addition, TLR4-mediated inflammatory product, such as IL-1β and CCL5, could be novel and promising biomarkers with important diagnostic and predictive value in the identification of sporadic TAAD diseases.

Background: Weather conditions are a possible contributing factor to age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of irreversible loss of vision. The present study evaluated the joint effects of meteorological factors and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) on AMD. Methods: Data was extracted from a national cross-sectional survey conducted across 10 provinces in rural China. A total of 36,081 participants aged 40 and older were recruited. AMD was diagnosed clinically by slit-lamp ophthalmoscopy, fundus photography, and spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT). Meteorological data were calculated by European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) reanalysis and were matched to participants’ home addresses by latitude and longitude. Participants’ individual PM2.5 exposure concentrations were calculated by a satellite-based model at a 1-km resolution level. Multivariable-adjusted logistic regression models paired with interaction analysis were performed to investigate the joint effects of meteorological factors and PM2.5 on AMD. Results: The prevalence of AMD in the study population was 2.6% (95% CI 2.42–2.76%). The average annual PM2.5 level during the study period was 63.1 ± 15.3 µg/m3. A significant positive association was detected between AMD and PM2.5 level, temperature (T), and relative humidity (RH), in both the independent and the combined effect models. For PM2.5, compared with the lowest quartile, the odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) across increasing quartiles were 0.828 (0.674,1.018), 1.105 (0.799,1.528), and 2.602 (1.516,4.468). Positive associations were observed between AMD and temperature, with ORs (95% CI) of 1.625 (1.059,2.494), 1.619 (1.026,2.553), and 3.276 (1.841,5.830), across increasing quartiles. In the interaction analysis, the estimated relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI) and the attributable proportion (AP) for combined atmospheric pressure and PM2.5 was 0.864 (0.586,1.141) and 1.180 (0.768,1.592), respectively, indicating a synergistic effect between PM2.5 and atmospheric pressure. Conclusions: This study is among the first to characterize the coordinated effects of meteorological factors and PM2.5 on AMD. The findings warrant further investigation to elucidate the relationship between ambient environment and AMD.

This study investigated the synergetic effect of the combined calcium peroxide (CaO2) and microwave (MW) treatment on waste active sludge dewatering properties and organic contaminants’ removal. The optimal sludge dewaterability was obtained at CaO2 (20 mg/gVSS)/MW (70°C), and the capillary suction time decreased by 52% compared with raw sludge. Further investigation indicated that total extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), tightly bound EPS, total protein, and protein present in tightly bound EPS were closely correlated with sludge dewaterability. Tryptophan, aromatic protein–like substances and humic acid–like substances were the key compounds that affect sludge dewaterability. The charge neutralization and bridge effect of cation ions were strengthened when combined with MW irradiation. In addition, it was revealed that MW facilitated CaO2 to produce more hydroxyl and superoxide anion radicals. This study confirmed CaO2/MW to be an effective way to improve sludge dewatering and remove organic pollutants from sludge.

Background: Fetal balloon atrial septoplasty (BAS) is performed through the restrictive foramen ovale in fetal cases with established hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) and an intact or highly restrictive atrial septum (RAS). Methods: In the current report, we present a case of high position BAS in a fetus with HLHS/RAS. Results: Echocardiography confirmed an adequate atrial opening above the foramen ovale and fetal pleural effusion resolved spontaneously 1 day after the procedure. Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, the creation of a high position hole in the thinner part of the atrial septum, instead of the restrictive tiny hole, has not been reported in fetal cases with HLHS/RAS. Keywords: Congenital heart disease, Fetal balloon atrial septoplasty, Hypoplastic left heart syndrome, Intact or highly restrictive atrial septum

The promotion of cloud computing makes the virtual machine (VM) increasingly a target of malware attacks in cybersecurity such as those by kernel rootkits. Memory forensic, which observes the malicious tracks from the memory aspect, is a useful way for malware detection. In this paper, we propose a novel TKRD method to automatically detect kernel rootkits in VMs from private cloud, by combining VM memory forensic analysis with bio-inspired machine learning technology. Malicious features are extracted from the memory dumps of the VM through memory forensic analysis method. Based on these features, various machine learning classifiers are trained including Decision tree, Rule based classifiers, Bayesian and Support vector machines (SVM). The experiment results show that the Random Forest classifier has the best performance which can effectively detect unknown kernel rootkits with an Accuracy of 0.986 and an AUC value (the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve) of 0.998.

Glucocorticoids (GCs) have drawn great concern due to widespread contamination in the environment and application in treating COVID-19. This work aimed to compare the performance of UVA/chlorination and ozonation on GC removal in terms of removal efficiency, degradation pathway, and toxicity change, with fluocinolone acetonide (FA), triamcinolone acetonide (TA), and clobetasol propionate (CP) as target compounds. The results showed that both UVA/chlorination and ozonation could degrade GCs. Compared with UVA/chlorination (removal efficiency of 89% for FA, 86% for TA, and 90% for CP at 7 h), ozonation (removal efficiency of 90% for FA, 96% for TA, and 98% for CP at 15 min) was more effective in GC removal. Photodegradation contributed most to GC removal during UVA/chlorination, while O3 molecules were the main functional species during ozonation. H-abstraction, dechlorination, carbon–carbon bond cleavage, and ester hydrolysis were proposed for both UVA/chlorination and ozonation based on the identification of intermediates. However, ozone tended to attack C=C double bonds, resulting in the cracked benzene ring of GCs, while chlorine was more likely to attack alcohol and ketone groups. Although most GCs were removed during ozonation and UVA/chlorination, their acute toxicities slightly declined. Compared with UVA/chlorination, ozonation was more effective in toxicity reduction.

Background Selective fetal restriction growth (sFGR) is one of the common diseases of monochorionic diamniotic (MCDA) twin pregnancies, resulting in many adverse outcomes. At present, second trimester ultrasonography is widely used in the prenatal diagnosis of sFGR, but the diagnostic effectiveness is still uncertain. The aim of this study is to assess the diagnostic accuracy of second trimester Doppler ultrasound measurements for sFGR. Methods A retrospective study included 280 pregnant women (118 with and 162 without sFGR) with MCDA pregnancies was conducted in the fetal medicine center from Leiden University Medical Center from January 2008 to December 2013. The women participating had already undergone an ultrasound examination in the second trimester. The postnatal criteria of sFGR was a single birth weight (BW) 95th percentile). According to the diagnosis of sFGR after birth, we evaluate diagnostic effectiveness of Doppler ultrasound in the second trimester for sFGR. Results Of these 280 participants, the mean age was 32.06 ± 4.76 years. About 43.9% of pregnant women were primiparas. The ability of second trimester Doppler ultrasound to accurately diagnosed sFGR is 75.4%, missed diagnosis rate and the misdiagnosis rate were 24.6% and 10.5% respectively. The ROC curve indicated that the combination of AC discordance, EFW discordance, and small fetal UA blood flow was the best diagnostic indicator of sFGR in MCDA pregnancy with the AUC was 0.882 (95%CI, 0.839–0.926). Conclusions Second trimester Doppler and ultrasound measurements is an effective method for early prenatal diagnosis of sFGR. The combined indicator of AC discordance, EFW discordance, and the small fetal UA blood flow reaches highest diagnostic value.

The purposes are to manage human resource data better and explore the association between Human Resource Management (HRM), data mining, and economic management. An Ensemble Classifier-Decision Tree (EC-DT) algorithm is proposed based on the single decision tree algorithm to analyze HRM data. The involved single decision tree algorithms include C4.5, Random Tree, J48, and SimpleCart. Then, an HRM system is established based on the designed algorithm, and the evaluation management and talent recommendation modules are tested. Finally, the designed algorithm is compared and tested. Experimental results suggest that C4.5 provides the highest classification accuracy among the single decision tree algorithms, reaching 76.69%; in contrast, the designed EC-DT algorithm can provide a classification accuracy of 79.97%. The proposed EC-DT algorithm is compared with the Content-based Recommendation Method (CRM) and the Collaborative Filtering Recommendation Method (CFRM), revealing that its Data Mining Recommendation Method (DMRM) can provide the highest accuracy and recall, reaching 35.2% and 41.6%, respectively. Therefore, the data mining-based HRM system can promote and guide enterprises to develop according to quantitative evaluation results. The above results can provide a reference for studying HRM systems based on data mining technology.

Background: Obesity and maternal age are the two most important factors independently affecting the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). However, the age differences in the association between obesity and GDM remain unclear. The objectives of this cohort study included: (1) to determine the current incidence of GDM in Qingdao; and (2) to evaluate the risk factors for GDM, such as the interaction between pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and age.Methods: The cohort included 17,145 pregnant women who registered at 15 to 20 gestational weeks from August 1, 2018, to March 1, 2019. A 75-g 2-h oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was conducted for each participant at 24–28 gestational weeks. The age-adjusted incidence of GDM was calculated using logistic regression. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify risk factors. Interaction between age (reference group

Hereditary spherocytosis (HS) is an inherited disorder characterized by anemia, splenomegaly, and spherical-shaped erythrocytes, caused by mutations in erythrocyte membrane Protein Genes (ANK1, SPTB, SLC4A1, SPTA1, and EPB42). We investigated molecular spectrum and genotype-phenotype correlation in HS patients in Hubei province, central China. Twenty-three patients with HS were included. A next-generation sequencing (NGS) panel targeting ANK1, SPTB, SLC4A1, SPTA1, and EPB42 genes was used to screen potential variants. Sanger sequencing was applied to validate variants. Of the twenty-three patients, thirteen patients carried ANK1 variants, and ten patients harbored SPTB variants, including ten non-sense, six indel, four splice site, one start-loss, and one missense variant. Four out of twenty-two variants in our study were known, and eighteen variants were novel. Most ANK1 and SPTB variants were indel (5/12) or non-sense (7/10), respectively. Family member analysis in thirteen families showed that six variants were de novo. Variable expressivities were observed in a pair of twins with ANK1 c.341C > T variant, and two unrelated patients both carried ANK1 c.2T > A variant. Genotype-phenotype analysis found no significant difference between ANK1 and SPTB regarding the levels of Hb, RBC, MCV, MCH, and MCHC. However, variants in the ANK1 death domain were associated with lower levels of MCV and MCH compared to other ANK1 domains. In conclusion, NGS is a fast way to provide a molecular HS diagnosis. We also identified unique genetic and clinical characteristics of patients with HS in Hubei Province, China. However, a large sample size is needed to further investigate the genotype-phenotype correlation.

Abstract Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is a common diagnosed disease with high‐mortality rate, and its prognostic implications are under discovered. DNA methylation aberrations are not only an important event for dysregulation of gene expression during tumorigenesis but also a revolution in epigenetics by identifying key prognostic biomarkers for multiple cancers. In this study, we analyzed methylation status of 485 578 CpG sites and RNA‐seq transcriptomes of 20 532 genes for 1095 LUAD samples in TCGA database. The association between DNA methylation and the prognostic value of the corresponding gene expression was identified as well. In total, ten aberrantly methylated and dysregulated genes (AURKA, BLK, CNTN2, HMGA1, PTTG1, TNS4, DAPK2, MFSD2A, THSD1, and WNT7A) were highlighted which were significantly correlated with overall survival of 492 LUAD patients, which were all reported as tumor‐associated genes in other various cancers and worthy of further investigated and might be used as therapeutic targets for LUAD. Together, methylation aberrances regulate gene expression level during tumorigenesis and influence prognosis of LUAD patients. Integrating knowledge of epigenetics and expression of genes can be useful for an in‐depth understanding of cancer mechanism and for the eventual purpose of precisely prognostic and therapeutic target verification.

AIM: To investigate the blood biochemical indexes in total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol and blood glucose levels and the correlation of eyegrounds arteriosclerosis.METHODS: This study selected 2017-02/2018-01 97 cases eyegrounds arteriosclerosis patients of our hospital blood biochemical indicator detection as observation group. The other selected line during the same period to our health physical examination results of 98 cases of normal subjects as control group. Detection of two groups of blood biochemical indicators, and then the comparison.RESULTS: The total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, blood glucose and blood pressure levels in observation group were significantly higher than control group(PCONCLUSION: The blood glucose, total cholesterol, blood pressure, and low density lipoprotein level was higher, the eyegrounds arteriosclerosis in patients was more serious, eyegrounds arteriosclerosis level by clinical testing for treatment monitoring, diagnosis, pathological changes.

Successful generation of pentaploid wheat (genome, BBAAD) via interspecific hybridization between tetraploid wheat (BBAA) and hexaploid wheat (BBAADD) holds great promise to mutually exchange desirable traits between the two cultivated wheat species, as well as providing a novel facet for evolutionary studies of polyploid wheat. Taking advantage of the viable and fertile nature of an extracted tetraploid wheat (ETW) with a BBAA genome that is virtually identical with the BBAA component of a hexaploid common wheat, and a synthetic hexaploid wheat, we constructed four pentaploid wheats with several distinct yet complementary features, of which harboring homozygous BBAA subgenomes is a common feature. By using a combined FISH/GISH method that enables diagnosing all individual wheat chromosomes, we precisely karyotyped a larger number of cohorts from the immediate progenies of each of the four pentaploid wheats. We found that the BBAA component of hexaploid common wheat possesses a significantly stronger capacity to buffer and sustain imbalanced D genome chromosomes and appears to harbor more structural chromosome variations than the BBAA genome of tetraploid wheat. We also document that this stronger capacity of the hexaploid BBAA subgenomes behaves as a genetically controlled dominant trait. Our findings bear implications to the known greater than expected level of genetic diversity in, and the remarkable adaptability of, hexaploid common wheat as a staple crop of global significance, as well as in using pentaploidy as intermediates for reciprocal introgression of useful traits between tetraploid and hexaploid wheat cultivars.

We introduce a design with dual resonant structure which can harvest energy from random vibration sources at low frequency range. The dual resonant structure consists of two spring-mass subsystems with different frequency responses, which exhibit strong coupling and broad bandwidth when the two masses collide with each other. Experiments with piezoelectric elements show that the energy harvesting device with dual resonant structure can generate higher power output than the sum of the two separate devices from random vibration sources.

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are proposed to be responsible for high recurrence rate in cervical carcinoma. Reagents that can suppress the proliferation and differentiation of CSCs would provide new opportunities to fight against tumor recurrence. Doxycycline has been reported as a potential anti-cancer compound. However, few studies investigated its inhibitory effect against cervical cancer stem cells.HeLa cells were cultured in cancer stem cell conditional media in a poly-hema-treated dish. In this non-adhesive culture system, HeLa cells were treated with cisplatin until some cells survived and formed spheroids, which were then collected and injected into the immunodeficient mice. Cisplatin was administered every three days for five times. The tumor xenografts with CSC enrichment were cultured in cancer stem cell specific medium again to form tumorsphere, which we called HeLa-CSCs. Expression of cancer stem cell markers in HeLa-CSCs was measured by flow cytometry and qPCR. HeLa-CSCs were then treated with doxycycline. Proliferation and differentiation rates were determined by the size of spheres formed in vitro and tumor formed in vivo.We developed a new strategy to selectively enrich CSCs from human cervical carcinoma cell line HeLa, and these HeLa-CSCs are CD133+/CD49f+ cell populations with significantly enhanced expression of stem cell markers. When these HeLa-CSCs were treated with doxycycline, the colony formation, proliferation, migration and invasion, and differentiation were all suppressed. Meanwhile, stem cell markers SOX-2, OCT-4, NANOG, NOTCH and BMI-1 decreased in doxycycline treated cells, so as the surface markers CD133 and CD49f. Furthermore, proliferation markers Ki67 and PCNA were also decreased by doxycycline treatment in the in vivo xenograft mouse model.Cancer stem cells are enriched from sphere-forming and chemoresistant HeLa-derived tumor xenografts in immunodeficient mice. Doxycycline inhibits proliferation, invasion, and differentiation, and also induces apoptosis of these HeLa-CSCs in vitro and in vivo.

STIM1 is a Ca(2+) sensor within the ER membrane known to activate the plasma membrane store-operated Ca(2+) channel upon depletion of its target ion in the ER lumen. This activation is a crucial step to initiate the Ca(2+) signaling cascades within various cell types. Human STIM1 is a 77.4 kDa protein consisting of various domains that are involved in Ca(2+) sensing, oligomerization, and channel activation and deactivation. In this study, we identify the domains and boundaries in which functional and stable recombinant human STIM1 can be produced in large quantities. To achieve this goal, we cloned nearly 200 constructs that vary in their initial and terminal residues, length and presence of the transmembrane domain, and we conducted expression and purification analyses using these constructs. The results revealed that nearly half of the constructs could be expressed and purified with high quality, out of which 25% contained the integral membrane domain. Further analyses using surface plasmon resonance, nuclear magnetic resonance and a thermostability assay verified the functionality and integrity of these constructs. Thus, we have been able to identify the most stable and well-behaved domains of the hSTIM1 protein, which can be used for future in vitro biochemical and biophysical studies.

Although it is well known that the interface relaxation plays the crucial role for the electronic properties in semiconductor epitaxial layers, there is lack of a clear definition of relationship between interfacial bond-energy variation and interface bond-nature-factor (IBNF) in epitaxial layers before and after relaxation. Here we establish an analytical method to shed light on the relationship between the IBNF and the bond-energy change, as well as the relation with band offset in epitaxial layers from the perspective of atomic-bond-relaxation consideration and continuum mechanics. The theoretical predictions are consistent with the available evidences, which provide an atomistic understanding on underlying mechanism of interface effect in epitaxial nanostructures. Thus, it will be helpful for opening up to tailor physical-chemical properties of the epitaxial nanostructures to the desired specifications.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a prevalent genetic cardiovascular disease characterized by asymmetric thickening of the left ventricular wall, frequently occurring in families predisposed genetically. While HCM in twins is rare, it presents a unique opportunity to explore the disease's genetic and epigenetic underpinnings due to the phenotypic heterogeneity observed even among genetically identical individuals. This review collates and analyzes global clinical studies that focus on the twin phenomena in HCM. It explores the genetic foundations of HCM, examines the influence of environmental and epigenetic factors on disease expression, and emphasizes the crucial role of genetic screening in the early and differential diagnosis of HCM. By focusing on twin cases in HCM, this review aims to enhance our understanding of HCM's complex genetic background, which could lead to more personalized approaches in the management and treatment of this condition, thus drawing significant interest from researchers and clinicians alike. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: In June 2019, a patient presented with persistent fever and multiple organ dysfunction after a tick bite at a wetland park in Inner Mongolia. Next-generation sequencing in this patient revealed an infection with a previously unknown orthonairovirus, which we designated Wetland virus (WELV). METHODS: We conducted active hospital-based surveillance to determine the prevalence of WELV infection among febrile patients with a history of tick bites. Epidemiologic investigation was performed. The virus was isolated, and its infectivity and pathogenicity were investigated in animal models. RESULTS: WELV is a member of the orthonairovirus genus in the Nairoviridae family and is most closely related to the tickborne Hazara orthonairovirus genogroup. Acute WELV infection was identified in 17 patients from Inner Mongolia, Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Liaoning, China, by means of reverse-transcriptase-polymerase-chain-reaction assay. These patients presented with nonspecific symptoms, including fever, dizziness, headache, malaise, myalgia, arthritis, and back pain and less frequently with petechiae and localized lymphadenopathy. One patient had neurologic symptoms. Common laboratory findings were leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, and elevated D-dimer and lactate dehydrogenase levels. Serologic assessment of convalescent-stage samples obtained from 8 patients showed WELV-specific antibody titers that were 4 times as high as those in acute-phase samples. WELV RNA was detected in five tick species and in sheep, horses, pigs, and Transbaikal zokors (Myospalax psilurus) sampled in northeastern China. The virus that was isolated from the index patient and ticks showed cytopathic effects in human umbilical-vein endothelial cells. Intraperitoneal injection of the virus resulted in lethal infections in BALB/c, C57BL/6, and Kunming mice. The Haemaphysalis continua tick is a possible vector that can transovarially transmit WELV. CONCLUSIONS: A newly discovered orthonairovirus was identified and shown to be associated with human febrile illnesses in northeastern China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]