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An existing technique for quickly obtaining the spatial distribution data of soil organic matter (SOM) involves combining an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) platform and imaging spectroscopy technology; this technique is suitable for precision agricultural management and real-time monitoring. In this study, the average spectral data were first extracted via circular regions of interest (ROIs) of different radii and modelled using the measured SOM to determine the optimal extraction range for the spectral data. Partial least-squares regression (PLSR) and support vector machine (SVM) models were constructed based on the raw spectra, standard normal transform spectra, multiple scattering-corrected spectra, and first-order differential spectra. The difference index, ratio index, and normalized index were calculated and analysed for their correlation with SOM content, and the spectral indices were screened to establish the SOM prediction model. Finally, the accuracy of the model was evaluated, and we selected the optimal model to map the spatial distribution of SOM. The results of our study show that 1) the radius of the ROI significantly affects the model’s accuracy; 2) the accuracy of the nonlinear SVM model is much higher than that of the linear PLSR model; 3) the prediction model based on spectral indices is better than full-band model. This study can serve as a model for the application of UAV imaging spectroscopy technology to field-scale SOM estimations and rapid monitoring, as well as provide technical support for precision agriculture and climate change studies.

Coastlines have experienced profound alterations due to human disturbances and ocean dynamics against the backdrop of climate change and intensified anthropogenic activities. Significant modifications have occurred within the muddy coastal ecosystem, rendering it extremely susceptible to heightened levels of vulnerability. However, existing studies on coastal eco-environmental vulnerability have often overlooked crucial factors such as coastline erosion and siltation, particularly concerning coastline change. In this study, we assess coastline stability utilizing Landsat remote sensing imagery to investigate the vulnerability of coastal ecology alongside 24 economic and natural parameters, serving as indices for the Coastal Vulnerability Index (CVI) of the coastal eco-environment. Subsequently, we analyze the impact factors to vulnerability and predict trends in coastline change over the next 20 years to propose recommendations for sustainable development to safeguard the coastal eco-environment. Our findings reveal a trend towards coastline stabilization in Jiangsu, with significantly higher stability observed during 2010–2020 compared to 1985–2010. The overall CVI along the Jiangsu coast shows an downward trajectory over the past 15 years, primarily influenced by tidal action and coastal topography and geomorphology. Predictive modeling suggests Jiangsu coastline is bounded by the Sheyang estuary, with the coastline to the north dominated by stabilization and to the south dominated by siltation. Climate change, coupled with intensified human activities and future coastline alterations, may exacerbate vulnerability. Effective protection strategies for coastal ecosystems necessitate a comprehensive understanding of local natural conditions, resource availability, and socioeconomic dynamics. Governmental interventions should focus on reinforcing regulatory frameworks for coastal organism management, implementing coastal protection infrastructure, and enhancing supervision and management protocols for beachfront development, thereby fostering the sustainable management of muddy coastlines.

Abstract Background Myocardial infarction (MI) leads to enhanced activity of cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) and abnormal deposition of extracellular matrix proteins, resulting in cardiac fibrosis. Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5 (ACP5) has been shown to promote cell proliferation and phenotypic transition. However, it remains unclear whether ACP5 is involved in the development of cardiac fibrosis after MI. The present study aimed to investigate the role of ACP5 in post-MI fibrosis and its potential underlying mechanisms. Methods Clinical blood samples were collected to detect ACP5 concentration. Myocardial fibrosis was induced by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery. The ACP5 inhibitor, AubipyOMe, was administered by intraperitoneal injection. Cardiac function and morphological changes were observed on Day 28 after injury. Cardiac CFs from neonatal mice were extracted to elucidate the underlying mechanism in vitro. The expression of ACP5 was silenced by small interfering RNA (siRNA) and overexpressed by adeno-associated viruses to evaluate its effect on CF activation. Results The expression of ACP5 was increased in patients with MI, mice with MI, and mice with Ang II-induced fibrosis in vitro. AubipyOMe inhibited cardiac fibrosis and improved cardiac function in mice after MI. ACP5 inhibition reduced cell proliferation, migration, and phenotypic changes in CFs in vitro, while adenovirus-mediated ACP5 overexpression had the opposite effect. Mechanistically, the classical profibrotic pathway of glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK3β)/β-catenin was changed with ACP5 modulation, which indicated that ACP5 had a positive regulatory effect. Furthermore, the inhibitory effect of ACP5 deficiency on the GSK3β/β-catenin pathway was counteracted by an ERK activator, which indicated that ACP5 regulated GSK3β activity through ERK-mediated phosphorylation, thereby affecting β-catenin degradation. Conclusion ACP5 may influence the proliferation, migration, and phenotypic transition of CFs, leading to the development of myocardial fibrosis after MI through modulating the ERK/GSK3β/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Abstract Aims To evaluate the effect of antibiotic prophylaxis(AP) in the prognosis of Post-neurosurgical meningitis(PNM) patients. Methods A cohort analysis was performed using the clinical database in Beijing Tiantan Hospital and Capital Medical University. Data were collected on patients with the diagnosis of PNM (n = 3931) during 2012.01 to 2022.04. The microbial distribution, types of AP, and 42 and 90 days survival analysis of AP patients were evaluated using probable statistical methods. Independent risk factors for mortality were established by constructing a logistic regression analysis. Result A total of 1,190 patients were included in this study, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Staphylococcus aureus occupied the highest proportion. Of them, 929 cases received AP, cefuroxime and ceftriaxone are the most frequent used antibiotics. In addition, We found that PNM patients without AP significantly increased the 42 days and 90 days all-cause mortality rates. The use of different levels of AP did not improve patient outcomes, and ICU admission and assisted mechanical ventilation (AMV) were identified as independent mortality risk factors for PNM patient received AP. Conclusions AP plays an important role in the prognosis of PNM patients and has a significant function in improving prognosis. The prevention of PNM with antibiotics prior to neurosurgery should be emphasized in clinical practice, and appropriate selection of antibiotics is necessary to prevent the occurrence of infection and inhibit the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Soil nutrients are an important component of soil fertility, and having accurate and timely soil nutrients information is conducive to scientifically guided agricultural fertilization and improved crop yields. Traditional soil nutrient measurement methods are accurate but time-consuming and costly. Visible near-infrared (vis-NIR) and mid-infrared (MIR) as techniques of spectroscopy measurements are cheap, fast, and non-destructive, and, after training, have been used separately to predict soil nutrients. They can give complementary information, so using them separately may not be optimal. This study investigated whether the fusion of vis-NIR and MIR spectra would improve the prediction of six soil nutrients: total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), total potassium (TK), alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen (AN), available phosphorus (AP) and available potassium (AK). The sample set was 501 tillage (0 ∼ 20 cm) soil samples from Guizhou Province (China). Three different sensor fusion techniques were compared: (1) direct fusion of spectra (low-level fusion; SF1); (2) fusion of spectral features selected by the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) algorithm (middle-level fusion; SF2); and (3) fusion using the Granger-Ramanathan averaging (GRA) method of the separate vis-NIR and MIR results (high-level fusion; SF3). Prediction models were built using partial least squares regression (PLSR) and support vector machine (SVM), and evaluated using leave-one-out cross-validation (LOOCV), coefficient of determination (R2), and ratio of performance to interquartile (RPIQ), defined as Rcv2 and RPIQCV. All three sensor fusion methods were more accurate than single-sensor methods in predicting TN, TK and AN (0.60 ≤ Rcv2 ≤ 0.92, 1.86 ≤ RPIQCV ≤ 5.08), but were less accurate for TP, AP and AK (Rcv2 ≤ 0.34, RPIQCV ≤ 1.55). Compared to the best prediction using each single sensor model, low-level fusion improved the prediction of TN and AN; middle-level fusion improved the prediction of TN, TP, AN, AP and AK; and high-level fusion improved the prediction of all soil nutrients. Moreover, the SF2-PLSR model provided the best prediction for TN (Rcv2 = 0.83, RPIQCV = 3.18), the SF2-SVM model for AN (Rcv2 = 0.67, RPIQCV = 2.06), and the SF3-PLSR model for TK (Rcv2 = 0.92, RPIQCV = 5.08). The SF2 and SF3 methods are recommended to predict TN and AN, and MIR spectra are recommended to predict TK (Rcv2 = 0.92, RPIQCV = 5.02) since using only a single sensor is cost-effective. The SF2 and SF3 methods improved the prediction accuracy of AP and AK, but the prediction accuracy was still low. This study only covered one area with its set of soil landscapes, and only used well-established modelling methods. The results can motivate research on new spectra techniques and advanced modelling methods, as well as transferability to other soil landscapes.

Abstract Coronaviruses are widespread in nature and can infect mammals and poultry, making them a public health concern. Globally, prevention and control of emerging and re-emerging animal coronaviruses is a great challenge. The mechanisms of virus-mediated immune responses have important implications for research on virus prevention and control. The antigenic epitope is a chemical group capable of stimulating the production of antibodies or sensitized lymphocytes, playing an important role in antiviral immune responses. Thus, it can shed light on the development of diagnostic methods and novel vaccines. Here, we have reviewed advances in animal coronavirus antigenic epitope research, aiming to provide a reference for the prevention and control of animal and human coronaviruses.

Abstract Background Multiple preclinical studies have reported a beneficial effect of extracellular vesicles (EVs), especially mesenchymal stem cells derived EVs (MSC-EVs), in the treatment of sepsis. However, the therapeutic effect of EVs is still not universally recognized. Therefore, we conducted this meta-analysis by summarizing data from all published studies that met certain criteria to systematically review the association between EVs treatment and mortality in animal models of sepsis. Methods Systematic retrieval of all studies in PubMed, Cochrane and Web of Science that reported the effects of EVs on sepsis models up to September 2022. The primary outcome was animal mortality. After screening the eligible articles according to inclusion and exclusion criteria, the inverse variance method of fixed effect model was used to calculate the joint odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Meta-analysis was performed by RevMan version 5.4. Results In total, 17 studies met the inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis of those studies showed that EVs treatment was associated with reduced mortality in animal models of sepsis (OR 0.17 95% CI: 0.11,0.26, P

BackgroundGuillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) is an immune-mediated inflammatory peripheral neuropathy. This study aimed to conduct a systematic analysis of the serum lipids profile in GBS.MethodsWe measured the serum lipids profile in 85 GBS patients and compared it with that of 85 healthy controls matched for age and sex. Additionally, we analyzed the correlation between lipids and the severity, subtypes, precursor infections, clinical outcomes, clinical symptoms, immunotherapy, and other laboratory markers of GBS.ResultsCompared to the healthy controls, GBS exhibited significantly elevated levels of Apolipoprotein B (APOB), Apolipoprotein C2 (APOC2), Apolipoprotein C3 (APOC3), Apolipoprotein E (APOE), triglycerides (TG), and residual cholesterol (RC). Conversely, Apolipoprotein A1 (APOA1), Apolipoprotein A2 (APOA2), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) were substantially lower in GBS. Severe GBS displayed noticeably higher levels of APOC3 and total cholesterol (TC) compared to those with mild disease. Regarding different clinical outcomes, readmitted GBS demonstrated higher RC expression than those who were not readmitted. Moreover, GBS who tested positive for neuro-virus antibody IGG in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) exhibited heightened expression of APOC3 in comparison to those who tested negative. GBS with cranial nerve damage showed significantly reduced expression of HDL and APOA1 than those without such damage. Additionally, GBS experiencing limb pain demonstrated markedly decreased HDL expression. Patients showed a significant reduction in TC after intravenous immunoglobulin therapy. We observed a significant positive correlation between lipids and inflammatory markers, including TNF-α, IL-1β, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), white blood cells, monocytes, and neutrophils in GBS. Notably, APOA1 exhibited a negative correlation with ESR. Furthermore, our findings suggest a potential association between lipids and the immune status of GBS.ConclusionThe research demonstrated a strong connection between lipids and the severity, subtypes, clinical outcomes, precursor infections, clinical symptoms, immunotherapy, inflammation, and immune status of GBS. This implies that a low-fat diet or the use of lipid-lowering medications may potentially serve as an approach for managing GBS, offering a fresh viewpoint for clinical treatment of this condition.

This article aimed to investigate the feasibility of using imaging spectroscopy (IS) to predict soil organic carbon density (SOCD) either directly or indirectly through soil organic carbon (SOC). Three methods, partial least square regression, support vector machine (SVM), and random forest, were utilized to calibrate the models and map the SOCD. The results showed that direct prediction was better than indirect prediction and the best model SVM had high R2 of 0.94 and 0.93 for calibration and validation, respectively. The measured SOCD was mainly concentrated in the surface soil layer from 0 to 40 cm, and the deeper layer tended to be gentle. The continuous depth variation trend of SOCD in the topsoil (0–40 cm) was relatively close to the measured values, while in the deeper layers (below 40 cm), it was much higher than the measured values. This article also found that the best fitting function of measured SOC stocks over time varied from linear to power and then to logarithmic with increasing depth, indicating less efficient accumulation of SOC in deep soil compared to topsoil, resulting in an overall decrease in SOC accumulation rate across soil depth. The best temporal functions for the predicted values differed from the measured values at each depth, but the changing trends of the three functions were basically consistent. It suggests that IS technology has the potential to quantitatively reveal the process of coastal soil evolution and offers a new insight for the rapid monitoring of soil property changes.

Summary: Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is a serious complication of diabetes. Elabela (ELA), a ligand of apelin receptor (APJ), was shown to promote angiogenesis and suppress inflammation. This study aimed to illustrate the role of ELA in DFU wound healing. A whole-skin defect model was constructed using db/m and db/db mice to observe the effects of ELA on wound healing. The function of ELA in endothelial cells cultured in high glucose medium was investigated. Administration of ELA in peri-wound area of db/db mice accelerated wound closure and reduced inflammatory infiltration. Indicators of DNA damage, elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and tail DNA amounts, were downregulated by ELA but compromised after TRAF1 overexpression. ELA-mediated inhibition of NF-κB phosphorylation improved cell migration and angiogenesis, which were blocked by APJ silencing. The findings imply that ELA suppresses TRAF1-mediated NF-κB signal activation, reducing ROS-related oxidative DNA damage and improving protection of endothelial function.

It is a fundamental task to monitor the topography and understand the changes of intertidal zone for rational utilization and sustainable development. A new method is proposed for identifying the terrain of the intertidal zone, using ICESat-2 data to replace a large amount of on-site observation data, thereby reducing costs and improving efficiency. Based on pre-experiments and correlation analysis, time phase index, water index, water transparency index and suspended sediment concentration index are added as features for the random forest (RF). Compared with using only the original band as the model input, the RMSE is reduced by 0.08 m. The results show that the inverted terrain has an RMSE of 0.45 m compared with handheld RTK data, and the RMSE at the mudflat from UAV data is 0.20 m. Based on the analysis of terrain changes over the four-year period, the trend towards sedimentation closer to land becomes more pronounced.

Coastal wetland ecosystems around the world are facing serious challenges due to rapid economic development, climate change, and sea level rise. These factors have a great influence on the tidal creek network and vegetation ecosystem. Accordingly, based on long-term time-series remote sensing images, the evolution characteristics of tidal creeks and vegetation in silting muddy flats on the Yellow Sea were analyzed, and different quantitative methods were used to describe the relationship between tidal creeks and vegetation. The results showed that the total number of tidal creeks exhibited a downward trend, while the number of small creeks increased over time. The total length of the tidal creeks decreased at a rate of 16.1 km per year during the study period. The length of three-grade tidal creeks, the patch area ratio of Suaeda salsa, and a low vegetation coverage had a great influence on the average return flow length (LOP). LOP was negatively correlated with the patch area ratio of S. salsa, but positively correlated with the reclamation area, both significantly. With the increase in the patch area ratio of S. salsa, the total length of the tidal creeks increased by 12.95 km, and LOP decreased by 35.35 m.

Abstract Background Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are emerging as a potential candidate for stem cell transplantation to repair myocardial tissue in myocardial infarctions (MI). However, there are some pivotal limitations such as poor survival and low migration capacity of MSCs in hypoxic and ischemic microenvironments of MI. Our previous work verified that ELABELA (also abbreviated as ELA), a peptide hormone, could play a role as a growth factor and prolong the life span of rat bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (RAT BM-MSCs) under hypoxic and ischemic conditions. Nevertheless, the influence of ELA on the cell cycle, proliferation, and migration remains elusive. This study will further explore the improvement of the biological functions of ELA-treated RAT BM-MSCs, so as to provide a reference for improving the efficacy of RAT BM-MSCs in MI. Methods Rat BM-MSCs were isolated from 80 to 120 g Sprague Dawley rats by flushing femurs and tibias under the aseptic condition. RAT BM-MSCs of the third passage were divided into control group, hypoxic/ischemic (H/I) group, ELA group, ELA-LY group and LY group. RAT BM-MSCs were cultured under normoxia in control group. In H/I group, RAT BM-MSCs were exposed to hypoxia (1% O2) and serum deprivation for 24 h. RAT BM-MSCs in ELA group were treated with 5 µM ELA prior to the H/I exposure for 24 h. The PI3K/AKT inhibitor, LY294002 (50 µM), was used in ELA-LY group and LY group to observe the effect of ELA on PI3K/AKT activation. Cell proliferation ability was examined by CCK-8. Cell cycle was assessed with flow cytometry. Cell migration was evaluated by Transwell assay. Expression levels of total-AKT, phosphorylated-AKT, and cell cycle-associated proteins were examined by Western blotting. Results ELA-treated RAT BM-MSCs exhibited significantly higher proliferation ability, cell viability, and migration under H/I conditions. The cell cycle analysis showed that an increased proportion of cells in the S and G2/M phases of the cell cycle were observed in ELA-treated RAT BM-MSCs. The addition of ELA activated the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Additionally, upon treating with the inhibitor of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, ELA-triggered proliferation, cell viability, and migration were abrogated. Conclusions ELA can be used to enhance the proliferation ability, cell viability, and migration of RAT BM-MSCs through the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and alleviate cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase under hypoxic and ischemic injury. Thus, this study provides a promising strategy that ELA may help to optimize the mesenchymal stem cell-based therapy in MI.

Spartina alterniflora (S. alterniflora) was introduced into China in the 1980s to control coastal erosion. However, it has significant negative impacts on coastal wetlands by encroaching on the habitat of native plant communities, which has seriously threatened coastal wetland function and biodiversity maintenance. The core area of the Migratory Bird Sanctuaries along the Coast of Yellow Sea-Bohai Gulf of China was taken as the study area and GF-2 remote sensing images from 2017, 2019 and 2020 were selected in this study. By using U-Net, this study extracted habitat information, identified the variation in habitat pattern, investigated interspecific competition and the characteristics of habitat type shifts. The results indicated that the U-Net model showed excellent classification performance, with the highest F1-score and MIoU. The habitat of S. alterniflora expanded and increased from 3,920 to 4,350 hm2 between 2017 and 2020. The habitat of Suaeda salsa (S. salsa) continuously fragmented and had been reduced to 1,414 hm2 by 2020. The degree of habitat fragmentation in the core area was strengthened and heterogeneity was enhanced. Moreover, while the competition between S. alterniflora and Phragmites australis (P. australis) was intensifying, both encroached on the habitat of S. salsa, which aggravated the reduction and fragmentation of the habitat of S. salsa, causing the loss of food and habitat of red-crowned cranes and further threatening biodiversity maintenance and ecosystem stability. These results can offer new insights on the habitat competitive mechanism among native plant communities and alien invasive species in the coastal wetland under global warming and anthropogenic influences.

UAV-SfM photogrammetry is widely used in remote sensing and geoscience communities. Scholars have tried to optimize UAV-SfM for terrain modeling based on analysis of error statistics like root mean squared error (RMSE), mean error (ME), and standard deviation (STD). However, the errors of terrain modeling tend to be spatially distributed. Although the error statistic can represent the magnitude of errors, revealing spatial structures of errors is still challenging. The “best practice” of UAV-SfM is lacking in research communities from the perspective of spatial structure of errors. Thus, this study designed various UAV-SfM photogrammetric scenarios and investigated the effects of image collection strategies and GCPs on terrain modeling. The error maps of different photogrammetric scenarios were calculated and quantitatively analyzed by ME, STD, and Moran’s I. The results show that: (1) A high camera inclination (20–40°) enhances UAV-SfM photogrammetry. This not only decreases the magnitude of errors, but also mitigates its spatial correlation (Moran’s I). Supplementing convergent images is valuable for reducing errors in a nadir camera block, but it is unnecessary when the image block is with a high camera angle. (2) Flying height increases the magnitude of errors (ME and STD) but does not affect the spatial structure (Moran’s I). By contrast, the camera angle is more important than the flying height for improving the spatial structure of errors. (3) A small number of GCPs rapidly reduce the magnitude of errors (ME and STD), and a further increase in GCPs has a marginal effect. However, the structure of errors (Moran’s I) can be further improved with increasing GCPs. (4) With the same number, the distribution of GCPs is critical for UAV-SfM photogrammetry. The edge distribution should be first considered, followed by the even distribution. The research findings contribute to understanding how different image collection scenarios and GCPs can influence subsequent terrain modeling accuracy, precision, and spatial structure of errors. The latter (spatial structure of errors) should be routinely assessed in evaluations of the quality of UAV-SfM photogrammetry.

BackgroundPrevious studies have demonstrated that inflammation and impaired microcirculation are key factors in post-resuscitation syndromes. Here, we investigated whether methylprednisolone (MP) could improve myocardial function and microcirculation by suppressing the systemic inflammatory response following cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in a rat model of cardiac arrest (CA).MethodsSprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to (1) sham, (2) control, and (3) drug groups. Ventricular fibrillation was induced and then followed by CPR. The rats were infused with either MP or vehicle at the start of CPR. Myocardial function and microcirculation were assessed at baseline and after the restoration of spontaneous circulation. Blood samples were drawn at baseline and 60-min post-resuscitation to assess serum cytokine (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6) levels.ResultsMyocardial function [estimated by the ejection fraction (EF), myocardial performance index (MPI), and cardiac output (CO)] improved post-ROSC in the MP group compared with those in the control group (p < 0.05). MP decreased the levels of the aforementioned pro-inflammatory cytokines and alleviated cerebral, sublingual, and intestinal microcirculation compared with the control (p < 0.05). A negative correlation emerged between the cytokine profile and microcirculatory blood flow.ConclusionMP treatment reduced post-resuscitation myocardial dysfunction, inhibited pro-inflammatory cytokines, and improved microcirculation in the initial recovery phase in a CA and resuscitation animal model. Therefore, MP could be a potential clinical target for CA patients in the early phase after CPR to alleviate myocardial dysfunction and improve prognosis.

BackgroundGuillain–Barré syndrome (GBS) is the most common severe acute paralytic neuropathy, with a mortality rate of 5% and permanent sequelae rate of 10%. Currently, the cause of GBS remains unclear. Therefore, we sought to determine potential predictors for GBS and its severity.MethodsA case–control study was performed at Tiantan Hospital in Beijing from January 2017 to December 2021. Laboratory and clinical characteristics were assessed in recruited GBS patients and healthy control individuals (matched by sex and age). The potential risk factors for GBS and severe GBS were assessed using a logistic regression analysis. The mRNA levels of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) in GBS patients and control PBMCs were detected by fluorescence quantitative PCR. THP-1 cells were costimulated with LPS and free cholesterol to demonstrate the effect of free cholesterol on monocyte activation.ResultsA total of 147 GBS patients and 153 healthy individuals were included in the study. Logistic regression analyses showed that preceding infection, alcohol consumption, remnant cholesterol, homocysteine and the dyslipidemia index were correlated with a higher risk of GBS. In contrast, increased HDL cholesterol was correlated with a lower risk of GBS. Moreover, remnant cholesterol and the dyslipidemia index were significantly correlated with severe GBS. The mRNA levels of TLR4, TLR2 and NF-κB in the PBMCs of GBS patients were significantly higher than those of healthy individuals. LPS activated THP-1 cells, and free cholesterol treatment increased the expression of TLR4, TLR2, NF-κB and IL-1β mRNA in LPS-activated THP-1 cells.ConclusionDyslipidemia was correlated with the risk of GBS and severe GBS. Remnant cholesterol may promote the activation of monocytes in GBS patients. It may be valuable to control lipid levels in the prevention of GBS and severe GBS.

Background: Currently, no tests can definitively diagnose and distinguish neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) from multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods: Initially, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) proteomics were employed to uncover the novel biomarkers that differentiate NMOSD from MS into cohorts of 10 MS and 10 NMOSD patients. Subsequently, screening biomarkers were validated using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method and CSF and serum samples from 20 MS patients, 20 NMOSD patients, 20 non-inflammatory neurological controls, and 20 healthy controls. Results: In study cohort, insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 (IGFBP7) and lysosome-associated membrane glycoprotein 2 (LAMP2) were screened. In validation cohort, serum and CSF IGFBP7 not only exhibited higher levels in MS and NMOSD patients than controls, but also had greatest area under the curve (AUC, above or equal to 0.8) in MS and NMOSD diagnoses. Serum IGFBP7 (0.945) and CSF IGFBP7 (0.890) also had the greatest AUCs for predicting MS progression, while serum LAMP2 had a moderate curve (0.720). Conclusions: IGFBP7 was superior in diagnosing MS and NMOSD, and IGFBP7 and serum LAMP2 performed exceptionally well in predicting the MS progression. These results offered reasons for further investigations into the functions of IGFBP7 and LAMP2 in MS and NMOSD.

Abstract Background To determine the phenotype, molecular characterisation and risk factors of postoperative meningitis induced by Extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae (EPE) in China. Methods We performed a multi-centre comparative cohort study of postoperative meningitis patients infected with Enterobacteriaceae in 4 neurosurgical centres in China from January 2014 to December 2019. Phenotype and molecular characteristics of the isolates were reviewed and tested, and independent risk factors of the EPE meningitis were evaluated by binary logistic regression. Results In total, 220 Enterobacteriaceae include 78 EPE were available in this study. 85.6% (67/78) ESBL-related genes were tested, and bla SHV (14.9%) and bla SHV + bla TEM + bla CTX-M-9 (20.9%) were found to be the most frequent mono and combined ESBL-related genes harboured by Enterobacteriaceae. On binary logistic analysis, craniotomy (OR. 2.583, 95% C.I. 1.274–5.235, P = 0.008) and malignancy (OR. 2.406, 95% C.I. 1.299–4.456, P = 0.005) were the associated independent risk factors to meningitis induced by EPE. Conclusions To the best of our knowledge, this is the largest series focusing on risk factors of EPE meningitis which has been conducted in China. Craniotomy and malignancy were independent risk factors for EPE meningitis. The risk factors identified may be further utilized in clinical practice and research to avoid and reduce the mortality in future.

Rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) is urgently needed to slow down the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and treat infections with correct antibiotics. Stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) microscopy is a technique that enables rapid chemical-bond imaging with sub-cellular resolution. It can obtain the AST results with a single bacterium resolution. Although the SRS imaging assay is relatively fast, taking less than 2 h, the calculation of single-cell metabolism inactivation concentration (SC-MIC) is performed manually and takes a long time. The bottleneck tasks that hinder the SC-MIC throughput include bacterial segmentation and intensity thresholding. To address these issues, we devised a hybrid algorithm to segment single bacteria from SRS images with automatic thresholding. Our proposed method comprises a U-Net convolutional neural network (CNN), DropBlock, and secondary segmentation post-processing. Our results show that SC-MIC calculation can be accomplished within 1 min and more accurate segmentation results using deep learning-based bacterial segmentation method, which is essential for its clinical applications.

ObjectivesThis is a comparative cohort study aiming to evaluate the mortality risk factors for patients with nosocomial meningitis (NM) induced by multidrug-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (MDRE) in China. The clinical features and therapies of patients and the resistance mechanisms of MDRE pathogens were also assessed.MethodsMDRE-NM patients from two neurosurgical centers in China from 2014 to 2019 were included in this study. Clinical features were extracted from the medical record databases of the two centers. The molecular mechanisms underlying the microbiological resistance mechanisms of each MDRE pathogen were determined, Kaplan–Meier survival analysis was conducted, and multivariable analyses were performed using a Cox proportional hazard model.ResultsNinety MDRE-NM patients were included in this study. Klebsiella pneumoniae accounted for the highest proportion of causative pathogens (46/90, 51.1%), and 40 causative pathogens (44.4%) were meropenem-resistant. blaKPC (27/40, 67.5%) was the predominant carbapenem resistance gene. Multivariate Cox analysis showed that external ventricular drainage (EVD) [hazard ratio (HR) = 2.524, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.101–5.787, p = 0.029] and a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score ≤;8 (HR = 4.033, 95% CI = 1.526–10.645, p = 0.005) were mortality risk factors for patients with MDRE-NM. A total of 90.0%, 94.4%, and 97.8% of MDRE-NM patients received antibiotic prophylaxis (AP), antibiotic empirical therapy (AET), and antibiotic definitive therapy (ADT), respectively.ConclusionsNM caused by MDRE is an important sign of the failure of neurosurgery. MDRE possesses multiple drug resistance genotypes, and EVD and a GCS score ≤;8 are independent mortality risk factors for patients with MDRE-NM, which deserve the attention of microbiologists and neurosurgical clinicians.

Abstract Background Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have exerted their brilliant potential to promote heart repair following myocardial infarction. However, low survival rate of MSCs after transplantation due to harsh conditions with hypoxic and ischemic stress limits their therapeutic efficiency in treating cardiac dysfunction. ELABELA (ELA) serves as a peptide hormone which has been proved to facilitate cell growth, survival, and pluripotency in human embryonic stem cells. Although ELA works as an endogenous ligand of a G protein-coupled receptor APJ (Apelin receptor, APLNR), whether APJ is an essential signal for the function of ELA remains elusive. The effect of ELA on apoptosis of MSCs is still vague. Objective We studied the role of ELABELA (ELA) treatment on the anti-apoptosis of MSCs in hypoxic/ischemic (H/I) conditions which mimic the impaired myocardial microenvironment and explored the possible mechanisms in vitro. Methods MSCs were obtained from donated rats weighing between 80~120 g. MSCs were exposed to serum-free and hypoxic (1% O2) environments for 24 h, which mimics hypoxic/ischemic damage in vivo, using serum-containing normoxic conditions (20% O2) as a negative control. MSCs that were exposed to H/I injury with ELA processing were treated by 5 μM of ELA. Cell viability and apoptosis of MSCs were evaluated by CCK8 and flow cytometry, respectively. Mitochondrial function of MSCs was also assessed according to mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and ATP content. The protein expression of key kinases of the PI3K/AKT and ERK1/2 signaling pathways involving t-AKT, p-AKT, t-ERK1/2, and p-ERK1/2, as well as apoptosis-related protein expression of Bcl-2, Bax, and cleaved Caspase 3, were monitored by Western blot. Results We found that ELA treatment of H/I-induced MSCs improved overall cell viability, enhanced Bcl/Bax expression, and decreased Caspase 3 activity. ELA inhibited H/I-induced mitochondrial dysfunction by increasing ATP concentration and suppressing the loss of mitochondrial transmembrane potential. However, this anti-apoptotic property of ELA was restrained in APJ-silenced MSCs. Additionally, ELA treatment induced the phosphorylation of AKT and ERK, while the blockade of PI3K/AKT and ERK1/2 pathways with respective inhibitors, LY294002 and U0126, suppressed the action of ELA. Conclusion ELA positively affected on the survival of MSCs and exhibited anti-apoptotic characteristics when exposed to hypoxic/ischemic condition in vitro. Also, the function of ELA was correlated with the APJ receptor, reduced mitochondrial damage, and activation of the PI3K/AKT and ERK1/2 signal axes.

High‐density crowd counting in natural scenes is an extremely difficult and challenging research subject in computer vision. Although the algorithm based on the convolutional neural network has achieved significantly better results than the traditional algorithm, most of them tend to focus on the local features of images, and difficult to obtain the rich global contextual dependencies. To solve this problem, a dual attention module and a multi‐label based fully convolutional network are proposed in this study. Moreover, the authors improve the algorithm by the following multiple perspectives. Firstly, introducing the dual attention module, the global‐context and long‐range dependency are adaptively integrated into both spatial and channel dimensions, which improve the network expression ability. Then, the prediction error is effectively reduced by designing a multi‐label mechanism, so the crowd‐counting task is transformed into foreground and background segmentation tasks to assist in the regression task of the density map. Furthermore, on the basis of the traditional Euclidean distance loss and cross‐entropy loss, the structural similarity index is introduced to further improve the training effect of the model. The test results of the UCF_CC_50, ShanghaiTech, and UCF‐QNRF datasets indicate that the proposed method is superior to the current mainstream algorithm.

Abstract Background NOD-like receptor 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is necessary to initiate acute sterile inflammation. Increasing evidence indicates the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome induced pyroptosis is closely related to reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the sterile inflammatory response triggered by ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is an antioxidant and plays a protective role in local myocardial I/R injury, while its effect on post-resuscitation myocardial dysfunction, as well as its mechanisms, remain elusive. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of NAC on post-resuscitation myocardial dysfunction in a cardiac arrest rat model, and whether its underlying mechanism may be linked to ROS and NLRP3 inflammasome-induced pyroptosis. Methods The rats were randomized into three groups: (1) sham group, (2) cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) group, and (3) CPR + NAC group. CPR group and CPR + NAC group went through the induction of ventricular fibrillation (VF) and resuscitation. After return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), rats in the CPR and CPR + NAC groups were again randomly divided into two subgroups, ROSC 6 h and ROSC 72 h, for further analysis. Hemodynamic measurements and myocardial function were measured by echocardiography, and western blot was used to detect the expression of proteins. Results Results showed that after treatment with NAC, there was significantly better myocardial function and survival duration; protein expression levels of NLRP3, adaptor apoptosis-associated speck-like protein (ASC), Cleaved-Caspase-1 and gasdermin D (GSDMD) in myocardial tissues were significantly decreased; and inflammatory cytokines levels were reduced. The marker of oxidative stress malondialdehyde (MDA) decreased and superoxide dismutase (SOD) increased with NAC treatment. Conclusions NAC improved myocardial dysfunction and prolonged animal survival duration in a rat model of cardiac arrest. Moreover, possibly by partly inhibiting ROS-mediated NLRP3 inflammasome-induced pryoptosis.

In view of the dynamic phenomenon that coal and rock are susceptible to external impact disturbance in the mining process, combined with the rheological hypothesis mechanism of coal and gas outburst, the RLSS-II-type triaxial loading creep test system of gas-containing coal and rock developed by ourselves is used to carry out the conventional triaxial rheological test of gas-containing coal and rock and the rheological disturbance effect test of gas-containing coal and rock under impact disturbance. The strength limit neighborhood of gas-containing coal and rock is determined, and the gas-containing coal and rock entering the strength limit neighborhood are subjected to different impact disturbances. The experimental results show that, (1) under the confining pressure of 0 MPa, 2.5 MPa, and 5 MPa, the longitudinal deformations of gas-bearing coal and rock are 32 mm, 27 mm, and 22 mm, respectively, indicating that the deformation of coal and rock will be affected by confining pressure, and with the increase of confining pressure, the deformation will decrease. (2) In the test, the deformation of coal and rock in the late stage of uniform creep stage can be regarded as a strain threshold. Before this threshold, the strain of coal and rock is not obvious, and the deformation is only 1.1 mm. After exceeding a threshold, the deformation of coal and rock is 9 mm, and the deformation increases significantly. Then, it enters the accelerated creep stage quickly and finally damages. The vicinity of this threshold is called the strength limit neighborhood of coal and rock containing gas. (3) The gas-bearing coal and rock without entering the strength limit neighborhood and entering the strength limit neighborhood are changed by confining pressure and different impact disturbance, respectively. It is found that, whether in the strength limit neighborhood or outside the strength limit neighborhood, the confining pressure has an effect on the strain, but the influence is not large. Under different impact disturbance, the deformation of coal and rock within and outside the strength limit neighborhood is 8 mm and 0.4 mm, respectively, and the deformation changes obviously, indicating that the impact disturbance has a great influence on the deformation of coal and rock within the strength limit neighborhood, and the coal and rock with large impact disturbance are destroyed before the coal and rock with small impact disturbance, indicating that the greater the impact disturbance, the shorter the time required for destruction.

In view of the high gas pressure and low permeability of deep coal seam, it is difficult to control gas, which affects the safety production of coal mine. The technical scheme of hydraulic fracturing to improve the permeability of coal seam is put forward, and the gas drainage technology is used to control the gas emission of coal seam. The fracturing effect under different water pressure, different gradient fracturing times, and in situ stress is analyzed by using 3DEC (3-Dimensional Distinct Element Code) discrete element software. The simulation analysis and field verification results show that the coal seam gas pressure increases linearly with the buried depth. In situ stress characteristics and hydraulic strength are the key factors affecting the effect of hydraulic fracturing. The fracturing radius increases with the increase of flow. When the construction pressure of hydraulic fracturing test is 18 MPa, the distance between fracturing hole and drainage hole is 8.5 m. The actual measurement shows that after hydraulic fracturing and gas drainage, the maximum gas emission is reduced by 51%, and the average gas emission is reduced by 58%.

ObjectiveHere, we aimed to identify protein biomarkers that could rapidly and accurately diagnose multiple sclerosis (MS) using a highly sensitive proteomic immunoassay.MethodsTandem mass tag (TMT) quantitative proteomic analysis was performed to determine the differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples collected from 10 patients with MS and 10 non-inflammatory neurological controls (NINCs). The DEPs were analyzed using bioinformatics tools, and the candidate proteins were validated using the ELISA method in another cohort comprising 160 samples (paired CSF and plasma of 40 patients with MS, CSF of 40 NINCs, and plasma of 40 healthy individuals). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to determine the diagnostic potential of this method.ResultsCompared to NINCs, we identified 83 CSF-specific DEPs out of a total of 343 proteins in MS patients. Gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis revealed that these DEPs are mainly involved in platelet degranulation, negative regulation of proteolysis, and post-translational protein modification. Pathway enrichment analysis revealed that the complement and coagulation cascades, Ras signaling pathway, and PI3K-Akt signaling pathway are the main components. Insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 7 (IGFBP7), insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2), and somatostatin (SST) were identified as the potential proteins with high scores, degree, and centrality in the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. We validated the expression of these three proteins using ELISA. Compared to NINCs, the level of CSF IGFBP7 was significantly upregulated, and the level of CSF SST was significantly downregulated in the MS group.ConclusionOur results suggest that SST and IGFBP7 might be associated with the pathogenesis of MS and would be helpful in diagnosing MS. Since IGFBP7 was used to classify relapsing remitting MS (RRMS) and secondary progressive MS (SPMS) patients, therefore, it may act as a potential key marker and therapeutic target in MS.

Abstract Background Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is the most prevalent brain, spinal cord, eyes, and leptomeningeal lymphoma. It is often misdiagnosed due to an unspecific presentation or unavailable biopsy and results in a poor prognosis. Although the craniocerebral imaging examination of PCNSL has some characteristics, it is limited, and atypical cases are especially difficult to identify with intracranial tumours and other diseases. The biopsy, as the gold standard for PCNSL diagnosis, is not eligible for all patients suspected of having PCNSL. Case presentation This report documents a woman who presented with a three-month history of numbness and weakness in the right leg. She was treated with drugs at a local hospital for one month. She developed demyelination lesions and her symptoms were aggravated. The patient was admitted to the Department of Nerve Infection and Immunology at Tiantan Hospital. Head magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) enhanced scanning indicated significant inflammatory demyelinating disease, and lymphoma was not excluded. CSF revealed a high protein level and CSF cytology detected abnormal cells, PCNSL was eventually presumed according to positive CSF cytology and cytological detection of the cerebrospinal fluid flow. Conclusions PCNSL is a highly invasive tumour. With the development of technologies such as cerebrospinal fluid cytology and flow cytology, CSF analysis has become one of the definite diagnosis methods, and the tumour cell finding in CSF is the only reliable basis for diagnosis. Flow cytometric analysis and gene rearrangement testing also provide objective evidence.

In this study, we aimed to explore the role of lncRNAs in post-resuscitation myocardial dysfunction in a rat model of CA-CPR. A rat model of CA-CPR was constructed using a VF method. Myocardial functions, including cardiac output (CO), ejection fraction (EF), and myocardial performance index (MPI), were evaluated at the baseline, and 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 h after resuscitation. A high throughput sequencing method was used to screen the differentially expressed lncRNAs, miRNAs, and mRNAs, which were further analyzed with bioinformatics. In addition, relationships between the molecules involved in the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway were explored with ceRNA network. Compared with the sham group, EF was significantly reduced and MPI was increased at the five consecutive time points in the CA-CPR group. 68 lncRNAs were upregulated and 40 lncRNAs were downregulated in the CA-CPR group, while 30 miRNAs were downregulated and 19 miRNAs were upregulated. Moreover, mRNAs were also differentially expressed, with 676 upregulated and 588 downregulated. GO analysis suggested that genes associated with cell proliferation, cell death and programmed cell death were significantly enriched. KEGG analysis showed that the PI3K/Akt, MAPK and Ras signaling pathways were the three most-enriched pathways. Construction of a ceRNA regulatory network indicated that LOC102549506, LOC103689920, and LOC103690137 might play important roles in the regulation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in the CA-CPR treated rat. Taken together, LncRNAs, including LOC102549506, LOC103689920 and LOC103690137, might participate in post-resuscitation myocardial dysfunction by functioning as ceRNAs and regulating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) has become a widely used technology that can accurately detect individual pathogens. This prospective study was performed between February 2019 and September 2019 in one of the largest clinical neurosurgery centers in China. The study aimed to evaluate the performance of mNGS on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from neurosurgical patients for the diagnosis of external ventricular and lumbar drainage (EVD/LD)-associated ventriculitis and meningitis (VM). We collected CSF specimens from neurosurgical patients with EVD/LD for more than 24 h to perform conventional microbiological studies and mNGS analyses in a pairwise manner. We also investigated the usefulness of mNGS of CSF for the diagnosis of EVD/LD-associated VM. In total, 102 patients were enrolled in this study and divided into three groups, including confirmed VM (cVM) (39), suspected VM (sVM) (49), and non-VM (nVM) (14) groups. Of all the patients, mNGS detected 21 Gram-positive bacteria, 20 Gram-negative bacteria, and five fungi. The three primary bacteria detected were Staphylococcus epidermidis (9), Acinetobacter baumannii (5), and Staphylococcus aureus (3). The mNGS-positive coincidence rate of confirmed EVD/LD-associated VM was 61.54% (24/39), and the negative coincidence rate of the nVM group was 100% (14/14). Of 15 VM pathogens not identified by mNGS in the cVM group, eight were negative with mNGS and seven were inconsistent with the conventional microbiological identification results. In addition, mNGS identified pathogens in 22 cases that were negative using conventional methods; of them, 10 patients received a favorable clinical treatment; thus, showing the benefit of mNGS-guided therapy.

Background Epinephrine increases the rate of return of spontaneous circulation. However, it increases severity of postresuscitation myocardial and cerebral dysfunction and reduces duration of survival. We investigated the effects of aortic infused polyethylene glycol, 20 000 molecular weight (PEG‐20k) during cardiopulmonary resuscitation on coronary perfusion pressure, postresuscitation myocardial and cerebral function, and duration of survival in a rat model of cardiac arrest. Methods and Results Twenty‐four male rats were randomized into 4 groups: (1) PEG‐20k, (2) epinephrine, (3) saline control–intravenous, and (4) saline control–intra‐aortic. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation was initiated after 6 minutes of untreated ventricular fibrillation. In PEG‐20k and Saline‐A, either PEG‐20k (10% weight/volume in 10% estimated blood volume infused over 3 minutes) or saline was administered intra‐aortically after 4 minutes of precordial compression. In epinephrine and placebo groups, either epinephrine (20 μg/kg) or saline placebo was administered intravenously after 4 minutes of precordial compression. Resuscitation was attempted after 8 minutes of cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Sublingual microcirculation was measured at baseline and 1, 3, and 5 hours after return of spontaneous circulation. Myocardial function was measured at baseline and 2, 4, and 6 hours after return of spontaneous circulation. Neurologic deficit scores were recorded at 24, 48, and 72 hours after return of spontaneous circulation. Aortic infusion of PEG‐20k increased coronary perfusion pressure to the same extent as epinephrine. Postresuscitation sublingual microcirculation, myocardial and cerebral function, and duration of survival were improved in PEG‐20k (P

Background: Post-neurosurgical meningitis (PNM) is one of the most severe hospital-acquired infections worldwide, and a large number of pathogens, especially those possessing multi-resistance genes, are related to these infections. Existing methods for detecting bacteria and measuring their response to antibiotics lack sensitivity and stability, and laboratory-based detection methods are inconvenient, requiring at least 24 h to complete. Rapid identification of bacteria and the determination of their susceptibility to antibiotics are urgently needed, in order to combat the emergence of multi-resistant bacterial strains. Methods: This study evaluated a novel, fast, and easy-to-use micro/nanofluidic chip platform (MNCP), which overcomes the difficulties of diagnosing bacterial infections in neurosurgery. This platform can identify 10 genus or species targets and 13 genetic resistance determinants within 1 h, and it is very simple to operate.A total of 108 bacterium-containing cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cultures were tested using the MNCP for the identification of bacteria and determinants of genetic resistance. The results were compared to those obtained with conventional identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing methods. Results: For the 108 CSF cultures, the concordance rate between the MNCP and the conventional identification method was 94.44%; six species attained 100% consistency. For the production of carbapenemase- and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-related antibiotic resistance genes, both the sensitivity and specificity of the MNCP tests were high (>90.0%) and could fully meet the requirements of clinical diagnosis. Conclusions: The MNCP is fast, accurate, and easy to use, and has great clinical potential in the treatment of post-neurosurgical meningitis. Keywords: MNCP, PNM, Identification, Drug resistance gene

Abstract Background Currently, the overall therapeutic efficiency of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) transplantation for the treatment of cardiovascular disease is not satisfactory. The low viability and angiogenic capacity of the implanted cells in the local infarct tissues restrict their further application. Evidence shows that long noncoding RNA H19 (lncRNA-H19) mediates cell survival and angiogenesis. Additionally, it is also involved in MSCs biological activities. This study aimed to explore the functional role of lncRNA-H19 in MSCs survival and angiogenic capacity as well as the underlying mechanism. Methods MSCs were obtained from C57BL/6 mice and cultured in vitro. Cells at the third passage were divided into the following groups: MSCs+H19, MSCs+H19 NC, MSCs+si-H19, MSCs+si-H19 NC and MSCs. The MSCs+H19 and MSCs+H19 NC groups were transfected with lncRNA-H19 and lncRNA-H19 scramble RNA respectively. The MSCs+si-H19 and MSCs+si-H19 NC groups were transfected with lncRNA-H19 siRNA and lncRNA-H19 siRNA scramble respectively. MSCs were used as the blank control. All groups were exposed to normoxia (20% O2) and hypoxia (1% O2)/serum deprivation (H/SD) conditions for 24 h. Cell proliferation, apoptosis and vascular densities were assessed. Bioinformatics and dual luciferase reporter assay were performed. Relevant biomarkers were detected in different experimental groups. Results Overexpression of lncRNA-H19 improved survival and angiogenic capacity of MSCs under both normoxia and H/SD conditions, whereas its knockdown impaired cell viability and their angiogenic potential. MicroRNA-199a-5p (miR-199a-5p) targeted and downregulated vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA). MiR-199a-5p was a target of lncRNA-H19. LncRNA-H19 transfection led to a decreased level of miR-199a-5p, accompanied with an elevated expression of VEGFA. However, both miR-199a-5p and VEGFA presented inverse alterations in the condition of lncRNA-H19 knockdown. Conclusions LncRNA-H19 enhanced MSCs survival and their angiogenic potential in vitro. It could directly upregulate VEGFA expression by inhibiting miR-199a-5p as a competing endogenous RNA. This mechanism contributes to a better understanding of MSCs biological activities and provides new insights for cell therapy based on MSCs transplantation.

We attempted to investigate whether blood lactate is a useful biomarker for sepsis in a rat cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) model. Male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent approximately 75% cecum ligation and two punctures to induce high-grade sepsis. A lactate of 1.64 mmol/L (Youden score of 0.722) was selected as the best cutoff value to predict the onset of sepsis after CLP exposure; 46 of 50 rats who survived 24 hours after the CLP were divided into the L group (lactate

The soil chronosequence is a useful method for investigating pedological theories. Soil chemical, physical and mineralogical properties in chronosequences change over time and exhibit systematic and time-dependent trends, which can be used to analyze the rates and directions of pedogenic changes. The potential of soil spectroscopy as an emerging, rapid and cost-effective technique for predicting soil properties has been widely accepted and has motivated the application of spectroscopic techniques to the analysis of soil chronosequence. We present a soil chronosequence derived from 1000-year-old calcareous marine sediments and examine changes in six soil properties over this period. We evaluated the utility of a soil spectroscopic method to detect soil property changes and to predict the pedogenic properties and soil ages of the chronosequence. The results show that some soil pedogenic processes, such as soil organic matter accumulation, CaCO3 leaching and clay migration, can be identified in the millennium chronosequence. Power chronofunctions are formulated for soil organic matter (SOM) and Logarithmic chronofunctions are fitted for clay, CaCO3 and pH. These pedogenic processes are identified in the reflectance intensity and absorption features of soil spectroscopy, and pedogenic properties can be calibrated via soil reflectance spectroscopy. Profile ages can also be predicted via pseudo multi-depth spectra of soil profiles, and soil spectral curves for 0−30 cm generated the best prediction results (RPD = 1.85). We conclude that soil properties, changing due to weathering and soil formation, act as a bridge linking spectroscopy and weathering levels/pedogenic processes. The results imply that applying spectroscopy techniques to chronosequence study and mapping the degree of soil development in certain areas should be possible.

The title compound, C21H22O4, also known as cajanine, features an intramolecular O—H...O hydrogen bond between the adjacent carboxy and hydroxy groups. The benzene rings make an interplanar angle of 175.4 (2)°. In the crystal, molecules are linked by pairs of O—H...O hydrogen bonds, forming inversion dimers.

Background: This prospective clinical study aims to investigate the fluctuations of neurotransmitters in peripheral venous blood during the perioperative period and to identify independent predictors for postoperative neurogenic pulmonary oedema (NPE) in patients with medulla oblongata-involved tumours. Materials and methods: Peripheral venous blood samples of the enroled patients at seven perioperative time points, as well as their medical records and radiologic data were collected. High-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was utilized to detect the concentrations of 39 neurotransmitters in these samples. The study applied univariate and multivariate generalized estimating equation (GEE) logistic regression analyses to explore independent predictors of postoperative NPE, and one-way repeated-measures ANOVA to compare the concentrations of the same neurotransmitter at different perioperative time points. Results: The study included 36 patients with medulla oblongata-involved tumours from January to December 2019, and found that 13.9% of them experienced postoperative NPE. The absence of intraoperative use of sevoflurane (P=0.008), decreased concentrations of arginine (P=0.026) and homoarginine (P=0.030), and prolonged postoperative tracheal extubation (P<0.001) were identified as independent risk factors for postoperative NPE in medulla oblongata-involved tumour patients. Pairwise comparison analysis revealed that the perioperative decreases in arginine and homoarginine concentrations mainly occurred within the postoperative 8 h. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that NPE is not uncommon in patients with medulla oblongata-involved tumours. The absence of intraoperative use of sevoflurane, decreased concentrations of plasmatic arginine and homoarginine, and prolonged postoperative tracheal extubation are independent predictors of postoperative NPE. These two neurotransmitters' concentrations dropped mainly within the early postoperative hours and could serve as potential early warning indicators of postoperative NPE in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]