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To screen and identify high chitosanase producing strains and to optimize the fermentation condition and analyze the enzymatic properties of the target strain. In this study, high chitosanase-producing strain was screened from the sediment of shrimp ponds in Beihai, Guangxi through primary and secondary screening. The strain underwent identification, the enzyme production process of the strain was optimized through single-factor, Plackett-Burman and orthogonal optimization methods. The enzymatic properties and products of chitosanase produced by the strain were studied. The results showed that the strain of Gxun-5.3.3 with high chitosanase production was obtained by screening and was identified as Bacillus cereus. The optimal components for the enzyme-producing medium of B. cereus Gxun-5.3.3 was maltose 5 g/L, yeast powder 3 g/L, chitosan 15 g/L, and the initial pH and fermentation time were 6.0 and 84 h, respectively. Under the optimized conditions, the chitosanase activity reached 62.03±1.18 U/mL, which was 55.58% higher before optimization (39.87±1.24 U/mL). The protease produced by strain Gxun-5.3.3 had maximum activity at 60 ℃ and optimum pH at 5.0, respectively. Metal ions Fe2+ and Mn2+ had a significant (P

Objective(s): Gefitinib (GEF) is a targeted medicine used to treat locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, GEF’s hepatotoxicity limits its clinical use. This study aims to investigate the protective effect of naringin (NG) against GEF-induced hepatotoxicity. Materials and Methods: Fifty female ICR mice were randomly divided into 5 groups: Control, GEF (200 mg/kg), NG (50 mg/kg) + GEF (200 mg/kg), NG (100 mg/kg) +GEF (200 mg/kg), NG (200 mg/kg) +GEF (200 mg/kg). After 4 weeks of continuous administration, the mice were euthanized. The blood and liver tissue samples were collected. Results: The results indicated that the GEF group showed increased liver index, liver enzyme activities, and decreased glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) activities. Some hepatocytes showed hydropic degeneration and focal necrosis. Cell apoptosis, Cleaved-caspase3, and Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1) increased. Transmission electron microscopy revealed the presence of numerous autophagic lysosomes or autophagosomes around the cell nucleus. Compared to the GEF group, NG can reverse these changes. Conclusion: In summary, NG alleviates GEF-induced hepatotoxicity by anti-oxidation, inhibiting cell apoptosis, and autophagy. Therefore, this study suggests the use of NG to mitigate GEF’s toxicity to the liver.

Abstract Background Salidroside (SAL), derived from Rhodiola, shows protective effects in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) models, but its mechanisms are not fully elucidated. Objectives Investigate the therapeutic effects and the mechanism of SAL on PAH. Methods Monocrotaline was used to establish a PAH rat model. SAL’s impact on oxidative stress and inflammatory responses in lung tissues was analyzed using immunohistochemistry, ELISA, and Western blot. Untargeted metabolomics explored SAL’s metabolic regulatory mechanisms. Results SAL significantly reduced mean pulmonary artery pressure, right ventricular hypertrophy, collagen deposition, and fibrosis in the PAH rats. It enhanced antioxidant enzyme levels, reduced inflammatory cytokines, and improved NO bioavailability by upregulating endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC), cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), and protein kinase G (PKG) and decreases the expression of endothelin-1 (ET-1). Metabolomics indicated SAL restored metabolic balance in PAH rats, particularly in arginine metabolism. Conclusions SAL alleviates PAH by modulating arginine metabolism, enhancing NO synthesis, and improving pulmonary vascular remodeling.

Land cover data are essential for modelling land surface processes in mountainous regions. Fine-resolution land cover products have provided unprecedented spatial detail of the land surface. The performance of land cover classification can be affected by various causes, propagating uncertainty through modelling. In this study, six openly accessible fine-resolution land cover data products for 2020, namely GlobeLand30, CLCD, GLC_FCS30, Esri land cover, WorldCover, and DynamicWorld, were cross-compared for consistency and accuracy in the Changbai Mountain Range. The study particularly highlighted the consistency and accuracy across various geomorphic types. The findings reveal that all the six data products exhibit an overall similarity in spatial patterns dominated by cropland and forest. Validation using a ground reference dataset revealed that WorldCover and GlobeLand30 provide the highest and lowest accuracy, respectively. Cropland and forest present considerable spatial consistencies among the data products and advanced accuracies. The middle-mountain regions with low landscape diversity and fragmentation showed the highest consistency and accuracy. Data products, however, are difficult to represent the distribution of grassland, wetland, and bare ground categories reliably due to limited consistency and accuracy. This study provides quantitative analysis for selecting appropriate land cover data products towards application implementations.

Abstract Vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency pose global public health challenges, yet research on serum vitamin D levels in the 0–17-year-old age group in southeastern China remains limited. This study aimed to fill this gap by investigating serum 25(OH)D levels in children in the region aged 0–17 years, contributing crucial data for understanding vitamin D nutritional status. Liquid chromatography‒mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (LC‒MS/MS) technology was used. Vitamin D testing was integrated into routine diagnostic procedures for 11,116 children in Wujiang District, Suzhou City. Among the 0–17-year age group, comprising 6348 boys and 4768 girls, the prevalence of serum 25(OH)D deficiency and insufficiency was 21.4% and 31.0%, respectively. The median serum 25(OH)D concentration was 29.72 ng/mL (21.84–39.84 ng/mL) in boys compared to 28.48 ng/mL (20.65–39.23 ng/mL) in girls. Seasonal variations were observed, with median serum 25(OH)D concentrations of 29.02 ng/mL (20.73–39.72 ng/mL) in spring, 28.79 ng/mL (21.53–39.37 ng/mL) in summer, 30.12 ng/mL (22.00–39.70 ng/mL) in autumn, and 28.58 ng/mL (19.97–39.46 ng/mL) in winter. Statistically significant differences were noted in the serum 25(OH)D levels during autumn and winter. In conclusion, the rate of adequate vitamin D levels in local children was 47.5%, revealing a relatively high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency (21.4%) and insufficiency (31.0%), especially during the post-preschool period. Advocating for vitamin D supplementation in children is crucial for ensuring adequate vitamin D support.

Abstract Background Observational study investigated the association between pernicious anemia (PA) and cancers. However, with the exception of gastric cancer, the results are mostly contradictory. The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential causal relationship between PA and cancers through bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomized (MR) analysis. Methods The European sample FinnGen project provided the genetic summary data for PA and 20 site-specific cancers. This bidirectional two-sample MR design mainly used the inverse variance weighting (IVW) method to evaluate the causal relationship between PA and cancer risk. Benjamini-Hochberg correction was performed to reduce the bias caused by multiple tests. Results Our study shows that there was a causal relationship between PA and gastric cancer, prostate cancer, testicular cancer and malignant melanoma of skin, and there was a reverse causal relationship between prostate cancer or gastric cancer and PA (P 0.05). There was still a reverse causal relationship between gastric cancer and PA (P‘< 0.05), while prostate cancer shows an implied reverse causal relationship(P’> 0.05). In addition, MR-Egger and MR-PRESSO tests showed no significant horizontal pleiotropy. Conclusions PA may be genetically associated with testicular cancer, prostate cancer, gastric cancer, and malignant melanoma of skin.

The aim of this study was to identify the type of siderophore secreted by Pseudomonas aeruginosa Gxun-2, determine the optimal fermentation conditions and investigate the antagonistic effect of fermentation broth on plant pathogens, so as to provide theoretical basis of the strain in agriculture. The chrome azurol sulfonate (CAS) plate and full-band ultraviolet light absorption method was to qualitatively and quantitatively analyze the siderophore production of P. aeruginosa Gxun-2. The iron-producing medium and culture conditions were optimized by the combined method of single-factor, Plackett-Burman and orthogonal tests. Finally, the plate confrontation method was used to assess the antagonistic effect of its fermentation brot on the pathogenic fungus, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (FOC4). The results showed that the type of siderophore produced by strain Gxun-2 was isohydroxamic acid type, and the optimal fermentation medium and culture conditions were determined as follows: Sodium succinate 2 g/L, glycerol 10 g/L, ammonium sulfate 1 g/L, initial pH 6.8, temperature 35 ℃, inoculum 1.0% (v/v), and loading volume 140 mL/250 mL. Under these conditions, the siderophore activity unit (Su) of the Gxun-2 fermentation broth reached 81.20%±0.24%, which was 82.84%±0.82% higher than that before optimization, and the inhibition rate on FOC4 reached 70.60%±1.87%, which was 52.68%±4.23% higher than that before optimization.

With the rapid development of e-commerce, Online shopping has not only brought convenience to people’s lives, but also accelerated the explosion of express delivery. As a device that provides 24-hr self-service pickup and delivery services, smart lockers are increasingly accepted by more and more express delivery companies and consumers. However, in rural China, there are few outlets and low usage rates for express delivery cabinets. Especially for the elderly, the use and acceptance of smart lockers are significantly lower. Therefore, how to improve the usage intention of intelligent express delivery cabinets has become a problem that needs to be solved in the development process of smart rural areas. This study develops a theoretical model based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), and conducts empirical testing to determine the key factors affecting the willingness of rural Chinese consumers to use smart lockers. This study used a questionnaire survey method to collect data, and a total of 240 valid questionnaires were collected. The partial least squares (PLS) method was used to measure and test the research hypotheses. The results indicate that performance expectancy, facilitating conditions, price value and technology anxiety have a positive impact on consumers’ intention to use. There is no significant relationship between effort expectancy and social influence and users’ behavioral intention to use smart lockers. The results of this study will help enrich UTAUT, provide valuable information for enterprises, and contribute to the implementation of smart villages strategies.

IntroductionFusarium wilt of banana, also recognized as Panama disease, is caused by the soil-borne fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense tropical race 4 (FOC TR4). In recent years, strategies utilizing biocontrol agents, comprising antifungal microorganisms and their associated bioactive compounds from various environments, have been implemented to control this destructive disease. Our previous study showed that Pseudomonas aeruginosa Gxun-2 had significant antifungal effects against FOC TR4. However, there has been little scientific investigation of the antibacterial or antifungal activity. The aim of this study was to isolate, identify and evaluate the inhibition strength of active compounds in P. aeruginosa Gxun-2, so as to explain the mechanism of the strain inhibition on FOC TR4 from the perspective of compounds.MethodsThe main antibacterial compounds of strain Gxun-2 were isolated, purified and identified using by fermentation extraction, silica gel column chromatography, thin-layer chromatography (TLC), high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques. The effect of the compounds on the mycelial growth, morphology and spore germination of strain FOC TR4 was observed by 96-well plate method and AGAR diffusion method.ResultsAmong the metabolites produced by the strain, four antifungal compounds which were identified phenazine (C12H8N2), phenazine-1-carboxylic acid (PCA) (C13H8N2O2), 2-acetamidophenol (C8H9NO2) and aeruginaldehyde (C10H7NO2S) were identified through HPLC and NMR. Of these compounds, phenazine and PCA exhibited the most pronounced inhibitory effects on the spore germination and mycelial growth of FOC TR4. Phenazine demonstrated potent antifungal activity against FOC TR4 with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 6.25 mg/L. The half-maximal effective concentration (EC50) was calculated to be 26.24 mg/L using the toxicity regression equation. PCA exhibited antifungal activity against FOC TR4 with an MIC of 25 mg/L and an EC50 of 89.63 mg/L. Furthermore, phenazine and PCA triggered substantial morphological transformations in the mycelia of FOC TR4, encompassing folding, bending, fracturing, and diminished spore formation.DiscussionThese findings indicate that strain Gxun-2 plays a crucial role in controlling FOC TR4 pathogenesis, predominantly through producing the antifungal compounds phenazine and PCA, and possesses potential as a cost-efficient and sustainable biocontrol agent against Fusarium wilt of banana in forthcoming times.

Larimichthys crocea is an important economic fish of East Asia, and numerous studies have been conducted on its breeding, aquaculture, preservation and processing; however, there is no systematic review of the literature on the research of Larimichthys crocea. Derwent Data Analyzer (DDA) was used to analyze 1192 Larimichthys crocea research papers indexed by SCI-E, CSCD and KCI from 2001 to 2023. The number of research publications on Larimichthys crocea has rapidly increased, and institutions and scholars from China, the United States, South Korea, Japan, and Norway have conducted the majority of Larimichthys crocea research. The immune response, Pseudomonas plecoglossicida, gene expression, lipid immune response, transcriptomics and other areas have attracted the most attention. To increase the immunity and disease resistance of Larimichthys crocea and improve its survival, growth, storage and transport, researchers have carried out a large amount of research, which has promoted not only the culture of Larimichthys crocea but also the restoration of wild Larimichthys crocea and the rehabilitation of the ecological environment.

Solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) is strongly correlated with gross primary productivity (GPP). Satellite-observed canopy SIF (SIFobs) captures only a part of the total leaf-emitted SIF (SIFtotal); therefore, SIFobs may hinder the interpretation of the physiological mechanism for GPP estimation. Furthermore, there are still significant discrepancies in the estimated SIFobs escape ratio (fesc) from the canopy to the leaf level with current methods. Here, we selected several vegetation canopy variables and downscaled SIFobs based on the Soil Canopy Observation, Photochemistry and Energy fluxes (SCOPE) model from the canopy to the leaf level using machine learning (ML) algorithms and then applied our method to the TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) near-infrared (NIR) SIFobs. The results showed that simulating the fesc with SIFobs, TROPOMI NIR reflectance, and the fraction of photosynthetically active radiation (FPAR) avoided the effects of different sun-sensor geometry conditions introduced by different sensors and was more suitable for satellite-observed SIFobs downscaling. Our downscaled SIFtotal also correlated well with the flux site GPP in areas with sparse vegetation types. SIFtotal better reflected the photosynthetic differences among vegetation types and showed an enhanced relationship with absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (APAR) compared with SIFobs. We provide an efficient canopy-to-leaf SIFobs downscaling method improved SIFtotal and GPP estimation, and our results also demonstrated the potential for using SIFobs as vegetation information in sparse coverage areas.

The conversion of CO2 into high-value fuels and chemicals has garnered research interest worldwide. The conversion and utilization of CO2 has become one of the most urgent tasks for society. In this context, using solar energy to convert CO2 into high-value fuels such as CH4 and CH3OH has extremely high potential application value. Herein, the research progress and results of applying various photocatalysts in photocatalytic CO2 reduction with various novel catalysts were reviewed. Furthermore, strategies for improving photocatalytic performance were reviewed. Finally, improving the catalytic mechanism of catalysts and designing novel high-activity, high-stability catalysts through comprehensive exploration of the reaction mechanism were suggested to meet the future requirements of industrial production.

Abstract Background Alopecia areata (AA), a prevalent form of autoimmune hair loss, has a not well-defined relationship with atopic and allergic disorders, including eczema, hay fever, and asthma. Objectives This study aims to elucidate the genetic relationship between atopy, allergies, and alopecia areata (AA) using Mendelian randomization. We hypothesize that atopic and allergic conditions contribute to the genetic predisposition of AA. Methods We analyzed extensive genetic data from Genome-wide Association Studies (GWAS) involving over one million individuals. This analysis focused on assessing the genetic correlation between AA and various allergic conditions, including hay fever, eczema, asthma, and allergies to pollen, dust, and cats. The inverse variance weighted method served as our primary analytical tool, complemented by sensitivity analyses to verify the robustness of our results. Results Our findings reveal a significant genetic correlation between atopy/allergies and an increased risk of AA. Notably, strong associations were observed for hay fever, eczema, asthma, and specific allergies (pollen, dust, and cats). The sensitivity analyses corroborated these associations, reinforcing the reliability of our primary results. Conclusions This study provides compelling genetic evidence of an association between atopic and allergic conditions and the development of AA. These findings suggest that individuals with such conditions may benefit from enhanced surveillance for early signs of AA.

Abstract Rapeseed is a critical cash crop globally, and understanding its distribution can assist in refined agricultural management, ensuring a sustainable vegetable oil supply, and informing government decisions. China is the leading consumer and third-largest producer of rapeseed. However, there is a lack of widely available, long-term, and large-scale remotely sensed maps on rapeseed cultivation in China. Here this study utilizes multi-source data such as satellite images, GLDAS environmental variables, land cover maps, and terrain data to create the China annual rapeseed maps at 30 m spatial resolution from 2000 to 2022 (CARM30). Our product was validated using independent samples and showed average F1 scores of 0.869 and 0.971 for winter and spring rapeseed. The CARM30 has high spatial consistency with existing 10 m and 20 m rapeseed maps. Additionally, the CARM30-derived rapeseed planted area was significantly correlated with agricultural statistics (R2 = 0.65–0.86; p

This study focuses on ductile fracture behavior prediction for Ti6Al4V alloys fabricated via Selective Laser Melting (SLM). A modified Gurson-Tvergaard-Needleman (GTN) model characterizes void growth and shear mechanisms under uniaxial stress. The research explores the impact of Artificial Neural Network (ANN) architecture, specifically hidden layers and neurons, on predicting fracture parameters. Results reveal that increasing hidden layers substantially enhances accuracy, particularly for fracture displacement. Notably, predicting maximum force requires fewer layers than fracture displacement. Using selected layers and neurons, the system consistently achieved R2-values exceeding 0.99 for both maximum force and fracture displacement. The study identifies the initial void volume fraction (f0) parameter as having the most significant influence on both properties

Abstract Numerous observational studies have elucidated a connection between leukocyte telomere length (LTL) and sepsis, yet its fundamental cause remains enigmatic. Thus, the current study’s objective is to employ a bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) approach to scrutinize the causality between LTL and sepsis. We selected single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with LTL (n = 472,174) and sepsis from a genome-wide association study (GWAS), including Sepsis (n = 486,484, ncase = 11,643), Sepsis (28 day death in critical care) (n = 431,365, ncase = 347), Sepsis (under 75) (n = 462,869, ncase = 11,568), Sepsis (28 day death) (n = 486,484, ncase = 1896), and Sepsis (critical care) (n = 431,365, ncase = 1380), as instrumental variables (IVs). The inverse variance weighted (IVW) MR method was employed as the primary approach, and various sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess the validity of this instrument and potential pleiotropy. Using the IVW method, we uncovered a potential causal relationship between genetically predicted LTL reduction and increased susceptibility to sepsis, with an odds ratio (OR) of 1.161 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.039–1.297, p = 0.008]. However, reverse MR analysis did not indicate any impact of sepsis on LTL. Our forward MR study highlights a potential causal relationship between LTL as an exposure and increased susceptibility to sepsis. Specifically, our findings suggest that individuals with genetically determined shorter LTL may be at an increased risk of developing sepsis. This may contribute to the development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of sepsis.

Abstract In recent years, due to the shortage of blood products, some extensive burn patients were forced to adopt an “ultra-restrictive” transfusion strategy, in which the hemoglobin levels of RBC transfusion thresholds were 0.05). Among the ultra-restrictive transfusion group, patients with RBC transfusion threshold

Abstract Growth hormone (GH) has a long-standing history of use as an adjunctive therapy in the treatment of poor ovarian response (POR), but the optimal dosage and timing remains unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the efficacy of different GH supplementation protocols through a network meta-analysis (NMA) and determine the optimal treatment protocol. This study was reported based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews for Network Meta-Analysis (PRISMA-NMA) statement. Databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library and Embase were searched until June 2023. A total of 524 records were retrieved in our search, and 23 clinical studies comprising 4889 cycles were involved. Seven different GH protocols were identified. Results showed that compared to the control group, daily administration of 4–8 IU of GH during the follicular phase of the stimulation cycle had the best comprehensive therapeutic effects on improving the number of retrieved oocytes, mature oocytes, endometrial thickness, and reducing gonadotropin requirements in POR patients undergoing assisted reproductive therapy, with a relatively brief treatment duration and a moderate total GH dose. Subgroup analysis demonstrated that this protocol could significantly improve the clinical pregnancy rate of POR patients in the randomized controlled trials (RCT) subgroup and the African subgroup. Therefore, its clinical application is suggested. Besides, the potential advantages of long-term GH supplementation protocol (using GH for at least 2 weeks before oocyte retrieval) has merit for further research. Rigorous and well-designed multi-arm RCTs are needed in the future to confirm the conclusions drawn from this study.

Information on the spatiotemporal distribution of human-caused wildfires on a national scale is crucial for developing susceptibility map and facilitating decision-making in fire risk management. In China, it is difficult to access a national dataset of wildfires based on ground records at a fine spatiotemporal scale for understanding fire regimes. This study explores the use of judgment documents as a potential alternative long-term key data source, considering human-caused wildfire events as criminal offense in certain cases. Judgment documents are readily accessible, regularly updated, and provide a diverse range of reliable information. To extract information on human-caused wildfires, we develop a rule-based approach for judgment documents. The results indicate the feasibility of the method, allowing for the effective extraction of specific information of event such as the start date and time, location, burn area, and ignition cause. A comparison reveals limited consistency in the spatiotemporal distributions between the novel data and conventional datasets. Notably, judgment documents provide richer attribute information and identify additional human-caused wildfires challenging to capture using conventional datasets. Despite inherent limitations, information sourced from judgment documents proves valuable data for characterizing national patterns of wildfire occurrence at a fine scale.

IntroductionChitin, abundant in marine environments, presents significant challenges in terms of transformation and utilization. A strain, T22.7.1T, with notable chitin deacetylation capabilities, was isolated from the rhizosphere of Acanthus ebracteatus in the North Sea of China. Comparative 16S rDNA sequence analysis showed that the new isolate had the highest sequence similarity (99.79%) with Rhodococcus indonesiensis CSLK01-03T, followed by R. ruber DSM 43338T, R. electrodiphilus JC435T, and R. aetherivorans 10bc312T (98.97%, 98.81%, and 98.83%, respectively). Subsequent genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis confirmed that strain T22.7.1T belongs to the R. indonesiensis species. However, additional taxonomic characterization identified strain T22.7.1T as a novel type strain of R. indonesiensis distinct from CSLK01-03T.MethodsThis study refines the taxonomic description of R. indonesiensis and investigates its application in converting chitin into chitosan. The chitin deacetylase (RiCDA) activity of strain T22.7.1T was optimized, and the enzyme was isolated and purified from the fermentation products.ResultsThrough optimization, the RiCDA activity of strain T22.7.1T reached 287.02 U/mL, which is 34.88 times greater than the original enzyme’s activity (8.0 U/mL). The natural CDA enzyme was purified with a purification factor of 31.83, and the specific activity of the enzyme solution reached 1200.33 U/mg. RiCDA exhibited good pH and temperature adaptability and stability, along with a wide range of substrate adaptabilities, effectively deacetylating chitin, chitooligosaccharides, N-acetylglucosamine, and other substrates.DiscussionProduct analysis revealed that RiCDA treatment increased the deacetylation degree (DD) of natural chitin to 83%, surpassing that of commercial chitosan. Therefore, RiCDA demonstrates significant potential as an efficient deacetylation tool for natural chitin and chitooligosaccharides, highlighting its applicability in the biorefining of natural polysaccharides.

BackgroundDigital health interventions (DHIs) have shown promising results for the management of chronic wounds. However, its effectiveness compared to usual care and whether variability in the type of intervention affects wound outcomes are unclear. ObjectiveThe main objective was to determine the effectiveness of DHIs on wound healing outcomes in adult patients with chronic wounds. The secondary objectives were to assess if there was any variation in wound healing outcomes across the various types of DHIs. MethodsIn total, 9 databases were searched for the literature up to August 1, 2023. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), cohort studies, and quasi-experimental studies comparing the efficacy of DHIs with controls in improving wound outcomes in adult patients with chronic wounds were included. Study selection, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment were conducted independently by 2 reviewers. We assessed the quality of each RCT, cohort study, and quasi-experimental study separately using the Cochrane risk of bias tool, ROBINS-I, and the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal tools checklists. Relative risks (RRs) and 95% CIs were pooled using the random effects model, and heterogeneity was assessed by the I2 statistic. Subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis were also performed. ResultsA total of 25 studies with 8125 patients were included in this systematic review, while only 20 studies with 6535 patients were included in the meta-analysis. Efficacy outcomes in RCTs showed no significant differences between the DHIs and control groups in terms of wound healing (RR 1.02, 95% CI 0.93-1.12; P=.67) and all-cause mortality around 1 year (RR 1.08, 95% CI 0.55-2.12; P=.83). Compared with the control group, the use of DHIs was associated with significant changes in adverse events (RR 0.44, 95% CI 0.22-0.89; P=.02). Subgroup analysis suggested a positive effect of the digital platforms in improving wound healing (RR 2.19, 95% CI 1.35-3.56; P=.002). Although meta-analysis was not possible in terms of wound size, cost analysis, patient satisfaction, and wound reporting rates, most studies still demonstrated that DHIs were not inferior to usual care in managing chronic wounds. ConclusionsThe findings of our study demonstrate the viability of adopting DHIs to manage chronic wounds. However, more prominent, high-quality RCTs are needed to strengthen the evidence, and more detailed clinical efficacy research is required. Trial RegistrationPROSPERO CRD42023392415; https://tinyurl.com/4ybz6bs9

Background The effect of whole-brain radiation therapy (WBRT) plus simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) in brain metastasis from breast cancers has not been demonstrated. Method In this single-center retrospective study, we reviewed consecutive breast cancer patients who developed brain metastasis and were treated with hypofractionated radiation therapy plus WBRT using intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT)-SIB approaches. We analyzed clinical outcomes, prognostic factors and patterns of treatment failure. Result A total of 27 patients were eligible for analysis. Four (14.8%) patients achieved clinical complete response and 14 (51.9%) had partial response of brain lesions. The other nine patients were not evaluated for brain tumor response. The median brain progression-free survival was 8.60 (95% CI [6.43–13.33]) months and the median overall survival was 16.8 (95% CI [13.3–27.7]) months. Three patients had in-field failure, five had out-field failure and two had in-field and out-field failure. Conclusion WBRT plus SIB led to improved tumor control and clinical outcome in breast cancer patients with brain metastasis.

Study area: China Study focus: Drought is an extremely serious disaster, typically characterized by slow onset, long duration, and cumulative impacts on multifaceted aspects. Developing a combined index that integrates its various characteristics can help deepen our understanding of drought evolution and provide accurate references for farmers to take drought mitigation measures. In this study, we proposed a Modified version of the Type Response-Aided Drought Index (MTRADI), simultaneously considering the various responses of different vegetation and the slow-varying properties of drought development. New hydrological insights for the regions: The suitability of MTRADI was evaluated through correlation analysis with Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) and qualitative comparison with Meteorological Drought Composite Index (MCI) maps. The MTRADI achieved significantly higher correlation coefficients with the PDSI, outperforming other combined drought indices. Based on the run theory, Mann-Kendall (MK) test, and Sen’s slope, drought characteristics and trends in mainland China during 2001–2020 were analyzed and the results show that drought frequency and severity are relatively higher in eastern Inner Mongolia, North China Plain, and Northeast of China. Furthermore, areas with significant wetting trends are observed to be mainly distributed near the Hu line, indicating that the water conditions in China are gradually improving at the transition zone of arid and humid climate regions.

Rabies virus (RABV) causes a fatal neurological disease, consisting of unsegmented negative-strand RNA, which encodes five structural proteins (3′-N-P-M-G-L-5′). Apolipoprotein D (ApoD), a lipocalin, is upregulated in the nervous system after injury or pathological changes. Few studies have focused on the role of ApoD during virus infection so far. This study demonstrated that ApoD is upregulated in the mouse brain (in vivo) and C8-D1A cells (in vitro) after RABV infection. By upregulating ApoD expression in C8-D1A cells, we found that ApoD facilitated RABV replication. Additionally, Co-immunoprecipitation demonstrated that ApoD interacted with RABV glycoprotein (G protein). The interaction could promote RABV replication by upregulating the cholesterol level. These findings revealed a novel role of ApoD in promoting RABV replication and provided a potential therapeutic target for rabies.

The purpose of this research was to clarify the function of achaete-scute family bHLH transcription factor 1 (ASCL1) and solute carrier family 6 member 13 (SLC6A13) in influencing tumor cell behavior, inflammatory responses, and the regulation of inflammasomes. We analyzed the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the Cancer Genome Atlas-Liver hepatocellular carcinoma (TCGA-LIHC) database, as well as in the GSE14520 and GSE67764 datasets, to identify the expression changes of SLC6A13 in liver cancer. The prognostic significance of SLC6A13 in LIHC was assessed through Kaplan-Meier survival curve analysis. Transcriptional regulation of SLC6A13 by ASCL1 was explored using the Joint Annotation of the Human Genome and other species by the Systematic Pipeline for the Annotation of Regulatory Regions (JASPAR) database and dual-luciferase assays. In vitro experiments investigated the impact of ASCL1 and SLC6A13 overexpression on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell growth. Additionally, the effects of ethanol treatment and glycine modulation on the inflammatory response in HCC cell lines were evaluated. HCC samples showed reduced levels of SLC6A13, which correlates with a better prognosis for liver metastases. Elevated SLC6A13 expression correlates with improved overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), recurrence-free survival (RFS), and disease-specific survival (DSS). ASCL1 upregulated SLC6A13 and inhibited proliferation, migration, and invasion of HCC cells. Ethanol induced the production of inflammatory cytokines, which was enhanced by overexpression of SLC6A13 but counteracted by glycine. This study highlighted elevated expression of SLC6A13 which has been correlated with increased odds of OS, PFS, RFS, and DSS. Overexpression of SLC6A13 and ASCL1 in HCC cells enhanced inflammasome activation, which was exacerbated by ethanol and attenuated by glycine.

BackgroundAcute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a highly aggressive and pathogenic hematologic malignancy with consistently high mortality. Lysosomes are organelles involved in cell growth and metabolism that fuse to form specialized Auer rods in AML, and their role in AML has not been elucidated. This study aimed to identify AML subtypes centered on lysosome-related genes and to construct a prognostic model to guide individualized treatment of AML.MethodsGene expression data and clinical data from AML patients were downloaded from two high-throughput sequencing platforms. The 191 lysosomal signature genes were obtained from the database MsigDB. Lysosomal clusters were identified by unsupervised consensus clustering. The differences in molecular expression, biological processes, and the immune microenvironment among lysosomal clusters were subsequently analyzed. Based on the molecular expression differences between lysosomal clusters, lysosomal-related genes affecting AML prognosis were screened by univariate cox regression and multivariate cox regression analyses. Algorithms for LASSO regression analyses were employed to construct prognostic models. The risk factor distribution, KM survival curve, was applied to evaluate the survival distribution of the model. Time-dependent ROC curves, nomograms and calibration curves were used to evaluate the predictive performance of the prognostic models. TIDE scores and drug sensitivity analyses were used to explore the implication of the model for AML treatment.ResultsOur study identified two lysosomal clusters, cluster1 has longer survival time and stronger immune infiltration compared to cluster2. The differences in biological processes between the two lysosomal clusters are mainly manifested in the lysosomes, vesicles, immune cell function, and apoptosis. The prognostic model consisting of six prognosis-related genes was constructed. The prognostic model showed good predictive performance in all three data sets. Patients in the low-risk group survived significantly longer than those in the high-risk group and had higher immune infiltration and stronger response to immunotherapy. Patients in the high-risk group showed greater sensitivity to cytarabine, imatinib, and bortezomib, but lower sensitivity to ATRA compared to low -risk patients.ConclusionOur prognostic model based on lysosome-related genes can effectively predict the prognosis of AML patients and provide reference evidence for individualized immunotherapy and pharmacological chemotherapy for AML.

Vegetation Condition Index (VCI), as a widely used drought index for monitoring vegetation drought stress and estimating drought trends, is constructed by normalizing the long-term satellite-based Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data. However, under global greening, vegetation across different regions has shown an increasing trend in greenness, which may cause VCI to inherit the greening trend in NDVI and further hamper its ability in drought trend analysis. Therefore, this study quantitatively explored the underlying relationship among VCI, global greening, and drought from 2001 to 2021 to examine the utility of VCI in a changing environment. Multi-source indicators were employed as surrogates for vegetation greenness and drought, respectively. Particularly, the Leaf Area Index (LAI) and Net Primary Production (NPP) were used as proxies for vegetation greenness while the Root-Zone Soil Moisture (RZSM), Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI), and Standardized Precipitation-Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) were used for drought indices. Based on Sen’s slope estimator, Mann-Kendall (MK) test, and partial correlation analysis, our results show that the proportion of pixels with an increasing trend in VCI is approximately 38.5%, which is similar to the greenness-related indices (i.e., NPP [26.47%] and LAI [59.14%]), and is significantly higher than the other drought indices (i.e., RZSM [19.83%], PDSI [10.38%], and SPEI [9.32%]). Furthermore, our results demonstrate that the VCI, as a drought index, exhibits a closer correlation with greenness-related indicators (LAI and NPP) than other drought indices (RZSM, PDSI, and SPEI). These results reveal the potential limitations in the practical applications of VCI and could enhance our understanding of vegetation dynamics and drought trends, especially in the current greening globe. Additionally, this study serves as a cautionary note for the scientific community involved in drought monitoring, emphasizing that the VCI may not be a suitable tool for evaluating long-term trends in drought impacts on vegetation.

Given the ever-growing availability of remote sensing data (e.g., Gaofen in China, Sentinel in the EU, and Landsat in the USA), multimodal remote sensing techniques have been garnering increasing attention and have made extraordinary progress in various Earth observation (EO)-related tasks. The data acquired by different platforms can provide diverse and complementary information. The joint exploitation of multimodal remote sensing has been proven effective in improving the existing methods of land-use/land-cover segmentation in urban environments. To boost technical breakthroughs and accelerate the development of EO applications across cities and regions, one important task is to build novel cross-city semantic segmentation models based on modern artificial intelligence technologies and emerging multimodal remote sensing data. This leads to the development of better semantic segmentation models with high transferability among different cities and regions. The Cross-City Semantic Segmentation contest is organized in conjunction with the 13th Workshop on Hyperspectral Image and Signal Processing: Evolution in Remote Sensing (WHISPERS).

Abstract Background Prophylactic irradiation of supraclavicular lymph node drainage areas can improve the regional control rate of lymph node-positive or lymph node-negative disease but a locally-advanced stage breast cancer, and it can reduce breast cancer-related mortality. However, many controversies exist in the clinical target volume delineation of supraclavicular lymph node drainage in patients with breast cancer. Methods We retrospectively analyzed 42 patients with breast cancer and supraclavicular lymph node metastasis at our hospital between January 2017 and December 2021. Among these cases, 32 were locally advanced and 10 were stage IV at initial treatment. A patient with breast cancer who did not undergo dissection of the supraclavicular and infraclavicular lymph nodes at our hospital was selected as a standard patient. A contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) scan for positioning was used as a template image, and blood vessels, muscles, and bony landmarks were used as references for positioning. The metastatic supraclavicular lymph nodes were identified in all enrolled patients and projected into the template CT images. Results The metastastic pattern of supraclavicular lymph node in breast cancer was proposed: distribution along the posterolateral border of the internal jugular vein (medial supraclavicular group) and along the transverse jugular vein (lateral supraclavicular group). We theorized that the lateral and posterior borders of the clinical target volume in the supraclavicular region should include the lymph nodes in the posterior triangle of the neck (level V) in high-risk individuals. If the metastatic axillary lymph node is extensive, then the superior border of the supraclavicular region should be moved upward appropriately. Conclusions This study analyzed patients with breast cancer and supraclavicular lymph node metastasis at initial treatment, explored the metastastic pattern of supraclavicular lymph node, and applied anatomical knowledge to further optimize the target volume delineation of supraclavicular lymph node drainage area in high-risk breast cancer.

In order to identify the sweet and bitter identification indicators of almonds, and provide theoretical basis for almond breeding and deep processing. 88 apricot kernels from southern Xinjiang were used as experimental materials. The content of amygdalin and sugar composition were determined by high performance liquid chromatography and gas chromatography mass spectrometry. The results showed that amygdalin was contained in all apricot kernels, and the content ranged from 0.945 mg/g to 36.055 mg/g, the average was 6.236 mg/g and the variation was 118.289%. 69 samples were sweet kernel. Meanwhile the amygdalin content were detected ranging from 0.945 mg/g to 12.148 mg/g, and the amygdalin of 19 samples were detected 10.205 mg/g to 36.055 mg/g. A total of 7 kinds types sugar were detected and sucrose content was the highest, followed by raffinose, and sorbitol content was the lowest. The sweet/bitter kernels was related to content of amygdalin and glucose. The total sugars, sweetness value, sucrose, amygdalin and other factors could affect sweetness/bitterness kernels by principal component analysis. 88 samples were clustered into class Ⅳ by cluster analysis. The class I was extremely high amygbin content, the class II was high total sugar, sucrose, raffinose and sweetness value, the class III was medium amygbin, total sugar and sucrose content, while class IV was low total sugar, sucrose and raffinose content. In conclusion, 'Saimaiti', 'Tuohutikudou' and 'Da huang xing' with high total sugar content, low amygdalin and sweet taste were selected for apricot kernels processing.

Candidate genes related to first pod height (FPH) traits in faba bean plants are crucial for mechanised breeding. However, reports on quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping related to the FPH of faba bean are few, thus limiting the high-quality development of the faba bean industry to a certain extent. The identification and screening of candidate genes related to FPH is extremely urgent for the advancement of mechanised breeding for faba bean. In this study, a high-density genetic linkage map was constructed using genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) of an F3 population and QTLs (genes) related to FPH were identified. The genetic linkage map contained seven linkage groups with 3012 SNP markers with an overall length of 4089.13 centimorgan (cM) and an average marker density of 1.36 cM. Thirty-eight QTLs for the first pod node (FPN) and FPH were identified (19 each for FPN and FPH). The 19 QTLs associated with FPN were located on chromosomes 1L, 1S, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6; the 19 QTLs associated with FPH were located on chromosomes 1L, 1S, 2, 3, 5, and 6. There was a co-localisation interval of qFPN6-1 and qFPH6-1 on chromosome 6. By annotating the QTL qFPH6-1 interval, 36 genes that may be related to FPH were identified, these genes are related to plant growth and development. The results provide a basis for the precise location of QTLs related to FPH and could accelerate the breeding of faba bean varieties adapted to mechanised harvesting.

Exploring drought stress-responsive genes in rice is essential for breeding drought-resistant varieties. Rice drought resistance is controlled by multiple genes, and mining drought stress-responsive genes solely based on single omics data lacks stability and accuracy. Multi-omics correlation analysis and biological molecular network analysis provide robust solutions. This study proposed a random walk with a multi-restart probability (RWMRP) algorithm, based on the Restarted Random Walk (RWR) algorithm, to operate on rice MultiPlex biological networks. It explores the interactions between biological molecules across various levels and ranks potential genes. RWMRP uses eigenvector centrality to evaluate node importance in the network and adjusts the restart probabilities accordingly, diverging from the uniform restart probability employed in RWR. In the random walk process, it can be better to consider the global relationships in the network. Firstly, we constructed a MultiPlex biological network by integrating the rice protein–protein interaction, gene pathway, and gene co-expression network. Then, we employed RWMRP to predict the potential genes associated with rice tolerance to drought stress. Enrichment and correlation analyses resulted in the identification of 12 drought-related genes. We further conducted quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis on these 12 genes, ultimately identifying 10 genes responsive to drought stress.

The start of the growing season (SOS) plays a pivotal role in the intricate interplay between climate and terrestrial ecosystems. Since the late 1990 s, a slowdown in SOS advancing trend has been documented across numerous regions in the Northern Hemisphere. However, it remains uncertain whether a commensurate slowdown in the SOS advancing trend has manifested in northern temperate and boreal forests. Therefore, our effort is dedicated to unraveling the change in SOS both before and after the late 1990 s and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms causing this phenomenon. Our findings show that despite an overall increase in preseason temperature in northern temperate and boreal forests, an unexpected slowdown in the SOS advancing trend has occurred between 1999 and 2015, primarily due to a decrease in SOS temperature sensitivity. Furthermore, we have identified two distinct effects of preseason precipitation on SOS temperature sensitivity. As preseason precipitation increases, SOS temperature sensitivity experiences an increment of 0.34 days/°C∙10 mm, up to a preseason precipitation threshold of 70 mm, after which it undergoes a reduction at a rate of 0.12 days/°C∙10 mm. Our results provide valuable insights into understanding how SOS responds to ongoing climate warming in northern temperate and boreal forests. In addition, we have, for the first time, identified two distinct regulatory mechanisms governing SOS temperature sensitivity in relation to preseason precipitation before and after the 70 mm threshold, opening new avenues for the development of more accurate phenological models.

Cloud contamination is a common problem in Earth observation that hinders various remote sensing applications. To address this problem, recent studies have employed deep neural networks and multi-modal data fusion to reconstruct cloud-free optical imagery. However, this task faces many challenges, such as: (1) the scarcity of suitable multi-modal datasets; (2) the ineffective use of feature correlations; and (3) the limited applicability of existing models. To overcome these challenges, this study proposes a novel solution that fuses high-spatial SAR and low-spatial optical data to reconstruct high-quality cloud-free multi-spectral optical products. First, a curated benchmark dataset, named SMILE-CR, is created with a realistic cloud simulation strategy. The SMILE-CR serves as a global and multi-modal cloud removal dataset for the Landsat-8 sensor, with Sentinel-1 and MODIS data as additional supplementary data. Second, a Transformer-based cloud removal network, abbreviated as CRformer, is developed with two novel modules: multi-head dense and sparse attention and multi-scale gated-dconv feed-forward network. The CRformer achieves global attention while suppressing the weak correlations and enhancing the multi-scale cloud features by filtering out invalid features. The performance of the proposed method is evaluated through extensive experiments. The results show that the CRformer surpasses the state-of-the-art cloud removal methods with significant improvements in both quantitative and qualitative metrics. The fusion of MODIS and Sentinel-1 data is shown to be effective and necessary in reconstructing Landsat-8 observations. Moreover, the CRformer model can be readily applied to reconstruct time-series cloud-free Landsat-8 products in Wuhan city, which can improve the average accuracy of land cover mapping by over 3%.

Abstract Background The current utilization of neurokinin‐1 receptor antagonists (NK1RAs) and the impact of updated guidelines on prescription patterns of antiemetic drugs among Chinese patients receiving highly emetogenic chemotherapy (HEC) remain undetermined. This study aims to analyze the present situation of Chinese cancer patients using antiemetic drugs and assess the appropriateness of antiemetic regimens. Methods Prescription data were collected between January 2015 and December 2020 from cancer patients receiving cisplatin‐based chemotherapy at 76 hospitals in six major cities in China. Trends in the use of antiemetic drugs, prescribing patterns and adherence to antiemetic guidelines were assessed. Results Among the 108,611 patients included in this study, 6 classes and 17 antiemetic drugs were identified as monotherapy or combination therapy in 93,872 patients (86.4%), whereas 14,739 patients (13.6%) were administered no antiemetic treatment. 5‐hydroxytryptamine 3 receptor antagonists (5‐HT3RAs) and glucocorticoids were the two most frequently used classes of antiemetics, followed by metoclopramide. NK1RAs were underused across the six cities, only 9332 (8.6%) and 1655 (1.5%) cisplatin‐based treatments were prescribed aprepitant and fosaprepitant, respectively. Prescriptions of olanzapine and lorazepam were very low throughout the study period. In prescribing patterns of antiemetic drugs, dual combination regimens were the most common (40.0%), followed by triple combination therapy and monotherapy (25.8% and 15.1%, respectively). Overall, the adherence to antiemetic guidelines for patients undergoing cisplatin‐based regimens was only 8.1% due to inadequate prescription of antiemetic drugs. Finally, our study also revealed that 5‐HT3RAs and glucocorticoids were overprescribed in 8.8% and 1.6% of patients, respectively. Conclusions The current study reveals suboptimal utilization of recommended antiemetic drugs for managing cisplatin‐based HEC‐induced nausea and vomiting in China. Improving the management of CINV is crucial, and these findings provide valuable insights into optimizing antiemetic drug practices.

AimMendelian randomization (MR) analysis has been used in the exploration of the role of gut microbiota (GM) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM); however, it was limited to the genus level. This study herein aims to investigate the relationship of GM, especially at the species level, with T2DM in order to provide some evidence for further exploration of more specific GM taxa and pathway abundance in T2DM.MethodsThis two-sample MR study was based on the summary statistics of GM from the available genome-wide association study (GWAS) meta-analysis conducted by the MiBioGen consortium as well as the Dutch Microbiome Project (DMP), whereas the summary statistics of T2DM were obtained from the FinnGen consortium released data. Inverse variance weighted (IVW), MR-Egger, strength test (F), and weighted median methods were used to examine the causal association between GM and the onset of T2DM. Cochran’s Q statistics was employed to quantify the heterogeneity of instrumental variables. Bonferroni’s correction was conducted to correct the bias of multiple testing. We also performed reverse causality analysis.ResultsThe corrected IVW estimates suggested the increased relative abundance of family Oxalobacteraceae (OR = 1.0704) and genus Oxalobacter (OR = 1.0874), respectively, were associated with higher odds of T2DM, while that of species faecis (OR = 0.9460) had a negative relationship with T2DM. The relationships of class Betaproteobacteria, family Lactobacillaceae, species finegoldii, and species longum with T2DM were also significant according to the IVW results (all P < 0.05).ConclusionsGM had a potential causal association with T2DM, especially species faecis, finegoldii, and longum. Further studies are still needed to clarify certain results that are contradictory with previous findings.

IntroductionThe cost-effectiveness study of syphilis screening in pregnant women has not been synthesized. This study aimed to synthesize the economic evidence on the cost-effectiveness of syphilis screening in pregnant women that might contribute to making recommendations on the future direction of syphilis screening approaches.MethodsWe systematically searched MEDLINE, PubMed, and Web of Science databases for relevant studies published before 19 January 2023 and identified the cost-effectiveness analyses for syphilis screening in pregnant women. The methodological design quality was appraised by the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) 2022 checklist.ResultsIn total, 17 literature met the eligibility criteria for a full review. Of the 17 studies, four evaluated interventions using different screening methods, seven assessed a combination of syphilis testing and treatment interventions, three focused on repeat screening intervention, and four evaluated the interventions that integrated syphilis and HIV testing. The most cost-effective strategy appeared to be rapid syphilis testing with high treatment rates in pregnant women who were positive.DiscussionThe cost-effectiveness of syphilis screening for pregnancy has been widely demonstrated. It is very essential to improve the compliance with maternal screening and the treatment rates for positive pregnant women while implementing screening.

Objective: this work aimed to investigate the effectiveness of chitosan (CS)/dioleyl phosphatidyl ethanolamine (DOPE) - baicalein (CS/DOPE-BAE) nanohydrogel as a novel drug delivery system for the treatment of periodontitis in rats. Materials and methods: the CS/DOPE-BAE nanohydrogel was synthesized and characterized for its morphology, particle size (PS), drug loading, and release properties. A rat periodontitis model was established, and the rats were randomly assigned to four groups, receiving treatment of normal saline, CS/DOPE blank nanohydrogel, baicalein solution, and CS/DOPE-BAE nanohydrogel through local injection, respectively. Clinical symptoms, periodontal tissue morphology, and the levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and IL-10 in the periodontal tissue were observed and compared. Results: the CS/DOPE-BAE nanohydrogel exhibited a spherical shape with a PS of approximately 200 nm and a drug loading of 8.6 %. It demonstrated excellent sustained-release properties. The group treated with CS/DOPE-BAE nanohydrogel showed significant improvement in clinical symptoms, such as reduced gingival redness and bleeding in rats, decreased inflammatory cell infiltration, and weakened fibroblast proliferation in the periodontal tissue. Additionally, IL-1β and TNF-α levels were downregulated, while IL-10 level was elevated. Conclusion: the CS/DOPE-BAE nanohydrogel was an effective baicalein delivery system that can inhibit the progression of periodontitis, improve the inflammatory response in periodontal tissue, and deliver promising therapeutic effects.

Forest cover change directly affects the surface energy balance by altering the radiative and non-radiative properties of the surface. These competing processes may yield considerable biophysical impacts on local and regional climate that depend on background climate and specific forest type. Here we compared the differences in land surface temperature (LST) between temperate forests and adjacent croplands/grasslands to quantify the potential biophysical effects of transitions from croplands/grasslands to forests in Northeast China, based on multiple satellite observation products from 2001 to 2016. Forests were found to show a slight lower daytime LST and strong higher nighttime LST than adjacent croplands or grasslands. As a result, the daily LST of forests was 0.15 ± 0.06 ℃ and 0.32 ± 0.04 ℃ higher than that of croplands and grasslands, respectively. On the seasonal scale, the warming effect of cropland/grassland-to-forest transition during non-growing season outweighed the cooling effect during growing season, and dominated the annual positive LST response. Moreover, the cooling effect of cropland-to-forest transition during growing season was stronger in the early growth stage than late growth stage (−1.65 ± 0.9 ℃ in May to June, −0.39 ± 0.5 ℃ in July to September). The net cooling effect of warm temperate broadleaved forests was found to shift toward net warming effect of cold temperate coniferous forests with increasing latitude. The daytime cooling effect of forests was mainly driven by increased non-radiative evapotranspiration. Overall, the radiative process related to the solar energy dominated the net warming effect of forest transitions over Northeast China. Estimating the climate feedback potential of forests could be useful to provide theoretical references for the adaptation and mitigation strategies for climate change.

Abstract Current diagnosis of glioma types requires combining both histological features and molecular characteristics, which is an expensive and time-consuming procedure. Determining the tumor types directly from whole-slide images (WSIs) is of great value for glioma diagnosis. This study presents an integrated diagnosis model for automatic classification of diffuse gliomas from annotation-free standard WSIs. Our model is developed on a training cohort (n = 1362) and a validation cohort (n = 340), and tested on an internal testing cohort (n = 289) and two external cohorts (n = 305 and 328, respectively). The model can learn imaging features containing both pathological morphology and underlying biological clues to achieve the integrated diagnosis. Our model achieves high performance with area under receiver operator curve all above 0.90 in classifying major tumor types, in identifying tumor grades within type, and especially in distinguishing tumor genotypes with shared histological features. This integrated diagnosis model has the potential to be used in clinical scenarios for automated and unbiased classification of adult-type diffuse gliomas.

In order to raise yields and reduce production costs, the fermentation medium of succinic acid production by Actinobacillus succinogenes from sweet potato powder. First, the effects of sweet potato powder concentration, MgCO3 concentration, liquefaction enzyme dose, saccharifying enzyme dose, nitrogen source concentration and fermentation time on succinic acid production were investigated by single factor experiments in this study. Then, the optimum values of the parameters were obtained by orthogonal experiment design. Finally，the optimal fermentation conditions were amplified by 2 L stirred bioreactor. The results showed that mixed nitrogen source (yeast powder:corn steep liquor=1:2) was used as a proper nutrient in the succinic acid production from sweet potato powder. The formula optimization results showed that the important parameters were sweet potato powder, MgCO3, liquifying enzyme dose, glucoamylase dose and mixed nitrogen source. The optimum condition was as follows: Sweet potato powder 115 g/L, MgCO3 60 g/L, liquifying enzyme dose 0.008 KUN-S/g substrate, glucoamylase dose 3.09 AGU/g substrate, mixed nitrogen source 33 g/L. Succinic acid yield reached 69.89 g/L at the optimal condition, which was increased by 64.60% compared to that before optimization (42.46 g/L). Approximately 71.42 g/L of succinic acid content with a yield of 79.87% and a productivity of 0.99 g/(L·h) was obtained after 72 h in a 2 L bioreactor. Therefore, sweet potato powder could be a promising feedstock for the economical and efficient production of succinic acid through fermentation by A. succinogenes.

Diarrhea of college students (DCS) is a prevalent issue among college students, affecting their daily lives and academic performance. This study aims to explore the potential effect of Bifidobacterium breve BB05 supplements on the DCS. Initially, fifty healthy and fifty diarrheal students were recruited in the observational experiment and allocated into control and diarrhea groups, respectively. Subsequently, one hundred diarrheal students were newly recruited in the intervention experiment and randomly allocated into placebo and probiotic groups, both treated for 2 weeks. Questionnaires (BSS, HAMA-14, and HDRS-17) were performed to assess the students’ diarrheal states and mental health at baseline and post-treatment. Fecal samples underwent 16S rRNA sequencing and Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay to evaluate gut microbiota and fecal metabolite alternations. Results indicated that B. breve BB05 supplementation significantly enriched (p < 0.05) the reduced gut microbial diversity caused by diarrhea. Diarrhea resulted in notable alterations in gut microbiota composition, as exhibited by elevated Collinsella and Streptococcus, alongside substantially decreased Bifidobacterium, Bacteroides, and Prevotella, while B. breve BB05 supplementation partially restored the compromised gut microbiota at both the phylum and genus levels, particularly by increasing Bifidobacterium and Roseburia (p < 0.05). Importantly, questionnaire results suggested that B. breve BB05 administration achieved superior efficacy in relieving diarrhea symptoms and the associated anxiety and depression in college students. An increased fecal concentration of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) was also observed in the probiotic group, while Acetylcholine (ACH), Epinephrine (EPI), and Noradrenaline/Norepinephrine (NANE) reduced, revealing the potential of B. breve BB05 in alleviating anxiety and depression via modulating the microbiota–gut–brain axis. Furthermore, correlation analysis suggested that the altered microbiota and fecal neurotransmitters were closely associated with the mental symptoms. These results endorse B. breve BB05 intervention as a promising and innovative approach to alleviate both diarrhea and mental health conditions among college students.

TiO2 is a typical semiconductor material, and it has attracted much attention in the field of humidity sensors. Doping is an efficient way to enhance the humidity response of TiO2. Eu-doped TiO2 material was investigated in both theoretical simulations and experiments. In a simulation based on density functional theory, a doped Eu atom can increase the performance of humidity sensors by producing more oxygen vacancies than undoped TiO2. In these experiments, Eu-doped TiO2 nanorods were prepared by hydrothermal synthesis, and the results also confirm the theoretical prediction. When the doping mole ratio is 5 mol%, the response of the humidity sensor reaches 23,997.0, the wet hysteresis is 2.3% and the response/recovery time is 3/13.1 s. This study not only improves the basis for preparation of high-performance TiO2 humidity sensors, but also fills the research gap on rare earth Eu-doped TiO2 as a humidity-sensitive material.

Background: Missed miscarriage patients with residual tissue in the uterine cavity after medical abortion can be treated by surgery and expectant therapy. Because surgery may cause damage to the endometrium, expectant treatment is preferred clinically. However, the individual probability of expulsion of residual tissue from the uterus remains unelucidated. The present study used logistic regression analysis and nomogram to create a scoring system for quantitatively evaluating the individual probability of residual tissue expulsion in patients with missed miscarriage. Methods: A cohort of 126 patients with missed miscarriage who had residual tissue after medical abortion were included in the trial after receiving their informed consent. Of these patients, 102 and 24 patients had successful and failed expectant treatment, respectively. Results: Logistic regression analysis showed that gravidity, residual tissue size, and residual tissue with blood supply significantly affected the probability of expulsion of residual tissue after medical abortion. A special nomogram was constructed for predicting the probability of successful expulsion. At the maximum Youden index of 0.696, the area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was 0.849; this corresponded to a score of 77.78 and probability of residual tissue expulsion of 71%. Conclusion: A scoring system was established based on a nomogram. The success rate of residual tissue expulsion from the uterine cavity was significantly improved at the total score of 77.78 points after assigning influence weights to each influencing factor and an AUC of 0.849.

As a prominent topic in food computing, cross-modal recipe retrieval has garnered substantial attention. However, the semantic alignment across food images and recipes cannot be further enhanced due to the lack of intra-modal alignment in existing solutions. Additionally, a critical issue named food image ambiguity is overlooked, which disrupts the convergence of models. To these ends, we propose a novel Multi-Modal Alignment Method for Cross-Modal Recipe Retrieval (MMACMR). To consider inter-modal and intra-modal alignment together, this method measures the ambiguous food image similarity under the guidance of their corresponding recipes. Additionally, we enhance recipe semantic representation learning by involving a cross-attention module between ingredients and instructions, which is effective in supporting food image similarity measurement. We conduct experiments on the challenging public dataset Recipe1M; as a result, our method outperforms several state-of-the-art methods in commonly used evaluation criteria.

Resource curse and environmental regulation are the key bottlenecks that hinder the sustainable development of the resource industry. A reasonable assessment of the decoupling relationship between resource supply, environment regulation and resource industry transformation is helpful to promote the decision-making of industrial restructuring in post-development regions. Taking Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China as the research object, panel data related to resources, environment and industry from 2010 to 2021 are selected to evaluate the spatial and temporal evolution of regional resource supply security, environmental regulatory pressure and resource industry transformation efficiency, measure the decoupling index among the factors, and use geographic detector technology to identify the constraints affecting factor decoupling. The results show the following: (1) the resource curse effect of Inner Mongolia is not significant, and some resource industries have prominent advantages; (2) the security of resource supply and the transformation efficiency of the resource industry show overall upward trend, the pressure of environmental regulation is basically balanced, and the development level of factors in resource-endowed regions and central cities is relatively high; (3) the spatial and temporal evolution of the decoupling relationship between resource supply, environmental regulation and resource industry transformation is uncertain, and the resilience of regional economic and social governance is poor; (4) resource endowment and resource industry advantages are the key that restricts the decoupling of factors, and the cumulative effect of ecological governance is likely to lead to the randomness of the decoupling of environmental regulation and resource industry transformation. In addition, this study suggests that the post-development areas should pay attention to the classification of resource industry relief, trans-regional economic and social collaborative governance and special resources exploitation.

Seedless citrus has become one of the breeding goals due to its high edible ratio and convenience in fresh consumption and processing. In this study, the ‘Hongjiangcheng’ sweet orange (WT) and its seedless mutant (MT) after cobalt-60 radiation were selected to study the formation metabolism of citrus seedless phenotype. Compared with WT, the MT had altered primary metabolite contents, as indicated by GC-MS analysis. The mature pollen of the MT was mostly distorted and shrunken, and the orange mutant exhibited significantly lower fertility than the WT. Through pollination experiments and paraffin sectioning of the MT, we observed self-compatibility during pollen tube germination in situ, in combination with the absence of natural parthenocarpy and arrested zygotic embryo development at the fourth week after pollination. From transcriptomic analyses of ovules in the fourth week, 815 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. Furthermore, according to the annotation of gene function and qRT-PCR analysis, Cs4g10930, Cs5g21900 and orange1.1t02243 were identified as candidate genes that may govern the mechanism of seedlessness. Finally, Agrobacterium-mediated transformation verified that the overexpression of Cs4g10930 and Cs5g21900 in Newhall navel orange calli inhibited embryoid production. This study provides a better understanding of seedless formation in citrus and two key genes that may play an important role in the early selection of seedless lines in citrus breeding programs.

Abstract Background Flavor contributes to the sensory quality of fruits, including taste and aroma aspects. The quality of foods is related to their flavor-associated compounds. Pear fruits have a fruity sense of smell, and esters are the main contributor of the aroma. Korla pear are well known due to its unique aroma, but the mechanism and genes related to volatile synthesis have not been fully investigated. Results Flavor-associated compounds, including 18 primary metabolites and 144 volatiles, were characterized in maturity fruits of ten pear cultivars from five species, respectively. Based on the varied metabolites profiles, the cultivars could be grouped into species, respectively, by using orthogonal partial least squares discrimination analysis (OPLS-DA). Simultaneously, 14 volatiles were selected as biomarkers to discriminate Korla pear (Pyrus sinkiangensis) from others. Correlation network analysis further revealed the biosynthetic pathways of the compounds in pear cultivars. Furthermore, the volatile profile in Korla pear throughout fruit development was investigated. Aldehydes were the most abundant volatiles, while numerous esters consistently accumulated especially at the maturity stages. Combined with transcriptomic and metabolic analysis, Ps5LOXL, PsADHL, and PsAATL were screened out as the key genes in ester synthesis. Conclusion Pear species can be distinguished by their metabolic profiles. The most diversified volatiles as well as esters was found in Korla pear, in which the enhancement of lipoxygenase pathway may lead to the high level of volatile esters at maturity stages. The study will benefit the fully usage of pear germplasm resources to serve fruit flavor breeding goals.

Abstract Background Stroke’s prevalence and morbidity are increasing (Guano, et al. Neuro 89:53–61, 2017), and limb motor dysfunction is left in most patients (Gittler, et al. JAMA 319:820–821, 2018). Particularly, the rehabilitation of upper limbs is more difficult and time-consuming (Borges, et al. The Cochrane database of systematic reviews 10:CD011887, 2018). Methods A double-blind randomized controlled trial (RCT) will be conducted to investigate whether a new functional electrical stimulation (FES) combined with acupoint therapy is more effective in the rehabilitation of upper limb motor dysfunction after stroke. Patients who meet the inclusion criteria will be randomly divided into two groups: programmed flexor–extensor alternating electrical acupoint stimulation group (PES group) and conventional flexor–extensor alternating electrical acupoint stimulation group (CES group), which will be treated for 3 weeks. The primary outcome measures are electroencephalogram (EEG) and surface electromyogram (sEMG). The secondary outcome variables include MBI (modified Barthel index), China Stroke Scale (CSS), FMA-U (Fugl-Meyer assessment upper limb), MMT (manual muscle testing), and Brunnstrom. Discussion The results of this study are expected to verify the efficacy of PES therapy in the rehabilitation of upper limb motor function after stroke. This may promote the widespread use of the therapy in hospitals, communities, and homes for early and continuous treatment. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05333497. Registered on April 11, 2022.