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Abstract User pairing plays an important role in device‐to‐device (D2D) relay communication, contributing significantly to maintaining low energy consumption, high throughput, and overall energy efficiency in the communication system. To achieve these purposes, an attention‐based long short‐term memory motion prediction model (AT‐LSTM) and propose a joint power control algorithm. Leveraging these techniques, we also propose a D2D user pairing algorithm, distance–power–SINR pairing algorithm (DPSPA), which comprehensively considers factors such as D2D communication distances, transmit power, and signal‐to‐interference‐plus‐noise ratio. Initially, the AT‐LSTM model is utilized to predict the location of users. Subsequently, the distance between the user terminal device and each communication point and the base station, filtering cache points, and non‐cache points within the D2D communication radius are calculated. Then, based on the distance, required transmission power, and signal‐to‐interference‐plus‐noise ratio of each point, the evaluation index (the best matching product) is obtained. Finally, the point with the maximum best matching product is selected for D2D direct communication mode, D2D relay communication mode, or cellular communication mode. Simulation results demonstrate that DPSPA effectively reduces system energy consumption, enhances system throughput, and improves overall energy efficiency.

Bladder cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in the urinary system. There are a large number of bladder cancer patients globally, concentrated in the middle-aged and old-aged population, and some of them are first diagnosed with muscle invasive bladder cancer or metastatic bladder cancer, with a poor prognosis. In China, bladder cancer has become one of the most important tumors of the urinary system, with its incidence and mortality increasing year by year. The susceptibility of bladder cancer is affected by a combination of environmental and genetic factors, similar to the global trend. Smoking is considered to be one of the most important environmental risk factors for bladder cancer, which is closely related to the pathogenesis of bladder cancer and is one of the major public health problems in China. In terms of genetics, previous studies have shown that polymorphisms in cell cycle regulatory genes, tumor angiogenesis regulatory genes, DNA damage repair genes, and carcinogen metabolism enzyme regulatory genes can significantly affect the risk of bladder cancer in individuals. In recent years, with the development of environmental genomics research, the joint effect of smoking and gene variants on the susceptibility to bladder cancer has also received widespread attention. Exploring the joint effects will help to identify potential susceptibility biomarkers of bladder cancer and provide an important theoretical basis for its prevention and control. In this review, the joint effects of smoking and gene variants on bladder cancer susceptibility were elaborated.

Abstract Stimulator of interferon genes (STING) is vital in the cytosolic DNA-sensing process and critical for initiating the innate immune response, which has important functions in host defense and contributes to the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases. Zinc finger CCCH-type antiviral protein 1 (ZC3HAV1) specifically binds the CpG dinucleotides in the viral RNAs of multiple viruses and promotes their degradation. ZAPS (ZC3HAV1 short isoform) is a potent stimulator of retinoid acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) signaling during the antiviral response. However, how ZC3HAV1 controls STING signaling is unclear. Here, we show that ZC3HAV1 specifically potentiates STING activation by associating with STING to promote its oligomerization and translocation from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the Golgi, which facilitates activation of IRF3 and NF-κB pathway. Accordingly, Zc3hav1 deficiency protects mice against herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) infection- or 5,6-dimethylxanthenone-4-acetic acid (DMXAA)-induced inflammation in a STING-dependent manner. These results indicate that ZC3HAV1 is a key regulator of STING signaling, which suggests its possible use as a therapeutic target for STING-dependent inflammation.

Abstract Enhance the efficiency of tibial transverse transport by employing customized 3D-printed osteotomy guide plates and striving to improve precision through CT evaluation for enhanced guide design. 17 diabetic foot patients were treated with the plate for tibial transverse transport. Preoperatively, we collected DICOM data from the affected tibia’s CT and designed the geometric parameters of the tibial cortical bone window. A customized 3D-printed osteotomy guide plate was then fabricated using 3D printing technology. Postoperative X-ray and CT evaluations, conducted at two and five weeks post-surgery, assessed five crucial geometric parameters of the bone window. Measurements included the distance from the upper edge of the tibial cortical bone window to the tibial plateau, the distance from the anterior edge of the tibial cortical bone window to the bone ridge, the height of the tibial cortical bone window, the center-to-center distance between the 4.0 mm diameter Schanz pin and the osteotomy Kirschner pin, and the center-to-center distance of the 4.0 mm diameter Schanz pin. These measured parameters were subsequently compared to the preoperative design parameters. The Clinical trial registration number is ChiCTR2400087174. CT measurements showed no significant differences (P > 0.05) from preoperative design parameters across the five evaluated aspects. The average osteotomy duration was 35 ± 15 min with no bone window fractures. The bone window aligned effectively with the tibial shaft, achieving complete incorporation after distraction. A 4 to 8-month postoperative follow-up confirmed full healing of the tibial surgical wound and diabetic foot wounds. Utilizing customized 3D-printed osteotomy guide plates in tibial transverse bone transport surgery enables accurate translation of preoperative virtual designs into real-time procedures, enhancing surgical efficiency and quality.

The effects of Aronia melanocarpa (AM) dietary supplementation on production performance, meat and egg quality, yolk volatile substances and antioxidant capacity of laying hens. A total of 480 Roman brown laying hens aged 25 wks were randomly divided into control, LAM, MAM and HAM groups and fed 0%, 1%, 4% and 7% AM, respectively. The results showed that AM dietary supplementation significantly increased the eggshell strength, significantly reduced 24 h dripping loss of breast and thigh muscles, and increased pH and 48 h dripping loss of breast and thigh muscles. Cooking loss was significantly lower only in the HAM group for breast muscle. The MAM group was able to significantly increase albumen height and Haugh units. Esters gradually decreased with the increase in AM content, and the addition of AM led to a decrease in alcoholic compounds but increased the contents of alkenes, alkanes, ketones, and acids. The dietary AM supplementation significantly reduces the MDA content of serum, liver, ovary, chest muscle, thigh muscle and yolk and increases the activities of GSH-Px, T-SOD and T-AOC. In summary, dietary AM supplementation could improve antioxidant capacity and expression of related genes, thereby improving meat and egg quality.

The ageing of laying hens’ ovaries in the late laying period leads to oxidative stress, which ultimately results in the decrease of laying performance. Thus, we investigated Aronia melanocarpa (AM) as a potent antioxidant to improve ovarian senescence in the late laying hens through antioxidant pathway, thereby improving egg production performance. A total of 480 Hy-line brown laying hens aged 59 wks (60–67 wks) were randomly divided into CON, LAM, MAM and HAM groups and fed 0, 1, 4 and 7% AM, respectively. The results showed that compared with the CON group, the MAM group could significantly improve the laying rate and reduce the feed egg ratio at 64–67 weeks of age (p

Abstract FVP is a polysaccharide extracted from Flammulina velutipes with immunomodulatory, anti-tumor, and anti-oxidation activities. In this study, we obtained the crude polysaccharide FVP-C from the water extract of Flammulina velutipes, and its main component FVP-S1 was obtained after further purification. Upon structural identification, we found that FVP-C is a neutral polysaccharide, and FVP-S1 was an acidic golden mushroom polysaccharide, consisting of glucuronic acid, xylose, and glucose. Lung adenocarcinoma (A549) was treated with FVP-S1 and FVP-C, respectively, and we found that FVP-S1 and FVP-C inhibited the proliferation and migration ability of tumor cells, as well as changed the morphology of the tumor cells and caused chromosome sheteropythosis, among which FVP-S1 had the best inhibition effect. The results of flow cytometry experiments and mitochondrial membrane potential, RT-qPCR, and Western blot showed that FVP-S1 and FVP-C were able to decrease the mitochondrial membrane potential, increase the expression level of apoptotic proteins Casepase-3 and Casepase-9 proteins, and at the same time, increase the ratio of Bax and Bcl-2, which promoted apoptosis of tumor cells. In conclusion, these data indicated that FVP-S1 and FVP-C were able to induce apoptosis in A549 cells through the mitochondrial pathway, which played an important role in inhibiting tumor cells.

Abstract Background WRKY proteins are important transcription factors (TFs) in plants, involved in growth and development and responses to environmental changes. Although WRKY TFs have been studied at the genome level in Arachis genus, including oil crop and turfgrass, their regulatory networks in controlling flowering time remain unclear. The aim of this study was to predict the molecular mechanisms of WRKY TFs regulation flowering time in Arachis genus at the genome level using bioinformatics approaches. Results The flowering-time genes of Arachis genus were retrieved from the flowering-time gene database. The regulatory networks between WRKY TFs and downstream genes in Arachis genus were predicted using bioinformatics tools. The results showed that WRKY TFs were involved in aging, autonomous, circadian clock, hormone, photoperiod, sugar, temperature, and vernalization pathways to modulate flowering time in Arachis duranensis, Arachis ipaensis, Arachis monticola, and Arachis hypogaea cv. Tifrunner. The WRKY TF binding sites in homologous flowering-time genes exhibited asymmetric evolutionary pattern, indicating that the WRKY TFs interact with other transcription factors to modulate flowering time in the four Arachis species. Protein interaction network analysis showed that WRKY TFs interacted with FRUITFULL and APETALA2 to modulate flowering time in the four Arachis species. WRKY TFs implicated in regulating flowering time had low expression levels, whereas their interaction proteins had varying expression patterns in 22 tissues of A. hypogaea cv. Tifrunner. These results indicate that WRKY TFs exhibit antagonistic or synergistic interactions with the associated proteins. Conclusions This study reveals complex regulatory networks through which WRKY TFs modulate flowering time in the four Arachis species using bioinformatics approaches.

Abstract Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), together with its CagA, has been implicated in causing DNA damage, cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, and the development of gastric cancer. Although lncRNA H19 is abundantly expressed in gastric cancer and functions as a pro-oncogene, it remains unclear whether lncRNA H19 contributes to the oncogenic process of H. pylori CagA. This study investigates the role of H19 in the DNA damage response and malignancy induced by H. pylori. It was observed that cells infected with CagA+ H. pylori strain (GZ7/cagA) showed significantly higher H19 expression, resulting in increased γH2A.X and p-ATM expression and decreased p53 and Rad51 expression. Faster cell migration and invasion was also observed, which was reversed by H19 knockdown in H. pylori. YWHAZ was identified as an H19 target protein, and its expression was increased in H19 knockdown cells. GZ7/cagA infection responded to the increased YWHAZ expression induced by H19 knockdown. In addition, H19 knockdown stimulated cells to enter the G2-phase and attenuated the effect of GZ7/cagA infection on the cellular S-phase barrier. The results suggest that H. pylori CagA can upregulate H19 expression, participate in the DNA damage response and promote cell migration and invasion, and possibly affect cell cycle arrest via regulation of YWHAZ.

Background and objectives: Exosomes, which are small nanoscale vesicles capable of secretion, have garnered significant attention in recent years because of their therapeutic potential, particularly in the context of kidney diseases. Notably, human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes (hucMSC-Exos) are emerging as promising targeted therapies for renal conditions. The aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effects of hucMSC-Exos on diabetic kidney disease (DKD) both in vivo and in vitro. Additionally, this study seeks to elucidate cellular and molecular differentials, as well as the expression of relevant signaling pathways, through single-cell RNA sequencing. This endeavor was designed to enhance our understanding of the connection between hucMSC-Exos and the pathogenesis of DKD. Methods and results: The study commenced with the extraction and characterization of hucMSC-Exos, including the determination of their concentrations. Animal experiments were conducted to evaluate the therapeutic potential of hucMSC-Exos in a DKD mouse model. Subsequently, single-cell sequencing was employed to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the efficacy of extracellular vesicles in ameliorating DKD. These findings were further substantiated by cell-based experiments. Importantly, the results indicate that hucMSC-Exos can impede the progression of DKD in mice, with macrophage activation playing a pivotal role in this process. Conclusions: The in vivo experiments conclusively established hucMSC-Exos as a pivotal component in preserving renal function and retarding the progression of DKD. Our utilization of single-cell sequencing technology, in conjunction with in vivo and in vitro experiments, provides compelling evidence that M2 macrophages are instrumental in enhancing the amelioration of diabetic nephropathy.

Geological parameters of soil exhibit spatial variability. Inverse analysis allows the acquisition of accurate spatial distributions of key geological parameters, which is crucial for structural safety assessment. In this study, an ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) is employed in the context of data assimilation. Random fields are used as the initial input ensembles for the algorithm. The present study effectively integrates the ensemble Kalman filter with the numerical simulation software ABAQUS, enabling the inversion of parameter fields under various operating conditions. An in-house Python code script is developed to control ABAQUS for finite element computations and to obtain observations at target points. During the stepwise computation process, the algorithm can utilize newly acquired observations to accelerate the convergence of the parameter field to the true field. The effectiveness of the algorithm is validated, and the method is applied to a case study of double-tunnel excavation and a stepwise excavation analysis of a three-layered slope. The impact of the number of ensemble members and the ratio of the horizontal correlation scale to the vertical correlation scale of random fields on the effectiveness of updating the parameter field have also been investigated.

Flexible electronic devices with mechanical properties like the soft tissues of human organs have great potential for the next generation of wearable and implantable electronic devices. Self-healing hydrogel composites typically have high tensile strength, high electrical conductivity and damage repair properties and have wide applications in flexible electronics, such as human-computer interaction, health detection and soft robots. Various self-healing hydrogel composites have been developed to produce new stretchable conductive materials with satisfactory mechanical and self-healing properties. This paper presents the fabrication of self-healing hydrogel composites and their application in flexible electronic devices. Firstly, the repair mechanism of physically cross-linked and chemically cross-linked self-healing hydrogel composites is presented. Secondly, self-healing double network hydrogels, self-healing nanocomposite hydrogels and double crosslinked self-healing hydrogel composites and their applications in flexible sensors, energy harvesting devices, energy storage devices and optical devices are presented and discussed. Finally, the challenges and prospects of self-healing hydrogel composites in flexible electronic devices in the future are presented.

The increasing drive towards eco-friendly environment motivates the generation of energy from renewable energy sources (RESs). The rising share of RESs in power generation poses potential challenges, including uncertainties in generation output, frequency fluctuations, and insufficient voltage regulation capabilities. As a solution to these challenges, energy storage systems (ESSs) play a crucial role in storing and releasing power as needed. Battery energy storage systems (BESSs) provide significant potential to maximize the energy efficiency of a distribution network and the benefits of different stakeholders. This can be achieved through optimizing placement, sizing, charge/discharge scheduling, and control, all of which contribute to enhancing the overall performance of the network. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive overview of BESS operation, optimization, and modeling in different applications, and how mathematical and artificial intelligence (AI)-based optimization techniques contribute to BESS charging and discharging scheduling. We also discuss some potential future opportunities and challenges of the BESS operation, AI in BESSs, and how emerging technologies, such as internet of things, AI, and big data impact the development of BESSs.

Mornaphthoate E (MPE) is a prenylated naphthoic acid methyl ester isolated from the roots of a famous Chinese medicinal plant Morinda officinalis and shows remarkable cytotoxicity against several human tumor cell lines. In the current project, the first total synthesis of (±)-MPE was achieved in seven steps and 5.6% overall yield. Then the in vitro anti-tumor activity of MPE was first assessed for both enantiomers in two breast cancer cells, with the levoisomer exerting slightly better potency. The in vivo anti-tumor effect was further verified by applying the racemate in an orthotopic autograft mouse model. Notably, MPE exerted promising anti-metastasis activity both in vitro and in vivo and showed no obvious toxicity on mice at the therapeutic dosage. Mechanistic investigations demonstrated that MPE acted as a tubulin polymerization stabilizer and disturbed the dynamic equilibrium of microtubules via regulating PI3K/Akt signaling. In conclusion, our work has provided a new chemical template for the future design and development of next-generation tubulin-targeting chemotherapies.

Abstract Regeneration in the injured spinal cord is limited by physical and chemical barriers. Acute implantation of a multichannel poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLG) bridge mechanically stabilizes the injury, modulates inflammation, and provides a permissive environment for rapid cellularization and robust axonal regrowth through this otherwise inhibitory milieu. However, without additional intervention, regenerated axons remain largely unmyelinated (

Objective This study aimed to evaluate the effects of tranexamic acid (TXA) in preventing postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) among women with identified risk factors for PPH undergoing vaginal delivery in China.Methods This prospective, randomized, open-label, blinded endpoint (PROBE) trial enrolled 2258 women with one or more risk factors for PPH who underwent vaginal delivery. Participants were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive an intravascular infusion of 1 g TXA or a placebo immediately after the delivery of the infant. The primary outcome assessed was the incidence of PPH, defined as blood loss ≥500 mL within 24 h after delivery, while severe PPH was considered as a secondary outcome and defined by total blood loss ≥1000 mL within 24 h.Results 2245 individuals (99.4%) could be followed up to their primary outcome. PPH occurred in 186 of 1128 women in the TXA group and in 215 of 1117 women in the placebo group (16.5% vs. 19.2%; RR, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.72 to 1.02; p = 0.088). Regarding secondary outcomes related to efficacy, women in the TXA group had a significant lower rate of severe PPH than those in the placebo group (2.7% vs. 5.6%; RR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.32 to 0.74; p = 0.001; adjusted p = 0.002). Similarly, there was a significant reduction in the use of additional uterotonic agents (7.8% vs. 15.6%; RR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.39 to 0.63; p

BackgroundRecent studies have shown that the gut microbiota (GM), immune cells, and coronary heart disease (CHD) are closely related, but the causal nature of these relationships is largely unknown. This study aimed to investigate this causal relationship and reveal the effect of GM and immune cells on the risk of developing CHD using mediated Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.MethodsFirst, we searched for data related to GM, immune cells, and CHD through published genome-wide association studies (GWAS). We filtered the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with GM and immune cells and then performed the first MR analysis to identify disease-associated intestinal bacteria and disease-associated immune cells. Subsequently, three MR analyses were conducted: from disease-associated GM to disease-associated immune cells, from disease-associated immune cells to CHD, and from disease-associated GM to CHD. Each MR analysis was conducted using inverse variance weighting (IVW), MR-Egger regression, weighted median, weighted models, and simple models.ResultsA total of six GM and 25 immune cells were found to be associated with CHD. In the MR analysis using the inverse variance weighting (IVW) method, g__Desulfovibrio.s__Desulfovibrio_piger was associated with EM DN (CD4–CD8–) %T cells (P < 0.05 and OR > 1), EM DN (CD4–CD8–) %T cells was associated with CHD (P < 0.05 and OR < 1), and g__Desulfovibrio.s__Desulfovibrio_piger was associated with CHD (P < 0.05 and OR < 1).ConclusionAn increase in the abundance of g__Desulfovibrio.s__Desulfovibrio_piger leads to an increase in the amount of EM DN (CD4–CD8–) %T cells, and an increase in the amount of EM DN (CD4–CD8–) %T cells reduces the risk of developing CHD. Our study provides some references for reducing the incidence of CHD by regulating GM and immune cells.

BackgroundPostpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is the primary cause of maternal mortality globally, with uterine atony being the predominant contributing factor. However, accurate prediction of PPH in the general population remains challenging due to a lack of reliable biomarkers.MethodsUsing retrospective cohort data, we quantified 48 cytokines in plasma samples from 40 women diagnosed with PPH caused by uterine atony. We also analyzed previously reported hemogram and coagulation parameters related to inflammatory response. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and logistic regression were applied to develop predictive models. Established models were further evaluated and temporally validated in a prospective cohort.ResultsFourteen factors showed significant differences between the two groups, among which IL2Rα, IL9, MIP1β, TNFβ, CTACK, prenatal Hb, Lymph%, PLR, and LnSII were selected by LASSO to construct predictive model A. Further, by logistic regression, model B was constructed using prenatal Hb, PLR, IL2Rα, and IL9. The area under the curve (AUC) values of model A in the training set, internal validation set, and temporal validation set were 0.846 (0.757–0.934), 0.846 (0.749–0.930), and 0.875 (0.789–0.961), respectively. And the corresponding AUC values for model B were 0.805 (0.709–0.901), 0.805 (0.701–0.894), and 0.901 (0.824–0.979). Decision curve analysis results showed that both nomograms had a high net benefit for predicting atonic PPH.ConclusionWe identified novel biomarkers and developed predictive models for atonic PPH in women undergoing “low-risk” vaginal delivery, providing immunological insights for further exploration of the mechanism underlying atonic PPH.

Abstract Oxidative (or respiratory) burst confers host defense against pathogens by generating reactive species, including reactive nitrogen species (RNS). The microbial infection-induced excessive RNS damages many biological molecules via S-nitrosothiol (SNO) accumulation. However, the mechanism by which the host enables innate immunity activation during oxidative burst remains largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO), the main endogenous SNO, attenuates innate immune responses against herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) and Listeria monocytogenes infections. Mechanistically, GSNO induces the S-nitrosylation of stimulator of interferon genes (STING) at Cys257, inhibiting its binding to the second messenger cyclic guanosine monophosphate-adenosine monophosphate (cGAMP). Alcohol dehydrogenase 5 (ADH5), the key enzyme that metabolizes GSNO to decrease cellular SNOs, facilitates STING activation by inhibiting S-nitrosylation. Concordantly, Adh5 deficiency show defective STING-dependent immune responses upon microbial challenge and facilitates viral replication. Thus, cellular oxidative burst-induced RNS attenuates the STING-mediated innate immune responses to microbial infection, while ADH5 licenses STING activation by maintaining cellular SNO homeostasis.

In this paper, we study a wireless powered cognitive internet of things (IoT) network, where cognitive radio (CR) and non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) technologies are exploited to improve spectral efficiency, and radio frequency based energy harvesting (RF-EH) technology is integrated to achieve the sustainable IoT network. To ensure the freshness of information delivery, we investigate the age of information (AoI) as a performance metric, and formulate a long-term average AoI minimization problem under energy sustainability constraint, in which the working mode and transmit power of the secondary devices (SDs) are jointly optimized. Then, we reformulate it as a decentralized Markov decision process (Dec-MDP) with continuous action space. Accordingly, a deep reinforcement learning (DRL) framework is exploited, and a multi-agent twin delayed deep deterministic policy gradient algorithm with dual action selection mechanism (MATD3-DAS) is proposed, which adopts the centralized training and decentralized execution (CTDE) framework and exploits both actor and critic networks to select actions for improving exploration ability. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm can significantly reduce the long-term average AoI, where the decrements approach 9.58% and 52.34% compared with the MATD3 algorithm and TD3-DAS algorithm with centralized training and centralized execution (CTCE).

Abstract Background Lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs) catalyzing the oxidative cleavage of different types of polysaccharides have potential to be used in various industries. However, AA13 family LPMOs which specifically catalyze starch substrates have relatively less members than AA9 and AA10 families to limit their application range. Amylase has been used in enzymatic desizing treatment of cotton fabric for semicentury which urgently need for new assistant enzymes to improve reaction efficiency and reduce cost so as to promote their application in the textile industry. Results A total of 380 unannotated new genes which probably encode AA13 family LPMOs were discovered by the Hidden Markov model scanning in this study. Ten of them have been successfully heterologous overexpressed. AlLPMO13 with the highest activity has been purified and determined its optimum pH and temperature as pH 5.0 and 50 °C. It also showed various oxidative activities on different substrates (modified corn starch > amylose > amylopectin > corn starch). The results of enzymatic textile desizing application showed that the best combination of amylase (5 g/L), AlLPMO13 (5 mg/L), and H2O2 (3 g/L) made the desizing level and the capillary effects increased by 3 grades and more than 20%, respectively, compared with the results treated by only amylase. Conclusion The Hidden Markov model constructed basing on 34 AA13 family LPMOs was proved to be a valid bioinformatics tool for discovering novel starch-active LPMOs. The novel enzyme AlLPMO13 has strong development potential in the enzymatic textile industry both concerning on economy and on application effect.

Abstract Background Intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) is the major cause of low-back pain. Histone deacetylase 9 (HDAC9) was dramatically decreased in the degenerative nucleus pulposus (NP) samples of patients with intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) according to bioinformatics analysis of Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) GSE56081 dataset. This study aims to investigate the role of HDAC9 in IVDD progression. Methods The contribution of HDAC9 to the progression of IVDD was assessed using HDAC9 knockout (HDAC9KO) mice and NP-targeted HDAC9-overexpressing mice by IVD injection of adenovirus-mediated HDAC9 under a Col2a1 promoter. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and histological analysis were used to examine the degeneration of IVD. NP cells were isolated from mice to investigate the effects of HDAC9 on apoptosis and viability. mRNA-seq and coimmunoprecipitation/mass spectrometry (co-IP/MS) analysis were used to analyze the HDAC9-regulated factors in the primary cultured NP cells. Results HDAC9 was statistically decreased in the NP tissues in aged mice. HDAC9KO mice spontaneously developed age-related IVDD compared with wild-type (HDAC9WT) mice. In addition, overexpression of HDAC9 in NP cells alleviated IVDD symptoms in a surgically-induced IVDD mouse model. In an in vitro assay, knockdown of HDAC9 inhibited cell viability and promoted cell apoptosis of NP cells, and HDAC9 overexpression had the opposite effects in NP cells isolated from HDAC9KO mice. Results of mRNA-seq and co-IP/MS analysis revealed the possible proteins and signaling pathways regulated by HDAC9 in NP cells. RUNX family transcription factor 3 (RUNX3) was screened out for further study, and RUNX3 was found to be deacetylated and stabilized by HDAC9. Knockdown of RUNX3 restored the effects of HDAC9 silencing on NP cells by inhibiting apoptosis and increasing viability. Conclusion Our results suggest that HDAC9 plays an important role in the development and progression of IVDD. It might be required to protect NP cells against the loss of cell viability and apoptosis by inhibiting RUNX3 acetylation and expression during IVDD. Together, our findings suggest that HDAC9 may be a potential therapeutic target in IVDD. Graphical Abstract

Flammulina velutipes is one of the most consumed mushrooms mainly produced in China but their stem base, which is a waste resource in production usually not used, but has revealed reducing cholesterol effects and preventing fatty liver. Considering the important role of ovarian development in poultry production and the unclear mechanism of dietary nutrition in ovarian development, the effect of F. velutipes stem waste (FVS) on ovarian follicle development in laying hens and its potential mechanism were investigated by adding 2%, 4% and 6% FVS to the diet of laying hens and the production performance, biochemical parameters, hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis hormone level, mRNA and protein changes on laying hens at sexual maturity and peak laying period were evaluated. FVS significantly improved the egg white weight and eggshell strength of laying hens, and markedly reduced the levels of lipid and abdominal fat. In addition to regulate lipid metabolism, FVS also inhibited the ovarian apoptosis pathway, reduced follicular atresia, increased the genes and proteins expression related to follicle stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR), luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR) and steroid hormone synthesis signal pathway, and increased the level of serum hormone. FVS could thus promote ovarian development by reducing cholesterol and other lipid levels, stimulating steroid hormone signalling pathway as well as improve the production performance of laying hens, suggesting that FVS could be added to poultry feed as a nutritional supplement.HIGHLIGHTS Flammulina velutipes stem waste can improve egg white weight and eggshell strength; Flammulina velutipes stem waste reduces ovarian apoptosis and inhibits follicular atresia; Flammulina velutipes stem waste can be used as a feed supplement to improve ovarian health in poultry;

BackgroundTo date, an increasing number of epidemiological evidence has pointed to potential relationships between Parkinson’s disease (PD) and various autoimmune diseases (AIDs), however, no definitive conclusions has been drawn about whether PD is causally related to AIDs risk.MethodsBy employing summary statistics from the latest and most extensive genome-wide association studies (GWAS), we performed a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to investigate the causal associations between PD and a variety of 17 AIDs, encompassing multiple sclerosis, neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder, myasthenia gravis, asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, celiac disease, primary biliary cirrhosis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, type 1 diabetes, ankylosing spondylitis, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, psoriasis and vitiligo. Inverse-variance weighted (IVW) was adopted as the main statistical approach to obtain the causal estimates of PD on different AIDs, supplemented by a series of complementary analyses (weighted median, MR Egger regression, and MR-PRESSO) for further strengthening the robustness of results.ResultsOur MR findings suggested that genetically predicted higher liability to PD was causally associated with a decreased risk of irritable bowel syndrome (OR = 0.98; 95% CI: 0.96-0.99; P = 0.032). On the contrary, IVW analysis showed a potential positive correlation between genetically determined PD and the incidence of type 1 diabetes (OR = 1.10; 95%CI: 1.02-1.19; P = 0.010). Subsequent MR tests ended up in similar results, confirming our findings were reliable. Additionally, in the reverse MR analyses, we did not identify any evidence to support the causal relationship of genetic predisposition to AIDs with PD susceptibility.ConclusionIn general, a bifunctional role that PD exerted on the risk of developing AIDs was detected in our studies, both protecting against irritable bowel syndrome occurrence and raising the incidence of type 1 diabetes. Future studies, including population-based observational studies and molecular experiments in vitro and in vivo, are warranted to validate the results of our MR analyses and refine the underlying pathological mechanisms involved in PD-AIDs associations.

Abstract The identification and classification of selective sweeps are of great significance for improving the understanding of biological evolution and exploring opportunities for precision medicine and genetic improvement. Here, a domain adaptation sweep detection and classification (DASDC) method is presented to balance the alignment of two domains and the classification performance through a domain‐adversarial neural network and its adversarial learning modules. DASDC effectively addresses the issue of mismatch between training data and real genomic data in deep learning models, leading to a significant improvement in its generalization capability, prediction robustness, and accuracy. The DASDC method demonstrates improved identification performance compared to existing methods and excels in classification performance, particularly in scenarios where there is a mismatch between application data and training data. The successful implementation of DASDC in real data of three distinct species highlights its potential as a useful tool for identifying crucial functional genes and investigating adaptive evolutionary mechanisms, particularly with the increasing availability of genomic data.

Summary: Spermiogenesis defines the final phase of male germ cell differentiation. While multiple deubiquitinating enzymes have been linked to spermiogenesis, the impacts of deubiquitination on spermiogenesis remain poorly characterized. Here, we investigated the function of UAF1 in mouse spermiogenesis. We selectively deleted Uaf1 in premeiotic germ cells using the Stra8-Cre knock-in mouse strain (Uaf1 sKO), and found that Uaf1 is essential for spermiogenesis and male fertility. Further, UAF1 interacts and colocalizes with USP1 in the testes. Conditional knockout of Uaf1 in testes results in disturbed protein levels and localization of USP1, suggesting that UAF1 regulates spermiogenesis through the function of the deubiquitinating enzyme USP1. Using tandem mass tag-based proteomics, we identified that conditional knockout of Uaf1 in the testes results in reduced levels of proteins that are essential for spermiogenesis. Thus, we conclude that the UAF1/USP1 deubiquitinase complex is essential for normal spermiogenesis by regulating the levels of spermiogenesis-related proteins.

Energy demand prediction can benefit electricity consumers, distribution network service providers, and system operators. It heavily depends on auxiliary factors, such as weather parameters (e.g., ambient temperature), which makes this problem more complex. Moreover, for many industrial applications, instead of aiming for the highest prediction accuracy, a more easily understandable and interpretable model that can lead to higher accuracy against the baseline model is the priority. Therefore, this problem still requires more investigation, especially when there is a specified prediction baseline to be compared with. This paper proposes a machine learning (ML) based prediction framework that investigates how temperature combined with energy consumption and simple and interpretable ML methods can be used to provide more precise demand forecasts and thus baselines closer to actual load profiles. The proposed framework is tested on two different real-world energy demand datasets. The analysis shows that using a simple ML model, such as a polynomial regression model, results in a more accurate prediction than the current baselines used in the energy market. The proposed ML models are not black-box type models, and thus are easier to explain and interpret. The ML-based forecasted demand is used as a baseline for demand response (DR) and is compared with the existing baselines used in the demand response market of Australia’s national grid.

Abstract Background Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common tumors in the world. Cholesterol plays an important role in the pathogenesis of tumors. One of the cholesterol transporters, scavenger receptor class B type 1 (SR‐B1), a multi‐ligand membrane receptor protein, is expressed in the intestines which also highly expressed in various tumors. But the potential mechanism of SR‐B1 in CRC development has not been reported. Aims This study aimed to clarify the importance of SR‐B1 in the development and prognosis of CRC as much as possible to provide a possible strategy in CRC treatment. Materials & Methods In this study, we used SR‐B1 gene knockdown mice to study the effect of SR‐B1 on colitis‐induced or APCmin/+‐induced CRC. The expression of related molecules were detected through the immunohistochemistry and hematoxylin–eosin staining, western blot analysis, and Flow cytometry. The gene expression and microbiota in microenvironment of CRC mice were analyzed through eukaryotic mRNA sequencing and 16S rRNA high‐throughput sequencing. Results The results showed that SR‐B1 knockdown reduced the tumor load of colitis‐induced or APCmin/+‐induced CRC. SR‐B1 knockdown improved the immune microenvironment by affecting the level of tumor‐associated macrophage (TAM), mononuclear myeloid‐derived suppressor cells (M‐MDSCs), granulocytic myeloid‐derived suppressor cells (G‐MDSCs), programmed cell death‐ligand 1 (PD‐L1), and human leukocyte antigen class I‐B (HLA‐B), and also reduced the level of low‐density lipoprotein receptor (LDL‐R), and increased the level of ATP binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1) to regulate the cholesterol metabolism, and regulated the expression of related genes and intestinal microbiota. SR‐B1 knockdown can also trigger the anti‐CRC effect of anti‐PD 1 in colitis‐induced CRC. Discussion SR‐B1 deficiency significantly improved the immunity in tumor microenvironment of colitis‐induced or APCmin/+‐induced CRC. In addition, the microbiota changes caused by SR‐B1 deficiency favor improving the immune response to chemotherapeutic drugs and anti‐PD1 therapy. The mechanism of action of SR‐B1 deficiency on the development of CRC still needs further in‐depth research. Conclusion This study provides a new treatment strategy for treating CRC by affecting the expression of SR‐B1 in intestine.

Purposes Diseases such as hypertension and malaria infection often raise the rigidity of red blood cells (RBCs). Consequently, the morphology and rheological characteristics of RBCs change, which means understanding the deformability and flow characteristics of sick RBCs is of great significance for clinical diagnosis and drug treatment. Methods In this work, RBCs were treated with a series of fixatives to mimic sick RBCs. Devices such as microfluidic chip, injection pump, fluorescence inverted microscope, and high-speed camera were used to study the flow characteristics of treated RBCs flowing in microchannel in vitro. The relationships between the deformability of RBCs and Cell free Layer (CFL) thickness, flow velocity, and other parameters were explored. Findings The results show that, after treating with fixative solution, the diameter of RBCs increases, the width of CFL becomes thinner, and the velocity of RBCs becomes lower. After the disease, the rigidity of RBCs is enhanced, the deformability is reduced, and the flow characteristics of red blood cells are obviously changed.

Abstract Plants of the genus Arachis originated from South America and are cultivated worldwide. The genus Arachis contains 83 species and nine intrageneric taxonomic sections. The cultivated peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) belongs to the Arachis section, the forage peanut (Arachis pintoi Krapov. & W. C. Greg.) belongs to the Caulorrhizae section, and the perennial peanut (Arachis glabrata Benth.) belongs to the Rhizomatosae section. These three peanut species have been developed for use as fodder crops. This review summarizes the forage value of Arachis species. Forage and perennial peanuts can be intercropped with forage species to feed livestock. The cultivated peanut vines and peanut by‐products, such as peanut skins and peanut meal, are also high‐quality fodder used to feed sheep, cattle, and poultry. A major limiting factor in terms of adopting forage and perennial peanuts as forage crops is their limited resistance to frosts, resulting from their low winter hardiness. Therefore, the feeding value of cultivated peanuts is higher compared to forage and perennial peanuts. This review suggests that Arachis is a suitable forage crop, focusing on their nutritional properties and breeding to increase their performance under cultivation and feeding value.

Abstract Introduction Survivors of SARS‐CoV‐2 pneumonia often develop persistent respiratory symptom and interstitial lung abnormalities (ILAs) after infection. Risk factors for ILA development and duration of ILA persistence after SARS‐CoV‐2 infection are not well described in immunocompromised hosts, such as cancer patients. Methods We conducted a prospective cohort study of 95 patients at a major cancer center and 45 patients at a tertiary referral center. We collected clinical and radiographic data during the index hospitalization for COVID‐19 pneumonia and measured pneumonia severity using a semi‐quantitative radiographic score, the Radiologic Severity Index (RSI). Patients were evaluated in post‐COVID‐19 clinics at 3 and 6 months after discharge and underwent comprehensive pulmonary evaluations (symptom assessment, chest computed tomography, pulmonary function tests, 6‐min walk test). The association of clinical and radiological factors with ILAs at 3 and 6 months post‐discharge was measured using univariable and multivariable logistic regression. Results Sixty‐six (70%) patients of cancer cohort had ILAs at 3 months, of whom 39 had persistent respiratory symptoms. Twenty‐four (26%) patients had persistent ILA at 6 months after hospital discharge. In adjusted models, higher peak RSI at admission was associated with ILAs at 3 (OR 1.5 per 5‐point increase, 95% CI 1.1–1.9) and 6 months (OR 1.3 per 5‐point increase, 95% CI 1.1–1.6) post‐discharge. Fibrotic ILAs (reticulation, traction bronchiectasis, and architectural distortion) were more common at 6 months post‐discharge. Conclusions Post‐COVID‐19 ILAs are common in cancer patients 3 months after hospital discharge, and peak RSI and older age are strong predictors of persistent ILAs.

Abstract Background Musculoskeletal ultrasound is used in clinical practice to evaluate gout patients and is an effective imaging tool for the detection of tophi. The aim of this study was to analyze the factors associated with ultrasound‐detected tophi in gout patients and to construct a clinical model to predict its occurrence and improve the detection of hidden tophi. Methods Data of gout patients admitted to Beijing Jishuitan Hospital from January 2015 to December 2021 were collected. The complete and detailed information from gout cases with completed musculoskeletal ultrasound was included in the analysis. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify independent factors associated with ultrasound‐detected tophi. A nomogram was used to visualize the clinical predictive models. Results Among 517 gout patients, rheumatologists found that 67 patients (13.0%) had subcutaneous tophi by visual observation, while musculoskeletal ultrasound revealed that 123 patients (23.8%) had ultrasound‐detected tophi with odds ratio [OR] (95% confidence intervals [CIs]) = 2.20 (1.81–2.67). Disease duration, upper limb joint flare (ULJF), persistent joint pain (PJP), uric acid, and homocysteine levels were independently associated with ultrasound‐detected tophi, and they had ORs (95% CIs) of 1.092 (1.050–1.136), 3.732 (2.312–6.025), 1.864 (1.086–3.200), 1.003 (1.001–1.004), and 1.015 (1.000–1.030), respectively. After balancing the complexity and accuracy of the model, Model 2 (incorporating disease duration, ULJF, PJP, and uric acid) was chosen to create a nomogram to predict the occurrence of ultrasound‐detected tophi. The nomogram had good discrimination (consistency index [C‐index] = 0.774) and excellent calibration, demonstrated by calibration curves. Conclusion Using easily available indicators, such as disease duration, the nature of the joint pain, and uric acid levels, we successfully developed an easy‐to‐use clinical model to improve the detection of hidden tophi.

With the demand for energy sustainability and the development of the low-carbon power system, distributed energy, energy storage, demand response, and other diverse market participants will participate in the electricity market, which brings new changes to the transaction organization process of the electricity market. This paper first introduces the changes in the electricity market under the participation of diverse market participants from two aspects of market transactions and market power. Diverse participants can provide a variety of auxiliary services in the electricity market while they have potential market power in the process. Secondly, the current supervision measures used in the foreign electricity market in the order of ex-ante, interim, and ex-post are reviewed and four common supervision indexes are introduced. Finally, the market power and the supervision necessity of the electricity market under the participation of energy storage are analyzed by case studies. As shown by the simulation results, energy storage with excellent regulating performance has market power in providing frequency regulation services, but the conventional supervision indexes fail to detect the market power of energy storage effectively. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the necessity of the market supervision method for adapting to the changes under the participation of diverse participants.

Background: The efficacy of bioresorbable vascular scaffolds (BVS) compared to metallic stents for the treatment of coronary heart disease remains controversial. The analysis of clinical outcomes at five years following the initial treatment has yet to be reviewed. This study sought to assess the five-year outcomes in randomized controlled trials of BVS in the treatment of coronary heart disease using a systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: A systematic database search was conducted from their inception to June 30th, 2023 using various Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms including: “Coronary Disease”, “Bioresorbable stent”, “Randomized controlled trials”. Results: After a rigorous selection process, a total of five high-quality articles were finally included in this study. Each trial demonstrated a low risk of bias. After 5 years, bioresorbable stents showed outcomes similar to conventional metal stents in terms of cardiac mortality. However, they were inferior in terms of lesion revascularization rates, in-stent thrombosis rates, target lesion failure, target vessel failure, and myocardial infarction. Conclusions: While bioresorbable stents are comparable to metallic stents in terms of cardiac mortality rates, they exhibit significant drawbacks that warrant clinical consideration.

The N-terminal sequences of proteins and their corresponding encoding sequences may play crucial roles in the heterologous expression. In this study, the secretory expression of alkaline pectin lyase APL in B. subtilis was investigated to explore the effects of the N-terminal 5–7 amino acid sequences of different signal peptides on the protein expression and secretion. It was identified for the first time that the first five amino acid sequences of the N-terminal of the signal peptide (SP-LipA) from Bacillus subtilis lipase A play an important role in promoting the expression of APL. Furthermore, it was revealed that SP-LipA resulted in higher secretory expression compared to other signal peptides in this study primarily due to its encoding of N-terminal amino acids with relatively higher transcription levels and its efficient secretion capacity. Based on this foundation, the recombinant strain constructed in this work achieved a new record for the highest extracellular yields of APL in B. subtilis, reaching 12,295 U/mL, which was 1.9-times higher than that expressed in the recombinant Escherichia coli strain previously reported. The novel theories uncovered in this study are expected to play significant roles in enhancing the expression of foreign proteins both inside and outside of cells.

The Modified Mohr–Coulomb criterion has been demonstrated to exhibit high accuracy in the prediction of fracture in high-strength steels. Taking DP780 as the research object, the undetermined parameters of the Modified Mohr–Coulomb criterion at different temperatures were calibrated by tensile and shear tests combined with simulation. The relationships between the parameters and temperature were investigated. Finally, the relationship between criterion parameters and temperature was verified using the stretch-bending tests of U-shape parts. The fracture of automotive parts can be accurately predicted by simulation during warm stamping, thereby guiding actual production.

Abstract Background Hull colour is an important morphological marker for selection in seed production of foxtail millet. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying hull colour variation remain unknown. Results An F7 recombinant inbred line (RIL) population containing 215 lines derived from Hongjiugu × Yugu18 was used to analyze inheritance and detect the quantitative trait loci (QTL) for four hull colour traits using major gene plus polygene mixed inheritance analysis and composite interval mapping (CIM) in four environments. Genetic analysis revealed that the hull colour L* value (HCL*) was controlled by two major genes plus additive polygenes, the hull colour a* value (HCa*) was controlled by three major genes, the hull colour b* value (HCb*) was controlled by two major genes plus polygenes, and the hull colour C* value (HCC*) was controlled by four major genes. A high-density genetic linkage map covering 1227.383 cM of the foxtail millet genome, with an average interval of 0.879 cM between adjacent bin markers, was constructed using 1420 bin markers. Based on the genetic linkage map and the phenotypic data, a total of 39 QTL were detected for these four hull colour traits across four environments, each explaining 1.50%–49.20% of the phenotypic variation. Of these, six environmentally stable major QTL were co-localized to regions on chromosomes 1 and 9, playing a major role in hull colour. There were 556 annotated genes within the two QTL regions. Based on the functions of homologous genes in Arabidopsis and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Ontology (GO) gene annotations, five genes were predicted as candidate genes for further studies. Conclusions This is the first study to use an inheritance model and QTL mapping to determine the genetic mechanisms of hull colour trait in foxtail millet. We identified six major environmentally stable QTL and predicted five potential candidate genes to be associated with hull colour. These results advance the current understanding of the genetic mechanisms underlying hull colour traits in foxtail millet and provide additional resources for application in genomics-assisted breeding and potential isolation and functional characterization of the candidate genes.

Abstract The optical morphology of discharge is the main characteristic parameter describing the physical process of the discharge, and the luminescence behavior is inextricably linked to the motion behavior of charged particles. Since the Trichel discharge in air is a weak ionization event occurring on the sub‐nanosecond time scale, micron space scale and accompanied by weak luminescence, the current experimental observation means have a low spatial and temporal resolution, which is insufficient to study the details of its luminescence properties clearly. To address this problem, the intensity of light generated by Trichel discharge in air is first measured and resolved in time and space using a constructed ultrafast optical counting and imaging system. At a very high temporal resolution of 55 ps, it is found that both its light emission and current pulse showed a trend of first rapid growth and then slow decline on the time scale of tens of nanoseconds. Later, in order to further investigate the connection between the microscopic behavior of charged particles and photons, a two‐dimensional hydrodynamic simulation model with three components (electrons, positive ions, and negative ions) is developed and the current simulation results are in good agreement with the experimental results. The results show that the size of the ionization region and the interaction between particles in the discharge process are the main factors affecting the Trichel pulse and its photoemission. Electrons play a dominant role in photon generation during the rise time process, while it is the recombination process of positive and negative charges, which contributes the main photons during the fall time process. Finally, it is proposed that the expression of photon flux should be amended to include an additional term responsible for the photons generated due to recombination. The study helps to advance the understanding of the luminescence characteristics and the discharge mechanism of Trichel discharge.

Glutamine cyclase, an enzyme involved in posttranslational modifications, is encoded by the glutaminyl-peptide cyclotransferase (QPCT) gene. Gene microarray analysis revealed that the QPCT gene was highly expressed in HepG2.2.15 cells compared with that in HepG2 cells. The serum expression level of the QPCT gene was detected by ELISA and was significantly greater in HBV-infected patients than in healthy controls. The mRNA and protein expression levels of the QPCT gene were markedly greater in the HBV-expressing cell lines (HepG2.2.15, and HepG2 and Huh7 cells transfected with the pBlu-HBV plasmid) than in the HepG2 and Huh7 cells. The levels of HBV pgRNA and HBV-DNA copy number, as well as the levels of HBeAg and HBsAg, also increased in the HepG2 and Huh7 cell lines cotransfected with the QPCT gene expression plasmid and the HBV 1.3-fold plasmid. Our study indicated that HBV can promote the expression of the QPCT gene, which in turn promotes the expression and replication of HBV.

BackgroundA retrospective study was conducted to explore the urinary expression of α 1-microglobulin (α1MG) and β2-microglobulin (β2MG) in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, aiming to evaluate their predictive capability for renal injury.MethodOne hundred and five male HIV-infected patients treated with Tenofovir (TDF) regimen (TDF+3TC or the third drug TDF/FTC+) were selected between March 1, 2021, and March 1, 2022, in Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital. Three months after TDF treatment, the renal function injury was evaluated with the standard creatinine clearance rate. The urinary levels of α1MG and β2MG were compared between the initiation of TDF treatment and three months thereafter. Spearman correlation was utilized to analyze the correlation between the urinary expression of α1MG and β2MG and renal injury in HIV patients. The logistic regression was used to analyze the predictive value of urinary α1MG and β 2-microglobulin expression in renal injury.ResultsUp to the first follow-up, 29 (27.6%) cases of the 105 male HIV patients had varying degrees of renal function injury, including 14 (13.3%) mild injury, 9 (8.6%) moderate injury, and 6 (5.7%) severe injury cases. Patients with severe renal injury had the highest levels of urinary α1MG and β2MG expression while those with mild injury demonstrated higher levels compared to the non-injury group (P < 0.05). Spearman correlation analysis indicated that urinary α1MG and β2MG were positively correlated with renal impairment in HIV patients (Rho = -0.568, and -0.732; P < 0.001). The ROC curve analysis demonstrated that the area under the curve (AUC) for urine α1MG and β2MG in predicting kidney damage among HIV patients were 0.928, 0.916, and 0.889, respectively. The sensitivity values were 96.55%, 82.76%, and 89.66% while the specificity values were 84.07%, 94.51%, and 89.29% for urine α1MG and β2MG, respectively.ConclusionThe expression level of urinary α1MG and β2MG in HIV patients was significantly higher compared to normal people. Detection of these two indexes can enable early determination of renal injury and its severity in HIV patients.

InstructionMicrobial community respiration (MCR) strongly controls the fate of organic carbon in the ocean. The balance between MCR and primary production strongly determines whether the ocean is a net sink or source of CO2 to the atmosphere. Thus, it is necessary to estimate MCR to better understand the role of oceans in the global carbon cycle. Methods based on apparent oxygen utilization (AOU) are predominant while electron transport system (ETS) assay gets increasing attention. Although methods get developed, few studies on MCR have been performed on a seasonal cycle. Because MCR is strongly associated with the temperature which changes along with the succession of seasons, it is urgent to study the MCR on a seasonal cycle.MethodsThus, we measured MCR using in vivo tetrazolium salt 2-(p-iodophenyl)-3-(p-nitrophenyl)-5-phenyltetrazolium chloride (INT) reduction rates (ETS) and oxygen-optode methods (AOU) simultaneously we measured the MCR based on AOU and ETS methods simultaneously from November 2020 to November 2021 in Aoshan Bay, China.ResultsThe highest AOU appeared in autumn, followed by summer, spring, and winter, whereas the highest ETS activity appeared in summer, followed by spring, autumn and winter. The seasonal trend of MCR estimated from AOU and ETS were not consistent, and further analysis indicated that oxygen consumption induced by nitrification caused the overestimation of MCR in autumn evaluated from AOU.DiscussionMicrobial groups that were strongly correlated with MCR estimated by ETS had the ability to degrade various substrates and could get energy directly from light. It should be careful to notice the deviation of assumed organic carbon demand based on ETS caused by the alternation of day and night. Furthermore, the pattern of bacterial groups associated with year-round MCR was distinct from season-specific MCR. This study raised a warning for caution when estimating MCR based on AOU and it was better to fully take the photoheterotrophy into account when assuming organic carbon remineralization based on ETS.

Abstract Background Immune cells are crucial components in the tumor microenvironment and have a significant impact on the outcomes of patients. Aims Here, we aimed to establish a prognostic score based on different types of tumor‐infiltrating immune cells for Endometrial Carcinoma (EC). Methods and Results We enrolled and analyzed 516 EC patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas. The relative abundance of 22 immune cells were estimated by using the CIBERSORTx algorithm. Cox regression was performed to identify potential prognostic immune cells, which were used to develop a Tumor‐infiltrating Immune Cell Score (TICS). The prognostic and incremental value of TICS for overall survival were compared with traditional prognostic factors using the C‐index and decision curves. Clustering analysis using all immune cells identified three immune landscape subtypes, which had weak correlation with survival. A TICS was constructed using CD8T cells, resting memory CD4 T cells, activated NK and activated DCs, and classified patients as low‐, moderate‐ and high‐risk subgroups. The low‐risk subgroup had higher tumor mutation burden and activation of IL2/STAT5, IL2/STAT3 and IFN‐gamma response pathways. Conversely, the high‐risk subgroup was associated with DNA copy number variation, hypoxia and EMT process. The TICS subgroups significantly predicted overall survival, which was independent of patient age, tumor stage, grade and molecular classification. Moreover, we developed a nomogram incorporating TICS and clinicopathologic factors, which significantly improved the predictive accuracy compared to the clinicopathologic model alone. Conclusion The TICS is an effective and independent prognostic predictor for EC patients and may serve as a useful supplement to clinicopathological factors and molecular subtyping.

Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is known to enhance DNA damage levels and is involved in respiratory diseases. Exosomes can carry noncoding RNAs, especially long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), as regulators of DNA damage, which participate in diseases. However, their role in PM2.5-induced childhood asthma remains unclear. We performed RNA-seq to profile aberrantly expressed exosomal lncRNAs derived from PM2.5-treated human bronchial epithelial (HBE) cell models. The role of exosomal lncRNAs in childhood asthma was determined in a case–control study. The intercellular communication mechanisms of exosomal lncRNA on DNA damage were determined in vitro. Exosomes secreted by PM2.5-treated HBE cells (PM2.5-Exos) could increase the DNA damage levels of recipient HBE cells and promote the expression levels of airway remodeling-related markers in sensitive human bronchial smooth muscle cells (HBSMCs). LncRNA PM2.5-associated exosomal transcript (PAET) was highly expressed in PM2.5-Exos and was associated with PM2.5 exposure in childhood asthma. Mechanistically, exosomal lncRNA PAET promoted methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3) accumulation by increasing its stability, which stimulated N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification of cytochrome c oxidase subunit 4I1 (COX4I1), and COX4I1 levels were decreased in a mechanism dependent on the m6A “reader” YTH domain family 3 (YTHDF3). COX4I1 deficiency subsequently disrupted oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), resulting in attenuated adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production and accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which increased DNA damage levels. This comprehensive study extends the understanding of PM2.5-induced childhood asthma via DNA damage and identifies exosomal lncRNA PAET as a potential target for childhood asthma.

WRKY transcription factors (TFs) have been identified as important core regulators in the responses of plants to biotic and abiotic stresses. Cultivated peanut (Arachis hypogaea) is an important oil and protein crop. Previous studies have identified hundreds of WRKY TFs in peanut. However, their functions and regulatory networks remain unclear. Simultaneously, the AdWRKY40 TF is involved in drought tolerance in Arachis duranensis and has an orthologous relationship with the AhTWRKY24 TF, which has a homoeologous relationship with AhTWRKY106 TF in A. hypogaea cv. Tifrunner. To reveal how the homoeologous AhTWRKY24 and AhTWRKY106 TFs regulate the downstream genes, DNA affinity purification sequencing (DAP-seq) was performed to detect the binding sites of TFs at the genome-wide level. A total of 3486 downstream genes were identified that were collectively regulated by the AhTWRKY24 and AhTWRKY106 TFs. The results revealed that W-box elements were the binding sites for regulation of the downstream genes by AhTWRKY24 and AhTWRKY106 TFs. A gene ontology enrichment analysis indicated that these downstream genes were enriched in protein modification and reproduction in the biological process. In addition, RNA-seq data showed that the AhTWRKY24 and AhTWRKY106 TFs regulate differentially expressed genes involved in the response to drought stress. The AhTWRKY24 and AhTWRKY106 TFs can specifically regulate downstream genes, and they nearly equal the numbers of downstream genes from the two A. hypogaea cv. Tifrunner subgenomes. These results provide a theoretical basis to study the functions and regulatory networks of AhTWRKY24 and AhTWRKY106 TFs.

Abstract The photoreduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) into renewable synthetic fuels is an attractive approach for generating alternative energy feedstocks that may compete with and eventually displace fossil fuels. However, it is challenging to accurately trace the products of CO2 photoreduction on account of the poor conversion efficiency of these reactions and the imperceptible introduced carbon contamination. Isotope-tracing experiments have been used to solve this problem, but they frequently yield false-positive results because of improper experimental execution and, in some cases, insufficient rigor. Thus, it is imperative that accurate and effective strategies for evaluating various potential products of CO2 photoreduction are developed for the field. Herein, we experimentally demonstrate that the contemporary approach toward isotope-tracing experiments in CO2 photoreduction is not necessarily rigorous. Several examples of where pitfalls and misunderstandings arise, consequently making isotope product traceability difficult, are demonstrated. Further, we develop and describe standard guidelines for isotope-tracing experiments in CO2 photoreduction reactions and then verify the procedure using some reported photoreduction systems.

With the increased uptake of renewable energy resources (RES), power generation from Photovoltaics (PV) cells is gaining momentum and heavily depends on environmental and meteorological conditions. Predicting PV power generation plays an important role in power management and dispatch optimization. Due to the scales of PV systems, the generation may vary significantly, which is difficult to have accurate PV power generation prediction over different categories of customers (e.g., residential, agricultural, industrial, and commercial) using a single model. In this paper, we define the PV power generation prediction as a multitasking prediction problem, where PV generation over each of the categories is modeled as a separate prediction task. To address this problem, we employ a recurrent neural network (RNN) as the predictor for each prediction task and propose a multitasking RNN (MT-RNN) framework. Instead of addressing each task individually, MT-RNN performs knowledge transfer among different tasks to improve the prediction accuracy of each task, where the knowledge is represented via connection weights and biases in each RNN. In comparison to several state-of-art deep neural network (DNN) models that solve each task individually, the superior performance of MT-RNN in terms of prediction accuracy is demonstrated.

The increased penetration of smart meters in the low voltage distribution network provides valuable insights that distribution network operators can leverage to produce detailed analytics for decision making. This includes enhanced network observability that can support network planning, phase balancing and planned outage management. In this paper, we propose three unsupervised learning algorithms to model the problem of identifying the transformer–customer connectivity relation at the low voltage network using smart meter voltage measurements of residential units as a classification problem. The algorithms are tested on real-world smart meter datasets and can detect the correct transformer–customer connectivity with 95% to 100% accuracy. This allows distribution network operators to effectively detect inconsistencies between customer data reports and actual physical connection of residential units to distribution transformers to comply with legal regulations.

In the manufacturing process of lithium-ion power battery, winding is a very critical process. In order to ensure the safety and stability of the battery, no buckling, wrinkling, and even fracture is allowed in the process of winding. Different battery models lead to different winding methods for the jellyroll. The most suitable winding method is determined by the external radius of the jellyroll. First, the winding layer is treated as a thin-film material, the constitutive equation of jellyroll is established by considering the constraint of winding tension to obtain hoop stress and radial stress distribution function at the place of r under plane strain state. The hoop stress and the radial stress at any place of r inside the jellyroll are obtained at the end of n coils. Moreover, the hoop stresses of the jellyrolls with different external radius are analyzed by calculating examples according to the type of winding tension, and the suitable winding methods for different external radius are suggested. With the increase of the external radius of jellyroll, the constant winding tension and taper winding tension are gradually no longer suitable, and the parabolic winding tension and compound winding tension are proposed. After the winding of the power battery is completed, the stress generated by the winding tension of jellyroll is equivalent to the prestress applied to the battery, which will affect the use of the power battery.

Erythroleukemia is a rare form of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Its molecular pathogenesis remains vague, and this disease has no specific therapeutic treatments. Previously, our group isolated a series of Carbon 21 (C-21) steroidal glycosides with pregnane skeleton from the root of Cynanchum atratum Bunge. Among them, we found that a compound, named BW18, can induce S-phase cell cycle arrest and apoptosis via the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway in human chronic myeloid leukemia K562 cells. However, its anti-tumor activity against erythroleukemia remains largely unknown. In this study, we aimed to investigate the anti-erythroleukemia activity of BW18 and the underlying molecular mechanisms. Our results demonstrated that BW18 exhibited a good anti-erythroleukemia activity in the human erythroleukemia cell line HEL and an in vivo xenograft mouse model. In addition, BW18 induced cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase and promoted megakaryocytic and erythroid differentiation in HEL cells. Furthermore, RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and rescue assay demonstrated that overexpression of platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta (PDGFRB) reversed BW18-induced megakaryocytic differentiation in HEL cells, but not erythroid differentiation. In addition, the network pharmacology analysis, the molecular docking and cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA) revealed that BW18 could inactivate Janus tyrosine kinase 2 (JAK2)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) pathway, which might mediate BW18-induced erythroid differentiation. Taken together, our findings elucidated a novel role of PDGFRB in regulating erythroleukemia differentiation and highlighted BW18 as an attractive lead compound for erythroleukemia treatment.