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Abstract Objective Recombinant monoclonal therapeutic antibodies like lecanemab, which target amyloid beta in Alzheimer's disease, offer a promising approach for modifying the disease progression. Due to its relatively short half‐life, lecanemab administered as a bi‐monthly infusion (typically 10 mg/kg) has a relatively brief half‐life. Interaction with abundant plasma proteins binder in the bloodstream can affect pharmacokinetics of drugs, including their half‐life. In this study, we investigated potential plasma protein binding (PPB) interaction to lecanemab using lecanemab biosimilar. Methods Lecanemab biosimilar used in this study was based on publicly available sequences. ELISA and western blotting were used to assess lecanemab biosimilar immunoreactivity in the fractions of human plasma obtained through size exclusion chromatography. The binding of lecanemab biosimilar to candidate plasma binders was confirmed by western blotting, ELISA, and surface plasmon resonance analysis. Results Using a combination of equilibrium dialysis, ELISA, and western blotting in human plasma, we first describe the presence of likely PPB partners to lecanemab biosimilar and then identify fibrinogen as one of them. Utilizing surface plasmon resonance, we confirmed that lecanemab biosimilar does bind to fibrinogen, although with lower affinity than to monomeric amyloid beta. Interpretation In the context of lecanemab therapy, these results imply that fibrinogen levels could impact the levels of free antibodies in the bloodstream and that fibrinogen might serve as a reservoir for lecanemab. More broadly, these results indicate that PPB may be an important consideration when clinically utilizing therapeutic antibodies in neurodegenerative disease.

The filter bank multi-carrier with offset quadrature amplitude modulation (FBMC/OQAM) is extensively utilized in communication scenarios characterized by severe Doppler interference, owing its remarkable ability for precise time–frequency positioning concentration. However, the distinctive staggered superposition structure leads to an additional increase in peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR). In this letter, we discover that the unique superposition structure results in a high likelihood of abnormal minima in FBMC/OQAM, consequently diminishing the efficacy of the general companding transform scheme relying on Gaussian distribution for PAPR reduction. Thus, we introduce a general companding transform scheme based on the Laplace distribution. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed scheme offers a 3 dB advantage in PAPR reduction compared to the traditional general companding scheme, while also maintaining a nearly 1 dB advantage in BER.

Abstract Background Emodin has protective effects on acute lung injury (ALI) or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). This meta-analysis intended to illustrate the efficacy of emodin on ALI/ARDS animal models. Methods Relevant preclinical studies were searched on PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science. Standardized mean differences (SMDs) with corresponding confidence intervals (CIs) were used to compare lung injury scores, lung wet-to-dry weight ratios (W/D), myeloperoxidase (MPO), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, IL-18, PaO2, and PaCO2 between the treatment and control groups. The article quality was appraised using the SYRCLE tool. Results Twenty one studies published between 2014 and 2023 were enrolled. Compared with the control group, emodin significantly reduced lung injury scores (SMD: -3.63; 95% CI: -4.36, -2.90; p

Abstract Background As two of the most impactful abiotic stresses, salt and drought strongly affect tomato growth and development, especially at the seedling stage. However, dissection of the genetic basis underlying salt/drought tolerance at seedling stage in tomato remains limited in scope. Results Here, we reported an analysis of major quantitative trait locus (QTL) and potential causal genetic variations in seedling stage salt/drought tolerance in recombinant inbred lines (n = 201) of S. pimpinellifolium and S. lycopersicum parents by whole genome resequencing. A total of 5 QTLs on chromosome 1, 3, 5, 7 and 12 for salt tolerance (ST) and 15 QTLs on chromosome 1, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 12 for drought tolerance (DT) were identified by linkage mapping. The proportion of phenotypic variation explained (PVE%) by these QTLs ranged from 4.91 to 15.86. Two major QTLs qST7 and qDT1-3 were detected in both two years, for which two candidate genes (methionine sulfoxide reductase SlMSRB1 and brassinosteroid insensitive 1-like receptor SlBRL1) and the potential functional variations were further analyzed. Taking advantage of the tomato population resequencing data, the frequency changes of the potential favorable QTL allele for seedling stage ST/DT during tomato breeding were explored. Conclusions These results will be beneficial for the exploration of salt/drought tolerance genes at seedling stages, laying a foundation for marker-assisted breeding for seedling stage salt/drought tolerance.

Abstract Background Xylose from lignocellulose is one of the most abundant and important renewable and green raw materials. It is very important how to efficiently transform xylose into useful bioproducts such as fumaric acid and so on. Results In this study, it was found that the GC1 strain (∆gox, in which the GOX gene encoding glucose oxidase which could transform glucose into gluconic acid was removed) of A. pullulans var. aubasidani DH177 had the high ability to utilize xylose and corncob-derived xylose with CO2 fixation derived from CaCO3 to produce calcium fumarate. Overexpression of the XI gene encoding xylose isomerase, the XK gene encoding xylose kinase and the TKL gene coding for transketolase made the strain TKL-4 produce 73.1 g/L of calcium fumarate from xylose. At the same time, the transcriptional levels of the key ASS gene coding for argininosuccinate synthase and the ASL gene coding for argininosuccinate lyase in the ornithine-urea cycle (OUC) were also obviously enhanced. The results also demonstrated that the TKL-4 strain could produce more calcium fumarate from xylose and corncob-derived xylose than from glucose. During 10-liter fermentation, the TKL-4 strain could produce 88.5 g/L of calcium fumarate from xylose, the productivity was 0.52 g/h/L. Meanwhile, it could yield 85.6 g/L of calcium fumarate from corncob-derived xylose and the productivity was 0.51 g/h/L. During the same fermentation, the TKL-4 strain could transform the mixture containing 75.0 g/L glucose and 45.0 g/L xylose to produce 78.7 ± 1.1 g/L calcium fumarate. Conclusions This indicated that the TKL-4 strain constructed in this study indeed could actively transform xylose and corncob-derived xylose into calcium fumarate through the green ways.

This research aimed to investigate the effect of degree of milling on the cooking properties and edible quality of the sea rice. The study examined the cooking quality, sensory attributes, and texture properties of the cooked sea rice with different degree of milling. In this experiment, sea rice with different degree of milling (0%, 7.20%, 9.62%, 10.85% and 11.86%) were prepared by controlling the milling time. The quality attributes of cooked sea rice were analyzed by rapid viscosity analyzer (RVA), texture analyzer and sensory evaluation. As the milling degree increased from 0% to 11.86%, the total dietary fiber content in sea rice decreased by 86.07%, while protein content decreased by 31.84% and fat content decreased by 77.18%. Conversely, the starch content increased by 7.12%. The results of the study indicated significant increases in the water absorption, swelling rate, iodine blue value, and water solubility index (65~85 ℃) of sea rice by 129.66%, 178.45%, 114.63%, and 46.79%~103.89%, respectively (P0.05). Interestingly, the rice sensory evaluation score showed a substantial increase of 19.30%. The results of the study indicate that increasing the degree of milling of sea rice can improve its cooking properties, pasting characteristics, texture, overall sensory properties, and edible quality. Therefore, this study can provide a theoretical basis for choosing the suitable degree of milling of sea rice.

Background: Intervertebral disc degeneration(IVDD) is the primary etiology of low back pain and radicular pain. Recent studies have found that chemokines play a role in IVDD, but the underlying mechanism is largely unclear. Methods: Bioinformatics analysis was employed to screen CXCL8 as the target gene. The expression levels of CXCL8 and CXCR2 were quantified using RT-qPCR, western blot(WB), immunohistochemistry(IHC), and enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay(ELISA). In the IVDD mouse model, X-ray images, Safranin O-fast green staining(SO-FG), IHC, and WB were conducted to assess the therapeutic effects of CXCL8 on IVDD. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, apoptosis of nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs), and the involvement of the NF-κB pathway were evaluated through WB, flow cytometry, immunofluorescence(IF), and Tunnel assay. Results: In our study, we observed that CXCL8 emerged as one of the chemokines that were up-regulated in IVDD. The mitigation of extracellular matrix degradation (ECM) and the severity of IVDD were significantly achieved by neutralizing CXCL8 or its receptor CXCR2(SB225002, CXCR2 antagonist). The release of CXCL8 from infiltrated macrophages within intervertebral discs (IVDs) was predominantly observed upon stimulation. CXCL8 exerted its effects on NPCs by inducing apoptosis and ECM degradation through the activation of CXCR2. Specifically, the formation of the CXCL8/CXCR2 complex triggered the NF-κB signaling pathway, resulting in an abnormal increase in intracellular ROS levels and ultimately contributing to the development of IVDD. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that macrophage-derived CXCL8 and subsequent CXCR2 signaling play crucial roles in mediating inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis in IVDD. Targeting the CXCL8/CXCR2 axis may offer promising therapeutic strategies to ameliorate IVDD. The translational potential of this article: This study indicates that CXCL8 can effectively exacerbate the excessive apoptosis and oxidative stress of NPCs through activating the NF-κB pathway. This study may provide new potential targets for preventing and reversing IVDD.

Abstract The association between lumbar bone mineral density (BMD) and triglyceride (TG) levels has been extensively studied; however, the results remain controversial. Therefore, this research aimed to elucidate the association of TG levels with lumbar BMD in patients with osteoporotic fractures (OPFs) who have undergone surgery. This cross-sectional study analyzed 3,558 OPF patients (aged 50 years and above) who were admitted to the First People’s Hospital of Kunshan and assessed their TG levels, lumbar BMD, and other variables. The outcome variable of this research was bone density, whereas the baseline glycerol trihydrate levels were considered as the exposure variable. An analysis adjustment was conducted for various covariates, including age, gender, body mass index (BMI), and other baseline laboratory and clinical results. Furthermore, the potential non-linear relationships were assessed via the smooth curve fitting, and threshold effect analyses. The mean age of 3,558 included OPF patients was 68.87 ± 10.55 years. In the fully adjusted multivariate regression analysis, a positive correlation was found between TG levels and lumbar BMD (β = 0.015, 95% CI: 0.001–0.028, p = 0.033). Furthermore, the threshold effect analysis revealed a curvilinear relationship between TG levels and lumbar BMD, with a turning point at 1.26 mmol/L. Moreover, on both sides of the turning point, different patterns were observed. On the left side, TG levels were positively correlated with lumbar BMD. However, despite higher TG levels, the differences in lumbar BMD on the right side of the turning point, were not statistically significant, indicating a lack of significant association (p = 0.712). In summary, this research indicated that in OPF patients, higher TG levels were significantly positively associated with lumbar BMD. Furthermore, there was a threshold value of 1.26 mmol/L, indicating that TG levels in OPF patients with concomitant hypertriglyceridemia should be maintained within the normal range, and reducing TG levels below 1.26 mmol/L requires continuous monitoring. This approach effectively controls TG levels without adversely impacting lumbar BMD.

Abstract Urea’s transmembrane transport through urea transporters (UT) is a fundamental physiological behavior for life activities. Here, we present 11 cryo-EM structures of four UT members in resting states, urea transport states, or inactive states bound with synthetic competitive, uncompetitive or noncompetitive inhibitor. Our results indicate that the binding of urea via a conserved urea recognition motif (URM) and the urea transport via H-bond transfer along the QPb-T5b-T5a-QPa motif among different UT members. Moreover, distinct binding modes of the competitive inhibitors 25a and ATB3, the uncompetitive inhibitor CF11 and the noncompetitive inhibitor HQA2 provide different mechanisms for blocking urea transport and achieved selectivity through L-P pocket, UCBP region and SCG pocket, respectively. In summary, our study not only allows structural understanding of urea transport via UTs but also afforded a structural landscape of hUT-A2 inhibition by competitive, uncompetitive and noncompetitive inhibitors, which may facilitate developing selective human UT-A inhibitors as a new class of salt-sparing diuretics.

In this study, we examine in detail the hot deformation mechanism and dynamic recrystallization (DRX) behavior in a novel precipitate-free Mg-0.1Bi-0.1Sn alloy during hot compression conducted at 200–350 °C, with strain rate of 0.33–10 s−1. The obtained correlation coefficient is 0.98024, indicating that the present constitutive equation can adequately predict the hot deformation behavior of the studied alloy. The calculated average activation energy is 180.427 kJ/mol. According to the processing maps, the ideal processing areas correspond to the conditions of 325–350 °C/0.33–1 s−1. Under the low Z deformation condition, the basal slip dominates at the initial and later stages, while the pyramidal slip is dominate at the intermediate stage. Meanwhile, the continuous dynamic recrystallization (CDRX) and discontinuous dynamic recrystallization (DDRX) processes co-occur during hot compression. More specifically, in the initial stage, DDRX dominates over the DRX mechanism, and is accompanied by twinning induced dynamic recrystallization (TDRX). In the intermediate stage, CDRX, TDRX and DDRX prevail as the dominant DRX mechanisms. Throughout the strain stage, DDRX dominates over the DRX mechanism. The occurrence of TDRX and CDRX is beneficial to weakening the texture intensity and promoting the development of CD-tilted texture.

In this study, a 900 MPa grade hot-rolled ferrite/bainite high hole expansion steel was developed using thermomechanical controlled processing (TMCP) and medium-temperature coiling with a Ti–Nb–V multi-microalloy design. The effects of cooling rates and coiling temperatures on the microstructure, mechanical properties, and hole expansion behavior were systematically investigated. The steel, coiled at 600 °C and cooled at a controlled rate (10–25 °C/s), demonstrated an excellent balance of strength and ductility, achieving a tensile strength of 901 MPa and elongation of 23%. The microstructure consisted of approximately 62% ferrite and 38% bainite, characterized by a uniform and fine grain distribution. The high coiling temperature increased the content of Ti–Nb–V composite precipitates, while reduced cooling times promoted the formation of smaller precipitates primarily along dislocation lines and grain boundaries. A hole expansion ratio of 77% was achieved due to the optimized grain morphology and phase ratio, with refined grains and high-angle grain boundaries impeding crack propagation. Additionally, the increased presence of secondary precipitates strengthened the soft phase ferrite and enhanced the coordinated deformation between ferrite and bainite. These combined effects significantly improved the steel's resistance to crack propagation during hole expansion, making it a promising material for applications requiring high strength and formability.

Abstract Side‐scan sonar (SSS) detection is a key method in underwater environmental security and subsea resource development. However, many detection approaches primarily concentrate on tracking the evolution path of optical image object detection tasks when using acoustic images, resulting in complex structures and limited versatility. To tackle this issue, we introduce a pioneering dual‐domain multi‐frequency network (D2MFNet) meticulously crafted to harness the distinct characteristics of SSS image detection. In D2MFNet, a novel method for optimizing and improving the detection sensitivity in different frequency ranges called multi‐frequency combined attention mechanism (MFCAM) is proposed. This mechanism amplifies the relevance of dual‐domain features across different channels and spaces. Moreover, we introduce a dual‐domain feature pyramid network (D2FPN) significantly augments the depth and breadth of feature information in underwater small datasets. The methods offer plug‐and‐play functionality with substantial performance enhancements. Extensive experiments are conducted to validate the efficacy of the proposed techniques, and the results showcase their state‐of‐the‐art performance. MFCAM improves the mAP by 16.9% in the KLSG dataset and 15.5% in the SCTD dataset. The mAP of D2FPN was improved by 8.4% in the KLSG dataset and by 9.8% in the SCTD dataset. The code and models will be publicly available at https://dagshub.com/estrellaww00/D2MFNet.

Abstract This paper addresses the challenge of maximizing power capture from new energy sources, including coal, wind, solar, and hydroelectric power, which often lack sufficient inertia support. This deficiency can lead to frequency instability and cascading failures within the power system. A cooperative optimization model for the start‐up of multiple power supplies, designed to enhance the integration of new energy sources while maintaining system stability is proposed. The model incorporates primary frequency modulation and the intrinsic inertia support capabilities of self‐synchronous voltage source field stations, considering dynamic frequency constraints. Additionally, it employs new energy units with primary frequency modulation to provide inertia support during curtailment, particularly when conventional units cannot meet frequency standards due to existing constraints. Extensive simulations and comparative analyses demonstrate that the proposed model improves new energy utilization by up to 37.5% and reduces operational costs by approximately 16%, enhancing overall operational efficiency in high energy consumption scenarios.

Abstract Color centers, arising from zero-dimensional defects, exploit quantum confinement to access internal electron quantum degrees of freedom, holding potential for quantum technologies. Despite intensive research, the structural origin of many color centers remains elusive. In this study, we employ in-situ cathodoluminescence scanning transmission electron microscopy combined with integrated differential phase contrast imaging to examine how defect configuration in tungsten sulfide determines color-center emission. Using an 80-kV accelerated electron beam, defects were deliberately produced, visualized, excited in situ and characterized in real time in monolayer WS2 within hBN|WS2 | hBN heterostructures at 100 K. These color centers were simultaneously measured by cathodoluminescence microscopy and differentiated by machine learning. Supported by DFT calculations, our results identified a crucial sulfur vacancy configuration organized into featured vacancy pairs, generating stable and bright luminescence at 660 nm. These findings elucidate the atomic-level structure-exciton relationship of color centers, advancing our understanding and quantum applications of defects in 2D materials.

The tunable and reversible manufacturing function of stealth metamaterials is of great practical significance to adapt to complex electromagnetic environment. However, the low fault tolerance of existing manufacturing methods limits their further development and utilization. In this article, the microstructure evolution and phase transition mechanism of germanium telluride (GeTe) film under different deposition conditions, laser modes, and scanning parameters were investigated. The experimental results show that sputtering pressure and laser pulse width have important effects on the deposition and modulation of GeTe. There are sputtering pressure threshold (SPT) and pulse width threshold (PWT), which determine the crystallization evolution mode and phase transition performance of GeTe film, respectively. For each sputtering pressure and laser pulse width, there are optimal sputtering power and repetition induction times to achieve the best film deposition quality and reverse phase transition function. Finally, the rewritable broadband lossy absorber (RBLA) is fabricated based on laser induction research, which can achieve low reflection stealth function in the range of 8.4–15.7 GHz. After repeated induction, the performance of RBLA remains the same, which is consistent with simulation results. The process and mechanism of GeTe in the fabrication and modulation stage are systematically analyzed and discussed for the first time, which provides a new solution and good candidate for the fabrication and modulation of stealth materials.

Oxidative stress and aging lead to progressive senescence of nucleus pulposus (NP) cells, resulting in intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration (IVDD). In some cases, degenerative IVD can further cause low back pain (LBP). Several studies have confirmed that delaying and rejuvenating the senescence of NP cells can attenuate IVDD. However, the relatively closed tissue structure of IVDs presents challenges for the local application of anti-senescence drugs. Here, we prepared an anti-senescence hydrogel by conjugating phenylboronic acid-modified gelatin methacryloyl (GP) with quercetin to alleviate IVDD by removing senescent NP cells. The hydrogel exhibited injectability, biodegradability, prominent biocompatibility and responsive release of quercetin under pathological conditions. In vitro experiments demonstrated that the hydrogel could reduce the expression of senescence markers and restore the metabolic balance in senescent NP cells. In vivo studies validated that a single injection of the hydrogel in situ could maintain IVD tissue structure and alleviate sensitivity to noxious mechanical force in the rat models, indicating a potential therapeutic approach for ameliorating IVDD and LBP. This approach helps prevent potential systemic toxicity associated with systemic administration and reduces the morbidity resulting from repeated injections of free drugs into the IVD, providing a new strategy for IVDD treatment.

Objective To compare the clinical effects of arthroscopically-assisted reduction and internal fixation (ARIF) combined with enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) and open reduction and internal fixation surgery (ORIF) in the treatment of posterior lateral tibial plateau fractures. MethodsSeventy patients with posterior lateral tibial plateau fractures in the Department of Orthopaedics, Xuzhou Central Hospital, from January 2020 to November 2022 were retrospectively selected and divided into ARIF group (with ERAS, n＝32) and ORIF group (without ERAS, n＝38) according to the treatment methods. All patients were evaluated for fracture type by imaging examination after admission. The operation time, length of hospital stay, early postoperative pain score (evaluated by visual analogue scale [VAS]), knee joint function (evaluated by hospital for special surgery [HSS] scale) at 3 months and thigh circumference difference at 6 months postoperatively were compared between the two groups. ResultsThe operation time in the ARIF group was significantly shorter than that in the ORIF group ([67.84±9.89] min vs [85.16±9.18] min, P＜0.001), and the length of hospital stay was significantly shorter in the ARIF group ([7.13±1.41] d vs [8.74±1.84] d, P＜0.001). On the third day after operation, the VAS score in the ARIF group was significantly lower than that in the ORIF group ([4.00±1.44] vs [5.39±1.24], P＜0.001). ARIF group had better joint function than ORIF group 3 months after operation, and the difference of 10 cm thigh circumference on patella in ARIF group was smaller than that in ORIF group 6 months after operation. ConclusionsCompared to ORIF, patients with posterior lateral tibial plateau fractures treated with ARIF combined with ERAS showed faster postoperative recovery, shorter hospital stay, and more precise clinical efficacy.

Abstract Background Totally implantable venous access devices (TIVADs) have been widely used for many years in the management of cancer patients. However, previous studies have rarely focused on the period surrounding TIVAD removal, which is a critically important phase for these devices. This study aims to address this gap by investigating the surgical approaches, timing, and associated complications related to the removal of TIVADs, thereby enhancing the management of these devices. Method A retrospective analysis was conducted on a cohort of 4,954 TIVAD extraction procedures performed at the Breast Center of the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University between January 1, 2016, and August 1, 2023. Results Among 4,954 cases, the indwelling time of TIVADs for included patients ranged from 2 to 60 months. 4,882(98.5%) cases removed their TIVADs after completion of cancer treatment, while 72 cases (1.5%) were unplanned removal due to TIVADs related complications. Two surgical techniques were observed for port removal: in 20% of cases, the injection port was removed first, followed by the catheter; in 80% of cases, the catheter was removed first, followed by the injection port. Complications during TIVADs removal were observed in 13 cases (0.3%) including 2 cases of bleeding, 5 cases difficulty in removal of the port and catheter, and 6 cases representing of delayed wound healing. Longer indwelling time tended to have higher risk of developing catheter rupture and fracture. Conclusion This study provides valuable insights into the removal of TIVADs in cancer patients. Complications during removal were uncommon but included bleeding, difficulty in removing the port and catheter, and delayed wound healing. Additionally, longer indwelling times were associated with an increased risk of catheter rupture and fracture, highlighting the need for careful monitoring and timely removal of TIVADs to minimize potential complications. The findings of the study underscore the importance of optimizing TIVAD management, particularly during the removal phase, to improve patient outcomes.

Abstract The adaptability of insects to hosts has long been a focal point in the study of insect-plant interactions. The pea aphid (Acythosiphon pisum), a significant pest of numerous leguminous crops, not only inflicts direct economic losses but also disseminates various plant viruses. To understand how pea aphids adapt to diverse alfalfa varieties. We analyzed the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of pea aphids in distinct alfalfa varieties using transcriptome sequencing, and subsequently conducted functional validation of these genes. Comparative analysis between pea aphids feeding on susceptible and resistant strains revealed that DEGs in aphids feeding on resistant strains were primarily associated with transcriptional enrichment in the sugar, amino acid, protein, and lipid metabolism pathways. Fourteen DEGs related to adaptation of the pea aphid to alfalfa were chosen, including five carboxylesterases (CarE), four cytochrome P450s, three glutathione S-transferases, and two peroxidases (POD). RT-qPCR results indicated significant up-regulation of two carboxylesterase genes and two peroxidase genes after 24 h of feeding resistant alfalfa (Gannong 5, GN5) compared to the susceptible varieties (Hunter River, LRH), particularly highlighting the high expression levels of ApCarE4 and ApPOD3. Simultaneously, RNAi-induced knockdown of ApCarE4 and ApPOD3 led to a higher mortality of pea aphids in the alfalfa Hunter River. These results indicate that ApPOD3 and ApCarE4 are involved in the detoxification of metabolic functions in the adaptation of pea aphids to host switching. These findings contribute to the understanding of pea aphid adaptation to host plants and lay a foundation for further exploration of the physiological roles of carboxylesterase and peroxidase genes in pea aphids.

Importance: Acupoint autohemotherapy (AA), a therapeutic technique involving the subcutaneous injection of autologous blood into acupoints, has been empirically validated as safe and effective for treating asthma by alleviating symptoms and decreasing acute attacks, though its mechanism is not well understood.Objective: The role of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in AA-induced suppression of asthmatic airway inflammation is examined. Methods: Twenty rats were assigned randomly to four groups, namely the Control, OVA, OVA + AA, and (OVA + Snpp) + AA. Rats in the OVA + AA and (OVA + Snpp) + AA received autologous blood injections into acupoints (BL13 and BL23) following OVA challenge. Rats in the (OVA + Snpp) + AA were concurrently subjected to intraperitoneal injections of Snpp, a inhibitor of HO-1. Airway inflammation was evaluated through HE staining, while the concentrations of cytokines in BALF were quantified using ELISA. The mRNA and protein levels of RORγt (Th17-specific transcription factor), Foxp3 (Treg-specific transcription factor), and HO-1 in lung tissue were assessed through qRT-PCR and WB. Results: HE staining indicated that airway inflammation was alleviated in the OVA + AA. The OVA + AA displayed significantly lower counts of total cells and eosinophils in the BALF compared to both the OVA and (OVA + Snpp) + AA. The ELISA demonstrated a significant decrease in levels of pro-inflamatory cytokines (IL-4, IL-17A), and an increase in levels of anti-inflamatory cytokines (IFN-γ, IL-10), in the OVA + AA when compared to both OVA and (OVA + Snpp) + AA. The qRT-PCR and WB analyses revealed an upregulation of HO-1 and Foxp3 expression, and a downregulation of RORγt expression, in the OVA + AA when compared to OVA and (OVA + Snpp) + AA. Conclusions and Relevance: The involvement of HO-1 in the underlying mechanism responsible for the anti-inflammatory effects of AA is evident.

Soybean, Glycine max, is an annual herbaceous plant of the family Leguminosae, which contains not only high-quality proteins and oils but also a large number of bioactive secondary metabolites, such as isoflavones and saponins. Soybean secondary metabolites have been widely recognized for their unique structures and multiple biological activities. In this article, an overview of recent progress on the major soybean secondary metabolites and their biological activities is presented based on Web of Science and PubMed. Twelve soybean isoflavones have been identified, which exerts health benefits such as preventing cardiovascular diseases, anti-osteoporosis, antioxidant, anti-inflammation, anti-tumor, anti-stroke, and hypoglycemic, neuroprotective and hepatoprotective functions through regulating mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK), nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB), phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt), and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). Totally 30 soybean saponins have been identified and demonstrated to possess anti-inflammation, antioxidant, anti-obesity, anti-diabetic, anti-tumor functions and preventive effects against cardiovascular disease. Their mechanisms of action involve the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88)/NF-κB, MAPK, Janus kinase (JAK) and Nrf2 signaling pathways. These soybean secondary metabolites, due to their different structures, have different bioactivities. The major bioactivity of soybean isoflavones is phytoestrogenic activity, while soybean saponins mainly exert anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory activities. This review aims to provide the basis for the in-depth mining of soybean secondary metabolites and lay the foundation for further development of soybean resources.

Plant-based foods, a new category of foods made from plant materials with specific processes, have characteristics similar to those of animal-based foods, which meet consumers’ nutritional needs. Plant-based foods have become a research hotspot and key focus in the field of food science, as they help to ensure sustainable food supply, realize efficient and low-carbon utilization of resources, and promote the optimization of residents’ dietary structure and the improvement of nutritional levels. At present, most research on plant-based foods focuses on developing new products, but little attention has been paid to potential food safety risks. In order to provide references and enlightenments for guaranteeing the quality and safety of plant-based foods and promoting the healthy development of the plant-based food industry, this article systematically reviews and summarizes the potential chemical and biological safety risk factors of plant-based foods that are currently available on the market, and proposes possible solutions for the problems.

Abstract The C-reactive protein-albumin-lymphocyte (CALLY) index, which integrates albumin, lymphocytes, and C-reactive protein levels, has emerged as a novel method to assess nutritional and inflammatory statuses in patients. This study examined the correlation between the CALLY index and sarcopenia risk using two cohorts: 1804 community dwellers from the NHANES database in the United States and 139 patients from the Department of Gerontology at Kunshan Hospital, China. In the US community cohort, RCS curve analysis was used to examine the non-linear relationship between inflammatory/nutritional markers and sarcopenia, subgroup analysis was also conducted. Logistic regression was employed to evaluate the association between the CALLY index and the risk of sarcopenia in both cohorts. Results demonstrated a significant non-linear relationship between the CALLY index and the risk of sarcopenia (P

Abstract Ground settlement prediction for highway subgrades is crucial in related engineering projects. When predicting the ground settlement, sparse sample data are often encountered in practice, which greatly affects the prediction accuracy. However, this has been seldom explored in previous studies. To resolve it, this paper proposes a regression Kriging (RK)—based method for ground settlement prediction with sparse data. Under the framework of RK, the stationarity of sample residual and trend structure are key factors for prediction accuracy. It is found that the use of Box–Cox transformation, which can help to achieve stationarity of sample residual, leads to significant increase of the prediction accuracy with sparse data. Specifically, the various evaluation metrics (i.e., root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), mean arctangent absolute percent error (MAAPE) and scatter index (SCI)) are significantly decreased when the Box–Cox transformation is incorporated. In addition, the first-order polynomial trend structure is found to be more appropriate than those with higher orders for predicting settlements resulting from primary consolidation. Moreover, comparative study is conducted among the proposed RK method, classical prediction methods and back propagation neural network (BPNN). It is found that the evaluation metrics obtained by the RK method are significantly smaller than those obtained by the other methods, indicating its highest accuracy. By contrast, BPNN has the worst performance among the various methods, because the sparse data are inadequate to establish a satisfactory BPNN model.

Abstract Patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) frequently exhibit concomitant immunosuppression. In this study, we evaluated the predictive values of soluble programmed death-1 (sPD-1) and soluble programmed death ligand-1 (sPD-L1) in patients with severe TBI. Peripheral blood sPD-1 and sPD-L1 levels were measured within 48 h of patient admission. A total of 20 healthy volunteers and 82 patients were enrolled in this study. The levels of sPD-1 and sPD-L1 were upregulated in patients with severe TBI (P

Abstract The precise cellular mechanisms underlying heightened proinflammatory cytokine production during coronavirus infection remain incompletely understood. Here we identify the envelope (E) protein in severe coronaviruses (SARS-CoV-2, SARS, or MERS) as a potent inducer of interleukin-1 release, intensifying lung inflammation through the activation of TMED10-mediated unconventional protein secretion (UcPS). In contrast, the E protein of mild coronaviruses (229E, HKU1, or OC43) demonstrates a less pronounced effect. The E protein of severe coronaviruses contains an SS/DS motif, which is not present in milder strains and facilitates interaction with TMED10. This interaction enhances TMED10-oligomerization, facilitating UcPS cargo translocation into the ER-Golgi intermediate compartment (ERGIC)—a pivotal step in interleukin-1 UcPS. Progesterone analogues were identified as compounds inhibiting E-enhanced release of proinflammatory factors and lung inflammation in a Mouse Hepatitis Virus (MHV) infection model. These findings elucidate a molecular mechanism driving coronavirus-induced hyperinflammation, proposing the E-TMED10 interaction as a potential therapeutic target to counteract the adverse effects of coronavirus-induced inflammation.

Abstract Background Accurate and robust drug response prediction is of utmost importance in precision medicine. Although many models have been developed to utilize the representations of drugs and cancer cell lines for predicting cancer drug responses (CDR), their performances can be improved by addressing issues such as insufficient data modality, suboptimal fusion algorithms, and poor generalizability for novel drugs or cell lines. Results We introduce TransCDR, which uses transfer learning to learn drug representations and fuses multi-modality features of drugs and cell lines by a self-attention mechanism, to predict the IC 50 values or sensitive states of drugs on cell lines. We are the first to systematically evaluate the generalization of the CDR prediction model to novel (i.e., never-before-seen) compound scaffolds and cell line clusters. TransCDR shows better generalizability than 8 state-of-the-art models. TransCDR outperforms its 5 variants that train drug encoders (i.e., RNN and AttentiveFP) from scratch under various scenarios. The most critical contributors among multiple drug notations and omics profiles are Extended Connectivity Fingerprint and genetic mutation. Additionally, the attention-based fusion module further enhances the predictive performance of TransCDR. TransCDR, trained on the GDSC dataset, demonstrates strong predictive performance on the external testing set CCLE. It is also utilized to predict missing CDRs on GDSC. Moreover, we investigate the biological mechanisms underlying drug response by classifying 7675 patients from TCGA into drug-sensitive or drug-resistant groups, followed by a Gene Set Enrichment Analysis. Conclusions TransCDR emerges as a potent tool with significant potential in drug response prediction.

Abstract Background N4-Acetylcytidine (ac4C), a highly conserved post-transcriptional mechanism, plays a pivotal role in RNA modification and tumor progression. However, the molecular mechanism by which ac4C modification mediates tumor immunosuppression remains elusive in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Methods NAT10 expression was analyzed in TNBC samples in the level of mRNA and protein, and compared with the corresponding normal tissues. ac4C modification levels also measured in the TNBC samples. The effects of NAT10 on immune microenvironment and tumor metabolism were investigated. NAT10-mediated ac4C and its downstream regulatory mechanisms were determined in vitro and in vivo. The combination therapy of targeting NAT10 in TNBC was further explored. Results The results revealed that the loss of NAT10 inhibited TNBC development and promoted T cell activation. Mechanistically, NAT10 upregulated JunB expression by increasing ac4C modification levels on its mRNA. Moreover, JunB further up-regulated LDHA expression and facilitated glycolysis. By deeply digging, remodelin, a NAT10 inhibitor, elevated the surface expression of CTLA-4 on T cells. The combination of remodelin and CTLA-4 mAb can further activate T cells and inhibite tumor progression. Conclusion Taken together, our study demonstrated that the NAT10-ac4C-JunB-LDHA pathway increases glycolysis levels and creates an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). Consequently, targeting this pathway may assist in the identification of novel therapeutic strategies to improve the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy.

Background The aging of our population is a growing problem, and depression is one of the more common psychiatric disorders in the elderly population, leading to a significantly increased risk of disability and death. The studies found a significant association between depression and cognitive disorders, and that this association may be influenced by sex. Sex differences in the associations between depression with cognitive functions and different cognitive domains are not clear in the elderly population. Objective Population ageing has become a common global phenomenon, and psychiatric problems associated with ageing are of great concern. This study investigated the status of depression and cognitive function in the urban elderly and examined the associations and sex differences between depression and cognitive function. Methods From September to October 2022, a stratified sampling method was used to select elderly residents aged 65 years and above in a community within the city of Hefei, Anhui province as the participants. General information was collected and depression and cognitive function status were assessed using the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and the Brief Screening Scale for Dementia (BSSD), respectively. We explored the factors associated with depression in the elderly and analyzed the effects of depression, sex factors and their interactions on cognitive functioning. Results A total of 328 older adults were included and the overall detection rate for depression was 14.9 %. Regression analyses showed that drinking (OR=0.362, 95%CI=0.155-0.847), and living with children (OR=2.445, 95%CI=1.021-5.853) were independently associated with depression (P

Abstract This study focuses on the highway platoon driving mode and proposes a distributed adaptive control algorithm based on an observer. Firstly, the adaptive observer is designed to compensate for the effect of unknown driving resistance and thus enhance the adaptation ability of the system to uncertainty. Secondly, an auxiliary system is introduced to specifically address actuator saturation constraints, ensuring the stability of the platoon driving in extreme conditions. Lastly, combining an event‐triggered mechanism, a control strategy is designed to achieve the stability of the entire platoon while maximizing the conservation of communication resources. The algorithm's viability and efficiency are confirmed through simulation outcomes.

Abstract Generative artificial intelligence translation (GenAIT) brings convenience yet also imposes severe challenges on the dissemination of knowledge. The respective (dis)advantages of GenAIT and human translation (HT), and the ways to promote their effective interaction have not been sufficiently explored yet. This study investigates the linguistic features of GenAIT and HT of scientific texts rendered from English to Chinese from lexical and syntactic levels. The GenAIT is generated by ChatGPT 3.5, a representative GenAI platform, while HTs are done by 19 Master-of-Translation-and-Interpreting students in China. Data shows that GenAIT and HTs present distinguished linguistic features in both levels. At the lexical level, HT exhibits lengthier texts with a lower average word diversity; GenAIT presents higher accuracy in translating terminology. At the syntactic level, the average sentence count in HT is greater, whereas its average sentence length measured in tokens is shorter. Moreover, human translators tend to transform sentences from passive voice into active voice more frequently than ChatGPT 3.5 does. Furthermore, human translators exhibit superior skills in deconstructing lengthy and complex sentences into shorter, more comprehensible clauses. This study reveals that ChatGPT 3.5 and human translators exhibit complementary capabilities in the translation of scientific texts, thereby suggesting an optimisation of the strengths inherent to both parties. Implications are provided for future translator training, language service providers and the ongoing development of GenAIT and HT.

Abstract Objective To evaluate the prediction value of Dual-energy CT (DECT)-based quantitative parameters and radiomics model in preoperatively predicting muscle invasion in bladder cancer (BCa). Materials and methods A retrospective study was performed on 126 patients with BCa who underwent DECT urography (DECTU) in our hospital. Patients were randomly divided into training and test cohorts with a ratio of 7:3. Quantitative parameters derived from DECTU were identified through univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis to construct a DECT model. Radiomics features were extracted from the 40, 70, 100 keV and iodine-based material-decomposition (IMD) images in the venous phase to construct radiomics models from individual and combined images using a support vector machine classifier, and the optimal performing model was chosen as the final radiomics model. Subsequently, a fusion model combining the DECT parameters and the radiomics model was established. The diagnostic performances of all three models were evaluated through receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and the clinical usefulness was estimated using decision curve analysis (DCA). Results The normalized iodine concentration (NIC) in DECT was an independent factor in diagnosing muscle invasion of BCa. The optimal multi-image radiomics model had predictive performance with an area-under-the-curve (AUC) of 0.867 in the test cohort, better than the AUC = 0.704 with NIC. The fusion model showed an increased level of performance, although the difference in AUC (0.893) was not statistically significant. Additionally, it demonstrated superior performance in DCA. For lesions smaller than 3 cm, the fusion model showed a high predictive capability, achieving an AUC value of 0.911. There was a slight improvement in model performance, although the difference was not statistically significant. This improvement was observed when comparing the AUC values of the DECT and radiomics models, which were 0.726 and 0.884, respectively. Conclusion The proposed fusion model combing NIC and the optimal multi-image radiomics model in DECT showed good diagnostic capability in predicting muscle invasiveness of BCa.

Abstract Background To investigate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of individuals who underwent small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) surgery and explore the influencing factors. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted from June 21, 2023, to August 13, 2023, at Xiangyang Central Hospital. The participants were patients who had undergone SMILE surgery. The self-designed questionnaire had a Cronbach’s α = 0.849. Multivariable analyses were performed to determine the factors influencing the KAP scores. Results Finally, 485 valid questionnaires were analyzed. The median knowledge score was 14 (/17, 82.4%; IQR: 12–15). The median attitude score was 15 (/20, 75.0%; IQR: 14–16). The median practice score was 48 (/60, 80.0%; IQR: 42–54). The knowledge scores correlated to the attitude (r = 0.323, P

Abstract This research applies and integrates transactive memory systems (TMS) theory and the Big Five personality traits model to investigate the performance dynamics of dyadic teams engaged in virtual collaborative problem-solving (CPS). Specifically, this study examines how the personal attributes of team members, including their expertness and Big Five personality traits (extraversion, agreeableness, openness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism), as well as the resultant diversity in expertness and Big Five personality traits within teams, influence both team-level and individual-level performance gain from virtual collaboration. Studying 377 dyadic teams composed of 754 individuals working on an online collaborative intellective task, this research found that dyads with high expertness diversity had greater performance gain from virtual collaboration than dyads with low expertness diversity. Further, dyads, where both members scored low on agreeableness, showed the most significant improvement in team performance. At the individual level, a team member who had a low expertness level but was paired with a high-expertness teammate demonstrated the greatest performance gain from virtual collaboration. The integration of TMS theory and the Big Five personality traits model provides a richer and more nuanced understanding of how individual attributes and team dynamics contribute to successful virtual CPS outcomes.

Abstract Persistent subretinal fluid (PSF) after scleral bucking of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment may delay recovery and affect the final visual quality, but with no effective treatment. This study firstly investigated the safety and efficacy of 577 nm yellow subthreshold micropulse laser (SML) on PSF after scleral bucking surgery. This double-masked randomized clinical trial was conducted from December 2020 to October 2022 at Chongqing Aier Eye Hospital. Participants with PSF last for 1 month after scleral bucking surgery with break closed and retina reattachment were recruitment. These participants were treated by 577 nm yellow SML or sham treatment. Funduscopy, optical coherence tomography (OCT) volume change, best corrected vision acuity (BCVA) and visual field test were evaluated for six mouths follow-up. A total of 24 participants were randomized into SML group or Sham group equally. Compared with Sham group, the OCT volume within 6 mm of macular fovea was significantly less in SML group 6 months after therapy (P = 0.048). There were no statistically significant differences of OCT volume at 1, 2 and 3 months from baseline between groups. BCVA of ETDRS letters had no statistically significant difference. Pattern Standard Deviation amelioration (P = 0.039) had statistically significance in SML group compared with Sham group. There were no complications in the 2 groups. These preliminary findings suggest that 577 nm yellow SML therapy could accelerate PSF absorption after scleral bucking surgery. Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry No. ChiCTR2000037838, 02/09/2020, https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=51885 .

Abstract Rutin is a natural flavonoid compound that is widely found in a variety of plants and has a variety of biological effects, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-tumor effects. Rutin has been shown to have anti-tumor effects in a variety of cancers, but its effects on gastric cancer need to be further explored. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of Rutin on gastric cancer cells and the potential molecular regulatory mechanisms. Gastric cancer cells (AGS and MGC803) were treated with different concentrations of Rutin. Cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion were determined by MTT, flow cytometry, scratch assay, and Transwell analysis, respectively. Cell epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers and Wnt/β-catenin pathway were analyzed by RT-qPCR and western blot assay. The results showed that Rutin significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion ability of gastric cancer cells, induced apoptosis, and suppressed the EMT process. Further experiments revealed that Rutin achieved the effect of inhibiting the biological behavior of gastric cancer cells by suppressing the activation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Therefore, Rutin may become a potential therapeutic candidate for gastric cancer.

Abstract Object Evaluation of the impact of patients’ participation on postoperative recovery and satisfaction who underwent the Percutaneous Endoscopic Interlaminar Discectomy(PEID). Methods We collected data from sixty-nine patients who underwent PEID surgery at Chuzhou Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital between January 2020 and December 2022. All patients had L5/S1 lumbar disc herniation and met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The patients were divided into two groups: non-communication group (n = 33) and communication group (n = 36). The division was made based on whether the patients had preoperative surgical video viewing and intraoperative communication. We compared the baseline data, surgical time, VAS score, lumbar JOA score, surgical complications, and patient satisfaction between the two groups. Result The communication group showed better pain control and functional recovery in the early postoperative period. The communication group had better VAS scores on the first day and month after surgery, as well as JOA scores on the first week and month after surgery, with statistically significant differences (P

Abstract Background The internal heterogeneity of breast cancer, notably the tumor microenvironment (TME) consisting of malignant and non-malignant cells, has been extensively explored in recent years. The cells in this complex cellular ecosystem activate or suppress tumor immunity through phenotypic changes, secretion of metabolites and cell-cell communication networks. Macrophages, as the most abundant immune cells within the TME, are recruited by malignant cells and undergo phenotypic remodeling. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) exhibit a variety of subtypes and functions, playing significant roles in impacting tumor immunity. However, their precise subtype delineation and specific function remain inadequately defined. Methods The publicly available single-cell transcriptomes of 49,141 cells from eight breast cancer patients with different molecular subtypes and stages were incorporated into our study. Unsupervised clustering and manual cell annotation were employed to accurately classify TAM subtypes. We then conducted functional analysis and constructed a developmental trajectory for TAM subtypes. Subsequently, the roles of TAM subtypes in cell-cell communication networks within the TME were explored using endothelial cells (ECs) and T cells as key nodes. Finally, analyses were repeated in another independent publish scRNA datasets to validate our findings for TAM characterization. Results TAMs are accurately classified into 7 subtypes, displaying anti-tumor or pro-tumor roles. For the first time, we identified a new TAM subtype capable of proliferation and expansion in breast cancer-TUBA1B+ TAMs playing a crucial role in TAMs diversity and tumor progression. The developmental trajectory illustrates how TAMs are remodeled within the TME and undergo phenotypic and functional changes, with TUBA1B+ TAMs at the initial point. Notably, the predominant TAM subtypes varied across different molecular subtypes and stages of breast cancer. Additionally, our research on cell-cell communication networks shows that TAMs exert effects by directly modulating intrinsic immunity, indirectly regulating adaptive immunity through T cells, as well as influencing tumor angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis through ECs. Conclusions Our study establishes a precise single-cell atlas of breast cancer TAMs, shedding light on their multifaceted roles in tumor biology and providing resources for targeting TAMs in breast cancer immunotherapy.

Abstract Electric vehicles (EVs) and small photovoltaic (PV) installations advance residential power grids by lowering charging costs and fostering eco‐friendly operations. Yet, the variable nature of EV charging presents challenges to grid reliability. This research introduces a Monte Carlo‐based simulation for predicting EV charging loads and a systematic charging method that integrates a ‘green electricity’ pricing scheme with a joint optimization model for PV and EV management. By applying an improved ant lion optimizer (IALO) algorithm enriched with differential evolution features, an optimization strategy that markedly enhances grid performance is devised. In a park scenario, this ‘green electricity’ model reduced the mean square error of EV charging load by 11.82%, smoothed the power load curve, and improved grid stability. When compared with particle swarm optimization (PSO) and grey wolf optimizer (GWO) algorithms, the IALO algorithm boosted overall revenue by 16.8% and 12.8%, increased PV utilization by 162.3% and 37.1%, and significantly cut carbon emissions by 159.6% and 31.6%, respectively. These outcomes affirm the financial, environmental, and functional benefits of our proposed approach.

A target area guided RRT* robotic arm path planning algorithm (TA-RRT*) is proposed to address the issues of low planning efficiency, poor path quality, and improper robotic arm pose in the traditional RRT* algorithm for robotic arm path planning. Firstly, with the traditional RRT* algorithm as the foundation, a target bias strategy is introduced and a spherical subset constraint sampling is utilized to narrow the sampling range and guide the expansion of the new node towards the target point, enhancing target orientation. By employing a direct connection strategy for new nodes, the algorithm is enabled to converge faster and the speed of path generation is improved. Secondly, by removing redundant points from the initial planning path and transforming it into a smooth path using a cubic B-spline curve, the quality of the path is improved. Finally, the position of the robotic arm is constrained. The reachability of the robotic arm linkage pose is ultimately determined through the inverse kinematics of the robotic arm, and the envelope box model is used to determine whether the robotic arm is collided with obstacles. Experimental results show that the TA-RRT* algorithm outperforms the RRT* algorithm in terms of sampling frequency, planning time, path length, and smoothness in 2D and 3D scenes, verifying the correctness and feasibility of this method. Both the robotic arm simulation experiments and the test results in real environment demonstrate that when adding pose constraints to the planned trajectory of the robotic arm during operation, the joints of the robotic arm do not collide with obstacles during the execution of the planned paths and exhibit good stability.

The purpose of this study was to reduce the loss of spent laying hens during slaughtering by adjusting the parameters of scalding. The research object of this study was the spent laying hens with a rearing age of more than 400 days. The research meant to explore the effect of scalding methods on feather removing and muscle overheating. Three scalding parameters were set as follow: 65 ℃-3 min (high temperature scalding, HS), 60 ℃-4 min 20 s (medium temperature and slow scalding, MSS), and 58 ℃-4 min 20 s (low temperature and slow scalding, LSS). Broilers without scalding were set as the control group. The defeathering effect was characterized by measuring the feather retention force (FRF) and counting the number of feathers remaining after defeathering. The overheating degree of breast muscle was characterized by measuring meat color, depth of overheating area, DSC scanning and Raman spectrum scanning. The results showed that no significant difference in feather removal effects between HS treatments and LSS treatments, while the feather retention force and residual feather number of MSS treatment were significantly lower than those of the other two groups (P

Abstract Background Haemaphysalis qinghaiensis is a tick species distributed only in China. Due to its ability to transmit a variety of pathogens, including species of the genera Anaplasma, Rickettsia, Babesia, and Theileria, it seriously endangers livestock husbandry. However, the microbial community of the midgut of H. qinghaiensis females collected from yaks and Tibetan sheep has not yet been characterized using metagenomic sequencing technology. Methods Haemaphysalis qinghaiensis were collected from the skins of yaks and Tibetan sheep in Gansu Province, China. Genomic DNA was extracted from the midguts and midgut contents of fully engorged H. qinghaiensis females collected from the two hosts. Metagenomic sequencing technology was used to analyze the microbial community of the two groups. Results Fifty-seven phyla, 483 genera, and 755 species were identified in the two groups of samples. The ticks from the two hosts harbored common and unique microorganisms. At the phylum level, the dominant common phyla were Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Mucoromycota. At the genus level, the dominant common genera were Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, and Pseudomonas. At the species level, bacteria including Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Ehrlichia minasensis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa along with eukaryotes such as Synchytrium endobioticum and Rhizophagus irregularis, and viruses such as the orf virus, Alphadintovirus mayetiola, and Parasteatoda house spider adintovirus were detected in both groups. In addition, the midgut of H. qinghaiensis collected from yaks had unique microbial taxa including two phyla, eight genera, and 23 species. Unique microorganisms in the midgut of H. qinghaiensis collected from Tibetan sheep included two phyla, 14 genera, and 32 species. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis revealed that the functional genes of the microbiome of H. qinghaiensis were annotated to six pathways, and the metabolic pathways included 11 metabolic processes, in which the genes involved in carbohydrate metabolism were the most abundant, followed by the genes involved in lipid metabolism. Conclusions These findings indicate that most of the microbial species in the collected H. qinghaiensis ticks were the same in both hosts, but there were also slight differences. The analytical data from this study have enhanced our understanding of the midgut microbial composition of H. qinghaiensis collected from different hosts. The database of H. qinghaiensis microbe constructed from this study will lay the foundation for predicting tick-borne diseases. Furthermore, a comprehensive understanding of tick microbiomes will be useful for understanding vector competency and interactions with ticks and midgut microorganisms. Graphical abstract

Abstract Background Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are rapidly evolving in the management of bladder cancer (BLCA). Nevertheless, effective biomarkers for predicting immunotherapeutic outcomes in BLCA are still insufficient. Ferroptosis, a form of immunogenic cell death, has been found to enhance patient sensitivity to ICIs. However, the underlying mechanisms of ferroptosis in promoting immunotherapy efficacy in BLCA remain obscure. Methods Our analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) mRNA data using single sample Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (ssGSEA) revealed two immunologically distinct subtypes. Based on these subtypes and various other public cohorts, we identified Apolipoprotein L6 (APOL6) as a biomarker predicting the efficacy of ICIs and explored its immunological correlation and predictive value for treatment. Furthermore, the role of APOL6 in promoting ferroptosis and its mechanism in regulating this process were experimentally validated. Results The results indicate that APOL6 has significant immunological relevance and is indicative of immunologically hot tumors in BLCA and many other cancers. APOL6, interacting with acyl-coenzyme A synthetase long-chain family member 4 (ACSL4), mediates immunotherapy efficacy by ferroptosis. Additionally, APOL6 is regulated by signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1). Conclusions To conclude, our findings indicate APOL6 has potential as a predictive biomarker for immunotherapy treatment success estimation and reveal the STAT1/APOL6/GPX4 axis as a critical regulatory mechanism in BLCA.

Abstract Long-read sequencing holds great potential for characterizing complex microbial communities, yet taxonomic profiling tools designed specifically for long reads remain lacking. We introduce Melon, a novel marker-based taxonomic profiler that capitalizes on the unique attributes of long reads. Melon employs a two-stage classification scheme to reduce computational time and is equipped with an expectation-maximization-based post-correction module to handle ambiguous reads. Melon achieves superior performance compared to existing tools in both mock and simulated samples. Using wastewater metagenomic samples, we demonstrate the applicability of Melon by showing it provides reliable estimates of overall genome copies, and species-level taxonomic profiles.

Abstract Abnormalities in ether lipid metabolism as well as the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps have recently been recognized as detrimental factors affecting tumorigenesis and progression. However, the role of abnormal ether lipid metabolism in colorectal cancer (CRC) evolution has not been reported. Here we show that the lipid metabolism-related gene enoyl-CoA δ-isomerase 2 (ECI2) plays a tumor-suppressor role in CRC and is negatively associated with poor prognosis in CRC patients. We mechanistically demonstrate that ECI2 reduces ether lipid-mediated Interleukin 8 (IL-8) expression leading to decreased neutrophil recruitment and neutrophil extracellular traps formation for colorectal cancer suppression. In particular, ECI2 inhibits ether lipid production in CRC cells by inhibiting the peroxisomal localization of alkylglycerone phosphate synthase (AGPS), the rate-limiting enzyme for ether lipid synthesis. These findings not only deepen our understanding of the role of metabolic reprogramming and neutrophil interactions in the progression of CRC, but also provide ideas for identifying potential diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets for CRC.