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Pyroptosis is a programmed cell death, which garners increasing attention by relating to immune and therapy response. However, the role of pyroptosis in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains unclear. Our study mainly to explore the role of pyroptosis in CRC. The mRNA expression data and corresponding clinical information of CRC patients were achieved from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Pyroptosis-related genes (PRGs) were identified using DESeq2 R package and biological function was analyzed using cluster Profiler R package. A PRGs-based prognosis model was constructed by a univariate Cox and LASSO regression analyses. Then, the affecting of risk signature to clinicopathological characteristics, immune status and infiltrated immune cells, immune checkpoint and chemotherapy sensitivity was analyzed. qRT-PCR and IHC were performed for the expression level of PRGs. Moreover, a nomogram predict model was constructed. Total 57 PRGs were identified between 500 CRC samples and 44 normal samples. Those PRGs mainly enriched in immune-related and pyroptosis-related pathways. GABRD, NADK, TMEM240, RER1, AGRN, UBE2J2, CALML6, PLCH2, TMEM88B have been identified as gene signature and a prognostic model was constructed and validated. CRC patients with high-risk score showed poor survival, high TMB score, high proportion of CD4 + memory T cells, common lymphoid progenitors, cancer associated fibroblasts, mast cells, and neutrophils. The immune checkpoint related genes, CD160, CD200R1, CD244, CD28, CD40LG, CD44, CD48, CD80, CD86, HHLA2, ICOS, IDO1, TIGIT, TNFRSF25, TNFRSF4, TNFRSF9, TNFSF15, TNFSF18 also increased in high-risk score group. CRC patients with high-risk score more sensitive to docetaxel and rapamycin but resistance to gemcitabine and mitomycin. Moreover, a predictive nomogram for 1-, 3-, 5-year for CRC patients was established and validated. In the study, a PRGs-based prognostic model and a predictive model were constructed. These models are effective and robust in prediction the 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival of CRC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the ride comfort and driving stability of automobiles, an optimal sliding mode control (OSMC) strategy based on the enhanced African vultures optimization algorithm (EAVOA) is proposed. Firstly, the structure and operating principle of a semi-active suspension system (SASS) with a magnetorheological damper (MRD) is comprehensively introduced. Secondly, the OSMC is designed based on a quarter-vehicle suspension model with two degrees of freedom (DOF) to meet the Hurwitz stability theory. Simultaneously, the EAVOA is employed to optimize the control coefficients of the sliding mode surface and the control law parameters. Finally, the EAVOA-OSMC control strategy is utilized to construct the simulation model in MATLAB/Simulink (R2018b), providing a comprehensive analysis for passive suspension systems (PSSs) and suspensions with SMC control. The simulation results demonstrate that the EAVOA-OSMC control strategy outperforms SMC controllers, offering a better control performance in real application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute pancreatitis represents an inflammatory disease featuring pancreatic necrosis and inflammation. Inflammatory injury of pancreatic acinar cells (PACs) is critically involved in the initiation and progression of acute pancreatitis. Pyroptosis, a new kind of programmed cell death concomitant with a low‐grade inflammatory reaction, plays a function in acute pancreatitis pathology. It is unclear whether saikosaponin d (SSd), a pharmacologically active natural product, could protect PACs by regulating pyroptosis. Here, we established a PAC injury model in vitro using cerulein to treat AR42J cells. SSd restored viability and proliferation and lowered the release of pancreatic enzymes and inflammatory interleukins in cerulein‐treated AR42J cells. Cerulein‐induced pyroptosis was evidenced by typical ultrastructural changes and NLRP3/caspase‐1 activation in AR42J cells, but SSd attenuated cerulein‐induced pyroptosis and inhibited NLRP3/caspase‐1 pathway. Mechanically, SSd reduced mitochondrial damage and mtDNA release, and blocked cGAS‐STING signaling in AR42J cells treated with cerulein, contributing to the inhibition of NLRP3‐mediated pyroptosis. Furthermore, SSd abolished cerulein‐elevated oxidative stress in AR42J cells, leading to the mitigation of mitochondrial damage and inhibition of cGAS‐STING signaling and pyroptosis. In conclusion, SSd protected PACs against cerulein‐induced pyroptosis by alleviating mitochondrial damage and inhibiting the cGAS‐STING pathway, and it could be a therapeutic candidate for acute pancreatitis. Acute pancreatitis is a non‐infectious inflammatory disease and these are no effective drugs for this disease. Here, we found that Saikosaponin d (SSd) alleviated NLRP3‐mediated pyroptosis and inflammatory injury by blocking cGAS‐STNG signaling pathway in pancreatic acinar cells (PACs) treated with cerulein. These actions were attributed to SSd suppression of oxidative stress and mitigation of mitochondrial damage. Regulating pyroptosis of PACs could be a promising strategy for combating acute pancreatitis, and SSd could be a potent candidate for further development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biochar modifications are used to improve soil organic carbon (SOC) content, while its effects on soil structure stability and carbon (C) mineralization are less known especially in saline–alkaline soils. A 5 years field experiment was arranged with organic amendments addition in the Yellow River Delta, including (i) NPK, only 255, 56, and 190 kg ha−1 N, P, and K each year, (ii) RS, NPK + rice straw, (iii) BC, NPK + straw‐derived biochar, and (iv) FeBC, NPK + biochar modified with ferric chloride. Relative to NPK treatment, the mean weight diameter was significantly increased with organic amendments addition, which was the highest in FeBC treatment. Meanwhile, SOC content in the soil added with organic amendment was increased by 2%–18%. Compared with the RS and BC, FeBC addition increased the content of stable humin (HU), crystalline Fe oxides (Fed), and amorphous Fe oxides (Feo). There was a positive correlation between HU and Feo/Fed, indicating HU and Fe oxides might form organic mineral complexes to limit SOC biodegradation. While the mineralization rate of SOC in FeBC treatment was decreased by more than 30.4% than that in BC treatment. This might be due to the decrease of soil β‐glucosidase and cellobiohydrolase activities, as well as the abundance of Gammaproteobacteria and Actinobacteria. These results were the mechanism of soil enzyme activity and bacterial community regulating C stability. Therefore, Fe‐modified biochar is a better organic amendment to improve the stability of aggregates structure and SOC in saline–alkaline paddy soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]