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Heat stress has destructive effects on crop production and quality posing a grave threat to food security worldwide. Recent studies have elucidated the complicated transcriptional regulatory networks involved in heat stress, but how the organelles of plants adapt to heat stress remains largely unknown. To analyze the molecular mechanism of the organelle's contribution to plant heat adaptation, we utilized publicly available transcriptomic datasets to identify the central module and key pathway responding to heat stress in Arabidopsis thaliana. The co-expression network showed that the mitochondrial electron transport chain (mETC) and ATP synthase in the pathway of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (mtOXPHOS) shows the highest correlation and ranks at the top among the characterized pathways. Comparative transcriptomic analysis indicated that the genes of the mtOXPHOS pathway and ATP synthesis exhibited different expression profiles between the roots and leaves under high temperature stress. Suppressed OXPHOS and respiration due to the dysfunction of mitochondria in MRPL1 mutants exhibited thermosensitivity. Extensive genetic reprogramming through ROS, Ca+2, and retrograde signaling pathways that mitigate stress was also observed. In addition, NAD+/NADH ratio indicated redox balancing in response to high temperature. We further verified that, lower mtOXPHOS also affects photosystem II under heat stress. Hence, we concluded that appropriate mitochondrial dynamics, higher oxygen consumption rate (∼15.49-fold higher than mutant at 44 °C) and the sufficient levels of ATP production in roots (∼1.78-fold higher than mutant at 44 °C) ensure plant survival under heat stress. These findings provide valuable clues about mitochondrial signaling, OXHOPS, and energy status in response to heat stress in planta.

Abstract Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) stands as a persistent inflammatory ailment predominantly impacting the axial skeleton, with the immune system and inflammation intricately entwined in its pathogenesis. This study endeavors to elucidate gender-specific patterns in immune cell infiltration and diverse forms of cell demise within the AS milieu. The aim is to refine the diagnosis and treatment of gender-specific AS patients, thereby advancing patient outcomes. In the pursuit of our investigation, two datasets (GSE25101 and GSE73754) pertinent to ankylosing spondylitis (AS) were meticulously collected and normalized from the GEO database. Employing the CIBERSORT algorithm, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of immune cell infiltration across distinct demographic groups and genders. Subsequently, we discerned differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with various cell death modalities in AS patients and their healthy counterparts. Our focus extended specifically to ferroptosis-related DEGs (FRDEGs), cuproptosis-related DEGs (CRDEGs), anoikis-related DEGs (ARDEGs), autophagy-related DEGs (AURDEGs), and pyroptosis-related DEGs (PRDEGs). Further scrutiny involved discerning disparities in these DEGs between AS patients and healthy controls, as well as disparities between male and female patients. Leveraging machine learning (ML) methodologies, we formulated disease prediction models employing cell death-related DEGs (CDRDEGs) and identified biomarkers intertwined with cell death in AS. Relative to healthy controls, a myriad of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) linked to cell death surfaced in AS patients. Among AS patients, 82 FRDEGs, 29 CRDEGs, 54 AURDEGs, 21 ARDEGs, and 74 PRDEGs were identified. In male AS patients, these numbers were 78, 33, 55, 24, and 94, respectively. Female AS patients exhibited 66, 41, 40, 17, and 82 DEGs in the corresponding categories. Additionally, 36 FRDEGs, 14 CRDEGs, 19 AURDEGs, 10 ARDEGs, and 36 PRDEGs exhibited differential expression between male and female AS patients. Employing machine learning techniques, LASSO, RF, and SVM-RFE were employed to discern key DEGs related to cell death (CDRDDEGs). The six pivotal CDRDDEGs in AS patients, healthy controls, were identified as CLIC4, BIRC2, MATK, PKN2, SLC25A5, and EDEM1. For male AS patients, the three crucial CDRDDEGs were EDEM1, MAP3K11, and TRIM21, whereas for female AS patients, COX7B, PEX2, and RHEB took precedence. Furthermore, the trio of DDX3X, CAPNS1, and TMSB4Y emerged as the key CDRDDEGs distinguishing between male and female AS patients. In the realm of immune correlation, the immune infiltration abundance in female patients mirrored that of healthy controls. Notably, key genes exhibited a positive correlation with T-cell CD4 memory activation when comparing male and female patient samples. This study engenders a more profound comprehension of the molecular underpinnings governing immune cell infiltration and cell death in ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Furthermore, the discernment of gender-specific disparities among AS patients underscores the clinical significance of these findings. By identifying DEGs associated with diverse cell death modalities, this study proffers invaluable insights into potential clinical targets for AS patients, taking cognizance of gender-specific nuances. The identification of gender-specific biological targets lays the groundwork for the development of tailored diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, heralding a pivotal step toward personalized care for AS patients.

Abstract There has been a long-standing debate as to how many hydrogen bonds a peptide backbone amide can form in aqueous solution. Hydrogen-bonding structural dynamics of N-ethylpropionamide (a β-peptide model) in water was examined using infrared (IR) spectroscopy. Two amide-I sub bands arise mainly from amide C=O group that forms strong H-bonds with solvent water molecules (SHB state), and minorly from that involving one weak H-bond with water (WHB state). This picture is supported by molecular dynamics simulations and ab-initio calculations. Further, thermodynamics and kinetics of the SHB and WHB species were examined mainly by chemical-exchange two-dimensional IR spectroscopy, yielding an activation energy for the SHB-to-WHB exchange of 13.25 ± 0.52 kJ mol‒1, which occurs in half picosecond at room temperature. Our results provided experimental evidence of an unstable water molecule near peptide backbone, allowing us to gain more insights into the dynamics of the protein backbone hydration.

Background and objectivesMajor Depressive Disorder (MDD) is one of the most prevalent and debilitating health conditions worldwide. Previous studies have reported a link between metabolic dysregulation and MDD. However, evidence for a causal relationship between blood metabolites and MDD is lacking.MethodsUsing a two-sample bidirectional Mendelian randomization analysis (MR), we assessed the causal relationship between 1,400 serum metabolites and Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). The Inverse Variance Weighted method (IVW) was employed to estimate the causal association between exposures and outcomes. Additionally, MR-Egger regression, weighted median, simple mode, and weighted mode methods were used as supplementary approaches for a comprehensive appraisal of the causality between blood metabolites and MDD. Pleiotropy and heterogeneity tests were also conducted. Lastly, the relevant metabolites were subjected to metabolite function analysis, and a reverse MR was implemented to explore the potential influence of MDD on these metabolites.ResultsAfter rigorous screening, we identified 34 known metabolites, 13 unknown metabolites, and 18 metabolite ratios associated with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Among all metabolites, 33 were found to have positive associations, and 32 had negative associations. The top five metabolites that increased the risk of MDD were the Arachidonate (20:4n6) to linoleate (18:2n6) ratio, LysoPE(18:0/0:0), N-acetyl-beta-alanine levels, Arachidonate (20:4n6) to oleate to vaccenate (18:1) ratio, Glutaminylglutamine, and Threonine to pyruvate ratio. Conversely, the top five metabolites that decreased the risk of MDD were N6-Acetyl-L-lysine, Oleoyl-linoleoyl-glycerol (18:1 to 18:2) [2] to linoleoyl-arachidonoyl-glycerol (18:2 to 20:4) [2] ratio, Methionine to phosphate ratio, Pregnanediol 3-O-glucuronide, and 6-Oxopiperidine-2-carboxylic acid. Metabolite function enrichment was primarily concentrated in pathways such as Bile Acid Biosynthesis (FDR=0.177), Glutathione Metabolism (FDR=0.177), Threonine, and 2-Oxobutanoate Degradation (FDR=0.177). In addition, enrichment was noted in pathways like Valine, Leucine, and Isoleucine Biosynthesis (p=0.04), as well as Ascorbate and Aldarate Metabolism (p=0.04).DiscussionWithin a pool of 1,400 blood metabolites, we identified 34 known metabolites and 13 unknown metabolites, as well as 18 metabolite ratios associated with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Additionally, three functionally enriched groups and two metabolic pathways were selected. The integration of genomics and metabolomics has provided significant insights for the screening and prevention of MDD.

Purpose: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of different power modes(constant power and variable power) percutaneous microwave ablation (MWA) for treating hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to predict the risk factors of recurrence after MWA. Materials and methods: In this retrospective study, a total of 112 patients with solitary HCC were included from January 2015 to January 2021. All patients received MWA through a percutaneous approach that was guided by ultrasound, 45 patients received variable power MWA, and the remaining 67 were treated with constant power MWA. The complete ablation rates, local recurrence rates, complications, and short-term survival were analyzed. Possible risk factors for tumor recurrence were analyzed. Results: The complete ablation rates were 95.9% for the first ablation and 100% for the second ablation for ≤3 cm lesions. The complete ablation rates were 84.2%(95.9% versus 84.2%, p = 0.039) for the first ablation and 94.7% (100% versus 94.7%, p = 0.113) for the second ablation for 3–5 cm lesions. Local and distant recurrence rates were 18.7%(21/112) and 14.3%(16/112). The 1-, 2-year survival rates were 86.3 and 66.3%, respectively. Subgroup analysis showed that 1-, 2-year survival rates were 91.1% and 78.5% in ≤3 cm group, and were 74.4% and 40.9% in 3–5 cm group, respectively. Univariate analysis revealed that a positive correlation existed between the HBV DNA replication(p = 0.007), AFP level of pre-MWA(p = 0.001) and post-MWA(p

As the second most common neurodegenerative disease globally, Parkinson's disease (PD) affects millions of people worldwide. In recent years, the scientific publications related to PD biomarker research have exploded, reflecting the growing interest in unraveling the complex pathophysiology of PD. In this study, we aim to use various bibliometric tools to identify key scientific concepts, detect emerging trends, and analyze the global trends and development of PD biomarker research.The research encompasses various stages of biomarker development, including exploration, identification, and multi-modal research. MOVEMENT DISORDERS emerged as the leading journal in terms of publications and citations. Key authors such as Mollenhauer and Salem were identified, while the University of Pennsylvania and USA stood out in collaboration and research output. NEUROSCIENCES emerged as the most important research direction. Key biomarker categories include α-synuclein-related markers, neurotransmitter-related markers, inflammation and immune system-related markers, oxidative stress and mitochondrial function-related markers, and brain imaging-related markers. Furthermore, future trends in PD biomarker research focus on exosomes and plasma biomarkers, miRNA, cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers, machine learning applications, and animal models of PD. These trends contribute to early diagnosis, disease progression monitoring, and understanding the pathological mechanisms of PD.

Abstract High nickel (Ni ≥ 80%) lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) with high specific energy are one of the most important technical routes to resolve the growing endurance anxieties. However, because of their extremely aggressive chemistries, high‐Ni (Ni ≥ 80%) LIBs suffer from poor cycle life and safety performance, which hinder their large‐scale commercial applications. Among varied strategies, electrolyte engineering is very powerful to simultaneously enhance the cycle life and safety of high‐Ni (Ni ≥ 80%) LIBs. In this review, the pivotal challenges faced by high‐Ni oxide cathodes and conventional LiPF6‐carbonate‐based electrolytes are comprehensively summarized. Then, the functional additives design guidelines for LiPF6‐carbonate ‐based electrolytes and the design principles of high voltage resistance/high safety novel electrolytes are systematically elaborated to resolve these pivotal challenges. Moreover, the proposed thermal runaway mechanisms of high‐Ni (Ni ≥ 80%) LIBs are also reviewed to provide useful perspectives for the design of high‐safety electrolytes. Finally, the potential research directions of electrolyte engineering toward high‐performance high‐Ni (Ni ≥ 80%) LIBs are provided. This review will have an important impact on electrolyte innovation as well as the commercial evolution of high‐Ni (Ni ≥ 80%) LIBs, and also will be significant to breakthrough the energy density ceiling of LIBs.

As an essential dimension of economic inequality, consumption inequality is tightly associated with public welfare. This study investigates the effect of consumption inequality on individuals' subjective well-being (SWB) in China using data from the 2014, 2018, and 2020 China Family Panel Studies. The findings indicate that consumption inequality has a significant negative impact on SWB. Specifically, for every unit increase in consumption inequality, the probability of individuals rating their SWB as "Happy" and "Very happy" decreases by 0.37% and 5.45% respectively. In addition, individuals' confidence about their future serves as an intermediary in the connection between consumption inequality and SWB. The investigation of heterogeneity evidences that the adverse impact of consumption inequality on SWB is more pronounced in terms of subsistence and development expenditures. Consumption inequality affects SWB more seriously among lower-income and urban residents. Overall, this study holds important implications for addressing economic inequality to bolster individuals' welfare.

AbstractSucrose transporters (SUCs/SUTs) play crucial roles in apoplast transport and long-distance distribution of sucrose throughout the whole plant. However, whether and how the Arabidopsis AtSUC4 modulates sucrose import from apoplast to cytosol remains unclear. In the present study, we found that AtSUC4 protein was localized to the plasma membrane in the root. Expression of AtSUC4 in roots was gradually induced with the increasing sucrose concentrations (0%, 2%, 4% and 6%). When feeding high concentrations (4% and 6%) of sucrose, the primary root growth of seedling was inhibited. Interestingly, atsuc4 mutants exhibited longer primary root than the wild type under these conditions, indicating that atsuc4 mutants were less sensitive to excess sucrose. Moreover, the root of atsuc4 mutants accumulated less sucrose and abscisic acid (ABA) and more indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) on 4% and 6% sucrose supplementation. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that numerous genes associated with sugar transport and metabolism, as well as ABA signalling were down-regulated, whereas many IAA signaling-related genes were up-regulated in mutant plants relative to the wild type under 6% sucrose treatment. Collectively, our finding demonstrated that the deficiency of AtSUC4 reduced the inhibition of primary root growth under high sucrose condition, probably through reducing the sucrose transportation and metabolism, and subsequent alteration in IAA and ABA signalling.

Abstract Background Ultrasound-targeted microbubble destruction (UTMD) technology is a new drug and gene delivery strategy. This study investigates novel ultrasound (US) sensitive siRNA-loaded nanobubbles (siRNA-NBs) to explore the relationship between PDLIM5 mediated autophagy and drug resistance development using epidermal growth factor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods US sensitive siRNA-NBs were designed to inhibit the expression of PDLIM5 in gefitinib-resistant human NSCLC PC9GR cells in vitro. The expression of autophagy-related proteins (P62 and LC3-II/I) and autophagosomes in PC9GR cells after PDLIM5 gene silencing were explored. Results US-sensitive PDLIM5-targeted siRNA-NBs were effectively delivered into PC9GR cells, inhibiting PDLIM5 expression, increasing LC3-II/I and p62 expressions and increasing autophagosomes in PC9GR cells in vitro. Conclusions Using UTMD, US-sensitive siRNA-NBs have the potential as an ideal delivery vector to mediate highly effective RNA interference for NSCLC cells. Furthermore, PDLIM5 plays a role in the autophagy-mediated resistance in gefitinib-resistant PC9GR cells.

Abstract Background Accurate diagnosis of unexplained cervical lymphadenopathy (CLA) using medical images heavily relies on the experience of radiologists, which is even worse for CLA patients in underdeveloped countries and regions, because of lack of expertise and reliable medical history. This study aimed to develop a deep learning (DL) radiomics model based on B-mode and color Doppler ultrasound images for assisting radiologists to improve their diagnoses of the etiology of unexplained CLA. Methods Patients with unexplained CLA who received ultrasound examinations from three hospitals located in underdeveloped areas of China were retrospectively enrolled. They were all pathologically confirmed with reactive hyperplasia, tuberculous lymphadenitis, lymphoma, or metastatic carcinoma. By mimicking the diagnosis logic of radiologists, three DL sub-models were developed to achieve the primary diagnosis of benign and malignant, the secondary diagnosis of reactive hyperplasia and tuberculous lymphadenitis in benign candidates, and of lymphoma and metastatic carcinoma in malignant candidates, respectively. Then, a CLA hierarchical diagnostic model (CLA-HDM) integrating all sub-models was proposed to classify the specific etiology of each unexplained CLA. The assistant effectiveness of CLA-HDM was assessed by comparing six radiologists between without and with using the DL-based classification and heatmap guidance. Results A total of 763 patients with unexplained CLA were enrolled and were split into the training cohort (n=395), internal testing cohort (n=171), and external testing cohorts 1 (n=105) and 2 (n=92). The CLA-HDM for diagnosing four common etiologies of unexplained CLA achieved AUCs of 0.873 (95% CI: 0.838–0.908), 0.837 (95% CI: 0.789–0.889), and 0.840 (95% CI: 0.789–0.898) in the three testing cohorts, respectively, which was systematically more accurate than all the participating radiologists. With its assistance, the accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of six radiologists with different levels of experience were generally improved, reducing the false-negative rate of 2.2–10% and the false-positive rate of 0.7–3.1%. Conclusions Multi-cohort testing demonstrated our DL model integrating dual-modality ultrasound images achieved accurate diagnosis of unexplained CLA. With its assistance, the gap between radiologists with different levels of experience was narrowed, which is potentially of great significance for benefiting CLA patients in underdeveloped countries and regions worldwide.

Abstract Silicon (Si) has been regarded as an alternative anode material to traditional graphite owing to its higher theoretical capacity (4200 vs. 372 mAh g−1). However, Si anodes suffer from the inherent volume expansion and unstable solid electrolyte interphase, thus experiencing fast capacity decay, which hinders their commercial application. To address this, herein, an endotenon sheath-inspired water-soluble double-network binder (DNB) is presented for resolving the bottleneck of Si anodes. The as-developed binder shows excellent adhesion, high mechanical properties, and a considerable self-healing capability mainly benefited by its supramolecular hybrid network. Apart from these advantages, this binder also induces a Li3N/LiF-rich solid electrolyte interface layer, contributing to a superior cycle stability of Si electrodes. As expected, the DNB can achieve mechanically more stable Si electrodes than traditional polyacrylic acid and pectin binders. As a result, DNB delivers superior electrochemical performance of Si/Li half cells and LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2/Si full cells, even with a high loading of Si electrode, to traditional polyacrylic acid and pectin binders. The bioinspired binder design provides a promising route to achieve long-life Si anode-assembled lithium batteries.

This paper addresses the issue of dynamic instability in quadrotor caused by changes in load mass during flight. To tackle this problem, the Lyapunov exponent method is adopted to study the dynamics and motion stability of the system. This approach resolves the challenge of constructing system eigenvalues due to the nonlinearity and high order of the quadrotor. To enhance the reliability of stability analysis, a quantitative relationship between system dynamics parameters and motion stability is established by combining the dynamic model with the Lyapunov exponent method. This approach compensates for inaccuracies in theoretical modeling analysis caused by factors such as load mass changes. The experiments demonstrate that changing the wheelbase and load mass improves flight motion stability, ensuring the reliability of the quadrotor flight system. Overall, this paper provides an in-depth analysis of the motion stability of a quadrotor and proposes a reliable method for stability analysis that accounts for changes in load mass during flight.

A hypoxic microenvironment is associated with an increased risk of metastasis, treatment resistance and poor prognosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). This study aimed to identify contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) characteristics that could predict the hypoxic microenvironment of PDAC. A total of 102 patients with surgically resected PDAC who underwent CEUS were included. CEUS qualitative and quantitative characteristics were analyzed. The expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1) and glucose transporter-1 (GLUT1) were demonstrated by immunohistochemistry. The associations between CEUS characteristics and the HIF-1α and GLUT1 expression of PDACs were evaluated. We found that HIF-1α-high PDACs and GLUT1-high PDACs had a larger tumor size and were more prone to lymph node metastasis. There was a significant positive linear correlation between the expression of HIF-1α and GLUT1. CEUS qualitative characteristics including completeness of enhancement and peak enhancement degree (PED) were related to the expression of HIF-1α and GLUT1. A logistic regression analysis showed that tumor size, lymph node metastasis, incomplete enhancement and iso-enhancement of PED were independent predictors for HIF-1α-high PDACs and GLUT1-high PDACs. As for quantitative characteristics, HIF-1α-high PDACs and GLUT1-high PDACs showed higher peak enhancement (PE) and wash-in rate (WIR). CEUS can effectively reflect the hypoxia microenvironment of PDAC, which may become a noninvasive imaging biomarker for prognosis prediction and individualized treatment.

Nitrate transporter (NRT) genes that participate in nitrate transport and distribution are indispensable for plant growth, development, and stress tolerance. Spirodela polyrhiza has the smallest genome among monocotyledon plants, and it has strong nitrate absorbance and phytoremediation abilities. However, the evolutionary history, expression patterns, and functions of the NRT gene family in S. polyrhiza are not well understood. Here, we identified 29 NRT members in the S. polyrhiza genome. Gene structure and phylogeny analyses showed that S. polyrhiza nitrate transporter (SpNRTs) genes were divided into eight clades without gene expansion compared with that in Arabidopsis. Transcriptomic analysis showed that SpNRT genes have spatiotemporal expression patterns and respond to abiotic stress. Functional analysis revealed that in S. polyrhiza, SpNRT1.1 expression was strongly induced by treatment with nitrate and ammonium. Overexpression of SpNRT1.1 significantly repressed primary root length, and the number and total length of lateral roots. This was more pronounced in high ammonium concentration medium. Overexpressed SpNRT1.1 in Arabidopsis significantly improved biomass and delayed flowering time, indicating that the nitrate transport ability of SpNRT1.1 differs from AtNRT1.1. In conclusion, our results provide valuable information about the evolution of the NRT family in higher plants and the function of SpNRT1.1.

This paper proposes an improved 3D-Vector Field Histogram (3D-VFH) algorithm for autonomous flight and local obstacle avoidance of multi-rotor unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in a confined environment. Firstly, the method employs a target point coordinate system based on polar coordinates to convert the point cloud data, considering that long-range point cloud information has no effect on local obstacle avoidance by UAVs. This enables UAVs to effectively utilize obstacle information for obstacle avoidance and improves the real-time performance of the algorithm. Secondly, a sliding window algorithm is used to estimate the optimal flight path of the UAV and implement obstacle avoidance control, thereby maintaining the attitude stability of the UAV during obstacle avoidance flight. Finally, experimental analysis is conducted, and the results show that the UAV has good attitude stability during obstacle avoidance flight, can autonomously follow the expected trajectory, and can avoid dynamic obstacles, achieving precise obstacle avoidance.

ObjectivePostoperative delirium (POD) starts in the recovery room and occurs up to 5 days after surgery. However, the POD guidelines issued by the European Society of Anesthesiology (ESA) suggest that the effect of regional anesthesia on POD is controversial. This meta-analysis aims to investigate whether perioperative regional anesthesia reduced the incidence of POD.MethodsStandard Published randomized controlled trails (RCTs) were searched from bibliographic databases to identify all evidence that reported regional anesthesia assessing incident delirium following diverse surgeries. The primary outcome was the incidence of POD, and the secondary outcomes were POD scores, pain scores, and emergence time. The relative risk (RR) for dichotomous outcomes and the weighted or standardized mean difference (WMD, SMD) for continuous outcomes were estimated using a random-effects model.ResultsTwenty RCTs with 2110 randomized participants undergoing different surgeries were included. Meta-analysis showed that regional anesthesia was associated with less POD incidence compared to general anesthesia (total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) or inhalation anesthesia) (relative risk (RR) = 0.62, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.45–0.85)). Subgroup analysis showed that the decrease in POD incidence was associated with a nerve block (0.46, 95% CI = 0.32–0.67) and regional-combined-general anesthesia (0.42, 95% CI = 0.29–0.60). Regional anesthesia significantly reduced POD incidence in the recovery room after pediatric surgeries (0.41, 95% CI = 0.29–0.56). Regional anesthesia also reduced the POD score (SMD −0.93, 95% CI = −1.55 to −0.31) and pain score (SMD −0.95, 95% CI = −1.72 to −0.81). There was no significant difference in emergence time between regional anesthesia and general anesthesia (WMD −1.40, 95% CI = −3.83 to 6.63).ConclusionsThere was a significant correlation between regional anesthesia and the decrease in POD incidence, POD score, and pain score.

Enzymatic browning is the main quality issue of fresh-cut stem lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. var. angustana Irish). In this research, the effect of diacetyl on the browning and browning-related mechanisms of fresh-cut stem lettuce was explored. The data showed that diacetyl treatment with 10 μL L−1 inhibited the browning of fresh-cut stem lettuce and extended the shelf life by over 8 d at 4 °C compared with the control. Diacetyl treatment repressed gene expression and decreased the activities of PAL (phenylalanine ammonia-lyase), C4H (cinnamate-4-hydroxylase) and 4CL (4-coumarate-CoA ligase), which thus reduced the accumulation of individual and total phenolic compounds. Moreover, diacetyl enhanced the antioxidant ability and reduced ROS accumulation, improving the anti-browning ability and indirectly suppressing the biosynthesis of phenolic compounds. These results indicated that diacetyl treatment repressed the browning of fresh-cut stem lettuce by regulating the phenylpropanoid metabolism pathway and antioxidant ability. This study is the first to report that diacetyl has an effective anti-browning role for fresh-cut stem lettuce.

Objective: Overactive bladder (OAB) is a disease characterized by the presence of urinary urgency. We carried out a meta-analysis to assess the effectiveness and safety of trigonal-involved injection of onabotulinumtoxinA (BoNT-A) in comparison with the trigonal-sparing technique in cases with OAB [neurogenic detrusor overactivity (NDO) and idiopathic detrusor overactivity (IDO)].Methods: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of BoNT-A injection for OAB were searched systematically by using EMBASE, MEDLINE, and the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register. The datum was calculated by RevMan version 5.3.0. The original references of relating articles were also reviewed.Results: In total, six RCTs involving 437 patients were included in our analysis. For OAB, the trigone-including group showed a different patient symptom score (p = 0.03), complete dryness rate (p = 0.002), frequency of incontinence episodes (p = 0.01), detrusor pressure at maximum flow rate (p = 0.01), and volume at the first desire to void (p = 0.0004) compared with the trigone-sparing group. Also, a trigone-including intradetrusor injection demonstrated a significant improvement in the patient symptom score (p = 0.0004), complete dryness rate (p = 0.0002), frequency of incontinence episodes (p = 0.0003), detrusor pressure at maximum flow rate (p = 0.01), and volume at the first desire to void (p = 0.00006) compared with the trigone-sparing group for treatment of NDO. The adverse events rates were similar in both groups.Conclusions: The meta-analysis has demonstrated that trigone-including BoNT-A injection was more effective compared with the trigone-sparing injection for the treatment of OAB, especially for NDO.

ObjectiveThis study aims to investigate the value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in the differential diagnosis and risk stratification of ACR TI-RADS category 4 and 5 thyroid nodules with non-hypovascular.MethodsFrom January 2016 to December 2019 in our hospital, 217 ACR TI-RADS category 4 and 5 nodules with non-hypovascular in 210 consecutive patients were included for a derivation cohort. With surgery and/or fine-needle aspiration (FNA) as a reference, conventional ultrasound (US) features and CEUS features were analyzed. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to screen the independent risk factors and establish a risk predictive model. Between January 2020 and March 2021, a second cohort of 100 consecutive patients with 101 nodules were included for an external validation cohort. The model was converted into a simplified risk score and was validated in the validation cohort. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC) were used to assess the models’ diagnostic performance.ResultsMicro-calcification, irregular margin, earlier wash-out, centripetal enhancement, and absence of ring enhancement were independent risk factors and strongly discriminated malignancy in the derivation cohort (AUC = 0.921, 95% CI 0.876–0.953) and the validation cohort (0.900, 0.824–0.951). There was no significant difference (P = 0.3282) between the conventional US and CEUS in differentiating malignant non-hypovascular thyroid nodules, but a combination of them (the predictive model) had better performance than the single method (all P

Purpose: To explore the diagnostic value of Contrast-enhanced Ultrasound Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System version 2017 (CEUS LI-RADS v2017) in differentiating alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)-negative hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) from other primary malignancies (OM) of the liver. Methods: The data of 99 patients with primary liver malignant tumors confirmed by surgical pathology and AFP-negative from January 2018 to January 2021 were retrospectively analyzed, and the lesions were divided into 61 cases in the AFP-negative HCC group and 38 cases in the OM group according to the pathological findings, the CEUS features of the lesions were analyzed and the lesions were classified according to the CEUS LI-RADS v2017. Comparison of CEUS features between the two groups was performed using the χ2 test. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and coincidence rate of CEUS LI-RADS v2017 for the diagnosis of AFP-negative HCC and OM were calculated using pathological findings as the gold standard. Results: The differences in features of arterial phase enhancement and wash-out between the HCC and OM groups were statistically significant (p < 0.05). The sensitivity of diagnosing HCC by LR-5 was 62.3% and the specificity was 92.1%. The sensitivity of diagnosing OM by LR-M was 92.1% and the specificity was 83.6%. Conclusions: When AFP is negative in patients with intrahepatic focal lesions, LR-5 has high specificity but low sensitivity in the diagnosis of HCC, and LR-M has high sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of OM. CEUS LI-RADS is a tool to differentiate AFP-negative HCC and OM effectively.

Background: Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB), as a common method for axillary staging of early breast cancer, has gradually attracted people’s attention to the false-negative rate and postoperative complications. The aim of the study is to investigate the clinical value of preoperative contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) for intraoperative SLNB in early breast cancer patients. Methods: A total of 201 patients scheduled for SLNB from September 2018 to April 2021 were collected consecutively. Preoperative CEUS was used to identify sentinel lymph nodes (SLN) and lymphatic drainage in breast cancer patients. Results: The SLN identification rate of CEUS was 93.0% (187/201) and four lymphatic drainage patterns were found: single LC to single SLN (70.0%), multiple LCs to single SLN (8.0%), single LC to multiple SLNs (10.2%), and multiple LCs to multiple SLNs (11.8%). The Sen, Spe, PPV, NPV, AUC of CEUS, US and CEUS + US in diagnosis of SLNs were 82.7%, 80.4%, 73.8%, 87.4%, 0.815; 70.7%, 77.7%, 68.0%, 79.8%, 0.742; and 86.7%, 77.7%, 72.2%, 89.7%, 0.822, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between the diagnostic performance of CEUS and CEUS + US (p = 0.630). Conclusions: CEUS can be used to preoperatively assess the lymphatic drainage patterns and the status of the SLNs in early breast cancer to assist precision intraoperative SLNB.

This article researches the improvement of dynamics stability of the ducted fan unmanned aerial vehicles by optimizing its mechanical–structure parameters. The instability phenomenon of ducted fan unmanned aerial vehicles takes place frequently due to the complicated airflow in near-earth space, which easily leads to the stability problems, such as out of control, shaking, and loss accuracy of command tracking. The dynamics equations mirror its dynamics characteristics, which are primarily influenced by the mechanical–structure parameters of the whole system. Based on this, the optimization of mechanical–structure parameters has a significant to improve the dynamics stability of the whole system. Therefore, this article uses the concept of Lyapunov exponents to build the quantification relationship between system’s mechanical–structure parameters and its motion stability to enhance its stability from viewpoint of mechanical–structural parameter design. The takeoff, landing, and hovering stage are respectively studied and the conclusions suggest that the optimization of mechanical–structure parameters can be used to promote dynamics stability.

Nitrogen metabolism in citrus has received increased attention due to its effects on plant growth and productivity. However, little is known about the effects of nitrogen fertilization on nitrogen metabolism in young trees of citrus cultivar 'Huangguogan' (Citrus reticulata × Citrus sinensis). Here, genes encoding nitrate reductase (NR), nitrite reductase (NiR), glutamine synthetase (GS), glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), and asparagine synthetase (AS), represented as HgNR, HgNiR, HgGS, HgGDH, and HgAS, respectively, were cloned from Huangguogan. Deduced protein sequences were analyzed and proteins were confirmed to be localized in their respective cellular organelles. Moreover, pot-cultured 'Huangguogan' seedlings were fertilized with 0 (N1), 1.36 (N2), 1.81 (N3), 2.26 (N4), or 2.72 (N5) kg N/year, for 12 months. Enzyme activity and enzyme-gene expression were studied in roots, leaves, and fruits at different stages. Finally, the effects of N application rate on root activity, leaf N, soluble protein, yield, and fruit quality at the ripening stage were measured. The results showed that: 1) HgNR, HgNiR, HgGDH, and HgAS gene products were found mainly in the cytoplasm and plasma membrane, while HgGS gene product was found mainly in cytoplasm and mitochondria. 2) Gene expression and enzyme activity differed among plant organs. As the root is in permanent direct contact with the soil we suggest that root gene expression and enzyme activity can be used as reference to determine N application rate. 3) Yield, fruit quality, enzyme activity, and enzyme-related gene expression were considerably lower at low than at high-N supply. However, they were all inhibited by excess nitrogen (i.e., 2.72 kg/year). Therefore, we recommend 1.81 kg N/year as the optimal N application rate for young 'Huangguogan' trees.

'Huangguogan' (Citrus reticulata × C. sinensis) is a new cultivar of mandarin citrus in China, and the research on fertilization of 'Huangguogan' is very limited. In this study, the effect of N fertilization on 'Huangguogan' fruit quality was determined at ripening. Sugars (sucrose, fructose, and glucose), organic acids (pyruvic, oxalic, citric acid, etc.), and vitamin components were measured at six stages of fruit development, and eight enzymes related to the glycolytic and Krebs cycle were assessed. The 1.81 kg N y-1 treatment group showed the highest total soluble solids concentration and total soluble solids/titratable acidity ratio but the lowest titratable acidity (acid content) at ripening, while the N1 treatment (0 kg N y-1) showed the opposite trend. Sucrose and citric acid accumulated to the largest extent during fruit development. Sucrose and ascorbic acid content increased (8.46 to 50.97 mg g-1 and 8.16 to 27.39 mg g-1, respectively), while citric acid content decreased (90.81 to 0.02 mg g-1). Aconitase was the key enzyme responsible for the observed changes in citric acid. The N concentrations in ripening fruit ranged from 2.25% to 4.15%. Curve estimation and principal component analysis revealed that fruit N was positively correlated with the sugars and vitamin components and negatively correlated with the organic acids. The accumulation of these metabolites seemed closely related to the dynamic changes in fruit N concentration at the five N levels tested. In conclusion, we suggest that the 1.81 kg N y-1 treatment represents the most suitable N fertilizer treatment for 'Huangguogan' citrus fruit.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0213874.].