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Abstract In this study, MnFe2O4 microspheres were synthesized to activate potassium persulfate complex salt (Oxone) for the degradation of 17β-estradiol (17β-E2) in aqueous solutions. The characteristic of MnFe2O4 was detected by XRD, XPS and SEM-EDS. The experimental results indicated that the degradation of 17β-E2 followed pseudo-first-order kinetics. At 25 °C, 17β-E2 concentration of 0.5 mg/L, MnFe2O4 dosage of 100 mg/L, Oxone dosage of 0.5 mmol/L, and initial pH value of 6.5, the decomposition efficiency of 17β-E2 reached 82.9% after 30 min of reaction. Additionally, free radical quenching experiments and electron paramagnetic resonance analysis demonstrated that SO4 −• and •OH participated in the reaction process of the whole reaction system, with SO4 −• being the main reactive oxygen species (ROS). The activation mechanism of the MnFe2O4/Oxone/17β-E2 system is proposed as follows: MnFe2O4 initially reacts with O2 and H2O in solution to generate active Fe3+-OH and Mn2+-OH species. Subsequently, Fe3+-OH and Mn2+-OH react with Oxone in a heterogeneous phase activation process, producing highly reactive free radicals. After four cycles of MnFe2O4 material, the removal rate of 17β-E2 decreased by 24.1%.

Abstract Background Blocking the RhoA/ROCK II/MLC 2 (Ras homolog gene family member A/Rho kinase II/myosin light chain 2) signaling pathway can initiate neuroprotective mechanisms against neurological diseases such as stroke, cerebral ischemia, and subarachnoid hemorrhage. Nevertheless, it is not clear whether and how disrupting the RhoA/ROCK II/MLC 2 signaling pathway changes the pathogenic processes of the blood–brain barrier (BBB) after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). The present investigation included the injection of rat caudal vein blood into the basal ganglia area to replicate the pathophysiological conditions caused by ICH. Methods Scalp acupuncture (SA) therapy was performed on rats with ICH at the acupuncture point “Baihui”‐penetrating “Qubin,” and the ROCK selective inhibitor fasudil was used as a positive control to evaluate the inhibitory effect of acupuncture on the RhoA/ROCK II/MLC 2 signaling pathway. Post‐assessments included neurological deficits, brain edema, Evans blue extravasation, Western blot, quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and transmission electron microscope imaging. Results We found that ROCK II acts as a promoter of the RhoA/ROCK II/MLC 2 signaling pathway, and its expression increased at 6 h after ICH, peaked at 3 days, and then decreased at 7 days after ICH, but was still higher than the pre‐intervention level. According to some experimental results, although 3 days is the peak, 7 days is the best time point for acupuncture treatment. Starting from 6 h after ICH, the neurovascular structure and endothelial cell morphology around the hematoma began to change. Based on the changes in the promoter ROCK II, a 7‐day time point was selected as the breakthrough point for treating ICH model rats in the main experiment. The results of this experiment showed that both SA at “Baihui”‐penetrating “Qubin” and treatment with fasudil could improve the expression of endothelial‐related proteins by inhibiting the RhoA/ROCK II/MLC 2 signaling pathway and reduce neurological dysfunction, brain edema, and BBB permeability in rats. Conclusion This study found that these experimental data indicated that SA at “Baihui”‐penetrating “Qubin” could preserve BBB integrity and neurological function recovery after ICH by inhibiting RhoA/ROCK II/MLC 2 signaling pathway activation and by regulating endothelial cell–related proteins.

The glycosyl hydrolase β-glucanase elicits plant immune responses against pathogens and enhances plant immunity by activating signaling pathways. The specific functional domains responsible for disease prevention remain unclear. In this study, transient expression of β-glucanase significantly increased leaves resistance to Botrytis cinerea in Nicotiana benthamiana systemic leaves. Through sequence alignment and similarity analysis, five conserved motifs in the amino acid sequence of β-glucanase were identified, and five deletion mutants were generated to investigate its essential regions further. Notably, the N-terminal amino acid sites 5-54 deletion mutation of β-glucanase decreased resistance to B. cinerea infection. These results indicate that N-terminal amino acids 5-54 (N54) are crucial for β-glucanase induced N. benthamiana defense response and for enhancing resistance to B. cinerea. Further analysis using real-time quantitative fluorescent PCR (qRT-PCR) revealed a significant reduction in gene expression within the N54 region compared to that of unmutated β-glucanase. Additionally, there was a notable reduction in the relative expression levels of FRK, CYP71D20, WRKY7, WRKY8, ACRE31 and PTI genes. Therefore, the first 50 amino acids at positions 5-54 within the N-terminal domain were essential for triggering plant defense responses and enhancing resistance against B. cinerea infection. This study provides an important theoretical foundation for systematic investigation into key functional domains within β-glucanase that trigger defensive responses in plants against B. cinerea.

Abstract Casuarina equisetifolia trees are used as windbreaks in subtropical and tropical coastal zones, while C. equisetifolia windbreak forests can be degraded by seawater atomization (SA) and seawater encroachment (SE). To investigate the mechanisms underlying the response of C. equisetifolia to SA and SE stress, the transcriptome and metabolome of C. equisetifolia seedlings treated with control, SA, and SE treatments were analyzed. We identified 737, 3232, 3138, and 3899 differentially expressed genes (SA and SE for 2 and 24 h), and 46, 66, 62, and 65 differentially accumulated metabolites (SA and SE for 12 and 24 h). The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis showed that SA and SE stress significantly altered the expression of genes related to plant hormone signal transduction, plant–pathogen interaction, and starch and sucrose metabolism pathways. The accumulation of metabolites associated with the biosynthetic pathways of phenylpropanoid and amino acids, as well as starch and sucrose metabolism, and glycolysis/gluconeogenesis were significantly altered in C. equisetifolia subjected to SA and SE stress. In conclusion, C. equisetifolia responds to SA and SE stress by regulating plant hormone signal transduction, plant–pathogen interaction, biosynthesis of phenylpropanoid and amino acids, starch and sucrose metabolism, and glycolysis/gluconeogenesis pathways. Compared with SA stress, C. equisetifolia had a stronger perception and response to SE stress, which required more genes and metabolites to be regulated. This study enhances our understandings of how C. equisetifolia responds to two types of seawater stresses at transcriptional and metabolic levels. It also offers a theoretical framework for effective coastal vegetation management in tropical and subtropical regions.

Abstract Background Ischemia reperfusion (IR) causes impaired myocardial function, and autophagy activation ameliorates myocardial IR injury. Isoliquiritigenin (ISO) has been found to protect myocardial tissues via AMPK, with exerting anti-tumor property through autophagy activation. This study aims to investigate ISO capacity to attenuate myocardial IR through autophagy activation mediated by AMPK/mTOR/ULK1 signaling. Methods ISO effects were explored by SD rats and H9c2 cells. IR rats and IR-induced H9c2 cell models were established by ligating left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery and hypoxia/re-oxygenation, respectively, followed by low, medium and high dosages of ISO intervention (Rats: 10, 20, and 40 mg/kg; H9c2 cells: 1, 10, and 100 μmol/L). Myocardial tissue injury in rats was assessed by myocardial function-related index, HE staining, Masson trichrome staining, TTC staining, and ELISA. Autophagy of H9c2 cells was detected by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and immunofluorescence. Autophagy-related and AMPK/mTOR/ULK1 pathway-related protein expressions were detected with western blot. Results ISO treatment caused myocardial function improvement, and inhibition of myocardial inflammatory infiltration, fibrosis, infarct area, oxidative stress, CK-MB, cTnI, and cTnT expression in IR rats. In IR-modeled H9c2 cells, ISO treatment lowered apoptosis rate and activated autophagy and LC3 fluorescence expression. In vivo and in vitro, ISO intervention exhibited enhanced Beclin1, LC3II/LC3I, and p-AMPK/AMPK levels, whereas inhibited P62, p-mTOR/mTOR and p-ULK1(S757)/ULK1 protein expression, activating autophagy and protecting myocardial tissues from IR injury. Conclusion ISO treatment may induce autophagy by regulating AMPK/mTOR/ULK1 signaling, thereby improving myocardial IR injury, as a potential candidate for treatment of myocardial IR injury.

The impact of COVID-19 on pregnant women and newborns continues to be a critical societal concern. However, the majority of research focuses on the disease resulting from the early pandemic variants, without sufficient study on the more recent BA.5.2/BF.7. We retrospectively recruited pregnant women giving birth during the surge of the BA.5.2/BF.7 and analysed the risk impact of COVID-19 on maternal and neonatal outcomes. Furthermore, subjects matched through propensity scores were used for the analysis of clinical laboratory tests. A total of 818 pregnant women were enrolled, among 276 (33.7%) were diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 during childbirth. COVID-19 significantly increased the risk of a hospital length of stay equal to or greater than seven days and neonatal admission to the neonatal intensive care unit, with an aHR of 2.03 (95% CI, 1.22–3.38) and 1.51 (95% CI, 1.12–2.03), respectively. In the analysis of 462 matched subjects, it was found that subjects infected with SARS-CoV-2 tended slight leucopenia and coagulation abnormalities. We found that during the surge of the BA.5.2/BF.7, COVID-19 increased the risk of maternal and neonatal outcomes among Chinese pregnant women. This finding offers significant insights to guide clinical practices involving pregnant women infected with the recently emerged Omicron subvariants.

Abstract Background Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a fatal malignancy with poor prognosis due to lack of effective clinical interference. DCAF1 plays a vital role in regulating cell growth and proliferation, and is involved in the progression of various malignancies. However, the function of DCAF1 in HCC development and the underlying mechanism are still unknown. This study aimed to explore the effect of DCAF1 in HCC and the corresponding molecular mechanism. Methods Quantitative real-time PCR, Western blot and immunostaining were used to determine DCAF1 expression in tumor tissues and cell lines. Subsequently, in vitro and in vivo experiments were conducted to explore the function of DCAF1 in tumor growth and metastasis in HCC. Coimmunoprecipitation, mass spectrometry and RNA sequencing were performed to identify the underlying molecular mechanisms. Results In this study, we found that DCAF1 was observably upregulated and associated with poor prognosis in HCC. Knockdown of DCAF1 inhibited tumor proliferation and metastasis and promoted tumor apoptosis, whereas overexpressing DCAF1 yielded opposite effects. Mechanistically, DCAF1 could activate the Akt signaling pathway by binding to PARD3 and enhancing its expression. We also found that the combined application of DCAF1 knockdown and Akt inhibitor could significantly suppress subcutaneous xenograft tumor growth. Conclusions Our study illustrates that DCAF1 plays a crucial role in HCC development and the DCAF1/PARD3/Akt axis presents a potentially effective therapeutic strategy for HCC. Graphical Abstract

Abstract Glycerol-assisted instant catapult steam explosion (ICSE) of lignocellulose is an effective pretreatment method for enhancing sugar production compared to glycerol-free ICSE. In this study, glycerol-assisted ICSE of corn stover was studied in order to understand the reaction mechanisms and further optimize the process. Results showed that water extraction of corn stover prior to ICSE reduced pseudo-lignin formation. The combination of water extraction and glycerol-assisted ICSE led to the formation of lignin with a lower molecular weight (Mw) of 2851 g/mol than 3521 g/mole of that from the combination of water extraction and glycerol-free ICSE. 1H-13C NMR analysis revealed that glycerol likely reacted with lignin carboxylic OHs through esterification while etherification of aliphatic OHs was not observed in ICSE. These lignin analyses indicated that glycerol protected lignin from condensation/repolymerization during glycerol-assisted ICSE. Enzymatic hydrolysis results showed that without water extraction increasing glycerol usage from 0.2 kg/kg stover to 0.4 kg/kg stover improved glucan digestibility to 78% but further increase to 0.5 kg/kg stover reduced glucan digestibility. In addition, at the glycerol usage of 0.2–0.4 kg/kg stover, washing of pretreated stover for removal of glycerol and other biomass-derived compounds did not improve glucan digestibility compared to unwashed ones. Combination of water extraction and glycerol-assisted ICSE led to a high glucan digestibility of 89.7% and a total glucose yield of 25.5 g glucose/100 g stover, which were 30.1% and 7.5 g/100 g stover higher than those derived from glycerol-free ICSE of stover, respectively. Since glycerol is a low-cost carbon source, the resulting enzymatic hydrolysate that contained both glucose and glycerol may be directly used to produce bioproducts by microbial fermentation. Graphical Abstract

Abstract Background Traditional Scarf osteotomy (TSO) is an effective procedure with a good record in moderate to severe hallux valgus (MSHV) surgery. In order to overcome shortcomings of TSO, Modified Rotary Scarf osteotomy (MRSO) was introduced in this study, which aimed to compare the clinical and radiological outcome in the patients treated with MRSO or TSO. Methods Of 175 patients (247 feet) with MSHV, 100 patients (138 feet) treated with MRSO and 75 patients (109 feet) treated with TSO were evaluated according to relevant indicators in twenty-four months follow-up. Pre-surgical and post-surgical HVA, IMA, DMAA, MTP-1 ROM, sesamoid grade and AOFAS (American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society) scores and postsurgical complications were evaluated. Results Both groups manifested similar baseline characters. The mean follow-up was of 25.9 (range, 22–37) months. Significantly lower IMA, lower Sesamoid grade and higher DMAA at six months, twelve months and twenty-four months post-surgically had been showed in MRSO group compared to TSO group. There was no significant difference in HVA, MTP-1 ROM and AOFAS data at each follow-up time point post-surgically between the two groups. No major complications occurred in either group. Conclusion MRSO showed comparable results to TSO, and improved IMA and sesamoid grade to a greater extent, with a lower probability of throughing effect. Although DMAA could be increased by MRSO, MRSO could still be a reproducible, non-dangerous and efficacious alternative procedure for treating HV patients which do not have severe DMAA.

Abstract Background Platelet Concentrate (PC) injection therapy has shown potential as a local therapy for oral lichen planus (OLP). However, its safety and efficacy have not yet been fully established. Our research compared the efficacy of PC with topical steroid treatment in alleviating pain and symptoms related to OLP. We aims to present evidence-based alternatives that dentists can use to improve patient outcomes while reducing potential side effects. Methods We conducted a systematic search of five electronic databases up to April 2023, including Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PubMed, OVID Medline, and WanFang, to evaluate PCs' efficacy compared to topical corticosteroid therapy for OLP. The literature quality was assessed using the Cochrane ROB tool. A fixed-effects model was used to determine the Weighted Mean Difference (WMD) and Mean Difference (MD) at a 95% confidence interval (CI) for pain severity and other relevant clinical indicators. Results The comparison between topical corticosteroid therapy and PCs showed no significant difference for pain relief (WMD = -0.07, CI = 95% -0.34 to 0.19), symptom improvement (MD = -0.21, CI = 95% -0.55 to 0.13), or the severity of included lesions measured by REU scores (MD = -0.25, CI = 95% -0.32 to 0.82). Conclusions Locally injected PC have been found efficient in managing oral lichen planus, indicating that they are a promising alternative option to steroid therapy for OLP patients, particularly those who have not responded favorably to steroid therapy. However, further research is needed to establish determining the recurrence rate and long-term adverse effects. Trial registration The systematic review protocol has been registered in advance with the PROSPERO database (CRD42023415372).

Abstract Background Bladder cancer (BLCA) represents a highly heterogeneous disease characterized by distinct histological, molecular, and clinical features, whose tumorigenesis and progression require aberrant metabolic reprogramming of tumor cells. However, current studies have not expounded systematically and comprehensively on the metabolic heterogeneity of BLCA. Methods The UCSC XENA portal was searched to obtain the expression profiles and clinical annotations of BLCA patients in the TCGA cohort. A total of 1,640 metabolic-related genes were downloaded from the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) database. Then, consensus clustering was performed to divide the BLCA patients into two metabolic subtypes according to the expression of metabolic-related genes. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to measure the prognostic values of the metabolic subtypes. Subsequently, comparing the immune-related characteristics between the two metabolic subtypes to describe the immunological difference. Then, the Scissor algorithm was applied to link the metabolic phenotypes and single-cell transcriptome datasets to determine the biomarkers associated with metabolic subtypes and prognosis. Finally, the clinical cohort included 63 BLCA and 16 para-cancerous samples was used to validate the prognostic value and immunological correlation of the biomarker. Results BLCA patients were classified into two heterogeneous metabolic-related subtypes (MRSs) with distinct features: MRS1, the subtype with no active metabolic characteristics but an immune infiltration microenvironment; and MRS2, the lipogenic subtype with upregulated lipid metabolism. These two subtypes had distinct prognoses, molecular subtypes distributions, and activations of therapy-related pathways. MRS1 BLCAs preferred to be immuno-suppressive and up-regulated immune checkpoints expression, suggesting the well-therapeutic response of MRS1 patients to immunotherapy. Based on the Scissor algorithm, we found that S100A7 both specifically up-regulated in the MRS1 phenotype and MRS1-tumor cells, and positively correlated with immunological characteristics. In addition, in the clinical cohort included 63 BLCA and 16 para-cancerous samples, S100A7 was obviously associated with poor prognosis and enhanced PD-L1 expression. Conclusions The metabolic subtype with S100A7 high expression recognizes the immuno-suppressive tumor microenvironment and predicts well therapeutic response of immunotherapy in BLCA. The study provides new insights into the prognostic and therapeutic value of metabolic heterogeneity in BLCA.

Objectives: Preeclampsia is a common pregnancy complication that significantly contributes to maternal mortality, perinatal mortality, and preterm delivery. The sFlt-1/PlGF (fms-like tyrosine kinase-1/placental growth factor) ratio has demonstrated robust diagnostic value for preeclampsia. This study assessed the analytical performance and diagnostic accuracy of a novel quantitative determination kit for sFlt-1 and PlGF for the diagnosis of preeclampsia. Methods: The detection performance of the test kit was validated using the Center for Medical Device Evaluation (CMDE) and Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) documents. The test results were compared to those of the Elecsys immunoassay (Roche Diagnostics). Independent discovery and validation sets were used to analyze the diagnostic efficacy of the preeclampsia kit. The area under the curve (AUC) for preeclampsia at different gestational ages was calculated. Results: Correlation analysis between the test and Roche kits revealed a strong concordance (sFlt-1: r = 0.9966, P

The cable-driven exoskeleton can avoid joint misalignment, and is substantial alterations in the pattern of muscle synergy coordination, which arouse more attention in recent years to facilitate exercise for older adults and improve their overall quality of life. This study leverages principles from neuroscience and biomechanical analysis to select attachment points for cable-driven soft exoskeletons. By extracting key features of human movement, the objective is to develop a subject-specific design methodology that provides precise and personalized support in the attachment points optimization of cable-driven exoskeleton to achieve natural gait, energy efficiency, and muscle coordination controllable in the domain of human mobility and rehabilitation. To achieve this, the study first analyzes human walking experimental data and extracts biomechanical features. These features are then used to generate trajectories, allowing better natural movement under complete cable-driven exoskeleton control. Next, a genetic algorithm-based method is employed to minimize energy consumption and optimize the attachment points of the cable-driven system. This process identifies connections that are better suited for the human model, leading to improved efficiency and natural movement. By comparing the calculated elderly human model driven by exoskeleton with experimental subject in terms of joint angles, joint torques and muscle forces, the human model can successfully replicate subject movement and the cable output forces can mimic human muscle coordination. The optimized cable attachment points facilitate more natural and efficient collaboration between humans and the exoskeleton, making significant contributions to the field of assisting the elderly in rehabilitation.

Objective: This paper aims to investigate the clinicopathological features of bladder cancer (UBUC) and upper urinary tract cancer (UTUC). Methods: A total of 115 patients with urothelial carcinoma (UC) admitted to Jinling Hospital and Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital from May 2017 to February 2020 were randomly selected and retrospectively analyzed, including 80 cases of UBUC and 35 cases of UTUC. The differences in clinicopathological characteristics between the two groups were analyzed by chi-square test and Fisher’s exact test. Kaplan-Meier method and Log-rank test were used for survival analysis, and Cox proportional hazards model was used for multivariate analysis. Results: Female patients were more common in UTUC (28.6% vs. 10.0%, P=0.012). UBUC was more likely to have neural invasion (33.7% vs.5.7%, P=0.002), vascular invasion (45.0% vs. 20.0%, P=0.011), and carcinoma in situ (23.7% vs. 2.9%, P=0.007). The main histological variants of UBUC were micropapillary differentiation (31.3%), squamous differentiation (25.0%) and adenoid differentiation (12.6%), while poorly differentiated carcinoma (33.3%), sarcomatoid differentiation (22.2%) and neuroendocrine differentiation (22.2%) were more common in UTUC. Survival analysis showed that there was no significant difference in overall survival (OS) between UTUC and UBUC (P>0.05). Neural invasion, vascular invasion, clinical stage, and lymph node metastasis are associated with OS in UC, and vascular invasion and neural invasion are independent predictors of overall survival in UC. Conclusions: Compared with UBUC, the incidence of UTUC in women is significantly higher than that in men, while UBUC is more likely to have neural invasion, vascular invasion and carcinoma in situ. Histological variants of UBUC are micropapillary, squamous and adenoid, while UTUC is mostly poorly differentiated carcinoma, sarcomatoid and neuroendocrine differentiation. There is no significant difference in prognosis between the two groups. Vascular invasion and neural invasion are significant predictors of UC-OS.

Abstract Background Group B Streptococcus (GBS), also referred as Streptococcus agalactiae, is one of the leading causes of life-threatening invasive diseases such as bacteremia, meningitis, pneumonia and urinary tract infection in pregnant women and neonates. Rates of GBS colonization vary by regions, but large-sample studies on maternal GBS status are limited in southern China. As a result, the prevalence of GBS among pregnant women and its associated risk factors and the efficacy of intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis (IAP) intervention in preventing adverse pregnancy and neonatal outcomes remain poorly understood in southern China. Methods To fill this gap, we retrospectively analyzed demographic and obstetrical data of pregnant women who have undergone GBS screening and delivered between 2016 and 2018 in Xiamen, China. A total of 43,822 pregnant women were enrolled and only a few GBS-positive women did not receive IAP administration. Possible risk factors for GBS colonization were assayed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Generalized linear regression model was applicated to analyze whether IAP is one of the impact factors of the hospital length of stay of the target women. Results The overall GBS colonization rate was 13.47% (5902/43,822). Although women > 35 years old (P = 0.0363) and women with diabetes mellitus (DM, P = 0.001) had a higher prevalence of GBS colonization, the interaction between ages and GBS colonization was not statistically significant in Logistic Regression analysis (adjusted OR = 1.0014; 95% CI, 0.9950, 1.0077). The rate of multiple births was significantly dropped in GBS-positive group than that of GBS-negative group (P = 0.0145), with no significant difference in the rate of fetal reduction (P = 0.3304). Additionally, the modes of delivery and the incidences of abortion, premature delivery, premature rupture of membranes, abnormal amniotic fluid and puerperal infection were not significantly different between the two groups. The hospitalization stays of the subjects were not influenced by GBS infection. As for neonatal outcomes, the cases of fetal death in maternal GBS-positive group did not statistically differ from that in maternal GBS-negative group. Conclusion Our data identified that pregnant women with DM are at high risk of GBS infection and IAP is highly effective in prevention of adverse pregnancy and neonatal outcomes. This stressed the necessity of universal screening of maternal GBS status and IAP administration to the target population in China, and women with DM should be considered as priorities.

Displacement is an important measure of stiffness, and its constraint must be considered in many real engineering designs. However, traditional volume-constrained compliance minimization methods for load-bearing structures do not deal with displacements of practical importance directly. Based on this situation, the paper extends an improved bionic topology optimization method to solve the topology optimization problem with an additional displacement constraint. The updates of density design variables are based on an improved bone remodeling algorithm rather than gradient information employed by traditional methods. An explicit relationship between the threshold in the bone remodeling algorithm and target node displacement is constructed to satisfy displacement constraint. As a result, one will obtain a topology with an optimal cost-weighted sum of stiffness and mass while the target node displacement does not exceed its predefined limit. 2D and 3D examples are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

The application of beneficial microbial consortium can effectively improve plant disease resistance and its growth. Various fungi were compounded with Bacillus velezensis LJ02 and applied to watermelon plants in this paper. The results showed that the microbial consortium T2 (compounded Bacillus velezensis LJ02 with Aspergillus aculeatus 9) can effectively control gummy stem blight and powdery mildew in watermelon, while the control effect reached 83.56% and 70.93%, respectively (p < 0.05). Compound treatment improved the diversity and richness of the rhizosphere microbial community structure, and the relative abundance of Caulobacterales and Xanthomonadaceae significantly increased after applying T2 to the soil. Meanwhile, the internode length was significantly decreased 28% (p < 0.05), and the maximum leaf length increased 10.33% (p < 0.05). In addition, the microbial consortium delays the maturity of watermelon vegetables. By studying the effects of microbial consortium on watermelon seedlings, our study provides a theoretical basis for the popularization and application of the compound inoculant.

Tree peony (Paeonia suffruticosa Andr.) is a popular cut flower among ornamental plants. However, its short vase life severely hinders the production and application of cut tree peony flowers. To extend the postharvest longevity and improve the horticultural value, silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) was applied for reducing bacterial proliferation and xylem blockage in cut tree peony flowers in vitro and in vivo. Ag-NPs was synthesized with the leaf extract of Eucommia ulmoides and characterized. The Ag-NPs aqueous solution showed inhibitory activity against bacterial populations isolated from stem ends of cut tree peony ‘Luoyang Hong’ in vitro. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was 10 mg L−1. Compared with the control, pretreatments with Ag-NPs aqueous solution at 5 and 10 mg L−1 for 24 h increased flower diameter, relative fresh weight (RFW), and water balance of tree peony ‘Luoyang Hong’ flowers. Additionally, malondialdehyde (MDA) and H2O2 content in pretreated petals were lower than the control during the vase life. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in pretreated petals were lower than that of the control at the early vase stage and higher at the late vase life. Furthermore, pretreatments with Ag-NPs aqueous solution at 10 mg L−1 for 24 h could reduce bacterial proliferation in the xylem vessels on the stem ends by confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Overall, pretreatments with green synthesized Ag-NPs aqueous solution effectively reduced bacteria-induced xylem blockage of cut tree peony, resulting in improved water uptake, extended vase life, and enhanced postharvest quality. Therefore, this technique can be used as a promising postharvest technology in the cut flower industry.

Potassium channels and membrane potential may influence macrophage function during inflammation. Here the authors show that the Kir2.1 potassium channel affects macrophage metabolism by altering cell surface retention of nutrient transporters and subsequently regulates inflammatory disease responses.

The Chinese government places significant importance on biomass energy due to its renewable and environmentally friendly attributes. However, the high cost of power generation poses a considerable hurdle to its development. This study aims to address the challenges facing the profitability and sustainable development of biomass power generation after the gradual withdrawal of the Chinese government by proposing a day-ahead real-time market-based trading strategy. It is prompted by the incentives offered by the Chinese government for the ongoing power market reform. This strategy is developed for a microgrid system that integrates biomass power generation with other renewable energy sources. The principles followed by the microgrid system include self-generation and consumption, electricity surplus sales, and electricity shortfall procurement. During the day-ahead stage, peak and valley tariffs are decided by the microgrid operator to exert influence on the incentives of capacity providers in accordance with the load trends, while in the intraday stage, the supply-demand imbalance is resolved by the stored electricity. In the trading process, marginal production and marginal pricing are specified to ensure the minimum trading volume and price for capacity traders, ensuring their profitability. It is demonstrated in this study that the trading strategy presented is more effective than conventional fixed-price trading in making biomass power generation profitable and sustainable, even after the Chinese government subsidy is phased out. Moreover, the other participant in the microgrid system can boost their earnings when compared to generating power individually for trading.

BackgroundCircadian rhythm plays an essential role in various physiological and pathological processes related to cognitive function. The rest-activity rhythm (RAR) is one of the most prominent outputs of the circadian system. However, little is known about the relationships between RAR and different domains of cognitive function in older adults. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between RAR and various fields of cognitive function in older Americans.MethodsThis study included a total of 2090 older adults ≥ 60 years old from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) in 2011-2014. RAR parameters were derived from accelerometer recordings. Cognitive function was assessed using the word learning subtest developed by the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer’s disease (CERAD W-L), the Animal Fluency Test (AFT) and the Digital Symbol Substitution Test (DSST). Linear regression was used to determine the relationships between RAR parameters (IS, IV, RA, L5, M10) and cognitive function scores (CERAD W-L, AFT, DSST).ResultsAfter adjusting for potential confounders, lower IS and M10 were associated with lower CERAD W-L scores (P=0.033 and P=0.002, respectively). Weaker RA and higher L5 were associated with lower AFT scores (P

BackgroundEvaluation of the therapeutic effects of cerclage on preterm birth (PTB) caused by cervical incompetence remains challenging. The vaginal microbiome is associated with preterm births. Thus, this study aimed to analyse the vaginal microbiota of patients with cervical incompetence, explore the relationship between the composition of the vaginal microbiota before cervical cerclage and at term delivery, and assess the effect of cervical cerclage on the vaginal microbiota.MethodsPatients (n = 30) underwent cerclage performed by the same surgical team. Vaginal swabs were obtained pre-surgery and seven days post-surgery. A gestational age-matched cohort of healthy pregnant women (n = 20) (no particular abnormality during pregnancy, delivery at term) was used as the control group and sampled during a comparable pregnancy. All collected vaginal swabs were analysed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing.ResultsWhen comparing the healthy control and cervical cerclage groups, the enriched microorganism in the healthy controls was G. Scardovia, and the enriched microorganism of the cerclage was G. Streptococcus. α diversity was significantly increased in patients who received cerclage with preterm delivery compared with those with full-term delivery, and the enriched microorganism was F. Enterococcus. A comparison before and after nonemergency cerclage suggested that the enriched microorganisms were G. Lactobacillus and F. Lactobacillaceae before surgery. After nonemergency cerclage, the enriched microorganisms were F. Enterobacteriaceae and C. Gammaproteobacteria. Vaginal microbiota diversity significantly increased, and the proportion of women with Lactobacillus spp.-depleted microbiomes increased after emergency cerclage. Significant differences in β diversity were found between the groups. Before the emergency cerclage, the enriched microorganisms were G. Lactobacillus, O. Alteromonadales, and P. Firmicutes. After emergency cerclage, the enriched microorganisms were P. Actinobacteria, C. Actinobacteria, P. Proteobacteria, F. Bifidobacteriaceae, O. Bifidobacteriales, G. Gardnerella, and G. Veillonella.ConclusionCerclage (particularly emergency cerclage) may alter the vaginal microbiota by increasing microbiota diversity, decreasing vaginal Lactobacillus abundance, and increasing the abundance of pathogenic bacteria that are not conducive to pregnancy maintenance, thereby affecting surgical efficacy. Therefore, the role of the vaginal microbiome should be considered when developing treatment strategies for pregnant women with cervical incompetence.Clinical trial registrationhttps://www.chictr.org.cn, identifier ChiCTR2100046305.

Several studies have demonstrated the protective effect of dl-3-n-Butylphthalide (NBP) against cerebral ischemia, which may be related to the attenuation of mitochondrial dysfunction. However, the specific mechanism and targets of NBP in cerebral ischemia/reperfusion remains unclear. In this study, we used a chemical proteomics approach to search for targets of NBP and identified cytochrome C oxidase 7c (Cox7c) as a key interacting target of NBP. Our findings indicated that NBP inhibits mitochondrial apoptosis and reactive oxygen species (ROS) release and increases ATP production through upregulation of Cox7c. Subsequently, mitochondrial respiratory capacity was improved and the HIF-1α/VEGF pathway was upregulated, which contributed to the maintenance of mitochondrial membrane potential and blood brain barrier integrity and promoting angiogenesis. Therefore, our findings provided a novel insight into the mechanisms underlying the neuroprotective effects of NBP, and also proposed for the first time that Cox7c exerts a critical role by protecting mitochondrial function.

Emerging evidence has uncovered that tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TIICs) play significant roles in regulating the tumorigenesis and progression of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). However, the exact composition of TIICs and their prognostic values in ccRCC have not been well defined. A total of 534 ccRCC samples with survival information and TIIC data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset were included in our research. The ImmuCellAI tool was employed to estimate the abundance of 24 TIICs and further survival analysis explored the prognostic values of TIICs in ccRCC. In addition, the expression levels of immunosuppressive molecules (PDL1, PD1, LAG3, and CTLA4) in the high- and low-risk groups were explored. Various subtypes of TIICs had distinct infiltrating features and most TIICs exhibited dysregulated abundance between normal and tumor tissues. Moreover, specific kinds of TIICs had encouraging prognostic values in ccRCC. Further analysis constructed a 4-TIICs signature to evaluate the prognosis of ccRCC patients. Cox regression analyses confirmed the independent prognostic role of the signature in ccRCC. Moreover, immunosuppressive molecules, including PD1, LAG3, and CTLA4, were significantly upregulated in the high-risk group and predicted poor prognosis. However, PDL1 was not changed between high- and low-risk groups and could not predict poor prognosis. To sum up, our research explored the landscape of TIICs in ccRCC and established a novel 4-TIIC prognostic signature, which could effectively predict the prognosis for patients with ccRCC. Based on this signature, we also concluded that PDL1 may not predict prognosis in ccRCC.