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Abstract Background Bracts are important for ornamental plants, and their developmental regulation process is complex; however, relatively little research has been conducted on bracts. In this study, physiological, biochemical and morphological changes in Bougainvillea glabra leaves, leaf buds and bracts during seven developmental periods were systematically investigated. Moreover, transcriptomic data of B. glabra bracts were obtained using PacBio and Illumina sequencing technologies, and key genes regulating their development were screened. Results Scanning electron microscopy revealed that the bracts develop via a process involving regression of hairs and a color change from green to white. Transcriptome sequencing revealed 79,130,973 bp of transcript sequences and 45,788 transcripts. Differential gene expression analysis revealed 50 expression patterns across seven developmental periods, with significant variability in transcription factors such as BgAP1, BgFULL, BgCMB1, BgSPL16, BgSPL8, BgDEFA, BgEIL1, and BgBH305. KEGG and GO analyses of growth and development showed the involvement of chlorophyll metabolism and hormone-related metabolic pathways. The chlorophyll metabolism genes included BgPORA, BgSGR, BgPPH, BgPAO and BgRCCR. The growth hormone and abscisic acid signaling pathways involved 44 and 23 homologous genes, and coexpression network analyses revealed that the screened genes BgAPRR5 and BgEXLA1 are involved in the regulation of bract development. Conclusions These findings improve the understanding of the molecular mechanism of plant bract development and provide important guidance for the molecular regulation and genetic improvement of the growth and development of ornamental plants, mainly ornamental bracts.

In recent years, the incidence of neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) has gradually increased over the past decades due to the rapid aging of the global population. Traditional research has had difficulty explaining the relationship between its etiology and unhealthy lifestyle and diets. Emerging evidence had proved that the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases may be related to changes of the gut microbiota’s composition. Metabolism of gut microbiota has insidious and far-reaching effects on neurodegenerative diseases and provides new directions for disease intervention. Here, we delineated the basic relationship between gut microbiota and neurodegenerative diseases, highlighting the metabolism of gut microbiota in neurodegenerative diseases and also focusing on treatments for NDs based on gut microbiota. Our review may provide novel insights for neurodegeneration and approach a broadly applicable basis for the clinical therapies for neurodegenerative diseases.

Oxidative stress and its impact on aging are critical areas of research. Natural anti-oxidants, such as saponins found in Polygonatum sibiricum, hold promise as potential clinical interventions against aging. In this study, we utilized the nematode model organism, Caenorhabditis elegans, to investigate the pharmacological effects of Polygonatum sibiricum saponins (PKS) on antioxidation and anti-aging. The results demonstrated a significant anti-aging biological activity associated with PKS. Through experiments involving lifespan and stress, lipofuscin, q-PCR, and ROS measurement, we found that PKS effectively mitigated aging-related processes. Furthermore, the mechanism underlying these anti-aging effects was linked to the SKN-1 signaling pathway. PKS increased the nuclear localization of the SKN-1 transcription factor, leading to the up-regulation of downstream anti-oxidant genes, such as gst-4 and sod-3, and a substantial reduction in intracellular ROS levels within the nematode. In conclusion, our study sheds light on the anti-oxidant and anti-aging properties of PKS in C. elegans. This research not only contributes to understanding the biological mechanisms involved but also highlights the potential therapeutic applications of these natural compounds in combating aging-related processes.

Abstract Ameloblastoma is a benign tumor characterized by locally invasive phenotypes, leading to facial bone destruction and a high recurrence rate. However, the mechanisms governing tumor initiation and recurrence are poorly understood. Here, we uncovered cellular landscapes and mechanisms that underlie tumor recurrence in ameloblastoma at single-cell resolution. Our results revealed that ameloblastoma exhibits five tumor subpopulations varying with respect to immune response (IR), bone remodeling (BR), tooth development (TD), epithelial development (ED), and cell cycle (CC) signatures. Of note, we found that CC ameloblastoma cells were endowed with stemness and contributed to tumor recurrence, which was dominated by the EZH2-mediated program. Targeting EZH2 effectively eliminated CC ameloblastoma cells and inhibited tumor growth in ameloblastoma patient-derived organoids. These data described the tumor subpopulation and clarified the identity, function, and regulatory mechanism of CC ameloblastoma cells, providing a potential therapeutic target for ameloblastoma.

Abstract Background Remimazolam, as a novel anesthetic, has recently been shown to improve hemodynamic stability during anesthesia induction and maintenance; however, it has not been reported in the hypertensive population. This study aimed to compare the effects of remimazolam and propofol on hemodynamic stability in hypertensive patients undergoing breast cancer surgery. Methods We enrolled 120 hypertensive patients undergoing breast cancer surgery in this prospective study and randomly allocated them to remimazolam (n = 60) or propofol (n = 60) groups. Anesthesia regimens were consistent between groups, except for the administration of remimazolam and propofol. Our primary outcome was the incidence of post-induction hypotension, which was either an absolute mean arterial pressure (MAP) 30% relative drop in MAP compared to baseline within 20 min of induction or from induction to the start of surgery. Secondary outcomes included minimum MAP and MAP at different time points during anesthesia, the application of vasoactive drugs, adverse events, and the patient’s self-reported Quality of Recovery-40 scale for the day after surgery. Results The incidence of post-induction hypotension was lower and the minimum MAP during induction was higher in the remimazolam group than those in the propofol group. There were no significant differences between the two groups in the remaining outcomes. Conclusion Remimazolam is safe and effective in hypertensive patients undergoing breast cancer surgery. Induction with remimazolam in hypertensive patients may result in more stable hemodynamics than propofol. Trial registration This study was registered at the Chinese Clinical Trials Registry ( http://www.chictr.org.cn ) on 03/12/2020, with registration number ChiCTR2000040579.

Landscape-index calculation tools play a pivotal role in ecosystem studies and urban-planning research, enabling objective assessments of landscape patterns’ similarities and differences. However, the existing tools encounter limitations, such as the inability to visualize landscape indices spatially and the challenge of computing indices for both vector and raster data simultaneously. Based on the QGIS development platform, this study presents an innovative framework for landscape-index calculation that addresses these limitations. The framework seamlessly integrates both vector and raster data, comprising three main modules: data input, landscape-index calculation, and visualization. In the data-input module, the tool accommodates various data formats, including vector, raster, and tabular data. The landscape indices’ calculation module allows users to select indices at patch, class, and landscape scales. Notably, the framework provides a comprehensive set of 165 indices for vector data and 20 for raster data, empowering users to selectively calculate landscape indices for vector or raster data to their specific needs and leverage the strengths of each data type. Moreover, the landscape-index visualization module enhances spatial visualization capabilities, meeting user demands for an insightful analysis. By addressing these challenges and offering enhanced functionalities, this framework aims to advance landscape indices’ development and foster more comprehensive landscape analyses. And it presents a novel approach for landscape-index development.

Abstract Background Based on previous studies which failed to analyze important confounding variables, the association between preoperative anemia and outcomes of patients who underwent colorectal cancer (CRC) surgery has not been clearly demonstrated. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between preoperative anemia and short-term outcomes in patients with CRC. Methods Data from a retrospective collective database of patients who underwent CRC surgery at our hospital between September 1, 2019 and September 30, 2021 were retrieved and analyzed, and the short-term postoperative outcomes of anemic (hemoglobin

Clinical treatment by FDA-approved ROS1/ALK inhibitor Crizotinib significantly improved the therapeutic outcomes. However, the emergence of drug resistance, especially driven by acquired mutations, have become an inevitable problem and worsened the clinical effects of Crizotinib. To combat drug resistance, some novel 2-aminopyridine derivatives were designed rationally based on molecular simulation, then synthesised and subjected to biological test. The preferred spiro derivative C01 exhibited remarkable activity against CD74-ROS1G2032R cell with an IC50 value of 42.3 nM, which was about 30-fold more potent than Crizotinib. Moreover, C01 also potently inhibited enzymatic activity against clinically Crizotinib-resistant ALKG1202R, harbouring a 10-fold potency superior to Crizotinib. Furthermore, molecular dynamic disclosed that introducing the spiro group could reduce the steric hindrance with bulky side chain (Arginine) in solvent region of ROS1G2032R, which explained the sensitivity of C01 to drug-resistant mutant. These results indicated a path forward for the generation of anti Crizotinib-resistant ROS1/ALK dual inhibitors.

BackgroundAlzheimer’s disease (AD), characterized by a severe decline in cognitive function, significantly impacts patients’ quality of life. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) presents notable advantages in AD treatment, closely linked to its regulation of intestinal flora. Nevertheless, a comprehensive exploration of the precise role of intestinal flora in AD remains lacking.MethodsWe induced an AD model through bilateral intracerebroventricular injection of streptozotocin in rats. We divided 36 rats randomly into 6 groups: sham-operated, model, Danggui Shaoyao San (DSS), and 3 DSS decomposed recipes groups. Cognitive abilities were assessed using water maze and open field experiments. Nissl staining examined hippocampal neuron integrity. Western blot analysis determined synaptoprotein expression. Additionally, 16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing analyzed intestinal flora composition.ResultsDSS and its decomposed recipe groups demonstrated improved learning and memory in rats (P

Mitochondria maintain the normal physiological function of nerve cells by producing sufficient cellular energy and performing crucial roles in maintaining the metabolic balance through intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis, oxidative stress, and axonal development. Depression is a prevalent psychiatric disorder with an unclear pathophysiology. Damage to the hippocampal neurons is a key component of the plasticity regulation of synapses and plays a critical role in the mechanism of depression. There is evidence suggesting that mitochondrial dysfunction is associated with synaptic impairment. The maintenance of mitochondrial homeostasis includes quantitative maintenance and quality control of mitochondria. Mitochondrial biogenesis produces new and healthy mitochondria, and mitochondrial dynamics cooperates with mitophagy to remove damaged mitochondria. These processes maintain mitochondrial population stability and exert neuroprotective effects against early depression. In contrast, mitochondrial dysfunction is observed in various brain regions of patients with major depressive disorders. The accumulation of defective mitochondria accelerates cellular nerve dysfunction. In addition, impaired mitochondria aggravate alterations in the brain microenvironment, promoting neuroinflammation and energy depletion, thereby exacerbating the development of depression. This review summarizes the influence of mitochondrial dysfunction and the underlying molecular pathways on the pathogenesis of depression. Additionally, we discuss the maintenance of mitochondrial homeostasis as a potential therapeutic strategy for depression.

With the rapid advancement of the global economy, there has been a noticeable escalation in the level of inhalable particulate matter (PM) pollution in the atmosphere. The utilization of plants has been recognized as an effective means to mitigate the escalation in the atmospheric PM concentration through the capture and retention of this particulate matter on their leaves. This research focuses on investigating the PM retention capacity of nine commonly found greening plant species in Changsha, China, located in the country’s mid-subtropical region. In this study, we employed an air aerosol generator (QRJZFSQ-II) and a portable leaf area meter (LI-3000C) to systematically evaluate the PM retention in unit leaf area for different PM values. In addition, the leaf surface structure was observed via scanning electron microscopy, and the relationship between the leaf microstructure and the retained particles was quantitatively analyzed. The results showed that (1) there were significant differences in the retention of TSP, PM10, and PM2.5 per unit leaf area among the nine greening tree species analyzed. Rosa saturata was found to have the best retention effect regarding TSP and PM2.5, and Rhododendron simsii was found to have the best retention effect regarding PM10. (2) There were significant differences in the contents of TSP and PM2.5 per leaf area among the different tree species with different life forms (p < 0.05), with the order of retention being shrub > arbor (needle leaves) > arbor (broad leaves). (3) Coniferous plants have a deep leaf surface texture, which is conducive to capturing more particles on their leaf surface, and (4) the long stomata diameter was significantly negatively correlated with PM retention, and the stomata density was significantly positively correlated with PM retention. However, the short diameter and small area of stomata demonstrated no significant correlation with PM retention (p < 0.05). Considering the selection of suitable tree species for greening in urban air pollution control, we suggest that Osmanthus fragrans, Pseudolarix amabilis, Rosa saturata, and Rhododendron simsii be used more frequently in urban areas affected by severe air pollution.

Traditional night light images are black and white with a low resolution, which has largely limited their applications in areas such as high-accuracy urban electricity consumption estimation. For this reason, this study proposes a fusion algorithm based on a dual-transformation (wavelet transform and IHS (Intensity Hue Saturation) color space transform), is proposed to generate color night light remote sensing images (color-NLRSIs). In the dual-transformation, the red and green bands of Landsat multi-spectral images and “NPP-VIIRS-like” night light remote sensing images are merged. The three bands of the multi-band image are converted into independent components by the IHS modulated wavelet transformed algorithm, which represents the main effective information of the original image. With the color space transformation of the original image to the IHS color space, the components I, H, and S of Landsat multi-spectral images are obtained, and the histogram is optimally matched, and then it is combined with a two-dimensional discrete wavelet transform. Finally, it is inverted into RGB (red, green, and blue) color images. The experimental results demonstrate the following: (1) Compared with the traditional single-fusion algorithm, the dual-transformation has the best comprehensive performance effect on the spatial resolution, detail contrast, and color information before and after fusion, so the fusion image quality is the best; (2) The fused color-NLRSIs can visualize the information of the features covered by lights at night, and the resolution of the image has been improved from 500 m to 40 m, which can more accurately analyze the light of small-scale area and the ground features covered; (3) The fused color-NLRSIs are improved in terms of their MEAN (mean value), STD (standard deviation), EN (entropy), and AG (average gradient) so that the images have better advantages in terms of detail texture, spectral characteristics, and clarity of the images. In summary, the dual-transformation algorithm has the best overall performance and the highest quality of fused color-NLRSIs.

To meet the requirements of friction and corrosion resistance performance of helicopter transmission bearings under harsh environments, Ti/TiN/Ti-DLC multilayer composite films were prepared on a 40Cr15Mo2VN substrate by a non-equilibrium magnetron sputtering technique. The effects of different titanium currents on the structure, mechanical properties, and friction properties of the films were investigated by SEM, Raman spectroscopy, and nanoindentation. Moreover, the tribological and corrosion resistance of developed films under acidic conditions were investigated. The results show that the sp3-C/sp2-C ratio in the films gradually decreases with increasing Ti current from 0 A to 2 A, leading to decreased hardness and elastic modulus. The bonding force of the DLC films also gradually increases with increasing Ti current and reaches the maximum value of 41.69 N at 2 A; the friction coefficient of the films gradually decreases under a load of 20 N. In summary, the best performance of thin film at Ti-2 A was compared with the corrosion and wear performance of thin film and substrate in acetic acid solution and aqueous solution at Ti-2 A. The wear amount of thin film and substrate in aqueous solution is significantly lower than in acetic acid solution, and the corrosion potential of thin film is higher than that of substrate in both solutions, which can play a protective role against the substrate.

High-nitrogen stainless steels, which are developed by replacing nickel with nitrogen, have been widely applied in manufacturing wear parts in mechanical engineering. In this study, the tribocorrosion performance of a ferritic high-nitrogen bearing stainless steel (40Cr15Mo2VN) under acetic acid solution with a pH of 3.0 was investigated under different loads ranging from 25 N to 125 N. Quantitative calculations indicated that pure mechanical wear was the predominant cause of material degradation, while the corrosion-accelerated wear component also played a crucial role. The material loss induced by both tribocorrosion and mechanical wear increased with increasing load, leading to severe delamination at sliding surfaces and larger wear debris.

The balance between oxidation and antioxidant is crucial for maintaining homeostasis. Once disrupted, it can lead to various pathological outcomes and diseases, such as depression. Oxidative stress can result in or aggravate a battery of pathological processes including mitochondrial dysfunction, neuroinflammation, autophagical disorder and ferroptosis, which have been found to be involved in the development of depression. Inhibition of oxidative stress and related pathological processes can help improve depression. In this regard, the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) in the antioxidant defense system may play a pivotal role. Nrf2 activation can not only regulate the expression of a series of antioxidant genes that reduce oxidative stress and its damages, but also directly regulate the genes related to the above pathological processes to combat the corresponding alterations. Therefore, targeting Nrf2 has great potential for the treatment of depression. Activation of Nrf2 has antidepressant effect, but the specific mechanism remains to be elucidated. This article reviews the key role of Nrf2 in depression, focusing on the possible mechanisms of Nrf2 regulating oxidative stress and related pathological processes in depression treatment. Meanwhile, we summarize some natural and synthetic compounds targeting Nrf2 in depression therapy. All the above may provide new insights into targeting Nrf2 for the treatment of depression and provide a broad basis for clinical transformation.

Alzheimer's disease (AD), an age-dependent neurodegenerative disorder, is the most prevalent neurodegenerative disease worldwide. The primary pathological hallmarks of AD are the deposition of β-amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. Autophagy, a pathway of clearing damaged organelles, macromolecular aggregates, and long-lived proteins via lysosomal degradation, has emerged as critical for proteostasis in the central nervous system (CNS). Studies have demonstrated that defective autophagy is strongly implicated in AD pathogenesis. Transcription factor EB (TFEB), a master transcriptional regulator of autophagy, enhances the expression of related genes that control autophagosome formation, lysosome function, and autophagic flux. The study of TFEB has greatly increased over the last decade, and the dysfunction of TFEB has been reported to be strongly associated with the pathogenesis of many neurodegenerative disorders, including AD. Here, we delineate the basic understanding of TFEB dysregulation involved in AD pathogenesis, highlighting the existing work that has been conducted on TFEB-mediated autophagy in neurons and other nonneuronal cells in the CNS. Additionally, we summarize the small molecule compounds that target TFEB-regulated autophagy involved in AD therapy. Our review may yield new insights into therapeutic approaches by targeting TFEB and provide a broadly applicable basis for the clinical treatment of AD.

Objective: Glutamate mediated excitotoxicity, such as oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, synaptic loss and neuronal death, is ubiquitous in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Our previous study found that 15 Hz repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) could reduce cortical excitability. The purpose of this study was to explore the therapeutic effect of higher frequency rTMS on 3xTg-AD model mice and further explore the mechanisms of rTMS. Methods: First, WT and 3xTg-AD model mice received 25 Hz rTMS treatment for 21 days. The Morris water maze test was used to evaluate the cognitive function. The levels of Aβ and neuroinflammation were assessed by ELISA and immunofluorescence. Oxidative stress was quantified by biochemical assay kits. Brain glucose metabolism was assessed by 18F-FDG PET. Apoptosis was assessed by western blot and TUNEL staining. Synaptic plasticity and PI3K/Akt/GLT-1 pathway related protein expression were assessed by western blot. Next, to explore the activity of PI3K/Akt in the therapeutic effect of rTMS, 3xTg-AD model mice were given LY294002 intervention and rTMS treatment for 21 days, the experimental method was the same as before. Results: We found that 25 Hz rTMS could improve cognitive function of 3xTg-AD model mice, reduce hippocampal Aβ1-42 levels, ameliorate oxidative stress and improve glucose metabolism. rTMS alleviated neuroinflammatory response, enhanced synaptic plasticity and reduced neuronal loss and cell apoptosis, accompanied by activation of PI3K/Akt/GLT-1 pathway. After administration of PI3K/Akt inhibitor LY294002, 25 Hz rTMS could not improve the cognitive function and reduce neuron damage of 3xTg-AD model mice, nor could it upregulate the expression of GLT-1, indicating that its therapeutic and protective effects required the involvement of PI3K/Akt/GLT-1 pathway. Conclusion: rTMS exerts protective role for AD through regulating multiple pathological processes. Meanwhile, this study revealed the key role of PI3K/Akt/GLT-1 pathway in the treatment of AD by rTMS, which might be a new target.

Targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is one of the potential ways to treat glioblastoma (GBM). In this study, we investigate the anti-GBM tumor effects of the EGFR inhibitor SMUZ106 in both in vitro and in vivo conditions. The effects of SMUZ106 on the growth and proliferation of GBM cells were explored through MTT and clone formation experiments. Additionally, flow cytometry experiments were conducted to study the effects of SMUZ106 on the cell cycle and apoptosis of GBM cells. The inhibitory activity and selectivity of SMUZ106 to the EGFR protein were proved by Western blotting, molecular docking, and kinase spectrum screening methods. We also conducted a pharmacokinetic analysis of SMUZ106 hydrochloride following i.v. or p.o. administration to mice and assessed the acute toxicity level of SMUZ106 hydrochloride following p.o. administration to mice. Subcutaneous and orthotopic xenograft models of U87MG-EGFRvIII cells were established to assess the antitumor activity of SMUZ106 hydrochloride in vivo. SMUZ106 could inhibit the growth and proliferation of GBM cells, especially for the U87MG-EGFRvIII cells with a mean IC50 value of 4.36 μM. Western blotting analyses showed that compound SMUZ106 inhibits the level of EGFR phosphorylation in GBM cells. It was also shown that SMUZ106 targets EGFR and presents high selectivity. In vivo, the absolute bioavailability of SMUZ106 hydrochloride was 51.97%, and its LD50 exceeded 5000 mg/kg. SMUZ106 hydrochloride significantly inhibited GBM growth in vivo. Furthermore, SMUZ106 inhibited the activity of U87MG-resistant cells induced by temozolomide (TMZ) (IC50: 7.86 μM). These results suggest that SMUZ106 hydrochloride has the potential to be used as a treatment method for GBM as an EGFR inhibitor.

Automatic segmentation of complex medical images is challenging. Here, the authors present a crack propagation method based on the principles of fracture mechanics: extracting the boundary information of the target area by tracing the crack propagation on a thin plate with grooves corresponding to the area edge.

Abstract Background The longer upper airway is more collapsible during sleep. This study aims to reveal relationships among upper airway length, weight, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), particularly to answer why the upper airway of OSA patients is longer than that of healthy people and why some obese people suffer from OSA while others do not. Methods We perform head and neck MRI on male patients and controls, and measure > 20 morphological parameters, including several never before investigated, to quantify the effect of weight change on upper airway length. Results The upper airway length is longer in patients and correlates strongly to body weight. Weight increase leads to significant fat infiltration in the tongue, causing the hyoid to move downward and lengthen the airway in patients. The apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) strongly correlates to airway length and tongue size. Surprisingly, a distance parameter h and angle β near the occipital bone both show significant differences between healthy males and patients due to their different head backward tilt angle, and strongly correlates with AHI. The contributions of downward hyoid movement and head tilt on airway lengthening are 67.4–80.5% and19.5–32.6%, respectively, in patients. The parapharyngeal fat pad also correlates strongly with AHI. Conclusions The findings in this study reveal that the amount of body weight and distribution of deposited fat both affect airway length, and therefore OSA. Fat distribution plays a larger impact than the amount of weight, and is a better predictor of who among obese people are more prone to OSA.

In order to analyze the primary sources of air pollutants in Chang-Zhu-Tan region, this article selected the environmental monitoring data and meteorological data in the winter of 2019 to calculate the backward airflow trajectories with the Chang-Zhu-Tan region as the starting point by using the backward trajectory model. Combined with the ground concentration monitoring data, cluster analysis, potential source contribution factor (PSCF) analysis, and concentration weighted trajectory (CWT) analysis were carried out to determine the pollutant transportation paths and sources of the potential source area. The results show that air mass transportation mainly comes from three directions: northwest, northeast, and southwest China. The airflow in northwest China moves faster and cleaner, while the airflow from the northeast and southwest moves slowly and carries a high concentration of pollutants. PSCF and CWT analyses show that the critical potential sources are mainly located in this area and some cities next to the study area. This study has important practical significance for the environmental research of Chang-Zhu-Tan region and can provide theoretical reference for regional joint prevention and control of air pollution.

Abstract Background There is currently no method that can predict whether or under what condition hypopnea, even obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), will occur during sleep for individuals based on credible parameters measured under waking condition. We propose a threshold concept based on the narrowest cross-sectional area of the upper airway (CSA-UA) and aim to prove our hypothesis on the threshold of the area for hypopnea onset (TAHO), which can be used as an indicator of hypopnea onset during sleep and measured while awake. Methods We performed magnetic resonance imaging for 20 OSA patients to observe CSA-UA changes during fluid accumulation in the neck caused by elevating their legs, and identified TAHO by capturing the sudden enlargement in CSA-UA. Correlation analyses between TAHO and the body mass index (BMI), and between the reduction in CSA-UA and the increase in the neck circumference (NC) with fluid accumulation were performed. Logistic regression analysis was performed for identifying OSA patients based on the behaviors of their CSA-UA changes during leg raising. Shape changes of airway cross-section were also investigated. Results Four CSA-UA change patterns after fluid redistribution were identified. Six patients had similar CSA-UA variation behaviors observed in healthy subjects. From the other three change patterns involving 14 patients, a threshold value of CSA-UA 0.63 ± 0.21 cm2 was identified for normal breathing. Data showed a positive correlation between TAHO and BMI (r = 0.681, p = 0.0007), and a negative correlation between the reduction in CSA-UA and the increase in NC (r = − 0.513, p = 0.051) with fluid accumulation. A sigmoid function for the probability of being a OSA patient p = 1/[1 + exp. (4.836 + 3.850 t-8.4 h)] was obtained to effectively separate OSA patients from normal subjects. The upper airway narrowing occurred in anteroposterior, lateral, or both directions, suggesting different tendencies of upper airway collapse in patients. Three types of shape changes in the cross-section of the upper airway, which had different effects on airway resistance, were measured. Conclusions Our findings prove TAHO hypothesis. The threshold measured while awake for normal breathing can be used clinically as the indicator of hypopnea onset during sleep, and therefore to identify OSA patients under waking condition and design effective personalized treatments for OSA patients. Both shape and size changes in the cross-section of the upper airway affect airway resistance significantly. Shape change in the cross-section of the upper airway can provide key clinical information on the collapse patterns of the upper airway for individuals.

Abstract Background Postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP) has long been a pervasive public health concern. With the aging Chinese population, the prevention, assessment and management of postmenopausal osteoporosis were particularly important. During the breastfeeding, a large amount of Calcium loss from maternal bone for infants’ growth. However, whether this loss is completely reversible remains controversial. As the relationship between breastfeeding and postmenopausal osteoporosis is different from society to society and is not clear from the literature, the purpose of this study was to determine whether breastfeeding was an independent factor for the development of PMOP based on Chinese postmenopausal population. Methods A retrospective cross-sectional investigation was conducted at Tianjin Xiaobailou health Community Healthcare Center between December 2017 and June 2018. Postmenopausal women over the age of 50 who underwent the annual health examination or visited the center to perform bone densitometry as a part of routine screening for disease were recruited. A trained community nurse administered a questionnaire to all participants by face-to-face interview. Participants were questioned about age, BMI, Vitamin D and calcium intake, the history of smoking, drinking and fracture, age of menarche, age of menopause, the number of pregnancy, parity, feeding pattern (breastfeeding, artificial feeding and mixed feeding) and overall breastfeeding duration. BMD measurements were carried out using quantitative ultrasound (QUS) at the bilateral radius. Results A total of 202 women who met the inclusive and exclusive criteria were enrolled. Univariate analysis revealed that overall breastfeeding more than 24 months increased the risk of osteoporosis (OR 39.00, 95%CI 2.40–634.65, p = 0.010). However, multivariate estimate of the risk of osteoporosis by overall breastfeeding duration suggested that when controlling for age, BMI, the number of pregnancy and parity, the overall breastfeeding duration was not an independent risk factor for postmenopausal osteoporosis (OR 5.22, 95%CI 0.18–147.76, p = 0.333). Additionally, age (OR 1.16, 95%CI 1.05–1.29, p = 0.003), BMI (OR 1.26, 95%CI 1.04–1.54, p = 0.021) and the number of pregnancy (OR 1.80, 95%CI 1.08–2.98, p = 0.024) were significant associated with postmenopausal osteoporosis. Conclusion Breastfeeding was not associated with postmenopausal osteoporosis, while age, BMI and the number of pregnancy may contribute to increasing risk of postmenopausal osteoporosis in Chinese women.

Abstract Background Many studies have reported the prognostic value of haemoglobin level for cancers. Whereas the prognostic impact of decreased pretreatment haemoglobin level on the survival of patients with lung cancer remains controversial, herein, a systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to investigate whether a decreased haemoglobin level before treatment is a significant predictor of survival in patients with lung cancer. Methods We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies to evaluate the prognostic impact of a decreased haemoglobin level on the survival of patients with lung cancer. Relevant studies were retrieved from databases including PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library. Reference lists were hand-searched for potentially eligible studies. The Newcastle-Ottawa scale was used to assess the quality of included studies. Observational studies were included if they provided sufficient information for the extraction of the pooled hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for overall survival, disease-free survival, relapse-free survival, progression-free survival, event-free survival and time to progression. Subgroup analysis, meta-regression and sensitivity analyses were applied to explain the heterogeneity. Results Fifty-five articles involving a total of 22,719 patients were obtained to evaluate the correlation between haemoglobin level and survival. The results indicated that decreased haemoglobin level was significantly associated with poor overall survival of patients with lung cancer (HR 1.51, 95% CI 1.42–1.61), both in non-small cell lung cancer (HR 1.57, 95% CI 1.44–1.72) and in small cell lung cancer (HR 1.56, 95% CI 1.21–2.02). We also found that the lower the haemoglobin level, the shorter was the overall survival of patients with lung cancer (HR 1.11, 95% CI 1.06–1.16). However, the relationship between decreased haemoglobin and relapse-free survival was not significant (HR 1.37, 95% CI 0.91–2.05). Conclusion A decreased pretreatment haemoglobin level among patients with lung cancer is a prognostic factor of poor survival that can serve as an important indicator in survival prediction, risk stratification and treatment selection. In clinical practice, more attention should be paid to monitoring pretreatment haemoglobin levels among patients with lung cancer.

Objectives Despite remarkable advances in the treatment of oesophageal cancer (OC), the role of antiepidermal growth factor receptor (anti-EGFR) agents in treating OC remains controversial. Herein, a systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to elucidate the efficacy and safety of anti-EGFR agents in patients with OC.Design Meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) identified by searching the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.gov, Cochrane Library, Chinese Biology Medicine, China National Knowledge Infrastructure and Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform databases from inception to December 2019. We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.Setting RCTs from any country and healthcare setting.Participants Patients with OC.Interventions Combination therapy with anti-EGFR agents and conventional treatments versus conventional treatments alone in patients with OC.Primary and secondary outcome measures Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were primary outcome measures, and objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR) and treatment toxicities were secondary outcome measures.Results In total, 25 RCTs comprising 3406 patients with OC were included. Overall, anti-EGFR treatment significantly improved the OS (HR: 0.81, 95% CI 0.74 to 0.89, p

Rhododendron mole (Blume) G. Don is an attractive ornamental and valuable medicinal plant which widely distributed in the southern regions of China. In order to promote the studies on the genetic diversity of this species, we assembled the complete chloroplast (cp) genome of R. molle by using the genome skimming approach. The results showed that the cp genome of R. molle exhibited a quadripartite cycle with 197,877 bp, comprising of two inverted repeats (IRs) of 43,831 bp separated by a large single copy (LSC) region of 110,189 bp and a quite small single copy (SSC) region of 26 bp. It encodes 146 genes, including 92 protein-coding, 46 tRNA, and eight rRNA genes. The overall GC content of the cp genome was 36.0%. The phylogenetic analysis indicated that R. molle is closely related to R. delavayi. Thus, the cp genome sequence of R. molle provides a rich source of genetic information for studies on Rhododendron taxonomy, phylogeny, and evolution, as well as lays the foundation for further development and utilization of R. molle.

Background: The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China has seriously affected people's mental health. We aimed to assess the psychological impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 on health care workers and non-health care workers in three different epidemic areas in China and to identify independent risk factors.Methods: We surveyed 1,020 non-health care workers and 480 health care workers in Wuhan, other cities in Hubei except Wuhan and other provinces in China except Hubei.Results: Health care workers in Hubei had higher levels of anxiety and depression than non-health care workers (p < 0.05), but there was no such difference in other provinces in China except Hubei (p > 0.05). Compared with other regions, health care workers in Wuhan was more anxious (p < 0.05), and this anxiety may be caused by concerns about occupational exposure and wearing protective clothing for a long time daily; health care workers in Hubei had more obvious depression (p < 0.05), which may be associated with long days participating in epidemic work and wearing protective clothing for a long time daily. Meanwhile, 62.5% of health care workers were proud of their work. The anxiety and depression of non-health care workers in Wuhan were also the most serious.Conclusions: In Wuhan, where the epidemic is most severe, levels of anxiety and depression seem to be higher, especially among health care workers. This information may help to better prepare for future events.

The mechanism of general anesthesia (GA) has been explored for hundreds of years, but unclear. Previous studies indicated a possible correlation between NREM sleep and GA. The purpose of this study is to compare them by in vivo human brain function to probe the neuromechanism of consciousness, so as to find out a clue to GA mechanism.24 healthy participants were equally assigned to sleep or propofol sedation group by sleeping ability. EEG and Ramsay Sedation Scale were applied to determine sleep stage and sedation depth respectively. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (RS-fMRI) was acquired at each status. Regional homogeneity (ReHo) and seed-based whole brain functional connectivity maps (WB-FC maps) were compared.During sleep, ReHo primarily weakened on frontal lobe (especially preoptic area), but strengthened on brainstem. While during sedation, ReHo changed in various brain areas, including cingulate, precuneus, thalamus and cerebellum. Cingulate, fusiform and insula were concomitance of sleep and sedation. Comparing to sleep, FCs between the cortex and subcortical centers (centralized in cerebellum) were significantly attenuated under sedation. As sedation deepening, cerebellum-based FC maps were diminished, while thalamus- and brainstem-based FC maps were increased.There're huge distinctions in human brain function between sleep and GA. Sleep mainly rely on brainstem and frontal lobe function, while sedation is prone to affect widespread functional network. The most significant differences exist in the precuneus and cingulate, which may play important roles in mechanisms of inducing unconciousness by anesthetics.Institutional Review Board (IRB) ChiCTR-IOC-15007454.

Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook) is the most commonly grown afforestation species in subtropical China. It is essential that we understand the response of radial tree growth to climate factors, yet most experiments have been conducted based on total annual growth and not on monthly dynamics, which alone can detail the influence of climatic factors. In this study, we aimed to: (i) construct a monthly growth model and compare the growth rate of different social statuses of trees, and (ii) determine the response of radial increments of different social statuses to climate factors. The radial growth was monitored monthly during four years using manual band dendrometers (MBD). The data were fitted using the Gompertz function. Within-stand differences in the social status of Chinese firs resulted in growing period and growth rate length variations. The radial growth began in March, and suppressed trees—especially groups of AS1 and BS1 (suppressed trees of classes I in sites A and B)—stopped in September, whereas dominant and intermediate trees were delayed and stopped in November. The periodic monthly increment curve showed double peaks, and the maximum growth rate occurred in April and August. The peak values were affected by social status, which showed that dominant trees had the greatest radial growth rates. S-shaped Gompertz meant that monthly increment models were successfully fitted to our data, which explained more than 98% of the variation in increment data and passed the uncertainty test. Temperature and precipitation had a significant influence on radial growth, and the correlation between radial growth and air temperature was the highest. Our results also revealed that temperatures explain the double-peak features of Chinese fir. The limiting factors of radial growth changed with the seasons and were mainly affected by temperature and precipitation, which should be considered in predicting the response of tree growth to climate change.

A highly sensitive immunoassay of biomarkers has been achieved using 4-mercaptobenzoic acid-labeled Ag@Au core–shell porous nanocage tags and α-fetoprotein immuno-sensing chips. The Ag@Au porous nanocages were uniquely synthesized by using an Ag core as a self-sacrificial template and reducing agent, where the slow reaction process led to the formation of a porous Au layer. The size of the remaining Ag core and surface roughness of the Au shell were controlled by adjusting the chloroauric acid concentration. The porous cage exhibited excellent surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) activity, presumably due to a synergetic interaction between newly generated hot spots in the rough Au shell and the retained SERS activity of the Ag core. Using α-fetoprotein as a model analyte for immunoassay, the SERS signal had a wide linear range of 0.20 ng mL−1 to 500.0 ng mL−1 with a detection limit of 0.12 ng mL−1. Without the need of further signal amplification, the as-prepared Ag@Au bimetallic nanocages can be directly used for highly sensitive SERS assays of other biomarkers in biomedical research, diagnostics, etc.

The purpose of this study is to provide an optimized method to reconstruct the structure of the upper airway (UA) based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) that can faithfully show the anatomical structure with a smooth surface without artificial modifications.MRI was performed on the head and neck of a healthy young male participant in the axial, coronal and sagittal planes to acquire images of the UA. The level set method was used to segment the boundary of the UA. The boundaries in the three scanning planes were registered according to the positions of crossing points and anatomical characteristics using a Matlab program. Finally, the three-dimensional (3D) NURBS (Non-Uniform Rational B-Splines) surface of the UA was constructed using the registered boundaries in all three different planes.A smooth 3D structure of the UA was constructed, which captured the anatomical features from the three anatomical planes, particularly the location of the anterior wall of the nasopharynx. The volume and area of every cross section of the UA can be calculated from the constructed 3D model of UA.A complete scheme of reconstruction of the UA was proposed, which can be used to measure and evaluate the 3D upper airway accurately.