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Abstract Hybrid mapping is a powerful approach to efficiently identify and characterize genes regulated through mechanisms in cis. In this study, using reciprocal crosses of the phenotypically divergent Duroc and Lulai pig breeds, we perform a comprehensive multi-omic characterization of regulatory variation across the brain, liver, muscle, and placenta through four developmental stages. We produce one of the largest multi-omic datasets in pigs to date, including 16 whole genome sequenced individuals, as well as 48 whole genome bisulfite sequencing, 168 ATAC-Seq and 168 RNA-Seq samples. We develop a read count-based method to reliably assess allele-specific methylation, chromatin accessibility, and RNA expression. We show that tissue specificity was much stronger than developmental stage specificity in all of DNA methylation, chromatin accessibility, and gene expression. We identify 573 genes showing allele specific expression, including those influenced by parent-of-origin as well as allele genotype effects. We integrate methylation, chromatin accessibility, and gene expression data to show that allele specific expression can be explained in great part by allele specific methylation and/or chromatin accessibility. This study provides a comprehensive characterization of regulatory variation across multiple tissues and developmental stages in pigs.

Abstract A significant decrease in estrogen levels puts menopausal women at high risk for major depression, which remains difficult to cure despite its relatively clear etiology. With the discovery of abnormally elevated inflammation in menopausal depressed women, immune imbalance has become a novel focus in the study of menopausal depression. In this paper, we examined the characteristics and possible mechanisms of immune imbalance caused by decreased estrogen levels during menopause and found that estrogen deficiency disrupted immune homeostasis, especially the levels of inflammatory cytokines through the ERα/ERβ/GPER-associated NLRP3/NF-κB signaling pathways. We also analyzed the destruction of the blood-brain barrier, dysfunction of neurotransmitters, blockade of BDNF synthesis, and attenuation of neuroplasticity caused by inflammatory cytokine activity, and investigated estrogen-immuno-neuromodulation disorders in menopausal depression. Current research suggests that drugs targeting inflammatory cytokines and NLRP3/NF-κB signaling molecules are promising for restoring homeostasis of the estrogen-immuno-neuromodulation system and may play a positive role in the intervention and treatment of menopausal depression.

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to assess the predictive capabilities of a radiomics signature obtained from arterial spin labeling (ASL) imaging in forecasting and detecting stages of kidney damage in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), as well as to analyze the correlation between texture feature parameters and biological clinical indicators. Additionally, this study seeks to identify the imaging risk factors associated with early renal injury in diabetic patients, with the ultimate goal of offering novel insights for predicting and diagnosing early renal injury and its progression in patients with DM.Materials and methodsIn total, 42 healthy volunteers (Group A); 68 individuals with diabetes (Group B) who exhibited microalbuminuria, defined by a urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR)< 30 mg/g and an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) within the range of 60–120 mL/min/1.73m²; and 53 patients with diabetic nephropathy (Group C) were included in the study. ASL using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 3.0T was conducted. The radiologist manually delineated regions of interest (ROIs) on the ASL maps of both the right and left kidney cortex. Texture features from the ROIs were extracted utilizing MaZda software. Feature selection was performed utilizing a range of methods, such as the Fisher coefficient, mutual information (MI), probability of classification error, and average correlation coefficient (POE + ACC). A radiomics model was developed to detect early diabetic renal injury, extract imaging risk factors associated with early diabetic renal injury, and examine the relationship between significant texture feature parameters and biological clinical indicators. Patients with DM and kidney injury were followed prospectively. The study utilized seven machine learning algorithms to develop a detective radiomics model and a comprehensive predictive model for assessing the progression of kidney damage in patients with DM. The diagnostic efficacy of the models in detecting variations in diabetic kidney damage over time was evaluated using the area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Empower (R) was used to establish a correlation between clinical biological indicators and texture feature metrics. Statistical analysis was conducted using R, Python, MedCalc 15.8, and GraphPad Prism 8.ResultsA total of 367 texture features were extracted from the ROIs in the kidneys and refined based on selection criteria using MaZda software across groups A, B, and C. The renal blood flow (RBF) values of the renal cortex in groups A, B, and C exhibited a decreasing trend, with values of 256.458 ± 54.256 mL/100g/min, 213.846 ± 52.109 mL/100g/min, and 170.204 ± 34.992 mL/100g/min, respectively. There was a positive correlation between kidney RBF and eGFR (r = 0.439, P

Abstract Poorly identified tumor boundaries and nontargeted therapies lead to the high recurrence rates and poor quality of life of prostate cancer patients. Near-infrared-II (NIR-II) fluorescence imaging provides certain advantages, including high resolution and the sensitive detection of tumor boundaries. Herein, a cyanine agent (CY7-4) with significantly greater tumor affinity and blood circulation time than indocyanine green was screened. By binding albumin, the absorbance of CY7-4 in an aqueous solution showed no effects from aggregation, with a peak absorbance at 830 nm and a strong fluorescence emission tail beyond 1000 nm. Due to its extended circulation time (half-life of 2.5 h) and high affinity for tumor cells, this fluorophore was used for primary and metastatic tumor diagnosis and continuous monitoring. Moreover, a high tumor signal-to-noise ratio (up to ~ 10) and excellent preferential mitochondrial accumulation ensured the efficacy of this molecule for photothermal therapy. Therefore, we integrated NIR-II fluorescence-guided surgery and intraoperative photothermal therapy to overcome the shortcomings of a single treatment modality. A significant reduction in recurrence and an improved survival rate were observed, indicating that the concept of intraoperative combination therapy has potential for the precise clinical treatment of prostate cancer. Graphical Abstract

Abstract This work investigates quantitative supervisory control of discrete event systems modeled with Petri nets under the fixed‐initial‐credit energy objective. A weight function referred to as an energy function is defined on a Petri net to characterize the energy level of a transition. The proposed fixed‐initial‐credit energy problem aims to design a supervisor such that the energy level of a transition sequence in a supervised system is higher than 0 under a given initial energy level. The problem is eventually transformed into a two‐player game between a system and a supervisor; supervisor synthesis is reduced to finding a winning strategy in the two‐player game. Instead of enumerating the complete state space of the underlying Petri net, two information structures are utilized, namely the conventional basis reachability graph and the newly proposed essential marking graph, to construct two‐player games based on each of them. It is shown that a winning strategy for a supervisor decoded from the game based on the basis reachability graph of the Petri net is a solution to the problem but is in general restrictive. Further, it is shown that the set of strategies for a supervisor in the game based on the essential marking graph is consistent with that from the game based on the reachability graph of a Petri net. The two developed approaches do not require an exhaustive exploration of the state space of a plant, thus achieving higher efficiency.

Abstract Background The key to the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is to be able to predict and diagnose AD at the preclinical or early stage, but the lack of a preclinical model of AD is the critical factor that causes this problem to remain unresolved. Methods We assessed 18 monkeys in vivo evaluation of pro-inflammatory cytokines and AD pathological biomarkers (n = 9 / type 2 diabetic mellitus (T2DM) group, age 20, fasting plasma glucose (FPG) ≥ 100 mg/dL, and n = 9 / negative control (NC) group, age 17, FPG

Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) is an important oilseed crop widely cultivated worldwide, and drought is the main environmental factor limiting its yield enhancement and the expansion of planted areas. SIMILAR TO RCD ONE (SRO) is a plant-specific small gene family that plays a crucial role in plant growth, development, and responses to abiotic stresses such as drought. However, the functional role of SROs in rapeseed remains poorly understood. In this study, 19 BnaSROs were identified from the rapeseed genome, with 9, 10, 10, 18, and 20 members identified from the genomes of Brassica rapa, Brassica nigra, Brassica oleracea, Brassica juncea, and Brassica carinata, respectively. We then analyzed their sequence characteristics, phylogenetic relationships, gene structures, and conserved domains, and explored the collinearity relationships of the SRO members in Brassica napus and Brassica juncea. Next, we focused on the analysis of tissue expression and stress-responsive expression patterns of rapeseed SRO members and examined their expression profiles under ABA, MeJA and water-deficit drought treatments using qPCR. Transcriptome data analysis and qPCR detection indicated that BnaSROs exhibit multiple stress-responsive expression patterns. BnaSRO1 and BnaSRO11, which are likely to function through interactions with NAC transcription factors, were screened as major drought-regulated members. Our results provide a solid foundation for functional analysis of the role of the SRO gene family in abiotic stress responses, especially drought stress responses, in rapeseed.

Abstract Background Beta 2‐microglobulin (β2‐MG) is a component of the class I major histocompatibility complex (MHCI) and has recently been reported to be involved in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and cardiovascular disease. However, the association of β2‐MG with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in T2DM patients remains unknown. This study aims to investigate the correlation between serum β2‐MG and LVH in T2DM patients. Methods The retrospective analysis included 4602 eligible T2DM patients, divided into LVH and non‐LVH groups based on echocardiography results. Serum β2‐MG levels were measured, and participants were categorized into four groups (Q1–Q4) by their serum β2‐MG quartile. The relationship of serum β2‐MG level with LVH was evaluated using logistic regression, restricted cubic spline (RCS), subgroup analysis, and machine learning. Results The prevalence of LVH in T2DM patients was 31.12%. Each standard deviation increase in serum β2‐MG level corresponded to a 1.17‐fold increase in the prevalence of LVH [OR = 1.17, (95% CI: 1.05–1.31); p = 0.006]. When considering β2‐MG as a categorical variable (quartile), Q3 [OR = 1.36, (95% CI: 1.09–1.69); p = 0.007] and Q4 [OR = 1.77, (95% CI: 1.36–2.31); p

Background: Data regarding risk factors for premature coronary artery disease (PCAD) is scarce given that few research focus on it. This study aimed to develop and validate a clinical nomogram for PCAD patients in Guangzhou. Methods: We recruited 108 PCAD patients (female ≤65 years old and male ≤55 years old) and 96 healthy controls from Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University between 01/01/2021 and 31/12/2022. Twenty potentially relevant indicators of PCAD were extracted. Next, the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis was used to optimize variable selection. The nomogram was developed based on the selected variables visually. Results: Independent risk factors, including body mass index (BMI), history of PCAD, glucose, Apolipoprotein A1(ApoA1), high density lipoprotein 2-cholesterol (HDL2-C), total cholesterol and triglyceride, were identified by LASSO and logistic regression analysis. The nomogram showed accurate discrimination (area under the receiver operator characteristic curve, ROC, 87.45 %, 95 % CI: 82.58 %-92.32 %). Decision curve analysis (DCA) suggested that the nomogram was clinical beneficial. HDL2, one risk factor, was isolated by a two-step discontinuous density-gradient ultracentrifugation method. And HDL2 from PCAD patients exhibited less 3H-cholesterol efflux (22.17 % vs 26.64 %, P

Summary: The rhizosphere microbiome is important for plant health, yet their contributions to disease resistance and assembly dynamics remain unclear. This study employed rhizosphere microbiome transplantation (RMT) to delineate the impact of the rhizosphere microbiome and the immune response of eggplant (Solanum melongena) on resistance to bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum. We first identified disease-suppressive and disease-conducive rhizosphere microbiome in a susceptible tomato recipient. Using a non-destructive rhizobox and 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing, we monitored the dynamics of both microbiome types during the eggplant development. Most differences were observed at the early stage and then diminished over time. The suppressive microbiome maintained a higher proportion of initial community members throughout eggplant development and exhibited stronger deterministic processes in the early stage, underscoring the importance of plant selection in recruiting protective microbes for rhizosphere immunity. Our study sheds light on the development of microbiome-based strategies for plant disease management and resistance breeding.

Lithology can strongly influence soil's physical and chemical properties, significantly affecting soil nitrogen (N) transformation rates. Ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA), ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and complete ammonia oxidizers (comammox Nitrospira) constitute the major producers of soil nitrous oxide (N2O), but the importance of different lithology on their relative contributions still poorly understood, especially in terms of newly discovered and widespread comammox. To address this knowledge gap, three nitrification inhibitors, acetylene (ammonia oxidizers inhibitor), 1-octyne (AOB inhibitor) and 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP) (both AOB and comammox inhibitor), were used to selectively inhibit the activity of different ammonia oxidation groups in order to discriminate their respective roles in N2O production in forest soils developed on different lithologies (limestone and clastic rock). The results showed that AOB dominated N2O production (63.5 ± 3.3 %) in limestone soils with ammonium amendment, followed by AOA (34.5 ± 7.6 %), while comammox contributed 1 % of total N2O production with N2O yield of 0.03 ± 0.04 %. Higher N2O production by AOB in limestone soils is associated with higher soil pH, exchangeable calcium/magnesium and lower short-range order iron/aluminum minerals. However, the N2O yield by comammox (0.12 ± 0.12 %) in clastic rock soils was comparable to that by AOA (0.15 ± 0.14 %) and AOB (0.20 ± 0.13 %). Based on the results of the correlation analysis, comammox in the clastic rock soils produce greater amounts of N2O is closely related to the higher soil organic carbon and available phosphorus. The present study provided evidence that the lithology-driven soil properties markedly affect the N2O production from different ammonia oxidizers.

Abstract Pathogen genetic diversity varies in response to environmental changes. However, it remains unclear whether plant barriers to invasion could be considered a genetic bottleneck for phytopathogen populations. Here, we implement a barcoding approach to generate a pool of 90 isogenic and individually barcoded Ralstonia solanacearum strains. We used 90 of these strains to inoculate tomato plants with different degrees of physical permeability to invasion (intact roots, wounded roots and xylem inoculation) and quantify the phytopathogen population dynamics during invasion. Our results reveal that the permeability of plant roots impacts the degree of population bottleneck, genetic diversity, and composition of Ralstonia populations. We also find that selection is the main driver structuring pathogen populations when barriers to infection are less permeable, i.e., intact roots, the removal of root physical and immune barriers results in the predominance of stochasticity in population assembly. Taken together, our study suggests that plant root permeability constitutes a bottleneck for phytopathogen invasion and genetic diversity.

Abstract Introduction In this single-center retrospective cohort study, we investigated the efficacy of letermovir in preventing Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in patients with aplastic anemia (AA) who have undergone allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). Methods Based on whether or not letermovir was used for preventing CMV infection, the patients were categorized into two groups: letermovir and control groups. The overall survival (OS) rate and cumulative incidence of CMV infection during the first 100 days after allo-HSCT were evaluated. The study included 21 matched pairs of patients, identified through propensity score matching analysis, to compare CMV infection rates, treatment efficacy, and regression. Results The incidence of CMV infection within 100 days after transplantation was significantly lower in the letermovir group than in the control group (26.5 vs. 77.4%, respectively; P

Abstract There is evidence that physical activity (PA) has a long-term positive impact on disease. Whether PA is a risk factor for knee osteoarthritis (OA) is still controversial. The purpose of this study was to explore whether there is a causal relationship between PA and knee OA. We extracted PA and knee OA data from genome-wide association study (GWAS) databases. We used single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) as instrumental variables. We performed MR analysis by random-effects inverse-variance weighting (IVW), MR‒Egger, weighted median, simple mode, and weighted mode methods. We evaluated the stability and reliability of the results through sensitivity analysis. There was no significant association between PA and knee OA (p > 0.05). We did not detect any pleiotropy (MR‒Egger intercept test et al.: p > 0.05). The sensitivity analysis confirmed our results (p > 0.05). There is no causal relationship between PA and knee OA.

Abstract Background Sodium-dependent glucose transporter 2 inhibitor (SGLT2i) has the advantages of effectively lowering blood glucose levels and improving renal outcomes in diabetic patients. This study evaluated the effect of canagliflozin on intrarenal lipid content and oxygenation in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. Methods A total of 64 newly diagnosed T2DM patients with normal renal function were randomly divided into canagliflozin (n = 33) and glimepiride control (n = 31) groups. All patients underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanning to assay patients' intrarenal lipid content and oxygenation level before and after 24 weeks of treatment. Furthermore, the relationship between body mass index and intrarenal lipid content in T2DM patients was analyzed and the correlation between changes in intrarenal lipid content and improvements in renal hypoxia was further assessed. Results The canagliflozin group had a greater decrease in body weight and blood uric acid level than the glimepiride group (all P

IntroductionGastric cancer, characterized by high incidence and substantial disease burden, has drawn continuous attention regarding its occurrence and prognosis. Genetics plays a crucial role in influencing the prognosis of gastric cancer, and single nucleotide polymorphisms are closely associated with the occurrence, development, and prognosis of this malignant tumor. Our study aims to conduct survival analysis on patients carrying different single nucleotide polymorphisms, exploring the relationship between miRNA single nucleotide polymorphisms and the prognosis of gastric cancer.MethodsGenetic data from 344 patients in Xianyou, Fujian, formed the basis of our study. We delineated the survival rate and median survival time, utilizing the log-rank test and COX regression analysis as statistical tools.ResultsUpon stratifying the data by sex or operation, it was discerned that the GG genotype at MSH2 rs17502941 independently posed a heightened risk for gastric cancer. Other stratification analyses suggested that the subsequent single nucleotide polymorphisms were correlated with patient prognosis: rs17502941, rs884225, rs1468063, rs7143252, and rs2271738.DiscussionThe outcomes of this study strongly suggest that miRNA polymorphisms significantly influence the survival time of gastric cancer patients and can serve as effective predictors for the prognosis of gastric cancer.

Background: We aim to investigate genes associated with myasthenia gravis (MG), specifically those potentially implicated in the pathogenesis of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Additionally, we seek to identify potential biomarkers for diagnosing myasthenia gravis co-occurring with DCM. Methods: We obtained two expression profiling datasets related to DCM and MG from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). Subsequently, we conducted differential gene expression analysis and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) on these datasets. The genes exhibiting differential expression common to both DCM and MG were employed for protein-protein interaction (PPI), Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis. Additionally, machine learning techniques were employed to identify potential biomarkers and develop a diagnostic nomogram for predicting MG-associated DCM. Subsequently, the machine learning results underwent validation using an external dataset. Finally, gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) and machine algorithm analysis were conducted on pivotal model genes to further elucidate their potential mechanisms in MG-associated DCM. Results: In our analysis of both DCM and MG datasets, we identified 2641 critical module genes and 11 differentially expressed genes shared between the two conditions. Enrichment analysis disclosed that these 11 genes primarily pertain to inflammation and immune regulation. Connectivity map (CMAP) analysis pinpointed SB-216763 as a potential drug for DCM treatment. The results from machine learning indicated the substantial diagnostic value of midline 1 interacting protein1 (MID1IP1) and PI3K-interacting protein 1 (PIK3IP1) in MG-associated DCM. These two hub genes were chosen as candidate biomarkers and employed to formulate a diagnostic nomogram with optimal diagnostic performance through machine learning. Simultaneously, single-gene GSEA results and immune cell infiltration analysis unveiled immune dysregulation in both DCM and MG, with MID1IP1 and PIK3IP1 showing significant associations with invasive immune cells. Conclusion: We have elucidated the inflammatory and immune pathways associated with MG-related DCM and formulated a diagnostic nomogram for DCM utilizing MID1IP1/PIK3IP1. This contribution offers novel insights for prospective diagnostic approaches and therapeutic interventions in the context of MG coexisting with DCM.

Abstract Background There are relatively few studies investigating C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2) level in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) in children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP), and the relationship between CCL2 level in BALF and refractory mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (RMPP) is unclear. This study aims to explore the relationship between chemokine CCL2 level in BALF and clinical characteristics and clinical outcome in children with MPP. Methods A total of 51 children with confirmed acute MPP and requiring bronchoalveolar lavage in Department of Pediatrics, Huanghe Sanmenxia Hospital and The First Clinical College of Xinxiang Medical University from October 2021 to February 2023 were selected as the study group. And 11 children with bronchial foreign body were selected as the control group. The study group was divided into the non-refractory mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (NRMPP) group and the RMPP group based on the response to treatment. BALF and clinical data of the patients were collected. And CCL2 levels were tested in the patients. Differences in CCL2 level in BALF and clinical characteristics were tested and compared. Results The CCL2 level in BALF of the study group was higher than that of the control group, with significant difference (P

Plants are considered important elements of ecosystems and benefit the health of human society. However, it is unclear which attributes of plant landscapes effectively influence residents’ health in urban areas and whether this influence is moderated by other factors, such as stress. This study considers the link between the plant landscape and residents’ experiences and health benefit perceptions. The possible structural relationships between them are verified with structural equation modeling on the basis of stimulus–organism–response theory and attention restoration theory. In addition, the mediating effect and moderating effect are tested via the SPSS Process program. The results indicate that two dimensions of plant landscapes, landscape esthetics/ functionality and vegetation density, influence residents’ restorative experiences and, in turn, impact health. Only the compatibility experience and the being-away experience mediate the relationship between the plant landscape and perceived health benefits. Stress does not moderate the mediating effect of restorative experiences on the relationship between plant landscapes and perceived health benefits. On the basis of these findings, valuable information is offered concerning forest city construction and urban green space planning for the purpose of generating desirable public health and well-being.

Transient receptor potential (TRP) melastatin member 8 (TRPM8) is a non-selective cation channel that can be activated by low temperatures (8–26 °C), cooling agents (including menthol analogs such as menthol, icilin, and WS-12), voltage, and extracellular osmotic pressure changes. TRPM8 expression has been identified in the digestive system by several research teams, demonstrating its significant involvement in tissue function and pathologies of the digestive system. Specifically, studies have implicated TRPM8 in various physiological and pathological processes of the esophagus, stomach, colorectal region, liver, and pancreas. This paper aims to comprehensively outline the distinct role of TRPM8 in different organs of the digestive system, offering insights for future mechanistic investigations of TRPM8. Additionally, it presents potential therapeutic targets for treating conditions such as digestive tract inflammation, tumors, sensory and functional disorders, and other related diseases. Furthermore, this paper addresses the limitations of existing studies and highlights the research prospects associated with TRPM8.

The association between high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) is controversial. HDL-C is one content type of high-density lipoprotein (HDL). HDL consists of diverse proteins and lipids and can be classified into different subclasses based on size, shape, charge, and density, and can change dynamically in disease states. Therefore, HDL-C levels alone cannot represent HDLs’ cardioprotective role. In this review, we summarized the methods for separating HDL subclasses, the studies on the association between HDL subclasses and cardiovascular risk (CVR), and the impact of lipid-modifying medications and nonpharmacological approaches (exercise training, dietary omega fatty acids, and low-density lipoprotein apheresis) on HDL subclasses. As HDL is a natural nanoplatform, recombinant HDLs (rHDLs) have been used as a delivery system in vivo by loading small interfering RNA, drugs, contrast agents, etc. Therefore, we further reviewed the HDL subclasses used in rHDLs and their advantages and disadvantages. This review would provide recommendations and guidance for future studies on HDL subclasses’ cardioprotective roles.

To explore non-food bioactive products for pesticide candidates, and high value-added application of crop plants in agriculture, by using osthole (a natural coumarin isolated from a Chinese herbal medicine Cnidium monnieri) as a lead compound, a series of osthole derivatives containing oximoether groups were synthesized, and evaluated for their agricultural activities against Tetranychus cinnabarinus and Mythimna separata. The key steric configurations of eight derivatives were confirmed by X-ray crystallography. Especially compound 4r showed potential insecticidal activity (>2-fold of osthole) against M. separata, and 4g displayed good acaricidal activity against T. cinnabarinus (LC50 = 0.566 mg/mL, > 2-fold of osthole). Their structure–activity relationships were also concluded. It will pave the way for future application of osthole derivatives as coumarin-kind botanical pesticides in crop protection.

Abstract Background The previous study investigated whether the functions of small, medium, and large high density lipoprotein (S/M/L-HDL) are correlated with protein changes in mice. Herein, the proteomic and functional analyses of high density lipoprotein (HDL) subclasses were performed in humans and rats. Methods After purifying S/M/L-HDL subclasses from healthy humans (n = 6) and rats (n = 3) using fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC) with calcium silica hydrate (CSH) resin, the proteomic analysis by mass spectrometry was conducted, as well as the capacities of cholesterol efflux and antioxidation was measured. Results Of the 120 and 106 HDL proteins identified, 85 and 68 proteins were significantly changed in concentration among the S/M/L-HDL subclasses in humans and rats, respectively. Interestingly, it was found that the relatively abundant proteins in the small HDL (S-HDL) and large HDL (L-HDL) subclasses did not overlap, both in humans and in rats. Next, by searching for the biological functions of the relatively abundant proteins in the HDL subclasses via Gene Ontology, it was displayed that the relatively abundant proteins involved in lipid metabolism and antioxidation were enriched more in the medium HDL (M-HDL) subclass than in the S/L-HDL subclasses in humans, whereas in rats, the relatively abundant proteins associated with lipid metabolism and anti-oxidation were enriched in M/L-HDL and S/M-HDL, respectively. Finally, it was confirmed that M-HDL and L-HDL had the highest cholesterol efflux capacity among the three HDL subclasses in humans and rats, respectively; moreover, M-HDL exhibited higher antioxidative capacity than S-HDL in both humans and rats. Conclusions The S-HDL and L-HDL subclasses are likely to have different proteomic components during HDL maturation, and results from the proteomics-based comparison of the HDL subclasses may explain the associated differences in function.

Background : In clinics, Ziwuliuzhu acupuncture is widely considered an effective method of treating insomnia; however, there is currently limited information available regarding its possible mechanisms. Although the method of Ziwuliuzhu acupuncture possesses a unique rhythmic pattern. Objectives: In this study, we have creatively combined the traditional Chinese medicine of Ziwuliuzhu with a modern biological rhythm to investigate the internal mechanism of insomnia. Methods : Pathological tissue from the hypothalamus was analyzed using hematoxylin-eosin staining. The level of TNF (tumor necrosis factor)-α in the SCN (suprachiasmatic nucleus) area of the hypothalamus was detected in situ using the TUNEL fluorescence staining assay. The concentration of hypothalamic melatonin was detected using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The mRNA expression of Clock and Bmal1 was measured using RT-qPCR. Results : In the Ziwuliuzhu acupuncture groups, the structural damage in the hypothalamic neurons was alleviated compared to the model group and the expression of inflammatory factors was reduced. The mRNA expression levels of Clock and Bmal1 were significantly increased (p < 0.05). The concentration of melatonin was significantly increased (p < 0.001). Although there were no significant differences between the treatment groups (diazepam group, Nazi group, Najia group, and routine group) (p > 0.05). Conclusion : Ziwuliuzhu acupuncture alleviated neuronal damage and modulated the inflammatory reaction in the hypothalamus of rats with insomnia. Moreover, Ziwuliuzhu acupuncture increased the expression levels of Clock and Bmal1 mRNA, and MT content. This study has potentially highlighted one of the mechanisms through which Ziwuliuzhu acupuncture can be used to treat insomnia.

Abstract The use of whole‐genome sequence (WGS) data is expected to improve genomic prediction (GP) power of complex traits because it may contain mutations that in strong linkage disequilibrium pattern with causal mutations. However, a few previous studies have shown no or small improvement in prediction accuracy using WGS data. Incorporating prior biological information into GP seems to be an attractive strategy that might improve prediction accuracy. In this study, a total of 6334 pigs were genotyped using 50K chips and subsequently imputed to the WGS level. This cohort includes two prior discovery populations that comprise 294 Landrace pigs and 186 Duroc pigs, as well as two validation populations that consist of 3770 American Duroc pigs and 2084 Canadian Duroc pigs. Then we used annotation information and genome‐wide association study (GWAS) from the WGS data to make GP for six growth traits in two Duroc pig populations. Based on variant annotation, we partitioned different genomic classes, such as intron, intergenic, and untranslated regions, for imputed WGS data. Based on GWAS results of WGS data, we obtained trait‐associated single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). We then applied the genomic feature best linear unbiased prediction (GFBLUP) and genomic best linear unbiased prediction (GBLUP) models to estimate the genomic estimated breeding values for growth traits with these different variant panels, including six genomic classes and trait‐associated SNPs. Compared with 50K chip data, GBLUP with imputed WGS data had no increase in prediction accuracy. Using only annotations resulted in no increase in prediction accuracy compared to GBLUP with 50K, but adding annotation information into the GFBLUP model with imputed WGS data could improve the prediction accuracy with increases of 0.00%–2.82%. In conclusion, a GFBLUP model that incorporated prior biological information might increase the advantage of using imputed WGS data for GP.

IntroductionBranching angle is an essential trait in determining the planting density of rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) and hence the yield per unit area. However, the mechanism of branching angle formation in rapeseed is not well understood.MethodsIn this study, two rapeseed germplasm with extreme branching angles were used to construct an F2 segregating population; then bulked segregant analysis sequencing (BSA-seq) and quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping were utilized to localize branching anglerelated loci and combined with transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) for candidate gene miningResults and discussionA branching angle-associated quantitative trait loci (QTL) was mapped on chromosome C3 (C3: 1.54-2.65 Mb) by combining BSA-seq as well as traditional QTL mapping. A total of 54 genes had SNP/Indel variants within the QTL interval were identified. Further, RNA-seq of the two parents revealed that 12 of the 54 genes were differentially expressed between the two parents. Finally, we further validated the differentially expressed genes using qPCR and found that six of them presented consistent differential expression in all small branching angle samples and large branching angles, and thus were considered as candidate genes related to branching angles in rapeseed. Our results introduce new candidate genes for the regulation of branching angle formation in rapeseed, and provide an important reference for the subsequent exploration of its formation mechanism.

BackgroundChatGPT, an artificial intelligence (AI) based on large-scale language models, has sparked interest in the field of health care. Nonetheless, the capabilities of AI in text comprehension and generation are constrained by the quality and volume of available training data for a specific language, and the performance of AI across different languages requires further investigation. While AI harbors substantial potential in medicine, it is imperative to tackle challenges such as the formulation of clinical care standards; facilitating cultural transitions in medical education and practice; and managing ethical issues including data privacy, consent, and bias. ObjectiveThe study aimed to evaluate ChatGPT’s performance in processing Chinese Postgraduate Examination for Clinical Medicine questions, assess its clinical reasoning ability, investigate potential limitations with the Chinese language, and explore its potential as a valuable tool for medical professionals in the Chinese context. MethodsA data set of Chinese Postgraduate Examination for Clinical Medicine questions was used to assess the effectiveness of ChatGPT’s (version 3.5) medical knowledge in the Chinese language, which has a data set of 165 medical questions that were divided into three categories: (1) common questions (n=90) assessing basic medical knowledge, (2) case analysis questions (n=45) focusing on clinical decision-making through patient case evaluations, and (3) multichoice questions (n=30) requiring the selection of multiple correct answers. First of all, we assessed whether ChatGPT could meet the stringent cutoff score defined by the government agency, which requires a performance within the top 20% of candidates. Additionally, in our evaluation of ChatGPT’s performance on both original and encoded medical questions, 3 primary indicators were used: accuracy, concordance (which validates the answer), and the frequency of insights. ResultsOur evaluation revealed that ChatGPT scored 153.5 out of 300 for original questions in Chinese, which signifies the minimum score set to ensure that at least 20% more candidates pass than the enrollment quota. However, ChatGPT had low accuracy in answering open-ended medical questions, with only 31.5% total accuracy. The accuracy for common questions, multichoice questions, and case analysis questions was 42%, 37%, and 17%, respectively. ChatGPT achieved a 90% concordance across all questions. Among correct responses, the concordance was 100%, significantly exceeding that of incorrect responses (n=57, 50%; P

Introduction: With the aggravation of aging and the growing number of stroke patients suffering from hemiplegia in China, rehabilitation robots have become an integral part of rehabilitation training. However, traditional rehabilitation robots cannot modify the training parameters adaptively to match the upper limbs’ rehabilitation status automatically and apply them in rehabilitation training effectively, which will improve the efficacy of rehabilitation training.Methods: In this study, a two-degree-of-freedom flexible drive joint rehabilitation robot platform was built. The forgetting factor recursive least squares method (FFRLS) was utilized to estimate the impedance parameters of human upper limb end. A reward function was established to select the optimal stiffness parameters of the rehabilitation robot.Results: The results confirmed the effectiveness of the adaptive impedance control strategy. The findings of the adaptive impedance control studies showed that the adaptive impedance control had a significantly greater reward than the constant impedance control, which was in line with the simulation results of the variable impedance control. Moreover, it was observed that the levels of robot assistance could be suitably modified based on the subject’s different participation.Discussion: The results facilitated stroke patients’ upper limb rehabilitation by enabling the rehabilitation robot to adaptively change the impedance parameters according to the functional status of the affected limb. In clinic therapy, the proposed control strategy may help to adjust the reward function for different patients to improve the rehabilitation efficacy eventually.

Background: Inflammation and lipids are both involved in the pathogenesis of coronary heart disease (CHD). However, the mediation effect of lipoproteins on the association between inflammation and recurrent coronary events in CHD patients remains unclear. Methods: This was a retrospective study including CHD patients hospitalized in the Department of Cardiovascular Medicine in Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital between January 2011 and December 2012 with the endpoint of recurrent coronary events. The study calculated inflammatory score based on six serum inflammatory markers, including complement C3, complement C4, hyper-sensitive CRP, fibrinogen, D-dimer, and white blood cell count. Logistic regression analysis, subgroup analysis and mediation analysis were performed to assess the associations between inflammatory score and recurrent coronary events in different subpopulations and the identification of mediators. Inflammatory cytokine expression, cholesterol efflux capacity, and hepatic cholesterol influx were performed in additional CHD patients and healthy controls. Results: There were 191 CHD patients included in the analysis with a median inflammatory score of −0.78 (−2.17, 1.35) and 63 cases of recurrent coronary events. Subgroup logistic regression analysis demonstrated that inflammatory score was positively associated with recurrent coronary events only in the diabetic subgroup [OR: 1.241 (1.004, 1.534), P

AbstractBackground High expression of immune checkpoints (ICs) and senescence molecules (SMs) contributes to T cell dysfunction, tumor escape, and progression, but systematic evaluation of them in co-expression patterns and prognosis in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) was lacking.Methods Three publicly available datasets (TCGA, Beat-AML, and GSE71014) were first used to explore the effect of IC and SM combinations on prognosis and the immune microenvironment in AML, and bone marrow samples from 68 AML patients from our clinical center (GZFPH) was further used to validate the findings.Results High expression of CD276, Bcl2-associated athanogene 3 (BAG3), and SRC was associated with poor overall survival (OS) of AML patients. CD276/BAG3/SRC combination, standard European Leukemia Net (ELN) risk stratification, age, and French-American-British (FAB) subtype were used to construct a nomogram model. Interestingly, the new risk stratification derived from the nomogram was better than the standard ELN risk stratification in predicting the prognosis for AML. A weighted combination of CD276 and BAG3/SRC positively corrected with TP53 mutation, p53 pathway, CD8+ T cells, activated memory CD4+ T cells, T-cell senescence score, and Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion (TIDE) score estimated by T-cell dysfunction.Conclusion High expression of ICs and SMs was associated with poor OS of AML patients. The co-expression patterns of CD276 and BAG3/SRC might be potential biomarkers for risk stratification and designing combinational immuno-targeted therapy in AML.Key MessagesHigh expression of CD276, BAG3, and SRC was associated with poor overall survival of AML patients.The co-expression patterns of CD276 and BAG3/SRC might be potential biomarkers for risk stratification and designing combinational immuno-targeted therapy in AML.

Abstract Background The error-proneness in the preanalytical and postanalytical stages is higher than that in the analytical stage of the total testing process. However, preanalytical and postanalytical quality management has not received enough attention in medical laboratory education and tests in clinical biochemistry courses. Methods/approach Clinical biochemistry teaching program aim to improve students’ awareness and ability of quality management according to international organization for standardization 15,189 requirements. We designed a student-centred laboratory training program, according to case-based learning that included 4 stages: “establish an overall testing process based on the patient’s clinical indicator, clarify principles, improve operational skills, and review process and continuous improvement”. The program was implemented in our college during the winter semesters of 2019 and 2020. A total of 185 undergraduate students majoring in medical laboratory science participated in the program as a test group, and the other 172 students were set up as the control group and adopted the conventional method. The participants were asked to finish an online survey to evaluate the class at the end. Results/outcomes The test group had significantly better examination scores not only in experimental operational skills (89.27 ± 7.16 vs. 77.51 ± 4.72, p

Abstract Objective The triglyceride–glucose (TyG) index has been shown to be a new alternative measure for insulin resistance. However, no study has attempted to investigate the association of the TyG index with incident atrial fibrillation (AF) in the general population without known cardiovascular diseases. Methods Individuals without known cardiovascular diseases (heart failure, coronary heart disease, or stroke) from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) cohort were recruited. The baseline TyG index was calculated as the Ln [fasting triglycerides (mg/dL) × fasting glucose (mg/dL)/2]. The association between the baseline TyG index and incident AF was examined using Cox regression. Results Of 11,851 participants, the mean age was 54.0 years; 6586 (55.6%) were female. During a median follow-up of 24.26 years, 1925 incidents of AF cases (0.78/per 100 person-years) occurred. An increased AF incidence with a graded TyG index was found by Kaplan‒Meier curves (P 9.20 levels (aHR 1.18, 95% CI 1.03, 1.37) of the TyG index were associated with an increased risk of AF compared with the middle TyG index category (8.80–9.20). The exposure-effect analysis confirmed the U-shaped association between the TyG index and AF incidence (P = 0.041). Further sex-specific analysis showed that a U-shaped association between the TyG index and incident AF still existed in females but not in males. Conclusions A U-shaped association between the TyG index and AF incidence is observed in Americans without known cardiovascular diseases. Female sex may be a modifier in the association between the TyG index and AF incidence. Graphical Abstract

Abstract Background Pork quality can directly affect customer purchase tendency and meat quality traits have become valuable in modern pork production. However, genetic improvement has been slow due to high phenotyping costs. In this study, whole genome sequence (WGS) data was used to evaluate the prediction accuracy of genomic best linear unbiased prediction (GBLUP) for meat quality in large-scale crossbred commercial pigs. Results We produced WGS data (18,695,907 SNPs and 2,106,902 INDELs exceed quality control) from 1,469 sequenced Duroc × (Landrace × Yorkshire) pigs and developed a reference panel for meat quality including meat color score, marbling score, L* (lightness), a* (redness), and b* (yellowness) of genomic prediction. The prediction accuracy was defined as the Pearson correlation coefficient between adjusted phenotypes and genomic estimated breeding values in the validation population. Using different marker density panels derived from WGS data, accuracy differed substantially among meat quality traits, varied from 0.08 to 0.47. Results showed that MultiBLUP outperform GBLUP and yielded accuracy increases ranging from 17.39% to 75%. We optimized the marker density and found medium- and high-density marker panels are beneficial for the estimation of heritability for meat quality. Moreover, we conducted genotype imputation from 50K chip to WGS level in the same population and found average concordance rate to exceed 95% and r 2 = 0.81. Conclusions Overall, estimation of heritability for meat quality traits can benefit from the use of WGS data. This study showed the superiority of using WGS data to genetically improve pork quality in genomic prediction.

The specific role of phlorizin (PHL), which has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic, antiarrhythmic and antiaging effects, on myocardial fibrosis (MF) and the related pharmacological mechanisms remain unknown. The objective of this study was to determine the protective actions of PHL on isoprenaline (ISO)-induced MF and its molecular mechanisms in mice. PHL was administered at 100 and 200 mg/kg for 15 consecutive days with a subcutaneous injection of ISO (10 mg/kg). MF was induced by ISO and alleviated by treatment with PHL, as shown by reduced fibrin accumulation in the myocardial interstitium and decreased levels of myocardial enzymes, such as creatinine kinase-MB, lactate dehydrogenase, and aspartate transaminase. In addition, PHL significantly decreased the expression of the fibrosis-related factors alpha smooth muscle actin, collagen I, and collagen III induced by ISO. The generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species induced by ISO was attenuated after PHL treatment. The malondialdehyde level was reduced, whereas the levels of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione were elevated with PHL administration. Moreover, compared to ISO, the level of Bcl-2 was increased and the level of Bax protein was decreased in the PHL groups. PHL relieved elevated TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-18 levels as well as cardiac mitochondrial damage resulting from ISO. Further studies showed that PHL downregulated the high expression of hexokinase 1 (HK1), NLRP3, ASC, Caspase-1, and GSDMD-N caused by ISO. In conclusion, our findings suggest that PHL protects against ISO-induced MF due to its antioxidant, anti-apoptotic, and anti-inflammatory activities and via inhibition of pyroptosis mediated by the HK1/NLRP3 signaling pathway in vivo.

Summary: Non-natural nucleobase isocytosine (IC) is the isomer of cytosine; its chemical derivate 5-fluoroisocytosine (5-FIC) together with the isocytosine-specific deaminase (ICD) VCZ was suggested to be potential practical enzyme/prodrug pair for cancer therapy through gene-directed enzyme-prodrug therapy (GDEPT) method. In this study, we have determined the crystal structures of apo-VCZ and its complex with 5-FU. We identified the critical residues for substrate binding and catalytic reaction. We also captured the substrate-induced conformational changes of VCZ, then proposed the conjectural reaction procedures of VCZ for converting the IC into the uracil. Moreover, we evaluated the therapeutic effect of wildtype or the mutated VCZ protein in the colorectal cancer cell lines. Our studies will shed light on optimizing the ICD/5-FIC pairs by modifying either the enzyme or the prodrug based on the structural observations, thereby improving the possibility of applying the ICD/5-FIC pair in clinical trials.

Metabolic syndrome is a group of clinical syndromes, including obesity, dyslipidemia, hypertension, hyperuricemia, hyperglycemia and insulin resistance. These syndromes are critical risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Recent studies indicate that L-carnitine exhibits potential improvement effects on metabolic syndrome. In the current study, the sources of L-carnitine for human and the effects and mechanisms of L-carnitine on the major components of metabolic syndrome, such as obesity and dyslipidemia, etc were summarized. The potential health risk of L-carnitine by serving as a dietary precursor for trimethylamine N-oxide was also discussed. This study provides theoretical basis and references for the treatment of metabolic syndrome and the rational dietary supplement and utilization of L-carnitine.

Abstract Aim Non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)‐related advanced liver fibrosis (Stage 3 or 4) was reported to be linked to worse prognosis in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). This study aims to assess the relationship between liver fibrosis scores and new‐onset atrial fibrillation (AF) incidence in patients with HFpEF in the Treatment of Preserved Cardiac Function Heart Failure with an Aldosterone Antagonist (TOPCAT) trial. Methods and results Baseline liver fibrosis levels, assessed by NAFLD fibrosis score (NFS) or Fibrosis‐4 index (FIB‐4), with AF incidence were expressed as hazard ratios (HRs) using the Cox proportional hazard model. The risk for advanced fibrosis was estimated to be 21.5% (447/2072) as assessed by FIB‐4 (>3.25) and 4.2% (88/2072) as assessed by NFS (>0.676) in HFpEF patients without baseline AF. After a median follow‐up of 3.11 years, 106 new‐onset AF cases occurred. In multivariate analysis, elevated NFS [NFS = −1.455–0.676: HR 2.44, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.27–4.68; NFS > 0.676: HR 3.36, 95% CI 1.27–6.80; per 1 unit increase: HR 1.15, 95% CI 1.01–1.32], not FIB‐4 (FIB‐4 = 1.45–3.25: HR 1.02, 95% CI 0.67–1.55; FIB‐4 > 3.25: HR 1.69, 95% CI 0.76–3.79; per 1 unit increase: HR 1.13, 95% CI 0.93–1.37), was associated with increased AF incidence. The NFS (C‐index 0.662), not FIB‐4 (C‐index 0.531), had a moderate predictive ability in predicting incident AF. Conclusions Among patients with HFpEF, the risk of advanced liver fibrosis is associated with an increased incidence of new‐onset AF and may be a novel predictor for new‐onset AF. Additional studies are needed to confirm our results.

【Objective】Chlorpyrifos is widely used and has good stability, and its residue has been detected in the environmental medium in many areas. In order to monitor the residues of chlorpyrifos in soil, water and other environmental substrates, and to ensure the quality and safety of environment, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect chlorpyrifos rapidly in the environment.【Method】Based on the principle of specific binding of antigen and antibody, an indirect competitive ELISA was established to detect chlorpyrifos in the environment. The test conditions were optimized, and the sensitivity, cross-reaction and effect of organic solvents on the antibody were studied.【Result】Under the optimal conditions, the logarithm of chlorpyrifos concentration was linearly related to the absorbance value, the regression equationwas B/B0=-24.87 logC + 97.55 and the correlation coefficient (R2) was over 0.99. The IC50 of chlorpyrifos was 81.65 ng/mL, and the detection limit IC20 was 5.1 μg/L. The method was validated by selecting appropriate pretreatment methods according to different substrates. The recovery rates of chlorpyrifos ranged from 70% to 115% and the relative standard deviation was less than 11%. The relative standard deviation of precision was less than 10%. The accuracy of the method was verified by comparison with the gas chromatography. The prepared reagents shall not be stored for more than 6 months. The detection effects were not affected by reagents at 4 ℃ and -20 ℃ within 180 days.【Conclusion】With certain specificity, stability and precision, the established indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay can be used for rapid and flexible detection of chlorpyrifos residues in different types of soil and water samples.

Abstract Background Several kinds of motor dysfunction have been studied for predicting future fall risk in community-dwelling older individuals. However, no study has tested the ability of the fine motor index (FINEA) and gross motor index (GROSSA) to predict the risk of falling, as well as the specific fall type. Objective We investigated the associations of FINEA/GROSSA scores with fall risk, explained falls, and unexplained falls. Methods A total of 6267 community-dwelling adults aged ≥ 50 years from the Irish Longitudinal Study on Aging (TILDA) cohort were included. First, the associations of FINEA and GROSSA scores with the history of total falls, explained falls and unexplained falls were assessed in a cross-sectional study and further verified in a prospective cohort after 2 years of follow-up by Poisson regression analysis. Results We found that high FINEA and GROSSA scores were positively associated with almost all fall histories (FINEA scores: total falls: adjusted prevalence ratio [aPR] = 1.28, P = 0.009; explained falls: aPR = 1.15, P = 0.231; unexplained falls: aPR = 1.88, P

Abstract Background Anthocyanins are widely applied as a marker for haploid identification after haploid induction in maize. However, the factors affecting anthocyanin biosynthesis in immature embryos and the genes regulating this process remain unclear. Results In this study, we analyzed the influence of genetic background of the male and female parents, embryo age and light exposure on anthocyanin accumulation in embryos. The results showed that light exposure was the most crucial factor enhancing the pigmentation of immature embryos. The identification accuracy of haploid embryos reached 96.4% after light exposure, but was only 11.0% following dark treatment. The total anthocyanin content was 7-fold higher in immature embryos cultured for 24 h under light conditions compared to embryos cultured in the dark. Transcriptome analysis revealed that the differentially expressed genes between immature embryos cultured for 24 h in dark and light chambers were significantly enriched in the pathways of flavonoid, flavone, flavonol and anthocyanin biosynthesis. Among the genes involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis, five up-regulated genes were identified: F3H, DFR, ANS, F3′H and the MYB transcription factor-encoding gene C1. The expression patterns of 14 selected genes were confirmed using quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Conclusion Light is the most important factor facilitating anthocyanin accumulation in immature embryos. After 24 h of exposure to light, the expression levels of the structural genes F3H, DFR, ANS, F3′H and transcription factor gene C1 were significantly up-regulated. This study provides new insight into the factors and key genes regulating anthocyanin biosynthesis in immature embryos, and supports improved efficiency of immature haploid embryo selection during doubled haploid breeding of maize.

Abstract Background Lumbar disc herniation is seen in 5–15% of patients with lumbar back pain and is the most common spine disorder demanding surgical correction. Spinal surgery is one of the most effective management for these patients. However, current surgical techniques still present complications such as chronic pain in 10–40% of all patients who underwent lumbar surgery, which has a significant impact on patients’ quality of life. Research studies have shown that transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) may reduce the cumulative dosage of intraoperative anesthetics as well as postoperative pain medications in these patients. Objective To investigate the effect of pTEAS on pain management and clinical outcome in major spinal surgery patients. Methods We conducted a prospective, randomized, double-blind study to verify the effect of pTEAS in improving pain management and clinical outcome after major spinal surgery. Patients (n = 90) who underwent posterior lumbar fusion surgery were randomized into two groups: pTEAS, (n = 45) and Control (n = 45). The pTEAS group received stimulation on acupoints Zusanli (ST.36), Sanyinjiao (SP.6), Taichong (LR.3), and Neiguan (PC.6). The Control group received the same electrode placement but with no electrical output. Postoperative pain scores, intraoperative outcome, perioperative hemodynamics, postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), and dizziness were recorded. Results Intraoperative outcomes of pTEAS group compared with Control: consumption of remifentanil was significantly lower (P

Buton rock asphalt (BRA)-modified asphalt has been extensively applied in the pavement because of its excellent aging resistance and high-temperature stability. The research on the overall behavior of BRA-modified asphalt has been relatively comprehensive. However, the main components in rock asphalt contain not only pure asphalt but also a large amount of ash. Their respective roles in asphalt modification still need to be clarified. This study analyzed rock asphalt's morphological changes and dissolution characteristics after heating. Then, the road performance of BRA ash-modified asphalt and BRA-modified asphalt was revealed. Finally, the contribution of pure asphalt and BRA ash to neat asphalt for elevated temperature properties was analyzed quantitatively. The microstructure of BRA and BRA ash was observed. Furthermore, the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) results of pure asphalt, BRA and BRA-modified asphalt was analyzed. The test consequences demonstrate that the pure asphalt in BRA is not directly compatible with the neat asphalt. The appearance of BRA is soft honeycomb, and pure asphalt is tightly wrapped in mineral particles. BRA is mainly modified by physical miscibility, thus significantly improving the elevated temperature property of neat asphalt. But it will weaken the cryogenic property of neat asphalt. With the increase in BRA content, this effect is more pronounced. Both ash and pure asphalt play a vital role in modifying neat asphalt. With the temperature rise, the weight of ash in conversion gradually increases, and the weight of pure asphalt gradually declines. The weight of ash enhanced with the rise of BRA content, and the weight of pure aspahlt also increased gradually. The average contribution rate of ash to improve the rutting index is 45.57%, and the average contribution rate of neat asphalt to the rutting index advancement is 54.43%.

Introduction: Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH) is a serious complication caused by systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Tissue damage and changes in immune response are all associated with excessive free radical production. Therefore, removing excess reactive oxygen species are considered a feasible scheme for diffuse alveolar hemorrhage treatment. Cyclophosphamide is often used as the main therapeutic drug in clinics. However, CTX carries a high risk of dose-increasing toxicity, treatment intolerance, and high recurrence rate. The combination of therapeutic drugs and functional nanocarriers may provide an effective solution. PDA is rich in phenolic groups, which can remove the reactive oxygen species generated in inflammatory reactions, and can serve as excellent free radical scavengers.Methods: We developed a hollow polydopamine (HPDA) nanocarrier loaded with CTX by ionization to prepare the novel nanoplatform, CTX@HPDA, for DAH treatment. The monodisperse silica nanoparticles were acquired by reference to the typical Stober method. PDA was coated on the surface of SiO2 by oxidation self-polymerization method to obtain SiO2@PDA NPs. Then, HPDA NPs were obtained by HF etching. Then HPDA was loaded with CTX by ionization to prepare CTX@HPDA. Then we tested the photothermal effect, animal model therapeutics effect, and biosafety of CTX@HPDA.Results: Material tests showed that the CTX@ HPDA nanoplatform had a uniform diameter and could release CTX in acidic environments. The vitro experiments demonstrated that CTX@HPDA has good photothermal conversion ability and photothermal stability. Animal experiments demonstrated that the CTX@HPDA nanoplatform had good biocompatibility. The nanoplatform can dissociate in acidic SLE environment and trigger CTX release through photothermal conversion. Combining HPDA, which scavenges oxygen free radicals, and CTX, which has immunosuppressive effect, can treat pulmonary hemorrhage in SLE. Micro-CT can be used to continuously analyze DAH severity and lung changes in mice after treatment. The pulmonary exudation in the various treatment groups improved to varying degrees.Discussion: In this study, we report a photothermal/PH-triggered nanocarrier (CTX@HPDA) for the precise treatment of SLE-DAH. CTX@HPDA is a simple and efficient nanocarrier system for DAH therapy. This work provides valuable insights into SLE treatment.

The precise ascertainment of stellar ages is pivotal for astrophysical research into stellar characteristics and galactic dynamics. To address the prevalent challenges of suboptimal accuracy in stellar age determination and limited proficiency in apprehending nonlinear dynamics, this study introduces an enhanced model for stellar age determination, amalgamating the Feedforward Neural Network (FFNN) with TabNet (termed FFNN–TabNet). The methodology commences with the acquisition of a stellar dataset via meticulous cross-matching. Subsequent advancements encompass refinements to the activation functions within TabNet, coupled with augmentations to the Attentive transformer module by incorporating an FFNN module. These enhancements substantially boost training efficiency and precision in age estimation while amplifying the model’s capability to decode complex nonlinear interactions. Leveraging Bayesian Optimization Algorithm (BOA) for hyperparameter fine-tuning further elevates the model’s efficiency. Comprehensive ablation and comparative analyses validate the model’s superior performance in stellar age determination, demonstrating marked enhancements in accuracy. The experiment also demonstrates an enhanced ability of the model to capture nonlinear relationships between features.

Enhancing the accuracy of genomic prediction is a key goal in genomic selection (GS) research. Integrating prior biological information into GS methods using appropriate models can improve prediction accuracy for complex traits. Genome-wide association study (GWAS) is widely utilized to identify potential candidate loci associated with complex traits in livestock and poultry, offering essential genomic insights. In this study, a GWAS was conducted on 685 Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire (DLY) pigs to extract significant single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) as genomic features. We compared two GS models, genomic best linear unbiased prediction (GBLUP) and genomic feature BLUP (GFBLUP), by using imputed whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data on 651 Yorkshire pigs. The results revealed that the GBLUP model achieved prediction accuracies of 0.499 for backfat thickness (BFT) and 0.423 for loin muscle area (LMA). By applying the GFBLUP model with GWAS-based SNP preselection, the average prediction accuracies for BFT and LMA traits reached 0.491 and 0.440, respectively. Specifically, the GFBLUP model displayed a 4.8% enhancement in predicting LMA compared to the GBLUP model. These findings suggest that, in certain scenarios, the GFBLUP model may offer superior genomic prediction accuracy when compared to the GBLUP model, underscoring the potential value of incorporating genomic features to refine GS models.

In order to optimize the efficiency of pineapple harvesting robots in recognition and target detection, this paper introduces a lightweight pineapple detection model, namely MSGV-YOLOv7. This model adopts MobileOne as the innovative backbone network and uses thin neck as the neck network. The enhancements in these architectures have significantly improved the ability of feature extraction and fusion, thereby speeding up the detection rate. Empirical results indicated that MSGV-YOLOv7 surpassed the original YOLOv7 with a 1.98% increase in precision, 1.35% increase in recall rate, and 3.03% increase in mAP, while the real-time detection speed reached 17.52 frames per second. Compared with Faster R-CNN and YOLOv5n, the mAP of this model increased by 14.89% and 5.22%, respectively, while the real-time detection speed increased by approximately 2.18 times and 1.58 times, respectively. The application of image visualization testing has verified the results, confirming that the MSGV-YOLOv7 model successfully and precisely identified the unique features of pineapples. The proposed pineapple detection method presents significant potential for broad-scale implementation. It is expected to notably reduce both the time and economic costs associated with pineapple harvesting operations.

The outbreak of COVID-19 has had tremendous impacts on human health and the world economy. Studies have focused on the impact of COVID-19 on potential tourists and tourism destinations from the perspectives of individuals, industries and organizations, and they have provided some measures for tourism recovery. However, under the situation of individual restriction, research has not systematically explained residents’ desire for trips of different distances and factors or the similarities and differences in the factors affecting tourism willingness for trips of different distances. In this context, a measurement of eco-environmental values is used to investigate these issues to help the tourism economy recover. Using online questionnaires covering all provinces in mainland China, this paper investigates residents’ travel willingness to make trips of different distances, and it utilizes binary logistic regression analysis to examine the factors that help predict tourists’ travel intentions. In addition, the patterns of willingness to travel different distances are displayed in maps generated by ArcGIS software. The results suggest that the objective COVID-19 confirmed case distribution follows distance decay theory; however, the distribution patterns of travel willingness are not in accordance with distance decay. The factors that have a significant impact on predicting travel willingness regarding the three kinds of trip distances are educational background, cognition of COVID-19, and geographical division factors. Income and the severity of the pandemic situation play different roles in predicting travel willingness in this study. Overall, the findings of this study extend the application of distance decay theory, which contributes to tourism studies in the COVID-19 context. The findings are also beneficial for tourism recovery and crisis management against the backdrop of pandemic normalization.