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Abstract Background Associations of dietary sodium and potassium intake with fracture risk are inconsistent and the effects of salt substitute on fracture incidence are unknown. We assessed the effect of salt substitute compared to regular salt intake on fracture incidence using data from the Salt Substitute and Stroke Study (SSaSS). Methods SSaSS was a cluster-randomized controlled trial conducted in 600 villages in northern China. Villages were randomly allocated into intervention and control groups in a 1:1 ratio. Salt substitute was provided to intervention villages and control villages continued regular salt use for 5 years. The primary outcome for this secondary analysis was the incidence of all fractures. Secondary outcomes included incidence of vertebral fracture, non-vertebral fracture, and fracture of unknown or non-specific location. Results 20,995 participants were included in this study, and 821 fractures occurred during follow-up. Intention-to-treat analyses showed no differences between the salt substitute and regular salt groups in the incidence of all fractures (rate ratio (RR) 0.96; 95% CI 0.81 to 1.14), vertebral fracture (RR 0.82; 95% CI 0.53 to 1.26), non-vertebral fracture (RR 1.05; 95% CI 0.86 to 1.29), or fracture of unknown or non-specific location (RR 0.80; 95% CI 0.54 to 1.18). Conclusions Use of salt substitute compared to regular salt had no detectable effect on the incidence of fracture in a population at high risk of cardiovascular disease and fracture. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02092090. Registered on March 12, 2014.

Abstract Self-referential information can reduce the congruency effect by acting as a signal to enhance cognitive control. However, it cannot be denied that self-referential information can attract and hold attention. To investigate this issue, the study used a revised Stroop task and recorded behavioral and electrophysiological data from thirty-three participants. We combined event-related potential (ERP) and multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) to examine the neural correlates of self-referential processing and conflict processing. In the behavioral results, self-referential information reduced the congruency effect. Specifically, self-reference stimuli elicited smaller N2 amplitude than non-self-reference stimuli, indicating that self-referential information was promptly identified and reduced top-down cognitive resource consumption. Self-referential information could be reliably decoded from ERP signals in the early-to-mid stage. Moreover, self-reference conditions exhibited earlier congruency decoding than non-self-reference conditions, facilitating conflict monitoring. In the late stage, under the incongruent condition, self-reference stimuli elicited smaller sustained potential amplitude than non-self-reference stimuli, indicating that cognitive control in the self-reference condition required fewer cognitive resources for conflict resolution. Together, these findings revealed that self-referential information was identified and facilitated conflict monitoring, leading to more effective conflict resolution.

Abstract Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) affecting 1 in 3500–5000 live male newborns is the frequently fatal genetic disease resulted from various mutations in DMD gene encoding dystrophin protein. About 70% of DMD-causing mutations are exon deletion leading to frameshift of open reading frame and dystrophin deficiency. To facilitate translating human DMD-targeting CRISPR therapeutics into patients, we herein establish a genetically humanized mouse model of DMD by replacing exon 50 and 51 of mouse Dmd gene with human exon 50 sequence. This humanized mouse model recapitulats patient’s DMD phenotypes of dystrophin deficiency and muscle dysfunction. Furthermore, we target splicing sites in human exon 50 with adenine base editor to induce exon skipping and robustly restored dystrophin expression in heart, tibialis anterior and diaphragm muscles. Importantly, systemic delivery of base editor via adeno-associated virus in the humanized male mouse model improves the muscle function of DMD mice to the similar level of wildtype ones, indicating the therapeutic efficacy of base editing strategy in treating most of DMD types with exon deletion or point mutations via exon-skipping induction.

Abstract Coix lacryma-jobi L. is one of the most economically and medicinally important corns. This study constructed a high-density genetic linkage map of C. lacryma-jobi based on a cross between the parents 'Qianyi No. 2' × 'Wenyi No. 2' and their F2 progeny through high-throughput sequencing and the construction of a specific-locus amplified fragment (SLAF) library. After pre-processing, 325.49 GB of raw data containing 1628 M reads were obtained. A total of 22,944 high-quality SLAFs were identified, among which 3952 SLAFs and 3646 polymorphic markers met the requirements for the construction of a genetic linkage map. The integrated map contained 3605 high-quality SLAFs, which were grouped into ten genetic linkage groups. The total length of the map was 1620.39 cM, with an average distance of 0.45 cM and an average of 360.5 markers per linkage group. This report presents the first high-density genetic map of C. lacryma-jobi. This map was constructed using an F2 population and SLAF-seq approach, which allows the development of a large number of polymorphic markers in a short period. These results provide a platform for precise gene/quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping, map-based gene separation, and molecular breeding in C. lacryma-jobi. They also help identify a target gene for tracking, splitting quantitative traits, and estimating the phenotypic effects of each QTL for QTL mapping. They are of great significance for improving the efficiency of discovering and utilizing excellent gene resources of C. lacryma-jobi.

Abstract Background To investigate related factors for postoperative pathological upgrading of cervical biopsy to cervical cancer (CC) in patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN)3 after conical resection. Methods This retrospective study collected data from patients diagnosed with CIN3 by cervical biopsies at the author’s Hospital between January 2012 and December 2022. The primary outcome was the pathological results of patients after conical resection. The pathological findings were categorized into the pathological upgrading group if postoperative pathology indicated CC, while those with normal, inflammatory, or cervical precancerous lesions were classified into the pathological non-upgrading group. The factors associated with upgrading were identified using multivariable logistic regression analysis. Results Among 511 patients, there were 125 patients in the pathological upgrading group (24.46%). The patients in the upgrading group were younger (47.68 ± 9.46 vs. 52.11 ± 7.02, P

Abstract The FokI catalytic domain can be fused to various DNA binding architectures to improve the precision of genome editing tools. However, evaluation of off-target effects is essential for developing these tools. We use Genome-wide Off-target analysis by Two-cell embryo Injection (GOTI) to detect low-frequency off-target editing events in mouse embryos injected with FokI-based architectures. Specifically, we test FokI-heterodimers fused with TALENs, FokI homodimers fused with RYdCas9, or FokI catalytic domains alone resulting in no significant off-target effects. These FokI genome editing systems exhibit undetectable off-target effects in mouse embryos, supporting the further development of these systems for clinical applications.

Abstract Transposon-associated ribonucleoprotein TnpB is known to be the ancestry endonuclease of diverse Cas12 effector proteins from type-V CRISPR system. Given its small size (408 aa), it is of interest to examine whether engineered TnpB could be used for efficient mammalian genome editing. Here, we showed that the gene editing activity of native TnpB from Deinococcus radiodurans (ISDra2 TnpB) in mouse embryos was already higher than previously identified small-sized Cas12f1. Further stepwise engineering of noncoding RNA (ωRNA or reRNA) component of TnpB significantly elevated the nuclease activity of TnpB. Notably, an optimized TnpB-ωRNA system could be efficiently delivered in vivo with single adeno-associated virus (AAV) and corrected the disease phenotype in a tyrosinaemia mouse model. Thus, the engineered miniature TnpB system represents a new addition to the current genome editing toolbox, with the unique feature of the smallest effector size that facilitate efficient AAV delivery for editing of cells and tissues.

Active ingredients from highland barley have received considerable attention as natural products for developing treatments and dietary supplements against obesity. In practical application, the research of food combinations is more significant than a specific food component. This study investigated the lipid-lowering effect of highland barley polyphenols via lipase assay in vitro and HepG2 cells induced by oleic acid (OA). Five indexes, triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (T-CHO), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), were used to evaluate the lipid-lowering effect of highland barley extract. We also preliminary studied the lipid-lowering mechanism by Real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The results indicated that highland barley extract contains many components with lipid-lowering effects, such as hyperoside and scoparone. In vitro, the lipase assay showed an 18.4 % lipase inhibition rate when the additive contents of highland barley extract were 100 µg/mL. The intracellular lipid-lowering effect of highland barley extract was examined using 0.25 mM OA-induced HepG2 cells. The results showed that intracellular TG, LDL-C, and T-CHO content decreased by 34.4 %, 51.2 %, and 18.4 %, respectively. ALT and AST decreased by 51.6 % and 20.7 % compared with the untreated hyperlipidemic HepG2 cells. qPCR results showed that highland barley polyphenols could up-regulation the expression of lipid metabolism-related genes such as PPARγ and Fabp4.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is the most prevalent herediatry disease in men, characterized by dystrophin deficiency, progressive muscle wasting, cardiac insufficiency, and premature mortality, with no effective therapeutic options. Here, we investigated whether adenine base editing can correct pathological nonsense point mutations leading to premature stop codons in the dystrophin gene. We identified 27 causative nonsense mutations in our DMD patient cohort. Treatment with adenine base editor (ABE) could restore dystrophin expression by direct A-to-G editing of pathological nonsense mutations in cardiomyocytes generated from DMD patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells. We also generated two humanized mouse models of DMD expressing mutation-bearing exons 23 or 30 of human dystrophin gene. Intramuscular administration of ABE, driven by ubiquitous or muscle-specific promoters could correct these nonsense mutations in vivo, albeit with higher efficiency in exon 30, restoring dystrophin expression in skeletal fibers of humanized DMD mice. Moreover, a single systemic delivery of ABE with human single guide RNA (sgRNA) could induce body-wide dystrophin expression and improve muscle function in rotarod tests of humanized DMD mice. These findings demonstrate that ABE with human sgRNAs can confer therapeutic alleviation of DMD in mice, providing a basis for development of adenine base editing therapies in monogenic diseases.

Abstract Background Mammographic density (MD) is a strong risk factor for breast cancer. We aimed to evaluate the association between MD and breast cancer related risk factors among average-risk women in rural China. Methods This is a population-based screening study. 12518 women aged 45–64 years with complete MD data from three maternal and childcare hospitals in China were included in the final analysis. ORs and 95%CIs were estimated using generalized logit model by comparing each higher MD (BI-RADS b, c, d) to the lowest group (BI-RADS a). The cumulative logistic regression model was used to estimate the OR trend (95%CI) and P trend by treating MD as an ordinal variable. Results Older age (ORtrend = 0.81, 95%CI: 0.79–0.81, per 2-year increase), higher BMI (ORtrend = 0.73, 95%CI: 0.71–0.75, per 2 kg/m2), more births (ORtrend = 0.47, 95%CI: 0.41–0.54, 3 + vs. 0–1), postmenopausal status (ORtrend = 0.42, 95%CI: 0.38–0.46) were associated with lower MD. For parous women, longer duration of breastfeeding was found to be associated with higher MD when adjusting for study site, age, BMI, and age of first full-term birth (ORtrend = 1.53, 95%CI: 1.27–1.85, 25 + months vs. no breastfeeding; ORtrend = 1.45, 95%CI: 1.20–1.75, 19–24 months vs. no breastfeeding), however, the association became non-significant when adjusting all covariates. Associations between examined risk factors and MD were similar in premenopausal and postmenopausal women except for level of education and oral hormone drug usage. Higher education was only found to be associated with an increased proportion of dense breasts in postmenopausal women (ORtrend = 1.08, 95%CI: 1.02–1.15). Premenopausal women who ever used oral hormone drug were less likely to have dense breasts, though the difference was marginally significant (OR = 0.54, P = 0.045). In postmenopausal women, we also found the proportion of dense breasts increased with age at menopause (ORtrend = 1.31, 95%CI: 1.21–1.43). Conclusions In Chinese women with average risk for breast cancer, we found MD was associated with age, BMI, menopausal status, lactation, and age at menopausal. This finding may help to understand the etiology of breast cancer and have implications for breast cancer prevention in China.

Abstract Objective: To determine the appropriateness of three widely used formulas estimating 24-h urinary Na (24hUNa) from spot urine samples in the Chinese population. Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Setting: Literature review was conducted to identify studies for estimating 24hUNa using the Kawasaki, Tanaka and INTERSALT formulas simultaneously in PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane library databases. The mean difference (MD) and correlation coefficients (r) between measures and estimates from different formulas were assessed. Participants: Information extraction and quality assessment were performed in thirteen studies involving 8369 subjects. Results: Two studies which affected the overall robustness were excluded in the ‘leave-one-out’ sensitivity analyses. Within the final meta-analysis included eleven studies and 7197 participants, 36·07 mmol/d (95 %CI 16·89, 55·25) of MD was observed in the Kawasaki formula, and –19·62 mmol/d (95 %CI –37·37, –1·87) in the Tanaka formula and –35·78 mmol/d (95 %CI –50·76, –20·80) in the INTERSALT formula; a pooled r-Fisher’s Z of 0·39 (95 %CI 0·32, 0·45) in the Kawasaki formula, 0·43 (95 %CI 0·37, 0·49) in the Tanaka formula and 0·36 (95 %CI 0·31, 0·42) in the INTERSALT formula. Subgroup analyses were conducted to explore the possible factors affecting the accuracy of the formula estimation from three mainly aspects: population types, Na intake levels and urine specimen types. Conclusions: The meta-analysis suggested that the Tanaka formula performed a more accurate estimate in Chinese population. Time of collecting spot urine specimens and Na intake level of the sample population might be the main factors affecting the accuracy of the formula estimation.

Abstract Background The purpose of this study is to explore the related factors of precocious puberty in children. Methods 1239 children who underwent physical examination in our hospital from January 2020 to December 2022 were analyzed, including 198 precocious children and 1041 normal children. According to the age of 198 precocious children and 1041 normal children, 205 normal children were selected, and the remaining 836 normal children were excluded. They were divided into precocious group and normal group. The general data of the two groups were recorded. Logistic regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of precocious puberty in children. Results There were statistically significant differences (P 10 years old), and daily exercise time (

Abstract ClC-2 transports chloride ions across plasma membranes and plays critical roles in cellular homeostasis. Its dysfunction is involved in diseases including leukodystrophy and primary aldosteronism. AK-42 was recently reported as a specific inhibitor of ClC-2. However, experimental structures are still missing to decipher its inhibition mechanism. Here, we present cryo-EM structures of apo ClC-2 and its complex with AK-42, both at 3.5 Å resolution. Residues S162, E205 and Y553 are involved in chloride binding and contribute to the ion selectivity. The side-chain of the gating glutamate E205 occupies the putative central chloride-binding site, indicating that our structure represents a closed state. Structural analysis, molecular dynamics and electrophysiological recordings identify key residues to interact with AK-42. Several AK-42 interacting residues are present in ClC-2 but not in other ClCs, providing a possible explanation for AK-42 specificity. Taken together, our results experimentally reveal the potential inhibition mechanism of ClC-2 inhibitor AK-42.

Verticillium wilt, caused by Verticillium dahliae, seriously restricts the yield and quality improvement of cotton. Previous studies have revealed the involvement of WRKY members in plant defense against V. dahliae, but the underlying mechanisms involved need to be further elucidated. Here, we demonstrated that Gossypium hirsutum WRKY DNA-binding protein 33 (GhWRKY33) functions as a negative regulator in plant defense against V. dahliae. GhWRKY33 expression is induced rapidly by V. dahliae and methyl jasmonate, and overexpression of GhWRKY33 reduces plant tolerance to V. dahliae in Arabidopsis. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis revealed that expression of several JA-associated genes was significantly repressed in GhWRKY33 overexpressing transgenic plants. Yeast one-hybrid analysis revealed that GhWRKY33 may repress the transcription of both AtERF1 and GhERF2 through its binding to their promoters. Protein–protein interaction analysis suggested that GhWRKY33 interacts with G. hirsutum JASMONATE ZIM-domain protein 3 (GhJAZ3). Similarly, overexpression of GhJAZ3 also decreases plant tolerance to V. dahliae. Furthermore, GhJAZ3 acts synergistically with GhWRKY33 to suppress both AtERF1 and GhERF2 expression. Our results imply that GhWRKY33 may negatively regulate plant tolerance to V. dahliae via the JA-mediated signaling pathway.

ObjectiveKlebsiella pneumoniae (Kp) bloodstream infections (BSI) can be a life-threatening opportunistic infection. We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) for Kp BSI.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed 72 patients suspected with bloodstream infection and mNGS Kp positive in peripheral blood, who were hospitalized in our hospital from January 2022 to January 2023. Clinical data and laboratory parameters were collected. All patients had blood drawn and other samples for blood mNGS, blood cultures (BC) and other cultures (OC). The accuracy of mNGS results was analyzed according to infection site, clinical indicators, therapeutic effect and routine culture results. The detection of pathogenic microorganisms by blood mNGS and routine culture was compared.ResultsAmong 72 infection patients, 29 cases (40.28%) were BC positive, 43 cases (59.72%) were other culture (OC) positive, 16 cases (22.22%) were both BC and OC positive, 56 cases were positive for both mNGS and routine culture. Among the 56 double-positive cases, mNGS and conventional cultures were completely consistent in 27 cases, partially consistent in 15 cases, and completely inconsistent in 14 cases. Using the clinical diagnosis as the reference standard, There were 51 cases consistent with the results of mNGS with Kp BSI, the clinical consistency was 70.83% (51/72). The coincidence rate of mNGS and clinical diagnosis was higher than that of BC (54.17%, 39/72), indicating a statistically significant difference between the two methods (P

Abstract Patients with relapsed/refractory classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) achieve complete response (CR) after decitabine‐plus‐camrelizumab therapy, while long‐term outcome especially after treatment discontinuation remains unclear. We present a retrospective analysis of 87 relapsed/refractory cHL patients who acquired CR after decitabine‐plus‐camrelizumab. Patients were divided into two groups and received consolidation treatment every 3–4 or 6–12 weeks, and 1‐year of continuous CR was guaranteed for treatment cessation. At a median follow‐up of 5.3 years, the median relapse‐free survival (RFS) after achieving CR with decitabine‐plus‐camrelizumab therapy was 4.5 years, and patients underwent consolidation per 3–4 weeks might have longer RFS. The baseline percentage of peripheral central memory T cells was not associated with RFS, while patients with higher pretreatment serum levels of interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) had significantly shorter RFS and increased risk for disease recurrence. Fifty‐seven patients completed and discontinued decitabine‐plus‐camrelizumab, and their median RFS had not been reached. The 2‐year RFS rate after treatment cessation was 78% (95% CI, 67–90%). Patients in the high‐risk subgroup with higher pretreatment IL‐6 and LDH levels showed poor treatment‐free remission. Moreover, decitabine‐plus‐camrelizumab therapy was safe and cost‐effective. In conclusion, patients who obtained CR with decitabine‐plus‐camrelizumab and received consolidation per 3–4 weeks can achieve long‐term remission after treatment discontinuation.

Pannexin 2 plays critical roles in many physiological processes but its mechanism remain unclear. Here, authors report the cryo-EM structure of human Panx2 in the open state and identify critical residues for its gating.

In this study, an internal fingerprint-guided epidermal thickness of fingertip skin is proposed for optical image encryption based on optical coherence tomography (OCT) combined with U-Net architecture of a convolutional neural network (CNN). The epidermal thickness of fingertip skin is calculated by the distance between the upper and lower boundaries of the epidermal layer in cross-sectional optical coherence tomography (OCT) images, which is segmented using CNN, and the internal fingerprint at the epidermis–dermis junction (DEJ) is extracted based on the maximum intensity projection (MIP) algorithm. The experimental results indicate that the internal fingerprint-guided epidermal thickness is insensitive to pressure due to normal correlation coefficients and the encryption process between epidermal thickness maps of fingertip skin under different pressures. In addition, the result of the numerical simulation demonstrates the feasibility and security of the encryption scheme by structural similarity index matrix (SSIM) analysis between the original image and the recovered image with the correct and error keys decryption, respectively. The robustness is analyzed based on the SSIM value in three aspects: different pressures, noise attacks, and data loss. Key randomness is valid by the gray histograms, and the average correlation coefficients of adjacent pixelated values in three directions and the average entropy were calculated. This study suggests that the epidermal thickness of fingertip skin could be seen as important biometric information for information encryption.

Background: Obesity during pregnancy has a high incidence rate worldwide. At the same time, postpartum weight of pregnant obese patients can lead to a series of complications. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of independent self-monitoring (SM) interventions during pregnancy and postpartum on reducing postpartum weight retention in women with obesity during pregnancy. Methods: A multicenter observational study was conducted, involving 448 participants diagnosed with obesity during pregnancy, from five medical organizations. Participants were divided into two groups: those with independent SM activities (SM; n = 201) and those without independent self-monitoring activities (no-SM, NSM; n = 247). Independent SM behaviors included dietary and weight measurements. Linear mixed-effects models with repeated measures, and multiple logistic regression models were employed to assess continuous and categorical weight outcomes, respectively. Results: Changes in body weight were observed from the prepregnancy period to the 12-month postpartum phase. An observable SM effect was evident, resulting in reduced weight retention in the SM group across various time intervals. Notably, at the 12-month postpartum mark, the SM effect retained a slight but significant impact, with the SM group maintaining 2.4 kg less weight compared to the NSM group (95% confidence interval (CI): –4.5 to –0.3). Furthermore, relative to NSM participants, the SM group exhibited a 2.5-fold increased likelihood (95% CI: 1.2–4.8) of experiencing no weight retention at 3 months postpartum compared to their prepregnancy weight. Additionally, SM was associated with a higher probability of vaginal delivery and a decreased likelihood of cesarean sections (p = 0.046). Importantly, no significant distinctions were observed in neonatal outcomes or among participants with varying gestational weight gain (GWG) levels (p = 0.144 and p = 0.064). Conclusion: Independent SM interventions, comprising dietary and weighting, are effective in limiting postpartum weight retention among women with obesity during pregnancy, and enhance delivery method. Healthcare professionals should consider incorporating independent SM strategies into prenatal and postnatal care programs, to support healthy weight management and reduce the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes and long-term obesity development.

Introduction: Polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) is a functional extension of standard OCT. PS-OCT systems can be generally categorized into two categories based on the number of input polarization states on the sample: multi-input polarization state (multi-IPS) and single IPS. In addition, each category includes two configurations: fiber-based system and bulk optics-based system. However, there are complex and time-consuming steps to calibrate the polarization states of light among the reference, the sample, and detection arms for fiber-based system. And it is not compact and robust enough for bulk optics-based system.Methods: In the modified SD PS-OCT system with structural symmetry in both arms of the reference and sample, there are no bulk polarization optical elements in both arms of the reference and the sample. A circularly polarized light was used to incident on sample, and Stokes vector of backscattered light was employed to characterize the birefringence of biological tissues based on the quaternion approach, which directly establishes the relationship between Stokes vectors of backscattered light and Jones matrix of the sample.Results and discussion: The new algorithm provides the analytic solution of retardance and fast-axis orientation. To evaluate the performance of the developed system, an eighth-wave plate is used. Then, the polarization properties of the myocardial tissue in vivo are quantitatively reconstructed based on the quaternion approach. The results demonstrated that the proposed method has an advantage over Jones formalism based on a single input state and two polarization input states. In the future, the modified SD PS-OCT could be improved as a common path SD PS-OCT for clinical applications.

The number of metal complexes featuring gold-germanium bonds is limited. Here the authors report the preparation of germylene-bridged digold complexes complexes and study their structure, bonding, and reactivity.

Approximately 10% of monogenic diseases are caused by nonsense point mutations that generate premature termination codons (PTCs), resulting in a truncated protein and nonsense-mediated decay of the mutant mRNAs. Here, we demonstrate a mini-dCas13X–mediated RNA adenine base editing (mxABE) strategy to treat nonsense mutation–related monogenic diseases via A-to-G editing in a genetically humanized mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Initially, we identified a nonsense point mutation (c.4174C>T, p.Gln1392*) in the DMD gene of a patient and validated its pathogenicity in humanized mice. In this model, mxABE packaged in a single adeno-associated virus (AAV) reached A-to-G editing rates up to 84% in vivo, at least 20-fold greater than rates reported in previous studies using other RNA editing modalities. Furthermore, mxABE restored robust expression of dystrophin protein to over 50% of WT levels by enabling PTC read-through in multiple muscle tissues. Importantly, systemic delivery of mxABE by AAV also rescued dystrophin expression to averages of 37%, 6%, and 54% of WT levels in the diaphragm, tibialis anterior, and heart muscle, respectively, as well as rescued muscle function. Our data strongly suggest that mxABE-based strategies may be a viable new treatment modality for DMD and other monogenic diseases.

BackgroundHysterectomy is a widely used surgical approach for benign gynecological conditions, although recently there have been differences in the surgical route selected in different regions.AimsTo estimate recent temporal trends, this study collected data on surgical approaches and adnexal surgeries during hysterectomies for benign diseases at a single institute from 2015 to 2021.Materials and methodsWe retrospectively analyzed data from Xiangyang No.1 People's Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine in Xiangyang, China, and identified 1828 women who underwent hysterectomies for benign gynecologic conditions performed with or without bilateral salpingectomy (BS) or bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO) between January 2015 and December 2021.ResultsThere was an upward trend in the performance of hysterectomy and hysterectomy with BS, and there was a difference in the trends of concomitant adnexal surgery between AH, TLH, and VH, especially in TLH with BS. Patient characteristics data demonstrated that the most frequent indication for hysterectomy was leiomyoma, especially in women aged 45 to 65. Compared to AH, TLH, and VH, the operative bleeding, duration of surgery, and length of hospital stays of patients undergoing TLH with BS and BSO was the lowest. The surgical approach to benign diseases has changed dramatically due to a growing proportion of patients choosing minimally invasive procedures. The laparoscopic approach is becoming popular due to its capacity to decrease intraoperative blood loss and reduce hospitalization.ConclusionsWe should put more emphasis on surgical training for the TLH approach and help gynecologic surgeons provide the proposed added benefit of BS to their patients.

The process white noise (PWN) and observation white noise (OWN) estimation problem for linear discrete fractional order systems (LDFOS) is addressed in this study. By using the Grünwald-Letnikov (G-L) operator as a definition of the discrete fractional calculus (DFC), LDFOS is transformed into a class of linear discrete time-delay systems. However, it is different from the general time-delay system, in which the time-delay part is the cumulative sum from time 0 to the previous time. Based on the orthogonal projection theorem, a suboptimal one-step predictor of LDFOS is designed. Due to the existence of cumulative sum time-delay in system, the Riccati equation has one more cumulative sum state error variance term, which is different from the classical Kalman filter (KF). Moreover, using innovation analysis technology, the filtering and fixed-lag smoothing estimators of PWN and OWN in the form of noise orthogonal projection gain matrices are derived. Finally, two simulation examples are given to verify the effectiveness of PWN and OWN estimators.

ObjectiveWe conducted a meta-analysis to assess the efficacy of prophylactic human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines against cervical cancer precursors and HPV persistent infection among Asian populations.MethodsRandomized controlled clinical trials conducted in Asian countries were identified from three electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library). Publication retrieval was performed on September 1, 2022 and only those written in English were included. The data were analyzed with Cochrane Review Manager (version 5.3) and Stata/SE (15.1). Effect sizes were presented as risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).ResultsTen articles were considered in the meta-analysis, without significant heterogeneity among them. The fixed-effect RRs and 95% CIs for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 1 (CIN1+) and CIN2+ were 0.10 (0.05–0.21) and 0.11 (0.04–0.27), respectively. Positive effect of HPV vaccination on 6- and 12-month persistent infection were observed, with the respective pooled RRs of 0.05 (95% CI: 0.03–0.09) and 0.09 (95% CI: 0.05–0.15). HPV vaccination has a positive effect on the incidence of cytological abnormalities associated with HPV 16/18 (RR, 0.13; 95% CI (0.09–0.20)). Positive effects of HPV vaccination were also observed for HPV 16- and 18-specific immunogenicity (RR, 235.02; 95% CI (82.77–667.31) and RR, 98.24; 95% CI (50.36–191.67), respectively). Females receiving an initial vaccination showed significant decreased incidences of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, HPV persistent infection and cytological abnormalities and a significantly higher antibody positive conversion rate compared with non-vaccination counterparts.ConclusionProphylactic HPV vaccines are highly efficacious in preventing cervical cancer in Asian females. The government should accelerate the processes of vaccine introduction and vaccination implementation by prioritizing them in public health policies, which should be helpful to enhance Asian females’ awareness of receiving HPV vaccination volitionally.

The development of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) involves both environmental factors such as maternal diabetes and genetic factors such as neuroligins (NLGNs). NLGN2 and NLGN3 are two members of NLGNs with distinct distributions and functions in synapse development and plasticity. The relationship between maternal diabetes and NLGNs, and the distinct working mechanisms of different NLGNs currently remain unclear. Here, we first analyzed the expression levels of NLGN2 and NLGN3 in a streptozotocin-induced ASD mouse model and different brain regions to reveal their differences and similarities. Then, cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of human NLGN2 and NLGN3 were determined. The overall structures are similar to their homologs in previous reports. However, structural comparisons revealed the relative rotations of two protomers in the homodimers of NLGN2 and NLGN3. Taken together with the previously reported NLGN2–MDGA1 complex, we speculate that the distinct assembly adopted by NLGN2 and NLGN3 may affect their interactions with MDGAs. Our results provide structural insights into the potential distinct mechanisms of NLGN2 and NLGN3 implicated in the development of ASD.

We propose a novel variable step size predictor design method for a class of linear discrete-time censored system. We divide the censored system into two parts. The system measurement equation in one part doesn't contain the censored data, and the system measurement equation in the other part is the censored signal. For the normal one, we use the Kalman filtering technology to design one-step predictor. For the one that the measurement equation is censored, we determine the predictor step size according to the censored data length and give the gain compensation parameter matrix β(s) for the case predictor with obvious errors applying the minimum error variance trace, projection formula, and empirical analysis, respectively. Finally, a simulation example shows that the variable step size predictor based on empirical analysis has better estimation performance.

In speaking assessment, many factors such as characteristics of test-takers, test tasks, rating bias, etc. may affect the speaking performance of test-takers. Besides, the stability of raters' rating of a speaking test might pose a threat to its reliability, validity, and fairness, which calls for longitudinal construct validation of the speaking test. This study explores the construct validity of PRETCO-Oral through analysis of data retrieved from various sources, including longitudinal ratings of performances of test-takers across four occasions, and perceptions of the construct of PRETCO-Oral from both raters and test-takers. The results indicate that raters' ratings keep stable and the PRETCO-Oral assessment is equipped with longitudinal reliability; tasks of Interpretation and Presentation represent a large amount of variance of the construct, while those of Reading Aloud and Question and Answer seem to be construct-underrepresented, as evidenced via analyzing the data collected from perceptions of raters and test-takers upon the test construct. Finally, factors that threaten the construct representation are also discussed.

Phosphate is one of the essential mineral nutrients. Phosphate transporter genes (PHTs) play an important role in Pi acquisition and homeostasis in tomato plants. However, basic biological information on PHT genes and their responses of symbiosis with arbuscular mycorrhizal in the genome remains largely unknown. We analyzed the physiological changes and PHT gene expression in tomatoes (Micro-Tom) inoculated with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi (Funneliformis mosseae) under different phosphate conditions (P1: 0 µM, P2: 25 µM, and P3: 200 µM Pi). Twenty-three PHT genes were identified in the tomato genomics database. Protein sequence alignment further divided the 23 PHT genes into three groups, with similar classifications of exons and introns. Good colonization of plants was observed under low phosphate conditions (25 µM Pi), and Pi stress and AM fungi significantly affected P and N accumulation and root morphological plasticity. Moreover, gene expression data showed that genes in the SlPHT1 (SlPT3, SlPT4, and SlPT5) gene family were upregulated by Funneliformis mosseae under all conditions, which indicated that these gene levels were significantly increased with AM fungi inoculation. None of the analyzed SlPHT genes in the SlPH2, SlPHT3, SlPHT4, and SlPHO gene families were changed at any Pi concentration. Our results indicate that inoculation with AM fungi mainly altered the expression of the PHT1 gene family. These results will lay a foundation for better understanding the molecular mechanisms of inorganic phosphate transport under AM fungi inoculation.

Objectives: This study was aimed at observing the clinical effects of sacubitril/valsartan combined with dapagliflozin on cardiac function and ventricular remodeling in patients with type 2 diabetes and ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Methods: Between May 2019 and May 2022, we retrospectively analyzed 57 patients with diabetes and STEMI receiving percutaneous coronary intervention: 32 patients receiving sacubitril/valsartan and dapagliflozin tablets comprised the observation group and 25 patients receiving angiotensin converting enzyme inhibition (ACEI) or angiotensin receptor blockers ARB) in combination with other hypoglycemic drugs comprised the control group. We compared the left ventricular end diastolic diameter (LVEDD), right ventricular end diastolic diameter (RVEDD), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-pro BNP), and noninvasive hemodynamic parameters at baseline and 3–6 months after treatment between the groups. Results: Before treatment, the parameters were similar between the observation group and control group. However, after 3−6 months of treatment, serum NT-pro BNP levels showed a greater decline in the observation group than the control group. Moreover, the LVEDD and LVEF improved more substantially in the observation group than the control group (P0.05). After treatment, in the observation group, the cardiac index (CI) and cardiac output (CO) were significantly higher, and the thoracic fluid conduction (TFC) and systemic vascular resistance index (SVRI) were significantly lower, than those in the control group (P

Background Adolescents are the primary target population for human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination. The objective of this study is to explore the acceptability of HPV vaccines and evaluate factors related to willingness to be vaccinated among Chinese adolescents. Methods A nation-wide survey was conducted across 14 schools in mainland China. The questionnaire consisted of questions relating to socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge of adolescent sexual health, cervical cancer, HPV and HPV-related disease, and students’ willingness to be vaccinated. Chi-square tests and multivariable logistic regression were conducted in the data analysis. Results A total of 4,062 students participated in this study. Among them, only 17.1% of students reported having heard of HPV vaccines; however, 67.3% were willing to receive the HPV vaccine. Multivariable regression analysis showed that students who were from rural areas, have received sexual health education, have heard of cervical cancer or HPV vaccine, have a positive attitude toward vaccination, reported they were at the risk of developing cervical cancer, and those who value their parents’ and teachers’ opinions were more willing to receive HPV vaccination. Conclusions Awareness about the HPV vaccine is low among Chinese adolescents. The factors that most related to willingness to vaccinate among Chinese adolescents were school location, education about vaccination, HPV, and HPV vaccines. Integrating health education on HPV vaccination into existing school-based sexual health curricula may be an effective way to increase HPV vaccination coverage in mainland China.

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is the strongest causative factor of gastric cancer. Growing evidence suggests that the complex crosstalk of H. pylori and the tumor microenvironment (TME) exerts a profound influence on gastric cancer progression. Hence, there is emerging interest to in-depth comprehension of the mechanisms of interplay between H. pylori and the TME. This review discusses the regulatory mechanisms underlying the crosstalk between H. pylori infection and immune and stromal cells, including tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), neutrophils, dendritic cells, myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), natural killer (NK) cells, B and T cells, cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs), and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), within the TME. Such knowledge will deepen the understanding about the roles of H. pylori in the immune evasion mechanism in gastric cancer and contribute to the development of more effective treatment regimens against H. pylori-induced gastric cancer.

Background and PurposeCurrently, acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is one of the most common and serious diseases in the world and is associated with very high mortality and morbidity even after thrombolysis therapy. This study aims to research the relationship between lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) and prognosis in AIS patients treated with intravenous rtPA.MethodThis study (a Multicenter Clinical Trial of Revascularization Treatment for Acute Ischemic Stroke, TRAIS) included 527 AIS patients in 5 cooperative medical institutions in China from January 2018 to February 2021. The primary outcome was major disability and death within 3 months (mRS score of 3–6), and the secondary outcomes were early neurological improvement (ENI), early neurological deterioration (END), moderate-severe cerebral edema (CE), and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH).ResultsThe mean age of the 527 patients was 65.6 ± 11.7 years, and the median baseline NIHSS score was 4 (interquartile range, 2–7). The median serum LDH level was 184 U/L (interquartile range, 163–212 U/L). In total, 287 (54.5%) patients acquired ENI, 68 (13.0%) patients suffered END, 53 (12.1%) patients were observed with moderate-severe CE, and 28 (6.2%) patients showed sICH. Within 3 months, 127 (25.15%) patients experienced the primary outcome and 42 (8.3%) patients died. Serum LDH levels before thrombolysis showed an independent association with the risk of primary outcome [adjusted odds ratio, 3.787; (95% CI, 1.525–9.404); P = 0.014]. When log-transformed LDH increased each standard deviation, the risk of primary outcome was raised by 80.1% (95% CI, 28.9–251.7%). A positive linear dependence between the risk of primary outcome and serum LDH levels (P of linearity = 0.0248, P of non-linearity = 0.8284) was shown in multivariable-adjusted spline regression models. Pre-thrombolysis LDH quartile also provided a conventional risk model and significant improvement of the prediction for clinical outcomes, with a net reclassification improvement index (NRI) = 41.86% (P < 0.001) and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) = 4.68% (P < 0.001).ConclusionsElevated serum LDH levels predicted unfavorable clinical outcomes after intravenous thrombolysis in AIS patients.

Abstract Background Wall-associated kinases (WAK), one of the receptor-like kinases (RLK), function directly in the connection and communication between the plant cell wall and the cytoplasm. WAK genes are highly conserved and have been identified in plants, such as rice, but there is little research on the WAK gene family in cotton. Results In the present study, we identified 29 GhWAK genes in Gossypium hirsutum. Phylogenetic analysis showed that cotton WAK proteins can be divided into five clades. The results of synteny and Ka/Ks analysis showed that the GhWAK genes mainly originated from whole genome duplication (WGD) and were then mainly under purifying selection. Transcriptome data and real-time PCR showed that 97% of GhWAK genes highly expressed in cotton fibers and ovules. β-glucuronidase (GUS) staining assays showed that GhWAK5 and GhWAK16 expressed in Arabidopsis leaf trichomes. Fourteen GhWAK genes were found to possess putative gibberellin (GA) response elements in the promoter regions, 13 of which were significantly induced by GA treatment. Ten GhWAK genes contained auxin (IAA) response elements and the expression level of nine GhWAKs significantly increased under auxin treatment. Conclusions We provide a preliminary analysis of the WAK gene family in G. hirsutum, which sheds light on the potantial roles of GhWAK genes in cotton fiber cell development. Our data also provides a useful resource for future studies on the functional roles of GhWAK genes.

Long-term soil mining with extensive cultivation practices and traditional breeding methods have declined the flavor and nutritional value of tomatoes. Apart from important mineral nutrients (i.e., nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium), fungi known as arbuscular mycorrhizae (AM) can considerably improve the quality of agricultural production through higher phosphate uptake. Using hydroponically cultured commercially available tomato cultivars, we investigated the possible effects of mycorrhizae in improving the nutritional quality of tomato fruit. Funneliformis mosseae (syn. Glomus mosseae)-inoculated tomato plants were grown on a 1:1 mixture of peat and vermiculite, and different phosphorus levels were applied. RNAseq and metabolites were studied to confirm the relative gene expression and metabolites in fruit tissues. The results showed that AM inoculation with low phosphorus can significantly improve important fruit-quality traits such as free amino acids, lycopene (47.9%), and β-carotene (29.6%) without compromising the yield. Further, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified by comparing the nutritional and ripening potential of fruits produced by mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal plants. Notably, carotenoids and sugars (BRIX values) were found to be higher in mycorrhized plants in contrast to non-mycorrhized plants. Therefore, the current study suggests mycorrhization as a promising approach for the production of high-quality tomato fruit for human consumption.

TS-1 zeolite with desirable pore structure, an abundance of acidic sites, and good thermal stability promising as a support for the selective catalytic reduction of NO with NH3 (NH3-SCR). Herein, a series of Mn–Fe/TS-1 catalysts have been synthesized, adopting tetraethylenepentamine (TEPA) as a metal complexing agent using the one-pot hydrothermal method. The introduced TEPA can not only increase the loading of active components but also prompts the formation of a hierarchical structure through decreasing the size of TS-1 nanocrystals to produce intercrystalline mesopores during the hydrothermal crystallization process. The optimized Mn–Fe/TS-1(R-2) catalyst shows remarkable NH3-SCR performance. Moreover, it exhibits excellent resistance to H2O and SO2 at low temperatures. The characterization results indicate that Mn–Fe/TS-1(R-2) possesses abundant surface Mn4+ and Fe2+ and chemisorbed oxygen, strong reducibility, and a high Brønsted acid amount. For comparison, Mn–Fe/TiO2 displays a narrower active temperature window due to its poor thermostability.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) form mutualistic symbiotic relationships with many land plants and play a key role in nitrogen (N) acquisition. NO3−-N and NH4+-N are the main sources of soil mineral N, but how extraradical mycelial transfer affects the different N forms and levels available to tomato plants is not clear. In the present study, we set up hyphal compartments (HCs) to study the efficiency of N transfer from the extramycelium to tomato plants treated with different N forms and levels of fertilization. Labeled 15NO3−-N or 15NH4+-N was placed in hyphal compartments under high and low N application levels. 15N accumulation in shoots and the expression of LeNRT2.3, LeAMT1.1, and LeAMT1.2 in the roots of tomato were measured. According to our results, both 15NO3−-N and 15NH4+-N were transported via extraradical mycelia to the shoots of plants. 15N accumulation in shoots was similar, regardless of the N form, while a higher 15N concentration was found in shoots with low N application. Compared with the control, inoculation with AMF significantly increased the expression of LeAMT1.1 under high N and LeNRT2.3 under low N. The expression of LeAMT1.1 under high N was significantly increased when NO3—N was added, while the expression of LeNRT2.3 was significantly increased when NH4+-N was added under low N. Taken together, our results suggest that the N transfer by extraradical mycelia is crucial for the acquisition of both NO3−-N and NH4+-N by the tomato plant; however, partial N accumulation in plant tissue is more important with N deficiency compared with a higher N supply. The expression of N transporters was influenced by both the form and level of N supply.

Abstract Background Cotton is the world’s largest and most important source of renewable natural fiber. BEL1-like homeodomain (BLH) genes are ubiquitous in plants and have been reported to contribute to plant development. However, there is no comprehensive characterization of this gene family in cotton. In this study, 32, 16, and 18 BLH genes were identified from the G. hirsutum, G. arboreum, and G. raimondii genome, respectively. In addition, we also studied the phylogenetic relationships, chromosomal location, gene structure, and gene expression patterns of the BLH genes. Results The results indicated that these BLH proteins were divided into seven distinct groups by phylogenetic analysis. Among them, 25 members were assigned to 15 chromosomes. Furthermore, gene structure, chromosomal location, conserved motifs, and expression level of BLH genes were investigated in G. hirsutum. Expression profiles analysis showed that four genes (GhBLH1_3, GhBLH1_4, GhBLH1_5, and GhBLH1_6) from BLH1 subfamily were highly expressed during the fiber cell elongation period. The expression levels of these genes were significantly induced by gibberellic acid and brassinosteroid, but not auxin. Exogenous application of gibberellic acid significantly enhanced GhBLH1_3, GhBLH1_4, and GhBLH1_5 transcripts. Expression levels of GhBLH1_3 and GhBLH1_4 genes were significantly increased under brassinosteroid treatment. Conclusions The BLH gene family plays a very important role in many biological processes during plant growth and development. This study deepens our understanding of the role of the GhBLH1 gene involved in fiber development and will help us in breeding better cotton varieties in the future.

Abstract We investigate non-Gaussian noise second-order filtering and fixed-order smoothing problems for non-Gaussian stochastic discrete systems with packet dropouts. We present a novel Kalman-like nonlinear non-Gaussian noise estimation approach based on the packet dropout probability distribution and polynomial filtering technique. By means of properties of Kronecker product we first introduce a second-order polynomial extended system and then analyze the means and variances of the Kronecker powers of the extended system noises. To generate noise estimators in forms of filtering and smoothing, we use the innovation approach. We give an example to illustrate that the presented algorithm has better robustness against packet dropouts than conventional linear minimum variance estimation.

Spot urine specimens have been used to estimate 24 h urinary sodium (Na) excretion (24UNaV) and potassium (K) excretion (24UKV). However, the validity is limited for 24UNaV and unknown for 24UKV in stroke patients, using the existing formulas. Herein, we developed and validated a new formula for 24UNaV and 24UKV by spot urine specimens in stroke patients. Spot and 24 h urine samples were collected from 970 stroke patients. The models of 24UNaV and 24UKV were developed using stepwise multivariate linear regression in 689 patients. The performance of different formulas was internally validated in 281 patients at the population and individual levels. The obtained new formulas were: (1) estimated 24UNaV (mmol/day): −0.191 × Age + 4.349 × BMI + 0.229 × SpotNa + 1.744 × SpotNa/Spot creatinine (Cr) + 41.492 (for male); −1.030 × Age + 2.011 × BMI + 0.143 × SpotNa + 1.035 × SpotNa/SpotCr + 147.159 (for female); and (2) estimated 24UKV (mmol/day): −0.052 × Age + 0.410 × BMI + 0.031 × SpotK + 33.280 × Ln (spotK/spot Cr) − 5.789 × Ln (spotNa/spot Cr) − 1.035 (for male); −0.235 × Age + 0.530 × BMI + 0.040 × SpotK + 30.990 × Ln (spot K/spot Cr) − 7.837 × Ln (spotNa/spotCr) + 4.318 (for female). The new formula obtained the lowest mean bias (5.17 mmol/day for 24UNaV and 0.85 mmol/day for 24UKV) and highest proportion at the cutoff under the ±30% level for the estimation of 24UNaV (59.43%) and 24UKV (70.11%). The new formula provides a meaningful exploration to estimate 24UNaV and 24UKV in stroke patients by using spot urine specimens.

Introduction Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. Reducing dietary salt consumption is a potentially cost-effective way to reduce blood pressure and the burden of CVD. To date, economic evidence has focused on sodium reduction in food industry or processed food with blood pressure as the primary outcome. This study protocol describes the planned within-trial economic evaluation of a low-sodium salt substitute intervention designed to reduce the risk of stroke in China.Methods and analyses The economic evaluation will be conducted alongside the Salt Substitute and Stroke Study: a 5-year large scale, cluster randomised controlled trial. The outcomes of interest are quality of life measured using the EuroQol-5-Dimensions and major adverse cardiovascular events. Costs will be estimated from a healthcare system perspective and will be sought from the routinely collected data available within the New Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme. Cost-effectiveness and cost-utility analyses will be conducted, resulting in the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio expressed as cost per cardiovascular event averted and cost per quality-adjusted life year gained, respectively.Ethics and dissemination The trial received ethics approval from the University of Sydney Ethics Committee (2013/888) and Peking University Institutional Review Board (IRB00001052-13069). Informed consent was obtained from each study participant. Findings of the economic evaluation will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and presented at international conferences.Trial registration number ClinicalTrials.gov Registry (NCT02092090).

More than 80% of land plant species can form symbioses with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, and nutrient transfer to plants is largely mediated through this partnership. Over the last few years, great progress has been made in deciphering the molecular mechanisms underlying the AM-mediated modulation of nutrient uptake progress, and a growing number of fungal and plant genes responsible for the uptake of nutrients from soil or transfer across the fungal–root interface have been identified. In this review, we outline the current concepts of nutrient exchanges within this symbiosis (mechanisms and regulation) and focus on P and N transfer from the fungal partner to the host plant, with a highlight on a possible interplay between P and N nutrient exchanges. Transporters belonging to the plant or AM fungi can synergistically process the transmembrane transport of soil nutrients to the symbiotic interface for further plant acquisition. Although much progress has been made to elucidate the complex mechanism for the integrated roles of nutrient transfers in AM symbiosis, questions still remain to be answered; for example, P and N transporters are less studied in different species of AM fungi; the involvement of AM fungi in plant N uptake is not as clearly defined as that of P; coordinated utilization of N and P is unknown; transporters of cultivated plants inoculated with AM fungi and transcriptomic and metabolomic networks at both the soil–fungi interface and fungi–plant interface have been insufficiently studied. These findings open new perspectives for fundamental research and application of AM fungi in agriculture.

WRKY transcription factors play critical roles in the modulation of transcriptional changes during leaf senescence, but the underlying mechanisms controlled by them in this progress still remain enigmatic. In this study, Gossypium hirsutum WRKY DNA-binding protein 33 (GhWRKY33) was characterized as a negative regulator of both ageing and JA-mediated leaf senescence. The overexpression of GhWRKY33 in Arabidopsis greatly delayed leaf senescence, as determined by elevated chlorophyll content, lower H2O2 content, and reduced expression of several senescence-associated genes (SAGs). An electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) and transient dual–luciferase reporter assay revealed that GhWRKY33 could bind to the promoters of both AtSAG12 and Ghcysp and suppress their expression. Yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) and firefly luciferase complementation imaging (LUC) assays showed that GhWRKY33 could interact with GhTIFY10A. Similarly, the overexpression of GhTIFY10A in Arabidopsis also dramatically delayed leaf senescence. Furthermore, both GhWRKY33 and GhTIFY10A negatively regulate JA-mediated leaf senescence. In addition, a transientdual-luciferase reporter assay indicated that GhWRKY33 and GhTIFY10A could function synergistically to inhibit the expression of both AtSAG12 and Ghcysp. Thus, our work suggested that GhWRKY33 may function as a negative regulator to modulate both ageing and JA-mediated leaf senescence and also contributes to a basis for further functional studies on cotton leaf senescence.

In order to improve the meshing performance of the internal helical gear transmission pair, a topographic modification method of the internal helical gear is proposed. According to the principle of tooth profile and helix modification, the equation of internal helical gear modification tooth surface is deduced, the tooth profile and longitudinal modification coefficients are preset, the contact analysis (TCA) model of internal helical gear pair is constructed by using the gear meshing principle, and the transmission error under different modification coefficients is obtained, the transmission error under different modification coefficients and different loads is obtained by the finite element simulation analysis. The results show that different modification coefficients should be selected under different operating conditions in order to meeting the operational requirements, and this method provides a reference for the design of the topologically modified internal helical gear for forming grinding.

Understanding the impact of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) upon the nitrogen (N) uptake of tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum L.) plants is crucial for effectively utilizing these beneficial microorganisms in industrial hydroponic tomato production. Yet it remains unknown whether, besides fungal delivery, the AMF also affects N uptake via altered plant root growth or whether, together with changed N transporters expression of hosts, this impact is isolate-specific. We investigated tomato root architecture and the expression of LeAMT1.1, LeAMT1.2, and LeNRT2.3 genes in roots inoculated with five isolates of Funneliformis mosseae, these collected from different geographical locations, under greenhouse conditions with nutritional solution in coconut coir production. Our results revealed that isolate-specific AMF inoculation strongly increased the root biomass, total root length, surface area, and volume. Linear relationships were found between the total root length and N accumulation in plants. Furthermore, expression levels of LeAMT1.1, LeAMT1.2, and LeNRT2.3 were significantly up-regulated by inoculation with F. mosseae with isolate-specific. These results implied N uptake greater than predicted by root growth, and N transporters up-regulated by AMF symbiosis in an isolate-specific manner. Thus, an overlap in root biomass, architecture and expression of N transporters increase N acquisition in tomato plants in the symbiosis.

In this study, we proposed a method to measure the epidermal thickness (ET) of skin based on deep convolutional neural network, which was used to determine the boundaries of skin surface and the ridge portion in dermal–epidermis junction (DEJ) in cross-section optical coherence tomography (OCT) images of fingertip skin. The ET was calculated based on the row difference between the surface and the ridge top, which is determined by search the local maxima of boundary of the ridge portion. The results demonstrated that the region of ridge portion in DEJ was well determined and the ET measurement in this work can reduce the effect of the papillae valley in DEJ by 9.85%. It can be used for quantitative characterization of skin to differentiate the skin diseases.