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Let H be a subgraph of graph G. If the edge set of G can be partitioned into edge-disjoint copies of H, possibly with some remainder edges, then the partition is called an H-packing in G. A maximal H-packing in G is defined as one where the remainder edges do not contain any copies of H. A maximal H-packing of G is considered maximum if the edge set E(G) cannot be partitioned into an H-packing containing more copies of H. A graph G is referred to as being H-equipackable if every maximal H-packing in G is also maximum H-packing. In this paper, we provide a characterization for all P 3 ∪ P 2 -equipackable graphs with 3 m (m ≥ 1) edges, where P 3 ∪ P 2 represents the union of two disjoint paths with 3 vertices and 2 vertices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

C10orf90, a tumor suppressor, can inhibit the occurrence and development of tumors. Therefore, we investigated the gene function of C10orf90 in various tumors using multiple pan-cancer datasets. Pan-cancer analysis results reveal that the expression levels of C10orf90 vary across different tumors and hold significant value in the clinical diagnosis and prognosis of patients with various tumors. In some cancers, the expression level of C10orf90 is correlated with CNV, DNA methylation, immune subtypes, immune cell infiltration, and drug sensitivity in the tumors. In particular, in COAD, the C10orf90 gene is implicated in multiple processes associated with COAD. Cell experiments demonstrate that C10orf90 suppresses the proliferation and migration of colon cancer cells while promoting apoptosis. In summary, C10orf90 plays a role in the onset and progression of various cancers and could potentially serve as an effective diagnostic and prognostic marker for cancer patients. Notably, in COAD, C10orf90 inhibits the proliferation and migration of colon cancer cells, induces apoptosis, and is linked to the advancement of colon cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advancements in understanding skin aging mechanisms, which encompass both external and internal aging processes, have spurred the development of innovative treatments primarily aimed at improving cosmetic appearance. These findings offer the potential for the development of novel therapeutic strategies aimed at achieving long-term, non-therapy-dependent clinical benefits, including the reversal of aging and the mitigation of associated health conditions. Realizing this goal requires further research to establish the safety and efficacy of targeting aging-related skin changes, such as pigmentation, wrinkling, and collagen loss. Systematic investigation is needed to identify the most effective interventions and determine optimal anti-aging treatment strategies. These reviews highlight the features and possible mechanisms of skin aging, as well as the latest progress and future direction of skin aging research, to provide a theoretical basis for new practical anti-skin aging strategies. [Display omitted] • Skin aging is not only affected by genetic, and chronological but also by extrinsic (environmental). • Possible mechanisms and potential targets for aging-related skin changes were reported. • The latest progress and future development direction of skin aging research were conclusions. • The theoretical basis for new practical anti-skin aging strategies was provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Limited evidence exists on the effect of submicronic particulate matter (PM 1) on hypertension hospitalization. Evidence based on causal inference and large cohorts is even more scarce. In 2015, 36,271 participants were enrolled in South China and followed up through 2020. Each participant was assigned single-year, lag0–1, and lag0–2 moving average concentration of PM 1 and fine inhalable particulate matter (PM 2.5) simulated based on satellite data at a 1-km resolution. We used an inverse probability weighting approach to balance confounders and utilized a marginal structural Cox model to evaluate the underlying causal links between PM 1 exposure and hypertension hospitalization, with PM 2.5 -hypertension association for comparison. Several sensitivity studies and the analyses of effect modification were also conducted. We found that a higher hospitalization risk from both overall (HR : 1.13, 95% CI : 1.05–1.22) and essential hypertension (HR : 1.15, 95% CI : 1.06–1.25) was linked to each 1 µg/m3 increase in the yearly average PM 1 concentration. At lag0–1 and lag0–2, we observed a 17%–21% higher risk of hypertension associated with PM 1. The effect of PM 1 was 6%–11% higher compared with PM 2.5. Linear concentration-exposure associations between PM 1 exposure and hypertension were identified, without safety thresholds. Women and participants that engaged in physical exercise exhibited higher susceptibility, with 4%–22% greater risk than their counterparts. This large cohort study identified a detrimental relationship between chronic PM 1 exposure and hypertension hospitalization, which was more pronounced compared with PM 2.5 and among certain groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Studies have revealed the effects of childhood adversity, anxiety, and negative coping on sleep quality in older adults, but few studies have focused on the association between childhood adversity and sleep quality in rural older adults and the potential mechanisms of this influence. In this study, we aim to evaluate sleep quality in rural older adults, analyze the impact of adverse early experiences on their sleep quality, and explore whether anxiety and negative coping mediate this relationship. Methods: Data were derived from a large cross-sectional study conducted in Deyang City, China, which recruited 6,318 people aged 65 years and older. After excluding non-agricultural household registration and lack of key information, a total of 3,873 rural older adults were included in the analysis. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to analyze the relationship between childhood adversity and sleep quality, and the mediating role of anxiety and negative coping. Results: Approximately 48.15% of rural older adults had poor sleep quality, and older adults who were women, less educated, widowed, or living alone or had chronic illnesses had poorer sleep quality. Through structural equation model fitting, the total effect value of childhood adversity on sleep quality was 0.208 (95% CI: 0.146, 0.270), with a direct effect value of 0.066 (95% CI: 0.006, 0.130), accounting for 31.73% of the total effect; the total indirect effect value was 0.142 (95% CI: 0.119, 0.170), accounting for 68.27% of the total effect. The mediating effects of childhood adversity on sleep quality through anxiety and negative coping were significant, with effect values of 0.096 (95% CI: 0.078, 0.119) and 0.024 (95% CI: 0.014, 0.037), respectively. The chain mediating effect of anxiety and negative coping between childhood adversity and sleep quality was also significant, with an effect value of 0.022 (95% CI: 0.017, 0.028). Conclusions: Anxiety and negative coping were important mediating factors for rural older adult's childhood adversity and sleep quality. This suggests that managing anxiety and negative coping in older adults may mitigate the negative effects of childhood adversity on sleep quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The generation of moiré lattices by superimposing two identical sublattices at a specific twist angle has garnered significant attention owing to its potential applications, ranging from two-dimensional materials to manipulating light propagation. While macroscale moiré lattices have been widely studied, further developments in manipulating moiré lattices at the subwavelength scale would be crucial for miniaturizing and integrating platforms. Here, we propose a plasmonic metasurface design consisting of rotated nanoslits arranged within N + N′ round apertures for generating focused moiré lattices. By introducing a spin-dependent geometric phase through the rotated nanoslits, an overall lens and spiral phase can be achieved, allowing each individual set of round apertures to generate a periodic lattice in the focal plane. Superimposing two sets of N and N′ apertures at specific twist angles and varying phase differences allows for the superposition of two sublattices with different periods, leading to the formation of diverse moiré patterns. Our simulations and theoretical results demonstrate the feasibility of our proposed metasurface design. Due to their compactness and tunability, the utilization of metasurfaces in creating nanoscale photonic moiré lattices is anticipated to find extensive applications in integrated and on-chip optical systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gualou Guizhi decoction (GLGZD) is an ancient Chinese classical prescription widely used to treat ischemic stroke. However, the molecular mechanisms of GLGZD promoting angiogenesis are unavailable. This study investigates the angiogenesis effect of GLGZD as well as its mechanism. Ischemic stroke was established by middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion (MCAO/R) in male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. The GLGZD groups received GLGZD (3.6, 7.2 and 14.4 g/kg) orally. Oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) model was constructed in HUVECs receiving GLGZD medicated serum (MS). MRI, H&E staining, qRT-PCR, western blot and immunofluorescence methods were employed. miRNA210 inhibitor was employed to confirm the effects of GLGZD on promoting angiogenesis. Dual luciferase assay was used to verify the binding of miRNA210 with HIF mRNA. GLGZD treatment improved neurological function (by 27%), alleviated neuronal injury (by 76%), reduced infarct volume (by 74%) and increased microvessel density (by fourfold) in vivo. In vitro data had also shown that GLGZD caused proliferation of the cells (by 58%), their migration, and eventual formation of tubes (by threefold). Simultaneously, GLGZD enhanced the levels of angiogenesis-related molecules and activated the HIF/VEGF signalling pathway. Surprisingly, the beneficial effects of GLGZD on post-stroke angiogenesis and neurological recovery were weakened by miRNA210 inhibitor, and also abolished the mediation of proangiogenic factors. miRNA210 directly targeted HIF mRNA. GLGZD enhances angiogenesis via activation of the miRNA210/HIF/VEGF signalling pathway, suggesting it can be a novel application as an effective angiogenic formula for stroke recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The carrier translocase (also known as translocase of the inner membrane 22; TIM22 complex) is an important component of the mitochondrial protein import apparatus. However, the biological functions of AtTIM22-2 in Arabidopsis remain poorly defined. Here, we report studies on two tim22-2 mutants that exhibit defects in embryo and endosperm development, leading to seed abortion. AtTIM22-2, which was localized in mitochondria, was widely expressed in embryos and in various seedling organs. Loss of AtTIM22-2 function resulted in irregular mitochondrial cristae, decreased respiratory activity, and a lower membrane potential, together with changes in gene expression and enzyme activity related to reactive oxygen species (ROS) metabolism, leading to increased accumulation of ROS in the embryo. The levels of transcripts encoding mitochondrial protein import components were also altered in the tim22-2 mutants. Furthermore, mass spectrometry, bimolecular fluorescence complementation and co-immunoprecipitation assays revealed that AtTIM22-2 interacted with AtTIM23-2, AtB14.7 (a member of Arabidopsis OEP16 family encoded by At2G42210), and AT5G27395 (mitochondrial inner membrane translocase complex, subunit TIM44-related protein). Taken together, these results demonstrate that AtTIM22-2 is essential for maintaining mitochondrial membrane functions during seed development. These findings lay the foundations for a new model of the composition and functions of the TIM22 complex in higher plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have shown that the nano-crystallization process has an appreciable impact on the luminescence properties of nanocrystals, which determines their defect state composition, size and morphology. This project aims to explore the influence of nanocrystal size on the electrical and optical properties of Cr2+:ZnSe nanowires. A first-principles study of Cr2+:ZnSe nanowires with different sizes was carried out at 0 K in the density functional framework. The Cr2+ ion was found to prefer to reside at the surface of ZnSe nanowires. As the size of the nanocrystals decreased, a considerable short-wave-length shift in the absorption of the vis-near infrared wavelength was observed. A quantum mechanism for the wavelength tunability was discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant hormones are a group of small signaling molecules produced by plants at very low concentrations that have the ability to move and function at distal sites. Hormone homeostasis is critical to balance plant growth and development and is regulated at multiple levels, including hormone biosynthesis, catabolism, perception, and transduction. In addition, plants move hormones over short and long distances to regulate various developmental processes and responses to environmental factors. Transporters coordinate these movements, resulting in hormone maxima, gradients, and cellular and subcellular sinks. Here, we summarize the current knowledge of most of the characterized plant hormone transporters with respect to biochemical, physiological, and developmental activities. We further discuss the subcellular localizations of transporters, their substrate specificities, and the need for multiple transporters for the same hormone in the context of plant growth and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air pollution poses significant health risks to urban areas, with limited focus on the chronic association of PM 2.5 and its constituents on cerebrovascular diseases (CERs), especially regarding the joint associations. This study explores the individual and joint associations between PM 2.5 constituents and CER hospitalization risks through a cohort analysis of 36,271 adults in the Pearl River Delta, South China, from 2015 to 2020. Cox proportional hazards regression and quantile-based g-computation models were used to quantify the individual and joint associations of annual mean concentrations of PM 2.5 constituents with hospitalization for CERs. 1151 participants were hospitalized due to CERs during the five-year follow-up period. Joint associations analyses identified that one quartile increase in co-exposure may result in hazard ratios of 1.530 (1.441–1.623), 1.840 (1.710–1.980), and 1.609 (1.491–1.737) for CERs, total, and ischemic stroke hospitalization, respectively. The adverse effect was primarily driven by organic matter and chlorine. Men, those with a history of tobacco or alcohol use or with low residential greenness, were more susceptible to CERs hospitalization following PM 2.5 constituents co-exposure. Upcoming strategies should focus on monitoring and regulating PM 2.5 constituents, encouraging healthy lifestyles, and enhancing urban greenery. [Display omitted] • The effects of co-exposure to PM constituents on CERs increase with cumulative years. • OM, and CL− are major contributors (25–45%) to increased CERs admissions risk. • Higher greenness exposure is linked to a 22–33% lower risk of CERs admissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A method for ultrafast time-resolved four-channel Jones matrix measurement of birefringent materials using an ultrafast laser is investigated. This facilitated the acquisition of a four-channel angular multiplexing hologram in a single shot. The Jones matrix information of a birefringent sample was retrieved from the spatial spectrum of a hologram. The feasibility of this approach was established by measuring the Jones matrix of starch granules in microfluidic chips and the complex amplitude distribution and phase delay distribution of liquid crystal cell at different voltages. Moreover, when the picosecond laser was switched to a femtosecond laser, ultrafast measurements were possible provided that the time interval between two detection pulses was larger than the pulse width. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Several studies have compared the efficacy of hepatic resection (HR) and thermal ablation (TA) for unresectable tumors; however, results remain inconsistent. Most cohorts in previous studies were heterogeneous groups of synchronous colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) and extrahepatic metastases. This retrospective study aimed to compare the therapeutic efficacy between TA and HR in synchronous CRLM without extrahepatic metastases.Methods: Cases with initially synchronous CRLM without extrahepatic metastases between January 2007 and December 2018 were enrolled. Of the 448 cases, 346 received HR and 102 TA. Propensity score matching with a 1:1 ratio was used to improve the comparability between the HR and TA groups. Technical success, complications, disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS) were compared before and after matching.Results: All patients achieved technical success. Major complication rates in the HR and TA groups were, respectively, 36.7% and 8.8% (p < 0.001). Before matching, the 5-year OS and DFS (p = 0.004 and p = 0.020, respectively) were significantly higher in the HR group than in the TA group. After matching, no significant difference in the 5-year OS and DFS was found between the groups (p = 0.770 and p = 0.939, respectively). Local tumor progression rate was significantly higher in the TA group both before (p = 0.027) and after (p = 0.029) matching.Conclusions: For patients with CRC with synchronous CRLM, TA and HR provide comparable OS and DFS. TA is preferable if complete ablation is predicted.Key Points: • Thermal ablation and hepatic resection provide comparable overall survival and disease-free survival. • Thermal ablation is a safe and effective treatment for patients with colorectal cancer with synchronous liver metastases and has a lower major complication rate and higher repeatability than hepatic resection. • Thermal ablation is preferable if complete ablation is predicted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The superposition of orbital angular momentum (OAM) in a surface plasmon polariton (SPP) field has attracted much attention in recent years for its potential applications in classical physics problems and quantum communications. The flexible adjustment of the amplitudes of two OAM states can provide more freedom for the manipulation of superposed states. Here, we propose a type of plasmonic metasurface consisting of segmented spiral-shaped nanoslits that not only can generate the superposition of two OAM states with arbitrary topological charges (TCs), but also can independently modulate their relative amplitudes in a flexible manner. The TCs of two OAM states can be simultaneously modulated by incident light, the rotation rate of the nanoslits, and the geometric parameters of the segmented spiral. The relative amplitudes of the two OAM states are freely controllable by meticulously tuning the width of the nanoslits. Under a circularly polarized beam illumination, two OAM states of opposite TCs can be superposed with various weightings. Furthermore, hybrid superposition with different TCs is also demonstrated. The presented design scheme offers an opportunity to develop practical plasmonic devices and on-chip applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural deep eutectic solvents (NADESs) coupled with microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) were applied to extract total flavonoid compounds from spent sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) leaves. In this study, ten different NADESs were successfully synthesized for the MAE. Based on single-factor experiments, the response surface methodology (RSM) was applied, and the microwave power, extraction temperature, extraction time, and solid–liquid ratio were further evaluated in order to optimize the yields of total flavonoid compounds. Besides, the extracts were recovered by macroporous resin for the biological activity detection of flavonoid compounds. As a result, NADES-2, synthesized by choline chloride and malic acid (molar ratio 1:2), exhibited the highest extraction yield. After that, the NADES-2-based MAE process was optimized and the optimal conditions were as follows: microwave power of 470 W, extraction temperature of 54 °C, extraction time of 21 min, and solid–liquid ratio of 70 mg/mL. The extraction yield (40.21 ± 0.23 mg rutin equivalents/g sweet potato leaves) of the model validation experiment was demonstrated to be in accordance with the predicted value (40.49 mg rutin equivalents/g sweet potato leaves). In addition, flavonoid compounds were efficiently recovered from NADES-extracts with a high recovery yield (>85%) using AB-8 macroporous resin. The bioactivity experiments in vitro confirmed that total flavonoid compounds had good DPPH and O2−· radical-scavenging activity, as well as inhibitory effects on E. coli, S. aureus, E. carotovora, and B. subtilis. In conclusion, this study provides a green and efficient method to extract flavonoid compounds from spent sweet potato leaves, providing technical support for the development and utilization of sweet potato leaves' waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Spring water sounds reduced negative emotions by 21.60–67.34%. • LF/HF under 40–50 dB sound decreased by 2.30–30.48 % compared to no sound. • One minute is an effective exposure time for monitoring physiological responses. • Spring water sounds activated α and β oscillatory activities. • The 50 dB sound improves brain comfort by 2.01–3.32 times more than other levels. While the beneficial effects of spring water sound on health are recognized, the specific psychophysiological mechanisms at varying sound pressure levels (SPLs) remain unclear. This study explores the effects of different SPLs of spring water sound on psychophysiological responses, utilizing subjective evaluations alongside electrocardiogram (ECG) and electroencephalogram (EEG) monitoring. Thirty-eight college students were exposed to five SPLs of spring water sounds (40, 45, 50, 55, and 60 dBA). Participants underwent subjective evaluation using the Profile of Mood States (POMS) and Restoration Outcome Scale (ROS), complemented by physiological measurements through ECG and EEG. Spring water sounds significantly improved psychophysiological health. Psychologically, compared to no sound, POMS scores decreased by 21.60–67.34 %, ROS scores increased by 1.15–1.86 times, and emotional disorders and subjective stress were significantly improved (p < 0.05). Physiologically, the low frequency/high frequency (LF/HF) ratio of ECG decreased by 2.30–30.48 % for 40–50 dBA levels, and the overall EEG power for 50–55 dBA levels decreased by 12.72–21.83 %. Significant enhancements in relative power (RP) of α and β (24.21–73.34 % and 23.96–85.26 %, respectively) and a reduction in mental stress (11.23–59.60 %) were observed. The 50 dBA spring water sound notably influenced brain order–disorder balance, showing a 2.01–3.32-fold improvement over other SPLs. A significant physiological inflection point occurred at 1.0 min post-exposure across all measures. Strong correlations were found between ΔPOMS and ΔRP α (r = -0.535, p < 0.01), and between ΔROS and ΔOverall power (r = -0.418, p < 0.001). This study provides a method to comprehensively analyze the positive effects of water sound from both psychological and physiological perspectives and offers a reference for the design of sound environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential for residential greenness to improve cardiovascular health through both physical and psychological mechanisms is well recognized. However, evidence from rapidly urbanizing developing countries and cohort-based causal inference approaches, remains limited. We aim to examine the effect of residential greenness and time to cardiovascular mortality in South China. We utilized data from a community-based population survey involving 748,209 participants at baseline from 2009 to 2015, followed up until 2020. Residential greenness exposure was assessed by the annual Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) in the 500 m radius of each participant's residence. We used time-varying proportional hazard Cox models coupled with inverse probability weighting to fit marginal structural models and obtain hazard ratios (HRs) for cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality after adjusting for confounders. Multiple effect modifiers on both additive and multiplicative scales were further explored. A total of 15,139 CVD-related deaths were identified during a median of 7.9 years of follow-up. A protective effect was found between higher greenness exposure and reduced CVD mortality, with a 9.3 % lower rate of total CVD mortality (HR 0.907, 95 % CI 0.859–0.957) based on a 0.1 increase in annual average NDVI. Demographic (age, marital status) and lifestyle factors (smoking, drinking status) were found to modify the association between residential greenness and CVD mortality (all P interaction values < 0.05 or 95 %CI for RERI excluded the value 0). Notably, this effect was more pronounced among older adults, married, and individuals having healthier lifestyles, indicating a greater benefit from greenness for these subgroups. Our findings support a causal link between increased residential greenness exposure and a reduced risk of CVD mortality in South China with marked heterogenous effects, which has public health implications for cultivating greener urban environments to mitigate the impact of CVD within the context of rapid urbanization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen is an environmental factor affecting anthocyanin synthesis, and rational application of nitrogen can improve the ornamental value and economic value of garden plants. Malus spectabilis are widely used in gardens and have contributed to the breeding of Malus varieties in the world. In the Malus spectabilis industry, nitrogen will not only affect the production quality of its seedlings, but also directly affect its ornamental value in the garden. However, the underlying mechanism of low nitrogen affecting Malus spectabilis anthocyanin synthesis is still unclear. Here, low nitrogen caused anthocyanin accumulation in leaves of Malus spectabilis , and anthocyanin accumulation decreased with the increase of IBA concentration. Through transcriptome analysis of Malus spectabilis leaves under low nitrogen and conventional nitrogen conditions, a differentially expressed lateral organ boundaries domain (LBD) transcription factor MsLBD41-like was identified, which may be related to anthocyanin synthesis. Subsequently, multiple experiments confirmed that MsLBD41-like negatively regulates anthocyanin synthesis by inhibiting the MsF3'H promoter under low nitrogen conditions. The yeast one-hybrid assays analysis preliminarily confirmed the interaction between MsARF5 and MsLBD41-like promoter. Subsequently, the activation effect of MsARF5 on the MsLBD41-like promoter was further validated through Dual luciferase assays and GUS staining assay in tobacco leaves. The regulatory effect of MsARF5–MsLBD41-like–MsF3'H module on anthocyanins under low nitrogen conditions was verified through transient transformation in apple peel and leaves of Malus spectabilis. Altogether, our data reveal that low nitrogen-induced anthocyanin biosynthesis is mediated at least in part by MsARF5 and MsLBD41-like regulatory proteins, providing a theoretical basis for the rational application of nitrogen to regulate plant leaf coloring in landscaping applications. • Low nitrogen induced anthocyanin synthesis in leaves of Malus varieties. • Identified MsARF5, MsLBD41-like, are negative regulators of anthocyanin biosynthesis under low nitrogen conditions. • MsARF5 directly binds to the promoter of MsLBD41-like. • MsLBD41-like directly binds to MsF3'H promoter to inhibit anthocyanin synthesis. • The MsARF5-MsLBD41-like–MsF3'H transcriptional cascade involved in anthocyanin accumulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For a bounded set with diameter in a finite-dimensional normed space with an origin-symmetric convex body as the unit ball, the Borsuk number of , denoted by , is the smallest integer such that can be represented as a union of sets, the diameter of each of which is strictly less than . In this paper, we solve the problem of finding the upper bound for the Borsuk number for any bounded set in the special Minkowski spaces . We have in , for all satisfying and , . If , we have for all values of ; this is proved by a new approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lymphoma-associated venous thromboembolism (VTE) can be a serious complication in lymphoma patients. We designed a nomogram as a guide to estimate the VTE risk in lymphoma patients. We retrospectively analyzed 555 Chinese lymphoma patients who were newly diagnosed at West China Hospital. The nomogram was generated based on multivariate regression coefficients. The multivariate analysis indicated that advanced clinical stage (p <.001*), Hodgkin lymphoma (p =.045*), and prechemotherapy Hb level <115 g/L (p =.01*) were independent risk factors for VTE in lymphoma patients. A calibration plot and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve were used to validate the novel nomogram. The nomogram displayed a good C-index (0.73), and the calibration plot showed excellent agreement between the predicted and actual probabilities. The AUROC of the nomogram was 0.731, demonstrating a strong discriminatory ability. Notably, the predictive value of the nomogram was better than the Khorana risk score. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myocardial infarction can lead to ventricular remodeling and arrhythmia, which is closely related to nerve remodeling. Our previous study found that Yiqi Huoxue decoction (YQHX) can improve ventricular remodeling and reduce myocardial damage. Therefore, in this study, we observed the effect of YQHX on cardiac neural remodeling and cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and its possible mechanism. This research is composed of two parts: animal and H9c2 cells experiments. The animal model of acute myocardial infarction was established by ligating the left anterior descending coronary artery in Sprague Dawley (SD) rats. H9c2 cells were placed in 94% N2, 5% CO2, and 1% O2 hypoxic environment for 12 hours to replicate the hypoglycemic hypoxia model. The experimental results showed that, compared with the MI group, YQHX can significantly improve heart function after myocardial infarction and reduce nerve remodeling and myocardial hypertrophy. Pathological structure observation demonstrated reducing myocardial tissue damage and decreasing of cell cross-sectional area, diameter, and circumference. The positive rate of TH declined apparently, and the sympathetic nerve density was lower than that of the MI group. After YQHX was given for 28 days, the proneural remodeling factors TH, NGF, and GAP43 in the marginal zone of infarction and stellate ganglion decreased obviously while the inhibitory nerve remodeling factor Sema-3A increased. The myocardial hypertrophic protein ANP and β-MHC were also significantly inhibited with p-ERK1/2 protein expression level prominently reduced. There was no difference between the YQHX group and the Meto group. After myocardial infarction, nerve remodeling was seen in the marginal area of infarction and stellate ganglion, and the neuropeptides released by which promoted myocardial hypertrophy. The mechanism may be related to the ERK1/2 signaling pathway. YQHX could regulate the ERK1/2 signaling pathway, inhibit the release of nerve remodeling factors and myocardial hypertrophy protein to reduce nerve remodeling, and relieve myocardial hypertrophy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pyroptosis is a proinflammatory form of regulated cell death that plays an important role in ischemic stroke. Gualou Guizhi granule (GLGZG) is a classic prescription that has been shown to exert neuroprotective effects against cerebral ischemia reperfusion injury. In the present study, we examined the involvement of pyroptosis and its associated mechanism in protecting nerve function. Methods. Primary neurons were exposed to oxygen-glucose deprivation and reperfusion (OGD/R) conditions in the presence or absence of GLGZG. Cellular viability was measured by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazoliumbromide (MTT) assay. The number of apoptoic cells was detected by NeuN and NSE protein expression. The expression levels of the pyroptosis markers, namely, NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3), apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD (ASC), caspase-1, interleukin-18 (IL-18), and IL-1β were determined by quantitative real-time PCR analysis, western blot, and ELISA analyses as appropriate. Moreover, the expression levels of the PI3K/Akt pathway key proteins were determined by quantitative real-time PCR analysis and western blot assays. To determine the PI3K/Akt pathway involvement in GLGZG-mediated neuroprotection, the PI3K inhibitor LY294002 (LY, 10 μM) was added. The expression levels of NeuN, Akt, and p-Akt were evaluated. Results. It was found that GLGZG could inhibit OGD/R-induced cell apoptosis, increase neuronal cell viability, decrease the production of IL-18 and IL-1β, and downregulate the expression levels of pyroptosis markers (NLRP3, ASC, and caspase-1). Furthermore, GLGZG could modulate the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Pharmacological inhibition of the PI3K pathway not only abrogated the effects of GLGZG on Akt but also neutralized its prosurvival and antipyroptotic actions. Conclusions. The findings indicated that GLGZG pretreatment effectively reduced OGD/R-induced injury by inhibiting cell pyroptosis and activating the PI3K/Akt pathway. These data provide important evidence for the therapeutic applications of this regimen in ischemic stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a trench-assisted large-mode-field-area multi-core fiber with an air-hole structure composed of 21 conventional fiber cores and 16 air holes is proposed, and it can realize dual-mode transmission. By adjusting the structural parameters, the effective mode field area of fundamental mode can be up to 1916.042 µm2 at 1550 nm. In addition, the fiber has good bending characteristics by adding a trench with a lower refractive index than the cladding. When the bending radius is 1.4 cm, the bending loss is low to 2.96 × 10–3 dB/m. This fiber is of great significance for the design of bending insensitive fiber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present the first nontrivial lower bound on the translative covering density of tetrahedra. To this end, we show the lower bound, in any translative covering of tetrahedra, on the density relative to a given cube. The resulting lower bound on the translative covering density of tetrahedra is 1 + 1.227 × 10 - 3 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial Intelligence (AI), as the core driving force of industrial and technological innovation, has brought technological advances that profoundly affect energy conservation and carbon emission reduction in China. This study constructs a dynamic spatial Durbin model to empirically analyze AI's mechanism path using Chinese inter-provincial panel data as a sample. The findings show the following: (1) Spatial and temporal variations exist in AI development levels and energy conservation and carbon emission reduction. (2) AI has a significant negative impact on energy consumption efficiency and a significant negative spatial spillover effect on carbon emission efficiency, and the effects of AI development level on energy conservation and carbon emission reduction are mainly dominated short term. (3) Green technological progress on both the input and output sides has not played a determinant role in the effects of AI on energy conservation and carbon emission reduction. (4) Given the moderating effect of the degree of factor market development, the improvement of green technological advances can play a positive role in the impact of AI on energy and carbon reduction. These findings suggest the need to provide policy support for energy conservation and carbon emission reduction by improving the spatial and regional linkage mechanism to narrow spatial and temporal differences in development levels, formulating AI policies addressing regional heterogeneity to promote the full transformation of AI's short-term effects into long-term effects as well as emphasizing the negative role of green technological advances and accelerating the transformation of green technological achievements, among other measures. [Display omitted] • A dynamic indicator system for regional AI development in China is constructed. • AI effects on energy conservation and emission reduction are explored. • A dynamic spatial Durbin model shows regional and temporal heterogeneity. • Green technological progress has negative effects that should be emphasized. • Mature market element development can realize the positive green effects of AI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

2LncRNA uc.134 suppresses the proliferation, migration, and invasion of HCC in vitro and in vivo. a Growth curves of indicated HCC cells that overexpressed uc.134 compared with those of negative control cells and untransfected cells were determined with a CCK8 proliferation analysis. Reference 1 Ni W, Zhang Y, Zhan Z. A novel lncRNA uc.134 represses hepatocellular carcinoma progression by inhibiting CUL4A-mediated ubiquitination of LATS1. [Extracted from the article]

Compound 3R-(4′-hydroxyl-3′-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl phenyl)-dihydro isocoumarin (GDC) is a natural isocoumarin, recently isolated from the stems of H. paniculiflorum. However, we know little about the effects of GDC on rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This study aims to investigate the protective effects and potential mechanisms of GDC against LPS-induced inflammation in vitro. Fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs) obtained from synovial tissue of rats were induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and treated with GDC. Cell viability was determined by mitochondrial-respiration-dependent3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium (MTT) assay. Secretion of various inflammatory mediators was analyzed by ELISA and RayBio® Rat Cytokine Antibody Array. Potential mechanisms that are associated with anti-inflammatory effect were examined by Western blot. Results showed that GDC significantly inhibited the production of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin- (IL-) 6 induced by LPS. GDC also reduced the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β, as well as proinflammatory cytokines such as activin A, ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), fractalkine, IFN-γ, IL-4, and TIMP-1. Moreover, GDC inhibited LPS-induced phosphorylation of extracellular regulated protein kinases (ERK1/2), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (p38), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and IκB. And GDC also blocked NF-κBp65 nuclear translocation. All the results suggested that the protective effects of GDC against LPS-induced inflammation in vitro may be related with NF-κB and JNK signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With limited evidence on the neurological impact of particulate matter (PM) exposure in China, particularly for PM 1 which is smaller but more toxic, we conducted a large Chinese cohort study using causal inference approaches to comprehensively clarify such impact. A total of 36,271 participants in southern China were recruited in 2015 and followed up through 2020. We obtained the neurological hospitalizations records by linking the cohort data to the electronic reports from 418 medical institutions across the study area. By using high-resolution PM concentrations from satellite-based spatiotemporal models and the cohort data, we performed marginal structural Cox models under causal assumptions to assess the potential causal links between time-varying PM exposure and neurological hospitalizations. Our findings indicated that increasing PM 1 , PM 2.5 , and PM 10 concentrations by 1 μg/m³ were associated with higher overall neurological hospitalization risks, with hazard ratios (HRs) of 1.10 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.04–1.16), 1.09 (95% CI 1.04–1.14), and 1.03 (95% CI 1.00–1.06), respectively. PM 1 appeared to have a stronger effect on neurological hospitalization, with a 1% and 7% higher impact compared to PM 2.5 and PM 10 , respectively. Additionally, each 1-μg/m3 increase in the annual PM 1 concentration was associated with an elevated risk of hospitalizations for ischemic stroke (HR : 1.15; 95% CI , 1.06–1.26), which tended to be larger than the estimates for PM 2.5 (HR : 1.13, 95% CI , 1.04–1.23) and PM 10 (HR : 1.05, 95% CI , 1.00–1.09). Furthermore, never-married or female individuals tended be at a greater risk compared with their counterparts. Our study provides important insights into the health impact of particles, particularly smaller particles, on neurological hospitalization risk and highlights the need for clean-air policies that specifically target these particles. [Display omitted] • Long-term exposure to PMs increased the risk of neurological hospitalizations. • The hazard ratio for PM 1 tends to be greater on neurological hospitalization. • Long-term exposure to PMs enhanced the risk of ischemic stroke hospitalization. • Unmarried residents might be more vulnerable than their counterparts. • Causal inference models with time-varying exposure minimized confounding bias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Cu(0.05)-OMS-2 with high oxygen mobility and superior redox properties was prepared. • Cu(0.05)-OMS-2 displayed 98.2% Hg0 removal efficiency under complex atmosphere. • Cu(0.05)-OMS-2 sorbent showed excellent ambient-temperature H 2 S/H 2 O tolerance. • The reaction pathway of Cu(0.05)-OMS-2 sorbent for Hg0 oxidation was proposed. Removing mercury in wet natural gas containing acidic components is essential to developing the natural gas purification industry and mitigating corrosion in aluminum heat exchangers. In this work, the Cu-doped manganese oxide octahedral molecular sieve (OMS-2) nanorods were designed for oxidation of Hg0 in wet natural gas. The Hg0 removal efficiency over Cu(0.05)-OMS-2 reached 98.2 % under a high space velocity of 24 × 104 h−1 and a complex atmosphere containing H 2 O, CO 2 , and H 2 S. Surface reactive oxygen species produced by strong electronic interactions owing to Mn-O-Cu hybridization was the main active sites for Hg0 oxidation. The reactive oxygen species on Cu(0.05)-OMS-2 reacted with H 2 S to form active sulfur species, which could combine with Hg0 to form HgS. Cu(0.05)-OMS-2 exhibited excellent ambient-temperature water resistance, which was attributed to the good redox properties caused by Cu incorporation. This work provided a new strategy for designing efficient sorbents to remove Hg0 from wet natural gas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bauhinia championii (Benth.) Benth. is a traditional medicinal plant used in China to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA), especially in She ethnic minority group. This study focused on the active constituents from the rattan of B. championii (Benth.) Benth., which possess potential apoptosis effects. A conventional phytochemical separation method for the isolation of compounds from the ethyl acetate extract of B. championii was developed. The procedure involved extraction, liquid–liquid partitioning with ethyl acetate, and subsequent compound purification, respectively. Additionally, cell viability of dihydrokaempferol found abundantly in it was evaluated in vitro by MTS, and the antiapoptosis effect was evaluated by annexin V/PI staining (Flow Cytometry Analysis) and western blot. The results showed that nine flavonoids, and five other compounds, were isolated from the ethyl acetate extract of B. championii and were identified as β-sitosterol (1), 5,6,7,3',4',5'-hexamethoxyflavone (2), 3',4',5,7-tetrahydroxyflavone (3), 5,7,3',4',5'-pentamethoxyflavone (4), 4'-hydroxy-5,7,3',5'-pentamethoxyflavone (5), apigenin (6), liquiritigenin (7), 5, 7-dihydroxylcoumarin (8), 3',4',5,7, -pentamethoxyflavone (9), n-octadecanoate (10), lupine ketone (11), dibutylphthalate (12), dihydrokaempferol (13), and 5,7,3′,5′-tetrahydroxy-6-methylflavanone (14). Among these compounds, 5-14 were isolated for the first time from B. championii. In addition, apoptosis effects of abundant dihydrokaempferol were evaluated in vitro. Dihydrokaempferol exhibited inhibitory effects on the proliferation of synoviocytes. Furthermore, dihydrokaempferol promoted Bax and Bad expression, as well as the cleavage of caspase-9, caspase-3, and PARP. Meanwhile, it inhibited Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL expression. These findings indicate that dihydrokaempferol isolated from the ethyl acetate extract of B. championii effectively promotes apoptosis, which is an important process through suppression of apoptotic activity. The results are encouraging for further studies on the use of B. championii in the treatment of RA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The crystalline phases, corrosion resistance and bioactivity of materials play crucial factors in determining the longevity, biological interactions and osseointegration process of implants. This paper presents the preparation and the corrosive and bioactive characterizations of (Ti-13Nb-13Zr)-HA (hydroxyapatite) composites with the synergistic effects of excellent mechanical properties of Ti-13Nb-13Zr alloy and bioactivity of HA ceramic. (Ti-13Nb-13Zr)-HA composites possessed matrix of β -Ti phase, residual of α -Ti phase and ceramic phases (TCP, CaZrO 3 , CaO and Ti 5 P 3 ). With the increase of HA concentration, the increase of ceramic phases and the hindering effect of α to β phase were observed. Results of electrochemical tests revealed that composites containing 0–10 wt.% HA exhibited higher corrosion resistance. Increasing HA concentrations (15–20 wt.%) deteriorated corrosion resistance by reasons of porosity and defects induced by reactions between alloy powders and HA ceramic. Bioactivity tests showed surface of composites after soaking in simulated body fluid spontaneously nucleated and precipitated bone-like apatite layers. Biological analysis revealed that presence of spindle-like morphology with multiple filopodia-like intercellular connections from bone mesenchymal stem cells possessed good behaviours and enhanced cell viabilities attested the good biocompatibility and bioactivity of (Ti-13Nb-13Zr)-HA composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: SETDB1 is a histone H3K9 methyltransferase, which plays a significant role in the occurrence and progression of tumors. Previous studies have confirmed that T-lymphom invasion and metastasis gene (Tiam1) is a protein associated with the metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); however, we have not yet been successful in elucidating the specific mechanism of HCC.Methods: Yeast two-hybrid test was conducted to screen proteins that interacted with Tiam1 gene. Glutathione-S-transferase (GST) pull-down and crosslinking-immunoprecipitation (CLIP) assays were performed to determine whether SETDB1 can interact with Tiam1 gene. A series of related experiments were performed to explore role of SETDB1 on cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in HCC. Recovery experiment was performed to investigate the effect of Tiam1 knockdown on cell proliferation and migration, which was caused by SETDB1 overexpression in HCC cells. The expression of SETDB1 was frequently upregulated in HCC tissues and positively correlated with Tiam1.Results: GST pull-down and CLIP assays were performed to elucidate the interaction between SETDB1 and Tiam1. Cell proliferation, migration, and epithelial mesenchymal transformation (EMT) in HCC cells was promoted with the overexpression of SETDB1. Following the knockdown of Tiam1 gene, the effect of SETDB1 on cell proliferation and migration was reversed in HCC cells. The expression of SETDB1 was frequently up-regulated in HCC tissues, and it was positively correlated with Tiam1 gene.Conclusions: Ours is the first study to prove that SETDB1 promotes the proliferation and migration of cells by forming SETDB1-Tiam1 compounds. We found that SETDB1-Tiam1 compounds were involved in a novel pathway, which regulated epigenetic modification of gene expression in HCC samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stroke involves numerous pathophysiological processes and oxidative stress is considered as a main cellular event in its pathogenesis. The nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/antioxidant response element (ARE) pathway plays a key role in inducing phase II detoxifying enzymes and antioxidant proteins and is now considered as a interesting therapeutic target for the treatment of stroke. The objective of this study is to investigate the protective effect of Gualou Guizhi granule (GLGZG) against oxidative stress and explore the protective mechanism of the Nrf2/ARE pathway. In vivo, administration of GLGZG in a rat model of focal cerebral ischemia significantly suppressed oxidative injury by increasing the activity of superoxide dismutase and glutathione level and decreasing reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde levels. Western blot analysis showed that GLGZG induced nuclear translocation of Nrf2, and combined with real-time PCR results, which indicated that GLGZG up-regulated the Nrf2/ARE pathway. In addition, in cultured PC12 cells, GLGZG protected against H2O2 induced oxidative injury and activated the Nrf2/ARE pathway. All the results demonstrated that GLGZG in the management of cerebral ischemia and H2O2 induced oxidative injury may be associated with activation of Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinical applications require porous biomaterials; however, high porosity and hydroxyapatite contents deteriorate the mechanical properties. Hence, a functional-structural composite consisting of a central compact Ti-13Nb-13Zr core with an outer porous Ti-10%HA layer was fabricated by spark plasma sintering. The central alloy provides excellent mechanical properties (compressive strength of 1289.7 MPa), while the outer layer has appropriate pore characteristics (micro and macro-pores between 100–400 μm) and elasticity modulus (14.9 GPa). In vitro bioactivity study showed the formation of bone-like apatite precipitates on porous Ti-HA layer. This work might provide a strategy for designing and fabricating multifunctional materials that could be potential as bone implants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim to modify the poly( l-lactic acid) (PLLA) make it better applications in food packing and evaluate the effect of some antimicrobials in meat packaging and storage, the PLLA/poly(vinyl alcohol)/poly(ε-caprolactone) (PLLA/PVA/PCL, LVC) multilayer film with the antimicrobial, such as tea polyphenols (TP), potassium sorbate (PS), and trehalose (TH) were prepared by laminating technique and potentially used for packaging of chilled meat, it significantly improved mechanical properties and barrier property of PLLA. Total viable count (TVC) and total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) of the LVC film with the antibacterial were greatly inhibited. The lower and more stable pH value, and higher comprehensive and acceptability could be found in the case of the LVC-antibacterial film (LVC-TH, LVC-TP, and LVC-PS). It is noteworthy that the LVC-PS film showed the longest shelf life of 31 days and it is the ideal packaging material in this work, moreover expected to replace the nondegradable food packaging material. Practical applications In this work, the poly ( l-lactic acid) (PLLA) was modified by coating of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) to prepare the PLLA/PVA/PCL composite film for packaging of chilled meat. To enhance the antibacterial ability of the packaging film, three kinds of natural preservatives were incorporated into the composite film. The results shown that the oxygen barrier property of the composite film is greatly increased by over 3 orders in magnitude due to the presence of the PVA. It is noteworthy that the LVC-PS film showed the longest shelf life of 31 days and it is the ideal packaging material in this work, moreover expected to replace the nondegradable food packaging material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A rapid and sensitive ultrafast performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method (UPLC-MS/MS) was developed for the simultaneous determination of 11 compounds in Gualou Guizhi Granule (GLGZG), including liquiritin, isoliquiritin, liquirtin apioside, isoliquiritin apioside, liquiritigenin, isoliquiritigenin, glycyrrhizic acid, glycyrrhetinic acid, paeoniflorin, albiflorin, and paeoniflorin sulfonate in rat plasma. UPLC-MS/MS assay with negative ion mode was performed on a Waters CORTECS C18 (2.1 × 100 mm, 1.6 μm) with the mobile phase consisting of 0.1% aqueous formic acid (A) and acetonitrile (B) in gradient elution at a flow rate of 0.25 mL·min−1. The method was linear for all analytes within the detection range (r≥0.9597). The inter- and intraday precision (RSD) were 2.21–6.41% and 1.67–6.18%; the inter- and intraday accuracy (recover) were 92.48–114.03% and 90.23–112.04%. And the recovery rate ranged from 81.30% to 108.22%. The matrix effect values obtained for analytes ranged from 88.91% to 113.32%. This validated method was successfully applied to a pharmacokinetics study in rats after oral administration of GLGZG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A graph G is called H-equicoverable if every minimal H-covering in G is also a minimum H-covering in G. All $$P_{3}$$ -equicoverable graphs were characterized in Zhang (Discret Appl Math 156:647-661, 2008). In 2011, connected $$M_2$$ -equicoverable graphs that contains cycles were characterized [see Zhang and Jiang (J Tianjin Univ:44:466-470, 2011) and Zhang and Zhang (Ars Comb 101:45-63, 2011)]. In this paper, we give the characterization of all disconnected $$M_{2}$$ -equicoverable graphs and all $$M_{2}$$ -equicoverable trees. So all $$M_2$$ -equicoverable graphs are characterized now. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of CeO 2 /Y 2 O 3 co-doping on the microstructure and microwave dielectric properties of Ba(Co 0.6 Zn 0.38 ) 1/3 Nb 2/3 O 3 -xA-xB (x = 0,1,2,3,4,6; A = 0.1204 wt%Y 2 O 3 ; B = 0.1 wt%CeO 2 ) ceramics prepared by the conventional solid-state route technique were investigated. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) results presented that all the well sintered samples exhibited the main phase BaZn 0.33 Nb 0.67 O 3 Ba 3 CoNb 2 O 9 . A certain amount of Ba 8 CoNb 6 O 24 surface secondary phase and minority phase of Ba 5 Nb 4 O 15 were also observed in all sintered ceramics. The 1:2 B-site cation ordering degree was found to influenced by the substitution of Y 3+ and Ce 4+ in the crystal lattice, especially for x = 0.02. Then the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) picture of the optimally well-sintered (1350 °C for 20 h) ceramic has shown a dense microstructure. Although the ε r almost kept unchanged, appropriate doping content would greatly improve the Q × f value. Meanwhile, the τ f value first declined and then increased with increasing x. At last, the excellent microwave dielectric properties of ε r = 36.09, Q × f = 72006 GHz, τ f = 3.35 ppm/ºC were obtained for the ceramic with x = 0.02 sintered in air at 1350 °C for 20 h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although lower bone mineral density (BMD) is considered to have an increased risk for colorectal adenoma, no association between marrow fat content and colorectal adenoma has been elucidated yet. Purpose: To evaluate the relationship between marrow fat fraction (MFF) and the presence of colorectal adenoma in postmenopausal women using magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). Material and Methods: We performed a cross-sectional observational study on 152 postmenopausal patients with colorectal adenoma and 100 matched control subjects who underwent screening colonoscopy, biochemical measurements, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and MRS. Logistic regression models were performed to assess the relationships among BMD, MFF, and colorectal adenoma. Results: With univariate analysis, marrow fat accumulation was higher and BMD values were lower in patients with colorectal adenoma compared with those in controls. After adjustment for potential confounders including demographics, health history, blood lipid levels, indexes of glucose metabolism, and validated measures of diet and physical activity, MFF was significantly positively associated with colorectal adenoma (odds ratio [OR], 1.64; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.10-2.46; P = 0.008). Vertebral BMD, but not total hip and femoral neck BMD, was inversely related with colorectal adenoma (OR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.14-0.89; P = 0.027). Additionally, MFF was associated with adenoma number, size, and high-risk adenoma (all P < 0.01). MFF was found to be an independent risk factor of a high-risk colorectal adenoma (OR, 2.08; 95% CI, 1.24-3.60; P = 0.019). Conclusion: Marrow fat accumulation is highly associated with colorectal adenoma, particularly high-risk adenoma, in postmenopausal women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

First-principles calculations on the basis of density-functional theory are performed in order to investigate the electronic structures and optical properties of Cr2+:ZnSe with different impurity concentration. Five configurations with the substitution of Zn by one Cr atom in different ZnSe supercells are considered. The results show that the absorption peak intensity and peak width decrease with diminishing Cr2+ concentration and a redshift is observed in the absorption spectra. The experimental observations are in good agreement with the calculated results. An appropriate explanation of the experimental results is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electronic band structure, absorption and luminescence properties of Cr 2+ -doped ZnSe crystal have been investigated by first-principles calculations on the basis of density functional theory. First-principles calculations were carried out using the Vienna Ab-initio Simulation Package (VASP). It is shown that isolated impurity bands that mainly made up of Cr(d) orbitals are created in the band gap with the doping of Cr 2+ ions. The Cr(d) orbitals are split into e and t 2 groups because of the potential of the crystal. Theoretical absorption and luminescence spectra are calculated and compared with experimental data. An appropriate explanation of the experimental spectra is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• • Seaweed compost and Pseudomonas koreensis on tomato in saline soils were compared. • • SC + HCH2-3 affected the rhizosphere soil properties and enzyme activities. • • SC + HCH2-3 had significant effects on Pseudomonas , Bacillus and Azospira abundances. • • Seaweed compost and Pseudomonas koreensis can be used as a potential soil conditioner. This study investigated the effects of waste seaweed compost and rhizosphere bacteria Pseudomonas koreensis HCH2-3 on the tomato seedlings growth in coastal saline soils and chemical properties, enzyme activities, microbial communities of rhizosphere soil. Microcosmic experiment showed that the seaweed compost and rhizosphere bacteria (SC + HCH2-3) significantly alleviated the negative effects of salinity on the growth of tomato seedlings. SC + HCH2-3 amendment significantly increased the plant height and root fresh biomass of tomato seedling by 105.59% and 55.60% in the coastal saline soils, respectively. The soil properties and enzyme activities were also dramatically increased, indicating that the nutrient status of coastal saline soil was improved by SC + HCH2-3 amendment. In addition, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteriota and Firmicutes were the dominant phyla in the rhizosphere soil after adding seaweed compost and rhizosphere bacteria P. koreensis HCH2-3. The relative abundances of Massilia , Azospira , Pseudomonas and Bacillus increased in treatment SC + HCH2-3. Especially, the beneficial bacteria genera, such as Pseudomonas , Bacillus and Azospira , were significantly correlated with the increases of contents of total nitrogen, nitrate nitrogen and ammonium nitrogen in tomato rhizosphere soil samples. Consequently, adding waste seaweed compost and rhizosphere bacteria P. koreensis HCH2-3 into coastal saline soil was suggested as an effective method to relieve salt stress of tomato plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Engineered vector‐based in vivo protein delivery platforms have made significant progress for both prophylactic and therapeutic applications. However, the lack of effective release strategies results in foreign cargo being trapped within the vector, restricting the provision of significant performance benefits and enhanced therapeutic results compared to traditional vaccines. Herein, the development of a Salmonella mRNA interferase regulation vector (SIRV) system is reported to overcome this challenge. The genetic circuits are engineered that (1) induce self‐lysis to release foreign antigens into target cells and (2) activate the cytosolic surveillance cGAS‐STING axis by releasing DNA into the cytoplasm. Delayed synthesis of the MazF interferase regulates differential mRNA cleavage, resulting in a 36‐fold increase in the delivery of foreign antigens and modest activation of the inflammasome, which collectively contribute to the marked maturation of antigen‐presenting cells (APCs). Bacteria delivering the protective antigen SaoA exhibits excellent immunogenicity and safety in mouse and pig models, significantly improving the survival rate of animals challenged with multiple serotypes of Streptococcus suis. Thus, the SIRV system enables the effective integration of various modular components and antigen cargos, allowing for the generation of an extensive range of intracellular protein delivery systems using multiple bacterial species in a highly efficient manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose To investigate the role of miR-20a in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell radioresistance, which may reveal potential strategies to improve treatment. Methods and Materials The expression of miR-20a and PTEN were detected in HCC cell lines and paired primary tissues by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Cell radiation combined with colony formation assays was administrated to discover the effect of miR-20a on radiosensitivity. Bioinformatics prediction and luciferase assay were used to identify the target of miR-20a . The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitor LY294002 was used to inhibit phosphorylation of Akt , to verify whether miR-20a affects HCC cell radioresistance through activating the PTEN/PI3K/Akt pathway. Results MiR-20a levels were increased in HCC cell lines and tissues, whereas PTEN was inversely correlated with it. Overexpression of miR-20a in Bel-7402 and SMMC-7721 cells enhances their resistance to the effect of ionizing radiation, and the inhibition of miR-20a in HCCLM3 and QGY-7701 cells sensitizes them to it. PTEN was identified as a direct functional target of miR-20a for the induction of radioresistance. Overexpression of miR-20a activated the PTEN/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Additionally, the kinase inhibitor LY294002 could reverse the effect of miR-20a –induced radioresistance. Conclusion MiR-20a induces HCC cell radioresistance by activating the PTEN/PI3K/Akt pathway, which suggests that miR-20a/PTEN/PI3K/Akt might represent a target of investigation for developing effective therapeutic strategies against HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paeoniflorin (PF) is a principal bioactive component, which exhibits many pharmacological effects, including protection against ischemic injury. This paper aimed to investigate the protective effect of PF both in vivo and in vitro. Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was performed on male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat for 2 h, and different doses of PF or vehicle were administered 2 h after reperfusion. Rats were sacrificed after 7 days treatment of PF/vehicle. PF treatment for 7 days ameliorated MCAO-induced neurological deficit and decreased the infarct area. Further study demonstrated that PF inhibited the over-activation of astrocytes and apoptosis of neurons, and PF promoted up-regulation of neuronal specific marker neuron-specific nuclear (NeuN) and microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP-2) in brain. Moreover, NMDA-induced neuron apoptosis was employed. The in vitro study revealed that PF treatment protected against NMDA-induced cell apoptosis and neuronal loss via up-regulation of neuronal specific marker NeuN, MAP-2 and Bcl-2 and the down-regulation Bax. Taken together, the present study demonstrates that PF produces its protective effect by inhibiting the over-activation of astrocytes, apoptosis of neurons and up-regulation of neuronal specific marker NeuN, MAP-2, and B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), and down-regulation Bax. Our study reveals that PF may be a potential neuroprotective agent for stroke and can provide basic data for clinical use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A water soluble lanthanide Tb(III) complex Tb 2 (C 6 NO 2 H 4 ) 6 (H 2 O) 4 has been synthesized as luminescent material, and it is characterized by X-ray crystallography, infrared spectra and elemental analysis, respectively. This material showed excellent characterize of electrochemiluminescence (ECL) in the presence of co-reactant potassium peroxodisulfate (K 2 S 2 O 8 ) at glassy carbon electrode. With the increase of the concentration for nicotinic acid (NA), the ECL intensity of the complex/K 2 S 2 O 8 system in HAc–NaAc buffer solution will be decreased apparently. Novel approach for the detection of nicotinic acid (NA) was developed based on the quenching effect of NA. Furthermore, the possible mechanisms for the ECL behavior of Tb 2 (C 6 NO 2 H 4 ) 6 (H 2 O) 4 /K 2 S 2 O 8 system are proposed. The effects of K 2 S 2 O 8 concentration, pH of the buffer on the ECL intensity have also been discussed in detail. The experiment results showed that the limit of detection for NA was 6.0×10 −7 M ( S / N =3) with a linear range of 2.0×10 −6 –2.0×10 −4 M. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A curve considering local traffic flow characteristics is generated from NGSIM dataset for searching for the optimal gains. • A new String Stability Index (SSI) is proposed as a quantitative evaluation indicator for string stability. • An improved Particle Swarm Optimization algorithm is used to dynamically tune the optimal gains under different delays. • Three groups of simulation experiments are conduced to verify the performance of the proposed algorithm. Due to the inevitable existence of wireless communication delay, the string stability of cooperative adaptive cruise control (CACC) platoon systems may not be guaranteed if the controller gains are not tuned in time. Most relevant studies discussed how to determine the stable region of controller gains under different communication delays, but seldom told us how to select the optimal gains. Some simulation-based approaches just gave out the feasible gains to meet CACC string stability conditions under different communication delays by using standard input signal (e.g. Sine wave, step function) as the leading vehicle acceleration curve. Unfortunately, as the above approaches did not consider the local traffic characteristics, these feasible gains were not robust enough and even failed when tackling a realistic environment. To this end, this paper proposes a dynamic controller gains tuning algorithm to ensure CACC string stability. First, a synthesized leading vehicle acceleration curve is obtained by performing an inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT) on the average frequency spectra of 230 vehicles' acceleration from the next-generation simulation (NGSIM) dataset, which is highly related to the local traffic flow characteristics of the specified road. Then, the ratio of the ∞ -norm of the spacing error between the ego vehicle and the preceding vehicle is set as the objective function, and with the synthesized curve as the input of the vehicle platoon, we apply an improved particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm to dynamically tune the gains of the CACC controller when the wireless communication delay changes. Hereby, the improved PSO utilizes the nonlinear decreasing inertia weight to accelerate the convergence speed of the algorithm. Finally, three groups of detailed simulation experiments are conducted to verify the effectiveness and performance of the dynamic optimal gains generated by the synthesized curve on string stability and assess the convergence speed of the improved PSO. The experimental results reveal that the proposed algorithm outperforms the traditional methods and can significantly suppress the disturbance along the direction upstream of the platoon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnopharmacological relevance Gualou Guizhi decoction (GLGZD) prescribed in traditional Chinese medicine has been reported to have protective effects on ischemic stroke. The present study is to investigate the therapeutic effect of GLGZD on ischemic stroke and explore its mode of action. Materials and methods GLGZD was studied on transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) followed by reperfusion in viv o, as well as on hippocampal primary neuron c ultures in vitro . Results In viv o, it was shown that GLGZD treatment for 7 days could ameliorate transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO)-induced neurological deficit, histopathology changes and decrease infarct area. Further study demonstrated that GLGZD inhibited over-activation of astrocytes and apoptosis of neurons and GLGZD promoted up-regulation of neuronal specific marker neuron-specific nuclear (NeuN) and microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP-2) in brain. Moreover, the in vitro study revealed that GLGZD treatment protected against NMDA-induced cell apoptosis and neuronal loss, and promoted up-regulation of neuronal specific marker NeuN. Conclusions Taken together, the present study demonstrates that GLGZD produces a protection in the MCAO model rats via inhibiting over-activation of astrocytes, apoptosis of neurons and up-regulation of neuronal specific marker NeuN and MAP-2. Our study reveals that GLGZD might be a potential neuroprotective agent for stroke and can provide basic data for clinical use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the challenges in the treatment of colorectal cancer patients is that these tumors show resistance to radiation. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in essential biological activities, including chemoresistance and radioresistance. Several research studies have indicated that miRNA played an important role in sensitizing cellular response to ionizing radiation (IR). In this study, we found that miR-124 was significantly down-regulated both in CRC-derived cell lines and clinical CRC samples compared with adjacent non-tumor colorectal tissues, MiR-124 could sensitize human colorectal cancer cells to IR in vitro and in vivo. We identified PRRX1, a new EMT inducer and stemness regulator as a novel direct target of miR-124 by using target prediction algorithms and luciferase assay. PRRX1 knockdown could sensitize CRC cells to IR similar to the effects caused by miR-124. Overexpression of PRRX1 in stably overexpressed-miR-124 cell lines could rescue the effects of radiosensitivity enhancement brought by miR-124. Taking these observations into consideration, we illustrated that miR-124 could increase the radiosensitivity of CRC cells by blocking the expression of PRRX1, which indicated miR-124 could act as a great therapeutic target for CRC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]