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Axillary osmidrosis (AO) affects a large number of young people in Asia, resulting from a combination of body and bacterial metabolism. This study aimed to explore the pathogenesis of AO through proteomics. Apocrine gland tissues from 3 mild and 3 severe AO patients were analyzed using 4D label-free proteomics, followed by bioinformatics analysis. The RNA and protein levels of the predicted key regulators were further validated by qPCR and immunohistochemistry in additional AO tissues. A total of 5066 proteins were identified, of which 323 were significantly upregulated and 412 were downregulated (by |log2FC|> 1 and p < 0.05). GO terms related to mitochondria, oxidation–reduction processes, and peroxisomes were significantly enriched among the upregulated DEPs, suggesting enhanced energy metabolism in severe AO patients. Downregulated DEPs were enriched in ribosome, phagosome, and platelet activation pathways according to KEGG, while upregulated DEPs were significantly enriched in metabolic pathways, valine, leucine, and isoleucine degradation, peroxisomes, and fatty acid degradation. The enriched pathways suggest that apocrine gland tissues develop AO by increasing blood flow to promote sweating and secreting excessive short-chain fatty acids by coupling mitochondrial respiration with incomplete metabolism of lipids and branched-chain amino acids. This metabolic coupling may have implications for studies on cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders, and oxidative stress. Key proteins in the signaling network were further confirmed by qPCR and immunohistochemistry, including reduced FGA and ITGA2B, and increased EHHADH and ACOX1. Our proteomics analysis suggests a paradigm of lipid metabolism involving mitochondrial respiration and incomplete lipid and branched-chain amino acid metabolism as the pathogenesis of AO. We also suggest that EHHADH is a key regulator in promoting AO in this process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the infection rate, types of human papillomavirus (HPV), and the relationship between HPV types and host factors in Zhejiang and lay a foundation for developing a prophylactic HPV vaccine. Methods: A retrospective analysis of the genotyping results of 27 hPV types using exfoliated cells from the cervix, vulva, perianal region, or oral mucosa of 28206 females, and exfoliated cells from the penis, perianal region or oral mucosa of 2923 male patients undergoing treatment between January 2016 and December 2021 at Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital was performed. Results: In females, the overall positive rate was 30.26%. The top five HPV types were HPV52, 58, 16, 6, and 53. In males, the overall positive rate was 31.85%. The top five HPV types were HPV6, 11, 16, 52, and 43. About 90.48% of patients with CINII+ were HR-HPV+. HPV33, 16 were the top two HPV types that increased CINII+ risks. Conclusion: Currently, the bivalent (HPV16, 18), quadrivalent (HPV6, 11, 16, 18), and 9-valent (HPV6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, 58) HPV vaccines are marketed. Of these, the 9-valent HPV vaccines are more suitable for people in the Zhejiang province; however, it is still insufficient. Therefore, the 11-, 14-, and 15-valent vaccines being developed and marketed include more genotypes, and their outcomes are worth anticipating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a V2AlC‐based saturable absorber (SA) was applied to a 2 μm band passively mode‐locked (PML) laser. The saturation intensity and modulation depth of the V2AlC‐based SA were detected by the I‐scan method, which were 225.05 MW/cm2 and 7.68%, respectively. In the PML mode, an average power of 2.12 W at 1939 nm and a pulse width of 1077 ps at 82.49 MHz were obtained from the Tm:YAP laser. In addition, the laser exhibited a good beam quality factor (M2) which was measured to be less than 1.2. These results will pave the way for the application of V2AlC‐based SA in ultrafast lasers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the extraction, purification and metabolic enzyme inhibition potential of Selaginella doederleinii were investigated. In order to extract the total biflavonoids from S. doederleinii (SDTBs), the optimum extraction process was obtained by optimizing the ultrasonic extraction parameters using response-surface methodology. This resulted in a total biflavonoid content of 22.26 ± 0.35 mg/g. Purification of the S. doederleinii extract was carried out using octadecylsilane (ODS), and the transfer rate of the SDTBs was 82.12 ± 3.48% under the optimum purification conditions. We determined the effect of the SDTBs on α-glucosidase (AG), α-amylase and xanthine oxidase (XOD) and found that the SDTBs had an extremely potent inhibitory effect on AG, with an IC50 value of 57.46 μg/mL, which was much lower than that of the positive control. Meanwhile, they also showed significant inhibition of XOD and α-amylase, with IC50 values of 289.67 μg/mL and 50.85 μg/mL, respectively. In addition, molecular docking studies were carried out to understand the nature of the action of the biflavonoids on AG and XOD. The results showed that robustaflavone had the lowest binding energy to AG (−11.33 kcal/mol) and XOD (−10.21 kcal/mol), while, on the other hand, amentoflavone showed a good binding affinity to AG (−10.40 kcal/mol) and XOD (−9.962 kcal/mol). Moreover, molecular dynamics simulations verified the above results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

WSe2 and CuO belong to transition metal chalcogenides (TMDs) and transition metal oxides (TMOs), respectively, and both are semiconductor materials that have been applied in production in many fields. In this work, WSe2/CuO heterojunction nanocomposites were prepared by simple and non-toxic liquid phase exfoliation (LPE) and vacuum filtration methods, and WSe2/CuO heterojunction saturable absorber (SA) devices were prepared by film transfer technology. The morphology and purity of the WSe2/CuO heterojunction were studied. In addition, the WSe2/CuO heterojunction SA was applied to a passively Q-switched (PQS) solid-state laser for the first time, generating a stable pulse output with a Watt-level output power, a maximum average output power of 2.32 W, a repetition frequency of 68.68 kHz, and a minimum pulse width of 752.8 ns. Our research results illustrate the great potential and broad application prospects of WSe2/CuO composites in the field of photonic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photoelectrochemical hydrogen production technology holds promise for directly and swiftly generating green hydrogen, which is pivotal for human welfare; however, it faces challenges posed by the energetically sluggish oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Cobalt-based nitrides are considered excellent photoelectrochemically active in the OER (PEOER) catalysts, and their conductivity and photoconversion efficiency remain relatively low. This paper presents the fabrication of Ni-alloyed Co4N nanowire arrays on carbon cloth ((Co1–xNix)4N NWAs/CC) as PEOER catalysts. By analyzing advanced in situ Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results, we discovered that Ni not only enhances the conductivity of the catalyst but, more importantly, also creates more photoexcited Co2+ OER centers and favors its reconstruction to CoOOH to charge PEOER. Furthermore, nitrogen plays a critical role in transforming pyridinic nitrogen into other forms of nitrogen to stabilize the catalyst's structure. These advantages endow (Co0.74Ni0.26)4N NWAs/CC with remarkable PEOER enhancement (988%), which drives the standard current density of 10 mA cm–2 with only a 283 mV overpotential along with good durability. This research provides insights into the PEOER mechanisms of cobalt-based transition metal nitrides, providing a way for designing next-generation PEOER catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar irradiation can efficiently promote the kinetics of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) during water splitting, where heterojunction catalysts exhibit excellent photoresponsive properties. However, insights into the origins of photoassisted OER catalysis remain unclear, especially the interfaced promotion under convergent solar irradiation (CSI). Herein, novel allotropic Co5.47N/CoN heterojunctions were synthesized, and corresponding OER mechanisms under CSI were comprehensively uncovered from physical and chemical aspects using the in situ Raman technique and electrochemical cyclic voltammetry method. Our results provide a unique mechanism where high‐energy UV light promotes the Co3+/4+ conversion process in addition to the ordinary photoelectric effect excitation of the Co2+ material. Importantly, visible light under CSI can produce a photothermal effect for Co2+ excitation and Co3+/4+ conversion, which promotes the OER significantly more than the usual photoelectric effect. As a result, Co5.47N/CoN (containing 28% CoN) obtained 317.9% OER enhancement, which provides a pathway for constructing excellent OER catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People's increasing demand for fossil fuels not only leads to environmental pollution but also highlights their non-renewable nature. Therefore, the urgency of developing renewable energy sources is evident. Tree branches and leaves undergo cycles of growth and decay with the changing seasons, showcasing their renewable potential. Despite this, they remain underutilized as new energy materials, particularly in the realm of high-energy-density lithium batteries. While this paper did not directly explore the utilization of various branches and leaves as raw materials for lithium–sulfur battery (LSB) cathodes, it revealed promising findings: they not only demonstrate good battery capacity but also boast considerable cycle life. The carbonized material from the leaves of Acer buergerianum can be used as the electrode of LSBs and could achieve 318.8 mA h g−1 at 4C and a decay rate of only 0.03% at 1C for 400 cycles., respectively. Therefore, the innovative method of turning decaying leaves into energy contributes significantly to the future of renewable energy and environmental protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Although pediatric epidural analgesia is a well-established technique used perioperatively. It is unclear whether a lumbar or caudal epidural is suitable for osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) patients, which may be associated with brittle bones and spine deformity. We conducted a retrospective study to investigate and compare the efficacy of the two continuous epidural techniques in pediatric patients undergoing lower extremity osteotomy surgery using a propensity score-matched analysis (PSMA). Patients and Methods: A total of 274 patients were included. Patients' age, weight, and height were adjusted using PSMA. 90 patients were matched for further analysis, with 45 patients in the lumbar epidural group (Group L) and 45 patients in the caudal epidural group (Group C). Pain scores were categorized into three grades: mild (0– 3), moderate (4– 6), and severe (7– 10), and compared between the two groups. Additionally, operation time, operation site, blood loss, scoliosis, oral analgesic medications, and catheter or nerve-related complications were compared. Results: There were no significant differences in operation time, operation site, scoliosis, and blood loss between the two groups. The percentage of moderate to severe pain during movement was significantly higher in Group L than in Group C, with 37.5% versus 17.5% on the second-day post-operation (P=0.039). However, no statistically significant difference was observed on other days. Additionally, there was no significant difference in oral medication consumption and complications between the two groups. Conclusion: Both lumbar and caudal epidural analgesia can be effectively used postoperatively, and a caudal epidural should be considered where performing a lumbar epidural is challenging in OI pediatric patients. Plain Language Summary: Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a rare genetic disorder that affects the body's connective tissues, particularly the bones and ligaments. It is caused by abnormalities in type I collagen, which leads to skeletal fragility known as "brittle bones". This fragility can cause various issues, including an increased risk of fractures from minor trauma, limb deformities, and unusual fractures such as vertebral compressions. OI patients may also experience spinal manifestations such as scoliosis and kyphosis. Lumbar epidural analgesia has been found to be effective in providing pain relief for surgeries that involve the lower extremities. Additionally, caudal epidural analgesia has also demonstrated its effectiveness in providing postoperative analgesia for surgeries that affect the lower limbs. However, there is still debate about the safety of epidural analgesia in patients with skeletal dysplasias, especially those with OI. Despite this uncertainty, our center, which was supported by the Rare Diseases Public Welfare Organization, has successfully used epidural analgesia since 2015 in the southern part of China for OI surgeries. We conducted a retrospective study to share our experiences of nine years of practice and compare lumbar epidural with caudal epidural using a propensity score matching to balance basic demographics. We also compared the presence of scoliosis. Our findings suggest that both lumbar and caudal epidural analgesia can be safely used in OI patients. In cases where lumbar punctures may pose challenges due to potential spine deformities, the caudal route can be an alternative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chromatin modifier GRAIN WEIGHT 6a (GW6a) enhances rice grain size and yield. However, little is known about its gene network determining grain size. Here, we report that MITOGEN-ACTIVED PROTEIN KINASE 6 (OsMAPK6) and E3 ligase CHANG LI GENG 1 (CLG1) interact with and target GW6a for phosphorylation and ubiquitylation, respectively. Unexpectedly, however, in vitro and in vivo assays reveal that both of the two post-translational modifications stabilize GW6a. Furthermore, we uncover two major GW6a phosphorylation sites (serine142 and threonine186) targeted by OsMAPK6 serving an important role in modulating grain size. In addition, our genetic and molecular results suggest that the OsMAPK6-GW6a and CLG1-GW6a axes are crucial and operate in a non-additive manner to control grain size. Overall, our findings identify a previously unknown mechanism by which phosphorylation and ubiquitylation non-additively stabilize GW6a to enhance grain size, and reveal correlations and interactions of these posttranslational modifications during rice grain development. OsMAPK6 and CLG1, respectively, target GW6a for phosphorylation and ubiquitylation to favor the substrate stabilization using a different mechanism from prior reports, and the corresponding genetic axes operate non-additively to regulate seed size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalytic uranium extraction from seawater is an ideal strategy to obtain uranium resources. Herein, the cyano‐functionalized graphitic carbon nitride (g‐C3N4‐CN) with an isosite structure of adsorption and photoreduction for U(VI) is successfully prepared to achieve efficient photocatalytic uranium extraction from seawater. As the key of the isosite structure, the cyano group not only dramatically promotes the separation of photogenerated charges of g‐C3N4‐CN and enriched electrons around it, but also greatly improves the adsorption capacity and selectivity for U(VI) over g‐C3N4‐CN by complexing with U(VI). Therefore, g‐C3N4‐CN exhibits efficient and stable photocatalytic U(VI) reduction performance, with a saturated uranium extraction capacity of 2644.3 mg g−1, significantly higher than most reported g‐C3N4‐based photocatalysts. Moreover, it also performs well in solar light‐driven uranium extraction from actual seawater. Briefly, this work illustrates the importance of constructing the isosite structure of adsorption and photoreduction for U(VI) in improving the photocatalytic uranium extraction performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extreme climate events such as storms and severe droughts are becoming more frequent under the warming climate. In the tropics, excess rainfall carried by hurricanes causes massive flooding and threatens ecosystems and human society. We assessed recent major floodings on the tropical island of Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria in 2017 and Hurricane Fiona in 2022, both of which cost billions of dollars damages to the island. We analyzed the Sentinel-1 synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images right after the hurricanes and detected surface inundation extent by applying a random forest classifier. We further explored hurricane rainfall patterns, flow accumulation, and other possible drivers of surface inundation at watershed scale and discussed the limitations. An independent validation dataset on flooding derived from high-resolution aerial images indicated a high classification accuracy with a Kappa statistic of 0.83. The total detected surface inundation amounted to 10,307 ha after Hurricane Maria and 7949 ha after Hurricane Fiona for areas with SAR images available. The inundation patterns are differentiated by the hurricane paths and associated rainfall patterns. We found that flow accumulation estimated from the interpolated Fiona rainfall highly correlated with the ground-observed stream discharges, with a Pearson's correlation coefficient of 0.98. The detected inundation extent was found to depend strongly on hurricane rainfall and topography in lowlands within watersheds. Normal climate, which connects to mean soil moisture, also contributed to the differentiated flooding extent among watersheds. The higher the accumulated Fiona rain and the lower the mean elevation in the flat lowlands, the larger the detected surface flooding extent at the watershed scale. Additionally, the drier the climate, which might indicate drier soils, the smaller the surface flooding areas. The approach used in this study is limited by the penetration capability of C-band SAR; further application of L-band images would expand the detection to flooding under dense vegetation. Detecting flooding by applying machine learning techniques to SAR satellite images provides an effective, efficient, and reliable approach to flood assessment in coastal regions on a large scale, hence helping to guide emergency responses and policy making and to mitigate flooding disasters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reforestation often occurs when the economy shifts from agriculture to industry and services such as tourism. However, there is a lack of coherent knowledge and investigation about the impact of reforestation in the tropics on hydrological variability as well as flood risks. It is unclear how changes in forest cover and pattern will affect flood risks and watershed response to future altered rainfall intensity. This study uses the Soil Water Assessment Tool (SWAT+) to simulate the impact of reforestation, the locality of forest, and the concentrated rainfall on the hydrology of the largest watershed in Puerto Rico. SWAT+ is a computer model simulating watershed hydrology driven by meteorological input and the characteristics of soils and land use. We hypothesized that increased forest cover, especially at low elevation range, would reduce flood risk and that reduced rain days while maintaining the mean annual rainfall invariant would increase stream discharge variability. We found that reforestation significantly reduced large discharges but increased small discharges; that forest at low elevation tended to reduce large and extreme discharges in comparison with forest at high elevation; and that more concentrated rainfall not only increased the rainfall variability but also increased the discharge variability. However, both the impact of shifting forest locality and the response of watershed to altered rainfall intensity strongly depended on geophysical factors such as ranges of elevation and slope. Moving forests to lower elevation in subbasins with steeper slopes showed a stronger reduction in extreme discharges than in subbasins with flatter slopes. On the other hand, subbasins with steeper slopes tended to response more strongly to more concentrated rainfall with greater increase in discharge variability than subbasins with flatter slopes. To cope with future increased climate variability, our results favor reforestation at lower elevation for watershed with large elevation ranges and steep slopes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The prediction of outcomes in convulsive status epilepticus (CSE) remains a constant challenge. The Encephalitis‐Nonconvulsive Status Epilepticus‐Diazepam Resistance‐Image Abnormalities‐Tracheal Intubation (END‐IT) score was a useful tool for predicting the functional outcomes of CSE patients, excluding cerebral hypoxia patients. With further understanding of CSE, and in view of the deficiencies of END‐IT itself, we consider it necessary to modify the prediction tool. Methods: The prediction model was designed from a cohort of CSE patients from Xijing Hospital (China), between 2008 and 2020. The enrolled subjects were randomly divided into training cohort and validation cohort as a ratio of 2:1. The logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the predictors and construct the nomogram. The performance of the nomogram was assessed by calculating the concordance index, and creating calibration plots to check the consistency between the predicted probabilities of poor prognosis and the actual outcomes of CSE. Results: The training cohort included 131 patients and validation cohort included 66 patients. Variables included in the nomogram were age, etiology of CSE, non‐convulsive SE, mechanical ventilation, abnormal albumin level at CSE onset. The concordance index of the nomogram in the training and validation cohorts was 0.853 (95% CI, 0.787–0.920) and 0.806 (95% CI, 0.683–0.923), respectively. The calibration plots showed an adequate consistency between the reported and predicted unfavorable outcomes of patients with CSE at 3 months after discharge. Conclusions: A nomogram for predicting the individualized risks of poor functional outcomes in CSE was constructed and validated, which has been an important modification of END‐IT score. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes a seismic optimization strategy to reduce the cost of piers of simply-supported bridges for high-speed railway (HSR) in China. The dimension and reinforcement ratio of piers are defined as variables. The running safety of high-speed trains during normal operation is considered by novelly setting the vibration amplitude of running trains to satisfy the corresponding constraint condition. Other constraint conditions include the structural fundamental frequency, buckling stability, and longitudinal stiffness, as well as the stress and crack width of piers during earthquakes. An improved genetic algorithm with a double-filter strategy is proposed to increase the efficiency of the optimization calculation. Six HSR simply-supported bridges with different pier heights are selected as examples to verify the effectiveness and applicability of the proposed optimization method. The result shows that for the example bridges, the cost of the optimised piers that are not higher than 30 m can be reduced by 33.38% to 50.65%. The optimised piers can ensure the integrity of the HSR bridges subjected to the considered earthquakes and can provide sufficient stiffness to ensure the running safety and stationarity of high-speed trains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To assess the diagnostic value of qualitative and quantitative contrast‐enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) for pathological subtypes of small solid renal masses (sSRMs). Methods: Patients with sSRMs confirmed by surgical pathology from January 2019 to November 2021 were retrospectively identified. All patients were divided into 3 groups: clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) group, none‐ccRCC group (renal cell carcinoma other than ccRCC), and angiomyolipoma (AML) group. The mass position, size, echogenicity and blood flow signals were compared. The speed of wash‐in, wash‐out, the degree of peak enhancement and the homogeneity at peak enhancement, the presence of pseudocapsule sign in CEUS imaging were qualitatively evaluated. Peak enhancement, wash‐in area under the curve (WiAUC), rise time, time to peak, wash‐in rate (WiR), wash‐in perfusion index (WiPI) and tumor‐to‐cortex enhancement ratio of the above parameters in CEUS imaging were quantitatively evaluated. Results: Of 105 patients, 105 sSRMs (66 ccRCC, 18 none‐ccRCC, 21 AML) were enrolled in this study. No significant differences were found on location, size and echogenicity among 3 groups (all P >.05). The proportion of fast‐washout and hypo‐enhancement were highest in none‐ccRCC group. Heterogeneous enhancement was detected in 87.88% in ccRCC group which is significantly higher than other 2 groups. Hundred percent of the AML showed no pseudocapsule sign, which is the highest among the 3 groups. Peak enhancement, WiAUC, WiR, WiPI of ccRCC group were the highest among the 3 groups. Conclusions: Qualitative and quantitative CEUS not only has the diagnostic value in distinguishing AML from malignant sSRMs, but also helps to differentiate the pathological subtypes of sSRMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

miR-124 is a miRNA predominantly expressed in the nervous system and accounts for more than a quarter of the total miRNAs in the brain. It regulates neurogenesis, neuronal differentiation, neuronal maturation, and synapse formation and is the most important miRNA in the brain. Furthermore, emerging evidence has suggested miR-124 may be associated with the pathogenesis of various neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders. Here, we provide an overview of the role of miR-124 in neurodevelopment and the underling mechanisms, and finally, we prospect the significance of miR-124 research to the field of neuroscience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) is a severe malignancy derived from the skin. Mounting evidence suggests that circular RNAs (circRNAs) participate in diverse biological functions in human cancers, containing CSCC. However, the biological functions and underlying mechanism of hsa_circ_0005085 in CSCC have not been clearly studied. Methods: Expression levels of hsa_circ_0005085, microRNA‐186‐5p (miR‐186‐5p), and Laminin subunit gamma 1 (LAMC1) were detected by reverse transcription‐quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Cell counting kit‐8 assay, colony formation assay, and 5‐Ethynyl‐2′‐deoxyuridine assay were used to assess cell proliferation. Transwell assay was conducted to detect cell migration and invasion. Cell apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry. Protein expression of LAMC1, E‐cadherin, Snail, and slug were assessed using western blot assay. Using bioinformatics software, the binding between miR‐186‐5p and hsa_circ_0005085 or LAMC1 was predicted, followed by verification using a dual‐luciferase reporter and RNA‐Immunoprecipitation. The mouse xenograft model was established to investigate the role of hsa_circ_0005085 in vivo. Results: Hsa_circ_0005085 level was downregulated in CSCC tissues and cells. Overexpression of hsa_circ_0005085 inhibited cell proliferation, migration, invasion, epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT), and promoted cell apoptosis in CSCC. MiR‐186‐5p could restore the effect of hsa_circ_0005085 overexpression on CSCC cells, and the knockdown of LAMC1 reversed the regulation of the miR‐186‐5p inhibitor. In mechanism, hsa_circ_0005085 served as a sponge for miR‐186‐5p to regulate LAMC1 expression. Overexpression of hsa_circ_0005085 reduced growth of tumor via miR‐186‐5p/LAMC1 axis in vivo. Conclusion: In our study, hsa_circ_0005085 might inhibit CSCC development by targeting the miR‐186‐5p/LAMC1 axis, which might provide a promising therapeutic target for CSCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a Tm:YAP all‐solid‐state continuous wave (CW) and passive Q‐switched (PQS) laser were experimentally proved by using a TaTe2‐based saturable absorber (SA) for the first time. Under the CW mode, the maximum output power was 4.99 W and the slope efficiency was 29.8%. Based on TaTe2 SA, the shortest pulse width of 585 ns at the central wavelength of 1987.9 nm was obtained with the pump power of 17.73 W, corresponding to single‐pulse energy of 9.7 µJ and an average output power of 1.86 W. Also, a pulse repetition frequency of 202.4 kHz was achieved in the PQS Tm:YAP laser when the pump power was 13.51 W. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a passively Q‐switched (PQS) Tm:YAP laser was experimentally demonstrated by using a Ti3AlC2‐based saturable absorber (SA). In the PQS regime, an average output power of 2010/1575 mW with a pulse width of 266/859 ns at 130/155 kHz was achieved from a Tm:YAP laser under an output couple mirror with a transmittance (T) of 1.5%/2.5%, corresponding to an optical conversion efficiency of 9.2%/11.6%. Also, a single pulse energy of 15.5/10.2 μJ and a peak power of 58.1/11.8 W were acquired from the PQS Tm:YAP laser. As far as we know, this is the first time that a Ti3AlC2‐based SA was used for a PQS Tm:YAP laser. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the many strategies employed to slow the spread of cancer, the development of new anti-tumor drugs and the minimization of side effects have been major research hotspots in the anti-tumor field. Natural drugs are a huge treasure trove of drug development, and they have been widely used in the clinic as anti-tumor drugs. Selaginella species in the family Selaginellaceae are widely distributed worldwide, and they have been well-documented in clinical practice for the prevention and treatment of cancer. Biflavonoids are the main active ingredients in Selaginella, and they have good biological and anti-tumor activities, which warrant extensive research. The promise of biflavonoids from Selaginella (SFB) in the field of cancer therapy is being realized thanks to new research that offers insights into the multi-targeting therapeutic mechanisms and key signaling pathways. The pharmacological effects of SFB against various cancers in vitro and in vivo are reviewed in this review. In addition, the types and characteristics of biflavonoid structures are described in detail; we also provide a brief summary of the efforts to develop drug delivery systems or combinations to enhance the bioavailability of SFB monomers. In conclusion, SFB species have great potential to be developed as adjuvant or even primary therapeutic agents for cancer, with promising applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the long-term survival and functional outcomes of patients with prolonged disorders of consciousness (pDoC) 1–8 years after brain injuries. Methods: Retrospective study to assess the long-term survival and functional outcomes of patients with pDoC was conducted. We performed Cox regression and multivariate logistic regression to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) for the outcome of survival and to identify risk factors of the functional outcome. Results: We recruited 154 patients with pDoC. The duration of follow-up from disease onset was 1–8 years. The median age was 46 years (IQR, 32–59), and 65.6% (n = 101) of them were men. During the follow-up period, one hundred and ten patients (71.4%) survived; among them, 52 patients had a good outcome. From the overall survival curve, the 1-, 3-, and 8-year survival rates of patients were about 80.5%, 72.0%, and 69.7%, respectively. Cox regression analysis revealed a significant association between the lower APACHE II score (p = 0.005) (cut-off score ≥ 18) and the presence of sleep spindles (p = 0.001) with survival. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated a higher CRS-R score (cut-off score ≥ 7), and presence of sleep spindles were related to a favorable outcome among patients with pDoC. Conclusions: Sleep spindles are correlated with both long-term survival and long-term functional outcome in pDoC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Hurricanes are major threats to coastal mangrove ecosystems. Inundation has been implicitly reported to associate with mangrove damages and mortality. However, there have been no spatial statistical analyses of the impact of inundation on mangrove recovery at landscape scales. Objectives: Our objectives are to detect spatiotemporal patterns of inundation after major hurricanes and to explore explicitly the role of inundation in mangrove recovery at landscape scale. Methods: Using C-band Synthetic Aperture Radar images, we detected the spatiotemporal pattern of surface flood and derived the spatial distribution of inundation depth under mangrove canopies based on surrounding surface flood and elevation along northern Puerto Rico coasts after major hurricanes in 2017. Based on the Enhanced Vegetation Index, we derived the short-term hurricane impact and the recovery ratio from 2018 to 2021, and analyzed the impact and the recovery of mangrove greenness by means of spatial error models. Results: The identification of surface flood reached very high accuracy. The severe impact is significantly explained by greater gust windspeed during the hurricane and lower elevation. More importantly, retarded mangrove greenness recovery is significantly explained by severer impacts, longer and deeper inundation, and heavier hurricane rainfall. Conclusions: Spatiotemporal heterogeneity in flood depth plays a significant and essential role in mangrove recovery and delayed mortality after major hurricanes. The derived flood depth turns out to be a better explanator of mangrove recovery than elevation, which highlights importance of landscape hydrology and topography with respect to mangrove response and restoration after major hurricanes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Damage to keratinocytes and other skin cells in a high‐glucose environment has been proven to be an important reason for the poor wound healing ability of chronic diabetes mellitus. Histatin‐1 has been preliminarily proven to stimulate the wound healing process of the oral and non‐oral mucosa and has been found to be related to the activation of extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (ERK). Aim of the Study: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of histatin‐1 on high‐glucose‐injured keratinocytes and the role of the Ras–Raf–MEK–ERK signaling pathway on the effect of histatin‐1 to improve diabetic wound healing. Methods: A human keratinocyte model damaged by high glucose was constructed, cell proliferation was detected by the Cell Counting Kit‐8 assay, and cell apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry. The expression level of 8‐hydroxy‐2′‐deoxyguanosine (8‐OHdG) was detected by ELISA, and the mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway protein expression level was detected by Western blot. C‐fos mRNA expression was detected by real‐time PCR. Results: The results indicated that histatin‐1 promoted proliferation and reduced the rate of apoptosis and 8‐OHdG content in keratinocytes with high‐glucose injury. In addition, histatin‐1 down‐regulated MEK phosphorylation in keratinocytes with high‐glucose injury. However, with the extension of the intervention, the effect of histatin‐1 on c‐fos mRNA expression was different. At the early stage of high‐glucose injury (12 h), the expression of c‐fos mRNA was not increased in high‐glucose‐injured keratinocytes treated with histatin‐1 but then c‐fos mRNA expression was gradually upregulated. Conclusion: Histatin‐1 could alleviate keratinocyte injury caused by high glucose levels and promoted wound healing in vitro. In addition, histatin‐1 could exert anti‐apoptotic and antioxidant damage effects under high‐glucose injury states. These effects of histatin‐1 may be related to its regulation of the MAPK signaling pathway. Therefore, these findings provide an essential theoretical basis for histatin‐1 to become a safe and effective new peptide biological agent to promote wound healing in patients with diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to improve the social and political literacy of college students. Social and Political Education (SPE) is studied for undergraduates. Firstly, the background of the subject research is introduced. The face recognition module is built based on deep convolutional neural network (DCNN). The sociopolitical situation of the study subjects is analyzed through a questionnaire. Secondly, a model of the learning process is constructed. Finally, the SPE online course learning platform is constructed. Empirical studies are divided into experimental and control groups. The findings show that all model assumptions are valid. There is a significant structural relationship between the influencing factors of the SPE learning process of college students in the study area. The students selected as research objects lack innovation and critical thinking in the learning process and have certain deficiencies in innovative thinking and critical thinking. The questionnaire has good reliability and validity. The predicted data of the designed platform are compared with the predicted data of the control group. Social science competencies by gender are compared. The results showed little difference in the effectiveness of students using other methods for sociopolitical learning. The data of the experimental group before and after the test are quite different, indicating that the designed experimental platform has played a certain positive role. There are significant differences in the posttest data between the experimental group and the control group, indicating that the constructed online course learning model has a positive impact on students' innovative thinking and critical thinking. Women's learning motivation and transfer learning ability are stronger than those of men. The constructed model has certain feasibility for the learning of SPE online courses with face recognition module. These contents provide a reference for the reform of social and political courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The objectives of this study were to prospectively 1) explore the characteristics and enhanced patterns of carotid body tumors (CBTs) at color Doppler ultrasound (CDU) and contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) qualitatively and quantitatively and 2) compare CDU and CEUS for their morphology and vascularity signature. Methods: CDU and CEUS with Sonovue® were used to evaluate 25 CBT lesions. The comparison between these ultrasonic modalities included the size, Shamblin type, vascularity, and feeding vessels of the lesion areas. The time–intensity curve (TIC) analysis was used to obtain the dynamics of the contrast-enhancement features of CBTs. Results: The TIC analysis presented a fast wash-in [wash-in time: 3.00 ± 1.10 s, mean ± SD] and slow wash-out [wash-out time: 58.79 ± 24.21 s, mean ± SD] pattern in the CBT lesions, with a high area under the curve (AUC) of 669.68 ± 143.46 mm2 (mean ± SD). In comparison with CDU, CEUS was superior in identifying Shamblin type I or III CBT lesions (χ2 = 17.389, p=0.002). It detected a significant difference in the AUC between moderate and marked vascularity groups (563.33 ± 102.63 vs. 707.22 ± 138.81, t=-2.311, p=0.031.), while CDU observed no significant difference between these two groups. Although CDU was more sensitive than CEUS in detecting feeding vessels (100% vs. 88%), CEUS better visualized the origins of feeding vessels (χ2 = 9.162, p=0.010). Conclusion: CEUS can better investigate the Shamblin type and vascularity of CBT lesions than CDU. CBTs displayed a fast wash-in, slow wash-out pattern with high AUC in the TIC analysis in the CEUS mode. CDU is more sensitive in detecting feeding vessels than CEUS, while CEUS can better visualize the origins of feeding vessels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brown cotton fiber (BCF) is a unique raw material of naturally colored cotton (NCC). But characteristics of the regulatory gene network and metabolic components related to the proanthocyanidins biosynthesis pathway at various stages of its fiber development remain unclear. Here, the dynamic changes in proanthocyanidins biosynthesis components and transcripts in the BCF variety "Zong 1-61" and its white near-isogenic lines (NILs) "RT" were characterized at five fiber developmental stages (0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 days post-anthesis; DPA). Enrichment analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs), comparison of metabolome differences, and pathway enrichment analysis of a weighted gene correlation network analysis together revealed the dominant gene expression of flavonoid biosynthesis (FB), phenylpropanoid metabolisms, and some carbohydrate metabolisms at 15 or 20 DPA than white cotton. Eventually, 63 genes were identified from five modules putatively related to FB. Three R2R3-MYB and two bHLH transcription factors were predicted as the core genes. Further, GhANS , GhANR1 , and GhUFGT2 were preliminarily regulated by GhMYB46 , GhMYB6 , and GhMYB3 , respectively, according to yeast one-hybrid assays in vitro. Our findings provide an important transcriptional regulatory network of proanthocyanidins biosynthesis pathway and dynamic flavonoid metabolism profiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mode instability (MI) has become a major factor that restricts the brightness enhancement of fiber laser. This paper studies the MI threshold characteristics of the fiber oscillators with refrigerated ytterbium-doped fiber (YDF). In the experiments, two fiber lasers that can operate at low temperature were built. We rigorously tested the MI threshold of the lasers with the YDF placed in two different environments. At room temperature environment, the MI threshold of the oscillator was measured with the temperature of the YDF water cooling plate ranging from 25 °C to 5 °C. When the cooling temperature of the YDF drops from 20 °C to 5 °C, the MI threshold of the laser rises gradually, but the increase is small. In another experiment, the YDF is assembled in a constant temperature test chamber, in which the cooling of the YDF is more efficient. It is found that as the cooling temperature drops, the MI threshold of the laser has an obvious upward trend. In the process of the cooling temperature of the YDF dropped from 20 °C to −10 °C, the MI threshold of the laser was increased from 867 W to above 931 W, an increase of nearly 10%. It is the first detailed experimental demonstration which shows that decreasing the cooling temperature of the gain fiber can indeed increase the MI threshold of the fiber oscillator. This work can clarify the influence of cooling temperature on the laser thermal effect, which is conducive to perfecting the theoretical model of the MI effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Altered placental development and function lead to placental diseases such as preeclampsia (PE) which is mainly characterized by insufficient trophoblast invasion and abnormally invasive placenta disorders. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are widely reported to function as crucial players in the pathogenesis of PE. The present investigation clarified the role of lncRNA small nucleolar RNA host gene 16 (SNHG16) in PE. RT-qPCR was used to measure gene expression. The proliferation of trophoblast cells was examined using CCK-8 and EdU assays. Trophoblast migration and invasion were assessed using wound healing and transwell assays. The apoptosis was estimated by flow cytometry. Luciferase reporter and RNA pull-down assays were performed to explore the molecular mechanisms in trophoblast cells. We found that SNHG16 was downregulated in placenta from patients with PE. Moreover, SNHG16 depletion significantly inhibited trophoblast cell proliferation, migration, and invasion and stimulated apoptosis, while SNHG16 overexpression exerted an opposite effect. Subsequently, we confirmed that SNHG16 acted as a competing RNA (ceRNA) of miR-218-5p that was verified to directly target LASP1. Both miR-218-5p depletion and LASP1 upregulation antagonized the effect of SNHG16 knockdown on HTR-8/SVneo cell functions. In conclusion, SNHG16 facilitates trophoblast cell migration and invasion by the miR-218-5p/LASP1 axis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important regulators of many cellular processes, and the dysregulation of miRNAs is associated with various diseases. MiR-100-5p is revealed to be downregulated in gestational hypertension, while its underlying regulatory mechanism remains unclear. The pathological condition of gestational hypertension was mimicked by the hypoxia and reoxygenation (H/R) treatment to human placental microvascular endothelial cells (HPMECs). RT-qPCR and western blotting were conducted to detect the mRNA and protein expression of RNAs. HPMEC viability was assessed by CCK-8 assay. HPMEC angiogenesis was examined using tube formation assay. The concentrations of ANG-1 and ANG-2 in HPMECs were detected by ELISA. The binding relationship between miR-100-5p and homeodomain interacting protein kinase 2 (HIPK2) was investigated using luciferase reporter assay. MiR-100-5p was downregulated in HPMECs after H/R treatment. MiR-100-5p overexpression reversed the H/R-induced decrease in viability, angiogenesis of HPMECs. HIPK2 was targeted by miR-100-5p in HPMECs, and miR-100-5p negatively modulated HIPK2 expression at the mRNA and protein levels. MiR-100-5p activated the PI3K/AKT pathway by downregulating HIPK2. Rescue assays demonstrated that miR-100-5p promoted the viability and angiogenesis of H/R treated HPMECs by targeting HIPK2 to activate the PI3K/AKT pathway. MiR-100-5p overexpression inhibits the dysfunction of HPMECs under hypoxia and reoxygenation by downregulating HIPK2 to activate the PI3K/AKT pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the regional landscape pattern, woodland landscape patches are developed in a regular manner, showing a trend of agglomeration as a whole; the concentration and dominance of landscape patches of cultivated land, grassland, and unused land are decreasing, and the overall situation is fragmented; the water landscape pattern is also showing a regular development state to varying degrees. On the whole, the landscape of a certain area is scattered and fragmented, and the dominant landscape types dominate the overall landscape layout of the region. The diversity of land use landscape pattern shows positive autocorrelation as a whole. According to the Moran's I index of the diversity of land use landscape patterns, the overall agglomeration effect of the region has increased, but the overall trend is in a balanced trend. The ecological service value of urban land use change continues to increase, but the regional differences are significant, the structure is simple, and it is mainly supported by ecosystems such as forest land, water area, and agricultural land. Based on the analysis of the spatiotemporal evolution of land use, an in-depth analysis of the urban water environment, atmospheric environment, soil environment, urban heat island, and other environmental issues of the urban land use in the study area is carried out. The calculation and analysis results of the ecological service value of urban land use change and its flow direction change show that the ecosystem service value has increased, and the regional difference and flow direction of the ecosystem service value have changed significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More and more evidence has identified that long non‐coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in various biological process of numerous diseases. It has been reported that long intergenic non‐protein coding RNA 473 (LINC00473) was associated with pre‐eclampsia (PE) development. However, role and molecular mechanism of LINC00473 in PE remains elusive. Therefore, we designed this research to figure out the specific biological function of LINC00473 in trophoblasts. Firstly, we testified expressions of LINC00473 in trophoblasts of PE with RT‐qPCR analysis. Then, to probe biological function of LINC00473 in trophoblasts of PE, CCK‐8 assay, trans‐well assays and western blot analysis were conducted in Wish and JAR cells. As for verifying interaction of microRNA‐15a‐5p (miR‐15a‐5p) and LINC00473 or lipopolysaccharide induced TNF factor (LITAF), RNA pull‐down and luciferase reporter assays were carried out. Finally, rescue experiments were conducted to probe regulatory pattern of the LINC00473/miR‐15a‐5p/LITAF axis in trophoblasts of PE. As a result, LINC00473 presented a significant upregulation in trophoblasts of PE. Moreover, LINC00473 knockdown induced trophoblast viability, migration, invasion, and epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) in trophoblasts. Additionally, miR‐15a‐5p interacted with LINC00473 and miR‐15a‐5p was negatively regulated by LINC00473 in trophoblasts. Simultaneously, miR‐15a‐5p negatively modulated LITAF in trophoblasts. Moreover, LITAF overexpression or miR‐15a‐5p downregulation reversed the promotive impact of silenced LINC00473 on trophoblast viability, migration, invasion and EMT. In conclusion, LINC00473 regulated migration and invasion in trophoblasts via the miR‐15a‐5p/LITAF axis. Our study may provide a novel insight for clinical treatment of PE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Profiling studies have revealed considerable phenotypic heterogeneity in cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) present within the tumour microenvironment, however, functional characterisation of different CAF subsets is hampered by the lack of specific markers defining these populations. Here we show that genetic deletion of the Endo180 (MRC2) receptor, predominantly expressed by a population of matrix-remodelling CAFs, profoundly limits tumour growth and metastasis; effects that can be recapitulated in 3D co-culture assays. This impairment results from a CAF-intrinsic contractility defect and reduced CAF viability, which coupled with the lack of phenotype in the normal mouse, demonstrates that upregulated Endo180 expression by a specific, potentially targetable CAF subset is required to generate a supportive tumour microenvironment. Further, characterisation of a tumour subline selected via serial in vivo passage for its ability to overcome these stromal defects provides important insight into, how tumour cells adapt to a non-activated stroma in the early stages of metastatic colonisation. Endo180, a collagen binding receptor, is highly expressed in a subset of cancer-associated fibroblasts. The authors show, using knockout mice and 3D in vitro assays, that Endo180 depletion impairs tumour fibroblast contractility and viability resulting in reduced tumour growth and metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Cotton seeds are typically covered by lint and fuzz fibres. Natural 'fuzzless' mutants are an ideal model system for identifying genes that regulate cell initiation and elongation. Here, using a genome‐wide association study (GWAS), we identified a ~ 6.2 kb insertion, larINDELFZ, located at the end of chromosome 8, composed of a ~ 5.0 kb repetitive sequence and a ~ 1.2 kb fragment translocated from chromosome 12 in fuzzless Gossypium arboreum. The presence of larINDELFZ was associated with a fuzzless seed and reduced trichome phenotypes in G. arboreum. This distant insertion was predicted to be an enhancer, located ~ 18 kb upstream of the dominant‐repressor GaFZ (Ga08G0121). Ectopic overexpression of GaFZ in Arabidopsis thaliana and G. hirsutum suggested that GaFZ negatively modulates fuzz and trichome development. Co‐expression and interaction analyses demonstrated that GaFZ might impact fuzz fibre/trichome development by repressing the expression of genes in the very‐long‐chain fatty acid elongation pathway. Thus, we identified a novel regulator of fibre/trichome development while providing insights into the importance of noncoding sequences in cotton. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate an efficient diode-pumped Tm:Lu2O3 ceramic laser with resonant pumping scheme. A laser diode at 1.7 μm is employed as the pump source. With an absorbed pump power of 8.2 W, the diode-pumped Tm:Lu2O3 ceramic laser produces an output power of 3.3 W at 2.06 μm corresponding to a slope efficiency of 64.9% with respect to the absorbed pump power. Furthermore, the M2 factor of Tm:Lu2O3 ceramic laser at the maximum output level is estimated to be about 1.02. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Improving yield is a primary mission for cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) breeders; development of cultivars with suitable architecture for high planting density (HPDA) can increase yield per unit area.We characterized a natural cotton mutant, AiSheng98 (AS98), which exhibits shorter height, shorter branch length, and more acute branch angle than wild‐type.A copy number variant at the HPDA locus on Chromosome D12 (HPDA‐D12), encoding a dehydration‐responsive element‐binding (DREB) transcription factor, GhDREB1B, strongly affects plant architecture in the AS98 mutant. We found an association between a tandem duplication of a c. 13.5 kb segment in HPDA‐D12 and elevated GhDREB1B expression resulting in the AS98 mutant phenotype. GhDREB1B overexpression confers a significant decrease in plant height and branch length, and reduced branch angle.Our results suggest that fine‐tuning GhDREB1B expression may be a viable engineering strategy for modification of plant architecture favorable to high planting density in cotton. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to verify the veracity and reliability of the INCNS score for prediction of neurological ICU (NICU) mortality and 3-month functional outcome and mortality in comatose patients. Methods: In this prospective study, data of the patients admitted to NICU from January 2013 to January 2019 were collected for validation. The 3-month functional outcomes were evaluated using modified Rankin Scale (mRS). By using the receiver operating characteristics curve (ROC) analysis, we compared the INCNS score with Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), Full Outline of Un-Responsiveness Score (FOUR) and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) for assessment of the predictive performance of these scales for 3-month functional outcome and mortality and NICU mortality performed at 24- and 72-h after admission to the NICU. Results: Totally 271 patients were used for evaluation; the INCNS score achieved an AUC (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve) of 0.766 (95% CI: 0.711–0.815) and 0.824 (95% CI: 0.774–0.868) for unfavorable functional outcomes, an AUC of 0.848 (95% CI: 0.800–0.889) and 0.892 (95% CI: 0.848–0.926) for NICU mortality, and an AUC of 0.811 (95% CI: 0.760–0.856) and 0.832 (95% CI: 0.782–0.874) for the 3-month mortality after discharge from the NICU at 24- and 72-h. The INCNS score exhibited a significantly better predictive performance of mortality and 3-month functional outcomes than FOUR and GCS. There was no significant difference in predicting NICU mortality and 3-month functional outcomes between INCNS and APACHE II, but INCNS had better predictive performance of 3-month mortality than APACHE II. Conclusions: The INCNS score could be used for predicting the functional outcomes and mortality rate of comatose patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) can be used to evaluate microcirculation in cancers, which in turn is associated with the biologic features and ultimately patient prognosis. We conducted a retrospective analysis to examine potential association between CEUS parameters and prognosis in patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). The analysis included 306 patients who underwent CEUS prior to thyroidectomy at our center during a period from 2012 to 2019. Subjects with excellent response (ER) were compared to the non-ER group (including indeterminate response, biochemical incomplete response and structural incomplete response). During the median follow-up of 34 months, ER was observed in 195 (63.7%) subjects. The remaining 111 (36.3%) patients developed non-ER events, with distant metastasis in five (1.6%) cases. In a multivariate COX regression, non-ER event was associated with the male sex (OR = 1.83, 95%CI: 1.21–2.76) and blood-rich enhancement in CEUS (OR = 1.69, 95%CI: 1.04–2.75). Based on this finding, we developed a predictive model: high risk for developing non-ER events was defined as having both risk factors; low risk was defined as having none or only one risk. In receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, the area under the curve was 0.59 (95%CI: 0.52–0.66). The sensitivity and specificity were 17.1 and 95.4%, respectively. The positive and negative predictive values were 67.9 and 66.9%, respectively. In conclusion, blood-rich enhancement in CEUS is associated with non-ER events after thyroidectomy in patients with PTC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The clinical utility of genetic testing for epilepsy has been enhanced with the advancement of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology along with the rapid updating of publicly available databases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic yield of NGS and assess the value of reinterpreting genetic test results in children and adults with epilepsy. We performed genetic testing on 200 patients, including 82 children and 118 adults. The results were classified into three categories: positive, inconclusive, or negative. The reinterpretation of inconclusive results was conducted in April 2020. Overall, we identified disease-causing variants in 12% of the patients in the original analysis, and 14.5% at reinterpretation. The diagnostic yield for adults with epilepsy was similar to that for children (11 vs. 19.5%, p = 0.145). After reinterpretation, 9 of the 86 patients who initially had inconclusive results obtained a clinically significant change in diagnosis. Among these nine revised cases, five obtained positive diagnoses, representing a diagnosis rate of 5.8% (5/86). Manual searches for additional evidence of pathogenicity for candidate variants and updated patient clinical information were the main reasons for diagnostic reclassification. This study emphasizes the diagnostic potential of combining NGS and reinterpretation of inconclusive genetic test reports in children and adults with epilepsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study determined the expression of microRNA (miRNA or miR)-21 and forkhead box M1 (FOXM1) in placenta and blood samples from patients with preeclampsia (PE), and investigated the relationship between miR-21 and FOXM1. A total of 32 pregnant women with PE and 28 healthy pregnant women were included in the study as the experimental and control groups, respectively. Placental tissues and peripheral blood were collected from all subjects. ELISA was performed to measure the level of FOXM1 protein in the blood. HTR8/SVneo cells overexpressing miR-21 were established by transfection with agomiR-21. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR was performed to measure the expression of FOXM1 mRNA and miR-21 in the placenta, blood and cells, and western blotting was used to evaluate FOXM1 protein expression in the placenta. An MTT assay was also performed to assess cell viability. In addition, a dual-luciferase reporter assay was used to investigate the direct interaction between FOXM1 and miR-21. The occurrence of PE was found to be associated with reduced FOXM1 mRNA levels, and elevated FOXM1 protein expression may serve a regulatory role that when attenuated leads to the occurrence of PE. Furthermore, miR-21 may serve a regulatory role in the pathology of PE by downregulating FOXM1 expression at the transcriptional level. In HTR8/SVneo cells, the overexpression of miR-21 reduced cell viability, possibly via the reduction of FOXM1 expression. The dual-luciferase assay indicated that miR-21 directly binds to the 3'-untranslated region of FOXM1 to regulate its expression. The present study demonstrated that the expression of FOXM1 mRNA and protein is downregulated, whereas the expression of miR-21 is upregulated in the placenta and blood samples of PE patients. In conclusion, miR-21 may regulate placental cell proliferation via its effects on FOXM1 to promote the occurrence and development of PE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Root systems are critical for plant growth and development. The Casparian strip in root systems is involved in stress resistance and maintaining homeostasis. Casparian strip membrane domain proteins (CASPs) are responsible for the formation of Casparian strips. Results: To investigate the function of CASPs in cotton, we identified and characterized 48, 54, 91 and 94 CASPs from Gossypium arboreum, Gossypium raimondii, Gossypium barbadense and Gossypium hirsutum, respectively, at the genome-wide level. However, only 29 common homologous CASP genes were detected in the four Gossypium species. A collinearity analysis revealed that whole genome duplication (WGD) was the primary reason for the expansion of the genes of the CASP family in the four cotton species. However, dispersed duplication could also contribute to the expansion of the GaCASPs gene family in the ancestors of G. arboreum. Phylogenetic analysis was used to cluster a total of 85 CASP genes from G. arboreum and Arabidopsis into six distinct groups, while the genetic structure and motifs of CASPs were conserved in the same group. Most GaCASPs were expressed in diverse tissues, with the exception of that five GaCASPs (Ga08G0113, Ga08G0114, Ga08G0116, Ga08G0117 and Ga08G0118) that were highly expressed in root tissues. Analyses of the tissue and subcellular localization suggested that GaCASP27 genes (Ga08G0117) are membrane protein genes located in the root. In the GaCASP27 silenced plants and the Arabidopsis mutants, the lateral root number significantly increased. Furthermore, GaMYB36, which is related to root development was found to regulate lateral root growth by targeting GaCASP27. Conclusions: This study provides a fundamental understanding of the CASP gene family in cotton and demonstrates the regulatory role of GaCASP27 on lateral root growth and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the effectiveness of the number of central compartment lymph nodes (CLNs) on ultrasound (US) in predicting CLN metastasis (CLNM). We prospectively studied 309 papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) patients who underwent thyroidectomy with CLN dissection at our center from May 2017 to July 2017. The number and features of CLNs were evaluated preoperatively via US. All US examinations were performed using a Philips iU 22 or a GE Logiq 9 machine. Correlations between CLNs observed via preoperative US and amount of CLNM were evaluated. We found that ≥2 CLNs on the preoperative US was associated with CLNM (P < 0.01). For this feature, the sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve (AUC) were 54.3%, 66.1%, and 0.61, respectively. The presence of both suspected metastasis and ≥2 CLNs on US had a specificity of 86.5%. In addition, ≥3 CLNs on preoperative US was associated with large-volume CLNM (>5 metastatic CLNs) (P < 0.01). For this feature, the sensitivity, specificity and AUC were 54.8%, 74.5% and 0.65, respectively. The presence of both suspected metastasis and ≥3 CLNs on US had a specificity of 84.9%. The presence of suspected metastasis and/or ≥3 CLNs had a sensitivity of 80.6%. Our results suggest that ≥2 and ≥ 3 CLNs on preoperative US may serve as ancillary preoperative markers for predicting CLNM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]