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Osteopenia and osteoporosis are among the most common metabolic bone diseases and represent major public health problems, with sufferers having an increased fracture risk. Diabetes is one of the most common diseases contributing to osteopenia and osteoporosis. However, the mechanisms underlying diabetes-induced osteopenia and osteoporosis remain unclear. Bone reconstruction, including bone formation and absorption, is a dynamic process. Large-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channels (BK channels) regulate the function of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells, osteoblasts, and osteoclasts. Our previous studies revealed the relationship between BK channels and the function of osteoblasts via various pathways under physiological conditions. In this study, we reported a decrease in the expression of BK channels in mice with diabetes-induced osteopenia. BK deficiency enhanced mitochondrial Ca2+ and activated classical PINK1 (PTEN induced putative kinase 1)-PRKN/Parkin (parkin RBR E3 ubiquitin protein ligase)-dependent mitophagy, whereas the upregulation of BK channels inhibited mitophagy in osteoblasts. Moreover, SLC25A5/ANT2 (solute carrier family 25 (mitochondrial carrier, adenine nucleotide translocator), member 5), a critical inner mitochondrial membrane protein participating in PINK1-PRKN-dependent mitophagy, was also regulated by BK channels. Overall, these data identified a novel role of BK channels in regulating mitophagy in osteoblasts, which might be a potential target for diabetes-induced bone diseases. Abbreviations: AGE, advanced glycation end products; Baf A1, bafilomycin A1; BK channels, big-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channels; BMSCs, bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells; BSA, bovine serum albumin; FBG, fasting blood glucose; IMM, inner mitochondrial membrane; ITPR1, inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor 1; MAM, mitochondria-associated ER membrane; OMM, outer mitochondrial membrane; PINK1, PTEN induced putative kinase 1; PPID/CyP-D, peptidylprolyl isomerase D (cyclophilin D); PRKN/PARK2, parkin RBR E3 ubiquitin protein ligase; ROS, reactive oxygen species; SLC25A5/ANT2, solute carrier family 25 (mitochondrial carrier, adenine nucleotide translocator), member 5; STZ, streptozotocin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few-shot learning aims to recognize instances from previously unseen classes based on a very limited number of examples. However, models often face the challenge of overfitting due to the biased distribution computed from extremely scarce training data. This work proposes a Semantic-based Implicit Feature Transform (SIFT) method to implicitly generate high-quality features for few-shot learning tasks. In this method, we employ an encode-transform-decode pipeline to facilitate the direct transfer of feature instances from base classes to novel classes via semantic transformation, ensuring the generation of semantically meaningful features. Additionally, a compactness constraint is imposed on the generated features, with novel class prototypes serving as anchors, to ensure that the features are distributed around the class centers. Furthermore, we integrate the cluster centers of the query set with the initial prototypes computed from the support set to produce less biased class prototypes, which can serve as better anchors for feature reconstruction. The experimental results reveal that our method outperforms the baselines by substantial margins and achieves state-of-the-art few-shot classification performance on the miniImageNet and CIFAR-FS datasets in both inductive and transductive settings, demonstrating the superiority of our method. Furthermore, the comprehensive ablation studies provide additional validation of its effectiveness. The code is available at: https://github.com/pmhDL/SIFT.git. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) often remains undetected until rupture due to limited access to diagnostic ultrasound. This trial evaluated a deep learning (DL) algorithm to guide AAA screening by novice nurses with no prior ultrasonography experience. Ten nurses performed 15 scans each on patients over 65, assisted by a DL object detection algorithm, and compared against physician-performed scans. Ultrasound scan quality, assessed by three blinded expert physicians, was the primary outcome. Among 184 patients, DL-guided novices achieved adequate scan quality in 87.5% of cases, comparable to the 91.3% by physicians (p = 0.310). The DL model predicted AAA with an AUC of 0.975, 100% sensitivity, and 97.8% specificity, with a mean absolute error of 2.8 mm in predicting aortic width compared to physicians. This study demonstrates that DL-guided POCUS has the potential to democratize AAA screening, offering performance comparable to experienced physicians and improving early detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we proposed the use of optically pumped spin vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (Spin-VCSEL) to create a photonic spiking neuron. We studied the dynamics of excitability and inhibitability under optical injection and analyzed the propagation characteristics of spiking information between unidirectionally-coupled Spin-VCSEL neurons. Our results demonstrated that by properly selecting parameters such as negative disturbance intensity from stimulus, pump ellipticity, and frequency detuning, Spin-VCSEL can achieve repeatable spiking output mode. Additionally, under certain conditions, it is possible to achieve inhibitory spiking output by selecting positive disturbance intensity from stimulus. By adjusting the duration and intensity of the disturbance, we can obtain controllable spiking responses for both excitable and inhibitory neurons. Furthermore, we found that under optimized injection strength, the spiking signal from the transmitter of Spin-VCSEL can be successfully propagated to the cascaded receiver with high quality. This work is meaningful because Spin-VCSEL offers new control dimensions such as pump ellipticity. Therefore, our study provides a valuable new choice for neuron construction of photonic spiking neural networks (PSNN). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is the most prevalent chronic complication among diabetic patients and a primary risk factor contributing to the deterioration of diabetic foot conditions. The pathogenesis of DPN remains complex and not fully understood, and there are hardly any effective treatment drugs. Maltol (3-hydroxy-2-methyl-4-pyranone) has demonstrated antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. However, the potential role of maltol in the treatment of DPN remains unclear. This study aimed to assess maltol's effects on DPN rats and high glucose (HG)/palmitic acid (PA)-induced rat Schwann cells (RSC96). The results indicated maltol's capacity to enhance peripheral nerve function in DPN rats. In RSC96 cells stimulated with high HG and PA, maltol treatment reduced DPN markers and apoptosis-related proteins. Functional enrichment analysis of differentially expressed genes revealed that endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress pathways were involved in this process. Western blot results demonstrated the activation of ER stress pathway in HG/PA-induced RSC96 cells, with maltol attenuating ER stress-related protein expression. Furthermore, the knockdown of Membrane metallo-endopeptidase (MME) reversed maltol's effects on apoptosis-related protein expression, suggesting a potential therapeutic role for maltol via MME in treating DPN. These findings indicate that maltol may hold promise as a therapeutic agent for DPN treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Allogeneic tumors are eradicated by host immunity; however, it is unknown how it is initiated until the report in Nature by Yaron Carmi et al. in 2015. Currently, we know that allogeneic tumors are eradicated by allogeneic IgG via dendritic cells. AlloIgG combined with the dendritic cell stimuli tumor necrosis factor alpha and CD40L induced tumor eradication via the reported and our proposed potential signaling pathways. AlloIgG triggers systematic immune responses targeting multiple antigens, which is proposed to overcome current immunotherapy limitations. The promising perspectives of alloIgG immunotherapy would have advanced from mouse models to clinical trials; however, there are only 6 published articles thus far. Therefore, we hope this perspective view will provide an initiative to promote future discussion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aesthetic education, conveyed through public art courses, serves as a vital form of humanistic literacy education. It represents an effective approach to fostering innovative and creative thinking among college students. In order to effectively analyze the aesthetic education work of 46 universities, an aesthetic education index evaluation system is constructed, involving indicators including faculty strength, curriculum setting, teaching management, artistic practice, and teaching support. The secondary indicators corresponding to the five indicators are statistically analyzed, and a comprehensive evaluation analysis of the current development status of aesthetic education in 46 universities in Anhui Province is conducted by combining theoretical analysis with empirical analysis. Based on principal component analysis, an integrated evaluation model for the development of aesthetic education in universities in Anhui Province is further constructed. The model designed quantifies the influence weight of each aesthetic education index on the development of aesthetic education in Anhui Province, and forges a theoretical basis for determining the precursors of rapid development of aesthetic education in Anhui Province. Additionally, a novel approach is introduced to gauge the progression of aesthetic education within universities in Anhui Province, considering the dispersion of aesthetic education index data across the province. The comprehensive evaluation model for the development of aesthetic education in Anhui Province exhibits an overall declining trend. Hence, it is suggested to utilize the maximum value of the first derivative of the comprehensive evaluation model as an indicator of the imminent rapid development of aesthetic education in Anhui Province. On this basis, the probability equation of sustainable development of aesthetic education in Anhui Province is defined. Overall, the research results lay a theoretical foundation for the development of aesthetic education in Anhui Province. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is present throughout nature and is a common opportunistic pathogen in the human body. Carbapenem antibiotics are typically utilized as a last resort in the clinical treatment of multidrugresistant infections caused by P. aeruginosa. The increase in carbapenemresistant P. aeruginosa poses an immense challenge for the treatment of these infections. Bacteriophages have the potential to be used as antimicrobial agents for treating antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Methods and Results: In this study, a new virulent P. aeruginosa phage, Phage_ Pae01, was isolated from hospital sewage and shown to have broad-spectrum antibacterial activity against clinical P. aeruginosa isolates (83.6%). These clinical strains included multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa and carbapenemresistant P. aeruginosa. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the phage possessed an icosahedral head of approximately 80 nm and a long tail about 110 m, indicating that it belongs to the Myoviridae family of the order Caudovirales. Biological characteristic analysis revealed that Phage_Pae01 could maintain stable activity in the temperature range of 4~ 60°C and pH range of 4 ~ 10. According to the in vitro lysis kinetics of the phage, Phage_ Pae01 demonstrated strong antibacterial activity. The optimal multiplicity of infection was 0.01. The genome of Phage_Pae01 has a total length of 93,182 bp and contains 176 open reading frames (ORFs). The phage genome does not contain genes related to virulence or antibiotic resistance. In addition, Phage_Pae01 effectively prevented the formation of biofilms and eliminated established biofilms. When Phage_Pae01 was combined with gentamicin, it significantly disrupted established P. aeruginosa biofilms. Conclusion: We identified a novel P. aeruginosa phage and demonstrated its effective antimicrobial properties against P. aeruginosa in both the floating and biofilm states. These findings offer a promising approach for the treatment of drugresistant bacterial infections in clinical settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: With the increase in the aging population worldwide, Alzheimer's disease has become a rapidly increasing public health concern. In the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019, there are three risk factors judged to have evidence for a causal link to Alzheimer's disease and other dementias: smoking, high body-mass index (HBMI), and high fasting plasma glucose (HFPG). Objective: This study aimed to analyze trends in AD mortality and the relevant burden across China from 1990 to 2019, as well as their correlation with age, period, and birth cohort. Methods: The data were extracted from the GBD 2019. Trends in AD mortality attributable to metabolic risks (HFPG and HBMI) and smoking were analyzed using Joinpoint regression. The age-period-cohort (APC) model was used to evaluate cohort and period effects. Results: From 1990 to 2019, the overall age-standardized mortality rate of AD increased, especially in women. There was an increase in AD mortality due to smoking in the net drift, and it was more significant in women (0.46, 95%CI = [0.09, 0.82]) than men (-0.03, 95%CI = [-0.11, 0.05]). For the cause of HFPG, the net drift values for men and women were 0.82% and 0.43%. For HBMI, the values were 3.14% and 2.76%, respectively, reflecting substantial increases in AD mortality. Conclusion: Time trends in AD mortality caused by metabolic risks and smoking in China from 1990 to 2019 have consistently increased. Therefore, it is necessary to prevent excessive weight gain and obesity during the later stages of life, especially for females. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Understanding the genetic basis of population divergence and adaptation is an important goal in population genetics and evolutionary biology. However, the relative roles of demographic history, gene flow, and/or selective regime in driving genomic divergence, climatic adaptation, and speciation in non‐model tree species are not yet fully understood. To address this issue, we generated whole‐genome resequencing data of Liquidambar formosana and L. acalycina, which are broadly sympatric but altitudinally segregated in the Tertiary relict forests of subtropical China. We integrated genomic and environmental data to investigate the demographic history, genomic divergence, and climatic adaptation of these two sister species. We inferred a scenario of allopatric species divergence during the late Miocene, followed by secondary contact during the Holocene. We identified multiple genomic islands of elevated divergence that mainly evolved through divergence hitchhiking and recombination rate variation, likely fostered by long‐term refugial isolation and recent differential introgression in low‐recombination genomic regions. We also found some candidate genes with divergent selection signatures potentially involved in climatic adaptation and reproductive isolation. Our results contribute to a better understanding of how late Tertiary/Quaternary climatic change influenced speciation, genomic divergence, climatic adaptation, and introgressive hybridization in East Asia's Tertiary relict flora. In addition, they should facilitate future evolutionary, conservation genomics, and molecular breeding studies in Liquidambar, a genus of important medicinal and ornamental values. Significance Statement: We assembled a chromosome‐scale genome of Liquidambar formosana and resequenced 160 individuals of L. formosana and its high‐altitude sister species L. acalycina. Benefiting from advanced analytical methods and robust evidence, we found that multiple "genomic islands" mainly evolved as a result of divergence hitchhiking and recombination rate variation, as likely fostered by long‐term refugial isolation and recent differential introgression in low‐recombination genomic regions; and identified some candidate genes associated with climatic adaptation and reproductive isolation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A manganese(II) coordination polymer [Mn(tbip)(DMI)]n (1), (tbipH2 = 5-(tert-butyl)isophthalic acid, DMI = 1,3-dimethyl-2-imidazolidinone), has been synthesized under "urea-thermal conditions" (i.e. in an excess of urea). Its structure has been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis and further characterized by elemental analysis and IR spectra. Complex 1 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/c with Z = 4. In 1, the [tbip]2− ligand bridges the Mn(II) cations to form infinite chains, and the neighbouring chains are connected through [tbip]2− ligands into layers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient Ni-catalyzed four-component 1,4-carbocarbonylation of 1,3-enynes with activated alkyl halides and arylboronic acids under atmospheric pressure of CO is presented. By tuning the electronic and steric effects of alkyl radicals, both electron-rich and electron-deficient 1,3-enynes were compatible with this cascade. This protocol features mild conditions, broad substrate scope, excellent functional group compatibility and facile gram-scale synthesis, providing a practical approach to the quaternary carbon center-containing allenyl ketones. Mechanistic study revealed that the acyl-NiII species plays an important role in both the coupling and the alkyl radical generation processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Venous thromboembolism is a condition that includes deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. It is the third most common cardiovascular disease behind acute coronary heart disease and stroke. Over the past few years, growing research suggests that venous thrombosis is also related to the immune system and inflammatory factors have been confirmed to be involved in venous thrombosis. The role of inflammation and inflammation-related biomarkers in cerebrovascular thrombotic disease is the subject of ongoing debate. P-selectin leads to platelet-monocyte aggregation and stimulates vascular inflammation and thrombosis. The dysregulation of miRNAs has also been reported in venous thrombosis, suggesting the involvement of miRNAs in the progression of venous thrombosis. Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) is a crucial component of the plasminogen-plasmin system, and elevated levels of PAI-1 in conjunction with advanced age are significant risk factors for thrombosis. In addition, it has been showed that one of the ways that neutrophils promote venous thrombosis is the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). In recent years, the role of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in the occurrence and development of VTE has been continuously revealed. With the advancement of research technology, the complex regulatory role of EVs on the coagulation process has been gradually discovered. However, our understanding of the causes and consequences of these changes in venous thrombosis is still limited. Therefore, we review our current understanding the molecular mechanisms of venous thrombosis and the related clinical trials, which is crucial for the future treatment of venous thrombosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Einstein–Podolsky–Rosen (EPR) steering is commonly shared among multiple observers by utilizing unsharp measurements. Nevertheless, their usage is restricted to local measurements and does not encompass all nonlocal measurement-based cases. In this work, a method for finding beneficial local measurement settings has been expanded to include nonlocal measurement cases. This method is applicable for any bipartite state and offers benefits even in scenarios with a high number of measurement settings. Using the Greenberger–Horne–Zeilinger state as an illustration, we show that employing unsharp nonlocal measurements can activate the phenomenon of steering sharing in contrast to using local measurements. Furthermore, our findings demonstrate that nonlocal measurements with unequal strength possess a greater activation capability compared to those with equal strength. Our activation method generates fresh concepts for conservation and recycling quantum resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A photoredox-catalyzed alkylarylation of activated alkenes via a radical C–C bond cleavage/Truce–Smiles rearrangement cascade is developed. The protocol features mild and redox-neutral conditions, broad substrate scope and excellent functional group compatibility, providing a facile and efficient approach to the long-chain distal keto-amides with all-carbon quaternary centers at the alpha position. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Oral traumatic ulcerative lesions (OTUL) are commonly encountered in clinical practice, yet there is limited research on their clinical characteristics and traumatic etiological factors. This retrospective study aimed to analyze the age, gender, clinical characteristics, and traumatic etiological factors in a large cohort of patients with OTUL and provide valuable insights for dental clinicians to optimize patient care and prevention strategies. Methods: A total of 1543 patients with OTUL were enrolled in this study. Age, gender, medical history, clinical characteristics and traumatic etiological factors were collected and analyzed. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the significance of age and gender as factors related to OTUL. Results: The study revealed significant variations in clinical characteristics and traumatic etiological factors among different age groups and between genders. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that both age and gender were significant factors related to OTUL. Conclusion: The clinical characteristics of OTUL and traumatic etiological factors appear to be significantly different according to age and gender. More targeted prevention strategies should be implemented for all age and gender groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied the characteristics of a four-channel multi-task reservoir computing (RC) system based on mutually-coupled and optically pumped spin vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (Spin-VCSELs). By analyzing bifurcation and state diagrams, we investigated the polarization dynamics of the system. Additionally, we examined the effects of key parameters such as coupling strength, injection strength, frequency detuning, optical pumping intensity, and pump polarization ellipticity on RC performance, with one-step time-series prediction as the benchmark. Our findings indicate that an increase in coupling strength results in a reduced frequency detuning range, accompanied by a lower normalized mean squared error (NMSE). Excessive coupling strength and optical pumping intensity are detrimental to RC performance. The influence of pump polarization ellipticity is smaller and exhibits a symmetry feature. Furthermore, the parameter optimization regime for orthogonal polarized optical coupling (OPOC) is wider than that for parallel polarized optical coupling (PPOC). Under optimized parameters, both PPOC and OPOC-based RC system can achieve NMSE as low as 0.033 and 0.041 respectively. This work can provide a valuable insight on the design and mechanism analysis for parallel and multi-task processing RC systems based on the platform of Spin-VCSELs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Using a COOK® Cervical Ripening Balloon (CCRB) for cervical maturity has become a common clinical practice for the induction of labour (IOL). OBJECTIVE: To develop and validate a predictive instrument that could estimate the risk of a caesarean after IOL in term pregnancies with CCRB treatment. METHODS: The medical records of 415 pregnant women requiring IOL from January 2018 to October 2022 were retrospectively reviewed and randomly selected for training (290) and validation (125) sets in a 7:3 ratio. A model for predicting the risk of a caesarean was virtualised by a nomogram using logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: After completing the multivariate analysis, parity (odds ratio [OR] = 0.226; p = 0.017), modified Bishop score at induction (OR = 0.688; p = 0.005) and the artificial rupture of membranes (OR = 0.436; p = 0.010) were identified as the predictors for implementing a caesarean delivery after IOL. The decision curve analysis showed that the model achieved a net benefit across all threshold probabilities. CONCLUSION: We successfully constructed a nomogram for caesarean delivery after IOL in pregnancies with CCRB treatment using factors including parity, modified Bishop score at induction and the artificial rupture of membrane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Metabolic risks (MRs) are the primary determinants of breast cancer (BC) mortality among women. This study aimed to examine the changing trends in BC mortality associated with MRs and explore how they related to age, time period, and birth cohorts in Chinese women aged 25 and above. Methods: Data were sourced from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 (GBD2019). The BC mortality trajectories and patterns attributable to MRs were assessed using Joinpoint regression. The age-period-cohort (APC) model was employed to evaluate cohort and time period effects. Results: The age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) of BC mortality linked to MRs displayed an escalating trend from 1990 to 2019, demonstrating an average annual percentage change (AAPC) of 1.79% (95% CI: 1.69~1.87). AAPCs attributable to high fasting plasma glucose (HFPG) and high body mass index (HBMI) were 0.41% (95% CI: 0.32~0.53) and 2.75% (95% CI: 2.68~2.82), respectively. APC analysis revealed that BC mortality due to HBMI in women aged 50 and above showed a rise with age and mortality associated with HFPG consistently demonstrated a positive correlation with age. The impact of HBMI on BC mortality significantly outweighed that of HFPG. The risk of BC mortality linked to HBMI has steadily increased since 2005, while HFPG demonstrated a trend of initial increase followed by a decrease in the period effect. Regarding the cohort effect, the relative risk of mortality was greater in the birth cohort of women after the 1960s of MRs on BC mortality, whereas those born after 1980 displayed a slight decline in the relative risk (RR) associated with BC mortality due to HBMI. Conclusion: This study suggests that middle-aged and elderly women should be considered as a priority population, and control of HBMI and HFPG should be used as a primary tool to control metabolic risk factors and effectively reduce BC mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, 3D image technology is being used for animation production. As for the current Traditional animation production technology, most of them still stay in two-dimensional animation production. Although two-dimensional animation is the main form of expression in the current animation field, due to the limitations of its production methods, the emotional contrast and special effects of animated characters in animation are not ideal and cannot be built on strong audience resonance. In order to solve these problems, this paper proposes a design of 3D image technology animation character modeling system under the background of Metaverse. The system mainly consists of a virtual character construction section and a special effects production section. After testing the character modeling rate, model detail detection rate, special effects production ability, and system error rate, the actual feasibility of the system was finally determined. After the completion of the system design, the system performance is compared with the data produced by Traditional animation. The results show that compared with traditional animation, the degree of detail description of this animation has reached 70%, and the ability to describe head and body details has reached 80%. Its average special effect production efficiency is 3 h. Except for the time efficiency of special effect production, other data are better than the Traditional animation production methods. The excellent emotional performance and special effects production of animation have also led to a 90% satisfaction survey result for the 3D imaging technology animation character modeling system. Finally, according to the data, the conclusion is drawn that the 3D image technology animation character modeling system outperforms the traditional animation production methods in the aspects of animation emotion contrast and special effect production, which improves the problems in these two aspects of animation production to a certain extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radioactive iodine, existing in the resulting nuclear waste, represents a potential hazard to the environment and human beings. Therefore, efficient disposal methods for radioiodine are needed. Curcumin-based ionic liquids (CILs) could break the intramolecular hydrogen bond and form an intermolecular hydrogen-bonding interaction between cations and anions, making it easier to interact with molecules such as water. Hence, we prepared two types of CILs ([Emim][Cur] and [Bmim][Cur]), that could capture iodine. The capacities of [Emim][Cur] and [Bmim][Cur] are as high as 5.13 g g−1 and 5.14 g g−1, respectively, and the iodine amount in cyclohexane is up to 1463 mg g−1 and 1395 mg g−1 corresponding to [Emim][Cur] and [Bmim][Cur] after iodine capture for 12 hours. The presence of carbonyl, ether, and phenol hydroxyl groups induces charge transfer which leads to the formation of polyiodide anions, as revealed by FT-IR, Raman, and XPS spectra. The density functional theory (DFT) analysis further confirms that the high iodine capture capacity of [Emim][Cur] and [Bmim][Cur] stems from hydrogen bond reconstruction and the strong halogen bond between iodine and keto oxygen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a serious vascular disease which is associated with vascular remodeling. CD38 is a main NAD+-consuming enzyme in mammals, and our previous results showed that CD38 plays the important roles in many cardiovascular diseases. However, the role of CD38 in AAA has not been explored. Here, we report that smooth-muscle-cell-specific deletion of CD38 (CD38SKO) significantly reduced the morbidity of AngII-induced AAA in CD38SKOApoe−/− mice, which was accompanied with a increases in the aortic diameter, medial thickness, collagen deposition, and elastin degradation of aortas. In addition, CD38SKO significantly suppressed the AngII-induced decreases in α-SMA, SM22α, and MYH11 expression; the increase in Vimentin expression in VSMCs; and the increase in VCAM-1 expression in smooth muscle cells and macrophage infiltration. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the role of CD38SKO in attenuating AAA was associated with the activation of sirtuin signaling pathways. Therefore, we concluded that CD38 plays a pivotal role in AngII-induced AAA through promoting vascular remodeling, suggesting that CD38 may serve as a potential therapeutic target for the prevention of AAA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the advancement of engineering techniques, underground shield tunneling projects have also started incorporating emerging technologies to monitor the forces and displacements during the construction and operation phases of shield tunnels. Monitoring devices installed on the tunnel segment components generate a large amount of data. However, due to various factors, data may be missing. Hence, the completion of the incomplete data is imperative to ensure the utmost safety of the engineering project. In this research, a missing data imputation technique utilizing Random Forest (RF) is introduced. The optimal combination of the number of decision trees, maximum depth, and number of features in the RF is determined by minimizing the Mean Squared Error (MSE). Subsequently, complete soil pressure data are artificially manipulated to create incomplete datasets with missing rates of 20%, 40%, and 60%. A comparative analysis of the imputation results using three methods—median, mean, and RF—reveals that this proposed method has the smallest imputation error. As the missing rate increases, the mean squared error of the Random Forest method and the other two methods also increases, with a maximum difference of about 70%. This indicates that the random forest method is suitable for imputing monitoring data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disturbance of extravillous trophoblast infiltration is associated with preeclampsia (PE), a severe condition of pregnancy characterized by hypertension and proteinuria. Senescence-associated epithelial membrane protein 1 (SEMP1), an integral membrane protein, is a vital component of tight junction strands in epithelial or endothelial cells, with no clear function reported in PE. Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets showed that SEMP1 expression was downregulated in the placental tissues of PE patients, which was confirmed by assessing SEMP1 levels in placental samples collected in our hospital. Furthermore, less SEMP1 was detected in cytokeratin 7 positive trophoblast cells in the spiral arteries of rat placentas post L-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride (L-NAME) treatment. Trophoblast cells acquired robust ability of proliferation, migration, and invasion when SEMP1 was overexpressed. Such capability was weakened in SEMP1-silenced cells. Trophoblast cells overexpressing SEMP1 secreted more vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA), which facilitated the tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Blockade of PI3K/AKT signaling transduction with LY294002 dampened the effects of SEMP1 on trophoblast cells. Collectively, we firstly indicated that SEMP1 inhibition is a potential driver for PE, which may be associated with the deactivation of the PI3K/AKT pathway. SEMP1 was involved in PE progression by regulating cell growth, migration, invasion, and tube formation via PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in trophoblast cells and endothelial cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by persistent deficits in social communication and stereotyped behaviors. Although major advances in basic research on autism have been achieved in the past decade, and behavioral interventions can mitigate the difficulties that individuals with autism experience, little is known about the many fundamental issues of the interventions, and no specificmedication has demonstrated efficiency for the core symptoms of ASD. Intermittent hypobaric hypoxia (IHH) is characterized by repeated exposure to lowered atmospheric pressure and oxygen levels, which triggers multiple physiological adaptations in the body. Here, using two mouse models of ASD, male Shank3B−/− and Fmr1−/y mice, we found that IHH training at an altitude of 5,000 m for 4 h per day, for 14 consecutive days, ameliorated autistic-like behaviors. Moreover, IHH training enhanced hypoxia inducible factor (HIF) 1α in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) and activated the DRN serotonergic neurons. Infusion of cobalt chloride into the DRN, to mimic IHH in increasing HIF1α expression or genetically knockdown PHD2 to upregulate HIF1α expression in the DRN serotonergic neurons, alleviated autistic-like behaviors in Shank3B−/− mice. In contrast, downregulation of HIF1α in DRN serotonergic neurons induced compulsive behaviors. Furthermore, upregulating HIF1α in DRN serotonergic neurons increased the firing rates of these neurons, whereas downregulation of HIF1α in DRN serotonergic neurons decreased their firing rates. These findings suggest that IHH activated DRN serotonergic neurons via upregulation of HIF1α, and thus ameliorated autistic-like phenotypes, providing a novel therapeutic option for ASD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The confining pressure has a great effect on the internal force of the tunnel. During construction, the confining pressure which has a crucial impact on tunnel construction changes due to the variation of groundwater level and applied load. Therefore, the safety of tunnels must have the magnitude of confining pressure accurately estimated. In this study, a complete tunnel confining pressure time axis was obtained through high-frequency field monitoring, the data are segmented into a training set and a testing set. Using GRU and RNN models, a confining pressure prediction model was established, and the prediction results were analyzed. The results indicate that the GRU model has a fast-training speed and higher accuracy. On the other hand, the training speed of the RNN model is slow, with lower accuracy. The dynamic characteristics of soil pressure during tunnel construction require accurate prediction models to maintain the safety of the tunnel. The comparison between GRU and RNN models not only highlights the advantages of the GRU model but also emphasizes the necessity of balancing speed accuracy in tunnel construction confining pressure prediction modeling. This study is helpful in improving the understanding of soil pressure dynamics and developing effective prediction tools to promote safer and more reliable tunnel construction practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To fight against invasion by pathogens, plants have evolved an elaborate innate immune system, of which the nucleotide-binding domain leucine-rich repeat-containing receptor (NLR) acts as the sensor and immune executor. Potyviruses, comprising one of the largest genera of plant viruses, cause severe crop yield losses worldwide. Inherited crop resistance to potyviruses can be used in breeding and plant transgenesis to control disease development. This review summarizes achievements in mapping and cloning NLR genes conferring dominant resistance against potyvirus in the families Fabaceae, Solanaceae, Brassicaceae, and Cucurbitaceae. It compares mechanisms of potyviral protein recognition and downstream signaling employed by NLRs and discusses strategies for exploiting NLRs to better control diseases caused by potyviruses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Group decision making (GDM) is common in real world. Distributed preference relation (DPR) is suitable for capturing the original preference information of decision makers (DMs) in uncertain decision-making environment. The consistency of preference relations is very important to ensure the rationality of decision results. Existing research on the consistency of DPRs assumes that evaluation grades are symmetric on the scale. However, some situations such as risk assessment and investment decisions need to be evaluated with asymmetric and non-uniform evaluation grades. DMs with different cognitive abilities and backgrounds may tend to use multi-granular grade sets, differences in their risk attitudes will lead to different meanings of grades. In this paper, a GDM method with multigranular asymmetric evaluation information is developed. First, a general grade score function is proposed to represent both symmetric and asymmetric grade sets selected by DMs. Due to the limited rationality, it is difficult to ensure that DMs' subjective preferences are perfectly consistent. Therefore, we establish the consistency of DPRs on a set of asymmetric grades. Considering the willingness of DMs and adjustment magnitude, interactive local adjustment and global adjustment algorithms are presented to achieve acceptable consistency for inconsistent DPR matrices. The different grade sets are unified through conversion between grades, which enables DPRs to be aggregated by evidential reasoning (ER) approach. An example of a decision problem involving investment risk is provided, and the results of comparative analysis demonstrate the validity of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chinese Tajiks are an Indo‐Iranian‐speaking population in Xinjiang, northwest China. Although the complex demographic history has been characterized, the ancestral sources and genetic admixture of Indo‐Iranian‐speaking groups in this region remain poorly understood. We here provide the genome‐wide genotyping data for over 700 000 single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and mtDNA multiplex sequencing data in 64 Chinese male Tajik individuals from two dialect groups, Wakhi and Selekur. We applied principal component analysis (PCA), ADMIXTURE, f‐statistics, treemix, qpWave/qpAdm, Admixture‐induced Linkage Disequilibrium for Evolutionary Relationships (ALDER), and Fst analyses to infer a fine‐scale population genetic structure and admixture history. Our results reveal that Chinese Tajiks showed the closest affinity and similar genetic admixture pattern with ancient Xinjiang populations, especially Xinjiang samples in the historical era. Chinese Tajiks also have gene flow from European and Neolithic Iran farmers‐related populations. We observed a genetic substructure in the two Tajik dialect groups. The Selekur‐speaking group who lived in the county had more gene flow from East Asians than Wakhi‐speaking people who inhabited the village. These results document the population movements contributed to the influx of diverse ancestries in the Xinjiang region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vascular calcification (VC) is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular mortality in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. The pathogenesis of VC is complicated and unclear. Uremic toxins produced by gut microbiota can promote VC. This study aims to identify the differences in gut microbiota between the different VC groups and the main bacteria associated with VC in hemodialysis (HD) patients in an attempt to open up new preventive and therapeutic approaches and define the probable mechanism for VC in HD patients in the future. A total of 73 maintenance HD patients were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. According to the abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) scores, the participants were divided into the high AAC score group and the low AAC score group. High-throughput sequencing of the gut microbiota was performed and the results were evaluated by alpha diversity, beta diversity, species correlation, and model predictive analyses. The prevalence of VC was 54.79% (40/73) in the study. The majority of phyla in the two groups were the same, including Firmicutes, Actinobacteriota, Proteobacteria, and Bacteroidota. The microbial diversity in the high AAC score group had a decreasing trend (p = 0.050), and the species abundance was significantly lower (p = 0.044) than that in the low AAC score group. The HD patients with high AAC scores showed an increased abundance of Proteobacteria and decreased abundances of Bacteroidota and Synergistota at the phylum level; increased abundances of Escherichia-Shigella, Ruminococcus_gnavus_group, and Lactobacillus; and decreased abundances of Ruminococcus and Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group at the genus level (p<0.05). Escherichia-Shigella and Ruminococcus_gnavus_group were positively correlated with VC, and Ruminococcus, Adlercreutzia, Alistipes, and norank_f__Ruminococcaceae were negatively correlated with VC. Escherichia-Shigella had the greatest influence on VC in HD patients, followed by Ruminococcus and Butyricimonas. Our results provide clinical evidence that there was a difference in gut microbiota between the different VC groups in HD patients. Escherichia–Shigella, a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-producing bacterium, was positively correlated with VC and had the greatest influence on VC. Ruminococcus, a short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing bacterium, was negatively correlated with VC and had the second strongest influence on VC in HD patients. The underlying mechanism is worth studying. These findings hint at a new therapeutic target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Oncolytic virotherapy (OVT) is a promising anti-tumor modality that utilizes oncolytic viruses (OVs) to preferentially attack cancers rather than normal tissues. With the understanding particularly in the characteristics of viruses and tumor cells, numerous innovative OVs have been engineered to conquer cancers, such as Talimogene Laherparepvec (T-VEC) and tasadenoturev (DNX-2401). However, the therapeutic safety and efficacy must be further optimized and balanced to ensure the superior safe and efficient OVT in clinics, and reasonable combination therapy strategies are also important challenges worthy to be explored. Main body: Here we provided a critical review of the development history and status of OVT, emphasizing the mechanisms of enhancing both safety and efficacy. We propose that oncolytic virotherapy has evolved into the fourth generation as tumor immunotherapy. Particularly, to arouse T cells by designing OVs expressing bi-specific T cell activator (BiTA) is a promising strategy of killing two birds with one stone. Amazing combination of therapeutic strategies of OVs and immune cells confers immense potential for managing cancers. Moreover, the attractive preclinical OVT addressed recently, and the OVT in clinical trials were systematically reviewed. Conclusion: OVs, which are advancing into clinical trials, are being envisioned as the frontier clinical anti-tumor agents coming soon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stomach adenocarcinoma (STAD) is the fifth most common cancer and the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. It is important to understand its molecular basis better and identify noninvasive biomarkers for targeted therapy. Usually, tumors contain driver genes or passenger genes, which can be regulated by microRNAs (miRNAs). However, the mechanism underlying the interaction between miRNA and their target genes in STAD has not been fully demonstrated. To date, no miRNA-targeted gene mutation sites that promote STAD progression have been reported, and there are no reports of the mutations within the 3′-UTR of COL12A1 that could contribute to STAD development. Here, multiple genomic and transcriptomic profiles of STAD patients were downloaded from several reputable online databases and various analyses were conducted, including assessments of mutation rates, copy number variations (CNVs), single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), RNA secondary structure, protein-protein interaction (PPI), pathway network, differentially expressed genes (DEGs), and patient survival rate. We aimed to evaluate impact of the SNPs on progression of stomach adenocarcinoma. We identified 22 critical DEGs involved in cell-cell and cell-matrix interaction. Seven of these key DEGs, including COL12A1, were associated with poorer overall survival. Interestingly, we found that COL12A1 was targeted by the miRNAs: hsa-miR-130b-5p (which carries the mutations rs1174814901 and rs761813865) and hsa-miR-18a-5p (which carries the mutation rs1198460870). These mutations lead to a change in the secondary structure of the miRNAs. And we also found that the miRNA target sites of COL12A1 were also mutated. These mutations at both miRNAs and COL12A1 likely attenuated their binding capability, leading to compensatory miRNA overexpression in the STAD patients. The miRNA overexpression was further found to be significantly associated with worse survival in STAD patients. Our results suggest that mutations in Col12A1 and its miRNAs promote STAD via loss of COL12A1 suppression, providing new insight into the molecular mechanisms of STAD progression. This finding has significant implications for the development of novel noninvasive diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic biomarkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. We demonstrated that circulating microparticles (MPs) are increased in patients with coronary heart disease (both chronic coronary syndrome (CCS) and acute coronary syndrome). Whether thrombolysis affects MPs in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) with or without percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is unknown. Methods. This study was divided into three groups: STEMI patients with thrombolysis (n = 18) were group T, patients with chronic coronary syndrome (n = 20) were group CCS, and healthy volunteers (n = 20) were the control group. Fasting venous blood was extracted from patients in the CCS and control groups, and venous blood was extracted from patients in the T group before (pre-T) and 2 hours after (post-T) thrombolysis. MPs from each group were obtained by centrifugation. After determining the concentration, the effects of MPs on endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in rat myocardial tissue in vitro were detected by immunohistochemistry and western blotting. Changes in nitric oxide (NO) and oxygen free radicals (O2•–) were also detected. The effect of MPs on vasodilation in isolated rat thoracic aortae was detected. Results. Compared with that in the control group (2.60 ± 0.38 mg/ml), the concentration of MPs was increased in patients with CCS (3.49 ± 0.72 mg/ml) and in STEMI patients before thrombolysis (4.17 ± 0.58 mg/ml). However, thrombolysis did not further increase MP levels (post-T, 4.23 ± 1.01 mg/ml) compared with those in STEMI patients before thrombolysis. Compared with those in the control group, MPs in both CCS and STEMI patients before thrombolysis inhibited the expression of eNOS (both immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis of phosphorylation at Ser1177), NO production in the isolated myocardium and vasodilation in vitro and stimulated the expression of iNOS (immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis of phosphorylation at Thr495), and the generation of O2•– in the isolated myocardium. The effects of MPs were further enhanced by MPs from STEMI patients 2 hours after thrombolysis. Conclusion. Changes in MP function after thrombolysis may be one of the mechanisms leading to ischemia–reperfusion after thrombolysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetic cardiomyopathy is one of the diabetes mellitus-induced cardiovascular complications that can result in heart failure in severe cases, which is characterized by cardiomyocyte apoptosis, local inflammation, oxidative stress, and myocardial fibrosis. CD38, a main hydrolase of NAD+ in mammals, plays an important role in various cardiovascular diseases, according to our previous studies. However, the role of CD38 in diabetes-induced cardiomyopathy is still unknown. Here, we report that global deletion of the CD38 gene significantly prevented diabetic cardiomyopathy induced by high-fat diet plus streptozotocin (STZ) injection in CD38 knockout (CD38-KO) mice. We observed that CD38 expression was up-regulated, whereas the expression of Sirt3 was down-regulated in the hearts of diabetic mice. CD38 deficiency significantly promoted glucose metabolism and improved cardiac functions, exemplified by increased left ventricular ejection fraction and fractional shortening. In addition, we observed that CD38 deficiency markedly decreased diabetes or high glucose and palmitic acid (HG + PA)-induced pyroptosis and apoptosis in CD38 knockout hearts or cardiomyocytes, respectively. Furthermore, we found that the expression levels of Sirt3, mainly located in mitochondria, and its target gene FOXO3a were increased in CD38-deficient hearts and cardiomyocytes with CD38 knockdown under diabetic induction conditions. In conclusion, we demonstrated that CD38 deficiency protected mice from diabetes-induced diabetic cardiomyopathy by reducing pyroptosis and apoptosis via activating NAD+/Sirt3/FOXO3a signaling pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interrupted-sampling repeater jamming (ISRJ) can cause false targets to the radio-frequency proximity sensors (RFPSs), resulting in a serious decline in the target detection capability of the RFPS. This article proposes a recognition method for RFPSs to identify the false targets caused by ISRJ. The proposed method is realized by assigning a unique identity (ID) to each RFPS, and each ID is a periodically and chaotically encrypted in every pulse period. The processing technique of the received signal is divided into ranging and ID decryption. In the ranging part, a high-resolution range profile (HRRP) can be obtained by performing pulse compression with the binary chaotic sequences. To suppress the noise, the singular value decomposition (SVD) is applied in the preprocessing. Regarding ID decryption, targets and ISRJ can be recognized through the encryption and decryption processes, which are controlled by random keys. An adaptability analysis conducted in terms of the peak-to-side lobe ratio (PSLR) and bit error rate (BER) indicates that the proposed method performs well within a 70-kHz Doppler shift. A simulation and experimental results show that the proposed method achieves extremely stable target and ISRJ recognition accuracies at different signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) and jamming-to-signal ratios (JSRs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A metal free, visible-light driven α-C(sp3)–H gem-difluoroallylation of glycine derivatives with trifluoromethyl alkenes and 1,3-enynes is presented. This protocol features mild and redox-neutral conditions, broad substrate scope, excellent functional group compatibility, as well as high atom-efficiency, thus offering a sustainable and practical strategy to access fluorine-containing unnatural amino acids and peptides. The good scalability and excellent compatibility with biomolecules further highlight the potential utility of this protocol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Leukoaraiosis and other brain MRI‐assessed parameters were shown to be associated with recurrent stroke in this population. We aimed to develop an MRI‐based predictive tool for risk stratification of ESUS patients. Methods: We retrospectively assessed consecutive patients who were diagnosed with ESUS and underwent brain MRI and performed a multivariable analysis with the outcome of recurrent stroke/TIA. Based on the coefficient of each covariate, we generated an integer‐based point scoring system. The discrimination and calibration of the score were assessed using the area under the receiver operator characteristic curve, net reclassification improvement, integrated discrimination improvement, calibration curve, and decision curve analysis. Also, we compared the new score with a previously published score (ALM score). Results: Among 176 patients followed for an overall period of 902.3 patient‐years (median of 74 months), there were 39 recurrent ischemic stroke/TIAs (4.32 per 100 patient‐years). Fazekas score (HR: 1.26, 95% CI: 1.03–1.54), enlarged perivascular space (EPVS) (HR: 2.76, 95% CI: 1.12–6.17), NIHSS at admission (HR: 1.11, 95% CI: 1.02–1.18), and infarct subtypes (HR: 2.88, 95% CI: 1.34–6.17) were associated with recurrent stroke/TIA. Accordingly, a score (FENS score) was developed with AUC‐ROC values of 0.863, 0.788, and 0.858 for 1, 3, and 5 years, respectively. These were significantly better than the AUC‐ROC of ALM score (0.635, 0.695, and 0.705, respectively). The FENS score exhibited better calibration and discrimination ability than the ALM score (Hosmer–Lemeshow test χ2: 4.402, p = 0.819). Conclusion: The MRI‐based FENS score can provide excellent predictive performance for recurrent stroke/TIA and may assist in risk stratification of ESUS patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Didymocarpus subpalmatinervis W.T.Wang was shown to be conspecific with Petrocodon lithophilus Y.M.Shui, W.H.Chen & Mich.Möller, by checking original literature, examining specimens, tracing specimen collecting history, and conducting field surveys. The results show morphological characteristics and geographical distribution overlaps between these two species. The transfer of Didymocarpus subpalmatinervis to Petrocodon as a new combination with Petrocodon subpalmatinervis (W.T.Wang) F. Wen & Z.L.Li is proposed here, and P. lithophilus is synonymized with P. subpalmatinervis. Color photographs and essential information are also provided, including a detailed comparison of description, distribution, habitat, and the proposed IUCN conservation status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), an emerging pathogenic coronavirus, has been reported to cause excessive inflammation and dysfunction in multiple cells and organs, but the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. Here we showed exogenous addition of SARS-CoV-2 envelop protein (E protein) potently induced cell death in cultured cell lines, including THP-1 monocytic leukemia cells, endothelial cells, and bronchial epithelial cells, in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. SARS-CoV-2 E protein caused pyroptosis-like cell death in THP-1 and led to GSDMD cleavage. In addition, SARS-CoV-2 E protein upregulated the expression of multiple pro-inflammatory cytokines that may be attributed to activation of NF-κB, JNK and p38 signal pathways. Notably, we identified a natural compound, Ruscogenin, effectively reversed E protein-induced THP-1 death via inhibition of NLRP3 activation and GSDMD cleavage. In conclusion, these findings suggested that Ruscogenin may have beneficial effects on preventing SARS-CoV-2 E protein-induced cell death and might be a promising treatment for the complications of COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase 2 (CaMKK2) can regulate numerous biological processes and is implicated in diverse pathological processes. Yet its role in myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (MI/R) injury remains unknown. This project explored the possible functions and mechanisms of CaMKK2 in MI/R injury. Methods: A rat model of MI/R in vivo was established using the left anterior descending coronary artery ligation method. Rat cardiomyocytes were exposed to hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) in vitro to establish a cell model. Overexpression of CaMKK2 was achieved by infecting recombinant adeno-associated virus or adenovirus expressing CaMKK2. Real-time quantitative PCR, immunoblotting, TTC staining, TUNEL assay, ELISA, oxidative stress detection assays, flow cytometry, and CCK-8 assay were carried out. Results: A decline in CaMKK2 levels was induced by MI/R in vivo or H/R in vitro. Up-modulation of CaMKK2 in rats ameliorated the cardiac injury evoked by MI/R injury accompanied by suppression of cardiac apoptosis, oxidative stress, and proinflammatory response. Rat cardiomyocytes with CaMKK2 overexpression were also protected from H/R damage by inhibiting apoptosis, oxidative stress, and proinflammatory response. CaMKK2 overexpression led to increased phosphorylation of AMPK, AKT, and GSK-3β, and enhanced activation of Nrf2 under MI/R or H/R conditions. Inhibition of AMPK abolished CaMKK2-mediated Nrf2 activation and relevant cardioprotective effect. Restraint of Nrf2 also diminished CaMKK2-mediated relevant cardioprotective effect. Conclusions: Up-regulation of CaMKK2 provides a therapeutic benefit in the rat model of MI/R injury by boosting the Nrf2 pathway through regulation of AMPK/AKT/GSK-3β, which suggests CaMKK2 as a new molecular target for the treatment of MI/R injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Multimode thermal therapy (MTT) is an innovative interventional therapy developed for the treatment of liver malignancies. When compared to the conventional radiofrequency ablation (RFA), MTT typically offers improved prognosis for patients. However, the effect of MTT on the peripheral immune environment and the mechanisms underlying the enhanced prognosis have yet to be explored. The aim of this study was to further investigate the mechanisms responsible for the difference in prognosis between the two therapies. Methods: In this study, peripheral blood samples were collected from four patients treated with MTT and two patients treated with RFA for liver malignancies at different time points before and after the treatment. Single cell sequencing was performed on the blood samples to compare and analyze the activation pathways of peripheral immune cells following the MTT and RFA treatment. Results: There was no significant effect of either therapy on the composition of immune cells in peripheral blood. However, the differential gene expression and pathway enrichment analysis demonstrated enhanced activation of T cells in the MTT group compared to the RFA group. In particular, there was a remarkable increase in TNF-α signaling via NF-κB, as well as the expression of IFN-α and IFN-γ in the CD8+ effector T (CD8+ Teff) cells subpopulation, when compared to the RFA group. This may be related to the upregulation of PI3KR1 expression after MTT, which promotes the activation of PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway. Conclusion: This study confirmed that MTT could more effectively activate peripheral CD8+ Teff cells in patients compared with RFA and promote the effector function, thus resulting in a better prognosis. These results provide a theoretical basis for the clinical application of MTT therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of Micro LED display technology, glass‐based splicing solution has been an important project for large‐sized displays. Herein, a novel curvely bending technique was demonstrated, in which the non‐display areas of the Micro LED panel could be folded onto the back surface of the display areas. A curve border as narrow as 150 um was achieved, equal to that of BOE's aforepublicated side wiring technique. In view of the single‐side backplane process adopted, the manufacturing cost was considered to be significantly reduced, which made the bending technique a promising solution to the splicing Micro LED displays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Early neurological deterioration (END) occurs in about 10% of patients after intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) and is related to poor outcome. In theory, early antiplatelet following IVT could reduce END by preventing re-occlusion and stroke progression, but current guidelines recommend starting antiplatelet treatment at 24 h after IVT due to concerns about hemorrhagic transformation. Given higher risk of hemorrhagic transformation in severe stroke, we hypothesized that minor stroke patients following IVT can safely benefit from early antiplatelet treatment. Aims: To explore the efficacy and safety of early antiplatelet in minor stroke patients after IVT. Sample size estimates: A maximum of 1022 patients are required to test the superiority hypothesis with 80% power according to a two-side 0.05 level of significance, stratified by age, gender, history of stroke or transient ischemic attack, history of hypertension, history of diabetes mellitus, systolic blood pressure at admission, time from IVT to treatment, thrombolysis drug, stroke territory, and stroke etiology. Design: Early antiplatelet for minor stroke following thrombolysis is a prospective, double-blinded, multicenter, randomized and placebo-controlled trial. Minor stroke patients within 6 h following IVT are randomly assigned into experimental group and control group with the ratio of 1:1. The experimental group is orally administered with 300 mg clopidogrel and 100 mg aspirin, and control group with placebo. Subsequently, both groups received guideline-based antithrombotic treatment from 24 h after IVT to 90 days. Outcome: The primary efficacy endpoint is excellent functional outcome, defined as the modified Rankin Scale 0–1 at 90 days after randomization, while primary safety endpoint is symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage, defined as National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score increase ⩾ 4 caused by intracranial hemorrhage within 36 h after randomization. Conclusions: The results of EAST will provide us powerful early antiplatelet evidence for minor stroke population following intravenous thrombolysis in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]