Search

Objective: To compare radiomics and non-radiomics in predicting early recurrence (ER) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after curative surgery. Methods: We systematically searched PubMed and Embase databases. Studies with clear reference criteria were selected. Data were extracted and assessed for quality using the quality in prognosis studies tool (QUIPS) by two independent authors. All included radiomics studies underwent radiomics quality score (RQS) assessment. We calculated sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (PLR), and negative likelihood ratio (NLR) using random or fixed models with a 95%CI. Forest maps visualized the data, and summary receiver operating characteristic (sROC) curves with the area under the curve (AUC) were generated. Meta-regression and subgroup analyses explored sources of heterogeneity. We compared sensitivity, specificity, PLR, and NLR using the z-test and compared AUC values using the Delong test. Results: Our meta-analysis included 10 studies comprising 1857 patients. For radiomics, the pooled sensitivity, specificity, AUC of sROC, PLR and NLR were 0.84(95%CI: 0.78–0.89), 0.80(95%CI: 0.75–0.85), 0.89(95%CI: 0.86–0.91), 4.28(95%CI: 3.48–5.27) and 0.20(95%CI: 0.14–0.27), respectively, but with significant heterogeneity (I2 = 60.78% for sensitivity, I2 = 55.79% for specificity) and potential publication bias (P = 0.04). The pooled sensitivity, specificity, AUC of sROC, PLR, NLR for non-radiomics were 0.75(95%CI:0.68–0.81), 0.78(95%CI:0.72–0.83), 0.83(95%CI: 0.80–0.86), 3.45(95%CI: 2.68–4.44) and 0.32(95%CI: 0.24–0.41), respectively. There was no significant heterogeneity in this group (I2 = 0% for sensitivity, I2 = 17.27% for specificity). Radiomics showed higher diagnostic accuracy (AUC: 0.89 vs. 0.83, P = 0.0456), higher sensitivity (0.84 vs. 0.75, P = 0.0385) and lower NLR (0.20 vs. 0.32, P = 0.0287). Conclusion: The radiomics from preoperative MRI effectively predicts ER of HCC and has higher diagnostic accuracy than non-radiomics. Due to potential publication bias and suboptimal RQS scores in radiomics, these results should be interpreted cautiously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social recognition is essential for the formation of social structures. Many times, recognition comes with lesser exploration of familiar animals. This lesser exploration has led to the assumption that recognition may be a habituation memory. The underlying memory mechanisms and the thereby acquired cortical representations of familiar mice have remained largely unknown, however. Here, we introduce an approach directly examining the recognition process from volatile body odors among male mice. We show that volatile body odors emitted by mice are sufficient to identify individuals and that more salience is assigned to familiar mice. Familiarity is encoded by reinforced population responses in two olfactory cortex hubs and communicated to other brain regions. The underlying oxytocin-induced plasticity promotes the separation of the cortical representations of familiar from other mice. In summary, neuronal encoding of familiar animals is distinct and utilizes the cortical representational space more broadly, promoting storage of complex social relationships. Recognition memory for other individuals forms quickly. Here the authors show that such memories are enabled by oxytocin and can be retrieved from reinforced and more distinct neural representations even when only limited sensory information is available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra (SN). Activation of the neuroinflammatory response has a pivotal role in PD. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have emerged as a promising therapeutic approach for various nerve injuries, but there are limited reports on their use in PD and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Methods: We investigated the effects of clinical-grade hypoxia-preconditioned olfactory mucosa (hOM)-MSCs on neural functional recovery in both PD models and patients, as well as the preventive effects on mouse models of PD. To assess improvement in neuroinflammatory response and neural functional recovery induced by hOM-MSCs exposure, we employed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), assay for transposase accessible chromatin with high-throughput sequencing (ATAC-seq) combined with full-length transcriptome isoform-sequencing (ISO-seq), and functional assay. Furthermore, we present the findings from an initial cohort of patients enrolled in a phase I first-in-human clinical trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of intraspinal transplantation of hOM-MSC transplantation into severe PD patients. Results: A functional assay identified that transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), secreted from hOM-MSCs, played a critical role in modulating mitochondrial function recovery in dopaminergic neurons. This effect was achieved through improving microglia immune regulation and autophagy homeostasis in the SN, which are closely associated with neuroinflammatory responses. Mechanistically, exposure to hOM-MSCs led to an improvement in neuroinflammation and neural function recovery partially mediated by TGF-β1 via activation of the anaplastic lymphoma kinase/phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/protein kinase B (ALK/PI3K/Akt) signaling pathway in microglia located in the SN of PD patients. Furthermore, intraspinal transplantation of hOM-MSCs improved the recovery of neurologic function and regulated the neuroinflammatory response without any adverse reactions observed in patients with PD. Conclusions: These findings provide compelling evidence for the involvement of TGF-β1 in mediating the beneficial effects of hOM-MSCs on neural functional recovery in PD. Treatment and prevention of hOM-MSCs could be a promising and effective neuroprotective strategy for PD. Additionally, TGF-β1 may be used alone or combined with hOM-MSCs therapy for treating PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To verify whether there is lower incidence of adverse pregnancy outcomes after high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) treatment than loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) in young women of childbearing age. Patients and Methods: This retrospective cohort study enrolled 46 patients treated with HIFU and 46 patients treated with LEEP. To compare the differences between the two groups, Fisher's exact test or the Kruskal–Wallis (K-W/H) test was used in the univariate analysis, while the logistic regression method was applied for further verification. Results: Basic characteristics showed no differences between the two groups (P > 0.05) except for parity (P < 0.001). Preterm birth rates were 6.52% and 0.00% in patients with cervical high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) treated with LEEP and HIFU, respectively. The incidence rates of premature rupture of membranes (PROM) were respectively 15.22% and 21.74% in the two groups. There was no significant difference in pregnancy outcomes between the two groups (P > 0.05). Conclusion: This study is the first to compare the pregnancy outcomes of patients with cervical HSIL who treated with LEEP and HIFU procedures. Both HIFU treatment and LEEP are available options for patients of reproductive age with cervical HSIL. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct prospective single-center or multicenter randomized controlled studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extract of the whole plant of Carpesium abrotanoides L. yielded four new sesquiterpenes including a novel skeleton (claroguaiane A, 1), two guaianolides (claroguaianes B–C, 2–3), and one eudesmanolide (claroeudesmane A, 4), together with three known sesquiterpenoids (5–7). The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis especially 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy and HRESIMS data. Additionally, all the isolated compounds were preliminarily evaluated for the inhibitive activity of COVID-19 Mpro. As a result, compound 5 showed moderate activity with an IC50 value of 36.81 μM and compound 6 exhibited a potent inhibitory effect with an IC50 value of 16.58 µM, while other compounds were devoid of noticeable activity (IC50 > 50 μM). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wetlands, integral constituents of natural ecosystems, play a pivotal role in bolstering biodiversity and providing habitats. Diminished lake expanses, degradation of wetlands, and pollution in arid and semi-arid regions present threats to the structural and functional aspects of wetland ecosystems. This study employed plant functional traits to assess changes in the functional composition of plant communities in lakeshore wetland ecosystems in the arid and semi-arid regions of the Mongolian Plateau in northern China, as well as to explore the effects of climatic and soil heterogeneity gradients on wetland ecosystem function. Our findings reveal that all trait metrics can be categorized into three primary trait groups: plant nutrient traits, plant structural traits, and plant energy acquisition traits. Environmental heterogeneity drove variations in plant functional traits across different spatial scales. Soil and climatic factors combine to explain variation in wetland plant community characteristics and functional diversity, with soil moisture content as a key factor influencing functional diversity. In some lake lakeshore region habitats that were seasonally waterlogged for an extended period, seasonal precipitation might impact plant structural traits. The functioning of the ecosystem is predominantly shaped by community structural traits, functional diversity, and soil factors. This study extensively examines the interplay among the functional traits, functional structure, and ecosystem function within lakeshore plant communities. This exploration holds paramount significance in establishing a scientific foundation for the restoration and reconstruction of wetland ecosystem vegetation in the lakeshore regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extensive use of antibiotics in the medical and aquaculture industries has led to antibiotic resistance, be a global public health concern. Compared with soil and water, there are few reports on antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the air. To provide theoretical support for scientific and effective response to the cross-media migration of microbial resistance, this paper comprehensively reviewed the occurrence status, influencing factors and transmission mechanism of ARB and ARGs in different types of ambient air at home and abroad. The results showed that the abundance of ARB and ARGs in the air was affected by environmental conditions and sampling factors. The pollution was more serious in typical polluted areas such as animal farms, sewage treatment plants and hospitals. The dominant types of ARGs in the above environment were tetracyclines, sulfonamides and β-lactams. Among them, the abundance of ARGs in the air of animal farms was about 2-3 orders of magnitude higher than that in other environments. The highest abundance was found in pig farm compared to other animal houses. At present, there was still no standard for the sampling requirements of ARB and ARGs in the air. The sampling season, duration, particle size and coexisting pollutants all affected their detection. Air pollution, soil water content, rainfall and air mass movement were proved to play a certain role in affecting the spread of ARB and ARGs in the air. Based on it, the research on the migration mechanism of ARB and ARGs at the soil-air interface needs to be further intensified. The review aimed to comprehensively reveal the occurrence characteristics of ARB and ARGs in the air, and provide theoretical support for the scientific and effective response to the cross-media migration of microbial resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new flavonoid (bunge A) (1), a new sesquiterpene (bunge B) (8), a new furan derivative (bunge C) (12) and a new alkenoic acid (bunge D) (14), together with ten known ones [four flavonoids (2, 3, 4, 5), two phenylpropanoids (6, 7), three sesquiterpenes (9, 10, 11) and one lactone (13)] were isolated from the fruits of Prunus humilis Bunge [Cerasus humilis (Bunge) Sokolov]. Their structures were elucidated based on extensive spectroscopic analysis (including HR-ESI-MS and NMR) and comparison with previously published data. All compounds were evaluated for cytotoxic activity against three human tumour cell lines. Compound 3 and 4 showed weak antiproliferative activities against hepatocarcinoma cell HepG-2 at the concentration of 100 μM, which the inhibition rates were 55.34 ± 0.29 and 45.52 ± 0.37, respectively. And other compounds had almost no cytotoxic activity against the three tumour cell lines in vitro. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The endoparasitoid Cotesia marginiventris (Cresson) is a promising biological control agent of the fall armyworm (FAW) Spodoptera frugiperda (Smith). Because the application of insecticides is one of the prime choices in pest management, we evaluated the sublethal and transgenerational effects of the five key insecticides—chlorantraniliprole, emamectin benzoate, spinetoram, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), and Mamestra brassicae nucleopolyhedrovirus (MbNPV)—on the parasitoid. Results: Exposure to five insecticides at a concentration causing 10% mortality (LC10) caused hormetic effects in the parent generation (F0) by increasing the parasitism and reducing the immature duration. Interestingly, the hormetic response was also observed in the offspring generation indirectly exposed to the insecticides. Furthermore, insecticides increased the parasitism rate by 6.32–14.73% in the F1 generation, which was similar to that of the F0 generation (3.96–11.81%) compared with the control. No significant adverse effect was observed on the number of emerged parasitoids of the F1 and F2 generations. However, insecticides had a detrimental impact on body size and fecundity in the F1 and F2 generations, which showed a small body size with shorter hind tibiae and a significant reduction in the female ratio compared with the control; the exception was that chlorantraniliprole significantly improved the female ratio in the F2 generation. Conclusions: Five insecticides at LC10 induced transgenerational hormetic and sublethal effects on C. marginiventris. Our results provide a scientific basis for a better understanding of the long‐term impacts of insecticides at sublethal doses on parasitoids, facilitating the development of improved integrated pest management programs for FAW control. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ibuprofen, a most widely used anti-inflammatory drug, is frequently detectable in surface water, which might negatively affect the ecosystem. The present research investigated acute toxicity of ibuprofen to Chlorella vulgaris, and ibuprofen removal by C. vulgaris was also evaluated via a first order kinetic model. The results showed that ibuprofen in water has certain freshwater ecological risks, and ibuprofen-contaminated water can be effectively treated by C. vulgaris. The growth and the photosynthetic activity of C. vulgaris were decreased with the increase in ibuprofen exposure concentration, while superoxide dismutase and catalase activities were markedly promoted. The dry weight of C. vulgaris exposed to 100 mg/L ibuprofen was determined as 0.238 ± 0.008 g/L, which was 60.82% of the control group (without added ibuprofen in medium). The capacity of C. vulgaris to ibuprofen removal was decreased with the increase in ibuprofen concentration. The removal efficiency reached to 67.25% after 10-day treatment at ibuprofen concentration of 25 mg/L, while that was just 32.77% when the ibuprofen concentration increased to 100 mg/L. The ibuprofen removal by C. vulgaris accorded with the first-order kinetic model, and the removal rate constants of C. vulgaris to different ibuprofen concentrations (25, 50, 75 and 100 mg/L) were determined as 0.115, 0.097, 0.093 and 0.043 d−1, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transformer oil plays a critical role in ensuring the insulation and normal operation of power transformers. However, during operation, the transformer oil would undergo oxidation and degradation, leading to the formation of acids and polar compounds that increase its acidity and degrade its performance. Hence, the recycling and regeneration of aged transformer oil is an essential practice in transformer maintenance, contributing significantly to the extension of a transformer's operational lifespan and the reduction of potential risks. Adsorption separation is a preferred method for regeneration, offering simplicity and high efficiency. This study focuses on impregnated γ‐Al2O3 as an adsorbent for acidity removal in waste transformer oil. We conducted static adsorption experiments to investigate the optimal loading amount of the active component and the best calcination temperature for acid removal. XRD technique is employed to monitor the phase changes of the carrier during the calcination process. BET analysis is used to observe variations in the specific surface area and pore volume of the adsorbent during the modification process. DTG‐TGA is utilized to assess the weight loss during the calcination process. FTIR is employed to observe changes in functional groups during modification and adsorption processes. Along with these investigations, a study is also carried out to assess the dynamic acid removal performance of the acid‐removing adsorbent loaded into a fixed bed. The findings contribute to the development of sustainable methods for regenerating transformer oil, ensuring efficient and environmentally friendly operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The investigation of the correlation between groundwater and surface water in terms of water origin and transformation is crucial for comprehending hydrological processes. Focuses on the Wulagai river and Xiliugou river basin located in East and West Inner Mongolia. It employs hydrochemical analysis and stable H O isotopes techniques to investigate the hydrochemical properties of the basin and quantitatively assess the interconversion between groundwater and surface water. The results suggest that the Xiliugou and Wulagai river basins were originally nourished by atmospheric precipitation, with lower δD and δ18O values in groundwater compared to surface water, attributed to factors such as evaporation, water vapor source, altitude, and latitude. The surface waters in the Xiliugou and Wulagai River exhibit dominance of Na•Ca-SO 4 •HCO 3 and Ca•Na-HCO 3 types, respectively, while the groundwater is characterized by dominance of Na•Ca-HCO 3 and Ca•Mg-HCO 3 types, respectively. The water chemistry of surface water and groundwater in the two basins is influenced by water-rock interactions and processes of evaporation and concentration, primarily observed in the dissolution of carbonate rocks and evaporites. Hydrograph separation using End-Members Mixing Analysis (EMMA) revealed that during the growing season, groundwater in Xiliugou was primarily recharged by precipitation (76.87 %) and surface water (23.13 %), while in Wulagai, groundwater was mainly recharged by precipitation (65 %) and surface water (35 %). The presence of comparable hydrochemical constituents and shared regulatory mechanisms between groundwater and surface water within a given basin provides further evidence of a discernible hydraulic interconnection, primarily driven by the replenishment of groundwater through surface water recharge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new phenolic glycosides (1 and 2), one known analogue (3), along with a new diterpene glucoside (4) were obtained from ethanolic extract of the stems of Eurya chinensis R. Br. The structures of these isolated compounds were identified by extensive analysis of HRESIMS and NMR spectroscopic data. The cytotoxicities of these compounds were evaluated on MCF-7, A549, HepG2, CaCo2 and 5-8 F cell lines by MTT method, but no obvious activities were observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Global warming is caused by greenhouse gases (GHGs). It has been found that the release of methane (CH4) from Arctic permafrost, soil, ocean, and sediment is closely related to microbial composition and soil factors resulting from warming over several months or years. However, it is unclear for how long continuous warming due to global warming aects the microbial composition and GHG release from soils along Arctic glacial meltwater rivers. Methods: In this study, the soil upstream of the glacial meltwater river (GR) and the estuary (GR-0) in Svalbard, with strong soil heterogeneity, was subjected to short-term field incubation at 2◦C (in situ temperature), 10◦C, and 20◦C. The incubation was carried out under anoxic conditions and lasted for few days. Bacterial composition and CH4 production potential were determined based on high-throughput sequencing and physiochemical property measurements. Results: Our results showed no significant dierences in bacterial 16S rRNA gene copy number, bacterial composition, and methanogenic potential, as measured by mcrA gene copy number and CH4 concentration, during a 7- and 13-day warming field incubation with increasing temperatures, respectively. The CH4 concentration at the GR site was higher than that at the GR-0 site, while the mcrA gene was lower at the GR site than that at the GR-0 site. Discussion: Based on the warming field incubation, our results indicate that short-term warming, which is measured in days, aects soil microbial composition and CH4 concentration less than the spatial scale, highlighting the importance of warming time in influencing CH4 release from soil. In summary, our research implied that microbial composition and CH4 emissions in soil warming do not increase in the first several days, but site specificity is more important. However, emissions will gradually increase first and then decrease as warming time increases over the long term. These results are important for understanding and exploring the GHG emission fluxes of high-latitude ecosystems under global warming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four new stilbenes (1–4) and one new flavonoid (5), named cajanines D–H, together with three known stilbenes (6–8) were isolated from the leaves of Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp. (pigeon pea). The structures of these compounds were elucidated unambiguously on the basis of IR, 1D, and 2D NMR, as well as HRESIMS data. Structurally, stilbenes 1–4 bore an isopentyl side chain, and further hydroxylation of compounds 1–3 generated a greater variety of structural forms. Compound 5 was a flavonoid owning an isopentyl side chain. Besides, antibacterial activity of the isolated compounds against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, and Escherichia coli was studied in vitro. Compounds 1–8 were endowed with profound antibacterial activity. Among them, the MIC values of compounds 4, 6, and 7 against S. aureus were 1.56, 0.78, and 0.78 µg/mL, respectively, among which 6 and 7 had better antibacterial activity than the positive control Vancomycin with the MIC values of 1.56 µg/mL. Additionally, the anti-SARS-CoV-2 main protease activity of all the isolated compounds was evaluated, and it was worth mentioning that the IC50 values of compounds 5–7 were 8.27, 4.65, and 8.30 µM, respectively, being comparable to the positive control Ebselen. Our findings may provide valuable guidance for the application of stilbenes as lead compounds in the future for the development of drugs with antibacterial or anti-COVID-19 activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, computer vision-based structural displacement acquisition technique has received wide attention and research due to the advantages of easy deployment, low-cost, and non-contact. However, the displacement field acquisition of large-scale structures is a challenging topic as a result of the contradiction of camera field-of-view and resolution. This paper presents a large-scale structural displacement field calculation framework with integrated computer vision and physical constraints using only one camera. First, the full-field image of the large-scale structure is obtained by processing the multi-view image using image stitching technique; second, the full-field image is meshed and the node displacements are calculated using an improved template matching method; and finally, the non-node displacements are described using shape functions considering physical constraints. The developed framework was validated using a scaled bridge model and evaluated by the proposed evaluation index for displacement field calculation accuracy. This paper can provide an effective way to obtain displacement fields of large-scale structures efficiently and cost-effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a damage detection method based on the train-induced responses of high-speed railway box girders. Under the coupling effects of bending and torsion, the traditional damage detection method based on the Euler beam theory cannot be applied. In this research, the box girder section is divided into different components based on the plate element analysis method. The strain responses were preprocessed based on the principal component analysis (PCA) method to remove the influence of train operation variation. The residual error of the autoregressive (AR) model was used as a potential index of damage features. The optimal order of the model was determined based on the Bayesian information criterion (BIC) criterion. Finally, the confidence boundary (CB) of damage features (DF) constituting outliers can be estimated by the Gaussian inverse cumulative distribution function (ICDF). The numerical simulation results show that the proposed method in this paper can effectively identify, locate and quantify the damage, which verifies the accuracy of the proposed method. The proposed method effectively identifies the early damage of all components on the key section by using four strain sensors, and it is helpful for developing effective maintenance strategies for high-speed railway box girders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The erosion of chloride ions in concrete bridges will accelerate the corrosion of reinforcement, which is an important reason for the decline of bridge durability. The erosion process of chloride ion, especially deicing salt solution in cold regions, is complex and has many influencing factors. It is very important to use accurate and effective methods to analyze the chloride ion erosion process in concrete. In this study, the pre-stressed concrete bridge retired in the cold region was taken as the research object, and the specimens from the whole bridge are obtained by the method of core drilling sampling. The concentration of chloride ion was measured at different depths of the specimens. The process of chloride ion erosion was simulated in two-dimensional space through COMSOL multi-physical field simulation, and compared with the measured results. The simulation method proposed in this paper has good reliability and accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shortwave track diseases are generally reflected in the form of local track irregularity. Such diseases will greatly impact the train–track–bridge interaction (TTBI) dynamic system, seriously affecting train safety. Therefore, a method is proposed to detect and localize local track irregularities based on the multi-sensor time–frequency features of high-speed railway bridge accelerations. Continuous wavelet transform (CWT) was used to analyze the multi-sensor accelerations of railway bridges. Moreover, time–frequency features based on the sum of wavelet coefficients were proposed, considering the influence of the distance from the measurement points to the local irregularity on the recognition accuracy. Then, the multi-domain features were utilized to recognize deteriorated railway locations. A simply-supported high-speed railway bridge traversed by a railway train was adopted as a numerical simulation. Comparative studies were conducted to investigate the influence of vehicle speeds and the location of local track irregularity on the algorithm. Numerical simulation results show that the proposed algorithm can detect and locate local track irregularity accurately and is robust to vehicle speeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to identify the immune and Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling pathway related feature lncRNAs to construct the diagnostic nomograms for acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Two AIS-associated expression profiles GSE16561 and GSE22255 were downloaded from NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus, the former was the training set and the latter was the validation set. The differential expression genes (DEGs) and lncRNAs (DElncRNAs) related to TLR signaling pathway were identified between AIS and control groups. The single sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) was applied to evaluate the immune infiltration. The immune and TLR signaling pathway related DElncRNAs were determined. Three optimization algorithms were utilized to select the immune and TLR signaling pathway related feature lncRNAs to construct the diagnostic nomograms of AIS. Based on the lncRNA signature, a ceRNA network was constructed. 37 DEGs and 28 DElncRNAs related to TLR signaling pathway were identified in GSE16561. 16 immune cell types exhibited significant differences in distribution between AIS and control groups. 28 immune and TLR signaling pathway related DElncRNAs were determined. 8 immune and TLR signaling pathway related feature lncRNAs were selected. The diagnostic nomograms of AIS performed well in both datasets. A ceRNA network was constructed consisting of 7 immune and TLR signaling pathway related feature lncRNAs as well as 19 AIS related miRNAs and 21 TLR signaling pathway related genes. LINC00173, LINC01089, LINC02210, MIR600HG, SNHG14, TP73-AS1, LINC00680 and CASC2 may be the potential biomarkers of AIS diagnosis, and TLR signaling pathway may be a promising immune related therapeutic target for AIS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra (SN); the etiology and pathological mechanism of the disease are still unclear. Recent studies have shown that the activation of a neuroimmune response plays a key role in the development of PD. Alpha-synuclein (α-Syn), the primary pathological marker of PD, can gather in the SN and trigger a neuroinflammatory response by activating microglia which can further activate the dopaminergic neuron's neuroimmune response mediated by reactive T cells through antigen presentation. It has been shown that adaptive immunity and antigen presentation processes are involved in the process of PD and further research on the neuroimmune response mechanism may open new methods for its prevention and therapy. While current therapeutic regimens are still focused on controlling clinical symptoms, applications such as immunoregulatory strategies can delay the symptoms and the process of neurodegeneration. In this review, we summarized the progression of the neuroimmune response in PD based on recent studies and focused on the use of mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy and challenges as a strategy of disease-modifying therapy with multiple targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new withaphysalin-type withanolides (18-O-ethylwithaphysalin R and 5-O-ethylphysaminimin C, 1 and 2), along with twelve known withanolides (3–14), were purified and identified from Physalis peruviana L. The chemical structures of these new isolates were elucidated through analyzing spectroscopic and HRESIMS data. All the obtained metabolites were appraised for their potential antiproliferative activity against the human breast cancer cell line MCF-7. Compound 7 was discovered to exhibit potent activity with an IC50 value of 3.51 µM and compounds 2, 6 and 14 showed weak cytotoxic effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Longitudinal investigations have revealed the unique attributes of mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) in regenerative medicine. However, the spatio‐temporal metabolokinetics and efficacy of MSCs with vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (also known as CD106) expression in phenotypes and therapeutic effect upon acute lung injury (ALI) mice are largely obscure. For the purpose, we took advantage of the "3IL"‐based strategy and Lentivirus‐mediated green fluorescent protein (GFP) delivery for the generation of the CD106+ subset (denote as CD106+‐MSCs) from umbilical cord‐derived MSCs (denote as NT‐MSCs). Therewith, the cellular phenotypes of CD106+‐MSCs including immunophenotypes, multilineage differentiation potential towards adipocytes and osteoblasts were confirmed by flow cytometry and qRT‐PCR assay. Meanwhile, multifaceted characteristics of transcriptomic features were analyzed by utilizing the RNA‐SEQ and bioinformatics. Furthermore, to compare the therapeutic effects and spatio‐temporal dynamics of CD106+‐MSCs, we conducted in vivo fluorescent tracer, hematoxylin and eosin staining, blood smear, blood routine and cytokine detection in mice. Herein, we generated CD106+‐MSCs with GFP expression and confirmed the conservative property of phenotypes. Compared to NT‐MSCs with minimal CD106 expression, CD106+‐MSCs manifested consistent distribution and metabolokinetics in vivo but with preferable ameliorative effect upon the pathological appearance and proinflammatory cytokine secretion in ALI mice. Collectively, our data indicated the preferable therapeutic effects of CD106+‐MSCs upon ALI mice, which would benefit the further exploration of the CD106+ subset for pulmonary diseases and investigational new drug application purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Train-induced stresses in different monitoring points not only reflects local mechanical characteristics of the structural components but also has inherent spatiotemporal correlations in the high-speed railway bridges. Mapping correlations among the stress responses can assist recognizing train-induced stress pattern and lay foundation for structural health diagnosis. However, correlation mapping and feature extraction of structural responses rely heavily on the data integrity, the pre-constructed model may be out of action due to data acquisition/transmission error, sensor faults, etc., commonly exists in the structural health monitoring system. Considering the characteristics of various incomplete train-induced stresses, this study presents a robust correlation mapping of incomplete data to complete data using one-dimensional convolutional denoising autoencoder. Stacked convolutional layers are employed as encoder to extract robust spatiotemporal feature of incomplete stresses, and transposed convolutional layers served as decoder to reconstruct denoised and complete stresses. In the training strategy, various incomplete data conditions, where stress data are lost continuously or discretely with different missing rates, are considered as training samples, making the established correlation mapping robust, accurate, and adaptive. The application on a high-speed railway truss bridge demonstrates that the proposed method can robustly reconstruct the complete stress data under different data loss conditions. The method can also be employed to assess the importance of any sensor combinations to the monitoring item, which shed light on the maintenance of sensor network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil freeze–thaw processes lead to high nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions and exacerbate the greenhouse effect. The wetlands of the Inner Mongolia Plateau are in the pronounced seasonal freeze–thaw zone, but the effect of spring thaw on N2O emissions and related microbial mechanisms is still unclear. We investigated the effects of different periods (freeze, freeze–thaw, and thaw) on soil bacterial community diversity and composition and greenhouse gas emissions during the spring freeze–thaw in the XiLin River riparian wetlands in China by amplicon sequencing and static dark box methods. The results showed that the freeze–thaw periods predominantly impact on the diversity and composition of the bacterial communities. The phyla composition of the soil bacteria communities of the three periods is similar in level, with Proteobacteria, Chloroflexi, Actinobacteria, and Acidobacteria dominating the microbial communities. The alpha‐diversity of bacterial communities in different periods varies that the freezing period is higher than that of the freeze–thaw period (p <.05). Soil total carbon, soil water content, and microbial biomass carbon were the primary factors regulating the abundance and compositions of the bacterial communities during spring thawing periods. Based on functional predictions, the relative abundance of nitrification and denitrification genes was higher in the freezing period than in the thawing period, while the abundance was lowest in the freeze–thawing period. The correlation results found that N2O emissions were significantly correlated with amoA and amoB in nitrification genes, indicating that nitrification may be the main process of N2O production during spring thaw. This study reveals potential microbial mechanisms of N2O emission during spring thaw and provides data support and theoretical basis for further insight into the mechanism of N2O emission during spring thaw. This study highlights the difference in soil bacterial communities and N cycle functional genes in different spring thawing periods, and the microbial mechanism of N2O during the spring thaw, which is helpful to better understand the microbial process of N2O emission under climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spring thawing can affect the soil carbon and nitrogen cycling processes and lead to changes in the emissions of greenhouse gases. The temporal variations and impact factors of soil GHGs fluxes were measured in Phragmites australis and Carex appendiculata with the static chamber from the end of March to the end of May in 2018 in riparian wetlands of Xilin River, which is typical inland river meandering through steppe region in Inner Mongolia, China. The results showed that soil CH4 and N2O emissions of the P. australis were significantly higher than those of the Carex appendiculata, whereas CO2 emissions were no significant difference. The responses of soil GHG fluxes to soil environmental factors in P. australis and Carex appendiculata differed. In the P. australis community, soil CO2 and CH4 emissions were influenced jointly by mainly the soil temperature and microbial biomass nitrogen, whereas soil N2O emission was mainly affected by the soil temperature. The dominant controlling factor for CO2 and N2O was soil temperature in the Carex appendiculata, whereas CH4 was mainly regulated by soil water content. The global warming potential of P. australis was significantly higher than that of Carex appendiculata. Those findings highlight the difference in soil greenhouse gas fluxes in different plant communities and the importance of CH4 and N2O emissions during the spring thaw, which contributes to predicting the riparian wetland soil greenhouse gases and their global warming potential under global climate changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: An egg-larva endoparasitoid (Chelonus bifoveolatus) of fall armyworm (FAW) in Zambia was identified based on morphological and molecular characteristics. To assess the parasitism capabilities of C. bifoveolatus against FAW, we compared partial biological parameters parasitizing 0- to 2-day-old FAW eggs. Chelonus bifoveolatus successfully parasitized and developed on eggs in all tested samples. In addition, it had a higher parasitism rate, pupation rate, and emergence rate on 1-day-old FAW eggs, but shorter development time on 2-day-old FAW eggs. Eggs of all ages tested revealed that females to males sex ratio was nearly 1:1. The fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is a migratory pest endemic, to tropical and subtropical regions of America. Biological control can effectively and sustainably control pests over a long period of time while reducing the frequency of pesticide use and ensuring the safety of agricultural produce. In our study, the egg-larval Chelonus species (Chelonus bifoveolatus) from parasitized eggs of Spodoptera frugiperda in Zambia were described and identified based on morphological and genetic characteristics. To evaluate the efficiency of C. bifoveolatus, their parasitism suitability on 0- to 2-day FAW eggs under laboratory conditions was compared. The results showed that C. bifoveolatus could accept all FAW eggs at 0-, 1- and 2-day-old age and complete development successfully. Significant differences were found among 0-, 1-, and 2-day-old host eggs with respect to egg-larva developmental duration of C. bifoveolatus, and the egg-larva developmental duration on 2-day-old eggs was significantly lower than those on 0- and 1-day-old eggs. No significant differences were observed in the parasitism, pupation, emergence, and female rates for C. bifoveolatus on various age eggs of FAW. Generally, the parasitism rate, pupal rate, and emergence rate at various ages of FAW eggs were higher than 90%, 75%, and 82%, respectively, and the longevity of female parasitoids was longer than male parasitoids, and the sex ratio of females to males was nearly 1:1. Our results indicate that C. bifoveolatus performed well on various ages of FAW eggs and is a potential biological control agent against FAW in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trichogramma parasitoids are the most widely used biocontrol agents and play a crucial role in the biological control of agricultural and forest pests. Many studies have shown that Trichogramma parasitoids feeding on carbohydrate rich diet can effectively improve their egg laying capacity and longevity. However, few studies have reported the impact of carbohydrate-rich diet on the biological parameters of different species of Trichogramma parasitoids. In this study, we compared the differences between the biological parameters of four Trichogramma species (T. dendrolimi, T. chilonis, T. leucaniae and T. ostriniae) before and after feeding on carbohydrate-rich diet. The results showed that all the biological parameters of Trichogramma species improved after feed on carbohydrate-rich diet. After eclosion, T. dendrolimi had the highest egg load (51.89 eggs) followed by T. chilonis (26.86 eggs), T. ostriniae (24.71 eggs), and T. leucaniae (12.44 eggs). Trichogramma dendrolimi showed an increased trend in egg load (66.7–86.21 eggs) after feeding on carbohydrate-rich diet, followed by T. chilonis (33.12–45.56 eggs), as compared to the other three species. Furthermore, T. leucaniae and T. ostriniae benefited much less from the ingestion of carbohydrate-rich diet, as only accelerated egg maturation in T. ostriniae was observed. Most of the egg loads consisted of matured eggs, so the trend of mature eggs was the same as that of the egg load. We also tested the population parameters of the Trichogramma species using the TWOSEX-MSChart. The results showed that the Trichogramma species fed with a honey diet had higher fecundities, i.e., T. dendrolimi (146.64), T. chilonis (173.53), T. leucaniae (83.69), and T. ostriniae (80.45), than when fed with water, i.e., 78.49, 40.15, 32.45 and 35.47, respectively. T. dendrolimi and T. chilonis had a higher intrinsic rate of increase r (0.4178 d−1, 0.3933 d−1), finite rate of increase λ (1.5186 d−1, 1.4818 d−1), and net reproductive rate R0 (130 offspring, 147.4 offspring), than T. leucaniae and T. ostriniae (r = 0.3373 d−1, 0.3317 d−1; λ = 1.4011 d−1, 1.3934 d−1; R0 = 73.2 offspring, 68.1 offspring) after feeding on a honey diet. We conclude that carbohydrate-rich diet significantly enhanced the biological control efficacy of Trichogramma, but the performance differed among different species. The results of this study contribute to improving the efficient application of Trichogramma parasitoids in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dissolved organic carbon (DOC) of Svalbard's glacier meltwater has received limited attention. Due to the northward ocean current, terrestrial DOC output from Svalbard eventually enters the Arctic Ocean, rather than travelling southward into the Atlantic. This makes the role of Svalbard glaciers in the Arctic marine carbon budget significantly different from that of Greenland glaciers. Field work was conducted in Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard in late summer, 2017 to reveal the fate of DOC in turbid glacier meltwaters in Svalbard. Based on mixing incubation over 25 h, bio- and photo-degradation over 10 days, and long-term biodegradation over 13 months, it is believed that glacier meltwater DOC fraction is linearly mixed and diluted with seawater in the turbid plume area due to light limitation. When the light limitation is removed (e.g., in the clear offshore waters), 78% of the DOC undergoes photo-degradation or photo-triggered synergistic degradation within 10 days, rather than solely microbial degradation. Over the long-term, 73% of initial DOC was lost after being kept in the dark for 13 months. This work underlines that 4/5 of the Svalbard glaciers DOC would be degraded in Arctic coast within 10 days after entering the sea, generating a positive feedback to global warming. Photo-degradation, and/or photo-triggered synergistic degradation, is the key mechanism. Approximately one-fifth of the original concentration exhibited resistance and this fraction of DOC would be transported out of the fjord and likely into the Arctic Ocean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Yellow River Basin of Inner Mongolia has significant ecological advantages, and it is critical to research the landscape pattern of its watershed wetland ecosystem and the changes in its service value in order to protect the environment and develop the region in a high-quality manner. In this paper, we use the landscape index method, the equivalent factor method, and a field survey to investigate changes in wetland landscape patterns and the dynamics of wetland ecosystem service values in the Yellow River Basin of Inner Mongolia from 1990 to 2020, and then examine the impact of landscape pattern evolution on wetland ecosystem service values in the region. The study's findings indicate that rivers, lakes, and herbaceous marshes are the most common types of wetland landscapes in Inner Mongolia's Yellow River Basin. The landscape types in the research area are diverse, and landscape fragmentation is increasing. In the Yellow River Basin of Inner Mongolia, the overall value of wetland ecosystem benefits is negatively connected with Patch Density and the Shannon Diversity Index, and positively correlated with the Contagion Index. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acyl-protein thioesterase 1 (APT1) can affect H-Ras localization and function by promoting its depalmitoylation. However, relatively little attention has been paid to the effects of APT1 on H-Ras in the cardiovascular system. In this study, we revealed its roles in atherosclerosis development using oxidative low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL)-induced endothelial dysfunction models and a Western diet-induced ApoE−/− mouse model. The results showed that APT1 expression was up-regulated, while that of miR-138-5p (miR-138) was down-regulated (p < 0.05) in this model. In the meantime, APT1 and H-Ras were translocated from the cytoplasm to the plasma membrane. Bioinformatic analysis and double fluorescence identified miR-138 as the upstream regulator of APT1. APT1 knockdown regulated H-Ras localization and expression, which subsequently affected the MAPK signaling pathway and the expression of its downstream factors. Further research indicated that human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs)-derived biogenic nanoparticles (BiNPs), hBPs secretion, and RNA expression of hBP-loaded APT1 were increased (p < 0.05) in the ox-LDL induced endothelial dysfunction model. Meanwhile, the HUVECs-derived APT1 could further affect macrophage function through hBP transportation. Altogether, this study demonstrated that the miR-138-APT1 axis may be partially responsible for atherosclerosis development by regulating the H-Ras-MAPK signaling pathway and hBP transportation. The results also shed novel insight on the underlying mechanisms of, and identify potential diagnostic and therapeutic targets for, atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liver transplantation (LT) can benefit the long-term survival of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. We hypothesized that circulating tumor cell (CTC) levels and subtypes are intimately associated with metastasis status of HCC patients. This study was designed to test that compositive hematological indices including CTC can provide a prediction of post-LT metastasis. Between 2017 and 2018, 37 HCC patients within Hangzhou criteria receiving LT were included for analysis. The 24-month follow-up was mainly conducted by outpatient and telephone. Blood samples were collected, and hematological indices were examined. The outcomes such as PFS, recurrence, metastasis, location of recurrence/metastasis, and number of metastases were recorded. The follow-up analysis showed that microvascular invasion (MVI) classification at the baseline is associated with metastasis. Next, α-fetoprotein (AFP) level was another useful indicator of postoperative metastasis, especially at the third or fourth month; the protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist-II (PIVKA-II) level three months after LT was significantly higher for those who had later metastasis. The mesenchymal CTC level at the 45th day was increased for in the metastasis group. Using two-ends Logistic regression, the calculated value MP (metastasis predictor, by above factors). Had an AUC of 0.858 in the ROC curve, with a cutoff value of 0.328. In conclusion, microvascular invasion, AFP level at the third or fourth month, PIVKA-II level at the third month, and mesenchymal CTC level at day 45 were associated with post-LT metastasis. Using Logistic regression based on above variables, the two-year metastasis can be predicted with satisfactory sensitivity and accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chinese herbal compound preparations are commonly composed of multiple traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs). The components of Chinese herbal compound preparation are complex, therefore, in this paper, ballpoint connector supported solvent microextraction (BC-SME) coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection (HPLC/UV) is reported for the simultaneous extraction, enrichment and determination of the active flavonoids and anthraquinones with minimal waste production. The primary parameters affecting the performance were optimized, including the reuse of the ballpoint connector (BC), extraction solvent, pH of the sample solution, stirring rate, salt concentration, and extraction time. Under the optimal conditions, good linearities with r ≥ 0.9966 were obtained. The limits of detection (LODs) and quantitation (LOQs) were from 0.1 to 0.3 ng/mL and 0.4 to 0.9 ng/mL, respectively. The intra-day and inter-day relative standard deviations (RSDs) were less than 6.6% and the average recoveries were between 93.4% and 106.0%. Moreover, the analyte enrichment factors (EFs) were from 63 to 391. The results showed the method was simple, economical, sensitive, and provided high enrichment and allowed the extraction of flavonoids and anthraquinones in Chinese herbal compound preparations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The northern slope water of the South China Sea (SCS) is oligotrophic. The regenerated nitrogen from dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) has been suggested to play a pivotal role in sustaining primary productivity; however, DON cycling has not been investigated there. Dissolved free amino acids (DFAAs) and polyamines (DFPAs) are two major groups of labile DON that are used rapidly by heterotrophic bacteria, and important in nitrogen cycling. Here, we measured turnover rates and concentrations of representative DFAAs (arginine and glutamic acid) and DFPAs (putrescine) in waters of the northern slope of the SCS, to estimate uptake rates and evaluate their potentials to fulfill carbon and nitrogen demands of bacterial production. Furthermore, homologs of genes encoding transporter systems for arginine (aotJ) and putrescine (potD/potF) were quantified in metagenomes from four depths at two sampling stations. The taxa encoding these genes were identified to gain insight into the composition of microbial communities potentially utilizing DFAAs and DFPAs. We found that uptake rates of two DFAAs and putrescine were more rapid than measured previously in seawater with similar environmental characteristics. The uptake of arginine and glutamic acids was estimated to account for 2.4-51% (19 ± 14%) and 2.7-59% (24 ± 20%) of bacterial carbon and nitrogen demand, respectively, and putrescine uptake contributed 4.4-100% (27 ± 33%) and 13-293% (80 ± 96%), respectively. Spatial variation in uptake rates indicated that biogeochemical cycling of DFAAs was distinct from that of DFPAs. Redundancy analysis and metagenomes demonstrated that environmental variables and distinction in bacterial assembleges using DFAAs and DFPAs could both affect their dynamics in the northern slope water of the SCS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human emotions are an important part in daily life. In this paper, a novel multilayer network-based convolutional neural network (CNN) model is proposed for emotion recognition, from multi-channel nonlinear EEG signals. Firstly, in response to the multi-rhythm properties of brain, a multilayer brain network with five rhythm-based layers are derived, where each layer can pertinently describe one specific frequency band. Subsequently, a novel CNN model is carefully designed, which uses the multilayer brain network as input and allows deep learning of the classifiable nonlinear features from the channel and frequency views. Moreover, one DenseNet model is developed as another branch to study time-domain nonlinear features from the EEG signals. All the learned features are eventually concatenated together for emotion recognition. Publicly available SEED dataset is used to test the proposed method, and it shows good results on all 15 subjects, with average accuracy of 91.31%. Our method builds a bridge between the multilayer network and deep learning, suggesting an effective approach for analyzing multivariate nonlinear time series, especially multi-channel EEG signals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) play important roles in tissue repair and regeneration, such as the induction of angiogenesis, particularly under hypoxic conditions. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying hypoxic MSC activation remain largely unknown. MSC-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) are vital mediators of cell-to-cell communication and can be directly utilized as therapeutic agents for tissue repair and regeneration. Here, we explored the effects of EVs from human hypoxic olfactory mucosa MSCs (OM-MSCs) on angiogenesis and its underlying mechanism. EVs were isolated from normoxic (N) OM-MSCs (N-EVs) and hypoxic (H) OM-MSCs (H-EVs) using differential centrifugation and identified by transmission electron microscopy and flow cytometry. In vitro and in vivo, both types of OM-MSC-EVs promoted the proliferation, migration, and angiogenic activities of human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs). In addition, angiogenesis-stimulatory activity in the H-EV group was significantly enhanced compared to the N-EV group. MicroRNA profiling revealed a higher abundance of miR-612 in H-EVs than in N-EVs, while miR-612 inactivation abolished the N-EV treatment benefit. To explore the roles of miR-612, overexpression and knock-down experiments were performed using a mimic and inhibitor or agomir and antagomir of miR-612. The miR-612 target genes were confirmed using the luciferase reporter assay. Gain- and loss-of-function studies allowed the validation of miR-612 (enriched in hypoxic OM-MSC-EVs) as a functional messenger that stimulates angiogenesis and represses the expression of TP53 by targeting its 3′-untranslated region. Further functional assays showed that hypoxic OM-MSC-EVs promote paracrine Hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF-1α)-Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling in HBMECs via the exosomal miR-612-TP53-HIF-1α-VEGF axis. These findings suggest that hypoxic OM-MSC-EVs may represent a promising strategy for ischemic disease by promoting angiogenesis via miR-612 transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we report the use of transareolar uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) in thoracic surgery for the treatment of male patients with peripheral pulmonary nodules. From February 2014 to September 2018, 46 male patients with small PPNs underwent VATS, of whom 41 underwent unilateral VATS, and five underwent bilateral VATS. All procedures were successfully performed. Patients received 1 year of outpatient follow-up postoperatively. The data indicated that the average operation times were 32.7 min (unilateral) and 58.6 min (bilateral). The mean length of the incision was 2.7 ± 0.3 cm, with a mean cosmetic score of 3.2 ± 0.7 at the time of discharge. All patients rapidly recovered consciousness postoperatively. The length of postoperative hospitalization (LOH) was 3.4 ± 1.4 days. There was no obvious surgical scarring on the chest wall, and no patients complained of postoperative pain at 6 months postoperatively. No recurrence or metastasis was found during the 1-year follow-up. Transareolar uniportal VATS for peripheral pulmonary nodules resulted in good cosmetic outcomes and high patient satisfaction. Transareolar uniportal VATS is a safe and effective therapeutic procedure for male patients with small PPNs and especially produces good cosmetic outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Studies have reported that apolipoprotein E epsilon 4 (APOE ɛ4) has adverse effects on executive functions (EFs) in late adulthood. However, the results have been inconsistent. Insufficient measurements of executive functioning, uncontrolled clinical and demographic confounders, and moderation effects from other environmental factors are suspected to account for the inconsistency.Objective: This study used aggregate measures to examine the effects of APOE ɛ4 on four components of EFs, namely switching, working memory, inhibition, and reasoning. We further investigated whether high educational attainment, a proxy measure for cognitive reserve, moderates the adverse effects of ɛ4 on EFs.Methods: Cognitively unimpaired older participants were divided into groups based on APOE genotype and into subgroups based on educational attainment level. The demographic and clinical variables were matched between the groups. Four core components of the EFs were measured using a relatively comprehensive battery.Results: The results revealed that although no main effect of the APOE genotype was observed across the four EF components, the potentially adverse effects of ɛ4 on inhibition were alleviated by high educational attainment. A main effect of education on the reasoning component was also observed. The moderation analysis revealed that for older adults with 12 years of education or fewer, the relationship between the APOE ɛ4 genotype and inhibition performance became increasingly negative.Conclusion: This study highlights the distinctive role of response inhibition in the gene-environment interaction and underlines the importance of considering factors of both nature and nurture to understand the complex process of cognitive aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aeromonas veronii JY01 is a strain of dominant gram-negative bacterium isolated from the lesions of goldfish, such as rotten tails, rot, and ulcers in a farm in Fuzhou. In this study, the whole genome of the strain of Aeromonas veronii JY01 was sequenced based on the Illumina PE150 sequencing platform and Pacbio sequencing platform. The sequencing data was assembled and analyzed, the gene prediction and functional annotation were performed by bioinformatics methods, meanwhile the prediction of pathogenic genes and drug resistance genes were carried out. The results showed that the genomic sequence length of the strain of Aeromonas veronii JY01 was 4. 97 Mb, and the GC content was 58. 17%. A total of 4 601 encoding genes, 31 rRNA, 16 gene islands and 124 tRNA were predicted, among which, 3 461 genes were annotated in COG, 3 082 genes were aggregated in GO cluster analysis, and 4 345 genes were enriched in KEGG metabolic pathway. It was predicted that the strain of Aeromonas veronii JY01 carried 13 virulence factors including 240 related virulence genes, and 9 types of antibiotics resistance including 175 antibiotic resistance genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Forage production is the fundamental ecosystem service of grasslands. Although forage consumption occurs at community level, most studies focused on species-level changes of forage quality. The quantitative and qualitative changes of forage production are driven by species-specific trait, intra-specific plasticity, and species turnover. We examined the changes in forage production and digestibility after 5-year factorial treatments of nitrogen (N) addition and mowing in a temperate steppe and linked such changes to community assembly under the Price equation framework. Results: Nitrogen addition significantly reduced species richness, increased forage production, but did not change forage digestibility (indicated by the total Ca+Mg concentrations). Mowing did not affect forage production and digestibility. The positive effects of N addition on forage production were driven by the enhancement of abundance of the remaining species following N enrichment, rather than by species loss or species gain. The species identity effects could offset the effects of species richness loss or gain on forage production and digestibility. Conclusions: Our results highlight the importance of a community perspective in addressing the quantitative and qualitative changes of forage production under global change pressure of N enrichment. Species identity is important in determining the contribution of different processes of community assembly to ecosystem services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prognostic factors and optimal treatment for the elderly patient with glioblastoma (GBM) were poorly understood. This study extracted 4975 elderly patients (≥ 65 years old) with histologically confirmed GBM from Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database. Firstly, Cumulative incidence function and cox proportional model were utilized to illustrate the interference of non-GBM related mortality in our cohort. Then, the Fine-Gray competing risk model was applied to determine the prognostic factors for GBM related mortality. Age ≥ 75 years old, white race, size > 5.4 cm, frontal lobe tumor, and overlapping lesion were independently associated with more GBM related death, while Gross total resection (GTR) (HR 0.87, 95%CI 0.80–0.94, P = 0.010), radiotherapy (HR 0.64, 95%CI 0.55–0.74, P < 0.001), chemotherapy (HR 0.72, 95%CI 0.59–0.90, P = 0.003), and chemoRT (HR 0.43, 95%CI 0.38–0.48, P < 0.001) were identified as independently protective factors of GBM related death. Based on this, a corresponding nomogram was conducted to predict 3-, 6- and 12-month GBM related mortality, the C-index of which were 0.763, 0.718, and 0.694 respectively. The calibration curve showed that there was a good consistency between the predicted and the actual mortality probability. Concerning treatment options, GTR followed by chemoRT is suggested as optimal treatment. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy alone also provide moderate clinical benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To detect and investigate the expression of POU domain class 2 transcription factor 2 (POU2F2) in human lung cancer tissues, its role in lung cancer progression, and the potential mechanisms.Methods: Immunohistochemical (IHC) assays were conducted to assess the expression of POU2F2 in human lung cancer tissues. Immunoblot assays were performed to assess the expression levels of POU2F2 in human lung cancer tissues and cell lines. CCK-8, colony formation, and transwell-migration/invasion assays were conducted to detect the effects of POU2F2 and AGO1 on the proliferaion and motility of A549 and H1299 cells in vitro. CHIP and luciferase assays were performed for the mechanism study. A tumor xenotransplantation model was used to detect the effects of POU2F2 on tumor growth in vivo.Results: We found POU2F2 was highly expressed in human lung cancer tissues and cell lines, and associated with the lung cancer patients' prognosis and clinical features. POU2F2 promoted the proliferation, and motility of lung cancer cells via targeting AGO1 in vitro. Additionally, POU2F2 promoted tumor growth of lung cancer cells via AGO1 in vivo.Conclusion: We found POU2F2 was highly expressed in lung cancer cells and confirmed the involvement of POU2F2 in lung cancer progression, and thought POU2F2 could act as a potential therapeutic target for lung cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]