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Abstract [Objective] The SQUAMOSA promoter binding protein (SBP) plays an important role in plant development and abiotic stress. The aim of the study is to provide basis for understanding the function and regulation of abiotic stress response of the SBP gene family of Rhododendron henanense subsp. lingbaoense and lay foundation for species protection. [Methods] SBP gene family members in the genome of R. henanense subsp. lingbaoense was identified and analyzed by bioinformatics method. Tissue specificity was analyzed based on transcriptome data and qRT-PCR was used to detect the response of SBP gene expression to abiotic stress. [Results] (1) 19 SBP genes containing SBP conserved domains were identified in the reference genome of Lingbao rhododendron, the length of amino acids encoded by the genes ranged from 179-1 072 aa with molecular weight ranging from 20.26-118.73 kD. The proteins were located in the nucleus, and the genes were unevenly distributed on 8 chromosomes. (2) 19 RhlSBPs were divided into 5 subfamilies by phylogenetic analysis and most RhlSBPs were clustered with Arabidopsis AtSPL family members. (3) All RhlSBPs shared motif 1, motif 2, and motif 4, and the number of introns in subfamilies Ⅳ and Ⅴ was much higher than that in subfamilies Ⅰ, Ⅱ, and Ⅲ. (4) RhlSBP promoters contained a large number of light responsive elements, hormone responsive elements, and stress responsive elements, suggesting that RhlSBPs may play an important role in response to light regulation and abiotic stress. (5) The orthology of SBP genes between Lingbao rhododendron and R. williamsianum and R. molle which were in the same family was higher. (6) The RhlSBP gene subfamily members had similar tissue expression patterns. (7) RhlSBP genes functioned in response to abiotic stress, but members responded differently to different stresses. Under methyl jasmonate (MeJA) and low temperature treatments, gene expression was up-regulated, while salt treatment inhibited RhlSBP expression. Under drought conditions, RhlSBP expression was up-regulated and then down-regulated. [Conclusion] RhlSBP1 and RhlSBP8 may be the key genes induced by drought, low temperature, and MeJA.

Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium (CRP) has both culinary and medicinal uses, with high medicinal and economic value. However, CRP fraud such as mislabeling of the geographical origin, passing off, and aging time cheating has occurred frequently, which damages consumer interests. In order to ensure the safety and quality of CRP, it is urgent to establish effective techniques for its geographical origin traceability and authentication. In this article, we review recent progress on the application of metabolomics, spectroscopy, DNA analysis, elemental analysis and intelligent sensory analysis in identifying the geographical origin, variety, harvest period and aging time of CRP. Meanwhile, we compare and analyze the advantages and disadvantages of each technique, and propose the existing problems and future research priorities in the field of geographical origin traceability and authentication of CRP.

Abstract Background Metabolic syndrome (MetS) can increase the risk of morbidity and mortality of cardiovascular disease and obstructive coronary artery disease (OCAD), which usually have a poor prognosis. This study aimed to explore the impact of MetS on left ventricular (LV) deformation and function in OCAD patients and investigate the independent factors of impaired LV function and deformation. Materials and methods A total of 121 patients with OCAD and 52 sex- and age-matched controls who underwent cardiac magnetic resonance scanning were enrolled in the study. All OCAD patients were divided into two groups: OCAD with MetS [OCAD(MetS+), n = 83] and OCAD without MetS [OCAD(MetS−), n = 38]. LV functional and global strain parameters were measured and compared among the three groups. Multivariable linear regression analyses were constructed to investigate the independent factors of LV impairment in OCAD patients. Logistic regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis were performed to test the prediction efficiency of MetS for LV impairment. Results From controls to the OCAD(MetS−) group to the OCAD(MetS+) group, LV mass (LVM) increased, and LV global function index (LVGFI) and LV global longitudinal peak strain (GLPS) decreased (all p

Objective To analyze the factors related to early allograft dysfunction (EAD) after liver transplantation and to construct a predictive model. Methods A total of 375 patients who underwent liver transplantation in our hospital from December 2008 to December 2021 were collected, including 90 patients with EAD and 266 patients without EAD.Thirty items of baseline data for the 2 groups were compared and analyzed.After grouping in a ratio of 7:3, univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used in the training set to evaluate the factors related to EAD and construct a nomogram.Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, decision curve analysis (DCA), sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, Kappa value and other indicators were used to evaluate the model performance. Results The incidence of EAD after liver transplantation was 24%.Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that preoperative tumor recurrence history (OR=3.15, 95%CI: 1.28~7.77, P=0.013) and operation time (OR=1.22, 95%CI: 1.04~1.42, P=0.015) were related to the occurrence of EAD after surgery.After predicting the outcome according to the cut-off point of 0.519 identified by the Youden index, the model performance in the both training set and validation set was acceptable.DCA suggested the model has good clinical applicability. Conclusion The risk factors for EAD after liver transplantation are preoperative tumor recurrence history and operation time, and the established model has predictive effect on prognosis.

Abstract The mechanisms of bifurcation, a key step in thyroid development, are largely unknown. Here we find three zebrafish lines from a forward genetic screening with similar thyroid dysgenesis phenotypes and identify a stop-gain mutation in hgfa and two missense mutations in met by positional cloning from these zebrafish lines. The elongation of the thyroid primordium along the pharyngeal midline was dramatically disrupted in these zebrafish lines carrying a mutation in hgfa or met. Further studies show that MAPK inhibitor U0126 could mimic thyroid dysgenesis in zebrafish, and the phenotypes are rescued by overexpression of constitutively active MEK or Snail, downstream molecules of the HGF/Met pathway, in thyrocytes. Moreover, HGF promotes thyrocyte migration, which is probably mediated by downregulation of E-cadherin expression. The delayed bifurcation of the thyroid primordium is also observed in thyroid-specific Met knockout mice. Together, our findings reveal that HGF/Met is indispensable for the bifurcation of the thyroid primordium during thyroid development mediated by downregulation of E-cadherin in thyrocytes via MAPK-snail pathway.

The manipulation of vector optical fields in three-dimensional (3D) space plays a vital role in both fundamental research and practical implementations of polarization optics. However, existing studies mostly focus on 3D vector optical fields with limited modes. Here, an approach of spin-decoupled spatial partitioning is proposed to generate complex 3D vector optical fields with a customizable number of modes on demand. The crosstalk among different modes is effectively suppressed by the decoupling capability of asymmetric photonic spin–orbit interactions (PSOIs) and the design of region displacement for opposite spin states. As a proof-of-concept demonstration, a metasurface is designed to generate longitudinally varying high-order cylindrical vector fields, ranging from the 2nd to the 10th order in even sequences along the propagation direction. The experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness and potential of our approach to enabling precise control of 3D vector optical fields with arbitrary mode combinations. This work holds promising applications in biophotonics, quantum optics, and communications.

Abstract Background Dyslipidemia and abnormalities in cholesterol metabolism are commonly observed in individuals with gallstone disease. Previous research has demonstrated that dietary magnesium can influence lipid metabolism. The atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) has emerged as a novel lipid marker. This study aimed to examine the possible correlation between dietary magnesium intake and gallstones and the potential mediating role of AIP in US adults. Methods A total of 4,841 adults were included in this study from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) conducted from 2017 to 2020. A variety of statistical techniques such as logistic regression, subgroup analysis, smoothed curve fitting, and causal mediation analysis were utilized to analyze the information collected from the participants. Results In the fully adjusted model, a statistically noteworthy inverse relationship was observed between dietary magnesium intake and the presence of gallstones, as indicated by an odds ratio (OR) of 0.58 and a 95% confidence interval (CI) of (0.42, 0.81). Causal intermediary analysis revealed that the association between magnesium intake and gallstones was partially mediated by AIP, with a mediation ratio of 3.2%. Conclusion According to this study, dietary magnesium intake had a significant linear negative association with the prevalence of gallstones, in which AIP played a mediating role. This discovery offers novel perspectives on the prevention and management of gallstones.

Abstract Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) has been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular death, overall mortality and heart failure in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The present study investigated the additive effects of paroxysmal AF on left ventricular (LV) function and deformation in T2DM patients with or without AF using the cardiovascular magnetic resonance feature tracking (CMR-FT) technique. Methods The present study encompassed 225 T2DM patients differentiated by the presence or absence of paroxysmal AF [T2DM(AF+) and T2DM(AF−), respectively], along with 75 age and sex matched controls, all of whom underwent CMR examination. LV function and global strains, including radial, circumferential and longitudinal peak strain (PS), as well as peak systolic and diastolic strain rates (PSSR and PDSR, respectively), were measured and compared among the groups. Multivariable linear regression analysis was used to examine the factors associated with LV global strains in patients with T2DM. Results The T2DM(AF+) group was the oldest, had the highest LV end‑systolic volume index, lowest LV ejection fraction and estimated glomerular filtration rate compared to the control and T2DM(AF−) groups, and presented a shorter diabetes duration and lower HbA1c than the T2DM(AF−) group. LV PS-radial, PS-longitudinal and PDSR-radial declined successively from controls through the T2DM(AF−) group to the T2DM(AF+) group (all p

Purpose Multilevel cervical spondylotic myelopathy poses significant challenges in selecting optimal surgical approaches, warranting a comprehensive understanding of their biomechanical impacts. Given the lack of consensus regarding the most effective technique, this study aims to fill this critical knowledge gap by rigorously assessing and comparing the biomechanical properties of three distinct surgical interventions, including anterior controllable antedisplacement and fusion (ACAF), anterior cervical corpectomy decompression and fusion (ACCF), and anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). The study offers pivotal insights to enhance treatment precision and patient outcomes. Methods The construction of the cervical spine model involved a detailed process using CT data, specialized software (Mimics, Geomagic Studio, and Hypermesh) and material properties obtained from prior studies. Surgical instruments were modeled (titanium mesh, anterior cervical plate, interbody cage, and self‐tapping screws) to simulate three surgical approaches: ACAF, ACCF, and ACDF, each with specific procedures replicating clinical protocols. A 75‐N follower load with 2 Nm was applied to simulate biomechanical effects. Results The range of motion decreased more after surgery for ACAF and ACDF than for ACCF, especially in flexion and lateral bending. ACCF have higher stress peaks in the fixation system than those of ACAF and ACDF, especially in flexion. The maximum von Mises stresses of the bone–screw interfaces at C3 of ACCF were higher than those of ACAF and ACDF. The maximum von Mises stresses of the bone–screw interfaces at C6 of ACDF were much higher than those of ACAF and ACCF. The maximum von Mises stresses of the grafts of ACCF and ACAF were much higher than those of ACDF. The maximum von Mises stresses of the endplate of ACCF were much higher than those of ACAF and ACDF. Conclusion The ACAF and ACDF models demonstrated superior cervical reconstruction stability over the ACCF model. ACAF exhibited lower risks of internal fixation failure and cage subsidence compared to ACCF, making it a promising approach. However, while ACAF revealed improved stability over ACCF, higher rates of subsidence and internal fixation failure persisted compared to ACDF, suggesting the need for further exploration of ACAF's long‐term efficacy and potential improvements in clinical outcomes.

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a type of eating disorders characterized by self-starvation, significant loss of body mass, and malnutrition. AN has the highest mortality rate among all psychiatric disorders, leading to severe psychopathologic symptoms and life-threatening medical complications. However, AN cannot be recognized and diagnosed early in China, resulting in a prolonged course of the disease. Therefore, under the organization of the Eating Disorders Coordination Group of the Psychosomatic Medicine Society of the Chinese Medical Association, together with the Eating Disorders Research Collaboration Group of the Psychiatric Medicine Society of the Chinese Medical Association, this expert consensus was formulated by 16 medical experts based on evidence-based medical evidence, domestic and international guidelines and expert consensus, expert experience, etc., in order to improve the recognition, diagnosis and treatment of AN among domestic professionals.

Abstract Background Studies on the relationship between insulin resistance (IR) surrogates and long-term all-cause mortality in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) and hypertension are lacking. This study aimed to explore the relationship between different IR surrogates and all-cause mortality and identify valuable predictors of survival status in this population. Methods The data came from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 2001–2018) and National Death Index (NDI). Multivariate Cox regression and restricted cubic splines (RCS) were performed to evaluate the relationship between homeostatic model assessment of IR (HOMA-IR), triglyceride glucose index (TyG index), triglyceride glucose-body mass index (TyG-BMI index) and all-cause mortality. The recursive algorithm was conducted to calculate inflection points when segmenting effects were found. Then, segmented Kaplan–Meier analysis, LogRank tests, and multivariable Cox regression were carried out. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and calibration curves were drawn to evaluate the differentiation and accuracy of IR surrogates in predicting the all-cause mortality. Stratified analysis and interaction tests were conducted according to age, gender, diabetes, cancer, hypoglycemic and lipid-lowering drug use. Results 1126 participants were included in the study. During the median follow-up of 76 months, 455 participants died. RCS showed that HOMA-IR had a segmented effect on all-cause mortality. 3.59 was a statistically significant inflection point. When the HOMA-IR was less than 3.59, it was negatively associated with all-cause mortality [HR = 0.87,95%CI (0.78, 0.97)]. Conversely, when the HOMA-IR was greater than 3.59, it was positively associated with all-cause mortality [HR = 1.03,95%CI (1.00, 1.05)]. ROC and calibration curves indicated that HOMA-IR was a reliable predictor of survival status (area under curve = 0,812). No interactions between HOMA-IR and stratified variables were found. Conclusion The relationship between HOMA-IR and all-cause mortality was U-shaped in patients with CHD and hypertension. HOMA-IR was a reliable predictor of all-cause mortality in this population.

Abstract This paper proposes a refrigerant cooling method using an inner tube in a storage tank to improve the cooling performance and thermal uniformity during the storing of edible oil. With a prototype of an oil tank in Central Grain Reserve of Zhenjiang, the experimental oil tank was built in a scale of 50:1. Both natural and manual cooling experiments were carried out for the experimental tank. The manual cooling process involved two supplying modes for the refrigerant tube (top and bottom) and four different refrigerant temperatures (10 ℃, 12 ℃, 14 ℃, 16 ℃). The experimental results show that, compared with natural cooling, manual cooling can effectively reduce the temperature difference and thermal stratification between upper and lower layers. The temperature difference is 6.79 ℃, 1.93 ℃, and 3.67 ℃ for the natural cooling, manual top supplying, and manual bottom supplying mode, respectively. Furthermore, for the two manual modes, the cooling efficiency of bottom supplying is 21.4% higher than that of the top supplying, and the average oil temperature drops by 0.8–1 ℃. Based on experimental results, different working conditions (20, 40, and 60 ml/s) were simulated to determine the optimal flow rate for bottom supplying mode. The simulation results indicate that the low flow rate (20 ml/s) corresponds to the best thermal uniformity, and the maximum temperature has no obvious change under different flow rate conditions. Therefore, it is not necessary to increase the flow rate to improve cooling efficiency considering the rising energy consumption.

Drought stress limits agricultural productivity worldwide. Identifying and characterizing genetic components of drought stress-tolerance networks may improve crop resistance to drought stress. We show that the regulatory module formed by miR166 and its target gene, ATHB14-LIKE, functions in the regulation of drought tolerance in soybean (Glycine max). Drought stress represses the accumulation of miR166, leading to upregulation of its target genes. Optimal knockdown of miR166 in the stable transgenic line GmSTTM166 conferred drought tolerance without affecting yield. Expression of ABA signaling pathway genes was regulated by the miR166-mediated regulatory pathway, and ATHB14-LIKE directly activates some of these genes. There is a feedback regulation between ATHB14-LIKE and MIR166 genes, and ATHB14-LIKE inhibits MIR166 expression. These findings reveal that drought-triggered regulation of the miR166-mediated regulatory pathway increases plants drought resistance, providing new insights into drought stress regulatory network in soybean.

BACKGROUND: In patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), persistent inflammation and increasing disease activity are associated with increased risk of adverse events (AEs). OBJECTIVES: To assess relationships between RA disease activity and AEs of interest in patients treated with tofacitinib or tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi). DESIGN: This was a post hoc analysis of a long-term, postauthorization safety endpoint trial of tofacitinib versus TNFi. METHODS: In ORAL Surveillance, 4362 patients aged ⩾50 years with active RA despite methotrexate, and ⩾1 additional cardiovascular (CV) risk factor, were randomized 1:1:1 to tofacitinib 5 or 10 mg twice daily or TNFi for up to 72 months. Post hoc time-dependent multivariable Cox analysis evaluated the relationships between disease activity [Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI)], inflammation [C-reactive protein (CRP)], and AEs of interest. The AEs included major adverse CV events (MACE), malignancies excluding nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC), venous thromboembolism (VTE), serious infections, herpes zoster (HZ), nonserious infections excluding HZ (NSI), and death. RESULTS: Across treatments, risk for NSI was higher when patients had CDAI-defined active disease versus remission; MACE and VTE risks trended higher, but did not reach significance. Hazard ratios for MACE, malignancies excluding NMSC, VTE, infections, and death rose by 2-9% for each 5-mg/L increment in serum CRP. The interaction terms evaluating the impact of treatment assignment on the relationship between disease activity and AEs were all p > 0.05. CONCLUSION: In ORAL Surveillance, higher NSI risk was observed in the presence of active RA versus remission. The risk of MACE and VTE directionally increased in active disease versus remission, although statistical power was limited due to small event numbers in these categories. The relationship between active disease and AEs was not impacted by treatment with tofacitinib versus TNFi. REGISTRATION: NCT02092467.

BACKGROUND: The proximal tubules eliminate protein-bound toxins and drugs through secretion. Measurements or estimates of GFR do not necessarily reflect the physiologically distinct process of secretion. Clinical assessment of this important intrinsic kidney function requires endogenous markers that are highly specific for secretory transport. METHODS: We used metabolomics profiling to identify candidate markers of tubular secretory clearance in 50 participants from a kidney pharmacokinetics study. We measured metabolites in three sequential plasma samples and a concurrent 10-hour timed urine sample using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography/high-resolution mass spectrometry. We quantified the association between estimated kidney clearance and normalized plasma peak height of each candidate solute to the clearance of administered furosemide, a protein-bound, avidly secreted medication. RESULTS: We identified 528 metabolites present in plasma and urine, excluding pharmaceuticals. We found seven highly (>50%) protein-bound and 49 poorly bound solutes with clearances significantly associated with furosemide clearance and 18 solute clearances favoring an association with furosemide clearance by the 90th percentile compared with GFR. We also found four highly bound and 42 poorly bound plasma levels that were significantly associated with furosemide clearance. CONCLUSIONS: We found several candidate metabolites whose kidney clearances or relative plasma levels are highly associated with furosemide clearance, an avidly secreted tracer medication of the organic anion transporters, highlighting their potential as endogenous markers of proximal tubular secretory clearance.

Plate-based proteomic sample preparation offers a solution to the large sample throughput demands in the biotechnology field where hundreds or thousands of engineered microbes are constructed for testing is routine. Meanwhile, sample preparation methods that work efficiently on broader microbial groups are desirable for new applications of proteomics in other fields, such as microbial communities. Here, we detail a step-by-step protocol that consists of cell lysis in an alkaline chemical buffer (NaOH/SDS) followed by protein precipitation with high-ionic strength acetone in 96-well format. The protocol works for a broad range of microbes (e.g., Gram-negative bacteria, Gram-positive bacteria, non-filamentous fungi) and the resulting proteins are ready for tryptic digestion for bottom-up quantitative proteomic analysis without the need for desalting column cleanup. The yield of protein using this protocol increases linearly with respect to the amount of starting biomass from 0.5-2.0 OD*mL of cells. By using a bench-top automated liquid dispenser, a cost-effective and environmentally-friendly option to eliminating pipette tips and reducing reagent waste, the protocol takes approximately 30 minutes to extract protein from 96 samples. Tests on mock mixtures showed expected results that the biomass composition structure is in close agreement with the experimental design. Lastly, we applied the protocol for the composition analysis of a synthetic community of environmental isolates grown on two different media. This protocol has been developed to facilitate rapid, low-variance sample preparation of hundreds of samples and allow flexibility for future protocol development.

BackgroundFor achieving long-term sustainability of intensive agricultural practices, it is pivotal to understand belowground functional stability as belowground organisms play essential roles in soil biogeochemical cycling. It is commonly believed that resource availability is critical for controlling the soil biodiversity and belowground organism interactions that ultimately lead to the stabilization or collapse of terrestrial ecosystem functions, but evidence to support this belief is still limited. Here, we leveraged field experiments from the Chinese National Ecosystem Research Network (CERN) and two microcosm experiments mimicking high and low resource conditions to explore how resource availability mediates soil biodiversity and potential multi-trophic interactions to control functional trait stability.ResultsWe found that agricultural practice-induced higher resource availability increased potential cross-trophic interactions over 316% in fields, which in turn had a greater effect on functional trait stability, while low resource availability made the stability more dependent on the potential within trophic interactions and soil biodiversity. This large-scale pattern was confirmed by fine-scale microcosm systems, showing that microcosms with sufficient nutrient supply increase the proportion of potential cross-trophic interactions, which were positively associated with functional stability. Resource-driven belowground biodiversity and multi-trophic interactions ultimately feedback to the stability of plant biomass.ConclusionsOur results indicated the importance of potential multi-trophic interactions in supporting belowground functional trait stability, especially when nutrients are sufficient, and also suggested the ecological benefits of fertilization programs in modern agricultural intensification. Video Abstract.

High-performance refractory alloys with ultrahigh strength and ductility are in demand for a wide range of critical applications, such as plasma-facing components. However, it remains challenging to increase the strength of these alloys without seriously compromising their tensile ductility. Here, we put forward a strategy to "defeat" this trade-off in tungsten refractory high-entropy alloys by stepwise controllable coherent nanoprecipitations (SCCPs). The coherent interfaces of SCCPs facilitate the dislocation transmission and relieve the stress concentrations that can lead to premature crack initiation. As a consequence, our alloy displays an ultrahigh strength of 2.15 GPa with a tensile ductility of 15% at ambient temperature, with a high yield strength of 1.05 GPa at 800 °C. The SCCPs design concept may afford a means to develop a wide range of ultrahigh-strength metallic materials by providing a pathway for alloy design.

Cognitive complexity can provide insight into how people make decisions, ranging from the most minor to the most impactful. Here, we present a novel approach to inferring the complexity of processes associated with preference and decision making. We measured the complexity of participant-generated descriptive features of consumer products and the relationship to preference rankings. In order to measure cognitive complexity over a sparse set of features, we developed a natural language processing approach that compared the descriptive words generated by participants to those generated by a machine learning model; words that were more distinct from those generated by the model were rated more complex. We show preliminary evidence that cognitive complexity is related to preference for products, explaining unique variance in rankings and also capturing a new facet of the process through which preference is revealed through choice. We also show the value of participant-generated features for understanding choice processes.

ObjectiveThere is limited research on the relationship between the frequency of plant-based food intake and the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) among elderly Chinese. This study aims to evaluate the association between plant-based dietary index (PDI) and CVD risks, providing evidence for elderly Chinese to reduce CVD risks by increasing the frequency of plant-based food consumption.MethodsThis study analyzed data from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) 2011–2018, employing a multivariate modified Poisson regression model, trend tests, and restricted cubic spline (RCS) analysis to assess the linear and non-linear relationship between the PDI and CVD risks. Subgroup analyses and interaction tests were conducted to evaluate the robustness and population-specificity of the results.ResultsThis study included a total of 1,414 elderly Chinese, and at the end of follow-up, 487 participants had developed CVD. The multivariate modified Poisson regression model revealed a negative association between PDI and CVD risks [RR = 0.983, 95%CI = (0.970, 0.997)]. Similarly, the multivariate trend test (p = 0.031) and RCS analysis (P for nonlinear = 0.600) indicated a linear relationship between PDI and CVD risks. Subgroup analyses showed that the relationship between PDI and CVD risk was not influenced by gender, BMI, smoking, alcohol use, or exercise.ConclusionThe PDI was negatively correlated with CVD risks, indicating that increasing the frequency of plant-based food intake in the diet may reduce CVD risks among elderly Chinese.

Leukemia is a malignant tumor of the hematologic system. Studies have shown that cernuumolide J (TMJ-105), an extract of Carpesium cernuum, has anti-cancer effects, but the underlying mechanism is unclear. In this study, we investigated the effect of TMJ-105 on the proliferation of human leukemia HEL cells and its molecular mechanism. MTT analysis showed TMJ-105 had revealed that it shows significant IC50 in HEL cells at lower doses (1.79 ± 0.29 μmol/L) than in K562 cells (3.89 ± 0.80 μmol/L), and the suppression of HEL cell proliferation was time- and concentration-dependent. Meanwhile, TMJ-105 induced G2/M phase blockage, leading to DNA damage in HEL cells. TMJ-105 promoted HEL cells to release of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and changed mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). Furthermore, TMJ-105 induced apoptosis by upregulating the cleaved-caspase9 and cleaved-caspase3 protein expression, while caspase pan inhibitor (Z-VAD-FMK) blocked the inhibition effect. Finally, TMJ-105 downregulated the phosphorylation of JAK2, STAT3 and Erk, and activated the phosphorylation of JNK and p38. Collectively, these results demonstrated that TMJ-105 inhibited proliferation of leukemia cells and the underlying mechanism via the JAK2/STAT3 axis and MAPKs signaling pathway. Based on these results, the present study suggested the sesquiterpene lactone TMJ-105 is a new chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of leukemia.

This paper analyzes the relationship between Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), economic growth, and institutional quality to maintain sustainable energy efficiency in BRICS. The objective of our study is to decompose which elements collectively impact the uptake of sustainable energy practices. A comprehensive dataset and an advanced econometric model Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) are employed to investigate the dynamics at play. It has been done through comprehensive research to understand these FDI mechanisms driving the sustainable energy transition, bringing forth the fundamental role of strong institutions and sustained growth. In contrast to existing models, the analysis incorporates institutional quality, providing a fresh perspective on the impact of this factor on FDI and economic development in the BRICS economies. Findings show the crucial position FDI holds in developing sustainable energy and the institutional structure's effectiveness in accomplishing the current objectives. We have kept the position of economic growth, which serves as the essential driver for environmentally friendly use of energy resources. Our results have shown that FDI in sustainable energy is a requisite for economic growth improvement and the need for such progress to be supported by effective institutions to facilitate intra-regional investments.

The energy industry, acutely sensitive to geopolitical shifts due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, experiences sustained disturbances in global energy markets, reshaping global energy supply dynamics and significantly influencing global trade patterns. Utilizing static and dynamic GARCH-Copula models, this study elucidates the dependency between energy markets and related assets. The Copula function, when compared with the multivariate GARCH model, demonstrates distinct advantages, notably in delineating joint asset distributions, capturing market dependence's nonlinear traits, and highlighting robust tail correlation structures. Beyond the average inter-market dependence, its tail correlation offers a vital perspective on market risk. This research delves into the temporal and structural variations in interdependence between energy markets and related assets. It probes potential structural breakpoints in dynamic interdependence and pinpoints their occurrences. By focusing on the Russia-Ukraine conflict, this study offers a holistic view of the changing interplay between the energy market and other asset categories, providing pivotal insights for investor portfolio optimization, regulatory oversight, and risk mitigation. Moreover, employing wavelet analysis, this study examines the frequency domain traits of the interdependency between energy markets and associated assets. As frequency wanes, market price fluctuations become less pronounced. The continuous wavelet power spectrum indicates that price variations are predominantly mid to high frequency. Cross-wavelet transform results suggest that correlations between energy markets and related assets are more influenced by short-term perturbations than enduring shifts.