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BackgroundIn U.S. states that legalized and commercialized recreational cannabis, cannabis sales in illegal markets are still sizable or even larger than those in legal markets. This study aimed to assess cannabis consumers' preferences for purchasing cannabis from legal and illegal markets and estimate the trade-offs under various policy scenarios.Methods963 adults were recruited, who used cannabis in the past year and lived in a state with recreational cannabis legalization. In a discrete choice experiment, participants chose purchasing cannabis from a legal dispensary or an illegal dealer with varying levels in product attributes including quality, safety, accessibility, potency, and price. Mixed logit models were used to analyze preferences.ResultsThe likelihood of choosing legal cannabis increased with a higher quality, the presence of lab test, a shorter distance to seller, a higher tetrahydrocannabinol level, and a lower price. The likelihood of choosing illegal cannabis increased with a higher quality, a shorter distance to seller, and a lower price. Among product attributes, quality and accessibility were perceived to be the most important for legal cannabis and price was perceived to be the most important for illegal cannabis. Policy simulations predicted that improving quality, ensuring safety, allowing delivery services, increasing dispensary density, and lowering prices/taxes of legal cannabis may reduce illegal cannabis market share.ConclusionsIn the U.S., cannabis consumers' preferences for illegal cannabis were associated with both legal and illegal cannabis product attributes. Policies regulating legal cannabis markets should consider potential spillover effects to illegal markets.

This article aimed to establish an amplified luminescent proximity homogeneous assay linked immune sorbent assay (AlphaLISA) for detecting quinolones (QNS) residues in milk. The EDC/NHS active ester method was used to connect 6-aminocaproic acid as the spacer arm on the norfloxacin molecule to prepare biotin-modified norfloxacin hapten (Biotin-6AS-NOR), and QNS monoclonal antibody was coupled on the receptor microsphere. Biotin-6AS-NOR could compete with QNS in the sample to bind quinolone antibodies. A competitive indirect AlphaLISA for QNS residues in milk was established by optimizing the parameters including QNS antibody coupling amount on receptor microspheres, Biotin-6AS-NOR, the dosage of donor/receptor microspheres, and dilution schemes for milk samples. By using the 1:5 milk sample dilution scheme, the limit of detection and the limit of quantification of the established AlphaLISA for QNS in milk were 0.19 ng/mL and 0.46 ng/mL, respectively. The recovery values ranged from 85.97% and 110.11%, and the intraday and interday variation were both less than 10%. The cross-reactivity values for norfloxacin, enrofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, pefloxacin, ofloxacin, and lomefloxacin were all higher than 70%. In conclusion, the established AlphaLISA showed high sensitivity, accuracy and good repeatability, without the need of tedious wash steps throughout the detection process; therefore, it is easy to achieve automated detection of chemical hazards residue in milk and has high application and promotion value.

Purpose: To identify the risk factors for training-related lower extremity muscle injuries in young males by a non-invasive method of body composition analysis. Methods: A total of 282 healthy young male volunteers aged 18 – 20 years participated in this cohort study. Injury location, degree, and injury rate were adjusted by a questionnaire based on the overuse injury assessment methods used in epidemiological studies of sports injuries. The occurrence of training injuries is monitored and diagnosed by physicians and treated accordingly. The body composition was measured using the BodyStat QuadScan 4000 multifrequency Bio-impedance system at 5, 50, 100 and 200 kHz to obtain 4 impedance values. The Shapiro-Wilk test was used to check whether the data conformed to a normal distribution. Data of normal distribution were shown as mean ± SD and analyzed by t-test, while those of non-normal distribution were shown as median (Q1, Q3) and analyzed by Wilcoxon rank sum test. The receiver operator characteristic curve and logistic regression analysis were performed to investigate risk factors for developing training-related lower extremity injuries and accuracy. Results: Among the 282 subjects, 78 (27.7%) developed training injuries. Lower extremity training injuries revealed the highest incidence, accounting for 23.4% (66 cases). These patients showed higher percentages of lean body mass (p = 0.001), total body water (TBW, p = 0.006), extracellular water (p = 0.020) and intracellular water (p = 0.010) as well as a larger ratio of basal metabolic rate/total weight (p = 0.006), compared with those without lower extremity muscle injuries. On the contrary, the percentage of body fat (p = 0.001) and body fat mass index (p = 0.002) were lower. Logistic regression analysis showed that TBW percentage > 65.35% (p = 0.050, odds ratio = 3.114) and 3rd space water > 0.95% (p = 0.045, odds ratio = 2.342) were independent risk factors for lower extremity muscle injuries. Conclusion: TBW percentage and 3rd space water measured with bio-impedance method are potential risk factors for predicting the incidence of lower extremity muscle injuries in young males following training.

Abstract The increasing incidence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) worldwide poses serious social and family problems. Various risk factors for ASD are gradually being recognized, and there are also various options for the treatment of ASD. It is worth noting that dietary interventions have been shown to have a positive effect in terms of mitigating and preventing some psychiatric disorders, such as epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, and ASD, and they are gradually receiving attention as a safe adjuvant treatment. In this review, based on the current understanding of the pathogenic factors and intervention strategies for ASD, different dietary patterns that can be selected for children with ASD are discussed in depth. Moreover, a review was conducted on the use of dietary factors, such as natural products from food sources, prebiotics, and probiotics, as effective supplements to existing dietary patterns. As increasing evidence shows that maternal risk factors, such as obesity, diabetes, and hypertension, are associated with an increased risk of ASD in offspring, dietary suggestions are also made for pregnant woman with ASD‐related risk factors to counteract the impact of these risk factors. With compensation from food‐derived natural products, prebiotics, and probiotics, suitable dietary patterns can further enhance the effectiveness of dietary interventions for ASD. In addition, dietary recommendations for pregnant woman may reduce the potential impact of obesity, diabetes, and hypertension and may help to prevent the occurrence of ASD to the maximum extent possible.

ABSTRACTIn this study, foamed ceramics were successfully prepared using cyanide tailings (CTs) with a high sulfur content as the main raw material. The effects of sintering temperature, holding time, and heating rate on the bulk density, water absorption, porosity, pore structure, and compressive strength of foamed ceramics were systematically investigated. The results showed that the elevated sintering temperature promoted the generation of liquid phases, resulting in an obvious enlargement of the pore size and a decrease in bulk density. In addition, a similar evolution trend could be found in the pore size and bulk density with the extension of the holding time, which was attributed to the degrees of silicon carbide reaction. Foamed ceramics with small pore sizes could be prepared at a heating rate that did not exceed 4°C/min. Then, the higher heating rates could bring abnormally large pores and be detrimental to the mechanical properties of the foamed ceramics, which were proven to be related to the decomposition of FeS2 introduced by CTs during the heating process. In conclusion, the foamed ceramics prepared with CTs in this study provide effective solid waste utilization and have good application prospects in wall composite one-piece insulation panels.

B4C–TiB2 is an advanced electrically conductive ceramic with excellent mechanical and electrical discharge machinable properties. It is challenging and rewarding to achieve highly conductive and hard B4C–TiB2 composites at a minimum content of conductive TiB2 that has inferior hardness but double specific gravity of the B4C matrix. A novel strategy was used to construct conductive networks in B4C‒15 vol% TiB2 composite ceramics with B4C, TiC, and amorphous B as raw materials by a two-step spark plasma sintering method. The influences of particle size matching between B4C and TiC on the conducting of the strategy and the microstructure were discussed based on the selective matrix grain growth mechanism. The mechanical and electrical properties were also systematically investigated. The B4C–15 vol% TiB2 composite ceramic prepared from 10.29 µm B4C and 0.05 µm TiC powders exhibited a perfect three-dimensional interconnected conductive network with a maximum electrical conductivity of 4.25×104 S/m, together with excellent mechanical properties including flexural strength, Vickers hardness, and fracture toughness of 691±58 MPa, 30.30±0.61 GPa, and 5.75±0.32 MPa·m1/2, respectively, while the composite obtained from 3.12 µm B4C and 0.8 µm TiC powders had the best mechanical properties including flexural strength, Vickers hardness, and fracture toughness of 827±35 MPa, 32.01±0.51 GPa, and 6.45±0.22 MPa·m1/2, together with a decent electrical conductivity of 0.65×104 S/m.

Background: The tumor microenvironment (TME) in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) influences tumor progression and immunosuppressive phenotypes through cell communication. We aimed to decipher cellular communication and molecular patterns in LUAD. Methods: We analyzed scRNA-seq data from LUAD patients in multiple cohorts, revealing complex cell communication networks within the TME. Using cell chat analysis and COSmap technology, we inferred LUAD's spatial organization. Employing the NMF algorithm and survival screening, we identified a cell communication interactions (CCIs) model and validated it across various datasets. Results: We uncovered intricate cell communication interactions within the TME, identifying three LUAD patient subtypes with distinct prognosis, clinical characteristics, mutation status, expression patterns, and immune infiltration. Our CCI model exhibited robust performance in prognosis and immunotherapy response prediction. Several potential therapeutic targets and agents for high CCI score patients with immunosuppressive profiles were identified. Machine learning algorithms pinpointed the novel candidate gene ITGB1 and validated its role in LUAD tumor phenotype in vitro. Conclusion: Our study elucidates molecular patterns and cell communication interactions in LUAD as effective biomarkers and predictors of immunotherapy response. Targeting cell communication interactions offers novel avenues for LUAD immunotherapy and prognostic evaluations, with ITGB1 emerging as a promising therapeutic target.

IntroductionThe genus Acronema, belonging to Apiaceae, includes approximately 25 species distributed in the high-altitude Sino-Himalayan region from E Nepal to SW China. This genus is a taxonomically complex genus with often indistinct species boundaries and problematic generic delimitation with Sinocarum and other close genera, largely due to the varied morphological characteristics. MethodsTo explore the phylogenetic relationships and clarify the limits of the genus Acronema and its related genera, we reconstructed a reliable phylogenetic framework with high support and resolution based on two molecular datasets (plastome data and ITS sequences) and performed morphological analyses.ResultsBoth phylogenetic analyses robustly supported that Acronema was a non-monophyletic group that fell into two clades: Acronema Clade and East-Asia Clade. We also newly sequenced and assembled sixteen Acronema complete plastomes and performed comprehensively comparative analyses for this genus. The comparative results showed that the plastome structure, gene number, GC content, codon bias patterns were high similarity, but varied in borders of SC/IR and we identified six different types of SC/IR border. The SC/IR boundaries of Acronema chienii were significantly different from the other Acronema members which was consistent with the type VI pattern in the genus Tongoloa. We also identified twelve potential DNA barcode regions (ccsA, matK, ndhF, ndhG, psaI, psbI, rpl32, rps15, ycf1, ycf3, psaI-ycf4 and psbM-trnD) for species identification in Acronema. The molecular evolution of Acronema was relatively conservative that only one gene (petG) was found to be under positive selection (ω = 1.02489).DiscussionThe gene petG is one of the genes involved in the transmission of photosynthetic electron chains during photosynthesis, which plays a crucial role in the process of photosynthesis in plants. This is also a manifestation of the adaptive evolution of plants in high-altitude areas to the environment. In conclusion, our study provides novel insights into the plastome adaptive evolution, phylogeny, and taxonomy of genus Acronema.

Abstract Targeting ferroptosis, an iron-dependent form of regulated cell death triggered by the lethal overload of lipid peroxides, in cancer therapy is impeded by our limited understanding of the intersection of tumour’s metabolic feature and ferroptosis vulnerability. In the present study, arginine is identified as a ferroptotic promoter using a metabolites library. This effect is mainly achieved through arginine’s conversion to polyamines, which exerts their potent ferroptosis-promoting property in an H2O2-dependent manner. Notably, the expression of ornithine decarboxylase 1 (ODC1), the critical enzyme catalysing polyamine synthesis, is significantly activated by the ferroptosis signal——iron overload——through WNT/MYC signalling, as well as the subsequent elevated polyamine synthesis, thus forming a ferroptosis-iron overload-WNT/MYC-ODC1-polyamine-H2O2 positive feedback loop that amplifies ferroptosis. Meanwhile, we notice that ferroptotic cells release enhanced polyamine-containing extracellular vesicles into the microenvironment, thereby further sensitizing neighbouring cells to ferroptosis and accelerating the “spread” of ferroptosis in the tumour region. Besides, polyamine supplementation also sensitizes cancer cells or xenograft tumours to radiotherapy or chemotherapy through inducing ferroptosis. Considering that cancer cells are often characterized by elevated intracellular polyamine pools, our results indicate that polyamine metabolism exposes a targetable vulnerability to ferroptosis and represents an exciting opportunity for therapeutic strategies for cancer.

Objective Cable‐dragged reduction and cantilever beam internal fixation can provide promising results in the treatment of atlantoaxial dislocation or instability. However, bilateral atlantoaxial joints bone autografting has not been conducted in this technique. We aim to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of bilateral atlantoaxial joints bone autografting in posterior cable‐dragged reduction and cantilever‐beam internal fixation. Methods In this retrospective study, we included 14 patients with a minimum 24‐month follow‐up from December 2019 to September 2020. The granular bone harvested from the iliac crest was packed into the bilateral atlantoaxial joints of 14 patients in posterior cable‐dragged reduction and cantilever‐beam internal fixation. X‐ray imaging and cervical computed tomography (CT) were performed during follow‐up. The time required for bone fusion was recorded. The clinical outcomes were evaluated using the JOA scores, NDI, and VAS scores. Mann–Whitney U test, the chi‐squared test, or the Fisher exact test were used to compare the two groups regarding patient characteristics, clinical outcomes, bone fusion rates, and cervical sagittal alignment. Results The operations were successfully performed in all patients without any intraoperative complications. The mean operation time was (169.64 ± 20.91) minutes, and the intraoperative blood loss was (130.71 ± 33.62) mL. All patients received satisfactory reductions and firm bony fusion at the final follow‐up. The fusion rates were 64.29% in the atlantoaxial joints and 21.43% in post bone graft area at 3 months postoperatively, and a significant difference was observed (p = 0.022). Besides, the cervical sagittal alignment in all patients was well maintained in the last follow‐up compared to preoperatively. Importantly, a complete bony fusion in the atlantoaxial joints was observed in all patients. Moreover, the JOA, NDI, and VAS scores had improved significantly at the last follow‐up. Conclusion Bone autografting of the bilateral atlantoaxial joints is a safe and effective technique to increase bone fusion rates, shorten bone fusion time, and reduce complication rates when the cable‐dragged reduction and cantilever beam internal fixation approach is used. Therefore, it is a cost‐effective surgical procedure for treating patients with atlantoaxial dislocation or instability.

Abstract Background The genus Libanotis Haller ex Zinn, nom. cons., a contentious member of Apiaceae, encompasses numerous economically and medicinally significant plants, comprising approximately 30 species distributed across Eurasia. Despite many previous taxonomic insights into it, phylogenetic studies of the genus are still lacking. And the establishment of a robust phylogenetic framework remains elusive, impeding advancements and revisions in the taxonomic system for this genus. Plastomes with greater variability in their genetic characteristics hold promise for building a more robust Libanotis phylogeny. Results During our research, we sequenced, assembled, and annotated complete plastomes for twelve Libanotis species belong to three sections and two closely related taxa. We conducted a comprehensive comparative analysis through totally thirteen Libanotis plastomes for the genus, including an additional plastome that had been published. Our results suggested that Libanotis plastome was highly conserved between different subclades, while the coding regions were more conserved than the non-coding regions, and the IR regions were more conserved than the single copy regions. Nevertheless, eight mutation hotspot regions were identified among plastomes, which can be considered as candidate DNA barcodes for accurate species identification in Libanotis. The phylogenetic analyses generated a robustly framework for Libanotis and revealed that Libanotis was not a monophyletic group and their all three sections were polygenetic. Libanotis schrenkiana was sister to L. sibirica, type species of this genus, but the remainders scattered within Selineae. Conclusion The plastomes of Libanotis exhibited a high degree of conservation and was effective in enhancing the support and resolution of phylogenetic analyses within this genus. Based on evidence from both phylogeny and morphology, we propose the recognition of "Libanotis sensu stricto" and provide taxonomic recommendations for other taxa that previously belonged to Libanotis. In conclusion, our study not only revealed the phylogenetic position and plastid evolution of Libanotis, but also provided new insights into the phylogeny of the family Apiaceae and phylogenetic relationships within the tribe Selineae.

Abstract Background Lung cancer is one of the most common tumors in the world, and metastasis is one of the major causes of tumor-related death in lung cancer patients. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are a major component of the tumor microenvironment (TME) and are frequently associated with tumor metastasis in human cancers. However, the regulatory mechanisms of TAMs in lung cancer metastasis remain unclear. Methods Single-cell sequencing analysis of lung cancer and normal tissues from public databases and from 14 patients who underwent surgery at Zhongshan Hospital was performed. In vitro co-culture experiments were performed to evaluate the effects of TAMs on lung cancer migration and invasion. Changes in the expression of IL-6, STAT3, C/EBPΒ, and EMT pathway were verified using RT-qPCR, western blotting, and immunofluorescence. Dual luciferase reporter assays and ChIP were used to reveal potential regulatory sites on the transcription factor sets. In addition, the effects of TAMs on lung cancer progression and metastasis were confirmed by in vivo models. Results TAM infiltration is associated with tumor progression and poor prognosis. IL-6 secreted by TAMs can activate the JAK2/STAT3 pathway through autocrine secretion, and STAT3 acts as a transcription factor to activate the expression of C/EBPβ, which further promotes the transcription and expression of IL-6, forming positive feedback loops for IL6-STAT3-C/EBPβ-IL6 in TAMs. IL-6 secreted by TAMs promotes lung cancer progression and metastasis in vivo and in vitro by activating the EMT pathway, which can be attenuated by the use of JAK2/STAT3 pathway inhibitors or IL-6 monoclonal antibodies. Conclusions Our data suggest that TAMs promote IL-6 expression by forming an IL6-STAT3-C/EBPβ-IL6 positive feedback loop. Released IL-6 can induce the EMT pathway in lung cancer to enhance migration, invasion, and metastasis. The use of IL-6-neutralizing antibody can partially counteract the promotion of LUAD by TAMs. A novel mechanism of macrophage-promoted tumor progression was revealed, and the IL6-STAT3-C/EBPβ-IL6 signaling cascade may be a potential therapeutic target against lung cancer. Graphical Abstract IL-6 secreted by TAM acts on itself to promote STAT3 phosphorylation, and pSTAT3 transfers into the nucleus, promotes the expression of C/EBPβ. C/EBPβ is able to further promote IL-6 expression, which forms positive feedback for IL-6 secretion. IL-6 secreted by TAMs acts on lung cancer to promote their metastasis through activation of EMT.

Abstract Background The genus Sanicula L. is a unique perennial herb that holds important medicinal values. Although the previous studies on Sanicula provided us with a good research basis, its taxonomic system and interspecific relationships have not been satisfactorily resolved, especially for those endemic to China. Moreover, the evolutionary history of this genus also remains inadequately understood. The plastid genomes possessing highly conserved structure and limited evolutionary rate have proved to be an effective tool for studying plant phylogeny and evolution. Results In the current study, we newly sequenced and assembled fifteen Sanicula complete plastomes. Combined with two previously reported plastomes, we performed comprehensively plastid phylogenomics analyses to gain novel insights into the evolutionary history of this genus. The comparative results indicated that the seventeen plastomes exhibited a high degree of conservation and similarity in terms of their structure, size, GC content, gene order, IR borders, codon bias patterns and SSRs profiles. Such as all of them displayed a typical quadripartite structure, including a large single copy region (LSC: 85,074–86,197 bp), a small single copy region (SSC: 17,047–17,132 bp) separated by a pair of inverted repeat regions (IRs: 26,176–26,334 bp). And the seventeen plastomes had similar IR boundaries and the adjacent genes were identical. The rps19 gene was located at the junction of the LSC/IRa, the IRa/SSC junction region was located between the trnN gene and ndhF gene, the ycf1 gene appeared in the SSC/IRb junction and the IRb/LSC boundary was located between rpl12 gene and trnH gene. Twelve specific mutation hotspots (atpF, cemA, accD, rpl22, rbcL, matK, ycf1, trnH-psbA, ycf4-cemA, rbcL-accD, trnE-trnT and trnG-trnR) were identified that can serve as potential DNA barcodes for species identification within the genus Sanicula. Furthermore, the plastomes data and Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) sequences were performed to reconstruct the phylogeny of Sanicula. Although the tree topologies of them were incongruent, both provided strong evidence supporting the monophyly of Saniculoideae and Apioideae. In addition, the sister groups between Saniculoideae and Apioideae were strongly suggested. The Sanicula species involved in this study were clustered into a clade, and the Eryngium species were also clustered together. However, it was clearly observed that the sections of Sanicula involved in the current study were not respectively recovered as monophyletic group. Molecular dating analysis explored that the origin of this genus was occurred during the late Eocene period, approximately 37.84 Ma (95% HPD: 20.33–52.21 Ma) years ago and the diversification of the genus was occurred in early Miocene 18.38 Ma (95% HPD: 10.68–25.28 Ma). Conclusion The plastome-based tree and ITS-based tree generated incongruences, which may be attributed to the event of hybridization/introgression, incomplete lineage sorting (ILS) and chloroplast capture. Our study highlighted the power of plastome data to significantly improve the phylogenetic supports and resolutions, and to efficiently explore the evolutionary history of this genus. Molecular dating analysis explored that the diversification of the genus occurred in the early Miocene, which was largely influenced by the prevalence of the East Asian monsoon and the uplift of the Hengduan Mountains (HDM). In summary, our study provides novel insights into the plastome evolution, phylogenetic relationships, taxonomic framework and evolution of genus Sanicula.

IntroductionThe genus Sanicula L. is a taxonomically complicated taxa within Apiaceae, as its high variability in morphology. Although taxonomists have performed several taxonomic revisions for this genus, the interspecific relationships and species boundaries have not been satisfactorily resolved, especially for those endemic to China. This study mainly focused on S. giraldii var. ovicalycina, S. tienmuensis var. pauciflora, and S. orthacantha var. stolonifera and also described two new members of the genus.MethodsWe newly sequenced sixteen plastomes from nine Sanicula species. Combined with eleven plastomes previously reported by us and one plastome downloaded, we performed a comprehensively plastid phylogenomics analysis of 21 Sanicula taxa. Results and DiscussionThe comparative results showed that 21 Sanicula plastomes in their structure and features were highly conserved and further justified that two new species were indeed members of Sanicula. Nevertheless, eleven mutation hotspot regions were still identified. Phylogenetic analyses based on plastome data and the ITS sequences strongly supported that these three varieties were clearly distant from three type varieties. The results implied that these three varieties should be considered as three independent species, which were further justified by their multiple morphological characters. Therefore, revising these three varieties into three independent species was reasonable and convincing. Moreover, we also identified and described two new Sanicula species (S. hanyuanensis and S. langaoensis) from Sichuan and Shanxi, China, respectively. Based on their distinct morphological characteristics and molecular phylogenetic analysis, two new species were included in Sanicula. In summary, our study impelled the revisions of Sanicula members and improved the taxonomic system of the genus.

The accurate analysis of human dynamic behavior is very important for overcoming the limitations of movement diversity and behavioral adaptability. In this paper, a wearable device-based human dynamic behavior recognition method is proposed. The method collects acceleration and angular velocity data through a six-axis sensor to identify information containing specific behavior characteristics in a time series. A human movement data acquisition platform, the DMP attitude solution algorithm, and the threshold algorithm are used for processing. In this experiment, ten volunteers wore wearable sensors on their bilateral forearms, upper arms, thighs, calves, and waist, and movement data for standing, walking, and jumping were collected in school corridors and laboratory environments to verify the effectiveness of this wearable human movement recognition method. The results show that the recognition accuracy for standing, walking, and jumping reaches 98.33%, 96.67%, and 94.60%, respectively, and the average recognition rate is 96.53%. Compared with similar methods, this method not only improves the recognition accuracy but also simplifies the recognition algorithm and effectively saves computing resources. This research is expected to provide a new perspective for the recognition of human dynamic behavior and promote the wider application of wearable technology in the field of daily living assistance and health management.

BackgroundThe impact of artificially sweetened beverages (ASBs) consumption on obesity-related cancers (ORCs) risk remains controversial. To address this challenging issue, this study employed wide-angle mendelian randomization (MR) analyses to explore the genetic causality between ASB consumption and the risk of ORCs, thereby effectively minimizing the impact of external confounders.MethodsWe conducted a suite of analyses encompassing univariable, multivariable, and two-step MR to evaluate causal associations between ASB consumption (samples = 85,852) and risk of ORCs (total samples = 2,974,770) using summary statistics from genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Total, direct, and intermediary effects were derived by performing inverse-variance weighted (IVW), MR-Egger, weighted mode, weighted median, and lasso method. Additionally, we performed an extensive range of sensitivity analyses to counteract the potential effects of confounders, heterogeneity, and pleiotropy, enhancing the robustness and reliability of the findings.ResultsGenetically predicted ASB consumption was positively associated with the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC, p = 0.011; OR: 6.879; 95% CI: 1.551, 30.512 by IVW) and breast cancer (p = 0.022; OR: 3.881; 95% CI: 2.023, 9.776 by IVW). Multivariable analysis yielded similar results. The results of the two-step MR unveiled that body mass index (BMI) assumes a pivotal role in mediating the association between ASB consumption and CRC risk (intermediary effect = 0.068, p = 0.024).ConclusionNo causal connection exists between ASB consumption and the majority of ORCs, in addition to CRC and breast cancer. Additionally, our findings suggest that BMI might be a potential mediator in the association between ASB consumption and CRC.

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a leading cause of disability globally, affecting over 500 million individuals worldwide. However, accurate and early diagnosis of OA is challenging to achieve. Immune-related genes play an essential role in OA development. Therefore, the objective of this study was to develop a diagnostic model for OA based on immune-related genes identified in synovial membrane. Methods: The gene expression profile of OA were downloaded based on four datasets. The significantly differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between OA and control groups were selected. The differential immune cells were analyzed, followed by immune-related DEGs screening. WGCNA was used to screen module genes and these genes were further selected through optimization algorithm. Then, nomogram model was constructed. Chemical drug small molecule related to OA was predicted. Finally, expression levels of several key genes were validated by qRT-PCR through construction of OA rat models. Results: The total 656 DEGs were obtained. Eight immune cells were significantly differential between two groups, and 317 immune-related DEGs were obtained. WGCNA identified three modules. The genes in modules were significantly involved in 15 pathways, involving in 65 genes. Then 12 DEGs were screened as the final optimal combination of DEGs, such as CEBPB, CXCL1, JUND, GABARAPL2 and PDGFC. The Nomogram model was also constructed. Furthermore, the chemical small molecules, such as acetaminophen, aspirin, and caffeine were predicted. The expression levels of CEBPB, CXCL1, GABARAPL2 and PDGFC were validated in OA rat models. Conclusion: A diagnostic model based on twelve immune related genes was constructed. These model genes, such as CEBPB, CXCL1, GABARAPL2, and PDGFC, may serve as diagnostic biomarkers and immunotherapeutic targets.

The investigation of taxonomic diversity within island plant communities stands as a central focus in the field of island biogeography. Phylogenetic diversity is crucial for unraveling the evolutionary history, ecological functions, and species combinations within island plant communities. Island effects (area and isolation effect) may shape species distribution patterns, habitat heterogeneity affects habitat diversity, and anthropogenic disturbances can lead to species extinction and habitat destruction, thus impacting both species diversity and phylogenetic diversity. To investigate how taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity in island natural plant communities respond to island effects, habitat heterogeneity, and anthropogenic disturbances, we took the main island of Haitan (a land-bridge island) and nine surrounding islands (oceanic islands) of varying sizes as the subjects of our study on the Pingtan islands. We aim to elucidate the influence of island effects, habitat heterogeneity, and anthropogenic disturbances on taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity. The results showed that, (1) Both the taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity of plants on the Pingtan islands followed the island area effect, indicating that as the island area increases, both taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity also increase. (2) Island effects and habitat heterogeneity were found to enhance taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity, whereas anthropogenic disturbances were associated with a decrease in both taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity. Furthermore, the synergistic influence of island effects, habitat heterogeneity, and anthropogenic disturbances collectively exerted a negative impact on both taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity. (3) The contribution of explanatory variables of anthropogenic disturbances for taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity was higher than that of island effects and habitat heterogeneity. Additionally, the contribution of the explanatory variables under the combined influence of island effects, habitat heterogeneity, and anthropogenic disturbances is higher than that of the individual variables for island effects and habitat heterogeneity. These findings suggest that anthropogenic disturbances emerged as the dominant factors influencing both taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity. These findings demonstrate the intricate interplay between island effects, habitat heterogeneity, and anthropogenic disturbances, highlighting their combined influence on both taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity on island.

Acute mountain sickness (AMS) is a common ailment in high-altitude areas caused by the body’s inadequate adaptation to low-pressure, low-oxygen environments, leading to organ edema, oxidative stress, and impaired intestinal barrier function. The gastrointestinal tract, being the first to be affected by ischemia and hypoxia, is highly susceptible to injury. This study investigates the role of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus in alleviating acute hypoxic-induced intestinal and tissue damage from the perspective of daily consumed lactic acid bacteria. An acute hypoxia mouse model was established to evaluate tissue injury, oxidative stress, inflammatory responses, and intestinal barrier function in various groups of mice. The results indicate that strain 4L3 significantly mitigated brain and lung edema caused by hypoxia, improved colonic tissue damage, and effectively increased the content of tight junction proteins in the ileum, reducing ileal permeability and alleviating mechanical barrier damage in the intestines due to acute hypoxia. Additionally, 4L3 helped to rebalance the intestinal microbiota. In summary, this study found that Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus strain 4L3 could alleviate acute intestinal damage caused by hypoxia, thereby reducing hypoxic stress. This suggests that probiotic lactic acid bacteria that exert beneficial effects in the intestines may alleviate acute injury under hypoxic conditions in mice, offering new insights for the prevention and treatment of AMS.

Evaluating the carbon storage of forests and identifying the factors that influence it are essential in working towards the “dual carbon” goal. This assessment will facilitate research on carbon neutrality and promote regional ecological protection and development. This study utilized the “One Map” data of forest resources (2020) and the first year (2017) of the establishment of the national park in Wuyi Mountain National Park (WMNP). The continuous biomass expansion factor method, in conjunction with the vegetation carbon content coefficient, was employed to estimate the forest carbon storage within the park’s forested areas. Subsequently, the distribution of forest carbon storage was analyzed using remote sensing estimation methods, and a comparison was made between the forest carbon storage of these two years. Finally, correlation analysis and path analysis were conducted to identify the primary factors influencing forest carbon storage. The study findings reveal that in 2020, the total carbon storage in forests reached 4.851 × 106 t C, with an average carbon density of 49.55 t C·hm−2. Furthermore, the study identified positive correlations between dominant tree species, age groups, and elevation with carbon storage, whereas slope length and aspect were found to have negative correlations. Dominant tree species were observed to have the greatest impact on forest carbon storage in both 2017 and 2020, followed by age groups. These findings offer valuable scientific insights for the implementation of forest carbon storage pilot projects in WMNP.

Melanosciadium is considered a monotypic genus and is also endemic to the southwest of China. No detailed phylogenetic studies or plastid genomes have been identified in Melanosciadium. In this study, the plastid genome sequence and nrDNA sequence were used for the phylogenetic analysis of Melanosciadium and its related groups. Angelica tsinlingensis was previously considered a synonym of Hansenia forbesii. Similarly, Ligusticum angelicifolium was previously thought to be the genus Angelica or Ligusticopsis. Through field observations and morphological evidence, we believe that the two species are more similar to M. pimpinelloideum in leaves, umbel rays, and fruits. Meanwhile, we found a new species from Anhui Province (eastern China) that is similar to M. pimpinelloideum and have named it M. Jinzhaiensis. We sequenced and assembled the complete plastid genomes of these species and another three Angelica species. The genome comparison results show that M. pimpinelloideum, A. tsinlingensis, Ligusticum angelicifolium, and M. jinzhaiensis have similarities to each other in the plastid genome size, gene number, and length of the LSC and IR regions; the plastid genomes of these species are distinct from those of the Angelica species. In addition, we reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships using both plastid genome sequences and nrDNA sequences. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that A. tsinlingensis, M. pimpinelloideum, L. angelicifolium, and M. jinzhaiensis are closely related to each other and form a monophyletic group with strong support within the Selineae clade. Consequently, A. tsinlingensis and L. angelicifolium should be classified as members of the genus Melanosciadium, and suitable taxonomical treatments have been proposed. Meanwhile, a comprehensive description of the new species, M. jinzhaiensis, is presented, encompassing its habitat environment and detailed morphological traits.

The escalation of global nitrogen deposition levels has heightened the inhibitory impact of phosphorus limitation on plant growth in subtropical forests. Plant roots area particularly sensitive tissue to nitrogen and phosphorus elements. Changes in the morphological characteristics of plant roots signify alterations in adaptive strategies. However, our understanding of resource-use strategies of roots in this environment remains limited. In this study, we conducted a 10-month experiment at the Castanopsis kawakamii Nature Reserve to evaluate the response of traits of seedling roots (such as specific root length, average diameter, nitrogen content, and phosphorus content) to nitrogen and phosphorus addition. The aim was to reveal the adaptation strategies of roots in different nitrogen and phosphorus addition concentrations. The results showed that: (1) The single phosphorus and nitrogen–phosphorus interaction addition increased the specific root length, surface area, and root phosphorus content. In addition, single nitrogen addition promotes an increase in the average root diameter. (2) Non-nitrogen phosphorus addition and single nitrogen addition tended to adopt a conservative resource-use strategy to maintain growth under low phosphorus conditions. (3) Under the single phosphorus addition and interactive addition of phosphorus and nitrogen, the roots adopted an acquisitive resource-use strategy to obtain more available phosphorus resources. Accordingly, the adaptation strategy of seedling roots can be regulated by adding appropriate concentrations of nitrogen or phosphorus, thereby promoting the natural regeneration of subtropical forests.

The species Peucedanum ledebourielloides , a medicinally important herb, has previously been placed in Peucedanum s.l. based on dorsally compressed mericarps with slightly prominent dorsal ribs and narrowly winged lateral ribs. However, this genus has now been re-delimited in a narrow sense, namely Peucedanum s.s. , further recognized by ternate leaves and glabrous plants, so that the taxonomic position of P. ledebourielloides is unknown. To investigate the taxonomic position of this species, we sequenced and assembled the complete plastomes for two samples of P. ledebourielloides. Phylogenetic analyses based on 79 protein-coding genes showed that the samples of P. ledebourielloides formed a separate clade and were distant from Peucedanum morisonii , a representative member of Peucedanum s.s. , implying that P. ledebourielloides cannot not be placed in Peucedanum s.s. Additionally, plastome comparisons and chromosome studies indicated the clear specificity of P. ledebourielloides. In particular, pinnate leaves and dorsally compressed mericarps densely covered with forked scabrous bristles, slightly prominent dorsal ribs, narrowly winged lateral ribs, and one vitta in each furrow and two vittae on the commissure clearly distinguished P. ledebourielloides from Peucedanum s.s. and other genera of Apiaceae. Hence, a new genus, Pseudopeucedanum gen. nov. was established to accommodate this species. Our results improve the taxonomy of the family Apiaceae and provide guidance for the taxonomic revision of other taxa that are difficult to place systematically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]