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Abstract: Well-crystallized SrMoO4 crystallites with well controlled morphologies have been successfully prepared via a simple precipitation method. The molar ratio of reactants and reaction concentration were found to play important roles in the morphological controlling of the resulting SrMoO4 crystallites. With carefully controlling the molar ratio of reactants, different morphologies of SrMoO4 crystallites can be obtained effectively, including flower-like sphere, spindle rod, peanut, dumbbell and notched sphere. Room-temperature photoluminescence spectra of the as-synthesized SrMoO4 crystallites with different morphologies showed that their photoluminescent properties obviously relied on their morphologies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper presents a statistical approach named multivariate hidden Markov modeling (MHMM) and employs it to study the spatial and temporal distribution of earthquakes in the 1985 Yellowstone earthquake swarm. It also explores the potential of the approach for identifying fluid signals in the swarm. As far as the spatial distribution component is concerned, the MHMM detected an upward migration of earthquakes at the beginning of the swarm. This is an important feature of fluid-triggered earthquakes. In terms of the temporal distribution component, the agreement between the MHMM and ETAS modeling results suggests the presence of fluid signals in mid-November of 1985. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates the problem of delay-dependent exponential stability in mean square for continuous-time linear stochastic systems with structured uncertainties and time-varying delays. By applying descriptor model transformation of the systems, a new type of Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional is constructed, and by introducing some free weighting matrices, some new delay-dependent and delay-independent stability criteria are derived respectively in terms of an LMI algorithm. The new stability criteria are less conservative than existing results. Numerical examples demonstrate that the new criteria are effective and are an improvement over existing results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The remarkable lubrication properties of normal articular cartilage play an essential role in daily life, providing almost frictionless movements of joints. Alterations of cartilage surface or degradation of biomacromolecules within synovial fluid increase the wear and tear of the cartilage and hence determining the onset of the most common joint disease, osteoarthritis (OA). The irreversible and progressive degradation of articular cartilage is the hallmark of OA. Considering the absence of effective options to treat OA, the mechanosensitivity of chondrocytes has captured attention. As the only embedded cells in cartilage, the metabolism of chondrocytes is essential in maintaining homeostasis of cartilage, which triggers motivations to understand what is behind the low friction of cartilage and develop biolubrication-based strategies to postpone or even possibly heal OA. This review firstly focuses on the mechanism of cartilage lubrication, particularly on boundary lubrication. Then the mechanotransduction (especially shear stress) of chondrocytes is discussed. The following summarizes the recent development of cartilage-inspired biolubricants to highlight the correlation between cartilage lubrication and OA. One might expect that the restoration of cartilage lubrication at the early stage of OA could potentially promote the regeneration of cartilage and reverse its pathology to cure OA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a common pathogen causing respiratory infections in children and adults. In addition to respiratory diseases, Mycoplasma pneumoniae is also involved in numerous extrapulmonary diseases. Thrombosis is an extrapulmonary manifestation associated with Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection. In recent years, an increasing number of case reports have been published identifying thrombosis secondary to Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection. In the present study, the available relevant literature in English available on PubMed, Medline and Web of Science was consulted. The results of the present study demonstrated that in patients with thrombosis caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection, some of the factors causing thrombosis are transient and some are due to hereditary thrombophilia. Following timely treatment, the majority of patients recovered completely but some patients had a poor prognosis. The present review focuses on the pathogenesis, clinical features, treatment and prognosis of this crucial issue, which contributes toward the understanding of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The performance of a naïve Bayes classifier is compared with a well-established statistical classification approach, linear discriminant analysis, by considering core and log data from marine–eolian sediments. The results indicate that both methods perform adequately, and the Gaussian naïve Bayes classifier provides estimates as good as those based on the linear discriminant analysis for the given data set. Quadratic discriminant analysis, a more conventional Bayesian analysis, and kernel-based density estimation methods perform unexpectedly poor, probably because of overfitting. We conclude that the normal distribution is appropriate to fit the distribution of log readings in the present data, and the simplifications of naïve Bayes provide a robust, simple approach for facies identification. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Carbon isotope analysis of modern herbaceous plants in the Gyirong Basin (Tibet, China) indicates that although C3 plants are dominant, C4 plants rarely comprise of the vegetation in the area at 4000 m above sea level. The C4 plants discovered in the Gyirong Basin are Salsola nepalensis of Chenopodiaceae and Pennisetum flaccidum of Gramineae, affirming that C4 plants affected by high solar gain can he distributed at high altitude, which supports the opinion that some C4 plants can exist in areas of high elevation. Carbon isotope analysis of herbivore tooth enamel from the Gyirong Basin indicates that carbon isotopes of structural carbonate in biogenic apatite at high altitude still keep a stable enrichment relationship with those of plants in their diet. Carbon isotopes in tooth enamel are therefore an accurate proxy for vegetation ecotypes and should reflect climatic and environmental features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analyzes the carbon isotropic ratios of carbonate in the two profiles of the Dali area, Shaanxi Province, China to understand the influencing factors of the δ[sup 13]C[sub SC] value of the loess-paleosol sequence and its paleoenvironmental implications. Factor causing the decrease of the δ[sup 13]C[sub SC] value; Indication of the low δ[sup 13]C[sub SC] value.

Despite growing evidence suggesting the critical function of NOL7 in cancer initiation and development, a systematic pancancer analysis of NOL7 is lacking. Herein, we present a comprehensive study of NOL7 which aimed to explore its potential role and detailed mechanisms across 33 human tumors based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium (CATPAC) databases. As a result, both gene and protein levels of NOL7 were found to be increased in various tumor tissues, including breast invasive carcinoma (BRCA), colon adenocarcinoma (COAD), hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC), lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSC) as compared with corresponding normal tissues. Meanwhile, dysregulated NOL7 expression was found to be closely related to pathological stage and prognosis in several cancers, including LIHC, ovarian serous cystadenocarcinoma (OV), and bladder urothelial carcinoma (BLCA). The DNA methylation level of NOL7 was found to be decreased in most cancers and to be negatively associated with NOL7 expression. Furthermore, NOL7 expression was determined to be significantly associated with levels of infiltrating cells and immune checkpoint genes, including HMGB1. Analysis of NOL7-related genes revealed that RNA metabolism pathways, including "ribosome biogenesis", "spliceosome", and "RNA transport", were mainly involved in the functional mechanism of NOL7 in human cancers. In summary, this pancancer study characterized the relationship between NOL7 expression and clinicopathologic features in multiple cancer types and further showed its potential regulatory network in human cancers. It represents a systemic analysis for further functional and therapeutic studies of NOL7 and highlights its predictive value with respect to the carcinogenesis and prognosis of various cancers, especially LIHC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mannan is a predominant constituent of cork hemicellulose and is widely distributed in various plant tissues. β-Mannanase is the principal mannan-degrading enzyme, which breaks down the β-1,4-linked mannosidic bonds in mannans in an endo-acting manner. Microorganisms are a valuable source of β-mannanase, which exhibits catalytic activity in a wide range of pH and temperature, making it highly versatile and applicable in pharmaceuticals, feed, paper pulping, biorefinery, and other industries. Here, the origin, classification, enzymatic properties, molecular modification, immobilization, and practical applications of microbial β-mannanases are reviewed, the future research directions for microbial β-mannanases are also outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii), one of the major pathogens that causes severe nosocomial infections, is characterised by a high prevalence of drug resistance. It has been reported that A. baumannii triggers the NOD-like receptor 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, but the role of its virulence-related outer membrane protein A (ompA) remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the effects of ompA on the NLRP3 inflammasome and its underlying molecular mechanisms. Results showed that ompA enhanced inflammatory damage, which was reduced as a result of knockout of the ompA gene. Additionally, ompA -stimulated expression of NLRP3 inflammasome was significantly blocked by silencing caspase-1, but activation of NLRP3 inflammasome was not altered after silencing ASC; this indicated that ompA was dependent on the caspase-1 pathway to activate the inflammatory response. Simultaneously, the wild-type (WT) strains triggered NLRP3 inflammasome after inhibition of caspase-1 degradation by proteasome inhibitor MG-132, aggravating tissue damage. These findings indicated that ompA may be dependent on the caspase-1 pathway to enhance inflammation and exacerbate tissue damage. Taken together, these results confirmed a novel capsase-1−modulated mechanism underpinning ompA activity, which further reveals the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway as a potential immunomodulatory target against A. baumannii infections. • A.baumannii cause the inflammtion via NLRP3 inflammasome. • The ompA promoted NLRP3 inflammasome activation after A. baumannii infection. • The ompA may be dependent on the caspase-1 pathway to enhance inflammation and exacerbate tissue damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grazing lands provide many goods and ecosystem services, such as forage, livestock, soil carbon (C) storage, biodiversity, and recreational opportunities. Ensuring the long-term sustainability of grazing lands requires optimal management to simultaneously balance livestock productivity for sustaining human food and nutritional demands while reducing environmental impacts, such as greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions and soil degradation. In this paper, we revisit grazing management in grazing lands exposed to different grazing systems. In Section 2, we briefly review parameterization and multi-faceted goals for sustainability of grazing systems considering broader sustainability from economic to environmental aspects. We also discuss the inconsistencies between grazing researchers and ranchers' practices. In Section 3, we review the separate experimental data to examine the impacts of multi-paddock rotational grazing on soil carbon, nutrient and GHGs. In Section 4, we present status and upcoming challenges in monitoring and upscaling of grazing ecosystem research and management. In Section 5, new concepts of multiple source monitoring networks are presented that enable the analysis of scale-dependent processes. Finally, we point out future directions for monitoring and assessment of managing soil C and GHG emissions from grazing lands. The results show that the inconsistences are essentially due to (1) effects of spatiotemporal scales on both economic and ecological outcomes, and (2) simplistic representations of multi-faceted grazing systems and sustainability. The development of multi-faceted monitoring systems needs to be further parametrized and standardized to make consistent for meaningful and comparable assessment of grazing management impacts on SOC and GHGs. Image 1 • Review grazing management impacts on soil carbon and GHGs in grazing lands. • Pinpoint inconsistences of data and parameters of grazing management. • Review methods and uncertainty in monitoring and assessing soil C stocks and GHGs. • Compare advantages and disadvantages of monitoring methods for assessment. • Discuss upcoming challenges and future directions for managing GHGs from grazing lands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Outer membrane protein A (OmpA) of Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) is associated with autophagy, which plays an important role in its pathogenicity. However, its exact pathophysiological role in the process of lung tissue cell autophagy remains unclear. In this study, animal and cell infection models were established by wild A. baumannii strain and An OmpA knockout mutant (OmpA-/- A. baumannii) strain. The expression levels of markers autophagy, histological change, cell viability and protein expression levels of inflammatory cytokines were examined. OmpA -/- A. baumannii was successfully constructed. The capacities of bacterial adhesion and invasion to host cells increased more obviously in the AB group and the AB + Rapa group than in the OmpA-/- AB group and AB + CQ group. The AB group and AB + Rapa group could produce double membrane vacuoles, endoplasmic reticulum dilation, mitochondrial ridge rupture, and mitochondrial vacuoles. OmpA could lead to increased LC3, AMPK, and PAMPK protein release, and decreased levels of P62, mTOR and pmTOR proteins in vivo and in vitro. OmpA caused lung pathology and the release of inflammatory cytokines. A. baumannii OmpA promotes autophagy in lung cells through the mTOR signalling pathway, which increases the bacterial colonization ability in the double-layer membrane autophagosome formed by the autophagy reaction to escape the clearance of bacteria by the host, promote the release of inflammatory mediators and aggravate the damage to the host. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the establishment of intelligent transportation systems (ITS), research on vehicle ad-hoc networks (VANETs) has played an irreplaceable role in improving traffic safety and efficiency. However, because the deployment of devices based on the IoV is in an open field, the IoV is extremely vulnerable to various attacks without security protection, e.g., remote intrusion, control, trajectory tracking, etc. In order to avoid the above-mentioned attacks and resource abuses, provably secure cryptography primitives are generally considered to guarantee and realize the security of VANETs. This paper proposes a TPM-based conditional privacy-preserving authentication protocol (T-CPPA) which achieves both the integrity and the authenticity of the message/instruct content. The vehicle's privacy is protected by embedding the system master private key into the trust platform module (TPM) which is responsible for generating pseudonyms and signature keys. The authenticity of message content is ensured by calculating message similarity in a cluster-based model. We give the concrete construction of our T-CPPA authentication scheme in symmetric bilinear groups and design a batch validation algorithm to improve efficiency. Security analysis shows that our scheme can resist various traditional attacks in VANETs, and the experimental results indicate that our scheme is efficient and useful in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sustainability of grazing lands lies in the nexus of human consumption behavior, livestock productivity, and environmental footprint. Due to fast growing global food demands, many grazing lands have suffered from overgrazing, leading to soil degradation, air and water pollution, and biodiversity losses. Multidisciplinary efforts are required to understand how these lands can be better assessed and managed to attain predictable outcomes of optimal benefit to society. This paper synthesizes our understanding based on previous work done on modelling the influences of grazing of soil carbon (SC) and greenhouse gas emissions to identify current knowledge gaps and research priorities. We revisit three widely-used process-based models: DeNitrification DeComposition (DNDC), DayCent, and the Pasture Simulation model (PaSim) and two watershed models: The Soil & Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) and Variable Infiltration Capacity Model (VIC), which are widely used to simulate C, nutrient and water cycles. We review their structures and ability as process-based models in representing key feedbacks among grazing management, SOM decomposition and hydrological processes in grazing lands. Then we review some significant advances in the use of models combining biogeochemical and hydrological processes. Finally, we examine challenges of incorporating spatial heterogeneity and temporal variability into modelling C and nutrient cycling in grazing lands and discuss their weakness and strengths. We also highlight key research direction for improving the knowledge base and code structure in modelling C and nutrient cycling in grazing lands, which are essential to conserve grazing lands and maintain their ecosystem goods and services. Unlabelled Image • A cross-disciplinary review of biogeochemical and hydrological modelling in grazing lands • Revisiting five flagship models of agroecosystems and hydrological processes and watersheds • Analysis of fundamental processes and input data of nutrient partitioning pathway in the five models • Identifying gaps and challenges of animal movement and C and C cycle in grazing land modelling • Coupling agroecosystems and hydrological processes at grazing watersheds [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Children and adolescents are vulnerable groups during the COVID-2019 pandemic. • Children and adolescents may be experiencing symptoms for PTSD and GAD. • Comorbidity patterns of the symptoms for PTSD and GAD vary. • Perceived threat and stigma are risk factors related to PTSD and GAD. The present study aims to examine the comorbidity patterns of the symptoms (intrusion and avoidance) for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and the role of perceived threat and courtesy stigma in distinguishing specific patterns of the symptoms for PTSD and GAD among children and adolescents who are susceptible to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Hubei, China. A total of 1172 (683 female and 489 male) children and adolescents aged 8–18 years were involved in completing the measurements of PTSD, GAD, perceived threat of COVID-19, and COVID-19-related courtesy stigma. The Latent Profile Analysis identified the three profiles of the symptoms for PTSD and GAD which were labeled as Moderate PTSD, Mild Comorbidity, and Severe Comorbidity. The scores of the symptoms for PTSD, GAD, perceived threat, and stigma were different among the three profiles. The risk factors (i.e., perceived threat and stigma) that are related to comorbidity patterns were examined through a three-step method. The possibility of entry into the Severe Comorbidity Profile increased with increasing perceived threat and stigma. The mental health care interventions for children and adolescents who are susceptible to COVID-19 can be developed to reduce perceived threat and stigma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the work hardening rate of Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy in the conditions of solid solution and thermo-mechanical coupled fast aging were investigated separately, and the main research content and results are as follows. Under the solid solution processes at different temperatures, the uniaxial tensile test curves of work hardening rate are relatively dispersed at a lower strain rate, and the work hardening rate increases with the increase of solution temperature. Then, as the strain rate increasing, the work hardening rate curves at each solution temperature gradually converge, until all curves intersect at a common intersection point. The above mechanism is attributed to the comprehensive effect of precipitates, solid solutions, and dynamic strain aging in the matrix. For the thermo-mechanical coupled aging, the work hardening rate has a great different with that of solid solution process. Consequently, the influence of pre-deformation on the work hardening rate were investigated, which concludes the curve shape type and the softening coefficient. The introduction of dislocation have some significant influences on the work hardening rate. Firstly, it makes the shape of work hardening rate curves change from shape 1 to shape 2. On the other hand, as the pre-deformation increasing, the variation law of softening coefficient shows an abnormal trend that is different from the ordinary law, which is due to the coordinated effect between dislocation density and dislocation induced precipitation. Furthermore, in order to reveal the internal mechanism in depth, the microstructure are observed by TEM (Transmission electron microscope). Finally, a targeted set of analytical models for work hardening rate were established, especially the mathematical explanation of the multicollinearity phenomenon of work hardening rate curves in the solid solution condition. • Influence of dynamic strain aging on the work hardening rate. • Work hardening rate under dislocation induced precipitation conditions. • Build models for the multi-line coplanarity of work hardening rate curves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fertilizer applications can enhance soil fertility, pasture growth and thereby increase production. Nitrogen fertilizer has, however, been identified as a significant source of nitrous oxide (N 2 O) emissions from agriculture if not used correctly and can thereby increase the environmental damage costs associated with agricultural production. The optimum use of organic fertilizers requires an improved understanding of nutrient cycles and their controls. Against this context, the objective of this research was to evaluate the scope for reducing N 2 O emissions from grassland using a number of manure management practices including more frequent applications of smaller doses and different methods of application. We used a modified UK-DNDC model and N 2 O emissions from grasslands at Pwllpeiran (PW), UK during the calibration period in autumn, were 1.35 kg N/ha/y (cattle slurry) and 0.95 kg N/ha/y (farmyard manure), and 2.31 kg N/ha/y (cattle slurry) and 1.08 kg N/ha/y (farmyard manure) during validation period in spring, compared to 1.43 kg N/ha/y (cattle slurry) and 0.29 kg N/ha/y (farmyard manure) during spring at North Wyke (NW), UK. The modelling results suggested that the time period between fertilizing and sampling (TPFA), rainfall and the daily average air temperature are key factors for N 2 O emissions. Also, the emission factor (EF) varies spatio-temporally (0–2%) compared to uniform 1% EF assumption of IPCC. Predicted N 2 O emissions were positively and linearly (R2 ≈ 1) related with N loadings under all scenarios. During the scenario analysis, the use of high frequency, low dose fertilizer applications compared to a single one off application was predicted to reduce N 2 O peak fluxes and overall emissions for cattle slurry during the autumn and spring seasons at the PW and NW experimental sites by 17% and 15%, respectively. These results demonstrated that an optimized application regime using outputs from the modelling approach is a promising tool for supporting environmentally-friendly precision agriculture. Unlabelled Image • UK-DNDC model used to simulated N 2 O fluxes for two organic fertilizers. • Time periods between fertilizing and sampling are key factors for N 2 O emissions. • Optimized organic fertilizer applications can reduce peak N 2 O fluxes. • Predicted N 2 O emissions are positively and linearly related to N loadings. • Emission factor depends on soil, vegetation, climate, and fertilizer properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Developed a method to retrieve tree architecture parameters from lidar. • Proposed an improved Laplacian-Based Contraction algorithm to extract tree skeleton. • Developed a new path discrimination algorithm to identify and encode branch orders. • TLS data can be used to estimate branch architecture parameters accurately. • Branching pattern and complexity are two factors affecting parameter estimations. Tree architecture, defined as the three-dimensional arrangement of tree above-ground elements, directly influences the biological and physical processes of vegetation such as photosynthesis and evapotranspiration. Accurate description of tree architecture is of central importance to understand the above biophysical processes. Terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) has been proved to be a promising tool to quantitatively describe tree architecture parameters. However, previous studies using TLS usually focused on architectural parameter measurements at individual tree, crown scale and leaf scales. Very few studies have achieved a comprehensive quantitative description of branch architecture (including angle, diameter, length and volume). In this study, we improved the Laplacian-Based Contraction skeletonization algorithm using the Dijkstra algorithm, developed a new path discrimination method to identify and encode branch orders, and retrieved branch architecture parameters based on branch order and topology information. To assess the influence of branching complexity and branching pattern on the estimation accuracy, we scanned 15 different sized magnolia trees without a leading stem and simulated 10 different sized trees with a leading stem. Results showed the overall branch order identification and parameters retrieval accuracy of trees with a leading stem was obviously higher than trees without a leading stem. The identification accuracy of branch order decreased with the increase in the number of branch and tree branching complexity. The estimated branch architecture parameters agreed well with ground truth measurements (R 2 up to 0.99), except for the second- and third-order branch volume. Compared with branch angle and diameter, branch length showed the best correlations with manually measured values (0.14 vs 0.002, 8.48 in RMSE ; 0.99 vs 0.99, 0.78 in R 2). The second-and third-order branch volume estimations were highly underestimated compared with the ground truth values (R2 = 0.53, RMSE = 0.0239 and R2 = 0.70, RMSE = 0.0257 respectively). This study demonstrated that TLS was an effective way to retrieve branch architecture parameters and provided a useful tool for comprehensive studies of biophysical processes and metabolic theories in ecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global food demand requires increased uses of fertilizers, leading to nitrous oxide (N 2 O) and nitrate leaching due to overuse of fertilizers and poor timing between fertilizer application and plant growth. Using nitrification inhibitors (NIs) can reduce the N 2 O emissions but the effectiveness of NIs strongly depend on environmental conditions, and their benefits have been limited due to less than optimal nitrogen rates, timing, quantity, and placement of NIs. Process-based modelling can be helpful in improving the understanding of nitrogen fertilizer with NIs and their effects in different environmental conditions and agricultural practices. But few studies of modelling NIs with application to agricultural soils have been performed. In this paper, we developed a sophisticated biogeochemical reaction process of NIs applied to agricultural soils, which account for the factions of NIs with fertilizer by combining the application rate, soil moisture, and temperature within the DeNitrification DeComposition (DNDC) framework. This model was tested against the data from two agricultural farms in Preston Wynne and Newark in the UK. The results agreed well with the measured data and captured the measured soil moistures and N 2 O emissions. In Newark, the average Mean Absolute Error of all blocks is 8.78 and 5.45 for ammonium nitrate or urea respectively while in Preston Wynne, 3.48 and 3.14. The results also showed that the warming climate can greatly reduce the efficiency of nitrification inhibitors, which will further amplify the greenhouse gas impacts. The modified DNDC model of nitrification inhibitor modules can reliably simulate the inhibitory effect of NIs on N 2 O emissions and evaluate the efficiency of NIs. This enables end-users to optimize the amount of NIs used according to the time and climate conditions of fertilizer application for increasing crop yield and reducing N 2 O emissions and provides a useful tool for estimating the efficiency of NIs in agricultural management. Unlabelled Image • A sophisticated model of nitrification inhibitors (NIs) was developed for agriculture. • The new model of NIs was integrated into DeNitrification DeComposition (DNDC). • The integrated DNDC model was examined for urea and ammonium applied to soil. • N 2 O emissions under 20 climate change scenarios were compared with NIs used. • Precipitation has the greatest impact on N 2 O emissions of soil in England. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• AAS is a common seizure form of refractory epilepsy often associated with epileptic syndromes. • AS have not been thoroughly studied in terms of both basic and clinical research. • Neural network of AAS might be cortical-thalamic-hippocampal circuit related. • Mutations in ion channels and GABAergic function are most common in AAS. Atypical absence seizures are generalized non-convulsive seizures that often occur in children with cognitive impairment. They are common in refractory epilepsy and have been recognized as one of the hallmarks of developmental epileptic encephalopathies. Notably, pathogenic variants associated with AAS, such as GABRG2, GABRG3 , SLC6A1 , CACNB4 , SCN8A , and SYNGAP1 , are also linked to developmental epileptic encephalopathies. Atypical absences differ from typical absences in that they are frequently drug-resistant and the prognosis is dependent on the etiology or related epileptic syndromes. To improve clinicians' understanding of atypical absences and provide novel perspectives for clinical treatment, we have reviewed the electro-clinical characteristics, etiologies, treatment, and prognosis of atypical absences, with a focus on the etiology of advancements in gene variants, shedding light on potential avenues for improved clinical management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a research related to the reduction in wetland areas of Alahake Saline Lake in Xinjiang, China. It includes information on an endangered species Betula Halophila in Alahake Lake due to paleoecological changes. It also includes information on the pollen samples taken from the lake, identification of samples under microscope, and digital graphs made with the help of Tilia-Graph software.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of summer and winter on slaughter performance, muscle quality, flavor‐related substance content, and gene expression levels related to the fat metabolism of pheasants. One‐hundred 1‐day‐old pheasants were fed for 5 months starting in March and July and then, respectively, slaughtered in summer (August) and winter (December). The results revealed that compared with summer, winter not only increased pheasant live weight, dressed percentage, full‐eviscerated yield, and muscle yield (p < 0.05) but also enhanced the activities of SOD and CAT in serum (p < 0.05). Winter significantly increased meat color, the contents of inosinic acid, and flavor amino acid in muscle. Amino acid contents in leg muscles of pheasants in winter were significantly higher than in summer except for histidine (p < 0.05). Winter increased the contents of muscle mono‐unsaturated fatty acid, reducing saturated fatty acid. Summer improved fat synthesis in liver, promoted the deposition of triglycerides and cholesterol, and reduced the expression levels of fat metabolism‐related genes in muscle, while winter increased the expression levels of genes related to muscle fat metabolism to provide energy for body and affect muscle fatty acid profile. Overall, pheasants fed in winter had better sensory quality and flavor than summer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Postinterventional cerebral hyperdensity (PCHD) is commonly seen in acute ischemic patients after mechanical thrombectomy. We propose a new classification of PCHD to investigate its correlation with hemorrhagic transformation (HT). The clinical prognosis of PCHD was further studied. Methods. Data from 189 acute stroke patients were analyzed retrospectively. According to the European Cooperative Acute Stroke Study criteria (ECASS), HT was classified as hemorrhagic infarction (HI-1 and HI-2) and parenchymal hematoma (pH-1 and pH-2). Referring to the classification of HT, PCHD was classified as PCHD-1, PCHD-2, PCHD-3, and PCHD-4. The prognosis included early neurological deterioration (END) and the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score at 3 months. Results. The incidence of HT was 14.8% (12/81) in the no-PCHD group and 77.8% (84/108) in the PCHD group. PCHD was highly correlated with HT (r = 0.751 , p < 0.01). After stepwise regression analysis, PCHD and the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score at admission were found to be independent factors for END (p < 0.001 , p = 0.015 , respectively). The area of curves (AUC) of PCHD, the NIHSS at admission, and the combined model were 0.810, 0.667, and 0.832, respectively. The optimal diagnostic cutoff of PCHD for END was PCHD > 2. PCHD, the NIHSS score at admission, and good vascular recanalization (VR) were independently associated with 3-month mRS (all p < 0.05). The AUC of PCHD, the NIHSS at admission, good VR, and the combined model were 0.779, 0.733, 0.565, and 0.867, respectively. And the best cutoff of PCHD for the mRS was PCHD > 1. Conclusion. The relationship of PCHD and HT suggested PCHD was an early risk indicator for HT. The occurrence of PCHD-3 and PCHD-4 was a strong predictor for END. PCHD-1 is considered to be relatively benign in relation to the 3-month mRS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Aortic dissection (AD) is a disease with rapid onset but with no effective therapeutic drugs yet. Previous studies have suggested that glucose metabolism plays a critical role in the progression of AD. Transketolase (TKT) is an essential bridge between glycolysis and the pentose phosphate pathway. However, its role in the development of AD has not yet been elucidated. In this study, we aimed to explore the role of TKT in AD. Methods: We collected AD patients' aortic tissues and used high‐throughput proteome sequencing to analyze the main factors influencing AD development. We generated an AD model using BAPN in combination with angiotensin II (Ang II) and pharmacological inhibitors to reduce TKT expression. The effects of TKT and its downstream mediators on AD were elucidated using human aortic vascular smooth muscle cells (HAVSMCs). Results: We found that glucose metabolism plays an important role in the development of AD and that TKT is upregulated in patients with AD. Western blot and immunohistochemistry confirmed that TKT expression was upregulated in mice with AD. Reduced TKT expression attenuated AD incidence and mortality, maintained the structural integrity of the aorta, aligned elastic fibers, and reduced collagen deposition. Mechanistically, TKT was positively associated with impaired mitochondrial bioenergetics by upregulating AKT/MDM2 expression, ultimately contributing to NDUFS1 downregulation. Conclusion: Our results provide new insights into the role of TKT in mitochondrial bioenergetics and AD progression. These findings provide new intervention options for the treatment of AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Malignant tumours seriously threaten human life and health, and effective treatments for cancer are still being explored. The ability of SHC SH2 domain-binding protein 1 (SHCBP1) to induce cell cycle disturbance and inhibit tumour growth has been increasingly studied, but its dynamic role in the tumour cell cycle and corresponding effects leading to mitotic catastrophe and DNA damage have rarely been studied. Results: In this paper, we found that the nucleoprotein SHCBP1 exhibits dynamic spatiotemporal expression during the tumour cell cycle, and SHCBP1 knockdown slowed cell cycle progression by inducing spindle disorder, as reflected by premature mitotic entry and multipolar spindle formation. This dysfunction was caused by G2/M checkpoint impairment mediated by downregulated WEE1 kinase and NEK7 (a member of the mammalian NIMA-related kinase family) expression and upregulated centromere/kinetochore protein Zeste White 10 (ZW10) expression. Moreover, both in vivo and in vitro experiments confirmed the significant inhibitory effects of SHCBP1 knockdown on tumour growth. Based on these findings, SHCBP1 knockdown in combination with low-dose DNA-damaging agents had synergistic tumouricidal effects on tumour cells. In response to this treatment, tumour cells were forced into the mitotic phase with considerable unrepaired DNA lesions, inducing mitotic catastrophe. These synergistic effects were attributed not only to the abrogation of the G2/M checkpoint and disrupted spindle function but also to the impairment of the DNA damage repair system, as demonstrated by mass spectrometry-based proteomic and western blotting analyses. Consistently, patients with low SHCBP1 expression in tumour tissue were more sensitive to radiotherapy. However, SHCBP1 knockdown combined with tubulin-toxic drugs weakened the killing effect of the drugs on tumour cells, which may guide the choice of chemotherapeutic agents in clinical practice. Conclusion: In summary, we elucidated the role of the nucleoprotein SHCBP1 in tumour cell cycle progression and described a novel mechanism by which SHCBP1 regulates tumour progression and through which targeting SHCBP1 increases sensitivity to DNA-damaging agent therapy, indicating its potential as a cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Malignant tumours seriously threaten human life and health, and effective treatments for cancer are still being explored. The ability of SHC SH2 domain-binding protein 1 (SHCBP1) to induce cell cycle disturbance and inhibit tumour growth has been increasingly studied, but its dynamic role in the tumour cell cycle and corresponding effects leading to mitotic catastrophe and DNA damage have rarely been studied. Results: In this paper, we found that the nucleoprotein SHCBP1 exhibits dynamic spatiotemporal expression during the tumour cell cycle, and SHCBP1 knockdown slowed cell cycle progression by inducing spindle disorder, as reflected by premature mitotic entry and multipolar spindle formation. This dysfunction was caused by G2/M checkpoint impairment mediated by downregulated WEE1 kinase and NEK7 (a member of the mammalian NIMA-related kinase family) expression and upregulated centromere/kinetochore protein Zeste White 10 (ZW10) expression. Moreover, both in vivo and in vitro experiments confirmed the significant inhibitory effects of SHCBP1 knockdown on tumour growth. Based on these findings, SHCBP1 knockdown in combination with low-dose DNA-damaging agents had synergistic tumouricidal effects on tumour cells. In response to this treatment, tumour cells were forced into the mitotic phase with considerable unrepaired DNA lesions, inducing mitotic catastrophe. These synergistic effects were attributed not only to the abrogation of the G2/M checkpoint and disrupted spindle function but also to the impairment of the DNA damage repair system, as demonstrated by mass spectrometry-based proteomic and western blotting analyses. Consistently, patients with low SHCBP1 expression in tumour tissue were more sensitive to radiotherapy. However, SHCBP1 knockdown combined with tubulin-toxic drugs weakened the killing effect of the drugs on tumour cells, which may guide the choice of chemotherapeutic agents in clinical practice. Conclusion: In summary, we elucidated the role of the nucleoprotein SHCBP1 in tumour cell cycle progression and described a novel mechanism by which SHCBP1 regulates tumour progression and through which targeting SHCBP1 increases sensitivity to DNA-damaging agent therapy, indicating its potential as a cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: 16S rRNA sequencing technology was used to study the diversity and structural composition of gut microorganisms in fattening geese fed with an optimal ratio of FMS. This study reveals the diversity changes in the gut microbiota ecosystem of geese fed with FMS while analyzing the dominant microbial communities and predicting their potential functions. These findings will help to improve the utilization rate of FMS in poultry during the fattening period, reduce feed costs, improve economic benefits and maximize nutritional value. To optimize the utilization of fermented maize stover (FMS) feed during the fattening phase of Xianghai flying geese (XFG), a total of 300 XFG at 125 days of age were randomly assigned to four dietary treatment groups with three replicates of 25 in each set. Group A was fed the basal fattening diet, while the B, C, and D groups were fed the basic fattening diet and diets supplemented with 5%, 10% or 15% FMS, respectively. The findings indicate that the production performance indicators (especially the dressed, eviscerated and breast muscle yield) of Group D closely resembled Group A more than Groups B and C. Intestinal morphometry found that the jejunal villus height and the villus height/crypt depth were significantly increased in Group D compared to Group A. Next, 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing of the extracted DNA revealed that beneficial microbiota (Coprococcus and Victivallis) showed increased abundance in Group D. Cecal flora function analysis further revealed that some amino acid and glycerol biosynthesis were found to be associated with growth performance in geese. These findings suggest that incorporating 15% FMS as a substitute for a portion of the feed during the fattening phase of XFG can effectively sustain their production performance, optimize the gut microbial community and morphometrical traits, provide new insight into using non-conventional feed resources to reduce feed cost and improve economic benefits in the breeding industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zi goose is a famous indigenous breed originating from northeast China with high annual egg production. Xianghai flying goose is a composite breed and is bred by crosses of the wild swan goose and the Zi goose. Our previous study revealed significant differences in muscle fiber characteristics between the two populations. Here, we aimed to reveal the underlying genetic basis of the above phenotype differences through whole‐genome and transcriptome analysis. A total of 20 blood samples (10 Zi geese and 10 Xianghai flying geese) were used for whole genome sequencing, and eight breast muscle tissue samples (four Zi geese and four Xianghai flying geese) were used for RNA sequencing. Using the FST and XP‐EHH analysis, some highly differentiated genome regions annotated with egg production (RORB, WNT4, BMPR1B) and breast muscle development (WNT7B) between the two populations were detected. RNA‐sequencing analysis revealed differentially expressed genes related to muscle development (IGF1, PAX7). Moreover, several genes were detected by both genome and transcriptome analysis, and some of them were reported to be associated with muscle growth (SLIT2, PREX1) and intramuscular fat (COL6A1). These findings will help researchers better understand the genetic basis related to egg production and muscle development in geese. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Chestnut-flanked white-eye (Zosterops erythropleurus) is a species of family Zosteropidae, which is distributed widely in the world. In the present study, the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of Chestnut-flanked white-eye was determined. It has a total length of 17 811 bp, and contains 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA genes, 2 ribosome RNA genes and 2 control regions. The total base composition was 30.2% for A, 31.0% for C, 14.2% for G and 24.6% for T. The phylogenetic tree of Chestnut-flanked white-eye and 13 other species belonging to the order Passeriformes was built. The molecular data presented here will be useful to study the evolutionary relationships and genetic diversity of Chestnut-flanked white-eye. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work describes a single-stranded degradable modular grafting probe for analyzing microRNA-21. In the system, the exonuclease activity of phi29 polymerase restrains the SYBR Green I/ssDNA induced background. The palindrome activation caused remarkable target fluorescence. The detection limit was achieved as 0.26 fM, showing potential in biochemical analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at the problem of product processing quality management in automobile manufacturing supply chain, the concepts of automobile manufacturing supply chain and medium auto parts enterprise are put forward, the theory of product life cycle and relationship life cycle is introduced, and the automobile manufacturing supply chain is divided into product processing preparation stage, product sample performance evaluation stage and product production and operation stage. The cooperation model of the medium enterprise in the automotive manufacturing supply chain is constructed, the management characteristics and key influencing factors of the medium auto parts enterprises in the three stages of the automotive manufacturing supply chain are analyzed, and from the perspective of the supply chain, the product processing quality management demand model of the medium enterprise is established. Taking a new product manufacturing of an auto parts enterprise in China as an example, the practicability and rationality of the proposed concept and model are verified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Children with diabetic ketoacidosis often have elevated lactate. In this study, we investigated the clinical variables associated with hyperlactatemia in children with diabetic ketoacidosis. Methods: We designed a single-center retrospective descriptive study of children with diabetic ketoacidosis in a pediatric intensive care unit. Results: Of the 107 patients with diabetic ketoacidosis included in the analysis, 61 developed hyperlactatemia. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that heart rate (p = 0.003),diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.001) and stage of severity (p = 0.042) were independently associated with the development of hyperlactatemia in diabetic ketoacidosis. We found that lactate level was not significantly associated with length of hospital stay (p = 0.115) or the length of time to diabetic ketoacidosis resolution (p = 0.143). Conclusions: Children with diabetic ketoacidosis presenting with severer stage, elevated heart rate and higher diastolic blood pressure may be prone to hyperlactatemia. Hyperlactatemia was not associated with length of time to DKA resolution and length of hospital stay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forkhead box M1 (FOXM1), a transcriptional regulator of G1/S and G2/M transition and M phase progression in the cell cycle, plays a principal role in many physiological and pathological processes. A growing number of studies have focused on the relationship between abnormal FOXM1 expression and pulmonary diseases, such as lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, acute lung injury (ALI), pulmonary fibrosis, and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). These studies indicate that the FOXM1 regulatory network is a major predictor of poor outcomes, especially in lung cancer, and provide novel insight into various pulmonary diseases. For the first time, this review summarizes the mechanistic relationship between FOXM1 dysregulation and pulmonary diseases, the benefits of targeting abnormal FOXM1 expression, and the questions that remain to be addressed in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, deep neural networks have evolved rapidly in engineering technology, with models becoming larger and deeper. However, for most companies, developing large models is extremely costly and highly risky. Researchers usually focus on the performance of the model, neglecting its cost and accessibility. In fact, most regular business scenarios do not require high-level AI. A simple and inexpensive modeling method for fulfilling certain demands for practical applications of AI is needed. In this paper, a Fragmented neural network method is proposed. Inspired by the random forest algorithm, both the samples and features are randomly sampled on image data. Images are randomly split into smaller pieces. Weak neural networks are trained using these fragmented images, and many weak neural networks are then ensembled to build a strong neural network by voting. In this way, sufficient accuracy is achieved while reducing the complexity and data volume of each base learner, enabling mass production through parallel and distributed computing. By conducting experiments on the MNIST and CIFAR10 datasets, we build a model pool using FNN, CNN, DenseNet, and ResNet as the basic network structure. We find that the accuracy of the ensemble weak network is significantly higher than that of each base learner. Meanwhile, the accuracy of the ensemble network is highly dependent on the performance of each base learner. The accuracy of the ensemble network is comparable to or even exceeds that of the full model and has better robustness. Unlike other similar studies, we do not pursue SOTA models. Instead, we achieved results close to the full model with a smaller number of parameters and amount of data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical fitness is a key element of a healthy life, and being overweight or lacking physical exercise will lead to health problems. Therefore, assessing an individual's physical health status from a non-medical, cost-effective perspective is essential. This paper aimed to evaluate the national physical health status through national physical examination data, selecting 12 indicators to divide the physical health status into four levels: excellent, good, pass, and fail. The existing challenge lies in the fact that most literature on physical fitness assessment mainly focuses on the two major groups of sports athletes and school students. Unfortunately, there is no reasonable index system has been constructed. The evaluation method has limitations and cannot be applied to other groups. This paper builds a reasonable health indicator system based on national physical examination data, breaks group restrictions, studies national groups, and hopes to use machine learning models to provide helpful health suggestions for citizens to measure their physical status. We analyzed the significance of the selected indicators through nonparametric tests and exploratory statistical analysis. We used seven machine learning models to obtain the best multi-classification model for the physical fitness test level. Comprehensive research showed that MLP has the best classification effect, with macro-precision reaching 74.4% and micro-precision reaching 72.8%. Furthermore, the recall rates are also above 70%, and the Hamming loss is the smallest, i.e., 0.272. The practical implications of these findings are significant. Individuals can use the classification model to understand their physical fitness level and status, exercise appropriately according to the measurement indicators, and adjust their lifestyle, which is an important aspect of health management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the unmet needs of lung cancer patients in early rehabilitation, based on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory. Methods: Information on the experiences of 20 patients was collected through semi-structured interviews. The interviews were conducted in the surgical nursing clinic within 1 week of discharge from hospital. The data were analysed using a combination of deductive (theory-driven) and inductive (data-driven) methods, using Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs as a framework for identifying and organising themes. Results: Patients had a mean age of 50.92 years (SD 11.88); n = 11 (55%) were female. Major themes aligned with the dimensions of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs model. Five major themes with 12 corresponding sub-themes emerged: (1) physiological needs, including “self-care and independence in life”, “return to pre-operative status as soon as possible”, “increase exercise under specialist guidance” and “reduce cough and pain and improve sleep quality”; (2) safety and security needs, such as “symptom management”, “regulation of the emotions of worry and fear” and “access accurate treatment information”; (3) love and belonging needs, including “accompany family members” and “chat with friends”;(4)Esteem needs: “live with dignity”;(5) Self-actualization, such as “accept and submit to the reality of cancer” and “live meaningfully”. Conclusions: The findings of this study indicated that there were many unmet needs for patients during the early recovery period after lung cancer surgery. An overview of the different areas of need identified in this study may guide future research and development of interventions to improve patients’ quality of life during the home rehabilitation phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Live birth is the most important concern for assisted reproductive technology (ART) patients. Therefore, in the medical reproductive centre, obstetricians often need to answer the following question: "What are the chances that I will have a healthy baby after ART treatment?" To date, our obstetricians have no reference on which to base the answer to this question. Our research aimed to solve this problem by establishing prediction models of live birth for ART patients. Between January 1, 2010, and May 1, 2017, we conducted a retrospective cohort study of women undergoing ART treatment at the Reproductive Medicine Centre, Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Hunan, China. The birth of at least one live-born baby per initiated cycle or embryo transfer procedure was defined as a live birth, and all other pregnancy outcomes were classified as no live birth. A live birth prediction model was established by stepwise multivariate logistic regression. All eligible subjects were randomly allocated to two groups: group 1 (80% of subjects) for the establishment of the prediction models and group 2 (20% of subjects) for the validation of the established prediction models. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of each prediction model at different cut-off values were calculated. The prediction model of live birth included nine variables. The area under the ROC curve was 0.743 in the validation group. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of the established model ranged from 97.9–24.8%, 7.2–96.3%, 44.8–83.8% and 81.7–62.5%, respectively, at different cut-off values. A stable, reliable, convenient, and satisfactory prediction model for live birth by ART patients was established and validated, and this model could be a useful tool for obstetricians to predict the live rate of ART patients. Meanwhile, it is also a reference for obstetricians to create good conditions for infertility patients in preparation for pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study identified one of the factors that contribute to employee creativity. In addition, it examined the relationship among perceived organizational support, calling, and employee creativity. A total of 410 employees from 68 organizations were included in the sample. The short version of the Survey of Perceived Organizational Support, Calling and Vocation Questionnaire, and Person–Environment Fit Scale for Creativity was administered. Results confirmed that perceived organizational support, calling, and employee creativity are positively and significantly correlated. Perceived organizational support and calling were relevant contributors to employee creativity. The mediating role of calling (i.e., the purposeful work dimension of calling) between perceived organizational support and employee creativity was discussed. These findings may explain how perceived organizational support can affect employee creativity. In addition, they may help unlock employee creativity via perceived organizational support and calling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The study investigated whether specific ultrasonographically observed endometrial features (including endometrium type and thickness) were linked to ectopic pregnancy after stimulated cycles with fresh embryo transfer. Method: Of 6246 pregnancy cycles after fresh embryo transfer, 6076 resulted in intrauterine pregnancy and 170 in ectopic pregnancy. The primary outcome of the study was ectopic pregnancy, with the main variables being endometrium type and endometrial thickness. Univariate and subsequent multiple-stepwise logistic regression analyses were used to identify the risk factors of ectopic pregnancy. Results: 1. Compared with patients with an endometrial thickness ≥ 8 mm, the adjusted odds ratio for those with an endometrial thickness < 8 mm was 3.368 (P < 0.001). The adjusted odds ratio for women with a type-C endometrium was 1.897 (P = 0.019) compared with non-type C. 2. A larger dose of gonadotropin used during controlled ovarian hyperstimulation was a protective factor against ectopic pregnancy (P = 0.008). 3. The GnRH antagonist protocol (P = 0.007) was a risk factor for ectopic pregnancy, compared with the use of GnRH agonists. Conclusion: (1) An endometrial thickness < 8 mm coupled with a type C endometrium significantly increased the risk of ectopic pregnancy after fresh embryo transfer. (2) A thin endometrial thickness and a type C endometrium could be further related to an abnormal endometrial receptivity/peristaltic wave. (3) Patients at a high risk of ectopic pregnancy should therefore be given special attention, with early diagnosis during the peri-transplantation period may assist in the prevention of ectopic pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quality of Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill. (S. chinensis) is principally attributed to lignan compounds. In this paper, a simple and rapid strategy for simultaneous extraction and determination of 10 lignans from S. chinensis was established through matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) assisted by diol-functionalized silica (Diol). The experimental parameters for MSPD extraction were screened using the response surface methodology (RSM). Diol (800 mg) was used as a dispersant and methanol (MeOH, 85%, v/v) as an eluting solvent (10 mL), resulting in a high extraction efficiency. MSPD extraction facilitated the combination of extraction and purification in a single step, which was less time-consuming than and avoided the thermal treatment involved in traditional methods. The simultaneous qualification and quantification of 10 lignans was achieved by combining MSPD and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The proposed method offered good linearity and a low limit of detection starting from 0.04 (schisandrin C) to 0.43 μg/mL (schisantherin B) for lignans, and the relative standard deviation (RSD, %) values of precision were acceptable, with a maximum value of 1.15% (schisantherin B and schisanhenol). The methodology was successfully utilized to analyze 13 batches of S. chinensis from different cultivated areas of China, which proved its accuracy and practicability in the quantitative analysis of the quality control of S. chinensis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: As a rare hexose with low calories and various physiological functions, d‐allulose has drawn increasing attention. The current industrial production of d‐allulose from d‐fructose or d‐glucose is achieved via epimerization based on the Izumoring strategy; however, the inherent reaction equilibrium during reversible reaction limits its high conversion yield. Although the conversion of d‐fructose to d‐allulose could be enhanced via phosphorylation‐dephosphorylation mediated by metabolic engineering, biomass reduction and byproduct accumulation remain a largely unresolved issue. RESULTS: After modifying the glycolytic pathway of Escherichia coli and optimizing the whole‐cell reaction condition, the engineered strain produced 7.57 ± 0.61 g L−1d‐allulose from 30 g L−1d‐glucose after 24 h of catalysis. By developing an ATP regeneration system for enhanced substrate phosphorylation, the cell growth inhibition was alleviated and d‐allulose production increased by 55.3% to 11.76 ± 0.58 g L−1 (0.53 g g−1). Fine‐tuning of carbon flux caused a 48% reduction in d‐fructose accumulation to 1.47 ± 0.15 g L−1. After implementing fed‐batch co‐substrate strategy, the d‐allulose titer reached 15.80 ± 0.31 g L−1 (0.62 g g−1) with a d‐glucose conversion rate of 84.8%. CONCLUSION: The present study reports a novel strategy for high‐yield d‐allulose production from low‐cost substrate. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Methylation of the p16 promoter resulting in epigenetic gene silencing—known as p16 epimutation—is frequently found in human colorectal cancer and is also common in normal-appearing colonic mucosa of aging individuals. Thus, to improve clinical care of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients, we explored the role of age-related p16 epimutation in intestinal tumorigenesis. Methods: We established a mouse model that replicates two common genetic and epigenetic events observed in human CRCs: Apc mutation and p16 epimutation. We conducted long-term survival and histological analysis of tumor development and progression. Colonic epithelial cells and tumors were collected from mice and analyzed by RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), quantitative PCR, and flow cytometry. We performed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to characterize tumor-infiltrating immune cells throughout tumor progression. We tested whether anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy affects overall survival of tumor-bearing mice and whether inhibition of both epigenetic regulation and immune checkpoint is more efficacious. Results: Mice carrying combined Apc mutation and p16 epimutation had significantly shortened survival and increased tumor growth compared to those with Apc mutation only. Intriguingly, colon tumors with p16 epimutation exhibited an activated interferon pathway, increased expression of programmed death-ligand 1 (Pdl1), and enhanced infiltration of immune cells. scRNA-seq further revealed the presence of Foxp3+ Tregs and γδT17 cells, which contribute to an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). Furthermore, we showed that a combined therapy using an inhibitor of DNA methylation and a PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitor is more effective for improving survival in tumor-bearing mice than blockade of either pathway alone. Conclusions: Our study demonstrated that age-dependent p16 epimutation creates a permissive microenvironment for malignant transformation of polyps to colon cancer. Our findings provide a mechanistic rationale for future targeted therapy in patients with p16 epimutation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common frequent endocrine disorder among women of reproductive age. Although assisted reproductive techniques (ARTs) are used to address subfertility in PCOS women, their effectiveness is not clear. Our aim was to compare transcriptomic profiles of oocytes and cumulus cells (CCs) between women with and without PCOS, and assess the effectiveness of ARTs in treating PCOS patients. We collected oocytes and CCs from 16 patients with and without PCOS patients to categorize them into 6 groups according to oocyte nuclear maturation. Transcriptional gene expression of oocyte and CCs was determined via single-cell RNA sequencing. The ratio of fertilization and cleavage was higher in PCOS patients than in non-PCOS patients undergoing ARTs, and there was no difference in the number of high-quality embryos between the groups. Differentially expressed genes including PPP2R1A, PDGFRA, EGFR, GJA1, PTGS2, TNFAIP6, TGF-β1, CAV1, INHBB et al. were investigated as potential causes of PCOS oocytes and CCs disorder at early stages, but their expression returned to the normal level at the metaphase II (MII) stage via ARTs. In conclusion, ARTs can improve the quality of cumulus-oocyte complex (COC) and increase the ratio of fertilization and cleavage in PCOS women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myxopapillary ependymoma (MPE) is a rare variant of ependymoma that is most commonly located in the cauda equina and filum terminale. We present a case of 23-year-old man diagnosed with MPE in the fourth ventricle and sacral canal area with extensive disseminated lesions along the cerebrospinal ventricular system. Additionally, a molecular pathological diagnosis was performed. The patient underwent a craniotomy and a lumbar laminectomy. In the course of 18 months of follow-up, the patient have recovered very well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three novel norfloxacin-based ruthenium(ii) complexes, [Ru(bpy)2(NFLX)]Cl·2H2O (1), [Ru(phen)2(NFLX)]Cl·2H2O (2), and [Ru(dmbpy)2(NFLX)]Cl·2H2O (3) (bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine, phen = 1,10-phenanthroline, dmbpy = 4,4′-dimethyl-2,2′-bipyridine, and NFLX = norfloxacin), were synthesised and characterised with electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry and 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy. The antitumour properties were evaluated by MTT assay, and the data revealed that 2 can inhibit the growth of human lung adenocarcinoma A549 efficiently. Furthermore, the DNA-binding behaviours of these complexes were investigated by a multiple spectroscopy assay and viscosity study. The results indicated that these complexes interact with calf thymus DNA through electrostatic interactions with a strong binding affinity in the order 2 > 3 > 1. Therefore, these results suggested that 2 might be a suitable anticancer agent due to its excellent DNA-binding abilities. Three novel norfloxacin-based ruthenium(ii) complexes [Ru(bpy)2(NFLX)]Cl·2H2O (1), [Ru(phen)2(NFLX)]Cl·2H2O (2), and [Ru(dmbpy)2(NFLX)]Cl·2H2O (3) (bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine, phen = 1,10-phenanthroline, dmbpy = 4,4′-dimethyl-2,2′-bipyridine, and NFLX = norfloxacin) have been synthesised. Compound 2 exhibited a stronger DNA-binding affinity than 1 and 3 , which is consistent with its antitumour activity, indicating that the DNA-binding behaviour can be closely related to the anti-tumour activity of the ruthenium(ii) complexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed at investigating the anti-tumor effect of arsenic sulfide (As2S2) against liver cancer both in vivo and in vitro and to elucidate its underlying mechanisms.Methods: Cell viability of the human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines SMMC-7721, BEL-7402, HepG2 were measured by CCK-8 assay. The effects of As2S2 on cell proliferation and apoptosis of SMMC-7721 cells were investigated using Calcein-AM and PI staining, Hoechst 33258 staining, crystal violet staining, and JC-1 staining. Cell cycle and Annexin V/PI assay were analyzed via flow cytometry. The expression of apoptosis-related proteins, phosphorylation of PI3K and AKT were detected by Western blotting. H22-bearing mice model was established to evaluate the anti-tumor effect of As2S2 in vivo. HE staining, PCNA was observed via immunohistochemistry, and TUNEL assay was used to assess the anti-proliferation and pro-apoptotic effects of As2S2.Results: As2S2 significantly inhibited the growth of human hepatoma cells SMMC-7721, BEL-7402 and HepG2. As2S2 inhibited cell proliferation effectively by inducing G0/G1 cell cycle arrest in SMMC-7721 cells. As2S2 could increase Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, decrease mitochondrial membrane potential, promote the release of cytochrome c, increase the levels of cleaved caspase-3 and PARP, indicating that As2S2 induced apoptosis in SMMC-7721 cells via mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis pathway. Further research showed that As2S2 inhibited the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway leading to apoptotic cell death. In addition, As2S2 significantly inhibited tumor growth in H22-bearing mice and induced apoptosis by deactivating PI3K/AKT pathway, which was consistent with the in vitro results.Conclusion: These findings suggested that As2S2 could induce apoptosis of liver cancer cells in vitro and in vivo, which was related to PI3K/AKT-mediated mitochondrial pathway and may provide a novel promising therapeutic agent for liver cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schematic photocatalytic mechanism for the LFC 0.5 /G-CQDs composites. [Display omitted] • Novel LFC 0.5 /CQDs catalyst was prepared via a facile, cheap and green method. • LFC 0.5 /G-CQDs degradation kinetics was 14 times higher than that of pure LFC 0.5. • A Z-scheme heterojunction mechanism for LFC 0.5 /G-CQDs was deduced. • LFC 0.5 /G-CQDs composite owns a satisfied life span and potential application value. • The luminescence position of CQDs affects the performance of the composite. The environmentally friendly semiconductor photocatalyst has tremendous potential for resolving wastewater pollution issues. This study describes the successful fabrication of a novel (LaFe 0.5 Cu 0.5 O 3) LFC 0.5 /CQDs nanocomposite using a simple cryogenic-calcination method. The LFC 0.5 /G-CQDs composite displayed the greatest light absorption range and photogenerated carrier separation ability based on their various optical characteristics and electron transfer capabilities. Moreover, its quinoline degradation kinetics were 14 times greater than those of pure LFC 0.5. According to the findings of a thorough investigation, this excellent photocatalytic performance may be ascribed to the synergistic effects of the up-converted fluorescent properties of G-CQDs, tuned band structure, and effective charge separation caused by the formation of heterojunction. Based on the findings of the experimental quenching, it was clear that the LFC 0.5 /G-CQDs photocatalytic process was dominated by the radicals ∙OH and ∙O 2 −. A potential Z-scheme heterojunction mechanism for quinoline degradation by LFC 0.5 /G-CQDs was elucidated using band structure analysis and EPR data. In addition, the composite photocatalyst LFC 0.5 /G-CQDs demonstrated excellent reusability over five cycles. In addition to developing highly efficient visible-light-driven photocatalysts for degrading Quinoline, this study suggests that implementing carbon quantum dots at the center of the main catalyst's luminescence will maximize light utilization and enhance photocatalytic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]