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The formation of pearlite in three high-carbon steels with different Nb and V additions was directly observed using a high-temperature laser scanning confocal microscope. The number densities and growth rates of pearlite nodules, and the overall pearlite transformation kinetics of pearlite were measured based on the in-situ observation results. The results show that Nb and V increase the pearlite nucleation rate due to different mechanisms. The refinement of prior austenite grain by Nb and the promotion of intragranular pearlite nucleation by V separately increase the nucleation rate. The formation of grain boundary pearlite and intragranular pearlite compete with each other in the V microalloyed steel, and the contribution of intragranular pearlite on the nucleation rate continuously increases as the transformation proceeds. In addition, the pearlite growth rate is reduced by Nb and V, resulting in the retardation of overall transformation kinetics. Moreover, the promotion of Nb on pearlite nucleation rate and its hindrance on pearlite growth and overall transformation kinetics are more pronounced than those of V.

Abstract Background Recent advancements in spatially resolved transcriptomics (SRT) have opened up unprecedented opportunities to explore gene expression patterns within spatial contexts. Deciphering spatial domains is a critical task in spatial transcriptomic data analysis, aiding in the elucidation of tissue structural heterogeneity and biological functions. However, existing spatial domain detection methods ignore the consistency of expression patterns and spatial arrangements between spots, as well as the severe gene dropout phenomenon present in SRT data, resulting in suboptimal performance in identifying tissue spatial heterogeneity. Results In this paper, we introduce a novel framework, spatially regularized deep graph networks (SR-DGN), which integrates gene expression profiles with spatial information to learn spatially-consistent and informative spot representations. Specifically, SR-DGN employs graph attention networks (GAT) to adaptively aggregate gene expression information from neighboring spots, considering local expression patterns between spots. In addition, the spatial regularization constraint ensures the consistency of neighborhood relationships between physical and embedded spaces in an end-to-end manner. SR-DGN also employs cross-entropy (CE) loss to model gene expression states, effectively mitigating the impact of noisy gene dropouts. Conclusions Experimental results demonstrate that SR-DGN outperforms state-of-the-art methods in spatial domain identification across SRT data from different sequencing platforms. Moreover, SR-DGN is capable of recovering known microanatomical structures, yielding clearer low-dimensional visualizations and more accurate spatial trajectory inferences.

Objective To explore the expressions and clinical significance of MicroRNA-770-5p （miR-770-5p） and MicroRNA-145-5p （miR-145-5p） in patients with diabetic kidney disease （DKD）. MethodsFrom December 2020 to December 2022, 132 DKD patients （n = 132） were designated as DKD group, another 132 type 2 diabetes patients （n = 132） as T2DM group and still another 132 health checkups at the same time as control group. Real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction （qRT-PCR） was applied for measuring the serum expression levels of miR-770-5p and miR-145-5p. The prognostic factors of DKD were examined by multiple Logistic regression analysis. And predictive value of serum miR-770-5p and miR-145-5p for DKD prognosis was analyzed through plotting receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curve. Results As compared with control group, the expression levels of serum miR-770-5p and miR-145-5p spiked markedly in T2DM and DKD groups （P＜0.05）. As compared with early DKD group, the serum expression levels of miR-770-5p and miR-145-5p in middle and late DKD groups rose obviously （P＜0.05）. As compared with good prognosis group, the serum expression levels of miR-770-5p and miR-145-5p jumped greatly in poor prognosis group （P＜0.05）. As compared with good prognosis group, there were significant differences in urea nitrogen, albumin and serum creatinine in poor prognosis group （P＜0.05）. Multivariate Logistic results indicated that miR-770-5p, miR-145-5p, urea nitrogen and serum creatinine were risk factors for the prognosis （P＜0.05） while albumin was a protective factor （P＜0.05）. The area under the curve （AUC） of the combined prognostic prediction of serum miR-770-5p and miR-145-5p was the highest. It was better than individual prediction of serum miR-770-5p and miR-145-5p （Z combination - miR-770-5p = 3.632, P = 0.003, Z combination - miR-145-5p = 2.370, P = 0.018）. Conclusions The serum expression levels of miR-770-5p and miR-145-5p are up-regulated in DKD patients. It is closely correlated with the severity and prognosis of DKD. The combination of the two is more valuable in evaluating the prognosis of DKD patients.

Abstract Metabolic alterations, a hallmark of cancer, enable tumor cells to adapt to their environment by modulating glucose, lipid, and amino acid metabolism, which fuels rapid growth and contributes to treatment resistance. In primary breast cancer, metabolic shifts such as the Warburg effect and enhanced lipid synthesis are closely linked to chemotherapy failure. Similarly, metastatic lesions often display distinct metabolic profiles that not only sustain tumor growth but also confer resistance to targeted therapies and immunotherapies. The review emphasizes two major aspects: the mechanisms driving metabolic resistance in both primary and metastatic breast cancer, and how the unique metabolic environments in metastatic sites further complicate treatment. By targeting distinct metabolic vulnerabilities at both the primary and metastatic stages, new strategies could improve the efficacy of existing therapies and provide better outcomes for breast cancer patients.

Abstract Background Myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MI/RI) is an unavoidable risk event for acute myocardial infarction, with ferroptosis showing close involvement. We investigated the mechanism of MI/RI inducing myocardial injury by inhibiting the ferroptosis-related SLC7A11/glutathione (GSH)/glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) pathway and activating mitophagy. Methods A rat MI/RI model was established, with myocardial infarction area and injury assessed by TTC and H&E staining. Rat cardiomyocytes H9C2 were cultured in vitro, followed by hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) modeling and the ferroptosis inhibitor lipoxstatin-1 (Lip-1) treatment, or 3-Methyladenine or rapamycin treatment and overexpression plasmid (oe-SLC7A11) transfection during modeling. Cell viability and death were evaluated by CCK-8 and LDH assays. Mitochondrial morphology was observed by transmission electron microscopy. Mitochondrial membrane potential was detected by fluorescence dye JC-1. Levels of inflammatory factors, reactive oxygen species (ROS), Fe2+, malondialdehyde, lipid peroxidation, GPX4 enzyme activity, glutathione reductase, GSH and glutathione disulfide, and SLC7A11, GPX4, LC3II/I and p62 proteins were determined by ELISA kit, related indicator detection kits and Western blot. Results The ferroptosis-related SLC7A11/GSH/GPX4 pathway was repressed in MI/RI rat myocardial tissues, inducing myocardial injury. H/R affected GSH synthesis and inhibited GPX4 enzyme activity by down-regulating SLC7A11, thus promoting ferroptosis in cardiomyocytes, which was averted by Lip-1. SLC7A11 overexpression improved H/R-induced cardiomyocyte ferroptosis via the GSH/GPX4 pathway. H/R activated mitophagy in cardiomyocytes. Mitophagy inhibition reversed H/R-induced cellular ferroptosis. Mitophagy activation partially averted SLC7A11 overexpression-improved H/R-induced cardiomyocyte ferroptosis. H/R suppressed the ferroptosis-related SLC7A11/GSH/GPX4 pathway by inducing mitophagy, leading to cardiomyocyte injury. Conclusions Increased ROS under H/R conditions triggered cardiomyocyte injury by inducing mitophagy to suppress the ferroptosis-related SLC7A11/GSH/GPX4 signaling pathway activation.

Abstract The rapid development of mass entrepreneurship and innovation in China has substantially influenced the entrepreneurial environment, particularly among university students who are emerging as a vital entrepreneurial force. This study aimed to explore and identify the key characteristics and structural framework of entrepreneurial talents among university student entrepreneurs in China, specifically concerning their capacity to discover entrepreneurial opportunities. To achieve this, we conducted interviews with 21 exceptional university student entrepreneurs. A structural model was subsequently developed based on grounded theory, with data coded at three levels and tested for theoretical saturation. The results demonstrated that Chinese university students possess implicit and explicit capacities to detect business possibilities. Implicit abilities largely encompass the innate qualities of entrepreneurial drive and environmental intelligence, while explicit abilities comprise the acquired skills of learning, networking, and integration. This model can be used as a benchmark for assessing and enhancing the capacity of Chinese university students who are aspiring entrepreneurs to identify and exploit entrepreneurial opportunities.

Abstract The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy of different exercise interventions for adult flexible flatfoot. Nine databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), SCOPUS, PRDro, Google Scholar, China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI) and Wanfang data) were systematically searched from their inception until February 2024. The search resulted in 2112 records, with 11 studies included. All networks revealed low heterogeneity and non-significant inconsistency (I 2 ≤ 25.0%). Three network plots were formed for navicular drop. Firstly, compared with the control group, strengthening the posterior tibial muscle + stretching the iliopsoas muscle + TCE (MD: 3.32, 95% CI: 1.78, 4.89), PNF (MD: 1.81, 95%CI: -0.05, 3.70), SFE (MD: 1.23, 95%CI: 1.02, 1.44) all showed better effects. And strengthening the posterior tibial muscle + stretching the iliopsoas muscle + TCE exercise is considered to be the most effective intervention, with SUCRA of 0.97. Secondly, compared with the control group, hip-focused neuromuscular exercise (MD: 6.22, 95% CI: -1.69, 14.12), SFE with EMG biofeedback (MD: -0.81, 95%CI: -1.59, 3.21) all showed better effects. And hip-focused neuromuscular exercise is considered to be the most effective intervention, with SUCRA of 0.92. Thirdly, the internal foot muscle training combined with gluteus muscle strengthening is significantly better than the other two groups, with SUCRA of 0.99. For the foot posture index, comprehensive reinforcement (MD: 1.95, 95% CI − 0.19, 4.03) showed better effects compared with the control group. In the probability ranking table, comprehensive reinforcement is significantly better than the other two groups, with SUCRA of 0.98. For the foot function index, orthoses wear + stretching + eccentric progressive resistive exercise of tibialis posterior is significantly better than the other two groups, with SUCRA of 0.92. In conclusion, various exercise therapies improve the arch shape and function of patients with flexible flatfoot, particularly hip muscle and lower limb overall muscle training.

To improve the recovery rate of biological elemental sulfur(S0) in the simultaneous denitrification and sulfur removal process in sulfur wastewater, the effect and mechanism of stabilizing biological S0 in sulfur-rich wastewater were studied. The experiments were conducted using blockers to stable biological S0 in sulfur-rich wastewater(300 mg/L S2-) and sulfur-poor wastewater(200, 100 mg/L S2- ). It was found that in sulfur-rich wastewater, 68.79 mg/L of S0 was accumulated in the stable group (adding 30 mg/L blocker) at 60 h, which was 25.34 mg/L higher than that in the unstable group (adding 0 mg/L blocker), the S0 stability rate reached 58.31% and the S0 recovery rate was 36.84%. However, the S0 in sulfur-poor wastewater (200, 100 mg/L S2-) was unstable, the S0 stability rate was only 11.2%, 14.14%, and the S0 recovery rate was low (15.71%, 12.39%). It could be seen that the blockers stabilized the biological S0 in sulfur-rich wastewater. Additionally, the blockers were conducive to the accumulation of denitrifying bacteria and Thiobacillus denitrificans, and the high proportion of Thiobacillus denitrificans was conducive to stable S0 in sulfur-rich wastewater. The blockers inhibited the formation of thiosulfate and sulfate and made nitrate get more electrons(19.76 mmol/L more electrons in stable group than in unstable group), promoting the generation and stability of biological S0. This technology could provide a theoretical basis for the recovery and utilization of biological S0 in wastewater.

Fritillaria hupehensis (Hubeibeimu) widely grows in the mid-western zones of China. In the present work, we investigated the physicochemical compositions, antioxidant abilities, and thermal properties of the bulbs of F. hupehensis dehydrated by heat-pump drying (HD), vacuum drying (VD), natural drying (ND), freeze drying (FD), and microwave drying (MD). Total contents of nucleosides and nucleobases in F. hupehensis flours ranged from 727.64 to 1,654.25 µg/g, and total free amino acids ranged from 88.03 to 128.21 mg/g. FD flour had high contents of total nucleosides and nucleobases, and free amino acids. MD flour had low contents of total starch, amylose, protein, nucleosides and nucleobases, and VB1 and VB2, and high levels of total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant abilities. Furthermore, MD flour facilitated gelatinisation, while FD flour displayed opposite trend. HD flour had high total starch content, while ND flour weakened the bitter taste due to the percentage of sweet and bitter taste of amino acids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Ni60/WC gradient composite coating was prepared on the surface of H13 steel by the laser cladding in situ generation method using a fibre laser. The phase composition, microstructure, microhardness and wear mechanism of the laser clad Ni60/WC gradient composite coating were analysed to reveal that it possessed few pores and cracks, the delamination phenomenon was obvious, the enhancement phase was small and uniformly distributed, and it formed a good metallurgical bond with the H13 steel substrate. In the laser clad Ni60/WC gradient composite coating the branch reinforcing phases are mainly WC, W2C, WSi2 phases, and a small amount of Cr7C3, FexC and other compounds, and the interbranch structures are mainly A-[Fe,Ni] solid solution and Cr7C3, FexC and other compounds. The Ni60+40% (W+C) and Ni60+20% (W+C) layers gradually decrease in number and size from top to bottom, while the shape gradually changes from irregular tetragonal to petal-shaped. The microhardness of the laser clad Ni60/WC gradient composite coating shows a gradient downward trend from top to bottom, and the maximum hardness can reach 1083.7 HV0.5 and the average hardness was 4.18 times that of the H13 steel substrate. The wear amount of the laser clad Ni60/WC gradient composite coating is 20.3% of the H13 steel substrate. The wear mechanism is mainly adhesive wear, brittle spalling and abrasive wear, which can prolong the service life of the mould and reduce the waste of resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plastination represents the most advanced technique for preserving biological specimens, widely adopted in education, scientific research, and popular science. This study employed the technique of plastination to explore an innovative method for preserving and exhibiting minke whales, addressing challenges to optimize the use of rare marine mammal specimens and the multi-layered understanding of cetacean anatomy. A 6.5-meter-long adult female minke whale cadaver, weighing 3,368 kg, was dissected, plastinated with polymers, and assembled with internal support frames. Subsequently, skin, muscle, bone, and viscera specimens were prepared separately. The four specimens of the minke whale can be displayed together or individually, and their internal and external structures have been mostly well preserved, with superb surface textures and fine details. This marks the first application of plastination technique to create four distinct presentations from a single minke whale cadaver globally, which significantly conserves biological materials by maximizing the use of a single rare animal body. The innovative plastination technique not only broadens our understanding of cetacean biology but also establishes a sustainable model for preserving rare marine specimens, offering insights into the relationship between structures and functions, as well as environmental adaptations. This study will provide valuable tools for education, research, and popular science education.

For pets, healthy hair not only represents their beautiful appearance, but also reflects their overall health status. Nutritional imbalance, skin parasites, and stress can all cause a large amount of hair loss in pets, leading to skin-related diseases and posing a threat to their health. So, it is very important to understand and find solutions to alleviate or treat pet hair loss. The Wnt/β-catenin signal plays a core role in the hair regeneration process. Here, we report that keratin hydrolyzed, egg yolk lecithin, and fish collagen peptide promote β-catenin nuclear translocation and significantly enhance the expression of their target genes in canines and cats skin cell lines, indicating that these nutrients are likely to play a beneficial role in promoting hair regeneration in canines and cats.

Subconjunctival fibrosis (SCF) is a common and refractory eye disease that is a serious threat to vision. The severe side effects of existing drugs and low drug bioavailability due to the ocular barrier are major challenges in SCF treatment. Hence, there is an urgent need to explore safer and more effective strategies for administering anti-SCF drugs. Herein, an injectable and adaptable hydrogel system containing the antifibrotic drug rapamycin was fabricated to address this complex need. This system possesses moderate mechanical properties, self-healing and shape-adaptive capabilities, injectability, and biosafety. It is designed to promote autophagy by modulating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR/WIPI2 pathway, thereby inhibiting SCF. In vivo experiments utilizing a rat subconjunctival injury model indicated that in situ administration of this hydrogel system effectively inhibited SCF. This system constitutes a promising method for promoting autophagy to protect against SCF, which will foster its widespread application for other fibrotic diseases.

Background and aimsPatients with Crohn’s disease (CD) exhibit excessive apoptosis of intestinal epithelial cells (IECs), which contributes to damage to the intestinal barrier structure and function, thereby playing a role in the progression of colitis. Preventing IEC apoptosis and protecting the intestinal barrier are critical to alleviating colitis. Natural plant monomers have been reported to possess multiple pharmacological properties, particularly with the potential to treat CD. This study focuses on Cynaroside (Cyn) to explore its effect on IEC apoptosis and evaluate its pharmacological impact on the intestinal barrier and colitis.MethodsThe 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced CD-like colitis mice model was employed in this study. We assessed the therapeutic effect of Cyn on CD-like colitis by evaluating the disease activity index (DAI), body weight changes, intestinal tissue pathological damage, and inflammatory factor levels. Immunofluorescence and Western blotting were used to detect the expression and localization of tight junction (TJ) proteins, allowing us to analyze the intestinal barrier structure. The function of the intestinal barrier was examined using FITC-dextran (FD4), TEER values, and bacterial translocation. Network pharmacology enrichment analysis revealed that Cyn could inhibit cell apoptosis. We also explored the effect and underlying mechanism of Cyn in inhibiting IEC apoptosis on intestinal barrier function and colitis using both the TNF-α-induced colonic organoid model and the TNBS-induced mouse model.ResultsOur findings show that Cyn significantly alleviates TNBS-induced colitis symptoms in mice, as evidenced by reduced body weight loss, colon shortening, DAI score, colon histopathology score, and lower levels of inflammatory factors (IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6) compared to the model group. Additionally, the Cyn intervention group showed significant improvements in both the intestinal barrier structure (elevated tight junction protein levels and proper localization) and function (reduced serum FD4 levels, increased intestinal TEER, and decreased bacterial translocation rates in mesenteric lymph nodes [MLNs] and livers). Combining network pharmacology prediction analysis with our validation data from animal models and colonic organoids, we demonstrated that Cyn significantly inhibits IEC apoptosis, as indicated by a decrease in the proportion of TUNEL-positive cells and changes in apoptosis-related protein levels. KEGG enrichment analysis and signaling pathway intervention experiments confirmed that Cyn inhibits the activation of PI3K/AKT signaling.ConclusionCyn inhibits IEC apoptosis by blocking the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, which is the primary mechanism underlying its protective effects on the intestinal barrier and its ability to improve CD-like colitis. This study also supports the potential of the Chinese medicine monomer Cyn as a promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of CD.

Objective This study aimed to examine the impact of social presence on Chinese reading comprehension and associated neural responses. Methods Participants tasked with reading Chinese sentences either alone or in the presence of others and subsequently assessing the accuracy of the sentences’ meanings. Concurrently, we recorded the participants’ electrical brain responses to critical word processing. Results Behavioral results indicated no significant effect of social presence on the judgment of sentence accuracy. Electroencephalogram (EEG) results, however, revealed that reading in the presence of others elicited more pronounced left anterior negativity (LAN) components in the left front of the scalp compared to reading alone. Additionally, incorrect meanings triggered larger N400 and P600 amplitudes in the mid-parietal region than correct meanings. Conclusion Social presence intensifies early neural responses during the reading of Chinese sentences, although it does not influence semantic integration or conflict resolution. These findings support the notion that social context affects language processing.

ObjectiveThis study evaluated the pharmacokinetic and safety profiles of generic and original blonanserin tablets under fasting and postprandial conditions, and the bioequivalence of two formulations to obtain sufficient evidence for abbreviated new drug application.MethodsA randomized, open-label, two-period, two-sequence, self-crossover bioequivalence study was conducted to assess the bioequivalence of the test and reference blonanserin tablets under fasting and postprandial conditions. Eligible healthy individuals received a single 4-mg dose of either the test or reference blonanserin tablet, followed by a wash out period of 14 days. Serial blood samples were collected for up to 72 h after administration during each period, and the plasma concentrations of blonanserin were determined using a validated method. The non-compartmental method was used to calculate the primary pharmacokinetic parameters, and the geometric mean ratios for the PK parameters of the test drug to those of the reference drug, along with the corresponding 90% confidence intervals, were obtained for bioequivalence analysis. Throughout the study, a safety evaluation was conducted.ResultsUnder both fasting and postprandial conditions, the pharmacokinetic parameters of the test drug were found to be similar to those of the reference drug. The 90% confidence intervals (CIs) of the geometric mean ratios of the test to reference formulations were 97.79%–118.28% for peak concentration (Cmax), 92.35%–111.78% for the area under the curve from zero to the last measurable concentration (AUC0-t) and 92.88%–111.91% for the AUC from zero to observed infinity (AUC0-∞) under fasting conditions, 88.65%–103.20% for Cmax, 95.89%–106.81% for AUC0-t and 96.02%–106.91% for AUC0-∞ under postprandial conditions, all of which were within the accepted bioequivalence range of 80.00%–125.00%. Both the test and reference formulations were well-tolerated, and no serious adverse events related to the study drug were reported during the study.ConclusionThe bioequivalence of blonanserin tablets, both test and reference, was confirmed in healthy Chinese subjects under fasting and postprandial conditions, meeting the predetermined regulatory criteria for both formulations. Both formulations were found to be safe and well tolerated.Clinical Trial Registrationhttp://www.chinadrugtrials.org.cn/index.html, identifier CTR20230703.

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia is a prevalent respiratory disorder posing a significant threat to the quality of life in premature infants. Its pathogenesis is intricate, and therapeutic options are limited. Besides genetic coding, protein post-translational modification plays a pivotal role in regulating cellular function, contributing complexity and diversity to substrate proteins and influencing various cellular processes. Substantial evidence indicates that post-translational modifications of several substrate proteins are intricately related to the molecular mechanisms underlying bronchopulmonary dysplasia. These modifications facilitate the progression of bronchopulmonary dysplasia through a cascade of signal transduction events. This review outlines the relationships between substrate protein phosphorylation, acetylation, ubiquitination, SUMOylation, methylation, glycosylation, glycation, S-glutathionylation, S-nitrosylation and bronchopulmonary dysplasia. The aim is to provide novel insights into bronchopulmonary dysplasia's pathogenesis and potential therapeutic targets for clinical management.

The disposal of sewage sludge has become a challenge in recent years. Smoldering combustion is a novel, low-energy, and promising new method for sewage sludge disposal. In this study, sawdust was used as auxiliary fuel to mix sewage sludge and sand to form a porous media fuel bed for smoldering combustion. The effects of key parameters such as moisture content, sand ratio, airflow rate, and sawdust amount on the sewage sludge smoldering characteristics were studied. And smoldering self-sustaining limits were explored to ensure stable operation in practical applications. The results showed that reducing the moisture content could improve the robustness of sewage sludge smoldering combustion and reduce the preheating time. Airflow rate and S/F ratios were the main factors controlling the peak temperature and smoldering velocity. The optimal sand-to-fuel mass ratio (S/F) was 3, not only the smoldering velocity was maximum, but also sewage sludge with less sawdust added and higher moisture content could be treated.

BackgroundBasic leucine zipper ATF-like transcription factor (BATF) is a nuclear basic leucine zipper protein affiliated with the AP-1/ATF superfamily. Previous research has confirmed that BATF expression plays a significant role in the tumour microenvironment. However, the associations between BATF expression and prognoses in acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) patients and their immunological effects remain unclear.MethodsGenomic and clinical AML data were got from the TCGA (TCGA-LAML) and GEO (GSE37642) databases for the subsequent analysis. The expression levels of BATF in AML patients were assessed using GEPIA, and the results were verified by qRT-PCR and Western blotting. In the meantime, the prognostic value of BATF was evaluated using univariate and multivariate analyses, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) analysis, and Kaplan-Meier (KM) survival analysis. EdU, colony formation, and CCK-8 assays were employed to evaluate the proliferation of cells. Moreover, we detected the association of BATF expression with drug sensitivity through database analysis and in vivo experiments. To further investigate the mechanism of action of BATF in AML, RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis was performed, followed by pathway enrichment analysis using Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis. Meanwhile, we detected the connection between BATF expression and the proportions of immune cells via flow cytometry in C1498 mouse model of AML. Finally, we investigated the association between BATF expression and cell-cell communication within the AML cell population using single-cell sequencing.ResultsIn this study, we thoroughly investigated the role of BATF in AML. First, we observed a significant elevation in the expression of BATF in patients and cells in AML. Further analysis revealed an association between high BATF expression and poor prognosis in AML. Additionally, BATF expression was found to promote the proliferative capacity of AML cells. Moreover, the results showed that the expression level of BATF dramatically affected the effect of chemotherapy in AML patients. We also discovered that BATF expression could activate multiple immune-related pathways, altering the proportions of CD8+T cells and NK cells, suggesting that BATF may be a regulator of immune cell infiltration. Finally, there were differences in receptor ligand pairs between AML cells with high and low expression of BATF and immune cells.ConclusionBioinformatics analysis and experimental verification revealed that BATF expression could alter the proportions of CD8+T cells and NK cells in AML and affect drug sensitivity, making it a potential treatment target for AML.

Continuous cropping (CC) profoundly impacts soil ecosystems, including changes in soil factors and the structure and stability of microbial communities. These factors are interrelated and together affect soil health and plant growth. In this research, metagenomic sequencing was used to explore the effects of CC on physicochemical properties, enzyme activities, microbial community composition, and functional genes of the rhizosphere soil of patchouli. We found that this can lead to changes in various soil factors, including the continuous reduction of pH and NH4+-N and the unstable changes of many factors. In addition, S-PPO enzyme activity increased significantly with the cropping years, but S-NAG increased in the first 2 years and decreased in the third cropping year. Metagenomic sequencing results showed that CC significantly changed the diversity and composition of rhizosphere microbial communities. The relative abundance of Pseudomonas and Bacteroides decreased substantially from the phylum level. At the genus level, the number of microbial genera specific to the zero-year cropping (CK) and first (T1), second (T2), and third (T3) years decreased significantly, to 1798, 172, 42, and 44, respectively. The abundance of many functional genes changed, among which COG0823, a gene with the cellular process and signaling functions, significantly increased after CC. In addition, NH4+-N, S-CAT, S-LAP, and SOC were the main environmental factors affecting rhizosphere-dominant microbial communities at the phylum level, while pH, SOC, and AK were the key environmental factors affecting rhizosphere functional genes of Pogostemon cablin. In summary, this study showed the dynamic changes of soil factors and rhizosphere microorganisms during CC, providing a theoretical basis for understanding the formation mechanism and prevention of CC obstacles and contributing to the formulation of scientific soil management and fertilization strategies.

Summary: The hypertrophic mesenteric adipose tissue (htMAT) of Crohn disease (CD) participates in inflammation through the expression of adipokines, but the exact mechanism of this action in the intestine is unknown. Here, we analyzed the expression of secreted frizzled-related protein 5 (SFRP5), an adipokine with cytoprotective effects, in htMAT and its role in CD. The results of this study revealed that the level of SFPR5 increased in the diseased MAT (htMAT) of CD patients and aggregated among intestinal epithelial cells in the diseased intestine and that it could ameliorate intestinal barrier dysfunction in tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α)-stimulated colonic organoids and 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced mice at least in part through the inhibition of Wnt5a-mediated apoptosis in epithelial cells. This study elucidates possible mechanisms by which mesenteric adipokines influence the progression of enteritis and provides a new theoretical basis for the treatment of CD via the mesenteric pathway.

Introduction To examine the reliability, sensitivity, and specificity of fluorescent oxidation products (FlOPs; markers of global oxidative damage) for measuring global oxidative stress. Methods To improve FlOP measurement reliability, we mixed plasma samples with the extractant at eight ratios and measured FlOPs with a fluorescent microplate reader (excitation/emission wavelengths 320/420 nm denoted FlOP_320; 360/420 nm [FlOP_360]; and 400/475 nm [FlOP_400]). In a human study, we examined the reliability of an improved FlOP measurement. In an animal study, we examined the sensitivity and specificity of FlOPs for measuring D-galactose induced global oxidative stress. Results At a 1:20 (plasma/extractant) mixture ratio, the overall inter-/intra-assay coefficients of variation (CV) for FlOP measurements among healthy and coronary heart disease participants were