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Abstract Objective To provide evidence for choosing surgical or nonsurgical treatment for epilepsy in patients with unilateral multilobar and hemispheric polymicrogyria (PMG). Methods We searched published studies until September 2022 related to unilateral multilobar and hemispheric PMG and included patients who were followed up at the Pediatric Epilepsy Centre of Peking University First Hospital in the past 10 years. We summarized the clinical characteristics and compared the long‐term outcomes after surgical or nonsurgical (anti‐seizure medications, ASMs) treatment. Results A total of 70 patients (49 surgical, 21 non‐surgical) with unilateral multilobar and hemispheric PMG were included. The median age at epilepsy onset was 2.5 years (1.0–4.1). The most common seizure types were focal and atypical absence seizures. In the whole cohort, 87.3% had hemiparesis and 67.1% had electrical status epilepticus during slow sleep (ESES). There were significant differences in age at epilepsy onset, extent of lesion, and EEG interictal discharges between the two groups. At the last follow‐up (median 14.1 years), the rates of seizure‐freedom (81.6% vs. 57.1%, p = 0.032) and ASM discontinuation (44.4% vs. 6.3%, p = 0.006) were higher in the surgical group than in the nonsurgical group. Patients in the surgical group had a higher rate of seizure‐freedom with complete resection/disconnection than with subtotal resection (87.5% vs. 55.6%, p = 0.078), but with no statistically significant difference. In the nonsurgical group, more extensive lesions were associated with worse seizure outcomes. Cognition improved postoperatively in 90% of surgical patients. Significance In patients with unilateral multilobar and hemispheric PMG, the age of seizure onset, the extent of the lesion and EEG features can help determine whether surgery should be performed early. Additionally, surgery could be more favorable for achieving seizure freedom and cognitive improvement sooner. Plain Language Summary We aim to summarize clinical characteristics and compare the long‐term outcomes after surgical and nonsurgical (ASM) treatment to provide a basis for treatment decisions for patients with unilateral multilobar and hemispheric polymicrogyria (PMG)‐related epilepsy. We found that patients with unilateral hemispheric and multilobar PMG had significantly higher rates of seizure freedom and ASM discontinuation with surgical treatment than with nonsurgical treatment. In the surgical group, seizure outcomes were better in patients treated with complete resection/disconnection than in those treated with subtotal resection, but the difference was not statistically significant.

Objective To explore the sensitizing effect of manganese for radiotherapy against tumors and its possible mechanisms. Methods A total of 300 male C57BL/6 mice (6~8 weeks old, weighing 20~23 g) with subcutaneous tumor were randomly divided into 4 groups: control group, radiotherapy group, manganese treatment group, and combined radiotherapy and manganese treatment group. Nasal drip with 10 μg manganese adjuvant was applied to the mice from the latter 2 groups on day 9 of tumor bearing, then single dose of 20 Gy radiation was locally administered on day 10. Tumor growth and mouse survival were monitored regularly. The sensitizing effect of manganese on radiotherapy was determined by monitoring and comparing the tumor growth among different unilateral mouse models. Bilateral tumor-bearing model was used to examine the effect of manganese on abscopal effects induced by radiotherapy. Flow cytometry was used to illustrate the changes in tumor-infiltrating immune cells in unilateral tumor bearing model. Immunohistochemical staining was employed to evaluate the spleen function in unilateral tumor bearing mice. Results Based on repeated validation of 3 different unilateral tumor-bearing models, radiotherapy combined with manganese therapy significantly inhibited tumor growth and prolonged survival of mice (P < 0.05). The results of bilateral tumor-bearing model showed that manganese therapy enhanced abscopal effects of radiotherapy, and significant regression was observed in both side of tumor under radiotherapy or not (P < 0.05). Flow cytometry revealed that manganese further increased radiation-induced CD8+T infiltration (P < 0.05) and decreased radiation-induced infiltration of Treg cells and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) (P < 0.05). Furthermore, manganese increased lymphocyte reserve pool of the spleen and improved its function. Conclusion Manganese adjuvant could act as a sensitizing agent for radiotherapy, by improving the function of spleen and reprogramming the tumor microenvironment synergistically.

Abstract Long-read sequencing, exemplified by PacBio, revolutionizes genomics, overcoming challenges like repetitive sequences. However, the high DNA requirement ( > 1 µg) is prohibitive for small organisms. We develop a low-input (100 ng), low-cost, and amplification-free library-generation method for PacBio sequencing (LILAP) using Tn5-based tagmentation and DNA circularization within one tube. We test LILAP with two Drosophila melanogaster individuals, and generate near-complete genomes, surpassing preexisting single-fly genomes. By analyzing variations in these two genomes, we characterize mutational processes: complex transpositions (transposon insertions together with extra duplications and/or deletions) prefer regions characterized by non-B DNA structures, and gene conversion of transposons occurs on both DNA and RNA levels. Concurrently, we generate two complete assemblies for the endosymbiotic bacterium Wolbachia in these flies and similarly detect transposon conversion. Thus, LILAP promises a broad PacBio sequencing adoption for not only mutational studies of flies and their symbionts but also explorations of other small organisms or precious samples.

As important terrestrial ecosystems on the Qinghai‒Tibet Plateau with important ecological and economic value, alpine meadows in some regions are in a degraded state due to climate change and unsustainable grazing. Due to the fragile ecological environment, exploring sustainable restoration models of degraded alpine meadows using close-to-nature restoration measures is the direction of ongoing efforts. Thus, in this study, three close-to-nature restoration measures, namely, manure application (M), Poa annua, Elymus dahuricus, and Puccinellia distans mixed with non-tillage reseeding (R), and the combined treatments (MR), were used to restore degraded alpine meadows from 2019 to 2021. The results showed that the M and MR treatments significantly enhanced plant biomass and reduced forbs dominance, thus improving community structure. Moreover, the M and MR treatments significantly affected plant and bacterial alpha diversity. However, the three restoration measures did not alter the correlation between the plant and bacterial communities. Furthermore, these three measures resulted in a significant increase in the plant carbon:nitrogen ratio and a significant decrease in the nitrogen:phosphorus ratio, while neither the plant carbon:phosphorus ratio nor the soil stoichiometric ratio changed significantly, indicating that nitrogen limitation was an important factor that limited the recovery process of the alpine meadows. The structural equation model indicated that the plant nitrogen:phosphorus ratio may regulate the response of plant and bacterial diversity to different restoration measures in alpine meadows. Our findings emphasize that the management of degraded alpine meadows using close-to-nature restoration measures should be a long-term effort, with more attention given to changes in the nitrogen content of meadow ecosystems.

Abstract Understanding how to increase soybean yield is crucial for global food security. The genetic and epigenetic factors influencing seed size, a major crop yield determinant, are not fully understood. We explore the role of DNA demethylase GmDMEa in soybean seed size. Our research indicates that GmDMEa negatively correlates with soybean seed size. Using CRISPR-Cas9, we edited GmDMEa in the Dongnong soybean cultivar, known for small seeds. Modified plants had larger seeds and greater yields without altering plant architecture or seed nutrition. GmDMEa preferentially demethylates AT-rich transposable elements, thus activating genes and transcription factors associated with the abscisic acid pathway, which typically decreases seed size. Chromosomal substitution lines confirm that these modifications are inheritable, suggesting a stable epigenetic method to boost seed size in future breeding. Our findings provide insights into epigenetic seed size control and suggest a strategy for improving crop yields through the epigenetic regulation of crucial genes. This work implies that targeted epigenetic modification has practical agricultural applications, potentially enhancing food production without compromising crop quality.

Abstract Background Cancer is the leading cause of death among older adults. Although the integration of immunotherapy has revolutionized the therapeutic landscape of cancer, the complex interactions between age and immunotherapy efficacy remain incompletely defined. Here, we aimed to elucidate the relationship between aging and immunotherapy resistance. Methods Flow cytometry was performed to evaluate the infiltration of immune cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME). In vivo T cell proliferation, cytotoxicity and migration assays were performed to evaluate the antitumor capacity of tumor antigen-specific CD8+ T cells in mice. Real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) was used to investigate the expression of IFN-γ-associated gene and natural killer (NK)-associated chemokine. Adoptive NK cell transfer was adopted to evaluate the effects of NK cells from young mice in overcoming the immunotherapy resistance of aged mice. Results We found that elderly patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (aNSCLC) aged ≥ 75 years exhibited poorer progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS) and a lower clinical response rate after immunotherapy. Mechanistically, we showed that the infiltration of NK cells was significantly reduced in aged mice compared to younger mice. Furthermore, the aged NK cells could also suppress the activation of tumor antigen-specific CD8+ T cells by inhibiting the recruitment and activation of CD103+ dendritic cells (DCs). Adoptive transfer of NK cells from young mice to aged mice promoted TME remodeling, and reversed immunotherapy resistance. Conclusion Our findings revealed the decreased sensitivity of elderly patients to immunotherapy, as well as in aged mice. This may be attributed to the reduction of NK cells in aged mice, which inhibits CD103+ DCs recruitment and its CD86 expression and ultimately leads to immunotherapy resistance.

Abstract Early endosomes (EEs) are crucial in cargo sorting within vesicular trafficking. While cargoes destined for degradation are retained in EEs and eventually transported to lysosomes, recycled cargoes for the plasma membrane (PM) or the Golgi undergo segregation into specialized membrane structures known as EE buds during cargo sorting. Despite this significance, the molecular basis of the membrane expansion during EE bud formation has been poorly understood. In this study, we identify a protein complex comprising SHIP164, an ATPase RhoBTB3, and a retromer subunit Vps26B, which promotes the formation of EE buds at Golgi–EE contacts. Our findings reveal that Vps26B acts as a novel Rab14 effector, and Rab14 activity regulates the association of SHIP164 with EEs. Depletion of SHIP164 leads to enlarged Rab14+ EEs without buds, a phenotype rescued by wild-type SHIP164 but not the lipid transfer-defective mutants. Suppression of RhoBTB3 or Vps26B mirrors the effects of SHIP164 depletion. Together, we propose a lipid transport-dependent pathway mediated by the RhoBTB3–SHIP164–Vps26B complex at Golgi–EE contacts, which is essential for EE budding.

ObjectivesThis research aimed to assess the value of radiomics combined with multiple machine learning algorithms in the diagnosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) lymph node (LN) metastasis, which is expected to provide clinical treatment strategies.MethodsA total of 128 patients with pathologically confirmed PDAC and who underwent surgical resection were randomized into training (n=93) and validation (n=35) groups. This study incorporated a total of 13 distinct machine learning algorithms and explored 85 unique combinations of these algorithms. The area under the curve (AUC) of each model was computed. The model with the highest mean AUC was selected as the best model which was selected to determine the radiomics score (Radscore). The clinical factors were examined by the univariate and multivariate analysis, which allowed for the identification of factors suitable for clinical modeling. The multivariate logistic regression was used to create a combined model using Radscore and clinical variables. The diagnostic performance was assessed by receiver operating characteristic curves, calibration curves, and decision curve analysis (DCA).ResultsAmong the 233 models constructed using arterial phase (AP), venous phase (VP), and AP+VP radiomics features, the model built by applying AP+VP radiomics features and a combination of Lasso+Logistic algorithm had the highest mean AUC. A clinical model was eventually constructed using CA199 and tumor size. The combined model consisted of AP+VP-Radscore and two clinical factors that showed the best diagnostic efficiency in the training (AUC = 0.920) and validation (AUC = 0.866) cohorts. Regarding preoperative diagnosis of LN metastasis, the calibration curve and DCA demonstrated that the combined model had a good consistency and greatest net benefit.ConclusionsCombining radiomics and machine learning algorithms demonstrated the potential for identifying the LN metastasis of PDAC. As a non-invasive and efficient preoperative prediction tool, it can be beneficial for decision-making in clinical practice.

IntroductionThere is growing evidence indicating a complex interaction between blood metabolites and atopic dermatitis (AD). The objective of this study was to investigate and quantify the potential influence of plasma metabolites on AD through Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.MethodsOur procedures followed these steps: instrument variable selection, primary analysis, replication analysis, Meta-analysis of results, reverse MR analysis, and multivariate MR (MVMR) analysis. In our study, the exposure factors were derived from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA), encompassing 8,299 individuals of European descent and identifying 1,091 plasma metabolites and 309 metabolite ratios. In primary analysis, AD data, was sourced from the GWAS catalog (Accession ID: GCST90244787), comprising 60,653 cases and 804,329 controls. For replication, AD data from the Finnish R10 database included 15,208 cases and 367,046 controls. We primarily utilized the inverse variance weighting method to assess the causal relationship between blood metabolites and AD.ResultsOur study identified significant causal relationships between nine genetically predicted blood metabolites and AD. Specifically, 1-palmitoyl-2-stearoyl-GPC (16:0/18:0) (OR = 0.92, 95% CI 0.89–0.94), 1-methylnicotinamide (OR = 0.93, 95% CI 0.89–0.98), linoleoyl-arachidonoyl-glycerol (18:2/20:4) [1] (OR = 0.94, 95% CI 0.92–0.96), and 1-arachidonoyl-GPC (20:4n6) (OR = 0.94, 95% CI 0.92–0.96) were associated with a reduced risk of AD. Conversely, phosphate / linoleoyl-arachidonoyl-glycerol (18:2/20:4) [2] (OR = 1.07, 95% CI 1.04–1.10), docosatrienoate (22:3n3) (OR = 1.07, 95% CI 1.04–1.10), retinol (Vitamin A) / linoleoyl-arachidonoyl-glycerol (18:2/20:4) [2] (OR = 1.08, 95% CI 1.05–1.11), retinol (Vitamin A) / linoleoyl-arachidonoylglycerol (18:2/20:4) [1] (OR = 1.08, 95% CI 1.05–1.12), and phosphate / linoleoyl-arachidonoyl-glycerol (18:2/20:4) [1] (OR = 1.09, 95% CI 1.07–1.12 were associated with an increased risk of AD. No evidence of reverse causality was found in the previously significant results. MVMR analysis further confirmed that 1-palmitoyl-2-stearoyl-GPC (16:0/18:0) and 1-methylnicotinamide are independent and dominant contributors to the development of AD.ConclusionOur study revealed a causal relationship between genetically predicted blood metabolites and AD. This discovery offers specific targets for drug development in the treatment of AD patients and provides valuable insights for investigating the underlying mechanisms of AD in future research.

The marine climate conditions are intricate and variable. In scenarios characterized by high proportions of wind and solar energy access, the uncertainty regarding the energy sources for island microgrid is significantly exacerbated, presenting challenges to both the economic viability and reliability of the capacity configuration for island microgrids. To address this issue, this paper proposes a distributionally robust optimization (DRO) method for island microgrids, considering extreme scenarios of wind and solar conditions. Firstly, to address the challenge of determining the probability distribution functions of wind and solar in complex island climates, a conditional generative adversarial network (CGAN) is employed to generate a scenario set for wind and solar conditions. Then, by combining k-means clustering with an extreme scenario selection method, typical scenarios and extreme scenarios are selected from the generated scenario set, forming the scenario set for the DRO model of island microgrids. On this basis, a DRO model based on multiple discrete scenarios is constructed with the objective of minimizing the sum of investment costs, operation and maintenance costs, fuel purchase costs, penalty costs of wind and solar curtailment, and penalty costs of load loss. The model is subjected to equipment operation and power balance constraints, and solved using the columns and constraints generation (CCG) algorithm. Finally, through typical examples, the effectiveness of this paper’s method in balancing the economic viability and robustness of the configuration scheme for the island microgrid, as well as reducing wind and solar curtailment and load loss, is verified.

Objective Current biomarkers for predicting immunotherapy response in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are derived from invasive procedures with limited predictive accuracy. Thus, identifying a non-invasive predictive biomarker would improve patient stratification and precision immunotherapy.Methods and analysis In this retrospective multicohort study, the discovery cohort included 205 NSCLC patients screened from ORIENT-11 and an external validation (EV) cohort included 99 real-world NSCLC patients. The ‘onion-mode segmentation’ method was developed to extract ‘onion-mode perfusion’ (OMP) from contrast-enhanced CT images. The predictive performance of OMP or its combination with the PD-L1 Tumour Proportion Score (TPS) was evaluated by the area under the curve (AUC).Results High baseline OMP was associated with significantly longer survival and predicted patient response to combination anti-PD-(L)1 therapy in the discovery and EV cohorts. OMP complemented the PD-L1 TPS with superior predictive sensitivity (p=0.02). In the PD-L1 TPS

ObjectivesFibroleukin (FGA) and NOTCH3 are vital in both exercise-induced muscle adaptation and colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) progression. This study aims to elucidate the roles of FGA and NOTCH3 in phenotypic variations of striated muscle induced by exercise and in COAD development. Additionally, it seeks to evaluate the prognostic significance of these proteins.MethodsGene Set Variation Analysis (GSVA) and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis were employed to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Molecular docking studies were conducted to assess the binding affinities of 39 compounds to the NOTCH3 protein. In vitro assays, including mobileular viability, gene expression, and apoptosis assays, were performed to evaluate the effects of glycerophosphoinositol on FGA and NOTCH3 expression. Additionally, copy number variation (CNV), methylation status, and survival analyses were conducted across multiple cancers types.ResultsThe NOTCH signaling pathway was consistently upregulated in exercise-induced muscle samples. High NOTCH3 expression was associated with poor prognosis in COAD, extracellular matrix organization, immune infiltration, and activation of the PI3K-Akt pathway. Molecular docking identified gamma-Glu-Trp, gamma-Glutamyltyrosine, and 17-Deoxycortisol as strong binders to NOTCH3. Glycerophosphoinositol treatment modulated FGA and NOTCH3 expression, influencing cell proliferation and apoptosis. CNV and methylation analyses revealed specific changes in FGA and NOTCH3 across 20 cancers types. Survival analyses showed strong associations between FGA/NOTCH3 expression and survival metrics, with negative correlations for FGA and positive correlations for NOTCH3.ConclusionFGA and NOTCH3 play significant roles in exercise-induced muscle adaptation and colon cancer progression. The expression profiles and interactions of these proteins provide promising prognostic markers and therapeutic targets. These findings offer valuable insights into the post-translational modifications (PTMs) in human cancer, highlighting novel pharmacological and therapeutic opportunities.

Cystathionine γ-lyase (CSE) is a major enzyme that produces hydrogen sulfide (H2S). Herein, we report how CSE plays a previously unknown role in regulating the antioxidant effects of the mitochondria in human umbilical vein endothelial cells by releasing H2S nearby under stress conditions. We found that H2S partially promoted angiogenesis in the endothelial cells through the AKT/nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (AKT/NRF2) signaling pathway. H2S improved mitochondrial function by altering the expressions of the mitofusin2 and dynamin-1-like mitochondrial fission proteins to inhibit oxidative stress and enhance NRF2 nuclear translocation. CSE is located only in the cytoplasm and not in the mitochondria, but it is transported to the vicinity of the mitochondria to produce H2S, which plays an antioxidant role in human umbilical vein endothelial cells under stress. The CSE mutant (with mutated CSE activity center: CSED187A) partially decreased the effects on promoting angiogenesis, resisting oxidative stress, and entering the mitochondria. These results show that CSE translocation is a unique mechanism that promotes H2S production inside the mitochondria under stress stimulation. Therefore, the CSE mutant site (CSED187A) may be a potential target for drug therapy.

Abstract Detecting text within medical images presents a formidable challenge in the domain of computer vision due to the intricate nature of textual backgrounds, the dense text concentration, and the possible existence of extreme aspect ratios. This paper introduces an effective and precise text detection system tailored to address these challenges. The system incorporates an optimized segmentation module, a trainable post-processing method, and leverages a vision-language pre-training model (oCLIP). Specifically, our segmentation head integrates three essential components: the Feature Pyramid Network (FPN) module, which combines a residual structure and channel attention mechanism; the Efficient Feature Enhancement Module (EFEM); and the Multi-Scale Feature Fusion with RSEConv (MSFM-RSE), designed specifically for multi-scale feature fusion based on RSEConv. By introducing a residual structure and channel attention mechanism into the FPN module, the convolutional layers are replaced with RSEConv layers that employ a channel attention mechanism, further augmenting the representational capacity of the feature maps. The EFEM, designed as a cascaded U-shaped module, incorporates a spatial attention mechanism to introduce multi-level information, thereby enhancing segmentation performance. Subsequently, the MSFM-RSE adeptly amalgamates features from various depths and scales of the EFEM to generate comprehensive final features tailored for segmentation purposes. Additionally, a post-processing module employs a differentiable binarization strategy, allowing the segmentation network to dynamically determine the binarization threshold. Building on the system’s improvement, we introduce a vision-language pre-training model that undergoes extensive training on various visual language understanding tasks. This pre-trained model acquires detailed visual and semantic representations, further reinforcing both the accuracy and robustness in text detection when integrated with the segmentation module. The performance of our proposed model was evaluated through experiments on medical text image datasets, demonstrating excellent results. Multiple benchmark experiments validate its superior performance in comparison to existing methods. Code is available at: https://github.com/csworkcode/VLDBNet .

Abstract Chemotherapy resistance accompanied by energy metabolism abnormality functions as one of the main reasons for treatment failure and poor prognosis. However, the function of N6-methyladenosine (m6A)-modified circular RNA (circRNA) on osteosarcoma (OS) is still unclear. Here, present research investigated the potential role and mechanism of circARHGAP12 on OS doxorubicin (Dox) resistance and aerobic glycolysis. Results indicated that circARHGAP12 was a novel m6A-modified circRNA, which was up-regulated in OS cells. Overexpression of circARHGAP12 promoted the Dox resistance half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) and aerobic glycolysis (glucose uptake, lactate and ATP production) in OS cells (Saos-2/Dox, MG63/Dox). Mechanistically, m6A-modified circARHGAP12 could bind with c-Myc mRNA through m6A-dependent manner, thereby enhancing the c-Myc mRNA stability. Thus, these findings revealed the critical function of circARHGAP12 on OS Dox-resistance and aerobic glycolysis. Taken together, our study demonstrated a critical function of circARHGAP12 on OS chemotherapy resistance and energy metabolism abnormality, providing critical roles on OS treatment.

Abstract Background In 2021, China had a population of 264·01 million individuals over the age of 60, indicating a high prevalence of chronic diseases. Among older adults, physical inactivity (PI) is a significant risk factor for chronic diseases. However, few studies have been conducted on the correlation of physical activity (PA) with the economic status, geography and chronic disease risks in Chinese elderly. The objectives of this study were to better understand the distribution of PA among older adults in China and its relationship with economic status, geography, and chronic disease risks. Methods This study utilized data from the China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey (CLASS) in 2020, post-COVID-19. The study employed a stratified, multistage, probabilistic sampling approach and included 11,396 adults over the age of 59 from 28 provinces in China. Data on demographics, the duration and intensity of PA, history of diseases and personalized factors influencing PA were collected via structured interviews by researchers. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive analysis, employing a range of statistical methods including descriptive analysis, Wilcoxon rank-sum tests, Bayesian networks, and chi-square tests. Results The prevalence of PI among older adults over 59 in China is 28·82%. Significant regional differences were observed in the duration of PA at different intensities. Older adults residing in more economically developed areas were more likely to engage in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and exhibited longer sedentary behavior. Economic status and urban-rural disparities consistently emerged as direct influential factors across all intensity types. Chronic disease risks were significantly lower in active older adults compared to inactive ones. Lack of social guidance, family support, and personal inclination towards sedentary behavior were the main personalized factors affecting PA among older adults, and these factors could be relatively easily modified. Conclusions Economic status, geography, and living areas (urban and rural) significantly influenced the distribution of physical activities in China. Particularly, economic status and living areas acted as direct factors. Older adults reaching the recommended standards for PA had significantly lower chronic disease risks, highlighting the importance of improving personalized factors which are crucial for promoting PA.

Abstract This study aims to promote the protection and inheritance of cultural heritage in private gardens in the Jiangnan area of China. By establishing a precise visual labeling system and accelerating the construction of a database for private garden features, we deepen the understanding of garden design philosophy. To this end, we propose an improved Jiangnan private garden recognition model based on You Only Look Once (YOLO) v8. This model is particularly suitable for processing garden environments with characteristics such as single or complex structures, rich depth of field, and cluttered targets, effectively enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of object recognition. This design integrates the Diverse Branch Block (DBB), Bidirectional Feature Pyramid Network (BiFPN), and Dynamic Head modules (DyHead) to optimize model accuracy, feature fusion, and object detection representational capability, respectively. The enhancements elevated the model's accuracy by 8.7%, achieving a mean average precision (mAP@0.5) value of 57.1%. A specialized dataset, comprising 4890 images and encapsulating various angles and lighting conditions of Jiangnan private gardens, was constructed to realize this. Following manual annotation and the application of diverse data augmentation strategies, the dataset bolsters the generalization and robustness of the model. Experimental outcomes reveal that, compared to its predecessor, the improved model has witnessed increments of 15.16%, 3.25%, and 11.88% in precision, mAP0.5, and mAP0.5:0.95 metrics, respectively, demonstrating exemplary performance in the accuracy and real-time recognition of garden target elements. This research not only furnishes robust technical support for the digitization and intelligent research of Jiangnan private gardens but also provides a potent methodological reference for object detection and classification research in analogous domains.

Kidney stones, a prevalent urological disorder, are closely associated with oxidative stress (OS) and the inflammatory response. Recent research in the field of kidney stone treatment has indicated the potential of natural active ingredients to modulate OS targets and the inflammatory response in kidney stones. Oxidative stress can occur through various pathways, increasing the risk of stone formation, while the inflammatory response generated during kidney stone formation further exacerbates OS, forming a detrimental cycle. Both antioxidant systems related to OS and inflammatory mediators associated with inflammation play roles in the pathogenesis of kidney stones. Natural active ingredients, abundant in resources and possessing antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties, have the ability to decrease the risk of stone formation and improve prognosis by reducing OS and suppressing pro-inflammatory cytokine expression or pathways. Currently, numerous developed natural active ingredients have been clinically applied and demonstrated satisfactory therapeutic efficacy. This review aims to provide novel insights into OS and inflammation targets in kidney stones as well as summarize research progress on potential therapeutic strategies involving natural active ingredients. Future studies should delve deeper into exploring efficacy and mechanisms of action of diverse natural active ingredients, proposing innovative treatment strategies for kidney stones, and continuously uncovering their potential applications.

ABSTRACT: E2F transcription factor 5 (E2F5) gene is a transcription factor, plays an important role in the development of a variety of cells. E2F5 is expressed in human and mouse adipocytes, but its specific function in adipogenesis is unclear. Krüppel-like factor 7 (KLF7) facilitates proliferation and inhibits differentiation in chicken preadipocytes. Our previous KLF7 chromatin immunoprecipitation-sequencing analysis revealed a KLF7-binding peak in the 3′ flanking region of the E2F5, indicating a regulatory role of KLF7 in this region. In the present study, we investigated E2F5 potential role, the overexpression and knockdown analyses revealed that E2F5 inhibited the differentiation and promoted the proliferation of chicken preadipocytes. Moreover, we identified enhancer activity in the 3′ flanking region (nucleotides +22661/+22900) of E2F5 and found that KLF7 overexpression increased E2F5 expression and luciferase activity in this region. Deleting the putative KLF7-binding site eliminated the promoting effect of KLF7 overexpression on E2F5 expression. Further, E2F5 reversed the KLF7-induced decrease in preadipocyte differentiation and increase in preadipocyte proliferation. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that KLF7 inhibits differentiation and promotes proliferation in preadipocytes by enhancing E2F5 transcription.

Pepper, which is a widely cultivated important vegetable, is sensitive to salt stress, and the continuous intensification of soil salinization has affected pepper production worldwide. However, genes confer to salt tolerance are rarely been cloned in pepper. Since the REPRESSOR OF SILENCING 1 (ROS1) is a DNA demethylase that plays a crucial regulatory role in plants in response to various abiotic stresses, including salt stress. We cloned a ROS1 gene in pepper, named CaROS1 (LOC107843637). Bioinformatic analysis showed that the CaROS1 protein contains the HhH-GPD glycosylase and RRM_DME domains. qRT-PCR analyses showed that the CaROS1 was highly expressed in young and mature fruits of pepper and rapidly induced by salt stress. Functional characterization of the CaROS1 was performed by gene silencing in pepper and overexpressing in tobacco, revealed that the CaROS1 positively regulates salt tolerance ability. More detailly, CaROS1-silenced pepper were more sensitive to salt stress, and their ROS levels, relative conductivity, and malondialdehyde content were significantly higher in leaves than those of the control plants. Besides, CaROS1-overexpressing tobacco plants were more tolerant to salt stress, with a higher relative water content, total chlorophyll content, and antioxidant enzyme activity in leaves compared to those of WT plants during salt stress. These results revealed the CaROS1 dose play a role in salt stress response, providing the theoretical basis for salt tolerance genetic engineering breeding in pepper.